Made My Mistakes, Got Nowhere To Run

by Bigmac1989

Betty Brant has big dreams ahead of her. However, her life becomes one big nightmare when she kills a young boy whilst driving drunk. Finding herself behind bars, Betty struggles to adapt and survive. However, her journey in prison will take her on a journey of accountability, redemption - and maybe hope. Rated M for language, violence, drugs and general references to crime.

Hello, and welcome to my new story! This is my first MCU themed story not to be set in my "That's What Friends Are For" universe. This story is going to be a showcase for one Betty Brant, who I personally think is a very criminally (pun intended in the context of this story) underrated character, and I believe that Angourie Rice portrays her with just the right amount of professionalism and charm. I think this story will be a good way to get her some much needed character development, and will hopefully show that there is real emotional depth to her character.

Also, I am so sorry that I have not published anything for so long! I promise you, I have been writing throughout all this time – but I don't know, whether it was apathy or anxiety, I just couldn't commit to actually finishing a chapter and getting it published – until now. I hope that, now that I have posted this, I will get my confidence back to write more in the future.

Also, this story can read as the "tails" side of the coin to the "heads" provided by my Friends-verse story "Every 15 Minutes". However, as you will see, there is a difference between the two stories. While the consequences in E15M are scripted, the consequences and feelings in this universe are tragically all too real.

This text means a flashback.

Chapter 1 – Reaping The Whirlwind

Betty Brant sat back down in the thick leather chair next to her attorney at the defendant's table in Courtroom 311 at the Los Angeles Airport Courthouse, having risen at the bailiff's request for the presiding judge, the Honourable Wesley Simpson. As the only courthouse in the Western Judicial Branch of the Superior Court Of California in the County Of Los Angeles that handled criminal cases, this is where her fate would be decided. When she had kissed her parents goodbye and boarded the cross country flight from JFK to LAX, she had dreams in her eyes and a head full of goals. This was the very last place the blonde media studies student from UCLA thought she'd be, standing in front of a judge, wearing the blue uniform of an inmate at the Los Angeles County Jail . However, all those hopes and dreams she had were about to be crushed into pieces. Once Judge Simpson, an African-American with short-cropped brown hair, had shuffled the papers he was wearing, he began to address the packed courtroom.

"The case before the court at this time is case number SP34567, The People Of The State Of California Vs. Elizabeth Brant." The judge began, in a calm and contemplative voice. "Let the record show that the defendant in the above-titled case has entered a plea of guilty to the two counts count laid out in the People's indictment – gross vehicular manslaughter whilst intoxicated, which is a violation of Section 191.5, subdivision (a) of the California Penal Code, and one count of driving under the influence, a violation of Section 23152 of the California Vehicle Code. And it is this matter that comes before the court today for sentencing. I'll hear the People on the facts of the case, as well as sentencing recommendations."

"Thank you, Your Honour." Deputy District Attorney Katy Young, a woman with wavy black hair who was the lead prosecutor on the case, began as she rose to her feet. "On the afternoon of Saturday October 3 of 2026, the defendant, Betty Brant, was in attendance at a party hosted by a college friend, Rhonda Harrington, at 216 Loring Avenue in Westwood. The defendant told investigators that she drank at the party, and had attended for a period of approximately four hours."

As the prosecutor spoke, Betty shook her head and closed her eyes. Try as she might, she would never forget the events of that horrible day.

Betty drove her silver 2022 Chevrolet Malibu down Loring Avenue. It was located in Westwood, which was a suburb on the city's Westside, home to the University Of California, Los Angeles (UCLA to the plebeians of the world), which was where she attended college as a sophomore. And today, she was going to see perhaps her best friend in the City Of Angels. Rhonda, who was a senior, had been absolutely vital in helping her get adjusted to this big, strange new city. Being away from her family for the first time had been an incredibly daunting and emotional experience for her, and Rhonda had been a steady presence in her life and a buddy she could always turn to.

"210…212…214…216. This is it!" Betty grinned, as she parked her car outside of the two bedroom house. Once she had gotten out, she had locked the car and walked across the front lawn and rang the doorbell. After a few moments, she noticed someone walk to the door and open it.

"Betty! So glad you could make it!" Rhonda greeted happily as she hugged the blonde. She was an African-American with dyed blonde frizzy hair.

"Rhonda! How's life?" Betty smiled as she returned the embrace.

"Good. Getting my feet wet in senior year. You?" Rhonda inquired, as the pair entered the house. A number of other UCLA students – some of whom she recognised from her lectures – were dancing, laughing, talking – and drinking.

"Ugh. Not so good." Betty grumbled, as she swiped a beer out of an open cooler.

"You want to talk about it?" Rhonda asked as the journalist popped the bottle open and took a sip.

"Well, first of all, I haven't gotten off to a good start academically. I'm currently at a B- average, down from straight A's last year. Then, my parents got in my ear this morning about coming out. They are, like, the worst helicopter parents. They didn't use to be that way. Before, well, you know…" Betty complained, shaking her head.

"It was the same with my brother after the Blip. When someone you thought was dead comes back, they just want to savour every moment they have." Rhonda observed.

"I know, but they don't have to come rushing out for every little thing. It's not like I'm in trouble with the law or anything." Betty scoffed, as she drank deep from the bottle.

Betty closed her eyes and shook her head, sadly. Oh, how she wished she had accepted their offer! Maybe then she wouldn't be seated where she was. However, the stress of college life and her disdain towards her parents led her to make the first mistake of the day – drinking at all.

The assembled crowd gathered around a beer pong table let out a loud buildup of noise as Travis, a classmate of Betty's who wore the T-shirt of a popular fraternity, landed a ping pong ball inside a red cup full of beer.

"Oops. Looks like you ladies are drinking again." He smirked in triumph.

"I'll take this." Betty declared, as she raised the cup to her lips and drank deeply from it as Rhonda and Amy, another girl she recognised from her classes, cheered.

"At approximately 4:15pm, the defendant left the party in her own vehicle, a 2022 Chevrolet Malibu. Eyewitnesses told investigators that Miss Brant was openly hostile to the idea of somebody giving her a ride." DDA Young told the court.

"Well, I've got to go. Maybe this'll help get the old GPA up." Betty giggled, as she reached for the keys to her car that were placed in a bowl with all the other car keys of the partygoers.

"You sure you should be driving, Betty?" Rhonda asked, concerned.

"I'll be fine. It's only quarter of an hour from here to my place." Betty retorted.

"Look, let me book you an Uber. I'll pay for it." Rhonda offered, but the blonde was having none of it.

"What, are you my mum now? Are you going to offer me milk and cookies as well?" She sneered, drunkenly. The alcohol in Betty's system made her feel uncharacteristically bullish.

"No, I…" Rhonda stammered.

"Then stop being so paranoid. I'll be fine." Betty smiled, as she grabbed her keys from the bowl and exited the house. However, there was a tell-tale swaying as Betty opened the driver's side door.

As Betty placed her hand on her chin with a morose expression on her face, DDA Young continued the People's summary.

"According to Miss Brant, she started off her journey without incident. However, as she turned onto South Beverly Glen Boulevard, she took her eyes off the road to answer a text message." She explained. As the prosecutor spoke, a couple of tears leaked from the corner of Betty's eyes – not the first tears she had shed since that day.

As Betty made a right hand turn, her phone began to vibrate. Initially, she knew that she should pull over to check the message. However, the buzzing of the phone was giving her a headache. Desperate to stop the annoyance, she grabbed her phone and pressed the home button and typed in her pass code to view the message. Ominously, the message read as follows:

Please come back, Betty! We need to talk about this – it's not just your ass that's on the line here! Love, Rhonda.

The blonde let out a sad sigh. Perhaps, it seemed, Rhonda did have her best interests at heart. After all, she had taken it upon herself to be her mentor and guide to the tough world of college. She remembered being a scared freshman, not sure how to find her way around campus, and how the sophomore stepped up to help her and became her first friend in Los Angeles after being separated from her high school friends. She opened the phone and began to compose a reply. It read:

Sry I snapped. Mayb ur rite.

Maybe she was being selfish, not considering who else she might be impacting. Nodding slightly, she looked up to the road to look for a place where she could pull over to reply.

