A/N: I can't seem to stay away.

Works for you all very well, right?

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For every favorite, every follow, and every review.

Sorry for anyone who read the previous version.

I got carried away and was angry.

And just avoid that from happening again, from now on, I am moderating my reviews and deleting any thing that is nonsense!

Disclaimer: Undecided! Still waiting for a call from the RB producing bunch... tick-tock, people! ;))

Story is mine. So are the mistakes.

Now, without further delay, kindly...

Enjoy!

Staggering Along The Way

And We Keep On Falling

As soon as Gail closed the door, she immediately went to grab for the sink. Her heart was trying to beat out of her chest and her whole body was shaking visibly. She stood there with her head dipped, shuffling from foot to foot, and still panting, still grasping for a long, complete breath. When she raised her head to face herself in the mirror, she expected to see a wide-eyed, addicted look stare back at her but instead she found something else entirely. There, gaping back at her was a pair of dark blue eyes, pupils dilated enough to make them distinct. Her nostrils slightly flared with every drudging breath she took. Her cheeks, her neck, and she suspected the upper chest too, were all flushing red. But the most surprising and amusing was the smirk that her lips had formed without her knowledge. She observed that formation of her lips with intelligent eyes. It depicted a sense of pride and accomplishment. Of what though, she asked herself.

Gail tried to diminish the smirk, wipe it off completely but it was very adamant on staying. Gradually her whole attention was focused on it solely. Her body stopped shaking, her pupils had reduced to their natural diameter, the blush was in the process of washing away, but her lips just plainly refused to go back to its natural setting. She narrowed her eyes at her taunting reflection and repeated the earlier question. What was she feeling so proud of?

It was pure instinct when Gail had turned the tables on Holly earlier. She would have stayed the submissive one if it weren't for all the feelings she had in the locker room suddenly push her into action. The power surge she had felt as she held Holly against the wall was something inexplicable. The adrenaline rush that occurred in her veins due to that single action was only the prelude to what happened next.

Holly's hot breaths teasing her ear, the groans, the warm sighs, and the hot hisses, had encouraged her. The way she could bring out all those reactions from Holly gave her a sense of achievement. And the knowledge that it was because of the desire for her that the brunette surrendered so willingly became the point of pride. She knew, without a speck of doubt in her mind, that she was wanted; that she was desired in a way she had never been before. Someone as amazing as Holly craved for her; physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and in every way possible. Holly wanted her as much as she wanted the other woman. She wasn't alone in the tribulations of this incessant yearning for the older woman.

Gail desperately wanted to consume the core of Holly's essence and in turn wished to be consumed; bit by bit, breath by breath, so that she could witness her own sweet destruction and revel in it. If their kisses and expressions of desire thus far was anything to go by, Gail knew one thing for certain. The day she would completely and entirely merge with Holly, that day would be the day to mark her rebirth; her soul would rise anew from the ashes of its predecessor's demise.

After she had deciphered all that, the smirk morphed into a simple, sated smile. She watched herself in the mirror and whispered the name that was soon becoming her only source of calm and peace. "Holly." Her lips upturned and she was grinning like a fool but she didn't care. She felt insanely happy in that moment. Her heart was beating perfectly but there was this sensation of peace and giddiness blanketing it. Her stomach felt empty and queasy but in a good way. Holly had said she didn't want her to change but despite not wanting to, she realized, she was in the process of changing and she knew it was for the better. That's why, she declared to herself, that she would never question whether she was deserving of Holly or not. If she is not right now, then she would try her hardest to become the person who deserved Holly. She would try to be for Holly what the brunette was soon becoming for her; her salvation, her sustenance, her lifeline, her soul, her heart, her everything.

Holly was bent over with her hands on her knees trying to control her breathing. The firepower was still rushing through her veins. She was so foolishly and undeniably aroused. Her groin still kept clenching in anticipation as the expectant remnants of heat willed to break free. "God," she faintly moaned. Gail's aggression had broken her stoic exterior and banged open the barrier of control. She gradually brought down any physical evidence of her enlivened libido and focused on breathing. She jumped up straight when suddenly out of the blue she felt someone prod at her shoulder. "Fucking hell," she cursed.

Her boss stood a foot or two away from her eyeing her suspiciously. Her boss waited ample amount for the startled woman to calm down a little, "are you alright?" she asked concern evident in the voice.

"Huh?" Holly scrunched up her face. She hadn't registered the question. Her mind was too busy shifting gears from wanting to see Gail in front of her but instead finding her boss. "Sorry...I uh..," she gestured her hands uselessly and fumbled with words. She expanded her chest and consumed as much air as she could and exhaled it evenly, without hurry. Her glasses had slid down almost to the tip of her nose so she pushed them back. She offered her boss an awkward smile and shrugged her shoulders to factor some sense of casualness in her stance. "Sorry for storming off like that earlier." She finally managed without making a fool of herself.

