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For all her life, Waverly never understood the want to run into danger. She had seen the worst when those people did. Broken arms and legs, paralyzed bodies, stop signs though the middle of your body, that one was rather bloody. But the worst she had ever seen was burns. Burns that tore flesh off of a person until there was barely enough left for a family to identify. Burns from fathers trying to fix electrical problems, despite not knowing a damn thing about electrical hardware, burns from people cooking and forgetting to use pot holders when bringing a pie out of the oven. Worst of all though? Burns from Firefighters, risking their lives to save others. Their burns were always the worst and the hardest to treat for two reasons.
One, because they were mostly third degree since they were right next to the blazing death trap.
Two, because despite all the good they had just done to save a family of four or office personnel, some divine being in the world thought it was a good idea to put the heroes through such tremendous pain.
***
“I swear, this town gets more stupid idiots doing stupid shit than any other town in the world.” Chrissy said as she tore off the paper gown she wore over her clothes to keep the patients… fluids off of her uniform. “I mean, who in their right mind would jump off of a barn to land on a trampoline and go into a pool. It’s just a recipe for disaster.”
“People who have nothing better to do.” Waverly said as she threw away the bloodied gaze and the used needles.
Just as the two climbed into the front seats of the ambulance, their radio crackled to life and a woman's voice said, “Ambulance 13 to Ohio Street West. Firefighters are on scene fighting a restaurant fire and need assistance for smoke inhalation.”
“Duty calls.” Waverly said before responding on the radio that they were on their way from the hospital.
When they arrived at the scene, the two lept from their seats and began treating minor cuts and scrapes as well as some second degree burns on hands and some smoke inhalation. After Waverly had finished securing a bandage to one man’s hand, she overheard two firefighters talking.
“Sir, with all due respect, I’m fine. I have a little scrape on my leg, that’s all. Now can I please go back in and shut this shit down already?”
“Haught, I won’t tell you again. Get that leg checked out by an EMT and go back to the station. It’s almost out. We don’t need you here.” A deeper voice said. The voice sighed. “Look, I know you want to show the chief what you can do, but this is not the time nor place. You’re an amazing Lieutenant and will be an amazing Captain one day. He’ll see that. But stop pushing yourself, got it?”
A sigh came from the first voice. “Yes sir.” They said before footsteps indicated that they had walked away. Waverly sat on the back of the cruiser waiting for someone to need her assistance when a firefighter came to her with soot covering their face and a bloodied pant leg. “Hey I scraped my leg on some metal. Do you mind helping me out?” The person in question was tall and strongly built, though that could just be the big jacket that hung on their shoulders. Their face was strong with hard lines of a jaw but a softness to the cheek. Waverly could make out wisps of what seemed to be red hair poking out from the helmet they wore atop their head.
Waverly shook herself out of her analyzing and nodded as she stood to let the woman, it was definitely a woman with the way her eyes shine in the sunlight, sit down. “Yeah, of course. Here, sit and I’ll get the gaze and disinfectant.” Waverly answered the firefighter. As she did, the woman sat and removed her helmet, revealing all of the fiery redness Waverly had had glimpses of. It was mated with sweat and tangled to all hell, but when the woman ran her fingers through it to tame the locks, it looked like a majestic lion's mane. Waverly swallowed the lump in her throat and grabbed the bandages as she stepped out of the cruiser and kneeled in front of the redheaded woman.
“Can you take your pants off please?” Waverly asked, eyes going wide as soon as she said it. The woman above her laughed and stood up. “I- I meant these cover-alls cause I need to treat your cut and these pants are kinda in the way and… I didn’t mean it in a weird way.”
The firefighter just continued to chuckle as she slipped off her turnout, revealing the navy blue undershirt and the straps that held up her cover-alls. Okay, it’s definitely not the jacket. She’s strong. She slipped off the straps and let the pants fall to the ground and stepped out of the boots. Her black work pants were stained with sweat, and blood on one pant leg. The redhead sat on the back of the ambulance again and looked down at the EMT. “Better?” She asked with a grin.
