Chapter Text
The little family went in the back alley of the Shorty and Wynonna got Peacemaker out of her holster. Bobo made a step back. He knew that Wynonna would never hurt him, anymore but his heart was always pounding when peacemaker was pointing in his direction. The older Earp smiled and turned the revolver’s handle toward Bobo.
“Take it.”
“You know that nothing will happen. I’m only human, now. Peacemaker only works when it is between an Earp heir or a magical creature.”
“That’s exactly the point I want to make.” Said Wynonna hopeful. “If you can shoot that bin over there, that’s mean the curse is finally broken.”
Bobo took Peacemaker in his hands and aimed toward the alley. His hands were shaking, as a former revenant, holding Peacemaker without burning or feeling pains was something surreal and powerful. He smiled and pulled the trigger, persuaded that nothing will happen. To everyone surprise, Peacemaker released a bullet like any other revolver would have done.
“How it’s possible?”
“The curse is broken. I don’t know how but it happened.”
“The only reason to break the curse would be that the Earp family had disappeared fully. But you are here and even that is not enough because your child is still somewhere.”
“But we can’t reach Aunt Gus. She isn’t answering the phone.” Said Waverly suddenly terrified.
“The necklace! I need the necklace, I found last night.”
“Why?”
“I left the hospital because someone went during the night. I was asleep but their voice woke me up. They talked about the necklace. They said, by bringing the necklace home, the baby girl ripped the veil. By reuniting the heir and her treasure the curse will be destroyed. I was afraid for Waverly.”
“I don’t understand, you got the necklace, yesterday. Nothing happened.”
“Something has changed, this morning. I felt it. I was different as if all the weight of the world had left my shoulder. I need that necklace.”
The two sisters were so focused on looking for the necklace in Waverly’s handbag that they didn’t realise that Bobo was walking back and forth in the alley as if he was possessed by a dark entity. He was mumbling about the treasure and his Angel, about a reunion and true love.
“Bobo! Robert!” Tried Wynonna. “Stop walking. You make me dizzy. We have the necklace. I gave it to Nicole who was supposed to put it inside my daughter’s covers.”
“I know, Waverly explained to me everything over the phone, last night. I think I’ve understood the riddle.”
“What? Like this?”
“It had been decades that I’m a part of this story, I start to understand how it works. What were the exact words you’ve heard?”
“She brought the necklace home; the baby girl ripped the veil. By reuniting the heir and her treasure the curse will be destroyed.”
“Baby girl is your sister. She did bring back the necklace at home last night. It could work but the riddle said THE baby girl, not baby girl.”
“I don’t see the difference.” Said the two sisters in one voice.
“Baby girl is a nickname like I call Waverly my Angel or she calls Nicole, honey or babe. Here, the riddle says the baby girl. It’s not a nickname but the description of the person we are looking for. By bringing the necklace to our home, the baby girl weakened the curse and when you found her, you broke the curse.”
“But I didn’t see anyone that night. The necklace was on the doormat. I just recognised Doc’s gift and I freaked out for Alice security.”
“You freaked out for your baby… girl. We are looking for Alice.”
“What no! It’s impossible. Gus wouldn’t have let her come back to Purgatory.” Said Wynonna terrified to imagine her daughter alone and afraid in the middle of Purgatory. “And even if she was in Purgatory, I would have recognised her if I had met her.”
“Except if you were asleep.” Added Waverly looking at Bobo, looking into her spiritual father if she was on the right tracks.
“You mean?”
“This person who knows how to hide pretty well. I bet you that she is your daughter, Alice.” Said Waverly showing the footage of the hospital camera on her phone. “This woman? My niece? She was looking for you, yesterday. Nicole didn’t want to bother you with that but now, I feel that…”
“I need to go see Aunt Gus, you need to find that girl! If it’s Alice, I…” Said Wynonna feeling suddenly dizzy. “Oh, shoot. I’m going to puke.”
Without warning, Bobo took Wynonna in his arms and brought her back inside. When the customers realised what was happening, they all tried to help. One got his jacket to make a pillow on the pool table. Another one brought a glass of water while a third one helped Bobo to lie down Wynonna on the pool table.
“I’m fine. Let me go. I need to find Aunt Gus.” Grunted Wynonna feeling even dizzier by using her energy to struggle. “Robert! Let me go.”
“If I let you, you’ll drop on a floor like one of Doc’s pancake on Sunday morning.”
“Waverly, I feel it. Something bad happened.” Cried Wynonna holding her sister’s hand.
“Ok. We will do something but first, I want you to eat and drink something. You need energy.”
Wynonna finally gave up and listened to Waverly and Bobo. She laid down a minute into the pool table. She smiled ironically, remember the last time she laid on that same table for Alice’s birth. She closed her eyes a second, trying to remember the face of her little girl who would soon turn 16.
