Everything Old is New Again

by ChapstickLez

Sequel to OWtO: Youthful ambition meets experience when Gail and Holly face the next great challenge. Their daughter, the cop. The Old Guard is still there to help the new batch of rookies through the trials, tribulations, and triumphs of police work, but there are some things a rookie has to learn on their own. (Updated regularly)

25. 03-04 The Kids Are Not Alright

03.04 - The Kids Are Not Alright

An unwelcome personal visit causes Vivian to reevaluate her family dynamics.

This is just going to start hard and go hard all the way through. Hold onto your hats. This chapter is not happy. At all.

---

"Peck, someone at admit is asking for you."

Vivian blinked at McNally. "Me?" She tucked her shirt in and buckled up.

"Yeah, you. Don't cause me a headache, okay?"

"Yes ma'am, Staff Sgt. McNally." When Vivian saluted, Andy grinned. The promotion to Staff had been a surprise to Andy. Unexpected totally. But Andy was a good choice and she deserved the promotion. Even if Gail had been teasing Andy ever since.

Trotting out to the desk, Vivian smiled at the young woman standing there talking to Christian. The woman spoke before Vivian could. "You're Vivian ... Peck?"

"Yes, ma'am. Can I help you?"

The woman's eyes looked her up and down. "Jesus... You look just like..." She shook her head. "Sorry. I'm Lindsey Strong."

Vivian arched her eyebrows. "Nice to meet you, Ms. Strong." The woman was acting like Vivian should know her, which was odd. She didn't look familiar, and while Vivian did not have Gail's memory, she was usually pretty good about faces. "Do you ... Do you need something?"

"Wow. You have no idea?"

"I'm sorry... Have we met?"

Lindsey Strong sighed. "My mother, April...?" Her eyes flickered around Vivian's and curiosity and confusion drove Vivian to study the face before her more closely. The eyes were the hazel-brown, just like Vivian's. But that was pretty common. Same with brown hair and brown skin. "I'm ... I'm your cousin."

Some of Gail's favorite words popped into her mind. What the what? "Sorry… What are you talking about?" She only had the one cousin, Leo, and the woman before her was very much not him. Traci and Steve had never had children, but that didn't seem to bother anyone. And this woman didn't look like any Peck she'd seen. Or a Stewart.

The woman, Lindsey, frowned and cleared her throat. "My mother, April... She used to be April Green."

The name washed cold water over her. Vivian felt her face grow slack. The memory of Gail's face being wiped of emotion came back to her. She probably looked like that. There was a funny ringing in her ears. She didn't have a cousin. She didn't have an aunt. She'd been an orphan with only her psychotic grandparents left, and they were dead a decade and more now. "I'm sorry," she said slowly. "I think you have the wrong person."

Vivian knew she was lying the minute she said it. Because the minute Lindsey said her mother's maiden name, things clicked. The eyes. They had the same eye color. Hazel. Common. But they had those flecks, those weird markers that Holly had told her was probably hereditary. Vivian had said she'd never seen anyone else with them and Holly had sat with her, going over the medical tomes to explain why. That nose too, that nose was the one she saw in Kimmy's photo … Jesus Christ. The skin, the eyes, the nose, the hair, the face.

Her cousin.

Lindsey was firm. "No, no you're Vivian Lydia Green. Your parents—"

No. No. No. Not here. In fact, not ever. "Like I said," she snapped. "You have the wrong person. I'm Vivian Peck, and my parents work here."

The fierceness of her reply had Lindsey act like she was slapped. "I'm sorry," she stammered. "I don't… I just need a favor. Please."

She laughed. She didn't mean to, but that was what happened. Out of fucking nowhere, her cousin showed up and now she wanted a favor. "Look, I'm sorry you came all this way —"

"Barrie. We live in Barrie."

She really didn't care. "I'm not who you're looking for. Excuse me."

Without waiting for a reply, Vivian turned to go back into the Division. Her hands were shaking and everyone was looking at her.

"Hey, Viv…" Christian started.

Vivian ignored him and went for the stairs, charging up them in the hopes it would calm her brain down. When she hit the third floor, she stopped and leaned against the wall, breathing harder than she should for the short distance.

A cousin.

An aunt.

What the actual fuck was going on?

Her mind was spinning. Vivian wanted to charge into Gail's office and shout at her. Why the hell wouldn't they have told her about this? The problem was she'd spent most of her life with Gail and Holly and she knew there had to be a good reason. They'd answered every single question she'd had. They'd insisted on keeping medical records and photo albums. Things Vivian had never once looked through.

No, the answer to why they hadn't told her was simple. Either it was just because she'd never asked, because they couldn't tell her, or it was because her aunt didn't want to talk to her. And they didn't want to hurt her. But it did. Oh it cut and flayed her alive.

Why did that hurt more than knowing her grandparents were abusive pricks? And it did. It was like being shot. The wind was sucked out of her. She slid down the wall and sat on the cold concrete, gasping and trying to calm her breathing. Trying not to cry. There was that old fear. The one that made her shout 'you're not my mother' at Holly. The fear that no one wanted her. Vivian buried her face in her hands and inhaled thickly. Breathe. In through the nose, out through the mouth. Just like it's a panic attack, right? In. Out. Calm down.

She didn't know how long she sat there. Probably right through Parade. Footsteps on the stairs finally got her to look up. Lara and Jenny.

Vivian shook her head and covered her face again. No. Here was every fear coming home to roost. The world was going to look at her like a sad, tragic little girl. Her friends were going to abandon her.

That wasn't what happened.

The two girls, her classmates, sat on either side of her. They didn't touch her, not directly, but they sat close enough that she could have turned one way or the other to cry on them. And they just waited. They let her calm down and guarded her, in case anyone else showed up.

Finally Vivian mumbled. "Thank you."

"I told Andy you were having a personal crisis," Jenny said first.

Lara added, "And I told Christian to keep it to himself and not call your mom."

"Threatened," corrected Jenny. "She threatened to tase him in the junk."

Vivian snorted a laugh. "Thank you," she managed to repeat.

The other girls didn't try to hug her. They didn't ask what the hell was going on. They didn't offer advice. Lara gently patted Vivian's upper back while Jenny squeezed her knee. Finally, Jenny spoke. "It's no one's business who you're related to."

Of course Jenny got that. Her father was still a half-secret at Fifteen. Even Gail had been surprised to find out, and clammed up right away. There was always more to a secret.

"Family's complicated," said Lara.

Lara, who lived with a step mother and her second husband. Who hadn't seen her birth father since she was an infant. Whose mother was dead. There was also always more to family.

"Thank you," said Vivian, her voice a whisper.

Maybe she wasn't so different from them after all.

"We're supposed to be on patrol." Lara hesitated. "Do you need us to call anyone?"

Yes. "No," she said carefully. Liar.

If her friends (was this what friends did?) knew she was lying, they let it go and told her to call them if she needed anything. Lara left travel kleenex when they headed out for patrol. It took a little longer for Vivian to collect herself. She blew her nose and then snuck into the third floor bathroom and washed her face.

There were right things and wrong things to do right now.

She texted her mother. She texted the mother who would tell her the unvarnished truth no matter how much it hurt. She texted Gail.

I need to talk to you.

And she waited. Gail had a busy job. So did Holly. They always replied as soon as possible, though, and they were always there when she needed them.

Scale of one to 10, where 10 is Ebola?

That meant Gail was busy with a case. Vivian chewed her lip. There were options. This could wait till later. They could discuss it tonight. Vivian could cancel her date with Jamie (crap, she was going to need to talk to Jamie) and go over to her parents house and talk. That would be a three or a four. This wasn't... She sighed and thumbed a reply.

Having a surprise aunt is a 9

She wasn't going to be any good at all at work today. She wasn't sure how coherent she was going to be able to be to her mother.

5 minutes. I'm meeting a CI downtown.

Well shit. Now she felt bad. But. Gail didn't argue that it wasn't a nine. That felt good and bad.

I'll wait in your office. Take your time.

She'd really never been so grateful that there were so few women on the third floor. Shoving her hands in her pockets, Vivian walked through the floor. She paused at John's empty desk. He still hadn't retired. He kept threatening to but that had stopped after Bethany's body had been found. Vivian was sure he would, like Griggs before him, die with his boots on.

Griggs had been found dead at home, sound asleep in his bed. When he hadn't shown for work, shortly after Gail had taken over OC, the division had worried. Griggs was never late without a great story and he never was late without calling. In the end, Gail had gone herself to check on him. Afterwards, she said it was just a gut feeling. He'd not been feeling well, he'd said. He'd been tired and grey. And then he just died in his sleep, peacefully. His three ex-wives had put aside their differences for the funeral, asking there be no final call, and donating the money afforded to them to the force's retirement fund instead.

Her mother's office was also empty and Vivian closed the door behind her. No one would question her. They never did. Peck. The name opened doors for her all over Toronto. The name let her get away with anything she wanted, within reason. That was her name. Vivian Peck. Not Green.

