My boots hit the steps particularly loudly or maybe because the station is empty that my steps seem louder. I stop and pause at the empty desks and think of how at any given time over the past 4 years I have isolated one or all of those that occupy these desks by keeping them shut completely out of my heart, my thoughts, and my pain. Only Vic was able to tear down the impenetrable walls that I had put up keeping the world out. She blew them up, forged in, made herself welcome and never retreated and she did it without any resistance from me.

When she asked me about Martha and I told her the truth, a part of me wanted to ask her what took her so long and the other part of me wanted to thank her for relieving me of the burden of a secret. A horrible secret. After everything was done, all debts paid, justice dispensed, Vic was the one waiting for me. I didn't keep any of the truth from her during our private moments. As much as I can wish they were romantic, they weren't, and I wasn't ready for it even if they were. Now, now is a different story, I crave private moments with her but there are none just the routineness of police work.

I settle behind my desk and start the paperwork for Mr. Doe. I could wait until tomorrow but I would rather get a head start and with any luck Vic will stop by the station tonight on her way home. Time ticks by and I finish what I can tonight. Vic must have gone home and I do the same.

When I plow into bed, I think that next Sunday, I have to start working on the cabin. It will be my next step.

I decide to wear my new 501's the next day. They shrunk pretty well and they fit. I don't overdo it with a new shirt because quite frankly I hope no one notices the changes I'm making but that I can move at a slow and subtle pace. The comfort level for all involved will benefit from slow and steady. Besides, later tonight, over wings and beer, I think I will feel a little better about myself and about my situation in my new jeans and wearing my old shirt. Something new and something old. Good match.

I get in early but not too early to beat both Ruby and Vic.

"Good morning, Walter."

"Ruby", I nod in her direction.

"Sorry about your Broncos. Uh."

"I heard."

I nod at Vic acknowledging her presence.

"I sorta ruined it for him Ruby." She says out loud with her chin buried in her palm pouring over a stack of papers on her desk. Vic looks up and over toward Ruby, "I called him during the 4th quarter before they tied the game."

"Vic, you didn't, you of all people!."

"I know!."

I stand in the middle of the room like a mannequin while the two women have a conversation around me like I don't exist.

"It's ok, I'm taking him for wings and beers tonight, so he won't hate me."

"That's good." Ruby pauses "It'll do both of you good to go out."

It's instant. I mean instant, my face flushes, my pulse races and I am sure Ruby knows. She just fronted me out in front of Vic of whom I am certain is not considering this a date or going out because if she had she never ever would have casually mentioned it to Ruby. I head for my office and don't dare look in Vic's direction. I close the door behind me.

Before I can make it to my chair, I hear a door knock, and the door opening. Why do they bother knocking? I turn and Ruby comes in with a few post-its running down the messages left on Sunday.

"Walter, are you ok? You look a little peaked?"

I slap my hand on my leg, "Yup, I'm fine Ruby, thanks."

"Ok" she turns to walk out, "Nice jeans about time you bought some new ones that fit."

She closes the door and I decide my goose is cooked. If she notices than I'm sure Vic does and what's the point?

Another knock and the door opens, Vic steps in, and rambles about finally getting the AFIS hit on Mr. Doe. She walks behind my desk and stands next to me, close next to me, the majority of her weight shifted to one hip, her belt buckle just below my eyes which are lined up with what I would presume to be her belly button. I wonder if she as an inny or an outty? I hope an inny. Is it pierced? She seems like she would go for that. Why am I thinking this? Get back on track, man.

She drops the print card on my desk, "His name is Peter Mulligan by way of Chicago but more recently a temporary resident of the Cumberland County Jail. It seems he was arrested for possessing more than one identification card but he was cited and released. Sometime between him being cited out on Saturday night and being discovered in the alley yesterday he got himself killed."

I pick up the card and thump it with my free hand. I decide to stand before my mind goes off the rails, again. I move around Vic and grab my coat.

"Breakfast?"

"Sure, I think better on a full stomach anyway."

Dorothy brings us two specials, today it's biscuits and gravy, since it's Monday during football season. She says it sops up all the beer from yesterday and the grease coats the stomach for Monday night.

Vic takes a bite and closes her eyes, "Man this is so good. I have to put in two extra miles every Tuesday for this." She smiles and I smile back.

"Seems to be working….ahhh..the extra miles."

"Surprised you noticed."

I don't know if she is just flirting the way she does, with well, everyone of if she is flirting with me. Does she know that I notice everything?

Half-way through her biscuits, "Oh Walt, can I take a rain check on tonight?"

I force my face to hide the disappointment I feel but I half expected it not to work out because of the case.

"Sure, but I can help with the work on the case."

"It's not that. It's embarrassing but I actually forgot I had a date tonight when I suggested we could do wings and beer tonight. You know after we changed it from Sunday? Would you be ok if we did it the Sunday after next?"

My stomach drops to my knees. A date? I can feel my face frown and I try to put it back to its normal stoic expression. "Sure, Vic, it's …ah..just wings and beer…you know." I try to put another bite of food in my mouth but I just can't. "Who …ummm…who are you going out with?"

She flashes me a look that burns, "It's none of my business, Vic. I'm sorry I asked."

I get up and put my money on the table and walk out stopping on the sidewalk. I look down the street taking in my town. All the things I'm trying to fix just blew up inside and I can feel the underlying rage begin to boil. The rage of lost opportunity, the rage of hatred, the hatred that kept me from honoring my wife, the hatred that didn't allow the love we shared to help me heal after losing her. Of course, I want Vic to be happy, I'm not mad at her.

She bumps my arm when she walks out and looks up at me, her arms folded across her chest, with her I hate Wyoming look, "Hey, you're not mad are you?"

"No, Vic. Why would I be mad?"

"I don't know, Walt but you just got up and left me without saying a word. I'm used you being fucking stoic and shit but I am sorry. I feel like I let you down two days in a row. That's not how friends treat friends."

"Hey, why don't you knock off early, tonight. Go have a really great time, ok."

"Are you sure?"

"Yup"

I start walking toward the bank that should have opened two minutes ago.

"Walt, where you going?"

"To the bank. Cameras."

She starts to jog and catch up but I turn around walking backwards down the sidewalk, "I got it Vic. I will see you back at the station." I turn and stretch my legs to put distance between us as I try to figure out why my heart won't do anything my mind is telling it to do.