While Wynonna was following her family requests, Doc and Nicole had given up on the researches. They understood quickly that the person they were looking for was really good at hiding. When she went back to the sheriff station, Jeremy had his eyes locked on his screen and was talking on the phone that was tucked between his ear and his shoulder.
“Shoot! No, that’s fine. We will find another way. Thank you, sir. Dammit!” Added Jeremy by throwing his phone on the desk.
“A problem, Jeremy?” Asked Doc worried for his little protégé.
“The girl came back to the hospital and went frantic when she didn’t find Wynonna in the room. She ran away almost immediately. We almost got her with the security guys but she disappeared outside the hospital. She ran fast even if she seemed still injured.”
“We will find her. You did your best, kid.” Added Nicole offering coffee to everyone.
Jeremy decided to work on the new pictures of the girl. He tried to find her approximate height and weight thanks to her surroundings in the video. He was hoping to find her in the police database thanks to that. Nicole was filling the incident report of the hospital while Doc was trying to rest a little. They were all pulled out from their task by someone entering the station, stumbling. Nicole immediately raised her gun. The woman raised one of her hand over her head while the other one was holding her ribs. Jeremy immediately recognised the woman from the video. He tried to come closer but Doc stopped him.
“Don’t move!”
“I… Mum…” Mumbled the woman before fainting into Nicole’s arms.
Doc took Nicole’s gun and put it on the desk behind them while Jeremy was helping Nicole to sit on the floor with the mumbling woman. She was way younger than she looked like on the portrait. She was clearly injured; blood was dripping on her right side. Nicole slowly opened the young girl zipper and raised the bottom of her tee-shirt to reveal an old dressing that was covered by dust and blood.
“Jeremy, call an ambulance. Doc, try to find me the first aid kit, it’s in my office.” Nicole gave orders without leaving the girl’s face with her eyes. “You need to stay with me. Try to keep your eyes open. Ok? Tell me, what’s your name?”
“Ally…”
“Hey, Ally, I’m Sheriff Haught but you can call me Nicole.”
“I know… You’re…”
“Hey, stay with me. I’m what?” Nicole tried to keep her awake by softly slapping her cheek. “Ally, I’m what? When does this freaking ambulance come?”
“It’s on its way!” Said Jeremy panicked.
“I’ve got it.” Screamed Doc entering the room again. “What do I do?”
“Get the dressing off. I can’t help you; my hands are busy.”
“Ok. Ok.” Said Doc following Nicole’s instruction. “You’ll see, kiddo, you’ll be safe. Sheriff Haught is the best.”
“Pa… Pa…”
“Breathe, slowly.” Invited Nicole thinking that Ally was complaining about the pain. “He will be quick.”
Doc was now compression the wound, trying to stop the bleeding when Ally took his wrist in her hand and squeezed it with all her strengths left. Doc and Nicole came closer afraid to miss the young woman’s words. She moistened her lips a couple of time before finding the strength to talk again despite the pain.
“I am… Alice Michelle… Papa…” Whispered the young woman before brushed her fingers against Doc’s moustache.
The second after she was out of it and had brought with her all the sound of the Earth. Nicole and Doc were looking at each other lost by the revelation. Jeremy wasn’t moving afraid to release a monster storm.
“Where is that ambulance. I can’t lose her! Not now, not ever!” Cried Doc holding his daughter’s unconscious body against his chest. “Come on, Alice. Please.”
Two minutes later, Doc and Nicole were following the gurney that was rolling the young woman into the back of the ambulance. One of the paramedic guys was kneeling on the gurney over Alice’s chest realising CPR, praying her to come back from the dead.
“Doc! Go with her! I’ll call Wynonna and make sure that everyone joins us.”
“Thank you, Sheriff Haught.”
“That’s what family are for. Go!”
Waverly was about to give up and let go of Wynonna when her phone rang. She looked at Bobo with fear when she realised that it was Nicole calling. She shyly smiled at her with kindness and compassion. He nodded to reassure her. She answered with a trembling voice.
“Wait, Nicole! Slow down, I don't understand a thing.”
At the same moment, Wynonna was crying out of pain as if something was dragging her toward Hell. She was holding onto Bobo’s mantel as if her life was depending on it. The older man held on her tight, trying to sooth the pain. Waverly stuck between two emergency situations decided to take her own decision. She reassured Nicole, told her she loved her and hung off the phone.
“Now, that’s enough! We are going to the hospital.”
“No! Please, Waverly. I need to know what is happening to Gus and Alice.”
“Waverly, what is happening?”