And that was when not just her life, but the lives of so many others, would change forever.

"Due to her distraction over this text, Miss Brant was too late to see young Calvin Flinders run out into the street, chasing after a stray ball. The defendant then struck Calvin with her vehicle as she tried to stop." DDA Young told the court. As she said these words, several members of the Flinders family, who were wearing the young boy's smiling face, with black hair and glasses, on monogrammed T-shirt's started to cry and wipe their eyes. For all of Betty's sadness and remorse, today was all about Calvin and what he meant to his family and all those who knew him. His family had lost a son, a brother, a nephew and a relative. His schoolmates had lost a friend. A girl in her mid-teens with light brown hair glared at Betty in anger.

As sudden as a heart attack, Betty noticed a young boy standing in the road, reaching down to pick up a baseball. He couldn't have been any more than seven or eight years old, with dark hair and glasses, dressed in a powder blue T-shirt and cream shorts. Desperately trying not to hit him, the blonde pressed her foot down hard on the brake. However, her best efforts were for naught as her car made contact with the boy's body, sending him flying a short distance.

Screams rang out all across the neighbourhood as Betty's car screeched to a halt.

"CALVIN!" His mother, a blonde in her late forties, cried out as she raced into the street.

"Come on, little man! Talk to me!" His father, wearing a blue LA baseball cap over his light brown hair and a baseball glove on his right hand, begged as he and his mother crouched over the little boy's body. They were joined by his older sister, who wore a look of shock on her face. Meanwhile, Betty staggered out of her car. Her eyes went wide with horror as she saw the boy lying in the middle of the street. Suddenly, she felt all the alcohol she had consumed earlier rush up her esophagus. Using the hood of the car to steady herself, she threw up on the asphalt. As she vomited, the blonde began to wrestle with a horrifying truth – that an innocent bystander had been injured or worse because she had checked her phone.

"WHAT WERE YOU DOING?!" The father half-yelled, half-sobbed at Betty.

"I'm so sorry…I couldn't stop in time…I was sending a text…" Betty whimpered, as she staggered slightly from the effects of her intoxication.

"A text? Why would you be texting?" The sister exclaimed, as she noticed Betty stumbling. "Are you drunk?!" She added, a clear note of disgust in her voice.

"Cecilia, please. Let's just focus on your brother." Her mother pleaded, as she pulled her away.

"The impact of the vehicle had left Calvin with several injuries including broken ribs, a pneumothorax and a ruptured spleen. He was rushed to the Children's Hospital Of Los Angeles, where he underwent surgery to fix his spleen. Unfortunately, he would die from his injuries later that night. The coroner's autopsy found that the cause of Calvin's death was internal bleeding caused by his ruptured spleen." As DDA Young took a few moments to compose herself, many people in the courtroom were crying quietly. These included Calvin's family and friends, Betty, and even Betty's parents and friends who had travelled to Los Angeles to support her. It was always a tragedy when a child died, and especially when that child's death was so easily preventable.

"Miss Brant co-operated with investigators, giving a statement to Officer Kyle Brigham of the Beverly Hills Police Department. Officer Brigham then administered a field sobriety test to the defendant. Upon displaying signs of intoxication, Miss Brant was ordered to submit to a breathalyser test. The breathalyser showed a blood alcohol content of 0.19, a reading that would be confirmed through a second breath test, as well as a blood sample provided by the defendant." DDA Young told the court, having regained her poise.

"I received a text from my friend, asking me to come back to the party to talk. I texted to let her know I would be coming back. When I looked up to the road to find a place to park, I saw the kid standing in the street. I tried to stop in time, but I couldn't.' Betty admitted, as Officer Brigham questioned her at the scene.

"And were you drinking at this party, ma'am?" The officer inquired.

"Yes." Betty replied, honestly. There was no way she could hide from the truth now.

"And what were you drinking?" Officer Brigham probed.

"Beer…some alcopops…" Betty strained her mind to remember.

"Were these drinks in bottles? Cans?" The questioning continued.

"Mostly bottles. Some cups." Betty told the officer.

"Mmmhmmm." Officer Brigham noted, as he scribbled some notes down. "And where was this party?"

"216 Loring Avenue." The blonde confirmed.

"Okay, Betty, what we're going to do right now is a field sobriety test." The officer explained. Taking a pen out of his pocket, he turned to the blonde. "I want you to follow the trajectory of this pen with just your eyes. Your head must be perfectly still. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir." Betty nodded. Officer Brigham then began to move the pen from side to side, with Betty trying to follow the officer's instructions. However, that proved to be easier said than done, as Betty's right eye began to jerk noticeably as her eyes strained to follow the pen. As the test continued, her eye movement became less and less smooth.

"Uh-huh." Officer Brigham mused, as he noted his findings. "Now I'm going to have you do another test. I want you to take nine steps, heel touching toe, along the centre line of the road. Once you've done that, I want you to turn around and take nine heel to toe steps back to where we are now. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir." Betty replied, staggering slightly as she got to her feet. She then began to walk slowly and steadily as Officer Brigham monitored her footsteps closely. On the fifth step, Betty placed her left foot just in front of her right foot, instead of placing the heel to the toe as the officer requested. As the blonde turned around she wobbled slightly, before missing the heel to toe connection on the sixth step back. Officer Brigham's face remained neutral as he noted his findings.

"Just one more test, Betty. I want you to stand on one leg. What leg it is doesn't matter. Whilst standing on one leg, I want you to count up from 1001 until I say that you can put the leg down. Do you understand?" The officer questioned.

"Yes, Officer." Betty replied, as she lifted her right leg in the air.

"Good. Begin." The officer instructed.

"1001…1002…1003…" Betty counted as she stood on one foot. However, as she counted, Officer Brigham noted a slight swaying as the blonde tried to keep balance.

"2014…1015…1016…" Betty started to find herself losing balance. Desperate to maintain her poise, she hopped on her left leg to try and get back on an even standing.

"1027…1028…1029…"

"You can put your leg down now." Officer Brigham prompted, as she lowered her leg. "Okay. Listen up, Betty. Based on my observations during these three tests, it is my assessment that your ability to operate a motor vehicle has been significantly impaired. I'm going to have to ask you to submit to a breath test." With those words, the officer pulled out a device that looked like a walkie-talkie with a plastic tube on the front. "Blow in the tube, please." Officer Brigham ordered. Betty complied and exhaled deeply into the breathalyser. After a few seconds, the reading popped up on a small LED monitor.

"Betty, this shows a blood alcohol reading of 0.19. Did you know that's more than twice the legal limit?" He questioned, sternly.

"No, I didn't, sir." Betty admitted, shamefaced.

"Alright, put your hands behind your back." The officer instructed as he pulled out his handcuffs.

"Wait! What am I being arrested for?" Betty exclaimed in shock as she felt the cool metal grip of the cuffs on her wrists.

"DUI causing injury. For now." The officer announced grimly, as he secured Betty's hands behind her back. "You had better hope that kid makes it."

And Betty did hope. She hoped against hope that her actions wouldn't cause an innocent boy to lose his life. Alas, that would not be the case. And there wasn't a day that had gone by where she didn't curse her stupidity and selfishness. If there was perfect justice in this world, she would have wrapped her car around a pole before she reached that fateful point, and Calvin would still be living on this earth, having many happy memories with his family.

The tragedy had opened a window into Betty's soul. Faced with the reality of the situation she had put herself in, the blonde had found herself undertaking a thorough introspection and moral inventory. And Betty did not like what she had found at all.

The main truth Betty had to confront was that she was a selfish person. Not on purpose, mind you. It wasn't like she woke up every morning with the desire to focus on herself. However, the vocation of journalist did tend to lend itself to insular thinking. It was all about individual accomplishments – how can I get this scoop? How can I make a name for myself? What do I need to do to get nominated for awards? I, I, I. Me, me, me. This insular line of thinking, coupled with the perhaps overly polished image she presented, served to make her appear aloof and uncaring.

Which was, of course, far from the truth. However, perception is reality.

