I Was Married 5/?
As always, a massive thank you to all of you for the continued love and support on this story, it means a lot :)
/
Things change for the better in the weeks that follow, like the weight of their impeding divorce has stopped looming so frightfully over them and granted them the freedom to tentatively keep moving forward.
(Forward to where or as what, Gail isn't sure quite yet...)
There's still an uncertainty surrounding the depth of Holly's feelings for her, but Gail finds solace in seeing Holly's heart and mind desperately trying to work out all of her emotions each and every time she looks at Gail now.
Despite keeping the truth of her own feelings unspoken – for a little while longer at least – the subtle new shift in the balance of their friendship means that her own feelings for Holly stop being something Gail feels so guilty and terrified about – although the fear that she might lose Holly in the course of all this still whispers dauntingly in her ears at times – and instead becomes something she's able to slowly embrace more fully with each longing, shy glance that they share.
Although they've managed to settle easily back into the old rhythm of their friendship, Gail grows more and more aware of a new, intense undercurrent thriving between them. It feels as though the interactions that used to pass between them mostly unnoticed save for the small subconscious acknowledgement of friendly affection – developed by the trust and comfort they've built up around each other over the years – suddenly seems amplified.
Their playful, teasing banter has become laced with a flirtatious undertone that often leaves one or both of them blushing slightly. Gail hears it in the way Holly's voice takes on a slight, soft purr, almost as if her lips and tongue are caressing each of the words that float free from her mouth, she sees it in the way Holly's eyes shift from a warm amber and grow dangerously dark and yearning, drawing Gail in, in, in, until she's utterly lost in their endless depths, and she feels it in the way the hairs prickle at the nape of her neck, shivers rippling down her spine as the effect of Holly's words wash over her and leave her increasingly breathless.
The friendly touches they often trade back and forth affectionately still occur, only now they've grown daringly bolder, tinged with ever developing desire, their intent becoming cautiously braver as they silently encourage one another to edge past once known boundaries.
It's in the hand she presses to the small of Holly's back, the once passing touch that she used as a greeting to let Holly know she'd arrived, transforming into fingertips courageously slipping beneath the hem of Holly's shirt to brush a feather-light caress along the base of her spine.
It's in the way Holly drags her feet up into her lap whenever Gail has a rather arduous shift, her dexterous fingers digging pleasantly into Gail's sock-clad feet and easing away the tension as Gail moans her appreciation, now with the extra addition of Holly's fingertips creeping up past her ankle to massage up along her calf too.
It's in the increasing frequency they brush kisses to each other's cheeks, temples, noses, to the top of each other's heads, almost as if any interaction they share warrants such a display; a kiss for a cup of coffee, a kiss for a blood result, a kiss for paying for lunch, a kiss hello, a kiss goodbye, a kiss goodnight, a kiss for being cute or pouty, for being tired or stressed, a kiss to reassure and congratulate, a kiss to support and even to playfully chastise. A kiss just for the sake of a kiss.
It's in the way they sleep, often in the same bed like always, but the rarity of snuggling born out of the need to console morphing into the inability to drift off without the comfort of being tangled together and touching in some way. It's in the way they naturally come together now without a second thought, like their sleeping positions are puzzle pieces that fit together seamlessly, Holly curling around her as the protective big spoon and Gail melding back against the warmth of Holly's body as she entwines their fingers and draws their hands up to rest between her breasts. It's even in the way Holly's sleepy lips sometimes seem to ghost along her shoulder, peppering kisses into her skin as she nestles closer still, lulling both of their bodies into a wonderful, peaceful slumber.
With each day of progression that passes, her heart growing evermore full and happy and content, Gail wonders if Holly, like her, is suddenly seeing everything shrouded in a different light, almost as if she's seeing everything about them for the first time again.
Sometimes, when she catches Holly looking at her, an array of emotions flickering in her eyes all at once – joy, adoration, hope, and a smidgen of fear – it feels like she might be.
