03.11 - A Little Faith

Part two! Vivian and Jamie are still up at the cabin. Gail and Holly are on their way.

This is a bonus chapter. When I wrote it out, I didn't expect the previous chapter to be 60 pages. Once I hit that, I split it into two and slowed it down a little to give you more.


"Gail, I claim the bathroom first."

"I told you not to drink that third iced tea," teased Gail as she parked the car.

"Bite me." Holly reached around and grabbed her purse. "Get the groceries. I've got the fresh food and I'll come back and get the suitcases."

Leaning across the console, Gail kissed Holly's cheek. "I wonder what the kids are up to."

"Sleeping and sex, if she's anything like us," said Holly, blithely. "They're here though."

"That truck is a giveaway. And gay as fuck."

Gail got out of the car, taking the groceries with her. The front door was unlocked, not abnormal in the slightest since there was also that truck with Toronto plates parked outside, and Gail went right in.

She probably shouldn't have been surprised to see two women on the back porch. She could just make out, from the odd angle, that there was some serious time being made. Vivian's shirt was already off. The sounds were a dead giveaway too. Smirking, Gail put the groceries down and went to the door just in time to catch Holly, muttering a curse about their car.

"Baby, head right on up the bedroom, please," she told her wife with a smirk, taking the fresh food from her hands. Holly was puzzled but obliged. As Gail followed her up, she called down, "Viv, we're here."

There was a muffled curse from Jamie and then Vivian's voice called back. "Hi, Moms."

Holly was just headed into the bathroom as Gail closed the door. "Do I want to know?"

"They were screwing around on the deck is all," said Gail with a laugh. "I wish I'd taken a photo."

"You are terrible."

By the time they peed and went back downstairs, a beet red Jamie was sitting in a kitchen stool while Vivian put away groceries. With her shirt on. The luggage was at the foot of the stairs, waiting. "Hello, um..." Jamie trailed off.

"Gail and Holly," noted Gail. While Jamie was normally good about calling them by their names, apparently having Gail catch them on the outside couch was bothering the firefighter. "You look a fuck ton better, Jamie."

"She's actually sleeping," said Vivian, pulling a beer out. "Burgers tonight?"

"Something simple." Gail ruffled Vivian's hair and got out two more beers. "We have sandwiches from the good place. You allowed to drink, Hose Monkey?"

"Um, no. Not ... Well I'm on painkillers still."

Holly clucked her tongue and waved a hand, passing over a beer. "One beer, and we'll supervise you. The odds of you having a fatal reaction are non-existent."

"Thank you," said Vivian, gratified. Clearly that had been an argument.

Taking the beer from Holly, Jamie looked incredibly awkward. "I am a doctor," said Holly, in her most matter-of-fact tone.

"A dead people doctor," Gail pointed out. "Though she did stitch up Steve once."

The doctor rolled her eyes. "You do look better, Jamie. How's your shoulder?"

"Still hurts. Hence the painkillers." Jamie looked at her left shoulder and sighed. "I'm really glad this wasn't my right."

Gail was struck by a memory and snickered. "Oh my god, Holly, how whiny was I?"

It took her wife a moment to catch on but Holly giggled. "You were more frustrated." Leaning in, Holly kissed her softly. "Gail burnt her wrist on ... what was it?"

"Drain cleaner. And, high as a kite, I asked Holly to pick me up."

As Jamie nodded, clearly thinking that made sense to anyone who wasn't her, Vivian asked the more appropriate question. "Wait, is this the weed house story?" When Gail nodded, she turned to her girlfriend. "They weren't dating yet. Actually, Gail wasn't out yet and ... That was after their first kiss."

"What?" Jamie paused, beer half way to her mouth. "You kissed when Gail was still straight?"

Holly flushed. "I'd blame the champagne, but I'd been thinking about it for weeks."

So had Gail, to a much more confusing degree. "It was a strange time." She wrapped an arm around Holly's waist and tugged her close. "Worked out in the end."

"It did." Holly smiled softly and brushed Gail's cowlick back. "Jamie, you are doing the exercises, right?"

Surprised, probably by the sudden change of topic, Jamie looked at Vivian. "She is, Mom. Every day. I made her put the sling on so she actually rests it."

"Oh, you're one of those patients." Holly sighed loudly. "She's just like Gail."

"So I've noticed." But Vivian looked a little fondly at Jamie. "And Mom, Gail, was never straight."

Jamie snorted. "She assumed she was. Same thing."

"Thank you," said Holly, quite pleased.

"Stop looking so thrilled, Mom. You just argued you kissed a straight chick."

Gail rolled her eyes and watched Jamie scratch at her neck. "Junior, were you necking with her arm in that thing?" At Vivian's guilty look, she sighed. "Jamie, go get that off for a bit."

Relieved, Jamie ducked back into Vivian's room. As soon as the door closed, Holly asked, "Is she really doing okay? She looks better."

"She's sleeping more."

"And sex?" Gail canted her head.

"A bit, but we're taking it slow." Vivian glanced over at her bedroom door, reaching for the bag of fresh chips. "She still has some massive bruises."

"Sensible," said Holly.

But Gail frowned. As Vivian had extended her arm, her shirt sleeve rode up a little and something peeked out. A blue and white tail. "Vivian, what's on your arm?"

Her daughter froze. "Oh."

"Show me." She pitched her voice like she had when Vivian was fourteen and first tried to clean a pistol for Gail using electrolysis, and Gail had no patience for a story.

"Jesus... I'm not fourteen, Mom." But Vivian pushed her sleeve up and displayed a tattoo. A white and blue seashell thing that Gail abruptly recognized as from Orphan Black. It was a larger version of Cosima's seashell/golden ratio.

Holly put her beer down. "Hey! That's better than mine are. Beautifully done."

"You're not helping," muttered Gail. "Seriously, Viv? A tattoo?"

Her daughter shrugged. "I know, you're against 'em."

Gail sighed. "Is that some drunken breakup idiocy?"

"Except for the breakup, yes." Vivian tugged her sleeve down. "I got the outline with Lara and Jenny."

Ignoring Gail's mood, Holly bounced around the kitchen to pull the sleeve back up. "It's at least two trips. Nice colour work. Clean lines... Did you get before and after photos?"

Vivian nodded. "Yeah. The black and grey was okay, but..."

"Hey, Hose Monkey, did you know?" Gail shouted at the girls' room.

"What?" Jamie poked her head out.

"Tattoo. Did you know the spawn of Satan had a tattoo?"

While Vivian muttered that Gail had argued she herself was Satan, Jamie came back out in a different shirt and quickly assessed the situation. "Uh... I feel like I should hide back in there. Yikes."

"Coward," said Vivian. "Mom, she sees me naked."

Looking between Gail and Holly, Jamie added. "I like it."

Knowing she was outnumbered, Gail shook her head. "I'm not disappointed. Just ... Not expected."

Holly tsked and gestured. "Gail. It's beautiful and it's her arm. Now. Stop teasing the kids and let's talk about something serious."

Vivian grinned. "Dinner?"

Gail rolled her eyes. "Dinner."

True to her word, Gail let the tattoo go. Holly liked it, Jamie liked it, so she was simply outnumbered. And if anyone twisted her arm, Gail would have to admit she liked it too. She was just a little jealous. Gail's rebellions to her family had been small and minor. Also this wasn't a rebellion. This was just Vivian moving on with her life. Being who she was.

The next morning dawned and Gail was not surprised to find herself alone in bed. Two voices drifted upstairs. Vivian and Holly were finally talking privately. Good. She yawned and snuggled back in her bed. The cool breeze from the ceiling fan made it perfectly comfortable. And far be it from her to interrupt their time together. Holly certainly was more capable of handling relationship advice than Gail ever was.

Different moms, different roles.

As Gail slid back into a doze, the front door opened and closed. Ah. They were going running. Gail sighed and got up. If they were running, then Vivian would drag Holly around the lake, which meant they'd both be starving. A quick shower later, Gail was downstairs making coffee and sorting out breakfast. Sweet for her. Hearty for the kid. Healthy for the wife.

She wondered what the firefighter ate, and was delighted when a sleepy eyed and bushy haired Jamie emerged from the bedroom, carrying her arm sling. "Oh good. What do you eat for breakfast, Jamie?"

Surprised at being directly addressed, Jamie gestured. "Coffee."

"Oh man, you are me." Gail smirked and poured the girl a cup. "Our athletic halves are out running and probably having mommy/daughter time."

Jamie sucked down the coffee, black. "I'd have thought she'd talk to you."

"Not about this. She's probably freaking out a little that you were hurt." When Jamie looked surprised, Gail waggled a finger at her. "Honestly. She likes you. She's not used to thinking about you getting hurt. Holly's the best one of us for that. I'm pretty useless when they get hurt."

"Oh." Jamie frowned. "That's... It's what I do."

"I know. And intellectually so does my monkey child. Holly'll remind her." Gail took out sausages, onions, peppers, and potatoes. "Do you eat eggs?"

"Uh. Yes."

"Two for eggs then." Gail started her prep.

After a moment, Jamie cleared her throat. "Can I help?"

Gail shook her had. "Not necessary. Unless you're brimming with energy and helpfulness. If it's just because you think you have to, please sit your ass down."

Jamie stayed still. "What... Um. What advice are you good for?"

"Me? Oh. Sex and work and sometimes relationship stuff. Dealing with angst and nightmares mostly." Gail paused and glanced at the confused young woman. "I was kidnapped once, on the job. Drugged for 24 hours and shoved in a trunk of a cab. Leaves ya kinda edgy."

The looks that crossed Jamie's face were expressive. Surprise, shock, sadness. "Oh. Wow." Jamie scratched the side of her head with her bad arm and winced a little. As the silence hung heavily, Jamie searched for another topic. "Sex? Seriously? I thought she was kidding..."

Gail laughed. "No. We're pretty open about that. I've talked sex with all her friends. And yes, Olivia and Matty and Christian. Good god, Denise is an idiot."

"Denise? Christian's mom?"

