Summary: Gail went missing while she was undercover and eventually after receiving her batch Steve decided to sell her house. Holly, who just started her job as Chief medical examiner at Toronto PD, walked past the house and found out it was on sale, something told her she should have a closer look at the house which she did. She bought it and along with that a whole new story of her life… a short explanation what thermochromism is: It's the property of substances to change their color due to a change in temperature.
On a beautiful Saturday morning I jogged down a road in the suburbs, past a garage sale and saw this amazing table. It was a simple one, black surface with a metal frame, the bench connected to the table by the frame. I've once read an article about a table like this, tables which change their colors when someone sits on the bench or on the table itself. Thermochromic table was the name used for them. Based on the temperature the color of the imprint varied.
Just imagine, if the table could tell you if someone will also leave an imprint in your life that would be cool wouldn't it?
It would have saved me a lot of heartache if a table could do it, that's for sure. I shook my head smiling and looked at the table again. There was an imprint of a hand close to the edge and I rested mine beside. It must have been a female hand or the hand of a slim figured male. As I took my hand off the table I saw my own imprint disappear. Confused about how that is possible I repeated my action with the same result.
"We assume it's my sister's hand," a young redhead said. It startled me for about a second. "Oh I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you," he said. "No, no it's fine. I just… I was…," I sighed slightly annoyed by my incapacity of finding the right words. "Wondering?" he offered. "Yes," I nodded. He laughed a little, "she used to sit on the table resting her hand on it while eating or watching television," I wasn't sure but his voice sounded sad all of a sudden. I wanted to ask what had happened to his sister but didn't want to intrude in his privacy.
"Basically everything here is hers," he said and this time there definitely was a sad smile on his face.
"I'm sorry, I'm talking too much," he said.
"No, no, it's totally fine," I reassured him, smiling.
"So basically her whole household is on sale?" I asked him resting my hand on the table again. Suddenly my hand felt warm, it must have been the sun that heated up the metal table.
"Not just her household, her whole house actually. She loved thermochromism you know? Her bathroom tiles are thermochromic too. And a lot of other utensils," he said, "You wanna have a look at the house?"
I was looking for a house anyway, since I wanted to settle in the outskirts of Toronto again. Living downtown Toronto was not what I wanted, but back when I moved here, it was the only place available. Also I thought thermochromism was fascinating and something inside me told me to take a closer look at this house. "Yes I'd like that very much. I'm Holly by the way," I said and nodded smiling. He smiled brightly. "Steve," he said and led the way. The house was impressive, a big entry hall, an open kitchen leading directly to the living room with a big couch which looked very comfy, I wondered what kind of woman this man's sister was.
"It looks beautiful but you promised me a thermochromic bathroom," I said laughing. He joined in and led the way upstairs. The bathroom was a dream, a huge bathtub with a huge window above it. A nice shower in the corner, the black tiles were the highlight of this room, I couldn't stop myself but walk over and touch the tiles, never have I seen thermochromism in real, well except during Uni but back then we had just one of these mood rings and were having a closer look on the material itself.
"Wow," I whispered.
"Impressive huh? I always liked the way her house was furnished, so simple but at the same time it always felt warm," he said.
I smiled at him, "it's actually how I would furnish my house. I like black and white and also the big bed with the dark wood in contrast to the light brown floor in the bedroom. I like your sister's taste," I said and Steve smiled sadly. Something horrible must have happened to his sister that's for sure and I got more and more curious about what it was.
After living in, as I found out, Gail's house for almost three months I understood what Steve meant when he said that I won't regret buying it.
You could watch the stars while lying in the tub, you could oversee the sunrise and sunset from the porch. It was an impressive house for quite little money.
But there were not only good sides, especially when it comes to thermochromism. Sometimes the wall in the shower was a bit brighter than it should be, but just in the lower corner. I assumed it must be the sun shining through the window. On other days the handprint seemed to be more visible than normal, on very rare occasions it seemed to be less visible.
