Chapter Text
Since returning home from Purgatory for the holidays, things have been great between them. Things were great before, but there had always been this little thing hanging over them that kept them at a distance from each other. Their conversations regarding their families had been surface level and Waverly almost never talked about the fact that Chrissy was her best friend.
Over time, Chrissy has moved on from the stage of anger in regards to processing their relationship and has moved on to pure joy about it. That’s certainly made things easier. The only thing that has managed to linger is Wynonna’s frustrations. It honestly hurts Waverly’s feelings to know that Wynonna and her are almost not even on speaking terms.
Their dads are getting along quite well. The original plan had been for Dolls to help Randy take the lights down off of the house once he got home from his deployment, but Julian had insisted that he didn’t mind. Besides, the face that Nicole used the hooks for the gutters had made it so much easier to take them down.
If her dad has any negative things to say about her relationship with Nicole, he was yet to say anything. In fact, Willa has said he and Randy have been taking extra efforts to hang out and that the town seems to be functioning better for it. On those times she talks to Willa on the phone, Stella begs to talk to Nicole and seems very disheartened when Nicole isn’t around to chat.
Their schedules have aligned with Nicole’s new promotion and Waverly is pretty glad that they’ve managed to air out the tension between them. Since asking Nicole’s parents for their blessing, she’s only felt more and more certain about her feelings to spend the rest of her life with Nicole. With Valentine’s day a few weeks away, Waverly has decided that’s the perfect time to pop the question.
She’s never really been a person who subscribes to the whole Valentine’s Day thing, but Nicole makes it easy to want to. All of her past relationships, the few she’s had, really were disasterous. Especially around that big L word holiday. Often times, whoever she was dating had managed to find some reason to break up with her right before and sway her to get back together right after.
Thankfully, Nicole has broken that toxic cycle. Ever since their first date, the one that Rosita tricked them into going, they’ve been on. They’ve communicated frequently and spent almost every day together, work permitting. Falling in love had been easy. Staying in love has been easier.
Nearly every day, at least once, Waverly has internally screamed, I want to marry this woman!
She feels so unbelievably happy with Nicole, with her job, with her life in the city, that every bit of her that was wavering just a year ago has become a pillar of certainty. Although she misses her family, misses her nieces and feels like she’s missing out on seeing those little girls grow up, she’s pretty sure this is where she’s supposed to be. She feels good, fulfilled and whole.
Then Nicole does things that could only possibly make Waverly love her more. Things like coming by the museum to bring her lunch and listen to her talk about ancient history with vigor. Over the course of the last month, Nicole has done a better job of picking up after herself without Waverly ever having to bring up needing to keep things tidier. In fact, Waverly nearly proposes on the spot the day that she comes home and Nicole has cleaned the house on her day off.
After a few weeks, she puts it as far into the back of her mind as she possibly can. She wants a proposal to be perfect, a story they can tell at their engagement party, a story they can tell their nieces and nephew then their children then their grandchildren. One that she will remember forever because the moment felt right and it’s a part of her.
So, instead, she goes on with her life and lives in the moment with Nicole.
March
It’s a little bit cold. The wind is picking up now that the sun has fallen beneath the horizon. It’s slipping into spring rather quickly, but the temperature still drops eagerly at night. Seeking warmth, the pulls her jacket tighter around her, but it doesn’t shield her bare legs from the wind. If only she had worn pants instead of a dress.
She climbs the steps, feeling guilty because she’s running late. She was supposed to meet Nicole here half an hour ago but she got caught up at the museum. The first time Nicole puts together a fundraiser for inner city youth and Waverly can’t even show up on time.
As she enters the building, shivering when the warmth touches her skin, she’s at least relieved that a good number of the police department is here to support her. They all agreed with her that it was important to give back to their community, the one who gives so much to them, but no one knew where to start. For weeks, Nicole has been picking Waverly’s brain about little things here and there to really make this night perfect.
