AN: Another installment. This story has kind of spun into something more...and my attempt at an epilogue turned into more chapters. Enjoy.

Ch 6

Vic stretched her stiff limbs and went to the bathroom while Walt was out of the office. She washed up then quickly swapped her clothes for her uniform. She tried to rein in her hair without success having run out of the spray that keeps all the flyaways tamed. Shrugging as she looked at her appearance, there was nothing to be done about the tiredness other than lots and lots of coffee. She put her hand on the handle to walk out, but paused as she suddenly wondered how Walt would react to what happened now that he was fully awake. She didn't want there to be awkwardness, but he wasn't exactly a modern man in touch with his feelings either. She figured it was all too touchy feely for him. Taking a deep breath and whispering fuck it, she opened the door.

She was pleasantly surprised to see him leaning against the front of his desk instead of in the chair behind it or worse behind the closed door of his office.

"Come here, Vic."

She has no idea why he has the grin on his face. She certainly didn't expect it. She might as well take the bull by the horns and see if his mood matches his expression.

"You know I don't like taking orders from men in my personal life.

"Please."

His hand reached out toward her in invitation and he said please. A word she didn't think existed in his vocabulary.

"I want to thank you. Can you stifle the ball bustin' long enough for me to do that?"

She put on a southern accent and softened her voice.

"Well I don't rightly know, Sheriff. It's like second nature to me. You're not going to arrest me are you, Sheriff? Take my picture? Lock me up in that lil' ol' jail cell of yours?"

Still looking up at him, she batted her eyes at him and smirked. He busted out laughing in a way she'd never heard from him before and she couldn't help but join in. After a couple minutes, the laughter gave way to a comfortable silence.

"I know I'm not an easy man, in any sense of the word."

Hearing the thank you he didn't say, she gave him a half-hearted shove in the shoulder because a hug was definitely a bad idea. Especially since her crush was upgraded to infatuation overnight. She answered his unspoken thanks.

"You're welcome."

Her hand was still in his as he shifted his weight, something else on his mind.

"I don't want to cause trouble in your marriage, Vic. The last thing I want is to cause you any hardship."

He said what was in the back of her mind, but didn't want to acknowledge. There's no way in hell Sean would understand, but deep down she knew she didn't care. Her partner needed her and she was there for him.

"Let me worry about Sean."

"Vic…"

He now held her hand with both of his.

"What? I told Sean when we got married that I was working and living in a man's world, which means my friends and colleagues would be men. I told him if he couldn't handle it to not offer me the ring."

"Still…"

"You needed me last night. You called me and here we are."

"And if Sean was home?"

Damnit! The man had a way of sneaking up on what you didn't want to tell him.

"I'd be going home to a fight."

"Vic, look at me."

Her eyes shifted from their hands back to his face.

"I don't want that for you, Vic. I'm sure the late night call outs are enough of a instigation to fight. I know better than anyone the strain it can put on your spouse, your marriage."

"Then what? We're friends aren't we? Partners? I've got your back Walt…"

"I know, Vic, and I have yours. Know that you can tell me no if you need to. Know that you can choose to put him first and I won't hold it against you."

"And what if I couldn't make it here last night?"

"I'd either have a pile of chopped wood or empty beer cans today, probably both. But I would be ok. Not as good, but ok."

She smiled through the melancholy that struck her. Being friends with someone shouldn't be a problem in a marriage.

"Make me a promise, Walt?"

He asked the question, but said nothing.

"Promise you'll call me no matter what. I'll tell you yes or no, but I want the chance to do so. You don't have to go through all this alone anymore."

"Ok."

It was his turn to smile through the melancholy. She could see it in his eyes and wished it didn't have to be this way.

"Ok what?"

"I promise to call you when I need you."

"Good."

Satisfied he would keep his word, she looked up at him about to speak when he beat her to it.

"That goes for you too, Vic. Anytime."

"Kinda hard when you don't carry a cell."

"I'm serious, Vic. I don't care why or when. Understand?"

"Yeah, I got it. Now I gotta get breakfast."

"I'll take care of that, then you can go home and get some rest. Usual?"

"Please."

He nodded and grabbed his coat to make the short trip to the diner, leaving her alone with her thoughts. Flopping on his couch, she rested her head on her arm and drifted off to sleep.

TBC