I still think, or well hope, that I just imagine things and that it must be due to my hard work.
But I couldn't deny it anymore when suddenly there was a second imprint on the table. This time I wasn't imagining things. Even though it was just a shade it was there.
I decided I had to call Steve and tell him what was happening here and asked if he maybe had an idea what it was.
"Hey Holly, everything's okay?" He asked me as he picked up the phone.
"Hey Steve, everything's good. Could you come over though? There's something I'd like to show you," I said. Steve rushed over to my place and as he was there and I wanted to show him the imprint, it was gone.
"Okay Steve, I'm really wondering if I'm imagining things or what is happening here?" I asked him resting my hand once more beside the imprint which was always present. I caught myself doing that very often.
"Okay Holly, I know you never asked me but I think it's time to tell you. Gail went missing while she was undercover. We never found her. She's been missing for a year now and well even though, I don't want to say I gave up. I think I did or at least part of me did the day our boss, Sergeant Best, handed me over her badge. I still have it you know? Her badge I mean, I have it in my living room waiting for her to take it back," he said and I could hear his voice breaking.
"Oh, I'm so sorry Steve," I said resting my hand on his shoulder and giving it a squeeze.
He shrugged it off then looked at me, "you know Holly I don't believe in ghosts or supernatural things. I'm a realist so yeah I don't really think it's her but on the other hand I don't have another explanation either."
"It's okay Steve I understand," I answered him.
Steve and I chatted for a bit longer and as he left I found a very present second imprint on my table.
"Gail?" I asked cautiously and as if she was shying away the imprint lessened in intensity.
I tried again, "Gail, it's okay. Don't run away," the imprint didn't change.
I rested my hand on top of the first imprint "If it's you Gail, I wish I'd met you. You know Steve talks a lot about you. Just good things you know?" the second imprint lessened again and I could feel the warmth again, the warmth I felt the first time I rested my hand on this table.
I never did believe in ghosts but I assumed there must be something supernatural in this world. So I decided to just go with the flow.
"I'm sorry, I don't really know how to ask but yeah, I just start. Are you dead Gail?" I asked and the warmth was gone again. "Shall I take that as a no?" I asked again and the warmth came back. "Okay, okay I'm talking to a ghost that's… new," I said and suddenly all the warmth disappeared as if Gail was pulling away from me.
"Gail, Gail wait," I said again and the warmth was back, not as intense as before but it definitely was back.
"Gail, are you still alive?" I asked and my hand was warm again.
"Oh my God I have to tell Steve," I said and reached for my phone. The warmth left once more. I was surprised about her reaction towards her brother.
"Gail, wait. I won't tell him but please come back so we can talk more," I almost pleaded.
My hand remained cold.
It took a week until I could feel Gail's presence again. I was watching television and there was an imprint of what might be an ankle resting beside mine on the coffee table.
"Gail is it you?" I asked carefully. I could feel warmth on my thigh like someone rested their hand there.
"Hey," I all but whispered, "I'm sorry for the other day. It's just I thought your brother wants to know." I told her and the warmth stayed at my thigh.
"So, do you want me to tell him?" I asked her and she took away the warmth.
"Okay I won't," I said and suddenly there was a warmth, not only on my thigh but on my complete side as if she was pressing against me.
It went on like that for a while, Gail and I were watching television together when I was home, I occasionally left it on for her when I left the house when she asked for it. I changed the program when I wasn't really watching it and she seemed to pull away.
We also talked a lot more often, well I talked and she either pulled away or not.
One day I was lying in the bathtub wondering where she must be, since she never answered that question when I asked her, and what her conditions must be, when suddenly I looked up and saw an imprint of a hand on the shower tiles.
"Gail," I shrieked and the imprint was gone immediately. I got out of the tub, changed in my rope and walked downstairs to the living room.
"Gail, were you watching me bath?" I said to no one in particular, well to no one visible at least.
A barely visible shade appeared on the couch table.
