A/N: Hey! I decided to make a little bit of a change in the last chapter to make this chapter work, so you might want to go back and read ch. 11 again. I only changed a few parts, but it's very important to make this chapter work. Please enjoy and review!

Sara woke up to the feeling of soft, tender kisses on her eyelids and then her lips. That could only mean one thing, she hoped. Nick had gotten over whatever was up his ass last night. It had taken a while for Sara to get to sleep last night after Nick left the room. When she thought about it, Sara had no reason to accuse Mally of cheating. She was really a good kid, with only a few major slip ups over the years. Sara felt almost dirty that she'd confessed to Nick what she was thinking. It was his daughter; his flesh a blood; and his wife was accusing her of awful things. Sara never knew what was crossing the line with raising Mally. She knew Nick encouraged her to be active in Mally's upbringing, but she'd always felt uncomfortable with discipline. Over the years, she'd learned to just leave it to Nick to avoid any weird feelings.

"Good morning, baby." Nick whispered huskily as he kissed her more deeply, trying his best to be thorough and communicate an apology. "Sorry about last night." He told her as he pulled back and stared into her impossibly beautiful eyes.

"It's okay. It was a tough thing to hear, and I owe you an apology too."

Nick smiled a little, glad that their relationship was strong enough to admit both were wrong. Nick knew he'd gotten a bit too defensive, and Sara may have jumped to conclusions.

"But you're right. I need to check up on her." Nick admitted, draping his arm around her and laying his head next to hers on the pillow. "It's odd that all of a sudden she just gets it."

"But she's a smart girl." Sara pointed out as she stroked his forearm lovingly. She'd never get tired of the feeling of his arms around her, and never wanted to mess it up. Sara couldn't stand it when they fought.

"Yeah, but not at chemistry." He reminded her, rubbing his eyes a little bit. It amazed him the amount he loved science and excelled at it, and that Mally hated it with a passion. "I'll talk to her after school."

"Is it time for her to get up yet?"

"No, we've got some time." Nick said huskily, and leaned back over for another passionate kiss. No matter what, it seemed, they could always make it better.

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Natalie Grissom nervously tapped on the door of Mrs. Flaherty's classroom. The middle-aged woman cheerily greeted the girl and told her to come in. It was just before lunchtime, but Natalie didn't feel like eating anything. Mrs. Flaherty was a little confused because she'd never had the girl as a student, but her classroom was open to all students.

"Can I help you with something?" She asked warmly, smiling at the senior. Natalie had heard good things about Mrs. Flaherty, and was disappointed she'd never had her as a teacher. She couldn't believe Mally had tried to pull the wool over this poor woman's eyes.

"Yeah…" She stammered, nervously grasping at her backpack as she walked closer, "My name's Natalie Grissom and I'm a friend of Mally Stokes."

The woman's face seemed to brighten up at the mention of Mally. Natalie knew that she was liked by all her teachers, and they trusted her inherently. It made her sick how her friend could do something so uncharacteristic and take advantage of her and her teachers. She hated to do this to her friend, but Mally had crossed the line when she took her papers.

"Yes, she's one of my students."

"I came here…I mean, I needed to tell you something."

Mrs. Flaherty could tell the young girl was uncomfortable and perhaps needed to share something important, but difficult to voice.

"Why don't you come sit down over here for a minute." She patted Natalie on the shoulder and led her over to one of the tables that made up her classroom. She sat across from the senior and allowed her some time to calm down.

"You need to tell me something about Mally?"

Natalie nodded, and felt tears stinging at her eyes. She knew this would get Mally in major trouble at both school and home, but it was the right thing to do. Well, at least she thought it was the right thing to do. Her parents always emphasized honesty, but they also emphasized friendship and trust. Should she turn her friend in? Natalie was having doubts. But no – Mally had taken her homework without permission and copied it.

"I'm in the AP chemistry class, so we're moving faster, you know?" Natalie started, feeling a tear roll down her cheek. "And Mally's been having a lot of trouble lately with school and at home, so I think she was feeling really overwhelmed. Yesterday, I noticed that my chem. folder was gone. Mally took it, and I think she used it."

"Used it in what way?" Mrs. Flaherty thought she knew, but Mally was a pretty trustworthy, honest kid. She felt so bad that Mally wasn't getting the material, but she sure did try hard at the beginning anyway. She'd also had numerous conversations with Mally's father, who was also very concerned about her progress. She had so much support, but was still having so much difficulty. Mrs. Flaherty knew vaguely of Mally's home life and the recent drama with her birth mother.

Natalie took a few painful breaths in before she continued with the news she wished she didn't have to deliver.

"I think she used it to copy."

Natalie could tell Mrs. Flaherty looked really uncomfortable. Yeah, Mally wasn't the type of kid you'd expect this sort of behavior from, but she'd been through a lot in the last few months. Natalie wasn't excusing it, but she could see an explanation for Mally's change. She kept reminding herself that this was going to help Mally eventually. She'd probably hate her for a while, but she had to know cheating wasn't okay.

