Chapter 9: Sometimes You Make Tough Decisions

"What are your plans for after graduation?" Waverly asked as she played with the bottom of Nicole's shirt. The two had gone back to Nicole's house, and were going to stay with each other for the night, after a brief conversation with Gus and a fairly lengthy one with Nicole's parents.

"I want to become a police officer," Nicole said, staring up at the ceiling of her bedroom, absentmindedly running her fingers through Waverly's hair.

"Really?" Waverly stilled her movements and propped herself up on her elbow, looking down at her girlfriend. "What about basketball?"

Nicole shrugged and closed her eyes. "I don't think professional basketball is for me. I love the sport, but I would much rather do something that better puts my skills to use."

"And I'm assuming becoming a cop will do that?" Waverly asked, trying to hide the twinge of disappointment that was settling in her stomach. The nearest police academy was in the city nearly four hours away from Purgatory. "What about coaching? I mean, you're so good at all of these sports. You could make a lot of money coaching for Purgatory University."

"Waverly..." Nicole said, keeping her eyes closed.

"Or what about becoming a security guard at the mall or something?"

"Waves – "

"No, no that was stupid, I know. But seriously, Nic, why the Academy? I-It's dangerous and so far away, and you're graduating in a few months, and I don't know what I'm going to be able to do while you're gone because the thought of you being away for a few years makes me sick and – " Waverly's rambling was cut off by Nicole pressing her lips to Waverly's in a soft, yet firm, kiss.

"Waves," Nicole started after pulling away, "I know it's far away, and I know it scares you. It scares me too, honestly."

"It does?" Waverly looked at Nicole.

Nicole nodded. "Leaving you here in Purgatory for all of the guys to chase after while I'm off in the city? That terrifies me. Terrifies me of losing you to one of them," Waverly opened her mouth to say something but Nicole continued. "But I know that won't happen, because what we have, Waverly," she motioned between them, "is special. It's unique, it's different. Nobody can take it away from us. Just because we'll be separated by distance doesn't mean I won't be here with you," she poked Waverly in the chest, over her heart. "All of this considering I even get in, that is."

"Oh, you'll get in," Waverly said surely, wiping her eyes. "I haven't a doubt in my mind about it. Have you applied yet?"

"Not yet," Nicole shook her head. "I got into a huge fight about it with my parents. I wanted to talk to Wynonna about it, too. And, now, I wanted to wait and talk to about it."

Waverly bit her lip and buried her head in the crook of Nicole's neck. She knew that Nicole had thought about going to the Academy before, she'd heard the conversations that were had with Wynonna, but she never thought that Nicole would actually go through with it; Nicole was a small town girl, the city life didn't seem to suit her. Waverly had spent basically her whole life, since meeting Nicole, trying to get her attention. She did so through displaying disgust towards her and the sport she enjoyed, and by eavesdropping on the conversations that were supposed to be held secret between her and Wynonna. It never once occurred to Waverly just how much time she had been wasting, how much time with Nicole that she would never get back.

Now, lying here together in Nicole's bed, Waverly was even more upset with herself for spending so much time chasing, what she thought, was a dream instead of actually making a move. Being with Nicole was something Waverly never thought would happen considering she was more than convinced that the ginger had the hots for one Shae Pressman, or that Nicole just simply despised her. The thought of being so quick to judge brought tears to Waverly's eyes. Maybe she had just been blind this entire time, trying to hide these feelings deep within herself, using the hate she made up in order to get Nicole to even glance her way in the halls at school. Nicole admitting to her delay in application to the Academy being because she wanted to talk to Waverly was the final blow, the last crack in the dam of emotion that Waverly had built up around herself, and she broke down into tears.

"Waverly?" Nicole asked, her arms instinctively tightened around the smaller girl. "Waves?" She gently kissed the top of Waverly's head and kept her chin resting atop her head. "Hey, what's wrong? Why are you crying?"

"I don't want you to go," Waverly choked out. "I don't want you to leave me."

"Hey," Nicole tried to lift Waverly's head but she refused, "I'm not leaving you. I'm staying right here."

"No you're not," Waverly shook her head. "You're going to apply to the Academy and you're going to get in and leave me for a few years."

"You really don't know much about becoming a police officer, do you?" Nicole smoothed Waverly's hair under her hand. "I thought you'd at least know, from your dad being a cop, that police academy training only takes between five to seven months."

"But you'll be gone longer than that," Waverly sniffled. "You have to train and then you're going to be sent somewhere. What if you don't come back to Purgatory?"

"Oh, I'll be coming back to Purgatory," Nicole assured her girlfriend. "Do you think I'd miss your birthday? Or Christmas?" She leaned back and lifted Waverly's chin, cupping her face. "Your graduation?"

Waverly bit her lip. "No, but – "

"Waverly Earp," Nicole stated sternly, "if I get into the Academy, I will be gone for less than a year. A year, at most, if things don't go as planned. While I'm there, I will learn how to be a cop. I will take classes, learn all of the laws, learn how to drive a cruiser, all of it. That's what a police academy is, a school for future cops," Waverly nodded and Nicole gently wiped her eyes free of tears. "And as soon as I'm done? I'm coming back to Purgatory. I'll become a deputy and work for Sheriff Nedley, I'll pick you up from school the rest of your senior year and I'll take you out on patrol with me," Nicole relaxed when Waverly's mouth twitched into a small smile.