"Perv," I muttered and went upstairs again. I dried myself off and got dressed. But before I left for work I turned off the television that was running.
"That's for being a perv," I said and turned around to walk out of the door.
Later that day when I was home again I could feel Gail following me as soon as I entered the house. It was different this time, it was as if she was saying she was sorry, for what happened earlier. While I cooked I could feel her presence again and when we cuddled again on the couch I could feel her more intense than ever before. Even when I went to bed I still could feel her warmth against my back and even though part for me was still yelling at me for going crazy it felt good to sleep with her beside me.
After that, nights like this it happened more often. I could feel her warmth against myself almost every night. I didn't know where she was or if she even remembered or realized what was happening, but I tried to not think about that too often.
Then one day my friend Linda visited me. Linda was an engineer working in the research department of a company that produces touchscreens. She told me they were working on this new screen which reacts very sensitively when it comes to warmth. They hoped they could create screens that even handicapped people could use, because normal screens couldn't be used with prosthetic hands and most gloves you can buy in the stores. She offered me one so I could try it with my gloves on while working. I thought I could also try if Gail could write with it since she was a source of heat but had no possibility to write so far.
When Linda left I placed the screen on the table and called for Gail, it did not take long until I could feel her warmth against my side.
"Okay Gail, so I'd try something. Did you listen to mine and Linda's conversation regarding this screen?" I asked her and as I could not feel any change from her warmth my assumption was right. "I thought as much, so yeah I'd like for you to try if you can write with the screen since you're a source of heat?" I explained to her and opened a writing program.
"Please try to write something Gail," I said and in my head I begged that it worked.
Holly appeared in very shaky letters slowly on the screen. I yelped in excitement.
"Gail, is that you?" I asked her.
Yes appeared on the screen. I yelped again and suddenly there appeared a smiling emoji on the screen.
Holly, I don't know where I am, but I'm alive. I'm in a hospital, I think she wrote and I smiled widely.
"Gail, do you want to tell me why you always block when I'm talking about Steve," I asked her tentatively.
He was the one leading the op and unless I know where I am and what my conditions are I don't want him to know something. Because if something happens he's better off this way than getting his hopes up for nothing.
It saddened me that Gail was thinking this way but I respected her wishes and decided to not tell Steve anything until she asked me to.
Gail and I were chatting way more since we found a way to talk. There sometimes was flirting involved sometimes teasing. We also kept talking about where she was and how she got there but she couldn't really remember. We tried to elaborate on the hospital part but we couldn't really figure something out. All she said was that people were coming in occasionally to check her conditions and that she could hear some beeping.
I told Lisa and Rachel, my closest friends, about Gail, but never mentioned that she was a ghost. When one day Lisa came over to my house and proposed a blind date to me.
"Lisa, I do not want to go on another blind date. I'm not interested in dating," I stated.
"Come on Holly, she is a very good catch, she's nice, she's beautiful, she's fun," she said.
"Well, if she's such a good catch why don't you go for her," I snapped at her.
"Believe me if she wanted me to I would. But she made it clear I'm not her type and then asked for your number," she explained to me.
"Lisa, look I appreciate your concerns, but I'm really not interested in dating someone right now," I told her.
"You know what Holls? Go back to dating your precious Gail, no wait you aren't dating her, are you? Maybe you should stop putting your life on hold for something that will not happen," she snapped and stormed out of the house.
I let my head fall and sighed in annoyance. "This woman is driving me insane," I muttered before I walked over to the kitchen table where my abandoned wine was waiting along with my dinner.
I saw Gail writing something on the screen and looked over.
Are you?
"Am I what Gail?" I asked as softly as possible I could considering my mood.
Putting your life on hold for me
She wrote and my heart broke a little. Here she was, not knowing where her body was, not knowing if she was going to make it and all she cared about was if I was putting my life on hold or not.
"No Gail, I'm not. Lisa is just… she… she annoys me with all these blind dates. When I don't want to date then I do not want to date, it's as simple as that," I said softly, trying to reassure her there was nothing wrong.
