A/N: So I came up with this prompt on Tumblr earlier today after watching 5x09: "I kind of want Holly to show up at the Peck family dinner unexpected. Not as Gail's girlfriend (not yet at least), but as Gail's best friend to support her coming out to her parents." and decided to just start writing it myself. This could function as a one-shot, but who knows, maybe if there is request for more, I will actually write what happens at dinner.
This story has not been checked by a BETA, therefore all mistakes are mine. Hope you enjoy. (:
Plus One Forever, Remember?
You're staring out of the car window, too deep lost in your thoughts to pay attention to the buildings and trees passing by. Steve is talking about Traci and Dex, while he keeps a close eye on the road. For the past few minutes all he has been rambling on and on about is how he only tried to do what was in the best interest of Traci and Leo. 'And himself', you finish in your head, but you do not voice that thought aloud. You are not up for yet another one of his arguments about how that is not true, and how he only truly wants what is best for the little boy and his mother he is so madly in love with, so you remain silent. Plus, you kind of need him on your side for this dinner. Your heart skips a beat, as soon as you remember that this is not yet another one of the monthly 'ordinary' Peck family dinners, that are already torture enough on its own. No, this is also the dinner in which you come out to your parents as a lesbian. Or well at least that was the plan, when you and Holly scheduled this dinner about a month ago, when your relationship was still going steady.
Your mind wonders off to Holly, with her lopsided grin that makes your stomach do all of these crazy turns. Holly, who falls asleep with her glasses on top of her head, because she forgot to take them off while reading yet another rapport or medical journal in bed. Holly, who makes blueberry pancakes for breakfast because she remembers you hate eggs and are allergic to tomatoes. Your Holly, although you don't think you have the right to call her yours anymore. The thought of that makes your mouth go dry. You're not sure if you are able to do this on your own. You mean is this entire dinner still necessary now that you are no longer together? You're no longer dating a woman, so you no longer have to tell your parents that you switched teams, right? You sigh, realizing that it is unfortunately not that simple. It might actually work out well. At least they can't blame Holly for making you gay, however irrelevant that may be. You know one doesn't just turn gay. You just hope your parents know that as well. They are open minded people, you know that. You have a cousin who is gay, and although your mother never said a bad word about her sexuality (her career choice, however was a different story) you are not sure if your parents will be this open minded when said sexuality applies on their only daughter, a thought that makes you realize that maybe you should put off this conversation for another time.
You hear Steve in the back of your mind continuing on whatever story he was in the middle of telling. You had actually stopped listening to him a few minutes after the two of you had driven off from the station. A regular nod every now and then gives him the impression that you are in fact still listening to yet another one of his rants about his relationship, or the lack thereof, with Traci. It's too hard to pay close attention, the failure of your own relationship with Holly still stings fresh in your mind.
A few minutes later you feel the car slowing down. You blink your thoughts away and actually look at what is out of the window for the first time since zoning out minutes ago. You recognizing the street you are approaching as the Toronto suburbia you grew up in.
"Whose car is that?" Steve asks, as you feel the car coming to a stop.
You look outside the window on Steve's side of the car towards the house you grew up in. Your eyes land on the car that is parked outside in front of your parents' house, and your heart skips a beat. Right there in the extended driveway of your parents' townhouse, you see a black Range Rover you know all too well. You swallow the dryness that has started to form in your mouth away, before blinking another time, scared your eyes are betraying you.
"It-It's Holly's." The words that leave your mouth are barely above a whisper, but Steve's shocked impression, confirms that he heard you anyway.
"What!? As in your Holly?"
"She's not mine anymore." You remind him sadly.
"What is she doing here?" You unbuckle your seatbelt, before taking another deep breath.
"I really don't know." You admit, before opening the door and making your way over to the figure sitting on the steps that lead to the front door.
"Hey." She looks up from her shoes, kind of shocked and surprised to find you there. Which is kind of ironic, seeing this house belongs to your parents.
"Gail, Hey. Uhm. Hi." She says awkwardly as she stands up. You notice Steve giving you one final look, to make sure you'll be okay, before turning his key in the lock and disappearing inside.
"What are you doing here?"
"I-" She takes a deep breathe that doesn't go unnoticed by you, before she continues speaking again. "Rachel asked me out for drinks earlier today, so I checked my schedule, you know, make sure I was available and all. And I saw that we had plans to go to your parents for dinner." The thought of Holly's friends still getting to spend time with her, after the incident at the Penny, and you not having seen her in weeks, leaves a sour taste in your mouth.
"Holly, we made those plans like a month ago." Holly nods, her head facing the floor, which makes the nod go almost unnoticed by you.
