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Two hooded figures stealthily approached the front porch to the Earp homestead. The first, shorter one cracked open the door and cautiously peered inside. Satisfied that no one stirred within, she gave a signal to proceed. The second, taller one nodded and shifted the large bag slung over her shoulder.
They stepped inside, and the first intruder promptly tripped over the shoe rack just inside the door. The neat line of boots toppled over with a thud. The noise was conspicuously loud in the otherwise dark and silent house, and the two women froze, hoping that they hadn’t disturbed the sole occupant sleeping upstairs.
“Shhh!” Nicole warned, placing a finger against her lips. “I swear to God, Wynonna…if you wake her up…”
Wynonna scowled at the redhead while she rubbed her shin.
“You shush,” she retorted. “How the hell was I supposed to know that shoe rack was there?”
Nicole rolled her eyes. “This is your house, Wynonna. You live here. Remember?”
“Whatever. Don’t judge me, Haught,” Wynonna grumbled.
Nicole sighed. Their plan had seemed so straightforward and simple, especially when viewed through the bottom of an empty shot glass. Now, though, the pleasant buzz from the alcohol was wearing off, and she was beginning to see a few flaws in the plan. She was pretty certain her first mistake had been involving the eldest Earp at all.
“Tell me again why we’re doing this?” Wynonna asked, keeping her voice at a whisper. “You do know that Waverly stopped believing in Santa Claus when she was, like, seven, right?”
Nicole glanced sideways. She could feel her cheeks and the tips of her ears growing warm, and she was sure that even in the darkness, Wynonna could see her embarrassed flush. She shrugged and rubbed at the back of her neck.
“Uh, yeah. Of course. It’s just…Waverly told me that she never really got to do the whole ‘Christmas morning’ thing when she was a kid. So I just thought…”
Wynonna sighed and clapped Nicole on the back hard enough to make her stumble forward a step.
“You really are disgustingly sweet, you know that, Haught? You’d better make my sister happy.”
“I’m trying,” Nicole replied softly.
“Okay, then,” Wynonna said. “Let’s go make Christmas.”
The Earp heir grinned as she leaned out the front door and waved to the three men waiting at the end of the driveway. The trio struggled to unload a tree from the roof of Doc’s car, and Wynonna could hear them bickering as they carried the tree up to the house.
“Jeremy, hold your side up. You’re letting the branches drag,” Dolls commanded, straining under the weight.
“Yeah, I know. The branches were poking me right in the—“ Jeremy broke off abruptly. “Oh, hey, Wynonna!”
Wynonna frowned at them. “Keep it down, you assholes. Waverly’s a deep sleeper but you guys are making enough noise to wake the dead!”
Doc sauntered up the steps, leaving his colleagues to fight with the tall fir tree. A half empty bottle of whiskey dangled from his fingertips and he greeted Wynonna with a lazy smile. His usual black cowboy hat had been replaced by a red velvet cap with a fluffy white ball at the end and a baggy red suit hung from his lean frame.
“You look ridiculous,” Wynonna observed bluntly.
Doc’s smile faltered. He paused in the doorway and took a long swallow from the bottle in his hand.
Nicole appeared in the doorway behind the elder Earp sister. She smiled and winked at the gunslinger, putting her dimples on full display.
“Don’t listen to her, Doc. I think you look great,” Nicole told him, eyeing the whiskey. “Although maybe you could lose the booze?”
“Come now, Officer Haught,” Doc said. “Do you really believe that old Kris Kringle could deliver toys to all the good little boys and girls without the occasional taste of liquid courage?”
“Maybe not,” Nicole replied slowly. “But I think I’d prefer it if Santa Doc didn’t turn into Drunk Santa before the night is done.”
Doc sighed and nodded his assent. He set the bottle on the porch rail and bent forward in a formal bow, causing the end of his hat to flop over and hit him in the face.
Wynonna snorted with laughter, and Nicole shot her a warning look. Everyone was making entirely too much noise, and she desperately wanted all of this to be a surprise. She imagined Waverly waking up in the morning and coming downstairs to find stockings hung by the fire and brightly wrapped presents under the tree. Nicole smiled affectionately, picturing the excitement on her girlfriend’s face. Seeing Waverly happy and getting to share that with her would be the best Christmas present ever.
“Oh god,” Wynonna groaned. “You’re making those heart eyes again. Can’t you stop thinking about my sister for one fricking minute?”
“Nope,” Nicole said with a grin, stepping aside to allow Dolls and Jeremy to bring the tree into the house.
