*Sorry that I took longer than usual to update! Here you go guys, enjoy!*
Gail paced quickly towards the doors of the Penny, her combat boots crunching against the snow-covered ground. The nights were getting colder and colder, it made her delicately pale cheeks flush with colour and she absolutely hated it.
"Geez Peck, walk any faster and I'd actually think you were running a marathon" Holly said, locking her car doors and following after Gail.
She stopped and turned to wait for Holly. "Don't be moronic, Gail Peck does not, and will not, run marathons…ever" she called out, shuttering theatrically in disgust.
Holly's movements turned into a slight jog. "Why not? Worried I'd out-run yah?" she playfully shot, her hand making contact with Gail's bottom as she rushed by.
"Did you just slap my butt?"
The look on Holly's face changed and she gave Gail a wink before holding the door open for her. "So what if I did?"
It was Oliver who waved Gail over to the booth and tables where all of her friends were gathered. Looking around the area, she noticed that everyone was there already. She took a deep breath and grabbed Holly's hand, calming her nerves only slightly. She was never nervous when it came to introductions, yet this time it was distinctively nerve-wracking knowing that she was about to acquaint them with her girlfriend. Wait…Gail stopped herself mid-thought but it was too late, her mouth had already started running once the two reached the party of people.
"Everyone, this is my girlfriend Holly. Holly, this is everyone"
Holly was taken completely off-guard. She looked at Gail and back at the people before her. "H-Hi" she stuttered, still trying to process that she had just been labelled as 'girlfriend' while the echoes of 'Hi's and 'Hello's filled the room. Her gaze fell onto Traci, a more familiar face, but this time one that quirked an eyebrow in Gail's direction; she knew that this was out of character for Gail. Holly turned her focus back to the woman beside her who had nervously exchanged a smile while locking her beautiful blue eyes to her own; it made Holly's heart skip beats.
Gail felt herself relax. My girlfriend Holly. She let it register through her head. Sure, she broke her whole "I don't like labels" aphorism, but at that moment she couldn't picture Holly as being anything less. She knew that it was only right to acknowledge that she was the one to blame for her beaming happiness over the past few weeks.
"Uh Gail, I know I've been a little M.I.A. lately but you could've told me that the very attractive forensic pathologist was off limits" Dov cut in.
Everyone around him let out their share of laughs and giggles despite knowing that Gail would find embarrassment in his fun. Gail couldn't help but notice Dov's changed mood; it was nice to see him in higher spirits; Chloe had not only woken up, but had also asked for him specifically. "Eyes to yourself Prince Charming, Holly isn't yours, Ms. Goody-Goody Cinderella is yours" she said, trying to hide her shyness while glaring at him jokingly.
Oliver's hand swiftly met the younger man's head, causing an uproar of laughter to be heard around the room. "Ouch, hey!"
"Don't worry Peck, I got you covered" he said, shaping his hand as a gun and pointing at Gail with a wink.
This is why Oliver was her favourite.
"No way! All she did was put it in his body wash and the next day he fell for her?" Holly asked Celery skeptically.
"Seriously! And don't tell Olly, but he is a terrrrrrible snorer, so this one time I put a scented mix inside his pillowcase and boom, no snoring!"
The two women laughed together by the bar and raised their bottles in unison as they glanced at Oliver and Gail who were also sitting together and caught their attentions.
"I know you don't want to hear it, but I could have told you this was coming" Oliver said to Gail.
"I didn't even know so how would you know?" She wondered. "Did Celery use one of her concoctions on me!?" Gail said questioningly.
Oliver finished the rest of his beer before answering the worried woman across from him. "That day at the station, I saw you come out of the interrogation room before she did but I didn't think anything of it-"
"Nothing happened" She didn't know why she bothered trying to lie to Oliver. He was always able to cheer her up in the weirdest of ways and the deep life talks (always one-sided of course) that they shared were always meaningful; even though she refused to seem the least bit interested in his theories of love or friendship, she truly was listening to his every word.