"The very one... His father... Well." Gail frowned. "Chris was more than just a classmate and an ex. He was a very good friend. He died when the kids were seven. But he wasn't Christian's dad, and C's dad is a criminal. Literally." Jamie made a very appreciated confused face. "His biological father's in jail, and I slapped him with a restraining order when Christian was ten, so they don't talk much. Chris left me and Dov and Ollie in charge of C, so we do what we can. It wasn't much, since his mom had custody, but... He's a good kid."

Jamie played with her mug for a moment. "Ollie. Oliver? I like him. He's ... Good. He's nice."

"That is, indeed, Oliver. The only man Viv really likes. Except maybe Brian on a good day."

"Not your brother?"

Gail laughed. "Steven? No, we tolerate him. And I don't think she sees Christian as a man. He's her idiot friend who knocked out a tooth on the tire swing out there."

The conversation stilled as Jamie seemed to take that all in. "My dad thinks she's ... He said she was off."

"Viv? She is." Gail considered her egg options and decided for a quick omelet for Jamie.

"She doesn't like John Hughes movies." Jamie sounded morose.

"She kind of likes Ferris. Kind of. And ... Uh. No, that's it." Gail shook her head. "I think we showed her Breakfast Club too soon, but it's not her thing."

This did not seem to surprise Jamie in the slightest. "She has a big heart. Seeing people make stupid mistakes like they do in those movies annoys her."

"The kids or the parents?"

"Both. I think all that crap with her birth family hit her so hard because she got used to you two not being ... Stupid."

Gail snorted a laugh. "She knows we're stupid, Jamie. She's seen enough of it." Gail poured the omelet into the pan carefully. "Thanks for sticking by her while she worked out her stupid, though. I know she likes you." When Jamie didn't reply, Gail glanced over and saw her blushing.

Good. It was mutual.


Holly peeked over at her daughter sprawled out on the grass in the sun beside her girlfriend. The two were relaxing further down the slope than Holly favored, more in the sun but without the nearby protection. Of course, Vivian wasn't dating a vampire who burned when the sun so much as peeked at her, so she and her similarly melanin blessed girlfriend could soak up the rays with a little more impunity.

But besides just lounging, the physical nearness of Vivian to anyone was interesting to note. She just didn't cuddle or touch people a lot. It had taken months to hug them, and even then a physical closeness of cuddling never happened. No. Rarely happened. Many a time, around seven years old, Vivian would fall asleep with her head on Gail's leg. Never Holly, though.

Even that great photo of the three of them, sacked out in bed, had Vivian a little apart from her mothers, reaching out with her hand to barely touch Holly's.

Here in the sun, Vivian and Jamie's hands were touching. Not really holding hands, but their pinkies and ring fingers were kind of laced together. Holly wanted to take a photo, just for proof that it did happen. But instead she hunkered behind her novel (one in a series of terrible, terrible romances that she and Elaine regularly left up there for each other) and smiled.

"Spy," said her wife, dropping onto the blanket beside her.

"They're cute," Holly said softly. "I can't believe Vivian slept at the hospital that whole time."

Gail sighed and handed over a beer. "Me neither." They watched Vivian point out something on the lake and Jamie laughed. "Shit," muttered Gail. "I'm sitting here thinking they're adorable and wondering when I'm going to get grandkids." She covered her face with one hand.

There was nothing Holly could do but laugh at her wife.

She wiped her face and leaned over to kiss Gail. "You are insane, and I love you."

"Thank god," said Gail, smiling as she kissed Holly back. "Is she okay?"

There was no need to ask which she Gail meant. Was Vivian okay, having witnessed her girlfriend in a quite horrific accident? No. She wasn't. Vivian was not at all okay. She was terrified on many levels, had a good cry on Holly's shoulder at the halfway point in their morning run, and was going to be okay. But. It was complicated. It was messy. It was life.

"No. Not at all. But she will be."

"Good. Good." And Gail seemed to trust the answer. Then she looked out at the water. "Uh… what are the kids doing?"

Holly hmm'd and looked over to see Vivian shimmying out of her shorts and running down the dock in her tank top and underwear. No. Swim shorts. "Swimming I think."

And as Holly thought, Vivian hit the end and launched herself into a rather perfect dive. Coming up for air quite a ways out, Vivian shouted, "Come on, McGann!"

"Usually people use swimsuits," noted Gail.

"Says the nudist." Holly grinned. "It's safe, Jamie, no sharks!"

Flustered, the firefighter took her time getting her arm immobilizer off. "But … you can't see the bottom!"

"It's there, shorty." Vivian ducked under again and, with exceptionally efficient strokes, brought herself back to the dock. "I won't let you drown."

Gail laughed. "I think Jamie's never been swimming outside of a pool," she told Holly softly.

Neither had Traci when she'd come up to the cottage for the first time, as Holly recalled. "Not everyone has a summer home, Gail." Holly put her book down and checked her pockets. Empty.

"True. Where are you going?"

"Swimming. Hold my glasses please." She kissed Gail's nose and followed Vivian's example. Mostly. She'd worn her swimsuit under her clothes, knowing she'd want a dip later. When she hit the end of the pier, Holly jumped, pulled her knees in tight and went for the cannonball. She knew it would make Gail laugh.

Between the three of them, they convinced Jamie to come out in the water and swim. The firefighter was, indeed, a little skeptical of the open water. It was novel to her. But Vivian's constant assurances had Jamie into the deeper water after a while, laughing along with them.

After they came out, they let Gail feed them and went back into the sun. Well. The shade. Even Jamie called it too hot, and camped out by Holly's favorite tree with a cold drink. Gail went inside to shower (and promptly fell asleep on the couch). Vivian, though... She pulled out her rock climbing shoes and went out to where the jetty hung over the water, leaving Jamie and Holly to enjoy the shade alone.

"She is actually insane," said Jamie. "You get how you raised a crazy woman. Right?"

"She's just free soloing over water. She's done that a million times." Holly smiled.

The first time she'd seen Vivian out on the rocks, Holly had nearly screamed. It was only the common sense that terrifying a barefoot nine year old who was dangling from a rock was a stupid idea that kept her quiet. Swallowing the terror, she'd watched until Vivian safely clambered to the other side and was standing by the dive point, before she called out to remind the girl she wasn't allowed to dive without supervision.

A long conversation ensued after, explaining how rock climbing like that was dangerous and not to be done without proper training and an adult. Naturally that lead to climbing lessons for Vivian and Holly. Gail flat out refused.

"She's insane. She is scrabbling on rocks, fifteen feet over water. And she thinks it's fun."

Holly grinned. "I can actually do that climb, it's not hard." Jamie looked skeptical. "Oh what? You think Gail went to rock climbing classes with her?"

"No," said Jamie, and she laughed. "But I don't think you could do that route."

"Well. No." While she blushed, Holly didn't want to admit that by thirteen, Vivian had mastered the easiest routes and started inventing her own. "Its like Gail and cooking, though. It calms her down. Shuts up the voices in her head."

Jamie looked thoughtful. "The ones that tell her she's doomed like her idiot blood family? Hell, if that works, I should try it."

"I prefer running, personally. Or the batting cages. But to each their own avoidance."

"See, I just run into burning buildings."

"How's that working out for ya?"

Jamie shrugged. "Usually pretty good, but I feel like I should have a hobby. Besides books."

Holly tilted her head and smiled at Jamie. "No rush."

"Nope... Good god, her hands are strong." And as soon as she said it, Jamie turned red.

It was hard not to laugh. "Mostly her fingers," said Holly, and Jamie turned more red. Okay, enough teasing. "What do you like? I know you read everything."

"Um. I used to play guitar, but I'm hopeless. I'm not patient enough. I love books and movies and that kind of stuff." She sighed. "I'm kind of digging the out of doors stuff here. I just wish I wasn't so tired."

"Come back in the autumn. It's amazing here. Red and gold leaves, the rain... That weirdo I call a daughter goes camping in it."

Jamie looked wistful. "Is it fun? Camping? I've never been."

"I made Gail go. Once. She hates it." Holly grinned. "She likes looking at the stars though."

"Yeah, but she can do that here." Jamie looked up. "We looked at the stars the first night I was here. It's ... Wow. You know? I've lived in cities my whole life." She scratched her bad shoulder. "It was the first time I saw them, with my own eyes. The sky was filled with light. These little pinpoints, pinpricks, but they were from stars that are millions of light years away. Some of them are already dead. And I just was thinking of all the possible planets and people out there."

It reminded Holly of how Lily used to talk. When she was a child, she'd sit in her mother's lap as Brian pointed out the stars and named them. Lily would whisper the myths and legends behind them. The Greeks and Romans, yes, but the Chinese and Japanese and everything else.

Holly had done the same for Vivian, though not with as young a girl in her lap. While Gail made them smores, Vivian had hugged her knees and absorbed the stories. As Vivian got older and now brought Jamie up, Holly dared to dream of the idea that she could hold her own grandchildren and tell them the same things.

But in Jamie she saw something else as well.

"Have you thought about writing?"

Jamie startled. "Me? I'm the cheap college girl, Holly."

"Hm. I'll have to tell you why this whole family over reacts to the term 'blue collar' one day... But." Holly sighed. "Jamie. Writing is one of those things you can study whenever. If you want to. But you were talking about a hobby, and you can write on that tablet of yours anywhere."

"I guess... What would I write about?"

"The stars. Your first time in the country." Holly looked over her shoulder and spotted Gail still sleeping on the couch inside. "Cooking out. Sleeping where's it's quiet." Then she looked over the water. Vivian was dangling by one hand over the outcropping. It was a stunt she normally did. "Your idiot girlfriend and her insane hobbies."

Following Holly's gaze, Jamie swore. "Are you fucking kidding me? She could hurt herself."

"She won't. As nutty as this sounds, she's really good at that." Holly smiled. "First time she scared the shit out of me. She was nine."

Jamie laughed. "God, I thought she'd always been a miniature adult."

"Oh she's that too. Imagine a mini adult who doesn't quite understand the rules. Most dangerous kid ever." But Holly could only look fondly on as Vivian did something called a heel hook and got herself around.

