Summary: Betty and Jughead have being through a lot together. Jason's murder. Hiram Lodge's reign. The Serpents. Now can they face karma together and still come out in one piece? One shot. Spoilers for season 2 episodes 21-22.

Disclaimer: I do not own Riverdale or any of its characters

Warnings: Blood and descriptive injuries

Karma Strikes

It was all a blur. The Ghoulies, punching, kicking, pounding, clawing, desperate to draw blood, to cause pain, and they were succeeding. It was all I could feel, just pain all over. I hear Penny taunting me.

"You're a true hero Jughead. Let your dying thought be that your sacrifice was for nothing and that, come morning, Riverdale as you know it will cease to exist." "No!" I thought through the pain. "I was supposed to be the sacrifice. They're not suppose to touch anyone else!" It hurt to think, it hurt to move, it hurt to do anything. That was the point, it was supposed to hurt. I wonder if dying hurt this much, or am I dying?

Penny yelled something I didn't catch, but at this point, I honestly didn't care what she had to say anymore. She was a liar and a cheat, and I just want to be with Betty and hold her and tell her I love her.

Suddenly the punches and kicks and pounding stopped. For a moment, I though that I was dead, that it was my time and that I was finally in a place with no pain. But my thoughts of pleasure were short-lived when pure agony was all I felt in my arm. It was the worst pain I'd ever felt, it was like someone had taken a knife and was cutting off my tatto… Penny. Revenge. Penny wanted revenge for cutting out her Serpent tattoo. Karma, karma, this was all karma.

I wanted to scream but someone was covering my mouth. The pain intensified as she dug the knife in and twisted it, I felt like I was going to puke, man, it hurt so, freaking, much. I felt my thoughts slip and I felt I was getting closer to unconsciousness, but they made sure I felt every ounce of pain I supposedly deserved, slapping me in the face every few seconds to make sure I didn't pass out. I felt someone pick up my body (not very lightly) and carry (more like drag) me somewhere. I wished I could open my eyes and see where I was being taken but my eyes were swollen shut and my body was roughly thrown to the ground.

I heard someone walking over to my body, the crunching of the ground and twigs beneath their feet made me recoil into myself, to try in vain to shield myself from the pain I knew they were going to make me endure. The figure leaned over my body and whispered in my ear. "Now you know how it feels, an eye for an eye," Penny whispered in a chilling voice that sent a shiver down my spine. With the last bit of strength, I could muster I spat at her, saliva mixing with blood. A sharp pain at the back of my head was the last thing I felt before the darkness that had being looming over me since they viciously started their attack finally won over and I was pulled into the waiting arms of oblivion not knowing if I was ever going to wake up.

After my dad was dragged off to prison for being the Black Hood, I thought it was the worst feeling in the world, but I was so very wrong.

At first when Jug called I was so relieved to hear his voice, to know he was alright but then he started talking and said the scariest words I've probably ever heard, I just want to let you know I love you, I'll never stop loving you. That's when I knew something was very, very wrong. His tone: he sounded relieved and sad and like a burden was lifted off his shoulders. It was honestly terrifying. I looked at Archie and saw the same fear for Jug shining in his eyes. And then he said, "I'll see you soon." What was that supposed to mean? Was he saying goodbye?!

I called Mr. Jones; I didn't know what else to do. What was I supposed to do? If anything, Jug was probably with his dad, doing Serpent stuff, but calling did nothing to calm my nerves after he abruptly hung up. Toni had to call me and tell me to go back to where she had been kidnapped. She gave me directions and I practically leapt into the car and sped all the way there, Archie by my side.

When we got there, I didn't know what to expect, maybe Jughead safe and sound taking with his dad explaining his mistake and insisting he was fine, or Jughead having a few scratches from falling off his motorcycle, being looked at by Toni. I preferred the former. What I wasn't expecting and what scarred me for life was Mr. Jones walking out of the woods with the bloodied corpse of my boyfriend, his expression that of a broken father who had just lost his world.

This isn't real, it can't be. No, no, this is all wrong, it's all wrong. No, no please no. Please! No, no, no, no!

