They were quiet, taking in everything they just shared. Bad timing didn't even begin to cover it. A week ago Gail was spending her nights staring blankly at her bedroom wall while the pain of missing Holly ripped through her every nerve. A week ago she was lost and scared. Four days ago her world came crashing back into her life, giving her hope once again. Three days ago she was promised a second chance, a new beginning. Two days ago she could breathe happily, everything was getting brighter and Holly was hers again. And now everything was falling apart, again. It wasn't supposed to be like this, she was supposed to grow up, get back with Holly, and everything was going to great. Gail chuckled darkly, but of course it was all too good to be her life.
Holly turned to face her. "Marry me."
Gail was quick to catch her eyes, those beautiful eyes she'd been missing for too long, those deep pools of brown she couldn't live without. "What?"
"Marry me." Holly repeated seriously, her voice unwavering.
"Holly, you're talking crazy. I know this is a lot but we can't just get married, not like this. You don't really mean it right now." Gail sputtered.
She shook her head. "No. I love you, Gail, and I've lost you once already. That was the worst I've ever been, I was a mess, a complete mess and I can't lose you again. It's scary, I know, it's kinda freaking me out right now as I'm saying it but the thought of living without you is much, much scarier. And I'm not saying let's go get married tomorrow, I have every intention on marrying you someday, but not now."
Gail was confused now and it must have showed as Holly shook her head again, this time with a small smile as she thought of what she'd said.
"I can't get out of this contract, I have to go, and you have to stay here with Sophie. We have no say in that. But what we can do is promise to wait, to fight, and to love. I can help find us a place that we can call home, you can move in while we wait for my contract to end, we can get engaged and maybe when I get back we can get married then. I want you and Sophie with all that I have, so Gail, will you marry me?" Holly was choking up by the end as the weight of her words really hit her. They hadn't talked about the scale to which they felt for one another yet, she didn't want to scare the blonde away with such a declaration but they didn't have time for that now. It was now or never to lay everything out.
"You're sure?"
Of all the possible replies Holly could think of that was not one, but of course this was Gail and the cop had a way of surprising her at every turn. She sputtered out a laugh before bringing a hand up to caress Gail's cheek, rubbing her thumb over the tear tracks.
"I'm more sure of this, us, than I have been about anything before."
Gail smiled, all of her heart poured into the simple gesture. "Okay."
Holly's eyes widened as did her stupid lopsided smile and she laughed, unsure she asked "you will"
The blonde nodded, biting her lip. "Yes Holly. I'll buy a house with you, I'll wait for you, I'll fight for you, I will marry you and I promise to love you no matter what."
After taking the next few days to lock themselves in Holly's apartment, -mainly the bedroom- they decided to get everything set up before the brunette had to leave. Oliver was as accommodating as he could be and gave Gail short shifts all of which were during the evenings, making days and nights free for the pair.
Holly pulled them through jewelry shop to jewelry shop to find the perfect rings. Gail tried to say no, that they shouldn't be paying the money for stupid engagement rings when there was still the moves and adoption and later a wedding, all of which would cost a lot. But she put on the pouty face and smothered the blonde in kisses. So there they were, in shop number four.
"How about this one?" Holly questioned, pointing to a simple white gold band with a small diamond sitting prettily in the middle.
Gail took one glance at the ring and shook her head once. "Nope. I told you babe, I don't want a diamond. If that's the one you want than go for it."
Holly gave her a playful smirk, "are you sure you don't want a diamond? Like you're not just saying that to save money?"
She kissed the brunette on the cheek and ran her fingers down the glass, glancing at all the rings as she walked by. "I really don't want one, and not just because of money. I've never been big into that sort of thing, and with work it'd be too big a risk to lose, so chill."
"Okay, I'm just making sure. I don't want to be hearing about how you never got the engagement ring with the diamond and all that in ten years."
Gail's smile grew at the thought of them, still together, in ten years. Ten years of Holly. Her heart swelled and her stomach flipped. She wondered if the brunette would still have this big of an effect on her by then, probably. "You want the diamond though right?"
Holly thought about it for a moment, carefully looking at each ring displayed in front of her and shrugged. "I don't know, I've never given it much thought."
She laughed. "Well, Lunchbox, now's kinda the time to decide don't ya think?"
"I still have no idea, I'm just going to look until I find the one." she answered nonchalantly and picked up one to examine it before putting it back.
