#alice earp holiday

[confusedacenb]

I swear to God if the Wynonna Earp movie news is fake I'm going to cry, because holy shit I love that show.

[ferrarer17]

My general feeling - loved it!

My gut feeling - we need more. Stuff still to resolve.

My Earper feeling - WE NEED ANOTHER ONE!

[dontremembermejust]

Wynonna Earp Vengeance. Spoilers ahead.

Oh man. Firstly, I wanna applaud to the writers, cast, and crew for making this film for the fans. This is a special fandom that works hard for their fans and sees their fans. I appreciate Emily Andras and everyone’s efforts in Wynonna Earp overall.

Things I loved:

- the amount of Nedley. I love Nedley.

- the first scene with Doc and Wynonna fighting criminals and doing it

- Wayhaught love!

- Nedley and Mercedes’ friendship

And for the negatives.

I don’t know what it is, but this did not feel like a movie. It’s more of an extended episode. But something feels off.

- Firstly, I hated that they killed Mercedes off as a plot device.

- Secondly, I felt that Doc’s death was more for the drama and that it wasn’t earned. Yes, they’ve mentioned that he’s old a bunch of times but he deserved to live a boring stable domestic family life. He deserved to have a little home with Wynonna and Alice.

- There is a lack of Jeremy! (Also I think that Black Badge dude whatever his name was, was unnecessary. Like his purpose narratively was to kill Doc Holiday??)

- what happened to Rachel???

- they bring up Wayhaught thinking about kids then it’s not brought up again?

- the device that entraps Mina felt convenient and predictable that it was gonna be used . They’ve had it all the time. It would be cool if part of the plot was trying to find the device to trap Mina.

- I think the story could be more focused and condensed. I think there’s a lot of going back to things that Wynonna and the others has already healed and moved on from. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with expanding backstory, but the villain wasn’t as strong as previous ones that we had before. I think it could’ve been executed better if it held on to its theme - which was unclear to me.

These are just some thoughts. Dont fight me on it. I appreciate everything the Wynonna Earp writers, Cast, and Crew put into this. This film is what it’s meant to be. And it’s rare to have something as special as this to be shared to the world.

But in my mind, Mercedes is alive and thriving while Wynonna and Doc are happily raising their daughter.

Ya know what would be a cool alternate epilogue? Wynonna and Doc meeting their daughter for the first time.

Or an alternate story:

Wynonna and Doc who have been raising their kid for about a year, they’re struggling as parents - somewhere outside of Purgatory. Then meanwhile Waverly is working with Jermey and the new BBD when they discover a supernatural force reawakening in Purgatory. Cut to: Rachel and Nicole and Nedley and Mercedes discovering that supernatural force - which will somehow connect to threatening Wynnona’s domestic life (tho she misses the craziness).

Subplots would include Nicole and Waverly working on their long distance marriage, Nedley trying to enjoy retirement, Jeremy being a boss, maybe a little honourable mention of Dolls, and Wynonna coming to terms of this new domestic life while missing the craziness.

What if that supernatural force leaves Purgatory?

It’s clear that Wynonna wants to protect her daughter by ending that cycle of Earp Heirs. So she brings out old Peacemaker one last time for good and she destroys the supernatural pull in Purgatory. To which it ends with Doc and Wynonna bringing their daughter to the Homestead for the first time because it’s finally safe.

While Wynonna will always have that crazy chick with a gun side of her, she learns to love having this peace without the gun. Without the demons. Just her and her family.

It would still have the craziness, the comedy, the supernatural thrills, and most importantly, the heart in this story.

I mean - can you imagine Wynonna Earp with a 5 year old?

(From a production standpoint, I do understand the lack of Alice - it’s takes longer to complete filming with kids because they can only work for a few hours a day, can be in front of the camera for 30 minutes with a 45 minute break. also there’s a lot of stunt work - there’s generally a lot to work around for safety and production reasons but it’s possible with their production value)

… ya know I might make a fanfiction or a fan script.

[brooklynislandgirl]

Statistical Character Personality Test Tagged by and Stolen from: two of my favourites @silverjetsystm // @kylo-wrecked Tagging: Look, we both know I am literally tagging all y'all. ~*~ The Nurse Shark || Beth Riley

Luna Lovegood (Harry Potter): 88%

Alice Cullen (Twilight): 88%

Penelope Garcia (Criminal Minds): 88%

Kes (Star Trek: Voyager): 88%

Anna (Frozen): 87%

Princess Ann (Roman Holiday): 87%

Clarisse McClellan (Fahrenheit 451): 87%

Waverly Earp (Wynonna Earp): 86%

Angela Montenegro (Bones): 86%

~*~

Tiny Phantom Salad || Melakeni Ivers

Maleficent (Maleficent): 80%

Elsa (Frozen): 79%

Aunt Polly (Peaky Blinders): 78%

Yennefer (The Witcher): 78%

Inej Ghafa (Shadow and Bone): 78%

Lady Jessica (Dune): 77%

Prudence Night (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina): 77%

Judith of Northumbria (Vikings): 77%

Jean Grey (X-Men): 77%

Sun Bak (Sense8): 77%

[kwebtv]

Character Actor

Bob Steele (born Robert Adrian Bradbury; January 23, 1907 – December 21, 1988) Film and television actor. He also was billed as Bob Bradbury Jr.

In the 1930′s and 1940′s he appeared in may B-Westerns in for Monogram, Supreme, Tiffany, Syndicate, Republic (including several films of The Three Mesquiteers series) and Producers Releasing Corporation.  

Beginning the the 1950′s he performed on television, including the role of Sergeant Granger in the premiere episode, "The Peacemaker", in 1957 of the ABC/Warner Brothers western series, Colt .45. In 1957, he was cast as Sam Shoulders in "Bunch Quitter" in another ABC/WB western series, Sugarfoot, with Will Hutchins. He appeared in 1958 and 1959 in two episodes of the NBC western, The Californians, as well as three episodes of Maverick with James Garner, including "The War of the Silver Kings," "The Seventh Hand," and "Holiday at Hollow Rock."

Steele appeared as "Kirby" with Agnes Moorehead and Madlyn Rhue in the 1959 episode "In Memoriam" of another ABC western series, The Rebel, starring Nick Adams. He also appeared as Deputy Sam in four episodes of Hugh O'Brian's The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp. In 1959, he appeared with Mason Alan Dinehart, another Wyatt Earp alumnus, in the episode "Half a Loaf" of the syndicated series, Death Valley Days, hosted by Stanley Andrews.

Steele appeared in six different episodes of the Walt Disney's Western television series Texas John Slaughter with Tom Tryon. On January 25, 1960, Steele was cast as the frontier gunfighter Luke Short in an episode of the CBS western series, The Texan, starring Rory Calhoun. Barbara Stuart played the gambler Poker Alice in the same episode, which also features Reed Hadley and Richard Devon.

In the mid-1960s, Steele was cast in a regular supporting role as Trooper Duffy in ABC's F Troop, which allowed him to show his comic talent. Trooper Duffy in the F Troop story line claimed to have been "shoulder to shoulder with Davy Crockett at the Alamo" and to have been the only survivor of the battle 40 years before.