"She doesn't get being the kid. She thinks... She thinks she's supposed to take care of you guys too."

Oh that. Holly exhaled and thought about that. Ages and ages ago, when she'd been sick and possibly had a hemorrhagic fever, Elaine had explained to Lily the reasons Gail and Holly did what they did. Since the shit bird Gail had eavesdropped, she'd later recited it to Holly.

It was one of those rare things that Holly remembered. "There's a thing. A drive to give yourself to something greater. Its not always about wanting power or control, sometimes it's just knowing you can do a thing and excelling at it because the world needs people like you."

And Jamie looked relieved. "Yeah."

"She gets that from me and Gail, Jamie. I'm afraid that's just how she is. Viv needed something to hold on to, to guide her, and she picked the duty of being greater than herself."

They couldn't be mad at her for that.


Comfortable in her padded window seat, Vivian flipped the page of the well worn novel. She'd read it a hundred times, almost every time she was up at the cottage, and she couldn't say why but it was soothing. That night, after dinner, Holly and Gail had gone to watch the stars on the dock while Jamie had claimed exhaustion. Vivian left her alone for a while, cleaning up the kitchen and living room.

When she got to their room, Jamie was in the window seat reading on her tablet, using a pillow to prop it up. So they very easily settled like that, comfortable in each other's space without being all up in it. Either Jamie was honest about not minding that Vivian didn't cuddle, or she had accepted that aspect of their relationship. Hard to tell, and Vivian decided honesty was more likely.

There was a familiar noise from outside and Vivian rolled her eyes.

"What was that?" Jamie sat up a little and tried to look out the window.

"Holly. Don't look unless you want to see Gail with her hand up Holly's shirt."

Her girlfriend froze. "That was disturbingly specific."

Vivian didn't put her book down. "Gail's voice is higher when they're like that. Just give it a minute. You'll hear."

Jamie didn't say anything and, after a short while, a very similar noise was heard. "Oh my god. On the lounger?"

"Probably the deck couch." Vivian reached up and behind her to slide the window more open more. "Moms! Get a room!"

Laughter, amused and embarrassed, followed her shout. "Close your window!"

"Shut up, Gail!"

"Shut up, Vivian!"

"Oh my god, Gail, come on." Holly grumbled and, a moment later, the sliding deck door opened. "Night girls."

"Night, Moms." Vivian shook her head and closed the window a little.

Jamie covered her mouth with her hand. "You are all so, so weird," she said, nearly crying with laughter.

"Thank you." Vivian flipped the page and continued reading.

"Are you planning on showering?"

Vivian blinked. "Yes? It's only eight. I can read in the living room if it bugs you..."

Jamie shook her head. "No. I'm not that tired." Looking up over her book, Vivian tried to process that remark. "Can I ... Um. I have a weird thing."

"My god," Vivian said in her best dead pan. "You are a serial killer."

Smothering a laugh, Jamie shook her head. "No. It's about the case."

Oh. Vivian put her book down. "Safary?"

Her girlfriend bobbed her head. "See. You're here. And so is Gail. But I know you're working on the case and we kinda accidentally burst it open. Literally."

"Ah." Vivian closed her book, not bothering to mark her place. "So thanks to the fire, we still have the lab going over everything looking for more evidence. And Gail's minions are following the people, trying to get information out of the junkies and gang members, to see if anyone's seen her. Maybe she has a crew, maybe not. Check traffic cams to see if anything points back to deliveries for equipment. That kind of work. Elaine'd say its the reason they invented uniformed officers."

Jamie looked surprised. "Gail delegates. And you don't have to work because..."

"Because ..." Vivian paused. Did Jamie not know? Well, Vivian hadn't said, but Gail had informed her not to tell anything until a couple days ago. "Oh. Huh. So the robot that led you out?"

"Oh god, who was that? I owe them my life."

"You're welcome," said Vivian simply. It was a plain opening, after all.

And Jamie had not known. "You piloted it?"

Vivian nodded. "Anyway, Jules got reamed out because you're my girlfriend so I'm off the active work right now and waiting for more information from evidence, which I bet will be done when we get back."

Jamie squinted at her. "You look smug. That had to be terrifying."

"What?" Vivian frowned. "Watching my sergeant get yelled at by the lieutenant? That was great fun. Oh and yes, I totally had a crush on Sue when I was twelve."

"Hello, have you seen Sue?" Jamie laughed. "No, I mean watching me fall. Cause it was scary as fuck to fall."

Oh that. Vivian sighed. The truth was that it had all happened so fast she'd not really processed it, and had been useless at her therapy session. Even now, Vivian wasn't really sure how she felt about the whole situation. That was why she'd wanted to talk to Holly. How had her mother dealt with the reality of Gail's injuries?

And Holly had admitted that when Gail had busted her ribs and the car had blown up, an event that preceded Vivian's presence in their life, Holly had sobbed in the shower days later. But the day of? All she could remember was the DAD mug shattering and Steve breaking a door, and the wash of weak kneed relief when she heard Gail swearing at Sue.

That was sort of how Vivian had felt. She remembered watching, on the rear camera, the stairs dropping. The jolt of Rover dropping the last few steps threw the view off. When Vivian refocused, she saw the reflective fabric and then the stairs and then the crash and her world dropped. Because in that instant, Vivian could no longer pretend she was just doing her job.

Vivian exhaled. "Yeah. Yeah. It scared the shit out of me, Jamie." She had to look at the window. The wall. Anything else. "I don't... I don't know how to explain it. I was scared, but that part of my head just put it aside. Because it can't process it. So... Yeah, I was scared, but ... I don't know what to say about it. It just was a terrifying thing."

The room went quiet. Jamie said nothing.

Was that it? Was this the same thing, the not sleeping and the dreams and the not talking about her birth parents? Was this her wall with Jamie?

And then the other woman took her hand. "Yeah, probably not, huh." Jamie sighed. "Okay, I know you're not a cuddle person, but can I maybe, for like a minute..."

The thing was, Vivian did hug people. She hugged her moms, Steve, Oliver, her grandparents. She hugged Jamie. But this moment wasn't about a hug. It was something else. "Yeah, come here." And Vivian tugged her girlfriend over, wrapping her arms around the still bruised and battered firefighter.

With a sigh of relief and that weird sort of sad, nearly crying, feeling, Jamie leaned into Vivian's chest. Her head fit perfectly there against Vivian, tucked under Viv's chin. It was a position Vivian had caught Gail and Holly in more than once. And just then, just in that moment of time, it felt right.


The bedroom door opened and a sleepy Jamie yawned her way out. "Morning, Gail."

"Still not running, huh?" Gail grinned and poured the young woman a cup of coffee.

"No, not yet. We went for a walk yesterday around the ... Um. Peninsula? The jutty outy bit Vivian went climbing from?"

"Jetty. From jetée, French for thrown."

Jamie made a face. "Are you going to babble about etymology?"

"Not before more coffee." Gail sipped her own. "How'd the walk go?"

Downing half of her coffee, Jamie shrugged. "It went okay. I ran out of steam fast."

Gail nodded. "When I broke my ribs, it was a long time before I was back up to speed. God, no sex for a month and a half. Longest six weeks of my life."

The younger woman looked torn between being horrified and amused. "Thank god —" She cut herself off and turned red.

"Oh please, I know you two are having sex, Jamie. And I know you're having it here. Caught you on the couch, after all. Anyway. No sex means your girlfriend hovers, if she's anything like her mother." Gail smiled and put a fresh biscuit on a plate. "Eat. The exercise twins will be back soon."

Jamie nodded, still embarrassed. "But ... Holly doesn't go every day. Running."

"Hm. No. Somehow I failed as a parent and raised a jock." Gail shrugged. "You run, though. Right?"

"Oh. Yeah. Not marathons though."

"Hah. Holly does. Did. She finally admitted her back isn't what it was. All those years hunched over dead people."

Jamie looked out at the front porch and gnawed her lower lip. "I … So I told Holly something."

Gail arched her eyebrows. "Oh?"

Jamie nodded a little. "I … So I don't think Vivian gets the whole kid thing. I mean, that she's the kid and you're the parents."

That was something Holly had mentioned. Interesting that Jamie had seen it too. "It's a bit of a lost cause at this point, but yes."

"Well… She's kind of like that with me too right now." And Jamie turned a shade of red that was a little impressive, given her skin color.

Gail blinked. What? She frowned and struggled to parse the sentence, the context, and the situation. Vivian was forgetting she was a kid again. Yesterday Jamie had lamented about John Hughes movies. They'd talked about Vivian's issues with men. And how Gail was the go-to for sex advice.

Then it clicked.

"Oh, really? Jesus, that moron." Gail rolled her eyes. "Do you want 'how to deal with my idiot child' advice, or is this a request for me to please go smack my kid in the head?"

Mutely, Jamie waved a hand for a bit. "Uh, first. Please." Then she put her head on the kitchen island. "Oh my god, I can't believe I'm having this conversation."

"Hey, look. Sex is one of the coolest things humans can do. It's fun. It makes you feel good. It makes you happy. And if you're enjoying it with Vivian, awesome. I'm all for it. As long as it's safe and everyone's on the same page, sex is great." Jamie mumbled a groan and Gail frowned. "It's sex, Jamie. You have it. You ought to be able to talk about it."

The girl peeked up. "With my girlfriend's mother?"

"Why not?"

With her face crimson, Jamie complained. "Because I'm bitching to my girlfriend's mom that she's not letting me ... y'know, do stuff to her because she's all overprotective and it's annoying and I want to."

Gail grinned. "There you go. Was that so hard?"

"Yes!" Jamie looked a little close to tears.

Taking pity, Gail refilled her coffee. "Okay. So this is easier said than done with most people, but don't let her take charge. Be… aggressive."

Jaime looked surprised. "That's your advice? Jump my girlfriend?"

"No." Gail grinned. "Be a top. Or power bottom. Whatever. But you be in control."

As Jamie digested that, the front door opened and a mud splattered Holly came in. "Please tell me you made actual food with protein."

