Well, you only need the life when it's burning low

Only hate the road when you're missing home

Only know you love her when you let her go

Mickey and Archie Andrews sat solemnly in their room in the middle of a Thursday afternoon, throwing Archie's football back and forth from their beds while sad music played from Mickey's phone, the two of them looking utterly heartbroken.

"Dude." Reggie Mantle's eyes widened as he walked into the room with Jughead by his side, the varsity football captain feeling as if he'd taken a wrong turn and ended up at someone's funeral. "You were right to call me, Jones. How long have they been like this?"

"Since Saturday," he answered, "Hasn't gotten any better."

"Alright you two." Reggie stepped between the brothers' as they threw the football once again, catching it effortlessly in his hands "Get up. I am declaring an emergency guy's night out."

Mickey grunted. "No thanks."

"Guys, we appreciate what you're trying to do," Archie acknowledged "but we're really not up for it."

"Not even for these?"

Archie's eyes widened as Reggie pulled out a series of movie tickets from his pocket, the varsity quarterback jumping up to the edge of his bed. "Are these what I think they are?"

"Tickets to Thor Ragnarok?" Reggie confirmed with a smile "You know it."

"Dude!" Archie jumped up from his bed, his face lighting up like a little kid "This thing has been sold out for weeks."

"I know. I pre-ordered these a month ago. Well, what are we waiting for?" Reggie asked "Let's go."

"No thanks."

All eyes turned to Mickey Andrews as he spoke in a hollow voice, the blue-eyed twin leaning back against the corner.

Reggie blinked. "Did he just say no to a Thor movie?"

"Mick," Archie gave his brother a sympathetic look "I know that you're upset about Cheryl."

Mickey felt the pain in his heart flare up at the mention of his girlfriend, ex-girlfriend. "She hates me, guys. I love her and she hates me."

"Which is why you need to come to the movies with us," Reggie insisted "Come on, bro. It'll be like old times."

It didn't take a genius to see that Reggie Mantle and Jughead Jones were as different as night and day. Marvel movies and the Andrews brothers were the only things the two of them could ever agree on.

Mickey looked at the pleading smile on their faces and sighed. "Okay."

Reggie let out an excited shout. "That's what I'm talking about!"

Fred Andrews sat at his desk in his office, over a stack of paperwork as Hermione brought over another file of papers, the small business owner keeping his eyes locked on his work as she walked over.

"Here at the invoices for the lumber orders."

"Thanks." Fred frowned as he felt her hand linger on his arm "Stop it."

"Now Fred," Hermione gave the single father an alluring smile "Just because I'm your boss doesn't mean we have to be so…appropriate."

"You fooled me twice before. You're not doing it again."

"I'm sorry I hurt your feelings." Hermione lips formed a seductive pout as she asked, "What can I do to make it up to you?"

"For starters, stop touching me." Fred finally looked up from his work as someone walked into the trailer, a suspicious look forming across his face "Cliff. What are you doing here?"

"Why, I came to see you, Fred. Hermione." The scarlet-haired man's face lost its pleasant smile as he noticed the raven-haired mother "I didn't expect to see you here. Anyhow Fred, I heard you going out of town for a few days and I just wanted to drop these off before you left."

Fred frowned as Clifford handed him yellow folder from his briefcase. "What's this?"

"A contractual agreement. For Andrews Construction to build the new Blossom Maple Factory. I know you let your son handle the negotiations, but I wanted to make sure everything was satisfactory with you first." Clifford tilted his head at the confused look on Fred's face. "He didn't tell you about this, did he?"

"No. He didn't."

"Well then," Clifford let out a low chuckle as he confessed "Your son's an even shrewder negotiator than I thought."

"You and me both. You mind telling me where exactly this factory's going to go?" Fred asked, "and why it requires giving my family bodyguards?"

"Right here in Riverdale of course," Clifford gave Hermione a cunning smile as he added "Right where we're standing."

Fred looked up from the paperwork as he raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that going to be a little difficult, since you don't own the land?"

"Oh, I will," Clifford confirmed "Once I prove that the land was procured by criminals."

Hermione felt a chill run down her spine. Mickey had told him the Lodges bought SoDale.

"I must admit Fred, I'm surprised you can stand to be in the same woman with this woman," Clifford commented "especially since she had the mother of your children run off the road."

The former Army Ranger felt his jaw clench up at the patronizing tone in his voice. "Cliff, I don't know what you and my son discussed, but Mickey was in no position to make any deal with you."

Clifford sighed as Fred handed him back the folder. "Our families have been friends for years, Fred. We were friends at Mickey's age."

"Claudius was my friend," Fred corrected "You never were."

The Blossom patriarch felt a nervous chill run down his spine at the mention of his brother's name. "You still think I'm responsible."

"I know you are," Fred snarled, jumping out of his seat "Claudius was terrified of you. You wanted the family business all to yourself and he was in your way. So you got rid of him."

"Claudius ran away."

"You murdered your own brother." Fred's eyes blazed with a long-buried fury "Your own flesh and blood. I don't know you did it, but you did. Now I may not trust the owner of this land," he confessed "but I trust you even less. Now," Fred's final words acted as both a demand a threat "Get out of my office."

"That was awesome!" Mickey let out a joyful shout as he led Archie, Reggie and Jughead up the porch to the front door of his house, a massive grin on the blue-eyed twin's face. "That was the best Thor movie I have ever seen."

"Did you see the fight scene on the Bifrost bridge?" Reggie asked "This was so sick! Thanos is so dead when Infinity War comes out."

Mickey looked back at his best friends and smiled. "Thanks, guys. I really needed this tonight."

As the teenage boys walked in the house, they found Fred Andrews sitting alone in the kitchen sipping on a beer, a less than happy look on his face. Fred locked eyes with his blue-eyed son he took another sip. "We need to talk."

Taking note of the serious tone in his father's voice, Mickey silently stepped into the kitchen while Archie led their friends into the living room.

"Did you make a deal with Clifford Blossom over the weekend?" Fred asked.

"Yes, I did."

"Why?"

"Let's see. We need the money. You decided to drop the SoDale project," Mickey listed off "We have next to no money and Clifford Blossom is willing to pay double what the Lodges are paying."

"You made a business deal behind my back!" Fred snapped as his blood began to boil.

"You've been going behind my back since day one!" Mickey shouted "You hire the wife of a mobster to run our books, you let FP and his Southside Serpents thugs to be our crew, you drop the project we need to make ends meet, and you didn't tell me ANYTHING!"

Fred felt a twinge of guilt at the tone in his son's voice. "Mick, we cannot take that deal."

"Why not?"

"Because I l already made a deal with Hermione. She offered us twenty percent ownership if we stayed on the project."

Mickey's eye raged like a thunderstorm. "She had my mother RAN OFF THE ROAD!"

"I know!" Fred shouted back "You're not the only one worried about your mother."

"You act like he doesn't exist! You haven't talked to her since she got the Doileies to drop the charges. I can't remember the last time you said her name. The only reason you're going to Chicago is so you can finish the divorce and be done with her."

"Mickey-,"

"What?" The blue-eyed twin gave his father a challenging look "Tell me I'm wrong."

Fred said nothing, a swirl of confused emotions raging in his stomach.

"That's what I thought." Mickey said with a scoff "If you honestly believe that you're better off that skank Hermione, then you never deserved Mom in the first place."

Before Fred could even utter a thought, Mickey turned around and marched out the back door, slamming the door behind him.

"Dad?"

Fred felt a knot form in his stomach as he heard Archie's voice, the brown-eyed twin standing in the doorway.

"Are you really going to leave Mom for Hermione?"

"Son," Fred gave the brown-eyed twin a soft, comforting look "I ended things with Hermione the second I found out that the Lodges owned SoDale."

"Then why are you going to Chicago alone?" Archie and Mickey had been begging Fred to take them to see Mary for days, and then suddenly out of the blue, their father announced that he was going to the Windy City by himself.

Fred stayed silent for a moment, his stomach twisting up in knots as he took a final sip from his beer. "Sheriff Keller's going to be here to pick me up soon. I need to finish packing." And he headed upstairs without another word.

Polly found Mickey sitting alone at Pop's later that evening, the blue-eyed twin wearing a leather jacket over a grey hoodie, a barely touched Root Beer float sitting in front of him. "Hey. Sorry it took me so long to get here." Polly frowned at the sullen look on her best friend's face "Mickey, what's wrong?"

The blue-eyed twin kept his gaze locked on his drink. "My parents are getting divorced."

"Oh my God," Polly gasped "Are you sure?"

"Well, my dad's been sneaking around with Hermione Lodge since the second he got to town. And he's going to Chicago to see my mom, which he has never done. Ever," he emphasized "So, yeah. Pretty sure." Mickey clenched his jaw as the gravity of it set in "He probably thinks he going to run off with Hermione."

"Mickey, you don't know that."

"I know that my dad's been wrapped around Hermione's finger since he was our age," he reminded "I know that she's been using him to rebuild her husband's business." Mickey became silent as his free hand balled into a fist, finally noticing the paper bag sitting next to Polly. "What's that for?"

"When Cheryl found out I was coming to see you, she wanted me to give you these."

Mickey furrowed his brow as took the bag, his heart twisting up knots as he recognized the contents: the teddy bear he'd given Cheryl at Jason's funeral, the yellow pajamas she wore when she spent the night, and the key he'd given her in case she needed a place to hide from Penelope.

Mickey felt his throat clench up as he rolled the key across his fingers, his pale blue eyes stinging sharply as he blinked rapidly.

Polly gave her best friend a sympathetic look, knowing all too well the pain he was in. She had felt the same when Jason's parents forced him to leave her. And now, with him dead that pain had been intensified a hundred-fold.

After a moment of silence, Mickey finally spoke in a wavering voice. "I am not my dad Polly. He may be willing to let the love of his life go, but not me. I'm getting Cheryl back."

Fred sat with Tom Keller in the passenger seat of the sheriff's truck, the small business owner grabbing his luggage from the back seat. "Thanks for dropping me off, Tom."

"Don't mention it. By the way, I got that other thing you asked for." The sheriff reached into his glove box and pulled out small slip of paper. "You mind telling me why you needed your gun permit renewed for a trip to Chicago?"

Fred clenched his jaw as he slipped the permit into his jacket pocket, the gun in his bag becoming heavy as he hefted his bag into his lap. "You remember how I told you Mary was in car accident? Turns out the guy that hit her works with Vincero Santiago."

Tom's eyes widened. "Hermione's brother Vincero?"

Fred nodded. "Mary was tried to lock him up during the summer. And now she's going after Hiram."

"You don't think what happened to Mary was an accident, do you?"

"No. I don't." Fred hefted his bag over his shoulder as he stepped out of the truck as Tom asked.

"Since you're headed to Mary's neck of the woods, any chance of the two of you patching things up?"

Fred sighed. "Why is everyone so obsessed with my love life?"

Life at Riverdale High was different after Mickey and Archie's breakups to say the least. For one thing, everyone was talking about it. As the first source of normal teenage gossip since the death of Jason Blossom, every student in town had an opinion on each of the Andrews brothers' break-ups.

"Archie."

The brown-eyed twin looked up from his locker at the sound of Veronica's voice, an awkward look quickly spreading across his face as he saw her walking towards him"Hi."

"Hi." She repeated. "How are you?"

"Fine, I guess." Archie felt the nervous feeling in his stomach start to grow as he noticed the students in the hall starting to stare, no doubt imaging all the scandalous things they could be saying to each other.

Veronica took notice and rolled her eyes. "Ignore them. They're the least of our worries. I need your help. Thanks to your brother, I have spent the past week questioning whether or not my father had Jason Blossom killed."

Archie's mind did a double take on the last one. "Why would your dad want to kill Jason?"

"Revenge. Archie, Clifford Blossom is your mother's anonymous source," Veronica revealed "I did some digging over the weekend, and apparently Cheryl's father has been paying Lodge Industries five hundred thousand dollars every month for over ten years."

"Five-?" Archie's eyes widened as he tried to process it. To get five hundred grand even once in his life would be like winning the lottery to him. "Why so much?"

"I don't know. All I know is that the Blossoms stopped paying after my father was arrested. And before that, they were making similar payments to my distant cousins, the Casettas. They immigrated here during the early days of Riverdale. But they all died out before I was born. I was hoping you could me find out more about them?" Veronica requested "Betty said something about you being a mini-historian?"

"You can thank Grandpa Artie for that. He could make any story sound exciting. Even one from a history book." Archie's face shifted into a brief smile, fondly remembering his late grandfather "I don't know much about the Casettas, but I know someone who might."

