Fp finally reached the edge and brought his bike to a halt. He looked down at the beach but there was no one there. He didn't understand. How could there be no one there? Where was Betty? He heard the distant sound of voices and instinctively looked up. What he saw made his heart drop.

There stood Betty and before her Sweet Pea. There she saw, across the water. He had the wrong beach. He reversed quickly and sped as fast as possible back down the path. He had to hurry, he was losing time. And what was Sweet Pea doing there with Betty? Was he there to help her? He pushed his bike harder and made his way as quickly as possible to the other side of the lake. Had he stayed he would have seen Sweet Pea pull out the gun from inside his leather jacket.

"Stop!" Jughead yelled, causing Archie to almost swerve the car. He obeyed without question and halted the car with an ear aching squeak. Jughead threw the door open and jumped out.

"Keep going!"

He commanded Archie before turning around and running across the street towards the woods that surrounded the road from both sides. Archie didn't question his orders and lurched forward, quickly changing gears before continuing at top speed down the twisted roads.

Jughead didn't look over his shoulder to see if Archie had followed his order but heard the engine of Archie's car as the sound slowly faded into the distance. Jughead ran as fast as he could, faster than he'd ever run before. He headed for the trees and broke through them up the path he knew would lead him to the beach. The path Betty had taken not half an hour earlier.

He ran with all his might only slowing as he jumped over roots, the trees a blur beside either side of him. He pushed himself to go faster. There was a chance he would get there before Archie. Technically this would be a short cut, but with the speed Archie was going the ginger might get there before him. He had no way of knowing. All he thought about was getting to Betty.

He couldn't do anything to help her. He was on his knees, fighting hard to blink past the pain but it filled his head, pushing out thought. All he could think about was the pain and the pressing fact that he was probably dying.

Sweet Pea had never known it would come to this. That he would have to witness Betty walking to her death and what Penny was doing to her.

"First question Betty, since you're considered a Serpent now…"

Her voice cut through the air like a blade. With effort he managed to lift his head and look up to Betty. Despite the distance he could tell she was shaking, a slight tremor coursing through her. But she stood, she didn't collapse, didn't plead or beg.

"What did they do with the Ghoulies involved with Jellybean's kidnapping?"
She asked roughly but Betty didn't answer.

"Start walking!"

She yelled and had I not been on my knees I would have jumped in fright at her sudden outburst. Penny was a constant volcano about to explode, only she kept on exploding.

He heard Betty sob but only once. She starting walking, the water slowly climbing up her leg.

"I-I don't know. Nobody told me anything."

She said, her voice shaking as she kept walking, the water before her stretching far, too far and too deep. Penny took deliberately long with her response.

"That's not good enough."

Not good enough. Words he knew Betty feared, fought against every day.

"I swear I don't know!"

She screamed, her strength leaving her as hysteria took over. The slick water covered her calf but she kept walking.

"I don't' believe you."

Penny answered and Betty's shoulders sunk in as she sobbed. She looked so small, so small compared to the lake and the rest of the world. Smaller as she walked further away. He couldn't bear it anymore and dropped his gaze down to the sand.

"I heard…I th-think Fp handed…ed them over to the p-police."

She said shakenly and Penny sighed in disappointment and irritation.

"Yes, I know. But not all of them, he could only hand those in he knew were guilty of other crimes. Where are the rest?"

She was losing her patients and Sweet Pea feared she'd make Betty walk faster. Glancing at her he saw her knees had already disappeared beneath the water. Maybe she'd move faster on her own accord, cut short her misery.

"I think a few m-might have been ransomed off."

She said and fell silent. The silence of the beach overwhelmed him. Just the wind, the sand, no birds and possibly the sound of their breaths but otherwise utter silence. Betty was too far away from the beach to hear the water rush away from where she stepped. But suddenly a sound broke the silence. He listened for it again and heard it more distinctly. He prayed Penny hadn't. The sound of an engine.

This was killing her. She couldn't do this anymore. She sobbed one last time before making up her mind. She couldn't answer Penny's question, she simply didn't know. And she was so so, so sick of crying.

She counted again.

5…

She couldn't take another step. She was going to die anyway, might as well be defending herself. She reached into her jacket slowly, making sure Penny wouldn't see.

4…

She froze. She stopped moving, feeling the lake water lapping against her leg and finally, finally she was standing still. Finally, she could now stop, and on her own accord, no one else's. Not Penny and not Sweet Pea, not anybody. Never again.

3…

She took a deep breath and pulled out the gun. She heard Penny yelling, demanding her to keep moving. But she wasn't going to. She was going to drown if she didn't do it now. She would be in too deep to pull out her gun. And no one was coming. Her last mistake would be that she didn't call for backup.