Gail strolled back to Holly's side, "or maybe we don't want rings and take a page out of Phoebe's handbook." Holly's raised brow and amused smirk urged her to elaborate. "Friends, you know the episode she's helping Chandler pick out a ring for Monica?"
The brunette cracked out in laughter, "Gail, are you saying you want musket?"
"An engagement musket does sound pretty awesome." mused, looking off into space. "But I think a ring or something of the essence would be best. Besides could you imagine that conversation with mother?"
"Oh god"
One lunch and two stores later they still hadn't found the rings, well they kind of did. Gail decided she want just a plain white gold band, and to make Holly feel better about it she would have the inside engraved with something.
The engagement could only be a secret for so long, sooner or later word would get around and her parents would find out. Holly didn't want to leave the poor blonde to have to face that alone so they asked if the family dinner could be pushed to a sooner date.
Dinner went as well as it could have, the brunette had received a stern -threat- talking to by both of the elder Pecks but other than that it went well. They all laughed and shared stories, got up to date on their lives and the interrogating questions didn't last long. Gail actually found herself enjoying the night. And when they announced their engagement everyone was surprised but instead of the lecture Gail was expecting they got hugs of joy and congratulations. Elaine immediately asked about rings, noting neither was wearing one and Holly explained they hadn't found her one yet and they wanted to find her one before buying Gail's.
"Sweetheart, can I talk to you for a minute please" Gail knew it wasn't so much a question as it was her mothers way of telling her to follow.
She followed her mother, down the hall, but once they reached the stairs she was confused. Why were they going up stairs?
As if reading her mind Elaine smiled and turned to her daughter, "you'll see in a minute."
Gail was lead into her parents bedroom, more specifically the bathroom connected to their bedroom. She watched quietly as her mother went to her makeup table and opened her jewelry box, pulling out a small box and turned back to face her with a fond smile.
"I always thought Steve would be the one I'd give this to. I remember when I first found out he was a boy, one of the first things I thought of was how one day he'd get this ring to give to the love of his life. Even when you came along, in my head it was Steve's." she stood in front of Gail, voice wavering ever so slightly. Opening the box so the blonde could see what she was talking about, she continued. "But I was wrong, it seems, and not just because you're engaged first. So if you want it and think Holly would like it, then it's yours."
Gail was speechless as she took in the ring held before her. She'd seen it before, admired it as a child but knew it'd never be hers, this wasn't the first time she was told of it's intended owner. She'd been told countless times how her mothers ring, passed down from generation to generation was not for playing. It was one of the most meaningful things her mother had, so for her it be giving it to her was unimaginable. "Mom"
Elaine smiled at her awestruck daughter. "Looks like a yes, is it a yes?" she prompted.
Gail nodded, still unable to form words. Holly was going to love it, there was no doubt in her mind about that. She'd noticed the brunette favouring the simpler, vintage rings during their search and the ring she held now was perfect.
The Peck women cleaned themselves up before going back downstairs and dodged the questioning stares when they rejoined everyone. Gail had put the ring in her coat without being seen, she wanted to surprise Holly, to properly propose.
Gail walked into the Penny, she was on a mission and scanned the sea of people, most familiar but not the ones she was looking for. Then she heard the deep belly laugh of the balding man and mad a beeline towards the contagious sound. Oliver turned around just in time to see the blonde approaching and shot her a big smile.
"Peck! How you doing darlin'?"
Gail gave him an equally happy smile, "I'm great. Can you join me at the bar?"
Oliver raised a questioning brow but followed. His curiosity got the better of him and he could help but ask what was up.
"You gotta wait until after I drink this shot you are so generously buying me." she tipped the glass in his direction as if in a toast before downing in it in one quick motion. Oliver chuckled and shook his head.
"Ready now?"
Gail nodded and took a deep breath, readying herself. "I need help figuring out how I'm going to propose to Holly."
Ollie's eye went wide with surprise before they grew soft in what could only be described as a proud father. "Wow kiddo, that's." his smile radiating nothing but love as he thought of the right words. "Amazing."
"I don't much time here Ollie, some ideas would be nice."
"Right." He pointed at the blonde for emphasis. "Well darlin' are you going for private and intimate or grand gesture?"
Gail shuffled uncomfortably, suddenly shy by the conversation. "Something more casual but still disgustingly rom-com."
