Work Text:
Waverly was surrounded by a sea of notecards and colored markers, buried headfirst in her dictionary, when Wynonna came charging through the front door. The sudden intrusion shattered her focus and startled her right out of her bubble.
“Geez, Wy,” Waverly muttered around the pencil gripped between her teeth. “At least knock once before you barge in so I know it’s you.”
“Baby girl, it’s too beautiful outside for you to be cooped up in here on a Saturday. What on earth are you doing?”
Wynonna took in the sight before her. She knew exactly what this was. It was that time of year when Waverly completely curled into herself. The Annual Purgatory Spelling Bee was only a few weeks away, and Waverly would be lost to the world until one of her students took home the trophy, breaking whatever curse overtook her sister this time each year.
“Wy, I have to create the study lists for my students,” Waverly said, adjusting her grip on the pencil. “You know how important it is to me that one of them wins.”
Wynonna did know. One of Waverly’s students had won every single year since she started teaching fifth grade in Purgatory. Outside of this bizarre window of time where her sister transformed into a spelling zombie, the streak had done wonders for Waverly's self-esteem, which had finally returned and stayed.
“What if I help?” Wynonna offered. “We can knock out these lists in half the time, and then you can join us outside. Doc is teaching Alice to swim, and I could really use some sister time.”
Waverly relented, though not without making her guidelines crystal clear. “The words need to be age-appropriate. Remember, they’re fifth graders. And don’t you dare mention THAT word!”
Waverly all but growled the last part, and Wynonna knew better than to push her luck. Waverly was Purgatory’s reigning spelling bee royalty. She had started winning in the second grade and competed every single year until she aged out, taking several regional titles and even competing on the national stage. But in the fifth grade, she suffered her one and only local loss. It was on the final word where the win was handed to a new kid who had only been at Purgatory Elementary for a few months. Then, to make it worse, the kid had the nerve to move away right after stealing the crown.
Every year, Waverly spent the week prior to the school spelling bee practicing words with her students. The kids loved the break from traditional classwork, and she felt it helped them shake their nerves and bettered their chances of winning.
Wynonna dropped into a chair and began her research, knowing there would be no going outside until these lists were complete. A pretty impressive stack of vocabulary filled notecards was already piled in the middle of the table, so she figured this shouldn't take too long.
About an hour in, Wynonna stumbled across “Words of the Champions”, the official study booklet by the Scripps National Spelling Bee for the current year. While Waverly preferred using her own past champion experience to create her lists, Wynonna had never been above using a little help from the host organization itself for word suggestions. Waverly was the certified genius; Wynonna was just the one who knew how to use her resources.
“How about antennas, Waves? Everyone needs to know how to pirate free TV,” Wynonna offered, grinning. “Or, aerobics? To help with that inevitable puberty weight gain… am I right?”
Wynonna raised her hand for a high-five, which Waverly completely ignored. Instead, her sister anxiously hissed, “Why don’t you pick another letter besides A, Wynonna? I mean it, don’t bring it up!”
She really wasn’t trying to aggravate old wounds, and she had absolutely no intention of bringing up that ancient loss. But lo and behold, there it was, right there on the computer screen. The list created by the spelling bee hosts as suggested study words and potential official tournament words stared right back at her. Waverly would never see it because she didn’t ever use anyone else’s study guides. It was right there, and Wynonna knew it had never been included in previous years because she had checked. Was this a sign? Should she dare ruffle Waverly’s feathers?
Nope, not today, Wynonna decided. She really wanted to get back outside, so she let it go.
By the time Thursday night rolled around, Waverly was practically vibrating with anxiety. She had only one more day left to study with her students before they competed on Saturday. She and Wynonna were currently sitting together, talking through the kids one by one to build a study list tailored specifically to each student's strengths.
“MacKenzie,” Wynonna called out, “Are they new? I haven’t heard you mention that name before.”
MacKenzie had moved to Purgatory just a few months ago. She was a brilliant student, but incredibly quiet. Waverly explained that while she had zero concerns about MacKenzie’s actual spelling abilities, she worried that if the girl didn’t speak loudly enough, she would be misheard.
To help, Waverly had been practicing with a few of the students to get them comfortable with the microphone. Sensing her sister's stress, Wynonna agreed to come to the school the next day to work with MacKenzie’s group herself, allowing Waverly to focus the rest of the class on their spelling practice.
