Traci watched her mother and Leo get into her car as she stood beside Holly. "Maybe I should have called?" She asked, her eyes drifting into the hallway of the open front door.
Gail hadn't come back after she'd walked out of the kitchen.
Yeah, Traci should have called, but given Holly had expected someone else at the door, she'd take Traci's unexpected arrival.
"She probably wouldn't have agreed to the visit." Holly confessed.
Traci sighed.
"How are you really doing anyway?" Holly asked, closing the door to her home a little more just to make sure no one overheard.
"It's tough, but it could have been so much worse Holly." Traci replied quietly. "On the bright side, I've got a week off and then a week on desk duty." Normally Traci would have argued against it but after Jerry, and given her mother had seen the news reports blowing it into so much more, she was grateful to spend the time with her family.
Steve wasn't going to get any time off but he'd be there for her after shifts so it was enough.
"Gail will be okay." Traci told Holly, seeing the worried in her eyes as she kept looking back towards the house.
Holly worked her jaw to stop herself snapping at the detective. If she heard one more person telling her Gail had been through worse than this, she might actually hit them.
"But she does have to show up tomorrow, even her name isn't going to get her out of an SIU interrogation over what went on." Traci went on. "Steve says his mom has been on the warpath because Gail hasn't talked to her yet." Traci rolled her eyes. "I was supposed to see if I could get Gail to give him a call."
Holly shook her head. "Steve can wait."
Holly would rather Gail had still been in the hospital. She was walking wounded at home but this clearly wasn't somewhere Gail could relax and recover either, not with uninvited guests coming around. The last thing Gail needed was her brother or Superintendent Peck stopping by to give Gail more of a headache than she already had.
"And honestly Traci, I'm not going to force her to go into the station tomorrow if she's not ready." Holly went on as she wondered why no one was giving much concern to how Gail was actually doing after her assault.
Traci nodded then reached over and gave Holly a hug, though the other woman remained stiff in her arms, Traci offered a smile as she pulled back. "Just don't be surprised if Steve turns up in the morning to check in."
"Consider me warned." Holly replied, her arms crossing as she watched Traci walk off and get into her car.
xxxxxx
"Everyone gone?" Gail asked, as she stuck her head in the doorway to the kitchen.
Holly was sat down at the breakfast bar, going through her cell phone. She looked over at Gail and offered a smile. "Yeah, Elizabeth took off first and probably won't be back until morning."
Gail scowled and came over to sit beside her girlfriend. The cast on her hand knocking against the worktop. "She'll be careful right?" Gail didn't want Elizabeth accidently getting mixed up in the protests if she ended up going downtown later.
"Yeah, she's having a movie night in or something at her friends." Holly explained.
Gail tilted her head and gave Holly a curious look. "Are you sure she's not just at the frat house with Chris, right?"
Holly snorted but couldn't stop the smile from showing. "No." She replied. "She's does have actual friends here Gail, and again, my sister isn't interested in men."
Gail shrugged. She didn't want to keep chasing everyone away especially not Holly's kid sister. But she did appreciate that the house was now empty.
Holly took a breath as she reached over for Gail's good hand. "I had a visitor today." She said, knowing that after Traci's talk, she really did have to discuss this with Gail. As much as she'd rather keep her girlfriend at home resting, there was a bigger picture.
"Steve?" Gail asked studying Holly's reaction. "No," Her dad wasn't going to go near Holly, not yet, he wouldn't know what to say. "My mother." Gail snorted. Of course, her mother would abuse her position to interrogate Holly. "What did she want?"
"She wanted to see you, there's a meeting you are supposed to be at tomorrow." Holly confessed hesitantly.
Gail nodded. "SIU will be going over everyone's side of what went on." Sam had told her ask much, she remembered his warning back in the hospital. They were going to find fault with her actions at the arrest warrant. Just one more time her own colleagues were hanging her out.
Chris had been nervous talking about what was going on at the station. Another clue that she was been looked at as the problem with how things went down leading up to Traci's abduction. It wouldn't matter that they got her back unharmed.
Holly tightened her hold on Gail's hand. "You don't have to go anywhere you don't want to, if you aren't ready yet." Holly said knowing Gail had barely been out of the hospital.
"But?" Gail felt there was more Holly wasn't sharing. Had her mother done something else? Had her father? Steve?
"Traci said your brother was likely to show up in the morning."
Gail rolled her eyes. No doubt at her mother's suggestion. "Fine, I'll go give my statement." She shook her head. "Anyone could have come from the station to get it you know." Like Callaghan had the last time she'd ended up in the hospital as a result of her job.
