At the end of OWtO, people who guessed the leads for the possible sequel were given the option to pick prompts. Which I rarely do. But I got this one from Em Arch (rudy0924):
Hurt/Comfort - Gail gets hurt; Holly happens to be pregnant at the time; freaks out a bit
I mulled around with it and then decided that since I left a door open anyway, here you go with a second chapter. It may not quite be the hurt/comfort you wanted.
"If you don't pull through this," muttered Holly. "I will kill you."
She stared at the machines plugged into her wife and listened to their rhythmic beeping. Gail hadn't woken up yet, which wasn't surprising. They hadn't found any brain damage, which was surprising considering the mangled wreck of the car. Elaine probably wasn't supposed to show her photos, but Holly had stared at them for the six hours it took for Gail's surgery.
It was officially the worst day of her life.
That wasn't how it had started out.
She pulled the paperwork out of her pocket and stared at it again. "You suck," she informed Gail. "I can't tell anyone."
The thing was they all knew. Everyone knew they were trying, at least, but no one except Gail knew the schedule and the timing this time around. They wanted less stress. Holly snorted a laugh. Less stress. She'd probably be crying again, but she felt so out of tears. She felt drained and empty. Raw.
As she read the paper, she picked up Gail's near hand. Deep scrapes covered the back of her hand, a sutured gouge on her arm. And this was the good side. Her right side was crushed or swollen, depending on where you looked. The leg was the worst, the head the best thank god, and her arm was so bruised and battered the doctors weren't sure yet if it was broken.
From what Steve and Traci could tell her, it was supposed to have been a normal day and a normal patrol. Not the day that Holly would probably remember in terror for the rest of her life.
Gail had been assigned with Andy, patrolling with no agenda or case or specific thing to look out for. A normal day. Letting Andy drive, Gail had been texting Holly continuously, asking how she felt, if she needed anything, and triple checking that she was supposed to be at the doctor's office at noon. Not that she said 'doctor' on the phone, she just said 'there' and kept telling Andy to shut up.
Perhaps ironically, they'd both been at the hospital at noon. Holly had assumed Gail was stuck in the traffic jam she'd heard about on the radio and went ahead with the exam anyway. While it had been all fine and dandy to use a home test for Gail, Holly was a few years older and had some higher risks, so she was in the doctor's office, peeing on a stick and giving a little blood and getting the news from a human. It was their same doctor as last time, who hugged her and told her congratulations. It had taken them over half a year and five tries, but they got it. Holly was a month pregnant.
Folding the paper away, she leaned over. "You got me pregnant, so don't think you're getting out of this, Peck."
Gail didn't twitch. Not that Holly expected her to. She brushed the hair out of Gail's face and sighed. Holly hadn't known about the accident until she called Gail to tell her the good news, and got an out of service. That had been worrying so she decided to call Oliver, only to get an incoming call from St. Pats. Please come. There'd been an accident.
Holly had all but sprinted across to the ER, managing to get there while still on the phone with the admit desk nurse. That was probably going to be very funny later on, but right now it was agonizing. Holly demanded to know what was going on and found herself sitting by a banged up and conscious Andy McNally. Her right arm was in a sling. Her face was speckled with blood from the safety glass that had shattered. Her nose was broken from the airbag. But she was okay.
"The guy came out of nowhere," Andy explained.
For once that was true. They'd been driving below an overpass when a semi up above blew a tire and went over the edge. Literally unseen to Andy, and frankly how could she be expected to see that, they'd heard the explosion and seen the cement. Gail had slapped on the siren and was shouting into the radio that something had blown up on the overpass. As Andy told it, Gail was incredibly calm in a crisis, making sure the information was there.
But none of that really mattered when the semi had landed right on them.
On Gail. Mostly. The cruiser had skidded, getting rear ended while Andy tried to avoid the rubble, and the semi had crushed the passenger side of the cruiser. Right where Gail had been sitting.
Her right leg was a mess of pins and metal now. The orthopedic doctor swore it was going to be fine, that the damage looked horrible. But she would be able to run again in a year. She would see her daughter graduate college and have a great future and in all likelihood still be able to be a cop.
That was when Holly broke down sobbing, having a full blown panic attack right there.
That was when Elaine wrapped her arms around Holly and held her close, promising that they'd be fine. That Gail would be fine. That their family would be okay.
It had taken quite a while to calm Holly down. Elaine had stayed the whole time, holding Holly's hand through the surgery, and dispatching Steve to pick up Kate from pre-school. Thank god for type A people like Elaine, realized Holly, as sanity came back to her.
The woman she'd thought of as cold and calculating turned out to be organized. Elaine took charge of everyone and everything, making sure Gail got a private room. She also made sure Holly was allowed in at all hours, and that the top surgeons in the country would be available for her daughter.
After the first surgery, and Gail was brought back into her room to recover, Holly settled in a surprisingly comfortable chair and watched Gail sleep. "You look younger when you sleep," she muttered, rubbing her thumb on the back of Gail's hand.
Normally Holly loved watching Gail sleep. It was one of the few times she was still and quiet. And yes, she looked young and beautiful when she slept. Normally. Not right now. Right now she looked broken and battered and bruised and in pain. Her face was scrunched up in an unhappy expression. Holly wanted to give her more painkillers, but the nurse promised the schedule was fine.
