Susan saw some men punching each other's shoulders, holding drinks in the dim light of the overhead lights, and she thought she recognized Derek as one of them. Frowning as she was conflicted, knowing her sister's waiting for the ice cream, but she's damn curious to see if that was Derek...
She saw them head into the alley, and she knew that alley is prone for smoking, but nothing much apart from drinking. She can defend herself, thanks to her body strong from baseball and the teachings of her true parents.
She was lucky she had a compact mirror with her; mostly she just used it to check her makeup on the several times she would ever need a touch up which wasn't that often, but it certainly made a great tool to look around the corner. She held it up and made sure it wouldn't be spotted by the group in the alleyway. Sure enough, after a few moments, she could see that it was in fact Derek and some of his groomsmen.
"What are they doing here?", Susan whispered under her breath. Part of her wanted to go straight up to them and demand what exactly they were doing; if this was part of their bachelor party in a strange way, but her curiosity kept her from doing that as she was listening into their conversation.
"Hard to believe that you're getting hitched to a hottie, Derek!", one of the groomsmen grinned with a laugh. Derek smirked, "Yes, Tara is quite a hottie...Especially when she came to me on my birthday night.".
Beyond drunk yet still legible to make out, another groomsman spoke, "Dang! Was she any good?". Derek chuckled, "Oh, yes, she was marvelously flawless. Of course, she was really stubborn, kept saying no, so, let's say, I helped convince her by spiking her drinks with some drugs. She liked it really rough when I tied her up. She nearly deafened my ears, but I soon gagged her. Took her like a bitching cat in heat.".
Susan almost dropped her mirror, hearing that. She couldn't believe what she just heard. That Derek... they didn't simply get drunk and fairly careless... but he straight up raped her!
"Did you do her raw or at least have protection?", a buddy of Derek laughed. "Please, obviously I took precautions... not that it was for her or anything, I just don't want us weighed down by any brats, especially right now with my career.", Derek snorted as he took another sip of his drink.
Susan's blood boiled, growing enraged, and saw the illusion of her dad, Steve running straight for Derek with a roar of fury and anger, but went through Derek, and Steve stumbled, looking upset as Derek only shivered from the slight chill, with Steve looking like he wanted to strangle Derek for the horrible act. He may be not of Tara's blood, but he still treats her like a daughter for Susan's sake for they are sisters.
Susan narrowed her eyes, knowing that she will have to be physical, straight up at Derek, and took a deep breath, seeing that his groomsmen is barely functioning as they are beyond drunk, and she can hit Derek for Steve's sake, knowing that Derek is a fucked-up bully and more.
But... she hesitated. Because that nagging voice at the back of her head started talking and was making Susan worry about what to do next. If she straight upbeat the ever-loving Hell out of Derek: there would probably not only be the issue of getting arrested, since his buddies would more than likely vouch for him for any reason, but also her worries about how Tara would take it...
Susan groaned lightly as she thumped the back of her head against the wall in defeat, and in the compact mirror, saw the illusion of Peggy looking thoughtful as she reassured Steve, and seemed to smirk as she shimmered, and then appeared above Derek, in one of the top-building apartments that was above the store, on the balcony, and focused hard on pushing a flowerpot with her hands.
Somehow, successfully, the flowerpot fell, straight into Derek's leg and foot as he was resting back on the wall below the balcony, with his legs stretched out. Susan fought the urge to laugh out of triumph as Derek shouted out in pain, and Susan grinned, sprinting alongside the wall from the alley to her car, getting in and hid in the shadows, watching Derek walking out with his groomsmen, clutching his leg in pain as his groomsmen half carried, half helped him into the bar.
Within a minute of checking that nobody's coming back out, Susan started the car and drove out normally, whistling and rocking to the music, and at a stoplight, she glanced at her true parents' illusions in the rear-view, smiling at Peggy as Steve kissed Peggy, seeming to compliment her on her ingenious idea, "Thanks, Mum...He's gonna have a limp, that's for sure...I wonder if he is going to have an ankle sleeve or something to numb the pain for tomorrow.".
Of course, the short-lived victory was nothing to the long-term defeat and that fact that Tara was going to still be marrying that bastard. It was one thing for Tara to still think that she had her first time through more of a drunken fling with her soon to be husband sometime before their honeymoon... but this...
Susan kept driving until she made it to the pavement of her adoptive parents' home, and sighed heavily, looking at the illusion of Peggy in the passenger seat, with Steve in the back. "I want to tell Tara, but she wouldn't believe me...I mean, she knows that I have been wary of Derek all since high school...Oh, my god...", tears falling down, "She only thinks that she consented to it...He must have convinced her somehow...Rape...My god...".
