This is the final part of the final five-part chapter of Holly and Gail's story. Make sure you have read the preceding four chapters first, for it to make sense.

7.10pm

"So, does this bother you?" Gail leans against the edge of the kitchen bench and uses her hands to push herself up until she is sitting on top of it, her feet kicking gently against the side.

Holly turns around from her spot at the sink, looks at her, and promptly turns back to what she is doing.

"What, exactly, should be bothering me?" she asks over her shoulder.

"Me. Sitting up here." Gail asks slyly.

"No, why would it?"

"I don't know." Gail shrugs, grinning, "Because you are all funny about the kitchen."

Holly finishes rinsing the cups, and turns to Gail, "No, I am funny about cooking, not the kitchen." She crosses the small space and comes over to lean against Gail's knees, grabbing the neck of her top. "Anyway, why are you trying to bother me?"

Gail shrugs. She has no idea. She just wanted some attention. Holly leans away from her, pulling a towel from the hook on the wall. She dries her hands, smiling up at Gail. She puts down the towel and grabs Gail top again, pulling her toward her and kissing her.

Slowly, she lets go and runs a hand across Gail's cheek.

"You really are very beautiful," Holly tells her.

"Shut up." Gail tells her, withering, sitting up and stretching her back.

"Shut up?" Holly chuckles, pinching both Gail's legs just above the knee. "Didn't anyone ever teach you how to take a compliment?"

"Nope." Gail tells her, wincing and pulling Holly's hands off her legs and holding them tight. She hates being pinched there. Steve used to do it when they were kids. Horse bites, he'd called them. They'd be sitting there, watching TV and all of a sudden he'd grab that soft spot just above her knee and squeeze hard, yelling 'horsie!' Then, of course, she'd thump him.

"No, I did not learn to take a compliment, Holly." She tells Holly. "Haven't I told you already that I was raised by wolves?" She laughs, still holding Holly's hands, wrapping her feet around her waist to hold her in place in front of her. "And a grumpy housekeeper or two."

"Well, you should try it sometime." Holly tells her, pulling her hands free and grabbing Gail's legs, gently this time. "It's really very easy.

"Is that so?"

"Yes. Someone says something nice to you, you smile pleasantly and say thank you.

"Show me."

"Okay then. Say something nice to me." Holly orders, grinning. "Unlike some people, I am okay with compliments."

"Okay then. You have a great ass." Gail tells her, grinning. She watches Holly fight the urge to laugh, wrestling her mouth into a dignified smile.

"Why thank you," she says, politely, imperious. "Again." She tells Gail, leaning in and lightly kissing her collarbone.

Gail smiles, taking a bunch of Holly's tangled dark hair and running it over her hands.

"You also have beautiful hair," she tells her, pushing it back behind her neck and placing her hands on Holly's shoulders "And," Gail sighs and bites her lip a moment before continuing in a rush of words. "You might be one of the most beautiful, surprising people I have ever met."

Before she has even finished saying it, Gail looks down at her lap, suddenly, almost unbearably, self-conscious.

It's true though. People never seem to surprise Gail any more. She's not sure if it is her job, or the recent chain of disappointments with her friends and with relationships— or all of the above. Whatever it is, it has made her begin to immediately expect the worse from people. More so than usual. And lately, most people tend to be exactly what she expects- interesting but ultimately disappointing.

But Holly is a surprise. For whatever weirdness there is about her, the quirks that made so Gail attracted to her personality in the first place, she also knows that it is Holly's unflinching gravity, her ordinary— and therefore extraordinary— goodness and integrity that is equally as beautiful and surprising. Yep, Holly has been a small but significant revelation. Gail will admit that much.

She sneaks a look at her. Holly isn't saying a word, or even looking at her. She merely plays contemplatively with the button on Gail's shirt, her lips pressed together in what might almost be a smile. Her lack of response seems interminable. Gail wishes she would say something, break this silence that is making her begin to feel slightly anxious.

