A/N: Don't miss chapter 31! I uploaded it about 24 hours ago...

"I want you to go first. It's only getting worse, either way it's gonna hurt, but I want you to go first"

"Are you like, Holly's special friend?" The youngest Stewart cousin asked curiously. As he did so he rested his right hand on his knee, showing everyone the cards in his hand.

"Adam, shut up. You don't ask stuff like that," his older brother glared at him from across the circle.

"What?" Adam raised his left hand up in question. He had light brown hair and a buzz cut. His face was dotted with freckles that made his hazel eyes shine. Daniel, at the ripe age of twelve, thought about kicking his younger brother but he was too far away, plus there was one of those cube-like waiting room end tables between them.

"It's fine," Gail winked at him. "But we can all see your cards," she raised an eyebrow at him while gently pushing his cards up to standing with her right hand.

"Oops," Adam laughed at his mistake.

"Why'd you tell him?" Summer groaned.

"So, are you?" Adam asked again curiously. Summer and Evan snickered to themselves while Dan groaned, his younger brother was so embarrassing. Gail raised an eyebrow at him. Without an answer, he continued on, "I heard mom tell dad that Holly doesn't bring anyone around because his family is an abundance of anomalies." Summer and Evan's eyes went wide, Daniel rolled his, and Gail kept her's trained on the eight year old. He turned to ask the group, "what's an 'abundance of anomalies?"

Summer didn't miss a beat, "your mom's wrong. You haven't met any of Holly's 'special friends,'" Summer threw up air quotes, "because they've all sucked." Evan glared at his younger sister, who shrugged and added, "what? It's the truth. They've been more than an 'abundance of anomalies,'" complete with air quotes and a little extra sass.

Adam turned to Summer, "what does that mean?" His frustration was only compiled when his older brother snickered at him.

Gail looked at Daniel with a smirk, "well Merriam-Webster, do tell, do tell." Daniel's blush made Gail smile wider and Adam giggled.

Evan chimed in, "abundance means 'a lot of something' and an anomaly is something that isn't normal or what you'd expect; kinda like weird."

"And you mom was right about that," Summer chuckled. "And for like, the fourth time, it's your turn."

Holly didn't stop after she passed her uncle and grandfather. She walked straight through the waiting room and spotted her cousins playing cards with Evan and Gail in one corner and her mom and dad huddled with her aunt across the aisle. Gail had heard Holly's footsteps and looked up from their game.

"Where is she?" Holly asked with a mixture of urgency, concern, and annoyance.

Gail stood up from the waiting room chair, "don't know."

"She was here like five minutes ago," Evan offered up from his chair.

Holly looked around, "well, if she comes back, call me. And make her stay," she took off quickly for the hallway towards the main juncture of the hospital.

Gail looked down at Evan, "I should go, right?" She pointed after Holly with her hand of cards.

Evan shook his head 'no.'

Gail raised an eyebrow quizzically.

"Do you have a sister?" He asked with a hint of a laugh.

"If I said 'yes' my brother's ears would burn," Gail answered with a little more bite than she intended.

He openly laughed this time, "you should stay. Dan, it's your turn," he nodded towards his cousin.

"What are you doing here?" Holly whispered as she entered the chapel. This was the last place she thought Summer would be. She had already checked the cafeteria, a few bathrooms, the coffee carts, and the nursery window.

Summer didn't turn around and just responded with, "what are you doing here?"

Holly sat down beside her, "looking for you, but of course."

"Congrats! You found me, but have you found God?" Summer offered Holly her large cup of iced coffee.

Holly declined the coffee. "You don't even believe in God," she questioned.

"So? Neither do you," Summer took a long sip from the straw.

"Well, I'm not the one hiding in the chapel," Holly smiled one of her crooked smiles.

"Actually, ya kinda are," Summer pointed out.

"I'm only here because you are," she poked Summer in the shoulder. "I'm not hiding."

"Ow. Rude," Summer made a show of rubbing her injured shoulder. "I like it here. It's creepy, but it's less hospitally."

