The next morning, Annie woke me up earlier than they normally did. She also didn't have a tray of food with her, so I know I gave her a confused look as I sat up on the bed.

She held up a garment bag and explained, "We didn't think you'd want to go to court in your pajamas. Your dad pulled this out of our closet for you. I also thought you might want to use our shower to freshen up. Cane's grabbing your backpack out of property because your dad said you keep back up toiletries in there." I just stared at her after she finished speaking prompting her to ask, "Mia? Are you okay?"

I shook my head then answered, "No… yeah… It's just… Your kindness and thoughtfulness just kind of blows me away."

"Well… There's enough ugliness in the world, so I try to shed some light where I can."

"Thank you," I said with genuine gratitude. "Honestly, I can't thank you enough. But I think you'll have to lead the way to the locker room."

After I had freshened up, Annie guided me through the Sheriff's department again. I had expected her to take me back to the private cell, but she instead led me to a kitchen where Eli and Gideon were waiting.

I paused at the door and tried not to ruin my makeup with tears, but it was a tough battle that I almost lost. On the table was one of the most amazing breakfast spreads I had ever seen. There was fresh fruits and berries, croissants, scrambled eggs, bacon, orange juice and fresh brewed coffee.

When I made no attempts to move from the doorway, Annie took my left hand into her right and gave it a few gentle tugs until my feet started moving as she said, "Some fuel to help you get through court today."

"Some?" I questioned with a soft chuckle as I moved a couple of slices of pineapple onto the plate Gideon had handed me. "Looks like there's enough food here to feed an army."

All three of them laughed then Eli said, "We may not be an army, but all of us are more than happy to be in your corner for this fight."

"And I appreciate that. But…? How hard to you think we'll have to fight today?"

"I'm not going to lie, Mia," Eli replied in a no-nonsense tone. "For Patterson to have taken it this far already, I can't say the lengths that she might go."

"So, do you think she already has a judge in her pocket?"

They all shared a look and then Eli answered, "No, I don't think she'd do anything out right illegal. More… more like she'll twist the truth enough that most of us will have a hard time recognizing it."

"Yeah," Gideon agreed. "That sounds more like her style."

Annie nodded then gave me a sympathetic smile adding, "Which is why we wanted to make sure you had a proper meal before we head over there. Oh! And so, you can take these."

She pulled two pill bottles out of her left pant leg pocket. I took them both from her and then after I passed one back without opening it, she gave me a questioning look. As I pulled a pill out of the other bottle, I explained, "If you want me on top of my game, I shouldn't take a narcotic. They make me drowsy and loopy, so I'll just take my antibiotic for now."

"Oh… yeah… Good call," Annie agreed as she put both bottles back in her pocket.

After that we didn't speak much while we ate. I'm sure that for them it was because they didn't want to influence my testimony in any way. For me it was more that I really didn't know what to say. I had grown up in the MC in Tacoma, so the outlaw life was the norm for me. Most of the conversations in which I participated were about either the club and its members or cars and motorcycles. Well, talking to the Sheriff's Department about club business, especially business I shouldn't have any intimate knowledge about, would be a perfect way for me to end up six feet under. And none of them seemed like they were gearheads, so I really didn't have much I could talk about with them safely.

XXXXXX

After we finished eating, Constable Menottes led me out to her vehicle. I instinctively moved towards the back door, but she shook her head and opened the front passenger door. "Don't forget, you aren't a prisoner to us."

"I know, but I thought you might want to keep up appearances and all."

"Fuck appearances." She laughed when she saw my eyes go impossibly wide. "I'm not as prim and proper as you think I am."

"No, I guess you might not be. I mean not that it bothers me at all. I think it's bullshit that everyone thinks women shouldn't cuss. Sometimes it's the only way to truly express your feelings accurately."

"You are preaching to the choir, Sister. But I also grew up with four older brothers, so it became the norm for me at an early age."

"I'm an only child, but I blame it on growing up in my Uncle's garage."

"So? No debutant balls for you?"

I barked out a loud laugh at that question. "No, definitely not for me. Once my mom got her hooks into her man, he became the center of her world." When I heard those words come out of my mouth, I almost threw my hand over my mouth. However, I didn't want to draw extra attention to myself, so I tried to deflect the focus back to her right away. "What about you? Did you get roped into a coming of age party in a frilly white dress?"

"You better believe it. I even did the fan dance."

I turned to look at her as I asked, "Fan…? Now you're just fucking with me, aren't you?"

She laughed and started to nod. "A little bit. I got the fan dance from Gilmore Girls. But we did do a dance."

