Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Nicole peeked at the sheriff’s door and then to the clock. Her gaze settled back to the report in her hand with a sigh. The clock moved torturously slow; a full minute hadn’t passed since her last check for Waverly.

She was unsure why she kept up the guise of reading the report. Anyone with a brain could tell her attention was elsewhere. Not that the report mattered; it was one she had completed weeks ago and was irrelevant to the cases she was currently working on, but Nicole thought it would keep her mind occupied. She thought wrong.

The officer’s eyes remained down at the paper, pen-in-hand tapping idly against the edge of her desk, and leg bouncing up and down impatiently. She took a deep breath, mentally counting to 200.

Finally, she glanced up to see Waverly, notepad in hand.

Nicole flung the useless report back on her desk, stood up, and strode to the brunette. She smoothly picked up the file folder she left there, earlier and totally on purpose, while she planned for this moment. Continuing to the sheriff’s office, she grasped Waverly’s forearm and pulled the younger woman with her.

The officer opened the door, drew Waverly to her and leaned in, unable to wait to kiss her until they were fully in the office. It was risky, standing in the doorway where anyone could see, but her patience had been exhausted by Waverly’s high-waisted, tight in all the right places, jeans. Nicole couldn’t help but wonder how the girl got them on. But the officer would gladly find a way to take them off. If, you know, her assistance was required; anything to help a damsel in distress.

Speaking of anyone.

Wynonna walked through the doors towards the bullpen, with a loud huff.

Nicole and Waverly simultaneously pulled back and turned towards the older Earp. After an awkward glance around, Nicole leaned against the doorway, arm above her head and Waverly braced herself on the opposite side of the doorframe.

Brow furrowed slightly, Wynonna questioned, “Why are you guys in Nedley’s office?”

Nicole and Waverly stammered.

“Uh… ‘cause, when…

“…uh…yes…”

“Ok, here she blows…uh...Doc and I slept together,” Wynonna blurted out.

“And that’s news, really?” Nicole quipped, with a smirk.

The officer turned at Waverly’s gasp and observed her dropped jaw and wide eyes.

“To, to you,” she added slowly.

A phone rang in the background, and Nicole seized the opportunity to exit and left with an “Ok.”

She made her back to her desk, noting the phone stopped as soon as she stepped away. Sitting, she glanced back towards the Earps. Though they were out of earshot, she watched Waverly close the distance between her and her sister.

After a brief exchange, she heard Waverly call after a turning Wynonna, “That’s not a no!”

Nicole counted to ten in her head before she stood up and went back to Waverly’s side.

The redhead mused, “Is she drunk or always this oblivious?”

Waverly smiled, “Your guess is as good as mine.”

Chapter Text

“I had a great time today,” Waverly whispered.

“Oh, I did too,” Nicole replied with a wink.

Waverly and Nicole stood on the front porch of the homestead, arms wrapped around each other.

The sky was a picturesque combination of orange hues fading to shades of purple and blue as the sun set. But neither woman noticed: each was preoccupied with the beauty in front of them.

Waverly chewed on her lip, mentally weighing the pros and cons of what she wanted to say. Nicole pulled back slightly, to allow her eyes to scan the brunette’s body language, knowing the younger girl was deep in thought. The officer waited, not wanting to push, and only pulled her closer.

“I don’t think I’m ready for it to end,” the shorter woman sighed, barely audible.

Nicole knew she would not have heard Waverly’s words unless she was standing so close. She weighed her words carefully, not wanting to push but fearful of coming across as uninterested, because that was oh so far from the truth.

The officer pulled back slightly again and took in the driveway, double-checking for Wynonna’s truck. Though confident that the two of them were the only ones at the homestead, she wanted to be certain before vocalizing her thoughts.

She leaned back into Waverly and breathed, “Does it have to?”

--

The only light in the living room of the homestead came from the television and one table lamp, perched on an end table.

Nicole sat on the couch, back leaning against the armrest, legs sprawled out in front of her, with Waverly in her lap. Though both women were turned towards the TV, neither’s attention was focused on the screen.

Nicole hadn’t anticipated being with Waverly from sunrise to nightfall, but should anything really surprise her from the younger woman at this point?

It was just after dawn when Nicole first drove up to the homestead to pick up Waverly for their date. They spent the cool morning and warm early afternoon hiking on the outskirts of the county before getting an early dinner. As the restaurant crowded around them, neither woman was ready to return to the homestead; instead, they took a slow drive around town until the sun started to set.

Nicole absentmindedly rubbed Waverly’s shoulders and neck while they chatted. Eventually, Waverly squirmed and turned to face Nicole.

“Do you mind if I take this off?” Waverly asked, pulling at her lightweight flannel. “I have a tank-top underneath.”

“By all means,” Nicole drawled.

Waverly’s cheeks flushed slightly as she unbuttoned and wiggled out of her shirt.

“I’m sorry,” Waverly added, as she settled back into Nicole’s lap. “The massage feels amazing, but too many layers.”

Nicole chuckled softly, “No worries.”

The redhead paused then leaned in close to Waverly’s ear to whisper, “When you’re ready, it will feel even better without any layers.”

A visible shiver passed through Waverly and Nicole chuckled again before turning her attention back to Waverly’s shoulders.

Neither was sure how much time lapsed when Nicole’s hands moved up to remove the band holding Waverly’s hair in a ponytail. The younger Earp leaned into the touch as the officer’s long, nimble fingers weaved their way through her brunette hair, gently brushed it out, then shifted it to one side.

One hand continued to run through Waverly’s hair and the other fell to her hip. The brunette jumped slightly when Nicole’s lips found the exposed back of her neck.

Nicole kissed her way to Waverly’s ear and murmured, “Is this OK?”

“Yes,” Waverly breathed.

An echoing thud at the front door caused both women to jump as one. The hinges groaned against the force as Wynonna kicked open the door.

Nicole pulled her lips from Waverly as if they burned. Waverly stared blankly at the door, brain struggling to pull itself out of the fog created by the officer’s hands.

Wynonna was preoccupied with toeing off her boots and didn’t notice the two women frozen on the couch.

“Hey Waves!” the elder Earp called, eyes still focused on her feet. “Where are you and why’s it so dark in here?”

“Hey sis,” Waverly replied apprehensively.

The heir flipped a light switch, illuminating the living room. Her blue eyes narrowed, taking in the faces of the two women on the couch, Nicole’s hand still weaved through Waverly’s hair and the discarded shirt on the floor.

“You two went hiking today, right?” Wynonna asked slowly, stepping into the living room.

Waverly nodded. Nicole attempted a reassuring grin, but it appeared closer to a grimace.

“Right,” Wynonna answered, eyes fixated on Nicole’s hand, idly tangled in Waverly’s hair. “Haught, you checking her for ticks?”