"Well, well, well." Reggie Mantle gave his best charismatic smile as he walked over Josie McCoy in the before class, the varsity football captain wearing his varsity jacket, a black t-shirt, and Nike high-top sneakers. "What's a girl like you doing in a place like this?"

"Reggie." Two weeks ago, a line like that would've made Josie roll her eyes. But now…it still made her roll her eyes. But it also brought a smile to her face. "This is my locker."

"Oh, I know. I just wanted to act classy." The leader of the Bulldogs leaned in close to Mayor's daughter, only for her to turn her head to the side as he attempted to kiss her. Again. "You weren't kidding when you said I'd work for it." Reggie felt a small lump form in his throat as he asked "You still think I'm gong to take off and break your heart?"

"Isn't that what you do? Love them and leave them?"

"Not you," Reggie disputed in a serious, sincere tone "never you. You know what I think? I think you're afraid to kiss me," he theorized "because if you do, you're going to fall for me the way I'm falling for you."

Josie felt her cheeks grow hot. God help her, he was right. She was falling for him. Ever since they had started talking, he hadn't even looked at another. And during the few moments they were together, he made her feel like the only girl in the world. But she certainly wasn't going to tell him that. The leader of the Pussycats gave him a teasing smile as she pressed a finger to his chest, pushing him away ever so slightly. "Maybe I just like watching beg," she whispered in a low husky voice "ever think of that, Tiger?"

Reggie grinned. "I love it when you call me Tiger."

"I know."

"Rosie, will you please just listen to me?"

Reggie and Josie looked away from each other as they spotted Mickey chasing Cheryl down the halls, the blue-eyed twin wearing his field jacket, a white Henley shirt, and black jeans and sneakers, the leader of the Rivervixens, wearing a fuzzy black sweater, a tight red skirt, black leggings and matching boots.

"Not a chance, Andrews. I'm done listening to your lies."

"I didn't lie. Yes, I knew your dad was messing with my family's business. Yes, I tired to make a deal with during the Maple Banquent," he confessed "but I swear, I was going to tell you everything the next day. Rosie, please." Mickey reached out and took Cheryl's hand, forcing her to turn around and look her in the face as he said the words "I love you."

Cheryl felt her heart twist up in knots as she looked into his eyes, the pale blue irises pleading with her to listen to him. "You fooled me once. You're not doing it again."

"Rosie. Rosie!" Mickey called, only for her to walk away without looking back. The blue-eyed twin growled as he slammed his palm against the wall, causing the nearby classmates to jump and stare. "What are you looking at?"

Reggie sighed as he watched his best friend lean his back against the wall, a defeated look on his face. "I'll be right back, Josie." The leader of the Riverdale Bulldogs walked across the hall to Mickey's side, giving him a sympathetic expression. "You okay, bro?"

"She won't even look at me, Reg. How am I supposed to get her to believe me if she won't even look at me?"

The varsity football captain placed a brotherly arm on his best friend's shoulder. "Let me keep working my Mantle magic on Josie. If I can get her to go to bat for you, maybe I can find a way to get you out of Cheryl's doghouse."

"Thanks."

"Just give her some space until then?" Reggie requested "From what I hear, your girl's on the warpath."

Mickey sighed as he watched Reggie walk down the hall, pinching the bridge of his nose. This was definitely not his day.

"Mick."

The blue-eyed twin looked up as his brother walked over, with Veronica Lodge by his side. "Hey."

"Hey," Archie repeated "We need your help. You wrote a piece on the history of Riverdale for the school paper, right?"

"Yeah?"

"When you were researching, did find anything on a family named the Casettas?"

"The Casettas?" Mickey felt an icy chill run down his spine. "Why do you want to know about them?"

"They're my relatives," Veronica answered "My grandfather Americanized our last name when he moved to America. Casetta is the Italian word for-,"

"Lodge." Mickey looked sick to his stomach. "That's what Dad meant."

"Mickey," Archie gave his brother a worried look "what are talking about?"

"Remember when Dad told us how Great-grandpa Flynn Andrews was the sheriff when Old man Cooper was murdered? Well, I talked to Kevin and he found Pap's files for me at the sheriff's archives," he began "Dad told us that a Lodge was in charge of the labor union at the Blossom-Cooper maple factory, but couldn't find anything about any Lodges living in Riverdale until Hiram and his mother moved here in the eighties. Turns out I was looking for the wrong translation. The union leader at the factory was a guy named Antonio Casetta Jr," Mickey revealed "and his dad, Antonio Sr., used to live in New York. Where he was a suspected loan shark for Charles Luciano."

Veronica's eyes widened. "Lucky Luciano? One of the biggest mobsters of all time?"

Mickey nodded. "Antonio Sr. tried to get into the gambling business during the beginning of Las Vegas. But since he didn't have the rep to get a seat at the table, he ran bunch of illegal poker games across the east coast. One of them was right here in Riverdale. After Antonio Jr. started working at the factory, rumor was it that the poker games were being held in the woods where the Blossoms and the Coopers farmed their maple trees.

"That's why the Coopers thought old man Blossom owed the mob," Archie realized.

"That and the fact that he only had five dollars left in his bank account the night old man Cooper was killed. It gets worse," Mickey warned "Guess who was the only witness to old man Blossom killing old man Cooper in self-defense?"

Veronica didn't need to guess. "Antonio Jr."

Mickey nodded. "Once the trial was over, old man Blossom got full control of the company, and full control of the profits. A month after the trial, the Casettas started flashing a lot of cash around town. Said they won it gambling in Vegas."

Veronica felt sick to her stomach. Was everyone in her family secretly a criminal? "Antonio Casetta Sr. was my great-grandfather's brother. They stopped talking after Sr. moved to America. I don't know why. Antonio Jr.'s son, Vito Casetta, reached out the Lodges after my grandfather died, wanting to put an end to the gap between our branches of the family tree. He had my father and abuelita move to Riverdale. Treated Daddy like the son he never had. Vito left him all his worldly possessions, a net worth equal to just under five million dollars."

"Which Hiram used to build Lodge Industries," Mickey assumed.

"Why would the Blossoms keep paying the Casettas after old man Blossom died?" Archie asked "It's not like any of them could get arrested for it."

"Reputation. Cheryl told me that Blossom stock took a major nose dive after Jason died," Mickey told him "If word got out that the company's founder was a cold-blooded killer, it could ruin them."

He wasn't lying. Hiram hadn't even been convicted of any crimes yet, and his entire company, his life's work, was in shambles. In the past ten years, Clifford Blossom had paid Hiram a total of sixty million dollars. That was more than enough reasons to send a man to prison. But what frightened Veronica was the thought that her father would willing order the murder of boy only a year older than her.

Betty walked sided by side with Archie later that day, the brown-eyed twin speaking in a nervous voice. "So, I'm not sure if you know this or not, but: It's Jughead's birthday tomorrow."

Betty gasped. "What? And he didn't say anything?"

"He likes to keep it low-key. But every year he goes and sees a double feature at the Beejou. It's his one tradition. For the past few years, I've been his movie buddy. But," Archie found himself struggling to say the words "since you're his girlfriend,"

"Of course. I'll take him," Betty agreed "But you can still come with us."

"No," Archie answered quickly, the thought of seeing Betty and Jughead snuggled up together at the movies making his stomach turn. "I don't want to be a third wheel."

"Come on," Betty pleaded with a smile "It'll be like old times."

Archie smiled as he felt her shoulder bump against hers. "Like The Three Musketeers."

"Actually, there were four musketeers Arch," Betty corrected "Please come with us. I feel like I've hardly seen you these past two weeks."

"That's kind of the idea."

Betty frowned. "What do you mean?"

Archie paused for a moment, tentatively trying to find the right words. "Betty, you and I have always been close. We've been best friends since the day we met. But there have been times where we thought about being more than friends," he reminded "Jughead knows that. And I think it bothers him. He seemed pretty upset when he found out he wasn't the first to know your parents had separated.

"That's ridiculous. I tried to call Jughead," Betty reminded "He shut his phone off."

"I know. And I'm not saying he's right," Archie added "I'm just telling you how he felt. And honestly, if I can't say I blame him."

"Why? It's not like you did anything wrong."

"Betty, I sang you a love song. If you were my girlfriend," Archie stopped himself then, the thought quickly stirring up the feelings he was trying so hard to bury "Bottom line, you two are my best friends and you deserve to be happy. I don't want to stand in the way of that."

"Archie," Betty stared at him, the brown-eyed twin speaking less like her best friend and more like an ex-boyfriend who had trying figure out his new place in her life, a nervous question forming her mind. "why did you and Valerie break up?"

Archie winced, remembering the look on the Pussycat's face as she left him alone at Pop's. "She found out I have feelings for someone else."

As the two of them went their separate ways, Betty's heart and mind started race, remembering all the times Archie claimed to love her.

Fred hated Chicago. Not because of traffic. Or the noise. Or the people. Not one of those hangups had anything on being one of the first US army Rangers in Iraq after 9/11. He hated the city because it haunted him. Every street, every building, reminded landmark him of the six years he lived here with Mary. And thinking of Mary made him think about how their marriage completely fell apart. Why didn't he just call Mary? That would've been so much easier.

Because you have to see her, a familiar voice said in his head You need to see her.

He needed to make sure she was okay. That Vincero Santiago would honor Hermione's deal and not go after the mother of Fred's children again. As he made his way through the bustling lawyers and officials at the district attorney's office, Fred couldn't help but remember the day he and Mary first met.

The year was 1984. Fred walked casually through the halls of Riverdale High, the sixteen- year-old boy dressed wearing a varsity jacket over white t-shirt, along with acid wash jeans and high-top sneakers, bopping his head to the Aerosmith songs playing from his Walkman, when he bumped into someone in the halls, a series of papers and books flying through the air. Fred grunted as he fell to the ground, looking up to see a beautiful redhead with short, bouncy curls, wearing a dark blue sweater vest over a white blouse, along with a blue and green plaid skirt, knee high socks and black flats.

Fred gasped. "Hi."

"I am so sorry." The girl apologized, scrambling to collect her books off the floor "I should've been more careful. Dear God, I am having the worst first day," she proclaimed, "First my alarm went off late because of the time zone change, then I went into autopilot and put on my uniform, and when I realized I didn't have to wear a school uniform anymore, I didn't have time to-,"

"Hey. Hey." Fred reached over and took her hand, giving her a comforting smile. "it's okay. Just breathe. Breathe," he repeated, causing her to let out a deep sigh "Better?"

The girl nodded.

"Good. I'm Fred by the way," he introduced "Fred Andrews. And you are?"

"Mary. Mary Grace Collins. And I have no idea why I just said my middle name," she confessed with a nervous laugh "I guess I'm just nervous about starting at new school. My family and I just moved here."

"My middle name's Colt." Fred liked this girl. She was shy, but sweet. "So Mary Grace, where you from?"

"Chicago," Mary answered "My dad took a teaching job at Carson College while his band works on their next record. I've never been to a school like this before."

"One that doesn't include uniforms?"

"One with boys." Mary blushed as got up with her books clutched tightly against her chest. "My parents sent me to an all-girls Catholic school. They're super religious."

"I know how that is. If I told my old man I didn't want to be an alter boy when I was kid, he probably disown me," Fred confessed with a chuckle. The dark-haired boy tilted his head as he got up from the floor, noticing that the Walkman in his hand wasn't his own. "I think this is yours."

"Thanks." Mary smiled as he handed back her music player, her heart skipping a beat as her fingers brushed the back of his hand.

"So, you're a Journey fan?" Fred observed, noticing the title on the tape in her player.

"Yeah, they're my favorite band."

"Mine's Aerosmith. But I do like to listen to Eye of the Tiger when I'm working out."

"My favorite Aerosmith song is Sweet Emotion. So, you're on the football team," Mary presumed, noticed his letter jacket.

"Yeah. Running back. Do you like football?"

"Not as much as hockey."

Fred's eyes widened. "You like hockey?"

"Are you kidding?" Mary's eyes lit up as she revealed "my dad and I watch the Blackhawks play all the time."

Fred smiled. Music, sports, faith. He had lot in common with this girl. Certainly more than he had in common with-,"

"Freddiekins!"

Fred jumped as he heard a familiar singsong voice call out to him turning around as beautiful brunette in a cheerleader outfit ran over, threw her arms around him and pulled him into a steamy kiss, causing Mary's jaw to drop.

"There you are. I've been looking all over for you." The brunette gave Mary a suspicious look "Who's your friend?"

"This is Mary Collins. She just moved her from Chicago. Mary, this my girlfriend, Hermione Santiago."

"Hi."

Hermione gave the redheaded girl a judgmental glance as she noticed her uniform "Nice outfit."

