Chapter Text
“Meet us at the homestead, we can talk in the barn.” Nicole was all business as she picked Wyn up from her stroller and began loading her into the van.
Kevin motioned to the now-empty parking lot, “Um…can I get a ride?”
“No.” Was all Nicole replied as she moved on to loading Kate. “You got yourself here, you can get yourself there. I don’t want you in the same car as my children.”
“Damn Red, that’s harsh…I love this side of you.” Wynonna quipped as she brushed by Kevin flipped them a double bird and got into her car. They both pulled out of the lot, leaving Kevin alone, and never looked back.
“Mom…who was that?” Gus queried, “They looked so familiar. I know them.”
“That was just someone we know from a long time ago.”
“A friend?”
“Definitely not a friend. You don’t know them. We knew them from before you were born.”
“I do know them, Mommy. I saw them at Aunt Wynonna’s house once. Back when you and Uncle Doc were gone, before our house got reee-no…ree…fixed up nice.”
“Renovated,” Waverly provided, “You saw them? Are you sure?”
“Yup. Alice and I both saw them but then we got really sleepy and when we woke up we decided to make you and Aunt Wynonna breakfast. Remember?”
“I sure do Gus. I remember that morning like it was yesterday.”
Waverly looked ominously at Nicole who was clenching her jaw, angry at this revelation. Waverly had spoken to Nicole about their children’s well-being after Terrance Hanley and his demon thugs attacked their home. They discussed their apparent lack of memory of the events of that day. It was a relief but also a curiosity. Now they knew. Kevin was in their home. In the bedroom with Waverly and Wynonna while they slept huddled together, while Nicole and Doc healed on the stairs.
“Nicole, are you thinking what I am thinking?”
“I am and I am going to kill Kevin.”
“Nicole, I get it but...”
“No Waverly, no ‘buts,’ Kevin snuck into the house as you slept and messed with our children’s minds. I am going to kill them!”
“We can’t kill them.”
“Why not? Who knows what that could have done to their minds…one mistake and they maybe forget way more than that day. One mistake and they don’t know us…don’t know each other…don’t know themselves. Like fucking Julian. Trapped forever in some endless fog.”
Waverly took Nicole’s hand and began stroking small, calming circles on her palm, “Let’s just get home and get the kids settled, we can have a drink and calm ourselves down a little. Then we can talk about how to handle Kevin.”
Nicole could see the lights from the garage and the outline of Wynonna pacing the room through the window of the barn. Waverly had just put the finishing touches on the snack table she set up in the living room for Gus and Alice as they watched a movie.
Nicole barely noticed Waverly’s presence until she pushed her way in front of her and wrapped her in a big hug.
“Sheriff Haught, you need to give me some attention right this second.”
Nicole couldn't help the small smile that immediately formed on her lips. Only Waverly could get her to smile at this moment.
“Right, of course. Anything for you Mrs. Haught,” Nicole replied as she tightened her grip on her wife.
“This is going to be ok you know? I understand your anger but our kids are fine and I, for one, am glad they don’t remember that day. I think maybe Kevin was trying to do the right thing.”
A furrow immediately formed on Nicole’s brow as she separated herself from Waverly’s arms.
“Waverly, I love you. I love you so much and in so many ways but please-please promise me you will never trust Kevin or let yourself believe that anything they do is for us. Kevin works for forces we don’t even understand. There is nothing good about any of it. I don’t like any of this. Something is up and if Kevin is here it likely means we are in danger.”
She could tell she upset her wife so she did her best to smile as she gently brushed her fingers through Waverly’s hair.
“Hey, If there is one thing I know for sure it’s that whatever this is about, we will be ok. We will face it together and we will be ok.”
“Why don’t you head out there and see if you can calm your sister down enough to have a productive meeting? I’m gonna run up and grab the baby monitor, I will be out in a sec.”
“Ok, but don’t be long, I don’t want to be alone out there when Wynonna and Doc find out Kevin mind-wiped their daughter.”