"Why didn't you meet up with Rachel?" You ask, curious to why she decided to come here, instead of whatever bar her and Rachel usually hang out at.
"Like I said, we made dinner plans with your parents." You still don't understand what that has to do with her showing up here. It seems kind of irrelevant now that the two of you are no longer together. And as the minutes of silence pass by you are only getting more curious to why exactly she decided to show up here at all.
"You didn't have to show up." You say, kind of hoping Holly will explain why she is here standing on your parents doorstep.
"I know. I just, I remembered that this would kind of be a big dinner for you. So, I just wanted to be there you know. Support you through it, make sure you're okay and all, I guess." You are starting to feel quite uncomfortable by her choice of words. Right, your coming out, of course Holly wouldn't forget such a thing. You feel the blood rush through your face, and could only wish you had a beautiful tan body like Holly to hide the blush you know she is able to see.
"If you still want me to be here that is, of course. I'd understand if you wouldn't. I just, I've been through this, the whole family dinner kind of thing. I've done it, lived it for quite some time now." You remember Holly telling you about her coming out. How her dad hadn't reacted well. How her mom hadn't spoken to her for years. She had been too young to leave the house, but you remember her telling about how she had stayed at her older sister's apartment the entire Summer, because the silence at home was unbearable. You were quite positive, Holly hadn't seen her mom or dad in years.
It made you think about the possible outcome that could come from this dinner. Would your parents shut you out? The thought of your mom yelling at you, and your dad kicking you out, was not one you enjoyed having. You mean, yea they were quite a handful, and maybe they were not the loving parents you had always wanted as a kid, but you know they loved you, in the best way they knew how. And you actually wanted your dad to walk you down the aisle on your wedding day. And you couldn't wait for those family vacations at the cabin, with your mom learning her grandchildren to swim across the lake as fast as they could, just like she had learned you all of those years ago. So yea, they couldn't throw you out. What would you do if they did?
"Gail?"
"Hm? Sorry, I kind of zoned out." You admit, a blush appearing on your face by the warm touch of Holly's hand against your wrist.
"I get it if you don't want me here Gail. All you have to do is tell me, and I'll leave. I just- I just thought you could use a friend. And I don't know, if I am still allowed to call myself your friend after all the things that happened between us these past three weeks. But I wouldn't let myself live it down, if I hadn't tried to be there for you today." A silent tear rolls down your cheek. You know it doesn't go unnoticed by Holly, you're just glad she knows you well enough to not bring it up.
"I can't ask that of you." You say quietly. "I can't ask you to come inside and sit through the terror that is a Peck family dinner, when I know it will bring up so many memories for you."
"You are not asking Gail."
"I-" You stop before you can finish that sentence, unsure of what you were about to say.
"Honestly, when I drove myself here after work, I was unsure of why I did so exactly. All I know is that I found myself in this parking lot for about 15 minutes before finally finding the courage, to sit out here to see if you'd show up. I'm pretty sure the neighbours were about to call the cops on me." The corners of your lips curl upward on hearing Holly's lighter commend about the neighbours calling the cops on her, and for a moment you can actually picture Carla and Marcus doing so, and you are kind of curious at how the event would play out. It would be quite interesting for one hell of a dinner conversation.
"My parents are the cops, Holly."
"Yea, right. Of course. I knew that." She says a small smile showing on her face. You know that she is saying it more to convince herself than you. Holly had told you she had had the pleasure of meeting Elaine Peck a few times in the work field, and at some important forensic conference last May. However right here in this moment, you are positive that your family legacy that goes with the name has slipped her mind for a moment. Something you actually find comfort in. It only confirms that Holly sees you for something more than the family legacy you have to honour.
"So you're really here to sit through a super awkward uncomfortable family dinner with me? Even after the way I treated you?"
"I didn't exactly do a lot to defend you, Gail. We're both taking blame in that break up." You have no idea how to respond to that. So you stare at the floor, scared to look up and lose yourself in those big brown eyes you know are looking at you.
"We are friends first Gail. Let me be your friend right now? Please?" You take a deep breath. You are not good at admitting that you could use someone. But then you remember that the lack of communication is what got you in this awkward friendzoned relationship with Holly in the first place.
"I could really use a friend right now." You quietly admit.
She takes your hand and softly squeezes it.
"Plus one forever, remember?" You smile shyly at her, before making your way over towards the door.
"Let's just get this over with." But before you open the door and let go of Holly's hand, you softly squeeze it back. It's a silent thank you, that doesn't go unnoticed by the woman holding your hand. She smiles that beautiful lopsided grin at you, and you can't help but feel your stomach do that oh so familiar turn, it always does whenever you are around Holly. And you take a deep breath as you remind yourself that Holly is not here as your girlfriend (not yet at least).