Chapter 14: The Waiting Game
A/N: Howdy all my fantastic readers! I'm sorry this chapter has taken a while as I left the last one on a bit of a cliffhanger not knowing what actually happened! So I hope this chapter will help give some clarity on what happened! Thanks again for reading and well hopefully you like this chapter!
Flashback in Waverly's POV:
The car ride was silent as we drove to the Homestead. I insisted that Wynonna drop me off at my dorm room so I could shower, but she wouldn't listen. She said after that shit show of a game we played that I should come with her to the Homestead. I didn't have much of a choice in the matter because I rode with her to the bus that morning. Wynonna's way of coping always included alcohol, but after those games I think I needed a little bit to get past it.
The whole drive home I felt bad for shutting Nicole out after the game, but I was angry. Not at her, but at myself and Shae who I knew had more than just a grudge against me, but a huge crush on Nicole! My sweet girlfriend was oblivious to all of the other girls ogling her, but it didn't get past me. So instead of sitting with Nicole in silence because I was angry, I opted to sit with Wynonna. I felt too petty at the moment to share these feelings with Nicole, although I know she would totally accept it and tell me everything was okay. But reluctantly I listened to my stubborn brain and now I'm on my way to the place I didn't even want to go to.
To break up the silence I pulled out my phone I powered it back on since I had turned it off when I joined Wynonna in her seat on the bus. Lucado pulled Wynonna aside after the game and ripped her a new one, and well Wy has been going through a lot lately that she hasn't been sharing with me so I thought maybe she would let me in if we had some one-on-one time. I know my sister needed me after the way Lucado got on her case, but she was always too prideful to tell me that she was feeling pretty bad about everything our coach had said.
We pulled onto the narrow gravel road that took us to the Homestead and my phone screen lit up as we approached the old house. It buzzed in my hand and I read the text that popped up on my lock screen:
My Best Baby 3: Hey baby…I know the game was rough today but I just wanted to say you are amazing on and off the field. I love you.
I smiled down at my phone thinking about how I really needed to make up for being such a stubborn bitch to her after the game.
"Did Haught pants send you nudes or something…ew never mind don't answer that question," Wynonna quickly corrected herself as I rolled my eyes at the antics of my sister. She had been quiet most of the way home, which just wasn't like her, so her teasing me gave me hope tonight might not be too bad after all.
We pulled through the opening of the property and the first thing I noticed was a single light on in the upstairs bedroom. It wasn't the yellow glow that showed Gus had left a light on when she was cleaning. It looked like a white light, much like the flashlight on a cell phone. My brain was going a million miles a minute trying to figure out what could be causing this light to be on upstairs. There were no cars in the driveway, it must just be the reflection of the headlights from the truck.
Wy pulled the truck up to the house in her normal parking spot whenever we came home to see Gus and flicked off the lights pulling the keys out of the ignition. I didn't see the light in the window anymore so it must have just been the headlights.
"What's up angel pants? You look like you just saw a ghost? Was I right about the nudes?" she lightly chuckled at her joke.
"No it's not nudes," I said pausing to correct myself, "you would have no idea if I was receiving nudes either. We may be close sis, but just no. Plus if they were nudes I totally would have a different look on my face," I grinned at my sister a wicked grin she knew the meaning behind.
"Ew you're my baby sister, I do NOT need that picture in my head," she called out as she slid out of the driver's side slamming the door for emphasis. I laughed at her reaction and grabbed my stuff before I got out of the truck to head into the Homestead.
Wynonna grabbed the door handle expecting it to be locked. (The old lock only worked when you pulled the door completely closed and then put your key into it. It was very fickle.) When she pushed down on it the door popped open.
"That's weird Gus never leaves this place unlocked even though it is in the actual middle of nowhere," Wynonna stated as she pushed the door open wide. I followed close behind her picking up her coat she threw on the floor as she entered, rather than putting it on the coat rack a foot farther to her left. As I placed our coats on the rack I flipped the lights on and staring back at us was a very unsuspected visitor.
"Wy-" I started to say when the first shot rang out. The bullet whizzed past me out the door and I heard a plink as it hit metal. My heart stopped and my blood ran cold.
