Chapter Text
It was the darkest time of night and hardly a creature stirred from their beds. Though it was only early October, the night air held a distinct, biting chill that made the few citizens of Purgatory who were awake turn up their collars and stuff their hands deeper in their pockets. The city’s nightlife was decidedly lackluster after one in the morning, and the city lights weren’t enough to pierce the unending black veil of night. For tonight, that veil seemed to fall far longer than it should. The lack of moonlight made the blackness between the stars stretch farther than usual.
It was in this cold, lengthy night that six beastly shapes slunk through the shadows. The Ghost River Wolf Pack had come to Purgatory. In the clear lead were two figures. One was an abnormally large male with dark gray fur. Because of his coloring, his outline was unclear in the darkness. Only by his movement could one see he was there. The other was a slender golden she-wolf. She snapped at the male as he came too close, trying to bully his way into the lead. Make no mistake; this she-wolf was in charge, no matter how tenuous her claim on it was.
The pack’s progress was severely hampered by the fact that not a single one of its members were uninjured. The golden she-wolf was favoring her left front paw, and the massive gray wolf had several deep gashes across his shoulders. A smaller brown male was limping next to a gray female holding her head at a funny angle to keep from disturbing the bite marks on her neck. But their pace was worst of all hampered by an elderly female who had to lean heavily on a wolf with rather long, distinctive whiskers to even walk.
Her muzzle was streaked with gray and combined with the scars across her body it was obvious she had led a hard life. Her age-gray fur was dark in places with blood, new wounds crisscrossing with old scars. She whimpered only occasionally despite the incredible pain she must have been in. Each time she let out a noise of pain, the lead wolf whipped her head around and let out a soft whine. The matriarch growled when she looked back, fed up with being the one to slow the pack.
As they staggered toward the city, a cool breeze blew over the exhausted wolves. The lead female lifted her nose as it brought with it the scents of the city. She wrinkled her nose as the stink of asphalt permeated it. They were still too far away for her to distinguish the one scent they were hunting for, but the pack knew their target. They were close enough that their hearts yearned for their long-lost pack member, prepared to let her among their ranks even after all the time she had been away.
Leading her grizzled pack, the golden she-wolf lowered her head and continued on her determined journey to bring her sister home.
Nicole tucked her legs under her as she settled into her comfortable couch. There was a chill in her apartment, so she dragged a well-worn afghan over her legs before setting her bowl of popcorn on her lap. She pulled her oversized sweater over her left hand and used the other to flip through channels on the tv with the remote. It was early in the season for it to be this cold and Nicole found herself mentally preparing for winter. She should probably buy another throw, she thought as a frown crossed her face and she picked at the unraveling afghan.
As she clicked through the channels, she paused as a snarling burst from the television. In black and white a man fought off a wild beast. A werewolf, Nicole decided as she continued to watch. A quick check of the channel guide told her the movie was the original Wolf Man . Nicole rolled her eyes. Halloween was almost a whole month away and the channels were already resorting to old movies since they’d already played everything that came out since the 40s. As a kid she’d liked Halloween enough, free candy was always a huge plus. But as an adult, the holiday lost most of its flavor. All it reminded her of now was having to arrest adults half-naked in their costumes for drunken behavior. She’ll never be rid of the image of a sexy Ronald McDonald covered in various liquids in the back of her police cruiser.
Still, her dad liked this movie. Nicole had seen it with him once or twice and while it was horribly cheesy it was still the best thing that was on right now. Plus it wouldn’t give her nightmares. She set the remote on the couch next to her despite the high likelihood of it being eaten by the cushions and settled in to watch.
She ate steadily through her popcorn until she regretfully decided that dragging her finger through the butter pooled at the bottom of the bowl and licking it was a new low, even for her. She set the bowl on her coffee table. There was still quite a bit of the movie left as Nicole leaned back against the couch. However, it was interrupted by a horrible barking and snarling that wasn’t coming from the tv. Apparently, her neighbor’s dogs were getting into it with a stray again. Nicole searched for the remote for a few seconds before groaning exasperatedly. It was already lost to the couch, so she gave up and moved to the window without pausing the movie.
