66. H-e-Double Hockey Sticks

       “Lights and sirens off when you pull up,” Nicole called over the radio as she slowly drove up the private road that opened to Purgatory’s couple of mansions. They had gotten a report from the security system in one of them of a break-in. And that was typical. Most robbers know that a lot of people aren’t home at night on Valentine’s Day so they take it to their advantage. She pulled off to the side before the driveway and the four other cruisers came to a stop behind her, all climbing out. 

       “What’s the plan, Sheriff?” The rookie she had just hired asked. He was still a kid, but he had graduated at the top of his class in all aspects at the Academy. 

       “The sensors say they’ve picked up on three guys. We’re gonna get in there quietly and come out quietly. No need to rush in guns blazing . . . Literally.” That got a couple of annoyed eye rolls. A small smirk dusted her lips. “Schmitt and Pearson, you’re with me left. Lonnie and Wagner, you’re right. Got it?” 

       "Got it," they echoed. 

       She pulled her gun out of its holster and cocked it. "Alright. Let's move." They did a run-jog up to the front door, seeing that it had been forced open and was still cracked open a quarter of the way. She grabbed the handle, taking one more glance at her Deputies before pushing it open and entering quietly. 

       Nicole immediately heard noise coming from the living room, so she and the other two pushed themselves against the wall by the entrance, the redhead peaking in. There stood a burly man with a hooded jacket, ripping drawers of the TV stand open and shoving Xbox game cases into the gym bag he was holding after the Xbox itself. 

       “We got one, Sheriff,” Lonnie called over. 

       “Copy,” she mumbled. 

       She pulled her head back when she heard the yelling coming from upstairs. “5-0! 5-0!” The robber they were arresting shouted in an attempt to warn his buddies of their presence. 

       The burly man’s head shot up and he quickly zipped the bag, throwing the strap over his shoulder as he moved their way. It was then that she saw the pistol in his hand.

       She jumped out from behind the wall, lifting her weapon. “Drop it!” 

       The setting sunlight coming through the window illuminated his wide eyes as he stopped abruptly, putting his hands in the air. Schmitt and Pearson stepped out, pointing their own weapons at the man. 

       “Drop your weapon!” Nicole repeated. “ Now !” He slowly set it on the ground, keeping his hands in the air with terrified eyes. She nodded her head towards it and Pearson walked over, kicking it out of his reach before stepping back to his original position “Put the bag down,” she ordered. He slipped it off his shoulder and set it down, nudging it away with his foot after seeing what happened with the gun. “Lock your fingers behind your head and get on your knees. Slowly .” He did so, and after ordering him to his stomach, she walked over, holstering her weapon before dropping a knee to his back and pulling his arms down to cuff them. 

       “They made me,” he whimpered. “I didn’t wanna do it.” 

       “I’m sure they did,” she sighed, looking up at the deputies as she was going to tell them to continue on looking for the last guy, but she saw a figure dash out the door. She shot up. “Stay with him!” She yelled, already running for the front door and jumping down the four steps on the porch, yanking her gun back out as she ran after the last burglar, shouting orders for him to stop. But he continued on running through everyone’s yards, turning his head to look at her before pedaling his legs faster. 

       She didn’t get called Match Stick in high school for nothing. Maybe the hair was half of it, but the other was cause she was already at her stopping height Freshman year . And those long legs did come in handy at times. 

       Sprinting being one of them. 

       She sped it up, and within a few seconds, she was right behind him. She jumped forward, knocking him to the grass. She grabbed at his arms, but his head snapped back as he wiggled around underneath her, flashing red with a low growl. Her eyes went wide as she realized the situation she was in, but she kept calm, trying harder to pin his arms back. 

       “Stupid cop ,” the Revenant snarled before grabbing onto the front of her uniform and flicking her 8 feet away from him like a ragdoll. 

       She landed with a bruising thud, rolling a few times before getting her footing and scrambling to her feet, digging her phone out of her pocket and pushing it to her ear as she took off back after him. 

