I'm sorry that this update has taken so long. Life is very busy with the kids starting up their after school activities and I have a high pressure project at work through the middle of December to deal with. Updates will still be slow coming but I think this one moves us a bit forward.

It was wonderful the first day and weird the second day and now on the third day, it was actually getting a little bothersome. Who would have thoughts that having Disney creatures bringing you a box of donuts, let alone with cheese puffs, could get tiring but here it was.

Groundhog Day was on Netflix so Gail watched it when she got home from the Penny. It seemed like Bill Murray basically had to do everything right to move to the next day. Maybe that was it? Do everything right? Be nice (gag). "Thanks, guys. This is great!" Gail bit into the donut and tried to smile at Dov and Chloe without choking.

"Really?" Dov seemed shocked at his friend's good attitude.

"Really! Very thoughtful."

Chloe looked like she had found the long lost episodes of Sabrina Teen Witch or something. She leaned forward and hugged Gail before plucking the pinkest and most sparkly cupcake from the box. Dov continued to look skeptical of Gail's apparent good mood and gratitude, particularly when she hugged Chloe back. "Right. So... are you excited about your birthday, Gail?"

Gail looked at him wondering if this would be her life if she decided to be nice to people. Would she have to waste the entire morning sharing small talk and discussing her plans for drunken debauchery? "Uh... I guess? I mean" she held up the cupcake "this is pretty much the best cupcake I've ever had and the cheese puffs on top are a brilliant idea." She looked down. "You know with Nick and Andy... this birthday has the potential to really suck but you guys are just starting it out right."

It was like being a Boy Scout. Or Girl Scout. Whatever. Gail fought the inclination to gag, instead picking up her phone and obviously checking the time. "Well thanks SO much for the cupcakes. We all better get ready for work!"

Chloe gave her another giant hug and Dov even leaned in for the side hug. When the twirly twins tried to leave the cupcakes Gail urged them to take them with as they left. She fell back onto the bed wondering why she even needed to get up. Finally she took a deep breath as she realized the pressure to do everything right if she were going to move to the next day. And that was assuming that doing everything right was even the challenge.

By the time Gail got to the locker room she thought her face would cramp from smiling and saying thanks to everyone who wanted to wish her a Happy Birthday. And she had refrained from punching or shoving any of the numerous idiots who wanted to point out that Gail Peck had a birthday on Friday the 13th and everything that entailed. Andy was in the locker room and Gail wondered if she would have to forgive her former friend in order to move through the day but surely that wasn't reasonable. Actually Gail didn't even care that Andy was with Nick. It was just that friends don't do that. It's like someone taking your favorite donut or something. Friends don't do that.

Parade...

Assignments...

Cruz...

Gail pulled the keys off the hook and offered them to Marlo as they stowed their bags in the trunk. Cruz seemed surprised but took them and said that she liked to drive. "Well I just want you to be happy," Gail offered. As soon as she said that, it seemed really overboard so she muttered something snarky. Cruz sort of looked at her with suspicion but drove anyway. Actually, Gail liked Cruz. She was quiet and she always seemed suspicious of everyone and she was a good cop. Gail always had the impression that Cruz knew everything that was going on in the precinct but didn't need to involve herself in any of the dating musical chairs. Aside from sleeping with Sam of course. When the radio call came in for the call with the kids in the woods, Gail took the call then told Cruz, "it's right up here," before realizing that offering instructions for things before they happened might not be the smartest move. "So... are you coming to the Penny tonight?"

Cruz shrugged. "Probably. Oh, it's your birthday, right? I'll drop by at least. Buy you a beer or whatever."

"Tequila," Gail said with a smile as they got out of the car.

Once they were in the woods, Gail did her best to comfort the freaked out teens as much as she wanted to just check out the skeleton of one Robbie Roberts. But her wish to be nice kept her from going straight to the non-archaeological remains. Guarding the tape allowed her to see Holly again. Dr. Stewart. Actually that was the best part of her day. Gail had considered getting a coffee just before they got the call so that she could give it to Holly when she showed up at the scene since she knew that doctor hadn't had a chance to have any yet but how could she explain that? Maybe they could stop on the way to the morgue and she could buy Holly a coffee as a welcome to the job courtesy. As the forensic pathologist bounced down the hill Gail didn't even try to stop her. "Good morning, doctor!"