But before she reached the window, a terribly menacing growl split the air. It was followed by the pathetic whimpering of the neighbor’s dogs. Nicole rushed over the few feet over to the window, curious and a bit terrified at what could cow her neighbor's rather formidable dogs into submission. She pressed her nose against the glass, cupping her hands against her face to block out the light of her living room and better see outside.
Oh. Not one stray. Six hulking, vaguely canine shaped forms crouched just outside the neighbor’s fence. Nicole searched the backyard before spotting the two dogs on the house side of the fence huddled as close to the house as they could get, trying to stay as far away from the pack as possible. The sounds of the television faded into the background as Nicole’s heart sped up and her breath fogged the glass. She stood petrified at the window. She couldn’t tear her gaze away.
Apparently, the strays could feel it. Nicole’s breath caught in her throat as one of them turned a massive head in her direction. Its glowing eyes seemed to pierce into her soul. It was watching her back. Nicole leaped away from the window, spooked. A chill ran up her spine as her pulse pounded in her throat. With extreme caution, she approached the window once again. She peered towards where she last saw the figure but her eyes couldn’t pierce the darkness. They were gone. Or never really existed. A growl from the television made her think this was all a late night illusion. But no, the neighbor’s dogs were still cowering next to the porch. Something very strange was lurking outside her home.
Whatever it was, it was gone now. Nicole sighed as she walked over to the couch and started rooting through the cushions for the remote. She would probably have nightmares tonight even though she thought she was safe. There was just something unnerving about those eyes, so intelligent yet so feral at the same time. She was going to regret staying up so late when it came time for work in the morning.
“Someone looks like they woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning,” Lonnie commented from the front desk as Nicole slouched into the station with a coffee in hand. She gave him a half-hearted glare.
“I’ll have you know I was up all night because…” she hesitated. Did she really want to tell Lonnie a pack of dogs she wasn’t even sure was real scared her so badly she couldn’t sleep? She decided to lie. “The dogs next door were barking like crazy.”
“Sucks, man.” Lonnie rocked back on his chair and jerked a thumb over his shoulder. “Probably not the news you want right now, but the boss wants a report on that robbery you’re working.”
“Ugh, you’re right, I don’t want to hear that,” Nicole groaned.
“Case going that badly?” Lonnie asked smugly. Nicole narrowed her eyes at him.
“Says the guy manning the front desk.”
“Touche. Better not keep him waiting.” Nicole stalked past him into the bullpen. She dumped her things at her desk. Her coffee went in its designated paperwork free corner and her purse she left on her chair. She looked mournfully at the stack of paperwork in her to do tray before trudging her way to Captain Nedley’s office.
Nicole knocked on the doorframe. “You wanted to see me?” Nedley looked up from his computer where he was punching his keyboard with two fingers.
“Haught.” Nicole took that as an invitation to enter. She shut the door and Nedley finally looked her way. His sunken eyes narrowed at her disheveled appearance, which Nicole thought was hypocritical coming from a man who wore scruffy stubble and stained uniforms. He was a police veteran, so Nicole had to respect his experience in the department at least. “Cryderman is on my ass about this robbery. Tell me you have good news.” Nicole couldn’t keep the grimace off her face. Even with thirty years under his strained belt, he didn't know how to deal with impatient judges any better than she did.
“I know who did it and I have rock solid proof,” she began. Nedley perked up and Nicole winced in advance at her next sentence. “Only problem is he skipped town and I’m running out of leads in our jurisdiction. My most solid tip says he’s in Calgary. Plus he took the items with him, so there’s no recovering those until we get the perp.” Nedley’s face dropped back into a scowl.
