"Do you think that Abby and Holtzmann realize they're co-dependent on each other?" asked Patty to Erin. They were sitting in the new office space in the firehouse. They had needed a place to meet with clients and conduct interviews, but it often became a space for them to pull out laptops and just work in the peace and quiet. It helped that Holtzmann's lab was on the second floor as well. There was no minor explosions or radio runs of 80's pop or 90's rap.
"Co-dependent?" frowned Erin, thinking.
"I'm not saying it's a bad thing," said Patty. "But like- they sort of balance each other out. Abby will defend Holtzy's work, while Holtzy will defend Abby's decisions. And do you see how often that Holtzmann grabs for Abby's hands and arms in the lab? And like when we were at the rock concert, Abby kept grabbing Holtzmann's hands and shoulders during the freaky moments. Abby always sits next to Holtzmann when she can. That skinny little blonde always ends up wrapped around her."
Erin sat back from her laptop. Holtzmann always did want to be around Abby when she first started working with them. But then, she sort of figured Jillian was running interference and trying to keep her off-balance so Abby could keep in control of her feelings. She loved her best friend dearly, but she could be a bit of a vicious attack dog when she wanted to be. Which was why she had enjoyed her friendship so much when they had been in high school. Abby had stood up for her against the others in their class. She had never had anyone stand up for her before.
"They're good friends," said Erin, shrugging. "Abby needed that, I think. And so does Holtz. She's a crackshot genius, and most of the time, we become outsiders in society."
"We're all ghost girls," agreed Patty. Erin smiled sadly. She pulled her notebook closer and wrote down a formula that had been evading her all morning. She and Abby were doing some more theorizing as to how they were going to shut down any more breaches on a safer level than the nuclear bomb they had set off in the Mercado. She really hoped they hadn't caused any damage in the ethereal plane with the reactor. They had been working off the idea that the breach had closed completely, but Erin was starting to wonder.
"And I think the word you're looking for is interdependent," she said after a moment of thought. Erin recrossed her legs as she moved around in the chair. "It's a good healthy balance."
"What's a good healthy balance?" asked Jillian over Patty's shoulder. It made the woman jump, which made Holtzmann grin. She sat down at the conference table, propping her feet up and putting her hands behind her head.
"I had to take a break. Abby's upstairs running some sort of city wide disaster scenario and I'm getting tired of whole entire city blocks going kaboom. Mostly because the fire station was the main cause."
"So you got tired of hearing about all the damage you would have created," smirked Patty. Holtzmann shrugged and adjusted the lace on her boot.
"You try keeping ghosts in a simulated plane for categorization and further study and see how much energy it takes to keep it running."
"That's the reason you make the big toys Holtzy," said Patty. "I couldn't even think of half that shit."
"So what is a good healthy balance?" asked Holtzmann. "If it's breakfast, then I'm afraid I'm already off track. Twizzlers and leftover pizza was all I could find. Oh, I had some water?"
"And this would be why Abby is running disaster scenarios so we can be safe just in case another apocalypse hits the city and you run out of snacks. We don't want to be the cause and the salvation," stated Erin, being a little sarcastic.
"Like we were the last time?" said Patty.
"Minor details," said Erin, trying not to think about how their book had pretty much caused all the chaos in the city.
"Holtzy, Erin and I were just talking about how you and Abby were such good friends," said Patty. "Like, you know everything about each other."
"Even down to the mutual juvenile pranks," muttered the redhead, remembering whoopee cushion that Holtzmann had left in her desk chair, not to mention the EVP at Higgins. Holtzmann smiled sweetly.
"That's because Abby and I drift compatible," said Holtzmann. "I need her and she needs me."
"Drift compatible?" said Erin, not understanding.
"Movie. Pacific Rim. We definitely need to get you on Netflix, Erin," said Patty. "And that's sweet in its own little weird way, Holtzmann."
"Yeah, I probably wouldn't be alive now if it wasn't for Abby," said Holtzmann.
"Wait... you wouldn't be alive?" asked Erin. Both Patty and Erin glanced at each other.
"No doubt," said Jillian. "Long story short to spare you the gruesome details. Abusive relationship, long term thing. I was young and stupid. She was older. I- I couldn't leave her. Abby, she- she saved me. Came busting in the door one day and forcibly removed me from the apartment where we lived off-campus. She was furious. Not at me, never at me. She took me home with her and called the police. She got me in touch with counseling. My girlfriend... she was an addict. I can admit that now. She used me." Holtzmann's head went down.
"And I let her keep on using me. We both... it was a bad situation."
"W-wow," said Patty, looking surprised. "How did Abby know?"
"She just... knew," said Jillian, clearing her throat. "The constant bruises probably didn't help when we would talk after class and such. I wasn't that clumsy in the labs."
"And she just showed up like that?" asked Patty. "Without saying anything beforehand?"
"Yes," said Jillian. "You should have seen the way she yelled at my girlfriend. If I hadn't been so distraught about the fact that I couldn't see straight and that my new boss was yelling at my lover, I probably would have been saying the same things." Holtzmann sighed.
"I couldn't bring myself to do anything. I loved her, and a part of me will always."
"Aww," said Erin, grabbing her hand.
"Have you heard anything? Did she ever find help?" Holtzmann shook her head.
"Not a word."