After I snapped out of my initial shock, I raced to my lover's side. I vaguely remember someone calling an ambulance, but I was solely focused on resurrecting my fallen partner. Mr. Jones placed him on the ground and looked away, not able to see his son like this.

Everything is unclear, my emotions feel high, like they were all on jingle-jangle, tears obscuring my vision as I press down on his chest, time is a distant memory. I have no idea how long I'm on my knees repeating numbers in my head from one to thirty while pounding on his chest and then breathing into his mouth, forcing air past his already blue lips. I stay like that until the ambulance comes and takes Jug away from me, lifting him onto a stretcher and loading him into the ambulance, Mr. Jones already sitting in the back.

Then they rush off to the hospital, all the drama gone in a flash of red and blue, sirens blaring in the background. We all stay there for a minute, no one moving, all absorbing what had just happened. And then, I break. Tears running down my cheeks and I scream into the night, mourning all that had happened. Archie wraps his arms around me and we both cry for our friend.

Now I sit staring at the white walls of the hospital waiting room in deep thought. Did I do this to Jug? Is this punishment? Is the world punishing me for what my father did? Karma, karma, this is all karma, isn't it? I try to do something good and someone I know gets hurt, is this how is works? Huh?! Universe?! Are you finally satisfied?! You've punished me, I'm being punished! Is this what you wanted?! I scream mentally.

Me, Archie, Toni, Cheryl and Sweet Pea arrived three hours ago, and we still haven't heard anything yet. Veronica raced over as soon as Archie called and told her what had happened, the two of them were sitting to my left, snuggling together, Veronica's head on Archie's shoulder, both asleep. Cheryl and Toni (who had started becoming closer as the weeks went by) were on the set of chairs lined on the wall across from us, sound asleep. Seems like everyone is sleeping except me, I though bitterly. Sweat Pea stayed a while and then left to see Fangs, who we had learned was still alive, and was telling him what had happened. Archie had been nice enough to call my mom and tell her everything because I could barely form a proper sentence. Mr. Andrews had arrived with her and my mom ran straight at me and gave me a big hug and told me things were going to be alright.

We all sat together in the waiting room. Non of us were in the mood for small talk, that is until Mr. Jones barged out from the ICU area with Sweet Pea trailing behind him, waking the sleeping students. His eyes, angry and vengeful, scanned the room until he spotted Toni.

"Toni, get up we're going," he ordered. She stood reluctantly, looking at Cheryl, who also stood. "Why? Where are we going?" She asked at the same time I practically screamed, "Is he alright?!" Mr. Jones looked at me, his eyes softening a little before he said, "I'm not gonna lie Betty, it's bad, he's in critical condition. Now I'm no doctor but the next 24 hours are crucial and immediate family only." I look down, thrilled that he's alright but disappointed that I can't see him.

"However," he says and then walks over to me and whispers, "his 'fiancé' should be aloud to see him." I look at him and smile. "Thank you, Mr. Jones," I say, overjoyed that I finally get to see him again. "You're welcome, now Toni..."

He looks over at the Serpent girl, who straightened a bit. "You and Sweet Pea go round up as many Serpents as you can and meet at Sunnyside Trailer Park. We have blood to shed." With that the Serpents walk out of the hospital, leaving Cheryl standing somewhat awkwardly before walking over and sitting with Veronica and Archie.

But their entire interaction is lost to me as I talk with a nurse asking to visit my 'fiancé'. The nurse leads me to room 307 and tells me the extent of his injuries. Serious bruising, cuts littering his body (some big, some small), a chunk of his flesh that looked like it was cut out and will leave a gnarly scar, three broken ribs and a bad concussion. She told me he probably wouldn't wake up for at least a few hours, so I tried not to get my hopes up.

I took a deep breath and opened the door. I looked around the room and spotted Jughead lying on a bed, connected to a heart monitor and another machine monitoring his brain activities. He had an IV in his arm giving him antibiotics to fight off the infected part of the skin on his arm that got sliced off. A blood bag was hanging with the IV, replacing the blood his body had lost from the attack. He also had a nasal cannula, resting gently on his face, providing him with pure oxygen.

