Warnings: Fred's current situation in the season finale and alcohol.
Word count: 3038
A/N: I know Archie was the one to take Fred to the hospital, but that doesn't make sense to me, so I wrote as if he arrived in an ambulance. Had to make the reader sort of a genius since I wanted it to be legal and not to big of an age gap.
GWS stands for Gun Shot Wound, BPR for Beats Per Minute and Breaths Per Minute, BP for Blood Pressure, OR for Operating Room, Y/L/C/H for Your Length and Color Hair, Y/B/M/D for Your Birth Date and Month. My EMS report may be completely wrong for a real one so if you are a doctor feel free to correct me.
Five seconds is as much time as the doctors have to breath in and out to clear their minds before the EMT pulls out the gurney and behind it comes a ginger boy, with a red stained cast and varsity jacket. "Robbery gone wrong at Pop's. Patient Fred Andrews, male, GSW to the abdomen, no exit wound, patient is unconscious, pulse 66 bpr, BP 140 over 80, respirations at 19 bpm. ETA 6 minutes after call, we have an 18 gauge IV and controlled bleeding." In 30 seconds the paramedic gives them the report already taking the man to the closest trauma room available. "Is my dad gonna be ok?", the boy asks desperately standing at the edge of the door where his father lays motionless. "We'll do everything we can.", Y/N answers him calmly. "Nurse. Take …" She looks at the boy waiting for his name. "Archie.", he replies. "Archie to the waiting room please." She rushes in to check Fred's wound. "I need an X-ray and two bags of O-. Page Dr. Stone and book OR 2.", the ER doctor instructs Y/N.
Jughead, Betty and Veronica arrive at the hospital not too long after Fred is taken into surgery. They spot Archie in a chair at the reception, looking helpless and unbalanced. His expression softens at the sight of his friends running to hug him all at once. Jug's arms around them all, staying like that for a short while before they rest. "What happened?", Jughead asks tenderly, sitting down next to his friend. "We were at Pop's. I was in the bathroom and heard noises, when I came out, there was this man, wearing this hood, with a gun at Pop Tate and then he pointed it at my dad and fired. Then he … ", an incredibly distressed Archie answers. "Then he what?" His girlfriend looks hopeless. "He ran.", he finishes his sentence distractedly. Jug reckons Arch could be keeping something from them by the way he spoke.
This is the worst possible time for Jughead to be worrying about his relationship with Betty. However, so much has happened in less than 24 hours that he barely had time to process it. They left the Jubilee in awe, ready to show how much they love each other. Instead, what could have been a perfect night was spent arguing over a family issue. It drove him mad how much of a hypocrite his girlfriend can be. He almost wanted to take back what he confessed to her earlier.
When Jug got the call from Archie, he was still wearing the source of the problem. Betty had to remind him that showing up at the hospital with a Serpents' jacket right after his best friend's dad had just been shot wasn't a smart idea. He knew that. Nevertheless, he was being torn apart. That snake embroidery was always a reason for confrontations with his father. In spite of that, the second his fingers touched the cold material and he first slid it on, Jughead felt at peace, safe. Like he finally belonged and ultimately understood his dad.
His girlfriend, if he can still call her that, is accommodated next to an incredibly tense Veronica, not even looking at his direction. Right now there's nothing he can do to fix that, and, quite honestly, he doesn't know if it's worth trying. What he can and wants to do is help his 'brother' in any and every way he can. "Arch. Can we talk privately?" He points at the empty hallway and the red-haired boy follows him. "What is it, Jug?", he asks, still looking at the reception, just in case someone comes out with some information. "For a moment, it looked like you were about to say something, about the hood guy, and reconsidered.", Jughead states. "Really?" Archie fails at sounding convincing, certainly because he's too tired to properly pretend. "Part of what makes you so endearing is your utter lack of a poker face.", Jughead tells him in a sensible way. Archie stares at him wonderingly. "You have to stop taking the weight of the world by yourself, pal. You are not alone, Archie." He shows himself with both hands from top to bottom in a very dramatic way, then the waiting room full of his friends and their parents. Jug knows he's not one to say, as he for months lived inside the school's storage closet instead of asking for help. Though, after his father was wrongfully arrested, it was all of them together who made it right and he started to rethink his ways. There's nothing he wants more than to make that happen for his friend.
Archie takes his time to answer. "What if this wasn't just a random thief? I know Clifford wasn't happy with my dad working at the Drive-In land. He did everything in his power to stop the construction. What if Mr. Blossom ACTUALLY did everything to terminate it?", he blurts out without barely breathing between words, releasing some of his build up stress as he tells out loud the theory that's been keeping his mind unsettled. "He was a powerful man, no denying that. Still, I doubt Cliff could be doing anything from the grave. Although, if you're telling me it looked staged, then it's paramount we find out who's pulling the strings." Jughead assures him that he has his back, no matter what. Before they can elaborate an opinion, Sheriff Keller arrives to question Archibald. They all give them privacy. Jug figured this would be a good time to talk to Betty, yet she ignores him calling out for her and leaves to the cafeteria with Ronnie.
