A/N Just a short hop in from my novel on this snowy day in Denver. I took off work, so for me, a snow day at home means…WRITING! Haven't posted any epilogs for a while, but several recent stories have suggested something like this, a short, one-shot, I own nothing…

Piquance

(An Epilog, you pick from whichever story)

County-related casino crime was keeping them all busy these days. Zach was out on patrol, and Ruby at lunch. Ferg studied phone logs she had pulled from several promising files.

Vic had just wedged the two manila folders she had reviewed into the drawer when the door opened and in walked someone she'd never thought to see again. With the file drawer open between them, she cocked her head with a WTF look, but no words came out. She had really been moderating those words, lately, with good reason.

"What the heck, Vic, don't I even get a hello?" asked Sean, her Sean, her former husband, dressed in slacks and leather jacket which broadcast quality, and Oakleys. He even wore pricey suede boots against the cold and snow. He looked prosperous and tanned and…sophisticated, a traveler from another country having landed in, of all places, Durant.

She may have refrained from saying the words, but compressed her lips in displeasure. At his desk, the Ferg merely looked down and furrowed his brow over phone records. She would thank him for that later, and also that with Ruby at lunch and Zach patrolling, no explanations would be necessary

"Um, sure," she said finally, slamming the file drawer between them shut, "hello. Now, we're kinda busy around here, so…"

But he was staring at her belly. Well, most people did. It's what people did to women who were almost nine months along, wearing an oversize uniform shirt over thermals, and thick winter leggings and bedroom slippers below.

She had only recently defaulted to the slippers since her feet swelled and duty boots became uncomfortable in only few hours. She could no longer fit right in any jeans she'd tried this time, even her maternity jeans. Yes, she had been assured there was still only one baby, but this one was a lot bigger than Lena had ever been, or at least, he protruded more. The words 'C-section' and 'induction' had been broached several times but the verdict was still out.

"So, you were saying…" she encouraged, hoping it would be he was leaving for Timbuktoo this time, but…

"I just got transferred back here, and I thought maybe we could go out to dinner?"

She wondered idly if he'd had many women in Australia, but she'd really never cared. Why the fuck would he want to take her to dinner, expecting as she was, whether unwed or wed?

"Um, no." She was brief, to the point, and hopefully dismissive.

He didn't take the hint so easily. He tried again, "Well, maybe lunch, then?"

At that moment, the office door at the back of the hall opened, with Walt striding out carrying a pink confection over his shoulder. He made a shhh sign with his free hand, and shifted her a bit.

No one could figure out where she got the curls or the pouty mouth, but she did have her daddy's eyes. No one in either family looked quite like her, but at two-and-a-half, she had everyone firmly hooked over her tiny pinky.

The Ferg was first to respond, rose and transferred the sleeping weight to his own beefy form in an experienced, avuncular manner.

"Thanks," Walt said quietly, "she dropped off but I have to make a call. I guess Cady's running a little late." His eyes went to Sean. "Sean, what're you doing here?

"Ah…thought I'd pay my respects to Vic."

"Well, if you've paid them, nice to see you, but we're kinda busy these days. The casino's keeping everybody hopping."

Sean's eyes went to Vic, her finger, and Walt's similarly adorned one.

"So, you two made a go of it…"

She bit back a laugh. Nice deduction, Sherlock…

Walt jerked his head, but his voice held lazy amusement, just. To someone who knew him, he was not in the least amused by Sean.

"But only the two so far…" Vic knew there was a hint of pride behind that. All those years with Martha, there had been only Cady. Having the two so close together almost made up for the fact that she had been pregnant over half their marriage. They were going to have to discuss of all things, birth control, after this little guy was born.

Still, might as well have children now, close together before she got too old, before Walt got any older. She would have that achievement checked off the list so she could continue her career as she hoped, and Walt would still be young enough to be a dad to them as opposed to a grandpa figure.

"Ah. Congratulations, then!" said Sean, trying to sound hearty, but failing miserably. From his desk where Lena lay draped over his shoulder, Ferg just smirked.

"Yep. Thanks."

Walt, taking the credit. She made a noise through her nose and elbowed him. "It's not like you did most of the work," she said playfully, "just the fun part, and then I got nine months of carrying these critters…then labor…sleepless nights…"

"I've shared more than a few of those," he said in mock reproach, cheeks reddening a little at her reference to their love life. She loved making him squirm.

