Title: A Chance
Author: Spanky 743
Pairing: Wedges. Yes, Wedges.
Rating: G
Disclaimer: I don't own CSI and blah blah blah.
Summary: If this happened after 9x10, I'd keep watching.
A/N: I have a soft spot for Wedges. They are a lifeboat when it feels like I'm drowning in a sea of GSR angst. I tried to reconcile all the things we know about him, so this is also a kind of mini biography of Hodges. I hope you enjoy reading it; I know I had a blast writing. As always, many thanks to Liz00.

"I can't believe that, for half a second, I actually thought that I might ..."
"You what?"
"Nothing."
-Wendy Simms and David Hodges, Lab Rats

He knocked on the door to apartment 325, palms drenched and heart racing. The door opened and he took in a deep calming breath.

That was how the evening of failures began. He was so captured by how lovely she looked that he forgot to release his breath. When he finally did, it was in a rush of air so loud that Wendy had to ask if he was all right.

"I- I'm fine." He suddenly remembered what he was supposed to do next and pulled the bouquet of yellow roses out from behind his back. He was too eager. The stems, still thorned, grazed the back of her hand.

"Ouch!" She cried in pain. By the time she cleaned her wounds (she insisted that he stay on the couch) and found a vase, they were running late for their dinner reservations.

He made it through holding his passenger door for her without a hitch and arrived at the restaurant without running into heavy traffic. It turned out to be a slow night at the restaurant, so they were quickly shown to their seats.

"You look wonderful, by the way," Hodges said as they were looking through the menus, "Not that you don't all the time, but, um tonight you just really look great." He looked off to the side uneasily.

"Thanks," she replied with a smile. The waitress came by and took their orders.

There was a long pause as each tried to think of a safe topic of conversation. Hodges knew that it probably wouldn't go over too well to bring up the lab, but he didn't know what else he could talk about with her. He decided to go with small talk.

"I don't know if I've never known or just wasn't paying attention, but where did you go to college?"

"UCLA. I got a BS in MIMG, and a Masters in Molecular Biology."

He was impressed. And confused. "MIMG?"

"Sorry. It stands for Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics."

"Ah."

"What about you?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Where'd you go? What'd you study?"

"Oh, um, Williams in Massachusetts for my undergrad. I studied physical chemistry. Then I went to UC Irvine for my graduate work, same thing."

Hodges suddenly felt very inadequate. He had always operated under the assumption that though she was a far more beautiful woman than he had any right to pursue, at least he had something to offer her with his intellect. He now knew just how far out of his league Wendy Simms was, and that thought made him very, very nervous. Thankfully their food arrived and he was given a few minutes to collect himself.

As he cut through his steak, Hodges reflected on the series of events that had led him to the restaurant. The entire lab, had been shocked at Grissom's decision to leave and return to the world of academia. After a few days of letting the news sink in, Hodges was able to feel happy for his supervisor. Grissom had found something special with Sara and wanted an environment where he could enjoy his new family. Of course, they'd also had a very rough year. Sara's abduction, her shift change, and her eventual departure from the city coupled with Grissom's retreat back into his workaholic habits would have been enough stress for any two people in a relationship. But coupled with the loss of a dear friend, it was a wonder Grissom stayed as long as he did.

Grissom was willing to give up everything he worked for in order to have his soulmate, He thought on his first day of work without Grissom. What if Wendy was mine? Would I be willing to give it up?

It was then that the realization came that he would never know if he didn't even try to win her heart. He had already made strides over the last year to make himself more available and attractive to future romantic interests. It had been difficult telling his elderly mother that he was moving out, but he knew that his decision would be better for both of them in the long run.

And then he and Wendy had become what could possibly be considered friends. He no longer teased her as much as he used to, and she would occasionally cross the hall into his lab for no reason but to chat or gossip. When they got the news of Warrick's death, he hadn't quite known what to say or do to support her, but she still sat beside him at the funeral. Though it was a very somber occasion, he hadn't been able to stop the way his heart beat faster at her proximity.

He had stuttered his way through a dinner invitation at the end of shift and was more than a little shocked when she accepted. So here he was, two days later, on a date with a woman he knew he did not deserve.

"How's the steak?"

"Huh? Oh. It's good. Your salmon?"

"It's wonderful. I like this restaurant; great choice."

"I'm glad you do."

Another awkward silence began as each tried to pick the next topic.

"I'm, um, thinking of getting another cat," He began.

Wendy's interest piqued. "Boy or girl?"

"Girl, I think. Kobayashi is getting fat and lonely without someone to play with when I'm at work."

