Part 14
Gail could feel her cell phone in her pocket like it was burning a hole. But as much as she wanted to listen to that message she wanted to be out of 15 first.
So she left it where it was and finished tying her boots up.
But when she stood to grab her bag from her locker and head out she found herself at the centre of her colleagues who were all staring and smiling at her.
And people thought she was weird.
She turned from them and secured her locker before shouldering her bag. But as she turned to leave Noelle, Traci, Andy and Chloe just stood there blocking her way.
She dropped her bag to the floor and scowled at them. "What is this some kind of intervention?"
Andy snorted but otherwise kept quiet.
"A little birdie told me you've moved out of that frat house you called home." Noelle said with a grin on her face as she crossed her arms, waiting.
"And?" Gail narrowed her eyes at Chloe because she was sure said little bird was a redhead who should mind her own fucking business.
"And? You should have told us!" Traci said reaching over and cuffing Gail for keeping this news to herself. "We would have helped."
Gail shrugged and picked her bag back up. "Yeah well, it's done."
"Hold on." Traci said grabbing Gail by the arm as the blonde tried to make her escape. "The least you can do is let us buy the drinks at the Penny tonight, celebrate you moving in with Holly." She finished with a broad grin, happy for her friend even if she was disappointed to only just have heard about this.
"I talked Frank into having a night out, so suck it up Peck and just pretend to enjoy yourself if you have to." Noelle insisted, knowing getting Gail to do anything she didn't want to took a lot of convincing, especially if your name wasn't Holly Stewart.
Gail huffed out a breath. "Let's not!" She said but stopped the rest of her comment as she saw the hint of hurt in Traci's eyes. She tried not to look as defensive as she felt right then with all of them still surrounding her. "Besides Traci has a dinner to get too, and I'm sure you all have better things to do." She said in a soft tone. "But thanks okay, for the gesture."
"One drink." Traci tried to bargain with her.
Gail bit her lip and made them wait. Would it kill her just to go for one drink? She was torn because they were trying to do something nice for her but really, she just wanted to get out of here and find Holly. Detouring to the Penny for a drink would cost her half an hour.
She screwed her face up and threw her free hand up in the air. "Fine, one drink."
Gail sighed as the others cheered as she caved in. "Yeah, yeah." She muttered as hands patted her on the arm and shoulder. "Okay, enough with the touching." She complained until she was finally allowed to pass.
"If you aren't there by the time we get there we'll come to Holly's and drag you there ourselves." Traci warned.
"I hate you all." Gail told them with her best glare but they all just laughed. She shook her head and accepted defeat. One drink and she'd be free.
She left them to change and made her escape.
xxxxxx
It was snowing lightly as Gail exited into the car lot at the back of the station. There was a thin layer on the ground from a heavier fall earlier, she'd be glad to be out of it and back home.
Home.
Just thinking that made her smile as she approached her car. She unlocked it and threw in her bag then climbed into the driver's seat.
Finally she felt like she could breathe. She closed her eyes and rested her head back. She took a deep breath and sighed before sitting up and reaching for her phone now that she had the time and the privacy to listen to it.
A tap at the passenger side window made her turn her head with a lethal glare. Chris was stood there grinning like an idiot.
"Penny?" He shouted at her as he was dusted in the falling snow.
Gail nodded at him and he waved back before getting into his own car and driving away. She watched him go then glanced around the lot to see if there would be anyone else to interrupt her but it was mostly empty.
Picking up her phone she clicked into her voicemail and lifted the device to her ear.
