Serial

A/N: This is my first CSI fic and I'm working really hard on getting the characters right. Please, if I screw up too much let me know. Also, there is a made up in this story, and while some things may seem to deal mostly with her, I'm going to include them all. This also takes place after Bloodlines and may become merged with some of the new episodes. I'll post a warning for new episode sensitive chapters.

Disclaimer: If I owned them, I wouldn't be worried about not doing the characters the justice they deserve.

Summary: A young woman soon discovers that her visit home and need to start new is threatened by a ghost from her recent past. Her presence causes a couple disruptions, but how will the team deal when one of their own becomes a target for a serial killer.

The red and blue lights flashed and cast an almost disco type light over the neighborhood on Bradford Lane. A dark SUV slowly drove down the crowded street and pass the police cars lined along the road. Stopping at the road block, the driver rolled down the window and handed the officer that approached a badge. "I'm looking for Detective Brass." Stated the female voice as the officer shined his flashlight beam over the badge.

"He's over by the sidewalk, Miss Collins." The officer said as he handed over the badge and pointed to where the woman could make out a figure in the field of red and blue.

"Thank you." She replied softly as she moved the SUV into drive as he moved to pull one of the barricades back for her to pass. Pulling the vehicle to the side behind one of the police cruisers, she opened the door and hopped out. Slipping the chain over her neck to secure her badge in plain view, the woman slowly made her way towards the figure she had spotted before. She ran a nervous hand through her long dark hair as she moved closer to stand quietly next to the slightly shorter man. She stood quietly as she watched him turn towards her out of the corner of her eye, but her main focus was on the house which all the commotion was centered on.

"Miss, you can't be here." Came the gruff voice as he looked at the young woman.

The woman stayed quiet for a moment as she watched an older man walk out of the house and over to two other men walking the outside of the house with flashlights. "You never used to say that." She replied with a smile in her tone as she turned to smirk at the Detective. "I used to think I was your favorite tag along."

Brass's dark eyes grew in shock as he looked the young woman over as she stood smiling at him. "Gilly Bean?" He asked in surprise before yanking her into a hug when she nodded. The young woman hugged him tightly for a few moments, before pulling away and looking back towards the house. "Why didn't Gil tell me you were coming to visit?" He asked as he looked her over taking in the changes from the last time he'd seen her over seven years.

"He doesn't know." She answered shortly as her eyes followed the form of Gil Grissom as he moved to one of the SUVs farther up the street. "I'm on a surprise mission." She said winking as she turned back to Brass.

"Well, I know he'll be happy to see you." Brass said as he pulled her into another hug. "Why don't we head over now?"

Gilly pulled out of the hug and raised a questioning eyebrow at him. "Um, he's in the middle of an investigation, Brass. You and I both know how he is when he's working." She shrugged as she continued. "I learned my work ethic from him, and I'd be pissed if someone showed up to surprise me in the middle of a crime scene. Especially, someone out of their jurisdiction." She ticked her eyes to Grissom, again as he walked back into the house. "I figured I'll get him when he gets back to the lab, besides, Doc will have a fit if I don't stop by soon."

Brass cocked his head to side as he regarded Gilly for a moment. He could tell something was wrong, but he could also tell she didn't want to talk about it now. "Sounds like a good plan." He said as he followed her line of sight.

"Thanks, I like it." She said with a smile as she turned back to him. Giving him another hug before turning and heading back to her SUV. She stopped after a couple feet and turned back. "Oh, don't let the cat out of the bag. To him or Cath."

He nodded as waved at her letting her know he would follow her lead. He watched as she moved back to her car and could see the tension in her every movement. Sighing he turned back towards the scene as his mind worked through the many differences between the carefree young girl and the tense young woman. As his eyes skimmed the scene looking for Grissom, he noticed Warrick and Nick were looking between him and a bit up the street. Turning his head he saw they were looking towards Gilly. Shaking his head he headed up the lawn to where the two young men were standing. "Back to work guys, the shows over."

