Disclaimer: I do not own Rookie Blue or any of the characters….

Thanks as ever for the favs, follows and reviews and for reading. Thanks Debby for your kind words – I do hope my writing is improving as I go along. It was one of the reasons I decided to write this fic, as well, of course, because I wasn't ready to give up on Gail and Holly. That said, I have rushed to get this chapter finished in time for Christmas so I hope it reads well and the mistakes aren't too glaring.

And this chapter became longer than I originally planned as I wanted to include something of Christmas in it.

I hope you all have a very happy festive season. One thing you could do over the holiday, by way of a present, is review a fanfic – it doesn't have to be this one, but trust me writers love to hear what readers think. It works wonders to inspire you to write that next chapter!

Hope you enjoy.

Holly was really, really late now. She'd almost run two red lights in her haste to get to the restaurant. The autopsy had taken longer than expected and Gail had now been alone with her parents for nearly an hour and a half. At least Gail hadn't called to say she'd bailed or Kurt and Becca had gone home. So that was a good sign right? Would Gail call if something went wrong? Of course she would, Holly reassured herself, pushing down any niggling doubt.

Resisting the urge to check her phone, Holly pressed her foot more firmly on the gas heedless she was now speeding. Had Gail been in the car she would be telling Holly to slow down and, she might be a police officer, but there was no way she could make a speeding ticket disappear. Even Elaine couldn't or wouldn't do that. Holly always preferred it when Gail drove. She was the better driver. After all she'd aced the driving course at the academy. Of course. Elaine wouldn't have accepted anything less.

Unlike Holly, Gail didn't get so distracted by telling a story she didn't notice until too late the speedometer drift over the speed limit. Once Holly was pulled over for doing 45 in a 30-kilometer zone. Gail had groaned when she heard the blip of the siren and groaned even more when she saw Andy and Chris emerge from the cruiser. They in turn couldn't contain their grins when they saw who was in the car. Holly was let off with a caution and some good-humored teasing, much of it directed at Gail.

By a fluke, Holly found a park outside the restaurant. She swept through the door at a half run, ignoring the maître-de as she immediately spotted her parents with Gail and oh my god was that Lisa, she thought. What the hell was she doing here? Surely her parents hadn't invited Lisa.

Then she understood the restaurant choice – of course Lisa would suggest somewhere hip and somewhat upmarket. What she didn't understand was why her parents had thought to invite Lisa. Especially when they were meeting Gail for the first time. Surely, Holly reasoned, Becca wasn't trying to force a reconciliation between she and Lisa. Then again quite inexplicably Becca always had a soft spot for the plastic surgeon.

As Holly reached the table, her parents and Lisa burst out laughing at something Gail was saying. Gail looked up then and caught sight of Holly and smiled that big wide loving smile reserved just for her. Rather than calming Holly, it left her even more perplexed. When Gail's smile faltered a little, Holly realized she was frowning slightly at her.

Holly's parents noticed her then and leapt up so first Becca and then Kurt could draw her into a hug. Gail stood too and Holly kissed her on the cheek, and then as she leant in to hug her, Gail whispered 'thank god you're here. I don't think I could have kept that up for much longer.'

As they took their seats again, Holly looked around at the smiling faces. Gail's was mainly of relief but the other three looked genuinely happy. Had she stepped into some sort of parallel universe, Holly wondered or was her mind playing tricks? Admittedly, it had been a long couple of days at work and she hadn't had nearly enough sleep. Though usually it took extreme sleep deprivation to make someone delusional, so she could probably rule that out. Holly knew there was probably a vital piece of information she was missing which could explain what was happening here. She felt Gail take her hand and give it a reassuring squeeze. Then she realized Lisa was speaking.

'You're right, ' Lisa beamed, 'Gail has some great stories.'

It made sense when Gail and Lisa explained later. When Gail appeared at the table and introduced herself to Kurt and Becca, Lisa, who had her back to Gail, whipped her head around clearly startled. 'Where'd you come from,' she said.

'Uh, the door,' Gail said sarcastically, 'and before that the street.'

Gail would have continued but suddenly Becca was on her feet hugging her.

'It's so lovely to finally meet you, Gail,' Becca said smiling, 'Holly says you don't hugging but will you make an exception for me.'

Gail felt herself relaxing into Becca's embrace. Which was weird, because this really wasn't the way she communicated with people. Well, apart from Holly and well she wasn't people. It certainly wasn't the way she communicated with strangers, except Becca didn't seem like a stranger. It wasn't the physical resemblance to Holly, rather there was something unusually soothing about Becca, like her presence alone could quiet Gail's anxieties, which when Gail thought about it was exactly the effect Holly had on her.

Once Gail was released from the hug, Kurt put out his hand to warmly shake hers. The waiter appeared then, and pulled out a chair for Gail, opening her napkin onto her lap with a flourish and offering a pre-dinner drink.

'She'll have a shot of tequila,' Lisa said, all smiles, 'your very best.'

The waiter nodded, but Gail started to demur. The very best tequila in a place like this would set her back a small fortune. What was Lisa playing at?

'My treat,' Lisa smiled again, 'I'm paying for dinner. Think of it as an early Christmas present.'

'Uh,' Gail said, suddenly unsure. Lisa had never given her a Christmas present before. Did this mean she'd have to give her one? And more importantly, had she walked into some parallel universe? Jeez, just what was in that hippy potion Celery gave her. Maybe it was making her hallucinate. Gail felt for the bottle of rescue remedy, which she'd placed in her trouser pocket just in case. Maybe she shouldn't take any more of the stuff.

As the waiter left, Lisa looked at Gail quizzically. She must have figured something was off. Now Lisa wasn't always, in fact wasn't very often, the most socially aware person. In truth Gail had serious questions about her emotional intelligence or lack thereof. But on this occasion, Lisa somehow put two and two together and figured out Gail had walked in on the tail end of her explanation.

'I was just telling Becca and Kurt, that leaving Toronto and you was the biggest mistake Holly ever made.'

'You were,' Gail replied, hoping she didn't look as dumbstruck as she felt. She surreptitiously put her hand under her chin to check her mouth wasn't hanging wide open and then smiled weakly at Kurt and Becca. If they noticed her discomfort, they didn't show it.

'Lisa tells us you have a beautiful house,' Becca began.

'Yeah, big enough for grandchildren,' Lisa cut in.

Gail's eyes darted from Becca to Lisa. They were both smiling, and it seemed genuine and not the least bit conspiratorial. She still didn't get what was going on here and had no idea how to respond. Which, let's face it, Gail told herself, was not unusual for her in any social situation. Strangely, though, she didn't feel panicked by this, more at a loss as to what was expected of her.