In 1970 he appeared on Family Affair as Chaps Callahan, a retired western star, in the episode “The Old Cowhand”.   (Wikipedia)

[roguetiger-ao3]

Morning angsty thoughts

Sometimes, mostly when I am trying to work out something story related, I wonder about that strange, nebulous thing that is time in Wynonna Earp. It helps the show in a way that there are so little specific time markers to age up but goddamn, it makes it pretty frustrating when trying to write something.

I, and I feel a lot of people, mark time in the show by what years the season came out… “season 3, okay, Wynonna is 29 now” that kind of thing. In reality, we just don’t know as episodes that set the time of year are few.

There could be more but…

1x01 – It’s Sept 12th, we know this because Wynonna turns 27.

2x12 – Alice is born but there is (as far as I can remember) no mention of a date.

3x06 – It’s Christmas… what year, we don’t know.

3x12 – Waverly and Doc get snatched and taken to the garden and they don’t return until 4x02 over 18 months later.

4x08 – Halloween.

Then there is Vengeance where we learn that there has been somewhere over 5 years since 2x12 as Alice is 5. Proving that time isn’t passing to our time as 2x12 aired in 2017.

What does this all mean? Bugger all. I just woke up and got depressed thinking about poor Nicole having to spend Christmas alone. It made me think about those 18, nearly 19 months without her baby and how many holidays and special events she was alone.

18 months without her friends and family. Waverly, Wynonna and Doc were lost and she was left clinging to hope that Wynonna would be able to bring them all home. Nedley was, as far as she knew, dead. Jeremy had abandoned her. The people she had sworn to protect turned their backs on her. Her parents were long out of the picture and the town had been closed off so who knows if she could have called them even if she had wanted to.

That is all bad enough but then there are the markers of time that we didn’t get to see… how many of her own and Waverly’s birthdays did she mark off on the calendar. And you know damn well that someone like Nicole would probably breeze past their own but celebrate Waverly’s in some way because everyone else seemed to forget it.

Did she decorate the homestead for Christmas because Rachel was there and find the tampon angel tucked away in a box?

Vengeance ended with Waverly going off, assumingly before Christmas? Who can tell what time of year it was with the wonderful weather of Canada… from what I, a Brit can make out, snow can happen almost year round there o.O

Randy and Mercedes were ice fishing though and he ended by saying that fishing season was over which, after a quick google, that can end any time around March so is Waverly going to be gone over a year!?

Can their marriage survive that amount of time, hell yeah, that I don’t doubt. Like Wynonna said to Waverly, Nicole isn’t selfish. What I do worry about, even with Wynonna and Nedley there to help (and possibly Rachel wherever she is) is Nicole’s mental health. Anyone watching the show for the first time with Vengeance doesn’t know any of what happened before. They don’t know about that time apart or that Nicole can’t leave Purgatory because she swore to be its shield. If Waverly gets in trouble while she’s helping Jeremy, Nicole can’t do anything other than sit and wait again.

Okay, after that little dip into my angst filled waking thoughts, I am going to leave my rambling here and go think about how much action those stairs are going to see when Waverly gets home… maybe then they can possibly talk about the K word.

And as a fandom are we thinking Waverly’s reluctance is just that she’s not feeling as maternal (I can relate to that)… childhood trauma… or that she worries about Dark Angel coming out if the kid is being naughty… or what angel genetics could mean for a child if it was part hers?

[faorism]

had an amazing time this weekend at EH Con. first con ive been to that was dedicated to a single fandom, and it was really inspiring to experience the community. i ended up pulling up my iPad to draw during a chill sesh. inspired in part by my friend anotherapril (ao3) saying that she would never write a kid fic, which was a big fat lie.

[sheriff-haught-sauce]

Wynonna: I hate when people ask who Alice Michelle looks like more, me or Doc.

Wynonna: Like, she was born 15 minutes ago! A potato is what she looks like!

[whiskey-maple-donuts]

IM EXCITED BECAUSE THE EARP CURSE IS BROKEN WHICH MEANS WE GET WY-MOMMA EARP AND AUNTIE WAVERLY AND NICOLE BECAUSE ALICE CAN COME HOME

[mrskimjongie]

sorry to all WynDolls shipper (I like them too) but WynDoc still takes away my heart ♥ This scene literally made me cry, it was sweet, it was touching & it shows how much parents will go through just to keep their child safe T_T Wynonna Earp x Doc Holliday x Alice Michelle Earp-Holliday ♥ p.s. Can someone give Mel & Tim awards for their performance in here ♥♥♥

[wayhaughtao3feed]

Home for Christmas

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/Bd8CHeu

by WeIsTheTeam

The Hollidays find their way home for the holidays. Waverly makes the magic come to life for the family. Wynonna and Doc have a rather heated time putting together Alice's gift. And WayHaught have a very Merry Christmas indeed. ;)

Words: 3475, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: Wynonna Earp (TV)

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Categories: F/F, F/M

Characters: Waverly Earp, Nicole Haught, Wynonna Earp, Doc Holliday (Wynonna Earp), Alice Michelle (Wynonna Earp)

Relationships: WayHaught

Additional Tags: Christmas, Home

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/Bd8CHeu

[ao3-feedwayhaught]

A Holly Jolly Christmas Mystery

by Namaenai

A few years have passed since the curse was broken. Wynonna and Doc had brought Alice, now 6 years old, back to Purgatory. Life has settled into some semblance of normalcy -- well, normalcy to the extent it exists when living side-by-side with demons, werewolves, and supernatural people of other types.

On a shopping trip to PurgMart, Alice spots a display for Santa's Helper dolls, a technology-enhanced holiday doll.

But what if there is more to the doll than meets the eye?

Words: 892, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: Wynonna Earp (TV)

Rating: Not Rated

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: F/F, F/M

Characters: Waverly Earp, Nicole Haught, Wynonna Earp, Doc Holliday (Wynonna Earp), Randy Nedley, Alice Michelle (Wynonna Earp), Jeremy Chetri

Relationships: Waverly Earp/Nicole Haught, Wynonna Earp/Doc Holliday

Additional Tags: #12DaysofEarpmas2022, 12DaysofEarpmas2022, Alternate Universe - Post-Canon, Canon Related, Knock-off Elf on the Shelf, But it might be evil, Is it surveillance or supernatural?

source https://archiveofourown.org/works/43762474

[mtvswatches]

Wynonna Earp 2x12 I Hope You Dance

Click here for previous recaps!

Stray thoughts

1) Waverly confronts Bobo and the widows, certain that Bobo won’t hurt her. He admits he might not, but he won’t help her either. In an uncharacteristically honest moment, he admits that caring about her has only brought him pain. Waverly quips that no one said parenthood was easy. And I’M FREAKING OUT? IS THIS HER WAY OF CONFIRMING BOBO IS HER FATHER?!

2) Thankfully, Wynonna arrives on time, but Peacemaker is completely useless now that the seal is broken and this MOFO is waking up…

Shit is about to go down and I’M NOT READY. I’m really curious to see what Clootie looks like, though, I feel he’ll look something like the Master.

3) The sisters take a breather before all hell breaks loose, and I appreciate it…

You know what else I appreciate? Wynonna’s top priority – making sure Doc is not dead.

4) Well, Dolls is not dead, which is good, but not the answer I was expecting.

