she's waiting there (for you)
Nicole has never been one to run from a problem.
She’s spent her entire life standing up to bullies and protecting the people she cares about and trying to do the right thing.
She’s not running. She’s walking away.
Because Waverly stormed out and told her not to follow. Because Waverly made it clear in front of everyone else that she didn’t want Nicole around. Because Waverly sent her a message calling her a control freak and telling her to have a nice life.
The thing she wants most in this world is for Waverly to be happy. For a short while, Nicole believed that would happen with her standing by Waverly’s side. But thanks to the fact that she crossed a line, it looks like that’s not an option anymore.
Waverly doesn’t want anything to do with her, and she will respect that. Even if it kills her in the process.
She’s not expecting the knock on her door while she’s nursing her bourbon. She’s expecting to find Wynonna on her front porch even less.
“You never struck me as the type to sit alone in the dark while you lick your wounds, Haughtshot,” Wynonna says with a raised eyebrow as she pushes past Nicole and makes herself comfortable on the couch, helping herself to the open bottle on the coffee table.
“What do you want, Wynonna?” Nicole asks, leaning back against the door. “Are you here to kick my ass?”
Wynonna narrows her eyes. “Do I need to?”
“No.” Nicole sighs, rubbing at her temples. “I suppose you can if you insist, but I already know I fucked up.”
“You did,” Wynonna agrees, and Nicole slides down the door until she’s sitting on the floor. She downs the rest of her glass. “But so did she.”
“What?” Nicole asks, her head snapping up. “No she didn’t. I fucked this up all on my own, and now I have to face the consequences.” Her vision grows blurry through the sting that builds in her eyes. “She doesn’t want me anymore, Wynonna. It’s over.”
Wynonna rolls her eyes and takes a long swig of the bourbon. “And people call me the oblivious one,” she mutters. She pushes off the couch and moves to crouch in front of Nicole. “That girl is ass over teakettle in love with you, Haughtpants.”
“She can’t even stand to be in the same room as me,” Nicole fires back, fighting the sick feeling that’s growing in her gut.
“Well, that’s because she’s an Earp,” Wynonna says matter-of-factly.
“She is an Earp,” Wynonna cuts her off firmly, poking Nicole in the chest. “And if you even think about saying otherwise, I will kick your ass.”
“I would never say that,” Nicole says defensively. “I was only going to say that she won’t talk to me. And she told me not to talk to her.”
“Yeah. Because she’s an Earp.” Wynonna says again. She groans when Nicole only looks at her with a frown, clearly confused. “We’re stubborn, Haught.” She softens a little. “Stubborn to a fault, sometimes. Look, she’s been moping around the house for three days, talking about how she’s ruined everything. She won’t talk to you, because she thinks you don’t want to talk to her anymore after she sent that text.”
“You know about that text?” Nicole asks, wincing.
“Yeah,” Wynonna answers, letting out a low whistle. “Like I said. She’s an Earp.”
Nicole sighs and runs a hand through her hair. “What am I supposed to do, Wynonna?”
“She’s at the homestead right now.” Wynonna reaches out and squeezes Nicole’s shoulder gently. “Go to her, Nicole. She’s waiting there for you.”
