Divas Prison Ch60

Card games were one of the most common ways for the inmates to spend their limited amount of time to interact with others outside of their cells. Bayley was all too aware that the administration had never been interested in providing luxuries to the women held there, instead only providing that which took work, either jobs in the prison or education. With so many serving long sentences, only a small amount took classes, and even less were willing to benefit the prison by working for a pittance. Bayley had been told that she couldn't work in the place she used to earn a real wage, the Warden not willing to trust her, but she had thought that she needed to find some more ways to pass the time. For now, she was happy to have a set of cards in her hand. She had a good hand too, even if she hadn't realised it yet, but all she could do was look around and see that so many of the others were looking at her. Not talking, not to her anyway, but still looking.

"Hello? Hey, Bayley?" Becky tapped on their newest arrivals arm and she flinched like she was being jumped. "You have to calm down lass, and it's your turn."

"Sorry, sorry." Bayley played a card. "Do you ever feel like everyone's staring at you?"

"It's because you're new. Happened to all of us. You'll watch the next arrival, as we all do, it's practically instinctive. Figuring out who they are, if they're dangerous, how to handle them. Of course for you it's a bit different, a lot of us already know you." Natalya explained.

"Yeah, and they know I'm not a threat, I don't need to be handled."

"They don't know that necessarily. You aren't their doctor anymore."

"Yeah, I don't need the reminder of who I am thanks." Bayley snapped, then realised she was risking upsetting the only people who had shown her kindness in quite some time. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine. This hasn't been the easiest arrival ever. You can't even win at cards, Natalya said, throwing her card down. "That's game."

"My deal." Paige said, collecting the cards. "Give it a couple of days Bayley, it will get easier. It's a huge adjustment, but you'll get there. If I can, anyone can."

"How did you do it?" Bayley asked.

"You're looking at them." Paige said. "I came here expecting to be around the worst people in the world, but I got lucky enough to get put in with the most wonderful woman, who introduced me to others, and we bonded. I learnt that although there are some monsters in here, we aren't all bad people, we just did bad things."

"I didn't." Bayley said frowning.

"You have got to knock that off." Natalya spoke quickly. " I have said it once and I mean it. Nobody here cares if you did it or not. Tell someone outside about it. Your lawyer, or your family. If shouting about being innocent got you somewhere, we'd all be doing it, but it just annoys people here. Fact is, I didn't do what I get put away for, but it wasn't getting my charges dropped."

"And they gave you a harsh sentence, thinking you'd done other things right?" Bayley said, raising Natalya's eyebrows.

"Excuse me? You think you know all about me?"

"You were my patient, I did my research on you, like Paige, and Becky, and every other woman in the prison. I read the medical records of every prisoner when I arrived, and every new arrival after that. One thing I do have is an ability to remember information. On that subject, I only know what was in your file, and a little from the media. I used it to gauge your mental condition and who needed monitoring or counselling. You didn't flag up for either if it helps."

"Well that explains a lot, I have quite a long arrest record." Natalya said smirking. Bayley took a breath, relieved to have dug herself out of another near mess.

"See, clearly you lucked out, having met us." Paige laughed, and Bayley found herself smiling.

"True, you seem surprisingly welcoming. I didn't really talk to anyone in jail, just the odd word here and there. That Carmella seemed friendly too. Didn't meet her in the hospital. What's her story?" Bayley found herself unable to keep eye contact as she asked, drawing a smirk from the others. "What?" She asked innocently.

"Only been in prison ten minutes and you're already looking at other women that way." Paige said.

"That way?" Bayley asked.

"Yeah, it happens a lot. You'd be shocked at how many women in here turn to each other for, shall we say, comfort." Natalya said, much more deadpan than Paige.

"Is that what it is for you two?" Bayley looked between Becky and Paige.

"No, not us." Becky's response was instant. "It's true I only went for guys before I got put away, but I never made a connection like this before. She loves me a staggering amount, more than anyone ever has before. And I love her even more."

Paige scoffed. "Like hell you do babe." The two smiled at each other as Natalya feigned nausea from her side of the table.

"So it's not just hookups then?" Bayley asked, looking to Natalya.

"No, there have been quite a few couples in here over the years, some last, some don't. But usually they stay inside these walls. Once they're out, they're straight. Like Charlotte. I bet she wouldn't have gone near Brie Bella on the outside."

