Disclaimer: I do not own Riverdale or any of its characters.

New York was Veronicas home. It's the only one she had ever known. She was born and raised there. Her friends, enemies, and her wonderful girlfriend was there too. Once she stepped foot outside of her gorgeous penthouse apartment she felt free. No longer held captive by her father. Her mother would never stand up for her, not while he was around at least. It was just a normal day in Veronica Lodge's life. She stepped out by the curb and waited for the family car. A shiny black Lexus pulled up and she got in just like she does every day.

"Good morning Gregory." She spoke to the older man.

"Good morning to you Miss Lodge. Are you ready to go?" he asked looking back in the rear-view mirror.

"Yes, I am. Do you mind picking up Regina on our way this morning?" She asked, "Not a problem ma'am." He smiled. Veronica looked out the window as the rain started to fall, she loved it when it rained in New York, something about it always made her feel like if she was in a movie. Just then her phone started to ring,

"Hello?"

"Mija, make sure you don't stay out to late with Regina tonight. Please be home by 9 so I can talk to you ok?"

Veronica didn't like the sound of that, her mother never wanted to talk to her about serious stuff it was always her father that did that kind of talking.

"Ok mom, we won't be too late."

And with that she hung up the phone just as Gregory pulled up to Regina's house. She saw her beautiful brown-eyed lover walk gracefully down the walk way and out the gate to her car. Veronica got out to meet the gorgeous brunette and give her a passionate kiss.

"Mhm morning my love, I've missed you." She said breaking the kiss. Regina smiled at her and gave her more smaller kisses.

"I've missed you to beautiful." Regina said as she opened the door for her lover, "Always such a gentlewoman, I never grow tired of it." She said as she slid in with Regina right behind her.

"Anything for you my princess." Wrapping an arm around her and pulling her closer. Gregory smiled at the two younger girls in the back, it was nice to see Veronica happy. He raised the divider to give them some privacy as he drove them to school.

Hermione got off the phone with her daughter and sighed. She knew what news she had to break to her daughter and as much as she didn't want to it had to be done. She walked down the hall towards the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of wine from the rack popped it open and pour herself a glass.

"Do you really need that this early?" Her husband said as he walked through the kitchen door. She looked back at him and took a sip from her glass, "Yes, I do. You're getting arrested today we both know this. There isn't any way to run from it anymore. I have already called our lawyer and he is coming over in an hour. So, can you at least just do the right thing this one time?" She asked looking up at him with pleading eyes.

Hiram looked furious, he marched over to her, pined her up against the counter, drawled his hand back and smacked her across the face. "Don't you dare talk to me like that, I don't know who you think you are but I still run this damn household. All of this is in my name and without me you and Veronica would be nothing. You would have nothing! You will do as I say and not tell me what to do!" He screamed at her and threw the wine glass at the wall. He grabbed her by the neck and leaned in, "You are my property and so is Veronica. Never forget that." He let her go and walked towards their bedroom.

"Clean that damn mess up and then come in our room. You will repay me for how you treated me."

Hermione sank down to the floor and let one single tear run down her cheek. She knew she had to get through this. For Veronicas sake. No matter what she had to endure she would always protect her daughter. As she gathered herself she got up and walked over to the closet and got out the broom and dustpan, walking over to the shattered glass and began to clean it up.

The bell rang for lunch and Veronica got up and walked out of the classroom and down the hall to her locker.

"Hey V, where are we going for our lunch hour?" A sweet girl said as she walked up to her, "Hey Mary, I was think that cute little bistro on 9th Ave, the one where you couldn't take your eyes off the guy behind the counter." Mary's face turned as red as it could get, "He was cute wasn't he." She said staring off into space. Veronica laughed as Regina made her way down the hall.

Mary smiled as the two embraced. Not once had she seen Veronica this happy with someone. They were childhood best friends after all. It made Mary happy that Veronica finally came out of the closet as well. Well to everyone but her father. People understood why.

That man was said to be satan himself, and he was, in Mary's mind at least. The three women walked side by side as they strode down the halls and towards the front door. All three girls piled into Veronicas car and told Gregory where to go.

