It's his mom that makes him see a therapist. She visits again in the summer, when school is done. She doesn't back down, no matter how much Archie argues that he doesn't need one.

"Mom, I'm fine," he swears, even as she's ushering him into the car. She's insisting on driving him there, to make sure he goes. Mary gets into the driver's seat as Archie does his seatbelt up.

"Maybe," Mary says, smiling kindly. "But you've been through so much this past year, honey. It won't hurt. And if you don't find it helpful you can stop after a few sessions, okay? And you don't have to worry about your dad affording it because I'm going to pay for the whole thing."

Archie nods, his jaw clenching. He supposes it won't be that bad. As long as no one at school finds out. He couldn't bear for anyone to think he's weak.

Mary drops him off outside, but she stays in the parking lot to make sure he goes inside. Archie approaches the receptionist, glancing around, feeling on edge.

"Hi," the receptionist smiles. "What can I do for you?"

"Uh…" Archie swallows. "I'm Archie Andrews. I have an appointment with Dr Morgan?"

"Okay, Archie," the receptionist says kindly. "Just take a seat and she'll be with you in a moment."

Archie nods and goes to sit on a chair beside a large indoor plant. The waiting room is empty other than him, much to his relief. He taps his foot anxiously as he waits for Dr Morgan. His mom is probably gone by now, he could sneak out and come back later when she's supposed to pick him up.

Before he can make the decision, a dark-haired woman walks into the waiting room and smiles at him. Why is everyone here so freakishly happy?

"Archie?" she says. Archie nods. "I'm Dr Morgan. Would you like to come in?"

Not really, he thinks. But he stands and follows her into her office.

"Take a seat," she gestures to a plush grey couch, while she herself seats herself opposite him in a matching chair. Archie sits, looking around the room in interest. It's basically a stereotypical psychologists office, as far as he can tell. There's a desk in the corner, some motivational posters on the wall. Way too many indoor plants.

"So, Archie, how are you?" Dr Morgan asks. Archie shrugs.

"Fine," he says.

"Is there a particular reason for your visit today?" she presses.

"My mom made me come," Archie says wryly.

"Ah," Dr Morgan smiles. "I take it you're not too keen on the idea."

"Not really," Archie says. "Sorry. Sorry to waste your time."

"You're not wasting my time," Dr Morgan assures him. "I'm getting paid for this, remember?"

That makes Archie laugh, if only a little.

"So, why do you think your mom made you come?"

He shrugs. Then he sighs, before answering her question. It's not her fault Mary forced him to come. "She says I've been through a lot in the last year."

"Oh yeah? What kind of stuff have you been through?"

Archie glances at her. She's making this so easy, so casual. He knows she's doing her job, but it makes him actually want to talk to her. And if his mom is going to make him come, he may as well actually talk, and not make this most awkward forty-five minute silence of his life. He sighs.

"My dad got shot," Archie says, starting at the beginning. At least, that's the worst thing he can remember happening. "He's okay now. But it was pretty hard at the time."

"I can imagine."

He wonders if Dr Morgan already knows all this. It's not like it hasn't been in the news. She waits for him to continue.

"Maybe you heard about it? It was the black hood," Archie says.

"I did read about it in the newspaper," Dr Morgan tells him. "But I'd like to hear your version."

Archie nods. "It happened at Pop's. I thought he was going to die. I drove him to the hospital but I don't really remember doing it now."

"How do you feel about Pop's now?"

Archie hesitates. "It took me a while to feel comfortable going back there," he admits. "I guess I don't think of it as a safe place anymore. I don't think of anywhere in this town as safe."

"It must be hard, to not feel safe in the town you live in."

Archie nods.

"Do you sleep okay?"

Archie shrugs. "Some nights I don't sleep at all."

"Do you think about it often? What happened with your dad?"

Archie doesn't answer at first. The image of the black hood rises up in his mind, making his throat go dry. He's dead, Archie reminds himself.

"Not really," he lies. Dr Morgan studies him carefully.

"We can talk about something else, if you like," she offers. "Anything troubling you lately? School, friends?"

"School's fine, I guess," he says. He's not failing but he's not exactly doing well either. "Friends… I don't know. My girlfriend broke up with me. So that kind of sucks."

"Sorry to hear that," Dr Morgan says.

"It is what it is," Archie says. He's beginning to think maybe it's for the best.

"Archie," Dr Morgan says. "I know you're not really keen on being here, but I'd like you to keep coming back, at least for a few sessions. Do you think that would be okay?"

