Mickey sat behind the wheel of his car in the middle of a clear summer afternoon, a dark green 1967 Ford Thunderbird convertible with tan leather seats, with Jason and Polly in the back and Cheryl by his side, the sounds of classic rock playing from radio as they raced down the open highway. They had just graduated from Riverdale High, heading off to start their new lives in the big city.
Cheryl grinned mischievously as she began to nibble on her boyfriend's ear, the scarlet bombshell wearing a white tank top, bright red shorts, black heels and matching sunglasses.
Mickey ran hand through her hair as his heart started race, the blue-eyed twin wearing his leather jacket, a light grey t-shirt, dark jeans and white sneakers. He'd kiss her back, but he had focus on the road.
In the back seat, Polly and Jason acted if they were in a motel, kissing passionately as their hands roamed each other's bodies, the male Blossom twin wearing a red Oxford shirt tucked into a pair of khakis and red sneakers, lost in a state of endless ecstasy as he made out with Polly, the oldest Cooper sister wearing a short sleeved white blouse and a lavender 50s-style poodle skirt, her matching cardigan sweater lying on the floor of the car as her fiancé climbed on top of her.
Mickey rolled his eyes as he glanced at them through the rear view mirror. Those two weren't even married yet, and they were turning his car into their honeymoon suite.
Before he could tell them to settle down, Mickey heard the sound of a car horn as a steel blue '67 Pontiac Firebird came into view on his left side, his brother sitting behind the wheel, dressed in his varsity jacket, a t-shirt, jeans and sneakers, while Jughead, Betty and Veronica filled the other white leather seats. As soon as they pulled up beside him, Mickey noticed something strange going on in Archie's car. Betty and Veronica kept moving. One minute, New York was sitting next to, wearing a little black dress with a low v-neckline, the next she was in the back with in Jughead, the prince of the Southside Serpents wearing a black leather jacket along with a black t-shirt and jeans, with Betty taking her spot in the front, the youngest Cooper sister wearing a powder blue version of her sister's outfit. Over and over this happened, and Mickey seemed to be the only one who noticed.
Before Mickey could even ask what was going on, a familiar black Camaro came pulling up on his right, with Reggie Mantle, wearing a dark blue polo shirt and black jeans and sneakers behind the wheel with Josie by his side while Valerie and Melody in the back seat, the Pussycats each wearing a black t-shirt and leopard print leggings, their trademark costume ears on their heads. One look at his brother and his best friend, and Mickey knew what was going on. They wanted to race.
After getting an approving nod from Cheryl, Mickey grinned excitedly and stepped on the gas, causing his car to speed up as he raced down the road, with Archie and Reggie neck and neck for every mile. Mickey's heart started pounding as he gripped the steering wheel with both hands, his body buzzing with adrenaline, his ears full of the cheers of his passengers and the roar of the engine, the rushing wind playfully whipping at his face.
Mickey's eyes lit up as he spotted a fork in the road up ahead, left lane leading to New York and the right to Chicago. The blue-eyed twin slammed the gas pedal to the floor, pulling past Archie and Reggie as he merged onto the right lane, earning a triumphant cheer from Cheryl, Jason and Polly.
Mickey and the others waved to Archie and his friends as they drove off on the road to New York, promising to call as soon as they got settled.
As he watched his brother's car fade from view, Mickey reluctantly refocused his gaze on the road ahead, his eyes widening in shock as he spotted a woman standing in the middle of the road.
Mickey slammed on the brakes as hard as he could, causing Cheryl and Polly to scream as the tires screeched and the car began to skid.
He couldn't remember when the car flipped over, just a moment of black and the sound of crunching metal before coming to face down on the road, his legs pinned down under the mangled front end of his beloved Thunderbird. His head was pounding like a jackhammer but other than that, he seemed okay. Mickey felt his stomach twisted up in knots as he spotted Jason lying less than a yard away from him, a cold and distant look in his eye as a stream of blood trickled from his mouth. Dear God, he was dead.
Mickey felt a glimmer of hope as he heard a car in the distance. It was Reggie. It had to be. As he attempted to pry his legs from the wreck, Mickey spotted Cheryl and Polly being strangled by a redheaded in a tattered black dress, a cold, dark look in her eyes. Penelope Blossom. Mickey's blood turned to ice as he desperately tried to get his legs out from under the car, watching Cheryl and Polly legs dangling helplessly in the air, their eyes begging Mickey to help them, right before Penelope snapped their necks.
Mickey sat up straight in his bed as his nightmare came to a terrifying end, his heart pounding and his face covered in a cold sweat, letting out a weary sigh as he realized it was just a dream. He had barely slept since Cheryl had spent the night, his dreams plagued with images of a demonic Penelope attacking Cheryl. Or Polly. Or both.
"Another bad dream?" Archie asked. The brown-eyed twin stood in the middle of the room in nothing more than a pair of jeans, getting ready for school while Mickey slept, a deeply concerned look on his face. "Want to talk about it?"
Mickey nervously played with the bronze pendant around his neck. "I don't remember what it was about. Just that it was pretty bad."
That was a lie. Archie could tell by the way his brother wouldn't look him in the eye. Whatever the cause of Mickey's nightmares, he was keeping it a secret. He wasn't the only one. Archie and Fred still hadn't told Mickey about Clifford Blossom's attack on Andrews Construction. They tried, on multiple occasions, but ever since the baby shower, Mickey and Cheryl had practically been joined at the hip.
Cheryl had been learning about the Cold War in history class. How the entire country lived in fear of an attack from lingering enemy. She honestly knew how that felt now. Ever since Polly had moved into Thornhill, Penelope had been unusually pleasant. But Cheryl knew it wouldn't last. One wrong move, and she would once again be her mother's punching bag. Only now, she had a nuclear deterrent of her own. Mickey.
He stayed by her side constantly. Hers and Polly's. Milkshakes at Pop's, shopping trips to the maternity store, movie nights at his place. He did everything he could to keep them away from Penelope for as long as possible. But Cheryl could see how much it hurt him every time they had to go home.
The scarlet-haired bombshell walked up the stairs to the Andrews family home, wearing a white faux fur jacket over a bright red sweater, along with a plaid skirt and heels, trudging through the poorly shoveled sidewalk. It had snowed late last night, indicating an early winter for Riverdale. Perfect for snuggling by the fire with her boyfriend. Cheryl waited patiently after knocking on the door, the brown-eyed twin politely letting her in. "Is my Teddy Bear ready to go?"
"He didn't get much sleep last night. But he should be down in a minute. You can wait down here if you-,"
"I'll go see what's keeping him." Cheryl pushed past Archie and made her way upstairs to the Andrews brothers' bedroom. It was a small space, split down the middle between the twins. Archie's things were on the right, the guitar sitting by the bed making clear, his clothes and books scattered across the floor. Mickey's side was cleaner, but still a little messy, as any male teenager's would be, a baseball bat sitting by the edge of his bed. A full bookshelf hung on the left wall beside Mickey's bed, containing a series of books on a range of topics: one on the history of baseball, one on architecture, a self-help guide on anger management, an old broken-in copy of The Legends of King Arthur, a couple of Thor comic books, and the entire Lord of Rings trilogy. The blue-eyed still getting dressed, wearing only a white tank top and dark jeans, his broad shoulders causing Cheryl to bite on her bottom lip. "If you're tying to seduce me, you're off to the good start."
"Ha, ha." Mickey smirked at the teasing look on his girlfriend's face "I had to dig my sweaters of the closet. Wanted to look nice for my girlfriend."
"Luck girl."
"I'm the lucky one." Mickey's heart skipped a beat she gave a soft, lingering kiss "So, which one would you recommend?"
"Hmm." Cheryl ran her hands over the various sweaters on Mickey's bed, stopping a dark green turtleneck "This one. It's the softest. Makes you cuddly."
"Thought I already was," Mickey teased as he pulled the sweater over his head "Being your Teddy Bear and all."
Cheryl giggled as Mickey pulled her into his arms and gave her a kiss, her smile wavering as she noticed the dark circles around his eyes. "You look tired. Are you alright?"
Mickey forced a smile as her remembered the deafening snap of Penelope breaking Cheryl's neck. "Just bad dreams."
Veronica Lodge walked alone through the halls of Riverdale High, making her way through the bustling classmates who were running late due to the snow. Clearly, they knew nothing about East Coast winters. As she began the final stretch to history class, she stopped when she heard the familiar sound of a Latin guitar.
It reminded her of her visits to see her abuelita when she lived in Spanish Harlem, the same genre of music playing from her grandmother's record player while she told her the history of their family. Veronica was intrigued. Riverdale wasn't exactly known for its thriving Hispanic community. So, who was playing that music? Curious, the New York native followed her ears to the music room, the door cracked ever so slightly as she glanced through the window, where she saw a sight that made her heart stop.
Archie Andrews sat alone in the otherwise empty classroom, surrounded by a series of music books and loose sheets, his face set in an expression of intense yet serene focus as his fingers fluttered across the strings of his guitar, creating a playful, intimate tune. Veronica would never admit it, but Archie always incredible sexy when he played.
The brown-eyed twin cringed as his fingers slipped during the chord change, resulting in series of clashing notes, that forced him to put down his guitar and let out a frustrated sigh.
"Don't stop."
The young songwriter jumped as Veronica made her presence known as she walked in, shuffling his sheet music to hide the one with her name on it. "How long have you been standing there?"
"Long enough to know I should hire you for the next Lodge family reunion. So, what got you interested in Latin music?"
"You did." Archie felt his heart skip a beat as Veronica sat down next to him on the bench, the tips of her fingers brushing against his hand. "Hearing those stories about your trip to Spain, how the cities seemed sing with music, it made me want to look into it for myself."
Veronica smiled, touched by the fact that she had inspired him to study her culture. The New York native lowered her head as her cheeks started to redden, noticing the books that Archie had gathered, studying forms of music, from blues to African drums. "Studying the music of the world?"
Archie shrugged. "I figured it would help me figure out the kind of music I want to make."
Veronica nodded, impressed by his hard work ethic, her eyes wandering across the loose sheets of music notes, when she noticed the title on one of the sheets: Grandpa Artie. "You wrote your Grandfather a song?"
"You sort of." Archie's cheeks quickly turned warm "I found this book on Celtic music in the library and it made me think of him."
"Can I hear it?"
Archie paused nervously as he met Veronica's gaze, her dark brown eyes looking back at his. He had never been good at opening up about his grandfather, but Veronica, she made him want to try. "It's still a work in progress. I don't have any lyrics yet," he warned, picking up his guitar as he began to play.
Celtic music was a lot different that Latin music. It was lighter. Softer. Designed for lyrics. Regardless of the song, Latin music always made Veronica feel like dancing. Even the song Archie had just been playing made her think of people dancing: a slow, yet intimate tango shared between two old lovers, whose passion for one another was still as strong and vibrant as the day they met. But this song made her want to sit back and listen to the story it told. The story of the life of Artie Andrews, seen trough the eyes of Archie. She could see Artie taking his grandsons to the park, reading them bedtime stories about King Arthur and the knights of the round table, chasing them around the backyard.
Archie stopped playing suddenly as his grandfather's face flashed across his mind, blinking rapidly as his eyes swelled with tears, his hands trembling as he struggled to hold his guitar.
Veronica quickly reached over and took his hand, squeezing it gently as he took a series of shallow breaths. "It's okay. It's okay, Archiekins."
But it wasn't. Archie felt as if someone had ripped the stitches out of his heart. "I miss him."
"I know." Veronica placed a hand on his shoulder, rubbing circles across his back "I know you do."
"It's November, Ronnie. Grandpa died in November." Archie squeezed his eyes shut as he fought back the tears "We didn't even get to say goodbye." After a deep sigh, the young songwriter dried his eyes and sniffled "We should, uh, we should probably get to class."
"Right." After helping him gather up all of his books and papers, Veronica followed back into the halls, the brown-eyed twin politely holding the door open for her. "By the way, what was that first song about? The one with the Latin guitar rift?"
Archie's cheeks burned like coals. "I don't know yet."
"Did you know that today is the start of Maple season?"
Mickey sat with Cheryl in the Student Lounge before class, his face nestled the crook of her neck as he sipped on his much-needed coffee. "No, I didn't."
"Well, it is. The annual Blossom tree taping ceremony is one of my family's oldest and most cherished traditions. Extremely VIP," Cheryl emphasized "Want to be my date?"
Mickey was surprised. "Seriously?"
Cheryl nodded. "The tree tapping ceremony is a tradition that Jason and I have shared since we were old enough to toddle. It was our very special thing," she said, in a sad voice "Maybe if you were there to help me get through it-,"
"Rosie." Mickey reached over and took her hand. "When's the ceremony?"
"Tomorrow afternoon," she answered with a grin "Promise you'll wear red?"
"Anything for my maighdeann-mhara."
Cheryl's heart fluttered as Mickey called her the Scottish word for mermaid, his newest nickname for her. "Come here." The leader of the Rivervixens smiled as she wrapped her arm around the young baseball player's neck, pulling him into a soft, intimate kiss. Cheryl gently ran her fingers through his hair as she studied Mickey's face, taking note of his tired blue eyes. "Are you okay? Archie says you haven't been sleeping."
Mickey stayed silent for a moment, the memories of his most recent nightmare lingering in his mind.
"Is this about your grandfather?"
Mickey felt a bolt of pain strike in his heart as he gripped his bronze necklace. He had barely thought about Grandpa Artie all week. He felt terrible for it.
"I know November is when he died," Cheryl told him with a gentle look "Polly said that might be why you've been clingy."
Mickey frowned. "I have not been clingy."
"Teddy, you've had us over at your house almost every night," Cheryl reminded.
"Maybe I just like spending time with my girls."
Cheryl let out a breathy laugh as he placed a trail of kisses across her neck. "I'm serious. Do you need to talk about your grandfather?" she repeated "Or is this about what I told you about my mother?"
The look on his face was all the answer Cheryl needed.
"Teddy, I told you. You don't have to worry. My mother wouldn't dare hurt me while Polly's living with us."
"And I told you that I'm not going to stop worrying until I found a way for you and Polly to take care of Nana Rose." He'd been on the phone with Mary for every day, trying to find a way to help his girlfriend and his best friend without giving his mother any names.
"My trust fund is frozen until I'm eighteen. After that, I can take care of myself and Nana," Cheryl sighed as the warning bell rang, forcing her pull away from Mickey as she headed to class. "I'll see you at lunch."
The blue-eyed twin sighed as he got up from his seat, taking a final sip from his coffee before throwing out the empty cup. What was he going to do about Cheryl? He couldn't just wait until Cheryl turned eighteen, too many things could wrong. Not mention he'd probably die of exhaustion by then. And Mary was burning the candle at both ends working on Hiram Lodge's case, which is was about to go to trial. With little options, Mickey tracked down the only other person who knew about Penelope's abusive nature. Josie McCoy.
He found talking with Reggie in the halls, the daughter of the Mayor dressed in a fuzzy black sweater, leopard print leggings and black leather boots, a pair of leopard patterned earmuffs handing around her neck. If he didn't know any better, he'd say they were flirting.
