Chapter Text
The Doctor followed behind Dolls and Jeremy as they ran towards the control room of the base, the Earp sisters in tow. The rapid beat of their footsteps echoed through the empty rooms and corridors.
“It's just through here,” Jeremy called back breathlessly.
The redhead picked up her pace as they grew closer to the slightly open door. Panic prickled down Nicole's spine, her hairs standing on end. It was eerily quiet as she approached cautiously, holding her hand up to slow the others behind her. They came to a stop just behind her. Taking a deep breath The Doctor pushed the door open a little more, her other hand still held in place.
“Wait here.”
The door slowly crept open revealing two soldiers, one slumped forward in a chair, while the other lay lifeless on the floor, their necks broken. A spark of anger rose in the pit of her stomach for the nameless soldiers before her.
The Time Lord heard a gasp just behind her and turned to face Waverly who was peering around her, a hand covering her open mouth. Wynonna by her side, neither one taking their eyes away from the scene in front of them .
“Do you guys ever listen?” Nicole sighed, shoulders falling slightly.
“I have a problem with authority,” Wynonna quipped earning a small sad smile from the younger Earp.
The Doctor let out an exasperated noise before turning back to look at the control room again. It was empty except for the two soldiers. Breathing a small sigh of relief she pushed her feet forward, entering the room. The other four following close behind.
Making her way round the room, careful not to disturb the deceased soldier's bodies, the Doctor scanned the panels with her sonic and looked at the rest of the group. “Well...at least now we know why the other Angel hasn't joined it's friend.”
There was a pause, a question looming in the air around them.
“This poor soul at least thought to disable the monitors before-” not needing to finish her sentence the Time Lord let it trail off, bowing her head slightly in respect.
“Crofte,” came the shaky voice of Xavier, “His name is...was Private Perry Crofte.” He swallowed audibly trying to keep his composure for his fallen comrades. Nodding his chin towards the other soldier he spoke again, “And that was Private James Hardy.”
“I'm so sorry,” Nicole offered, her voice barely above a whisper.
Dolls nodded his head, a sad expression on his face. Lifting his radio hooked to his chest he pressed the button on the side before speaking. The sound of static crackled before Lucado's voice sounded on the other end. The Captain informed her of the situation. The others stood in a stunned silence trying to process the events of the last few minutes. Dolls looked at the Doctor, an anger boiling below the surface, he squared his shoulders. “What do we to do Doctor?”
“Right,” she said with a shake of her head. “First of all we need to figure out the plan to lure the Angel back to its cage...and we have the perfect bait.”
“We do?” Waverly asked, worry flickered in hazel eyes.
Nicole nodded, not taking her eyes off of the small brunette, “We do…me.”
Three heads snapped around to look at the Time Lord while Waverly held the redheads gaze, a sadness skirting on the edges of her irises. Like she knew that was exactly what the Gallifreyan was going to say.
“And what are we supposed to do, just stand around and watch you use yourself as bait?!” Wynonna asked abruptly, side eyeing her sister.
“No. You four are going to close the trap,” the taller woman smiled gently, her eyes never leaving Waverly.
Wynonna shook her head, an unreadable look on her face “You can't be serious?”
“There has to be another way we can-” Waverly started.
“Waverly. I'm not going to put anyone else's life at risk. Besides I'm the perfect candidate. An all you can eat buffet of time energy,” the Doctor beamed a dimpled smile gesturing to herself with her hands, arms outstretched.
Waverly closed her eyes briefly and shook her head. “You can't-”
“We don't have a choice, Waverly,” Nicole gave a gentle smile willing for the brunette to understand, touched by her concern.
“She's right,” Dolls added, the stoic look of a soldier back on his face. Everyone turned to face him except for Waverly and Nicole.
“Let's just...hear her out, Waves,” Wynonna tried, putting an arm around her sister and pulled her into a hug.
“Doctor?” came Jeremy's voice.
