Chapter 22: Fading Moon: 2

At 2:22 A.M..there was a low humming from an engine in her driveway, footsteps approaching her front door. Then a sharp, but quiet knock at the wooden door. Alice exited the dim-moon lit kitchen and headed to her front entrance. When she opened the door, FP stood with a soft smile on his features with a Tupperware dish held out in his left arm as his other arm rested against the wood paneling.

"You weren't kidding..." Alice mutters underneath her breath as she takes in the sight in front of her. She turns to him and shakes her head in disbelief. "FP, this is so nice of you... but I'm okay."

"Nope, I wasn't kidding and there's no way I'm letting you suffer like this." He said as he walked right passed her and leaving her too stunned to move.

He flipped on the lights and took the bag that was hanging over his shoulder and plopped it gently onto marble kitchen island. Next he opened the bag and pulled out the contents that made Alice gasp. Alice came over to the kitchen island with her mouth wide open.

"You brought me chimichangas?" She literally couldn't believe her eyes. FP smirked at the look on her face and nods his head.

"Yes, I did. I might've called Hermione and asked what Mexican club was open and Voila here we are!"

"FP..."

He gave her a look." Alice, I insist you have some. Hermione says that they are the best. She also told me not to call her at 1 in the morning ever again. I interrupted her and Fred." Alice chokes as FP told her the story.

"Hermione and Fred had sex while on the phone with you?" His head nod made her grimace even more."I didn't know her and Fred were back on." She said honestly as she took a bite from the Chimichangas that he had gotten for her.

"Apparently from what Fred has told me that grieving for Hiram wasn't all they did after his funeral." Alice chokes back a gasp.

"AT his funeral?!" She exclaimed a little too loudly. "Wow... I mean I didn't care for the man but that is something..."

It felt good to be with him at breaking-dawn, having small-talk that made her almost pee her pants. It had been a long time since she and FP had actually enjoyed each other's company. Maybe it was worth calling him and getting some chimichangas.

"Mmhmm... Hermione was absolutely right... mmmhmm these are so good." She moaned as she stuffed her mouth.

FP took one chimichanga from the dish and took a bite and also moaned. Alice had been right. Hermione was absolutely right about how good they were. He really owed her.

—xxx—

By time, Betty woke up she noticed opened boxes of take-out that had littered the island. She began to get curious and figured it was time to investigate. She slowly eyed the room until she found a sight that made a smile creep onto her lips. She found her mom on the couch with her head resting on FP's chest. She took out her phone and snapped a photograph of them. They looked so cozy.

She only had one questioned: how did he end up here? She would ask her mom but she didn't want to interrupt the moment. She carefully and quietly backed away. She had to get ready for school and then she would be out the door. She had a huge exam to do.

A couple hours later, Alice found herself in a pair of arms. She squinted and then silently gasped in her head." How did this happen?" She thought to herself as she looked at FP. He was still snoring lightly and she didn't want to wake him but she had to do stuff. FP felt a slight shift and slowly awoke from his sweet slumber to find Alice's wide-eyed.

"Oh, shit... we fell asleep." He mutters as Alice nods. "I'm so sorry. It was so late and now..." He looks at his watch. It was 10 o'clock in the morning. "Holy crap!" He cursed. "Fred's going to kill me!"

"You better go then..." Alice said as she got off the couch and handed him his serpent jacket, not before roaming her eyes across the pattern.

"Yeah... I guess I should go then." He took his jacket and smiled." Thanks." He said sheepishly as he caught her eyes.

"You're welcome."

He walked toward the door, pulled on his leather jacket and turned to wave goodbye. "Goodbye. I'll see you at your appointment tomorrow. I'll pick you up at 12, right?"

"Yes, 12 is it." She says as she raises her hand to wave back at him. "Goodbye." She sighs deeply to herself as soon as the door shuts behind him.

What happened? He comes over at one, brings her food and ends up staying? She honestly didn't know what to think. All she knows is that she's falling more in-love with him. They weren't even together. Now it's all complicated with the baby and all.

Xxx—

He makes it to work ten minutes after he stopped back at his place to grab a quick shower and head out the door. As soon as he walked in Fred gave him this knowing look. He strolled passed his friend and sat at his desk before letting out a stressed sigh.

"So..." Fred asks across the room with a grin forming on his rounded lips.

FP lifted his head, catching the drift from his annoying friend and rolled his eyes. "Nothing happened. I brought food and we talked..."

Fred shakes his head, knowing that FP was telling the whole truth. " And...?" He saw FP give him a death glare but that doesn't stop him. "Come on, FP. I know more happened than that." He jokingly teased.

"We fell asleep. That's all that happened." FP stated, hoping Fred would drop it.

"You two fell asleep?" He nods. "FP... what's bothering you?"

"I'm afraid okay... she lied to me about her pregnancy and I'm falling deeply in-love with her, Freddie." He confessed.

"F... I know you are. You'll be okay."

"I hope you are right..." He mumbles as he starts going through their employees time cards to send out. "Anyways how's Hermione?" FP asks slyly with a grin as he changes the subject. He didn't want to be the topic they were chatting about any longer.

