It was an unusually quiet day at the Purgatory Police Department as Sheriff Nicole Haught stood leaning on the front desk of the precinct. Waverly was out with Wynonna on a revenant hunt and Nicole was bored. She was the sheriff now which meant a lot of paperwork. She didn't mind the work, Nicole loved responsibility, but usually her day was broken up more with working actual cases. She sighed deeply and ran her fingers through her soft, bright red hair as she continued to comb over her files.
After a reading the same form for the twentieth time, Nicole saw someone walking toward her. Thank goodness. It was a woman. Nicole didn't recognize her, which was odd in a small town like Purgatory. The woman wore black combat boots, red leather pants, and a black v-neck under a faded denim jacket. Her pixie haircut was dark brown and had swooping bangs. The look suited her. She had soft, feminine facial features as well as a jawline that could slice an apple. She looked effortless and very chill.
"Can I help you with something?" Nicole asked the woman.
"Yeah, I was actually hoping you could help me find someone," she said, propping her elbows on the front desk, her hands clasped in front of her. "In a non-creepy, totally-not-a-stalker way," the woman added with a smile. "We're good friends."
"We normally don't give out that kind of information…" Nicole started.
The stranger looked across to Nicole with pleading eyes. "It's just that I met this girl a bit ago while I was backpacking in Europe and she said she was from here. We lost touch after she had to come back home, but she'd said to look her up if I ever went to Purgatory, and here I am. You don't have to give me her address or anything, just let me know if she's in town and I'll figure something out."
Nicole was intrigued. "So, you guys got pretty close, huh?"
"It was definitely a special friendship…" she trailed off, getting lost in her memories, a slight blush arising on her cheeks.
"Fine," Nicole said, giving in. She was happy to have a slight distraction from the boredom. "If you give me her name, I might be able to tell you if she's in town. Maybe."
"Hmm?" the woman asked, still distracted by her own thoughts.
"Name," Nicole said.
"Sam Archer."
Nicole thought she recognized the name, but she racked her brain and couldn't remember where from. "Sorry," she said, "I don't think there's a Sam Archer in Purgatory."
"OH. You meant her name. Whoops. Sam Archer is me. Is I? I am Sam Archer," she laughed, reaching her hand out to shake Nicole's.
Nicole chuckled. "Nicole Haught," she responded.
"My friend's name is Wynonna. Wynonna Earp," stated Sam. "Do you know her?"
"Wynonna? Yeah, we're friends. And I'm dating her sister," Nicole responded proudly.
"Wynonna's friends with a cop? That's a little surprising," Sam laughed. "No offense."
Nicole, a little offended, added, "Actually, she works here, too. You might be able to catch her when she comes back from working on a case, if you don't mind waiting a bit."
"Get the F outta town, Wynonna's working with cops? Times have definitely changed. She told me how horrible everyone from here, including the cops, was to her before she went to Greece," Sam said, shaking her head.
Greece. Suddenly Nicole remembered where she'd heard the woman's name before. One night after Waverly had gone to bed, Nicole got up to get a glass of water. Wynonna was sitting at the kitchen table with a half empty bottle of whiskey, looking down in the dumps. "What's up?" Nicole had asked. "Just thinkin' 'bout Greece," Wynonna mumbled. She then proceeded to drunkenly spill her guts to Nicole about her time in Greece. She spoke about how her best memories were from after making a new friend – Sam Archer. Wynonna had told her about how much fun Sam was and that Sam really "got" her. She had said that her friendship with Sam was unlike any she'd had before. At the time, even though Wynonna never said specifically that she'd had romantic feelings for this "Sam", Nicole thought it was obvious by the way she was reminiscing. Nicole just assumed Sam was short for Samuel, not Samantha. HOLY. SHIT. Did Wynonna have feelings for a woman? This was incredible.
Trying to stifle her excitement, Nicole finally said, "Well, she should be back soon." Her eyes were wide as she processed this new development, consciously trying to keep her cool. Just then Nicole heard Wynonna coming up hallway. "Earp!" she shouted. "You got an old friend here who wants to see you!"
"Yeah, right!" she laughed. "I hardly have new friends, let alone old…" Wynonna paused as she came through the door. Those red pants – she recognized them. The curvature of the body that wore them was familiar in a way that made Wynonna's heart beat faster in her chest. It couldn't be her, could it? Sam turned around to face Wynonna. She leaned back with her elbows rested behind her on the desktop, pushing forward the cleavage that peaked over her v-neck. The sight of this stirred something deep inside Wynonna. Damn.