The Black Badge agent held up the tree, complaining the entire time, while Jeremy fumbled with the stand.
“I have advanced degrees in Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics. You’d think I’d be able to put together a simple Christmas tree stand,” Jeremy laughed nervously, kneeling on the wood floor. “Hey, Doc. Maybe you could come down here and give me a hand?”
Doc didn’t move and Jeremy swallowed hard, dropping his eyes. “Or not. Yeah. That’s cool too…”
Finally, the men had the tree standing in the corner of the living room. Nicole frowned at it thoughtfully. It leaned slightly to the left, but it would have to do, she decided. She handed Jeremy the bag she’d been carrying, and he shook his head reproachfully as he pulled out a tangled ball of colored lights. She gave him an apologetic shrug. Muttering under his breath, the young scientist began methodically untangling the string of lights.
Meanwhile, Dolls had begun draping strands of shiny tinsel over the tree branches and Doc was haphazardly hanging ornaments.
“You guys should’ve waited for me,” Jeremy complained. “The lights are supposed to go on first!”
Dolls shook his head emphatically. “Nope. Tinsel first.”
Doc regarded them both curiously. “What earthly difference could it possibly make?”
While the three men squabbled, Nicole could scarcely conceal her amusement. A warm, happy glow spread through her. She hadn’t realized how much she had missed this feeling of belonging, and she was so grateful for this makeshift family she’d found. Even if they did drive her nuts most of the time. She snuck a quick glance up the shadowy staircase and almost wished Waverly could see all of this. Nope, she told herself firmly. She really wanted this to be a surprise.
With a slightly regretful sigh, Nicole turned away from the stairs and went to help Wynonna with the stockings. There was one for each of them. She had paid Dorothy, the sheriff’s dispatcher, to embroider them for her, and Nicole had been planning on giving them out as Christmas presents. This was a better use for them, though.
Wynonna’s stocking had Peacemaker, a sprinkled donut and a bottle of whiskey stitched into the bright red fabric. Doc’s stocking featured a deck of cards and a mustache, while Jeremy’s depicted a microscope and his treasured Optimug Prime. Of course, a dragon roared to life from the rich black velvet of Dolls’ stocking. And Rosita’s was decorated with a martini glass and a collection of test tubes and beakers. Nicole paused with the last two stockings clutched in her hand.
“Hey,” she whispered. “Where’s Rosita? She’s still coming, right?”
Doc waved a hand over his shoulder.
“Fret not, Miss Haught. She indicated that she had something of the utmost importance to attend to, but she will be here shortly.”
“Okay,” Nicole huffed, a bit annoyed by the delay. “She’d better be. She’s bringing the cookies.”
Wynonna had finished tying her stockings to the staircase railing, and she reached for the two that remained in Nicole’s hand. Nicole snatched them away, holding them protectively against her chest, and shook her head.
“No way, Wynonna. These are mine.”
Wynonna rolled her eyes dramatically. “Fine. Don’t be such a baby.”
Nicole stared at her, eyes wide in indignation. “What did you just call me?”
“Would you calm down already?” Wynonna said as she tried to grab the stockings from Nicole. “I just want to see them!”
Nicole raised her arm, using her height advantage to keep them out of the Earp heir’s reach.
“I saw you shoving all that Christmas candy into your mouth on the way here,” she said. “I’ll bet your hands are all sticky.”
“Heh. ‘Sticky,’” Wynonna chuckled.
A slow grin spread across Wynonna’s face, and she looked like she was about to say something outrageous and completely inappropriate. Nicole gave her a sharp warning look, and Wynonna took the hint, closing her mouth and holding up her hands in submission.
Once she was sure of Wynonna’s sincerity, Nicole turned and carefully hung the last two stockings on the rail. Hers and Waverly’s. Satisfied, she stepped back to admire her handiwork. Waverly’s stocking was pink, of course, and it sported a pair of unicorns cavorting beneath a rainbow. Nicole’s was a deep blue and featured a replica of her badge and her old Stetson. Although she liked her new uniform and was delighted to be rid of those awful khakis, she had to admit she missed that hat.
Wynonna peered over her shoulder examining her baby sister’s stocking.
“Holy Hell, Haught. That thing’s so sweet it makes my teeth ache,” she said. “So what are you gonna stuff my sister’s stocking with, anyway?”
Wynonna paused and grimaced. “Okay, yeah. I just heard that out loud and…ew. Gross. Do me a favor and never, ever answer that question.”
