Chapter 29 - Who is 'Jug-head'?

"What's wrong?" Jughead asked seriously into his phone.

"We need you, right now, police station."


"Fuck..." Jughead exhaled. "I'll be right there. See you in twenty." He confirmed, ending the call.

"Juggie, is everything okay?" Betty asked with concern.

"Pack up, we're going." Jughead told her sternly before turning to the water. "We're going!" He called, they both turned to look at him with upset expressions. "Now!" Jughead growled, portraying the urgency. They made their way out of the water as quickly as possible, following his tone.

By the time they made it back to the bank, Betty had stashed everything into Toni's backpack other than the clothes they would need to get dressed back into.

Both bikes ripped out of the gravel lot, leaving a cloud of dust in their path. All Jughead had told Sweet Pea was that 'Nuke called, they're at the police station', it was all that needed saying before they were running back through the thick trees to their vehicles.

As they made their way to the bikes Jughead had told Betty there was no time to drop her off anywhere else and she was going to have to come with them. Betty tried to not be obvious in the fact that it excited her. He had - very unintentionally – forced her into 'serpent business'. He was certainly not as happy about it as she was.

When they pulled up to the Police station they both pulled into a single car bay close to the entrance. For the amount of motorbike riders in Riverdale, there certainly wasn't much allocated motorbike parking bays. They had always chalked that up to an act of rebellion towards their kind, 'bikies', from the mayor. She had never been a fan of the Serpents, though she did love to shoot blame for every and any issue that she could to them. The Ghoulies had only been around for a few years, most people on the northside didn't know much about them, or still thought they fell under the Serpents.

"Betty, just stay here." Jughead instructed as he hopped off the bike.

"I can't even go in and say hello to Sheriff Keller?" Betty asked. Jughead gave her a very odd look. "He's my best friend's dad." She added.

Jughead rolled his eyes and shook his head. "I don't have time for that. I need to speak to Keller." He huffed in frustration, taking a few backwards steps towards the station. "Also, the very last thing you need is to be seen with the Serpents by every cop in this town, especially your best friend's dad." Jughead reasoned.

Betty did not disagree, that would very quickly get back to her parents; she was not ready to deal with that, at least not yet. She nodded and the three serpents set off towards the station doors, leaving her in the parking lot.

As soon as they entered, Jughead went straight to the counter. "I'm here in regards to-" Jughead began before he was cut off by a voice behind him.

"Mr. Jones." Sheriff Keller voice, stealing Jughead's attention. "I've been expecting you."

"Keller, always such a pleasure." Jughead greeted sarcastically. The sheriff let out a single, unamused chuckle.

"Why don't you come with me? Mr. Stanton refuses to speak without you present." Good. All of the serpents knew that if they ever got into any kind of trouble with the cops, they didn't speak without their leader.

Jughead followed Sheriff Keller back to the interrogation rooms, down the passage that held the 'waiting room'. Nuke was slumped in a chair, he looked up to Jughead with his lips pursed and brow furrowed. Nuke gave him a single nod; one of appreciation, apology and general acknowledgement.

The sheriff led him into a room, a black and white number '3' on the door. Sitting on a stiff metal chair with their left wrist hand cuffed to the metal table, was Ricky. As soon as his eyes landed on the Serpent leader they washed with relief.

Jughead took a seat in the uncomfortable metal chair beside his friend, the sheriff opposite them.

"So, Mr. Stanton was apprehended this morning fleeing from the scene of a robbery." The sheriff stated. Jughead crossed his arms across his chest, leaning back in his chair and sending the sheriff a blank expression. "A staff member of the Southside General Store was held at gun point and forced to hand over the contents of the register by a man in a black ski mask and leather jacket. Only minutes after the distress alarm was engaged Mr. Stanton was found one street away in the possession of a firearm." He explained. Jughead looked over to Ricky who subtly shook his head.

"I don't believe there is any legal issue for him to carry his gun." Jughead stated, confidently.

"No, he does possess the right to carry the firearm, at his age and having no previous convictions. That is not the issue at hand." Sheriff Keller replied.

"Was he found in possession of the stolen cash or the ski mask for that matter?" Jughead questioned.

"You are not here to question to me, Mr. Jones." The sheriff rebutted, becoming agitated.

"I believe I am still entitle to the answer." Jughead returned, a single brow cocked in expectance.

"He was not. However, he had adequate time to hide those items prior to being detained." Sheriff Keller informed. Jughead knew he hadn't done this; Ricky had confirmed it with the small shake of his head. The sheriff turned his attention to Ricky, before posing his question.

