Ok. I've only recently found the wonderfully delightful world that is Wynonna Earp. Accidentally watched 15 minutes of the S2 finale and became hooked. Anyway, I was inspired, rightly or wrongly, to write this.
It's my first shot at a Wynonna Earp fic and the first thing I've written in a very long time. No beta so all boo boos are mine and I ask that you be gentle.
The song mentioned is "Kiss an Angel Good Mornin'" written by Ben Peters and recorded by Charley Pride. Wynonna Earp and characters were created by Beau Smith.
Takes place after the S3 episode 'I Fall to Pieces'. A roundabout WayHaught fic.
John Henry Holliday leaned against the passenger side of Waverly's jeep, his left hand resting on the cool metal hood as his right hand lifted so he could take a drag on his cigarillo. He'd been watching a group of three young Purgatory residents ever since they'd followed his young friend up to one of the local shopping establishments across the street. The group was led by Waverly's former beau, Champ Hardy, and he had a look of mischief in his eyes that filtered outward into his friends. They seemed as though they could barely contain themselves. Doc had seen this sort of thing before- bullies about to pounce.
He breathed the calming smoke out of his mouth and was about to throw his cigarillo away to go over and head the hoodlums off at the pass, but Waverly's timing was most inopportune. She came out of the shop with a large bag in her hand and a wide and beautiful smile upon her face.
Doc tossed the cigarillo to the ground and started to move towards the store, but he was too late. Champ's lips had started flapping as soon as Waverly had reappeared and the smile disappeared from her face in short order. She lowered her head and rushed past the young men, hurrying so fast she never saw the car that was coming down the street far too fast.
Luckily, Doc had.
He moved with swiftness that many didn't know he possessed and pulled his young friend out of harm's way in the nick of time. Waverly pulled away from Doc's grasp and continued on towards her jeep without even acknowledging what had happened, while Doc looked over to Champ and his ilk, committing each of their faces to memory.
That done he hurried back to Waverly's jeep and just managed to open the passenger side door and dive in before Waverly jumped on the gas pedal, sending the jeep down the road with a squeal of tires that sent Champ into a fit of laughter.
Doc settled into the seat and glanced at Waverly. To say that she was upset was an understatement. Unshed tears filled her brown eyes and her usual smile was turned on its ear.
A frown upon a face as beautiful as hers is a terrible thing indeed, he thought as they sped towards the Earp homestead.
Doc lifted his left arm so that his hand rested upon the headrest behind Waverly's head and he said, "I don't know what was said, young lady, but I can guarantee that coming from the likes of those pups that it was not worth getting upset over."
Waverly recovered enough to grace him with a quick smile, but it didn't reach her usually vibrant eyes and it was too fleeting to be of any significance.
Doc sighed and tried again. "If I was a betting man, and I have been known to risk a dollar or two in my day," he smirked at Waverly who glanced at him and let loose a little snort of laughter, "I would wager that something disparaging was said of you and Sheriff Haught."
Waverly sighed and pulled over and brought her jeep to a stop on the side of the road. She reached over and turned the key back to shut off the engine and then placed both of her hands on the steering wheel at the ten and two o'clock positions.
"I see," said Doc with another sigh. He slipped his hand down to rest upon Waverly's shoulder and said, "Then I am forced to repeat my earlier statement: it's not worth getting upset over."
"Thanks, Doc," Waverly said with a smile that was a little brighter and more genuine than the one she'd given him a few moments earlier. "And you're right." She took a deep breath, turned back to look out the windshield and let it out with a shudder. "He just…"
"He is jealous and bitter," supplied Doc as he replaced his hand upon the headrest, and when Waverly looked back to him he nodded. "Oh yes, he most certainly is."
Sadness shone in Waverly's eyes. "I suppose so."
Doc sat there and waited. He would let Waverly guide the rest of this discussion. He sensed there was more to this than met his sharp eye. Waverly Earp was a bright, caring and noble creature, yet she didn't usually take shit from anyone, especially where Nicole was concerned. But something was bothering her and it wasn't just the Hardy boy and whatever he'd said, even if it was the catalyst for this little episode.
Waverly released the steering wheel and turned in her seat, bringing her right leg up so that she could face Doc. Her hands fell to her lap and she took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "We've been, Sheriff Haught," she smiled as the thought of her love came to mind, and clarified with a beaming smile, "Nicole and I, we've been wondering if our relationship is…if we should maybe take a break…"
She trailed off and as she did so the first tear escaped from the outside corner of the right eye.
Doc's ire ratcheted up a notch. His dear friend was hurting and it galled him. "I find it hard to believe that either of you would let these trivial things affect your relationship."
Waverly gave him another sad smile. "Some people in Purgatory…"
"Are assholes," muttered Doc.
"Yes," answered Waverly with a short laugh. "Yes they are."
"Waverly," said Doc as he swiveled around in his seat so that he could better face Waverly, "if your feelings for Sheriff Haught have changed…"
"I love Nicole, Doc," interrupted Waverly, her voice rushed and holding a hint of desperateness to it. She took in a deep breath and smiled and then added more calmly, "More than anything and with all of my heart."
