Ticking All The Boxes

Wrong way, Erin

"So what should I wear?"
Erin was rummaging through the clothes she had at the firehouse, most of what she owned was there as she was rarely at her own apartment any more. There was plenty of space in the firehouse for them all to live there and run their business. Holtzmann was the only one who had her apartment up for sale and preferred to spend her nights in her office, and being able to walk only a few steps to her bed and crash for the night. Erin had set up a small room next door in one of the small spare rooms but had only really used when when she was on night shift, and even then she preferred to spend the time chatting with Holztmann or going over blueprints and calculations.
"You just need to be warm," Holztmann stated, walking over to the woman and planting kisses to the back of her neck, Erin turning round to kiss her lips. Holtzman stepped back, "Jeans are fine Er, promise." Erin nodded, turning back to her locker and sliding through shirt she had hanging up and she picked up a pair of jeans from one of the shelves.

It was early evening and Patty and Abby were having dinner downstairs, their turn for the night shift and Holtzmann and Erin were going out for their first official date. Erin retreated to the bathroom to get changed and ready and as soon as the red head was out of site Holtzmann moved as nimble as she could, although she was still in some pain, to the top of the stairs, "Patty, Patty," she whispered loudly, the tall woman running to the base of the stairs. "You ready honey?" Holtzmann nodded quickly, looking behind her as though Erin was suddenly going to appear. Abby joined Patty at her side, giving Holtzmann a thumbs up, and the two women ran up the stairs, disappearing down the corridor. Holtzmann waiting impatiently, as Patty came running back down the corridor, flying past Holztmann, and down the stairs, the blonde stepping back, holding her sides, her ribs still sore and bruised. Patty came running back up the stairs, her hands full of bags and she disappeared down the corridor again. Holtzmann began to panic, sure she was running out of time. Her plan for their date was going to be a surprise for Erin, but due to her injuries, setting it all up proved a problem, so Patty and Abby stepped in for their friend.  A few moments later Abby and Patty came flying back down the corridor, Patty pausing to say, "Done," and then pounding down the stairs, their footsteps receeding as Holtzmann looked into their lab, the bathroom door still closed. She turned abruptly to look back down the stairs as she heard the shuffling of feet again and Abby appeared at the bottom step, giving Holtz another thumbs up and then retreating. Holztmann inhaled sharply, her body was aching and she turned back to the office, Erin was still in the bathroom, and she quickly flicked through her clothes, wanting to find something to wear that Erin hadn't seen her in before. She chose a tight pair of black jeans, and a thin long sleeved knit, it was dressy and not exactly her but she felt like wearing something different and she paired it with a blazer, which she struggled to put on, it's large silver buttons glistened in the evening light. Erin walked out of the bathroom as Holtzmann struggled with the arm holes of the blazer and Erin ran up behind her, easing it on. The blonde turned to her, drinking in the beautiful woman, her jeans showed off her figure perfectly and she had a deep red coloured shirt on, it was buttoned high at the neck and at her wrists, and Erin's hair was softly curled, her lips a similar red to her shirt and Holtzmann fell in love all over again. "You look gorgeous," Holtzmann breathed as Erin looked the woman up and down, "You scrub up pretty good yourself Jill," Erin said, pulling Holtzmann by the collar on her blazer and pushing her lips hard against the woman. Holtzmann gingerly stepping in closer to her girlfriend, kissing her and sighing softly. She pulled away, exhaling at the beautiful woman in front of her, "Ready for our date?"

Erin nodded, pulling a jacket from her locker and taking Holtzmann's hand and leading her out the door, she began to step down the stairs when Holtzmann pulled her back. "Wrong way Erin."
"Wrong way?" Erin was confused, there was no where else to go and she shook her head.
"This way babe," Holtzmann said, leading Erin down the corridor and past the bedrooms. "Where?" Erin said slowly, as they got to the end of the hallway, and Holtzmann stepped forward, pushing open the door to the roof. Erin followed, confused but intrigued. As they stepped out into the night sky, Erin gasped, the roof was decorated in fairy lights, they had been strung from poles all along the roof and festoon lights trailed the perimeter.  Erin turned to Holtzmann, her eyes glassy and she was speechless. In the centre of the small roof was a small table and two chairs, candles adorned the floor all around it and then along the brick edges of the roof. The roof was almost glowing with the lighting and Erin turned to Holtzmann, unsure what to say, but Holtzmann spoke first, "Roofy things." Erin laughed, cuddling in to Holtzmann, and the blonde walked her over to the table, pulling out a chair for her and then she reached over to the side of the table, a bag was there, inside contained two boxes of take out and Holtzmann pulled them out, reaching in again for the plates and cutlery that she had reminded Patty to make sure she put in there. Another bag sat at the side of the table, this time Holtzmann pulled out a bottle of wine and two glasses. Erin chuckled, "You thought of everything." Holtzmann laughed as she served Erin some food, "Hope you don't mind Chinese. I'm not much of a cook so I went with take out." Erin nodded, looking around, "This perfect Jill, it's beautiful up here." The roof wasn't too large but had enough space for what Holztmann wanted to use it for and she'd been excited to create it for Erin, even before they had confessed their feelings for each other. They chatted through their meal, the night was cool but not cold and they shared lots of laughs. Both women finally relieved to both be in happy places and that place being with each other.

They finished their meal and Erin smiled across at Holtzmann. The blonde wiped her mouth on a napkin and stood up, "There's one more part of the date," and Erin looked at her in awe, the candle light flickering a little in the wind, and the blonde had already walked to the other side of the roof. The firehouse shared a wall with another business on one side and their wall extended higher than the firehouse, Erin noting there was a huge white cloth hanging from it. Holtzmann was moving it around a little, as though securing it and then she turned to Erin, pointing behind her, and Erin spotted two bean bags, and she walked over to them, Holtzman trotted up next to her, pulling her down into one and leaning into her for a kiss. Erin watched as Holztmann walked behind her, and lifted up a box, exposing a projector and she gasped, Holztamnn paused and smiled at Erin. "Holtzmann! Jillian Holtzmann!"
Holztmann laughed at Erin's reaction, the woman looking away from her and up at the cloth screen and then back to the blonde.
"I know you've always wanted to do this and I know you love watching movies."
"Is this what you've been doing up here when you said you've been on the roof?"
The blonde nodded, "Yeah I cleaned it all up, I wanted to make something special for you. I know you like to have your own space sometimes, when you want to think so I thought I'd make you one." Erin looked around, Holtzmann joining her on a beanbag. 'But you've been doing this, since before we talked, before..' Erin looked confused as she looked at her girlfriend.    Holtzmann nodded, 'I told you I've loved you since we met.'
"No one's ever done anything like this for me before," Erin whispered, as Holtzmann reached up behind her and pressed play on the projector. Erin snuggled into the beanbag, reaching her hand out to Holztmann who took it in her own, rubbing her fingers up and down Erin's palm. The movie started and Erin smiled over at Holtzmann, the woman was staring at her, and Erin beamed. "I can't wait for life with you Jilly." Holtzmann licked her lips, "I'm so happy I get to have a life with you Er," the blonde whispered, turned back to the screen and sinking into the beanbag.

Erin daydreamed right through the movie, her mind wandering to the future, to the life with Holtzmann she was eager to start, and how she was ready to face any judgements and she knew she would be able to with the blonde at her side.

The end.