“Dammit,” he muttered. “If this weren’t so high profile I’d say you’re doing a bang-up job, but Cryderman wants this hoser brought to justice quickly. It might be time to bring in our consultant.” Nicole barely held back a groan. She was worried he’d say that.
“Copy that, sir,” she mumbled. Nedley grunted and turned back to his computer, muttering under his breath about stupid judges not understanding that justice was a process and can’t he just wait for them to do their jobs? Nicole took that as her dismissal. Unconsciously trying to make herself look small, she scooched out of his office and shut the door behind her as quietly as she could. She kept her head down as she walked back to her desk, avoiding Lonnie’s gaze.
Usually, she wouldn’t be dismayed at such slow progress on an arrest. However, this was her first high profile case, and she wanted to prove she could do the job she put her heart and soul into. Bringing in help from another officer wouldn’t be so bad, but begging a consultant to save her ass? And to make matters worse, Nicole knew exactly which one Nedley was thinking of.
“You look like someone pissed in your coffee.” Speak of the devil. Nicole looked up from where she was seated to be met with an eyeful of cleavage. “Wait, did someone actually piss in your coffee?” She asked, probably in response to the mournful expression Nicole gave her. She grabbed Nicole’s coffee, popped the lid, and took a deep inhale. She shook her head as she replaced the lid, setting it back down on the desk far from its designated spot. Nicole moved it over.
“Why is everyone pointing out how miserable I look today?” Nicole asked. One sleepless night, that’s all that happened. One sleepless night and one uncatchable robber. One police consultant she was being forced to hand her case over to.
Wynonna Earp leaned on her desk, supporting herself with one hand while the other rested on the grip of her Colt Buntline Special. Today must have been special if she was carrying it, for she rarely did. Nicole had never seen her even fire it and assumed it was more of an heirloom than anything. An old, distinctive white scar stood out from the back of her hand resting on the desk. Wynonna was a surly, drunken, loyal, aggressive woman with strange scars and a wicked tongue. As a person, Nicole liked her just fine. She even admired her a bit. But Wynonna the person was not in the building right now. She was Wynonna the bounty hunter, at the moment. The bounty hunter that had stolen more arrests from the Purgatory Sheriff's Department than Nicole had total.
“Hey, cheer up,” Wynonna said. “Whatever it is can’t be too bad. You’re too much of a goody two shoes to get in trouble with the higher-ups.” Normally Nicole would take that as a compliment, but right now Wynonna was here to steal her case and wasn’t making Nicole feel any better about herself.
“I have a case for you if you’re not busy,” she said flatly. She handed over the thick case file which contained weeks of work. All that was probably down the drain now that Wynonna was here. Her methods were...unconventional, but she got the job done and all the glory that went with it. Nicole wasn’t overly concerned with glory, but a few high profile arrests never hurt anyone’s career.
“Ugh, Cryderman. I hate that guy.” Wynonna wrinkled her nose as she read the file. She looked up when Nicole raised her eyebrow. “What? I do actually read these things,” she hoisted the file, “plus this dude’s got his paws all over this case.”
“It’s why Nedley wants you on it,” Nicole sighed. “Cryderman’s giving him a tough time with this case and he wants it solved, fast.”
“Well, you all but gave me the perp’s GPS location. I’ll have him in by the end of the day.” Wynonna grinned and it only served to dishearten Nicole even more. She really wanted the collar on this one.
She was so caught up in her own world she barely even noticed Wynonna’s demeanor change completely. She paled significantly, sat up ramrod straight, and slammed the file shut, no longer the epitome of casual.
“Dude, you have to hide me,” she said. Her eyes widened, then she dropped to the floor. Nicole nearly leaped out of her chair, startled as she was. As it were, she scooched back just enough to give Wynonna space to crawl under her desk.
“W-what? Why?” Nicole spluttered. She grabbed the edge of her desk so she didn’t topple backward as Wynonna shoved her away so she could have more room under the desk.