Nicole stuttered, unsure if Wynonna was serious or implying something else. Quickly swallowing, she managed to croak out a “yes.”

“Huh, finally making some responsible friends, eh Waves?” Wynonna stated.

Both Nicole and Waverly chanced a glance at each other, each still unsure if the comment was serious or sarcastic.

“But Haught,” Wynonna added, flipping more light switches.

The women on the couch held their breath.

“How do you expect to see anything in the dark? Rookie move.”

Nicole forced a chuckle and replied plainly, as if admitting her mistake, “Right.”

The officer slowly started moving her hands through Waverly’s hair again, shifting the locks to maintain the charade.

Wynonna hung in the doorway for a moment, taking in the scene, and then approached the pair.

“I’ll help.” the older Earp offered brightly. “Waves, off with your top.”

This really wasn’t how the Waverly imagined taking her shift off in front of her girlfriend for the first time, but she couldn’t see a way out of it.

“Um, OK,” Waverly stuttered.

It wasn’t nearly as embarrassing as she thought it might be. It certainly didn’t hurt that Nicole added soothing scalp rubs into her tick check. However, Waverly flat out refuted Wynonna’s assertion that the pants needed to come off too; she could “check” her legs herself.

The moment her upper half was cleared by Nicole and Wynonna to be tick-free, Waverly jumped off the couch for her discarded tank top and shirt.

“You’re next, Haught,” Wynonna declared.

Nicole’s face began to flush.

From behind Wynonna’s back, Waverly caught the officer’s eye and mouthed, “Drunk or oblivious?”

Chapter Text

“Hey Waves, why are the lights off?”

Waverly and Nicole exchanged horrified, guilty looks as Wynonna kicked off her boots just inside the front door to the homestead, her hair spotted with fresh snow.

The heir froze, her blue eyes narrowed warily as she turned towards the only light: a soft glow coming from the living room. Her eyes scanned taking in a fire burning in the fireplace and lit candles, spread across every surface, until her gaze locked on Waverly and Nicole.

The women faced each other, sitting on a blanket spread on the floor in front of the fireplace. Plates of food and glasses of wine strewn across the fabric.

“Haught,” Wynonna scowled, eyes still narrowed.

Nicole visibly swallowed and nodded as Wynonna tilted her head in a clear ‘come here’ gesture.

The redhead stood, straightening her black dress, and strode towards Wynonna. While the heir’s attention was occupied by her boots again, Nicole turned and mouthed a “sorry” towards a mortified Waverly.

Nicole slipped into her own boots, briefly grateful she wore them despite their clashing with her clothing choice, and grabbed her jacket from the coat rack. The two slipped out the door, Wynonna leading the way.

They crunched through a light dusting of fresh snow, down the steps and away from the house toward the barn. Light flurries continued to fall through the dark sky.

Nicole held her breath, waiting for the inevitable outrage from the older Earp. Since the first time Waverly kissed her, she knew this moment was inevitable. The officer would be lying if she said she hadn’t put some, or really a lot, of thought into how the older Earp might react and what she might say in response. But she waited; anticipated sentiments from Wynonna bouncing in her brain.

“Y’know, I’m disappointed Haught,” Wynonna began, tone even but icy.

Nicole startled. She expected shouting, cursing, inappropriate innuendos, potentially accompanied by less appropriate gestures, and more yelling, but not disappointment. Her brain screeched to a halt; all her prepared words useless given this turn.

She opened her mouth to speak, but the wheels still spun in her brain. With no clear words gaining traction, she slowly closed it.

Wynonna’s side-eye glance took in the wordless officer. They reached the barn and Nicole expected to go inside, where Wynonna could yell and carry on with less chance of the words reaching Waverly’s ears, but she was caught off guard again: the heir led them around the side, towards the rear of the structure.  

“I just thought you respected her,” Wynonna accused.

Nicole bit back her outrage. “I do. I know you’re not pleased with this development, but I adore Waverly. I would do anything for her, anything.”

Wynonna cocked an eyebrow, skepticism plainly written all over her face, and leered, “Really?”

Nicole stopped quickly, allowing the sting from a single, exasperated word seep in; anger and frustration written all over her face.

“We both know that’s not fair,” Nicole growled, one of her prepared lines making its way to the surface, though with more bite than she expected.  

Wynonna glanced back without stopping, seemingly surprised, that the officer was standing several feet behind her.  The suspicion slid off the elder Earp’s face, replaced with concern. She backtracked, closing the distance between herself and the officer. She shook her head and admitted, “You’re right, you’re right.”

Nicole took a deep breath, willing herself to pull it together for Waverly. Wynonna’s approval of their relationship was important, but she never thought it would go this way: her feelings clouding her words and Wynonna as the collected one. It was slightly unsettling. She forcibly, and visibly, swallowed her pride.

Wynonna tugged Nicole’s shoulder, pulling her forward. The pair fell in step, side-by-side.

The heir continued to shake her head slightly when she spoke again, tone surprisingly soft, “Then why would you ever put her through this?”

The words shot through Nicole like lightning and settled into her stomach.  She staggered, and her eyes went to the ground, vaguely surprised to not see her organs amongst the dusting of snow, based on the hollowness crawling beneath her skin.

She wished Wynonna had shouted that line. Then she could have written it off as part of the elder Earp’s over-protective nature for her sister. But the measured inflection, the sincerity in her voice rattled Nicole more than the words themselves. Whatever she meant, this was a significant concern of the elder Earp’s.

But what could Wynonna mean? Put Waverly through what? Being gay in a small town? Going from town sweetheart to being in a relationship with a woman?

Could it be about her job? Did Wynonna think her job would anchor Waverly to Purgatory forever? And then there were the inherent risks that came with being a police officer. Waverly had already lost so many for someone so young—was Wynonna worried Nicole would be next?

“Wynonna—," Nicole started, her voice cracking on the ‘a’, completely unsure what words would come out next.

The Earp suddenly stopped and put a hand up. The officer halted.

“You knew this was here,” Wynonna replied brightly, pointing at a generator. “I thought you of all people would know how to work it.”

Nicole’s jaw dropped, confusion settling in. Her mind briefly wandered to the last time she and an Earp were on different pages during a weighty conversation. If Wynonna called her a unicorn, she was out.

“Um, what?” she managed to croak out, voice still unsteady.

“I told you the other day when you were here,” Wynonna groaned, impatience getting the best of her. “Remember? The power to the homestead is shaky at best, so we have this home generator as a back-up, so, you know, we don’t turn into Earp-cicles.”

Confusion was etched into every feature on Nicole’s face as she blinked repeatedly.

“I know, I know,” Wynonna said sympathetically and clapped the officer on the arm. “You never would have let her freeze if you had known this was here. We both know how Waverly hates the cold.”