There are games and a dance floor, something to appease everyone invited from the actual inner city youth to the police department to investors with fat wallets. Nicole has thought of everything. She tapped into the heartstrings of what it meant to be young and different, really the embodiment of nearly every successful person in this day and age with the rare exception here and there.
It takes nearly 10 minutes after arrival to find her girlfriend. She’s locked in a match of shooting baskets into a tiny hoop against a younger person. Waverly watches on, waiting as the seconds tick by until the match ends. When the score announces Nicole’s win, just as Waverly remembers her being a basketball star from the one year they overlapped at the high school, Waverly cheers loudly. It’s loud enough that Nicole turns around and Waverly immediately gives her a wink.
Nicole lightly blushes as the small crowd of youth members start pushing at her, teasing her for a girl flirting with her like she’s one of their friends. Waverly is filled with pride at the sight, knowing that Nicole has truly become a person that the youth in this particular community can trust. Despite the blush on her cheeks, Nicole slips through the crowd to properly tell Waverly hello.
Nicole’s hands instinctively find her hips and pulls her close. She leans forward and murmurs a, “Hey, baby.”
Their lips brush quickly. Waverly feels like she’s in high school again the way that a circle gathers around them. It feels a little claustrophobic, but it manages to make Nicole an even bigger hit with them. Her fingers grasp at Nicole’s shirt, the buttons of the blue thing not quite done up as they could be.
“Sorry I’m late,” Waverly replies, “My boss came in with some last minute questions and I couldn’t get away.”
“It’s ok,” Nicole says, smile sincere, “You’re here now. That’s what matters.”
“This looks great,” Waverly says, taking a quick look around before her gaze settles back on Nicole, “You look great.”
Nicole blushes again, her hands drifting towards Waverly’s backside. She watches as her girlfriend gets a nudge on the arm, a quick wink to follow. The person says, “Nice job, Officer Haught.”
Nicole rolls her eyes and turns slightly, guiding Waverly away from the crowd. She can still hear whispers from the younger people that Nicole had been entertaining and she absently wonders who they are, what their stories are. She wonders how much Nicole knows about them, what she might tell Waverly.
Throughout the night, they spend a little time together, but for the most part Nicole keeps being pulled away by the people which this gathering is for. The downside of throwing the event together means Nicole is the point person while Waverly is just a viewer, watching on every time someone whisks her girlfriend away. But even then, she feels nothing but pride for Nicole and to be the person beside this woman.
After nearly the 10th time, Nicole returns with her sincerest apologies.
“I’m so sorry,” she murmurs.
Their fingers brush and Waverly turns her palm, grasping into Nicole’s hand tightly. She smiles while turning to face Nicole, hand flattening against her girlfriend’s stomach. She says, “You’re very popular tonight.”
“Are you at least having a good time?” Nicole asks, worry spreading into her facial features.
“I’m happy to see you so happy,” Waverly replies. At this, Nicole smiles. She smiles with the gratitude she feels and Waverly can see it on her face. All she wants to do is show Nicole love and support like she’s never had from anyone else. She’s tried her best. She knows that Nicole has great parents, but she still wants to be the person that Nicole counts on. She says in a hush, “Hey, come ‘ere.”
Their fingers slide together easily and Nicole falls into step behind her like she trusts her implicitly. The irony is that Waverly doesn’t know where she’s going. All that she wants is to have a moment alone, to look deep into Nicole’s eyes and tell her that she loves her. It’s a moment, one that they have frequently and easily, but her heart is aching with pride and joy. That happens often with Nicole. Not once has she felt disappointment or embarrassment. Not even when she told their dad’s about them. Waverly has felt more embarrassed by herself than Nicole, that’s for sure.
The curtain to the photo booth is pushed open, so they step inside. Waverly slips in first but Nicole isn’t far behind. When Nicole closes the curtain, it feels more secluded and silent somehow. Even with everyone else just right outside. Breathing a sigh of relief and immediately sucking in a breath of fresh air, Waverly squeezes Nicole’s hand tighter. Their thighs press together and Waverly angles her body slightly to trace her fingers along Nicole’s jaw.
