Kara, Alex and Eliza walked into the store and were immediately greeted by the assistant. "Kara Danvers," Kara said. "I have an appointment."
"Yes, we were expecting you," The assistant said. She led them through to the back room, Kara, Eliza and Alex gasping in awe at the beautifully decorate room. "How about we start you off with a glass of champagne?" The assistant questioned as she reached for the tray on the table, set with three glasses of champagne, the dress shop aware how many people would be coming.
"I thought that was just in the movies." Kara said as she took a glass, a little surprised at the offer. Eliza also picked up a glass, before the assistant looked to Alex, holding the tray out in front of her.
"Uh," Alex rubbed the back of her head. "No, not for me, thanks." Alex cleared her throat, feeling Kara and Eliza's gaze on her.
"Are you sure?" The assistant questioned. "A nice drink with your friend to celebrate as she's looking for a dress?"
"She's the driver." Eliza said as she put her hand onto Alex's arm.
"Very well then," The assistant put the tray back on the table, before looking to Kara. "Well, I'll let you have a look at our dresses and I'll be back shortly to help you into your choices." The assistant explained. Kara gave a little nod as she looked across to the rail of dresses. She walked over, Eliza and Alex following.
"Oh my God Kara," Alex looked at the price tag on one of the dresses. "This dress is more expensive than my whole wedding was." Alex's voice squeaked, shocked at the price they were asking for.
Kara peered over Alex's shoulder. "Hardly."
"Seriously," Alex nodded. "You want to spend that much money on a dress you are going to wear once?"
"It's my wedding dress," Kara gasped. "Its got to be perfect."
Alex rolled her eyes as she moved down the rail, looking at the other dresses. "I mean, they are beautiful dresses, but…." Alex trailed off, not able to justify paying so much for something she'd only have on a few hours. "Costly."
"Well it's a good job you don't have to pay for it." Eliza said, looking at one of the other dresses.
"It is indeed," Alex retorted. She had to admit the dresses were beautiful, but she would never pay that much for a dress. "Speaking of spending money," Alex looked back to her sister. "You ever decide the honeymoon?"
"10 days," Kara told her sister. Neil wanted to go away for two weeks, but Kara felt like she could only leave National City for a week. She knew she deserved to get married and have a nice honeymoon as much as anyone, but she loved being Supergirl and wanted to be there for her city, but Neil did deserve to have a nice break. He worked hard, and Kara knew it mustn't be easy to work in the NICU, especially considering he'd lost a son of his own. "We came to a compromise."
"Get used to compromising," Alex told her, and Eliza gave a little chuckle as she nodded, like she was agreeing. "So, where are you going?"
"Barbados." Kara answered.
"Ooh nice," Alex smiled. "Ah the thought of a break away actually sounds perfect right now," Alex spoke dreamily. "Could be just what Maggie and I need to get back on a track. Just the two of us, relaxing, enjoying each other's company again."
"Things will work out." Eliza rubbed her arm softly as Alex started playing with her necklace. She'd wore it since Maggie had given her it when she'd returned from rehab a few days earlier.
"Yeah," Alex cleared her throat. She knew if the situation was reversed it would be very hard for her to forgive an infidelity, so there was a part of her that wasn't sure, but she had to believe things would be okay. "Anyways, we aren't here to turn the conversation onto my marriage. It's about Kara's upcoming one, so, dresses." Alex said, looking back to the dresses, going to help her sister pick out some to try on.
Maggie walked into the interview room, Officer Hall already sitting there with the young woman. Another woman had come forward, claiming she was sexual assaulted. The description she had given the same as the other women. Long dark hair, thick rimmed glasses, that changed between red or blue, depending on the woman making the claim, but everything else was the same. She'd talk to them, offer them a drink, and another, maybe even another. They'd leave the pub and wake up in bed with her, only parts of the night in their mind, it not coming to them for weeks or even months later what actually happened. "Okay," Maggie handed the glass of water down to the woman as she sat back down next to Officer Hall. "Just take your time. I know this must be hard. Talk when you are ready."
The woman took a drink of her water before she gave a little nod. "I uh…she needs to be caught and stopped. No one deserves this happening to them."
Maggie smiled softly, giving a little nod. "We are going to find her," Maggie assured her. People like this woman made Maggie sick to her stomach. The thought that someone would drug a woman and take advantage of them made her blood boil. She wouldn't even wish that on her worst enemy. "It's important that you tell us everything you remember. No matter how small a detail you think it is. Anything you can tell us will help our case against her."
