Chapter 2 – Troubles at Conference

Gail sat at the café nursing a cup of latte, not leaving her eyes from the entrance of the conference building. Once she noticed her favourite brunette with the senior officer, she ran out of the restaurant, quickly crossing the street. "Holly!" she called.

The two other women stopped and turned around. Immediately the police worker stood in front of the scientist with the very same predatory or maybe now protecting position. "Get off," she growled.

"Not until I have a proper conversation with Holly."

"Gail, go home. There is nothing to say," said the doctor tiredly.

"Actually there is a lot to say. Please Holly, let me explain," begged the blonde. "Give me a chance."

"Can't it wait until I get back to Toronto?"

"You are coming back?" wondered Gail. "But… but the guard at the morgue said that you took off and there would be another pathologist and… and the old lady saw you with three suitcases."

Holly smiled her famous lopsided grin, only this time without any joy. "And based on that you assumed I left for good. The morgue cannot afford to have days off only because I am at some conference."

"Yeah, of course," she looked down at her feet ashamed and shy. "Holly, I have never cared about anyone to follow them to another city. That counts for something, right?"

"Depends on the scales," spat the senior officer still sending dangerous glares. "It is not very impressive if you have been stalked like that before."

Holly pulled out her hands of her pockets and placed them on either sides of the angry woman, coming closer and whispered something to her ear. The smaller person growled again but finally eased up. "The park is really beautiful these days," she commented and they set off the way.

Gail hurried to keep up with them. She went side by side with Holly, watching for any reaction of her but nothing changed. The doctor was looking ahead most likely deep in her own thoughts. Hopefully she thought about Gail, but the younger woman did not allowed herself to get her hopes too high. Holly was never like that with her, so she had no idea what to expect and what all this meant. Again running all possible scenarios in her head, the blonde tried to find the best solution and make Holly take her back.

First of all, she only needed to open up.

When the senior officer disappeared somewhere in the park and it was only Gail and her favourite woman, she took the courage to speak up.

"Holly, I… I got scared. I love climbing your tree and there still are so many branches that I want to explore. But I guess once I realised how comfortable I am I got scared to climb higher. You know, the higher I climb the harder is the downfall. So I created another emergency situation… but some important part stayed on that tree. And I want back, Holly. I want back and stay there with you for… a long time. I really like this particular tree. I am not scared anymore. I realised what I want. I want you," she confessed.

"You want too many people."

"Only you," Gail stopped and grabbed the scientist's hand to turn her around face to face. "I am very sorry. It took me way too long and it was unfair to you. I hurt you and now my chest aches like hell because I was a stupid coward." Before she could say more she was wrapped in a tight hug. The oh so well know perfume that was typical for Holly, she buried her head in the crook of the brunette's neck and took a deep breath. "I like you so damn much."

"I believe you are doing a big mistake," said a third person. The two women pulled slightly apart and looked down at the senior officer, who now was shirtless and also without the police belt, but the Kevlar vest was still on.

"I believe this is over your jurisdiction, Officer," snapped Gail. "And where are your shirt and belt?" The shorter woman pointed to her small bag on her back. "Don't tell me you wear your gun in that?!"

"Why the bloody hell do you care? You have no right questioning me, it should be otherwise."

"Having a gun just like that is dangerous, even if it's secured!" The senior officer rolled her eyes and ran off. Gail turned to the doctor looking for some logic here. "It is dangerous," she sighed in disbelief at the stupidity.

"Priscilla does not wear guns. She hates shooting."

"But she must have passed during the training and every year's re-examination."

"Oh she does, with flying colours, but she refuses to use it no matter what and therefore her gun is locked in her locker and I dare say all dusty." Holly pointed to a near bench. "Let's sit down." As they sat, Gail snuggled closer. "I am sorry, Gail," said the scientist quietly. The blonde looked up quizzically, frowning a bit. "I forgot what it means to come out."

"I don't care what the others think. Well, I might be scared of my mother, but I won't allow her to come between us, I can promise that."

"No, not to the others. To come out to yourself. To deal with the fact that suddenly your world is upside down and prince charming might be a princess. I guess the older you are the harder it is to deal with."

"Still that doesn't mean I had to…," the younger woman looked down shamefully. "It was my stupidity and I regret that a lot."

