Part 27

Holly sat there studying her girlfriend as she lay in the hospital bed next to her. She still looked so small and fragile that it made her tear up. She had no idea what Sam Swarek had said to Gail to make her this upset but she wanted to hurt him for it.

"Gail, sweetheart?" Holly spoke softly as she brought the hand in her own up to her lips. "It's going to be okay, I promise." She told the blonde.

Gail still felt the tears slowly leaking from her eyes, but she licked her lips and opened her good eye for Holly. She looked so concerned for her. There was nothing but love and heartache in those eyes staring back at her.

She wasn't sure she deserved that.

Holly saw that blue eye disappear and a flash of panic hit her forcing her to shuffle over and press her head against Gail's. She put her free hand on top of Gail's head and then pressed a kiss to her forehead before leaning against her and trying to wipe those tears away.

"Why don't you try and get some rest Gail?" She advised the blonde quietly, struggling not to break down herself at the sight of Gail like this. It was clear Gail was in no state to talk about what had happened to her this morning and she wasn't even going to ask what Sam had wanted or said to her.

"Don't go." Gail begged with her bottom lip trembling.

Holly shook her head, biting her lip to keep from crying. "No. I'm not going anywhere baby. You just sleep." And she kissed Gail, peppering her face with her lips.

Gail sighed. She was tired. She shifted over again, almost to the edge of the bed and then relaxed. Traci was okay, Sam and Holly had both told her that so that meant whatever happened now didn't really matter. They'd both made it.

It took over ten minutes for Gail's body to finally relax into sleep. And it was only then that Holly was able to lean back and take a moment herself to think.

But really the only thing she seemed to want to do right now was cry. She still couldn't take in that it was Gail laying there in the hospital bed beside her, battered and bruised.

Holly covered her mouth with her free hand as her eyes continued to trail over ever mark and bruise on Gail's face. It was taking everything she had not to break down in sobs, and the main reason for that was because she feared further upsetting Gail if she were to wake up to her so distraught.

With her emotions barely held together, Holly gently slipped her hand free of Gail's and hurried from the room. She made it a few rooms further down the hallway before she fell apart, tears blurring her vision as her body shook with deep gut wrenching sobs.

Struggling, Holly managed to find a restroom and quickly disappeared inside where she made it to the row of sinks before she couldn't hold herself up any longer and collapsed into a heap onto the floor and just cried.

xxxxxx

Eventually Holly picked herself up, wiped away evidence of her tears and straightened herself out. Then she stuck her head back in to check on Gail and when she saw that she hadn't moved an inch Holly made the decision to quickly go back down and see if her sister was still hanging around.

Holly had left her office without her phone and with her court date tomorrow she really needed someone back at the morgue to bring her a few things.

As she turned back into the waiting area they'd used she wasn't surprised to see Elizabeth with Oliver and Chris still there. She knew both officers were close to Gail and would be reluctant to leave without first seeing that Gail was okay with their own eyes.

She did her best to smile at them. "Hey."

"How is she?" Chris asked quickly.

Holly nodded as Elizabeth got up and hugged her from the side. "She's…she's doing okay considering."

"Can we see her?" Elizabeth asked softly, worried about the blonde.

Holly eyed her sister and then took in the hopeful looks Chris and Oliver were trying hard not to show. She glanced over her shoulder and thought about how hard it would be to sneak them into Gail's room. It wouldn't really be that hard, and even if she was sleeping it would give Chris and Oliver something to take back to the station with them.

"She's sleeping right now,"

Oliver waved his hand to dismiss the idea. "We can come back later, after shift then. I wouldn't want to disturb her, not when she needs her rest." He said quickly.

Holly's lips twitched as she saw the frown develop on Chris' face at Oliver's words. "It'll be fine, I'm sure she'd love to see you both and as long as you hide from the nurses then you should be able to see her for a few minutes."

Chris looked to Oliver then turned to Holly, eager to see his friend. "If you're sure."

Holly nodded and gestured for them to start back the way she came. She let Chris and Elizabeth get slightly ahead and took a moment to speak with Oliver.

"Sam Swarek was talking with her when I got up there." She told him. "Whatever he said to her, she was really upset."

