Chapter 13: It's Never Too Late

The first thing that happened was Jughead waking up In the middle of the night with pain In his heart, pounding headache and tears In his eyes; feeling so guilty about the way he yelled at his dad! He couldn't take this anymore! He scrambled out of the bed and booked It downstairs. He saw his dad at the sink getting a drink of water, but his dad hadn't noticed him. But all of a sudden FP felt tight arms around his waist and a face sobbing hard Into his back.

Jughead's face muffled the words but FP understood. "Daddy! I'm s-sorry!! I'm SO SO SORRY!!" As he sobbed hard into FP's chest.

FP could still smell the liquor on his son's breath as the man relinquished all of his pain. He knew that Jughead would really understand what happened when he finally woke up in the morning to the aftermath. He had more than his fair share of hangover mornings. And he already knew that Jughead would be kicking himself.

FP slowly turned around so his boy was sobbing Into his chest Instead "Oh my boy, my beautiful baby boy."

He gently grabbed his boy's cheeks and forced his tear filled brown eyes to look Into his eyes. FP left a long kiss on his forehead as he took In his baby's scent. FP's heart wanted to burst out of his chest. No matter what happened he had his son back!

FP's voice had been gentle as Jughead stumbled still drunk."Come here." He gently led his son to the couch."Sit here, I'm going to set up the couch for us to sleep on." FP left his boy still crying at the guilt of everything. Until FP returned with a pillow and some blankets. FP sat down before gently forcing his boy on top of his chest and tight Into his arms."I'm here Juggie, I'm always right here. I love you SO MUCH baby!!"

"I-l-love you d-d-daddy!!" Jughead sobbed, half-wasted. "I'm sorry I got drunk… I-I--"

"It's okay, Juggie. I'm not mad at you." His dad started softly humming as his fingers ran through his hair. Something about the song felt familiar and he knew In his heart It was a song his dad used to sing to him as a baby. Jughead drunkenly whispered as he snuggled his head Into his dad's neck "Don't stop." His dad gently kissed his cheek."I won't,baby boy, I won't." He felt the shifting weight of Jughead moving against him.

He returned to humming as he held his boy tighter. He felt like It was the first time all over again. When his boy was finally sound asleep FP couldn't help but stare at his boy's sleeping form; eyes filled with strong love! But with tears of both happiness and sorrow. Even when the boy's drunk he still looks so peaceful. He almost lost his boy, again!! But now, he had his boy back and he was holding his boy In his arms as he slept with his daddy, not In a hospital bed!!

It was In the morning when Alice found her husband and son sound asleep and wrapped tightly In each other's arms. She could smell the alcohol pouring off them. But she knew that FP didn't drink so figuring out from Jughead's drunk text messages that it was him.

"Honey."

FP's eyes blinked up at her." He's still asleep?" She nodded." It looks like you two had a rough night…" She sighed as FP carefully removed himself from under the sleeping man. "Yeah, Tom dropped him off early this morning. Oh, god, Al! He was so hammered. I don't know what set him off but he drunkenly forgave me…"

Alice smiled a bit more. "See I told you he'd come around. He's going to be in hell of a hangover when he finally wakes up."

He and Alice went downstairs to see the kids eavesdropping. He shook his head, stifling a laugh. It wasn't very uncommon for the kids not to poke their heads into his business. Polly and the twins were waiting patiently. "He's home but still asleep."

"We heard him come in." JB said suddenly." He was drunk wasn't he?" Her father just sighed in response. "I guess that answers my question."

"Yes he was, Jelly."

"Morning," Jughead muttered as soon as he came downstairs. That's when he noticed JB snickering at him. His hand went straight to his head. "My head is pounding, why did I drink too much?"

"Merry Christmas!" She yelled purposely.

"Ow, not too loud, JB. And Merry Christmas, I'm sorry for worrying everybody." FP and Alice smiled, looking over at the hungover man, rubbing his temples.

"Merry Christmas, Jug." FP looked over at Jug and asked." How's your head? Did you take those pills and drink lots of water?" Jughead simply nodded." Yeah and my head is killing me. I-" He paused, rubbing his temples again. "-I shouldn't have drank. Never again." FP chuckled in sympathy. He had been there before and understood how Jughead is feeling right now.

