Chapter 3: Alone In The Car

Dr. Spencer called them all into his office at seven in the evening on Jughead's sixth day. Six days had gone by like police flashing lights since the young Jughead Jones was admitted into ICU. FP, Alice sat on the same side of the table as Charles and JB. The doctor cleared throat, grabbing everyone's attention before he proceeded. How could he break this to them?

"Alice, FP… I have some bad news…" The look of horror on their faces made him feel uneasy.

"What is it, doc? Tell it to me straight, no sugar coat." FP's voice was in controlled tone, his legs shook underneath the table.

Charles and JB stared at the doctor to continue." I'm afraid we hit some setbacks. Jughead heart went into cardiac arrest at 6:39 P.M. during Nurse Jade's daily check in at rounds." FP's heart rate started to rise, feeling air disappear from his lungs. "We were able to resuscitate him and restart his heart without any more complications." Alice felt him squeeze her hand tightly.

They saw the look on his face and only knew there was more bad news. FP and Alice prepared for the worst while Charles and Jellybean begged for better results to their questions. "Complications?"

"Yes, FP. Jughead was without oxygen for fifthteen minutes longer than I would've liked. When your brain is without oxygen for too long it starts to have risks. I wish I had better news, I really do. But with the time Jughead was under it could possibly have caused damage to his brain."

FP's brown eyes welled with unshed tears as he tried his hardest to take in the info he was given. "I'm afraid he slipped into a coma."

"Will he wake up?" JB asked in a small voice.

"In due time when his body can handle it. I can't be certain that he will, I'm sorry." The doctor said soberly.

JB threw herself into Charles' arms, sobbing against his chest. Charles enveloped her with his arms, letting her fall apart. He watched his father with a careful eye. His dad looked like he was hit by a car himself. He felt that way too. Alice couldn't believe it. Jughead's in a coma. His heart stopped…. he was without air… he could've died.

An hour after they were told Jughead's condition had worsened, FP left the room, leaving Alice in a state of wonder. She knew he wasn't handling it well. I mean who would. Not only did he learn that the son he raised wasn't his, also the fact they were in the first place. The fact his son was in a coma, fighting for his life because a drunk driver struck his car and caused all this. And the final piece to the never-ending puzzle -- the child he loves to death could possibly never wake up.

Alice's phone rings when she's walking down the Corridor, surprising her. She walked down Corridor past the ICU waiting room to be able to take the call.

When she looked down at the screen, her eyes widened. "Hello?" She said into the phone.

Then she heard a voice she hasn't heard in awhile. The last time they spoke was after Hiram had finally passed from his disease. She was drunk when she called Alice, crying about missing Fred. She missed him too but she couldn't understand to her point. She was never in a relationship like her dear friend. Sure they kissed once, okay made out for a while but that was all it was.

"Hermione? Why are you calling?" She let out a tired yawn, indicating how exhausted she is. She hadn't been sleeping well at the hotel. How could she? Someone she cared very deeply for is fighting for his life. And there was nothing she could do but what to see the outcome brings.

"Betty told Veronica about what happened. I'm so sorry for Jughead. How's FP taking it?" Alice bit back a bitter spite laugh.

"Not good at all. Less than an hour ago we found out that Jughead fell into a comatose state. FP left without even letting me know where he was heading. It's been really hard over the last six days, Mione." Her voice cracked as she said the nickname.

"Oh, no! That's not good. I'm sure Jughead will make it through. He's always been a nailbiter when it comes to doing anything in his power. He's the same kid that solved Jason Blossom's murder. He's not going anywhere without raising some hell." She heard Hermione try to explain to her.

"Oh… god, mione… I saw him before I got your call. He's so pale like a ghost took over his body. He doesn't look like Jug anymore!" Alice cried, clenching her eyes shut, trying to keep from falling apart.

—xxx—

He's alone in his car, thinking over what he's just been told. His son's in a coma and there's nothing he could do about it. Driving the highway 22 unable to stop thinking about Jughead's diagnosis. It wasn't like his son had a bruise he could kiss better. Times are different than they were back then. Those were simpler fixes. All he had to do was hold the ice pack to the boo-boo and kiss away the pain that the injury brought along. This he couldn't fix. There's no amount of dad magic kisses that could heal this.

