Chapter 11: Missing
Holly
Gail and I spent the weekend discussing nearly everything and anything, more than we have ever talked before. When Gail is on pain meds, she becomes needy and undeniably adorable. It felt great to have everything out in the open, leaving all of our baggage behind, to start fresh. A relaxed weekend balanced out the crazy week we had had. It allowed Gail time to heal, not only from her physical wounds; she seemed to be in a calmer mindset when she left for work.
Our weekend, sadly enough had ended, today we both left my flat to head back to the real world where Gail has a gun strapped to her waist and a bulletproof vest on. The proverbial dust had settled and we were still standing, stronger than ever. There were a few cracks in our foundation; we were working to seal them, to move forward with life, and to ensure that we stayed on the right track.
"Dr. Stewart?" I looked up towards the door at a shy Tracie holding a cup of coffee in each hand; I made a silent wish that one of the cups would be for me. "Detective Nash." I nodded, moving away from the exam table and pulled off my gloves. "I have your DNA results, one second." I made my way to my cluttered desk, currently covered in half-finished notes, case reports, and journal articles. I quickly shuffled the papers around finding the file with Tracie's name on a sticky note, flipping it open to double check that the case belonged to her.
"And I have coffee for you." Tracie held a cup out to me with a smile. "Thank you." We traded my file for her coffee, relieved that there didn't seem to be residual awkwardness between us considering the last time I saw her. "Soy, no sugar." Tracie smiled before flipping through the file. "Investigating me, or stalking me?" I eyed her while sipping the coffee; If heaven had a taste I'm sure it would be the taste of hot coffee or Gail's lips. "No, Gail mentioned that if I bribe you with coffee I may faster test results." She closed the file and smiled at me. I knew my hair was a mess; my neatly pressed suit from this morning now replaced by wrinkled gray scrubs and sneakers. "Gail should not share that information." I shook my head before pulling my glasses off to rub my eyes, I couldn't tell if they were burning, or just sore from the long day, but rubbing them seemed to help.
"Long day?" Tracie asked, putting the file under her arm. The last time I had seen a clock it read 10:22 PM, considering that had been a while back I figured the clock would tell me the time had past midnight. My limbs felt waited from exhaustion and I fought myself to stay awake. "I've been here since 5 this morning." I yawned unable to contain it. "Go home" Tracie gave me what could best be described as a pointed mothers glare, before glancing at her watch. "Thank you for these." Tracie pointed to the file and smiled. "Have a good night Holly." She waved and walked out of my lab. I had been called to three major cases today, each one needing rushed results and quick autopsies. Luckily my day could officially be called over, I packed my bag and put the bodies in the locker before I made my way home.
I drove to my flat in a semi zombie-esc state, glad that I lived less than 5 minutes from the office. I didn't even notice her until she spoke. "you look how I feel." Gail let out a soft laugh before giving me a once over, leaning against the wall by my door. "Tracie called me when she left the lab." she pushed off the wall and smiled at me. "Did you just finish shift?" I asked unlocking my door needing to dump the workload i had brought home.
"No, shift ended a few hours ago" Gail followed me inside taking her time to remove her jacket and boots. "Desk duty all day, Oliver said it might be all week." She groaned standing behind me patiently. "I just wanted to see you." Gail pulled me into her arms once I had set everything down. "I missed you." I breathed her in, she smelled of gunpowder and honey, a smell that I associated entirely with Gail, it had seeped into my sheets, my pillows, and a number of my favorite sweaters. "Gunna stay over?" I asked, running my hand up the back of her shirt, I love Gail's back the smooth skin and defined muscles. "I have an early shift, I needed to kiss you before you went to sleep." Gail kissed me slowly at first, but my resolve never lasted long where Gail's lips were involved. I pulled her flush against me needing to feel as much of her as possible. "How early?" I asked attempting to be mindful of the still tender bruise on her side that as of this morning was a nasty green, purple, and yellow as my hands roamed her body.
"I need to be in the station by 6" she muttered against my neck, I felt the moan before it escaped my lips. While we had been talking and cuddling, this weekend had resulted in just that. We hadn't had what I would call proper sex for over a week, and my fix was well overdue. "Did you come here just to tease me?" I asked nipping at her shoulder, as her sweater slipped to the side. "No, that would be cruel to both of us." She whined, stopping my hands from undoing her jeans, I knew we didn't have time, I honestly didn't know if I had the energy. "How long were you waiting outside?" I backed away putting space between us. If I stayed that close to her, I would lose all self-control.
"maybe 10 minutes." Gail glanced back towards the kitchen clock. "Dov is picking me up in an hour when shift ends, his car is in the shop he's using mine. You should head upstairs and shower, I will make you dinner." Gail backed into the kitchen pointing at the stairs. "Bossy." I mumbled toeing out of my shoes, eyeing her as she checked the cupboards. "The faster you shower and eat, the faster we can make-out on the couch." Gail grinned setting a pan on the stove. "Ok, ok" I sighed, running upstairs stripping as quickly as possible. I took a mostly cold shower, not wasting time waiting for it to warm up, partly due to the fact that we were on a deadline that meant 100% no sex. A make-out session on the couch did sound lovely though, and tortuous due to my already aroused state.
I pulled on a pair of sweats and a t-shirt Gail had left behind the first time she had spent the night before I wandered back downstairs. I stood in the doorway to the kitchen watching her, the way her right foot crossed behind her left, her hip against the counter, aimlessly stirring a pot on the stove. A bottle of water sat on one place mat and a glass of wine on the other, along with silver wear. "Ready?" she asked, before turning to meet my gaze. "How did you?" I asked as she eyed my shirt. She must have heard the water in the shower turn off. "You're not quiet." she poured pasta and meat sauce onto a plate before holding it out to me.