"Carbs, Mom." Vivian, muddy legs and all, was pulling her shoes off. "It's going to rain tonight."

Gail frowned and looked out at the lake. "You sure?"

"Oh yeah. Grey clouds over the mountain." Vivian grinned and bounced in, kissing Jamie's cheek. "Morning."

With a sigh, Gail slide an omelet with hash browns onto a plate and handed it out to Vivian. "I remember when she used to kiss me good morning."

"Not at all the same. Thanks, Mom." Vivian had a forkful into her mouth as she spoke. "So good. She hates eggs."

"Don't talk with your mouth full," said Holly, chastising. She touched Gail's face and, as Gail turned to look, drew her in for a kiss. "Oatmeal and fruit?"

Gail sighed, not even caring that Holly was stinky and smelly and muddy. For a moment, it was that wonderful reminder that her wife was there. "Oatmeal and fruit," she replied. "Go shower."

"Food first," said Holly, taking her bowl and digging in with the same passion as her daughter. "Oh god." She was practically rhapsodic.

"Still answer to Gail."

All three of the other women in the room rolled their eyes.


The girls went into town to check out the farmer's market, leaving Holly and Gail alone on the front porch. Less than ten minutes later, Gail took Holly's hand and tugged her inside and up to their bedroom.

Holly grinned. "One of these days you're going to let me try the boat again."

Gail rolled her eyes. "We already flipped the canoe once." She bumped the door open with her hip.

"Can we not talk about that?" Holly let go of Gail's hand to reach back, winding her hair around itself in a bun of sorts.

Laughing, Gail fell back onto the bed, propping herself up with her elbows. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Nothing." Holly braced one knee between Gail's and leaned forward until she had to catch herself with her hands. "Nothing at all." She leaned in and kissed Gail softly. It was returned tenderly.

"Come up on here," said Gail quietly, scooting back and kicking off her nearly destroyed dock shoes.

"Always." Holly let her sandals fall off her feet and crawled up the bed.

There was no conversation. They lay on the bed, Holly nearly covering Gail with her own body, kissing slowly and warmly. After all, they had all the time in the world. All the time to travel paths they knew well, ones Gail had memorized probably, and ones Holly didn't mind traversing time and again.

For a brief time, she felt the weight of her mother's death to lessen. The tension and fears of her daughter's girlfriend's injuries faded away. The danger that Gail, Vivian, and even Jamie ran into, regularly, evaporated. Here and now there was Gail and there was Holly and that was all there needed to be.

As it often did, time with Gail transcended reality. Gail was a force of nature that had crashed into Holly's life, untamable and wild. She was larger than life had a right to be, powerful, filled with grandeur and beauty. Gail was a storm, unbroken, that destroyed preconceived notions and shattered expectations. And Gail was someone who should always be raised above, honored with grandeur and worshiped.

Gail deserved a moment of sublimity.

When Holly heard Gail's heart race, felt the grip of Gail's hands on her back and arms and head, heard the quickened breath, felt the tension build and build, and then fly apart... It was then that Holly felt like a conductor of the finest music since the formation of the earth. She was in awe again and again, timelessly, forever, of the woman who captured her heart and soul. She could stay like this forever, savoring everything that they were.

Yet, as often was the case, Gail rose to the unspoken challenge. The return of favors. The slow touches that knew what she liked and where. The firm grasp and not so gentle movements that drove Holly to the edge of everything.

Holly felt her own sublimity in a less grandiose sense. She felt, as she reached the wonderful peak of pleasure, as if she had changed directly from human to vapor. That the heat Gail brought out in her altered her very matter and state... And then she was, again, human.

In the time that Holly caught her breath, Gail held her close, saying small words under her breath. Nothing deep. Just words like 'I love you' and 'you are so beautiful.' Words that made Holly laugh a little and nestle her head on Gail's shoulder.

"Why are you laughing now, nerd," asked Gail, kissing Holly's forehead.

"Because I'm happy." Holly put her hand on Gail's collarbone and looked at the color difference. "Thank you."

"Any time." Gail covered the hand with her own.

"For everything." Holly rubbed her cheek on Gail's skin.

"Ah." And Gail exhaled gently. "I miss her too."

Holly squeezed Gail tightly for a moment. "When did it stop hurting?"

"Hasn't yet," said Gail softly. "And I hated him."

"At least it was quick."

Gail made a soft noise. "Relatively painless."

Theoretically at least. But yes. It was probably quite painless. Holly sighed. She could hope for that for both of them, but at the same time it felt morbid today. Even for them. "Maybe I can convince Vivian to name her daughter Lily."

Her wife laughed loudly then. "Stop counting your diapers before they hatch, nerd."

Holly grinned and propped herself up to kiss Gail's nose. "Grandma Gail. You'll have to stop dying your hair when that comes around."

"Never!"

"One day everyone's going to find out you're a ginger, Ms. Peck."

"That's Inspector Peck," replied Gail, primly.

"Mrs. Inspector Peck." Holly shook her head and let her hair cascade down over them like a curtain. "My very lovely Mrs."

"I am, you know." Gail smiled and tugged Holly by her hips so that she was on top of the blonde. "Yours."

They were well into what naturally followed a remark like that when Gail paused and snorted a laugh that Holly only felt. A moment later, when Holly could hear something besides the pounding of her own blood, she recognized the cause of Gail's laugh.

"That's your daughter you know," Holly said, giddily laughing.

"Mm. I'd noticed." Gail kissed her neck. "Play time is, alas, over. You sure you want grandbabies? We'd be on the hook for taking them up here on long weekends. Not as many sex only trips."

Holly smiled and stretched, sitting up. "Yes. I'd like to see little diapered or not Pecks running around. Even if they never have your skin and eyes, or mine for that matter." She looked down at Gail. "Birth, adoption, kidnapping. However she does it, I think she will and I will love whomever she brings to us, however she does it. Because she is like you. Her heart is too big."

Quietly, Gail blinked up at her. "And you said I'm the glib tongued."

"Oh I think I proved my tongue's talents just fine, thank you."

Gail laughed and shoved Holly's leg before rolling out of the bed. "Come on, Dr. Stewart, sex goddess. Shower and I'll make lunch with whatever the monkeys brought home."

"Oh fine." Holly grinned and watched Gail walk into the bathroom. The shower was too small for both of them (not that they'd not tried once or twice before) so Holly settled for stripping the bed.

She swapped with Gail, who kicked the bundle of sheets to the door and hunted up some clothes. Though when Holly came back out, Gail was on the bedroom balcony, holding up her phone. "Gail Peck, what are you doing?"

"Collecting evidence."

Oh dear. Holly pulled on shirts and shorts and went out to see what her wife was paying attention to. There, on the end of the dock, were two young adults, their feet dangling in the water. Making out. Vivian's back was to them, turned at what was probably an awkward and uncomfortable angle, but Jamie had an arm around her neck and was clearly just fine with things.

"You, Gail, are a pervert."

"Am not... Now. Do you remember where I put that water balloon launcher?"

Holly blinked. "The slingshot? I thought you locked it up."

"Right!" Gail ran back into the bedroom and popped open the gun safe. She'd locked it up after pre-teen Vivian discovered it in Steve's room and inquired as to its dangerous nature. It could, if used properly, take down a human. If someone put a rock in it. Gail, however, pulled out a box of water balloons.

"Oh my god, you can't possibly be serious."

"Can and am. I used to hit Steve from the roof." Gail chortled and filled some balloons up.

Holly hesitated. She wanted to call out a warning to the kids. At the same time, she wanted to see if Gail could actually hit them with a water balloon. "Every time you miss, I get a point," said Holly at length.

"Challenge accepted. First to five picks dinner."

"Deal." Holly picked up Gail's phone and tapped the video on. "Recording for posterity."

With a shit-eating grin, Gail loaded her first weapon. "Fire in the hole..."


The thunder woke her up mid storm.

Vivian craned her neck and squinted at the sky from her bed. Thick, black, thunderclouds, obfuscating the night sky and obliterating the moon. Just like she'd predicted the morning before... No. That morning. Maybe. She wasn't quite sure how early it was.

"No running in the morning, huh?"

"Not with lightning, no," she told Jamie and closed her eyes again, listening to the rain unleash itself onto the world.

The bed creaked a little as her girlfriend scooted around and curled around her. "Morning."

That was novel. Jamie wasn't a morning person. Vivian just smiled a little. "What time is it?"

"Just after one something." They'd all gone to bed around eleven after it was deemed too cloudy to star gaze and no one had an interest in playing games. Especially not after Gail's mid-afternoon attack with those fucking water balloons. Jamie had fallen right asleep and Vivian had seen no reason not to as well.

"You are way too awake," she complained, and hunkered down. The cool breeze was a welcome respite from the heatwave, she had to admit, but Vivian had dressed for warm.

"I've never seen rain like this," said Jamie, kissing her cheek and moving away.

Oh. Vivian opened her eyes and thought about that for a moment. Water pouring on the dock and the deck and the lake. The first time she'd seen it, not even ten, it had been magical. "We might make a fire, if it gets cold enough."

"Wow? Really?" Jamie sounded like a giddy child and the bed shifted again.

Finally, Vivian rolled over to look. Her girlfriend was sitting up, hugging a pillow and leaning on the headboard, watching the rain. She was supposed to say something here. She didn't know what. Sometimes she forgot that there wasn't just one kind of phenomenally screwed up childhood to be had. Jamie's family didn't celebrate holidays, for whatever reason. Her parents fought a lot. She'd never seen the woods before.

Those were all things Vivian took a little bit for granted now. Gail and Holly fought, but they did it from a place where everyone knew it was love. Even the time they'd had a row about Holly not being safe enough in the field, it was all about how Gail was terrified of losing her. The quibbles about where to put the couch after the remodel had seemed so minor. A hand was never raised. A glass was never shattered.

And holidays were a time to goof around (which really wasn't different from any other day with her moms to be honest). The cottage was a place to sleep and rest and play and (for Gail and Holly) have sex when they thought Vivian couldn't hear them. Well. Maybe Holly thought. Gail just didn't mind.

