Disclaimer; Own nothing, not for profit, yada, yada, yada.

Park life

Gail groaned as Chris pulled up to the entrance of the park. She was still slightly hung over and the blinding sunshine was doing little for her headache and even less for her mood. She wanted to be in bed sleeping but no, she was about to spend the next few hours pretending to be happy and full of fun because today was Leo's seventh birthday and everyone was gathering at the park to celebrate.

"Come on, it won't be that bad." Chris told her as he pushed her feet down off the dashboard of his jeep and got out to collect their contribution to the party.

"Why did you even let me get into that drinking game with 27?" She asked him as she slipped her shades down over her bleary eyes and followed her ex to the back of his car.

Chris snorted, like that had been his fault. "Because you wanted to win the hundred bucks and you did?" He replied giving her a look to tell her she should know this already.

Gail rolled her eyes. "Whatever." She muttered then waited beside him with her arms crossed as he pulled out a large holdall and a cooler. She eyed it hoping to hell that there wasn't any alcohol inside. She might just lose her breakfast cheerios.

As Chris locked up the car Gail glanced around looking for the rest of 15 Division. She scowled when she got nothing but a mass of other people enjoying the weekend and the good weather.

She sighed. just looking at the number of people enjoying themselves made her want to turn back. "The things I do for that kid." She muttered to herself with a very small, painless shake of her sensitive head.

"You not bringing your bag?" Chris asked as they left the parking lot and made their way into the large park just on the outskirts of the city.

Gail shrugged, bringing her bag with her would have been too much effort, it was hard enough thinking about having to deal with a squealing bunch of kids even if Leo was one of them.

"That why I brought you Chris." She eventually replied as she pulled out her cell phone from her cut off sweats and sent Dov a text demanding to know exactly where he and the rest of their little gang were hiding.

It was a big park and with this many people Gail refused to start wandering around aimlessly.

A reply text quickly beeped on her phone and she had to shield her eyes even with her sunglasses on just to be able to read it.

"There at the other end of the lake." She grumbled to Chris, clearly not happy with the walking that would involve.

Chris grinned as Gail pouted at him. "It took us ten minutes to find that parking space Gail, you'll survive the walk." He told her as he adjusted the holdall over his shoulder. He was the one doing the carrying anyway so the blonde really didn't have much to complain about.

Gail sighed and pushed her Ray-Bans further up her nose to keep as much sun glare out of her vision as possible.

They walked along the footpath, avoiding runners, cyclists, and the general public alike.

They also chose to ignore the group of potheads off to one side drinking beers in the grass and playing music a little too loud.

Days off were hard earned and no one wanted to have to waste one on something as petty as that.

But Gail still heard her mother's voice in her head, listing violations and the likelihood one or more of the group was probably wanted for something else or breaking parole conditions.

Think of your numbers her mother would say, well Gail mentally stuck two fingers up at her mother and kept her eyes forward.

By the time they had made it to the far side of the lake and had their friends in sight Gail felt like she'd been on a ten mile hike. Her clothing was as loose as possible but given her complexion she had to stay as covered as possible as well. The last thing she needed on top of a hangover was waking tomorrow to find herself with sunstroke or burnt like a lobster.

Sometimes she really hated genetics. For some reason Steve was better in the sun than she was, he freckled and would eventually tan if he worked hard enough at it. Gail on the other hand simply burnt and wouldn't tan if she spent the rest of her life trying.

She didn't even bother with fake tanning, really, what would be the point?

She'd accepted her skin tone a long time ago, but on days like this she wished it wasn't such an issue.

Especially when she spotted Chloe and Andy practically in daisy dukes and bras.

Gail groaned just at the sight of the pair as they giggled at something Dov said. She rolled her eyes and followed after Chris to the picnic table their friends had somehow commandeered for the afternoon. Someone must have got here very early.

"Hey guys!" Chris said dropping the holdall that held his and Gail's gift for Leo and some equipment for games. He waited until it was polite before heading over to where Steve, Nick and Frank were standing over the barbeque someone had brought with them. They looked lost as to how to set the thing up properly so felt like he could be of use given he had set the one up at the house he shared with Gail and Dov.