Holly turned and looked at the officer with a broad smile. "And to you, Officer..." she took a few steps back up the hill to read Gail's name. "Good morning, Officer Peck." She turned back but Gail could see her chuckling as Gail quietly told her to enjoy her examination of the femur and her bugs and leaves. Knowing that Cruz would rather be outside, because really who wants to spend all day in a morgue, Gail volunteered to go to the lab with the cute forensic pathologist.

The car ride was quiet until Gail started what she hoped was polite and friendly small talk. "So... uh... are you new? I mean I haven't seen you before." Before the last 2 days straight, she thought. Not straight. She chuckled to herself.

The doctor glanced over at her and nodded her head. "Yes. I just moved here from Vancouver. I was supposed to start next week but they called yesterday and said could I do paperwork and then paged me right after you called in the remains."

"Vancouver? You're far from home, Doc." The officer waved her hands to indicate the city. "Welcome to Toronto. If you need a tour guide, I can show you around sometime." She was about to say more when her phone began to ring. "Crap. It's my mother."

Gail pressed the green button to accept the call as she cursed under her breath. God. Being nice would mean listening to this for a few minutes so Elaine could check it off her list. "Hello."

"Happy Birthday, Abigail."

"Thanks, mom."

"Are you working today?"

Gail took a deep breath. "You know I'm working. You have my schedule on your computer, Supervisor." She closed her eyes for moment trying to remind herself that she didn't want to be stuck in this day forever. "I'm on the way to the morgue with the new forensic pathologist."

"Oh... "Elaine was quiet for a moment as she clicked a few keys on her computer."Stewart?"

Gail glanced over at the pathologist who was quite obviously trying not to listen in on the conversation. "That's her."

Elaine clicked a few more keys. "Hmmm... University of Toronto, Johns Hopkins, City of Vancouver... excellent references. Very good then."

"So, mom. Thanks for calling." Gail hoped her mother was distracted by invading the doctor's privacy with her research and might let her get off the phone.

"Have you applied for that detective rotation yet, Abigail?" The full first name was back.

"No, mom. I don't know that I'm going to..."

"Abigail. It's time that you began to take your career more seriously. I know that you like hanging out with your friends and Officer Shaw..."

"Oh, hey mom. It looks like we're just reaching the morgue and we need to head inside with the remains. I better go." Gail quickly hit the end call button and tucked her phone back in her pocket. Glancing over at Holly again she saw the woman chuckling.

"What?"

The doctor glanced at her with a smile. "I think I'll decline your offer as tour guide."

"What? What's wrong with my offer to be your tour guide? I'm an awesome tour guide. I've lived in Toronto my entire life except for six months backpacking in Europe and an exchange semester in Brazil." Gail turned slightly in her seat to watch the driver who had an adorable smirk on her face.

"Nothing at all except that you seem to think we're close to the morgue when my GPS tells me that we're at least 6 minutes away." The doctor laughed again as she stopped at the red light. "Maybe 7 now that we caught this light."

Gail laughed. "Like you've never wanted to get off the phone with your mother." Holly didn't respond and Gail decided to tease a little more. "Of course with undergraduate at University of Toronto and Medical School at Johns Hopkins and glowing letters of recommendation maybe your mother doesn't question your career plans." When the dark-haired woman raised an eyebrow Gail explained, "My mother pulled up your file when I mentioned you. She does that."

"Ah... your mother is Supervisor Peck?"

Gail pointed at the next intersection. "Turn here and you miss the light at Langston." She took a breath. "Do you know her?"

Holly waited a moment before speaking as the GPS admonished her and recalculated the route. "I've heard of her. She's a bit of a legend."

"Like Medusa," Gail laughed.

The pathologist pulled her car into the lot and found an empty parking space. "What does your father do?"

Gail looked over at her. "Really? Well crap I sort of hate this conversation. Mother: Superintendent Elaine Peck. Father: Inspector Bill Peck. Brother: Detective Steve Peck of 15th division Guns and Gangs. Oh and my god-father is the Chief of Police."

Holly pulled the keys out of the ignition and turned sideways studying the blonde. "You forgot someone."

Gail pondered it. "Uh... I don't think so. Mom cop, dad cop, brother cop, grandfather cop, other grandfather cop, godfather cop... I think I covered the theme there."

