A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in a while guys, I've been busy what with the new premiere and what-not :D Here's a new chapter, it's a bit darker than the others. Hope you guys enjoy it!

"What's taking him so damn long?"

Sara and Catherine had been sitting in the front administration building's office for what seemed like eternity. In reality it had only been about twenty minutes, but every minute was painstakingly-long for Sara. The principal seemed to despise her-- the only thing keeping him from giving her detention everyday was the fact that she got the best marks in the entire school, Catherine coming in right behind her. But as far as Sara was concerned, he was a no-good lying dirty--

"Bastard," Sara muttered. She had her legs clutched up to her chest, her arms wrapped around them to assume her regular position of insecurity.

"Shh Sara, he might hear you," Catherine sighed, sitting impatiently beside her in one of the plastic chairs next to his office. "The last thing you need is another strike against you."

"Tch yeah, like that's going to make a difference," Sara rolled her eyes. "He hates my guts, Cath. You know how he is."

"I know, but I might be able to talk some sense into him," Catherine explained. "So just relax, and stop gnawing on your thumb." Sara removed her thumb from her mouth begrudgingly. It was funny, Catherine thought, how she and Sara were a couple. It was a classic opposites-attract story-- Catherine had come from a well-developed high-class (and fairly wealthy from the money her father had left them) home, Sara had come from a poor home in the slums of town. Catherine had money to buy clothes when she needed them; Sara was forced to recycle old clothes that appeared as though they had come from the Salvation Army. One day Catherine had actually spotted her wearing an old sports t-shirt with the name "JACKSON" inscribed on the back that Sara had tried to blot out with a black marker.

Catherine was the good girl with large groups of friends and a seemingly never-ending social circle that was always growing. Sara was the problem girl and had no friends, in fact she had never had a friend at all unless you could call the old torn teddy bear sitting in her bedroom a friend. Catherine was talkative and full of life; Sara was quiet and reserved. Catherine was the light and Sara was the darkness it seemed. But Catherine knew that wasn't true-- Sara just needed some reason to come out of her shell and the second she smiled the entire room lit up.

Catherine never knew much about her father and her mother never talked about him much, but compared to how Sara's parents were, Catherine was glad she just had one parent that was sane. When they had first met and had become good enough friends to where Sara was finally comfortable around her, Catherine had asked her one day why she never wanted to go study at her own house. They had arranged to bring their textbooks and notes and study together twice a week regularly at Catherine's home and three times a week before tests. Her answer had left her confused and slightly concerned:

"My parents... wouldn't like that. They don't like a lot of visitors, it distracts them from their mindless bea--"

And just as Sara caught herself, she changed the subject by asking what time it was.

And so whenever Sara caught herself giving away too much information or found herself in an awkward situation, she always changed the subject by asking what time it was. It was a simple question, she figured, and it was a way to distract not only the person she was talking to but herself from the actual reality of what was going on. Usually, if she was really lucky, she could make up some excuse by saying she had to be somewhere. The first day she had come to school with a new bruise on her face and Catherine had asked what happened, she asked for the time and then said she had to go to class. The next week she came to school with strange cuts on her wrists, Sara explained that she was late for a doctor's appointment to get them checked up and had to go.

By the next month, Catherine knew something was up... or perhaps she always had and just wasn't brave enough to confront Sara about it herself. But eventually Sara ran out of excuses and Catherine learned the truth. Her parents wouldn't send her to the doctor unless it was an emergency trip to the hospital-- minor things she just had to suck up. Then Catherine discovered the mysterious cuts on her arms had been self-inflicted, and after that Sara told her everything she wanted to know and more.

"God he takes forever," Sara grumbled impatiently, snapping Catherine out of her reverie. "Can you believe him? He's probably checking up on Eddie to make sure he's fine and dandy..."

"I wouldn't be surprised," Catherine mused, and she had to work quite hard to try and keep from smiling. "You socked him pretty hard."

"I did, didn't I?" Sara asked, shooting Catherine a grin. "Did you see him? He was crying like a little baby, I hope his friends all saw it!"

