Happy (American) Thanksgiving! I wish for you and yours many, many things to be for which to be thankful. I hope you enjoy this. So pull up a turkey leg or a tofu log and enjoy!

It was mid-afternoon when Traci walked into Holly's hospital room. Ryan was leaning back in a chair reading a three year old magazine with her legs crossed, her feet on the end of Holly's bed. Traci looked over at Holly who was sleeping and inclined her head in silent question.

"She's been asleep for the last couple of hours. Woke up briefly this morning enough to wonder where Gail is," Ryan whispered. Then she asked, "Where is Peck?"

Traci shook her head and sat down in the other visitor chair before answering. "Once the scene was mostly processed, we all took turns trying to convince her to leave. It took Steve threatening to abandon her to all future Peck dinners on her own to get her to go. I've never seen so much blood at one scene in all my time on the force. Gail and Perik must have fought through the entire upstairs. It took us hours to catalog everything. I interviewed Gail myself. She had trouble remembering some of it. I think because it all must have happened so fast."

"We," Ryan gestured to the still sleeping Holly, "were expecting her here."

"Yeah. Steve called me after he took Gail home. The EMTs had treated her on scene; she refused to go to the hospital. Their best guess was that she had at least three broken ribs, she had some bruising around her neck where Perik had tried to choke her, but after they cleaned all the blood off of her they decided she'd live. She had blood from both Perik and Holly all over her.

"Anyway, Steve said she panicked at the thought that he was going to bring her here so she refused to take any pain pills until he took her to her apartment. Then when she took one she freaked out and made him promise to stay and protect her from baby pink elephants."

"Baby pink elephants?"

"I…"

Holly spoke up. "It was a stuffed animal in the ER when she burned her wrist. It freaked her out so bad that she asked McNally to get rid of it. She told me McNally made it disappear."

"Hey there girl. How are you feeling?" Traci asked as she reached out and took Holly's hand.

"What was it, Ry?"

"I said you looked like hammered shit."

"Yeah. That."

Traci laughed. "Well, let me say, you've never looked better to me. I'm so glad you're all right."

"Thanks, Trace."

"Has the doctor been by?" Traci asked.

Holly looked over at Ryan. Ryan answered, "Not this afternoon. Your main surgeon came by this morning. You were out cold. Said she expected you to recover with almost no lasting effects. She said you were lucky to have a surgeon as talented as Lisa on your team."

"Lisa operated on me?!"

"Easy there. Yes she did." Ryan raised her hand to pat Holly's foot and thought better of it. "Sorry, Hol, I'm not sure where to touch you that isn't sliced up."

"I don't think there is anywhere," Holly answered smiling sadly.

"Hey, hey. It's going to be okay. Lisa said you'd have minimal scarring."

"When did she come by?"

"Last night."

"Not today? That's odd. I wonder…"

"Probably my fault," Ryan said.

"Why is that?" Holly asked slowly.

Just then they all noticed Mac standing in the doorway. She spoke up smiling, "Probably because Special Agent Parker here popped her in the eye."

Traci stared between the newcomer and Ryan. Holly said slowly, "Ryan?"

"What was it you said, Mac?" Ryan asked.

"I said emotions were running high," Mac answered her arms crossed over her chest leaning against the doorjam.

"Yeah…yeah…emotions. I did it because of emotions," Ryan said and Holly tilted her head in question. "It was emotions." Ryan repeated emphatically. She refused to say anything further. Lisa did save Holly's life after all.

"Ry, you shouldn't have done that. Lisa can be…vindictive," Holly said carefully.

"Oh I wouldn't worry about that. I just introduced Dr. Gordon to my friend Madison. They have a coffee date later this afternoon," Mac said smirking.

"Oh God. You've pimped out your friend for me." Ryan put her face in her hands. "What's this going to cost me?"

"Oh, the possibilities are endless," Mac said laughing. "But it won't cost you anything. I'm not blackmailing you. Besides, I might have done the same thing in your position."

