A/N: this chapter picks up right after chapter 5. This is still a recollection of the previous day.

Holly was having a very difficult time concentrating on getting her fork of food from the plate to her mouth. She was literally gawking at Gail's collarbone where only a short-time before her tongue had trailed across the luminous skin causing Gail's head to fall back in pleasure.

"You know, it must be really hard to consume all those carbs when the food keeps falling off your fork." Holly could hear Gail talking but had no idea what she said. All she knew was the blonde had a very self-satisfied smirk on her face that really needed kissed off.

"Huh?" Was all Holly managed to get out.

"You're the one who wanted to do dinner, tease." Gail placed an elbow on the table and casually rested her chin on her knuckles as she took a few bites with the other hand. She then switched topics, "So, I was thinking maybe after this we could go for a run, maybe hit the batting cages for a few rounds. Ya' know, something to really get the heart rate up."

Holly noticed how very amused Gail looked by this situation. It was infuriatingly sexy – especially the way her eyes kept roaming up and down Holly's body with every word she said.

Holly took her glasses off and set them on the table. Two could play this game. "Actually I'm a little tired. I'll probably just turn in early. Didn't you say you had some laundry to do at your place?"

Holly took a casual bite of the lasagna and then sipped her water slowly grinning into the glass as she watched Gail try to determine her next move. She was a little surprised when the blonde didn't throw back a quip but instead took a fork of lasagna and brought it close to her lips. Instead of actually taking a bite though, she stuck her tongue out and circled the tip on the top of the food. She then deftly curled her tongue capturing some of the sauce and slowly pulled it into her mouth – the whole time never taking her eyes off Holly.

"Hey, Hol…"

"Uh-huh"

"You may have spilled a little water there."

"Uh-huh. What?"

"Water. Table. Lap. Just sayin'."

Holly finally processed the words and looked down. Her glass was balancing precariously on the edge of her plate and had tipped enough for the water to begin streaming out of the glass, run off the table and was now headed for her lap. She jumped back with a yelp and grabbed her napkin to catch the offending liquid.

Holly couldn't help but laugh, especially hearing Gail giggling from across the table. Giggling was definitely the right word. It was a great sound. In the time she had known Gail, she had never seen her quite this happy. Yes, she could tell the other woman was very much interested in door number three for the night, but that didn't seem to the only reason for the cheeriness. She was genuinely content with where she was in the world. It made Holly want to do a dance thinking she played a role in this woman that she was falling for find a sense of calm.

Holly hadn't planned on seducing Gail that evening. She was going to cook them dinner and then watch the movie they had rented five days ago and never got around to seeing. She had promised herself that she would wait until Gail made the first move and she was going to stick to it; no matter unbelievably frustrated it was making her.

She had every intention of keeping to her promise until she looked out her window that evening and noticed her girlfriend walking up the path towards her building. Gail was lost in thought, but there was a smile creeping onto her face every few seconds. It was the same smile Holly would occasionally catch a glimpse of when she would kiss Gail "hello" or they would tease each other for hours about something random that only they seemed to find funny. She realized it was a smile Gail reserved only for her and as she walked toward Holly's building, she must have had her on her mind. It simultaneously melted Holly's heart and fueled her desire. When Gail walked in and laid herself on the sofa as if she were coming home, Holly couldn't stop herself from reaching out to the blonde. Gail's immediate and paralleled response was all she needed to push her over the edge.

Holly couldn't decide if she wanted to ramp up the seductive teasing or just climb across the table and have her way with the blonde. She continued to towel off her lap as she side-eyed Gail and gave her best grin. "Well there went door number three, Cop, Looks like it's a dinner-only night for you."

Gail knew better. She knew Holly. She also knew that she had never had this much fun bantering with someone. Everything about this was different and yet more familiar than she had ever known. Still, she wasn't quite ready to cave yet. Gail stood and grabbed her plate and glass as she cornered the table, skimming her body exceedingly close to Holly's as she made her way in the kitchen. She called out from over her shoulder, "I wasn't much in the mood for anything else, anyway. I'll just do my dishes and then get home. Thanks for dinner, Nerd."

Holly groaned as she grabbed her plate as well. She had no idea how she lost that round, but grinned maniacally as she thought of ways to get Gail back.

The radio was playing in the background as the two women stood at the sink finishing the pots that hadn't fit in the dishwasher. Gail threw the one remaining pot back into the soapy water for the third time after Holly informed her it wasn't clean enough. Gail decided the pot was going to end up in the same burial ground as the oven timer if Holly made one more comment. She cleared the only remaining spec of sauce on the pot she could find and then put it back on the rack.

Holly dramatically inspected the pot on the outside and inside and then dumped it back into the water. "Yeah, sorry Officer, not quite there yet. Good effort though."

Gail put her hands on the edge of the sink and took a measured breathe. This was war. She dipped both hands into the sink as if she were grabbing the pot, but instead cupped her hands, filling them with water, and with a quick pivot managed to splash a good cup of water across Holly's head and shoulders. Before Holly could even react, Gail began to take off for the living room.

