A/N: So I wrote this like 2 months ago, but never finished it. I'm not 100% happy with it, but I just wanted to share it with you guys. Hopefully you'll like it. I tried to make it realistic, I think adoption would take at least 2 years to come through, I don't think Gail and Holly would be able to visit each other weekly, or monthly, and I don't believe that a ten year old, who has known her own mother for 8 years, would call Gail her 'mom', but maybe that's just me. Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy reading this, it is meant as pure fluff. So, no drama. :)
Disclaimer: I don't own the show, nor it's characters. I just wrote this fan fiction about Rookie Blue. And all the characters, places and other things related to Rookie Blue used in this fan fiction are the properties of their respective owners. For fans, by fans.
"Holly, it's Gail. I, uhm- I'm sorry for calling you this late. I know you have this weird, crazy science thing you told me about today, but something is wrong with Sophie and I had no idea who else to call. It's bad Hol. She has been throwing up and I'm pretty sure she has a fever. And well, to be honest, I'm kind of freaking out a little bit. She looks so pale. Yeah, I know that's not really possible, but you know what I mean. I just- I just really wish you were here, because you're a doctor, and you'd know the perfect thing to say, and to do, and I'm so lost in this. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe I'm not ready to be a mom yet. I mean, I don't even know how to look after my own daughter when she's sick. I should probably call Traci. She's a mom right? A good one, I mean. I could always call my own mother, but she'd probably just tell me that Sophie has to grow up and get over it. But Hol, she is still so small and she's my baby girl. I don't want my mother to screw her up the way she screwed me up. And- damn, Sophie's throwing up again." You can hear Gail pulling the phone away from her mouth and making her way over to what you guess is the bathroom. "I'm coming baby girl. I'm right here." Then you hear Sophie hurl in what you hope is the toilet, before Gail puts the phone back to her ear. "I should go, I guess. Just please call me back whenever you can?" And then the call disconnects.
It's the sixth time you've listened to Gail's voicemail since finding it on your phone fifteen hours ago. Your heart breaks a little more for the woman you love each time you hear it. With Gail and Sophie in Toronto both needing you, the 4300 kilometres just seems that much further away than it normally does.
You and Gail had agreed to continue your relationship long distance just a little over two years ago. It wasn't ideal, but after breaking it off for two months, you realized not being with each other emotionally, was even worse than not being together physically. Of course you tried to see each other at least once every three months, to keep up with the physical aspect of your relationship. Gail had been to San Francisco a total of seven times already, and your last visit to Toronto had been two months ago, when Sophie's adoption had finally officially come through.
Gail had moved into your old apartment the day you moved to San Francisco. You loved your place and didn't want to sell it to some random stranger. Most importantly, you wanted your house to still be there when you returned in three years. And Gail, in desperate need of a new place that would be safe and secure enough to raise an eight-year old child in, was more than happy to babysit your house for you until you came back. Gail insisted on paying rent, even though you had told her not to. But what the blonde didn't know was that you deposited her monthly payments into a savings account for Sophie. The little girl had an ambition to become a doctor, and you were all too familiar with the insane costs that came with being in medical school. You knew that if Gail ever found out, she'd give you hell about it, but you didn't care. You may not have been ready to be a mom to the little girl at the time, but you wanted to help your best friend, you lover, with taking care of her daughter in some way. Besides, you thought it was crazy to let Gail pay your rent when your job in San Francisco was paying for your place there, making it possible for you to keep your own house back in Toronto as well.
You're pulled away from your thoughts when you hear the elderly lady sitting next to you speak. "You have a beautiful family." You look up from the photo that is showing as your tablet's background. You hadn't realize that after drifting off in thought you had hit the home button, revealing the beautiful picture of a smiling Gail, Sophie and yourself. You want to correct her. To say that in fact the three of you weren't really a family yet, but then you remember that you are here on a six hour plane ride, on your way to see your two girls.
You can't quite believe you actually did it. You can't believe that fifteen hours ago, after receiving Gail's frantic phone call with the news that Sophie was feverish, you had stormed into your boss' office, and told her that you had a family emergency to take care off. And just like that, you had found yourself at the airport demanding to be on the first flight to Toronto, no matter the cost. You're pretty sure you overpaid big time to be on this plane, but none of that really mattered in the end.
You look at the friendly lady sitting next to you, and can't bring yourself to correct her, because in some way she is right. You, Gail and Sophie make a family. Maybe you and Gail didn't do things in the right order. Maybe it was expected that couples would live together for some amount of time, get married, and then have children, but who really cared about all of that now? You certainly didn't. All you cared about were the two beautiful ladies, waiting for you to get home. So you just smile at her. "I know."