Doc smiled and shrugged. He waited until an approaching car passed by them and looked into Waverly's moist brown eyes. "Of that, my dear, I have no doubt." He looked around the inside of Waverly's jeep and said, "You know, many things have changed since my day. Automobiles, telephonies and weapons to name a few. If we only had Wikipedia back then." He turned back to find Waverly looking down at the hands that she had folded together upon her lap. "Even love has changed, yet remained the same." Waverly looked up to him, her head tilting to ask him to elaborate. "I have seen husbands and wives love each other for most of their lifetimes. I have also seen men love men and women love women. Oh it wasn't accepted back then, of course, and it was even punished most severely. But I have seen it." He waved his right hand up in the air seemingly to indicate everything about them and added, "Now, of course, it is different." His right hand moved up to his chest, "Even I have loved, and still do." They shared a smile and then Doc turned serious and leaned in closer to Waverly. "Yet I have never, never, seen two people as in love as you and Miss Haught. I have never seen two people who are more meant to be together than you and Miss Haught." He leaned back into his previous position and shrugged his shoulders again. "If there others who cannot or will not see that, it is their problem."
"But it's not that simple, Doc," replied Waverly, her voice thick with emotion even if her eyes valiantly kept from spilling any more of their tears. "Because of us," she paused and with a sad smile added, "because of me, she almost never became sheriff. Bunny Loblaw only let her because of Wynonna's threats."
Doc shook his head said, "Just out of curiosity, is it both you have been wondering about this," he gave her a smirk and knowing tilt of his head and added, "or is it just you?"
Waverly sucked in a quick breath and opened her mouth to respond, but just as she started to speak it was obvious she'd changed her mind about what she was going to say. "It's me."
"Waverly," Doc said after a moment, "I have had more than enough discussions with our fair sheriff to understand that her life, that is to say her love life, has not been easy at times because of those she has loved," he paused when raw anger flashed in Waverly's eyes but then went on, "yet she has persevered with grace and dignity. She hasn't let any of that deter her from putting her heart on the line and living her life as she sees fit. And now here she is," he lifted his right hand and pointed squarely at Waverly's chest, "and she has put her heart on the line with you." He lowered his hand to its previous position and added, "She is most deservedly the sheriff of Purgatory, not the most glamorous job in the world I confess, but she takes great pride in it, as she should. To say nothing about how important she has been in our other struggles."
"Doc," said Waverly tiredly, "what do I do?"
"The answer to that is simple, Miss Earp," replied Doc with another smirk. "You must talk with our lovely sheriff. Let her know how you are feeling and let her tell you for yourself that she loves you, that she would do anything for you, and that she would suffer any hardship to be with you. Let her assure you that she will not let anyone or anything come between you."
Waverly's eyes locked onto his, and after a few moments a smile started for form on her lips. As the seconds ticked by her smile continued to grow until it nearly encompassed her entire face. More than that, her eyes brightened into two little stars and a beautiful pinkish hue settled into her cheeks.
Suddenly she reached over so fast that it would have scared the life out of men who hadn't been around as long as him and covered his hand with hers. "Thank you, Doc." She gave his hand a squeeze and added, "I really needed that."
Doc gave the young women a smile and said as he returned her hand squeeze with equal force, "Miss Earp, it was my pleasure. I only hope that I was able to help."
"Definitely," replied Waverly as she released Doc's hand and straightened up in her seat and started her Jeep. She checked her mirrors to make sure the coast was clear and then moved out onto the road sending them once again onto the right path for the homestead.
Doc turned in his seat as well so that he was facing forward and watched the unremarkable scenery of Purgatory rush by. There was a smirk below his healthy mustache, the only outward manifestation of his inner happiness at being able to help his friend. Of course there was more he would do…
Outside the house of Champ Hardy, a lone figure crept through the late evening darkness to the ground level window. A hat was carefully taken off to allow Doc to edge up so that he could sneakily peek inside and once he'd taken stock of the situation he couched back down and replaced his hat.
Good, thought Doc as he stealthily made his way around the back of the house. They are all here. When he arrived undetected at the back door he reached to his back and removed his favorite knife from its sheath. He lifted his right leg and as he sent it flying towards the back door to make his grand entrance he thought, I am going to enjoy this.
Hours later, Doc was cleaning some of the glasses at Shorty's when the door to the bar opened. He continued his work but looked up to tell his visitor that the bar was closed and would be for a couple of hours yet. When he saw who it was he smiled, placed the glass he'd cleaned to a sparkling shine on the bar and then reached up to tip his hat as he said, "Mornin', Sheriff."
Nicole walked towards the bar humming what had become her favorite song in recent weeks, an old country song about kissing an angel good morning and loving her like the devil. She always smiled when she hummed it.