'It's okay, Gail' Lisa said, 'they want grandkids.'

'Oh, yes,' Becca enthused, 'I'd almost given up hope but Lisa said you're great with kids and you've persuaded Holly children are a good idea.'

'Well, Holly didn't exactly need a lot of persuading,' Gail began, grateful Lisa had provided a cue as to how she should respond, 'but eventually, yeah, kids, but Holly must have told you that.'

'I,' Becca faltered for moment, 'Can I be honest?'

'Oh no,' Kurt said genially, 'be prepared Gail, Becca is a straight shooter.'

'Uh huh,' Gail said, her mouth suddenly dry and the power of speech seeming to have deserted her.

'Honey,' Kurt said to Becca, 'perhaps you should wait until Holly's here. Let Gail.'

Becca interrupted before Kurt could finish.

'I was unsure about you and Holly. I was worried you'd break Holly's heart again, that the relationship wouldn't last and so I haven't been that receptive to hearing about it.'

'Oh,' Gail said, wondering why Holly had never said anything about this. Holly was close to her parents, so Becca's lack of enthusiasm must have hurt and yet she'd never discussed it with Gail.

Maybe Holly had been protecting her, not wanting Gail to beat herself up again for ignoring Holly's calls and texts after that disastrous night at the Penny, or to blame herself for not being ready to commit to Holly all those years ago. Then again maybe Holly was worried if Gail knew about her mother's doubts, she'd be defensive and prickly and not at all well disposed towards Becca. And that, of course, would just give Becca another reason not to like Gail. And maybe it was all these things because Holly just wouldn't be able to stand it if the people she loved the most didn't get along.

Suddenly Gail understood what Lisa was doing and in that moment she knew what was required of her. Lisa had laid the groundwork, now Gail needed to step up. There was no room for nerves or self-doubt. She wasn't going to sabotage this, no it was way too important to Holly.

'Oh,' Gail said again, 'so Lisa filled you in.'

'Yes, and I'm sorry I was so quick to judge you. Please believe I was just being a an overly protective mother,' Becca smiled, 'it sounds like you make Holly very happy.'

'I hope so,' Gail said solemnly, 'I think we make each other happy.'

…..

It transpired the moment Lisa sat down at the table, Becca began to interrogate her about Gail. She and Holly's parents had arrived at the restaurant early, about twenty minutes before Gail, giving Becca plenty of time for the cross examination, as Lisa explained to Gail and Holly later. It was after Holly's parents had left and the three of them had migrated to the bar.

Becca was worried Gail would break Holly's heart again. She had once before hadn't she? Refused to take Holly's calls and forced her to flee to another city. It had devastated Holly. Anyway, why had it taken Gail until she was twenty-eight to come out? Becca knew about the two relationships Holly had had with straight girls that ended unhappily when it turned out they were experimenting and at least one of them returned to her boyfriend. What, Becca wanted to know, was stopping Gail from doing the same thing?

Then there was Gail's job. It was dangerous, no question about it and was that fair on Holly. Just after Holly returned to Toronto, she called Becca frantic because Gail was undercover and had gone off the radar. What kind of life is that for Holly, Becca asked Lisa.

'I think you're being a little harsh,' Kurt had suggested.

'Well, am I Lisa?' Becca challenged.

'I am afraid you are,' Lisa said.

Then she reassured Becca and Kurt on all counts. If Gail had broken Holly's heart, Lisa said, their split had left Gail shattered. The not talking to Holly, well Lisa might have had a hand in that. Becca narrowed her eyes at Lisa then and Lisa held up her hands and said 'I was just protecting Holly. It backfired.' Anyhow, she had the impression Gail had worked very hard on communicating better, and Holly was the reason.

And yes it had taken Holly to make Gail realize she was gay but there was no doubt about it now. 'Go back to men,' Lisa scoffed, 'that's probably the last thing Gail would ever do. No actually, the last thing she'd ever do is leave Holly.'

As to Gail's job, Lisa said of course there were risks, but Gail never did anything stupid. Holly had finally found someone who was interested in her work, in fact was fascinated by what she did and could quite happily discuss forensics with her for hours. The two of them just get one another, Lisa said, in a way her parents never had.

'In fact,' she paused and looked sincerely at Becca and Kurt and then said a little slyly, a little calculatingly, 'the way they get each other, it reminds me of you too.'

Then Lisa said that line about Holly leaving Toronto and Gail walked in, but by then Lisa knew Becca and Kurt were sold.

'I had to do it because,' Lisa said, 'well Holly.'

'Yeah, Holly,' Gail agreed.

Holly looked from one to the other. 'When did you two start communicating in incomplete sentences?'

'Just then,' Gail shrugged, 'but Lisa had to do it because it would tear you apart if your parents didn't like me.'

'And if Gail didn't like Becca and Kurt,' Lisa said.

'Oh,' Holly again looked from Gail to Lisa, 'oh.'

Of course they were right. Holly suddenly felt an enormous rush of gratitude towards Lisa, which was unexpected and not something she had ever imagined she'd feel about Lisa. In fact until tonight, she hadn't been entirely certain she ever wanted to see Lisa again. But there, just like that, Lisa had shown how well she knew her and, realizing how much it counted, had finally gone into bat for Holly and Gail.

'Lost for words again, nerd,' Gail laughed and leaned into kiss Holly.

'Ugh, get a room,' Lisa said, but when Gail gave her a sideways look she saw Lisa's smirk was teasing rather than spiteful.

'When I walked in,' Holly confessed, 'I thought I'd entered some kind of alternate universe.'

'You and me both,' Gail laughed.

….

In fact after Holly sat down, Becca began talking about how she was going house hunting the following day. Kurt was catching up with an old colleague at the university and she was meeting a realtor who had a number of houses he promised would suit her.

'Someone at work recommended his firm, but to be honest,' Becca said, 'he comes across as a bit sleazy.'

'What's his name?' Gail asked, 'maybe I can do a background check.'

'Isn't that an abuse of your position,' Becca's voice was teasing but Gail felt Holly tense next to her and she gave her hand another reassuring squeeze.

'I bet you've been tempted to run a background check on me, Peck,' Lisa drawled, 'or have you already.'

'Well,' Gail drew out the word, 'now you mention it.'

'Figures,' Lisa said, 'never cross a cop. I guess I'll have to pay those speeding fines now.'

'Gail would never do that,' Holly bristled, 'she's the most honest cop I know.'

'Holly, it's okay,' Gail interrupted, 'they're just ribbing me. I think your mother realized I was joking about the background check.'

Becca nodded.

'Oh,' Holly said in a small voice, 'oh alright then. I just didn't want you to get the wrong impression. Gail takes her job very seriously and works very hard and she does things by the book, well not exactly, I mean she follows the rules but that doesn't mean she doesn't think laterally and that's one of the things that's makes her such a great detective and.'

