Hey folks, here is the latest installment for your reading pleasure. Thank you all for the continued support! Also, happy premiere date to everyone who held off long enough to wait for the U.S. premiere.


Holly sat on the floor in front of her coffee table, laptop perched in front of her. She had been perusing different travel sites for the past two hours and had finally settled on just the trip for the two of them. Gail had put her request for time off in, which had been approved impressively fast, leaving Holly to the minor detail of actually picking a place for them to go. After a quick call to a family friend, Holly set in on booking their tickets.

She felt a vibration in her pocket and pulled the ringing phone out.

"Hey babe, I was just booking our tickets."

"Oh, um, hey…Holly?"

Holly sighed, pushing her laptop away. This is always how it started. Whatever it was Gail was about to tell her was not going to be cheerful news.

"Yeah…?"

"…I'm sorry. I can't come to dinner tonight. Traci got called into an old case she was working; looks like some new evidence came into play. It's her night with Leo so I offered to watch him."

Holly let her head ease back into the edge of the couch cushion behind her. It could definitely be worse. She almost wanted to laugh at how much this was not a big deal at all.

"That is fine Gail. I thought you were going to tell me you can't take time off, or that your mother invited us to dinner or something tragic like that."

Gail snorted out loud on the other end of the line. "Oh god, that would be terrible. Can you imagine us at my mother's dinner table? We wouldn't be able to stop laughing. I don't think I could look at you with a straight face the whole time."

"Oh shit, I totally forgot about that." Holly laughed out. Her memories flooded with scenes from their drunken night at The Penny last week and the various impersonations of Superintendent Peck that went around the small table of Gail's friends. Holly of course had come across her a few times on her own due to work. She had only run into her once since her and Gail started seeing each other, and it was such a brief encounter that Holly couldn't get a tell on whether or not Gail's mother had any idea about the two of them. As far as she knew, no one had relayed that information to her as of yet, however, it wouldn't take Holly by surprise if she knew by her own means. So, when the situation had arisen, Holly had done her best to keep her mouth shut and remain as unseen as possible while Elaine spoke with her department. It was something she had said in that meeting, and the way she said it that had stuck so firmly in her mind. And it was that very thing that had won Holly the coveted title of best impersonation that night.

"…does that sound good baby?"

"What?" Holly pulled her thoughts back to her conversation.

"Geez woman, pay attention. I said I could stop by once Traci gets home if it isn't too late."

"Yeah, of course. I might go to bed early tonight though, but you can come sneak into bed with me if you want."

Holly could almost hear the smile on Gail's lips through the phone. "Ok, well, pick us someplace cool. I'll see you later."

"Okay, have fun with Leo."

Holly put her phone back in her pocket and turned to her laptop, eager to finish booking their trip.


It was pretty late by the time Traci showed up to relieve Gail of her babysitting duties. She was sorely tempted to stay the night with Holly, but after a quick glance at the clock on Traci's stove, she knew she should just head home so they could get a peaceful night's rest. They both had been working a lot of overtime and she knew Holly's sleep had suffered to make time for them. And, honestly, she knew she wouldn't be able to just go straight to bed if she went to see her girlfriend. If memory served, last time she snuck into Holly's place, she ended up three fingers deep and in desperate need of a nap the next day.

So with a frown on her face, and the start of arousal growing stronger thanks to that last memory, Gail grabbed her bag and headed home. It was dark and quiet when she walked through the front door, the rest of the apartment fast asleep. She dropped her stuff in the living room and proceeded to starfish herself onto the bed. With sleep quickly biting at her ankles, she typed out a quick text to Holly, promising to buy her lunch tomorrow (well later today seeing as it was nearly 2am) and set her alarm. She was dead asleep in minutes flat.


Gail stepped out of the squad car and bee lined towards the morgue's entrance. She had slept restlessly the night before, missing the warmth of her girlfriend. All she wanted to do was spend a quiet lunch hour, hidden away in the lab with Holly. Unluckily for her, she was riding with Dov, which meant he wanted to come to lunch too. She had flat out refused, but it didn't deter him from following her out of the squad and towards the front doors.