"Can you explain why you were fleeing the scene of the crime, Mr. Stanton." He interrogated.

Ricky sat up straighter in his seat, willing to finally speak now that Jughead was there. Even though he was completely innocent in what they were accusing him of, he knew he wasn't allowed to talk to the cops without Jughead there. "I was at the thrift shop, not the general store, when I got a call from my friend who was waiting for me down the road. He told me something came up and he needed to head off. So, because I'm not an asshole, I was jogging to get back to him so he didn't have to wait and you lot rocked up and tackled me for no damn reason. I have a receipt from the thrift shop in the stuff you guys took off me if you want it." Ricky explained face scrunched up in frustration.

"It would be fairly easy to make a purchase at the thrift shop and go across the street to the general store." Sheriff pointed out. Ricky rolled his eyes and sat back in his chair, as much as his cuffed wrist would allow. He'd said what he needed to say, he knew Jughead would take over from here.

"Your pulling at straws here, Keller. You have nothing but heavily circumstantial evidence against him, it can hardly be called evidence – it's simply assumptions." Jughead said leaning forward, to brace his crossed arms on the cool metal of the table between them. "Half of the population of Southside wears a leather jacket, if he were going to rob the general store – which he wouldn't and didn't – he wouldn't park his bike two blocks away." Jughead was starting to get riled up, he took a deep breath to calm himself. "He just found himself in the general proximity of a crime and happened to be in a hurry." He finalised.

The sheriff just stared at Jughead, with a slightest hint of a glare. Before looking over to Ricky who looked utterly unimpressed and completely over this situation.

"I'm going to need to speak to your friend to corroborate your story." The Sheriff stated.

"Yeah, well he's out there." Ricky gestured to the door, obviously it was Nuke. Jughead stood, clapping his hand on Ricky's shoulder before making his way to the door.

"Then let's go talk to him, Keller." Jughead said, knowing full well that Nuke would also not talk to the Sheriff without Jughead present.

The sheriff made it clear to Jughead that he was in no way to hint at any part of Ricky's story to Nuke to truthfully corroborate stories. After the Sheriff lead him and Nuke into a room beside the one that held Ricky, they were sat at the same kind of metal table on the same terrible metal chairs.

Jughead gave permission to Nuke - in the form of a nod - to answer the sheriff's questions. Nukes story lined up exactly with Ricky's, just as Jughead expected. The cops in this town strived to pin blame to any serpent they could. Jughead seemed to spend half his time getting his men out of false arrests.

It was an hour later that the serpents all left the station, the Sheriff finally realising he had no leg to stand on to hold Ricky. Although he told Ricky 'not to leave town', while they investigated further. Jughead spotted Betty as soon as he made it through the doors. She was straddling his bike, one hand bracing the handle bars and the other playing on her phone. She was clad in only her denim shorts and Toni's red bikini top, her blouse tucked into her back pocket. She looked hot as sin.

Jughead let out a loud wolf whistle and her attention shot to him, and the other serpents, approaching her. She blushed and tucked her phone into her pocket.

"It's really hot out here." She defended her lack of clothing.

"Damn right she's hot." Toni chuckled. Jughead sent her a quick glare before returning a grin to his girl on his bike.

"You drivin'?" Jughead asked when he was only a few steps away. She chuckled and shuffled back on the seat to make room for him.

"Ricky, Nuke." Betty acknowledged as they walked up behind Jughead. "No one's left in there, are they?" She asked with concern. She still had no idea why there were at the police station, she only knew that Nuke had called.

"Nah, it was me they were trying to get." Ricky replied.

"Well, I'm very glad to see you walking out… unscathed?" Betty said in question.

"Not a scratch, Blondie." Ricky assured with a wink. Jughead glared at his friend, making flirty little gestures at Betty. He knew it was harmless and Ricky meant nothing by it, it still managed to irritate Jughead.

"So, drinks at the Wyrm to celebrate JJ's fantastic lawyer skills?" Nuke suggested. Betty was curious as to what exactly Jughead's roll was in the situation, she hadn't really thought much into it though she hadn't imagined him 'playing lawyer'.

"I really should be heading home." Betty commented to Jughead who was settling onto the bike in front of her. It was late Sunday afternoon and Betty had, yet again, not been home since Friday, Friday morning before school to be precise.

"That sucks." Toni sighed. "You should just come move in at the Wyrm." She added with a chuckle.