It was all in Jughead's hands now.

He slammed his palms angrily against the steering wheel when he pulled over to the side of the busy interstate. He yelled, screamed as loud as he possibly could. It had been a long night since he's drive began. His stomach is knotted from the bone-chilling news. He's running from his thoughts. He kept hitting the wheel on his truck until the horn honked at him.

"Why are you doing this to me?!" He yelled out hoarsely. His eyes no longer dry as he banged his head against the headrest on the driver's side. "What did I do to deserve this? Don't take my boy! I turned my life around six year ago. I don't drink anymore, never laid my hands on either of my children…. So why are you?! What are you punishing me for?" He yelled furiously at the truck carpeted tanned ceiling, trying to convey his plea with the higher forces.

"P-please….please don't take my baby from me! I just found out he's not even mine. I don't give a fuck about if he's my blood or not. All I care about is him… that he's healthy, happy and fucking alive!"

So he leave, or stay? He honestly didn't know the answer. "Fuck!" The pain ripples throughout the vehicle. He didn't care if anybody heard him. "Should I leave…or stay, just tell me what I did?!"

He pulled the brake into drive again, roaring passed the rushing traffic and took the exit 55 back to the hospital. He wanted to be with Alice. She's the only one he wanted right now.

When he entered the ICU room, peeking his head in and his resolve fell off his features. Everything he had been keeping rushed out of him like a river passageway. His shoulders shuddered as the first sob erupted from his throat. His head hung low as he fell onto his kneecaps, burying himself.

"FP! Where the hell have you been for the last three hours?! I've been calling your phone now stop! I-I thought you had gotten hurt!" Alice's voice barreled at him.

Alice noticed him on the ground, head buried by his knees. She could hear him sobbing as she quickly moved toward him, pulling him closer to her. "FP… what happened?"

FP shakes his head, refusing to speak. Alice's hands combed through his thick locks, calming whispering into his ears. "Why did he punish me?" She barely heard the broken man muttering. "I never did anything wrong! Why Jughead?!"

"I don't know, hun."

They stayed like that for quite some time. While Alice coached FP through his breakdown. All she could do was be the shoulder to cry on. "The universe has ways to play your mind. Don't let it. He's going to pull through. He's a fighter even if he's not Jones by his blood…he's still a Jones by choice." Another sob escaped his mouth. She kissed his head repeatedly, hoping to coax him out of the crash.

—xxx—

The next morning, Gladys stared at the empty walls with sorrow in her eyes. Her thoughts were obliterating in her head. Seven days ago, she drove all night during a storm, fighting back tears after her ex-husband called. When she got the call the thought caused her stomach to form knots. She wasn't expecting this — her baby's fighting for his life. This wasn't supposed to happen. She rolled her neck side to side, trying to get the crink out. She knew karma had a way of finding your weakest points. And as of now karma is being a big bitch.

Her brown eyes blinked as they followed the moving heart rate lines on the screen in the far corner beside Jughead's unmoving body. The daylight just peeked through the shabby, cheap eggshell colored curtain blinds, covering the double-hung window. She checked the clock one time, briefing leaving the sight of her child. You would think light would brighten up the room but it didn't have that effect. The room felt even darker with all the lights. Her mood hadn't changed since she arrived.

This happened to be the first time she found enough motivation to go beyond the window outside of the hospital room. She knew Jughead stopped talking to her after her big fuck up. She spent months trying to get him to call back, answer the phone. After a few months went by she stopped bothering him. She figured he wanted nothing to do with her. Jughead made that quite clear and now that he's helpless in that bed, hooked up to machines made her wish she never betrayed him. That year he called - - the one time he reached up asking if he could stay with her… she shot his plan down the fucking gutter. Ever since then she regretted rejecting him. She should've been his mom, made space out of nothing. That's what a mother does.

Mothers put their kids first before them. Why didn't she do it? The answer is simple. She didn't want to make a sacrifice and as selfish as it sounds it was nothing but the truth at the time. She was selfish and she knew that once the words fell from her tongue. She remembered him trying to hide the rejection in his tone, clearing his throat. Before he hung up, she heard him stifle a sob. Her chest grew tight as tears of regret rolled down her cheeks.

