41. Chapter Forty-One

The sun had set some time ago, taking with it the warmth it provided and leaving behind a chill that had Waverly snuggling into Nicole’s side for warmth, despite the fire blazing in front of them.

Nicole pulled the marshmallow she was roasting from the flames, humming along to the old country song playing from Nicole’s phone as she pulled the lightly toasted marshmallow from the roasting stick and turned towards Waverly.

Waverly sat up some, a little disappointed that she had to move away from Nicole’s warmth as Nicole held out the sticky marshmallow for her.

“We should do this when we get back,” Waverly commented, taking the marshmallow from Nicole and watching as Nicole licked the remnants of the marshmallow from her fingers.

“Roast marshmallows?” Nicole asked, sticking another marshmallows onto the roasting stick.

“Mhmmmm,” Waverly mumbled around a mouthful of the sticky treat, swallowing before continuing. “We could do it at the homestead, with Trent, Chrissy, Amy, and Wynonna.”

She wanted to take the misfit family she had formed with Nicole to include Wynonna as well. And while she knew that Wynonna would take a long time to warm up to everyone, to feel comfortable around them and to learn to trust them, Waverly knew that Wynonna needed friends, needed a family just as much as she did.

Nicole snorted a laugh and knocked her shoulders into Waverly’s. “Can you imagine Trent and Wynonna together?”

Nicole turned to her once more, a playfulness shining in her big brown eyes. “They’d be quite the pair, wouldn’t they? Probably argue over something equal parts stupid and ridiculous.”

Waverly nodded her agreement.

Wynonna and Trent were different in a lot of ways but, similar in so many others. They both had such a fierce sense of loyalty for their siblings. They both had an almost sick sense of humor that few people got.

But while Trent wore his heart and feelings on his sleeve (something she was sure he got from his big sister), Wynonna hid hers with sarcastic comments and a bottle of whiskey.

“I think,” Nicole started pulling her flaming marshmallow from the fire and blowing it out, “Wynonna having a friend outside of the curse would do her some good and Trent isn’t a total asshole, so you know he won’t treat her like the rest of the town.”

“So he’s just like you?” Waverly asked with a grin, wrinkling her nose at the charred marshmallow Nicole offered her.

She always hated the burnt taste of marshmallows but they reminded her of Uncle Curtis and the weekends they spent camped out in the backyard, roasting hotdogs and marshmallows by a huge fire before they crawled into puffy sleeping bags and stared up at the stars.

Nicole shrugged and stuffed the marshmallow in her mouth before turning to Waverly again, eyes narrowed and a bit of marshmallow stuck to her bottom lip.

“Waverly Earp, are you implying that I’m an asshole?”

Waverly brought her hand up, her thumb and index finger close together but not quite touching. “Just a bit.”

Nicole grinned, leaning in towards her, her nose brushing against Waverly’s before their lips touched, gently.

Waverly ran her tongue along Nicole's bottom lip, effectively removing the bit of marshmallow stuck there.

Nicole's lips parted, her tongue coming out to meet Waverly's, her fingers weaving their way into Waverly's hair and bringing her in closer.

Nicole tasted of beer mixed with the sweetness of the marshmallows, which admittedly wasn't the best taste in the world but that didn't stop Waverly from pushing her tongue into Nicole's mouth.

She smirked into the kiss when Nicole groaned, fingers tightening in her hair and trying to pull her impossibly closer.

They stay like that well into the night, sharing kisses next to the warmth of the fire under a million stars and Waverly couldn’t help but wish that it was always like this. The two of them, together and so damn in love with nothing and no one to interrupt them.

It was such a small moment but it meant everything to Waverly and she hoped it meant everything to Nicole as well.

“So,” Nicole whispered, leading her down the small, short hallway towards her childhood bedroom. “I haven’t been in here in like three years, so I have no idea what it looks like.”

Waverly squeezed her hand, hearing the slight tremble of nerves in her voice. “I’m sure it’s fine baby.”

She wouldn’t lie. She was curious about what teenage Nicole deemed important enough to her to decorate her room with. She was eager to learn more about Nicole through the things she kept in her room but there was no reason for Nicole to be nervous.

Nicole sighed and pushed the dark wood door in front of her open, fumbling around on the wall inside the room for the light switch, bathing the room in a bright yellowish light.

Nicole stepped aside, allowing her into the room first and the first thing Waverly noticed was the poster of old cop dramas and superheros lining almost every inch of the four walls she could see.

The next thing she noticed was two bookshelves on either side of Nicole’s bed, filled with all kinds of books, with some stacked up on the floor beside them. Nicole almost had as many books as she did.

The final thing she noticed was the dozen or so basketball trophies scatter along the dresser beside the closet and she couldn’t help but wonder why all this stuff was still here, seemingly in the place Nicole left it when she moved out.

“Didn’t you have a apartment before you left town?” Waverly asked, stepping farther into the room to study the trophies.

“Yeah,” Nicole nodded, stripping off her flannel and digging around in her bag for a shirt to sleep in.

“How come all your stuff is still here then?” Waverly ran her thumb over the nameplate of the latest one, noticing the lack of dust. Joseph must have kept the room clean in case Nicole ever came home.

“Jennifer didn’t want all my crap cluttering up the apartment,” Nicole shrugged as if it was no big deal, slipping a white t-shirt on and Waverly wondered if she realized how bad that sounded.

Had Jennifer really been so damn selfish, so damn dismissive of Nicole’s wants and needs. And had Nicole not realized that she deserved better, more. Had she been so blinded by love that she didn’t see that she deserved all the love in the world and someone who put her needs first.

She couldn’t change the past but she could damn well make sure Nicole was loved the way she deserved to be loved. She could make sure she always put Nicole and her needs and wants first.