"That... fucker...", Steve cursed, a true shock to Susan but even more to Peggy with how rare Steve cursed. Susan, of course, only made out the curse, while the rest of what would be said would be between the parents back across the wall.
"Steve...", Peggy gently rubbed his leg as she was trying to calm him down. "I haven't seen you this upset since the concentration camps...".
"He raped her, Peggy! He raped Tara! She's as much of our daughter now as Susan is!", Steve snarled angrily and horror.
Peggy sighed heavily, looking pained as she spoke, "I know...What if Derek lied as well?", and Steve blinked, "What do you mean, Peggy?".
"What if Tara wasn't the only woman in his life? I mean, think about college, the years he wasn't with Tara...", Peggy replied painfully, and Steve widened his eyes as Peggy's words clicked in his head...Peggy looked at Susan and imitated a snake with her hands, with a 'd'.
"Oh, God...", Steve put his hands to his face as Susan gripped the steering wheel. "Why did I have to follow?... It was so much better to at least live in ignorance there...", Susan started to sob.
Peggy wanted to hug and kiss Susan, to touch her, to hold her, reaching for her hand, but her own hand passed through Susan's hand, and Peggy sobbed softly as Susan saw it, but only felt a cool breeze.
Susan looked at Peggy, "It's okay, Mum...Having you here is enough...You and Daddy.", looking over at Steve who wiped his face of tears, with Susan smiling weakly as she sighed heavily..."You probably thought the same, but I doubt Derek took precautions...probably did a poor job at the condom thing...or wrecked it out...It has been three weeks...Mum, you knew of our times of the month...".
Peggy nodded, and gestured to the house, mouthing to her carefully for Susan to follow, "Tara needs to know.".
"I know...", Susan whispered as she looked to the house. "How do I tell her?". Susan wanted to scream now with just what the situation she was in and just how horrible she felt. Tara needed to know the truth... but when would be the best time to say it? Now? Or shortly before she walks down the aisle?
Steve waved a hand to grab Susan's attention, and mouth to her carefully, "Can't wait or you'll be feeling bad all night.".
Susan blinked, and replied, "So, you're saying that I should tell her now before I get full of guilt and feel awful all night?", and Steve nodded, mouthing carefully, "At least you'll know.".
Susan frowned, "That's true...I won't be wondering all night if I know then...What about you, Mum? Should I tell her now or tell her shortly before she walks down the aisle?".
"It's your decision, Susan...", Peggy assured her. "But what's important is that Tara knows the truth, if even she doesn't believe it, even if she may at first resent you for it... she needs to know.".
Susan carefully followed her mum's words, reading her lips, and sighed deeply, nodding, "You've never been wrong as far as I know...She needs the truth even if it hurts...Mom and Papa would be wondering why we would be acting distant with each other...But she needs to know...Would you be still here to support me?".
Peggy and Steve smiled and nodded firmly, standing in support for their daughters; true and adoptive, knowing that they may be estranged, and it's a possibility that Susan would be kicked out from the bridesmaid line, but Tara needs to know.
Susan nodded, and took a deep breath, "Okay...Here I go.", opening the door, heading to the trunk to pull out the bags of ice cream gallon buckets, and locked the car, heading to the house, and walked in, seeing the band of bridesmaids ringed around Tara, watching a movie.
Tara noticed her, smiling, "About time, Sue! You're missing the best part here, it's My Best Friend's Wedding!". Susan chuckled weakly, her heart wrenching at the irony...She gulped and dropped the bags of ice cream gallon buckets near the group.
"Here, girls, ice cream for you.", Susan nodded before glancing at Tara, "Can I talk to you alone in my room, please?", with a serious, weary look. "You sure?", Tara asked as Susan nodded.
"Please, it's important...", Susan said before the two of them headed to Susan's room. "So, what's up?", Tara wondered as she sat on the bed.
Susan glanced to see Peggy and Steve's illusions, and they nodded at her with supporting gestures, and Susan took a deep breath, looking at Tara, "I was minding my own business while I was getting the ice cream from the store when I found out something horrible that I am still enraged about.".
Tara blinked softly, "Was it bullies again? I know you have a tendency to help people, but that's kind of reckless, especially in the dark.".
"Yeah... it was... and I know, putting myself at risk there... but I like to think that I'm pretty good at taking care of myself like that.", Susan said as she was just trying to find the right way to hit home with what she needed to say, but at least wanted to try to keep Tara from accusing her of things or hating her.
"Come on, Susan, what is it?", Tara grabbed her arm as Susan just was feeling so conflicted like never before in her life. Even her most nail-biting baseball moments weren't this bad.
Susan exhaled, "I saw Derek hanging out with his buddies, drunk and walking out of the bar. I heard Derek talking about you and got closer to hear more without him seeing me...Tara, you...you didn't consent willingly...".
