Hello! I am so so sorry this took so long. Life and apartment hunting and grad school things just got in the way. Thank you all for your patience and kind words and follows, etc. They make my day.

Gail was in her last lecture of the day. In the last three, she had taken extensive notes, making sure they were complete and precise to make up for running out on the one this morning. This lecture, however, was boring her to death. Nothing about it was making any sense to Gail. Something about microfibers on bodies used to identify a murderer's clothing.

It was utterly dull, and though she had tried and tried to keep notes, her mind had found itself wandering towards tonight. She was going to meet Holly in her hotel room. She was to bring tequila. She was to bring tequila to her hotel room.

She wasn't sure why that filled her with both dread and a sense of…excitement. She tried to focus again as her head ran through all the scenarios of what could go on tonight. Things that would lead them to…she shook the thoughts from her head. What was wrong with her? Why would she even think of that?

Her phone vibrated in her pocket. It was Steve.

New message from Badass Detective: How's the nerd con?

Of course, Steve would feel the same way as she did about this conference. He, however, didn't have to sit through these boring lectures.

Oh you know, boring me out of my mind.

Badass Detective: Glad I'm not being forced into one of those again. Once was enough.

Mom made you go to one of these too?

She couldn't imagine Steve at one of these. He was a great detective (as he reminded her by changing his name in her phone), but he was never one for hitting the books. He moved more on instinct than on what a lecture could tell him. Most of the time, his instinct was good though.

Badass Detective: Oh yeah, my third year as a rookie. No one ever wants to go to those things, but someone always needs to represent. You run into any of our parents' fun buddies?

Gail flashed back to the Captain and his gross display of sexism with Holly.

Yeah, Captain Arnold, douchebag extreme.

Badass Detective: He try and grope you again?

Worse: He did grope me AND my friend. He degraded her and checked her out. It was disgusting!

Badass Detective: While yes, despicable, did you say you have a friend?

Gail snorted and then got shushed by the lady a few seats down. She shot her a menacing glare.

Shut up, dick-wad! I can make friends!

Badass Detective: Uh huh, sure you can, pea-brain.

Asswipe

Badass Detective: Dweeb.

Really? Dweeb?

Badass Detective: I'm running low on insults today.

Text me when you gain some new ones.

Badass Detective: Will do. Be safe.

Aye, aye.

Gail turned back to her presenter. At least Steve had gotten her mind off of tonight. Of course, now that brought her mind directly back to it. Back to Holly. He joked about her not making friends, but it was true. She wasn't used to making such fast friends with anyone. Holly was different, somehow. She didn't take Gail's sarcasm and brashness offensively. Rather she found it all rather amusing, it seemed. To Gail, that was a nice change compared to the rookies back at 15.

She just really hoped she wouldn't royally screw this up. That was something of a specialty of hers. She felt like she spent most of her relationships trying to fix the messes she made when she'd opened her mouth. She didn't want to ruin this friendship by spouting out something she ultimately didn't mean.

She'd been staring off into space, thinking, for so long she hadn't realized the lecture had ended. People had gotten up and started leaving. In fact she was almost the last one sitting in the lecture hall.

She jolted up out of her chair and headed out. She had to go back to her room to collect the tequila she'd bought at a nearby liquor store in between lectures, freshen up, and go up to Holly's room. Why was she so nervous?

She wasn't paying any attention while she practically marched towards the elevators. She was so lost in thought she ran straight into someone.

She frowned. "Watch…"

She stopped mid-sentence as she saw just who she'd almost plowed to the ground. He was blond and handsome. He smiled big at her.

"Well, well, Gail Peck," Arnie Olsen said. He looked the same as she remembered.

"What the hell are you doing here, buck-teeth?" she asked.

"Why you asking, snot-for-brains?" he responded.

They gazed at each other for a moment, waiting. Gail, as always, was the one to break first. She couldn't help it. His serious face was the worst. It always made her laugh. So when he saw her lip twitch as she tried to not smile, he gathered her up in a big bear hug.

