Chapter 2

Sara managed to get Lindsey out of the police department without being seen. They hurried to the drugstore, but just outside the store, Lindsey stopped.

"What if they're going to ask questions?"

Sara hadn't thought about that yet, but an answer quickly entered her mind.

"We'll just say it's for me, pretend you're my daughter."

"Okay, let's go then."

The two of them entered the drugstore. Sara immediately asked for a pregnancy test.

"Just to be sure, 'ey, ma'am? Always exciting, finding out!" the woman in the store said. She smiled at Lindsey. "Must be exciting, finding out if you're getting a brother or sister or not."

Lindsey didn't reply, her eyes were opened wide and filled with fear.

"She's been an only child for fifteen years, she hasn't decided yet if she'd like a brother or sister," Sara quickly explained. The woman nodded in agreement. "Come on, Linds, let's go."

Sara paid for the pregnancy test and took Lindsey back to the police department.

"Sara, look out, my mom!"

Lindsey tried to hide behind Sara, but Catherine had already seen her.

"Lindsey? What are you doing here?"

Sara tried to hide the test in her pocket, but Catherine's eyes were sharp. "What's that? A pregnancy test? Sara, are you…?"

"I don't know, Cath, that's what I'm trying to find out," Sara sharply replied.

"Well, I'm kind of curious, I didn't know you had a boyfriend," Catherine continued.

Sara sighed. This was going to be harder than she thought!

"I don't, but I met this guy a few weeks ago and we had a little too much fun. I haven't heard from him since, but… well, you know, just to be sure."

"Okay, let me know if you need any help," Catherine said. "But I still don't understand what Lindsey's doing here? You didn't hitch hike again, now did you, Lindsey? My god, didn't you learn anything from that little trip to the morgue three years ago?"

"Mom, mom, please, I didn't hitch hike! I took the bus, mom, please, stop it!" Lindsey begged, close to tears again. "Let me stay with Sara, I promise I'll be good!"

"Lindsey, I don't think Sara would be happy to share her private life with you."

"Cath, it's okay, I'll make sure she's alright," Sara said. "Come on, Linds, let's go inside."

They left a startled Catherine behind on the parking lot. Lindsey's face was a sad one.

"She knows, Sara, she knows!"

"Of course not, honey, don't be silly now. She doesn't know a thing. Come on, get into the ladies room." Sara pushed the blond girl inside. "Now, honey, this happened tonight, right? Well, then I'm not sure if this test can say something right away. So, do it now and then we'll do it again in a few weeks, just to be sure, okay?" Lindsey nodded while tears ran down her face. Sara gave her a quick hug. "You're going to be fine, honey, I promise. Now, go and take that test!"

She waited impatiently while Lindsey took the test. What a mess! And why was she solving problems a mom should solve? Sara had all kinds of thoughts going through her mind, but she didn't have an answer for the many questions she had. All she knew was that Lindsey had to be alright again!

"Sara, come and see this!" Lindsey softly said. She walked up to Sara and showed the test. Sara breathed relieved. "It's negative, Linds, you're not pregnant." Or that test doesn't know yet, she thought. As if Lindsey could read her mind, she said: "What if it's too early to tell? What if I am after all?" She threw herself into Sara's arms just as Greg entered.

"Greg, what the…? This is the ladies room!" Sara shouted at him.

"I'm sorry, but there's a problem in the men room and I really have to go!" Greg said with an anxious face.

"Fine, just go!" Sara sighed. Greg quickly looked from her to Lindsey, but then hurried to a toilet.

"What do I do now, Sara?" Lindsey whispered. "I'm so scared!"

Sara thought. What was she supposed to do?

"You need to get some sleep, Linds, so that's what you're going to do."

Greg joined them again. "Should I say congratulations or not?" He pointed to the pregnancy test.

"God, Greg, you're a real pain tonight!" Sara said, meaning every word. She grabbed the test. "No, just shut up!"

"So you're not pregnant?" He seemed almost relieved which made Sara laugh. She said: "No, I'm not, Greg, and if I would be, you'd know if you were the father or not, you silly! Get out of here now before I call Catherine to kick you out of here!"

"Hey, the men room really is broken, so you have no right to kick out a man in need!"

"Watch me… Get lost, Greg!"

Laughing, Greg left. Even Sara smiled for a moment. She turned to Lindsey to see if she was amused too, but the girl still had tears running down her face.

"Come on, Linds, I'll make sure you're alright. Let me just go tell Grissom I'm leaving early. But stop crying or he'll tell Catherine."

Lindsey wiped her tears away and followed Sara to Grissom's office.

"Hey, Gris, is it okay if I leave early tonight?" Sara asked her boss. "I have a little something I need to take care of."

"Sure, Sara, you finished your case, didn't you?" Grissom asked, after which Sara nodded. "Then go and get some sleep, you could really use some! Oh, hi, Lindsey, I didn't see you back there. Want me to get your mom for you?"

"No!" Lindsey shouted. "I mean… no, thank you, Grissom."

Grissom raised his eye brows, looking from the girl to Sara. Sara shook her head, meaning 'Don't ask!'. Luckily, he understood and he didn't ask anything.

"Let's go, Linds, I'll take you home."

"No, not home!" Lindsey suddenly said, her eyes filled with fear again. "What if he's still there?"

At this point, both Grissom and Sara were lost. What really happened to the little girl?

"Okay, honey, I'll take you to my apartment then. Bye, Gris, I'll see you tonight again."

"Yeah, sure, Sar. And I mean it: get some sleep! Bye, Lindsey!"

Sara threw a quick smile at her boss, Lindsey didn't say anything anymore. During the drive to Sara's apartment, she didn't say anything either. Sara pushed her inside her home.

"Okay, would you like a quick bite to eat before I make you go to sleep?"

"No, thanks, Sara, I want to go to sleep right away, I'm tired."

"Okay, that's fine, honey. Come on, you can sleep in my bed, I'll sleep on the couch."

She took Lindsey to her bedroom and tucked her in.

"Sara, will you please stay here tonight? I'm so scared!"

Sara nodded and lay down next to the girl, putting her arm around her. As she did that, she felt the girl shiver again. Suddenly, it hit her. It couldn't be!

"Lindsey, did you even want to sleep with this guy?"

The tears came back. "Lindsey, answer me!" Sara insisted. "Did you want to sleep with him?"

"No."

The answer was so soft Sara could barely hear it. "My god, Lindsey, he didn't! He didn't, did he?"

More tears. Lindsey slowly nodded, breaking down. "Yes, Sara. He raped me."