Nicole snapped her eyes away from the Earp sisters, her mind refocusing. “Right. Yes. A plan.”
Nicole moved over to the monitors and disabled the controls with her sonic screwdriver and slipped it into the pocket if her trench coat. The Time Lord flicked the monitors on to find the Angel staring up at the cameras of the locked room.
“What are you up to?” the redhead muttered to herself, searching her brain for an answer.
“Nicole?” came a small voice behind her. If the Doctor wasn't already familiar with the gentle voice of Waverly Earp, the fact that the brunette only called her by her human name was a dead giveaway. A sweet sentiment casting a warm glow beneath her skin.
The redhead turned to face Waverly, Wynonna still at her side. Dolls and Jeremy keeping a close eye on the screen and the Angel. “Hm?”
“I think it's waiting for something...or someone.”
“Waiting for-” the Doctor's eyes flew wide open. “Of course!”
The Doctor spun on her heel and threw herself between Dolls, Jeremy and the monitor. Her body blocking their view. Pulling her sonic from her pocket again she held it over her shoulder and shut the monitor off with it.
“That needs to stay off...for now.”
The whole room was silent for a moment, the situation of what they were about to face finally sinking in. Nicole could feel it, with all eyes on her expectantly. She was used to playing this role, after all she's played this part her whole life. Through her many faces, she's always been the one people turn to in times of need. To fix things. That was who she chose to be all those years ago when she looked into the Untempered Schism. The Doctor, the healer.
The weight she carried from the lives placed in her hands never lighter. Always just as heavy, no matter who they were or how they meet. They all mattered. Much more than her own life, she was expendable. She’d just become a different face under the same name.
Bringing her focus back the Doctor looked into each pair of eyes willing for her to save them. The redhead’s eyes falling back to meet Waverly's again before she clapped her hands together, ready to put her plan into motion.
“Right...Dolls, your job is simple, keep the other three safe. Above all else, you all get out alive do you understand me?” the Doctor instructed, she could already sense Waverly's protest before she voiced it, she gave the brunette a stern but gentle look, “You all get out alive.”
Her and Waverly seeming to know the unspoken words beneath. The brunette gave a short nod of understanding.
“Jeremy,” she pointed at the scientist who didn't look as happy and eager as he had before. “I need you to control that door,” she pointed at the now black screen referring to the room that held the Weeping Angel captive, ready to pounce.
“O-okay.”
The Time Lord finally pointed to Waverly and Wynonna. “Earps, I need you to stay here with them, keep your eyes on the Angel in that room, but only on my signal do you turn the monitor back on, do you understand?” the Doctor finished.
“What about you?” Wynonna asked with a raised eyebrow, like she already knew she wouldn't like the answer.
“I'll be out there…playing a game of tag. With a Weeping Angel,” the Doctor smiled, trying to stay as calm as she could, despite her pounding hearts.
“Dude, no!” Wynonna protested.
“Are we really going to go through this again, Wynonna?” the Doctor sighed, giving the brunette a pointed look.
Not missing the look in Waverly's eyes as she looked between the two, the Doctor took the eldest Earp's silence as her answer. The redhead pressed on.
Nicole made her way over to Jeremy leaning down on the console and dropping her voice so as not to be heard by anyone else.
“Jeremy, that door is on a deadlock right?”
The scientist nodded.
“Okay. I need you to do something for me...but it stays between us, got it?”
“Y-yes?” the dark haired man agreed reluctantly.
The Doctor looked back over her shoulder to see Wynonna and Dolls engaged in their own conversation. Waverly stood with them, though her attention was on the Time Lord. She gave a small smile to the brunette before turning back to face Jeremy.
Nicole sighed, an uneasy feeling settled in her stomach. “When I get back to that room, with the Angel, I need you to shut the door behind me.”
Jeremy jumped back in shock. “What?!” he shouted in a whisper.
The scientist looked over his shoulder to see if anyone had heard him before he turned back to face the redhead. The Doctor looked at him wide eyed, shushing him with the look on her face.
