One month after the shooting…

Gail walked into the parade room dragging her head she had a very long night and she was very much aware to the fact that she was going to have a pretty shitty day up ahead. The night before she had gotten extremely intoxicated with Chris and Dov at the penny, Gail went straight to her bed laying down hoping to catch some Zz's before her shift in the morning. But sleep went out the window as thoughts about holly started to creep in. She tossed and turned as she wondered what Holly was doing at this very moment and if she was thinking about her too. She longed for the moment she would have to have a completely awkward run in with her by accident. With about four weeks of radio silence, from Gail's end of course, she was getting fed up with herself for not taking the actions to go see her. She knew she wanted to see her but it was better if she kept her distance.

'Better for who' she thought as she shuffled up and rested on her head on her headboard She picked up her phone off of her nightstand and scrolled through her contacts, finding Holly's name that she entered the day that they had met in the middle of the woods. She chuckled at the memory of the beginning of their Friendship. She stared blankly at the four letter word for over 10 minutes 'Nerd'.

'Just call her Gail you can do this, you are a Peck, you are not a coward, just do it' She said trying to give herself a pep talk. She had wanted to call Holly for a while now but just didn't have the courage to do so. She made countless excuses telling herself 'she was way too busy and she didn't have the time to have a full conversation to explain why she's been so scarce lately'

She realized she has been really busy from all the double shifts she's been taking since Chloe and Sam were out still on medical leave.15 had been very understaffed after the shooting. Chloe still hadn't woken up yet and the clot was still there along with her husband, who she had failed to mention. Gail was still pissed at her for that. Dov was still devastated. He still waited around and went to the hospital every day but Wes still wouldn't let anyone from 15 in to see her including Frank. Every update they had heard had been through a friend, of a friend, friend who worked at the hospital's cafeteria, who eavesdropped on some of the nurses conversations while bringing lunch to some of the patients. On the other hand Sam was recovering fine and was only on medical leave for another week or so after he successfully completed his physical therapy.

Gail pressed the home button on her phone repeatedly until she could no longer see Holly's contact info on her screen anymore. She put her phone back on the nightstand and laid on her side and continued to think about Holly. 'Coward', she thought to herself as she rolled over and tried to push the thoughts of a certain brunette out of her mind.


The next night….

Holly went over her report repeatedly checking had wanted to be extremely thorough for this particular case because it was a celebrity. Well sort of, if you count the Mayor of Toronto three times removed a celebrity.

The brunette looked at her flashing phone next to her, calling her to draw her attention away from her report and to her now obnoxiously loud beeping phone. She didn't recognize the number that appeared before her but shrugged and answered it anyways.

" Speaking"

"Hi, is this Holly?" she heard the voice with a hint of confusion.

"Yes, may I ask whose calling"? She asked ready to hang up if it's a telemarketer are anyone asking her to do more work She had what has been really a long month and a long day she was ready to sleep for at least 15 hours straight.

"Hi this is Chelsea, do you remember me we went out about a month ago and we were supposed to get together again but you had to cancel so we rescheduled for tonight."

"Oh yeah I remember" she totally forgot. She really did not want to go out with this girl are anyone else for that matter anytime soon. Truth is she was still not completely over the Gail experience. 'Uh Gail, soft lips, pale skin, blonde hair, blue eyes that would turn water into snow and then evaporate it, Gail'

"Tonight at the Penny at 9 right?" she tripped over her words as she pushed the thought of Gail out of her mind, and she was not entirely sure she had the right time.

'Please cancel, please cancel' she wished as Chelsea continued to talk

'Alright see you there' she heard her say before the line went dead.

"Fuck" Holly mumbled as she put her phone back on the steel sheet-ed table. The only words she wanted to hear right now was the words 'get together' and 'cancel' in the same sentence. She took off her lab coat and started to mentally prepare herself for the horribly awesome night she was about to have with this hot chick who was really into her and was excited to see her. But the only hot chick who she wished wanted to spend time with her and wished was into her was Gail. 'But Gail's out of the picture now you have to move on' she thought to herself.