Nicole pulled a notepad and pen out of the drawer of her bedside table. She opened the notebook to the first blank page and began to write. With each word, she felt her heart rate increase. She was tired of being a slave to the Garden and she was tired of Kevin and their “organization” ruling her life and the lives of her family.
All her life has been about what other people want, what other people need and she has been happy with that…until now. She put her pen down and smiled slyly. She pulled the sheet out of the pad, folded it, and put it in her back pocket.
Nicole Haught had her OWN list of demands.
When Nicole entered the barn she forced herself to smile at Waverly who had her hands full. Wynonna and Doc both had pistols drawn and aimed directly at Kevin who, to her credit, seemed non-plussed.
“I see you found out about the little middle-of-the-night visit that was paid upon our children,” Nicole said in the direction of her sister and brother-in-law.
“Do you want to talk some reason into these two? Your wife doesn’t seem to have an answer.” Kevin said as they gestured to Nicole.
“I suspect my wife has an answer…it just so happens that the answer is to watch as Wynonna puts you down.”
“Stop, we all know that isn’t possible. That gun has no interest in me, if it did it would be all fiery and angry,” Kevin replied dismissively.
“Peacemaker may not be up to the task but I have two pistols right here that don’t ask questions,” Doc moved forward until his pistols were inches away from Kevin’s head.
The new proximity made Kevin uncomfortable and Nicole let herself revel in the sight before finally speaking up.
“Ok-enough. Doc, I know exactly how you feel. I’m pissed as hell about it too. The fact is it’s done and our kids are ok. We all know Kevin wouldn’t be here if there wasn’t something that needs saying. How about we table this particular discussion until we know exactly what that is.”
Doc didn’t move. He stood there with Kevin in his sights, hands steady and eyes intent. It wasn’t until Wynonna spoke that he looked away.
“Doc, the truth is I am thankful for what Kevin did that night. Our daughter doesn’t remember you practically dying in my arms. I am glad she doesn’t see that image in her head every night and day because I do. I see that image and if I could forget it…if someone could make me forget it I would let them. I would beg them to. Put your guns down Doc, let’s hear what they have to say.”
Doc softened with every word his wife spoke until finally his pistols were holstered. He looked to Wynonna and smiled, “Wynonna Earp-Holiday you never stop surprising me. I suppose this matter can wait for a while,” he looked back to Kevin, “But we will return to it. Of that you can be sure.”
The bones of the meeting started just as Nicole suspected it would. Kevin was here with an assignment. Eve was that assignment. What Nicole hadn’t expected was the seriousness of the job.
“So you are telling me that you want me to leave the triangle alone and hunt down the most dangerous person on Earth and then kill her?” Nicole recapped.
“No…no…Eve is no human. I am telling you we need you to hunt down the most dangerous ‘being’ on Earth…maybe even beyond Earth,” Kevin rebutted.
“Oh yeah…my bad. I guess my first question, of many, is why? Why me? I find it hard to believe I am most suited for the task.”
“It has to be you Nicole because Doc Holiday kicked Eve out of the garden on your watch. This is a mess made under your guard and only you can fix it.”
Everyone looked over to Doc who sunk in his chair, “To be fair, I did not know who she was or that anyone could leave that Holy Hell of a place. I was merely doing my best to keep her from disturbing Wynonna’s business with Waverly.”
Waverly smiled at Doc, “It’s ok Doc, you had no way of knowing. I will always be thankful that you risked your life to be with me in the Garden. I don’t think I would have survived it if you hadn’t.”
“And I would do it again my dear Waverly.” Doc replied with a smile and a wink.
Wynonna interrupts the moment with a fake gag, “Ugh, enough with the sap show. I am interested in getting to the part where we tell Kevin to go fuck herself. Is anyone else taking issue with the idea of sending Haught pants here into the lair of pure evil all by her lonesome?”
“I second that and I invoke my privilege as Nicole’s wife to unequivocally refuse this ‘assignment’ slash suicide mission. If that’s all you came here to tell us then this meeting is over.” Waverly’s voice is several octaves higher than usual which means she means business and she animatedly points to the the door as if to show Kevin out.
