Gail sighed, tapping her foot impatiently in the dirt. This line was taking forever, and all she wanted was a damn ICEE. It had been ten minutes just standing there. Maybe she could swoop in and use her badge, declaring it a cherry ICEE emergency? She toyed with the badge still in her pocket from her morning shift. No, she guessed it would be an unethical use of police resources.

Why had she agreed to this outing anyway, especially after being assigned fair detail tomorrow? Oh yeah, because fair means all sorts of food that shouldn't be battered and fried is just that. Also because Steve is busying working, and Leo is too adorable to say no to when he gives you those eyes and calls her "Aunt Gail". Traci had laughed at how quickly she had given in to her son's demands. She always gave in to whatever he asked of her.

So like last year, she allowed that cute face to drag her to the Toronto Fair with the promise of donuts and ICEEs. She had already had her sugary, fried doughy goodness. So now, if she ever got there, she would have that ICEE.

The line moved forward and finally she was next in line. She caught sight of Traci and Leo over by the fries station. Traci motioned towards the picnic area. Gail nodded and gave her a thumbs up. She'd meet them over there if she didn't die in this line first.

Finally after a few more minutes, she was in possession of her very own cherry syrup drink. She sipped it gladly as she moved through the mob of people crowding the fair grounds, trying to navigate towards the picnic tables. She pasted by a few of the game stations. She and Traci would have to try the shooting game. They'd win Leo a giant stuffed animal. She was about to round the water pistol game when she overheard a kid arguing with his mom.

"Mom! I want to have someone to play with!"

"I'll play with you, sweetie."

"But you'll just let me win! I want to beat someone!"

Gail was laughing when she finally came around the corner. The determinedness in that statement from such a young kid to beat someone at this game was something she could admire.

The mom turned, and Gail stopped in her tracks. Woah. All the air felt like it had vacated her lungs. That was an…odd reaction. She took a deep breath, and locked eyes with those deep brown ones hiding behind adorably dorky glasses. The mom was tall, taller than Gail, with tanned skin and long brown hair, probably around 30. The little boy sitting on the round stool in front of her looked like a 7 year-old tiny carbon copy. His wavy hair fell onto the front of his thin bottle cap glasses. His hazel brown eyes also looked up at her with curiosity.

"Hi." Why the hell did she say that?

The mom smiled, a bit lopsided and questioning, but friendly. "Hello."

"Wanna play?" the boy exclaimed and gave her the biggest of puppy-dog eyes. They rivaled Leo or Chris's. She felt herself caving.

"No, honey, I'm sure this nice lady has better things to do," the mom said, her cheeks turning a bit pink. She gave a bit of a 'kids-what-can-you-do' shrug.

Gail winked at her, rounding the stools to sit down beside the boy, plopping her drink down beside the gun. "What better things than to kick some nerd booty at water guns?"

The boy laughed. "No, I'll kick your booty!"

Gail hummed. "We shall see, small-pint."

The mom blinked, a bit dumb struck by this blonde stranger. "You really don't have to."

Gail shot the woman her best smile. "Oh, no, I think I do. Because I'm going to win."

The boy shifted in his seat and gripped at the gun tightly. "In your dreams!"

"In your dreams, maybe," Gail assured, turning her attention to the game attendant. "How much?"

"Three each," the man said, adjusting his apron full of money.

Gail and the woman both moved to pay him. The woman turned to Gail. "No, let me. Please."

Gail shook her head. "I got it."

The mom reached up, placing her spare hand over Gail's. Gail inhaled sharply at the contact. While she was distracted, the woman handed the man the money for both of them.

Gail sunk back onto the stool. "You didn't have to…"

The mom gave her that lop-sided smile again, but before she could say anything else, the boy drew both their attention. He bounced up and down in excitement.

"Get ready!" he said, hunching over and squinting in concentration at the target. "You know how?"

Gail mirrored his position. "Don't worry about me, kid. I got this. Prepare to go down."

The boy stuck out his tongue, folding over his top lip in concentration. It was adorable, and Gail knew her face showed how much that melted her inside. She caught the mom's stare for a moment before: BUZZZZZZ.

And they were off, the small grey horses and their different colored jockeys lurched into motion. The boy had sloppy aim, hitting mostly the side of the target rather than the center. Gail, however, expert shooter that she was, was hardly paying attention to her aim. She knew exactly where to hit to keep them neck and neck.

She took the time they had to study the mom from the corner of her eye. She wasn't sure why she was invested, but the way the brunette was gazing at her son, jumping up and down with encouraging words, just warmed her in a way she couldn't explain.

She turned her attention back to the board. She was a good few inches in front of the boy's horse. She casually pushed her gun up so she was no longer hitting the target, but the edge right above it.

He gained on her quickly. As his horse past hers, she leaned her gun back down, so they were almost neck and neck.

"You can do it, Marty! Go, go!" the mom chanted.

Gail tilted up, and the buzzer went off. The light above Marty's target lite up and spun. It took a brief moment before the boy had realized he had done it. His whole face transformed into sheer and utter bliss, in a way only a child's excitement can produce.

Gail crossed her arms, pretending to pout. "Obviously this game is rigged."

She felt a tug on her arm. Marty was looking at her with a little broken hearted expression. "I'm sorry you lost. Do you want my stuffed animal?"

Her heart caved in. "Nah, that's alright, you pick out a good one though, yeah?"

He nodded, the smile bursting across his face. He turned to his mom. "Which one should I get, momma?"

The woman shrugged. "Whichever one you want baby."

She turned her attention to the game attendant. "Which ones are his options?"

"Right here, ma'am." The attendant motioned to the smaller toys.