"Babe, be nice," Fred gently reprimanded "Do you want to have lunch with us, Mary? We can introduce you to our friends and show you around."

Mary smiled. "I'd love to."

He should've left Hermione that very day. But it took a torn ACL and the sight if his girlfriend in the back of Hiram Lodge's car for Fred to realize just how toxic she really was. Mary pieced him back together, both physically and emotionally. She patched up his bruises from the countless fistfights with Hiram; helped him feel again after Hermione's betrayal left him numb.

After taking a left at the next corner, Fred found himself in a room full of bustling lawyers, with his wife standing in the middle with three other coworkers. She wore dark grey pinstripe pantsuit with a soft peach blouse, her eyes widening in absolute shock when she spotted as she saw him, her voice coming out in a stunned gasp. "Fred."

"Hey, Mary Grace."

Mickey sat with his brother and their friends during lunch, trying to come up with a way to win Cheryl back while Betty spoke.

"Guys, I just talked to Mr. Jones and he said that Jughead's never had a birthday party."

Archie nodded, taking a sip from his water as he asked. "So?"

"So, let's throw him one," Betty excitedly suggested "A low-key suprised party."

Archie shook his head almost instantly "No. No."

But no one listened. "That is a great idea B," Veornica agreed "You know I am always game for a reason to wear a cute party dress."

"No," Archie repeated "Jughead doesn't not like his birthday."

"Everybody says that," Kevin commented "They never mean it."

"Jughead does," Archie insisted firmly "He's like a lone wolf. Mick, help me out here."

The blue-eyed twin blinked at the sound of his name, glancing away from Cheryl as she ate lunch with her friends. "Huh?"

"Mickey, as sweet and romantic as your devotion to win Cheryl back is, you are diving dangerously close to desperate territory," Veronica warned

"Oh my God," Kevin's face turned pale as he looked across cafeteria "Whatever you do, don't turn around."

Against his friend's judgement, Betty glanced over their shoulder, where she saw a face that made her blood boil: Chuck Clayton.

Archie felt his blood turn hot. "I thought he was expelled."

"Nope. Just suspended," Kevin corrected.

"He should've been drawn and quartered," Veronica scoffed.

Betty felt her hands ball into tight fists as she got up from her seat, marching over to Chuck as he sat down next to Ethel Muggs.

"Betts." Mickey's eyes widened as he chased after her, remembering all too well what happened the last time his neighbor was alone with the disgraced football player. "Betts, what are you dong?"

"Get away from her Chuck," she demanded "Right now."

"Chill Betty," Chuck said with a sly smile "We're just talking. No need to get all Dark Betty on me."

"I am not-!"

"Betty, stop." Archie grabbed his best friend by the arm as she lunged at him, her palms slamming on the table with a thud. "Ethel, is he bothering you?" he asked.

"It's okay guys," the shy girl replied honestly "We're fine."

Realizing that there was nothing they could do, Archie gave Chuck a warning glare and sighed. "Come on, Betty. Let's go."

Betty stayed where she was, her nails digging into her palms as a deep darkness spread across her face.

"Betty," Archie repeated, causing his best friend to jump as he slipped his hand in hers. "Let's go."

Betty nodded, following her best friend back to their table as Mickey lingered behind.

The blue-eyed twin placed both hands on the table in front of him as he looked the disgraced football captain in the eye, speaking in a low intense voice. "You step out of line again, and I will mount your head on my wall."

"I don't speak Scottish man," Chuck reminded.

Mickey forced a pleasant smile as he spoke in English. "Just welcoming you back to school."

"It happened again, didn't it?" Archie stood with Betty alone in the halls, looking over the bloodied marks on her palms. "You had another blackout, didn't you?"

Betty nodded, a wave of terror washing over her as she struggled to remember the time she lost. "How long was I out for?"

"Not long. Just a couple seconds," Archie assured her "I thought you said you were taking you medication."

"I have. I've been taking it every day since we found Polly," Betty insisted.

"Then how did this happen?"

"I don't know!" Betty's eyes swelled with tears as her heart started racing, her mind racing with all the gruesome ends the world found out about her unstable mental health.

Archie felt his stomach twist up in knots at the look on his best friend's face. He wished he could tell someone about this. Her parents, his brother, anyone. But he promised Betty his silence, no matter hard it was. "Betty, you need to stay away from Chuck. Whatever going on with you, he's making it worse." He remembered what Mickey said about the night at Ethel's house, and even though he didn't believe the way Mickey described what happened, he certainty didn't want to history to repeat itself. "Are you sure want still want to throw this party?"

"Yes. Yes," Betty repeated nodded her head quickly "I need to distract myself. To keep busy," she emphasized "Please Archie?"

The brown-eyed twin felt his resistance melt away at the pleading look on her face. "Okay. We can have it at my place. Mickey and I will do whatever we can to help. Just promise me that you'll take care of yourself."

"I promise. Thank you Archie. For everything. I l-," Betty felt her heart stopped as she cut herself off "I really appreciate it."

As the two of them made their way back into the cafeteria, Archie prayed to God that his best friend would be alright.

"Fred," Mary stared her estranged husband in disbelief "What are you doing here?"

"I," Fred's mind drew a blank. It took all his willpower just to get here, and now that they were face to face, he couldn't think of a word to say "I needed see you."

"Are the boys-?"

"The boys are fine. I left them at home." Fred's throat turned bone dry as he asked "How, how are you? I heard about the accident."

"Fine. A little banged up, but I'm okay." Mary's eyes darted to a stack of papers that a paralegal wanted her to sign "Look Fred, as nice as it is too see you, I'm really busy."

"I need to talk to you Grace," Fred pleaded. "Do you think you could take an early lunch?"

"Doubtful. We're working on a really big case right now."

"This is about the case."

Mary's eyes widened slightly as the look on his face, the dark brown eyes pleading with her to hear him.

"Can we talk? Please? I just want to talk. We can go to lunch at that bar you like," Fred offered "or dinner. If you've already had lunch."

"I have to work lat tonight," Mary told him, the hurt look on his face causing her heart to twist up in pain "But I'm free tomorrow night." Mary kept her gaze locked on her work as Fred gave her a shocked look "Seven o'clock. Don't be late."

When Fred first announced that he was going to Chicago, two thoughts came to Mickey's mind. The first, the soul crushing confirmation that Hermione Lodge had driven their parents to divorce. The second, he was going to spend the entire weekend drunk.

The blue-eyed twin stood with Reggie in his poolhouse that evening, the two of them sharing a half-empty bottle of Japanese whiskey from Oliver Mantle's twenty first birthday party while they played pool.

"Screw girls," Mickey stated in a slurred voice, a pool que in one hand and the bottle in the other "If she doesn't want to be with me, fine. I don't need her anyway."

"Do you really believe that?" Reggie asked.

"Absolutely not." Mickey sighed as he collapsed on the couch, looking utterly pitiful as he stared up at the ceiling. "What am I going to do, Reg?"

"You're asking me? I'm the master of one night stands. Not serious relationships." The Varsity football captain took the bottle from Mickey's hand took a sip, the liquor burning down his throat as he clenched his jaw. "You know that it's been two weeks since Josie and I started talking, and she still won't let me take her out on a date? The most P.D.A I've gotten is a kiss on the cheek."

"At least she talks to you. At least she doesn't look at you like you're scum. How does Moose do it?" Mickey wondered "He and Midge have been together sine the sixth grade."

"Maybe we should ask him for advice," Reggie chuckled "Offer to do his homework for a couple weeks."

"You know what?" Mickey sat straight up as he came to a drunken realization "This is my dad's fault. If he had just told me about Clifford Blossom in the first place, then Cheryl wouldn't have dumped me and we would be helping you get a date with Josie." The blue-eyed twin felt shoulders tense up as he took the bottle from Reggie and took a drink, the whiskey burning down in his chest and fueling his frustration. "I am so mad at him, Reggie. He has spent the past two months so wrapped up in Hermione's legs and our family's in the crosshairs of a mobster."

"Do you really thing Hiram Lodge is going to come after him if he wins his trial?"

"That hate each other, Reg. They hate each other like the Blossoms hate the Coopers," Mickey emphasized "I found an old copy of the Blue & Gold with my dad knocking Hiram Lodge out on the front page."

Reggie's widened in disbelief. "Fred was the OG Mad Dog?"

"Dad was the OG Mad Dog."

"I thought your Uncle Owen was the hot-headed one."

"Every Andrews is the hot-headed one. Remember Archie at the Serpent bar? If Hiram goes free, he's going to declare war on my family. One we can't win without my Mom." Mickey sighed as he leaned back in his seat, blinking slowly as he struggled to stay awake.

"Bro, you can crash here for the night. My parents won't be home 'till late and neither one of us is sober enough to dr-," Reggie stopped talking as he saw Mickey eyes slip shut, the blue-eyed twin quickly starting to snore.

After making plans with Mary, Fred had a cab take him down to the docks of Lake Michigan, the marina covered in dock workers loading and unloading a series of large crates. Each one full of drugs no doubt. Fred could see why Vincero got into the drug-running business. Back in high school, he had been close friends with the Ghoulies, Riverdale's most notorious drug dealers. And the long time enemies of the Southside Serpents. As he stepped out of the car and paid the driver, Fred could the eyes of every worker on the dock lock onto him, the former Army Ranger resisting the urge to bring a hand to his weapon.

One of the workers, a young man not that much older than Fred's own sons, walked over and asked. "What you doing her, old man?"

"I'm here to see Vincero?" Fred answered, causing the young man to laugh "Hermione sent me."

Curious, the young drug dealer led the former Army Ranger down to the office trailer on the west side of the dock, where he was patted down and searched as he stood outside the door.

"Well, well well." The young man raised an eyebrow as he found the pistol strapped to his hip. "What do we have here?"

"Colt 45!" All eyes turned a man about Fred's age as he stepped out of the office: a stocky, Hispanic man of average height, sporting a thick, bushy mustache and slicked back salt and pepper hair, dressed in a elegant dark silk suit,a black shirt and matching shoes, his dark trickster eyes gleaming brightly at the sight of Fred Andrews. Vincero Santiago.

Fred's jaw clenched up at the sight of Hermione's brother, his mind racing with the memories of all the scraps and bruises they had given each other during their youth. And the fact that the snake nearly had the mother of his children killed.

"My God," Vincero exclaimed "How long has it been? Twenty years? I don't thinks I've seen you since graduation."

"I don't remember you getting a diploma, Cero" Fred commented, instantly recognizing the desire to tear him apart from the dock workers.

Vincero just laughed. "Funny. You always were a kidder, 45."

"Boss, you know this guy?" the young man asked.

"Oh yeah. Fred Andrews and I go way back," Vincero confirmed, acting as if they had best friends "We went to high school together. He was the star running-back, Colt 45. Gringo could shoot off the line like a bullet from a gun."

"Funny. I thought it was because I could punch like a bullet from a gun," Fred disputed "Remember when you and Hiram tried to jump me behind the school?"

Vincero chuckled again, the look in his eye making it clear that Fred's remarks were getting to me. "Childhood antics. Besides if I recall, you fired the first shot when you gave Hiram a concussion in the middle of school."

"After he stole Hermione from me," Fred reminded "We need to talk."

"Of course, of course. Come, step into my office," Vincero offered.

"Boss. We found this on him," the young man warned, hefting Fred's gun in his hand.

"Let him keep it," Vincero permitted "Fred won't make trouble, will you Fred?"

The former Army Ranger took back in his old service pistol and placed it in his holster, giving the dock workers a warning look. "Long as nobody else makes any." Fred turned around and walked into the office, the space not too much different from his own, the main difference being the bottle of dark rum and gassed sitting on the windowsill and the absence of a coffee pot. Fred's gaze lingered on the photos on Vincero's desk, each one including the Chicago drug lord with in a surprisingly domestic scene with either a beautiful woman with flowing dark hair, or a small boy in a soccer jersey.

"My wife, Angela," Vincero informed, noticing Fred staring "and my son, Sebastian. He's eighteen now. The captain of his varsity soccer team," he added proudly as he poured himself a drink "I heard you were heading my way. let me guess, you came to check little saint Mary?"

Fred blood began to boil at the mention of his estranged wife. "I came here to make sure you understand the deal I made with your sister."

"Of course. You help my brother and sister finish their SoDale project, and I make sure my men stay away from Mary during their off hours. But I warn you, what my men do off the clock is their business

"Vincero," Fred nearly drew his gun and pressed it against the drug lord's head as he growled. "If anything happens to Mary, I will be holding you personally responsible."

