Prompt: Gail is driving on the highway when suddenly the weather changes. Soon she's in the middle of a blizzard so she decides to stay in a motel next to the highway. But other people have been surprised by the snow as well. It's very busy and all the rooms in the motel are booked. Gail is desperate to get a room and is snarling at the receptionist. Holly feels sorry for Gail and proposes to share her room.

The heavy atmosphere inside the 15th precinct went extremely well with the dark clouds outside that had been threatening to break into a loud cry ever since the start of the day. They all had been there since the crack of dawn so they had witnessed firsthand as the sky's color mutated into its current state. A storm was brewing.

"I need someone to take the file to him. We need to talk to the detective that closed this case and he's apparently not feeling well enough to travel. So... who's up for it?"

Silence was the only one to lift its hand.

The case was getting bloodier by the minute. So much bloodier that apparently some of it had actually spilled all over the detective's hands. It was going to be a complicated conversation, and complicated was actually putting it mildly. The commended detective was not going to enjoy being under scrutiny.

"I will go."

Everyone turned instantly towards the voice.

"Good." Said Oliver. "That's good, Peck. All of you, back to work. Peck, follow me."

Gail nodded, not meeting anyone's gaze. Truth was, she was basically the only one who was going back home to an empty bed. There was no one waiting for her. So what was the difference between that and driving to the middle of nowhere? None. At least not to her. And besides, a long drive might even come in handy. Driving always helped her think, put things into perspective. And that was something that she needed. Even craved for. Perspective.

"Are you sure about this, Gail?" Oliver asked, closing the door behind him once they were both safely inside his office.

"Why? Aren't you?"

"Look, I trust you. With my life. I just want to be sure you're okay with this. This is one of your mother's best friends we are talking about. We are not accusing him of anything. Not yet, you know that he's going to figure it all out and stop being friendly at some point..."

"I know his kind. I've lived with my mother for most of my life, remember?"

"Right. Don't hesitate to call, though. Whatever happens. I am right here, okay?" He was looking for reassurance, his eyes never leaving hers as he sat down on his chair.

"Yes, mother." Gail replied with a courteous nod before turning around and leaving without saying another word.

"I don't know whether to take that as a compliment or as an insult." Oliver said out loud to no one in particular as Gail had already left to get changed.

"Look buddy, I am with the police force. I am working on a case. I need a place to crash for the night so that I can carry on saving lives in the morning."

Too much for perspective. It had started to snow just as Gail had reached that point in a journey when you are too close to turn back around and yet too far to actually take a chance and carry on driving.

"I am sorry Officer, but we are simply full. There's nothing we can do. The snow took everyone by surprise."

"Oh, come on! Everyone saw it coming! It was written all over the damn clouds." Gail said, rolling her eyes rather dramatically.

"Then why did you get inside a car?"

Gail had to close her eyes for a moment and take a deep breath, an extremely deep breath, or two, to avoid punching the guy.

"Were you even listening? Does saving lives mean anything to you?"

Holly had to fight the urge not to laugh at the guy's face. He looked frightened as hell and yet, somehow, instead of trying to look for a way of sweet talking the policewoman, he seemed to be more interested in digging a bigger grave for himself.

"Huh, excuse me? Officer...?"

Holly almost regretted her decision to intervene as the policewoman turned to her in a rather annoyed way, her movements positively tainted by the frustration she was sure to feel. But then her blue eyes, her seriously breathtakingly blue eyes, met her brown ones and she seemed to instantly relax. Her shoulders dropped the defense position. Holly smiled. You're not as hard as you look.

"Peck. Gail Peck."

"Hi. Would you care to share? The room, I mean."

Gail raised an eyebrow inquisitively. There was a stranger, a stranger with an adorable lopsided grin, asking her if she wanted to share a room with her. This was a nice gesture coming from a stranger. Too nice, perhaps? For the place they currently found themselves at? Definitely. But then again, the snow seemed to have indeed caught everyone by surprise... Perspective, Gail, perspective.

"Oh, I am sorry. Completely forgot to introduce myself." Holly's grin remained in place, not even flinching at the somewhat awkward silence that had taken over has the officer seemed to study her. "I am Holly. Dr. Holly Stewart, to be precise. I am a pathologist."

The pride was evident in the stranger's voice, and so was her confidence. If she turned out to be a serial killer, Gail would definitely be okay - as okay as one can be, of course - with dying at her hands. First, she was stunning. Second, she would have to be one hell of a perfect liar to get through Gail's scrutiny. The exception to the rule. That would be quite a good name for the case, actually. What are you doing, Gail? Labeling your own death?

