Alone Together | Bughead Oneshots

Aftermath ("Nick St. Clair" Part 4)

I write this part with a heavy heart. I've kinda undergone something very, very, very similar to what Betty and the gang endure in the last part of this miniseries. This is not me being a rape apologist either, especially since I have been sexually assaulted; this is simply me bringing light to circumstances that occur in real cases/trials. Also, I'm aware that Mary is a defense attorney, but here, she's playing the prosecution. Please read and enjoy with discretion and spread love <3  

TW: mentions of sexual assault, victim blaming

"We the jury of the town of Riverdale find the defendant, Nick St. Clair, on the charge of  sexual assault..."

One Week Before The Verdict

"You've been doing great, Betty. And again, I am just so sorry this happened to you. But I'm gonna do everything in my power to take that St Clair boy down," Mrs. Andrews said gently as Betty dazed off into space. 

"Thank you, Mrs. Andrews," she said solemnly, her hands on the glass of ice water sitting in front of her. "Mary, sweetheart. We just need to run over your statement one more time to fill in any gaps or see if you can remember anything else," Mary said, opening up her file.

Betty looked over at Jughead, who gave her a reassuring look and gently put his hand on hers, saying, "It's gonna be okay, baby. Just stay strong." Betty took a drink of her water and exhaled shakily.

It had been torture for weeks on end for the poor girl. She was constantly reminded of what happened in Veronica's bed while all her friends were having fun. She blamed herself, repeating what she should've but couldn't have done. 

"I should've fought harder." 

"I should've locked the door from the inside." 

"I should've screamed louder." 

She couldn't sleep, afraid that if she closed her eyes for more than five seconds she would open them with her underwear off and wrists pinned down.

Trial Day

 "The prosecution calls Elizabeth Cooper to the stand." Betty stood up slowly, walking over to the stand and taking her seat as Mary stood and began asking her questions. "In your own words, what was your first impression of the defendant upon meeting him?"

"Since I met him I got a weird feeling about him. I would sometimes catch him staring at me with this more-than-friendly look in his eye. It almost seemed like he would come up with any excuse to be near me," Betty answered, keeping her eyes down.

 "Can you give an example of this?" Mary asked. "At the party, he came and sat next to me on the living room couch, that's when he told me he knew about my recent sleep issues and gave me the sheet of pills and told me the instructions." "Which were what, exactly?" 

"I was told to dissolve the capsule in water and drink it before bed," she answered. "How stupid of me to believe him," Betty thought to herself. "And at any time, did the defendant tell you the name of the pharmaceuticals?" "No."

"No further questions," Mary stated, taking her seat as the defense stood up. "Miss Cooper, at said party, did you ask Mr. St. Clair what the capsules were?" "He told me they were sleeping meds," Betty replied. "But did you ever ask for the name of the medication?" the attorney asked, clasping her hands together in front of her waist. "No," she replied, looking up to see Jughead, Veronica, and Archie in the first row on the edge of their seats.

"Miss Cooper, you said that your friend, the host of this party locked the door with a key after you walked into her room to sleep for the night, correct?" "Correct," she agreed, her eyes low again. "Then how is it the defendant so easily slipped into the room?"