Vincero stayed silent as he took a long sip from his drink, his eyes daring his old classmate to make a move. "Hermione told me she gave you twenty percent of the SoDale stock. How's it feel to have a seat at the big kids table?"

"Dirty."

Vincero chuckled. "Says the man who lays who lays brick and pours concrete for a living. No one will hurt Mary, Fred. You have my word."

Fred gave the drug lord a distrusting glare. "I suppose that'll have to do for now."

"I wouldn't get attached to those shares if I were you," Vincero warned, causing Fred to pause as he headed to door "Hiram will want them back when he gets out."

Fred felt his hand attempt to crush the doorknob at the threatening tone in his voice "If Hiram gets out, he is more than welcome to make an offer. But in the end, what I chose to do is my choice and mine alone."

"Great seeing you again 45," Vincero called as Fred marched out "Don't be a stranger!"

Archie stood alone in his living room the next afternoon, getting the place ready for Jughead's party when Mickey walked in. "Dude, where have you been?"

"Reggie's. We were playing pool and I passed out." The blue-eyed twin winced as Vegas came barking over to him, a dull pulsing at his temples "You hear from Dad?"

"Yeah. He said got to Chicago safe and that he and Mom are going to talk over dinner tonight," Archie informed.

Out of nowhere Mickey slammed his palm against the wall, causing Archie to jump.

"Sorry. I just can't believe that Dad is going to divorce Mom for Hermione."

"You don't know that."

"Can you think of any other reason Dad would go to Chicago after all this time?"

"No." Archie sighed as he glanced at his father's liquor cabinet "I need a drink."

"Wait." Mickey grabbed his brother's arm as he reached for the cabinet "Dad might check those." The blue-eyed twin led his brother upstairs into the attic, where he moved the coffee table and removing a loose floorboard.

Archie's eyes widened as he spotted a bottle of Johnnie Walker Green scotch sitting on top of a stack of old comic books. "Where did you get that?"

"Bought it from a buddy when I was in Chicago. I was planning on saving it for Homecoming. But considering the crummy week we've had, I saw we bust this open now." Mickey popped open the bottle coughing harshly as he fought to keep the burning liquor down. "Wow, that is strong."

Archie took the bottle in his hand and took a sip, scrunching up his face in disgust the second the scotch touched his lips. "Aw man. How did Grandpa drink this stuff?"

"I think you're supposed to mix it with water," Mickey theorized.

Archie glanced down at the bottle. "We're going to need a lot of water."

Polly stood alone in the burial grounds of Thornhill that afternoon, looking over the newly added tombstone.

"Hey Jason," she said as her heart slowly began to crumble. The expecting mother dusted the snow off her fiance's tombstone, gently setting a single rose on top of it. "I just got back from the hospital. The doctor said the babies should be here in a few months. Guess I better figure out some names soon," she said with a weak smile "Your mom let me stay in your old room. It lets me feel like you're still close to me. Your mom seems nice. Not all like you described her. But that's probably because she's more interested in the babies than me. And your dad," Polly's voice darkened as she revealed "he's just as distant as you said. Always cooped in his office making business calls. Cheryl's been amazing though," she assured him. "She been helping me get the nursery ready, taking me to Lamaze classes. She and Mickey broke up, though. They're both taking it really hard." Polly felt her voice start to waver as she confessed "I'm sorry I wasn't there for the funeral. That I wasn't when you were," the eledest Cooper sister took in a sharp breath as her eyes began to swell with tears. "I'm going to find out who did this to you, Jason. I'm going to find to you from me. And our babies" she added with a sob, placing a hand on her stomach "And no matter what happens, I will never forget you," she promised "I love you." At that moment, the blonde-haired girl jumped as her phone went off, reaching into her pocket and bringing it to her ear. "Hello?"

"Polly? It's me," Betty answered nervously "Are you okay?" she asked, noticing the sadness in her sister's voice.

"Fine. I'm fine," Polly assured her, wiping the tears from her eyes. "What's up?"

"It's Jughead's birthday today. And I'm throwing him a surprise party at Archie's." Polly could practically see the pleading look on Betty's face she asked "Do you want to come?"

"I don't know, Betty." Polly and Jughead had never been close. Plus, the Blossoms had been watching her like a hawk since she moved in. "I'm not really in the mood for a party."

"Please, Poll? It would really mean a lot to me. Plus," Betty's voice wavered slightly as she confessed "I miss you."

Polly sighed as she imagined her little sister's face, remembering how little time they had spent together since she had come back. "What time's the party?"

"I'm starting to see why Grandpa liked Scotch."

After mixing a splash of liquor with about a liter of water each, Mickey and Archie were finally able to drink the Scottish spirit without provoking their gag reflex. The Andrews brother sat side by side on the couch as they continued to drink, both of them now significantly buzzed.

"Little bit of this stuff and you're cloud nine," Archie commented, his speech slurring slightly.

"I know what you mean," Mickey chuckled, his cheeks slowly starting to match his hair "Almost makes me forget about Cheryl. Almost."

"You think she's going to talk to you anytime soon?"

"I don't know. That's what worries me," the blue-eyed twin sighed "I need her, Archie-Boy. The night Miss Grundy left town, I was so mad could barely see straight. I actually tried to pick a fight with some of the Southside Serpents," Mickey confessed, earning a shocked look from Archie "That's where I met Joaquin. But Cheryl stopped me. Got me to settle down. Faster than anyone ever has. Whenever my anger starts to get the best of me, she's the one that keeps doing something stupid. She keeps me centered. And now she can't even look at me."

Archie stared at his brother as Mickey took another sip from his drink, the look on the blue-eyed twin's face identical to that of Fred's when Mary had left. "I led Valerie on. I knew I had feelings for someone else, for two other people, and it blew up in my face. I got just what I deserved."

"At least you've got options. With Dad and Hermione split up, you've finally got a shot at Veronica."

"Yeah, right. Mom's putting her dad on trial," Archie reminded "she tried to have her uncle sent to prison. You honestly think she still wants to be with me after that?"

"Do you blame her for Mom getting ran off the road?" Mickey asked. "Or the guys that beat up Moose?"

"Of course not. Her family did that stuff, not her."

The blue-eyed twin smirked as he asked. "Then why you would think that she'd do that to you?"

Cheryl Blossom was not in a good mood. After spending the better part of a week avoiding Mickey Andrews for heart breaking deception, the ginger snake in the grass had the gall to claim that he actually loved her. Did he think she was a fool? But Cheryl was a fool. A fool for ever believing that Mickey ever loved her to being with. But she was a fool who had learned. She wouldn't fall for his lies again. No matter how much she wanted to believe them.

And to make matters worse Veronica, her supposed friend, had completely humiliated her during the practice, taking her spot at the top of the pyramid for the Homecoming routine. And thanks to the charms of Reggie Mantle, Josie couldn't be bothered to comfort her. Cheryl was alone. She was alone and hurting and angry.

"Cheryl?"

The gothic heroine jumped slightly as Polly Cooper poked her head through the door, a concerned expression on the expecting mother's face. "Are you alright? You've been in here a while."

Cheryl quickly wiped the tears from her eyes. "I'm fine," replied, forcing a smile "Something on your mind, Polly?"

"A favor. Betty's throwing a surprise party for Jughead's birthday. Do you want to come with me?"

Cheryl at a birthday party for Serpent Hobo Jones? "Pass."

"Oh, come on Cheryl. It's at Mickey's house," Polly added "Maybe you two could try to patch things up?"

Cheryl's eyes lit up with a dark mischievous light. "Maybe I will swing by. Why don't go on ahead without Polly? I need to find the right outfit first." As her brother's fiance walked out, Cheryl pulled out her phone and dialed a once forgetten number. "Chuck Clayton. How would you like to team up for a little destruction?"

After finishing their drinks, Mickey and Archie got dressed for the party, the blue-eyed twin wearing a dark wash denim shirt over a white long-sleeved t-shirt, along with black jeans and brown leather work boots.

"I wouldn't have too many of those if I were you."

Mickey looked up from his seat at the couch as he heard Polly's voice, the expecting mother wearing a grey top, and dark jeans. "Hey. What are you doing here?"

"Betty invited me. Wanted me to get to know her boyfriend," she told him, wincing slightly as she sat down "How are you holding up?"

"My girl hates me, my parents are getting divorced, and I'm pretty sure the Lodges want us dead," Mickey recapped "I'm having a great week."

"Mickey," Polly gave her best friend a warning look as he took another sip of his drink "The last time you got drunk, you put a kid in the hospital."

"Doiley's not here. And besides, that was the old Mickey," he assured her "This is new and improved Mickey."

"And how does the new and improved Mickey feel about all this?" Polly asked.

"Angry. Frustrated. Scared," he confessed "Like everything around me is falling apart and there's nothing I can do about it."

Polly gave his best friend a sympathetic look. "It's going to be okay, Mickey."

"I hope so. So, how's Cheryl?"

"Well, she spent most of last weekend crying. And she gave you a new nickname: Ginger soul-crusher."

"Terrific."

"But I did convince her to come over here tonight," Polly added with a smile.

Mickey's eyes widened as he threw his arms around her. "You are the best friend I have ever had."

"He's coming!" Ethel whispered jumping back from her lookout point from the door.

The high schoolers quickly shot off the lights and hid behind the furniture, jumping up as the door opened "Surprise!"

Veronica gave her friends a offended expression. "Do I look like Jughead to you?"

"Veronica," Archie gave the New York naitve an awestruck as he took in the sight of her, the raven-haired princess wearing a black two-piece dress and a matching fur jacket. "Hi."

Veronica felt her cheeks turn warm as the brown-eyed twin looked at her as if she were made of gold. "Hi."

"He's coming!" Ethel repeated "For real this time!"

The children quickly hid again as Kevin turned off the lights, jumping up as Betty and Jughead walked in. "Surprise!"

The dark-haired boy jumped as his friends and classmates caught him off guard, his girlfriend giving him a beaming smile. "This is why we left movies early." he realized.

Archie smiled. "Happy birhtday, bro."

"You really shouldn't have," Jughead whispered, awkwardly giving him his best friend a hug, noticing the scent of alcohol on the brown-eyed twin's body. "Are you drunk?"

"No," he disputed, his voice slurring slightly.

"Happy Birthday J." Mickey called, raising his drink high before taking another sip.

"Happy Birthday Jughead." Polly walked over and gave her sister's boyfriend a hug, right before Kevin came over and did the same."

Mickey tilted his head as he watched the dark haired boy greet each of the guest looking more and more uncomfortable with every handshake and hug.

At that moment, the room once again turned dark, as Betty walked in with a hamburger-shaped cake covered with flickering candles as she sang. "Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday, dear Jughead. Happy Birthday to you."

As the birthday blew out his candles, one of the guests slipped away.

Veronica Lodge silently stood alone in the kitchen, a soft river of tears streaming down her face as she recalled all the birthdays she had shared with her parents, the childhood memories now forever tarnished.

"Ronnie? Are you alright?" Archie stood in the doorway nervously, the tears on her cheeks answering his question "Is this about your father?"

The New York native chuckled. "That's just the tip of iceberg, Archiekins. I'm not really in the mood to talk about."

Archie nodded, wanting to press but respecting her wishes. "Can I get you a drink?"

"Isn't the New York sophisticate supposed to seduce the sweet, small town boy?"

Archie chuckled, his cheeks turning a bright shade of red. "Ronnie, I've known you long enough to know you like to do things your own way." The brown-eyed twin took a sip from his drink as he confessed "My dad went to my mom. I think he wants a divorce."

Veronica felt her stomach twist up in knots as she asked. "Because of my mother?"

"I doubt it. My parents have barely talked to each other since my mom moved to Chicago." Archie glanced down at the floor as he confessed. "Ronnie, I can't help but feel like I should apologize for everything my family's put you through."

"I think I'm the one that should apologize. My uncle had your mother ran off the road. My father sent men to sabotage your father's equipment and beat Moose, and my mother drove your parents to a divorce" Veronica reminded "I'm surprised you don't hate me."

"Ronnie, there is nothing on this Earth that could make me hate you."

Veronica felt the pain in her heart subside slightly at the look on Archie's face, his dark brown eyes full of the same adoring light that made feel like a precious gem. "When my father was arrested, my cousin Sebastian stayed with me and my mom for a month. Reminded how he'd been the through the same thing when my Uncle Cero was under investigation. And how everything would be better soon. I really hoped he'd be right. Now I'm not so sure. He threatened her, Archie. My father threatened to expose my mother to the authorities if I didn't testify on his behalf. What if everyone's right? What if I really do come from a family of criminals?"

Archie gently pulled Veronica into his arms, the New York native resting her head on his chest as the tears soft trickled down her cheeks.