"Hey Reg," The blue-eyed twin gave his best friend a pleading look. "You think I could borrow Josie for a minute?"
Reggie looked as if he'd been tripped while making a touchdown run. "Dude."
"It's okay Reggie. I'll see you after class, okay?" Josie's face turned hot as Reggie gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, a teasing smile spreading across Mickey's face. "Shut up."
"I didn't say anything. So, did you get the emails I sent?"
"I did," Josie answered "And it won't work. Cheryl won't put Nana Rose in a home."
"It would only be for a few months," Mickey justified "just until the emancipation papers went through."
"She won't do it, Mickey. The only nursing home in town is on the west side of town, and my mom's shutting it down in a month."
"You've got to be kidding me." Mickey was going crazy "What kind of mayor every government aid service in town fall apart?"
"One that's the mayor of a town that's going broke," Josie snapped "Ever since the Blossoms shut down their maple factory two years ago, Riverdale has been in a major recession. Jobs have dried up, families are leaving town," she listed off "that's why she's putting in so much work into the town's 75th anniversary. She thinks that if she stirs up enough town pride, people will stick around long enough for the SoDale project to create some jobs."
"Alright. I'm sorry." Mickey blinked slowly as he stiffened a yawn, fighting off his growing fatigue "How do you do it?"
"Do what?"
"This. Let Cheryl go back into that house knowing what Penelope puts her through. I've only known about this a week and I can barely."
"I do what I can. I patch her up when she's hurt, I let her know it's not her fault," Josie listed off "and I pray to God everyday that she makes it to school in one piece tomorrow."
Archie walked with Veronica into the Student Lounge later that day, the two of them standing over one of their classmates as she sat on the sofa.
"Hi Ethel," Veronica greeted with a smile. "I loved your poem in English class today. I could tell that come from someplace dark. But I have to ask, is everything alright?"
Ethel Muggs lowered her head shyly. "Things aren't really good at home. My parents won't tell me what's going on, but they've been fighting. A lot. It's like…I know something bad is gong to happen, but there's nothing I can do to stop it."
"Like watching a slow-moving car crash," Veronica described in a tiny voice "I know the feeling. It sounds to me like you could use some cheering up. Why don't you come over to my place after school? We can get lunch and massages," she added with a smile. After a moment of silence, Veronica glanced at the varsity football and the captain of the wrestling team and got an idea "Kevin and Archie will be there."
"Uh, I actually have to help my Dad out at the SoDale project after school today," the brown-eyed twin informed "Sorry." As the warning bell rang, Archie hefted his bag over his shoulder and made his way through the halls with his friends.
After a moment of silence Kevin asked. "So, what was that about?"
"Yeah, I got to agree with Kevin. Ronnie, I think it's great that you want to make Ethel feel better," Archie acknowledged "But, it's not like you two are that close."
"Ethel's poem was a cry for help if I ever heard one," Veronica justified "one that I swore never to ignore again."
"I sense backstory," Kevin commented "do we need to sit down?"
The raven-haired princess nervously played with her fingernails. "Back in New York, my best friend Katie and I tormented this girl named Paige everyday. We even made her drink gutter water."
Ew."
Archie stared at Veronica for a moment, the horrendous act completely clashing with the person he knew her to be. "Why would you do that?"
"Because she was an outcast. Because we could," she listed off "Because we were grade-A brutal mean girls who didn't care who we hurt. Anyway, by December it was too much for her-,"
"Oh my God," Kevin let out a horrified gasp "Did you drive her to commit suicide?"
"Kevin." Archie gave his friend a protective glare.
"No. But she did change schools. And she had to go to therapy. So if there is any way that I can make Ethel Muggs feel better, even for just one afternoon, I'm going to do it."
"Veronica Lodge swooping into the save the day." Archie chuckled "Now who's playing superhero?"
Veronica blushed as he stared at her, his dark brown orbs sparkling with the same light from the night at the club. "You're the one who called me Wonder Woman."
"Ronnie?" Archie called out to the brunette cheerleader as she headed to class "Whoever you were back in New York, that's not who you are now."
Mickey Andrews rode on the back of a horse in the middle of winter, the jet-black stallion marching its way across a snow-covered road, trotting towards a tall, dark, gothic castle over looking a mighty river, coursing with icy, foaming waves.
The blue-eyed twin was dressed in a full suit of armor, a series of Celtic knots etched into the edges of every steel plate, the pelt of a massive grizzly bear draped over his head and shoulders like a barbaric cloak, a massive sword strapped to his back. Mickey hopped off his horse as stopped in front of the castle door, his heart pounding against his chest as he balled his hands into fists. He fought long and hard to get here, and he was not going to turn back now. With a deep breath, Mickey pushed over the large wooden doors and walked inside.
It was the dark, the great hall lit by only a handful of candles in the chandeliers high above. As Mickey made his way into the dining, the long-forgotten furniture covered in deep cobwebs, he spotted a staircase leading to a tower. That seemed like a good place to hide a princess. After reaching the tower, Mickey opened the door to a small, cramped bedroom, coming face to face with a captive Polly Cooper.
"Mickey." The blonde-haired girl wore a long-sleeved, full-length, lavender gown, a ring of daisies braided into her long golden locks. Polly gasped in relief at the sight of her best friend, throwing her arms around him as he hugged her back, her voice barely a whisper. "You came."
"I promised you I would." Mickey pulled out ever so slightly "Where's Cheryl?"
"Downstairs. In the dungeon. Mickey," Polly grabbed his arm as he moved towards the door. "She's still down there. If you try to take us out the castle-,"
"Don't worry. She won't stop us. Not while I have this." Mickey reached behind his back and drew his sword, a four-foot long weapon of solid steel, a series of Celtic runes etched into the middle of the blade.
Polly stared at the sword curiously as Mickey held it in his hands, a strange electric tension crackling in the air. "Where did you get this?"
"A griffin led me to it." he answered "I found it trapped within a stone on the Northern mountains. The villages said I was the first to lift it. Now, let's find Cheryl." As Mickey led Polly down into the stairs, they began to hear a series of distant, echoing whispers.
Polly paled. "She knows you're here."
"Don't worry." Mickey reached behind him and gave Polly's hand a gentle squeeze "I won't let her hurt you. Which way's the dungeon?"
"This way." Polly led Mickey to a tunnel on the south end of the grand hall following it down to a runoff pool of water from the river, in a lightless cave.
"My love?"
Mickey's face lit up as the face of a woman emerged from the water: a beautiful, red-headed mermaid with a coppery gold tail. Cheryl Blossom.
Mickey scrambled over to the edge of the water, wrapping an arm Cheryl's neck and giving her passionate kiss.
Cheryl's heart raced Mickey pulled away ever so slightly, resting her forehead against his as she gasped for breath. "I knew you'd come."
"I told you I would." Mickey reached under his armor and removed a hidden necklace hanging from his throat: a dazzling emerald on a simple gold chain. The blue-eyed twin took the necklace and latched it around Cheryl's neck, a dazzling green light surrounding her. Her tail transformed into legs, and as the glow of the emerald faded away, a sleeveless green gown emerged covering her body. Mickey took Cheryl's hands as he pulled her from the water, the scarlet-haired princess stumbling slightly as she stepped on solid ground.
Cheryl let out a soft laugh at the deeply concerned loon on Mickey's face. "It always take me a minute to get used to having legs."
"You'll have adjust quick. We to get out her before-," Mickey stopped talking as the whispers became louder, finally able to understand their words.
"Precious."
Mickey felt a chill run down his spine. "What is that?"
Cheryl turned as pale as a ghost. "They're coming."
"What's coming?" Mickey drew his sword as something crawled out of the water: a short, thin, hairless, beady-eyed man with pale skin and crooked teeth, wearing nothing more than a ragged pair of shorts, waling on all fours.
"He comes to take the precious," he said in a breathy, reptilian voice "He frees the yellow precious from her tower and the red precious from her pond. Gollum must stop him. Stop for Mistress."
"You serve the witch," Mickey's stern face faded into a mocking smirk "Is a starving goblin all that she can muster to stop."
"Gollum likes this one," the skinny creature said with a crackling laugh "He makes us laugh. He thinks he can stop."
"Us?" Mickey felt his forehead bead with sweat as more grey-skinned creatures emerged from the pool, each one baring their teeth like a pack of piranha.
"Gollum is many," the creature in the front stated "Gollum is legion. Precious must stay with Gollum and Mistress. Forever and ever."
"Get behind me." Mickey stood bravely in front Cheryl and Polly as the creatures approached them, tightening his grip on his sword. "You're right. These princesses are precious. And they are leaving with me. You can either let us go and leave," he offered "or you can die trying to stop us."
"Gollum serves Mistress. Gollum loves Mistress. And precious must stay here!"
CRACK!
Mickey swung his sword in a massive arc as the lead Gollum leapt out of water, barring its teeth as it lunged at his throat, only to disintegrate in a cloud of dust as the blade cut through the creature's neck, the sound of thunder echoing through the cave. Mickey smiled as the Gollums gave him a shocked and confused expression. "I suppose I should've mentioned that this is no ordinary sword."
As if to prove a point, the blue-eyed twin gripped the hilt of his sword with both hands, the blade bursting to life as bolts of lightning arced up and down the blade. Mickey marched into the water as he hefted his sword over his head, the small army of goblins ran towards him. They didn't stand a chance. One by one, Mickey cut through the Gollums, turning them to dust with every enchanted bolt of lighting that struck with every swing. The blue-eyed twin grunted as one of the Gollums jumped on his back, biting and clawing at his armor as it tried to reach his flesh. Mickey grabbed the Gollum by the neck and ripped it off his back, slamming it to the ground before driving his sword through its stomach. The last two creatures slammed into Mickey's side, knocking him into the shallow end of the water, knocking his sword into the middle of the pool. Mickey raised his arm as the Gollums snapped as his head, letting one them bite on the steel gauntlet on his arm while he kicked the other one away. Mickey outstretched towards where the sword had fallen, the magical weapon rising into the air and racing into his hand. Mickey gripped the sword with both hands and drove the blade into the pond, a bolt of lightning coursing through the water and turning the creatures to dust.
Mickey let out a breath as pulled his weapon from the water, admiring the blade as he walked to the shore. "I like this sword. Let's get out of here before-," Mickey felt a chill run down his spine as he spotted something out of the corner of his eye: a strange black and red fog rolling in from the river.
Cheryl's body began tremble. "Mother."
Mickey's heart stared racing. His body went rigid. A cold sweat emerged on his forehead. He was afraid, but more than that, he was furious. "Witch! Show yourself!"
"Very well," a bodiless voice answered. The fog began to amass at the center of the pond, solidifying into a red-headed woman in a tattered black dress. Penelope Blossom. "I have been waiting for you, little knight."
Mickey gripped his sword with both hands, the blade electrifying with enchanted lightning. "I have come a long way to kill you witch. And today, I take your head to mount it on my wall."
"We'll see about that." Penelope waved her hand over the once still water, causing a massive wave to rise and come crashing towards, Mickey, Polly and Cheryl.
Mickey raised his sword high above his head, the lightning crackling off the blade intensifying as he brought it straight down as wave met the water, a massive bolt of lightning erupting from the sword, turning it into steam. Before Penelope could even cast another spell, Mickey whipped his head around and shouted at Polly and Cheryl. "Run!"
As soon as the princesses started racing up the stairs, Mickey took his sword and slammed it into the wall, the force of the bolt of lightning that followed causing the entire cave to shake and tremble as a massive crack appeared in the wall.
Jagged spikes of stone began to fall from the ceiling as the cave began to implode, forcing Mickey to race back up the stairs as soon Penelope disappeared behind a wall of falling rocks, making it back to the great hall just as the stairs fell apart under his feet.
Lying on the floor, Mickey gasped for breath as he looked up at Polly and Cheryl, the two princesses staring at him in awe. "That won't hold her for long."
At that moment, another sound rang out through the empty castle: the cries of a helpless infant.
Polly's face turned stark white. "My baby!"
"Polly, wait!" Mickey and Cheryl took off after the purple-clad princess as she ran into the east end of the castle, the sight of a small, beautifully decorated nursey, lit by a single candle. Polly quickly the child into her arms, rocking her infant back and forth as she whispered. "Mamma's here. Mama's here, my love."
"Is the baby harmed?" Mickey asked, watching the doorway for any more of those Gollum creatures.
"I don't think so."
"Good. Now let's get out of her before-,"
BOOM!
Mickey jumped back as the west wall exploded in a burst of stone and water, revealing a massive reptilian creature made of blueish-green scales, cold black eyes and endless razor-sharp teeth. The Loch Ness Monster.
"I was hoping I'd run into you again." Mickey locked his jaw as he gripped his sword with both hands, the blade erupting with lighting as he slowly began to rise into the air. "Listen well, monster. If you want them, you will have to go through ME!"
"Mr. Andrews."
Mickey's eyes snapped open at the sound of his last name, his heart racing as he struggled to transition from his dream into reality. He'd fallen asleep. Perfect. Ever since learning about Cheryl's abusive mother, Mickey had been dozing off in class due to his inability to sleep at home, and now he'd taken a full-scale nap in class. Not just any class. History class. His best class. His favorite class. Miss Whitmore's class.
Miss Whitmore, a young African-American woman known for her no-nonsense attitude, glared at Mickey as he struggled to wake up. "Are we boring you?"
"Uh, no. No, Miss Whitmore." Mickey cleared his throat as he wiped the sleep from his eyes "I've been paying attention."
"Really? Then perhaps you'd like to recap today's lesson for us."
"Uh…" Mickey's mind drew a blank. He knew they were studying the Cold War, but that could mean anything from the mid-40s to the early 90s.
RING!
Saved by the bell. Thank God. Mickey quickly gathered his things and headed out into the hall with Reggie.
"Dude," The varsity football captain gave his best friend an awestruck look. "You are seriously lucky."
"Yeah, no kidding. I just hope Miss Whitmore doesn't tell my dad about this."
"Micheal."
Mickey's blood turned to ice. His face turned white. And as he turned around, he came face to face with witch from his nightmares. "Mrs. Blossom." Mickey felt his throat clench up as he struggled to speak. "What, what are you doing here?"
"I just wanted to thank you," she answered, "for agreeing to escort my Cheryl to the tapping ceremony tomorrow."
Mickey's blood went from ice to lightning. Her Cheryl? Her Cheryl? "Your daughter is very important to me, Mrs. Blossom. There isn't anything I wouldn't do for her."
"I'm glad to hear that. She's been through so much these past few months."
"I know." Mickey shoved his hands into his pockets they balled into tight fists. He could kill her. Right here. Right now. No magic sword, no giant bear. All he'd have to do is grab her throat and squeeze. Just like Penelope choked Cheryl. Talk about an ironic ending.
As Penelope walked off, Mickey felt his rage start to take over his entire body, his face turning bright red as every muscle in his body began to shake and tremble.
"Dude." Reggie didn't know what was going on, but his best friend looked like he was ready to explode. "You okay?"