She was so incredibly lucky. To have been adopted by her mothers. To have been given the room to grow and the trust to do it at her own pace. To be able to do what she loved. To find someone who was willing to put up with her, call her on her bullshit, and fight her when she needed it.

Silently, Vivian reached up and brushed the back of her hand along Jamie's thigh and knee.

When Jamie made a happy sort of sound, Vivian absently kept stroking the toned leg, listening to the rain. It came and went, getting stronger and then pausing before a shudder and flash and sound and fury ripped the night sky apart.

"I could live up here," said Jamie quietly, her voice barely audible over the weather.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Small town fireman. Put out chimney fires. Save cats from trees. You could be my small town cop girlfriend, all sexy and no one to shoot at you."

Vivian yawned. "Speed traps and illegal hunters?"

"Peaceful."

Processing that for a moment, Vivian shook her head. "No. It would be worse. Forest fires. And serial killers."

Jamie slapped her shoulder. "Wow, way to ruin my romantic fantasy, Peck."

"Ow!" It hadn't hurt at all, but she smiled. "That actually sounds kinda nice. Dull, but nice."

Her girlfriend stretched her arms above her head, wincing a little as she moved her shoulder the wrong way. "Dull is something I don't think I'd ever call my life with you." She fell backwards onto the bed and then rolled over to drape herself over Vivian's stomach. "Thank you."

Vivian smiled. "You're welcome. I'm glad you like it here."

"God, who wouldn't." Jamie sighed and shuddered as another boom rocked the house. "Serious question … Are we in danger?"

"From the storm? Nah. Power might go out." Vivian reached down and toyed with Jamie's hair. "Come back to sleep?"

"You can sleep through this?"

Vivian shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe not."

Jamie rolled to her side, resting her weight on Vivian's hip. "I'm really awake." Vivian was about to comment on how she could tell when she glanced and caught sight of Jamie's face. That was not a sleepy face.

No no. Vivian knew that face. It had looked up at her more than once, usually from when Jamie (constantly cold) had been wrapped like a burrito in all the blankets while Vivian got up for whatever reason. The face that asked her, wordlessly, to come back to bed. To come back under the covers. To come back to her.

"Oh," said Vivian, surprised and at a small loss for words. Jamie had not really made a move on her since the accident. Not with a look like this. Not with a look of intent.

"I mean, I get if you're tired, but I'm not, and that is not a deal breaker." Her voice dropped a little, suggestive and warm.

And right there, her brain stopped her mouth — short circuited. Vivian felt herself blush. Jamie wanted her. To make love to her. Which, yes, she knew in the hypothetical way, but this felt different. This was clearly Jamie saying she was going to be in charge. "Uh…" Vivian could have kicked herself for the lack of eloquence in the moment, but she struggled to find the words to tell Jamie that she didn't have to. "You don't have to—"

"Yeaaaaah hush." Jamie's hand ran across the blanket. "You have been doing a very good and nice job taking care of me. In more ways than one."

There were arguments on her tongue. Like 'you dislocated your shoulder' and 'there is a bruise the size of my hand on your back still' and so on. Every single argument was chased out of Vivian's head by Jamie's smile and the hand that pulled down the blanket and pushed up her shirt. Train of thought derailed. No survivors.

It started rather slowly, tentatively, but Jamie was quite adamant about being in charge just then. And in short order, Vivian was in absolutely no place to argue or complain. She'd self-starved herself of those things for the past two weeks, which wasn't that long at all. And god knew she'd gone longer without sex before, not even counting the weeks where she'd been an idiot. Besides, there had been sex, but as Jamie had pointed out, it was Vivian taking care of Jamie, and not the other way around.

How easily Vivian had forgotten exactly how good Jamie was at that sort of thing. Most people Vivian had dated were more experienced than she was. It didn't take much, of course, but with the exception of Olivia, all of Vivian's girlfriends had slept with more women. Counting Olivia, every one of them had slept with more people. Jamie too. And that experience showed in many ways.

Those things didn't bother Vivian at all. While she had a hell of a time reading people, reading bodies was easy. Following the movements, the reactions of a woman in bed played to Vivian's natural talents. She had no idea where or how Jamie had perfected her technique and style, but she was amazing. Jamie knew how to touch and evoke everything.

The storm raged, lighting splitting the sky as Jamie's hands traversed the slopes and curves of Vivian's body. Warm fingers and lips traced her muscles, teeth nipped at her skin, and Vivian started to lose track of the meaning of time. She rose and fell and rose again, knowing only that Jamie wanted her.

Eventually the storm broke, but Vivian could honestly not have told a soul when it happened.

She lay in the bed, helplessly at peace and relaxed and content in every single possible way. Except maybe her stomach, which was pointing out it needed to be fed. Loudly.

"Wow," said Jaime, laughing, her head pillowed on Vivian's stomach. "That was loud enough to wake your moms."

Vivian covered her face with her arms. "I need a lot of fuel."

"Clearly." Jamie kissed her stomach, which certainly made it hard to think about breakfast. "Even though you're not running?"

She shook her head. "Not after that. No." Vivian peeked down at Jamie, who was tracing lines on her stomach. "That is very distracting."

"You didn't mind it a bit ago."

"Didn't say I minded it."

It was, in fact, the closest they came to actually cuddling. The after sex lingering, where Jamie just wanted to touch her for a while, had been an eventual thing. At first it was brief, but as they turned their dating history from weeks to months and now a year and more, the firefighter just liked to touch Vivian. And much to her own surprise, Vivian didn't mind it. Scratch that. She liked it.

She could lay like that for hours, just feeling Jamie's skin on her own, reveling in the simple pleasure.

Her stomach, on the other hand, was vocal. Jamie broke into giggles after another gurgle. "Okay get up. I'm gonna watch your naked ass."

Vivian rolled her eyes and got out of bed. It wasn't even three AM and she was starving. "Screw you."

"We did that."

"Ugh, when did I start dating my mother?" She flipped Jamie off, who kept laughing, and went to take a shower.


"You sure you two don't want to stay longer?" Gail tucked her legs up under her and got comfortable on the lounge couch.

"No," said Vivian. She glanced at Jamie in a neighboring chair, who shook her head. "We'll head back down tomorrow. Pack up Jamie's stuff. Trick C into helping. And I go back to work Monday."

Jamie chimed in. "I have next week off still. God, I'm going to be bored."

"You can unpack," suggested Vivian. She looked amused, as if that had been part of an ongoing conversation.

"Weren't you the one who said I should rest my arm?"

"Oh I think you proved your arm is fine enough for light work."

"Light work?" Jamie abruptly stopped and turned pink. "Viv... Your mom is right here."

Vivian looked at Gail and did a fake double take. "Well shit. Mom, did you know I had sex last night?"

Gail gasped in mock horror. "You know, so did I!"

"I hate both of you." Jamie groaned and covered her face with her hands.

Ignoring Jamie's discomfort, Gail went on. "The storm was impressive. I thought we might loose power."

"So did I," admitted Vivian. "Jamie was talking about what it would be like to live here."

"Oh, no," Gail shook her head. "First of all, they already have a lesbian cop." Vivian snorted a laugh and Gail explained for Jamie. "Kate Jones, the deputy. Big ol' lesbian. Used to hit on Vivian, but my girl's as thick as a brick."

Her daughter flipped her off. "Bite me."

"I think your girlfriend did enough of that."

"Gail, stop it," said Holly on her entrance with a tray of food in bowls. "Jamie, I'm afraid you're going to have to learn to tell her to fuck herself if you want to stand a chance here. Gail's a total asshole."

Gail beamed up at her wife. "You love me."

"Yes, well. You're my asshole." Holly kissed Gail's forehead as she put the tray down.

Vivian snorted a laugh and reached over for a bowl. "Is this the fruit from the market?"

"Since you were disinclined to go pick wild ones for me," said Holly. "Fruit and whipped cream. The extent of my cooking skills."

Both Gail and Vivian protested, nearly as one.

"Mom!"

"Holly!"

Holly broke up laughing. "Any time you need an ego boost."

"Youngest chief medical examiner in the history of Toronto, and she needs an ego bump with comments about her cooking," said Vivian. She took a bite of her food and continued. "Internationally celebrated for her work. Published. Successful wife and parent. But you gotta compliment the food."

Jamie made a face. "I'm not sure about parent. Didn't anyone teach you not to talk with your mouth full?"

In retaliation, Vivian shoved a spoon of food at Jamie, who cheerfully ate it.

They were adorable.

"She used to cry when we made her shower." Holly sat beside Gail and leaned into her. "I never figured out why you stopped."

Vivian sighed. "I made junior league soccer and ... I smelled."

"Puberty," said Gail firmly. "She hit puberty."

"You say that like it's a bad thing." Vivian handed her bowl to Jamie. "I want to take you out on the lake before we go."

The other girl startled. "Out?"

"We can take the little sail boat, go out to the little cove. Fish."

Now Jamie looked appalled. "Fish?"

Holly cracked up. "Try it first, Jamie. If you hate it, you hate it, but you should try."

Clearly there had been a conversation without her. Gail smiled. "Fishing is fun, but the cove is nice. Great place for beers and —" She was cut off when Holly covered her mouth with a hand.

"Thanks, Mom." Vivian started down the trail. "I'll get the boat out. If you hate it, we can do something else."

Jamie grumbled and got up to follow. "That's what you said about the concert."

"You liked the concert!"

They continued to bicker, in the good natured way, as they went down the trail to the little boat house. Jamie shoved Vivian in the arm a few times but they both laughed as the went in.

"Oh my god," said Holly, giggling. "They're adorable."

Gail reached up to pull Holly's hand off her mouth. "They're totally going to screw at the cove."

Holly rolled her eyes. "We did. But maybe they'll just make out for a long time. Anyway. Eat your snack."

She had to admit, it was a good snack. And as they finished the fruit, watched the kids take out the rowboat (piloted by Vivian) with fishing poles and a hamper of food and laughter and summer. It was the summer Gail had always wanted at that age.