"Charlotte?" Bayley asked.

"You'll like her. She's one of us. Shocked us when she got involved with someone who, let's just say, is not on Nattie's Christmas card list. She'd been in a while by that point, and my guess is it just happened. Not sure where her head is now."

"Why? They broke up or whatever you'd call it?" Bayley asked.

"No, her lover got transferred. She won't be back, so it might as well be a breakup. She's at work right now, but don't ask her about it. She's pretending it never happened." Paige explained.

"And I'm happy to keep it that way." Natalya added with intent.

"Don't worry, I won't pry." Bayley said. "And I'm a lesbian, so I've been looking at women that way since I was a teenager. I'm proud of that part of me, and also that I think I just won this game." Bayley smiled as she took the last hand.

"Beginners luck lass." Becky said with playful competitiveness. "Your deal Nattie."

But as the next hand was being dealt, an argument began to brew behind them.

"Jax, don't even think about doing anything with her!"

"Oh go to hell, you think you have anything to say that I'm going to listen to?

"I won't say anything, but i will hit you so hard you won't be able to hear anyone, ever."

The threat came from Victoria, the first time she had created and sort of tension since Mickie James, her former associate, had been removed after accidentally confessing to the murder of another inmate. James hadn't been heard from since, and even with the associates known as Knockouts behind her, Victoria had kept a low profile to avoid Lita, who she had betrayed in the process. Although Lita had made no power moves, she was still seen by most as the top woman on the cell block, and Victoria knew not to cross her again. With the arrival of the former doctor, she had seen an opportunity, but she wasn't the only one. Nia Jax, a woman built like a tank, stood in front of her, clearly with similar thoughts in mind. She had no backup, and she didn't seem to want, or need any.

"You listen to us Jax, she's not interested in doing anything for you." Victoria turned away from her larger adversary to address Bayley directly. "Listen Doc, this lot might seem nice, but they'll turn on you, they can't be trusted, you will get hurt, in more ways that you can think of. We will keep you safe, look after you. These girls have had each other's backs since before they got busted."

Behind her, Madison snorted, showing her disgust. This wasn't missed by Victoria. "You got something to say? You saw that you need us, and so does she. In here, we have to help each other. Hart is a user, and Jax is just a bitch. If you ..." Whatever Victoria was trying to say next, it wasn't easy to understand as Nia Jax threw a hard right hand, knocking her down onto the table in front of her. Angelina squares up to her, but got the same treatment, followed by Velvet. Madison chose not to step forward at that moment. The three were back in their feet quickly, and then the four rushed the Samoan woman, blocking her arms while Victoria got in shots of her own. The strength of Nia helped her break free and the fight was set to continue, if not for the intervention of the guards. Victoria and the Knockouts knew it was time to step back, holding their hands up, allowing the guards to usher them quickly away. Nia walked away from the guards, getting a baton in the back to direct her back to her cell, but not before giving a look to him that would put the wind up any man, even one with a weapon like that. He closed her cell door in a hurry and rushed away to rejoin the others.

"You know what fighting brings." Guard Rollins shouted. "All of you back to your cells. Now!"

"Dammit, lockdown again?" Natalya asked nobody in particular.

"Wait, I have to go to my cell?" Bayley asked, all the colour drained from her face.

"Yeah, no choice. Get used to it." Paige said, in a deadpan tone.

"But, shes going to be there." Bayley struggled to get the words out.

"She is, time to face her I guess." That wasn't the answer Bayley wanted and Paige quickly realised her mistake. "Just tread lightly, she's really not as bad as you've seen so far. Try...try not to make her mad." Paige said before she became the next one to get a club in the back to force her towards her cell. Bayley got more and more frightened as she walked back to hers.

Ronda was digging through her personal items, looking for something, when she caught sight of Bayley in the corner of her eye. As the door was forcibly closed behind her new, and first ever cellmate, Ronda stood up and stared Bayley down.

"What happened?" Ronda asked sternly.

"I'm sorry, i know you didn't want me back. I couldn't help it." Bayley got out, scared as she'd ever been.

Ronda rolled her eyes. "I can see that. Why are we locked down is what I meant."

"Oh uh, these two were fighting. Guards marched them off and ordered us all away."

Ronda groaned in frustration. "Who was it this time, and was it for no reason like usual?

