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I have seen the mighty river
and I've seen the moon and stars...
Waverly thinks, now, that her love for Nicole has always existed.
It’s a force all in itself. One to be reckoned with, at that. It’s a law of nature.
It’s gravity .
It was a seed planted deep in her soul before she was born, and when Nicole walked into Shorty’s, unabashedly flirting, it sprouted.
She didn’t even know it was there, the tiny thing. But it was. Every time she ran her fingers over Nicole’s name on the business card she’d given her, it’d grow more, like she was watering it.
Nicole took her hands in comfort at Shorty’s memorial, and it shot up like a beanstalk. Waverly still didn’t know what it was. But it was big. Strong .
She smiled at Nicole from her doorstep after the stripper incident, and Nicole waved back, and she started to feel like maybe this was more than she’d originally thought it to be.
She cried outside Nicole’s hospital room, for Wynonna, for Nicole, and she realized she couldn’t lose either of them.
Equally .
So when she lay beneath Nicole on the couch in Nedley’s office and her heart panged with something more than just attraction and adrenaline, Waverly knew something important was happening.
And when she stood helplessly before Willa, who had a gun trained on Nicole, Waverly knew, without a doubt, she would do anything to protect her.
Because that’s what love does.
And the feeling that had been growing since the moment Nicole walked into her life, suddenly made sense.
Waverly Earp knows, now, that she loves Nicole Haught more than she knew it was possible to love anything or anyone.
...and I know there is no other
that could penetrate my heart
how you penetrate my heart
Nicole is folding a pair Waverly’s underwear when Waverly comes to her decision.
Or, rather, that’s when she understands it - the full, entire reality of it.
Waverly opens the door to Nicole’s house to find her sitting on the floor, folding laundry. There must be a candle lit, because it smells nice, like warm vanilla. Like home .
Nicole is wearing sweatpants, a loose t-shirt, and some of her hair is pulled back in a small, messy ponytail. And Waverly sighs, because Nicole could wear a brown paper bag and still look stunning .
“Hey, you!” Nicole greets her with her warm, dimpled grin, and Waverly feels herself relax at the sight.
The sight of Nicole always seems to set her feet back down on the ground when they’ve been swept up in the hurricane of insanity that is her life.
Waverly stops and smiles. Nicole picks up a pair of Waverly’s underwear and folds it carefully before setting it in a pile.
And it hits Waverly like she just ran into a brick wall.
She’s going to marry this woman.
She already knew it, in some capacity. She knew she’d always want Nicole’s arms around her, no one else’s. She knew she’d wake up to Nicole every morning, no one else. She knew this was it .
And now Waverly realizes that she is going to walk down an aisle in a white dress, take Nicole’s hand, and promise to love and care for her - forever.
Nicole is going to fold her underwear and Waverly is going to make Nicole coffee - forever .
Nicole is going to leave cupboards open because she always forgets to close them, and Waverly is going to walk into a kitchen full of those open cupboards - forever .
Nicole is going to get up way too early for her morning run, and come back to Waverly still sleeping, curled up with her arms around Nicole’s pillow because it smells like her - forever .
“Hey. You alright?”
Nicole’s soft voice draws her out of her thoughts.
It registers in Waverly’s mind that she’s probably been standing there a bit too long. She toes out of her boots, hangs her scarf and jacket, and climbs on the couch behind Nicole. She lets her legs dangle on either side of Nicole’s arms and rubs her hands along the soft skin of her back.
“Good.” Waverly presses a kiss where her hands massage softly. “Just thinking.”
Nicole cranes her neck to face Waverly. She’s smiling up at her like Waverly just said something marvelous.
“What?” Waverly smiles back, because she can’t help it when Nicole looks at her like that .
Nicole exhales and pushes up to reach Waverly’s lips. “Nothing. Just thinking.”
In my heart there is an ocean
throwing waves upon the shore...
She’d always dreamed of a big, fancy proposal.
Even when she was with Champ, she dreamed of it, knowing full well it probably wouldn’t happen.
She imagined being whisked off in a nice car - maybe even a limousine.
She imagined a candlelit dinner, waiters with fancy apparel and the wine list fully memorized.
Then she’d turn over in bed and see Champ’s back, after he’d shrugged off her attempt to use his body heat.
And she let those dreams fade away, because no one who doesn’t share body heat would propose like that.
But now - now - Waverly turns over in bed and Nicole immediately moves closer - an instant reaction to their proximity, even while deep in sleep.
And Waverly digs her dreams from their graves and lets them run free.
...and if you go from me my darling
they will not crash anymore
“You did what? Shit. Okay. Just stop, Wynonna. No. Stop. What room?”
Waverly speeds towards Purgatory’s only hospital.
Again.
She’s lost count of how many times they’ve been in this damn place.
How many times Nicole has been in this damn place.
She stops short in her march towards Nicole’s room, purses her lips tight, and makes a detour. Five minutes, tops.