Nicole smirked at her. “Wasn’t going to. Now come help me bring in the presents.”
They headed back towards the front door, pausing to listen to the newest argument brewing between Doc and Dolls. This time the two men were sparring over their choices for the tree topper. Through gritted teeth, angel and star shot back and forth between them. Nicole and Wynonna both rolled their eyes.
“Angel,” they decreed simultaneously.
Dolls sighed and threw up his hands in defeat, while Doc cackled triumphantly. Distracted, Jeremy glanced up from the glowing screen of the phone in his hands. He yelped in alarm as Wynonna grabbed the device from him.
“Who are you texting? Rosita? Tell her to get her ass over here,” Wynonna said, squinting at the screen.
“Wynonna, give it back!” Jeremy hissed through clenched teeth.
The phone chimed and a message appeared on the screen.
“Hey, who’s P? ‘Cause P wants to know if you’re still meeting up later,” Wynonna told him.
“Nobody. It’s nobody. Just give me my phone. Please,” Jeremy pleaded.
With an exasperated huff, Nicole reached over and plucked the device from Wynonna’s fingers, handing it to Jeremy. The young man smiled at her gratefully. She was about to scold the eldest Earp when she was silenced by a noise from above.
They all froze, scarcely even daring to breathe. Soft footsteps approached the top of the stairs and then there was the unmistakable sound of a round being pumped into the chamber of a shotgun.
“Oh, shit! Everybody hide!” Wynonna whispered, ducking into the kitchen and dragging Nicole and Jeremy with her.
Dolls slipped behind the tree and blended into the shadows, leaving Doc wild-eyed and searching frantically for a place to conceal himself. The stairs creaked as someone began a cautious descent.
“Hey, whoever’s down there! I have a shotgun and I’m not afraid to use it,” Waverly called out.
Shrugging his shoulders, Doc adjusted his cap, pushing it towards the back of his head. He stepped into the circle of moonlight that shone through the open front door and spread his hands out before him.
“Don’t shoot, Waverly. It’s only me,” he said.
“Doc?” Waverly stopped halfway down the stairs. “What are you doing here? Is that a tree?
Listening from the kitchen, Wynonna and Nicole exchanged a panicked look. Nicole bit her bottom lip in frustration, realizing that all of her plans were about to come crashing down. Wynonna patted her on the shoulder.
“Don’t worry. I’ve got this,” she said.
In one swift motion, Wynonna lifted her sweater over her head and tossed it to Jeremy, leaving her in a black satin bra. She ran her hands through her hair and grabbed a bottle of bourbon from the top of the refrigerator. Casting a quick wink at Nicole, she stumbled into the living room, feigning drunkenness.
“Heyyyy, baby girl,” she said, slurring her words.
“Wynonna? What’s going on?” Waverly asked, lowering her gun.
Wynonna draped her arms around Doc’s neck and kissed his cheek.
“Just follow my lead,” she whispered into the gunslinger’s ear.
She turned her head and grinned up at her sister, who was still mostly concealed in shadow.
“Go back to sleep, Wave. Me and Doc were about to get busy rockin’ around the Christmas tree, if you know what I mean.”
“Wynonna,” Waverly sighed.
“Hey. Quit judging me. It’s Christmas. And there may have been eggnog involved.”
“Your sister found this suit in the Sheriff’s office and somehow convinced me to put it on,” Doc added.
“It’s been a while since I sat on Santa’s lap,” Wynonna purred.
From her hiding place in the kitchen, Nicole could imagine the annoyed look on her girlfriend’s face, and she clamped her hand over her mouth to keep from laughing. One thing she had learned very quickly was that Waverly hated to be woken up for no good reason. Wynonna had definitely just landed on her sister’s shit list.
After a long pause, Waverly let out an irritated huff.
“Fine. I’m going back to bed. Try not to make too much noise?”
“We shall endeavor to keep the noise to a minimum,” Doc assured her.
“No promises, though,” Wynonna called as footsteps stomped back up the stairs.
Waverly’s bedroom door slammed shut, and Nicole heaved a sigh of relief. That had been a close call. Quietly, she and Jeremy tiptoed from the kitchen back out into the living room. Averting his eyes, Jeremy held out Wynonna’s sweater. She took it from him with a mumbled thanks and put it on just before Nicole pulled her into an awkward hug.
“Thanks, Wynonna. You really came through.”
“You’re welcome or whatever. Don’t make a big deal out of it,” Wynonna said, squirming away from the redhead’s embrace.