Gail leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on the corner of Holly's mouth.

'Oh,' Holly pushed her glasses back up her nose, 'oh, okay then.'

'That might be the most effective way I've seen of stopping Holly mid ramble,' Kurt laughed.

'Oh, Dad,' Holly grumbled slightly, feeling and sounding like a teenager embarrassed by a lame comment from her father.

Lisa and Becca laughed and Gail found herself smiling. In fact the dinner was going so well, Gail, who had the following day off, found herself offering to accompany Becca on the house search.

'I can even flash my badge at Mr Sleaze,' she said, 'uh if that's okay with you Holly.'

Holly gave Gail a wry smile and playfully shoved her in the shoulder.

Now at the bar, continuing the postmortem of the evening, Lisa declared that in her opinion the night was a complete success.

'I was a bit worried at first you wouldn't catch on Gail,' Lisa said, 'you looked a bit hostile when you walked in. I half expected you to threaten to taser yourself in the eye and then walk out.'

Maybe, Gail thought, she should run a background check on Lisa. Frankie would go along with it. Haul Lisa's ass into the station and pretend to charge her for those unpaid speeding fines, because Gail was certain there were outstanding fines. Lisa had made so many jokey references to them Gail was beginning to suspect a guilty conscience.

Then just as quickly as the idea occurred to her, Gail dismissed it. There were other ways of messing with Lisa. So instead Gail narrowed her eyes at the plastic surgeon, giving her that contemptuous stare she was famed for, and Lisa found herself instinctively shrinking back.

'Too soon to joke about tasers?' Lisa asked, annoyed the timorousness in her voice betrayed the fact Gail Peck could still make her nervous.

Gail began to nod slowly and then burst into peals of laughter.

'Got you there, Gordon.'

Lisa made a sour face and Gail excused herself to go to the bathroom. As she came back to the bar, Gail could distinctly hear Lisa's voice cutting across the din in the restaurant. Lisa was talking about Fiona Vincent, who it transpired she'd slept with for the first time the previous night. Holly was no prude - Gail could attest to that - but from the look on her face, Gail could tell Lisa was being far too graphic.

'God, the sex was amazing,' Lisa said to Holly, 'the best ever. What is it with women on the force? I mean given you can't keep your hands off Gail, clearly the sex is great too.'

Gail chose this moment to sidle up to stand just behind the two women. Once again Holly marveled at how she seemed to appear from nowhere. Lisa didn't notice Gail until she spoke.

'We have special courses at the Academy,' Gail said drily, 'it's part of our community outreach.'

'Geez, Peck,' Lisa practically squealed in surprise, 'where'd you come from. You should stop sneaking up on people like that.'

'And you should use your inside voice, Lisa.'

Holly stifled a laugh. Gail was right. Lisa had been talking so loudly and expansively it had drawn the attention of three men further down the bar, who were now regarding them with interest. Holly hoped they weren't going to try and hit on them. Deciding the men might need some discouragement, Holly took Gail's hand and, drawing her to her side, kissed her, lingering a little as she released Gail's bottom lip. It caused Gail to smile and lean down to kiss Holly again.

'Oh please,' Lisa whined drawing out the please, 'we're in public. Get a room.'

Gail shot her a look.

'You were saying about Fiona Vincent?' she asked innocently, 'I don't think the guy at the end of the bar heard what exactly it is she can do with her tongue.'

Lisa reddened and began to splutter and Holly couldn't help laughing this time. It was kind of reassuring these two were back to their usual sparring.

'You're as bad as Gail,' Lisa huffed at Holly.

'Yep,' Holly smiled as she linked her arms around Gail's waist and pulled her even closer, 'I must be perfect then.'

'Oh god, I do need another drink,' Lisa said, a look of disgust on her face which even Gail could tell was feigned, 'what'd you say, one more for the road.'

'Only if you tell us how Elaine set you up with Fiona Vincent,' Holly said.

'Yeah, that's a story I want to hear,' Gail rubbed her hands together, 'and for the record Lisa, if you want to adopt my mother I won't stand in your way.'

'If you knew my mother,' Lisa said as she signaled the bartender for refills, 'you'd know how tempting that offer actually is.'

Gail looked at Lisa skeptically.

'Oh yeah,' Lisa nodded, 'controlling, manipulative, elitist doesn't even cover it. Vacuous could be a good word too.'

While Lisa was speaking, the bartender placed their drinks on the counter.

'You know, I think I would have preferred it if my father had married Elaine,' Lisa mused.

Gail couldn't help it. Even though she supposed to be savoring it, she'd just taken a good-sized swig of tequila and, at the mention of Elaine marrying Stewart Gordon, immediately did a spit take.

'Damn,' Gail said as she regarded the liquid, which was now forming little rivulets on the countertop, 'that was the good stuff too.'

'You are insane, you know that, right' Holly said to Gail, shaking her head but sounding amused and fond.

'If Elaine had married my father that would freakishly make us sisters, or do I mean freakish sisters,' Lisa slurred, not seeming to have registered the spit take.

It made Holly realize Lisa was drunker than she appeared. She was grateful Gail didn't have a mouthful of tequila. Now though, Gail's eyes went wide and she hastily tipped the shot glass up and slammed the rest of the liquid down her throat.

'Another?' Lisa gestured to the shot glass and Gail nodded mutely.

…..

The following morning Holly groaned and pulled the pillow over her head as the alarm rang through the bedroom, shrill and insistent and annoyingly in time with the dull pounding against her skull. Gail lifted the corner of the pillow and Holly regarded her through slitted eyes.

'Not feeling too good,' Gail asked and placed a gentle kiss on Holly's forehead.

'Why did you let me drink so much,' Holly groaned again, 'you know I'm not a drinker.'

Gail chuckled. 'No one was forcing you, Holly,' she teased, 'but you know about my full proof hangover cure.' As she spoke, Gail ran her fingers lightly across Holly's back.

'We don't have time. I need to be at work and isn't Becca due here soon.'

'Not for at least another hour, and given how hard you've been working, I think you can give yourself a late mark nerd.'

'Is that so,' Holly pulled the pillow off her head and turned to regard Gail with a pout, which Gail had to admit was adorable. She leant down to kiss Holly, just a soft press of the lips and then she pulled back and smiled down at her.

'And?' Holly challenged, turning to face Gail, 'there has to be more to the cure than that.'

'Oh much, much more,' Gail said, leaning in again to kiss Holly, this time with more vigor. She trailed a hand up along Holly's thigh to the top of her boy shorts before slipping it beneath the waistband.

'No preamble?'

