Part 12

As Gail stowed her bag away into her locker she turned at her name.

"Leo!" She said spotted Traci's son who came over to give her a hug. "Hey, what are you doing here?" She asked, returning the hug and spotting Traci entering the locker room.

"There you are Leo." Traci said looking exhausted and shift hadn't even started yet. "Hey Gail."

"Hey," Gail smiled at her friend as Leo climbed up and sat cross legged on the bench. "What is this, bring your kid to work day? If it is thank god no one told my mother." She said shuddering at the thought of spending a day in her mother's company, especially at HQ.

Traci shook her head as she took a seat beside her son and dropped the two bags she was carrying down onto the floor. She then ran a hand over Leo's hair in an attempt to tame the curls. She smiled at the futility of it as they simply bounced back out in all directions.

"No. There was a flood at his school overnight, they're sending a few grades home. Unlucky for me…" She trailed off with a sigh.

Gail scowled. "Do you need him dropped off with your mom?"

"No, she's out at my Aunt's place today, it would take her hours to get back." Traci explained, then she looked at her friend pleadingly. "Can you watch him while I make a couple of phone calls?"

"Sure." Gail agreed quickly, then signed to Leo if that was okay, and if he wanted a drink. She was impressed when he made an 'o' and then flicked his finger up. "Someone's been practising." She said with a beaming smile as he looked back at her with a shy look.

Traci stood eyeing the pair. "I'm still not sure I should have let you teach him that." She said narrowing her eyes playfully. She could get the gist of the conversation, Gail had lifted her hand to her mouth in a drinking motion and Leo had responded with two signs which she assumed were the letters O and K.

Gail shrugged as Leo stood and her hand dropped onto his shoulder to guide him to the break room. "He could probably teach you if you wanted to learn." She offered only to feel Leo turn and shake his head at her. She bit her lip not to laugh as he pointed at his mom then made a motion like he was tugging at his beard if he had one.

She laughed as he raced out ahead of them.

"Do I even want to know?" Traci asked handing Leo's school bag over to Gail.

"Probably not." Gail replied making a face.

Traci sighed. "Give me five minutes."

"Take your time, we're not going anywhere."

xxxxx

After speaking quickly to Frank about the situation Gail found Leo sat on the couch in the break room. She handed over a juice cup and then asked him about what he was missing at school. He told her he'd been due to hand in his math booklet for marking so she got him to take it out so they could both go over it for the next time he went in.

As they both looked over his answers she pointed to one she thought he should look at again. It took him a little thinking time to realise that the answer was wrong and he quickly rubbed out his previous answer to replace it with the right one.

Gail then pointed out another problem and asked him to check that answer.

She smiled as he struggled for a few minutes to see anything wrong with his answer.

"So?" She asked as it was clear he wasn't finding any answer other than the one he already had written down.

Leo shrugged at her keeping his face turned down. "Don't know."

"Hm." Gail hummed and smiled. "Guess there's nothing wrong with that one then." She told him.

Leo lifted wide eyes to the blonde. "Really?"

"Well, you saw what you missed on the last problem and you fixed it, right?" She asked him and he nodded at her. "Could you see anything wrong when you went over this one?" She pointed to the one he hadn't changed.

"No."

"Then you're good." She finished closing the book.

Leo grinned and kicked his feet, pleased with getting his work right.

A throat clearing had Gail looking up only to spot her brother in the doorway.

"Back in a bit Leo." She said to the boy and got up and went over to Steve stepping out into the hallway. "What are you doing here?" She asked with a frown.

"Nice to see you too, sis." Steve muttered with a shake of his head. "I'm not on today so I'm going to watch Leo for Traci."

Gail snorted before she could stop herself.

"Thanks. I have watched him before you know." He told her.

Gail took a deep breath as her brother squared his shoulders at her. "And what do you plan on doing with him all day?"

Steve shrugged. "He can watch some of my dvds or whatever's on TV. It's not that hard."

Gail thought he was kidding but he looked completely serious. "You're going to sit a seven year old kid in front of the TV for the day? You're kidding me right?"

Steve scowled at his little sister as she stood there with her hands on her hips, clearly unimpressed with his plans for the day. "I'll take him out for lunch, I'm not completely stupid."

Gail bit her bottom lip and gave Steve a glare before gripping him by the arm and dragging him further away from the break room to prevent Leo overhearing either of them.

"Look, seriously Steve, if you're just trying to score points with Traci by helping her out then I can call Holly and ask her to look after Leo today, at least she'll pay attention to him." Gail said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Steve asked crossing his arms over his chest defensively.

Gail leaned closer to Steve and lowered her voice. "You're kinda this kids step-dad so try acting like it and spend the day getting to know him, he's a smart fucking kid Steve, and he doesn't need palmed off of you and sat in front of a fucking TV all day!" She ground out through clenched teeth.

Steve tried hard not to react to the step-dad comment, but the truth was, even although he'd been dating Traci for a few weeks now, he hadn't spent a lot of time with Leo.

He frowned at his sister. "Well what do you suggest I do with him then sis?"