“Yes, thank you.” Waverly managed to say without a quiver in her voice. Waverly rolled up the left pant leg and examined the cut. It wasn’t too deep, truly just being a scratch. Waverly took a swab covered in disinfectant and swiped it over the wound and around it to clean the area. Afterwards, she placed gaze over the wound and wrapped it with gaze to keep it in place. “There you go. All good. It was just a scrape, but it still could get infected so clean it out regularly and put on new badges before you sleep tonight.”
The woman stood and stepped into her cover-alls, pulling them up and placing the straps on her shoulders like before. She grabbed her turnout and slung it over her shoulder as she faced the smaller woman. “Thank you for the fix up Ms. … Earp.” She said as she looked at the name tag on Waverly’s shirt. She held out her hand for Waverly to shake and the smaller woman took it.
“Anytime, Lieutenant Haught.” Waverly responded, noting the conversation she had overheard earlier.
“I feel like I’ve heard the name before. Earp. Sounds familiar.” The lieutenant said as she looked down at the woman.
“My sister works at Station 24. She’s a Lieutenant, like you.” Waverly responded.
Haught nodded. “Yeah, that’s right. The hotshot firefighter who won’t stop calling me nicknames. Wynonna, right? So you must be Waverly. She talks about you a lot, you know.”
“That sounds embarrassing. Please, spare me the details.” Waverly flushed, reminding herself to scold her sister when she got off work.
“Oh don’t worry,” Haught chuckled. “She only says the best of you. She downplayed how beautiful you are, though.” The firefighter smiled, dimples appearing upon her cheeks. Waverly couldn’t pinpoint what made her stop breathing. The smile, the dimples, the eyes, the words. Maybe all of them combined.
“Oh uhm… th- thank you.” Waverly squeaked out before clearing her throat. “Hey do you maybe wanna-” Before she could finish, the radio crackled to life and gave orders for the cruiser to go to a house with an unconscious woman. “Shit. I’m sorry, I have to go.” Waverly climbed into the back of the cruiser and before shutting the doors said, “Take care of that leg. And try not to get hurt anymore.” Then, she shut the doors and Chrissy jumped into the driver’s seat, then the cruiser was gone.
The Lieutenant watched the cruiser go and smiled as she saw the lights flicker on. “I’ll be seeing you, Waverly Earp.”
***
Waverly shut the door to her apartment and flopped down on the couch face first. “Little dramatic, don’t ya think?” Wynonna said from the table, chowing down on some leftover chinese. Waverly just groaned into the pillow her face was stuffed into.
“I met this firefighter today on the restaurant call.” Waverly said.
“Yeah? Was he cute? Did you get his number?” Wynonna said, looking up from her computer.
“She. Lieutenant Haught of Station 9. She said you talk about me. A lot.” Waverly said with disdain.
“Yeah, so what? You’re awesome, babygirl. I want everyone to know that MY baby sister is THE Waverly Earp. Best damn EMT in Chicago. Hell, best in all of Illinois.” Wynonna responded as she stood. “Haughtshot’s cool. She does good work. Thought about putting in a transfer to her station to work with her and baby Nedly's dad.”
“She also mentioned you called her nicknames.” Waverly mumbled under her breath.
“So, did you get her number?”
“What? No, of course not. Why would I do that? I mean, she’s pretty and strong and tall and… gets this little glint in her eye when the sun hits it just right and she has really big biceps that look so… mmmm.” Wynonna gave her sister a weird look. “I tried, okay. In a random spring of confidence I was gonna ask her to go get drinks, but then the radio interrupted me and I had to go.”
Wynonna scoffed. “You’re making excuses. She’s hot. Ask her out. You deserve it after that nasty break up with-”
“Don’t you dare say his name.” Waverly scolded while throwing her sister a warning glare and an accusatory finger.
Wynonna threw up her hands in defense. “Okay, okay. I won’t. Seriously though. Next time you go to one of her scenes, ask her out.” Wynonna said before getting up and walking to her room. “Also, we’re out of almond milk.” She yelled down the hallway.
“Damn you, Wyn.” Waverly yelled back before standing and rummaging through the fridge for something to fill the ache in her stomach.
***
It was two weeks later when Waverly finally saw the Lieutenant again. Station 9 had been called in on an office building fire and were working tirelessly to put out the fire which raged in the building. Waverly and Chrissy were away from the building at a safe distance taking care of wounded employees and firefighters alike. Finally after four hours, the fire was put out and the clean up work had begun. That's when a certain redhead came into view.
