It had been a little over five weeks since Walt had moved Vic's trailer to his property. You would think that it would have been a big deal. After all, Vic was fiercely independent, particularly after her divorce. And Walt too, was a private man. He had been too afraid to tell Vic how he really felt about her. It was a perfect storm of not telling and not acting. Under normal circumstances Vic would have been annoyed and insulted, sufficiently so that she would have immediately balked and moved her trailer back to the trailer park. Walt too, would have been too hesitant to make such a bold move, preferring to let Vic handle things herself like she always did. He'd blown everything before and Vic had already pretty much called him on THAT bullshit. After her divorce, he had told her that he wanted her to stay in Wyoming but then he messed everything up royally by ignoring her and pursuing Donna. In a manner that was much more direct that Walt could ever be, Vic questioned his motives. She questioned his actions. She questioned his feelings for her. It was a wasted moment when he dared to reveal just a little bit to her but then immediately betrayed her. He really messed things up. He's been selfish and inconsistent and it had cost him dearly. Of course nothing had worked out with Donna. That had been a complete waste of time and had jeopardized whatever was left of the possibility of a relationship with Vic. Her trust in him had wavered and at times Walt feared that she would just pack up and leave one day and he'd be left with nothing but responsibility for her leaving.

But Vic getting shot, losing her baby and nearly dying changed EVERYTHING. Walt took immediate action to make sure Vic would be safe. He also wanted to do whatever he could to help in her recovery. To his surprise and delight, Vic accepted the move of her trailer with only the smallest of complaints on the first afternoon.

After a day or two, Vic was quite surprised to find that she LIKED the new arrangement. Her leg had been sore at first and she felt impossibly tired out just limping from her trailer to Walt's cabin. Her appetite waned but Walt had somehow found a way to make scrambled eggs appealing. The cabin with its unfinished western bachelor décor and all that fresh air helped Vic to relax. The lack of TV and internet stimulus also helped. Walt's gentle fussing made Vic feel safe and cared for. It enabled her to focus on her recovery, which was the point of it all. Walt wondered if he was being selfish, wanting Vic to be near him. But Vic didn't seem to object. They had been surprisingly successful at finding the right balance of protection and independence, at just the right time.

At first Vic was unable to stand up long enough to cook a meal or throw her clothes into the washer. Well, she didn't even have a washer. Or a dryer. It would have been an impossible ordeal to lug everything to the laundromat. So, double points there for Walt's handy dandy laundry service. He was also pretty good at fluffing, folding and ironing too, not that there was much to iron.

Bathing was a challenge. But they'd worked it out with a minimum of embarrassment. Vic was able to enjoy a lovely private bath in Walt's bathtub while she kept her leg wound dry. And bless Walt for finding a solution to another problem. After her bath, Walt would wash her hair in the laundry room sink. It wasn't possible to determine who enjoyed that more. Vic loved having clean hair and Walt loved the smell of her botanical shampoo. More than anything, he loved the feeling of running his hands through her silky smooth hair. It was a sensual experience for them both and yet neither of them felt the need to articulate anything about it. Sometimes afterwards, while Vic dried her hair with a towel, Walt would look into her eyes and see something. She saw it in his eyes as well. It was like a little ember of heat in there, being exchanged between them. They were both a bit disappointed when, after a couple of weeks, Vic admitted that she would be able to use the shower again. A few days later, she would wonder if it were possible to come up with an excuse for Walt to wash her hair again for her.

Walt was also progressing as a cook. Initially his skills were limited to eggs and pancakes. But with gentle instruction, he graduated to roast chicken and potatoes, garlic toast, soup and even improved chili. Once Vic got some of her strength back, she had Walt pick up the ingredients and she made a large pan of the famous Moretti lasagne. Walt was in heaven with that. She also provided him with a steady stream of his favourite chocolate chip cookies. To Vic's delight, Henry called one day to ask how she was doing. She took the opportunity to have a nice chat with him, and then pried some ideas out of him about some of Walt's favourite meals that she could make.