Arnie was her brother's best friend growing up. They had lived nearby. Arnie was American. His parents had moved them to Toronto when he was 11 from Alabama. Needless to say it had been quite a culture shock. Gail still remembered his first winter, when he had showed up at their door in the largest snowsuit imaginable.

"So Elaine put you through the right of passage, huh? Making you attend this thing?"

Arnie knew how serious her parents were about the Peck police dynasty. It had actually been her parents who had inspired him to take up civil service as well.

"Yeah, pretty much twisted my sergeant's balls 'til he let me," she said. Her mother had swept through the station, leaving a trail of destruction and mild hysteria in her wake as always. She'd marched straight up to Gail and handed her the plane ticket before informing her she was to go home and pack so she could leave the very next day. Gail had tried to protest, but Frank had told her she was to be their representative at the conference, that it was a big honor, yadda yadda yadda. "So I didn't think they let your kind in to these kinds of things?"

Arnie gripped at his chest. "Ouch, burned," he said with a wink. "Ragging on my job never gets old from you Pecks."

She started to say, "It's not too late to join the real-" but he cut her off again.

"Don't you dare!" he warned.

"Fine, fine." She surrendered. "You talked to my brother lately?"

"Yeah, we went out for drink the other night," he told her, "You know, at a neutral location."

"Right," she said with a laugh. "Your kind aren't allowed in the Penny!"

Arnie's phone beeped suddenly. He dug it out of his pocket.

"Sorry, Gail, I gotta go." He smiled at her. "I'm meeting some guys at a bar down the street. You wanna tag along? See how the real heroes drink?"

She rolled her eyes. "Sadly I have plans."

Arnie's eyebrows rose. "Got a boy waiting for you?"

Gail smirked. "A lesbian."

"Well, Gail Peck, I never would have thought," he said doing his best impression of an old Southern lady.

She swatted at his hands as he attempted to stroke her face. "Get away from me, weirdo. I'm probably late as is."

He hugged her again, though roughly enough this time that it cracked her back. "Let me know when you've got some time, Peck. I'm an important person in your life and you need to spend time with me."

She pushed past him towards the elevators. "Whatever, ash-breather."

"See ya, lead-for-brains!"

Gail took a deep breath. She was standing outside Holly's room. In one hand she clutched a tequila bottle, in the other she held a bag of cheese puffs. She stared at the door, unsure as to whether or not to proceed. It felt like an important moment, this one, even though in the realm of things this was someone she'd probably never see after this weekend. The thought oddly made Gail feel sad.

Maybe she shouldn't get invested. It would hurt to make such a close friend only to have to leave her behind. Holly was cool. Holly probably had tons of friends in Ottawa. She'd go home and not think twice about Gail.

Gail cursed, stepping back from the door. Just as she made her decision to bolt, the door flew open.

Holly stopped suddenly in front of her. When she realized who it was outside her door, a smile broke across her face, one Gail found hard not to return. "Hey."

"Hey," Gail said, feeling as awkward as she could for almost running out on the pathologist. She adjusted her grip on the items in hand to avoid her guilt, shifting from side to side.

Holly grabbed the tequila bottle by the neck and ushered Gail into the room, holding the door open for her to pass. Gail was amazed at how neat everything was. Holly's clothes were hanging in the closet, and she was sure that if she opened the drawers to the dresser, there would be clothes neatly folded in it as well. Gail's room, on the other hand, looked like her closet had taken a plane ride and exploded there.

She turned to Holly, who was setting the tequila down on the dresser beside the TV.

"Pizza should be here in a minute. I went ahead and ordered. I hope you don't mind?" Holly said. "One large barbeque chicken pizza. No tomato products of any kind need apply."

Holly seemed to remember her allergy better than most men she'd dated.

"Where were you going?" Gail asked as she threw the cheese puff bags onto the TV stand.

Holly frowned. "When?"

Gail gestured towards the door. "Just now, you opened the door like you were going somewhere."

