Work Text:
When Nicole came back from patrol, she did not know what to expect, but she was sure did not expect a tackle hug from Waverly. They landed on the floor with a bump.
“Wow, someone have missed me.” Nicole smiled at Waverly. As always, happy to see the youngest Earp
Waverly signed into the embrace. “I may have done something stupid…” She mumbled.
Nicole froze a bit. She looked down on the smaller girl. “What have you done?” Her mind going over all the things that could have happened, but nothing seemed to fit.
Waverly took a deep breath. “I may have told Willa, that I am seeing someone…”
As a response Nicole looked at her weirdly and said. “You know; you have Champ right?” She could not help, but say his name with a little bitterness. Waverly did not seem to notice though.
“No, I don’t have Champ…” Waverly wined. “You know; I broke up with him a week ago… I told you…”
“No, you haven’t…” Nicole was totally confused now. When did that happened?
“Well… now you know…” Waverly said distracted. “But as you can see… I am so in trouble…”
“Why don’t you just say you lied?”
“It’s not that simple…”
“Why?”
“Because then I will not hear the end of it! You know how Willa is.”
That Nicole did. Willa would always try to find a way to get Waverly in trouble. Always be cold and hard. Nicole did not like her because of that. No one should be able to hurt a so wonderful, beautiful… friend. Such a good friend of hers. Friend…
“So what are you going to do?” Nicole asked.
Waverly bit her lip. “Well… that’s where you come into the picture…”
Nicole blinked… and blinked… “What?”
Waverly moved a little bit away, as she moved her hands around nervously. “You know… I don’t have a partner… and you’re the only one I’m spending enough time with for it could be believable… you know? It would be weird to go back to Champ… and just… please?” She begged.
Nicole looked away. Waverly’s words sounded more hurtful than they should. So it was only because she was the only choose. “Wave…” She began.
“Please, Nicole?” Waverly made puppy eyes. “I need you to do this… Please? With sugar on top?”
Nicole signed. She knew, that she could not say no the Waverly, even how much she wanted. “Fine… but only because it is you…”
“Thank you!” Waverly hugged Nicole hard. “You know; I love you right?”
Nicole smiled, but did not answer before she heard Neadly’s voice.
“Hey, Lovebirds. Remember one of you are still working.”
They quickly came up from the floor.
Waverly gave Nicole a small hug and smiled. “Thank you.” Then she disappeared out of the police station.
____
Later that night Waverly sat in her kitchen with her sisters.
“So…” Willa said putting her elbows on the table and her head in her hands. “Can I now know who you are dating?”
Waverly took a sip of her drink. “Do you really have to know, Willa?”
Willa nodded her head. “Yeah… I know it is not Champ, but I just can’t see who it could be other than that…”
Wynonna looked between her sisters. “Waverly, you don’t have to say anything, if you don’t want to.”
Waverly shook her head. “No, it’s okay… I want to tell you… both of you actually…” She moved a bit.
“Then go on.” Willa hurried.
“Willa…” Wynonna started, but Waverly interrupted.
“It’s Nicole… I am dating Nicole.”
There became quite a second. If you listen closely you would hear the soft wind from outside.
“Nicole? As Nicole-Nicole? Nicole Haught? Officer Haught? Haughtsho- “
“Okay, we get it, Wynonna.” Willa said hard. Then she looked at Waverly. Closely. “You date her?”
Waverly signed. “It just felt… right…” She looked at her two sisters with a little smile. “Don’t hate me…”
Wynonna quickly hugged her. “We would never hate y- “
“Prove it.” The two younger Earps looked at the oldest. “I said, prove it. Invite her to dinner here tomorrow.”
“Fine.” Waverly said a little hurt and a little hard. “I will do that. Now if you will have me excused.” She said the last as she went up to her room.
Wynonna smiled as she went out the door. Out to meet a friend of hers.
____
Nicole looked up from her paper work as Wynonna came in with a smile.
“I didn’t know you finally had the balls to tell her, Haughtshot.” Wynonna went to sit on Nicole’s desk.
Nicole looked down and said quietly. “I didn’t…”
Wynonna looked at her still with a smile. “So she told you? That’s awe- “
“Not that either…” Nicole looked at Wynonna with sad eyes. “We are faking it…”
“What?”
“Waverly just needs a fake relationship to show off to Willa… she doesn’t and will not ever see me as more than a friend.”
Wynonna looked at Nicole with sadness. How two of the smartest people she knew, not could see the feelings they had for each other, was a mystery.
“Tomorrow you are invited to dinner so there you can say it. I’m sure she feels the same.”
Nicole smiled soft, but did not want to set her hopes high.
“I will tell her tomorrow.” She tapped on the paper.” But for now I have paperwork to do.”
Wynonna smiled and hopped up the table.
“See you.”
____
Nicole knocked on the door and it opened up almost immediately… be Willa
“Nicole, glad to see you make it.” Willa said challenging.
“Hey, Nicole.” Wynonna said. “Just on time.”
Nicole smiled at her, but her focus soon fell on the last Earp.
“Wave…” She smiled as Waverly gave her one of her special hugs.
“Nicole…” Waverly said as she took one of Nicole’s hands and pulled her inside. “Let’s go inside before dinner gets cold.”
____
The dinner went more awkward than any of them expected. No one really said anything, but Willa who asked a lot of questions about the new relationship. Nicole answered them as truthfully as she could.
“So… Nicole.” Nicole signed. It really was like a job interview and not a dinner. “Do you love my sister.”
That question took everyone by surprise, but Nicole came quickly out of the daze.
“Yes…” She looked at Waverly with loving eyes. “With all my heart…”
____
“Waverly…” Willa stated as when Nicole had gone home. “I’m sorry, I did not believe in you. I can now see how much you care for each other.”
Waverly smiled at her sister. “It is okay. I am sure it is not every day you hear you sister is in love with a girl.”
“In love?” Willa asked and Waverly froze. Shit, she did not mean to say that out loud.
“Yeah… I mean she is my girlfriend after all… you know…” She tried to play it of as she was meant to say it.
Willa nodded. “I know… she is actually a pretty cool chick… you should invite her over again soon.”
Waverly smiled. “I will… soon.” She promised.
____
“Nicole! What the hell?!” Nicole cringed as her Wynonna’s voice trough the phone.
“I’m sorry, but I just couldn’t. Not after I all those questions. I panicked.”
“You are a cop, Haughtshot. You should not panic like that.”
“This is different, Wynonna… This is her we are taking about…”
She could hear Wynonna sign.
“Fine, but you have to tell her soon or I will do it for you.”
“I will, Wynonna. I will… just not right now.”
“Soon though, Haught, soon.”
“Goodnight, Wynonna.”
“Goodnight, Nicole.”
____
Nicole was just about to lay down her bed when her phone made a sound. A message from Waverly
(23:03)
To Nicole
Hey Nicole
You were awesome today :)
You have to come soon again.
After all we have to keep our cover up.
- Waverly
(23:04)
To Waverly
Sure Wave :) Anything for you
- Nicole
Nicole smiled, but still felt a little empty. It hurt not to tell Nicole about her feelings, but a Waverly as a fake-girlfriend was better than no Waverly at all.
What she did not know was that across in city, lay another girl thinking, about why she is not brave enough, to go after the girl she wants. But after all. All she would ever get Nicole to be is her Fake-girlfriend… after all… Nicole would never see her as more than a friend… would she? No, she was just sweet enough to go with her plan. At least she gets to know how it feels to be Nicole’s for a couple more weeks…