Waverly slides the door to Nicole’s room open and sees Nicole laying on a bed, forearm bandaged, Wynonna sitting in a chair with her muddy boots propped up on the bed, gauze around one hand and a donut in the other. Her boots drop to the floor when she sees the look on Waverly’s face.
Wynonna tries to explain, “Okay. It’s not -”
“Marry me.”
Waverly cuts her off, her attention solely on Nicole. Wynonna’s mouth opens and closes and she slumps back in her chair.
Nicole is fixed on Waverly, open-mouthed and stunned. “I - what?”
“Nicole Haught, I am sick and tired of coming here and saying that you are my girlfriend or my person, or that I am your emergency contact. I want you to be my wife . Actually, I’d prefer not coming here at all . But you two bozos can’t stay out of trouble. So I will be introducing myself as your wife , and signing papers, and going into the room when no one else can, because they let spouses do that shit!”
Waverly takes a deep breath in the middle of her speech, and she sits down next to Nicole, taking the hand that isn’t hooked to an IV in her own. “I’m tired of waiting for you to ask me. And I know you’re not because you don’t want to push me, even though that’s the last thing you’d be doing. So. Here it is. Nicole, will you marry me?”
It’s an admission, a plea, a desperate command all at once.
Nicole is still staring at Waverly, mouth agape, and she finally responds with tears in her eyes, “Waverly, I want to be your wife so bad.” Nicole squeezes Waverly’s hand and brings it to her lips, and she’s laughing and crying at the same time. “I want to marry you more than I’ve ever wanted anything .”
Waverly takes her first breath since she set foot in the hospital. Cradling Nicole’s cheek in her hand, she leans and presses her lips to Nicole’s and kisses her deep.
A throat clears, but they barely separate, not even caring that Wynonna is still in the room with them.
Waverly can see Wynonna in her peripheral, looking quickly at a non-existent watch and pointing to the door, mouthing something about being late. Waverly smiles against Nicole’s lips.
Congratulations can come later.
Wynonna pulls the curtain and the glass door closed behind her.
Nicole tugs at Waverly’s free arm, bringing her hand up. “What’s this?”
She’s clutching a small teddy bear holding a heart that says ‘get well.’
“Oh. Um. Engagement bear? Didn’t really have time to go to Jared.” Waverly grimaces, but it morphs into a smile.
Nicole laughs and rubs her hand up and down Waverly’s arm. “I love my engagement bear. I love you .”
Waverly motions for Nicole to scooch. She lays next to her, her hand settling across Nicole’s stomach. “I love you.” She kisses Nicole’s neck. “Stop getting shot.”
----
Wynonna loads rounds into Peacemaker, preparing for target practice.
Wynonna always came up with new and creative targets to shoot at. This time - a large poster on which she’d drawn an outline of an upper torso and written “DEMON”.
Waverly slides shells into her shotgun.
“So.” Wynonna cocks the gun. “Do I have to plan both bachelorette parties?” She shoots right into the hole of the D. “Ha! Suck that , D. Are you even having two parties? Do lesbians just double up on everything?”
Waverly rolls her eyes at more than one thing Wynonna has just said. “We haven’t even started planning. I honestly don’t know what we’re doing yet.”
Wynonna slides Peacemaker into its holster, turning to face Waverly, arms crossed. “ You . Don’t know.”
Waverly waits a beat, and when she realizes that’s all Wynonna is going say, she replies, “I mean, no? Not yet . I just know I want to marry her, Wynonna. The rest is … it’ll work out, I know it.” She sighs, because she knows - it will.
Wynonna scrunches her face and looks around the dry homestead land. “I’m happy for you. You know that, right?”
Waverly smiles at Wynonna and draws her into a hug. It’s been a long road, and it’s not over yet. They’ve had their fair share of bumps along the way. But Waverly has come to realize that no matter what, Wynonna’s top priority will always be her girls.
At first, that was just Waverly.
Now it’s Waverly and Nicole and Alice. And even though she has a handful of people she loves, people that love her back just as fierce, Wynonna has never been good with feelings or talking about them.
“Yeah. I know.” Waverly presses a kiss to Wynonna’s cheek, steps back, and cocks her shotgun.
Oh and when I am older
and my eyes no longer shine...
Waverly is drying her hair when Nicole finishes dinner. Engagement Bear sits on Nicole’s side table and she smiles wide. Nicole loves that bear.
“It’s ready!” Waverly hears Nicole’s voice from her downstairs kitchen.
Waverly takes a bite that’s too big and moans, “ God , you make the best pancakes.”
“Babe. It’s Bisquick.” Nicole smiles as she brings a bite to her mouth.
Waverly’s shoulders droop and she knows she’s pouting. “Why do you have to do that? They’re the best. Let me compliment you.”
“Well, there is a secret ingredient.” She leans forward and pecks a kiss on Waverly’s pouting, syrupy lips.
Waverly makes a face. “It’s love, isn’t it?”
Nicole feigns offence. “You say that like it’s a bad thing!”
“Oh, geez.”
