I'm so so sorry that I didn't update this story in such a long time! Things have been absolutely crazy for me lately as I'm pregnant and two weeks ago I heard I had tested positive for corona. Quite a shock of course, but luckily, since two days ago, I'm no longer in quarantaine!
Okay, enough about me now - hope you like this update and I hope I'll be able to add the next 3 chapters sooner than it took for me to add this one! Enjoy! :)

After Morgan had received the message that they wanted her back at work, she knew she first wanted to see Greg before anyone else. She tried very hard not to think about running into Hodges. Luckily, she hadn't seen him at the hospital the past week. She hadn't seen Greg either, but he had sent her a few messages. Some were to ask her how she was doing, some were just some funny things that had happened at work.

While she drove her father home, she was still thinking about him. Would she get the chance to tell him how she felt today? Or would he be too busy working the case?

"Are you okay, M?" her father asked. She quickly looked at him. "Yeah, I'm fine, I was just thinking about going back to work."

"I told you: you could have gone back to work a lot sooner!" her father reminded her. And then possibly run into Hodges? No, she definitely hadn't wanted that to happen just yet! Now, a week after that stupid kiss, she still felt she wasn't ready, but she knew she couldn't put it off much longer. She just hoped she'd see Greg before she ran into him as she just needed to see Greg first.

"I wanted to stay with you," she simply told her father, not wanting to include him in her secret. He'd probably be okay with her dating Greg, she just didn't want anyone else to know about her kissing Hodges.

"Well, here we are!" she happily said to her father as she parked the car in front of his house. "I'll help you inside, then I'm off to work!"

Ten minutes later she was on her way over to CSI, nervously. As soon as she spotted Greg, though, her nerves disappeared a little. He was the one she wanted to be with, that she was in love with. He was the one she wanted to kiss, not Hodges!

She hoped she could stay and talk to Greg a while longer, but then it happened: Hodges appeared. All her regrets and shameful feelings of what she had done suddenly came rushing back. On the inside, she was cursing herself. Honestly, how could she have been so stupid?

When Hodges had disappeared and she looked at Greg, she already knew today wasn't the day to tell him about her feelings either. She'd have to wait for another moment.

A few hours later, after she had been to the diner and helped out Russell figure out what had happened, she drove home as shift had officially ended. With a sigh, she put down her bag and sat down on the couch. It had been quite the day! First, bringing her father home from the hospital, then finally seeing Greg again and… Hodges. She shook her head. No, she didn't want to think about that!

Quickly, she got out her phone and sent her father a message, asking how he was doing. He replied almost immediately, letting her know he was fine. She translated the words for herself: he was already overdoing it. A message from Sara, telling her he had been at Frank's Diner, confirmed it.

Take it easy, Dad, do not overdo it! Even though she knew he probably wouldn't listen, she still sent him the message. This time, a reply took a little longer: I'm fine, M, don't worry.

For the second time, she shook her head, but she knew it was no use arguing.

Just as she wanted to put her phone away, it started ringing. When she checked the caller ID, her heart skipped a little beat as it was Greg.

"Hey," she happily greeted him.

"Hey," he said back. "I just wanted to let you know that Nick wrapped up the case."

He filled her in on what really happened and how Nick had figured it out.

"Just thought you'd might like to know," he finished his story. She smiled, even though he couldn't see it. "Thanks. You working on anything new yet?"

"No, I was just going home."

"Do you…" She hesitated for a moment. Then she asked him: "Would you like to come over? I can finally make you those waffles I promised you…"

She didn't know why she asked him so suddenly, but she just felt like seeing him again.

"Yeah, sure!" he happily responded. "I'm coming over now, see you in a bit!"

As she knew how much time it would take him to drive from CSI to her apartment, she quickly started on the waffles. By the time he rang the doorbell, she had them on a plate, ready for him to eat them.

"Thanks, Morgan, they look great!" he said as soon as he saw them. She smiled. "Thanks, but maybe you should taste them first! You know what they say: looks can be deceiving…"

Grinning, he took a bite.

"Well, not this time!" he then said. "They're great!"

After they had both finished their waffles, and Greg had thanked her again for making them, they sat quietly in the kitchen together. Morgan couldn't help but watch him as he drank his coffee. How could she not have kissed him when he came to the hospital? Then they'd be happily together right now instead of the situation they were really in: keeping their feelings for each other hidden and her worrying about her stupid mistake.

"Greg," she slowly started. "Have you ever done something that you regretted only seconds after you had done it? Maybe even felt ashamed about?"

To her surprise, he immediately nodded.

"Absolutely!" he said. As she didn't want to embarrass him, she didn't ask him what he felt ashamed about, but she assumed it was about his past as DNA-tech. Sara had told her stories about him back then and whenever Greg heard them, he always fell quiet or walked away.

"How do you deal with that feeling?" she wanted to know. He looked at her for a moment before he said: "Well, you just try to move on. Forget about it. And when you can, prove to others that it was a mistake, that it's not who you are or how you usually act."

She nodded a little. He was right, she realized. It was time she moved on and forgot about the kiss. Maybe just pretend it had never happened! And when the right moment would come, she'd prove to Greg that he really was the one for her.

"Thanks," she smiled to him. He surprised her again, this time by carefully placing his hand on top of hers. "I don't know why you asked me this or what it is you did, but please know that I could never think less of you. You're… a wonderful CSI, a great friend and I think it's amazing how you always care about people. I'm really happy that you came to Vegas last year and that I get to work with you!"

She couldn't help blushing at his sweet words.

"Thanks," she smiled a little shyly. He gently squeezed her hand. "No problem. And whatever it is, I'm sure things will turn out just fine."

After gently squeezing her hand again, he got up. "Well, I best head home and get some sleep before Russell calls again. See you tonight, okay? Oh, and thanks again for the waffles!"

"No problem," she smiled at him. She walked him over to the door and wished him goodnight there. After she had closed the door, she leaned against the wall with her back for a moment, thinking about his sweet words again. A great friend… She certainly hoped they'd be more than just friends soon, but she knew he wouldn't be the one to make the first move: it would have to be her. And she wouldn't be able to do that until she had finally left that stupid kiss behind her.