Gail found a spot at the bench and just sat down before groaning as she rested her head on the table top and proceeded to ignore the conversation going on around her. She hadn't even bothered with a hello of her own instead waving during Chris' and deciding that was as much effort from her that her friends deserved for making her walk all the way over here.

Traci, who was the one Gail had sat down next to, just eyed the blonde in amusement before sharing a grin with Andy. They had both been at the Penny last night and watched their friend get sucked into a tit-for-tat drinking game with some of the guys from 27 who had wandered in.

It was mostly a good natured rivalry but sometimes it did get a little out of hand.

"You okay there Gail?" Traci asked as she rubbed her hand along her friends back soothingly.

Andy sniggered as Gail just grunted without even lifting her head. She then grabbed for Dov and pulled him up from his seat beside Chloe. "Come on, they'll never get that up and running." She told him as she pulled him towards one of the many park exits.

Dov shook his head but had to agree with her as they heard the sound of metal crashing together.

"We never asked Gail or Chris what they wanted." He pointed out but Andy just shrugged.

"Chris will eat anything and I doubt Gail's up to eating right now anyway. Plus you should know what they'd both want, you've lived with them for three years." She pointed out.

Gail sighed and turned her head to find a more comfortable position for her neck. She kept her eyes firmly closed and tuned out any and all talk going on around her but she did enjoy Traci's continued back rub and the heat of the sun beating down on them.

It was so nice she might as well try and catch up on some of her much needed sleep.

xxxxx

Something slammed down very close to Gail's face and made her jerk up with and glare. Her eyes found Dov's face as he still gripped the bottle of water he'd almost smashed her face in with.

"You look like you could do with this." He told her, not bothered at all by her look. After a few years he'd learnt when his life was actually in danger around Gail and in the condition she was in right now, killing him would be too much work for the blonde.

"You'll keep Love Dove." She muttered at him but accepted the bottle as her mouth felt suddenly dry and she drank down half of the contents before looking around for the rest of the gang.

She spotted her brother kicking a soccer ball around with Leo and a bunch of other kids that had been invited along with their parents. Leo's school classmates she figured if she had to guess. It also accounted for the group of women off at another bench chatting away. They were part of the group but only through their kids with little to no effort at integration of the two groups from what Gail could see.

She approved. The less interacting she had to do today the better and everyone around her right now had been trained to leave her in peace or risk death.

"How's the head?" Traci asked as she broke off talking with Noelle as the other woman's sister came over with Olivia, Frank and Noelle's 4 month old daughter.

Gail shrugged as she finished off her water. "I guess I'll live." She replied in her grumpiest tone.

Traci chuckled and patted the blonde on the shoulder in consolation. "Well, I'm sorry to hear that, but lunch is being dished out if you're up to anything." She said pointing to the deli bags resting at the other end of the table that Andy and Chloe were going through.

Cold sandwiches.

Gail eyed the barbeque that some of the guys were still in deep conversation around. It didn't look like burgers or ribs were about to make an appearance anytime soon so she nodded. Beggars couldn't be choosers she guessed. It would tide her over until the men figured out what they were doing or until she made Chris stop somewhere on their way home later.

She caught Andy's eyes as she waved a wrapped package at her and asked, "What are the options?" Hopefully they weren't all cheese and pickle or something equally disgusting.

"Chicken or…" Andy called out as she looked around at the ones Chloe was unwrapping and putting on paper plates. "Ham." All the roast beef had gone already.

"Chicken." Gail answered back after some thinking. "There's no tomatoes right?" She added with a raised eyebrow.

"Of course not." Andy kept her eyes averted from Gail and looked for the few she'd ordered with no tomato. She couldn't spot any and looked at Chloe in panic. "I think Dex took the last one without." She confessed to the redhead.

Chloe just shook her head and pull the tomato slices out of one of the sandwiches and handed it over to Andy with a grin. "Problem solved."