"That's fair," Holly sighed and let the quiet be for a minute. "She's gonna die, you know," Holly turned to look at Summer.

Summer rolled her head and eyes, "golly gee, you don't say. I'm not an M.D. Hol, but I'm not slow."

"I know, I just," Holly looked away for a moment before looking back at her sister, "are you-are you worried about her?" Holly wanted to get her sister to talk but she wasn't really sure how to in this situation.

"What do you mean? She's not in pain anymore, I know that much. Do you mean, am I worried about her soul?" Summer asked almost accusingly.

"Well, I don't know," Holly raised an arm before dropping it back onto her thigh.

"No, Holly, I'm not worried about her soul, because I'm pretty sure if there is a God, which I don't think there is, he or she or it would have to be answering to her." Holly laughed for a moment before Summer continued, "she was a saint and she'll be fine no matter what." Summer chewed on her straw lightly as she took a long drink.

"It's okay to be sad you know."

"Thanks Doctor Phil," Summer quipped with the straw still in her mouth.

Holly elbowed Summer in the ribs, "she liked your sass. She might have scolded you for making your little comments but she was always laughing a little."

"Ha!" Summer put her feet up on the chair in front of her.

"She was!" Holly insisted.

"Evander's being such an ass," Summer accentuated her brother's name with a pompous aire.

"Don't say that in a church," Holly whispered.

"This isn't a real church, Hol," Summer's tone suggested Holly was being naive.

"Sure it is," Holly looked around.

"Fine, whatever, he's being an annoying, and controlling little man-boy," Summer smiled.

Holly felt like she shouldn't laugh, but she couldn't help the beginnings of a chuckle escape her throat, and a smirk ghost her face. "Yeah, I know. That's just his way though. He's trying to be there for everyone, which would be really nice if it wasn't so infuriating," Holly conceded. Holly spoke softly, her voice dripping with care, "come on, we gotta go. It's time," Holly rose from her chair and waited for her sister to follow suit.

"Go fish!" Adam proclaimed with a smile.

Daniel rolled his eyes as he reached for a card from the pile, "this game is stupid."

"Fine," Adam stuck out his tongue, "we can play something else." Both boys threw their cards into the center.

"What do you guys wanna play?" Gail asked casually as she started to shuffle the deck.

"Crazy eights," Adam smiled.

"No," Daniel groaned. "We played that for seven hours on the plane to China."

"Fine," Adam slumped in his chair, "what do you wanna play?"

Daniel shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know."

Gail looked between the brothers, "you guys know Blackjack?"

Adam shook his head side to side with an interested look on his face.

"How do you play?" Daniel sounded intrigued.

Gail continued to shuffle the cards and explained that the overall goal of the game was to have your cards total more than the dealer's, without going over twenty one. She told them that they would each be dealt two cards at first but that she, the dealer, would have one card face down that they couldn't see. Gail explained that all face cards were counted as ten, and that aces could be counted as one or eleven. As the dealer she had to ask for additional cards, 'hit', until she had more than sixteen, and had to 'stand' at that point. "We can play the first couple rounds with all of our cards face up until you get the hang of it," she said as she dealt them all two cards. Gail turned to Adam and asked patiently, "do you want another card or do you want to stay?"

He looked down at his cards and bit his lip, "umm." He looked up at her, unsure.

"Well you've got a five and a nine which means you have," Gail paused for him to finish for her.

"Fourteen," he said with a smile.

"Right, and how many do I have?" She coached, looking down at her own cards.

"Seventeen," he answered after a brief pause to add up Gail's nine and eight.

"Right, so I'm not allowed to ask for anymore cards. So that's my final hand. So you have to get between a seventeen and twenty one to not lose. Which makes it simpler for now."

"So, I've got nothing to lose asking for more cards?"

Gail nodded at him.

"Okay. Hit me!" He exclaimed with a smile.

Gail flipped another card over in front of him, "tap your cards with your finger if you want another."

