Crappy Anniversary

"Waverly! Open the door!"

Nicole knocked on the bedroom door again.

"Go away!" Waverly cried out in reply from the other side of the door.

"Please, Waves!"

The stairs creaked behind the tall redhead, where she stood on the landing, and she turned to see Wynonna glaring at her.

"What did you do?"

"Nothing."

"That better be the truth. Well when she stops being upset with you over this nothing can you tell her that I'm going out and I'll be back in the morning?"

"Sure."

Wynonna descended the stairs, leaving Nicole alone again. She knocked once more and tried the handle to find that Waverly wasn't holding it shut anymore.

The young brunette was curled up on the bed, her body shaking with sobs. Nicole rushed to her side.

"Waverly, look at me."

Waverly looked up, her hazel eyes filled with tears and her face was red.

"Just go home, Nicole," she grumbled.

"You are my home."

"Stop it! Stop it with that bullshit! You don't get to do things like that and then come up here and pretend like you even know me let alone love me!" She shoved off the comforting hand from her shoulder.

"Waves, of course I love you, don't be ridiculous."

"Now I'm being ridiculous?"

"That's not what I meant," Nicole was struggling to keep her voice calm. She ran a hand through her hair and sank onto the bed beside her girlfriend. "I just think you might be blowing this a bit out of proportion."

Waverly scoffed and wiped her eyes.

"Where's Wynonna? I need her."

"She went out. Said she'd be back in the morning. What do you need, baby? I'm right here."

"I don't want anything from you."

"Waves, come on. Why do you hate it so much?"

"Is that a joke? What kind of present is a cook book for a 2 year anniversary? And it's not even fucking vegan, Nicole!"

"I couldn't find any vegan ones, but I thought you might still like it," Nicole answered softly. She reached out for a hand to hold but Waverly folded her arms stubbornly.

"Maybe I would've but not for this. It just feels like you don't know me anymore. Maybe this isn't working out."

"Waverly! Don't say that!" Nicole gasped. "Fine, come with me, I need to show you something."

The redhead held out her hand and Waverly reluctantly took it and allowed herself to be tugged forward and lead out of the room.

They went downstairs and Nicole took her out the front door. It was chilly outside and Waverly wished she'd grabbed a jacket. Nicole lead her around the back of the house.

A little table and two chairs had been placed there and were being decorated and set by someone. Jeremy turned around at the sound of the company joining him.

"I thought you said noon! It's not ready yet!"

"It's alright, Jeremy. Thanks for your help, I'm gonna take it from here," Nicole reassured him. With a concerned smile at his teary best friend he left them alone. "The book was a decoy. But I was too busy planning the actual gift to get a decent decoy one," she explained to Waverly.

Waverly looked at the set up, her confusion and anger ebbing away and morphing into a weird mix of joy and embarrassment and guilt. "Sorry," she mumbled. "I feel like such an idiot now."

"It's okay, Waves, you didn't know. I would've been upset in your position too. It's on me."

"So what's the gift?" Waverly perked up.

"Oh no, you still have to wait. And longer now since I sent my helper away. How about you go catch up with Jeremy and meet me back here in a few hours?"

"I could help though."

"That would spoil the surprise."

"Okay."

They walked back around to the front of the house to find Jeremy on the front porch. He explained that Wynonna had given him a lift to the homestead but she was gone now.

After grabbing her phone, jacket and handbag from inside, Waverly left with Jeremy, taking her car. Nicole set about preparing Waverly's favourite meal.

When she was almost done she texted Waverly to head back home. Then Nicole served the food onto two plates, covered them and took them out to the table. The set down a large gift bag at the end of the table and then went back inside, returning shortly with two glasses and a bottle of red wine.

Nicole had changed into a black dress that flowed just past her knees. The short sleeves showed of her toned arms and the neckline dipped low. She laid out a light pink dress for Waverly to change into.

By the time the two were seated at the table, the sun was beginning to set painting the sky in pinks and orange and purple and gold.

"Sorry about overreacting earlier, I've been stressed lately," Waverly said, clearly still feeling guilty. Nicole reached out to touch her hand.

"I know, baby. It's alright."

"This food is amazing, you did such a good job," Waverly said after her second bite. Nicole just smiled and ate her own dinner. "So when do I get my present?"

"After dinner before dessert." Waverly made a joke about eating faster and then began to talk about something Jeremy had said earlier. Nicole just sat quietly, nodding along, and enjoying the beautiful view that she loved so much. The view that had nothing to do with the gorgeous sunset dipping over the mountains, and everything to do with the love of her life sitting across from her.

"Alright, open it." Nicole said as Waverly eyed the gift bag after they'd eaten.

The first item she pulled from it was a framed photo that made her eyes well up. "Baby, I love this!" She cried. The photo was of the two of them in their first few months of dating. It was one Wynonna had taken when she'd found them asleep together on the couch one Saturday night. "I remember that night, that was the night you accidentally said I was the love of your life when we hadn't even said 'I love you' yet." Waverly laughed lightly at the memory as Nicole blushed.

Waverly put the frame down and reached back into the bag, this time pulling out and envelope which she carefully tore open. Her jaw dropped. "Oh my god, are these plane tickets? To Australia? Nicole!" She got up and moved around the table just so she could throw her arms around the redheaded woman and kiss her.

"Okay, okay. There's one more thing in there, go sit back down," Nicole said with a laugh. Waverly did as she was told and once she was back in her seat she pulled out a little tube shaped package. Inside it she found only a thick piece of paper that was folded small. "Unfold it." She did. She unfolded again and again until it was so big that it covered her view of her girlfriend.

"Umm what does this mean? It just says 'will you?' I don't get it."

Waverly lowered the paper to see Nicole down on one knee beside her and holding an open ring box.