"Wow. So, you really were one of those girly girls. How did you end up in a uniform?"

"Bad experience in college."

She answered with a flat, automatic tone that I had grown used to hearing myself use when people asked about trauma I'd lived through. Since I had used it when I wanted a conversation to end because I wasn't comfortable with the direction it was going, I dropped the subject there. The story that came with that admission must have been fairly painful and I didn't want to pick at that wound. She didn't owe that to me at all and I most definitely didn't want to open myself up that much to her.

So, the rest of our trip to the courthouse was spent in a fairly uncomfortable silence. When we arrived there, I expected her to get out of the vehicle and escort me inside, but it was Lieutenant Roosevelt who opened my door for me.

"I'm sorry, Mia," she apologized before I got out of the car. "I have to get back to HQ to help out with another female prisoner. Good luck in there."

"Thanks Annie, you too."

Once I was out of the car with the door closed, I felt someone touch my left elbow. I turned to find Deputy Cane there. Lieutenant Roosevelt moved closer to my right side and suddenly I felt like a condemned woman being led to the firing squad.

I must have made some unconscious movement to shrink away because Gideon tightened his hold on my elbow and quietly said, "Almost there, Mia. Just a few more hours and this should all be over."

I turned my head so that I could see his face because that almost sounded like he was confirming my worst fears of being executed. But his tone was encouraging and it fit perfectly with the warm smile and kindness I saw in his eyes. He meant that I would be a free woman soon and I really hoped that he was right.

"How are you feeling, Mia?" He asked quietly as we made our way down the hall.

"So nervous that I could puke."

"I don't doubt that one bit. But… Do you need a painkiller? I'm sure someone will have an Advil or a Tylenol so that you won't get too groggy."

My feet stopped so quickly that the two men almost stumbled. "Do you have a mirror?"

They both shook their heads then Eli answered, "No. Why do you ask?"

"Well… if Gid… Err… Deputy Cane is asking about a painkiller, I kind of want to see how bad I look."

"Ahh… Well, I wouldn't say 'bad', just… Your bruising appears to be more visible today."

"Oh… That…" I started walking again to fall back in step with them and chuckled. "The DA isn't the only one with a couple of tricks up her sleeve."

The two men once again shared a look between them, but this time it was Cane who said, "Dare I ask?"

"You know you want to," I challenged with a playful smile.

I knew that he expected me to continue then, but I remained silent. He tried to glare at me, but he couldn't quite pull it off.

After I raised a challenging eyebrow, he relented and asked, "Fine. What tricks do you have up your sleeve, Mia?'

"Well… I can't reveal all of them to you, but since you asked…. When I did my makeup, I made sure not to put any foundation or concealer on the left side of my face. As you can see, it helps to highlight how hideous my injury truly is. I'm really just going for the pity vote now."

"Your face isn't hideous," Gideon replied in a firm, yet caring voice.

Our eyes connected and I felt my cheeks start to heat up. A soft smile tugged at the corners of his mouth and I couldn't help but think, Is he just being nice? Or…?

"What he meant is that it's not unexpected for your cheek to look rough after your assault."

Eli gave Gideon a pointed look, so the Deputy quickly added, "Yes, that's exactly what I meant. And I agree, you would definitely have my sympathy vote if I wasn't already in your…"

"Thank you, Deputy," I interrupted as we approached the courtroom. "I appreciate your faith."

Thankfully that was the only part of our conversation that DA Patterson overheard. She moved her head up and down as she gave me a once over before she said, "Ms. Lowman, you're looking well."

I turned so that I was looking at her straight on and gently scratched at the skin above my stitches to pull her focus there before I answered, "I wish I could say I was feeling that way."

He eyes move to my stitched wound for a brief second and then she quickly turned her attention to Lieutenant Roosevelt. "Do you normally transport prisoners unshackled?"

"Normally? No." His face and voice hardened then. "But I think we can both agree that these are anything but normal circumstances."

One corner of her mouth twitched before she replied, "I believe your lawyer is already inside, Ms. Lowman." She then nodded to the two men on either side of me and curtly said, "Gentlemen."

She pulled open the door and walked through it. We watched it close without moving at all. I took in a couple of slow, deep breaths in an attempt to slow down my racing heart.

Eli's hand moved to my shoulder and he gave it a comforting squeeze. "Don't let her psych you out, Mia. You don't belong in cuff or shackles."

"Thanks, Lieutenant." I took in another dep breath and squared my shoulders. "Alright… Friends… Are we ready to get this done?"

Eli pulled open the door replying, "After you."