"Hey, trouble," Sam said flirtatiously.
"Holy shit," said a bewildered Wynonna. "Holy effing shit!" she exclaimed again, this time while walking toward Sam. The two embraced tightly. "I can't believe you're here. In Purgatory! I…I missed you," Wynonna managed to say, choking back a tear. She hadn't seen or heard from Sam in over a year, and yet being entwined with her felt so natural and comforting.
"I missed you, too."
Wynonna felt Nicole watching them so she pulled away, her hands instinctively resting on Sam's hips for a second before completely breaking the hug. "So…" Wynonna cleared her throat and stepped back. "What are you doing here?" She tried to subtly check Sam out – she looked good, even better than in Greece, perhaps.
"Oh you know me, just drifting around," she said. She slid her thumbs through her front belt loops and rocked back and forth on her heels. "Just felt like seeing my old roomie. If that's okay."
Nicole was LOVING this. She sat behind the desk, pretending to do work.
"Yeah, of course," Wynonna assured her. "I told you to look me up." The two smiled at each other, Wynonna willed herself not to blush.
Wynonna felt a bit awkward standing in their tension. Nicole peering over her computer every two seconds didn't help. She didn't know how to act with Sam. She knew how she wanted to act, but it had been so long, could they really pick up where they left off?
Before she could think any more on the subject, Waverly walked in. "You ready to go back out there, Wynonna?" she asked.
"Yeah, I'll meet you at the truck, baby girl," she responded.
"Okie dokie!" Waverly said with a smile and wave to Nicole.
"Shit," said Wynonna. "I have to go back to work for a bit. Do you mind if we catch up later?"
"Sure," Sam responded, stepping closer. "I'm staying in the motel. Room 32." She brushed a strand of Wynonna's hair out of her face. The touch sent a shiver down her spine.
"I'll bring the whiskey," Wynonna offered.
"Ugh, you know what I like," Sam said jokingly with a bite of her lower lip.
"Yeah, I do," Wynonna responded smoothly, not able to help herself. Their banter felt easy and familiar. She looked up into Sam's eyes. "I'm glad you're here."
"Me, too," said Sam in an almost whisper before she walked away. She turned back before she got to the door. "I'll see you later, Earp," she said with a grin.
Wynonna lifted her hand in a wave. She waited until she knew Sam was completely gone before she turned to Nicole, who was about to burst. She raised an eyebrow at Wynonna.
"Shut up, Haught. And don't say anything to Waverly."
"That's not my place," Nicole said genuinely. She couldn't keep from reacting any longer and a playful grin began to spread on her face.
"Stop being so…you about this." Wynonna rolled her eyes and started to leave. "You know nothing!" she shouted walking down the hallway.
Wynonna's mind wandered as she and her sister staked out a possible revenant hideout. It was great to see Sam again. Despite the length of time since they'd last spoken, Wynonna was brought right back to how she felt in Greece over a year ago:
Wynonna had been in Greece for quite some time, mostly centered in Athens. She had a part time bartending gig so she could afford food and to stay in a halfway decent hostel. Her hostel was a few blocks away from the bar where she worked, which was pretty much the Greece-equivalent of Shorty's. Nothing of real significance had happened to Wynonna since she'd been in Greece, and she didn't mind that. She went to Greece to get away from the craziness of her life in Purgatory. One night, however, something significant did happen – Sam walked into her bar.
The night was hot and humid, providing no relief from the heat earlier that summer day. Wynonna worked behind the bar, her hair piled on her head in a messy bun. She held a rag in her hand and started wiping down the bar. A few people wandered into the bar to escape the heat, none of whom caught Wynonna's attention until Sam walked in. Wynonna recognized her as her new roommate in the hostel. They'd only briefly crossed paths, but Wynonna was pretty sure she spoke English. Despite the boiling temperatures, Sam wore a pair of tight red leather pants. Wynonna admired her commitment to the pants - they looked good on her…incredible, actually. But with temperatures this high Wynonna couldn't help but think of how much effort it must've taken to get into them (see Ross in F.R.I.E.N.D.S.). Wynonna was no stranger to leather pants - she knew that pain.
Sam sat down at the bar, one bead of sweat sliding from her hair down her temple.
"Hey, you're my roommate, right?" Sam asked, noticing Wynonna.
Wynonna nodded and stuck out her hand. "Wynonna Earp," she said.
"Sam Archer."
"Hot enough for ya?" Wynonna joked, gesturing to the pants. "Those must've been a bitch to put on."