“I- please, I’ll do anything. I’ll give you the collar on this robbery.” The genuine fear in her eyes captivated Nicole. She was clueless as to what could reduce Wynonna to this begging, crawling mess. “My sister is here,” she whispered pitifully. Nicole’s eyebrows shot up just as she heard the bell on the front desk ringing.
“Lonnie can’t be on break already, I’ve been here for ten…” Nicole started muttering to herself but trailed off when she saw the woman standing at the front desk, her train of thought thoroughly derailed.
The woman had her arms crossed and was looking expectantly at Nicole, whose desk was closest to the front. One of her wrists was encased in a soft cast and there was some slight bruising around her eye. She wore a sheer pink bomber jacket that was fashionably too big over a crop top, and her long brown hair was in a messy side braid. Nicole had just enough time to think her outfit was inadequate for the unseasonably cool weather when she spoke up.
“Are you the on-duty officer here?” She asked. Nicole wanted to reach up and check to see if she had a nosebleed. That stare was so intense, unblinking. She was answering before she even thought about it.
“Uh, y-yeah,” She said and stood up. She couldn’t help but glance down at Wynonna, who was frantically pressing her finger in front of her lips. Nicole shook her head to clear it somewhat. “Can I help you?”
“I’m looking for my sister and was told I could find her here? Really ornery woman with hair that looks like it belongs in a Pantene commercial,” the woman said.
“W-well,” Nicole paused, unsure of what to do and feeling like each sister was a rock and a hard place she was stuck between. Wynonna was kind of her friend, but the woman at the desk was just so magnetic. “I just—she’s, uh, yeah.” Nicole ran her hand through her hair nervously. Under her desk, Wynonna facepalmed silently.
The woman at the front desk sighed impatiently. “I know you’re in here, Wynonna. Come out.” Nicole glanced helplessly down at Wynonna, who let out a dramatic groan before dragging herself out from under the desk. She stood up and dusted herself off.
“Hey, sis. You grew out your...hair.” All three women winced and fell into a tension-thick silence.
“I’m just going to go get a coffee.” Nicole jerked her thumb over her shoulder. “Just—break room.” There wasn’t actually a break room where she was pointing. Nicole backed away from what felt very much like a Mexican Standoff. Nedley would kill her if those two destroyed the bullpen, but it was a small price to pay to avoid being in between that . Nicole turned the first door handle she touched and backed into the room, not taking her eyes off of either sister.
She shut the door behind her and leaned against it with a sigh. Her escape room wasn’t much better than the bullpen, and she fumbled around in the dark looking for a light. She panicked for a moment when she couldn’t find a switch near the door and backed further into the room. Something long and thin dragged against the back of her neck and she jumped before realizing it was the light switch. Nicole fumbled with it before she managed to turn on the light that showed she was in a supply closet.
Well, this was great. She was going to wait out World War 3 in a closet by herself. She didn’t even have her phone, and she was plagued by her own thoughts. God, Wynonna’s sister was hot. But oh boy, was she scary
“Don’t you walk away from me, Wynonna,” Waverly said, furiously charging after her sister who took the first opportunity to scoot past her out of the police station. It had taken a day and a half to track her scent, she was not going to give up on her quarry now. She charged through the station doors after Wynonna.
“I’m not. I just don’t think the middle of a police station is the best place for our showdown,” Wynonna said over her shoulder.
“Oh, like the middle of the street is any—AGH!” She cried out as Wynonna grabbed her by the collar and dragged her around to the back of the building.
As soon as they were out of sight, Wynonna turned and faced her square on. “What happened to you?” She gestured to Waverly’s face and cast. Waverly could barely contain the growl that threatened to rise up in her throat.
“What happened was you left and everything fell apart!” Waverly shouted. She took a breath to calm herself. It didn’t work very well. “I’ve been trying to keep the pack safe, but it’s kind of difficult when we all know I’m not the true alpha,” she said through gritted teeth.