“We should ship some of your stuff back to Purgatory.” Waverly said, wandering over to the closest book shelf and kneeling in front of it, running her fingers over the well worn spines of the books, only recognizing a few of them.

“You know how small my apartment is and with all of Trent’s stuff that Papa brought with him, there’s no room.”

“You can store it at the homestead,” Waverly offered, pulling a book from the shelf as reading over the back cover. “There’s plenty of room and you can keep it there until you and Trent figure out what you’re doing.”

“Wynonna won’t mind?” Nicole asked, pulling clothes out for Waverly to change into.

“She probably wouldn’t even notice,” Waverly shrugged, putting the book back and pulling another out, reading the back cover then putting it back. “You read a lot.”

“They’re crime and mystery novels,” Nicole said, sitting on the side of the bed closest to the door, something Waverly realized she’s been doing a lot lately.

She leaned down to take her high tops off and then shimmied out of her jeans. “I use to read them thinking they’d somehow make me a better cop.”

Waverly picked up a small, leather bound book with no title or any other writing on the outside. There was others like it stacked next to the shelf, each without any kind of indication of what was inside.

“It’s a journal,” Nicole told her, reaching for it and flipping through it before handing it back. “My high school counselor  thought it’d help me with my anger issues, this one is from freshman year.”

“Did it help?” Waverly asked, putting the journal back with the others and kicking her flats off before climbing next to Nicole on the bed.

Nicole shrugged and laid back, using her forearm to prop her head up some. “I don’t know, maybe. I still felt angry most days though.”

Waverly curled into Nicole’s side, laying her head on her chest and trailing her fingers up and down Nicole’s ribs, careful of the fading bruises still scattered along the skin there.

It was still weird to think of sweet, caring Nicole as angry, as anything other than the smiling, happy woman she has come to know, come to love.

Though Waverly knew probably better than most that there was parts of oneself that were kept buried.

“I think I’m going to see my mom tomorrow,” Nicole said, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her closer as if she needed that reassurance that Waverly was there. “I’m not even sure if she’ll talk to me but, uh I figure I should get it out of the way. Will you go with me?”

Waverly tilted her head to see Nicole’s face, leaning up just enough to press a kiss Nicole’s jawline. “Of course baby.”

“So,” Nicole rocked back on her heels in front of Joseph, who sat on the wooden swing on the front porch reading a book. “We’re gonna go see mom, can I borrow the truck?”

After spending most of the day hanging around here, listening to Joseph tell stories of Nicole’s and Trent’s childhoods and trouble they gotten into over the years (which turned out to be quite a lot).

They spent time just relaxing until Nicole finally seemed to work up enough nerve to go see her mother.

Her reluctance to go see her mother reminded Waverly a lot of Wynonna’s formal reluctance to be in Purgatory, though it was still there just overshadowed by the need to break the curse.

Joseph peered over the top of his book at both her and Nicole before returning his attention back to the page he was reading. “Take the mustang, keys are under the driver seat.”

“Seriously?” Nicole asked and suddenly she didn’t sound filled with so much dread instead, she sounded excited, happy even. Like a teenager getting to take their father’s car out by themselves for the first time.

Joseph nodded his head yes and the smile on Nicole’s face grew. Waverly was positive if she smiled any wider her face would split in two.

It was the first real smile Waverly had seen from her today and she wouldn’t help but to grin. It had only been half a day but she missed Nicole’s smile, her dimples and the way her brown eyes would light up every time she smiled.

“Come on,” Nicole said, taking her hand and practically dragging her off the porch and towards the garage in her excitement.

Nicole dropped her hand and opened up the large garage door, the smile on her face never faltering.

Waverly wondered if in her excitement Nicole had forgotten what they were going to do, who they were going to see.

She watched with a shake of her head as Nicole all but skipped to the covered car. She doesn’t think she’s ever seen Nicole this excited before and she hoped that this wasn’t the last time she saw her like this.

“Ready?” Nicole asked, standing on the side of the car and gripping the old cloth, rolling her eyes when Waverly just shrugged. “Come on, show a little emotion, this is my dream car.”

“You have a dream car?” Waverly questioned, coming to stand next to Nicole, brushing their shoulders together in a way that caused Nicole to smile down at her, wide with her pearly white teeth and dimples of full display.

There was something about that smile that made her fall even more in love with Nicole Haught each and every time she got the privilege to see it.

“You don’t?”

“Nope,” Waverly shrugged once more. Cars had never really been her thing, as long as it could get her from one place to another and had a working radio and heater than it was good enough for her. “The jeep is good enough for me.”

“Well, this is my dream car,” Nicole beamed, pulling the cover off in one quick motion and revealing a shiny black mustang with two white stripes running down the middle of the hood, roof, and trunk.

Nicole dropped the cloth on the floor and did a kind of ta-da motion with her hands at the car. That goofy, beautiful smile never leaving her face and Waverly found herself staring and admiring Nicole rather than the car.

Her hair was pulled up into a ponytail with a few strands of hair left out and framing her face. Her white t-shirt and tight, faded black jeans gave her that causal look Waverly loved so much.

Nicole looked damn good in uniform, stunning in button up shirts and down right gorgeous in a dress (that Waverly has only gotten the privilege to see her in once), but there was just something so effortlessly sexy and striking about her in jeans and a plain t-shirt.

“It’s nice,” Waverly said, watching Nicole run her long fingers along the side of the car.

“ Nice ?” Nicole asked, looking over her shoulder at Waverly, a look of utter disbelief on her face. “This is a classic. 1967 mustang gt with a V8 engine and 320 horsepower, automatic transmission and all steel frame, is capable of hitting 60 mph in 7.4 seconds. This car isn’t just nice, it’s beautiful.”