"It kind of does. Many times it is exactly this solution to convince yourself where you really belong. It's just…" the brunette sighed sadly. "You gave me a hope there could be something more and then you ran away. That hurt a lot. I thought you figured it out before you gave me the chance. Somewhere between battle cages and the time you actually kissed me at the station."

"I still don't know where to label myself," said Gail quietly, looking at their intertwined fingers. "How do you know if you are… you know."

Holly chuckled. "You don't know unless you have some experience and realise whom you prefer, or stay in the middle." She leaned closer to the blonde's ear. "Or romantics would say: listen to your heart."

"In that case I can be omnisexual!" the constable exclaimed. "I love cheese puffs, you, my work…" the doctor shut her up their usual way. Before they were able to deepen the kiss they heard a call and separated.

"Watch out!" A smear jumped between their heads, making the two women shift to each end of the bench. The smear stood up from a somersault on its feet, grinning widely.

"Priscilla, what the –" before Holly could finish the question, dogs started jumping between then.

"Damn it," cursed Gail standing up in rage. "Officer Silver, interfere with your ward's personal life is a serious offence and –"

"Oh no, my shift ended like half an hour ago. I call this 'get rid of another experimenting straight girl' tactic."

"Priscilla, step down," moaned the doctor a little bored yet grateful for the care.

"No really. Do you know what bars are for?" asked the dark haired officer.

"Getting drunk?" answered the blonde unsurely.

"Getting drunk, having fun, hook up. Find out what team you truly play for."

"Pris…" said Holly in a warning tone.

"Alright, I have personal reasons too. I don't want you to run to the other end of the county or worse half the world, because some straight girl uses you as a phase."

"Well, it is not," said Gail stepping closer, looking to those navy blue eyes which were staring back. The blonde squinted and snatched for the other woman's chin pulling it up, totally ignoring the snarling dogs around. "Hey, your eyes are blue."

"Hm."

"But I am sure they were green before."

"Obviously they change, depends on my mood," the smaller officer explained as it was something normal.

"Mine change too, but only in the shades not between colours."

The senior officer tore her head away from her colleague's hand and turned around just in time to catch a dog. "Hey Newton," she greeted the overexcited husky pup, which was trying to lick her ears. The wavy haired woman looked ahead and smiled, and then she spoke to her friend. "Finally the right sibling. If you need anything, I'll be a whistle away." With one dog in her arms and the others around, she left the two of them alone again.

The rookie was fuming. She would very gladly put a charge of anything on this crazy girl who was barely off age. She looked at the doctor who had one arm leisurely on the backseat of the bench and the other on the armrest watching the scene in front of her with a curious yet amused smirk.

"I swear Holly, it's not a phase," said the blonde sitting next to her. "Experiment, maybe, but I am serious about this."

The older woman removed her arm and wrapped it around Gail's shoulder pulling her close and kissed her temple. "I hope so."

They said just like that in peace, watching ducks on the pond and masters playing with their dogs, and a senior police worker running between them.

"Do you usually go here to take a walk or walk a human dog?" asked Gail watching her colleague playing a Frisbee. "What is your story with her anyway?" she asked looking up.

Holly smirked. "Are you jealous?"

"Nope," she replied too quickly. "Maybe. I prefer to know my enemies."

The doctor laughed heartily. "Priscilla as enemy? No way."

"I feel like dealing with my mother."

"She is overprotective."

"My mother or Silver?"

"I believe that both." Holly snorted and started her story with the unusual officer. "I was fourteen when I was working on a school project and stayed in a school lab late."

"So you were nerdy since your school days."

"Yes, I loved science. There was always something fascinating about it. Anyway one day I missed the bus and had to go home by foot. A gang of teenage boys assaulted me, took my schoolbag and threw it into a bin with many insults. Priscilla appeared out of nowhere and stood up for me. She was a fast thinker with a sharp tongue, threw some well-placed comments about the boys' lack of interest in studies and possible troubles at school without her help, especially to the one she lived with, and made them go away. Also she dived into the bin fishing for my bag." Gail's eyes were wide as plate. The image of going into a smelly trash was quite disgusting and the fact that someone really did it for Holly made her think what all she would do for this extraordinary woman. "It was a paper bin," added the doctor seeing the pensive look. "She accompanied me to my home and all the way we talked. I was this incredibly closed person and she made me talk for about twenty minutes."

"I bet it was science stuff."

"It was, but Priscilla caught up easily. We bonded over science and I felt free with her. I could be myself. She was the first person who made me open up, to be proud of what I love and not ashamed, which led to the fact that I was able to get the boy I was in love that time. He turned up to be a champion in chemistry from Priscilla's school."

