VIC

She heaved her carryon bag behind her, wheels rattling over the tiled floor. It had got much heavier since she had packed and carried it on the flight, and she couldn't quite figure out how. Why? Well the why was obviously, neither she or it wanted to be here in Wyoming, especially in the middle of a January snowstorm.

Regretting not bringing her heavy winter coat, she stopped at the full length glass windows, peering out into the swirling snowflakes for the familiar shape of her expected ride, tugging on a woollen cap and sliding hands into the ski gloves she had prudently tucked in the front pocket of her bag.

Henry said he would be here to collect her, so she waited out of the weather, eyes scanning the carpark for his tall loping stride. And continued to wait until only a few vehicles remained in the carpark, including a large fancy black truck that looked vaguely familiar. The driver door opened and a tall jean clad hatted and jacketed figure strode in her direction and Vic's breath caught in her chest. The voice inside her head started up again Oh Jesus fucking hell, what the fuck is HE doing here?

Walt paused inside the terminal entrance, stomping snow off his boots, and shaking it off his hat before walking over to her. He stopped and gave her a long look before leaning to pick up the carryon, snapping the drag handle back down and turning towards the doorway.

She reached out a hand don't fucking touch him you silly bitch but instead snapped "What the fuck? Henry was supposed to come pick me up." His shoulders stiffened for a moment and he turned half around and said quietly "Henry's grandmother in Denver had a fall yesterday, he had to go down to take care of her. Probably won't be back for a while given the weather so he asked me to look after you". There was nothing in his tone to give away how he felt about that, or the fact he hadn't been involved with her travel plans. Or the fact they hadn't spoken at all since she had left so dramatically so many months ago.

Vic sighed and then remembered something "I can't stay with you, you don't have a spare room?" goddamn martyr sleeping on the couch again no doubt Walt smiled a half smile "Well I upgraded recently" and he carried on walking out to the big black truck. With her luggage in his hands, she had no other choice but to follow, and with the weather deteriorating, she didn't have any other way to get into town. She still wasn't cleared to drive and no taxi was going to chance the roads in their current state.

Walt didn't talk much, his concentration was needed for driving as visibility was terrible. He passed on some welcomes from the team, to a surly "Thanks" and she sat slumped in the passenger seat, arms crossed with a heavy frown on her face. Eventually she stirred enough to realise that she didn't recognise where they were, as the road zig zagged up to the top of a ridge, travelling along and around and pulling into a circular driveway in front of a huge mansion. Instead of stopping, Walt turned to the left and followed another road along past the mansion, driving for a couple of minutes before pulling into the cover of a carport and turning off the engine.

Annoyed at having to ask, her tone was short "Where the fuck are we?" Walt unsnapped his seatbelt and turned to face her "I'm house sitting for Omar, this is his hunting lodge for paying guests, where I am staying. Enough room for both of us." She was really annoyed now "Walt why didn't you just take me to my place in town?" no way she wanted to be under the same roof as him

His voice got all quiet and serious "Vic your mother updated Henry on your condition, you aren't cleared for driving, and can't risk being left alone until your neurosurgeon gives the all clear. I am sorry you are stuck with me and not Henry, but that's the deal" fuck him, fuck Henry and fuck her mother for opening her busy mouth "But you won't be here anyway, you will be out being fucking Sheriff Hero as usual."

There was a long pause as they sat there in the truck cab, windows slowly steaming up now the heater was off as Walt took his time replying "I'm not Sheriff at the moment, I'm on sabbatical." She snorted "Not Sheriff, I thought you would have to die for that to happen" and as his eyes darkened she immediately regretted saying that, but lifted her chin in defiance. He chewed on his lower lip, the way he did when he was thinking hard and then nodded firmly once "Well a lot of things have changed since you left Vic." He got out of the cab, hauled the suitcase out of the backseat and stomped his boots on the bristly doormat before pushing the heavy wood and glass door open and heading inside. Left with nowhere else to go, she unclipped her seat belt and reluctantly followed him inside.

This is an alternate ending where Vic has suffered a TBI - Traumatic Brain Injury and was in a medical coma for some time. She is living with her mother in Philly and things are not going well due to the radical personality change Vic has undergone since the surgery. When she left Wyoming, it was not in the best circumstances, and neither she or Walt have spoken since she left. The neurosurgeon recommended a change of scenery to aid in her recovery, and so her mother enlisted Henry's aid in organising a trip back. Plus she needed to decide if she was going to come back, or discover if there was even a job to come back to.

Except things in Wyoming appear to be quite different from when she left...

Authors Note: I wanted to write a non HEA version of their story, something darker and more tangled and gritty. The TBI parts are based on personal experience - I had a horse riding accident and had brain surgery myself some 30 years ago. Pls be patient as Im working full time and studying for an exam in 6 weeks so updates will be slow but they will come, promise!

Song Inspiration is Let Her Go by Passenger (tho I prefer the Within Temptation version)