There was a sort of awe to Nicole’s voice that Waverly found absolutely adorable and left her wanting to taste the happiness she could hear.

“Do you want some time alone with it?” Waverly teased, opening the passenger side door and sliding into the black leather seat.

The inside was as well cared for as the body. The leather seats showed no signs of aging, everything was wiped clean of dust and the chrome shining. It looked like it just came off the lot, well except for the updated radio.

Nicole was right, it was beautiful, ya know for a car.

Nicole slid into the driver seat, running her hands over the steering wheel then the dashboard.

“Are you sure you don’t want some alone time with the car to continue feeling it up?” Waverly grinned when Nicole rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out at her.

“Hush,” Nicole mumbled, reaching under the her seat and pulling the keys out and putting them in the ignition and looking over at her, the smile of her face finally faltering. “Ready?”

Waverly reached over the center console and placed her hand on Nicole’s leg, squeezing briefly. “Whenever you are, my love.”

Nicole smiled but it didn’t quite reach her eye as she started up the car and slowly back out of the garage.

Nicole parked the mustang next to her mother’s red SUV and cut the engine off, staring up at her parents large two story house with a wrap around porch that always reminded Nicole of an old plantation house.

Her grandparents’ house was full of good, happy memories. It was a house filled with love and laughter. It was a home for as long as she could remember.

Her parents’ house was one bad memory bleeding into the next on a seemingly endless cycle. It had always felt more like a prison than a home.

Looking up at it now all she saw was the last time she was here. All she felt was the pain of that day.

She was sixteen and had just kissed a girl for the first time and everything in the world felt right. She was happy and she knew who she was.

That lasted a whole five minutes. For a moment she forgotten how terrible her parents were and went and told her mother she was gay. Her mother told her father and by the time the sun had set that night all her stuff was packed and she was moving in with her grandparents.

“Nicky,” Waverly called softly, her soothing voice easily pulling Nicole from her thoughts. “Are you okay?”

Nicole nodded, giving her a strained smile and opening the car door. “Yeah, let’s just get this over with.”

It’s not that she didn’t want to see her mother. She actually really did but she had little hope that this would go well, that her and her mother would actually have any kind of conversation.

Her mother wasn’t nearly as bad as her father had been but, she just sat there and watched the way he treated Nicole and never did anything about it. She always took his side and never Nicole’s.

That was what hurt the most. Not her father’s words or the way he treated her, no that she could handle. Sure, it hurt and made her angry but her mom just standing by and letting it happen, never protecting her from him, that damaged her more than her father’s words ever could.

Waverly got out of the car first, walking around to the driver side and opening Nicole’s door for her, holding her hand out.

“Come on, Officer Haught,” Waverly said, helping her out of the car. “Let’s go show her the incredible person you’ve turned out to be.”

Nicole had no idea what she would do without Waverly here with her. She probably never would have came back to town if it wasn’t for Waverly.

The fact of the matter was that Waverly made her feel stronger than she actually was, made her feel like she could do anything, handle anything life through at her.

Nicole leaned forward and kissed Waverly’s forehead. “I love you.”

“I know,” Waverly grinned, intertwining their fingers and pulling Nicole along the cobblestone path towards the front porch.

Nicole hoped she didn’t mind her sweaty palms.

They didn’t even make it up to the porch before the front door opened and her mother stepped out, that familiar blank expression on her face.

“You shouldn’t be here,” her mother told her, arms crossing over her chest. “Your father will be home soon.”

Nicole took a moment to really look at her mother, take in the difference three years could make.

Her frown lines were more pronounced since the last time Nicole had seen her and crows feet were now visible in the outer corner of her hazel eyes. Her light brown hair was sprinkled with grey at the roots and it was shorter now, cut to just above her shoulders. She still stood just as tall and proud as ever.

“Waverly, this is my mother Meredith,” Nicole introduced her, ignoring her mother’s words. “Mom, this is Waverly, my girlfriend.”

“You should leave,” her mother repeated before Waverly had a chance to speak up and Nicole could feel that familiar twinge of pain in her chest from being dismissed, casted aside once more.

She shouldn’t even be that surprised, she shouldn’t even be hurt. She knew this would happen but she let herself hope that things would be different, that things had changed in three year.

“Ma please,” Nicole said and she loathed the pleading in her voice, the desperation.

She spent years convincing herself that she didn’t need or want her parents approval, attention, their love but here she was begging her mother for just a few minutes of her time.

When her mother just continued to stare blankly at her as if she was looking right through her, Nicole’s shoulders slumped and her head dropped, tears pricking her eyes.

She could feel Waverly squeeze her hand, offering silent support but it did little to ease the ache in her heart.

“You don’t belong here, Nicole. I’m sorry.”

Nicole lifted her head to meet her mother’s gaze, saw the indifference in her eyes and shook her head. “You’re not. You’re just looking for forgiveness that I cannot give you.”

With that Nicole turned on her heels and started for the car, only stopping when she felt Waverly’s hand slip from hers.

“You should be ashamed of yourself.”

Nicole turned around to find Waverly staring her mother down, lips in a thin line, jaw set with her chin jutting out just the tiniest bit and her hands on her hips.

She had seen this exact pose a few times in Shorty’s when Waverly was dealing with a few too rowdy drunks that had broken something and pissed her off. Or when someone had said something about Wynonna.

“Excuse me?” Her mother asked, one perfectly shaped eyebrow arched. “What gives you the right to talk to me that way?”

“She does,” Waverly said pointing back at her. “My love for her does. I'm not going to stand here and watch you toss her aside like trash just because you and your husband are bigots who refuse to see past the fact that she’s gay and a cop to see what an amazing person she is.”

