Author's note: Got the charger. Yes. Also, BIDENHARRIS2020.
Betty bit her lip, watching Pea's face as he took in the words she was – or wasn't – saying. The moment her assault registered with him; she knew everything had changed. Unquestionably. Sighing, she let him pull her into a tight embrace, relishing in the fact that once again, he was protecting her from the horrors hidden in the world. She sighed, pulling away from the hug. What happened had happened. She got all the tests – no STDs and no pregnancy. Really, given what happened, she was lucky. She chanced a glance at Jughead, noting he bore a look of deep sadness. It wasn't hard to figure out why.
"I'm fine," she said, voice soft but firm. She needed these guys – her family and friends alike – to know that she was. Drew hadn't broken her. Alice hadn't broken her. "I'm fine, really."
Pea sighed. "I know you are. You're resilient."
Her brother looked put out about it, but she laughed. She wasn't going to argue with such an honest to God truthful statement. She nudged him with her shoulder.
"Try not to be so disappointed," she teased, voice light.
He inhaled sharply. "None of it was right. None of it. Don't, for even a second, think it was."
She sighed. "Hey. It's okay. I can't get hurt anymore, alright?" Her tone was soft, eyes on her brother. Technically, she was speaking to all the Serpents, but it was Sweet Pea who needed the reassurance the most. And she understood it. He was her big brother – by default he felt like he needed to protect her, and she was gone the last three years. Not an easy pill to swallow for anyone, but him especially.
She watched as he swallowed before nodding.
"Okay," he whispered, closing his eyes, and shaking his head. "Okay. Yeah, you're right. You can't – won't – get hurt anymore. None of us will allow it."
She laughed softly. "Didn't think you guys would."
Just then, the door to the Whyte Wyrm opened, rather forcibly, causing her to jump and look up – a grin stretching at her lips the next moment.
"Betty Cooper, why the hell haven't you said hello to me?" A voice screeched.
"Jesus, Cheryl, calm down," Betty teased, wrapping her friend up in a hug. "I don't have your cell number."
"You don't…okay, moving on, hi," Cheryl breathed, hugging her back tightly. "God, I've missed you."
"Missed you too," Betty said, laughing at how her friend was grasping at any part of her she could reach. Reading her mind, Betty nodded. "I'm here."
"Yes. You are. And, you're not going anywhere ever again," she said, nodding her head to herself. Toni walked up just then, wrapping an arm around her girlfriend's waist, and pulling her away gently.
"Babe give her a chance to breathe," she said, tone filled with laughter. Cheryl nodded, rubbing at her eyes.
"Yeah, sorry," she laughed.
Betty just smiled, rubbing her shoulder affectionately.
Cheryl looked at Sweet Pea then. "Not even going to ask how you're doing, big brother."
Pea chuckled. "It'd be a stupid question on your end."
"Definitely," Jughead agreed, eyes a little less clouded for the first time since the conversation about Drew. Betty smiled inwardly – victory. Just then, she spoke up.
"Can we, I don't know, go out tonight? Do something?" Betty asked curiously, looking at her friends.
"Like what?" Quin asked, head tilted.
"Uh..," she trailed off, unsure of how to voice it.
"Celebrate your return?" Pea asked, wrapping an arm around her shoulder.
She chuckled bashfully but didn't say anything.
"You got it, doll," Quin said gently. "Anything for you."
Jughead nodded. "You know how we'll do anything for you, right?"
His voice held more than the implications of a homecoming party and she nodded, eyes a steady force on him.
"I know," she replied. She could see Cheryl and Toni exchanging smirks out of her peripheral and sighed. They'd be planning a wedding soon if they had their way. Cheryl spoke up.
"Leave the planning to me and TT, Betty," she said. "We'll take care of everything. Why don't you stay with the guys?"
Betty looked at her. "I was going to actually head to the bookstore."
"I'll go with you," Jughead said, nodding at Pea.
Betty sighed. "I can go do things on my own, guys. Alice isn't hiding in a bush, waiting for the opportunity to strike."
Pea growled. "Not funny, even as a joke, kid."
She rolled her eyes but didn't argue the point – she wasn't sure what point she was even trying to make at this point. She simply let Jughead put his Serpents jacket on her. Even she knew the protection it offered her. With a quick kiss to her brother's cheek and a wave to everyone else, she followed Jughead to his bike, accepting the helmet he handed her before straddling it.
"Jughead?" Betty asked softly.
"Yeah, hon?" Jughead's tone matched hers'.
"Go fast?" Betty asked.
"Only know one speed, Betts," he chuckled, and she laughed as he zipped out of the parking lot.
XXX
They pulled up to the book store and got off the bike after Jughead parked it.
"You can wait out here if you want, I shouldn't be long," Betty said. Jughead just raised an eyebrow as he held the door open for her. "Or, yeah, you can come inside."
He laughed. "What are you looking for?"
She sighed, chewing her lip.
"Mo-Alice threw away my copy of Beloved," she murmured, heading to where Toni Morrison would be amongst the shelves.
"Why?" Jughead asked lowly.
"I, uh, tried to call Sweet Pea one night. A few weeks after we were gone. She walked in on me and snatched my phone, then the book, and I didn't see them again," she shrugged, downplaying the situation.
"I could kill her, you know. Just say the word," Jughead said seriously, pausing their walk as he turned her to face him. She shook her head, eyes soft.
"I know you could; I also know you could live with yourself for that, but I couldn't live with myself if I asked you to," she murmured. "You're not a killer, Juggie."
"Don't you get it, Betts? I would be anything you needed me to be," he said.
"Don't say that," she said quietly, looking down. "I don't want that type of power. I'm not my mother."
His face twisted in pain at her words but if she knew him and, she liked to think she did, it wasn't because he was hurt by them – he was hurt on her behalf. That meant more to her than she could express.
"I know you're not her, hon. You never will be her. You're too good; too pure for that," he murmured, kissing her forehead. She laughed quietly. They were quiet for a few moments before he spoke up once more. "What do you need me to be for you, hon?"
Betty looked at him. "I need a friend. One who could potentially be something more if we went slow. Ultimately, I just need to be reminded that my life and my family won't be ripped away from me again."
Jughead kissed the corner of her lips gently and she felt herself grow warm.
"Easy enough," he promised, interlocking their fingers. She smiled.