There are times in life when one is content. Contentedness is awesome. Really, it is. Gail Peck had struggled to reach that point so many times in her life. She'd achieve it. Then she'd lose the battle…again. But, those glorious moments of contentment were indeed…well, glorious.

Then came Holly Stewart.

Weird, nerdy, sarcastic, happy, brilliant, lovable Holly Stewart.

It almost annoyed Gail that so many positive attributes could describe one person. It's too much, and that's why Gail was suspicious at first. She was almost sure that Holly was a pod person for a while. Because with Gail, if it seemed to good to be true, it definitely was. So Gail did what every cop would do in that situation, she dug and poked and was hyper aware. She waited patiently for the other shoe to drop. And, of course, it did. Then she used those shoes to march out of Holly's life for, oh, around twenty minutes.

It was longer, but Gail didn't really like to reflect on that particular time.

She did that thing that Gail does and took a flying cat-like leap out of the relationship tree.

Cats are supposed to land on their feet.

She didn't.

Whatever. All that is behind her now, anyway.

Behind them, actually.

She watched the buildings of downtown Toronto pass by as she relaxed in the passenger seat until she realized that they were going by too quickly.

"You're driving way too fast," Gail broke the silence of the last few minutes.

"Uh huh."

"I'm serious."

"You say that every time I drive, Gail."

"It's true every time."

Holly was a speeder. A tiny little chink in the armor that was Holly Stewart.

Gail had found a few over the last couple of years. Strangely enough, though, Gail had learned to love them. She cherished every little imperfection.

She had come to expect that Holly would fall asleep with a giant book tucked somewhere between their sheets, so she made sure to check if she was working the late shift. Rolling over a medical journal at 2 in the morning is not all it's cracked up to be.

Gail knew if Holly was in charge of dinner, it would be takeout. She knew if they both needed to get ready at the same time, they'd better shower together because Holly took forever in the bathroom. She knew if she didn't check in, Holly would worry…and not just regular worry. She'd assume the worst because she saw it everyday.

She learned that Holly's taste in friends kinda sucked, except for herself, of course. But, they aren't exactly friends, either.

All these things just became routine eventually. Normal, even. It was a surprise to Gail when she realized she wasn't really bothered by any of that trivial crap. She just loved Holly, no matter what.

Then came the biggest surprise. There was actually something beyond content. Something bigger than mere satisfaction, too. It was like…joy or something. Whatever it was when she was with Holly was happiness turned up a notch. Sure, she had loved before. This, though, this was in love kinda voodoo magic stuff. It was love with the intensity of a high speed chase through downtown traffic. It was elation like knee in the back, cuffing some scumbag. Getting Holly was even better than catching a mafia druglord. She would know because she helped take one down.

And…she should really quit relating all of her feelings about Holly with busting criminals. Not her fault, though. Gail is a Peck, after all.

"What are you thinking about over there?"

Gail glanced over. "Oh, nothing," she replied.

"Hm," Holly wasn't convinced. "You're smiling and it's freaking me out."

"Was I?" Gail asked, knowing that she was. She could still feel in face etched in that position.

"Yep," Holly said as she flicked on her blinker and turned into a parking lot.

"Mostly you," Gail replied honestly. She waited for Holly's shy grin before adding, "and about arresting people."

Holly's grin fell. "Arresting me?"

"No," Gail answered. "You…and arresting people. Two separate things."

Holly pulled into a parking space before asking, "At the same time?"

"I can multi-task."

Holly reached over the pinch the inside of Gail's thigh. "That you can, babe. That you can."

Gail leaned halfway over the console in the car. "I'm very good at it."

"Mhmm," Holly agreed, not moving.

Gail made up just a bit more space. "Uh huh."

"I'm not arguing."

"Why would you?" Gail asked. She grabbed and tugged on Holly's hand to get her closer, but Holly wouldn't budge. "What?"

"What if I said that I was thinking about you and dead bodies at the same time?"

"I'd hide all the kitchen knives," Gail answered immediately.

Holly rolled her eyes before giving in and giving Gail a quick kiss. "There."

"C'mon!" Gail complained. "That sucked. Give me the goods, lady."

