Your Hand In Mine
This is a work of fanfiction, no copyright infringement is intended. I own absolutely nothing in relation to Archie Comics or otherwise.
~Chapter One~
School was never a problem for Jughead Jones. He had always managed to be at least two steps ahead of the lesson plan. It wasn't out of needing to be the best at everything, it was simple for him. Now, if you put him in gym class, with any sort of sports, it was a no go. He loathed the thought of dressing out into those god awful uniforms, shorts that barely covered the girl's attributes, much less the boy's. Luckily for him, the switch from Riverdale High to Southside High came with the elimination of mandatory gym class. It also eliminated his chances for ever leaving this nowhere town. He'd only ever known a handful of Serpents that made it out of the confines of minimum wage and nosey neighbors. His Mom being one of them, Betty's Mom another. A woman he hadn't thought about in eons, yet another. He had to keep his head up, clear the thoughts of drowning in this dead end life he'd been given. He was due for another ball to drop, another mess to clean up. A mess he'd nothing to do with, a mess that so far had been created at the hands of Tall Boy trying to run an alliance with the Ghoulies. It was bad news from the first meeting with Malachi, a death wish he'd never anticipated.
Forsythe Pendleton Jones III had inherited a whole legacy of uncertainty. He also inherited the hierarchy of being the Serpent Prince. With his Dad in jail, he had no choice but to gain the control that his old man had. Jughead had to relinquish the rights to be a kid for the rest of his teenage years, so he could pick up the torch of supposed greatness. He never wanted any of it. Never wanted to go into the "family business". He longed for the days at the Blue and Gold, longed for his friends interaction in and out of classes. He hated to admit it, but he even missed Kevin and Veronica. He, however, didn't miss the shouts from behind his back from the football team.
Jughead also inherited the innumerable amounts of phone calls that he had to take, he had to carry out ridiculous jobs and at absurd times of day. In fact, his phone was vibrating violently from his pants pocket as he slammed is rusty locker door shut. He tensed automatically, he wasn't in the mood right now, he had to meet the gang at Pop's. It was the only free time he'd have for the rest of the day, he was due for another drop off for the bitch Snake Charmer, Penny Peabody. He'd really gotten himself into a pile with her. She knew how to wrangle snakes alright. So when his phone display was showing a private number, he knew something was up. He knew that it was his Dad before he even answered. He knew that this phone call would change the next hours of life, for or for worse, he couldn't say.
"Hello?" His voice low and uncertain,
"Jug? You free?" His Dad had business to relay to him.
"Yeah Dad, just got done with school, I was going to head to Pop's, but what's up?" His frustration bleeding through his words.
"Hey, you can still go. I just need you to check in on the trailer. I have someone meeting you there. It's not a time censored thing, but I need you to be on your toes. Don't tell Tall Boy. Say nothing to him, don't take his calls. I get out of this place soon, he has no intel. Don't say anything Jug, don't tell anyone except Archie and the gang." FP Jones was trusting him with something big. He knew this would mean something big when he seen his Dad again.
"Okay, that's not vague or anything Dad, but I got your back, you know I do." He was skeptical of this person he was to meet.
"Son, it has to be vague, she'll tell you when you see her. She knows my release date. I'll see you soon Jug." The phone line went dead. This was either going to go great, or bite him in the ass. He suspected the latter.
The diner was crowded with kids from Riverdale High, he hated when it got like this, it literally made his skin crawl. He didn't need to be surrounded by the peons and their juvenile problems. He could truly live without the continuous squealing and deep throaty laughter from the vixens and bulldogs. One of the only good things about Southside high was that he didn't have to witness the sex parade in the hallways anymore. He didn't have to hope for a silent lunch with the name calling being at minimum.
He searched the crowded diner for his friends, namely one Betty Cooper, he needed to breathe in her sweet scent. It calmed him. Made him instantly still when she was near. She was the only one who could ground him and he loved her even more for it. Her pony tail came into view at their usual booth, she was looking around the diner too. Their eyes met, relief silently washing over them. He hadn't seen her in about three days, it was killing him. She shot up out of the booth and leapt for him, arms wrapping around his neck and breathing him in.
"I missed you Juggie. I don't think I can go this long without actually touching you. We need to figure something out, a schedule or something." She took his hand and guided him back to the table.
"Sorry Betts, it just been chaos. I had to pick up slack at the Whyte Wyrm, and now I have to meet someone back my place. Its pretty crowded in here, I have some news though. Maybe we could get something to go and head there? I came in the truck, not the bike." He looked around to his friends, their faces showing concern.