Only nineteen hours after Gail's phone call you find yourself standing in front of the house you know all too well. After taking a deep breath you do something you've never done before and ring the doorbell to your own house. It's weird, this is your house after all, and although you do have a house in San Francisco it's not the same as the one in front of you. No, the one in front of you holds a different meaning, because of the two people that live inside it, making it feel like your home. That's something you had learned over the past two years. It didn't matter where in the world you lived; your home would be wherever Gail was. And now that Sophie was in the picture, it would be wherever the ten-year old girl would be as well.
You had grown quite fond of Sophie in the past two years. Gail had arranged some meetings between you and the little girl whenever you'd be in Toronto, so that the two of you would be able to bond together. You don't know how or when it happened, but after only six months, Gail's weekly visit with Sophie always included a Skype call with you, whenever possible.
You're pulled from your thoughts when the door opens, and a tired, surprised looking Gail appears in the door opening. "Holly?"
"Gail." You state, not being able to contain the crooked smile that you are sure is showing on your face.
"Wha- what are you doing here?"
"Well you called, so I came."
"But, you are supposed to be in San Francisco." Gail states in confusion. You can't really blame her. To be honest, this whole thing is still kind of confusing for you too. Ten hours ago you had still been in San Francisco, and now here you were, 4300 kilometres later, standing in front of your own door, not sure if you would ever return to the city you had woken up in this morning, or well, yesterday morning. There is only one thing you are absolutely sure about. This is exactly where you are supposed to be.
"No, I'm supposed to be here, with you and Sophie. How is she?"
"She's alright. The vomiting stopped about three hours ago. I'm pretty sure she's dehydrated. I've tried to get her to drink something every half hour, like you told me in one of your texts, but it just keeps coming up. I've never seen someone this sick Holly. I'm terrified. What if…"
"C-can I see her?"
"What? Yeah, of course. I'm sure she'd love that. She's been talking about you non-stop since your last visit."
"She has?"
"Yeah, she is quite fond of you, you know. We both are." You can't contain the smile that is making its appearance on your face. You place your lips quickly on Gail's before stepping inside the house on your way to find your sick little girl.
You softly knock on the door that leads to your old guest bedroom, that Gail beautifully turned into Sophie's bedroom, before stepping into the dark room.
"Holly?"
"Hey Soof. How are you feeling?"
"I've been better."
"Yeah, I can imagine." You sit down on the bed, next to the ten-year-old girl, stroking a strand of be-sweated hair behind her ear. "It's so good to see you."
"It's really good to see you too." You can't help the small smile that is making its appearance on your face. "Wh- what are you doing here? Gail said you were in San Francisco." Sophie asks in a sleepy voice.
"I was."
"I'm confused." You know exactly what the young girl means, you are feeling pretty confused about all of suddenly being here yourself.
"Well, Gail called me and told me you were sick, so I came home because I wanted to see you."
"Because you are a doctor?" You want to believe that part of you is here because the doctor in you wants to check up on the girl, and for some reason that's true. But you know you would be lying to yourself if you said that it was the only reason you are here.
"Yeah, part of me is here because I'm a doctor."
"What about the other part?" You knew she would catch up on that, Sophie is smart like that.
"Because I want to be here, with you and Gail. Not 4300 kilometres away in San Francisco."
"I want you to be here too." The young girl softly admits. You are no longer able to hold back the single tear that is rolling down your cheek. Right here and now, with Sophie lying next to you, you can't believe that you were ever able to leave her and Gail behind.
"I'm so sorry I wasn't here before Sophie. I really am."
"Please, don't cry Holly." The little girl says, sitting up and wrapping her tiny arms around you. You place a soft kiss in her hairline.
"I'm just really happy to be back sweetie."
"Are you here to stay?" Sophie asks, the uncertainty and hope in her voice not going unnoticed by you.
"Yeah, I'm here to stay." You promise the little girl, before tucking her in a little more. "You should try to catch some more sleep."
"Will you still be here when I wake up?" Your heart breaks a little after hearing the words. You had no idea that Sophie had such a hard time with you leaving before.
"Of course, I'll be here. I promised you I'd be here, didn't I?" The young girl weakly nods. "I'll be here. Did Gail read you my text?"
"Yes. Sleep, rest, fluids and Tylenol."
"Good girl. You'll become an amazing doctor one day. But right now, you still need to follow this doctor's orders. Try to get some sleep beautiful." You place one more kiss on her forehead, before leaving the dark room, leaving the door halfway open, so that if something is wrong and Sophie calls out for you or Gail, you will be able to hear her.
