A/N: This chapter is shorter than the last few, but the next chapter is huge and will be up on Sunday J
Holly loved the science side of her job, she loved the tools and the research, Holly hated the paper work. The lack of a homicide with the current case involving 19 cadavers left Holly with a mountain of paperwork. Her body ached with fatigue, her eyes were dry from staring at the computer, and she could almost guarantee she was only functioning on 15% brain power by the time she had submitted her official reports.
The bright white numbers on her dashboard read half past six why Holly pulled into the garage, she climbed out of the car leaving her work stuff in the back seat. An exhausted smile appeared on Holly's lips the moment she opened the door, Sophie could be heard yelling at the TV over the familiar sounds of The Super Smash Bro's and the smell of dinner cooking made Holly's mouth water.
"Your home late." Gail smiled, appearing in the doorway to the kitchen drying her hands on a dish towel. The last time they had talked Holly had been trying to leave the office by lunch.
"I left as soon as I could, the amount of paperwork that has to be done in this case is nightmare inducing." Holly nodded toeing out of her boots before making her way towards Gail. "How are you feeling?" Holly asked, searching Gail's face for any inkling of pain.
"I feel better, but I'm not 100%" Gail shrugged pulling Holly in her arms. "You reek of formaldehyde." Gail quickly back out of the embrace and scrunched her nose at Holly who smiled.
"I know, autopsies on embalmed corpuses suck." Holly nodded, she could no longer smell the formaldehyde on herself, and she didn't doubt that it she reeked. "I'm going to grab a quick shower, can you please start a pot of coffee?"
"Yes, take three showers please." Gail smiled, walking towards the coffee pot, Gail knew that the stench of the lab would linger in their sheets and blankets if Holly didn't completely wash off the stench.
"Hi Sophie!" Holly called from the bottom of the stairs, she watched Sophie quickly nod from her seat on the couch, her eyes never leaving the screen.
"Hi Mama!" Sophie called a few moments later once Holly had made it up the stairs.
Holly walked into their bedroom and eyed the bed for a moment, she wanted to crawl under the covers and sleep for 24 hours, to finally let her brain and her body rest. The process of taking a shower seemed to be to energy consuming.
"Take a shower nerd!" Gail yelled up the stairs when she hadn't heard the shower start, Gail knew that Holly would be tempted to go to sleep after the shift she had had.
Holly pouted to herself before shuffling into the bathroom, she haphazardly stripped and stepped into the shower before turning it on full heat, letting the hot water relax her sore muscles.
Gail busied herself with making a pot of coffee before pulling the casserole she had made for dinner out of the other. "Soph, please come set the table." Gail called as she divided and plated their dinner.
"Can I ask mama to take me to the science center tomorrow?" Sophie asked rummaging through the silverware drawer collecting forks.
"You can ask love, she may be too tired though, it's been an exhausting week." Gail watched Sophie set out forks and napkins, Sophie seemed to think over Gail's answer for a few moments before turning to Gail.
"Can you take me?" Sophie asked, chewing on her lip, watching Gail prepare a cup of coffee for Holly. Sophie usually only asked Holly to take her to the Science Center, Gail didn't share their love of the place but she tried.
"Ask mama first and we can figure it out from their love." Gail smiled, walking over to kiss Sophie's forehead when she pouted.
Holly made her way downstairs in a pair of sweats and a t-shirt a few minutes later, her hair neatly braided and damp. "Do I still smell?" Holly asked, holding her hands towards Gail's face. "I can't smell it, I've been stuck in the lab with the smell and I'm desensitized."
Gail leaned forward eyeing Holly cautiously, she sniffed the air and smiled. "You smell like vanilla." Gail quickly pulled Holly forward and hugged her, no longer put off by her scent. "Just the way I like you." Gail kissed Holly's cheek breathing her in, Holly's skin was still warm from the shower.
"Mama, can we go to the science center tomorrow?" Sophie asked placing glasses filled with water on the table. "They have the Myth Busters exhibit and it looks amazing."
"What did your mom say?" Holly asked, pulling away from Gail and walking up to Sophie and hugging her.
"Mom said that I could ask." Sophie hugged Holly back as Holly mulled over the idea in her head. She loved the Science Center just as much as Sophie did, but a day at the museum sounded exhausting.
"I'll make a deal with you." Holly smiled down at Sophie. "Let me sleep in until 11 tomorrow, and we can go to the Science Center."
"YES!" Sophie beamed letting go of Holly as she danced towards her seat at the table.
They ate dinner discussing Sophie's school work and the upcoming school soccer tryouts that Sophie insisted she partake in because her best friend was already on the team. Gail didn't take kindly to the soccer mom joke Holly made immediately after the announcement.
After putting Sophie to bed, Gail and Holly made their way to their bedroom, Holly collapse onto the mattress and smiled at its welcoming embrace.
"Would you mind terribly if I took Sophie to the science center alone tomorrow?" Holly mumbled against the pillow as Gail moved the covers on her side of the bed out of the way before climbing into bed.