'No time,' Gail said, easing Holly onto her back and then moving down to take Holly's nipple in her mouth.

Holly pushed her boy shorts off and then tugged at Gail's until Gail broke off from what she was doing and assisted in removing them. Then Holly pulled Gail flush against her, and there was a frenzy of lips and teeth and tongues. Quite quickly Holly forgot her pounding head and instead was overtaken by the feel of Gail against her and the breathy sounds filling the room because they couldn't help but be vocal with one another. Then the friction became too much for Holly and she guided Gail's hand down, gasping as she felt two fingers slip inside her. Holly knew then this wasn't going to be quick but she was beyond caring.

They had just showered and dressed when Becca showed up. She didn't make any comment about their wet hair but expressed delight Holly hadn't yet left for work.

'Lisa was right,' Becca clapped her hands together, 'this is a gorgeous house. Can I have a tour?'

Yep, Becca was direct, Gail thought as she looked across at Holly whose eyes widened ever so slightly but not enough for Becca to notice. The bed upstairs was unmade, and not just untucked, it bore all the signs of their recent activity, and then the bedroom itself smelt unmistakably of sex.

'Ah, why don't we start in the kitchen,' Gail said, 'I'll make you a coffee and then you can have the full tour.'

'Yeah, good plan,' Holly said, 'I just need to get something from upstairs.'

With that she bolted for the stairs. If Becca thought something was amiss she didn't let on.

Holly left for work just before Roger the sleazy realtor arrived.

'This is my daughter's partner, Gail Peck,' Becca said to Roger.

'Miss Peck,' Roger held out his hand, and when Gail shook it, it was a little limp and a little warm, and Roger was a little too familiar in the way he held Gail's hand a little too long.

'Detective Peck.'

'Detective, as in police detective?'

Gail nodded.

'So will you cuff me if I'm a bad boy?' Roger said, his smarmy smile making it clear he thought his flirtatiousness charming rather than sleazy.

Gail fixed him with a glacial look and Roger at least had the good grace to momentarily falter and then suggest they get going.

As Becca passed Gail she murmured, 'perhaps you could do that police check after all.'

Gail smiled. 'I guarantee we'd find a reason to arrest him.'

'Is sleaziness an offence?' Becca asked as she followed Roger down the porch steps to his car.

The first house was big and rambling, too big really for Kurt and Becca. Six bedrooms and a study. Roger of course didn't take no for an answer.

'You'll never regret having room for visitors. Room for grandchildren,' he said, with a wink in Gail's direction.

'Roy,' Gail said sweetly, 'is this rot?' She'd opened a cupboard door next to the first floor bathroom and now pointed to the clearly rotten floorboards.

'Roger,' he said.

'So it is rot,' Gail said, raising an eyebrow.

'No, I didn't say that.' Roger said, starting to sound flustered.

'You said roger. I thought that meant yes.'

'No my name is Roger.'

'Okay,' Gail said doubtfully, 'but this is rot.'

Roger peered over her shoulder into the cupboard.

'Probably just a leaking tap in the bathroom. An easy fix.'

'Yeah?' Gail lifted the carpet, which ended just inside the cupboard door, and made a face, 'looks extensive to me Rory.'

'Roger,' the realtor began to say but Becca cut across him.

'If there's rot, we're not interested, Ryan. Can we see the next house?'

Gail smiled. Becca seemed to have picked up on the name game.

'It's actually Roger,' the realtor tried again, but the two women had already swept passed him and down the corridor to the front door.

The second house was nice.

'Extremely livable,' Becca said, 'but isn't this a busy street?'

They were standing on the front porch, which Gail conceded was inviting with enough room for a few chairs and even a little table. She could imagine sitting out here on a warm summer's night but for the fact the house was located on a major thoroughfare.

'No,' Roger reassured Becca, 'very quiet, it's mainly residential traffic.'

'I used to patrol this street when I was in uniform, and it was like a car park in peak hour,' Gail said.

'Traffic has been diverted from this road in recent years.'

'Rick, it's not that long since I was in uniform,' Gail said.

Just then a siren sounded. A moment later a fire engine sped past, its lights flashing and its siren sounding ne-naw ne-naw over and over.

'Oh, and there's a fire station just round the corner,' Gail said.

The third house was pokey and dark and Becca ruled it out immediately. After that she and Gail parted ways with Roger, asking him to drop them back at Gail's first.

'Was that a bit wicked, us tormenting Roger,' Becca asked once they were inside.

'Possibly,' Gail said, 'but I think he deserved it.'

'Absolutely,' Becca agreed and they both laughed.

Gail bit her lip and seemed to be considering something.

'You know there's a house for sale two streets up. It might be worth a look,' Gail said.

'You'd want us to live that close?' Becca asked, her expression part curious part amused and so very like Holly's.

Gail shrugged. Strangely she felt okay about the idea. No way she'd ever want to live in such proximity to Elaine but the prospect of Holly's parents being practically neighbors did not actually fill her with dread.

'Holly would like it,' she said.

'And it would be very convenient for babysitting the grandchildren,' Becca smirked and they both laughed.

'As long as it has plenty of room for them,' Gail said.

'That place had six bedrooms. Just how many children did Roger think you planned on having,' Becca laughed again and Gail rolled her eyes.

…..

When Holly returned home from work, she found Gail and Becca in the kitchen making dinner. The expression thick as thieves crossed her mind as Holly walked in on the tail end of a very embarrassing story about how when she was ten she used to corral her younger cousins together and make them do science experiments.

'They had to call her Professor Holly,' Becca said, 'but they did have fun even if Professor Holly insisted that each visit they learn at least one thing about the wonders of science.' In fact Holly was so drawn to teaching, Becca had been convinced she would become an academic. There was still time, she supposed.

Gail started laughing, 'I can just see it.'

'And one of those cousins is now an astrophysicist,' Holly said.

'Oh hey,' Gail said noticing Holly. She was still laughing as she kissed her. 'You really were a nerd.' Which made Becca laugh as well. Holly resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

'Your folks are staying for dinner,' Gail said casually.

'Oh,' Holly said. Gail actually sounded happy about that. It should surprise her. Twenty-four hours ago it would have, but that was before her girlfriend had pulled out all stops to charm the pants off her parents. With a little help from Lisa, she had to allow.

'Yes, Kurt's just stepped out to get champagne,' Becca said, 'to celebrate. We've made an offer on a house.'

'Really,' Holly said excitedly, 'so the sleazy realtor was helpful after all.'

'No I can categorically say he was completely unhelpful,' Gail said, 'sleazy though. Becca was right about that. No it's that house on Palma Street. You know the two story one.'

'You took my mother there?' Holly said, unable to conceal the note of wonder in her voice.