Sam laughed. "Yeah, but worth it, right?" She smiled at Wynonna. "Definitely easier to take off," she continued, "but you can still help me with that if you want." A mischievous smile spread across her face.
"Uhhh," Wynonna felt her face getting red. Was she hitting on her?
"Kidding, of course," said Sam with a wink that made Wynonna wonder if she was in fact, not kidding.
Wynonna chuckled. Even if Sam was hitting on her, she seemed like good people. Her sense of humour was definitely up to Wynonna's standards and her presence was somehow comfortable. "What'll it be, then?" she asked, throwing her rag over her shoulder.
"Whiskey," Sam said. "Middle shelf."
"Ah, a woman after my own heart." Wynonna pulled down a bottle of whiskey from the shelf behind her and poured them both a drink. "To mediocre booze in a mediocre bar," she toasted.
"Opa!" Sam responded as they clinked glasses. Both downed their drinks. The two women talked until closing, occasionally interrupted by other bar patrons wanting to settle their bills. Their conversation felt easy, like they'd known each other a lifetime. Wynonna had never felt this at ease with a female her age before. All the girls back home in Purgatory were judgy jerk faces. Sam was cool. She liked Sam.
After Wynonna's shift was over, the two walked back to the hostel together. Sam was a bit more than slightly tipsy, so Wynonna put her arm around Sam's back to keep her steady. Wynonna cupped her hand around Sam's waist and found herself admiring Sam's body. She liked the way it felt to touch her – this thought startled Wynonna and so she quickly decided to ignore it.
When they got in the door to their room Sam immediately kicked off her shoes and unbuttoned her pants. "Pants be gone!" she yelled a little too loud. Wynonna laughed and turned her back to give her some privacy. She could hear a lot of movement and some muttered swear words. After about thirty seconds of this Sam said, "Uhh…so funny story. I am going to have to get you to help me take these off. Pleeeease." Wynonna turned around to see her new friend sprawled out on her twin bed, red leather pants rolled down to her upper thighs – and stuck there.
"Help meeee," Sam laughed. "My arms are too weak because alcohol."
Wynonna thought she looked pretty pathetic, but it was also pretty cute. She walked over and grabbed a hold of the top of the pants. "Alright," she said, "let's do this." She proceeded to peel off the pants. In Sam's defence, it took more effort than Wynonna had imagined it would.
Sam gave an exaggerated sigh of relief. "Ahhhhh, thanks, roomie. You're one of the good ones." She crawled under her sheet, not bothering to put anything on over her underwear or change from the t-shirt she'd worn that day. She turned over on her side, facing the wall away from Wynonna, unaware that her ass-cheeks were now poking out from under the sheet.
Wynonna shook her head and smiled with a slight roll of her eyes. This girl was a hot mess. She got ready for bed and wasn't even bothered by her new roommate's staggered snoring. Wynonna fell asleep that night with a smile on her face, thankful that she'd met Sam.
Over the next several weeks the two women were inseparable. Wynonna had never had such a close female friendship before so it felt a little foreign. It was not how she had thought it would be. The two of them could do anything or nothing and it was all Wynonna wanted. She felt happier than she had in a long time. Sam was funny, but not at Wynonna's expense; she made Wynonna feel good about herself. Sam was so beautiful that Wynonna caught herself staring at her eyes…and her lips. They looked so soft. Wynonna told herself that these were glances of admiration and nothing more.
Sam and Wynonna decided to be cliché tourists for a day and rented mopeds to explore the city. They both looked like dorks in the helmets, but Wynonna elected to not care about that; Sam was so carefree about it all that it seemed like a waste to not enjoy the moment. They stopped at a boutique that had jewelry outside. Sam placed her hand on Wynonna's lower back as they inspected the tables of necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. Her touch made Wynonna's heart race. What was happening? Did she have…feelings? For Sam? Wynonna quickly pushed the thought away - the thought she'd had multiple times since she'd met Sam. She bought a necklace so that they could leave. They were friends. This friendship was something she needed. She couldn't ruin it with stupid feelings.
That night the girls sat on the floor of their hostel room sharing a bottle of the good whiskey that Wynonna had "borrowed" from work. Wynonna had been a bit distracted because she'd gotten an email earlier from her uncle, Curtis, that had her somewhat worried. But being alone with Sam drew her attention. They sat next to each other in opposite directions with legs straight out, their outer thighs touching just below their hips. Wynonna was hyperaware of this body contact - it made her nervous and excited at the same time. Both of them leaned back onto their palms.
