Author's Note: I like this one chapter. It's a little vulgar, but I like it anyway. This ties up a loose end that some of you were wondering about :)

Chapter 38 – Never Again

When Sara walked downstairs to the living room, she kissed Charlotte on the head and sat down. She was exhausted and returned Mrs. Montez' smile with almost no suspicion as to why she was being so nice. Sara wasn't sure if she should talk to her about it or not. She sat there awhile, thinking about it, and decided against it.

While Mrs. Montez was making dinner that night, Sara sat down with her at her request. She had never really had an in depth conversation with her, but who's to say it wasn't too late to start? However, Sara had no idea how to start the conversation. She was thankful that Mrs. Montez did.

"So how is your new job, dear?"

"Umm, it's good. There are lots of nice people there and it's a lot of fun."

"Oh, well that's good. What is it you do again? I've completely forgotten."

'More like you were never interested,' Sara thought. "I work the night shift at the Las Vegas Crime Lab. I collect evidence to put criminals away."

"Oh, you work the night shift." This seemed to surprise her.

"Yeah. I work from 11 until 6. Without overtime. But there's plenty of that to go around."

Mrs. Montez gasped. "What absurd hours to be working. Especially with a young child. When on earth do you sleep?"

"Umm, when Charlotte is at school I get all the sleep I need."

"Oh, nonsense. No-one can go on that little sleep. Aren't you tired?"

Sara shrugged. "Sometimes. But I can manage."

Mrs. Montez clicked her tongue. "Nonsense. You should be getting more sleep."

"I'm fine…really." Sara had no idea why they were talking about sleeping. Mrs. Montez had never been concerned with Sara's wellbeing…why start now?

"Oh, no, dear…you should get a nanny."

Sara was taken aback. A nanny? Why a nanny? "What…I don't need a nanny."

"Oh, well you should get one. You could sleep more and Charlotte will be well taken care of."

Sara didn't know what way to take that. Was she implying she wasn't taking good care of Charlotte or was she just saying nannies were good? "Charlotte is well taken care of," Sara said a little more defensively then she intended.

"Well, a nanny would make sure of that." She said it kindly but Sara still felt like she was insulting her.

"Charlotte does not need a nanny," Sara said, her temper starting to get the best of her. "She is just fine."

Mrs. Montez looked at her from across the room. Her face looked more like the Mrs. Montez she was used to. "Well, Charlotte needs to have someone that is there for her all the time and-"

"I am there for her all the time," Sara interrupted. "I need to work to provide-"

"You don't need to work." Mrs. Montez turned around and crossed her arms.

Sara was confused. What the hell was she talking about? "What? Of coarse I have to work."

"No, you don't. If I'm not mistaken, you were left a considerable fortune." She looked down her nose at Sara and Sara's mouth dropped. That 5 million dollars Alex had left her was what was annoying this woman so much.

"What…How…What does that have to do with this?" Sara nearly screamed, standing up from her chair.

"You don't need to work! You have money! You don't need to deprive your daughter of love!" Mrs. Montez was raising her voice now. She has surpassed the Mrs. Montez Sara knew and had completely swung the other way. Sara had never seen her this angry, no matter how cold she had been before.

"My daughter is not deprived of love. She is loved." Sara was shaking with rage. How dare she say such a thing?

"You are spending time away from her. You don't love her. You don't love her enough to spend every minute with her." Mrs. Montez stepped closer with each accusation. "She would be better off with someone she doesn't even know!" Her fists clenched at her sides, her grey curls bouncing as she spat with rage.

"No…no she wouldn't. She is loved." Sara didn't even know what to say. Mrs. Montez continued with her accusations, sending Sara close to tears, refraining from punching the woman.

"You don't love her. You have endangered the child's well being. You don't love her because you have forgotten her, just like you have forgotten Alex. You don't love either of them ANYMORE!"She screamed the last word with such force Sara stepped back, into the table. She didn't know what to say to this crazed woman.

"She loves me more then you. You don't deserve that child and she should be taken away from you!"

Sara's mouth was hanging open, tears streaming down her face. Mrs. Montez was about 2 feet from her, spitting her words of disgust and hate. She stood there and then it hit her. Realization washed over her with such force she nearly had to step back again.

"You…that's why…" she whispered. Mrs. Montez' eyes were flashing, not listening to Sara. "You…you…" Sara couldn't even get it out. The anger had risen past the point of speech and she just stood there, going red in the face from rage.

"YOU BITCH!" Sara yelled. It was like a cork had popped and she had just screamed at her. She hadn't intended for it to come out like that but now that it had, it felt good. Mrs. Montez stepped back, surprised.

"What did you just call me?" she asked after a moment.

"You…are such…a…how could you do this?! This is exactly what you brought me here for! You want Charlotte! You want my daughter!" Sara turned on her heel and went into the living room. Charlotte was cowering on the couch with Chester in her arms. She had heard the entire thing and silent tears were now streaming down her face. Sara went to her and took her hand, leading her up the stairs.

When they got into Alex's room Sara sat Charlotte on the bed. She pulled her suitcase out from the closet and threw what wasn't in it back in. She did the same with Charlotte's and put them both on the bed beside the still crying girl. When she had finished she looked at the floor and took a breath before looking at her daughter.

"We are leaving," she said as gently as she could.

Charlotte let out a little sob. "Why were you yelling at Nanny?" she whispered.

Sara closed her eyes and took a breath. "I'm really sorry, pumpkin. Nanny…nanny…" she didn't know how to explain this. In the corner of her eye she caught some movement and looked at the door. Mrs. Montez was standing there.

"Nanny what?" she asked with a look of disgust. Sara seriously wondered if this woman was sane.

"Nanny betrayed us," Sara said to her rather then Charlotte. Sara grabbed both suitcases and hobbled out of the room. She brushed roughly past her crazed mother-in-law, Charlotte following in her footsteps. Charlotte followed her and Sara ripped open the door. After getting everything into their rental car, Sara looked back at the house. Mrs. Montez was standing outside, watching them with a scowl on her face. Charlotte was standing with her, still crying.

Mrs. Montez bent down to Charlotte's level. "It's ok, sweetie. You don't have to listen to mommy being angry…you can stay here as long as you want." Sara felt all the anger rise even more as she walked as fast as she could to her daughter.

"Don't touch her," she said quietly, her voice dripping with rage. She took Charlotte's hand from hers and led her to the car. Sara buckled her seatbelt in the back then got into the driver's seat. She ripped out of the driveway without looking back at the house, heading to the nearest hotel she could find. Charlotte was quietly crying in the backseat.

"I never want you to talk to her again," Sara said a little more harsh then she intended. "Never again."