She loved Waverly even more for standing up for her, defending her but, she knew it was useless. No matter what anyone said to her parents, no matter how much she wished and prayed for them to be different, to love her it wasn’t going to happen.

It was a waste of time as was this visit. Things between her and her parents were never going to change, not unless she changed into the person they wanted her to be and she wasn’t going to be someone she’s not, she not going to hide who she is away just so they’ll be happy, so they’ll love her.

She tried that once before and she had been miserable.

Nicole stepped forward, grasping Waverly's forearm and giving a light tug. “Come on, it's not worth it.”  

Waverly shook her head, turning to face her. Her face softening as she touched Nicole’s cheek softly.

She couldn't help but to nuzzle into Waverly's palm, her eyes closing on their own accord. Waverly’s touch made everything better, it healed invisible wounds left by the people who should have protected her, loved her.

“Let me do this baby,” Waverly whispered. “I can’t stand by and let you get treated like you’re nothing because Nicole, you are everything good in this world and you deserve so much better than this, than her.”

Waverly’s thumb brushed along her cheekbone. “You wouldn’t stand by if someone treated me like that, so don’t ask me to.”

“Okay,” Nicole breathed out, turning her head and kissing Waverly’s palm. “Okay.”

Waverly gave her curt nod and her face hardened as she turned back towards the porch.

“What is wrong with you?” Waverly asked, not giving Meredith a chance to speak before she continued. “She is your child. Since the moment she was born your job was to protect her and love her unconditionally but instead, you sided with a man who hates her because she wanted to be a cop, who hates her because of who she loves. How could you choose him over her?”

“He’s my husband,” Meredith said, having the decency to look ashamed though Nicole doubted she actually was. The excuse was flimsy and came out so low Nicole barely caught it.

“She’s your child!” Waverly yelled, the fire in her voice had Nicole staring at her instead of her mother.

She had never heard Waverly so mad before. Pissed off, sure but this was something else entirely. She wondered if Waverly’s own anger of being ignored by her father and treated poorly by Willa helped fuel the rage in her girlfriend.

“I feel sorry for you,” Waverly said, her voice softer now as if she actually felt sorry for Meredith but Nicole had no idea why she would.

The tension in Waverly’s body ease, her shoulders relaxed and her jaw was no longer clenched, her hands not curled into fist anymore.

“You’ll never get to know the amazing kind and selfless people Trent and Nicole grew into. You’ll never get to see how truly happy they are in their lives and their job. You’ll never know the warmth of their smiles, a real smile that lights up their whole face and shows those adorable dimples.”

Waverly ran her fingers through her hair as if she was gathering her thoughts and when Meredith opened her mouth to say something, Waverly pinned her with a glare that had her snapping her mouth closed.

There was something both terrifying and oddly sexy about it but, more than that Waverly display, her words made Nicole want to cry.

Not only was Waverly sticking up for her, saying these things about her, she was sticking up for Trent as well and very few people stuck up for the both of them. And dammit Nicole wanted to shower her in affection for it.

“You’ll never know what it feels like to be loved by them and that is entirely your lose because being loved by them, by her,” Waverly pointed at her once more and Nicole stepped forward, taking her hand. “It is everything. It makes the world brighter, it makes life worth living.”

“They deserve better than you and your husband .”

With that Waverly turned on her heels and walked towards the car, Nicole following along but not without looking over her shoulder at her mother, who just stood there with that blank expression once more and Nicole knew that Waverly’s words had went in one ear and out the other.

Nicole kept Waverly from opening the passenger door by pulling her into a tight hug, burying her face in Waverly’s hair. “I love you so damn much.”

Waverly pulled back and kissed her gently, her fingers playing with her t-shirt. “I love you too Nicole. And I’m sorry your parents are dickheads.”

Nicole cracked a smile and opened the car door for Waverly. “Yeah, me too.”

Once Waverly was settled inside, Nicole shut the door, turning to look at the house once more only to find her mother no longer standing there.

She sighed and walked around to the driver side. She hoped her mother would have a change of heart, hoped that Waverly’s words had struck a chord with her.

“I could use a drink,” Nicole said as she got into the car. “Mind if we hit the bar?”

Waverly grabbed her hand, squeezing it before bringing it up to her lips and kissing each of her knuckles. “Whatever you need.”

Walking into the bar, the first thing Nicole noticed was the smell stale beer, cigarettes, and sweat. It was enough to make her wrinkle her nose in disgust and want to turn around and leave but she lead Waverly to bar instead.

Next was the sounds of people talking over one another and the sound of pool balls knocking into one another before sinking into a pocket.

Then there was the eyes following her every move as she weaved effortlessly through the crowded bar.

She made eye contact with a few people she recognized as she passed by them, giving them a  nod and a tight smile as they raised their drinks in greeting. Some seemed surprised to see her, though she didn’t blame them.

It was made perfectly clear that she wasn’t welcome her and that she didn’t want to be here, courtesy of her father and a fight they had in this bar before she left town for the last time.

Like Purgatory, gossip here spread like wildfire and Nicole had been surprise to see an outrage on her behalf.

The people in this town have always treated her better than her parents and siblings had but it was still a surprise that most of them took her side when her mother hadn’t.

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t Nicole Haught.” A middle aged man with greying hair standing behind the bar said, a grin on his face as he leaned over the bar and pulled Nicole into an awkward hug with the bar between them. “It’s good to see you kid.”

Nicole hugged him back the best she could with the awkward and almost painful angle then pulled away to introduce Waverly.

“Waves, this is Mason Bennett, the owner of this shitty bar and the father of one of my best friends in high school.” Nicole grinned when Mason scoffed at her and flipped her off. “Mason, this is Waverly Earp, my girlfriend.”