—xxx—

Fresh petals aroma filled the air, blanketing the streets with light rain splashes. It's been months since Jughead's accident and drunken episode. FP and Jug's relationship seemed to get stronger after the ordeal. Sure the lying hurt their potential but never stopped the growth. Although Jughead didn't fully recover from his memory loss. He still had a bunch of blanks to fill in. The smell of fresh coffee filled the kitchen. As FP touched Jughead's back Jughead jumped so badly he dropped his mug, causing It to break on the kitchen floor.

FP's eyes widened when he saw Jughead's startled reaction." Oh my god, Jug, I'm so sorry. I-" But something didn't look right In his son's eyes."Son, are you feeling okay?"

The sound the mug made when It broke sounded familiar. Soon Jughead fell to his knees as Images of a car crash took over his vision; the sound of glass breaking filling his ears. FP laid his hands on his boy's shoulders as he kneeled In front of him.

FP kept calling out."Juggie, baby, can you hear me?" This shifted Alice's attention and came over to find out what was going on.

"FP!"

"IN HERE!" FP called frantically.

But soon Jughead couldn't breath; gasping for air. FP gently grabbed Jughead's cheeks, forcing his son to look him In the eyes. But Jughead still couldn't see anything but the Images flashing In his mind.

FP cried."Look at me Boy!! Please breathe!!"

While Alice called 911, FP worked on trying to get Jughead to come back to him. It didn't take long before the paramedics rushed him to hospital where FP and Alice met them. Again for the first time in several weeks he sat in those chairs again. Alice kissed his cheek, handing a coffee.

"Thanks." He yawned tiredly. "How long have we been here?"

Alice looked up at her husband, taking in his appearance before looking down at her watch and gave the answer. "Eleven A.M." To FP it felt much longer than that.

Millions of thoughts were pulsing in his brain, begging to break-out. The whole accident shocked him like they usually do. Jughead was in the hospital again less than a year after the car accident. On occasion out of guilt the girlfriend that survived the wreckage gave sympathy care packages which both Alice and JB adored and FP found out of pity. The gesture was nice he'll admit but also wanted to put the accident behind hopefully in the near future. Now looking at the time and where he was sitting there finding out plans had other directions.

Within a few days Jughead finally woke up asking for him.

"Jug?" He called hesitantly, peeking his head from behind the doorway corner.

The man in bed gave a look."Dad, what are you doing?" Still floored by the words coming from Jughead, "What are you doing in New Hampshire?" FP's heart pounded in his chest. "New Hampshire?" He paused in mid-thought. "Y-You remember,Jug?" He asked, trying not to get his hopes up.

Jughead's eyes blinked." Of course I would. Why wouldn't I."

"Juggie, you were in a car accident."

"I-I was-"

"— several months ago on your way to Betty's."

Then all at once he remembered what had happened before the accident. He was heading across the street, turning when within a blink the world went black. He recalled a woman frantic on the phone and then waking up asking who people were.

"Yeah… I was on my way to tell her…" Jughead closed his mouth suddenly, stopping his confession.

FP looked at his son curiously. "Tell her what, Jug? You can tell me."

Jughead swallowed dryly." Okay, um…" He cleared his throat."… I was on my way to tell her that I just got a letter from a guy… Gladys and you knew…"

It all hit hard for FP. His son got into an accident because he learned that FP wasn't really his father brought tears to his eyes.

"Anyways his name happened to be Mickey Holden claiming to be my father." He scoffed," How crazy is that?"

The knot in his stomach tightened. "Jug… I have something to tell you."

"So I called Gladys and she-the bitch told me…"

He paused before looking at the man he knew. "Jug."

"S-She told me that… you weren't my father." Jughead's eyes closed and opened, letting one single streak roll down his cheek. "I got in the car… crossed the road and bam, I woke up here."

"Jughead, I didn't know."

"I know. I told her my father wouldn't look me in the eyes and tell me I was his son if he didn't know. And the bitch said she cheated on you and didn't have the decency to tell you the truth." Jughead saw a tear go down his father's cheek. "Don't cry, Dad. I'm not saying this to hurt you, screw it if we're not blood. I once watched Supernatural and learned that blood doesn't end with family."

FP pulled his son into a big squeeze." I'm so glad to hear that. I don't care what the DNA says, you're my son."