"Willa put the fucking gun down," Wynonna growled as she slowly tried to approach our oldest sister. "I swear if you touch a perfect goddamn hair on her head you'll regret it."
I was frozen in the spot by the door just watching my two older sisters. Willa had turned the gun to Wynonna once she started approaching her.
"Take another step and the next one won't miss," Willa's words slurred. "And face it Wy, you know I'm the perfect shot just like Daddy taught me. That was just a warning shot."
Wynonna kept looking at me then back to our drunken sister. She put her hands up surrendering to the eldest of us and said, "Willa, I don't know what's going on but I promise we can-." But before she could finish her sentence Willa shot her in the stomach from point blank range.
"I don't need your fucking pity or whatever the hell you are trying to do!" she spat as she glowered down at my sister whose blood started to stain her white shirt and the wood floorboards. Willa started towards the door as I took off towards Wynonna, the gun in Willa's hand long forgotten.
I cradled her head in my hands trying to keep her conscious, looking around to see what I could press on her wound to stop the bleeding until help could arrive. I grabbed out my cell phone and Willa turned around as she heard me drop the blasted thing on the floor with my shaking hands.
"And you, half-sister won't be the hero this time!" Willa yelled at me before she took a shot in my direction. The look on her face was a mixture between triumph and regret as she took one last look at Wynonna. "Tick tock perfect little Waverly, time is going to catch up with you," and then she disappeared out the door and got into the old rusted truck. I heard the engine roar to life and the search for my phone was on again. I reached for my phone and a stinging pain ran through my shoulder. To my surprise I looked down and my jacket had a hole through it and I could now feel the blood oozing down my chest.
After I looked at my shoulder I looked at Wynonna and the ever growing pool of blood. In my last attempt to grab my phone I grabbed it with my opposite hand that wasn't impaired. I called the first name I saw, Nicole. I called her multiple times, each time getting her voicemail.
"Come on Nicole answer your phone. Please don't give up on me," I whispered while still cradling Wynonna in my arms.
On the fifth attempt to get ahold of her I heard her silky smooth voice answer on the other end, "Waves, hey I'm so sorry if I did something to upset you," but I cut her off before she could say anymore apologies.
I sat there cradling Wynonna while waiting for Nicole to get there. The minutes felt like hours and I was slowly starting to lose the will to keep my eyes open. Nicole had instructed me to put pressure on Wynonna's wound and I did so, eliciting a groan from my older sister giving me a sign she was still conscious. I could feel it getting harder and harder to keep the pressure on my sister as my shoulder pain became unbearable.
I heard the sound of tires skidding on the gravel outside knowing Nicole had arrived, or at least I hoped it wasn't Willa coming to make sure the job was finished. The familiar bright red hair was visible in the doorway and then she was rushing towards us, and everything went black.
Present: Nicole's POV
The bright lights in the waiting room of the hospital seemed to be blinding as I startled awake from a nightmare. I looked around me trying to figure out my surrounding again. Gus was silently sipping a cup of coffee in the seat across from me. "Howdy darlin', they still haven't given us any more information on the girls. I have been raising hell while you have been asleep but they still won't budge," the gray haired woman grumbled as she handed me a coffee from the table next to her. I gladly accepted the cup that was being pushed into my hands, feeling the warmth bring me fully out of my groggy state.
"They have to know something by now, you are their next to kin so I don't see why they won't tell you anything," I said before taking a sip of the bitter liquid. I wrinkled my nose at the taste of the hospital coffee.
"Hun I have lived in Purgatory my whole life and there are just some people that don't give a damn about anyone but themselves, sadly the receptionists here are some of them."
I rolled my eyes and took another sip from the cup, slowly getting used to the bitterness of the liquid as the caffeine woke me up. Before I could put my two-cents in about the receptionist here, a man in blue scrubs came walking through the doors that said EMPLOYEES ONLY on it. As he walked through the doors he took his cap off and said, "Who is here for the Earp sisters?"
I shot out of my seat at the mention of the girls who meant the world to me and Gus followed suit. In long strides I made it to the man who I only assumed just got out of surgery on one of them. "How are they? What's going on?" I started questioning as soon as I reached him.
