Part 20

Holly hummed as she stirred the sugar into the second coffee on the worktop in front of her. She was dressed in an oversized t-shirt Gail had let her borrow on the promise that it would be up to the blonde when she took it back. She smirked to herself remembering the joint shower she had shared with the blonde not long before. That had been fun, and eventful. Eventually they had tried to just wash but that hadn't stopped them from taking advantage of the small space, and use it as an excuse to trade touches and the occasional kiss.

Holly was grateful she was still off from work as there would have been no chance of her leaving on time given how amorous the blonde had been with her. It was a pleasant surprise but after their talk last night Gail had seemed much more comfortable and open with her.

Holly glanced at her watch then chuckled to herself lightly as she pushed her glasses into place on her nose, it was no longer morning. She picked up the two mugs of coffee and wandered out of the kitchen in search of her…

Whatever Gail was to her now.

Lover? Definitely. Girlfriend? Not there yet. Date? Meh. That didn't sound right either.

Was last night a date, or a one night stand? It sure didn't feel like a one night stand, or if it was it was one Holly hoped was going to be repeated, repeatedly.

"What are you giggling about?" Gail asked as she closed her laptop screen over just as Holly laid her coffee down next to it. "Thanks."

Holly quirked an eyebrow at the closed computer but let it go thinking it best not to ask Gail for too many details, she was sure there would be a lot the blonde got up to that she wouldn't like.

The laptop screen opened up again once Holly had taken her seat on the couch opposite Gail who was sitting on the floor beside the coffee table where she had her computer and cell phone laid out.

Holly eyed the blonde as she typed on the keyboard with a scowl on her face.

She decided to leave Gail alone for the moment as her phone pinged and she started scowling at it before going back to the keyboard.

Sipping at her drink Holly took a closer look around the apartment. She hadn't really been paying attention last night. It wasn't overflowing with a lived in feel, the furnishings were sparse and the free space, of which there was plenty, remained undecorated.

"How long have you lived here?" She asked curious of the answer, she knew the Peck's had money or at least that was the impression she had been given. But Gail might not have lived here for long, hadn't she been without a job for a while? And this apartment wouldn't come cheap. Not that Holly was really concerned with things like that, she had seen the envelope Chris had been given and doubted Gail was short on cash however ill-gotten it made be.

Again, that was something Holly wasn't comfortable thinking too hard about.

But there was the bar and the gym, which she was yet to see, but those had to bring in money. And Holly was happy enough with that.

Gail bit her lip as she fed commands into her computer. Again it got her nowhere. "Huh?" She flicked her eyes over to Holly, pausing as she picked up her phone when her eyes found bare legs crossed in front of her.

Holly grinned to herself and took another drink as she waited for electric blue eyes to finally work themselves up to her face. "Here. How long?"

Blinking Gail ducked her head down to type out a message on her cell phone before putting it back down on the table and finally meeting Holly's amused gaze. She tried hard not to blush but images of those legs and the naked body they belonged to were currently on rerun in her mind.

"Gail!"

Flinching, Gail picked up her own coffee and took a sip before lifting her eyes to Holly's. "Yes?"

Holly bit her bottom lip and shook her head. Normally she would have found the lack of attention irritating, especially when the person she was trying to have a conversation with was instead ogling her body.

But from Gail, who was now blushing scarlet, she found it flattering and a bit empowering if she was being entirely honest. She knew Gail found her attractive, had known that for a while, but last night Gail had told her things that probably should have chased her out the door but instead they had somehow pulled her closer to the ex-cop.

The blonde had been incredibly honest with her to the point where Holly thought she might have been trying to scare her, but then she had looked into those eyes and saw how vulnerable the blonde was being to take this risk on her.

If Gail had only been after sex then there would have been no need for talking last night and Holly wouldn't have even complained.

And the blonde didn't seem to be in a rush to see her go either this morning. Not if their attempt to conserve water had been anything to go by.

