"They live among us. Separate beings destined to bring either peace or destruction to those around. They are the balance, the chaotic center that this world spins on. And me? I'm supposed to keep them in check." Jughead Jones is supposed to keep the world in check, he has no time for love. Yet, he can't seem to get Betty Cooper out of his head.

Jughead Jones

"Damnit Jughead," Archie Andrews hissed from behind, his hands swatting at the vast amount of bugs that circled his crimson head. "I thought you said it was only three miles out."

"I said," I growled, my fist tightening around the flashlight. "It was probably three miles out. Do you know what 'probably' means Archie?"

"Don't think I wouldn't be opposed to letting this stupid witch eat you." Archie snapped back.

But he wouldn't do that. Actually, he couldn't do that. It was in his nature to be good. He'd jump in front of a bullet and get himself killed rather than watching anyone die. After all, he's half angel.

Yes, half-angel. As in, one of his parents was a being on normally clad in white with a stupid golden glow around them. Which is just as annoying as it sounds.

And no, it isn't his father. Fred Andrews is probably the most middle-ground man I know. Just enough good to keep himself out of serious trouble but just enough bad to have fun.

Perhaps that's how he scored an angel.

"Next time, we are turning down the witch cases. They always live in these gross swamps." As if the universe heard him, Archie's foot sunk deep into the mud causing the ginger to groan with defeat.

"You said that the last time too."

"Well, I mean it this time."

"No, you don't. We both know you love dealing with supernatural beings as the next fella."

Archie snorted. "Well some of us can't afford to-"

"Shh," I snapped as we pushed into the clearing. There, in the middle, was a clean looking house. With a bright red roof and pristine white walls. There were even an iconic little sidewalk and a picket fence that surround the yard. It looked like the American-dream, just like Audrey would love.

If it weren't for the fact that we were in the middle of swampy ground in the deep South or the fact that 20 kids ranging from 8-16 have gone missing in the last thirty days it would have looked normal.

"This isn't creepy at all," Archie rolled his eyes as we crouched in the bushes, eyeing the witch's home."This is just like Hansel and Gretel all over again."

"Without the fun candy house."

Archie nodded as he pulled out his sig p220.

"So what are we planning? Because I think we should break down the damn door and get the hell out of here."

"And risk getting hit with a curse? I know you think you're immortal thanks to that goody-two-shoes blood in you but I hate to tell you that a curse will fuck you up too."

Archie shoved me, eyes narrowed.

"Okay genius," he snapped. "What do you suggest?"

I smirked. "Operation Cinderella."

"I fucking hate you."

The next fifteen minutes were spent convincing the stubborn half-blooded ginger that Operation Cinderella was the best option, Archie took off his gear, rolled around on the muddy ground and ripped his (apparently) favorite shirt. Which, now I am obligated to buy several as well as a milkshake. He then made his way to the door, stumbling and moaning as if he was lost. The door opened to reveal a slender woman with almond eyes and her lips the color of Japanese cherry blossoms. She was stunning which meant only one thing: she had eaten recently.

I couldn't hear what was happening but I could see Archie leaning up against the wall as he played up his young face. I, on the other hand, was creepy around the woods to the back of the house. Moving as swiftly as I could in order to creep in the back.

Hopping the fence was easy. Opening the window and slipping in was easy. But the sight inside was anything but.

The back room was littered with bleached white bones. Small and slender, like the way a woman would sculpt her letters. It smelled like a hospital but looked like a graveyard. Grimacing, I crept towards the house where I could hear Archie's low tone.

"Miss Chang, I really thank you for letting me use your phone." Archie was always the better Cinderella. He was the best example of the stock-type of the golden boy. The boy scout. The one you'd leave your kids with or call when you need help. He's the guy you'd see walking the grandma across the street and rescuing kittens from trees.

I was not that boy. And I wasn't about to complain about it.

Gun raised, I slowly crept around the corner to see Archie bent over an old fashion phone. You know, the heavy ones with the spin dial that take so much longer to dial. And the witch. Her body was hunching and her nails were growing long. I could hear the beginnings of her alto voice murmuring and Archie pretending he didn't hear.