"Yeah man, we can do that, we already put in an order for you anyway. I'll just tell Pops real quick." Archie bounced up immediately, making a bee line for the counter. Jughead returned his attention to the remaining four at the table.
"Who are you meeting, and why does this feel like an episode of Gang World?" Veronica asked. She didn't really have it in her to be cryptic like Archie. Veronica and Jughead were alike in the way they needed absolute honesty. They thrived in a world others didn't, a world favoring absolute transparency where others hid behind anything they could.
"I'm not sure, Dad wouldn't elaborate. I don't have to get there right away, I just have a feeling I need to get there quick."
Upon arrival to the Jones residence, the group noticed the front door ajar, and cabinets from the kitchen strewn across the front of the home. It looked like someone had destroyed the kitchen and it most certainly sounded that way too. Archie was the first to speak up at the sight of the trailer's misplaced items. Not to mention the beat up old Chevy haphazardly pulled up to the steps.
"What the hell Jug? I hope this isn't what it looks like. You locked up when you left right?" All thoughts of eating burgers aside, the boys took on defensive stances.
"Of course I locked up Arch! I'm stupid, I'm definitely not asking for more trouble. Go in at the same time?" They locked eyes, ready to protect their girls, and Kevin of course.
"One, two,…" A boom came from the open aluminum door. Then a crash and the sound of a muffled moan. Without hesitation, they all ran for the door.
The sight before them would have been normal if they'd happened upon a kitchen renovation. There were hammers and mallets of various sizes, not to mention FP's tool box open on the counter top. The kitchen was in order save for the missing cabinets and a black dishwasher resting in their place. A pair of work gloves far too small for either of the Jones men to wear were thrown on the sink. The cabinet doors were open, and some dishes from the sink were spilled about the counter and floor. A small shape was looming on the ground, holding their head in tiny hands. A main of deep purple and black locks strewn about the top of their obviously pained head.
"Shit! Just what I need right now!" A slight, yet muscular woman stood to her full height of 5'1". The kids before her surrounding her towering above her. A pained face replaced turned to a look of excitement and love, the petite woman rushed for Jughead Jones.
"Oh my goodness Jug! My hito! Look at you, it's been so damn long! And my little Archie is that you?" The wild looking woman took both boys in her small arms, holding on for dear life it seemed.
"Roach? It's been forever!" Archie was the first to hug her back. Obviously he'd known her for quite sometime, he held her so tight.
"Yeah, Arch, it's me! Only been 7 years. Not an entire lifetime, but close. Jug, you don't look happy to see me." She frowned, upset taking over her beautiful brown eyes. Her hands made fists at her round hips, typical stance of a Mother upset at her child.
"Wow Roach, I just didn't expect you. I mean, I didn't realize you had a key." He motioned toward the rest of the kitchen.
"Oh come on now Jughead, you didn't think FP was staying here alone while you were gone did you?" Her brow furrowed, she was obviously hurt at her reception. She thought it'd go a little different than this. She hoped she'd be welcomed by open arms like with Archie, she sure had Jughead pegged wrong.
"I honestly don't know what I thought." He looked down at the mess on the floor. He was conflicted. He didn't want to think that his parents were really over. That his entire childhood would end here, in the tin can he called a home, with the woman that used to babysit him. The one person he could always count on to shield him from the storm. The more he thought about her, and what she'd done for him over the course his life, the more he felt guilty for being upset at her presence.
He looked at the woman, they had been through so much over the years, she had tears in her eyes. She was strong, but this had obviously taken her guard down. She never was one to cry, and her Jughead had caused the tears that welled in her deep brown eyes.
"I'm sorry Rikki. I'm just so …" He took the few steps that separated them and held her tight. She was so relieved, she never meant to be a burden on the Jones men, but she had no where else to go. She had no one else in her life to turn to. She loved no one else in all the world the way she loved her boys.
"I know baby, I know. I just couldn't risk calling you. I couldn't have your Dad say it either, you know what'd happen in there if he did. You too Archie, come here! Mmmmm, my boys. I love my boys so much! Just missing a couple people, then I'd be complete." She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, allowing the tears to flow freely now.
"Roach, Why are you here? I thought you were in New York, running the books for our investment companies." Jughead knew this was going to be a long day. He had a feeling when his Dad called.
"The Ghoulies bought out my contract Jug. I got nothin'"