Chapter 21: Fading Moon

A grumble awoke him from his sleep. He traveled to find his kids glaring at one another. He knew this prank war would get ugly, he just knew it would. He bit his cheek to keep from internally groaning out-loud.

"Dad! She put hot sauce in my toothpaste!" Exclaims his son as he shook his head furious with his little sister's prank.

FP looked at his daughter with a low, but stern stare-down." Is he telling the truth?" JB groaned and nods with a smirk.

"He told Abby that I sniffed Hot's butt for fun!" Jellybean throws Jughead a glare.

FP turned to look at his son, who shrugged his shoulders with a meek grin on his face. FP couldn't believe his kids were that childish. They were both out of line. Last week, Jellybean put itching powder in Jughead's hair gel. His son got back at her by replacing the spray cheese with yellow food-coloring. He had at it with the constant pranks, harsh gimmicks.

"Jughead, you are seventeen years old. You are being so immature." He caught his son rolling his eyes and pointed his eyes. "This prank war is over! I mean it! This ends now!" He declared as he gave each of his children a stern look that meant business.

"But Dad, she started it!" Jughead complained against his dad's comment.

FP's hand went up." No, I don't want to hear about who started it. And if I do, you two are grounded. I was fine with a little prank war, but this has gone too far. Now, JB." He turned to look over at her. "You get that tube of toothpaste and throw in the garbage, now!"

"Yes, Sir..." Jellybean mumbles quietly as she takes off.

"And you.." Jughead's smile flipped off as soon as his dad looked at him. "You are going to wash the dishes, scrub the yellow stains on the floor and no going to Betty's until you are finished and you give a lip, I'll make it a lot more for you. You understand me?" Jughead quickly nodded." Good, now, you grab a mop and scrub at those stains." And that's what his son did.

Later that day, Jughead was cleaning the stove while his dad was at work when Jellybean decided to add one little joke to the mix. Jellybean carefully snuck behind her brother's back and placed a live tarantula on his top of his beanie. She quietly stifled her giggles as Jughead went to grab the pitcher of cherry kool-aid onto the island.

She waited until Jughead sat on the couch before she snuck away from the living room. This was going to be better than the hot sauce in toothpaste or itching powder.

"JELLYBEAN!" She heard her brother's loud voice scream at the top of his lungs.

She came out from hiding behind the side wall that divided the living room and kitchen. She caught the sight of his ears and bursted out laughing. "This isn't funny! I spilled kool-aid all over Dad's computer!" He shouted.

"About... the computer... it's a decoy. His laptop is safe on his desk in the office." Jughead shook his head in furry.

"Dad said no more pranks, JB."

"Sooo... it's funny."

Jughead scoffed," This is funny to you?" He saw Jellybean nod." I had to scrub the floors, wash the dishes and now the whole living room. He's going to kill us... god.. why do you got be so childish!"

"I am not childish!" She retorted. She placed her hands on her hips." Anyway you are almost an adult and you act more like a child than I do!" Jughead sneers at his sister and stormed out of the room.

"Wow... Jug, your dad is going to be pissed." Betty said as soon as she saw the mess.

She came over after Jughead had called her saying he needed help. He knew he would be in trouble with having Betty over but he also knew that he was going to be grounded either way.

"I-I know... can you help me?" He gave her a look." Pleaase?" Betty chuckled before nodding her head. Her mother was out shopping and Polly took Juniper to the park. She had finished all her homework and she didn't see the problem with helping him out.

"Fine. Fine." Jughead cheered," Go get the couch cleaner. Hurry, go, go!" She ordered.

—xxx—

Alice was out grocery shopping when Polly called saying that Juniper fell off the slide at the park. She quickly pushed her cart to the side, headed for the car and drove herself to the E.R. When she arrived she was met by anxious Polly. Her heart broke for her daughter. She knows what it's like to be worried about your child's life.

Polly couldn't believe her baby was hurt and it was her fault. She didn't mean to look away when her two-year old went down the side. She was directed thinking about what happened to Dagwood. She still feels guilty for her cause in his death. This was all her fault.

"Polly, she's going to be okay." Alice assured her guilt-ridden daughter.

She knew that Polly blamed herself for what had happened at the park. Her daughter had been through a lot during these two years on her own. She went from raising her two twins with no emotional support, lost the father of her children, brainwashed by the Farm.

"B-But I-I didn't catch her, Mom." She stammers as a tear starts forming in her eyes.

"No, no, it was an accident, Sweetie. I could've happened whether you were paying attention or not. This wasn't you're fault."

Juniper's pediatrician came out to the waiting room to them the news. Alice and Polly turned to face him as he walked up. Polly's stomach churned with anxiety and guilt.

"She's going to be okay, just minor bruise on her forehead. She's been asking for Mama and Grammy, I assume that's you two?" Polly and Alice nodded with smiles.

"Yes, that's us." Alice said as she gave her daughter a hand squeeze.

The doctor smiled." You are free to go in a few hours. It's just a routine procedure." He added seeing their evident worry.

"Oh, good." Polly sighed with relief in her orbitals. "Can I see my baby now?"

"Of course, I'll take you right to her." Polly looked over at her mother and Alice took Polly's hand as the doctor guided them to Juniper's hospital room in the pediatric wing.

"Mama!" The little two-year-old squeals as soon as Polly comes into the room.