"I have to go." And without another word, Mickey took off.
Cheryl sat with Josie and Midge in the cafeteria, the leader of the Rivervixens giving the leader of the Pussycats a teasing smile. "You like Reggie."
"Shut up," Josie rolled her eyes as she unpacked her lunch. "I do not."
"Ooh." Midge's eyes lit up as the Mayor's daughter started blushing, the dark-haired girl wearing a grey velvet turtleneck, black jeans and matching boots. "You like him a lot."
"Oh God." Josie covered her face with her hand, trying to hide her embarrasement. For the past week, she and the leader of the Bulldogs had been constantly texting and talking getting to know each other on a level Josie never would've expected. It turned out there was more to Reggie Mantle than just his biceps. He loved astronomy, coached little league football over the summer, and enjoyed reading Confucius of all people.
"So does this mean we can expect McMantle to make an appearance at the Homecoming dance?" Cheryl inquired.
"Don't even think about making a run for the crown," Midge warned "Me and Moosie have that locked down."
"Assuming you two don't have another off-again spell. And even if you don't, my Teddy Bear and I will this year's king and-," Cheryl's voice trailed off as her boyfriend made his way into the cafeteria, his face locked in a mix of fear and fury. "Baby, what's wrong?"
"I need to talk to you." Mickey quickly took her hand and lead Cheryl into the hall, running a nervous hand through his hair as he revealed. "Your mother came to see me."
"What?" Cheryl felt sick to her stomach. "Why?"
"To thank me. For agreeing to take you to the tapping. Rosie, I wanted kill her for what she did to you." Mickey confessed shamefully. The blue-eyed twin held a pair of fingers less than an inch apart from each other "I was this close to killing her. Rosie, every time I close my eyes, I dream about her hurting you. And Polly. And the baby." With every word, Mickey became more and more emotional, his voice reduced to a quivering mess as his eyes swelled with tears. "And there's nothing I can do to stop it."
"Oh, Teddy." Cheryl quickly pulled him into her arms, holding him tight as let out series of ragged breaths. Dear God, he was shaking. No one had ever cared about her so much. Not even Jason.
"I don't want anything to happen to you." Mickey squeezed his eyes shut as he buried his face in her neck, fighting back a river of tears. "I love you, Cheryl."
Cheryl's heart stopped. Her eyes grew to the size of silver dollars. Overcome with a feeling like terror, Cheryl pulled away to look Mickey in the eye. "Do you, do you really mean that?"
Mickey's heart raced. His hands shook. His mind raced at a million miles an hour. He hadn't planned on saying that. Now or anytime soon. But now that he had, he came to a stunning realization that they were true. "I do." The blue-eyed twin gently placed bot hands on the side of Cheryl's face, looking deeply into her gentle dark brown eyes. "I love you, Cheryl Rose Blossom."
Cheryl's heart grew to the size of a hot air balloon, her eyes shining like a sky full of shooting stars. "I love you too, Teddy. I really do." The scarlet bombshell grinned from ear to ear as she pulled her boyfriend into a heated kiss, full of passion, devotion and love.
Mickey's heart flew to the moon as he kissed her back with equal measure, remembering the beginning of his dream from last night, the two of them sharing a blissful morning together, starting a life together far away from the drama and dangers of Riverdale.
As they pulled away ever so slightly, resting their foreheads on one another's, the smile on Mickey's face slowly starting to waver.
Cheryl noticed it right away. "What is it?"
"When I was little, my grandfather used to say that a man protects the people he loves." Mickey felt his throat start to clench up as he realized "but I can't protect you."
"Teddy, you have to stop torturing yourself," Cheryl pleaded "I'm okay. Polly's okay. The baby's okay. We're fine."
"No, you're not. You're living with a human time bomb that could go off at any-," Mickey's voice trailed off as he spotted Moose Mason and Midge Klump out of the corner of his eye, an idea quickly forming in his mind. "I'll be right back."
Cheryl watched her boyfriend curiously as walked over and spoke to Riverdale's oldest couple, gesturing back and forth between her and Midge as he talked. After receiving a series of nods from Moose and Midge, Mickey walked back over to his girlfriend and asked. "Do you think you could end cheer practice early today?"
Cheryl raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
Every family in Riverdale had a legacy. The Coopers were the reporters. The Blossoms were the founders. The Andrews were warriors. But the Masons, they were contenders.
Moose's great-great uncle, Marcus Mason, born and bred in Riverdale, was one of the top ten heavyweight boxers of his generations. After one to many right hooks to the head, Marcus settled down and opened up his own gym, one that during the heyday of Riverdale, was one of the go to traning gyms up and coming boxers in the Northeast.
It was a moderate space, not that much bigger than the Riverdale High gym, with a single ring in the middle of the room, a series of dumbbells by the left wall and a dozen heavy bags on the right one.
Cheryl walked into the gym later that afternoon with her boyfriend, wearing a pair of black track pants, a red tank top, white sneakers, and her faux fur jacket. "What are we doing here?" she asked, scrunching up her face at the scent of sweat and blood in the air.
"Since I can't protect you twenty-four seven, I figured the least I could do is make sure you can protect yourself."
Cheryl gave Mickey a look. "You're going to teach how to fight?"
"No. She is." Mickey pointed to the main ring, where a girl in black leggings and a grey sports bra mercilessly pounding a boy twice her size with her neon pink boxing gloves.
Cheryl's eyes widened as she recognized the girl in the ring: a petite brunette with a pixie cut and soft green eyes, knocking her opponent to the ground with a massive haymaker to the gut. "Midge?"
"Hey guys!" Midge's eyes lit up as she waved to her friends from the ring, her face breaking into her usual, bubbly grin.
Cheryl was stunned. If anyone had told her that Minnie Mouse Midge was secretly a little Lady Rocky, she would've laughed in their face. Now she wondered why Moose ever had to fight for her.
"I'm glad you showed up Cheryl." Midge told her, taking off her gloves and taking a long sip from her water bottle. "Mickey told me what happened."
Cheryl looked ready to tear him apart. "You did what?"
"Rosie, I can explain."
"You said you wouldn't tell anyone," she reminded in a wavering voice "You promised you wouldn't tell anyone!"
"Cheryl, it's okay," Midge assured her, wiping the sweat from her face with a towel "You're not the first girl a Serpent's gotten handsy with."
Cheryl blinked. "The Serpents?"
Yes, Rosie. I told Moose and Midge that one of the Serpents put his hands on you during the last night of the Drive-In," Mickey explained, silently pleading with her to go along "that's why I picked a fight with Joaquin. Sorry, Midge. She's still pretty sensitive about it."
"I don't blame her. After that creep from Greendale groped me at his house party, I couldn't eat for week," Midge divulged, her smile wavering slightly at the sour memory. "That's why I asked Moose to teach me how to fight. And now, I teach me how female self-defense classes on the weekends. So, you ready for your first lesson?"
Cheryl glanced uncertainly at Mickey, the blue-eyed twin giving her an encouraging smile. "Let's get this over with."
Midge reached into her gym bag and pulled out a bright red boxing gloves, slipping them onto Chery's hands. "I know it's your color. Now, the first lesson is how to throw a punch." Midge led Cheryl over to the heavy bags and getting into her stance "Keep your fists at eye level," she instructed "feet shoulder width apart, rotate your hips into the swing and-,"
BAM!
Cheryl jumped at the sound of Midge's fist colliding with the bag, the echoing walks making it sound like a cannon blast.
Midge let out a huff as she grinned. "The perv's chocking on his teeth. Now, you try."
Cheryl awkwardly did her best to mimic Midge's movements, winding up her fist and giving the bag a light jab.
"Harder," Midge told her "rotate your hips. That's where the power comes."
Cheryl hit the bag again, slightly harder than before.
"You're not getting enough power in the swing. Think about when you were attacked," Midge suggested "how angry and helpless it made you feel."
Cheryl's heart started pounding as she remembered her mother's abuse: the slaps, the chokings, the slue of soul-crushing insults, her insides shriveling up as a nauseating wave of fear washed over her. Penelope was vicious enough when Cheryl made simple mistakes. To even think of provoking her by fighting back… "I can't do this."
"Rosie." Mickey quickly chased after her as she made of run for the door, gently grabbing her by the shoulders. "Wait."
"I can't do it." Cheryl's eyes filled with dread-induced terror as her voice began tremble "I can't fight my mother, Mickey. I can't."
"Yes, you can." Mickey placed both hands on the side of her face, forcing her dark brown eyes to meet his blue ones "Cheryl Rose Blossom, you are the strongest person I have ever met. Every day you walk back into that nightmare of a house just to protect your grandmother. In my book, that makes you a superhero," he said proudly "I just want you to use that same strength to protect yourself. Look, I know that you're scared. I know that you're hurting. And maybe this won't make you ready to stand up your mom," Mickey admitted "but at least you'll be able to let all that hurt and anger you've got inside. Because baby, if you don't, it's only a matter time before you explode. Take it from the guy who took out a year and half's worth abandonment out on Dilton Doiley." Taking her hand in his Mickey led Cheryl back over to the heavy bag, his hands hovering over her shoulders as she got back into her stance. "Pretend the bag's your mother," he whispered into her ear "Totally helpless and alone. You've got all the power."
Cheryl closed her eyes as she pictured the image in her head, Penelope Blossom utterly with no way to fight back, letting out a grunt as she hit the bag with a thud.
"That's it." Midge cheered "Just like that."
Cheryl clenched her jaw as she hit the bag again. Over and over, Harder and harder. Letting out a lifetime of anger and pain from Penelope's abuse, her eyes stinging with tears as her breath became ragged.
Mickey quickly pulled Cheryl into his arms as she stopped punching the bag, her entire body trembling as she gasped for air. "Feel better?"
Cheryl nodded.
"Sunday morning, rain is falling
Steal some cover, share some skin."
Mickey Andrews woke up blissfully one Sunday morning, the sun softly shining through the window and onto his face. The blue-eyed twin sighed gently as he opened his eyes, lying on a king-sized mattress in a wooden bedframe, wrapped in a warm red blanket and cool white linen sheets, a beautiful woman resting her head on his chest.
"Cheryl." Mickey gently nudged her shoulder as she slept "Wake up, baby."
The scarlet-beauty let out a soft groan, burying her face in his neck as she squeezed her eyes shut. "Five more minutes."
"No can do, Rosie." Mickey chuckled as he sat up in the bed, causing Cheryl to pout as her pillow slipped out from under her. "We're meeting our brothers for brunch, remember?"
"Fine." The leader of the Rivervixens sighed as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes "You feed the dogs, and I'll make the coffee."
"Deal," Mickey said with a smile, his heart skipping a beat as he stole a quick kiss. The blue-eyed twin yawned as he got out of bed, wearing nothing more than a pair of grey flannel pants and a white tank top, walking out of the bedroom of his and Cheryl's apartment.
It was a cozy place. A loft with red brick walls and cool wooden floors, over looking the east end of Chicago river, the leaves of the trees just beginning to turn. A black iron spiral staircase connected the bedroom to the living room below, where a small brown leather couch set in front of a small flat screen TV and an unlit fireplace. They had moved here after graduating Riverdale High. Mickey was studying architecture at the Art Institute and Cheryl was studying veterinary medicine at Loyola.
"So, who's Archie bringing with him to brunch?" Cheryl asked, throwing one of Mickey's denims shirts over her red lingerie. "Betty or Veronica?"
"I don't know. I lost track of that love triangle during my junior year." After grabbing filling two metal bowls with dog food, Mickey walked into a small room in the back of the apartment, where two dogs happily barked at the sight him: A Saint Bernard and a Pomeranian.
"Morning you two." Mickey laughed as the Saint Bernard tried to get at the food in his hands, spilling some the kibble on the floor as he set them down for the dogs to feed.
CRASH!
Mickey jumped as heard a dish shatter in the kitchen, causing the dogs to jump and bark nervously.
"Cheryl? You okay, Baby Doll?" After a minute of silence, Mickey got up and went into the kitchen, where he saw a sight that made his heart stop.
Penelope Blossom stood in the middle of the kitchen, dressed in a long, tattered black gown, strangling Cheryl with a single hand, her feet dangling helplessly in the air as she gasped for breath.
Mickey shouted at the top of his lungs. "NO!"
Mickey shot up in his bed the in the middle of the night, his heart desperate fighting to break free from his chest. He hoped having Midge train with Cheryl would help him as her. That maybe, knowing that the woman he loved could defend herself would give a sliver of peace of mind. So much for that idea.
Mickey arrived at the Blossom estate right after school the next day, wearing his leather jacket along with a bright red Henley shirt, black jeans and brown leather boots, a warm grey scarf wrapped around his neck, sipping on a coffee-filled thermos as he met Cheryl and Polly outside of Thornhill.
Cheryl blushed as he smiled at her. "What?"
"Your outfit," Mickey's smile widened as he confessed "You look like a sexy Little Red Riding Hood."
Cheryl's cheeks grew warm as she gave her boyfriend a teasing grin. "Are you going to protect me from the big, bad, wolf?"
"Always."
Polly rolled her eyes as the two redheads rocked back and forth in each other's arms. "Should I leave you two alone?"
Mickey chuckled. "Now you know how the school felt watching you and Jason."
"Arthur?" All eyes turned to Nana Rose as she wheeled herself outside, a mystified look on her face as she stared at the blue-eyed twin "Arthur Andrews, is that you? You look so young."
Mickey felt his inside twist up in knots as the elderly woman mistook him for his beloved grandfather.
"Nana," Cheryl knelt down in front of her grandmother as she took her hand "Arthur Andrews passed away six years ago, remember? This is his grandson, Mickey."
"Oh, that's right." Nana Rose's face saddened as her memory became clear, shaking Mickey's hand as he offered it to her "It's nice to meet you, Mickey. Your grandfather was a good man. I hope you know that."
"I do." Mickey glanced up as he noticed a herd of limousines pulling into the Blossom grounds. "Who are they?"
Cheryl's face turned sour as she stood back up. "Daddy's board of trustees. They smell blood in the water. They fear Daddy's losing his grip on the company," she explained "and now they want to take it away from us?"
"Can they do that?" Mickey asked, walking with Cheryl behind Polly and Nana Rose into the woods.
"If they all vote together they can. Jason's death was a major P.R. nightmare for Blossom maple. And now, here's Polly," Cheryl added "Pregnant and unwed. No wonder they've descended on like biblical plague. That's Daddy needs the tapping to go perfectly. I have to prove to the board that I can fill Jay-Jay's shoes."
Mickey felt his brow begin to furrow at that final sentence. "Rosie, why are you doing this? You said you wanted to be a vet, to work at animal reserves all over the world. What changed?"
Cheryl glanced down at the snow by her feet. "Teddy, for as long as I can remember, my father has been a semi-constant presence in my life. If Daddy wasn't hunkered down in his office taking calls, he was flying off the Vancouver for a board meeting. When Jason started learning about the business, he used to go with him on weekends, making father-son memories."