Andy took the plate then glanced over at Gail who was watching her like a hawk. Andy smiled and motioned for the plate to be passed along the table to Gail. She then watched as Gail lifted up the bread and had a quick glance at the filling before seemingly being satisfied with that and going for a bag of chips that had also been thrown her way.

Gail knew there was cheese puffs somewhere but right now some plain chips would do until she could corner Chris and find her stash. The sandwich didn't look that appealing but if it was the best her friends could do then she would just have to suffer with them for now.

She was definitely picking up Chinese on the way home.

She popped some more chips into her mouth then stood and went over to the cooler for a can of soda and was met by Steve and Leo. "Hey buddy, happy birthday!" She greeted the badge wearing seven year old who grinned at her bashfully. She held her fist out and Leo knocked hers with his own as he moved the soccer ball he was carrying over to rest against his other hip.

"Good day so far?" She asked him as she ruffled the mass of curls that passed as his hair.

Leo nodded. "Dad got me a new video game!" He said excitedly. "I'll bring it the next time I come over and we can play right?" He asked hopefully.

"Sure thing." She replied with a smile at him.

"Cool!" Leo said before being called to by a friend and he raced away to continue a new game.

Gail then turned and eyed her brother, wondering how he was feeling about sharing the day with Leo's dad. Dex had left his new girlfriend at home so maybe that was why there wasn't as much friction as she'd been worrying about.

"How are you?" She asked him softly as she opened her soda and took a sip, waiting patiently as Steve picked out his own.

Her brother sighed and shrugged.

Gail's eyes flicked around, spotting Dex watching Leo from the side of where the kids had set up another soccer game with a few of the other adults. "It'll get easier." She whispered softly.

Steve blinked then nodded. He had always known Traci and Dex shared custody of Leo and the last thing he wanted was to cause any kind of problems for Traci. But it was hard sometimes, spending so much time with Leo, and teaching him and laughing and playing with him, and then to see him run up to another man and call someone else Dad.

He knew it would get easier, but it could just as easily get harder too.

"I'm thinking about asking her to move in with me, her and Leo." He told his sister after making sure Traci wasn't nearby.

Gail rolled her eyes. Like Traci would move in and just leave Leo at her mother's house?

Before she could make one of her usual snarky comments she noticed that her brother actually looked nervous about sharing this news with her. She snorted and socked him in the stomach for being such a pansy assed girl.

"So just ask already, you know she'll jump at the chance." She told him confidently. She waited until he was grinning before adding, "You have a pool!"

Steve scowled at his sister as she headed back over to the bench, chuckling as she went. "Hey!"

He shook his head at her then followed after her, taking another soda with him to greet Traci with. He knew his girlfriend would say yes, but that didn't stop the flutter of nerves in his gut.

Living together was a big step and not just for him and Traci, but he knew once his parents found out they'd start expecting more. They want family dinners all the time, and Elaine would start dropping hints about a marriage and grandchildren next.

Steve loved Traci and he couldn't deny that he wanted all of that with her, but he wanted them to have the time to get there on their own without his mother pressuring them into it.

Gail's eyes twinkled as she watched Steve place Traci's soda down in front of her and then lean down to press a kiss to her cheek.

What Steve didn't know was that Traci had already been discussing with her and Andy when to bring up living together with Steve, Traci had been stressing that it might make Steve feel like he was getting an instant family and didn't know if that would freak him out or not.

Gail shook her head at the pair. They were both idiots.

"Aunt Gail!"

Gail looked up to see Leo waving her over.

Steve grinned as he heard his sister groan and placed his hands on her shoulders and squeezed. "Go get them, they might just let you win." He told her jokingly as it was well know his sister sucked at any kind of sport. And even up against a bunch of kids she'd still suck.

Gail got up and shrugged off her brothers hands then glared at everyone that had heard his comments and were now currently laughing at her. "I hate you all." She groused at them and given that she was likely to make a fool out of herself in a minute she meant every word of that comment.

They just laughed harder at her.

"Want to play on my team?" Leo asked as Gail approached and he held out the soccer ball for her to take.