"Someone's torn up about it," Catherine giggled. "I'm not condoning what you did, but... damn you've got a strong arm, don't you?"

"Well he threatened you," Sara shrugged, turning to look back down at some interesting insect crawling on the floor in front of her. "He should've known better. He can talk about me, but..."

"Well thank you, I appreciate it," Catherine smiled, and Sara smiled back. "Just from now on, pick your battles. Someone calling me a bitch is not the end of the world." Sara was about to protest, but Catherine changed the subject. "So when we get in there, I'm going to do the talking, is that understood Miss Sidle?"

"Whatever," Sara rolled her eyes.

"I'm serious Sara," Catherine told her. "The last thing we need is you to piss him off more with that mouth of yours. Let me handle this."

"Fine," Sara agreed. That was a first. "I just don't want you to get in trouble for this, Cath... he's going to wonder why you're defending me. He's always watching me like a hawk, you know?" she sighed and shifted in her chair for a more comfortable position. "And you didn't punch him, so don't go trying to act like it was your fault either, okay?"

"Do I look like the sort of gal who likes to get her hands dirty, Sara?" Catherine asked, raising an eyebrow. "Sara, I really don't give a damn whether or not I get in trouble for this. The truth was Eddie was in the wrong and you were provoked. And quite frankly, I'm very flattered that my girlfriend was there to defend my honor despite the consequences." She had to laugh at the smirk Sara shot her way.

"Okay," Sara smiled. "But I still hope you don't get in trouble, because you were a damn fine class president. They may have to "relieve you of your duties" for defending me."

"It's a small price to pay, Sara," Catherine chuckled.

---

"Catherine, are you sure you don't want to go back to class?" Mr. Baker, the school administrator, had finally called Catherine and Sara into his office and had been pushing for Catherine to go back to class, but she refused each time, simply moving her chair closer to Sara's.

"I'm sure," she simply replied. "I was there as a witness, and I feel it would be best for you to hear my side of the story as well."

"Okay," he nodded. He seemed satisfied with that answer. As he turned away to grab some files from behind his desk Catherine swatted Sara with her hand to get her to stop making obscene gestures with a particular finger.

"Sara." He turned his chair back to face the two and held a rather thick file in his hands, presumably Sara's. Sara was surprised she even had a file. "This is the third time I've seen you in my office this month. Do you recall the past two visits?"

Sara had now decided she very much liked the baseball cap Catherine had given her to wear that day, as it effectively hid her face and the death glare she was shooting in Mr. Baker's direction under the brim. She simply replied with "I guess."

With a sigh he set her file down and leaned forward from his desk. "Mind taking that hat off? I can't hear you."

At this Sara instantly shot a look in Catherine's direction and felt a sinking sensation in the pit of her stomach. From the angle she was sitting at if she removed the hat now he would have full view of the huge cut on the side of her head.

"No," Sara told him quickly. He raised an eyebrow and she tried to think of something else to say so he didn't think she was mouthing off. "I... I mean, I... I just..."

"Of course," Catherine interrupted. "She can take it off." Sara shot a look in her direction and Catherine just nodded. Catherine knew what she was thinking, clearly, and from the look she was sending Sara's way she had a plan. "Go ahead Sara."

Reluctantly and as slowly as possible, Sara removed the hat from her head, waiting for Mr. Baker to start asking questions about how she got it, already hearing the sounds of police sirens speeding down the road, the smell of the hospital emergency room filling her senses. But just as she took it off Catherine reached over and pulled down a large amount of brown hair, covering it just enough. "You had something in your hair," she explained and turned back to look at Mr. Baker who simply nodded.

"Thank you," he replied. "Now Sara, where were we? Ah yes, your past two visits..." he started shuffling more papers around. Sara was still shocked and highly impressed at Catherine's brilliant plan (and thus turned on) and could only nod in response. "This past month you've come to see me for harrassing a teacher and a complaint made by a student."

"Which was complete bullsh--" Sara started but Catherine fixed her stumble.

