Sorry about the delay! I hate it when work gets in the way of life! Oh well. Thank you for your patients! AND thank you for all of your encouragement, favorites, follows, PMs, Comments. Reviews, Tweets and Tumblr re-blogs!
I am totally un-betaed, and all mistakes are mine... etc...
You are sitting at the black granite bar of the tiny, yet elegant restaurant in downtown Boston you have no idea how Steve knew existed, never mind would take you to. It's tucked into the end of a side street, across from a louder less up-scale place you had assumed was your destination before Steve had steered you in here. Holly called to say she was running late, so now you are Bobby and Steve talking about police work as you sip at the soda water with lemon and just a splash of cranberry you ordered, much to Steve's surprise.
"I'm on call all weekend." You say, as Steve lifts an eyebrow at your lack of alcohol.
"That never stopped you before." He shoots back.
"Well, maybe I don't want to screw up this time." Your answer comes out more bitterly than you had expected. You feel your stomach clench waiting to see if Steve was going to buy your flimsy excuse.
Bobby just shrugs as Steve looks over at him.
"She's a good one, your sister." Bobby, smiles at you as he says this, and you somehow know that he means it.
"Oh really." You raise your eyebrows at him.
"Yeah. Really." He grins back at you.
Whatever Steve was going to say gets lost as the door of the bar opens and the three of you turn to see Holly standing in the doorway. You feel your breath hitch slightly and a faint blush color your cheeks as she turns to find you. Her hair is smoother and shinier than usual cascading down her shoulders in soft waves over her long, dark, wool peacoat, which hangs open to reveal a deep burgundy blouse and a black suit jacket and pencil skirt that ends several inches above the knee. Her face lights up with a luminous smile when finally she spots you, and you feel yourself hopelessly blushing a darker crimson, speechless.
Damn hormones! Damn pale skin!
You can feel Steve watching you intently. Bobby is the first to move, going over to greet Holly with a gentlemanly kiss on the cheek and an offer to take her coat. He leads her back through the crowded bar, her over coat hanging neatly over one arm. She pulls you into a fierce hug when they reach you, and you feel your heart swell and speed up as you hug her back.
"I'm so glad you're here!" You murmur into her ear before releasing her.
She smiles nervously at you now, biting her lower lip in a way you find adorable, and sexy, knowing she is unsure if she went too far with PDA in front of your brother and in public. You smile warmly back at her feeling Steve's eyes on you the whole time. Keeping one hand gently, but firmly anchored on her waist you turn toward him.
"Steve, this is Holly." You make the introduction feeling more exposed than you thought you would.
"Hey Holly. It's nice to meet you." He says with a nod, and you can tell by the gentle smirk on his face that he totally gets what is going on between you.
"It's a pleasure to finally meet you too!" Holly smiles warmly at him. "I've heard so much about you."
"All lies!" He laughs, "Unless, of course, Gail was bragging about how awesome I am!" He winks at her, and she laughs too.
"Gail tells me you are a detective in the Guns and Gangs unit of the Toronto Police." Holly says smiling at him.
"That's right." Steve smirks, "And I know our parents were hoping that Gail would follow in my footsteps, before she resigned and became a Uni-cop."
"Excuse me?" You feel Bobby bristle next to you and hear the edge in his voice.
"Come on Bobby, It's not like you guys are on a real police force anymore." Steve turns to him, "No disrespect or anything, I'm just sayin'."
The room is suddenly hot, your stomach clenching around the shame of your brother's insult; not so much for yourself, that you can handle, but for Bobby. You were hoping that they would get along.
"Steve…" You beg, pleading with him with your eyes to stop.
"No Gail, it's ok." Bobby says brusquely, placing a slightly restraining hand on your arm, "I can see where he might think that."
"I'm sorry man, really…" Steve begins to apologize. "Look… I didn't mean…"
"You know what? I can see where you might think that." Bobby interrupts, giving Steve a hard look, "But I'll have you know that the MIT Security force is made up of highly decorated law enforcement personnel from across this continent. And if your sister was not a an excellent police officer, she would not have earned her position here."
You thought Bobby was insulted, but you can't quite believe that he is standing up for you, taking offence on your behalf. It makes you feel a giant swell of affection for your partner that balloons in your chest, and prickles behind your eyes. You feel Holly moving closer behind you as well, resting her hand softly on the small of your back, in almost an embrace.
Steve looks like he is about to say something, but Bobby doesn't let him.