“Waverly, you’re being unfair. I couldn’t stay after—”
“Bullshit!” She couldn’t keep the growl out of her voice, and Wynonna cowered back. Waverly might not have been a true alpha, but she was no meek little pup anymore. Wynonna kept her gaze lowered and her shoulders hunched in deference. “Everything is ruined! The homestead is destroyed and the Devil’s Triangle Pack is stronger than ever. We couldn’t hold against them, and now Gus is half dead and the pack is in the city—”
“What? The pack is in the city?” Wynonna’s gaze shot up. “Waverly, how could you?”
“Did you not hear the part about Gus being half dead? We couldn’t stay or we all would be full dead. What do you think this is from, a walk on the beach?” She waved her sprained wrist in Wynonna’s face. “And this is nothing! It’s been weeks since the battle, and you know how quickly we heal.”
“I didn’t think…” Wynonna trailed off and lowered her gaze again. Unconsciously she grabbed her left hand in her right and started rubbing the long scar across the back of it.
“That’s the problem. You never think,” Waverly said. The malice was gone from her voice. The last few weeks were so exhausting she didn’t have the energy to keep up a rage that had been boiling for three years. “Listen. I don’t expect you to come back and solve everything yourself. That’s not how the pack works. But we all know I was never meant to lead, and recent events have only proved that. I’m doing the best I can and it’s not enough and I hate that. I wish I could be everything to the pack that you are, but I’m not. Come home to us, Wynonna. Please.”
Maybe it was unbecoming of an alpha to beg. Waverly was beyond caring. All she wanted, all she needed, was to keep her family safe. And Wynonna was the best way to do that. She could see her wavering, her resolve to remain in exile weakened by Waverly’s passion.
“Is it even possible?” She asked weakly. “I willingly left. I abandoned the pack. They’re not just going to take me back.”
“You have Peacemaker.” Waverly gestured to the gun at Wynonna’s hip. “It’s the only thing that can help us.”
“It doesn’t work,” Wynonna said flatly.
“Because you left the pack.”
“It never worked. Did you ever see Daddy fire it? It’s because it’s broken. Kaput. The magic ran out.” Her hand dropped to the grip of the gun. “It can’t keep you safe,” she whispered.
“Shit,” Waverly breathed. She couldn’t think of anything further to say as she stared helplessly at their last hope. Peacemaker was broken, and so was Wynonna. All Waverly’s hopes, all her confidence, dumped into a basket with no bottom. It left her feeling hollow. After all this, she still failed. She dragged wounded Gus out here for nothing, and now the pack was probably going to be hunted down by city folk. She had no illusions they entered the city stealthily. Six giant injured werewolves were hard not to notice. At least one person had already seen them. Waverly recognized the cop as the woman from last night.
“Uh oh, you have that look,” Wynonna said, startling Waverly from her thoughts.
“What look?” Waverly asked. She wasn’t giving a look.
“That look that means your brain is working furiously to come up with something to save our asses.”
“I don’t have that look,” Waverly said, even as she realized her brain was doing a thing.
Perhaps Waverly hadn’t put all her hopes onto Wynonna and had some in herself as well. She was an expert on the lore of her pack and the local supernatural. There had to be something there that could help them.
“I bet The Blacksmith could repower the gun,” she mumbled under her breath.
“Who what now?”
“The Blacksmith. She’s a powerful white witch. Pretty solitary, but she knew Curtis so she might be willing to help us.”
“Well let’s go right now! I just need to tell Haught-pants I need to do some stuff before helping her out.” Wynonna brushed past her as Waverly blinked a few times, trying to figure out what she was talking about. It finally came to her as Wynonna walked past on her way to the police station.
“Really, Wynonna? That cop was pretty, but do you really have to call her hotpants?” Wynonna paused and gave her a confused look.