“Am I in the right place? Because you two are hugging and Dolls is hiding behind a tree. And I’ll be honest, it’s a little weird.”
Everyone jumped at the sound of Rosita’s voice, and Nicole spun to find the last member of the group standing in the open doorway. She returned Rosita’s curious eyebrow raise with a shrug and a sheepish grin.
“We….uh…had a bit of a scare. Almost got caught,” Nicole explained.
“Uh-huh,” Rosita nodded as Dolls slid out from his hiding place and took the two grocery bags she was carrying. “Why am I not surprised? You guys aren’t the most discreet people ever, ya know?”
Wynonna lifted a lazy middle finger, but there was no malice in the gesture. She took one of the bags from Dolls and peered into it eagerly. Nicole winced as the paper crinkled noisily when Wynonna shoved her hand in and retrieved a cookie.
“Mmmm…cookies,” Wynonna mumbled, shoving the treat into her mouth.
Brushing crumbs from her hands, she reached into the bag again and pulled a milk carton from it. She opened it and took a long swallow. Her expression changed instantly to one of disgust.
“Ugh. What the hell is this?” Wynonna asked, glaring at Rosita with suspicion.
“That’s Waverly’s bag. Vegan, gluten free cookies and soy nog,” Rosita told her with a smirk.
“Well it’s disgusting,” Wynonna declared, shoving the bag into Jeremy’s startled arms.
At Nicole’s direction, Dolls and Jeremy took the bags into the kitchen. She sent Wynonna and Doc outside to begin bringing in armloads of brightly wrapped presents. Worrying at her bottom lip, Nicole checked her watch. It wouldn’t be long until sunrise. A nervous flutter ran through her stomach and suddenly she began to wonder if she was doing the right thing. What if Waverly didn’t like it? What if it just reminded her of all the Christmas mornings she missed out on as a child?
“Relax, Red,” Rosita said, bumping her with a hip. “She’s gonna love it.”
“What? How did you know?” Nicole asked, wondering how Rosita knew what she’d been thinking.
Rosita shrugged. “All those years mixing drinks taught me how to read people, I guess. And you had this totally panicked look on your face. Don’t worry. She’s gonna love it. You’ll see.”
“I hope so,” Nicole sighed softly.
She frowned slightly as it occurred to her that Rosita was late. Like really late. Cutting it way too close late.
“Hey, where were you, anyway?” She asked. “Doc said you had something important to do?”
Rosita’s only answer was an enigmatic smile, and soon Nicole was distracted by Wynonna and Doc returning with the gifts. She hovered over them, giving helpful instructions as they arranged the boxes beneath the tree. She even managed to ignore Wynonna’s muttered, half-joking insults of “Officer Bossypants” and “control freak.”
“Okay, Doc. Go ahead and plug in the lights,” she said, excitement beginning to build in her.
Doc grunted in agreement and fumbled for the cord. There was a soft click, and the tree blazed to life, casting a multicolored glow across the corner of the living room.
Nicole took a step back to survey the scene, nodding in approval. The tree itself was kind of a mess. It was lopsided. Tinsel was strewn in uneven clumps. Ornaments were scattered throughout the branches with no apparent rhyme or reason. But in spite of all that, it was perfect, she decided. It was messy and flawed, but it had been put together with love. Just like this makeshift family they’d assembled.
Her eyes met Wynonna’s, and she was surprised to see tears standing in the Earp heir’s eyes. Wynonna sniffled and hurriedly wiped them away with her sleeve before giving Nicole a thumbs up.
“You did good, Haught,” she said with a grin and an appreciative nod.
Warmth bloomed in her chest, and Nicole grinned back. Wynonna’s approval meant more to her than she cared to admit, but she’d figured out almost immediately that being with Waverly meant accepting her sister, faults and all. And to be completely honest, she kind of liked the grudging friendship they’d developed, even if Wynonna took way too much pleasure in getting her drunk as often as possible.
“Don’t make a big deal out of it. Those puppy eyes don’t work on me so save ‘em for my sister, Officer Haughtpants.”
Wynonna winked and punched her in the arm, ending the moment between them.
Dolls and Jeremy returned from the kitchen bearing plates laden with cookies, muffins and donuts. Rosita poured the eggnog into a pair of bowls, making sure to put the soy nog at the other end of the table. She briefly disappeared into the kitchen and came back with a bottle of rum in one hand and brandy in the other.
“Yeah?” She asked, raising a questioning eyebrow.
