Title: Goodbye Doesn't Mean Forever
Author: cjacsifan
Pairing: Catherine/Riley
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: CSI is owned by CBS and Jerry Bruckheimer
Summary: Riley receives a letter containing bad news.
Spoilers: None
A/N: I read on wikipedia and on CBS.com that Lauren Lee Smith is leaving CSI and her character will have left before the new season begins; however her character bio is still on the CSI page at CBS.com so take it for what it's worth....This is my take on how she will leave following the canon of my stories.

Riley is home doing some chores in the house she shares with her girlfriend Catherine Willows, who with her daughter Lindsey is shopping for school supplies from the list supplied by Lindsey's school.  She hears the doorbell ring and thinking it was Catherine and Lindsey she yells, "Coming my darlings," only to be embarrassed when she answers the door because standing at the door is a young man with a WESTERN UNION  telegram, "Ooops I'm sorry I thought you were my girlfriend and her daughter coming back from shopping."

The Western Union man just smiles and says, "That's okay miss...that's the sweet thing anyone has ever called me, while on this job."  Riley pays the guy a five dollar tip and thanks him, she then closes the door and sits down on the couch to read the telegram.

She sees that it is from her parents who are; if from what her mother told her in her last email, which was about a month ago just before they traveled to the Amazon Jungle, because there is no electricity in that part of the world her mom told her she would contact her by telegram,

She excitedly opens it but as she begins to read, tears fall down her cheeks; it is at this exact moment that Catherine and Lindsey come home, "Lee what's wrong why are you crying," asks a concerned Lindsey.

"I have to leave as soon as possible it...it's my father..." is all Riley can say before falling completely apart.

"Leave why do you have to leave...aren't you happy here?" Lindsey asks not noticing the telegram had fallen to the floor, but Catherine notices it and picks it up; she then reads it out loud.

          MY DARLING RILEY

          I AM WRITING THIS WITH A HEAVY HEART, BUT YOUR FATHER HAS COME DOWN WITH SOME TYPE OF JUNGLE DISEASE THAT I CAN HARDLY PRONOUNCE.  SADLY FROM WHAT OUR GUIDES AND THE NATIVES ARE TELLING US THERE IS NO KNOWN CURE.  I KNOW YOU LOVE YOUR LIFE BACK IN LAS VEGAS AND FROM WHAT YOU'VE TOLD ME ABOUT YOUR CO-WORKER THEY ALL SEEM VERY NICE, AND YOUR GIRLFRIEND CATHERINE AND HER DAUGHTER HOPEFULLY ONE DAY SHOULD YOUR FATHER GET WELL WE WOULD LIKE TO MEET THEM ALL...YOUR FATHER HAS BEEN ASKING FOR YOU SO PLEASE COME HERE BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE AND YOUR FATHER NEVER SEES HIS BABY AGAIN

LOVE  MOM

Another dose of tears stream down Riley's face and as Riley listened to Catherine read the telegram, she cold tell that Catherine was losing control of her tears, "So Lee what're you going to do?"

"The only thing I can Linds, go see my father before it's too late."

"That isn't fair, why do you have to go to the jungle...why can't they bring your father here."

Catherine was about to scold Lindsey for being selfish, but Riley shook her head 'no' , "Let me ask you a question Lindsey what if you were older and had moved away from Vegas to a new town and just got a new job and started a new relationship, but then got a phone call saying your mom was really sick and they didn't think she was going to live and she wanted you to come back here to say goodbye...what would you do?"

"I'd come back here to see my mom."

"And that's what I have to do....and besides goodbye doesn't mean forever."

"I hope not," Lindsey says before going up to her room in tears.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next week was hectic for Riley; making arrangements for a flight to Salt Lake City, then meeting with the advisor of the Mormon Overseas Ministries, who told her he would arrange a flight to where her parents were, the hardest part was telling the team, which she did the last night before she left.

They were all sorry to see her go, but they realized that real family should come first even though Riley was becoming part of their CSI family, her biological family needed her more.

It was the day of the flight and Catherine, Riley and Lindsey were all at the gate, "Lee having you in my life has been a blessing; you made me realize that I could fall in love again...Remember no matter where you are or what you do I will always Love You."

"I know Catherine, remember I will have you with me always..." Riley says revealing the tattoo she got of the heart with her's, Catherine's and Lindsey's name...Riley also rubbed her stomach reminding Catherine of the tattoo she has just for her eyes only, the two women hugged not wanting to let go of each other, but did so Riley could say goodbye to Lindsey.

She turned to Lindsey, "Linds having you and your mom in my life was the best thing to happen to me, I was a stranger to this city and to your family, but you took me into not only your lives, but also into your hearts it takes a very special kind of person to allow a stranger into the two most important things in your life your family and your heart....and for that I will always be grateful...I love you."

"I love you too Lee, thanks for making our lives something special again," Lindsey said as she tried not to cry.

The three ladies heard that it was time to board the plane for Salt Lake City and joined in one last group hug before Riley had to board.

As Catherine and Lindsey got to their car, Lindsey noticed something in the back seat, "Mom isn't that Riley's favorite jacket...you'd think she would have taken this along."

"I don't know Lindsey....wait there is a note in the pocket..." Catherine took the note out of the jacket pocket, unfolded it and read it out loud

Catherine,

Please have this jacket dry cleaned while I'm gone... because you never know when I just might be coming back to pick it up.

Love Riley

"She is coming back....she is coming back," Lindsey screamed at the top of her lungs and jumped around as if she won the largest jackpot in Veags history.

"I guess Lee was right when she told you goodbye doesn't mean forever."