The title of this one is Higher by Rihanna. I also have Angie sing it later in the chapter, as always I imagine Alice Kristiansen's cover of it. This is all of episode 9, with a mean cliffhanger, and if I don't get carried away next chapter should be 10 and some parts of 11. But it's me, I always get carried. On to the story, hope whoever is still reading this enjoys.
X. I love you, is the only thing that's on my mind. Cause you take me higher, higher than I've ever babe
After missing an additional week of school while being held at the Sisters Lane came in early that first day back to talk to Weatherbee and her teachers, to turn in the assignments Angie helped her do to prove she wasn't actually behind. So Lane hadn't seen Angie yet that morning, it was the first morning in five weeks she'd woken to an empty bed and she'd felt such an aching disappointment to not open her eyes to see that beautiful face.
So seeing her at the other end of the hall as they both headed to English, it took Lane's breath away. She saw Angie notice her, caught the way her steps faltered before she smiled picking up her pace to reach her. It seemed odd and kind of silly to have missed Lane so much when it hadn't even been ten hours, but she could see in Lane's openly warm eyes that she felt the same.
Meeting in the middle the two girls stood the sparest of inches apart as they reached for the other's hand, sharing a small heated smile as they said good morning. Lane wasn't big on PDA, Angie was definitely the exception but she still found it a little too much for school.
"Break it up," Kevin said coming up beside them with Moose at his heel.
"I'm not doing anything until you tell me why," Lane said looking up at the uniformed boys with an icy gaze, still holding Angie's hand.
Moose was the one to answer, knowing her mostly from Reggie and she quite frankly had always scared him. "Principal Weatherbee issued several new school rules, physical contact of any kind is to be kept to a minimum."
"The quarantine itself was bull but this is ridiculous," Lane said, not placing the blame on them because she knew it wasn't either Kevin or Moose's fault.
But the RROTC was getting a lot of flack for being the ones to enforce the rules, and they'd already dealt with Cheryl and Toni that morning. "Ridiculous or not those are the rules, and there are consequences to breaking them," Moose told her firmly.
Lane's brow cocked like a gun and a cruel smirk carved her mouth as she looked between them. "You know it's rich hearing that rule coming from Riverdale's resident gay and his closeted casual hookup," she said looking from Kevin to Moose, who'd she'd come across a few times last year in some heated moment after school. Granted it was mostly unbearably warm, long, staring and occasionally a stolen brush but their intention was clear.
That had Kevin's brow raising as he told her very simply, "that was rude. I expected more class from you Lane."
"Well that sounds like a personal problem," Lane informed him.
Opening his mouth to respond Kevin sighed knowing, like Cheryl, he wasn't getting anywhere with her. So he turned to Angie and asked, "can you please keep her in line?" Because there were two people Lane listened to, Cheryl and now Angie.
A smile spread on Angie's mouth, that wasn't unusual she smiled a lot, but her eyes gleamed with a mischief she'd gotten from Lane. "Of course," she told him, then she turned cupping Lane's face pulling her in for an openmouthed kiss.
Lane was slow to open her eyes as they pulled away, forgetting the thought of ever not wanting to do this. And she met Angie's hooded eyes with a grin. "You ready for class, monkey?" she asked, and Angie smiled taking her hand as they walked away.
…
Dinner came later that night for the Serpents, both girls had homework and work though Spyder let them off early so they could run to the store and make something simple. But as they'd been doing everyday for the last month they showed up with disposable pans to feed them. Only Jughead was back now and he had his eyes set on Lane as she and Angie helped carry everything.
"I called a meeting, any reason you didn't show?" he asked, hearing quiet settle around them as the Serpents looked between their newly returned King and their girl.
Dropping the pan on the table Lane turned to him already tired and knowing that somehow she was gonna come out of this even more tired. "Would you like that list alphabetic or chronological?" she posed instead, not having the patience to be anything other than biting.
He scoffed a laugh shaking his head, feeling Betty at his side who'd already asked him to convince her to give a statement against Hiram Lodge – Jughead had been surprised to hear how cruel Lane had been when Betty first asked. "That attitude's not befitting of a Serpent," he told her, needing to cut this out sooner rather than later. The Serpents were already restless, he couldn't have her speaking out of turn like this in front of the others.