“Of course,” Wynonna replied enthusiastically, grabbing the rum and dumping the entire contents of the bottle into the eggnog bowl.
“Uh, Earp? Don’t you think it’s a little early for that amount of alcohol?” Dolls asked, eyeing the concoction skeptically.
“Oh, come on, Deputy Marshal. Live a little. It’s friggin’ Christmas,” Rosita replied.
“Though I would normally be loathe to admit it, it is possible that Xavier has a point,” Doc said, scratching his chin thoughtfully. “I seem to recall that the last time Dolls had a few too many drinks, he nearly burned down my bar.”
“Yeah, let’s not set the house on fire,” Wynonna said. “Jeremy! You’re in charge of making sure Puff the Magic Dragon doesn’t go overboard with the booze!”
“What? Wait! No!” Jeremy protested in vain until a glare from Wynonna silenced him.
“Fine,” he agreed, pouting. “But only for a little while. Then I have to go. I’m…I’m meeting someone later.”
“Oh…right…” Wynonna drawled suggestively, slipping an arm around the young man’s narrow shoulders. “The mysterious P. You gonna spill or do we have to guess?”
Jeremy blushed furiously. “It’s…uh…it’s nothing. I mean, I don’t even know if it’s a thing yet.”
“Gross, dude. I didn’t ask you about his thing,” Wynonna teased, causing him to blush deeper.
“Hey, guys?” Rosita interjected. “I don’t want to spoil everybody’s party, but shouldn’t somebody go get the guest of honor?”
Nicole glanced out the window. More time had passed since their arrival than she had thought, and the first pale, pink light of dawn was beginning to peek over the horizon. The shadows of the night were receding, turning the snowy landscape to a pearly, silvery gray. The effect was breathtaking, and she could hardly wait to share the view with the woman sleeping upstairs.
She imagined Waverly, bundled tight in her arms against the cold, watching the sunrise with her from the porch, and a wistful smile tugged at her lips. Suddenly, Nicole realized that everyone was staring at her expectantly and she shook her head vigorously.
“No. No way,” she insisted. “I need to be here when Waverly comes down those stairs.”
With a sly glance at Wynonna, she grinned, flashing her dimples.
“Besides, she’s already mad at you.”
Groaning, Wynonna threw up her hands and lifted her eyes to the ceiling.
“Yeah, fine. I’ll do it,” she sighed. “I’m Wynonna Earp. Pissing people off is kind of my specialty.”
Shoulders slumped, she climbed the stairs like a condemned prisoner approaching the executioner. In a few moments, they heard voices raised in irritation and then footsteps stomping down the hall.
Waverly appeared at the top of the stairs, hair disheveled, an annoyed scowl upon her face. She stopped abruptly, and her eyes widened as she took in the scene below. Wynonna, trailing behind her, leaned forward and kissed her cheek.
“Merry Christmas, baby girl.”
Amazed, Waverly turned to face her sister.
“You—you did this?” She stammered.
Wynonna shook her head. She took Waverly by the shoulders and spun her back around, pointing down to the redhead standing in front of the tree.
“Not me, Wave,” she said. “I mean, well, I helped. Sort of. But this? This was all Nicole’s idea.”
Beaming, Waverly descended the steps and stopped in front of Nicole. She took her girlfriend’s hand in her own, lacing their fingers together. A tear slowly trickled down her cheek, and she leaned into the touch as Nicole gently wiped it away with her thumb.
“Merry Christmas, Waves,” Nicole whispered, brushing their lips together softly.
“I can’t believe you did this,” Waverly said, pulling back to marvel at the decorations. “It’s so sweet! You even hung stockings for each of us?”
“Yeah, well…” Nicole trailed off, embarrassed. “I just thought you should get to experience Christmas morning. You know, since you never really got to when you were a kid?”
Smiling up at her, Waverly wrapped her hands around the back of Nicole’s neck and pulled her head down for another kiss. Releasing the redhead, she clapped her hands together and began to excitedly dig through the pile of presents under the tree.
“I helped with the stockings, by the way,” Wynonna pointed out.
“She actually did help,” Nicole confirmed. “Everybody did. There’s no way I could’ve pulled this off without their help.”
Waverly grinned up at all of them.
“Seriously. You guys are amazeballs. All of you,” she paused, bouncing up and down like an impatient child. “Can we open presents now?”
Nicole laughed. “Yeah, baby. Anything you want.”