"Really?" She asked in a serious tone, changing her sitting position a little. "Do you have any proof?"

Natalie looked down at her backpack. She brought her chemistry folder with her with all her assignments, and got it out.

"We could compare them." She offered meekly. Mrs. Flaherty looked like she really didn't want to find out, but knew she had to. She really hated catching kids being dishonest, but she couldn't have kids cheating. Reluctantly, she retrieved a few of Mally's latest assignments that hadn't yet been graded. Natalie found the same assignment pages in her folder and set them on the table in front of them. Sure enough, answer for answer, they matched.

"Okay." Mrs. Flaherty sighed sympathetically. She knew she'd have to inform the principal. "Well, I'm going to have to inform Mr. Jenkins about this right away. Does Mally know you found out?"

"No. I just found out yesterday."

"Alright. Well, it will all be confidential. She won't have to know it was you that brought the situation to our attention. I'm sorry this happened, but thank you for coming to me. It'll be painful right now, but I think you know it'll help Mally in the long run because you came to me today."

Natalie cried, trying to convince herself still that this was right. If it was the right thing to do, why did it feel so wrong? She was betraying her friend, but Mally had betrayed her trust first. It was like she was about to be pushed off a cliff and fall to her death. Mrs. Flaherty reached out and patted her hand gently for a few moments in comfort.

"I know this must be very hard for you to do." She acknowledged. "You feel like you're ruining her life, but you aren't. Sure, she'll be in trouble, but she needs to know this won't be tolerated. How long have you known Mally?" Mrs. Flaherty decided to change the subject a little, when her words didn't seem to be helping. She was sure Natalie had already thought about this endlessly in her head already.

"Since we were babies." Natalie sniffled, "Our parents work together."

"So you're pretty tight-knit, huh?" She acknowledged, not really knowing how to handle this. But she was the adult, and teenagers seemed to think they had some sort of magic wisdom with problems like this. It was very hard for her, but knew it must be twice as painful for Natalie. "So, she'll have a whole family to help get her back on track, okay? You just have to think about it like that. You all love her, and you'll get her through this."

Natalie nodded, trying to make it okay in her head, appreciating the teacher's words. Mrs. Flaherty glanced at her watch. It was Natalie's lunchtime, but also hers.

"Well, you need to get off to lunch, young lady, to make you feel better. You come see me if you want to talk some more." The woman got up and gently led the distraught teen towards the door.

"But I normally eat lunch with her."

Well, that complicated things. She'd just ratted her friend out, and now she had to go eat lunch like nothing had happened. Mrs. Flaherty sighed and thought some more. This could be a tough one.

"Well, you can handle it one of two ways. You can try to pretend like nothing's happened, which she may notice you're acting differently. Or, you can give her the heads up and tell her you found out what she's doing. You don't have to say anything about turning her in, but you could bring it up."

Natalie seemed to understand that Mrs. Flaherty was hinting towards the latter choice. Acting like nothing happened seemed dishonest in itself.

"Okay. Thanks, Mrs. Flaherty."

"Anytime, Natalie. Thanks again." She gave the student a farewell pat on the back, hoping everything would work out. High school drama could be quite something else.

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Natalie quickly worked her way through the lunch line a few minutes later. Most of the kids had already gotten lunch, so there was no wait. She kept her eyes straight ahead as she walked nervously towards the table she normally sat at. Mally was sitting there eating while thoughtfully looking through some notes on the table. As Natalie came closer, she could see they were chemistry notes.

"Hey, Natalie." She smiled, glancing up.

"Hi." Natalie took off her backpack and nervously sit down. She knew she should probably tell Mally what was going on, but she was afraid her friend would get angry. "What are you doing?"

"Just looking over my chem. notes. I have a quiz later today." Mally informed her, keeping her eyes glues to the complicated subject matter. Natalie figured in her mind she had no idea what any of it meant. She was just covering.

It was quiet for a few moments as Natalie unwrapped her hamburger and took her first bite.

"I know how to find the atomic mass of selenium!" Mally proudly announced, her eyes sparkling at her friend. Natalie's heart dropped. She knew that look from tutoring other students. It was the look of getting it. Actually getting it for the first time. Mally knew how to find the atomic mass of selenium.

"Atomic number 34. Atomic mass 78.96amu. Found in solar cells and photocopiers." Mally recited proudly.

"Very good!" Natalie praised her.

"And I know all the other elements now too."

"Really?" She asked curiously. "Okay. How about Einsteinium?"

After a few moments of thought, Mally answered.

"Atomic number 99. Atomic mass 252amu. Radioactive named after the scientist."

Natalie nodded in agreement.

"Titanium."

"Symbol 'Ti'. Atomic number 22. Atomic mass 47.90amu."

Natalie was amazed. She really did know her stuff. Totally random choosing of elements, and she knew all of it.

"Wow, Mal. I've gotta hand it to you. You really know your stuff." Natalie admitted, feeling a little sick to her stomach. Had she made a mistake? Had Mally really turned her chemistry around? Had she been wrong about Mally cheating?