"Unless you're planning on doing some live research..."

Holly laughed. Her laugh filled the cold room with a warmth that smelled of home. Gail just couldn't help but smile at her. She tried to fight it, oh she certainly did, but how to keep it in when Holly seemed to be all about putting it outside?

"I've brought my own body parts for that."

And then she winked. Holly was making jokes as if they were old friends who had just happened to run into one another. And it was actually not annoying. It was... endearing.

"I am sorry about the dark humor. I tend to spend a lot of time around death. It changes people. You know the feeling, right?" She added with a shrug. "That and I am kind of exhausted."

"It's okay. You're funny. I like you."

The honesty in Gail's tone made Holly blush.

"Shall we?" The brunette asked as she grabbed her bags from the floor.

"Sure. Let's go." Gail reached down for her things before turning to the guy behind the check-in desk. "We are not done here." She added, pressing the little bell thing for emphasis.

There was only one bed. A huge king-size bed.

They both stood at the door, staring at it and at the inexistent couch. What were they going to do?

Gail was the first to recover from the shock she had known to be a possibility from the very start. She had to confess she had been expecting a couch, though. It being a suite and whatnot. Apparently, and according to Holly, it was the last room available. Of course it had to be the most expensive one. Of course.

As Gail turned to Holly, expecting the other woman to be already over it, she found her still staring. Instead of stopping the train of thought she seemed so obviously in, she decided to take the time to study her once more.

Holly was... what was the word? Beautiful? No. Stunning? Perhaps. Ah, one needed at least two words to try and describe her. She was stunningly beautiful. Her eyes were chocolate brown. Dark chocolate, Gail thought to herself. Bittersweet. And there was a shade of something taking over the lightness from earlier. It was as if a storm was ready to break loose inside them as well. The reason for the storm was probably the same behind the whole biting on the lower lip thing. Again endearing. Too endearing. Perhaps even dangerously endearing.

What are you thinking...

"You know, there's really no need to panic. I will sleep on the floor."

Gail's words were careful and soft. She didn't want to cause a train wreck.

"Oh please. If anyone's sleeping on the floor it's me. You are saving lives, remember? I am in the business of dealing with death. No one will care about, or even question, my terrible posture or the dark circles under my eyes."

"That's a valid argument. Still, I would notice and, even though I seem, and can be, a heartless bitch, I wouldn't want you to be all cranky in the morning. I am enough of a pain in the ass myself. That, and I can't imagine the bell boy having to deal with two grouchy people tomorrow."

There was that laugh again. It was scary how quickly it was becoming one of Gail's favorite sounds.

"First, I am pretty sure he's not the bell boy. I actually think he's the owner. And second, I am a morning person. So we are good."

"Morning person? Ew. Then you're definitely sleeping on the floor." Gail said as she put her bags down by the side of the bed.

"Hey, that was not nice." Holly replied before closing the door behind her and making her way towards the chair that stood by a little coffee table where there was a menu and a phone.

"I never said I was nice. I do believe I might have actually told you otherwise."

"Fine. Let's share."

"Awe, you are all about the sharing, huh?"

"Are you complaining? Because you can definitely sleep in your car."

"Touché. Thank you, ma'am. Your service to the community won't go by unnoticed."

"I will keep that in mind."

Gail Peck simply smiled before focusing her attention on looking for her white tank top and her sleeping shorts. Once she did find them she started to undress, not really minding Holly as she was too used to changing in front of other people.

Once she was done she found the brunette staring. The shade of dark was back. And so was the biting on the lower lip thing.

"See something you like?"

It was supposed to be a joke but Holly grew tense which made Gail worry. What had just happened?

"I am a lesbian" Holly blurted out.

"Okay...?"

"Just thought you should know."

"I can sleep on the floor if this makes you uncomfortable."

Holly laughed. Again. This time it was louder, though. And for longer. Way longer.

Once she caught her breath and regained her composure she found Gail staring at her in confusion, her head slightly tilted to the side.

"I am sorry. It's just that I am the lesbian... you are supposed to be the one uncomfortable about the whole thing."

"Holly, whether you are a lesbian or not, that doesn't really make any difference. Not to me, anyway. I am also just human, you know? And I am just saying... I can definitely sleep on the floor."

"Don't be ridiculous. We will share."

"Fine. As long as you are okay with the situation. It's still your room, your bed."

"Nothing safer than sleeping with a police officer, right? I am in good hands."

"I have never gotten any complaints about my hands."

