This story takes place post season 4.

Vic watched the woman in front of her, her look part incredulous, part simmering frustration, all eye-roll.

Seriously?

She couldn't believe the woman was trying to roll her bag down the aisle. She seemed to be oblivious to the fact that she was knocking not only every armrest along the way, but the people sitting in the seats as well. As Vic watched the woman make her painfully slow, disruptive progress, she had a sinking feeling that she would be the lucky person sitting next to her during the flight. Vic glanced over her shoulder at the growing line of passengers behind her. She saw various degrees of impatience in their crossed arms, craning necks, and grimaces.

Turning back to face the direction in which she was heading, she found the woman lifting her bag and trying to wedge it into the bin above. A sense of relief washed over Vic as she realized they weren't at her row yet.

Shifting the backpack strap on her shoulder, Vic stepped forward. "Let me help."

Vic gave the woman's suitcase a shove, and miraculously managed to get the overstuffed bag to fit into the small space.

Without acknowledging Vic's assistance, the woman dropped her purse on her seat and began taking off her coat. Watching the woman fold up the coat and place it next to her bag in the overhead compartment, Vic sensed the restless crowd at her back.

Picking up her purse, the woman finally took her seat, clearing the way for Vic to head toward hers.

Finding her row, and quickly stepping into it to let others pass, Vic slid into her seat as she simultaneously lowered her backpack to the floor. She dug out her iPod and a magazine, and then pushed the bag into the space under the seat in front of her.

Glancing at the empty seat beside her, Vic buckled her seat belt, thankful that she was seated by the window, and that she wouldn't have to get up to let her neighbor sit down.

She turned her head to the right, finding the shade drawn. She reached out her hand and raised it, the sunny Denver backdrop coming into view.

You ready for this?

Vic was suddenly overwhelmed by emotion, and she closed her eyes as she felt pricks of moisture start up. After a moment she ran her finger below each eyelid, and then looked around to see if anyone had noticed.

No one was even looking her way.

She heard the pleading cry of a small child somewhere nearby and the not-so-hushed words of a couple arguing in the row in front of her. Remembering the iPod in her hand, she unraveled the cord wrapped around it, placed the earbuds in her ears, and turned it on. Sifting through her choices, she found the playlist she wanted to listen to and then leaned back into her seat. Her eyes drifted close as the noise-cancelling headphones did their job, and the music drowned out all other sounds.

As the second song was starting she felt a light tap on her left shoulder. Her eyes flew open, and she found a woman sitting next to her and looking at her intently. The woman said something, but Vic couldn't hear as she had not removed her headphones. Before Vic could lift her hand to do so, the woman's head turned up and to the left, and Vic's eyes followed.

She startled at the person standing in the aisle.

She saw his lips move as he said something to her, but she still had her music in her ears. The woman in the seat beside her must have said something, because she saw him glance down at her, say a few words, nod and then step back. The woman picked up her purse and rose, stepping into the aisle and then heading toward the back of the plane.

As a wave of panic coursed through her, Vic briefly yearned for that annoying woman dragging her suitcase down the aisle to have been her seat-mate. She had a feeling that 'oblivious suitcase woman' wouldn't have surrendered her seat to someone else so willingly.

Towering above her, his eyes bore into hers as if trying to read her reaction.

She pulled the earbud from her left ear. "What the fuck, Walt."

But she felt her eyes grow moist and begin to burn again, and before he could respond, she jammed her earbud back in place and turned her head toward the window.

She felt him take a seat beside her, and after a moment she turned slightly. His lips moved again, and when his forehead creased as he waited for a response, she lifted her hand and pointed at her headphones.

"Can't hear you." She turned back toward the window.

She stayed like that, head turned away, earbuds still in place blocking out anything he might be saying, eyes blindly looking out the window, seeing nothing as she was consumed by her thoughts.

What the fuck was he doing here?

She willed him to change his mind and get off the plane, or at least seats, but at that moment the plane began to pull back from the gate. She glanced around, finding every seat occupied. Her shoulders sagged. She was stuck with him for the next three-and-a-half hours.