'It's absolutely wonderful,' Becca enthused, 'needs some work but Gail says she knows a very good architect.'

'Olivia, it's one of her exes,' Holly said without thinking because she was so distracted by the fact Gail had voluntarily shown her mother a house two streets away.

'Oh,' Becca raised her eyebrows, 'so Holly's not the only woman you've had a relationship with?'

'Mom,' Holly said, with that mixture of indignation and caution of someone very used to her mother being blunt to the point of overstepping.

'Yeah,' Gail said a little warily, not sure how she should answer this question, 'while Holly was in San Francisco. Nothing really serious though, because well, Holly.'

'Well, that's a relief,' Becca said.

'A relief?' Holly asked, confused.

'That Gail's gay. That this isn't some kind of experiment.'

'Oh definitely gay,' Gail said, looping her arms around Holly's waist, 'Holly was no experiment, although she did introduce me to the wonders of,'

Holly clamped her hand over Gail's mouth.

'I was going to say forensic science,' Gail protested as Holly removed her hand, 'anyway Becca, after Holly there was no turning back.'

'And I probably shouldn't ask why,' Becca said teasingly.

'No,' Holly agreed, 'there are some things even you don't need to know Mom.'

Kurt knocking on the front door stopped any further discussion on the topic. Holly wasn't sure which of the three women was more relieved – herself, her mother or Gail.

Later that night, after Becca and Kurt had left, Gail turned to Holly and pronounced, 'Your parents are cool.'

'Yeah,' Holly said, 'not weird misguided hippies.'

'No,' Gail said, furrowing her brow as if that thought couldn't be further from her mind, 'I like them.'

'And they like you. I can tell. But wait until my dad starts holding forth about police brutality. He can be just as outspoken as my mother.'

'Pfft. I can handle that. Holly you forget I was raised by wolves.'

'Ha. That must have been confusing for a cat.'

'You have no idea.'

….

'We should get a Christmas tree,' Chloe said, 'Christmas is like two weeks away and we don't have any decorations up.'

It was one morning about a week after Kurt and Becca's visit. Chloe and Gail were seated at the kitchen table eating breakfast, and Holly was over at the sink. Gail regarded Chloe sourly. Could the muppet bounce any higher out of her chair?

'I don't do Christmas,' Gail said.

'And why is that Scrooge?' Chloe asked.

Gail shrugged and looked down at her plate.

'Oh shoot,' Chloe said, her eagerness now replaced by a look of anguish, 'you weren't allowed to celebrate Christmas.'

Holly turned from her position at the sink and regarded Gail with concern.

'Well, we got to open our presents but then Elaine made us go around and give them to less fortunate kids.'

'That's,' Chloe stopped, at a loss for words, 'actually that's kind of criminal.'

Gail shrugged again.

Holly tilted her head to one side and regarded Gail for a moment. Then her lips twitched. 'Was that before or after you served up Christmas dinner in the homeless shelters?'

Gail gave another shrug.

'Or sang Christmas carols at the nursing homes? That's how Gail discovered she could really sing,' Holly said as an aside to Chloe.

'Man, no wonder you hate Christmas,' Chloe spluttered, sympathy and outrage tumbling together.

Holly started laughing and then Gail did too.

'What?' Chloe asked.

'She's just bullshitting,' Holly said.

'So none of those things are true?'

'Nope,' Gail said, popping the p, 'what sort of monster do you think Elaine is? Actually don't answer that.'

'Okay, I'm going to shower,' Chloe said, rising out of her chair. When she reached the door, she stopped and turned, 'you shouldn't joke about Christmas.' Then she left.

'Oops,' Gail said.

Holly suppressed a smile. 'So spill Scrooge. Why don't you do Christmas?'

'Peace and goodwill it's all bullshit,' Gail said, 'and families getting together and pretending to be all happy. I don't need to tell you Holly, the statistics for domestic violence spike over the holiday period.'

'Okay,' Holly said as if she were considering something, 'and you haven't had a family to celebrate with for a while now.'

'It was never much anyway. Bill and Elaine would have their stupid Christmas Eve party to impress the bigwigs and Steve and I would be paraded out like prize show ponies. At some point in the evening at least one disgusting drunk old guy would put his hand on my ass.'

'Jeez,' Holly, 'what did you do?'

'I got very good at stepping really close and stomping down hard on their toes and then smiling sweetly. They usually didn't bother me after that.'

So Christmas was about duty after all, Holly thought. They had joked about it just then, but of course Elaine wouldn't pass up an opportunity to impress, even if it meant her daughter had to endure the unwanted attentions of some sleazy drunkard.

'There was one thing I loved,' Gail said, 'decorating the tree. Elaine and I always did it together, right from when I was little.'

'So why didn't you say yes to a tree when Chloe suggested it?'

'We don't have any decorations,' Gail said, as if this were the most obvious thing.

'Honey, we can buy some,' Holly said gently. By now she had come to sit next to Gail, and she took Gail's hand in her own and ran her thumb across it.

Gail remembered the excitement of retrieving the Christmas boxes from the attic, and lugging them downstairs. Then gently extracting the decorations - the baubles and tinsel and little figurines - from within the layers of tissue paper where they'd been carefully placed when the tree from last Christmas was dismantled.

There was a magic to rediscovering each object and often a history to go with them too, which Elaine would obligingly recite each year. It was one of the few times Elaine was content to be still with Gail. There was a softness to her mother in that moment, an unhurriedness and placidity Gail rarely, if ever, saw.

'Decorations have histories,' Gail stated adamantly, 'you can't just go and buy them all new.'

'Okay,' Holly agreed, an idea forming in her head, 'but Gail when we celebrate Christmas we won't need to pretend. It will be all about love and peace and goodwill.'

'Yeah, of course nerd,' Gail said, again as if this were so obvious it need not be said.

'And families aren't just biological. We can choose who we want to celebrate Christmas with.'

'You are too wise,' Gail teased, and leant over to kiss Holly, 'just remember I hate people.'

'We need to wait on the toxicology reports to be sure,' Rodney said, 'but it looks like he died from natural causes.'

He gestured to the man on the slab in front of him. Rodney guessed he'd died about two weeks ago. The body was no longer bloated but had collapsed so it looked almost flattened. The flesh had taken on a creamy consistency, although the parts of the body that were exposed were discolored black. Which, Holly had once explained to Gail, was why this stage of decomposition was called black putrefaction. The strong smell of decay coming off the body filled the lab, and even though Gail was just an observer, she felt like the odor had permeated her clothing.

Gail blew out a breath.

'Would you prefer foul play?' Rodney asked.

Gail shook her head.

'Nope. Just hate the thought of this guy dying all alone and no one noticed.'