2…

She closed her eyes for a moment and sent a prayer. She'd never been religious, despite her family and upbringing. She'd never seen God do anything for anyone, people made things happen, not fairy-tale. She didn't pray to God. She prayed to Jughead, her mom, Polly, even her dad.

I love you, Goodbye and good luck.

1…

She instantly turned, her arm flying up and gun looking for its target. She saw Penny, her face frozen in shock and horror and before it could wear off she aimed. She'd never been good with a gun, only taking necessary lessons with Jughead in case she'd have to defend herself against the black hood. But that was close-up. This was a long distance shot and a small target. But this wasn't a dummy or wooden board either. This was Penny and she wanted her dead.

And she wasn't afraid of death anymore. Her mind sharpened and with a squeeze of the trigger she fired, over and over again as many times as she could.

She sent out one last prayer that she wouldn't hit Sweet Pea and kept her hand as steady as she could, even as she blinked with every shot.

As soon as she finished her bullets she fell to her knees, all energy escaping her. Which was probably what saved her life.

Eight bullets and one had hit her target.

Penny screamed and Betty looked up to see her clutching her shoulder. Perhaps not a fatal fit but a hit none the less. But she recovered and aimed the gun back at Sweet Pea.

Betty could imagine what would happen next. She'd shoot him and then her. By trying to kill Penny she would have gotten both of them killed. And it would be over for Penny, she'd be arrested and never feel freedom again.

But then everything changed. Suddenly Betty heard another shot, multiple. She put her hands over her head and pushed herself down as close as possible to the water reflectively. She filched with every shot, convinced the next would hit her. Her head was filled with nothing but fear. Eternal and raw.

But then the shooting stopped. Silence fell over the beach and after it wore on for a while and she swore she could hear the birds chirping again she looked up. She cautiously lifted her head and gasped at what she saw.

There was Penny, laying on the sand, not moving. And a woman. She couldn't quite make out who it was but she was leaning over Sweet Pea. He was alive.

And wading through the water, practically leaping, running towards her…

Jughead.

He breathed hard, felt his breath scrape against his lungs. But he kept forcing his legs to keep moving. He couldn't bear to think what had happened to her. Finally, he felt that familiar descent onto the beach. But then he heard a shot, another one, and another, echoing through the trees. He ducked instinctively and stopped running.

He stood up straight again, knowing the shot was not meant for him, that it would come nowhere near him.

Betty.

His eyes widened as he realised who the shot might have been for. Betty. Had Betty been shot? Was she dying or already dead? He didn't hesitate and ran the rest of the way down. Fear kept him running, kept him from thinking of the possibility he could be shot. Finally, he broke free from the trees and reached the beach. Out of the cover of the trees he could finally see her. And what he saw scared him to death.

There She was, his girl, standing in the water up to her thighs as if she'd just risen from the lake like some Goddess. And shooting. Her face calm and hands steady, the only thing giving her away as anything but a killer was the way she flinched with every shot. She sent out so many and he looked away from her to the beach, where, right at the end Penny stood, standing over Sweet Pea.

What did he have to do about it?

Jughead saw the bullet fall to the sand, pushing up a cloud of sand, saw Sweet Pea make himself as small as possible to avoid being hit. And saw the bullet that hit Penny right in the shoulder. She cried out but he knew she'd recover. She'd dropped her gun arm in shock but she raised it now and he knew she'd shoot Betty back. Only she wouldn't miss.

He didn't think, he just started running towards Penny. He'd do anything to stop her. But he didn't have to.

He'd come two meters from reaching her when he heard the shot. He screamed. Screamed her name. She was on her knees, hands over her head but that couldn't protect her. He waited for her body to fall, but it didn't. Frantically he looked around the beach and then Penny fell.

Not Betty, Penny.

Penny had been shot.

She fell to the sand and Jughead could see the wound. Right in the back of her head, right through her brain, blood spraying. Dead she lay on the sand. Jughead looked around frantically, looking for the shooter. He scanned the edges of the forest, his eyes darting back and forth.

He kept looking, his breath climbing with every second he couldn't find the shooter. They'd shot Penny but that didn't mean they wouldn't shoot Betty. He ran to the centre of the beach and stood with his back to Betty, covering her. He wanted to turn around and run to her, to hold her and make sure she was alright but he couldn't.

Then the shooter revealed herself. She stepped out from the cover of the trees and ran down to the beach. Jughead stared at her, frozen in shock as she ran towards him. She pocketed her gun again and Jughead realised she wasn't running towards him; she was running towards Sweet Pea. She kneeled down beside him as he collapsed, falling back into the sand.

"Jughead, he's been shot."

