Home.

Part 4.

"A girlfriend?" Gus asked as she made her way up to Waverly who was holding out a coffee for the older woman.

"Her name is Nicole."

"Well, anyone you pick would be better than that Champ Hardy you dated in ninth grade," Gus smiled at her, taking the coffee.

"She stayed over last night, Gus. She's sleeping in my bed right now-" Gus looked like she was about to say something but Waverly caught on quickly. "Oh go, we haven't done anything, I swear. I've been doing my homework all day. She fell asleep while we were talking this morning. Nonna was on the couch the whole time." Waverly rushed to explain.

"Waverly. You're a big girl. I trust you to make your own adult decisions. I mean, you turn eighteen in a few months. Not much I can do to stop you from living your life." Gus smiled, patting Waverly's shoulder. "Come on, kiddo. Let's make some dinner. Surely Wynonna would be hungry after sleeping all day."

"How did you-"

"I just know, Waverly, dear." Gus chuckled, following Waverly into the kitchen.

Just as the last of the food had finished cooking, the rev of the bike's engine could be heard, and Waverly smiled. "She's never getting off that thing, now. She's gonna look after it better then she looks after herself."

"No doubt about it," Gus said and looked through the window to see Wynonna shining the bike with a rag she pulled from the barn.

"Waves?" Nicole's hesitant voice called out from the open doorway of the younger Earps bedroom.

"I'm in the kitchen, Nicole," Waverly said loud enough for the redhead to hear from the bottom of the stairs.

There was a noise of acknowledgement followed by footsteps that seemed to stop at the bottom of the stairs.

"Left, then first right," Waverly said, seeming to pick up on Nicole not remembering where the kitchen was. "Would you mind yelling out to Wynonna to come get dinner? She's just out the front."

"No problem," Nicole called out the front door, Waverly and Gus watching from the window as Wyonna threw the rag she'd been wiping her ride down with onto the seat of it before rushing towards the house.

The excited chatter of the bike filling the conversation between Wynonna and Nicole as they walked to the kitchen.

"Thanks for bringing it over, Aunt Gus," Wynonna said when she stepped into the kitchen.

"Not a problem, Wynonna." The woman looked passed Wynonna to Nicole who was standing in the doorway nervously looking at Gus then at Waverly who had yet to lift her head from chopping up some carrots for the salad. "You must be Nicole. I'm Gus," The woman said, holding out a steady hand.

Nicole shook the offered hand with a soft smile. "Pleased to meet you, Waverly's talked about you a little bit." Nicole moved a little closer to Waverly and beamed when she was met with a kiss on the cheek by her girlfriend.

"Gus is mine and Wynonna's Aunt," Waverly said. "Our uncle passed away last week, and she was coming by for our regular dinner and also to drop off the bike Uncle Curtis left her in the will."

"I'll get out of your way. Thank you for letting me stay last night, but I think it's best that I find a place of my own. So that I can get my stuff out of my parent's place without risking them burning it all or it gets left in the weather. I'm sure as soon as they get home from work I'll find all my stuff out on the footpath."

"Nonsense, you're staying here," Wynonna said, holding out a bottle of water to the redhead. "We have the spare room if you don't feel like sleeping beside the bed-hog." She gestured to Waverly who threw a full carrot at her sister, Wynonna barely managed to duck down in time.

"I-I don't know..." Nicole hesitated. "We only just agreed to be girlfriends less than twelve hours ago, doesn't that seem a little fast to be moving in together?"

"How about this," Gus interrupted. "The apartment above Shorty's."

"That's a great idea," Waverly said quickly.

"That bar on Main street?" Nicole looked at them like they were crazy.

"Girlie, that's two options. Both would be rent-free. You'd only have to buy your food." Gus said.

Waverly looked at her expectantly, and Nicole didn't want to hurt her feelings, but she also didn't want to seem like she was rushing their relationship along.

Wynonna seemed to catch on to Nicole's nervous look.

"Hey, Angel Pants, can I speak to you outside for a second?" Wynonna asked her sister, looking over at her seriously.

"Sure," Waverly chirped, following Wynonna out to the porch. "What's up?"

"You don't want to rush this, do you?"

"Of course not, but I don't want her to be homeless. I like her, Wynonna. Sure, being homeless won't change that, but I don't want her to be out on the streets by herself." Waverly shook her head. "I want to know she's safe."

"She'll be safe, Waves, Gus will make sure of it. She's seen you two together for two whole seconds and can already tell that you belong together," Wynonna said, wrapping her arms around Waverly gently. "Don't scare the poor girl, okay?"

"I wasn't trying to," Waverly mumbled against Wynonna's neck, snuggling in for warmth.

"Let her make her own decision about where she wants to live. We'll make everything work from there."

"I trust you, Wynonna." Waverly turned, heading back inside to hear Nicole's decision. She really did just want her girlfriend to be safe, warm at night, and happy. That's all that really mattered. Where she laid her head shouldn't be too much of a problem.