5) I truly appreciate the brief moment of levity…

6) So, this is what she had figured out before she went poof…

7) Wynonna is terrified that Doc might be dead now that the ring is broken. I’m Jeremy, btw.

8) I’m sorry, but is there anything more badass than trying to save the world while you’re about to give FUCKING BIRTH?!

9) WTF! Clootie is going to have Wynonna’s baby for dessert???!!

10) Oooh, I kind of saw this coming but I didn’t want to get my hopes up!

MERCEDES: Actually, I want a separation.

MERCEDES: Chopped my way into the 21st century. The world has changed. Hell, look at Wynonna Earp. She is 10 times the gunslinger Wyatt ever was and he put Bulshar in the ground! I want that ring!

I’m really into this new form of empowerment? Evil ladies also need to break free from the misogynistic ties to their evil lords. You go, Glenn Coco! Or Elsa, I guess…

She just took off and buried Bobo, Clootie and her sister. Does this mean that the season’s Big Bad was Mercedes all along? And not Clootie! Damn, I really love that plot twist!

11) The Iron Witch says the plate only works as a shield, and these two badass motherfuckers are not having it…

Can they look any more badass?! And I really wish they had allowed Wynonna to say fucking!

12) Dolls finds Doc at his home…

He’s having an existential crisis over being mortal and he’s basically contemplating suicide. And I almost believed he couldn’t take not being ageless anymore, but it was the possibility of living a mortal life in a Wynonna-less world that was pushing him over the edge because the second he heard she was still alive…

It’s like his soul returned to his body… and now he’s willing to die but for an entirely different reason, and I swear to God, I choked up during this whole scene. Does that make sense? Am I an idiot?

13) I guess there’s no better time for confessions than when facing the possibility of absolute and total obliteration. In a few seconds, Waverly breaks the news to Wynonna that Nicole is married and that she’s not Wynonna’s sister. Wynonna’s reply is quick and certain…

A lot of emphasis is placed on the bloodline in this show, considering the whole hereditary curse. But nothing as volatile as blood would ever get in the way of Waverly and Wynonna. They are sisters if ever sisters there were.

I truly love how there was no hesitation. At the same time, I wonder if the lack of hesitation means Wynonna had considered this possibility before?

14) Okay, Wynonna literally has one shot to kill Clootie, get rid of the Widows, and break the curse. Cool. Cool cool cool cool.

15) Jeremy and Nicole are having this super sweet moment…

JEREMY: And, uh, I stay because I don't fit in here. But none of you ask me to. I'm allowed to be me. NICOLE: You're part of the family. And being part of the family means...

AND THEN THIS FUCKING ELSA FROM HELL BURST INTO THE ROOM AND NEARLY GAVE ME A HEART ATTACK…

And please don’t tell me that we’re using the “put Nicole in peril” schtick again! And we’re adding Jeremy into the mix! Just great!

16) THE BABY IS FUCKING COMING AMIDST ALL THIS DEBACLE!

17) I’M FUCKING DEAD.

She’s my queen, I love her, I’d sell my soul for Wynonna Earp, I’ve said it.

18) Oh, the other McBitch just arrived and is threatening Waverly while Elsa says Wynonna is the weapon she’s been looking for, and what the fuck is going on?

19) Wynonna’s sigh of relief and barely noticeable smile when she sees Doc is alive, though…

I leave for these moments.

20) NOT THESE FUCKING MOMENTS, THOUGH! WHAT THE HELL ARE THEY DOING?!

21) UGH THESE TWO MOTHERFUCKERS ALMOST GOT ME!

Two birds, one stone. These two! They could convey their plan using a code they could only understand! Why aren’t they together?!

But there’s still Clootie and Bobo, right…

And the baby is coming…

22) Ugh the fire-assholes have shown up, they offed Wynonna’s doctor and they’re coming after the baby!

23) WHAT’S THE FUCKING PLAN? WHAT WILL THEY DO WITH THE BABY? IS NICOLE GOING TO TAKE THE BABY AWAY? They’re talking about crossing the triangle…

24) WTF ROSITA!!!!!!!

THIS FUCKING EPISODE DOESN’T LET UP!

25) Bobo has gone Spike…

So Clootie or Bulshar or whoever sucked something out of Bobo and Bobo offered up Waverly as the Big Bad’s new bride WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK!

26) Great. JUST FUCKING GREAT.

27) Oh, thank god, something worked out!

Wynonna basically willed Peacemaker into accepting Waverly as an Earp!

28) Brendan Fehr is saying that Wynonna is going to corrupt the baby and screw it up and I’m like… Brendan Fehr, I was rooting for you!

29) Damn, Dolls!

At least they died in their element. Get it?

30) When you try to come up with a good comeback and you just…

31) I guess I’ll just have to get used to Bobo never being back for more than two episodes…

32) I’m not crying, you are…

I'm the Earp heir. They're always coming for me and everything I love. I don't want to. I didn't realise how much I wouldn't want to. You're the coolest thing I ever did. You're going to have it much better than me. I promise.

And Waverly is taking the baby away and Wynonna is asking her to make sure that Doc gets a moment with him and I’m here, dying.

33) Waverly and the baby just crossed over the border and neither of them burnt, which means that the baby is Doc’s and the revenants don’t have any claim over it. But what does this mean for Waverly? Whose daughter is she, then?

34) Wynonna just offed the whole gang of revenants, but it doesn’t really feel satisfying at all when her baby is being sent away minutes after being born…

35) Did Jeremy just used Waverly and Nicole’s ship name?! HE FUCKING DID!

36) Perry is taking the baby as a way to thank Wynonna for saving his life. Cool dude.

37) And now Doc is meeting the baby and I WON’T SURVIVE THIS SHIT!

I CAN’T BREATHE. EVERYTHING HURTS.

38) Bobo just got a holiday for one in the well, and he admits that he never said Waverly was his daughter, just kin. I repeat, what does this mean for Waverly? Who is her father? Doc confesses that when Dolls shot him, he was sent to hell. It remains to be seen how long he was there - if it was a few hours or a few centuries, and what impact this will have on him…

39) Wynonna named the baby after both of their mothers and I’m a mess…

This is not the happy ending I wanted for these two.

40) There’s so much I don’t understand…

The woman narrating is Wynonna’s mother? And she’s ALIVE? Has she been alive this whole time? What about the secretive look between Dolls and Nicole? Is she having second thoughts about her divorce? And what about the folder she was holding with info about Bulshar? Is she working with Dolls behind Waverly’s back? And how can Jeremy and Waverly be acting so carefree when everything is a mess?

If Wynonna’s mom is alive, there’d better be an explanation as to why this was never brought up before. It doesn’t make any sense!

I need Alice in Wynonna and Doc’s life, okay? This can’t be the end of that storyline, I just won’t accept it.

41) Amazing season finale, full of plot twists and emotional moments. I’ll admit I shed more than one tear. I truly can’t believe how the show continues to be so fast-paced and engaging. There never is one minute, one line, one scene wasted – everything has meaning and is relevant to the plot, and it never lets up and I’m so excited to see what they have to offer in season 3, and hopefully, I’ll catch up before season 4 premieres!