       “ Haught , this better be important. I was bus -” 

       “Code red , Wynonna! I’m at Stone Gate Mansions! Haul some ass, would ya?!” She practically screamed into the phone before immediately hanging up. She pushed her glock back and replaced it with her taser, knowing it would not be civil to shoot an unarmed guy in the middle of a subdivision. 

       She was easily back behind him, for his stubby legs and beer belly weren’t doing him any good. She raised the taser and fired, holding the trigger down as she watched his body come to a stand-still before falling stiffly forward with a groan. She pounced on his back and pulled her second pair of cuffs out, locking his hands back before his body got over the jolt she sent through him. “Stupid Revenant ,” she grumbled, breath slightly staggered as she stood up. “Try something and I’ll zap ya again.” He growled with a flash of his eyes. “ Cute .” 

       She turned her right arm up to look at the underside after feeling it start to sting. She pursed her lips, seeing how her uniform sleeve had shredded during her tumble, giving her a nice scrape up her upper arm. But she cocked an eyebrow, looking down at the grass she was standing on, wondering how it could have scraped her up that bad. “ Rich people ,” she huffed with an eye roll, realizing on further inspection that it was not grass, but turf , and that her scrape was not a scrape, but a nice patch of turf burn. Waverly’d have a blast doctoring that up later. 

       Speaking of the brunette. 

       Her phone buzzed in her pocket and she pulled it out, expecting her second favorite Earp, but instead, it was from her first. 

Waves : Text me when ur getting ready to head home ❤️  

Nic ❤️ ❤️ : Just waiting for Wynonna. Who knows how long that’ll take  

Waves : Y?

Nic ❤️ ❤️ : *Picture of her with her boot stepping on the side of his face while he flashed his eyes angrily*

Nic ❤️ ❤️ : Found this guy and two others (revenantsy still to be determined) robbing one of the mansions in Stone Gate

Waves : Omg, that’s Louis Holtum. Big-time professional Strongman that got on the bad side of Wyatt, ig

Nic ❤️ ❤️ : Yea, I figured that out the hard way 

Waves : Y? What happened?? 

Nic ❤️ ❤️ : Nothing, he just kinda...tossed me off him

Waves : Wym tossed?

Nic ❤️ ❤️ : Tossed. Ya know, tossed as in threw me over into the neighbor’s yard tossed

Waves : OMFG, R U OKAY?!?!??

Nic ❤️ ❤️ : Yea, I’m fine lmao

Nic ❤️ ❤️ : Just a lil scrape. Maybe a bruise or two

Waves : How little is a “lil scrape” 

Nic ❤️ ❤️ : Mk, Wynonna’s here, BYE LY ❤️ ❤️ 

Waves : U are so dead  

       She shoved her phone in her pocket, walking to meet Humpty Dumpty as she waddled over to her, Peacemaker in hand. “Is this him?” She asked, pointing at him with the barrel. 

       She nodded. “And there are two more in there, but I don’t know if they are Rev-Heads or not.” 

       Wynonna sighed as they walked over and Nicole hauled him to his feet, letting her hold the taser as they walked back up to the mansion to meet her patient deputies. “You owe me.” 

       “Remember all the times you’ve owed me?” She asked with a cocked eyebrow. Wynonna pursed her lip, kicking a stone from the neatly-rocked barrier along the sidewalk leading up to the mansion to skid up it. “Alright, guys. They’re from a different jurisdiction, so I’ll just run all three over there. Y’all are getting off for the night soon, anyway.” 

       They all smiled with thank you’s as they headed back to their cruisers and drove away. She sat him on the porch next to the other two and turned towards the homeowners that had arrived at some point. “Some officers from the night shift will be up here in a bit to do an evidence report, so you can go in there, but just try not to touch anything, ok?” They nodded, throwing stink eyes towards the men as they walked inside. 