"What position is that?" Traci couldn't stop herself from asking.

Mac ignored the warning look from Ryan and walked into the room so that she could better direct her answer to Holly. "Your friend Dr. Gordon blamed Gail for you being hurt and said some unflattering things about her and you for that matter. Before any of us knew what was happening, Ryan hit her. It was more of a jab than a full punch though."

"What did she say?" Holly asked pushing herself up on the bed.

"I don't think the particulars are important. The important thing is that I didn't do it on purpose." Ryan gestured helplessly with her hands for emphasis.

"What did she say?" Holly asked again.

"If you want to know so bad, ask Lisa," Ryan said and looked over at Mac. "I wouldn't have told you anything if I'd had my druthers."

"We're going to need a translation there, Parker," Traci said.

"You know…" Ryan looked around and saw the blank faces. "It means…it means…look I'm not exactly sure. I think it's my 'I'd rathers' but I'm not sure. I just wouldn't have told you if it'd been left up to me."

"I knew that and I didn't think it was right for you to take the blame. I really thought it was that both of you care very deeply for Holly though." Mac turned to Holly. "Your friend had just operated on you. Everyone was very upset. I think she just needed someone to blame to explain what happened to you. You were in pretty bad shape. I'm amazed you're coherent and talking."

"Well, I guess I owe that to my medical team. I assume you were part of it, or are you just here to give Ryan a hard time? Either way, thank you," Holly said to Mac with a half-smile.

"Nice to formally meet you," Mac said and shook Holly's hand then Traci's. "I'm MacKenzie Maclean." She turned back to Holly. "My partner Gibbons and I gave Ryan a ride on a heli and picked you up late last night/early this morning. You looked like death on a cracker. I'm amazed you were able to tell your friend how to stop the bleeding on that wound without any real medical supplies. You must be a helluva doctor."

"I…I didn't."

"Gibby owes me twenty bucks," Mac grinned. "I said the blonde did it. That was an expert level field dressing. I love being right."

Traci decided to fill in the gaps for them. "It's a Peck thing. Steve told me. Their parents sent them to all kinds of camps and things growing up. Things that would make them better suited for the force." She looked at Ryan. "Remember when I told you to think of the Peck house like ancient Sparta?" Ryan nodded. "Elaine and Bill trained them like they were soldiers."

"That's messed up," Mac said.

"You don't know the half of it," Traci responded.

"But I do. Gail is amazing despite her family. She never let me around them all that much. So I had to figure things out just by observing Gail. She's got all those walls because of them. From what I can tell, they have no idea how amazing she is but I do," Holly said in a quiet voice.

"Sounds like you're in love," Lisa said from the doorway.

Holly looked over at her friend who had managed to enter the room without anyone noticing her. "That's quite a shiner," Holly teased.

"Can I help it if your friend over there hits like a hammer?" Lisa replied.

Ryan stood up wiping her good hand on her pants as she did so and addressed Lisa, "I am really sorry. I had the most awful day yesterday. I know that's no excuse, but it's not like me. I don't know what to say."

"Well, lucky for you, it elicited the perfect amount of sympathy from Dr. Harris who happens to think it makes me look dangerous. And while I will never say any words deserve a violent response, I was out of line with what I said. We were both on edge yesterday. I didn't even know Holly was in Toronto much less that she'd end up in my OR. So let's call it even," Lisa said and held her hand out to Ryan. Ryan shook it.

"Thanks, Doc."

"Not a problem thanks to your friend Mac over there, who, if the grapevine can be trusted, is quite taken with you Agent Parker," Lisa said and Mac blushed to the roots of her hair.

"How did you do that? I've been trying to get under her skin for the last 48 hours," Ryan said.

"Ah, that's easy. The best friends always talk," Lisa replied.

"Speaking of, can you guys give us a minute?" Holly asked.

"Sure," Traci answered. "I need to check in with my mom and Leo anyway.