"I know what you're thinking," Bobby continues, "That we are just glorified rent-a-cops, but I'll have you know that most of us retired from the regular job with honors."
You want to say something, but the words are all stuck behind the giant lump in your throat. You finally manage look at him offering up a small but sincerely grateful smile. Bobby smiles fondly back.
"I hear you used to be a detective too." Holly smiles warmly at him.
"That's right." He says somewhat smugly, "I was the Sergeant Detective in charge of the K-9 special drug taskforce at Division D-4."
"Why did you leave?" You can't help but ask, in a quiet voice, hating to betray your ignorance.
"When Theresa, my youngest, was about sixteen months old, I was on a routine Marijuana bust up in the Cathedral Projects, when my team and I got caught in the crossfire between two competing gangs who were fighting over turf." He shrugs, "My partner took two in the vest. I wasn't so lucky. I remember being more afraid of what was going to happen when Kate found out, than I was about being shot." He laughs. "Fortunately the bullet went through and through, nicked my spleen, and missed my spine."
You see Steve squirm visibly and deflate a little.
"So what happened?" You know it's a dumb question, but it's all you can think to say.
Bobby smirks, "I clearly remember Kate threatening to finish the job if I ever got shot again and messed up our girls lives, as they wheeled me off to surgery. So… I was smart enough to take the early retirement package I was offered by my union rep, and get a less dangerous, better paying job. Because I never want to find out what kind of slow, painful death my wife had in mind for me."
Steve clears his throat, his shoulders sagging slightly.
"Look," He says again, "I'm really sorry. That came out all wrong earlier."
"Don't worry about it." Bobby shrugs and drinks from the beer bottle he's holding. "But speaking of which, I should go." He looks at his watch, "If I miss Theresa's Varsity Basketball game, I will be spending the rest of the weekend on your couch." He winks at you. "Happy Birthday Kid!" And turning to Steve, "No hard feelings. It's good to finally meet Gail's famous brother. You should know how proud I am to be able to call your sister my partner."
This might be the best birthday present anyone has ever given you. You watch as they shake hands and Bobby grins, knowing that he's won.
"See you Monday!" He calls over his shoulder as he swaggers toward the door, leaving a wake in the crowd as he passes.
As the evening goes on, Steve is witty and charming, in a way that makes you nervous. You can tell he is pumping Holly for information with all the subtlety of a freight train, in your opinion, but then again, you were raised by cops and are fully aware of the interrogation techniques he is currently employing on your girlfriend. Holly doesn't seem to mind, or notice. You wonder how much of this is him looking out for you, and how much will get back to your mother. Even though Steve is one of your favorite people, and you can generally trust him to have your back, you know that he will be expected to give a full report of your visit, and while he won't really harm you, he will use what he can to his advantage. You wish for just a moment that you could tell him that he's going to be an uncle, but you don't want to burden him with your secret. Not yet, anyway.
Dinner is a lovely affaire; you have to admit, even if Steve does embarrass you by having the waitstaff sing you "Happy Birthday" over the molten chocolate cake he orders for the three of you. And now the three of you have made your way back to the dark, comfortable downstairs Alibi Bar at the Liberty Hotel, where Steve is staying and the conference will be held. You are gingerly sipping the single glass of champagne you are allowing yourself for this occasion, letting the bubbles burst deliciously on your tongue and the alcohol go straight to your head. You know that it's probably scientifically impossible to be tipsy on three tiny sips of champagne, but you relax into the feeling. You smile as you watch Steve proceed ply Holly with the tequila shots he had intended to buy you. Holly is becoming more animated in her discussion of stab wounds and bullet analysis, much to your amusement. Although he won't admit it, you can tell that Steve is impressed with Holly and her knowledge of forensic police work. You are just grateful that it takes his focus from you, for the time being.
You sigh and push your mostly full glass at Holly as Steve leaves your table, going to buy another round at the bar. She drinks it down and giggles at you, clearly tipsier than she has been letting on to be.
"Gail," She says placing the empty glass in front of you, and clutching at your arm, "Are you trying to get me drunk so you can take advantage of me?"
"I am clearly not the one buying the drinks tonight, Holly." You smirk back at her, feeling a wave of affection for your adorably tipsy girl.
"You gave me champagne!" She accuses, poking you in the chest with a pointed finger to punctuate her words.
You arch an eyebrow at her and purse your lips in a silent challenge. She leans in toward you, lightly gripping your shoulder at the juncture of your neck for stability with her other hand. Your heart skips a beat, and you feel yourself blush as your body responds forcefully to her touch.
