[AN] This story came to me as I was commuting to work one day and I've been itching to explore it some. It didn't work in my usual fandoms, but I realized it would work really well for this one. For those who've been following along with City of Light and Secret Adversary, still working on those too, and I thank you for your patience. For those who are big Wynonna Earp/WayHaught fans, hope I do this universe justice.
Oh the sisters of mercy, they are not departed or gone.
They were waiting for me when I thought that I just can't go on.
And they brought me their comfort and later they brought me this song
Oh I hope you run into them, you who've been traveling so long…
There was a knock at the door, hesitant, as if the person on the other side hoped there would be no answer.
In the kitchen, Nicole Haught paused from the cake she was frosting and frowned. Rowdy hauled himself up from his bed in the living room and trotted over to the door, his long tail wagging in greeting at the familiar scent on the other side of it. She followed him and opened the door to see a crowd of familiar faces standing in front of her house, uniformed officers with hats in their hands as they looked at the ground, or the house, or the distant horizon, all not meeting her gaze. She knew all of them, loved them as family, but now she felt nothing but terror and hatred at the expressions of pity.
Her Uncle, Sheriff Tommy Haught, dropped his hand from where he'd been knocking and looked at her, his normally gruff countenance softened by grief. "Nicky—"
She ducked her head, her knuckles white as she gripped the doorjamb.
"What happened."
It's not a question, not really.
He fiddled with the hat in his hands. "Drunk driver."
"Both of them?"
A pause, then a reluctant nod.
"Did she—" she couldn't continue. Rowdy looked up at her and pressed against her knee, a low whine in his throat.
Her uncle reached out a hand, then dropped it before touching her, knowing her well enough to understand that any touch would not be welcomed. "It was quick, I promise you." He took a deep breath, his voice trembling with his own grief. "She never saw it coming."
The tears started to fall. "Uncle Tommy—"
She found herself on her knees, hands clawing feebly at the painted wood of the porch as her body convulsed with sobs, her throat growing raw as she screamed her despair into the awkward silence. Beside her Tommy sank down heavily, beefy hands resting helplessly on his knees. Rowdy rubbed against her, his doggy brain dimly understanding his owner needed comfort, but Nicole couldn't bring herself to acknowledge him.
"C'mere, boy," Tommy rasped, attempting to pull the dog away from his owner.
Rowdy squirmed away and pressed himself against Nicole once more. After a moment's whimpering, he lifted his head and howled, The sound of his mournful dirge joined his owner's cries, and the heart of every cop standing in the front yard shattered.
The department chaplain held her hand, leathery skin cool over hers as a stream of mourners offered their condolences. It felt like an endless stream of faceless strangers coming at her, and she found herself starting to flinch and tore herself away, mumbling something she hoped sounded apologetic.
"I just need a minute—"
She pushed through surprised mourners and slipped out the closest door she could find, tugging frantically at the button of her dress uniform and gasping for breath. The air outside the church was blissfully quiet and cool against her tear-stained face.
"Nicole."
Her head jerked up in shock and she found herself face to face with her parents. Her father looked uncomfortable and her mother looked stern.
"What are you doing here?" she asked flatly. "It can't possibly be to offer your condolences, considering you once told my wife she was Satan's whore."
Her father flinched but her mother only pressed her lips closer together before responding. "I have come to say that Jesus offers forgiveness to repenters. Your so-called wife tempted you away from God's flock and now God has freed you from her clutches so that—"
Nicole doesn't hesitate to charge down the stairs. "YOU FUCKING BITCH YOU KEEP YOUR MOUTH OFF OF HER—"
Nicole found herself lifted in the air by two big arms and initially fought against it.
"Easy, Nicky," her uncle's voice was soothing against her ear as he hugged her firmly to his chest. "Beth wouldn't want you to do this, honey. Be strong for her."
After a long moment Nicole slumped against him, tears streaming down her face. You're the best, most loving soul in the world, 'Cole, Beth had told her, usually with a kiss on the cheek. And I cherish it, so don't ever change, okay?