Surprised her brother was willing to take her advice Gail fumbled for something to say.

Steve snorted, then slapped his sister on the shoulder before turning away from the blonde to go collect Leo. "Thanks for the help."

"Wait!"

Steve turned and Gail walked over to him. "Yeah?"

"You weren't there on Sunday-"

"I wasn't invited!"

Gail sighed and tried again. "So, take him back, ask for a rematch or something. He'll love that." She said. "And let him win." She added with a scowl, knowing her brother could get competitive.

Steve rolled his eyes but kept listening.

"Traci always makes him a school lunch so make sure he eats that, afterwards…" She racked her brain for something Leo would like but it was cold outside with snow on the way so it had to be indoors. She shrugged at her brother. "Take him to the movies if there's anything kid friendly playing. Then I don't know go home and make the three of you dinner and just get to know him."

"Hm." Steve stared at Gail until she began to look nervous then he grinned and pinched her cheek. "Maybe you're not just a pretty face after all."

Gail slapped his hand away and scowled after him as he walked away. She wasn't sure why she bothered, it sure wasn't for Steve's benefit.

By the time she got back to the break room Traci was there zipping up Leo's jacket and handing his bag over to Steve.

"Are you sure this is okay?" Traci asked Steve looking concerned and unsure.

Steve gave her a big grin and tapped Leo on the shoulder. "Hey, we are going to have a great day together and then Leo can tell you all about it over dinner tonight at my place."

A happy smile lit up Traci's face at that and she edged closer to Steve. "Well in that case, I look forward to it." And then she kissed Steve on the cheek and ruffled Leo's head of hair. "You be good."

"Yes mom." Leo said with a roll of his eyes. Then he looked over to Gail.

Gail winked at him and repeated the signage he'd made about Traci but she pointed to Steve.

He laughed.

"Bye Leo." She said and headed for parade which she knew she was late for.

"Bye Aunt Gail." She heard aimed back at her and it left a grin on her face even as she received curious looks for arriving late to parade. She ignored them and listened to the last of Best's speech.

Even if she hadn't been watching Leo given what had gone on between her and Frank she was sure she'd earned a pass on turning up late.

xxxxxx

"So you seem…happy?" Chloe said as they returned to the squad after a false report of a break-in, the tenant had locked themselves out and forced a window open to gain access.

Gail ignored the redhead as she was likely to do for the rest of their shift.

Just as she was securing her seat belt her cell buzzed in her pocket, and with Steve watching Leo she decided to take the time to check it out.

Hey! I got your number – Eliza :P

Gail snorted and tapped out a message to Holly before storing Elizabeth's number into her contact list.

Her phone buzzed quickly and she grinned before checking it to confirm it was from her girlfriend.

No I am not 'pimping' you out to my sister

Gail smiled and waited, knowing Holly well enough that there was likely to be a second message soon.

But if I was you'd be gold baby!

Gail snorted and put her cell phone away wondering if the sisters were out somewhere drinking.

"What?" Gail asked Chloe as she pulled away from their last location.

"Nothing." Chloe muttered then radioed in that they were available to take another call.

Not looking to start a conversation Gail was more than happy with the brush off even if Chloe was giving her looks out of the corner of her eye every now and again. She was content just to drive her route and get to the end of shift. It was already mid-afternoon and she'd yet to hear anything from Steve about his day with Leo, she really hoped the pair were having fun and Steve was relaxed with the kid.

"Car 15-31, domestic disturbance at 41 Eastbourne Street at Jarvis. Neighbour dispute."

Gail sighed and turned the car around as Chloe called them responding and flicked on the lights and the siren.

It took Gail less than four minutes to get to the scene and as she pulled up they both scrambled out of the car to separate the two men as it looked like the argument was about to go from verbal to physical.

Gail got in front of the older of the two men who looked to be in his late sixties and snapped out her baton as the younger man raised his arm looking to throw a punch.

"Back off! Now!" She told him, keeping her body between the two. The guy she was staring down seemed to weigh up his options before dropping his arm and taking a few steps back. "Good." Gail eyed him warily keeping her baton at the ready. "Now, mind explaining what's going on here?"

"I want him arrested!" The man told Gail pointing to the older gentleman behind her who looked on dismayed.

Gail eyed the two men then Chloe. "On what grounds, the way I see it I can have you arrested right now." She prodded not wanting to drag this out and looking for cold hard facts before she did anything.

The guy point at the man. "He's like the Ford guy that was in the news, he was all over my six year old daughter." He said.

Gail felt the blood drain from her face and she turned her head to stare at the older man, looking for something in her gut to tell her how serious to take such an accusation. The name Ford and the knowledge of what both those brothers and their father did was enough to make her want to throw up.

Was this older man the same as them?

The man looked back at her, meeting her gaze easily with nothing but confusion in his eyes, but there was a touch of guilt as well and it rolled her stomach.

She eyed Chloe to get her opinion but the redhead looked between both men and shrugged at the blonde.

"I want him arrested!" The guy shouted looking ready to charge through Gail to get to the other guy.

Shit!