Gail produced her best fake grin as she took the ball and glanced around at the tiny people all eyeing her suspiciously. She rolled her eyes and tossed the ball onto the grass at her feet and kicked at it.

It travelled through them and they yelled and chased after it.

Gail rolled her eyes as she soon realised that it was basically just a free for all, and the kids did nothing but chase after the ball and then kick as hard and as quickly as they could in the hopes of sending the ball careening off in some other direction.

Heaven help anyone that got between their little feet and the ball.

Gail stayed firmly around the outside of the group of kids, copying what some of the other adults that had been asked to 'join in' did and tried to just keep them cordoned off from the rest of the innocent public.

She wondered at times like these as the kids screamed and raced in one direction and then another, why any sane person had more than one of the things.

And then the ball was heading straight for her face causing Gail to yelp and duck out of the way. That really wouldn't have helped her fading headache.

She looked behind her to see the ball rolling dangerously close to the lake.

She turned back to the onrushing herd of evil beings and stuck out her hand. "Stay!" She warned them, eyeing every child, even Leo, before she turned her back and went to retrieve the ball.

Which, right now, had been saved from the lake by a passing jogger.

Gail couldn't help but let her eyes flit over the woman's body. This woman was not only tall, beautiful and athletic but she had the most amazing tan and Gail was envious of her enough to scowl at her as she came to meet her.

"Hey, this belong to you?" The jogger asked pulling out her earplugs and catching her breath for the moment as she paused her run.

Gail took off her sunglasses as it was only polite and the sun was at the back of her now. But she did jerk her thumb behind her. "Nope, to those monsters. You got lucky, I think they've already took out five joggers by my count."

The woman scrunched up her face as the blonde kept her expression serious as she delivered that line but then her lip twitched and the brunette threw her head back and laughed.

Gail grinned, she wasn't sure why she'd said that but the sound of the woman's laughter made her glad she did. "I'm Gail Peck." She said, holding out her hand for the ball only to have the woman shake it.

"Holly Stewart."

They were still grinning at each other and shaking hands when Leo called out for the ball.

Taking her hand back Gail reached for the ball only to have Holly kick it towards the kids for her.

She scowled harder at the woman.

"What?" Holly asked as she stood there and put her hands on her hips, waiting for the blonde to reply.

Gail shook her head. "I should arrest you just for the jogging, don't make it worse for yourself." She warned Holly as she folded her arms across her chest and glared.

Holly tilted her head wondering if the blonde was serious or not. "Okay then." She said slowly still trying to figure the woman out.

"It's bad enough some of us have to spend our hangovers with a bunch of screaming children but to be out exercising on a day like this, that's just wrong." Gail told Holly.

Holly grinned fully and eyed the kids. "One of them yours?" She enquired carefully.

Gail snorted but pointed out Leo to the other woman anyway. "Best friends kid whose also dating my brother, his mom not Leo." Gail stopped after that and frowned at herself wondering if she was indeed still a little drunk.

Holly nodded. She had worked that last bit out all on her own.

Leo shouted for Gail again and Gail turned around to him and signalled that she'd be a minute.

"I should let you get back." Holly said although she didn't make to move off herself as she stood with the blonde.

Gail popped her Ray-Bans back over her eyes then looked the woman up and down again. Holly smirked at her and Gail grinned. She probably would have been blushing scarlet if she didn't have her eyes hidden but she just accepted that they both knew she was checking the brunette out and liking what she was seeing.

"We have water up there if you want any, food too." Gail offered wondering if Holly would accept the invitation.

Holly eyed the kids again and then the full table the blonde had indicated. It was very, very tempting.

"I've still got another two laps to go." She confessed with some regret. It was hard for her to get the time to run during the week so she really had to keep to her training when she could fit it in.

Gail felt strangely disappointed by the knock back but nodded at Holly. "Well it's there if you change your mind, we'll be here another hour or two and we've got plenty."

Holly grinned feeling better that Gail hadn't just turned away from her. "I'll keep that in mind." She told her then slipped her ear buds back into place and started off again. Just for her own amusement and curiosity, after about thirty yards she looked back over her shoulder and was pleasantly surprised to see the blonde still watching her.

