First of all let me say: Woooah! I was seriously not expecting all the reviews and the alerts and favorites or anyone to read the thing at all. So thank you so much guys! I really appreciate it. Secondly: how much did everybody freak out about the first episode? There was much flailing at the cuteness! Also Papa Shaw and Gail in the stakeout extra. The best! Ok i'm going to stop talking now after I shout out to my lovely gf, joiedevivre2011, for being my beta...even though she has no idea what's going on because she doesn't watch the show at least she fixes my grammar.
Gail was impressed. This hotel was far nicer than she had expected for Toronto's budget. It helped that it was the host hotel for their conference of course, so mostly all Gail would be seeing for the next three days was the inside of this building. Not exactly a vacation, but she wasn't complaining because it was nice to get away from her hectic life. Nice to get away from the still lingering looks from her colleagues, the whispers of being the "cheater" or the "broken" woman whose boyfriend left her for Andy. It was nice to get away from her mother's "I-told-you-so" smirks.
She flopped down onto the bed. It was a king sized, so much better than her double back home in her cramped little room, which she was sure wasn't supposed to really be a bedroom. She turned her head towards the window. Her bedroom certainly didn't have this kind of view. Here, New York City stretched out before her with a perfect view down the avenue, bright billboards and car lights glinting as far as she could see.
She had been here only one other time. In a rare move for control over her life, she had taken a vacation by herself in college. Her mother almost had a heart-attack at the thought of her traversing one of the busiest, most dangerous cities in the world on her own, but it had taught her some valuable lessons on taking care of herself.
There was a knock on her door. Gail groaned as she forced her exhausted body up off the memory foam.
Holly stood on the other side, her hair pulled up and damp. She had obviously decided a shower was in order before meeting for drinks. Gail frowned. How long had she been lying on her bed doing nothing?
Holly glanced down at her outfit, the same one she had been wearing on the plane, and then down at her own, which was a pair of tight black leggings with a loose white top. It looked good on her.
"I see you're ready," Holly said, pushing her way past Gail and into the room. She flung herself onto the mattress, bouncing a bit at the force. "I'll wait while you change."
Gail scowled, crossing her arms over her chest. "And what if I wanted to go in this?"
Holly shrugged. "You're the one that whined about getting out of those jeans. Or was that some sort of innuendo?"
The cop rolled her eyes. "You wish, Stewart."
"Mmm," Holly hummed, eyeing Gail in a way that made her stomach flutter. The blonde shoved Holly so she fell, sprawling out on the bed. Holly wiggled her eyebrows. "I see."
Gail tapped her foot patiently until the playful look fell from Holly's face.
"What? What's wrong?" she asked, sitting up again.
"Look, nerd, there's some rules we need to go over," Gail said. If they were going to be friends for this weekend there would need to be ground rules to follow. She didn't want anyone, anyone being Holly of course, getting attached. She didn't need a lesbian pining after her or anything. Not that she thought Holly would. She seemed far too cool for Gail Peck.
Holly smiled that crooked smile, sinking back onto her elbows with a 'really' look on her face. "There are rules?"
"Of course, there are rules. I thought you were smart or something!" Gail said, ticking off on her fingers as she began to list. "Number one: no touching. Number two: seriously no touching. Number three: no phone number exchanging. Number four: No getting a crush on me. Which of course leads to five: no checking me out."
Holly rolled her eyes and flopped back down onto her back. "Sure, Gail, whatever you say."
"This is serious. woman!" The blonde stalked over to loom menacingly over Holly's body. She didn't see or expect the prod to the stomach until it happened. She squealed.
Holly was laughing. "Does that count as touching?"
Gail ignored her, strutting over to her bag, rummaging around in it for a pair of black jeans and a black and white striped sweater. She grabbed her makeup bag and went into the large bathroom.
It took only a little time to get ready. She figured she didn't need to be perfect looking for simply going down to the hotel bar. She stepped back to study herself in the mirror. However, she did feel some need to look nice at least, if only to not look like crap compared to her beautiful new friend lying on her bed.
When she emerged from the bathroom, Holly was just where she left her. Her eyes were closed, lying on her back, arms spread eagle on the bed. She was slowly rubbing her hands over the soft fabric of the comforter. She looked so peaceful. It made Gail envious of that kind of self-freedom.
Gail approached her quietly, leaning down to whisper in her ear. "Holly…"
Holly jumped, barely missing Gail's head as she sat up in shock. She clutched at her racing heart, staring daggers at Gail, who was bent over double with laughter.
"You should have seen your face," she gasped, grasping at the stitch now forming in her sides.
"You're such a jerk!" Holly exclaimed. She forced herself to her feet. "Come on, Barney Fife, I was promised alcohol."
Gail watched as Holly crossed the room and held her door open for her. "Did you just call me Barney Fife?"
Holly smiled ushering her out the door. "Yes, yes, I did. Let me buy you a shot to make up for it."
"You better."
Once down at the bar, they perched on two bar stools. They both ordered two shots of tequila. Gail turned to her new friend, lifting her drink. Holly mirrored her.
"To new friends," Holly said with her crooked smile.
"To getting through this weekend without falling asleep while taking notes," Gail said, clinking her glass with Holly's.
They tapped them on the bar, and downed them in one gulp. Laughing as the liquid burned, they took up their next shot.
"To not getting fired," Holly said.
Gail giggled, the liquor spreading warmth through her limbs. She put on her best professional voice. "To gaining new insight on techniques and technology to further the policing and scientific knowledge of crime management."
Holly touched glasses, and they both drank their shot. Holly leaned across the bar to flag down the bartender as Gail turned to examine the people in the bar with them. They were mostly high-class business executives she imagined, though since the conference was being held she was sure a good portion was also higher ups in the policing community. She could spot instantly Holly's people with their awkward nerd looks and inability to hold other people's eye contact. Gail glanced back at Holly, who was talking animatedly with the bartender. She was an unusually sociable person for someone who worked mostly with the dead.