"Yeah, I'll just go and murder Maddie. Be back in a few," Mac said.

"Aw now darlin' do go 'n do that. Besides, I like knowin' I crank your tractor," Ryan teased.

Mac rolled her eyes. "Oh my God. Stop." Not quite successfully hiding the smile on her face.

After they left, Holly looked at Lisa. "I'm sorry you had to operate on me but I'm glad you did."

"I didn't even know you were in Toronto, Holly."

"I know. I'm sorry. This case…this case has been horrible."

"Why didn't you talk to me? Or Rachel? I called her today and she didn't know either."

"I haven't been talking to anyone, well, except Ryan."

"I get that you can't share case details, Holly but c'mon. You could let your two best friends know you were going to be in town," Lisa said emphatically.

"No. I couldn't. Not really. I was afraid you'd be in danger. Anyone around me was a potential target."

"How long has this been going on?"

"A few months. Right after I got my promotion."

Lisa looked away. "I just thought you were busy. I should have known."

"Hey, it's not your fault. I couldn't figure out a way to do what I had to do and still have a normal life."

"Madison said that according to Mac, who heard from Ryan…God, this feels like a game of telephone…"

"So, what's the story morning glory?" Holly smiled her crooked smile.

Lisa smiled back. Then she sobered. "Madison said all the victims looked like your ex-girlfriend." Holly nodded in response. "So for months you've been autopsying women who look like Gail?" Holly just nodded again. "Holly, I'm so, so sorry." Lisa sat on the edge of Holly's bed and took Holly's hands in hers gently. "I know that tore you apart."

Holly started to cry softly. "It was awful."

"Aw, honey. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you."

"I didn't really let anyone in."

"You hardly ever do." Lisa took a deep breath. "Did Ryan tell you why she hit me yesterday?"

"She told me that I had to ask you. She said, no Mac said, whatever, someone said that 'emotions were running high.'"

"Well, that's certainly one way to put it. I was just so blindsided. I needed someone to blame, and it was a hell of a lot easier having this be Gail's fault than a scalpel wielding psychopath. I didn't mean it. It was stupid of me. So let me just say to you – I'm sorry."

"Lisa, I never listen to what you say anyway," Holly smirked.

"Bitch!" Lisa teased playfully. Then more seriously, "I also found out that Ryan dislocated her shoulder fighting off one of your psychopaths and Gail had Ryan request me so you wouldn't have scars. All that true?"

"Yeah."

"Dammit. I'm going to have to make nice with the cop, aren't I?"

Holly sighed. "Well, that depends if she'll see me."

"What the hell? Why wouldn't she see you?"

"I don't know."

"If she doesn't want to see you, she's a bigger idiot than I thought she was."

"Lisa," Holly warned.

"What? It's true."

"Lisa!"

"Fine. I'll make nice with her. I'll hire a skywriter if I have to."

"Better."

"You need anything? How much pain are you in?"

"I'm okay."

"Don't lie to me, Holly. I've known you too long."

"I want to be awake if she comes by."

"If you're in this kind of shape, what does she look like? Is she in another hospital?"

"No. They treated her on scene because she refused to go to a hospital, but she had a few broken ribs and she's taking painkillers. Her brother is watching her."

"Okay so she's on pain meds. She's not going to be by anytime soon. Hit the little red button and deal yourself some happy juice. Rachel is going to be by later on tonight. She said she can't wait to meet the woman who finally did what she's wanted to do since we met."

"What's that?" Holly asked as she was pushing the button that would administer a dose from her pain pump.

"Punch me in the eye when I was being a bitch," Lisa said as she adjusted Holly's pillows. Holly just smiled dreamily in response.

Folks,

I know this is probably not the chapter you wanted to read. It wasn't the one I set out to write but Gail is a stubborn ass. I think Holly is going to have to be the one to convince her. I promise we'll have that soon. But please let me know what you think. You know how I love reviews...