This show is quickly climbing up the ladder of my very short and exclusive list of favorite shows, I swear. I’m already looking forward to rewatching it and discovering things I’d missed the first time around.

42) Hope you enjoyed my recap, and, as usual, if you’ve got this far, thank you for reading! If you enjoy my recaps and my blog, please consider supporting it on ko-fi.Thanks!

[iamthegaysmurf]

“The power when out. It’s not the end of the world.”

Okay, so. First of all, I want to apologize for how long you’ve been waiting, @darienplays6688.  I hope the payoff is worth it.

And second…  this thing severely got away from me.  It is by no means a “quick, short prompt fill.”  I’ve put it under a cut, because it ended up so long.  Sorry, guys.

———-

Set a week after the events of 3x06, a day (and a half) before the beginning of 3x07.

———-

It’s hard to be festive in a town like Purgatory.  Even the name suggests that happiness willalways be just out of reach.

Ringing in the new year doesn’t really feel like somethingworth celebrating.  Not with Dolls goneand Alice hidden away and Nedley going off the rails.  And they haven’t heard from Doc in a fullweek, ever since he walked out on their Christmas dinner.

Jeremy has been spending more time than usual in the BlackBadge office now that Bulshar and his beekeeper oompa loompas have been forcedto relocate his Murder Tree Factory after Robin was rescued and brought safelyback home.  Nicole can tell that he’sholding Robin at arm’s length now, despite how obvious it is he’d rather be in those arms, because he’s afraid toget another innocent person dragged into their perpetual shitstorm.

Mama spends her time flitting around the homestead with abig smile on her face, but it doesn’t reach her eyes and makes her look moresuspicious than Marshal Dolls had when he first moved to town.  The Earp sisters are too blind to see it, toocaught up in the belief that they might finally be putting their family backtogether one piece at a time, but Nicole has always been exceptional at readingpeople, and Michelle is throwing up red flags quicker than a matador in thePlaza de Toros.  

She’s hiding something. Something big.  Nicole just hasn’t been able to figure out what yet.  She’s also not doing a very good job ofhiding the restlessness that’s rippling just beneath the surface, either.  Nicole has seen it far too many times not torecognize the symptoms.  She’s getting readyto run, and Nicole can only hope that the inevitable fallout doesn’t break hergirls beyond Nicole’s ability to repair them.

Nicole will be starting on the campaign trail as soon as theholiday is over, and she really should be working on posters and buttons andspeeches full of promises that this cursed town will probably never let her actuallykeep.  Her appointment to Sheriff isn’tofficial yet, and she doesn’t want to leave anything to chance.

And Wynonna…  Well,Wynonna’s idea of a New Year’s Resolution is to never let her blood alcohollevel drop below the legal limit.  She’drather be holed up in the barn with her whiskey and self-loathing, ruminatingon all the ways she continues to fail the people she loves.

But Waverly had insisted on a party.

And no one in this god-forsaken town knows how to tellWaverly Earp no.

So here they all are, awkwardly gathered at the homestead,with a bowl of well-spiked punch and platters full of snacks and ridiculousparty hats and poppers and steamers hanging from every conceivablesurface.  Waverly’s newest pop obsessionrings out through the speakers, making Nicole cringe a bit, but at leastfeeling the bass line thumping in her chest helps to ward off the chill thathangs in the air from the blizzard that’s raging outside, whitewashing thedarkness and drowning out the moonlight.

Things are going fine.

Mostly.

As fine as anything can really be in a powderkeg of asituation.  

Wynonna’s drinking and above-average irritability,presumably owing to Doc… and something elseshe seems to be keeping under her hat – or more likely, in her pants – thesedays.  Mama’s thinly-veiled sarcasm aboutevery positive thing this group is desperately trying to hang on to, especiallywhen it comes to Nicole’s place among them, and now also her sideways glancesat the two newest additions.

Robin’s strange fascination with the Christmas tree and allof its trimmings that are still up from a week ago, particularly the pine conegarland, which Nicole is nearly certain she saw him pluck several seed scalesfrom, followed by a loud crunching sound that didn’t fit with any of the snacksWaverly had set out on the food table. Jeremy’s nervous energy, more obvious than usual, mostly directed athaving Robin present, but also with a wary eye constantly on the enormous,sticky snowflakes painting wet streaks against the outside of the frostedwindows.

Things are fine.

Until they aren’t.

The faint click that always signals the sudden halt ofelectricity through the lines might as well be a gunshot with the way it echoesaround the enclosed space of the homestead. An eerie silence immediately follows, a stark contrast to Waverly’smusic pouring through the speakers, and even the constant hum of the house –like a heartbeat proving that it’s alive– leaves behind a warped void that temporarily swallows all of the sound aroundthem.

It’s disconcerting, in a liminal space sort of way.  

The few short seconds of silence stretch for an inordinateamount of time – like a rubber band pushing the limits of its threshold – beforesnapping violently back into place.

Waverly and Robin groan with disappointment in the suddendarkness.  Mama makes a disgusted noisedeep in her throat, and Nicole can picture the way she’s rolling her eyes,despite there being no light.

Wynonna puts together a string of obscenities that’s farmore impressive than any of the strings of festive banners Waverly had hung around the room.

But the worst of it comes from Jeremy.

His voice is sheer panic as he begins to rambleincoherently, and Nicole tracks his movement in the darkness, following theloud shuffling of his frantic pacing.  

“Jesus fuck, Dr. Voldemort. The power went out.  It’s not theend of the world.”

“Wynonna,” Waverlyscolds.  It’s immediately followed by asoft thump and a loud hiss, which was almost certainly an elbow to theribs.  “And also,” Waverly addsmatter-of-factly, unable to help herself. “Voldemort wasn’t a doctor.  Hewas a dark wi—”

“Waverly…” Nicole cuts in gently.  She waits a beat in the darkness.  “Time and place…”

“Right, right.”  Shefeels soft fingers trail down the skin of her forearm beneath the cuff of her sleeve, resting snugly at her elbow.  “Sorry,”Waverly says sheepishly.

Nicole feels Robin shifting beside her, making a move towardthe rapidly-spiraling Jeremy, but she reaches out and stops him with a hand tothe shoulder.

“Why don’t you help Waverly find some candles and get a firestarted in the fireplace.”  She squeezeshis shoulder gently.  “I’ve got this.”

“Uhh…  yeah.  Yeah, okay.” She can tell he’s concerned, but she feels him relax slightly under hergrip.  “Thanks, Officer Haught.  Umm…  Imean Sheriff Haught.”

“Nicole will be fine,” she says, smiling into thedarkness.  With one final squeeze of hisshoulder, she nudges him toward the kitchen, where she can already hear Waverlyrummaging through drawers to find the matches.

Turning toward Jeremy, Nicole approaches him slowly,muttering a curse under her breath when she bangs her shin against the coffeetable she’d misjudged.  He’s fidgeting withhis phone, his face lit up like a child telling ghost stories around acampfire, but his hands are shaking too much for him to successfully find theflashlight app.  He’s still mumbling, tooquick and too low for Nicole to actually make any of it out, but she has apretty good idea what this is about.

“Jeremy…” she calls softly, not wanting to startle him.  He doesn’t respond, continuing to pace infront of her.  She reaches out to catchhis elbow as he passes, carefully leading him away from the rest of thegroup, over to the stairs, where they can sit without worrying about knockingthings over.

