Chapter Three

The phone was mocking her.

It was something that it seemed to do on a daily basis, along with most of the other inanimate objects on her life. Because there was nothing more sobering than having the refrigerator tell you just how much of an idiot you've been.

Suddenly, the phone started buzzing, jerking Gail from her partial-insanity filled reverie. She grabbed for it instantly, and then let out a full-body groan. Her shoulders slumped as she hit "Accept." If she didn't pick up, then the phone would be ringing off the hook for the next two hours.

'Hi Mom.' The groan didn't quite reach her voice, but she was sure her mother would heard it anyway.

'Gail, sweetie, how are you?'

'I'm fine,' Gail started, and that was about the extent of the words that she managed to get in before her mother completely overtook the conversation. It started with the thinly veiled disappointment concerning Gail's career progression (or lack thereof), and ended with her mother setting her up with some guy she'd never even met.

'He's a lovely boy. I'm sure you'll get along just fine.'

'Mom—' The Superintendent had hung up before Gail could even argue. Before she could say "I'm sort of seeing someone, but I think I fucked it up."

She agreed to coffee, because she knew that she wouldn't last through anything longer. If he was mildly interesting, then…well, it would probably take her mind off of things.

"Horrifying" didn't quite begin to cover it. She had absolutely no idea why her mother thought she might get along with a medieval literatures major that couldn't even recognise a Robin Hood reference. Just the thought of letting him touch her kind of skeeved Gail out. Maybe she was growing.

The next time she saw Holly, neither of them brought up their previous meeting; given the importance of the case they were working on, there was no time for awkwardness.

By the time they finished up for the day, it was late. Chloe had been all nice, and Traci still wouldn't go out with Steve (Gail wouldn't have cared so much if he would just stop bitching to her about it).

'Everyone deserves to be happy, Gail. Even you,' Traci said, and Gail was pretty sure she didn't have any idea how apropos the words really were.

Fuck it, she decided. Life was way too short to not grab things by the horns.

Her fingers tapped out the first three letters of Holly's name automatically.

'Hey. What are you doing tonight?'

…

'I'm leaving, 'Gail said, but she was laughing as she said it, so Holly knew she wasn't really serious. She set the batting helmet down on the ground, as she leaned against the wire of the cage. 'Remind me why you thought this was a good idea again?'

'Because I figured you probably get sick of shooting targets while you're at work. And we already did "pig autopsy."'

'And dinner was too normal for you? Why baseball? Why sports?'

Holly moved to lean against the cage beside her. 'You came, didn't you?'

'Well I had to; your car was in the shop.'

Holly rolled her eyes. That was quite possibly the worst excuse she had ever heard. But given the way Gail reacted to some things, she wasn't exactly surprised that denial was the first port of call.

'I don't think you hate sports at all. I think you hate people thinking that you might have actually tried doing something.'

Gail didn't speak straight away, which was pretty much a confirmation in itself.

'If they think you don't try, then it's not as big of a deal when you fail,' she said, finally.

'So you'd rather they don't respect you, than have them think that you can't do something.' Gail gave a small half-shrug. Holly shook her head. 'And you think I'm weird.'

'You are weird,' Gail said. 'With your…glasses, and your hair.'

'Right. So do you want to try again? Maybe prove everybody else wrong?'

'Fine.' Gail drew out the word with a dramatic sigh, but Holly could tell she was determined to make a point.

'Want some pointers?'

'I don't need pointers,' Gail said, defiantly. Five seconds later, after she'd accidentally put her helmet on backwards, she conceded that maybe she did.

'You're not standing on the plate, so don't be afraid the ball's going to hit you. Just relax. Being tense will definitely not help.'

'If it's not going to hit me, then why am I wearing a helmet?' Gail demanded.

'Because a pitcher isn't always as accurate as a pitching machine.' The answer didn't seem to instil her with any confidence, but then, Holly doubted any answer would.

She stepped back, and hit the button again. The first ball, Gail missed completely. Holly bit her lip to avoid laughing as the other woman spun on the spot.

'Oh, you think this is funny, do you? Are you some kind of sadist?'

'If I was a sadist, I would've taken you bowling.'

'I hate bowling.' Gail swung again, this time the ball cracked the center of the bat. She had completely ignored the direction to "relax," and Holly could practically hear the shock reverberating.

'Ow!' Gail stepped backwards, and dropped the bat. 'Was that supposed to happen?'

Holly pressed the button to stop the machine. 'Come here,' she said, by way of an answer, and brought Gail back to the plate. 'Take off your helmet.'

Gail tossed the helmet to the ground, and stood with her arms crossed. She was pouting. Holly turned her to face the side of the cage. 'Knees bent. Not too low, just a little bit. Spread your legs a little more.'

'Yeah, because I don't ever hear that from my dates.'

Holly laughed. 'Well I promise I won't be trying to get into your pants tonight.'

'Well that's just insulting.' Holly had intended her words as a joke (okay, so maybe she was trying to test the waters a little bit), but Gail's reaction was still more positive than it had been the last time they'd almost…But no. Holly wasn't going to get her hopes up. She was happy to have a friend.