“It’s nice to meet you Sir.” Waverly held her hand out to Mason but he surprised her by pulling her into a hug as well, though this one didn’t last as long.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you too Miss Earp,” Mason said with a grin of his own, leaving over to the bar towards the pair once more. “And between you and me, Nicole has never looked so damn in love while introducing a girlfriend before, not even Jennifer.”

“Yeah?” Waverly asked, a gorgeous smile taking over her face and Nicole couldn’t help but to stop and stare.

Waverly was beautiful, possibly the most beautiful woman Nicole had ever seen but that wasn’t all she was, not to Nicole.

Yes Waverly was beautiful and Nicole wouldn’t lie, her beauty was what drew Nicole to her in the first place but after talking with her, Nicole realized that there was so much more to Waverly than her beauty.

Waverly was smart, like crazy, kinda scary smart. That big brain of hers was just as beautiful as the rest of her. But perhaps the most beautiful thing about Waverly was her caring and kind heart, so full of love she hardly ever got to give.

“She’s never looked at anyone quite like that,” Mason said and Nicole pried her eyes from Waverly to find him smirking at her.

She rolled her eyes at him and tapped her fingers on the bar twice. “Can I just get a beer?”

“Sure thing,” Mason turned around, grabbing a glass and filling it from one of the taps.

He set the glass on the bar and nodded towards a empty table in the back of the bar. “Go grab that table and I’ll whip up something stronger and get your girl here a drink as well and tell her embarrassing stories about you.”

Nicole nodded, picking up her glass and turning to Waverly. “You good waiting by yourself?”

“I’m a big girl, Nicky. I can handle it.”

Nicole leaned down and kissed Waverly’s cheek. “I know. Don’t listen to anything he says, it’s all lies.”

She kissed Waverly’s cheek once more then made her way through the throngs of people, careful not to spill her beer.

When she finally got to the table she let out a long sigh then downed more than half of her beer, trying to drown out the sound of her mother saying that she doesn’t belong here, trying to forget the way she just looked through her.

She placed the heels of her hands against her eyes to stop the tears from welling in her eyes.

She couldn’t believe she gave her mother the power to hurt her again. She couldn’t believe she had been so stupid.

“I never thought I’d see you back here.”

Nicole removed her hands from her eyes and glanced up at the owner of the voice, eyes raking over curly bottle blonde hair, piercing green eyes that once captivated her, a cute button nose and down to plump, red lips set in a smirk.

Jennifer adjusted her black framed glasses as Nicole looked over her once more before turning her attention back to the near empty glass in her hand.

There was a time when just the sight of Jennifer made her heart beat wildly in her chest and left her breathless but now, the only person who made her heart rate spike and stole the breath from her lungs was Waverly.

“That’s my jacket,” Nicole motioned to the well-worn brown leather jacket Jennifer was wearing but didn’t look back up at the woman standing across from her.

She had honestly expected to feel the anger she held onto for so long but instead, she felt nothing at all towards the woman. No anger, no betrayal, no hatred. Nothing.

“Almost four years and that’s all you have to say?” Jennifer asked, sounding more than a little annoyed at Nicole as she took the empty stool next to her.

Nicole sighed, rubbing at her temple where a headache was starting to form. She had dealt with enough of her past today and she really did not have the energy, nor the desire to deal with her ex right now.

“I’m not entirely sure what you expect me to say.” Nicole downed the rest of her beer, looking over her shoulder for Waverly, hoping she would show up soon and with something a lot stronger than beer.

“I don't know, Nicky, anything.”

“Don't call me that,” Nicole said through gritted teeth, grip tightening on her glass. “You lost the right to do that when you decided to fuck some other woman in my bed.”

Okay, so turned out she was still very angry at Jennifer.

Hurt and regret flashed in Jennifer’s eyes and at one point in time Nicole would have been tripping over herself to apologize, to ease the hurt but not now. Not after everything that happened and all the time that had passed.

“Come on Nicole, I made a mistake and I know I hurt you but I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry.” Jennifer grabbed for her hand but Nicole ripped it out of her reach before she could touch her. “I still love you.”

Nicole barked a harsh laugh, one devoid of any humor and one that startled her by how much she sounded like her father in that moment.

For weeks and even months after she caught Jennifer with someone else, Nicole had held out hope that Jennifer would come after her, fight for her, for them. She hoped Jennifer would say those exact words.

Hearing them now, after all this time just pissed her off.

“You love me? Are you fucking kidding me?”

Jennifer didn’t answer right away or at all. She just studied Nicole as if she was trying to figure something and Nicole didn’t like it.

Jennifer hand came up and brushed along the stitches on her forehead before she had a chance to jerk back.

There used to be a spark that came with Jennifer’s touch, a warmth that radiated from beneath her fingers and settled somewhere deep in her chest. It felt wrong now and sent an unpleasant chill down her spine.

“Don’t,” Nicole said through her teeth, glaring at the other woman.

“You’re angry but not just at me, you’re hurt in more ways than one,” Jennifer’s fingers moved along her jaw and Nicole gripped her wrist tightly, pulling her hand away.

“I said don’t.” Nicole growled, dropping her hand and moving her stool as far from Jennifer as she could get.

“Let me help you forget Nicky, let me make it better,” Jennifer purred and Nicole turned her lip up in disgust.

She wasn’t sure what she ever saw in this woman, what she ever fell in love with. Maybe it was because Jennifer made her feel loved and wanted and that, was all teenage Nicole had wanted after years of being unloved by her parents.

“I have a girlfriend who I’m in love with and unlike you, I’m faithful.”

Hurt flashed in Jennifer’s eyes before she smirked and leaned in close. “We both know, no one knows your body like I do.”

“Officer Haught.”

