Making Discoveries
By kp004a8561
All rights are owned by CW and Netflix
NOTE: Jellybean is being portrayed by Didi Costine. Gladys is a dark-haired Tori Spelling.
Chapter 7
Betty chased after Jughead, grabbing his arm before he could get on his bike.
"Juggy, wait a minute." Jughead turned to see what Betty wanted.
"What? Dad said he wanted us back right away."
"Well, they can wait one minute while we get our heads straight. Talk to me. What are you thinking?" Jug took a huge sigh. Sometimes it could be annoying how well Betty knew him, how she knew he needed reeling in from the deep end, how to calm him before he did something rash. Then again he supposed that was what happened when you were soul mates. He wrapped his arms around his love and took a calming breath in, taking in her aroma. Betty waited for him to be ready to speak to her.
"I knew trouble was coming, I could feel it all day in my bones. I just didn't expect it to be Gladys. For years I've wished she would come back, now when finally both Dad and I have moved on, finally happy, she rocks up again."
"I know but neither Mom or I will take her crap, we'll fight to protect our men."
"I love you, Cooper."
"I love you, Jones."
The teens finally rode off towards their home to see what was happening. They pulled up in the driveway, opened the front door putting their jackets and helmets in the understairs cupboard, then moved into the living room where they could hear FP telling Gladys that everything was fine, that Jughead would be back from Pop's any minute, that he didn't have magical powers that made him appear instantly. As they entered Jughead addressed his egg donor.
"What do you want Gladys?" Gladys stood up to embrace her son but he quickly moved to hug Betty so that she wasn't able to.
"Jug! I'm so pleased you're finally here. What do you think you're doing calling me "Gladys", I'm your Mom, show me some respect."
"You have got to be kidding me! You're pleased I'm finally here; I've been waiting four years for you to come home. Even when I told you I was living on the streets you still didn't want me, when I phoned and told you social services were putting me in Care you didn't want to know, two months ago when I was fighting for my life you didn't even call Dad back to see how I was. As far as I'm concerned you're not my mom you're my egg donor. Why are you really here?"
Across the room, Jughead noted Alice trying to get up off the sofa. She looked like she was going to rip Gladys a new one after she heard all the times Gladys had shunned him. FP tightened the grip of his arm around her shoulder so she couldn't move. He knew his son had a lot of resentment towards his wife, Jughead needed to have it out with her uninterrupted.
"Look, I've been busy but I'm back. We can be a family again." Jellybean chose this moment to stand up, run over to her brother, hugging him tightly.
"Don't listen to her Juggy. She got the divorce papers from Dad yesterday. She saw that you two were living on the Northside, so she thought Dad had come into some money, maybe won the lottery. Her latest boyfriend dumped her a few weeks ago so she's only here for the money." Jughead squeezed his sister tighter.
"I should have known you would have come back for money. We don't need you to be a family anymore. We have a family here with Alice, Betty, Polly and the twins. We have won the lottery, not the lottery you think, we have struck gold finding Alice and Betty to complete us, to love us warts and all. Just sign the papers and go, we don't want or need you here."
"WAIT! You're screwing your father's whore's daughter? Daughter like mother. How depraved can you be?"
Before Gladys could say anymore Jughead pushed past Betty and Jellybean, pinning his mom to the wall with his arm. FP immediately jumped up to pull his son off Gladys before he could do her any harm.
"NO BOY! Back away. This is not the answer. Listen to me; think of your girl, she doesn't need to see this. Show her how you are a better man than I could ever wish to be." Jughead dropped his arm, moving back to Betty. He whispered in her ear.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I didn't want you too ever see me like that. Please don't leave me. I promise I would NEVER do that to you, NEVER hurt you."
"Shush. Calm down Romeo. You were avenging me, I know that. I'm not going anywhere. I know you would rather die than hurt me." FP gave his soon to be ex-wife the once over. She was clearly shocked.
"Are you okay Gladys?"
"Okay? He just tried to kill me!"
"No, he didn't. You provoked him; did you really think he would stand you attacking his girlfriend? Where do you get off calling Alice and Betty whores or our family depraved? I'm sorry if my relationship with Alice hurts but the truth is you and me should never have got together, we've always been toxic for each other, the only good things about our relationship are Jughead and Jellybean. Our marriage was over years ago, sign the damn papers and go." Gladys huffed and signed the papers.
"Come on Forsythia, let's go."
"NO!"
"NO? WHAT DO YOU MEAN NO?"
"Please, Dad; don't make me go with her? I want to stay here with you and Jug. Grammy and Gramps kicked us out. They were fed up with her bringing a different guy home every couple of weeks. Since then we've just been moving from one boyfriend's house to another. I don't want to do it anymore. PLEASE let me stay here."