“Waverly,” Nicole says softly, “I think we need to consider some things before we make up our minds. Take a little time to think…”
“Seriously Nicole? No…we don’t need time. I had plenty of time to think while you were dying in the hospital after your first fight on the stairs. We talked about this…after that when you came home. No one, and I mean NO ONE does any of this alone. Forget the fact that you would be somewhere else entirely…we don’t even know where…”
Nicole turned to Kevin, “Do we know where?”
“We do. Eve is in New York City.”
Doc lets out a huff, “Sounds a little on the nose for the most terrifying being on earth, doesn’t it? Eve, who was tempted with an apple now resides in the city referred to as the Big Apple. I expected more.”
Wynonna looks at Doc, bewildered at how he even knew of New York’s nickname then returns her glare to Kevin. “I still don’t understand why you or your people don’t just go handle this. I’m not buying this whole Nicole’s watch bullshit.”
Kevin rolls their eyes, “ I have told you many times that we cannot interfere in earthly matters. We can only set things in motion, start processes.”
“So what would you call mind wiping our children then? How is that not interfering?” Doc asks, still unable to put the thought from his mind.
“I asked for permission to do that. It was my idea. In a brief moment of weakness, I felt sorry for you all and I felt that your children had suffered enough. No child should see what they saw that day. I thought I was doing the right thing but I can undo it if you…”
Nicole stepped to Kevin until they were face to face, “You will NEVER come near my kids or my niece again. Do you understand me? Not EVER! And as far as this assignment or task goes, I have more questions.”
Kevin nods to acknowledge Nicole’s demand regarding the children then shrugs, “Well, then, ask me more questions.”
Nicole continued, “Do I have to kill her? Why can’t I just return her to the garden?”
“Because there will always be another Doc Holliday,” Kevin replies.
“Excuse me? I assure you there is only one Doc Holliday,” Doc contends.
“Amen to that!” Wynonna replies with a wink.
“Why thank you darlin’,” Doc smiles back and they share a moment born of years of love.
Kevin grimaces at the show of emotion, “I meant there will always be someone who comes around and frees her whether it be by accident or on purpose. My superiors have decided they no longer want to risk it.”
Nicole returns to Waverly’s side, “How is it that I am supposed to kill this thing? Will I be armed or am I supposed to show up with my tits in my hands?
“You are the Shield Nicole, you are the only one who can kill her and you have powers, you have felt them on the stairs. They will all go with you. The strength, some healing powers, and some increase in your senses but you will have to learn how to use that…so far it’s been your weakest skill.”
“Maybe that’s because I didn’t know it was even possible. I don’t know much, do I? You and yours see to that. What about weapons?”
“You will be armed, your shield and sword will be with you.”
“That’s gonna be hard to get past customs,” Wynonna scoffs.
“To be summoned when needed, they will be hers when she needs them, when she calls for them they will appear.”
“So you are saying I will be fighting the most powerful and evil being on earth with a shield and sword…in New York City… that’s…”
“Insane,” Waverly interjects, “It’s insane and it’s not happening. No fucking way Nicole.”
Nicole walks over to the window and looks out over the homestead. She can see the soft light from the living room of their home where Gus and Alice are watching a movie. She pulls the baby monitor from her pocket and listens for a moment to the sound of the twins softly breathing as they sleep then walks back to the table where Waverly is sitting and puts the monitor down in front of her.
“How will I know it’s her?”
“Oh, you will know.” Kevin replies with half a laugh.
Nicole pulls the letter from her back pocket and turns to hand it to Kevin.
“This is a list of things I need from you…”
“We don’t do lists of demands.”
“Ok, then you can leave.”
Kevin balks for a moment but relents and takes the paper from Nicole’s hand. As she peruses its contents Nicole heads to the door and opens it to leave but hesitates for a moment.
“If your organization can make that list happen…I am in.”