/
The Tommy Armando case goes to court as expected, but Tommy refuses to go down without a fight, determined to drag a few of them down with him if he can. It shouldn't be surprising that he targets her, he had after all, warned Gail that he wouldn't forget her face. She's not sure how he and his lawyer manage it, but they somehow make a case to claim that he was never read his rights when he was arrested, and therefore his arrest isn't lawful or valid under the Toronto Criminal Code.
It's the most absurd thing Gail's ever heard, and yet the moment the news makes it's way around the policing grapevine, her mother is calling her and berating her like she's a small, useless child.
"How could you be so stupid, Gail. Reading a criminal their rights at the moment of arrest is vital, standard protocol," Elaine bellows, her voice irate and scolding. "Did you learn nothing at the academy or did you simply just choose to be obtuse on this particular case?"
Gail winces at the sheer volume of her mother's tone and holds the phone away from her ear for a few seconds, allowing her mother to go on her little tirade, knowing that she won't shut the hell up until she's said all that she feels she needs to.
"Mom- Mother listen- no, of course not- Mom, his rights were bloody read to him," she huffs out angrily, fighting to get herself heard over Elaine's never ending reprimand. "I know I'm not your protégé like Steve but I'm not a complete idiot, I know how to do my job, okay."
"Well, it doesn't seem that way, Gail, not with this happening, and on your first attempt to lead a case too!" her mother breathes in exasperation. "You're never going to make full detective with this stain on your record."
Gail feels her nails biting painfully into her palm as she curls her fingers into a clenched fist to stop herself from screaming in retaliation. "He's lying, mother," she retorts bitingly. "He's a criminal that doesn't want to go to prison, it's not unusual for them to play dirty."
She hears her mother exhale deeply in response. "I want it sorted, Gail. You clear this up when you attend court, I will not have you tarnishing the Peck name now that I've replaced your father as Inspector. Am I understood?" Elaine orders sternly.
"Perfectly," she grunts back as she finishes the call, her anger blustering through her veins like a raging blizzard that freezes her from the inside out, and results in her furiously beating her enclosed fist against the hard, cool metal of her locker until she can finally feel her knuckles growing red and raw and stinging.
How it's possible that her mother has become even more insufferable and overbearing than she already was, Gail doesn't know, but somehow in the wake of her father stepping down and her mother being promoted to fill the role, her ego has managed to inflate itself considerably larger. She knows her mother is the more determined out of her parents, which is terrifying considering that her father is the real Peck, but Gail can't help but think of her in comparison to the rest of her mother's family. Whereas her father was just one of the many Peck generations to follow in the policing footsteps, her mother's family, the Cloutiers, were Quebecois folk, softly spoken and passionate, her grandfather being hailed as one of the top French chefs in Canadian history.
Gail blames her mother's complete lack of patience – and cooking skills of any kind – for leading her away from her own family's path and to search out another outlet to channel her fierce ambition. Success is 90% luck and 10% timing, that's what her mother has always believed, and Gail wonders if that's how she views her relationship with her father. If it hadn't been for Cloutiers catering for the annual police ball, and Elaine being forced to attend and stumbling upon a young, wildly ambitious, and driven Bill Peck, then she would never have latched on to law enforcement. Gail's sure she would have found a different career path to be just as focused on eventually, but together with her father, they became a couple to be reckoned with, police royalty so to speak; well respected and ruthless.
They were the epitome of what a Peck family should be, especially with the addition of Steve, their golden child. Her older brother – by seven, large, separating years – was everything their child should be; attentive, motivated, moulded easily to their ideals. Whereas she was their surprise baby, the unruly little girl with the sensitive heart that they didn't have the time or patience to shape. If it hadn't been for her Uncle Harry – the other black sheep of the Peck clan – taking her under his wing and helping her to learn to deal with her parent's constant onslaught of expectations and disappointments, Gail doesn't know if she'd have even made it this far in her life.
Fingers grasp around her wrist before she can deal out another outraged blow and do out any serious, lasting damage to herself. "Enough, darlin'," Oliver commands, his voice firm but his eyes soft and sympathetic as he lowers her hand back down to her side. "Your locker is not the enemy here, and I don't have the money to replace it in the budget, so cool it, okay?"