Rodney nodded. 'Yeah, it's sad alright.'

A couple of days after the Christmas tree conversation, Gail and Chloe picked up a routine case. The old man was found after neighbors started complaining about the stench coming from his apartment. When the police broke down the door, it was clear he'd been dead for weeks. Paul Hansen. Aged 82. Lived alone. None of the neighbors knew if he had relatives. 'No one ever visited him,' one of them shrugged. If it took them so long to notice Hansen's absence would they have registered any visitors, Gail wondered?

As Gail exited the autopsy suite, Holly was making her way up the corridor. Her arms where piled high with folders. That's right, Gail remembered, the budget meeting. It had been stressing Holly out for the last few days. Give her a body any day over finances.

'Hey,' Holly greeted Gail as they drew nearer, 'here for the autopsy on your apartment guy.'

'Yeah, Rodney doesn't think it's suspicious.'

'That's good, right,' Holly said, trying to shift the files into one arm so she could push her glasses back up her nose.

'Here,' Gail said, relieving her of the folders.

Holly smiled her thanks and adjusted her glasses.

'Yes and no,' Gail said.

Holly looked at her questioningly and then realized Gail was referring to the old man from the apartment.

'He was dead for at least two weeks and no one noticed, Holly. No one noticed.'

'I had a case in San Francisco where the person was dead four months before she was discovered. The neighbors didn't even think to question why the mail was piling up.'

Gail made a face. 'I don't want to trade worse case stories.'

Holly really looked at Gail then and saw something she couldn't quite describe. Was it anguish? She hadn't noticed at first because she'd been distracted by the budget meeting which started in exactly three minutes.

'Okay,' Holly said gently, 'but something about this guy's death has upset you.'

'It's just so depressing,' Gail bit her lip, 'that guy was completely alone when he died. No family. No friends. No one noticed he was gone. It's wrong.'

'Maybe he wasn't a very nice person. Maybe he drove people away.'

Gail regarded Holly for a moment, her expression unreadable.

'If you hadn't come back one day I would have died a sad, bitter, lonely old woman,' Gail said quietly.

Holly tilted her head to one side, an understanding smile starting at one corner of her lips.

'Honey,' she said, uncharacteristically using a term of endearment at work, 'you know that's.'

Holly was about to say you know that's not true. You have plenty of friends. Good, good friends. A sometimes psycho mother, but underneath she cares. And Steve. And if Holly hadn't come back there might have been someone else. And every single one of them would be sounding the alarm if Gail was AWOL for even 24 hours. Holly was about to say all these things but Dr Carral chose that moment to appear in the corridor.

He greeted Gail warmly and then turned to Holly. 'Don't worry about next week. I've juggled the roster to cover you while you're in San Francisco. Sorry to hurry you,' he said with an apologetic glance in Gail's direction, 'but I have an appointment with the Commissioner directly after this so we need to start the meeting on time. Nice seeing you Detective Peck.' With that he strode off in the direction of the conference room.

'San Francisco?' Gail asked.

'Yeah, I was going to tell you tonight. The Apps trial was brought forward. I fly out on Monday. Hopefully it shouldn't take more than a few days.'

'But it's practically Christmas,' Gail said.

'It's still ten days away,' Holly pointed out.

'How come when you went to San Francisco you never had to come back to Toronto to give evidence?'

'Who said I didn't,' Holly said a little absently because she'd noticed her assistant Sally standing at the door to the conference room and urgently motioning her. Damn the meeting was about to start. 'Look I have to go to this meeting. We'll talk tonight, okay?' Holly focused back on Gail and was not the least prepared for what she saw. First a look of hurt flashed across Gail's face, just for the briefest of moments, before her face literally closed off. Gail took a step back, the action a physical expression of her withdrawal. It caught Holly off guard.

'Uh Gail, my files,' Holly said.

Without saying a word, Gail unceremoniously dumped them in Holly's arms.

'Gail, I'm sorry,' Holly began.

'Later,' Gail said, 'go to your meeting.'

…..

Gail was steadily firing her Glock. Arms extended, one hand on the handle of the gun with a finger on the trigger, the other hand steadying it. The center of the target in front of her was peppered with holes. She was wearing earmuffs so she hadn't heard Holly come in, but when she finished firing off a round, she turned slightly to reload. If she was surprised to see Holly she didn't show it. She just finished reloading and fired off another round, every bullet hitting the middle of the target.

Holly hated guns. Hated the smell. Hated their loudness. Hated the violence of them, knowing all too well the damage a gun could do. But damn if there wasn't something incredibly hot about Gail Peck with a gun in her hands, legs planted firmly, hands gripping the gun with such ease, her movements as she fired sure and confident.

When she finally finished firing, Gail put the safety on and, removing her earmuffs, turned around completely to face Holly. She didn't speak. Holly waited a beat and realized she was the one who'd have to begin.

'Chloe said I'd find you here.'

Gail nodded.

'Are you mad at me.'

Gail shook her head.

'Upset?'

Gail pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. 'Yes. No. Maybe. I'm not sure. I'm just being stupid.'

'Gail, trust me you are not stupid.'

Gail considered that for a moment and then blurted out. 'How come you never once came to see me when you were in Toronto for a trial?'

'We agreed it was best not to contact each other. To stay away. I thought that's what you wanted.'

'Holly if I'd gone to San Francisco for some reason there is no way I could have stayed away from you.'

Holly sighed. 'I know. That was the problem. If I'd seen you we would have ended up having sex and then I would have gone back to San Francisco and you would have hated me for upending your life and we both would have hated each other for choosing to live in different cities, for being unwilling to give us a chance.'

'I could never hate you, Holly,' Gail sad quietly.

'You might have.'

Gail shook her head. 'How come I never ran into you?'

'The cases were with other divisions. No one from 15 knew I was here. I stayed at Rachel's and kept a low profile. But Gail, I lost count of the times I almost called, started to dial your number and then stopped myself. And not just when I was in Toronto either.'

Gail had been staring at her feet, chewing her lip. Now when she glanced up, she looked so vulnerable and hurt it made Holly's heart break a little.

'Why didn't you call?'

'Because I, we'd agreed and I would have blurted out that I loved you and because I didn't know,' Holly stopped.

'Didn't know if I was ready. If I felt the same way. If you were just opening yourself up for more heartache.'

Holly nodded ruefully.

'You were right. I wasn't ready. I did feel the same way, you know that right.' Holly nodded. 'But I wasn't ready. You remember when we first talked at the conference in Chicago and you asked whether I thought we would have worked if you'd stayed in Toronto and I said we would have imploded.'

Holly nodded.

'Because I wasn't ready,' Gail said.