Tommy rubbed her back and glared at his fool of a brother and his harpy of a wife. "You should not have come here, Matthew," he growled. "And you should not have brought her." He looked at his sister-in-law with something close to hatred, never able to understand any parent who turned their back on their children for something as silly as who they loved.
"We… We hoped to comfort our daughter in her hour of need with the message of Christ's compassion—"
"Shut. Up." Tommy spit, his arms tightening around Nicole's shoulders. "You can take your damn fool ideas and shove them up your ass."
Nicole guffawed despite herself, and she gave her uncle a kiss before stepping back. "I love you, Uncle Tommy," she murmured fondly.
"You get back on in there, Nicky," he nodded towards the door. "Folks in there are the family that love you."
She nodded and wiped her face, then turned her back on her parents without a second glance. She sees her partner, Eric, waiting in the doorway, and she smiles wanly as he holds the door open for her.
"How dare you!" she heard her mother shout as the door swung shut behind them. "The Lord God said unto Moses, Honor They Mother and Father and yet your encourage her to turn her back—"
With a click, the voices cut off. She gratefully accepted the glass of whiskey another officer pressed in her hand.
"Drink that up, partner," Eric ordered with weary smile. "What's needed now is a proper wake."
Nicole looked back at the door, then shrugged and tossed back the shot. She shuddered at the burn, then held out her glass for a refill. Being sober suddenly seemed like a really bad idea. "You know what, partner? I think you're right."
"First time for everything."
Nicole chuckled softly, then raised her newly refilled glass. A toast. Around her the quiet rumble of many voices faded to silence as everyone turned to watch her.
"To Beth, a damn fine woman far too good for the likes of me." Her hand started to shake, and the tears flowed again. She felt they might not ever leave. With another choked breath, she went on. "And to my son, my baby boy, who I couldn't wait to meet. I wish," she choked back a sob, "I wish I could have known him, but I know he's keeping his mama company up there in Heaven." Her hand clenched the glass tightly, before whispering the prayer learned at her Irish grandmother's knee. "Agus go gcasfar le chéile sinn arís, Bealtaine Dia a shealbhú tú ar an dtearmann a lámh."
Until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of his hand.
The front door flew open with a bang.
"Baby girl, get your gorgeous on, we're celebrating tonight!"
Waverly Earp looked up from the kitchen table with a sigh. She was neck deep in schoolwork she hoped to finish before her work shift started in two hours. "Well, hello to you too Wynonna. What's got you all excited? Did you key the Sheriff's car or something?"
Wynonna unzipped her leather jacket and threw it unceremoniously towards the couch. She missing by several feet and stared at it lying of the floor for a moment, then shrugged and threw her leg over one of the other kitchen chairs. Her long dark hair was tousled and wild over her shoulders and her blue eyes twinkled pure mischief. "Finally picked up our old buddy Ricky Lee. He was within three hours of voiding his bail so Dolls was having two shits and a fit."
Waverly nodded. Xavier Dolls was Wynonna's partner in the bail bonds business, and she could easily imagine the sour expression on his face at the thought they'd have a bail jumper get away. Wynonna leaned back and grabbed a half empty bottle of Jack Daniels from the counter and took a swig before continuing. "Found out his girlfriend had called in sick and did a slick little drive by. Saw him sneaking into her apartment and busted in there just as they were getting it on, which I could totally have gone without seeing, but on the other hand he was more worried about protecting his needle dick than doing something stupid like try to hit me."
Waverly shook her head and grabbed the bottle from Wynonna, taking her own drink.
"Anyway, girlfriend hadn't really understood that by signing for his bail, her collateral was mine unless he came in quietly. She thought she could just hide him out for a while until everything blew over." The eye roll was impressive. "I told her it was either her loser boyfriend or her cherry red Mustang convertible and she practically cuffed him for me."
Waverly handed the bottle back. "And people say romance is dead."
"Right?" Wynonna took one last swallow before standing up. "Come on, let's get some food and find some trouble. On me, since my cut of that recovery is in my pocket."