"Uhm…" The woman took a deep breath. "Mandy. I think she said her name was Mandy."
Maggie and Officer Hall exchanged a glance. The other three women that they'd spoken to had given them different names. Laura. Natalie. Jessie. And now, Mandy. The description of her was the same though, so they were sure it was the same woman, she was obviously just using fake names, which was making it more difficult for them to find her. So far no one knew the address of the woman or what apartment building it was. Although, a couple of them did say they woke up in a motel, so maybe she wasn't even taking any of them back to her place. "Do you remember what apartment building it was?"
The woman shook her head. "It was close to the bar. Uhm….but there's a lot in that area," The woman shrugged as she was looking downwards. "Sorry, I'm not much help."
"Hey, you are doing great." Maggie handed her a tissue. The woman took it as she looked back up to them, exhaling lightly.
"I uh….I don't know. I just remember we were talking and she seemed really nice. Friendly. Then I remember it was just like a switch flipped and I felt really, really, drunk, like I didn't know where I was or anything, I…" The woman dabbed her eyes with the tissue. "Then I woke up in a bed, naked, with her next to me," The woman said. "I'm not even gay. I…I have a boyfriend. I was just waiting for my friend. She was running late, and I was only talking to her to fill time." A tear rolled down the woman cheek as she stopped talking. She reached for her water and took a drink, giving herself a moment to keep calm.
"Do you think if we took you back to the area you'd be able to pick out the building?" Officer Hall questioned. "Do you remember going in the elevator or how many flights of stairs you might have walked up?" Hall wondered. "When you left in the morning you surely must have known where you were."
The woman pursed her lips as she shook her. "I don't know."
"Then take a minute and think, please." Hall sighed.
Maggie glared at him. This poor woman had been sexually assaulted and was telling them as much as she knew already. She didn't need the officers who were supposed to be helping her getting mad because she couldn't remember everything. "I don't think I could go back." The woman sounded alarmed at the thought.
"You don't have to." Maggie told her. It now her turn to get a glare from Officer Hall.
Detective Danvers," Officer Hall said. "Can I talk to you outside for a moment?" Hall stood up and made his way to the out into the corridor, Maggie following after him.
"What?" Maggie questioned, holding her hands out to the side.
"How can you promise her she doesn't need to go there?" Hall questioned. "This could help us find her apartment. Find her," Hall sighed. "Find a rapist, detective."
"I'm well aware of what she is," Maggie retorted. "But don't you think she's been through enough?" Maggie questioned. "Only remembering this in parts may actually be a blessing for her and I am not about to put her through the trauma of having to go back and try to remember any more," Maggie told him, speaking with authority in her voice. "Her or any of the other woman." Maggie added, seeing Hall was about to talk again.
Hall sighed lightly. "So, what's your bright idea?"
"I'll go," Maggie retorted. "I'll go to the bar and see if she turns up. See if she tries it with any other women. I'll be there to stop it and arrest her," Maggie said. "The description every woman has given us is the same, so I'm sure I'll can spot her."
"As easy as that?" Hall scoffed.
"It sure beats putting her or any of those other women through any unnecessary stress," Maggie said. "That only happens as a last resort."
"Johnson will never agree to this. He'll say we need to take one of them if not more to the area where we think she lives." Hall said.
"I don't give two shits what he'll think," Maggie told him. "You wanted me on this case with you so at least respect the way I want to do this." Maggie spoke sternly at the man who was towering over her.
"Okay, let's do this your way," Hall sighed, shaking his head lightly. "I'll go thank her for her time and let her go for now." Hall said, walking back into the room, to let the woman go home.
"Mum." Emmi sounded rather pleased and surprised to see Alex waiting at the school gates for her. She picked up her pace, running away from her friends as she ran to Alex, not scared to hug her mother in front of the school.
"Hello, my darling," Alex hugged her daughter. "How was school?"
"It was fine," Emmi answered. "I didn't think you'd pick me up," Emmi said, pulling back from the hug. "I am so happy you are here," Emmi was grinning wildly. "Will you pick up Hayden too?"
"Hayden is already at Grandma's," Alex told her as they started walking away from the school. Eliza didn't live that far from Emmi's elementary school, so Alex had walked to collect her. "I picked her up from day care a while ago."
"So, am I coming to Grandma's with you?" Emmi wondered.