"I'm sorry," Gail murmurs, breathing in and out deeply to regain control of her senses, her body turning to droop back against the locker she's just dented as she rubs tenderly at her more than likely, very bruised to be knuckles. "I'm so sick of her seeing me as the screw-up, Oliver," she confesses, breaking the silence that has swooped in now that her anger has evaporated. "Nothing I ever do is Peck enough."
Oliver smiles tightly back at her and nods sadly. "Your folks have always been hard asses, their blue blood runs deep and clouds their minds sometimes. But you listen to your good pal, Oliver Shaw on this one; you're a good cop, Gail, and you did your job right on that bust."
"I got my face smashed in because I didn't clear the building properly," Gail fires back dismissively. "I'm lucky Swarek had already hauled Armando out to the cruisers because otherwise I could have been looking at a real dangerous situation."
"We've all made mistakes on the job, Gail, but that doesn't mean we're bad officers," Oliver reaffirms, his hand reaching out to clasp her shoulder comfortingly. "Armando is pushing his luck and everybody knows that, the judge just needs you to present your evidence calmly and confidently, and then she'll charge him without a second thought to your little mishap. She wants scum like him off our streets too, remember that. And as for your mother, she hates us all, I'm pretty sure she's actually one of Satan's minions. So don't let her get to you too much, kiddo."
Gail lets out an amused breath and nods once in response. "I'll try," she breathes unconvincingly.
Luckily, before Oliver can father her any further, Holly rounds the corner with a bright smile on her face that instantly melts away the remainder of her ire.
"Hey, thanks for coming to pick me up," she greets, pushing herself off the locker and stepping into Holly's body, wrapping her arms tightly around her for a much needed hug.
"Of course," Holly replies returning the unexpected embrace, and pulling back after a couple of seconds to eye Gail suspiciously. "Everything okay?"
Gail nods again and flashes a forced smile at her. "Fine," she responds at the same time that Oliver says, "Her mother's giving our petulant Peck a hard time about the Armando case."
"Ah," Holly breathes, her mouth twisting into an understanding smile as Gail glares at Oliver, who simply winks at Holly before leaving them to it.
"Forget whatever your mother said, honey, you'll be great in court tomorrow," Holly reassures softly as she reaches for the lapels of Gail's leather jacket and tugs her closer, knowing that whatever Elaine has said is enough to wound Gail's gentle heart and fill her mind with self-doubt. "Let's get you home, okay? I've got lasagne in the oven waiting and a sprinkled doughnut with your name on it for dessert."
She knows Holly is trying to cheer her up but she can't help but grumble, "Can't I forget about the lasagne that I know comes with salad and just have the doughnut and some tequila?"
"No tequila the night before court, honey, sorry," Holly says, shaking her head and smiling fondly at her. "But after dinner I'll give you a foot rub while you play your shooting game to help you unwind, how's that deal sound instead?"
"Fine, but no chastising me when I pretend each target I take down is my wicked witch of a mother," Gail retorts petulantly to which Holly promises with a cute, lopsided smile.
With a last, deep exhale to expel her lingering scorn, Gail allows herself to meld tiredly against Holly's side, and lets Holly wrap her arm around her shoulders as she leads them out of the locker room. At least she can spend the rest of her evening surrounded in the safety of Holly's presence and know that no matter what happens in court tomorrow, Holly will never judge her for it and love her her regardless of the mistakes and flaws that her mother and father just can't ever seem to look past.
/
She's six the first time she ever has to stand up on a stage in front of a crowd. It's suppose to be an end of year, fun production of 'Goldilocks and the three bears' and yet somehow her parents manage to make it into this big, huge, important deal.
They stare up at her expectantly from their front row seats, and while all the other parents are smiling and waving at their children, Gail can feel hers silently willing her not to mess up, to enunciate clearly and loudly so that her voice travels all the way to the back of the room. She only has the one line, and yet when her turn comes and she steps nervously to the centre of the stage to deliver it, the words seem to get stuck in her belly, and Gail can't get her mouth open to make a sound no matter how hard she tries. The room grows quiet as they wait for her to overcome her struggle, sympathetic smiles emerging on all the parents' faces except her own.