At that moment, Betty, Jughead and Mickey walked into the kitchen, a concerned spreading across the blonde-haired girl's face. "You okay, V?"

"Fine," Veronica lied, quickly drying her eyes "Just not in my regular party mood."

"That makes two of us."

"Jughead," Betty gave her boyfriend a look as she asked "Why are you so upset about this?"

"Betty, I appreciate what you're trying to do with this party," he assured her "but I'd much rather prefer it if we all just spent the night at Pop's."

"We do that all the time. I wanted this to be special."

"The road to hell is paved with good intentions."

Betty groaned "Why do always have to be so gloom and doom? Why can't you just be normal?"

"I'm not normal," Jughead snapped "I'm not wired to be normal." Before young couple could argue any further, there was knock at the door.

Jughead huffed. "Who else did you invite?"

"Nobody," Betty insisted "Inner circle only."

Curious, the teenagers followed Jughead and Betty to the front door, where they found at least half their school standing on the Andrews' front lawn, with Cheryl Blossom leading the group, a dark and mischievous look in her eye.

"Now Theodore, did you really think you could have a party without inviting me?"

Mickey didn't know what was going on, but he knew it was nothing good.

Fred sat in alone in a familiar bar the next day, a cozy Irish pub with stained glass windows, wearing a dark grey shirt jacket over a green flannel shirt and jeans, silently a beer as he waiting for Mary. She had been coming to this bar ever since she a little girl, watching the Blackhawks game with her father. They even brought the boys here a couple times before they moved to Riverdale.

Fred's heart skipped a beat as he spotted Mary walking in, dressed in a white crew neck sweater, dark grey slacks and a black wool coat. "Hey. Thanks for meeting me."

"I told you I would." Mary tentatively sat down next to her estranged husband, ordering a mint julep. "So, what did you want to talk to me about?"

"Guess I might as well say it." Fred felt his eyes drift down the bar as he confessed "It's my fault you were in a car accident."

"What do you mean?"

"A couple weeks after Hermione moved to Riverdale, the two of us started...seeing each other," Fred confessed shamefully "She bought a piece of land with Hiram's money. I didn't know they owned it at first," he assured her "and when I found out, tried to get out of it. And then Vincero had you ran off the road." Fred lowered his head in shame, not once allowing himself to meet his wife's gaze "I'm sorry, Grace."

After a moment of silence, Mary asked. "You think my accident was my fault?"

"I know it is."

"Huh."

"Huh?" Fred repeated. "What do you mean, huh?"

"Mickey thinks my accident was his fault," Mary revealed "he called and apologized the night I left the hospital."

"He did?"

Mary nodded as she took a sip from her drink. "Poor thing was practically in tears."

"Why would Mickey think it's his fault?"

"Because he's been helping convince people in Riverdale to testify against Hiram in court. And because he threatened Hermione," Mary added "Twice, apparently."

"He threatened-?" Fred was really getting confused now "Why would he do that?"

"Isn't it obvious? To protect you. Look, it's no secret that I am not a fan of the Lodges," Mary confessed "and I may've influenced Mickey's opinion of Herminone. I practically painted those two out as Satan spawn when Mickey was here. So, it's not a surprise he was suspicious of Hermione the second you two started seeing each other. Bottom line, what happened to me was not your fault. Or Mickey's," she added quickly "I was the one who decided to go after Vincero Santiago. I was the once who chose to go after Hiram after Vincero put my star witness in the morgue. Me. Not you or Mickey. So stop blaming yourselves."

Fred stared at Mary for a moment, amazed how she still knew just what to say to make him feel better after all these years.

"The games about to start," Mary noticed, glancing at the TV. "Do yo want to watch with me?"

"Don't you have plans with Marcus? Mickey told me him," Fred explained after seeing the surprised look on her face. "Doesn't seem to like him much."

"He just hates him because he's not you," Mary said with a chuckle "Anyway, we broke up."

"Oh," Fred's eyes widened slightly "What happened?"

"He asked me to move in. I said no."

"How come?"

"Because he wasn't you." Mary took a much needed sip of her drink while Fred gave her an awestruck look, her eyes locked on the TV in front of her "This should be a good game."

In twenty minutes, the Andrews house had turned into a full blown rave. Kids packed in from wall to wall. Music that could be heard from around the corner. Beer kegs in the kitchen and the backyard. And Mickey didn't like it one bit.

And he wasn't the only one. "I thought this was supposed to be a low-key party," Polly shouted over the blaring music.

"It was." Mickey scowled as he watched Cheryl dancing with a member of Riverdale High basketball team, his blood crackling with jealously as their hips swayed to the music. "How did Cheryl even know about the party?"

"That might be my fault. I asked her to cover for me when I left the house," Polly confessed "Sorry."

"It's okay." Mickey clenched his jaw as he watched Chuck mingle with the crowd, the former football player doing his best to make all the girls forget why he was suspended. "Just do me a favor and stay away from him."

"What did Chuck do anyway?"

"Him and his buddies slut-shamed a bunch of girls online and rated them in a scorebook."

"Oh my God," Polly gasped. "Why would Cheryl want anything to do with him?"

"To mess with me," Mickey answered. As sweet as she could be when they were alone, Mickey had never forgotten that when Cheryl Blossom could be absolutely ruthless when she wanted to be. Which is why she looked right at him before kissing her new dance partner.

Josie pushed her way through the partying teenagers as she entered the house, looking for Valerie and Melody when she bumped into Reggie Mantle.

"Hey beautiful," he greeted with a smile, wearing a long-sleeved black polo shirt and dark jeans. "You want to dance?"

Josie tilted her head as notice the strong scent of alcohol on his breath. "You're drunk."

"Just a little buzz. You want to dance?" he repeated.

"Maybe later."

"Aw, come one beautiful, " Reggie whined "Look, I know I got a rep. I know that you're scared. But I'm not going to hurt you," he promised "You are the only girl that has ever meant anything to me."

"Reggie-,"

"Mickey is the only other person I've told about my father. Do honestly think I would've done that if I wasn't serious about you?" he asked "You're what I lay awake thinking about in the middle of the night. And the first thing I think about in the morning. I'm not just trying to have sex with you, Josie. I want to be with you. Really be with you."

Josie stared at him in shock, his slurred yet sincere words completely catching her off guard. "You're right. I am scared," she confessed "You are everything my mother have ever told me to avoid in a man. And then you look at me like that and say things like this...I want to believe you. I really do. But how can I when nearly every girl in Riverdale's had her heart broken by Reggie Mantle?"

"Josie. Josie," Reggie reached out for her as the alcohol caused the room to start to spin, only for her to disappear into the crowd.

Veronica Lodge chugged down her shot of tequila with ease, smiling amussedly as she waited for Archie to do the same. "Well? What do you think?"

"Not bad. But I'm not sure how I feel about mixing booze with salt." The brown-eyed smiled as he took a moment to admire the New York native's beauty, a familiar tune returning to his mind.

Veronica felt her cheeks grow warm at Archie's sudden expression, feeling as if she were suddenly made of diamonds and pearls. "What?"

"Nothing." The young musician reached over and took her hand as he requested. "Dance with me." Archie led Veronica into the living room, where at least a dozen teenagers were dancing wildly to the loud music.

Veronica felt her heart skip a beat as she draped her across Archie's neck, while he placed his gently on her waist, their hips gently swaying to music, the world slowly fading away as they looked into each other eyes. As the rest of the party crashers kept bumping into them, Archie and Veronica were forced to stand closer and closer, a lustful fire stirring in their stomachs as their hips became pressed together as they continued to dance.

Veronica's heart pounded against her chest as her lips hovered less than an inch away from Archie's. God, did she want to kiss him. But at what cost? The Lodges had already done so much damage to the Andrews family. Could she really risk adding the broken heart of Archie Andrews to the list?

"Ronnie," Archie quickly took notice of the look on her face and asked "What's wrong?"

"Archie. I-, Oh my God." Veronica's eyes widened as she noticed a familiar face among the crowd: the Southside Serpent that had been following her mother. "What is he doing here?"

"Who?"

"Get down." Veronica grabbed Archie's hand and led him into the kitchen, praying to God that they hadn't seen.

"Veronica, what is going on?" he demanded.

"Don't freak out, but I think the Serpents are here seeking vengeance for you roughing up one of their own."

Curious, Archie glanced around the corner, quickly spotting the Serpent in the crowd, a easy smile spreading across his face. "Relax, Ronnie. He's not here to cause trouble. That's Jughead's dad."

"Jughead's-?" Veronica head was starting to spin and it had nothing to do with the alcohol. "Archie, he's the one that made a deal with my father. He's been hounding my mother for weeks."

Archie's surprised expression quickly turned into a protective scowl as he watched FP head upstairs with Joaquin, remembering Mickey's theory that the using Serpent was spying on the sheriff through Kevin. "Come with me."

Veronica frowned as he took her hand and led her upstairs. "Where are we going?"

"To get answers."

Archie and Veronica marched into the Andrews brothers' bedroom, where they found FP and Joaquin have a private conversation.

"Hey Red," FP greeted with an uneasy smile "This is quite the shindig you've put for my boy."

"What are you doing up here, Mr. Jones?"

FP tilted his head at the stern tone in the brown-eyed twin's voice, his face uncharacteristically stern. Funny. Fred always seemed to make the same face when he was angry. "Just having a talk with Joaquin here. Who's your friend?" he asked, finally acknowledging the young woman in the room.

"Veronica Lodge," she introduced.

"Hermione's daughter. I should've known," FP said with a chuckle "You look just like your mother when she was your age."

"Veronica says the Serpents have been harassing her mother," Archie revealed bluntly, carefully studying FP's facial expressions "She says you've been following her."

"Is that right? Hate to break it to you little lady, but you've got it all wrong. It's been a while since Hermione Lodge and I've been in the same social circles," FP shrugged nonchalantly "We were just catching up."

"Is that why you sent her a rattlesnake when she was working at Pop's?" Archie asked.

FP scratched the bridge of his nose. "I don't know anything about that."

"You're lying."

"Excuse me?"

"When me and Jughead were little, you and my dad used to have poker nights every Wensday," Archie reminded "He said he could always tell when you had a bad hand when you scratched your nose."

FP felt a nervous chill run down his spine. "I don't have to take this."

Archie stepped in front of the leader of the Southside Serpents as he made his way to the door.

"Get out of the way Archie," FP demanded.

"Not until you tell me what the Serpents want with the Lodges."

"Look here boy," FP said with a warming voice "Don't try and talk to me like a man unless you're ready to get knocked down like one."

"I'm not afraid of you," Archie stated boldly "Remember what I did to your pal at the bar?"

"Yeah, I do. I also remember that he was on his third beer by the time you kids show up," FP revealed "something tells me you've already had more than that."

Archie's face was red. His eyes were glassy, his stance unbalanced. He'd been drink since before since before the party began and it was starting to show.

"So I'm going to chalk this all up to the booze talking and see myself out."

Archie grabbed FP by the arm as he attempted to shove his way to the door. "We're not done yet."

"Yeah, we are." FP turned around and gave the young man a good shove, knocking him onto his bed as he completely lost his balance.

"Archie!" Veronica hurried over to her friend's side, the brown-eyed looking dazed, but otherwise unharmed.

"Think you've have enough Red," FP advised and he and Joaquin walked out "you might want to sleep it off."

"Archie," Veronica gave him a worried look as she helped him to sit upright "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," he answered, his head spinning from the blow and the alcohol in his system. "I just...need a minute."

"Archie-,"

"Go away Ronnie," he demanded in a dark tone "I'm fine."

The New York native reluctantly headed downstairs, the brown-eyed twin drunkenly taking out his phone and dialing a familiar number.

"Hi, this is Mary. Leave a message."

After watching Cheryl kissing someone else, Mickey had to get out of the house as fast as possible before he ended up hitting something. The blue-eyed twin marched outside and headed for the garage, only to stop as he opened the door and overheard two familiar voices arguing.

"You and Archie are my friends," Jughead stated "but Kevin, Veronica, people who two months ago, I would've actively shunned."

"Why?" Betty asked.

"This come as a surprise, but I'm weird. I'm a weirdo," he repeated "Have you ever seen me without this hat on? That's weird."

"Jughead, it's just a party."

"It is not just a party. It's the fact that you don't know or even care," he emphasized in a bitter tone "that this is the last thing that I want. You did this because have something to prove."

"Prove what?" Betty questioned.

"You're a great girlfriend? I don't know. Does ever occur to you just how different we are?" he asked "Like on a cellular level? You're a straight-A student, a cheerleader for God's sake. You are the perfect. Girl. Next. Door."