“Ew, no dude. Her name is Haught. H-A-U-G-H-T.” Wynonna rolled her eyes and marched back into the station. Waverly loitered by the doors. Something about law enforcement never settled right with her. Maybe it was her Daddy’s influence still hanging over her. Either way, she didn’t have to wait long for Wynonna to come back out.
“Ready?”
“Yep.” Wynonna looked expectantly at Waverly. “Where’s our ride?”
“You’ve lived in the city for three years and you don’t have a car?” Waverly asked incredulously.
“You’ve lived in the middle of nowhere your entire life and you don’t have a car?”
“We literally escaped by the skin of our teeth. Excuse me if four wheels are slower and more noticeable than four paws.” They didn’t even have the clothes on their backs when they left the homestead. Thankfully, Curtis kept a safehouse maintained in the city.
“Alright, we’ll take my truck,” Wynonna said.
“Now was that so hard?” Waverly started after her.
“Get off my ass! Where are you guys staying, we can swing by and pick up Curtis since he’s the one who knows The Blacksmith.” Waverly stopped in her tracks at the passenger door of Wynonna’s blue pick up. Wynonna looked at her expectantly from inside the cab. Waverly hesitantly opened the door and slid into the passenger seat.
“Curtis didn’t make it,” she said. “He died in the last battle.” Wynonna’s hand froze on the ignition.
“Well, that old bastard always wanted to go out doing something noble,” she said after a moment. She cleared her throat. “I’m uh, I’m sorry he’s gone.”
“I miss him,” Waverly said.
“Yeah, I’ll bet.” Wynonna threw the truck into reverse and jerked out of her parking spot. She was never much for emotions. Waverly didn’t expect that much to change in three years. With Curtis’ death still so fresh, though, a heavy weight hung over the sisters. “So where’s this Blacksmith of yours?”
The Blacksmith’s forge was sweltering, not much more inviting on the inside than the barbed wire encrusted and landmine infested exterior. Waverly fought off the urge to remove her jacket. Biologically she and Wynonna ran warmer than average and the heat of the forge was causing sweat to prickle uncomfortably on her skin.
“I can’t do it,” The Blacksmith said as she examined the gun.
“What do you mean you can’t do it?” Waverly exclaimed.
“I mean,” The Blacksmith said with measured words, “all but the most basic of my magic is temporarily...gone. I can’t fix the magic of this gun any more than you can turn into a butterfly.”
“Some witch you are,” Wynonna muttered.
“I’d watch yourself, pup. Unlike your kind, I don’t rely on purely the supernatural to get by.” The Blacksmith’s gloved hand moved to an iron poker resting in her fire. Recognizing a fight brewing, Waverly stepped in.
“Ok, easy there. You said temporarily.” She guided the subject onto the more appropriate ground. “Is there anything we can do to help that?” The Blacksmith narrowed her eyes and didn’t take her hand off the poker, but at least her attention was on Waverly now.
“I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt because you’re Curtis’ nieces, but if you think I’d give up the secret to my powers to a faction outside of my own you severely misunderstand the politics of our world.”
“Lady, we’re about pretty much at the bottom of the pecking order at the moment,” Wynonna said.
“If you get that gun working, you’ll be more powerful than anyone.”
“We need this gun so we can protect everyone.” The Blacksmith laughed
“You werewolves, always so conceited. It’s not your job to protect anyone,” she said.
“A hundred and fifty years ago it was,” Waverly pointed out. The Blacksmith stared at her again, and Waverly forced herself to remain still under such a scrutinizing gaze.
“You truly believe that don’t you,” The Blacksmith said. “Very well, I admire transparency. However, I require more than just your word that you’ll keep my secret.” She removed her hand from the poker only to reach onto her worktable. She produced a small, bone handle knife that glimmered red in the light of the forge. “A blood oath. And I see one of you is already familiar with them.” She nodded at the back of Wynonna’s hand. Wynonna flinched and quickly covered it.