She sat on the floor, her back to the couch, her long legs stretched out in front of her. Waverly positioned herself between them, leaning back against her chest and wrapping Nicole’s arms around her middle. Nicole rested her chin on Waverly’s shoulder, content to watch while the youngest Earp tore the brightly colored paper from her gifts.
Around them, their friends unwrapped their own presents, and their happy chatter filled the house as they shouted with merriment and surprise as each gift was revealed. Wynonna had given everyone truly hideous Christmas sweaters, and Nicole looked at hers dubiously. It was bright yellow, fuzzy, and featured a slightly sinister-looking elf riding a reindeer.
“Wynonna, I am not wearing this. Like, ever,” Nicole announced.
“Oh, come on, Haught! ‘Tis the season and all that shit,” Wynonna retorted, rolling her eyes.
“Besides,” Waverly said, tilting her head back to grin up at her. “I think you’d look adorable in it. Please? For me?”
Nicole let out a defeated sigh. She could hold her own against one Earp sister, but when they teamed up, forget it. No one stood a chance. Especially when Waverly turned on that 1000-watt smile that crinkled the corners of her eyes. Nope. She definitely couldn’t resist that.
“Fine,” she conceded. “But only on Christmas Day and not out in public. Okay?”
Waverly nodded, happily agreeing to her terms. The brunette gasped as she unwrapped her gift from Doc. With careful hands she lifted the delicate rose crafted from hand blown glass.
“So that you will always have something beautiful to look at, even in the midst of winter,” he told her, a twinkle lighting his blue eyes as he regarded Nicole. “Though I suppose you already have something beautiful to keep you warm on those long, dreary nights.”
“I love it, Doc. Thank you,” Waverly said simply, going over to kiss his cheek.
She giggled at the blush that turned his face red before returning to her Nicole-shaped cocoon. All of the gifts had been unwrapped, and Waverly studied her pile of treasures. There was a pair of silver and turquoise earrings from Dolls, a set of collectible Spice Girls coffee mugs from Jeremy, and a leather-bound journal from Rosita. Frowning, she turned to give Nicole a quizzical look.
“There’s nothing from you here,” she noted.
Nicole swallowed hard as nervous butterflies flitted through her stomach.
“Oh. Yeah. I…uh,” she began.
They were interrupted by the distant sound of jingling bells. Nicole’s brow furrowed in confusion as the source of the sound drew nearer and seemed to stop in front of the porch. This was definitely not part of her plan.
The tinkling of bells was replaced by a snort and a whinny. Waverly looked at her, and Nicole lifted her shoulders in a dumbfounded shrug. She followed as Waverly scrambled to her feet and ran to the door, flinging it open and skidding to a stop on the porch.
“Babe, it’s freezing out there. You need a coat,” Nicole said, grabbing both of their coats from the hooks by the door.
She wrapped Waverly’s around her body and started to slide her arms into her own before stopping short, bewildered by what she was seeing. She stared, her forgotten coat dangling from one arm as Waverly turned to her, eyes wide with wonder.
“Oh my God! I can’t believe you did this,” she squealed before dashing down the porch steps in her pajamas and slippers.
“I…uh…I,” Nicole stuttered, deeply confused.
She blinked twice, rubbing at her eyes. She was tired, after all, and she’d had a few peppermint shots, although that had been hours ago. It was possible that she was hallucinating. Though if she was, it seemed Waverly was sharing in her delusion.
There, waiting placidly at the bottom of the porch, was a magnificent chestnut colored horse harnessed to a bright red sleigh. The horse snorted again, blowing great white puffs of steam from its nostrils, and the sleigh’s driver leaned forward and patted the beast’s neck, speaking to it in a low, soothing tone. Waverly stroked the horse’s mane and struck up a conversation with the driver.
“Nicole, are you coming?” She called, beckoning to the redhead.
Behind Nicole, Rosita stepped forward and nudged her, a smug grin curving her lips.
“Merry Christmas, Red,” she said with a wink.
“You—you arranged this? How?” Nicole asked.
“I know a guy,” Rosita said, shrugging nonchalantly. “He owed me a favor. Now go! Don’t keep your girl waiting!”
Nicole grinned at her foolishly and started down the steps. She stopped halfway down and her eyes flew open wide. She quickly retraced her steps, hurrying back inside the house and ignoring everyone’s puzzled questions.
Stopping in front of the stockings, she took a deep breath to steady herself before plunging her hand into Waverly’s stocking, retrieving something small from the toe. Concealing the object in her palm, she tried to surreptitiously shove it into her pocket, hoping that no one had seen it.
