Chapter Three:
Grissom put the phone down and sat back down in the chair. Sara was still sitting with Keana.
"Catherine's coming over to interview Keana, she agreed with me that you stay with Keana too." Grissom said.
"But I want to help with the case too." Sara argued.
"You can, caring for Keana helps." Grissom tried to convince Sara that he was right.
"I want to help catch the guy." Sara argued again.
"Can't both of you stay with me?" Keana argued too. Grissom and Sara looked at Keana. "Please." She pleaded. Grissom gave in.
"Ok, both of us will stay." Grissom said. Keana smiled and Sara gave in too.
"Can I have some soup?" Keana asked as her stomach growled. Sara laughed.
"Sure, do you want some too, Grissom?" Sara asked and got up from the couch. He nodded. Sara walked over to the kitchen and opened up a cupboard. She took out a box of chicken noodle soup, opened a package and put it some boiling water. Sara looked behind her and Grissom was sitting on the couch with Keana. Sara noticed something she hadn't seen before, there were bruises on Keana's neck.
"Hey Grissom, can you come here for a second?" Sara called over. Grissom got up and walked over to the brunette.
"What's up?" Gil asked.
"See the bruises on Keana's neck?" Sara asked, pointing to the little girl. "Someone tried to strangle her." Sara concluded. She turned away and stared at the boiling water. They could now prove abuse. Sara turned off the burner and got out three bowls. She dished out the soup and set it out at the table. Keana sat down and waited for Sara to get some spoons. Sara sat down at the table and handed out the silverware.
"This reminds me of when my family ate dinner together, before my Dad got his drinking problem." Keana commented. Grissom smiled and Sara played with her soup. There was a knock at the door, Sara got up and opened the door to see Catherine.
"Hey, come on in, we're just having some dinner, we've slept most of the day." Sara said.
"Long night?" Catherine asked as she walked in, Sara nodded. Sara closed the door.
"Family dinner?" Catherine joked, seeing Grissom and Keana sitting at the table.
"Keana, this is Catherine, she's going to help find your Dad." Sara explained. Keana nodded and went back to eating her soup.
"She looks abused." Catherine whispered to Sara.
"Yah... Hey Dad probably abused her." Sara said, she knew how horrible it was to be hurt by someone you thought you could trust.
"You ok? You look... distracted." Catherine asked Sara. Sara looked at her.
"Yah... I'm fine." Sara said, but she knew it was a lie.
"Did Grissom tell you that we thought it would be best if you stayed with Keana?" Catherine asked.
"Keana wants both, me and Grissom to stay with her." Sara said. Catherine looked at her. "She just wants to feel protected, Catherine." Sara explained.
"Are you sure she doesn't just miss her family?" Catherine asked, she walked over to Keana, they both walked over and sat down on the couch to talk. Grissom went back to the book he was reading and Sara cleared the table.
Sara wondered if what Catherine said was true. Catherine definitely knew more about kids than Sara, but Sara knew how Keana felt. Did that even things out? Sara felt so confused.
"Sara! Sara! Can we play a board game?" Keana asked, running over to Sara. She looked down at the little girl that was hugging her knees.
"Umm... I have to finish washing the dishes, how about you play checkers with Grissom?" Sara suggested.
"Ok." Keana agreed.
"The game's in the closet." Sara said, pointing to a door beside a book shelf. Keana sat down at the table, Grissom got the game and started to set it up. Catherine walked up to Sara.
"I'm heading back to the lab, we'll let you know if we get anything." Catherine assured Sara.
"Thanks." Sara said simply. Catherine walked out the door and closed it behind her.
Sara finished washing the dishes and sat at the table with Keana and Grissom. Sara felt useless, all she could do was stay at her apartment and take care of the little girl.