       Wynonna clapped her hands. “Alright, Bitches, let’s go.” They got them in a straight line and Nicole walked at the back, still holding the taser attached to Mr. Muscles’ back and Wynonna walked next to them, making a show of Peacemaker as they went. After they shoved all three in the tight space of the back of Nicole’s cruiser, they climbed in the front. “Let’s see . . .” Wynonna lifted the gun to the one the other officer’s arrested and it glowed red. She shifted towards the scared fat one in the middle and it showed the same result. “Welp.” She climbed out and looked towards the Sheriff with a wink. “Follow behind me. I know a place.” 

.  .  .

       In not even five minutes, they pulled up to the edge of the woods that seemed to hold a shooting range. There were a couple of paper targets on some hay bails and part of a wood fence with one or two old cans resting on top of it. Nicole climbed out and got the trio out, making them go sit pretty against the fence. “So. What’s the plan?” She asked when Wynonna reached her.

       She stared at her for a second. “I’m going to send them to h-e-double hockey sticks,” she responded in an annoyingly high voice. 

       “Ok, then do it. I need to get home soon.” She lifted her gun and shot at the two cans out of boredom, knocking them each off. 

       Wynonna turned towards them with a sigh. “Adios, mi amigos. Bon voyage!” Nicole cocked an eyebrow at her both Spanish and French but looked towards them after the first firey hole opened up, and continued to watch until they were all gone. 

       She always had to blink a few times to make sure she wasn't going insane after watching a Revenant be downed. She hadn't realized that when she moved to a town called Purgatory that part of her job would actually include hunting and killing demons . But it's Purgatory. Who knows what you're going to find. 

       The brunette let out a wince and placed her hand on her stomach. "Dude, I get that it's exciting and all, but chill out ." She looked up at the somewhat concerned redhead before smiling and grabbing her hand, pressing it on the area near the top of her stomach. 

       A small smile pushed onto her face, feeling the kicks from above the skin. "Hey, you." She tapped her finger over the area that the kicks were landing. "Quit bothering your mom while she's busy being a badass." 

       Wynonna raised her head with a small smirk, but her eyes widened as she felt the movement subside. "Damn, Haughy," she started with a laugh. "I need you around all the time if she's gonna listen to you like that." 

       Nicole pushed her hands in her pockets with a smile as they turned back to the cars. "What can I say, there's just something bout me that you Earp's love ." 

       The brunette rolled her eyes. " Love is a strong word."

       She bumped her with her shoulder. "You love me, don't even try it." 

       " You love me ," Wynonna mimicked as Nicole stopped in front of her cruiser to look over her arm again. “See ya later, Red.”

       “Hey, uh, you’re off tomorrow, right?” She asked, looking up at her. 

       “ Pshh , I make my own hours.” 

       “Ok, whatever. Are you gonna be busy tomorrow?” 

       “Probably not, why?” 

       The Sheriff walked around and opened her car door. “Good. I’ll be at the Homestead at 12 to pick you up.” 

       “Wait, why? Where are we going?” 

       She got in and started it, rolling her window down and sticking her head out. “You’ll see! Just be ready!” And with that, she sent Waverly a text saying she was on her way, put the car in drive, and drove off while Wynonna flipped her off. 

.  .  .

       Nicole parked the car in front of the house, doing a jog up to the front door to get out of the sudden blizzard that had decided to come about. She pushed the door open, slowing to a stop as she closed it behind her, tracing her eyes around the living room and kitchen. 

       The lights were slightly dimmed and the floors were dusted in a layer of pink and red rose petals. The candles that were set around everywhere matched the color scheme and the low music humming through the speakers pulled it all together. 

       Though the air left her lungs at the sight of her girlfriend walking towards her. 

       She, of course, had gotten herself all dolled up with curled hair and makeup. The top of the two-piece dress she was wearing was black and hugged her figure, leaving a few inches of her stomach in view, while the light pink bottom was looser and flowed down to her knees. 