Finally Holly stands back and reaches up, hooking her hands around Gail's neck and moving her face in close to Gail's. Then she smiles one of her cutest, crooked smiles and Gail can breath again.

"Thank you," Holly whispers, kissing her.

8.03pm

By evening, Holly is starting to feel a case of cabin fever coming on. She's not sick of this day, or of Gail, of course. She is, however, getting tired of the same stultifying air of her apartment, of being inside. Holly never likes to stay still for too long. She tentatively suggests they venture outdoors for some food and a change of scene.

At first Gail is reluctant, rolling over and huddling into Holly's chest, shaking her head violently.

"No way. That would require getting dressed," she mumbles.

A few minutes later she changes her mind.

"You know, maybe I could go out," she concedes. "I am kind of hungry."

Holly grins, running her hand up Gail's spine. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Mmm."

"Are you always hungry?"

"Pretty much." Gail responds, un-burying herself from the blanket and from Holly, stretching her arm up above her head. "Pret-ty much. Let's go."

8.20pm

They decide to walk. The Thai place is just around the corner and it isn't worth waiting for the car to warm up. Gail steps out onto the footpath, waiting for Holly to lock the front door. It feels very strange to be suddenly outdoors. The world seems alien, unwieldy somehow after the compact certainty of Holly's apartment.

It is a crystal, frozen night. The air is dead still and bracingly cold, especially after the luxury of Holly's heating all day. Gail wraps her gloved hands under her armpits, turns her face upward into the night and takes a long breath. It feels oddly refreshing.

They walk down the street in silence. It is quiet out. The only sounds to be heard are distant cars, their footsteps hitting the pavement and the muted indoor sounds of weekend night lives, busy at the work of eating dinner and getting ready for the next day.

"Wow, it is freezing." Holly says quietly, as if conscious of the hush, pulling her woollen hat down over her ears. "Maybe we should have driven."

"It's only a few minutes away." Gail tells her, gazing up at the brittle outlines of the bare trees above them. "We'll survive."

"Yes, well you are used to being out in this all day." Holly tucks her chin into her jacket collar. "I am used to being cosied up in the morgue."

"I bet that is the first time anyone has ever used cosy and morgue in the same sentence."

Holly chuckles, "Probably."

Gail reaches out and hooks her arm through Holly's, pressing up close to her as they walk briskly.

"Really?" Holly turns to Gail, eyebrows raised.

"Hush." Gail tells her, walking faster. "And pick up the pace, lady."

9.29pm

Holly returns from the bar's bathroom to find two shot glasses full of clear liquid on the counter in front of their spot near the end of the bar. She sits slowly, still feeling the weight of dinner, and turns to face Gail.

"Is that tequila?"

Gail nods, serious, rubbing her hands on her knees. "Yes Holly, that would be tequila."

Holly sighs, considering the small, yet lethal glass in front of her. "This is your idea of a nightcap? You know it's like, Wednesday, right?" she says. "It's a bit early in the week for tequila, don't you think?"

"Ah but Holly, tequila doesn't know what day it is." Gail smiles, smug, taking up her glass.

"That's because tequila is too busy partying, generally whoring around, calling in sick and forgetting to call its mother on her birthday to remember what day it is." Holly tells her.

"And that," Gail raises her glass and gives Holly a look that tells her she better do the same, "Is why tequila and I get along so well." She tips her glass against Holly's and downs the drink with nary a flinch. "So much in common."

Holly follows suit. She knows she will never get away with not drinking it, so she swallows it down and places the glass far away from her on the bar, cringing. It is not as bad as last time she had tequila- also proffered by Gail- but not pretty either. She clears her throat and rests her elbows on the burnished wood of the bar, watching Gail order more drinks. Whiskey this time, Holly notices with relief. That's more like it. Whiskey is a slow, wintery, Wednesday kind of drink. Perfect for this sleepy little bar they have discovered next to the restaurant.

"Speaking of mothers," Holly says, running a finger along the edge of the bar mat.

"We weren't," Gail interrupts, placing Holly's drink in front of her.