Her brow rose wondering what leverage he thought calling her out in front of everyone gave him, because he was about to find out how much power she had. "Are you sure you wanna do this here?" she asked quietly, giving him a chance to change his mind. But he didn't, he stared down at her haughty and superior. "Well then I guess it's because you kicked me out of the Serpents for not playing your stupid game."
An unhappy murmur spread through the camp hearing that, a quieter one was spoken softly that Lane had still been there for them even after Jughead had kicked her out a fact that only proved her loyalty to them further. Lane stared at Jughead defiantly seeing the way he clenched his jaw probably regretting not taking her offer to do this in private. "And it felt like you meant it when you skipped town knowing I'd been kidnapped to hang out with your best friend, who by the way had been cleared of all charges against him and was really only running away from his own mistakes." She saw the dip in Jughead's throat as he swallowed, realizing just how angry she was with him – angry enough he might not be able to fix it. "I'll ask you again, you sure you wanna do this here?"
"Let's go inside," he said knowing this conversation was far from over. And he had a sinking feeling it wouldn't end in him getting her back.
Turning to Angie they shared a nod before Lane followed Jughead and Betty to the Jones' trailer. "FP," she said beckoning him with her.
"What do you want with my father?" Jughead asked, glancing up at the gathered Serpents knowing they were watching her closely and seeing that she was calling the shots.
"We'll get there," Lane said pushing him inside ready to be done with this so she could go home and finally sit and just breathe. Hearing FP shut the door behind them she turned on Betty too tired to even attempt being nice. "I'm assuming when you asked your boyfriend to force me to help your aimless case against Lodge you failed to mention that you led one of his men directly to my door letting him know exactly where I was, which left me asking for Hiram's protection to avoid him coming after me again. Anything you wanna add, Elizabeth?" Not giving her the chance to think of a response she said, "No, good then you're done," and turned to Jughead. "So what the hell do you want from me now?"
This wasn't the Lane he'd left, he tried to remember the last time he saw her before he left but all he remembered was the night he'd been so entangled in the game he'd actually kicked her out. She couldn't be right. So he tried another approach, to appeal to the part of her that was clearly still loyal to them. "There's no money coming in and the Serpents are getting restless, we need you." What he meant was he wanted to sit down and discuss their options because so far every big decision he'd made for the Serpents he'd done with her as his advisor; but her eyes were so unforgiving it was hard to come up with the right words.
"Sounds like a problem for the Serpent King," she said knowing what he was doing. He was trying to guilt her into giving him what he wanted because he knew no matter how mad she was she still cared for them, and that really just pissed her off. "So if you've got nothing else I'd like to go home."
That was something Jughead could use, because he was stuck in the mindset that she owed them something. "You know, not everyone has a home to go to." He knew the moment she froze in place that'd been a mistake, he knew it more when she turned cold eyes on him that burned.
"I'm not gonna address the fact you said that standing in your own home, next to your girlfriend whose home you also stay in," Lane started wondering if he'd always been this way and she just hadn't noticed or if he'd gotten worse, before she ultimately decided it didn't matter. "Instead I'm gonna address the fact that I only have a home because Tall Boy murdered my father." He opened his mouth to say something else, to try another angle to force her into helping him, but she shut him down, "no, you're done."
She turned to FP, who'd been standing silently having only just heard a few minutes before that Jughead in his game-addled brain had taken their greatest ally out of their ranks. "If the Serpents need me I'm here in a heartbeat," she told him, and he nodded accepting that. "But I won't come back until he steps down." It was a thought she'd been skirting around for months not wanting to accept it, but she was to the point now she just couldn't keep doing this because the disappointment of finding herself alone cut too deep. So she turned to Jughead and sealed both of their fates. "I wouldn't follow you to hell."
Without another word from any of them, because it was only going to get worse from there, Lane turned walking out the door. She noticed the way everyone had retreated to their areas but they were quiet and they looked up the moment she came out. She made her way to Angie taking her hand and entwining their fingers. "We'll see you tomorrow for dinner," she told Jughead without warmth, but she held his eye and they shared a nod as they set the boundaries around this thing they'd carved between them. She was still their girl, she just wasn't his.