'And I wasn't brave enough.'

Gail looked at Holly quizzically, not understanding.

'Brave enough to commit. I'd never felt so much for someone, never fallen so hard and then it was,' Holly pursed her lips as she considered how best to explain.

'And it was tumultuous. I was a brat. Not exactly someone you'd want to stake a future on.'

'Oh, Gail,' Holly said, sadly because she felt none of those things now, but just like everyone else she had left Gail, even if it broke her heart to do so. And who was Holly kidding? She might not have put it in words like Nick when he told Gail she wasn't the girlfriend type, but her actions said it. Back then Holly hadn't been willing to chance a future on Gail. Easier to convince herself San Francisco was her only option than take a risk on a woman who by her own admission was incapable of an adult relationship, who had shredded Holly's heart and might do so again.

Today for some reason the hurt of all that had resurfaced for Gail. Raw and gnawing. Even though Gail knew how much Holly loved her. Even though Holly had told her how she had spent two years regretting her decision to leave and even though she had come back for Gail, the hurt was still there.

It was something, Holly realized, they had never talked about. They'd skirted around it but never actually discussed it, probably fearful of bringing up old hurts, and for Gail insecurities and patterns she was moving past. They had talked at length about what happened before Holly left, what went wrong and why, and they'd been candid about their feelings for each other. Yet they had never spoken about why in that two years neither had tried to contact the other. Holly could guess why Gail hadn't. Her leaving would have reinforced all Gail's doubts about herself, that she wasn't worthy or capable of love.

'I was a coward,' Holly said.

'No, you weren't a coward, Holly. I was a mess. You deserved better. And you're right, by leaving you made it possible for us to eventually have a relationship. It just hurt, hearing you'd been in Toronto and I didn't know and you didn't call and then the guy in the apartment.'

Holly understood then. Gail's at times weird associations usually made sense to Holly eventually, even if sometimes it took her a little longer to work through the connections.

'You are not,' Holly said advancing towards Gail and looping her arms around her waist, 'you are not going to end up some sad, sorry old woman. Not if I have anything to do with it.' Holly leaned in then and kissed Gail gently.

'Thank you,' Gail breathed into Holly's neck, then pulling back said, 'we should get out of here.'

'Had enough of shooting things for today?' Holly teased.

'I guess, but there are a bunch of rookies from 27 staring at us.'

'Good.'

Instead of removing her arms from around Gail, Holly leaned in again and kissed her for a second time.

'Good? That's not exactly going to help keep our relationship low key at work.'

'Good,' Holly said again and kissed Gail once more, 'cause I want everyone to know the very awesome Gail Peck is my girlfriend.'

…..

'Hey Price, ' Gail said as Chloe entered the detective's pen, 'we've got an address for Paul Hansen's son. He changed his name. Colin Patterson.'

'Is that why it took so long to track him down?'

Gail nodded.

'Should we send some uniforms over to inform him?'

'Nope. I want to do this myself. I feel like I owe it to Hansen, dying alone like that. Plus I want to see what kind of son doesn't notice his father has died.'

'Gail, there might be a good reason. Could be why he changed his name.'

Gail shrugged. 'Yep, well let's find out.'

Uncharacteristically, Gail asked Chloe to drive and took the passenger seat. Chloe knew it was so Gail could check her phone.

'Any word from Holly?' Chloe asked as they headed out.

Gail shook her head. Holly was due to fly back from San Francisco this morning but her plane had been grounded due to engine trouble. When it became clear the problem wasn't an easy fix, the airline was forced to find seats for all four hundred passengers on other flights. Not an easy task two days before Christmas and when most of the four hundred were tired, irate and demanding.

'Don't they have, I dunno, a back-up plane or something,' Gail had asked Holly.

'Apparently not,' Holly had laughed, 'but they seem to be prioritizing people with kids who need to get home for Christmas.'

Gail sighed. What if Holly didn't get home for Christmas? No way the day would be full of cheer and goodwill. It hit her then just how much she had been looking forward to waking up on Christmas day with Holly, to making the day their own, with their own traditions and stories, the anecdotes told over and over at every single Christmas. Gail smiled at that thought.

Colin Patterson was in his mid forties. He was a neat sort of man, with pressed trousers, shiny shoes and not a hair out of place, and the healthy glow of someone who took care of himself. He'd ushered the two detectives into the living room, but Gail could see through to the kitchen where two little children, toddlers really, were happily playing and Colin's wife had started to prepare dinner.

''So I'll need to organize a funeral, I guess,' Colin said after Gail informed him of his father's death. He didn't seem the least bit upset his father had lain undiscovered for weeks.

'Yes,' Chloe said gently, giving him the benefit of the doubt. Grief was a tricky thing. People reacted differently. 'His body should be released in the next day.'

'Just in time for Christmas,' Colin said bitterly.

'When did you last see your father?' Gail asked.

'Seven years ago,' Colin blew out a breath.

'So you weren't close?'

'My father was a bastard. Actually he was a bigot. He hated that my wife is Chinese and he disowned my brother for being gay. All he did was criticize. Nothing my brother or me did was ever right. We never lived up to his expectations. My mother tempered him a little but after she died he became impossible.'

'Is that why you changed your last name?'

Colin nodded. 'Once my mother passed I didn't want to be associated with him anymore in any way. It was kind of liberating to cast off his name.'

This time it was Gail who nodded. Chloe wondered if it was in recognition. If anyone knew about the weight a name could carry it was Gail.

'Look, I know you're judging me for letting him die alone, but eventually you can't live like that, you can't take that kind of abuse anymore. It destroys you.'

'I get that,' Gail said.

'I didn't want my kids around that kind of poison.'

…..

When they got back into the car, Gail checked her phone again.

'No word from Holly?' Chloe asked.

'Maybe she'll be stranded there for Christmas,' Gail said gloomily.

'Holly will get here, Gail. She'll walk from San Francisco if she has too.'

'I hardly think so. That's 3,641 kilometers Price.'

'Is that from your house to her old apartment or just the center of Toronto to the center of San Francisco?' Chloe asked, knowing Gail must have googled it. She wondered if that was before or after Gail and Holly got back together.

Gail turned to Chloe with a vexed expression.

'What?' Chloe asked, 'It's so cute you know the exact distance.'

Gail fixed her with a baleful look. 'Not cute and we are not talking about this anymore,' she said.

'I just know nothing will keep you and Holly apart,' Chloe said cheerfully ignoring the glare.

Gail rolled her eyes. 'Oh look Chloe,' she said in a voice both sweet and sarcastic, 'there's Bambi. The hunter just shot his mother. You better go comfort him.'

'Boy that film was tragic. I literally cried for a month after I saw it.'