"I hate that word," Betty stated in a dark tone, one that reminded Mickey all too much of the night at Ethel's.

"Meanwhile, I'm the damaged loner from the wrong side of the tracks. Who are we kidding?" Jughead asked "We're on burrowed time."

"What is that supposed to mean?'

"I am not one of your projects!" Jughead snapped.

"Where is this coming from?" Betty asked in a teary voice "You're not a project, you're my boyfriend."

"For how long? Until you get sick of me?" Jughead questioned "Or until Archie changes his mind and wants to be with you?"

Mickey flinched at that last sentence, jumping back out of sight as Betty marched out, the blonde-haired girl on the verge of tears. After watching his neighbor fade into the crowd, Mickey silently stepped into the garage, giving Jughead a simple response. "You're an idiot."

The dark-haired boy scoffed as he marched back and forth. "Leave me alone, Mickey."

"Hey," Mickey gave his roommate a warning look "I'm just trying to help a friend."

"Friend's? Mickey, we're not friends. We haven't been friends in years," Jughead emphasized "We just tolerate each other for Archie."

"That's not true."

"Oh please," Jughead gave the blue-eyed an exasperated look "Ever since you Reggie became the jock bros, you've acted like I barely exist. And there's not enough Marvel movies in the world that can change that."

"J," Mickey gave the birthday boy a hurt expression "I am sorry if you think I wasn't there for you back in the day. But you were way out of line yelling at Betty like that."

"You're right." Jughead sighed as he collapsed down onto the couch, a weary look on his face. "It's just, why would Btty try to throw me a party?"

"She wanted to do something nice for you. Like she always does. Remember my eleventh birthday party?" Mickey asked "She and Polly made us this massive three layer cake."

"That's just it. She does this kind of stuff for Archie. Not me. You know I was the only one who knew he liked Betty back in middle school?" Jughead revealed "I must've spent at least a dozen weekends with him, weighing the pros and cons to telling her how he felt. Then your mom left and he lost his nerve. But there was something I never told him: that I had a crush on Betty the whole time." The dark-haired boy lowered his head his went on "Archie's the best guy I know. He's loyal, handsome, talented. I should've known Betty and me were destined to crash and burn. Why would she ever want someone like me when she could have Archie?" The young novelist sighed "Guys like him always get the girl."

After a moment of silence, Mickey laughed. "You are so clueless."

"What?"

"You really don't see it do you?" Mickey asked, surprised at the confused look on his friend's face "Jughead, girls like Betty always go for guys like you.

"What are you talking about?"

"Jughead, you're a bad boy."

The young writer raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"You skip class, Betty's mom hates you, you grew up on the Southside and, you ran away from home when you were fifteen and your dad is the alcoholic leader of a biker gang. All you're missing is the leather jacket and a Harley. That makes you two like, ninety percent of every love story ever made," Mickey insisted "You and Betty are Grease, you're West Side Story, Beauty and the Beast."

"Beauty and the Beast?" Jughead repeated.

"Yeah. Beauty and the Beast. Kevin and Reggie have this theory," Mickey explained "that you can tell what kind of guy a girl's into based what's her favorite Disney movie. One of Betty's favorites is Beauty and the Beast. The story of a beautiful, super smart girl who falls in love a with a moody, angry, lone wolf prince. A bad boy. Just like you."

Jughead was silent for a moment, his eyes locked on the floor. "Mickey, I don't remember Beauty and the Beast ever being Betty's favorite. I remember her liking it," he acknowledged "but it was never her favorite. That was always Sleeping Beauty. The story of a princess who fell for the prince of neighboring kingdom. The boy next door." Jughead's voice became tainted with bitterness "Sounds like Archie Andrews to me."

Mickey gave his friend a sympathetic look. "J, if Archie ever had feelings for Betty, he would never act on them if it meant hurting you. And if you want to keep Betty, then you're going to have to work to make this last."

Jughead stayed silent for a moment, poking his tongue against his cheek. "You know what? Maybe I should just cut the chord and get it over with now. I'm out of here."

"Jughead." Mickey followed after the dark-haired boy as he marched out. "Jughead!"

Josie worked her way past the crowd of teenagers as she went to the kitchen to get a drink, looking up from the red plastic cup in her hands as she heard a familiar voice.

"Josie McCoy." Chuck Clayton stood in the entrance to the kitchen, looking at the leader of Pussycats like she was a snack, the Mayor's daughter wearing a form-fitting yellow sweater with cheetah-print leggings. "Still as fine as ever."

"And you're still as disgusting as ever." Josie stated with a roll of her eyes.

"Whoa. Slow down." Chuck flashed his usual smile he stepped in front of her as she tried to leave the room, the scent of alcohol oozing off his breath "I just want to talk."

"And I'd rather eat radioactive slime."

"Now why you got to be so rude?" Chuck asked, in a menacingly dark tone.

"Back off, Chuck." Josie backed away nervously he approached her, a sickening chill running down her spine "I mean it."

"You don't mean that."

"Yeah, I do." Josie whipped her free hand back and attempt to slap Chuck against the face, only for him to grab her wrist and squeeze it tight.

"Feisty," he remarked with a chuckle. "I like that."

BAM!

Josie jumped ins surprise as Chuck was suddenly pulled off of her, the former varsity football captain pinned against the wall by Reggie Mantle.

The current leader of the Bulldogs directed a warning finger in his former teammate's face, his jaw locked like a vice as the veins in his neck pulsing with rage. "Don't touch her. You touch her again, and I'll break your legs," he promised.

"My bad Mantle," Chuck apologized with a smile "Didn't know she was your girl."

Reggie glared at him as he walked away, his eyes blazing like a tiger defending his territory. The second Chuck was out of sight, Reggie felt his blood start to cool. "You okay Jos-?"

Reggie's eyes widened as Josie quickly threw her arms around him, burying her face in his chest, trembling slightly as he held her gently.

The Mayor's daughter's heart raced as she looked up at the leader of the Bulldogs, a nervous look on her face as she gave him a soft, intimate kiss on the lips.

Reggie felt his heart go into overdrive as his stayed perfectly still wanting to savor the moment for as long as possible. No one had ever kissed him like this before. And it was definitely worth the wait.

As she pulled her lips away, Josie looked into his eyes and asked. "Do you want to go to the Homecoming dance with me?"

Reggie just smiled. "What time should I pick you up?"

"Jughead. Jughead!" Mickey repeated. The blue-eyed twin marched after the birthday boy as he made a run for the door. "Jughead, will you calm down?" The high school baseball player stopped as he bumped into Cheryl Blossom.

"Having a good time, Mickey?"

Mickey felt his insides twist up in hurt as at the dark satisfaction in her voice. He loved her and she took pleasure in making him hurt. "Not now, Cheryl." The blue-eyed twin reluctantly walked past her and headed to the front door, where he found Chuck Clayton confronting Jughead.

"Out of my way Chuck," Jughead demanded. "I'm leaving."

"Oh. But we were just about to play a game." Mickey gave Cheryl a suspicious look as she walked over. "Listen up everyone," she announced "We've all got our fair share of secrets. And we've done our fair share of sinning. That's certainly something my brother's death has revealed. So," Cheryl gave the crowd a wicked grin as she locked the door "it's time we get those secrets out in the open."

Fred and Mary two hours later, the estranged laughing softly from the drinks and joy of watching the Blackhawks destroy the Detroit Red Wings.

"What a great game!" Mary exclaimed. "Did you see that last minute save?"

"It was one for the record books." Fred smiled at the ecstatic look on his estranged wife's face, loving how a hockey game could turn the usually reserved lawyer into an excited child.

Mary glanced down at the ground as Fred stared at her, giving her the same mystified look from when they were young. The one that always made her cheeks turn red. "So, how long are you in town f-?"

"Mary, look out!" Fred quickly pulled his wife out of the way as she stepped off of the sidewalk and into the crosswalk, a car whizzing past an inch away from their faces. As he held her in his arms, Fred remembered all the times he'd held Mary like this: The Homecoming dance, Senior Prom, their wedding.

"Fred." As her heart nearly jumped out of her chest, Mary frowned as she saw something poking out from behind her husband's jacket. "Why are your carrying your service pist-?" The scarlet-haired lawyer's words were cut off as her estranged husband gave her a quick and sudden kiss, the unexpected gesture bringing forth a lifetime of buried memories.

Mary felt her entire body tremble as she gently pressed her lips against his, the kiss quickly going from soft and timid to heated and passionate.

"I'm still mad about the gun," Mary gasped.

Fred chuckled. "Tell me something I don't know."

*Mickey sat nervously on the couch with his brother and friends, the partying high schoolers now huddled together to play Cheryl's mysterious game.

"Just what is secrets and sins?" Jughead asked.

"It's a form of truth or dare," Cheryl explained "only it's just truth. So, who wants to go first?"

"I'll go." Dilton Doiley took another sip from his third beer as he revealed "I saw Miss Grundy's car by Sweetwater River on July 4th. And Archie was out there around the same time so...?"

"Oh my God. Archie?" Cheryl's eyes widened as she pieced the clues together. Archie's sudden interest in music, his private lessons with Miss Grundy, the mystery girl that Mickey claimed was an suspect in Jason's death "Were you in Miss Grundy having an affair?"

Archie felt his stomach twist up in knots as everybody starting his whispering, his face covered in embarrassment as they started to stare.

Chuck was impressed. "Archie banged a teacher? Now that is one for the record books."

"No wonder he can't keep a girl. He has serious Mommy issues. They both do," Cheryl gave Mickey a cold look as she listed off "Red hair, brown eyes, there's certainly a resemblance. Is that it Mickey? Were you looking for a new mommy?"

Mickey said nothing, his face as stoic as stone as his insides were torn apart.

"Cheryl," Polly gave her roommate a protective glare "that's enough."

"Fine. It's my turn to tell a secret," she decided "I'll start with...Veroinca."

"Shocking," the New York native replied with the roll of her eyes. She knew it only a matter of time before Cheryl for revenge for their battle during practice.

Fine. Now, which secret should I reveal next?" she wondered "How Hiram Lodge bought the Drive-In from behind bars? Or how Hermione is nothing more than a dirty little man-eater?"

"How dare you!" Veronica shot up from her seat as she lunged at Cheryl, only for Archie to pull her back at the last second. "You don't know anything about my mother!"

Cheryl just laughed. "I'm not the one who named your mother 'Homewrecker Hermione'. Betty's mom did that."

"What are you talking about?"

"Long ago, Hermione Santiago and Alice Barnes were the original B&V. Inseperable," Cheryl emphasized "Sisters all but blood. Until your mother slept with Betty's father."

"No. No, your lying!" Veronica protested "My mother would never do that."

"V, it's the truth." Betty gave her best friend a deeply sympathetic look. "My mom told me the whole story after the first day of school."

As Veronica stood in shock, Archie began to wonder how Cheryl Blossom knew the history of Alice and Hermione, noticing the guilt-ridden look on his brother's face. "How much did you tell her?"

Mickey sighed. "Everything."

Cheryl smiled at the horrified look on the New York native's face "You're mother's a slut, Veronica. A disloyal tramp who said yes to anyone in a letter jacket. And no one knows that better than Fred Andrews. Isn't that right, Archie?"

"What is she talking about? Archie," Veronica gave him an urgent look his face became clouded with a grim realization "what is she talking about?"

"Ronnie, was your dad captain of the wrestling team in high school?"

"What does that have to do with anything?" One look at Archie and she knew he was going to let this go "Fine. Yes. My father was on the wrestling team. My mother was head cheerleader. So what?"

"So, they broke Fred's heart. Hermione was the first woman Fred ever loved," Cheryl explained "and how did she repay that love? By screwing the one man he couldn't stand: Hiram Lodge. Your father. And when Archie's mother went after Fred, your mother made her life a living nightmare."

Veronica felt sick to her stomach. It was bad enough that Hiram and Vincero weren't who she thought they were, but her mother?

Chuck just laughed. "Looks like being a freak is a genetic trait."

Archie's blood turned to fire. His heart pounded like a war drum. His eyes blazed like coals. His voice came out in a menacing snarl. "Shut up, Clayton. Just shut up," he repeated, turning around to look the former football captain in the eye "before I make you."

Chuck just laughed. "Nice impression of your brother, Archie. But I'm not convinced."

You should be, Mickey thought, watching Archie very carefully. He had seen that look on his brother's face before. And if Chuck kept pushing, he would be in for the fight of his life.