"You want to work for your dad so you can spend time with him," Mickey realized.
"And to get away from my mother."
Mickey felt his blood start to boil at the mention of Penelope. "Rosie, does you father know? That your mom-?"
Cheryl shook her head. "Jason and I tried to tell him once. But Mommy just convinced him we just fell down the stairs. Then she gave us another…punishment after he left for work." The sole surviving Blossom twin took in a small sense of comfort as Mickey took her hand. "Thank you for yesterday. I may not be ready to stand up to my mother, but it's nice to know that you believe I can."
"Rosie, there is nothing I wouldn't do for you," Mickey vowed devoutly "You're my mermaid."
Cheryl smiled. "And you're my knight."
After Clifford Blossom made his speech, Mickey took his place and squatted down in front of the center maple tree, hefting the small metal bucket in his hands.
Cheryl's heart started pounding as she stepped in front of the tree, the eyes of her parents and the board members boring into her skin.
"Hey." Mickey noticed the nervous expression on her face and look her in the eye "You can do this in your sleep."
Cheryl stayed silent as she stared into his eyes, the pale blue orbs full a supportive love, tightening her grip on the hammer in her hand as she hefted it up and slammed it into the spout, causing a smoot and steady flow of sap to pour from the tree and into the bucket in her boyfriend's hands.
Mickey looked up at her and smiled. "That's my girl."
Fred walked into his office trailer later that afternoon, his smile wavering at the sight of the nervous look on Hermione's face. "Hey. Is everything alright?"
"Fred, there's something I need to tell you." Hermione informed, nervously playing with her nails as she rose from her seat. "The owner of the SoDale project, it's…it's us. You're working for Lodge Industries."
Fred looked as if he'd been stabbed in the back. "You've been lying to me the whole time."
"I had to. You never would've agreed to it if you knew the truth."
"You mean risk my business by working for criminals?" Fred snapped "How could you do this to me Hermione!?"
"I'm trying to make Lodge Industries legitimate," Hermione explained "that means partnering with honest businessmen. Like you."
"Right. Because you're all about keeping things honest."
Hermione swallowed a lump in her throat at the rage filled look in Fred's eye. "There's more. Those men attacked the Mason boy, Hiram sent them. I don't know how, but he found out about us."
"So now you've got me caught in the middle of a fight between Hiram and Clifford," Fred recapped "That's just great. I trusted you, Hermione," he reminded in an angry, disappointed tone "I trusted you and you played me like a fool. Again."
"Fred, I-,"
"DON'T!" he shouted, causing Hermione to jump back as she tried to take his hand, his dark brown eyes like a once stoic mountain that had erupted into a raging volcano "You are still the same self-centered, poisonous woman you have always been," Fred snapped, jabbing a finger in Hermione's face "Doing whatever it takes to get what you want, while the rest of the world pays the price. Veronica's paying it, Moose Mason's paying it, and if Clifford get his hands on this land, I'm going to pay for it. One of these days Hermione, you're going to get stuck with the bill for all your mistakes," Fred promised "and when that day comes, there won't be anyone left to bail you out."
Hermione blinked slowly as Fred marched out and slammed the trailer door behind him. She knew telling him the truth was risk, but it was a necessary one. Veronica was right, gossip spread too fast in Riverdale to take the chance of Fred learning the truth from someone else. At least this way, she could control the narrative. She just wished Hiram hadn't sent those men to the site. Getting close to Fred was part of their plan, after all.
Mickey walked side by with Cheryl on the way back to Thornhill, his fingers intertwined with Cheryl's in one hand and an umbrella in the other.
Cheryl smiled as he gave her hand a squeeze, his pale blue eyes sparkling with affection. "Thank you for coming today. I don't think I could've done this without you."
"Rosie, I will always be there for you when you need me," Mickey promised "I love you."
"I love you too." Cheryl told him. They said that to each other as often as they could, those three little words never failing to bring a smile to their faces. As the two readheads continued to walk Cheryl's house, they overheard two of the Blossom Maple board members talking.
"I don't buy this dog and pony show for a second. Clifford's barely keeping it together. He hasn't been to the Vancouver office in months."
"Does he honestly think he can make Cheryl his successor?" the second board member asked with a scoff "Did you see her at Jason's funeral? Crocodile tears. Pathetic."
Cheryl shrunk back as she lowered her head, the words of the board members mimicking the same insecure thoughts ringing in her head.
Mickey looked ready to take their heads off. "Who do you think you are?"
"Teddy, it's okay." Cheryl told him. But one look at his face and she knew he wasn't backing down.
"Cheryl loved Jason. What was she supposed to do?" he asked "Not cry at her twin brother's funeral? My girlfriend is the most amazing person I have ever met. She's strong and a natural-born leader."
Cheryl felt her stomach bustle with butterflies at the sound of Mickey's praise. "Also, 4.0."
"And she had a 4.0 grade point average," Mickey added quickly, giving her an even more impressed expression "If there's one thing I've learned falling in love with Cheryl, it's to never underestimate her. And don't ever bet against her." With a scoff, Mickey wrapped an arm around Cheryl's waist and walked off, giving the board members a daring look to question a single word he said.
Cheryl blushed as he placed a gentle kiss on her temple. "You're cute when you're protective."
Mickey handed Polly a cup of hot chocolate as the two them stood under a large red canopy tent, enjoying some of the light refreshments after taking the Blossom family photo.
"You're going to be up all night at this rate," Polly warned him, the blue-eyed refilling his thermos with fresh coffee "Are you alright?"
"I haven't been sleeping," Mickey confessed talking a long sip of his drink.
"Bad dreams?" For as long as she could remember, Polly's best friend had been plagued by bone-chilling, stress-induced nightmares. Polly was his solace, listening to him recount his dreams and help him make sense of them. Maybe that was why she so interested in psychology. That, and her family history of mental illness. "What are they about?"
"You and Cheryl. In these dreams, I keep trying to protect you two from P-," Mickey stopped himself as he nearly said the name Penelope "from a monster. But I fail everytime."
"Any idea who the monster might be?"
Mickey's stomach twisted up in knots as he struggled to come up with a lie. "I guess… whoever killed Jason? I've been worried about that psycho hurting someone else ever since they found his body."
"That sounds like you," Polly said with a smile "Mickey 'Hero Complex' Andrews."
"I do not have a Hero Complex."
"Please," Polly laughed "Mickey, for as long I've known you, you've tried to be something out of a Grandpa Artie's stories. You fought Chuck and his buddies when they picked on Archie after your mom left, you fought those kids from the park near the Southside when we were little. You act like it's your job to make sure nothing happens to us."
"I don't see anything wrong with wanting to protect the people I care about," Mickey justified.
"There isn't. But you have to understand that you can't protect us from everything."
"Doesn't mean I can't try. Polly, why haven't talked to Betty?" he asked. "She's worried about you, Polly. She fought tooth and nail to find you and bring you home. Now your parents are splitting up and she's spiraling. She needs her sister. She needs you."
Polly stayed silent as she brought a hand to her stomach, a wave of guilt washing over her. She wanted to see Betty. She really did. But contacting her family right now was too risky. "Mickey,"
"Polly, come inside. We wouldn't want you to catch a cold."
The expecting mother jumped as Penelope Blossom called out to her, a nervous expression spreading across Polly's face. "Tell Betty not to worry about me."
Mickey's blood turned to ice as he watched Polly hurried off to Penelope's side, the Blossom matriarch grabbing Polly by the arm and leading her inside. If he did have a hero complex, it was blazing now. Mickey followed after them, his body trembling with rage as he balled his hands into tight fists.
Cheryl, who had been making small talk with the board members, noticed her boyfriend marching towards the house, his eyes blazing like a thunderstorm. "Excuse me." The scarlet bombshell hurried over to Mickey's side, grabbing his arms as he attempted to barge inside. "Teddy, what's wrong?"
"She's hurting her."
"Who?"
"Polly," Mickey answered in a panicked voice "I was talking to Polly over the by the concessions," he explained, talking faster and faster with every word "and then your mom told her to come inside…Rosie, the look on her face-,"
"Teddy," Cheryl placed both hands on the side of Mickey's face, forcing him to look her in the eye "Breathe. Breathe, love." She repeated, forcing Mickey exhale deeply as he blinked slowly, his face wracked with fear, anxiety and fatigue. At times like this, Cheryl almost regretted telling Mickey about Penelope's abuse. He couldn't protect her and Polly the way he wanted to, the way he was wired to. And it was killing him.
"Cheryl Rose." The young lovers turned around as Clifford Blossom walked over to them, his face set in a stoic yet inviting expression. "May I speak to Michael for a moment?"
With a polite yet confused nod, Cheryl walked back toward the crowd, leaving her father alone with her boyfriend.
"I just wanted to thank you for coming out her this afternoon," Clifford told him "My daughter and I do greatly appreciate you being here."
"Mr. Blossom, your daughter is very important to me." Mickey blushed slightly as he confessed "I love her."
"Ah, young love." Clifford chuckled "I remember it well. I must say, I was surprised to hear that you agreed to attend, considering your father."
Mickey frowned. "What do you mean?"
Clifford's eyes shined with a realizing light. "Just that he seems to have his hands full with the SoDale project. Will I be seeing you at the banquet this weekend?"
"Banquet?" Mickey repeated.
"The Maple banquet, it's the final stage of the celebration of Maple season." Clifford's eyes widened slightly "Cheryl didn't tell you?"
"No, she didn't. Excuse me." Confused, Mickey shoved his hands into his pocket and walked over to Cheryl, the scarlet haired beauty grabbing a cup of hot coco from the concessions tent. "So, your father mentioned a Maple banquet?"
"I'm sorry. I know should've told you," Cheryl apologized quickly "It's just that, the banquet was always my favorite part of the ceremony, and I wasn't even sure if I could make through the tapping so i-,"
"Rosie." Mickey gave her a soft, supportive smile. "When's the banquet?
"Friday night at seven." She said with a smile "It's black tie. Do you own a tux?"
"I've never even worn a tux."
"Daddy can help with that. His tailor is a miracle worker."
"Alright, but only if you take this." Mickey stipulated.
Cheryl frowned as he handed her a small piece of metal. "A key?"
"To my place. I had it made over the weekend."
"Mickey-,"
"Rosie." Mickey gave her a desperate look as he spoke in a soft voice. "Please take it?"
Cheryl looked into his eyes, the pale blue orbs absolutely flooding with fear and dread. "Okay."
Mickey sat in the Cooper kitchen that evening, the blonde matriarch handing him a fresh slice of cherry pie. "Thank you for coming Mickey," Alice told him "It's so nice to have chicken in the hen house "Thanks. So, what did you want to talk about?"
"Polly," Betty answered, "Is she alright?"
"As far as I can tell." Mickey answered "the Blossoms seem to be taking good care of her. Bets, I don't think she's coming home anytime soon."
"That doesn't make any sense. I know my sister," Betty insisted "She wouldn't do something like this."
"I don't think it was anything you did, Betty."
Alice raised an eyebrow as she sat down in her seat, the blue-eyed twin giving her a brief, yet silent glare. "Is there you want to say to me, Mickey?"
"Yeah, there is. I don't think Polly should stay here," he confessed "or Thornhill. If it were up to me she'd get emancipated and find her own place far away from you and Penelope."
"How dare you."
"Mom," Betty quickly stepped between Alice and Mickey as they shot up from their seats, keeping the two from tearing out each other's throats. "Don't."
"I did what I did to protect Polly," Alice justified.
"Is that what call banishing your daughter for falling in love?" Mickey questioned "Convincing the whole town that she's crazy just to hide that fact that she's pregnant and sending her to an asylum so no one will find out the truth?"
"That was Hal's plan, not mine!"
"Is that why you sent to same psych ward you went to?"
At that moment, a cold silence quickly filled the room, one that Betty ended with a nervous question "What are you talking about?"
"When Polly was looking for a place to stay, I was trying to get convince my mom to represent her for emancipation. When I told her that she'd been unjustly sent to the Sisters of Quiet Mercy, she told me that my Grandma Ruth was nurse there. When Mrs. Cooper was a patient." Mickey looked Alice directly in the eye, taking in a dark sense of satisfaction as she started to squirm "You were there for a whole semester there during your senior year, after you cracked during an argument with Mr. Cooper. My mom said they found you crying in the hall like a baby in the middle of the halls," he added, causing Alice to lower her head "Look Mrs. Cooper, if you two want me to keep an eye on Polly and make sure she's alright, I'll do it. But if you're looking for someone to spy on the Blossoms so you can tear them to shreds in that gossip rag you call a newspaper, you're even crazier than your mother. I'm out of here."
Alice was silent for a moment, her blood boiling as Mickey grabbed his jacket and headed for the door. "I'm surprised you're loyal to the Blossoms, Mickey. Especially since Clifford tried to drive your family into bankruptcy."
"What are you talking about?"
"You don't know?" Alice raised an eyebrow at the confused look on his face "Clifford Blossom is the one who bought your father's original crew for the SoDale project."
Mickey stopped walking then, looking over his shoulder as he stood in front of the door. "My father said he didn't know who bought out the old crew."
Alice smirked at the shocked, confused expression on his face. "I guess you don't know him as well as you thought."
Mickey burst into his house less than minute later, marching into the kitchen where his family and Jughead were in the middle of dinner, his blood pulsing like lightning. "Clifford Blossom bought our crew." Fred's nervous look made Mickey want to scream "But you knew that, didn't you Dad? Since you ran off and confronted him at the same day."
"Son-,"
"You lied to me," Mickey's voice came out in a furious growl "You looked me in the eye and you lied to me!"
"For the record, I wanted to tell you the truth right from the beginning," Archie interrupted.
"You knew about this!?"
"Son, clam down," Fred pleaded.
"Don't tell me to calm down!" Mickey shouted, "Do you have any idea how embarrassing it is to know that Alice Cooper, the town gossip, knows more about my family business than me?"
"I didn't tell you about the Blossoms because I didn't know how you'd react," Fred explained "Son, when you're young and in love, sometimes it can be hard to take the blinders off and see that she's not who you think she is."
If anyone else besides Fred had said that, Mickey would've knocked their teeth out. "You have got some nerve. You accuse Cheryl of manipulating me, when your girlfriend's been playing you since day one? You think it was just luck that we got the SoDale project even after the buyer already a contractor lined up?" he asked "Dad, the only reason we got that project Hermione gave it to you. The Lodges bought the Drive-In!" Mickey's eyes widened at the look on his father's face "You knew."
"Hermione told me afternoon. So it's my turn to ask you," Fred announced in a stern, angry voice "Why didn't you tell me?"
"I didn't have any proof. But if I did, I would've told you the second I found it. Because I trust you," Mickey's anger dulled slightly to show a hint of disappointment "But you don't trust me." And he marched out, slamming the door behind him.
Hermione walked through her living room as there was angry knock at the door, the blue-eyed son of Fred Andrews marching inside as soon as she opened the door. "We need to talk."
"Come on in," Hermione greeted sarcastically.
"You told my father you bought SoDale. Why?"