       Waverly smiled, running her hand down her stomach when she stopped in front of her, pressing a kiss to the corner of her mouth, the three-inch black heels bringing her closer to her face than usual. 

       Nicole was quite surprised by the whole ordeal considering that she had told her they were eating out for Valentine’s Day, and judging by all the smells drifting throughout the house, they were most definitely eating in . 

       “Baby,” Nicole mumbled with a happy pout. “What’s all this for?” 

       “Mm, cause I love you,” she smiled, leaning into another kiss. “And cause almost everything everywhere was already booked, but still. This is better, anyway.” 

       The redhead chuckled, rubbing her thumbs on the part of her bare waist. “I agree.” 

       Waverly grinned, but paused, furrowing a worried brow at her. She grabbed her hands, holding her arms away from her body as she looked over her dirty uniform. “Where’re you hurt a-” She turned her arm after seeing the ripped bit. “ Nic ,” she sighed. 

       “I’m fine, Baby.” She kissed the tip of her nose, walking around her and putting her gun in the gun safe, pulling her boots off. “Ima go change, ok?” 

       “ Closet door ,” she coughed with a smirk. Nicole raised a questioning eyebrow at her as she walked towards their room. “Don’t let the cats out. I already had to dig a rose petal out of Geronimo’s mouth.”

       She let out a laugh, shaking her head as she opened the door and closed it immediately behind her, seeing both cats waiting by the door after hearing her approaching. She slowly walked over to the closet with a dopey smile. Was she surprised that she had gone out and bought her a button-down in the exact same color as the pink on her dress? Absolutely not. Did she love it? Absolutely yes. She pulled her uniform off and slipped the pre-ironed shirt on, buttoning it up and grabbing her fitted black dress pants that were hanging next to it. She tied the black tie around her neck, almost not realizing that it had tiny red heart outlines all over it, for they were so small. 

       After making her hair and face look as presentable as she could, she wandered back out with her hands in her pockets, watching Waverly’s eyes widen as she did a once over of her before smiling below a deep blush, continuing to move about the kitchen to get the last of the food ready. Nicole couldn’t tell you what she was making. It was probably some super fancy recipe she found that had a 20-word name in a different language. 

       She sat down at the table that was decorated with the whole nine yards. A fancy table cloth, roses in a vase with some more rose petals sprinkled about the tabletop, and wine glasses with a bottle of Pinot Noir in between them. “We could have literally sprawled out on the couch and eaten Pizza Rolls, Babe. You know that, right?” 

       “We could have,” she agreed as she set a plate in front of her and sat down on the opposite side of the table. “ But this is more fun. And I felt like getting dressed up, either way.” 

       Nicole smiled as she poured them each a glass, sliding her’s towards her. “I mean, I’m not complaining obviously .” She let out a breath as she looked around the house again in awe. “But I just want to make sure you knew you didn’t have to.” 

       “I know I didn’t have to, Baby.” She cupped her hand over the redhead’s with a squeeze. “But you deserve this,” she ended with a small shrug. 

       Nicole’s cheeks went red with a bashful smile. “. . . I do love being able to eat a fancy dinner in fancy clothes barefoot.”

       Waverly rolled her eyes as she brought the glass to her lips, poking the top of her foot with the end of her heel. 

.  .  .

       The night had ended with them both drunk off wine and slow dancing to the best of their ability in the living room until the power got knocked out from the snowstorm, which wasn't unusual for Purgatory. They then continued to slow dance, only now without music. 

       After an hour of drunken chit chat, they realized that the house was getting a little chilly considering that the heater wasn't able to run. So. They did what one does when you're cold and drunk. 

       They built a pillow fort. 

       "Gimme that end," Nicole giggled, reaching for the part of the blanket in the brunette's hand. She handed it to her, and Nicole draped it over the back of the chair to complete it. "I told ya, Man. I'm the pillow fort master ." 

       Waverly happy clapped before pulling her heels off and crawling into the entrance, the floor being layered with every blanket they didn't use and every pillow they could find. 