Her hands gripped both armrests as the plane slowly made its way toward the runway. After a few minutes, as the plane finally pulled into its ascent, she sank bank into her seat and closed her eyes.

How had he gotten here? She hadn't noticed him on her flight from Casper earlier that morning. He must have driven the five hours from Durant.

She refused to engage with him, and after a few minutes she opened her eyes and stared at the seat belt sign. The moment the light turned off, she unbuckled and stood.

"I need to pee."

He stared up at her for a moment and then released the latch on his seat belt and stood. He stepped into the aisle to let her pass, and she made a beeline for the back of the plane.

Stepping into the airplane toilet, she closed the folding door and slid the lock. Pulling her earbuds out, she sat down.

Shit.

Hunched over and with her elbows on her thighs, she wondered how long she could stay in here before an impatient passenger, or a concerned flight attendant, or Walt himself, would start knocking.

After a few minutes she stood, and then leaned over the sink and rinsed her face. She paused before the door, and then opened it. No one was standing in line.

As she stared up the aisle, she saw that the flight attendants had started the beverage service at the front of the plane. She considered letting them make their way past her row, and then she'd be stuck on this side of the cart and would have to wait until they were done before being able to get to her seat.

Her eyes fell on her empty seat, and then on Walt, who was turned, in conversation with the passenger across the aisle. The passenger was a young girl, who was showing a drawing to him. The girl then pointed to his hat, which he removed and showed to her, saying a few words to the young passenger she couldn't hear. And then as if he sensed her eyes on him, he looked down the aisle at her. They stayed that way, their eyes locked on each other, for a moment, until the child, who must have wondered why she'd lost Walt's complete attention, leaned her head into the aisle.

"Who's that?"

Vic pulled her shoulders back and started walking toward them.

"That's Vic."

The girl's eyes stayed on her a moment before turning toward Walt. "She catch bad guys too?"

"Yep."

When she neared, Walt stood to let her into their row.

She dropped her eyes, and then squeezed past him to take her seat.

Before she could put her earbuds back in, Walt cleared his throat. "You ok?"

She didn't know if he was referring to the length of time she'd been in the bathroom, or questioning how she was doing with his surprise appearance on the plane.

"Walt, just fu—." But before she completed her remark she saw him tense and she remembered the girl in hearing range across the aisle.

With an eye-roll, she jammed the earbuds back in and made a show of turning up the volume, before turning her attention back to the window.

After a few minutes she felt a nudge, and turned to see the flight attendant with the beverage cart looking down at her expectantly.

Lowering the earbud from her left ear, she avoided Walt's eyes. "I'll take a vodka tonic."

Vic didn't care that it was still morning, she needed a drink. As she reached down to get her wallet out of her bag she heard Walt order a beer. Apparently he needed one as well.

As she lifted her head, she saw him hand over a credit card. "I'll pay for both."

Vic paused, surprised by the fact that he was using a credit card, when she'd mainly seen him pay for things with cash. As such, she missed her opportunity to refuse letting him pay for her, as the flight attendant was already swiping the card when she registered the fact.

As the flight attendant pushed the car forward, Vic busied herself with pouring the vodka and tonic water into the plastic cup, clearly favoring the alcohol as she mixed the beverages.

Walt watched her put her drink together as he lifted the beer to his lips.

With one swift motion, Vic downed the drink, and then leaned back into her seat. Once again she put the earbuds in and closed her eyes, letting the alcohol and music soothe her jumbled thoughts.

Some turbulence jarred her, and her eyes flew open. Music was no longer playing in her ear, and her tray was cleared and up. She realized she must have fallen asleep.

"Vic."

She pretended that she still couldn't hear him and said nothing. He didn't need to know that the music was no longer playing.

He reached out and put his hand on hers to get her attention, but she tugged it from his grasp without looking his way.

She felt Walt shift in the seat and watched out of the corner of her eye as he leaned across the aisle to talk to the young girl. When he straightened, Vic looked directly in front of her. A moment later, the girl's notepad appeared in Vic's line of sight, Walt's purple handwriting on display.