"So, Mary are you going to talk to the guy this time or just stare at him like he's a prince or something?" Veronica asked as she cuddled into Regina's side. "Oh, that guy behind the counter? He was rather charming." Regina said as they both looked over at Mary. She smiled and started to blush, "I don't know. You guys know how nervous I get. I didn't even ask his name last time." She said staring at the floor.

"Well let's just call him Charming right now, and you will talk to him. He was really into you when we came last time." Veronica said, "Yeah he was, he didn't even look our way, and most guys do. Especially when they see two hot girls all over each other. The boy had eyes for you." Regina agreed. Mary blushed even more, "As much as I go to this place I have never asked his name and he must think I am crazy. I'm always so shy when I get up there, but I just get lost in his dazzling blue eyes, and his prince of a smile." The girls chuckled and smiled at Mary.

"Well today that will change." Regina said as they pulled up to the bistro. "Come on Mary, you can do this. We will be your wing-girls. If you need them."

Veronica smiled at the two, she wasn't sure what she would do without them. She was happy that Regina and Mary liked each other, and they never made Mary feel like a third wheel. She walked into the little café holding Regina's hand as Mary lead them in front, they walked up to the counter and saw Charming himself standing there waiting for them. Veronica nudged Regina and nodded her head toward a booth.

She took the sign and they both walked over there to wait on Mary. "You think she will really do it?" Regina asked as she sat next to her. "I hope so. She has been crushing on him since he started here. I've never seen her interested in anyone before this so I really hope she does." They looked over at Mary as she was talking to him and she was blushing like crazy, but they were making conversation.

He gave Mary a small piece of paper that she started to write on and handed it back to him. Both where smiling and blushing like crazy as Mary made her way to the table. Regina was the first one to ask, "So? What happened with you and Charming?"

Mary smiled, "We have a date on Friday and his name is David." All three of them started shrieking, "This is so exciting! I say a shopping trip after school. My treat!"Veronica said as David brought over their food. "I brought you ladies your usual's, and a free desert on the house." He sat their plates down and the basket of macaroons.

"Thanks David." All three girls responded at the same time but he never took his eyes off Mary. As he smiled and walked away the girls began discussing their afterschool shopping trip.

"Alright Harim are you ready to do this? Everything we talked about stays between the three of us. Just make sure you tell the police what I told you. Nothing else. This is going to be a media nightmare but we can get through this." The woman said as she stood up. He nodded and looked over to his wife.

"Yes Annalise, let me talk with my wife before we go please." She nodded and left the room heading outside to her car. Harim turned towards Hermione, "You and Veronica will be taken care of. The apartment in Riverdale is in your name so they can't take it from you. There is a safe with some money that should help both of you out for a little bit. Just try to blend in. The longer you are away from all this the better it looks for me. So, don't screw this up." He said as he walked out the door.

For the first time in years Hermione felt, free. She knew that her husband was on his way to turn himself in and she would have to take her daughter away from their home but she finally felt free. She smiled softly and sat down on the couch.

Looking down at her watch she knew Veronica would be getting out of school soon, she figured she would go out shopping with her friends and then to dinner so she got up and started packing. It wasn't going to be a completely new life but she knew that her daughter wasn't going to take this so well. This had been her daughters only home; her best friend was here and her girlfriend she was going to be the monster that tears her away from it all.

She knew she would just have to grit and bare it. She hated hurting her daughter and hated being the bad guy but Harim made it that way. Right there she vowed that she would start supporting her daughter like she deserves. It was time for her to step up and be her mother. She had to be strong now more than ever.

The trio walked into the mall and started on the ground floor. "So, first date, what did he say? Casual or a little dressy?" Regina asked as she started looking through the racks of clothes.

"He didn't say, he just said to wear whatever I wanted." Mary said as she walked over to the shoes. Veronica walked around towards the back of the store looking, trying to find something for Mary but something for her as well, she wanted to make tonight special for her and Regina. "What about something sexy but casual?" Regina said pulling a short dress of the rack, turning towards Mary, "What about this one?" Mary turned around and looked at it for a minute. "Hmm maybe not, I don't want to scare him off on our first date. Maybe something with a little less skin?"

Regina put the dress back and continued to look. Veronica pulled out a longer dress but still would show off legs, "What about this one? It's your favorite color and it would complement your eyes." She said as she walked over to Mary, "This is gorgeous, now we need to find shoes to go with it. Then I can try on the whole look." She said as she walked down a little further.