"She's great. We haven't told Archie and Veronica yet. Hermione doesn't want to tell her daughter because Hiram just passed on which I completely understand."

"And Red?" He heard Fred sigh.

"I'm not sure how my son will take it. How does your son about Alice?" FP had to think for a moment.

"Jughead knows I love Alice but we haven't really spoken about it." Fred looks honestly at his best friend and smiles. "I'm sure you'll figure it out when it comes to the time, F."

"Thanks." He looked at Fred and said," Oh, and Hermione was correct. They have really good chimichangas." FP said with a satisfied smile.

—xxx—

After school, Jughead couldn't stop thinking about Jellybean's last prank she pulled on him and wanted to get her back good. He walks into the house, knowing that JB would be at her Abby's house for the next hour and a half. He rubbed his hands together and smiled mischievously as he pulled out balloons from his backpack that he bought at the store before he came home. Next he pulled out the paint tubes, setting them on the table.

He lifted the balloons to his lips and blew hot air from his mouth into it, watching the latex expand to the perfect shape. After that he took the paints, took the caps off the top of the paint tubes and emptied them into each balloon and lastly tied a knot at the end.

Now all he had to do was wait until she got home from Abby's and then victory was his. He couldn't wait for the exact moment. It was riveting to finally get his Ultimate payback.

An hour and a half later, it was time. He spotted Jellybean coming from a block away. Jellybean was whistling to herself after she walked home from Abby's place when out of nowhere she was stuck by something. She looked down and screeched loudly. Her clothes were splattered with Multi-color paint.

"Forsythe!" She yelled as she another balloon brushed passed her arm and bursted open. She heard Jughead snickering at her helplessness. "You are dead!"

She snatched a few balloons from his bucket and tossed them at her brother, laughing when he was covered in purple and pink splash. "Forsythia!" He bellowed.

She threw another one, this time he ducked and it painted the side of the house. Fuck! Their dad was going to be home any second. They're wouldn't be time to clean up. It was a messy disaster. She and Jughead gasped in horror but that was cut short by him throwing one at her. Her clothes were drenched with paints. Jughead laughed evilly, JB quickly hit him right in the face with the latex.

His face was painted all the colors that were just meant for Jellybean. After a few minutes, Her and Juggie continued to throw water balloons with non-toxic-washable paint savagely. Jughead wasn't stupid. He knew this was going to be messy and that's why he purposely bought washable paint over non-washable. Maybe their father will be less mad at them. Honestly mad wasn't the word he'd use.

"WHAT THE FUCK?!" A loud rumble broke the prank paint war up.

—xxx—-

When FP got home from work later that evening he definitely wasn't expecting his two foolish-minded children to having a balloon fight with paint! He couldn't even believe his eyes. This was unbelievable. He literally told them no more and what do they do. The complete utter opposite than what he told them to do. He slammed his truck door in furry as his nostrils flare up.

"Oops..." JB gasped in horror as she was the image of her seething father come toward them. Jughead also looked terrified on what do to. "Shit. Shit. Shit." He muttered underneath his breath over and over again.

"What did I say?!" He barked as he stood in front of them. Neither of them spoke," I said, what did I say?!" He barked again this was more louder.

"W-We--" Jellybean's stammer was forcibly broken off by her father's bellow.

"I said it was over and what did you do?!"

This time Jughead answered," We continued." He looked down at at his feet in shame.

"That's right and what did I say if that happened?" Jughead mumbles. "I'm sorry didn't quite hear that. "You said we would be grounded."

"Yeah, that's right and guess what?"

"What?" JB bravely asked.

"You're both grounded. Indefinitely. For two weeks and if you say anything--" Jughead cur off his father's threat.

"I didn't want to do it, but Jellybean pranked me again with a tarantula, which made me spill kool-aid all over a laptop that I thought was yours, so I got back at her." Jughead confesses.

FP shook his head in disbelief," I told you I don't care who did it first or last! And for that you are both grounded an additional week."

"What that's not fair!" His kids whined in annoyance.

FP scoffed and walked closer, not touching them just enough to scare them," And you think this is fair." The kids shook their heads. He looked at Jughead," Boy, you are going to borrow Fred's power-washer and then you report right back here. After that, you'll be power washing the house. Understand?" He added sternly.

Jughead nodded before walking away and FP returned his attention to his youngest," And now you young lady, you will be helping your brother wash the floorboards. After that you will be helping me clean tables at Pop's for a week after school. You go to school but that's it. No, Abby's and we'll discuss what I'll add to your punishment as I see fit." JB nods, refusing to meet her father's disappointment in his eyes and the rest of his features.

Now she knew this prank war had gone way way too far like he had said it did. Now she had to cancel her sleepover that was supposed to be this weekend. Well that really backfired horribly on her and she felt bad for taunting her brother so much. She should've listened to her father and brother before it got this far.

She definitely wasn't Megan Parker from Drake and Josh. She actually had to give Jughead some credit it. His prank was pretty well elaborated and orchestrated.