"Hmm," snorted Gail thinking again.

"What?"

"I don't know, it's weird to imagine you with a man."

Holly laughed at that comment. "Why? I was in a committed relationship with a man. Do you think I had always been a lesbian?"

"No, I remember you telling me that you also used to create emergency situations until you found out you didn't like men. So what changed?" The doctor raised her eyebrows. "I am curious," Gail threw her hands in the air defending herself, giggling.

"I see." She said nothing more only grinned and waited. After a few thick silent moments, she asked, "What changed you?"

"You did. Even though I swore to that shrink that I would not switch teams." The brunette chuckled. "It was not so funny that time. You kissed me and then left without a word."

"I did say goodbye."

"I mean about the kiss."

"There was not much to say. You were rambling and really cute, so I just pushed the buttons."

"So you did it on purpose!"

"Yup."

"You. Are. Weird." The young officer looked into those familiar brown eyes and a warm flooded her chest. She leaned closer to taste the inviting lips.

"You need a bloody room… literally," said a voice out of nowhere.

"Again?!" Gail sighed desperately, looking up at her colleague.

"I've got the number, we can go now."

"Hey detective," called a golden blonde woman with the husky on the lead. "It was fun, thank you."

Priscilla made some kind of a light bow. "It was my pleasure."

"You are a detective?" wondered the blond officer.

"Hmm," the other police woman thought for a while shifting her eyes from one side to the other. "For about five years now," she replied and pulled Holly up by her hand on the feet. "Come on, kids."

"Comes from a girl who is barely allowed to order a drink," Gail remarked sarcastically standing up as well.

"Actually," said the doctor slowly, "Priscilla is a year older than me."

"What?!" asked the blonde in disbelief.

"Her brightness can lighten up the night. No wonder it's so dark," commented the smaller person rolling her eyes.

Holly snatched her arm around the detective's neck pulling her closer. "Be nice."

"I am. I'm going to call my brother in favour."

They reached a five floored very modern building which was a four-star hotel. It had a nice spacy entrance hallway with grey marble floor and dark red walls. It looked very elegant but not overdone. The youngest woman looked around and noticed signs to a hotel restaurant, bar, casino, pool, Jacuzzi, sauna and fitness.

"Good evening, Bernard," the senior officer greeted an elder white hair man at reception. "I would need the key to my brother's loft."

The receptionist handed the key to Holly with a wink. "Just like the old times, Ms Stewart?"

"Thank you, but not quite," the doctor gave back a forced smile and the three women entered the lift and went up to the fifth floor. There were only two rooms, one on each side.

Holly gave the rookie the key and pointed to the left door. "Go to Matt's, I am picking up my cases from Priscilla's."

Gail unlocked the door and revealed a decent room with everything necessary for living. The small kitchen counter on the left, a round table with three chairs, practically opposite to the entrance door, a sofa in front of a small TV set and on the right end there was a matrimony bad and a small bathroom. She looked around admiring the living. "You know, for a modern four star hotel, using keys is really low level. Why don't they have cards?" she asked when Holly came in.

"Because these suits are private. They have keys so no one can accidentally enter." The doctor booted her laptop and made three steps to the kitchen. "Any special wishes you want to eat?"

"Lobster dinner would be great." It was not until then, when the officer noticed how hungry she was.

"Of course. Just bring me the lobster."

"Or…" Gail smiled smugly with a swag she went slowly to the brunette, her eyes twinkling with sparks which definitely meant she was up to no good, especially when she put her hands on the counter pinning the doctor in between. "We can do other activities." She reached for those soft lips that she craved for since they left the park. The blonde could not believe how much a nerdy scientist tuned her on. Her hands travelled under the silk blouse, touching the smooth skin of Holly's abdomen and back.

A loud knocking on the door was heard followed by a shout. "Oi, are you decent?!"

"Damn, she has the worst timing ever," groaned Gail while the doctor only chuckled and left to open the door.

"Apparently you are for now," Priscilla responded her own question. "Anyway, I've got a call from the station. It seems like they need a dog to sniff some drugs. So… I'll be going and you, be safe."

"And you, be careful," sighed Holly and gave the detective a hug. "Call me once the operation is over, okay?"

"Sure."

Holly closed the door, shaking her head. She looked up at the younger woman. "I can not be surrounded by normal people, can I?"