Nicole shook her head. Willing her brain to catch up and find words. But really? Wynonna thought the power was out?

The officer forced a laugh and it still came out shaky. She cleared her throat and willed her voice back to normal, “Yeah, I really wasn’t thinkin’.”

Wynonna smiled deviously, “C’mon, let’s hook it up before you turn into Icy-Haught out here in that skimpy dress.”

 --

The women returned to the house, generator unnecessarily connected. Wynonna stomped through the entrance, not bothering to wipe snow off the bottom of her boots.   

Waverly leaned against the entrance to the living room with arms crossed over her chest and anxiety blemishing her face.

“Lights work now, eh Waves?” Wynonna acknowledged, pointing out the now illuminated entry. 

Nicole awkwardly laughed, entirely too loud, “Because they didn’t before!”

Waverly shot her girlfriend a puzzled look, eyebrows pulled together, but remained silent.

Wynonna squeezed past her sister, retreating to the living room. The older Earp flopped down on the blanket and helped herself to food.

“Man, you guys went all out tonight” Wynonna called over her shoulder as she munched. “This is bangin’.”

Waverly rolled her eyes as she glanced back at her sister. Pushing off the doorway to her girlfriend, eyes wide with concern, she murmured, “What happened? Does she know?”

Nicole looked over the shorter woman’s shoulder, to ensure Wynonna was fully distracted, before she chuckled, “Drunk or oblivious?”

Chapter Text

“Shit, shit, shit.”

Waverly had the perfect date night planned after Nicole’s stressful week at work: Chinese food, beer, popcorn and backrubs while they watched the officer’s favorite movie, concluding with a lavender bubble bath before bed. Her sister would be out for a night with Doc, so the couple would have the homestead to themselves.

So far, it all had gone off without a hitch. Waverly smirked at her girlfriend, enjoying the fruits of her plans she took in the officer, lounging at the opposite end of the tub, bubbles covering up to her collarbone. The officer’s face grew redder and redder with every sip of her favorite beer. Waverly sipped her wine and hoped every date night could include this sight.

The faint sound of creaking hinges, followed by a loud, bone-crushing thud and a groaned, “owww” pulled the woman from her reverie.

Both women unconsciously looked at the door before turning back to face each other. Waverly swore, then raised a finger to her lips.

“Maybe she’ll pass out,” the brunette whispered.

Waverly’s eyes flashed back to the door, ears perked. The sound of boots shuffling grew louder, causing the color to drain from the younger Earp’s face.

Waverly rested her forehead on her palm at the sound of a fist pounding on the door.

“Baby girl, you in there? I gotta pee,” Wynonna yelled through the door.

“I’m in the bath, Wynonna,” Waverly objected.

“Ugh,” Wynonna moaned. “Come on, don’t make me go outside, it’s soo cold. My piss will freeze before it hits the ground.”

Waverly was silent, hoping her sister would go away. The hammering on the door continued.

“Fine!” Waverly conceded with a huff, “But close your eyes!”

The knob turned, and Wynonna stumbled through the open door, left hand covering her eyes.

“Waves, I helped potty train you. Nothin’ I haven’t seen before,” Wynonna muttered mutinously.

The heir’s feet tangled in the bathmat. Waverly watched as her sister caught herself on the edge of the vanity. Using her right hand as a guide, the older Earp felt her way to the end of the counter. Her hand slid off the edge and waved through the air at knee height, feeling for the toilet.

Waverly groaned, hiding her face in hand.

“Score!” Wynonna mumbled, as she finally found the seat.

The heir turned, unceremoniously pulled her pants down with one hand and sat. Her aim slightly off, she slipped off the seat to her left toward the vanity. In a quick movement, her right hand moved to cover her eyes and her left caught the vanity to balance out.

The bathroom filled with the sound of a steady stream hitting porcelain.

Wynonna sighed in relief, as she asked, “Baby girl, were you talking to someone? I heard another voice.”

“Oh. Yeah. Nicole. She’s on the phone. Speakerphone,” Waverly answered quickly.

Wynonna paused, creases forming on her head.

“Huh, calling someone while in a bath. That’s new,” Wynonna hesitated, tilted her head to the side, then shouted, “HAUGHT! You in a bath too?”

Two of Waverly’s fingers parted, allowing her to gaze upon her girlfriend, at the end of the tub closest to Wynonna. The officer shook as she stifled laughter.

The couple locked eyes and Nicole tilted her head, questioning what she should say. Waverly shrugged half-heartedly, her fingers moving back to cover her eyes.

Waverly heard her girlfriend reply, “Yes, Wynonna.”

“Huh,” the heir repeated.

“You should try it with Doc sometime,” Nicole added, unable to fight a giggle.

“Hard pass,” Wynonna said firmly. “One, he can barely use a phone. Two, can you imagine the bubbles in his mustache?”

Nicole groaned, “Thanks for the visual, Wynonna.”

“Hey! I don’t want to hear it! My baby sister is naked in the tub in front of me,” Wynonna paused, realization dawning on her face. “Actually, never mind, you’d like that.”

Waverly slid her hand down slightly, allowing her eyes to peek over her pointer finger in Nicole’s direction, horrified that her girlfriend was going to make a smartass comment. Instead, she found brown eyes locked on her, an ear-to-ear grin and dimples on full display while the officer nodded profusely at Waverly.

Wynonna chuckled to herself as she stood, “I thought so. I’m surprised I can hear you so clearly. The phone usually muffles everything, but it sounds like you’re sitting next to me.”

“It’s the tiles,” Waverly rambled quickly. “They don’t absorb sound, so your voice sounds richer and more powerful. It’s why people sing in the shower, they sound better here than anywhere else.”

“Huh. You learn something new every day when you’re stuck with Walking Bumper Sticker and Walking Wikipedia,” Wynonna replied, hand vaguely reaching through the air for the toilet paper.

The heir’s brow wrinkled in confusion as she continued to bat through the air, entirely too low.

“Higher, Wyn,” Nicole said, unconsciously.

Waverly’s hand fell back into the bubbles with a soft splash, horror stretched across her face. She glanced to her girlfriend and saw Nicole’s eyes widen as her hand covered her mouth.

Wynonna’s hand finally found the roll.

“Score! Thanks Haught!”

Waverly stared down her girlfriend as they held their breath, waiting for Wynonna’s realization.

Instead, her older sister hummed absentmindedly to herself. Waverly chanced a glance at the heir.

With her eyes still covered, Wynonna missed the toilet with her used paper, flushed, and stumbled to the door, pants still around her ankles.

“Thanks, baby girl,” she called over her shoulder as she fumbled for the door.

Wynonna scooted through the doorframe and Waverly let out an audible gasp in relief.