Oliver sighed heavily. He'd known about that, and he'd tried to warn Holly about it as well.

"I know this isn't really a priority for you right now Holly, and nor should it be, but this whole thing this morning with Gail getting hurt and Traci?" He started to explain, while he didn't agree to blindsiding Gail and definitely not to upsetting her. Gail needed to be completely aware of what was happening outside her hospital room. "It's being investigated, instances like these, where officers get hurt or taken like Traci was, SIU come in and go over everything with everyone involved. Sam was probably just here to give her a head's up."

Holly didn't like it, she'd rather Gail was left alone to heal up properly before anyone was putting demands on her to go over what happened a hundred times. She didn't like it, but she did understand it.

She sighed and followed after her sister.

"There's another thing I was trying to mention." Oliver said rather hesitantly.

Holly frowned and gave him a sideways glance.

"Frank said that Sam wasn't the only one that might stop by for a visit." He told her still unable to meet her eyes as she glance curiously at him. He cleared his throat and pushed on with telling her. "The Superintendent will probably be here soon."

"Her mom?" Holly asked with a hike of her eyebrows.

Oliver nodded and fidgeted with his utility belt. "Yeah."

Holly blew out a breath. She hadn't seen the older Peck since that night at Steve's which hadn't ended very well. She hadn't even considered a visit from Gail's parents, of course they should be concerned over Gail's injuries but she'd gathered from previous conversations with Gail that actual visits when injured were rare.

Then she took in the way Oliver was glancing nervously around and it took her a second to realise that the visit would have nothing to with a parents fear for their child.

"Oh." Her heart sank for Gail.

"She might not turn up." Oliver said trying to offer a positive spin on the situation.

Holly shook her head and started striding more purposely towards Gail's room. "Let's hope."

xxxxx

Gail felt a touch to her head and blinked her eyes open before her breath caught in her throat as a sharp pain radiated down her side. 'Ow' She mouthed to herself as she shifted in the hospital bed, moving rather painfully onto her back.

"You look awful." Elaine said as she studied the bruising to her daughter's face. She scowled.

Gail worked her jaw to keep from snipping at her mother. She'd been beaten up by a thug trying to smash her face in with his feet. Gail was more than thankful just to be alive, even if the simple act of breathing was slowly making her regret that. "Thanks." She muttered sarcastically as she glanced around the room desperately looking for any sign of Holly.

Had Elaine kicked her out?

Holly had promised she wasn't going anywhere. Hadn't she?

Elaine snorted and crossed her arms over her chest as she glared right back at her daughter.

"Have you any idea of the trouble you are in young lady?" She asked. "You've really done it this time Gail, you're going to have to face up to the consequences of this on your own there isn't anything your father or I can do for you now."

Gail glowered at her mother. She didn't know why she thought this time would be different, that maybe just for once her mother would just be happy to know she wasn't dead.

But no. Elaine Peck was here to remind Gail of her failings yet again.

Gail swallowed down the tears that threatened to fall, and if her ribs weren't hurting so badly she might have told her mother to get out, but right now that was just too much to ask of her body. Exhausted she slumped against the pillows at her back and closed her eyes.

Maybe this was just a bad dream and she'd wake up soon with Holly holding her hand again.

"Are you even listening to me?!" Elaine snapped at her daughter, stepping closer to the bed once more.

Gail struggled to open her eye again. She stared back at her mother blankly.

"You almost cost Detective Nash her life. She's lucky that officers from 18 Division were able to track her down and rescue her, shooting one of the perpetrators dead in doing so." Elaine went on, her tone angry. "Those officers will now be suspended until after the investigation, so now at least two divisions are going to be short officers."

Gail licked her lips, breathing carefully as she tried to take in her mother's words. They'd had to shoot at the guys that took Traci, Holly had said that Traci was fine but that must have been very scary for the other woman.

She wasn't too concerned by the suspensions, that was just procedure and once reports and ballistics were in they would be cleared for duty again, Gail was sure of it.

"Do you even care about what you've done?" Elaine demanded as Gail still failed to react.

Gail huffed painfully. "What I've done?" She asked quietly as she stared at her mother in disbelief. She gestured to her injured body, her eye swollen shut, her bruised face, her hand in a cast. "Thank you for your concern mother." She bit out as her eyes watered.

