Ok first thing - I got cussed out a little for Chapter 3 haha. I think I stayed true to Gail though. She's an imperfect person, which makes me love her character so much.

Sticking with me for Chapter 4? Fun chapter for me to write, so I hope you enjoy it.

Let me know what you think. Happy reading.

Chapter 4 Revelations and Resolutions

The next few days passed by in a flash for Gail. She worked. She went home. She slept. Gail threw herself into her double-shifts. It meant she could avoid her feelings. She was too exhausted to think when she got home and just collapsed into sleep.

She went from call to call. She even relished the drunk and disorderly calls they got. One of these disorderlies puked on her shoes. No problem, I can handle vomit on my shoes! Thank you intoxicated sir! Let me take your drunk ass to lockup!

She didn't blow a fuse when some jackass in a Maserati called her a bitch for pulling him over for going twice the legal limit on the Gardiner late at night. Anger is an emotion I am familiar with! Hands behind your back, you're going to jail!

Gail was elevating avoidance to an art form, and the craziness at work was enabling her. Just as long as she didn't slow done.

Holly had been going through the motions these last few days. She focused heavily on work, and was so far ahead on paperwork, journals, and the like, that she could have taken a couple of personal days and not fallen behind.

Holly took her paperwork home with her and when that began to dry up, she would watch old sci-fi movies on her laptop. She didn't want to go out. If it had been professionally respectable, she would have just stayed in her pajamas 24/7.

This is pathetic. She had told Gail she would give her time, but her life felt like it was on pause now. She was tempted to come up with another lame excuse to go to the station, but she resisted the urge. Get your shit together, Stewart.

When her co-workers decided to go out for drinks at the end of the day, Holly had readily agreed to go. She pretended so hard to be having fun, that she ended up actually enjoying herself.

Once she was back in bed though, trying to fall asleep, Gail crept back into her thoughts. How much time do you need, Gail?

Another day passed.

Gail found herself in an uncomfortably silent moment in the locker room at the precinct, after her shift had ended. She hung her head and rubbed at her tired eyes. The door opened behind her. Saved!

Traci walked in and found Gail sitting with her head in her hands.

"Are you ok, Gail?" Traci asked.

"Just tired," Gail sighed, forcing some semblance of a smile onto her face.

Gail tried to smile at her, but it ended up looking more like a grimace. She knew Gail had been working hard, but the look in Gail's eyes seemed like more than just fatigue.

"Have you seen Holly lately?" Traci asked her. Though Gail certainly hadn't said anything, any fool could have seen the way that the two of them had looked at each other whenever they were together.

Gail's head snapped up so quickly, Traci was afraid she had hurt herself. Gail had tried to compose herself, but Traci had seen the mask come down for a moment.

"Why do you ask?" Gail sighed.

"Listen, I don't want to pry…"

"Then don't."

"Ok, I'll leave you to it then…" Traci turned and started to walk away. She stopped suddenly and turned back around.

"Listen Gail, when Jerry died I thought I would never love again. I didn't want to. I thought the pain wasn't worth it in the end. But that was just my grief. I wont live my life that way. That isn't a real life, to live closed-off from the world. You have to just let yourself go sometimes. Be brave enough to give yourself completely to another person."

Gail had been glaring at her since she had opened her mouth, but Traci watched with surprise and then compassion, as Gail's face crumpled with emotion. Traci placed a firm hand on Gail's shoulder; she knew she wasn't really a hugger. She was astonished when Gail stood up and threw her arms around her in a fierce hug.

"I've acted like such a fool," Gail said, her voice thick with emotion.

"It's never too late to try and make things right," Traci said, hugging Gail back. "The worst that will happen is you'll make a fool of yourself, and as you just said, you've already done that, so…"

Gail released her from the embrace with such sudden force, that Traci almost fell over. Gail grabbed her bag and ran from the room. Traci stared after her, bewildered at the sudden exit. Then the door came crashing open again.

"I forgot my shoes," Gail said, sheepishly. She bent over and quickly pulled on her shoes, blushing from ear to ear. "You're like Buddha, you know that. Thanks for the advice."

Gail ran from the room a second time.

Gail dialed her phone, while she drove. She had pulled someone over for distracted driving earlier that day. I'm a terrible police officer. I'll write myself a ticket. Traci's words had been like a splash of icy water in her face. Like a slap in the face, it had woken her up. It all seemed so obvious now. What have I been doing these last few days?

The phone rang and rang, then went to voicemail.

"Holly, it's me. I'm driving dangerously on the way to your place right now. Please, let me up when I get there. I really need to talk to you." Gail tossed her phone onto the passenger seat and pushed her foot down a little harder on the pedal.

Please be home.

Holly had been watching Attack of the Fifty Foot Woman on her Mac, with her headphones in, and hadn't heard her phone buzz. She absentmindedly turned her phone on to check the time, when she saw with a thrill that she had a missed call from Gail. Holly's heart thudded in her chest, as she waited for the voicemail to begin.