"We can only dream." Jughead said with a chuckle. Betty sent a curious expression to the back of his head. He'd just implied he wanted her to move in with him, right? Betty was only seventeen, still in school and her parents would never allow that. They didn't even know Betty had a boyfriend, let alone who he was. Despite those points, living with him would be amazing. She could wake up to him every morning, never have to miss him like she did during the week. "I'll catch ya' back at the Wyrm in a bit." Jughead told his friends, sparking life into the bike beneath them.

Betty wrapped her arms around his middle and they peeled out of the car park towards her house, which wasn't very far from the police station that was also located on the north side.

They pulled up around the corner, as he always does. As she went to hand him his helmet his hand encased her wrist and pulled her into him where he pressed his lips to hers.

"Thank you for another amazing weekend. Never a dull day with you." She said after their lips parted, yet her arms stayed around his neck and his on her hips.

"I can be dull." He chuckled.

"Hardly." She smirked, placing a chase kiss to his lips before pulling away. "I'll message you." She told him as he pulled the helmet over his head.

"Lookin' forward to it." He said with a wink. "See ya', Betts."

"See ya', Juggie." She returned with a smile, turning on her heel and heading around the corner to her house. When she made it to the walk way that led to her house she spotted her mother standing on the front porch.

"Oh," betty gasped in surprise, her mother cocked an eyebrow at her. "Hey mom." Betty greeted.

"Good afternoon, Elizabeth. Where have you been?" Her mother asked, a hint of irritation in her tone. She seemed unimpressed, her brow set low and arms crossed. Betty heard the loud exhaust of Jugheads motorbike take off past her street, her house was only three down from the corner where he'd dropped her off.

"Out with friends." Betty replied casually, fighting against the urge to glace at Jughead riding away.

"Not with Veronica, I'm guessing. Last I checked, she didn't ride a motorbike." Her mother said, eyebrow cocked in question and insinuation. Betty's face drained of all colour. Shit! "I saw two people on that bike when it rode past, I wasn't sure it was you. But then you come around the corner and suddenly there's only one speeding off." Alice said, her expression of anger growing.

"Um, well…" Betty stuttered, finally making it up to the porch.

"Who was that, Elizabeth?" Alice's tone was verging on furious.

"Calm down, mom. That was just my friend, Jughead." Betty said, trying to keep the terribly guilty feeling out of her expression.

"And just who is 'Jug-head'?" Alice asked, tapping her toe on the wooden planks of the deck. Alice was essentially a walking, talking lie detector. As much as Betty very much did not want to have to face this right now, because she was not prepared, she knew she had to be more or less honest with her mother.

"He's actually a guy I have been seeing." Betty admitted, Alices eyes widened as if they were about to fall from their sockets.

"Excuse me?" She asked, shocked. Anger flushed her face once again and she grabbed Betty's arm, pulling her towards the door. "Get inside, right now." She ordered, pulling her to do so.

"Mom, you're hurting my arm!" Betty protested as Alice closed the door behind them and finally released her arm.

"What are you doing getting on the back of a motorbike with some hormone-fuelled boy?!" Alice yelled. Betty just furrowed her brow, lips set in a frown, she had no idea how to answer that or what her mother expected her to say. "A guy you've been seeing? Seeing how? How long? Who is he?" Alice interrogated. Betty rolled her eyes and let out a gust of air. "Do not roll your eyes at me, Elizabeth! Answer me, right now."

"He's a friend of mine, we've hung out a few times over the past few weeks." Betty admitted.

"You have not asked to 'hang out' with any boys." Alice fumed.

"I'm seventeen mom, not twelve. You don't make me ask you to hang out with Archie or Kevin." Betty protested.

"Yes, well, I know Archie and Kevin, they are good boys. I have no idea who this jug-head is, and he's not off to a good start putting you on the back of that death trap!" Alice said, hands gripping her hips firmly.

"You need to calm down, you're being crazy." Betty huffed.

"I'm being crazy?" Alice protested.

"Yes." Betty said simply. Alice closed her eyes, taking a deep breath in attempt to calm herself.

"How do you know this jug-head, does he go to your school? I've never heard about him before." Alice questioned.

"You don't have to keep saying his name like that." Betty said, rolling her eyes. Her mother shot her a glare. "No, he doesn't go to school." She blurted, instantly regretting it. Alice's eyes widened.

"Doesn't go to school? Is he a worthless drop out or are you running around with some disgusting forty-year-old paedophile?!" Alice screeched. Betty took a step back shocked by her mother's volume and insinuation.

"Jesus, mom! No, he's only twenty!" Betty protested. Alice's eyes did not settle back to normal.

"Twenty?!" She spat.