“Are you crazy?” Jeremy asked in a high pitched whisper.
The Doctor tilted her head to the side a small smile tugging the side of her mouth in amusement, “Most definitely.”
“You'll be trapped in there, Doctor. Like, deadlock trapped!”
The Time Lord placed her hand on Jeremy's shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “Why don't you let me worry about that? I just need you to make sure that door is locked tight, okay?”
The curly haired man nodded reluctantly.
“Good.”
The Doctor turned to look at the rest of the group Nicole's gaze met Waverly's worried eyes, her brow furrowed. The Doctor cleared her throat and clapped her hands together.
“Shall we?” she announced sucking in a breath.
***
The Doctor tiptoed down the hallway, slightly bent over, looking back and forth for any sign of the loose Angel. She shook her head from her own idiocy, like making less noise would aid her.
She'd kept the other door she'd used for her escape locked and used a different entrance in hopes she could get behind the Weeping Angel, to at least try and gain some more of an element of surprise.
“Anything?” she whispered towards her coat pocket where her sonic sat transmitting a signal to Dolls radio.
“ Nothing,” she heard through the static.
The Doctor pressed on, going further into the corridor until she found exactly what she was looking for, Nicole locked eyes with the statue.
“Okay, Jeremy...unlock the doors.”
The Time Lord listened to the sound of locks clicking out of their hold echoing around her. A silent admiration for the scientist. It had been his idea to use the bases central control system to clear a path and block off any means of escape for the Gallifreyan and the Angel.
A devilish smirk on her face she looked into the angry grey, dead eyes of the Weeping Angel. “Ready to play a little game?”
She backed away as far as she could while keeping eye contact with the statue. The Doctor used the same tactic as before, closing one eye at a time to keep herself from blinking. Nicole drew in a deep breath through her nose, letting it out the same way trying to quiet the pulsing in her ears. She really hoped this worked.
“Tag! You're it!” she called as her muscles in her legs flexed tight and she took off in a sprint down the corridor as fast as she could.
Unsure if it was her mind playing tricks on her or if it was real the Doctor swore she could hear the air shifting around the form following her. Nicole reached the end of the hallway and skidded to a stop rounding the corner with it. She turned her body to face the Angel again. A little taken aback to find it a few feet away, frozen in place again.
“Hello again,” she mocked in a cheery light tone.
“ Your next route is clear, Doctor,” Jeremy's voice sounded.
“Thanks Jer...mind if I call you Jer?” trying to ease the tensions and buy a little time to catch her breath. The Doctor prepared herself for the longer corridor that lay beyond the door next to her.
“ No,” the voice sounded again, a smile apparent.
The Doctor let her breathing regulate again for a moment longer. Her eyes stinging with the need to blink.
The redhead walked backwards feeling behind her blindly for the door handle, a small relieved breath escaping her lips when she felt the brush of cool metal against her fingertips. She grasped at it tightly, her knuckles turning white, ignoring her pounding heartbeat.
Nicole pulled the door open, still facing the grey figure, she walked back over the threshold. The redhead felt a pull to look down the hallway that led to the control room...the longest one that led them straight to her companions.
“Control room door locked?” she asked.
“ Yes, ma'am,” Dolls confirmed.
“Good,” she said with a firm nod.
Having the confirmation she needed the Doctor threw herself down the hall launching into a sprint. Her lungs burned for more oxygen, legs on fire, the Time Lord pushed her body trying to keep up the fast pace.
As she neared the end of hallway she felt the air around her shift and turned her head just in time. Coming to an abrupt stop with a strangled gasp as the Angel grabbed the collar of her trench coat and shirt. Her body flailed for a moment compensating for the sudden halt in her fast step.
“ Doctor!” came three panicked cries.
“Nicole!” Waverly shrieked simultaneously.