But the older Earp paused, halfway to shutting the door. In the doorway, she turned; Waverly and Nicole quickly averted their eyes from the half-naked heir.

“Almost forgot,” Wynonna shouted, hand still over her eyes, “sorry for interrupting Haught! Don’t you dare imagine my baby sister in a bath!”

“I wouldn’t dare,” Nicole answered innocently, then whispered to Waverly, “Imagine it when I can see it for myself.”

“Good!” Wynonna yelled, missing the latter-half of the officer’s reply.

Wynonna saluted with her free hand, stumbled out, and flung the door closed.

Waverly’s eyes wandered back to Nicole, who was letting out a slow breath. The younger woman quickly raised her hand, signaling for her girlfriend to wait.

The stumbling grew fainter, as Wynonna shuffled away from the bathroom. The hinges creaked again and were shortly followed by a slam as the heir stumbled back into the night.

Simultaneously, Waverly huffed out a breath and Nicole finally let out the laughter she had been holding back.

“Shut up!” Waverly scolded, pushing bubbles at Nicole. “We won’t be able to hear if she comes back.”

Nicole only laughed harder, “What did she think of my cruiser in the driveway?”

“I have no idea,” Waverly chuckled, then hesitated before adding in a gravely serious tone, “So, drunk or oblivious?”

Chapter Text

Waverly jumped to her feet, grabbing Wynonna’s coffee mug.

Wynonna snatched it back, “Where do you think you’re going with that?”

“Oh, uh, I was going to get you a refill,” Waverly answered quickly.

The heir’s eyebrows knitted together as she replied slowly, “…it’s half-full…”

A faint hint of pink appeared in Waverly’s cheeks as she rambled, “Well I guess it depends on how you see it. It looked half-empty to me.”

“Baby girl, I don’t think you’ve seen anything as half-empty in your life,” Wynonna accused.

The younger sister opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by the door opening behind her.

“Earp!” Dolls called, head poking in the opening, “Got a case.”

Wynonna rose, sliding Peacemaker off the table and into its holster. She backed her way to the door as she offered, “Take the day off, you seem on edge.”

The younger Earp laughed shakily, “Yeah, I think I will.”

Waverly hesitated, listening for the fading sound of boots striking the linoleum floor. When all was quiet, she wrenched open the door and hurried to the supply room. She gently closed the door behind her, locking it.

She heard her girlfriend before she saw her: “What took you so long?”

--

Waverly impatiently bounced her pen on the musty book in front of her. She was supposed to be researching some details on a revenant’s past life, prior to Wyatt tracking him down, but her eyes kept glancing from the clock to Wynonna. Her older sister typically clocked off in the mid-afternoon when there wasn’t any action. Except for today. It was 5:05 p.m. and the older Earp sat, feet propped up on the table, mindlessly scrolling through her phone.

“You don’t have to wait for me,” Waverly stated, unable to hide the impatience in her voice.

“I thought I’d keep you company tonight,” her sister replied, not looking up from her phone. “You always work solo.”

Waverly sighed. She appreciated the gesture, she really did, but did Wynonna have to pick tonight? Her vision returned to the yellowed pages, as she contemplated how to subtly text Nicole and tell her their meet-up tonight was off.

Her heart sank; she had been looking forward to seeing her girlfriend all day. The younger Earp looked up, taking in the items scattered around the desk and looking for a way out. Waverly’s eyes lit up deviously when inspiration struck.

She peeked at her older sister, checking that the other woman was still engrossed in her phone. After confirming, Waverly flung her arm out, intentionally knocking over her open travel mug of tea. The liquid spread across the table, and as planned, flowed away from her book. 

“Oh no!” she mock-gasped, hopping to her feet.

Wynonna slowly looked up from her phone to take in the scene in front of her.

The younger girl hurried to the door, calling over her shoulder, “I’ll get some paper towels!”

Wynonna’s brow furrowed slightly, “There’s a whole bunch in the cabinet at the back.”

Waverly froze in the doorway, replying too quickly, “Um uh, no there’s not! I used them all yesterday!”

She ran through the exit before her older sister could call her back. She knew it wasn’t a perfect excuse and that Wynonna would grow suspicious if she was gone any more than a few minutes.

The younger woman hurried to Nicole’s desk and stammered, “Help me find paper towels in the supply room.”

Her girlfriend hid any confusion well, and followed her down the hallway, gently locking the door behind them.

“Change in venue tonight?” the redhead asked, jokingly.

“Yes, total change in plans, much to my chagrin,” Waverly stated, plucking a roll of paper towels from a shelf. “We have 5 minutes and don’t let me forget these.”

--

Waverly’s phone buzzed on the table. She quickly picked it up and glanced at the screen.

With a quick glance around the room, seeing that both Dolls and Wynonna were busy, Dolls staring at his computer and Wynonna glued to her phone, the younger Earp jumped to her feet.

Wynonna warily looked up from her screen, in time to hear her little sister mumbling something about needing more pens.

When the door clicked shut, the heir looked over, “What’s her deal? She can’t sit still lately.”

Dolls peered over his laptop, “You really don’t know?”

“Yes, I do which is exactly why I asked,” Wynonna snarked with an eye roll.

“Wow,” was all Dolls managed before returning to his screen.

The older Earp stood up and took the seat next to Dolls.

“Gimme a hint.”

Dolls rubbed his eyes and wearily said, “Not my business. Talk to your sister.”

“But that’s the least fun way to go about this,” Wynonna chortled, snapping Dolls laptop shut.

“Hey! I’m working!”

Wynonna deviously grinned, hand over the laptop to prevent Dolls from opening it himself, “Nope, no more work until you spill.”

“Fine, go to the supply room.”

“What did I just say about work?” Wynonna grumbled with an eye roll.

Dolls looked incredulous.

“Come on, don’t make me bribe you with unspeakable acts,” Wynonna joked, flirtatious in tone.

The deputy marshal leaned forward, forehead in the palms of his hands.

“Go. To. The. Supply. Room. Then don’t come back here,” he chirped.

Wynonna stood slowly and made her way to the door. Hand on the knob, she turned back around and called, “Was that really that hard?”

“GO!” Dolls yelled after her.

Wynonna made her way down the hallway, still puzzled. Waverly did say she needed pens after all, so why wouldn’t she be in the supply room?

She turned the knob to the closed room, but it wouldn’t budge.

“Waves,” she called, pounding on the locked door, “The door’s locked.”

The older Earp heard a mumbled “shit” and frantic movements on the other side before she heard a click. The door opened to reveal a slightly disheveled Waverly.

Wynonna stepped into the small room, noting Waverly’s slightly flushed face, untucked shirt, and rumpled hair.  With a jolt, she realized there was another individual in the room: Officer Haught.