Tara narrowed her eyes, "What are you saying?", looking at Susan sharply. "Tara, he fucking bragged about raping you to his buddies!", Susan snapped. "He said he drugged your drink that night and then you tried to fight and all, but he ended up binding and gagging you!".
Maybe 5, 10 seconds later, there was the sound of a slap, and before Susan realized it, she was down on the ground, looking up at Tara in surprise, pain, and shock as she shouted at her, "I knew you never liked Derek, but making a story like that, to make him look bad, you are the worst sister ever! I love Derek and he loves me. We consented, end of conversation!", walking away, and spat angrily, "Consider yourself off the bridesmaid list, Susan! I thought you were going to support me all the way!", before slamming the door as she left Susan's bedroom.
The illusions of Steve and Peggy widened their eyes in horror and shock as they watched, and Steve walked quickly to kneel besides Susan who's in a blank stare, resting his hand above Susan's handprint slap bruise on her cheek, and the cool breeze of his hand shook Susan out of her stare, and began to sob.
It was sort of a driving fog in a way. One moment Susan was sobbing on the floor, the next, she somehow checked into a hotel room for the night. Susan was looking up at the ceiling, just probably waiting for a call from her adoptive parents who would wonder what the hell just happened.
Susan then felt a cool breeze on her shoulder and looked over to see the illusion of Henry standing for the first time, with assistance from something, and he gave her a gummily smile, with the illusion of Peggy sitting nearby on the edge of the bed, smiling.
Susan smiled, glad for the distraction, "Oh, look at you, Henry...You're standing, baby brother!", and Henry seemed to giggle and babble before looking focused and started to walk toward her as she sat against the wall, and Susan gasped, "Oh, my god! That's it, keep walking, Henry!", perking up with a growing smile.
Henry seemed to shriek with joy as he wobblily walked toward her a bit more before losing balance, and fell back on his behind, looking disgruntled and frustrated, and Susan laughed softly, "Aww, don't worry, you'll get it eventually, Henry. But you did it! You stood and walked for the first time!", glancing over to see Peggy with tears in her eyes, smiling widely with a nod, relieved to see Susan looking better.
Henry seemed to perk up, seeing his big sister's smile, and then yawned, rubbing his eyes, and Susan chuckled, "You better get some good sleep, baby bro. I love you, Henry.", and Henry gave her a hand air kiss from the lips as the illusion of Steve then appeared, picking up Henry with a tender smile, and kissed Peggy on the way as he and Henry disappeared.
Peggy then looked at Susan, seemed to pat the edge of the bed with a gesture and a patient smile, and Susan nodded, getting up from her spot against the wall, realizing that it was uncomfortable, and then sat down on the edge of the bed, sighing heavily as Peggy looked concerned, gesturing to her cheek.
"I know I had to say it... but now I feel terrible that I did... Tara... God, he's going to probably end up killing her at worse if he's willing to do that shit to her.", Susan sobbed again in her hands.
Peggy sighed deeply, and went to reach to her, trying hard to touch her, but couldn't, only managing to give Susan the feeling of something cradling her cheeks, and Susan peeked through her fingers to see Peggy saying sharply through the wall, now hearing her words.
"Listen to me, Susan Viola Murphy-Carter-Rogers. We all know that Tara is the type of person who doesn't believe it until seeing it first...If she is pregnant, it'd be one piece of proof, but she would still think that she consented to the act, and she would know that condoms are faulty sometimes though nobody's fault...I truly think that it's only Derek who would somehow spill the truth one day, and then Tara would then believe it.", Peggy said straight up with a firm nod.
Susan gave one of her own before something clicked with her, "Or... she hears it from someone else... just as close to the story.". Peggy gave her a look as Susan took a deep breath. "One of the groomsmen. Derek's injury via you with the flowerpot. All I have to do is show up a bit early and quickly lean on one of Derek's groomsmen to confess. I doubt any of them will truly ride or die for Derek if confronted, not unless they want to get roped into all of this.".
Peggy replied, "That would work, but remember, they were beyond drunk. Do you think they would actually remember Derek's confession when he himself was drunk, but not beyond drunk?", having observed it all...After all, even with being a mother, super-powered size-changing giantess and human torch, she can't deny years of training of being an agent and all.
"The injury certainly would prove that I was there. It might come back to one of them.", Susan sighed. "I have to try something...".
Peggy frowned, trying to think before she blinked and gasped, remembering the technology of Susan's world, "Susan, maybe there's a security camera somewhere...".
Susan widened her eyes, "Yes! ...Wait, it's night...Does the alley even have cameras?", frowning, and Peggy replied, "You gotta try to check...You have nothing to lose right now...Tara kicked you out...You're in a hotel room...".