The day of Jeffery's trial came up faster then Noelle wanted it to. Her father dropped her outside the courthouse and then went on his way. Instead of going inside the building, Noelle sat outside the courthouse for she dreaded going inside.

Inside the building, Mac was waiting to see if Noelle would show up. Stella and Flack were with him.

" So far Noelle is a no show," Flack said.

" I warned her if she didn't show up, I would go after her myself, looks like that's what I have to do."

" She still has 30 minutes before the trial begins," Stella said.

Mac didn't wait any longer. He went outside to see Noelle sitting there.

" Shouldn't you be inside?"

Noelle looked at him.

" I've got time. I told you I would be here Detective Taylor. Now go away."

Mac didn't move so Noelle got up.

" You think I'm going to take off don't you?"

" I'm here to make sure you don't and if you do, I'll be right behind you."

Noelle shook her head and walked forward.

" You don't know me at all."

Noelle went into the building and began walking another way. Stella ended up stopping her.

" The courtroom you need to be in is that way."

" I'm going to the ladies room. Come with me if you're afraid I'll sneak away."

Noelle then walked on and into the ladies room. It was ten minutes later and Noelle hadn't come out. Stella went in there to see Noelle sitting on one of the lounge chairs with her head down.

" Noelle?"

Noelle looked up and Stella saw the tears in her eyes.

" Are you okay?"

" No."

Stella sat down next to her.

" You want to talk about it? It'll be off the record."

" I have nobody to support me here. My father thinks it's more important to tend to his clients then to me. I have to go in there and testify against someone who committed a deceitful act. Do you know what it's like to feel all alone?"

The silence in the room didn't help Noelle one bit.

" No, how stupid of me. Why would you care?"

Noelle sighed. She felt that she wasn't getting anywhere.

" My parents divorced when I was 16. When it was final, my mother moved back to Michigan. I stayed here with my father."

Again Noelle went silent.

" I know it's not much of excuse, but that's why I lash out. It's hard to trust anyone. Now I understand why Christopher left."

" Who's that?"

" My older brother. He applied for a job out of state and now he lives in Miami. He wants nothing to do with our father. Chris told me our father was no good, but I didn't want to believe it. After awhile, I did. That's why I have such a bad attitude. Nobody cares about me."

" That's why you ran away?"

Noelle nodded her head.

" Why didn't you say anything?"

" I thought you already knew. Once it's in the system, it stays there. I don't want to go in there. This situation scares me. Jeffery killed Zoey. I saw it with my own eyes. Why do I need to do this?"

" You don't have much of a choice Noelle. You made a deal. Would you rather end up in jail?"

Noelle went to the door.

" I guess not. I would feel better if I was important to my father. I wish I could take it back, running away, but I can't."

Noelle went out of the ladies room to look at Mac and then Flack.

" No need to worry. I'm not going anywhere."

" You're sure taking your time," Mac said.

" Do you have anything better to do then judge people you don't know?"

" I know you Noelle. Nothing but trouble."

Noelle shook her head and walked on.

" She looked different Mac. You want to know what I think, Noelle is scared," Flack said," She doesn't want to admit it."

" This case scares her, not us," Stella said," She just told me something I didn't even think about."

" Nothing about her would surprise me," Mac said.

" How about a father who would rather be at work then support his daughter?"

There was silence between the three of them.

" Her father just dropped her off and then went on his own way," Stella said," Mac, Noelle is in pain. That's why she lashes out and why she ran away."

" Doesn't sound like an excuse," Mac said.

" It sounds like a call for help," Flack added," Where's her mother?"

" In Michigan. That's where Noelle grew up, that's what she told me anyway."

Mac looked down the hall and saw Noelle waiting outside the courtroom.

" She doesn't have anyone here for her," Stella said," I'm going back to the lab to see what else I can dig up. Noelle has a scarred past. There's something else."

" What else did we miss?" Flack asked.

" Noelle said she thought we already knew. Something else happened to her to make her the way she is. There's a reason to her attitude and I'm going to find out what it is."

Stella left the courthouse and went back to the lab. She was determined to find out what happened to Noelle and what other reasons she had to her bad attitude.