Okay she answered and I could feel she left the kitchen. I had no idea if she believed me or not, but I knew I wanted to prove to her that I meant it. Lisa's words didn't mean anything to me, she shouldn't believe Lisa. I didn't put my life on hold for her.
Gail didn't come back until later that night, when I was resting on the couch watching a movie. The screen was placed on the coffee table in front of me, it became a habit that I took it with me wherever I went in the house.
Hey
"Hey Gail," I answered her.
I'm sorry for running away
"It's okay," I answered again and smiled.
It was silent for a while as we were watching television. Suddenly I saw the tablet light up again.
Are we tho?
"Are we what Gail?" I asked softly.
Dating? I mean would that even be something you were interested in?
I honestly had no answer for that so I just shrugged and let my head hang. "I don't know Gail, I don't know," I almost whispered.
We went back to the television. Was it even possible for us to date? Would she even remember when she wakes up? Well if… I shook my head trying not to think about it.
What happened Holls? she asked immediately.
"Nothing, I'm just exhausted. I think I'm gonna shower", I said and got up.
As I was in the shower I let the hot water wash over my body and leaned against the tiles. It was emotionally exhausting to think about my relationship with Gail. Suddenly I could feel a familiar warmth around me. It felt like Gail was trying to hold and to comfort me. I did not say anything just leaned back a little. I could see her hand leaving an imprint on the tiles and smiled involuntary.
"Yes Gail," I whispered.
"Yes, I think emotionally we're dating," I said a bit louder and felt myself being surrounded by warmth again.
Time went by and Gail and I grew closer and closer when suddenly the whole couch table was bright like she was rolling around on it.
"Gail what is up?" I asked her, startled by the intrusion.
Miller she wrote on the screen Linda gave me.
"Miller?" I asked confused.
Jennifer Miller she wrote again and as I opened my mouth to ask her again as she continued.
One of the nurses
"Wait, one of the nurses is called Jennifer Miller?" I asked putting together the information I just got.
The table lit up again. Which I assumed must be a yes.
"Okay that's great," I said excited, "could you see or hear something else?"
No, she wrote and I could see all the colors disappear from the table.
"Gail wait, we can work with that information. We can Google if we find a nurse called Jennifer Miller and you know maybe you recognize her face," I said smiling. I could feel her warmth against me once more and immediately picked up my laptop to open not only Google but also Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
We tried Facebook at first but couldn't really get a result, because apparently there are lots of Jennifer Miller's in America and also Canada. Next we tried Twitter and as I was opening it a message popped up on Facebook it was Lisa.
"Hey Ghosthumper, aren't you tired of poking the death and humping a ghost? Amelia is still interested" I just rolled my eyes and closed the message.
I don't like her Gail wrote. I just nodded and continued my search for Jennifer Miller.
Unfortunately we got the same result on Twitter as we already had on Facebook.
When did you tell her? Gail suddenly asked after I gave up on Twitter.
"Tell who?" I asked her.
Lisa, that I'm you know
"The other day when I was hoping she'd help me find you. She knows a lot of doctors in Canada and also America. I mean I know a lot of doctors too, but you know I never really kept in contact with most of them so my contacts of doctors working with the living is not as big as hers or Rachel's," I explained to her.
What did she say?
"That I became crazy because of all the dead around me, but she'll have a look and ask around. Despite her attitude and behavior she always is looking out for me, always has and always will," I said and opened LinkedIn.
We could not come up with a nurse who looked familiar to Gail there either and as we already assumed Google was just as helpful. I cursed myself for not being able to help more. I wanted to help Gail so bad, I wanted her to come home to Steve, to her Mom, to her nephew, her friends and well to me.
I met some of her friends occasionally at work, none of them talked about Gail, their smile disappeared when someone mentioned her. Losing her must have been a loss for all of them. With these thoughts in mind I decided that I have to do more. There must have been something I could do. I swallowed the lump in my throat and opened the chat with Lisa again.