The Jones men stayed like that for a while. Alice came up to interrupt. "I'm sorry to intrude but you have some anxious guests waiting." Jughead and FP pulled away, letting the room swarm with friends and family.

"Jones!" Toni exclaimed," You gave us a heart attack!"

Jughead laughed." That wasn't my impression, Topaz. It's better than dying!"

Toni gaped at him." You remember?"

Jughead scoffed." Yes, I do. I'm insulted that my brain trauma affected my jokes."

Toni punched lightly on the arm." Not funny, Jughead."

"The full-name must be really mad, huh?"

Alice's childed." Jughead."

"Sorry, Alice." He sheepishly apologized.

"It's okay, Jug."

Once everyone arrived Polly made her way in the doorway where she spotted Jughead. She had been extremely worried when she and Betty got the text while at brunch. Sweet Pea rolled his eyes at Jughead. "Jones, no more dying on us. Serpents die together, remember."

"Or, what about not dying at all? My boyfriend was freaked out and wouldn't stop pacing the whole time. Juni and Dags had to keep him from having a sugar meltdown."

Everyone's eyes landed on Polly. She cursed, widened pupils at the fact she just spilled. Betty's face was a straight smile. "I knew it!" She turned to JB who groaned," Pay up."

Sweet Pea and Polly's cheeks were flushed red. Alice smiled while FP gave him the dad-stare off. "We're going to tell you…"

"Sweet Pea, it's alright as long as you are great for Polly and her kids." Alice calmly interrupted the flushed couple.

Polly came to his defense. "He's great with them, Mom. With everything going on he has been very supportive… especially in the last few weeks since…"

"Since what?"

Polly and Sweet Pea exchanged looks, nods before looking back. "…especially since we found out that I'm pregnant."

"Oh, my gosh!"

Another response cried out happily." Please be another girl!"

FP and Alice were overwhelmed with excitement. FP pulled Sweet Pea into a hug and whispered." You better not leave."

"I'm not planning on it since Polly and I have been dating for a year now and…"

"A year, wow that's something, kid."

Sweet Pea smiled happily." Yeah it is. Polly is someone I plan to stay with. Josie didn't give me time of the day. Polly had just broken up with a douche and at first…" He looked at Polly.

She nodded." We were friends at the time, leaning on each other. He would help with the twins but it wasn't until a year ago that our friendship became more profound and turned into something other than that."

Jughead shot Sweet Pea a look. "Even the weekend you came to visit…"

"It was only an hour away to see Polly. I heard about your accident while I was staying with her. Only Fangs knew."

Fangs earned an elbow from his husband, Kevin." You didn't tell me. You know I love gossip!"

"That's exactly why they swore me to secrecy, hun."

Kevin gave a pout. "That's not true."

Everyone in the room, including Jughead, shook their heads. "You thrive on gossip, you once said it was riveting." Betty quoted in defense.

Polly laughed. "So do you, Betts. All weekend long you tried to get me to spill so as payback Pea and I set a betting poll up."

"What betting poll?" Betty gasped.

"That you and Jughead hooked up over the winter break."

"What?!"

"You guys didn't know we knew it was before…"

Everyone got the picture. Jughead shrugged his shoulders. "This has to be the weirdest hospital visit." He commented.

His nurse, Gabi snorted." I've heard stranger things. You'd be surprised what goes on and what's said in hospitals. It's not like we are Grey's Anatomy drama or anything but it can get weird."

As the conversations die off and Jughead's fatigue starts to kick in, everyone heads out. Alice and FP gave their things. FP can finally relax knowing his son was once again safe.

—xxx—

I'm sorry it's not too long but I have been through a lot at my new job and to be honest I kinda fell out of the Riverdale fandom for a bit now. I hope you guys enjoyed this story and I don't really have a lot of time to write as I did. When I started this story I didn't have a job, now I don't have a lot of time. Maybe in the future I'll write more Riverdale related stories. I've adapted new interests in shows as well. I've been writing Riverdale stories since 2018 and I still love my falice babies. I also wanted to thank my writing friend, Katrina, for all the help you've given me with this story. I couldn't have done it without your help and chapter ideas.

I'll always love writing about Riverdale, maybe even cringe at some of my old works I did. Thanks for being patient with my slow-ass updates. I wanted to leave it on a happy note because it was pretty sad watching FP's heart so broken.

Thank you,

Love Aut!