"Holly, it's me. I'm driving dangerously on the way to your place right now. Please let me up when I get there. I really need to talk to you."

Holly's heart felt like it was in her throat now. "End of message. To delete this message, push 7. To save - " Holly ended the call and tossed her phone aside. Gail was on her way here right now.

There was a sudden knock on her door. Holly froze. Someone must have let Gail in. So go answer it, Holly!

Holly got up from the couch and went over to her front door. She pulled it open to find a very flustered-looking Gail Peck.

"I'm a coward," Gail began, without preamble or preface. She made no attempt to step inside, but hurried on. Holly listened, standing on the threshold of her apartment, door wide-open. "It took a trauma for me to do something with you I really wanted to do – and even then I ran - it's not the gay thing – please believe me – I ran because it was too good…I felt too much. Who does that? In the station…I knew everyone would be able to see it all over my face – I just wanted you to be mine alone, just for a little longer - I haven't stopped thinking about you – you have legs for days – has anyone ever told you that? – FOR DAYS – But it's not just a sex thing – but the sex thing - A+ - I don't know why I just gave you a grade – that was idiotic – I look at you and my mind goes there – sorry.…What I'm trying to say is this - I really fucking like you. I like your crooked smiles and your brown eyes. I like that you're kind of weird – I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm sort of weird too – but I think you get me. You make me want to be better. You do make me better – I don't want to make the same mistakes. You, Holly Stewart, are my game-changer. I want to be with you - "

"Stop talking," Holly said, finally interrupting Gail.

Gail's heart sank for a moment. But then Holly's mouth was pressing into hers. She had taken ahold of the front of her shirt and was pulling her into her apartment. Holly pushed the door closed behind her, then pushed Gail up against the door.

"I almost forgot my shoes." Gail was having trouble stopping the flood of honesty, now that she had started.

Holly covered her mouth with a firm kiss, ignoring her, and Gail put her tongue to better use in Holly's mouth.

Holly had listened to Gail's words with escalating joy, and not a little bewilderment. Any hurt she had felt had quickly melted away with Gail's display of vulnerability. Now she just wanted Gail's clothes off.

Holly pulled Gail away from the door long enough to yank her top off and then pushed her back. She ran her mouth along Gail's cleavage, before undoing the strap of her bra; Gail let it fall to the floor. Gail tried to undress Holly, but the other woman kept pushing her hands firmly back against the door. Holly pulled her own shirt off. Gail let Holly take complete control.

Holly was kissing her with such urgency, that she couldn't catch her breath. A few days apart, had felt more like a few months, and Gail could tell Holly was feeling the same hunger. Holly undid her pants and then her fingers were inside her, and Gail's whole body was on fire.

Gail was moaning in her ear, and with each sound, Holly's desire intensified. She took a moment to pull off Gail's pants and underwear, before she was back inside her. She had leveraged Gail up against the door, and Gail clung tightly, arms around her. Gail lifted one of her legs up, pressing it against Holly's hip. Holly held her up, with her free hand behind Gail's knee. Neither of them had any patience, and after only a moment, Gail's moans rose, and Holly felt her orgasaming around her fingers.

They both stood, Gail leaning against the door and Holly leaning on Gail, panting for breath. Holly gently lowered Gail's leg to the floor. She saw the forceful look in Gail's eyes, as Gail took her by the hips and switched their positions, so now Holly was leaning against the front door. Gail kissed her deeply, while she pulled her pants off. She hooked her thumbs into Holly's underwear and slowly pulled them down. Then she dropped to her knees in front of Holly.

Gail felt a surge of excitement as she looked up at Holly's face and saw the all-consuming yearning staring down at her. Gail placed her tongue between Holly's legs and heard her gasp. As her tongue found a rhythm, Holly placed her hand firmly on the back of Gail's head, tangling her fingers in her hair. Holly wrapped one leg over Gail's shoulder, and Gail placed her hand behind Holly's ass, holding her up and pulling her forward. She had missed the taste of Holly's body.

As each wave of ecstasy passed over Holly, she could feel her legs weakening. She placed her free arm behind her head, but found no real purchase. Just when she thought she couldn't hold on any longer, she felt her body tip-over the edge into a leg-buckling orgasm.

They both fell in a heap on the floor, clothes strewn around them.

"I did notice," Holly said, after a moment.

"Notice what?"

Holly untangled her limbs from Gail's, so she could prop herself up and look at her face.

"That you're weird. Weirder than me, I think," Holly said, laughing at the indignant look on Gail's face."

"You spend your days with dead people," Gail hooted. "There is no way."

"We'll see. Do you want some ice cream?" Holly asked, placing a kiss on Gail's shoulder.

"Um, yeah I do. Do you have chocolate sauce?"

"Of course."

"Dream woman."