"What do you mean?"

"My best friend is a highly positioned officer who loves the outside work. My girlfriend just has to hunt bad guys too and being shoot at. My dad is a judge who is either loved or hated. My mother is a paediatrician and does not miss a chance to remind me of my own little people. My sister works as a psychiatrist in a madhouse. And of course there is me playing with dead bodies."

"A brief introduction to the Stewart family, how charming," Gail commented it with a smirk. "So, girlfriend, huh?"

"Special friend, friend with benefits, plus one forever, whatever you like."

"Oh, there are things I like," she smiled unbuttoning her own shirt, coming closer to the other person.

Holly took her hands to stop her, closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Gail, as much as I would like to take it further, now it is not a good time."

"Why?" whined the blonde.

"You need to eat and have a rest and I have to work on some details for tomorrow's presentation."

"Can't it wait for an hour?"

"Oh believe me Gail, once I have my way with you, it won't be for just an hour," her voice dropped an octave as she said this with smug grin.

"Is it a promise?"

"Most definitely it is," the older woman moved to the kitchen for the second time. "So, a salad?"

"Whatever without tomatoes would be good."

After their meal the two women took Holly's car to pick up the officer's bag from the hostel and did the shopping to refill the fridge and some more things they might need during they stay.

Gail took a nap on the couch and the scientist improved her presentation from forensic pathology. Several hours later a phone rang. "Holly Stewart," introduced herself the doctor. "Pris, calm down – Yes – Are you alright? Do you want me to pick you up? – Okay – Gail will be thrilled – We have some salad left, so come straight home –Yes, it contents meat – We are waiting."

"The mission went wrong?" asked the blonde frowning. She might not like the crazy woman but they were united through police work and in police world everyone is a family.

"They got the gang, but some rookie screw up and Priscilla was shot several times fortunately only to the vest, but she still was held for two more hours to make her statement."

"What is her rank anyway?"

"To be honest I don't know myself. I lost track of at which ceremony she is promoted or 'just' awarded."

"And what was the part about me being thrilled?"

"We are going bowling. She needs to kill a few skittles to let go of some steam."

"I told you I didn't do sports. Remember batting cages?"

"Yes, but you will go for me anyway," grinned Holly pecking the lips of her girlfriend.

"So you have time to go bowling but don't have time to have sex with me?!"

"Yes, I have time to get out for two-three hours to clear my head and yes, I don't have time for you because –call me a sap– but I want a whole night and good part of a day to make love to my special friend and not just a quickie in the shower."

"I wouldn't mind either."

Holly smiled her lopsided grin and went to prepare the meal for the detective who was about to arrive. "Get dressed, Priscilla will be here in two minutes."

And really within two minutes the said detective arrived all fuming from anger and obviously a run from the police station.

Gail had to admit that doing sports with her partner was fun and as Holly would say 'cathartic'. The other officer pushed her into some kind of unspoken competition and the results were not bad at all. Actually the youngest of them managed to win one round.

They arrived back to the hotel, physically tired with clear minds. Holly got back to her work and the blonde took a refreshing shower, changed into a sleeping t-shirt and shorts. She smiled watching her girlfriend staring into the screen frantically typing some science stuff. She came close and wrapped her hand around the neck from behind. "What is your work about? More arteriosclerosis?" she asked.

"Nope," the scientist took her glasses off and turned to the other woman. "Actually it's about toxins and how they affect living tissue, with the potential of finding a cure."

"And what does this have to do with death if it's about living?" asked Gail sitting at the doctor's lap squinting at the pictures of colourful cells in Petri's dishes. "Shouldn't it be like 'after effect of toxins' or something?"

"It is a side project, so I keep my mind occupied and don't have to think about my two dearest people running outside with the possibility of being killed. But yes, it is a complex research about living tissue and how to save it from changing to dead by finding antitoxin from the actual toxin and improve its effect."

"Nah, our safety is the top priority. Sometimes it gets messy, but we always cover each other's back." She shifted to another slide of the presentation with more colourful pictures. "Hey, this looks cool."

"It still needs improvement. Anyway, go to bed, you must be tired after the whole day and this will take me a while to finish it."

"Are you sure you don't want to come with me?" said the blonde nuzzling Holly's neck while her hands travelled up and down the firm torso.

