I know some people have been worried the jail thing is going to take up half the story, like Amber's recovery from the rape. Not the case, I promise! Just ask Mama Kaye! Please review!
Yet again, fictional characters in a fictional universe have made me cry. And I'm the God of said universe. Oh well, I love'em!
Arraignment: 20 hours after arrest
The four Demons entered the courtroom the same way they rode, Barry in lead behind Michonne, then Norm, Daryl, and Merle last. All four had wore their black, despite their lawyer doing her due diligence and advising otherwise. She knew they would, it was club tradition. Michonne had not told the men about their colors being missing, at the women's request. They wouldn't have been able to wear them anyway, as the court considered them gang colors and would not allow it. Likewise, the women were cautioned against wearing any clothes that would reveal their ink. Debra, Kaye, Amber, and Beth sat on the front row, directly behind their men. Each caught her man's eye as they passed, but Amber knew even before then. The second Daryl stepped through side door of the courtroom, his face told her he had not slept any since he left their bed the day before. The bags under his eyes had nearly doubled in size and his eyes themselves were bloodshot. When their gazes met she saw the look of what almost could be called surprise, like he for some reason didn't expect her to be there. Then the corner of his mouth quirked up an almost unnoticeable amount. Amber gave him a tiny smile back as she held her pendant with one hand, trying to convey a thousand things in that one moment. The defendants 'angels' weren't the only ones present.
The defense side of the courtroom was a sea of black, nearly every Demon in the North Georgia charter, plus many from neighboring ones was there. The judge addressed this first, even before the men sat down.
"I certainly hope that this show is not an attempt to intimidate the court, Ms. Watkins." the judge said sternly to Michonne.
"I assure Your Honor that it is not. Arraignments are public proceedings, in which families are allowed to attend. This is the defendants family, here to show their support of loved ones. Nothing more."
Amber zoned out a bit with the proceedings, only listening to what she considered the important parts, hearing snippets in between her own thoughts.
I wonder if he's eaten. I know they have to feed them, but has he eaten?
"Your honor, I wish to inform the court that the defendants are requesting to be tried together."
"How do they plead?"
"They plead Not Guilty, your honor."
I can see the scabs around his thumbnail from here. He needs his fidget band. I wonder how many cigarettes he's smoked since last night?
"Does the prosecution have anything to say before I rule on the subject of bail?"
"Yes your honor. These four men are members of the notorious motorcycle gang The Demons. Mr. Phillips and Mr. Black are high ranking officers of the mother chapter. This gang has offices in Europe, Australia, and South America which would gladly hide all the defendants should they flee prosecution. These men have access to the large amounts of money which lie in the gangs accounts. The Dixons are transients who have no familial ties to speak of. It is based on these facts that we request the defendants be remanded without bond."
Transients? Too bad I couldn't get my blade past the metal detectors. I'll show him a damn transient. No familial ties? Take a fucking look around, asshole. See all this black? Those men have more family than most now. I saw how Daryl's head dropped a little when he said that. It took months for the flinches to go away. How long will it take for this to go away?
"Ms. Watkins, does the defense have anything to say on the subject?"
"Yes, your honor. These men are in no way a flight risk. Mr. Phillips is the president of the Demons motorcycle CLUB, which is involved in numerous charity events every year. He has extensive ties with the community, having lived here his whole life with his wife of over thirty years. His daughter was recently seriously injured, and he has been instrumental in her recuperation. Mr. Black has lived in this area for over twenty years and is a business owner who lives with his wife of twenty years and two minor children. The Dixons are hardly transients, your honor. Merle Dixon has lived in the same home and maintained a position as an agricultural foreman for more than six months. He is in a stable relationship with a young lady who was born here. He is also a veteran. Daryl Dixon has also lived here for well over six months, in the state his whole life. He has been employed as an agricultural foreman for the last six months, taking time off to care for his girlfriend, Mr. Phillips daughter, after she was seriously injured in an attack. She is still recuperating at this time and it puts her in undue hardship for Mr. Dixon to be incarcerated. In the last five months he has built a new home. The farm which employs the Dixons has offered to sign a land bond, in addition to any cash bond that may be required, to secure their release. It sounds to the defense like, instead of flight risks, these men are being prosecuted on the type of transportation they use and the color of their clothes."