"Gail Peck!" a voice bellowed from behind her.
Holly glanced in surprised at the person over Gail's shoulder. Her brow furrowed, and she looked at Gail in question.
Gail spun on her stool. A man she instantly recognized as Captain Arthur Arnold was standing behind her. A large man, his nice suit coat's buttons strained against his rather large gut. He had salt and pepper hair with a clean-cut beard of the same mix. He swayed a bit on his feet as he spread his arms open to take her in an unexpected hug, his large hands clapping her forcefully on the back.
She coughed in surprise, freezing under his affections. "Captain," she said simply, her eyes wide.
He let go of her to stand between them, one hand taking residence on Gail's hip while the other tried to settle on Holly's thigh. She was quick though in her movements to rotate enough that his hand landed instead on her back. She sent a distressed gaze to Gail, who returned it with an unamused expression.
The Captain was obviously drunk. She had dealt with him at many of her parents Christmas parties where he thought he could place his hands wherever he liked on her. She always managed to call out to his wife at these moments, which always caused his hands to retract instantly. Here, however, his wife was nowhere to be seen.
"What're you doing here?" He hiccupped giving her a sloppy smile.
She replied rather tersely. "For the conference, Captain, what else?"
He chortled. "I've always liked that sense of humor, Peck."
"Thank you, sir," she replied not feeling thankful in the least.
"Your mother here?" He glanced around.
"No, sir."
"Your father?"
Gail shook her head. "Just me, sir."
He clapped her on the waist. "Well, you've got to get used to these kinds of things on your way up the ladder, Peck. Good practice."
"Yes, sir," Gail said, voice monotone.
Holly was frowning at her, obviously not following what her parents had to do with any of this. Gail made the mistake of glancing at her, which brought the attention of the Captain.
He not so discreetly checked out the forensic pathologist, his grubby eyes running inappropriately over her body.
Gail felt her blood boil. She gritted her teeth to stop herself from snapping at her superior.
"And who is your friend, Peck?" he asked not waiting for an answer as he took his hand off Gail's waist to hold it out to Holly. "Captain Arthur Arnold, Toronto PD."
Holly managed a tight smile, taking the Captain's hand. "Dr. Holly Stewart, forensic pathologist, Ottawa."
"Very nice to meet you, Ms. Stewart," he said with a sleazy smile.
"Doctor." Gail practically growled the word at him.
He blinked, finally returning his attention back to her. "Excuse me, Officer?"
"She's a doctor, sir. I would think as a captain you would understand being addressed by the title one has earned," she said briskly. She was annoyed and insulted that this man was ignoring Holly's obvious impressive accomplishments for one so young. If she were a man, he would have automatically addressed her as doctor.
His smile didn't reach his eyes. "Of course, my apologies, Dr. Stewart."
Holly casually moved from under his hand to place her own casually on his shoulder. She stood. "It's fine, Captain. I'm sorry to say though; we were just heading out now. I'm sure you're tired from the journey as are we. It was a pleasure to meet you."
The Captain was taken aback a bit. He appeared unsure as to whether Holly was being genuine with him or not. In the end, he nodded. "Of course, you ladies have a nice night. Good to meet you, Doctor." He glanced at Gail. "Take care, Peck."
Gail bit her tongue, not trusting herself to speak. She nodded, sliding off her stool. She grabbed Holly's hand, pushing past the Captain and out of the bar.
She didn't stop when they reached the lobby. She didn't stop until she was pulling the pathologist out the automatic doors and into the cold night air. It stung at her burning face, calming the anger bubbling inside her.
"Gail?" Holly said, pulling at her hand. Gail stopped and spun to face her. She was just so angry, and it showed on her face. "Hey, it's alright."
Holly placed her hands on Gail's biceps, running them up and down soothingly.
Gail shrugged out of her grasp. She threw her hands up in exasperation. "I am just so sick and tired of…of…that!"
"Of what?" Holly stood there. It was clear on her face she was trying to understand what Gail was going on about.
Gail flung her arms in the direction of the bar. "Of having to deal with douchebags who think because they're my superiors that they have the right to be a sleaze ball!"
Holly nodded in understanding. "I get that."
"I mean it's one thing to be a greasy creep to me, but when he placed his hands on you, ignoring the fact that you're a doctor. I just…to completely ignore your accomplishment like that! I mean you've got to be extremely young for your position, right?" When Holly nodded, Gail continued on her rampage, "He can't just ignore the fact that you're a successful doctor simply because you're gorgeous! Checking you out like that! It's disrespectful, but he can get away with it because he's 'in charge.' Disgusting!"
Holly wasn't looking concerned anymore. She stood back with an amused facial expression. Gail stopped her pacing, and stomped her foot rather childishly.
"What!?" she snapped.
Holly dipped her head down, but Gail could see the blush breaking spreading across her cheeks. "Nothing, it's just…"
"What!?" she demanded again.
"You're insane. You know that right?"
Holly glanced up at her, and Gail felt herself deflate.
"So I've been told," she said, looking a bit more ashamed of her outburst.
The brunette stepped forward to link her arm through Gail's. She tugged her into walking down the street. "Come on, hero. Let me buy you another drink for coming to my defense."
Gail flushed, stuffing her hands into her pockets. She drew her elbows in to hold Holly's arm in place.
"Does this count as touching?" Holly asked with a wry smile.
Gail ignored the question. "You're getting me in trouble already, nerd."
Holly squeezed her arm with a light chuckle. "I imagine you do that well enough on your own."
Gail smirked at that, throwing her head back towards the beautiful skyline. "You might be right about that."
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