Morgan and Hodges walked to a small quaint diner which she had found while she had just shifted in Vegas. She thought it was the perfect setting and now it was time to put her plan in action...

Hodges felt a flutter of butterflies take flight as he entered the cozy diner, this was just a dinner between two friends nothing more...right?

Morgan grabbed his hand and led him to the table by the window at the backside and seated herself.

Hodges could feel his heart racing at a definitely not normal pace as he felt Morgan reach out for his hand. His skin seemed to sizzle where her hands had been seconds ago, leaving a burning ache in their absence.

As he looked up she seemed to be smiling at him as she said something.

"Uh what was that again?" he nervously asked

Morgan let out a little laugh pleased seeing Hodges so flustered but she took pity on him and asked him about his choice of dinner.

They ordered bolognaise pasta, cream and olive vermicelli along with chocolate parfait. Conversation flowed freely and slowly Hodges began to relax and smile less guardedly

"Yeah some days I feel that I will end up creating an AI girl to keep mother away" said Hodges as he remembered the last time his mother had visited.

"Well I'm sure it doesn't have to be that..." Morgan said with her eyes downcast

"What ever do you mean Morgan?"

"I mean you are handsome, funny, talented ,caring kinda germophobic but you know you have your adorkable quirks" she said as she held his gaze, her eyes conveying her emotions more than words ever could express.

Hodges was at a loss for words. Here was this absolutely beautiful woman sitting right across him telling him words that he had only ever dared to imagined in the deep dark recesses of his mind.

But she was just encouraging him as a supportive friend right? Or was it more?

Before he could think about anything else their waiter arrived with the dessert and set it down. Morgan just smiled and cut the pieces and began eating. Trying to avoid her eyes he too began to focus on the chocolaty parfait.

They finished off the dessert and paid the bill. The drive went in comfortable silence as neon lights twinkled far away in some distance. When he reached her house he opened the doors and helped her down.

"Thanks for the dinner Morgan. I'm sorry I was an ass to you while you warned me about Elisabetta"

"Hey we all have to make our own mistakes right? Or we'd die regretting the what ifs..."said Morgan as she stared at him.

All those moments that they had shared, they way he cared for her in his own unique manner, how he was always there to comfort her and above all how he was the one she realised she couldn't live without in her life. Her own words had come back at her.