Tim drove home from work, but it took him longer than usual. He stopped for a drink in a nearby bar, he didn't drink much because even he wasn't stupid enough to get himself drunk and possibly pick up a fight with some idiots while sporting a broken arm. He had alcohol at home, so he could continue there, alone. Except it seems it wasn't a given. He noticed a familiar black Lincoln town car on his driveway. Gutterson parked his truck and got out with a long suffering sigh and slammed the door a bit harder than necessary. He slowly made his way to the front door. The man that he associated with the town car was sitting on his front steps with a bowed hat covered head.

"Raylan" Tim spoke flatly "what the fuck are you doing here?"

"Will you buy it if I say I missed ya?" Raylan looked up at hiscolleague. Tim rolled his eyes, opened the door and walked in without closing them

"You comin' or not?" he called from the inside, so Raylan got up and went in. Tim walked out of the dark kitchen on the left and sauntered over to the sofa carrying two glasses, a bottle of whisky and Tylenol. He plopped down, poured the alcohol and downed his glass without looking up.

"You came here just to stare?" Raylan hummed and sat in the armchair, almost straight across from Tim and took his glass. Younger Marshal poured himself more and then took two pills and swallowed them followed by a few slow sips of whisky. He knew Raylan was studying him and he knew that Art probably called him, he also was acutely aware that his eyes were red and glassy and the alcohol wasn't to be blamed for it – that's why he was avoiding eye contact. Raylan still didn't say anything just took one sip of his whisky. He wasn't one to pry, he just waited. Tim took another slow sip, still staring blankly at the coffee table, then down the rest and poured once more.

"What?!" he was getting really irritated by Raylan's silence. The older man sighed and leaned a little closer to Tim.

"You were supposed to talk to Rachel" he stated putting his glass on the table "and it seems to me that you didn't."

"So?" Gutterson looked at him with a raised eyebrow "I'm fine."

"Your hand suggests otherwise" Raylan gave a pointed look at the appendage.

"Why do you care?" Tim sighed with an eye roll

"I don't know" Raylan followed that statement by downing his drink and motioned to his colleague to fill up. Tim obliged.

"Art called me, said you seem off. I was coming back to Lexington anyway, so I thought I'll check on ya". Raylan gave him a look "Guess it was a good call."

"I don't know what you're thinkin' but I ain't gonna do anything stupid" Gutterson said looking at Givens through squinted eyes. Raylan hummed and took a drink

"Look, I just, uh…" Tim didn't exactly know what he tried to say. He covered his hesitation by downing his drink and pouring another. Raylan noted.

"Tim?"

"What?"

"Maybe you've had enough?" Gutterson just chuckled dryly, took a sip and looked at Givens – Raylan noticed the red rimmed eyes and the shine of tears, but that could be just alcohol. He downed his own drink and stood up, grabbed Tim's drink and put it on the table. Younger's man hand fell limply on his lap and he himself slumped on the sofa with a resigned sigh. Raylan plopped next to him.

"Look buddy" he started "I know you and I aren't exactly friends or not close friends anyway" he hesitated when Tim's eyes moved to his face "but, uh… I'm here if you need someone to talk to. Other than Rachel who you apparently don't want to share with…"

"She doesn't deserve this" younger man said quietly

"What?"

"She's innocent. She shouldn't hear what I've done"

"Tim?"

"I shot Colt and I felt relieved. I shot him out of revenge, I…"

"No." Raylan stopped him "You had a chance for revenge before and you didn't kill him. This time you had no other choice" he was talking calmly and waiting for Tim's reaction. The other man was looking into his eyes like he was looking for a sign of a lie or something. After few more seconds Gutterson sighed and shifted, looking away.

"My best friend is dead" he stated in a choked tone.

"I know" the cowboy answered softly. He watched younger Marshal, who seemed to be fighting with himself not to show too much emotion. Raylan sighed and stretched his arm around Tim's shoulders – the man leaned to the touch seemingly without realizing what he was doing. Couple minutes later Raylan noticed that younger man's breathing had evened out and he felt heavier against him – Tim fell asleep *oh great* he thought. Givens shifted slightly and managed to get his arm from under his friend's head. He moved Tim to a lying position – hopefully more comfortable and covered him with a blanket he found on the other side of the couch. He himself plopped on the armchair and got cozy.

Tim woke up with a start, sun shining through the window, he squinted and look around slightly disorientedly. He flinched when he heard movement in the kitchen and looked over to see Raylan walking in his direction with two cups of coffee.

"You stayed here?" he asked incredulously. The older man hummed an affirmative and put one mug on the table in front of Gutterson "Why?" Tim still couldn't believe Raylan spent the night at his house and more so – made him coffee.

"You seemed, uh…" Givens wasn't really sure himself why he stayed "a little distressed" Tim eyed him.

"Look" Raylan sighed "I guess I wasn't gonna leave ya' alone in the state you were in last night."

"Why not?" young Marshal asked in a soft tone that Raylan had never heard before. His heart ached a little for his colleague. He knew the feeling – although it seemed that it was entrenched much deeper in the younger man.

"Tim" Givens said with another sigh and waited for Tim to look up at him "contrary to popular belief I do care about my colleagues." Tim kept eye contact for a moment longer and seemed to accept whatever he saw in Raylan's expression. He shifted and picked up his coffee.

"You know it's not too healthy to drink coffee on an empty stomach, right?" he commented. Raylan eyed him and Tim just sipped the beverage before getting up and going to kitchen, Givens followed him. He stopped by the wall and watched as the young man grabbed bread, eggs and cheese.

"Are you making us breakfast?"

"Gotta eat somethin" Tim said quietly. Older man hummed.

"Raylan?" Tim said somewhat hesitantly.

"Hm?"

"About last night" Gutterson turned around, he wore a kicked puppy expression, giving him a little boy vibe.

"Don't mention it" Raylan said and sipped his coffee. Tim gave him grateful look and went back to making breakfast.