What did nurses know anyway? Everything. She knew that from her ER rotation. Nurses knew everything. They were the real gods of the hospital. You never wanted to piss off the nurses.
The door to Gail's room opened and Elaine came in. "Gail said you liked Mediterranean food." Elaine held up two bags.
Her stomach turned. "I don't know if I can eat," Holly muttered.
A bottle of Pedialyte was plunked in front of her. "Drink that first," ordered Elaine, and she set up three plates of food.
"Even if she wakes up, she can't eat that." Holly twisted off the cap and sipped the baby drink, finding it surprisingly tasty. She must have needed it.
"Humor me. She had her appendix out and was demanding a cheeseburger that night," smiled Elaine. The mother of her wife looked at Gail fondly. She brought Holly a plate and then gently brushed Gail's bangs back. "Are you feeling better, Holly?"
Holly squinted at her mother-in-law. "Kind of. You were right." Weirdly, Elaine had demanded Holly read over the medical notes for Gail's surgery, insisting it would help calm her down.
"Reading the accident reports always helped me when it was them." The bottle-job red-haired woman took her own plate and sat beside Holly. "So. What did the doctor say?"
Sipping the drink, Holly sighed. "The ortho guy promised she'd be fine, able to run and everything. He said a year, but that all depends on how she does rehab, which I suspect will be ... Well. Gail." Holly regarded her wife fondly. "She can still be a cop, can't she?"
Elaine looked surprised. "With a bad leg? We'll find a place for her. But I meant what did your doctor say." Her doctor? Holly felt puzzled and Elaine sighed, rolling her eyes just like Gail did. "The nurse said you got here in seconds."
Holly blushed. "Oh. I ... " Stalling, she sipped her drink again. "This doesn't seem right."
They both looked at Gail, breathing just fine on her own, but not awake. "That would be a yes," said Elaine shrewdly. An arm wrapped around her shoulders, pulling Holly in to a gentle hug.
How had she ever though that Elaine wasn't warm? The woman had the same brittle exterior her daughter showed the world. But, much the same, Elaine was gentle and caring when it was needed. She was firm and pushy too, but she was a mother who loved her daughter. And by extension, Elaine seemed to love Holly too.
"She'll be fine. You watch. With you being pregnant, she'll be on her feet in no time. Everything will be okay."
It was another three days before Gail woke up.
Holly was there when she woke just by chance. She'd come by late that morning, almost at lunch time, to check with the doctors. Was Gail okay? Were they doing everything they could? Were the scans normal?
As they stood around there talking about it, Gail rasped, "Why are you saying all those words?"
The doctor dropped his clipboard in shock. Holly though, Holly broke out laughing. That was exactly what she'd come to expect from her crazy wife. The doctor and nurses quickly spun into action, evaluating a very cranky Gail who finally snapped.
"Shut up, shut up," she snarled. "Holly."
"I'm right here," Holly replied, unable to fight the wet smile on her face.
"What'd the doctor say?"
The doctor in the room cleared his throat. "Ms. Peck, are you feeling disoriented?"
Gail pointed at him with her right hand. "Shut. Up. Not you. Dr. Mayhew."
"Really, Gail?" Holly knew she sounded exasperated, but it was hilarious. She also started crying.
Exhaling loudly, Gail looked up. "Oh boy," she sighed and then laughed until she was crying too.
The hospital staff was less than thrilled with their behavior. Somehow Holly managed to get herself under control enough for them to examine Gail and determine she had her brain. Which Holly could have told them. Because Gail's first thought was about the appointment with Holly's OB/GYN.
After the medical staff left the room, Gail asked, "You're pregnant?"
"Yeah." Holly took Gail's hand. "We're having another one."
Gail smiled. Her face was still swollen and bruised and purple, but she was smiling. "We're having another baby. I cannot wait until it hits your boobs."
And Holly started laughing again until she was suddenly gulping tears of relief. Her wife was still her wife. Gail was still the same grumpy, bitchy, person inside. While Holly buried her face on Gail's good side, her wife gently caressed her hair and promised she'd be fine.
Finally she was able to stop crying, which felt like it took forever and Holly mumbled, "Sorry."
The hand on her head paused. "Uh, I think that's my line, Holls," mused Gail. She sounded mostly like herself, if thick voiced and tired.
Holly squinted at her. "Unless you managed to drop the semi on yourself…"
The bright laugh from Gail soothed her on so many levels. "I would have dropped it on Girl Guide McNally." Then Gail looked worried. "How's Andy?"
"Fine. She broke her arm getting out of the car." Holly scooted her chair closer and rested her head on the pillow next to Gail's. She couldn't get in the bed, Gail was too banged up, but she wanted to be as close as possible.
"Only McNally," sighed Gail, resting her good arm around Holly's shoulder. "It was a semi?"
"What do you remember?"
Gail looked up at the ceiling and frowned. "Falling cement. Big chunk landed right in front of us. McNally swerved, someone hit the back. I grabbed the radio and was calling in … something? Then I felt this crunch and … Now I'm here."
So Holly explained the semi truck, thank god not hauling a trailer, had blown a tire. She showed Gail the pictures and the realization of how lucky they were sunk in. "How are you feeling?"