When you turn around, to make your way downstairs and find your girlfriend, you practically run into Gail who's standing just outside of Sophie's bedroom.
"Is it true?"
"Is what true?"
"Are you really here to stay?"
"Yeah. I mean, of course I have some business to take care of back in San Francisco, and a place to pack, but I plan on doing that as soon as Sophie feels better."
"You didn't have to come, you know."
"Are you kidding me? Of course I had to come, Gail. Our daughter is sick."
"Our daughter, huh?"
"Your daughter." You say, kind of uncomfortable, but before you can cover your slip up, Gail silences you by attacking your lips with her own. Once the two of you break apart, Gail speaks again, the uncertainty in her voice breaking your heart.
"So, you really are here to stay." You know that all the words you should be saying, would fail you, so you just nod. How had you ever been able to leave her and Sophie behind? How had all of this ever seen like a good idea?
"You're not going to finish your contract? You know your job here is taken till at least the end of September, right?"
"Look Gail, on my way here, I realized something. You, me and Sophie…in some strange way, we make a family. I know we might have skipped a few steps normal people would have taken before even considering having children, but we were never normal. We have always done things the extraordinary way. You and Sophie, you are my family. And I should have never left you. I regret every moment of not-" You're cut off by Gail's lips pressing against your own again. You can't repress the soft moan leaving your mouth when Gail decides that it's time to deepen the kiss. When the two of you break apart after what could have easily been minutes, you lean your forehead against Gail's, not ready to break contact yet.
"I can't believe you're really here." Gail whispers, her breath warm on your face.
"I'm really here Gail, I should have been here all along. This is my family, my home. You, you are my family. That little girl in there, believe it or not, but I want to be a mother to her. I'm ready to be a mother to her, if you'd be okay with that too, of course."
"You've no idea, how okay I'd be with that."
"Really?"
"Yes really, you idiot!" Gail says, as a few tears escape her eyes. You barely notice them, your eyes to focussed on the biggest smile you've ever seen on the blonde's face. But when you notice the tears rolling down your girlfriend's face, you can't help but to slowly kiss all of them away. The two of you stand in the hallway, softly kissing each other for several minutes. When the two of you break apart, your hands keep being interlocked with the blonde's. She refuses to look at you, but once she does, she says the last thing you expect her to say.
"Well, Sophie and I are both Peck's now, so it would only make sense if we changed that last little detail about the other member of our family too, you know."
"Gail." Your breath gets caught in your throat, and even though you know it's scientifically impossible, you are positive that your heart skipped a beat. Or two.
"Holly." She states, taking a step closer, leaving no personal space between the two of you.
"Are you asking what I think you're asking?"
"That depends. Are you gonna say yes?"
"Say yes Holly." You hear a weak, excited voice coming from behind you. When you turn around, you see Sophie standing in the doorway of her bedroom in her pyjamas.
"Aren't you supposed to be in bed?" You ask, the doctor inside of you taking the upper hand and getting a bit distracted from the question that is laying out there in the open.
"Aren't you going to say yes?" Sophie bites back. Even sick this little girl is starting to sound more and more like Gail Peck as the days go by. You're secretly loving every second of it.
"What? Yes, of course I'll say yes. A million times, yes." You reply to the little girl in the yellow pyjamas.
"Well, in that case." Gail says, getting down on one knee. The tears you've been trying so hard to keep in are finally making their way down your face. You can hear Sophie giggling from behind you.
"Holly Anne Stewart, damn, I knew I should have planned this better. A ring Sophie! I need a ring!" Gail says laughing, trying to involve Sophie in the process of all this. You couldn't love Gail more, she is such a beautiful person, such a beautiful mother.
The little girl runs inside her room and returns seconds later with a ring so small, it wouldn't even fit around your pinkie. Gail places a soft kiss on her head, when she hands it to her.
"Thank you sweetheart. Now, where were we?"
"You were gonna ask Holly to marry you." Sophie whispers in Gail's ear, hard enough for you to hear.
"Right. Holly Anne Stewart." Gail says lovingly, playing with your hand, never breaking physical contact with you.
"Will you marry me? Us. Will you marry us?" Gail finally asks.
You wipe away the tear that is rolling down your left cheek, before opening your mouth. "Yes, Gail. I'd love to." And before you know it, your girlfriend, no, fiancée is crashing her lips against your own, to seal this promise with a kiss. You feel tiny little arms wrap around your middle. And that's when you know for sure that you'd made the right choice fourteen hours ago by getting on that plane. You're finally home.