There are several gaps in S3E9 and this attempts to fill one of them. I haven't decided yet whether to make an effort to fill in more of them via additional chapters so for now this is it. Thanks for reading!


Walt has often thought of Shaun as being a little immature when it comes to his marriage. Too many times he has seen the man act like a jealous child, treating Vic like she's a toy he doesn't want to share. It's obvious he doesn't like her being a cop and gives no regard to the vital work she does for the county or how well she does it. He certainly doesn't seem concerned with what brings Vic happiness and fulfillment. If he did, he would be more understanding and supportive of her. Instead, Shaun seems resentful of Vic's independence and strength, the very traits that make her who she is.

Walt knows Shaun doesn't care for him much either and he's often shown it in sophomoric ways. Walt first suspected it after he'd unknowingly pulled Vic away from a night off at home with her husband. He'd had Ruby call her to come help him handle a "situation" at the Red Pony. In reality, Walt needed a ride home after drinking too much. They ended up having to respond to a call that had taken most of the rest of the night. When Shaun came looking for his wife just before dawn, his distaste for having been left alone for her to go to work was palpable. Walt knew for sure that Shaun had a problem with him after he helped out on a case that involved Newitt Energy. One of their company vehicles had been caught by a security camera at the scene of a murder. Shaun agreed to help Vic get an appointment to meet with a Newitt executive to ask about the car, but only if Walt was not involved. Walt had gone with Vic to see the guy anyway. It was his job after all. Then there was the confrontation about the photo that Ed Gorski had sent, showing he and Vic in what could be misconstrued as a compromising position. At least that time Shaun was a little more upfront and honest by coming to Walt directly. Still, in Walt's mind Shaun should have talked to his wife about the whole thing first.

Up until today he'd thought Shaun's most juvenile moment had come after the incident at Chance Gilbert's when he told Vic to quit her job. Sure, he may have done it out of concern for her safety but Walt thought there was another reason. There's a good chance that Shaun saw the way Walt looked at Vic as they were leaving the compound. Walt would have noticed if another man had looked at his wife that way and he wouldn't have liked it. Maybe Shaun wanted Vic to quit to keep her away from him. Walt couldn't really blame him for that. Still, a relationship has to have mutual trust or it has nothing. A mature man would have had a discussion with his wife about his concerns and they could have come to a solution together. Instead, Shaun was making decisions for Vic without regard for her thoughts on the matter.

Walt knows he owns some of the blame for that particular act. Facing the prospect of losing someone for whom you care a great deal tends to tear down the deliberately constructed walls you may have built to keep from crossing the lines that shouldn't be crossed. Though he tried not to that night, he knows he was broadcasting the true depth of his feelings for Vic to anyone who was paying attention. Other than the hug at the hospital, Walt has made a point to be nothing but professional with his favorite deputy since then. Even when she told him about Shaun's ultimatum, Walt made sure to mask his gut reaction and toe the line. He wanted nothing more than to tell her all the reasons she should ignore what Shaun said and stay, but he knew Vic needed to be able to make the decision on her own. She had to feel free to leave the department if she thought it was in her best interest and the best interest of her marriage. His attempt at neutrality about the whole thing pissed her off, but he knew it was the right thing to do.

Now Shaun has set him up and all that effort is mute. He's forcing Walt to confront his own thoughts about Vic. More than that he's using him to make a point and bring Vic pain.

Taking advantage of Walt's position and making him be the one to give Vic divorce papers? That has to be one of the most childish things Shaun has done in recent memory. In effect he has stomped his foot, taken his proverbial ball and gone home, leaving Walt to clean up any mess left behind.

This is a distraction Walt doesn't need right now. He's neck deep in new information about Martha's murder and desperate to clear Henry's name regarding Miller Beck. To make matters worse, Branch has been slowly deteriorating since he was shot. He's been missing but suddenly reappeared at the station today ranting once again about seeing David Ridges. When Walt refused to engage that notion until they had talked about Sam Poteet, Branch lost it, attacking Vic for telling Walt about what he had done. When Walt heard he had been released and was out on the loose again, his first thought was of Vic's safety. He had to get to her and see for himself that she was alright. He had to make sure she was protected. But it wasn't as simple as the last time those instincts had kicked in. He could no longer just take her to his cabin to stay until the threat was past. Walt had never felt more unsure about how to proceed as as he had been when he found Vic checking over the car on that bridge. As he scanned the area, watching for any sign that Branch may have come looking for her, he knew he had to speak carefully. He didn't know what Shaun had told her, and it quickly became obvious she didn't know Shaun had started the legal process to end their marriage. How could he do that? How could a man file for divorce and not tell his wife? Walt could maybe understand it if he was gone on yet another of his endless business trips, but even then it would still be a chicken shit move. To be home, sleeping under the same roof, in the same bed, and not say anything? He added passive aggressive to his mental list of Shaun's negative character traits.

Walt was working up the nerve to talk to Vic about the divorce papers when she uncovered Ridges' phone on the seat of the car and work once again took priority. Every moment since then has been filled with the arrest and questioning of Jacob Nighthorse. By the time an agreement was reached and the necessary paperwork completed to send to the DA the day was gone. Walt had almost forgotten about talking to Vic until she started to head out.

"If you hear anything I'll be at home."