“Alright. You first. We don’t want to infect you,” Waverly said. The Blacksmith grinned wryly and rolled up her left sleeve, exposing her forearm. Along the outside near the elbow was a series of thin horizontal scars, much like the one on the back of Wynonna’s hand. None of them looked fresh, but one didn’t make blood oaths often. For her to have this many, all of them looking old, The Blacksmith must have been very ancient indeed. The Blacksmith lifted the knife and sliced her flesh just below the lowest scar. Blood welled to the surface and she wiped the blade on a clean rag hanging from her belt.
“This blood I willingly give, an oath I will not outlive. Scars to bind, our fates now entwined, I will not break this oath I take,” she spoke the words in a low voice before raising it to finish the oath, “I will help Waverly and Wynonna Earp restore their strength, at the cost of my life, honor, and power.” She handed the knife off to Waverly. She took it trepidatiously, barely able to keep her hand steady.
A blood oath was not something to be taken lightly. Waverly had never made one but she knew all the intimate details. She’d studied up after Wynonna made hers. The blood could be taken from anywhere on the body, and it had to be given willingly. Once an oath was made, it was unbreakable, and the scar never faded, even if it was made by someone with quick healing like Waverly or Wynonna. The placement of the scar didn’t matter, but having visible marks sent a very clear message. Creatures with visible blood oath marks were either not to be trusted or so against regret they didn’t care to hide their beliefs. The Blacksmith set precedence as the first to take the oath. Her scar was in a spot easily concealed, so Waverly could place hers wherever she liked.
“Use my full name, Mattie Perley,” The Blacksmith said when she saw Waverly hesitate. Well, there was no going back now. Waverly rolled up her own sleeve and slowly dragged the blade across the back of her arm in the same place The Blacksmith did, just above her cast.
“This blood I willingly give,” she said, fighting to keep her voice firm, “an oath I will not outlive. Scars to bind, our fates now entwined, I will not break this oath I take. I will return Mattie Perley’s source of magic to her and never tell a soul outside of this room what it is, at the cost of my life, honor, and power.” As the words left her mouth, her entire body tensed. To her eyes, the blood that welled from the wound was glowing gold and she startled. She looked back at The Blacksmith’s wound and saw it was now glowing white. Her hand shook as she handed the blade to Wynonna. Only now did she understand the gravity of what she just did.
Wynonna repeated the oath using the same words as Waverly. She placed her mark on the back of her arm as well, and Waverly watched as it glowed silver. As soon as the last words left her lips, two bright threads leaped from the light of Waverly’s cut and attached themselves to Wynonna and The Blacksmith’s. Their wounds did the same, connecting them all in a triangle of threads that glowed brighter and brighter until Waverly couldn’t bear to look at them. She turned her head away. The minute she did, her cut burned intensely for a few seconds before all the pain ceased. When it did, she finally opened her eyes and was shocked to find only a raised pink scar in the place of what was sliced flesh mere seconds ago.
“It is done,” The Blacksmith said. “Now I can tell you my secret. My power is focused through a sacred horn that was stolen along with several other artifacts a few weeks ago. I can devise a spell to track it, but if I leave my forge I am vulnerable and therefore cannot retrieve it myself.”
“No need to exert yourself,” Wynonna said, rubbing her new blood oath scar. “I know exactly where it is.”
Nicole growled as she put too much pressure on her pen and it tore through the report she was currently working on. With Wynonna in the wind, she had no way of following up on her perp, so she thought tackling paperwork would be a good way to distract her until she could think of another solution. No luck. It was only making her more frustrated than ever. She threw her pen down onto the ruined report and raised her gaze to the empty bullpen.