"Because I care about your father," Hermione recited "and I don't want keep secrets from him."
"Don't lie to me," Mickey snarled "That 'one that got away' BS might work on my dad, but not on me."
"Keep your voice down," Hermione hissed "My daughter's here."
"Oh really? Why don't we invite her out here? We can talk about how her daddy's a criminal and how mommy can't seem to keep her legs closed." Mickey grabbed Hermione's wrist as she attempted to slap him, squeezing it so tight, she thought it might break. "I wouldn't try that again if I were you," he warned "I'm in a very bad mood right now. And your husband's not here to protect you."
Hermione let out a sharp breath as Mickey finally let go of her arm, watching him walk around the living room like a predator toying with his prey. "If Hiram's as dangerous as you say, do you really think it's smart to threaten his family?"
"Maybe if he wasn't standing on his last leg," Mickey chuckled "Mafias, Bratvas, Cartels, they're all the same. You got to be from the right country just to get in, and you have to be a purebred to get to the top. That's why your husband was trying to set up his own crime family before he got arrested. He knew his bosses would never let a guy with Mexican blood sit at the head of their table, no matter how much money he made them."
Hermione's eyes widened. Was there anything Mary hadn't told him?
"If Hiram hadn't been poaching lieutenants from every mafia and cartel family in New York, he'd be out on bail, instead of rotting in a cell waiting for his trial. That's why you came to Riverdale to lick you wounds and hide. That's why you've put every last cent of your dirty money into this SoDale project," he listed off "It's why flinch every time FP walks in the room. And it's why you chose my father: a former Army Ranger who's been separated from his wife for two years with a weak spot for you. But I'm not my father. I know who you really are and I am on very good terms with my mother, so keep you husband dirty business away from my dad, or I will reign the wrath of God on your family," Mickey promised "and the only one that's going to make it through without a scratch is your daughter."
Veronica Lodge sat alone in her bedroom later that evening, a series of notes and textbooks laid out in front of her when her phone went off. It was Archie, requesting a video chat. Veronica answered the call and smiled. "Hi."
"Hey." The young songwriter sat alone in his garage, wearing a soft beige cardigan over a white t-shirt, his dark brown eyes sparkling at the sight of her.
Veronica blushed. "What?"
"Nothing. I've just never seen you in glasses before," Archie noticed.
The raven-haired princess adjusted the elegant black frames on her face. "Well, how do I look?"
"Beautiful as always."
Veronica felt her heart go from zero to sixty in less than a second. "So, to what do I owe the pleasure of your call, Archiekins?"
"Just trying to avoid the fight that's going to break out when Mickey comes. He just found out that Clifford Blossom bought out our old crew from the SoDale project."
"Wait a minute." Veronica's eyes widened slightly in surprise "you're telling me that for the past week, Mickey had no idea that his girlfriend's father nearly bankrupt his family business."
"Nope. And to make matters worse, he found from Alice Cooper of all people," Archie added. "We were trying to protect him, Ronnie. Mickey and Cheryl have been practically joined at the hip ever since we started the SoDale project."
"And you thought she was in Clifford's scheme," Veronica assumed "Trust me Archie, Cheryl is the last person Clifford wants in on his corporate agenda."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean that Cheryl's father has been keeping his upper management trapped in the 1950s. Blossom Maple Farms only its first female vice president three months ago. Do you really think a guy like that wants his daughter as the next CEO?"
"Which means I kept secrets from my brother for nothing. Great." Archie sighed "I just hope they don't start arguing again?"
"Again?"
"When my mom left, Mickey and Dad fought all the time. Everytime we heard new rumor at school, Mickey came home in a fit, needing to know if it was true or not. But he never told us why Mom left."
"So you two have no idea why your parents split up?"
Archie shook his head. "Looking back, I can see the beginning of the end started around their anniversary. They went out of town to celebrate for the weekend. And when they got back things were…different. They were sad, they talked less, it was like they were afraid to get near to each other. Then, about a month later, we came home from school and found dad drinking at three o'clock. And that's when he told us Mom was gone."
"She just left? Without saying anything?"
"She left a note. It said that she and Dad were having problems, that she needed some time to herself. That it wasn't our fault. I had a hard time believing that last bit," Archie confessed "Sometimes I'm still not sure I believe it."
"The allow me to help with that," Veronica offered, looking into his eyes as she spook in a firm yet gentle voice "You are not responsible for your parents' separation, Archie Andrews. I know haven't met your mother, but I'm sure that she loves you."
"Then why doesn't she come to visit, Ronnie? Why did it take Mickey getting arrested for her to come home after staying in Chicago for over a year? Why did we have to leave messages on her voicemail on birthdays and holidays instead of seeing her in person? Why did let my brother back into her life and not-," Archie cut his words short as his voice began to tremble.
"Archie," Veronica gave him a soft expression as she asked "Do you feel jealous that Mickey got to spend the summer with your mom and you didn't?"
"It was a punishment," he said after a moment of silence "It was supposed to be a punishment. But then she found that baseball camp, and now they talk on the phone almost every day. Like she never left." Archie swallowed a lump in his throat as he confessed "I would've liked to have the chance to reconnect with my mother."
"You still can. Have you tried talking to her?" Veronica suggested.
"I've been trying to get into the habit of calling her at least once a week. But every time I pick up the phone… I get scared."
"Of what?"
"That she won't pick up. And I'll be stuck listening to that voicemail. Just like all those times when I was a kid." Archie squeezed his eyes shut as he cleared his throat, doing his best to keep himself from crying. "Sorry."
"It's 2017 Archie," Veronica reminded "It's okay for a man to cry."
"Ronnie, I spent the better part of the past two years crying over my mom. I think I've spent more than my fair share of tears. These days, when something bothers me, I just put the feelings into a song."
"Well, should the day come when artistic expression fails, my shoulder's free."
"I'll keep that in mind." Archie gave her a soft smile as he started to hear a familiar tune in his head "So, how's your day going?"
Veronica felt her heart twist up in knots. "Ethel's father invested in Lodge Industries. He lost a lot of his savings when my father was arrested. And to make matters worse, Daddy's trial is happening soon, and my mom wants me to testify on his behalf. Just like Ethel's dad, and countless other people just like him, are going to testify that Hiram Lodge deserves to rot behind bars."
"Sounds like I'm not the only one having a rough day." Archie commented "What are you going to do?"
"Honestly, I have no idea." Veronica leaned back on her silk pillows and sighed "I want my father come home, Archie. I want my family back together. But I don't want to have to lie or put the Muggs out on the street to get him back. But most of all-,"
"You just want it all to be over. To know once and for all if your family can ever be the way it used to be." Archie gave her a small, sympathetic smile "Try living like that for two years."
"How you deal with it?"
"Music. When I was little, my mom and I would listen to Grandpa Theo's old records whenever I had a bad," Archie remembered fondly "I guess music has always been my way of dealing with things."
"Mine's shopping."
Archie chuckled. "Well since the mall is closed, maybe this will make you feel better."
The brown-eyed twin set his phone on the small wooden table in front of him, adjusting carefully so Veronica could see him on the video chat, picking up his guitar and playing a familiar tune.
"I can show you the world,
Shining, shimmering splendid
Tell me, princess, now when
did you last let your heart decide?"
Veronica blushed as the word princess left Archie's lips, the tone of his voice making her heart soar. She didn't know how he knew Aladdin was her favorite Disney movie, but she had a feeling Kevin had something to do with it. Hearing that song, it reminded of all the times she had watched Aladdin with Hiram, and how he promised to make all her dreams come true. Her father, her magic genie. But hearing Archie sing this song to her, made her finally realize how Jasmine must've felt on that magic carpet.
"I can open your eyes,
Take you wonder by wonder
Over, sideways and under
On a magic carpet ride
A whole new world,
A new fantastic point of view
No one to tell us no
Or where to go,
Or say we're only dreaming."
"A whole new world
A dazzling place I never knew
But when I'm way up here,
It's crystal clear,
That now I'm in a whole new world with you."
"Wow," Archie stopped playing suddenly as Veronica started to sing along, looking at her as if she were something out of a fairytale.
Veronica's face turned as red as his hair. "What?"
"Your voice. It's… draidheachd."
Veronica tilted her head, recognizing the final as Scottish. "What does that mean?"
"Magic."
"Archie. Archie, wake up."
The brown-eyed twin woke suddenly at the sound of his best friend's voice, blinking rapidly as his vision blurred. He didn't remember falling asleep after talking to Veronica. Only singing at least Disney songs with over the phone, and a hazy dream of the two of sailing across a sea of stars. "Jug, what time is it?"
"A little after eleven," he answered, "I was writing at Pop's when Betty called. Her mom chucked a brick at her dad through a window at the Register."
"Jeez." Archie felt the familiar sting of guilt as he played wit h his necklace. He hand no idea things between Alice and Hal were that bad. He wanted to help Betty, but after the way Jughead blew up at him last week, he thought it'd better if he kept his distance. The last thing Archie wanted was to be the reason the relationship between his best friends fell apart. "Where's Mickey?" he asked, noticing the empty bed in the room "Did he ever come home."
"Follow me." Jughead led his best friend into the main hall, where Mickey Andrews lay asleep at the bottom of the stairs. "I found him like this when I got in. Poor guy couldn't even make it up the steps."
"Mickey," Archie spoke softly as he knelt down at his brother's side, gently rocking his shoulder back and forth. "Mick."
The blue-eyed twin jumped as he woke from his sleep, a panicked, angry look on his face.
"Mickey. Mickey!" Archie repeated, grabbing his brother by the shoulders and forcing him to meet his eye. "It's me."
Mickey took a deep breath as he settled down, blinking slowly as he rubbed his eyes. "Hey."
"Hey," Archie repeated "Where were you?"
"I went for. Trying to figure out to what to do about the Blossoms trying to torpedo the SoDale project."
"Are you going to tell Cheryl?"
"I will. After the Maple banquet this weekend." Mickey stipulated "she's got enough on her plate with her dad's board of directors in town."
"You really think that's the best idea?" Jughead questioned.
"Not really. But it's the best I've got right now."
Archie stared at his brother for a moment, the fatigued circles surrounding his eyes growing as dark as Jughead's. "Mick, what is going on with you? You've barely slept in a week, and half the time I hear you calling Cheryl and Polly's names."
For a minute, the blue-eyed twin was silent, trying to determine just how much he could say without breaking his vow of silence to Cheryl. "I've been having these dreams. Dreams that are like something out of Camelot or Middle Earth. And in the dreams, I'm a knight and I'm trying to save these two princesses."
"Cheryl and Polly."
Mickey nodded. "I do everything I can protect them. Everything I can to get to get them away the witch that's keeping them prisoner, but it's never enough. But this dream, the one I just had, it was different."
"You finally slayed the witch?" Jughead presumed.
"I don't think so. The dream started like we were running away from something. I think I snuck Cheryl and Polly past the witch," he theorized "So, I brought them back to the safest place I could think of: The Andrews family castle. It was burning and in ruins. Someone had attacked when I gone. First person I found was Veronica, crying over my brother's dead body." Mickey felt a lump form in his throat at the look on Archie's face. "She kept telling me that she was sorry, that she didn't know what they were going to do. That's when I saw her parents in the throne room. Hiram was sitting in Dad's seat."
Archie felt an icy chill run down his spine as he asked. "Where was Dad?"
"Lying on the floor with a sword in his chest." Mickey felt his stomach twit up knots as the image reappeared in his mind: Fred's cold and lifeless sitting at the edge of his throne, a long blood covered stick of metal spouting out of chest like a tree of death. "That's why I can't sleep, guys. I'm afraid that if I close my eyes for too long, I'm going to wake up and someone I love's going to be gone."
Mickey walked down the stairs into the living room with Archie the next morning, the blue-eyed twin wearing a grey hoodie, jeans and sneakers.
"You get any sleep last night?" Archie asked.
"Hardly. This time I dreamt we were living in the 50s," Mickey began "and Mom was home, and Grandma and Grandpa were alive, and the whole world was in black and white. We were all sitting down for a family dinner, when Hiram Lodge kicked down the door, whipped out a tommy gun, and killed us all because Dad was sneaking around with Hermione."
"Jeez."
"Yeah. I swear Archie, if I don't get some decent sleep soon, I'm going to-," Mickey's voice trailed off the two of them walked into the kitchen, an icy chill filling the air as the blue-eyed twin locked his father drinking coffee. "Hey."
"Hey. First off, I want to apologize for not telling you about Clifford Blossom," Fred started off "That was a mistake."
"Yeah, it was."
"Which is why I wanted to be the first to tell you that we're dropping the SoDale project."
"What?"
Fred nodded. "I called Hermione and told her that I've already started the paperwork."
"Dad, you can't do that," Mickey insisted "We can't afford to lose this deal."
"I'm not going to be Hiram Lodge use me a laundromat for his dirty money," Fred stated "Look, I know times are tough. But we'll find a way to make ends meet."
"How, by getting a second mortgage on the house?" Mickey questioned "Dad if we lose this deal, we're going to go bankrupt!"
"That is enough!" Fred snapped as his son began to raise his voice "The SoDale project is done. End of discussion."
The second his father left the room, Mickey slammed his palm on the kitchen countertop. "He did it again. He made a decision about the business without even asking me. Again."
"Mick, calm down," Archie told him.
"I can't calm down! Don't tell me to calm-," Mickey's voice trailed off as his head started spinning, gripping the counter as his knees started to buckle "Whoa."
"Mickey." Archie hurried over to his brother's side, a deeply concerned look in his face "Are you okay."
"Yeah. Yeah," He repeated in a less than convincing tone "I just got a little lightheaded for a second. Guess I'm a little more tired than I thought."
"Maybe you should as Dad if you can stay home from school," Archie suggested.
"Can't. Not today. I promised Cheryl I'd go with her to Polly's doctor appointment before school, I have a tuxedo fitting with Mr. Blossom during my free period," he listed off "and I have a math quiz in sixth period."
"Mickey, you have to get some rest."
"I will," he promised "after the Maple Banquet. First thing Saturday morning, I'm going tell Cheryl about her dad poaching our crew, then slip into a mini-coma for the rest of the weekend. And pray to God I don't have anymore bad dreams."
Betty and Jughead walked side by side into the Student Lounge, where Riverdale's most famous scarlet-haired couple were snuggled up together on the couch. "Cheryl, we need to talk."
"Shh, not so loud." Cheryl gave the young couple as glare as she gestured to Mickey's head resting in her lap, the blue-eyed twin attempting to get some much-needed sleep before class. "My poor Teddy Bear has been plagued with the most terrible nightmares. He was so tired when I picked him this morning, that I insisted he get some rest before class."
"Cheryl," Betty spoke in a low, intense whisper, her nails digging into her palms as she balled hands into fists. "This is important."
"So is my boyfriend's well-being," Cheryl justified in a low voice "No, what did you want to talk about, Betty?"
"Polly. Look, I don't know what kind of Stockholm spell you've put on her, but I want to talk to my sister," she demanded "Now."