"Hi ma'am, Gus," he nodded as he greeted each of us, "I do have news about the girls. They are stable at the moment, we just got done in the OR with Waverly to remove the bullet from her shoulder. She hadn't lost as much blood as her sister, but still had the bullet lodged in her collar bone. The surgery was a success and she is now in recovery room 213," he gave a small smile as he finished his statement.
"Thank you Ambrose," Gus sighed, "now how is our other girl doin'?"
The look of relief on the doctor's face turned to a look of grief, darting his eyes around not sure where to look. "Well Gus, Wynonna is in the ICU right now. She lost a lot of blood and is getting a transfusion. We are hoping that her body will not reject it and we will be able to then operate to close the wound."
"Why the hell haven't you closed the wound yet?!" I practically screamed at the nice man, but I was pissed. This is my best friend; she needs to be okay.
"Ma'am," the doctor started but I cut him off.
"The name is Nicole," I practically growled.
"My apologies, Nicole. Wynonna had to stabilize before we were able to operate on her, which means getting blood into her system so she had a chance for us to put her under. She currently has pain medication in her system so she isn't feeling any of this, but know we are taking the best care of her as we can," he smiled with bright eyes looking into my own. I felt a wave of comfort rush over me, like I knew he was telling the truth.
"Thank you, I'm sorry I am just very worried," I apologized to the doctor in front of me.
"How does seeing Waverly sound? I can take both you and Gus back to see her now," he looked between us to gauge our reaction. I nodded my head up and down so fiercely I thought I might scramble my brain. He smiled at me and turned to lead us down the long hallway towards Waverly's room.
Each room we passed my stomach clenched more and more as I wasn't sure what to expect when we walked through the door. We arrived outside the room labeled 213 and tears sprung to my eyes before we even opened the door. Gus put a strong hand on my shoulder giving it a squeeze to remind me she was there with me. I took a shaky steadying breath before the gray haired woman turned the handle to the door and there laid Waverly in a large hospital bed. My already small girlfriend looked even smaller in comparison to the large bed and the big room. Her beautiful brunette hair was fanned out over the big white pillow, giving her a halo look. Her left arm was in a sling holding her arm in place to relieve the discomfort she would experience from the gunshot. The tears that had been forming in my eyes escaped and rolled down my cheeks.
As my feet brought me slowly towards the petite girl she stirred from sleep. Her eyes fluttered open slightly, like they were reluctant to be open under the bright lights of the room. Waverly's beautiful green eyes opened fully and saw the tears running down my face.
The smallest hoarse voice came out that startled me as she said, "Baby don't cry." She reached for me with the arm that had all of the tubes on it, but then let it fall back down to her side as it started to pull at them. I rushed over to her side and grabbed her hand in mine.
"I'm just so happy you are okay," I said trying to choke back a sob that made its way out anyway. I kissed her fingertips lightly trying to get my breathing to calm down enough to stop the tears. Gus stood on the other side of the bed stroking the top of Waverly's head.
"We were so worried about you honey, this damn place doesn't do a good job of keeping us visitors in the loop," she stated quietly placing a kiss on Waverly's forehead.
"How is Wynonna?" the small brunette squeaked out like she almost didn't want to know the answer. Her eyes glossed over with unshed tears as she looked back at me. I took a look at Gus who gave me a nod knowing she would have to explain what we knew to her youngest niece.
"Sweetie, 'Nonna is in the ICU currently," she said softly caressing her hair still. "They haven't been able to operate on her yet. They stopped the bleeding but had to give her a blood transfusion and make sure that it is received well before they can do anything else. Dr. Fish told us that she is in stable condition though. She's a fighter, she won't give up on this one," Gus comforted the now crying Waverly who was gripping my hand for dear life with her one that wasn't in a sling.
Waverly cried for quite some time holding my hand and Gus continued to stroke her hair as we let her just be able to cry. After all she went through a very traumatic experience and was worried about her sister who meant everything to her. Hell I was worried about Wynonna and I still don't even know what it was that happened at the Homestead. Instead of putting Waverly on blast with all of the questions coursing through my brain I said, "You need to get some sleep baby. Rest up, it will help with your recovery." I could tell she wanted to refuse with her words, but then she let out a big yawn. Sheepishly she looked up at me through her long eyelashes and nodded ever so slightly.
