Chapter 2 - Two Weeks Later

Gail was woken up with a kiss on her bare shoulder. She groaned and buried her head deeper into the pillow… until the smell of strong coffee and freshly made toast reached her nostrils. She turned around to her girlfriend who placed a peck on her lips.

"Good morning, sleepy head," smiled Holly.

"Morning," mumbled the blonde. She opened her eyes to see the beautiful smiling face. Her own lips spread wide smiling without even realising it.

The officer sat up so Holly could place the tray with breakfast over her legs. "I made you a toast with ham and cheese and some vegetable. I hope it's alright for you."

"Sure. It's the last heathy meal I have for a long time," Gail commented, taking a large bite of her breakfast. Suddenly the realisation hit her like a falling rocks. It was the last morning with her girlfriend. The last day before the doctor took a plane to the States.

"If you want me to make pancakes, I can do that," suggested Holly a little worried.

"What? Oh no, no. Stay, have some with me," the blonde said trying to mask her blue mood.

"Gail sharing a food. That cannot be seen very often," the pathologist teased and took a bite of lettuce.

"Enjoy while you can."

"Oh I will," to confirmed the offer, she took a sip of the coffee. "Listen Gail, I was thinking…"

"Is there a time when you don't?"

"I have my spacing out moments," Holly smiled and continued. "Anyway," she stretched for something in her drawer of her bedside table. She pulled out rather big black velvet box and offered it to Gail. "Here you go."

The blonde took the present, suspiciously looking at her partner. She was sure –or really hoped– it was not a ring, because the case was way too big for it, but with a nerd like Holly one never knew. She opened the box and what she saw made her eyes open wide. On the pad there lied a bunch of keys.

"I know it may seem soon but hear me out, okay?" Holly hurried with the explanation, moving her hands around in her usual gesticulation. "Well, first I was thinking about renting the house, but then you told me about Sophie and well, I believe this is a really good place to live in, I grew up here after all. Anyway, you cannot raise a child in the flat you are living now. Having a house is a good reference for you. So it is a win-win situation for both of us. You will have a nice place to stay and I will know the house is in good hands. Plus the fact that it will feel really swell to come home to you, to have a family waiting for me here."

Immediately Gail pulled Holly down by her neck into a long kiss. "You are awesome. Thank you," she said with emotional tears in her eyes. She quickly dried them with her sleeping shirt. "Thank you very much."

"Just don't forget to clean the house from time to time."

Gail chuckled and shoved her playfully. "Jerk." She looked at the keys again and noticed the keychain she let made for Holly a long time ago. Particularly it was after Frank and Noelle's wedding when her new friend stated their relationship as the 'Plus one forever' and Gail got over the shock of kissing Holly and actually liking it, liking the doctor of course, in a friendly way! The pendant was made of steel with tangled letter GH+1. "You still have this?" asked the blonde surprised.

"I've never took it off," said Holly gently. "It always reminded me of you. And now it will remind you to whom you belong," she smiled and kissed the blond temple.

Gail looked up with a serious face. It was a situation of now or never. Or so she thought, because otherwise she was sure she would lose her nerves. Actually Holly brought that up first.

"Gail?" asked the scientist after a few moments of silence.

The officer stretched herself out to reach the bedside table on her side and pulled out another kind of velvet box. This time it was smaller in navy blue colour. Without a word she offered it to Holly, nodding her head to the doctor to open it, so the brunette did as she was gestured.

"Gail…" she sighed as she saw the platinum gold ring with a little diamond embedded inside.

Losing her nerves Gail finally spoke up before she would be sick. "Okay, okay, now this is sudden, but listen anyway." She took a deep breath and slowly let it out to calm her racing heart. "When I asked my father how he knew that an intense woman like my mother was the one for him, do you know what he said?"

"He knew when he met her."

"Erm," Gail was a bit taken away by the correct answer. "Practically yes. I never understood until recently. And Holly, I know. You are the one for me. You can accept it as an engagement ring or you can accept it just as a reminder to whom you belong and more importantly to show other people around that you are taken. Whatever. Just please accept it," Gail finished nervously with hope in her baby blue eyes, which gave her a look of an innocent child.

"I do," Holly said softly.

"Really?" The clear eyes brightened happily. "Erm, in which way exactly?"

"As in I will marry you when I get back."

The officer grinned broadly and pulled her girl into a searing kiss.

"I love you," they said their confession unison again.


thank you :)