"Come on eat up." She laughed pouring the rest onto her own plate. "What is it?" I asked, eyeing the red sauce cautiously, tomato allergy came to mind instantly. "Did you have a rough day at work, is this a suicide attempt?" I peeked at her before moving the pasta around the plate suspiciously. "Red bell peppers nerd. No tomato." Gail rolled her eyes and sat at the counter. Everything Gail cooked, topped my list of favorite foods. She had told me that growing up Peck meant being amazing at everything, being a cop, being a cook, school, all of it. The only expectation Gail hadn't exceeded at had been public speaking, something about being pale and sweaty and always claiming to be sick.
We ate quickly and as promised made our way to the couch. "I don't like that you're leaving" I breathed pinning her under me, being mindful of the still tender bruise. "Sadly we pay bills, and to do that working is required." She kissed me, her tongue running along my lower lip. "this isn't playing fair" I groaned kissing her again, pressing my lounge past her lips "mhhm" She hummed pulling me closer to her. we were tangled together on the couch when her phone rang. "I hate Dov." I slurred against her neck. "Me too." Gail picked up her phone and glanced down at me. "He's outside." Gail laughed as I tried to pin her to the couch so she couldn't leave. "I love you, have a good night." she kissed me soundly before she left, knowing that if she didn't leave soon we would go to bed.
The week that followed consisted of long hours, talking to Gail through text and the odd chance we could manage a quick coffee break. Up to this point in our relationship, our schedules had not been this problematic, this week made me realize just how addicted to her presence I had become. "Holly." Steve cautiously stepped into the lab, he was not the Peck I expected to be in my doorway. "Long week?" he set a coffee on my desk before leaning against the far wall. Every person I had seen from 15 had been kind enough to let me in on the fact that I appeared to be tired.
"Gail asked me to bring coffee while I waited for my results." He pointed to the coffee on my desk before pulling out his phone. Steve and I weren't sure how to act around each other, he still seemed put off by Gail giving me her file. Luckily though Gail had convinced everyone who needed to come to the lab, that they needed to support my already concerning coffee habit, if only she had been supplying me with herself. " It's been one hell of a week. I bodies came in faster than I had been able to process them." I rubbed at the back of my neck needing to stretch and shake the thoughts of Gail. "This is the last case for the weekend, right?" Steve asked, glancing around the lab, He didn't seem at ease in here the way Gail did, he had admitted before that the lab freaked him out.
"Yeah, once I have your DNA back, I'm headed home to catch up on my sleep." I picked up the coffee cup, overjoyed by the warmth seeping into my hands. I had been blessed with a long weekend ahead, 3 full days outside of work. "This week has been crazy. I've only seen Tracie at work." He smiled before sitting in the chair opposite my desk, I almost told him to stop bragging. "At least you see her. I haven't seen Gail for more than a few minutes all week." I pouted against my own will, causing Steve to laugh. "You two are sickening, she's been complaining to everyone at work that she hasn't been able to spend time with you." Steve shook his head, part of me filled with joy knowing Gail was equally as miserable as I had been all week. The machine next to me beeped bringing me out of my thoughts. "Those would be yours." I stood up and walked over the printer. "DNA matches" I handed him the report, letting him double check. "Lock everything up and run before youre called to a scene." he took the file and walked to the door "Have a good weekend." He politely waved before leaving my lab.
Dr. Hot Stuff: You, Me, a bottle of wine (or whiskey) a long bath, locked doors?
You Can Cuff Me Any Time: only if long bath is code for mind blowing sex, or at least ends with it. Yes.
You Can Cuff Me Any Time: I miss you
Dr. Hot Stuff: We may not make it to the bathtub before the mind-blowing sex
Dr. Ho Stuff: I miss you too 3
You Can Cuff Me Any Time: my shifts over in 30, meet you at yours?
Dr. Hot Stuff: yes, I'll be the naked one in the tub waiting for you :)
I could not stop myself from teasing her, after a full 6 days without proper us time I was starting to forget how she felt pressed against me. How she felt in my arms, her smell, her taste. I packed up and stopped at the store to pick up food and alcohol on my way home, knowing I wouldn't have the energy for much this weekend. When I pulled into my parking spot, Gail stood leaning against her silver Nissan a few spaces away from me. "Thought you were supposed to be naked and in the tub." Gail pushed off her car walking towards me. Her hair a proper mess and her shirt rode up under her jacket, exposing her hips and lower stomach, both sights causing my heart rate to pick up. "I figured you might hold me to the whiskey promise." I climbed out of my jeep and immediately pulled her to me, ecstatic to have her for the night.
"Mmhhm." Her lips crashed into mine as I tried to pull her closer, my tongue slipped past her exploring her mouth, I needed to taste her to feel her. The weight in my limbs from the long week evaporated and I felt normal again. "We should head inside." Gail pulled away, her breaths coming quickly, her face flushed, pupils dilated. "I agree." I nodded, collecting the bags from my backseat. I didn't care if we made it to the bed or just past the front door I needed to feel Gail in a way that I had been denied for nearly 2 weeks. Gail helped me carry the groceries upstairs to my door. "Everything ok?" she asked, looking at me and I nodded, pulling my key out of the lock. I had locked the deadbolt this morning, I always lock the deadbolt and right now, it wasn't locked.
Once I open the door, the chatter washed over us, the voices, laughter, and the smell of food cooking. "Shit" I cursed under my breath, Gail eyed me before setting the bags on the floor. "My parents and sister are here, I understand if you want to leave, you can take my car." I held my keys out to her and she took them hesitantly. "Do you not want me to meet your family?" she asked slowly backing away from me. I didn't exactly know what to say, I was freaking out and I didn't want to hurt Gail.