"Juggie, did you get the gifts?" Betty called from their kitchen. She was currently tending to the two pies she had promised Alice Cooper she'd bring home for their Christmas Eve dinner. She wrapped the still cooling pies in tinfoil, making sure the golden crust didn't get smooshed in the process.

"Yeah, Betts. Putting them in the car now!" Jughead replied, and she smiled slightly to herself. How lucky was she to have found someone who would willingly go spend Christmas Eve with her neurotic family? Laughing to herself, she put the pies in their holders, before dusting her hands off on her apron. It was Christmas Eve and, naturally, everything was going according to plan for Betty and her boyfriend. Betty had written out a set schedule for them to follow, making sure all the I's were dotted and the T's were crossed.

Once the pies were taken care of, Betty took off her apron, smiling fondly at the picture of Rudolph that had been stitched on. Knowing her love of having secondhand things, it was part of Jughead's first Christmas gift he had ever gotten her. He had told her he had gone over to the town a couple hours away from the city and shopped through their thrift stores, trying to find the best gift possible. The apron, along with a secondhand edition of A Christmas Story, and Betty nearly told him she loved him that night.

Jughead walked into the kitchen just then. "Smells good in here, Betts."

She smiled. "The pies are finished cooling and the kitchen has been cleaned. All that's left is to survive Christmas with the Coopers."

Perhaps her boyfriend could tell how her smile became a bit more forced in that moment because he was moving towards her, placing himself directly in front of her. She wedged herself between his legs, snaking her arms around his waist. He kissed the top of her head.

"It's going to be fine, baby," he murmured, and she sighed.

"You don't know my mom like I do," she muttered.

"No, but I know you," Jughead countered, and she smiled against his chest, inhaling the scent of him. He smelled like coffee and cigarettes.

"Hmm, nice save," she murmured, looking up at him. He dropped a kiss to her forehead, holding his lips there for an immeasurable amount of time and she sighed contentedly. They stood like that, tucked away in their safe bubble, for God knows how long. It wasn't until Jughead cleared his throat did Betty pull herself back to the present moment.

"We should probably get on the road if we want to beat the traffic," he said, and she nodded.

"Alright," she agreed. She detached herself from his hold gently and made her way to where the pies were.

"Can you hold these for me while I put my coat on?" Betty asked. "And don't even think about sneaking a bite."

"You wound me, Betts," Jughead replied in feigned offense. She giggled as she passed the pies off to her boyfriend before going to the chair where she had draped her coat over the night before. Sliding into her jacket, she shivered slightly at the cool touch it brought.

"Mission accomplished, then," she teased, eyes twinkling as she looked at him with a smirk. Jughead laughed.

"Alright, Coop. You win," he conceded, and she grinned.

"Now let's go before Mama Cooper brings her wrath down upon all who are late," he added, and she nodded. With one last cursory glance around, she took the pies from him, looped her arm through his, and the couple made their way out of their apartment and down to the lobby.

It had been two years since they graduated and this was the first year Betty was bringing home Jughead. It wasn't that he hadn't met her parents before, (he had); it was just that he hadn't met them in their home. Where secrets were kept locked away.

They made their way to their car that was in the parking garage, and Betty was pleased to find it was already turned on and running. She slid into the vehicle, sighing happily at the warmth it provided. She fiddled around with the radio knob, trying to find a station that was playing Christmas music. Once she found what she was after, she turned it down low to provide itself as a source of background noise and looked at her boyfriend.

"I need coffee," she admitted, and he chuckled.

"You've already had three cups, baby," he replied, and she smiled.

"Yeah, but you love me anyways, right?" Betty asked, and he rolled his eyes fondly.

"Of course," he agreed. He pulled out of their parking garage and merged into the steady flow of traffic. After a quick stop at their favorite coffee house, they were on their way.

XXX

Entering the town with pep always left Betty with a sense of foreboding. She had had some of her worst memories encased in this town. She had spent many a sleepless nights trying to work through her anxiety over her perfect family. Perhaps Jughead could sense her inner turmoil or perhaps he just knew her well enough by now to know that her anxiety had sky rocketed because he was interlocking their fingers a moment later, holding her hand over the console.

"So, what are the chances you'll take me to the famous Pop's?" Jughead asked, and Betty knew he was trying to take her mind off her nerves; she smiled appreciatively.

"Well, pretty good, I'd say. You can't just come to Riverdale and not try Pop's," she laughed. "The onion rings are something close to sinful."

"Mm, a way to a man's heart," Jughead replied. She rolled her eyes.

"Do all the Jones's men think with their stomachs?" Betty teased, and he smirked.

"Only the good-looking ones," he winked.