Standing in front of the glass double entry doors, Gillian Collins took a deep breath. She smiled as she remembered all the times she had come here in her later teen years. She turned to look behind her and smiled seeing a few of the lights from the strip. Growing up a teenager in Las Vegas was an experience in itself, but growing up around CSIs, coroners and police officers was a completely different bag of worms. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath as a cool night breeze played with her hair, she smiled. It may have been a trip growing up in Sin City, but it was home. She was finally back home. She just hoped it was for longer then a visit.

Turning back around and opening the door, Gilly pulled her purse farther up on her shoulder as she walked into the Las Vegas Crime Lab. Making her way over to the receptionist's window, she smiled at the blonde sitting there. "Hi, I'm Gillian Collins." She said as she held her badge out for the woman to see as she continued. "I believe Mr. Grissom has left a standing visitors pass for me."

Quickly checking the log the receptionist smiled at the younger woman standing before her. "So it seems he has." She said as she detached the visitors badge from the paper and handed it over to Gilly. "I just need you to sign in here." She added passing over a clip board.

Quickly signing in, Gilly handed the clip board back as she took the badge. "Can you do me just one small favor? Not mention that I'm here to Mr. Grissom?" She asked hopefully. "It's a surprise."

The woman gave her a confused look and a forced smile that caused Gilly to turn quickly and walk away holding her laughter back. 'Jeez, Gris scare the employees much?' She thought as she shook her head hiding her mirth.

Gilly made her way quietly through down one corridor to another following a path she has known since she was fifteen years old. She smiled as she came upon one of the doors she was planning to visit. Lifting a hand to the glass panel, she trailed her finger tips over the black block letting announcing the office's owner. Mr. Gil Grissom. She slowly trailed her fingers down the frame to the door handle and shook her head at the thought that crossed her mind. 'How many viable finger prints have I just left on this door?' The thought was quickly followed by the process of retrieval and verification. She laughed softly to herself as she finally realized just how ingrained all the lessons she had learned over the years were in her mind. From watch and learn to her own crime scene investigation training, it was all part of her. The one basic thought on a continuous loop in her brain was pure and simple, CSI and Lab Rat until my dying day.

As she slowly opened the door, she jumped when a sudden singing filled the crowed office. Turning to the source of the noise, she laughed at herself as she reached up to flip the Big Mouth Billy Bass off. She smiled as she looked at the now quiet plastic fish, she was surprised to see he was actually using the gag gift she had gotten him for Christmas a couple years ago. Well, now she knew what he meant by 'good use'. Turning and walking farther into the room, she gazed at the shelves that held his projects, test subjects and collections of oddities. She moved to the selves close to his desk which held two glass tanks. She tapped the tank that held the small snake which was coiled up into one of the far corners, before moving onto the next self which held the large arachnid. She ran a finger over the glass and the spider made its way towards her.

"Hey, Cookie." She cooed softly to the spider as she smiled fondly at it. "I know it's been awhile since I've been here, and I'm sure Gris forgets to give you your favorite little snack, but cross those legs of yours cause if all goes well, I'll be home for a while." She gently stroked the glass with the side of her finger. "I'll be back in a little bit and I'll bring your treat." She told the spider before standing and moving her way back out of the office. She made her way to the elevator that would take her to the basement and took in the changes to the building since the last time she had been here.

She entered the elevator when the double doors dinged and then opened. She leaned against the back wall as she waited for the doors to close. Hearing a squeak of sneakers, she looked out the doors to find a guy about her age standing there starring at her. Her eyes quickly took in his white lab coat over a rather loud shirt and a pair of loose fitting jeans. Her eyes moved up to his spiked hair before resting on his face. The shock and confusion in his eyes were a deep contrast to the infectious grin spread across his lips.

"Hi." She said softly as she watched him shake his head a bit. She waited for him to say something, but the doors started closing. She gave him a half smile as the doors closed completely and the carriage began its decent. "Well, there's a way to make a first impression." She said to herself before laughing softly.