Holly grinned to herself as Gail's attention was drawn back to her computer and then she was on her phone again typing out another text message to someone.

"Should I ask?"

Gail sighed and lifted her eyes away from Romi's latest non-helpful help. "No." Putting the phone down she stood up and closed the computer over before walking around the table to slump down beside Holly with a huff.

To Holly's amusement the blonde then proceeded to steal her coffee from her and claim it as her own as she swallowed a mouthful.

Gail hid her grin by finishing off the coffee then handed the empty mug back to the brunette.

Holly snorted as she peered into her coffeeless cup. "I did make you your own Gail."

Shrugging Gail got back up, placing a stealthy kiss on Holly's cheek, and scuttled back around the table as her phone beeped.

Narrowing her eyes Holly watched Gail working at her computer again with a sly grin on her face. With a determined look Holly reached over the table and wrestled Gail's coffee away from her as she spotted her hand's intent and tried to grab for the cup at the same time.

"Hey!"

Holly chuckled and leaned back in her seat, making a show of taking a long deep drink as Gail watched on with a frown.

"I made them, I guess it's only fair that I should be able to drink one of them as well."

Gail scoffed and typed on the keyboard as she grumbled to herself.

Pleased with her win Holly started looking around again. Only this time she spotted something that not only made her frown but made her blood run a little cold. "Gail?"

"Hm?" More typing.

"Gail?"

Gail sighed and paused in the middle of threatening bodily harm to Romi who was finding her predicament way too amusing for her liking.

"Yes Holly?"

Holly pointed up to the corner of the room where the entertainment centre was flush against that side of the room. "What is that?"

"That?" Gail stalled as she went back to furiously texting.

"Gail!"

Gail pouted and finally lifted her eyes toward Holly. The other woman was still pointing but Gail knew exactly what was there, had been trying to fix things before Holly noticed it but Romi just couldn't help himself and had to torture her instead of help her.

It wasn't like this was all her fault anyway.

Holly kept her gaze stern as she saw the puppy dog eyes and vowed not to let them affect her. Not when there was a blinking red light in the corner of the room that looked suspiciously like a security camera.

"Please tell me that thing has not been recording this whole time."

Gail winced at the accusation implied in Holly's tone. But instead of snapping back with something idiotic which would have probably made the doctor rush to get dressed and as far away from her as possible, she bit her lip and glared at her suddenly silent phone.

Holly didn't know what to think and Gail's silence wasn't helping. "I'll take that as a yes then, shall I?" Which meant it had to have been on last night. While she and Gail were getting very very naked.

"Oh my god!" Holly covered her mouth and got to her feet but she didn't exactly know what to do with this information. But it was a shock to the system, the idea that she had somehow been secretly filmed like that.

Gail watched helplessly from her seat on the floor as Holly started to pace back and forth. She swallowed hard and wondered how long it would be before Holly was gone. It made her chest tighten. Last night had been wonderful, more perfect than she could have any right to hope for given who she was now.

But everyone had their limits.

And finding out that their sexcapades in this room last night had been caught on camera might just be too much for Holly.

Not that Gail would blame her. It would be too much for most people.

Gail was suddenly furious with herself, she should have remembered the damn thing was there.

But she hadn't. She watched Holly for a moment longer and her shoulders slumped in defeat. She'd screwed up.

Scowling Gail picked up her phone and hit Romi's number. It rang out making Gail's temper soar. "Hey, dipshit, if you can pull yourself up off the floor anytime soon call me back with some fucking help!" She cancelled the call then threw her phone onto the table so hard it bounced off onto the floor and knocked against the couch.

Gail clenched her jaw and glanced back over to where Holly was still working a hole into the floor and mumbling to herself. She watched the brunette shake her head a few times and grab at her still damp hair with jerky movements of her hands.

Gail sucked in a breath and got to her feet. It was time for some damage control.

When Holly spun and walked one way Gail moved so that when Holly turned back around they came face to face.

