Disclaimer: I do not own anything to do with CSI...If I did this would be a season 11 episode :)

Fingerprints.

Over

Riley felt her heart beat so loud she couldn't hear, as she saw Greg come around the corner with his gun drawn.

She felt as if she could fall over right then and there, seeing him again. And when she saw Catherine come to his side, she felt the surprised feeling double.

They were both the same as she remembered. Catherine's hair was the strawberry blonde it had always been, her eyes focused on the guy holding Riley. But Greg looked more scared than she had ever seen him. She saw his finger twitch and she felt as though she could smile, if she wasn't so terrified. That was one of those quirks he had always had. But she was terrified.

"Hello CSIs. Nice of you to join us." Her captor said menacingly from behind her.

Riley felt her hands begin to shake. They were going to watch her die. They were going to watch. Her eyes started stinging, threatening to start the inevitable tears.

"Let her go." Catherine said coldly, her eyes flickering to meet Riley's. "Now."

She felt the man's arm tighten around her neck and she resisted the urge to try to pull it off. She tried to stay as calm as she could, she had seen too many hostages die early by annoying the captor.

"You know I can't do that Catherine. Because you know exactly why I'm doing this don't you?" He said a little louder than he needed to, putting an emphasis on 'exactly'.

Riley shifted her head to the side, trying to edge herself away from the gun he had pressed to the side of her temple. Of course he caught on and pulled her back roughly.

"What ever we did wrong, just tell us. You don't have to hurt her." Greg said and Riley could tell he was just a few notches from freaking out.

"Do you have any idea how many people would kill to be in my position right now?" The man said, provoking a subtle confused look from both CSIs. "To be able to hurt you, the way you hurt them?"

Riley closed her eyes briefly, realizing that this was the end. Every breath she took could be her last. Every look she exchanged with her former friends could be the last thing she saw. And yet, she couldn't help but hope that somehow, some way, she could survive this.

And then it got worse. If that was even possible.

Nick and Ray turned around the corner, shock plastered to their faces. They were the same too. A splitting image of the last time she had seen them.

"Lovely. All your friends are here to watch, Riley. Isn't it nice having a large audience?" The man said in her ear, making her crane her neck away, in utter discomfort.

"Were sorry, we are. But please let her go, its not her fault." Nick pleaded, giving away that they had been listening to the conversation.

"No, but its yours. You put Alissa in jail. You did that." He said, gesturing to Greg. "She didn't do anything wrong and yet you punished her. So I'm just returning the favour."

He pressed the cold barrel of the metal gun harder against her delicate temple, causing her to wince in pain.

"Please." Ray asked, desperate. But the man just shook his head, and Riley could see a smirk playing on his lips.

"Say goodbye, Riley." He said and she heard him cocked the gun with the back of his finger, causing her blood to run cold.

The tiny metallic click sounded and she saw everyone react. Catherine's face became softer, almost pleading. Ray's foot edged forwards, his subconscious urge to help her showing through. Greg's breath flew out silently, his eyes locked on her. And Nick looked like he couldn't take it anymore.

In the milliseconds that had passed, Riley had jerked her hands up to her neck, pulling his arm down out of instinct.

But no instinct or pleading or fear would help her now. She was going to die. In front of the only real friends she had ever had.

She closed her eyes in regret.

The loud bang echoed through the air.

XXX

Greg felt his knees threaten to give out as the large bang sounded in the thin air. The cold ran through him, his mind's instincts running wild.

But what he saw, was so unexpected, he wondered if he was seeing things.

Almost in slow motion, the man began to fall, pushing Riley away from him. She stumbled forwards, a small gasp escaping her lips.

The man, fell to the ground, blood soaking his shirt. It was then that Greg realized what happened. The man had been shot. Not Riley. Riley was okay. She was okay. Thank god.

He watched as Riley looked back, complete shock on her face. He felt the others stare as well.

The next few seconds were a blur. He stepped forwards at he same time as her, pulling her into his arms before she could fall over. She held on to him tightly, her face resting on his shoulder.

He watched as Sara came out from behind a row of boxes, her gun at still pointed at Riley's attacker. So she was the one who shot him...

The relief flooded his veins and he held Riley ever so slightly tighter, still not believing what had just happened. But she was safe now. She was safe. They all were.

XXX

Nick walked down the hall of the hospital, hearing his footsteps echo through the halls.

He came up to Riley's room, seeing her inside. She was sitting on the bed in a fresh pair of clothes, a large gauze bandage taped to her arm.

To the left of her, sitting on a visitors chair, was Greg. He was leaning in, animatedly telling a story, a smile playing on his lips.

Ray was at the foot of the bed, sitting on another chair. He was listening to the younger CSI, an amused expression filling his face.

Nick leaned against the door frame, catching the last words of Greg's story. Riley laughed softly along with Greg and Nick couldn't help but smile.

She turned her head to see him in the doorway and her eyes lit up.

"Hey." She said lightly. She leaned back against the pillows, the after play of a smile still etched on her face.

"Hey. Good to see your okay." He told her, feeling even more relieved as he said it. She was finally okay. All that worrying and all that fear had dissipated the second he realized that she had survived.

"Yeah. Your the ones who found me. By the way... how exactly did you do that?" She asked, teasing them and glancing at Greg.

"Your fingerprints." Greg said, smirking at her. He leaned back in his chair, outstretching his legs to rest on her mattress.

"That was smart Riley." Ray said before she could respond. "Invisible, unique... and the WH was a good idea."

She looked at him, with a serious yet still happy air about her.

"Who figured that one out?" She asked, crossing her legs in front of her.

Nick watched as Greg pointed to him and heard Riley chuckle.

"Of course you would." She said, mostly to herself.

"How long till your out of here?" Greg asked her smiling.

Nick looked at Riley as she smiled back. It was so good to see her be back to normal. And just to see her agin period. He had missed her more than he realized.

"Doctor said a few hours... But that doesn't mean I'm gonna listen." She said, playfully wiggling her eyebrows at them.

"Maybe you should come by the lab..." Ray said, standing up and walking to the doorway.

The ever present smile on Riley's face fell slightly.

"I don't think that's a good idea." She told them, while looking down at her palms.

Nick watched as Greg sat up and looked at her.

"Catherine doesn't hate you Riley. Nobody does." He told her and Nick nodded with Ray.

It was tough what Riley had said about Cath, but they didn't judge her for it. She was their friend. And nobody hated her. They all liked her. Even Catherine.

Nick watched from a far as Riley continued to tease them, seeming more and more like herself as the time went by.

So... u like? Good so far? There should be another 1 or 2 chapters... Unless u guys want more. I'm happy to write more! Just review or inbox me to let me know! :D