Nicole can feel his entire body vibrating, and she leans alittle closer, so that her shoulder and arm and leg press reassuringly againsthis side.  He lets his face fall into hishands, his phone forgotten, still ignoring all attempts Nicole makes at tryingto break through to him.

“Do you still get the nightmares?” she finally asks, and hegoes rigid next to her.

“How…”  His head snapsup and whips around to face her.  Waverlyhas a few candles lit on the food table now, and Robin has managed the beginningsof a fire, glowing softly in the hearth. Nicole watches the faint glint of Jeremy’s eyes dart around the roomnervously.  “How do you know about that?”

“I get them, too,” she says so low that only Jeremy can hearas she reaches out to take his hand in hers. It’s cold and clammy, and she feels the warmth of her own hand slowlystart to seep into his skin.  

“You…  You do?”  She can see the shadow of his Adam’s applebob in the flickering light as he swallows thickly.

“Of course,” she admits plainly.  “It’s always worst when the darkness comes.”

“Is it…”  He shiftsuncomfortably, but doesn’t make a move to withdraw his hand from hers.  “Is it that night… in the forest?” he finallyasks.

“Yeah,” Nicole breathes, her own head hanging slightly asher shoulders slump forward a little to mirror his position.  “I had them for years when I wasyounger.  They finally went away when Iwas in high school.”  She looks away fromhim for a moment, fighting the burn behind her eyes.  “But ever since the…  the…” She looks back at him, shrugging one of her shoulders.  “Well,” she says gruffly.  “They’re back now.”

Jeremy nods, uncharacteristically quiet in the moment.  The house around them is still silent, savefor the soft hissing and popping of the fire Robin continues to stoke, and themuttered grumbling coming from Wynonna’s corner.  Nicole can tell Waverly is runninginterference for the two of them over here on the steps, and her gratefulnessfor that causes a faint warmth to bloom in her chest, welcome against the coldmemories of the massacre in the woods just over twenty years ago.

“It started with a blizzard like this,” Jeremy finally says,breaking the silence unexpectedly.  Nicolepulls herself away from the images of the man dressed in black leathers, hismanic smile glinting in the moonlight while she shivered, alone, beneath anearby canoe.  Her vision swims for amoment, but then comes into focus on the hard lines set deeply into Jeremy’sforehead.

“Your accident?” she prompts gently when he fails tocontinue.  

“Yeah,” he nods.  “Mymom…”  His voice trembles every bit as muchas his hand does where it still rests in Nicole’s.

She gives him a minute to collect himself, letting him drawstrength from her presence and her patience.

“I was eleven,” he eventually says after clearing his throatroughly.  “It was snowing out – it hadbeen for most of the week – but we were supposed to go to this stupid awardsbanquet…”  His voice cracks, and he dropshis head into his free hand, his entire body shuddering.

“Hey,” Nicole soothes, bringing her other hand up and usingboth of them to squeeze Jeremy’s hand tightly. “It wasn’t your fault, Jeremy.”

“It was,” he snapssharply.  He moves to pull away, but shedoesn’t let him.

“It wasn’t,” she says again, firmly.  “You were just a kid.  It wasn’t your fault.”

He collapses against her and begins to sob.  Nicole finally lets his hand go, only to wrapher arms around his shoulders.  They staylike that for several minutes, until his breathing evens back out and he pullsaway enough to sit upright again.  Heleaves his head resting on her shoulder, though.

“We went off the road,” he finally manages through a sniffle.  “We went off the road, and the snow was sobad, it took them three days to find us.”

“Three days?”  Nicole’seyes go wide, and she’s unable to keep the shock out of her voice.

“Yeah,” he says, still not looking at her.  “I was trapped in there with her for threedays.  The snow drifts covered the windowsand everything.  It was…”  He clears his throat again, but his nextwords still come out as a whisper anyway. “Everything was so dark.”

“I’m so sorry, Jeremy,” Nicole murmurs, wrapping her arm alittle tighter around his shoulders and pulling him closer into his side.

“Storms like this… They make me kinda…”  He flaps hishands around dramatically.  “Antsy.”

There’s a beat of silence, and then he snorts loudly.

“Well.  More antsythan usual, anyway.”

Nicole can’t help but chuckle at that, too, but he sobers upagain quickly and she follows his lead.

“How do you, uh…”  Hefinally glances up at her.  “Y-youknow.  Deal with the nightmares?”

“To be completely honest,” she sighs, “it’s more like thenightmares deal with me.”

“Oh.”  Jeremy frowns,and Nicole’s eyes flick toward Waverly for a moment before looking back at himagain.

“But the main thing is…” Her eyes soften a little, just like they always do when she talks aboutWaverly.  “The main thing is knowing thatI don’t have to face them alone anymore.”

“Oh.”  Jeremy’s browfurrows for a moment.  He glances over atRobin and then back toward Nicole, and his cheeks flush red in thefirelight.  “Oh.”

Nicole chuckles again.

“I didn’t just mean it like that,” she says, rolling her eyes playfully.

“Oh,” Jeremy says again, like it’s the only word he knowsright now.  “Good.  Because we haven’t… uh… you know…”  His hands are flailing around again.

“I’m gonna stop you right there,” Nicole says, shaking herhead before he can make things any more awkward.

“S-sorry,” he stutters, and she thinks he might be wishingfor Wynonna to put a bullet between his eyes with Peacemaker so that the floorwould swallow him whole.

“No, it’s fine,” she says quickly.  “Just. Um…  What I meant was…  Now that I have you guys,” she gesturesaround the room, “a family… I knowthat I’m not alone like I was when I was a kid.”

Jeremy raises a skeptical eyebrow at Wynonna, who seems tobe having and honest to god argument with the weather through the window rightnow.

“And you aren’t, either,” Nicole says, getting his attentionas she squeezes his shoulder again.  “Alone,I mean.  You have us now.  All of us.” She eyes Wynonna for a moment.  “Eventhe crazy drunk ones,” she mutters.

“You really think so?” Jeremy asks, sounding somewherebetween hopeful and skeptical.

“I know so,” Nicole answers without hesitation.  “You remember that fire we talked about?” sheasks, tapping her finger to her chest, over her heart.

“Yeah,” he says quietly, the hint of a grin tugging at thecorners of his mouth.  He flattens hispalm against his own chest.

“Don’t forget about it,” Nicole says seriously.  “Remember that you’re as much a part of our fireas we are a part of yours.”

He nods his head vigorously, unable to fight the grin anylonger.  

Nicole glances over to where Robin is still hovering nearthe fireplace.  He’s pacing slowly,keeping an eye on the stairs, but maintaining a respectable distance, notwanting to intrude.  She catches his eyeand he stops moving, tilting his head slightly. She smiles and nods at him subtly, and she can see his entire body relaxat the gesture.

“Well,” she says, turning back to Jeremy.  “It’s probably pretty close to midnight.  You should go and get your guy.  I think he’s waiting for you.”

Jeremy turns to look at Robin and gives him a little wavebefore looking back at Nicole.

“My guy…” he whispers, his eyes glazing over dreamily.  “He’s myguy.”

“Yes,” Nicole laughs. “He is.”