Which led directly to the other reason why Betty considered herself to be selfish – her lack of concern for the affairs of other people. Sure, she had friends, including Liz Allan, her bestie. But outside of Liz, and maybe Ned Leeds during their brief courtship, when was the last time she had shown an interest in other people's lives? High school? Heck, maybe even pre-Blip? And she hadn't asked her mum or her dad how their day had gone for at least two years. She contrasted this with the kindness shown to her by Rhonda, who had offered a source of friendship in a very challenging environments.

Betty sniffed and reached for a tissue on the table in front of her. Rhonda had been so welcoming to her, and how did she repay her? By metaphorically spitting in her face and leaving her with the misplaced guilt for Calvin's death. And God only knows what sort of fallout she could expect for supplying alcohol to a person under 21 who killed someone driving drunk. She must hate me. And I don't blame her. Betty thought to herself.

Meanwhile, DDA Young was setting forth the terms of the plea agreement that was in place..

"Your Honour, because of Betty Brant's arrogant, negligent and self-centred decision to not only get behind the wheel whilst intoxicated, but then to distract herself from the road by checking her phone, Calvin Flinders is dead." She proclaimed. "Calvin's parents, Martin and Delia, have lost a dearly beloved son. Cecilia, his sister, no longer has her brother. His classmates and team mates have lost a friend. Her irreversible actions have bought grief and pain to so many people.

However, Miss Brant's actions have not only caused harm to Calvin's family and friends, but to wider society as well. There is a reason that criminal cases are argued on behalf of the people instead of any given county's District Attorney's office. It is because the people of the state of California expect people to follow the law, and for that law to be enforced. It is part of the unwritten social contract that we all have with one another – that we respect each other. When people like Betty Brant fail to show respect for others by engaging in negligent driving in a suburban area causing death, the people of this state have a right to demand that she suffer the consequences of her actions. And that is why we are here today.

Today, we ask that Betty serve the maximum sentence of ten years for the manslaughter conviction plus a further six months for driving under the influence, for a total term of 10 and a half years in prison. The People consider this to be a fair and just sentence This sentence takes into account all factors involved in this case, both aggravating and mitigating.

The facts of this case show several aggravating factors. Firstly, Betty should not have been consuming alcohol at all on the day in question. Aged 19 at the time of the offending, she was unable – and still is, at age 20 – to purchase alcohol in the state of California. Albeit minor, her conduct that afternoon was a violation of the law in and of itself. The second aggravating factor is Betty's high level of intoxication. Her blood alcohol content at the time of the crash was 0.19 – an aggravated DUI level that triggers enhanced criminal penalties in DUI cases. The third aggravating factor is the fact that she used her phone whilst driving. This is the reason that Betty Brant was charged with gross vehicular manslaughter instead of vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence. Calvin's death was caused by her not paying attention to the road, and thus was the proximate result of an unlawful act separate from her intoxication. The fourth and final aggravating factor is her blatant disregard of advice given to her by other people at the party in question. She had a clear and willing offer of a ride home, which would have caused this needless tragedy to be averted, and she consciously refused to utilise it. As far as the People are concerned, nothing less than the maximum sentence of imprisonment will suffice for this crime. Betty Brant's behaviour on this occasion was a danger to community safety, and should be treated as such.

The People wish to note Betty's co-operation with the authorities and her accepting accountability. Due to her assistance, BHPD was able to put together a clear timeline of the events leading up to the collision. To give credit where it is due, the People wish to commend her for sparing Calvin's family the trauma of a trial. The People also acknowledge the defendant's remorse, acceptance of responsibility and her stated desire to assist county and state authorities with anti-drink driving outreach, which is to be admired. However, her remorse after her crime does not outweigh the clear aggravating factors. I don't believe Betty Brant is some irredeemable felon. However, her arrogant and selfish choice cost Calvin Flinders his life and tore apart the lives of his family. And she has to pay a price for that."

With that, DDA Young sat down at the prosecution table and began sorting her files. A lump had formed in Betty's throat as the prosecutor addressed the court. Danger to community safety…she had never heard herself referred to in those terms before. Looking behind her, she could see her mother Leanne wiping her eyes and Liz biting her tongue, clearly trying to stop herself from saying something she'd regret.

"It won't come to that, Betty." Her lawyer, a Chinese-American woman named Wang Daiyu, whispered in her ear.

"Thank you, Mrs Young. I'll hear the defence on sentencing." Judge Simpson instructed, as he made some notes on a pad in front of him.

"Thank you for your time, Your Honour." Wang began, in a crisp tone. "Let me be clear: Betty has no interest in defending her actions on that day, and neither do I. She fully understands the consequences of her bad choices on that October afternoon, and she will accept the consequences.. However, there are several things the court should know. My client has no prior criminal history – not even so much as a parking ticket. She was an honours student at her old high school in New York City and a leader in the student community. She had interned with a online media outlet prior to starting college, and had also hosted a news programme at her school. I will address the relevance of that in a moment.

One major factor the court must consider is that Betty, along with half the world's population, was Blipped out of existence by the Mad Titan, Thanos. Had the Blip not occurred, she would be 25 today. There is a scientific consensus that the human brain has not finished fully developing until the age of 25, and studies are still ongoing about the impact that five years of lost development has had on young adults involved in the Blip. Perhaps if she was 25 like she should have been, she would have had that extra life experience that would have enabled her to make a better choice.

The most important thing here, Your Honour, is that Betty is extremely remorseful for what she's done. Ever since I've met her and taken on her case, there hasn't been a meeting where she hasn't cried or expressed sadness about this tragedy. She is fully aware of the pain and grief she's caused Calvin's family, and she takes responsibility for that." Sure enough, Betty was crying as her lawyer addressed the court. The blonde sobbed weakly as she grabbed hold of a Kleenex from the box in front of her and wiped her eyes. Regret and self-loathing swirled within her as she reminded herself that a boy was dead because of her.

"Which brings me to the matter of sentencing, Your Honour." Wang continued, building her argument to a final flourish. "For the sake of Calvin's family, I advised my client to accept responsibility. However, I will note that the court does have the option to either sentence her to formal probation, or suspend the execution of any term of imprisonment for up to five years, and I ask Your Honour to consider those options. I would also ask the court to allow Betty opportunities to speak out against drunk driving during and after her sentence. I have already mentioned that she is a very skilled communicator. It is my opinion that she would be an excellent asset to county authorities, as well as to groups such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving, as a speaker to warn young people about the consequences of drunk driving – a much more effective use of her talents than sitting in a jail cell. Betty wants to do something good with her life – give her that chance."

As Wang sat back down, the judge continued to write on his pad. "Thank you, Miss Wang. Now, I understand there are two victim impact statements to be made."

"Yes, Your Honour. Martin and Delia Flinders will speak first, followed by Cecilia Flinders." DDA Young confirmed. At these words, Calvin's parents hugged one another and squeezed their hands for support. Betty forced herself to turn around in her seat to face the couple. She owed them that much, at least. As Calvin's parents walked by her parents, the blonde noticed the father – Martin, the prosecutor had called him – put his hand on her father's shoulder and whisper something in him. Whatever it was, it must have been comforting, because it caused Charles to flash the briefest of smiles and shake his hand. As they walked by the defendant's table, Betty noticed that Delia was holding a small framed picture of Calvin. The picture was taken during happier times – he looked about five years old, so Betty surmised the photo must have been taken about two or three years ago. As the two parents took the stand, you could cut the tension with a knife. Once Martin and Delia had adjusted themselves comfortably, the former began to speak.

"Hello there, Betty." Martin began, shuffling the paper he was holding nervously. Meanwhile, Betty had focused her gaze squarely on the two grieving parents. Looking them in the eye was the very least we could do. "When the judge gave us the opportunity to speak to you today, we struggled to find the words. I mean, what words are adequate for a situation like the one you have placed our family in? Ultimately, we decided to give you an understanding of what your actions took from us."

As Betty locked her tearful eyes with his, Martin continued. "When Calvin was born, he became the centre of our universe. Of course, Cecilia was already born and we still adored her. But a father will bond differently with his first born son than with any other child. At last, I had a son to whom I could pass my love of the Dodgers. There were all the familiar rites of passage for father and son – first birthday, first words, first toys and so on. And then, almost nine years ago, with a literal click of the fingers, it was all taken away." He muttered, as he fought back tears.