"Hey, have you ever noticed that all the lab techs have cats but the CSIs have dogs?"

"Yeah, it's strange, isn't it? Kind of like how all the lab techs but me have names ending in a long 'e' sound." She looked confused, so he clarified, "Wend-y, Mand-y, Arch-ie, Henr-y, Bobb-y..."

She laughed. "I've never noticed that!" She thought for a second, "You can be Davy."

He joined in her laughter, "I tried to go by that at Williams. It didn't take. For some reason, people have just always called me by my last name."

They returned to small talk for the rest of the meal and the cups of coffee they had instead of dessert. Hodges learned that Wendy was not in the least bit interested in television trivia, and that she enjoyed all the bands he hated. In fact, it turned out that apart than their love of cats, the two of them had very little in common outside of the lab.

Things did not bode well for the future.

The check arrived and Hodges paid the tab, making sure to leave a generous tip on the table. As they rose to their feet, Hodges realized that his one date with Wendy was almost over and decided to try and extend it just a bit longer.

"How about a walk? It's still early."

"Good idea."

They made their way out of the restaurant and headed toward the nearby Huntridge Circle Park. The sun was just beginning to set and the city was making its transition into nightlife.

"It really is a beautiful city," Wendy said, "even with all the neon."

He agreed, "Yeah, it is. When I left LA, I was just looking for the first place that would hire me. Then I got Ecklie's call and I accepted thinking that I'd work my way into another lab within a year. I had no idea I would actually like the place."

The entire truth was that after he accepted the offer he went online to research the lab's personnel. When he saw that the Dr. Grissom supervised the night shift, he thanked his lucky stars. In the LA crime lab, they still told stories of the young genius who had worked there as an assistant coroner.

"You brought your mother with you, right?"

There was the question he had been dreading. He didn't know how to describe his relationship with his mother to her, but he had to try. He guided her to sit on a bench with him.

"Yeah. She's- it's always been just the two of us. My father died when I was two, so she always kept me close. Too close at times, but I know she loved me."

He remembered well the times when she kept him too close. Moving to Massachusetts for four years was a big one that came to mind. He hadn't been surprised when Gwen decided she'd had enough with him and moved on to a fellow hotriculture major. Who would want to date a guy who's mother moved across the country because she couldn't stand the thought of her son going to college without her?

"A few years ago she was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's, so I decided to return the favor and take care of her."

"I'm sorry." Wendy said, laying a hand on his shoulder.

"It's ok. I've had a lot of time to get used to it."

"So was it hard, getting an apartment alone?"

"Yeah, it was. But her condition has gotten to the point where I can't do it on my own anymore. Her in-home nurse has really helped with things I didn't even know she needed." He sighed. "Besides, I've spent so long taking care of her that I realized I don't have much of a life outside of the lab and her."

"Is that why you asked me out? Trying to get a life?"

He smiled, "That, and I've just really wanted to. For a long time."

It had been a long time since he'd had a date, but Hodges was pretty sure that the blush on her cheeks was a good thing.

--

The trip back to Wendy's apartment was spent in comfortable silence. His car radio was tuned to a news talk station and they listened to the host argue with caller after caller over the quality new president's cabinet choices. Outside of a few chuckles at the absurdity of some people's arguments, not a word was spoken.

They arrived at her building, and before long Hodges found himself walking Wendy to her front door. In front of door 321, she pulled her purse from her shoulder and started digging. As they passed door 323, his heart began to pound once again. When, they stopped at 325, she unlocked her door and looked at him expectantly. This was it.

"I just wanted to say... Thank you. For giving me a chance tonight. It, it meant a lot to me."

"I had a wonderful time, David."

"You did?"

She nodded.

"I'd like to do it again. Take you out. If you want..."

"I'd like that."

He couldn't contain his smile.

"Ok. I'll call you and, I guess we'll figure something out."

"Yeah."

"Yeah."

She was waiting. It was obvious that she was giving him permission to do something, but what, Hodges couldn't read. If he tried to kiss her and it wasn't what she wanted, he would end what had turned out to be a wonderful night on a very awkward note. He knew he couldn't shake her hand, and he wasn't exactly comfortable with the idea of hugging her so soon. Quick, what would Grissom do here?

That thought did the trick. He took her right hand and brought it to his lips, giving her knuckles a soft kiss.

The grin on Wendy's face very quickly spread to his.

"Good night, Wendy."

"Night," she replied and walked into her apartment.

As he walked away, only one thought kept replaying in his head. It wasn't the memory of her hand on his shoulder or the feel of her skin on his lips, but a single word.

She called me David!

FIN