Turning around, she nearly bumped noses with Wynonna, who was staring at her with round eyes and an open mouth. The eldest Earp sister gestured frantically at Nicole’s pocket.
“Holy shit! Was that what I think it was?”
Nicole shushed her, glancing sideways at the others who were watching them curiously. She dropped her gaze to the floor and nervously ran her fingers through her hair.
“Are you…are you okay with it?” She mumbled without looking at Wynonna.
“Does it matter?” Wynonna asked harshly.
“Of course it does!” Nicole assured her, eyes wide with sincerity.
“Okaaayyy,” Wynonna said slowly, her voice softening. “Good to know. Go on, then. Waverly’s waiting.”
Nicole gave her a grateful smile and mouthed a silent ‘thank you’ before dashing back out the door. She tripped and stumbled on the steps, nearly falling before catching herself at the last instant. By the time she reached Waverly and the sleigh, she was blushing and slightly out of breath.
“Hey,” she breathed shyly, joining Waverly beside the patiently waiting horse.
“Hey yourself, you big dork,” Waverly replied affectionately. “What was that all about?”
“Uh…nothing,” Nicole said, swiftly changing the subject. “So, are you gonna introduce me to your new friend here? Should I be jealous?”
“Oh, yeah. Right,” Waverly scoffed. “Maybelline and I are totally running away together.”
“Maybelline?” Nicole echoed incredulously.
“What? It’s her name,” Waverly said defensively petting the horse’s nose.
“Ladies, sorry to interrupt,” the sleigh driver spoke up from above them. “But it’s pretty chilly out here, and it isn’t good for her to be standing around in the cold. You do want a sleigh ride, don’t you?”
“Hell yeah, we do!” Waverly answered, nodding eagerly.
She put one slippered foot on the runner and hoisted herself up. Nicole grabbed her elbow to steady her before joining her in the wide seat. The redhead settled back, and Waverly instantly scooted closer, leaning in to her side. She draped her arm around her girlfriend’s shivering shoulders and pulled the thick fleece blanket up around them both.
Waverly smiled up at her, and Nicole’s pulse quickened at the sight of clear hazel eyes gazing up at her with such love. Not for the first time, she couldn’t believe just how lucky she was that Waverly Earp had chosen her.
With a click of the driver’s tongue and a shake of the reins, Maybelline began to move, smoothly pulling them down to the end of the long driveway.
“Where to, ladies?” The driver asked.
“Waves? Where do you want to go?” Nicole asked, pressing a kiss to the top of Waverly’s head.
Waverly responded by snuggling in even closer.
“I’ll go anywhere, as long as I’m with you,” she declared confidently.
Nicole’s breath caught in her throat and the goosebumps that ran up her arm had nothing to do with the cold. For a second, she thought she knew what The a Grinch felt like when his heart grew two sizes. A fresh surge of confidence coursed through her veins, and in that moment, she was absolutely certain that she would never love anyone as much as she loved Waverly Earp.
Decision made, she directed the driver to head towards the lake. They rode in silence, simply enjoying each other’s company and the stillness of the morning. The early morning light glittered against the snow that crunched beneath Maybelline’s hooves, dazzling them with its brilliance. In the distance, the mountains loomed tall and proud, standing sentinel over all of Purgatory and the surrounding area.
“So beautiful,” Waverly murmured, breaking the ethereal silence.
“Yeah. Yeah, you are,” Nicole agreed, gazing down at the woman in her arms.
“I meant the view, silly!”
Waverly poked her in the ribs, laughing, and Nicole knew she had never heard such a magical sound. She wished she could freeze time and stay this way forever. Forever. Yeah, that had a nice ring to it.
Leaning forward, she tapped the driver’s shoulder and asked him to stop. He complied with an affable nod, and the sleigh drifted to a smooth halt. Nicole turned to Waverly and took her hand. She’d rehearsed this moment in her head a thousand times, but suddenly all of her carefully prepared words had flown out of her brain. She took a deep, shaky breath to steady her nerves.
“Waverly…” she began, her voice cracking a bit.
“Nicooole,” Waverly replied with a mischievous grin and a raised eyebrow.
Nicole laughed softly and licked her lips, acutely aware that her mouth had gone completely dry. She started again, absently stroking Waverly’s knuckles with her thumb as she spoke.
“Do you remember that first day we met? In Shorty’s?”
Waverly nodded and Nicole smiled at her and continued.