Betty, as well as her friends, let out an audible gasp. Poor Calvin had already died once before – in the Blip that had caused half the world's population to literally vanish into thin air. The blonde then remembered the look of pure hatred she received from the girl she recognised as Calvin's sister earlier. No wonder she felt that way after losing her brother twice, the second time for good.

Meanwhile, having composed himself, Martin had resumed speaking: "For five long years, Cecilia and I lived through hell on earth, thinking that we would never see our wife and mother, or son and brother, this side of heaven. Then the Avengers did the unthinkable and reversed the Blip. God had seen fit to give us a miracle, and we were going to make the most of it. Just a couple of weeks before the day you struck him, we took him to his first ever Dodgers game. He loved it so much, I managed to get tickets for this year's Opening Day. We had to go without him. But you already knew that."

As Martin wiped his eyes, Delia spoke for the first time. "Calvin was such a happy boy. He brightened up everybody's day. I'll never forget how his little fingers curled around my thumb on the day he was born. I'll never forget how he would draw pictures of the four of us as a family, or how he picked a daisy from our lawn for Cecilia, or how he would tell me he missed me whenever I went to check the mail. And I'll never forget having to say goodbye to him, because of the choice you made."

Betty's lips trembled as she wept openly. Delia's words had bought a harsh reality into focus. An innocent child was dead, a child that didn't have to die, because of her selfish choice. She could've accepted her parent's offer to fly out and spend time with her, and not have gone anywhere near that party. She could have accepted Rhonda's offer of a ride share, and she wouldn't have been behind the wheel. But, in her foolish pride, she thought she knew better. And now there was blood on her hands that would never wash off. Despite her tears, the blonde made every effort to look Calvin's parents in the eye. She wasn't going to turn away when the going got tough, like a coward.

"191 days ago, you took our son from us. 184 days ago, we laid Calvin to rest. 105 days ago, we celebrated our first Christmas without him. 77 days ago, we learned we would avoid a trial. 54 days ago, Calvin would have turned eight. 30 days ago, we began writing this speech. And it was just seven days ago that we made the most important decision of our lives – the decision to forgive. And we want this to be heard and understood – we forgive you, Betty. And we know Calvin forgives you as well." Delia declared.

"With that being said, we can't pretend we don't want you to pay for what you did. You killed our son, Betty." Martin tagged in, looking her in the eye. "There has to be consequences for your selfish behaviour that bought us here today, and I can see from the emotions you've been showing that you agree. We don't wish you ill, and we hope you can forgive yourself one day. However, we are going to have to ask the court to send you to prison today. There's a Bible verse, in Hosea, that I feel applies here: "They sow the wind, and reap the whirlwind." You sowed the wind when you decided that needing to get home under your own steam was more important than the safety of others. And here you sit, reaping the whirlwind. Pride is a deadly sin, and it was a lethal one for Calvin. I pray that you repent and seek God's mercy, Betty. I truly do. With that being said, we ask that you receive the maximum penalty. And I realise this sounds so contradictory and hypocritical, because we do forgive you. However, without justice, there can be no forgiveness."

As Betty clasped her hands over her trembling lips, the grieving mother pressed on. "At Calvin's funeral, there was nobody wearing black. They were wearing green, the colour of rebirth. While our son's earthly life is over, we know that his eternal life is just beginning. Whatever the judge decides today, our greatest wish for you is that you find a new life and a new purpose – to be a lesson to others, both in justice and in redemption. That you do something good on this earth to balance out the bad. That you make the world a better place through your talents. My husband and I are going to be praying for you, and we wish you good luck. God bless you, Betty."

The courtroom was deathly silent as Calvin's parents got up and returned to their seats. On the way back, Martin and Delia shook hands with Charles and Leanne before sitting down. As Cecilia, the daughter, got up to speak, she exchanged a look and a nod before striding with purpose towards the stand. Purposely ignoring Betty as she entered the main body of the courtroom, she sent a message to the blonde defendant with her body language: If my parents are going to play good cop, then I'll be the bad cop.

The angry cop. The wounded cop. The "you killed my brother, you piece of shit" cop.

Once she had stepped into the witness box, Cecilia shuffled the papers she was holding, before addressing the court.

"Thank you, Your Honour, for this opportunity. Almost 13 years ago, I got the greatest gift a girl could ask for – a baby brother. We decided to call him Calvin. He was everything to me growing up. One of my fondest memories is teaching him his ABC's. Mum made sure to catch that on video. We actually watched it together last night – it was the only way that any of us could work up the courage to be here today. My family's life hasn't exactly been a fairytale. But that didn't matter to Calvin or I. Because we had one another."

Grabbing a tissue from the box on the stand in front of her, Cecilia pressed onward. "Then, out of nowhere, my life changed overnight. Mum and Calvin were stolen from us in the blink of an eye, and Dad and I had to navigate the post-Blip world by ourselves. All we wanted was one more day with our beloved son and brother." As Cecilia shook her head and laughed, the statement continued. "But one day, our prayers were answered. Tony Stark gave his life, Thanos was vanquished, and I got my mother and Calvin back. At last, we could rebuild the lives that had been shattered by the Mad Titan. We could be a family again."

Cecilia's voice grew thick with emotion. "Nobody should have to outlive their younger sibling. Sometimes I instinctively head to his room to see if he wants to do something. The pain that I feel in my heart whenever I realise he's not there – it's indescribable."

Betty wore a look of absolute misery across her face. Cecilia had every right to hate her. After all, she had just stolen the most important thing in the world from her – her brother's life. And there were no Avengers or Infinity Stones around to put it right. Suddenly, the potential maximum ten year sentence seemed wholly inadequate. The blonde felt like she deserved a life sentence for everything she put this family through.

Cecilia's tone of sorrow suddenly turned to one of anger and disdain. "And that pain that I feel every day? It's all your fault. My brother is dead because your ego couldn't handle waiting for an Uber. You knew what could happen, and you drove drunk anyway. The conviction on your record might read "manslaughter", but in my eyes, you're nothing but a filthy murderer and a scumbag. Oh wait, you're also a thief. Not a thief of property, but rather a thief of memories. His first day of high school. His first love. His first date. His wedding day. Starting a family. And God only knows how many birthdays and Christmases. These are all the milestones you stole from him when you made the decision to drive drunk. You can retrieve stolen property, but you can't give back life. You're also a thief of our peace of mind. We no longer feel safe walking around our neighbourhood. We've all had to go to therapy to deal with what we saw. I've had to take sleeping pills just to have a good night's rest. Are you going to go on an Infinity Stone hunt, Betty? Are you going to get Spiderman, the Hulk, freaking Ant-Man to help you bring my brother back to life? No, you can't. In the absence of that, there is one thing that you can do to put this right. You can rot in prison. Just because Mum and Dad forgive you, doesn't mean I have to. Your Honour, I ask that you give this pathetic criminal the 10 year sentence she deserves. My brother's life is worth that, at least. Thank you for your time."

As she got up from the stand, Cecilia turned to face Betty. In a voice that betrayed the pain in her heart, she asked: "What did Calvin ever do to you, that he deserved to die like that?"

With that, Cecilia got up and strode back to her seat. As Betty watched her once again pointedly ignore her, she couldn't help but think that Cecilia's assessment of her character was spot on – at least during the day in question. Even though she wouldn't be convicted as a murderer, she sure felt like one. She was a killer, she knew that much. Her actions were responsible for killing a child – there were few things more horrible in the world to have on your conscience. And the more she thought about it, she realised the way she had reacted to Rhonda's offer was childish and pathetic. Meanwhile, Liz had her hands cupped around her nose, trying to take deep breaths to keep herself composed.

"I understand that the defendant wishes to address the court at this time." Judge Simpson mused, as he continued writing his notes.

"Yes, I do, Your Honour." Betty announced, as she rose to her feet. In her hands was her statement that she had written the night before whilst in jail. She had agonised over what to say to the family she had torn apart with her actions. Well, what could she say? There were no words on earth that could put this right. With a brief shake of the head, the blonde took the statement she was holding and tore it up. The gesture caused gasps and murmurs to spread throughout the gathered crowd. Betty Brant was going to speak from the heart. Turning to face Calvin's family in the gallery, she began to speak.