Luke Callaghan, someone that hadn't even sent her a 'how are you doing' text message. Sam might not be her favourite detective, or person for that matter, but he'd come to find her at the hospital to warn her that the statements being given to Frank weren't going to help her.
What did that even mean?
And then he had brought up her last suspension and it hit her that if this played out in a similar way, with the blame of Traci's abduction falling on her shoulders despite being assaulted herself, well, it could cost her not just a suspension but her badge.
Gail felt tired. She gently took her hand back from Holly and ran it through her hair, before looking at Holly.
Holly's heart clenched almost as badly as it had on seeing Oliver Shaw in her doorway that day. She hated that Gail wasn't being given time to recover. Her girlfriend was right, what was stopping detectives or SIU finding her for this interview while Gail had still been in the hospital?
"Tomorrow's not going to be a fun day, huh?" Holly said wanting nothing more than to gather Gail into her arms and hold her but afraid her girlfriend wouldn't accept her comforting.
Gail shrugged. It wasn't going to be fun at all. "It is what it is."
Holly swallowed and put her hand gently on Gail's shoulder. "Let's call it a night then."
Gail wasn't sure she'd be able to sleep knowing what might happen in the morning.
"Yeah, I'm about done with today." Gail replied to Holly as they got up and headed for bed. There was nothing she could do to change what had happened, and Gail had gone over it enough times in her head to know that she had done her job.
She had done her job, but when the top brass got involved, it was anyone's guess what outcome they were looking to get.
xxxxxx
Steve pulled up behind Holly's car and checked the time. It wasn't even eight in the morning yet but he was nervous and Traci hadn't been able to convince Gail to call him last night. He'd texted but Gail had never even read the message never mind get back to him.
So, as instructed by both of his parents, Steve was now here to make sure his baby sister didn't skip out on speaking with SIU this morning.
"Are you just going to sit there?"
Steve looked out his car window to see Holly stood there by the front door. "Sorry," He muttered as he climbed out of his car and walked over to his sister's girlfriend. "I thought it might still be a bit early to knock." He confessed sheepishly.
Holly raised an eyebrow. "No coffee?"
Steve squared his shoulders and stared at Holly. "This isn't really a social visit Holly, this is getting serious, there were ten arrests in town last night."
Holly shook her head. "You aren't seriously suggesting that has anything to do with Gail, are you?" She asked in disbelief.
Steve quickly put his hands up. "Hey, I come in peace."
Holly didn't believe that for a second, but she wasn't going to stand on the doorstep and argue over it.
Steve followed Holly slowly as he wondered what kind of mood he'd find Gail in. If this side of Holly was anything to go by, Gail should be in fine form for her official interview.
"Hey Garbage Pail." Steve said as he spotted Gail leaning against the kitchen counter with a mug in her hand. Which would have made anything he brought redundant, but he guessed the gesture might have been appreciated. "The swelling's gone." He pointed out.
Gail shared a look with Holly then put her mug in the sink. "Just let me get my shoes."
"You're not getting dressed?" Steve asked.
Gail stopped and turned back at her brother. "What's wrong with what I'm wearing?" She asked with narrowed eyes. This happened to be one of Holly's favourite jumpers. And what was wrong with her jeans? At least these ones didn't have the holes at the knees.
Steve looked at Holly first but she clearly wasn't going to help him. "Nothing. I just thought…I mean, don't you want to get into uniform?" He asked softly.
"No." Gail snapped before heading out of the room.
Holly shook her head at Steve.
"What?" Steve asked. "This is a big deal, the head office are holding a press conference at ten." It had been brought forward from this afternoon due to the events at the protest last night and with the press and politicians breathing down the neck of the Chief of Police.
Answers had to be given not just on last night, but in the shooting of a suspect that had abducted Traci. Even though Traci's name hadn't been released officially, it had gotten out and the story of Jerry Barber's death and his relationship to Traci was also making the newspapers coverage of the story.
It was not great, Steve wasn't sure what he could and couldn't say to Traci about it. He was just thankfully Traci was here with him and Leo. And that his sister had made it through that day okay as well.
"Mom wants Gail there." Steve explained.
Holly shook her head adamantly. "Not a chance, no way."
Steve scowled. "That's not really your decision to make, Holly."
Gail heard that from Steve just as she walked back into the room with her leather jacket on. "What's not Holly's decision?" She asked, looking to Steve for an answer.
"Driving you." Holly cut in before Steve could say anything. "I was just telling Steve he needn't have bothered coming over, we already agreed you were going into the station this morning." She went on as she stepped closer to her girlfriend. "We can take my car."
Gail waited, watching her brother for a long moment before agreeing with Holly. "Sure, Steve's job is just to report back to our mother that I did in fact arrive at the station. Isn't that right Steven?" She wasn't stupid.