I'm sorry.

Vic blinked but didn't say anything as she stared at the two words.

Walt pulled the notebook back, wrote something and then placed it in front of her again.

For pushing you away.

Vic still said nothing and refused to look at him lest she break her silence.

Walt again brought the notepad to his lap and continued writing.

Ruby told me you were taking some time off.

He let her read the words and then pulled the pad back.

Cady told me you were going to Philadelphia.

"You've been ignoring me all this time, why the fu—." She stopped, again remembering the girl on the other side of the aisle. She grabbed the purple colored pencil from his hand.

Why the fuck are you here?

He stilled, and when she finally looked up at him, he held her eyes until she had to look away. He took the notepad back, wrote something down, and then paused before tearing the page from the book, crumpling it up and stuffing it in the pocket of his shirt. He began writing again and then placed the pad in front of her.

Cady thought you might not come back. That this isn't just a vacation but a final return home.

She said nothing, and he bent over to write again.

Are you leaving Durant for good?

She took the pencil from him, ignoring the voice of the captain that came over the speakers.

Why would you care one way or the other? You haven't seemed to notice or care that I've been in Durant, so what would it matter if I were to leave?

He leaned in closer to read her words, and she held her breath a moment at his nearness, before shifting to put some space between him. His eyes flashed over to her face before pulling the notepad in front of him and flipping the page.

So you are leaving Durant?

Reclaiming the pencil she scribbled on the page.

Again, why do you care?

He pulled the pencil from her grasp.

Were you even going to tell us you were leaving?

Her hand flew across the page.

I told Ruby I was taking time off.

He wrote just as quickly.

That's all you told her. You didn't share anything else about your plans.

She grabbed the pencil.

It's none of your business. We don't share personal matters with each other. You made that very clear a while back.

He took the pencil from her, but his hand rested on the page without writing anything down.

She pulled both the pencil and notepad back to her lap as she furiously wrote again.

Why the fuck do you care?

His hand reached for his pocket just as the plane touched down on the runway and they both were jostled forward at the landing.

Straightening, Vic tore the pages they'd written on from the notepad and handed the book, along with the pencil, back to Walt. He paused, looking down at her outstretched hand.

"Give these back to the girl."

Walt blinked, and then took both items. He turned, and then handed them to the girl across the aisle with a thank you, while Vic shoved the pieces of paper into her bag.

She wrapped the cord of her earbuds around her iPod, and then returned it to her backpack, along with the forgotten magazine she hadn't even glanced at.

Passengers around them began to stand, readying themselves to exit the plane. Neither Vic nor Walt stood, or said anything, or even glanced in the other's direction.

When the young girl and her mother started making their way down the aisle, Walt stood, pulled his bag from the overhead bin, and then took a step back to let Vic out.

Vic grabbed her backpack and headed for the front of the plane, with Walt at her heels.

They wound their way down the enclosed ramp until they made their way into the terminal. Without a word, Vic made her way to the women's bathroom, which was just next to their gate.

When she exited the bathroom, she found Walt standing there waiting for her. Without a word she started walking.

A moment later she felt a hand at her elbow, and then found herself being pulled by Walt to the side.

"Vic."

Releasing her elbow, he stared down at her, standing close.

Again she found herself momentarily holding her breath at his nearness. This time she didn't shift to put some space between them.

"My family is waiting for me in the baggage area."

"You can give us a minute or two."

"What could you possibly say or do that would make any difference right now? You've made yourself very clear these past months. You want nothing to do with me. You—."

And then his lips were on hers, and his bag dropped to the ground, followed by hers. He moved them closer to the wall as his arms pulled her in. It took her only a moment to respond, her mouth as eager and seeking as his.

And, then with a shove to his chest, she pulled back, but not away. His arms rested loosely around her, and without looking up, she leaned her forehead against him. He didn't tighten his grip but he didn't let go.

After a moment, he bent his head so his lips brushed against her ear. "I did notice you...I did care. I'm sorry."