"Peck peck." Holly giggled.

For some reason Holly thought it was hilarious to do that and then say "Peck peck." All it really proved was that Gail was right. The chick was a total nerd face.

"After." Holly pointed to the building that housed The Black Penny. It was the finest drinking establishment this side of nowhere, but it's where the cops gathered. So, here they were.

"Alright then." Gail put her game face on. "Let's do this quickly then."

"Sure," Holly chuckled.

"Really," Gail poked her. "I'm serious. Just a couple drinks. They'll see us. We'll say hi. Then, we're out."

"I don't really get why it was so important that we showed up tonight," Holly said.

Gail shrugged. "I don't know. McNally kept complaining that we haven't all hung out at the Penny in forever. And blah, blah, blah we needed a break from all the intense planning. Blah."

"Ye-ah," she said as her phone chimed. "I've gotten eighteen texts from her in the last few weeks about getting together." She picked up her phone and showed Gail the newest message. "Including this one."

Gail read it. "Pushy bitch, isn't she?"

"Just two weeks," Holly reminded Gail with a wink. "Then you'll have a nice, long vacation. No pushy bitches, except me, to deal with."

Gail grinned at the thought. "It cannot come fast enough."

Holly reached across the space and ran her finger down Gail's jawline. "I'm so, so ready."

As the two strolled up to the doors of their friendly, neighborhood cop bar, Gail suddenly sensed something was amiss. It was unusually quiet on the exterior. She glanced around seeing plenty of cars. Most of which she recognized belonging to her friends. She stopped short suddenly, causing Holly, who was close enough to have her fingers tucked into Gail's back pocket, to run into her.

"What?" Holly asked when she noticed Gail wasn't moving.

"Something's weird."

"You're weird."

"That, too," Gail agreed. "But something else."

"Is this a cop thing or a Gail thing?" Holly inquired. There was a difference, after all.

Gail pursed her lips, "A weird thing."

She automatically tucked Holly behind her out of sheer instinct as she reached for the door to the Penny.

When she opened it, she was floored.

She saw the banner before hearing the word, "Surprise!" but she was still fairly stunned by the fact that most of the people in her life were jammed into this small space yelling and throwing glittery confetti on her.

Actually, that was just Price.

Gail's first thought was 'Get out! Save Yourself!' And God help her, she tried. Holly was having none of it, though, and grasped her hand tighter.

"Did you know about this?" Gail asked her when her juke move out the door didn't work.

"No," Holly shook her head, still trying to account for who was gathered before them. "I had no idea."

Gail could tell she was being truthful. Her lie detector wasn't pinging.

"Guess a couple drinks and out isn't going to work," Holly said with a smirk. She physically turned Gail back toward the party in their honor. "If I'm doing this, you're doing it with me, honey."

The first face Gail saw was McNally. Andy was cheesing so hard, she couldn't see around her anyway.

"Are you surprised?" Andy asked. "You're surprised, I can tell."

"What?" Gail looked around. "How? Why?"

"It's your bachelorette party," Andy said. "Duh!" She passed them both the beers she had in her hand. "You've got a table over there."

Gail looked around a second, before Holly pointed. "Must be the one with the two bride cake toppers floating in that pitcher."

"That's the one!" McNally pumped her fist.

After being reluctantly placed at their table, Gail leaned into her fiancée. "Who throws surprise bachelorette parties?"

"Your friends." Holly said as she took in the sights.

There seemed to be several themes littered throughout. Chloe was not only throwing glitter confetti, she had obviously made the glitter banner as well. Oliver was wearing a New Years headpiece as he milled around by the dartboard with a few other high rankers. McNally was passing out beers while Dov seemed to be passing out boobie cupcakes.

That definitely caught Holly's attention and she motioned for Dov to bring her one. She was delighted when she discovered that they were indeed cupcakes that were iced to resemble boobs. "Look, babe. The nipples are cherry sours!" she told Gail excitedly.

"I see that," Gail nodded accepting the candy that Holly popped into her mouth. She chewed it slowly. "I am surprised," Gail admitted to Holly reluctantly. This completely flew under her precise cop radar. "How the fuck did this happen?"