"What's on your mind nerd, I could see the gears working over dinner." Gail asked watching Holly, she quickly tapped her thigh motioning for Holly to move over, she undid Holly's hair tie once she had settled and raked her fingers through the dark hair waiting for Holly's answer.
"The lawyers dropped all of the paperwork off at my office today." Holly breathed Rolling to press her forehead into Gail's side. "I want to talk to Sophie before we start the paperwork. We asked her how she felt, I need to make sure though."
"Is that why you were at the office so late?" Gail asked gently scratching Holly's scalp. "Were you overthinking everything?"
"I wish." Holly snorted. "I filed 13 reports, the body that they recovered last night was made of 13 cadavers." Holly turned to look up at Gail, she wasn't having second thoughts, she didn't have any doubt that she wanted to adopt Sophie, but she might be overthinking everything.
"I just want to talk to Sophie one my own, to make sure that she isn't just saying what she thinks we want to hear." Holly smiled when she met Gail's eyes. "I left the papers in my jeep, all 36 pages. The second parent adoption forms, the designation of guardianship, and our living wills." Holly had read the table of contents for the folder after they had been dropped off.
They had both requested the paperwork, they had sat down with Sophie and discussed the possibilities for their new family and how Sophie felt about everything. Holly wanted to file the adoption paperwork, she needed to talk to Sophie one on one before she jumped the gun though.
"Why we need to fill everything out again." Gail grunted running her thumb along Holly's forehead before smiling.
"Because we don't have living wills, I'm listed as your emergency contact Gail, I have no legal rights past that." Holly breathed reaching up to lace her fingers with Gail's, Holly didn't want to think of Gail getting hurt in the line of duty but she also knew that they had to have a plan just in case. "And we need to designate a guardian in case something happens to either of us or both of us heaven forbid."
Gail watched Holly's eyes start to drift closed, smiling at how lucky she was to have Holly in her life. "You need to stand up before you fall asleep on top of the covers." Gail gently nudged Holly to sit up, she pulled the covers back once Holly stood at the edge of their bed.
"I have absolutely no problem with you taking our daughter to the museum tomorrow." Gail smiled as Holly laid down. "I'm also sure that's why Sophie asked you to take her and not us."
"She told me that you don't get excited about the nerdy stuff." Holly smiled drifting to sleep thinking about their future, their family, and all of the possibilities.
"Mom, can I wake up mama!?" Sophie asked at 11:01, she had been sitting at the counter watching the clock since 9 am.
"I'll wake her up, you go get dressed." Gail laughed as Sophie raced up the stairs with a giddy smile on her face. Gail made a cup of coffee before heading up to their bedroom. Holly was laying on her stomach with the covers kicked to the foot of the bed.
"It's 11 already?" Holly mumbled into her pillow before rolling over to sit up.
"Yep." Gail nodded, holding out the coffee cup, Holly stretched before reaching out and wrapping her hands around the hot mug.
"Are you sure you're up from this?" Gail asked, leaning forward to kiss Holly's forehead, the sleepy Burnet smiled and nodded sipping her coffee.
"This exhibit looks interesting, and I want to talk to Sophie." Holly smiled and yawned. "I slept great, I should be able to tackle a day of excitement."
"You know you don't have to worry right, Sophie loves you and she tells her classmates that one of her mom's is a doctor." Gail sat on the edge of the bed facing Holly, she could tell that Holly's nerves were getting the better of her.
"Mama, I'm ready!" Sophie's voice faded as she raced downstairs.
"I should get dressed." Holly laughed, setting her coffee cup on the night stand. "I just want to make sure she's 100%." Holly walked into the closet to change into a pair of jeans and button down plaid shirt.
"This isn't a spur of the moment decision, she shouldn't feel like we are rushing into this." Holly smiled when she walked back into the bedroom, Gail sat on the bed watching her with a lazy smile. "You and I have had a million discussions about this, we've talked about it from every aspect, we've only had a handful of conversations with Sophie, and I haven't talked to her on my own."
Gail watched Holly walk into the bathroom before laughing and standing up. "What on earth did I do to deserve you?" Gail asked, standing in the doorway to the bathroom. "You are the most loving and considerate person I've ever met Hol."
Holly turned around with a toothbrush in her mouth and took in the sight before her, Gail Peck standing in the doorway to their bathroom in jeans and a faded t-shirt. The smile that graced her lips when she looked at her. "I ask myself the same thing every day Gail." Holly watched Gail for a moment longer before turning back to finish brushing her teeth.
"We should be home by dinner time, I'll keep you updated if plans change." Holly grinned walking towards Gail. "Call me if you need anything, ok?" Holly asked, pulling Gail into her arms.
"I will." Gail leaned forward and kissed Holly, Gail couldn't explain why, but today felt like the first day of their future, their forever. "Have fun and don't be nervous." Gail breathed when she broke apart.