“I feel like being Hermione in a Harry Potter’s movie but I lost my brain on the way! I thought Wynonna and that girl had a connection but I think it’s more like you and me when I freed you, Bobo.”
“You mean, she is suffering because the girl is suffering?”
“Yes. Nicole called, they found her or she found them. Nevermind, they are at the hospital and want that we join them.”
“I won’t go!” Mumbled Wynonna. “I need my daughter. She is in danger, I feel it. She is scared.”
“They found the girl, Wynonna. She may have the answers that you are looking for.”
Bobo didn’t wait for another second and like earlier, he took Wynonna in his arms and followed Waverly toward the car. Waverly didn’t like to drive, she was always scared but today, she had no other choice and drove as fast as she could toward Purgatory Hospital while Bobo was in the back of the car holding Wynonna in his arms. Nicole was waiting for them at the entrance while Doc was nowhere to be seen. Wynonna was leaning against Bobo side, in very bad shape. When a nurse tried to examine her, she refused and pushed her away.
“Sheriff Haught?”
“Yes?” Said Nicole getting up from her chair. “How is she doing?”
“She is stabilised. It was an ugly injury probably made by a knife. She will be ok and need a lot of rest. She is asking for Miss Earp.”
“Me?” Whispered Wynonna surprised.
“Yes. Henry Holliday. Sorry, I mean, your friend Doc is still with her, she refused for him to leave but she is asking for you.”
“Waverly?”
“I’m here.” Answered Waverly taking her sister’s hand in hers.
“Her room is at the hand of the corridor. Number 235.”
Bobo helped Waverly to walked Wynonna toward the room, leaving Nicole and Jeremy in the waiting room. They had to be patient and hoping for tomorrow to be a better day.
When the three of them arrived at the door, Bobo let Wynonna go. He made sure that she was steady before taking a couple of steps back. He didn’t know who was in that room but he knew that it wasn’t his fight or moment. He could feel it in his bones, Wynonna had to do it alone. Waverly took a little longer with her sister but when she saw Bobo’s look, she understood that she had to let her go for the moment.
“You’ll be ok?”
“You’re staying here?”
“Right behind the door. I’m not leaving.” Said Waverly kissing Wynonna on her forehead.”
Wynonna smiled, raised her head high, putting back on her heir armour pretending that everything was fine while she was dying inside. When she entered the room, she saw immediately Doc facing her. He was sitting on a chair next to the bed. He was holding the girl’s hand in his and has his eyes focused on her face waiting for her to wake-up. When Wynonna looked at the girl, her heart sank in a second. She ran to the bed and kneeled on the floor taking the girl’s free hand in hers.
“Is that? Is she? I…”
Doc got up in a second and was right by Wynonna side to hug her. The poor woman was completely lost, let all of her pain and love busted through her eyes. Doc kissed her multiple times on her hair to reassure and calm her down.
“She is so beautiful.”
“She has your eyes.” Whispered Doc with love and sweetness. “She found us and saved us.”
“I couldn’t protect her. I failed her.” Cried Wynonna into Doc’s neck.
“No, Wynonna. You did your best to give her the best life.”
“Papa…” Whispered a weak voice.
Doc got up in a second, helping Wynonna to do the same. Alice was trying to keep her tired eyes opened. She smiled shyly trying to reach her mother’s face. Wynonna came closer taking her daughter’s hand against her cheek. The two women were crying.
“I miss you so much, my babygirl. Look at you.”
“I’m sorry. I couldn’t save… her.”
“Chhhht, you are safe, now.” Whispered softly Wynonna.
“I know. Gus and I were happy but… They tried to rob the cafe… Gus… She…”
“We got it, Alice. It wasn’t your fault. You found us, we know, now.” Whispered Doc knowing that Wynonna wouldn’t be able to talk stroked by the pain. “You can finally rest and relax, sweetheart.”
“I’m sorry.” Tried Wynonna. “You… I love you so much, my babygirl.”
“Love you< too, mama. Gus told me everything. I love you, both…”
Alice put her hand over her parents’ one. They didn’t realise that they were holding hands. Alice was smiling, she was exhausted but over the moon to have finally found her family. Doc and Wynonna were looking at her with so much love and pride that her heart was filled for the rest of her life.
“The curse and all. I can stay? You won’t send me back?”
“Never, babygirl. You are here, you stay, now.”
“It’s over.” Mumbled Alice closing her eyes, happily.
“No, my daughter. Oh, my beautiful daughter, it’s just the beginning.”
Doc was right, it was just the beginning. They would finally be able to live in peace. No more fight, no more death, on more surviving. From now on, their existence would be about love, family and life! They could finally live instead of surviving.
Love transcends death. That people we love touch our lives… even after they’re gone. (Jarod – The Pretender)
To Gus McCready. You’ve brought Alice back home.