For a moment the silence in the house was deafening after Nicole shut the door.
Waverly was standing in the living room her arms wrapped around herself tightly.
Nicole just looked at her, hand still on the door's lock. Not really sure what to feel.
Unable to hold Waverly's eye Nicole looked at her feet. Then, catching a glimpse of her shoes just by the door she was struck with an idea. Quickly checking her watch for the time the redhead looked up at her partner before boldly saying
"Get your coat."
"What."
Nicole scanned the few coats left on her hooks, pulled Waverly's off and tossed it to her. "Come on." She unlocked the door. "Let's go." Hesitating for only a moment Waverly pulled her coat on and the two women made their way out of the house together. Nicole taking care to hold Waverly's hand tightly, giving it reassuring squeezes as they walked.
Without a word she opened the passenger's door for her fiancé. Waverly raised in eyebrow in confusion but obliged in getting into the vehicle. Nicole looped around and hopped into the drivers seat, started the engine and pulled out of her driveway but not before taking care to turn on the radio and selecting their favourite station. The redhead then immediately began to sing at the top of her lungs as she drove.
It took a few minutes of driving and listening to Nicole singing for Waverly to catch on. The officer was attempting to regain the feeling of normalcy the couple had shared earlier. Taking a deep breath Waverly gave herself permission to let go of her fears and worries. To take Nicole's lead.
"So are you going to tell me where we are going?" Waverly asked playfully as they drove through town.
Nicole stopped singing and turned the music for only a moment to side glance at her partner; mischief in her eye. "Nope."
Then the radio's volume was back up and Nicole was singing again.
"You'll figure it out eventually." The officer said as the song ended and she took the smaller woman's hand, taking care to keep her own other hand firmly gripping the steering wheel.
Faking a bit of annoyance Waverly stuck her chin up and looked out the window. The next song on the radio started and Nicole began to sing again. It didn't take long for Waverly to join in. Soon both women were singing so loudly that they could barely hear the actual music.
"Oh!" Waverly suddenly exclaimed after their third duet together. "I know where we are going!" She had only just begun to recognize the roads they were taking. They were ones they'd taken several times together as a couple. Nicole was taking them to their favourite Italian restaurant.
"Is it still open?" Waverly asked nervously glancing at the dashboard's clock. By now it was nearing 8pm.
"They are open until 10." Nicole affirmed sending her fiancé a twinkling smile.
When Nicole and Waverly walked in through the doors to their small checkered table clothed restaurant they were instantly greeted by the staff and the few regulars sitting about the establishment. They were sat in their favourite seats and spent the next hour and a half, chatting with fellow diners and staff. Waverly noted that Nicole was being extra warm and exuberant in her conversation. It eventually dawned on the youngest Earp that this would be the last time Nicole saw any of these people. Refusing to let that pull her down the brunette instead rallied and joined Nicole in her awrm energy.
Just before closing the couple left the warm candle lit restaurant waving goodbye to the staff.
As Nicole turned the key to start the jeep's engine Waverly looked at her expectantly. "So what next?" She smiled, still on a small high from their enjoyable dinner. The red head smiled thoughtfully for a moment before giving a large nod, showing she'd decided. This time it was Waverly who cranked on the radio and started singing. Her voice a much softer lilt than Nicole's. The redhead didn't even join in for several songs as she was enjoying the brunette's voice too much.
Waverly was so content singing and having Nicole listen that she didn't even notice where she was being driven to until Nicole had pulled onto a dark dirt road, one that lead to the homestead.
"Nicole?" She said suddenly fearful, worried her fiancé had somehow forgotten that as a Revenant she couldn't actually set foot on Earp land.
"It's okay Waves." Nicole said softly signally and pulling off the road into a field, just before the Earp property marker. "Come on" she said, turning off the engine and opening her door. Waverly hesitated for a moment then hopped out of the vehicle herself. The moment the brunette exited the vehicle she was instantly overwhelmed by the intense twinkling of hundreds of stars swirling around the sky.
"Oh Nicole." She said in awe. Though she'd grown up out in the wilderness the sheer vastness of the sky while out on the fields was always awe-inspiring. "I know." The redhead said walking around to Waverly and gently lifting her up onto the hood of the jeep. Nicole then hoisted herself up and leaned comfortably on the front windshield of the jeep, one arm raised, and invitation for Waverly to cuddle in to her. The Earp didn't need to be asked twice. Soon both women were wrapped together so tightly you'd have thought they were koalas.
"I love you Waverly Earp." Nicole said after the couple had witnessed several shooting stars across the vast sky.
The smaller woman turned to her partner and held her gaze. "I love you too Nicole Haught and I will spend my entire life loving you." Then she closed the final bit of distance between them with a deep kiss. Nicole held her tightly and kissed her as if she'd never kiss her again a sudden fervour developing deep in her silent chest. Waverly felt her needs and obliged by wrapped her arm around the taller woman's neck and running her fingers along her neck.
After what felt like an eternity the couple broke apart, both gasping and faces flushed.
"Home?" Nicole gasped.
"Home." Waverly smiled.
They had to pull over twice on the drive home for Waverly's groping fingers kept distracting Nicole so much she couldn't safety drive. By the time they'd made it home both woman were nearly naked from the gradual shedding of clothes throughout the drive. As the door shut behind them and the door's lock clicked Nicole hoisted the younger woman up and carried her to the bedroom.
Giggling the couple fell onto Nicole's bed and began kissing fervently, their hands taking their time wandering over one another's bodies.
"I love you." Waverly gasped as Nicole pressed down on top of her. "I love you and don't you dare stop."
Several hours later they fell back into bed panting and slick with sweat, completely and utterly spent.
"Wow." Waverly said staring at the ceiling, her body still reeling.
"Yeah." Nicole's eyes were betraying her in that they kept trying to flutter shut from exhaustion.
Sensing her girlfriend's unavoidable need to sleep Waverly rolled over to face her and rested her head on her elbow. "Nicole?" She said softly.
"Hmm?" Nicole said opening one eye.
"Everything is going to be okay."
The redhead smiled. Somehow Waverly's words permeated deep within her.
"Okay Waverly." She said pulling the brunette into her arms and giving her temple a kiss. "Everything is going to be fine."
Both women fell asleep holding one another tightly with small smiles on their faces. Neither entirely sure of what the next day would bring, or what the next chapter in their individual lives would hold but both smiling none the less for at least they'd been able to find one another in their crazy big wide world.