Her boss smiled sympathetically. She stepped forward and placed a comforting hand on Holly's right forearm. "Don't worry," she said softly. "I have noticed him being a little obnoxious. He shouldn't bother you anymore but if he does," the older woman raised her eyebrows to indicate that it was to be taken as an order, not just a suggestion, "you come to my office and file an official complaint. Do you understand?"

Holly smiled in gratitude. At least Mr. Denial will stop being a daily issue at work now. "Thanks boss." She watched the other woman's face contort in distaste. Even though being Holly's superior, she never like being addressed as 'boss'.

The older woman narrowed her eyes at Holly and pursed her lips in. She huffed. "You know, you are the only who gets away with it."

Holly laughed. Her earlier uneasiness of being caught at a very uncomfortable time by her boss was fading away. "Being your favourite should have some perks after all," Holly wisecracked, delighted to see her boss smiling back at her.

"Hmmph," the older woman muttered. "Don't make me cut those wings off, Holly."

"I would never give you an opportunity," Holly assured with confidence.

The older woman kept smiling and shook her head. She too, like Holly, enjoyed their small out-of-work comfortable banter. She checked her watch and remembered the real purpose she had come looking for the younger woman. "I actually came to tell you that we are all calling it a day. Will you be staying or leaving?"

Holly took a moment to answer. She couldn't leave. "I will be staying. I am just waiting for a friend to show up." She lied.

"A cop friend?" The older woman questioned in a neutral tone.

"Uh...yeah," Holly replied unsure of what that meant.

The older woman sighed heavily. "I wish all the departments of Forensics were as friendly as pathology wing is with the cops." She voiced her thought a little sadly. She shrugged her shoulders after a moment. "Anyway, you enjoy your time. At least now you won't have a lost puppy following you around." She teased.

"I will," Holly took the tease in stride as she knew it was harmless and in good humour. "Thank you for talking to him, though." She thanked the older woman again.

"No problem but if it continues, you come to me," the older woman said seriously and bid good night to Holly. "See you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow," Holly returned. She breathed a sigh of relief when her boss was gone. Now, completely relaxed she eyed the closed bathroom door behind which Gail had locked herself. She bit her bottom lip to keep herself from laughing out loud at the childishness of Gail's rushed action. She had no idea what was going through Gail's mind but she chose to believe it was not something bad. She took a moment to calm her nerves and then she lightly knocked on the door and waited for some sort of reply.

Gail heard the knock. She had been in the process of turning the knob when she heard Holly talking to someone else. She had listened to their complete conversation. She filed that information away for later.

After waiting for maybe only a minute Holly leaned on the door with her palms and pressed her front into the smooth painted wood. "Gail?" She called out softly enough for her voice to be audible through the barrier.

Gail was pretty much in the same position on the opposite side of the door. Her left hand rested on the knob and with her right hand fingers she kept tracing irregular patterns on the wood. "Yeah?" She replied.

Holly smiled and laughed silently. "Are you alright?" She asked as she controlled her reaction to the mirth this situation demanded.

Gail knew Holly was smiling on the other side. She couldn't contain herself either. Her lips were almost temporarily set in a grin that would no doubt appear creepy if someone else was to see her. "Yeah." She gave up briefly.

Holly chuckled. "Are you going to say anything except yeah?"

Gail's grin widened if at all it was humanly possible. "Yeah."

Holly kept laughing lightly. She placed her right hand on the knob. "Are you going to open the door before the night ends?" She tried the knob but it was locked.

Gail felt the slight shake of the knob under her hold. She bit the insides of her cheeks. "Yeah," she deliberately replied. In a sort of innocent way, she was enjoying this particular exchange through a wooden barrier.

Holly was enjoying it too but she wanted to look at the blonde. "Please come out." She requested.

Gail noted the change in the tone. The plea for her to come out was serious. Suddenly she remembered what had happened just few minutes back. She wanted to at least get an idea what the brunette was thinking. "Why?" She asked.

Holly cleared her throat and checked in all the directions to see if there was anyone in the vicinity close enough to listen to them. She didn't find anyone lurking around the hallway and the other washroom was empty. She inhaled deeply. "Because I want to kiss you hello." She baited the blonde.

Gail exhaled at that admission and immediately yanked the door open causing a shocked Holly to fall directly in her arms. "Whoa, Hol," she grunted at the sudden weight upon herself.

Holly was awkwardly bent on her legs and Gail's both arms were holding her up by gripping onto her upper arms. She looked up into the blonde's amused eyes and smiled. Settling her feet comfortably on the ground she straightened herself up. Her smile turned into a wicked grin as she brought her left hand behind her blindly to search for the door. She pushed it to close and very slowly turned them in their place so that Gail's back was facing the door. She took a few steps forward which in turn made the younger woman to walk those exact steps backward. When their movement got obstructed by Gail's back hitting the door, the older woman with her left hand clicked the lock shut; all the while keeping the younger woman's gaze.