She reached for his hand, wrapping their fingers together and giving a gentle squeeze. "Jug… uh, erm… I-I..I don't know if you-you can hear me… but I just wanted you to know that I'm here, bud. I know I screwed up royally with you and JB. I can't take back what I've done. I-I… Jug, I wish I never told you no that night you called asking to stay with JB and I. There's no excuse for what I did. It was wrong." Her eyes misted with guilty tears trying to escape.

"Please.. forgive me, baby boy I know I did you dirty when I came back for selfish reasons. I used your father and you for my own good. I didn't think of the consequences. I'm sorry I tried ever…ever hurting you. I'm the worst mother… frankly I don't blame you for dodging my calls. I wouldn't be mad if you never want to see me again. I would understand, sure I'll be hurt but I'll never hate you for it." She took a sharp inhale, thinking what to say next. "Please if you can hear me, please wake up, Jug. If not for me do it for your dad, JB and hell even Charles." She groaned softly at the thought of her ex-husband's love-child.

Alice got her man, suckered him in and claimed him long before he ever was hers. She was his queen before Gladys ever even met him. Alice had his heart… she never had his. He was her heart but she was never his. That has always been this way. Their whole marriage she came second in line when it came to Smith. It had ended up working out better. Two years ago, she sent him the official papers entailing that they were no-longer together. FP paid her child support until Jellybean turned eighteen and legally he didn't need to provide money anymore.

JB decided after getting the news to spend more time visiting her older brother, the middle child in the Jones family. Charles had to take a phone call about a case his team is investigating and well she didn't know where Betty, Alice or her father were. The time had been going by very slowly, JB didn't like when time took its sweet ass break. Even though she arrived six days ago, time seemed to be going slower than a sloth.

She turned the corner when JB saw the raven-black haired woman exiting her brother's ICU room. She hadn't seen her mother since 2019, the year Gladys messed up, leaving her with her brother and father. She was still angry that her mother used her to get the Fizzle Rocks from Hiram Lodge after Veronica, and her boy toy at the time, Reggie Mantle destroyed the supply Hermione sold behind her deceased husband's back.

"Gladys, what are you doing in Jug's room?"

Her mother blinked, surprised. "I just got done visiting, you can go right in, Jelly."

"Don't call me that."

"Call you what?" Gladys asked, sounding confused, looking at her.

"Only my friends and family can call me that," JB said coldly. A flash of hurt crosses Gladys' face. JB didn't care and continued," You can call me Forsythia."

"Uh, okay, Forsythia." She replied quietly.

JB's cold eyes blinked, breaking the woman's thoughts. Gladys started to turn to walk away when Forsythia's question made her recoil from the venom in her daughter's tone. JB opened her mouth and asked something that she's been keeping inside for so many years.

"Why did you do that?"

Gladys continued to stare," Do what?"

"Used us, Gladys. You used me for your dirty work, tossed me away when you were done like trash. What did Jug or I ever do to you? I want to know. I've been taunting myself with that question not getting answers from the fucking wall. Who btw didn't talk back!" JB raised her voice, glaring at the woman in front of her.

Gladys felt stunned by JB's question. This wasn't the kid she left behind. No this was the woman -- no the adult she became. She knew JB was angry at her. She didn't even have to hear her to already know anger ate away at the eighteen-year-old's heart.

"I-I was selfish, sick even, Forsythia. I don't think my excuses will help explain why I did it. You'll probably won't like the answers anyways."

"Yeah, you're right I won't, but I still want to know why."

"I had issues. I wasn't thinking about who I hurt and probably didn't care."

"You made me lie, cheat, steal from my family! I deceived people knowing it was wrong for you! Dad and Juggie didn't deserve you doing that. You made Dad start drinking in the first place. You spent all your money on yourself, not caring about Jughead or I's wellbeing. When we came back I thought you changed… Well I learned quickly that just wasn't the case. Dad picked up on drinking. Hell you fucking encouraged it!" JB blinked back tears, furiously.