More than five minutes passed before Gail arrived. "John, just take care of it," she said firmly. "I need… I need you to do this. Okay?" John's reply was a surprised apology and a question Vivian couldn't hear. "Later." Gail stepped inside and turned around. They looked at each other and said nothing as Gail closed the door and locked it. She carried two coffees on a tray and handed Vivian one as she sat beside her on the couch. "So."

"I have an aunt?"

"You do." No hiding it. Gail never would. As much as she was livid right now, Vivian appreciated the fact that Gail was honest with her.

"April. Stone. And you knew. You both knew."

"Yes."

Vivian looked at the coffee cup. "Why?" She didn't have to ask specifically. She knew Gail would understand. Why had she never heard of this woman before.

Her mother sighed loudly. "She signed … When you went into the system, she did two things. First off she told them that your grandparents were assholes who beat your father, which is why they never got custody of you, even temporarily." That surprised Vivian and she blinked at her mother. It also explained a lot, including the confusing fear of people she barely remembered. "The other. She signed a voluntary termination of rights for you." Gail's eyes were guarded.

"She, what, gave me up?" Termination of rights meant her aunt wasn't going to even try to take her niece in. "Was… Was she on drugs or something?"

"No." Gail sipped her coffee. "She … She signed you away, said she didn't want custody or responsibility. And then she said she never wanted to be contacted. It's a pretty binding thing. She wouldn't contact you either."

Vivian snorted. "Apparently that didn't hold for my cousin."

Her mother looked surprised. "Your cousin?"

"Yeah, Lindsey. She showed up downstairs, looking for me."

Gail looked like she'd just bitten into a lemon. "I'm sorry."

Slouching, Vivian ignored the bite of her belt against her side. "Why didn't she come to the funeral?"

"April ran away when she was 18. Made it pretty clear she wanted nothing to do with her parents. They just left her out of the will." Gail leaned back. "We did contact her, actually. Twice."

It was difficult to process that information. Her aunt wanted nothing to do with anyone named Green. Vivian could understand that. She felt the same way. "When they died?"

"And when we adopted you. We wanted to offer her a chance, y'know, without the other bullshit." Gail waved a hand dismissively. "That and my lawyers got on my ass about how the thing she signed didn't protect you from her changing her mind, and since you inherit everything from me and Holly, they didn't want you getting ripped off later."

That was interesting. Vivian grimaced. "And she said no both times? What the hell happened? I mean… I didn't do anything."

Gail shook her head. "I asked about that." There was a look to Gail's face that implied she'd probably been a bit aggro about it.

"You met her?"

"No. I asked the lawyer," admitted Gail. "I've never seen her."

For some reason that made Vivian feel better. "What'd she say?"

"She said it was that she didn't want to be reminded of your father. I have the letters at home if you want to read them."

Vivian shook her head. Then she nodded. "Maybe. I don't know." She grimaced. "Do you have everything?" When Gail nodded, Vivian felt a little sick. "Did you know... Did you know I saw it?"

There was, again, no need to say what 'it' was. "I suspected for a long time," confessed Gail. "But I didn't know for sure until you remembered and told us."

Her hands were starting to shake again. Vivian put the coffee down and clenched her fists on her thighs. "Oh."

Gail's hand twitched, as if she wanted to reach over. Instead she asked, "Did you ask what she wanted? Your cousin?"

"No." At Gail's arched eyebrow, she sighed. "I told her she was looking for the wrong person and ... I stormed out."

Gail frowned. "Viv. I really doubt she came out of the woodwork for something stupid."

"Don't care," muttered Vivian. Which was a lie. She did. She was just angry and uncomfortable and confused. Hurt. She was in agony. "Who the hell does she think she is? Coming out of nowhere, busting me at work in front of everyone? Fucking psycho."

Her mother sighed loudly. "That wasn't kind."

"Haven't you heard? I'm a bitch," said Vivian bitterly.

"No, I'm a bitch, you're just hurt and lashing out." Gail got up. "You need to eat something."

"Food isn't the answer to everything, Mom." Vivian lay down on the couch.

"Did you get her number?" Mumbling a no, Vivian covered her face with her hands. "Who worked desk?" She didn't answer. "Christian, huh?"

Vivian pulled one hand off her face. "I hate you. How do you do that?"

Holding out a yogurt, Gail smiled. "I've been a cop your entire life, tiny annoying one. I got skills. Eat please. Your blood sugar is for shit." With a sigh, Vivian took the yogurt and dug in. It meant she didn't have to talk. "What are you going to do?"

"Call in sick the rest of the day?"

Gail tilted her head. "I'd recommend it. But I meant about your cousin."

"Hate you," muttered Vivian. She pulled her phone out. "I am texting Christian to ask if she left her information."

"Good. Would you like me to tell your mother?"

Vivian nodded. "Thanks." Her phone dinged and she looked sourly at it. "She left an envelope."

Gail handed the coffee over. "Drink this. Go downstairs and change. Tell McNally you're not feeling well. Get the envelope. Go home."

"What if she asks?"

"Andy won't. She will take one look at your face, send you home, and then come up and swear at me, asking if I fucked up with Holly." Gail sighed, a little wearily. "No, I won't tell her what happened."

"Thanks," said Vivian softly.

It was good advice. Instead of going home, though, she went to her parents house. Gail said she had all the information about Vivian's family. That meant she had all the confidential information too. The things Vivian wasn't really supposed to know or read. But Gail had them, and that meant she expected Vivian to want to know one day.

Apparently today was the day.

Kicking her boots off downstairs, Vivian ran up to her childhood bedroom and tossed her jacket and the envelope on the bed. Then she went into the office and stared at the file safe. If they were anywhere, they were in the safe.

Option one, ask her mother for the password. Option two, crack the safe. She pulled her phone out and texted Gail for the safe's password. The reply was so fast, Vivian knew Gail was waiting for it. She opened the safe and found multiple accordion files. One for Gail, one for Holly, one labeled "Peck/Stewart Trust" and one with her own name on it.

It was easy to retreat to her old room with the files. She curled up in her window seat and looked over the backyard, letter and files on her lap. Then, slowly, she started to read through them.

It started before she was born. Her grandparents had been questioned for multiple domestic calls. Neighbors called it in. Then for years, nothing until her father was questioned by social services for the bruise on his face. Age six. Her aunt the same, not much older when it happened to her. But it was just dismissed as 'normal kid stuff.'

Normal like broken bones. Normal like her aunt running away a dozen times. Normal like her own parents having a welfare check back when her mother had been pregnant with Kimmy because someone heard shouting and her mother had a black eye.

Normal was what everyone else was, and what you were not.

She put the early files down, unable to stomach more about her parents and grandparents. The files mentioned years of what could only be deemed systemic abuse. Generations of it, no doubt. It made Vivian feel quite ill. Did she carry the potential for that in her genes? Did Jamie worry about that too?

Looking at the next set of files, Vivian opened the letter instead. She didn't want to relive her parents deaths just then. The letter was typed, which felt impersonal.

Hello Vivian,

My mother has cancer.

She's had chemo and drug therapy and everything else you can think of. She needs bone marrow from a healthy donor and I'm not a match. The donor network has come up short. When she went into hospice care last month, I moved home to take care of things. That's when I found out about you.

I was looking for her family. Her parents, a sibling, a cousin. Anything at all. I just wanted a miracle and to find someone to save my mom's life. And there you were. It was a letter from I guess your adopted mom. She was telling my mom about our grandparents dying and leaving you everything. But she still wanted to know if Mom wanted anything.

She sounded pretty cool. But all I had was the address for the lawyer, and when I called that, he told me that Ms. Peck was not to be contacted.

I know I shouldn't have, but I googled Peck and Toronto and came up with a couple famous ones. One, Gail, was the same name as the woman in the letter. It was pretty easy to find you from there.

I'm really sorry to dump this on you. But please. She's the only Mom I have. I don't want to lose her.

- Lindsey

She read the letter twice. Fucking google. Vivian flipped to the next page and saw information on how to have her bone marrow checked and who to contact.

Her gut reaction was to crumple the paper and throw it away. Get herself as far away from the insanity as humanly possible. Maybe she could run away to Manitoba. Vivian sighed. Her moms would be so disappointed in her.

Unable to face them just then, Vivian tapped her phone and called Jamie. "Hey, copper. What's up? Slow day?"

"I'm having an existential crisis." She closed her eyes and curled up on herself.

"Glad it's nothing serious. Want me to come over?"

Her heart felt lighter in that moment. The first thought Jamie had was to help. "No. I just... I need to cancel dinner."

Now Jamie sounded actually concerned. "You sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, no. I just need to sort something out."

Jamie sounded wary. "Okay. If you change your mind, you know I make great ramen."

Smiling, Vivian leaned into the window. "You're really awesome, Jamie. You know that, right?"

"So this hot chick tells me." Jamie was a bright light in her life. "Call me later, okay? If I don't hear from you in a day, I'm just gonna come over."

"That's why you have a key," Vivian laughed softly.

"I do have a key! Fancy that. I think you might like me."

"I do. I like you very much, Jamie."

In a softer voice, Jamie replied, "I like you too, Viv. Be good, okay?"

"You too."

They hung up and Vivian sighed, leaning up against the window.