Her eyes wide but now trained on the Angel that gripped her tightly, the Doctor tried freeing herself from its grasp only to be held in place. A quiet ripping sound from the material as she tried again with no success.
“I'm- I'm fine,” she panted.
A thin layer of sweat covered her body, a mixture of her physical exertion and the fear that gripped her. The pounding of her hearts doing nothing to quiet the panic that course through her veins like they would burst at any moment.
“Better,” the Doctor quipped at the Angel despite herself. Mind racing to think of a way to free her clothing, coming up empty.
“ Waverly!” Nicole heard Wynonna's voice crackle in her ears.
In the next moment she heard running footsteps racing towards her, the brunette coming into view and stopping at her side.
“I'm fine, Wynonna,” Waverly spoke in the direction of the Doctor’s coat pocket.
“Waverly, you need to go back,” Nicole instructed, her voice a pitch too high giving herself away.
“ I'm coming to get you.”
“No!” Waverly and Nicole shouted at the same time. Sharing a small smile, the redhead could feel the brunette’s eyes watching her, unable to pull her own from the Angel in front of her.
The Doctor heard a static filled scuffle on the other end of the transmission before Dolls’ voice came through loud and clear, “ She's not going anywhere Doctor.” It was mixed with the shocked voice of Jeremy, “ She punched me! ”
“ You're lucky that's all I did, ” Wynonna growled, her voice strained as she was clearly trying to break out of whatever restraint the soldier had put her in.
Waverly giggled next to Nicole, something stirred inside her, a pull to look at the youngest Earp crept through her body.
“Waverly, can you keep an eye on this one while I try and get myself loose?” Nicole asked, her eyes burning from the lack of moisture. Her neck cramping from the odd angle she held her head at.
“Mhm,” the brunette nodded firmly.
The Doctor chanced a side glance at Waverly beside her. Once she was sure it was safe Nicole tried again to pull her clothing free to no avail. The redhead huffed in defeat and slipped out of her trench coat the back of her shirt only caught slightly in the Angels fingers. Yanking her body forward, the Doctor winced at the sound of material ripping as her shirt came loose. Cold air hitting the base of her neck where it had ripped. Both women backed up and put some distance between themselves and the Weeping Angel.
Nicole looked at Waverly who was still keeping the Angel frozen in place. “How did you-?”
A mischievous smile on her lips Waverly let out a small chuckle. “I stole soldier boys key card.” she said in triumph, pulling the card from the back pocket of her fitted blue jeans.
Impressed, the Doctor shook her head with a dimpled grin. “You're going to be trouble aren't you?”
“Probably,” Waverly smirked.
A few beats passed before the Doctor brought herself back, her face serious again she grabbed her sonic from the inside pocket of her coat and focused back on the stone figure, “You can use it to get back to your sister.”
“I'm not leaving you,” the brunette shot back.
“Waverly, you need to. How am I meant to lure the Angel away with your eyes on it and keep it from following you when our backs are turned?” Nicole paused, her outstretched hand finding the small of Waverly's back. The redhead nudged her away gently. Waverly's breath hitched at the contact.
“Go, I'll be okay, the rooms just at the end of the corridor.”
Waverly let out an exasperated sigh and started to walk back to the control room. The brunette turned, the Doctor able to see her in her peripheral vision over the Angel's shoulder.
“Be careful,” the younger woman relented.
“Always am,” the redhead grinned, dimples popping.
Once Waverly had made her way back into the control room, having it confirmed by the sound of very pissed of Wynonna, the Doctor sucked in a ragged breath backing away she moved herself to the one side of the corridor. She stretched her line of sight with the statue as far as possible, giving herself more of a head start this time.
Wanting to chance a look at the remainder of the distance between herself and the door that held the other Angel, the Doctor trained her focus on the one a few feet away. Puffing her chest she angled her body in the direction of the open corridor as much as she could while keeping her gaze locked on the stone figure, craning her neck. Another breath later and the redhead took off down the hallway towards the final hurdle. Spinning and sliding to a stop her back hit the concrete wall next to the door trapping the Angel mid lunge. Her chest heaving.