“Ms. Earp. Lovely to see you here, though I must say. Twice in one month. That’s not something you see everyday, especially with Chicago being as busy as it is.”
“Lucky for you guys and the employees of the building. They sure are getting the best care with me and Chrissy here.” Waverly responded as the redhead came to a stop in front of Waverly. “And please, call me Waverly. Ms. Earp makes me feel like I need to be in an old folks home.”
“Well then, I call you Waverly and you call me Nicole. Deal?” Nicole said with a smile.
Waverly smiled back. “Deal. Tough work. Need any assistance from me?”
“Yeah actually. I burnt my hand a little while in there. Do you have any cream for it?” Nicole asked as she showed the burn to the shorter woman.
Waverly took Nicole’s hand in hers, trying not to redden at how soft and good Nicole’s hand felt in her own. “Looks like a minor burn. Doesn’t look like there is any extensive damage to the epidermis. I’ll put some cream on it and a bandage to keep it clean.” Waverly said as she reached for her supply bag and took out the burn cream and bandages. “So, how’s that scrape on your leg?”
“It’s all good. A little pain when I shower but that’s probably just from the soap.” Nicole responded as she watched Waverly go to work on her hand.
“That’s good.” Waverly replied, clearing her throat.
“So, uhm… Was there something you wanted to ask me last time before we were so rudely interrupted by the radio.” Nicole asked, voice small and nervous for the first time since Waverly had met her. She’s cute when she’s nervous, Waverly thought.
“Oh yeah, just uhm… what made you want to become a firefighter?” Great job Waverly, you Earped it up.
“Well I always wanted to be in some type of service job you know. A cop or a firefighter, even an EMT, but when it came down to it, I just had this passion for fire and danger, if that answers your question.” Nicole explained.
Waverly looked up from Nicole’s hand. “Actually, it just brings up more questions.”
Nicole nodded and sat down on the back of the ambulance. “Go ahead.”
Waverly sat down next to Nicole and looked at her. “Why run into danger 24/7? Like when you get a call, aren’t you terrified that you’ll never come back? Every time Wynonna leaves for work or comes home even just five minutes late, I’m terrified. And she’s just my sister. I can’t imagine what people with partners that are firefighters must feel. Not knowing if your husband or wife or partner will come back home to you? That sounds like hell.”
“It can be, which is why most firefighters either don’t get into relationships or their relationships don’t work out. To answer your other question though, yes. I’m terrified every time we get a call.” Nicole said, looking down at her hands and then back up to Waverly.
“Why do it then? Why risk everything?”
Nicole looked Waverly deeply in the eyes and smiled, then pointed to a man with soot on his khakis and button up standing a couple hundred feet away and a man in clean clothes jumping out of a car and rushing to the man and enveloping him into a crushing hug . “That’s why. To save people. I might not come home one day, but at least someone else will.”
Waverly watched the two men as they embraced and kissed and let a tear fall down her cheek. “That’s very noble of you, Lieutenant. So what’s your favorite part about being a firefighter, besides saving people.”
Nicole opened her mouth to respond when Nedly called her name and told her that they were leaving. “I’m sorry. Guess it’s my turn to cut this short again.” Nicole stood and started to walk away when she turned and reached in her pocket. “I would really like to continue this conversation, maybe over dinner or drinks sometime. Call me?” Nicole asked while handing Waverly a piece of paper with a phone number on it.
“You’ll be expecting my call soon, Lieutenant.”
“Nicole.” The redhead said.
Waverly stood and shut the doors to the ambulance. “I like Lieutenant better.” She said with a wink, then got in the passenger side of the cruiser and disappeared into the busy streets.
“I’m starting to think I do too.”
***
The paper was burning a hole through her pocket the whole day, just wanting to text Nicole and ask her to dinner on Friday. When she walked in the door of her apartment, Wynonna saw the look of thought on her little sister’s face and questioned her about it.
“Oh my god. Did she not give you her number?” Wynonna asked as Waverly set down her purse and slid off her work shoes.
“No, she gave it to me.” Waverly said, pulling out the piece of paper from her slack’s pocket. “I just don’t know if it’s too early or not to text her.”