"Mr and Mrs. Flinders, I am so sorry that I took Calvin from you." She began, her voice wobbling. "Based on the stories that you've shared today, he sounded like he was an absolute blessing to your lives. I would have loved to have had a brother like him." Tears rolled down her cheeks as she continued. "Not a day goes by where I don't think about the innocent life that I took. If there was any justice in this world, I should've died instead of him. If I could sacrifice my life for his, I would do so without hesitation. I will forever be haunted by what I did to your family."

Fully sobbing now, Betty continued. "Also, I just want to say thank you from the very bottom of my heart for your forgiveness. Your kindness reminds me of just how selfish my actions were. I promise to better myself and learn to be more empathetic towards others."

After taking a brief moment to wipe her eyes and compose herself, Betty turned to the judge. "Your Honour, I am not going to try and fight the sentence I am about to get. I deserve it. But I just want to state for the record to the court and to Calvin's family, and all other parties that may be concerned, that I wish to act as a voice of warning to young people like myself, to try and stop them from making my mistakes. I want to make sure something good can come from this sad and terrible situation. Thank you for your time, Your Honour."

As she sat back down at her desk, Judge Simpson had finished writing his notes on the case. While Betty was addressing Calvin's parents, he had reached a decision on this case and the appropriate sentence. He had played the role of the scales of Lady Justice, weighing up both mitigating and aggravating factors, and had come to a conclusion. Letting the emotion in the courtroom subside, he waited until the courtroom was fully silent before beginning to address the gallery.

"This is, beyond the shadow of a doubt, one of the saddest cases I've ever presided over." Judge Simpson began, in a somber voice. "There is a no more perfect illustration of innocence and joy than that of a child at play. It is truly a tragedy of the highest order that such a serene scene should end in death. This needless crash did not just take Calvin's life, it shattered the lives of all involved. Neither his family or Miss Brant will ever be the same again. I know this is a cliché, but there are truly no winners here."

"I have read the pre-sentencing report prepared by the Los Angeles County Probation Department. It makes mention of the defendant's prior good behaviour and lack of criminal history. According to the defendant, her mindset at the time was one of general defiance caused by the stress of college life and being far from her family. In the report, she expresses her remorse for what has happened, her willingness to pay restitution to the Flinders family and her willingness to abide by the terms of probation. However, the report also makes mention of the same aggravating factors put forth by the People during sentencing recommendations.

Which brings me to the matter of the defence's request for probation. After weighing all factors, this court has decided to formally deny that request."

At these words, all Betty could do was sit and nod glumly. She had been mentally preparing herself for this moment ever since she had first been booked into jail. While she was heartbroken for her family and friends, deep down she knew that this is where she deserved to be.

"There are three principal factors that factor into this judgement. The first factor is the defendant's blood alcohol content. At 0.19, it was more than double the legal limit. And not only that, it was also a breach of this state's Zero Tolerance Act for drivers under the age of 21. The second aggravating factor is the gross negligence displayed throughout this episode of offending. To send a text message while you were driving is unacceptable, never mind the significant impairment your intoxication had caused. The final factor is the knowing rejection of an offer that could have prevented this tragedy. Given the blatant disregard that you had for your own life and the lives of others, I believe that you need to see the inside of a prison cell to really appreciate the damage that you have caused. Your remorse and guilty plea is to be commended, and because of that, you will not be sentenced to the maximum term. However, do not be deceived. Your actions were callous and immoral, and because of them, a little boy is no longer walking this earth. Will the defendant please rise for sentencing."

Immediately, Betty and Wang immediately got to their feet. The blonde folded her hands and stood with her head bowed as the judge prepared to pass sentence.

"In the matter of The People Of The State Of California Vs. Elizabeth Brant, case number SP34567, the court's judgement is as follows. On the first count, gross vehicular manslaughter whilst intoxicated, you are duly convicted and sentenced to the state prison for the mid-level term of six years. On the second count, driving under the influence, you are duly convicted and sentenced to the state prison for a term of four months, consecutive to count number one, pursuant to California Vs Torres. Therefore, the total term of imprisonment will be six years and four months. This will be followed by five years of state-monitored parole. Since gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated is considered a serious felony under Penal Code Section 1192.7, you must serve at least 80% of your sentence in custody before you are eligible for early release, which in this case is five years. In addition, you will receive a strike on your criminal record as part of the Three Strikes law. You are also ordered to participate in Alcoholics Anonymous meetings during your term of imprisonment, as well as any other programmes deemed essential by the California Department Of Corrections. You will receive a credit of 190 days for time served in the Los Angeles County Jail prior to sentencing.

Now to the matter of fines. This court fines you $8000 and orders you to pay restitution to the Flinders family in the amount of $53,070 for medical expenses and emotional pain and suffering.

The next portion of the sentence relates to your driving privileges. Your driver's license will be revoked for a period of three years. The restoration of your license upon your release is conditional on your participation in Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, as well as completion of an approved driver's school course. This court also orders you, pursuant to Section 23573 of the Vehicle Code, to install a certified ignition interlock device in any vehicle you own or operate for a period of six months after restoration of your driver's license.

Lastly, some personal words on how this sentence and your status as a convicted felon will impact your rights as well as potential legal implications. These convictions will show up on background checks by a prospective employer or your bank or the Housing Authority. You are forbidden from voting in any election, state or federal, during the term of your imprisonment and parole supervision. You are forbidden from serving on a jury in this state, unless you get those rights restored through a Certificate of Rehabilitation. You are forbidden from serving in the Armed Forces, unless you receive a waiver from the Secretary Of Defence. You are banned for life from possessing any sort of firearm, unless you receive a pardon from the Governor. You will be subject to warrantless searches during your five year parole period. You will need permission from your parole officer to leave the county you reside in post release during this time. You will not be able to leave the State Of California during this period unless restitution is paid in full.

Due to you being convicted for gross vehicular manslaughter whilst intoxicated, you expose yourself to an enhanced range of penalties for future offences related to driving under the influence. For example, any DUI within 10 years of your discharge from parole can be punished by up to three years in the state prison, and another conviction for gross vehicular manslaughter whilst intoxicated in that same period is punishable by 15 years to life. Under state law, I am required to ask you to sign what is known as the "Watson Admonition". You have seen with your own eyes and heard with your own ears about how driving under the influence of alcohol is inherently dangerous to human life. You have also borne witness to the pain and anguish your choices have caused. With this new-found knowledge, if you were to kill someone by driving under the influence again, such an act could be considered implicitly malicious, which exposes you to a potential charge of murder in the second degree, pursuant to California Vs. Watson. If the clerk will pass the form to the defendant."

The clerk, a man with sensible reading glasses and wearing a suit, received a form from the judge and delivered it to Betty. Sitting back down at the desk, she scrutinised the form closely. As she did so, Wang addressed the court. "Your Honour, May I confer with my client for a brief moment?" She requested.

"By all means." The judge allowed.

The Chinese-American lawyer then turned to the blonde. "Betty, you and I are going to read through this form together so that you understand what you are signing. It can have major ramifications down the line." She instructed.

With that, the pair turned to examine the document that had been placed before them. It read as follows.

IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA – COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES

WATSON ADMONITION TO DEFENDANT CONVICTED OF DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL OR DRUGS

THE PEOPLE (Plaintiff)

Vs.

ELIZABETH LEANNE BRANT (Defendant)

DEFENDANT TO PERSONALLY WRITE YES IN ONE OF TWO BOXES BELOW

You are hereby advised that being under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or both, impairs your ability to safely operate a motor vehicle. Therefore, it is extremely dangerous to human life to drive under the influence or alcohol or drugs, or both. If you continue to drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or both, and as a result of that driving someone is killed, you can be charged with murder.

Box 1: REPRESENTED BY SELF: I have read and understood this admonition.

Box 2: REPRESENTED BY AN ATTORNEY: I have discussed this case with my attorney and I understand this admonition.

I have read this document, or have had it read to me, and I understand. I have willingly and personally written my answer in the box.

Signed:

Dated: 4/12/2027

"This form says that you understand the risks and danger involved with drunk driving. Should you sign this form, you are essentially giving your consent to the State Of California to prosecute you for second degree murder should you kill someone else by drunk driving." Wang cautioned her client.

