AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Thank you guys, again, for your reviews. I love getting your feedback!

Today's update is a short one, but maybe, hopefully, a satisfying one.


As Holly had anticipated, Gail didn't show up. To Holly's frustration, although not to her surprise, she didn't hear from Gail the following days at all, neither of her own volition nor in reply to one of the few and cautious messages Holly had sent her.

She was walking down the corridors of the precinct when she suddenly spotted the brunette, a case file in her hand, briskly walking towards the blonde.

"Holly? What...?" She was completely caught off guard by her presence.

"Detective Peck? Can I have a word with you in private?" She looked around the corridor before focusing back on Gail and giving her a stern look. Some of the officers passing by were looking at the two, so Gail figured she couldn't just make a scene or run and hide.

"Uh. What about?" She asked defensively. Holly held up the case file. "I have some questions about a case I need to discuss with you."

"Ok. Sure?" Holly made her way to the nearest interrogation room, ushering Gail inside.

"What case is that? I don't remember us working a case together." Holly had already closed the door behind them before Gail could utter her doubts about the reason Holly gave for her visit.

The brunette turned around to see Gail standing in the glow of the light coming in through the glass. Oh come on, Holly. You couldn't have taken her to the detective's lounge? Or just any other place but this? Why are you insisting on being such a masochist?

"So, I haven't heard from you in a while." Holly dropped the file on the table and got straight to the point.

"Yeah. I was... busy." The blonde looked anywhere but Holly.

"Too busy to reply to a text message in the course of over a week?" Holly's tone was strident, something that was new to Gail.

It probably happened in those many minutes spent in the car in silence. She knew that this reaction was to be expected from Gail, knew that there was no ill intent on he part. But she also knew that Gail could do better. And most importantly, perhaps, she felt confident enough now that she could push the blonde a little.

"I... " Gail sighed. Her natural instinct was to switch into attack mode. The best form of defense. But with Holly, she didn't dare to. So she was standing there, grasping for words. Holly didn't let her struggle for too long though.

"You don't want to be treated like a basket case, you don't want to be a burden to anyone, you want to be held accountable? Fine. The way you've been behaving this last week is not ok. You don't get to just ignore me. You don't get to be my friend, ask for my help, rely on me, have breakfast with me and then act like we're distant acquaintances who meet every other month in line at the checkout counter of their local supermarket and greet each other with a nod. It's reckless and hurtful and it's…. not ok. I know that all of this his hard for you and every day is a struggle. I know that your whole life has been thrown completely off track. I get that. And you know that you are the one who is in control here. You get to decide yourself who you want to spend your time with and, especially, what you want our relationship to be. And I think I've always given you that freedom. So if you want or need space, that's fine. You're free to make your own decisions. But the least you can do is have the courtesy and let me know. I will not let you just use me and then ignore me. You don't owe me much, but you do owe me the decency to not do that." Holly nodded emphatically. She made it through her speech. Without too much drama, without getting too emotional or too harsh, but still stating her point very clearly. At least she hoped so. That was what she intended to do. As Gail looked at her, she felt compelled to add one more thing. "Look. I know you're trying Gail. Just… You need to try a little harder. Please."

The blonde was still looking at her, taken aback but perceptive, until she seemed to look right through her.

Her face was illuminated by the light coming in trough the interrogation room mirror, her glasses reflecting Gail's face. She was worried, talking a mile an hour. We tell each other stuff. A few other officers took fire? It was just a stupid setup. The courier was sick. Her blue shirt was unbuttoned just enough to show off her cleavage. I just had to make sure that you're ok? Or, something? Her lips were soft as the moved against hers, granting her entrance into her warm mouth. I won't say another word.

"Gail? Gail! Did you hear any of what I just said?" Holly's eyes bore into her and the brunette was slowly running out of patience.

"You just had to stop talking." Gail whispered faintly, and Holly couldn't make out the words.

"What?" Gail shook her head, her whole body, and dragged herself back into reality.

"Sorry. Ok." She nodded eagerly.

"Ok?" Holly had expected a little more out of Gail, to be honest. Maybe a little more fight, a little more justification. Or at least an answer that would indicate she had actually listened to what Holly was saying. A mere ok didn't really cut it.

"Ok. You're right. I do need to try harder. I will try harder. The way I've been behaving isn't fair to you and it doesn't do our... our relationship… justice."

"Ok?" Now it was Holly's turn to be speechless. Such an open admission without any objections, she certainly hadn't expected.

"Look, a lot of things have been happening these past weeks, and it is just all a little overwhelming. I... I needed some time to process that. And I should have just told you so. I'm sorry. I really am." She tilted her head apologetically.

"Ok." Holly nodded.

"And I... I'm going to need a little more time. Alright? But as soon as I'm done... processing... you'll be the first to know. Okay?" She smiled softly, encouragingly. She wanted Holly to believe that this wasn't some cheap excuse and it wasn't an empty promise.

"Ok." She kept nodding, knitting her eyebrows together.

"Are you going to say anything else?" Gail grinned at a trance-like Holly.

"Uhm, well. No. I mean, of course. Take your time. To process."

"Okay." Gail nodded.

"Okay. Well, I'll leave you to it then." Holly pointed at the door and made her way out of the room, while Gail waved her goodbye. "Bye, Holly."

After the brunette was out of the room, Gail locked the door behind her. She sat down on the table, her feet resting on one of the chairs. She touched her hand to her lips. It felt so real. That kiss. It was unlike the other times that she had imagined what it would feel like to kiss Holly. It was brighter.

She closed her eyes to conjure up that image again. Holly, in the harsh white glow of the light, that still looked warm on her skin somehow. The panic that briefly had gotten the better of her. She remembered how she was just in disbelief at the idea that she, Gail, a police officer, would have to go out on the street and face a potentially dangerous situation. She remembered feeling like her vest suddenly sat a little too tight around her chest. She remembered the faint, buttery almond fragrance rising up from between Holly's breasts as she kissed her.

She opened her eyes. The difference between that kiss and all the other kisses she had imagined was, that this kiss wasn't an imagination. This kiss was real. This kiss was a memory. Suddenly, it was getting a little harder to breathe. She closed her eyes again, checking to see if the memory was still there. She did that several times, each time in the fear that it would have faded, yet each time remembering it a little more vividly. She couldn't remember any of what happened before or after that, try as she might. But this one thing, this she definitely remembered. She smiled to herself as happy tears ran down her cheeks.