Who would get the job offer first, do you think?
Guest: yes, the use of 'logistics' was a hat-tip to Tassie.
Other Guest: Please do read more fan fic! There are a lot of amazing authors out there whom I love to read.
She was afraid.
And it was a huge problem.
When Gail had gotten to work after the parade, her boss told her about their new plan. Some of them would be posted out at divisions. And Gail, being still so relatively new from Fifteen, was the perfect person to send there. So after seven months away, she was going home.
Her future in Toronto policing was looking brighter than ever. That was probably good since all her feelers out to SFPD and CHP were coming up a little short. Hiring freezes. Luckily her boss didn't catch wind of it, or that would have been really awkward.
When she told Holly that night, her girlfriend had been supportive and delighted. Of course Gail would do a great job. There was nothing to worry about. But the nerves made sense. It had been a while, after all. But Holly insisted it would be okay and a success. And she loved Gail.
That bolstered Gail's heart more than her boss did. He came with her to Fifteen that first day, making sure Noelle and Jarvis knew where Gail ranked, who she reported to (not Jarvis) and what her job was. Noelle was happy. She was happy. Oliver, who saw her and pointed and said "Hey!" was happy.
The patrol officers saw her, with her boss, at parade, looking all suave and cool. When Noelle explained that they'd be hosting a traffic officer, and that it was Gail, the assembled officers cheered. Gail couldn't explain how much that was a relief. She was wanted, even after leaving them. They were happy to see her, excited even, and welcomed her back into their fold with open arms.
She quickly fell into the new routine with them. If there was a function to go to, she would be back at the main station, but otherwise she was based out of Fifteen. That let her ride a patrol, her normal patrol now, after sitting in parade with people she knew and kinda liked, and then ended her day hanging out with them. There was the Penny again, softball (thank you, Oliver), and she was having a life again.
Everyone was amused to see her on the motorcycle all the time. She'd been fending off well meaning people with a stick for a while, like Jen Luck who really did not know how to take no for an answer. At first, it had just been that she wasn't interested. But now it was that she was seeing Holly, with the intent of making something happen.
The only person Gail could really talk to about it turned out to be Chloe. How awful that was. It was Chloe who, when she learned about the two getting back together, smacked Gail in the back of the head. She did it again when Gail explained about the hook up that had happened three days prior.
When Chloe had asked how serious Gail was, Gail admitted she'd give up everything. Chloe narrowed her eyes and asked about the Peck name. And Gail was frank and honest. She would give up being a Peck if it got her Holly. After she finished crying, Chloe helped figure out what to text Holly at the airport because it was clear she was in love and Chloe was a stupid Disney Princess.
And on nights when Holly was at work and busy, and thus couldn't talk or text, Chloe would come over and hang out. More than once Chloe had been there when Holly called. According to Chloe, Gail was different when she was talking to Holly. That was why her friend (ew) wanted to help them, looking for jobs for Gail in California. They spent a lot of time looking at maps, figuring out that a job with the LAPD was not going to be near enough to San Francisco, and by the way, there weren't even trains between the two cities. What the hell was up with that?
So far, Gail had nothing but bad luck when it came to the job hunt. No one was hiring at the moment. Not for what she wanted to do. The CHP would have been perfect in her opinion, given her current job. The California police had a mess of problems, though. Getting a job out there was a slim chance.
There were other options, of course. Private investigators, security firms... She could go back to school and get a degree in something. All of it seemed like such a long shot. Was she doomed to have a failed relationship because she'd gotten herself trapped in a job? How much was she going to have to give up?
She also had a lot of fear when she started talking to her parents again. Her father started it, showing up at her apartment with cheesecake and an apology for not listening the first time. He listened when she told him why she'd spoken up to IA, about why she changed career paths, and about Holly. Because he asked.
Her father, the smooth talker, said he was wrong. He was sorry. And would Gail come over for dinner with her mother too?
Chloe and Nick told her to do it. Because losing your parents wasn't always something you got back. Chris and Dov said she didn't have to. It was okay to not want to reconnect with people who had stomped over you. Holly though, Holly said maybe everyone got a option for a second chance. They did, after all.
Stupid Holly. She was why Gail ended up at an awkward dinner with her parents and brother, no dates, and they all actually talked. Gail couldn't remember ever talking with her parents since … Perik really. But they did all talk about how they felt. About who you were supposed to be more loyal to. About what you were supposed to do.
And then her mother dropped the bomb.
She was proud of Gail for doing what was right. Elaine hadn't had all the details, she'd reacted without thinking, and Gail had stood up and done the right thing.
Praise from her parents.
What a strange concept.
A few weeks later, she had another surprise.
It had been a shitty day. While she loved riding the motorcycle, late autumn sleet was a bitch and she'd had a minor wipe out after a mid-speed chase for the detectives. Her leg had a massive bruise but she was otherwise just fine. All she wanted was to get home, soak, maybe talk to Holly a little, and sleep. After the bath, though, Gail's body was too heavy to contemplate talking. She managed to text Holly that she was going to sleep before falling soundly out.