The two girls left walking hand in hand leaving behind Sweet Pea who could almost understand where Lane was coming from, Fangs who was wondering if things would still be like this if he'd been there for her, the Serpents who couldn't quite believe they'd just lost her, Betty who realized she'd overstepped into something she hadn't known the details to, and Cheryl who looked from Lane's retreating form to Jughead who she hadn't yet learned how to follow and was beginning to question why she should.
…
The two laid on the couch with Lane at Angie's back, her arm curled under their heads and the other around Angie's waist as they watched TV. It'd been a long day and she'd been waiting just for this moment, which would end in thirty minutes when Angie had to go home. But for Lane every unbearable minute was worth even just a second with her.
Rolling onto her back so she could look at Lane, who'd been quiet since they got back, Angie asked, "how are you?"
"I think I'm okay," Lane answered, and it surprised her to realize how much she meant it. "You know, I said what I felt and they now know where I stand." She hadn't believed in Jughead his entire reign over the Serpents, it wasn't the accident that had her pulling away it was being forced to follow a leader she didn't trust or even really respect, everything with the game and him ditching town for Archie only solidified that to her. "But," she said tucking Angie's soft hair behind her ear.
"But?" Angie repeated wondering what Lane was thinking, because her eyes were dancing.
Lane shifted closer pulling Angie onto her side so they lay face to face, their noses brushing. "I don't wanna talk about that."
"No?"
She hummed as her hand trailed down Angie's side and along the back of her thigh before cupping the back of her knee and pulling her leg over Lane's hip bringing her closer, hearing Angie's small gasp at the contact. "I'd rather enjoy my last few minutes with you until your curfew," she said kissing the tip of Angie's nose, then her cheek, and her chin. Hearing how deep her breathing was growing as her tongue snaked out to lick her lips in aching anticipation. "And," she had a hand cupping Angie's cheek bringing her close enough to graze her mouth, "I'd like to ask if you wanted to go out with me this weekend."
She was almost panting from Lane's teasing, how close she'd come to kissing her that had Angie straining to lean forward before Lane would pull back, her fingertips ghosting the inside of her thigh as she pulled her hips more against hers. "Yes, just kiss me," she pleaded breathless and needy.
Enjoying her fun Lane pressed a soft kiss to Angie's impatient mouth, and she smiled against her as Angie got her arms around Lane's shoulders deepening it. Angie rolled them so she was on top of Lane straddling her waist, pausing with her mouth still on Lane's as she caught her breath before she was kissing her again.
A high pitched wail filled the room and Angie sighed with a disappointed whimper as she grabbed her phone off the coffee table and silenced her alarm. She liked having her parents home, she'd really missed them, but those few weeks of staying with Lane and never having to leave spoiled her rotten. It made leaving now that much harder. "I wish we had one more minute," she said rolling off of Lane because if she didn't put space between them she'd never leave.
"One more minute wouldn't give you what you wanted," Lane said as she stood with Angie and waited as she pulled on her shoes before opening the door letting in the cool night air that ran along their flushed skin. "So go home, kiss your parents goodnight, and think of me when you're lying bed knowing that I'm gonna be thinking about you."
Shaking her head Angie grinned knowing what Lane meant, and she leaned forward kissing her goodbye. "I'll see you in the morning, you big tease."
Lane stood in the doorway watching Angie walk across the lawn and waited until Angie had closed her front door before she stepped back to close her own door. But her eyes fell to the house across the street having caught the dim lamp in the window illuminating Grant partially, enough to see his head was turned looking at Angie's house. An ugly terrifying loathing filled every inch of her until she was someone almost unrecognizable, her eyes filled with a dark hatred, her face contorted with rage.
She was so quick he didn't realize she was coming until she was storming up his driveway and throwing his door open hard enough it pushed him back as he tried to meet her, to keep her out.
It was a halfway house, a sleeping bag set up on the living room floor, trash bags filled with take out, the table was set up by the window with binoculars a gun and a rag. The binoculars were unnecessary, especially since he'd broken her blinds in her bedroom and removed the curtains she had in the living room – all he needed to see was their coloring, but his want was an entirely different matter. And she knew exactly what he used that rag for.