"Well, speaking of mentions of mothers, then" Holly revises, "Can I ask you a question?"

Gail just shrugs, taking a sip of her whiskey.

"I was wondering," Holly starts, but then stops, realising the need to tread lightly, "Now," she tells Gail, holding up her hands in pre-defence. "Please do not think this is me in any way putting any kind of pressure on you, or me saying you should do anything, because that is not why I am asking …"

"Asking what, Holly?" Gail turns to her, eyes slightly narrowed. "Spit it out."

"Well, given from everything you have ever told me about you and your mother, your relationship, it seems kind of … I guess fraught would be the word, and because of that I was wondering— no, curious …"

"Oh my God, Holly, just," Gail sighs. "You are doing that weird ranty thing again."

"Great," Holly rolls her eyes, pressing her palms to her jeans. "Now I have made it sound bigger than it is. All I wanted to know was … if this thing with us becomes, you know, a … thing."

"Holly, it is a thing." Gail gives her the kind of look Holly imagines is usually reserved for slightly backward criminals.

Holly smiles, reaches over and gives Gail's leg a quick, surreptitious squeeze and decides to cut right to it. "What I wanted to know, is will you tell your mother, your parents, about us … one day?"

Gail doesn't say anything for a moment. She just picks up her glass and nods. Not a nod of assent, Holly realises, just a nod that concedes that this is a valid question. Eventually, she puts her glass down again without even taking a sip and shrugs.

"I guess so. I'll have to." She sighs. "That woman is so up in my business she'll find out pretty quickly even if I don't tell her."

"Your brother?"

"No, no," Gail shakes her head. "Steve and I know how to keep each other's stuff out of mom's way. Years of practise. It'll most likely be the work grapevine, idle gossip …. Oliver or Dov or some other bigmouth." Gail rolls her eyes.

Holly nods, sympathetic. It cannot be easy working in such close proximity to your parents.

Gail shudders slightly. "That's going to be a fun family dinner conversation." She sips her whiskey and smiles. "I'll make Steve come for that one. It's all he deserves."

"So, how do you think she'll react?" Holly watches the bartender wander by, idly eyeing them, clearly bored of this slow weeknight shift.

Gail leans forward, resting her elbows on the bar and cupping her chin with her hands. "You know, I have no idea." She turns to Holly, shrugging, her blue eyes completely serious. "Really. Absolutely none."

She sits back in her seat again, and lays her hands flat on the counter and stares down at them. "See, Holly, one of the many, many ways that my mother exerts her ownership over me—which I am pretty sure is what she thinks constitutes parenting— is to plan everything for me: my education, my career, my hair, my boyfriends." she smiles. "You know, when I met you, I was actually going on blind dates that she had set up." She shakes her head.

Holly smiles. "I do remember. The medieval geek with the accent."

"Somehow, because of what happened with Nick, I was actually stupid enough to listen to her, to think I needed help finding someone. She made me believe, for a minute, that time was running out for me, or something." Gail shakes her head. "That's how she gets to me, Holly, she finds the weaknesses."

She turns back toward Holly and smiles, a weak, rueful smile. "Unlike me, she happens to be really good at getting witnesses to talk. She either terrifies them, or wears them down."

Holly doesn't say anything. She just leans forward, moving her knee so it is just touching Gail's.

"Anyway," Gail continues. "To answer your question, I am sure it will throw her. Of course it will. She won't be expecting it- why would she? And my mother thrives on knowing everything. My mother also thrives on being calm under pressure, completely in control of everything. Who knows what kind of freak-out this getting past her might inspire." Gail suddenly presses her hands against her face, shaking her head. "Oh God, what am I in for?"

Holly smiles to herself, wondering just how similar Gail and her mother might be,

"If she does get upset," Gail continues. "It won't be about me being with a woman. I actually can't imagine her being upset about that— or at least being willing to let anyone see her get upset about that. I mean, she's police; she's met gay people, for God's sakes. In fact, in one of the more horrific potential scenarios, I can actually imagine her being really into having a poster child for diversity- great publicity for her and the division."