He was quiet as he added his new four to his five and nine. He tapped his cards and said, "another!"

"Wait," Daniel cut in immediately, "didn't he already win?" Gail nodded before Daniel continued, "because you have to keep your seventeen and he has eighteen now. So he already wins."

Gail nodded again and Adam quickly said a cheery, "oh! Then I don't want anymore."

"So hold your hand over your cards and wiggle it a little," Gail demonstrated, "that means you want to 'stay.'" Gail turned to look at Daniel who had eleven showing. He stared down at his cards, concentrating, and tapped on them twice. Gail dealt him another card; a five. He didn't move his gaze and tapped twice more. She, again, flipped another card over in front of him; an eight.

"Bust," Adam said gleefully. "I beat you." Daniel raised his head up and glared at his younger brother.

"Actually," Gail cut in, "I beat him. You beat me, but you're not really playing against each other. You're both kind of playing two independent games against me." That was one of the reasons Gail had suggested this game. She gathered the cards up and started to shuffle them.

"How come everyone else is in there but us?" Adam asked.

"You don't want to be in there," Gail's answer was short as she shuffled the cards.

"Why not?" Adam looked up at her while he asked.

"Because she's dying now," Daniel rolled his eyes at his brother's niavete.

"But why is everyone in there but us?" Adam still wasn't satisfied.

Gail sighed, "because when you're an adult you can't skip the hard stuff. Even if you want to. You already did your hard stuff today." She dealt out another hand of cards. "Somethings you really won't understand until you're older, which is super annoying, but it's better than never understanding."

"How come you're out here?"

Daniel rolled his eyes at his brother's question.

"Because I never met your Gram," Gail gave Daniel another card when he tapped his hand.

"So?" Adam didn't understand.

"If you face planted at recess would you want the entire school to hang out in the nurse's office with you, or just your friends?" Gail raised an eyebrow at him.

"Oh," Adam conceded.

"Plus, someone had to make sure you guys didn't burn the place down," Gail winked and gave Daniel another card.

After a couple more hands Gail started playing with one of her cards face down. After their initial frustration at the change of pace the boys realized that the game was now a little more interesting. She eventually taught them about splitting their hand. Every few moments Gail would glance up at the double doors at the end of the waiting room. She looked up to see a figure walking down the hall beyond the double doors. Holly? She stared for a moment. No; Summer. She looked down to deal Adam another card but looked up when she heard Summer get closer. She plopped herself down in an empty chair. They made eye contact for a moment before Summer finally said, "well, deal me in already."

"Okay, Gail, seriously, where are we going?" Holly turned in the passenger seat to look across the console at Gail. "We've been driving for twenty minutes."

"I. Am. Not. Telling." Gail turned to Holly for a brief second and smiled.

"That was the seventh time," Evan piped up from back.

"Seventh what?" Holly whipped around and asked.

"Seventh time you've asked where we're going," Summer clarified. "But actually, it's the eighth time."

"What? No," Evan held up his hands in protest. All his fingers on his right hand were splayed, but only his thumb and pointer were showing on his left.

"The fourth time she asked she followed up with 'no but really, just tell me.' That was a two-for," Summer corrected him.

"You guys are the worst," Holly groaned and sunk lower into her seat which was getting difficult due to her long legs.

"Chill out, we're almost there," Gail patted Holly's knee.

"How do you even know where we're going?" Holly asked. "You've lived in Toronto your whole life and you're not using a GPS."

"I'm a police officer," Gail quipped. "I'm really good at directions." It wasn't that hard, really. Gail had remembered the way to the main road from Holly's grandparent's house, and a couple different highways later it was just off the main road. The sun was starting to set and Gail lowered the visor to try and block the glare out.

"Are we going to the mall?" Holly asked wearily.

"No," Gail quickly denied, shaking her head. "I hate malls."

"I know, but there's a pretty big one like a mile down the road. I got my picture taken there with Santa a couple times."

"Thank god," Evan rested his head on the headrest. He also hated malls.

