It started as an itch. Barely noticeable and if she really put her mind to it, she could ignore it.

It started last night when she accidentally saw Gail leaving the market. She hadn't meant to stare but there was something about Gail's strut that always brought out her primal urges and this time was no different. However, tonight, on top of the urge to jump her ex came the pang of loss that she couldn't shake. It never left her that night as her sheets tangled around her restless form nor the next morning when she intentionally drove six blocks out of her way and left for work an hour early just to sit outside the coffee shop she knew Gail loved, hoping this would be one of the mornings she stopped by.

"Damn," she swore when she caught side of Gail making a dash inside for the caffeinated goods. If her heart skipping in her chest and the way she stretched her spine in her seat to give her a couple more inches of height so she could lay eyes on Gail for just a second more wasn't evidence enough, Maggie, the perfectly lovely, energetic and witty woman she briefly and disastrously dated was right. She wasn't over Gail. She slumped back down in the seat of her car and shook her head as she drove away.

Holly's mood hadn't improved by the time she reached the office. If anything, it had gotten worse. The itch and the ache were constant companions now, making her uncomfortable in her own skin. Making it hard to breathe. 'How dare she!' Holly fumed. She didn't do this. She wasn't this girl. Gail was supposed to be the one making up excuses to see her.

Holly wasn't supposed to be the one grabbing a random blue folder from the yet to be filed stack on her desk and storming past her intern that was trying to hide her smirk, knowing exactly where her boss was headed.

She wasn't supposed to lose hours at a time from her very busy days remembering the way Gail made her breathless every single day they were together whether it was from a fit of laughter when Gail pinned her down on the couch after discovering Holly's extremely ticklish sides or when she grazed her teeth over the inside of her knee before kissing her way up her thigh and into the heart of her, sensually teasing and pleasing her until Holly was deliriously light headed and out of breath. She'd even taken her breath away with her words, exposing herself and her sensitive side in the most appealing and attractive way – a way Holly was positive nobody else ever had the privilege of seeing.

Those were the thoughts thawing and gnawing away any intentions she had to confront Gail in an effort to find some closure. Those were the same thoughts that sent her heart racing and made her lungs feel as if they'd burst if they didn't get to breathe the same air as Gail once more.

"Gail!" she called out impatiently, spotting a flash of platinum blonde hair as she made her way down a familiar corridor. Gods. Why did she have to look so fucking sexy in that uniform? Her heart sank a little at Gail's confused and guarded expression. She rattled off an excuse to get Gail to follow her into an observation room, hoping her voice hadn't given away the desperation she was feeling. She was so close now. She took a steadying breath as she cleared the doorway. If she could just hold on for a few more seconds she might be able to do one of the things with the quick tongued officer she'd missed most.

'Want. Have. TAKE!' Those three things were louder than anything Gail was saying about that damn blue folder. In a rush of passion Holly spun on her heel, taking Gail by surprise by grabbing her duty belt with one hand and with the other, sinking her fingers into the soft skin at the nape of Gail's neck before pulling her in for a frantic kiss.

Gail squeaked out a surprised moan before sinking into the fevered kisses and returning them with a ferocity that rivaled Holly's for just a few brief seconds before gently pushing her away.

'Evidentially I wasn't the only one that missed this – missed US,' Holly mused before her thoughts were jarred by the burly man she could clearly see sitting at the table in the interrogation room just a few feet away and who seemed to be staring right at them.

Gail was confused, and rightfully so after their last interaction. Holly opted for honesty and was swiftly rewarded with a flash of possessiveness in the blonde's eyes before she was pulled into another toe-curling kiss. Gail eagerly sucked at her lips, thrusting her tongue between them before quickly and deliciously sucking Holly's back against hers. Holly felt herself being turned and was pretty sure the way Gail was kissing her that her back was about to be up against the wall in the best way possible. Instead, Gail pulled away again. "Wait. Wait, oh my god, wait," she whimpered in direct contradiction of her body language that was screaming 'go, go, go!'

The words were falling out of Holly's mouth before she ever had a chance to stop them. An invitation. Dinner. Wine. 'Please say 'yes'. Please say 'yes!'

Wait.

A thing?

?

'Oh, shit. No.' Holly silently begged to whatever deity that might be lurking. She kept her response nonchalant though she internally kicked herself because she had no right to be upset if Gail had 'a thing' with someone else. Right? Why wouldn't Gail have 'a thing' with someone that's not her, as heart crushing as that may be?

