The 22-hour surveillance on this on going operation made Gail's neck really sore. She hated how it adds up to her annoyance and uneasy feeling she has been feeling for the past weeks. She knew deep inside that the root of all the bleakness of things is coming from something (someone) she is so relentlessly shoving down into the deepest depths of her unwanted-thoughts-vault.
"Tired? Let me get this one, you have a rest" the deep silent voice from her undercover partner irks her in every way. If she knew she would be pinned with her she would've just stayed in 15.
"No I got this. I'm fine." Gail said irritatingly.
The woman sat beside her anyways.
Gail looked at her slowly carrying a massive "what-the-hell-didn't-you-get-in-what-I've-said?!-look making sure the other woman gets it.
"Look, Peck, I know this assignment is really turning into a painful puddle of poo but we need to have each other's backs, we're partners.
Gail looked away and exhaled sharply.
"Fine. Do your job well Luck.
"Always do Peck."
Gail sat on the couch located on the center of their motel room. The place was a cold, old box where you would find long-distance-traveler-truck-drivers go to with some hot chick to bang. Gail looked hesitantly at the portion she sits on as she imagined the scene then she decided she really doesn't care. She is wasted. She closed her eyes.
She has accepted to take part of this undercover mission to get out of division 15 for a bit. Because division 15 means… Holly Stewart, and the way she screwed things up with her. She needs to get away from her and be preoccupied with things that are not… Holly. Gail laid down to give her neck the relative comfort of the couch's arm.
2 weeks and 5 days before
Chloe gave Gail a suspicious look as they made their way into changing to more comfortable clothing after a long shift.
Chloe knew it would bite her in the back but what the hell, she has had her fair share of them and one it wouldn't really hurt anymore especially if you are really concern about the person.
"Peck, what is going on?" she held her breath.
"I'm changing my clothes Chloe, how about you? Do you have anything exciting going on there?" Gail's fuming sarcastic words sprayed over Chloe.
The red head rolled her eyes.
"Gail, I'm worried about you. You seem… off. What is the matter? Are you okay?" Chloe approached the blonde to show the seriousness of her statement and question.
Gail just snorted.
"Gravy Price, Gravy."
"See this is the problem. You always think that people don't care about you but they actually do Gail. I do care for you"
"Well I don't need it!" the snarky combat from Gail challenging Chloe's caring sentiment was like a blow to her gut. Chloe was wrong. The bite still hurts.
"And aren't you supposed to just be worrying for your full recovery?" the blonde added seemingly to wipe a bit of the stain that is her snarky-ness
"I have recovered well Gail. I'm already working." Chloe replied.
Gail is done packing up her stuff and was ready to go. She did this as fast as she can to get away from the annoying beam-of-sunshine-creature that is in front of her.
"Good, see you then" she lifted her bag.
"Gail…" the woman's voice stopped her.
"Please if you ever needed to talk about anything, I'm just here"
Gail nodded, surprised that she acknowledged the sincerity of her colleague.
Finally out of the red head, Gail trotted fleetly to get out of the whole building before anyone else gets weird around her again. She passed the detective's lounge when something caught her hearing senses.
"We need more people for this assignment. This will be a tough nut to crack."
Oliver nodded towards Swarek to agree on what he just said.
"Is this an undercover thing?" Gail blurted.
"Peck! My darling, you're still here?" Oliver is more accusatory than curious.
"I'm in, whatever this is. You said you need more people, I'm in." the woman showed enthusiasm hoping they buy it.
"You don't even want to know what it is all about? Mind you, it might be a camping trip you don't want to be slaughtered by wolves with." Swarek said smiling.
"Especially if there is a certain forensic someone who would be really worried when that happens, huh?" Oliver added as he gave Gail a teasing wink.
Gail flinched at the slightest reference to you-know-who.
"I don't care I'm in." her eyes said it all.
Sam and Oliver exchanged looks.
"Okay, Peck. Welcome aboard. You leave with the team tomorrow."
Sam pointed at Gail and he took the mug of coffee and started out of the room.
"Since you've thrown yourself into this you need to stay back for the briefing" the pat on the shoulder from Oliver was what made Gail come to the realization that she had just signed up for something that might be sheer stupidity- well, she doesn't care.
"Gail!"
The call of her name made her shoot up, her state turned into alert mode, while she grabbed her gun from the table just beside her.
"Whoa, wait wait, I'm not the enemy" the brunette shielded herself with her two hands.
"What the heck Luck, you startled me!"
"Sorry, you won't wake up so I needed to scream!"
"Did something happen?" the blonde asked with greeted teeth.
"Nothing, I just figured you haven't eaten and so I made a sandwich for you to eat."