She wasn't kidding about the crisis being existential. Who was she now? Was she the Peck, daughter of a cop and a doctor, trying to be the best she could be and help a city who hated her and what she stood for? Was she the cut loose rookie who was vying for a spot on ETF, because she had a gift for mechanical things? Was she an abuser and violent person? Was she a killer?

Who was she?

---

After Gail's warning call, Holly wasn't surprised to find Vivian at their house, curled up on her old bed, surrounded by files. She also wasn't surprised to see the half empty bottle of Jim Bean. Holly sighed and picked up the papers, organizing them and putting them back in the folder.

When she went for the bottle, Vivian spoke. "I'm drinking that."

"I see we're awake." Holly took the bottle anyway and put it on the nightstand. "You planning on cutting off all your hair?"

"No," muttered Vivian. "It's short anyway."

"Yes, but you could use a haircut, honey." Holly sat on the edge of the bed. "Want to talk?" She'd really never been able to read Vivian as much as she wished she could. Gail was so much better at it.

"S'cancer. She wants my bone marrow for her mom."

Oh. Holly sighed and gently stroked Vivian's hair. "Honey," she breathed. Dealing with the abrupt knowledge of a family she'd never known and their desperate need for her had to hurt.

"It's not even that she wants to know me. She just wants crap from me," muttered Vivian.

Leaning back against the head of Vivian's bed, Holly tried to think of what to say. "You can say no," she finally decided. A hazel eye glared at her, balefully. "I'm serious. She hurt you- they hurt you. It's alright to be mad and not want to have anything to do with them."

Vivian scowled. "But we help people, Mom. How can I just say fuck off for this now?"

How had they managed to raise her so well? Holly smiled and her hand stilled. "I can't tell you what to do, honey. You're a grown up."

"What would you do?"

"Oh. Talk to Gail a lot. Probably go hit some balls. Try to get my brain to stop thinking so hard about what I was feeling and just let myself feel for a change."

Propping herself up on an elbow, Vivian sighed. "I wish I knew myself as well as you did."

Holly smiled and got up, taking the alcohol with her. "Comes with the years, honey. Have you called Jamie?" When Vivian nodded, she asked, "Annnnd?"

"And I canceled our date because I'm having an existential crisis?"

Pausing at the door, Holly frowned. "Since you're staying for dinner, I would call her and ask her to come over. You know she's always welcome."

Vivian nodded and rolled onto her stomach, picking up her phone.

Leaving her to her privacy, Holly put the alcohol away and texted Gail, saying that their daughter was a little drunk and at their house. Gail's reply was predictable.

That's my girl. Hide the scissors.

She even included an emoji of someone getting a haircut. In many ways, Vivian was still Gail's daughter first. Vivian didn't love Gail more or less than Holly, but she just reflected more of her impish mother. There had been a time where Holly had resented that and felt left out. Now she just smiled to see so many of the things she loved in Gail represented in their daughter as well. Besides, Vivian did have a tendency to babble in emotionally stressful moments, and that was pure Holly.

She wasn't their biological child, but Vivian was their daughter through and through. Including the part where she got drunk when things were too much to handle. Not that Gail or Holly had done that since before they'd adopted. Holly fought the impulse to hide the scissors. After all, as they'd discussed, Vivian's hair was already fairly short.

Barefoot, Vivian showed up downstairs after a little while. "Jamie said she'd come over."

"Did you explain what was going on?"

Vivian shook her head and sat down on the couch. "Not really. I just ... Um. I said I was here. And." She sighed. "I said I was here and asked if she could come over. Here."

Well. That was better than Holly had expected. She sat down next to Vivian. "Honey. It's okay to be discombobulated."

"I'm kinda pissed you guys didn't tell me I had an aunt," she sighed.

"I know, and I'm sorry. We wanted to."

"I hate lawyers."

Smiling, Holly got a glass of coconut water and brought it over. "Sophie would be crushed to hear that."

Vivian took a sip of the drink and made a face. "Seriously? You're going to get on me about electrolytes today?" But she drank it down. "Can I have the booze back?"

Holly looked at the Jim Bean. "Yes." But first she poured herself a large tumbler and sat down by her daughter. "Drinking alone is just tragic."

"You're going to get shit-faced with me?"

Smiling, Holly sipped the booze. "Getting drunk with your mother is slightly less embarrassing than being drunk by yourself."

"You just want an excuse to be all handsy with Mom," muttered Vivian, but she poured an actual glass now.

"No, not tonight, honey." Holly swirled her glass. "Do you want to talk?"

First Vivian nodded, then she shook her head. "I don't know."

What did Gail always say? Lower the bar. "You know we tried to get the ruling changed, honey. To at least be able to tell you."

Vivian sighed. "What would you have said?"

"Well." Holly took a long drink. "I would have said we needed to talk about something that was painful, and it was about your grandparents."

"Guess I have that in common with Mom, too."

Now Holly sighed and draped her arm across Vivian's shoulder. "Honey." There was no resistance and Vivian fell against Holly, her head landing on Holly's shoulder. "Bill was just a garden variety bigot, and Harold an emotionally abusive dick."

"Why can't I have cool grandparents like you?"

Ah. Holly smiled. "You do, Viv. Grandma Lily and Grandpa Brian adore you. And Elaine would move the moon for you."

"Yeah," said Vivian, mumbling.

"And if we're your real parents, then they're your real grandparents."

After a long silence, Vivian snorted a laugh. "Okay, you've got me there." She sat up and wiped her face. "I just... I know I'm you guys. But I'm scared to death of being them too, Mom."

"You won't be," said Holly, firmly. "You don't want to be and you won't be."

"It's not that simple."

"It is, honey." Holly finished her glass and put it down. "Look. You said you're like Gail, right?"

Vivian looked momentarily stricken. "Mom, I didn't mean —"

"Shh. I know. My point is this. Look at how much Gail changed from being a Peck." Quizzical, Vivian nodded. "She shed everything, all the horrible Peck stuff, and just slithered off to be someone else."

"You make Mom sound like a snake."

Holly smiled. "She is."

Finishing her glass, Vivian poured a refill for them both. "I looked at the photos."

"Of… Oh." Holly was surprised. She wouldn't have looked at the case notes from her family's death, but Vivian was not Holly or Gail. Gail never looked at the Perik case files, even in her worst days. More than once Gail expressed that she'd rather forget the whole thing than keep reliving it. But. If Vivian had read the files then she found their notes.

Vivian nodded. "You guys … kept everything."

"We did." Holly swirled her glass a little. "We had to. One day we figured you'd want to know. And even if it was a hundred years, we wanted you to be able to know."

"I could have very happily never known." Vivian downed half her glass. "Why are people such shits?"

Holly laughed. "I wish I knew, honey." They both finished the second glass.

Rolling her glass between her palms, Vivian whispered, "I don't know what I should do."

Neither did Holly. Not motherhood nor nearly sixty years of life had prepared her for this one. "Tell you what. How about we make something to eat and call the lawyers. Maybe you legally can't, and then you don't have to decide."

Vivian perked up. "I like that idea."

At least it was something to do until Gail got home.

---

"Thank god," said Gail as she opened the door and let Jamie in. "Vivian's on the couch."

Jamie looked surprised and, hanging her coat on the rack. "Is it that bad?"

"It could be worse. She could have been kidnapped by a serial killer." Gail sighed and locked the door.

"That's oddly specific," said Jamie, under her breath.

"Historical in this household."

From the comfy chair, her wife spoke up. "Stop being morbid, Gail."

"Impossible."

Mouthing 'kidnapped' to herself, clearly confused, Jamie walked over to the couch. "Wow, Viv. You smell like a distillery."

"Half a bottle'll do that. Hey, yo."

"What happened?"

Vivian shook her head. "So. My grandparents used to hit the shit out of their kids. Plural. Which turns out to mean I have an aunt who never wanted to hear from me after all that other shit. Now my aunt is dying of cancer, and her daughter showed up to try and get me to have a test to see if I can be a donor. So I'm drinking. How was your day?"

"Far less dramatic." Jamie reached over and touched Vivian's face. "Hey, Gail. Has the lush here had anything to eat?"

Returning to the kitchen, Gail called back, "Not really. She keeps picking at food."

Taking a hold of Vivian's elbow, Jamie hauled her up and steered her girlfriend into the kitchen. "Eat." Vivian opened her mouth to argue and Jamie glared. "Eat the food, Peck."

It took a minute, but Vivian gave in and started to eat the plate of food, grumbling under her breath. From the living room, Holly snickered. "Hello, Jamie."

The firefighter looked surprised again. "Is she..." Jamie turned to Gail and pointed at Holly.

"Loaded? Yeah, they've been drinking since around ... Four I think."

"I started at lunch," said Vivian.

"She only had a couple before I got home."

"And then you stole my booze." Vivian scowled and Jamie pointed at the food again.

It was hilarious to watch Jamie boss Vivian around like that. She was good at it, too. "Thank you for letting me come over, Holly."

Gail looked over at Holly. Her doctor wife smiled, lips curled in a little side smile of amused approval. With a soft hum, Holly didn't argue the implication that Jamie's presence was her idea. "I'm glad you have the day off."

Jamie reached over and picked up one of the satay sticks. "Me too. These are good, Gail," she noted.