"What about that one?" Marty asked, pointing at the medium sized dragon toys.

"You have to win twice for that."

Gail was up with her wallet out immediately handing the man more money. "Round two, little dude."

"No really, you don't…" the mom started to protest, but Gail held up a hand.

"Really, I want to kick your son's butt," she assured her with a wink.

The woman deflated. She looked so grateful that Gail had to turn away to hide her blush.

"Alright, Marty was it?" she asked the boy.

He nodded, sticking out his hand. Gail chuckled and took it. "I'm Gail."

They shook.

This time when the game began, Gail let Marty take the lead at the start. Though she made sure to keep her horse right behind his. The attendant even got into it, grabbing his mic to narrate like a real racetrack announcer.

"And it's number 8 heading the pack with number 7 right on his tail. It's gonna be a close one folks."

The mom was once again cheering her son on, encouraging him to race faster, to keep going. Her enthusiasm made Gail smile.

"And we're coming into the final stretch with number 8 in the lead, can 7 make a final come back or will it be…NO, it's number 8, pulling off a very impressive victory!"

Marty laughed and jumped up and down in celebration. He launched himself at Gail. She jolted in surprise, but allowed the little boy to hug her round the middle in his excitement. When he pulled back, she held out her hand. He took it, but tilted his head in confusion. She shook their hands slowly.

"My grandmother always told me to take losing well, and to tell the winner, congratulations. So, congratulations, Marty," she told him.

He smiled, big and toothy. He was missing a few here and there. "Thank you, Miss Gail."

He was adorable and sweet.

"Alright, little man, what color do you want your dragon to be?" the attendant asked. He held up the green and blue options, but Marty's gaze scanned over and fell to the pink one still on the shelf.

"That one, please. The pink one," he asked, pointing at it.

The attendant glanced over his shoulder at where he was pointing and frowned. Gail saw the mom tense.

"But that's for girls," the attendant told Marty, shaking the two in his hands, "You want the green or blue ones."

Marty hesitated, clearly confused. He wanted the pink one, but this man was telling him he couldn't have them because they were for girls and he was a boy. Gail's jaw tightened.

"He would like the pink, please," his mom insisted. Gone was the happy, kind expression replaced with a hardened look that screamed mother.

"But that's for girls," the attendant repeated. He held up the green and blue one. "Here buddy pick one of these."

That's it, she thought harshly. She stood, putting on her very best bitch face. "The kid said he wanted the pink one. He won both the games. That's the rules. That is a prize option. Now give him the pink one."

The attendant was obviously growing agitated. "Ma'am, I cannot in good conscience give that boy a pink toy."

"And why not!?" she demanded.

"Because it'll…" the man hesitated, casting a look back and forth, and she knew exactly what he was going to say.

"Be careful," she warned, "What the next words out of your mouth are. If you say one homophobic thing to this darling child, you will be out of a job so fast it'll turn your hair pink."

The mom let out a surprised laugh at that. Gail grinned at her briefly, before turning back to the attendant, who had straightened.

"Ma'am, I don't like threats," he said, playing with the knobs on the walkie-talkie at his belt. "Do I need to call security?"

She brightened at that, reaching into her pocket. "Oh, yes, please do. Ask your head of security to contact the staff sergeant in charge of providing the officers for this little shin-dig. He's a nice guy, Oliver, a good friend."

As she said friend, she pulled out the badge from her back pocket to flash it casually at the man. His face whitened considerably.

"Oh, I'm…" he fumbled, utterly flustered, still casting a glance towards the security booth.

"Don't say your sorry," she said, "You aren't, so don't pretend to be. Just give the kid his pink dragon."

The attendant practically threw the toy at Marty. Marty didn't seem to mind though, once he got it in his hands he basically latched onto it. He pulled it to his chest, hugging it with all his might.

Gail gave the attendant her best bitch smile, before turning her attention to Marty and his mom. She smiled genuinely down at the boy, whose face was now buried in the fur.

"So what's its name kid?"

Big eyes gazed up at her. "Patricia."

Gail nodded. "Patricia, good name."

She glanced up at Marty's mom, and was taken aback by the look on her face. She had tears in her eyes.

"Thank you, Gail," she whispered, holding out her hand.

Gail hesitated for a moment before taking it. They didn't shake they just held their hands between them for a moment.

Finally, Gail cleared her throat. "You're welcome…"

She realized she didn't know her name.

The woman smiled. "Holly. Holly Stewart, and this is my son, Martin Stewart."

"Gail Peck."

"Would you like to join us, Gail Peck, for some rides?"

Just then, Traci and Leo came around the corner. Traci was searching the crowd confused, until she spotted Gail. She waved, nudging Leo with her leg. He spotted her, and tried to run to her, but his mother pulled at the back of his shirt. He pouted, and they started walking towards them.

"Your wife?"

Holly's voice drew Gail back in. She blinked. Whose wife? Traci? Her wife? She let out a bark of a laugh. "No, no, brother's fiancé and her kid."

"Oh," Holly said, casually, but Gail thought she heard it lift a little.

"I'm not married, or currently partnered up. Unless you count a police partner."

What on earth made her say something so lame? Why on earth did she offer up any of that information? She couldn't help the smile that broke out on her face as Holly seemed to perk up by this knowledge.

"Would you like to join us?" she asked hopefully.

Holly glanced down at her son. "What'd'ya say, Marty? Think you wanna hang out with Gail for a bit longer?"

When Marty withdrew his face from the dragon, Patricia, he nodded vigorously. "Yeah."

"Alright, then," Holly said, catching Gail's eye.

Gail was definitely glad she had come to the fair today. She was totally going to win Leo a giant teddy bear. And a pink one for Marty.