'Okay, tilt your foot a little. No, here—' She took the other woman's calf in a firm grip, and turned it slightly. 'Comfortable?'

Gail stared at her.

Holly handed her the bat. 'You want your grip to be not too tight, not too loose. Like you're holding a bird. Once again, her grip was too tight. 'I'm just gonna…' She stepped behind Gail, and brought her hands to the grip of the bat. Gail's hair smelled a little like sweat, thanks to the helmet, but Holly could sense just a hint of shampoo beneath it. 'Feel how I'm holding it?'

'Have you ever seen Ghost?'

Okay, that wasn't a suggestive comment at all.

'Fortunately for you, I am not Patrick Swayze. Okay. Elbows bent.' Gail brought her elbows up. She was surprisingly compliant.

'And…swing.' Holly directed the bat into a hit. 'Make sure you follow through, or you won't get any power. Don't follow through too hard, or you'll end up hitting yourself with the bat. Okay?'

'Okay,' Gail breathed, and Holly let go. She picked up the dropped helmet, and passed it over. Gail put it on with far more confidence than she had the first time.

'Ready?'

'Ready,' Gail said. There was still a slight waver in her voice, but Holly hit the button anyway.

The ball shot out of the machine, and towards the plate. Gail's stance had shifted slightly, but she hit it with a resounding crack. A much nicer crack than the first one had been. The crack of a half-decent hit.

Gail dropped the bat for a third time, though this time she accompanied it with a loud cheer. 'I did it!' Her tone was one of elated surprise.

Laughing, Holly turned off the machine; it was becoming evident that having had her one success, Gail was not planning on hitting any more balls. She pulled off her helmet, and grinned at Holly.

'You're right, it is kinda cathartic.'

'You hit one ball.'

'Well this past week I've been on the verge of kicking two balls, so I'm gonna take it. You want to grab some food?'

'Sounds good,' Holly agreed.

'I know a place,' was all Gail said, as she pulled out of the parking lot. Since the batting cage had been her idea, Holly was willing to let the other women pick a place to eat. Somehow, she was pretty sure they weren't going to be hitting anything classier than a Denny's.

They drove in silence for a few minutes before Gail blurted out what had clearly been on her mind since they'd left. 'We almost…you know, and then you say you don't want to get in my pants? Isn't that kind of a mixed message?'

'Gail, I don't even know what kind of messages you're sending. You say you're straight, and then you asked me to a wedding. We kind of start doing things, and then I still don't know what it is you want. I'm sending mixed messages, because I don't want to make you do anything you don't want to do.'

'I kind of want a milkshake,' said Gail, but her tone was pensive. Holly was smart enough not to say anything. Beneath that shell was a person who was far more fragile that she was willing to let on. The slightest push in the wrong direction could send her running.

They stopped at an all-night diner with a broken neon light, and windows that looked as though they hadn't seen a squeegee in several decades.

Gail ordered a chocolate milkshake, and curly fries with aioli. 'No ketchup?' Holly asked, smile quirking at the corner of her lips. She'd ordered herself a coffee, knowing that anything else would no doubt settle uncomfortably in her stomach.

'Can't,' Gail said, with a look that was almost akin to disgust. 'I'm allergic to tomatoes.'

'Well, I guess that means you'll have to be extra careful if they ever revolt against mankind.' Gail choked on her milkshake, which quickly turned to a snort of laughter.

'You are…' Gail shook her head. 'I don't know if I can be a lesbian.'

'Dating a woman doesn't automatically make you a lesbian,' Holly said, amused. 'It's not a switch that you flip back and forth. Pick your own labels. You can call yourself whatever the hell you want.'

Gail gave a surprised sort of look, as if she hadn't even considered that option. 'I don't know what I want. In terms of…us. I know I want to be myself, and for some reason, that's a whole lot easier with you than it's ever been with anyone else. So I guess what I'm trying to say is…' She pushed her paper cup aside, and leaned across the table. Her lips were soft, and she kissed Holly like she wasn't entirely sure how to.

'You're a dork, you know that?' Holly grinned.

'Okay, first I'm insane, now I'm a dork? Got anything else up your sleeve?'

'Alright. Attractive, abrasive, and right now, sexy as hell.'

Gail gave her a look, and it was as though someone had lit a fire inside of her. 'Would you like to revise your previous statement about not wanting to get inside my pants?'

'I think I do.'

Gail pulled out her purse, and left a fifty. Her fries were still half uneaten. 'You can find a way to pay me back,' she said, in a matter-of-fact tone. Holly did not have to think too hard about what that meant.

Gail was surprisingly chipper as they walked back to the car. 'Are you a screamer? Because I really want to annoy your neighbors.' Holly pulled Gail towards her, and kissed her firmly. Gail reciprocated in kind.

'Wow,' Gail murmured under her breath, and her smile was the most beautiful thing that Holly had ever seen.

A/N: Deleted adult scenes, Y/N?