"Viv made 'em." Gail pointed at her drunk daughter. "Beer?"

"Uh. Water? Or iced tea. I kinda feel like someone should be the designated sober."

"Sober land is pretty good," said Gail, agreeing. She watched Jamie and the slight frown that crossed her face. Psychically, she knew Jamie was a little overwhelmed and had no idea how to handle the conversation. "So. Yes, we knew about her aunt. No, we didn't know about cancer. And there was a legal document about not contacting her."

Exhaling loudly, Jamie nodded. "Cousin didn't get the memo?"

"Nope. And I suspect she cares more about her mother," mused Holly. "Which I cannot blame her." Vivian grumbled a noise but didn't say anything. Holly rolled her eyes a little at Jamie. "If you can do anything useful with her, I may adopt you."

"Oh," sighed Jamie. "Please don't. I like dating her, and that would be gross." She gently brushed Vivian's hair away from her face. "You need a haircut."

Now Vivian spoke up. "I was growing it out."

Gail snorted a laugh. "Really?"

"I'm not six anymore, Mom," she sighed and ate another satay. "Can I please get more drunk now?"

"Oh, I see." Jamie shook her head. "How many did you have before I got here?"

"She had half the bottle of bourbon." Gail held it up from the counter. The bottle was empty, though they had another.

Vivian scowled. "It wasn't full. And Mom had some too."

With a softer expression, Jamie cradled Vivian's face and quietly asked if Vivian wanted to stay the night with her parents. Vivian's reply of 'no' was equally quiet. Gail gave them a moment of privacy and walked over to Holly, kissing her forehead. "Holding up okay?"

Holly nodded and held up her glass. "Refill please."

"Sure. Viv, need a top off?"

"God, yes," said the girl.

"I'll drive her home," offered Jamie.

"Thank you," said Holly. "She's trying to decide if she wants to have her bone marrow sampled," she explained.

"That's a question?" Jamie sounded surprised.

Gail wondered how Jamie viewed Vivian. Where Gail's eyes were colored by the rose tint of parenthood, Jamie looked at Vivian with a different expression. Was that how Gail had dared look at Holly, years ago, in private only? Wonderment and a little awe and a great deal of emotion. Like Holly was perfect in so, so many ways.

Huh.

"There's a legal question if she can," sighed Gail. "There was a ..." She trailed off, wondering how best to explain it all.

Vivian spoke up. "My aunt signed a paper waiving all rights to me, after my birth parents died, in exchange for a no-contact agreement. Lawyers gotta figure out if I'm allowed to offer since I'm not supposed to know she exists. We already called."

So many thoughts ran across Jamie's face in a short amount of time, Gail almost laughed. "Okay, that's seriously fucked up."

Raising her fist above her head, Vivian sang out, "Thank you!" She downed the drink and held her glass up for more.

Gail shook her head. "Come on, McGann. You know how to cook?"

"I'm okay." She squeezed Vivian's shoulder and walked around the island to help Gail cook actual dinner. "I gotta say, Gail, I didn't expect you to be the cook."

"Oh? Why is that?"

"It doesn't seem like the thing you'd have the patience for."

"Hah, yeah, I get that sometimes. It's the kid's fault. I cooked for her and then..." Another odd thing to try to explain, because that was when Holly had been exposed to the Luongo River Virus.

And then Jamie surprised her. "Was that when Holly was sick? Viv told me."

"It was." Gail regarded Jamie for a moment and then looked at the couch where Vivian and Holly were polishing off the satays and the Jim Bean. "It's okay, you know. Holly knows how much she can hold, and it's better than drinking alone."

Jamie diced the onions. "I'm kind of worried about Viv. I've never actually seen her drunk."

"If it was me at her age, or hell, even Holly, I'd worry. But ..." Gail grinned. "Satisfy my curiosity, McGann. What does she drink on a date?"

"Viv? Two beers. Or a Jack and Coke."

"Moderation, God. I failed somewhere, Jamie. My kid never cuts loose."

And Jamie grinned a shy, happy kind of grin. "She's really, um, self contained. I like that. All those other girls are, bleah, in your face and 'did I tell you about my trauma?' And they Facebook everything." Jamie glanced at the couch. "But she doesn't. She just... She's a person. And a funny, polite, sweet, caring person."

"She is."

"She is." Jamie sighed. "I get why she doesn't want to talk about it much, but I wish she would. Course, I have no idea if that would make her feel better."

Talk more. So Vivian did talk a little to Jamie. That was good. Gail smiled. "You like her, huh?"

"Broken bits and all, yeah." Jamie blushed. "I admit, though... I did want to see her drunk. But not like this."

"It's rare," admitted Gail. "I used to make bad decisions on tequila, but I stopped before we got married."

Smiling, Jamie asked, "But you have seen her loaded before."

"Oh sure. Drinking isn't a sin here. She gets maudlin, which you missed. Then she'll get real quiet, more than normal, and she'll fall asleep." Gail paused and smirked. "Last time I got totally shit faced, I cut off all my hair."

"That sounds like a story."

"It had been a very long, very bad day." Gail looked over where Holly was sitting by Vivian, neither talking much. "But. It made me figure out who and what mattered." She sighed and then said, "Thank you. For coming over. I know it means a lot for- well it means a lot to all of us."

Jamie blushed again. "It's nothing. It ... It really didn't seem like there was another option," she admitted.

"Oh there always is, Jamie," laughed Gail, dryly. "So I'm going to say 'thank you' because my daughter is very important to me, and you're going to say 'you're welcome' because my daughter is very important to you, and we're both going to watch the women we adore get sleepy drunk."

As it turned out, Gail was right and wrong. Drunk Vivian got quieter than normal and did lie down on the couch, her head on Jamie's thigh. Jamie gently stroked her hair, looking like she wished the raw pain would go away and that her girlfriend could find some rest, but it seemed sleep was not coming along. It was the closest to 'cuddling' that adult Vivian had even done, at least in front of Gail. And she'd heard, from Pia and Skye and Olivia, that Vivian really was not a cuddler. But touching there seemed to be okay.

Drunk Holly, on the other hand, took a while longer to get sleepy, and instead became handsy. Really handsy. With was normal. In the end, Holly insisted they do something to get their minds off it after Gail gently rebuffed her for the tenth time.

That manifested in the craziest game of Cards Against Humanity that they'd played in a long time. Holly demonstrated her foul mouth and filthy humor by coming up with some of the nastiest answers. Vivian's were mostly depressing, which made sense at the time. After Holly won back to back rounds, Gail demanded they play anything else, so it was drunken 'Head's Up' and even Vivian got a little noisy.

But. Finally the two drunk women calmed down. Finally Vivian tipped into Jamie's shoulder when Gail went to get some snacks. And then she slowly settled on the couch and snored. "That was interesting," Jamie sighed.

Gail laughed and caressed Holly's hair. "I hadn't expected that either, to be honest."

"Some Pecks can't hold it," yawned Holly, snuggling against Gail.

"So says Ms. Sleepy Drunk."

Holly pouted. "That's Doctor Mrs. Sleepy, and I can still beat you at pool."

"I'll have you remember that was about the side bet."

Smiling drunkenly, Holly snuggled into Gail's side. She'd finally moved from handsy to cuddly. "I remember. And I can still beat you."

"It was worth losing to McNally," Gail said firmly. "It's hard to lose to her. She's terrible."

"How did she ever win?"

"She uses her boobs."

Holly snorted. "What boobs?" And she yawned.

"McNally... Vivian's sergeant?" Jamie looked a little lost.

"One at the same." Gail sighed. "Now Traci. Traci is the hustler." She regarded Jamie. "Traci and Andy are my friends. Classmates... Something complicated. Trace married Steve, my brother. Stick around and you'll meet them."

Jamie nodded. "Traci's son, Leo? Right?"

"Yep. He used to live in the apartment."

The firefighter looked down at Vivian. "What was Bill like?"

The question surprised Gail for a moment. She glanced at Holly, already dozing lightly or just zoned out. "My father? She didn't know him. I'm not sure I did either." Gail tilted her head, resting her cheek against Holly's head. "He was a Peck, in the worst ways. He used his power to make things happen, he was a bully and ... I get why. His father, my grandfather, was abusive. But my mom shielded me. Us."

Jamie nodded. "She was kind of weird around my parents."

"She doesn't have a lot of paternal men in her life. Just her grandpa Brian really. Oliver and Steve won't dare try it with her. They love her too much."

"I don't really know... I don't know what that means, and I want to."

Gail felt her chest constrict. For a second, a heartbeat, she was afraid she was having a heart attack. No. No. This was a good thing, a good feeling. She was happy to hear someone else out there say the words. Someone else out there loved her kid. "Well." Gail took her time to reply. "Your dad probably scares her a little, and she doesn't really remember enough yet, if she ever will, to place it properly. But right now he fits in that spot where she filed her own dad."

Frowning, Jamie stared down at Vivian's sleeping face. "He's not a bad person."

"I know. And she knows that. God knows my mother did a background check on all of you." Gail rolled her eyes. "If any of you had been bad people, Elaine would have swooped in."

"That's actually terrifying," admitted Jamie.