At times, Vic preferred to sleep in her own trailer. It depended on how sore or sad she was. When things were going well, she graduated from sleeping on Walt's couch. When they were overly tired, Vic and Walt slept side by side, barely making contact, in Walt's bed. More often, on the really good nights, they curled up together in a pleasantly dreamy state of warmth and softness. It was at these times that Walt dreamed of Vic the most. There was no pressure to discuss their feelings. There was no talk of a commitment. It had a sensual feeling, with the gentle promise of something sexual. But Vic wasn't ready for that yet. Although she certainly thought about it. As did Walt. An analysis of their sleeping arrangements was not required. Nor was it offered. Their needs ebbed and flowed and were somehow met.

As her strength returned, Vic tended to go for a walk around the property when Walt was at work. She found that she also really enjoyed grooming the horse (called 'Horse'). She hoped to gain his trust one day and to be allowed to ride Horse around the property by herself. By mid-day, she typically made a light lunch and then usually had a chat on the phone with Ruby or Ferg. She preferred to take an afternoon nap in her trailer. The wind usually picked up at that time, and it smelled and sounded wonderful as it breezed through the open windows. The naps were, for the most part, restorative. Sometimes she dreamed of Walt. There were times, though, that Vic had dreams of the little girl she would never get a chance to meet. She was glad to be alone in her trailer where she could cry by herself. It was also at these times that Vic allowed herself time to think about who the father of the baby might be. It had occurred to her that Sean could also be the father, since they had been together twice right after the divorce was final. But she would never know; or at least never pursue that line of questioning. She had a secret wish that Travis would turn out to be the father, although it seemed rather pointless to find out now. He had turned out to be a really delightful and caring person, always keen to make sure that Vic was taking her vitamins and was eating well and that her trailer was in good working order. Although it was never discussed, Travis had been moved from the 'loser' check box into the 'good man' box in the minds of BOTH Walt and Vic. Although it had been a bit messy, Walt had been impressed by Travis' drunken confession of his love and concern for Vic one night at the Sheriff's office. Vic too, had completely changed her view of Travis. He had matured, almost overnight, into a thoughtful, insightful person, capable of responsible behaviour. However, Vic had not been mature enough to return his phone calls. She hoped to be able to do this one day.

By late afternoon most days, Vic would start the preparations for dinner, which she had ready for Walt when he got home. Vic realized that it might seem overly domestic, having the table set and dinner ready for when 'the man' came home from work, but she didn't think that Walt saw it that way. So she continued and her newfound routine made her happy. The meals were nutritionally balanced which was good for both of them. Vic harboured a secret goal to broaden Walt's vegetative palate beyond that of frozen peas. He was actually enjoying the asparagus or arugula or quinoa or whatever multi-syllabic new ingredient was making its way on the nightly dinner table. Vic seemed pleased by it all. She enjoyed Walt's dining pleasure and hearing him recount that day's activities at the Sheriff's Department office. She missed work, yet wanted to return only when she felt completely ready to do so.

Vic was also touched by Walt's attention to her health and welfare. He had already taken her to several doctor's appointments. He had gone out of his way to assist Vic with a detailed series of therapeutic exercises for her leg, after consulting the therapist at the hospital. Twice a day they worked through the exercises. Some sessions were easier than others. Vic did a few of her own throughout the day. Overall her strength was returning, although her leg was still a bit sore. Some mornings it felt like it would never be the same. But she persevered. She was also recovering from the miscarriage and blood loss.

There were times, of course, when Vic grew melancholy and withdrew from Walt's reach. The loss of her baby was profound and would not be easily resolved by offers of scrambled eggs or foot rubs. She needed time to talk, to be silent, to cry, to scream. She needed time to understand what she would have gained and what she most certainly had lost.

Gradually their lives had become entwined, almost like a braided rope. Strands were closely woven together and the completed structure was stronger than the individual parts. But the individual strands could still stand alone at times. It was a simple shared existence. But meaningful. Full of meaning. Not superficial. Not forced. Not pushed. Gentle. Kind. Caring. Thoughtful. Joyous. Simple. Funny. Sad. A shared experience. Healing for both parties. Deeply moving at times. There were multiple interactions inside the cabin, outside in the fresh air, in Vic's trailer. They seemed to like to play cards in the trailer, even though it felt a bit cramped. It provided a different context for them and it led to new conversations. Sometimes they read aloud to each other in the cabin. Sometimes they just sat and talked. About the baby. About Martha. About Cady. About meaningful things.