Her fellow officer set the plate of food on the table.
"You didn't need to do that" Gail shifted her feet to the ground.
"You're welcome Peck" the officer smiled.
The brunette went back to the window squinting on the binoculars to see if there is any movement. The building was dark and full focus is essential. The 9 o'clock evening didn't help as well.
Gail set her eyes to the sandwich. What seems to be a reflex, she opens it to extract the two red shiny circles that caught her attention.
"I'm allergic to tomatoes" She shouted for her to be heard.
"Oh, I'm sorry." She had a reply.
She just threw away the red matter she loathed into the bin few inches away.
This somehow gave herself a pass to allow her to visit memory lane…
*Instance # 1
"Are you sure that there is not even a single trace of tomatoes in here?" Holly's expression she was darting to the waiter transpired this is a serious matter.
"Yes ma'am, nothing"
She looked at the plate and back to the waiter.
"Okay, if my girlfriend here started bearing puffs of red lumps, I will hunt you down and make sure that will be your last day on earth" the threat coming from the opposite woman made Gail snort quietly.
The waiter had a shocked look.
"I'm joking about that, but you will surely experience the bad side of me" Holly said smiling.
Gail let the frightened waiter walk out before she let out the comment.
"Why doctor, I did not know you have this dark streak in you" Gail was so touched by the gesture Holly just did.
"It's all your fault. You made me like you this much" Holly smiled.
"It wasn't my fault that you walked into my crime scene that day"
"Shh! Peck, eat!"
*Instance # 2
"Holly, I'm pretty sure you have examined the whole thing like how you examine dead bodies so we both know it's tomato free, now give me the freaking sandwich before I eat you!" Gail attempted to steal the sandwich from Holly but failed.
Holly gave her epic side-smile.
"Eat me? Don't you do that anyway? Plus I just want to be sure that there is no tomatoes in here" the darker shade of the brunette's eyes gave away her innuendo.
Gail rolled her eyes.
"Yes I do." Gail admitted.
"But there is nothing in there already and if you do not give me that sandwich I will eat you in-a-not-how-you-like-it way!" Gail exclaimed.
Holly finally extended her hand with the sandwich, pulling it away when Gail is about to grab it, while swiftly planting a tender kiss on her blonde's lips.
Gail smiled, their lips not leaving each other's.
"When will you stop being cheeky?"
"When I stop liking you" the doctor let the sandwich land perfectly on Gail's hand.
"Oh, be cheeky forever then" as Gail munched into her sandwich.
*Instance # 3
"Seriously Hols what are these? They are just lying here on the counter" Gail held up stacks of papers from the source after she spent minutes scavenging the fridge for food.
"Oh, don't throw them away. They are tomato free recipes, I researched them" Holly said as she tried to stay focused on her laptop.
Gail can't help but smile on her girlfriend's thoughtfulness. They have just been officially dating for a couple of days but Holly seems to be really serious about the tomato matter.
"This means you'll cook for me all the time?" the officer moved to where Holly was sitting.
"When you're lucky"
"Oh, doctor. With you, I'm always lucky"
They set their eyes on each other with the sounds of their giggles.
"Good that you know" Holly poked Gail's sides that then led to a tickle fight.
"I'll make you a new one if that really creeps you out" the same voice Gail has been hearing for days brought her back to the present lane.
"Look I'm really not hungry. Thanks anyways though."
Gail stood up and made her way to the door. She suddenly felt this jolt of feeling she can't even explain. She needed to do something, now.
"Where are you going?"
"I need some tampons, I'll be back in maybe an hour? I'll take this cell with me. Notify me for any changes and I'll be back immediately."
"Wait Gail I have one…"
The door slammed shut before officer Luck had even had the chance to finish her sentence.
After a minute of fiddling with the new device she had bought from a grocery shop just blocks away, Gail has finally had the $20-mobile up and running. She doesn't have her phone with her as per assignment's requisite, and she is certainly not using the mobile phone for the assignment as everything will be recorded and tracked hence the new mobile in her hands.
She paused to analyze what she is about to do.
She had a couple of inhale and exhale rounds before typing on the keypad.
Her thumb hovered to the send button, while she carefully tries to tame her tachychardia.
The skin finally touched the surface of the button, now too late to take it all back.
It was as if time froze as her whole body did the same way and all that Gail was able to do was close her eyes.
The vibration of the phone on the side table awoke Holly from her shallow nap she took for a break from her report.
She grabbed her phone almost at once expecting each and every time that the contact name My Officer to pop up. But for the gazillionth time again, she was heavily disappointed. It is from an unknown number.
She needed to blink many times just so to see if what was on the screen was real. She read the following words again:
"I MISS YOU SO MUCH…"