Nicole turned on her stool, raising an eyebrow at Waverly as she pushed her way between Nicole and Jennifer. “Waves, wha-.”

Nicole’s words are cut off when Waverly grasped the back of her neck, pulling her into an almost too rough kiss, almost pulling her off her bar stool in the process.

It took Nicole a few seconds to get over the shock of Waverly kissing her in a crowded bar and to start kissing her back, eyes sliding closed.

Every one of her senses are filled with everything that is Waverly Earp. She was lost in everything that was Waverly and for a moment she forgot where they were, forgot who was sitting on a stool next to her, forgot about her mother saying she didn’t belong her, about her mother looking at her as if she was nothing.

Waverly caressed her jaw, their lips still moving together at a nearly frantic pace and Nicole held onto her wrist with one hand as the other dropped down and gripped her ass pulling Waverly closer.

Waverly bit down on her bottom lip with just enough pressure that had Nicole moaning into the kiss.

There was something different about this kiss. Not because of the fact that it was rough, they've done rough before when they've gotten caught up in the moment and couldn't get enough of each other.

No. This was something else entirely. Waverly's kiss was almost possessive. Like she was marking her territory, claiming Nicole as hers for all to see.

Well, maybe not all. Maybe just Jennifer.

Waverly pulled away from her abruptly causing her to whimper and chasing after her lips. A thumb brushed along her bottom lip had her eyes fluttered open.

“Wow,” Nicole breathed, looking at Waverly in a sort of daze, running her tongue over her bottom lip and tasting the faint hint of Waverly and her pink grapefruit chap-stick. “Waverly Earp, you are gonna be the death of me.”

“You say that as if you won’t enjoy every second of it.” Waverly leaned back in, laying a soft, sweet kiss to her lips, pulling away and winking at her then turning suddenly to where Jennifer was still sitting, glaring at the two of them.

“Hi, I’m Waverly Earp.” Waverly held her hand out to Jennifer, a too wide smile on her face and voice too cheerful. “I’m Nicole’s girlfriend and you are?

Jennifer looked Waverly up and down before leaning to the side to see Nicole. “You know where to find me if you change your mind.”

With that Jennifer walked away and Waverly called out to her retreating form. “It was nice to meet you!”

Nicole pressed her forehead into the middle of Waverly’s back and let out a long drawn out breath. “Can we just go home?”

Nicole flopped down on the bed and threw her forearm over her eyes, blocking out the almost blinding glow from the light fixture just above the bed.

The day seemed to have dragged on forever and Nicole really just wanted to curl up in bed with Waverly and sleep. She felt drained. Emotionally, physically and they had only been here one full day with four more days to go.

Movement by her legs which were hanging off the edge of the bed had Nicole lifting her arm and raising her head to find Waverly kneeling before her and untying one of her shoes.

“You don’t have to do that,” she mumbled, dropping her head back onto the bed and squeezed her eyes shut tightly.

She still had a headache and still felt the overwhelming need to cry.

“I know love, but I want to.” Waverly pulled one boot off and Nicole heard it hit the floor with a dull thud. She made quick work of the other then straddled Nicole’s thighs. Her own shoes and pants already discarded, leaving her in just her black lace panties and her t-shirt.

“Hey,” Waverly whispered, her fingers trailing along Nicole’s sides as leaned down and brushed her lips along Nicole’s jaw then sat up again.

“Hey,” Nicole whispered back, opening her eyes to look at her girlfriend while her hands found their place on Waverly’s hips, rubbing the skin under her thumbs.

“You okay?”

Nicole shrugged. She wasn’t entirely sure if she was okay. She didn’t know what she was even supposed to be feeling right now.

She just wanted to forget the look in her mother’s eyes and the way her words had cut at her already damaged heart.

“Tell me what to do. Tell me how to help,”  Waverly said, her fingers moving from Nicole’s sides up to her shoulders, where she kneaded the muscles there.

Nicole fought to keep from shrugging again and turned her head to the side, nuzzling her nose against Waverly’s arm.

Waverly just being here, being close to her helped. Waverly being by her side was all she ever needed.

She could live without her parents and their approval, their love but Waverly? She couldn’t live without Waverly and her love.

She blinked several times to keep the tears at bay then turned her head back to meet Waverly’s eyes. “Just love me, that’s all I need.”

“Always,” Waverly promised, bending down and kissing the tip of her nose then she grazed her nose along the bridge of Nicole’s nose, up to her forehead where she laid a soft kiss.

It was her move. Something she only ever did with Waverly and no one else before her. It warmed her heart to have Waverly do it to her and she couldn’t really explain why.

Waverly pressed a series of kisses all over her face, each one just as gentle and soft as the first, whispering ‘always’ in between every kiss.

It was enough to make her cry. The gentleness Waverly showed her, the unmistakable love she poured into every touch of her warm, soft lips against her face.

“Always,” Waverly repeated, pressing her forehead against hers and Nicole searched her eyes for any kind of doubt and finding only love reflected back at her. “I’ll love you, always.”

Waverly kissed her lips next, soft and gentle and Nicole kissed her back just as softly, one of her hands slipping under Waverly’s shirt and moving along her lower back, while the other held onto the nape of her neck, bringing her closer.

A light nip to her bottom lip and the kiss changed in an instant. There was still love underlining it but on top of that there was desire, need, a hunger for the other.

Waverly pulled the hair tie for Nicole’s hair as her tongue ran along Nicole’s bottom lip, waiting for Nicole to part her lips and grant her permission and who was Nicole to deny Waverly the things she wanted in life?

Nicole sat up, bringing Waverly flush against her as their tongues met with a soft moan for one of them (Nicole wasn’t sure who), tentatively at first then with more urgency.