It ends with her bottom lip quivering as tears blur her vision and trickle down her cheeks, and instead of rushing up to comfort her or calling out to encourage her to try again, her mother and father simply stare back at her in silent disappointment. They don't speak to her on the drive home, and she get's sent to bed with Millie, the housekeeper, to tuck her in, and in the morning her father leads her out into the garden and makes her stand on an old tin bucket, rigidly upright and without fidgeting, and repeat her line back to him for over an hour until he's convinced she does actually know it.
When tears threaten to surface in her eyes again, her knees beginning to wobble from having to stand so stiff and still for so long, her father shakes his head and says, "Peck's don't cry, Gail, and they don't stand mute either. I won't have this happen again, understood?"
Gail nods her head, which earns her a clip around the ear and an order to speak up, and once she manages to mumble a weak 'I promise, daddy' in response, her father briskly dismisses her to her room and tells her not to come out until dinner is ready.
Unfortunately, the harsh ways of the Peck's didn't cure her nerves, in fact the lesson her parents tried to teach her only serves to make the anxiety Gail gets whenever she might have to do any public speaking worse and more severe as she gets older. Her body trembles with fear, her teeth chatter, her hands shake, her body sweats and her stomach coils into a tight knot that leaves her feeling light-headed and nauseous.
The hands on the clock seem bone piercingly loud as she waits to be called in to present her case, each passing tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock, echoing around inside her skull so vehemently that it rattles the thoughts straight out of her brain. Her chest feels heavy and constricted, as if her lungs have collapsed under the weight of her nerves and are left struggling to pull in and push out the oxygen that Gail needs so desperately to breathe. Her blood is thundering so wildly through her veins that Gail worries that her erratic pulse might tear her flesh open just to have somewhere to escape to.
Her legs won't stop jittering up and down fitfully no matter how hard she tries to get them to stop, and the waves of adrenaline crashing over her get stronger and stronger with each second that passes, leaving her bones and muscles trembling in dreaded anticipation. Gail can't help but let her body take control as the time grows frightfully nearer, her fight or flight instinct forcing her up onto her wobbly legs as she staggers into the nearest ladies' restroom.
With faltering fingers she manages to turn on the faucet, a rush of ice cold water racing down into her hands as she cups enough to rapidly splash over her face. She repeats the action several times, clenching her eyes shut as hears the doubts of her parents whispering in her ears, taunting her like an unrelenting devil on her shoulder; 'You're not good enough to be a Peck,' the voices hiss cruelly, 'Always screwing up. Always such a failure, an embarrassment. You shame us. Give up, give up, give up...'
Just as she feels herself growing defeated, their attempts to drag her down becoming too strong for her to resist any longer, a hand presses to her back, warm and safe and real, anchoring her and refusing to let her go. Gail gasps slightly as she lifts her head up and blinks opens her eyes to see Holly staring back at her with deep concern etched over her face, the fluorescent lighting above her shrouding her in an angelic glow like the saving grace she is.
"Hey, I'm here now, it's okay," Holly murmurs, almost as if she believes Gail needs the additional reassurance despite being able to clearly see that Holly is standing before her. "You're okay, honey," she consoles, her spare hand reaching up to cup Gail's cheek, thumbing away the droplets of water that still linger on her skin. "I'm so sorry I was running late, traffic was a nightmare."
Gail nods and lets her eyes flutter closed briefly once again as she inhales and exhales deeply. "I don't think I can do this, Hol," she confesses in a staggered breath. "Look at the state of me, I'm a mess. I'm going to look like a fool up there. They're all going to know I can't do my job properly and-"
"Shh," Holly hushes, pulling Gail into her body and wrapping her tightly in her arms as she soothes her palms comfortingly up and down Gail's back and holds her steady, letting Gail take a much needed moment to collect herself as she buries her face into Holly's neck and takes her in. "Just breathe for me," she instructs softly, slowly helping to ground Gail once more.