“Okay, Earps, do your thing,” she spoke through short breaths waiting for confirmation that they had switched the monitor on keeping the second Angel at bay.
“ We see it. ”
A small relief compared to what she had to do next the Doctor prepared herself to enter the room at her back. Her hand found the door handle easily. Holding onto it to ground herself. “No time like the present,” the redhead muttered under her breath.
“Jeremy?”
“I'm ready,” the scientist confirmed.
“Okay, unlock it now,” the Gallifreyan rushed out.
Everything happening too quickly for her mind to keep up, her body moving on automatic. The Doctor pulled the door open and broke eye contact with the Angel in the hallway running for the furthest corner she let her back hit air and concrete pressing herself as far as she could into the corner of the room.
Much to her relief the stone figure had followed her into the room, further trapping her in. Aware she was about to be plunged into darkness the Doctor reached into her shirt pulling a string necklace out. The Tardis key swinging in freedom at the end of it. She lifted it over her head, eyes on the Angels in front of her.
“ What's she doing?!” came Waverly's panicked voice through the sound of static.
Ignoring the brunette’s question, the Time Lord clutched the key tight in her palm.
“Come on, sexy,” she whispered.
“Jeremy do it now!” Nicole half shouted, her panic echoed in her voice.
As if moving in slow motion the redhead watched a little helpless as the door to her escape started to close.
Hearing the familiar sound of her time machine sound in the air around her, the Doctor let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. As the last remnants of light drained from the room all she could do was pray that her Tardis materialized in time. The door closed plunging the Time Lord into black. She heard the deadlock click into place over the sound of her Tardis.
Nicole stood completely still for a few moments, her whole body tensed. Her vision still surrounded in darkness she raised an eyebrow in confusion. Her mind finally catching up the Doctor realised she'd clamped her eyes shut.
Slowly Nicole opened her eyes, adjusting to the bright light of the control room of her Tardis. The redhead’s heart jumped into her throat and swelled, a nervous laughter erupted from her chest.
Starting off slow, her laughter hurtled towards hysterical as she jumped on the spot and threw her fist up into the air in celebration.
“Woo! I love when I do that!” the Doctor shrieked.
Her celebration short lived as the sound of the Angel’s screaming sounded from other side of the closed door of the Tardis, the sound of stone hitting wood echoed in her ears. Running to the console, the Doctor hit a sequence of buttons and pulled the lever releasing an elongated breath, her heartbeat slowing to an even rhythm again. The Angel’s screams silenced the Doctor flopped down to the floor with a thud and clank of metal. Her adrenaline rush leaving her.
Arms resting on her raised knees on either side of her, Nicole let out a heavy sigh of relief. “Shit,” she breathed letting the reality of what had happened hit her.
The sound of the Tardis landing came to a silent halt. The Doctor pulled herself to her feet and headed for the door, clearing the distance in no time she pulled it open to reveal the empty warehouse in front of her. Stepping out the Gallifreyan took off in a run towards the control room where her companions were waiting.
***
“What the hell were you thinking?” Waverly demanded arms flailing to show her anger. Her voicing bouncing around the large warehouse around them.
The Doctor stared at the youngest Earp a little dumbfounded before looking to the rest of the group for help, only to be met with silence. The redhead rubbed the back of her neck nervously meeting Waverly's eyes through her lashes. The brunette softened instantly leaving a flicker of worry in hazel pools that slowly started to fade away too.
“I didn't mean to worry you,” Nicole said gently with a half smile.
Waverly sighed and ran a hand through her hair, “Just...don't do it again.”
A little confused at the youngest Earp's reaction the Doctor put on her best smile, “That...I can't promise,” she said flicking her index finger at Waverly.
The look Waverly shot back in response had the Doctor falter in her step, eager to move on quickly. “Yes, well, we should um-, probably get you and your sister home.”