"Do you see this?" Archie asked, holding up his hand, allowing Chuck to see the yellowish purple bruises on his knuckles. "I got this fighting a Southside Serpent. I backed him into a corner and hit him. Over and over," he emphasized "until his nose broke and his mouth spewed blood. I honestly think I might've killed him if his buddies hadn't pulled me off him. So I am only going to say this once," Archie warned, stepping closer to his former teammate "if you ever insult Veronica or her family again, you are going to wish you looked half as good as that Serpent when I'm done with you."

Veronica heart stopped as she watched the brown-eyed twin, the dark fury in his eyes reminding her all too much of her father.

Chuck just smirked. "Guy misses school for a few weeks and suddenly everyone thinks he's a punk," the former leader of the Bulldogs glanced over at the blonde-haired girl sitting on the couch, remembering the events that led to his suspension. "What about Betty? Is she covered on the Archie Andrews protection plan?"

Betty jumped in her seat as Archie grabbed Chuck's shirt with both hands, slamming him into the wall with a thud. This was not the boy she had grown up with. This was rage. This was fury This was…darkness.

"What do you think?"

"Get off me!" Chuck snapped, shoving Archie back. The former varsity football player prepared to throw a fist, only to stop at the last second when he noticed Mickey, Reggie and Moose moving towards him, a casual smile spreading across his face. "I just thought the world would like to know the real Betty Cooper. Lady in the streets, freak in the sheets."

"LIAR!" Archie lunged at Chuck as his anger turned into a raging inferno, forcing Mickey and Reggie to grab his eyes as they held him back.

"Ooh. Looks like you've got some competition Jones," Chuck warned with a laugh. "I just though everyone would like to know how Betty got me suspended. She dressed like a hooker. In a God awful black wig. She actually thought she was Polly," he added with a chuckle "and that I was Jason."

All eyes fell to the youngest Cooper sister, her heart racing as she spoke in an uncertain voice. "That...that didn't happen. I didn't do that. I would never do that."

"Hey, don't take my word for it. Ask your friends," Chuck offered "They're the ones that kept you from boiling me alive."

Betty desperately looked to Mickey, Reggie and Veronica fro support, each and everyone of them unable to look her in the eye.

Finally, Polly spoke. "My sister would never do that."

"Oh really? Well then, speak up Betty," Chuck offered "Tell us how you remember that night."

"I," Betty's heart raced as she struggled to respond, her mind drawing a complete blank as she fought to remember that night.

Chuck grinned as tears swelled in her eyes. "Looks like Betty's got a screw loose. Watch yourself, Jughead. You might need a safe word with her."

At that moment, the Southside native jumped out of his seat and swung at the disgraced football captain, only for Chuck to dodge the blow and hit right in the stomach, causing Jughead to keel over in pain.

BAM!

The entire house went silent as Archie slammed his fist into Chuck's jaw, knocking him flat on the floor. "I am only going to say this once: Everyone that was not invited by me or Betty get. Out. NOW!"

As the party crashers scrambled out the door, Archie helped Jughead to his feet, glancing over at Reggie, Moose and Mickey as Chuck struggled to get up. "You guys want to help me take out the trash?" The brown-eyed twin and the dark-haired writer grabbed Chuck by both arms and dragged him out of the house, tossing him into the snow as he scrambled back.

"Stay away from Veronica," Archie threatened darkly "Stay away from Betty. Stay away from Josie and Cheryl and Midge. And if you ever pull any of your misogynistic B.S. again, we'll tear you apart."

As the disgraced Bulldog took off into the night, Mickey spotted Cheryl walking towards her car, with Josie by her side.

"Are you out of your mind? What was that for?" Josie demanded.

Cheryl gave her best friend a dismissive glance. "Just blowing off a little steam?"

"Is that what you call trashing Mickey's house? Dragging his friends through the mud? Telling the whole school that he has some sort of mommy kink?"

"He deserves far worse for what he did to me."

"No Cheryl!" Josie shouted "He didn't. Cher, you are my girl and I know that you are hurting,but Mickey did not deserve what you put him through tonight. No matter what he did. And you need to pull yourself together, before you drive everyone away."

As the leader of Pussycats walked over to Reggie's car, Cheryl heard a familiar voice.

"Cheryl." Mickey marched over with a furious look as he demanded. "Don't ever do that again."

"What's the matter Mickey?" Cheryl's face turned into a wicked grin as she ignored the stinging sensation in her eyes "Having trouble swallowing the truth?"

"You want to come after me, fine. Drag me through the dirt. Tear me to shreds everyday if it makes you feel better. It won't stop me from loving you."

"Why do you keep saying that?"

"Because It's the truth!" Mickey shouted "I love you. I love how you walk through the school like you own it. I love how you can watch a Siberian tiger attack a deer on a nature documentary and look at it like it's a stray kitten. I love how strong you have to be just to live you life. I love that you have one the biggest hearts I have ever seen. I love you, Cheryl," he repeated "And I know that you love me too."

"You're wrong."

"Am I?" he questioned "Because throughout all of this you have not once said that you don't love me."

Cheryl felt her stomach twist up in knots as she struggled to form a response, her mind and heart literally at war with each other. "I can count on one hand the number of people I have ever truly trusted in my life: Jason, my grandmother, Josie and you. Most of them have never betrayed that trust, but you? I leaned on you when I was grieving. I showed you the scars given to me by my mother," she emphasized "and the second my back was turned, you used me to hide Polly and keep your family's business from going belly up."

"Rosie, I know that I broke you trust," Mickey confessed shamefully "I know you got a lot of pain inside you and I that I screwed up and made it worse. So if you need to use me as a human punching bag for a while, go ahead. I can take it. But don't ever, ever go after my brother or my friends again," he warned "Because that, that is the one thing that could stop from loving you."

Betty's heart pounded as she stumbled across Archie's house, her lungs screaming for air as her minds raced with Chuck's accusations.

Dressed like a hooker. Black wig. Thought she was Polly.

He was lying. He had to by lying. But the looks on Mickey on Veronica's faces…No. No! Chuck was lying! He had to be lying! Betty met Veronica at Ethel's an hour before Chuck arrived, she got changed into…swimsuit. A swimsuit, that had to be it. She made Chuck a drink, she laced it with a truth serum, and then…and then…

Betty balled her hands into tight fists. Why couldn't she remember? As Betty's nails dug into her palms, she felt a familiar pain as they broke through the skin. Then everything went black.

Archie sighed he walked back into his house, looking over the mountain of a mess that he and Mickey would be spending the rest of the day cleaning. As he rolled up his sleeves to get started, the brown-eyed twin sighed as he headed into the kitchen to gather some cleaning supplies, where he spotted his best friend sitting at the kitchen table. "Hey Betty," he greeted, grabbing a bucket and a sponge from under the sink "Sorry the party got out of hand."

"Elizabeth."

Archie frowned as he stood back up. "What?"

"I want you to call me Elizabeth," Betty explained "It makes me feel…powerful."

Archie frowned at the uncharacteristically dark tone in her voice, noticing the red cup in her hand. "You've been drinking."

"Just a little," she assured him, taking another sip "Is it true, what you said to Chuck? Did you really mess up your hand beating up a Southside Serpent?"

"He went after Mickey. I did what I did to protect him," Archie justified "and I'd do it again if I had to."

"Didn't know you were such a bad boy, Arch."

Arch. Betty had been calling him that since they were ten years old. And for the first time, it didn't sound right to him. There was huskiness to it, a lustfulness that had never been there before. "Listen, I'm really sorry about Chuck. I don't know why he would think anyone would believe a crazy story like that."

"It's not a story." The leader of the Blue and Gold look her best friend straight in the eye as she confessed "Everything Chuck said is true. The wig, the lingerie. I even handcuffed him to Ethel's pool and poured a bottle syrup on his head."

If Archie didn't know any better, he'd say she sounded proud of it. "You sure you're feeling okay B-, Elizabeth?" he corrected.

The blonde-haired girl smiled at the sound of her full name on his lips. "Never better. Can I ask you something, Arch? Something personal?"

"Uh," Archie hesitated, not really sure where this would lead. But whether girl in front of him went by Betty or Elizabeth, she was still his oldest and closet friend. "Sure?"

"Am I the reason you and Valerie broke up? Am I girl you see in your dreams?"

Archie's face turned stark white. "How did you know I had a dream about you?"

"I didn't," she answered, her face breaking into a massive grin "until now."

Archie blinked slowly as he resisted the urge to bang his head against the wall.

"So, what happened in this dream?" she asked "Were we naughty?"

"Uh, no." Archie felt his heart pound against his chest as he struggled to speak "Nothing like that. I was lost in these woods and you saved me."

"Is that all that happened?"

Archie's hands clammed up as he stared into her eyes, the once familiar soft green orbs swirling a with a strange, hypnotic darkness. "You were wearing your down."

"Like this?" The girl next door reached up and undid the silk bow holding up her ponytail, shaking her head back and forth as she untangled the knots in her golden blonde locks with her fingers.

Archie's heart stopped as he stared at his best friend, looking exactly as she had in the dream that had awaken his long-buried feelings.

"Is this how I look in your dreams, Arch?" she asked, smirking at the expression on his face.

Archie didn't know what was about to happen, but he knew he had to stop it. Right. Now. "Betty."

"I told you not to call me that anymore," she reminded, gliding over to him like lioness cornering her prey "Do it again, and I might have to punish you."

Archie's body began to tremble as he backed himself into the kitchen counter, jerking his head back as she leaned close. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to kiss you," she answered simply. "That's what we do in my dreams."

Archie gripped the counter with both hands as she left a trail of kisses across his jawline, his knuckles turning quickly turning white. "Elizabeth, we can't do this."

"Why not?"

"Jughead's your boyfriend. He's my best friend," Archie reminded "This is his birthday. How could you do something like this to him on his birthday?"

"You know why," she whispered nibbling on his ear "because we love each other."

Archie's eyes nearly fell out of his head. "What did you say?"

"I love you," she repeated, in a voice similar to the one of the girl he knew "I've always loved you. I've loved you from the moment I met you," she proclaimed softly "And I know you love me too."

"That's not what I meant when I-,"

"Tell me it doesn't bother you that Jughead and I are together," she challenged "Tell me it doesn't make you jealous. Tell me you don't love me."

Archie stayed silent, knowing what he should say yet unable to form the words, causing a smile to form on his best friend's face.

"Archie, ever since you found my bunny in your house when we were four, you've been my Superman. And I wanted was to be your Lois Lane." The blonde-haired smiled at the stunned look on his face, wrapping her arms around his neck as she leaned in close "Just one little kiss, Arch," she pleaded lustfully "Nobody has to know. "

Archie heart stopped beating. His lungs screamed for air. His hands trembled as he held onto the counter for dear life. He knew he should stop this. That he should get out of there as fast as he could. But his legs wouldn't move. Maybe that was deep down, there was part of him that actually wanted this to happen...

"Betty!"

Archie jumped as Polly Cooper walked in, a shocked and angry look on her face as she glared at her younger sister.

"Are you out of your mind?" she demanded "What are you two doing?"

"Just having a little fun," Elizabeth answered, placing her head on the brown-eyed twin's shoulder "right, Arch?"

Archie said nothing, his heart going a million miles an hour as he struggled to come up with anything to say.

Fortunately, Polly had plenty to say. "If Jughead had seen you two-,"

"Oh, don't act you care," Elizabeth snapped "You've pretty clear that I mean nothing to you."

Polly looked as she'd been stabbed in the heart. "How can you say that? You're my sister."

"You left me! You were going to run off with Jason and your babies and you didn't tell me anything! And after I fought tooth and nail to bring me home you picked the Blossoms over your own family!" she added with a hurt-filled voice "While our parents fight like cats and dogs and our family falls apart right in front of me. So, don't you dare stand there and pretend that you-," At that moment, the younger Cooper sister stopped talking as her eyes rolled into the back of her head, her knees turning to butter as she started to collapse.

"Betty." Archie quickly caught his best friend as her head nearly hit the corner of the kitchen table, gently shaking her awake, a familiar light in the blonde-haired girl's eye. Whoever or whatever that Elizabeth act was, it was over now. Betty was back. As her eyes started to swell up with tears, Archie came to a grim realization. "It happened again, didn't it?"

Betty nodded, her entire body trembling as he sat her down on one of the kitchen stools, an utterly terrified look on her face.

"What happened?" Polly demanded "What was that?"

"Blackout," Betty answered in a quivering voice "I've been, I've been having blackouts."

"Betty, your hands." Archie's face turned white as noticed the bloody cuts on her palms "I'll get the first aid kit."

As the brown-eyed twin hurried upstairs, Polly stared at the cuts on her little sister's hands, taking in a nervous breath as she asked. "How long?"