She told him and he shook off his shock and joined her on the sand.

"Shirt."

She told him and he took it off without hesitation. She carefully lifted Sweet Pea's bloody shirt, revealing the wound beneath. It looked bad. None of them new whether he would survive. But she didn't hesitate.

"He was a shot a while ago and hasn't bled out, so it's probably not fatal but we need to get him to a hospital and quickly."

She said and Jughead forgot that she'd gone to medical school, even if she then never became a doctor. He pulled out his phone without hesitation and dialled 911.

"Here, I'll call. Go get her."

His mother said and he handed over the phone gratefully. He was about to turn and run but he had to ask.

"You shot her?"

She looked up at him briefly.

"Yes. But please, don't tell Jellybean."

He nodded and turned around. And there was Betty, still on her knees. He ran towards her. He hit the water when she lifted her head. He felt his stomach clench in relief.

Alive, she was alive.

But he could see the horror and pain in her eyes. He kept on running, splashing the water far, only slowing when he reached her. He couldn't understand why she was in the water anyway. She was on her knees so the water rose to her stomach but she didn't get up. He got on his knees before her.

The water felt cold against his stomach but he hardly noticed it. His face lined up with hers and he looked into her beautiful eyes. He couldn't help but think she was beautiful, her curls golden in the sunlight. Her eyes began filling with tears and he knew there were no words to comfort her, so he simply reached forward and stroked her cheek.

He stroked her tears away.

She began sobbing and covered her face with her hands. He reached for her and pulled her to him. He only then noticed how badly she was shivering. He manouvered around her and took of his jacket slowly, as if not to disturb her. He wrapped it tightly around her and zipped it up, her arms still clutched to her torso. Wrapped up like a burrito. He told her that and she shuddered a laugh before moving in closer to him. He wrapped his arms around her tightly and didn't let go. So there they stayed on their knees in the water as the sound of a wailing ambulance filled the beach.

Archie had arrived soon after Jughead and heard Gladys on the phone.

"Yes…. Yes… And bring the police, there's been a shooting. One dead. Ok…Thank you."

After that he helped Gladys take care of Sweet Pea. But there wasn't much that could be done, only wait for the ambulance. He'd glanced over the beach and almost thrown up at the sight of Penny. Lying there dead on the beach, her blood being soaked up by the sand. He'd quickly looked away and wondered what had taken place on this beach. Looking out on the lake he could see Jughead and Betty but he didn't approach.

Then Fp arrived.

He swerved down the path and drove his bike as far as he could into the sand before dropping it and jumping off.

"What happened!?"
He demanded, something Archie hadn't dared. Gladys rose and walked towards him, leaving Archie with Sweet Pea. She pulled him further to the side so Archie was out of earshot.

"Penny, who shot her?"

He demanded and without blinking, without an ounce of regret or shame she answered.

"I did."

His eyes widened in utter shock.

"Gladys! What have you done!? Do you have…"

"Hey, you don't get to yell at me!"

She said and he remained quiet, letting her explain.

"I know exactly what this could mean. Jail, and maybe never seeing Jellybean or Jughead ever again. I get that. But that woman…She's hurt Jughead at least twice now and I dread to think what happened before I even got here. I won't have her killing the girl he loves. You know as well as I do you don't come back from that, and especially not Jughead. I would crush him."

He dropped his head and she knew he knew it as well as she did.

"She would have shot her and then Sweet Pea. One evil bitch in place of two innocent teenagers seems fair to me. And…"

He wasn't sure that was a sane moral code, but didn't question her. She hesitated for the first time.

"And it was a quick decision, I didn't plan it or anything, I'd just brought the gun in case. And I also know what she did to you…"

He refused to think back to the night in the car with Penny.

Fp dreaded to think what Gladys could have done had she known what Penny had done to her daughter. He was glad she was dead, but there were consequences.
"I'll cover it up."

He said and Gladys looked at him in surprise.

"Really?"

"Don't think I'm enough of a monster to let you rot in a cell just to get full custody over my daughter."

He growled and she couldn't help smile a little bit, despite everything.

"No, I guess not."

He smiled back ever so slightly and opened his hand. She understood and pulled out her gun again, placing it in his palm.

"I'll take care of that."

He said and she thanked him. But before he could turn back to the subject of what else had happened on this beach, she said,

"Oh and Forsythe, please don't tell Jellybean, I couldn't bear it."

She said sadly and Fp nodded.

More secrets.

"And why are Jughead and Betty in the water? Are they alright?"

Gladys then explained the little she knew had happened, knowing it wasn't much.

Gladys finished, leaving Fp to try and figure out the blanks and then walked away again, but Fp stopped her.

