I'm finally washing the dirty dishes that have been gathering in my sink trying anything and everything to keep myself from playing today over and over in my head. Between my lunchtime conversation and my talk with Branch later in the afternoon, there is a lot running through there from which I need to be distracted. I feel good about the meeting with Branch. While he's not ready to come back to the department just yet, the haunted look he has had the last few months is gone and I have faith he will be back sometime. I feel a little less settled about lunch with Vic and her mother. I haven't talked to Vic since leaving them at the Busy Bee this afternoon. I want to know what she thinks about the admission I made but I haven't have the guts to call and ask her straight up. Besides, she should be spending time with her mother while she's here, not talking to me on the phone. I don't want to interrupt their time together anymore than I already have.

My thoughts are interrupted by a knock on the door. The running water must have masked the sound of a vehicle pulling up to the cabin. Picking up a dry towel, I walk to the door wiping the suds from my hands. I can see Vic's truck through the window. I flip the dish towel over my shoulder and let out a breath before opening the door.

She doesn't say anything but just stands there a moment studying me.

"Are you here to yell at me?"

She gives her head a slight shake and eases past me into the cabin. I close the door and watch her walk over to the fireplace and stare into it, not speaking.

"Everything okay?"

She nods almost imperceptibly.

"So..."

She turns and stares at me. I can feel my heart rate begin to speed up, followed by my breathing. She slips her jacket off and tosses it onto the couch. Her hair is down and falls loosely around her face, The black tank top and fitted jeans she's wearing leave little to the imagination and I feel my controlled and steady demeanor start to slip. She starts to come toward me like a mountain lion stalking its prey, complete with eyes to match. She has a focused intensity and is moving smoothly yet stealthily, like she doesn't want me to startle and run. There was a time in the recent past when running would have been the first thing I would have done, but not anymore. I'm in this for the long haul. If she doesn't realize that after today, then she never will. Even so, her uncharacteristic silence is causing me to be a little uncomfortable. At this point I want her to say something, anything really.

She stops just in front of me and looks to the floor. I see her bite her lower lip, letting it slip from between her teeth before she raises her eyes. I notice her breathing quicken, matching the pace of mine.

I swallow hard and feel my lips part slightly as Vic's arm snakes up around the back of my neck. I'd like to think at this stage of my life that I'm prepared for anything but I'm ashamed to admit it catches me off guard when she suddenly quickens her pace. Grabbing my hair and pulling my head toward her, she crushes her lips to mine. Time stops for a split second. This is the moment I've both lived for and been dreading. It's the point of no return, physically speaking. I've been avoiding kissing Vic because I've known that once we start down that road, it will be nearly impossible to stop. I'm receiving confirmation of that as the slow burn I've been carrying around in my gut flares to life, its flames devouring my self-control. I close my eyes, relishing the feel of Vic in my arms. Our mouths are wet in a jumble of tongues, lips and teeth. Our rapid breathing is accented by murmurs and pleased groaning that seems to come from the very depths of who we are. I can smell the almond and vanilla from her shampoo. Her skin tastes of a perfect blend of salty and sweet. My heart aches, trying to keep pace with my need to bring her body closer to mine. It's all happening so quickly and my mind is a blur. My conscience is is trying to tell me to slow down and back off but my id is driving right now and it refuses to be pulled over.

I'm vaguely aware of Vic and I moving into the bedroom. I'm not sure where our shirts have gone or when my jeans became unbuttoned. I feel my back hit the bed as her strong hands push me down and when she's suddenly gone I feel lost. I open my eyes to look for her just as I hear her boots hit the floor and then she's back in my arms the lace of her bra pressing into my chest, hair surrounding my face. We're wrapped up in each other again, kissing as if our lives depend on it. Her jeans are open and I slide my hands into the back of them caressing her curves, working the jeans off her hips. She pulls back slightly and smiles, rolling over onto her back. "Here." She lifts her foot, "They come off easier if you pull from the bottom." Without hesitation, I grab the denim at her ankle. She lifts her body up off the bed to help as I pull off one side and then the other. The jeans discarded I run my hands up her muscular calves and start to kiss my way up her body. By the time I make it past the black lace panties to her stomach I feel her hands returning the favor, leaving me free of my Levi's. Her skin is soft and warm against mine and I'm suddenly self conscious of how different my body is from hers. My skin is rough in places with too many scars and blemishes to try to remember where they all came from. The hair on my chest betrays my age more than the hair on my head does, with a little more gray than I would like. I draw back, wondering if Vic will open her eyes after all this and see the wrinkles on my face more clearly than she has before. Her hands still, stopping their exploration when she realizes I'm lifting myself up and away from her.

"Walt?"

I roll over the rest of the way and and sit up on the side of the bed, my back to her. I run my hands over my face trying to clear my head and banish the negative thoughts that are coming at me fast and furious. What have I been thinking? This isn't going to work regardless of what I said to her mother today. I can make declarations of love to the whole world and it will never change the fact that I'm not what Vic needs. I'm too old and too set in my ways. I have too much baggage.

The mattress creaks and I involuntarily tense up as I feel Vic's fingertips trace the scars on my back before she smooths her palms over my shoulders.

"It's okay, Walt."

I can't keep from shaking my head.

"You're perfect for me in every way possible. You're a good and honorable man, intelligent, and sexy as hell. I'm not going to wake up tomorrow and regret this.

I squeeze my eyes shut, willing my voice to be steady, "How do you do that?"

"Do what?"

I open them again so I can look at her over my shoulder, "Read my mind."

"Oh, I've had lots of practice. You're not exactly a big talker you know."

I nod, "Yep...I know."

Turning to her I take her hand and run my thumb over the backs of her fingers, "Are you sure this is what you want, that I'm what you want?"

She leans in looking straight into my eyes, "I've never been more sure of anything in my life."

She silences any reply I might have by grabbing the sides of my face, pressing her mouth to mine and showing me just how sure she really is.

She finally pulls back allowing both of us a chance to catch our breath.

"I'm sorry, Walt. I know you said you wanted to wait before things went this far physically. I didn't plan for this to happen tonight and I didn't mean to push you. I just wanted to come over and tell you how amazing you were today, how amazing you always are. Then when you opened the door my ability to speak seemed to vanish and...I had to tell you, to let you know how I was feeling."

"So, uh, you're okay with what I did today? You had said you wanted to avoid any more drama with your mother and I didn't really help you with that."

"No, you didn't, but, you did make an impression on her."

"A good one, or a bad one?"

She smirks, "What do you think?"

"She's going to give me a chance."

"Yes, she is."

I nod in satisfaction, "Where is your mother anyway? Shouldn't you be home with her?"

"She crashed a while ago. She's still on Philly time and doesn't handle jet lag well. It's part of the reason she hasn't visited before now...don't worry, I left her a note, told her I had to run an errand."

"I'm an errand, huh?"

She slips her arms around my waist, "A very special and important errand."

'I think I can live with that for now."