"As much as I would love to, right now the presentation is slightly more important than your needs." The scientist took the other woman's head in her hands and kissed her sensually. "Some things are worth waiting for." And somehow Gail was sure she was not talking just about sex.

Way too early in the morning the annoying sound of alarm clock echoed through the room. The blonde groaned and snuggled closer to her girl. She was not sure how they ended in that position, their legs were intertwined, one Gail's hand wrapped around Holly's midsection, hugging her from behind like a teddy bear, hear head hidden behind the brunette's nape. "Five more minutes," she moaned.

The doctor chuckled. "But only five," she smiled turning around to face her girl. "I would never guess you are such a cuddling cat."

"I am not, so don't tell anyone or there will be a serious punishment."

Half an hour later there was a soft knock on the door announcing the time to leave for the conference. Priscilla watched her colleague up and down. "And where do you think you are going?" she asked Gail who had an elegant dress on.

"To my girlfriend's conference," she explained sharply.

"Are you a medic?"

"No, but forever's plus one."

The detective snorted. "Yea, right. There are no plus ones. It is purely work related meeting. But you can go sight-seeing the city. Montreal is very beautiful."

"Like hell I would. I need to improve my medical jurisprudence, it is work related," the rookie would do anything to stay by Holly's side and maybe learn some useful medical information.

The other police worker looked at her friend. "She won't give up, will she?"

"No, she is as stubborn as you are," smiled the scientist.

"Argh," growled the senior officer and looked back at her colleague. "Do you have your uniform here?"

"Yes," confirmed the blonde.

"Go get changed," she rolled her eyes. "Five minutes, Constable!"

They arrived to the modern building twenty minutes before the start of that day's conference. In the entrance hall, they checked in with their special cards, but Gail was held in front of the partition rail.

"Madam?" called the security guard. Priscilla was already in the middle of the corridor, she turned around to the entrance door. "Miss Peck is not allowed in here. She is off duty and from another city without any transfer documentation."

"Oh yea, official things. Could you print the form of special assignment? I'll take her under my command, which means," she turned to Gail, "that my word is a law, whatever I say you do. Understood, Officer?"

"Yes, Madam," nodded the blonde not very fond of the fact being under a command of this crazy person.

"Here it is, Madam," O'Neil handed the printed papers. "We need both of your signatures here and here," he pointed to the lined at the bottom of the documentation.

"Lend me the spare radio too, please," requested the detective. Gail took the said radio and pined in on her uniform. "And Peck, don't you dare to play a hero, if you spot anything out of place, you call. You have thirty doctors on your neck, so don't get too caught up with the sexy pathologist."

Once officialises were settled, Gail and Holly went to the medical conference room while Priscilla left to check on some business meeting. When all scientists arrived, two of them ten minutes late, which Gail considered as rudeness and sent them a frowned glare, Holly started her presentation. First the officer was afraid that even though she wanted to learn something new, she would not understand a word but despite the presentation being in official Latin terms, the doctor explained them in English "for revision of course" sending a small lopsided grin to her girlfriend.

An hour later the door opened again and the officer was ready to whisper some educational words to the intruder, but found out it was her colleague and now superior. She made a come here gesture to the blonde. When they were on the hall, she asked about the situation.

"Everything is alright here," confirmed Gail.

"Good."

The younger woman watched the other one carefully. "You look tense, is anything wrong?"

"I hope not. It's just way too quiet here. Usually there is always someone roaming the halls. I'm going to check on O'Neil, if you see anything funny, buzz me."

"Yes, Madam."

The rookie officer returned to the room. Holly's presentation was over, followed by an open discussion. She stayed back and eyed each and every medic carefully. Some of them played with their pens, other's looked interested and some of them bored. Obviously toxins were out of their expertise or did not mean much for their line of work.

"Dr Nelson?" Holly nodded to her colleague who asked for word.

"I used the very same technique but my cells died after a week and it was required to remove the new tissue anyway."

"I was inspired by your work Dr Nelson. I modified the base and added STH. It helps the regeneration, nevertheless the quality of the new tissue is very low and it takes way too long to gain the quality of previously injured one."

"I am working on some tricks to figure this out, I would be please if –"

Gail's radio buzzed alive, the officer left the room to pick up the call. "Officer Peck responding."

"Get the doctors out of here, but discreetly," came Priscilla's voice on the other end. "Use the emergency exit, hopefully it won't be locked."

"What is going on?"

