Betty looked into the big blue eyes of the child in front of her, and instantly her discomfort and fears were washed away for the moment. She always loved children. They somehow had this magic that filled her heart up with delight. They were so precious and innocent. They reminded her of a time in her life where everything felt like a fairytale.

Before the little tyke could answer her though, a voice cut in from behind.

"Oh hey, B. I didn't know you were home." Veronica greeted. Her hair was wrapped in a towel, mostly likely just out of the shower.

"Yeah. I just got in actually." The blonde replied, "I didn't know Tyler was coming over." She said gesturing to the toddler on her lap.

"Yeah. Tyler's usual babysitter had an emergency so Reggie decided to dump the little munchkin on me."

"Wow. He must've been stretched thin if you were his only option." She teased her friend. Veronica responded with an eye roll.

"I don't know what you're talking about. The kid loves me. Right, Ty?" she said, smiling too widely at the child causing him to hide in Betty's blonde tresses in response. Betty laughed at the child's response while Veronica merely huffed.

"Well, Ronnie. Kids don't lie." Betty laughed.

"Well, if he's anything like his father then maybe he does." She defends.

"I doubt it. This little boy is nothing short from an angel. Right, Tyler?" The boy smiles shyly, still clinging on to Betty's hair. "And you have to give Reggie a break. He's gone a long way since high school."

"True." She admits looking at the small child fondly.

Reggie Mantle was one of the few who didn't change all that much after Jason Blossom's death. While many had realizations that "life was too short" and others, like the Scooby gang, experienced a more direct effect from Jason's murder, Reggie remained to be, well, Reggie.

The pivotal moment in his life had actually occurred later on in his life. At first, Reggie was your regular party-hard fratboy. Like many of the Riverdale gang, Reggie decided to pursue higher education in New York City. With a football scholarship and reasonably good grades, Reggie was able to get into a good college. He enjoyed his college years, studying during his breaks, football practice at night, and partying on the weekend. He may not seem like the type initially, but Reggie was actually a pretty put-together guy. He knew how to manage his time well while still getting the best out of the college experience. Sure, he was never the top of the class, but he never veered near the bottom as well.

However, during his senior year, Reggie Mantle slipped. He got a call from one of his previous one night stands asking to meet up. He soon found out that he got her pregnant. The girl had decided not to abort the child, but she wasn't going to keep him as well. She decided to go for adoption, informing Reggie out of simple formality. This was the moment that changed Reggie's life forever. Shocking everyone he knew, Reggie Mantle decided to keep the child and raise him as a single father.

As fate would have it, little Tyler Mantle was born a week before graduation. Reggie never got to march or have the whole ceremonial tradition. He was too busy finding a job to support his son while struggling with the whole fatherhood thing. Luckily, the previous victims of his childhood bullying ended up chipping in, offering to babysit little Tyler every time he had a job interview.

Reggie was never the same after Tyler came into this world. Sure, he could be cocky and arrogant at times. Old habits do die hard. But somehow he was softer now, more mature. As cliché as it may seem, the pains of single fatherhood had made Reggie into a man.

Veronica was disrupted from her musings at the sound of the doorbell.

"That must be Reggie." She exclaimed as she headed to the door. Betty merely nodded as she continued to play with the child on her lap.

"So you owe me." The brunette greeted the man in the doorway.

"Yeah sorry about that, Ronnie." He huffed, clearly tired from work. "Stacy ditched me on the last minute. I'd have gone with someone else but…"

"Yeah, yeah. I know. I'm not exactly people's first option when it comes to child care. I get it." She rolls her eyes at the implication.

"Glad you understand." He grins, teasing the brunette further. "So how was the job search?" he asked, closing the door behind him.

"Well, I was babysitting your child today instead of going out to find work. How do you think it went?" she sassed.

"Right. Sorry." he winced.

"Oh, Ronnie. Don't be such a meanie." Betty defended the man. "Besides, I'd gladly take a day off of work if it means getting to spend time with this little munchkin." She cooed.

"I'll take your word for it, Cooper." Reggie joked.

"Well, if an emergency comes up on Thursday, please be my guest." The blonde responded.

"Thursday?" Veronica raised an eyebrow. "Why? What are you avoiding on Thursday?"

Oh. Shit.

"I – uh…" she scrambled for an excuse but her brain has yet to recover from the day's events.

"Spill." Veronica said, crossing her arms across her torso.

Before she could prod Betty any further though, the grumbling sound of Tyler's stomach caught everyone's attention. Reggie smiled at his son and walked over to the couch, picking the boy up into his strong arms.

"Well, since I owe Lodge here, why don't we continue this little conversation over dinner?" Reggie offered.

"Perfect." Veronica exclaimed. "I'll call Kevin so that the gang's complete. I have a feeling I know what this is about." She said, removing the towel from her head as she started getting ready.

"Do we really have to?" Betty whined. "Look, it's been a long day and I just need some rest." She tried to argue her way out, but she should've known better than to argue with Veronica Lodge.

"Not a chance, B. You know I'll always have my way." The brunette smirked at the blonde.

Betty could only groan in response as she is led out the door by her best friend. Some things never change.

I know it's kind of a filler chapter so I'll try to update real soon. Next chapter, we'll get a peak of everyone's situation post-high school. Oh and I'm not quite sure if I'd be going in the whole Ronnie-Reggie direction but I like to play with character interactions so we'll see. As for Archie, he'll make an appearance later on...maybe.