Disclaimer: I don't own CSI, obviously.

Life's A Game Of Chance.

Waking Up In Vegas.

Riley's eyes fluttered open to the dark Vegas sky outside the window.

She chose not to move, just think about the situation. The last few days rushed into her mind, the kidnapping, the rescue, the assault...and then last night. She'd never broken down like that before. Ever.

Greg's hand stroked his hand over her hair with soft movements. His chest rose and fell under her head and she realized that his arm was still wrapped around her. Just like when she had cried all last night.

It was good having him as a friend. And he was the person she trusted the most. Last night proved that. For the first time in her life, she'd actually showed her true emotions to someone. Having to shrinks for parents really made you an interpersonal human being. And Riley had never talked to anyone about her real emotions.

Gently, she moved her head to look up at him. His warm brown eyes lit up as he smiled.

"Hey." He said in his honey-sweet voice, one that she'd never forget.

"Hi." She said softly, resting her chin on his skin. She kept eye contact, not wanting to change anything. It was nice, waking up with your best friend, one you hadn't seen in years.

"You feeling a bit better?" He asked, his hand still on her hair.

She sighed, the emotion thick in her throat. "Yeah... Thank you. For being there for me." She thanked him genuinely.

He smirked at her, but the look in his eyes told her he was being serious.

"Riles, you know I'll always be here. I'm your best friend, its kinda my job."

She chuckled lightly at his comment. He was her best friend.

"True..." Riley started, before adding on. "And how many times have I told you not to call me Riles?"

He smiled at her, and she could see him laughing inside his head.

"Countless."

XXX

Sara ran her fingers over the wooden picnic table, smiling at some comment Greg made. She wasn't really paying attention. Ever since last night's drinking binge, she'd found it hard to think at all.

Riley sat across from her, staring at the table. She'd barely spoken in the hour they'd been here. Sara felt bad for her, she really did. Look at what she'd just been through. And now everything was just supposed to go back to normal? Not gonna happen.

After Sara had been kidnapped, it had taken her weeks to become somewhat normal. And even then, she just couldn't do much. Every night she had nightmares, every day, she faced her irrational fears. That's why she had left, she needed to escape from the crime, the stress and most of all, her life. And somehow, even after all the time that had passed, she'd never be normal again. Ever.

So yes, She feared for Riley. The former CSI had been through more than she herself had, and she didn't have a Grissom to save her from it.

Greg finished talking, letting them ease into a comfortable silence. Sara could see what he was doing. He was trying to make everything easier for everyone else, not himself. He did that often, and sometimes she wished that just for once, he would think of himself.

The second they had got here, he'd made sure to do everything, letting Riley and Sara sit. Riley had a good reason. But Sara... not really. But Greg knew her well enough to know within seconds that she'd gone on one of her more and more frequent drinking binges. He'd given her a disappointed glare and muttered, "I told you you need to stop that Sara." Honestly, he'd reminded her of her husband.

"You look tired Riley. Maybe we should go..." Greg said, breaking Sara out of her thoughts.

Riley glanced up at him, smiling tightly.

"Wait..." Sara began, her curiosity getting the better of her. "Where are you staying?"

Riley looked at her, speaking for the first time. "Uhh... Well, I took a leave of absence from work... Not ready to go back yet." She muttered, and Sara found herself leaning forwards, wishing the woman in front of her wasn't in so much obvious pain.

"I mean, I'm back here, with my friends and I've got a hotel room so..." She stuttered, shrugging her shoulders. "Might as well stay."

Sara moved her gaze to Greg as he looked at Riley ludicrously.

"Don't be ridiculous. Your staying at my place." He told her softly, putting a hand on her arm.

Riley looked at him, the look on her face mirroring his.

"No way. I'm not just barging in and," She said, but was cut off by him.

"And I'm not having you live in a hotel room alone. End of story." Greg said reassuringly. Actually, Sara had never seen him so reassuring in his life.

And somehow, Sara felt better about Riley. Maybe she had her own little Grissom after all.

XXX

Greg carried the last of Riley's shopping bags into his apartment, laughing as he saw her perched on his counter, an apple in her hand.

"An apple a day?" He asked her, jumping up to sit beside her.

She smirked at him, and he felt a sudden warmth.

"Keeps the doctor away." Riley told him, tossing it up and down.

"What if the doctors cute?" Greg asked sarcastically.

She winked at him. "Screw the fruit."

The warmth inside of his stomach grew, consuming him.

Out of instinct, he threw his arm over her shoulder casually, but he held her a little tighter than he probably should.

She smiled up at him.

"I could get used to this. You take me shopping, carry my bags and make me move into your place?" She asked him, poking his chest.

He chuckled, as she leaned her head against his chest.

"Your forgetting my mad cooking skills." Greg joked, looking in her eyes.

"Oh, how could I possibly forget?"

And what happened after Riley spoke, was pure reflex.

He leaned forwards, watching as she did the same.

And then the phone rang. He sighed and jumped to get it, wondering what the hell he had just tried to do. Riley was his best friend. Just his best friend. Wasn't she?

So... you like it? I thought they'd be cute together, so they will probably realize it soon. :) Revieww,, this is the sequel to "Fingerprints" so if you haven't read that... DO IT NOW!