The next thing Gail was aware of, someone was calling her name. Not just 'someone' but the voice she craved to hear all the time. Awesome. She was so tired she was hallucinating Holly's voice. Then the bed dipped, her name was said again, and a hand touched her back. Honey. The voice said honey.
Gail struggled to force her eyes open, crawling out of her pit of exhaustion, looking up at the travel rumpled face of her girlfriend. "Holl?"
"Happy birthday," smiled Holly, as if unsure the surprise would be taken well.
Birthday? Gail blinked a few times and the dates clicked. Her birthday was in a couple days. "I forgot," she admitted, rolling over.
Holly laughed the soft, easy laugh that Gail loved. "Long day?"
"Cold, sore..." Gail pulled the sheet away from her leg to show off the bruise. She purpled easily anyway, but this one was pretty impressive. "Skidding out catching a street racer."
Screwing up her face, Holly asked, "In this weather? Were they insane?"
Gail smiled. "Hopefully they won't plead insanity." She held a hand out and pulled Holly closer to kiss her. "Hi."
The kiss was soft and warm and washed away the shitty day. "Hi," replied Holly, her voice nearly a purr.
"What time is it?"
"Almost eleven. My plane was late." They kissed again, Holly easing onto Gail until she hissed. Okay. Maybe she was a little sore. "Poor baby," Holly murmured, stroking Gail's face.
After a shower, Holly curled up in bed near Gail. For years, Gail hated cuddling. She hated men wrapping themselves around her, holding her, trapping her. She hated it more after Perik.
Holly knew about Perik from Gail's perspective. True, she'd been high on pain killers at the time, but she had explained why she was having a minor freak out and really didn't want to go to sleep. They'd stayed up watching chick flicks, something Gail was never really able to do with her other friends. It was in the middle of some movie where the couple was cuddling that Gail derisively snarked that she hated sleeping like that.
When they'd dated the first time, Holly had remembered that and never tried to sleep all over Gail. Not that she didn't, from time to time, end up that way anyway, but never on purpose. Now, as then, Gail realized she really didn't mind having Holly up against her.
Reaching over, Gail tugged at Holly's shirt. "C'mere," she slurred, exhaustion kicking in.
"You sure?"
"Mm. You smell nice." She smiled as Holly's arm fit across her waist. "Missed you."
She was asleep before she heard a reply, the warmth and comfort of the other woman sending her off into a nearly dreamless sleep. Waking up a few hours later, Holly was still wrapped around her, protectively just like Nick used to do, but it was so soothing. It wasn't restrictive. It was like a nice blanket on a cold day. Gail could have gone back to sleep but her phone rang. "Nooooooooo," whimpered Holly.
Gail smiled. "It's mine." She thumbed the phone on and listened to the garage tell her the bike was going to be out of service for the day, while they waited for a part. It ran fine, but you didn't ride those bikes damaged. Ever. They were washed and cleaned every day. Sighing, Gail called in to her sergeant and related the news. The grumpy man asked if she was okay, and told her to take a day off or do desk work at Fifteen and be a face.
Looking at Holly, Gail said she'd see how she felt and let him know. Then she hung up and brushed the hair away from Holly's face. Her beautiful, smart, sexy girlfriend frowned, "You have to go in?"
"I don't have to," murmured Gail. Her body ached in an unfriendly way. Maybe that skid was worse than she thought, but the x-Ray was negative. No breaks.
"You should," mused Holly.
Gail eyed the brunette. "What?"
"I'm not going to stay here all day and coddle you." Holly yawned. "I have a meeting at 10."
"So... You're not really here for my birthday?"
Holly smiled softly and pushed herself up to kiss Gail's cheek. "I'm here for your birthday. I'm in Toronto for work." She hesitated. "How much do you want to know?"
That was a deep question. "Are you fired?"
"No."
"Details please. I can make coffee."
"God, that's the best deal I've had in days."
As Gail made the coffee, Holly explained that her lab, which was contracted out to SFPD and LAPD and all those PDs in California, was branching out. The new body farm they wanted to make? In Canada. There had been a disgusting amount of laws to work around, but they had made headway there faster than Alaska, and the temperature variants were important.
Gail would never mention that she'd tuned out a little there. Holly was geeking out and it was adorable, but she was just too tired to really focus on that.
But she got the crux of the story. There was a good chance that Holly would be able to come back to Toronto. Back to her. Them. Whatever.
"So... You're going to be trying to cook up a way for your company to pay for you to move back here?"
Holly nodded and sipped her coffee. "Is that opportunistic?"
"Do I get to see you naked more often?"
Her girlfriend laughed. "Yes. I'd have to fly back to San Francisco a few times a year, but I'd be based out of Toronto."
