Walt sat at his desk waiting for the phone to ring, Vic was supposed to be released from the hospital either today or tomorrow, depending on how her check up went. She had been very distant, not very talkative and just all around sad since the shooting and loosing the baby. The pregnancy had been unexpected, but falling in love with her unborn child was inevitable, and loosing it in such a tragic way had hit her hard. As tough as Vic was, she wore her emotions on her sleeve, and this would be a tough one to put behind her anytime soon.

Walt got up and decided to see if Ferg had the ballistics back on the bullets from the alley. He opened the door and walked past the catalogue room, he found the bullpen empty, only Ruby sat quietly at her desk reading by the light of the computer screen. "Ruby?, ... where's Ferg?"

"He went out" she didn't look up
"did he say where he was going?"
" I think he was going over to the lab in Cheyenne, he said he had to make a few other stops, he won't be back for a bit. Did you need something Walter?"
Walt paused and thought for a moment, it seemed so quiet, and empty. "nope"

There was a quiet knock, and Walt's Private entrance door opened. Walt looked up to see Cady peek her head in.
"Hey Punk" Walt looked at his beautiful daughter and smiled. they had been distant for a while, but things between them had been getting better. Walt had agreed to set aside his hatred for Jacob where Cady's job was concerned. She was an adult, she was a smart cookie, and he had to let go of the reigns just a little bit. It was excruciating for Walt, but it had to be done to save his relationship with Cady, he was still watching, still vigilant, but Cady was trying to do a good thing by helping the less fortunate on the Rez, and he had to support her on that.

"Hey Dad, you busy?"
"uhh...no, come on in...just waiting on a phone call...uh...from the hospital"
Cady closed the door and came across the room, she looked her Dad, really looked at him, and she smiled. "Waiting on that call from Vic? is she supposed to go home today?"
Walt broke his eye contact with his daughter, "yup, she'll need a ride, get settled at her place, I just want to make sure she's ok"
"Dad..." Walt looked up at Cady , "why don't you just go to her? just go Dad"
Walt looked at her, not sure what she was getting at.
"I ...uh...I'm just waiting for her to call"
"don't wait anymore Dad." Cady walked around Walt's desk, put her hand on her father's and leaned in, she wasn't sure he was ready for what she was about the say, but she could see the way he looked at her. "Dad, it's been almost 3 years since Mom died, its been really hard for me to live my life without her, without her to talk to, without her here to be with you. I know its been torture for you to try and move on, I've seen you try, and I've seen you regret your decisions, I've seen you punish yourself for trying to be happy, even just a little bit"
"Cady.." Walt wasn't sure this was the time for this conversation, he wasn't sure he was ready.
"Dad, ...Lizzie was ...pushy..." Cady walked over to the windows and looked out over the town square "she wasn't right for you Dad,... and you weren't ready, but Vic was always by your side. I'm not sure about Donna, you seemed to care about her when she was missing, but I know you've cooled things with her. Again, Vic was always loyal and always had your back." Cady turned and looked back at her father, "Dad...when you got shot, she stayed with you, she wouldn't leave your side, she is good for you Dad, and right now she needs your support, more then ever."

Cady paused, Walt rubbed the back of his neck and let out a sigh, he stood up from his desk and looked over at Cady. He shifted his weight to his left , hands resting on his gun and belt. Walt didn't say anything, he walked over to Cady, and gently placed his hand on her cheek, "I love you Punk, and I will always love your Mom..." tears welled up in Cady's eyes but she smiled at her Dad. "Vic is...a good deputy, I trust her...with my life"

Walt turned, took his coat and hat, paused for a moment and walked to the door, Cady watched him leave, close the door and heard his footsteps down the stairs. "good luck Dad" she whispered to herself.

Walt drove to the hospital, wondering what her mood would be when he got there, hoping everything with the doc checked out, maybe a clean bill of health would make her mood lighten a bit. Vic had been moved to the Durant Hospital 2 days after her surgery in Cheyenne, the familiar surroundings and being close to friends was supposed to make her feel better, he didn't really see a difference. Walt parked the Bronco, turned the key, and sat for a moment to collect his thoughts, he blew out a deep breath, like he was going into the game in the 4th quarter, he adjusted his hat and opened to the door. Here goes nothing, he thought to himself.

He found nurse Meg at the nurses station, Ferg had a girlfriend now and he seemed happy, more confident, she was good for him, "Hi Meg"
"Hi Sheriff, are you looking for Archie?" there was a twinkle in her eye when she said Ferg's real name, it was endearing.

"uh...no, I was wondering...do you know if Vic's Doctor has seen her yet?"
"uh, yeah, he was by a few hours ago. Archie came by and picked up Deputy Moretti after she was released, I thought you knew" Meg looked a little confused, but not as much as Walt, he looked down the hall towards the room she was in, then back at Meg. "ok, thanks...uh,...thanks" Walt slowly walked towards the entrance, the afternoon sun was bright today, it took a moment for Walt's eyes to adjust, he shook his head, not knowing what to think, and headed for the door and his Bronco.

Why didn't she call him, why did Ferg pick her up, and why did Ferg do it without notifying him? all questions he was determined to get some answers to.
Walt picked up the radio, "Ruby?"
the mic crackled and then ruby came in load and clear "yes Walter"

"Is Ferg back in the office?
"no, not yet, do you want me to track him down for you?"
"nope, can you call Vic's cell for me, if she answers, patch her in to me please"
Walt hung up the mic with more force then he realized, he was on edge, he was worried, but he made his way over to the Chrysalis RV park to see if he could find Vic.

Ruby broke the silence "no answer Walt, but Ferg is back in the office, do you wan-"

"put him on"
"ah, Hi Sheri-"
"Ferg, where is Vic?" Walt was short with Ferg and his annoyance transferred through the radio.

"sheriff, she called me this morning...she asked me to pick her up, that she was being released"
"and you didn't think to tell me?"
"she...told me not to Sheriff, I'm sorry but-"

"Where is she now Ferg, I just want to see how she's doing, I need to talk to her"
"I ... uh...took her to her RV...and then to the airport" Ferg braced himself, but the radio was silent, nothing, no answer..."Sheriff?...Sheriff?'

the mic to the radio was dangling from the curly cord, Walt's yes squinting and his jaw tight, he had made quick u-turn on 16, if Vic wasn't at her RV, he may still catch her at the Gilette airport, he hit the I-90 at high speed, and turned on his sirens and lights, maybe it was overkill, but it didn't feel like it to Walt, he needed to know why she was running.

The drive that usually takes an hour, took 38 minutes, he broke every highway law, but he was the Sheriff and this was about Vic. Walt pulled in the airport , park by the curb with the lights still flashing, slamming the Bronco drivers side door he hurried through the doors and down to departure gate. Walt impatiently waited for an elderly lady to move away from the counter, "Sheriff Longmire. I need to know if you have a passenger on any flight leaving today, her name is Victoria Moretti"

"Hi Sheriff, ok, let me check for you. You don't know where she is headed?"
"Nope"
He read her golden name tag, MARCY, Walt watched Marcy type on the keyboard, scan the computer screen several times, and type in a few more codes before she had an answer, "ok , so I found her...she was booked and checked in on the 130pm flight to Philadelphia." Walt checked his watch, 2:05pm. He tapped his fingers on the top of Marcy's desk...Walt looked and Marcy, and she looked back at him with a tense smile. "is there...anything else Sheriff?"
Walt kept looking at Marcy, he was at a loss, his feet didn't seem to want to move, his mind was blank...now what.
"nope, there's nothing else Marcy," he turned and started to walk away ," there's nothing else"