Chapter 8- Trust Is Important, But Can You Be Trusted?

Fp still haven't talked to Alice since she was at the hospital and ever since then. Nothing. He was awoken to loud banging on his door. He grumbled and opens the door.

There he sees Betty panting like a dog with a baby in her arms. He's immediately alarmed and lets her in. Her eyes were red and he's instantly worried. What's going on? Why does she have Alice's daughter's daughter with her?

"Mo— cult— fire—"

He looks at her like she has crazy eyes,"Huh? Speak clearly." He says softly as he leans forward. Betty takes a deep breath with a heavy sigh.

"I was walking outside after I heard crying outside and I found Mom and Polly holding the twins over the fire." Fp's eyes widened in horror.

"What?!" He nearly shouts," What?!" He can't believe she's back in the cult again. That's what she's been up to. He should've known.

"Polly dropped Dagwood in the fire and I snatched her before they could do—" she was crying so hard and then she couldn't speak as she bounced Juniper on her knee.

"Shh. It's alright. We will help you. You can stay on the couch tonight." He offers as he points over to the couch on the back wall.

Fp needed Alice to get out of this cult. It wasn't only destroying her, also Betty. And he hated seeing her in pain. He loves Alice and can't believe she got herself involved in this madness. He didn't know that this 'farm' was a satanic cult. From what Betty explained to him as they sat on the couch. That she's burning diaries and forcing Betty to join. Polly was broken. He knew that. But she wasn't healthy either. All the Smith women were broken.

It broke his heart to hear that Alice got herself even more trouble. How much more could she get into? Apparently a lot. He needed to get her out. He just didn't know how yet. But he'll find a way. One way or another he will get her free.

Awake in the madness the next morning, Alice didn't know what was going on? She was about to see Fp and tell him when she walked into Pop's and felt her heart shatter.

She ran out of Pop's so quickly. As fast as her legs could carry her. She never felt so betrayed. As she held a hand to her belly. Her eyes watered. She knew she couldn't ruin a marriage. She grabbed her phone and dialed.

"Yes I'm all packed. Pick me up." And then she hung up. Her heart pounded. She can't believe what's she about to do. At this point she didn't care.

After his shift at Pop's, Fp decides that he's going to pay Alice a visit. He takes off his uniform and replaces his skin with his jacket. He walks out the door and heads over to his bike.

He settled on his bike, feet pressed to the pedals and his mind was racing. What was he going to say? He hasn't seen her since she was in the hospital. Apparently he shouldn't have left her behind. She was far into the cult she was in. Too far to know she's not sane. Dropping babies in fires. He doesn't even recognize the woman she's become. She's not a Cooper or a Smith. This woman was indescribable.

He arrived at the rental home and finds Betty sitting on the front step with a letter in her hand. "She left." He couldn't believe what he was hearing.

He had to be hearing that wrong. She wouldn't just leave. None of this makes sense. Not of it. Zilch and not a word made any sense.

"What do you mean?" He asks Betty as he sits next to her. Betty huffs a sigh and gritted her teeth. She's angry with her mother.

Oh yes she is. Not only did she have a drinking problem. She also joined a cult and ran away like some twisted love story tale. It was like her mother was living in Romeo and Juliet.

"She just left. Her closet is empty and Polly isn't there either. I heard mom and Polly when I came back after I took Juniper. Something about Edgar having a meeting somewhere. And they would be gone for six weeks." Her eyes ache from crying.

Her mother abandoned her and she was the one who needed help not the other way around. Betty was the sane one. Her mother and Polly joined a satanic Cult, they're so brainwashed to see that. She hopes that Polly won't be like this forever.

"Oh… Betty." He says softly as he pulls her close. He can feel her starting to crumble. She no longer has anyone to lean on. Her father was a murder and her mother was in a cult along with her sister.

"It's not fair, Fp. She keeps promising and breaks them. I can't take it anymore. Last night was my last straw and now she's nowhere to be found. She doesn't want to come home and I'm worried that she's in serious trouble." She broke down sobbing in his arms.

He was also worried but he can't tell her that. He's married and now the fact the love of his life is in a cult. He wants to help her. But he doesn't know where she is. It breaks him to see Betty break down like this. He wants to take away all her pain.

Jughead was at the trailer when his mother walks in. He hasn't spoken to his mom for three or four days now. He's still trying to get of the fact she said that.

"Jug." He stops in his tracks and glares. He has to meet Chery, Toni, Sweet Pea and Fangs for a serpent meeting and she probably wants to set him off.

He starts walking away," Jughead, come sit." His mom orders and he obeys.

"What do you want me to say? That I'm happy you showed up after leaving me?! No! I'm not happy, Mom!" He snaps as his veins pop.

Gladys sits at the table looking straight at her son with soft eyes. She knew he was still furious with her. And she wouldn't blame him for being so. Jughead rolls his eyes as his mom examined.

"I don't care! You should've let me stay with you! What kind of mother does that?! Apparently not a good one!" He snarls as He tosses up his keys and catches them.

"Jug—"

"No! You basically told me to lie to Dad! I'm not doing that! I don't care if it causes you two to fight. What you did is unforgivable!" He shouted as he wants to slam the door.

Gladys shakes her head," No you won't, Young man!" She scolds him with a stern look on her face. "You will respect me. I won't tolerant this nonsense."

"Comes from a whore—" She slapped across his face so hard and powerful.

"Forsythe! Go to your room! Now! I'm not a whore! You don't disrespect your mother like that!"

