"I do really feel better," Vega said when Wylie came out of their room the following morning to find her making waffles.

"Are you sure?" Wylie said. "Because you've only ever made the heart shaped ones when you were feeling like you had to make up for something."

Vega added another layer of waffles to the stack on the plate. "I know, and you're right, see, I haven't been a lot of fun lately, ba!" She held up her spatula when Wylie started to speak. "I know what you're going to say, and don't. I'm not making these waffles because I forgot our anniversary, I'm making them because I haven't been fair to myself. I've doubted myself and hated myself and hated my body and I really haven't been living. It's like I told you on the couch last night, for a while, after my accident, I couldn't figure out how to be happy. I wasn't capable of being happy until you found me. And then again when I kept going back into the hospital, you know how much of a struggle it was for me. And for you, too." She added more batter to the waffle maker and closed it, turning to face her husband. "But in between those hospital stays, I was happy." She smiled. "We were happy." She reached out, and Wylie walked close enough to grab her hands. "And it seems like recently I haven't been able to find the good things." She bit her lip. "You know I hate when people say happiness is a choice. It isn't. Sometimes you can't. You can't just decide to not feel these things. You know? But last night I actually was feeling happy again, like I did when we got married or when I found out I was pregnant or when I found out I wasn't leaving the country. And the funk I was in, it didn't even really last long, but it felt like..."

"Years."

"Years." She nodded. "So this morning when I woke up, I thought, I'm going to make some heart waffles. Jay likes them, and now that I'm capable of feeling better, I'll like them too. It's like I'm making up for recently, to myself." She held the plate out with a smile. "Waffle?"

"You first."


"Agents Wylie!" Jane called from where he was perched on Lisbon's desk. "Ah," he said, his eyebrows shooting up. "It was a heart waffle morning, was it?"

"It still weirds me out when you do that," Wylie told him as they passed by. Lisbon was rolling her eyes.

"Wylie," Cho said, coming down the hallway. "Can I see you in my office?"

"Which one of us?" Vega asked, and Wylie grinned; she knew Cho meant him, but she always used to make a point of them both technically being Agent Wylie.

It was Cho's turn to roll his eyes. "How is Michelle doing?" he asked when Wylie entered his office and the door was shut.

"You know," Wylie said, the grin still on his face, "she has been doing really well since she got home last night."

"Good."

"I know it'll be up and down like it always has been, but you know, she's able to have happy days again, and I'm a little less worried about her, so..." Wylie nodded, still smiling.

"Glad to hear it," Cho said. "I was thinking about you guys after Michelle and I talked last night. I told her anything she needs, and you know that goes for you, too."

Wylie nodded. "Of course. And we appreciate it, Boss."

"Okay." Cho motioned toward the door. "I have some facial recognition stuff I need you to run. Info is on your desk."

"Okay. Thank you. It's good to be back," Wylie stammered as he left Cho's office in a rush. As he walked down the hall back to the bullpen, he had to remind himself that he was supposed to be smiling.


Sorry this was on the shorter side, but I wanted to get back into writing this. Hopefully I'll have another update by the end of the week, when we'll find out a little more about why the conversation with Cho upset Wylie.