“Haught—What are you doing in here?” the heir questioned, narrowed eyes lingering on Nicole’s half-undone braid and untucked shirt.

The couple shared a guilty look.

Wynonna continued, “What’s going on in here? And why’s the door locked?”

“The pens,” Waverly stammered. “They were on a top shelf and I couldn’t reach.”

“So, so Waverly asked me to help,” Nicole added, pointing vaguely at one of the top shelves. “And—I couldn’t quite reach them either. We couldn’t find a ladder, so I hoisted her up there to grab them.”

Waverly gestured to her girlfriend’s untucked shirt and tussled braid then added an innocent smile, “It wasn’t easy and it took us three tries, but we got them. And the door must’ve locked behind us!”

Wynonna’s eyes were still narrowed and fixed on her younger sister, “Huh…something doesn’t add up…I, uh, asked Dolls why you couldn’t sit still, and he said I would find the answer here.”

Nicole shifted guiltily, but the older Earp’s gaze was still locked on Waverly.

“I still don’t know what the answer is…” Wynonna trailed off, filling the silence.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Waverly asked, exasperated in her tone.

Confusion was written across the heir's face. 

“No, of course, you wouldn’t see it,” Waverly continued, throwing her hands up. “You always use the last of items we have in the BBD office and never replace them! So, every time, I have to come down here and get them myself.”

It’s Wynonna’s turn to look guilty. Her gaze fell to the floor as she mumbled, “I didn’t know I did. Sorry, baby girl.”

Nicole held her breath, certain they’re not going to be able to keep up this guise.

“Umm, let me go down to the coffee shop and get one of your favorite teas, make up for it?” Wynonna offered.

“That would be nice,” her younger sister replied.

The older Earp looked back at Nicole, “Thanks for giving her a hand, Haught. You want anything?”

“A cappuccino would be great,” the officer answered, brightly.

Wynonna nodded in acknowledgement and exited through the open door.

Once her footsteps faded, Waverly let out a giggle and Nicole rolled her eyes. The officer pulled the younger woman into a tight embrace.

“I thought you were ready to tell her,” the redhead tentatively asked.

“I am, but I couldn’t give Dolls the satisfaction…and I really didn’t think she’d buy it,” Waverly grinned.

“Well, she bought it so much she’s literally buying us drinks,” Nicole chuckled.

Waverly gently pulled herself from her girlfriend’s arms and brought their lips together in a quick peck.

“Excuse me, I have a deputy marshal to murder,” Waverly explained, turning on her heel towards the door.

“Watch who hears that, you might be charged with treason for just voicing that thought,” Nicole teased.

The younger Earp barely heard the comment from her girlfriend as she stalked back to the BBD offices. Once through the door, she strode immediately to Dolls seat and smacked the back of his head.

“Oww, what was that for?!” Dolls complained.

“Why would you tell her?” Waverly fumed.

Dolls rubbed the back of his head as he rattled off, “One, I didn’t tell her, I only told her where to look. Two, the two of you need to be much subtler if you don’t want her to walk in on something. Three, she wasn’t letting me work.”

Before Waverly could respond, the phone in her pocket buzzed and Dolls’ phone on the table beeped.

They both looked at their screens to see the same text from Nicole: “Drunk or oblivious?”

Dolls tossed his phone back on the table, forehead back in his hands as he groaned, “Nooo, she still doesn’t know?”

Chapter Text

“Uhhh…”

Nicole panicked and jumped off her girlfriend.

“Yeah…I think the bandage moved,” Waverly groaned, worrying her bottom lip.

The officer hadn’t been at the homestead more than ten minutes. Before she could knock, her wonderful girlfriend had met her at the door and promptly pulled her to the couch. The brunette’s eager lips locked on hers and they had been entangled, Nicole gingerly laying on Waverly, since.

The officer’s mind was distracted by the lips on her own and missed that her hand had slowly, unconsciously moved up from the younger woman’s hip, forgetting the sensitive area on the younger woman’s side. She felt the bandage tangle in Waverly’s shirt and had stammered at the realization.

“Did I pull it or was it already loose?” Nicole worried, but certain she hadn’t tugged enough to pull it off.

“I think it was already caught in my shirt…” 

Hand extended, to pull her girlfriend to her feet, the older woman asked, “When did you change it last?”

Waverly paused before she timidly offered, “Wynonna did this morning.”

The officer searched the brunette’s eyes, noting the hesitation in Waverly’s voice.

“The tape shouldn’t have come loose already,” Nicole stated, as the couple moved, hand-in-hand to the kitchen.

Only a couple days had passed since the attack on the homestead, but the room had become their temporary first-aid station, with supplies set up to routinely dress Waverly’s wound.

Part of Nicole was still exasperated by her girlfriend’s refusal to seek out proper medical attention after being shot but she knew it was no use arguing. Her mind wandered back to the day of the shooting.

“What did the doctor say?” she had asked, dumbly staring at the freshly broken skin, unable to look anywhere else.

“Nothing.”

“What do you mean nothin’?! You were shot!”

“Um, I haven’t had it checked out.”

That pulled the Nicole from her terrified fog; she wordlessly scooped her keys off the table, but a small hand closed on her wrist.

“And I’m not going,” Waverly had continued.

“Um, what?”

“I’m not going,” Waverly insisted, face set and hands on her hips. 

With one look at the younger woman’s body language, Nicole knew there was no changing her girlfriend’s mind, but she pleaded, “But what if it gets infected?”

“It won’t,” the shorter woman replied brightly, expression shifting. “Not as long as we keep it clean and dry. I researched it all to be sure and Dolls has experience treating flesh wounds.”

Of course, Nicole thought with a small smirk, Waverly would think her research was the same as the opinion of a medical professional with years of studying and training.

The brunette pulled her shirt up, exposing her tan bra, jerking Nicole’s attention abruptly to the present.

Her jaw dropped slightly as the shirt crept further up than entirely necessary; the officer had only seen this sight a few times, but she felt she would never tire of it. That somehow the sight of this woman would never fail to take her breath away.

Nicole forced her gaze up to her girlfriend’s face and found a smirk playing on the lips of the younger woman.

“Like what you see, officer?” Waverly teased.

“Yes ma’am,” Nicole replied, pressing a kiss to Waverly’s cheek.

She pulled back and took in her surroundings. As her mind had wandered, her body had automatically pulled the needed supplies on the table and Waverly perched in one of the wooden chairs.

“But I don’t like what I see here,” she added, as she kneeled to better see the brunette’s injured side.

A tangled mess of tape held the gauze to the inside of Waverly’s shirt; fully exposing the brunette’s marred skin. Nicole observed folds in several pieces of the adhesive and assumed it wasn’t laid flat to start; it never had a chance to attach to skin properly.

