Author's Note - This chapter is dedicated to the Sacred Duct Tape (the guys at TalkCSI will know what I mean... ;) )

Disclaimer - See Chapter One.

Chapter Six – Sara Speaks

Catherine's eyes went wide as she picked up the newspaper and started to read. Shock turned to disbelief.

'This is bullshit. They can't publish crap like this and get away with it!' she exclaimed angrily.

'Exactly!' Greg joined in her rant. 'I say we call up Sara and tell her we'll back her one hundred percent when she sues their asses!'

Catherine's eyes continued to scan the page, her anger building. 'This is that bitch Jill's doing. Trying to throw the prosecution off, weaken the case against her…'

'Sara would have told us. Right?' Greg stated. 'We would know if any of that stuff was true.'

The young CSI looked to Catherine for reassurance, but her gaze was now locked on Warrick, who had an oddly uncomfortable look on his face.

'Warrick?' she asked, suddenly suspicious. 'You know something, don't you?'

He sighed, not wanting to be the one to tell them, knowing it was not his place, but knowing all too well that the truth was now destined to come out. Nothing he could do now would stop that.

'I guess there's no point in lying to you guys, you're going to find out anyway,' he started, his eyes deadened by the pain he knew his friend must being going through. 'Sara was torn apart on the witness stand yesterday by the defense attorney. She was accused of being involved in Hank's murder and all sorts of bullshit. And then the subject of her childhood came up…'

Both Catherine and Greg were stunned. 'You mean, this is all true?' Catherine asked in disbelief. 'Everything they're saying about Sara's Mom killing her Dad and the fact that she saw it happen?'

Sadly, Warrick nodded. 'Looks like it.'

'My Father never laid a hand on me until that day,' Sara told him in a soft voice filled with emotions that were strangling her. 'I used to lie awake at night, listening to their voices – my Dad yelling and my Mom sobbing… sometimes screaming, begging him to stop. The next day, she'd be quiet, trying to hide her bruises or broken bones from me and my brother. But we knew… we always knew…'

As she recounted her story, she had slowly moved around the armchair and sat down, as though telling her tale exhausted her. Grissom took her lead and sat down in the chair opposite, not wanting to crowd her while she put herself through the harrowing task of telling him about her past. As she spoke, he saw the tears blossom in her brown eyes, but stubborn as she was, they had so far refused to fall.

'One night, when I was twelve, I was home alone with my Mom. My brother, Matt, was seventeen at that point, and he was out more than he was at home. Anyway, Dad came home, drunk – as usual. And he started screaming at my Mom… you know, I can't even remember why… And then he started punching her. Just punching, over and over again. And… I don't know what made that time different from the others, but something made me run forward and try to pull him off of her. And so he started in on me… I was barely conscious when he finally got bored and went to find something else to drink.'

Grissom made an unconscious gesture, as though he was ready to rush off to find the monster who had dared to lay a hand on the precious woman before him. Instead, he reached across the space between them and laid his hand on hers.

'Oh god, Sara,' he whispered, truly horrified by what she had endured as a child. 'Were you badly hurt?'

'Somehow, he managed not to break any bones. He beat my face up pretty good. Concussion, lots of cuts and bruises,' she stated clinically, as though documenting the injuries of a victim in a case, not her own. 'We lay there for a long time, my Mom and me, not daring to move until we heard Dad go upstairs and into the bedroom. Then, Mom got up and went into the kitchen before climbing the stairs after him…

'When she didn't come back down, I got scared, so I went upstairs to see what had happened. She…' only now did Sara's voice catch in her throat. 'She was huddled in a corner of the bedroom with a knife. There was blood everywhere, cast off all over the walls and the floor…' Sara choked on the sob building in her throat. 'She had waited until he passed out drunk and then stabbed him to death.'

The tears ran freely down her face now. Grissom closed the gap between them to perch on the arm of her chair and gathered her up into his arms.

When she could speak again, she sounded utterly defeated. 'She told them, Grissom. She told them everything.'

Confused, he drew back to look at her. 'I don't understand.'

'Jill,' she spat, anger now replacing the sorrow in her voice. 'Jill. It all came out in court today. My childhood. My past with Hank. My relationship with you…'

'How did she find out about your childhood? Did you tell her?' he probed gently.

Sara nodded, feeling stupid and naïve for once counting Jill among her friends. 'I told her some of it… we had a night of drunken confessions… she was the only one I ever told. The rest… I don't know. She did her research about everything else, so…'

She tailed off, a sudden thought crossing her mind. She looked at Grissom, suddenly fearful.