"Hey Liz, are there news considering Gail? If not I could maybe help you with something. One of the nurses looking after her is called Jennifer Miller. I know there are a lot Jennifer Miller's out there but you know maybe it helps"
I closed the tabs again and rested my head on the back of the couch.
I'm sorry I cause you so much trouble she wrote. "No Gail, don't be sorry. I'm glad I can help. It's just… I know how much I want you to be here but I also know what it could mean that you are here."
I sighed and turned on the television I could feel her rest against me. I tried not to think about what her conditions may be and what could happen if she didn't wake up anytime soon. It's been four months since I moved in and if she was in a coma that could mean they are going to shut down her system if we don't find her soon.
Stop, she wrote. For a moment I was confused but then she already continued.
Stop thinking Holly I can hear the gears in your head and you know I am just as worried as you I smiled and nodded. It amazed me how good she knew me already and how well she could read me.
A week later I was doing some research for an article of mine when the screen on the table lit up.
Flags Holly Flags Gail wrote.
"Did you see some flags? What kind of flags did you see?" I asked her getting excited.
Two flags, one was the flag of the United States, the second one was dark blue with two deer holding a shield or something.
"The states? That's good, omg that is awesome," I told her and started typing in Google.
I typed dark blue flag usa and was faced with lots of pictures of the American flag.
"Thank you Google I know how this one looks," I mumbled and scrolled down.
I found a flag that looked close to what Gail described so I showed it to her.
Yes yes yes that's the flag
"Okay it's the flag of Michigan, it's not deer tho it's an elk and a moose," I giggled.
"Gail do you know what that means?" I asked her excited.
DUH :)
I rolled my eyes a bit and texted Lisa and Rachel immediately, she's in Michigan. We have to find her.
Unfortunately Michigan is still a big state and just because we knew in which state she was did not mean we were able to determine the hospital. The problem was not only were there hundreds of hospitals in Michigan, maybe even thousands, but also did they most likely not know Gail's name, neither her real name nor her name from the undercover operation and asking for blonde Jane Doe's did not really help us so far. I called some of the bigger hospitals and some smaller ones close to the border and so far out of 100 hospitals there were 40 Jane's, none of them were there for more than 2 weeks though most came in not even 24 hours before my call, and more than 180 nurses called Jennifer Miller. I slumped back on the couch defeated. May I hold you? Gail asked me and as soon as I nodded I was surrounded by warmth once more. I tried to hold my tears back for her sake but failed. A single tear escaped my eyes and it felt as if Gail tried to kiss it away as I could feel her warmth on my face all of a sudden. I broke down and started crying in her arms. I felt so helpless and so worried.
Harley or Horley she wrote later that day.
"Gail could you see some more?" I asked her getting excited again.
Yes the name of the hospital, it was something like Horley or Harley she wrote very fast.
I picked up the laptop once more and started typing.
There were quite a few hospitals with names like this but none of the logos were familiar to her. I continued scrolling when I found another hospital that sounded similar to Harley
"Gail could it be Hurley?" I asked her.
Could be she answered.
I opened the website and looked for pictures. I saw one where the logo was visible and showed it to Gail.
Yes yes yes that's it she typed.
"Okay Hurley Medical Center in Flint, shall I try calling them?" I asked her.
Yes, please she wrote and I typed their number.
"Hurley Medical Center Patricia Rose speaking how can I help you?" a young woman said.
"Hello, Dr. Holly Stewart speaking. I'm Toronto's chief medical examiner, working with Toronto PD and we have a question concerning one of our cases," I said politely. I knew I was lying but I somehow had to get Patricia's attention.
"Okay go ahead I hope I can help you," she said.
"Thank you, so is it possible that you have a patient called Gail Peck or Alessandra Lussac?" I asked her. I actually didn't assume she would say yes because if they knew Gail's name Toronto PD would have found her.
"I'm afraid not, I'm sorry," Patricia said sincerely.