"OH! Yeah, I was going to get ice," Holly said, turning on her heels. "Which I will now actually go and do."

She made it to the door before Gail called her back. "Uh, Holls?"

"Hmm?" Holly turned.

Gail gestured to the ice bucket that sat very plainly in sight on the other side of the TV. She hadn't had it when she'd open the door. "Forgetting something? Again?"

Holly looked where Gail was pointing, dawning realization on her face. "Oh yeah," she said, crossing the room to pick up the bucket. "Might help, huh."

"Little bit."

When the hotel door swung closed and Holly left (with the bucket), Gail let out a long breath. Again she asked herself, why did she feel so nervous? She went over to the tequila bottle and took a swig to calm her nerves. The burn felt good.

She took it with her as she went to the washroom. Just like the room, the bathroom was in pristine condition. Nothing was out of place. Towels hung and rolled, as they should be. Even Holly's makeup was set out in an orderly fashion. What a nerd.

She glanced herself over in the mirror. She wasn't sure what she was looking for, but she looked alright, she thought. She was dressed in a tight pair of dark jeans with knee-high boots and a bright blue shirt that she always thought made her eyes pop. Not that that really mattered tonight. She was just hanging out with Holly after all.

She stared at herself in the mirror for a moment before taking another swig. Holly was taking far too long to bring back that ice.

There was a knock at the door. The pizza?

Gail went to answer, tequila still in hand. When she looked through the peephole, Holly was standing there awkwardly, ice bucket clutched to her chest. Gail let out a breathy laugh as she opened the door.

Holly smiled shyly at her. "Uh…hi."

Gail pursed her lips, trying hard not to laugh. "You forget something else, nerd?"

"You mean my dignity? My pride?" Holly said, stepping forward. Gail blocked her entrance.

"Yeah all that and perhaps a key to your hotel room?" Gail asked.

Holly shoved past her. "Shut up."

Gail giggled, letting the door shut. "Did the pretty girl showing up at your door distract you?"

The pathologist rolled her eyes. "You are such a brat."

Strutting over to the bed, Gail flung herself down onto it, careful not to spill a drop of tequila. No need to waste alcohol. Holly placed the ice down beside the TV and then walked over to where Gail's head lay. At this angle, she towered over the blonde.

When she leaned down, her hair cascaded into a curtain around their heads. Holly's face was closed to hers. Her shirt was precariously loose above Gail's head, and the blonde felt her eyes being drawn towards the space there. She blinked.

That's when she felt the bottle slipping from her hands. Her grip tightened. Holly smiled crookedly at her. She pulled at the bottle again. Gail's eyes narrowed.

Holly's head tilted. "Come on, you aren't going to share?"

Gail clutched the bottle with both hands. "Nope, get your own. I think I need the whole bottle after today's mind numbing lecture series."

Just then there was a knock on the door. Holly glanced up, relenting in their battle of the bottle. As she headed to answer the door, pulling bills out of her jean pocket, she threw Gail a look over her shoulder. "I guess I'll just eat this pizza all by myself."

Gail sat up. "You wouldn't DARE!"

"Watch me!"

Holly opened the door. A delivery girl stood there. She was tall and lean with so many piercings in her ears Gail couldn't decipher where her actual ears were.

"Pizza?" the girl said. She glanced over at Gail on the bed, before her eyes pinged back to Holly. She offered her the pizza box and told her the price.

Holly handed her the bills and told her to keep the change.

The girl smirked, glancing between them again. "Enjoy."

She wiggled her eyebrows at Gail out of Holly's sight as the door swung to a close. Gail's frown deepened.

"Hey," Holly said as she sat down on the bed, pizza in her lap. "I was just kidding about not sharing, you know."

She nudged Gail's shoulder playfully. When she opened the box, the delicious smell of cheese, barbeque, and chicken filled the room. Gail's stomach rumbled in response. She hadn't really eaten since they ate at the diner that morning and she was starving. Maybe that was what was going on with her. She was just hungry. The tequila probably didn't help either.