"O'Neil has been shot to the vest, that idiot was so scared that he played dead and did not call for backup when the attacker was gone. Other than that we are locked inside with a bomb on the main door." Gail gulped heavily. Suddenly the fire alarms started ringing and smoke appeared from the other end of the hall.

"Shit," swore the young officer. "Silver, the smoke is here in the fourth floor," she coughed. "Not just a smoke."

"Get them all out, now! I am coming up there. The backup should be here in three minutes."

"Roger that."

Immediately the constable rushed into the meeting room. "I am sorry to interrupt, but we have an evacuation emergency. Please keep calm, put your hand in front of your mouth and follow the lightened signs of emergency exit." She could hear commands for other police members in her radio as she rushed the scientists to leave the room.

"Gail, what is going on?" asked Holly frowning.

"Trouble, but it's our job to take care of you, big brains, so don't worry and go, hush hush."

"Everyone alright?" asked Priscilla breathlessly when she appeared next to her colleague. The smoke was everywhere, irritating the respiratory system, also it was hard to see anything around.

"Yup." But at that exact moment Gail was knocked down by a person in a gas mask who invaded the room frantically looking for something. Priscilla made a long jump and knocked the intruder on the floor hitting the head against a desk.

"Get out! Both of you!" shouted the senior officer. Without hesitation the blonde took Holly's hand and pulled her out.

Meantime the SWAT and EOD teams opened the main door and about a hundred of people gathered in front of the building, attendants of different conferences as well as police workers.

"Where is Priscilla?" asked Holly worriedly looking around.

"Here!" called a female voice behind them as the woman came from the opposite side of the building. She was covered in white feathers, fuming from anger. "That bloody bastard threw me out of the window. I landed on a farm lorry between hens," she explained trying to clean her clothes.

"Are you alright?" asked the doctor.

"Pretty pissed off."

"Hey Silver," called Gail showed her head to one of the scientists. "When you jumped on the masked man, he fell down and gashed his head," she pointed at the bruise on the doctor's head. "Arrest him?"

"Yeah."

The younger officer approached the man. "Dr Nelson? You are under –"

"A lot of pressure. Please if you could calm your colleagues, we would appreciate it," interrupted the senior officer and took the younger rookie away with her.

"What the hell?" snapped Gail feeling incredibly stupid and humiliated.

"Sorry, but he is not the one."

"What's wrong?" wondered Holly.

"The person who threw me out smelled differently. This one must have a fall from the stairs or something."

"Are you kidding me?!" asked the younger officer anger rising. "Just because he smelled differently? In the gas that was there everything smelled toxic! And that man had the exact wound as the one you harmed."

"You are still under my command, so DON'T you dare to question my decisions," she growled.

"Priscilla," called some man from the SWAT team. "Everything is cleared now, the meetings can continue."

"Thank you, Percy."

The scientists returned to continue with another presentation, unfortunately the room was turned upside down with belonging all around the room. When Holly searched through her briefcase, she was missing something. Once again she browsed one thing by another, even the computer table and the machine itself.

"Holly?"

"My flash disc is gone," she looked frightened. "There was my whole research and results to most of my lab work and articles."

"Damn it." Gail revived her radio. "Silver, we have a robbery of Dr Stewart's research."

"Just splendid," said the other police woman sarcastically. "Do you have all the doctors there?"

The rookie looked around. "I think two are missing. No wait, one has come," she watched Dr Nelson entering the room.

"And who is the missing person? C'mon Peck, we don't have time to play games."

"Hey doctors, who of you is missing?"

"Jameson Redbrick," replied someone of the group.

"Roger that," came the voice from the other end of the receiver.

"You heard that?" frowned the constable.

"I let my guys run a check on him. You stay there and do not let Holly out of your sight," commanded the detective turning off the receiving.

"Yes, Madam."

Holly was fidgeting on her seat for about twenty minutes and then left the room. Her girlfriend hot on her heals. "Holly?"

"This is not fair!" mumbled the brunette. "All my work is stolen. I have spent eight years, long hours at the lab doing research, taking notes, improving whatever I could and now someone takes it, just like that." Gail pulled her into a hug she the scientist was sobbing uncontrollably.

"Here you are," noted the incoming detective and both women looked up. "Redbrick is clean, no record. Holly, what exactly was in the disc?"

"Everything, I always wanted to have all of my research with me just in case."

"Even the anthrax analysis?"

"Yes. Everything."