When I stepped in, I stopped suddenly just inside the threshold. I was expecting a large room with the standard witness stand and raised desk for the judge. Instead, this looked more like someone's study in their large mansion. The wall opposite the door was dominated by a large window covered in horizontal wooden blinds. The other two walls were basically built-in shelves lined with vintage looking law books. Between the book lined walls was a large rectangular, dark wood table with about ten chairs around it.

At the end of the table opposite to where I was standing with Lieutenant Roosevelt was an imposing looking white man in a well fitted black suit with a simple white shirt and black tie. He was so fit looking that I almost thought he was close to my dad's age, but the tightness of the skin on his face looked like it had been accomplished surgically, so I tacked on at least a decade to his age.

On either side of him were the DA and my lawyer. It looked like the three of them were having a bit of a pow wow that our entrance had broken up. Lowen just stared at me for a few breaths before she finally moved towards me.

"Mia," she started softly. "How are you?"

Before I could answer her, the judge's booming voice filled the room. "Maria Anastasia Lowman, I presume."

I nodded the replied in an embarrassingly meek voice, "Yes, Sir, that's me."

"Please take a seat, young lady." He then turned his attention to the two men in the room. "Gentlemen, you are welcome to stay, but I'll have to ask that you don't interfere with my proceedings in any way."

"Yes, Sir," they replied simultaneously.

As I sat down at the far end of the table in the chair to the judge's immediate right, I shared a surprised look with Lowen. If I didn't know any better, I would say that she was as confused as I was about being in this room. But she didn't hold that expression for very long. As she sat down beside me, she gave me the same professional smile I remembered my birth mother's lawyer wearing when he told me I wasn't named in her will. That she had left her life insurance to the man who had split when she was first diagnosed with cancer and the rest went to her brother. In her own words, she had done that because I was a minor and one of those men would be paying for me. Thankfully for me, she hadn't factored in how much my biological father and her brother loved me, so they found some legal loopholes to show that her deadbeat husband had abandoned her child, so any money meant for him was redirected into a school fund for me.

Fuck. I hate that look. I thought to myself. I am so on my way to death row.

I almost stood up to try to run then, but the judge's captivating voice kept me still in my spot. "Ladies… and gentlemen, I know this isn't the usual setting for criminal proceedings, but I felt this case warranted unorthodox measures. First and foremost, Mrs. Patterson, I have to say that I have the utmost respect for you and the office you hold. You have done some amazing work for our community…" She bowed her head slightly at the neck saying a quiet 'thank you'. "Which is why I find Ms. Lowman's presence here so unsettling."

That appeared to have thrown the DA off because she sputtered out a reply of, "I… I… I beg your pardon?"

The look he gave her then almost made me laugh. Luckily for me, I was able to contain myself and only showed my amusement with a half grin. The haughty look the judge had been wearing turned into one of pure condescension as he said, "Please feel free to drop the act, Mrs. Patterson. I have read over the police and forensics' reports numerous times, as well as the statements of all of the officers on scene at Ms. Lowman's house and I have to say, I am feeling rather offended."

"Offended?" Patterson questioned sounding thoroughly confused.

"Yes, Mrs. Patterson. I'm offended that you were able to convince one of my colleagues to sign off on an arrest warrant for Ms. Lowman."

"Oh… well…"

"I wasn't finished," he continued over the rest of her rebuttal. "Further to that, I can see from the executed warrant that Ms. Lowman has been in custody for three days now. For what purpose has she not been brought forward for a bail hearing, at the very least, before now? Also, I see that she has no prior convictions, arrests or any other negative police contact in her history, so why would you be asking for her to be remanded without bail until trial?"

Patterson remained silent for a couple of breaths to make sure that the judge was finished speaking. He raised an inquisitive brow that she took as her go ahead to answer his questions. "First, she had a similar incident just a little over a year ago where…"

"She's listed as the victim of an assault causing bodily harm. As I said, there is nothing on record that denotes negative police contact, so that cannot be cited as a reason in this matter."

Now Patterson was starting to look annoyed. Her nostrils flared slightly as she took in a deep breath and tried to keep herself calm. "Alright, if we're not looking into the fact that she's already stabbed one man to death, there's her affiliation to the Sons of Anarchy…"

"She is lawfully employed at their garage as a mechanic. Please tell me that isn't the basis for your latest argument."

The DA didn't answer him right away. Instead she just stared at him with a calm look on her face. I jumped slightly in my seat when I felt Lowen reach over and grip my hand under the table. I moved just my eyes to check if she had something to tell me, but her eyes remained focused on the woman across the table, so I took that as her way of asking me not to react so animatedly, especially since we were both sure we knew what we were going to hear next.