I looked him over, his face had deep cuts all over, some covered by gauze pads, others closed with stitch tape. The skin around his eyes was a red purplish black colour and was bruising. I assumed that under his hospital gown he was much worse. I sighed and sat down in the chair next to the bed which I assumed M. Jones had previously occupied. I took his hand in mine and rubbed soothing circles into the back of his hand.

"Hey Jug," I said. "it's me, um," I pause thinking of what I was going to say. "You're okay now Jug, you'll get better and then we have lots to talk about," I said referring to my father. "So, rest up and I'll be here for you, alright?"

I stayed that way for about thirty minutes. A nurse had come to check in and make sure everything was alright.

And then the whole wave of everything that had happened today washed over me, and I finally felt safe and comfortable enough to sleep. Knowing Jughead was alright. I let my worries leave and I drifted into a peaceful slumber.

I woke up the next day (more like a few hours later because I fell asleep at around 1 am) at noon to Mr. Jones walking in, looking defeated and banged up.

"Mr. Jones!" I exclaimed. "Are you alright?"

"You know what Betty; I don't even know," he said solemnly. I stood, letting him sit in the chair and he let out an aggravated sigh.

"We rallied," he said, startling me. "The Serpents came together and fought against the Ghoulies," he sighed again. "But it wasn't enough, we were overthrown, they won, and they burned Sunnyside." He looked down at his hands. "The Serpents are no more."

I looked at him in shock. The Serpents are gone. No, that's not right, they can't be gone. Can they?

I don't know what to say. I have no words to comfort him. It was all a mess: my dad, Jug and now the Serpents.

"I'm sorry," I told him.

"And I'm sorry about your dad Betty." He looked at me sympathetically. "Everyone knows now," he continued.

"Yeah…" I said trailing off. Mr. Jones looked down at Jughead.

I felt like I was intruding even though I was here before him. I didn't want to leave. I really wanted to be here for Jug. But I knew I wasn't helping him by just sitting around and I needed to be there for my mom.

"I'm going home, Mr. Jones." He just nodded, not looking at me. "Call me if… when he wakes up." And with that, I walked out of the room, only pausing to glance back at Jughead one last time.

I didn't know where I was, I couldn't fell anything. It was strange. I observed my surroundings. I was in a cemetery. Why? I looked around trying to find something or someone that looked familiar. I saw something off in the distance, figures, people. Maybe they could help me.

I went over to them and then I saw their faces and sighed. It was Betty, Archie and Veronica. Thank goodness!

"Betty!" I called, but she didn't even look up. Maybe she didn't hear me. "Betty!" I called again but this time, she did move. She knelt in front of a tombstone. Strange. Had someone died? I tried reaching out to her but then I realized I couldn't. I looked down at myself and was surprised to see I had no body. In fact, I was seeing this from different angles. What was happening?

My field of view changed, and now I was looking over Betty's shoulder to see the name on the tombstone. I gasped. Forsythe Pendleton Jones III. I was…dead. What?! This isn't real, it can't be! Then the memories came rushing back to me. Penny. The Ghoulies. Sacrifice. Pain. Oh my god…

I was snapped out of my thoughts when Betty spoke, tears trailing down her cheeks.

"Come back to me Jug," she said, her fingers lightly brushing my tombstone. "We're not done yet, do you hear me. Our story's not over, it's just beginning." She cried softly, Archie and Veronica stood behind her looking sad as well. "So, you come back to me, okay?"

Suddenly I open my eyes and are greeted with overwhelming pain. I gasp and groan. What just happened? Where am I? I look around and realize I'm in a hospital bed with machines attached to me. I spot my dad in a chair next to the bed.

"Dad." I call out hoping to gain his attention.

He wakes with a jump and looks at me, he stands and walks over to the bed not believing what he's seeing.

"Jug?" He asks in disbelief.

"What'd I miss?" hoping to finally get some answers.

He helps lean me up slowly in a more comfortable position so I'm sitting up. "Dad? What happened?" I ask again, looking him straight in the face. He sits back down in the chair and begins reciting the events of what had happened.

