Author's note: Here is this update. Up next, Awaken the Dawn. Happy Mother's Day to all the mama's out there! And, to those of you who have strained relationships with your mothers', like me. Sending you extra love! X
Jughead watched as Betty paced back and forth across her kitchen floor, talking to Mary Andrews. She had called up Archie, asking if he and Ronnie could come over while she called his mother. They did so, as did literally everybody else, and at least this time Betty didn't protest so many people wanting to help her. She seemed to finally understand that they weren't going anywhere. She accepted the cup of coffee Fangs handed her with a smile of appreciation and nod, him smiling back in turn before walking back to Kevin, where his fiancé was leaning against her kitchen counter.
"Okay, yeah, thanks Mary," Betty said after taking a sip of her coffee. She paused as she listened to Mary before nodding. "That sounds good. See you in about an hour. Thanks." They said their goodbyes before Betty turned to face the rest of the group, walking to Jughead, and tucking herself into his side as she addressed everyone.
"Mary is on her way over. She's going to get what she needs from her office and then be here," Betty said. "I will tell her what happened with TBK and Ethel, how they met, how Emma and I don't think it was a coincidence, and how Ethel murdered Polly."
Jughead noticed her voice didn't shake on Polly's name, the way it would have only a couple of days ago and held her tighter as he pressed a kiss to her temple. "Proud of you, baby." It was a quiet sentiment murmured against the side of her head and Betty smiled gratefully into his shoulder.
"Archie," Emma spoke up, causing the redhead to look at her. "Is your mother a good lawyer?"
"She's the best," he stated, Veronica nodding her head in agreement.
"Good. That'll only benefit us," Emma replied in a pleased tone.
"Are Cheryl and Alice coming over, Betty?" Sweet Pea asked and Betty nodded.
"Yeah, they should be here soon. Jug and I visited them a few days after Ethel confessed and I told my mother what happened," Betty replied. "Mom had a hard time really accepting the truth, but Cheryl understood immediately and helped me get my mother to understand it as well. Now she's ready to reign hell down own both TBK and Ethel. Said, "I'm tired of dicks fucking with my family."
Betty laughed slightly, as did Jughead, as he was pretty surprised Alice Cooper of all people said the word fuck. Archie and Veronica looked surprised as well, but Sweet Pea chuckled.
"Your mom is alright, mini-Coop," he snorted, and Betty laughed, soft smile playing on her lips.
"She's been a better woman lately, yeah," she agreed. She paused to look at Jughead with a questioning look in her eyes and he nodded, knowing exactly what she wanted to say. "Also, FP Jones is back in town and will be here as well."
It was quiet for a moment as Jughead watched the shock filter across his friends' faces before Fangs spoke up.
"You called him, Jug?" The question wasn't judgmental; just openly curious.
"Thought he could only help us since he found himself a crew in Toledo," Jughead replied, and Fangs grinned.
"Sounds like some things never change," Fangs said. Sweet Pea, Kevin, and Betty all laughed.
"Sure as shit do not," Sweet Pea replied, shaking his head in a somewhat fond mannerism and Jughead knew that he was more and more receptive to FP once more with each passing day. Just then, there was a knock at Betty's door, and she walked over to answer it, body almost sagging under the weight of Alice Cooper's hug in the next moment. Jughead watched as Betty rubbed a soothing hand up and down her mother's back in a repetitive motion, murmuring softly as she did so; Jughead's heart ached at the sight. Knowing the pain that this family was going through hurt him almost as deeply. Sighing softly, he walked over to Alice and waited patiently for Betty to disengage herself from her mother's grasp before hugging the older woman himself.
"I'm so sorry, Alice," he whispered. "So sorry."
He could feel her trembling as he hugged her tightly before she pulled back, patting his cheek clumsily.
"Thank you, Jughead," she said, eyes wet. "You're a good man."
Jughead smiled slightly, not sure if he really believed that, but knew he'd do anything to prove that to both Betty and their friends and family. He turned to his dad, who had a sad look in his eyes, and hugged him next.
"How are you?" Jughead asked.
"Ready for Ethel and TBK topay for everything they did," he replied firmly, voice shaking just slightly.
Cheryl spoke next. "They will. That bitch will rot by the time we're through with her and will beg for mercy."
Her tone was made of steel and Betty dipped her head gratefully at her cousin.
"Thanks, Cheryl," she murmured appreciatively as Toni went to the other woman and kissed her. Jughead wasn't surprised; he had an inkling they would have found their way back to one another one way or the other.
"Thanks, baby," Toni said, and Cheryl smiled, face soft for the only woman Jughead knew who could make it that way. Cheryl then turned to everyone else.
"When is Mary coming?" Cheryl asked.
"She's on her way," Betty replied, checking the time on her phone. "Should be here within the hour and we'll get down to it."
XXX
Mary Andrews showed up, all redheaded fury at the thought of her pseudo-daughter being harmed.
"Hey, honey," she said, hugging Betty gently. Betty smiled as she pulled back.
"Thanks for coming Ms. Andrews-," Betty began but Mary cut her off.
"I know I didn't hear you just refer to me as 'Ms. Andrews', Betty," she reprimanded and Betty ducked her head, laughing.