Spotting Holly in her office, Gail dashed inside, slammed the door shut, and locked it behind her, eyes closed in hopes that if she didn't see him, he wouldn't see her.

"I think he is still following me." She gritted out through clenched teeth.

"Uh, Officer Peck…" Holly started.

"No, seriously Hols, he is going to ruin it." Gail said, turning around to poke her fingers between the blinds on the window, trying to see if Dov had indeed followed her in.

"Gail!"

She froze in place. She knew that voice. She had known it her whole life. Slowly, Gail turned around and for the first time, noticed her mother standing next to Holly's desk.

"Oh, fuck."

"Gail, watch your mouth. And what are you doing running in here acting like a child? Shouldn't you be working?" Elaine's posture screamed in a way her voice never did. It was enough to make Gail's hands clam up instantly. "What are you doing here?"

"I uh, I…"

"She offered to bring me lunch Superintendent." Holly stepped in.

"Oh, I didn't realize you two were friends. But it doesn't excuse this behavior. I would hope you expected better of yourself Gail." Elaine strode over to Gail, taking a moment to adjust her daughter's utility belt. "I was just speaking with Dr. Stewart here about getting her out of the office to a conference in a couple weeks, before you interrupted that is. But it seems like I am out of luck." Elaine turned her attention back to Holly. "Are you sure I can't get you to reconsider? I am sure your girlfriend would understand postponing your vacation for something as important as this."

Gail watched as Holly shifted uncomfortably. "I'm sorry, I really can't. We already have our tickets booked. And it is our first trip together, so…"

"Well, we win some, we lose some." Elaine offered Holly a semi-genuine smile and turned her back on the woman to face Gail again. "It looks like it will be just the two of us then dear."

"I can't go either mom. I'll be out of town"

"How could you possibly know that? You don't even know when the conference is."

Gail tensed realizing the vast mistake she just made. She looked past her mother towards Holly, desperate for help. Holly merely shrugged her shoulders and gave her a look that made it perfectly clear that Holly was equally aware of just what situation Gail had dug them both into.

Elaine noticed Gail's sudden nerves and took them for being caught red handed in a lie, and decided to snap the trap. "Well tell me Gail, where exactly is it that you will be during this conference that you don't even know the dates of yet."

"I don't know."

"You don't know?"

"No, I wasn't the one that booked the trip."

"Oh, so this is a group trip then? So, who are you going with that booked the trip? Maybe I can ask them why you are suddenly unavailable at an undetermined time."

"Mom, I…"

Elaine cut her short. "No, Gail. You can try and dodge family dinners all you want, but this is work. I expect you to be there. Now stop with this nonsense."

"Mom, I really will be gone." Gail's voice became more desperate.

"When?"

"What?"

"When will you be gone Gail? When exactly are you going to be so unavailable? Or do you not know that either?"

"I don't know the exact dates, but I am on leave from the 16th through the end of the month."

The all-knowing smirk fell straight from her mother's mouth. "Hmph." Elaine struggled to find her next point. "I suppose being friends with Dr. Stewart, you knew when she would be out of town and borrowed those same dates?"

"Well, yes and no…" Gail was grasping at straws. She was getting dangerously close to being forced into either the conference or outing herself and her and Holly's relationship right then and there. It wasn't really a choice she cared to make. The look on her mother's face confirmed that Elaine's patience was running thin. "Mom, they are the same dates because I am going with Holly."

The superintendent spun on the spot, looking at Holly to confirm the validity of her daughter's statement. After receiving a simple nod in return from the pathologist, she turned back towards Gail.

"So this is a couple's thing?"

"Yes."

Gail watched her mother work it out in her head. "Well, then I must meet the man you are bringing with you."

"What?"