FUCK YES MICHONNE! Suck on that, asshole! Damn I wish Daryl would look up, he hasn't looked up from that table the whole time. Come on, baby, please. The back of his hair looks damp, I wonder if he showered right before they came out to the courthouse or if his nerves are so bad that he's sweating.
"I will now give my decision. Let me remind EVERYONE present that this is a courtroom, and if there is any outburst regarding my decision, whether positive or negative, it will impact whether any further proceedings will be open or closed. Based on what I have heard, the fact that a large amount of money is available to these men, and that they are affiliated with a gang with international ties it is my decision that the defendants be remanded to the custody of the Georgia State Prison System until the time of their trial. Officers? Court is dismissed."
FUCK FUCK FUCK MOTHER FUCKIN GODDAMN KIP AND THE FUCKIN CANNIBALS PAID THE JUDGE OFF TOO! NO NO NO DARYL CANT DO THIS! SHANE IS GONNA DIE, KIP IS GONNA DIE! FUCKIN SLOW!
Amber's face did not betray her emotions, knowing Daryl was already in hell with out worrying about her. Beth made a keening noise in her throat and Merle heard it. He looked over his shoulder at her as she cried into Amber's shoulder, his eyes haunted.
"It's okay. She'll be okay." Amber mouthed at him. She knew from his eyes that he didn't believe her. Her mother and Kaye were emotionless and Amber wished she could be like them. Then the officers cuffed the four most important men in her life. They were probably the only four men she could say she had ever loved beside her Papaw, though each a different way. Lover, Father, Brother, Uncle. Only when they were turned did she catch Daryl's eye again and he was broken. Completely and utterly broken. He, like her, had held on to the slim hope that he would lie in their bed tonight, bonded free until the trial. But now his eyes were dull, knowing he was going back to his cell, maybe to scream himself awake, choked and hurting and terrified.
Amber took the hand that was not around Beth's shaking shoulders and grasped her pendant, rattlesnake and arrow, and brought it to her lips to kiss it. She hoped Daryl understood, this was the closest she could get to kissing him right now. He passed by, hands bound, as she mouthed the words "I love you. Gonna be okay." Daryl's only answer was a single small nod and then his eyes were on the floor as they were led away in reverse order, Merle to the front.
TWDAUTWDAUTWDAUTWDAUTWDAUTWDAUTWDAUTWDAUTWDAU
3 Days since the arrest
Amber and Beth sat at the kitchen table, the prospect smoking on the porch. Good thing he ate like a horse because neither woman had hardly touched her supper. Michonne talked with the men privately the day of arraignment, each letting her know how the arrest had really gone. Barry ordered all club jobs to cease for the time being, just like he had given in his code the night before. Norm gave a few orders for Jim, mainly just housekeeping organizational jobs that were usual the SAA's duties. Both men had been concerned for their wives, despite there being no known prices on the women's heads. They both ordered that all four women be put on 'full lockdown' in the clubhouse if any threats were even rumored. That would include an extensive number of patches to watch them. Amber prayed that wouldn't happen, staying in her and Daryl's home was the only thing keeping her sane. Or as sane as she could be.
The last two nights Amber and Beth had both cried theirselves to sleep as they shared the bed in the master bedroom. Both wore the last shirts their Demons had worn, the night of the shootout. Beth had stopped and gotten Merle's pillow from the rental house to sleep with. Amber missed Daryl even more surrounded by his smell. The smoke, leather, and the bare trace of motor oil that was him made Daryl seem so close, like he had just run to the bathroom or to the kitchen to grab another pack of cigarettes or do a nighttime raid of the fridge for leftovers like he had been want to do lately. Sugar moped and kept sitting on his spot on the couch, like she was waiting on him to come home too.