They drove the mostly silent streets of her hometown but every now and then Betty would catch sight of people playing in the snow. She smiled as she reminisced about the times her and Polly would play in the snow during their own breaks from school. Seeing their town covered in thick, white blankets of snow had made Betty feel safe in her hometown.

Jughead cut the engine once she had directed him down the route to her childhood home. She stared up at her home apprehensively, nervous knots coiling themselves tightly in her stomach. It wasn't until she felt fingertips brushing alongside her cheek did she blink and pull herself out of the place she had gone to. She looked around and spotted Jughead smiling kindly at her.

"It's going to be alright, baby," he murmured, and she nodded, returning his smile as much as she could.

"I know. Now, let's get in there and see just how crazy my family has become since seeing them last," she laughed weakly. Jughead searched her face, before nodding.

"Let's go," he agreed.

XXX

The Cooper house hold was alight with energy. Polly and her children; Mr. and Mrs. Cooper; and Betty, and Jughead. There wasn't a moment for a breather, not since Mrs. Cooper whisked Betty away the moment she walked through door, uttering something about needing the perfect dressing. While helping her mom in the kitchen, Betty kept an eye on Jughead, who was playing with Polly's children in the backyard. As of that very moment, they were having a mighty snowball fight.

Betty's hands mixed the dressing while her mind stayed focused on the conversation with her mother.

"…And really, Elizabeth, a grey sweater. On Christmas Eve?" Alice Cooper chastised. Betty rolled her eyes internally but didn't say anything, knowing it would only goad her mother into nitpicking about something else.

"For heaven sake's Mother, she looks fine," Polly insisted, smiling encouragingly at Betty. Betty nodded once in her sister's direction, fingernails curling inwards and outwards in an attempt to not get frustrated. It was a habit that she hadn't had to utilize while in the city but whenever she was around her mom, it was a different story. Just then, Jughead and the two kids came inside the house, hair windswept and cheeks rosy. Betty smiled at them as the little ones ran towards her, gripping both of her legs.

"Hello, munchkins. Did you guys have fun in the snow?" Betty asked. Toothy grins and wide-eyed nods followed her question. She looked up at Jughead.

"They have mean right curveballs," he said, and she laughed.

"Alright, you two. Let's get you washed up before dinner," Polly said, holding onto each other her children's hands. Jughead looked at Betty.

"Do I have time for a shower?" Jughead asked, and she nodded.

"If you're quick," she replied. He kissed her on the cheek, smiled boyishly, and made his way towards the stairs that led to her old bathroom.

"Ahem," Betty jumped slightly, turning to look at her mom.

"Yes?" Betty asked curiously.

"Elizabeth Cooper, do you know that that boy loves you?" Alice asked, eyebrow quirked; Betty stifled a laughed.

"Yeah, Mom, I do," she said.

"And, how do you feel about him?" Alice asked.

"The same exact way," came the reply. Then, before her mother could intrude into her life even more, Betty was walking through the kitchen and into the dining room, laying dishes down on their table.

XXX

Dinner, while slightly stressful, was still enjoyable. Betty helped herself to second helpings, despite the thin purse of her mother's lips. Jughead was on his third. They were laughing and talking; drinking and eating. When she was finished with her second plate, Betty stood up to start carrying things into the kitchen but Jughead beat her to it.

"Allow me, Betts," he murmured into her ear, and she nodded, feet hurting from having standing for so long. Jughead and her father took care of cleaning the kitchen while Betty and Alice sat and sipped wine. Normally, Betty wouldn't indulge in alcohol, since it didn't really mix well with her anxiety medication, but it was the holidays – she was going to live a little.

Jughead returned not too long after she had poured herself her glass and grinned at her.

"Come outside with me, baby?" Jughead asked softly, and she grinned.

"Of course."

The couple made their way to the front yard, grabbing a blanket from the couch as they did so. Once they were outside, they sat down on the swing on the porch, and Betty tucked herself into Jughead's side, curling her feet up underneath her. She watched as the snow fell in little flurries, landing softly on the ground.

"So, Christmas with the Coopers hasn't been awful," Jughead murmured, and she chuckled.

"No, it hasn't," she agreed. "My mother could've been a lot worse. She did call you out for loving me, though."

"The horror," Jughead gasped, and Betty laughed. They fell silent, enjoying the stillness of the night. It wasn't until several moments later that Jughead looked at her.

"You know that I do though, right?" Jughead asked.

"Hmm?"

"Love you," he said softly. She looked at him, noticing a twinkle in his eye and she smiled softly.

"I love you, too."

"And, I'd love you even more if we went and got those onion rings from Pop's sooner rather than later," he added.

Betty rolled her eyes. The man was always dictated by his stomach. Merry Christmas Eve indeed.

Author's notes: Enjoy.