Gail watched the storm clouds gathering in Holly's eyes as she stood there glaring at her and Gail knew she wasn't going to get much time to explain. "I forgot that it was there," It was the honest truth even though it made Holly snort and glance over at the device. "But I'm trying to delete the footage."

Holly folded her arms, a frown still lingering on her face. "What do you mean trying?"

Gail quickly gestured to her computer. "It's on file but when I delete it in the weekly folder it stays in the master copy for some reason." She offered a shrug then, she was trying her best.

Holly's frown deepened as the words played over and over again and the tiny blinking light in the corner of the room kept drawing her gaze now that she knew it was there.

Then a thought struck her making it hard to swallow as she shifted nervously in front of the blonde, her hands dropping down to her sides.

"Have you watched it?!" Holly's eyes widened as Gail blushed scarlet. "Oh my god!"

Gail cursed her complexion, it gave her away too often for her liking, especially in situations like this. Put a cop or bad guy in front of her and they'd never in a million years get this kind of reaction from her, but put someone she cared about, someone she had feelings for, then it was a whole new ball game.

She would have pouted if she wasn't so sure that it would just piss the doctor off more.

"It's not like I did it on purpose." She muttered to herself. And she was trying to delete the damn thing. It wasn't her fault Romi had handled everything to deal with the security system for her, he was the computer tech guy after all.

And how was she to know they wouldn't make it to the bedroom straight away last night.

Holly couldn't stop her mind conjuring up images of what they had both done last night, here in this room, there on that couch.

She wasn't a prude but the idea of being taped like that without her knowledge made her feel sick to her stomach. It was sleazy and left her feeling like her memory of her and Gail's love making was somehow tainted now.

"Have you done this before?" She asked with a hard look at the blonde.

Gail looked affronted by the accusation. "No. I haven't." She clipped out.

Holly watched as Gail's eyes hardened as her defences went up. She glanced away and brushed her hand nervously through her hair. If she didn't calm down and get control of her emotions, whatever she and the blonde might be would be over before it had a chance to go anywhere.

"Sorry, it's just…" Holly didn't even understand what she was so upset about. Gail had a security camera in her living area, and despite Holly's accusations to the contrary she highly doubted the blonde used the camera to tape unsuspecting dates, in fact, Holly's mind was now coming up with reason after reason as to why the blonde might not feel her apartment was safe.

Gail wasn't even able to relax completely in her own living space.

How screwed up was that for Holly to understand?

With a heavy sigh Holly went back over to the couch, picking up the fallen phone and placing it back near Gail's laptop before retaking her seat again.

Gail watched the older woman closely then followed her to the couch and tentatively sat down beside her, making sure to leave some space between them not wanting to push her luck.

Holly cleared her throat. "So no secret porn stash from that thing?" She asked with the touch of a smirk.

Gail glared at Holly for a long moment then broke out into a sheepish grin. "No."

Holly chuckled as another blush worked its way up from the blonde's neck. "Well as long as you're not starting one then I guess I'm sorry for reacting like that."

Gail pouted this time and gave the brunette a shrug of a shoulder. "If I can't get the damn thing off you might just be." She warned only to get a light smack to the shoulder for her trouble.

"Watch it."

Gail smiled then and she felt a lightness in her chest again when Holly smiled back at her. She guessed she hadn't completely screwed up. "Oh I did." Gail replied with a wiggle of her eyebrows.

Holly shook her head and just like that they both burst out laughing.

Gail watched Holly rest her head back on the couch and close her eyes as their laughter faded.

"I am sorry about it, I genuinely forgot the thing was there, it's motion censored and it's really just there to make Anan feel better."

Holly put her foot up onto the table as she nodded along with Gail's speech but it just made her giggle. They certainly were in motion last night.

"What?" Gail studied Holly wondering what the joke was.

Holly grinned at the blonde then reached out and pulled Gail over to her by the front of her top and into a kiss.