She sighs and shakes her head. "What I can imagine her being crazy about is that this is something … she didn't choose for me. She didn't suggest it, or notice it, or sit me down and pretend she was the world's greatest mother by pushing me into it. This is something she has had absolutely no control over. That is what will freak her out."

"She sounds …" Holly stops, because doesn't know really know how to finish that sentence.

"Yeah," Gail nods, flashing Holly a quick smile. "She is. Exactly." She sighs and lifts her drink, draining the glass. "You know what? I'll deal with Mama Peck when I get there. For now, I am going to do what I always do."

"Which is?"

"Avoid her for as long as possible." Gail smiles. "And enjoy the hell out of this while I can."

"And I," Holly tells her; raising her glass and tipping it gently against Gail's empty one before sipping. "Think I might be in complete support of that."

10.17pm

It has started snowing again. A gentle downward drift of flakes floats around them as they walk down the street away from the bar.

"Ah, I love snow." Holly says, rapturous, holding out her hands.

"Me, not so in love with it," Gail tells her, jamming her hands into her pockets and watching it pile up on the road as cars slow to a crawl.

"Really? How can you not love it at this time of year?"

Gail just looks at her. "Remember what you said earlier, about you being cosy in the morgue all day and me being outside? That's what. Patrolling in the freezing cold, having perpetually numb feet, early winter car accidents, chasing criminals on slippery streets. That's why I don't love snow."

"But it's so pretty." Holly insists, stopping in the middle of the footpath, staring up at the sky. Two men, still in their business suits, stare at her as they edge around her, one of them shaking his head.

"Yeah, it is pretty," Gail concedes, taking Holly's hand and pulling her along the street. "But you're blocking foot traffic. Come on, Pollyanna."

"Yes, officer." Holly teases, doing Gail's bidding and following her down the street.

Gail keeps a hold of her hand, urging her to walk faster. She is freezing. She wants to get back to the warm.

"You do realise you, Gail, are holding my hand. In public," Holly tells her.

Yes, Gail does know that. She is very, very aware of that.

"Well," she shrugs, holding it just a little tighter, feeling her cheeks turn pink. "I don't want your hand to get cold."

"Just the one?"

"Yep, just the one. The other can fend for itself." Gail pulls Holly a little closer and tucks both of their hands, clasped together into her jacket pocket as they round the corner onto Holly's street.

10.41pm

"I have got to go home." Gail tells her, pressing her hands over Holly', barring them from climbing any further up the inside of her jacket.

"Really?" Holly asks, kissing her slowly, pressing her up against the wall next to the front door. "Are you sure?" she whispers.

"Well, unless you have a spare police uniform lying around." Gail tells her, sliding her hands under Holly's jumper, wrapping her arms around her waist

Holly grins and ignores her, unzipping Gail's jacket slowly.

"Seriously, I do need to go." Gail's husky voice insists in her ear. But her hands, which have slid down the back of Holly's jeans, say otherwise. And Holly chooses to believe them.

"Come on." Holly whispers, running her hands over the curve of Gail's breasts and kissing her. "Come back to bed. Just for a little while."

11.53pm

"What will happen tomorrow?" Gail whispers into the darkness.

"You'll go to work. I'll go to work." Holly tells her, opening her eyes. "You'll catch some criminals. I'll go to the optometrist and get new glasses. I'll also probably text you; maybe around lunchtime when I start to miss you, message you something stupid, or cheesy, try and make you laugh. I'll hope you'll text me back straight away, but I will probably have to wait a few hours until you finish busting a drug ring, or dodging bullets."

"Ha, ha" She feels Gail lips press against her shoulder. "That's not quite what I meant."

"What did you mean, then?" Holly asks, turning around so she is facing her. She can barely see Gail. It doesn't matter. She knows she is there.

"I don't know," Gail mumbles.

Holly smiles into the darkness. She knows exactly what this uncertainty is about. It's not about anything between them, exactly. It's about Gail dealing with being Gail and Holly, and, of course, with the everyday uncertainty of being Gail out in the world after this day ends.