"Are you sure that's what you want Jelly?" His youngest daughter nodded her head wildly. FP looked over at Alice; he needed to check it was okay with her before he agreed to let his little girl stay. Alice smiled nodding to reassure him.
"If that's what you really want then Alice and I don't have a problem with it."
"FINE! Stop here if that's you want. I will be able to do better by myself without having a brat holding me back." Gladys stormed out of the house slamming the door. Alice scooped the kids up into one big motherly hug.
"Come here my children. She's gone. She's NEVER going to hurt you again. I'll make sure of it with my dying breath if I have to." FP fell in love with Alice more at that moment. She had such a big heart and was the polar opposite of Gladys.
"Hey, why don't we order some pizzas? You hungry Jelly?" Jellybean giggled.
"I'm a Jones. What do you think?"
FP phoned their orders in while the rest of his family moved to sit around the kitchen table. Once he was finished he joined them. As he sat down Alice started the conversation around the table.
"So Jelly, I was thinking for the time being you could move into my daughter Polly's room. We could get your Dad to convert the attic into your own bedroom and decorate it however you like. I don't want you to think I'm trying to banish you to live in the attic, it's just Polly is living away at the moment with her twins and it would be easier if when they visited they were on the first floor. Is that okay?"
"Really? I can have my own brand new room? Daddy, could you really do that for me?"
"Of course kiddo. I know I've not been the best Dad to you in the past but I want that to change from now on. I have stopped drinking; I'm trying to turn my life around, starting by marrying Alice. We dated in High School, I made some really stupid mistakes and pushed her away, but we are starting afresh."
"Thank you, Daddy. Wait, where is Juggy going to sleep?"
"I share with Betty."
"Betty is your girlfriend and Alice's daughter?"
"Yes, I am. I know it might seem a bit weird for you." Jelly frowned at Betty's comment.
"Alice, do love my Dad?"
"Yes sweetie, with all my heart."
"Betty, do you love Juggy?"
"Yes Jelly, I do with all that I am."
"Well, I don't see why it would be weird. You love each other, so if other people don't like that or understand that they can shove it up their …"
"Okay, young lady, don't you dare finish that sentence. I've just got you back; I don't want to have to ground you just yet." The two couples smiled at how simple Jelly made their situation. FP looked over at his Son. Silently they communicated what they needed to. Jughead nodded to his Father.
"There is something we do need to discuss with you. I don't know if you remember much about the time before you and your Mom left. I was with a posse of people, some people would say gang." Before FP could continue Jelly interrupted.
"Do you mean the Southside Serpents?"
"Yes. How do you know about the Serpents?"
"DAADDD. I spend the first eight years of my life living in the Southside; everyone knows who they are there. They are a group that looks out for each other and other Southsiders, they are a family. The Northsiders' always blame them for everything, even when they haven't done anything. Most of the trouble on the Southside is caused by the Ghoulies." Jughead burst out laughing. His sister was smart, even though not blood related she was a mini clone of Alice Smith. Life had just got very interesting indeed. FP looked horrified that his nearly 12-year-old daughter knew so much about the Serpents.
"Err…you're right. Things have changed a lot since you left. I was the leader of the Serpents, the Serpent King, but recently I've handed the crown over to Jughead and Betty, although I still help support them managing the Serpents."
"We are getting rid of the criminal aspects of the Serpents, it's not tolerated anymore. The Serpents are now more a family, a support group."
"Southside is now a no-go area. The Ghoulies have taken over there, so the Serpents now have a settlement on the banks of Sweetwater River. It's not safe for any of the Serpents or their families to go there. No matter what you CAN'T go there or go anywhere with a woman called Penny Peabody. She might be wearing Serpent clothing but she is a Ghoulie. Your brother did something reckless to her and she has sworn to get revenge. She wouldn't hesitate to harm you."
"DAD!"
"No! You may be the Serpent King Jughead but Jelly needs to know so she can be vigilant." Betty knew it was time to be Serpent Queen before the male Serpents got into a fight.
"Jelly, how about we introduce you to the Serpents who you can trust and tell them your name is JB so that you know that if anyone out of this room calls you Jelly or Jellybean it is a trap. We could get you a panic button on your phone that you can press and we will come to save you." FP looked at his middle daughter; she was a natural Serpent Queen.
"That would be brilliant Betty. Gramps paid for me to have Aikido lessons so I can defend myself too if I need to."
"That's good to know Honey, but you need to promise you will always press the panic button so that your Dad, Jughead or Betty can come to get you. Okay?"
"I promise Alice." Just then the doorbell rang signalling the pizzas had arrived. Alice stood to answer the door.
"I'll get the door, you lot gets the plates and soda."
Jughead looked around the table while they ate. He had finally got rid of his demons that stemmed from his mom's abandonment. Now his family was complete.
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