"And now this is her third visit," Catherine told him.

"Yes..." he shot a glance over at Sara. "I have already gone to see Eddie in the nurse's office, and he was still bleeding when I got there. It's highly possible that his nose is broken." Sara threw a hand over her mouth so she wouldn't start laughing. Served him right. "From what he told me, he was simply asking Catherine out to the dance at the end of the year and you punched him."

"That's not true," Sara immediately said. "That little pri--"

"--What Sara's trying to say," Catherine interrupted once more, shooting an annoyed glance at Sara, "Is that there's a lot more to the story than that. Go ahead and tell him, Sara."

Sara was silent for a few moments, perhaps out of stubborness, but she finally spoke. "Catherine and I had just finished lunch, and we were heading off to our afternoon classes. Eddie had tripped me in the hallway earlier this morning, and I was still upset about it. Just as we got into the hallway, he called after Catherine but she didn't hear him. As we were walking away he called her a bitch." Sara shifted uncomfortably in her chair, something she did quite often when she felt out of her element. She didn't like being put on the spot. "I... I guess I just lost my temper and I punched him."

Mr. Baker nodded, pursing his lips. "Is that all?"

"No," Sara shook her head. "After I punched him, he threatened Catherine."

"Both of us," Catherine pointed out.

"The point is, he threatened Catherine's life," Sara told him. "And that was why I got so angry."

Mr. Baker nodded, looking from Sara to Catherine. "Is this true, Catherine?"

Catherine nodded. "Yes Sir, all of it."

Mr. Baker sighed, leaning back in his chair. "Now Sara, I'm not saying I approve of what you did. I wish you would have handled it differently, but I can certainly understand your frustration and your position. I just wish you would've handled it another way."

"I understand Sir," Sara replied.

"Now I'm not going to send you to detention this time," he continued. "...But I think it would be wise for you to speak with the school counselor every week on Tuesdays and Thursdays. She's just down the hall of this building, and she's very good."

"She will," Catherine stated for Sara herself. "Thank you Mr. Baker, we appreciate it." She wasn't going to give Sara room to argue with this-- as much as she knew Sara disliked counseling or anything that had to do with shrinks, it was better than another mark on her record for losing her temper.

"Is that all?" Sara asked through gritted teeth. She knew what he had meant to say about the shrink, and it wasn't just that she was "very good". He meant to say "very good with hopeless cases".

"Just that we had to make a phonecall to your parents," Mr. Baker replied. "Your father is on his way down to the office as we speak. He should be here any--" Just as he was about to continue the door to his office opened and John Sidle walked through the doorway, looking about as clean and professional as anyone would ever see him wearing a freshly-pressed tie and slacks and a clean shirt he wore when he was working at the bank. "Ah, Mr. Sidle! Thank you for coming down on such short notice. Please, have a seat."

"Thank you." Catherine moved closer to Sara so that they were closer to the far corner of the office rather than the front. Sara hadn't said a word since he had arrived, but her eyes said a million. She had subconsciously reached for Catherine's hand and was clutching it with her own that was shaking.

Catherine didn't know what it was, but John Sidle certainly had an intimidating quality about him. He was currently clean-shaven and freshly-showered. He was tall, about 6'4", and had a masculine build except for the bulge in his stomach due to his chronic alcoholism. His voice was harsh and musky, and his teeth left much to be desired with one missing and one substituted with a gold implant.

Catherine could clearly see why Sara was so terrified of him. And if Sara was terrified, Catherine was terrified.

After Mr. Baker had finished explaining everything to Sara's father, he nodded his understanding and shot him a small smile-- fake, Sara noted-- and thanked him for taking the time to call him down to the office. "I do appreciate you keeping an eye on her," he chuckled heartily as he reached out and shook Mr. Baker's hand with his powerful vice-like grip. "She can be a little trouble-maker, you know. Ever since she was a little kid she's always been gettin' into trouble!"

"She's a fantastic student Mr. Sidle, you should be proud," Mr. Baker replied.