“Did Wynonna get in a fight with the tape?” Nicole joked as she moved closer to inspect the cluster.

Waverly winced and quickly replied, “She was in a hurry. Dolls came by and needed her and Willa.”

The redhead’s brow furrowed as she looked closer at the wound, checking for signs of infection.

The younger woman’s mind must have reached the same conclusion because she hastily added, “But she used the ointment first, so it should be clean. He came as Wynonna was covering it.”

“I see,” Nicole mused, as she leaned back, content to see no red flags. She continued sternly, as the cop in her took over, “But that’s no use if it’s not covered right.”

Waverly sighed, “I know.”

“I think it’s fine, but we’ll have to keep an eye on it,” Nicole added, standing to wash her hands.

As she pulled the used dressing from Waverly’s shirt, the groan of the hinges on the front door carried into the kitchen.

The couple shared a panicked look as the door slammed shut. Nicole hastily discarded the gauze and reached for her ankle holster.

“Waves! Where are you?”

Both women breathed a sigh of relief at Wynonna’s voice.

“In the kitchen!” the youngest Earp called back.

Nicole let out a shakily chuckle as she reached back for the bandage to throw it out.

It was hard to feel fully comfortable at the homestead with evidence of the recent gunfire still all around them: boarded up windows that needed new panes of glass, bullet holes in the walls, the lingering scent from gunpowder that hung in the air no matter how many candles Waverly lit.  Not to mention the stray casings that were still being found. The officer had never felt the need to have her concealed carry before but, in a few short days, it had become a habit, as ingrained as carrying her wallet, phone, and keys.

Nicole rewashed her hands as she heard Wynonna shuffle into the kitchen.  

“Baby girl, put the goods away,” Wynonna chuckled.

The officer turned back towards Waverly as the older Earp took in her half-dressed sister.

Waverly huffed out an impatient breath and pulled down her shirt slightly.

Wynonna’s sight turned to Nicole, “Whatcha doin’ here, Haught? I saw your cruiser outside.”

“I’ve been comin’ by to check on her wound the past few days. Helpin’ to dress it when it’s needed,” the redhead drawled.

The officer saw Wynonna shift guiltily. Waverly had said her older sisters had barely been home since the attack. Nicole didn’t blame Wynonna one bit; if the tables were turned, she’d be working non-stop too, hunting down those assholes.

“Yeah, because you half-assed it this morning,” the younger Earp chirped.

“What?” Wynonna replied, offended.  

“The gauze was stuck to the inside of my shirt,” Waverly answered, failing to suppress an eye roll.

Nicole sat in the chair opposite of her girlfriend and called over her shoulder, “Wynonna, during first-aid training at the academy, they taught us a trick for keepin’ the tape from rollin’ up. C’mon, I’ll show you.”

The older sister kicked out a chair and plopped down next to the redhead, as she was applying ointment.

--

After walking Wynonna through covering the wound, she gently pulled Waverly’s shirt down. The action sent a recoil through her body but, with Wynonna in the house, she needed her girlfriend’s skin covered.

“Thanks, Haught,” the older sister remarked, clapping Nicole on her shoulder as she rose. She turned to Waverly and added, “I’m glad you’re finally hanging around brains that can keep up with yours.”

Nicole flushed and was grateful neither sister had their attention on her at the moment; she knew her brain would never rival Waverly’s, but she was grateful for the praise from the heir nonetheless. She glanced at her girlfriend and saw a nervous smile break out across her face.

“Are you staying home?” Waverly asked her sister.

“No, I needed a refill,” Wynonna plucked a bottle of whiskey from the counter, and then added, “And I gotta grab something from the barn.”

The older Earp pulled her phone from her jacket pocket, “Shit, Dolls is blowing up my phone.”

At the sound of the front door slamming shut, Nicole felt small fingers entwine with her own.

“Thank you,” Waverly murmured, scooting off her chair and into the officer’s lap.

“You don’t need to thank me, all in the girlfriend job description,” Nicole whispered back.

Her hands wrapped around the smaller woman’s hips and she gently pulled her closer, leaning in.

“Hey!” Waverly protested, pulling back. “You didn’t kiss it!”

Nicole’s brain was stuck on Waverly’s lips and she shook her head, willing her brain to catch up.

Realization dawned on her: the first time she dressed her girlfriend’s wound, she had kissed the gauze to, as she justified at the time, “make it feel better.” Every time she had changed the bandage since, she added a peck, each time grateful that the bullet didn’t cause more damage.  

The officer laughed, “Well your sister was kinda here.”

“She’s not now,” Waverly answered, retreating back to her own chair.

Nicole chuckled again and murmured “true.”

She followed the brunette to the other chair and knelt in front of her, slowly pulling up her girlfriend’s shirt. Her lips gently kissed Waverly’s firm abs and she kissed her way towards the wound. 

She lightly pressed her lips to the gauze, as she felt her stomach twist.

It had happened each time she pecked the barrier that protected Waverly’s wound, as she briefly let her mind wander through what-ifs: what if the bullet missed entirely, what if it was an inch to the right, what if it was several inches to the right, what if she had been here when it happened—would Waverly have been hurt?

The sound of a throat clearing caused the officer to flinch back, startling her from her thoughts. She quickly turned to the source of the noise: Wynonna stood in the doorway.  

Judging by jump she felt from Waverly, her girlfriend didn’t hear the older Earp return either. Nicole’s gaze wandered to the bottle in Wynonna’s hand and she quickly tried to calculate the difference in liquid from when she had previously seen it.

The officer was keenly aware of blue eyes fixed on her. She was sure from the burn that crept up her face that it’s color now matched her hair.

“Um, chicks do dig scars,” Nicole stammered, with a half-shrug.

The officer mentally cursed her word choice. She knew it wasn’t her place to tell Wynonna, but she panicked.

She hesitantly turned to her girlfriend, unsure how Waverly would react. Her gaze took in the way the younger Earp’s hands nervously fiddled in her lap.

Wynonna cocked an eyebrow, “Are you two best friends?”

Nicole fell silent, waiting for Waverly to speak up. She could practically feel the nervous energy rolling off of the brunette.

But the older sister misinterpreted the silence.

“Sounds like you two need to talk about that,” Wynonna quipped. She turned back toward the door and called over her shoulder with a wink, “Communication is the key to a healthy friendship guys.”

Nicole inwardly groaned, forcibly stifling any noise for her girlfriend’s sake.

As she heard the faint noise of Wynonna’s tires kicking up gravel in the driveway, the officer forced herself to break the silence.

“Sooo, drunk or oblivious?” she tentatively asked, unsure how the brunette would react.  

Waverly shook her head in disbelief, “What about writing it in frosting on a donut?”