She offered Holly the tequila bottle as the brunette offered her the first slice. Holly took a big swig of tequila, wincing a bit at the intensity.

Gail glanced around them for something to place the slice on. She turned back when Holly sighed.

"Yeah, I have no plates," she said, "I maybe should have thought this whole thing all the way through."

Gail pushed the pizza box halfway onto both their laps. She leaned over it as she took a giant bite of pizza, humming in approval of the flavor.

"It's ok," she said through her chewing, "Plates will only slow us down."

A short time and four pizza slices each later, Gail and Holly were sprawled in opposite directions on the bed. Gail's feet were pressed against the headboard while Holly's feet hung off the end. They passed the bottle of tequila between them, the rest of the pizza lying off to the side forgotten.

Gail thought this was nice. This was what real friends did, wasn't it? This was what she did with Andy and Traci on occasion. That is until she had been exiled from the group. Even though it wasn't her fault Andy was sleeping with her ex.

She frowned and grabbed the bottle out of Holly's hand a bit more forcibly, taking a large swig. By this time, the alcohol was making her feel fuzzy and warm all over. It helped drive away the thoughts of betrayal and outrage.

"You alright?" Holly said, her word a bit slurred and more languid than normal. Her smile was easy and crooked.

Gail nodded. "Peachy keen, nerdbian."

Holly giggled. She sat up and reached for the bottle. Gail, who sat up as well, held it away from her.

"Gail," Holly whined, making grabby hands for the tequila.

Gail shook her head. "Tell me a secret, nerd, and you'll get it back."

Holly sank back a bit, letting her arm drop as she contemplated Gail's request. "A secret, huh?"

Gail nodded. "Yup, a secret for booze."

"And then will you tell me a secret of yours?" Holly asked back.

The blonde didn't like telling secrets. The walls she'd built up never allowed any secrets to escape under her careful watch. Maybe it was the tequila, maybe it was Holly's easy manner, maybe it was the way she was looking at Gail, but the cop found herself nodding.

"Yeah, secret for secrets."

"And alcohol."

Gail laughed. "And alcohol."

Holly leaned back, her hands supporting herself on the comforter. She let her head fall back to study the ceiling as she lost herself in thought. It took a moment, and during this time Gail really looked at Holly.

She was wearing a tight pair of blue jeans that accentuated her long thin legs. The top she had one was an olive green with a swooping neckline that accentuated her skin tone and…other assets rather well. Her glasses were sitting on the bedside table now, discarded as they laid back, so now even with her head tilted back Gail could see her eyes a bit better. They were a deep brown. Gail had always thought brown eyes were flat and almost colorless, but she could see layer upon layer of colors wrapping together to form the brown that made up Holly's eyes. They were rather beautiful, just like Holly herself.

Holly let out a long sigh before finally looking at Gail. Gail blinked and tried to seem as though she hadn't been staring. Holly's smirk was telling her she had probably been caught.

"When I was fifteen years old, this girl moved in next door," Holly began. "She was a year older. Her name was Talia. She was the first I think, the first time I really saw a girl and went kind of 'Oh.' It was the feelings my friends described when they saw cute boys. I never really got those feelings though. I tried. I always kind of thought there was something wrong with me, you know?"

Her eyes met Gail's at this point. The brown seemed to deepen like she was looking for some reassurance that she wasn't alone.

Gail nodded. She understood what it felt like to feel wrong.

Holly, seemingly satisfied, continued, "That is, until Talia. She was tall and muscular, but lean at the same time. She had black hair and tanned skin. She was gorgeous. I, however, was all lank and clumsy. I hadn't yet grown into my skin, I guess. So anyway, somehow miraculously, Talia and I seemed to share some of the same friends, so sometimes at parties or events we'd run into each other. She never really seemed to know me besides the fact that I lived next door. That is until one night, she offered me a ride after a football game. I took her up on it, of course. Nothing happened on the car ride there, we just made small talk. She asked about the science fair, which I didn't know she knew I was in, and I asked about basketball."