Polly gently pulls her daughter into her arms, kissing her affectionately on her head. Juni laughs as she buries her tiny head into her mama's side. Alice smiles at sight of her oldest daughter and grand-child. It was such a sweet bond they have. "Baby, I was so scared! I'm glad you are alright." Polly responds as she held Juni tighter.

"I'm okay, Mommy. I got Owes." Juni said as her eyes filled with tiny tears.

Polly lifted up her head and frowns sadly at her daughter's tear-filled eyes. "I see, Baby."

Alice walked up to the young's bed and sat by the other side. "June." She called. Juniper looks over at her grandma. "Grammy!"

"Hi, baby, I see you got some owes."

"I do..."

"Hey, it's okay. How about we get a pretty bandaid to put over that owie?" Alice suggested as she received a small nod from the little child.

"Okie, Grammy." Juniper whispers as a small yawn escaped from her.

"Juni?" She looked around and saw her mom," Yes, Mommy?" Polly sighed as she caught the questioning eyes of her daughter. "Is it time for a nap?" She got a nod before the little one slowly leaned into her touch and closed her eyes.

"I sleepy, Mama..." Polly smiled at her daughter drifting off into dreamland. "Okay... sweetie, its okay, sweet dreams."

Alice was amazed by her oldest. She handled that situation better than she had with Polly when the oldest Smith was hurt after falling off her bike. She was a nervous wreck, but here, Polly handled it better than she had.

Later after everyone was asleep, Alice was in bed. It had been a long day for her. She thought about what had happened and couldn't help feeling a little down. After they came home from the hospital, Betty made dinner for them, no, they didn't talk yet. Dinner went good, Polly read Juniper bedtime story, she only made it half-way before the sore baby fell asleep during the part where Cinderella's at the ball.

Alice had listened behind the door as her daughter read the story and a smile formed on her lips after she heard Juniper laugh. Oh, my, she missed when her children were that young and innocent. She couldn't wait to read to her baby when it is born. Alice wished that her life was a fairytale sometimes. She knew life would be easier than way, but in all truth... she probably would be Cinderella.

Most of her life was unhappy, Harold treated her like the evil step-mother had to Cinderella. She was expected to clean, mop, dust and polish the floors, along with other tedious chores. No. She didn't have three mice running around, she was all on her own taking care of two young children.

"What? They did what?" She gasped in shock.

"Yeah... Jellybean and Jug challenged each other in a prank war a couple weeks ago and this is the aftermath." FP and her talked on the phone while she laid in bed.

This was a new routine of theirs. It was helping them get over or more like get-through what happened. FP didn't completely forgive her yet and she didn't blame him. What she did was wrong and she was still facing the consequences from her mistake.

"Hot sauce in toothpaste? Have you raised kids from hell?" She questioned and smiled to herself when she heard him chuckle.

"You mean demons? I don't know maybe I did." He said as he shrugged his shoulders.

He missed this...their banter. He could get used to this again. After the day from hell he had... he thought this was a good way to unwind. Another impatient customer, his children's prank war, the stupid traffic jam that made him ten minutes late for work.

"I had to go to hospital today." His thoughts stopped instantly as his heart started hammering in his chest cavity.

"What are you okay? Is--" She cuts him off with a light chuckle.

"No, I'm okay. It was for Juniper. She fell off the slide today at the park." She heard him let off a relieved sigh and it made her stomach all fuzzy. He still cares. This was a good sign. "Oh, that's good. And aww, what happened to the munchkin?" His tone filled with worry again.

Alice sits up from the position she was in and got out of bed, disappeared into the dark hallway as she went to get something to snack on. She flipped the light switch next to the kitchen sink and traveled to fridge.

"Ohh, yeah she's fine. Just a small bruise on her forehead and whole lot of scares for Mom." She said as she looked on the top shelf for something to eat.

"Oh, that's good... wait are you eating as of right now?" He questioned.

"No, I already ate dinner, Betty actually cooked for us tonight. I was just looking for something to snack on... like to satisfy my craving."

FP chuckled into the phone." What are you craving?" He joked as he imagined her.

"Mexican, oddly enough. I really want a chimichanga." Alice replied as he chuckled, imagining that pout on her face.

"Chimichangas?"

"Yes, chimichangas!"

"You should be sleeping. It's not good for the baby--" He was quickly cut off by Alice's scoff.

"Who are you to tell me what I can or not do? I'm hungry and it's your baby's fault!"

"Do you even know what time it is?"

Alice rolls her eyes at the comment. "Yes, I do, I'm not an idiot, thank you very much."

"Hey, don't snap at me. I was just teasing."

Alice sighed softly as guilt hit her gut," I'm sorry, FP. I'm just hungry. I didn't mean to snap at you." Now she felt awful. Her yes start to burn with the urge to tear up.

He thought heard a sniffle." Hey, hey, don't cry, Al. It's okay." He didn't want her to cry. Even thought they weren't in the best place right now. He still didn't want her upset. "God! I hate these hormones!" She cried.

"I'm coming over."

Alice shook her head." No, FP, that's not necessary I'll be fine... it's just--"

"Nonsense. You are upset and I'll be there soon." He hung up before she even got a chance to think of a reason.

"Shit." She gasped as she stood in the middle of her kitchen at one-thirty-five in the morning. "What am I going to do?" She thought herself.