Waverly's face dropped, something flashing across her face, the Time Lord offered a small albeit slightly confused smile.
Nicole turned and walked up to Dolls, Jeremy and Lucado. The Captain and the scientist briefing the blonde woman on the situation with the cameras, informing her that they'd disabled them entirely. They turned to the Doctor as she approached to say their goodbyes. The redhead sparing a quick glance over her shoulder at the Earps.
Waverly shrugged with one shoulder and quirked her lip. Wynonna wrapped an arm around her sister's shoulders, Waverly leaning into it.
“Come on, babygirl. It's been a long day and Mama needs her whiskey,” Wynonna smiled, hip checking her sister while keeping her arm in place. Waverly gave a small sad smile leaning into her sister's shoulder.
***
Pulling the blue door nearly off it's hinges Wynonna was the first one out of the Tardis. The brunette tipped her head back with a deep inhale and let it go.
“Ahhhh, it's good to be home. Hey Waves?” Wynonna sighed turning to face her sister and the Doctor as they emerged from the blue police box. A sad expression on their faces.
“I guess.”
Wynonna quirked an eyebrow at her sister, “What's with the face babygirl?”
“There's no face. I'm fine, Wy,” Waverly answered, her posture lifting slightly.
“Suit yourself,” the eldest Earp shrugged. Starting off towards the house she paused mid step and turned to look at Nicole.
“I'm glad you didn't die or whatever, Doc, but don't think it gets you out of owing me a new barn,” Wynonna pointed to the remaining half of the barn, the other half lay in a pile of wooden remains.
Holding her arm up in the air and flicking a finger towards, the Homestead Wynonna carried on her path back to the house calling over her shoulder, “It's been a blast!” No one missed the sarcasm in her tone.
Nicole watched Wynonna leave, a grin on her face, she shook her head. She may not agree with the crazy chick with a gun persona that the eldest Earp carried but, she liked her despite the fact.
The Doctor turned her attention to Waverly who was watching her intently. The heat of a blush spread across her cheeks under the shorter woman's gaze.
“You okay, Waverly?”
As if snapping herself from some sort of trance Waverly looked away briefly meeting Nicole's eyes again. “Yep,” she smiled popping the ‘P’.
“Well okay then,” the Time Lord smiled, a little confused.
The two women stood looking at one another for a few beats before Waverly spoke again.
“Will I see you again?”
A little taken aback the redhead corrected herself to mask the shock on her face. She'd lost count of the amount of times she'd been asked this question in her two thousand some odd years. But there was something in the way Waverly had asked her, it carried a sort of heaviness with it.
“If you want to,” was all she could manage, the weight still lingering.
Waverly's face broke out into a beaming smile, her eyes light again. “I would love-...like. I'd like to, yes.”
The Doctor couldn't help but mirror the brunette. “Then yes, you'll see me again, Waverly Earp,” she beamed.
The younger Earp's face fell as if she'd realised something, “How will I find you?”
“No need. I'll find you,” Nicole gave a dimpled smile tapping the end of Waverly's nose with her index finger, confused over what had possessed her to do it in the first place.
Pulling her arms to the front of her body and clasping her hands together, Waverly did a little bounce, her feet not leaving the ground.
“You had better,” she said with a smile so wide her eyes were perfect half moons, “See you soon, Nicole,” Waverly said following after her sister.
The Doctor watched her go for a moment. “See you soon, Waverly,” she muttered under her breath.
The redhead shook her head, unlocked the door to her police box and stepped inside. She turned one last time to watch Waverly as the brunette opened the front door of the Homestead. The smaller woman turned back and gave Nicole a smile and wave. The Time Lord giving her own soft smile and small wave herself, a flutter in her chest that she couldn't explain.
Closing the door behind her the Doctor ran up to the console and punched at the buttons and looked up at the center column of her Tardis. “Where to sexy?” she asked before pulling the lever, her Tardis springing to life underneath her.