"The man you are going with Gail. You just said it was a couple's retreat. Holly and her girlfriend and you and whoever you are going with…"

It wasn't worded as a question but Gail knew better than to think otherwise. "I'm not going with a man mother."

"Ok, this has gone too far Gail. You said you are going with Dr. Stewart here. She has already told me she is going with her girlfriend, and you confirmed it is a couple's trip. I am assuming you are not going as a third wheel, so naturally my next question is who you are going with."

"I'm going with Holly."

"Gail, I…" All of a sudden the frustration fell straight off Elaine's face, replaced by something unreadable entirely. "You are going with Dr. Stewart. You are the girlfriend."

"Yes."

Silence spread throughout the room. Gail had no idea what her mother was thinking, let alone if she even wanted to know what it was. Holly stood glued to the same spot, seemingly unblinking. The trio stood transfixed, unmoving, unspeaking, just stuck. That is until Gail's radio burst into life.

Gail heard the words at her shoulder, but remained in her spot. Finally her mother broke the silence.

"Do you plan on responding to that officer? Shots fired. I do believe I heard the words 'all units'."

Gail snapped out of her daze, and radioed back her confirmation and turned towards the door. She paused long enough to shoot Holly and look, apologizing for her rapid exit, and promising her safe return all in one. Holly merely nodded back in understanding and Gail swept back out into the noise of the corridor, shutting the door back in place behind her.

Elaine remained in her position a moment longer, taking her time to return to her original spot beside Holly's desk. "So, you are dating my daughter it seems."


Gail rushed back into the car, flipping the lights and sirens while fastening her seatbelt. Dov shot her a glance in question to the absolutely obvious signs of unease.

"I just ran into the superintendent. I don't want to talk about it." She merely offered to shut him up before he could start.

"I though you went to see Holly?" He replied, making a quick turn onto the next street.

Gail ran her fingers through her hair. "I did. She was there. Holly was there. I was there. It was weird. What part of I don't want to talk about it do you not understand?"

Dov turned again, quickly approaching their scene. "Look Gail, your mother isn't that bad, I don't know why you…"

"DOV! Stop. Just shut the fuck up."

"Oh…Oh shit." He stopped the cruiser in front of the house and pushed the door open. "She knows?"

"Yes. Now let it go and give me some cover already."


Gail slammed the locker shut, resting her head against the cool metal. It had been an intense and dramatic day. Chris had been shot in the vest, just grazing the side. He got lucky; it only managed to skim the edge. He probably wouldn't even have a bruise. Dov had rushed to Chris, checking him over for injuries as Nick cleared the house. Gail had taken the yard and perimeter and had gotten lucky enough to catch sight of the perp fleeing the scene. It had taken almost fifteen minutes of chasing the bastard before she tackled him to the ground. All she wanted now was to go home, grab some alcohol and soak in a hot bath until morning.

A few other women fluttered in and out of the locker room, paying no attention to the beaten down blonde on the bench. Gail took solace in the calm. It had been a long, long day, and she really needed some calm. As much as she would love to head home to that bath, she knew it was useless. The apartment would be filled with the likes of a slightly shaken up Chris, and of course Dov and Chloe. She could go to Holly's but she knew after leaving her with her mother, it was going to be anything but a peaceful visit. So Gail stayed, face against the cool locker, hoping the world would melt away, if but only for an hour. That's all she wanted. Just an hour of peace.

After half an hour, Gail's phone buzzed on the bench next to her. She was tempted to leave it be, but she knew better than to ignore messages.

Holly: Hey, Traci said you are still sitting in the locker room. I know it has been a day, and I know you need your space, but you can't stay there all night. I got called in to do the autopsy on that case from earlier so the house is all yours if you want. Go get some sleep; I'll see you in the morning.

Gail smiled, glad she had found someone who understood her, and wasn't scared off by her need for space. She grabbed her bag and jacket and headed out of the station, taking just enough time to type out a reply. 'Thanks babe. I owe you breakfast tomorrow.'