Waverly groaned. "I've got work tonight, 'Nona, and I'm not done studying for my test."
"Surely I didn't hear my baby sister turning down free food and alcohol." She reached over and started slamming books closed. "I'm sure you could pass any test with your eyes shut, Waves, come on."
Waverly looked down at the spread of textbooks, notepads and post-its she had spent all afternoon hovered over, and conceded she was probably prepared enough. "Okay, dinner, but then I have to go to work." She gave Wynonna a stern look. "Tuition is coming up, and unless you're paying for it, I can't skip shifts."
Wynonna rolled her shoulders with a grimace. "Fine, we will only grab food tonight. Let's go already!"
Waverly pulled on a sweater and tied her back into a loose bun. "Dolls gonna come too?"
"Nah, the stick up his ass is wedged too tight for socializing these days."
"A simple 'no' would have sufficed," Waverly muttered. She carefully locked the door behind them before following Wynonna out to her black and chrome Ford F150 pickup, a purchase courtesy of her recapture fee of a roving mob hitman who had no business being out on bail in the first place, but for whom a large bribe to the presiding judge was suspected.
These days Wynonna took extreme satisfaction in cuffing up her captures and shackling them down in the bed of her truck. She tended to get a lot of raised eyebrows at this from the police officers who processed her captures.
She merely shrugged when the mentioned it.
"What? It's not like I'm going let their sorry asses touch my pretty leather seats!"
A delicious steak dinner and many fingers of whiskey consumed, Wynonna dropped off Waverly at work with fifteen minutes to spare. There was already a line stretching out from the door of Shorty's, and there was some good natured cat calls when Waverly approached the door. She rolled her eyes and ignored them, slinging her bag a little higher on her shoulder. As usual, Doc was lounging on his stool next to the door, checking IDs and listening for the call that meant he needed to eject a troublesome patron.
"How's it looking tonight, Doc?"
He tilted his hat back a bit, rolling his ever present toothpick from one side of his mouth to the other.
"A fine good evening to you, Miss Waverly," he said with a smile. "Our guests have thus far been pleasant and well-mannered individuals, and we have had no unfortunate circumstances."
Waverly grinned. "I'm sure that will change eventually."
"Perhaps." He eyed the line, scanning the waiting club goers with a professional eye. "I suspect I see at least one bachelor party waiting to get in, so if I were a betting man, I'd suggest it might get a little livelier in due time."
"If you were a betting man? Do you not play poker a minimum of twice a week?"
He ducked his head, a ghost of a smile on his lips. "As I may have mentioned, Miss Waverly, it's not betting when I play the holy game of poker. Rather I invest my monies in extremely short term opportunities with an excellent rate of return."
Waverly rolled her eyes and leaned against the door. "Well, whatever it is, please let my sister keep some of her money next time. She didn't stop complaining for days the last time she played you."
He touched the brim of his hat. "I will endeavor to encourage Miss Wynonna to show more patience with her cards, Miss Waverly."
She blew him a kiss and pushed her way inside.
Inside the light was dim and her eyes gradually adjusted as she made her way down the entranceway to the main seating area. Shorty and Gus, the club's owners, looked up as she crossed over to the bar to join them.
"Big crowd outside already," she commented. "Also, bachelor party."
Gus rolled her eyes. "Lucky us. Hopefully we'll manage to get them out the door before they throw up."
"I doubt it," Shorty muttered sourly. "Still, we'll show 'em a good time at least."
"You bet." Waverly patted him on the cheek. "Pour me my shot, will you?" she asked. "I'll be back in a flash."
In the dressing room Waverly adjusted her sequined bikini top before tying up her stiletto strap ups.
"I keep hoping you'll quit this place."
She turned to see Gus leaning against the door jam.
"Money's too good, Gus, you know that." With one last check in the mirror she deftly snagged the tumbler of whiskey from Gus' hand. "You tell me how else I can pay university tuition without going into massive student loan debt and I'll quit tomorrow."