As soon as Gail heard the distinct click of the lock fell in place her left eyebrow arched up to her hairline. Holly didn't bother answering, just kept up with her moves. The older woman intertwined their fingers together and brought both her hands above her head, much like she had done previously. Then the brunette dismissed any space that breathed in between them by pressing herself into Gail, very carefully and very slowly. She couldn't stay voiceless anymore. She softly cleared her throat and prepared the platform so that she could make a sound without any hindrance. "What are you doing?" She was glad that she hadn't lost the capacity to produce sound but that question came from somewhere deep in her throat. It was breathy and the heavy base in her tone had increased tenfold.

Holly gulped. This wasn't something that affected only the blonde. "Giving you the taste of your own medicine." She responded in a raspy voice as she stared down at the younger woman.

"Oh?" Gail muttered. The hot wisps of Holly's breaths upon her lips were too distracting.

"Yes, Gail! Oh," Holly answered in a normal tone. "I told you I was here with my colleagues. And one of them is my boss." She snorted shortly and shook her head. "Thank god I have long hair that actually covers my neck." She explained without actually explaining.

Gail frowned in confusion for a second before another 'oh' of realization tumbled out of her lips. She laughed lightly and the slight shaking of her body against Holly's threatened the tasteful sensations to ascend. She swallowed and tilted her head a little forward teasingly, bringing their lips just inches apart. "Is it that bad?" She inquired in a hushed whisper.

Holly blinked away the temptation so close her. She tipped her head to her right so that her hair gathered at the side. When the volume was adequate and sufficiently heavy, she flicked them forcefully enough so that all her dark, long locks quite astonishingly ended up at the left side of her neck; leaving the right side completely exposed. "See for yourself." She offered.

"I thought that thing with hair only happened on television," Gail mumbled with an impressed look. She nodded her head a few times as if approving the move. Her eyes then went to the task they were supposed to carry out. The bruise was angry red and the size was striking too. She must have opened her mouth remarkably wide; almost as wide as she always opened when munching on an apple. The other one, just beneath the corner of the jaw, was not that visible but not exactly invisible either. She really did feel bad. Nobody wanted their bosses to notice a hickey the size of Texas on their neck. "Sorry," she mumbled and freed her left hand from Holly's right hand. She gently traced the boundary of the redness. Her fingers remained where they were as she gazed up into the brunette's intense eyes. "Does it hurt?" She whispered.

Holly kept staring at the blonde. A sweet smile adorned her lips minutes later. She raised her right hand and caught Gail's that was on her neck. She separated the fingers and stretched the hand to its full shape. Keeping a firm hold, she placed that open palm and fingers at the crook of her column. Then she tenderly moved them along the length of her bare neck. The texture of Gail's palm felt a little rough on her soft skin but it felt too good to think of that particular contrast. "Your touch, your kiss," Holly began in a very quiet and low tone, "your bite, and anything you do can never hurt me, Gail. Okay?" She exhaled and dropped her hands to caress the blonde's cheeks with the back of her fingers. "And don't be sorry. Never be sorry for doing exactly what you feel like. Not with me."

The last three words were spoken very intimately. Gail's eyelids closed for a moment. When she opened them, the older woman was saying too many things with only her eyes. The deepest layer was the dark chocolate of desire, above that was the light brown combination of comfort, calm, and peace, it was preceded by the glint of affection so soft and tender; it felt too close to love. "Holly, do you feel this too?" Before she could understand she had pronounced her mind in the open.

Holly blinked when the Gail's small tone caught her attention. She had admiring the depth of those clear blue eyes. She didn't want to be over-confident in presuming that she could read Gail fairly easily but since the beginning she had been able to look just deep enough to see what the blonde truly felt in contrast to what the younger woman portrayed for others. "Feel what, Gail?" She asked not knowing what the blonde was referring to.

"Don't you think it's overwhelming? All these feelings," Gail noticed to herself that she was getting rather good at speaking her mind with Holly.

Holly's fingers journeyed up and glided across the blonde's temple, stroking through the short hair repeatedly. "It is," she breathed almost inaudibly. "The constant desire to be physically close to you, to be touching you in some way, the frustration of acknowledging my helplessness against my own mind for turning every second thought about you, the wish to lay my eyes on you anytime I want, basically the madness of wanting to be with you every waking and sleeping second," she breathed in and scoffed mockingly. She nodded her head twice and added. "Yes, Gail, it is overwhelming."

Gail sighed and freed both her hands. She shuffled some and wrapped herself tightly around the taller woman. She squeezed at Holly's waist and buried her head into the warmth under brunette's chin. She hummed in approval when Holly's hands closed around her securely. "I love how we fit together," she mumbled into the base of the other woman's neck. Just she and Holly, nothing else mattered in that moment. The world was merely a realm where they existed but in Holly's arms was her own private little universe where she didn't just exist, she lived.

Holly nuzzled her nose over the short blond hair and smiled when they tickled her skin. She was right; Gail was starting to open up to her. Her heart swelled at the feeling of acceptance. She breathed in the collaborated scent of lavender shampoo, salt, a little dry sweat, and something that distinctively completed the enticing aroma that was Gail. "I love it too," she muttered her unquestionable agreement against the smooth blond hair.

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