Gail clutches firmly at Holly's waist in response, her fingertips rooting themselves in the material of Holly's shirt as she uses her hold to brace herself back into reality and lets the voices fade away into nothingness, until all that's left in the stillness of the room is the sound of their hushed breathing and the synchronised beating of their hearts.
Holly's hands move to cradle her face when she feels Gail fully relax against her, and she draws her head back slowly to allow herself to search out Gail's eyes, holding her gaze intensely. "You are more than good enough, Gail Peck, do you hear me," she says determinately, her voice calm and sincere as she wills Gail to believe her. "You can do this, no matter what your idiotic, asshole parents think or say." Gail's lips twitch into a hint of a smile but Holly still refuses to let her look away, her thumb moving to trace across Gail's lips, keeping Gail connected. "You do not need them to validate your worth as a police officer or as a person. You are strong and brave, and kind and smart, and you have a bigger heart and better soul than they could ever dream of having. Believe in yourself like I believe in you, honey, and you will be just fine in there, I promise."
If her parents are the apocalypse that has come to ravage her with self-destroying doubts and eradicate her mediocre existence, Holly is the saviour that leads her to shelter and safety and gives her meaning in a world where she feels she has nothing of worth to give. No matter how many times she's come close to being beaten and broken down by their harsh expectations, Holly always swoops in to encourage her back to her feet, sharing the weight of Gail's demons, while Gail finds the last remnants of strength to keep fighting against them, to keep going on as exactly who she is and as she is.
Holly may not be part of her biological family, but Holly is her real family, the only person who truly loves and supports her unconditionally. Gail presses a grateful kiss to the tip of the thumb Holly's still tracing across her lips, earning a dazzling, toothy smile in return, and has to blink back a wave of tears that are suddenly brimming in her eyes as she feels her heart swell at Holly's absolute adoration for her, the depth of Holly's belief in her blossoming beautifully in Gail's chest and filling her with a new surge of courage.
"I can do this," she echoes back in a quiet breath, and then louder and more assured a second time as Holly's beautiful smile continues to grow, lighting up every inch of her face, "I can do this."
"You can do this, honey," Holly reaffirms, leaning forward to press her lips sweetly to Gail's forehead. "I will be in the stands the whole time watching, so if you feel yourself getting nervous, you just focus on me and pretend it's just us in the room; just you telling me about your case like always, okay?"
Gail swallows away the anxious dryness creeping into her mouth and nods. "Okay, I can do that," she says knowing that she'll more than likely need to, and just as she readies herself with a final deep breath, Swarek knocks on the door and calls through to her that the judge is ready for them.
/
Gail can feel the burning heat of Armando's villainous gaze latching onto her the moment she steps foot into the court room. She manages to keep her eyes fixed forward as she approaches the stand and gets sworn in, and only allows her gaze to flick between Holly's and the judges whenever a question is presented to her.
"Officer Gail Peck, police constable for 15 Division, badge number 8727," Gail states professionally as the judge asks her to identity herself for the sake of their records.
"Am I right to say that you are currently in training to become a detective, Officer Peck?" the judge, Amelia Florence, asks as she looks up from her notes to peer at Gail.
"Yes, Ma'am, that's correct," Gail replies agreeably.
"Am I also right to say that for the case of Thomas Armando, you were given the chance to lead the bust that led to his arrest? Can you expand on that for us."
"I was," Gail answers, her tongue swiping out to wet away the dryness of her lips. "I had picked up the evidence trail that led us to believe that Mr. Armando was using a warehouse just on the outskirts of the city as a hub for his weapons dealing, and as a result the detectives supervising me in the investigation – Detective Swarek and Detective Nash – allowed me to set up a stakeout operation to gather more evidence."
The judge nods as she takes in Gail's testimony. "And these stakeouts – which I'm reading here in your report – took place over a two week period?"
"They did," Gail confirms, stealthily wiping her sweaty palms on her thighs, as she tries to maintain an air of confidence. "We wanted to be thorough and make sure we had the right evidence and cause to warrant a bust. We recorded Mr. Armando using teenagers to sell his weapons during this time, and as a result of his illegal trading of weapons and dangerous manipulation of minors, we arranged a bust for that weekend."