"Ain't it? She did the same on Holly, and probably Traci. Steve and I never did." Gail closed her eyes briefly. "It's nothing you or your parents did, Jamie. It just may take a long time for her to go to being the Vivian you see around them."

The young woman didn't say anything to that for a while. "I should get her home."

"You're welcome to stay here," noted Gail. "Both of you."

Jamie wrinkled her nose. "No. Not that I don't love your breakfasts, but I think she might want to be away."

Gail nodded. "Yeah, I do too. But I have to say the mom things. It was in the contract when we adopted her."

Smiling, Jamie gently nudged Vivian's shoulders. "Come on, Viv. Wake up." Adorably cute, Vivian curled up tighter and mumbled a no. "You can sleep here, but you can't sleep on the couch."

With bleary, red eyes, Vivian looked up at Jamie and then Gail. Her eyes lingered on Gail for a moment, then the sleeping Holly. "My place," she said, decisively. And then as an afterthought added, "Please."

Jamie checked with Gail who nodded. "Okay. Come on."

Leaving sleepy Holly on the couch for the time being, Gail helped wrangle Vivian to the truck. "We'll sort out her bike tomorrow," promised Gail. "You sure you're okay with this on your own?"

"Please, I carry men three times her size out of burning buildings. One sleepy Peck is no problem." They both looked at Vivian buckling up very, very slowly.

"You know that's not what I mean," she sighed.

She leaned on her car door. "I know. But... I really like her, Gail. She's smart, and morbid, and kind of weird and messed up, like me. I can be myself around her, and she seems to like that. I ... I really haven't met anyone like her before." Jamie looked up at the taller blonde. "I haven't met people like any of you guys before."

Gail smiled. "I know that feeling. Call me if you need anything. Any time. Even two in the morning when I threaten you with my taser. Viv involved or not, okay?"

When Jaime looked surprised, Gail felt an urge to hug her. That poor kid had some of the same problems as Vivian. People in Jamie's world didn't just drop things to help friends, apparently. Or maybe not parents. Or maybe… well. Who knew.

"Thank you, Gail," said Jamie quietly.

Fuck it. Gail gave the short woman a very quick hug and, instead of explaining a thing, nodded and went back into the house.

Holly was awake on the couch, sucking down a bottle of water. "I'm calling in drunk tomorrow," she informed Gail, immediately.

"You're a pretty shitty example of a boss." Gail teased and locked up the house.

"You're going in?"

Gail nodded. "One of us should. I need to talk to Christian at the very least, and probably Andy." Running her hands through her hair, Gail exhaled loudly. What could she tell Andy? Christian was easy. Just let him know that Vivian had some unexpected news, she was physically fine, but mentally would be all over the place for a while. But Andy… Andy was a boss and a virtual aunt and a friend.

Well. That was for tomorrow.

"Come on, Drunk Doc. Let's get some sleep."

---

The jackhammer in her skull could kindly fuck itself. "Ow," Vivian groaned, pushing the heels of her hands into her eye sockets.

A hand gently rubbed her shoulder. "I called you in sick," said Jamie, her voice soft and quiet.

"I might be falling for you."

Jamie laughed. "You're just saying that because you're hungover."

That was probably true. "How did I get home?"

"I drove you. We can get your bike when you feel better."

Vivian hunkered down in the bed. "My head hurts," she confessed.

"There's painkillers and water on your nightstand."

Oh yeah, she was falling hard. Pushing herself back up, Vivian popped the pills and downed half the water. "Thank you," she sighed and lay back down. She didn't remember much of the night. She'd read the files. Found the bourbon and had a drink to try and calm her nerves... Mom took the booze... Mom cooked. Jamie came over. Jamie was there now, dressed in sweats on top of the sheets. "Oh god, did I try to have sex with you last night?"

Jamie propped herself up, looking a little amused. "Very briefly. And you pouted when I said no."

Vivian groaned and covered her face. "I am so, so sorry."

"Gail said you usually just fall asleep when you're loaded. How often do you get drunk with your moms?"

"Rarely. Usually Christmas or New Year, and up at the cottage."

"Ah, your mysterious cottage."

Vivian took her hands off her face and looked up at Jamie. "We ... Um. If you'd like, we could go."

"Maybe when you feel better." Jamie reached down and gently fluffed Vivian's hair. "Coffee?"

Angels were singing. She sighed. "You're being way too nice to me."

Jamie got out of bed. "I like you, and I totally get why you got blitzed." While Vivian watched, Jamie put on her favorite pair of fuzzy slippers. "Can you make it to the kitchen?"

"I think so." Vivian pushed herself up and waited to see if the room spun. It was stable. "Yeah, I think I'm okay."

"Hungry?"

"Um. Toast. I think. I want to shower first." Vivian swung her legs out of bed and hesitated before standing. The world was not pleased with her, but she could stand and walk. Ugh. Never again. "Did I shower last night?"

Jamie shook her head. "Nope. I considered it a lost cause." Of course. Vivian sighed and started stripping the bed. Slowly. "You know, I don't know anyone who is as much of a clean freak as you are. Which is funny."

"Because I hated showers as a kid?" Vivian smiled. "I hated how long it took my hair to dry." She ran a hand through her shaggy hair. It was almost long enough to tie back in a ponytail. "Would you still find me sexy with long hair?"

"Hm. Do you promise to wash it regularly?"

"Yes." Vivian laughed at the suggestion.

"Then yes." Jamie helped pull the sheets off and got fresh ones. "I'll make the bed, go shower."

"You're really being super nice to me, Jamie," she said and followed orders, running a colder than normal shower. It wasn't going to help her headache, she knew that, but it helped the rest of her. By the time she was clean, dressed, and in the kitchen, she was more awake and capable of dealing with the day.

Of course, she found her girlfriend and her roommate chatting. Shit. Christian.

"Hey, she lives."

"Bite me." Vivian picked up a cup and poured coffee.

Christian sighed, exaggeratedly. "She won't tell me anything."

Shaking her head, Jamie cut up some cheese. "Sorry, Christian. I like sex."

"Oh god, C, stop bugging my girlfriend."

"I'm just worried!"

She sighed. "You know it's a ... It's a family thing. It's complicated and messy. I didn't expect it and I don't want to talk about it, okay?"

Her friend hesitated and then sighed. "It's not a secret ex lover, is it?"

Jamie nearly snorted coffee out her nose. "Oh my god, Christian, have you actually met my Peck?" Wiping her face, the firefighter smirked.

Vivian grumbled. "I'd like to be offended but I don't think I can."

"No, you really can't." Jamie grinned. "She's terrible at romance, you see."

Christian laughed. "And that keeps you around?"

"I hate fake things, like Hallmark and flowers."

"That's ironic," said Vivian under her breath.

Jamie pointed at her. "Hush. My dad's a florist."

"Oh that made more sense." Christian finished his coffee. "Right. I don't have a day off. Feel better, Viv."

"Have fun at court," she replied and watched him head out.

"How did you know he had court?"

"He had his uniform on already." Vivian yawned. "We change at work most of the time so people don't stop us and demand all sorts of dumb things."

Jamie made a thoughtful noise and handed over the toast before opening the fridge. "You want eggs? I was going to make a fake omelette. Fold it with cheese and ..."

"Cheese and?"

"Tomatoes, but you're out."

"Oh. Gail's allergic. I got used to not eating them."

Her girlfriend looked surprised. "Tomatoes? Is that why you guys say potato, tomato?"

Vivian smiled. "It is." She nibbled the toast. "I think I can keep down eggs. Try the green onions and bell peppers with it."

"That'll do." Jamie busied herself with breakfasting and Vivian watched, nursing her coffee.

Everyone else asked what was wrong, or likely, tomorrow they would ask what happened. Even Lara and Jenny would nudge at answers. But, in her drunken memory, Vivian didn't recall Jamie asking that. The shorter woman had asked how she was, what could Jamie do to help, and simply took care of her.

It seemed like Jamie was always doing that. She'd gotten shot, held hostage (briefly), and a hundred other things. And Jamie just calmly picked her up and righted her again. Of course, Vivian had taken care of the various bumps and bruises Jamie picked up at work, but right now she felt like a remora fish.

"Am I a project girlfriend?"

Jamie looked over, perplexed. "Wanna unpack that?"

"You're... You're always taking care of me."

That seemed to surprise Jamie. "Am I? Just wait until a building falls on me or something," she said blithely. "You've been the one having work and personal drama, I'm sure it'll be my turn soon."

Vivian made a face. "I hope not."

"Me too! Jesus, when I heard you were shot, I had these horrible Bury Your Queers fears!"

The what? Oh right, the reason Vivian rarely watched television. "This is why I wear a vest."

"Hm. And now I see why you think my protective gear is a turn on. You're very transparent."

"Just give me the outtakes of your calendar."

Her girlfriend laughed. "Oh fuck, I actually got asked about doing that."

Vivian grinned. "You should do it! You're insanely hot."

It was good to just be able to laugh about normal things, to tease her girlfriend, and to be, for just a few hours, be normal.

That was, maybe, the best thing about her relationship with Jamie. She made Vivian feel like just another normal person.