"Hmm okay, and maybe Jane Doe?" I asked and heard Patricia chuckle sadly or was it sarcastic?
"Three Jane Doe's as of now. One came in just a few minutes ago," she said.
"Well it would have been too easy", I said smiling.
"I'm sorry I couldn't help you," she said.
"We don't know that yet, do you have by chance a nurse called Jennifer Miller who does also work with one of your Jane Doe's?" I asked her.
"Yes, we actually do have one, working with our long time Jane. If you could send me a picture of whom you're looking for I could maybe help you," Patricia said.
I agreed relieved, maybe we finally found her. As soon as I hung up I couldn't help but cry again. Everything was overwhelming. Gail's warmth surrounded me once more.
"Gail I don't even have a picture of you," I said through tears.
Google me :) Oh and tell them that I have a tattoo on my hip. A little rose.
I smiled at the screen and googled her immediately. I realized I had no idea how she actually looked like, I mean I knew she was blonde before she went undercover and that she had light blue eyes. But seeing a picture of her, wow, she was mesmerizing.
You're drooling doc!
I blushed and sent her picture along with some information I had on her over to Patricia. It took not even 5 minutes until my phone rang.
"Dr. Stewart," I said even though I could see that it was an American number.
"Hello Dr. Stewart, Jennifer Miller here. Mrs. Rose informed me you need information on one of our Jane Doe's," Jennifer said.
"Yes, I also sent a picture of the woman we're looking for over to Mrs. Rose," I replied politely.
"Yes I just saw it, hence why I called you immediately. This woman is one of our D's. Unfortunately she's been in a coma since she got here," she said. I could hear a sad layer upon her voice.
"Oh, could you give me some information on her status?" I asked politely hoping against hope that she had not given up on Gail.
"She was dumped at our front door with four GSW one hit her femoral artery. We could fix it and kept her sedated for a while, so her wounds could heal. Unfortunately she did not wake up yet, sometimes there are some reactions from her and she even moves her fingers every now and then but that's it. I don't think I have to tell you what that could. We never had a case like this," she told me.
"Okay thank you, would it be possible for me and one of our Detectives to come down to Flint?" I asked politely.
Which Detective? Gail immediately asked.
"Yes of course, we're always happy when one of our D's gets their name back," Jennifer said.
We hung up and I was so relieved to finally know where she was and that she had at least some caring person around her.
HOLLY Gail wrote again.
"Gail, I know you're scared. But it's time to let Steve know. I want to drive to Flint along with him," I told her hoping she would understand.
Maybe you're right, but please don't let him drive he drives like crazy and I don't want you to puke and look all pukey when you arrive there
"Okay Gail," I said and picked up my phone to call Steve.
"Detective Peck," he said as he answered his phone.
"Hey Steve it's Holly, are you free by chance?" I asked him without preamble.
"Holly it's 1 am you're lucky I'm not sleeping yet. But yes I am why?" he asked and I realized I lost track of time.
"That will be a surprise, but you need your passport. Oh and Gail's," I said and was faced with silence," I pick you up in 20 minutes."
I was in front of Steve's house 18 minutes later and he was already standing outside the door waiting for me.
"Holly, what does all this mean?" he asked impatient.
"Steve I can't tell you yet, it's just I think I found Gail," I said and his jaw dropped.
It took him 15 minutes to speak up again.
"Where?" he all but whispered.
I took his hand and squeezed it for a second, "Flint, Michigan," I said and took my hand back.
Steve did not talk more but I could see the gears in his head spinning. Luckily we could cross the border without too much waiting time and arrived in Flint at 5am.
We entered the hospital and I was faced with a young redhead whose name tag showed me that it was Patricia Rose.
"Good morning Mrs. Rose, I'm Holly Stewart. We talked yesterday. Could you maybe check if Mrs. Miller is free?" I asked smiling. Steve was nervous and shaking and I rested my hand on his back comforting him as much as I could.
"Good morning Doc, she was actually expecting you and told me to inform her as soon as you get here," she replied. I blushed a little.