"Wait, Gladys…" He said and she approached him again cautiously. She didn't like that tone of voice. Like he was about to say something he knew he shouldn't.

"It is possible we say Betty killed her. It would count as self defence."

He suggested shamefully but Gladys imidiatly shook her head furiously, backing away from him.

"No, no way. It's not right. She's just a child! She's gone through enough."

She turned around and walked away, back to Archie and Sweet Pea. But not before adding, half over her shoulder,

"Besides, I shot her in the back of the head, it wouldn't add up."

She said and that was the end of that. No one ever mentioned the idea again after that.

Fp stared after the woman he once loved and wondered if he'd ever really known her. He never knew he married a woman capable of killing a person without apology, as justified as it may be. But maybe, of all the terrible things he'd done, she'd never imagined him capable of those. And look what happened.

The thought were driven from his head when the sound of the ambulance reached the beach, and became louder.

"Forsythe!" Gladys called for him and he jogged over to where the three of them sat upon the sand, Sweet Pea having managed to sit up.

"We need to bring him to the hospital car."

She said and he nodded without hesitation before crouching down and gently placing his arms under Sweet Pea's knees and armpits. Sweet Pea groaned and Fp was as gentle as he could as he erected himself again and picked up the young man. Carefully but hurriedly he headed back to the trees and followed the sound of the ambulance. He was halfway to the road when he bumped into two men, holding a stretcher and medical supplies between them as the ran towards the beach. They saw Fp and Sweet Pea and hurried their step. Wordlessly they picked up Sweet Pea from Fp's arms and laid him out on the stretcher. Words waisted time. But as they left back towards the ambulance one of the men looked back over the shoulder and nodded to Fp in thanks.

The two of them had hardly disappeared out of sight when more people came down the path, all wearing the same uniform and each carrying different supplies and followed Fp as he led them down to the beach.

As soon as they reached the beach they all spread out in different directions, checking if Penny was really dead, making sure Gladys and Archie where alright and a few headed out to the two teenagers in the water. One even came up to Fp to make sure he was alright.

The medics cautiously approached Betty and Jughead. They'd seen what some people did after that kind of violence, lashing out, even at their loved ones. They each took one of them and carefully knelt beside them.

"We're here to help you but you're going to freeze in this water, can you try and stand."

The woman said to both of them, she was young, probably only just out of training.

"I'm okay. I-I wasn't there."

Jughead said and slowly rose to his feet, tugging Betty up with him.

"C'mon, Betty."

He said encouragingly and with effort she unfolded her legs and pushed herself off the lake floor. She began to rise up to her full height and Jughead carefully unzipped his jacked to allow her to move her arms. She clung on to Jughead's shoulders to balance herself. He supported her with a hand under her elbow and once she steadied he slowly pulled away, but didn't let go of her hand. He took her hand and with his back to the beach he tried to guide her forward but she didn't move her feet. The two medics kept their distance, watching cautiously.

They didn't want to get involved if the boy could do it on his own. Being touched by a stranger wouldn't help her stress level. But they shared a look when they saw she wasn't moving.

"Come on, Betty. It's alright."

He said softly and she shook her head. Her tears had dried as she looked at him sadly.

"My feet."

She said and Jughead looked at her in confusion for a second before he slowly knelt back in the water. He reached for her foot and felt the leather of her shoes. Only they weren't her shoes, they were far too thick.

He looked up at her in confusion and she looked down ashamed.

"She made me."

She said and bent her knee to allow him to push up her foot. She lifted her foot high enough to break the surface and he gasped as he understood.

"Oh my God."

He whispered and even the two medics behind them were shocked.

"Lead."

Betty explained and Jughead jumped up again. He pulled her to him again and held her tightly.

"I'm so sorry."

He said but she didn't reply. He slowly pulled away again and crouched down. Through the water he felt for the straps and undid them. They were proper diving boots. He pulled them off gently and reached out to one of the medics. The man stepped forward and took the shoe from him, taking the other one as well when Jughead had untied it.

Then the four of them made their way back to the beach slowly. Betty's shivering had become much more obvious and Jughead too started to feel very cold. The medics gave them each heavy blankets and they sat together on the beach, staring out to the lake, not looking at the dead body behind them. Although, Jughead did glance over his shoulder, just once, to see them cover Penny's body with a long plastic bag.

He looked away again and thought of what would happen next. He knew they would question each of them separately, find out who had killed Penny. Tears fell to his cheek as he realised what that meant for his mother. She's shot her and it hadn't been self defence. She would be charged, not with murder perhaps but charged none the less.

Unless she could cover it up. Somehow.

He couldn't bear to think what would happen to Jellybean if she ever knew about this.