Archie curls his lip in reluctance. He sighs. "It would make my mom happy," he says. And this hasn't been so bad. At least, not as bad as he thought it would be.

Archie doesn't fight his mom the next time. It's a week later, and honestly, he weirdly kind of wants to go. He likes Dr Morgan. She's easy to talk to, and after the last session he actually felt a little lighter. He didn't realise he'd been holding on to so much pain within him. And it's much easier to explain himself to a total stranger than to his friends or family.

He doesn't admit to Mary that she was right, but by the third session he's actually looking forward to it.

He tells Dr Morgan about almost being buried alive. About wishing he could have shot the black hood. And he tells her about stuff he thinks is less relevant, like his relationship with Veronica and the Lodges. He even talks about Jason Blossom's murder, and his relationship with Ms Grundy. Dr Morgan listens without judging.

"Archie," Dr Morgan says, towards the end of their third session. "What I'm about to say might upset you, but I've got a diagnosis for you, and I think you should hear it."

"A diagnosis?" he asks dumbly. He hadn't realised she was diagnosing him. He thought they were just talking. He hadn't realised there was something to be diagnosed.

Dr Morgan nods. "Archie, from what you've been telling me, you're showing almost all the signs of PTSD. It's not surprising after all you've been through."

Archie's mouth hangs open. "PTSD? That doesn't make any sense… I've never been to war or anything like that."

"PTSD isn't only for soldiers, Archie," Dr Morgan says kindly. "Any kind of traumatic experience can trigger PTSD."

"So…" he swallows. "So what does that mean?"

"It means I can help you. I want you to keep coming back. Therapy can help you overcome the symptoms in time," Dr Morgan tells him.

"Do I need medication?" Archie asks. This whole thing is freaking him out.

"As a psychologist I can't prescribe you anything, you'd need to see a psychiatrist for that. But I don't think medication is necessary at this point. I can write you a referral to see a doctor for some sleeping pills though, if you like?" Dr Morgan offers. Archie nods, though his mind is far from his body at this point.

"Would you like me to tell your parents or would you like to tell them yourself?" Dr Morgan continues. Archie hesitates. He doesn't want to take the coward's way out, but he's not sure if he'll be able to say the words out loud.

"Will you tell them for me?" Archie asks.

"Of course," Dr Morgan nods. "Do you have any other questions?"

Archie shakes his head.

"If you think of anything you can call me at the office, okay? Or if you'd prefer, you can save them until your next session."

Archie nods, standing up. "Thanks, I guess," he says. He's not sure what else to say.

"Archie," Dr Morgan calls after him. Archie turns around. "I know you said you aren't sure where you stand with your friends at the moment. But if there's someone else you can talk to, someone other than me. That might help."

Archie nods again and exits the office. He stops dead when he looks up and sees who's sitting beside the giant indoor plant in the waiting room. He swallows. Maybe he can sneak out of here without her seeing him.

She looks up. "Archie?" Betty says, surprised. Archie stares at her, at a loss for words.

"Betty," he finally manages, his face turning red. The eternal curse of being a redhead. He can never hide his embarrassment. "What are you doing here?"

"I, uh…" Betty stammers, looking a little awkward herself. "I have an appointment with Dr Morgan."

"Oh." In hindsight, it was a stupid question. "Me too."

Betty nods.

"I've got to go," Archie says. "My mom is waiting for me."

"Okay," Betty says. "See you."

"Yeah," Archie says hoarsely. "See you."

He lies in bed that night, staring at the harsh white screen of his phone. He's opened a message to Betty, but he's yet to type anything. He doesn't know what to say. It shouldn't be this hard. Talking to Betty used to be second nature, but somewhere along the way he left her behind. Or did she leave him behind? Either way, he can't seem to find the right words to open up the topic.

The truth is, he never intended to talk to anyone about this. Therapy was going to be his shameful secret. But after what Dr Morgan said, and then running into Betty only a few moments later – it almost felt like a sign.

Hey. It was good seeing u today

It's better than nothing. He imagines her getting the message, smiling when she sees his name. Or maybe she's confused. Or maybe she doesn't care, and won't even bother to reply. His phone pings a few seconds later.

Betty: Hey. You too. Weird place to meet though

Archie smiles at his phone.

That's not where you catch up with all your friends?

Betty: Well normally I try not to let people find out I go there at all

Archie hesitates. She's ashamed of it too. Archie knows there's nothing to be ashamed about, really. There's nothing wrong with needing help. But at the same time, he doesn't want to know what people from school would think if they found out.

