A/N: I'm so sorry! I know that I was supposed to update yesterday but my computer was acting weird.

I want to thank all of you for reading and reviewing.

Enjoy!

A six-hour flight, a headache and a back pain later, Wendy landed in Las Vegas.

It felt good to be back home. She considers Vegas her home because the past few years she's learnt that home is not a city or a house, it is the person that you care the most. And only that person can make you feel like you're truly home. She had yet to meet a person who made her feel like that. (She tried to ignore the little voice in her head that kept telling her that she already knew who that person was.)

She passed through the passport check and retrieved her luggage. She then got out of the airport only for the sun and the Las Vegas warmth hit her. It was almost 7 o'clock in the afternoon, but the sun was still present and casting its shiny golden rays. She closed her eyes and socked up as much sunshine as she could. It felt like heaven compared to Portland's rainy weather. She could have stayed like that forever had she not been that tired. So she opened her eyes and caught a cab and gave the driver the address of her new apartment.

Nick had texted her the day before with the address. He was the one who chose the apartment for her and was also the one who will pick her up tomorrow and drive her to work. He was also the only person aside from Russell who knew she was coming because he has the one who would take over Russel's position.

She arrived at her apartment two hours later. It was on the third floor of a ten story building. It had two bedrooms, one bathroom and the living room was connected to the kitchen. It was nothing big, but she liked it. It was she ordered some italian, had a much-needed shower and finally surrendered to a deep sleep.

She must had been really exhausted because next thing she knew, was her alarm clock going off next to her. She looked at the clock. It was 7 o'clock and Nick would pick her up in an hour. She got up, had a shower again, had breakfast, got dressed, made her bed and other chores around her new place and then minutes later, she heard a car horn. She looked out of the window and saw Nick waiting in his car. Quickly she grabbed her purse, locked the door behind her and got in the elevator.

"Long time, no see," Nick said while stepping out of his car to embrace her.

"Yes, I know. I'm happy to be back," she replied, giving him a smile.

"C'mon let's go. You don't want to be late on your first day back to work."

"I certainly don't," Wendy replied with a laugh.

During the ride they talked about the weather, politics, sports, Wendy's work back in Portland, the two new women in the team, how they have both seen Catherine since she joined the FBI, how he was the one who suggested her to Russell and so on.

"Wendy, is that you?" Greg asked once he stepped out of his car and approached her.

"Yes Greg, it's me," she replied, accepting his hug.

"What brings you around here?" he asked, curious about his old co-worker's appearance.

"I'm here for work. I'm the new girl," she said shyly.

"Really? I didn't know. I'm glad we won't have to work with a newbie."

"Morning guys," Sara said, appearing right behind them.

"Wendy?" she stopped and did a double-take.

"Good morning, Sara."

"What are you doing here? I thought you were in Portland?" she asked.

"I was, until Russell offered me a job here, and I accepted it."

"I'm glad you are back," Sara said and hugged her.

"Thank you."

"Can we join the party too?" Archie asked, accompanied by Henry.

"Sure," Wendy replied.

"Wendy!" the both exclaimed in unison.

"Yes, it's me!"

"What are you doing here?" Henry asked.

"I accepted the job."

"That's great news ."

"Yes, we've missed you around here," Henry added.

"Yeah, 'cause no one else can handle Hodges like you did," Greg commented, which made all of them laugh.

The smile died on Wendy's lips. Hodges, of course. She would have to see him eventually.

"I would really like to sit and chat, guys, but I have a meeting with Russell, so if you excuse me."

There was a chorus of 'Of course' and promises to see each other before she entered the lab.

Even more people greeted her and recognised her before she reached Russell's office. Somewhere in between, Nick received a phone call and had to leave, leaving her on her own. Quickly, she found Russell's office and knocked on the door. It hit her then that the last time she knocked on that door was to resign. She didn't get to dwell on her thoughts as she heard Russell talk.

"Come on in," Russell said.

"Sims, you are late."

"I know and I'm sorry. It won't happen again, I promise. It's just that I was stalled by all the people who greeted me," she replied, quite embarrassed.

"I understand," he said. "Have a seat ."

She stayed there for nearly two hours as the discussed her shifts and payment, amongst other things. After signing her contract, he introduced her to the two new additions to the team and was also shown to her locker and was given her vest, which had her last name written on it.

She felt like she had made the right choice to return back to this lab. It was where she began her career and where she wanted to end it. She has to admit that at her job in Portland she gained experience and skills, but she always felt like there was a void in her heart. She was never truly happy. Not even during her relationship with Steve.

But now it was time to forget about her past and focus on the future that laid out in front of her.

Only when she was preparing for bed that night did she realise that she had not seen Hodges during the few hours she spent at the lab. While she had met with all lab techs, old and new ones, the one she desperately wanted to was nowhere to be seen. She had been tempted to go into his lab a few times but she could never get her feet to cooperate.

Maybe tomorrow, she thought as sleep pulled her under.

"That's weird," Hodges thought to himself.

His morning had started like any other that day. Everything was normal until he arrived at work. Not only did he have a feeling that something big was going to happen but every time he entered a room, people would stop talking. He was used to people talking about him behind his back, it wasn't something new. It was the look they gave him that troubled him. They looked at him like they knew something he didn't. Which was impossible because he was always the first to find out about everything new that happened in the lab.

Still, he couldn't shake the feeling that he had missed out on something really important.

I know, I know no Wedges reunion. Don't worry, that's going to happen next chapter I promise.

Until next time

~F