"Uh-huh." She put her hands over her belly, to make a point, and made sure she caught his grin before dropping them to her sides.

Sean watched the interplay as though a lightbulb had gone off in his head.

"Ahm. I thought maybe it was something like this before I left, but then I heard that things weren't going so well…"

"Some misunderstandings." Walt was quick to put that to rest. She knew he would not elaborate further. Ever. "It's more than good, now, Sean, but thanks for stopping by."

She put one hand back to her abdomen for a moment. Someone had no room for u-turns and was trying in vain to somersault. She was sure her face registered it.

Walt was instantly solicitous. "You okay?"

"Yeah, he just tried to loop-de-loop and forgot he's out of room." She took a deep breath. "I'm okay, now."

"Come on in and lie down for a bit. Maybe you're working too hard. Nice to see you again, Sean."

She let him draw her into his office, to his couch. She went willingly, but hoping her waddle wasn't too pronounced. She was trying to keep it professional as long as possible, despite uniform variances and the like. She would be bored at home.

"Did you know he was in town?"

She shook her head. It was truth. "Surprised as you. Maybe more."

"How about a blanket?"

"I'm okay."

"Take one, anyway. Little man needs to be cozy."

She made a face. He's so cozy, he's using my bladder as the coffee table to put his feet on."

"Maybe not even a week, now."

"Yep, we're in the window." She shifted to get more comfortable. Er, to give him a more comfortable angle.

"Still haven't picked a name." He sounded worried.

"It's okay, Walt," she said to reassure him, "It will be fine. Henry or Lucian are still in the running."

"I know, it's just…Henry's pretty excited. He's ready to teach him to track already."

"He had better teach Lena first."

"Well." She suspected Lena might never leave her dad's side as she got older. She already rode on Horse with him and on his shoulders to the stable to take care of the beast.

"No, I mean it. Any Moretti female worth their salt should learn as much as the boys."

"I'm guessing she won't let Henry off the hook, but really…should we head over to the doctor, now?"

"No way. I'm not even having Braxton-Hicks."

"Okay. Then…do you mind if I make that phone call?"

"Go ahead. I just might close my…"

She woke up to Walt's anxious face. "You've slept the afternoon away. Do you think maybe you should stay at home the next few days?"

"I don't know. I don't like that Sean was here. I couldn't imagine why he'd think I'd go out with him…especially like this." She spread her hand across her belly.

Walt shrugged. "Doesn't matter. I'm around, and as far as I'm concerned, he won't ever be again."

"Yes sir." She yawned and tried to sit up. This time, an unmistakable contraction tensed through her like belly like a vise.

"Uh-oh," she said, pulling his hand to where it still tensed.

"Time?" His hypervigilance must be paying off.

"Maybe…let's wait a few and see if there are any more."

"Okay," he said, a trace of panic in his voice as though he'd never done it, before. "If we need to go, Lena can stay with Ruby until Cady picks her up. She's probably still stuck on that Rez case. She's probably called Ruby by now."

"That'll work." She held out a hand for him to pull her up, as another contraction hit. She breathed through that one.

"That was less than a minute," he pointed out, and she could feel his anxiety seeping through.

She still pressed her lips together, because the newest one had brought pain. "Lucky the hospital is so close, and my husband has lights and sirens so he won't get a ticket."

He grabbed her go-bag, made a noise in his throat and began to chivvy her toward the stairs. At the stairs, he handed the bag to her and hoisted her in his arms.

"You may have put on a couple," he said, grunting even as she swatted him, but carried her all the way down the stairs and to the Bronco.

XXX

She had given in, after having her way with Lena's name. Henry Lucian lay in the clear bassinet near her bed.

Of great surprise to the entire assembly, Henry Lucian had crowned before they could even decide if they needed to do a C-section, so they all had been spared that. She figured it had been his large head resting on her bladder that had made those last few days so uncomfortable. He was a beautifully made but long baby, and she could see everyone comparing him to his daddy, with reason.

Two days later, she received a card. Inside were two $100 savings bonds, one for each baby. Scrawled at the bottom was "Congratulations," and below that, "Sean."

There was a satisfaction, a piquance, of having the baby while Sean was in town. She hoped he would go away now, forever, because with Walt, Lena and Henry, she was never lonely, sad, or unfulfilled, as she had so often been during her previous marriage.

She even, idly, wondered what Walt might say or do, if, down the road, she broached having a third…