The senior officer let out a deep breath. "Alright, so I am taking Percy and let's track it before biotical weapons are made." She pressed a button on the radio. "Grant, be in five minutes by the emergency exit on the down floor." She turned it off not waiting for any response. "Peck, you must stay with the doctors until the end, Holly I recommend you stay too, we don't need you to be kidnapped as well, alright?" The scientist nodded. "I'll get back to you as soon as we have something." The officer was leaving as she shot one last command over her shoulder. "Take care of her and don't screw up!"

For the rest of the conference Holly looked soulless moving on autopilot. She came back to live when they entered the loft and she booted her laptop.

"Do you want herbal tea or coffee?" asked Gail tentatively.

"Yes, thank you," she replied absent-mindly looking through her files.

With raising eyebrows the blonde decided for the tea, hoping it might calm her girlfriend. Before she was finished, the doctor moved to the sofa, her glasses on the coffee table and her head resting on the back seat with eyes tightly closed. Gail brought the two mugs and handed one to the sad woman.

"So, erm," the officer sat down and took a sip. "Do you have copies of those stolen files?"

"Yes, yes I do," the brunette stared at the green liquid hypnotizing it. "I always make about three copies of my work. It's more about my work being stolen and someone else can use it and profit from something that I have spent years figuring out. Not to mention the precious information about some toxins needed for finding a cure. I always write as many notes as I could, when I get back to the topic after some time, it's easier to catch up. So every file is very detailed."

"Tell me about it," demanded the younger woman.

"You want to learn about advance science?"

"Well, I might not understand everything but it won't kill me to learn something new," she smiled and gave her a quick peck on the lips.

So Holly talked, trying to use common English so her girl would understand most of it and for Gail it was mostly about hearing her favourite nerd speak. Listening to the velvet voice and sometimes catching useful information. For example that Holly worked on two projects at the same time: Pathology of course, and Analysis of Toxins and Cures. When she finished her tea, she put the cup down and started playing with the silk dark brown hair. She was amazed by this woman. She was weird, quirky even, but smart like no one the officer had ever met. She looked up to this person, who could always reply to any of her snarky comments in the most charming way.

Holly looked straight to those bright blue eyes. "I cannot take my mind of it. I am afraid someone could be hurt because of my carelessness."

"Nothing bad will happen. You have your best friend and obviously a really good cop working on it. C'mon, let me take your mind off for a little while," purred the blonde and shifted herself to straddle the doctor. She captured the soft red lips gently biting on the bottom. Gail was more than pleased feeling the other woman responding with the same passion. Especially when her hands ran under the black t-shirt, it sent shivers down the constable's spine. "Take me, Holly."

The scientist pulled away from the kiss, shaking her head. "I don't want to use you."

"But I want you to use me."

"Gail, I want it to be special for you and not just use you as a booty call."

"Being with you makes it special. Holly, I am a big girl, I don't need any sappy romantic gesture to make it special. I want you." Gail closed the distance between their lips but the doctor stayed stiff. "Now we defined what we want which corresponds with our needs, sooo…" she leaned closer to her ear and whispered, "Let's get lucky together and forget all the troubles at least for a while. You need to get it out of your system." The blonde started butterfly kissed down from Holly's ear to her neck. A man would give up long ago, but Gail had to admit that she loved the teasing, it was irritating and patience was never her virtue but with Holly it was so much different and she liked it a lot.

"Oh Gail," sighed the scientist, pulling the other girl's head up and kissed her. Hard at first and then the kissed became gentle as hands began moving over the soft pale skin… from the sides to the back making a pressure at the right places with such a finesse which sent another waves of pleasure and a goose skin to the young officer.

The officer's hands stopped moving as she was enjoying every touch, responding passively to the kisses. Her mind was preoccupied by those skilful fingers and what all they could do to her body.

"Gail?" asked the brunette curiously with a hint of panic in her voice. "We can stop if you need to back off. I understand if you are not ready. I've been there and I know it's confusing and –"

"Holly, shut up."

"No, I mean it. I will not pressurise you to anything, just say so and –"

The blonde shut her up their usual way, firmly pressing their lips together. "I am not backing off."

"But you tensed."

"I was thinking about your over-average knowledge of human body from which I can pretty well benefit."

Holly relaxed and chuckled. "Yes, I am awesome."

"Don't be so cocky Doc, I bet I can make you squirm several times too."