"And why shouldn't they?" Betty replied, as she picked up the pen to sign.

Wang held up her hands in defeat. "As long as you know what you're doing." She conceded, as the blonde put pen to paper. Having written the word "Yes" in the box that indicated she had consulted with her attorney and having signed her name, she passed the form back to the clerk.

"Before you are taken away today, Miss Brant, I just want to say one final thing to you. I wish you luck. Prison is not going to be an easy experience for you, or a pleasant one. I hope you use the time to reflect on the actions that got you here, and developing a plan to make sure it never happens again. And every time you receive a visit from your family or friends, I want you to appreciate how fortunate you are to actually get these visits, when the boy you killed will never speak to his family again. This court orders that the sentence imposed upon the defendant Elizabeth Leanne Brant is to be formally executed today. The defendant is committed to the California Department Of Corrections. The defendant is remanded into the custody of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department in order to be delivered to the Reception Centre at the Central California Women's Facility in Chowchilla, California, for formal reception into the California Department Of Corrections." With these words, Judge Simpson banged his gavel, making the sentence official.

"Let's go." The Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputy that had bought her to the courtroom, a man with brown hair by the name of Evans, instructed. Dutifully, Betty stretched out her hands and let them be placed into a pair of handcuffs that were fastened around her wrists. Once that was done, Deputy Evans escorted the blonde inmate out of the courtroom. As she turned her head, Betty noticed her mother Leanne was wiping her eyes with a tissue as Charles comforted her. Desperately, Betty smacked her lips in her mother's direction as she was ushered out of the courtroom, as if she was trying to kiss her. Liz had her hands cupped in anxiety as she was consoled by Brad Davis, a former classmate. Ned Leeds, Betty's one time boyfriend sat there with his mouth open in dismay. Michelle Jones, Ned's friend, put her hand on his shoulder in comfort. Martin and Delia wore expressions of relief that they finally had a degree of closure, while Cecilia wore a look of muted satisfaction, a far cry from the anger she expressed at Betty earlier. None of them could be said to be in a celebratory mood, however.

And Peter Parker was sitting in the back of the courtroom, dressed in a smart red suit, watching it all.

The wall crawler had many, many things on his troubled young mind. First of all, he was absolutely devastated for the Flinders family. Losing Uncle Ben at the hands of a mugger and Aunt May at the hands of the Green Goblin were the two most painful moments of his life. And yet Peter was pretty certain that those would pale into comparison to losing your child. Twice. The brown haired genius found himself wondering if Calvin had ever purchased any Avengers-themed toys. Did he own any Spiderman things? He thought to himself.

Secondly, he was absolutely shocked and shaken that it was one of his former classmates responsible for this appalling tragedy. Peter never dreamed that he would see Betty Brant, the polished, popular news presenter, get hauled off to prison. Yes, Peter believed this whole ordeal was the logical consequences of her actions. And yet, that was one of the reasons he was shaken. Betty wasn't a bad person in his eyes. She had just made an awful, horrible mistake. But such a question seemed to be in the eye of the beholder. That Cecilia girl certainly believed she was a bad person, based on the harsh way she spoke to her. And who could blame her, given what her family had endured? But it was clear from the look on her face that she was starting to have second thoughts about those words. And Peter started to have second thoughts about some of the villains he had encountered over the years. The Vulture was an overprotective father. Some of the multiversal villains he had battled such as Otto Octavius and Norman Osborne (as opposed to the Green Goblin) wanted to make the world a better place. These people were more than their villainy, much in the same way that Betty was more than her crime. For the first time, the webslinger found himself questioning his own role in the world, wondering if it was really as simple as Spiderman Vs The Bad Guys.

But worst of all was the sadness he felt for his friends. He wanted to hug his best friend and tell him everything would be okay. He wanted to offer whatever help he could to his first date Liz during this difficult time. Heck, he wanted MJ to read him some beautiful poetry as he slept, to ease his troubled soul.

But how could any of that come to be? After all, none of them remembered him. Such was the price to pay when Doctor Strange reversed the spell that caused the multiverse breach and saved the world.

Wiping a stray tear from his eye, Peter stood up and left the courtroom. Heading outside into the early spring day, he put on his sunglasses – a tic he had picked up from his late mentor Tony Stark, who would often wear dark glasses whenever his eyes threatened to betray his emotions. Walking a couple of blocks from the courthouse, he noticed the black limousine parked at the corner of La Ceniega Boulevard and West 120th Street. Opening the door of the limo, Peter eased himself down onto the leather cover seat.

"Bad news?" Happy Hogan asked from the driver's seat.

"Six years four months." The wallcrawler responded. "Is the jet filled, Happy?"

"Yes, it is, Peter. We can be back in New York by…" The chauffeur began, only to be interrupted by Peter.

"No. Not yet. I want to make a layover in San Francisco on the way back. There's somebody I need to see." He requested, in a polite but professional voice, befitting of a person with such status.

***BB***

If Peter Parker was in the penthouse, then Betty Brant was in the shithouse.

Over the past six months or so in the Los Angeles County Women's Jail in Lynwood, the blonde had learned what it was like to be an inmate. And it was an experience that she had no desire of repeating.

Jail was, quite simply, a horrible place to be.

It was crowded. Betty had heard about the overcrowding in California's jails, but this was the first time she had seen it for herself. She had to deal with it right from the word go, when she was shunted from pen to pen during her intake process. She estimated that there were anywhere between 15-30 people in each holding cell, some sitting against the wall, others crammed together on benches. In addition to traditional cells, the housing units – or "pods" – were filled with double and triple stacked bunks in order to cope with overcrowding. The pod that she was in had to be at least double capacity, with women sleeping on bunks in the middle of the unit. Betty was one of them, on the bottom of a triple stack with two other woman – Soledad, a Latina in her late thirties charged with first degree robbery, and Ami, a brown haired woman in pigtails who was probably three to four years older than Betty. She was charged with DUI of drugs and possession of methamphetamine. Soledad was the tougher, more street smart – and prison smart - of the two, having previously served three years for assault with a deadly weapon, and she treated both Ami and Betty like they were her children, whilst Ami was a first timer like Betty.

It smelled awful. Betty got a taste of that during intake when a pair of withdrawing addicts were constantly puking in the holding cell's only available toilet as well as over the floor. The stench of vomit would be one thing that Betty would always carry with her. It would only get worse when she got to her housing pod. As luck would have it, the toilets in the cells were open and right by the door. It had become a common sight for Betty to see an inmate drop their jail-issue pants on the seatless commode while their bunkie was otherwise preoccupied and they had the cell to themselves. And despite their best efforts to warn others and suppress the smell, sometimes the pod would be filled with the smell of feces and urine. And that didn't even take into consideration the row of toilets for those not fortunate enough to have their own, with only a thin curtain offering any form of privacy. The odour, mixed with the smell of disinfectant, at times threatened to test the blonde's gag reflex. Which fed directly into another reality of jail life – the lack of privacy.

It was violent. And what was unsettling to Betty were the absolutely petty reasons for some of those outbursts. One inmate was beaten up because another girl thought she had stolen her deck of playing cards. Another beating had taken place because the beater thought the beatee had stepped on her bunk on the way down. The procedure was always the same – the two parties would disappear into the back of the pod, into the bathroom/shower area, along with Candy and Olivia, two inmates that acted as "pod bosses", enforcing the unwritten rules whilst the deputies enforced the written ones. A large crowd of blue-clad women would eventually follow, chattering excitedly as they realised there was going to be a fight. Betty knew she shouldn't be party to something like that, yet she couldn't look away. Victors were crowned and scores were settled – one way or another. The blonde considered it nothing less than a miracle that she had made it almost six months without getting targeted for a beating.

And this was without mentioning the quality of the food, or the attitude of the officers, whose attitude seemed to veer between apathy and authoritarianism.

And she had six more years of this to look forward to.

As Soledad and Betty sat and watched TV in the unit's day room, the Latina noticed her companion was feeling down. "You okay, corazon?" She inquired. A look of realisation crossed her face. "You got sent down, didn't you." The robber asked, though she phrased it as a statement.