Jeremy pushes himself up off the stairs, still a littleshaky, and nearly trips over his own feet during his first steps towardRobin.  He stops and leans against therailing, gathering himself for a moment. Before taking another step, he looks back over at Nicole, opening andclosing his mouth a few times, though nothing actually comes out.

Nicole reaches up and pats his hand.  She nods at him once, and watches the airrush out of his lungs.  He pauses for afew more seconds before he finally finds his breath again.

“Nicole…  Thanks,” isall he manages to say, but it’s enough.

“Any time,” she smiles back. “Just remember,” she adds, tapping her chest again, “you’re not alone.”

He mirrors her movement, like he’s making a pledge, and thenhe turns in a hurry and shuffles over to Robin, who greats him by holding outone of his arms for Jeremy to slip under so that he can tuck himself into Robin’sside.  Nicole watches them quietly for afew minutes until she feels Waverly approaching from her other side.

“Hey, baby,” she says, letting Waverly’s proximity chase thelast of the darkness from her own head.

“You’re amazing,” Waverly says, plopping down on the stepnext to Nicole.

Nicole quirks a surprised eyebrow at her.

“You are,” Waverly says, grabbing Nicole’s hand and playingwith her fingers.  “What you just did forhim?  You’re amazing.”

She feels the heat rising in her cheeks and ducks her head.

“We just…”  Sheglances up at Waverly.  “I get it.  What he’s going through.  Sort of…”

“I know you do, baby.” Waverly leans in and kisses Nicole lightly on the cheek.  “I’m glad he has someone like you that he can talkto about it.”

Nicole takes a minute to survey the room.  Robin and Jeremy have settled on the floor bythe fireplace, leaning back against the couch. Mama and Wynonna are huddled in the opposite corner, and though it givesNicole a slightly uneasy feeling, she decides not to dwell on it tonight.  She and Waverly have a rare moment ofprivacy, and she takes advantage of it, reaching out to tip Waverly’s chin upuntil she can kiss her properly for the first time in several hours.

“Alright, mothers and fuckers,” Wynonna yells suddenly, andNicole groans at her uncanny ability to interrupt.  “We’re on the final countdown to midnight,and then I get to make out with this whiskey bottle like it’s 1999.”

Wynonna watches the seconds tick down on her phone, and theyall join in on the countdown.  EvenMama.  

True to her word, Wynonna shoves her tongue as far into thebottle as she can get it, but Nicole ignores her, finding Waverly’s lips andallowing herself to get lost in the moment, despite the amount of hecklingcoming from the peanut gallery.

“Well,” Mama finally says, clearing her throat loudly.  “There’s no way anyone is leaving in thisstorm, so it looks like we’re having a sleepover.”  Her voice is tight, and Nicole takes a small amount of pleasure from her discomfort.  “I’m sure y’all know where the blankets are inthis house better than I do.”

“Yeah.  And the wallsare stupid thin,” Wynonna grumbles, glaring directly at Waverly andNicole.  “So if me and Mr. Jack Danielshear anything that will scar us for life, coming from any of you…”  She swings thebottle around, pointing it at both couples. “Then I will make sure it’s yourshoes I vomit in.  Capiche?”

“Goodnight,Wynonna,” Waverly says, rolling her eyes and dragging Nicole up the stairs.

Maybe things will be fine after all.

[cityofangelshqs]

mw from any fandom ?

You can find a more complete list of most waned characters here but here is a short list of who we would love to see:

Zoe Benson, Tate Langdon, and Misty Day (AHS)  Damian Wayne, Cassandra Cain-Wayne, Dick Grayson, Barry Allen, Kara Danvers, and Alice/Beth Kane (DC Comics) Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter, Ginny Weasley, and Luna Lovegood (Harry Potter) Bruce Banner, Clint Barton, Bucky Barnes, Thor Odinson, Sam Alexander, and Mile Morales (Marvel) Jack Skellington (Nightmare Before Christmas) Percy Jackson, Nico di Angelo, and Grover Underwood (Percy Jackson) Cheryl Blossom, Hermione & Hiram Lodge, Joan Berkley,  and Toni Topaz (Riverdale) Daphne Blake, Fred Jones, and Shaggy Rogers (Scooby Doo) Alec & Isabelle Lightwood, Clary Fray, and Jace (Shadowhunters) Han Solo, Leia Organa, Luke Skywalker, Rose Tico, and Poe Dameron (Star Wars) Crowley, Rowena, Charlie Bradbury, Lisa & Ben Braeden, Mary & John Winchester (Supernatural) Wynonna Earp, Jeremy, Doc Holiday, and Xavier Dolls (Wynonna Earp) Let us know if there’s a fandom not listed here that you’d like the MW list from!

[jaybear1701]

A/N: I stole the phrase "Make your peace... on Earth" from @haughtbreaker who has been kindly beta reading this story for me. lol

Waverly exchanged texts over the next week with Nicole, as well as a couple of phone calls. Sometimes, Nicole stopped into Shorty’s for dinner or a quick drink. No flirting. All strictly platonic. At least, that’s what Waverly told herself. So what if she kept checking her phone for new messages from Nicole, from the moment she woke up to the time she went to bed? What was the big deal if their conversations, both in person and over the phone, seemed to stretch longer and longer? Where was the harm if she wanted to invite Nicole as her +1 to Perry Crofte’s annual holiday party? It was all perfectly normal for new friends getting to know each other. Right? Right.

They agreed to finally get a hot cocoa that Wednesday night. She would ask Nicole about Perry’s party then. It wasn’t a date, Waverly told herself even as she tried on her fourth outfit, evaluating her reflection in a full-length mirror with a critical eye.

“So it’s a date,” Wynonna observed from the threshold of Waverly’s bedroom, shoulder leaned against the door frame. She shook her head. “What did I tell you about dating the law?”

“It’s not a date,” Waverly insisted, tugging the lettuce hem of her pink, long-sleeved crop top.

Wynonna eyed the stack of discarded clothes on Waverly’s bed, her ransacked closet, and the scattered array of foundation, lipstick, eyeshadow, mascara, blush, and eyeshadow on her dresser. “Uh huh.”

Alice ran into the room and leaped onto the covered mattress. “She’s gonna Netflix and chill with Nicole,” she said matter-of-factly, as if commenting on the weather.

“Did I mention how much I love that you taught her that phrase?” Waverly shot a pointed look at Wynonna, who snickered. “And no, Alice, we aren’t going to do that.” She was quite pleased at herself for maintaining a neutral expression. “We’re just getting some hot chocolate. Friends get drinks. Nicole is my friend.”

“With benefits?” Wynonna asked innocently.

Waverly growled and kicked both of them out of the room so she could finish getting ready in peace. She settled on pairing the crop top with her favorite pair of black leggings and fuzzy boots. As she put the finishing touches on her makeup, Nicole called, extremely apologetic because she had to cancel. Lonnie caught the stomach flu and the already short-staffed department needed her to cover his shift. Nicole promised to make it up to Waverly.

It wasn’t a big deal, Waverly told herself. And yet, her heart still sunk in disappointment.