"Since the summer," Betty answered, "During my internship, I'd overwork myself to the point that I'd forget to take my pills. I've been taking them everyday since I got back." Betty's voice turned into a strangled sob as the tears ran down her cheeks "But the blackouts keep coming."

Polly felt her heart start to break. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"Do you really have to ask me that?" Betty looked down at her wounded palms, her heart swirling with fearful thoughts as she tried to remember the moments she just lost. "I don't want to end up like Grandma, Polly. I don't want to end up like Grandma."

"You won't." Polly placed both hands on the sides of her sister's face, forcing her to meet her tear-filled eyes. "You are not crazy. You are not a disgrace," she said struggling to keep her voice level "You're just sick. Just like grandma was sick. We are going to figure this out," she promised "We're going find out what's wrong, and we are going to get you better."

"Don't tell Mom and Dad."

"I won't." Polly quickly threw Betty into a much-needed hug, holding her tight as her little sister cried. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you I was marrying Jason. Or why I decided to live with the Blossoms," she added softly "I love you Betty."

Betty managed a brief smile. "I love you too Polly," she said with a sniffle.

"I found the bandages," Archie announced walking in with the first aid kit. The brown-eyed cleaned the cuts on Betty's hands, staying silent as he wrapped them in bandages.

After a moment of silence Betty asked. "So, what did I do?"

Archie felt his heart skip a beat as he remembered the feeling of his best friend pressed up against him. "Don't worry about it," he told her, ignoring the look he got from Polly.

At that moment, Betty's phone went off, indicating she got a text. "It's Jughead. He wants us me to meet him at Pop's."

"Betty," Polly gave her sister a worried expression "are you sure you should-?"

"I have to see him, Polly. I owe him that much after making a mess of his birthday."

"Betty," Archie called out to her as picked her hair ribbon off the ground, offering it to her as she stood in the doorway to the kitchen. "You dropped this."

"Thanks." The blonde-haired girl took the ribbon and wrapped it around her hair, looking like her old self as she set her ponytail back in place as she walked out.

As soon as she was out the door, Archie finally asked. "How much did you see?"

Polly sighed. "Enough."

"Nothing happened."

"Archie."

"Nothing happened," he repeated sternly "You saw how Betty was during her blackout. She wasn't herself."

"I know."

"So why say anything?"

"Because despite whatever mental problems my sister may have, there is a part of her that still has feelings for you," Polly explained "and I think you have feelings for her."

Archie sighed as he rested his elbow on the kitchen table his heart swirling with warring emotions. "Betty and I are just friends. We thought about being more than that once or twice, but we both decided that things would be better if we stay friends."

"Archie," Polly gave him an unconvinced look as she asked. "Are you trying to convince me or yourself?"

Fred sighed as he woke in a bed that was neither his nor the one from his hotel room, his clothes scattered across the floor and an Army Ranger tattoo on his shoulder blade, a faint hangover pulsing against his temples as he tried to remember how he ended up in Mary's apartment. Let's see, they both had about three or four drinks while watching the game. He stopped her from stepping in front of a car. And then...wow. Fred's eyes widened as he remembered their drunken night of passion. Dear God, it was like their honeymoon all over again. But still, it amazed Fred like how easily they had slipped back into old the separation, before the accident... Fred blinked rapidly as he pushed back the painful memories, slipping on his pants and undershirt as he walked into the living room, where he found Mary sitting in the kitchen sipping tea. Fred smiled as he remembered all the mornings he had found like that. He could practically see the boys running around the living room when they were little. "Hey, what are you doing up so early?" Fred frowned as he saw the look on her face. "What wrong?"

Mary wouldn't look up from her tea. "Did you come here for a divorce?"

Fred blinked, a nervous look spreading across his face. "Why would you ask that?"

"Archie called last night. Begging me not to sign the divorce papers." Mary's eyes wavered lightly as she kept her eyes locked on her tea. "You've barely spoken to me since I left. This is your first time in Chicago in over ten years. So I'm only going to ask you this once: Why did you come here, Fred?"

Fred was silent for a moment, his heart twisting up like a pretzel as he struggled to speak. "I told the boys that I was coming to check up on you. On the plane I told myself that I was going to offer to testify. But after I saw you, I realized that I came...that I came here to get you back. I love you Mary," he confessed "I never stopped. I just hate that it took two years for me to realize that. And after tonight, I'd like to think that you still feelings for me. Now you didn't come here because we stopped loving each other," Fred reminded "You came here because we let tragedy drive us apart. And I am asking, begging you," he corrected "for a chance to put our family back together."

"It's been two years, Fred. I can't just pack up and quit my job." Mary felt her eyes swell with tears as she whispered. "No matter how much I want to."

Fred lowered his head slightly, his heart cracking at the truth in her words. "So where do we go from here ?"

"I don't know."

Archie sat alone in his living room late that night, his head still spinning from his run-in Betty, or Elizabeth, or who or whatever that was. If Polly hadn't shown up when she did...

"So, this plan backfired."

Archie looked up at the sound of Veronica's voice, the New York native walking over and sitting next to him on the couch. "Think that's an understatement. Sorry about Cheryl."

"It's not the first time someone's made wild accusations about my family. Although this is the first time I ever thought they might be true." she confessed in a soft voice "I'm sorry Dilton told everyone about Miss Grundy."

"It's my own fault. I never should've let it happen in the first place," Archie blinked slowly as confessed "Ronnie, I drunk-dialed my mom."

"Archie," Veronica gave him a sympathetic look. "What did you say?"

"I asked not to sign the divorce papers. I don't know why. I'm not even sure I want them to get back together anymore. Why do I keep doing this, Veronica?" Archie asked. "I keep wrecking things."

"Welcome to my life. Everyday it's like I uncover another secret about my family. Another lie." The New York native's voice soften as she confessed "I don't want my mother to be guilty, Archie."

He couldn't blame her. Hermione had been her rock throughout Hiram's case. To imagine her facing jail charges must've been terrifying. "Do you ever wonder what your life would've been like if things were different?"

"Different how?"

"Ever since Miss Grundy left town I've wondered: What if I had moved to Chicago with my mom? Would things my friends, would I be better off?" If he had been in Chicago, he never would've met Miss Grundy. Betty and Jughead could be together without him interfering.

"Archie, I can't answer that for," Veronica answered "But if you had, we wouldn't have met. And that would've been a tragedy. One of epic proportions," she said with a laugh.

Archie managed a light chuckle. "I'm messed up, Veronica."

"We all are Archie," she assured him "And honestly, you less than most."

The young songwriter stared into the raven-haired beauty's eyes, her dark brown orbs soft and comforting. How could she look at him like that, after all his family had put her through?

Veronica's eyes widened slightly as he leaned in close, giving her a soft, fleeting kiss. The New York native smiled as she kissed him back, giving into the shared fire they had tried so long to deny.

As she climbed into his lap, their lips still lustfully intertwined, Archie began to imagine what life with Veronica Lodge might look like: Going to college in New York. Visiting all her favorites shops and sights. Studying music while she went to school for business and fashion. Getting an apartment in Manhattan. Performing in massive stadiums with her in the front row. Backpacking across Europe, taking the beauty of castles in Scotland and the Roman Colosseum. Spring break in Mexico. Christmas in the Swiss Alps. A beautiful dream. One that Archie wanted to make reality.

After talking to Cheryl, Mickey took a walk around the block, the sharpness of the cold shocking the alcohol out of his system. When he finally came home, his cheeks red and his shoulders shivering, Mickey came across an unexpected sight: Veronica Lodge straddling Archie Andrews on the couch, the both of them fast asleep.

The raven-haired princess rest her head on the brown-eyed twin chest, her arms draped across his shoulders while he rested his head against the wall.

Mickey smiled as he walked over and nudged his arms, gently waking him from his sleep. "For the record, I am very glad you both still have clothes on."

Archie yawned. "What time is it?"

"About one in the morning," Mickey answered "Something tells me New York's missed her curfew."

"She can sleep in my bed," Archie decided, gently picking her up as he rose from the couch, taking a moment to admire her sleeping face. God, she was beautiful even when she was sleeping.

"Fine by me. You can take my bed," Mickey offered "I'll just crash in the attic after I clean some of this mess up"

"Thanks." Archie carried Veronica upstairs and into his room, gently setting her down on his bed and tucking her in, placing a gentle kiss on his cheek. "Sleep tight Ronnie," he whispered.

Veronica Lodge woke up by mid-morning in a bed that was not her own, trying to remember how she got there. She and Archie had been talking downstairs, they started talking and then...?

The New York native quickly glanced down at herself under the covers, noticing how she was still fully clothed. Okay, so she hadn't slept with Archie. At least, not in the way she usually did after a while party. But where was Archie? the New York native's eyes widened as she spotted the brown-eyed twin in his brother's bed, still fast asleep. Veronica smiled. He hadn't taken advantage her. And why would he? Archie was good. A kind, noble soul. The raven-haired princess smiled as she sat up and climbed out of bed, walking over and placing a kiss on the sleeping musician's cheek.

Archie walked alone in the snow-covered woods in the middle of the night, dressed in nothing more but a blue cardigan, a white t-shirt, jeans and sneakers. He wasn't sure how long he'd been there or how he'd gotten there, all he knew was that he was cold and tired. The brown-eyed twin looked up towards the moonless night sky, a single star illuminating the sea of black of above, when it suddenly disappeared.

Archie jumped back as the star suddenly appeared in front of him, a dazzling orb of pure silvery light floating in the air. He didn't know why, but in the presence of that light, made the feeling of the cold not bother him anymore. Archie gasped as the light began to intensify, stopping at the edge of blinding as it transformed into a young woman with long raven hair and playful dark eyes, wearing a sleeveless black gown with a low circular neck, the fabric glistening with what looked like an endless display of comets and shooting stars. Veronica Lodge. Archie's heart raced the raven-haired beauty silently approached him, a soft, teasing smile on her face as she ran a hand across the brown-eyed twin's chest, right before she pushed him into the snow.

Archie's eyes widened as Veronica started to laugh, jumping up from the snow as he began to chase her through the woods. The brown-eyed twin scooped a handful of snow and threw it right at her, causing Veronica to let out a yelp as it just missed her, hitting a tree. Archie grunted as Veronica hit him in the stomach, quickly grabbing another handful of snow and returning fire, the snowball hitting a nearby tree and splattering in Veronica's hair, causing her to let out a cry out in surprise.

At she attempted to recompose herself, Archie ran across the woods and playfully tackled Veronica into the snow, the two of them laughing like a pair of children on Christmas Day. Archie took a breath as he stared at Veronica's face, long dark locks perfectly contrasting the tiny clumps of snow caught in her hair. The brown-eyed twin's heart raced as Veronica wrapped her arm around his neck, pulling Archie into a deep passionate kiss, the night sky coming alive with a display of shooting stars.

Archie's eyes snapped open as his dream came to an end, the faint feeling of a woman's lips lingering on his cheek. "Veronica?"

Mickey woke up late the next morning, his head pounding from two nights of back-to-back drinking and a late night of cleaning, finding his brother standing with Jughead in the kitchen as they finished cleaning what he left behind last night.

"Morning," Archie greeted "How you feeling?"

"Ugh." Mickey winced as the morning sun shined in from the windows. "Where's New York?" he asked, making himself a much needed cup of coffee.

"Gone. She took off about an hour ago," Jughead answered "Head held high as she took the walk of shame."

"Nothing happened Jug," Archie disputed firmly "We talked, we kissed, she spent the night."

"But you two are a thing now, right?"

Archie's cheeks turned red as he fought back a smile, the thought of being in a relationship with Veronica Lodge making him blush. "Maybe."

"Brother," Mickey gave Archie a concerned look as he asked "Does this mean you're over Betty?"

Archie felt his stomach twist up in knots at the mention of the girl next door. "Maybe in another life, Betty and I could've had something special. But we missed our chance and I have to accept that. I feel like could have a real future with Veronica. So, I'm going to dive in and not look back."

"Guys, I don't speak Scottish," Jughead reminded "What are you guys talking about?"

"Homecoming," Mickey answered quickly "Archie was thinking about asking New York to the dance. We were hoping Betty might help him come up with something nice."

"Hmm." Jughead took a long sip from his coffee. "So, you patch things up with Cheryl last night?"

Mickey scoffed. "Not even close. But I thinks she's done hating on you guys for a while."

"Boys? We're home!"

The three young men jump at the sound of Fred's voice, throwing away the last remains of the party as quick as they could, never once noticing that Fred said "We" and not "I".

Mickey's eyes widened as Fred walked in with a familiar face, one that had not set foot in this house in nearly two years. "Mom?"

Mary smiled. "Hi boys."