Title: New Year...New Love?
Author: cjacsifan
Pairing: Catherine/Riley
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: CSI is owned by Jerry Bruckheimer and CBS
Summary: Riley is ready to tell Catherine how she feels...Does Catherine feel the same?
Spoilers: None for the show but you might want to read; Dealing With Grief, Getting To Know You, The CSI Chirstmas Party and Getting To Know You, Too

Everything has been going great for Riley since she got to Vegas; a new job, new friends, great new place to live, even to her shock a new girlfriend...sort of.

Well, she and Catherine have been going to breakfast together after every shift, she is getting along great with Catherine's daughter Lindsey, and Hanging out with the Willows girls when she and Catherine have the same days off, but the thing that keeps nagging at Riley is that she is in love with Catherine and hasn't told her mainly because she isn't sure if Catherine feels the same about her.

Of course Catherine hugs her and gives her a peck on the cheek every night just before the start of shift and just before leaving the diner after breakfast,  and also when she visits Catherine at her home there is always a hello peck and hug and a goodbye peck and hug, but Riley has seen Catherine do the same with the whole team, so she really isn't too hopeful.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

With Christmas over, the talk shifts to New Year's Eve which only makes Riley feel sad because up until now she had either spent the holiday with her family in Utah or her late girlfriend Elyse in Montana.

"You okay Riley?" Nick asks seeing the small frown on Riley's face

"Hey Nick...I'm fine it's just New Year's Eve is coming around and my family not being around has me kinda bummed out."

"I know what you mean when I first came here from Texas I felt like the proverbial babe in the woods but Catherine took me under her wing and I know now that I have a family here....hey why not come to Catherine's for her annual New Year's Eve Party it's always a great time."

"Well I really haven't been asked and don't want to invite myself..."

Unbeknownst to Riley, Catherine was walking past her and Nick as she was talking, "Invite yourself where Riley?"

Riley could only stammer incoherently, so Nick spoke up, "She has no place to go for New Year's Eve and I told her about the party you have at your place every year, but she said she hasn't been asked yet and didn't want to just come over uninvited."

"Is this true Riley?" Catherine asked somewhat harshly, but Nick saw the twinkle in her eye and knew she was just joking around with Riley.

"Yes i..it is Catherine." Rilley answered timidly and thinking she had just blown her chance to tell Catherine how she felt about her.

Catherine's face lit up, "Of course you're invited, Riley you should know that I would invite you especially since your my 'girlfriend'." Catherine putting her hands up to do air quotes around the word girlfriend.

Both Nick and Riley were shocked,"Girlfriend as in dating, as in being in love kind of girlfriend?" Nick asks still in a daze about the news.

"Not that way Nick, but Riley and I spend so much time together on our days off that's what Lindsey has been calling her."

"Oh okay...well I'll see you two later," Nick says as he heads for the DNA lab.

Riley on the other hand, seems glued to the spot she was standing in and couldn't move, Catherine noticed this and asked her if she were okay, "I'm fine Catherine it's just that I don't want people the wrong idea about you and I...about us really being a couple."

Catherine leaned in to Riley and whispered, "Play your cards right and you might not have to worry about what people think." Catherine then kissed Riley on the cheek and left.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The days between Christmas and New Year's Eve went by faster than normal for Riley, mainly because she couldn't stop thinking about what Catherine had said, "You okay Riley you seemed kinda zoned out there?" Greg asked with concern in her voice.

"Oh damn Greg you scared me....Yea I'm okay just thinking about the case I'm working on."

"Cool, So I'll see you tonight at Catherine's."

"Yep I'll be there...see ya then"

Riley noticed that the shift went by quick and it was time to get home and get ready for Catherine's party, but wasn't sure how to dress so in the locker room she asked Catherine, "Just wear the same kind of outfit you wore to the Christmas party."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The party was going really well, Catherine had not only invited the CSI team Brass included, but also some neighbors and some of Lindsey's friends from school as well.

As the countdown to midnight began Riley got up the nerve to tell Catherine how she felt and at the stroke of midnight the first person Riley hugged was Catherine, "I love you Catherine" Riley tried to yell over the cheers and noisemakers.

"What hon...I can't hear you"

"I said I love you'

"WHAT." Catherine had to nearly scream to be heard.

"I SAID I LOVE YOU CATHERINE.' Riley screamed at the top of her lungs but hadn't noticed the noise had died down and Everyone heard her. Riley stood in shock for a moment, then tears started streaming down her face as she ran for the door.

After telling everyone to stay inside Catherine caught her on the porch, "Riley you Love Me?"

Still trying to control the tears. "Yes I do Catherine so now you know and so does everyone else here and now if you can let me go I can leave because I just made a giant ass out of myself."

"Aww Riley there is no need for you to run."

"Why not I just came out to the team, your neighbors and friends, and made myself a laughing stock in front of you not knowing how you felt ...GOD what an ass I AM."

Catherine just held Riley in her arms, "You didn't make an ass out of yourself beside the team doesn't care about that, and my neighbors are cool with me so they are no problem...and as for me..."

"How...how do you feel about me Catherine?"

"I LOVE YOU TOO RILEY!!!" Catherine shouted at the top of her voice and everyone inside cheered as the two women kissed each other.

"So no more girlfriend in air quotes?" Riley asked cautiously.

"Nope...from now on it's GIRLFRIEND!!! with exclamation points...I love you Riley...exclamation point."

"I love you too Catherine...exclamation point."