Drowning In The Abyss Of Life (And The Return Is No Different)

He's different.

That's what Josie's been hearing over the past few days, that Archie Andrews that Riverdale once knew came back completely different. She wanted to hit people over the head because of course, he would come back different. He's been through hell and back with the scars indicating it all. He was angry but lost as all his other friends seemed to buzz about the school year not knowing how to talk to this different Archie. Maybe she was one of the lucky ones, besides her, it was Betty.

He's different.

She could see it, how Archie had changed. It was because of the look in Archie's eyes, the same ones that lit up whenever they talked about music, that light was gone. In it was something completely broken and she had to wonder if she was the only one that noticed it.

She was done with her portion of the SAT's when a buzz from her phone, indicating a text message. It was from Archie asking her to meet her at the bleachers. She was done with testing and assumed that Archie was done as well.

She could kill time waiting for Kevin to be done with his exam.

Josie found him hunched over in the stands, his hands clutching his red hair tightly. As she got closer, she could see his knuckle tips turning white.

"Archie?"

He looked up and it was the same brokenness that she saw back at Pop's couple days ago. Unshed tears threatened to fall, filled with anger and frustration. She sat down next to him and took one of his hands away from his hair. Josie held it tight as if trying to send positive energy to Archie. She wished it was possible.

Archie looked out onto the football field for a bit. When he spoke, his voice held the same frustration she saw in his eyes. "Something is wrong with me Josie. I keep seeing flashbacks or weird visions when that happens I can't breathe. Almost as if I'm drowning and nobody can get to me."

Josie squeezed his hand tighter.

"I ran out of there, the exam room. I just couldn't do it. I don't know how to live normally anymore, can't." His voice broke as tears started streaming down his face. Josie wrapped him up in a hug, as Archie silently cried.

"You've been through hell, haven't you Archie? And you just got back." She whispered to him.

They stayed there on the bleachers until Kevin called her letting her know that he was done and apparently that Hiram Lodge was in the hospital. That surprised both her and Archie. When they got to the parking lot, he left stating that he had to go see Veronica. Something in her cracked a bit but Josie put on her best smile.

Archie gave her a smile, something that Josie had missed from seeing on the redhead. He hadn't smiled a lot ever since he got back home.

"Give me a call if you need to talk," Josie asked. Archie nodded, replying back with "I will. Thanks, Josie."

He drove to the hospital where he would no doubt be reunited with Veronica. After all, weren't they the endgame couple, right?

Josie received a text message later from Archie. Reading it, she felt a pang of sadness and anger, towards Archie and to Veronica.

She thought I had something to do with her dad's shooting. I didn't, you have to believe me, please.

Of course, she believed him, how could he do this when Archie was with her for the entire time the SAT exam was going on. She reassured him that she did believe him, soothing his doubts and anxiety.

The next time she sees Archie, he is in his tub, smelling of booze, his eyes closed from passing out. Nobody seemed to have noticed him spiraling down. Yet, here she was, probably the only one from his group of friends helping him.

She could smell it on him during classes, as she walked by him or stopped to say hi. Josie had to wonder how nobody noticed but maybe everyone was busy doing their own thing.

Maybe all they wanted to think that Archie would be fine, knowing full well his time in jail and on the run changed him for sure. He wasn't the same Archie.

This wasn't healthy, how he was trying to cope with it all, Josie knew that well enough from the smell that her friend had clinging to him as she turned on the shower to get him sobered up. He yelled out as the water hit his body but she ignored it. Archie was sending a signal that he needed help if she was the only one to see it, she wasn't going to let him drown at sea.

He was passed out, as she set him down in the tub, almost losing her balance and braced herself over him, using the wall for support. Josie let him sit there as the water ran, waking him up. She went downstairs and got some stuff to help him sober up more. The water stopped and heard Archie walk around, probably changing out the clothes and into a new one. Josie got a big glass of water and toast, bland as it should be. He walked into the kitchen, still, a bit wide-eyed and smelling of alcohol.

"Sit," She told him, her voice made for no argument. She was concerned, scared yet livid at what Archie was doing to himself. He shouldn't be drinking, not knowing how the consequences could be if he ever went too far and ended up in the hospital. The redhead sat down and took a sip of the water as Josie sat down with her own glass of water. She gave him five pieces of toast and found some Advil in the cabinet along with crackers. Al of these things could help him sober up along with a good nap.

"Archie, why?" It was the only thing she could say, the only thing she could even think at this time looking at him across from her. He lowered his eyes as if he was ashamed. "I just want to forget about all of this. I can't move on, I need to fight. That's all I've been doing ever since jail is fighting. But now that I'm back, everyone here just looks at me like I'm going to be the old Archie, he's gone now."

Josie nodded, she took one of his hands, squeezing it. "You've got to deal with your demons, head on. But doing this, drinking isn't going to help with that Archie. Screw them, this Archie is fighting and even with the fight, he needs to rest. So, forget whoever "

"You going to tell my dad?" Archie asked her. She nodded once more. She had to because if something were to happen to him, Josie couldn't live with herself. "It's time to start fighting. Are you going to do that?"

Josie stayed home with him. Archie slept on the couch while Josie finished up her homework. Josie made sure she found all the booze that Archie told her and when Mr. Andrews got home, Josie told her what had happened. It was in Archie's dad's hands now and Josie knew that he would be alright.

Later that night, she sent him a link to a song. Hope this helps, talk to you soon? The song was I Will Survive by Gloria Graynor. It seemed fitting because Archie will survive this, she knew it and knew exactly who could help.