---

For some reason, she wasn't shocked when Vivian walked into her office and threw herself on the couch.

"Make yourself at home," said Holly, saving her file.

"I'm sorry, Dr. Stewart, she just walked in." Simon, Holly's spare secretary, looked horrified.

"Oh it's alright. Simon, this is my daughter, Vivian. She's usually here in uniform."

The secretary hesitated. "Oh. Well. If you say it's alright." And he let himself back out, closing the door.

"The kid's not alright," complained Vivian.

Holly sighed. "So I see."

Making sure she was at a good stopping point, Holly got up and walked over to sit on Vivian's legs. The girl had seen her therapist that morning and often that meant she didn't want to talk to anyone at all afterwards. Once or twice, Vivian had wanted to talk to Gail. More often, if she needed to unload her brain, it was with Holly.

"Are you going to ask?"

"No." Holly patted Vivian's thigh.

Vivian grumbled. "Jamie won't either."

"She's a good person, Viv."

Her daughter sighed and nodded. "I don't know what I'm going to do. Did the lawyers call you?"

"Not yet. It's still all hypothetical."

"That makes it worse."

Holly had to agree there. "It really does." She squeezed Vivian's knee. "Do you want to hang out here for a while?"

"Can I?" The girl looked hopeful.

"You may," corrected Holly, and she got back up. "I'm working on a case, though."

"I'll be quiet." Vivian made no move to dig out her phone or tablet.

Knowing Vivian was more likely than Gail to actually stay quiet, Holly went back to her desk and stared at the latest reports for a murder/suicide she'd picked up with the week before. Her mind kept drifting, though.

Even though her daughter was nearly twenty-five, Holly thought of her as a girl. When she'd dated Gail, way back when, the cop hadn't been much older and yet Holly had never thought of Gail as anything other than a woman. A drop dead gorgeous woman, but a fully adult woman none the less. Their kid, and by extension her girlfriend, were children to them.

Maybe it was just that she was old.

Holly sighed and jiggled her head.

Murder was commonplace, in her opinion. Stabbing and poisoning was slightly interesting, considering it was combined. She'd not had a lot of poisoned knives in the last ten years, after all. Batrachotoxin. Causing near-instant paralysis. The detective had asked "how instantaneous" and Holly had contemplated braining him.

As she saved and sent her report off, the phone rang.

"Dr. Stewart."

"Hello, this is Berrigan from Zoft, Berrigan, and—"

The lawyers! "Oh! Mr. Berrigan! I thought Powell was calling us back."

"I thought I should take over the work, seeing as you're one of our most valued clients."

"I find that hard to believe." Holly rolled her eyes. "Vivian's here with me. Let me put you on speaker."

Vivian was up and sitting across from Holly's desk in a flash. "Hello, Mr. Berrigan."

"Ms. Peck. I'm sorry about your recent troubles."

"Thanks." Vivian scowled, belying her words.

"So," said the lawyer, ignorant of a certain Peck's facial expressions. "I went over the original filing from Mrs. Strong, regarding the self-revocation of in loco parentis, and the—"

Holly cut him off. "We're familiar with it."

"Actually, I feel we're not. When my firm drew up the papers for the current arrangement, we did so without the full copy of the original documents. Some were simply notarized."

"Sorry... What?" Vivian eyed Holly. "I thought the one she filed with social services was it."

"After your ... Ah, after your biological grandparents passed, Mrs. Peck turned over their legal documents to us."

Holly nodded. "I remember that." They'd not known what to make of it.

"In the midst, we found Mrs. Strong's legal emancipation from her family, the name change documents, and a series of papers that told us the Greens had hired a PI to monitor her whereabouts following her, ah, abandonment of her family."

Over the table, mother and daughter shared a look. "A PI." Holly felt dumbfounded.

"Hey, Berrigan. Quick question." Vivian's tone rang of Gail at her worst. It was the way Gail spoke before yanking the rug out from under people. "Why is this the first we're hearing about a PI?"

"It was all past tense," replied Berrigan. Then, perhaps, he recognized the tone. After all, the man had worked with Gail before. "This was all well before you were born, Ms. Peck. When you went into the system, they were closely monitored due, in part, to Mrs. Strong's allegations."

"That does make sense," allowed Holly. Vivian made a face. "What does this have to do with the question of if Vivian can donate marrow to her aunt?"

There was the sound of paper shuffling. "To that. She can, but only with the tacit agreement of her aunt, or her medical proxy. But it's the semantics. Her daughter contacting you was in violation of the agreement. Had she approached us directly, we could have acted as proxy, continuing the status of non-contact—"

"Jesus, do you ever stop lawyering?" Vivian snapped at the phone.

"I'm afraid not... And ... Well, your mothers make me nervous."

Vivian paused and then laughed. "Okay, so they broke the cone of silence. Does that mean they broke the law?"

"Oh, yes, very much so. You can press charges if you'd like. Or we can simply provide them a warning and adjust the terms. After all, you're of age now and really we should do this anyway. The conditions set by your mothers in the beginning were for your protection, and that of your family. That is, your future family."

Looking a little confused, Vivian leaned back. "To stop them from laying claim on my trust fund?"

"Precisely. Now, under medical samaritan laws, you're permitted a donation like this, as many times as you want, to anyone. The fact that, sadly, they know who you are does complicate it legally, but provided you're willing to dismiss the charges for the violation, you may donate marrow."

Holly took off her glasses, processing what Berrigan had said. "So this isn't some elaborate con?"

"Even if it was, it wouldn't work. Ms. Peck is not permitted to provide to them any of the Armstrong Estate. While we can renegotiate to permit the provision for her personal wealth and provenance, any and all possessions that can possibly be attributed to that fund are not legally hers to give to them."

"Wait, what? You mean even if I wanted to, I can't? Couldn't I just change the terms to allow it?"

"No, you cannot. Doing so would invalidate you for the trust."

"Wow... Who the fuck came up with that one?"

"Apparently... Eleanor Armstrong, widow of Albert, and the first executor of the trust. Her grandson adopted a former slave baby from the Americas, and she wished to ensure the money stayed with family and could not be claimed by the former slave owners, who was a biological parent. This proved to be unnecessary, as the child died without issue. However, any attempt to give it to members outside is foolish, at best." Berrigan paused. "It's at this juncture I feel I should remind you, Ms. Peck. If you plan to marry, please don't elope. The paperwork afterwards is complicated, as Dr. Stewart can attest to."

Holly snorted. "It was a month I'd like back... Hang on. That means Gail couldn't use her trust fund for our old house!"

"That... That is correct. The funds she withdrew to pay the balance of your mortgage came from her private fund, and some inheritance from ... Ah, Elizabeth Peck."

"Who's Elizabeth?" Holly was bewildered.

"Paternal grandmother. She died in uniform." Vivian shrugged, and had apparently memorized all the Pecks.

That was right! Once Gail had posited that Lizzie had been murdered. Impossible to be sure. "Well. Anything else?"

"Just this." Berrigan sighed. "I think it would be wise to review the terms before any tests are done to establish Ms. Pecks possibility of donating. As I understand it, there will be at least two blood draws?"

"Of a sort." Holly felt no need to get technical. A feeling that Berrigan, clearly, did not share.

"Having the blood sample before we clear up the terms could be used against you later. For your own protection, you understand, I strongly advise we draw up new terms first."

Vivian rubbed her face. "Fine. Can we do it this week?"

Berrigan sounded surprised. "I can fit you in tomorrow after five, but—"

"Done. Six at your offices. Thanks."

"Certainly, Ms. Peck. Dr. Stewart. Have a nice evening." And he wisely hung up.

Holly did not have the luxury. "Technically I think he should have called you..."

"I think me doing this meeting will clear that up." Vivian groaned. "I'm using it to stall and think about some more."

"Do you want company for your lawyer up?" Holly remembered vividly her first time sitting with those lawyers. Powell, their normal helpful fellow, had been the baby lawyer and came in with an old man whom Gail called Deke and teased about his hair. Then Deke gave Gail shit for marrying without contacting him first.

And then they spent a month going over terms and clauses and conditions and how Holly was allowed to use her allocation for herself but there were limitations on it for her parents. It was incredibly convoluted. When they'd adopted Vivian, it was weirdly easier. She was their legal child, she fit neatly in, her blood family did not, and that was that. Holly didn't remember digging too deeply into what that actually meant at the time, just that Vivian came into her majority at twenty-five.

She stared at her daughter. Her twenty-five year old daughter. This legal tete-a-tete was long overdue. It just sucked that it had to happen with a bomb like this.

"No," said Vivian, wearily. "I was there when I was eighteen, and with the name change thing. I can do this. I ... I do want to talk to you guys after, but I don't want you holding my hand there. I've got to do this on my own. Don't I?"

Holly smiled. "Don't be in a rush to adult, honey. There's no turning back once you do."

---

"You don't have to come," said Vivian for the tenth time.

Both Jamie and Gail snorted at the same time. Gail smiled at the firefighter quickly. "Viv, do you want us around?"

The young woman hesitated. "I… I don't know."

Jamie rolled her eyes. "They're sticking a giant needle in your arm, moron. I'm gonna hold your hand and take you out to ice cream."