"For--"

JB's hand went up, stopping Gladys from finishing the start of her retort."No! It's all true, you know it! Don't even try saying it's not because it is. Ever since you left Dad never picked up a bottle. He was stressed… Jughead told me about you threatening him to keep shut about your involvement with the new drugs! What kinda mother does that?! Tell me!"

"I'm sorry!"

"Sorry don't make up for what you did, Gladys. I don't even know why dad called you! You were never a mother to us. Alice has been a better mother than you ever were!" Ignoring the pain in the woman's eyes, Jellybean pointed her fingers.

The ICU hallway went silent on encrypted words. Suddenly the day nurse, Angie popped her head out of the patient's room next-door to Jughead's. Eighteen-year-old wiped at her red eyes as Angie approached her and Gladys. The nurse signaled them to follow her into another hallway. She turned toward them, letting the authority in her show.

"I don't know what is going on with you two, but frankly I don't care. You don't need to raise your voices, disturbing my patients. If you're going to fight, take it outside," She eyed the two and then turned to JB, addressing her kindly," JB, I know these last days have been a lot for you and I sympathize, I do. I can't understand what you're going through. I know it's hard to wait for a loved one to get better, you just have to keep your head high… I don't know what happened between you and her, but if I catch you fighting again, I'll have to call security and I don't think you want that."

JB and Gladys nod their heads, eyes holding shame. "Understood." Gladys walked away, head hung low.

JB didn't look to see where her mother went. Frankly she didn't even care where she went. Probably to some bar or sharing saliva with strangers.

Her eyes met with Angie who looked at her with sympathy. Nurse Angie saw the younger adult's resolve starting to crumble and be replaced by teary eyes.

"JB?" She looked up at the physician," Are you okay?" The young adult shook her head.

"That woman was Jughead's mother." JB said, trying to hide the hatred for that woman," You could say we have a complicated relationship." The nurse smiled with understanding. She had the same thing with her own mother.

"Do you want to talk about it?" JB shakes her head. "Or a hug?"

Jellybean's nods, resting against the kind lady's shoulder, tears streaming from her eyes. The kind nurse rubbed the small on her back with delicate circles. JB broke down into her arms. "I miss him."

"I know." Angie whispered softly," He'll get better in no time." She felt the sharp inhale as she choked on the sob, repeating the same pattern in her throat. "Only time will tell." JB took in the words, smothering the negative thoughts immediately before they reached her brain.

The eighteen-year-old cried her eyes out for twenty minutes, listening to Angie calmly coaching her through the sobs escaping from her throat.

—-xxx—

"Alice, where is Jughead's book? I looked everywhere," FP called.

Alice lifted her head, looking over to FP's frazzled appearance. They had traveled to Jughead's apartment in the lower village. FP wanted or more like Alice wanted him to get out of the hospital setting. The constant inhaling sterile cleaning fumes wasn't good for them. Also she figured it might help to get his mind off Jughead. But FP decided to take a short drive to Jughead's and pick up some things. He wanted to see if bringing some of Jughead's belongings would help.

Dr. Spencer told him it would help Jughead remember or feel like he's home. "Did you check in his bedroom?" He hoped it would be beneficial in the long term.

"Yeah it's not in there!"

Alice bit back a tired sigh. "What about his office?"

FP walked through the office door, smiling as soon as he saw the wall, eying at the rows of photos of him and his college buddies. He spotted three photos of him and Jug that brought a sudden tear to his eye. All the memories hit him at once. When Jughead was little, he would always try to do what FP did. It was adorable at the time until he got older. Jughead followed his every footstep, joining the serpents, his hair since had been less shaggy and shaven.

He noticed that the crown beanie hung on the coat rack, next to that was his old dog tags that he had given the boy before he moved out here. Finally, the boxed frame held Jughead's manual script of Jason Blossom's death and the discovery who murdered - - the same one he read four times before Jughead assumed he only read it so he wouldn't get caught.

That just wasn't the case. He read it cover to cover, inspired by the choice of words he used. He remembered the day Jughead asked him to proofread, knowing that FP didn't have writing in his blood.

Now thinking back he should've known. He always thought Jughead's smarts just skipped him and that maybe he got it from their ancestors. He had been wrong.

"Did you find it?" He heard Alice's voice but couldn't get his mouth to work.