Walt couldn't let her leave without giving her the papers. Allowing her to go home and see Shaun without knowing what he had done would be like sending her into the lion's den without a sword. He couldn't do that to her.

"Uh, uh, uh...before you go, uh, I need to talk to you about something."

"Alright."

Walt isn't sure how to bring up the subject.

"Uh, one of the less desirable parts of this job is that uh, we have to deliver legal papers when the county is short of processors."

"Do you want me to serve someone a subpoena on the way home?"

He can tell by the smirk on her face that she has no idea her life is to change.

"No, um...I'm required to give you this...on behalf of the court."

As Walt hands her the envelope she pauses a moment and sighs before sitting and opening it. He carefully watches her face as she starts to read. He's unable to tell what she's thinking, but he can't keep himself from telling her what he's really feeling, or close to it anyway. She was hurt when Walt didn't try to talk her out of leaving the department. Now with Shaun letting Vic off the hook, Walt realizes she still has a decision to make. She's no longer going to be tied to Wyoming by her spouse. She could go anywhere. She's never liked it here anyway. The idea scares him more than he cares to admit. Walt's afraid Vic thinks he doesn't care whether she leaves but the exact opposite is true. He decides she needs to have all the available information in order to make the right decision for herself. That includes knowing where he stands on the subject of her leaving. So, he does his best...to explain why he didn't say anything before...and why he is now. It's a risk, but one he knows he would regret not taking. When he finishes speaking he waits while she keeps her head bowed, pouring over the papers in her hands. It feels like time has stopped when she lifts her face to look up at him. Her jaw is set and she has a determined look in her eyes.

"You got a pen?"

The breath Walt hasn't realized he's been holding rushes out out of his lungs. He feels guilty about being so relieved at her response. He was prepared to comfort her if she needed or let her yell if she needed to do that too. What he hadn't expected was for her to be so calm and resolved. Still, he doesn't want her to take all this too lightly.

"Vic, uh, you know you don't have to do this right now. Maybe you should take some time to sort through things. You could have an attorney look over the papers, make sure they're equitable."

"I don't think that's necessary."

Walt runs his tongue over his teeth, "Okay." Maybe he should try to talk her out of this, encourage her to meet with Shaun, or go to counseling, to see if they can resolve their differences. Truth is, he doesn't want to. He picks up a pen from his desk and walks around to hand it to her, "Are you sure?"

She reaches for the pen, her fingers stretching beyond it to rest on his, and makes eye contact, "I'm sure."

Walt's immediately transported back to the hospital and Vic handing him his coat after Doc had stitched him up. That time he had been the one to reach farther, to touch her in reassurance. Vic looks down and slides her fingers to the pen, taking it from Walt's hand. She holds the divorce papers in her lap and signs them, placing the pen back on Walt's desk when she's finished. She puts the papers back into the envelope and sets it alongside the pen.

She stays seated, staring at the envelope on the desk.

"Do you, uh, want to talk...about any of this?"

"There's nothing to talk about, Walt. This isn't exactly unexpected...Our marriage has been over for a while. We've both been living in denial. Still, we tried to make it work. That's got to count for something, right?"

"Right..."

Walt doesn't know what to say next. His desire for her to stay goes way beyond not wanting to lose a good deputy, but now is not the time to tell her that. Neither of them are in the position to handle that revelation well. Vic needs to be able to go through the divorce process without feeling the pressure to make a decision about another man and he needs to find some peace about Martha's murder before he will be able to fully give himself to Vic the way she deserves. He can hold onto the rest of his feelings...for now anyway. He decides to offer her something else he thinks she may need, if she wants it.

"Vic, do you, uh, need to take some time off?"

"Time off?"

"You know, to adjust. Get used to your new...circumstances."

"Shaun's gone so much I'm already used to being alone. Even when he was home, we weren't exactly spending much time together. He's leaving Wyoming and, according to the papers, there's a three month waiting period after the divorce is finalized before the sale of house is initiated."

"You okay with moving?"

"I can't afford to stay there on my own. Besides, I wouldn't want to even if I could. I'll have plenty of time to pack and find somewhere new to live."

He has to ask, "So, uh, where are you...I'm just wondering, uh, where that might be?"

"I hear California's nice this time of year."

Her comment catches him off guard, "What?"

She stands up, "You really think you can get rid of me that easily, Walt?" She takes a step toward him and puts her hands on her hips, "I thought you wanted me to stay?"

A half smile fills his face as he rubs his hand across his chin before lowering it to prop it on his Colt, "I do."

Vic smiles back at him. He closes his eyes briefly in frustration when phone on his desk starts to ring, "Ruby's gone, I, uh, probably need to get that."

He reaches over to grab the phone, "Sheriff's Department...uh huh...I'll be right there."

Just like that their personal lives have to be put on hold once again. Walt hangs up and quickly moves to get his coat, "That was the fire chief. They just got a call to go out to the Red Pony. I'm going to go check on Henry, make sure he's okay. Can you stay here until the Ferg gets back? I'll call you as soon as I can to let you know what's going on."

"Sure."

Walt is at the door when he turns back to her, "Vic, I'm glad you decided to stay."


I'm re-watching episodes (yet again) which is triggering ideas, but work has gotten really busy lately and unfortunately my writing time has taken a hit. I will keep writing when I can!