** AN: Hi All! Just finished watching Rookie blue from Season 1 to Season 4 in two weeks (yes, it's that addictive). And I decided to dip my toes into writing a bit of fan fiction for this series. This is my first non-mentalist fan fiction so please forgive any OOC issues. Please review and let me know what you all think. This is a start of a multi-chapter.**

Chapter 1

"Who needs a silly voice in their head anyway?"

Gail said as she slumped up against the bar at the black penny.

"Why would anyone want a disembodied voice telling them what to say and how to act?" She asked into her glass as she downed the last dregs of her beer.

"I seriously don't know what we are talking about now. I was fine with our discussion of gun protocol when you changed the subject." Traci replied in bafflement. She has never heard Gail volunteer her thoughts, unless Gail was already drunk. And three mugs of beer and two shots of tequila doesn't get Gail drunk, hell it doesn't even get her tipsy.

"Have you seen Pinocchio?" Gail asked again.

"Yes, not in full though. I just saw a bit of it one afternoon while Leo was watching it."

"Okay so did you get to the part where Pinocchio meets Jiminy Cricket?"

Traci was not getting where this was going, but she'll go with it.

"Yes, supposedly the cricket was Pinocchio's conscience. Since he wasn't a real boy and he didn't have a conscience."

"Ok so… I am not saying I don't have a conscience. But I do have a broken switch." Gail offered tentatively.

"What switch is broken?" Traci asked although she pretty much has an idea what Gail meant.

"My sarcasm switch." Gail answered irritably.

"Ok so what does this have to do with all the gun control policies we were talking about earlier?" Traci asked with calm, she's used to Gail's snarky-ness.

"Nothing, it has nothing to do with guns or anything at all. I was just wondering if I am like Pinocchio in a way. I want to be a real person but I'm lacking. I have a voice in my head and it sounds like my mom. So instead of me listening to it, and conform to social norms. I can't. Because it's my mom and I never want to listen to her." Gail said quietly.

Traci just looked at the blonde trying to comprehend what was behind all these things she was saying. She half wondered if the drinks were spiked. Gail has never been like this before. Then she answered. "Gail you are a real person. In fact you're as real as anyone can get. You tell people what you think about them, without honey-coating anything. You don't care if it pleases them or not. You state things as they are."

Gail didn't respond she just kept staring at her now empty glass. She appreciated that Traci was making her feel better. But she knew that if she kept on being a "real-person" it will cost her.

After ordering another shot of tequila from the bar-keep Gail looked at Traci and said.

"I know I am not really Ms. Congeniality and I can be really mean. But it's just really hard for me you know. I don't want people to know I'm having trouble with things, because it will seem like a weakness. And Pecks are never weak."

"Gail believe it or not I knew that you were gooey at the center even before you admitted it just now." Traci chuckled as she said this. "What I want to know is why the sudden interest in having a conscience and making people like you?"

Gail stared at Traci and said "Not people, just one" in a near whisper, Traci almost missed it.

Aha! A light bulb finally came on in Traci's head.

"Gail believe me you are not unlikeable. You just make sure that the people in your life deserve to be there." Traci replied reassuringly. "And if you want that one person to stay you may want to start listening to your mom's voice."

"But I don't want tooooo." Gail said wailing while slumping even further onto the bar.

"You do know that it's not actually your mom right?"

"Yes I do! It's just that…"

"Then just think of it as your own personal Jiminy Cricket and maybe the voice would eventually start changing tone. It's not a sign of weakness to show someone you care and that you're interested." Traci cut off Gail's complaints.

"Besides it's not like Holly could be anymore obvious. She did come running when you called her to the hospital a couple of days ago." Traci added trying to fight of the grin on her face.

"Who said anything about Holly?" Gail said flatly.

"Whatever Peck. You can stop denying that you like her then maybe you two of could get somewhere." Traci got up off the stool and drank her beer in one go.

"Where are you going?" Gail asked as she watched Traci gather her coat.

"I am heading home. It's my night with Leo and I can't be out too late. You got this right?" waving at all their used up glasses.

"Ok fine. You did listen to me while I let my gooey center flow, so yeah. I got it." Gail said while hanging her head low in shame.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of Gail. You just need someone to appreciate that side of you, to see that it's not all that bad." Traci said as she walked away.

A few minutes had passed; Gail was still nursing a beer at the bar. Then her phone buzzed. Gail lazily took out her phone from her pocket.

She perked up at the sight of her phone's screen. It showed that she got a message from "Her Nerdness".

Fighting a goofy smile off her face she opened up the text and it read:

"Good evening officer. I just had a question regarding the statute of limitations for stolen items. I just found out who stole my high school hockey jersey."

Gail replied "I am now off-duty, and not obliged to answer any work related questions without appropriate compensation."

Gail placed her phone on the bar and stared at it for a while. She thinks it's stupid that she's waiting for someone's text in a bar filled with people she could very easily be mingling with.

So she put her phone in her pocket and paid the bill.

While walking home she felt her phone buzz in her pocket again. She fought the urge to check her text while she walked. But she did pick-up her pace, she wanted to be in her apartment as soon as possible. Holly might fall asleep as she was walking home and she wanted to text with her for a bit more.

As she turned on her street she saw a car parked in front of their apartment. She had a tingling feeling in her stomach. Her brain was on overdrive, she so desperately wanted it to be who she thinks it is.

*Yes this is a cliffy please post review. I hope you guys enjoyed it.