"What you did, brought every Serpent I've ever known out of the woodwork and you would have been proud of them, boy." He pauses, letting me soak in the information.

"It looked like we were going to win the day, but in the end, there were just, just too many Ghoulies." I feel anger bubbling inside of me. I had a deal with Hiram Lodge, and he broke his word, that no good liar. "It's like shooting snakes in a barrel."

"Why?" I ask. "Why did you go?"

"I wanted to avenge you." He replied. I was getting angry, not at my dad, but at the pain Hiram Lodge had caused my dad to go through.

"I had a deal with Hiram Lodge."

"There was no stopping the others," he defended. "They were churned up about you and Fangs. Even though Fangs is, is alive." I looked at him in shock, wanting to see if he was telling the truth.

"Fangs is alive?" I asked. He nodded and I released a breath I didn't know I'd being holding. Fangs is alive. Then something didn't make sense.

"But I thought a deputy called you and told you he was dead?"

"Yeah, that was a lie." My dad said.

"A ploy, you mean," I responded, finally making sense of this mess. "To coax the Serpents into a fight they couldn't win." Unbelievable, just unbelievable. "All of riot night was Hiram Lodge's orchestrated mouse trap. And the Serpents followed me into it." I can't believe this. This is my fault, all of it. It's karma. Karma for trying to take down Hiram Lodge and he ends up taking me and the Serpents down.

"And Sunnyside Trailer Park fell," my dad said solemnly. "Our trailer's still standing but most of them burned." That's not right. The Serpents didn't deserve to lose their homes over what I did. Dad leans forward and I can tell he's about to tell me very bad news.

"Jug…" he starts in a voice and I know it's very, very bad.

"After the rumble, some of the Serpents defected. They, they joined the Ghoulies, others were arrested. More went into hiding, the rest…" he shook his head, "they left town." Oh no…

"The Serpents, they don't exist anymore." I looked down in defeat.

"We had our time and nothing for you to do but get better and to be there for Betty." He finished and my head snapped up in shock.

"Betty?" I asked concerned. The look on his face told me my dad realized his mistake. "What happened with Betty?"

When Mr. Jones called and told me Jughead was awake I rushed over to the hospital as fast as I could. When I opened the door to his room and saw him awake and alert, I felt relief wash over me. He's alright. He's alright. He's alright.

"Jug," I sighed in relief when he looked over at me. "Betty?" He asked me, looking happy to see me. I rushed over to him, embracing him and giving him a passionate kiss, like I hadn't seen him in years.

"I'll give you some time alone." Mr. Jones said, smiling lightly before walking out of the room.

We stayed like that for a while. Me hovering over him still hugging him, like if I'd let go, he would slip from my grasp forever.

"That doesn't look very comfortable," he stated, noticing the way I was hunched over him. He was right, it wasn't.

He patted the spot next to him on the bed and I gladly climbed on, careful not to cause him more pain or disturb the machinery.

I snuggled into his side and he wrapped his arm around me, as if shielding me from the pains and disappointments the world had to offer. It was calming. Me and Jug. Just being in each other's presence, and for right now, that's all I wanted. Just calmness and serenity and peace. This, just this. Something to get my mind off everything that had happened over the last 24 hours. But like all good things, it must come to an end.

"I'm so sorry that I wasn't there for you," Jughead whispers to me in a regretful tone. "To help with your dad." No, that's not right. This isn't Jughead's fault, none of this is.

I sit up so I can look at him in the face and reassure him. "No Jug," I shake my head.

"I never want to see him again," I said firmly. I don't want anything to do with him, ever again. "Right now, all I care about is you, and taking care of my mom," I look down, "and figuring out how to atone for all the horrible things my father did." My father did a lot of bad things, but I won't ever let him shape my life. Jug looked at me solemnly.

"So, I guess we won't be running for student council anymore huh?" He asked trying to ease the mood, and it helped a little.

"Probably not," I replied. I lay back down next to him and gave him a warm kiss on the cheek. I snuggled into him and enjoyed the moment.

Karma may have hit us in big waves. But next time we are going to hit Hiram Lodge with a tsunami, and next time, when karma strikes, it will be in our favour.