Just as I was ready to pull the trigger-the floorboard gave beneath me.

The woman, going by the name Miss Chang, whipped around giving me the perfect view of her demonic state. The eyes are what got me first. Bright like jades and narrowed. Her teeth were lined like that of a shark's. Too many shoved into such a space. Her face was pulled, nose jutting out like it didn't belong. She was unholy to look at, a reminder of what people like Archie and I did to protect the innocent.

"A member of the order," her voice hissed as she pointed a shaking finger at me. An incantation, in what sounded like (based on my somewhat limited knowledge) Korean. Blue light shot out, slamming into my body and launching me into the wall.

I felt my gun leave my hand and disappear in the furnishings of the living room.

"Stupid order members getting in the way of-"

And that's when Archie took the ancient telephone and cracked it against the old hag's head.

She screeched, whipping around as Archie looked like a full-blown moron holding this bright yellow phone in his hands.

She swung her hands up, blue light ripping away from the floorboards and flooding over Archie as the red-headed genius tossed the phone at the witch's head before being slammed onto the ground. The phone missed and collided a mere few inches from where I was, still dazed from being thrown against the wall as if I was no more than a damn bug.

"Anytime now, Jug," Archie snapped as the witch loomed over him, his body twitching in the blue bonds that held him captive on the floor. "This bitch is an 8."

The witch turned around, ready to cast the same spell as me only to find me, holding the telephone in my grip with a big, stupid grin on my face.

"Ding dong," I snapped, cracking the telephone as hard as I could against her skull, reeling back for another hit. "The witch is dead."

HQ was not impressed.

"Jones, Andrews we've gone over the fact that 'Operation Cinderella'," Director Finley glared at us over his desk. "Isn't an Order-approved operation."

Director Finley isn't a large man. He's a short man from Kenya whose family left to Britain when he was young in order to have a better life. It's a shame that his family was attacked by a rabid dog. Ripped to shreds...or that's what the papers had said. The reality was his neighbor was a fae and killed his family in front of him. "Blessed" him with the sight to see the supernatural in order to show him her true form. Too bad she didn't expect him to fight back. He stabbed her, as the story goes, 13 times. He was found by a member of the British branch of the Order and was trained from there.

After all, finding someone with sight is hard.

"But Director Finley-" Archie started as I snorted.

"The witch is dead. Why the hell do you care how we do it?"

"Because Jones," Director Finley snapped. "Your stupid plans are the fastest way to get one of you killed."

"We haven't died yet." I snapped.

"You beat a witch's head in with a damn telephone and Archie shot her twice. Sloppily, I might add."

"Sorry, Director," I rolled my eyes. "I was too busy dealing with the fact that my head was still spinning thanks to the kiss I shared with the wall and that my partner was about to be eaten by a fucking witch."

"Which you wouldn't have done if you just followed fucking procedure."

I opened my mouth to snap but Archie smacked my knee.

"You're right Director," Archie flashed the bright white as he put on his best apologetic face. "It won't happen again."

They held each other's gaze for several moments before the Director snorted.

"That's what you always say." He sighed as he reached for a file in his drawer and tossed it on his desk. "I've got another case for you. A long-term sort of case."

I was uninterested. Long cases meant Archie and I were stuck in some shack of a safe house for several weeks passing the days looking through binocular and playing video games until we finally found what we were looking for.

"From the Higher Ups," Director Finley gestured to the ceiling as if to remind us of that damn Angel Council.

My eyebrows lifted in surprise.

"What's the case?"

"You need to protect a girl...An angel."

"Oh yeah? Who is she?"

"...We actually aren't sure."

My eyebrows were in my hairline by now.

"What?" Archie asked, his hands grabbing the folder and flicking through.

"We have an idea. And we are almost positive it's her."

Her?

"Who is she? Where is she?"

"She's in a little town called Riverdale. And her name-"

"Elizabeth Cooper." I finished. My eyes landing on the photo of a blonde teenager with big eyes and a sweet smile.