Chapter 3: Waiting

Gail

I woke up alone wrapped in Holly's sheets, after a rather heated make-out session on the floor by her couch last night. Remembering that I had called Holly my girlfriend made me smile. We had been on the cusp of taking that next step, roaming hands, pressing into each other, Holly's moan echoed in my mind. It would had gone all the way if Holly hadn't been called out to a crime scene, leaving me alone. She told me to stay , that after 5 beers there was no way for me to get home, she needed to rush to the scene and Dov had my car visiting Chloe in the hospital. Here I am, wrapped in her sheets wearing her worn and faded McMaster Track t-shirt.

"I'll kill whoever that is." I grunted as Holly rolled away from me to answer her phone that had been ringing insistently for the past few minutes. "Dr. Stewart." Holly barked into the phone swatting my hand away as I undid the buttons on her shirt. I missed the weight of her between my thighs, her mouth on my skin. "I'm not on call." she practically growled causing me to move back to my sitting position. I knew this wouldn't end in our favor, not if she when she mentioned being on call, I knew they were calling her for the night. "Fine." Holly gave in, sounding defeated. "Everything ok?" I asked once she had ended her call by throwing the phone at the couch. "no." she pouted, and reached for her boots that had been discarded by end table when they came inside.

"I'm sorry, they need me to go into work." Holly pulled on her boots quickly only lacing them half way, her fingers fumbled as she tied the laces. "I'm not even on fucking call." she stood up quickly making her way to her bedroom. I followed suite and shoved my feet into my boots, our night coming to an abrupt end. "I'll walk out with you." I smiled, trying to not look completely disappointed in the fact that my body was on fire and she wouldn't be there to fuel the flame, or at least tend to it because for all I cared this fire was her fault. "No, you will stay here." Holly smiled at me, her warm eyes searching my face, she had brushed her hair taming the mess I had left it in.

"Hol" I rolled my eyes, pulling her to me by the front of her shirt, semi controlling my urge to undo the buttons again. "you've had at least 5 beers Gail, you don't have your car, and I'm not letting you walk home." she whispered against my lips. "stop" I pulled back and bit my lip preventing her from kissing me. "if you don't stop I'll drag you to your room and you will never make it to work." I breathed kicking my boots off at the door. "I'll be back as soon as I can. Stay please." Holly smiled before walking out the door a wicked grin on her lips.

So here I am, waiting, its nearly 3 in the morning and I've been waiting for her to finish her work and be home already to pick up where we had left off. Hours ago I had called her my girlfriend, if felt right, I couldn't be falling in love with her, falling would be scary considering my fear of high places. I was slowly sinking into the warmth that was love with Holly. This realization hit me yesterday, day 3 of not being able to see her. It should have scared me, I should also have seen it coming. Holly had managed to slip behind my walls seemingly unnoticed, I had welcomed it, she is the only person who knew how to deal with my attitude. Sleep overtook me, dreaming of Holly and how defenseless to how her and that stupid lopsided adorable smile made me feel warm and fuzzy.

I woke up to the feel of Holly's warm weight pressed against my side, letting the smell of vanilla and cinnamon wash over me exciting a smile on my lips. "Holly" I mumbled, pulling her closer to me. Her head rested on my shoulder, her dark hair pulled into a messing knot on top of her head. I didn't know when she came back, it saddened me that she hadn't woken me to pick up where we had left off. Her hand rested on my bare thigh, it felt like a burning coal lifting me completely out of my early morning fog. The angry red numbers on her alarm clock let me know that I needed to be at work in an hour, that realization soured my mood, I couldn't indulge the scenarios from my dreams. I kissed the top of her head softly while untangling my limbs from hers, doing my best not to wake her sleeping form, I knew waking her up would cause me to be late for work.

Two months ago I would have punched anyone who said I had feelings for Holly, or if anyone had told me she would just understand me. I would have done so if you tried to tell me that two weeks ago. Chris and Dov had been suspicious of my newfound friendship since Frank and Noelle's wedding, asking questions, wanting to meet Holly under non-work related circumstances. They wanted to know what had caused sudden happiness and why I had gone out of my way to try new things.

This last week had been no different; Tracie, Dov, and Chris had all asked me a million questions about my girlfriend. They all figured our status had changed when she showed up at the hospital, I had filled Tracie in on the kiss in the interrogation room when she cornered me the day after the shooting.

Everyone had demanded that I bring her to the penny for drinks one day after work, they promised to play nice and she would feel welcomed. The truth is, I wasn't ready to share her just yet. We were in a perfect bubble and I didn't want them to ruin my chances by telling her stories of the ice queen. Holly had never seen me with them, She didn't know the extent of my snark or the fact that I never felt welcomed into our group, more or less I felt tolerated.

"Gail, your phone just went off." Tracie held up my phone and I read the screen. "Is My Dork, Holly?" Tracie asked and I snatched my phone from her. "what's it to you?" I asked, walking past her to my desk where I had a mountain of paperwork to fill out from today's shift. "Come on Gail, we just want to meet her. We won't interrogate her." Tracie rolled her eyes at me, we had been having this conversation all day. "You have met her track" I rolled my eyes, why were they insist on meeting Holly, why did they want to invade my happy bubble.

My dork: I had this weird dream last night, we were eating dinner and you called me your girlfriend.

Officer awesome: sounds like a nightmare to me : )

My dork: I enjoyed it.

My dork: So, I would like to start this off right, I guess we already started this off wrong

My dork: if there is a wrong way to start this off…

"Gail!?" Tracie forced me to look up from my phone, I glared at her. "Wow. You're falling for her aren't you?" Tracie asked and I put my phone back on my desk, I didn't want to deal with her right now. "Why would you say that?" I tried to play it off by rolling my eyes, how did she know I was falling for Holly. If Tracie could figure it out, than Holly would figure it out the minute she saw me, and I couldn't let that card show just yet. Our relationship had just been defined, I'm sure that queuing Holly in on my feelings would cause her to freak out.

"I came to that conclusion by looking at the stupid grin on your face right now." Tracie shook her head pointing at my lips before walking away. "Bring her to the penny!" Tracie shot over her shoulder before disappearing into the locker room. My shift would end in 2 hours, it seemed like torture being on desk duty and having last night on perpetual repeat in my head. I'm not complaining entirely I had time to think about Holly, and her lips, and her hands. I felt my heart rate pick up, there would be no words when I saw her tonight, I wanted to push her up against the wall, the door, the counter, any object in proximity and keep her there until both of us were too exhausted to move.

Officer awesome: it's cute that you ramble in text too.

My dork: Go out with me tomorrow, on a proper date?

Officer awesome: Yes

Officer awesome: Want to get a drink after work?

My dork: I have plans with my sister tonight, but tomorrow I promise ;)

Officer awesome: see you then

My pleasant mood seemed to instantly disappear; I would have to wait to see her, to touch her. I already knew I was hopeless when it came to Holly. I had to wait for my fix, I couldn't help the pang of jealousy I felt knowing someone else would occupy her time tonight, she had turned me into an addict.