"One was called Jax I think. And I didn't get the other. Black hair, had three blondes with her?"

"Victoria. Dammit, I thought I'd dealt with her." Ronda slammed her hand down on the top bunk. "What is her problem?"

"I think I am." Bayley said quietly, but if she didn't want to be heard, she had failed, her cellmate snapped her head round at hearing it, so she spoke up after that. "They both wanted me to do something for them. They didn't want the other doing it."

"They what? Did you agree to help either of them?" Ronda asked.

"No, I didn't get a chance, they started going at each other. I don't want to help them, I think they just want to use me for something."

"I know that's what they wanted. Thinking you can get them meds, I'd other medical stuff. Maybe they want more. Either medical help, now or later, or charging other for you. Whatever it is, you better say no."

"I can't get anyone anything. I just want to keep my head down. Not upset things. Not upset anyone, just hope that my lawyers can get an appeal and get me out."

"Don't count on it, all lawyers are a waste of space. They couldn't help me, or you, or we wouldn't even be talking now." Ronda growled.

"They might help, I didn't do it." Bayley instinctively said, forgetting the advice she was given. When Ronda shoved her into the door, she remembered quickly. "Ok, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

"You should be. You shouldn't be in my space anyway." Ronda pushed Bayley into the door again. But this time, Bayley shoved her cellmate back. Ronda barely took a step back as there wasn't a lot of power behind it. "What was that? It's like you want me to hurt you?" Ronda grabbed Bayley by the throat, but didn't apply pressure, even though she could at any moment.

Bayley knew that too, and although she tried to shift Ronda's arm, she couldn't. She released her grip on the arm and looked her aggressor in the eye. "You know what, do what you want. They clearly want you to make my life hell, and you're more than happy to be their hitwoman. So go ahead, choke me out, beat me up, I don't care."

Bayley was unable to stop a tear running down her cheek as braced herself for the impact she was sure was coming. But Ronda just continued to stare at her, her expression still one of anger.

"What? What did you call me?"

"I, Erm..." Bayley stammered.

"You called me their hitwoman. Who are 'they', huh? Answer me!"

"Them, out there! The guards, the suits. They want me to suffer, and you are clearly their plan."

Ronda turned her back on Bayley for moment and let out a frustrated breath. "You think I'd do anything for them? You know the conditions they kept me in for all that time before I was moved to this block."

"I do Ronda, and I'm sorry, I didn't have anything to do with that." Bayley was ready to continue pleading her case, but Ronda stopped her.

"I know you didn't, you were good to me as much as you could be, not that I saw you much. But you still were one of them, now you're clearly one of us. Is that why you think they are after you?"

"I don't think it, I know it." Bayley said, feeling a little more confident. "He told me he wishes I had gotten more time inside. He wants me to be miserable and to suffer, even though he can't say it. He assigned me to this cell on purpose, look at what happened before."

"Dammit." Ronda said, going to punch the wall in frustration, but stopping herself in time. "Dammit to hell. I played into their hands. They took advantage of me. Assholes. Look, I'm sorry. I was in a real foul mood. I swear, I'm never again going to be part of anything they want me to be, I want to make their lives miserable. And you should help me.l

"What?"

"Look Doc, whatever you say is true, you're still in prison. It's the same for me, except you'll get out some day. They forced me to live in isolation, the guards I talked to treated me like some monster, thanks to the stories they heard. I hate each and every one of those badge wearing animals, and especially the suit who gives them orders. Surely you do too?"

"I guess. They turned their backs on me. Not hate as such, but it hurts."

"Right, and they are in charge. We want our free time, our food, we have to do what they say. If I want my time with Dan, I have to let them cuff me and march me there and back. Same with any movement. But that doesn't mean we have to make their jobs easy."

"But I've heard them talking in the break room. We step out of line they'll just slap us around and lock us up like this."

Ronda snorted in laughter. "Slap us around? They can't, unless we start the fight, they can't touch us. They can only restrain us, why they're so quick to use their handcuffs. They can lock us up, take our privileges, but they can't touch us. So we can push them. Dare them to go too far. If they do, they're fired, and they know it. Can be a small amount of fun for us."

Bayley had a thought. "But I've seen the head guard use his bat on disorderly inmates, without being touched. Why hasn't he been fired?"