"Damn," said Patty. She reached over and grabbed Holtzmann into a hug.
"I'm so glad you're here Holtzy."
"As am I," said the blonde. "The last time she... um, yeah... she broke ribs. I think that's how Abby figured it out. I didn't go to the hospital and I was having difficulty breathing."
"You know, fuck that bitch," said Patty. "Anyone who hurts my Holtzy doesn't deserve pity."
Erin was still stunned about the revelation that Abby had saved Holtzmann from what could have been a very short life. Jillian had seen good in her lover and wanted to save her from herself. But nothing had come out of it except heartache. And again, Abby came along and saved the day.
Did the Ecto-1 count as a white horse?
"So that is why I will always be grateful to Abigail Yates for taking me in," said Jillian. "For a long time, she was the only person I trusted. She was more than a friend and a boss. She was my family."
"So that's why you cuddle at every possible second."
"Well, she is my snuggly teddy bear," said Holtzmann with an amused smile. "She had to sit through me crying my eyes out and cursing at her for... doing what she did." Jillian adjusted her glasses. "I could never bring myself to hit anyone, but I came close when Abby didn't say a word the whole entire time. She just let me crawl all over her crying and sobbing. The next couple of days with school were a little awkward. But she never let me apologize, even after the police came and talked to her about the 'rescue.'"
"She took you under her wing," said Erin, shaking her head and smiling. "You were hers and she wasn't going to let you be hurt anymore."
"Sounds familiar, doesn't it?" said Patty, looking at Erin. She smiled.
"Yeah, it does."
"Speaking of which, I need some more cuddles," said Holtzmann as she got up and headed away from the table. She turned around. "By the way, the cuddles got way better once we started sleeping together."
Erin choked on the air she was breathing and Patty's eyes went wide. Holtzmann grinned.
"What can I say? I'm a sucker for a woman who is willing to sacrifice her career for me."
"She- did what?" asked Erin, in a state of shock that was growing by the second. "Abby..."
"Was the head of all the interns in the physics department at my undergrad while she was getting her Ph.D. Once word got out that she had saved me from an abusive relationship, they kicked her out of the department for getting involved with a student while on staff. Except we weren't involved at that time, but she left before the advisory council could give a final ruling. I took an accelerated course of study and followed her to New York to go to grad school. Which wasn't hard, I was planning on doing it anyways. This was before I was accepted into CERN. We both got our degrees thankfully once they pulled their heads outta their asses and realized there was nothing going on except a bad... situation."
"So are you two still in a relationship?" asked Patty, looking curious.
"She is wearing my ring, so I would hope so." Holtzmann waved to the both of them and headed up the stairs. Patty looked over to Erin, who was still staring stoned faced at where Holtzmann had been standing.
"She's wearing Holtzmann's ring?" said Erin finally to Patty.
"I always wondered about it. It looked handmade," said Patty. "Guess now we know."
"And why haven't they said anything?" asked Erin, exasperated, a fist going against the table lightly. "All this time I didn't even know my best friend was in a committed relationship!"
Patty shrugged. "Maybe they thought it was better that no one knew till we were all more... settled. It has been a little cray around here with all the ghosts in the city."
Erin nodded her head in agreement. She was happy for Abby of course. But the fact that she had nearly failed her Ph.D. for Holtzmann and was dating her just seemed so incredible.
Upstairs, Abby couldn't stop laughing as Jillian entered the lab.
"That was brilliant Jills," she said. She kissed Holtzmann on the lips. "I heard everything though your new communications device. I think those are going to work well as a back up to the walkie-talkies."
Jillian couldn't help but grin as she kissed Abby back, happy that it was done.
"I wouldn't go downstairs anytime soon Abs. I think Erin and maybe Patty will try to bribe you with going out for coffee to get all the details. Erin was in a state of major shock."
"I'm sure," said Abby, shaking her head. "When I said I wanted to tell the both of them soon the other night, I didn't exactly mean for you to do it alone, and in such a dramatic fashion."
"Oh, I don't know," said Holtzmann. "You coming crashing into my apartment was pretty dramatic and warranted such a telling."
Abby rolled her eyes. "Alright Holtzmann, get back to work." Jillian appraised her girlfriend, giving her a coy smile.
"Ms. Abigail Yates, you're trying to seduce me. Aren't you?" Abby quirked her lips, squeezing Holtzmann's shoulder.
"Later, when you've finished that prototype for that ghost beacon idea I had." Holtzmann gave her a salute, kissed her lips, then kissed the ring on Abby's finger.
"At least I wasn't being dramatic about that part."
"Who wouldn't swoon over wearing a piece of the Large Hadron Collider?" said Abby, putting a hand on her hip as she looked at her other hand. "And I have yet to figure out how you managed to sneak in that far, much less to take a piece."
"I had my ways," winked Jillian as she headed back to her workbench.
"ABBBBY!" yelled Erin as she came up the stairs.
"Oh hell. You're getting it later," said Abby to Jillian, pointing a finger at her. Holtzmann grinned as Erin automatically sought out her best friend and started babbling frantically, flailing her hands and arms. The blonde always liked it when she was in trouble as she picked up her wire strippers. It made the sex oh so much better. And Abby definitely was going to be annoyed after having to lay out everything about their relationship for Erin Gilbert.