"Yeeea, anyway, then after when we were in the squad car you got so defensive when I actually wasn't even talking about you and Holly. I mean, it's totally like you to be dismissive…and cruel, rude, sometimes obnoxious, snobby, too good for-"
"Okay Shaw, I get it, you knew" Gail said, rolling her eyes.
Her eyes caught a figure moving towards the bar and stopping right where the two women were seated. It was Nick. She wasn't exactly sure why, but a one-on-one between her ex-fiancé and her recently classified girlfriend so early on didn't sit right with her.
She excused herself from the conversation with Oliver and began to head for the bar as soon as she saw Celery stand and walk away from her seat. Suddenly she heard her voice being called from behind her.
"Peck" Frank addressed her. "Listen, after what happened back at 15 it's been made mandatory for everyone to make an appointment with your designated therapist" he shared.
Gail looked over her shoulder at Nick and Holly who it seemed had already begun a conversation. Great. She smiled quickly before turning back around to head for the bar. "Yea, schedule therapist appointment. Got it. Thanks"
She took the empty seat beside Holly casually, as if not even knowing the two of them had been talking, and hailed down the bartender for a shot of tequila.
"Hey" Holly smiled, stopping mid-sentence from the discussion with Nick. "Nick was just telling me about that really great pizza place downtown that you really like" she said, as if she knew that the only reason Gail had stalked over to the bar was to eavesdrop or cut the conversation short due to worry.
Gail resisted the urge to tell her how much she actually hated the tacky and way too over-priced restaurant. She only ever pretended to love it because she knew that Nick had loved it so much. "Oh yea, Fabio's!" she exclaimed, pointing her finger upwards as if a light bulb went off in her head. She downed her tequila and continued, "So uh, sorry to cut this little party short but I was kind of thinking of heading out". She turned her focus to Holly and raised her eyebrows. "Maybe we can pop open one of your bottles of fancy wine when we get back to your place since I owe you for skipping out on the dinner"
Holly knew what Gail was implying. Since they both had Saturdays off that meant Holly would most likely not be getting any sleep and neither would Gail. "Well then" she began, hopping off of the stool, "I guess we better get going. It was nice talking to you Nick" she went in for a hug.
Ugh, that's so her, Gail thought.
The side of his mouth curled upwards into a half smile, "Take care of her".
Holly tossed her keys into the bowl by the door and made her way into the kitchen to grab a bottle of red wine while Gail made herself comfortable on the couch.
She grabbed two glasses and made her way to the couch, kissing Gail before setting the glasses and bottle onto the table in front of them. "So, you want to tell me what had you sprinting to the bar tonight?" She knew not to pry at whatever Gail was thinking, but she thought she might as well try to get something out of her.
Gail began fiddling with her fingers. "I don't know, I just-" she knew that if this thing with Holly was going to last, it was only right for her to be truthful, "He left me once and then when we got together again I was always doing things to make him happy. I wasn't myself; I didn't feel like I could be who I am around him. I guess at the Penny I just didn't want him to say anything that would make you want to leave". She searched Holly's eyes for a response.
"Hey" she started, leaning in for another kiss, "I told you, I want to stay. Plus, what kind of girlfriend would I be if I didn't let you drink up the bar or kick my ass in your video games?" she smirked.
"Oh come on, I win every round fair and square!" she protested, taking the wine bottle into her hand and having a swig classily. "What were you going to cook for me tonight Ms. Chef?"
"Well, I was going to cook for you, but then I thought 'Gail would much rather Chinese takeout and beer', and then the hockey game on TV would've been for my own personal preference". She said, taking the bottle out of Gail's hand and putting her lips to the rim before tipping it up.
"God, you're perfect" Her one hand found Holly's cheek and she pressed her lips on Holly's while the other carefully grabbed the bottle and placed it back onto the table. Slowly, she leaned further into Holly, deepening the kiss and eventually laying on top of her.
*For the next chapter I'm considering a time gap of maybe a month or two, so bear with me as my ideas need to be constructed! Also, don't be a stranger to the comment box!*