"I like her. Viv, you have to keep her."

"She's not a puppy, Mom." Vivian grumbled and shoved her hands into her pockets, walking into the building.

Looking heavenward, as if asking the sky for strength, Jamie followed. "You take so much looking after, Peck."

"Didn't ask you, McGann." But Vivian pulled one hand out of her pocket and Gail grinned as she watched the girls hold hands. "Take a picture, Mom, and I tell everyone about how I beat you at the range."

A potent threat. "Once. You beat me once in your entire life."

"Did you go to the eye doctor?"

Gail sighed. "I did. She said I'm old and I may have to get glasses full time by the time I'm 80." That her near-vision was going was expected. Everyone in her family had that problem. But her distance was getting spotty in ways that really only impacted her on the range at distance. But. Gail recalled the day Holly moved from bifocals to trifocals and how vocal she was about it sucking.

Curiously, Jamie asked, "How long has Holly worn glasses?"

"Since she was old enough to communicate." Vivian eyed Gail. "Well?"

"Hmm? Oh, that photo?" Gail smiled and pulled out her phone, bringing up the photo of Holly in her stupid-adorable bear with glasses hat.

"Awww, little nerd." Jamie laughed.

"It gets better." Gail quickly found the one of Vivian in the same hat at the same age.

"Oh. I want that one. Can I have that one?" Jamie turned to Vivian, who just rolled her eyes and shrugged. "Text me that one, Gail. Next time she gets all serious and moody, I'm gonna use that."

Gail obliged and took a long step ahead of the girls to open the door. Vivian let go of Jamie's hand and went up to the counter to sign in. A moment later they were all siting in the doctor's office, waiting for the man of the hour. Jamie fiddled with the draws on her sweatshirt while Vivian stared at the wall. She'd been doing a lot of the staring into nothing, to the point that Holly suspected an outburst sooner or later.

The door opened and a man in a button down and tie and short lab coat walked in with a nurse. "Ms. Peck...?" He trailed off and looked at the three women.

"Me," said Vivian, sitting up straight and taking off her jacket.

"Oh. Right. Well. I'm Dr. MacMillan. I—"

Vivian cut him off. "Doc, look. I know why I'm here. You need to draw blood to see if I'm a possible match. You want to check my HLA antigens and the first step is a blood draw." Dropping her jacket in Jamie's lap, Vivian held her right arm out.

The doctor was taken aback. "I see. We should talk about the risks involved in donation." He paused. "We can do that if you're a match, I suppose."

"Her mother is a doctor," said Jamie, helpfully.

Immediately Dr. MacMillan stared at Gail. "Not me, her other mother." She smiled winningly. Holly would call it dangerous.

Then he looked back at Jamie. Vivian groaned audibly. "Oh for christ's sake. Girlfriend, mother, yes, I have two. I was adopted. Can we move on and stick me?"

"Right," said Dr. MacMillan, slowly. "Nurse?" The nurse was a heartbeat from the giggles. They quickly set Vivian up on the chair and drew her blood. "We'll do the first test and if that's positive, we'll do the PBSC and, well, go from there. If that isn't rejected, you'll need to—"

"Schedule time to come in and have my hip drilled. Other mother's a doctor." Vivian leaned back and looked away from her arm.

While the kid had no problems with other people's blood, and in fact the only time she'd panicked was when Holly cut her leg open on the ice, she was clearly a bit squeamish about her own. Gail frowned. Distraction time. "Holly said seventy percent of matches only do the blood sampling."

"Oh, true," said the doctor, his head bobbing as the nurse handed him a sample. He started to do some procedure right in front of them, much to Gail's surprise. "However Mrs. Strong's cancer is rather advanced. That's why we brought her down from Barrie." He paused and looked at Vivian curiously. "It's awfully nice of you to do this for a stranger."

Vivian grunted and bent her arm, holding the gauze to her elbow crease. "That's me. Kind to strangers."

"Viv," said Jamie in a cautioning tone.

"Well, good news then. You blood is not inconsistent with Mrs. Strong. We can go ahead and do the next draw as soon as—" He was startled by Vivian holding her left arm out. "Uh."

"I shoot with the other arm. Cop. Let's get this over with."

"Well. Um. You need to change into a gown."

Gail nearly laughed at Vivian's indignant expression.

"For a blood draw?"

"It'll take about an hour," explained the doctor. "So why don't we take you to a changing room?" He looked at the nurse, helplessly.

"Jesus, they've both seen my boobs... Do I have to take my bra off?" When the doctor shook his head, the nurse just ducked out to get a top and, not too long later, Gail watched her daughter settle into the chair with her arm strapped down. Jamie had scooted her chair around and was sitting on Vivian's right side. At first they weren't holding hands, but as the movie the nurse put on droned on, Gail noticed that Vivian's hand was on top and her fingers were tucked into Jamie's.

Gail grinned and ducked out to call Holly with an update. "Hey, baby. She's doing good."

"Oh good." There was a thud in the background. "Excuse me, that table goes— yes, there. You're replacing that one. Thank you."

"Getting that second self rising table set up?"

"And the new impact resistant flooring. Banner day here. I take it they're doing PBSC?"

"Yeah, she's sitting in there watching some terrible movie or tv show with Jamie. They're holding hands."

Holly made a noise. "Tell me you took a photo."

"I did not."

"You're slipping, Peck."

"It was too cute. Also I had a terrible angle." Gail glanced back at the door. She could just see Jamie's brown head.

"Well." Another thud came from the background. "Ugh. This could have come at a better time, but frankly I'm not sure when we ever didn't have all the this happening at once."

"Oh, back when we were first dating and did nothing but screw all night."

Holly snorted a laugh. "I feel like I should be there too."

"She's barely tolerating me and Jamie, baby. I think if you were here, she'd spend the whole time worrying about you."

"Why? You're not at a hospital."

Gail looked around. "True, it's practically an office building. Not sure she'd see the difference."

"I would," said Holly, firmly.

"You constantly surprise me, Ms. Stewart."

"Dr. Stewart."

"Mrs. Dr. Stewart." The banter was old, but it still made Gail smile. "So this is it? She donates?"

"Not necessarily. She might be rejected. They have to do a couple tests with her marrow."

"I thought they were going to have to drill into her."

Her wife snorted over the phone. "No. Not unless this test is positive."

"TV makes it so much more dramatic."

"Says the woman who's been on the tube four times. Officer Park, Detective Hammond, Inspector Trek, and ... What's the last one?"

Gail laughed. "Inspector Gloria Prince. At least she was a lesbian." Watching herself be portrayed on television was weird. "And you're the one who had a miniseries based on you." That was where Det. Hammond came in. He was the male version of Gail, Greg Hammond, a homicide detective who met Dr. Dorothy Thyme over a dead body, fell in love, solved the case, and started dating.

They'd laughed so hard they'd all cried when it had aired. Even Vivian found it hilarious.

"Dr. Thyme, just in time," said Holly, deadpan imitating the catch phrase. "The science was deplorable."

"You're much hotter than the actress."

"I know! Couldn't they have gotten Amy Acker or someone who could act without chewing scenery?"

"Do you regret making them sign a paper to keep your name out of it?" The agreement had also meant they passed on a bit of money.

"Do you? The whole saving the King stuff was big for a while."

"Not a bit, nope." Gail laughed. "Okay, I'm going to keep the kids company."

"Love you, honey."

"Love you too."

Gail hung up and went back in, smiling.

"You were right," said Jamie. "She was talking to Holly."

Vivian smirked. "It's the stupid smile. Mom, check out what's on TV."

Looking up, Gail groaned. "Oh my god, you weren't kidding!" Jamie burst out laughing. "That's really based on you?"

"And John and Chloe. Why are you watching this shit, Viv?" Because on the screen was the movie about the attempt on Prince William's life, staring Inspector Maryanne Trek. Amped up for TV of course. There was no car chase scene. It had just been long, boring hours undercover. Gail hadn't even been an Inspector at the time.

"Hey, I have a giant needle in my arm. If watching straight you in a shootout with the head of an anti-royalist movement gets my mind off it, I'm gonna watch." Vivian smirked and turned to the skeptical looking nurse. "It really is based on a true story."

"There was no shootout," growled Gail, sitting down. "Jamie, just so you know, there's a Netflix miniseries about Holly."

Jamie startled. "No shit? Viv, next time you can't sleep, we're watching that."

If Gail was going to be embarrassed, Holly would be too. It was only fair.

---

"So that's it?" Grady Strong scowled at Gail, then Holly, and finally Vivian.

"She's not a match," Holly said patiently. "I really don't know what else you expect."

Lindsey touched her father's shoulder. "Dad, it's fine." Then to Vivian, she added. "Mom doesn't want to see you. I'm sorry."

That was news. Vivian glanced at her moms and then at Grady. "She knows I'm here?" When Lindsey nodded, Vivian sighed and tried to identify the feeling. Anger? Annoyance? No, she'd expected this.

"She needs to sign the paperwork," said Gail, her voice the low, quiet tone that prefaced danger. "And so do you two."