"You know how I get when I drink champagne." Her voice is a low, sexy growl in your ear that sends shivers up your spine.
Her lips are barely brushing yours when you hear Steve clear his throat loudly. The two of you break apart as you whirl around to face him.
"Ugh! God Gail! Get a room!" He mocks, smirking and then laughing at you.
You wait until he has set down the drinks before you punch him in the chest. He laughs and grabs you into a headlock, rubbing his knuckles into the top of your head. You are just about to stomp on his toes and knee him in the nuts when a deep and somewhat familiar voice intervenes.
"Hey! Is everything alright here?"
Steve releases you quickly, ruffling your hair with his palm before letting you go completely.
"Jacob! I didn't know you were here!" Steve exclaims, blushing slightly.
You look up to see Detective Jacob Blackstone from Toronto PD Narcotics standing before you. You used to see him hanging around the station. He's a hairy little man, who has always both fascinated and repulsed you. You heard your parents talking about him when they didn't know you were listening, talking about the under cover op that Nick and Andy are on right now, talking about how he's the one running it from the Canadian side. You have always wondered how much your mother's hatred for your relationship with Nick influenced his getting that particular assignment. Not that it matters anymore. You wonder if he's here, who is taking care of monitoring the safety of your friends undercover, or if it's already over.
"You didn't actually think you would be the only one getting to come to this conference, did you Peck?" Blackstone replies while reaching out to grip Steve's hand.
"You know my little sister, Gail, don't you?" Steve asks while shaking hands vigorously with him. "And this is her friend Dr. Holly Stewart, from the Massachusetts Medical Examiner's office."
"Detective Jacob Blackstone," He smiles and leers in a way that makes your skin crawl slightly.
"Wait. Wait!" You demand, "Don't you have that thing you're in charge of? How are you even here?"
"Gail…" Steve says, the tone of his voice warning you to stop.
"No, it's ok." Blackstone says turning to Steve, "She has a right to be concerned about her friends, I mean she and McNally were in the same class at the academy."
You don't know how he knows this, but he must have read your file and your application for the undercover position before you left.
"Don't worry," He says turning to you with that same smarmy grin, "They're safe enough. In fact, they're both on a little vacation furlough in Niagara while I'm here. They could have gone home for the week, but they didn't want to break out of character."
Even though it is over with Nick, even though you live here now, even though you are with Holly, and you are pretty sure you are a lesbian, you feel the color drain from your face as he says this, confirming everything you suspected was going on before you left. And it hits you. You realize it isn't Nick, but Andy's betrayal of your friendship that has your stomach in knots.
"I'm sorry." Blackstone says, gauging your reaction, "Maybe I've said too much."
"No, no. I'm just glad they're safe." You reply in a far less bitchy tone than you feel. "But listen," You continue, turning now to your brother, "I've had a long day, and it's late…"
"You're going to go?" You realize he looks slightly hurt as he says this.
"Yeah." You sigh, and in a moment of impulse you do something you never do. You lean in to hug him and murmur into his ear, "Thanks for the best birthday ever!"
"I'll see you before I go home." He says. It's not a question. Are those tears you see shimmering behind his intense blue eyes?
"Of course!" You punch him lightly on the arm. You turn to Holly who has been silently observing this entire little scene unfold. "Take me home!" You say, with an urgency you can barely contain all of a sudden.
She smiles brilliantly at you and then at Blackstone and Steve, "It was a pleasure meeting you both." She says, "Especially you!" She gives Steve a tiny kiss on the cheek that makes him blush and smile.
"Ready?" You say as you shrug on your leather jacket and take her by the hand.
You walk from the bar out into the cobblestone courtyard to catch a cab. You are about to give the driver your address, when Holly leans in and gives him hers instead. In all of the time you've known her, you have only been to her place once before. It surprises you. Before you have a chance to say anything, she smiles at you, nervously fidgeting with her glasses, and then kisses you soundly.
"It's not fair," she begins to whisper into your lips, "we haven't had a lot of time together lately, and I have had to behave myself in front of Bobby and your brother all night…"
"Mmmm, poor you.." You hum back at her.
"And you gave me champagne!" She pouts, "So unfair!"
"Uh huh…" You smile, ghosting your lips across her jaw line to nip at the sensitive skin beneath her ear.
"So now," She continues in a low voice that hitches slightly at the movement of your tongue on her skin, "I just want you in my bed."
Your heart stops as you forget to breathe. It's your 29th birthday, and you swear you could have died right then and there.