       The redhead went to get in behind her but stopped with a gasp. "I gotta idea!" Waverly cocked an eyebrow as she heard her feet quickly padding off to the bedroom. She returned a minute later, flicking something in the entrance before dropping down and crawling in with a slight wince. 

       "What?" The brunette questioned as Nicole flipped to her back on the mountain of pillows and tugging her in between her legs. 

       "Knees're hurtin'," she mumbled as she wrapped them in blankets when Waverly leaned back on her, handing her the iPad. 

       "Why?" 

       "You go be a catcher for 13 years straight 'n tell me how you're feelin' after," she laughed, running her thumb across her stomach as she pulled up Toy Story 3 with the other hand. 

       The smaller girl let out a small huff, flipping over to look at her face. “How many times have you gotten hurt?” 

       Her brows went up at the question, but they came together as she got to thinking about it. “Uh . . . Well, I broke my collarbone when I was 7 after I landed wrong tryin’ to block a kick in soccer. Then I got my first concussion when I got plowed over by this fat bitch in basketball when I was 10ish. I was out for half the softball season in my 8th-grade year with tendinitis in one of my knees, I don’t remember which one. And then when soccer season rolled around that year, I jammed my thumb really bad. That’s why I can’t write worth a shit cause it still don’t move right.”

       “Ahhh,” Waverly nodded with a smile, taking her hand when she popped her thumb in and out of place in front of her face. 

       “Let’s see . . . ‘Nother concussion Freshman year when my friend flipped me off of a four-wheeler while we were muddin’. Fractured my ankle when this guy intentionally collided with me at home plate durin’ my Junior year . . . And then I split my chin open in Senior year. I was wasted ‘n jumped off the bleachers by the football field durin’ the Homecomin’ game . . . Yea, I got ‘n ISS for that . . .” 

       “You’re accident-prone.”

       “Ya think?” 

       "I do think, yea,” she laughed. 

       “That’s just the major stuff.” She held her hands out in front of her, wiggling her fingers. “I’ve broken all these bad boys too many times to count. Half of ‘em are crooked. ‘N college was just full of stupid shit. Like, ya know, breakin’ 3 ribs and your elbow after slidin’ down a flight of stairs on a longboard. ‘N tryin’ to run through a wall, but nailin’ a stud with the top of your head . . . That one was stitches and a concussion.” 

       “What the fuck’s wrong with you?” Waverly laughed with a shake of her head. “‘N three concussions? That explains a lot.” 

       “Hey now,” she warned with a small smirk. “Four actually, thanks to Wynonna.” Waverly rolled her eyes. “What about you, huh? How much blood’ve you shed over the years?” 

       “Not that much,” she huffed. “Willa sat on me and yanked on my arm too hard when I was 4 and ended up dislocating my shoulder. And she accidentally threw ‘er math textbook at me and made me have to get stitches above my eyebrow a couple months later . . . The rest’s mostly jus’ from cheer. I tore my hip flexor in 6th grade on a bad kick. They dropped me and didn’t catch me when I was flying my Sophomore year and I got a concussion. And then I got dropped again my Junior year and chipped my tailbone. I had a couple of sprained wrists and ankles here and there, but I think that’s it- Oh! I got shot by a tranquilizer dart once and still made it to band practice.” 

       She blinked at her for a second. “. . . How the hell-” 

       “I have no idea,” she sighed.

       Nicole chuckled a bit. “Well. Now you’ve got another to add to your list.” She ran her finger lightly down the bridge of her nose, the bruising peaking through despite her attempts to cover it up with makeup. 

       “ So exciting ,” she deadpanned. 

       Nicole smiled, rolling them both to their sides and wrapping a strong arm around her, pulling her back closer to her front as she placed her chin on her head and handed her the iPad to hold. She hit play on the movie and they both relaxed into the night, having had the best Valentine’s Day they could have ever asked for.