"Six years and four months." Betty nodded. She then turned to her fellow inmate, her eyes wide as teacups. "I'm scared, Soledad. I have no idea what I'm walking into. Could you give me some tips?"

"Well first of all, there's the transfer process." Soledad explained. "You and a whole bunch of girls are going to get moved from here to CCWF – the Central California Women's Facility - in Chowchilla. It's just north of Fresno, so it'll be about a four hour bus trip. And they're not going to tell you the date, so you may as well get that idea out of your head. They don't want people rushing the prison bus. When you know, you know. You'll be in what's called reception, where you'll start your term with all the other fish. You'll get your physical done, mental health, security classification – all of that doing this time. Could take two weeks, could take two months. Usually the average stay is about a month. Once that's all done, CDCR will decide whether you stay at Chowchilla, or if you get moved to CIW or Folsom."

"CIW?" Betty inquired.

"California Institute For Women, in Corona." Soledad explained.

"And I thought Folsom was a men's prison." Betty stated.

"It is, but there's a separate women's facility on site. I spent some time there." The Latina pointed out.

"Anything else?" Betty inquired.

"You're going to want to get in a family. They'll take care of you if you prove yourself useful. Also, don't get into drugs or gambling. That way lies serious bullshit. Don't accept gifts, because some girls will want you to return the favour, and trust me Betty, you don't want any part of that." The Latina offered.

"Duly noted." Betty murmured, soaking in the knowledge.

"And about your crime – you haven't told anyone about it, have you?" Soledad probed. When Betty shook her head no, the Latina nodded approvingly. "Good. Keep it that way. If there's one thing that can cause you to be hated in prison, it's hurting or killing kids. In the prison system, there are a lot of hurting parents who miss their children, and are looking for someone to take out all their anger on. You didn't mean to do it. But this is prison, where nuance goes to die. Someone who thinks you're a kid killer isn't going to care about the ins and outs of the situation."

"So, what do you do to pass the time?" Betty asked her new-found mentor.

"Get a job, for starters." Soledad advised, sagely. "It keeps you out of trouble, seeing as how there's waiting lists out the ass for the educational programmes. You'll probably get a job assignment when you get out of reception. One thing you should definitely try and take advantage of is firefighter training, if you meet the criteria."

"Firefighter training?" The blonde asked, curious.

"Oh yeah. CDCR and CalFire have fire camps all over the state. The fire service is stretched so thin during fire season, they send inmates out to fight fires in exchange for good time credit. It's also a legitimate job pathway after prison – people that take part in a stint at fire camp can get their records wiped and hired by actual fire departments." Soledad explained.

"Thank you for this, Soledad. You've been a real friend to me these last few months." Betty smiled, genuinely.

"I was you once. It would suck if you fell through the gaps." Soledad shrugged.

That night, Betty tossed and turned on her bunk as she struggled to get to sleep. A knot formed in the blonde's stomach, as she heard a soft weeping noise coming from one of the other bunks. "Shut up!" A voice called from one of the cells. That didn't seem to work, as the crying continued. Eventually, there came a loud bang on a cell door. "YO, BITCH! SHUT THE FUCK UP!" The inmate behind the door, an African-American, repeated harshly. That seemed to do the trick, as the sobbing was reduced to mere sniffles. Betty felt her heart break for this woman, whoever she might have been. She knew exactly how she felt, as she was already missing the outside world.

Her memories drifted to the day of the crash, and all that came after.

She remembered the screams of horror that came from Calvin's family as the car made impact.

She remembered the beep of the breathalyser as Betty was found to be under the influence.

She remembered sitting in a detox cell at the police precinct while sobering up. Once that had taken place, she was taken to an interview room, where a detective told her that Calvin had died. She remembered gasping and shaking her head, as tears filled her eyes.

She remembered standing in a row with about ten other women at the county jail, having failed to make bail. "Okay ladies, time to get undressed." A sheriff's deputy ordered, as she pulled on a disposable glove.

Betty would rather forget what came next, thank you very much.

She remembered, having been dressed into her blue jail garb, to stand in front of a camera to have her mugshot taken. Three clicks of the camera marked the beginning of her time in jail. This would be one photo that the Brant family would not include in the annual Christmas letter.

Betty also remembered the catcalls of the other detainees as the "new meat" made the walk past several units, bed rolls in hand, before finally making their arrival at her housing unit. She would also remember the slop that seemed to pass for food, the first time she showered in front of other women, pulling the toilet's privacy curtain in front of her with a trembling hand, crying on the phone to her parents and Liz and the screaming, cursing and tears that followed lights out. But her thoughts would come back to two main images – Calvin lying dead in the road, and his family screaming and crying.

And it was in that moment that Betty realised she deserved to be there.

***BB***

"Welcome back to Los Angeles Eyewitness News. There were emotional scenes in a Los Angeles courtroom today as a drunk driver who mowed down an eight year old boy learned her fate. We go live to our court reporter, Gabriella Suarez. Gabriella?"

"Yes, good evening, David. Tonight, the drunk driver that killed eight-year old Calvin Flinders is behind bars. Betty Brant, aged 20, was sentenced to six years and four months in prison for gross vehicular manslaughter whilst intoxicated and driving under the influence. The convictions stem from this past spring, where Brant's vehicle hit Calvin as he ran into the street outside his home on South Beverly Glen Boulevard. Calvin would later die from internal bleeding caused by a ruptured spleen, according to the coroner's inquest. In the arrest report, Brant's blood alcohol content was .19, more than double the legal limit. Brant also told police that she was unable to see the road because she was sending a text message.

As expected, emotions ran high in the courtroom as Calvin's parents and sister addressed Brant.

"You killed our son, Betty. There has to be consequences for your selfish behaviour that bought us here today." (Martin Flinders, Calvin's father)

"Calvin was such a happy boy…I'll never forget having to say goodbye to him, because of the choice you made." (Delia Flinders, Calvin's mother)

"Nobody should have to outlive their younger sibling." (Cecilia Flinders, Calvin's sister)

"But perhaps the harshest condemnation of Brant came from Calvin's younger sister, Cecilia.

"The conviction on your record may read manslaughter, but as far as I'm concerned, you're nothing but a filthy murderer and a scumbag….you're also a thief…a thief of memories…there is one thing you can do to put this right. You can rot in prison."

"Brant could be seen weeping openly during the family member's statements, and also shed tears during her own address to the courtroom.

"I am so sorry I took Calvin from you…not a day goes by where I don't think about the innocent life that I took. I will forever be haunted by what I did to your family." (Betty Brant, convicted of vehicular manslaughter)

When I spoke to the Flinders family after the sentencing hearing, their main feelings were of closure and relief, with Calvin's father hoping to move forward.

"We like to think we're a forgiving family. But ultimately, that process can't truly begin until we see that justice has been done for our boy. We were dreading having to face Betty today. Now that she's suffered the consequences of her actions, hopefully we can find a way to move forward. For all of us to move forward."

When asked about the sentence Brant had received, Mr. Flinders was succinct.

"I'm not going to lie, I wanted the maximum. But I'm not the one who gets to make that call. And honestly? I think that's for the best."

Deputy District Attorney Katy Young, the lead prosecutor on the case, told gathered reporters that she was satisfied with the sentence.

"Betty Brant earned every day of that more than six year term. Today she learned a very painful lesson – her recklessness caused the death of an innocent child and a beloved son, Calvin Flinders. She said today that she will always be haunted by what she did. For her sake, I hope that's the case, if only so her and others may be motivated to make better choices in the future." (Deputy District Attorney Katy Young, Lead Prosecutor)

"Brant was also fined $8000 and ordered to pay medical and emotional suffering restitution to the Flinders family. She will also lose her license for three years, and must install an alcohol interlock device in her vehicle should she ever have her driving privileges restored. She is currently being held in the Lynwood Women's Jail, awaiting her transfer to state prison."

***BB***

Our courts failed Calvin Flinders. Here's how his killer could – and should – have received a tougher sentence.

