Summary: Megan eagerly awaits Larry's return from space, and though he comes back visibly changed, he is still the same man she fell in love with - and the same man who needs her as much as she needs him. One-shot (LF/MR)

Rating: K+

Pairing/Characters: Dr. Larry Fleinhardt/Special Agent Megan Reeves

Disclaimer: I do not own Numb3rs, wish I did.

Spoilers for Season 3 and the reason behind Larry's departure. Megan has left for her DOJ assignment, but has returned in time for Larry's return.

Hope this lives up to par, and reviews are kindly appreciated!

Megan remembered Larry telling her once that the general relativity theory of gravity was both complex and simple, and though Megan wasn't sure what he meant by that, she didn't question it. Larry had ways of saying something that was odd and eventually it would work itself out, revealing itself as a wise statement. He never failed to make her smile and look at a situation differently, and that was what she loved about him the most. Getting her through a rough time, keeping her grounded when all she wanted to do was run, was one of the reasons why it had hurt so much when Larry had left for space. She had cried more tears over his departure than she cared to remember, and clutched her pillow in the hope his scent would stay alive for the months he would be gone.

She didn't realize how beneficial his presence was until he was gone. Megan had hoped her DOJ assignment would help her to think about work and not about Larry's absence, but that hope had proved futile. With the stress of the undercover operation, Megan had discovered she needed Larry's guidance and tender ear more than ever before - and she had no way to reach out to him, no way for him to comfort her when she needed him the most.

Megan knew she had made it through the ordeal successfully when she heard from Charlie that Larry would soon return from space - not that she hadn't marked the date on her calender. She had the countdown memorized better than the one she had created for her college graduation. The only time her stomach had tightened more in anticipation was when she had escorted Larry out of the FBI building so he could meet Buzz Aldrin.

But these butterflies were so much better than the ones of fear and sadness she had felt only four months ago. Larry was finally coming home.

Watching him on the television screen, with a strange necklace in his hands, Megan didn't fight her tears. He was visibly changed, she could see that in the lines of worry etched in his face, but he was back.

As soon as she had seen the text from Charlie that Larry was officially back, roaming around campus in jeans and his NASA jacket, Megan wanted to leave the office immediately so she could see him. But, like always, duty called and her personal life was put on hold to help solve a case. When the case had resolved itself long enough to allow Megan time to breathe, she hadn't wasted any time heading over to CalSci. Her legs moving faster than she could ever remember, like she was chasing a suspect and her life depended on it.

But Larry's office was empty.

So was Charlie's.

Megan tried Larry's office again, to no avail.

The butterflies and slight worry in her stomach only intensified in the realization that it might be harder to see him when he was on Earth than when he was in space. Sighing heavily, Megan glanced over Larry's office again, empty of his body but full of things that reminded her of him. The cluttered mess was still the same as he had left it, and she wasn't sure if she should take comfort in that or if it should scare her. Maybe he hadn't even stopped here yet, too overwhelmed with the welcoming he'd received from Charlie, Amita, and Mildred.

Did he even want to see her?

Megan chastised herself immediately for even considering that option. That was absurd; of course he wanted to see her. Megan needed to believe that Larry missed her as much as she missed him, which was a hell of a lot. Larry had been with her in spirit, but that wasn't enough. She needed to know that he was back, that he would truly be in her life again, before she would ever feel the ground under her feet again.

Slightly defeated, Megan sighed again and turned around to walk back to Charlie's office, but found herself stopping immediately. As soon as she had turned, through the doors of the building walked Larry, Amita, and Charlie.

Larry looked more lost in person than when he had disembarked from the plane. His eyes had lost the curiosity that she loved about him, his face etched with confusion and concern for something that Megan subconsciously knew she understood completely, and he walked like each step brought him intense pain. In fact, he looked exactly as she had felt after returning from DC, and that would have been her primary concern if she wasn't so happy to see him. But he was back, in body if not in spirit, and for that she was more grateful than she was for the warmth of the sun.

In time, he'd be himself again, but for now...For now she was content with just having the ability to see him, let alone touch him.

Tears streamed down her cheeks as Megan quickly walked toward him, pushing past curious students until she was right in front of him and he had finally noticed her.

"Oh, Megan watch out for his bones!" Charlie tried to warn her, but it was too late. She had already enveloped him in a fierce, loving hug. "He can't be touched too rough-"

Amita gently touched Charlie's arm to silence him, grinning at the scene in front of her. Larry hadn't tensed at Megan's embrace like he had with Charlie's, hers, or even Mildred's. Instead, he wrapped his arms around her delicately, like he was surprised and thankful this moment was actually real, finally here. Larry buried his face against her neck, inhaling the soft, sweet scent of her hair. Amita could have sworn his entire body had taken a much needed breath with the way Larry relaxed into Megan's embrace, like the mere feel of her touch brought him back to life.

Amita wrapped her arm around Charlie's shoulders, observing the scene with happy interest, and returned Charlie's happy smile. "Looks like Larry's gotten his equilibrium back," she whispered.

"Yeah," he agreed with a bright grin, "looks like they both have."

Megan, however, had forgotten that Charlie and Amita stood there, let alone an entire flock of students. She didn't care. For all she knew, she and Larry were the only two people in this hallway, this building, and this world. No one else mattered, and nothing in the past mattered either, just that she had Larry back. Megan knew, too, by the way he clung to her that he had missed her terribly.

Her laughter came out in a choked sob when she wrapped her hand around his neck, burying her fingers in his brown curls. When he sighed into her neck, his breath warm and relieved, she smiled and could feel the tears trickle down her cheeks. In a whisper, she told him, "I've missed you so much, Larry."

"Me too, sweet one," he responded tenderly, smiling weakly from the pain when she squeezed him tighter. "Me, too."

"Have you been to your office yet?"

"No," he answered softly. "I'm already where I want to be."

Megan laughed gently. "CalSci?" She frowned slightly when she could feel his head shake vigorously against her shoulder. "Then where?"

Larry only placed a soft kiss on her neck. "With you."

Megan smiled, closing her eyes as a tear rolled down her cheek, for the first time in four months not tears sadness. She moved to pull away from him but was pleasantly surprised when his grip was firm, keeping her trapped in the hug that she had needed for so long. Yes, she could see that Larry Fleinhardt wasn't completely the same man who had left for the International Space Station, but he was home and in her arms, where they both knew he belonged.