"Will you stay with me? I don't think I could stand it if I woke up without you here," she asked in a whisper that I almost couldn't hear.
"Of course I will, I never want to leave your side again," I leaned over and placed a soft kiss on her cheek.
I sat back in the chair and sleep slowly took over my body then I drifted off.
Waverly's POV:
I woke with a jolt as the gun went off in my dream. Panicking because of the dream that felt way too real, I looked around the room trying to spot if Willa had snuck in. The only person I found was Nicole fast asleep in the chair next to my bed. The position she was in had to have been uncomfortable as the chair was much too small for her long body to really curl up on. But nonetheless she looked peaceful as she slept, no sign of worry or stress in her fine features.
The pain medication they had given me earlier must have worn off because my shoulder was in searing pain from jumping awake like I did. The sling was strapped down to my body to keep me from moving it as Dr. Fish told me my collar bone needed to be in the correct position to heal faster. Nicole was so peaceful and I didn't want to wake her, but this pain was worse than the actual gun shot. I pressed the nurse's call button and within fifteen seconds the night nurse was making her way through the door.
"What can I do for you hun?" the lady with a kind smile came in quietly, and didn't flip the lights on, which I was thankful for as they were always so blinding.
"My shoulder is in a lot of pain, I think the pain medication wore off," I whispered trying not to wake up the sleeping redhead next to me.
"I'll go check and see when I can give you your next dosage Waverly," she whispered back and then she backed out of the room closing the door softly. I gave a sigh of relief as I looked over and saw Nicole was still fast asleep, now if my shoulder would just stop throbbing things would be better.
The nurse was back within five minutes with a syringe that contained what I hoped was the pain medication. She administered it and then asked me if I needed anything else. I shook my head and she was off again. The pain medication was fast acting as it went right into my IV and slowly I drifted back to sleep.
Nicole's POV:
I felt heat on my face as I stirred from sleep, seeing the light through my closed eye lids. I shifted in the chair I had fallen asleep on, but during the night I must have shifted and was not in the same position I had been in. As I tried to shift to put my feet on the ground I misjudged and fell to the floor with a thud. My cheeks were burning even though I'm not sure anyone even saw this happen. To my horror I looked up and Waverly was stifling a giggle with her tubed hand, and Gus was smiling at me with a drink carrier containing Shorty's coffee travel cups in her hand.
I grumbled to myself as I pushed up off of the floor. I looked at Waverly and the laugh she was suppressing came out in full force. The petite brunette was laughing so hard she had tears streaking down her face. My blush only became deeper in my cheeks, spreading down my neck, and feeling the heat radiating off of my ears. Once my girlfriend finally caught her breath and stopped laughing at my blunder, she wiped at her eyes. She smiled at me and it was such a genuine sweet smile that I couldn't even be upset at her for laughing at me. It was just good to see the joy on her face from this, even if it meant I was in pain.
"Well now that Waverly here got that out of her system," Gus chuckled at her niece, "take a coffee it'll make it all better," she said offering one of the Shorty's cups to me.
"Oh you got me the good stuff, this will make everything better! Thank you Gus," I exclaimed excitedly for the amazing coffee she always made. This made Waverly giggle, and then give me a wink because she knows she was the reason I got hooked on the coffee there.
"Now Ambrose came and talked to me about Wynonna, are y'all awake enough to hear about her?" Gus asked before taking a drink of her coffee. "And Waverly here is your tea," she said offering the travel cup to her niece.
"Thank you Gus, now please tell us about Wy," the brunette said quickly before taking a sip of her tea.
"Of course sweetheart. Now Ambrose said the blood transfusion went well yesterday and this morning they would be able to get her into surgery to make sure the bullet is not lodged anywhere and to close up the wound completely rather than just stopping the bleeding. So this is all good news," Gus gave us both a small smile while giving us the news.