Holly sent her a small wave then grinned to herself and really started to run her route around the lake. It never hurt to show off.

Gail watched Holly for a bit longer then shook her head at herself and made her way back over the grass to where Leo and his friends were still playing.

"At least I wasn't walking a dog." She muttered to herself. But she couldn't deny that the woman had been gorgeous and not only that she hadn't been scared off by her first few comments and that was rare.

More often than not people never knew how to take Gail's comments and instead often just did their best to avoid her and make a quick getaway. But Holly had figured that she wasn't trying to be cutting, it was just her personality.

When the kids had enough play, okay, when Traci announced that she was bringing out the cake, Gail finally wandered back over to the group. Steve had left for his shift and so had Frank, Noelle, the baby and her sister. Some of the other adults had started packing their things as their kids finally started to look tired out.

When Gail resumed her seat after a quick visit to the restroom she was pleased to find the barbeques was finally up and running. Which meant hot food.

She spotted Chris near the cooler again and called over to him, asking where he had hidden her cheese puffs. She watched him roll his eyes then move over to the holdall he had carried from his truck and tossed her a packet.

Gail grinned and burst into the bag happily.

Traci shook her head at her friend then patted her on the head. "So easily pleased." She said only to get a scathing look for it that made her giggle.

Then Dex came over, asking to speak to Traci alone. Gail, feeling protective over Traci watched the pair closely, she knew Dex had a temper and while things between Leo's parents seemed civil enough it paid to just keep an eye out.

But Gail soon watched Dex walking away from Traci and finding Leo to hug before walking further away from the group. She figured he was leaving too.

Traci sighed as she sat back down and picked her water back up.

"Everything okay?" Gail asked quietly, trying not to interfere.

"He can't have Leo this week after school, he and his latest bimbo are taking off for a break." Traci explained to Gail.

Gail frowned. "That's short notice." It was already Sunday afternoon and that left Traci very little time to work out alternative arrangements. He could have mentioned this to Traci earlier on in the day. Jerk.

Traci took another deep drink from her soda, wishing it had a healthy dose of alcohol in it. "Yup."

Gail finished some more of her cheese puffs as she sat there thinking. She knew her schedule for the week and she had two night shifts that ruled her out those days, but maybe between her and the rest of the gang they could work their shifts around what Traci needed.

She shrugged at her friend and popped another puff into her mouth crunching it happily. "We'll cover it." She told her friend. She watched Traci turn and give her a look. She shrugged. "You know he loves being at the house and there's three of us around, four if you count Dov's limpet." She said gesturing to Chloe with a jerk of her chin.

Traci was motionless for a moment then she was shaking her head. "I can't ask you to-"

"You're not asking, I'm offering, and believe me, I'd rather spend my time with Leo than the princess over there." Gail told her friend.

Traci gave Gail another look, she'd been considering asking Steve but she knew he was working a major case right now and would be lucky to get a day off in the next few weeks. "Are you sure?"

Gail grinned, if Traci was asking her that she wasn't far off agreeing. That meant all she had to do was get Dov and Chris on side and while Chris was easy enough, she'd have to use bribery with Dov and as much as it would pain her that often meant having to put up with Chloe being around the house at all hours of the day and night.

But she'd put up with that if it helped Traci out and gave Leo a bit of stability. The boy had stayed over at the house more than a few times already so it wouldn't be anything out of the general norm for the kid, and with the new games he had gotten today it would be even easier for him to be okay with the switch.

"Burgers are up!" Came a shout that got everyone's attention.

While the kids were back to playing, although their numbers had fallen, they'd been happy with sweets, soft drinks and cake while that adults had all been waiting for this moment and quickly lined up to get their share of the spoils.

Gail however remained in her seat as she spotted Holly had just took off down the far end of the lake again. Damn she should have been paying closer attention.

She pouted then reached for her drink, her eyes staying on Holly as the neon yellow running top stood out clearly among the other walkers and joggers.

"Cake?"