Merle was pleased with Beth staying with Amber. It made it easier to assign the most trustworthy prospects and double up if needed. Amber got the feeling that he was depending on her to help Beth hold it together. Daryl was concerned with Amber's safety, agreeing with Barry about the lockdown if necessary. Amber knew he wouldn't send any emotional messages through Michonne and that was fine. She knew where he stood, where his heart was. Her main concern was his mind and health.
Daryl was a man that valued his freedom, the ability to touch earth, smell pine, hear and see prey just before releasing the arrow. Even when building the house, he was still outside for twelve hours a day, whether standing on the roof or digging to lay pipe. Now he was surrounded by cold concrete, steel and cheap fluorescent lights. Amber wasn't even sure if he got yard time until he was moved from intake to general population.
Michonne said she was hoping the men would be moved to gen pop soon, now that bond had been revoked. That would be both good and bad. He would be allowed to make regular phone calls, which at that point seemed like heaven to Amber, just to hear his voice. He would also be put into a cell with one of the other Demons. The Georgia state prison system wasn't stupid. They knew housing members of what they considered 'gangs' together kept more people just alive in general. But not rooming with someone isn't the same as not being around them at all. The Demons may run Georgia, but that didn't mean that state didn't house members of the Cannibals in their fine concrete resorts. There were some that still considered themselves to be members of the now failing Le Mechant too. They would consider the Demons tattoo on those men's backs nothing more than a big target. Tyreese himself had nearly been killed five years ago when shanked in the yard by a Le Mechant while away on a weapons charge.
The guards themselves couldn't be trusted. There were some good ones of course. But most were indifferent, with a few being just evil. Two had looked the other way when Ty was attacked. That was before Kip started waving money under people's noses.
Amber and Beth both jumped when the younger woman's cell phone went off. She picked it up and looked up at Amber wide eyed.
"Unknown Number?"
"Answer it." Amber said calmly, not wanting to get either of their hopes up.
Beth pressed the answer button. "Hello?"
She jumped up, nearly turning over her chair as she screamed.
"MERLE!OMIGODOMIGOD!" she shrieked, free hand flailing as tears began to pour down her face. A second later Amber's phone went off and she lunged for where it sat on the kitchen counter a few steps away. She nearly fell, totally forgetting her cane in the excitement. Hers said "Unknown Number" too and it seemed to take days to just press the answer button.
"He..hello?" she gasped, so afraid it wouldn't be him.
"Hey baby girl."
Amber lost it, totally and completely. She and Beth were screaming so loudly that the prospect stepped in, a worried look on his face. But then he saw the expressions on their's and went back out, knowing they needed privacy. Amber finally stopped screaming Daryl's name after a moment when he spoke to her again.
"Listen, girl. I ain't got long. Jus five minutes." She heard him inhale deeply and she knew he was smoking. The question was, had he ever not been smoking in the last couple of days.
"Oh my god, baby! I love you so much! I miss you so bad! Are you okay?" Amber rattled off, all the things she had wanted to say speeding from brain to tongue. Even then though, she knew to be careful. Calls were monitored and Michonne had cautioned everyone on both ends to not say one word about the case. Daryl hesitated, and Amber knew why. She could hear other men in the background and she knew he had other inmates making calls next to him.
"It's okay baby." she said quickly, "I remember." Amber hoped that he would recall the old code he used to use before he could say "I love you." while sober.
"Baby girl...done told ya long time ago I wasn't doin that shit no more. Ain't fuckin startin back now. I love ya, and I miss ya too." He said the last part low, a rasp in his voice and her chest tightened. She could see Daryl in her minds eye, taking a drag of his cig and then taking it out of his mouth to talk before he pressed his forehead to the cinderblock wall to control his emotions. She prayed he would, it would make him a target if he didn't.
