'you're very quiet tonight Gail' Bill Peck asked

"Am I"? The blonde sighed pushing her food around her plate with her fork ..

"Something on your mind sweetheart"? Elaine asked .. Gail rolled her eyes, she found it annoying how the red head made a big deal about playing the "mom" role when they were out of uniform ..

"Nope" Gail answered emphasizing the P ..

Steve watched his little sister closely, he knew as well as their parents that the younger Peck was struggling with something ..

"So Mom? Leo has a soccer game on Sunday and he's asked for you and dad to be there"

Gail eyed her brother to which he winked .. She appreciated that he was taking the heat off her ...

Elaine wiped her mouth with her napkin "we wouldn't miss it, Leo is after all family"

Gail rolled her eyes, she found she did that a lot at these family dinners ..

"Gail have you thought anymore about the LGBT campaign we talked about?"

Gail put her fork down, Holly's words rang through her ears ..she didn't want Holly to see she was weak, she wanted the pathologist to be impressed with her, proud even.. "Yeah I thought about it.. And my decision is still the same.. I don't want to take part"

Elaine sighed heavily "for God sakes Gail "

"Elaine" Bill warned.

"I don't know why you continue to go out of your way to disappoint me Abigail"

"Mom" Steve moaned

"It's ok Steve," Gail smiled "it wouldn't be a Peck dinner if I wasn't the subject of Mom's disappointment"

"Well Gail maybe if you grew up a little then I wouldn't have to be on your back would I"?

Gail sighed again "I don't want to do it, there are plenty of other gay cops that would be happy to do it, why me"?

"Because your a Peck Gail! and it will look better for the station and us as a family if we show support, so I suggest you stop this and do as I ask"

Gail could feel her heart race, her skin felt hot. This would be the time she gave in and done as her mother ordered ..But she wanted to change, she wanted to do what she wanted with her own life .. Holly gave her a sense of courage to do that " No!"

"Gail this is not up for discussion"

Bill slammed his hand on the table " she said no god damn it"

All three other pecks jumped slight at the tone of the mans voice, Gail had only ever heard her father raise his voice once in her life up until that moment..

"William"?

"Gail said no, she doesn't want to have her face spread all over the city, she said no and that's the end of its" Bills words burned through his wife, she never took kindly to anyone telling her what to do and for her husband to be the one to challenge her,was something she hadn't experienced before..

Elaine sat silently scolding her husband internally, the atmosphere turned cold and no one dared speak.. Steve taking a minute before clearing his throat "so Leo's game kicks off for one thirty , I could pick you up"?

Elaine shook her head " no that's fine Steven, we can make our own way there"

Gail sat quietly, her body slightly ridged but inside she was smiling, she had never known her Mother to back down so quickly and also wondered why her father had never stepped in or over ruled his wife before now ..

As Gail reached for her wine she felt her fathers finger gently stroke her own, as she looked up at the grey haired man, he winked making her nod in appreciation.

Dinner was over quicker then usual which elated gail.. She couldn't wait for the evening to be over and luckily for her Traci's car was in the garage so Steve had to pick her up ..

"Dinner was great Mom" the red head detective said giving Elaine a hug, I'll see you Sunday?

Gail placed a kiss on her Mothers cheek and headed out towards the car .. Elaine nodded leaving their father to see them out ..

Shaking Steve's hand and telling him to be safe,Bill stepped in Gail's way " just a minute Gail"

Steve acknowledged his fathers intentions and headed to the car ..

"Gail I know Im usually a man of very few words" Bill began "but I want you to know that I do take things in, I see things, and I know usually I let your Mother take over, but I am the man of this family, and I do make decision believe it or not"

Gail frowned completely confused of where her father was going with his speech .

" I know you want to be the best cop you can be and I know your Mom pushes you, maybe to much but she means well"

Gail rolled her eyes, how can the women mean well when all she ever does is reprimand the blonde for not being good enough? Was her father trying to talk her into. Doing the campaign in less of a way then her mother? ..

"Dad"

Bill held his hand up " wait!, ... What I'm trying to say Gail is, I know what it's like to feel like you're not enough"

"Hardly" Gail sighed

"I do Gail, you know when I was a kid nothing I ever did was good enough for your grandfather .. Your uncles were sports fanatics, they come first at everything, where as I? I liked to read, I liked music, I liked to sit and watch the world go by, but that was weak in his eyes, I remember him telling my mother, I was the daughter she never had"

Gail felt sad hearing her fathers words, her grandfather was always a sweet and gentle man,he was a chief inspector in his day just like her father is now..