Tomorrow? Yes. Tomorrow was good. But.. there was still 'a thing' tonight?

It didn't matter. It couldn't. Tomorrow was great. Fabulous, in fact. She could live with tomorrow because looking forward to seeing Gail was a problem she could happily deal with for the rest of her life and just maybe she could get her shit together by tomorrow, instead of jumping Gail like some lovesick lunatic. She smirked to herself as she exited the observation room. Lovesick lunatic suited her just fine, actually.

Her newly regained optimism drained a little as the day passed and turned into a cold dread that rolled through her stomach unpleasantly. 'A thing'. Why couldn't Gail have just come out with it? Then again, why should she, she reminded herself.

Feeling slightly calmer she reached for her phone, shooting off a quick text before she could talk herself out of it.

Sorry about ambushing you earlier. I just really wanted to and still want to see you.

She let out a sigh of relief when she almost immediately saw the dialogue bubble pop up on her screen as Gail typed her reply.

I wish every ambush could be that pleasant, Lunchbox.

Holly would be lying if she said that response didn't make her so giddy she nearly wept. Gods, she was a sap for this woman. She wanted to respond with something quippy, but couldn't settle upon anything. She decided to play it cool – see if Gail initiated any other communication with her. She was doing pretty well if she did say so herself – only checking her phone once every three minutes - when she overheard two officers dropping off some evidence discussing how the rookie at 15 managed to trigger the timer on a bomb.

She wrestled with the urge to rush to find Gail before remembering what had happened the last time she assumed they were in the same place and knowing that nothing was really settled between them right now either. She reached for her phone again.

I understand if you say no, but I just heard some passing conversation about a bomb and your division and I really want to see you.

Seventeen minutes slowly ticked by before she received her response, her heart racing when her phone dinged to notify her of a text.

Ok.

She reached for her jacket, swinging it around to pull it on as she texted back.

Really? Okay?

Almost instantaneously she heard another phone ding as she hit the 'Send' button and her head shot up as she saw Gail coming around the corner towards her lab. Gail glanced at her phone, a mock look of indignation as she read Holly's reply. "I said 'ok', nerd," she challenged, her palms up and held out at her sides as she smirked slightly at Holly.

Holly was quite sure she'd never felt so many emotions surge within her at once. Without a word she grasped Gail's hand, threading their fingers together as she pulled them through the lab and into her office, closing the door behind them before pulling Gail's body against her own, wrapping her arms tightly around her.

Gail instantly returned the embrace, sensing that between the rushed and uncertain reunion in the observation room earlier and the news about the bomb, Holly was feeling more than just a little unsettled.

Holly pulled back from Gail only far enough to let their foreheads rest together. She sighed heavily, her arms dropping from Gail's shoulders to her waist. "I really missed you," she repeated with a whisper, trying to not let her feelings overwhelm her completely.

Gail drew her head back and brought her hands up to cradle Holly's face. "I missed you too."

They held each other close for a few more minutes, relearning and remembering how good it felt to hold and to be held.

"I have to go," Gail admitted. "I can't be late.."

"For your thing," Holly finished for her.

"Yeah," Gail nodded slightly, noting the way Holly seemed to withdraw at the mention of it. "Look, it's not what you think."

Holly searched Gail's eyes. "It's not?" she ventured carefully before swallowing uncomfortably. "I understand if you're seeing someone." And she did understand. It just made her ache to do so.

"I'm not," Gail reassured her. "And I haven't – dated anyone," she slowly volunteered, "since you."

Holly smiled in spite of herself, a huge weight lifting off her chest. "We're idiots," she confessed wryly.

"Awesome idiots," Gail corrected, returning the smile. As much as she hated to leave this moment and Holly's arms, she didn't want to be late for her meeting with the social worker. "I really do have to go."

Holly nodded, reluctantly letting Gail go. She took a step back. "This thing you have tonight? It's important," she correctly presumed. Gail nodded her head. "Will you tell me about it tomorrow?"

Gail's smile grew exponentially. "Yes. I have a lot to say," Gail pulled Holly back to her and placed a sweet kiss against her lips that Holly smiled in to. "See you tomorrow," she whispered, her lips brushing against Holly's as she spoke.

"Tomorrow," Holly agreed, kissing Gail once more before letting her go.

"Best ambush ever," Gail called out over her shoulder as she made her way through the lab and towards the exit. She checked the time on her phone, quickening her step. She didn't want to be late, after all.