"You, as the detective-in-training on that case, with the support of your supervising detectives, then led that bust, correct?"
"That's correct," Gail answers. "We had blueprints of the warehouse and surveillance of Mr. Armando's comings and goings of the warehouse, and with a team of officers and Detective Swarek, we planned our approach and executed the raid to plan."
The judge frowns slightly at her then, her eyebrow arching disbelievingly. "Well, according to Mr. Armando, not quite to plan, Officer Peck. He claims that you never read him his rights at the arrest, is that true?"
Gail feels a lump form in her throat as her body stiffens anxiously, her fingers instantly fumbling for the gold-plastic ring in her trouser pocket as her eyes search Holly out in the crowd. She can feel droplets of sweat beading along her hairline and dampening the back of her neck as the judge stares her down, waiting expectantly for a decent explanation.
Holly smiles encouragingly back at her, urging Gail on with a subtle nod of her head, and Gail swallows thickly, coughing slightly as she attempts to clear her throat, and focuses on the gold-plastic ring rolling comfortingly between her fingertips as she gets lost momentarily in Holly's warm eyes.
"I didn't arrest Mr. Armando, so it is true that I did not read him his rights," Gail admits as she lets her fingers curl tightly around the gold-plastic ring, feeling it digging into her skin as the judge quirks her eyebrow impatiently. In her peripheral vision she can see Tommy and his lawyer smirking at her, relishing in what they assume is her slip-up, but with a final glance to Holly, Gail finds the strength to return her eyes to the judge. "While I kept my firearm trained on Mr. Armando, ordering him to cooperate by putting his own weapon down, Detective Swarek approached him and carried out the arrest."
The judge nods in understanding. "So, Detective Swarek arrested Mr. Armando and read him his rights?"
Gail feels her eyebrows knit together worryingly as she recalls the moment. "No, Sam- Detective Swarek made the arrest and led Mr. Armando out to the cruiser with another officer's assistance, so I assume he read his rights to him then."
The judge sighs out an amused breath despite not looking amused at all. "You assume, Officer Peck? As the detective acting lead on the bust, did you not think it was your duty to follow the arrest all the way through?"
Gail swipes her fingers across her forehead, wiping away the perspiration that's gathered there. "Mr. Armando was trying his hardest to goad me with inappropriate comments," she admits in a strained voice, hating that she's having to bring it up, knowing that the judge will be aware of her history involving the kidnapping and Perrick, and hating how it always manages to make her feel weak and vulnerable. "So my supervising detective, Detective Swarek, thought it would be best to step in and remove Mr. Armando to the cruiser while he left me inside to follow up with the bust. I trusted my partner to follow protocol on this matter," Gail says, allowing her eyes to drift across to find Sam.
"Well, it looks like Detective Swarek is sloppy when it comes to filing in his paperwork because I have no written record indicating that he read Mr. Armando his rights, and no co-signing witness testimony from another officer," Judge Florence informs her sternly. "The paperwork that I do have however, Officer Peck, is a hospital report, stating that you suffered a head injury at the scene. What this tells me is that your bust and arrest of Mr. Armando was not well planned or executed."
"Ha, suck it, blondie," Tommy chortles from his seat, making Gail's mind immediately flash with contradicting images of Ross Perrick and his calm amusement when he witnessed her discomfort and internal struggle as she tried to work him for information on the Grace Allison Finn case.
"You will remain silent if you do not wish to return to your prison cell so swiftly, Mr. Armando," the judge fires back as quick as a flash of lightening, her voice booming loudly around the court room and startling them all. "What do you have to say on this matter, Officer Peck? Because at this current moment it's looking like Mr. Armando may very well have a case about his invalid arrest."
Gail stutters slightly, not knowing what to say, her eyes flickering to glare over at Sam once more, who at least has the decency to look somewhat sheepish under the intensity of her anger, his lips pressing tightly together into an apologetic line as he lowers his gaze. All of her hard work and effort may be going down in flames and this scumbag may walk free all because her moronic superior didn't file his paperwork properly. She lets her eyes flit across to Holly again and sees the tense set of her shoulders as she too glowers over at Sam before glancing up at Gail empathetically.
