When Betty woke up from her nap, a plan had already formulated in her mind for as to what she was going to do about Malachi. She knew that the Ghoulie wouldn't rest until either she or Jughead were dead, or both. Not worried about her safety for even a millisecond, Betty knew what she had to do in order to protect the man who came back into her life after being absent for three years too long.
Rolling over, she peered at Jughead, who was still asleep, and smiled softly. He looked calm; like he wasn't carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders for once. The look suited him. She knew that ever since he was a kid he had been struggling to find himself in this messed up place they called Earth. Tracing the pad of her thumb along the length of his jaw, she pressed a tender kiss to his cheek, reveling in the warmth she felt encompassing her heart, before carefully getting out of bed.
After writing a note explaining that she was going into the city, Betty got ready, left the note on her side of the bed, (momentarily wondering when it had become 'their' bed), and quietly slipped out of her apartment. The afternoon had warmed up a bit but it was still definitely fall in the city. She made her way down the street, fallen leaves crunching underneath her feet with every step she took.
She only had one destination in mind.
XXX
By the time Betty reached the place across the street from the boutique, where she had first seen Malachi, she looked around, taking in her surroundings. There wasn't much on this side of the street that clued her into his whereabouts but she wasn't about to give up this early and call it a day. She looked around for one more moment, before walking down the street in the direction she was sure he had walked in before her seizure took over.
As she made her way down the street, she kept her eyes peeled for any suspicious activity jumping out at her. Now that she knew Malachi was in the city, she wouldn't put it past him to be watching every move she made. With a bitter taste in her mouth, she realized that meant he was watching Jughead, too. Running her fingers through her tresses, she picked up the pace, keeping an eye out.
Eventually, she came across a warehouse tucked away into a corner where two streets met at an intersection. Looking around, she hurried towards it. As soon as she reached it, she tried the door, not surprised to find it locked. No trouble. Taking a bobby pin out of her coat pocket, she inserted it into the lock and with a satisfied smile, heard the way the lock clicked and the door swung open. Once inside, her eyes adjusted to the darkness of the warehouse as she looked around.
"Holy shit," she gasped softly, before quickly covering her mouth with her hand.
There was piles and piles of money just sitting out in the open, along with guns and other paraphernalia that she was sure wasn't legal. Pulling out her phone, Betty quickly snapped pictures of all of the items before snapping a picture of the warehouse. Then, like a bat out of hell, she got the hell out of there.
XXX
"Where'd you go?" Jughead's voice, while not totally unexpected, was still a welcome distraction from the thoughts running rampant in her mind. She looked at him, cupping his cheek softly, soft smile adorning her face.
"Nowhere, I just needed to clear my head for a bit so I went for a walk," she murmured, telling a part truth but leaving out the more pressing details; he didn't need to be dragged into whatever the fuck it was that she stumbled upon.
He hummed. "I missed waking up next to you."
Laughing gently, she pushed his flyaway curl off his forehead. "I'm sorry. I promise to make it up to you."
"You better," he murmured, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her flush against his chest.
Giggling softly, she brushed her lips across his once, twice, three times before pulling back and laying her head against his chest.
"Hey, Jug?" Betty asked.
"Hmm?"
"If this was as good as it got, us living in New York and me dealing with anxiety, would that be enough for you to stay?" Betty whispered, fear tingling through her body at the idea of a negative answer.
He squeezed her hip gently and she melted into the touch. "Elizabeth Cooper, you don't ever have to ask if being with you is enough. It's more than enough. I don't know if you've noticed this about me or not, yet, but I need you the way I need air. These past three years without you literally had me drowning. I didn't know which way was up and which way was down from the current trying to sweep me under. I needed you. I still do. So, yes, it'll always be enough."
She smiled, brushing her nose against his. "Good answer, Jughead Jones."
He laughed, flipping them over, before pressing a kiss to her pulse point.
"Let me show you how enough it is," he said, and she laughed.
They didn't emerge for the rest of the afternoon.
XXX
When the couple eventually got out of bed, night had fallen; a time that was incredibly challenging for Betty. It was when her nightmares plagued her the most, whether asleep or awake. Sighing, she made her way into the kitchen and put the tea kettle on her stove, hoping a cup of hot tea would be enough to soothe her anxieties. She had had a trying day, from dress shopping to finding the warehouse to everything in between. She was simply exhausted
Feeling gentle arms wrap around her midsection, she leaned back into Jughead's embrace, smiling softly as he pressed a kiss to her collar bone.
"Does that help you sleep, baby?" Jughead asked quietly, and she shrugged.
"Sometimes. Other times, it just calms me down long enough to lay in bed and relax, no matter if I get sleep or not," she murmured, eyes on the teapot.
"Everyone needs sleep, Betts," he said softly, and she chuckled.
"Sleep hasn't really been my friend the past few years, Juggie. I've got too much going on up here." She tapped her forehead, smiling slightly. It was ironic. Even when she craved the noise of the city, the noise in her brain still drowned out every other sound.
"Have you considered seeing someone for that?" Jughead asked softly.
"Like, a therapist?" Betty asked, and he nodded.
She sighed. "I have. I just don't know if I'm ready to make that jump."
"Well, if and when you are, I'm here to support you, no matter what," he replied with conviction.
Nothing more was said but then again, nothing more needed to be said. They simply understood one another and that was enough for her.
Author's note: Enjoy! Xxx
