Jughead Jones was currently trying to wrangle a screaming Monroe into her booster seat while Tanner was busy drenching his French Toast in what Jughead, admittedly out of character for him, deemed too much sugar for anyone.

"Roe, sweetheart, can you sit still for daddy, please?" Jughead was not above pleading with the three-year-old.

"No!" Monroe screeched. Just as he was about to give up and throw the towel in, Betty Jones came rushing into the kitchen, all blonde and perfect, in Jughead's eyes.

"Roe, baby, it's okay," Betty cooed, picking up their youngest. She began to rock her back and forth and the reaction was instantaneous; Monroe stilled in her mother's arms, pressing her little forehead in the crook of Betty's neck.

"Thank God for you, sweetheart," Jughead muttered, dropping a kiss to the top of her head as he side stepped the mother and daughter duo and headed to Tanner, trying to do damage control with the maple syrup.

"Tanner, kiddo, that's enough syrup, okay?" Jughead asked, gently taking the bottle out of the little boy's sticky fingers. Tanner, who was shy by nature, (a trait inherited both from Betty and Jughead), dropped his shoulders.

"Sorry, daddy," the five-year-old whispered. Jughead ruffled his hair, smiling down at him.

"It's okay, champ," he assured him, before going to put the bottle of syrup back into the fridge. On his way back to the table, he grabbed a cup of coffee for both him and Betty; the latter having stayed up all night with a fussy Monroe. Jughead was worried his littlest was coming down with something. Sitting down at the table, he handed Betty her cup and she flashed him a tired, yet grateful smile, murmuring a quiet thank you.

As the small family of four ate their breakfast, gentle conversation flowed through them.

"Tanner, are you looking forward to book costume day?" Jughead asked his son, and Tanner nodded enthusiastically.

"Yeah, daddy! I'm dressing up as Harry Potter!" Tanner exclaimed, and Betty laughed softly as Jughead shared a look with his wife. He had known that she was into the series at some point but Nancy Drew was more so the books she had been raised on. She had wanted to try and get Tanner to read them but gave up after his blatant boredom with them; she told Jughead she'd hope Monroe would want to be Nancy Drew for Halloween since the little girl showed a bigger interest in her mother's favorite books.

Just then, Monroe spoke up.

"Mommy, I don't feel good," she mumbled, rubbing at her eyes. Jughead shared a worried look with his wife as Betty put her fork down and went to Monroe's booster seat.

"I didn't think so, love," she murmured, picking her up and cuddling her daughter close. She tried feeling her forehead but Monroe had it pressed so tightly against her mother's neck that Betty settled for feeling her neck. Jughead watched as she bit her lip.

"She's warm Jug, I'm going to take her upstairs and take her temperature. Can you get Tanner to school this morning?" Betty asked softly, rubbing an icky feeling Monroe's back.

"Sure thing, sweetheart," Jughead replied. He kissed his daughter's head, feeling her neck as well, before a frown washed over his face.

"I'll make an appointment with her pediatrician for later this morning after I drop Tanner off," he promised, and Betty nodded, before turning to Tanner.

"Bye sweetheart, have a good day at school, alright?" Betty asked, and Tanner nodded, watching Monroe with wide eyes.

"Is Roe sick, mommy?" Tanner whispered, worry hidden behind the stormy blues of eyes that was so much Jughead, it was like staring at a mirror.

"Yeah, button, she is. I'm going to get her upstairs and in bed. Be good for daddy on the way to school, okay?" Betty asked, and Tanner nodded.

"Yes, mommy," he replied, frown still tugging at his lips.

"Hey, kiddo, let's get your shoes on, okay?" Jughead asked, scooping Tanner up and holding him high in the air. He ran towards the front den where their shoes seemed to navigate towards, making airplane noises while Tanner was shrieking in delight.

"And, touch down!" Jughead said, bringing Tanner back to the ground. Tanner was a fit of giggles while Jughead put his son's shoes on for him. When the last of the laces had been tied, Jughead stood up from where he had been bent down on one knee.

"Is Roe going to be okay?" The terrified whisper was just that: a whisper. Something Tanner never wanted anyone to hear but his father. Jughead bent back down to where he was eye level with Tanner.

"She sure is, kiddo. Mommy and I are going to take care of her and when you get home later, if she's not sleeping, perhaps you can draw her a picture?" Jughead asked, knowing how protective Tanner was of his little sister, even at the tender age of five. Tanner nodded, worry held at bay for the moment.

XXX

By the time Jughead got back from dropping off Tanner at his elementary school, he found Betty sitting in Monroe's room, rubbing Vicks to her chest.

"She congested?" Jughead asked softly, staring down at his baby girl in worry. Betty nodded.

"Yeah, it started last night. Did you make the doctor appointment with Doctor Smith?" Betty murmured, and it was Jug's turn to nod.

"Yeah, for ten," he replied quietly, and Betty sighed.

"Thanks, babe," she murmured, standing up from where she had been sitting next to Monroe's bed. She dropped a kiss to her little girl's crown, before turning to Jughead.

"I'm going to go get changed. Will you sit with her until she wakes up? You know she hates being alone when she's sick," Betty said softly.

"Always, Betts," Jughead replied, brushing his lips against his wife's. Six years of marriage and he still felt shivers whenever he kissed his wife. God, he loved this woman. After Betty left, Jughead took her seat and just watched his daughter sleep, smoothing her blonde curls back whenever she would grow restless.

XXX

A trip to the doctor and a prescription for a sinus infection, and they were home. Jughead left Betty to get Monroe settled for her second nap of the day while he went to prepare a quick lunch of turkey sandwiches for them before going to pick up Tanner.

He felt rather than heard, Betty come up behind him as her arms snaked around his waist and she pressed a gentle kiss to his shoulder blade.

"She sleeping?" Jughead asked, and Betty nodded.

"Yes, I hated leaving her but the doctor said the prescription would make her sleep for a couple of hours," she murmured.

"And, you've got to eat, love," he reminded her softly.

"Well, if it's your turkey sandwich extraordinaire, count me in," she said, and he laughed.

It was moments like this that he lived for. When there was a gentle serenity encompassing them, worries far from mind for the time being. He knew when Monroe woke up, crying for one of them, and when he had to go pick up Tanner, he'd be living for that moment as well. When he was surrounded by his family. All was good.

Author's note: So, I'm starting a Jones's family series. I'll accept prompts and write some of my own. There is no time limit on this and I'll update as I can. I just really want to see Betty and Juggie as parents. So, if you have a prompt, feel free to drop a comment. Or, if you feel like reviewing too, that's fine. Gonna try and get to Infinity tomorrow sometime. Enjoy Xxx