Nicole shook her head seriously, “It won’t stand a chance, the donut will be half eaten before she realizes there’s icing on it.”

Chapter Text

“My, my I do believe it’s Friday and that a certain deputy marshal was so assured that our naïve friend would be aware of her sister’s new relationship by now.”

 Dolls let out a frustrated breath, as he pulled out his wallet and shoved a bill into Doc’s outstretched hand.

“Pleasure doin’ business with you. Any other takers?”

“Put me down for $20 that she doesn’t figure it out by the end of the month,” Nicole chimed in, as she unrolled a mat.

Waverly slapped her arm, “Nic!"

“Hey! It’s not my fault she’s blind,” the redhead shrugged, “might as well make some money off of it.”

The door to the BBD office slammed open, Wynonna striding into the space.

“Alright, losers, who wants a piece of this first?”

--

Nicole smirked as Wynonna dropped to the mat with a groan.

They were only minutes into this combat session, but this was the fourth time the heir had ended on her back; the redhead had barely broken a sweat.

“Come on,” Dolls stated, exasperation filling his tone, “get up.”

A disgruntled breath escaped Wynonna’s throat as she stared at the ceiling, not moving.

“My turn!”

The deputy’s head turned so quickly toward the voice that her neck cricked.

Her girlfriend hopped down from the desk, where she had been perched, and stepped onto the mat, confidence oozing out of her as she swayed her hips.

Nicole’s mouth went dry instantly at the sight. But her stomach churned too, as anxiety built inside of her. What if she hurt her girlfriend?

“Better you than me,” the older Earp mumbled, pulling herself to her feet and retreating from the padded surface.

“Bring it ba—I mean…c’mon Haught,” Waverly stammered.

--

Several minutes later, Nicole’s picked herself off the mat for the third time, grumbling as she rose.

Though the young couple hadn’t yet taken their relationship to a particular level, the two were acquainted with each other’s bodies. In particular, Waverly knew enough to take advantage of some of the redhead’s weak spots, including a ticklish spot on the side of her ribs.

Nicole’s brow furrowed as she took in her girlfriend, unwilling to stoop to the brunette’s level, even though a broad smile graced the younger woman’s face.

Wynonna let out a laugh, “Haught, you look like a grumbly puppy.”

The deputy rolled her eyes, as she started to circle Waverly once again. She was going to win fair and square.

--

In less than a minute, Nicole was on her back again; this time with Waverly straddling her. An adorable grin stretched across the younger woman’s face. In spite of her frustration, the deputy felt the corner of her lips pull up, into a small smile.

“…no…”

All eyes turned to Wynonna at the single word she uttered, disbelief infusing her tone.

That lone word brought Nicole’s focus to her girlfriend, particularly the brunette’s hips. Simultaneously, her brown eyes bulged and jaw dropped, as she realized her palms had settled in, quite comfortably, on the younger girl’s lower half. As though they had been burned, she quickly pulled her hands back.

Her gaze shifted to Waverly’s face, noting the panic spelled out across her features. Nicole slowly turned her head back to the older Earp.

Wynonna hopped down from the desk, where she was sitting, and barked, “C’mon Haught.”

The deputy felt a weight slowly lift off of her as her girlfriend rose. The younger Earp extended a hand, which Nicole quickly grabbed, to help regain her footing.

The heir strode toward the door, and the redhead timidly fell into step behind her.

“Earp, we’re not done here,” Dolls called after the retreating women.

“Nope,” Wynonna called over her shoulder, “gotta deal with this now.”

The nerves that filled Nicole at the thought of sparring her girlfriend paled in comparison to the anxiety that filled her body on the slow walk through the quiet police station and out to Wynonna’s truck.

The Earp gestured for the deputy to sit in the passenger seat, and Nicole apprehensively obliged as the other woman climbed into the driver’s seat.

It was only after the truck roared to life and peeled out of the parking lot that Nicole found her voice, nervously asking, “Where are we goin’?”

The woman in the driver’s seat was silent, and the deputy counted out the seconds as she stared over at the Earp. It was a full minute before Wynonna glanced in her direction, icy blue eyes narrowed, and a hard expression filled her features, as if contemplating her response.

The redhead’s eyes scanned the Earp’s body language before she registering that they were still traveling at breakneck speed. She broke the eye contact to look back at the road.

Nicole felt her stomach clench as her eyes took in the direction the truck was headed.

“Shit, Wynonna!” were the only words she managed as she reached across to straighten the wheel, just in time before they veered off the road.

“Fuck,” the heir muttered, as the truck jerked before straightening back out.

Nicole heard a deep breath to her left, and a mumbled, “sorry.”

The truck was silent again. The deputy waited a full two minutes before opening her mouth again, but Wynonna broke the silence first.

“You’re into chicks right, Haught?”

The redhead’s stomach twisted again, certain this was the moment of truth.

“Yes.”

She waited for the Earp to respond, holding her breath. Only when her lungs screamed in protest did she shakily exhale. 

“Don’t be so worried,” Wynonna finally replied. “I’m perceptive y’know, so I figured it out a while ago…and I happen to have an excellent gay-dar.”

A snort slipped out of the redhead, but she tried, and failed if the irritated look the heir shot her was any indication, to cover it with a cough.

 “So, um, what does that have to do with where we’re goin’?” Nicole asked, cautiously.

A devious grin spread across Wynonna’s face as she answered with a cryptic, “You’ll see.”

--

A groan escaped Nicole’s lips, breaking the silence that had filled the truck since the heir’s mysterious words.

“No, Wynonna,” she stated firmly, eyes staring out the window as the truck slowed to a stop.

“Oh yes,” the Earp replied happily. “There’s a girl here who’s perfect for you.”

The redhead felt her brow furrow in confusion.

“Um, what?”

“Are you deaf?” Wynonna asked, eyebrow cocked. “There. Is. A. Girl. Inside. Who. Is. Perfect. For. You.”

“You cannot be serious,” were the only words the taller woman could manage, as she closed her eyes, frustration building between her left eyebrow and temple.

“Why would I be anything but?”

Nicole’s eyes shot open, “It’s a strip club!”

“So?” Wynonna asked, opening her door. “You’re uptight and were practically groping my baby sister back there. C’mon Haught, you know you want to get it in!”

--

To the redhead’s, slight, relief the older Earp was trying to set her up with the bartender, and not one of the dancers at Pussy Willows.

If Wynonna hadn’t had the bartender ply them with shots…repeatedly…Nicole might have felt as though this was quite an awkward situation to have landed herself in: drinking with her girlfriend’s sister while said sister was trying, not at all subtly, to set her up with another woman.