Gail grinned into the kiss before taking advantage and deepening the contact as her hand fell to a bare thigh.

Holly brought both hands up to hold Gail in place as a moan sounded in the room.

Gail shifted into the brunette, her hand trailing up the smooth skin and under the only thing that Holly was wearing.

"Stop it." Holly said pulling away and slapping gently at the wandering hand. She shook her head and pointed to the camera when Gail pouted at her. "Turn that thing off, then maybe, just maybe, you might get lucky."

Gail jumped up and leapt over the coffee in her hurry to get to the device.

Holly laughed as the blonde stumbled.

"I'm fine, I'm fine." Gail insisted before she started jumping and swatting at the little camera to try and knock it off its holding.

The sight of the blonde jumping up and down without getting anywhere near the camera was enough to make Holly fall over onto the couch as she continued to laugh at Gail's futile attempts.

After a final try Gail accepted defeat, turning to Holly with a frustrated huff.

Holly licked her lips and righted herself carefully. "Well I guess that's that."

Gail scowled and crossed her arms over her chest.

Then Gail's cell phone started to ring from its spot on the table.

Holly got up as Gail reached for the phone. "I'm going to put something else on if I'm being recorded for posterity."

Gail wanted to call Holly back but her phone kept ringing and she had to pick up because it was Romi's ringtone. And besides, Holly had disappeared into her bedroom now. Dammit. She was very tempted to follow after the doctor but first things first.

"You better be sorry you little shit." Gail said as she accepted the call.

Romi chuckled having expected nothing less from his friend. "Now, is that any way to talk to your saviour?"

"Piss off."

"Okay then."

"Wait!" Gail couldn't believe he was about to just hang up on her but then the dial tone sounded in her ear. Stunned she stared down at her phone in disbelief. "You fucking bastard."

As Gail glared at her phone trying to figure out if she should wait for Romi to call her back or if she should call him.

There was a knock at the door before Gail could make up her mind. She transferred her scowl from the phone in her hand to the door to her apartment. She wondered who would be knocking at her door as she made her way over and peered through the peep hole.

She quickly unlocked her door and pulled it open. "What the actual fuck Romi?"

Romi smiled and slipped into the apartment. "Now, now, be nice blondie and I'll fix your little problem for you."

Gail sighed and closed her door over again and locked it up. She then went over to where Romi was pulling her laptop over to have a look and cuffed him over the back of head.

"Ow!" Romi flinched and gave Gail a warning look. "This is the thanks I get?" He shook his head and set about checking out what kind of mess Gail had made of his simple instructions.

Holly, having heard the door closing, emerged from the bedroom only to pause at the sight of Romi sat on the couch with Gail's laptop in his possession. "Oh."

Gail glanced over at Holly then pointed a finger at her friend. "Just delete the whole thing and get out."

Romi grinned as he easily found the problem and started typing away.

"Hi Doc." He greeted the other woman, and the source of his friends current melt down. He chuckled at the wide eyed look her got in return.

Gail glared at her friend and clipped him around the head again. "Stop it." She warned him. She wasn't going to have him teasing Holly about the camera or worse, ask questions about why Gail was so desperate to have last nights file deleted.

Not when he'd already got most of that information out of Gail already.

Romi put his hands up and turned his attention back to the computer.

Satisfied she'd prevented upsetting Holly further Gail nodded to herself as Romi continued working. She then went over to where Holly seemed frozen in place and grabbed her hand before leading her back into the bedroom.

"Get back to class when you're done Romi." Gail threw over her shoulder just as she closed her bedroom door and left him alone to sort things out.

Romi spared a moment to glance at the closed door then shook his head and got down to fixing the mess Gail had made of his program.

He grinned to himself as he sent Gail a copy of the file just in case she might want to look back on it one day.

You never knew, they might find it as funny as he did one day.

xxxxx

AN/

Hi guys!

I'm going to be extremely busy over the next few months so updates are going to be slow but I'll post what I can when I can.

Thanks for reading!