"How hard is it for you?" she asked stepping closer, forcing him a step back because Hiram told him he wasn't to put a hand on her without his order, "knowing the closest you're ever gonna get to her is watching me make her come?" Her smile was a slash across her mouth, her eyes dangerously sharp as she forced him back so that the table with the gun was closer to her. "I can imagine how crazy that'd drive a person so I'm only gonna say this once; if you come at her in any way there isn't a hole you could bury yourself in that I wouldn't find you."
He hadn't understood why she was such a big threat to Lodge, she was small and made weak by the people she cared for, easy to get to. But he thought he might understand now, her love didn't make her weak it made her vicious. And he reeled back when she grabbed the gun off the table. "Lane," he said, it was supposed to be a warning but his voice was thin and even he could hear his worry.
Seeing he was right where she wanted him, afraid of her, she smiled in a way that made her look half crazed. A loose cannon. "I'm gonna put my blinds back up." He opened his mouth to give the response he had planned, rehearsed, but she beat him to it. "Go tell Hiram you suspect I sneak out, I'd be more than happy to have a sit down with him to discuss this." Her tone was almost pleasant, her voice level and calm. But it lowered back to its normal monotone cadence as she told him, "and I'm keeping the gun."
Leaving him heaving and enraged as she headed back across the street, grabbing the curtains she'd found folded in her closet last week and she worked them back onto the metal bar above the window. She looked at the house across the street seeing Grant standing at his window watching her, and with a coy little wave she jerked the curtains shut.
.^.
Lane stayed true to her word bringing dinner for the Serpents with Angie in tow, the girls set everything up and stepped back ready to head to Pops because Lane had been in the mood for a burger. The Serpents had gathered around the table, having been told by Jughead last night after she left that she was in fact no longer a Serpent. He hadn't given them a reason why, and quite frankly he didn't have one to give. They watched the way she and Jughead stood on opposite sides of the table not speaking, so they spoke for him. "You two already eat?" one of the older Serpents asked the girls.
This is what Lane had been waiting for, whether they'd still extend welcome to her or if they'd push her away. Like they would've done last year, so it had Lane swallowing thickly as she looked at the group seeing them all waiting for her. She looked over at Angie who smiled faintly squeezing her hand and Lane turned back to them and answered, "not yet."
Mac stepped forward grabbing a plate for both of them and it was passed down to the Serpents in line who filled it for them, and then they were led to a couch as the others settled in near them. "Lane, dearest, pray tell why you won't come back?" Cheryl asked innocently from where she sat on Toni's lap.
Lane knew what she was after, so did Jughead Betty and FP who all waited for Lane to snidely throw Jughead under the bus as the sole reason she wasn't a Serpent. But Lane took a deep, unhappy, breath glancing at Angie out of the corner of her eye before looking to Jughead. "We both agreed I needed a break, especially with college interviews around the corner and me leaving in the summer."
Jughead blinked surprised by how civil she was being, respectful that others followed him even though she wouldn't – it surprised Betty too, and Sweet Pea who knew earlier that year she wouldn't have hesitated to call him out. But FP hid his smile behind his drink proud of their girl. The next hour passed quickly, Lane answering several questions about her admitting that she'd decided to go to a college out of state and whether she planned to eventually come home.
But Lane settled back on the couch with a hand on Angie's leg feeling Angie running her thumb over her knuckles, and Lane turned looking at that sweet face. "You know, I haven't planned that far ahead." A quiet shocked murmur spread through them hearing that, Sweet Pea especially because she couldn't function sometimes without making a plan first. But Angie raised a brow curiously and Lane grinned. "Obviously I've thought about the different possible paths I could take, and yes most of them do lead back here, but nothing's set in stone."
Angie intertwined their fingers saying quietly, "that's my girl."
She didn't say that often but it had every butterfly in the world fluttering in Lane's stomach to hear it, my girl. "Well this has been great and we'll do it again tomorrow," she said turning to the others, "but if you don't mind I'd like to spend some time with my girlfriend."
The two girls stood making their way back to their car, leaving behind a chorus of goodbyes and see you laters. But one Serpent followed hoping Lane's civility included her as well. "Lane," Betty said reaching a hand to her arm, but she knew not to grab her.
With a sigh Lane turned having really hoped the evening would end on a positive note, she should've known nothing would ever be that easy. "Betty, stop."