Ronda shrugged. "I've only ever talked to him through my cell door hatch when I was in isolation. Best guess is he uses his position to make any complaints disappear, or inmates aren't eager to rock the boat like I am."

"He's not one to be messed with though Ronda, it won't end well for us. Trust me." Bayley said, unsure if her last words were well advised."

Ronda mused on it for a moment before nodding. "Fair enough. Going too high up the pole might have worse consequences, but we need to get through our time somehow. I'm sure others already do it."

Bayley nodded. "I'm just glad we are ok. We are ok right?"

Ronda nodded. There is just one thing you will have to do for me."

"What's that?" Bayley answered with some concern.

"I want to know everything, and I do mean everything, you know about Dan."

Bayley laughed, partly out of relief. "Fine, I will see what I can think of, you've got it bad huh?"

"Two things I still have to live for. Him, and the chance to one day get revenge on the woman who took my baby girl and nearly put me in the electric chair."

"Whoa. That's quite the story you've got. I don't know if I can help with the other though."

"Don't worry, I'll tell you all about her sometime." Ronda said, both women unaware of the link they both had to Stephanie McMahon. "But not now, more pressing matters."

The next morning, the cells were opened to end the lockdown and allow the women out for breakfast. Bayley went out before Ronda, and was almost immediately faced to face with Victoria, whose cell wasn't far away.

"Though about it then Doc? Gonna hook us up or not?"

Bayley rolled her eyes. "I'm already sick of people calling me Doc. I'm not a doctor anymore, and I can't hook you up with anything. Even if I could, I wouldn't."

"Well done, I knew you'd see things my way." Nia Jax said, approaching the pair. "You can do one now, she's made her choice." She said to Victoria, who shifted her stare to the Samoan.

"No, that goes for you too, for everyone." Bayley said, trying to keep things calm, but the change of expression on the face of the biggest woman there to angry showed that wasn't going to happen. She grabbed Bayley by her orange shirt and pushed her into the wall with one hand.

"You sure about that?" Nia asked, as she made Bayley look and feel small under her larger frame, but Ronda heard the impact with the wall and came out from her cell.

"She's sure Jax, now try listening to your own advice, and get away from her."

Nia shifted her attention to Ronda, but showed no signs of backing down.

"I will do what I want with her. I'm not scared of you. She might be, I saw you put her head through the shower wall. Don't think you could that to me though can you?"

"Take another step towards me and we can find out." Ronda said, not taking her stare off Nia.

"I don't know who you think you are." Nia said, taking that step and one more as she went to throw a punch. Ronda was fully expecting that, and used her momentum against her, executing a judo throw, putting Nia on her back with a loud smack on the concrete floor. Victoria took this moment to walk away, not wanting to get involved physically this time.

"You bitch." Nia said, quickly back to her feet, charging Ronda, who again took her down, this time with a quick trip.

"Oh, you're dead, I will kill you where you stand."Nia said, changing her strategy in her head. She threw another punch, but when Ronda went for the block again, she used her strength to counter it, knocking Ronda down with a solid elbow. Nia did not allow Ronda to rise in the same manner, picking her up by the throat and holding her against the wall, with both hands choking her. Ronda was kicking out, but unable to put her usual force behind it, and not breaking the grip.

Bayley was seeing Ronda go red in the face, and knew she was in trouble. They had talked about this possibility, and she knew what to do. She jumped on Nia's back and got her arm around the neck of the bigger woman and used her weight to attempt a choke of her own. She didn't have the power of the others, but she was cutting off her adversary's air supply and Nia knew it. It forced her to let go of Ronda to deal with Bayley, who suddenly found herself flying through the air as Nia flipped her over and onto the floor. Ronda gasped fro breath as Nia was able to regroup quicker, and this time landed a strong punch, knocking Ronda down.

Bayley was able to regroup quickly after that, she knew she had to do something, but a punch was barely going to faze the Samoan. Nia knelt down over Ronda, ready to go for the kill, but before she did, Bayley took advantage of her reducced height and kicked her hard in the side of the head, with enough momentum to knock the big woman down.

"Who's the bitch now?" Ronda said breathlessly as she knelt across Nia ready to continue the assault with Bayley, but the time they took allowed the guards the window they needed to intervene.