Elaine sighed and shook her head. "Maybe if you were capable of doing your job you wouldn't-"

"Get out!"

Gail's gaze slipped from her mother to see Holly stood in the doorway, her body bristling in anger as she glared at Elaine.

"I beg your pardon?" Elaine asked incensed at the way she had just been spoken to.

Holly stepped right up to Elaine, using her greater height to her advantage as she towered over the older woman. "I said get out. I will not let you speak to Gail like that, not when I'm around."

Gail's good eye widened as she watched the tense standoff.

Although inside she was cheering Holly on.

Elaine noted the faces in the doorway and accepted that her time with Gail was at an end. She eased back a step from her daughter's girlfriend and glanced over at Gail. "So be it." She muttered before turning away from her daughter and marching out of the room, her back stiff and her shoulders straight as bodies shifted out of her way as she left.

Gail blinked, then stared at Holly for a long moment, before a body was charging at her.

"Careful!" Holly warned her sister as she hurried over to Gail and threw her arms around the blonde. Holly watched her girlfriend wince at the impact but Gail didn't try and push Elizabeth away, on the contrary she slowly put her arms around Holly's sister and hugged her back.

"Just don't squeeze too tight." Gail whispered to the younger girl and then closed her eyes for a second as she soaked in the worry over her wellbeing. A girl she hadn't even met a week ago was crying into her shoulder when her own mother hadn't even asked how she was.

That was just crazy.

Holly took in the pair before easing over as well as her anger faded. She sat on the other side of the bed and placed her hand on Gail's arm, stroking it gently.

"You have a few other visitors as well." She whispered softly.

Gail eyed her girlfriend, offering her a tentative smile as she saw the worry in her eyes. They'd talk later about her mother she was sure. But right now she had a crying girl in her arms to deal with and as she looked across the room, Oliver and Chris as well. Those two hovered in the doorway, obviously not sure if they should come in and visit or leave her alone after no doubt witnessing part of her mother's command performance.

She took a hand off of Elizabeth and gestured the pair into her room. "What? No food?" She asked them with the hint of a grin.

Chris rolled his eyes but smiled at her, grateful to see her acting like herself. "That didn't take long." He said with a chuckle.

"We'll all be back later darling, you need anything in particular you let us know, okay?" Oliver offered. After seeing Elaine with Gail he had no intension of making anything more stressful for the blonde.

Gail's grin widened. "Oh, awesome."

Holly chuckled this time and shook her head.

"Listen, we need to get back to the station, but we'll see you later okay?" Oliver said, drifting over and placing his hand gently on Gail's shoulder before leaning awkwardly to press a kiss to her head. "I'm glad to see you doing okay kid." He told her as he stared at her. "We got them, so don't you worry about a thing now."

Gail smiled and gave him a nod, her throat choking up.

Chris quickly took Oliver's place and pressed a kiss to Gail's relatively injury free cheek before straightening back up. "I'll bring a Frankie's by after shift?" He said, offering take out from one of Gail's favourite burger places.

Gail's face transformed and she nodded her head eagerly. She had no idea what kind of food she'd get served to her later in here but going by her last stay the only place it would be fit for was the waste bin.

Holly laughed at her girlfriend's behaviour. If there was ever a sure fire way to cheer Gail up it was by offering her free food.

Gail ignored Holly as she looked back at Chris. "And a malt?"

Chris nodded. Like he'd forget that.

Gail sighed happily, almost not even feeling the tightness to her chest or her ribs start to protest Elizabeth's continued hold.

"Later, yeah?" Chris said as he noticed Oliver pulling his cell phone out of his vest again.

Gail offered a wave as the pair left for work again.

The room was silent for a few moments before Gail turned to Holly and gave her a pitiful look. "Your sister's getting her feelings all over me, make her stop." She complained to her girlfriend making Elizabeth chuckle into her neck.

Holly watched on indulgently, loving that Gail got on with her sister so well.

Gail's pout turned into a frown as Holly sat there and did nothing.

"Seriously. Get her off me."

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AN/

Sorry for the wait, but you know, football, tennis, summer, work :( Life can get busy.

Thanks for reading!