Just another Friday night at the Penny.

Future.

It's Friday night and the Penny is full of cops celebrating another week's end. The rookies of 15 division are sitting around a table in one of the corners while Chloe reads off a trivia question from her spot on Dov's lap. Andy and Chris are sitting across from you, heads together trying to come up with their answer. And your teammate, your adorable girlfriend Gail, is pretending to whisper answers in your ear but is actually listing off all the things she'll do to you if the two of you can leave the nerdfest and go home right now. Except for the fact that you know the answer and are currently beating the pants off Dov and Chloe, you'd probably forfeit the whole thing and rush her out the door.

But you like winning, and victory sex is one of your favorite kinds of sex. It falls just under sweet and slow wake-up sex actually, which is your absolute favorite. And it's just above birthday sex, which is always fun and celebratory but really only comes twice a year. But victory sex? It's always hot and energetic and just dirty enough to put a self-satisfied smirk on your girlfriend's face the morning after.

And you can have it as many times as you can wipe the floor with Dov and Chloe.

Chloe tallies up the points. With this last question you and Gail—well, you—have definitely secured the win.

Gail cackles at her former roommates. "Team Peckwart for the win," she says excitedly, "thanks for picking up the tab, boys."

You smile into her soft blonde hair—you're definitely getting victory sex tonight.

But not yet, with Dov and Chris covering tonight's drinks, you know Gail's going to want to get a few more rounds in.

An hour or so later, and several drinks, and the cops are gently ribbing Gail for the attention she got earlier this week after helping to save an infant boy who was choking. The alcohol is buzzing pleasantly in your veins, and you're so proud of your girl, that you almost miss Dov making a joke about Gail only getting recommended for a commendation because she's a Peck.

You feel every muscle in her body tense against yours, and the warmth in your chest goes cold. That buzz you've been riding for the past few hours slips away.

"Hey," you say to Gail, "we should go, it's getting late and we've got plans tomorrow."

Your plans are to keep Gail in bed as long as possible, and enjoy what appears to be the first obligation-free Saturday the two of you have had in months.

But the rest of the table doesn't need to know that.

You get Gail into her coat and take her outside to wait for the cab before pretending that you've left your wallet inside.

When you get back to the table the four of them are still sitting and talking; no one seems to have noticed how your mood went from happily victorious to angry and defensive in the space of a single heartbeat.

"Hey," Andy says, noticing you standing by the table again, "you come back for one more? Where's Gail?"

You look down at her, at each of them sitting there at the table.

"No, she's outside waiting for a cab," you tell her in a voice that is curt and direct. "But we need to talk."

You know they've never heard you like this before, you know they're all half-drunk and a little confused. But this needs to be said. You need to say this.

Now.

Tonight.

You give them your most "take no shit" stare. It's handy when herding interns and when Gail is being particularly stubborn about something.

"This," you say, gesturing with your hands, "this stops now. This stops tonight."

Four blank faces stare back at you.

"Telling Gail she's not good enough? Telling her that her success is only because of her name? It's done. It doesn't happen again. Do you hear me?"

It's Chris who speaks first, "Holly, we didn't mean anything by it."

"Gail's a good cop, we all know it," Andy chimes in.

"Yes," you say quietly but fiercely, "Gail is a good cop. She's a great cop. She's strong and dedicated and she cares about the people she helps. She saved that boy's life. She cleared his airway and she gave him CPR until the ambulance arrived. She was his heart and she was his breath for seven minutes, and he's alive because of her. He's going to grow up because of Gail. That commendation she's been nominated for? She earned that. She earned it because of what she did. And if she earned it because of who she is it has nothing to do with her name and everything to do with her the person she is. Do you hear me?"

They all have the good sense to look a little ashamed of themselves.

"But you gotta admit," Dov says after a moment, "the fact that she's a Peck means that anything she does gets a bigger spotlight than everyone else."

"Really, Dov?" Your voice is louder now, you can't really control it anymore. You were angry before, but now you're just plain mad. "If the spotlight is brighter, so is the cliff. Do you know what it's like to live with the constant fear of being a disappointment? Do you know the pressure she's had to deal with her whole life? The expectations she feels she has to live up to, the legacy?"

You take a breath and look at the cops sitting before you. None of them can meet your eyes.

"You all should know this, weren't you all there when she took the fall for that suspect's death a few years ago, the one you all played a part in? She had your backs then, have any of you ever had hers?"

You look around at them. It's time to make them see what you see.

"All she's ever wanted is someone to have her back, someone to choose her over everything else. And every time you make her doubt herself, every time you tell her that all the hard work she puts in, all of it isn't her but her name? She knows that at the end of the day, you don't believe in her. So it stops now. You've all worked with her, you've seen her. You know that what she does she does on her own. No more telling her otherwise, do you understand?"

They all nod at you, and then Andy catches sight of something to your side, and you turn.

Gail is standing there. She must have come back at some point during your speech, but you hadn't noticed. You can't read her face to tell whether she's heard or whether she's angry.

"Gail—"Andy tries to speak, but Gail cuts her off.

"Hol, the cab's here. Did you get your wallet?" The hand on your shoulder lets you know she's okay. You still can't tell how much she heard, but at least you know you're not in trouble.

"I did; we were all just saying goodbye again. Shall we go," you ask and she nods. The hand trails down your back to come and rest at the small of your back. You love her casual possessiveness.

The cops at the table murmur their goodbyes, and it pleases you a little to see how ashamed they all look.

In the cab Gail can hardly keep her hands off of you, drawing you into a deep and dark kiss, and then attaching her mouth to the pulse point at the base of your throat while her fingers tease at the hem of your shirt.

Once you're standing in the foyer the apartment you share, she attacks you, kicking off her heels and stripping your shirt from your body.

"No one's ever done that for me," she whispers against your skin, "no one's ever cared enough to stand up for me."

She sounds a little surprised that you would, and it breaks your heart.

"Hey," you say, taking her chin in your hand and tilting her head to look up at you, "I will always have your back. I will always stand up for you. Because you are worth it. Because you deserve it. Got it?"

The smile that breaks across her face it beautiful.

"When you say it like that," she says and brings a hand up to your cheek, "I almost believe it."

This beautiful woman, you're so deeply in love with her.

"You should," you tell her, "because it's true. And I will tell you as many times as you need to believe it. I'll spend the rest of your life telling you, because I love you."

She stops breathing, and the hand on your face stills.

"I'm so in love with you, Gail," you say, and draw lips in for a kiss. The touch of lips seems to shock her into breathing again, and it takes a moment for her to respond to your touch.

But then she does, and with gusto, hands greedily seeking skin.

The next morning you realize you're going to have to reorder your list. Because "I love you" sex is your new favorite.

And from the look on your beautiful girl's face the next morning, you're pretty sure it's on the top of Gail's list too.