"What?" Gail replied only to find Leo placing down a paper plate with a slice of his birthday cake down in front of her with a proud grin. "Oh." He'd even provided her with a plastic spoon.

She stared at it hard, it was chocolate cake, who didn't like chocolate cake?

She then eyed Leo as she picked up the spoon and prepared to take a corner off, she paused though.

"Is it any good?"

Leo nodded.

"And where is yours?"

Leo pointed to his stomach and gave her the biggest grin.

"Okay then." She said before shaving off a small slice and eating it with an exaggerated moan of pleasure that made Leo giggle. "That is good."

"Yup." Leo agreed as he sat beside her when his mom sat down and placed a plate of barbequed chicken wings down in front of him.

Gail eyed the other plate in Traci's hand, the one with burgers, and watched with some pleasure as it was placed down within her reach.

She didn't waste any time in claiming one and peering under the bun, it was just the burger, and while it looked slightly burnt it would do very nicely right now, Gail was starving.

But after one bite Gail was looking for a napkin and with a disgusted look on her face she spat the mouthful out. She looked at the rest of the burger and saw just how pink and bloody the meat was inside.

"Who cooked this?!" She yelled over at the guys. They all stared back at her wide eyed and refrained from saying anything incriminating. Men. Such wimps. "Well whoever it was, black on the outside doesn't mean it's cooked!" She said with her patented glare.

Chris hurried over and grabbed for her burger. "I'll get you a fresh one." He offered.

"Don't bother." Gail replied, just the thought of chancing their cooking again was putting her off barbeque for life. No wonder they always ordered take-out at home.

"Come on it couldn't have been that bad." Chloe said off of Gail's scrunched up horror stricken face. Dov had done most of the cooking and her burger had been fine.

Gail glared at the redhead, wondering how on earth she put up with that level of cheeriness anywhere near her on a daily basis.

Traci snorted into her drink as Gail continued to glare at Dov's girlfriend. She then looked at Andy who grinned back at her and quickly set about finishing off her own burger.

"Want one Aunt Gail?" Leo asked, holding his plate wings out for her to share.

Gail smiled at him, touched by the offer, but she shook her head. "That's okay, I've still got my sandwich." She told him and he took the last wing on his plate and bit into it.

As Leo finished Traci grabbed for him before he could run off and play again and took a quick minute to wipe his face and hands clean from all the food and dirt he'd been playing around in.

Another reason to never have kids. They were gross, messy, germ ridden little people that had way too much energy in their systems to be legal.

Gail managed just a single bite of her chicken sandwich before Leo was calling her back over to play with him.

Gail swallowed down her bite quickly as Traci laughed beside her.

Sometimes she really hated her life but then her eyes went to the lake and she stood, with any luck she might spot Holly on her way by and catch her for a quick chat.

She eyed what was left of her food then glared at her friends. "Anyone goes near this and you'll die slowly, I don't care if there's kids around." She warned them before heading off to join in with Leo again.

This time she consciously took up a position near the path and let her eyes constantly drift to the side hoping to see Holly making her way back around this side of the lake.

Something flew into her face and she batted at it, hitting her arm in the process. "Damn bugs." If it wasn't the heat or the risk or burning her skin it was the damn summer bugs that had to be annoying her.

A few minutes had passed before Gail felt her throat going dry and with a frown she cleared it only for that to make it feel worse. She blinked and glance back to the others still up at the picnic bench wondering if she should shout someone over with her water.

But as she took a breath to shout up at them she felt her throat close over and it made her stumble to her knees. She couldn't breathe. She sucked and sucked but her lungs felt like they were starting to burn as all she got was a wheezing sound. She then felt herself starting to panic.

She knew exactly what was happening to her, she was going into anaphylactic shock.

In the middle of a park where she couldn't even call out for help.

"Aunt Gail?" Leo asked as he broke away from his friend to come see why Gail was on the ground.

Struggling with her breathing, Gail glanced at Traci's son wishing he was far away from her, she didn't want to scare him with this. There was nothing he could do, nothing anyone could do.

"MOM!"