'If my involvement has hurt the case against her…'

'It won't,' he reassured her. 'She's guilty, Sara. The jury will see that. I promise.'

He held her close again, knowing in his heart that he was handing her false promises. All Jill needed was reasonable doubt. It was the cornerstone of their justice system, something that had brought down many a case that looked like a slam dunk.

Another bout of silence and Sara was once again overcome with her emotions. Only when she was calmer did she attempt to speak again. 'Grissom, I'm so sorry about earlier. I had no right to speak to Mrs. Harper like that.'

Grissom ran a comforting hand down her hair. 'You were upset.'

'Hearing from my Mom, what happened in court and everything going on lately, I…' she started to say before stopping herself abruptly. Sitting back and withdrawing from his arms, she wiped the tears from her face and shook her head. 'No. You know what? I'm just making excuses. I had no right to speak to her like that, regardless of what's going on in my personal life. I let myself down and I let you down. It won't happen again.'

Watching her now was like seeing a willow tree bend in a storm but refuse to break. Sara was rebuilding herself before his eyes and, despite his inherent need to try and protect her, he couldn't help but be impressed. He nodded in agreement, knowing full well that his Sara, having declared something so definitely, would do nothing less than fulfill her words.

'I think I'm going to go over there, later,' she told him. 'Apologize properly. And… if you let me, I'd very much like to stay on this case.'

Grissom hesitated. 'Only if you feel that you're up to it.'

Anger flashed in her eyes that would have frightened him were it aimed in his direction. 'I'm not going to let all this affect my ability to do the job anymore. I will not let Jill turn me into her victim. Not anymore.'

The sun was high in the sky when Sara stirred, feeling his eyes on her. Blinking her own eyes open, she smiled at the image of him watching her sleep; barely stirring the air around her as his hand gently caressed a lock of her hair that spilled across the pillow.

'Hey,' she greeted him softly.

'Hey,' was his reply as he stooped to kiss her on the forehead. 'I have to go.'

'Yeah?' She glanced at the alarm clock on her bedside table. 'It's barely midday. You're not going into work this early are you?'

He shook his head, reaching to brush a strand of hair off of her face. 'I'm due in court.'

The smile slid off her face. 'Oh.' She sat up, half turning her body away from him. 'Can I come with you?' she asked hesitantly.

'You don't really want to do that, do you?'

Shrugging, she avoided his gaze. 'Not really. But I feel like I should. Whatever grilling you get in there today will be my fault, so…'

Grissom slid a hand underneath her chin and pulled her face round to face him. 'We've been over this, Sara. It's not your fault. And I think you went through enough in that courthouse yesterday without putting yourself through it again today. I'll be fine. I have it on good authority that I can handle myself on the witness stand.'

Despite herself, she smiled. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pulled him to her in a bear hug, her impossibly long legs snaking around his body. She let out a soft moan as he buried his face in her neck, placing butterfly kisses from her shoulder to her ear. As the sunk backwards onto the bed, his mouth captured hers in a series of soft, sweet kisses.

After a moment, he groaned and rolled onto his side. 'I have to go.'

'I know,' she sighed. 'Raincheck?'

Placing the briefest of kisses on her lips, he smiled. 'Count on it.'

Getting up, he moved to the chair where he had placed his clothes. Sara sat up in bed and pulled the covers around her as she watched him dress.

'So, what are you planning to do with the rest of your day before work?' he asked.

'I think I'll take a drive out to Henderson.'

'To see Mrs. Harper?'

She nodded, watching his face for a reaction. She could see him struggle to keep his face neutral.

'Are you sure you're…'

Frustrated, she sat up straighter. 'Grissom, stop worrying about me. I'm fine.'

He watched her closely for a moment, before nodding. 'Okay.' Getting to his feet, he grabbed his jacket. 'I'd better get going. I need to shower and grab my suit at home. I'll see you tonight?'

'Count on it,' she smiled as she kissed him goodbye.

Sara felt her heart ache as she pulled up in front of the quiet house. It was a beautiful day, sunny with a faint breeze present to take the edge off the desert heat. It was the prefect day for two children to be out, playing in their yard. Instead, the house was as still as the tomb.

Sara knocked on the door and pushed her sunglasses on top of her head as it opened.

Mrs. Harper looked vaguely surprised to see her there. 'Ms. Sidle. Have you found them?'

Sara shook her head sadly. 'Not yet. I'm sorry.'

Any gleam of hope that was present in the woman's eyes was extinguished. 'Oh,' was all she could say before they stood there in painful silence.