He's been magnetized by the weight in Jughead's office. He's always been proud of that boy. "FP!" His eyes didn't shift from the position, pinned to the object.

Alice strolled pass the clever inspirational quotes Jughead had hung on the hallway wall, grinning at the fact they're all by the young author's favorite authors. She hadn't heard from FP in sometime and she began to worry. She approached the opened door, heart breaking when she found him.

"Did yo--" She cut herself off, noticing FP turning to face her with bloodshot eyes. He wordlessly, nodded and then pointed to the frame on the wall. "Oh.."

She came closer to him, guiding FP into her body, stroking her polished fingers through his head. "I-I...I found it, Al. It was here this whole time." His voice cracked. "He..he had it all this time." He always figured the boy took it with him when he moved out.

"I see, honey." Her eyes started to flood with emotions. "It's framed…" She paused, pointing to the frame next to the manual script. "Along with this."

FP tried his best to look over Alice's shoulder. "Always will be proud of you, Son. Don't let them chew off, no letting shut you down. I love you, boy." FP read the letter he gave his son the day of Jughead's graduation.

"He knows you love him, FP. He's always known."

"My boy always put everybody else first before himself. It's his turn to do it for him."

FP rubbed away his tears. Alice kissed his cheek. "You ready to go back?" FP nod curtly, linking arms with his wife.

He turned off the lights, trying to make his way out of the apartment before he had a full-blown breakdown. He took one last look at the book, smiled before closing the office door behind them.

Twenty minutes on the road, they finally arrived back at the hospital. FP grabbed the box from the back of his pickup truck, closed the cab door, inhaling the fresh, crisp Autumn scent through his nostrils. He walked up the hospital with a strained smile. He was about to see his son. Sure he was in a hospital bed, but at least he's still breathing. Alice kept an eye on FP, heart beating faster in her chest.

"Mom?" Alice and FP's turned their heads.

"Polly? What are you doing here?"

Polly and twins, Juniper and Dagwood came from Allentown, Pennsylvania which is a five hour drive from Tilton, New Hampshire. Betty called, sobbing to her that Jughead's in a coma because he was in an accident due to drunk-driving, but he wasn't at fault. What she got from the sobbing Betty was that he was on his way to Betty's and he happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"Betty told me everything," She looked from her mother and then at the heartbroken man," I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault, Polly." He said, demising her apology. "Thanks for coming though."

Polly hugged her mother and then FP." It was no problem, Juniper and Dagwood missed their favorite teddy bear." A throaty chuckle belted through him.

"Teddy-bear?" Alice shrugged her shoulders, grinning up at him.

"They think you are softy, FP." She explained.

FP shook his head, chuckling," But I'm not."

"Whatever you say, softy." Alice teased, grinning from ear to ear. FP rolled his eyes back, failing to find his half-smile creeping onto his lips.

Polly shook her head at them, looked behind her over at the nine-year-old twins. Juniper preferred being called June or Juni instead of her real name. And Dagwood didn't mind his name. She signaled them over and less than seconds later, both twins threw themselves at FP.

"Grandpa!"

FP chuckled softly as the twins raced toward him/ he missed them too. "Hi, Juni, Dags!" He pulled them into a hug, kissing the top of their heads.

Alice's grandchildren adapted to calling him grandpa when they were four-years-old. He knew that he was the only grandfather they knew of. Polly told him it was okay and actually preferred not to bring up Clifford or Hal as their grandfathers. She grew to get over his involvement with Jason. At first she was livid when her mother told her that she was marrying FP. But over the months she noticed how much her mother and FP really love one another. Then she started to let go of her grudge toward her new step-dad, starting to enjoy the new addition in their family.

"Where's Aunt Betty?" Juni asked. He looked to his wife for help. Alice decided to pull out her phone and text Betty. Her phone buzzed in her hand, revealing that she went to the cafeteria and will be there soon.

"Juni, Auntie is not here right now," Juni's lips turned downward into a frown." But she's on her way here right now, okay?"

"Okay, grandma A." Alice smiled at her granddaughter's nickname for her.

Alice and FP took the twins and Polly over to the waiting area where Alice told Betty to meet them. Juniper asked her to do her hair as soon as they got to the waiting room. While Dagwood spoke to FP about school starting soon, him entering third grade, video games and other stuff guys like to talk about. Betty came into the room, the kids ran over to her.

