Jughead was at a dead end. He and Betty had suspects, many of them. But he still had hit a wall, no more leads to trace or people to investegate. Not to mention the serpent business he was getting caught up in.

"Ok Penny. You called me here for your favor, what do you want?" He asked tensely.

"Nothing big. Your dad got a truck, right kid?" She clarified, twirling the straw to her milkshake between her fingers.

"Yeah, what for?"

"All you have to do is drive by, pick up a few boxes, and deliver them to this address." She pulled out a slip of paper and handed it to him.

"Like a drug transport? No way, I'm not getting caught up in that." He stood up and started to make his way out of Pop's.

"Such a shame. Your girlfriend, Betty right? What a catch. Maybe if I talk to her-" He spun around abruptly.

"If you so much as lay a finger on her I will-"

"Uh uh uh" she shushed him. "You're not making the threats right now. Do the delivery or the girl gets it. Stop by later for the boxes. Toodles." Penny left, without even paying for her drink. Jug slapped a five onto the table for Pop and ran out the door. He knew what he had to do.

That day made him question everything. He loved Betty, his whole being loved her. She was the light in the darkness of his world. Her smile sent tingles down his spine and her touch made him melt. But as long as she was with him, she was in danger. Hell, he's the son of a gang leader. So to protect her, he had to do the one thing that would crush him.

It was late one night. Jug climbed the ladder up and tapped on Betty's window. She sat up from her bed and rubbed at her eyes before getting up and opening the window.

"Juggie? What are you doing her, are you ok?" Her face was happy, then confused, and then worried. It was crazy how much her face conveyed.

"Hey, we need to talk." She backed up and he crawled into her room. Instincly, she moved into his arms, but he pushed her away. The confusion and worry increased.

"What happened Jug?" Not knowing how to be gentle with this, he just blurted it out.

"I think we need to break up."

Her whole body went rigid and her mouth dropped open slightly.

"What? Did I do something wrong? When did you come to this conclusion?" Her questions rapid fired and her hands reached to cup his face. He grabbed her small wrists lightly and pulled them away.

"If you're with me, I can't protect you anymore," part of the truth, "and I'm a serpent now. I can't date the poster child of the northside. I'm sorry Betty, but it's for the best." That hurt him the most. Her biggest fear in this relationship was the serpents separating them, and now it had happened. She stepped back and wrapped her arms around herself.

"That's not your decision to make. I decided who I put myself in danger for. And so what you're from the Southside and I'm from the North, I thought you said we were like Romeo and Juliet with a happy ending." Her voice cracked at the end and the words were small.

"No Betty, I won't let you get hurt because of me. We're to different Betty, this, was never gonna work out anyway." She looked so hurt, her sadness turning to anger.

"Get out. Get out of my room, my house. If you think you can just lead me on, play with me, tell me you love me, then dump me when you get scared, then I don't want to be near you" He stood in disbelief. "I said GET OUT!" The tears had started running down her face but that's when he was already climbing out the window.

That night, it seemed like there was an endless supply of tears hiding behind Betty's eyes. Until, there were none left and she lied awake in her bed thinking. All the times he cradled her head in his hands, comforted her, told her he loved her. Was it all a joke? Something for him to write about? She felt used, betrayed and heartbroken. It was the first time since she met Jug that Betty was alone. There was nobody, nothing to turn to.

There was only one thing she could do. Go back to what she was before Jughead.

Being perfect.