Disclaimer: I own… what's the word? Oh yeah, NOTHING.

A/n: Just a note, I wrote the majority of this chapter with a headache and feeling generally ill, so let me know if something doesn't make sense. I want to give a massive thank you to Chelles, who gives the best reviews, they really mean a lot, and to Aussie who will hopefully catch any really bad typos before anyone else reads them. You guys are great.

Chapter 9

Sara hurried through the streets, excited about something for the first time in a while. First she'd check the phone book, and if that didn't work maybe she could get in touch with Angela's parents and find out where she might be living. She didn't know what she would say, she hadn't seen her in so long, but it would be good to connect with a happy part of her childhood, even if it had merged in the end with the worst of her childhood. Angela would be able to give her the impressions that she had of that night. Sara knew that her own memories of that night were hazy and filled with pain and she hoped that with Angela's help, she'd get a clearer perception of the past, and she'd find it easier to face what the future held. Plus, she'd just really like to see her old friend. The last time she had seen her, Sara hadn't been aware it would be the last time.

Sara looked up as the door opened. Angela edged her way in, balancing the food tray as she pushed the door shut. "Hey, I'm glad you're awake. Mom thought you should eat something." She walked over to the bed and sat the tray down. "C'mon, you have to eat." She urged.

Sara blinked, staring at the food. "I don't know if I can." She muttered as she turned her head away.

Angela stared at her, her heart heavy for her friend. She dropped her head and watched her fingers trace the pattern in the bedspread. "Mama says that they want you to go visit your mom soon. She's worried that they might make you do something you don't want to do." She changed position on the bed, crossing her legs and bringing them up to wrap her arms around them, propping her chin on her knees. "I told her that you wouldn't let that happen. Sara, you're one of the strongest people I know. You've lived through so much, and you have such a strong sense of who you are. I know that no matter where your life leads, you're going to come out on top. Don't let this break you. Eat, keep your strength up.

Sara was silent for a moment then looked up. "You sound so sure. How can I be strong, I don't even know what's going to happen now. It's been two weeks, and I still keep thinking that all I have to do is go home, and daddy will be there, waiting to take me fishing, or help me with my homework. But he's not, and the kids at school just stare at me like I'm a freak. Julie actually said, where I could overhear her, that I should be happy because now I wouldn't have to do any work because the teachers would all give me A's no matter what I did." As she talked she sat up and began stirring the soup on the tray. "Yeah, like that makes my mom killing my dad worth it. And you know what? I always got A's anyway, so where does she get off saying something like that?" She lifted the spoon to her month and swallowed the warm tomato soup.

Angela snorted. "You know better than to listen to her. She couldn't make an A if she was given the answers to the test the day before." That surprised a laugh out of Sara. " You know, if you told her we were going to have an oral exam, she'd brag about how easy it would be since she'd practiced so much with her boyfriend."

Sara giggled. "Now you know that's not true." She admonished trying to keep a straight face, but failing. "Even he says she's no good at oral."

Angela laughed. "Well, at least she's good for one thing. It's good to see you smile again." She looked down at the tray. "And look, you finished your dinner."

Sara looked down surprised. Indeed, the soup was gone as well as the grilled cheese sandwich that had accompanied it. "Well, I guess I was kind of hungry." She smiled. "Thanks. And tell your mom thanks for me." Sara sat back against the pillows. "So, tell me. What are people saying?"

Angela cleared her throat. "Well, people don't say much around me. They know…" She was interrupted by a knock at the door. Angela's mom poked her head in.

"Sara dear, you have a phone call." Sara frowned, but got up and walked through the door. She picked up the phone on the hallway table and asked. "Hello?"

"Ms. Sara Sidle?" Asked a nasally voice. After Sara had affirmed that she was indeed Sara Sidle the voice continued. "My name is Jerold Joiner and I'm your mother's lawyer. We'd like you to come down tomorrow and give your deposition."

Sara's heart began to pound. She didn't think she was ready to talk about that day, but she cleared her throat and remembering Angela's words about her being strong, asked. "What time, and where?"

Mr. Joiner told her when and where and after instructing her to get the facts straight in her head, rang off. Sara put the phone down slowly and turned and headed back down the hall. When she entered the bedroom Angela immediately got up and on seeing the look on her face, asked. "What's wrong?"

Sara told her what the lawyer had said and when she was done, Angela gave her a hug. "So, do you want to go over that night with me?

Sara shook her head. "I don't even want to think about it right now. I want to do something fun, something that'll help me keep it off my mind."

Angela frowned, not sure that was the way to go, but she didn't want Sara to be upset, so she shrugged. They had spent the night watching TV and playing games, and had fallen asleep in the early morning hours.