The moment Wynonna met MacKenzie, her heart melted. It was an instant flashback to Waverly as a fifth grader. She was a tiny little genius who was super smart but painfully quiet, with virtually no self-esteem. Wynonna could tell there was a story there, and she fully intended to figure it out, but today her mission was clear. Besides MacKenzie, Tyler was just terrified of the noises the microphone made, and Andy was the class clown. He enjoyed the opportunity to make inappropriate noises to get a laugh.
Wynonna winked at Waverly across the room and began her lesson for the day. Each kid had a spiral of flashcards, so she had them spell their words one at a time. With a little practice, Tyler grew less afraid of the audio glitches and eventually learned to hold the mic correctly to avoid feedback. Andy was just pure entertainment. MacKenzie was the real victory. She grew louder with every single word. With each correct spelling, her mini-group cheered, and her volume increased along with her confidence.
“Okay, MacKenzie. Your next word is Au…” Wynonna stalled out the moment she looked down at the card. “Who made these study cards for you?”
“Ms. Waverly made them, but my mom added some… why?” MacKenzie asked, instantly shrinking back into herself.
“No reason, little one. I just think we deserve a break. What do you guys think?”
While Waverly had her back turned, Wynonna smuggled the group out the side door. She raided the teacher's lounge, grabbing them all bags of chips and sodas. They happily snacked on the breezeway while Wynonna assured them they were all going to "slam-dunk that spelling bee." By the time Waverly tracked them down, she found her students giggling at her sister’s antics and quickly shuttled them back inside.
When Saturday morning arrived, Waverly was far more nervous than her students. She had done everything in her power to prepare them. Wynonna had come in clutch, allowing Waverly the focused time she needed with the main group while giving special attention to the students who needed the extra boost. Now, it was out of her hands. She gave them all good luck hugs and went to sit in the audience beside Wynonna, surrounded by the other teachers, parents, and families.
The first hour flew by. Waverly watched anxiously as the competition dwindled, her class being eliminated one by one. But when Tyler successfully moved to the next round with the word antennas, Waverly looked over at Wynonna and mouthed a breathless, “Thank you."
Then came another win. This win surprisingly from Andy, who nailed hodgepodge, a word Wynonna had impulsively added to his list at the very last minute. Waverly was absolutely elated, but beside her, Wynonna’s expression shifted. A sudden wave of worry washed over her.
What if…
MacKenzie was almost eliminated during the next round when the judges had to ask her to speak up twice. Seeing the girl start to shrink, Wynonna slipped out of her seat and moved down to the front row. She caught MacKenzie’s gaze and made direct, unblinking eye contact. Standing tall under Wynonna's encouraging stare, MacKenzie took a breath, and her voice boomed with sudden self-confidence. She moved forward in the competition after flawlessly nailing iteration.
Tyler had a close call of his own. The microphone gave a sharp, high-pitched squeak, and he visibly winced, nearly freezing up. But with Wynonna sitting right there in the front row, nodding firmly at him, he closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and spelled pilferer correctly.
When the lunch break finally arrived, the remaining spelling bee contestants all huddled together at a long table, nervously quizzing each other. Waverly and Wynonna walked through the room, offering congratulations and hyping the kids up before stealing away to a quiet table in the corner to eat their own lunch.
“I can’t eat, Wy,” Waverly groaned, burying her face in her hands. “My stomach is in absolute knots. Distract me, please.”
“Well, in that case, I’ll take your chips and your cookies,” Wynonna said, immediately sliding Waverly's sides over to her own tray. “No reason to let good food go to waste. But hey, distract you? Gladly. Fill me in on your two top contenders. I already think the world of both of these kids, but I don’t actually know anything about them.”
Grateful for the shift in focus, Waverly launched headfirst into a passionate explanation of who Tyler and MacKenzie were, spilling everything she knew about their lives.Tyler, she explained, was the son of Jeremy and Robin Chetri. Wynonna’s eyes lit up in recognition. She remembered Jeremy. He had been in a few of Waverly’s classes back in the day, and he was a notorious competitor from the previous spelling bees that Waverly had ultimately won.
“Funny how nerdy kids birth nerdy kids,” Wynonna chuckled, chewing on a chip. “Imagine how nerdy your kids are gonna be, Waves.”
Waverly bristled playfully, gesturing out toward the lunchroom. “These ARE my kids!”
"You know what I meant,” Wynonna said, her smile softening as her curiosity piqued. “So, what’s the story with MacKenzie?”