Bayley was ready to put the boots to Nia, a almost crazy look in her eye, when she was practically tackled to the floor. She didn't know who it was at first, and struggled to fight back, but got a knee in the back. "Dammit Martinez, don't you dare move." Guard Rollins said to her with authority. Bayley wasn't interested in doing that as she watched Ronda get pulled off of Nia, both women getting held on the floor face down.

"You've been here a day, one day, and you're pulling this crap?" Bayley heard as she was unable to stop her arms being pulled back and she was put in handcuffs. Ronda and Nia were also cuffed and the three were pulled off the ground and lined up against the wall, held against it bu a guard each while Rollins paced up and down behind them.

"You aren't going to solve anything this way." Rollins announced to all three. "Violence just causes violence, and even if I didn't, I still will not allow it. Jax, twice in two days, you're going to The Lock, 4 days. get her out of here." Nia needed three guards get her larger frame marched out of the block, but she wasn't making it easier for them.

"Rousey, you deserve the same, or worse, but I'm told you aren't getting your anger management this week, you're getting cell confinement. 48 hours. Next time I won't care what's happening. Put her inside. Ronda gave Bayley a smirk as she was taken back to their cell, not resisting them as she sat down on the bottom bunk.

"As for you." Rollins stood beside Bayley who intentionally looked on the other direction. It got the reaction she wanted. "Look at me when I talk to you, inmate!" The guard holding her, Owens, forced her head around, she had no way of stopping it.

"You are a disgrace." Rollins continued, much quieter so the other women, who had obviously been watching, couldn't hear . "I followed your case, I hoped you didn't do it. But you lied and you lied, then plead guilty to save yourself from a longer sentence when you knew you had lost. I clearly didn't know you like I thought. I lost a friend, and gained a prisoner. Bayley is dead to me. Inmate Martinez is all I see, and she is going to be locked in her cell for the next 24 hours. You'll learn to follow the rules, or you will suffer worse than you ever saw others in your previous life."

Bayley stared right back at her captor. "I didn't do it, I don't know how they got all the evidence they used, but yeah, I plead guilty for a lighter sentence. You've proven you were never my friend, so screw you. Screw all of you!" Bayley shouted the last four words so everyone could hear. Rollins took his baton out, but Owens put his hand on his shoulder.

"Don't do it Seth, she's cuffed up, and she's not worth it anyway." Rollins heeded his colleagues advice and put the baton away.

"Fine, 48 hour lockdown, and 24 hours for the whole block, now go join your cellmate." Rollins took Bayley himself, dragging her by the arm the short distance to the cell before pushing her inside and closing the door.

The force of the push nearly took Bayley off her feet, but she used the wall to stop herself, taking the impact on the wall as she couldn't use her hands.

Ronda and her then looked at each other and laughed.

"That went about how I expected. I won't get on Jax's bad side too often, she's a strong one. You did well too. A weaker woman won't stand a chance." Ronda said.

"Thanks, I'm certain that I'm not much of a fighter, but it was good to tell that smug asshole off."

"Told you, making their lives more complicated is fun." Ronda said as the hatch on their cell door opened.

"Hands out." Came Owens voice.

"You go first, I'm used to these." Ronda said to Bayley, referring to her cuffs.

"I guess I will do too." Bayley said as she had hers removed. Ronda then took her turn.

"You two think about learning some respect." Owens said sternly, and the hatch was quickly locked.

"Respect?" Ronda asked with a raised eyebrow. The two laughed and shared a high five.

"So what do we do to pass the next 48 hours?" Bayley asked.

"Up to you, you can use anything of mine for now, but replace what you use when you can. Just keep to yourself. I think we will get on, but if we get in each other's way too much that won't last. Like now, I'm going to get some rest, I'm pretty sore. I hope you know how to be quiet." Ronda wasn't looking for an answer, she rolled straight onto her bunk. Bayley did the same for the time being, relieved that she had gotten through her rough welcome to prison life. Like many before her, she only now believed for the first time with any reason that maybe she could get through it.

A/N: Thanks for reading.

Bayley has fully lost her fight for freedom, and although she knows her innocence, she also knows to keep that talk out of the block. She will obviously be around for a while.

Now this is done, we will be able to catch up with Sasha Banks next time. Has Jericho responded to her requests for a meeting? What might Stephanie do to avoid letting that conversation happen? Do leave your thoughts, requests or predictions in a review.

60 chapters. I really enjoy telling these stories, and I look forward to sharing more.