Ch. 12

It had been surreal. Of all the times he had thought about being with her, nothing in his imagination came close to the real thing. She was as much a contradiction in his bed as she had always been in his life. She was demanding, yet accepting. She was firm, yet she was soft. She was tender, yet she was raw. It shouldn't have come as a surprise. What she appeared on the surface had never been one hundred percent of her. For all her bravado and Philly attitude, she could be unsure and self conscious. For all of her language and short tempered personality, she could be surprisingly sympathetic. It was one of the things that had always struck him the most when they were alone. She wouldn't hesitate to call him out or call him a name. At the same time, she would place a soft hand on his shoulder when she thought he needed encouragement or comfort.

She had consumed every part of him that night. She had physically exhausted him in the best way. She had also taken what was left of his heart, pieced it back together, and branded it as hers forever. It had been ages since he had felt so connected to anyone. Her eyes held his through all the passion and sex that had ensued. She had been as open as he had ever seen, allowing him to see every part of her both physical and emotional. She had laid herself bare and raw before him and it made his heart swell even more than it had when he had kissed her in the Bronco earlier in the day.

Afterwards, they had laid in a sweaty tangle of bodies and sheets. He didn't allow himself to think of any complications. He didn't think of how she was still so vulnerable from her recent trauma. He didn't think of how she still worked for him and he was still her boss. He didn't think of how he had crossed a line he had sworn to himself that he would never cross. All he thought about was how right she felt next to him. How good it had felt to finally let go and have what he really wanted. She made him think of all the tomorrows laid out before him in a way he hadn't done in years.

She lay with her head on his shoulder, her fingers lightly tracing patterns over the sensitive skin of his stomach, carefully avoiding his latest injury at the hands of Malachi. He had noticed she had her own bruises beginning to show on her side and hip where she had smacked the ground after knocking him out of the way of the SUV.

"You really should have let me taken you to have this checked."

Her fingers lingered near the gash. He slid his hand over hers and pulled it to his lips, pressing her fingers to his lips. A smile blossomed on her face. It wasn't the sarcastic smile she was so fond of using with him or the feral one with the sharp eyes he was accustomed to seeing while her thoughts churned. It was a sweet, happy smile. It reminded him of that night in Arizona when she had helped him unlock his room and he had joked about chivalry. Her smiles had become so rare since her final showdown with Chance Gilbert. Neither of them had much to smile about lately. To see her content and happy made his throat constrict with emotion. To know he was the reason for it made his insides twist.

"It's fine."

It was all he could manage. There were so many things he wanted to say to her. So much he wanted to tell her that he had held back for such a long time. In that moment, though, all he could do was hold her. Words seemed inadequate and unnecessary and she was the last thing he felt and the last scent that filled his mind before he had drifted off to sleep.

x

Walt lay in the dark listening to her breathe. Outside it was a moonless night and he could just barely make out the outline of her. He had no idea if she was asleep or awake. Her breathing was soft and steady and she was still. He had decided she must have drifted off when her voice broke through the dark stillness of the bedroom.

"What are you thinking about?"

She moved then and he could see she had brought her face close to his so she could see him. She lay on her side, one arm under her head facing him. He rolled to face her in a similar position. He felt compelled to touch her and his hand found her face, running his fingers lightly over her cheek.

"The day we took out Malachi."

A smile crossed her face.

"That wound up being a pretty good night after such a shitty day."

'Yep. I was just thinking about how far we had come at that point. We've come even further now. I'm sorry, Vic, for everything."

"It wasn't your fault. I'm sorry if I made you feel like it was."

"You didn't. I know you were trying to be patient with me. I don't blame you for leaving."

He felt the softness of her hand moving up his cheek and into his hair. Her fingers spread over the back of his head and pulled him in. Walt's hand moved to her stomach as he leaned in and deepened the kiss. A sudden jump under his hand caused him to pull his lips from hers.

"Did you feel that?"

His voice dripped with awe. He felt the bump against his hand again and his face erupted in a smile.

"I think she approves."

"Smart girl."

"Like her mother."

Vic laughed into his ear as she leaned into him again pressing her lips to his.

4 Months Later

Walt stood cradling his infant daughter. She was easily the most the beautiful thing in his world. She seemed tiny in his large, rough hands. The first time she had been passed to him, he had hesitated. It been a long time since he had held a baby and old fears crept back into his mind. He remembered being the same way with Cady when she was born. Vic had smiled tiredly at him and gave him an eye roll.

"You're not going to break her, Walt."

"She's just so small. Smaller than I remember."

He had held her carefully against his chest. Her gray eyes had focused on him and then closed sleepily. He knew, in that moment, that he would do anything for her. It amazed him that someone so small could evoke such strong feelings.

Now he was amazed at how fast she was was still small but was rapidly changing. Every day he noticed something new or different about her. She was more alert now and constantly watched what happened around her with interest. Vic mentioned often that must have come from him. When Cady was young, Martha had taken on most of the duties herself. He was busy working on his career and the world was a different place in general. Now that he was retired, he took more joy than he could have known in doting on his daughter. While Vic was on maternity leave, they shared most things and alternated getting up with her. He knew that when Vic went back to work, it would be the two of them.

Walt carried her into the bedroom and sat down on the bed. The first rays of sunlight were just beginning to crack through the windows of the cabin. Vic lay stretched out on her back with her eyes closed. He knew she was awake. He leaned back against the headboard and tucked his legs under the covers. Vic rolled onto her side and opened her eyes. A soft smile played across her face as Walt easily slid the baby into her arms. He watched as she set about nursing their daughter and something inside of him soared. If there was anything he loved watching more than his youngest daughter, it was watching her with her mother.

For all the impatience and frustration he sometimes associated with her, Vic had taken to motherhood as naturally as anything he had seen before. The sheer reverence with which she looked at their daughter never ceased to melt his insides. Grunting and sighs met his ears as their daughter went about the business of breakfast. Vic used her free hand to brush her hair out of her face and readjust her position to one more comfortable. She was watching him curiously.

"What are you thinking about with that goofy grin?"

He reached out and ran his palm over the downy head of his daughter.

"Thinking about how lucky I am. How many men get a chance to do things over and make things right?"

She smiled at him, her eyes almost gold in the morning light and he knew he was where he belonged.

End