Waverly’s expression fell, her voice dropping to a quiet whisper. “Oh, that story is a super sad one. I’ve never spoken directly to her mother, Ms. Haught, myself. But from what the other teachers say, they were trapped in a horrible, abusive situation. They finally escaped when a neighbor stepped in and assisted in pressing charges against the dad.”
Waverly took a shaky breath, leaning closer. “The police were actually about to arrest her because she had almost beaten him to death. She completely snapped when she found out he had hit MacKenzie. Thankfully, the neighbor had witnessed the father hitting the child, and that changed the detectives' perspective enough to question Ms. Haught properly. They asked the right questions and uncovered years of severe domestic abuse. The police let her go and ruled it self-defense. When the husband went to trial, the judge threw the book at him because he had a violent outburst right on the stand, threatening her life in open court.”
“Damn,” Wynonna muttered, leaning back in her chair. The humor was entirely gone from her face. “I knew the kid had self-esteem issues, but that’s heavy, Waves.”
“I know. And she’s so smart, too. Just the sweetest kid,” Waverly said softly, looking over at the lunch table where MacKenzie was smiling weakly at a joke Tyler made. “I think they moved to Purgatory for a fresh start. I know I would have. But… there’s something so strangely familiar about her, Wy. I just can’t explain it.”
Wynonna looked out at the little girl, a profound, protective weight settling in her chest. “Being scared of an adult, especially your own parent, doesn’t just go away, Waves. We both know that firsthand,” Wynonna said, her voice dropping to a rare, serious tone. “Maybe that’s why she feels familiar. You identify with her. But seriously, props to her mom. She's raising a great kid against all odds. Keep lifting that girl up, Waves. Be the person we needed when we were her age."
They headed back to the auditorium with the kids for the second half of the spelling bee. As they walked down the hallway, Wynonna covertly slipped a cookie to both Tyler and MacKenzie. The kids giggled, hiding their treats, while Waverly shot Wynonna a confused, questioning look. Wynonna just winked.
The competition was down to sixteen kids. With her last two students still in the running, Waverly sat on pins and needles. She finally let out a breath when MacKenzie advanced after perfectly spelling domineering. Wynonna chuckled at the irony.
Tyler was up next, confidently moving on with the word mosquito.
And then, there were eight.
MacKenzie was called to the microphone. Her word was volumetric. From the front row, Wynonna caught her eye. Recognizing the cue, MacKenzie cleared her throat, stood tall, and gave the judges a strong, loud finish. She advanced to the final four while Waverly beamed with pride.
When Tyler stepped up, his word turned out to be the exact one he had practiced back when he first learned how to hold the mic to avoid feedback. Wynonna smirked, knowing he had this in the bag. Of course he did. Just like that, both of Waverly’s students moved into the final four.
The judges announced a brief fifteen-minute break. While the other two finalists stood alone and isolated, Tyler and MacKenzie huddled nervously together. The bond they had formed in their mini lessons with Wynonna had stuck, and they leaned on each other for support. From the side of the stage, Waverly and Wynonna could see them behind the curtain, whispering and giggling.
Waverly narrowed her eyes, focusing on their moving jaws. “Are they… eating cookies?” She whipped around and gave Wynonna a look.
Wynonna just shrugged, grinning to herself.
Just as the judges started getting everyone back into order for the final round, a woman hurriedly slipped into the auditorium and joined them in the front row. She was slightly out of breath.
“Sorry, I couldn’t get here sooner to save my life,” the woman whispered softly, adjusting her jacket. “I hope my kid is still in this thing. I won’t forgive myself, and I don’t think she will forgive me either, if I missed it.”
“We’re down to the final four,” Wynonna explained quickly in a low voice as the judges called for silence. “It’s Tyler, MacKenzie, and two kids who aren't in my sister’s class."
Nicole Haught breathed a massive sigh of relief. MacKenzie had made it. Whew! And now she was actually here to witness her daughter winning the whole thing…hopefully.
Leaning closer to Wynonna, Nicole whispered, “So, your sister is…”
Wynonna leaned back in her chair and pointed a thumb at the very tense girl sitting on the absolute edge of her seat. “This completely chill one right here. Ms. Waverly.”
Nicole smiled, her eyes softening as she watched the teacher's overt dedication.
The final round commenced, and MacKenzie advanced to the top spot after flawlessly spelling distraught. Wynonna leaned over to Nicole and mumbled, “Kind of funny that half that word is your last name.”
