Waking up in the arms of Nicole Haught is the best feeling in the entire world, I am certain. I feel my cheeks start to ache from the smile stretched across my face as I move backwards to snuggle a little deeper into my archer's embrace. Her arm automatically tightens across my waist, keeping me locked in the safest space I have ever known.

After a few minutes of just enjoying this new way of starting my day, I feel Nicole stir. "Mmm…mornin' Princess." She mumbles, her voice adorably sleepy. I turn in her embrace and place a sweet kiss to her lips in greeting.

"Good morning, sweetheart." I take delight in watching the corners of her mouth lazily twitch up into a smile. She moves her hand towards my right ear, tucking away some of my messy honey brown strands. Her eyes gaze upon me like I am precious metal, making my heart go haywire. I am defenceless when she moves forward and kisses me, all slow and sweet.

But after last night, slow and sweet just wasn't enough. I wanted her, in every way, over and over again. To let her know exactly how I felt, I deepen the kiss. My lips conveying just how much I wanted a repeat of last night's multiple bouts of pleasure inducing activities.

You see, I only ever learned about sex from what Wynonna had told me when we were kids. I just thought it was a physical act where one could selfishly gain from another person. But the way Nicole had touched me, made me feel… it was like she did everything, gave every part of her to make me feel good. She was also so very gentle, constantly checking if I was okay.

We had both confessed it was out first time, yet it felt like she knew the way around a woman's body, specifically mine. It was like she had memorized every inch of my skin and meditated on how she would worship it if given the chance. And worship she did…

Now it is my turn to return the favour. I kiss her with an urgent desire, causing her to release a delicious moan into my mouth. Her hands move from my waist to my hips, gripping my skin in a sign of her own desire. Unable to fight my urges any longer, I push her back and straddle her. Her hands slide down to my thighs, leaving warm tracks with every touch. The way she looks at me…my breath seems unable to escape from the confines of my throat and I have to swallow really hard to ensure I take in enough air.

"I love you." I finally breathe out. Nicole Haught had taken a hammer to my walls and caught me in her safe embrace when I fell from the release. And fall I did. I fell quicker and harder for Nicole Haught than I ever thought was possible in anything other than the fairy tales mother had read to me.

I had no more fear of my own feelings, because I know that she would take those three words and keep them safely locked in her heart. She would protect them as one would precious jewels, because Nicole Haught loved me the same. And that made me the luckiest. So without further ado, I lean down and kiss her again. The kiss speaks of words unsaid, of deep meaning. The kiss conveys the gateway to my whole heart

A sudden and urgent knock to the door causes us to break apart. Nicole frowns at the door, clearly as disgruntled by the interruption as I was. I peck her cheek and get up, wrapping a blanket around my naked body just as the urgent knocking starts again. I open the door slightly, making sure to keep Nicole from view.

Chrissy Nedley greets me once again. The friendly greeting stops on my lips when I see the tense expression on her face. "Chrissy, what is wrong?"

"The castle is being attacked! My father has instructed everyone to prepare." She says in a frantic voice. For a moment I just gawk at her with confusion on my face, unable to comprehend her words after the blissful night and morning I just had. A gentle hand is placed on my shoulder as a now once again fully dressed Nicole comes up behind me.

"Where is the Duke now?" She asks Chrissy.

"Him and Wynonna have gathered all the guards in the armoury." She informs us. Nicole nods at her then turns back to me and I can practically see the wheels turn in her head. "Do you have anything besides a dress to wear?" She enquires. I shake my head in the negative, still very much confused as to what was happening.

"She can borrow some of my horse-riding attire." The Lady Nedley suggests.

"That would be great. Would you be able to provide similar attire to our other female friends?" Nicole asks, deepening my confusion.

"Nicole, why do you need us all to wear horse-riding clothes?" I ask, dumbfounded.

"If this gets bad, it would just be safer for a woman to be able to flee from trouble without worry that she may trip over her dress. I have seen it happen too many times before." She explains as she shoulders her bow.

"What? Do you think this will get bad?" I ask, trying and failing to keep the worry from my voice.

"I don't know, Waves . But it is always best to be prepared. So please will you go with Chrissy and get dressed?"

I nod reluctantly. "Okay. But where are you going?"

"To the armoury. Meet me there when you are ready." She instructs. I nod and then watch as Nicole heads out the door.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

I arrive at the armoury sporting trousers and a shirt that is slightly too big for me. I feel a bit ridiculous in the attire, the white shirt and rolled up cuffs making me feel like I was one of the pirates from one of mother's tales.

Inside I see a very serious looking Wynnona addressing her guards, with Duke Nedley right beside her. Everyone in the room is dressed in their full armour and blue Purgatory colours.

"All right, listen up. As you all know, there is currently a battalion of men marching towards the gates of Purgatory." Some of the guards shift awkwardly on their feet, others fiddle with their weapons. The air seems to be filled with anticipation and nervousness. Despite this, my heart is filled with pride as I notice all of the guards wear the same look of respect as they listen carefully to Wynonna.

"We don't know exactly why they are heading this way, but they are armed to the teeth and clearly mean business. There isn't much time left until they reach the front gates. Regardless of their intent, we must prepare as if they are a threat and make sure to keep our people safe. Nobody fucks with Purgatorians!" Wynonna emphasizes her words with a raised fist, which is enthusiastically echoed by the rest of the guards.

"Hey." Soft lips whisper against my ear. I turn, with a surprised smile to face Nicole. To my dismay I see her worry wrinkle on display. I reach up to smooth it over gently with my fingers.

"Are you okay?" I ask her.

Instead of answering, Nicole looks at me for a long moment. She seems to be studying me like it might be the very last time she would look at me. It leaves me with tremendous feeling of unease. "I need to show you something." She says and grabs my hand, pulling me out of the armoury and in the direction of the northern wall of the castle. The northern wall faces towards the entrance gate of Purgatory.