Gus frowned and shook her head. "It's not right, Waverly. Shorty and I, well, we're old farts and who cares if this is how we make our money?"
Waverly smiled and gave the older woman a hug. "I swear, the second I graduate, I'm done, okay? When I get my diploma I'm going to have a celebratory bonfire and burn this outfit." She gestured to herself with a small smile. "Until then, I know you and Shorty will keep me safe and you won't stiff me, which is more than I can say for most jobs in this town."
They walked down the hallway and Waverly paused before the curtain leading to the stage. Gus smiled at her, at little wryly.
"Give 'em hell tonight, my girl."
Waverly grinned winsomely. "It's all about the smile and the wave."
She saw Gus nod at the DJ booth, and a moment later she heard the opening chords of her song, the raspy chords of Angus Young's guitar licks blaring out of the speakers. She counted to twenty then pushed her way through the curtain just as drum beat kicked in, and she stalked the stage, tumbler in hand. Before her the cheering crowd was ready to party, waving their cash at her with hopeful enthusiasm.
She was a fast machine
She kept her motor clean
She was the best damn woman I had ever seen
Waverly slid the tumbler down taut abs and along her hip, seductively swaying as she circled the edge of the stage, looking for a likely assistant. Finally she found one, an bashful looking young man who flushed when he saw her looking his way. She sank to her knees to front of him and waved the tumbler of whiskey in front of her. His friends shoved him forward with raucous encouragement. She tipped the glass teasingly against his lips, then with a flash she pulled it back, tossed back the shot, and blew him a kiss and a wink. His jaw dropped as his friends howled, pounding him on the back and bellowing along with the AC/DC lyrics.
Shook me all night long
Yeah you shook me all night long
Tumbler discarded she grabbed the brass pole with practiced nonchalance and quickly was aloft, swing around with a well hooked knee. The shouts grew louder as she braced herself carefully and lifted her hands away, sliding them through her hair as her legs kept her aloft and still twirling. She let herself fall backwards until her back was against the pole, her hair brushing the stage as she continued to whirl. As the song came to a close she swooped and collected the cash that had accumulated on the stage, noting with pleasure that her shy mark had given her a twenty. She blew him another kiss and giggled as he ducked his head, his face once again beet red.
Back in the dressing room she took a quick count then folded the cash and tucked it into the mason jar she kept in her locker. She turned as she heard another dancer came in and saw Chrissy, another student working her way through school by dancing at the club. Unlike Waverly's long brown locks, she kept her own blonde hair in a pixie cut, affecting a sporty persona in her performances.
"Nice take, and only your first song," Chrissy noted as Waverly shoved her cash into the mason jar she kept in her locker for this purpose.
"They're ready to party tonight, that's for sure." Waverly agreed. "Go get 'em, Tiger."
Chrissy grinned. "Thanks for warming them up for me, Waves."
Waverly snorted. "Any time." As Chrissy left, a few other dancers wandered into the dressing room, getting ready to join the rotation of dancers for the evening shift and she smiled in greeting. Her phone buzzed and she reached over to grab it.
Big Sis: Loser stopped by the house tonight
Waverly: *sigh* is he still there?
Big Sis: Nah, I threatened to shoot him if he didn't go away
Big Sis: He might try to crash the club.
Waverly: Don't worry, Doc won't let him in
Big Sis: Whatever, I'll come hang out tonight too so I can drive you home later.
Waverly: Promise you won't cuff anyone this time. Gus might kill you if you do that again
Big Sis: Is it MY fault bail jumpers want to come ogle the girls at Shorty's?
Waverly: NONA
Big Sis: Fine, I'll just call Dolls to come grab them when they leave
Waverly: Thank you
Big Sis: I'll tell him you'll flash your tits for him if he keeps it on the low down
Waverly: NONA
Notes: Lyrics that started the chapter are from "The Sisters of Mercy" by Leonard Cohen.
Waverly's performance was to AC/DC's "Shook Me All Night Long"