Loving Marianna

Chapter Fifty- Three

After what feels like about 5 days I'm finally let out of my cell for the first time and led to a cafeteria with other collared and not collared inmates. I make my way into the line and get a tray picking mostly packaged foods afraid of what the fuck is actually in the mystery meat.

I find a seat at the end of a table in the corner alone and eat relieved to have other people around even if they're not the people I want.

My peace is interrupted by a hand smacking the table rattling everything on it.

"Well if it isn't the slut who put me in this shit hole." I don't bother to look up at whoever is talking to me taking another bite of my food.

"Sorry you've got the wrong person." The woman flips my tray and I shoot up out of my seat recognizing the woman Xavier and I took down who was selling drugs.

"Recognize me now?"

"Doesn't ring a bell hun." I smirk. I mean it's not like she saw my face.

She grabs me by the front of my suit hoisting me into the air, the guards watching entertained.

"When you became an Avenger, you outed yourself little slut. I remembered your powers from that night and when you went public, you fucked yourself." She laughs maniacally.

"You talk too much." I spit in her eyes and she releases me wiping her face yelling. I grab her arm and twist it behind her back until I hear a crack. I feel her friend grab me from the back and throw me into a table. I roll off immediately food sticking to my clothes, drinks seeping all the way into the paper underwear basically dissolving it. I pay no mind as I see the face of the woman who threw me recognizing her. She's one of the first people Xavier and I took down for murder and arson. She has fire abilities and is collared just like me. I pick up one of the metal trays from the floor and whip it like a frisbee at her mouth knocking out several teeth she falls to a knee holding her bleeding mouth. I look between the two women writhing in pain.

"I didn't even need my powers to take both you down at the same time! Pathetic bitches!" I laugh as the guards cuff me bringing me back to my cell. They toss me in releasing me from the cuffs onto the floor with a thud. Well today was fun. I lay in my bed and stare at the ceiling until I manage to get a couple hours of restless sleep, until I'm woken up by guards banging on my door and dragging me out of the cell in cuffs. They don't bring me to the cafeteria this time instead I'm led outside into a prison van.

"Where am I going?" I ask the guard.

"Your trial got pushed up. I wonder why?" She says sarcastically. I try to hold back my smile knowing my mates are doing everything they can to help me. We ride in the van silently until we pull up to the flooded court. I step out of the car as paparazzi shoves their camers in my face flooding me with questions. I curse myself for not demanding to be showered and cleaned up before we left suddenly very conscious of my appearance. I try to hang my head and hide behind my hair trying to black out the screaming paparazzi and reporters.

When we finally make our way through the crowd and inside the building I'm taken into a plain small room and cuffed to the table. Before long a woman in a blue suit walks in.

"Marianna Yanis, I'm Roberta Rhodes I've been the Starks lawyer since Howard and have never lost when it comes to the Starks. So expect that same outcome this time. Tony already filled me in on everything but I would like to hear it from you too."

"Nice to meet you Ms. Rhodes, thank you for helping me." I tell her what happened that night and she listens without judgement and complete understanding. She inhales and exhales deeply.

"Well from the sounds of it they can't charge you with anything. You were a child being abused and your life was in danger, you'll get off on self defense." I breathe and smile for the first time in days. She waves off my smile, "don't get too happy yet, your mother could be facing charges as well for lying and covering up his murder." My brows stitch together and I vigorously shake my head.

"But she was just protecting her child!" My voice raising.

"You don't have to explain it to me honey, I would do anything for my children but the court doesn't care about things like that. All they're going to see is an adult who should've told the truth about a murder instead."

"What can I do to help her?" I ask eyes darting back and forth searching her face for answers.

"The only thing you could do is lie." She frowns until seeing my face then her expression changes to caution.

"Do not do what your face says you're going to do." She warns her voice going low.

"It's my mother." I say voice breaking. She goes to reach for my hand but remembers our places.

"And you've protected her already. As a mother I can tell you she would want you to tell the truth and protect yourself just like you should've done the first time he ever laid his hands on you." I squeeze my eyes tight trying so hard not to cry. I'm sure I already look gross never mind smell.

I feel her move behind me and quickly run a comb through my greasy matted hair.

"Thank you." I breathe out opening my eyes again.

"No problem honey. Let's get you out of here."