She had promised Gail that she wouldn't leave. That she wasn't afraid of the "cat" that Gail described herself as. Of course, that was before she realized just what kind of "emergency situations" Gail could generate when she felt she had to run.

The relationship with Holly threw her for a spin for sure. She never would have guessed that would happen in a million years. The relationship becoming known to her friends and brother was stressful and frightening, but she managed and they were better than she could have imagined in terms of being supportive. Her mother, however, that was a different situation. From the moment Elaine Peck learned of her Gail's relationship with Holly, the fight was on. At every turn Elaine applied pressure on Gail. Who else would know better what buttons to push than your own mother? Elaine knew Gail's weaknesses: Elaine herself, Gail's sense of loyalty/duty, her memories of her kidnapping and the guilt that surrounded it, Gail's perception that she couldn't make any relationship work, and to play on her fears that that Holly will eventually leave her because she is successful and smart and grow tired of the immature, Gail Peck.

For the most part, Gail fought with valor. But then…

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Holly entered the Penny and immediately recognized her very intoxicated girlfriend at the bar. She was supposed to meet Gail at her place and go to dinner, but when Gail didn't show she knew the Penny was most likely where she would find her.

It wasn't so much that Gail was drunk or even stood her up that bothered her. After all, Gail had done similar things before when she wanted to hang out with her friends. No, tonight Holly was bothered because there stood her girlfriend Gail hanging on some man at the bar. Like, majorly flirting.

H: "Gail"

G: "Holly, Hi. Meet my friend, I'm sorry, what is your name?"

Guy: "Oh, Ben."

G: "Right, Ben. Ben this is my girlfriend, Holly."

Guy: "Girlfriend? That is kinda hot."

H: "Yes, girlfriend. Gail, don't you want to leave."

G: "No, actually I don't. I was just getting to know Bob here, and he was getting ready to buy me another drink. Right Bob?"

Guy: "It's Ben."

G: "That's what I said."

H: "Gail, I don't really plan on standing here while you have guys that you are flirting with buy you drinks."

G: "Well then don't stand there, Holly. You can go. I don't remember inviting you, anyway."

H: "Gail. Come on. Let's just go. You are really drunk. I can tell something happened today, so why don't we just go."

G: "You know what Holly, maybe I don't want to leave with you. Maybe I would like to leave with Bob, here."

H: "Gail. I am starting to get upset."

G: "Oh. You are getting upset? Oh no! My gosh! What are you going to do? What do nerds do when they get really upset? Call a nerd friend? Read a nerd book? Oh oh .. I know .. you restock your lunchbox."

Gail was starting to get loud and she was getting the attention of many of the people at the Penny, including the rest of her friends. Traci walked over when she saw what was going on.

T: "Gail, what are you doing?"

G: "I am hanging out with Bob, and Holly here is acting like she has put a ring on it."

T: "Why don't you go home with Holly. Gail you are really drunk and you have that look on your face like you are about to do something really stupid."

G: "You know what?" Gail is almost shouting now, and most eyes are on her. "I don't need either of you to tell me what to do. I am kinda tired of being told what to do. I might be told what I can do about work and other things, but what I do with my body is my choice. So if I want to do something like this"..

Gail reaches over and grabs Ben's head and kisses him, hard, right in front of Holly. She pushes into him and leaps up throwing her legs around his waist giggling as he picks her up off the floor and they are both laughing and spinning. Gail giggles and looks right at Holly:

G: "I don't suppose you could do this, could you Holly? Pick me up and spin me around like this? Not quite the upper body strength of Bob here."

Guy: "Yeah, I suppose you can't do THIS." He lifts Gail up and throws her over his shoulder in some caveman-like move.

Ben sets Gail down and kisses her briefly and Gail lets him. She looks over at Holly to smile and gloat.. until. At first, it was tears of hurt that Gail saw in Holly's eyes. Not quite spilling over, but enough to shroud those deep, soft brown eyes that Gail knew she loved. It was enough to stop Gail in her tracks and cause her heart to contract out of time. In less than a second, Gail noticed anger settle across Holly's face and those beautiful eyes hardened in a way she had never known. In that moment, Gail had never been so scared of anything in her life. She had to get over to Holly, right then. At this point, Holly was not far from the door, but Gail and Ben had ended up halfway across the bar while he was swinging her around. Holly began to turn to leave and Gail called out to her ..

G: "Holly! Holly wait!"

Ben was still trying to grope Gail who had to push him away. She ran after Holly grabbing her by her arm before she got to the door.

G: "Holly, wait. I'm sorry. Wait, please."

H: "Don't touch me, Peck."

Holly drew both hands up in front of her and recoiled at Gail's touch. Holly looked at Gail with an expression disgust, anger, and pity. Holly was humiliated. Some of her colleagues were here and she just wanted to get as far away from this bar, and Gail, as she could.

Gail was stunned. Holly was angrier than she had ever seen her and she was going to leave her. Gail was desperate.

G: "Holly, no!"

Gail went to reach for Holly again, when Traci stepped between them placing her hands on Gail's shoulders allowing Holly to slip out the door behind her.

G: "Get out of my way, Traci."

T: "Gail, she said that she did not want you to touch her. So I won't let you touch her, Gail."

G: "But, Traci, I .." before she could finish, she began to cry. And cry.