Hours later Sara was sitting in the lawyer's office, going over what happened the night her father died and when she was done there, she had to do it all over again for the prosecution. No one asked about what had happened in the house before. She didn't get the chance to tell of the times her mom had hit her dad. By the end of the day she was feeling frustrated and ready to go back to Angela's and that was when the bomb had been dropped. She wasn't going back there. They were sending her to some home for girls until she could be placed in a foster home. She'd begged to be taken back, to at least say goodbye, but they hadn't even listened to her. Her clothes were brought to her, and she hadn't seen Angela again until the day of the trial. She hadn't been able to hear the testimony, but from what she saw it didn't go well. She was sitting in the hall when Angela had come out of the courtroom, her face wreathed in tears. They had tried to talk, but before they could, Angela had been whisked away, and in the ensuing months, Sara and barely had time to remember those days with her friend.

Sara had called around and done as much research as she could do, and all she had been able to find out was that Angela and her parents had moved away from Tamales Bay years before. Not willing to give up, Sara dug around in the newspaper morgue and finally came upon the obituary for Angela's father. He had died five years earlier, and it mentioned that he was survived by his wife, and a daughter who lived in Las Vegas Nevada. Sara sat stunned. After all these years, the friend she'd been forced to leave had been in the town she had made her home for the last few years. They could have shopped at the same stores, or used the same gym.

Feeling energized, Sara made her way back to her hotel room, and immediately called Grissom on reaching it. She tapped her foot as she waited for the phone to be picked up.

"Grissom." Came his weary voice over the line. Immediately Sara put off her immediate request and tuned into his tone.

"Hey, what's wrong, and don't say nothing. I haven't heard you sound like this since before your sabbatical."

Sara heard some paper rustling and then Grissom cleared his throat. "It's just this case. Not only is it a horrendous case, but there is a history with one of the suspects, and it… it's getting kind of hairy. But, hearing your voice helps all that fade away. So, what have you been doing?"

"Well, today I went down to the pier, and I was remembering when we were there a couple of years ago." Sara smiled.

"Oh yeah, that WAS a good trip. Didn't we spend most of it in the hotel room?" She heard Grissom shift in the chair.

"Well yeah, but I didn't miss seeing any of the sights, after all, I had the best sight in front of me, and I could do ANYTHING I wanted to with it." Sara made herself comfortable on the bed.

Grissom was silent for a moment, then. "Well, it couldn't have rivaled the view from my perspective. I especially like that little lady bug that lives just above your navel."

Sara laughed. "Well, personally I found counting your freckles the best entertainment I'd had in a long time."

"What? I don't have any freckles." Grissom chuckled.

"Well, yeah you do. They're just not where you can see them, and you were asleep when I counted them, though you did wake up pretty quick once I started kissing each one." Sara remembered with a smile.

"Ah yeah well, I didn't know you were kissing freckles. You should let a man know these things." He laughed, and Sara was glad to hear him sounding much more relaxed.

"So, there was another reason I called, other than to plant x-rated thoughts in your head." Sara crossed her legs. "Do you remember that waitress we met at that restaurant? The one that knew me from school?"

"Yeah, the one you didn't like." Grissom answered.

"Well, when I was thinking about that, I remembered a real friend that was there when my father was killed, and she was really there for me afterwards, until the state dumped me into a series of homes that is. Well, I was thinking that she might be able to give me a different perspective of that night, since she was there. Well, I found out that she's actually living in Las Vegas, and I was wondering if you could look her up for me, and give her my number here. I know she probably won't be able to drop everything and come out here to see me, but maybe I can at least talk to her over the phone." Sara finished and sighed. "What do you think?"

"Honey I'm glad to do whatever I can do to help. Just give me her name, and I'll look her up." Sara heard paper rustling again, and could imagine him flipping through a notepad for a clean page. "Okay, give me her name."

"When I knew her, her name was Angela Oliver, but she may have married since then. Hopefully she'll be easy enough to find though." Sara smiled and waited for him to say something, but he remained silent. "Gil? Did you hear me?" Still no answer. "Gil?"

Finally he answered. "Angela Oliver? Are you sure that's her name?"

"Of course, unless she's married now. But that was her name then." Sara answered, puzzled.

"What about her parents? Did you ask them?" Grissom asked, sounding stilted.

"Her father died a few years ago, and I don't know where her mother is. For all I know she could be dead too. I actually learned she was in Las Vegas through her dad's obit." Sara crossed her arms concerned. "Gil, is something wrong?"

"No, I may have just gotten some important information on my case. Can I call you back later?" Grissom asked, distracted.

"Sure, work comes first. I'll talk to you later."

"Definitely, love you."

"Love you too, bye." He said a quick bye and hung up. "Well, that was weird." Sara muttered.

She put the receiver down and flipped on the TV, smiling when she found a Ghost Hunters marathon on SciFi. What better way to forget your troubles for a while then by watching a crack team of investigators debunk paranormal happenings, and she especially loved it when Jason had to admit something was haunted. It was like getting Gil to agree that someone was guilty. The evidence had to be damn good.

TBC...