Gail was cheerier than normal, sure over the past while -since bumping into a certain brunette- she'd been less of the woman everyone has come to see and more unguarded. Softer -shuttering at the thought- even.
She'd figured out what Holly was to her, how much the brunette meant. And she'd been invited to join her on her visit home, to a wedding, and meet all of her family and friends. Usually that sort if thing would freak her out, it'd be too much way too soon and she'd find a way to escape, but she was actually looking forward to the trip. Gail had finally gotten to at least see a few old photos of the Stewarts, she'd been waiting for that for a long time. But actually meeting them, walking the streets she'd heard so much about, hearing their voices and seeing them interact together, well that was something she'd been wanting for as long as she'd known the pathologist.
So in her particularly good mood she'd wanted to bring Holly lunch. But when she arrived she over heard the brunette on the phone. Gail didn't really mean to pry, to eavesdrop, she didn't even know she was until it was too late.
She strutted up to the door with her usual silence, something she'd developed growing up in the Peck household, and was about to knock on the open door when she took in the sight of the doctor.
Holly was huddled over her desk, forehead resting on her arm so she couldn't quite see her face, but Gail could tell it wasn't good. She looked drained, defeated, and then she said it. Those words that ripped her heart from her chest. The words, the declaration of Gail's unwanted company.
"I don't think I can handle Gail being there." Those nine words had rung in her head over and over and over again. Keeping her up at night, making her doubt everything.
Holly Stewart was the one person who she'd always been herself with, the one person who saw her, the one person who took her for everything she was and asked to see her. Holly wanted to hang out with her, snark and sarcasm, grumpy and cranky, embarrassing break downs and all. Until now.
Now that it came to actually introducing Gail to her family and friends, her people, the blonde was too. . Gail. Ice Queen, cold and a bitch, and not meet the parents kind of person.
So Gail made it easy for her. She cut all ties. Stopped answering her calls and texts, never went down to the lab, didn't drop but her apartment to hang out, nothing.
Traci sat herself in the middle of her desk, effectively stopping her from the paper work she was doing.
"Move your ass, Nash." Gail added to the bite in her voice with a death glare. Which was met with a knowing smirk from the detective.
"I just thought you'd like to know your friend from forensics is looking for you." She said, starting to stand.
Gail caught her wrist, and let go just as quickly, averting her wide eyes so the brunette couldn't see. She wanted to ask for details but didn't want to seem weak or whatever.
"Holly said she hadn't heard from you in a while and was wondering about this weekend. She also asked me not to say anything because I had no idea what she was talking about, and generally seemed flustered she was even asking. But, I thought you'd like to know." Traci answered her unspoken questions.
"Oh." Was all that came out.
"The Doc has been down the past week, as have you, so I know something's happened and you might not want to talk to me about it but you should at least talk to her. Whatever it is -which it seems not that bad- you, need to stop avoiding it and just let it out. So I'm going to leave," Traci stood and placed a firm hand on the blondes shoulder. "But you need to stop wallowing, go to whatever this weekend means and make up with your friend, Gail."
With that the detective walked away, a satisfied smile spread widely across her face.
"I don't wallow. ." Gail grumbled under her breath.
Slumping back on her chair she sighed, Traci was right, she needed to stop avoiding and just talk Holly, but her stupid pride and insecurities were yelling the opposite. Holly didn't want her there, she said so herself while she was groaning to whoever was on the other end of the phone. Holly couldn't 'handle' her being there. The thought of Gail going with her had her doubled over her desk and talking -more like crying out for help- to someone about how she regretted asking.
Gail's stomach dropped and her heart winced for the millionth time thinking of the woe in the brunettes voice when she confessed her disdain of her going to BC.
She rubbed her hands over her face, trying to collect herself.
She had a few hours until she had to be at the airport, and -if she was going- she still had to pack. So she didn't have much time between work and making the flight to decide what she was going to do.
Holly tried. She swallowed all her fear, took those two seconds of bravery, and asked Traci about Gail. Their flight was in a matter of hours and she still hadn't heard from the blonde. She wasn't expecting Gail to show up, she'd been avoiding her all week and running like she'd told her she did. Holly had never truly expected the blonde to run from her though, so all of this had come to a bit of a shock. But she still held hope, the same -seemingly- unattainable hope she'd had to find Gail again. That small miracle had happened, beyond all doubts and reality, it happened.
Holly knew it was a long shot though, so she took the day with as little hope and expectation as she could. Which wasn't all that much, the epiphany of her feelings the night before being the biggest reason for her hope.
Maybe Gail had reacted so strongly, because she felt the same way she did. Holly shook her head at her wishful thinking, and instead repeated her fathers mantra until it was all she could hear.
"Get your head out of the clouds, Sunshine." She accidentally whispered out loud as she thoughtlessly went through airport security, gaining a few looks from people around her. After chastising herself she settled down in an empty seat to wait to board.
Holly tried to keep herself busy, keep the blonde off of her mind and ignore the pit in her stomach. But it was useless after an hour, because all she could do was sit there watching the entrance, tapping her foot anxiously and pretend she wasn't doing any of it. If Gail was going to change her mind about the freeze out she'd have to show up in the next five minutes as the plane was going to close up and take off.
"Say cheese" Chris grinned to the pair, putting the camera up to his face.
Gail was trying her hardest to pout. She was supposed to be upset that Holly had beat her, but the proud look that dawned on the brunettes face when she did was priceless and had filled her with joy. She was also famous for never smiling on camera, and that wasn't going to change anytime soon. So instead Gail settled for a quivering pout and staring at Holly.
Who was all smiles and full of confidence, obviously proud for winning as she wrapped an arm around the smaller girls shoulders. Gail would have smacked anyone else who dared to follow through with such an action. But for some reason, one she still hadn't figured out, it didn't bother her when Holly showed affection. She didn't mind sharing her food with the brunette, didn't even give it a second thought when pulled into a hug. Gail was the most comfortable she'd ever been when with the weird girl named Holly.
The end of summer was nearing and the camp had a tradition of holding a games day. Games day involved exactly what the name implies. Games. Tie dye races, there legged races, scavenger hunt, horseshoes, lawn bowling, ect. then ending with one gigantic game of James Bond capture the flag played after dinner and in the dark.
Holly had wagered that if she could win one game throughout the entire day, that Gail would have to do a tie dye race and then take a picture with her in their shirts. And here they were.
"Cheese" Holly smiled so wide Gail thought she ate a hanger.
The seatbelt sign lot up and the second she noticed she turned onto autopilot. Holly didn't remember clicking her seatbelt in, she didn't remember the safety instructions being relayed, she didn't remember ordering a drink. All Holly remembered from the moment Gail failed to get on the plane to the moment she hugged her nephew was heart wrenching disappointment. She felt empty, yet was filled with nothing but despair. Everything hurt but she felt numb.
She didn't mean as much to Gail, as the blonde did to her. Their friendship was so disposable to Gail that she would just drop it at the smallest of misunderstandings. Holly made a promise to herself that she would call the blonde one last time when she got home, and if it wasn't answered she was done.
Gail ran up to the counter breathless.
"Where's the flight to British Columbia? My ticket says 8:30" Gail rushed the words, afraid she'd missed the flight.
The man clicked around on the computer, then shook his head sympathetically. "I'm sorry miss, there isn't one for 8:30 tonight. But there was one at 3:30 earlier this afternoon."
She whipped out her ticket from the side pocket of her backpack and scanned it's contents. "Fuck."