" your mom was a rookie when I met her, she loved everything about law enforcement, when we married, your grandfather said she was more of a Peck then I was " Bill laughed a little at the memory he had just shared .. "Turns out he was right" .. You don't have to be perfect Gail. Not in my eyes, and I'm glad you're not, I know you're a good cop and that's enough for me sweetheart"

Gail felt her eyes well up, her father had never been some warm towards her, his idea of showing emotion would be a nod and here he is opening up to her for the first time in her 27 years of life ..

" I just don't want to parade my sexuality all over the city" she muttered

"And nor should you" Bill agreed " your sexuality is yours and yours only,learn to say no and mean it Gail"

Gail sniffed the air and swallowed the lump in her throat " can't I just get you to say no for me"? She laughed ..

Bill laughed too placing his arm around his daughters neck, kissing the top of her head " I guess I can help you out when need be"

Walking Gail to the car Bill looked up at the house spitting Elaine at the window " how much trouble am I in"? He joked ..

"Think of the peace dad" Steve joined in ..

"I'm sorry" Gail offered feeling bad ..

"Don't worry, I can handle Elaine Peck"

"Well good luck and I'll see you Sunday" Steve smiled holding his thumb up,,

"You sure will" Bill smiled pulling Gail's seat belt forward for her to buckle up "you know it's not true that cops don't have to wear belts right"?

Rolling her eyes Gail clicks the belt in "yes sir"

"Ok get out of here" Bill said tapping the car " get home safe" he added waving as he headed back to the house.

"What was that about"? Steve asked pulling out of the drive ..

"I don't know" Gail frowned " I think it was Dads way of telling me that I'm OK, that I'm doing OK"

" I know you are" Steve smiled tapping his lite sisters knee ..

...

Holly entered her room drying her hair when her phone flashed from the bedside cabinet ..

Officer awesome- so I did it! I stood up to my mom and this homosexual police officer will NOT. Be the face of the gay cop community!

Holly laughed.. Partly at Gail's chosen name for herself in her contact list ..

- that's great, I'm proud of you honey! -

Gail's heart fluttered a little reading Holly's term of endearment. She loved the sound of Holly's voice when she said "honey" ..

OK mostly it was at Cassie but when she did say it to Gail it made her smile like a fool ...

Officer awesome - so what are you doing?

"Not much! Cassie is studying so the house is quiet, I just took a shower-

Gail bit her lip as she typed..

"Who you grinning at? Need I ask"? Dov teased from the couch ..

"Shut up and mind your own business" Gail snapped..

Officer awesome - shower huh? :D

- "behave yourself Officer-

Holly sat on her bed when Cassie appeared at her door "what's making you smile?"

Holly laughed a little "Gail, she's huh" the brunettes shook her head " she's just being ... Gail "

Cassie smiled "so has she mentioned going out yet"?

Holly shook her head "I haven't really seen here" she explained as her phone beeped again..

Officer awesome - I'm always well behaved Doc, so are you free tomorrow for lunch? I could come to the morgue"?

Gail had brought lunch down to the morgue before so Holly didn't get excited. It defiantly wasn't Gail asking her out"

"What's she saying"? Cassie asked leaning over her Aunt, who gently pushes her away "nosy" she teased.

"Tell me then"

Holly licked her bottom lip " she's just asking me if I'm free for lunch tomorrow" the doctor explained .

"A lunch date"? The teen asked with a huge grin..

"Calm down honey, Gail's brought me lunch to the lab before, this is defiantly not a date" the pathologist explained ..

Cassie sighed heavily " you could just ask her out you know"?

Holly shrugged " well I could but... I've kinda already put it out there, if Gail wanted to date me she would have reacted by now"

Cassie thought about it for a while " geez I don't ever want to be an adult, you guys suck"

Her aunt couldn't help but laugh, she and her niece had always been close but these last few weeks she's felt a closer bond had been formed .. " I love you kid"

Cassie nodded heading back into her own room " I know"

...

12.38pm and Holly is arms deep in a chest cavity ..

"Ooohhhh wow, that's gross" Gail gags as she turns back towards the door she just walked in..