Both Grady and Lindsey nodded right away. "We did. This morning. Filed it with the lawyers." Grady was gruff and annoyed. "Bunch of bullshit, you know your ... They don't need to strong arm us."

"Mother. My mother," said Vivian, struggling to keep anger out of her voice. "And apparently we do." Beside her, Holly cleared her throat. It prevented the more bitter remarks from slipping out.

Lindsey looked stricken. "I'm sorry."

It was Holly who spoke up. "Nothing to be sorry about."

Grady scowled. "If you don't mind, I'd like a moment alone. With my niece. And not her mother and... Friend."

She felt overheated. Vivian was sure her face was red. She actually saw red. But before she could say a thing, Holly stood up. "That's fine."

What the hell?

Holly was the one who got irate when people poked at their family structure. It was always Holly, never Gail, who bit people's heads off for homophobia or ignorance. Holly. Always and always Holly.

But not right now.

The action caught Gail off guard as well and she popped to her feet. "We'll be right outside," she said to Vivian. Probably only Vivian could hear the worry in her voice.

And then she was alone with them.

Alone with her birth family.

Grady frowned at her. "Well. I'd say thank you for trying, but…"

She didn't like him. More than the general feeling of unease Vivian got around Jamie's father, she knew outright that she did not like this man who'd married her aunt. Her cousin's father. Family she'd never wanted.

Maybe that was it. Maybe that was why she was in such agony right now. Unlike every other adopted person she'd known, with the sole exception of Sophie, Vivian had never harbored dreams of finding her birth family. The devastation of her birth grandparents had been enough. The loss of her birth parents had been enough. And knowing that it was over after the grandparents died, that had actually felt good. It was closure.

And now, now Lindsey had upended her life in the most uncomfortable way possible.

Vivian sighed and shrugged. "Doesn't matter." She wanted to shout at him, tell him who Holly was, how awesome she was, and how great a mom she was. But suddenly she understood why Holly had just left.

It didn't matter.

They didn't matter.

These people weren't her family.

Some of the anger fell aside.

"What the hell's the deal with the papers?"

Ah. Vivian leaned back, forcing herself to look comfortable. "She didn't tell you? After ... After her brother died, she gave her rights up to the province."

A slightly horrified Lindsey asked, in a querulous tone, "Rights?"

"Technically kids go to the closest living relative. Siblings. Then grandparents." She leveled a look at Grady. His wince told her what she needed to know. "Did you even know about me?"

The man shook his head. "Not until... No. Not until Linz found the papers."

That explained a lot. "Well. There you are. The paperwork, that's protecting me."

"From... What from?" Grady scowled again. He did that a lot.

"You. From doing this again. Technically you violated the agreement, so I got a new one drawn up." Frankly, Vivian was all for the original plan to sue and so was Gail. At least until Holly had sighed when she'd gone over the proposal. Then Gail and Vivian backed down and said they'd be fine with a new arrangement. Now they could contact each other, but Vivian still wasn't permitted to leave any of her Armstrong inheritance to them.

The man huffed. "Seems awfully presumptuous."

"Doesn't matter. That's my life. This is yours."

They sat in uncomfortable silence for a long moment. Finally Grady sighed and stood up. "You're right. That's mine. I'd say it was nice to meet you but..."

"Lies do not become us," said Vivian, half-quoting The Princess Bride.

Grady grunted and turned, walking to the private room. In the moment of the door being open, Vivian caught sight of a wraith of a woman who looked slightly familiar. Their eyes met, briefly, and then then door closed.

So that was her aunt.

Huh. Vivian wasn't sure how she felt about that beyond anger.

She stood up. "I'm going now. Don't call me about the funeral. I don't care."

"Vivian, wait." Her cousin called after her. Against her better judgement, Vivian stopped. "I'm sorry. But… we shouldn't let our parents, y'know, stop us from being family. Friends."

Vivian actually felt appalled. "You want to be friends? Lindsey, your mother abandoned me. I didn't have to go into the system. But she didn't just let that happen, she signed me away and said she never wanted to see me. Ever!"

The younger woman argued back, "I'm not my mother! And I'm not our grandparents! Don't you get it? We're it! We're the only ones left—"

"No," snarled Vivian. "You're the only one left. They cut me out nineteen years ago. I want nothing to do with any of it."

Lindsey looked shocked. "You don't know anything about it."

Dropping her voice low, Vivian replied. "Neither do you." She took a deep breath, "Holly? She's not my Mom's best friend, she's my mom too. Okay? They're married. They've been married over twenty years! And I have a girlfriend. She asked me out after an arson case. My roommate is a guy and one of my best friends because I trust him. My classmates, the people you met when you just showed up at my work, are my friends too. But so are all those old cops. That's my family. The people who didn't have a goddamn reason to let me in. No ... No ulterior motives. You. You only wanted to know me because I might save your mom. Well guess what? I can't. So you can go back to fucking Barrie and I don't have to talk to you ever again."

As Vivian turned to go, Lindsey shouted. "Your parents aren't your fault! And my mother isn't mine!" It did give Vivian a moment of pause. "I don't know what it was like, you're right. And.. And I know my Dad's an idiot."

"How does that make it better?" Vivian looked back. "Moms have to deal with shit like that all the time. I'm not bringing more to them."

Her cousin swallowed. "You love them."

"I do." It wasn't something she could explain. She didn't want to. She loved her Moms and at least that was simple.

"I'm sorry."

Vivian sighed. "We have nothing in common. You pretty much lied to me and tried to use me." She turned away, unable to look at her cousin, clenching her fists to still them. "I'm pissed at you. I'm pissed more at your mother. I'm going to be pissed off for a long time."

"So that's it? You're just going to be mad at me forever?"

"I don't know. I just know I'm mad now." She took a deep breath and walked out of the hospital.

Her hands were still shaking when she got to her mothers at their car.

"She shouted," said Holly, knowingly. And she held her hands, palms up, in Vivian's direction.

It took nothing more for Vivian to let her mother hug her close. "I'm sorry they're idiots, Mom."

Holly sighed and squeezed Vivian tight. "They can fuck themselves."

Laughing into Holly's shoulder, Vivian squeezed back. "I may have outed you to Lindsey."

"Good," said Gail, firmly. "No help for thick and dumb?"

"No point." She wasn't actually related to him anyway. "I'm still pissed."

With one more squeeze, Holly held her at arm's length to study her face. "That's okay. Be as pissed as you need to be for as long as you need to be, honey."

"Come on. Lets get you fed," Gail ordered, ushering them all into the car.

They went out to a restaurant, a nice vegan place that Gail actually liked. And if Gail liked it, well, everyone did. When Vivian made no move to be part of the conversation, Holly and Gail chatted around her, occasionally reaching out tendrils of topic.

It wasn't until Holly started speculating on the possibility of Vivian's marrow being needed anyway that she tuned back into the conversation at hand.

"There's still a possibility," said Holly thoughtfully. "Vivian's not a perfect match, but often when the choice is try nothing or try something that has a high possibility of rejection, you do the Hail Mary."

Gail shook her head. "Sports reference."

Holly rolled her eyes. "I know damn well you understood that, Peck."

"She won't," sighed Vivian, throwing her napkin down. "She won't try it."

"You don't know that." Holly frowned.

"I do, Mom. She won't for the same reason I wouldn't." Vivian eyed her mother. "I know you don't get it, but ... She doesn't want any more of the crazy shit in her. And if that means no marrow, that's fine."

Holly looked stricken and turned to Gail. "What?"

The blonde sighed. "I do understand, kiddo, but it's a little extreme."

"It is," said Vivian, nodding. "But that's why I changed my name, Moms. I, God, I was stupid but I kinda hoped being a Peck would cut it out of me or something. That I wouldn't be that kid anymore. And I know, it's naive and silly, but I wanted to be what something else was. Braver, stronger..."

Her mothers were quiet a moment. "That's not how it works," said Gail slowly.

"I know." Vivian glumly ate her last fry.

To her surprise, Gail snapped at her. "No, you don't. So listen a second, okay?" Gail stared at her for a bit. "Who and what you are, this is because of who you are. The name didn't make you anything. You did. You made yourself someone to be proud of, someone people want to befriend. You followed our footsteps and then you made yourself even more amazing. Kid... You are who you are not because of the name Peck. You made the name mean something better."

Oh.

Vivian blinked and looked down. She couldn't think of a single reply, so she just nodded a little, trying to let all that sink in.

She made the name better.

She, and Gail, made Pecks better.

Was that an easier pill to swallow than the one where she was screwed up? It was heavier and daunting, certainly.

Vivian sighed and nodded at Gail again. The only thing to do was keep walking and to see where the name took her, and where she took it.

---

Vivian is not a match for Aunt April, who will die of this cancer eventually. Will Viv ever be able to deal with Lindsey and the fact that she has a whole family like that? Not today. And maybe her actions will haunt her later as the wrong thing to do, but right now she just can't do it.

It's definitely intentional on my end to have Vivian reacting badly. She's not perfect. She could have handled all of this better. She didn't because she can't see through her anger at the whole mess. Thankfully she's pissed at April and not her Moms. She knows Gail and Holly were stuck and couldn't do the right thing, and doesn't blame them for it.

The world is always complicated.