"Now you're playing dirty."

"You said it. Not me."

It was Gail's turn to wink. She then grabbed the file from her bag before getting under the covers.

Holly shook her head, smiling like an idiot - at least she thought so - as she started changing, putting her clothes orderly over the chair instead of just dropping them all over her bag, like Gail had done. She put on her Batman PJs and reached for her glasses and her novel before making her way to bed.

This time Gail was the one staring.

"What?" She asked as she put her glasses on.

"You are such a nerd."

"Shut up." She said as she got under the covers. "Geez, this is one hell of a cold bed." She added, positively shivering.

"Come here." Gail lifted her arm so that Holly could snuggle into her side.

"What?"

"Oh, for God's sake, Holly. You are cold, I am warm, this is the least I can do."

Holly thought for a minute before nestling against Gail's side, finding herself letting out a breath she hadn't been aware she had been holding. She was oddly... comfortable.

"Okay?"

"Okay."

"Good." Gail said, reaching for the file with her free hand.

Holly watched as Gail carried on with her life as if this was something they did all the time. Well, if the other woman wasn't bothered at all by the situation, she was certainly not going to be the one to complicate things. She sighed softly and opened her book.

It was just once Holly finished her book, Emma by Jane Austen, that she realized that Gail's hand had been making invisible drawings on her exposed shoulder blade. She decided not to comment, allowing herself to enjoy the feeling as she put the book and glasses down by her side to avoid disturbing Gail by reaching out for the bedside table.

She yawned. She was exhausted and way too comfortable to fight it. She just decided on closing her eyes, only for a minute, before asking Gail to turn off the light.

"Holly?" Gail called on softly.

It hadn't been planned. She had just meant to enjoy the feeling for a few more minutes before moving to her side of the bed. She had fallen asleep, though, soundly asleep, her face hidden on Gail's side and an arm tossed over Gail's stomach, keeping her in place.

"Mmmmh?" She mumbled sleepily.

"Let me just turn the light off?"

Holly opened her eyes, slowly, one at a time. First thing she saw? Gail's breasts. They were covered by Gail's white tank top, yes, but they were still her breasts. Her perfect breasts. Get a grip, Holly.

"Oh God, I am so sorry."

"It's okay. I just really need to get the light and put the file away."

Holly nodded, rolling to her side of the bed, back towards Gail, taking the opportunity to put her things on her bedside table as well.

Once the light was out and Gail was lying down in a comfortable position, she reached for an already shivering brunette.

"God, you're freezing."

"There's a snow storm going on outside. It's cold. You are just inhumanly warm."

"Are we complaining about this?" Gail asked as she moved closer to Holly, resting her head slightly above Holly's shoulder as she pulled her closer to her body by wrapping an arm around her stomach.

"I won't say another word."

"Good. Now sleep."

Gail seemed to fall asleep almost instantly. But Holly was nervous. She had already basically thrown herself at the other woman. Could she trust herself to sleep?

She turned in Gail's arms so that she was face to face with her. She was beautiful. And so peaceful while asleep. She didn't even resemble the woman she had seen arguing with the guy at the check-in desk. Quite a heavy mask she wore. Must be a heavy one to carry, Holly thought as she reached out for a loose strand of hair that had somehow gotten away from the blonde's ponytail.

"Are you going to stare at me all night?"

"Maybe?" Holly found herself replying, the hand that had been holding the strand of hair now openly caressing Gail's face.

"That's not creepy at all." Gail said in half a whisper, her face leaning into Holly's touch as she pulled the brunette closer, their noses now touching. "Are you going to kiss me or what?"

Gail could feel Holly smiling against her face. She traced Gail's lips with her fingertips before actually kissing her. It was... soft. Like a goodnight kiss or perhaps a save that thought for tomorrow kind of kiss. Once the brunette pulled away, Gail, with her eyes still closed, instinctively licked her lips.

She felt the tension in the air, she felt Holly holding her breath.

"I like your lips." Gail finally said, her hand coming to find the bare skin of Holly's back under her shirt, pulling her as closer as humanly possible as she attacked her lips.

Perhaps attacked is not the right word for she was actually being quite gentle, taking the time to get to know Holly. What she liked by the sound of her moans, what she loved by the way she gripped the hem of Gail's shirt...

"Mmmmh, I might actually like your whole self." She mumbled against Holly's now swollen lips.

"Might?"

"Mmmhmm. I will decide in the morning."

"You are insane, you know that, right?"

"So I've been told. No shush."

And she did silence her. At least for a little while till it all became too loud to hold back.