Holly laughed "sorry I didn't realize the time, let me just clear this up"

Gail was hiding just outside the door " I think I'll text before hand from now on"

"It was a last minute autopsy" Holly explained " you can come in he's coved over"

Gail cringed a little as she poked her head around the door, a cover had been placed over the body and Holly was intensely washing her hands ..

"How can you do that daily"

"Well I don't" Holly giggled " it's just part of it"

"Yeah like the biggest part" Gail gagged again "it's almost put me off my lunch"

"I'm sorry" Holly said apologetically

"Relax lunchbox I said almost" Gail shrugged heading into Holly's office slumping down on the couch " can we eat in here though"

Holly followed with a smile drying her hands " well there is no food or drink in the lab"

"No just dead people" Gail said with a shudder ..

"So I just got some chicken sandwiches, I mean who doesn't like chicken right"?

Holly sat at her desk thinking sitting next to Gail might invade her space, Gail had other ideas .. Seeing Holly take her seat she stood up and walked over to the desk.. "I got you some of those cardboard looking chips I see you eating" Gail stated jumping up on to the desk with a mouthful of sandwhich .. Holly smiled looking into the bag Gail had placed beside her " and cheese puffs for you"? Holly said with a smirk..

Gail still chewing a mouthful of food shrugged " not all of us worry about cholesterol lunchbox "

Holly laugh "lunchbox? where did this nickname come from"?

Gail just pointed to the kit bag that was situated by the office door ..

"That's a forensic kit Gail" Holly said educating the blonde ..

"Looks like a lunchbox to Me" Gail shrugged again ..

Holly shook her head opening her bag of chips " so tell me about your mom, I mean what happened with the whole gay cop thing"

Gail tensed up a little fiddling with her sandwich " nothing much to say, just that uh" she clears her throat " just that for the first time in my life I said no and didn't back down, and for the first or maybe the second time in my life I heard my father raise his voice .. And it wasn't at me which was a nice "she laughed ..

Holly sat back in her chair watching the blonde speak ..

"My mom went on and on and on"Gail continued " and the more I protested the more she pushed,until my dad told her no " reliving that moment the blonde laughed " my god my mothers face was a picture,she was so shocked that he spoke out, ya know "?

Holly nodded ..

"And what was weird was he gave me this speech about how it's ok for me to be me, like he in a round about way said its ok that I'm gay and it's ok if all I ever wanna be is a beat cop" Gail sighed " it was something new, and in some way refreshing "

Holly placed her hand on top of the blondes " well I'm happy for you. And your dads right, it is ok to just be you"

Gail watched their hands intensely "well it's because of you,"

Holly frowned "me"?

"Mmmm" Gail nodded " that little pep talk you gave me about not being pushed into things I don't want to do.. And that my life and my decisions are mine.. So thank you"

Holly smiled widely " well I don't think I did anything but you're welcome" she winked

Gail glanced at the clock on the wall "shit. I gotta go" she moaned jumping off the desk throwing the rest of her lunch into the bag it came from ..

"Ok" Holly nodded "thanks for lunch"

Gail nodded heading towards the door "hey " she said turning back "so I'm gonna be on the night shift for the next two nights, so I was thinking maybe I can pick you up Friday? Say... Sevenish"?

"Pick me up"? Holly frowned causing Gail to roll her eyes ..

" well do you want me to ask you out don't you"?

Holly's mouth opened a little in surprise " oh"

Gail just stood waiting for Holly to regroup ..

"So seven"?

Holly bit her bottom lip " so you do wanna date me"? She teased..

"Oh god,I'm taking that as a yes" Gail moaned "laters nerd"

"Hey wait" Holly called out following the blonde " where will we go? You know so I know what to wear"?

"I'll let you know in good time" Gail winked heading out the door ..

Holly leaned on the door frame of her office, her smile widening by the second .. " finally" she whispered to herself ..

Beep.. Beep..

Officer awesome- I know I didn't actually ask you out but .. Well I'm really glad you said yes. X

- I didn't actually say yes-

Officer awesome - please you've been dying for me to ask.. And I don't blame you I am awesome lol..

- hmmmmm-

Officer awesome - lol .. See speechless , I'll see you Friday? Xx

Holly threw her phone on the table with a giggle .. This women really was something she had never experienced before and as much as she didn't want to admit she was excited ..