“It’s never too early, kid. Just do it.” Wynonna said, mouth full of pizza followed by a swig of beer. Waverly took her phone out of her other pocket and put Nicole’s number into her phone and then typed and retyped about a thousand messages before Wynonna scoffed and stole her phone.
“Hey! What the hell do you think you’re doing?!” Waverly said as she chased Wynonna around the apartment.
“Hey Haughtsauce, care to join me for dinner tomorrow night after my shift is over. Would really like to see you out of those cover-alls and into some slacks and a tie. Or maybe in my bed. Winkie face.” Wynonna said as she typed a message on the phone.
“No! Do not send her that oh my god I swear to Jesus H. Christ, Wynonna!” Waverly yelled as she penned Wynonna to the ground.
“And sent.” Wynonna said as the tell-tale sound of a message being sent rang out. Waverly tore the phone from her grasp and looked at the sent message.
The message Wynonna actually sent was, ‘Hey Nicole, I was wondering if you’d like to go out to dinner tomorrow after my shift.’
“Thank you, Wynonna.” Waverly said with a sigh, then slapped her older sister on the arm. “Don’t do that to me again, asshole.”
“Ow. You’re welcome, dick.” Wynonna got up from the floor and plopped down on the couch with an ‘umf’ and turned on the tv to begin her endless rants to the stupid people on the Bachlor that couldn’t hear her anyway. Waverly smiled at her sister and her antics before she was pulled away by a ping on her phone.
Lieutenant<3: I would love to go to dinner with you, assuming this is Chicago’s best EMT and not some rando ;)
Waves: Nope, just some rando lol. Pick me up at 7?
Lieutenant<3: Absolutely. See you tomorrow Waves. Goodnight
Waves: Night Lieutenant
Waverly walked to her bedroom and closed the door, falling onto her soft bed filled with stuffed animals and sighing like a schoolgirl with a crush. “What have you done to me, Lieutenant Haught?”
***
Waverly ran around her room, clothes strewn about everywhere leaving no corner untouched. “All of these clothes and you can’t find something to wear to ONE date? That’s sad, Waves. Just sad.” Wynonna said as she leaned against the door frame.
“Shut up and tell me what looks better. Classic red, skin tight, or rusty rose, maxi dress?”
“Mmmm. Go with the red one. Make her drool all over you.” Wynonna said as she winked, backed away and retreated to her room.
Waverly slipped on the rusty rose maxi dress. She didn’t want Nicole to drool, she wanted her to like her. She would make her drool on the second date. Waverly ran her fingers through her hair once for good measure as she heard the doorbell ring and before she could tell Wynonna not to answer it, Wynonna was already opening the door.
“Haughtshit! Good to see ya. She’s mulling over what to wear back there so come in, make yourself at home. Want a beer?”
“No thanks, Wynonna.” Nicole said as she came in, all dapper and nice in her suit and tie, just like J.T. “I’m driving.”
“Good answer, Haughtstuff. Good answer.” Wynonna turned towards the hallway and yelled, “Babygirl! Your Haught date is here!”
Waverly exited her room and walked down the hallway to Nicole as the redhead watched and dropped her jaw to the floor. She quickly recovered, closing her mouth and clearing her throat. “Wow, Waves. You look… stunning.”
Waverly flushed and bent her head slightly. “And you look very handsome yourself. Ready?”
“If you are.” Nicole said, extending her hand to the younger woman. Waverly took the offered hand and the two exited the apartment before Wynonna could say something to the two. Nicole held her hand all the way to the passenger’s side door of her truck and opened the door for Waverly to climb in. Nicole ran around to the other side and hopped into the truck and took off towards her favorite restaurant near the harbor.
As the two were shown to their table and sat down, Waverly said, “You never answered my question.”
“And what question is that?”
“What’s your favorite part about being a firefighter?” Waverly asked.
Nicole smiled and tilted her head. “You want to know what could possibly be so great about it when I run into fire everyday, don’t you?”
Waverly smirked. “Maybe. Maybe I just want to understand you and all the other firefighters of the world better.”
“Well then, I would say my favorite part is right before I run in. When we get the call, a spike of adrenaline runs through my body and when we get to the scene, it amps up. But, nothing is like it when I’m about to run in. Full gear, hose or axe or poke in hand, ready to save lives. Ready to fight a fire. It’s just so… exhilarating.”