"Hi, guys! How's my favorite niece and nephew?"

Juniper and Dagwood rolled their eyes and giggled at their aunt's teasing remarks.

"Auntie! We are your only niece and nephew!" Betty chuckled, sending their mom a glance.

Polly shook her head," Nope that train station is closed." She paused, laughing," At least for a little longer."

Polly hasn't told anybody but she's been seeing this guy for a few months now and thinks she really could see him in her and her kids future. He's really good with her kids and Juniper adores getting his attention. She wanted to tell them, but now wasn't the right time.

Betty pouted. She wanted more nieces or nephews. Polly's kids were stars in her eyes. She loved spending time with her older sister and the twins. One day she will have some of her own… one day not right now. She just got her life on track and the man she loves is in a coma. Her life wasn't the best right, nor the right time.

—xxx—-

Back at in the small town of PEP! he heard about the accident that Jughead was in. The 23-year-old redhead bowed his head when his mother told him she had to go to New Hampshire because Jughead was hurt. The news hit the man hard. Jughead and him go way back, even had the Jones man stay at his house with him and his dad when things weren't good at home.

He made one huge mistake that ruined their friendship. It was something he'd never forgiven himself for. Kissing your ex-best friend's girl isn't something you can take lightly. He remembered the day Jughead found out, the pain and hurt in his eyes. He knew he fucked up badly and that time there was nothing he could do to make it better. Jughead forgave him once for being an asshole, deserting him for football and the teacher he was sleeping with. Jughead stuck with him throughout the bullshit and he had to go kiss the man's woman. He wished to take it all back. Kissing Betty while she was still with his best friend and him being with Veronica.

Archie lost both Jughead and Veronica in one utter moment. It took one stupid mistake to implode his life and relationships. Veronica dumped him, gained more popularity than she had before him. Jughead punched in the face and said," How could you, man? I thought you would never hurt me, but I guess I was wrong." Those words stuck with him after five whole years. He graduated, went into the naval academy, finished being a navy two years later, moved back to Riverdale, re-opened Andrews Construction and El Royale.

He walked up to his dresser, picked up the picture of him and Jug when they were little kids, and smiled sadly. He would hate it if anything ever happened to him. And it did. Jughead's in the hospital. For the last three days he's been tossing and turning in bed at night over the fact his best friend could die. Jughead hates him… he knows that but he never stopped worrying about the guy. Jughead Jones isn't someone you can go without worrying about. He always got himself into situations, usually the life or death kind.

And it sounded to Archie Andrews that trouble followed him yet again. He really hoped Jughead made it out of this car accident without any issues. His dad died five years ago because a reckless teen hit him while he helped some woman change her stalled car. This brought back the feelings he had that 4th of July.

He looked back at the smiling picture of him and Jug, blinking tears from his eyes with a faint smile. Jughead needed to be okay. He just had to be. His mom said she'd call if anything happened. He hoped nothing went wrong.

Little did Archie Andrews know something did happen…. his best friend, who hates his guts is in a coma due to complications after his heart stopped from getting hit head-on by a drunk-driver, his car pinned by the fallen lamp post, and on life support machines that kept breathing for him.

—xxx—-

And this is the end of chapter three! Stay in tune for more! I think I covered more ground in this chapter than I did the last. I've literally been working all yesterday and some of today on it. So any guesses who Polly could be possible be dating. I haven't actually decided who I could be yet, but I'm leaning towards a certain someone I have in mind.

I hope you enjoyed it and the next chapter should be up soon. It all depends on how much I write and how long I want to make my chapters. I decided to make this one longer to cover more topics and develop the plot better. Did anybody enjoy JB confronting Gladys on the bull crap she put them through. I wasn't going to let her off easily. She's not a horrible person or mother. She's made mistakes. I'm not saying FP's perfect either because he's not. Gladys was looking for sympathy for all her lies and wrongdoings. JB wasn't going to let her play victim. Remind you neither of the family besides Mary, FP, Alice and Gladys know that Jughead's father isn't FP.

Does Jug know? Well… you'll have to read to find out!