"Did the same shit with me, Mary," FP said, chuckling slightly as the two of them hugged. Jughead knew they both had had Fred Andrews in common and had managed to maintain a somewhat tentative friendship through their loss. Mary smiled at him before turning to Alice, expression kind but tinged with a respectful sadness.
"Alice, honey, I am so sorry for everything," she said softly, and Alice nodded, accepting the hug Mary bestowed upon her next.
"Thank you, Mary," the Cooper Monarch replied quietly. "Polly always did have a lot of respect for you and Fred."
"She was a good woman and mother," Mary murmured, pulling out of the embrace. "You remember that."
Alice blinked back tears as she nodded, and Mary turned to look at Betty once more.
"You said you knew the killer personally, sweetheart?" Mary asked.
Betty sighed. "Yes. He's an FBI agent. My superior at Headquarters when I worked there."
Mary looked rightfully shocked. "Do you have proof? I'm not doubting what you're saying, not in the least. We just need proof."
Betty nodded, pulling up the confession from Glen she had gotten and texted to Nick, who in turn, texted it back to her after Glen went back to wherever the fuckwad was hiding. Mary watched the video, a grim look crossing her expression.
"You were buried alive?" Mary asked, tone deadly calm.
Betty nodded, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Saw the ditch next to me, I see. Yeah, Glen always has a means of torture as his methods."
Mary nodded, face dark before looking at Betty. "This right here is enough to secure him for attempted murder – the grave. Add onto the fact that he admitted to torturing and killing all those women, on top of kidnapping you, and I'm gonna throw the book at him. I'll secure two life sentences at the least. No jury in their right mind will let him walk. We just need to find out where he is."
Nick spoke up. "I'm Nick Peterson, a tech analyst with the FBI. I'm currently tracking both his work phone and his private. I'm using my personal account so he can't bounce me off him."
Mary nodded appreciatively. "Thanks, Nick. That makes it easier for me."
"My husband, Steve, is also a tech – he works for his company – and he's taken time off to help us with the hacking," Nick added.
"Good," Mary replied. "That is also beneficial." She turned to FP then.
"You have people, I'm assuming?" Mary asked knowingly.
FP wore a shit-eating grin. "Know me well, Mary."
"Fred was your best friend," she agreed. FP laughed.
"Yeah, he was," he replied. "And, yes. I have contacts from Toledo who I've given the watered-down version of what's going on. They're looking into missing women from Toledo – seeing if there is any correlation there."
"Shouldn't the agents in Toledo be doing that?" Emma asked, and FP chuckled.
"We run things a bit differently when you're familiar with running the streets," he remarked, and Emma chuckled, as did Sweet Pea.
"Good to know Toledo hasn't softened you," Sweet Pea sad.
"Nah, not at all," FP replied.
The group continued to work out their plan of action as the day progressed.
"Mom," Archie began, causing all heads to turn to him. "What are we going to do about Ethel? She admitted, in a police station and to two FBI agents, that she killed Polly. She'll be on trial for that too, right?"
"Absolutely," Mary said. "Bitch isn't walking free, either. Not by the time I'm through with her. It'll definitely be easier with her, as well since she confessed in the police station. Sheriff Keller has that confession at his disposal. I'll catalogue it in my files and use it in court. Again, no jury will let her walk free. She dug her own grave herself."
Betty laughed darkly. "Sure as hell did. I'm going to thoroughly enjoy watching her get destroyed on the stand."
"Speaking of which, Betty, are you alright if I pull you up there? I know their lawyer will want their chance at hounding you and I want to make sure I counter-argue every attack they make with a better and firmer defense of my own."
Betty nodded. "Yeah, I'm willing to be on the stand."
Mary turned to Alice, looking at her curiously.
"Of course," Alice said. "These two will not see the light of day again if I have anything to say about it."
"Us too," Ronnie spoke up, nodding her head at every other person in the room.
"Yes, get us all on the stand if you can, Mary," Jughead said. "We are all standing resolutely behind the Cooper family entirely."
"For everything that happened to Betty and for Polly's tragic death," Sweet Pea added, nodding respectfully at Alice and Jughead knew that was taking a lot determination for the taller to do. He had never agreed with Alice Cooper, from her turning her back on the Serpents to her treating Betty the way she did in high school, Sweet Pea hadn't had an ounce of respect for her. To see him now standing in solidarity with not only Betty but Alice as well proved just how much he loved Betty like a sister. Jughead was touched on both of their behaves.
Alice stared at him in surprise before nodding.
"Thank you, Sweet Pea," the older woman replied, voice kind in it's tired, weary tone.
He nodded, eyes kind. "Of course. We're not going to let either one of these assholes get away with destroying your family."
Betty walked over to him and hugged him tightly, tucking herself underneath his chin. "You're a good one, kid."
"I know," he replied easily, and the room filled with much-needed laughter.
Betty swatted him on the arm, rolling her eyes fondly before walking back towards Jughead and tucking herself back into his side were she belonged. Looking at the room, she spoke up. "Ready for hell to be brought?"
They all nodded.
Yes, Jughead thought, he sure as shit was.
Author's note: Thoughts lovely as always! Xxx