Ok, i don't know how realistic the next few chapters will be but i really don't care, my story my court rules :) Reviews will make me update faster xxx

Day 1

The first time Sara Sidle sat in a courtroom she was ten years old. The sounds, the smells, the strange people in silly wigs: everything was unfamiliar and daunting.

And as soon as she entered the courtroom she felt that feeling wash over her all over again. The oppressive atmosphere seemed to swallow her and she barely made it through the door before she felt her legs turn to jelly. She stepped back in an attempt to steady herself and felt Catherine's supportive hand on her back.

The guys had been in the courtroom for a few minutes, and Nick was the first to notice the girls arrive. He could practically see Sara trembling from where he sat, and he could also see her visibly relax as Catherine placed a hand on her back and leant in to whisper something to her. It was unfamiliar, and yet very touching to witness the simple interaction between the two women. As they approached, with Cath's hand still firmly placed at the base of Sara's back, Nick stood up to give her a hug.

"Hey, how're ya doing darlin'?" He asked softly, wrapping his strong arms around her tightly. She shrugged and nestled under his chin.

"I'm ok. I can think of about a million things I'd rather do today." She said, resting against his chest. Warrick was next to give her a hug, followed by Greg, who was rather reluctant to let her go until he noticed Catherine's raised eyebrow and promptly dropped his hands to his sides.

Since she was a witness today Sara had to stay outside the courtroom for the duration. As soon as the aforementioned people in silly wigs began appearing around the room she decided it was time for her to disappear. "I think that's my cue to go." She said reluctantly letting go of Catherine's hand. With a final tender kiss from her girlfriend, she left through the heavy wooden doors at the end of the room.

Catherine watched Sara leave the room with a heavy heart before reluctantly sitting down between Warrick and Grissom. Shortly after a door at the other end of the room opened and a pale, wide-eyed Lydia walked out flanked by two prison guards. It was the first time Catherine had seen her since the interrogation. Prison life had done her no favours; she was skinny, paler than ever and on edge. Yet despite this she did not appear remorseful. Her tense, shaking body position looked fearful but her cold eyes the colour of ice were blank, empty. Soulless. Catherine was startled out of her thoughts by a dull thud of the gavel.

"Court is now in Session."

"Fifteen minute recess then we'll have prosecution's first witness." People began to stand up and stretch as Lydia was led away through the little door in the corner. As soon as the opportunity arose Catherine was on her feet and battling her way to the door to get to Sara. However, she was not the only one with that in mind. A few reporters were allowed into court, and as soon as the doors were opened they were out in the hallway, cameras and all. One feisty woman, whom Cath recognised as a TV News presenter, spotted Sara immediately and barrelled over to her with the camera in tow.

"Miss Sidle, how do you feel about testifying against your ex-girlfriend? Do you really think she's guilty?" Catherine was sort of tangled in a mass of people fighting their way out for fresh air but she could still clearly see Sara's deer-in-the headlight expression. More TV cameras had spotted Sara and were moving in her direction, which ultimately resulted in a smush of people elbowing each other with microphones. Finally free from the crowed that had amassed directly outside the doors, Catherine looked up just in time to see Sara bolt down the corridor. The blonde barged past the cameras and held up her hands.

"She has no comment." She bellowed, before following her girlfriend's footsteps, leaving the baffled media in her wake.

Catherine eventually found Sara in the women's bathroom. She was leaning against the counter, her knuckles matching the white ceramic sink, and her breathing was laboured. Cath desperately wanted to run over and wrap her arms around the shaking girl, but stopped herself deciding that scaring Sara was not the best thing to do right now. Instead she stood out of sight, debating whether to approach her girlfriend or give her some time alone. However Sara must have sensed her presence because out of the blue she spoke.

"I trusted her. I told her everything about me, about my family and my past. And she used that against me, to hurt me. She slit my wrists to make everyone think I was losing it. And then, she tried to hurt you, even though she knew that it would kill me if anything happened to you. I trusted her more than anyone and she … she…" tears streamed down her face as the distress seemed to get too much for her. Catherine, frozen in place by the words, finally moved, bolting across the room just in time to catch Sara as her legs buckled. She sat on the floor, cradled in Catherine's arms, and cried against her chest as the older woman whispered comforts to her. Cath knew that the words she spoke wouldn't help, if Sara could even hear them, but she didn't know what else to do to fix this, so she just let Sara cry herself out. "I thought that if I could just face her, look her in the eye, then I could move on, but … I can't do it Cat, I can't get up there and look at her. She betrayed me."

"Yes you can. I know you can." Cath brushed a strand of hair out of Sara's hair. Sara shook her head.

"How do you know that?"

"Because you're my girl. And because we're all here for you. When this is all over, and it will be over one day, you'll still have us. Sara baby you can do anything you put your mind to. And you are going to get up there, look her in the eye and show her that she hasn't beaten you."