Red Dead Redemption: Wayhaught

17: "Be grateful that for the time, you see your life clearly."

a.n: Not even going to lie, this is the hardest thing I've ever had to write. Sooooo I hope it's good enough for you all.

Once again thanks to my amazing friend Lia (@ssweet_dominiqueep_c on insta) for helping me to figure out how to structure my thoughts. I know you think you didn't help much, but honestly it did, I wasn't sure I was ever going to be able to write this haha!

Side note (entirely unrelated) I got a one on one to chat with Emily Andras on Sunday so I'M SO EXCITED!! Eeeeek <3 x

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in this chapter...

Will Waverly visit Nicole in hospital?
Will Nicole make it?

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present day... at the hospital... 1am.

...I can't live without you." Waverly buried her face into Nicole's side from her seat next to the hospital bed; her cheeks were burning and she could barely open her eyes for their stinging and her own tiredness. She had thought seeing Nicole would make everything okay, but being here had only made everything seem a thousand times worse. The brunette had hardly believed Ash when she spoke to her on the phone...

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... three days ago. 5th September - 8pm... at the homestead.

"Waverly? Are you still there?... Waverly?" Ash's constant questioning finally broke through Waverly's shocked trance, swallowing she replied quickly.

"Um yes. I'm still here." She squeaked out. "Sorry." She was entirely unsure of what to say. Her and Nicole had broken up; they were over. She shouldn't go, but Nicole was in hospital. Nicole was in hospital and she... might not make it. Nothing could ever have prepared her for this moment; she had no idea what to do. Every part of her wanted to jump on the next plane and run to Nicole's side, but the logical part of her wasn't sure what was the appropriate response. Would Nicole want her there? Surely she would, even after everything, they still loved each other. Did she even want to go there? She had no idea what she wanted; of course she wanted to see Nicole, but she didn't know if it would make it worse for both of them. But Nicole was in hospital and she might not make it.

Clearly aware of the young girls internal monologue, Ash broke the silence. "Look I know you broke up and you probably think you have no right to come, but she's been working on something for you all week and if you come now you might still be able to hear it from her." At the end of the sentence Ash's voice wobbled and Waverly felt her legs give way as she slipped to the floor, grabbing the counter as she did.

The bang alerted Wynonna next-door who yelled through. "Everything okay babygirl? Need me to kick someone's ass?"

Shivering and holding the phone close to her mouth, Waverly almost whispered her reply. "I'm on my way."

"Good. See you soon Waverly." Ash replied, hanging up.

Waverly let her arm go limp with the phone still in it, pushing herself up against the cabinet and letting tears fall finally. Slowly and gently she hit her head back against the cabinet a few times, more to make sure she wasn't having a nightmare than anything else. Just as she thought things couldn't get any worse, she got this phone call and it was worse than anything she'd ever imagined could happen. Sure, she had known Nicole's job had risks; she'd been by her side in that warehouse with no idea what they would find, wrapped in adrenalin and fear. She had no idea if Nicole was in hospital due to her job, but it seemed the biggest possibility even if never in a million years had she actually thought it would happen. In her mind it was something which was so distant a possibility, as though it was something she had to consider, but didn't really believe would happen, it didn't happen to people like them. Even after Wynonna's disappearance, she didn't think these kind of things happen to people like them. But they did. They happened to the people who deserve it least. To Nicole, to her Nicole.