A New Kind of Science / Holtzbert

The Next Morning

"Oh. Hey, Holtzy." Abby greeted the engineer the next morning as the blonde entered the station with her duffel bag of more tools from home. She planned on finishing the ghost pagers today. "So..." The woman with glasses said from behind her desk. "How did it go?"

Jill did not answer, but the large grin on her face told Abigail it couldn't have gone bad. Holtzmann was humming ever since she left her apartment and still singing in her head upon entering the station. She went upstairs to put her bag in her lab and she came right back down to play with the massage chairs.

Yates smiled at her computer screen before quickly realizing something. "I wonder where Erin is." Usually Gilbert was the first one in. 

"She may have overslept." Holtz slouched in her leather seat. "We didn't part ways until about one in the morning." She began to sing the song that had been stuck in her head. "I just want your extra time and your..." She imitated some smooching noises. "...kiss!" She bopped her head to the imaginary Prince song with her eyes closed and she did not see the smirk she was getting from the other scientist in the room, who eventually continued to type.

Abby was looking online for some more paranormal research books and lately, she'd been wondering if she should write another with Erin. This time with Holtzy and Patty included, they could write about all of their busts and explain in full detail how they did their jobs. Perhaps it would help the people of New York City understand their purpose more and maybe they would stop getting prank calls. She certainly did not want another event like the one at Bethany's engagement party to occur. She didn't speak up that day, but she saw how hurt Gilbert was. It felt like high school all over again for the both of them and Yates hated seeing her best friend go back to that place, considering she had become such a strong person since then. 

Finally, the front door opened once again and both Holtz and Abby turned to see Erin walking in. She stopped as soon as she set her eyes on the blonde in her lounge chair and quietly clearing her throat, she looked down at the floor with an embarrassed smirk before closing the door behind her. She sighed, hating the butterflies for returning to her stomach. 

"Good morning, Erin." Abby said, moving her gaze back and forth between the couple. 

The taller brunette barely lifted her head to Yates as she walked over to her desk. "Morning, Abby." 

"So, what'd you guys do?" The paranormal researcher asked, looking back to her computer.

"We, um...we just had a little picnic before going to play paintball. That's all." Gilbert set her stuff on top of her desk. 

"Oh!" Abby exclaimed. "At Extreme Indoor Competitive Sports?" She continued to type.

"Yes?" Erin was surprised to hear that Abby knew about EICS.

"Awesome! Sounds fun." Abigail smiled at Jillian from across the room and Erin caught it. "I remember when you took me there once."

Holtzy nervously laughed. "Yeah. I remember that." She cleared her own throat, trying to avoid looking at the confused particle physicist who stood at her desk.

"Wait. You two went there...together?"

"Hey, y'all." Patricia walked in at the perfect time and Holtzy let out the breath she was holding. Tolan closed the door behind her while she smiled at Holtzmann in the chair. "Hey, you two love birds."

"Don't call us that." Erin said and she headed for the bathroom. 

Both Patty and Abby watched her leave as Holtzy continued to play with the controls in her chair. The tallest of the group went to her desk and sat down while maintaining eye contact with Dr. Yates. "So, uh...Holtzy." She spoke.