How do you heal?

Chapter 78: Over My Dead Body

April had stepped away from the memorial under the guise of needing to use the restroom when in reality she had just needed a few minutes to compose herself. Now as she stepped out of the bathroom and adjusted her dress she walked towards the doors of the building to look out toward the reflecting pond. Just another minute and I'll go back in.

"Hey, April, are you okay?" Alex asked from down the hall and April looked to her as she came to a stop near the door.

"Yes, sweetie. I just needed a minute." As Alex came toward her April looked out the window and she froze before fury raged through her body.

"I understand, I think Ann-"

Alex started but April cut her off and pushed the door open. "Alex, sweetie, I need you to go get Tony, quickly please."

"What's wrong?" Alex asked, jogging up to stand behind April.

"Cherry Harris is here and I'm going to need bail money." She bolted down the few stairs and ran across the parking lot faster than she would have thought possible in her sensible black pumps but when she saw Cherry hit Annie it was like she was possessed.

As Cherry raised her hand to swing again April barreled into her, knocking her into the pool.

"Don't you ever put your hands on her again you bitch!" April hissed down at the demon sputtering in the water.

Cherry rose and stepped from the pool, water pouring from her and pure hatred behind her eyes as she closed in on April. "She's my daughter and I have every right to smack the disrespect from her."

"Mom." Annie cried and tried to step forward towards April but Bucky beat her to it and tried to put himself between the two women.

April threw a hand over the arm he'd wrapped around her, pulling her back, a finger pointing at Cherry's chest. "She is not your daughter, she is MINE! I am the one who raised her, I am the one who rocked her to sleep when she was having nightmares and sat up with her when she was sick. I was there for her graduation from high school and college and on her goddamn wedding day. I am the one whose heart broke when I found out she had mutilated herself so badly she had to cover a third of her body in tattoos to hide the damage because of what YOU DID! You beat her, and tormented her and made her think she was worthless." Bucky's head snapped to Annie, standing by the swing with hollow eyes, as April continued. "Listen closely Cherry because I am only going to warn you once. My babies are raised and happy and safe and my husband is dead. So if I ever see you again, or hear you came anywhere, ANYWHERE, near MY daughter or any of my family, ever again I will be happy to spend the rest of my life in prison knowing I put you in the ground."

Alex wanted her shot at Cherry but she was in help mode and April had asked her to get Tony so she ran back to the conference room and slipped in. She spotted Pietro first and grabbed him. "Have you seen Tony?"

"He's grabbing a drink, what's going on?" He said with concern.

"Cherry is here and Annie-"

"Oh shit!" He cut her off and they both moved swiftly to find Tony.

The trio walked out the door and crossed the lot to see April being held back by Barnes, yelling and pointing a finger at a dripping wet Cherry, Annie a few steps back shaking. When they were halfway there Annie spotted them and moved, throwing herself into Pietro's arms.

Tony pointed to Alex but kept walking. "Get her out of here, Alex."

Alex stalked up beside him. "Oh no. I'm getting my hands on her."

"Lex, please." Annie's voice came out in a croak at the same time Tony spoke.

"I have good lawyers, Alexandra, but not good enough to get you off for murder."

Alex's eyes flared as she looked between her best friend and the woman who had fucked her entire brain up. "God dammit." She said fishing in her pocket for keys and stomping back toward Annie and Pietro and she could see a small crowd gathering in front of the door, likely having followed after seeing her, Tony and Pietro run down the hall.

Tony marched up to those left standing around the pool and put a hand on April's back. "Oh, Cherry. Did I not make it clear last time we spoke what would happen if you came near this family again?"

Cherry's smile was one of pure contempt. "You're a big public hero now, Stark. You lay a finger on me, or don't give me what I want and I will expose you as the villain you are. Tricking a down on her luck mother into giving up her only child and then threatening her to stay away for decades. The public will eat it up." She nodded back to the entrance of the building where he turned to see most of the Avengers trying to herd onlookers back into the building while Nat and Wanda came toward them.

Tony turned back, a wicked grin on his face. "Surprisingly, Cherry, you aren't entirely wrong. You just didn't think about the fact I'm not the only one willing to get their hands dirty for Annie nowadays."

"What's going on?" Nat asked as she and Wanda came up beside him.

Tony's glare made Cherry's blood run cold. "I'll explain everything later. For now, Maximoff, how are your memory altering skills?"