Despite the shock of the water hitting her face, Holly was quick enough to grab the back of Gail's sweater before she could reach the doorway. She was having a hard time breathing through her laughter when she heard Gail squeal like a four year-old being caught escaping with a candy. Holly twisted the fabric of the sweater with one hand to tighten her grip and used the other to pin Gail between her body and the kitchen wall.

"Where do you think you're going? We have unfinished business, you and I."

"Oh, really?" Gail was squirming to be freed, but it was more for show. They both knew she was right where she wanted to be.

Holly was done talking - no more movie suggestions or teasing banter. She bent down slightly and crashed her lips into Gail's. Their tongues naturally began dueling as their hands roamed up and down each other's bodies.

Gail's sweater and bra were skillfully removed by the brunette before she even knew it was happening. She reached for the front of Holly's shirt to start unbuttoning it. When her fingers didn't tug correctly at the first button she paused and spoke into Holly's neck. "What the hell? Is your shirt glued on? Get. It. Off. Now! "

She stepped forward, effectively pushing Holly backward enough that she now had the other woman pinned to the opposite wall. She put her hands back on the shirt tugging the sides as if she were just going to tear it off. A moment of realization smashed into her when she heard Holly playfully return, "Buttons are on the other side, Gail. It's a women's shirt remember?"

Holly began kissing her way down Gail's neck heading for her breasts; but before she could, Gail gave her a slight push and took a step back in hesitation. The next few seconds were filled with nothing but the music still playing on the radio and their heavy breathing. Holly stared at Gail in anticipation of what was about to come next and Gail looked down at the floor. When Holly reached out to the blonde saying her name quietly, Gail took another small step back allowing the touch to never be reached.

Gail placed a hand on her forehead and then through her hair. She needed a second to think. She had no idea what she was doing and the wave of panic that washed over her was overwhelming. She silently walked into the living room.

Holly bent forward slightly and closed her eyes. Tears were threatening to fall as she starting internally beating herself up. She had pushed too much. Gail wasn't ready and now she was going to lose her; she was going to run and Holly had absolutely no idea how to stop her. She stepped forward, grabbing Gail's sweater that had been thrown on the floor, and walked into the adjacent room. Gail was standing in the middle looking lost.

"I'm sorry. Here…" Holly held out the sweater waiting for Gail to take it – more like take it and run out the door.

Gail turned toward the other woman, not bothering with the sweater. "Holly, I'm really good at climbing trees."

"Huh? What? Oh, wait….we're talking about the cat thing?" Sometimes Holly really wanted a manual to understand Gail. She was so confused.

"Yeah, the cat. Keep up. I know how to climb a tree, Holly. I'm really good at climbing trees - amazing at it even. The thing is…" Gail was kind of circling in the same spot and speaking quickly. Holly realized she had only ever seen Gail this visibly flustered once before. It was in that brief moment after she had kissed her in the coat closet. It was beginning to click with the brunette what was going on.

"…the thing is what? Why'd you stop? Gail, it's okay."

"Trees, Holly. We are talking about trees here. Look, I just, I have no idea how to climb a tree without…huh…without…without a branch?" Gail stopped fidgeted and looked at Holly waiting for a reaction. She honestly had no idea what she just said. She thinks she just explained that she was clueless about sleeping with a woman, but she may have instead told Holly she wanted to be a cat. She was usually a lot more in control than this. Her jaw dropped a little when she watched Holly bend forward covering her mouth trying to stifle laughter.

Gail's voice raised an octave, "This isn't funny, Holly!" She crossed her arms in front of her still naked chest as Holly continued to laugh.

Finally Holly said through a snicker, "A 'branch' Gail? Really? I thought you said I was the one that was bad with metaphors."

Gail practically stomped her foot, "I'm glad you think me wanting to figure out how to have sex with my girlfriend is so damn funny!"

Holly quit laughing and looked up at Gail. Her expression softened, "What did you say?"

"Were you laughing too hard to hear me? I said…"

"Gail, You've never called me that before."

"What?"

"I mean, I feel like that's what I am…what we are to each other, but you've never actually said it."

Gail replayed her previous speech in her head trying to determine the sudden change in Holly's demeanor. It hit her… 'Girlfriend'; she acknowledged them aloud. Gail knew it wasn't a slip of the tongue either. She took a step toward Holly and lovingly cupped her jaw. "I meant it. Hol, I want this. I've never wanted anything like I've wanted this. I'm sorry I walked…"

"Stop. No more apologies. No more games." Holly reached her hand out once again hoping Gail would take hold this time. "Gail, let show you how to climb a tree. …a 'branchless' one." They both shared a smile with the last line.

Gail took Holly's hand and allowed herself to be led into the bedroom. She could faintly hear the radio in the background playing from the kitchen. She recognized the song and internally chuckled at the harmony of the music and the moment. …Awake My Soul indeed.

"Hol?"

"Yeah?"

"Be gentle."

Holly laughed aloud and replied, "Climbing trees can be an extreme sport, Gail. I can't make any promises."

A/N: "Awake My Soul" by Mumford & Sons happened to come on my iPod when I was writing this. It seemed fitting. Cheers.