She got into her car and drove the short distance to the penny. On her way there she glanced at the Police Station hoping to maybe see the blonde standing outside or something. It was only wishful thinking because two-thirds of the lot was empty and there was not an officer in sight.

'God please get me out of this' she pleaded as she stepped out of her car and headed to the front door of the bar wishing maybe, just maybe she would be lucky enough to not run into Gail or anyone she knew was a friend of hers. Only wishful thinking of course because after all this was a bar right across from a police station and it was only 9' o'clock.


1 hour before...

Gail was beaten to a pulp she was so tired every suspect she came in contact with must have had a whole package of five hour energy and several monsters because all five of them were runners. Combined she had ran over 6 football fields doing suicides that is.

"Are you heading to the penny tonight" Traci asked her as she put on her jacket.

"No, I think I'm just gonna go home and sleep "she responded with a weary voice. She was ready to pass out right then and there.

"Oh, ok but Gail"

"Yeah"Gail turned around to see Traci closing her locker and heading towards the door.

"Just call her okay." Traci gave her a soft smile as she exited the room.

Gail huffed in frustration as she picked up her phone. She considered it for a second but decided against it.

"She's probably busy" thinking about the mass grave they just found earlier in the day. There were 10 people in it, including a mayor who went missing over 10 years ago. She stuffed her phone into her jacket pocket and locked her locker. She walked outside past the penny and headed towards her apartment that she shared with Dov and Chris.


Back at the Penny….

'Please don't be here, please don't be here' she wished as she scanned the dim lighted bar looking for her date. 'Maybe she'll cancel last minute' she thought as she pulled out her phone looking for a message or a missed call, or at least something that will get her out of this date.

She headed to the crowded bar and flagged the bartender down for a very strong drink.

"Hey" the soft voice behind her say .Holly closed her eyes for a second as she prepared herself to turn around

"Hey"she said as she let go of the breath she didn't realize she was holding once she saw who was standing smiling a cheese smile behind her. 'Thank god, it's only Traci.' She remembered meeting her the night of the shooting.

"Long time no see yeah."Traci said wrapping her long limbs around Holly's back. The brunette took the opportunity to scan the back of the bar where all of Gail's friends sit. Some of them looked familiar but a lot of them she had never seen before. But that was okay because Gail was not in the crowd. 'Dodged a bullet there' she thought as Traci released her from the hug.

"Yeah, I've been very busy lately with all the dead people popping up" Holly replied as she scanned the bar one more time double checking to make sure there was in fact no Gail.

"Yeah maybe we should go out for drinks or something sometime"

"Yeah maybe" holly said as she looked over her shoulder to see her date enter the bar.

"Did Gail call you?" Traci asked. Holly pretended that she didn't hear the question all the while analyzing it in her head. 'Wait was Gail going to call me? Is she supposed to call me? Maybe I should go home and wait for her to call me'

'You sound so desperate right now' she thought as she set her drink down on the bar.

"I've gotta go see you later Traci" she stated as she brushed the side of her arm and walked away. Traci shook her head as the departing brunette walked towards the woman who just entered and watch her hug her and guide her to a booth. Traci walked towards a laughing Chris, Steve, dov, and Oliver who were telling funny stories from their first year on the job while waiting for their drinks.


Gail

Was walking in the cold sifting snow. Gail didn't mind the snow. She thought the snow gave her a sense of clarity. As she rounded the corner towards her house she reached for her keys that were supposed to be inside her pocket. She reached in to find her pockets empty.

"Fuck" the blonde yelled at everyone but yet at no one at all. She considered waiting on the front porch until Chris or Dov came home. But she remembered that they were probably going to be at the penny late. And even though she loved the snow she was starting to get extremely cold as the wind picked up.

"Dammit dammit dammit"she muttered repeatedly as she headed back to the station to regain possession of her keys hoping that they wouldn't ask her to cover for someone once she was there.

Gail entered the station got her keys and got the hell out of there. Only being distracted once as someone called out her name. The blonde didn't even lift her head to so who it was only yelling out a quick "No" before scurrying off into the locker room.

Gail exited the police station and headed towards the penny. She stopped in her tracks when she spotted holly's car in the parking lot.