“Romance is alive in my kitchen, baby. But there really is a secret ingredient.” Nicole pauses. “A food ingredient.”
Waverly watches Nicole finish the rest of her pancakes, scooping an occasional bite into her own mouth. When Nicole finishes, she stands and moves Nicole’s plate to the side, taking its place at the table, wrapping her arms around Nicole’s neck.
“Hi,” Nicole whispers. Her hands drift under Waverly’s oversized t-shirt and graze soft skin.
“Hey, hot stuff.”
Nicole groans, and her forehead drops to Waverly’s leg.
“Oh. No, I didn’t even mean it that way! I can call you hot without it being a pun, you know.”
Nicole lifts her head and her hands run up and down Waverly’s thighs. She’s only wearing the shirt and underwear; there’s not much between them.
“So. I’ve been thinking…” Waverly starts.
Nicole’s head tilts back. “Mhm.”
Waverly swallows, and she’s nervous because they haven’t actually discussed any details yet.
“I want to wait - to get married. I want Gus to be here, and Alice.” She plays with the hairs at the nape of Nicole’s neck and waits for a response.
“You want to wait for Wynonna to break the curse,” Nicole follows.
Waverly nods. “Is that okay? I understand if it’s not -”
“Wave,” Nicole interrupts, “they’re family .”
Nicole looks at her in a way that makes Waverly think she can see what she’s thinking in little thought bubbles. Like a comic strip.
“Yeah,” she says quietly.
Nicole takes Waverly’s chin in her hand and her lips in a kiss.
“We’ll wait.”
Waverly breathes in deep and rests her forehead against Nicole’s.
They’ll wait.
...still I'll long to see you lover
oh you are my columbine
She dreams of white dresses.
She dreams of walking towards Nicole, unable to move her gaze because Nicole in a white wedding dress leaves her breathless .
Waverly dreams of the wedding guests, toasting with champagne, Wynonna giving a crazy speech.
She dreams of her vows.
You are mine, and I am yours.
Of holding Nicole’s hands tight as they are declared each other’s for the rest of their lives.
It doesn’t happen like that, though.
Not even close.
and we will tie ourselves together
with a spoken solemn vow
and we will fight for one another
till they lay us in the ground
The ground shakes beneath them, and smoke seems to both rain down and rise from below.
This is the end .
The end of Purgatory, and the world.
Or - the end of the curse.
It’s a bloody battlefield, and they fight far past their strength should allow, but they fight .
For the world.
For Alice .
Waverly watches Nicole fall in slow motion.
She won’t be getting up anytime soon.
Waverly runs to her side, shouting for Doc to cover her.
“Hey, hey! Talk to me! Say something!” Waverly hovers over Nicole. Her forehead bleeds from a gash and a hand holds her side.
“Hey,” Nicole almost whispers, like the two of them are the only ones left in the universe. Like they’re in their bedroom, waking up on a Saturday morning.
Then she winces in pain, and Waverly’s lips tremble.
“You have make it, I have to marry you. We have to make it out of this shit storm, because we are going to get married ! Okay?”
Nicole is crying, because tears are falling down Waverly’s face, and she reaches up and wipes them away. “Yeah. Yeah. Gonna marry you, Waverly Earp.” Her voice is full of pain, and Waverly can tell she’s trying desperately to stay awake.
Then Waverly remembers something. It flashes in her mind like she needs this information, right in this moment.
Doc got ordained.
It was a complete accident, he’d done it online. He thought he was playing a game.
Jeremy is running past them and Waverly shouts his name.
“I need Doc, now.”
They lay in the dirt, Waverly holds Nicole’s head and Nicole grips Waverly’s arms.
Doc shouts above the gunfire and death, “Do you take this woman,” his pistol rings off, “to be your wife?!”
Waverly nods furiously, “Yes! Yes!”
“And do you take this woman to be yours?” He looks down and locks eyes with Nicole just before she turns back to Waverly.
“Yes, always ,” she whispers, and Waverly isn’t sure that Doc heard it, but he keeps going anyway.
“I now pronounce you legally and officially married!” He shoots a rabid man running toward him and gazes down at the couple. “You may kiss.”
Waverly crashes her lips to Nicole’s in hurried frenzy, and the ground trembles and something erupts into light and colors and fire. Waverly covers Nicole with her body.
Everything goes black.
cause I am yours and you are mine
I am yours and you are mine
and there's a love that grows between us
like a gently creeping vine
A consistent beeping wakes her.
Waverly opens her eyes to a familiar sight:
Hospital.
Her head pulses in dull pain and there’s an IV in her left arm. She looks around, but doesn’t look for long before her eyes fall on Nicole.
Wife .
Inches away - in her own hospital bed, Nicole’s monitor beeps steadily.
Waverly’s head drops back on the pillow and she lets free a sob of relief.
They’re alive .
Waverly is alive. Nicole is alive. And they are right beside each other.
And married .
Waverly stretches her right arm for the bed beside hers.
She can reach Nicole’s hand.
-