AN: You may need to back up to Ch 8 since these were posted so close together. This should make up for the incredibly short previous chapter. if you're still reading, thanks!
Ch 9
Walt was behind his desk with his feet up on the waste basket and the chair leaned back. His hat was over his eyes to shade them from the glow of the lamp, but he wasn't yet asleep when he heard someone come in. Last time he looked at his watch it was just past the witching hour. He could tell by the footfalls it wasn't Branch or Ferg, so that left Ruby or Vic. Ruby didn't work nights so his money, not that he gambled, was on Vic. She must've noticed his light because her steps sounded like she came to his doorway and stopped. In his mind's eye he could picture her leaning in the doorway and wondered why she was here. Waiting to see what she would do, he played possum.
He didn't hear her move away, yet she hasn't said anything either. Maybe she didn't want to wake him if she thought he was asleep, but then why stay where she was and not get on with what brought her here in the first place. His curiosity was being replaced by concern the longer she lingered in his doorway. She let out a shuddering sigh and went back into the other room. He made some noise as he got up so she wouldn't be startled. He found her on the cot, cradling her hand with a bag of frozen peas. After what happened when he chose to confide in her a couple weeks ago, he didn't hesitate to sit next to her and take both her injured hand and the bag in his to examine it. The peas were still frozen, so he didn't have to worry about finding ice for her. Even in the dim lighting he could see the purples and reds blotching her skin around her knuckles. No bones were broken, so it wasn't too bad. He wanted her to talk, so he tried for humor.
"Trying out boxing?"
She barked out a laugh and leaned into him.
"No, I fought the wall and the wall won."
That's definitely not what he expected to hear. His concern for her increased as he began to put together what must've happened to her. She's not in uniform so it wasn't an injury sustained on the job. It was personal.
"You wanna tell me what happened?"
"Nope."
He couldn't help but smirk at her short answers, even in the midst of his worry for her. She'd definitely taken a page from his book on avoidance. That she was still leaning on him meant she would probably end up talking about it. He could wait. In the meantime, he put his arm around her shoulders and brought her in a little closer.
"What can I do to help?"
"This."
He flashed a smile and embraced her a bit firmer.
"Would you have called me if I wasn't here?"
This time she looked up at him before answering.
"Yes. If I didn't find you in your office I was going to call you."
"Good."
Her answer relieved him. He didn't know what was going on with her, but it wasn't good. He wanted to protect her and tonight that meant sheltering her when she's hurt. From her lack of tears, he concluded that this was done out of anger and that the adrenaline rush followed by the cold masked the pain. If that's the case, she may be headed for a crash.
"You want something to drink?"
"Not really, but I better. The rush is wearing off. Got any aspirin?"
"Yep."
He left her side to grab a coke out of the fridge and the aspirin out of his desk. Tipping out 3, he set the bottle back on the desk and opened her can on the way back to the cell.
"Come on, the couch is more comfortable than that cot."
He held his hand out for her and she used it to leverage herself up, while protecting her injured one. He gave her the aspirin and the coke, before positioning himself in the corner of the couch so she could lean back on him and rest. When he was settled, he held out his arm and she took his invitation. Once she settled herself in front of him, he wrapped his arms around her and held her. She set her can up on the sill behind the couch and relaxed into his embrace.
"Vic, I'm worried about you."
Rather than continue to needle her with more questions, he let the truth of his words try to convince her to talk to him. He felt her take a deep breath before she told her tale.
"Sean and I got into a fight. I don't know why, but ever since we moved here things have been unraveling between us. He accused me of being married to my job. Always putting my job before him. This coming from the man that is always gone for his job. Like his is important and mine should be put on hold when he is around. That turned into a heated, in your face screaming match; at least on his part. Then he raised his hand to slap me and I told him to keep his fucking hands to himself. Rather than touch him and risk losing the only thing that makes me happy these days, I hit a wall on the way out of the house when I left."
Walt bristled with anger, but tried to clamp it down for now. She needed his comfort, not his ire. Without thinking about it, he kissed the top of her head and embraced her a bit tighter before relaxing it again. When he did, he felt her lose her composure and start to cry.
"I've got you, Vic, I've got you."
He held her until her she calmed down and handed her the handkerchief of hers he'd been carrying with him. He liked the symmetry of having it when she needed it back, but he had also liked having it. A symbol of their connection to carry with him. He knew it wasn't Sean's since the size and delicate material indicated a woman's handkerchief despite the plain white material. Maybe he could ask for it back later. His focus returned to the woman in his arms.
"Hey. You ok?"
"Yeah, I'm better. Not great, but better."
He was glad she didn't pull the 'I'm fine' routine. She handed him the bag of peas and he tossed it in the waste basket.
"Why don't you set the alarm on your phone, like you did last time."
"I can't. It's in my right pocket."
The gears in his mind turned as he realized he would have to get her phone out of the front pocket of her jeans. Slightly flustered, he decided to get it over with as efficiently as possible.