"Keep your voice down," Cheryl scolded as Mickey stirred in his sleep "Let's not fight now, Betty. Especially not when we should be celebrating."
"Why?" Jughead asked in a suspicious tone "What happened?"
"Before school, Mickey and I took Polly to a doctor's appointment. It turns out she is having twins."
"What!?"
Mickey let out a low groan at Betty's sudden outburst, his tired blue eyes reluctantly opening up. "Why?"
"See what you did," Cheryl glared at Betty and Jughead as she ran her fingers through Mickey's hair "You woke him up, you bride of a baby Serpent."
"That was the first nightmare-free sleep I've had in over a week," Mickey griped "No monsters, no witches, no mobsters. Just a nice, peaceful dream about Thanksgiving with my friends and family. My mom flew us all to Chicago. We sent to the Macy's parade, the Bears beat the Packers' butts, and I swear, I could smell the turkey. You better have good reason for waking me up, Betts," Mickey's voice trailed off as he let out a massive yawn. "So…tired."
"Mickey. Mickey!" Betty slapped her neighbor's knee as he started to doze off "Is Polly really twins?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah." Mickey nuzzled his face into Cheryl's stomach as he handed Betty a picture from her pocket "She let me have a photo of the ultrasound."
Betty's anger turned to heartache as she stared at the photo of sister's unborn children. "I can't believe she didn't tell me. Cheryl, Mickey, will you two please give a message to Polly."
"I suppose," Cheryl said with a shrug "If I remember it."
"This isn't a joke, Cheryl," Jughead snapped.
"Hey," Mickey gave the young writer warning glare "watch your tone. You talk to my girlfriend like that again, and we're going to have a serious," Mickey blinked slowly as he stifled a yawn "problem. What's the message Betts?"
"Just ask her to call my mom," she requested "she won't admit it, but she really misses Polly."
"Of course, Betty. But I can't promise that she'll care," Cheryl warned, giving her boyfriend a soft expression "Go back to sleep, my love. There's still ten minutes before class."
"Rosie," Mickey felt his eyelids go limp and he look up at her, the rhythmic sensation of her fingers running through his hair lulling him into a limbo between sleep and consciousness "I need to tell you something."
"Whatever it is, it can wait."
"But Rosie-,"
"Shh." Cheryl placed a gentle finger on his lips, smiling sweetly as she started to sing.
"Wise men say only fools rush in
But I can't help falling in love with you."
Mickey felt his will to resist fade away at the beautiful sound of her voice, his mind drifting into a dream of a lush, green field by the river, where a knight was serenaded by a beautiful mermaid.
"Like a river flows surely to the sea
Darling so it goes
Some things are meant to be
Take me hand, take my whole life too
For I can't help falling in love with you."
During his free period, Mickey went to get fitted for a tux for the Maple Banquet. He wasn't too keen on letting two middle-aged, fully clothed men see him in his underwear, but the banquet was black tie and Clifford was handling the bill.
"Jacques here has been tailoring for family for years," the Blossom patriarch stated "He should have this finished by the time you get home from school."
"Thanks."
Clifford raised an eyebrow at the sour tone in the young man's voice. "Micheal, while some may find your blunt and direct honesty disrespectful I personally believe to be quite refreshing. So if you have something to say to me, by all means, say it."
Mickey clenched his jaw as he turned around to look him in the eye. "I know you bought out our old crew."
"Judging by your newfound hostility, I suspect you weren't aware during the tapping."
"No, I wasn't. Does Cheryl know about this?" Mickey didn't know why he asked that. In his heart, he knew she would never keep something like that from him. But his brain was so sleep-deprived that it needed help getting the message.
"No, she doesn't. I always thought my daughter was too…emotional for the corporate world."
Emotional. Mickey was starting to hate that word. Nearly half of Mary's colleagues used that word as a reason why she was unfit to be an A.D.A. Every time a man used that word to describe a woman he loved, Mickey wanted to punch his lights out.
"Although, she has been proving otherwise this week. Micheal, whatever inconvenience I may have caused you and your father, I assure you it was nothing personal," Clifford told him.
"Why do you even want the Drive-In land, Mr. Blossom? It's not like it's covered in maple trees."
"True, but it is where my family's first maple factory once stood. Losing Jason," Clifford paused as he struggled to keep his voice level "it's reminded of importance of legacy."
"Well, you won't have to worry about us getting in your way for much longer. My dad's dropping the SoDale contract."
"You don't seem to be agreement with that decision."
Mickey scoffed as he put his pants back on. "My father made a personal decision that the buyer is not happy with. And now we're turning our backs on some much needed money."
"Sounds like we have a common enemy." Clifford noticed "and you know what they say about that. Two years ago, I shut down the Southside maple factory. I realize now, that was a mistake. One I intend to rectify."
"You want to turn the Drive-In land to build a new factory," Mickey realized.
"And breathe new life into Riverdale. Micheal, Cheryl tells me that you've been showing interest in architecture," Clifford recalled "How would you like to build and design the new factory?"
Mickey had spent enough time with lawyers over the summer to know when a deal was too good to be true. "What's the catch?"
"Tell me who the buyer is."
Archie stood in front of his locker during the hours of school, dressed in a red cardigan, a black t-shrit, jeans and sneakers, grabbing a series of books for his class, listening to one of his unfinished songs. After talking to Veronica, Archie was finally able to finish the instrumental of the song she inspired. But he still didn't have any lyrics. As he made his way to class, the young songwriter came face to with Valerie Brown, an awkward feeling settling into his stomach. They had barely talked since the night of Polly's baby shower.
"Hey."
"Hey," Valerie echoed "Can we talk?"
"That depends," Archie's jaw clenched up as he asked "Are you going to call my brother a psycho again?"
Valerie rolled her eyes. "I get it, Archie. You're mad."
"That's one way of putting it."
"But I am too. How am I supposed to react when I find out that my boyfriend went to the Southide and picked a fight with a bunch of gang members?"
As Valerie kept talking, Archie noticed Kevin and Veronica at the other end of the hall, the New York native's face turning as pale as a ghost. He didn't know what Kevin had said to her, but shook her to the very core.
"Archie," Valerie snapped as she noticed the distant look on his face "Are you listening to me?"
But he wasn't. The second he saw Veronica take off around the corner, Archie took off right behind her.
He found her on the floor next to the girl's bathroom, her beloved pearl necklace broken and scattered across the floor, crying her eyes like a heartbroken child.
"Ronnie." Archie scrambled to floor as he closed the gap between them, his mind racing with all the dark possibilities that could've occurred in the mere seconds she was out of his sight. "Ronnie, what's wrong? Ronnie, what happened?"
Veronica's response was a single sob, chocked out through a gut-wrenching sob. "Daddy."
"Did something happen to your father?" Archie asked, causing Veronica's sobs to escalate into full-blown bawling. running low on ideas, Archie simply pulled her close and rested Veronica's head on his chest, the New York native's tears damping the young songwriter's shirt as he wrapped his arms around her. "It's going to okay, Ronnie," Archie whispered "It's going to be okay.
"Ethel Muggs' father attempted suicide this morning."
After ten straight minutes of crying, Veronica finally settled down enough to tell Archie what happened, her voice now weak and raspy. The New York native sat with her back pressed against the lockers as she spoke, her knees pressed tightly against her chest, her eyes red and puffy, her cheeks stained from running mascara, while Archie silently draped his cardigan over her shoulders
"My father convinced him to invest in Lodge Industries at the last high school reunion. Mr. Muggs was supposed to be one of the testify against daddy during the trial. But then he fell behind on his mortgage. And they repossessed his car, and the gas company threatened to turn off the heat. That's when he remembered his eighty thousand dollar life insurance policy," Veronica felt her voice begin to tremble as she went on "So after Ethel went to school he, he went into his room and swallowed half a month's worth of prescription pills. All for eighty thousand dollars," she repeated "my father spent at twice that much on last birthday."
"Ronnie, you can't blame yourself for this," Archie insisted softly.
"I don't blame myself. I blame my father. Archie during our final days of New York, I was Ethel Muggs," Veronica told him "I was the girl with the father who couldn't make ends meet. I was the girl with the bill collector knocking on my door everyday. I was the girl with the world falling apart around her. That is what my father has done, Archie. Because of him, countless families like Ethel's through the same thing the FBI put us on." Veronica's stung with tears as she looked at her broken necklace on the floor, wondering how many innocent people were swindled so Hiram could buy it for her. "What if Mickey's right? What if my father really is some kind of criminal?"
"Veronica, I know what you're going through. I went through the same thing when my parents split up," Archie reminded "But you can't let all these rumors change how you think about your dad."
"You don't understand." Veronica blinked slowly as her heart twisted up knots. "Archie, he bought the Drive-In."
"I know."
New York native gave the young songwriter a wide-eyed expression. "You do?"
Archie nodded. "My dad told us last night. But Mickey figured it out a while ago."
"Did he also figure out that my father sent the men that attacked Moose?"
Now it was Archie's turn to look surprised. "He found out about the affair, didn't he?"
Veronica nodded.
"But how?"
"I told him." Veronica locked eyes with Archie only for a moment, but it was enough to make her blood turn to ice. "It was, it was after the Variety Show. My mom wanted me to, to co-sign the construction contract over to your father. But I told her I wouldn't do it unless she promised not to see your father anymore."
"That's why she forged your signature."
Veronica nodded. "I was spiraling, Archie. Terrified," she emphasized, as the tears started trickling down her cheeks "of the devastating possibility my family was self-destructing. So like every cookie-cutter Daddy's girl, I called my father. And I told him everything. And he promised me that he was going to come home, that he was going to win my mother back, and that everything was going to be okay. And I believed him. I'm sorry, Archie. I'm so sorry," she repeated "If I had known my father would do something like that."
The moment he locked eyes with her, Archie realized it was impossible for him to feel even slightest hint of anger towards Veronica. "I forgive you."
But she was too lost in her own guilt and sorrow to hear him. "Those men could've killed Moose. They could've killed your father. They could've killed you."
"Veronica." Archie gently cupped her face with his hands, forcing her bloodshot, tear-filled eyes to meet his own "I forgive you. Whatever your father's done, it is not. Your. Fault. Now I don't know what kind of man your father is, but I know that he loves you. And no matter what the rest worlds says, you need to remember that he loves you."
"You've never even met my father. How could you know that he loves me?"
"How could he not?" Archie's face morphed into a brief smile "You're smart, you're funny, you fight tooth and nail for what you believe in and you're always there for the people that care about you. You're the type of girl that soldiers fight their way home for. That knights slayed dragons for. That kings go to war for. How could anyone not love you?"
Veronica was speechless. No one had ever made her feel as special as Archie did. Not even Hiram. So she kissed him.
It was a soft kiss. As timid and unsure as her first, but as soon as she felt Archie kiss her back, she felt her confidence start to come back.
Archie knew that this was wrong. He should've stopped the kiss before it even began. But the second he recognized the familiar taste of Veronica's lips, he was back in that closet, his eyes slipping closed as he gave into the intoxicating pleasure that was the kiss of Veronica Lodge.
Neither one of them knew exactly why they stopped. Maybe it was the sound of footsteps coming down the hall. Or the sudden remembrance of Valerie. But the kiss ended as suddenly as it began, a guilt-ridden look spreading across Veronica's face.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," New York native shot up from the floor, backing away as Archie tired to take her hand. "I-I, I have to go."
"Veronica." Archie sighed as she took off out of sight, resting his head against the wall as he slammed his palm against the floor. Why did he do it? Why did he kiss a girl that wasn't his girlfriend?
The brown-eyed twin snapped out of his self-loathing thoughts as he heard something crash against the lockers, looking across the hall to see his brother lying unconscious on the floor with Cheryl kneeling over him.
"Mickey!" Archie raced over to his brother's side, his heart racing with fear and panic. "What happened?"
"He fainted," Cheryl answered.
"He what?"
"He got a call on his phone and he collapsed. Teddy," Cheryl's face twisted up in fear and sorrow as shook her boyfriend's shoulder "Teddy, wake up. Wake up."
Desperate for answers, Archie surveyed the scene around him and spotted his brother's phone lying on the floor and picked it up. It wasn't a call that made Mickey faint, it was a voicemail. From Marcus, Mary's boyfriend. Why would he call Mickey?
"Mickey? It's Marcus. Look uh, there's no easy way to tell you this. Your mother was in a car accident."
Mary Andrews sat in her car on the way to work, dressed in her favorite light grey pantsuit and a peach blouse, listening to her favorite Journey songs on the stereo. As she drove a four-way intersection, a black SUV came barreling through a red light and plowed into Mary's car, knocking into a lamppost as it burst into flames.
"Mom!"
Mickey sat straight up as his nightmare came to an end, his mind racing as he found himself lying on a bed in the nurse's office, noticing Cheryl and Archie sitting side by side.
"Teddy." Cheryl scrambled over to his side, wrapping her arms around him as he gasped for air. "It's okay. It's okay, baby. It was just a dream."
"My mom." Mickey's face turned white as the end of his dream kept playing over and over in his mind. "My mom."
"Your mom's okay," she told him "just a couple scrapes and bruises. Her car got the worst of it."
"How did-?"
"Archie. He listened to Marcus' voicemail and told me what happened."
Mickey let out a deep sigh as he buried his face in his hands, his heart racing as he tried to calm down. "Why does my head hurt?"
"Probably because you hit on the lockers when you fainted."
"When I what?"
"Sweetie, you fainted," Cheryl confirmed sympathetically "You heard Marcus' voicemail and you collasped. Archie had to help me carry you to the nurse's office."
"Terrific." Mickey groaned as he pinched the bridge of his nose "Reggie's never going to let me live this down."
"Son." At that moment, Fred Andrews hurried into the nurse's office with Archie, wearing a green Sherpa shirt jacket, a grey t-shirt, black jeans and boots, a deeply concerned look on her face. "You alright?"
"Fine."
"You call a sixteen year-old boy passing out in the middle of the afternoon fine?"
"It was the stress and fatigue, Mr. Andrews. He's barely slept in almost two weeks. He's been having the most terrifying nightmares," Cheryl listed off "and he just found out that his mother was in a car accident. The nurse said it was perfectly normal given his condition."
"Really?" Fred gave the young woman an unsettling expression "Thank you, Cheryl. I appreciate you helping Mickey. Now can you give me a minute alone with my boys?"
"No." Mickey give his father an argumentative expression "Anything you want to say to me, you can say in front of Cheryl."
"Son." Fred gave Mickey a stern look as he spoke in the ancestor's native tongue "We need to talk."
Mickey sighed he gave Cheryl an apologetic look "I'll see you tonight at the banquet, Rosie. I love you."
"I love you too." Cheryl echoed. And after stealing a quick kiss, she headed off to class.
"So," Fred crossed his arms as he asked "How long have you been having a nightmares?"
Mickey shrugged. "A few days."
"Two weeks is a lot more than a few days," Fred countered "Why didn't you tell me?"
"I don't know. Why didn't you tell me about the Clifford Blossom?"
"Mickey, this is your health we're talking about," Fred sighed as he struggled to calm "I don't want you to go the banquet."