After a moment, Gail said, "Disconnected."
Holly frowned. "You can feel your feet though…"
"Oh, no not that." Gail looked down at her feet. "What drugs am I on?" Ah. Holly smiled and closed her eyes for a moment, reciting the medications. "I'm going to pretend I understood that."
"You're on some really nice pain killers, and some things to help you not have blood clots. You've got a bunch of pins in your leg right now, and you didn't break your arm, but you need to keep it still for a while."
"I can do that," yawned Gail.
"Sleep," suggested Holly. Gail didn't reply and was asleep again in moments. She watched her wife for a long time, until she had to go collect their daughter and explain that Mommy would be okay. She'd woken up and was grumpy and cranky. And Kate said that it sounded like Mommy was normal.
Finally she got to tell Kate that her mom was just fine. That Gail was going to be okay.
They brought Kate in to see her the next day, once Gail was cleaned up a bit more and had eaten and slept, which was different from the unconsciousness. The pre-schooler clung to Holly as she was carried into the room. "Remember, you can't jump on Mommy, or hug her too hard."
"Kay," whispered the girl and gripped Holly's shirt tighter.
Opening the door, Holly poked her head in first. "Up for a pint-sized visitor?" When Gail nodded, Holly stepped inside. "See? There's Mommy."
"Hey, baby girl," smiled Gail, propped up and sipping something from a straw. Her right arm was hoisted up and she wiggled the fingers at them.
Kate's eyes went wide and she pressed her face into Holly's shoulder. The girl shuddered. They'd talked about letting her in or not and how it might traumatize her. Both Gail and Elaine were adamant that seeing Gail would be better than not seeing her at all. After all, Gail was a cop. She could get shot or worse and it was going to be a part of life.
Sighing, Gail thumbed the button to adjust her bed. "Katie-did, can't I get a hug from my girl?"
The girl shook her head. "Mama said not to."
Gail burst out laughing. "I think if you make it a little hug, it's okay." She patted the left side of her bed.
Holly shook her head, ruefully, and sat down in the spot. Right away, Gail reached up to caress her cheek. "Hi," she smiled at Gail, and kissed the hand.
"Hi," replied Gail, tiredly.
Peeking over, Kate looked at Gail with those big blue eyes that were all Peck. "Does it hurt lots, Mommy?"
Gail nodded. "It does." She managed to reach Kate's back and patted it. "Did Mama tell you what happened?"
The girl nodded her head so fiercely, the dark hair bobbled. "Mama and Grandma said a car fell on you an' Andy."
"A truck," corrected Gail. And she held out her good arm for Kate. There was a bit of fidgeting, but Kate finally slid off Holly's lap and sat next to Gail.
The girl studied her mother's face. "Does it hurt?" The question was repeated, as if Kate was unsure what was the right thing to say.
Gail nodded. "Lots."
"Did Andy get hurt too?"
"She broke her wrist," Gail said, reaching up to brush Kate's bangs away from her face. "Can I have a kiss?" She tapped her own cheek. "It doesn't hurt right here."
The girl darted in with a quick kiss for Gail. "How long do you have ta be here?"
"Good question," laughed Gail. "Holl?"
"At least a month. Probably two. It depends—" Holly cut herself off and frowned. It depended on how fast Gail healed. How well she healed.
Gail whispered to Kate, "Mama's doing it again. Make her stop." And Kate wrapped her arms around Holly, squeezing her tight. That was how she shut Holly up. Gail would kiss her, but Kate just hugged until Holly laughed and hugged her back.
"It's going to be a while," sighed Holly, squeezing Kate back.
"It's going to be fine," promised Gail.
Two surgeries and a month and a half later, Gail finally came home. On crutches to boot. Like Elaine had promised, the minute Holly told Gail she actually was pregnant, the blonde spun into a whirlwind of work. She was going to be up on and on her feet and ready to help with baby number two before it got here, so help her.
And she was. For the most part. Gail was in pain much of the time, in physical therapy every day, though she was able to make it up the stairs before she came home. Still, it was not something you could just magically speed up.
Nor could you slow down the fact that Holly was pregnant. Month four hit right after Gail got home, and everyone noticed.
"This sucks," Holly muttered to Gail as they left Gail's therapy appointment. The physical terrorist (who informed Gail she'd heard that one before) saw Holly and congratulated them. "Everyone can tell I'm pregnant. No one figured out you were till after the wedding."
"You have a better glow," suggested Gail. "And my natural inclination to hate scared them off."
Holly snorted. "I'm going to be big," she complained, starting the car.
As she shifted into reverse, Gail's hand covered hers. "Hey," she said quietly.
Damn. Gail was good at making her feel loved with just a word or a look. "Stop that."
"What?" Gail was startled.
Holly grumped. "My hormones are all over the place and you're not allowed to have sex yet."
Gail laughed. "That is not what the doctor said. He said we had to be careful." She held up both hands. "My arms are perfectly functional." While she'd had her right arm bandaged, Gail had not actually broken a thing in it. And she was lucky as hell that she'd not broken her hip or femur, like they originally feared.
She had seriously 'screwed up' her leg, though. Neither of the subsequent surgeries were just about getting the shards of metal out, as it turned off. Gail asked to kept some, for reasons she'd not explained to Holly. The surgeries had been to correct bone, to add and remove pins, and to make sure everything was going to be fine.
