A/N: I only own Lacey McGarrett/Kodi St. John.

I sat in the back of the cop car shaking. My brain couldn't comprehend what I had just seen. One second my Mom was sitting in the car as I was returning the shopping cart from the store parking lot. The next second I was being restrained by two workers as the car burned…with my Mom inside.

"LACEY!" My brother's voice echoed. I looked out the window.

"….Stevie?" My little eight year old voice squeaked. He ran up to the car as the policeman opened the door. I threw my arms around my big brother and wasn't planning on letting go.

"Lacey? Are you okay?" His eyes were slightly red as I shook my head. How do I tell him what I saw? I had my back turned when I heard the big boom. When I turned to the scary scene, all I could see were flames. Stevie wiped the tears from my chubby cheeks. "It's going to be okay." He carried me to my room. I could hear Mary in the next room crying her eyes out.

"Where's Daddy?"

"…..At work."

"Does he know?"

Stevie nodded, "He'll be home soon." He tucked me in and handed me the E.T. stuffed animal he gave me for my birthday. "Get some sleep babe." He kissed my forehead and left my room. I squeezed E.T. tight. On my bedside table, the pretty angel sat there staring at me. Mommy had bought it for me and every night said the angels were watching over us.

"Where were you?" I grabbed the angel and launched it across the room. It smacked against the wall and glass rained down on the floor.

Stevie ran into my room panting, "What was that?"

"The pretty angel broke." I pointed to the broken glass. He looked at me like he was going to yell, "I was mad at her. Mommy said the angels watched over us." Tears stung my eyes. "Where were they, Stevie? Why didn't they protect Mommy?"

Stevie walked over to my bed. "Scoot over kid." I moved as Stevie lay down on my bed and patted for me to curl up next to him. He wrapped his big football arms around me, and I finally slept.

After Mommy's funeral, Daddy started to act weird, like he hadn't been sleeping well. Stevie could see it too. He tried to talk some sense into our Daddy. But Daddy wasn't going to listen.

On Daddy's birthday, Mary and I decided to surprise him at work. As she decorated his office, I stood watch with his partner. "So how long is he going to be gone?" I asked Chin Ho Kelly.

"He went out to get some food. I tried to suggest some place far away to give you time to decorate." We both chuckled. I looked over at the door waiting for Daddy to come walking in and we all would be busted. Instead, I saw a man walk into the building. He was wearing a police uniform. I recognized him immediately. "Lacey? Are you okay?"

I froze up. Turning to Daddy's office, I opened the door and ran to hide underneath his desk. "Lacey? What the heck is the matter with you?" Mary turned to Chin Ho. "What did you do?" Chin just shrugged.

"Mary? What are you doing here?" Daddy asked as he entered his office.

Mary scoffed, "Surprise! Lacey and I were going to try and cheer you up." She threw her hands up in the air pointing to the assorted balloons and streamers.

"What do you mean…?" Daddy saw me hiding underneath his desk. "Lacey, what are you doing there?"

"How can you work with him?" Tears streamed my rosy cheeks.

"Work with whom?" Daddy motioned for Mary to leave his office. I heard the door close with a slight bang. He picked me up and rocked me. "What do you mean?"

I pointed towards the door, "The day Mommy got hurt, a man followed us around the store." I huffed, "The man works with you."

Daddy's eyes got big. He went to the window, "Can you point him out?" I looked around the station. He walked right in front of the window. I turned and hid my face into Daddy's shoulder.

"That was him." I whispered.

Daddy rocked me a little, "Can I tell you a secret?" He looked into my eyes as I nodded. "Our friend Mamo, told me something similar. He pointed out the same man."

"Why don't you get him?!"

He rubbed his eyes, "I wish it was that easy. That man comes from a family of really bad people." Daddy took my hands into his. "Promise me. Don't say anything to anyone. That includes your brother and sister. Okay?"

I nodded, "Okay Daddy."

He kissed my cheek. "Don't worry, Lacey. Daddy's going to make a plan. To get the bad guys and protect us."

As soon as I left his office, I heard something crash against a wall. "Everything okay in there?" Mary asked.

"Yeah." I muttered as I grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the door. "We go home, now?"

A week later, Daddy gave us all the bad news one by one. Stevie and Mary were going to the Mainland. Mary would live with relatives in L.A. Stevie would be sent to a military school.

"What about me, Daddy?"

He was fighting back tears. "You, my special child, are going into hiding. A friend of mine is a specialist at hiding people to protect them."

"Hide?" I suddenly became scared and confused.

He rubbed my arms, "He has to take you far away."

"FAR AWAY?!"

Daddy's hands shook. "I don't want anything to happen to you. You are the only witness to your Mom's…" He choked up. "I need you safe until you can tell a judge what happened that day."

I couldn't believe what I did next. My right palm connected with his cheek. In a panic, I ran to my room.