1

Ready or Not

She wasn't ready for this.

It had been three years since she left and she just wasn't ready to see everyone again.

Especially HIM!

'I'm not ready, I'm not..I'm not, I'M NOT!' she tells herself silently as she pulls into a parking spot at CSI.

Turning her truck off, she sits there for a few moments trying to ease the panic attack that was threatening to come. She closes her eyes trying to relax. 'I can do this' she tells herself over and over again in her head then aloud to herself. "As long as I don't run into HIM, I'll be fine" she says, taking keys out of ignition, then gets out.

As she walks into the lab, she cautiously looks around as she heads down the hall to reception.

"Wendy?" a familiar voice says coming from her left. She looks up to see Archie. She smiles at him as walks over. "What brings you here." he asks as he grins at her. "You missed us didn't you?" he teases.

Before Wendy could answer, she hears her name again. This time from Greg Sanders and Sara Sidle as they walk towards her. "What brings you here? I thought you were in Portland?" Sara asks as they hug the former DNA tech.

Shyly, Wendy slides her hands into pockets. "Long time, No see." Greg teases with a grin. Wendy nods.

Just then, Nick turns the corner and he looks at Wendy stunned for a moment then breaks into a grin as he walks over to her. "Well, hello stranger." he says, giving her a hug,

And, she's asked about being at the lab.

" Ah, Simms. I see you made it." DB says from behind the CSI's. "We'll talk in my office" he says, giving her a w arm smile.

Wendy smiles at her old friends and co-workers as they step aside to let her pass.

"I wonder what she's doing here?" Greg asks his friends. They look at him. " more to the fact, what will Hodges do when he finds out she's here." Nick says. Everyone makes a face.

Just then, Hodges walks past and everyone scatters hurriedly away. With a frown, he watches them go; wondering if they were talking about him.

As he proceeds walking he stops and sniffs the air. 'No, can't be.' he thinks to himself shaking his head as he heads to his lab.

Ten minutes later, Morgan and him are talking when he sees DB and a familiar face walk past talking. He stops mid sentence and stares.

Morgan tries to get his attention but to no avail. Finally, she grabs a pair of tweezers and pinches Hodges' arm with it.

"Ow!" Hodges yelps, rubbing his arm. "What was that for? He whined at her. Morgan gives him a look. "Because you stopped mid sentence and acted like you saw a ghost." she says irately. "I did' he tells her quietly. "Nick was right about you" Morgan grumbles tossing the tweezers on the table then walks out.

Hodges just stares at her retreating ponytail.

Sometime later, Hodges heads to the break room when he sees Henry talking to Wendy, the nerd smiling brightly at Wendy. They look up as Hodges approach them. Henry gives him a smug looks. Hodges wanted wipe that smug look off the nerds face.

Wendy's eyes widen at his approach.

Sara and Greg were in the garage working on their evidence when Nick hurries in. "Oh, boy they just saw each other." he says to them. "Who?" Sara asked, frowning. " Wendy and Hodges!" he exclaims. Greg and Sara then look at each other eyes wide.

They glance out of the garage to hear Hodges say "Uh, Wendy good to see you again."

"Hi, Dave" Wendy says nervously. Hodges crosses his arms across chest saying. "What brings you to Vegas?"

"Don't you have work to do, Hodges?" DB says from behind.

Hodges juts out his chin and turns to go, ignoring as he sees everyone look away.

"That..went well" Sara says. Greg scoffs. "By the way, you and I have plans tonight" he says. "Me too" Nick chirps in. "Not a problem" Sara says as Greg and her turn back to work.