After long tedious, yet uneasy waiting hours, the surgeon and nurses come out of the hallway. Archie immediately stands up and the man signs with his hand he'll soon speak to them. First he stops at the reception desk in the waiting room, giving Fred's chart and further instructions to a girl who looks too young to be in scrubs, in Jug's opinion. She removes her bouffant cap to reveal a Y/L/H/C and makes eye contact with Jughead, who looks away quickly, embarrassed, feeling his face get warm and red. Reason tells him it's immoral to blush from looking at a girl he doesn't even know while having a girlfriend - and being at the hospital with his best friend's dad just out of surgery makes it ten times worse. Truth is he just can't help it.
The man introduces himself as Dr. Stone, the general surgeon who operated on Mr. Andrews. He calmly and rationally explains they managed to remove the bullet and cease the bleeding. Then he tells Archie his dad is being taken to the ICU and he'll soon be able to see him. Despite that, Fred's still intubated and they don't know how long it will be until he wakes up, considering the bullet hit a vital organ. In his opinion, though, it could've been a lot worse. All they heard was 'He's alive'. Arch releases a breath he didn't even know he was holding in. "I'm gonna stay with my dad. Can you let Ronnie know she can go home?", the ginger boy covered in his own father's blood cries out. "Sure. Listen, he's gonna be fine, Archie. I'll be back tomorrow morning so you can change and rest." Jughead hugs his friend once more, tighter this time. He's not big on PDA or physical contact in general, although he truly wants to express how much he cares.
Jughead walks out of the hospital, feeling the icy air cool his face. He closes his eyes, but that doesn't stop his mind from going a thousand miles per hour. The beanie-clad boy is immensely solaced that Fred is in his way to recovery. Regardless, there is still a long way to go until it's all put right and the dog days end. After all the hours awake, caffeine is needed. Unfortunately, his usual place for a hit is not an option. He spots a small food truck next to the parking lot. The largest cup they had still doesn't fit his needs, but it will do. While he's waiting for his drink, he texts Veronica as Archie asked. Jug recognises the girl sitting in one of the benches. Tiny droplets of water from the drizzle glow red and blue on top of her noteworthy hair when the ambulance lights shine.
He can't help gazing at the girl who may have just saved Fred's life. Something about her attracts Jughead like a magnet. "People complain about hospital food. But the coffee… is to die for.", she remarks ironically, taking a sip from her large travel cup of coffee. Jughead takes a few seconds to realize she spoke to him, as he was standing behind her, confident he was safe from being spotted. He realizes she's very aware of him staring. "Considering the work hours, that's essential. Mind if I sit?", he asks. She shakes her head in agreement and scoots over to give him more space. "Jughead Jones the Third." He extends her a hand. "Y/N Y/L/N… the first." She firmly and steadily shakes it.
She doesn't look mad about him glaring. Intrigued is more like it. "You're part of the surgical team who operated on Fred Andrews, right?", he asks. "Technically, I'm not supposed to disclose it to non-family members. But you did see me with Dr. Stone." She doesn't break eye contact, and even in the low lighting he can see her beautiful Y/E/C iris, deep like a galaxy, as if a whole universe resided in it. "I just wanted to thank you. You're part of the reason he's still alive." Jughead bites the inside of his cheeks trying to remain composed. "I'm just an intern." Her words contradict her smile, as if no one has ever appreciated all the effort she puts into saving people's lives. Y/N's pager beeps. "Duty calls." The girl gets up and swallows the rest of her coffee in one sip. "Is that for Fred?", Jug asks anguished, wondering if something could've gone wrong. "I do have other patients, Mr. Jones.", she replies. "Please. Call me Jughead.", he says. "See you around, Jughead.", Y/N speaks louder as she's already walking away.
"Juggy?" He hears Betty calling out for him seconds after Y/N left, exactly the same way she did back at the trailer. For the first time, that annoys him. Jughead feels he's being treated like a child and a possession. None of them have the energy to deal with their situation at the moment. She offers him a ride home, which he denies saying he needs to clear his mind. The blonde girl tried to peck his lips but he turns his face and she lands a soft kiss on his cheek. "We'll talk tomorrow.", he guarantees and leaves.
He still has the spare key Fred gave him when he moved in. Entering the empty house feels weird. Jughead climbs the stairs to the room he used to share with Archie to pack him some clean clothes and essentials. Practicality dictates he should spend the night there, as he has to talk to Betty before going to the hospital the next morning. On second thought, the place doesn't feel like home anymore and the silence is driving him mad.