"Yes, didn't Mama tell you this?" Alex was a little confused. They both usually worked later on Wednesday's, so the girls always went to Eliza's after school and stayed still till after dinner anyways, so things were still the same as they always were.
"Yes, I always go to Grandma's on Wednesdays," Emmi answered. "I didn't know you were coming to Grandma's for dinner."
Alex scrunched her face up a little. "You know I am living with Grandma right now."
"Well yes," Emmi exhaled as she took Alex's hand as they continued the walk to Eliza's apartment. "Did you not go back to work yet?"
"No, not yet sweetie," Alex answered as they stopped and waited to cross the road. "I'm just going to spend some time with my favourite girls."
Emmi grinned. "Is that Mama too?"
"Yeah, Mama too." Alex assured her. It had been 5 days since Alex had came back from rehab, but unless it was about the girls, Maggie and Alex hadn't really talked.
"You should go on a date with Mama," Emmi suggested. "Take her to a nice restaurant and maybe get her a new bonsai tree."
Alex gave a little chuckle. "A bonsai tree, huh?"
"Yep," Emmi nodded as they made their way across the road as the walk sign flashed. "A nice date and a bonsai tree would maybe stop Mama from feeling so upset." Emmi said.
"I think it's going to take more than a date and a bonsai tree." Alex muttered.
"What did you say?" Emmi questioned, looking up to her for a moment, her big, green eyes going all wide.
"I said I think that sounds like a nice idea," Alex gave a little smile, Emmi still looking up to her. "Where do you think I should take her?" Alex questioned. She wanted to include Emmi a little in the planning process so that Emmi was aware they were working on things.
"Uhm," Emmi scratched the side of her head. "Maybe to Alessandro's?" Emmi suggested. She knew her parents liked that restaurant. "Or the French place she likes." Emmi shrugged.
"Yeah," Alex answered. "I think maybe Alessandro's. It's kind of our go to place, huh?" Alex questioned, and Emmi nodded. "And maybe this weekend, the four of us can do something nice together." It was important to Alex that Emmi knew they were still going to be a family.
"The aquarium." Emmi gave a little jump of excitement as she suggested it.
"Ah of course you'd pick there," Alex wasn't surprised in the slightest. "Well, I'll talk to Mama and see what she says, how does that sound?"
"She should say yes," Emmi answered. After all, they had promised her that they would still be a family and work things out. "If she isn't working. Sometimes Mama has work on the weekend."
"I know." Alex replied.
"But maybe me, you, Hayden and Grandma could still go," Emmi suggested. "It's been ages since we've done anything fun with you," Emmi said. Alex pursed her lips, feeling a little guilty. She knew she hadn't been the worlds best mother lately and was just glad that it seemed like Emmi wasn't holding anything against her for that. "Right?"
"Yeah, yeah we could." Alex told her.
"Okay, well it's settled," Emmi gave a little jump of excitement once again. "You will take Mama on a date to Alessandro's and get her a bonsai tree and then on the weekend we will all go to the aquarium together," Emmi said. "Hopefully Mama too if she doesn't have work."
"Sounds like some good plans, huh?" Alex questioned, and Emmi nodded as Alex hoped that Maggie would want to go out for dinner with her, Alex feeling butterflies in her stomach at the thought of asking her.
Maggie was sitting on the couch at home. She'd left the station really late, so the girls had ended up sleeping over at Eliza's. Maggie was actually glad in a way because it meant Alex would be able to do the bed time routine with the girls, something she hadn't done in a long time. Maggie had brought the files home with her, wanting to read over all the women's statements again, making sure they hadn't missed anything. She was going to go to the bar herself, hoping she'd be lucky enough to turn up when the woman in question was there. She reached forward to the coffee table and picked up the scotch, taking a drink as she heard the doorbell ring. She checked her watch, wondering who'd be calling at almost 11pm. She put the scotch down on the table and walked to the door, unlocking it and opening it up, seeing Alex at the other side. "Hayden needs Hallie hippo." Alex said as Maggie moved to the side, letting her in the house.
"I wondered if she'd fall asleep without her." Maggie said as they were both standing in the hallway. Hayden always had to have Hallie hippo at bed time. She always had to have her a lot, but at bed time especially Hayden loved to have her.
