SEVERAL WEEKS LATER – WALT

"Unit 1 this is Base, Walt are you there? Pickup, we have a situation here" Ruby's voice sounded more stressed than usual and Walt sighed as he picked up the radio, he had been called to Powder Junction and had to stay the night. It had been a long one and he was tired and irritable "Base this is Unit 1, go ahead"

"Walt, we have a man in the office claiming Vic assaulted him while giving him a speeding ticket. He has a black eye" Ruby sounded a bit frazzled and Walt wasn't surprised when she continued "He wants to press charges"

"Ruby Im on my way back from Powder Junction, its nearly lunchtime, send him down to the Bee for a coffee and lunch on us if he will take it"

Some murmuring voices at the other end and then Ruby " Roger that, Ferg is taking him down now" a pause til they left the room "Walt he isn't happy, over"

"Roger that Base, on my way, see you in 30, over"

Walt sighed again, put his foot down and sent the big truck hurtling towards Durant, and as best he could see it, trouble.

Taking the side door into his office, Walt was unsurprised to find his blond deputy waiting for him. Before she could say anything, he held a hand up while he hung his hat and jacket "Save the excuses. Did you hit him?"

She crossed her arms and slung a hip out, all attitude "Not exactly…."

"How exactly?" his voice was that deep grumble it got when he was annoyed, and her feet shifted, betraying her anxiousness underneath the cocky body language, but she didn't say anything. "Vic…." His voice even deeper and slower now.

Vic tucked her chin in mulishly "He was doing 15 over down the I25 and got mouth with me when I asked him to exit the vehicle and breathalysed him."

"Vic its late morning, what time did you stop him?" he had to work to keep amusement out of his tone. Another shifting of the guilty feet "Around 7am….ish"

Walt nodded "I would be pissed too if I was stopped on my way to work on a Friday morning. Whats with the eye?" She sighed and wriggled a bit "Oh I dropped his keys and when he leaned over to get them I hip checked him, and he face planted the wing mirror" She shrugged "Was an accident"

"Must have been some hip check" Walt rumbled at his clearly unrepentant deputy. "OK you are suspended as of now. I will talk to our speedy friend, but you need to cool off. Report in on Monday"

Vic snarled as she spun around and marched out the other door "It was my weekend off anyway". Scrubbing a hand over his tired stubbled face, Walt ventured into the office in search of Ruby and coffee. Both were presented, as Ruby handed him a steaming cup in his favourite mug.

"Walt you should know, Vic got her finalised divorce papers come through yesterday. She has been like a bear with a sore head ever since" Shit, well that made sense.

"Why didn't someone let me know?"

Ruby's face was aggrieved "You were called down to Powder Junction to deal with that stabbing thing" One teenage girl in hospital and one teenage boy on his way to prison most likely, and so it goes. Leaning against the nearest desk, Walt inhaled more coffee and waited for his head to clear, it had been a messy and long night.

"I will talk to this guy, see what I can do. I've put Vic on suspension til Monday pending" Ruby nodded, it was procedure "Call Lucian in to cover the phones and can you do that call forwarding thing to the troops for the late shift?" His Office Goddess nodded "Yes we can manage, it was Vic's weekend off anyway." He had to give the deputies a weekend off once a month from being on call, not only to keep the peace but to keep them all sane.

He drained his mug, rinsing it at the sink and turning it to drain "Once more into the breach, dear friends". Firming his hat down, Walt headed down to the Bee and his no doubt unhappy reception.

One iced tea, two extra strong coffees and the usual and a driver who got a lot less rambunctious when faced with all 6'5" of actual up close and personal Sheriff. They did a deal, the ticket would disappear, and the driver wouldn't get caught speeding for a couple of months. Turned out it was his last strike, hence his mouthy attitude to Vic. Fortunately he also agreed not to press charges, and even thanked Walt for the lunch.

Dorothy winked at Walt as she topped up his coffee "Another happy customer. Add it to the tab?" Walt nodded "Yup, charge it to the Dept" Sipping his third coffee of the day, he pondered the events of the morning. He hadn't asked, and she hadn't said but the PTSD was still clearly an issue and Walt knew from personal experience what long term sleep deprivation did to a person. He was going to have to talk to her and get her agree to professional help. Unprovoked outbursts like today could not be allowed to continue when you are an armed officer of the law.

Walt thanked Dorothy and headed back to the office to update Ruby. He hadn't mentioned the PTSD previously, up until now it was not relevant, but Vic had now made it the departments problem. After filling Ruby in he followed up "So Im going over to check on Vic and talk to her about getting proper help" Ruby nodded, she understood the ramifications "OK I will only call you in event of a dire emergency til you check in and give me the All Clear" She smiled wryly at him "Good Luck"