“So you’re never scared?” Waverly questioned.
“Sometimes, but most of the time I’m so pumped that I don’t have time to be scared.” Nicole replied. “And what about you? What’s your favorite part of being an EMT?”
“I guess the same as you. Saving people. Though, most of the people I save don’t necessarily deserve it.”
Nicole chuckled. “And why is that?”
“Well, for example, today we got this call to the home of a woman and her 12 year old daughter. The mother’s boyfriend was hitting the mom and the daughter got scared and got her mom’s gun from the cabinet and shot the guy to save her mother. If she hadn’t, the mother wouldn’t have survived. Her injuries were bad and he wasn’t stopping anytime soon. I saw some bruises on the girl too. He had been doing it for god only knows how long and I had to be the one to save the bastard.”
“Did he survive?” Nicole asked softly as she reached for Waverly’s hand and held it in her own.
“Yeah, he did. God, I sound like such an asshole.”
“No you don’t. You sound like a reasonable person with doubts. The fact that you still saved him with that in mind says a lot about you, Waves.” Nicole gave her a small comfort smile and Waverly gave one in return.
“Sorry, it’s just… I love my job, but some people just really wanna push their luck. Sometimes people are so stupid that I want them to suffer a bit just to prove a point.”
“I feel you on that one. This guy set fire to his apartment to get his ex to visit him in the hospital so she would have sympathy for him and take him back. I almost just wanted to leave the guy there.”
Waverly giggled. “God, that is really desperate. How did he even think that was a remotely good idea?” Nicole laughed with Waverly as the two continued to talk throughout the dinner. Afterwards, they went for a walk down the beach, their shoes in hand and Nicole’s jacket over her shoulder as they looked at the moon and the champagne shores.
“Ooo! A shell!” Nicole said as she dropped her jacket and shoes in the sand and went into the water to her ankles and picked up a shell that was colorful and perfect. Like it just knew it was pretty.
“Nicole, watch out for the-” Before Waverly could finish her sentence, a particularly big wave hit Nicoles legs, startling her at the rush of cold water and making her lose her footing, thus falling into the water. Waverly laughed as she set her shoes down and ran in after the redhead, falling as Nicole grabbed her hand and pulled her down with her. The two walked farther out into the sea up to Nicole’s waist and Waverly’s stomach and splashed around, pushing each other under and pushing each other off balance.
Waverly tried to push Nicole over at one point, but was pulled down on top of the taller woman as she wrapped her arms around the smaller woman. The two came up, sputtering for air and laughing from their guts. Nicole’s arms were still around the younger woman’s hips and Waverly’s hands were tangling in Nicole’s soaked red hair.
As their laughs died down, their bodies seeking warmth and gravitating towards one another, Waverly leant up and whispered against Nicole’s lips. “Can I kiss you?” Waverly Earp. Proving consent is sexy since day one.
“Please do.” Nicole sighed as she dropped down to lay her lips firmly on the other woman’s lips, stealing her breath and her heart all in one. The two melted together as the water chilled them and their passion reheated them. Both thought they could stay like this forever as long as they had each other, hypothermia be damned. Sadly, the two did manage to break apart, only to crash together again moments later after getting some oxygen to their brains.
“We have to stop.” Waverly panted in between tongues twisting and teeth biting. “We’re gonna freeze to death.
“And how lovely it will be since you’ll be right here with me.” Nicole claimed as she pressed a few kisses to the brunette’s cheeks and forehead before returning to her lips. Always her lips.
Waverly giggled and pushed Nicole away by her chest. “Come on, Cole. Let’s go to your car and warm up and we can go get fro-yo at the place near my apartment.”
“Mmm, I love it when you say smart things.” Waverly laughed at Nicole and waded out of the water, but not before pushing Nicole in one last time for good measure.
***
When Waverly walked through the door, hair a mess, suit jacket around her shoulders, and dress still dripping a bit, Wynonna turned on a lamp in the pitch dark room and said, “And where were you at this time of night, young lady? Don’t you know what time it is?”
Waverly looked over to the clock and saw that it was 12 in the morning. “No, I did not.” She said simply before walking to her room, closing the door, and sliding down it, a smile plastered on her face and the taste of chocolate frozen yogurt on her lips. She had gotten strawberry.