Avery Grissom pulled up in front of the LVPD lab and precinct and turned her car off. She sighed before she climbed out of the car and headed into the precinct. She stopped at the receptionist and waited until the lady was off of the phone.

"I'm Avery Grissom. There should be a visitor's badge waiting for me."

"Ah, yes, I have that somewhere." The girl bent over and started to dig around under the desk. "So, Grissom…Are you related to…"

"Night shift supervisor, yes, I'm his daughter."

The woman looked up as she straightened in her chair again and handed the badge to Avery. "I wasn't aware that Mr. Grissom had any kids."

"Well, I'm living proof that he does," Avery said as she clipped the badge to her belt and left the desk heading down the hallway.

Avery stopped outside of the office door before she went and stood in the doorway, smiling slightly at Grissom with his nose stuck in a book.

"How is it that you keep getting sexier as the years go by?"

Grissom frowned as his head jerked up before he raised his eyebrows as he saw Avery. "And here I was wondering how it is that you keeping older. Might want to try exercising some more I hear it helps with that."

"Ouch, low blow." Avery walked into the office and around the desk, hugging Grissom before she went and sat in the seat in front of his desk. "So where is everyone?"

Grissom let out a breath, "Catherine has the flu and pneumonia and will be out at least another week, Warrick is on vacation until Friday, and Sara is still off because of that injury to her leg."

"Damn," Avery said as she nodded to the vest and everything on his desk. "That my stuff?"

Grissom nodded. "Vest, service pistol, your equipment is in the unused locker in the locker room, you'll have to get an active badge before going to a crime scene though."

"I know the drill," Avery yawned. "Getting back to these nights is going to be a bitch."

"You moonlight at LAPD."

"Per Diem." Avery stood up and cracked her neck before she grabbed her stuff. "Well, you've got me for two weeks, so use me as much as you can."

"Where's Billie?"

"Home, I'll talk to you about it later."

"What are you doing here, gimp?"

Avery turned sharply before she smiled and went to hug the woman at the office door. "Little Morgan Brody, how have you been?"

"Little? You're only two years older than me."

Avery had met Morgan after she moved to Los Angeles and they were working together at the crime lab there. After Morgan had some issues with sexual harassment with one of the other lab techs and the director refused to do anything, Avery had called Grissom and got her transferred to the LVPD. Morgan had always jokingly called her gimp due to her limp that was leftover from the attack five years ago.

"What are you doing here?" Morgan asked with a smile.

"I'm working here for two weeks. Just helping out while you guys are a little short staffed."

"Awesome. It'll be so cool working with you again. Anyways, I'm heading off to a crime scene, care to get drinks after work? Or do you have Billie?"

"No, Billie is in LA. Drinks sound good."

Morgan smiled as she nodded at Grissom and left the office.

"How is she doing?"

Grissom raised his eyebrows. "She's very good, competent. She's partnered with Greg."

Avery took a deep breath as she turned to look at Grissom. "Please tell me that doesn't mean that I'm going to be working with Nick."

Grissom shrugged. "That's where I need you, Avery. You can be unbiased and stick to the job, I know you can."

"Not with him."

"Yes, with him. Go get your evidence kit and get your badge active," Grissom said as he handed her a piece of paper. "This is the address. I'll come and check on you in a while, but I've already got two active cases under my belt."

"Thanks dad," Avery said sarcastically as she turned and left the office.

"So when are you going to get another partner?"

Nick glanced at Dave as he stood up and cracked his neck. "Probably never. I don't know why but Grissom can't seem to find anyone competent anymore."

"Yeah, competency is so hard to find nowadays."

Nick turned sharply and stared as he saw Avery walking towards them. She was just as he remembered her, her long slender body. She might have been a bit more tan then she was when he last saw her, but she still had the most amazing sky blue eyes that seemed to send electric bolts through his body.

"Avery."

"Hello, Nick."

"What are you doing here?"

"Grissom called." Avery shrugged as she put her kit on the ground. "He said you guys needed help for a couple of weeks so here I am. Hey, Dave."

"Long time no see, Avery. How's LA treating you?"

"Good, really good. Though I've been up for going on 48 hours now and I literally just stepped off of a plane about 90 minutes ago, so I would love to collect the evidence as fast as possible and go and have a drink with my friend before crashing into my bed for the next 16 hours."

"You don't drink."

Avery looked back at Nick. "One drink never hurt anyone. Where are we here?"

Nick looked at the bodies on the ground. "Woman is done, now just have to finish collecting on the man and do arterial evidence. Which do you want?"

"I'll take the body."

Nick nodded as he watched Avery pick up her kit and kneel in front of the body. He stared at her for a few minutes. She had been gone for five years. Five years he wondered where she was and what she was doing. If she had stayed they would have been married now, maybe had a baby on the way, but instead she had chosen to leave him. She left their life together and moved to another city without even telling anyone she was leaving.

He met eyes with Dave before he turned and started to do the evidence leading over to the body.

Avery let out a breath as she pulled the tweezers from her kit. Her heart was racing and she was doing everything in her power to keep from hyperventilating. She didn't even know if it was possible for him to look better than he did when she last saw him five years ago, but he definitely did. She just needed to keep her mind on getting through these next two weeks and getting back to LA.

Avery threw her head back as she downed the shot before slamming the glass down on the table. "You two are going to kill me."

Morgan laughed as she ordered another round of shots. "So says the absolute crazy partier from LA."

"Avery, a partier? Who did you turn into when you left?"

Avery laughed at Greg as she took the second shot. "No more shots. Beer. I didn't turn into anyone, Greg, just unlocked another side of me."

