We walk the short distance to Holly's apartment hand in hand. I am so not ready to lose this physical contact with her just yet. As we get inside, I settle her on her couch by wrapping a throw blanket around her while rubbing my hands along her arms to warm her up. As she settles further into the couch I go to the kitchen to make us both a cup of tea. As I hand Holly her tea, I place a reassuring kiss on her lips and sit next to her, holding my own cup in one hand and with my other hand I place it on Holly's leg as she is cradling her tea with both hands.
Holly sips on her tea and settles her nerves and with a sharp intake of breath begins to tell Gail all about Emily.
After she has finished telling Gail her story, Gail looks in her eyes and says "Holly, Losing someone you love in front of you is hard, I know as watching Jerry get murdered broke me, but losing someone you are deeply in love with and knowing that despite your efforts you couldn't do anything must have surely been devastating. Emily would have been proud of who you have become; as you Holly are the most beautiful, caring, supportive and loving person I have ever met. The day we met and everything that happened after just confirms to me that love at first sight exists...yes yes I know corny but true". Even though she elbows me somewhat playfully in my ribs I continue "You don't have to be the strong one all the time, I am here and I will catch you every time and hold you for as long as you want or need me to. Lean on me, trust me to be here as now that I have found you I am never letting go of you."
Holly hugs Gail again and says "Thank you" she pauses to gather her thoughts and starts again "Thank you for being here for me tonight, I know it was an emotional night and when I thought I had lost you I didn't know if I would ever be able to stand again, thank you for giving me the opportunity to tell you my story".
Gail gives her a kiss on the lips and as she holds the embrace tighter, says "Thank you for telling me your story, thank you for opening up to me, thank you for letting me in your world".
Holly is still sitting on the couch looking physically and emotionally drained. Even though Gail wants to ask about Holly's Parent's death, she knows that will be for another day as it has been an emotional day as it is.
Gail stands up and takes the now empty tea cups to the kitchen and then comes back and takes Holly's hands in hers and pulls her up into a deep embrace. They stand there holding each other for a long time before Holly leads her to the bedroom. Without saying a word, Gail gets out pyjamas for the both of them and they get changed in quiet.
In bed later, Gail is watching Holly while she lay there sleeping, she finally looks peaceful. It didn't take her long to fall asleep while they were holding each other in a loving embrace. As Gail lays there still awake she recalls what Chris said when Kevin Ford was hunting 15 down, "When it's dark, you can see the stars" after tonight she knows more than ever what she wants and that is Holly and everything that it offers.
Gail is now spooning Holly and even though she knows she is fast asleep, she leans in and whispers in Holly's ear, "I love you" before placing a gentle kiss on her cheek. It doesn't take long then for Gail to fall asleep.
Gail wakes early and as she doesn't want to disturb Holly, she stays in bed and plays on her cell phone. Eventually after running out of lives on Candy Crush and starts to tire of Star Wars Angry Birds, she starts flicking through the pictures on her phone when all of a sudden she gets out of bed, still careful so Holly won't be woken, gets dressed as fast as she can and leaves the bedroom and Holly's apartment.
It is about an hour later that Gail comes back and still finds Holly sleeping, probably from emotional exhaustion...it has been a long 12 hours. Carefully she places a present for Holly on her bed side table and goes down to the kitchen to make coffee and breakfast for both her and Holly.
It's not long after that Holly starts to stir and doesn't find Gail in bed with her. At first she is concerned that maybe Gail has changed her mind but it doesn't take long for her to smell the scent of freshly brewed coffee that is lingering in the air. Holly smiles, and rolls over and in an instant recognises the new addition in her room next to her bed.
It is a picture frame that has the words 'Hope, Love and Happiness' and inside the frame is a picture of them together at Frank and Noelle's wedding. They are pulling cute faces at each other and looking so happy to be in each other's company. Stuck to the frame is a yellow Sticky Note, which says "That night changed me forever, I love you Nerd".
Holly turns around to face the bedroom door as she can hear Gail coming up the stairs, as Gail enters the room with a tray carrying the breakfast and coffee, she looks at Gail and with a lopsided smile says "I love it, and Gail, Honey I am so falling in love with you" while holding the picture frame in her hands.
With that Gail places the tray that is in her hands down and jumps onto the bed to pull Holly into a deep embrace, a tear of happiness falls down her cheek as for the first time in her life she knows where she finally belongs. Gail knows that when she is in Holly's arms that she is home.
After awhile Gail pulls away from the embrace and looks at Holly with a cheeky smile and proudly informs her that she has made them both breakfast. Excitedly and impressed Holly enquires as to what she has made. Gail gets off the bed and hands her first the coffee and then hands Holly a bowl of Bircher Muesli with fresh tropical fruit. As Gail gets her own bowl and settles in the bed, Holly can see that Gail's breakfast is a bowl of cheese puffs! "Cheese Puffs Gail, OMG you really are insane, you know that right?"