She reaches out until she finds Gail's face, placing a hand gently on her cheek.

"You know, what was today is always going to be here. Maybe not in such a concentrated, delicious dose, but it will." She smooths Gail's hair back behind her ear. "There's everything else, and then there's this." Holly tells her. "So, whatever hap…"

"I know," Gail whispers. "I know." She takes Holly's hand from her cheek and kisses the palm of her hand.

Holly can hear the 'but' in her voice, the 'but' she knows follows from this. She leaves it alone, though. Gail is going to be anxious- she can't help that. It's a part of her. She can only hope she can keep it together and remember the happiness before the uncertainty. But she also knows that Gail won't find everything as hard she thinks it is going to be. But that is just another thing Gail is going to have to discover for herself.

12.02am

Gail sighs. She wishes they had more time left. She tucks her head further under Holly's arm and tries to avoid the fact that their day is over. But she can't. She can no longer avoid the cold drive back through snow to her equally cold bed. She slowly pulls herself up on top of Holly, wanting to feel her fully in her arms before having to leave her.

"I really better go now," she whispers, resolute, resting her head on Holly's chest. She feels the dull pain in her belly, the bruise, but ignores it.

"You better." Holly reluctantly agrees, placing her hand over Gail's messy hair.

"I really don't want to." Gail whispers.

"And I really don't want you to."

Gail smiles. "Thanks for taking the day off with me," she whispers.

"Ah," Holly lowers her hands to run them along Gail's back. "I think you know it was my pleasure."

Gail lifts her head and kisses Holly. Then, sighing again, she pulls herself up, sitting on the edge of the bed. Holly reaches over and flicks on the lamp for her, a warm spill of light flooding the room.

She gets up, gathers her clothes from the floor and puts them on slowly, sitting on the other side of the bed.

"I am finding this extremely difficult to watch," Holly tells her.

Gail smiles. She stands up to pull up her jeans and picks up her jacket from the chair.

"I'll come and let you out." Holly starts to sit up, but Gail shakes her head.

"Don't get up," she whispers. "Stay here. Why should we both suffer?" She smiles.

She walks slowly around to Holly's side of the bed, pulling on her jacket. She sits down on the edge of the mattress.

Holly reaches over to her bedside table and looks at her phone. "It's after midnight," Holly whispers, frowning, showing the screen to Gail. "It's tomorrow."

"Damn." Gail leans down and kisses Holly, a long, leisurely kiss. When she feels the tease of Holly's tongue at her lips, she pulls away. She is going to have to take control of this departure, because Holly is clearly not willing to help.

"I'll see you soon," she tells her, pulling up her collar.

Holly lifts herself up onto her elbows, nodding. Gail takes her cue and kisses her again.

"Soon." Holly tells her, smiling up at her, her brown eyes shining.

Gail just sits there and looks at her for the longest time, stalling from moving from this bed, from leaving this island of Gail and Holly. She knows it's not the end of anything. Not really. Just the end of a day. But when will she get to have another day like this? Gail knows it has been a gift. She sighs.

"Crap, I have to go," she says, more for herself than for Holly. She leans down once more, takes Holly's face in her hands and kisses her quickly before standing and striding purposefully, determined, toward the bedroom door.

She stops at the door, turns around and leans against the doorjamb, smiling at Holly.

"It has been… an amazing day," she tells her quietly.

Holly doesn't say a word. She just smiles right back at her, nodding, in complete agreement.

Slowly, deliberately, Gail turns her back on her and walks away, not looking back.

Because if she looks back, she will never bring herself to leave.

The end.

NOTE: There is now a sequel (of sorts) to It Has Been ... A Day.

Find it here: s/9903483/1/Points-of-Departure

So, this is the end of It Has Been a … Day. I hope you enjoyed it. I really hope you'll be kind and consider leaving a review if you have now read the whole thing.

Also, writing this has been fun, and I might write other one-shots, one-off pieces, so if there is anything you'd like explored, I'd be curious to hear your suggestions.