Note: I was lying on my bed early in the morning and this idea was kind of stuck in my head. So I got up and started writing this short one shot. This is my first attempt at writing, please be nice and offer some feedback if there are any grammar errors, thanks!
I re-uploaded this story due to some errors earlier, hopefully you guys can read it now.
It was a week ago over at Chez Peckstein-Diaz when Gail, Dov and Chris were gaming into the wee hours of the morning when the idea suddenly pops into Chris's mind.
"Hey, why don't we throw a New Year's Eve party on the rooftop? We could have a barbeque, invite people from the division, Gail, you could bring Holly too." Chris said as he paused the game on the Xbox.
"That sounds like a great idea, Chris." Dov chipped in. Gail on the other hand, stayed quiet for a moment before shrugging and responding to the idea. "Whatever, I guess."
And here they are, on the rooftop of their apartment with almost half the division present at the party. Everybody seems to be having fun except for one Gail Peck. Holly was supposed to be there, but there are just too many dead bodies for her to process before she can pry herself away from her lab.
She sighs for what seems like the millionth time into her beer, leaning over the railing looking over the Toronto skyline. Gail just stared into the busy night, eyes following a group of teenagers yelling and laughing as they cross the street to get to the opposite building. She spots someone approaching her from the corner of her eye but doesn't move to see who it was. It was Traci who came over to join her.
"Hey, Gail. Not having fun, huh?"
"What do you think? I'm bored out of my mind!" Gail finishes with a sigh.
"Well, I have something that might make you feel better." Traci says as she held up two shots of tequila in front of her.
"Sweet!" Gail says upon laying her eyes on the tequila.
"Cheers!" Traci and Gail clinks their shot glasses together.
After downing their shots, Traci reassured Gail "Hey, I'm sure Holly would be here right now if she could. The night is still young. Don't just stand there and sulk your way through the New Year. C'mon, let's go and join the rest. Plenty of booze over there."
"Yeah, just give me a minute." Gail tells her with a small smile.
As Traci leaves, Gail turns her head back facing the streets of Toronto. She thinks about the year she's had and can't help the smile that's forming on her face. Yes, a lot has happened over these past 12 months. Sam and Chloe got shot, but they're both alive and well now. Chris left 15th division, but returned shortly after. Dov found his princess, Chloe, and is now living happily ever in their nerd empire. Traci is with Steve and she's really glad they found each other. And then there's also the breakup with Nick and broken friendship with Andy. It took Gail a really long time to forgive Andy, but Andy's just glad their friends again. And for Nick, well, he's just focusing on his career leaving dating out of the mix for a while. Oh, Andy is back with Sam, again. Gail hopes this time they will stick together and spare others around them the drama that is McSwarek.
And then there's Holly. Sweet, beautiful, weirdly charming and nerdy Holly.
Gail recalls the first time they met, how Holly just walked right into her life with her lunchbox and medical jargons only nerds would know. After being together for the past 4 months, Gail is sure she's deeply and utterly in love with Holly. She just hasn't told her yet. There was a few times when it almost slips out of her mouth, but she manages to reel it back in before she makes a fool out of herself. Before she met Holly, she thought she would grow old and die a lonely and rowdy woman. Well, she's still rowdy, but at least she has Holly now. There's a reason why Gail refuses to watch rom-com chick flicks. She thinks it's ridiculous, that those lovey dovey couples only exist in movies and not in real life. But now that she's with Holly, she sees it now. The way Holly would look at her like she's the most precious thing in the whole world. The way Holly touches her; she could see sparks fly and her heart would skip a beat. She sighs as she wonders when is the right time to tell Holly she loves her.
She turns around and leans against the railing, looking at the people in front of her. People whom she never knew she would call her family. She has grown so much this year, Gail realizes. It was a beep from her phone that broke her out of her reverie. A text from Holly.
Hey, sorry I can't be there before the clock strikes midnight. I'll try to make it to the after party. So sorry!
Gail sighs and puts her phone back into her pocket as she walks back to the party. Still a long way to go before it reaches 12. Why the hell did she agree to this party? If only she could return home to lie on the couch and eat cheese puffs and watch some TV while waiting for Holly. After a few more bottles of beers and a couple more shots of tequila, it's 11.59pm and everyone stood on their feet ready for the countdown.
45 seconds
She checks her phone again, still no response from Holly.
30 seconds
She leans against the wall beside the rooftop exit, slightly away from the life of the party.
20 seconds
"What a night" Gail mumbles to herself.
10 seconds
Everyone starts counting down louder and louder.
5,
4,
3,
A tap on her shoulder.
2,
1,
She turns around, Holly standing beside her. Before she could even react, Holly grabs her by her waist and kisses her on her lips, hard.
"Happy new year!" She hears her friends cheering in the background, fireworks nearby above their heads. Slowly, she couldn't hear anything else other than the sound of her own heartbeat. Her heart threatens to jump of her chest as Holly pulls her closer. Holly finally broke the kiss moments later.
"Happy new year, Gail. Looks like I made it just in time." She shows Gail her signature lopsided smile.
"I love you." Gail blurts it out before she even knew what was happening. The look on Holly's face was priceless.
"I love you too." Holly finally response after what seems like an eternity.
Happy holidays people, have a good one :)