"Well, Officer Peck?" the judge prompts.
Gail lets her eyes fall shut for a second as she takes a deep breath in, knowing that there is no possible way for her to rectify the situation, her stomach twisting and churning with the unpleasant notion that maybe her mother was right after all, maybe she is just destined to always be a screw-up; forever the black sheep of the family, forever the disappointment Peck.
"Your honour," she swallows thickly, forcing the words out past her increasingly dry lips, "there is no exc-"
Her reply is cut short as a court officer comes hurrying into the room and rapidly approaches the judge, and with a hushed explanation, passes over something that looks to be a CD-ROM.
"Officer Peck, Detective Swarek, and Mr. Lang, join me in my chambers please," Judge Florence orders. "Officer Garren, please escort Mr. Armando back to holding until further notice."
Tommy voices his displeasure loudly as he's led away, and with a quick, confused glance to Holly, who simply mouths 'don't worry' to her, Gail follows Sam and Tommy's lawyer into the judge's chambers.
They stand silent and awkward as the judge views the new evidence, nothing but a considering 'hmm' leaving her mouth as she studies the information before her. After what seems like minutes but is properly only seconds, Judge Florence leans back in her chair, hands clasped in her lap as she stares intently over at them.
"It would appear, detectives, that an Officer Dov Epstein has managed to produce footage from the cruiser, capturing Detective Swarek and an Officer Moore reading Mr. Armando his rights," the judge explains, holding up her hand on reflex as Tommy's lawyer opens his mouth to protest. "While this does not excuse your negligence of the required paperwork, Detective Swarek, I am willing to regard this at its presented value, and conclude that Mr. Armando was indeed arrested lawfully. However, I don't expect this to happen again, Detective Swarek, you are to set an example, understood?" Sam nods solemnly. "Mr. Armando's trial will begin next week. That is all. You are dismissed." Gail feels the relief crashing over her but only manages to spin on her heel before the judge calls her back. "Not you, Officer Peck, I would like a moment more of your time."
"Your honour, I recognise my mistake in this matter," Gail rushes out, pre-empting what she assumes will be another stern dressing down. "It won't happen again, I assure you."
"Rightfully so," Judge Florence states firmly, and then with a softer tone, "I know I was harsh on you out there, Officer Peck, but I believe, despite you only being in training for a detective position, that you have good potential. However, from this moment on it is your responsibility to ensure you are following protocol down to the finest detail. Learn from Detective Swarek's mistake. As a detective you will face more time in court, and your paperwork needs to reflect that you are prepared for that, otherwise the criminals walk free. I can only come to a verdict on the evidence provided to me."
"It won't happen again," Gail repeats earnestly, nodding her head more to herself than anything. "I'll check and double check all of the case notes and reports."
"Good," Judge Florence retorts, a hint of a smile pulling at her lips for a split second before she flicks her hand towards the door. "You're dismissed."
Gail nods her head in polite recognition and then leaves without hesitating a second longer, not wanting to give the judge any more excuses to reprimand her. Holly stands immediately when she sees her return, lines of worry etched into her face as her eyes desperately seek Gail's out.
"What happened? Are you okay?" Holly blurts questioningly, her body moving on auto-pilot to close the remaining space between them and her hand instantly reaching out to grasp supportively at Gail's arm.
Gail nods, letting her fingers reach up to curl around Holly's own, and squeezing reassuringly. "I'm fine," she murmurs, letting her eyes hold Holly's for a few moments. "I got rightfully scolded on the matter..." She lets her sentence trail off as Sam cautiously approaches them, her glare turning icy. "You really didn't think you should have mention to me beforehand that this was all because you didn't file the paperwork? Really Sam? Way to hang me out to dry up there."
"Hey, I gave it to a rookie, Peck, it's not my fault it got misplaced," Sam defends himself cockily. "Armando was never gonna walk anyway, this was all just so the judge could throw her authority around a little before the trial."