Sometimes they went to town together to get groceries, to go to the bank, or to the Red Pony. As usual, Henry seemed to be all-knowing about the two of them, but he refrained from offering Walt the usual commentary. Walt was grateful for that. He feared the bubble would burst if somehow he were questioned about Vic. One day soon, he would find time to have a beer and share some things with Henry, but he wasn't ready for that just yet. He thought Henry would understand.

Walt worried a bit about what Cady would think. One Saturday afternoon, Vic and Walt were inside the town's largest grocery store and they ran into Cady. They were busily chatting about the merits of slow roasting a pork roast. Cady accidentally happened upon them before they noticed her. She couldn't help but overhear a bit of their animated conversation from a few feet away, in the cookie aisle. She instantly noticed their body language as they leaned into each other, Vic's hand on Walt's waist. Their physical closeness left no doubt in Cady's mind. She had already been hearing rumours that Vic had moved into Walt's cabin. She had been hurt to hear the rumours without any communication from Walt. Cady decided to get it over with, and so she changed direction, went all the way around the next aisle and re-entered the cookie aisle, almost bumping into Vic with her shopping cart. She pretended to act surprised, but Walt, being her dad, could tell that it was no accident.

"Hi Punk. How are you doing?" Walt asked, leaning over to give his daughter a kiss on the cheek.

"Um…Hi Vic. Hi Dad," Cady said, with an uncomfortable lilt in her voice.

"Hi Cady," Vic said, feeling uncomfortable too.

The three had a short and ridiculously stilted conversation about cookies and then went on their way, each one feeling unhappy.

"THAT was awkward," Vic admitted to Walt at the cash register. "Surely we can do better than that?" she asked. "Have you spoken to her lately?"

"Nope. Haven't had time. Besides, she's been away for the last couple of weeks at a series of training courses in Cheyenne and Laramie. So I haven't seen her in ages," he confessed.

Vic decided to let things cool down a bit. A few days later, she called Cady and asked if she might like to come out to the cabin for tea sometime, on a WEEK DAY. Cady immediately caught Vic's intention with the timing, and she agreed to come out the following afternoon.

The two embraced briefly at the cabin door and Vic immediately apologized for the awkward encounter at the grocery store. The two woman had grown somewhat close at one point, when Vic was temporarily living at Cady's house. There was no reason not to be open with Cady about things, particularly if Walt wasn't going to be.

"I'm so sorry, Cady. That was really awkward. We should have given you some more details about the situation here, but neither of us wanted to get into it at the store."

"Vic…" Cady interrupted. "I don't care about the grocery store. Henry told me what happened to you. That's all I care about. How are you?" Cady asked with a show of tremendous concern on her face.

At the sudden show of tenderness and reaffirmation of sisterhood, Vic burst into tears, just as the kettle came to a boil and whistled at them from the kitchen. Cady jumped up and ran to move the kettle off the stove. She sat with Vic on the couch and took her into an embrace. She held Vic for a few minutes while the tears flowed. Vic cried while she recounted the unplanned pregnancy, the opportunity that came up to send Chance Gilbert to hell, his escape from the courthouse, the dangerous stunt at Gilbert's compound and the shooting. Vic paused for a moment to blow her nose and regain her composure while Cady got up to make the tea. They resumed their talking, with Vic ending with the subsequent shooting and loss of her baby.

"So you see, I've been here for a few weeks and it's become very cathartic for me. Your dad has been awesome, leaving me alone at times, and hovering gently at others. Just so you know, I'm not sure what kind of relationship we really have. It's obviously more than friendship, but it's not quite romantic either. We haven't really discussed it – IT JUST IS – IS JUST US – it's sort of free flowing and not very well defined. It's classic Walt," Vic ended with a laugh. Cady laughed in unison, fully understanding.

Cady sat there sipping on her tea, really grateful for Vic's explanation. And that she was ok. Or at least would be ok. It was certainly more information that she would have ever gotten from her dad. The best part was that it wasn't gossip.

"Vic, I'm so sorry about what you went through with the baby. I had no idea."

"Well, I'm doing a little bit better these days. Just a bit better. Your dad's been a tremendous help to me. So has the cabin – it's become a healing place for me," Vic admitted with a small smile.

The two chatted for a long time, both wanting to be open and honest, but not wanting to be overly nosy or judgemental about the awkwardness of the relationship. Vic admitted that although she and Walt had yet to define their relationship, she wanted to also make sure that Cady was ok with things. They agreed to make more effort to keep in touch and to nurture the friendship they both valued. Vic agreed to coax Walt into spending more time talking with Cady about things as well. And Cady honestly admitted that she would be thrilled to see Vic and her dad in a relationship, if things worked out for them that way.

