AU where the 4x12 interrogation room kiss never happens. Gail and Holly remain best friends, but it's when Holly starts dating someone new, Gail is jealous but doesn't realise it until someone (Steve/Oliver/Traci) gets her to admit it.
"The blue or the brown shirt?" Holly asked Gail as she held up two shirts still on their hangers for the blonde to approve.
"I like the-"
"Or should I wear a dress? Do you think a dress is too formal? Maybe a skirt would be better? But if I wear a skirt then my shoes are more obvious and if I wear flats then she might think I'm frumpy, but if I wear heels, maybe she'll think I just want to get into her pants?"
Gail just stared as Holly nervously prattled on about her date. This was the fourth time she was seeing Melanie, a fellow pathologist she met at a conference a few weeks ago. She was nice, intelligent, according to Holly was funny, and she didn't look like a total troll, but Holly thought she was beautiful, so there was that.
Gail didn't like her.
She had tried to explain to her best friend what it was exactly about this other woman that was so off-putting, but she couldn't really find the words. Instead she used sounds like "blech", "meh", and some sort of wordless vocalization of "I don't know". These noises usually accompanied a shrug and a pinched up face from the officer. Holly just laughed and said this was the first real potential girlfriend she'd had in a long time. Gail was always offended that Holly didn't think their friendship was enough.
Later that evening, Gail found herself at the Penny. She had gone home after helping Holly choose her outfit, but had felt restless at home. She needed a drink. She was annoyed that Holly wasn't answering her texts, even though she knew it was selfish of her to expect it. She wanted Holly to be happy but she felt so… icky when she thought of Holly out with this Melanie woman. Maybe she'd need to start finding a woman she thought was good enough for Holly herself. That's a good idea she thought inwardly as she contemplated her whiskey, I'll find Holly the perfect woman and they can live happily ever after.
A hand slapped down on her shoulder. The only human being brave enough to approach Gail in such a manner was Oliver. And he was the only human being she'd let do it. Except for maybe Holly she thought.
"Why so glum, darlin'?" he asked as he ordered himself a beer.
"What are you talking about, Oliver? I'm just having a drink" she replied with more intensity than she'd intended.
"You look like someone killed your cat. Not to mention your partner in crime is nowhere to be seen" he replied casually as he took a sip of beer.
"My partner in crime?" she tried to play stupid. She knew he meant Holly.
"You know who I'm talking about. Is she why you're here drinking alone? Did you two have a fight?" It never ceased to amaze Gail how Oliver could be so direct, so on-point, yet never threatening, never questioning with an ulterior motive. She didn't know really how to answer his question so instead of delving into it, she kept it short.
"No, we didn't have a fight. She's on a date" she told him as she swallowed the last of her drink. She ordered another.
"Like a date date?" he asked, surprise registering on his face.
"No, like a tea party. Of course a date date."
"And you're okay with this?"
She turned in her chair to take in his expression. She was confused by the question, thinking maybe he was a making a joke she didn't understand, but the pinched eyebrows and squinting eyes told her he wasn't kidding.
"Why would it matter what I think?"
"Well, because you two are an item" he said.
Gail coughed on her drink.
"What?" she demanded.
"You and Holly. Together. If you aren't telling anybody, my lips are sealed" he told her as he pretended to zip his lips closed and throw away the key.
"Oliver, Holly and I are not a couple. We never have been. Her being out on a date is not why I'm here" she told him.
"You aren't dating? Why not?" he asked in that damned way that always made her so reflective.
"Why would we be dating, Oliver?"
"Because you have feelings for her. Not to mention that she's great. She's a catch, Gail"
"I know she's a catch, Oliver. She's beautiful, funny, smarter than everyone I know combined, not to mention the fact that she gets me. Of course I have feelings for her; she's the most wonderful person I've ever met." Oliver watched as Gail got lost in her own speech.
"Why haven't you told her that?"
"Oh sure, I'll just tell my best friend I've been thinking of nothing other than how her lips taste or how her skin feels first thing in the morning. I'm sure she'd love to hear that. That wouldn't scare her away at all" the blonde scoffed before taking a long pull of her drink.
"It wouldn't; it's pretty hard to scare her away" came a voice from behind them.
"It looks like Sammy over there needs a partner for darts. Ladies" Oliver said as he offered his stool to the brunette who'd suddenly appeared.
"What are you doing here?" Gail asked, hardly able to make eye contact.
Holly shrugged. "I wasn't feeling it."
"I thought you liked her?" she asked.
"I did. But then I purposefully left the table so I could read your texts and it hit me that that I would rather be spending my time with you than anyone else. I honestly had no intention of telling you that I like you, but since I overheard your conversation… Gail, would you like to go out with me this Friday?" Holly asked her with a smile.
"Yes" Gail responded, mirroring back the look of happiness. "Now let's get you a drink!"