Sunshine, love, food, and happiness.

Gail sighed. "Am I trying too hard?"

Holly blinked. "To ... What?"

"Make sure Vivian has the family experience I didn't?"

Her wife looked thoughtful and leaned back. "No. Not this time."

"Good." Gail exhaled. "Good."

Holly reached over to fluff Gail's bangs. "It's been a long time since you did that."

"Feels like yesterday."

"Well." Holly caressed Gail's face. "How about we make out for a while?"

She wanted to laugh. Or maybe she wanted to get mad at Holly for trivializing the moment. But ... She really wanted to laugh. To enjoy the bright moment of sunshine and happy and wonderful and, yes, make out with her wife. Because it really was what Gail needed. Some love. Some reminder of normal.

"You have terrible pick up lines," said Gail, but she leaned towards Holly, finding her lips easily.

It was so, so easy to kiss Holly. Even that first, odd, kiss in the closet. The way Holly leaned in, the way her lips were soft and fit perfectly against Gail's. That first brief touch of Holly's to her own had changed her life. They were well matched and paired, Gail felt. Holly was just so, so right.

"Hello the house!"

The voice was unwelcome and familiar. Gail grimaced. "Deputy Jones," she muttered to Holly, kissing her one last time. "Round back!" Gail shouted as she disentangled herself.

Holly, amused, sat up and adjusted her shirt. "Why do you always have to mess my shirt up?"

"I like your tits, Holly." Gail smirked and saw the familiar form of a town deputy saunter around.

Deputy Kate Jones was the niece of the sheriff, and thus far the only of her generation to show interest in the old family business. Once upon a time, there had been a 'no Pecks allowed' bylaw for the department. The restriction was lifted for one of Gail's cousins, who ended up losing an eye to a moose, but the rule never went back up. No one seemed to mind, and cousin Will owned the fishing store across the lake. He'd been mad Gail had inherited the house until she went and hired him to fix the boat house and boats therein. Apparently all he'd wanted was someone to love it.

But Kate. Well. She was a year older than Vivian, bolder, and for a brief period of time, quite interested in the youngest Peck. When they'd been teens, Gail had entertained herself with the idea that Vivian and Kate might have a summer fling. Instead, Vivian had been completely oblivious to the concept until she was twenty, and firmly ensconced on her path to Toronto Policing. At that point, she said it wouldn't be fair to either of them, and continued to treat Kate like the summer friend she was.

"Afternoon, Inspector. Doctor. I promise this is just a how-do visit. No weird mysteries needing your city expertise." Kate grinned and gestured at them with her hat.

"Oh good," said Holly, quite relieved. "Can I get you a beer or something?"

"You're my last stop. Won't say no to a beer if you've got Longham's."

Gail snorted as Holly went to check. "Depends if the kids left us any."

Kate blinked. "Kids? Viv bring up her school friends?"

Oh. So Vivian hadn't run into Kate while in town. "Girlfriend. They went out sailing a bit ago." Gail squinted out over the water. The boat had disappeared past the jetty not to long ago. Well. Maybe. Gail had lost track of time making out with Holly.

She didn't miss Kate's somewhat shocked face though. "Vivian has a girlfriend? Lord. That poor girl must've hit Vivian upside the head a few times to get her attention on track."

Gail had to laugh. "No kidding. And you want the kicker? She's a firefighter."

Kate whistled long and low. "Your ma must be beside herself. Oh! Does Old Will know?"

"Must you call him Old Will? He's my age," complained Gail. "And no to both."

The impish officer of the law smirked. "Sorry. It's just his youngest named his son Will, so we've got Old Will and Baby Will."

That was right. Will's kids were born when he was in his early twenties... Making them well old enough for children of their own now. "Shit, I forgot..."

"You did not," said Holly, carrying three beers. "You tried to forget so I'd stop making grandmother eyes at Vivian." The doctor smirked. "I've become my own parents. It's horrifying. Are you seeing anyone serious?"

Kate blinked and took a beer. "Nooooo." She popped the cap. "I get enough of that from my own folks, not to mention my uncle."

Holly shrugged. "It's a curse. You start looking at sixty and you want to see babies that you can hand back."

"Stop scaring her, Holly." Gail kissed her wife's cheek. "So what earned us the how-do, Deputy?"

"Phones are down. From the storm. Since you lot round here are kind of isolated, Sheriff has me doing wellness checks. Make sure you have power, water, and no tree in your living room."

Gail winced. "I told them the tree was too close." She knew exactly who that had to be. The ancient couple down the road (really four kilometers away) had sold their house to a computer start up genius, who in turn sold the house to a painter, who had invited everyone over for a house warming with his husband. Gail liked them, but warned them the old tree near their back deck was going to be trouble.

"Everyone did," said Kate sagely. "They're fine, though. Carpenters are over already. Didn't do much more than take out the window on the corner. No art lost. Just a TV."

"Good. I like his art," said Holly. "Maybe we should go over and buy one? Give him some ready cash for rebuild?"

Rolling her eyes, Gail knew that really meant Holly was going to angle for the large painting of the mountains. She'd loved it for years. "Beyond the fact he wants way too much for that, it won't fit on any of our walls."

Holly pouted, sticking out her lower lip. "Killjoy."

"That's my job." Gail grinned. "Any idea when the phones will be back? The kids are headed home tomorrow."

"Monday at the latest. Lightning hit the junction. They're setting up a bypass but ..."

"Yowch. Anyone get hurt?" Holly looked a little worried.

"Does pissing his pants count? Cause Harrington did."

Gail laughed. "Harrington's a moron. Alright, well if you need me to lean on anyone for you..."

"Nah, you don't have any way to speed up building. It'll get done in its own time."

That sentence alone was why Gail could only ever visit the cottage and its small town and its people. In its own time, the world was a dangerous and depressing place. There was no room or way to push the world along, to create a path. Up here, a person lived what they lived and how they lived and where they lived. No more and more less. It would drive Gail insane. And worse, there was little place for a mind like her wife's up here. Holly's genius needed to flourish among like kind, where she was constantly challenged and learning and growing and discovering.

Maybe if they were different people. Maybe if Gail wasn't as broken and forced as she'd been. Maybe if Holly had a passion for people as well as science. Maybe if ... Maybe. Maybe. A million maybes. Maybe if Vivian had been taken from her parents that time CPS had looked in on them when she was a newborn. Maybe if Gail had never threatened to taze herself in the eye. Maybe if Holly had never considered the San Francisco job. Maybe if they'd met before Perik or before policing or before everything...

Maybe.

"Well," said Holly thoughtfully. "While I dread the day we get cell reception up here, thanks for letting us know. Are any phones in town working?"

"Nary a one. Just the sat phones. You may want to consider getting one for the house."

"Now," said Gail with a drawl fit to fit in. "Where would the fun in that be?"


Lying out on the upper porch, Gail played with Holly's hair. "It was nice."

"Having the girls up? Yeah." Holly yawned and snuggled into Gail's chest. "Shhhh."

Gail laughed softly. They had turned off all the lights and were technically watching the meteor shower. Really, Holly was watching and Gail was thinking. And that was alright. Gail was often bored by nature's displays. She lacked the patience. But she was apparently content to sit with Holly in the quiet.

For Holly though, it was the stars.

The sky was brilliant with color and activity. The fuzzy edge of the universe. The haze of the long sunset in summer. Come winter, there were days they could see the Northern Lights. Many was the night Holly had dragged Gail out with a winter wool blanket, bundled in warm clothes, and snuggled on the same lounger they occupied then, just to watch them.

The Aurora Borealis was stunning. Holly recalled the first time Vivian had seen them. She'd been eight and Holly woke her up in the middle of the night. Still so small and undersized, Vivian had been easily carried outside to see. At first she'd complained and whinged about the hour and the temperature. But then she peeked up at the sky and was flabbergasted.

On a normal night like tonight, though, it was different. This was just a normal, clear, star filled night. A meteor here and there. The slow and steady churn and rotation of constellations. A light flash of summer sheet lightning in the distance. The rumble of the same.

And atop it all was the sensation of Gail's constant, patient, soft attention to her hair. Fingers lightly running through the strands, pausing to trip across her neck and shoulders. Gail was very subtly trying to distract Holly and guide her attention away from the celestial bodies and more to the body beside her.

Or not. Sometimes Gail didn't intend to distract. Sometimes she just wanted to touch Holly and remind herself that she had someone in her life. Sometimes Gail forgot and remembered all in the same moment that she was married and loved and in love and there. They were there. They were still them.

Holly sighed and turned, pressing her face against Gail's solidity.

"Can't see the stars like that, sweetheart," noted Gail.

"I can see the universe like this." She closed her eyes.

"With your eyes closed and your face in my tits? I mean, I know my boobs are amazing and I am the center of the universe..."

She laughed softly. "You're not even the center of my universe, you asshole."

Gail laughed as well. "Ah well. We had a good run."

"Mm. Yeah. A few good years."

"Here and there. Can't be helped."

"No." Holly grinned and looked back up at the sky. "Those stars, Gail... They've been shining down on us for thousands of years. Millions and billions of couples have kissed under their light."

"Romantic."

"That's your bailiwick, Peck."

Gail laughed again. "Okay, smart ass. Tell me about the skies."

So Holly pointed out the various stars and their constellations. She told the stories of the sky. The myths that explained the world before science. The legends of the heavens. But also the women who listened to the stars and identified them. The scientists who calculated the distance to the moon, who wrote the software and helped men first step foot on a far away object.

And Gail listened to it all quietly, without comment.

When Holly finally came to an end of her memory for the night, the sky was fully black and the moon was dipping low. Gail picked up the thread, speaking of the hunters and trappers of Peck lore. The Peck who had built the cottage in the woods, far away from his mad family, far from the pale, pale idiots in the city. And how he'd fallen in love with a woman in the city and given up his refuge, only to find out that she too loved it. But too late. And so it was passed down, Peck to Peck, until it was hers. Theirs. Eventually their daughter's.

