Here is the final chapter. Thank you for going on this emotional journey with me. I hope it doesn't disappoint. Sorry if the ending seems rushed. I was running low on ideas for how to continue.

I have no rights to Riverdale or these characters.

It had been 6 weeks since Jughead had found out about Forest. He couldn't stop staring at his little boy. He had become everything to Jughead.

Betty sat at the island and watched Jughead watch Forest. She could see the love in his eyes. The love that turned to pain when he looked at her. All she could do was give him space, which she was trying to do. But that was hard. They still shared a bed.

FP and Alice watched their kids learn to co-parent their son. Jughead was working through the feelings of anger. Betty was working through her feelings of guilt for having kept Forest from Jughead.

"Mommy," Forest said waving, "come play with us."

Grimacing slightly, Betty looked at Jughead. He just nodded.

Standing up she walked into the living room and sat down behind Forest, "what are we playing?"

"Snakes and Ladders," Forest claimed, grinning widely.

Jughead looked at Betty. He still loved her. But right now, he was angry and hurt.

The afternoon soon shifted into nighttime. Walking up the stairs, Betty looked at Jughead, "will you tuck Forest in?" she asked quietly, "I'm going to lie down."

"Of course," Jughead said, "do you need anything?"

Betty shook her head and watched him walk down the hall before whispering, "you."

FP watched Betty as she turned. Tears coursing down her cheeks. She had been crying a lot lately. Tears she was keeping from Jughead. Because she wasn't going to let him know that him pulling away was hurting her. All because she had hurt him.

Turning at his son's door, Jughead looked down the hall and saw Betty. Placing a hand on the door frame he stopped, she was crying; again.

It hadn't gotten past Jughead that Betty was holding back from him. They both were.

Sitting down at her desk, Betty reached below and grabbed a small shoe box. Tracing the lid, she let her tears fall. Lifting the lid, she pulled out the pictures.

All of them were of Forest. And he was wearing a near and dear to her heart beanie. Tugging the beanie out of the box, Betty chocked back a sob as she squeezed it.

Alice stood outside Betty's room and closed her eyes. FP walked over and pulled her against him. They couldn't make this better for their kids. They were going to have to work it out for themselves.

Tucking Forest's blanket around him, Jughead was taken aback, "Daddy, why is Mommy always crying when you're not looking?" the little boy asked.

Jughead swallowed hard. Forest wasn't supposed to know that his mom and dad were going through some things.

"Oh, buddy," he started, "mom and I are…"

Looking into his son's green eyes, Jughead couldn't lie to him. Stretching out and pulling Forest close, "I love your mommy," he reassured his son, "I have since we were younger. I always will."

"But?" Forest asked sitting up and looking at his dad, "you don't spend any time together. Mommy sits and watches us play."

Wiping the threatening tears from his eyes, "I know, bud."

"Why?"

"Because daddy is upset with mommy, right now."

"Because of me?" Forest asked in a quiet voice.

Jughead sat up and pulled his son into his lap, "look at me," he said, "Forest none of this is because of you. I love you and mommy."

Forest nodded at his dad and laid his head on his chest, "will mommy stop crying soon?" he whispered, yawning.

Holding him close, "yes, bud she will."

FP stood in the hallway and listened to his son try to reassure his son that he wasn't to blame and that he loved his mom.

Genlty shifting Forest back to his bed, Jughead turned out the light and brought the door behind him.

"Jug," FP said startling his son.

"God, Dad," Jughead swore.

Taking in the look on his dad's face, Jughead knew he was about to get some unsolicited advice. Something that both FP and Alice had been holding back for weeks now.

"Go ahead and say it," he said, "tell me I'm being selfish and arrogant or whatever."

"I'm not going to say anything," FP stated, "nothing I say will help you see how much Betty is hurting and it won't heal the hurt in your heart."

"What do you mean?"

"Jug, you're not that clueless," FP said, smirking, "you know Betty has been crying. You've been trying to ignore it, but with every fiber in your heart you want to comfort her."

"Of course, I do!" Jughead seethed, "I love her."

"Then maybe, just maybe, show her some of that love," FP commented before walking down the hall.

Betty didn't hear Jughead enter their room. She was to busy staring at the pictures of Forest. Her little boy. His dad's mini me.

"What are those?" Jughead said coming to stand behind her chair.

"Oh," she said scrambling to put the pictures back in the box.