"I wanted to apologize," Betty said wanting to get that part out. "I shouldn't have tried pressuring you into giving a statement, either time," she added before Lane could ask. "But I've got so much to tell you about what Attorney McCoy I found."
"Stop," Lane said in a low growl forced between her teeth. "The man in the car behind me works for Hiram," she told her in a hushed whisper. Seeing Betty's eyes widen with understanding Lane straightened shaking her head and said at normal volume, "idiot." She turned sharing a look with Angie as they climbed into Lane's car and drove home.
.^.
Lane and Angie let themselves into Riverdale High in the back entrance Jughead used to use when he slept in one of the closets, and they walked quickly through the empty halls making their way to the room set up for the Blue and Gold where Betty was waiting.
"I will slap that apology out of your mouth."
Betty closed her mouth and nodded, knowing Lane didn't mean the apology wasn't needed but rather that she wouldn't accept it. So Betty got down to business, because it's how Lane operated and it was what would get Betty the farthest. She listed everything she'd found: the Sisters had been disbanded by the Vatican over sixty years ago, they'd convinced Sister Woodhouse to testify against Hiram for testing drugs on the kids, adding Hiram's involvement with Lane's kidnapping and treatment they had a pretty solid case.
Lane was mulling that over, adding the photographic evidence she and Angie had gotten a couple weeks ago of Hiram having the lab in the prison wiped clean as well as her case file recounting his visit to her, it was good. But there was a nagging in the back of Lane's mind, an uneasy respect for the man and his likeness to a cockroach in it being almost impossible to keep him down.
"What do you think, hun?" Angie asked adding up the same evidence Lane was and knowing she was at least considering it. But Lane was a cautious player, a smart one, it's why she'd made it this long.
Lane looked up at Betty's hopeful stare and shook her head, hearing her heavy sigh as she turned away frustrated. "I'm gonna be honest," she said waiting until Betty turned around to face her, the disappointed irritation clear on her face, "you screwed me over without any thought."
"I didn't know,"
"No, you didn't know," Lane said raising her voice cutting Betty off. "And that's not your fault, but you told me you figured Hiram was involved in everything that happened to me and you were still that reckless. So I don't trust you enough to tell you anything I have on him, in the worry you might find yourself close to getting him and admit the evidence I'm hiding to use as your own leverage – which will get me killed." She took a breath seeing Betty look down shaking her head, wanting to defend herself but knowing Lane wouldn't let her. "So," she started meeting Betty's cautiously curious stare when she looked up, "if he's arrested and standing trial, and I believe it has a chance of sticking, I'll come forward with what I have. But that will be my decision, I think you've realized by now it can't be bullied out of me."
Considering how poorly their last two conversations had gone this was better than Betty could've asked for, it wasn't what she'd been hoping for but it was at least something. And Betty really did think they could get Hiram for this. "I wasn't trying to bully you," Betty told her with a quiet earnestness. "And I am sorry."
Lane hummed not buying that since she went to her boyfriend the other day to try to bully it out of her, after already knowing she'd screwed things up for Lane. "Next time I won't be as nice," Lane said watching Betty's brow twitch before she nodded. Having said her piece Lane turned to where Angie stood to her right and asked, "anything you wanna add, monkey?"
Angie had been quietly observing the interaction noting the tension that ran through it, Lane was willing to yield to make things easier for other people involved but Betty was smart enough to know not to push. But Betty relaxed a little when she turned to Angie, mistaking the nice girl for someone weaker than Lane. "I'm not a violent person even though I've gotten close a few times in the past two months; so Lane's hands are the only ones you need to worry about being thrown. But if you in any way put her life in danger again I will seep into every corner of your life and chip away at everything you have going for you, turning every person you care about against you, until the only thing you have left is your own self hatred."
Betty swallowed thickly feeling that threat hit harder than Lane's, at seeing someone so kind turn almost malicious. Jughead was wrong about these two, Angie wasn't just softening Lane's edges she was giving her an equally as dangerous ally – and now Lane wasn't a Serpent, which meant they couldn't keep her reigned in.
"I think we're done here," Angie said with a pleasant smile as she turned from Betty to Lane, and she hummed at the heat behind Lane's eyes.