But it had to hurt all the time and Gail was weirdly not complaining a bit. She muscled through PT, was honest about her pain levels, and didn't argue about a damn thing. She complained a little about things, like not being able to shower on her own, or how her knee felt weird. The oddest explanation was that it was puffy on the inside.
Because it wasn't Gail's knee anymore. It was plastic and metal and pins and there was still a question if Gail would be able to be a patrol officer anymore. After a long argument with the city's doctor about it, the agreement was that if, within a year, Gail could complete the obstacle course all the rookies had to do, with a passing grade, she could stay a patrol cop. Otherwise they'd have to make allowances.
Thinking about all that, Holly sighed shakily. "You were really lucky."
Gail looked down at the brace on her leg. "I can't believe it missed my head," she admitted. "Not that anyone would notice that damage."
Giving her wife a side-eye, Holly had to smile. "Do you really think you can do it?" A year was not a lot of time.
"I do. I got a hold of this guy, Banach, in California, who had a knee replacement. He did it." Gail's jaw was set in the way Holly knew brokered no arguments. She wanted this and, damn it, she'd get it. "Look, the worst that happens is I end up on a desk job."
Holly laughed. "That's the worst? Not retired?"
"So what? We can live on my kick-ass pension if I'm a stay at home mom. But I'm tired of letting life happen. I want to do my job, Holly."
Letting life happen had been how Gail had lived before they'd gotten together. What happened would happen, and Gail didn't spend much time dwelling on it. When they'd gotten back together, Gail had mentioned that she wanted to be more than just what she'd been. She wanted to make life happen.
Holly sighed and looked at her stubborn wife. "You're making me old, Gail."
Reaching over again, Gail patted Holly's leg. "No. Our kid, soon to be plural, will do that."
That was equally terrifying and delightful. "Our kid makes me feel old too," smiled Holly, fondly.
Their daughter was fascinated by Gail's leg brace, the scars, and the exercise at home. When Gail did her leg exercises every morning and evening, Kate mimicked them. She couldn't do the push-ups, but she sat on Gail's back while the blonde did them, and Kate was getting very good at some of the yoga poses.
Holly's favorite parts where when Kate would sit on Gail's feet and hug her lower legs, counting the sit-ups. She mostly got the numbers right, until Gail got into the forties and then had to count out loud for their daughter. It was adorable.
Far less adorable was everyone and their mother asking Holly what it was like to be pregnant. Holly showed a lot more than Gail had, a lot faster as well. By four months, Gail had looked a little round. Holly looked pregnant. She was inundated by their friends who wanted to ask all about it, what did it feel like, and so on.
It was really maddening. No wonder Gail had gotten pissed off near the end of her pregnancy. She hated people touching her, and now Holly was having her fill. Of course, Gail touching her was okay. When Gail had been pregnant, she'd nestled in Holly's arms most of the time, relaxing on the couch. Between a rambunctious Kate and Gail's leg in the brace, they hadn't really been able to reverse that around.
But Gail wasn't to be dissuaded from making it work. And she did it by buying a new couch. Or rather, by telling Holly's parents they needed a new couch. Holly found out by coming home and seeing Gail propped up on the new, L shaped, couch. Her leg was wedged up on a pillow, against the couch back, with an ice pack on, while Kate played some weird game she'd made up with the Pick-Up-Stix and Heather, Holly's little sister.
"Mama! We got a new couch!"
"So I see," blinked Holly, hanging up her coat. "What brought this on?"
"A big truck brought it, Mama! With a buncha big guys an' Heather and me stayed out of the way and Mommy told them where to put it."
Gail grinned and patted the space next to her. "It means we can sit together, Holl," she pointed out.
Kicking off her shoes, which hurt anyway, Holly sat down beside Gail and was drawn into a surprisingly comfortable position, leaning up against her. "Oh I see," she laughed, as Gail's arm eased around her waist.
"Hi." Gail kissed the spot behind Holly's ear, making her shiver. "Better?"
"Much. How did you think of this?"
Gail snorted. "I can be thoughtful."
And truthfully Gail often was thoughtful to her wife. More so than she was to anyone else. "I didn't say you weren't," said Holly with a smile.
Gail kissed her neck again. "Fine. Oliver suggested it. And since he has three daughters, I figured I should listen." She rested her palm on Holly's stomach. "Hey in there. How's it going?"
There hadn't yet been significant movement. Holly could feel it from the inside, but it wasn't quite the same as when she'd felt Kate move inside Gail. The fact that an entire other person was being created inside her was still fascinating. It was bewildering and amazing. It made her feel a little godlike.
"It was happier when you were kissing me." Holly gave Gail a teasing look. With a wry smile, Gail kissed her neck again. "Better." Then Gail kissed her lips and Holly could only smile and kiss her back.
"Katie, can you say pervert," joked Heather, propping up more sticks.
Kate wrinkled her nose. "Mama, can Heather stay for dinner?"
"If she wants." Holly sighed, realizing she had to figure out dinner.
Gail poked her ribs. "Dinner is in the oven, Holly," she whispered. "Heather helped me make lasagna."
That actual sounded good, realized Holly with a shock. "I think I can eat that," she admitted, and let Gail hold her close. Even without the kissing, it was much nicer.