Steve glanced at his watch then looked to his sister before offering her a shrug. Yes, he was doing what he was told by their mother, but he was also just trying to look out for his sister.
Gail did have to sit down with SIU and go over her recollection of the events that day, just like every other individual that had been part of the arrest group Callaghan had taken with him.
"Everyone else has already spoken with SIU Gail, you're the last one, and there's a lot riding on what they conclude." He said, though he knew Gail already had this all figured out.
Gail snorted. "You mean, if I get to keep my badge or not." She said as she walked past her brother and out to Holly's car. If they were going to do this they might as well get on with it.
"Really?" Holly asked as she stopped beside Steve. "You really just did that."
"I didn't tell her anything she doesn't already know Holly, she's a Peck."
Holly just shook her head. "You couldn't even be bothered to ask her how she's doing?" No, because just like Elaine Peck, Steve was all about the job.
Steve opened his mouth then promptly closed it as Holly turned her back to him and headed out the door, wait for him to follow before she locked up.
He walked over to the side of Holly's car where Gail was seated. She didn't look at him as he just stood there watching his baby sister.
Holly closing the car door as she sat down in the driver's seat snapped Steve out of his thoughts.
"I'll see you at the station." He muttered before heading for his own car. He'd follow them to the station, but he wasn't sure that his sister wanted him hovering while she was in with SIU.
Maybe he'd need Oliver or Chris to let him know when Gail was done.
xxxxxx
"You ready for this?" Holly asked as she pulled into the staff parking lot at the station.
Gail shrugged, pulling at the sleeve of her jumper. "Shouldn't take long if you want to wait out here."
"Nice try." Holly replied.
"If you go inside there's a chance they'll put you to work." Gail warned. It was that or the chance of running into Elaine Peck. Maybe even her dad would show up to express his eternal disappointment in her yet again.
The Pail Fail.
Gail didn't think he'd show up even if her mother was here. He'd have to give a damn first.
"Gail, I'm coming in with you, got that?"
"Yeah." Gail said as she got out of the car and waited for Holly. She spotted Steve pulling up but he didn't get out. She shoved her hands in her jacket pockets as best she could with a cast on one of them.
When they started walking towards the back entrance to the station Gail eyed Holly. "You do know you can't come into the interview room with me, right?"
"Yes." Holly replied as she held the door open for Gail. She could hear the noise from inside and as she checked the time she realised the changeover of the shift had already happened.
Gail paused and took a breath, then walked into the station that had felt like a place she belonged. Walking along the corridor now felt different, she could feel the stares, and as she got to the pen she was spotted and silence descended as people turned to see what was causing the reaction.
"Gail!" Andy said as she got out of her seat beside Dov and came over.
The hug surprised Holly probably as much as it did Gail.
"This still isn't how I communicate." Gail muttered, never having lifted her arms to return the affectionate greeting.
Andy winced and pulled back. "Sorry, I know, you told me. Several times."
"And yet you still touched me." Gail replied, narrowing her eyes at her co-worker.
Andy gasped and took a step back. "Oh my god, did I hurt you?" She asked with worry. "I mean I know you got hurt, the bruises," Andy went on gesturing to Gail's face. Then she blushed as she caught the glare Gail was aiming at her. "Sorry."
"That word loses it's meaning the more you say it." Gail said, annoyed that she had to be here dealing with these people.
Holly saw the hurt flash across Andy's face and put her hand to Gail's back. "Come on Gail, you've got that meeting to get to." She said softly. "You can catch up later."
Gail gave Holly a look to express how that was not going to be happening.
It was a quietness that drew Staff Sergeant Best out of his office and he soon saw the cause.
"Peck, my office."
Gail looked over to watch Frank head back in to the glass sided office space. She was grateful that there was no sign of her mother in there.
"Hey Peckling!" Oliver said as he came over with grin and a coffee in his hand. "Good to see you up and about." He sighed quietly as he got closer and took in the damage to his rookie's face. "I would have came to visit but…" He offered a shrug knowing she'd get what had happened.
"Yeah, I know, no talking with each other until after SIU had got the details." Gail said, although Oliver hadn't been parts of the group of officers involved in Callaghan's arrest that day.
She offered him a smile before turning to Holly preventing Oliver from doing anything stupid like trying to hug her as well. He had that sympathetic dad look on his face. The one she'd seen him use with Izzy.
"Will you be okay out here for a bit?" Gail asked her girlfriend.
"Sure." Holly replied. "I'm driving you home as soon as you're done here."
Gail nodded. She wondered if Holly knew just how true that statement could be.
And if her talk with Frank went as badly as it did last time, then it was going to be an eat her feelings kind of a day.
