Sorry for the late night update, I have the story done already and am trying to give a chapter a day but I spaced it off this morning. I did all of my holiday baking today! :) I have a lotttttt of cookies. But here's something sweet for you, more Walt and Vic ;)

"Okay, yeah. I'll leave soon and we'll be there in a couple of hours." I hang up the phone and take a few deep breaths. I'm going to have to ask Vic to ride along with me to pick up a prisoner in another county. Ferg is out on another call.

We get into the Bronco and we drive in silence. Normally I enjoy silence, but even I will admit that this is uncomfortable. Neither one of us says a word for the first hour, until Vic reaches over and turns the radio on. I only let the song play halfway through before I reach over and turn it off.

I don't want to make things any more awkward than they already are, but I need it to be quiet in order to think. I need to figure out what to do next. Where do we go from here?

I feel her eyes on me but I keep mine on the road.

She can't take it anymore and breaks the silence. "Walt."

"What?" I stare straight ahead.

"What's going on with you?"

If only I could tell you. "Nothing. I'm just thinking."

"Would you like to share?"

I answer, but only in my head. Yes, but I can't. I don't even know what I'm thinking.

"You don't have anything to say about yesterday? Or the other night at the Red Pony?"

I sigh, "I already told you, Vic. I was just trying to look out for you. I didn't want you doing something when you were drunk that you'd regret the next morning. I'm sorry that I interfered."

"Don't you get it? ... I'm not mad that you interfered." Her voice is soft.

I take my eyes off the road to look at my beautiful deputy. I only look away for a few seconds, but when I turn my gaze back to the road I see a man in the middle of the road waving his arms in the air. I swerve at the last second, just missing the man and his broken down car on the side of the road.

When I swerved and slammed on my breaks, Vic slammed her head on the dashboard and now has a huge gash on her forehead. I try to get a look at her wound but she brushes me off and insists that I go help the man. He only has a flat tire, so I get started on changing that so I can go back and make sure she's ok.

Once I finish and he drives off, I walk over to the passenger side where Vic is sitting. She's hunched forward with her head resting in her hands.

I hate that I'm always hurting her, unintentionally, of course. "How is your head?"

"It's pounding, but I'll live." I'm sure it hurts like hell, but she'll never complain.

I bend down and place a hand on her shoulder. "Let me see it,"

She slowly brings her head up so I can get a good look at it. I grab her chin and turn her head to the side, leaning down close to her face. It's a pretty good size gash, but I don't think she'll need stitches. I go to the back seat where my first aid box is. I rustle through it until I find the rubbing alcohol. Grabbing one of the rags from her lap. I drench it in the alcohol and apply it to the cut as I cradle her face with my other hand. She winces, and I instinctively move closer so I can gently blow on the cut. After putting the rag down, I stare at her for a few moments before brushing a strand of hair out of her eyes. "I'm sorry about your head," I say softly.

She brushes off my apology and shakes her head lightly, "Don't be, I'll live."

I let go of her and stand up straight. I look down at her for another moment before walking around to my side of the truck to continue our drive. We only make it about ten minutes in silence this time before she speaks.

"Walt… Tell me I'm not crazy."

I don't know how to answer that. If I answer honestly, things will never be the same. But if I lie, I'll have to see the hurt in her eyes, and I'm not sure I can take that right now. Plus, she knows me too well; she knows when I'm lying.

She takes a deep breath and continues. "You feel it too, don't you? Whatever's going on between us? It's not just me, right?" Her voice is shaking.

I don't reply right away, but I force myself to match her bravery."Vic… It's not just you."

I look over at her just before she snaps her head in my direction. Her eyes are wide with anticipation, but I only allow myself to stare at her beautiful face for a few moments. I peel my eyes off of hers and reach down to switch on the radio before turning back to the road.

We spend the rest of the drive in silence.

I spend the rest of the drive wondering how I let myself fall for my deputy.