He scoffs,"Some mother you are! Well your kid was forced into the foster system! You were fucking some man and got pregnant!" She looks at him stunned.

"H-how d-did you—" She was cut off by her son.

He just laughed bitterly at her and eyes raging with pure anger and frustration. He can't even look at his mother right now. He found out from a medical bill. She's four months pregnant and sure hell not his father's. She's so crucial about his father, when she was being a whore and messing around.

He didn't want to tell his dad but he also didn't want his dad to find out from someone else. His father doesn't deserve this. His father was many things. He was a drunk and a recovery addict. He had problems and also caused problems. But one thing he wasn't was a person who deserved to be cheated on. Nobody deserves that. He was willing to forgive his mother but then he got the mail and saw that.

He shoved passed her and snatched up the bill. "I found this in with our mail, Mom. You're lucky I found it and I'm telling Dad."

Gladys frantically shakes her head at him. He can't tell him. It will ruin everything. All of her progress." You can't!" Jughead just laughs. "I'm sorry, Mom. But, I won't lie for you. I'm telling him and you can't stop me!" The door slams behind him and Gladys starts throwing plates across the room.

She knew she's fucked. She really did love her husband but she got lonely and one thing led to another and she ended up pregnant. She knows how it looks and doesn't want to admit to herself that her marriage has been dead for a long time.

She remember the last time she was even happy. And she knows that's how he feels that way too. She starts pacing around the trailer and crying. She doesn't want her marriage to end. She's always felt alone and never felt like she could leave up to Fp's standards. She'll never be Alice.

Fp and Betty decided to pay a visit to Archie. It was 3:32 P.M when Fp pulled his truck into the parking lot and huffed a sigh. He felt bad for the kid. He didn't deserve this. He has a whole life ahead of him. He's too young to be rotting in there.

They sat there and stared at his raw, exhausted face. He was far from okay. He could see the pain in his eyes. He knew that Red was dying slowly. He hopes that the trial will end well. But knowing Hiram he will have all sorts of obstacles to make it nearly impossible to work around.

He looked over at Archie with soft eyes," Red, how are you doing?" He already could tell by the worn in his eyes that it was a stupid question ask. Of course he wasn't okay.

Archie sighed as he rubbed his temples with his thumb," To be honest." He lowers his voice." I'm dying in here, Mr. Jones." His voice laced with hidden depression. Fp could hear the young man cracking.

He shook his head, "Red, you can't think that, bud. With that attitude you won't make it in there." He says from experience. He knew what those walls did to the brain and mind.

It can mess with your brain and make you feel sick. He was worried that Archie would just end it. He didn't want to go to his godson's funeral. He knows Archie's a good boy. He wouldn't do this. Yet he did get taken advantage of by a teacher. Which sickened him. But he can't fault him. He was once stupid too. He let Alice go without a fight and now he's suffering without her.

A month ago, They were having secret hooks up without even meaning too. And now she's in a fucking cult and left him behind again. It felt like she broke her promise to him. Again and again she broke his heart and maybe he did the same thing. He's still a little anger she didn't tell him about Charles. All the times he could've been with his son and all the time he lost was a painful punch to the gut. He almost lost another son and he's afraid that if Jug keeps heading down this road he'll lose another.

Archie bit his lip and stared down at his handcuffed wrists in despair. He could feel Mr. Jones's words getting at him. He doesn't want this life. This will ruin all his plans for life. He's never felt so lonely in his life. He misses Ronnie, Jug, Betty, Vegas, his mom and dad. He wishes that he never got involved with Hiram Lodge. His trial was in a few days. He's anxious and his stomach churning as he looks around the stone room.

He sees Betty's face and wonders what's going on. She's so quiet and that's not like her. "Betty. What is it? Is it your dad?" He asks as he scratches the back of his neck anxiously.

Betty fights a frown and her smile falls altogether. She hasn't seen or spoken to her father since she told him goodbye at the Riverdale pentarty. She doesn't like thinking about it. She feels a hand on her shoulder and looks to side. Fp's eyes surveyed her facial expressions and he sighs.

"My mom's in a cult again and took off." Archie's stunned and instantly feels struck with surprise.

"What? Again. What the hell!" He shouted as he slammed a hand hard onto the table.

"Imamate 000925! Quiet down!" Could be heard from the other side. Betty shrinks in her chair with guilt. She got Archie in trouble. She didn't mean to get him in trouble. Fp glares at Archie. He didn't need this held against him. You don't want to spend time in Seg. It's haunting down there. So lonely and it drives you mad.

"Red." He scolds quietly, so he couldn't be heard." Control yourself, Andrews. Keep your head down. Snakes hibernate in the cells. Don't poke the bear. Snakes we don't survive bear attacks." Archie's head bobs and his smile grew.

And then Fp spotted something on his arm,"Red…" He pauses as he takes a minute to sink. "You became a serpent. Didn't you?" He questions, already knowing the answer.

He watches as Archie nods and he nearly swears. Fred was going to kill him. Betty sighs and can't believe he did that. "Arch… why?"

"I got shived a week ago." Fp's eyes widened at the stab incision on Archie's stomach. Betty's eyes glossed." I was left bleeding by a bunch of Ghoulies. Joaquin found me and I sent three days in the informatory. I did it for protection, Mr. Jones, Betty. Dad still doesn't know and I don't know if I'll ever get free."

Betty's heart sinks. She wishes they could find the real weapon and get Archie out for good. "What oh my god! Are you still in pain?" She asks as she wants to hug him.

"Wait what do you mean about Joaquin?" He was confused. He told him to go back to San jupoeo.