"There is only one way to find out," the scientist smiled pulling off the black t-shirt and lied Gail on her back on the sofa, placing herself between the officer's legs, hovering over. She stayed like that memorising every detail of the porcelain torso.

"Like what you see?" teased the policewoman.

"I'm not sure yet," smirked the doctor. "There are too many clothes."

"You're the one to talk," said Gail and pulled herself higher connecting their already swollen mouths while her hands travelled down to the hem of Holly's blouse and pulled it over her head. "Better."

They spent some time getting to know each other's upper body by touch as well as by lips. Gail was overwhelmed by the sensation, maybe she was not a patient person, always going straight for the action but this… this was something new that she found out liking a lot. Moving her eyes to the chest right in front of her, she noticed Holly's nipples hardened under the lacy black bra and some more teasing pleasure came on her mind. She reached one hand behind the back trying to unclasp the disturbing piece of garment, unfortunately without much luck.

"Dammit, I need more practice," said the blonde a little irritated fighting with the fastening. At the end she groaned and used both her hands which earned her a chuckle.

"Impatient, are we?" laughed Holly quietly. "Come here," she pulled her partner up a little professionally unclasping another black bra. "This is how you do it," she bantered the younger woman.

"Bra lessons later, professor, now it's a make-out time," commented the blonde, she hooked her legs behind the brunette's back pulling her close as she slid her tongue past the doctor's teeth with another heat wave of passion. Until someone knocked on the door. "What the f-"

Holly got up dressing her blouse back on as she went to open the door. "Pris?" she addressed the obviously tired detective.

"Yea, there are some news…," the senior officer paused herself looking at her friend thoroughly. "Here is the disc, see ya tomorrow," she handed over the small device and turned to the way of her own suite.

"Wait, just like that?"

"Hm. I am tired and obviously interrupted something, so…" she made a dismissive gesture and was about to leave them alone again.

"You killed the mood anyway," snapped Gail. "A cup of coffee, tea?" she asked in forced British accent on her way to the kitchen. Truthfully she wanted to know what really happened and what the enforcement did. The police officer in her would never shut up, the same way like Holly's doctor. Maybe that was why she understood the love for work and never minded the scientist's devotion to the lab, even though many times she made fun of it.

"Camomile tea would be good," pled the detective sitting down at the round table.

Holly sat opposite to her friend demanded some answers. "So spill it all out."

"Well, first I found the flash disc in a bin by the conference building. I handed it over to the IT team and with Percy we went after Redbrick… we found him at a hospital." With quizzical looks from the others occupants, she explained. "His wife was in labour that was why he left the meeting. Anyway he was not the one who attacked me. So, we went tracking down the bloody git who threw me out. We were led to the port and there I was so confused with all the fish smell that I lost him. And to the top of that the geniuses from IT told me that your flash is like brand new!" she explained throwing her hands in the air.

"Dammit. So someone stole everything?" asked Holly worry all over her face.

"Hm. Percy thinks it might be an inside work, which really scares me, but how else can you explain that your disc was found outside the building. And the fact that guys from business meeting lost their marketing strategy, financials are without their balance sheet, industrials don't have the new proposal of industrial network, and you…"

"So somebody was collecting souvenirs? And that somebody might be part of the law enforcement?" summarised the younger officer.

"It sucks, huh?" sighed her colleague rubbing her tired eyes. "Information from these kinds of conference is usually one bloody souvenir. I am sorry, honey."

"Don't worry about it," Holly smiled wryly, went around the table and hugged her friend around her neck from behind. "You will get them."

"Hopefully, I am a police dog after all," said the older officer like that would clarify everything. "I am off to bed, girls."

They said their goodnights and Holly shut the door a little bit more forcefully. "Shit," she swore.

Gail came to her and pulled her into a tight hug. "I see how upset you are, but now you can't do anything. Leave it up to the police."

"There was a file full of every possible bio toxin and cure. What do you think will happen if someone makes a weapon out of it?"

"A grand mess," the blonde pulled away and took Holly's head to her hands looking into those dark eyes. "You can't think these things. Maybe someone was interested in the cure part and what do you know? Maybe they can make them to perfection and save people's lives. And that's a good thing, right?" The slightly taller woman nodded. "Anyway that Nelson is very suspicious to me."

Finally the doctor cracked a smile. "He is a good man."

"If he stole your file, he is not." She pecked the red lips of her girlfriend. "Let's go to bed. It has been a long day."

thank you for reading!