She made her way downstairs where Alice, Wynonna, and Dolls (of all people) were busy making cookies. Waverly used the term “making” lightly. Although the kitchen smelled wonderful, like buttery sugary heaven, it looked like a war zone. Flour and sugar coated nearly every inch of the countertops. Alice had splotches of yellow batter all over her Santa Claus apron.

“I’m telling you, Peacemaker is not an appropriate shape for a Christmas cookie,” Dolls argued as he placed a box of cookie cutters on the kitchen table.

“It literally brings peace on Earth,” Wynonna contended, waving an aluminum cutter that, sure enough, looked like her Colt Buntline Special. “What’s more Christmas-y than that?”

Dolls let out a long, weary sigh. “Back me up here, Waverly.”

“Where did you even get that?” Waverly asked, lowering herself onto an empty chair that somehow remained unscathed from the culinary explosion.

“Mattie,” Wynonna answered. “She owed me one. Now,” she held the Peacemaker cutter up, “won’t this make the coolest Christmas cookie or what?”

Waverly glanced at Dolls, who had one eyebrow raised, and Alice, who merely shrugged and giggled. She reached out and took the miniature gun from Wynonna.

“Make your peace…,” Waverly aimed at the oven, “...on Earth. It does have a certain ring to it.” She handed it back to Wynonna, who fist pumped while Dolls shook his head and muttered, “Earps,” under his breath.

“Why are you still here?” Wynonna asked as she turned the oven light on to check on the cookies. “Aren’t you going to be late for your not-date?”

“She had to cancel,” Waverly said lightly, hoping her disappointment didn’t show. “Taking another shift at the station.”

“Maybe she’s secretly helping Santa,” Alice whispered.

Wynonna scrunched up her face. “Huh?”

“Officer Nicole is one of Santa’s elves,” Alice placed a finger to her lips, “but we can’t tell anyone.”

Dolls looked at Waverly. “Officer Nicole as in Nicole Haught?”

“That’s right, Dolls,” Wynonna said, “the one you threatened with treason the other day.”

“What!?” Waverly exclaimed.

Dolls shrugged up on shoulder. “She shouldn’t have entered my office without permission.”

“For the last time, she did knock, Dolls.” Wynonna rolled her eyes.

“But I didn’t say, ‘Enter.’” Dolls leaned back and crossed his arms, chair creaking. “So you have a date with her?”

“It’s not a date!” Waverly stood up and walked to the refrigerator, partly to pour a glass of water and partly to get out of the interrogation spotlight.

Dolls eyed her outfit the same way Wynonna had sized up her room. “Mmhmm.”

Waverly fought back a blush.

“Why don’t you bring her a hot chocolate?” Alice suggested, swinging her legs. They were still too short to reach the floor.

Waverly paused, considering it. “You know, that’s… not a bad idea.”

“And then when she’s done, you can Net…”

Waverly put up a finger. “Do not finish that sentence, young lady, if you want any presents under the tree.”

Alice giggled but made a zipping motion across her lips.

Waverly wasted no more time and began collecting all the ingredients she needed. She chopped up a few blocks of bittersweet chocolate, then placed a saucepan on the stove to heat up some milk, heavy cream, sugar, and salt until the mixture steamed. While the others decorated their cookies, Waverly stirred in the chocolate and a few drops of peppermint oil. She poured the cocoa into three mugs and her favorite thermos, which she placed inside an insulated lunch bag along with some miniature marshmallows, two candy canes, an elf-shaped cookie made by Alice, and a strange, green-colored one from Wynonna. It had a cluster of red blobs to the side.

“What is this?” Waverly squinted at the so-called “cookie.”

Wynonna puckered her lips and smacked them. “Mistletoe.”

Dolls peeked over Waverly’s shoulder. “Mistletoe has white berries,” he said before Waverly could smash the cookie in her sister’s face. “That’s just a poor rendition of holly.”

Waverly smirked at Wynonna, who punched Dolls hard in the shoulder. Waverly left the cookie on the counter and was finally off.

About half an hour later, Waverly parallel parked her Jeep outside the Purgatory Sheriff’s Department. She walked carefully to the entrance. Even with her boots and the salt on the sidewalk, the path was still slippery with snowy slush made more treacherous at night. Just as she reached the station’s door, someone else pushed it open from the other side, with enough force that the glass almost slammed into the building’s brick siding.

A woman nearly ran into Waverly; the same beautiful woman who had approached Nicole at the mall a week ago. She was even more gorgeous up-close, dark hair cut straight in a sleek bob, looking sharp in a long, cream-colored wool coat.

“My apologies,” she said, doing a double-take when she saw Waverly, recognition in her eyes even though Waverly was sure they had never met.

“No problem,” Waverly squeaked out. “Be careful, the ground’s pretty slick.”

The woman spared her a small, genuine smile. “Thank you.” She continued down the way more carefully until she reached a black Mercedes Benz and drove away down the darkened street. Had she come to see Nicole, Waverly wondered. Were they friends or, Waverly swallowed, something more?

Entering the building, Waverly was so lost in thought that she didn’t notice that the station’s epoxy flooring was wet. Before she knew it, her feet flew out from under her and she fell down face first, pain erupting from her kneecaps and the heels of her hands. She dropped the lunch bag she had been holding. It skidded a few feet away.

Nicole’s voice called out from down the hall. “Shae, is that you?”

Shae, Waverly thought as she listened to a rush of footsteps. Was that the mystery woman’s name?

“Waverly!”

A pair of strong hands gripped her shoulders. Waverly looked up into concerned brown eyes and instantly flushed with embarrassment.

“Are you okay?” Nicole asked as she helped Waverly back to her feet.

“Yeah.” Waverly’s knees stung something fierce. “I’m fine.”

“Your knees say otherwise.” Nicole glanced down and Waverly followed her gaze. Sure enough, the impact had been hard enough to tear holes through her leggings and skin her knees. Blood oozed from the shallow wounds. “Come this way.” Nicole took Waverly’s hand and led her back toward the reception area, stopping briefly to pick up Waverly’s bag. As they passed a yellow caution cone, Waverly swore the falling stick figure was taunted her.

They bypassed the front desk and went straight to the break room, which had a few modest holiday decorations. Someone had strung silver tinsel around the cabinets in the tiny kitchenette and added green and red hand towels by the sink. Nicole brought Waverly to a circular table with a small Christmas tree in the middle, placing her bag on the surface and encouraging her to sit.

“I’ll be right back,” Nicole said, heading toward one of the cupboards.

“Nicole, I’m all right, really…”

“Just sit tight.” Reaching inside one of the cabinets, she pulled down a first aid kit and brought it back. “So,” she crouched down in front of Waverly and opened the box, “I believe your sister and the deputy marshal have the evening off.” She took out alcohol wipes, antibiotic ointment, and two bandaids. “What brings you here this fine evening?”

“You, actually.” Waverly had already made a fool of herself. No use beating around the bush.

Nicole’s hands stilled. “Me?”

“Yes, you,” Waverly said simply. She unzipped the lunch bag and placed the thermos, marshmallows, candy canes, and cookie on the table. Or rather, cookies. Plural. Somehow Wynonna had managed to sneak her damn cookie into the bag. “I’m gonna murder her,” Waverly muttered.

“What?”

“Nothing!” She would have shoved Wynonna’s cookie back in the bag, but Nicole was already staring at the offerings in awe. “Since you couldn’t come out for cocoa, I thought the cocoa could come to you.”