'When was that. Last week?'

'Ha ha. Very funny, Gail. I was five. Up until then it never occurred to me you could actually, you know, lose your mother. It was devastating.'

'Whereas I found the idea quite comforting,' Gail said dryly.

Which Chloe knew wasn't true. One time, when Gail was being uncharacteristically open about her parents, she told Chloe up until she was around six her parents were quite relaxed, fun even. Then it all stopped and the exPecktations took over.

As with a real princess, being born into police royalty brought with it certain obligations or so Elaine Peck maintained. Chloe remembered her godfather Frank shaking his head sadly and saying 'Gail Peck didn't have much of a childhood.' It was not long after Chloe transferred to 15 and Gail had already made clear her antipathy to Chloe's perkiness.

The fact was, Chloe thought, Gail had endured more betrayals, more disappointments and even horror than most. From losing Holly to Steve's corruption and her father's duplicity, to the interminable travails of an uber controlling mother to the unthinking, almost casual betrayals of her friends and then of course Perick, it was an unrelenting barrage which would have broken a lesser person.

Chloe sensed Gail wanted none of these things to define her. She was aware Gail regularly saw a therapist, hard not to notice these things when you lived in the same house. Even so, it was amazing Gail was as well adjusted as she was. Chloe knew Holly was a big reason. She brought out the best in Gail. Made her want to be that better person, capable of trust and love.

Chloe knew these things and so forgave Gail her tetchiness, and refused to be rebuffed by the snark, and by the pessimism, which in truth was becoming less and less a feature of Gail's disposition. A sunny outlook? No, definitely not, but Gail was more content, more settled within herself than when Chloe first met her. Indeed Chloe would go so far as to say Gail Peck had become something of an optimist. Even if the woman in question would never admit it.

'Holly will be here for Christmas,' Chloe said with certainty, 'if she's not I promise I'll stop being cheerful for a week.'

'Now that's something I'd like to see,' Gail said, her face lighting up, 'it would almost be worth Holly not making it back.'

…..

As they walked back into the station, Chloe excused herself, saying she had a doctor's appointment.

'Remember I told you last week, Gail,' Chloe said.

Gail stopped suddenly. 'It's not to do with you know,' she pointed to her own head to indicate where Chloe was shot.

'Oh no,' Chloe reassured her brightly, 'just a regular check-up.'

Gail had stayed back to do paperwork. Once Rodney got the toxicology reports, they'd be able to sign off on this case. Then Colin Patterson could bury his father. It wouldn't be until after Christmas though. Rodney had just sent an email saying, being the holiday season, the lab was backed up and suspected murder cases were getting priority. An old man dying of natural causes went to the back of the queue. Gail sighed once more. Seemed like nothing to do with her was being prioritized today.

…..

Gail tried calling Holly before she left work but Holly's phone just went to messages. Maybe that was a good sign. Maybe Holly was on a flight right now and hadn't had a chance to text her. Maybe she was just being too hopeful, Gail thought. As she pulled up outside her house, she noticed lights on. Probably just Chloe.

Once out of the car, Gail pulled her coat collar up against the cold. Minus three this morning. It didn't feel much warmer now. She trudged up the porch steps. She knew she shouldn't give into despondency but she couldn't help it.

As she reached the porch, the front door was flung open and there was Holly, a big grin on her face and a Santa hat on her head. Gail didn't say anything. She simply crossed the porch and pulled Holly into a crushing hug, and when she finally released her said simply 'thank god you're here.' And Holly gave her that adorable lop-sided smile.

'I tried to call when I got a flight but my phone died and then there was no time if I wanted to make the flight,' Holly said, 'but I would have walked if I had had too, all 3,641 kilometers,'

'Geez, that's what Price said,' Gail huffed before pulling Holly into a kiss. Holly put her arms around her neck, and Gail felt herself relax into Holly and into the kiss and it might have gone on like this for some time had she not heard a piercing wolf whistle. Gail found out later Frankie was the culprit.

It was at that moment Gail became aware of Christmas carols in the background, and the low hum of voices. Then she was assailed by the distinct smell of a Christmas tree, crisp and fresh and earthy just like walking through an alpine forest. It brought with it the memory of waking up early on Christmas day, breathless with anticipation, and tearing downstairs to find her stocking; of Christmas dinners with turkey and ham and the most heavenly gravy, thick and tasting faintly of wine; of her father insisting they roast chestnuts over a roaring fire and Elaine slipping her marshmallows to toast instead; and of Steve helping her build a snowman the year they had a white Christmas in Toronto.

Chloe appeared then, smiling gleefully, and pulled Gail further into the room. Normally Gail would have resisted, but she was somewhat dazed by Holly's return and the unexpected onslaught of memories.

There in the middle of the room was a pine tree adorned with tinsel and flashing lights but no other decorations. This was not the most remarkable thing though. Standing around the tree were Frankie and Allanah, Dov, Chris and a waitress from the Penny he started dating a few months back, Oliver and Celery, Traci and Leo, Rachel and Luca, Lisa and Fiona Vincent, and finally Olivia and her new girlfriend. Each of them was holding up a Christmas decoration and smiling at Gail.

'Did you organize this, Chloe' Gail asked quietly, her usual snark completely deserting her. She couldn't have come up with a flippant remark even if she'd wanted to.

'Yes,' Chloe said, 'but it was Holly's idea.'

'Not the carols,' Holly murmured so only Gail could hear.

Gail shot her an amused look but then smiled. 'That was some doctor's appointment, Chloe' she said.

Then one by one everyone told a story about their decoration and why they had thought of Gail when they chose it. Leo's was handmade. A snowman.

'Remember you helped me build one last year,' he said and Gail smiled and hugged him.

Then Holly handed Gail a package with a US postmark.

'It's from Becca,' she said.

Inside was a gold star, obviously old, a little tarnished, but clearly treasured. A simple card was attached and Becca had written, 'We bought this star the year Holly was born. Growing up it was her favorite decoration- she loved it and she loves you, so now you should have it.'

Gail stared at the card, unable to speak. To say she was overwhelmed by emotions would be understating it. And it wasn't just Becca's words, or the meaning they conveyed, no it was also the love of all these other friends. Because they were friends, even Lisa in a strange sort of way, and Holly was right, Gail wasn't going to end up a sad sorry old woman.

'Are you alright honey,' Holly murmured.

'Perfect,' Gail said, 'and this star should go on the top of the tree.'

…..

So, a fairly drama free chapter. There will be a case next time. Is Paul Hansen's death as straightforward as it appears? Or will it be a whole new crime.

I probably won't update this until after the New Year as I'm going on holiday tomorrow and the internet is sporadic where I'm staying and then there are all those holiday things to distract me.