Holly looked down at this point, like she couldn't bear to keep Gail's eye as she told this next part. "I don't know what got into me. We were in the driveway, and she was talking about being point guard. Before I knew it, I had lunged across the seat and kissed her."

Gail inhaled sharply. The tequila bottle was now almost forgotten in her lap.

"I ran so fast out of that car." Holly's eyes were closed. "We never talked about it. I avoided her like the plague for most of the rest of the year. I never told anyone, and as far as I know she never told anyone either. Thank god. I had been so afraid to go to school the next Monday to find that the whole school knew. They didn't though. She never said a thing."

Gail reached out and covered Holly's hand with her own. Holly opened her eyes.

"I've never told anyone about her before now."

Gail handed her the tequila. "That story deserves this."

Holly smiled, grabbing the bottle and taking a long drink. "Alright Peck. Tell me a secret."

Gail frowned. She had been so wrapped up in Holly's story she'd forgotten to come up with her own.

What could she say? What secret could make it past the defenses she had so fiercely kept up? What wouldn't send this gorgeous creature running?

She felt the answer bubble up inside her. She couldn't stop it as the secret spilled out. "I'm afraid I'll never be someone's first choice."

Why was it that? Anything but that! Damn the tequila.

Holly frowned. "What do you mean?"

Gail swallowed the lump in her throat. She wished for the alcohol back, at least so she'd have something to do with her hands.

"I mean…" She paused, taking a deep breath, "What I mean is that in all of my past relationships, I've always been the easy choice, the she's hot so that makes her worth putting up with choice until someone better comes along. I've never felt like anyone has chosen me for, well, me. It's always my looks or our past or something. I'm put up with, not liked, and certainly not loved. Maybe that means I just don't deserve it."

She wasn't looking at Holly anymore. In fact, she was squeezing her eyes as tightly shut as possible. She would not cry. This would be a stupid thing to cry over. Pecks didn't cry.

"Hey." Holly's voice was soft and hoarse and full of something Gail couldn't recognize. She opened her eyes. Holly was so close that every time she breathed out Gail could feel it on her skin. "Someone will think you are the sun and the moon. That the world cannot turn without your smile. That your snark and bite are all part of a charm to cover what you really are."

Gail felt her insides harden a bit, not with walls snapping back, but more like someone molding a suit of armor just for her. "And what am I exactly?"

Holly poked at her stomach. "A big softy with an ooey gooey center."

She scowled, swatting Holly's hand away. "I am not!"

The pathologist giggled and handed over Gail's prize. "Here, you deserve this, Officer Softy."

Gail glared, snatching the tequila away.

Holly collapsed back down on the mattress, hair fanning out in all directions. "I've got another secret for you."

"Oh yeah?" Gail said, leaning down on her elbow so she kind of hovered over Holly, who turned to look at her.

"Yeah," Holly said softly. She couldn't seem to hold Gail's gaze, or maybe Gail couldn't hold hers.

Gail licked her lips.

"I…uh…" Holly trailed off.

It felt very hot in there all of a sudden. Gail needed space; she needed air. Too many secrets lay bare before them, and she needed to put her guards back up before she let this woman take anymore down.

She flopped down beside Holly, turning completely on her back away from her.

Holly let out a breath.

"So what's the secret?" Gail asked after a moment. She held up the prize. "No talky, no alky."

"I once took up miming for a summer when I was eight."

"Of course, you did."

"Hey, that earns me the tequila, not you another swig!"

"Whatever, nerd, I need it to wash the image of you trapped in an invisible box out of my brain."

"Just tell me another secret, Gail, and hand over the alcohol!"

I'm like 2500 words into chapter 5 already so hopefully you won't have to wait very long for the next post. I hope you guys like Arnie. He'll be around for a while. Thanks to joiedevivre2011, my lovely gf, for beta-ing when she could be writing. Anyway reviews fuel my soul much like coffee.