Nicole let out a genuine laugh, the tension leaving her shoulders. Waverly, however, just glared at the two of them. She was so nervous she felt like she was about to be physically sick, but she forced herself to hold it together. She needed to be strong and present for her students.
Wynonna leaned across her seat, nudging her sister’s shoulder. “Hey, Waves, this is Nicole Haught. MacKenzie’s mom.”
Waverly fiercely shushed her. Without breaking her gaze from the stage, she offered Nicole a quick, jerky head nod and a hasty handshake before returning to nervously rocking back and forth in her seat. She knew she was being incredibly rude, but right now was not the time for introductions. She would make it up to everyone later.
On stage, Tyler tripped up on the word harmonious, locking in the final round. Waverly’s heart broke for him. A wave of guilt washed over her because that specific word hadn't been on any of her study lists. Abandoning her seat, she quickly ran to the side of the stage where the eliminated students exited and wrapped him in a comforting hug. She gently wiped away his tears and readily agreed when he asked if he could sit with her to cheer for MacKenzie.
Nicole smiled warmly at the display.
This was it. It was down to the final two students. The final moments of weeks of preparation, days of intense studying, and many, many anxious nights of little to no sleep.
Waverly was an absolute wreck.
Wynonna was genuinely worried.
Nicole was bursting with pride.
And MacKenzie? MacKenzie was ready.
The head judge adjusted his glasses and read the next word aloud.
“Noooooooooooooooooooooo!”
The word was a simultaneous, horrified whisper from all three adults. They instantly whipped their heads around to look at each other.
Waverly knew exactly why she had reacted that way. That freaking word had caused her the worst spelling bee loss she had ever suffered. It had ruined her otherwise perfect spelling record in Purgatory, and it was the sole source of her intense, yearly spelling bee anxiety. It was her ultimate trigger word.
Wynonna, on the other hand, was suddenly feeling sick to her stomach. She knew she should have told Waverly that the word was on the official “Words of the Champions” list. She had just chosen to avoid her sister’s wrath. Now, she was filled with immediate regret.
Nicole was the only one whose reaction was pure happiness. She knew MacKenzie knew this word. In fact, Nicole had been the one to add it to her daughter's study cards. They had practiced it over and over again. If the other competitor misspelled it, MacKenzie would win it all with THAT exact word, in THIS exact place. It was poetry.
Sure enough, her competitor missed a letter.
All MacKenzie needed to do now was spell the word correctly. The little girl stepped up to the microphone, cleared her throat, and calmly asked for the word to be used in a sentence. She was using a classic trick Ms. Waverly had taught her to buy a few seconds and ground herself.
Once the sentence was read, MacKenzie spoke clearly into the mic.
“A-U-D-A-C-I-T-Y. Audacity.”
The auditorium erupted. Everyone was on their feet. Waverly was openly crying, Wynonna was screaming at the top of her lungs, and Nicole was clapping for her baby, her face full of sheer, unadulterated joy.
MacKenzie spotted her mom in the crowd and beamed. Waverly had never seen the girl smile like that before, her deep dimples on full display.
Unable to contain her excitement, Waverly sprinted onto the stage, throwing her arms around the winner and spinning her around. Wynonna walked up to the edge of the stage, giving MacKenzie a high-five just before the girl ran off to jump straight into her mother's waiting arms.
As the crowd began to disperse, Wynonna finally cleared her throat. “Waverly, I tried to tell you earlier, but… this is Nicole Haught. MacKenzie’s mom.”
Waverly smiled warmly, extending her hand. “It is so nice to finally meet you, Nico—”
“I won with my Mama’s word!” MacKenzie interrupted, shouting happily as she clung to Nicole's waist.
Nicole chuckled, feeling the need to explain. “I was actually a student at Purgatory Elementary for a few months when I was a kid, and I won the spelling bee with that exact word. Funny enough, my competitor’s name was Waverly. I told that story to MacKenzie when she first told me her teacher’s name. What a crazy coincidence, huh?”
Wynonna went shocked silent. She froze in place, staring directly at Waverly, waiting for the inevitable explosion. This could not be happening.
Waverly slowly walked over to Nicole. She stood there for a long, heavy moment, staring intently at those prominent dimples. The dimples she now instantly recognized from the face of the girl who had ruthlessly stolen her trophy fifteen years ago.
Waverly’s eyes narrowed as she yelled, “THE AUDACITY!”