She let herself stand in his embrace a while longer and then stepped back, breaking their contact.

She ran her hand along her ponytail and then bent down to pick up her backpack.

Walt picked up his bag, and the two silently made their way through the terminal following the signs toward the baggage area.

At the top of the escalator, Vic stopped in her tracks. Someone behind her stepped between her and Walt, so she took a step back to give the man more room.

She stared across the gap at Walt as others passed between them.

"My family's down there."

"I know."

"I'm not sure who came. They're pretty excited to see me, so there could be a whole herd of them."

"Yep."

"They're going to wonder why you're here. They're going to jump to conclusions when they see you."

He looked back at her as another person passed between them. "Ok."

"They're going to have a lot of questions."

Again he looked back at her. "Yep."

She took a big breath. "You ready?" She didn't know if she was asking him or herself.

She moved forward, and with a glance at him, stepped onto the escalator. He joined her at her side.

She had so many questions of her own, but this was not the time for the more difficult ones. "Why would you subject yourself to my family?"

Out of the corner of her eye she saw him reach into his pocket and pull out the crumpled piece of paper he had torn from the notepad and placed there when they were on the plane.

She heard someone call out her name, and looked around until she saw one of her brothers waving up at her. Her heart beat quickly in her chest. She waved back, wondering if she was ready for this, with so much left uncertain and up in the air right now.

She felt Walt's fingers touch hers, and then felt a piece of paper in her hand. He kept his hand on hers for a moment and then pulled it away.

More family members had now spotted her and waved as she and Walt continued to make their way down the escalator.

She lifted her hand and opened the crumpled piece of paper he had placed there. Four unexpected words, in purple lettering, lay on the page before her.

Because I love you.

As her arm dropped back to her side, Walt stepped in closer. Wrapping his fingers around hers, he gave her hand a squeeze. As he started to release his grip on her, she squeezed back, not wanting to let go. As their palms once again made contact, she looked up at him.

His eyes softened. "You ready?"

The corners of her mouth lifted, as she shrugged. "Sure."

I had sworn I wouldn't write any post-season 4 stories until I'd finished my post-season 3 story Holding Back (so I wouldn't get distracted and lose momentum), but with work travel, holiday festivities and general life taking up much of my time, I haven't made as much progress on the latest Holding Back chapter as I'd hoped. I started this story after watching season 4 before putting it aside to get back into my season 3 frame of mind. Wanting to get something new posted, I decided to finish writing this one-shot today and upload it.

As this is my first post-season 4 story, I haven't commented on season 4 yet in any of my chapter uploads, or on where I think they're headed with Walt and Vic's relationship in future seasons. I wasn't surprised that Walt and Vic didn't 'get together' in season 4, and I even expected them to take a step back before they start taking any steps forward, so I wasn't thrown by what happened (and didn't happen) between them. Given the events toward the end of season 3 (e.g., Walt's grief while scattering Martha's ashes, Walt's intent to go after Nighthorse who he believed killed his wife, the trauma of what happened to Vic at Chance Gilbert's compound and the dissolution of her marriage, the shot ringing out after the confrontation between Branch and Barlow), I didn't think either of them would be close to being ready to be in a relationship together. I also didn't think the showrunners would convince Netflix to pick up the show by having Walt and Vic get together in their very first Netflix season. They would want to convince Netflix of their long-term potential as a show, which meant they would need to build to Walt and Vic getting together over time, with some significant roadblocks along the way now that Vic is single.

I do however have unflagging hope that 'Walt and Vic' is where they are headed. I believe the writers took them on a journey in season 4 that seemed appropriate for each of their characters and where they were at, AND that they were setting them up to get together in the future with some of the choices they made. Even though I expected the 'step back' it was still hard to see Walt and Vic's strained professional and personal relationship, given the progress they'd made in the first three seasons (and the even greater progress they've made in all of the Longmire fanfiction, including my own). As such, I wrote this story as one approach to start healing their relationship, and moving them in a forward trajectory.

Let me know what you think.