“You didn’t have to do all that, Wave.” A flattered smile spread across Nicole’s face as quickly as warmth spread through Waverly at hearing Nicole use her nickname.

“I know, but I wanted to,” Waverly said. In all honesty, the need to see Nicole lately had been overwhelming. And she was grateful Alice had given her the perfect excuse. “I hope you like peppermint cocoa.”

“I love it, actually.” Nicole resumed her task, tearing open one of the alcohol pads and using it to clean Waverly’s scrapes. Despite her gentleness, they still stung on contact and Waverly hissed in response.

“Sorry,” Nicole said, quickly blowing across the skin to lessen the pain.

“Alice made you the elf cookie.” Waverly winced as Nicole carefully applied ointment to the wounds.

“It’s adorable.” Nicole’s eyes slid to Wynonna’s green monstrosity. “Is that supposed to be mistletoe?”

“God,” Waverly groaned. “My sister made it.” To torment me.

Nicole bit her bottom lip. “Does everyone know about the mistletoe?’’

“Honestly? The whole town probably knows.” And wouldn’t let Waverly forget it. Not that she could even if she wanted to. That damn kiss had been replaying in her mind on a continuous loop for weeks now.

Nicole chuckled. “It’s holly though.”

“Yeah.” Waverly nodded. “I guess it’s the thought that counts.”

“You know, someone, who may or may not be your sister, has been hanging ‘mistletoe’ up around the station, possibly in the hopes of catching us underneath with Nedley or someone similarly frightening.” She pointed upward and, sure enough, someone had hung branches of prickly green holly from the ceiling directly above them.

Waverly shook her head. The prank definitely seemed right up Wynonna’s alley.

Nicole nudged Wynonna’s cookie with a finger. “Better tell your sister to stick to her day job.”

Waverly giggled. “She was never the best at baking.” Or any domestic chores, really. Wynonna had bigger demons to fry, literally. “She always used to leave that to me and Wlla.”

“Willa?”

She was sure that Nedley had told Nicole about what happened to Willa and their father all those years ago. If he hadn’t, then the grapevine would have eventually filled her in. But Nicole’s expression was politely curious, not the look of someone who knew Waverly’s father and sister had both been killed.

“Our older sister,” Waverly explained. “She… she died a long time ago.”

Nicole covered Waverly’s hand with her own and lightly squeezed it. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.” She hardly ever talked about Willa, not even with Wynonna. The memories of the eldest Earp sister were still painful, and with her gone, Waverly saw no need to dwell on them. But something about Nicole and her gentleness made Waverly want to open up.

“She’s actually the reason I don’t really skate anymore,” Waverly continued as Nicole carefully placed a bandaid on her left knee. Nicole paused to listen. “I used to love skating. In fact, I wanted to be Michelle Kwan.” The corners of Nicole’s eye crinkled in a smile and Waverly playfully shoved her shoulder. “Don’t laugh at me.”

“I’m not.” Nicole rocked back slightly. “I think you’re,” she cleared her throat, “that’s cute. Go on.”

Smiling, Waverly’s stomach flipped pleasantly. “There’s a pond a few miles from our house. In the winter, when it froze over, our mom used to take us there to skate.” Her smile faded slightly. “When mom left, Willa… she changed. I mean, I was never her favorite to begin with. But sometimes, she was just… mean.” Cruel, Waverly thought. A side-effect of Ward’s ever growing expectations and volatile temper. “I had a stuffed bunny that my mom gave me for Easter one year. Mr. Rabbit. He was old and dirty and one of his ears was falling off. But he was my favorite. Willa took him one year and threw him onto the lake, just after the first freeze of the season.”

Nicole’s brow furrowed.

“I went out onto the ice to get him. But, of course, it wasn’t solid enough yet. I fell through.”

“Jesus, Waverly…”

“But, obviously I’m still in once piece.” Waverly spread out her arms, as if to prove she was alive and well. “Wynonna saved me.”

“I suppose I owe her a whiskey.” Nicole shook her head, eyes full of sympathy. “So you’ve never been skating since?”

Waverly shook her head. “I guess I’ve been afraid of getting hurt again.” It was an irrational fear, she knew, but one she couldn’t help. “It’s silly.”

“It’s not.” Nicole gently stuck the other bandaid on Waverly’s right knee. “One great things about wounds? They always heal with a little TLC, if you let them.” She leaned down, surprising Waverly as she tenderly kissed both knees.

When Nicole smiled back up at Waverly, her heart felt like it was expanding inside her chest, spreading warmth throughout her entire body, all the way down to her fingertips and toes.

“There’s no mistletoe,” Waverly whispered, gaze dropping to Nicole’s lips.

“It’s the thought that counts,” Nicole murmured back.

Waverly scooted an inch closer on her seat. Nicole mirrored the movement.

And just as Waverly was about to surge forward, friendship be damned, a loud crash came from the bullpen.

Nicole stood immediately, cursing underneath her breath, and sprinted to the commotion. Waverly quickly followed. When they got to the front desk, two officers were there with a drunk and disorderly man thrashing between them, clumsy and wild.

“If it is fisticuffs you want, then it is fisticuffs you will get!” He slurred, thick mustache twitching in agitation.

Waverly’s mouth dropped open. “Doc!?”

He calmed almost instantly, squinting at Waverly from beneath the brim of his black hat. “Well, well. Waverly Earp, as I live and breathe.”

Nicole pointed between Waverly and Doc. “You two know each other.”

“This is John Henry,” Waverly introduced. “Wynonna’s, um…” One of Doc’s eyebrows disappeared into his hat. “Alice’s dad.”

“Oh,” Nicole said. “But aren’t Wynonna and Dolls…” She shut her mouth when Doc glared at her.

Waverly winced. “It’s complicated.”

“Isn’t it always.” It wasn’t a question and the way Nicole said it made Waverly think of Shae the mystery woman. Nicole chucked a thumb toward the cells. “Get him to the drunk tank, boys. Let him sleep it off.”

This time, Doc didn’t struggle as the deputies led him away, sharing one last look with Waverly before he disappeared.

“I’d better get his paperwork started,” Nicole sighed, turning toward Waverly. “Thank you again for the cocoa.”

“Sure thing.” Waverly couldn’t stop herself from wondering about what might have happened in the break room if they hadn’t been interrupted. “I’d better go and tell Wynonna, I guess.”

“Okay.”

“Okay.”

Waverly hesitated briefly, then turned on her heel. “Oh,” she whirled back around.

“Yes?” Nicole asked expectantly.

“Perry Crofte’s holiday party is this Saturday. I was wondering…” If you’d be my date.

“Oh! I’ll be there.”

Waverly’s eyebrows shot up. “You… you will?”

“Chrissy Nedley invited me the other day when she was visiting her dad.”

“Great,” Waverly said, trying to contain her excitement. She was gonna owe Chrissy big time. “Then I’ll see you there.”

“Count on it.”

Waverly waved goodbye and rounded the corner back into the hall. When she was out of Nicole’s line of site, she wanted to dance. She almost twirled in place until she saw the yellow caution cone. Not wanting a repeat of her earlier fall, she sobered instantly and carefully walked out of the station.