I Do Not Own CSI

"I can't believe the trial is two days before Thanksgiving," Sara said as Gil helped her on with her coat.

"You don't have to be there Sara, we can stay home."

"No Gil, I have to be there, I have to. Not only did that woman hurt James and me, but she hurt your mom, too. I can't sit here and twiddle my thumbs. I need to know that Laura is going to pay for all the trouble she has caused," Sara said as she placed her hands on Gil's chest, tears springing into her eyes.

"Calm down Sara, you have to stay calm," he said, looking her in the eyes.

"I know, sorry."

"It's ok. Let's make a deal, ok?"

"A deal?"

"Yeah, if it starts to get too much in there I want you to tell me, and we'll leave. And if I think it's starting to get too much for you in there, I'm going to pull us out."

"What's the other half of this deal?"

"How about a long soak in the tub, together? I'll wash your back."

"Deal," Sara said easily.

"Since I can't have baths without you being in the house a bath together sounds great."

"Good, now let's go. We still have to pick up Mom."

"You guys didn't have to come," Sara said as Nick, Catherine, Warrick, Greg and Jim all came to sit with James, Jeremy, Marie, Gil and her.

"We thought you might want some extra support," Greg whispered as the judge came into the room.

"Thank You."

"All rise for the Honourable Judge Baker," the bailiff announced. As the audience and lawyers stood, Laura was brought in. She was wearing an orange jumpsuit and handcuffs and had a police officer at her side. She was lead to the seat beside her lawyer.

"Be seated."

"We're here today to try Laura Sidle for the following charges; two counts of assault causing bodily harm and three counts of Breaking and Entering. Two of which were in Las Vegas. How does the defendant plead?"

"Not guilty, Your Honour. At the time, Your Honour, Laura Sidle was under duress. She had just come into contact with the son and daughter she hadn't seen in years. It was temporary insanity, Your Honour," her lawyer said.

"I hope you have a doctor to back that up."

"We do, Your Honour."

"Oh god, she's going to get away with it," Sara mumbled.

"Let's get through the trial, Sara," Gil whispered, squeezing her hand.

"Dr. Kerr, can you verify that the defendant, Laura Sidle, was under duress at the time the crimes were committed?"

"I can. After my examination, I can state that she was in a rage. She felt betrayed by her children, and in that moment of rage she committed robbery and assault, even fled from the police."

"No more questions, Your Honour."

The judge turned the D.A.,

"Your witness."

"Thank you, Your Honour. Dr. Kerr, is Laura Sidle able to tell the difference between right and wrong?"

"Yes."

"And at the time of the crimes were committed, did she know the difference between right and wrong? Let me remind you that you're under oath."

"She did."

"So, when she BROKE into her son home and then her daughter's, stealing thousands of dollars worth of items plus money, she knew that was wrong."

"Yes."

"And when she came up behind Marie Grissom, a deaf woman I might add, and hit her over the head with a glass vase, giving her a sever concussion, she knew that was wrong, rage or no rage."

"Yes."

"So, what you're saying, even though Laura Sidle was in a rage, she still knew right from wrong?"

"Yes."

"Thank you, I have no more questions." the D.A. said as the doctor stepped down.

"He was supposed to get these charges dropped," Laura said through clenched teeth.

"He was, but he can't lie under oath, Laura, I told you to take the deal," her lawyer said, shaking his head.

"It's time for closing statements, you're first Mr. Becker," the judge said to the defense attorney.

"Thank you, Your Honour. Today we are here to decide the fate of Laura Sidle; a woman who was battered and abused for years by a drunken husband. She's a woman who killed the man to protect her children, the same children who have turned her away.

Yes, in a moment of rage, she did some things that she regrets, but should a woman who has been suffering from battered woman's syndrome be punished even further by sending her to jail," the lawyer said, leaving his speech at that as he sat down.

"Ladies and gentleman of the jury, Laura Sidle may suffer from battered wife's syndrome, although that has not been proven. She is also a woman who abused her own kids as well. Her abuse on them was emotional and mental, causing them years of turmoil.

"Never in the twenty years since she murdered their father has Laura ever tried to contact her children. It was a fluke that they met here at all, running into one another on a night out on the town. After that a plan went into action for Laura. She planned out both robberies, and let me remind you this is not the first robbery that she has committed. Laura is well versed on how to commit robbery.

"As for the assault, Marie Grissom was just collateral damage, an unexpected occurrence. The defendant did not try to just get out of the house she was robbing, she picked up that glass vase and deliberately hit Mrs. Grissom over the head. She could have killed her.

"If you set Laura Sidle free, you're setting free a dangerous person. Think about that when you're deliberating. Your house could be next, or even you yourself could be next person assaulted," the D.A. concluded, sitting down.

"What do you think? I think that went really well," James said as they all sat outside the courtroom.

"It sounded good, but the jury will think about what the defense attorney said; she may have battered wife's syndrome. That's a big thing not to look at," Sara said.

"Let's not think about it. Let's just wait until the jury comes back," Gil said.

"He's right. Let's talk about something else, like Thanksgiving," Nick piped up.

"Yeah, we're all still coming over to your house, right Griss," Warrick asked.

"Yep"

"And I'm cooking, so expect a feast; turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, the works!"

"Oh Marie, you're making me hungry, " Sara said.

"Me, too," Greg said, making the group laugh.

"Is there anything we should bring," Catherine asked.

"Nope, I've got it covered. Anything I need Gil has volunteered to help out with, Sara too."

"So, we can just come over, eat and go," Nick chuckled out.

"Not so fast. Since we are letting you crash our house and feeding you, you guys get the dishes," Gil said.

"I knew there was a catch," Warrick said as the bailiff came out.

"Jury's in."

"That was quick. Is that a good thing or a bad thing," James asked.

"Could be either or." Jim said as he held the door open for everyone to go back in.

"Has the jury reached a verdict?"

"We have, Your Honour."

"What say you?"

"We, the jury, find Laura Sidle guilty on the count of assault," the foreman said as the large group in the crowd let out s bit of a breath they were holding.

"And on the two accounts of Breaking and Entering?"

"We, the jury, find the defendant guilty on both counts."

"Oh, thank god," Sara said as she released the final breath she was holding as Gil kissed the side of her head.

"You bastard! You were supposed to get me out of this mess," Laura shouted at her lawyer.

"Laura, I told you to take the deal," he said as Laura looked into the crowd and found her two children who were hugging.

"And you two! I gave birth to you! The least you could have done for me was let me take the stuff I wanted. You two are both ungrateful; my daughter and her sugar daddy and my fag son, disgusting," she yelled as the guard finally pulled her behind closed doors which only mumbled her yelling.

"Wow!"

"And that's our mother," Sara said, shaking her head, looking at the people in front of her.

"Don't give us those looks. We grew up seeing those looks and we don't want them," Sara said with a slight smile.

"Come on, let's go home. I'm hungry," Sara said as Gil took her hand and led Sara out of the building, her head held high.

TBC

Ans that will probably be the last time we'll see Laura, i haven't made up my mind yet, lol

thanks for all the reviews

katie