All the other deputies had left ages ago. Even Nedley clocked out. Nicole was the only one in the darkened office, her desk lamp the only light on in the place. She groaned and rubbed the back of her neck, sore from being bent over for so long. It was probably long past time for her to head home. She was starting to follow a bit too closely in her dad’s footsteps for her taste.
Just as she was throwing away the torn report, Nicole heard the station doors clatter open, accompanied by a discussion.
“Do you really think she’s still here, Wynonna?”
“Oh, please. Miss Bona Fide is on a case and it's barely ten o’clock. She’ll be here,” Wynonna said as she rounded the corner into view of Nicole’s desk. Her eye instantly drawn to the light on Nicole’s desk, she continued talking, “ah! See, I told you. Hey, Nicole!” She waved. Nicole rubbed her tired eyes.
“Didn’t you just tell me you’d be out of town for a while? Or are you a late night hallucination on my part?” She asked.
“Yep and nope. It’s me, in the flesh.” She hopped the counter that separated the bullpen from the lobby with ease. Nicole couldn’t understand why she didn’t just use the door like a reasonable person. Like her companion was. Nicole blinked tiredly as she tried to place the woman. Oh, right. Wynonna’s sister, from earlier.
“Why?” Was the only way Nicole could articulate her thought process. She pointed first at Wynonna, then her sister as she repeated the question.
“Well, I’m here to take on that job you offered me. And since I promised you the collar, you’re coming with me. Waverly here is also in the family business and she’s going to tag along as my assistant,” Wynonna said.
“Hey!” The now identified Waverly protested. “I think if anything, you’re my assistant.”
“Hush now.” Wynonna waved a dismissive hand before turning back to Nicole. “You ready to go?”
“Right now?” Nicole asked. She glanced at her watch. It read 10:10. Knowing the time made a wave of exhaustion wash over her; she probably should have left the station hours ago. Feeling the weight in her eyelids, she looked up at the sisters. “Look, it’s been a long day and I need to get some sleep—”
“You can sleep when you’re dead. Or in the car on the way,” Wynonna said.
“And you think our perp won’t be asleep when we get there?” Nicole asked.
“She has a point,” Waverly agreed. She stared at Wynonna intensely and they seemed to have a silent conversation. It lasted only a few sentences before Wynonna heaved a sigh.
“Ugh, fine. We can meet back here in the morning, nine am sharp. We can carpool to the city.” Wynonna spun on her heel and strode out of the barn. “Oh, and make sure you each bring some snacks!” She shouted over her shoulder. Nicole blinked a few times, too sleep deprived to comprehend the hurricane that just swept in and out of the police station.
“You good to get home, or should I call you a cab?” Nicole looked over to Waverly, who had spoken up. “You look about dead on your feet.”
“Uh, no I’m fine, thank you,” Nicole said. She stared at Waverly until her manners caught up with her. “What am I thinking, I haven’t even properly introduced myself. I’m Nicole. Nicole Haught.” She held out a hand.
“Waverly Earp.” She shook Nicole’s hand. Her skin was warm to the touch and Nicole couldn’t help the grin that spread over her face.
“Nice to officially meet you.”
“You too, Officer Haught.” Waverly enunciated her words carefully as she appraised Nicole with searching eyes. Was it Nicole’s imagination, or was she biting the corner of her lip? Nicole quickly let go of her hand and cleared her throat.
“Well, we have an early morning tomorrow,” she said. Waverly rolled her eyes.
“What do you think the chances are of Wynonna actually being on time?” Nicole was beginning to feel uncomfortable under Waverly’s stare. She shifted from foot to foot.
“I’m not really a betting woman.”
“Aw, no fun,” Waverly pouted. “That’s alright. We have all day tomorrow to discover that side of you.” She smiled deviously and backed out of the bullpen. “See you tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow.” Nicole waved weakly after her. As soon as Waverly was out of sight, Nicole felt the need to sit down. She fought it, though. If she sat again she wouldn’t be able to get back up. Damn her weak knees. They always buckled for pretty women.