After a moment, the woman pulled herself out of her reverie enough to realize they were still on her doorstep. 'I'm sorry. Where are my manners? Come on in.'

They made their way to her kitchen and she went to the kettle to fill it. 'Coffee?'

Sara nodded. 'Please.'

Switching on the kettle, she once again turned to the brunette CSI. 'So, do you have more questions?'

'Mrs. Harper,' Sara started hesitantly. 'I actually came to apologize for the way I spoke to you yesterday.'

'You already did that,' the woman replied. 'There's really no need…'

'There is,' Sara insisted. 'I had no right to talk to you like that. It was totally unprofessional, not to mention uncalled for.'

They were silent again until she handed Sara her coffee. 'I tried to leave. So many times…' she said. 'Unless someone has lived through that kind of terror, they could never understand…'

'Believe me, I know.'

The woman searched Sara's face. 'You do. Don't you? But I find it hard to believe that a woman like you would let a man… well…'

Sara shook her head. 'My Mother. My entire life up until I was twelve,' Sara clarified. 'What I said to you yesterday… well, it was directed at her, not at you. I'm sorry.'

Mrs. Harper nodded again, tears blossoming in her eyes. 'So, you really know what I've put my kids through, then, don't you?'

Sara leaned forward and placed her hand on the crying woman's. 'Your husband put you and your kids through it, Mrs. Harper. Not you.'

'If you really believe that, then why are you still so angry with your own mother?'

Sara looked away and sighed, fighting back her own tears that were forming. 'I'm angry with my mother for not leaving because it's easier than facing why I'm really mad at her.'

'I can only hope my kids forgive me one day,' she replied, her voice choking up. 'If I ever see them again…'

Sara squeezed her hand. 'Mrs. Harper, I swear to you. I'm going to do everything in my power to get your children back.'

The woman nodded, granting her a weak smile through her tears. 'Thank you, Ms. Sidle. Thank you.'

'Please. Call me Sara.'

'Did she ever leave, Sara?' When Sara didn't answer right away, she clarified. 'Your mother.'

'In a manner of speaking…'

Sara's first clue that all was not well was that the break-room fell silent the second she walked in.

Glancing around nervously, she headed straight for the coffee pot. Tea was soothing. She had a feeling there would be no point in soothing herself this night. She'd need caffeine, and lots of it.

'Hey Sara,' Greg greeted her a little too brightly after the long delay. 'How are you?'

She eyed him suspiciously. 'I'm fine Greg. What's up?'

He nervously shook his head and immediately looked at Catherine for support. Catherine in her turn was looking at him with disgust at how obvious he was being.

'Catherine?' Sara asked, looking at her normally forthcoming friend. 'What's going on?'

Her voice was a little too gentle, a little too supportive, when she rose to her feet and moved towards her. 'Sara, maybe we'd better go someplace less… public. To talk.'

'What about?' Sara's eyes found Warrick's, and in his deep green eyes she saw sorrow and regret. 'Warrick! What did you tell them?'

He held his hands up in defense. 'I…'

Nick leaned forward, drawing Sara's eyes to him next. 'We want you to know we're here for you.'

She was completely freaked out now. 'Will someone please tell me what the hell is going on?'

Catherine once more tried to usher Sara out but didn't get very far before the voice of the lab's new Assistant Director barked from the doorway.

'Sidle! My office. Now!'

When Grissom entered the room not five minutes later, he could still feel the tension.

'What's going on?'

Catherine slid the newspaper across the table so he could see the headline. 'Did you know?' she asked.

A vein throbbed in his forehead as he looked at the paper. 'She just told me. This morning.' He looked at Catherine, his face a kaleidoscope of emotions. 'Where is she?'

'Ecklie's just pulled her into his office.'

His face settled on cold fury as he turned on his heel and left the room.

He was a man on a mission as he strode down the corridor.

'Gil!' Brass's voice made his step falter but not halt on his journey.

'I'm in a hurry, Jim,' he called over his shoulder. 'I'll talk to you later.'

Footsteps behind him as Brass hurried to keep up. 'This won't wait,' the homicide detective told him. 'There's been a new development on the case. We've found one of the kids.'

That stopped Grissom dead in his tracks. He spun to face his friend. 'Alive?'

'Barely,' Jim replied, looking sick to his stomach. 'Bastard beat the kid into a coma. He's in Desert Palms. Need you and Sara to go over there and… well… you know...'

Grissom nodded. 'I was just on my way to get her. We'll meet you at the hospital.'

Brass nodded and walked back the way he came, muttering under his breath about the injustices of the world.

TBC