A couple minutes later they pulled into a parking lot and Summer exclaimed, "righteous!" Before running out of the car as soon as the car stopped in a space. "Stellar," Evan commented before hopping out of the car to follow after his sister.

Gail turned the car off, and removed the key from the ignition before removing her own seatbelt.

Holly turned and smiled at Gail, a little dumbstruck, "you brought us to the batting cages?"

Gail turned in her seat and leaned against the driver door, "actually this place has go-karts, and laser tag, and mini golf too. It's cooler than the place you brought me to.

Holly mirrored Gail's position, "who would have thought you'd be bringing me to the batting cages?"

Gail shrugged, "I've been told it's cathartic."

Holly raised an eyebrow and her smile grew a little more crooked.

"Especially after a day like today," Gail added. Holly didn't say anything for a moment so Gail challenged, "we can leave dumb and dumber here if you want and head to the mall. Santa might even be around."

Holly laughed, "seeing as it's the end of July, I'm positive you'd probably have to arrest any 'Santa' we saw sooner of later."

"Probably," Gail cringed a little.

After a moment of silence Holly smiled a little wider, "thanks for bringing me here."

"Sure thing," Gail acted like it was nothing.

"And thanks or bringing those two," Holly added quickly.

"Wouldn't want them to be left to eat all your mom's cookies by themselves. They'd be bound to get sick," Gail smiled. "Watch out!" Gail grabbed Holly by the sleeve and pulled her off the door just as Summer yanked it open.

"Hurry it up! I've still got mom's credit card from picking up dinner, so shake a leg if you want her to pay."

Holly rolled her eyes at her sister as she and Gail hopped out of the car. They stayed for hours. Gail didn't so much as touch a bat but she was all about the go-karting and laser tag. This placed seemed to be right up Summer's alley, and Evan rolled up his oxford sleeves and got into it. He was a little too tall to take much cover in the laser tag arena, but he had played baseball for a while as a kid was even better than Holly at the batting cages. It was late when they got back, close to midnight, actually. Holly hovered at the top of the porch steps. Gail turned around when she realized Holly had paused and asked softly, "you coming?"

Holly bit her lip, "I don't really want to go in just yet."

Holly had seemed pretty care free at the batting cages and when they had all gone go-karting. But Gail could tell that the gloom seemed to be back. She took a few steps forward and sat down on the top step close to where Holly was standing. She turned on her heels and sat down next to Gail. "Thanks for tonight," Holly smiled weakly, "it was good to get away. I think they liked it too."

Gail wrapped her arms around her knees, it was a little chilly now that the sun had been down for a while. She cocked her head to the side to look at Holly and smiled, "you don't have to thank me."

Holly pushed her glasses back up to the bridge of her nose and leaned against the railing post, "well, I'm thankful that you did, so I'm telling you."

"Okay," Gail nodded softly, "well, you're welcome." They both were quiet for a few minutes before Gail spoke again, "I have to go back tomorrow night at least. I called in and we're super short staffed right now so I have to work on Saturday. Frank and Noelle are out with the baby and a bunch of people had already requested this weekend off." Gail waited for a response but got none. "I mean I could probably try and get my mom to pull some strings if you want me to stay." Still nothing. "Holly?" Gail waited a second before waving her hand in front of Holly's face. Nothing. Gail rubbed her hands up and down Holly's back and brushed a few strands of hair behind her ear when she started to stir.

Holly brushed her glasses back up and looked up and down, "oops."

Gail chuckled as she stood and took Holly's hand, "come on inside. Unless you want to sleep outside with the bugs."

"I want you to go first. It's only getting worse, either way it's gonna hurt, but I want you to go first"
- Rose Cousins "Go First"

A/N: I hope you guys didn't just miss Gail offering to CALL HER MOM for Holly, because that just happened.

For those of you that are worried I suggest you hang in there and read the next chapter... I'm trying to keep spoiler free on here...

p.s. FaBbErOoZ - I dig the feels.