Slipping an arm around Angie's waist Lane opened the door and they stepped out into the hall. "You are so hot when you're protective," Lane said having not seen that side of her before. It lit a fire in Lane that burned hot enough to consume her.
"What can I say," Angie said as they stopped next to their lockers, getting her hands around Lane's hips and pulling her closer, "you bring out the worst in me. And I really like that."
"Yeah?"
Angie nodded drawing Lane closer, seeing the uncertainty in her pale eyes that Angie might still decide she didn't want her. Eventually Angie would convince Lane that was never gonna happen. "I've always wanted to be more than the nice girl, or the good girl who does what she's supposed to. And I feel like I can with you, cause I know you have my back."
Lane's arms came around Angie's shoulders and a slow smile spread on her mouth. "And no matter what you'll always come for me." Their smiling mouths met in the middle for a warm embrace and they held each other soaking it in before they heard voices at the other end of the hall and pulled away, their eyes shining and their mouths still curled. Lane held her hand up with only her pinky extended and Angie grinned linking hers with Lanes as they headed for first period.
…
Lane knew there was a lot of tension and built-up frustrations within the Serpents, Cheryl was keeping her apprised voicing her own irritation with Jughead and his new 'code' in the privacy of Lane's home. She'd warned Cheryl to be careful, something Cheryl wasn't in the mood to be.
So Lane knew things were rocky when a frantic knock sounded on her door that night but she was still surprised to find a teary eyed Fangs on her doorstep. "I messed up Lane," he told her in a broken voice. "He kicked me out, I don't, what am I." He looked at her helplessly knowing he didn't have a right to be here, but when he left the camp all he'd wanted was her. "Lane," he whimpered so horribly lost.
Without thought Lane gathered her arms around him pulling him against her, feeling him bury his face in the crook of her neck as he clung to her, enjoying the feel of her holding him. She looked over Fangs' shoulder to where Sweet Pea sat on his bike having driven after Fangs once FP let him go. "I got him," she told him and he nodded offering a small, sad, smile before he drove back to camp. Holding Fangs a few moments longer she pulled back keeping a hand around his back. "Come on, I think it's time you finally tell me what's been going on."
Lane sat beside him on the couch with her legs curled under her holding his hand as he explained everything that'd happened in the last few weeks after finding out how sick his mom was, what he'd done for money, that Jughead gave him a second chance but Cheryl and Toni threw him under the bus when Jughead came after them for stealing from Lodge. And he was here having dried his eyes and was holding fast to her not remembering why he'd ever let her go.
"Did you really think I'd hate you for selling his drugs?" she asked in a quiet voice, clearly hurt he thought that little of her.
Which he didn't, it was him he thought so little of. "After everything Lodge put you through I just," he didn't want to let her down. "I know how hard things were for you there," she'd come home with nightmares and a severe disquiet. "And I know what money's been like for you since the accident. I didn't wanna be another thing you had to deal with."
"Hey," she said gently, reaching a hand to his cheek feeling him lean into her as he looked at her with wide guilty eyes, "baby boy, you know I love you. So I don't have to deal with anything, I'm here for you and that means your problems are mine."
He wasn't used to that kind of love, one that was complete without condition, the only love Lane knew how to give which was why she kept herself so guarded. "I'm so sorry," he told her sniffing loudly as he wiped his eyes.
She nodded seeing that clearly, she'd been seeing it, but that didn't take away how much he'd hurt her. "I know, and I'll be mad at you later," she told him, planning to give him an earful. But not tonight, tonight she was fine being his friend. And he nodded scooting low on the couch to lay his head on her chest as she wrapped her arms around him, and though his heart was broken he felt safe. Loved.
.^.
Lane heard all about that night from Cheryl, who wasn't hiding her distaste for Jughead now that he'd kicked her and Toni out. Lane had listened to Cheryl's self righteous ranting asking rhetorically who he thought he was to do this to TT, because Cheryl wasn't as mad about herself but she was infuriated he'd done it to Toni. But Cheryl turned around mid-rant, looking for Lane's half hearted agreements, but she quieted when she saw Lane standing with an arm around Toni's back as a means of comfort that Toni was gratefully leaning into.