"Officer Gail Peck?"

Gail shrugged. "I'm an open book, Holly."

Holly looked over at her. "When did I tell you my first name?"

"Oh..." Gail thought for a moment. "I guess you didn't. My mother must have said it when she was taunting me with your accomplishments."

The dark haired woman shrugged. "Well I bet she didn't tell you that my middle name is Jane." She opened her door and got out. As she saw Gail over the roof of the car she offered. "After Jane Goodall if you're curious."

Gail laughed. "Oh... I'm curious about many things, Holly." Am I flirting?

"Such as?" Well Holly certainly was flirting. Gail felt a slight heat in her cheeks as she realized that she didn't mind that at all.

Gail smiled as she walked toward the building. "First on my list ... how do you take your coffee?" She pointed at the coffee shop adjacent to the building.

The dark-haired woman laughed. "That's not necessary, Officer."

"Gail. Please. I mean who knows how long we'll spend together today." She waved at the cafe and pulled her wallet from her pocket. "Now how do you take your coffee and you can ask around. I rarely have moments of kindness and generosity like this so you should probably take advantage."

The brunette smiled. "In that case, black with one sugar. No cream."

"Roger that!" Gail trotted off toward the cafe. "I'll catch up to you in the lab, Doctor!" Within a few minutes, Gail had joined Holly in the lab bringing her not only the take-out coffee but a blueberry muffin. She set them both on the counter outside the lab and let Holly know they were there before taking a seat at the desk as they waited for the remains to arrive.

As the day went on Gail enjoyed watching Holly work. She tried her best not to interrupt or predict the findings but it was a challenge. It felt like the day passed slowly as she waited for the forensic pathologist to uncover the identity and cause of death of the remains. She also found it to be a particularly challenging to resist snarking at the good doctor. Holly seemed perfectly capable of throwing some snark her way but Gail restrained herself from throwing shade.

She visited in a getting to know you way which was not something she was used to. The forensic pathologist had worked in Vancouver for the past 4 years and said that she had gotten out of a relationship around New Year's. In what she declared a "Champagne-induced bout of goal setting and grand sweeping declarations" she stood on a table and shouted that by the end of the year she would have her dream job, a new house, and a shiny new puppy. So far she had 6 hours at a job that certainly counted as a promotion and a set of keys to an empty home with hard-wood floors and lots of natural light.

Gail found herself opening up much more than she usually did describing her family only vaguely but characterizing her friends in great detail and apparent humor if Holly's reactions were anything to go by. When Holly asked about her boyfriend/significant other, the blonde began to talk about Nick but instead found herself launching into her cat in a tree metaphor once again. Again they left the lab with her declaration that she hated people and Holly's laughter.

"Hey! You should come to the Penny with us tonight!"

Holly shook her head. "I don't know what the Penny is but I think I better pass tonight."

Gail reached out and grabbed the other sleeve of Holly's jacket. "Awww. Come on. It's my birthday."

"Then I hope you have a great time with your friends tonight, Gail."

"Wow. Stubborn!" Gail shrugged. "Well I think you'd want to celebrate with me. How often does a woman turn 28?"

Holly smiled at the other woman. "I'm guessing only once but I bet it's one of those 'if you do it right once is enough' things." She pulled her keys out of her bag and held them up. "Do you need dropped off at your car or this Penny?"

Gail nodded. "That would be great." She opened the passenger door to Holly's car. "Why don't you drop me at the Penny? I don't plan on driving home anyway. And you can come in for a quick drink if you want."

The brunette laughed. "You get a B+ for determination today, birthday girl, but I need to get some work done moving into my wood floors and natural light home this weekend."

"Ok." Gail pulled out her phone. "What's your number? I'll text you so you have mine and if you change your mind about that tour this weekend you will be able to contact me." That transaction completed Gail thanked the pathologist for the ride and waved before walking into the Penny for a third night of birthday partying.

Throughout the evening she was as nice as possible, not punching Dov in the arm or even snarking at Nick and Andy. She let Leo win a few darts games and shared her fries with him and even abstained from any ill-advised and mostly forgettable meaningless sex with officers or detectives from rival precincts. By the end of the evening all she could think was that she hoped to wake up tomorrow and find tomorrow and that maybe Holly could use some help unpacking this weekend. With take-out. And tequila.