Though the deputy was drunk, she at least had her wits about her enough to monitor Wynonna’s cell phone, from its spot atop the bar, noting the repeated texts and incoming calls from Waverly as they flashed across the screen. If the insistent buzzing in her pocket is any indication, the younger Earp was blowing up her phone too. It took all her self-control, and whatever was left of her sober mind, not to check in front of Wynonna, confident that would give away their relationship.

Nicole was pulled out of debating the merits of trying to text Waverly without taking her phone out of her pocket by the older Earp finally answering an incoming call. The redhead’s ears perked up to listen to the only side of the conversation she could hear.

“Baby girl, chill.”

…

“No, Haught’s with me.”

…

“At a strip club…duh.”

…

“She’s too uptight, so I’m trying to get her laid.”

Over the pumping music, Nicole heard Waverly shout, “WHAT?!”

Instead of responding, Wynonna clicked to end the call and dropped her phone in the pitcher of beer between the two of them.

The heir closed her eyes and sighed, “Ah, that’s better. No more buzzing.”

Nicole felt her phone vibrate again, undoubtedly with a call.

On the barstool next to her, Wynonna stiffened, ears turning toward the sound, like a dog with it’s ears perked up.

Before the deputy could act, the Earp shifted quickly, pulling the phone from Nicole’s pocket, promptly turning the device off, and shoving it down her shirt, into her bra.

The shorter woman grinned wickedly.

“Enough interruptions. Now, let’s get you laid… Oh, Laura! We need more shots!” she called, summoning the bartender.

--

The cold air should have nipped at Nicole’s cheeks.

Should have.

A small, barely audible sober voice at the back of her mind told her that was a problem.

But the much louder, more emphatic drunk voice in her mind, that ironically sounded a lot like Wynonna, drowned out the whisper with a reassuring “We got this!”

Hysterical laughter pulled her from her thoughts. Turning her head toward the sound, the deputy saw Wynonna and Laura giggling, leaning heavily on each other for support. The Earp had asked the bartender to join them for the last few rounds and, though other woman wasn’t nearly as drunk as Nicole and Wynonna, none of them belonged behind the wheel.

Nicole shook her head, the cop in her poking through her drunken haze, as she closed the distance between herself and the pair.

“Laura, you need us to call a ride for you?”

Both women cackled again.

“That’s why we’re out here freezing our tits off!” Wynonna slurred. “Her boyfriend picks her up at the end of every shift.”

“Some gay-dar you have,” the redhead mumbled.

“You’re a cute drunk though,” the heir continued, slapping the redhead on the cheek, oblivious to the jab.

The smack of skin-on-skin, not the jarring contact, indicated to Nicole’s ears that the Earp hit her harder than she probably meant to. But the deputy was too intoxicated to care.

“Yes, but Waves is gonna be sooo pissed at me, so we really need to skipadoodle outta here.”

As if on cue, a red Jeep Wrangler flew into the parking lot, slamming to a stop too close to the group of women. Close enough that, even in her drunken state, Nicole stumbled back a few steps out of fear of being run over.

“Oh nooo.”

“Shit.”

Nicole and Wynonna mumbled at the same time.

A visibly angry Waverly hopped out; the redhead’s eyes went comically wide, and her jaw dropped at the sight. Nicole staggered another step back, away from her outraged girlfriend, slipping slightly on a patch of ice. The older Earp wobbled backward too, bumping shoulders with Nicole.

“You’re drunk! And in trouble,” Waverly yelled, closing the distance between herself and her girlfriend, adding a glare at Wynonna in the process, “Both of you! I hit three other strip clubs, three! Do you know how many different types of scented glitter I have on me? Huh?!”

The brunette came to a stop in front of the older women.

The alcohol coursing through her veins spurred Nicole into action, quickly closing the space between her and Waverly. The deputy leaned in, placing a sloppy kiss on her girlfriend’s cheek as she inhaled deeply.

As she pulled away, the redhead giggled and brightly replied, “Four! Four types of scented glitter!”

Both sisters locked eyes on the taller woman, but the deputy only had eyes for Waverly.

“You are sooo pretty and I like you sooo much,” Nicole added sincerely, breaking the silence.

Wynonna groaned, “C’mon Haught, that’s my baby sister. Turn your beer googles elsewhere.”

The younger Earp opened her mouth to reply but another car approached, and the bartender interjected.

“This is my ride,” Laura slurred, as she winked at Nicole, “Call me.”

“Oh, no thank you, I have a girlfriend,” the deputy stated plainly, grinning, not at all subtly, at Waverly.

The bartender climbed into the car, and it sped off. 

“Dude,” Wynonna whined, backhanding the redhead’s arm, “Why didn’t you tell me? Who’s the lucky girl? Wait…then you must be getting laid.”

The heirs’ eyebrows knitted together in confusion as her blue eyes met Nicole’s, “So why are you so uptight?”

“But…well…no…but…no sex…well not yet…” Nicole sputtered.

Her eyes bulged, blush quickly crept up her face, and she covered her mouth with her hand. The officer’s drunk brain panicked that she just confessed that she was with Waverly.

“What?” Wynonna questioned, confused.

“Oh my god,” Waverly cried, still frustrated.

Nicole felt smaller hands wrap around her cheeks, pulling her down. Her eyes closed automatically as she felt soft lips connect with her slightly chapped ones. Naturally, her hands locked around the smaller woman’s hips, pulling her flush to her. The deputy’s mind was consumed by the contact and, forgetting where she was, she brushed her tongue across her girlfriend’s lips, seeking to deepen the kiss.

“No, no, no. Stop!”

The redhead grinned as she felt Waverly huff a frustrated breath before the younger woman leaned back. But her girlfriend didn’t move far, instead turning to lean into Nicole’s side, wrapping an arm around her waist as she glared at the older Earp.

“Do you know who Nicole’s girlfriend is now?” Waverly inquired.

“Um, I think so,” Wynonna replied slowly, eyes narrowed slightly…not in anger but in…confusion?

“And you’re ok with this?” Waverly asked, timidly.

Nicole didn’t hear, but rather felt, the quaver in her girlfriend at the question. Her arm instinctively wrapped around the brunette, pulling her closer to her side.

The heir’s face softened immediately as she breathed, “Of course, baby girl. As long as she makes you happy.”

The deputy felt tension ease from smaller woman. The warmth next to her faded, as Waverly pulled away, closing the gap between her and her sister, before pulling her into a tight hug.

Nicole felt a smile tug on her face at the sight and a warmth, that had nothing to do with the alcohol, and everything to do with relief, surging through her body.

Her gaze then shifted to blue eyes that locked on her own, as Wynonna was still embraced by her sister.

The older Earp’s eyes turned icy for a moment as she smiled twistedly, “Don’t forget, if you hurt her, I have a big-ass gun that sends people to hell.”

Nicole visibly gulped.

Wynonna added a wink, before closing her eyes and pulling her sister closer.