Author: Lance Edmonds

Los Angeles Times

April 16, 3027

OPINION: When I first started as a Deputy District Attorney in San Bernardino County, the first words of advice I received were that the Penal Code Of the State Of California was like King Minos' labyrinth. To the untrained eye, it can certainly seem that way. Enhancements, mandatory minimums, crimes that can be charged as either misdemeanour or felony and what we who have practised law in the state of California call "the Triad". However, through it all, I have consistently tried to ensure justice has been done for the people who seek justice from the Superior Court of California in San Bernardino County.

My passion for helping the victims of crime has burned within me since I was a boy. From saving my childhood friend from having his bike stolen by a would-be robber, to being the sole male student on the Committee To Eradicate Sexual Assault at the University Of Texas Southwestern, to explain to families who have had a loved one murdered, rape survivors, and citizens who had been robbed, assaulted and kidnapped, what was going to happen in court that particular day, the importance of their testimony and the process of plea deals and sentencing. It has also sustained me in my career outside the courtroom, where I tirelessly campaign of behalf of the victim, in a society that has seemingly begun to forget them.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office has been the subject of controversy and criticism for a long time. Pre-Blip, the DA rarely pursued jail time for all but the most serious felonies. This, coupled with all but abolishing cash bail, contributed to what many critics of this approach called a "revolving door justice system", where criminals could seemingly come and go as they please. However, this approach eventually bought about public backlash. In the first post-Blip election, Adam Gallagher was resoundingly elected as District Attorney on a tough on crime platform, promising to respond to the electorate's concerns about a surge in crime in the city. This surge had come about as a result of people who had taken advantage of the chaos during the five year disappearance of half our species, as well as some who had returned struggling to adapt to the fact their livelihoods were gone.

It is within this broader context that I make the following appeal. First, judges in the state of California must have greater sentencing flexibility. Secondly, there must be harsher penalties for drunk drivers that kill children. The reason for this appeal? A little boy named Calvin.

At first glance, these two requests seem to contradict one another. I assure you, that is not the case.

Calvin's story is a tragic one. At the age of four, he was blipped out of existence, along with half the world. Eight years later, after the selfless sacrifice of Iron Man, Tony Stark, had restored those who had lost their lives, he would be killed. He was mowed down this past October in front of his house in broad daylight by Betty Brant, a student who had spent most of the day drinking at a sorority party. This week, Miss Brant was sentenced to six years and four months behind bars for gross vehicular manslaughter whilst intoxicated and driving under the influence.

Upon a cursory glance, this seems like a fair sentence for a first time offender. However, upon closer examination, it becomes clear that this sentence was painfully inadequate. And this is due, in no small part, to how our sentencing system works.

First, an overview of the facts of the case. Brant had spent the better part of Saturday October 3, 2026, drinking at a sorority house close to the UCLA campus, where she was a student. At approximately 4:15pm, she got behind the wheel of the Chevrolet Malibu she had driven to the party whilst intoxicated. Court documents reveal that eyewitnesses reported that Brant acted with a great deal of belligerence whilst under the influence and specifically rebuffed her hosts' offer of a ride. Such was host Rhonda Harrington's concern, she had sent a text message to Brant. Ir a tragic irony, this attempt to prevent needless heartbreak helped it come to pass. Brant claimed that as she was looking up from the phone to pull over, the very first thing she saw was Calvin in the road, where he had run to recover a stray ball. Unable to stop in time, Brant's vehicle struck Calvin, rupturing his spleen and causing significant internal bleeding – injuries that he would die from. A breathalyser reading taken at the scene by the Beverly Hills Police Department showed that Miss Brant had a blood alcohol content of 0.19 – more than double the legal limit, and also a breach of California's Zero Tolerance law for drink driving under age 21.

And now we come to the crux of the matter – why I feel that this sentence is not enough. There is one primary aggravating factor that the sentencing judge did not adequately take into account. And that is the disrespectful way that Brant dismissed those who were concerned about her state of inebriation. According to court documents, she sarcastically asked another attendee if she was her mother. Whilst hardly the crime of the century in and of itself, such behaviour must be viewed in a different light given the events that followed. Whilst I believe such an attitude falls short of the "implied malice" standard required to bring a charge of second degree murder, the belligerence and arrogance displayed by Brant in the lead up to this tragedy warrants a longer sentence than the six years she received.

Which brings me to the first part of my appeal – greater sentencing flexibility.

For the vast majority of felonies in the California Penal Code, sentencing is governed by what is known as "The Triad". The statutes for each crime give three options for potential terms of imprisonment – a low level term, a mid level term, and a maximum term. For example, the "Triad" for PC 191.5(a) – gross vehicular manslaughter whilst intoxicated – is four, six or 10 years in state prison. However, I feel that this system severely limits the discretion of the judiciary. This is because the three listed options in any given sentencing triad are the only options available should imprisonment be warranted. In addition, statutes dictate that the sentencing judge must use the mid-level term as a starting point, and either aggravate up to the maximum term or mitigate down to the low level term. In the above example, a judge cannot sentence an offender to five years in prison, nor to eight years. So if a sentencing judge feels that the facts of the case warrant a sentence that is not the maximum term but higher than the mid level term – as I personally feel Brant's offence does -, they cannot do that, because their hands are tied by the statute.

My solution to this? Abolish the sentencing "triad", and instead list the minimum and maximum terms as a broader range to which any term of imprisonment may be "No less than nor greater than". In my opinion, this will give judges greater discretionary power when deciding upon any future felony sentences.

This ties directly into another criticism of our sentencing regime – jail time credit. Offenders who are held on remand in county jails prior to being sentenced get that time credited to any state prison term, and thus that time has been considered to have already been served. Brant was sentenced to six years and four months for her two charges. Under state law, she is required to serve at least 80% - five years - of her sentence before she is eligible for early release for good behaviour during her incarceration. This is because gross vehicular manslaughter is considered a "serious felony" under the Penal Code (PC 1192.7). Under California's jail credit system, she has already served six months of that five year minimum. Assuming she keeps a clean disciplinary record and takes her rehabilitation seriously, Brant will ultimately be released in four and a half years with all credits taken into account – a rather lenient term considering the circumstances.

My solution? Eliminate jail time credit for all serious and violent felonies enlisted in PC 1192.7 and 1192.8 (the latter statute mandates that gross vehicular manslaughter whilst intoxicated be included alongside the felonies mentioned in the former). These include crimes like murder, rape, assault with a deadly weapon, selling drugs to minors and child sex abuse. Contrary to what some people believe, "jail" and "prison" are not simply two different words for the same thing. They are distinct facilities, governed by different authorities. If people who commit these very serious crimes wish to receive some sort of credit off their sentence, then they can earn it through good behaviour in the eyes of the Department Of Corrections, instead of having the good fortune to be held in custody before their trial. For example, a 15 years to life sentence for second degree murder could effectively only become 13 or even 12 years as the case weaves it's way through the trial and appeals process.

And now the second part of my appeal: There simply must be stiffer penalties for people who kill children with grossly negligent driving. As a society, we recognise children are a vulnerable demographic worthy of protection. This is reflected in the enhanced sentences for DUI offences – extra days can be added to an offender's jail sentence if that is the case. The duty of care drivers have to their fellow road users is also enshrined in law – Section 20001 of the Vehicle Code, which covers hit and run crashes, mandates an additional five years in prison for drivers who flee the scene of a gross vehicular manslaughter whilst intoxicated. It would therefore seem logical and prudent for the legislature to at least consider the question of whether a similar sort of enhancement should be applied to those who kill young children with grossly negligent driving.

I suspect the second part of this plea will fall on deaf ears. At the state level, our elected representatives have been following the opposite path, pushing through bills to try and lessen the amount of time people serve in prison. However, the people of this state will not tolerate lawlessness forever. I call upon the members of the California State Assembly to draft legislation that gives more teeth to punishments to drunk and grossly negligent drivers who kill young children, especially in places where they are more likely to be present, such as schools and playgrounds. Our children deserve it. Our fellow Californians – especially those who use the roads as part of our daily lives – deserve it. And Calvin Flinders deserves it. I urge all Californians of good will to contact their elected representatives to tell them that you support this needed change.

***BB***

Next chapter: Betty gets transferred to Chowchilla to begin her sentence. Meanwhile, Peter seeks advice from Scott Lang and Luis on what she can expect.