This is a very short one - the next chapter should be up soon!


Right now, Gail hated what Holly had made of her. The old Gail would just shut herself off completely, pull up those walls, deal out kicks and punches to those who rubbed her the wrong way, get drunk, push people away, be mean and miserable, and then, in the silence of her own bed, just blame it all on Holly. Not in her wildest dreams would the old Gail even have considered getting back in touch with Holly. She would have just been dead to her. Not the post-Holly Gail though. She was amazed at how much just a few months with Holly have changed her. How she made her believe that she, Gail Peck, actually deserved certain things, that she was allowed to expect certain things from certain people, that it was ok to ask for the things that she wanted or needed. That letting your guard down, showing someone you need them, showing someone your softer side, doesn't equal defeat. It doesn't make you weak. So, while old Gail wouldn't even have considered getting in touch with Holly, new Gail found herself typing out a message to her. It had been about a week since Holly had left a crying Gail behind outside the bar, both of them carefully avoiding the other one ever since.

G: I think I deserve an explanation. Meet me tonight? G.

H: Sorry, can't make it tonight. H.

G: Fine. Tomorrow then? I have the whole day off, so you'd even get to pick the time.

She waited over an hour for a reply. The first one had come right away.

G: Or Sunday?

H: I have plans all weekend. I really am sorry.

G: Wow. I'm giving you quite a wide range of options here, Holly. One would think you would be able to make some time if you cared enough.

H: I do care.

She fired back. About 25 minutes later, her phone pinged again.

H: So I was able to move some things around. Is tonight still good for you?

G: I finish around 6. I'll pick you up when I get off.

H: Ok. I'll be at the morgue.

...

She walked down the corridor to Holly's lab and stopped in the doorsill. Holly had her back to her, picking up things from her desk and throwing them into her purse in a scatty manner that didn't fit Holly at all. Her phone was clipped between her shoulder and her ear.

"No. No, it's just for tonight, ok?" ... "It's a friend from work. She... needs my help with something." A friend from work who needs her help? Really?! "Ash, we'll have to whole weekend to ourselves. Just you and me." Her voice was raised slightly, but she didn't sound annoyed. Mostly, she sounded guilty. "Yes, I promise." she asserted. "Of course I'll make us pancakes on Sunday. I always do, don't I?" Gail could hear the big smile on Holly's face, her voice soft. "Me too. See you tomorrow." ... "Ok. Have fun! I love you." ... "Bye."

She threw her phone into her bag and spun around, her mouth falling open as she laid eyes on Gail.

"Gail! You're... early." Shit. For how long had she been standing there? How much had she heard of her conversation? More than enough, it seemed. Gail's squinted at Holly, her gaze hardening.

"Sorry!" she said with as much bitterness and sarcasm as she could muster, while her whole body felt like pins and needles and she could feel tears gathering behind her eyes. How could Holly do that? What kind of sick game had she been playing all this time?

She turned around on her heel and stormed down the corridor towards the exit, Holly following her, pleading with her to stop and let her explain. Just before she reached the elevator, she stopped abruptly and turned around, Holly almost running into her.

"Seems like the things you need to explain are starting to pile up, huh?" She sneered.

"Well, yes." Holly's gaze dropped to the floor conscience-stricken. "Apparently I've made a few bad choices lately. But if we can just go..." Gail stopped her mid-sentence with the raise of a hand.

"You know what, Holly? I really thought I deserved an explanation. But what I just realized, after this, is that maybe you don't deserve a chance to explain."

Holly inhaled and opened her mouth, ready to respond. But Gail couldn't have any of that. She narrowed her eyes and shook her head.

"Fuck you, Holly."

The elevator still wasn't on their floor, so Gail turned and took off towards the staircase stoutly.