The show totally bashed Riley so I am out to restore her good name because that was really bugging me. So this is a letter from Riley to Catherine after the season opener.
Spoilers: Family Affair
Disclaimer: It is not mine or Sara would not be married to Grissom and Riley would not be gone.
Dear Catherine,
I owe you an explanation. I know that, and I am sorry. The letter of exit I gave you was totally uncalled for. I was giving you less credit that you were entitled to.
I came to the team after Warrick's death and even then I could tell who was part of the team in name and who was part of it in an actual sense of belonging. There was one true team and I would have taken a long time for anyone to make their way onto that team. Gil Grissom, Catherine Willows, Nick Stokes, Warrick Brown, and Sara Sidle…by the time I came to the lab two of those people had gone for good. Sara had left the lab of her own freewill and Warrick had been killed.
The team saw me as a replacement. I know that, but I never wanted to be anyone's replacement. I only wanted to be Riley Adams. I am not saying that one of us is right and one of us is wrong. I am only trying to explain to you why I did what I did and this is necessary background. The only person who came close to becoming part of the Team was Greg and he was only about halfway there.
I did the best I could to work in the lab. I really did, but then Grissom left. Only now do I realize that after working with someone for so long if that person left things would not change easily. I was too blind to see that. I really wish that I hadn't been because I might have stayed if I hadn't been so dense. At the time I saw Grissom leaving as one of the many comings and goings of the lab. It was more than that. It was someone who you thought would always be their leaving you forever.
You and Grissom had worked together for over fifteen years and know each other longer than that. Nick told me that things changed between you after he started dating Sara, but anyone who chose to look could tell that you two completed parts of each other. Not necessarily in a romantic way, but in a sort of right hand needs the left hand way. The left-hand leaves and suddenly the right hand is in charge. Stupid analogy I know, but it gets the point across.
That left just you and Nick. You both missed the team members that had left you behind. So you two grew a little closer. Nick became protective of you, worried perhaps that he would lose you too. His habit of repeating everything you said was not his best but he did it with good intent. I realize now that I should have given you time to get back together before I judged you and I am sorry for that.
I wish that I could change what I had done, but I can't. You can't give me my job back, and I wouldn't ask you to. The only thing I ask is that you don't hate me for all eternity.
Yours Sincerely,
Riley Adams
Take that CBS. So that is just a little defense of Riley Adams because no one else was going to. Riley forever. Review please.