A few more hours had passed and we were still waiting for any word on Wynonna's operation from Dr. Fish, the doctor that had given us the update in the first place. "Are you sure they aren't done yet? Because this is ridiculous!" I exclaimed while pacing back and forth in Waverly's hospital room.
"Baby, your pacing is giving me anxiety. Please come sit down," Waverly cooed at me giving me puppy dog eyes that she knew I couldn't resist.
"I'm sorry I'm just worried about her," I mumbled while I placed a kiss on her forehead before sitting down in the chair next to her bed.
"I am too baby, but we just have to wait now," she stated softly.
Not much longer passed and Gus came walking back in the room with Dr. Fish. He gave us a kind smile and greeted us, "Hello ladies! I just wanted to come give you all an update on how Wynonna is doing after surgery-" but before he could continue on with his statement he was cut off by the door opening and a large hospital bed was being wheeled through by a muscular male nurse I hadn't seen yet.
"What's up bitchesssss!" Wynonna called as she came into view of Waverly and myself. "A little bullet can't keep me down!" She had a grin on her face that looked a lot like her drunk grin, I assumed she was pretty high on the pain meds right now.
Waverly's eyes started to tear up as she watched her sister be placed in the vacant space on the other half of the room. I looked at her and I could tell that these were happy tears she was shedding.
"Happy you're okay Earp, but am I going to have to hear about this whole surviving a gunshot thing for the rest of my life?" I quipped at the drugged up brunette.
"You bet your Haught-ass you are," she broke into a fit of laughter as the nurse continued to try and get her hooked up to all of the vitals machines.
"There's the Wynonna we all know," I deadpanned.
"And love, you forgot that part," Waverly said with a small smile on her face.
"Eh, sometimes," I chuckled as I received a glare from the older Earp.
"As I was saying," Dr. Fish continued shaking his head at the antics going on in the room, "Wynonna's surgery went well. She will need to stay away from physical activity for a while as the stitches might pop if she gets too active."
Wynonna groaned loudly from her bed cutting the doctor off, which made us all look at her alarmed thinking something was wrong. Instead she blurts out, "Does that mean I can't have sex, doc?"
I looked at Gus and Dr. Fish with big surprised eyes, as Gus just rolled hers and Dr. Fish smiled slightly. "Yes that is physical activity you must refrain from, sorry to be the bearer of bad news." This response elicited another large groan from the girl, as we all chuckled at the total Wynonna reaction.
"Both of you lovely ladies will need to continue taking antibiotics when you get out of here, and then we will have a follow up appointment to get the stitches out at a later date," he smiled at Waverly. "We will keep you both through the night and then will release you tomorrow as long as tonight doesn't show any signs of trouble, deal?"
Waverly smiled at the kind doctor, "I know she can't speak soberly for herself right now, but deal! Thank you so much for taking such good care of us."
"It's all a part of the job, but I had to make sure I took extra good care of Gus' nieces. She has saved me a few too many times throughout my life from utter embarrassment at Shorty's, taking care of you two was the least I could do," he placed a hand gingerly on Gus' shoulder and gave it a light squeeze mouthing, "thank you," before he started towards the door.
"Waverly, honey, your lunch is on its way and should be here by noon. I know you don't want to be away from our angel here Nicole, but you need to get on home and shower. It has been a couple of days now and well I don't know how to put this nicely…you stink," the gray haired lady let out a chuckle as well as Waverly. Wynonna heard this comment from Gus and burst out into laughter.
Between her fits of laughter, the words she was saying weren't making any sense, I think the nurse upped her dosage on the pain medication so she would go to sleep, making her words run together.
"Well now that I have been laughed at multiple times this morning I better head out," I said with faux anger and stopped towards the door.
Waverly whined, "Nicoleeee," as I turned around and gave her a playful glare which fell from my face when I saw the puppy dog eyes she had on display.
I took quick steps toward her and hooked my fingers under her chin to tilt her head up to look in my eyes. "I love you Waverly Earp," I whispered so the conversation seemed more private and then I kissed her gently on the lips. "I'll be back after I shower. D'ya need anything when I come back?" She shook her head no and then I was on my way out of the hospital. My heart was much lighter and I had a feeling that everything was going to be okay.