"It's snowing Gail!" Came Holly's excited voice. It had Gail grinning in response and wishing she'd been there with Holly. "It's so pretty." Then there was a pause and Gail could hear her girlfriend breathing. It sounded like she was walking and if Gail strained her hearing she was sure she could pick up the sound of a nearby road with cars driving by. "It's like you, it's cold, and if it catches you unprepared it can be dangerous to your health," There was a giggle then and Gail rolled her eyes, but she puffed up a little too because she could be dangerous. "And people hate it because it makes them work harder to do normal stuff, like drive or walk their dogs. But that's because they don't take the time to really look at it." There was the sound of wonder in Holly's voice now, like a little kid being told that Santa had been and left presents in the living room, just for them. "But when you really look Gail you see how wonderful the snow can be. Do you know that no two flakes of snow are the same? Wilson Bentley took pictures of them." Gail shook her head at the random name drop. "But that's the thing, you're like a snow flake. You're special and unique and never to be repeated in the history of mankind." Gail was so keeping this voicemail forever. She didn't think it was possible to me more in love with Holly than she already was but the woman just floored her without even trying. It wasn't fair, Holly had to let her catch up. "You're so beautiful Gail." Holly whispered with a touch of awe in her voice. "And you're mine, but you aren't supposed to hold the snow because it'll melt." Gail heard Holly sigh heavily. "Why aren't you here Gail?" She sounded confused but then a second voice blasted through Gail's phone into her ear so much louder than Holly's voice had been. "Hey, Snowflake!" Gail groaned hoping that wasn't going to stick, Dov and his Casper nickname had been bad enough. "You're making my sister all mopey so hurry the fuck up already!"
Gail snorted as she realised Elizabeth had hung up the call. All Gail wanted right now was to play it again and listen to Holly talk about snow some more. With a sigh she quickly saved the message and dropped her cell into the space next to her gear shift and started her car.
She'd go for that drink and then try and work out how in the hell she was supposed to find Holly.
xxxxxxx
The snowing had picked up by the time Gail pulled up behind the Penny. She got out and shoved her hands deep into her pockets for the short walk. Her breath was coming out in puffs of condensation and she hurried her steps.
One drink and she'd try calling Holly and Elizabeth and see if either of them were sober enough to give her directions to whichever bar they were in.
She shook her head and arms out before stamping her feet to rid herself of as much snow as she could before pulling back the door and walking into the Penny. The noise of a busy night hit her first and as she approached the bar. She looked around for her friends and spotted Chris with Andy at the end of the bar.
She got and paid for her drink, just a soda water because she wasn't planning on sticking around, and walked over to the pair as another bar tender loaded up a tray with the drinks the two of them were ordering.
"Hey." She greeted them then lifted her drink up to Andy. "My one and only."
Andy rolled her eyes and chuckled at the blonde. "You're supposed to let us buy you the drinks Gail."
Gail scoffed. "Like I trust any of you guys with that."
"Got to make sure those doubles really are doubles, right Gail?" Chris said as he picked up the tray carefully.
"Exactly." Gail replied and followed after the pair only to pull up. Andy noticed and turned back to her.
There sat in a circle of all of her work colleagues was Holly and Elizabeth laughing and joking with Dov and Oliver.
"Oh, yeah." Andy said with a smug grin on her face. "We invited some guests."
Gail was grinning, she knew she was, and as much as she didn't want her friends to witness it she just couldn't stop, not with Holly right there not ten feet away.
And when Holly's dark eyes lifted to meet hers Gail couldn't have remembered her name if asked.
She watched as Holly's face brightened and excused herself before standing and making her way over to Gail, all without ever breaking eye contact.
"Hi." Was all Gail could manage as Holly stood there in front of her.
Holly's eyes traced all over Gail and then she circled the blonde's wrist with her hand and started walking away from the table and away from any prying eyes.
Confused but not unwilling Gail quickly left her drink at the first table she passed and let Holly lead her out of the bar and around the side of the building.
She was grateful the snow had stopped but she was sure Holly wasn't in any state to even feel how cold it was out here.
"Hey." Holly finally said as she turned Gail and placed her against the wall and worked her jacket open.
Gail blushed and glanced around to see if anyone was within distance to see anything.
Holly chuckled at Gail reaction but when the jacket was open Holly placed her hands on Gail's sides then slid them around her back as she cuddled up to the blonde's body.
Gail sighed as Holly pressed their bodies together. She wrapped her own arms around Holly's and laced her fingers together as they rested against the small of Holly's back.
"I missed you today." Holly said softly as she snuggled as close as she could, their foreheads resting together.
Gail tightened her hold. "I missed you too."
"You don't think this is just a honeymoon?" Holly asked, looking worried as she pulled back enough to eye Gail.
Gail grinned and finally gave in to the temptation and kissed Holly. It was impossible to be this close to the other woman and not, especially looking as cute as she was right now.