"Poor baby," said Gail gently. She understood the misery of foods being unappealing. Even though that hadn't really happened until later, and even though Gail hadn't had much of morning sickness, she was nothing but understanding.
"Ugh, you guys are so gross," Heather remarked. But then, without being asked, she got up and started to set the table with Kate trotting along telling her how she was doing everything wrong.
Holly closed her eyes and settled in against Gail. "Thank you," she whispered to her wife.
The blonde kissed her forehead. "You're welcome. How was work?"
"Bad. I can't do half my work anymore." She frowned and listened to the chatter in the kitchen. "I'm going to be doing nothing but paperwork soon."
Gail's hand caressed her shoulder and side. "I'm sorry. I know it's boring."
That really did help, because she knew Gail understood. Gail had been there only a few years ago, after all. Gail had dealt with people being inconsiderate and touching her and not letting her do what she wanted. Gail had dealt with changing bra sizes, her body aching in weird ways, and yes, the feeling of a baby moving inside you was weird.
Really weird.
Holly sighed and squeezed Gail gently. The difference between then and now was that Holly had been healthy and fit and able to help Gail through more than just emotionally. But here was Gail finding a way around that, a way to give her a little comfort and make like a little easier.
"It's all going to be okay," she told Gail. "We're all going to be okay."
When the baby moved, really moved, for the first time, Gail was at physical therapy. Holly was loading Kate into the car, both of them singing a song from a Disney musical, when she felt something new. It was like indigestion but not at all. It was something actually moving.
"Mama, what's wrong? You stopped singing!"
Holly stared at her daughter. "Sorry." The feeling stopped too. Odd. They started singing again and the movement happened again. So that was what Gail had meant. Holly placed a hand on her stomach and smiled. "Your little brother or sister likes when we sing."
Her daughter stopped singing about bells and flumpy going up the stairs. "How do you know?" Kate sounded confused and skeptical.
"Well. I can feel it." Holly smiled at her. "If you put your hand here and we sing, I bet you'll feel it too."
Kate eyed her but put her hand on Holly's stomach. "The itsy bitsy spider went up the water spout," she sang, and Holly quickly joined in. "Down came the rain an' washed the spider out." Kate's eyes bugged out as the baby moved. "Mama!" She sounded deathly serious. "There's a baby! There's a baby in there!"
Sometimes Holly wondered exactly what Kate had made of their explanations about her impending sibling. "When we get home, let's sing for Mommy so she can feel it." This was, Kate agreed, a great idea.
When they got home, Gail was in sweats and a t-shirt, her damp hair back in a pony tail, cooking. No knee brace. "Hey, my girls are home!"
Kate thundered over. "Mommy! Mommy you have to sing!"
Gail blinked and looked down. "Hey, no running when someone's cooking, Kate."
The girl bounced on her toes. "Mooooooommy!"
Lumbering her way over, Holly picked up Kate and put her on the stool in the kitchen. "Yeah, Gail. Sing."
"Sheesh, you guys are so damn bossy." But she put the knife down and cleared her throat to sing an Adele song.
Bingo. The baby moved. Holly reached over to take Gail's hand, which didn't stop her singing. When she put the hand on her stomach, though... "Keep singing," she promised.
And the baby moved again. Gail stopped. "Okay, that's way weirder this way," she laughed. "Hey, junior. You like singing?" Gail squatted with a bit of a wince, putting both hands on Holly's stomach.
"We sang Itty Bitty Spider to her, Mommy," announced Kate proudly. So of course, Gail and Kate sang it to the baby and Gail broke into delighted laughter when she felt the baby move.
That night in bed, Gail lay sideways, resting her head on Holly's thigh and caressing the baby bump. "This is all very different from this side of it," she admitted. "It's way more interesting when it's not me."
"Savor it, because I am not doing this a second time," smiled Holly, putting her book down.
"Oh you're sure?"
"Oh yes," she said firmly. "My ankles are swollen, I'm sick off and on all day, and it's uncomfortable." Gail snorted and pushed Holly's shirt up a little, smoothing her hand over the skin. "That feels nice, though."
Without saying anything, Gail shifted and kissed her stomach. "I don't know why I'm surprised that the things you like and the things I liked are different." She ran her palm over Holly's stomach, making small circles. It was soothing and calming and, Holly freely admitted, she loved it.
"Because we're different people."
"Exactly." Gail kissed the roundness of Holly's stomach again. "Like I was barely noticeable and you're amazingly curvy. I was cranky... Crankier. You're just irritated. But if I had half the glow you did, I totally get why you couldn't keep your hands off me."
Holly blinked and looked down at Gail and those twinkling blue eyes. "Excuse me? You're the reason for the Elaine Rule."
Smirking, Gail traced her hand lower until it was very clear what her intentions were. "My hormones were all over the place," she said softly. "And you were very accommodating."
It was hard not to giggle a little at that, but Holly quickly forgot about the humor in Gail's words. Oh god Gail's lips felt so nice on her skin. "Wait, your knee-" She stopped as Gail tugged at her shorts, torn between worry about her wife and the out and out desire for Gail to keep going. "Gail..."