He wonders what she's been going through that he's missed. His heart aches for her. He's been a shitty friend. They should have been supporting each other after what they went through with the black hood. Nobody else could possibly understand what it was like to be there that night. And yet somehow, they've never been further apart.

Me too.

He sends the message then taps out another before she can respond to the first one.

I'm sorry I haven't been there for you

He waits for her reply.

Betty: I was going to say the same thing. What are you doing tomorrow?

Archie has never typed a response quicker.

Nothing. I'm completely free.

Betty: You want to come over and just hang out? Like old times?

Love to.

Archie stands in Betty's room, feeling awkward and wrong, like he's too big for it. Like he doesn't belong there anymore. He spots a framed photo on the vanity and picks it up, smiling softly at the picture of him and Betty. It was probably only taken a year ago, but it feels like a like a lifetime.

He remembers the last time he was in this room. When he and Betty were going after the black hood. The image of the black hood's face flashes in his mind and he has to close his eyes to steady himself as his heartrate increases.

The black hood is dead, he reminds himself. And he's really dead this time, though Archie isn't sure he'll ever be able to believe that. Not after the first time, when Sheriff Keller had shot him dead before there eyes and then months later it turned out to be someone else.

He starts as the bedroom door opens and Betty enters.

"Sorry," she says, noticing his reaction. "I didn't mean to scare you." She holds out a glass of water for him.

"Thanks," he says, taking it from her. He takes a sip as Betty places herself on her bed, folding her feet under herself. Archie struggles to think of something to say. It's supposed to be like old times, but Archie has no idea how to go back to that.

"How long is your mom in town for?" Betty asks, filling the silence.

"Not long," Archie says. "Maybe another couple of days." He makes himself sit beside her on the bed, though he's still feeling out of place. Betty nods, and the silence envelops them again.

"Arch?" Betty whispers.

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry," she says. "For letting anything get between us."

"You're sorry?" Archie groans. "I'm the one who should be apologising. I should've known… I should never have gotten involved with the Lodges. I made every dumb decision possible. I'm such an idiot—"

"No, Archie," Betty interrupts. "You're not an idiot. The Lodges manipulated you. That's what they do. I don't mean Veronica," she adds, before Archie can defend her. "I know she was just doing the best she could."

Archie nods, swallowing. He tries to hide the tears forming in his eyes, but Betty sees right through him. Part of him his glad she still can.

"Hey," she says gently, putting her hand on his shoulder. "That's all over now," she says. "You don't have to worry about Hiram Lodge anymore."

"I know," Archie whispers.

"I'm sorry, by the way. About you and Veronica."

"It was impossible for us to be together," Archie shrugs. "We both knew that. And I'm sorry about you and Jughead too."

"Thanks," she says. She smiles sadly.

"Betty," he says. He can't look at her. But he needs to open up to someone. To her. He lies back on her bed, closing his eyes. He feels her lie down beside him. "I know it's over. The Lodges, the black hood, all of it," he swallows. "But it doesn't feel like it is. I still feel like I'm drowning in it. I close my eyes at night and I see the black hood, or my dad being shot, or Hiram Lodge coming after me. I barely sleep."

"I know how you feel," Betty whispers. "Is that why you're seeing Dr Morgan?"

"Yeah," Archie says. "Mom made me go at first, but… it's good."

"She's easy to talk to, right?"

"Exactly," Archie says. "She says… she says I have PTSD."

"Oh," Betty says.

"You don't have to say anything," he says quickly. He opens his eyes, works up the courage to look at her. She's staring at the ceiling. "It's a lot, I know. I just had to tell someone. And it's too hard to tell my parents. Dr Morgan is going to tell them for me. We're having a family session next week."

"It's good that your family cares about you that much," Betty says. "Not that—I mean, I know my mom loves me. But she's never noticed there's anything wrong with me. I haven't told her I'm seeing a therapist. I think she'd freak out. Plus, she's got enough to worry about."

"I'm sure she'd want to know," Archie says. "And there's nothing wrong with you, by the way."

"I'm not so sure about that," Betty says. "Sometimes I feel overcome with this… darkness. There's something broken inside me, Archie. And then my family imploded."

"I'm sorry. I should have been there for you."

"Stop apologising," Betty says. She turns to him. "You're here now. And I'm here now. I'm here for you. We're going to get through this. Together. The worst is over, and we can focus on getting better."

Betty turns to look at the ceiling again, and Archie does the same.

"Let's never let anything come between us again, okay?" she says. "Promise me, Arch."

"I promise," he whispers. He finds her hand with his and gives it a gentle squeeze. "Best friends, forever, right?"

"Exactly. Best friends forever."