That night, Vic told Walt that she had had a long visit that afternoon with Cady and had given her some details about their living arrangements. She wasn't sure how Walt would react or if he would be annoyed. He actually felt relieved about it. He hated that he had not been in touch with Cady lately and that he had heard about the rumours that were floating about in town about him and Vic. And he had felt a little bit like he was sneaking around, hiding out at the cabin with Vic. So he expressed his relief to Vic that she had handled things with the courage and grace that he sometimes did not seem to possess when it came to serious conversations with his daughter. The encounter with Cady seemed to clear the air somewhat, and Vic and Walt relaxed even more with each other.

In terms of cabin domesticity, things continued to flow in a pleasant manner. Vic was slightly puzzled by her reaction to it all. She had never been an overly domestic person and certainly not within her marriage to Sean. They had both been busy with their working lives, and whoever was available at home, would try to prepare a meal or do laundry. Household chores were not dictated by gender or salary. But this was different. It wasn't power or gender based. It would never be that way with Walt. Vic could leave at any time. She knew that. Walt knew that. They shared in almost everything now – the cooking, the cleaning and other household chores. These were pleasurable experiences when shared with the right person.

With Walt away at work, Vic found ways to improve a few things at the cabin. She wouldn't make changes without talking to Walt about it. But she felt it would be alright to make a few improvements. She put in some shelving in the laundry room and organized a laundry hamper and a folding ironing board, not that Walt had a lot of ironing needs. She put together a simple boot-drying rack for the plastic tray at the front door. She fixed the sag in that one section of fence near the horse stable. She cleaned and polished the horse tack, changed the oil one day in Walt's private truck, and washed the cabin windows inside and out. It felt good to be gaining muscle strength and to have the leg pain diminish. She felt she was also gaining emotional strength. It was also nice to be able to do something to repay Walt's kindness. She called it "cabin therapy".

One night after dinner, they had been taking turns reading aloud from Michael Blake's 'Dances With Wolves' book. Walt asked Vic to pause for a moment. "Vic, it's been almost five weeks now, since you've been here…I…um…uh…was wondering how you felt about it. Um…I mean…I have to let Ruby know when you might be ready to come back to work. There's some paperwork to fill out too, for your benefits to continue. And Joe Mega called me today. I don't know why he doesn't have your number here. Anyways, he said that the lease is coming up on your trailer pad rental. He's got a couple of people looking for a pad and he doesn't know whether he could rent yours out. And…um…I…um… would sort of like to know if you'd like to stay here. I hope you feel comfortable here."

Walt paused to try to breathe again. And to organize his thoughts. He had a funny look on his face. One that Vic couldn't quite identify. It was a little bit like apprehension. Or it might be fear.

"Vic…um…you know I'm not very good at this sort of thing. I don't deal with my emotions very well. But I've loved having you here. And I'm glad to see that you seem to be healing and gaining strength. I've grown quite attached to you here, and would love it if you'd consider moving in with me." He gulped a bit for more air.

He continued. "I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't survived. I suppose I would have died myself. Honestly. But now to see you recovering and to be here, just makes me so happy. I don't want to have a day go by without being with you, and I don't mean at work. FOR…REAL…" he said very slowly, trying to drive home the message. "I've loved you for a long time now and I guess over the past couple of years, have also fallen IN LOVE with you. Big time. So…um…I'd be honoured if you'd consider this. There, I said it," Walt said, quite breathless again. He fidgeted with his hair and hands and his right foot was tapping out a mindless tune under the coffee table. "I hope that this wasn't too awkward, but I expect it was for you." He offered Vic a small smile.

Vic sat there holding the book. She'd lost her place in it while Walt gave his speech. She was stunned. Not so much by the content of Walt's words because she intuitively knew that he felt all that, but she was moved by the act itself. The fact that he'd found the nerve to express himself after all this time. It was significant. Profound.