…
With an almost lightness to him Fangs stood at his locker pulling out what he needed and threw it shut, a small startled half cry left him at seeing Lane on the other side. Her brows were in the beginning stages of drawing together, her straight mouth prepared to frown, her arms crossed. "Morning," he offered her not seeing even a fraction of a change in her expression.
"Were you gonna hide this from me too?" she asked in a level tone, giving him a chance before she decided what level of pissed she wanted to be.
He sighed looking across the hall to where Sweet Pea was quickly grabbing his things so he could scurry away without her seeing him. "Did Sweet Pea tell you what Jughead offered?" he asked hoping he had but knowing she was too calm right now to know.
"He tried to but I wanted you to have the opportunity."
This was Fangs' second chance, something he knew she didn't give often and that she wouldn't give him again. So he told her, and he watched the calm slowly drain from her face as a scalding rage lit her eyes.
He was talking to Betty when Lane suddenly came between them grabbing the collar of his shirt and dragged him with her down the hall. "Lane, what the hell?" Jughead demanded trying to pull her off.
"Shut up," she hissed pulling him down the senior's hall and toward where Angie was standing with Mac. "I need you to make sure I don't hurt him," she told Angie as she stalked past still holding fast to Jughead who trailed after her unwilling.
Finding an empty classroom she shoved him away from her as Angie shut the door, and he fixed the collar on his jacket before looking at Lane's daring face. "I take it Fangs told you," he said not needing to ask. Nothing else would have her standing across from him with murder in her eyes.
"And Cheryl, not to mention Toni – who, may I remind you, is the only reason you were able to join the Serpents in the first place," Lane said in a harsh tone without hesitation.
Jughead shook his head seeing he'd been right when he first thought Cheryl and Lane were his wildcards, only now he was understanding what Betty told him the other day about how Lane not being a Serpent made her potentially dangerous to them. "And I'm sure you know they stole from Hiram Lodge, after I put a ban on crime outlining this exact punishment for breaking it. It's not like you to jump into something without all the facts," he said, and knew from the way her arms dropped to her side that'd been a mistake.
Angie saw Lane taking a fighting stance, knew it'd only take one more word for her to lunge at him. So she stepped between them putting Lane at her back, knowing Lane wouldn't so much as push her out of the way. "Here's one: you got the Serpents jobs working as security for the speakeasy where a minor buys and smuggles alcohol over the border to be sold to other minors and I'm almost positive they don't have a liquor license."
From behind Angie's cool face Lane fixed Jughead with a proud stare and stated simply, "fact." Sweet Pea had told her that too. "And since the crime-free gang now has employment I can stop shoveling the money I have left into feed you."
"You know, Lane," Jughead said almost not recognizing the girl in front of him and it wasn't just the hair, "that selfish attitude is only proving why you're no longer a Serpent. Where's your honor?"
Lane's brow cocked like a weapon and Angie's face curled with anger as she stepped aside letting Lane through, and she stalked towards Jughead like a cat to its prey. "Playing nice is over. This rant is a three-parter so strap yourself in," she said through bared teeth, backing him against the chalkboard. "First, I'm not a Serpent because you got addicted to a game I refused to play and are now trying to cover your ass – so don't talk to me honor. Second, I was spending upwards of five hundred dollars a week to feed the Serpents. That's two grand in a month, a month you weren't even here. Which brings me to the third: if a hair so much as falls out of place on Fangs' head I will worm my way through your ranks and incite a mutiny. And you know me Jughead, I won't stop until I have your head on a pike."
She stepped back looking up at him as he remained quiet, as he realized how completely he'd turned her against him. And he had to wonder, with how often she opposed him before, if it was always leading to this. "You don't want me as your enemy Jug, and you're getting really goddamn close."
For several moments they stood holding each other's scathing gaze, neither one willing to back down. Then Lane turned to Angie holding out a hand that she took as they left him wondering what kind of mistake he'd just made.
.^.
Meet me at La Bonne Nuit Lane held the handwritten note signed with a red stained kiss and looked down at the black dress Angie had laid out on the bed with heels. Pursing her mouth around a smile Lane went to the bathroom and paused looking at herself in the mirror – at the smudge of grime on her jaw from the auto shop, her cold pale eyes, the dark hair that had grown to two inches and she could now part.