She called Jennifer who appeared not a minute later.
"Hello you must be Dr. Holly Stewart, and you're the Detective she wanted to bring along?" she greeted us and waited for Steve's reply.
"Yes I'm Detective Peck, Toronto PD," Steve replied suddenly all business again. The nervous mess with the almost boyish excitement was gone and back was the Detective I knew.
"Peck? Isn't that the name you asked Patricia for yesterday?" Jennifer Miller asked looking at me and I nodded softly.
"Okay so I'll bring you over to our Jane Doe," she said after neither Steve nor I said anything. After a few moments of she turned around and showed us the way to the ICU. "We kept her here because she wasn't waking up and also because we didn't know who she was," she explained to us. She opened the door and in front of me appeared the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. Gail almost looked like she was sleeping if it wasn't for the tubes coming out of her body.
"Gail," Steve whispered and I could see the tears in his eyes. He walked over and took her hand in his own and started crying.
"I assume she's more than just a case?" Jennifer asked me.
"She's his sister, also a Detective from Toronto, he thought she was dead," I explained with tears in my eyes.
"Oh that explains his reaction," she said and squeezed my shoulder, "I'm going to check on the other patients. Her Doctor will stop by in about half an hour. He probably wants to talk to you too."
I stood in the doorway for about five more minutes before I walked over and squeezed Steve's shoulder. He turned towards me, tears still running down his face.
"Thank you Holly, thank you so much," he said smiling, "you know her status?"
"She got here with four bullets in her body, they could save her, but she hasn't woken up since," I explained to him. Suddenly I could feel a familiar warmth around me.
When later the Doctor appeared Steve went out to talk to him and for the first time I was left alone with Gail.
"God Gail, you can't imagine how happy I am to be here, that we have finally found you," I told her and reached for her hand. Her pulse sped up slightly which made me smile.
"Please wake up beautiful, open these beautiful eyes for us," I begged her and squeezed her hand. I leaned down to kiss her forehead softly and could hear her pulse speeding up once more. I smirked a little to myself and stayed close to her face. As I pulled back I could feel her squeezing my hand very softly.
"That's it my love, you can do it, we both know it," I told her and saw Steve enter again.
"Holly, could you please talk to the Doc too? I didn't understand most of the things he was saying. I mean I did but at the same time my head was yelling at me to go back inside," Steve said and I took my hand back and her heartbeat slowed down again.
"Hello, Dr. Holly Stewart," I greeted him.
"Hey, Dr. Andrew Jackson," he answered.
"Okay so, when she got here, she was in a very bad condition. 4 gunshot wounds, one of them punctured her right lung, two were in her abdomen and one hit her femoral artery. It actually saved her life that she was brought here, we could help her immediately and our surgeon could help her just a few minutes after she got here. She's been sedated for 3 weeks after her initial surgery, because when she woke up right after the surgery she panicked and ripped open her wounds. In order to save her from a shock we put her into a clinical coma, unfortunately she did not wake up after we stopped the medics. Her brain functions are normal. She's breathing on her own, sometimes it seems like she's waking up but she doesn't. We're glad we finally found her family," Dr. Jackson explained.
"Our neurologist has no idea what is happening either, all tests he ran came back positive which means that medically nothing is stopping her from waking up. It seems to me that the problem is of psychological nature. I don't like to admit it, but we unfortunately have no idea what else to do," he added.
I swallowed and took in what he just said, it didn't seem like she was too bad, beside the fact that she was in a coma.
"Thank you Doctor," I said politely.
"You're welcome, I'll keep you updated if there's any development," he said and turned around. I stepped back in the room and Steve looked at me while I felt Gail around me.
"So," he started.
"Medically speaking she seems to be okay," I said to him.
"That is not what I wanted to ask but thank you. How did you find her?" he asked, never taking his eyes off of his sister.