DA Patterson let a soft grin of satisfaction spread across her face as she replied, "No, Your Honor, it isn't just her place of employment that connects her to SAMCRO. Her father is Happy Lowman. He's a ranking member with the Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club."

The judge didn't look at all fazed by that revelation, let alone impressed. Instead, he just cocked his head to one side as if to silently ask 'And?' before he replied, "And Charles Manson has a son who is living a crime free life under a new name. Again, I say, on what merits of THIS situation did you get an arrest warrant and hold Ms. Lowman for seventy-two hours?"

DA Patterson sat there and just stared at the judge while she tried to come up with an appropriate reply. I watched their back and forth in a stunned silence because I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Was the judge really chewing out the DA right now? I had to be hallucinating. There was no way that's what was really happening.

"That's what I thought." He then turned so that his back was facing the DA and said to me, "Ms. Lowman, I commend you on your decorum during this miscarriage of justice. From what I've heard from the Sheriff's Department, you have been a model detainee. I don't know that I would have been able to the same myself if I was in your position."

"Thank you for the compliment, Sir. But I can't take all of the credit. Lieutenant Roosevelt really set the tone for his Deputies and has been very kind."

That comment appeared to catch the judge off guard. "Well… That's… That's good to hear. Alright. Let's get down to business. I am dismissing this case here and now on the grounds that the State lacks sufficient evidence to lay charges, let alone detain you on said ludicrous charges." Patterson opened her mouth to argue, but the judge continued without even pausing. "Furthermore, I'm granting you compensation of $1000 for each day you were illegally held in police custody. If you have any complications with your injury as a result of this unlawful arrest, Ms. Lowen has my contact information for us to discuss further action if it is required."

He stood then and offered me his hand. Ally tugged at my elbow to coax me to my feet as she too stood up. I took his hand in mine and he gave it a very tight squeeze. "I would like to apologize to you on behalf of the San Joaquin District Attorney's Office, as well as the County for everything you were put through Ms. Lowman. You are free to go, and I hope that this experience won't taint your opinion of the court system."

I let him continue to shake my hand while I stared at him blankly. I knew that I should say something, but I honestly couldn't form a coherent thought. Stunned wasn't even the right word to use for how I was feeling.

The Judge didn't seem to be too worried about getting a verbal reply from me because he let go of my hand and turned to the DA to say, "Mrs. Patterson? Would you please follow me to my office?"

Patterson then followed him through a door on the wall behind where she had been sitting. That left the four of us alone in the room. I continued to stare at the spot where the Judge had been standing and felt like someone had hit me with a stunned gun. I couldn't think or really process anything. I even missed hearing my attorney as the two men from the Sheriff's Department for privacy.

Once we were alone, she approached me cautiously and asked, "Mia? Sweetheart…?"

"Pinch me," I replied over the rest of her question.

"I beg your pardon?"

I turned to look at her and then repeated, "Pinch me… Because… There is no way that this is real. I'm actually in a holding cell dreaming this all happened, right?"

"No, Mia. This is all very real," she replied with a chuckle as she wrapped an arm around my shoulders to guide me to the door. "I'll be following up with the County clerk later today about your compensation. Once I have the cheque, I'll bring it by your house…"

"No, take it to Gemma's." She gave me a wide-eyed look of disbelief that made me laugh. "After what happened last night, I figure that's going to be our new command center for now."

"Alright, I see what you mean." We started walking towards the door as she continued, "I have meetings for the rest of the day, but if you need me, I'm just a call away, understood?"

"Understood. So…? What happens now?"

By this time, we were back in the main hallway. Lieutenant Roosevelt was nowhere to be seen, by Deputy Cane was lingering by the door. She smiled when she saw him waiting there and answered, "Do you have any property back at the Sheriff's station?"

"Yeah, my backpack with my pajamas and shit in it."

"Alright." She turned to Gideon then asked, "Deputy Cane? Would you be able to take Mia back to HQ to retrieve her property and then take her home?"

Gideon smiled broadly as he answered, "That's what I'm here to help out with, Ma'am."

"Perfect. I'll talk with you later, Mia."

I think I mumbled a thank you, but she disappeared so quickly that I couldn't tell. I then turned to Gideon and asked, "Pinch me?"

He reached over and pinched a tuft of skin on my shoulder. I hadn't really expected him to do it, so I let out a quick, involuntary, surprised shout as I jump away from him.

He looked completely contrite as he retorted, "You asked me to do it."

"I know I… But I didn't…" I shook my head with a quiet life. "Doesn't matter. Can wee get out of here before someone else decides to arrest me for something I didn't do?"

"Of course, we can. Follow me."