Veronica turned around and went to get them a dressing room. She hung the dress up and walked back out into the store. "He is tall, but not much taller than I am so I don't want to much of a high heel and the shoes can be a little sexier." She said as she picked up a short 3-inch black heel. Mary bent over and slipped on the shoe, "What do you think?" Regina walked over and looked at them, Veronica right next to her.

"I like them, the show off your ankles and they don't have straps. Those really suck to wear on a first date." Veronica said as she looked over at Regina with a slight blush as she remembered their first date. She broke her shoe trying to get in the carriage that Regina had rented for them. Regina walked over to her and kissed her. "I agree with her." She said in between kisses.

Mary smiled and shook her head, "Oh get a room you two." She slipped the shoe off and went into the dressing room to try on her outfit. "I love you baby, you are the sweetest girlfriend ever." Veronica said as she kissed Regina's cheek.

She smiled and wrapped her arms around her and held her close. "I love you too my princess. Come on, let's go see this killer outfit she's going to wear, make sure it's hot enough." Veronica laughed and followed Regina towards the back as Mary walked out of the dressing room. "Damn girl, you are going to give that boy a heart attack with all that sexiness!" Regina said to make Mary blush.

"Don't listen to her M, you look beautiful. You're getting it." Veronica sat down and pulled Regina on top of her lap. "You guys really think this is okay to wear? Are you 100% sure this looks good?" She asked as she looked in the mirror. Both Regina and Veronica nodded their heads. Mary smiled and went back in the dressing room.

Veronica smiled and looked up at Regina, "When we drop her off you are coming back to my place. My dad left for a trip this morning and my mom said she has something to tell me so you can wait in my room while I talk to her." Regina nodded in agreement and kissed her head.

"Mom! I'm home, and Regina is here!" She said walking in. She noticed some boxes stacked up against the wall but didn't put much thought into it. "In the kitchen girls!" They both walked in and saw Hermione cooking and getting dinner ready. She smiled at them and thought to herself, 'Well maybe Regina can help her take her mind off it.'

"Hey love can you go to my room, I will meet you there in a second." Regina nodded and kissed her before walking down the hallway. "So, mom what did you have to tell me?" Veronica asked while helping her mother set the table.

Hermione took a deep breath, she knew this wasn't going to be easy and she knew she would be upset but it had to happen. She turned to face her daughter, "Mija, your father was arrested today, he surrendered himself but he is in prison, not on a business trip." Veronica stopped, and Hermione saw a slight smile on her face. "Let me guess, he screwed one to many over and it finally caught up with him." She said as she sat down at the table. Her mother nodded and continued, "There is something else sweetheart, we have to move. Tomorrow."

All the color in Veronicas face drained. "What?" She was furious, fuming, she wasn't even sure how mad she could get. "Why? Why do we have to leave? Mom this is my home! My girlfriend is here! My best friend is here! Everything is!" She started screaming, Regina came running out the door, "What's going on? Are you ok?" She immediately went to Veronica and saw her face was streaming with tears. Veronica turned to her and threw herself in her arms. "I'm sorry Mija, I wish there was another way, but all of your father's properties are being seized. We have to leave."

Regina then understood and was heartbroken, but she always knew there was nothing that she could do to help her girlfriend. "Regina, sweetheart do you want to see if your parents will let you stay tonight? I can call them myself."

Hermione asked the older girl. She nodded, "Please, if you don't mind." She said as her voice started to crack. She let them back to Veronicas room and shut the door. Hemione hung her head, she didn't want to break her daughters heart, but she knew it had to be done. She walked to the counter and picked up her cell phone and dialed Cora's number.

"Hello Cora, this is Hemione. Yes, I told her. Oh she can, thank you so much. Good night to you and Henry." She hung up the phone and walked back to her daughter's room and opened it slightly, "They said it was fine Regina." The girl nodded as she let her tears fall and tried her best to get her girlfriend to stop crying. She gently shut the door and walked back into the kitchen. It was going to be a long night.

AN: So that was the first chapter, what did you guys think? Do you know where I got the other characters from? This is a slow burn and in the show, they just jumped in with Veronica and I wanted a little back story before the real story started. So, let me know what you guys think! I promise Betty and the rest of them will be in the next chapter!