"She did, eventually. It took her a long time, but I sang her her song then cuddled her in till she fell asleep, but she woke up and is now looking rather distraught without that damn hippo," Alex explained. Maggie chuckled lightly. "And her screaming woke Emmi up and now she can't get back to sleep and Mum is trying to calm Hayden down with the many teddies Hayden has at Grandma's house, but they won't do. It must be Hallie."
"Well you best go up for it." Maggie said. Alex smiled at her before she walked off up the stairs to get the hippo from Hayden's room. Maggie walked back into the living room and took a seat on the couch, glancing at the files again till Alex returned.
"Got her." Alex waved it in her hand as Maggie looked up to her.
"Well I'm sure she'll quickly fall back asleep once she has her in her arms." Maggie said, knowing Hayden would be fine once she'd got her comforter.
"Yeah," Alex agreed. "It's just Emmi I'm worried about now," Alex said. "It's always difficult for her to get back to sleep if she wakes in the night and she's got school tomorrow, so she needs to be getting enough sleep."
"I've started letting her read," Maggie stood back up from the couch and turned to face her wife. "Because she is tired, it doesn't take long for her to be fall back asleep."
"Okay, well I guess we'll try that. Thanks," Alex smiled weakly. This was something she should know about her daughter. "Does she wake up often now?"
"Not much," Maggie shook her head. "But over the last while." Maggie cleared her throat. She didn't say any more because she didn't want Alex to think she was blaming her or to blame herself.
"Oh," Alex pursed her lips, Maggie knowing Alex was blaming herself anyways. "Uh anyways, since I am here, uh…" Alex took a deep breath. She didn't want it to be to soon. Maybe they needed more time before going on a date, but she felt like she had to ask. Not only was it what she really wanted, but she'd told Emmi she would, and she didn't want to lie to her. "I was wondering if you wanted to go out for dinner on Friday night?" Alex questioned. "Uh, no pressure. Just a little dinner and it can give us a chance to chat."
Maggie could see how nervous Alex looked as she waited for a response. "Uh….yes. We can do dinner." Maggie felt a funny feeling in the pit of her stomach, like nervousness for a first date, which was ridiculous, given they were 5 years married later that year. She felt herself smiling as she saw a smile appear on Alex's face.
"Okay, well, I'll text you about that then," Alex said, the smile still on her face as Maggie gave a little nod. Alex glanced down at the coffee table, seeing the files. "Still bringing work home with you I see."
"Sometimes," Maggie murmured. "I want to get it solved as quickly as I can because it's so awful," Maggie said. "A bunch of women have been sexually assaulted….drugged and raped, I guess." Maggie pursed her lips.
"Oh wow, that is awful." Alex said, agreeing with Maggie's thoughts on the matter.
"I just….this woman, we can't find her," Maggie sighed. She used to love working cases with Alex and for a moment, she went back there and felt it all slipping out. "She keeps changing her name and she…." Maggie shook her head. "I know it's the same woman because the description is always the same. Long dark-hair, red or blue rimmed glasses, about 35 years old, around 5ft7in," Maggie said. She didn't say anymore as she watched the colour drain from Alex's face. "What is it?" Maggie got a sickening feeling in her stomach at the look on Alex's face.
"Where….what bar is this happening in?" Alex questioned.
"Shorty's in Arlington," Maggie said, her heart beating faster and faster as the look on Alex's face continued to worry her. "What's that look for?" Maggie questioned. She didn't know much about the other woman Alex had been with. Partly because Alex's memories were so hazy but partly because she didn't want to know.
"That uh…" Alex rubbed the back of her head. "That's the bar I'd go to," Alex spoke quietly. She wasn't proud to say it. She shouldn't have been in bars. She shouldn't have been out getting drunk. "Beth….she called herself Beth and she had long dark hair and red rimmed glasses."
"You…." Maggie couldn't get the words out. She couldn't process the thoughts running through her mind right now.
"That night is so hazy in my mind," Alex looked like she was going to cry. "I remember talking with her at the bar then all of a sudden I was out of it, I…I woke up in her bed, I…." Alex shook her head, her hand going onto her chest. "Maggie, is she….was I….."
"I don't know," Maggie shook her head as she took a step closer to Alex. "I…yeah," Maggie nodded her head. "I think you were, Alex. It sounds like you were." Maggie stepped forward again as tears slipped out of Alex's eyes. Maggie took a deep breath as she pulled Alex into a comforting hug, Maggie now feeling more determined than ever to find this woman and make her pay for what she'd done.
Thanks, as always. :)
Thoughts?
