The Fighter (AU/Punk)

Sages POV
"Violet Sage Rosemarie Marcs," the lawyer says, approaching me as I sit by the judge. His beady eyes scan me hungrily, searching for a sign of weakness. "What exactly was your business in getting involved with my client?"
I glance at Liam across the courtroom but he doesn't look at me, his gaze is focused on his hands clasped in front of him. A shock of guilt bursts through me but is quickly depleted when the memories of what happened come rushing back to me.
"I was sent undercover," I say finally.
"What was your name when you were undercover?" The lawyer asks, his voice clear.
Despite the fact that I was assured this was going to be an open and shut case, I still feel nervous. I've never once been nervous while on the stand, maybe it's because my life has never been the one at stake.
"Sage Matthews," I respond, folding my hands in my lap.
"Did you have a physical relationship with my client?" The lawyer asks. He words send a shock through me and I feel my eyes widen.
"No," I stammer out quickly, glancing around the room wildly. I didn't prepare for this line of questioning. Daniel catches my gaze and our eyes lock. His lips move the word breathe and I take his advice, breathing in deeply as I refocus on the lawyer.
"Have you ever say, lead my client on?" The lawyer asks and I exhale the breath I didn't even realize I was holding.
Despite the lawyers brave face, he doesn't have a case at all. What Liam did was wrong, there's no doubt about it. He kidnapped and tortured me with intent to kill.
"I took the proper action that I believed would ensure the most results in information," I choose my words wisely.
"Now Miss Marcs, is it true that you are still currently in a relationship with a close friend of Liam's, Harry Styles?" The lawyer asks.
"Objection!" The prosecutor, Molly shouts, rising to her feet.
The judge gives Liam's lawyer a pointed look and he takes the hint.
"No further questions," he says and buttons up his black jacket as he strides back over to Liam.
"Miss Marcs," Molly says, rising to her feet. I've worked with Molly on more than one occasion, in fact she's probably one of the only people I would actually consider my friends. "Why did you go undercover?"
"Because they asked me to," I blurt immediately. "I also knew about the gang, and knew they needed to be stopped."
"Would you say you enjoy being undercover?" She asks, her heels clicking against the tile floor as she walks up to me.
"I wouldn't phrase it like that," I choose my words carefully. "I don't hate it per se, but I do it because I feel like I have an obligation to." That hasn't always been true though. I used to love going undercover. I guess things have changed.
"Why do you feel you have an obligation to? You quit the police force, why did you feel the need to come back?" She asks.
"There are a lot of bad people in this world," I respond. "And very few know how to deal with them. I'm one of those people. It's my duty to protect those who can't protect themselves from dangerous people like Liam." I glance in his direction and his gaze it focused on me, his jaw locked. I quickly focus back on Molly.
"What makes you capable to deal with the bad guys?" She asks for the sake of the jury.
"I've been thoroughly trained by the police force," I state plainly. "And I've had martial arts and self defense drilled into me. I am capable of holding my own in a fight even with a man twice my size, especially when I don't have any sort of drugs or alcohol in my system."
"As you can see," Molly turns to the jury. "Ms. Marcs here is a completely genuine, kind, and capable women. Yet the defendant still took the risk to kidnap and torture her after finding out that she was working with the police. His guilt is shown in the photos of her mutilated body and the emotional stress caused by such a situation. However to take her down he had to plan exactly what he was going to do. This was a cold and calculated act of malice and hatred."
I can see the sympathy for me in the jury members eyes as they listen to Molly and I am reassured that the case really would be an easy victory.
"No further questions," Molly dismisses me. I climb down from the stand and walk back to my seat by Daniel. He smiles at me but sits in silence for the duration of the trial. Both Molly and Liam's lawyer give their closing arguments before we are dismissed. The jury is supposed to have an answer tomorrow, they are being given the night to deliberate.
"You did good in there," Daniel says as we walk out of the courthouse. I give him a faint smile as I clutch the railing to the outdoor steps, my heels clicking agains the concrete.
"Sage," I turn towards the voice and see Harry walking towards me, dark sunglasses covering his eyes.
"What are you doing here?" I ask and still in fear. He can't be anywhere near here. It could blow my entire cover.
"I came to pick you up," he says and embraces my frozen body.
"I will uh call you tomorrow with the results," Daniel interrupts Harry's awkward display of affection with a cough.
"Don't I have to come tomorrow?" I ask, confused. Harry keeps a possessive arm over my shoulder.
"No that's alright, you won't be needed for anymore questioning," Daniel shrugs and turns away.
"How'd it go?" Harry asks as soon as Daniel is out of earshot. He turns me around and leads us down the street to where I assume his car is parked.
"Fine," I say. "I really can't talk about it."
"Are you okay?" He asks tentatively sliding his arm down so he can hold my hand.
"I've been better," I admit. The nerves of the outcome of this trial flutter uncomfortably in my chest.
"Why couldn't they just do both of the fuckers at once so you don't have to go through this," Harry grumbles and I spot his black rover parked on the side of the road.
"What do you mean?" I ask.
"Michael and Liam," Harry says and opens the passenger door for me. "Don't you have to testify at both?"
"I didn't tell you?" I Ask and buckle my seatbelt. Harry leans in my doorway, his hands on the roof of the car.
"What?" His green eyes crinkle in confusion.
"Michael isn't having a trial," I say, relief washing over me again. It's been hard enough seeing Liam since the attack, the last thing I need is to see Michael also. "He was already convicted of the crime."
"Isn't a trial kind of necessary though?" Harry asks.
"Well yeah, but there was so much evidence against him that I didn't need to testify and they could throw him right in prison," in all honesty the court systems still confuse me. I'm sure it's a lot more complicated than I made it out to be but I never really payed attention in social studies classes as a kid.
"Good," Harry says after a moment. He leans into the car and presses a warm kiss to my mouth, but he doesn't linger. He pulls away and shuts the door, securing me in. I watch as he jogs back around the car gracefully, his sunglasses reflecting the light.
I allow myself the brief seconds to steady my rapidly beating heartbeat. Seeing Liam again has made my purpose here come crashing down much too suddenly and my head whirls at the plan I've devised. Harry climbs in the car and I flash him a weak smile before he starts driving.
"Are you sure you're okay?" He asks as he drives, casting a worrisome glance in my direction.
"Yeah, yeah, totally," I lie. A knot has developed in the pit of my stomach. If I'm going to go through with this plan I need to do it soon, really soon.
The ringing of my phone interrupts Harry's next comment and I answer it hastily.
"Hello?" I ask, sounding slightly frazzled.
"Hey, I need to talk to you about something," Zayn's urgent voice comes through the receiver and I can hear the tension built up. "Alone."
"When?" I ask softly, casting a glance at Harry who seems focused on the road though his eyebrows raise at my response.
"I'll have Niall and Louis distract Harry tonight," Zayn says and abruptly ends the call.
"What was that about?" Harry asks as I slide the phone back into my purse.
"I'll let you know when I figure it out myself."

Notes

Hello all, sorry for the extreme lack of updates but I actually do have an excuse. My laptop wouldn't let me log in, I was considering just making another account but today I finally got in and can update some stories for you all.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ZAYN IS GOING TO TALK TO SAGE ABOUT?
WILL LIAM GO TO PRISON?
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHOS BEEN VOTING AND GETTING THIS STORY OVER 100 VOTES I LOVE YOU ALL AND KEEP BEING FABULOUS AND VOTING AND WHATNOT