The corner of her mouth curled as a thought came to her and she pulled out the shears she'd learned how to use cutting the sides of Fangs' head over the summer every few weeks, and dark tufts of hair fell in small clumps into the sink until all that was left covering her scalp was a fine dusting of black hair. Dusting herself off she looked once more into the mirror at the girl with the sharp lethal features, she was softer in some ways but in others she was downright nasty, and she decided that she liked her.
Cleaning up and showering Lane did her makeup, painting her mouth with a deep plum lipstick. She then went to her room pulling on the dress that hugged her figure knowing Angie had picked it because of that, then the heels before she headed out.
She pulled into the lot at Pops and headed inside, meeting Reggie at the door who whistled when he saw her as he led her down. "You're in for a treat tonight," he said taking her a table that was positioned center to the stage.
Meeting his smirk with suspicion she looked to where Veronica was making her way onstage, whose eyes found Lane and smiled. "Things will be a little different tonight," Veronica said looking at the sea of smiling faces filling her speakeasy as the lights dimmed to fit the sultry atmosphere. "The entertainment this evening will be shared between yours truly and a new friend. So please join me in welcoming Angela Harper to the stage."
While everyone clapped Lane gaped at seeing Angie moving across the stage to stand behind the microphone. Her yellow hair was pulled back with a neat strand framing her face, her dress was a lovely blush with its details sewn in gold, and as always Lane was left speechless at the sight of her.
She smiled sweetly at where Lane sat, finding her gothic chic look stunning. "I'm pretty sure Josie's an impossible act to follow, so this will be very different." Veronica had asked her halfway through the week if she was interested in performing that weekend, because Lane wasn't shy about loving Angie's voice and her father's goons had scared off Josie for the time being. "This will be a slower evening, and I admit I picked every song with one person in mind."
The two shared a heavy look across the floor as Angie slid behind the piano, and her thin nimble fingers hovered over the keys as she took a breath and started to sing. It was slow at first, her voice the kind of quiet that made it feel intimate getting everyone's attention before she put more power behind it. Lane didn't recognize the song, which is what Angie had been going for when she picked it so that when she finally got to the part she wanted to sing to Lane it'd floor her.
I know I could be more creative and come up with poetic lines, but I'm turnt up upstairs and I love you – the way she'd sung it, so thick with conviction as she looked across the bar, Lane knew she meant it - is the only thing that's on my mind.
As Angie's voice soared with an aching beauty over such sweet words Lane sat watching her breathless as water filled her eyes, feeling too much to contain. She'd only felt like this with one other person, and she'd likened it to the feeling of coming home – yes it was warm and safe but it'd been too much, too needy, she'd lost herself when she lost him because he'd been her home and he took it with him when he left her. But this, with Angie, it felt like hope. The kind that turned on the lights and made flowers grow.
When Angie's set was done and Veronica was gearing up to take over she made her way to where Lane sat patiently waiting. Angie leaned across the table placing a quick kiss to Lane's dark-stained mouth before she slid into the booth across from her.
"You were amazing," Lane told her sounding proud, knowing that'd been the first time she'd sung in front of an audience. And she saw Angie's sweet humble smile as she looked down thanking her quietly. "And I love you," seemed to spring out of her with no warning.
Angie's face melted to one of slack jawed surprise to hear those words said so open and honest, and without an ounce of fear. Because they weren't butterflies or nervous fluttering, they were comfortable and safe, they'd seen the worst parts of each other they normally tried to hide and had decided that was the part they loved most. "I love you too," she told her, feeling like if she never said anything again then that would've been enough.
A soft, easy, smile spread over Lane's mouth and she reached for Angie's hand holding fast to it, swearing she could feel her pulse fluttering in her palm. "I've got you one more day," Lane said, because her parents had agreed to let Angie stay with Lane Friday night til Sunday's curfew, "wanna go for a drive? We can see the stars, find a place to watch the sunrise, roll around in the backseat." The last one earned a little laugh from Angie and she nodded, thinking in that moment she'd go anywhere with her.
Stopping by Lane's house to change and pack a few things in a large purse they headed out into the night with the windows down singing every song that came on the radio drunk off of nothing but each other. And behind them, with his lights off, Grant followed with a gun set on the passenger's side seat. Before the night was up that gun would go off, one of them wouldn't live to see morning.