Chapter 17: From Zero to Your Hero

Nicole woke early the next morning, her nerves on end and her mind racing with things she needed to do. There was a plan for how she wanted to ask Waverly to prom, but she wouldn't be able to do it alone. She creeped into Wynonna's room at the end of the hall, wincing slightly at the creaky floorboards beneath her feet. Nicole closed the door and made her way over to Wynonna's bed, grabbing a pillow that wasn't currently supporting the eldest Earp's head and smacking her with it. Wynonna jolted awake with a snort and a grunt and squinted up at the intruder.

"The fuck?" Wynonna grumbled.

"I'm asking Waverly to prom today," Nicole said.

"Awesome, good for you, Red, but what the hell does that have to do with me? And why did that require you waking me up at-" Wynonna paused to check the time on her phone. "-six AM? Dude, seriously, what the hell?"

"," Nicole rolled her eyes, "I have a plan for what I need to do, but I can't do it alone. I need your help. I'm going to shoot Jeremy a text, maybe Chrissy, to recruit them, too."

"What's in it for me?" Wynonna wagered.

"Your sister's happiness?" Nicole tried.

Wynonna sighed and sat up. "Fine, what do I need to do?"

Nicole launched into her plan, giving Wynonna a very detail-oriented explanation for what she had planned. She needed to contact Bobo and see if she could finesse him into getting her into the school's auditorium for the afternoon, and she was hoping her improving grade in his class would help with that. She also had to stop by the store to gather supplies, and keep Waverly distracted long enough for her to get everything set up. The hardest part of her plan was getting Waverly to school without raising any suspicions. Basketball was done, so that excuse was out of the question, and they didn't have graduation practice until the following day, so that's where Wynonna came in. She needed her best friend to act as a distraction for Waverly, and if Nicole knew anyone who could get shit done, it was Wynonna Earp. If all went well, Nicole would be taking her girl to prom and their last two weeks they spend together might just be the best two weeks of their lives.

"I never pegged you as the hopeless romantic type, Haught," Wynonna hummed. "Though that's not to say that I couldn't see you standing outside Waverly's bedroom window with a boombox and a crappy sign saying 'Flowers are the second most beautiful thing, can I go to prom with the first?' either."

"I really can't believe I'm friends with you sometimes, I hope you know that," Nicole rolled her eyes but couldn't help but smile.

"If you weren't then you'd probably have no shot with Waves. You should be kissing the ground I walk on for being your friend, really."

Wynonna laughed when Nicole threw the pillow at her face.

- - - - -

Waverly woke to the smell of bacon and an empty bed. Feeling around the space next to her and finding a cold expanse of sheets, Waverly frowned and sat up. She looked around the room and sighed when there were no signs of Nicole being present, not even her duffle bag from the night before was on the floor. Waverly stretched and stood up, bringing her arms above her head and relishing in the few pops and cracks her joints gave as they, too, woke up. She noticed a folded piece of paper on her nightstand, then, and picked it up. Looking on with curious eyes, Waverly unfolded the paper to reveal a note written in Nicole's messy, yet somehow perfect, handwriting.

Waverly smiled and shook her head. Typical Nicole, thinking of everyone before herself. Waverly slowly made her way downstairs and into the kitchen where she found Wynonna sitting at the table, enjoying a cup of coffee and a plate of bacon and delicious-looking pancakes.

"You're up early," Waverly said before sitting down in the chair next to her sister.

"I was craving pancakes, so I made pancakes," Wynonna shrugged, mouth full, and shoved more of the fluffy breakfast cake into her mouth. "Want some? They're vegan," she hummed in a sing-song tone and smiled.

"Okay something is definitely up," Waverly raised a skeptical eyebrow at her sister. "You never get up before noon on the weekends, and you cook for yourself, let alone make it vegan."

"Fine then, I'll just take my pancakes and go," Wynonna scoffed and stood up from her chair. "The nerve of some people. Not appreciating the good things in life: food," she muttered before leaving the kitchen.

Waverly giggled quietly to herself and rolled her eyes, standing up and walking over to the stove, preparing to fix herself a cup of tea. Waiting for the water in the kettle to boil, Waverly allowed her mind to drift back to the previous night's events. Nicole's parents, their awkward dinner, the fight. She sighed, remembering the yelling that occurred. Nicole never yelled, never lost her cool like that in front of Waverly. It worried her, knowing that her girlfriend was clearly more distraught than she was letting on before. It hurt, to say the least, knowing Nicole didn't feel comfortable with telling Waverly those things.

Waverly shook her head and leaned against the counter. she told herself. It was evident how stressed Nicole was with graduation and the Academy and leaving Purgatory. Nicole was one of the most selfless people Waverly knew, so she knew the redhead had been pushing her own problems down in order to ensure Waverly, and everyone else around her, was okay. Even the strongest ones can't hold it together forever. She winced slightly when she thought about the words they exchanged as they yelled, the things they didn't mean nor want to say. Waverly sighed deeply and pinched the bridge of her nose in an attempt to alleviate some of the stress she was feeling.

Her mind slowly drifted from the worst part of her night to the best. Her mind suddenly became full of vivid images of the events taking place after Waverly sat down and talked to Nicole. They had kissed for a while, giggling incessantly at the childlike giddiness they felt because of it. Slowly, things began to grow more heated as Waverly made it her mission to convey every sense of support she could offer her girlfriend in that moment. She took her time, letting her lips explore parts of Nicole she had only ever dreamed of, parts of her that only Waverly could ever kiss. They kept things PG for the most part, not wanting Gus coming home to two high schoolers getting it on upstairs and getting caught, but that's not to say they didn't enjoy it.

Waverly bit her lip and felt the heat rush to her cheeks at the thought of Nicole's lips on her neck, the redhead's body pressed against hers. Their bodies molded together like two pieces of a puzzle and their hands roamed every expanse of exposed skin they could reach. Waverly had lost count of how many times she told Nicole she loved her throughout the night's events, and knew she had said it many more times without using her words. Their lips never strayed far from each other until the sun began to rise, each kiss a promise for the future.

The kettle on the stove began its high pitched whistle, indicating the water was boiling, and Waverly jumped. She pulled herself from her thoughts and grabbed a mug and a teabag from the cabinet, constructing the herbal beverage in her usual way. After tasting to make sure it was to her liking, Waverly decided to make her own breakfast since Wynonna seemed to leave no trace of the infamous vegan pancakes for her to have. With a sigh and a shake of her head, Waverly settled for a bowl of fruit. She retrieved the pre-cut fruit from the fridge and set some aside for herself in a small bowl.