"That's three years difference mum. What's dad? Like five years older than you?" Betty countered.

"That is completely besides the point!" Alice demanded. "Should he not be off at collage?" She said judgingly.

"He is in college. He studies at Boston University." Betty said. Alice only briefly let that impress her before she set back to her outrage.

"You are far to young to be involved with a collage boy!" Alice looked like she was about to pop a blood vessel.

"I'll be in college myself, next year!" Betty demanded.

"And maybe then you can think of seeing college boys!" Alice insisted. Betty took a deep breath and started making her way to the stairs. "Do not walk away from me, Elizabeth." Alice scolded.

"You're being completely irrational, mom!" Betty yelled, turning back to her mother, "I'll talk to you once you calm down, I'm going for a shower." She informed her before stomping up the stairs.


Half an hour later Betty sat in her room, freshly showered and changed into her pyjamas – even though it was only five in the afternoon – school books scattered on the bed in front of her.

There was a knock on her door, Betty rolled her eyes at the white painted wood.

"Yes?" Betty invited calmly. Alice opened the door and stepped into the room. Her furious expression from earlier replaced with a calmer one though her brows still furrowed slightly.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you." Alice apologised solemnly, not meeting the eyes of her daughter.

"Thank you" Betty responded appreciatively, marking her page and closing the book in front of her to look at her mother. "That was all entirely unnecessary."

"I don't think it was entirely unnecessary…" Alice replied, taking a seat on the end of Betty's bed.

"Mom…" Betty started, but Alice held up a hand.

"I just worry about you. Motorbikes are hardly safe and I don't know this boy you're suddenly spending time with." She said, Betty could see the effort she was using to keep calm.

"Motorbikes are just about as safe as cars." Betty said and Alice scoffed. "Have you never ridden on a motobike?" Betty questioned. Surely in her mothers forty something years, she'd done so at least once. Alice didn't reply, she simply diverted her attention to the floor. Betty took that as a 'Yes, I have'.

"So, tell me about Jughead." Alice said switching the questioning back to Betty. She also finally managed to not state his name as if in were a swear word. Betty inhaled deeply.

"He's an absolutely lovely person. He's very nice and funny. He's very protective of me and always stands up for me." Betty explained. "And he is very, very good looking." Alice smiled ever so slightly before looking back to Betty.

"What does he need to protect you from and stand up for you for?" Alice queried, concern edged in her voice.

"Everything and anything. A lot of people at school are not very nice to me and just generally when we're out and about." Betty said. She kept her answers all entirely truthful, very strictly staying away from any link to the Southside gangs she now found herself involved with.

"I didn't know you were having a hard time at school. He doesn't sound… all bad." Alice said, she didn't even convince herself with her words, let alone Betty. "Does he live around here or in Boston?" Alice asked.

"Around here, he studies online." Alice nodded at Betty's answer.

"So, close by?" She probed. Alice didn't often see Motorbikes in northside, she didn't get a good look at the boy, but hadn't recognised anything about him. The first thing she had looked for was a leather jacket, an item that usually covered the motorbike riders around Riverdale. She had seen no leather or green snake emblems for that matter. He had only been wearing swimming trunks and a t-shirt.

"In Southside." Betty confirmed reluctantly. Alice sighed.

"What are you doing getting mixed up with Southsiders? They're not good news, Betty." Her mother told her. Betty was well aware of her mother's views on Southside, being a reporter, she was frequently reporting against the Southside and often the serpents too.

"Jughead is a good guy." Betty said. He is, at heart and with her. His 'business', not so much, but that didn't define him. Her mother looked at her, noticed the way her lips seemed to edge a smile every time she spoke his name.

"You seem awfully smitten with this guy…" Alice noted. Betty smiled, looking down shyly at her lap. Alice signed, again. "Just be careful please Betty... and don't let him interfere with your school work." Betty looked pointedly at her mother, picking up her text book from in front of her and holding up as if to say 'He's not'. "I just don't want you to wind up like P-"

"Mom." Betty cut her off. Alice looked at her youngest daughter, aware Betty knew what she was going to say. "I'm not Polly. The more you coddle me, the more likely I am to act out. Just loosen the reigns a little and trust me to make my own decisions." Betty begged.

"I know I haven't been around much and your Dad hasn't been around at all…" Alice bit her tongue and Betty looked at her slightly confused. Well, she kind of dug herself a hole there. "I haven't been completely honest with you Betty." She started. Betty furrowed her brow, but kept quiet, waiting for her mother to continue. Alice exhaled towards the ceiling, a gleam of tears welling in her eyes. "Your father hasn't been working the kind of hours I'd have you believe." A single tear trailed down Alice's cheek. "We were having a lot of issues… he – he" Alice began to sob. Betty shuffled forward wrapping an arm around her mother. "He actually moved out about a month ago." Alice finally sputtered.