"Mal, I have to ask you a question." Natalie began, wishing she didn't have to bring this up, but Mally was her best friend.

Mally's heart dropped. She knew. She thought she knew, but she didn't understand. Her eyes shot up at her best friend in defense. Mally would love to hear what she had to say.

"What?" She asked shortly.

"I, um. I noticed yesterday that my chemistry folder wasn't in my locker at the end of the day. Do you know where it was?" She started off, not accusing of anything yet. Natalie's face felt flushed all of a sudden and she felt butterflies in her stomach.

"Yes, I do happen to know where it was." Was all Mally said.

"Okay. Why did you have it?"

"I needed to borrow it."

"So it's true then? You cheated? You copied my papers?" Natalie felt strangely relieved but worked up at the same time. It was out in the open now, but it still felt awful to find out her friend was cheating off her.

"Is that what you think I did?" Mally snapped, her voice raising. "You think I cheated? What kind of friend are you, Natalie? I thought you knew me!"

"You took my papers without permission and used then to do your own assignments! That's called cheating, Mal, and you know it!"

"Well, yeah, I admit I shouldn't have probably taken your papers without your permission, but I wasn't cheating!"

"What are you talking about?" Both their tempers were flaring and seething. They were trying to keep it down, but they were sure the people around them probably heard their argument.

"The papers I looked at I'd already turned in! I was using them to help another girl in my class because she's having more trouble than I am! I thought that if I tried to help someone else, it might click for me, and it did!"

Natalie's heart dropped once again. She hadn't cheated? And she accused her friend before asking her? Natalie had trouble speaking and knowing what to say.

"But…you…"

"Thanks a lot, Natalie." Mally angrily got up from her chair and slammed it into the table, picking up her tray and backpack. "Great to know who your true friends are!"

Natalie felt dozens of eyes on her as she stared at the chair Mally had just stormed out of. She didn't know what to think. She'd been so sure that Mally had been cheating, and from Mally told her, she was wrong. Dead wrong. And she hadn't even gone to her first before turning her in. Mally was right – what kind of friend would do that. Natalie felt more awful than she ever had before in her life. She put her head in her hands and started crying right in the middle of the lunch room.

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"Why do you need me to come in?" A concerned Sara Stokes asked on the phone at her home, Bailey and Aidan sitting at the table eating lunch.

"We think that Mally may have been using another's students work to complete her assignments for her chemistry class." The principal of Las Vegas High School informed the concerned mother.

Sara felt her heart skip a beat. She had been right. Her instincts were right on, but she couldn't feel any sorrier that she'd been correct. Usually at work when she had a hunch, she ran with it and was proven right ninety percent of the time, but this time she didn't want it to be true.

"Umm…okay. I've got two young children here with me and my husband's at work, so…"

"You're welcome to bring them with you. This is pretty serious, so we need you here as soon as possible."

"Is Mally there with you?

"No. We're about to call her down, but I thought having the school and parent front both here for support, it may go better."

"I agree. I'll call my husband and see if he can join us." Sara told him, glancing over at the twins. They wouldn't be too happy since she'd promised them they would go to the park after lunch. After saying goodbyes, Sara hung up the phone and immediately dialed Nick's cell phone. He was at a crime scene right now, which Sara knew was hard to know when he'd ever get away. But Sara knew that if a call involved any of his children, he'd drop everything and be there in minutes.

Sara heard the phone ring, but no answer. He was probably at a really vital point in the investigation, and figured whatever Sara was calling about could wait at least a few minutes. Sara left a message on his voice mail, saying that they needed both of them at Mally's school. She didn't go into why just yet, but Sara knew he'd call back and head over right away.

The worried mother quickly got the twins to finish up and explained they were going on a special trip and that they'd get to see inside where Mally went to school. After a little groaning about no park, the twins seemed receptive to the idea of seeing their big sister's school. Sara didn't go into why they'd be there. They both looked up to Mally so much, and she didn't want to ruin that perception. Mally really was a good kid, but she'd just messed up. Really bad. And though Sara wasn't her real mother, she worried about Mally like she was, and right now she was angry with her daughter. But she felt that pang of love and concern that Nick talked about so much before Sara had children. She hadn't understood then, but Mally and the twins had a special place in her heart untouched by any other love she'd ever experienced. The love of a mother for her children.

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Sara introduced herself to the school secretary and explained that she had to bring the twins because of urgent matters. The secretary offered to watch them while Sara was in the office, and she happily accepted. Sara had brought a variety of books and toys with her to keep Bailey and Aidan occupied, and prayed it would work. She gave them both a kiss and then knocked on the principal's door.

"Come on in." The principal said loudly.

When Sara came in, Mally was sitting looking defeated in the chair in front of his desk. Her arms crossed defensively, she stared at the floor in front of her, examining her toe nail polish a little.

TBC…very soon. I was going to post this in one chap, but it's really wrong. Still finishing this scene, but I'll have it up within the next day. 

I hope I fooled ya good….more to come.