"Holly," replied Gail. "I'm not going to hurt my knee." She kissed the hollow of Holly's hip and pulled her shorts off. It was hard to come up with a coherent reply when Gail was doing that. And yes, it felt so good. Holly bit her lower lip and gave in.
She didn't want to admit that she'd been afraid of sex. It wasn't that she was afraid of it really, but she was afraid of hurting Gail's already banged up body. Holly had starved herself of cuddling, caressing, and yes, sex, because three months after the accident, the scars were still red and raw. With Gail's skin so pale, the bruises had lingered far longer than Holly was comfortable about.
The marred skin cut at Holly. She'd gotten used to Gail's beautiful, perfect skin. The pale tone and the milky color and that smoothness. God how Holly loved it. And now it was gone in many ways. Her right arm and leg would never look the same. They would never move the same.
Though right then they were moving in a way that made Holly unable to concentrate on anything but the arm and the hand and God, had Gail always been that good at that? Probably. Definitely. Most definitely. Holly's back arched off the bed and her mind went totally, blissfully, wonderfully blank for a moment. There was nothing but her and Gail and again and again and yes. Yes. Yes to say yes.
Everything tingled in that wonderful way. Her body was slick with sweat. Holly sighed and smiled. "Yes," she said softly.
"My mountain flower," said Gail. She drew herself back up to lie along side Holly. "And your heart is going like made and she said yes to say yes. Yes."
Holly giggled and looked up at Gail. "Did you just bastardized James Joyce at me?"
"You started it." Gail kissed Holly's shoulder. "Holly bloom big with seed."
It had been years since she'd read Ulysses, James Joyce's seminal work of annoying art. As much as the book was called a classic, it gave Holly a headache. "When did you read that?"
"College." Gail yawned. "I minored in lit."
Even now, even years into knowing Gail and a few years into marriage, she was learning new things. "I married a lit minor? If you tell me you write poetry, I'm leaving you."
Gail chuckled. "Not since my hair was dyed black." She settled under the covers.
Holly shifted and took Gail's hand, putting it on her stomach. "Did Kate settle down after sex?"
"Hmm. Early on, yes. Around month eight she decided to tap-dance on my bladder just about every time I had an orgasm." That was not something to look forward too, decided Holly. "Feel a little more relaxed?"
"A lot. Yes." Then. "Thank you."
"Very, very, welcome." Gail squeezed Holly's fingers. "Now. Go to sleep. Everything is just fine."
As the days got closer to Gail's recertification, Holly was filled with more and more dread. It didn't help that Gail had taken to not telling her about the various adventures she was going on to get ready. The shooting certification was the easy one. If was the obstacle course.
Gail didn't even tell her the first time she tried it. She just drove a couple hours, with Oliver, down to the Academy when no classes were in session and tried it out. The only reason Holly even found out was she was home when a muddy and sore Gail showed back up at home.
The argument had been pretty bad. Holly hadn't meant to shout, but as she saw the discoloration on Gail's arms from where she fell, she lost it. How could Gail be that reckless? That careless? They had a child, and another on the way, and Gail was pushing herself to get back in uniform and back out to the streets.
Never one to be quiet when confronted, Gail snapped back that she was a cop and this was her life and what she did. It wasn't news to Holly before they married. Hell. It wasn't news before they'd dated. Gail was a cop. She was a Peck and a cop and she was always going to be that.
The shouting stopped when Kate started crying for her moms to stop fighting.
They both dropped the argument immediately. Gail scooped Kate up, mud and all, and apologized. Holly was there in an instant, also expressing her regret for scaring Kate. It took them a while to calm the girl down, both promising they weren't about to get a divorce (though Holly wondered where she'd learned about that).
Gail was ever patient with their daughter, a trait she rarely demonstrated with anyone over the age of fifteen. Sitting on the stairs, Gail stroked Kate's hair and explained that sometimes grown ups got mad and frustrated, just like she did. And sometimes they shouted because they were mad. But it didn't mean at all that they didn't love each other. It was scary and she was sorry. They were sorry.
Not sorry enough to talk about it reasonably though. At night, they slept in the same bed but facing away from each other. They didn't talk about the fight at all. Every time Holly tried to bring it up, Gail shut her down.
That lasted four days. On Friday, Holly dejectedly came home to a half empty house. Gail was sorting out dinner. Take out from a place they loved and Kate thought was smelly.
"What's going on?"
"Kate is at my parents' place for the weekend," Gail said simply. "We are going to sit and talk about this, without having to worry about freaking her out if we shout."
It was rather genius, Holly had to admit. "And my favorite pho place?"
"Well. I was ... " Gail trailed off. "I was a brat. And that wasn't fair to you or Kate."
Holly sat at the table. "I shouldn't have started the shouting." She sighed. "Can we eat first? I don't want to do this on low blood sugar."
Smiling, Gail put a bowl in front of Holly. "Yes. I blame you for having the same thought."
With a grin, Holly took a spoonful. "I will cry if this gives me heartburn."
"Oh man, when I couldn't eat cheese puffs... I did cry."
"You did. You did." Holly exhaled happily. "This is good."
"Yeah? Good. Because my backup plan was rice and something."
"A good backup." Holly reached a hand out and Gail took it, squeezing. "Pho is definitely better."
Gail gave an awkward smile and they ate quietly. Finally, though, it was Gail who started. "I should have told you before I went to the course."