"Well thanks again, and I'll certainly talk to her about it," John told him. Turning around, he looked over at Sara who was cowering in the furthest darkest corner of Mr. Baker's office, wishing she could just disappear and never be found. "Come on Sara, let's get you home. Your mother was worried sick that you had gotten hurt!"

The grip Sara had on Catherine's hand tightened considerably. "I... I still have classes."

"But you're such a good student, that shouldn't be a problem," he smiled, holding his hand out to her. When she didn't move he waved her over. "Come on now Sara, don't make me wait. The car's out front."

And Sara's heart dropped into her gut and incinerated into a molten pile of black goo. Helpless, defeated, powerless goo. Getting to her feet she threw one more glance at Catherine before taking her father's hand hesitantly, her own body still shaking.

"Goodbye Mr. Sidle!" Mr. Baker called out as they left. "Goodbye Sara! See you tomorrow!" Sitting back down at his desk, he sighed. "Now Catherine, you should be getting back to class by now--"

But she was already gone.

---

Once they were out of earshot John had released his hold on Sara's hand, instead gripping her arm and yanking her struggling and pulling form to the alley behind the school where he actually had the car parked. He hadn't said a word since they left Mr. Baker's office and was barely batting an eyelash at Sara's pitiful attempts at escape.

Once they were in the back alley with a smooth, quick violent gesture he had shoved Sara into the middle of the gravel. "What the hell have you done wrong now you ungrateful little bitch?"

"Daddy, I, I'm sorry, I--" Sara was shaking more than ever now, barely able to breathe let alone form a coherent sentence as she stumbled to get back on her feet. "I didn't mean to--"

He silenced her with a strong blow from the back of his hand to her cheek. "Now don't you lie to me Sara! You know what happens when people lie."

"Daddy, please," Sara pleaded, close to tears. He was advancing on her like a tiger about to make its kill. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you upse--"

He never gave her the chance to talk and instead lashed out at her with his car keys that he had been clutching in his hand. The tip struck Sara across the face and her left cheek was dripping blood in an instant. As she let out a cry of pain he shoved her against the chain-link fence and she instantly grew silent, occasionally letting out small whimpers of pain. "Do you know how much I've sacrificed for you and your whore of a mother?" he hissed into her ear. His putrid breath reeked of his usual whiskey and Marlboro cocktail and she grimaced. "I've given up everything just so you can have a bed to sleep in at night!"

"Daddy please--" Sara sobbed but he simply squished her face up against the fence again and she grew silent.

"If it were up to me you would be out on the streets whoring yourself out just to be able to eat everyday so I never had to see your face again," he growled. "But your bitch of a mother won't let me. Some day you're going to be just like she was though, a slut, a nothing, a--"

"You're wrong!" Sara finally choked out. "You're wrong! I'm not a slut! Mom was not a--"

He shoved her into the fencing again and she let out another whimper, instantly growing silent. "What was that?" he hissed. "Because as far as I'm concerned that's all you are. A good-for-nothing ungrateful little slut!"

"Daddy, stop!" Sara's voice had been reduced to a mere whisper from the weight of her tears. Just as she felt his hands run over her chest another voice was heard.

"Sara!"

John immediately released his death grip on his daughter and Sara wisely moved away from the fence, grateful for the distraction but now filled with a new wave of worry. "Cath, y-you need to get back to class!" she sputtered.

Catherine quickly walked over to Sara, meeting her halfway and placing a hand on her cheek, wiping blood away with her fingertips. "Oh my god, Sara," she whispered so that her father would not hear.

"Go," Sara practically begged her, "Please, just go. He's going to--"

"Sara, honey," John spoke up, now sitting in the driver's seat of the car. "Come on, let's go home. Say goodbye to your little friend!"

Sara had no choice and walked doomfully around to the passenger's seat.

"Wait!" Catherine shouted, running after her. "Sara, wait a minute! Mr. Sidle--" The car sped off and Catherine had to jump out of the way to avoid behind hit.

All that was left was a cloud of dust.

TBC