Gail began to panic.
"Holly, HOLLY!" but there was no response and she knew there wouldn't be.
She was also cognizant of the fact that she probably shouldn't move Holly incase she had a spinal cord injury. Unfortunately, the smoke was too thick and she was beginning to feel light-headed herself. She discerned that if she did not get Holly out of there they were both going to be irrevocably trapped. With a strength she wasn't necessarily aware she had Gail gingerly picked up Holly and carried her across her body. She searched for the best way out of the lab area after finding the door she had come through led to a hallway that was entirely engulfed in flames. She stepped out the side entrance and followed one of the only hallways that did not have smoke that was too thick to see through or flames leaping from the walls. She was relieved that after several twists and turns she saw her very own oasis: the glowing red word EXIT. She walked as quickly as she could to the door and stepped outside. The scene out there was insane, police, firemen and EMTs everywhere. She carried Holly to the closest ambulance and only when she put her down on the gurney did she realize how much that took a toll on her.
"I'm riding with you" she managed to breathe out to the EMT.
She left no room for discussion when he looked up at her and received an icy glare back. He closed the doors to the ambulance and they were off.
Holly awoke in a hospital bed completely unaware of why she was there. She looked to her left to find Gail gently holding her hand, sleeping hunched over with her head on her hospital bed. She looked disheveled, to say the least. She was still partially in her uniform. Her Kevlar vest and uniform shirt were slung over the back of her chair and she was only wearing the undershirt. She had large gauze wrapping on her left arm. She had taken off her utility belt which was on the floor beneath her chair. Looking at her beautiful face Holly noticed there were very dark circles under Gail's eyes. Holly decided it would be best to let her continue sleeping—she certainly looked as if she could use it. Furthermore, Holly was just happy to be in Gail's presence, even if it was in some strange hospital room.
About an hour later Gail stirred. Holly gently brushed her thumb over the back of Gail's hand, which fully awoke her. Gail looked quite startled.
"Holly…" she gasped out weakly.
"You look surprised to see me. How long was I out?"
"This will be day four."
"Oh, that's not good. I don't even remember what happened. The last thing I recall I heard several loud noises, they sounded like explosions, when I was running some tests in my lab."
"Somebody bombed the morgue, Holly" Gail replied sadly.
"Oh, oh my god…is everyone alright?"
"An intern died, everyone else is fine or has minor injuries. You have the worst injuries of the survivors," Gail stated as gently as possible.
"I…which intern?"
"I don't mean to sound insensitive, but I don't remember the name. I've been preoccupied worrying about you. I promise I'll find out and tell you" Gail responded.
With that, she pulled out her phone and texted Chris.
"Listen, I have to go to the bathroom. Chris is coming in to keep you company while I'm gone. Do you need any food? I could stop in the cafeteria and get you something?"
"Pudding, please."
"Alright, one pudding coming up." Gail softly smiled, stood up and walked out of the room when Chris arrived.
"How did I get out of the morgue?" Holly asked him immediately upon his entry.
"I was on patrol with Gail when she we got the dispatch that the morgue had been bombed. We were very close at the time so she turned around and raced on over. She got out of the car and ran into the morgue without backup or the bomb squad to get you. She came back out about fifteen minutes later carrying you. She found you slumped over by a row of filing cabinets…"
"I was all the way across the room at my desk when I heard the explosion" Holly interrupted.
"Yeah, the force of the blast…it looks like you had the presence of mind to jump away from the explosion but your jump and the force of the blast sent you clear across the room. You have a few broken ribs, a lot of bruises, and a large bump on the back of your head. The doctors say you should be fine, though, just fine."
Holly smiled weakly at him.
"How long has Gail been here?"
"She hasn't left once. She had me bring one of her spare uniforms from home because she noticed the nurses don't mess with her if she wears it."
"Oh?" Holly chuckled.
"Yeah, the day we brought you in they threatened to kick her out of the room and she told the nurse she would find a reason to arrest her if she didn't shut up, get out of her way, and let her stay."
Holly smiled her lop-sided grin.
"So she changed out of the uniform she found you in and has kept this one on so they don't try to remove her from your side. The entire nursing staff is terrified of her," Chris acknowledged.
With that statement Gail sauntered back into the room. She had two pudding cups for Holly and water for herself.
"Thanks Chris" she said quietly and he took it as his cue to leave the room.
"I'm glad you're awake, Holly. Gail was petrifying when you were unconscious."
He smiled at Holly and chanced a look over at Gail who was, of course, glaring at him. His smile widened and he left the room. Gail took Holly's hand and looked deeply into her eyes.
"Hol, I'm so sorry. I'm so so very sorry" she breathed out quietly.
"I was stupid…and I was…foolish. I had convinced myself that the best thing to do was just to not see you. I'm not emotional. I'm not an emotional person usually and…" she hesitated and shifted uncomfortably.
Holly kept the patient silence while Gail struggled to find her next words.
"You make me feel things I don't understand. When I'm around you I feel like I'm…I don't know…losing all control. Reactions with you are instantaneous. There's this spark I've never felt before. I feel like maybe I am damaged and you're the only cure. It scares me…I…I screwed up. I did exactly what I told you I do on the first day you met me and…you don't deserve that, you didn't deserve that and I'm sorry. I'm sorry it took this drastic event for me to realize how much I screwed up. I'm not an easy person and I know that. I understand I don't deserve your forgiveness and if you don't want to give it…I…I'm saying too many words. I don't talk this much. I'm sorry"
"Come here" Holly whispered gently.
"I can be such an idiot…" Gail huffed.
"Come here" Holly whispered again.
Gail stood up slowly and leaned over Holly's frame on the bed until their eyes met. Holly brought her hand up to stroke Gail's beautiful blonde hair and gently pulled her face forward. Holly crashed their lips together and their kiss was slow and sensuous. When they finally broke out of the kiss Holly looked up into Gail's ocean blue eyes and whispered,
"You have no idea how much I missed you."