They had been talking and drinking for only a few minutes when Sam said, "Tell me a secret."
Wynonna took a drink. She had some extreme trust issues, but for some reason she trusted Sam almost more than anyone. She had already told her about her life in Purgatory - how she'd lost both of her parents in one way or another at a young age, and how she'd been sent away to a psychiatric facility. She told her all about the juvie stints, the string of foster homes, and the assholes in her town determined to make her feel like shit. Sam had been very supportive in hearing all of this baggage, even shedding a few tears over Wynonna's past struggles and offering to "punch them in their stupid faces".
Screw it. Wynonna was all in. She spilled the dirty details of her family history and Purgatory's secrets – revenants, Wyatt Earp, Peacemaker, the whole deal. Wynonna had been told she was crazy her whole life for believing this stuff. She'd even tried to convince Waverly to let it all go so that she could be protected from the judgment. Sam looked amused at first, but as Wynonna went on she could tell she was serious. Sam trusted Wynonna, too. If Wynonna believed all she was revealing to Sam, then Sam trusted that it was her truth, no matter how bonkers it sounded.
"There," Wynonna said, taking another drink. "I'm cursed. Does that…freak you out?"
Sam took the bottle from Wynonna and paused to think. "Honestly? No," she responded. "I think you're the bravest person I've ever met."
Wynonna blushed slightly and looked away. She was surprised by Sam's reaction, but also very relieved. As much as she'd hoped Sam wouldn't judge her, Wynonna's past had made her sure of one thing - that everyone would eventually hurt her. Wynonna had a difficult time even believing she was worthy of a friend like Sam. She had found someone who accepted her for who she was – crazy and all.
"Okay," Wynonna said. "Now you tell me a secret."
"Kay, here goes," Sam said, sitting up straighter and looking into Wynonna's eyes. "I think you're incredible and I'm seriously into you." She took a drink. "Does that freak you out?"
Wynonna thought for a second. She thought about how natural everything felt with Sam and how safe Sam made her feel. Nothing in Wynonna`s life ever came this easy. That idea was unsettling, and yet Wynonna still wanted Sam in her life, whatever may come.
"Yes," Wynonna answered honestly as she leaned in to kiss Sam. She was right about Sam's lips – they were really soft. Wynonna pulled away from the kiss and looked at Sam.
"Are you okay?" Sam asked.
Wynonna answered honestly again, "Yes." Sam bit her lower lip and gave Wynonna a look that encouraged her to continue. Wynonna moved over slightly so that she was now sitting on Sam's lap. Wynonna wrapped her legs around Sam's back and grabbed her face with both hands. As she kissed her again she felt Sam's arms wrap around her back and hold her tight. Nothing had ever felt more right to Wynonna than this moment.
Over the next few days their relationship became even more intimate. Wynonna had never slept with a woman before, but sex with Sam felt instinctive and honest (not to mention freaking incredible). She had never dated someone who made her feel so understood and appreciated. Was this it? Could she be…happy?
This thought had barely even begun marinating in her brain when the almighty arm of Reality came down upon Wynonna with a backhand to the face. She checked her email again; Uncle Curtis died.
Those revenant fuckers.
Wynonna agonized over what she should do. She wanted to stay in Greece, with Sam, to stay away from the crazy. But this was her destiny. She knew she'd been delusional thinking she could ever get what she wanted. The universe had a different plan in mind for her. Oddly enough, it was the time she spent with Sam that had instilled in her the courage to leave Sam and go back home.
Sam didn't blame Wynonna for going. She admired Wynonna's bravery - it was one of the reasons she'd fallen for her. They'd only known each other for the summer and Wynonna's life was about to get really complicated, so the pair decided that long distance wasn't a good idea. Why ruin something great by letting it play out to an inevitably heartbreaking end? They wanted all of their memories of each other to be good ones. It didn't make saying goodbye any easier.
Wynonna said goodbye to Sam in their room at the hostel. She didn't want a cheesy airport goodbye with a bunch of other people watching her. They held each other. Wynonna wiped a tear from Sam's face as her own eyes welled up.
"Oh, boy," Wynonna chuckled. "This is rough." She took a deep breath and continued. "I'm really glad I met you."
"I'm going to miss you, Earp. You're one of the good ones," Sam said earnestly. "Don't forget it."
The pair separated and Wynonna grabbed her bags. "If you ever find yourself in Purgatory, look me up," She said.
"Will do," Sam responded with a smile.