"It's not a fairytale," said Holly at length.

"No. No it's not."

"But it's still beautiful."

Gail squeezed her close. "Let's go inside and get some sleep."

"Long drive..." Holly sighed and sat up, swinging her legs off the lounger.

"Tonight and tomorrow night and then home and we can bring Viv and Jamie pizza once they're moved in."

Holly snorted a laugh. "Like you'd help anyone move."

Gasping in mock pain, Gail clutched her chest. "How dare you. I helped a stranger move."

"Once," teased Holly.

"And I helped us move!"

"After a six year old shamed you." Holly swatted Gail's ass as she went by. "How about you make them a pizza?"

"If I'm unlucky, sure." Gail stretched and followed Holly back inside. "I'm hoping to come home to a lab full of results and threads and leads and make a stunning arrest and be famous."

Holly laughed. "You hate being noticed like that."

"Yeah, but I love solving cases and being a hero." Gail grinned ear to ear.

That night, Holly slept the glorious, quiet, rest of the just. She slept to the cool lake breeze, the steady beat of Gail's heart, and the rustle of animals prowling the night. At some point though, she woke up to the low moo of a moose out in the woods. Moose were still a fearsome for to her, giant and terrifying. But then, then she turned and saw Gail asleep. Her own personal knight.

Holly sighed and ran a hand over Gail's side. She'd long since given up wondering why Gail couldn't see herself the same way Holly did. There was no way to cure or erase the years and their damage, but Holly wasn't sure she'd want to. Would it not make Gail less than who she was?

Everything they both had gone through made them who they were. The good and the bad. And quite honestly, Gail had brought a hell of a lot more good. She'd brought friends and family and laughter. Pain, sure. If Holly could never again spend weeks worrying about Gail's safety on the job, that would be great but... The job was what made her Gail Antonia Peck.

And she loved every inch of the woman. Even the parts she hated.

"Go back to sleep," mumbled Gail.

"Sorry. The moose woke me up."

"He can eat my garden." Gail hugged her pillow and snuggled down.

"You don't have a garden."

"We will." Rolling over, Gail traded the pillow for snuggling into Holly. "You will retire and I will step back and we will have free time for a change. We'll have a garden here, and spend so much time here, you'll tell me we should move. Except there's still no fucking cell service or Internet, and we'll just take long weekends and holidays and be lazy and old and grey."

Holly sighed. "And grandchildren?"

"And grandchildren. I'll sic Oliver on her if I have to."

"I like this plan."

"Good. Now go to sleep."

Holly smiled and stroked Gail's hair. "I love you. You know that, right?"

"Mmm hmmm." Gail yawned. "Sleep."

And they did.


"That is the last box?" Vivian carefully pushed it into place in the bed of Jamie's truck.

"I think so. I feel bad." The firefighter held her arms out. "I should do more."

Both Vivian and Ruby said, as one, "No you should not." They then high fived. Vivian had come to quite like Ruby, and in many ways was sad the nurse was leaving. They had a lot in common, and while neither had divulged their personal trauma, they both saw it. It was in the shape of Ruby's eyes, the curve of her frown. The fact that she never spoke about her parents.

"I hate you both."

Ruby laughed and threw her arms around Jamie for a hug. "You're gonna miss me!"

"Am not!" Jamie was petulant but the tears that had been leaking out all day threatened her eyes.

"Am too." Ruby squeezed her tight.

Vivian pulled her phone out and snapped a picture. "She will," said Vivian confidently. "She'll spend the first week being picky about the furniture and everything. Then she'll pass out at night because she's an idiot and still healing. Then... She will tell me I'm a worse roommate than you."

Ruby laughed. "You sleep with her."

"I admit, that's an added benefit." Vivian smiled and texted the photo to Ruby. "Points in my favor."

"Well, I'd sooner sleep with you, Vivian." Ruby planted a wet kiss on Jamie's cheek. "Okay. What's left?"

Jamie shoved Ruby away and grimaced a little. Her shoulder, clearly, was still hurting her. "Box. Vacuum, mop, sign the papers, hand the keys," she recited.

"You sure about the couch? I mean, you and your tall girl defiled it," said Ruby, sidling up beside Vivian.

"Don't even think about hugging me, Ruby." Vivian took a step back and Ruby followed her, taking a step towards her. They repeated the actions until they were chasing each other around Jamie's truck, laughing.

Oh yes, Ruby was the kind of girl Vivian could be friends with.

As they scampered, though, Jamie let out a surprising curse. "Oh, fuck."

Vivian stopped. Ruby plowed into her. "What the fuck..."

They all looked at the crappy Miata pulling into the empty spot. It wasn't even a hybrid. Honestly. The fees a person had to pay for a non-eco-friendly car these days was incredible. Insurance went up by 10% minimum. Even Vivian's motorcycle was a damned hybrid. But there was the fucking Mazda Miata.

"Shit, that's an old car," she announced. But all Ruby and Jamie did was stare at the car. Vivian sighed and walked up. "Hello?"

A man near her height, with gorgeous locks of jet black hair, stepped out of the car. "I... I'm looking for Jamie McGann?" The man was good looking, but stuck up. Which was weird considering the shit car. Maybe it was inverse snobbery? He sure as hell dressed nicely. He was probably a lawyer. First or second year. That meant, at most firms, he was the rookie and sent to do distasteful grunt work.

Vivian gave her best cop smile. "If you're trying to serve her papers, can you come back later?"

The man looked confused while Ruby snorted. "Hello, Dennis," said the nurse.

The name was familiar. Vivian glanced at Jamie and saw the look of shock on her girlfriend's face. Oh! Dennis. Jamie's last serious boyfriend. The one who had blown up in her face, metaphorically. And now Dennis was here. Well now. "Want me to go?" Vivian pointed at herself. "I can do a last check."

Jamie swallowed and nodded. "Would you mind...?"

"Nah. All good." She squeezed Jamie's good shoulder and shoved Ruby towards the apartment. "Come on. Give 'em a minute."

Ruby scowled and hissed. "You know who that is?"

Once they were inside, Vivian nodded. "The dude Jamie did the whole song and dance to apologize to. Literally. And who dumped her because she ran into buildings."

"Wow. She gave you the whole story, huh?"

"Including the part where she embarrassed the fuck out of herself, yeah. I made her sing the song."

Ruby smirked. "She really liked Dennis."

Vivian shrugged. "I'm not worried."

"Pretty bold."

"No... No I took her to my family cabin, Ruby. It's a couple hundred years old, practically isolated. She's never been out of cities her whole life. Did you realize that?"

The nurse looked surprised. "I ... You know, I knew it. But..."

"I'm not afraid to show her I like her, Ruby."

"Just to say it," pointed out Ruby, sternly.

"I'm working on that. Besides, you get one good breakup. That's it. Not two or three or six." They both peeked outside, though, looking at Jamie and Dennis. "He's a lawyer?"

Ruby nodded. "He was in law school when he and Jamie broke up. Probably graduated. I mean, maybe. He's not smart."

"Another point for me," said Vivian coolly. "Why the fuck does he drive that shitty car?"

"Oh it's Solar-Electric. He had it converted. Some weird ass status symbol." Ruby did not sound impressed.

Vivian tried to price it in her head. The cost of the car itself was cheap. The cost of the retrofitting was ... Uncle Eli would flinch at the price, and he had more money than anyone ever needed. "So ... In debt or rich?"

Ruby eyed her. "Suddenly feeling nervous?"

"Creating a profile."

"Does that actually work?"

Vivian shrugged. "Yes, but you'll notice I'm the baby bomb girl, not the D."

"And here I thought that was because you didn't like the d."

They both paused and laughed. "You're a shit, Ruby." Vivian sighed and watched her girlfriend cross her arms and shift her stance. "Jamie's mad."

"You can tell that from her back?"

"Yeah.. Listen, I hate to even suggest this but..."

Ruby waved a hand. "I can mop and clean the last bits. Do you have the keys?"

"On the counter of defilement."

"Jesus the one time!" Ruby laughed. "You didn't even know us yet."

Vivian smiled. "Listen... Any time you're in town and need a couch."

"Oh no, no no. Well. Maybe if that cute roomie of yours—"

"Oh ew." Vivian gagged. "Ew ew ew!" She waved her hands and walked back outside. "Jamie, I'm sorry, but Ruby's talking about hooking up with C and I can't deal with the visual anymore. Ugh. Can we go home and watch that drama about the chef?"

Jamie stared at her for a moment, hovering on the border between anger and relief. "Knife's Edge? I thought you hated it."

"I hate watching ongoing TV. But it's not bad. The line chef is cute, with her baseball hat and her shitty Italian accent."

Relief won out and Jamie rolled her eyes. "Oh my god, why do I put up with you?"

"Because I'm awesome." Vivian beamed and physically interrupted the rest of the conversation. It was something she'd seen Gail do a million times, usually at the Penny. She stepped beside Jamie, not arrogantly or overbearing, not even really possessive in that ownership way. No, Vivian kept a little space between herself and Jamie, and she smiled in her absolute, best, Peck way, projecting slight menace.

The smile said 'don't even try it.'

The smile warned Dennis that he was on dangerous grounds.

The smile made it clear Vivian was not to be fucked with.

And damn but it worked. Dennis took a slight step back. "Oh," he said, surprised.

Vivian arched an eyebrow. "Dennis, right?" She extended her hand, still smiling like Gail at her most impish.

"Uh. Oh. So you're... Vivian." But he shook Vivian's hand, nervously.

"Like I said." Jamie sounded annoyed now, no... Angry. At Dennis, though, not Vivian. "You didn't have to come all this way. I'm fine."

Dennis glared at Vivian. "You're okay with her running into burning buildings?"

Well that was a strange thing to be upset about when it came to dating a firefighter. When Jamie had explained about her breakup with Dennis, she'd talked about the hours being a problem. She'd talked about the different backgrounds. But Jamie had never said that the danger was the reason.

"Well. She's a fire fighter," said Vivian slowly. "I knew that before we started dating." She looked down at Jamie, making sure she wore a confused expression. "I thought you said you two went out when you were in your first year."