She needed more. Wanted more of Waverly. Wanted to feel Waverly underneath her, wanted to kiss every inch of Waverly skin and hear her moan her name. She wanted to feel Waverly around her fingers, clenching down around them as she comes undone.

She wanted to finish what they started the other day but only if Waverly wanted. Only with Waverly’s consent.

Her needs, her wants paled in comparison to Waverly’s.

Nicole flipped them, pinning Waverly under her, slipping a thigh between Waverly and breaking their kiss long enough to pull some air into her lungs. She dragged Waverly’s shirt up to the underside of her breasts, exposing her abdomen then pulled back.

“Okay?” She asked, searching Waverly’s eyes for any hint of hesitation.

Waverly nodded her head yes, her eyes no more than black pools staring up at her. She reached down and pulled her own shirt off, tossing it somewhere in the room, leaving her in her high waisted jean and a lace black bra.

Nicole was stuck with how beautiful Waverly looked, hair slightly mused, lip between her teeth. Her neck and chest flushed pink and those captivating eyes blown with only hints of brown left in them.

She wanted to remember how Waverly looked in this moment. She wanted to take the time to commit every single detail to memory.

Waverly had other plans though, reaching behind her back to take her own bra off but Nicole stopped her with gentle hands.

If they were going to do this then they were going to do it right. Nicole was going to shower every inch of Waverly with love. She was going to worship Waverly as if she was a goddess and to Nicole, she was.

“Let me?”

When Waverly gave a breathless ‘yes’ , Nicole leaned back into her, kissing the skin between Waverly’s collarbone and neck, sucking softly as she unhooked Waverly’s bra with one hand.

Nicole teeth grazed the sensitive skin at the base of Waverly’s throat, smirking against her skin at the groan Waverly let out, then smoothed her tongue along the spot as she pulled the bra off, tossing it somewhere behind her.

Waverly’s fingers fisted in her hair, bringing Nicole back to her lips as she rocked against Nicole’s thigh, letting out something between a sigh and a moan into their kiss.

Nicole trailed her hands up Waverly’s sides and towards her breasts, stopping just short of cupping them and teasing the underside with the tips of her fingers.

Waverly bit down on her bottom lip and grabbed one of her hands, bringing it up to cup her breast.

It was Nicole’s turn to groan with the hard peak of Waverly’s nipple scraped against her palm. A fresh wave of arousal soaked her boxers as Waverly arched into her hand.

She brought her other hand up and cupped the other breast, kissing along Waverly’s jaw to her throat, sucking and nipping lightly at every inch of skin she could reach.

Nicole rolled Waverly’s nipples between her thumbs and forefingers, listening intently to the sounds Waverly made. An intense throbbing starting in her core with each low moan Waverly let out.

She swore she had never heard anything sexier than the sounds Waverly made when she touched her. She wondered what kind of sounds she could draw from Waverly when she was inside of her.

Nicole latched onto Waverly’s collarbone with every intent to leave her mark there but Waverly’s hand in her hair pushed her down as did the hand on gripping her shoulder and Nicole was happy to do as requested.

She kissed her way along Waverly’s chest, teeth scraping against her flushed flesh to the top of her breast, stopping to leave a mark.

“Please,” Waverly moaned lowly, her back arched and hips rocking fast against Nicole’s thigh.

“What do you want, baby?” Nicole asked, voice hoarse from her arousal as she looked up at Waverly, who had her head thrown back and her lip between her teeth.

“Your mouth. I want your mouth on me.”

Taking pity on the desperate edge to Waverly’s voice, Nicole sucked her left nipple into her mouth, the tip of her tongue flicking against it teasingly before swirling around the tip.

Waverly rocked harder against her and Nicole chanced a glance up at her, finding Waverly’s face screwed up in pleasure, her heavy-lidded eyes watching her. Waverly in the throngs of pleasure was a sight to behold.

Nicole closed her teeth around Waverly’s nipple and applied a little pressure, testing her reaction as she pinched her other nipple with practiced ease.

“Nicole, please. Lower, I need you lower.”

Nicole released her nipple and moved off Waverly, lying down beside her. As much as she wanted to sink into the wet, heat between Waverly’s legs, she needed to make sure Waverly was sure, that she really wanted this, wanted her.

“Waverly,” she called out softly, pressing her forehead against Waverly’s and waiting for Waverly to open her eyes again. “Are you sure? There’s no pressure here, baby. We can wait.”

“I want you, I want this,” Waverly cupped her face, her eyes so full of lust as she brought Nicole down for a soft kiss. “Please, Nicole. I need you to touch me.

Waverly grasped one of her hands and gilded it down her torso, letting out a whimper when Nicole’s blunt nails dragged down her body, their eyes locked as Waverly slipped their hands underneath her panties and through coarse curls.

Nicole moaned just as loud as Waverly did when her fingers came into contact with slick folds. She was so wet and so warm.

Nicole kissed Waverly hard and almost frantic as Waverly let go of her hand.

She pulled back after a few seconds and pressed her forehead against Waverly’s again, moaning once more as she slide a single finger through Waverly’s folds, gentle and slow. “You’re so wet.”

“You. All because of you,” Waverly rasped out as she canted her hips up into Nicole’s hand and bit down on her bottom lip, seeking a firmer touch. “Please, Nicky.”

This was one of her favorite parts of touching another woman, feeling how wet she was for her, hearing the pelding in their voice for more, for sweet release.

“We can stop whenever you want,” Nicole found herself saying, though she wanted nothing more than to continue touching Waverly but she’d never force Waverly. “You can revoke consent at any time and I’ll stop.”

Nicole propped herself up on her elbow, watching Waverly as she dragged her finger up through Waverly’s folds to the bundle of nerves straining against its hood. She tapped it lightly, once then quickly followed by two more taps, watching as Waverly’s hips jolted up with each one.