Smile still in place, Doc made his way over to the cappuccino machine and a moment later he placed a steaming cup full of her favorite brew in front of her. Nicole smiled her thanks and sat down on the bar stool. She took off her standard issue white cowboy hat and placed it on the bar allowing her fiery locks free, and after taking a sip of her cappuccino she placed the cup back on the bar. She gave Doc another smile and said, "I wanted to come by and thank you, Doc."
Doc gave the sheriff a confused look and said, "Me? Whatever for?"
The look Nicole gave Doc told him she wasn't fooling around, so Doc merely shrugged his shoulders and said, "I take it she talked to you then?"
"She did," replied Nicole. "I told her what I thought of it and she did the strangest thing: she started laughing." At Doc's confused look she held up her right hand and said with deadly seriousness, "No, Doc, I mean she started laughing her cute little ass off." Nicole lowered her hand down and then wrapped her slender fingers around the warm cup. "It took her a couple of minutes to calm down enough to tell me that what I'd said was exactly what you'd said I'd say."
Doc hesitated, repeating what Nicole had said in his mind to try and figure out if he'd understood her correctly. He thought he did anyway.
Nicole reached over with her free hand and covered his hand, wrapping her strong fingers around his own. She gave his hand a squeeze and said with a beautiful dimpled smile, "Thank you, Doc."
Doc nodded and softly replied, "I am always happy to help."
Nicole released his hand and took another sip of her cappuccino. After licking the remnants of the liquid from her lips she sighed. "I didn't even realize she was feeling that way."
Doc reached down to retrieve the towel and another glass and started to clean it as he had the others now neatly lined up on the bar. "Nor did I," he said as he wiped the glass. "All that matters now is that you have cleared the air and that all is well."
"Oh yeah," she replied huskily as she looked down to her cup. Her eyes became distant as though she was becoming lost in a memory, a very good and happy memory if the smile that came to her lips was any indication. It wasn't until a few seconds later when Nicole gently bit her bottom lip that Doc realized what she might be remembering.
He put the glass he'd been cleaning down onto the bar loudly enough to bring Nicole back to the present, and he couldn't resist a grin when she jumped and cleared her throat when she finally focused on him.
"Sorry," she said a little sheepishly with blushing cheeks to boot.
"No apologies are required, Sheriff," he said with a smile.
Nicole nodded and took one more sip of her cappuccino. She put the cup back down and stood up from the stool and reached into her pocket.
"No, Sheriff," said Doc in a tone that brokered no argument. "The beverage is on me."
Nicole laughed and reached for her hat. "Thanks again," she said as she turned around. She took one step towards the door, then stopped and turned to face him once again. "By the way, I was called to Champ Hardy's place this morning," she said in a businesslike tone of voice. "Apparently his mother had gone by to return his laundry and found the back door had been forced open. When she rushed inside she found Champ and a couple of his friends cuddled together on the couch looking like they were scared to death."
"Indeed," said Doc, careful to keep his outward appearance and voice neutral, even if he was laughing to kill himself on the inside.
Nicole nodded then she looked down to the hat she still held in her hands. Her fingertips rubbed at a blemish that wasn't there and said, "They were still on the couch when I got there." Her eyes looked up to find his and she asked, "You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"
"Me?" asked Doc, his voice the embodiment of angelic innocence. "What could I possibly know about that?"
Nicole sighed as she put her hat back on the bar and started heading towards the back of the bar. "They all said they'd gotten a little drunk," she said as she walked. She turned the corner of the bar and headed towards Doc. "And accidentally smashed through the door." She stopped in front of him and gave him an appraising look. "Their story sounded okay, except for the fact that they looked like death warmed over." She reached around Doc and pulled his knife out of its sheath and held it up between them, the light glinting menacingly off its razor sharp edge. "And the long slash marks that ran along the length of the couch they were sitting on."
Doc cleared his throat and laughed with a slight shrug of his shoulders. "You know kids, Sheriff. They cannot hold their liquor and they end up doing the craziest of things."
Nicole handed the knife to Doc and said, "That's something along the lines of what they said." She waited a second and her face became stern. "But know this: I won't tolerate any kind of bullshit in my town."
"I understand," he replied evenly, knowing full well she meant it and that it was a very bad idea to get on her bad side.
After a silent moment, she leaned in and wrapped her arms around Doc in the warmest hug he'd felt in some time. He returned the hug, careful not to slice or stab Nicole with the knife in his hand.
"Thank you, Doc," she whispered next to his ear. "For everything."
Without waiting for him to respond she released him and retreated to where her hat was waiting on the bar. She slipped it on and after flashing Doc another smile she turned and walked towards the door. She reached for the handle and pushed on the door and held it open, then turned to say to Doc, "See you later, Doc."
Doc reached up and tipped his hat to his favorite sheriff. "Yes, ma'am."
Nicole slipped through the door and after it closed behind her, Doc reached for a bottle of whiskey and poured a healthy amount into one of his recently cleaned glasses. He held the glass up in a salute and said into the empty bar, "To Waverly and Nicole," before downing it in one shot.