“You stole my heart that day, Waves, and you never gave it back. And honestly? I think you’ve been stealing my heart every day since.”
She paused, attempting to swallow around the huge lump building in her throat.
“When I came to Purgatory, I wasn’t looking for anything. But because of you, I found so much. I found this incredible, infuriating family that I love to pieces, even though they drive me nuts most of the time. But most important? I found you, Waves.”
Nicole slipped her hand beneath the blanket that covered their legs, and she reached into her pocket, fingers closing tightly over the small, circular object there. Heart racing, she withdrew her trembling hand and opened it, revealing the ring nestled in her palm.
Sunlight glinted off the diamond in the center and the smaller sapphires on either side seemed to glow. Waverly gasped and her hand flew to her mouth as tears sprang to her eyes. Nicole closed her own eyes for a second, mustering up the courage to go on. When she opened them again, she was strangely calm.
“You’re my everything, Waves. You’re my reason for getting up in the morning and the only person I want to come home to at night. I love you so much, and I will never love anyone the way that I love you.”
Nicole held the ring out.
“Waverly Earp, you are extraordinary. And I would be so honored if you would be my wife. Will you marry me?”
“Yes!” Waverly blurted out as tears streamed down her cheeks.
“Yes?” Nicole echoed numbly.
“Yes,” Waverly repeated firmly, smiling at her with a look of such pure joy that Nicole thought her heart might actually burst from being filled with so much love.
She lifted Waverly’s hand and slid the ring onto her finger. It fit perfectly. Waverly stared down at it, making a series of incoherent sounds that Nicole was pretty sure meant that she liked it. When she looked up again, her eyes held a devilish glint that Nicole definitely recognized.
“Kiss me,” Waverly commanded, tilting her chin up.
“Yes, ma’am,” Nicole replied obediently.
Ducking her head, Nicole brought their lips together gently at first, then with increasing ardor as the outside world fell away. Waverly’s very persistent tongue sought entry, and Nicole parted her lips willingly as her hands slid up the brunette’s sides beneath her shirt, leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake.
Dimly, Nicole heard the sound of someone clearing his throat, and she suddenly remembered that they were not alone. She pulled back reluctantly, her skin hot from embarrassment and something more. Waverly let out a soft cry of protest, and Nicole gave her an apologetic grin as her eyes darted up to the sleigh’s driver, who regarded them with warm amusement.
“Uh, sorry,” Nicole mumbled, aware that she was grinning like an idiot.
“Don’t be,” he replied. “Maybelline and I would like to be the first to offer our congratulations. We were just wondering if you were about ready to head back.”
Nicole deferred to Waverly and was hit by the certainty that she would be deferring to her for the rest of her life.
“Babe? You ready?”
Waverly squeezed her hand and nodded. Slowly, the sleigh turned and began to head back towards the homestead. They fell into an easy, comfortable silence again as Waverly admired the ring sitting on her finger, and Nicole pressed occasional kisses to the side of her head.
The Earp homestead came into view. Smoke rose from the chimney, drifting lazily upward into the clear, blue sky. Outside, Wynonna and Dolls were hurling snowballs at each other while Doc and Jeremy watched them from the safety of the porch. Rosita appeared in the doorway to announce that breakfast was ready.
Home, Nicole thought as her heart soared. She drew Waverly closer. This is home.
“Nicole?” Waverly was looking up at her, tears standing in her eyes once again.
“Hmmm?”
“Thank you.”
“For what?” Nicole asked.
Waverly sat up and kissed her cheek.
“For being you. And for making this the best Christmas ever.”
Nicole grinned down at her.
“Oh, baby. We’re just getting started. We have a whole lifetime of Christmas mornings ahead of us.”
“Promise?” Waverly asked.
Nicole nodded.
“Promise. Now let’s go home, huh?”
The sleigh glided to a stop in front of the house, and Nicole climbed out carefully before helping Waverly down. They thanked their driver and gave Maybelline one final pat before walking into the house hand-in-hand.
Inside, Waverly and Wynonna launched themselves at each other, laughing and shouting excitedly as Waverly showed off her ring. Jeremy hovered around them, asking a million questions. Dolls clapped Nicole on the back, while Doc shook her hand and Rosita winked at her from the kitchen where she was putting a huge platter of pancakes on the table.
Nicole took it all in. It amazed her that this house, which had once been the witness to so much tragedy and heartache, could now be filled with so much happiness and love. Yep, Nicole decided. Maybe Waverly was right. Maybe this is the best Christmas ever.