Chapter 4

San Francisco: 6 years ago

"Sam, listen to me. Sara will not want to be a part of this."

"Daniel! I said she will be if she wants to or not."

"Sam, why do you have to be so difficult? You know Sara and I aren't on good terms, especially after the stunt I pulled on her."

"That's why! She knows that she's better off being away from that crazy Sidle woman. Unlike you! I can trust our baby girl with her if something happens to us."

"She's still my mother, Sam."

"How can you say that after all those horrible things she did to you and your sister?" Sam looked at her husband in frustration.

"Daniel we still need to fill out this will. And I'm not changing my mind. Your sister is the only person we know that can take care of Maddy. My mother was diagnosed with cancer. My father can't take care of our girl on his own. Our options are limited."

"Sam, Sara doesn't even now she exists."

"Well, who's fault it that? Sara even blamed me thinking I was part of it! Daniel, I just don't know what you were thinking to try and trick your sister into visiting that woman—Laura, your…mother. Uhhh!!! Daniel, so help me God, if you don't sign the paper and agree for Sara to be Maddy's guardian, you going to wish you had."

Sam tossed the paper and left the den. Daniel just looked at his wife's retreating back, stunned into silence.

Present: Crime Lab

"How did it happen?" Sara asked.

"Miss Sidle, I think would be best if we moved this conversation in a more secluded area," said the agent.

So this is the woman that ruined my life. What did Dad see in her that he had the cheat on Mom? Madison,in the mist of her thoughts was interrupted by agent Janet, telling her to stay in the lobby while she discussed something with Sara.

"Why?"Madison asked, thinking she deserved an explanation. What she was screaming inside was I want to know what this woman has to say and why they brought me here to her.

"Madison, could you please stay here with Catherine?" Janet asked.

"Fine," the girl mumbled.

Sara looked past the FBI agent to the young girl standing in her shadow. Madison?! Why is she here?—unless something happened to Sam as well. Shit! This can't be good.

"Miss Sidle, I'm sorry to inform you of this but Daniel and Sam are both dead. They were both on assignment when their car exploded. Madison doesn't know anything other than the fact that they were in a car accident. We have been investigating the event, and some of the evidence leads us to believe that who ever planted the bomb in the car also expected Madison to be in it as well." As Sara was absorbing what the agent was saying, she couldn't believe it was murder. I can't believe they're dead…What?! Wait! Did she just say Madison was supposed to have died in the car bomb as well?

"Wait! Repeat that. What do mean the car bomber expected Madison in that car? I thought they were on assignment?"

"They were, but who ever it was didn't know that. We're still the process of going over the evidence. That's why we had to bring Madison to someone who could watch her carefully and protect her. You'll have a protection detail assigned to both you and Madison. We don't want to take any chances on a second accident happening."

Sara was shocked to find out she would be taking care of her niece—a niece that she had never even met. All she had was a single photo of Madison from six years ago, that Sam sent her. Sara wasn't sure if she would be able to take care of another human being since she could barely take care of her self.

"Miss Sidle?" The agent was trying to get Sara to sign some paperwork, but the brunette seemed lost in thought.

"Oh, I'm sorry you were saying," Sara said as she stared at the agent blankly.

"I need you to sign here agreeing to the guardianship of Madison Mead," the agent said as she indicated to a spot on the paper in front of Sara.

"I was wondering why I was chosen to be her guardian. Why not Sam's parents? Was it because of my job?"

"No, Daniel and Samantha had actually indicated in their will that they wanted you to raise Madison should anything ever happen to them."

Why on earth would they want me to be the guardian of their child? I don't know anything about kids. I don't even really know the girl besides her name and age. Uhh! This day really sucks!

Sara knew there had to be a reason why she was picked over Sam's parents. And the System wasn't good considering her experience. An hour later, Sara and the agent had worked out the security measures that needed to be implemented. The papers had been signed making Sara Madison's legal guardian and it had been decided that Madison was to know nothing about being in danger.

The kid had enough on her mind as it was with leaving everyone and everything she knew behind. Boy, I'm in trouble. I have no idea how to deal with a kid let alone a pre-teen. Maybe I can ask Cath for help?

Waiting in the hall, Madison was still in shock over what she just overheard. How could they lie to me? How could my parents want me to be with her? Okay, something doesn't make sense here.

Madison was so focused on her thoughts that she didn't even notice the door open. When she looked up, she locked eyes with Sara—the woman who would be her guardian for the next six years.