"Well, you might be different but everyone here is exactly the same. Except Sara and Grissom are married."

Avery tilted her head as she looked at Greg. "You think I don't know that?"

"Oh right," Greg said as he took a drink of his drink. "And Nick is engaged," he said softly.

Avery put her drink down slowly as the words ran through her head. "Well, th-that's good for him."

Greg pursed his lips as silence washed over the three of them. "So, how's LA treating you?"

"It's good," Avery said as she took another drink of her beer. "You know I should really be getting home. I haven't slept in like fifty some hours and I need to pass out."

Greg watched her for a moment. "I'll call us a cab."

Avery nodded as she downed the rest of her beer before Greg got up to pay the tab.

"You okay?" Morgan asked as she watched her.

"I'm fine," Avery said as she took the woman's hand in hers. "Is there something going on between you and Gregie?"

"Oh no," Morgan said with a slight shake of her head. "Nothing there. Why is Billie still in LA?"

"I don't really want to talk about Billie. I kind of just want to go home and pass out."

"So you said," Morgan said as she clapped Avery on the shoulder. "You and Greg take the cab, I actually live a couple of blocks over."

"This isn't the best part of town, Morgan."

"I'm good, gimp," Morgan said with a laugh as she kissed Avery's cheek. "See you tomorrow night."

"Bye," Avery said as she watched Morgan leave.

"Where is Morgan?" Greg asked as he finally came back to the table.

"Went home," Avery said as she stood up. "Come on."

Greg helped her steady herself as he walked her to the cab. "You're wasted. I don't think I've ever seen you actually take a drink before."

Avery shrugged. "People change," she said as she put her seatbelt on. "The Luxor, please."

Greg watched the brunette woman as the cab driver drove through the crowded streets. "Do you want to know more?"

"About what?"

"Nick's fiancé."

Avery shrugged. "Nick is a good guy, he deserves to be happy."

Greg reached out and moved a strand of hair from her face. Avery leaned into his touch, closing her eyes as his thumb ran over her lips. She opened them as he pulled his hand back. Greg licked his lips before he leaned over and kissed her. Avery moaned as she felt his lips move against hers. Greg pulled back as the cab came to a stop.

"Are you going to be okay to get to your room?"

Avery nodded as she pursed her lips. "Unless of course you want to come up."

Greg nodded his head in agreement as they climbed out of the car and Greg paid the cab driver. Avery stopped by the front desk and handed the clerk an envelope.

"I'm leaving that here for Genevieve Thompson. She'll be by later to pick it up."

"You still talk with Vi?"

"Of course," Avery said as they got in the elevator and headed up to her floor.

"So you know she's dating Warrick."

"Of course," Avery repeated as they stepped off of the elevator and went down the hallway to her room.

Avery opened the door and gestured for Greg to go inside. Once he was in she shut the door and headed to the kitchen, pulling a bottle of water out of the small fridge.

"Want one?"

Greg shook his head as he stood awkwardly in the middle of the room. Avery chuckled to herself as she opened the water and drank half of the bottle. She put it down before she flipped the light to the dim setting and headed into where he was standing.

"What are we doing?" Greg asked queitly.

Avery shrugged. "Finding solace in each other," she said as she leaned up and kissed him.

Greg leaned into the kiss, pulling Avery tighter against his body. Avery pushed him down onto the bed before she straddled his lap. She kissed him deeper, moaning as he grabbed the bottom of her shirt and pulled it over her head.

Greg leaned back and stared at her chest, only covered by her blue lace bra. "You're beautiful."

Avery smiled as she kissed him again reaching behind her to unstrap her bra and pull it off of her. Greg ran his hand up and started to massage her breast, moaning into Avery's lips.

"What are you doing?"

Avery turned as she heard Vi's voice across the room. "I didn't expect you so early."

"What are you doing?" She repeated as she walked forward and grabbed Avery's arm pulling her off of Greg. "You are not attracted to him. I'm sorry, Greg, but she's not. She's just extremely drunk right now." Vi picked up Avery's shirt and tossed it at her. "Go and take a shower."

"You're not my mother."

"Now, Avery."

Avery clenched her jaw before she sighed and went into the bathroom.

Vi sighed as she turned to look at Greg. "I'm sorry."

Greg shook his head. "I know she doesn't like me. I'm not stupid."

"She's just still in love with him," Vi said with another sigh.

"I should get home."

"Do you want me to call you a cab?"

"I'll call one."

Vi watched as he left the hotel room before she went over and locked the deadbolt on the door. She dropped onto Avery's bed and waited for the woman to come out of the shower.

Avery walked out of the bathroom and sighed as she saw Vi sitting on the bed. "I don't need a lecture."

"Not going to give you one. Just be careful. You know that kid has always had a crush on you."

Avery nodded. "I know."

Vi patted the bed beside her. "Come here and lay down."

Avery climbed into the bed and sighed as she looked at her best friend. "I've missed you."

"I missed you too," Vi said as she kissed Avery's nose. "Sleep, get the drunk off of you so you'll be good for work tomorrow."

Avery grunted as she buried beneath the blankets. "I miss him."

"I know you do," Vi said as she ran her fingers through Avery's hair.

"It's too late," Avery muttered half asleep. "He's getting married to someone else."

Vi nodded. "He is, but he still loves you."

"He shouldn't. I hurt him."

"People hurt each other. It's usually unintentional but it does happen. He understands that."

Avery closed her eyes, smiling as Vi pushed some hair out of her face. "I love you."

"Love you too, brat, go to sleep."

Avery took Vi's hand in her own and held it against her as she drifted off to sleep.