Traci's head snapped away from Andy and spotted her son touching Gail's back as the blonde knelt down beside him. Suddenly she was up on her feet and racing towards the pair, skidding down onto her knees beside them as she reached for her son but he looked fine, scared but not hurt. She then took in her friend and realised she was struggling to breathe.

"Hey, Gail?" She tried but Gail just kept taking in gasping, rattling gulps of air. "What happened?" She asked Leo but he just shook his head having no idea.

Traci gathered Gail into her arms and tried to ease her back to lean against her. If the blonde was struggling to breathe hunching over like she was wasn't going to help. "Hey, hey, just take slow deep breaths." She instructed her friend but it didn't seem to do any good.

She glanced up to find they'd been surrounded by the rest of the gang. Dov had his cell at his ear calling for an ambulance. But everyone else just watched on with terrified looks on their faces.

"What's wrong with her?" Andy asked clearly concerned.

Traci shook her head.

"Did someone hit her, did she choke on something?" Chloe asked having took first aid training just like the rest of them.

"I don't know." Traci replied.

Chris clenched his jaw as he watched his best friend struggling. Dov closed his cell phone beside him and let them know help was on the way. Chris took in Gail's closed eyes and how limp her body was against Traci and his gut was telling him this was really, really, bad.

"Call Steve." He ordered Dov who glanced at him and then at Gail before spinning away with his phone back at his ear.

"Let me through, move, move!"

Traci glanced up from trying to comfort Gail to find a woman with dark brown eyes and a warm smile kneeling just in front of her and Gail. She stared at the woman hopefully, but really how could this stranger help when none of them had any idea what was going on.

Holly smiled at the dark skinned woman holding Gail and figured this must be Gail's nephew's mom. But introductions could wait.

"Gail, can you open your eyes for me sweetheart?" She asked softly as she placed one hand on the blonde's neck and let her other cup Gail's cheek. "That's it, good girl." She encouraged the blonde as crystal clear blue eyes found hers.

Gail blinked the tears from her eyes and did her best to roll them at the condescending tone coming from Holly, but right now it was all she could do to struggle to breathe.

Dov leaned over at them.

"Steve said it might be an allergic reaction she's having to something."

Holly had already worked that much out for herself. She kept her eyes on Gail. "Try to slow your breathing and just breathe through your nose, that's it, slowly." She grinned at Gail before glancing at the crowd around them. "Ambulance?" She asked.

"On its way." Chris replied.

Gail tried to shake her head but she was getting weaker. Luckily Holly felt the movement and focused back on her.

PEN

Holly blinked watching the blonde's lips move, then she got it. "Epipen?" Gail tried to nod. "Here?" Holly asked and Gail mouthed something to her, this time it was harder to decipher the word from her attempts to breathe.

Holly didn't have time to waste. She glanced up at the faces around her. "Does she have a bag? She needs her adrenalin injector. If she knows her allergies can be this severe she should be carrying one with her at all times."

Chris screwed his eyes shut. "Her bags in my jeep. On the other side of the park." He told them all.

Holly swore under her breath and focused back on her patient. Her blues eyes now looked resigned and the tears fell a little bit quicker from her eyes. Holly gave the blonde a pleading look, willing her not to give up.

She then glanced up at the tall dark haired guy that had spoken. "Run." She ordered him and after a glance at Gail he took off. One of the others went with him.

It was going to be five to ten minutes before they got back, the ambulance was probably ten minutes out as well.

And as Holly looked into Gail's eyes she realised that the blonde already knew this. Her gasps for air had slowed and gone shallow.

Holly let out her own shuddering breath and cupped Gail's face gently. "Okay, here comes the tough part." She explained to the blonde. "Help's a little way off so I need you to just relax as much as you can and just close your eyes." It was a very hard thing to ask of the blonde, especially given how dangerous Gail's situation was right now.

"Steve's on his way back." Dov said softly feeling like he should let Gail know.

Gail sagged against Traci.

Traci glanced worriedly at the brunette whose name she'd never gotten but who seemed to know Gail somehow.