"What?"
"Son, you just passed out less than an hour ago."
"I am not going to bail on Cheryl on the last minute," Mickey refused.
"This isn't up for discussion, Mickey."
"You're right, it's not. Because there nothing you can say or do that's going to keep me-,"
"Enough!" Archie snapped, causing his father and brother and snapped "Look, I get that you two aren't on the best terms right now, but can we please focus on Mom for one second."
Mickey felt a chill run down his spine. "You said she was okay."
"She is. But okay doesn't mean safe. I just got off the phone Marcus," Archie informed his family "and apparently the guy that hit Mom is a drug runner for someone named Vincero Santiago."
Fred's heart pounded like a rock slide. His blood turned to lava. His saw nothing but red. He knew Vincero Santiago. And he could only think of one reason why he would go after Mary. "I have to go."
Archie frowned his father marched out. "Where's he going?"
"I don't know. Archie, I know Vincero Santiago," Mickey revealed "He's a major player in the Mexican drug cartel. Mom was trying to put him away when I got to Chicago. But the district attorney took her off the case halfway through June."
"So why would he go after Mom now?"
"I don't know. Brother," Mickey spoke to Archie in Scottish Gaelic as the nurse came in and gave him a checkup "Clifford Blossom offered us a job. He wants us to build him a new Maple factory. He's even willing to let me design some of the offices. But we'd have to tell him Hiram Lodge owns SoDale."
"Wow. That's a big deal."
"I know."
"There's just one thing keeping me from telling you to take it: Veronica." Archie felt the broken pearl necklace in his pocket start to weigh a ton "She is spiraling, brother. She's already lost so much, and now she's starting to lose faith in her father. Brother, Hermione had to break the law to get Hiram that land," he reminded "What happens to Veronica if both her parents go to prison?"
Mickey sighed. "I don't know."
Fred burst into Pembrook that afternoon, boiling like a raging volcano the second he saw Hermione having her lunch. "How dare you."
"Fred," the raven-haired mother leaned back in her seat casually "What are you doing here?"
"I just got a call from Chicago. Some thug ran his car into Mary's cab on her way to work."
Hermione raised an eyebrow at the tone in his voice. "Why do get the feeling that you think I had something to do with it?"
"Because the thug works for Vincero Santiago. Your brother." Fred's jaw locked up a like vice "Tell me that this has nothing to do with me backing out of the SoDale project."
Hermione said nothing, a cunning smile spreading across her face as her neutral façade faded away. "Same old Fred. Always rushing to defend little Saint Mary's honor. Even when you have no idea what's going on."
"What are you talking about?"
"What does your wife do Fred?"
"She's a lawyer."
"Not just a lawyer. An ADA." After taking a sip from her wine, Hermione rose from her seat, slowly walking over to him while her heels clicked against the floor "One that has been a thorn in my family's side for years. It was Mary Andrews was who received the anonymous call accusing Hiram of embezzlement. And before that, she was trying to convict Vincero on these ridiculous drug trafficking charges."
Fred felt like a fool. "That's what this has all been about, isn't it?" he realized "Getting close to me, having Andrews Construction work the SoDale project, it's all been about keeping an eye on Mary."
"Well, not all of it." Hermione now stood less than a foot away from Fred, her breath gently tickling his neck "I have never would understand why people try to separate business and pleasure."
Fred grabbed her wrist as she attempted to stroke his face, squeezing it tight as his eyes blazed with fury.
"There he is. El semental salvaje. The wild stallion. My naughty little boy next door. That's why I left you, Fred," Hermione explained "because you don't know to embrace your darkness. But Hiram does. And darkness excites me, " she said with a wicked smile "But you, you always have to be the white knight. That's why I had FP send that snake to Pop's. I knew you wouldn't be able resist helping a damsel in distress." After wiping her hand free of his grasp, Hermione took a step back and shrugged. "Back out of the project. Or don't. It's your decision. But I can assure you, Vincero will be far more forgiving to Mary if you stay."
Fred's hands balled into fists. His eyes saw only red. He let this happen. He was so lonely, so desperate for female companionship, that he let the one woman who had hurt him more than anyone back into his life. And now he was trapped. "If anything else happens to Mary-,"
"It won't," Hermione promised "You have my word."
Like he would trust that now. "Twenty percent."
"Excuse me?"
"You want me to stay on the project? Then I want twenty percent on the project," Fred stated "And until my part is done, every move from here on out is one hundred percent legit."
Hermione paused for a moment. "I can live with that."
"Good."
"Fred?" Hermione gave the construction worker a teasing grin as he stopped in front of the door "No goodbye kiss?"
Mickey sat with Cheryl at the Maple banquet that evening, tuxedo with a red velvet blazer, pulling at the silky red necktie around his throat as he struggled to breathe.
"Stop fidgeting," Cheryl said with a laugh, wearing a dark green gown "You look amazing."
"You look amazing, maighdeann-mhara."
Cheryl blushed. "Thank you. For everything. Everyone here was expecting me to fail."
"Not everybody." Mickey reached over and took her hand giving it a gentle squeeze, noticing Clifford Blossom watching them from across the table
"What's wrong? Cheryl tilted her head as she noticed the worried look on his face "Are you still worried about your mom?"
"Rosie, there's something I need to tell you."
Cheryl frowned at the serious look on his face, remembering when he tried to talk her this morning. "What is it?"
"Not tonight. Tonight is your night, and I don't want to ruin that. Can we go get breakfast tomorrow? Please?"
Cheryl stayed silent as she looked into Mickey eyes, his tired blue orbs nervous and pleading "Okay."
"Micheal," The two redheads looked away from each other as Clifford Blossom walked over to them "may I speak to you for a moment?"
"Uh, sure." Mickey got up from his seat and followed Clifford over to a silent corner in the hall.
"So, have you thought about what we discussed earlier?" he asked.
"I have. And it were up to me, I'd be signing the papers right now." Mickey told him, shifting his weight back and forth "but it's not up to me, Mr. Blossom. It's up to me and my father. And I haven't even had time to tell him because...our mother was in a car accident today."
"Oh. I'm so sorry, my boy." Clifford Blossom placed a hand on Mickey's shoulder, giving it a squeeze with a sympathetic smile "Take some time. Check in on your mother. I completely understand. I must say Micheal, you and Cheryl quite the pair," he praised, taking a sip from his scotch "It's nice to know my daughter has found someone who can ease her more...emotional behavior."
There was that word again. If Mickey heard that word one more time, he was going to seriously hurt someone.
"Mickey?" the blue-eyed twin looked over at Polly as she walked over to him, a friendly yet pleading look on her face "You want to dance?"
"Sure. Excuse me, Mr. Blossom." Mickey took his best friend's hand and followed her onto the dance floor, softly swaying back and forth to the music.
"You need to get Betty to back off," she whispered urgently "right now."
"Why? So you can keep avoiding her?" Mickey questioned "So she can feel alone while your family falls apart around her? Polly, why are doing this, it's like you're torturing your sister just for trying to help y-,"
"I think Cheryl's parents killed Jason."
Polly's hushed outburst made Mickey's head spin. "Polly, do you hear yourself? Why would the Blossoms want to kill their only son?"
"Because they're monsters. I see how Cheryl flinches every time Penelope walks by. Jason talked about Clifford like he was the devil. Mickey, my sent me away to an insane asylum for falling in love with the enemy," she reminded "What do you think Blossoms would've done if they found out?"
Mickey's stomach sank to his knees. He couldn't picture Clifford hurting Jason, but Penelope... "Polly, if what you're saying is true, you need to be very, very careful," he warned "because if the Blossoms are willing to kill their own son, what do you think they'll do to you?" At that moment, Mickey spotted Clifford and Cheryl arguing on the other end of the banquet, the scarlet bombshell, getting so worked up that she turned around and marched out.
Archie walked side by side with Veronica into the hospital early their evening, the New York native holding small pot of white flowers in her hand.
"You didn't have to come with me Archie," she told him.
"I wanted to. You've been through a lot today." The brown-eyed twin reached over to take her hand, only for her to pull away. "Sorry."
"It's okay." Veronica paused for a moment as she asked "Have you talked to Valerie? About-?"
"No. No," he repeated, his cheeks turning red at the thought of their forbidden kiss "To be honest, we haven't really talked in a while. She wasn't exactly too happy with me when she found out I went to the Southside."
"I heard Mickey went to the nurse today," Veronica commented, changing the subject "Is he alright?"
"Yeah, he just got little shook up when he heard about our mom was in an accident. He should be fine once he gets some sleep."
"Good. That's good. Archie," Veronica felt a wave of guilt as she glanced at his lips "about what happened-,"
"Ronnie, you don't have to-,"
"Yes, I do. That kiss was my fault," she insisted "I was hurting and vulnerable and I sought comfort from you in a way that I shouldn't have. And if Valerie asks, I am more than willing to take full responsibility."
Archie was amazed. Josie, Melody and Valerie had been a matching set for nearly a decade. Anyone foolish enough to cross one would have to face the wrath of all three of the Pussycats. "Why would you do that?"
"Because I care about you. And my family's caused yours more than enough pain."
The two high schoolers stopped talking as they made their way into the waiting room, where Ethel and her mother were waiting to see the doctor.
"Veronica," Ethel smiled softly at the sight of her friend "What are you doing?"
"We came to see how you were doing. Mrs. Muggs, my name is Veronica Lodge," the New York native greeted timidly "I'm-,"
"Hiram Lodge's daughter," the fretting mother scowled "How dare you show your face here."
Archie's blood started to simmer as Veronica lowered her head shamefully "Whatever Veronica's father has done, it has nothing to do-,"
"What her father has done is rob us of nearly everything we own. My husband felt so helpless that he tried to take his own life. Please, just go," Mrs. Muggs begged through a wall of tears "both of you. Haven't your families done enough?"
"Our families?"
"Archie, your mom's the one who found out Hiram Lodge was embezzling money," Ethel revealed "she's one of the lead prosecutors on his case. Mickey's been recruiting witnesses for her all over town."
Archie's head hadn't spun this much since the time Moose sacked him during practice. "I didn't know. Ronnie," the varsity quarterback turned his gaze to raven-haired princess, the New York native looking at him as if he were some kind of enemy spy "I swear, I had no idea."
"She actually promised she could get our money back," Mrs. Muggs scoffed. "Filled my husband with false hope. No wonder Hiram had her ran off the road."
Archie was really confused now. "What does Vincero Santiago have to do with Hiram Lodge?"
Veronica's blood turned to ice. Her heart pounded against her chest. Her lungs cried out for air.
"Veronica." Archie quickly caught the raven-haired princess as her knees began to buckle, the flower in her hands slipping through her fingers and and shattering against the cold tile floor "Ronnie, what's wrong?"
"Tio Cero."
"Tio, what?"
"Archie," Veronica's voice trembled with sorrow as she revealed "Vincero Santiago is my uncle."
Mickey found Cheryl standing alone in the snow, draping her faux fur jacket over her shoulders as walked up behind her. "Wouldn't want you to catch a cold."
"Thanks."
So, what were you and your dad arguing about?"
"Nothing."
"Rosie." Mickey's tone made it clear that he wasn't going to let his go.
"I wanted him to buy the Riverdale Zoo. It's old and falling apart. I thought it would be a nice way to expand our business outside of produce. He practically laughed in my face," Cheryl pulled her jacket tighter around her chest. "I'm an embarrassment to him."
"You don't know that."
"Yes, I do. Jason was the golden boy. The perfect son. But me? People hate me, Mickey," Cheryl admitted sadly "and at school, that's fine. But this is my family."
"Forget them, Rosie." Mickey told her gently "Forget what they think. I think you're awesome. You're smart, you're strong, you've got one of the biggest hearts I've ever seen. And those are just some of reasons why I love you. And if you want that zoo so bad, someday I'll buy it for you."
"Oh, Teddy." Cheryl blushed at her boyfriend's grand promise, knowing full well he meant to keep it "Sometimes I think you might be only decent person left in Riverdale."
Now it was Mickey's turn to blush.
"The only one who doesn't want anything from me. Or tries to make me apologize for who I am, or what I want. That's why I love you." Cheryl's heart skipped a beat as she wrapped an arm around Mickey's neck, pulling him into a slow, passionate kiss.
Mickey's heart raced as he returned the gesture, seeing stars as he slipped his arms around he waist. God, he loved her. More than anything in the world. The blue-eyed twin suppressed a groan as his he went off in his pocket, forcing him to pull away as he answered it.
"It's my brother."
"You better take it," Cheryl suggested "It could be about your mother."
"Alright. I'll be back inside in a minute. Rosie," Mickey looked over his shoulder as she stood by the banquet door "I love you too."
Cheryl's eyes sparkled as she went back inside, while Mickey brought the phone to his ear. "This better be good, Archie-Boy."
"Did you know that Mom's trying to convict Hiram Lodge?"
Mickey frowned as he noticed the anger in his brother's voice "Yeah. I was there when she got the anonymous tip that he was embezzling money."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I thought Mom had told you," Mickey answered "She told me you guys were talking again."
"About music. About Grandpa Theo and school. She never told me she was told me she was trying to lock up Veronica's father. Or that she made you into her errand boy to get Mr. Muggs to testify.," Archie added.
"Okay, let's get one thing straight: Mom never made me do anything," Mickey corrected strongly "I overheard Mr. Muggs talking to Pop about his money problems and when I found out that he had invested in Lodge stock, I put him in touch with Mom. When Mr. Muggs mentioned that Hiram hustled a bunch of guys out of their money at the last reunion, I decided to track them down."
"Why?"
"To protect Dad!" Mickey snapped "Archie, Hermione is Hiram's wife. If he gets out and finds out about her and Dad-,"
"He already knows about her and Dad!" Archie shouted. "Veronica told him everything the night of the Variety show. That's why Hiram sent the thugs that beat up Moose."
"Oh, God."
"It gets worse. You know that guy who caused Mom's accident? Vincero Santiago? He's Hermione's brother."
Mickey's heart stopped beating. His stomach fell to his ankles. This was all his fault. He was so worried about what Hiram was capable of, he completely underestimated Hermione. He though she was nothing more than a mobster's trophy wife, with no real power or influence in the criminal underworld. But he was all wrong. Hermoine was no trophy, she was Hiram's queen, the brother of a Chicago drug lord, and her husband's direct line to the Mexican drug trade. And like a fool, he threatened her right to her face. And now Mary was paying for it.
"Mickey," Archie's voice became increasingly worried as he brother stayed silent "What are we going to do?"
Mickey walked back into the banquet hall in a daze, the whole world spinning as he fought to keep from passing out.
"Mickey." Polly was the first to spot him as he came in, her best friend looking into the distance as if he'd seen a ghost. "Mickey, what's wrong? Mickey."
"Polly," The blue-eyed spoke in a hollow, terrified voice "Polly, I made a big mistake. I tried to protect my dad and now my mom's-," Mickey's voice trailed off as he spotted Clifford on the other end of the banquet hall, the richest man in Riverdale.