"Why didn't you?" Holly had her suspicions, but...
"A couple reasons, and for the record Oliver said I was stupid. First I didn't want to stress you out. Being pregnant." When Holly snorted, Gail smiled. "Right."
"Second?"
"Second I was ... I didn't want to fail in front of you."
That was something Holly had forgotten. Gail had a fear of failure, stemming from her childhood, she was just terrified of being half the cop her family was. "Honey." Holly exhaled loudly. It didn't matter how many times Holly had said it, how many times she'd told Gail that it was alright to fail. Her wife hated it.
Chagrined, Gail nodded. "I know. I know."
Holly rubbed her forehead. "I don't like it."
"I know," said Gail again. Then she chewed her lip. "Do you want me to quit?"
That was a horrible question. Holly scowled. "Damn it, Gail. You can't put this on me. It's not fair."
Her wife held up her hands. "I'm not! I'm ... I don't know what's upsetting you about me going back to work."
And that was fair. "I don't want you to get hurt," said Holly flatly. "I hate that you were nearly killed by a falling semi. I hate that you get shot at. And I hate that you go back out there."
Gail frowned. "This isn't new." She didn't ask that, she stated it.
"No. It's not." Holly shook her head. "It's worse now, and I don't know if it's because you got in this accident or if it's because I'm pregnant, and God my hormones are all over the place, or just..." She stopped.
"Or if it's just everything?"
"Yeah."
Nodding, Gail leaned back in her chair. "Most cops never get hurt, Holly."
"And yet." Holly knew she was sounding bitter and angry, but it was how she felt. "Kidnapped, shot at, smushed..."
"Which means, mathematically speaking, the odds are low for any of that happening again." When Holly looked up, startled, she saw Gail smirking. "Come on, nerd. You know the statistical analysis is on my side, here. That car thing? Could've happened to anyone. Hell, it did! The guy in the other car was flattened."
Holly scowled. "You are not helping your case here, Peck."
"I am, Holly, because that could happen to anyone!"
She had a point. "Technically you're at a higher risk with all the driving you do," Holly said tersely.
Gail hesitated. "Fine. You have a point." She sighed.
"Besides, you won't quit." Holly shook her head. "You're a Peck and Pecks are cops."
Her wife looked sad, which was surprising. "Do you remember when my Mom was planning our wedding just because we said we were thinking about having a baby?"
Dryly, Holly replied, "How could I forget?"
Gail scooted around and took Holly's hands. "And what did I tell you?"
Holly looked blankly at Gail. "What?"
"I love you." Gail was earnest and calm. "I love you. I don't care, I've never cared if we got married. I didn't care if you wanted to be engaged before or after I got knocked up. I don't care if you want me to walk on my hands in the squad room. As long as I have you, here, with me, I do not care about anyone else. Fuck my mom. Fuck the Pecks. If it means that much, if you cannot be happy ever again when I'm a cop, then I will be something else. Because it's not worth losing you."
Sometimes Gail was really good at that kind of thing. "Oh," said Holly softly.
"What do you want?"
It was daunting. It was a heavy power to suddenly have in her hands. She sighed. "You'd be miserable."
"Maybe." Gail shrugged at her admission. "I've never tried it. I've tried not being with you, though, and I know that makes me miserable."
Holly smiled softly. "Romantic."
"Yeah." Gail smiled. "Sometimes." She lifted Holly's hands and kissed them.
"I hate seeing you hurt, honey."
Gail snorted. "Oh my god, I hate being hurt! Seriously this is a pain in my ass!"
And Holly laughed. It was Gail. It was always Gail. She was always herself. "You're a cop, Gail. I love that about you too. I can't ... I can't ask you to be less than yourself." She leaned in and kissed Gail softly and slowly.
"How can I make this better?" Gail sighed and rested her forehead on Holly's.
"We're a team," said Holly decisively. "I'm going to help you. And it's going to be fine."
The baby was born before Gail made it through the obstacle course.
Due to weather and people being busy and a doctor needing to do one last out-patient surgery on Gail's shoulder, the test was pushed back. Gail pushed for an extension because of the baby's due date, which no one had the balls to challenge her on. After all, she was talking about Elaine Peck's grandchild.
And then Holly went into labor in the middle of the night. Late. Almost a week late. The contractions woke her up, but the Braxton-Hicks had been going on for days and she wasn't too worried. Not until she counted the timing. Then she realized the contractions were regular. And stronger.
"Hey, Gail." She gently nudged her shoulder. "We need to go."
Gail groaned. "Ten more minutes." And she hunkered down.
Her wife never liked mornings. Or middle of the nights. "Honey, we need to go to the hospital."
There was a pause. Gail shifted. "Contractions?"
"Yes." Holly turned on the light. "They're starting to get closer."
Gail sighed and rolled onto her back. "Oh. Okay. Can you get dressed?"
Nodding, Holly slowly got out of bed. "I can."
Nodding back, Gail got up. "The bag is ready. I'm going to call Rose." It was probably because she was so used to emergency situations, but Gail was cool and collected. She was on the phone, getting dressed, and grabbing the bag all at once. By the time Holly was dressed and downstairs, Gail had a cranky and sleepy Kate in her car seat, telling her that she was about to be a big sister.
