High-pitched ringing.
That's all Betty Cooper could hear as she looked at the bloody face of the boy she loved. Her heart stopped beating. Her body felt as if it were on fire. She stumbled forwards, tripping as she tried to get closer to him. Her vision narrowed in on his face. She felt someone try and grab her. She roughly pulled them off, pushing forwards. Every breath she took was agony.
FP Jones crumpled to his knees, holding his son's limp body closer to him as the tears spilled. Betty fell to her knees in front of them. Her shaking hands hovered over Jughead's lifeless body.
"Jug…" she sobbed. "Is he breathing?" She put her hands over his chest. She looked up at FP. His head shook slowly as he let out a heart wrenching sob. He put his head on top of his son's, rocking him slightly. Betty felt her chest heave. She felt a scream rise inside of her.
Betty vaguely heard the chaos from behind her. Crying. Yelling. Screaming. Sobbing. Cheryl calling for an ambulance.
"Wake up," Betty pleaded, staring at Jughead's closed eyes. "Please, wake up. You can't leave me, Juggy. Please don't leave me."
Betty's body convulsed. She felt FP's forehead press against hers in comfort. She gripped his arm with shaking fingers. His sobs echoed in her ears.
"My boy," he whispered, his body shaking. "My son."
Betty Cooper completely lost track of time, of her surroundings.
Betty now knew what it felt like have your heart ripped from your body.
The next few moments were a blur. The ambulance came. Police pried Betty and FP away so they could get to Jughead's body. Betty heard nothing but the high-pitched ringing and the beating of her own heart. Betty wasn't aware that she was screaming. Her body crumpled to the ground as the paramedics surrounded Jughead. Her lungs and throat burned. She screamed until her voice gave out, until she desperately needed air. She felt Archie wrap his arms around her.
"I'm sorry Betty," he whispered. His voice shaking. She looked up at him. Tears were running down his face. His arms shook around her.
"Jughead," she sobbed, over and over and over and over.
Paramedics rolled Jughead's stretcher into the ambulance. FP jumped in close behind them. Betty stood, pushing Archie off of her.
"I want to come too," she cried, running towards the ambulance. A paramedic stopped her with their hand.
"It's okay," FP said. "Let her come." He held out his hand for her and she took it as he hoisted her into the ambulance.
Betty was mesmerized by Jughead's face. Broken. Mangled. Covered in blood. He was still beautiful. He was always beautiful. Betty felt so much love for him she thought her chest was going to burst. She watched his face, searching for any indication, any sign of life.
Jughead Jones had thought often about death. It had been so close to him before that he could almost taste it. Lately death had been surrounding Riverdale. It was in the air. Jughead always had a feeling that death was going to come for him soon.
Now he could see it.
He could see that cliche white light in the distance.
He reached for it.
He heard Betty's laugh. He turned. Her bright, beautiful face stood before him. She lifted her hand and gently touched his cheek. She smiled at him. That perfect smile.
"The only scary thing, is what we're going to do to your girlfriend when we find her." The ghoulie's words echoed inside his head. He felt himself shake with rage, with determination.
Jughead turned back towards the white light. He put his hand down and backed away.
He felt air fill his lungs.
"He's still alive," Betty heard a paramedic announce.
Betty felt herself breathe for the first time. She looked at FP who smiled before putting his head in his hands. His body wracked with relieved sobs. Betty leaned forwards and took Jughead's hand gently, tears poured down her face.
FP and Betty were forced to stay in the waiting room as the doctors took Jughead away. Betty held his hand until they rolled him away. She felt FP's hands on her shoulders.
"He's alive," he whispered.
"For now," Betty responded, turning to look at him.
"Who did this?" FP's jaw tensed. His eyes blackened.
"It was Penny. And the Ghoulies. I know it was." FP's eyes met hers. "They're going to pay."
Betty could feel it. The darkness creeping up inside her. It started to consume her. Her eyes narrowed. She wanted revenge for this. She wanted blood. Betty shook her head, attempting to clear it.
"Elizabeth." Betty heard her mother's voice and turned as she tackled her in a hug.
"Is he alright," Alice said as she squeezed her daughter.
"I don't know," Betty cried as she hugged her mother. Alice kissed her forehead before she turned to FP. Alice walked over to him. She held his face in her hands for a moment before wrapping her arms around him. He returned her embrace, putting his face in the crook of her neck.
"I'm so sorry, FP," she whispered.
Betty looked at them and smiled.
The next morning Betty was curled up in a chair in the waiting room. The serpents sat across from her anxiously tapping their feet and jiggling their legs. Archie sat to the right of her with his head in his hands. Betty's hand grasped Toni's as she sat to Betty's left in Cheryl's arms. Toni and Cheryl had their heads pressed together, sharing a small kiss of comfort now and then. Betty stared at the wall, unblinking, waiting.
"You really love him don't you?"
Betty looked up to meet Sweet Pea's eyes. He was looking at her with genuine curiosity.
"More than anything," she replied.
FP walked into the waiting room.
"He's awake," he announced. The room sighed a breath of relief. FP looked at Betty. "He wants to see you," he said.
Betty sprung from her chair, squeezing Toni's hand before letting go. She hastily followed FP to Jughead's room.
As Betty approached Jughead's bedside she felt her heart stop once again. He has several tubes coming out of his arms and oxygen in his nose. His face was swollen and bandaged. He looked like death.
"Betty," he groaned. Betty felt tears brim in her eyes at the sound of his voice. She watched the rise and fall of his chest. She grabbed his hand gently and hovered over him so he could see her.
"I'm here," she whimpered. She felt the tears spill as she looked into his swollen eyes. He was still perfect. He was always perfect, to her.
"Betts," he said again, whispering it like a prayer.
At the sound of her name on his lips Betty let out a sob, smiling down at him.
"Juggy," she whispered. "You're alive." She sobbed. "I love you. I love you so much."
Betty watched as Jughead attempted to smile then groaned. Betty hushed him putting her hand on his shoulder.
"Don't try and move. You're okay now. You're going to be alright."
"The Ghoulies…" Jughead started to say. Betty shook her head, silencing him.
"No, no. I know that there is a lot going on and there's a lot of insane shit that we have to deal with. And we will deal with it together." She gave him a small smile. "But not now. The only thing that matters right now is that you are alive and we are together." Jughead nodded, meeting her eyes.
"I thought I lost you," Betty cried, kissing his hand.
"You'll never lose me," Jughead whispered. Betty gently reached up and brushed his black hair from his bruised forehead.
"I love you, Jughead Jones, with everything that I am." Betty felt her tears drip down her cheeks as she looked deep into Jughead's eyes.
"Betty Cooper, you are my light." Jughead gently squeezed Betty's hand as a tear fell down his face.
At that moment Betty Cooper and Jughead Jones knew they were going to be okay. They didn't know what more darkness was yet to come, but they knew they had each other. And that's all that mattered.