"We did," replied Jamie. The firefighter looked doubtful, but let Vivian lead the conversation.

Slowly, Vivian looked back at Dennis. "So... What? You met a girl who's selfless and caring and puts others before herself and you like that, except the cost that it comes with? Wow... So you like the idea of Jamie, more than Jamie. Good to know." She shook her head. "You ready, McGann?"

There was a pause and Jamie nodded. "Yeah... Yeah. Just let me..." She half turned and saw Ruby leaning in the door.

"Shoo. I want this place all to myself, Jamie."

But they did hug, Jamie and Ruby, and they promised to do dinner before Ruby left town, and Vivian just stood by the truck and loomed a little. She had height, and more than once Elaine had told her that the trick to being imposing was to just be quiet and exude her physical merits without doubt.

It worked.

Dennis leaned away from her. "So. You're not what I expected."

"Oh?"

"Her other girlfriends. They're girly."

Vivian frowned. Why would he do that? He thought it would bother her maybe? Or... "Psychological shit, huh?" She tilted her head, measuring how she wanted to delve into this.

Dennis frowned as well. "Didn't expect that. You look ... blue collar."

She couldn't help it. Vivian laughed. History came around and around in the oddest of ways. "Oh man, wow." She laughed so hard, Jamie startled and Dennis backed up a step. "Brother," said Vivian, falling into an Oliverism. "Don't even try."

"Hey, you okay?" Jamie touched Vivian's arm.

"Yeah, all good." Vivian grinned. "Let's go."

Clearing his throat, Dennis addressed Jamie. "Jamie..."

But Jamie said nothing to Dennis. She just shook her head and got into the truck.

They got four blocks before Jamie said anything. "I cannot fucking believe him." Vivian arched her eyebrows. "He didn't ... I have no idea how he found out I was hurt, but he's apparently been looking for my truck."

Stalker much? Vivian made a note to run his plates later. "Which has conveniently been parked in the lot at my— our place or at the cabin. Ah."

"Correct." Jamie sneered. "God. I'm so pissed at him."

That was a side of her girlfriend she'd never seen before. Jamie was not the one who got mad like that. "Well." Vivian sighed. This was a new concept to her. "He's stupid."

Jamie barked a laugh. "Seriously?"

"Yeah, seriously. How can someone not love the selfless part of you? I mean... You get it, Jamie. You get how we have to be a part of something bigger than ourselves." Vivian shook her head. "Being something to make the world better."

Her girlfriend went quiet. That wasn't good. Vivian glanced over at the next stop light and caught the look of abashed delight on Jamie's face.

"You love that about me?"

"Uh, yeah?" Vivian frowned, not entirely sure what brought on the look. She went over what she'd said and paused. Oh.

Love.

Did she? Vivian wanted to frown in thought and realized that was stupid. And it was a hell of a thing. She knew what love looked like. Gail and Holly were one extreme, certainly, but she'd seen Celery and Oliver as well. They were in love, but not as smitten as her own parents. And then there was Dov and Chloe, who fought passionately and loved passionately.

But what did that mean for her? Vivian feared her passions, that they'd drive her into madness, like her biological family.

"I ... I love at about you too," said Jamie slowly. And Jamie turned beet red. "I hate that you don't blush much."

Vivian grinned. "Self defense. I had to learn with Gail around."

"God." Jami laughed, the mood lightening. "She's a brat."

"I know." Vivian laughed as well. "Okay. That was awkward, huh?"

"A bit, yeah." Jamie reached over and squeezed Vivian's shoulder. "Okay. We're okay." She sighed deeply. "I should have jumped off that cliff with you, at the cottage."

Vivian nodded. "You know this is new for me too..."

"I'd really rather run into a building on fire than talk about my feelings," muttered Jamie.

"I'd rather defuse a bomb."

They broke out laughing again. "You're insane, Viv. I like you. Let's talk about something else. Like... Um. Work! You've been back. How is it?"

Vivian pulled into the garage. "Collins tried to hug me."

Jamie made a face. "Seriously? You hate hugs."

"He used to be engaged to my mom. To Gail." Vivian hopped out. "And yes, thats creepy."

"That's beyond creepy. Fifteen is incestuous." Jamie shuddered and picked up a poster tube from the back of the truck. "Do you have a cart or a dolly or something?"

"Yeah. I left it in C's spot."

Jamie quickly fetched the small cart and they started loading things into it. "Does Collins just show up to give you shit?"

Vivian laughed. "No. He's the uni assigned to ETF right now, since there won't be any new rooks until Autumn." It had been surprising, to Vivian at least, that Goff had finally gotten cut loose. Gail didn't like him, and Andy doubted him, but he was turning out to be a decent, if dim, cop. Gagnon of course was different. "He gave me shit though, for having my own case."

The firefighter snorted. "Being assigned to a case isn't teasing matter! How many rookies get that their first few months on the job?"

They loaded up the rest of Jamie's things, which really wasn't much. Over the week, they'd been moving so many things in, it was just odds and ends Ruby had forgotten about. Vivian grunted and pushed the cart into the freight elevator. "It's just that I'm the only person who's seen Safary, so Sue wants me to learn everything about her bombs and setups, to see if I can find a pattern that clicks."

"Better than trying to find motive."

"That's Mom's headache." Vivian sighed. "I'm not expected to solve anything."

Jamie frowned. "They want you to fail?"

"Nah, just ... " Vivian took a moment. It was hard to explain being set up to learn and not be expected to succeed. She knew Sue didn't doubt her abilities, but this was the first time she'd ever worked this sort of case, so the expectations were different. "Finding Safary by understanding her bombs is not really the goal. She tags her stuff, so we already know most of the bombs that are hers. And the Ds try figure out motive, so we can predict where she'll hit next. The lab is looking for evidence from the bombs themselves to find out where she gets supplies. Which means my job is be able to defuse anything she comes up with. Her signature."

"Huh." Jamie opened the apartment door. "Isn't that stuff the lab does too? I thought bomb experts... Oh, well I guess that's you too."

Smiling, Vivian nodded. "Exactly."

"That sounds like a hell of a lot of hurry up and wait."

"Oh it is. And a lot of false alarms. Half the 'suspect packages' we look at are bupkis." Vivian shook her head. "That's why the other half is electronics and robot driving."

"Which you do very well," said Jamie, beaming. She leaned across the cart and kissed Vivian. "I guess I just think of ETF as being the guys who run into buildings and shoot people."

"Tactical does. So does ERU. But I'm in EDU, explosives dispersal. I only walk into buildings wired to blow." Which technically she hadn't yet done, and really only happened in movies anyway. "Though we end up turning off security cameras a lot so Tac can run in without being seen."

Jamie shook her head. "Motive sounds way more fun."

"Oh yeah? Gonna go for arson when you get promoted?"

The firefighter snorted. "Unlikely. I get a bad luck medal for saving Jesus. They don't promote us like they do you."

Vivian, and her entire class, had made constable fourth rank earlier that year. It was practically expected, though. Everyone except Duncan made Fourth within two years. Making Third was another story. She and Lara would probably be the first, since they'd already been tapped for special roles. "How many firefighters stay at second?"

Because Jamie was a Firefighter Second Class. Which really just meant she was out of her probationary period.

"Most top at first. But that's a long time out," Jamie lamented. "We'll make it at the same time, I bet."

"Still. Cousin Shay'll jump to District Chief. She's kinda old to be on your trucks. You could go that way, or the arson..."

Jamie eyed her for a moment. "Wow. You actually just sounded like your grandmother."

Had she? "I like having a plan," said Vivian, petulantly.

"Oh? Come on, Gail said you're just winging it and playing with tech." Jamie smirked and started unloading the light things from the cart.

The word, two letters, jumped out of Vivian's mouth before she could catch them. "IA." Jamie's head snapped up. "You can't tell my Moms. Or Elaine. But... I want to be a Super, do Elaine's old job. One day. Make sure cops protect people, not the— not the thin blue line shit. I want to make sure we don't fuck up. That people can trust us and look up to us."

Her girlfriend stared at her for a long time, holding a box of dish towels. "Viv... You hate people."

"I know. I know it's stupid." She scowled. "I wanted to be Oliver, for the longest time, but I'm not that guy. I can't... I can't be the heart. But I know what malice is, Jamie. I know what people who do evil look like. And I can tell. I could do this. Eventually."

Jamie exhaled. "Yeah? So why is your mad bomber doing this? You just said you hate motive shit."

That was a fair question. "She's not evil. She's doing this because she believes in something, and this is how she fights for it." Vivian put a box of knicknacks on the counter. "This is what 'right' for the wrong reasons looks like. It's like... It's like a protest. She's doing this to make us look and fix things. She wants to make humans do the right thing."

"By killing and putting lives at risk," said Jamie flatly.

Vivian held her hands out to the side. "I'm not saying she shouldn't be punished. She's got to know the risks of this kind of thing. But she's accepting it."

"Accepting it for herself is one thing. Jes could have died."

The unspoken was, of course, that Jamie could have died.

"Which is why she needs to be arrested. But that doesn't mean she's evil."

"And if it was a cop?"

"I don't see it as different." Vivian sighed. "Look. She's wrong, she's putting people's lives at risk, and she may have all the good intentions, but she killed people. Could have killed the horses."

Jamie narrowed her eyes. "You care more about the animals?"

"I think people who are willing to and capable of hurting animals are more deplorable than those who hurt other people."

Her girlfriend digested that. "I don't see how any of this helps," said Jamie at length. "Safary at least. But ... I can see you doing this... This IA thing. You think about this shit, don't you?"

Vivian nodded. "I do. That's why I hate detective work."

"That is paradoxically sensible." Jamie ran her hands through her hair. "I want pizza. And beer. Can we have pizza and beer now?"

Grinning, Vivian gestured at the cart. "Empty the cart, and I'll even let you pick something to watch."

"Deal."


This wraps up the weird and unexpected double episode. Both a lot and not a lot of case advancement.