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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; color: #222222; line-height: 15.6933px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"Jughead was starting to resent this waiting room. It looked no different now than it had that night; same nurses, same flickering lights- the only difference now was that he wasn't alone. Archie seemed to be taking up more space than normal, sitting in the uniform waiting room chairs with his legs crossed and his jaw tight. Veronica came back from the front desk looking serious and businesslike. "They've moved her from intensive care, but she hasn't been conscious for more than a couple minutes at a time- they said she's sleeping now…but we can visit her if you want. " She looked at Jughead; he seemed to be the one in charge today, but today was the last thing he wanted. "Did they say what was wrong with her? Anything?" Veronica shook her head. "Sorry Juggy, I tried my hardest, but it's classified to family only." She sat down next to him and put a delicate hand on his shoulder. He tensed, but he didn't pull away. "I'm sure she's going to be okay, Jughead." Veronica's eyes were bright with tears, but she kept a smiling face anyway, Jughead thought, for his sake. He stood up- "let's go see her. If they've moved her, she must be getting better, right?" he looked to Archie then Veronica, who looked at eachother- "Yeah, okay. What ever you say Jughead." Archie agreed, standing up too. They passed the nurses and went to room 13, where Betty was now. The room looked almost identical to the one before, but this one had a few colorful bouquets of flowers and balloons, exclaiming tidings of "Get Well Soon!" and cartoon smiley faces. Jughead had the sudden urge to rip every one of them to pieces. Betty was still asleep, as the nurses has said, her arm still bandaged and her face still bruised, but she was breathing on her own, and the IV looked less menacing than it had before. "Oh my god." Archie said quietly upon seeing her, stopping in the doorway. "Oh B." Veronica whispered going around the bed and standing over her, ever so lightly trailing the back of her hand across Betty's forehead. Jughead just collapsed in a chair at the end of the bed, supporting his head in his hands. She wasn't dead, he had to keep reminding himself; she was just sleeping./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; color: #222222; line-height: 15.6933px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"The image of Betty, laid out in a coffin, flashed into his mind and stayed there. Her face a stark white, her eyes closed like she was sleeping- her blonde hair fanned out around her head like a golden halo, her arms crossed over her chest as they lowered her into the ground. He ripped his eyes open. Betty's eyes were closed, but her heart was still beating, her blood still pumped through her veins. Veronica looked at Jughead in concern. "Juggy, have you slept at all?" He shook his head. "Can't sleep." "Jughead, you've got to sleep sometime." He shook his head again. "You don't get it." He said quietly, "What don't we understand, Jughead?" Veronica said slowly, coming around in front of him. "She needs me. I can't…I can't just leave her." He choked on his voice, but no more tears came. "Jughead- go home. We'll stay here." Archie offered, Jughead stood up so quickly his head spun. "Archie the hero, always here to save the day." He spat. Archie scowled at him; "Jughead, I know you're upset, and I am too. But you just need to get some sleep…" Jughead took a step forward and his leg buckled beneath him, making him stumble. "I don't need sleep, I need her…" he pointed at Betty's sleeping form "…to be okay." Archie softened. "She'll be okay, Jug, I promise." Jughead stood there, staring at him. Then he put his back to the wall and slid to the floor, his head in his hands. "I'm sorry-" He started, but Archie interrupted him, "It's scary- we're here for you, man." He sat down next to him and put his arm around him. "She'll be okay." He reassured him. Jughead nodded. "Do you guys here something?" Veronica asked, tearing her eyes from the scene and looking toward the door to the hall outside, where the familiar emclick-click-click /emof heels flowed into the room./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; color: #222222; line-height: 15.6933px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Oh, hello everybody." Came Cheryl Blossom's sweet voice. Her long red mane was tied up in a neat bun on the top of her head and in her arms she carried a vase full of dark red roses. "You." Jughead growled, and he made to get up but Archie held him back. Veronica stood up and made to take the vase of roses from Cheryl. "How sweet of you, Cheryl." She