At his excuse, a disbelieving breath escapes her mouth before she can think to stop it. "Wow, you really are an arrogant jackass, Swarek," she drawls slowly, letting her voice drip with utter disdain, and feeling Holly's fingers slipping between her own, tugging at her slightly in a silent plea to let it go now that she's said her piece.
"And you need to grow some balls, Peck. If you're gonna make it as a real detective, you need to stop worrying about what mommy and daddy might say. This was nothing to get so worked up about," Sam shrugs pompously back at her. "What really counts is that we worked well together on the bust and you know it. So hate me for a few days if you want, I really don't care, we don't need to like each other or be pals. Just remember that I'm still your superior, Peck, so you better show me some respect, because it's me that's going to be giving a review to Jarvis at the end of your probation period."
The remark shouldn't surprise her, she knows that even after all of her years working with them that some of them still think that she's only a police officer because of who her parents are, and that they're behind her every accomplishment. No matter how hard she tries to prove to them otherwise, some of them will never give her the credit she's due. If anything, Gail thinks, it's in spite of her parents that she's ended up becoming a good, hard-working, honest cop.
"Are you threatening her?" Holly growls defensively, surprising them all by stepping forward in challenge, her shoulders squaring and her eyes darkening dangerously. "Because I swear to god, Detective Swarek, you had better not be. You messed up on the arrest. You messed up on the paperwork. You are the reason that prick Armando almost bloody walked. You might think this is all just some joke, but if he'd walked and then some young kid got one of his guns and killed somebody, say an officer on the job – McNally perhaps – then you wouldn't be brushing it off so easily as nothing to get worked up about, would you?"
Sam purses his mouth together and nods slightly, his aloof posture crumbling under Holly's tirade and leaving him vulnerable and guilty before them. His eyes daringly dart away from Holly's to find Gail's, who's desperately fighting to hold back a smile. "You're right, okay? I'm sorry," he says stiffly, holding his hands up in defeat. "It's my mistake, not yours. You actually did a pretty decent job leading the bust, Peck."
"Thank you," Gail replies politely, nodding her head in return to let Sam know that they're okay for now, as long as nothing like this happens again on one of their cases. He chances a final glance at Holly, ducking his head in recognition and leaves without so much as daring to utter another word to her, Holly's gaze following him every step of the way and burning into the back of his head.
Nobody has ever so outright and vehemently stood up for her before, and as she touches her hand to the small of Holly's back and strokes her thumb lovingly against the silky softness of Holly's shirt, drawing Holly's attention to her once more, Gail can't help but be filled with overwhelming awe.
"I can't believe you just defended my honour like that, Lunchbox," Gail murmurs affectionately, her eyes still full of wonder as she soaks up the sight of her usually cool, calm and collected best friend, who normally avoids confrontation at all costs, standing tall and strong and gallant just for her.
Holly flushes in response, her cheeks growing rosy and her mouth twisting into a shy, embarrassed smile as she ducks her eyes away from Gail's and reaches up to nervously adjust her glasses. "I don't know what came over me," she confesses, biting at her lip and timidly meeting Gail's gaze. "Just... how dare he try and pin it all on you, you know?" Holly reasons, growing agitated again as she clearly runs the moment over in her mind, and making Gail grin fondly back at her as she slides her hand appreciatively down Holly's arm. The gesture seems to bolster Holly's resolve once more, her conviction in her actions shining through as she adds, "I'm not having anybody speak to you like that, Gail, not on my watch."
As her heart swells and bursts in her chest, Gail simply holds Holly's gaze and lets her fingers drift down over Holly's wrist until she's able to curl her fingers beneath Holly's own, gently but purposefully lifting Holly's hand up to her mouth, and pressing a sweet, soft, lingering kiss to Holly's ring finger.
Gail may not be brave enough to speak those three little words that wait ever so patiently on the tip of her tongue quite yet, but with the slight hitch in Holly's breath at Gail's tender gesture, and the resulting blush that colours every inch of Holly's skin as she stares reverently back at her, it makes Gail feel almost as if she had been.