"Oh. Uh ok. Roll over a bit and stretch out your leg."
She complied with his request and he reached forward, finding her hip with his fingertips. They followed the curve of her body and tripped on the seam of her pocket. Slowly he worked his fingertip inside her pocket and felt for the edge of the phone. The moment was strangely erotic and the symbolism undeniable. He refocused on the task at hand and grabbed the phone, handing it to her while trying to school his thoughts.
"Thanks."
"Uh how does it work? How do you turn it off?"
She showed him how to set the alarm and turn it off, then gave him the code to the phone.
"Your badge number."
"What? Oh the code. Yeah. Why do you know that?"
"I am the Sheriff."
"True. Do you know all of them?"
"Yep."
"Why are they not in order?"
"Lucian had a case a long time ago where someone produced a badge with the next number in the series and used it to fool women. Everyone was familiar with the badge numbers so they thought he was legit and let the man in, who then raped them. It was before my time as deputy, but like you I noticed and asked. You would think in an outfit this small, it wouldn't be an issue."
"Makes sense. Still doesn't explain why you know them."
"Mainly because doing all the paperwork for hiring requires me to write the badge number more than 3 times. It sticks."
She groaned and shifted again.
"Go ahead and sleep, Vic."
The silence of the night surrounded them, the hum of the refrigerator the only sound besides their breathing. She was soon asleep in his arms. He often thought about her, but was deeply conflicted. Even if she were free, being with her wouldn't be appropriate as her boss. But that didn't stop him from imagining what they would be like together. He knew one thing for sure. He would never raise a hand to her. He wondered how things would play out now that Sean had done so. Would she stay with him because he didn't actually follow through or would she cut ties with him knowing that next time he probably would follow through and hit her?
He has seen too many women stay with men like that and they almost always make excuses for the violence they are subjected to at the hands of men who "love" them. Vic seemed too strong for that, physically and emotionally. She obviously was able to put a stop to it with just words, but that didn't lessen his concern. It was often the way things started…raising a hand or hitting something next to the person, until it escalated into battery. He didn't want her to go through that. He didn't think he could go through it with her. He couldn't stand by and do nothing. He couldn't see her with the bruises and do nothing. He's handled a lot in his personal life and as a law enforcement officer, but never this. Never with someone this close to him. He couldn't decide if he should have a talk with her about it. He'd mull it over for a while.
She shifted a bit, but didn't wake. Warmed by her body, he tried to relax and get his mind off of things that had not even happened yet. He focused on the rhythm of her breathing and let his mind clear, content with just holding her in his arms for now. Time slipped away as he fell asleep.
Startled by a shrill ringtone, the pair reached for the phone at the same time. Walt reached it first and tried to resist the urge to throw it across the room. He finally managed to silence it and huffed out his frustration. Vic's laughter was quiet, but unmistakable. He resumed his original position, waiting to see what Vic would do.
"How's your hand this morning?"
"It hurts when I flex it, but the throbbing is gone."
He slid his hand under her arm and held it up where he could see her hand, careful not to jar it any further.
"There doesn't seem to be any swelling. You may have to ride the desk a few days, since you can't draw your weapon."
"You're making me the house mouse?"
He chuckled at her reference to desk duty.
"Yep."
"Walt, come on. I'll be fine."
Taking advantage of their current position, Walt put mouth close to her ear and ran his hand down her forearm.
"Need I remind you who had to get your phone out of your pocket."
Goosebumps erupted across her arm, as he followed it down to her hip, then swiped his finger inside her pocket before returning to his original position. He should probably feel something other than incredibly smug for inciting that reaction from her, but he didn't.
"House mouse today. Tomorrow I'll evaluate your ability to draw your phone and your weapon."
"I suppose that's fair.
Her voice sounded strained and he began to think that perhaps she was affected by him more than she let on. He was flirting with a line he had never considered even approaching before he met her, which was concerning and enticing in equal measure.
"Mmmhmmm."
She shuddered in his arms and he smirked. Quitting while he was ahead, he asked her to move so he could get up.
"Do you mind letting me up?"
Maneuvering herself to the other side of the couch, she gave him room to get up and move.
"Want some coffee?"
He saw her nod and walked toward the bathroom. Once finished he started the coffee and went back to his office. She was leaning against his desk, which gave him the perfect opportunity to do a little experiment. Stepping into her personal space, he gently took her hand in his to look at it better in the light. Making sure one of his legs landed between hers as he did so, he moved the lamp on his desk where he could put her hand under it and leaned in close. Her breath caught as he continued to turn her hand in the light. Satisfied that is wasn't as bad as it looked last night and at her reaction, he stepped back and fought a smirk at her loud exhale of breath. Turning to go get their coffee, he heard Vic mutter a curse under her breath. He was playing with fire. He knew that. He never knew it could be this fun.
TBC