said coldly. Cheryl moved around Veronica and put the roses amongst the other bouquets. "Oh yes, well as soon as I heard, I figured she'd like something a little more tasteful than what the usual riff raff give." She said, eyeing the brightly colored plastic daisies that apparently came from the school. Then her gaze landed on Jughead. "Speaking of riff-raff. Hello Jones." She said as she stalked past him. He made to move for her again, Archie still holding him back. "Ta-ta all." Cheryl waved as she swept out the door. "What is up with you Jughead? Are you just looking for a fight?" Veronica demanded of him. "Her mother, her car, was the other one in the accident." Jughead sighed. saw Veronica's face freeze into a look of pure determination. "Is that right?" She said, and stalked from the room without another word./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; color: #222222; line-height: 15.6933px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"She returned not ten minutes later with Cheryl and Mrs. Blossom in tow. "What is the meaning of…" started Mrs. Blossom, stopping when she laid eyes on Betty. "What is the meaning of this." She said hissed at Cheryl. "You did this, mommy." Cheryl said bluntly. "And now you have to fix it." Mrs. Blossom stuck up her nose. "I do recall you were the one driving that night, dear daughter. So I suggest you find some way to mend your image in the eyes of your…" she looked at Jughead's bloodshot eyes and Archie's tousled hair "…friends." She finished with a sneer, turning on her heel and leaving. "Give me a minute." Cheryl implored Veronica, who crossed her arms and raised her eyebrow. "One minute."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; color: #222222; line-height: 15.6933px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"Jughead decided to walk the halls of the hospital, too many people were in that room and the only one he was there for was down for the count. As he passed the sign declaring gluten-free cupcakes in the cafeteria, he heard some familiar voices./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; color: #222222; line-height: 15.6933px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Mommy- we both know it wasn't me driving that night, we both know that I have now lied to Sheriff Keller TWICE to keep your terrible, filthy habits away from the public eye. Now one of my friends is hurt, and it's your fault. Your fault because you didn't want me to drive your stupid Jag! Not even when you're drunk out of your mind!" "That's enough, you stupid brat. I will not be shouted at by a little girl who thinks she knows everything, when she clearly knows emnothing."/em Came Mrs. Blossoms hissing reply. "I will see what we can do about this Bertha child," "emBetty/em. Mommy you know who she is."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; color: #222222; line-height: 15.6933px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"They returned to the room, and Jughead came in behind them. He sat down on the chair at the end of Betty's bed, his eyes flitting to her to check if she was awake; she wasn't, but her breathing was a comfort./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; color: #222222; line-height: 15.6933px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Attention, please." Cheryl started, as though she were addressing a stadium and not a hospital room of three attentive people. "My mother, upon seeing this depressing scene," she gestured to Betty. "…Has decided to pay all of Betty's medical bills, along with the repairs to their family vehicle." Cheryl clapped quietly, Mrs. Blossom stood stock still, but didn't make a comment. Veronica walked up to Cheryl and held out a manicured hand, which Cheryl shook. "Thank you. I'm sure the Coopers will appreciate this." Veronica said coolly/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; color: #222222; line-height: 15.6933px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"Jughead wasn't sure; the Coopers were proud people... But the Blossoms, upon finishing their announcement, left, apparently not in the mood for chatting. "Get well, Betty." Cheryl said, ducking her head back in and blowing a kiss. Veronica rolled her eyes. "Well that was in interesting addition to the day." She turned to Betty, still fast asleep. "I think we should go, Jughead. She looks like she's going to be asleep for a while." Jughead shook his head. "You guys can go, I'll just stay here." Archie started to protest, but Jughead interrupted him. "I'll sleep, I promise, and look!" he held up the to go box from Pop's "Provisions. Really guys, I'm fine." Eventually they relented, and, Veronica kissing Jughead on the cheek, and Archie giving him a hug; they left him and Betty alone together./p