Jug crosses Riverdale's train tracks towards the south, carrying the northside mess with him inside Archie's Bulldog football bag. Sunnyside's sign gives him comfort for the first time in a really long while. He gets inside his dad's trailer, rests the bag on the kitchen table and throws himself at the couch, dog-tired. Still his brain doesn't want to fall asleep. He stares at the leather jacket carefully placed at the back of the chair. It has a strong effect on him, like it's seducing him. He gives in to temptation and puts it on again. Just as the first time, he feels sheltered and powerful. That can only lead him one place at this hour.
The red doors loosely remind him of the ones at Pop's. If not for the bikes parked in front, he could trick himself. Not that he needs to. Somehow, the Whyte Wyrm feels a lot safer in relation to the chock'lit shoppe now. Usually, he'd feel like a pray walking in the bar filled with snakes to retrieve his drunken father. Now he feels nested, welcomed and comfortable. "Glad to see you again, kid", the man who gave him the jacket pats his back respectfully. "Truth be told we weren't sure you would.", the young guy who held Hot Dog's leash the previous night confesses, preparing to shoot the pool ball. He pockets the 8, ending the game and retrieving the bet money. "Come on, I'll buy you your first beer." Jughead just walks with him to the counter, still silent, taking in every detail of the bar he missed the previous times. The pictures on the wall, neon signs shading the dark room, people having fun, the snakes inside the glass tanks, but most surprising of all, Y/N Y/L/N sitting at the counter.
"Aren't you a little young to be in a bar?" He's amazed and a little scared as once again she addresses him facing the other way. "Do you have eyes in your back?" He sits down on the empty stool next to her and the young serpent winks at him with a smirk. Jughead widens his eyes to him, wordlessly telling him to scram. "Surgeon skills, I have to be aware of at least 5 other people in the OR while keeping my eyes on the patient.", she explains, shifting her stool towards him. "Impressive. And I am.", he says, sipping his cold beer, still not sure the glory everyone sees in it. "I won't tell if you won't." She shows him her driver's license, Y/B/M/D 2000. "How are you a doctor if you're still 17?", he asks. "Skipped high school. I have an eidetic memory, didn't wanna waste four perfectly good years of a very short life in hell, so I just got my GED and got into Med school.", she says like it's not a big deal. "Doctor Strange much?" He wonders if she'll even get the reference. "Wouldn't that be awesome?" Y/N bumps the rim of her bottle to Jughead's.
A couple of beers in and Jughead is already tipsy, although unable to forget the messed-up things that have been happening in a row. "What do you think happened?", he asks Y/N in relation to the Pop's shooting. "Robbery gone wrong. I haven't given it much thought to be honest." Y/N stands up and grabs Jughead's hand making him come with her. "How could you not have thought about it?", he asks, simply letting her guide him. "I'm a doctor, Jughead. I have to think about charts and keeping my patients alive. I leave detecting to the Sheriff." Y/N rests her beer bottle in the corner of the pool table. "Pardon me if I don't trust the police.", he says, still confused as to why they got up. "You're one of the kids who solved the Jason Blossom murder case, wouldn't expect anything else." She starts setting the balls inside the triangle. "Not in the least. Found it quite impressive actually. I'm all for justice. It's just that I left a 16-hour shift, the only thing I want to do is drink and play." She grabs two cue sticks and hands one out to Jughead. "Come on. If I win, you buy me a drink; if you win, you buy me a drink.", she says playfully. "Fair game you got going, huh?" Jug starts chalking his stick to start the game.
Surprisingly, he's pretty good at it. Not only for his first time playing, but being drunk while doing it. "Dr. Y/N/N. You're not going easy on our boy here, are you?", one of the serpents says, leaning on the table. "Are you accusing me of cheating, Franky?", she tells him. "Maybe you could let him win so we can get out of here.", the young southsider suggests. The boy places his hands on either side of her, pinning her to the table. Jughead watches furiously but unable to act. He wants to punch him but he's one of them now and can't just go around hitting the guys."In your dreams." She pushes him away and grabs Jug's hand once more taking control. As they leave the bar, he realizes how dizzy he is. But Y/N is steady enough to hold him upright.
They walk past the gates of Sunnyside trailer park. Jughead is leaning in Y/N for support. She leads him and herself towards his trailer according to Jug's direction. After they walk around the same place twice, she declares them lost and Jughead unfit to guide. Half an hour of that wandering through the trailer park passes until they finally arrive at the improvised porch of Y/N's trailer. She drops an almost unconscious Jughead on her bed, pulling his jacket off with a lot of difficulty, as he wanted to keep it on, covering him with a blanket after untying his shoes. Y/N fills a glass of water and takes some ibuprofen to her bedside desk along with a note instructing Jughead to close the trailer door when he leaves and drop the key in the plant at the bottom of the porch stairs. Y/N watches the boy sleeping in her bed. He looks serene, unlike when he's awake. She grabs a blanket for herself to sleep in the couch.