"You promise?" Waverly whispered.

"You and me, baby," Nicole connected their foreheads, "we're forever."

- - - - -

Singing wasn't Nicole's thing, and it hadn't occurred to her before now that she was going to have to sing in front of the entire school. She agreed to take this role because her history grade was going to be saved, but now that didn't matter since Waverly had agreed to help her; despite the small amount of work they got done when studying together, Nicole's grade had gone up almost two letter grades. So now, sitting on the floor of Waverly's room surrounded by the Earp sisters and pages of their scripts scattered about the floor in the middle of them, Nicole was hit with the realization that she got herself stuck in a situation where she will gain nothing but more confidence issues. The bigger problem of the hour, though, was Wynonna.

"I'm not singing," Wynonna folded her arms over her chest. "I wasn't informed that I would have to sing when I agreed to this role."

"You've seen the movie a thousand times, Wynonna," Waverly stated. "You should have known."

"Phil doesn't sing," Wynonna shook her head. "Not in this version."

"Man up, Earp," Nicole spoke up. "It's not that bad."

"You're just trying to stall from having to practice song," Wynonna smirked.

"At least I knew that I was going to have to sing," Nicole snapped back. "You have one song, get over it."

"Geez, Haught, what crawled up your pants and bit you?" Wynonna scoffed. "You're more of an asshole than usual today."

"You know what? I think I'm going to head home," Nicole said and began shoving her books back into her bag. "I'll practice my song and I'll be ready for rehearsals on Thursday," she began to stand up.

"Nicole, wait," Waverly said and placed a hand on Nicole's arm, stopping her from standing. "Please don't leave."

"I need to get home, Waverly. And I can't deal with her shit. Not right now," Nicole pointed to Wynonna.

"Oh, so I'm the problem?" Wynonna furrowed her brow. "Okay, I get it," she stood up, "this is all some joke to get me to leave so you guys can just make out, right? Well, congratulations, you've succeeded," she held her hands up. "I'm out, peace."

Waverly sighed and turned back to Nicole, who was now standing, after the door was closed. "Mind telling me what all of that was about?" She said as she slowly rose to her feet, arms crossed. Nicole tightened her grip on the strap of her backpack slung over her left shoulder and kept her eyes trained on her feet. "Nicole," Waverly stated more sternly.

"I'm sorry," Nicole sighed. "I'm just super stressed right now."

"About what?" Waverly's face softened and she wrapped her arms around Nicole's neck. "Talk to me. What's going on in that brain of yours?" Nicole shrugged, a slight pout forming on her face (something that happened when she was deep in thought). "Nic, baby, I can't help you if I don't know what I'm trying to help with," Waverly moved her hands down to Nicole's shoulders and slid her backpack down her arm, setting it on the floor.

"I talked to my parents about the Academy again last night," Nicole said before letting out a sigh and closing her eyes. "It didn't go well. Again."

Waverly frowned. "Well, it's your decision, isn't it? You're eighteen, almost nineteen, you can decide if you go or not."

"Yeah, but who's going to pay for it? I can't afford it on my own."

"We'll find a way," Waverly assured her. "We'll get the money if they won't pay for it."

"Why are you so set on this now?" Nicole looked down at the girl wrapped in her arms. "I mean, three days ago, you were crying in my arms about not wanting me to go."

"I still don't," Waverly shook her head, "but that doesn't mean I don't want you to follow your heart, your dreams even. If you stayed here because I said I didn't want you running off to the city, I would never let myself live it down."

"So you're really okay with it?" Nicole gently rubbed Waverly's sides, her voice still timid.

"I'm more than okay with it," Waverly ran her hands through Nicole's hair, brushing it behind her ears.

"Promise?" Nicole whispered, connecting their foreheads.

"I promise," Waverly responded, her voice equally as soft, and closed her eyes.

They fell into a comfortable silence, relishing in the feeling of being alone together in their own bubble. Graduation was still several months away, and both girls knew that they had more than enough time to make the most out of their relationship before Nicole would leave. Suddenly, Nicole's fears of having to sing and dance and act in front of more people than she would ever like to fled her body and was replaced with one thought:

.

"Wave," Nicole spoke up, keeping her eyes closed.

"Hm?" Waverly hummed in response, playing with the ends of red hair.

"Teach me how to sing."

Waverly giggled quietly but stopped when Nicole's grip on her waist tightened slightly. "You're serious?" She cracked an eye open.

"You're an amazing singer. If I'm going to have to sing, I want to at least sound half decent."

"I don't think you're nearly as bad as you make yourself seem," Waverly shrugged.

"What do you mean?" Nicole quirked an eyebrow.

"Hm?" Waverly looked up at her girlfriend. "Don't think I haven't heard what goes on in the shower when you stay here sometimes."

"W-What?" Nicole stammered out.

"Thin walls, Nicole. I've heard you sing before," Waverly stepped back and smiled. "We really don't have that much work to do," she patted Nicole's shoulder before picking up her script and heading downstairs.

"Waverly – " Nicole sighed, retrieving her own script off of the floor, and followed Waverly. "What do you mean thin walls?"