“You’re amazing, you know that?” Waverly murmurs.
“Thank you, baby,” Nicole says. She smiles widely and it means everything to Waverly to see that look on her face. Her body warms throughout at the sight. Her fingers trail down to Nicole’s hand already in hers, her left one, and she sweeps a line across her knuckle. “Let’s take a picture.”
Waverly has barely registered that she’s reached forward, tapping on the screen. Eyes filling with joyful tears, she lifts her gaze up to Nicole’s who is looking straight ahead. In the camera view, she must see Waverly’s face because she quickly looks at her with a sharp gaze.
“What’s wrong?” Nicole asks, confused as she pushes her thumb against Waverly’s chin to connect their gazes more firmly.
“I just,” Waverly starts but stops, sighing so deeply that her entire body shakes with the movement, “I love you so much.”
Nicole smiles softly. Her lips are curved ever so slightly upwards and they look warm and inviting. A flash indicates a picture being taken.
Waverly squeezes her hand again before curling their fingers together and lifting them slightly. She holds their clasped fingers against her ribcage. She says, “I never knew that I could love anybody this much.”
Nicole nods slowly in agreement. Her forehead drops to Waverly’s. Another flash occurs.
Waverly sighs and pulls back slightly, looking deep into Nicole’s confused eyes. Her brows are furrowed, lips slightly parted, and all she can do is feel her heart bursting in her chest. She smiles, asking, “Will you...marry me?”
Nicole’s face turns to shock and awe. The surprise brings hesitation, making Waverly’s stomach swirl with nerves. The camera flashes.
Staring at Nicole, searching her eyes for an answer, Waverly starts to drop her gaze to their entwined hands. Nicole catches her easily by cupping her cheek. She immediately leans forward, capturing Waverly’s lips in a hard kiss. The kiss deepens, Nicole’s hand slipping beneath her hair and circling the back of her neck. Waverly wraps her arms around Nicole’s waist, fingers pressing into her skin until their fronts are flush.
Another picture snaps, the flash highlighting behind her closed eye lids.
When they pull back, out of breath, Waverly says, “Is that a yes?”
“Yes,” Nicole replies with a chuckle, “Of course I’ll marry you!”
“Oh thank god,” falls out of her mouth as she drops her forehead to Nicole’s shoulder.
Her girlfriend, née, fiancée, laughs again as she wraps both arms around Waverly’s middle. Gentle hands run up her spine and she shivers, her heart beating hard against her ribcage. Despite the nervousness coursing through her, the actual question had come quite easily in the moment. After mulling over it for months, it’s finally come out between them.
Waverly can breathe easier.
💘
They grow closer over the months. They make decisions regarding their wedding quite easily and convey it to their mothers who insist on putting the entire thing together. They’ve agreed it’s easier to come home for the wedding than to have their families come to the city. They have a few friends meant to travel to Putgatory with them like Jeremy, Robin and Rosita. They are all part of the wedding party on either side.
Come their one year anniversary, Waverly was forced to admit that her original plan to propose had been ruined. Nicole had laughed at her and told her it was endearing. Not to mention that she thought their pictures from the photo booth were not only real, but very cute. They have the set framed in their living room.
Over the months, things between Waverly and Wynonna don’t necessarily get any better. Not even when Waverly asked her to be her maid of honor, much to mostly everyone else’s dismay. Nicole does her best to be supportive. She understands that the underlying reason for their tension is that Waverly didn’t tell Wynonna about them from the very beginning, but she can’t make them work things out. They had both hoped that the prospect of Wynonna being her maid of honor would make them talk.
It doesn’t. In part, they attribute it to the distance between them. Waverly goes home for a week over the summer, but when she comes back home she doesn’t have any good news to report. In fact, based on the way her face looked upon the return Nicole had been concerned that Wynonna rejected the request.
Otherwise, things are good.