Kate couldn't have cared less. "Mommy, it's dark," she said, complaining loudly. Kate was so much like Gail sometimes, it was adorable.
"I'm sorry, sweetie." Holly eased into the car and sighed. "My god, this is not comfortable, Gail."
Buckling herself in, Gail smiled sympathetically. "This is the easy part."
"Remind me again why I did this?"
"Because you wanted two, and I said if you did it." Gail backed out of the garage and sped to the hospital. "But look on the bright side. This time we're both here."
Holly winced as another contraction hit her. "I don't suppose I'll be as lucky as you were."
Naturally she wasn't. It wasn't until the afternoon that the baby finally was born. They'd gotten to the point that the doctor was contemplating cesarean, since baby boy Peck (complete with a shock of red hair) was stubborn as hell. And he was definitely a Peck, yowling his head off at the change in his living situation.
"A boy?"
"A boy." Gail grinned, taking the baby from the doctor and put him right into Holly's arms. "Hey, baby boy," she said, all but cooing at him.
Holly laughed, exhausted but she laughed. "Look at that hair."
"I know, right?" Gail kissed her forehead. "You did great, Holly."
Looking down at the baby in her arms, Holly started crying. When she'd held newborn Kate in her arms, she'd thought she'd never actually loved anything or anyone quite that much before. Now she felt that way again. "Hi, baby," she said to the boy in her arms. "Welcome to the family."
They were busied with moving Holly to a room, cleaning her and the baby up, and finally, finally, she was nursing their son in a quiet space. Gail had been right, saying that nursing felt weird. It was hard to define any other way. She wanted to tell Gail that, but her wife had gone to get Kate and their family.
Little Kate was so confused. "How did the baby get out?"
"There's a special way to do that," said Gail, propping their daughter on her hip. "Mama had to push the baby out."
"Like a poop?"
They laughed, but it was close enough. "Something like that," said Holly. "Come here and meet your baby brother."
Kate's eyes widened. "A boy? Mommy I wanted a sister!"
"They don't come to order, sweetie," said Gail, laughing. "We didn't know you were a girl until you were born." She sat on the edge of the bed, kissing Holly again and then the baby.
That didn't seem to quite make sense to Kate, but she leaned over to look at her brother. "What's his name?"
"We don't know yet." Gail stroked Kate's hair. "Do you have an idea?"
"I can name him?"
"Maybe. Mama gave birth. She gets to veto."
Holly grinned. "Oh is that how it works?"
"That is how it works." Gail grinned back. She settled Kate on her lap. "Remember, no jumping on Mama. She's sore like when she ran the marathon."
"An apt comparison." Holly agreed, begrudgingly, with Gail's analogy. "At least I got an epidural."
"Brag brag. Kate was born in under two hours."
Holly stuck her tongue out. "Fine, Katherine Elizabeth Peck. What do you think we should name your baby brother?"
Kate hesitated. "Can I touch him?"
"Sure. Be real gentle like he's a baby puppy." Since Kate had met Andy's puppies, and understood that, it seemed a safe suggestion. The girl reached over and mimicked Gail's motion, brushing her fingers on his face.
"He's got real red hair, like Uncle Steve." She then leaned forward to study his face. "Can we call him Ian?"
Holly blinked. "Ian?"
"Uh huh. He looks like an Ian," said Kate firmly.
Gail tilted her head. "Ian Franklin Stewart?"
"Peck," corrected Holly. "He's a Peck. Look at that head of hair, Gail."
Making a noise, Gail didn't agree. "Then we outnumber you."
"Maybe I should change my name to Peck."
That surprised her wife. "What? You want to be a Peck?"
"Why not?" Holly smiled. "You know I don't care. Right? As long as I get to be with you."
Gail smiled wetly. "Touché, wife." As Holly moved Ian to her shoulder and burped him, Gail grinned. "Okay. Katie-did, you wanna go tell Aunt Rose and grandpa your brother's name?"
They watched Kate thunder off into the hallway, cheerfully shouting her brother's name to them. "Here, you should hold him more," said Holly, holding out the baby.
"He's a tank, Holly," she said, settling Ian in her arms expertly. "My god, he's eight pounds!" Then Gail looked worried. "How the hell are we going to handle two?"
"Carefully, loudly, and together," said Holly and she yawned. "God, I'm tired."
Gail kissed her forehead. "Sleep. I'll go introduce everyone to Ian."
It wasn't until Ian was home that Gail even considered rescheduling her test at the course. By the time she did, Holly had Ian in his front-pack carrier, Kate by the hand, and was the amused newly minted Dr. Peck. Elaine muttered it was about time one of them was a doctor.
And it was Elaine who was more worried than anyone else when Gail got up to the line to run the course. This was her shot at getting her job and her life back. Pregnant or not, new mother or not, Holly had helped Gail train. After that fight, they worked together to prep Gail for her test. Holly, the sporto, set up the regime and made Gail stick to it. And now this was her moment.
"I have never been more scared in my life," said Elaine in a low voice.
Holly smiled. "It's all going to be fine, Elaine. You watch."
"If she does it." Elaine gnawed her lip. "If she makes it through."
"No, it's not an if. She'll do it."
And it would be fine.
The End.
(And yes, Gail totally did.)