"Mickey. Mickey," Polly repeated "what happened to your mom?"
But he didn't answer. Instead, Mickey walked straight past her and over to Clifford. He was their only hope. He had money, connections, resources. The Lodges had declared war on the Andrews and they were helpless outgunned. "Mr. Blossom? I'm ready to accept your offer."
Cheryl sat with Nana Rose as they enjoyed their desert, the elderly woman giving her granddaughter a warm smile "You did wonderful yesterday, I'm so very proud of you."
"Thank you, Nana."
"And that boyfriend of yours," Nana Rose giggled "He is something."
"Yes," Cheryl smiled as Mickey's face appeared in her mind "he sure is."
As two Blossom women shared Polly walked over with a hand under her stomach, a worried expression on her face. "Cheryl, you need to talk to Mickey. I don't know what's going on, but I think something's wrong with him."
"What happened?"
"I don't know," Polly repeated "he came inside talking about a mistake and his mom, the next thing I know he took off."
"His mother?" Cheryl was really getting worried now "Polly, Mickey's mother was in a car accident this morning."
"Oh my God. Is she alright?"
"She was the last time Mickey talked to her. But that was hours ago," Cheryl felt a nervous pit form in her stomach. Mickey passed out at the revelation that Mary was in a car accident. If anything else had happened to her... "Polly, we need to find Mickey. Now."
The two teenage girls quickly searched the ballroom, looking for any sign of Mickey, when Cheryl was pulled into an empty corner of the hall. "Mommy?"
Penelope Blossom wore a dark red evening gown with long, black gloves, her cold, dark eyes glassy and dazed. "You must feel so smug," she slurred, the smell of alcohol on her breath making Cheryl's blood turn to ice "Convincing everyone that you can actually run the company."
"Mommy," Cheryl's pounded against her chest as Penelope tightened her grip on her wrist "You're hurting me."
"If only they knew what an absolute failure you are."
"I have to find Mickey."
"What for?" Penelope scoffed "He's probably long gone by now. He got what wanted."
"You're wrong." Cheryl felt her free ball into a fist, remembering all she learned with Midge "Mickey wouldn't do that to me. He loves me."
"Loves you? You think that boy loves you?" Penelope laughed "Please. How could anyone love a pathetic little thing like you?"
"Mickey does love me."
"Don't talk back to me!" Penelope hissed "the only reason that boy gives you the time of day is so your father will stop interfering with the SoDale project."
"What are you talking about?"
"Am I speaking to fast for you, you little fool?" Penelope asked "Your father. Bought out. Fred Andrews' crew."
Cheryl's eyes widened in disbelief.
"That's why that boy spends times with you. Not because he loves," Penelope scoffed "you are nothing more than a means to an end. Mark my words."
Cheryl as Penelope finally let go of her wrist, her mind racing with doubt and uncertainty as her heart raced She was lying. Penelope had to be lying. Mickey loved Cheryl, she knew that. Penelope had to be lying. But as she reunited with Polly and continued to look for Mickey, a single question kept echoed over and over in her head: What if she wasn't?
Clifford Blossom stood with Mickey in one of the offices on the top floor of the banquet hall, the blue-eyed twin pacing back and forth like a caged bear desperate to break free. "Micheal, as pleased as I am to know you're ready to do business, the suddenness of your decision concerns me."
"Do you want you family's land back or not!?" Mickey snapped, instantly regretting it "Sorry."
"It's alright. It's alright," Clifford assured him "So, what kind of figure did you have in mind?"
"We can talk price later. Right now there's one thing I need from before Andrews Construction," Mickey stipulated.
"Name it."
"Protection. You've had a private army standing guard at Thornhill ever since Jason died. I need you to put a security detail on my family."
"To protect you what?"
"Hiram Lodge. He's the one who bought Drive-In," Mickey revealed "He's the one behind SoDale."
"Hiram?" Clifford's expression made it clear that he was surprised but not amazed "How did he manage that?"
"I don't know. All I know is that Hermione's handling the details," Mickey told him "He wants my father dead, Mr. Blossom."
"He's seeing Hermoine isn't he? I can't say I'm surpised," Clifford admitted "That woman has wrapping men around her finger for as long as I can remember. Especially your father. Your mother was the only who break who could break the spell Hermione had on him. With her gone, it was only a matter of time before your father fell back in her clutches. The Lodges are very dangerous people, Micheal."
"You're telling me? My mother's one of the top prosecutors on his case. I threatened her Mr. Blossom," Mickey confessed shamefully "I looked Hermoine Lodge right in eye and I threatened her."
"Why?"
"Because I didn't know her brother was Vincero Santiago! He went after my mother, Mr. Blossom. My mother."
"Vincero and Hiram have been as thick as thieves since we were your age. No one was more excited at Hermione's marriage to Hiram. Because on that day, Vincero's best friend became his brother. Micheal, I am more than willing to provide security for your family."
"Mr. Blossom, thank you." Mickey felt he was finally able to breathe "But are you sure you want to do this? Like you said, the Lodges are dangerous."
"Oh, I am well aware of what Hiram Lodge is capable of," Clifford assured him "Who do you think told Mary that he was embezzling money?"
Mickey's head spun like a top. "You're the anonymous caller?"
Clifford nodded. "This isn't the Hiram and I have been on opposite side of a business venture. When I learned that not all of his investments were legitimate, I decided to call the one lawyer I knew with the morality and the motive to see Hiram put behind bars."
"So you put my mother in the crosshairs of a mobster?" Mickey snarled "With his drug lord brother-in-law in her backyard?"
"Your mother had Vincero dead to rights when I told her about Hiram. I assumed the Chicago District Attorney would convict him first. That was my mistake. One that I plan to correct. Now, I will send a security team to protect your family," Clifford promised "I will pay Andrews Construction handsomely to build my new maple factory. There is just one thing I need from you."
"Name it."
"Proof. Evidence," Clifford repeated "If Hiram really did purchase the Drive-In, then there's a good chance than that not every move he made was above board. I need evidence of that misstep so that I can claim the Drive-In land for myself. Can you find that for me?"
"Absolutely."
Polly and Cheryl walked side by side as they made their way upstairs, still searching for any sign of Mickey Andrews.
"Cheryl, are you alright? You seem worried." Polly noticed.
"I'm fine," she lied, still reeling from Penelope's questionable revelation "Let's just find Mickey. Are you sure he came up here?"
"I think so. I saw him go this way towards the stairs. I still can't believe Mickey's mom was in a car accident," Polly said with a gasp "what happened?"
"She was driving to work when some cookie-cutter thug hit slammed into her car with his SUV," Cheryl recapped "apparently he's low-level grunt some drug lord Mrs. Andrews tried to put away over the summer. Polly, Mickey collapsed when he heard about Mary's accident. If he found out something else happened to her...,"
"Hey," Polly reached over and took her hand "I'm sure he's okay. Now let's find him."
The two young every room one by one, stopping only when they found who they were looking for: Mickey Andrews, shaking hands with Clifford Blossom.
Cheryl's stomach twisted up in knots. Her blood ran cold. Her heart started to crack.
"What do you think they're talking about?" Polly asked.
Cheryl's voice came out as less than a whisper. "Business."
The two redheaded men left the office on separate paths, the blue-eyed twin walking right into Cheryl and Polly. "Rosie." Mickey's face turned pale as a ghost "What are you, what are you two doing up here?"
"Looking for you," Polly answered "You seemed upset when you came back inside and Cheryl told me what happened to your mom. Is she alright?"
"Yeah, she's fine," Mickey assured her "I just, got some bad news from Archie."
"What were you and my father talking about?" Cheryl asked.
Mickey's throat clamped up like a vice. "He, uh, he offered me a job. He wants Andrews Construction to build a new maple factory here in town."
"Since when?"
"Since today. He told me about during the tuxedo fitting." Mickey frowned at the badgering tone in her voice "Rosie, what's wrong?"
"Did you know that my father bought out your original crew for the SoDale project?" Cheryl's eyes swelled with tears at the look on Mickey's face "Why din't you tell me?"
"I was going to. I was going to tell you tomorrow at breakfast. Rosie, you have to believe me."
But she didn't. Mickey asked Cheryl out the same week Andrews Construction made a pitch for the Drive-In land. He asked her to spend the night after Clifford bought out his crew. And now here he was, on the most important night of her life, making a deal with her father behind her back. "My mother was right."
"Your mother?" Mickey's eyes widened as he realized what was going on "Rosie, whatever she said to you, she's lying."
"I thought you loved me."
"I do love you," Mickey insisted "I swear I love you. Rosie please, if you just let me explain-,"
"Don't!" Cheryl snatched her hand back as Mickey reached out to her, a river of tears streaming down her cheeks as her heart began to break. "I thought cared about me. I thought you loved me. But all this time, you were using me to get my family's money."
"That's not true."
"Stop lying!" Cheryl shouted, chocking back a sob "Get out."
"Rosie,"
"I said get out!" Cheryl shouted, slamming him into the wall "I never want to see you again."
Mickey felt as if his heart had been ripped out his chest and stepped on. "Rosie. Rosie!"
"Mickey, don't!" Polly slammed both hands on his chest he attempted to chase after Cheryl, forcing her best friend to stay where he was. "Look trust me when I tell you this, chasing after her is not the best thing to do right now."
"She's wrong, Polly. Whatever her mom told her, it's wrong."
Polly's eyes softened as she saw the heartbroken look on his "I believe you."
Mickey's face turned red as he squeezed his eyes shut, a single tear falling down his cheek. "I love her."
"I know." Polly quickly pulled Mickey into her arms, rocking him back and forth as she cradled his head. "I know you do."
Archie walked into Pop's late into the evening, dusting the snow off the shoulders of this varsity jacket as he spotted Valerie alone in a booth, wearing a grey parka and a black t-shirt. "Hey," the brown-eyed twin smiled as he slid into the booth next her, a krinkle forming between his eyebrows as noticed redden puffiness in his girlfriend's eyes "Val, what's wrong?"
Valerie was silent for a moment, her gaze locked on empty table as she spoke in a hollow voice. "I know you kissed Veronica."
Archie felt sick to his stomach.
"Cheryl told me," Valerie said with a sniffle "She saw you. She saw you right before Mickey passed out."
Archie couldn't be mad at his brother for not giving him a head's up. After hearing that voicemail from Marcus, the poor guy probably couldn't see straight. "I swear I was going to tell you."
"When?" Valerie asked with a scoff "When I caught you two in bed together? Archie, you chased after her in the middle of our conversation."
"It wasn't like that. Veronica got some bad news on her father's case. I went after her to make sure she was okay, and found her crying on the floor."
"So you kissed her?"
Archie lowered his head at the pain in her voice, his insides twisting up like a pretzel as Veronica's words echoed in his mind: I'm willing to take full responsibility. "Val, Ronnie and I both messed up. She was the one that started the kiss, but I'm the one that let it happen. I should've backed away, I should've said stop. But I didn't. I hurt you," admitted disgracefully "and I'm sorry."
"Yeah, I'm sorry too." Valerie sighed looking at him with crushed "Sorry that I ever thought I could ever compete with Veronica Lodge."
"Compete with-? Valerie," Archie jumped out of his seat as she headed for the door, chasing after her and as he tried to take her hand "Valerie, nobody's competing with anybody."
"Try telling that to the rest of the school! Cheryl and her cheerleaders have been running around convincing everyone that I'm the other woman. That you and Veronica only stayed apart so your parents could be together. Do you have any idea what it feels like to have the world think that you're somebody's second choice?" she asked in a quivering voice.
"Val, I don't know what Cheryl's up to. And I'm not going to lie and say I didn't Veronica when she first moved to Riverdale," Archie added "But I chose you. I could've chosen any girl after the Variety Show. I could've chosen Veronica. But I chose you."
"Yeah, you did. After your dad started seeing Hermione. Just tell me one thing Archie," she requested "If you could go back to the beginning of the school year, who would you choose: Veronica or me?"
Archie became deadly silent as he remembered the first time he saw the raven-haired princess: How the world faded away around her. How she walked so gracefully like she was walking on air. How her voice was like the sweetest song he had ever heard.
"That's what I thought," Valerie felt her eyes fill with tears at the look on his face "I hope you two are really happy together."
Veronica Lodge had been to Saint Christine's many times since moving to Rivderale. As the only Catholic church in town, it was practically inevitable that she and Hermione would spend their Sunday mornings in the small yet beautifully decorated chapel. They were even talking about having Veronica's confirmation here. She just never expected to be here in the middle of the night.
The New York native walked alone into the empty chapel, wearing an all black outfit consisting of a long-sleeved shirt, leggings, a fur jacket and heels, her eyes widening slightly when she spotted her best friend, the blonde-haired girl wearing a soft pink pea coat, light wash jeans, pink sneakers and earmuffs. "B? What are you doing here?"
"Mickey asked me to meet him here. He it was important and that he needed to talk."
"Same. Did he happened to mention why he wanted to meet in a house of God?"
"Figured this was the one place you'd be least likely to kill me." The blue-eyed twin walked out of the shadows as he spoke, the first two buttons on his of his shirt undone and his tie in his pocket, looking utterly heartbroken.
"Mickey," Betty quickly became concerned when she saw his face "What's wrong?"
Mickey felt as if a knife were being twisted in his stomach. "Cheryl dumped me."
"What? Why?"
"Uh-uh. I don't want to talk about it. Just admitting that it happened hurts too much. Look, I've got some good news and bad news for you two. Good news, your sister didn't choose the Blossoms over you," Mickey told Betty "She's spying on the Cheryl's parents. She thinks they might have something to do with Jason's death."
Betty's eyes widened. "Why would Jason's parents want to kill him?"
"I don't know. But I did convince her to call you tomorrow."
Betty gave her neighbor a small smile. "Thanks Mickey."
"No problem. Now can you stand between me and New York so she won't kill me when I give her the bad news?"
Veronica felt her stomach twist up knots at the look on Mickey's face. "This is about my father, isn't it?"
"Yeah, it is."
"Could it be how your mother is the one trying to put him away?"
Mickey's face turned pale. "You know about that?"
Veronica nodded. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because you needed a friend. And so did I. But that's not what I wanted to tell you." Mickey felt a nervous pit form in the middle of his stomach. "Veronica, Clifford Blossom is the one who got your father arrested," he revealed "he looked me in the eye and told me himself."
"What?" Veronica's head felt like it was on The Cyclone and Coney Island. "Why, why would he do that?"
"I don't know. All I know is that he called my mom, told her that Hiram was embezzling money, and where to find the proof. Veronica, I know how much you love your dad. I know that you want him to come home. But he is dangerous," Mickey insisted gently "he sent thugs to attack the SoDale because he found out about our parents' affair. He bought the Drive-In land from behind bars and made a deal with the Southside Serpents. He had my mother forced off the road for getting to close to a conviction," he added with a hint of anger "Something tells me he's not kind of guy to let people get the better at him."
Veronica felt a chill run down her back. "What are you saying?"
Mickey felt his throat turn as dry as a desert. "I think your father had Jason Blossom killed."