We reach one of the towers at the corner of the wall and Nicole leads me swiftly up the steps.

"Nicole, what is going on, why are we here?" I ask when we finally reach the top.

She once again does not say anything, just pulls me towards the window. From the opening, I see the whole of Purgatory, including the path and forest beyond the town gates. "Look." Nicole instructs, pointing in the direction of the road.

At first, I see nothing. I am about to turn back to Nicole with a questioning frown when suddenly I see it. Something moves on the horizon. It's a red and green mass, growing larger as it comes nearer by the minute. Listening carefully, I can make out a buzz coming from the mass. It was like a swarm of angry locusts was approaching.

When I focus my eyes more acutely on the mass, I finally notice that the mass was not one body, but consisted of many bodies. Bodies of a multitude of soldiers marching in full battle armour, heading straight for Purgatory.

I let out a surprised gasp, now unable to deny the fact that we might be in actual danger. "Oh, Nicole…what do you think they want? Perhaps they will just pass Purgatory by?"

I watch as the muscle in Nicole's jaw tightens before she looks back at me with deep worry. "They are not passing us by, Waves."

"How can you be sure?" I ask her, my voice doubtful.

"Because those are my mother's men." Her words send an icy shockwave through my spine. The Countess? This was bad…very bad.

"Your mother? But why would she suddenly be targeting Purgatory? Do you think it's because she somehow found out you were here?" My mind runs a mile a minute and comes to only one conclusion. "Beth! I swear I am going to kill her!" I say as I tighten my hands into fists ready to kill. My erratic movements are stopped by Nicole's gentle touch when she places her hands over mine.

"No, sweetheart. This is not because of Beth. I trust that woman with my life. And so should you." Nicole's genuine belief in Beth wins me over, and I look down in shame for even considering that as a possibility after Beth had come through on her promise and brought Nicole safely back to me. Nicole gently tilts my head back up to look at her. "It is okay, Waves. I can understand why you would have thought it was Beth again."

"But if they are not coming for you, then why?" I start asking. Nicole drops her hand from my chin and looks back out towards the growing red and green mass of soldiers nearing Purgatory.

"My mother is a power-hungry maniac. She has always had her eye on Purgatory, but never quite had the number of men to attempt a takeover battle. I think the day has come where she has the numbers to actually win." The dread in Nicole's voice leaves a deep gash of distress within the confines of my heart. This was serious…there was going to be a battle and bloodshed here today.

"Nicole…what are we going to do?" I ask, unable to keep the tremble from my voice. The archer releases a slow breath. Then she turns to face me again, squeezing my hand.

"Waves, I need you to listen to me. I don't know what might happen today. But there are two things that I am sure of. Firstly, I have never loved anyone the way that I love you." My breath catches at the sheer emotion in her voice and intensity of her gaze as she says the words. The warmth they bring are immediately doused to ashes upon her next words.

"The second thing I know is that I cannot allow my mother to do this. Which is why I will go into battle with Wynonna and her guards. No more innocent lives can be lost by my mother's hand and I will do everything in my power to stop her and her men." Anything? Anything, meaning she was willing to...risk it all. Was she saying what I think she was saying?

I rip my hands from her gentle grip, looking up at her as tears of anger and desperation start flowing across my cheeks. "Nicole, don't you dare. You cannot do this to me. Not again! You cannot get hurt..or…or die for her. Not when we…I need you!" I choke out frantically midst uncontrollable sobs.

Nicole moves forward, attempting to steady me again, but I avoid her touch. I couldn't handle the thought that it could be the very last time I may feel it because of her idiotic selfless nature.

She gives up trying to reach for me and just lets her hands fall uselessly to her side as she looks towards the floor forlornly. "Waves, I need to do this. This may be the only way to stop her from taking more lives unnecessarily and ruining another kingdom."

"What about Rachel?" I ask, my voice pleading.

Nicole shakes her head sadly. "My mother is coming to conquer, there won't be time for a chat. Unless, I can make it through her men to reach her. Perhaps seeing me will get her to call her men off. Despite everything, my father had loved her. There must be at least some goodness in her heart." Nicole says, but the uncertainty in her voice does nothing to inspire confidence in my heart.

"But Nicole, she will be surrounded by many of her soldiers! Your chance of getting through them all alive is not great. You could be killed!" I shout at her in disbelief.

"Waves, she won't stop. The bloodshed would be great. This may be the only chance for me to stop her rampage of Purgatory. I am the only thing that might get her to stop and call off her men. I need to try."

I have no words left, my lungs feel empty and my blood feels like it has frozen solid in my veins. This could not be happening. How can I be feeling this way after last night? How was I about to lose her again? And once again because of her own willingness to potentially die for the greater cause.

At my silence, Nicole takes a step towards me. I am unable to look at her, instead I keep my eyes trained on the floor, hugging myself in an attempt to feel anything but the pain swirling through every cell in my body.

"There is a bunker beneath the castle. You and the rest of the townspeople will be safe there. I don't want to ask any more of you, but I need your help. Will you please take Mercedes and the others and start gathering all the townspeople into the bunker? Then… then I need you to stay there until it is over." Nicole asks softly, apologetically.

When I finally risk looking at her again, her brown eyes are staring back at me full of vulnerability and pleading. I mask the deep hurt I feel by directing a steely gaze at her and straighten my back.

"Fine. Go and be an idiot hero then. You were always going to choose the lives of others above your life with me, weren't you?" I say to her finally, turning on my heel and head through the door before she can respond. Tears flow freely down my face as I hurriedly head towards the rooms to gather the rest of the women to aid in getting the townspeople to safety.