Holly just kept a gentle hold of Gail's face. "We're going to lay you flat on the ground now Gail, and I need you to stay calm and relaxed, can you do that for me?"

Gail pried her eyes open and attempted a glare. Doctor?

Holly grinned.

Gail guffed and it made Holly chuckle knowing the blonde was scoffing at this new piece of knowledge. She shrugged at the blonde and eased her down with the help of the other woman.

Holly eyed the other woman who now looked a little lost. "Can you raise her legs and keep them up?"

Traci nodded and scrambled around. "I'm Traci by the way."

"Holly."

Gail mouthed at Holly again.

"That's right, Doctor Holly Stewart." Holly repeated for the blonde.

Gail grinned and closed her eyes. If she was going to die at least she'd gotten to flirt with a doctor. She wondered if her mother would have been proud if she'd managed to score that date she'd been hoping to build up to with Holly.

Ah well.

Holly watched carefully and as she suspected, Gail drifted into unconsciousness. Quickly she took up position at the side of the blonde placing her hand carefully at her neck needing to keep a very close watch on her heart rate. It was slow but that wasn't unexpected given the reduced circulation Gail's body was suffering from.

"Oh my god!" Chloe said turning away and covering her face.

Holly ignored everything but Gail.

"Andy's coming!" Dov called out.

Holly kept watching Gail. Her breathing had slowed more but she was still getting oxygen into her lungs. Enough to keep her heart going for now.

Andy gasped and dropped Gail's bag next to Traci as she bent over and tried to recover from her desperate sprint back.

Holly didn't bother looking at Traci as she instructed. "It'll be in its own box, or it'll be white and look like a big pen or flash light."

"This it?" Traci asked holding out a white cylindrical object.

Holly took the injector with a nod and pulled at the clothing at Gail's hip, checking the type of injector before pressing a button then stabbing the needle that dropped down hard into Gail's thigh, holding the device in place as it released its dose of adrenalin into Gail's system.

Far off the sound of approaching sirens could be heard.

Another minute or two of patient silent watching they were all grateful when Gail's chest started to rise and fall more evenly.

Chris high fived Dov, taking Holly's grin and nod as a sign that things were working and Gail was going to be okay.

Holly sighed as a short time later Gail's eyelids fluttered back open. "Hey." She whispered softly as the blues eyes tried to focus on her. Holly pulled the injector free and fixed Gail's clothes before leaning closer to the blonde.

"You did just fine." She told her before easing back and grinning at Gail.

Gail tried to grin back but her head was fuzzy and her chest hurt. And she realised at some point her sunglasses had come off because the sun was now blinding her. She groaned and closed her eyes but not before searching out Holly's hand and gripping it tightly.

Holly squeezed the hand in her own but then she had to let go as the paramedics arrived and rushed towards Gail. Reluctantly she cleared out of the way after giving them the injector and informing them that it was anaphylactic shock that Gail had suffered from although she had no idea of the trigger.

They gave Gail an oxygen mask and loaded her onto a board to take her back to the ambulance. They'd need to run some tests and make sure that Gail was fully recovered before they could release her but Holly was confident that Gail Peck was going to be just fine.

She stepped further back as the friends all gathered around Gail as she was being led away. All expressing their relief that she was going to be okay. One mentioning that it was a good ploy to get out of clean up duty.

Holly grinned watching them go. She had a nagging suspicion about Gail, Peck wasn't that common a name after all.

If she was right, this might not be the last she sees of the blonde after all.

Her eyes followed the group as they headed out of the park and then she turned around and started up her run again.

Maybe if they did meet again, Holly could get something a little stronger than water from the blonde. She did play a small part in helping to save her life after all.

She snorted to herself and wondered if that line would get her anywhere with the blonde. Gail, she thought, would probably point out that it was her friends that got her injector, or that the ambulance basically arrived at the same time.

And Holly wondered how long she'd have to wait to find out.

She picked up her pace and decided that another lap of the lake was in order.

Suddenly she had a little extra energy to burn off.

xxxxx

AN/

There will be a part two, but I have no idea if I will make this into a longer fic right now.

Thanks for reading!