Vic started to speak slowly…"Walt, I'm touched by your words and your actions. The depth of what you said. How your words express your feelings and mine too. You almost never do that. And I guess that I've not been that forthcoming about how I feel about things. I've tried to show how grateful I am, rather than speaking to you about it." Vic paused. "I've also been very moved by your tenderness. The very understated way that you've done so much to help me. You've been present in so many ways. But you've also given me the space to figure out some things for myself." She paused. For a moment, Walt thought that Vic was going to use the pause to reject his offer.

"Um…Walt. If I moved in here, do you mean we would be roommates, sharing chores and expenses?" Vic's question seemed like a logical starting point in the conversation, but it came out sounding a bit insensitive. She wanted to build on her question, but could see that she had hurt Walt's feelings.

She reached for his hand and held it for a moment.

"No, Vic. That wasn't the way I envisioned things. I'm not looking for a roommate. I have feelings for you – romantic feelings. And if you do too, then I'd like it if you'd consider moving in with me. You know I'm pretty old fashioned. I don't take this kind of thing lightly. I'd probably like it if we could get married one day. But only if you really want that. I have to know if you feel the same about me. I can't go on, not knowing that. It's like the bubble could burst at any time and the dream will be over for me. So I have to grab your hand before it disappears. I need to know. I mean, you don't necessarily have to move in here if it's too soon. But I really need to know where I stand with you. It's not really that housing is an issue – but it's about us?" Walt said, feeling very tired from all that talking. "Is there an us?"

Vic stared at him with wide eyes. She let out a little smile and reached for both of Walt's hands. She held them over her heart. "Walt, is that what you mean? Of course I love you. I have for a very long time. For longer than was appropriate, if you really want to know. I was waiting to see if you felt the same way. If you could even admit it," she declared. She too felt relief to have the conversation. A smile began to form on Walt's face. Vic launched herself at Walt, who sat there looking a bit stunned. He was not prepared for the onslaught of a very receptive Vic, who had definitely regained most of her muscle strength. They clung to each other for a long time, expressing their true feelings, with hands, mouths, hips, tongues, almost all the body parts.

Later on, Vic explained that she wasn't quite ready to move in with Walt. But that was not to be taken as a sign of anything to worry about. Rather it was an indication of the internal struggle she still felt, albeit a small one, for her independence after the divorce. She wanted to rebuild her identity – to reinvent herself after the divorce. And after the loss of a lot of things.

They talked for a long time about their feelings. About the possibility of marriage one day. They explored their values. Then they started sharing some of their bigger hopes and dreams. Yes, Walt had even begun to dream again. Not the kind of dreaming that you do when you are asleep, but dreaming as in hoping for a better future. They discussed goals for work. There was still that. It was something they could also look forward to – working together again.

In the end, Vic decided to move her trailer back to the park for another 90 days. She felt that she was ready to return to work. She wanted to spend some time on her own during the week, but would gladly spend weekends at the cabin with Walt during that time. It wasn't quite enough for Walt, but it was a step in the right direction. And it was the START of his new life with Vic. Eventually when Vic felt comfortable enough, she would move into the cabin with Walt. She would eventually see if Joe Mega might want to buy her old trailer and offer it as a low-rent option for someone in need at the trailer park.

Things were looking much better for Vic. And great for Walt. With delicious promise for them both.

The cabin had been nurturing for Vic, when it was needed the most. It provided warmth and dignity for her. And what impressed her the most was the understated way that Walt had been. Through their work together, it was unfortunate that Vic usually witnessed Walt driving fast or punching or yelling at or even shooting people who had broken the law. But with her at the cabin, he was so gentle. He was there for her without being obvious about it. The calm structure that he provided was adequate for her to feel safe enough to make significant progress with her physical and emotional healing. Counselling or formal therapy would never have worked for Vic and somehow Walt had figured that out. His version of cabin therapy was all that Vic needed to heal.

Vic didn't realize it, but she had a little kernel of hope inside of her that grew a little bit with each passing day. Her newfound independence would leave her feeling stronger than ever. It would begin to fill in the emptiness inside of her. It would grow in the coming months and eventually would blossom into something wonderful for her. She would no longer feel like she was so alone – she would be very happy to have her best friend Walt by her side. Both Vic and Walt had endured too much pain in their lives. They both deserved to experience the beauty that life had to offer them. It would be all the more sweeter for them to taste that joy together. The cabin that they would soon share would always be symbolic to them both. It was like the enzyme that triggered a chrysalis-like state of metamorphosis for them. It allowed their love to blossom into something truly wonderful to behold.