Gail shrugged as she eased out of the kiss, and watched as Holly reluctantly opened her eyes again.
"You want less sex?" Gail asked cheekily.
Holly was quiet as her fingers moved restlessly on Gail back. "I just want you." She answered softly, her eyes lowering.
Gail sighed wondering what Elizabeth had been saying to her girlfriend all day. Holly wasn't normally a depressed drunk.
Gail brought her hand up to lift Holly's chin and she stared into the eyes she loved to watch darken with desire, even now. "You already have me Hol, and I'm going to kick your sister's ass if she's said something to upset you."
Holly chuckled knowing Gail was serious.
"So you're not worried?" Holly couldn't help but ask.
Gail wrapped her arms back around Holly and rocked them side to side as she felt her feet going numb with the cold. "Oh, I'm worried about lots of things." She admitted. "But I'm not worried about us." She finished with a shrug like what she was saying was a given and should be common knowledge to Holly.
Holly's eyes brightened and then they narrowed. "Who are you and what have you done with cat-up-a-tree-Gail?"
Gail rolled her eyes and they both laughed. "You're never going to let that damn analogy go are you?"
Holly smiled and shook her head slowly back and forth.
Gail let the smiles fade and turned serious although she had to question the merit of having this kind of conversation with Holly when she might not remember it come morning.
She pressed a kiss to Holly's lips and sighed. "You turned my life on its head Holly. And as much as I struggle with relationships I'm all in with you." It was true, she was committed to Holly in a way she'd never been to anyone in her past, she just wasn't sure how to express that.
"I'm drunk and being silly aren't I?"
Gail grinned and kissed Holly quickly as the older woman pouted. "You are definitely drunk."
"And silly?"
Gail grinned and nodded. "I have the voicemail to prove it too."
Holly grinned and leaned close for another kiss only to feel something hit her back. "What the?"
She turned and there was Elizabeth grinning at them with another snowball in her hand.
"Why you little-" Holly paused as Gail grabbed her arm as she moved towards her sister.
"Oh no. Allow me." Gail said and took off after the younger girl.
Holly laughed as she watched her girlfriend chase after her sister who yelped and threw the snowball only to miss. And then Gail was on her before she could turn and run.
Gail took them to the ground and Holly watched the pair roll around with Gail picking up handfuls of snow and trying and get it into Elizabeth's clothes.
A high pitched squeal signalled Gail's victory as the blonde left Elizabeth on the ground and bounced back towards Holly with a smug look.
"Shall we?" The blonde asked as she hooked her arm through Holly's.
But instead of returning to the bar Gail lead Holly over to her car.
"You don't want to stay?" Holly asked frowning as she wondered if she had ruined the night out Gail's friends had planned for her.
Gail rolled her eyes. "I was here under duress Holly, I was staying for one drink and then I was going to find you, but hey, I've found you and I bought a drink so they can't even complain."
"Are you sure?"
"Just get in." Gail insisted then closed the passenger door as Holly took the seat. As she rounded her car she spotted Elizabeth walking over. "You coming?"
Elizabeth approached cautiously. "Depends, am I going to get more snow dumped on me?" She asked scowling at the blonde as her hand pulled her wet top away from her body.
Gail was trying her best to keep in mind the pair had been drinking most of the day but seriously, she was reaching her limit in dealing with difficult people. "In or out?"
"Okay already." Elizabeth grinned and came over and got into the back seat. "And just so you know, I'm already out."
That was lame so Gail ignored it even as Holly giggled.
"Shut up before I make you walk." Gail threatened.
Holly laughed out loud as Elizabeth's face fell and she glared at Gail from the back seat.
"I don't know what she sees in you."
"If you were my sister I'd never have given you a key to my house."
"Well you're not."
"And let's thank fuck for that!"
Holly shook her head as the pair continued to bicker. If this was what it was like with her sister what on earth would it be like when Gail met the rest of her family?
xxxxxxxx
AN/
I came to this fandom because I fell in love with Gail and Holly (I'd fallen for Gail first having watched the show from season 2) and I wanted to add my little fic because I love the characters and the couple.
So I'd just like to say that there's no break ups or cheating coming up in this story and leave my comments at that.
Thanks for reading!