She was still shaking her head in amusement as she slipped into the scrubs needed to enter the morgue. She pulled her long dark brown hair into a messy bun, before slipping her hands into a pair of rubber gloves. She paused at the door and looked into the small window in the door. She smiled fondly as she watched Doc Robbins starting a inaugural observation of the body on his table. Doc Robbins had always been like a grandfather to Gilly since she moved to Vegas. She stifled her giggle at the memory of her commenting on her Addams family type life, when she was sixteen and upset cause Gris wasn't understanding her point of being able to go out on dates.

As she took in the cadaver on the metal table, she smiled wickedly at seeing the arms stuck straight up from the body, like the old Mummy movies. She pushed the door open gently and slipped quietly inside. "What's up, Doc?" She asked doing a Bugs Bunny impression. When Doc looked up at her quickly she winked as she smiled at him. "So are you happy to see me or has riggers set in?" She asked as she moved towards him.

Doc Robbins smiled at her as he quickly looked her over before pulling her into a tight bear hug. "Little Miss Shadow." He spoke as he pulled away from her and held her at arms length looking into her smiling face. "If Gil didn't give me updates, I would have filed a missing persons report. What did the Big Apple do to make you forget all about us here in Sin City?" He asked with a hint of teasing and a hint of hurt.

She looked at him sadly before shaking her head. "I could never and would never want to forget all of you here. I honestly can't figure out what has kept me away for so long. It seems like I blinked and suddenly six years passed me by, between finishing my Masters and combined with working."

He smiled sadly at her as he noticed the tiredness in her clear blue eyes. "Time for a rest?"

"That and following one of Gris's old teachings." She said pausing as she held up a finger. "Sometimes, to know what comes next, you need to go back to the beginning." She quoted. "The ache to be home got to be too much." She said as she leaned into hug him, again.

Doc patted her shoulder comfortingly. "It's good to have you back. Want to help me with my new friend here?" He asked as she pulled back fighting to control her tears and not let them fall as she nodded.

The two worked quietly and as if no time had passed. They talked as they worked, catching up on each others lives, the comings and goings at the lab, a couple of their favorite cases, books, movies, and then finally the gossip making around the building. As the moved the corpse to his locker, Doc brought up Grissom and if he knew she was coming to visit.

"No, he didn't know." She said with a sad shake of her head. "My last case in New York hit hard, fast and personal. I got pulled from it and the two other cases that followed due to the fact that I was link between the murders. I got paid leave and a nice vacation in my apartment under the Boys in Blue's watchful eye. Four days ago, the murder was killed as he resisted arrest. I had been checking into job listings out this way since the whole mess started, so a couple days ago when a listing for a Lab Tech came up. I called my boss and took the vacation days he was hounding me to take for awhile. I caught the flight yesterday and here I am." She gave Doc a sad smile as she shrugged her shoulders. "I need to talk to Gris about me possibly taking the job." She held up a hand to hold back his next question she knew was coming. "I know its not what I was doing in New York, but after working as a CSI there for the past few years, I need the change that will come from putting my hard earned Masters to work for me." She gave him a bright smile. "Just the nice easy job of DNA typing, and substance analysis. Only I would see that as a relaxing break." She added with a shake of her head.

Doc noticed the tension that had taken up in her rather small frame. "It's a good switch." He told her comfortingly. He looked up at the wall clock and figured in how long ago David had brought the bodies from the newest crime scene. "Why don't you head up and wait for Gil? The team should be back soon and I know Cath would love to give you a piece of her mind." He said looking over the top of his glasses at her.

Gillian sighed as she nodded. "Yeah, I'm so in for "The Glare" and then probably a bone crushing hug."

Doc smiled as he nodded. "Depends on who gets to you first. Now, scoot." He said shooing her good naturally out of his 'office'.

After a stop in the break room, Gilly made her way back to Grissom's office. She dropped a few small pieces of a cookie into the spider's glass home, before moving to the couch and laying down. As she closed her eyes, she finally felt her body start to relax. She was home. She was where she needed to be. She slowly drifted off into a deep peaceful slumber that had been missing in her life.

TBC