"What?" Betty asked in shock. Alice's tears fell harder as her body wrecked in sobs. Betty had never seen her mother break down like this, she was always such a strong woman. Betty decided she could get answers later and just took that moment to hold and comfort her mother.


After Alice had regained some composure, she explained that she and Betty's father had decided to take a break. They had both agreed to keep Betty in the dark, at least for now. Hal had rented an apartment near by and would come over for breakfast, dinner or a visit every so often just for show, for Betty. They had been growing apart from some time, the issues with Polly distanced them even further and they grew to the point where they simply resented each other.

Last year Polly had gone off to College, she had been in trouble with the police several times; that made it back to her parents when she was arrested for possession of an illegal narcotic. She had got involved with drugs, Alice and Hal had taken her out of college and sent her to rehab'. Not long after that, they found out the icing on the cake… she was pregnant; she was due in two months' time.

Betty hadn't been to see her since she left for college, her parents wouldn't allow it. She did still speak to her sometimes, when the rehabilitation facility would allow it – which was only once a month.

After all of that happened, her parents become stricter. Like the initiation of a curfew and constant check-up messages – they had died out after a while, her parents realised she wasn't her sister eventually, but were still very cautious.

That night Alice stayed home with Betty; they watched some shows, ate dinner in the lounge and spent some time together. They didn't do that very often. Alice spent too much time with her friends, drowning bad thoughts in a bottle of wine. Betty reminded her of her failure with Polly and it upset her. For tonight she pushed that aside and focused on her daughter.

Alice honestly hadn't noticed Betty had been missing Friday to Sunday every weekend for the last few weeks, she'd stumble in from her taxi and crash out on her bed without checking for Betty. Betty knew that too.

Betts: My mom saw us…

Jughead The Hot Serpent: Well shit… that can't be good.

Betts: She interrogated me all afternoon.

Jughead The Hot Serpent: Are you never allowed to see me again?

Betts: She couldn't stop me if she tried.

Jughead The Hot Serpent: Damn right ;)

Betts: I didn't tell her about the Serpent part though…

Jughead The Hot Serpent: Best to keep that a secret for as long as possible, I'm guessing.

Betts: You guess correctly, Mr. Jones. All she knows is that you're a college student that lives in southside and that I think you're fantastic.

Jughead The Hot Serpent: You almost make me sound like the kind of guy you bring home to meet the folks.

Betts: Just folk it seems… I found out tonight that my parents have split up… my dad isn't even living here.

Jughead The Hot Serpent: Oh… that's heavy. I've been through that, it's hard. How are you doing?

Betts: Still trying to wrap my head around it…

Jughead The Hot Serpent: I'm here for you, Betts.

Betts: Thanks, Juggie.

Jughead The Hot Serpent: My bed is so lonely without you.

Betts: Oh Jug, you sap.

Jughead The Hot Serpent: Sap? I just want you writhing under me, screaming my name ;)

Betts: Tempting… I hate waking up without you.

Jughead The Hot Serpent: I know how you feel, especially when your naked and you jump on me.

Betts: That is a nice way to start the day…

Jughead The Hot Serpent: It is… we should do that more often.

Betts: Agreeed.

Jughead The Hot Serpent: Guess I'll just have to deal with my own sexual frustrations for a bit…

Betts: Me too…

Jughead The Hot Serpent: Aw yeah? Play with yourself, thinking of me, do ya'?

Betts: All the time.

Jughead The Hot Serpent: Fuck, Betts. Now that's not an image I'm going to be able to get out of my head.

Betts: Then use it productively ;)

Jughead The Hot Serpent: You're a naughty girl.

Betts: I'm your naughty girl. Goodnight, Juggie x

Jughead The Hot Serpent: Goodnight gorgeous x


Oh, Alice.
SO, Alice knows... kind of... wonder how long they can keep the 'Serpent' factoid a secret from the skilled sleuthing on Alice Cooper? ;)

- Longest chapter I've ever posted *self High-5* -

Also, I BOUGHT A NEW LAPTOP, IT'S BEAUTIFUL. Argh, I went so crazy on boxing day, I spent, literally, a few thousand dollars. I also got a wicked new pool for my New Years Eve party! (And general enjoyment)

Review Question: Which character do you want more of in the story?

- Kayla.