"Tom?" She called out. The ex-Sheriff and soon to be Stepdad looked up from the book that he was reading. The title read, When We Rise, all in purple with the letters in bold white on the cover. She remembered Kevin mentioning that it was about one of the LGBT activist memoir and life. Tom was always reading history books, from the amount of literature in his office along with crime books, both fiction and nonfiction.

He put the book down, giving his attention to her. "Everything alright Josie?" He asked her, as he bookmarked the page he was in.

How could she put this into words, that Archie Andrews needed an outlet and all he was doing was punching a bag in his home? "Archie needs help," Josie said. This made Tom straighten up a little. "How so?"

"I found him drunk, called me and I got concerned. Got there and sobered him up, told his dad. Mr. Andrews said that he would take care of it but I think, as Archie said it's more. He's been fighting for a while and he's been in the deep end, just gotten back home still hasn't sunk in for him. I guess it's that fact that the town changed along with him that he doesn't know what to do, he's lost, frustrated and I don't want him getting hurt." She paused. "He's been using a punching bag but I was thinking that maybe you can teach him how to box? It could help him a lot, Tom."

The older man nodded in understanding at what Josie was getting at. "I'll call Fred, see if he can bring Archie around after school for his first lesson." Josie sighed in relief that Tom agreed to help.

"You're a good friend Josie, remind me a lot like your mom without the whole 90's getup." He chuckled. Josie had to agree, her mom's style choice back in the day made her awe and gawk at whenever she looked at old pictures that Tom usually pulled out to embarrass her. It was funny and something both she and Tom bonded over because at least she had someone to help tease her mom's fashion choices with photographic proof.

He was slowly doing better. Sometimes there were setbacks, flashbacks of his time in jail or nightmares. He was fighting, as Josie said to him that day. She told him that it was okay. "You can't get better overnight Archie. It takes time. You've got to be patient with yourself, do that."

It was like a mantra in his head.

Tom was a good boxing coach, helping get back on his feet by teaching him the art of boxing. They started slow just punches and types of exercises to do at home like jumping rope or running laps. Tom texted him about different moves they could try and Archie even coaxed him into trying some moves from the Rocky movies. "It's been helping a lot more." He told Josie when he called her one night. He mentioned how he's been starting to go see a doctor, slowly opening up. "I'm glad." She told him

Josie texted after a grueling workout if he was interested in watching the Rocky movies, he agreed.

They watched it at his home, with a big bowl of popcorn and some candy he quickly bought before Josie got here. He texted her quickly asking what type of candy she liked and when she offered to pay him back, he refused.

"How many Rocky movies are there?" He asked as the credits rolled. "Eight and the spin-off movies, Creed and Creed II" Josie replied. Archie gave a smile, "So you like the Rocky movies a lot uh?"

Josie shook her head, smiling at him. "Nah, I looked it up when I was buying the first one."

The world seemed to move on, as Archie found stability again in Riverdale. Things changed along with Archie but there was still talk in little ol' Riverdale. Some thought Archie shot Hiram Lodge, while others had doubts. Veronica would look on with a mixture of longing and hint of jealousy at Archie laughing at some joke Josie told. He didn't know that she had a sense of humor and he enjoyed it. They talked about a lot of things whenever they hung out in the music room or nothing, letting the soft sound of the keyboard fill the space.

It was different for him.

A different Riverdale, a different town and a different him. He was just glad that someone was there to help him get to the steps of it all.

They didn't talk about jail or his time on the run. Instead, Josie was picking his brain over some of the artists he listened too, the ones that Josie recommended to him whenever they texted.

"You've been helping me through this Josie, I can't thank you enough." He told the singer one day as they hung out in the music room. She flashed him a confident smile over her shoulder as she tuned the piano. "Are you busy this Friday? I was thinking after school or practice that you and I could go get a bite to eat at Pop's?"

Josie blinked in surprise. "Yeah, I'd like that Archie."

That's how they found themselves on a Friday night, like regular teenagers eating fast food. Maybe this was something that Archie wanted to have again and she didn't blame him for missing Pop's food.

People came and went from the restaurant, they stayed in their booth with Archie stealing some of her french fries. She feigned threats at him with drinking his strawberry milkshake only for Archie to slyly take more fries. She made good on her promise and took half of his shake.

The topics ranged from the drama in Riverdale to school and music. Josie was shocked that Archie never watched any sort of musical and now was determined to get the redhead boy to watch at least one with her.

"We'll watch West Side Story, that one is a classic!" Josie gushed.

"Okay," Archie said. "What about that one, um, Singing in The Rain?"

Josie gave a faux gasp towards the redhead, "You know a musical Gingerlake? I'm impressed," She teased at him using the nickname that she gave him last year. It felt like a decade ago rather than a year ago.

Archie laughed. "We'll I surprise a lot of people these days." He took a drink from his shake.

"You have no idea how true that is," Josie told him. "But those people, ignore what they say and focus on yourself."

Archie nodded, knowing her words were true. "So, tomorrow? We'll watch West Side Story?" He seemed excited and she couldn't blame him.

"As long as you bring the candy." She grinned at the redhead who mirrored her expression back.

Next thing she knows, after paying for the food Archie is looking at her. The twinkle in his eyes is something slowly has been coming back, something that Josie is elated to see on her friend's face.

For now, standing in the middle of the parking lot, Josie knew that Archie Andrews was slowly bulding himself up. That he was healing from his horror's one day at a time and that was alright. She was just glad she was one of the reasons his light in his eyes came back.