Wynonna walked back toward Sam and kissed her like it was the last time she ever would, because she was sure that it was. And then she left.
Wynonna had thought about Sam often when she first got back in Purgatory, but then she met Dolls. And Doc. And things got really complicated. She occasionally felt jealous when she saw Waverly with Nicole; it hurt to be reminded of what she'd had. But now Sam was back out of nowhere and Wynonna couldn't supress the hope that it was somehow part of her fate. That for some reason Sam was a part of her destiny and needed to be in her life. Hope, however, was a dangerous thing in Wynonna's world.
The stakeout with Waverly was a bust. Wynonna drove Waverly back to the precinct.
"Aren't you coming?" Waverly asked her when she didn't get out of the truck. Wynonna had been stressing over seeing Sam again all night, but she knew she wanted to be with her. She looked at Waverly - unable, or unwilling, to keep a secret from her.
"Uhhhhh…nope." She said nervously. Wynonna sighed and blurted out as fast as she could, "I'mGonnaGoHangOutWithMyLesbianLoverFromGreece." Waverly looked stunned. "Mmkay, bye, baby girl!" Wynonna added right before driving off.
"Wait, WHAT?!" Waverly called after her.
Wynonna drove up to the motel where Sam was staying. She was nervous that things wouldn't be the same as they once were - that the memories would be the best part of what they had together. Wynonna was also nervous because she knew as soon as she saw Sam in the precinct that she still had a hold on her. So much had happened since she'd last seen Sam, what if it was too much? What if Sam could no longer accept her? Wynonna wondered if anyone ever could.
Wynonna walked up to Sam's room and knocked on the door. She took one last deep breath to regain some composure. She knew what she wanted to happen that night, but she lowered her expectations just in case. Sam opened the door wearing pyjama shorts and a t-shirt. She had a spoon in her mouth and a jar of Nutella in her hand. She stuck the spoon back in the jar and smiled at Wynonna the way she had done a thousand times before. That smile eased any and all worries Wynonna had.
"Get in here," she said to Wynonna. The pair hugged and Wynonna sunk into Sam's body. They walked over and sat on Sam's bed.
"First thing's first," Sam said seriously. "Let's not act like strangers, okay?" Wynonna nodded, smiling. She could feel herself relaxing into their old rapport. "We're still us. Get comfy. I want to hear all about what's been going on with you and your adventurous life here in Purgatory." Sam sat at the head of the bed with a pillow behind her back. She patted the bed next to her. Wynonna snuggled in right beside Sam and leaned back on her. Sam instinctively wrapped her arms around Wynonna's waist and then pulled away, remembering how long it'd been.
"Sorry," she said. "I know it's been a long time. I don't want to assume everything can just go back to the way it was."
Wynonna pulled Sam's arms back around her. "No," she said, smiling up at Sam. "This is good."
Wynonna opened up about everything that had happened since Greece. It scared her how easy it was to be vulnerable with Sam. Sam, while not entirely impressed with the Doc situation, was just as understanding as ever. Wynonna told Sam about Alice. Wynonna couldn't help buy cry and she felt Sam's grip tighten around her.
When she had finished pouring her heart out, Wynonna said, "There. I'm even more damaged than before. And I'm a mom. Does that freak you out?" Wynonna forced herself to look up at Sam, worried about her response.
"Honestly? Not even a little bit," she assured her. Wynonna could feel that it was genuine.
Sam got up off the bed and pulled out her phone. She put on a slow song and offered her hand out to Wynonna. "Dance with me," she said. Wynonna laughed and rolled her eyes. Sam could be such a dork sometimes. She got off the bed and grabbed Sam's hand and put her other hand on Sam's shoulder. Sam placed her free hand on Wynonna's lower back and pulled her close.
"This is dumb," teased Wynonna, but they both knew she loved it. The two women held each other and swayed. Wynonna pulled back a little and looked into Sam's eyes.
"What are you actually doing here?" she asked. "Why now? Why at all?"
"You know me, I've been a drifter my whole life," Sam responded. "I've been all over the world. I realized early in my journeys that I was searching for a home." Sam paused, summoning the courage to continue. "I've been all over the world, Wynonna, and the closest I've felt to being home was when I was with you." She stopped swaying and dropped her hands. "I just wanted to come home."
In that moment Wynonna knew that Sam had just voiced what was in her own heart. The two women kissed as if no time had passed since their last. The embrace felt so right, so perfect. She didn't know what would happen in the future, but maybe, just for a little while, Wynonna could be happy again.