"Oh, Desperado..." Amber's own voice cracked and she bit her lip to keep the sob in. Beth had walked into the bedroom so they could each talk in peace.
"Don't baby girl. Please." he pleaded softly. "Don't wanna spend it with ya cryin. I'm a'ight."
"Are you sure? Have you slept?"
"Some."
Amber knew what Daryl's idea of 'some' sleep was and it was what most people would consider none.
"You sleepin?" he asked.
"Yeah. Only woke up once last night." She kept back the fact that last night's flashback had been so bad that she nearly hurt Beth before she was able to get coherent. "Are you eating?"
She heard him snort sarcastically. "It ain't yore cookin, girl."
"Baby, you've got to eat, please. How much are you smoking?"
"Not nearly enough." That was his stock answer for whenever he was basically chain smoking when his nerves were up. Amber decided not to say anything. His cigarettes were the least of their problems right now, it was one of the few pleasures he was allowed.
"Ty was supposed to drop money into y'alls accounts for smokes and stuff in the commissary."
"Yeah, it was here when we moved this mornin."
"So your in gen pop now?"
"Yeah. I'm in with Sarge and Merle's in with ya Daddy."
"Good. So it's better."
"I reckon. Least I get ta talk ta ya. They let us call ever evenin as long as shit don't happen." Amber didn't comment on the 'shit happenin'. She knew the Demons wouldn't start trouble, but they sure as hell would finish it. She would expect no less, even though the thought of Daryl in solitary made her want to vomit.
"How are the others?"
"Merle's Merle. Loud ass. Talks about Beth. Ya daddy worries about shit. Norm watches everthin and smokes mostly." Amber smirked at that. Smokes and watches everything huh? Wonder who that reminds me of. "How's everthin at home? That prospect cut that wood like he was sposed ta?"
"Yes baby. He put the chainsaw up too. I made sure."
"Don't be goin out ta the woodpile, let them do it."
"Baby, I'm fine. Especially with Beth with me. Sugar misses you."
He chuckled. "Bet she does, sleeps under my ass half the time. Damn dog. Talked ta Michonne. Ya might be gettin a call in a while. S'all I can say, don't know for sure."
"Okay." Amber said slowly.
"Ain't nothin bad, girl. Done told ya I'm a'ight."
Amber heard a a voice, most probably a guard, yell "Dixons! Times up!"
"Gotta go, baby girl." Daryl said, his disappointment clear.
"I love you. PLEASE be careful!"
"Love ya too girl. Have ya phone close this time t'morrow."
"I will...Bye." She only initiated the goodbye because she didn't want to get him in trouble.
"Bye girl."
Then he was gone, taking her heart with him. Amber looked at her phone for a minute, now the only lifeline to the other half of her. Beth walked slowly out of the bedroom, wiping tears off her face even as she grinned.
"Merle said he was okay. He's in with your daddy." she said.
"Yeah, Daryl told me. Him and Norm's in together. That's real good, they'll help each other."
Beth nodded. "So do you think their really okay?" she asked quietly.
"I hope. I think we would know..."
"Merle was worried about me. Like I'm the one in jail."
"Daryl's afraid I'm going to fall or something."
They sat back at the table for a minute, actually eating a few bites of their now cold supper. Amber was moving the dishes to the sink when her phone rang again. It was Michonne.
"Hey, Daryl told me you'd call."
Beth moved to lean next to her on the counter on her elbows to listen. Amber's hand flew up to her mouth.
"So, you're sure Michonne?"
Amber nodded her head as she listened to the lawyer. Beth's eyes grew wide in worry and she smiled at her, mouthing the word "Visit.". Beth jumped up, fists in the air.
"Thanks. Call as soon as you know the time for sure. Bye."
As soon as Amber took the phone from her ear Beth grabbed her shoulders and yelled. "TELL ME!"
She grinned. "Through the glass. Two days!"