Gail pretended to think about it. "It's opportunistic but I can't argue with it."
Smiling, Holly leaned on the counter. "Good. So I think if you go to work, you'll have something to do while I'm out going over numbers and management crap and then... I can pick you up?"
How wonderful that sounded. Her girlfriend could pick her up at work. Gail grinned. "Go to the Penny?"
"I was thinking dinner."
"I think both," smiled Gail, leaning in and kissing Holly. "How solid is this? I mean, can I hoot and cheer and dance that you're coming back to Canada and we don't have to live off phone sex anymore?"
Holly spluttered and Gail laughed. "You're terrible, Gail," she chastised.
"That's not an answer."
Holly laughed more and gripped the front of Gail's shirt. "About 80%. We haven't signed the papers yet, but Canada's tired of looking bad in the whole forensics department."
Gail sighed. "I hate waiting." She was pulled into a coffee flavored kiss from Holly. "I like that. We need to do more of that."
"We will. Come with me to dinner?"
Gail arched her eyebrows. "Why does that sound like it's not a given that we're spending all your free time having sex and eating?"
Laughing, Holly kissed her nose. "Because I have a working dinner. I need to woo these locals that they totally need a nearby body farm."
"Oh you just want me for the Peck name," teased Gail. Holly looked stricken the moment Gail said it. "Hey, hey, what's wrong?"
"I forgot. Your family …"
Had she forgotten to tell Holly? "My parents apologized a couple weeks ago."
"I know that," muttered Holly. "But the other Pecks?"
Gail smirked. "I am a god among Pecks for being the most loyal. It's very weird." Most, if not all, of her relatives were treating her like royalty. She could do no wrong. "How long do we have before you have to go in?"
When you didn't get a lot of time with your girlfriend, it was reasonable to try to take as much advantage as possible. Right? Holly shook her head though, much to Gail's disappointment. "After dinner."
"Hell, now I'm going for sure," joked Gail.
When she limped into work, Holly dropped her off in her rental car and Gail made sure to get a lingering kiss through the window.
"That better be Holly." Chloe's not quite annoying voice broke through Gail's smirk as Holly drove off.
"Yep," grinned Gail.
"She here for your birthday?"
"Yeeee- hey, how did you know it was my birthday?" She narrowed her eyes at Chloe.
"I'm your best friend." The red-haired woman beamed at Gail. "Go on, deny it, but who helped you woo your lady lover back, hmmm?"
Gail rolled her eyes. "I hate you."
She didn't. She actually liked Chloe. One of the best things about being back at Fifteen was getting to hang out with her at work sometimes. Gail would probably never tell Chloe that she'd been influential, though. It would just feed the tiny thing's ego.
As Chloe sang that Gail loved her, it solidified the thought that she did not need any encouragement. Chloe also noticed that Gail was limping and demanded to see the bruise. It was epic enough that all the women in the changing room wanted to see and Traci took a photo.
But it still was a boring day at a desk, being available for 'face' duties, like interviews and being Officer Friendly. Also, as Gail had quickly learned, desk duty for a traffic cop meant going to court. A lot. Most of the time just showing up was all that was needed, but it was a serious downer. Since her day 'off' was unplanned, she ended up going into two different court houses to fill in for cases, neither of which were actually going up to a trial. People just got scared off when a cop showed up, and would change their plea to guilty.
When Holly came by at five, it made the day much better. Gail snagged her a visitor pass so she could come and say hello to everyone. Chloe, of course, hugged her, squealing with delight and bouncing. Gail mouthed an apology to Holly, but she could see her girlfriend really didn't mind.
"Are you coming to the Penny tonight?"
"Maybe after," mused Holly, glancing at Gail. "Maybe ... Friday?"
Gail would rather never, but that wasn't nice. "Friday," she nodded at Holly and Chloe.
Chloe studied Gail for a moment and then grinned. "Friday." She took advantage of the moment to hug Gail too, which was just what Chloe did.
As they got into Holly's car, the brunette teased, "You have lots of friends now, Gail."
"Yeah, I do," she agreed. "And a smoking hot girlfriend."
They went back to Gail's to change before the dinner, Holly revealing a suit that Gail thought was more sexy than serious. Holly laughed and thought Gail just had a dirty mind. True, but she also hadn't spent more than two weeks with her girlfriend in half a year. Time off for the rookie motorcycle cop was hard to come by, and Holly didn't make it up north as often as they'd like. Cases had driven Holly back up twice, though, for five days and for nine, and both times she'd stayed with Gail.
Frankly Gail thought they were lucky to have made it to work at all those days.
And really she didn't want to go out that night, but the payoff would be pretty epic if it happened. Holly back in Toronto? Even if it was just most of the time, she'd take it. She'd take all the hassle that their relationship was being, just so she could have a day like this. A day where she got picked up and dropped off. A day that started and ended in Holly's arms.
For the first time in forever, things were going right.
Still not the end. One more to go.