Ollie hummed in thought.
"How about now?" Gail asked for the tenth time.
Holly sighed.
She smirked as she watched her fiance -fiance- bury her face in her hands, trying to gather herself before trying again. She hadn't quite realized just how much she'd been missing that stupidly beautiful face of Holly's. She'd been weird, filled with very mixed emotions. Happy, overly happy-ecstatically happy, she was engaged to her nerd and nothing could bring her down. Except for the fact that she couldn't hold her, she couldn't fall asleep every night in Holly's arms, she couldn't just kiss the brunette because she wanted to and it left and aching in her chest. The longing was worse then the breakup by a long shot.
But they did had this, they had Skype, and had been using it almost nonstop. The first thing they did when home from work -whoever it was that got home second- was to call the other on Skype. Even though they didn't talk the entire time, mostly just went about whatever it was they'd normally do, cook, work, read, video games, what have you and they would fall asleep with their laptops open.
"You're cute, you know that?" Gail smiled.
Holly unraveled herself and faced the screen, pouty lips on full. "I can hear you smiling and it's not fair."
"It might be unfair but you're still really cute."
"Why isn't it working?" the brunette asked in the most defeated tone she'd ever heard.
It was Gail's turn to sigh. "I don't know baby, why don't we hang up and try again, maybe it'll fix it's self."
Holly gave her a half smile, "alright. You hang up and call back, I'll sit here and wallow."
"Okay grumpous." Gail chuckled, blowing a kiss and smiling at the smile it started before hanging up.
She waited a few seconds and then clicked the call button, tapping her fingers nervously until Holly answered. Gail's screen blew up with the wonderful sight of the brunette and her tummy filled with butterflies.
"Hey"
Holly's face lit up and she visibly relaxed upon seeing the blonde. "Hey you."
"Better?" Gail smirked.
She nodded. "Much better."
"Good. Now, tell me about your day Lunchbox."
Holly gave her, her best lopsided smile and took a satisfied breath. "It was long and tiring and stupid. Everything that could have gone wrong did, I'm just glad it'd over and I get to see you."
"I'm honored."
"As you should be." Holly gave her a playful smirk. "How was your day Officer?"
Gail shifted, turning onto her stomach and resting her chin on her arms. "It was alight, nothing happened. Just the usual ass wipes and self appointed residents of Toronto."
"Oh! The rest of my box's got here. Thank you for the backpack of things."
"I have no idea what you're talking about, but you're welcome." Gail smirked as her cheeks grew a light shade of pink. It astounded her how she'd still get shy about these thing with Holly. She'd been waiting -some would say patiently some would disagree- for that particular box to get to the brunette.
Holly left frame for a minute and came back with said backpack. "So this isn't the shirt I often steal from you? And this isn't the over sized sweater you say you love seeing me in and neither is this flannel. This wouldn't be your chap stick or anything right?
"Right." The nerves had been building, filling her stomach until it was a chore to breathe. "I've been looking for my headphone for a while now, maybe I packed it in the nonexistent backpack. Could you check?"
Holly raised a brow but did as asked. "I don't see them. Have you checked your gym bag?"
"Yup. You know what, I was wearing the flannel last time I used them, check the pockets."
"So demanding." Holly smiled to herself.
Gail watched as the brunette shuffled through the backpack with an amused smirk gracing her lips, pulled out the shirt in question and placed the bag back on the floor. She sat up, it was hard enough to breathe without the added pressure of laying on her stomach. Holly froze and Gail couldn't quite tell if it was shock or what but it wasn't settling well.
"Is this what I think it is?" Holly looked between the ring laying flat in the middle of her palm and her computer screen.
"A ring, yes. You still want to marry me... right?"
Holly's head snapped up, confusion written all over her face until she took in the look on Gail's face, and then she broke out into a fond smile. "Of course Gail. Why would a beautiful ring change that?"
Gail looked to her fidgeting hands, and shrugged.
"Look at me."
No response.
"Babe. Look at me."
Gail looked up at the brunette without moving her head.
"I love you, and you're adorable, and I still very much want to marry you." Holly reassured her in that soft voice that always had a way of quelling her worries.
They stared at each other contently, all goofy smiles and loving eyes. If it was anyone else she'd gauge at the sight of such affection but this was Holly, and the brunette had always been an exception.