"I just couldn't shake the thought that she had to be somewhere, so I asked some friends of mine who were doctors as well and found out that she was here," I told him, I felt bad for lying to him but since Gail never wanted to tell him that we were communicating I just assumed that she didn't want me to tell him the truth. I was proven right when it got warmer around me.
We were sitting at Gail's bed for the next few hours in silence before Steve got up to get some breakfast.
"Gail please wake up, I know you can hear me I can feel you. Please try to wake up," I begged her and saw her moving her fingers once more.
"Come on Gail, I know you're a fighter and I know you can do it," I begged her again and her pulse sped up once more.
"Yes Gail that's it, come on you're on the right way," I said and squeezed her hand again. Steve entered the room and her pulse went back to normal.
I knew it wasn't Steve's fault and that it was probably just because Gail was not ready to wake up yet but I couldn't help myself but curse him for a few moments. I wondered what might have happened if he had been out a little longer.
We were taking turns in staying at Gail's bed for the next week. The moments where it seemed she was waking up happened more and more often, and she left basically no messages at the tablet anymore, also I could not feel her warmth outside her hospital room anymore. It seemed she got closer and closer to her body again. When I got back to the hospital on the seventh day Steve was sitting at his sister's bed holding her hand.
"Gail, please. I miss you so much, I never should have accepted to let you go undercover. Mom said you'd be perfect but I didn't want to risk you, but you know her she's... " he trailed off and I waited in the doorway and looked at her.
"Please Gail, do it for me," he begged her and I could see the tears in his face.
I looked at her once more than whispered, "Please Love, do it for him."
Just that moment her pulse sped up once more and I could see she was moving her fingers. Steve got excited and looked at me smiling brightly. I focused on her once more and saw her eyes flutter a little.
"That's it Love, come on," I said again and looked at her face just in time to see her beautiful blue eyes for a second.
She looked around confused and Steve yelped.
"Gail, hey oh my God Gail," he cried. I looked out of the window to see Jennifer appear.
"Holly what is it?" she asked worried.
"She woke up," I said with tears in my eyes.
Jennifer's face lit up and she smiled widely before she reached out to hug me.
I walked over to Gail and took her hand in mine. She was still completely out of it, but I saw her trying to speak.
"Sh, it's okay Gail all in good time," I told her as a look of panic flashed over her eyes.
She relaxed again and closed her eyes once more.
"No Gail come back please come back," Steve begged.
"It's okay Steve, that will happen quite a few times until she's completely back," I reassured him. Dr. Jackson entered the room with Jennifer hot on his heels.
"Doctor, Detective," he greeted us before he continued, "Ms. Miller told me that our patient woke up?" Steve looked over to me.
"Yes, she woke up and tried to speak. She could not move her lips but relaxed seemingly as I reassured her that this is normal and she will be able to move normally once she's ready to be fully awake," I told Dr. Jackson and he nodded.
"Okay, so we will check in on her later than, if she should wake up please contact me," he said before he left again.
Steve looked at me, "Holly does this all mean she's going to be okay again?" he asked worried.
I nodded and squeezed his shoulder. He couldn't contain his smile and pressed a kiss on Gail's forehead.
Gail woke up more and more often after that and seemed to be more awake and aware every time she did. Dr. Jackson told us that she could be transferred to Toronto within the next few days as soon as she's awake for at least half a day straight. Which he assumed should be soon. Steve talked to his Staff Sergeant to get another week off so he could be there for his sister.
"Hey Gail," I whispered close to her ear. Gail tried to speak more and more and could move a little already. After half a year in a coma all her muscles were gone and she had to rebuild all of them.
"Holly," she croaked out.
"Hey Beautiful," I answered her. I did not know if she remembered who I was because so far she mostly just said one word sometimes two. She was not able to say sentences yet.
"Kiss me," she croaked again. I looked at her dumbfounded but smiled as I realized what she just said.
"Please," she added. I leaned closer to her and when I was just a few inches away I looked at her eyes searching for permission. Her eyes were soft and relaxed so I closed the gap and pressed my lips against hers softly.