“Nicole Haught, if you don’t stop teasing me, I’ll do it myself,” Waverly said, somewhere between a growl and a whine as she tangled her fingers in red locks once more. Her hips canting up as Nicole’s brushed her clit with a little more pressure.

“Oh really?” Nicole asked, pressing a series of kisses along Waverly’s chest, stopping right before her lips got to Waverly’s nipple as her finger circled her clit once more. “I wouldn’t be opposed to seeing that.”

Taking pity on her, Nicole kissed down her torso towards the waistband of her panties, stopping to nip at her skin here or there, all the while she finger continued circling Waverly’s clit with just enough pressure to drive her to the edge but not enough to send her over.

Waverly whimpered when Nicole removed her finger and grasped the waistband of her panties.

“Can I?” Nicole looked up, face hovering over Waverly’s clothed center. She could smell Waverly’s arousal through the thin material and wanted nothing more than to taste her.

Waverly lifted her head, looking down at Nicole before dropping her head back with a groan, her words no more than a hoarse whisper. “Yes.”

Nicole slid Waverly’s panties down her legs almost painfully slow, tossing them behind her as Waverly spread her legs for her.

Nicole stared down at her, she couldn’t really help it. She had never seen something so beautiful in her life, someone so beautiful.

She wanted to take in every curve, every dip of her body. She wanted to take in the harden peaks of Waverly’s nipples and the way her toned abdomen twitched under Nicole’s fingers. The dip of her hip bones and the neatly trimmed hair between her legs.

Nicole kissed Waverly softly before kissing down her body once more, stopping to take a nipple in her mouth as she pinched and rolled the other between her fingers.

Waverly placed her hands on Nicole’s shoulders, pushing her downwards gently and letting out a breathless plea. “Please.”

Nicole wanted to take her time but she couldn’t deny Waverly’s request. She could always take her time later.

She moved down Waverly’s body faster this time but still took the time to kiss every inch of skin she could reached.

She paused at Waverly’s hip bone, taking a moment to leave a mark there, all the while Waverly continued pushing on her shoulders.

Nicole shifted, hooking one of Waverly’s legs over her shoulder as she settled between Waverly’s legs. She kissed the inside of one thigh then the other, slow, teasing as Waverly whimpered above her.

Waverly’s hips jumped when Nicole ran her tongue through her folds, both of them letting their own moan at the action.

Waverly tasted sweet and tangy and something Nicole couldn’t quite describe but it was good, she was good and Nicole wanted more.

She ran her tongue through Waverly’s folds again, this time slower, savoring the way she tasted and the choked moan Waverly’s let out as she circled her clit.

Fingers tangled in her hair as she pressed a finger to Waverly's entrance, not quite pressing into her yet, waiting for Waverly's permission.

“Nic, please.”

Nicole pushed her finger in slowly, groaning at how wet Waverly was, how tight she felt around her finger, how Waverly’s walls clenched around her finger.

She started a slow rhythm as she ran the flat of her tongue along Waverly's clit before sucking it into her mouth.

The fingers in her hair tightened, nails digging into her scalp as more moans fell from Waverly's mouth and she picked up some pace.

“More, God , Nicky, please .”

Nicole pulled out just long enough to add another finger and start the process all over again. Starting at a slow pace and allowing Waverly to get used to it.

It wasn't long before Waverly was moving against her, trying to speed up the strokes of Nicole’s fingers.

Nicole curled her fingers upwards, flicking her eyes to Waverly's face in time for a ‘fuck’ to fall from Waverly's lips and her back arch, grinding up into Nicole's face.

Nicole doubled her efforts despite the burn in her still healing wrist, desperate to feel, to hear, to see Waverly coming undone from her touch.

It wasn’t long before Waverly was chanting ‘yes’ over and over, holding Nicole against her tightly and rocking back into every stroke of Nicole’s fingers.

“God, Nicky don’t stop. I’m gonna….”

Waverly’s words were cut off by a moan as she went rigid against her, nails digging into her shoulder and her scalp as Waverly clenched around her fingers, drawing them deeper at the same time, a wave of wetness gushing around them.

Nicole slowed her pace but didn’t completely stop, letting Waverly ride out her orgasm before she pulled her fingers out and placed a kiss to her clit, smirking when Waverly’s hips canted forward and she let out a whimper.

She crawled up beside Waverly, pressing a kiss to her forehead before laying down beside her.

Waverly curled into her side, breathing still uneven and body still twitching with aftershocks.

“That was….Jesus, Nicole, that was amazing,” Waverly whispered and Nicole couldn’t help but to grin, satisfied with herself.

Waverly sat up just enough to kiss Nicole, groaning into Nicole’s mouth when she tasted herself.

Waverly pulled away, brows furrowed as she stared down at her and played with the button on Nicole’s jeans.

Dreaded filled the pit of her stomach at the look on Waverly’s face, worried that she might be having regrets.

Nicole stilled her fidgeting hands and sat up. “What’s wrong, baby?”

“I wanna return the favor, I wanna touch you, make you feel even half of what you just made me feel but,” Waverly shook her head and looked down as if she couldn’t find the right words.

Nicole placed two fingers under Waverly’s chin and tilted her head up. “But what, baby?”

“I don’t know what I’m doing,” Waverly mumbled. “I don’t know how to touch you.”

“Oh baby,” Nicole kissed her forehead then her nose and lastly her lips. “I can guide you, teach you, if you want.”

As much as she ached for Waverly to touch her, as much as she ached for release, she’d be happy just to lay here with Waverly.

“I want,” Waverly said, surging forward and capturing her lips in a heated kiss as she pushed her down against the bed and straddled her lap. “I really, really want.”