"Is that my old beanie?" he asked picking it up off the desk.

"Yes," Betty whispered, wiping her eyes.

"Betty?" Jughead uttered looking at her.

Betty kept her head down. She wasn't ready to face him.

Jughead gently put his fingers under her chin and lifted her face to look at him. Her face was tear stained and her eyes rimmed in red.

"I'm sorry," she murmured as tears began to fall, "I know I can't make it up to you."

Taking her hands, Jughead gently tugged her out of the chair and pulled her close. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he sighed when she wrapped her arms around his waist.

Slowly moving away from the desk. Betty buried her face in Jughead's chest. He hadn't held her in so long. She was going to savor this moment.

Swaying to nonexistent music, Jughead tightened his arms around his beloved. It was past time that he forgave her. The love between them hadn't gone away. It had changed but growing up love does change.

Betty gripped handful of Jughead's shirt. Holding on for dear life.

FP and Alice watched from the hall and nodded. It was about time.

"Jug," she whispered looking up at him.

"Hmm?"

"I need to show you something."

Pulling back, he looked at her. She was nervous.

Walking back to her desk, Betty picked up the shoe box. Turning she saw that Jughead was now sitting on their bed.

Drumming her fingers on the sides of the box, she took a deep breath.

"These are pictures of Forest," she began sitting down beside him taking the lid off, "he's wearing your beanie."

Jughead took the box from her and pulled the pictures out. Betty took his beanie and held it tight, "FP brought your beanie to Connecticut when Forest was born," she continued, "every month I would take a picture of him with your beanie near or around his head."

"Why?" Jughead choked out looking at the pictures of his son wearing his beanie.

Betty gripped his beanie so tight her knuckles were white, "Betts?"

"He looks just like you," she cried, "I missed you so much. When I looked at him, I was seeing you."

Reaching over, Jughead took his beanie. Turning he set the box and beanie behind him on the bed.

"Come here," he said looking at Betty.

Betty stared at him.

"Come here," he said again tugging her closer.

Straddling him, like she had so many times in high school, Betty looked at Jughead. Nervously she threaded her hands in his hair, tipping his head back.

Letting his head fall back as Betty's hands entered his hair, Jughead groaned.

Running his hands up her thighs, Jughead slowly pulled her closer. Betty couldn't stop the groan that escaped her mouth as Jughead pulled her closer.

Opening his eyes, he smiled when he saw Betty staring at his lips, "they've always been yours," he whispered just before hers landed on his.

Betty couldn't stand it anymore. Pressing her lips against Jughead's she sighed as he traced her bottom lip, asking permission.

Tugging his hair as his lips moved to her neck, Betty rocked her hips against his. The familiar feeling of being in Jughead's arms making her blood run hot.

His hands rubbing her back as she rocked her hips against, Jughead groaned. God, he had missed this. He had missed Betty.

Nipping at her neck, he slowly pushed her shirt up. Feeling her soft skin under his fingers, made Jughead jump.

Betty stumbled off his lap, "Sorry," he said standing up, "Betty…"

"It's okay," she whispered fixing her shirt.

Grabbing her arm as she turned away from him, "no, I want you!" he interjected, "but not like this."

Betty stopped, "you want me?" she whispered, looking at him with hopeful eyes.

Pulling her close, "yes," he whispered kissing her head, "but we need to work out what's between us first," he continued, "sex can't be our resolving tool."

Betty laughed knowing he was making fun of their high school best friends.

"I love you, Betty Cooper."

"Jughead Jones, I love you."

Jughead smiled as Betty kissed his cheek, "I'm scared," she admitted, "there's so much."

Cupping her cheeks, "Betty, we're going to get through this," he explained, "remember we're partners in life, in all of it. We're in this for the long haul."

"That didn't age well," Betty laughed.

Smirking, "maybe not then, but now it will," he added kneeling, "Betty Cooper, will you be my girlfriend?" he asked holding her hands.

As tears fell down her cheeks, Betty nodded.

Standing up, Jughead grinned when Betty wrapped her arms around his middle.

Sealing his mouth over hers, Jughead sighed.

This was their new beginning. Same book. But a new chapter.

*Epilogue*

Forest stood in the doorway to the meeting room at town hall. His parents were getting married today. It had been 2 years since they had begun dating again.

Looking back at his short life, he never knew he hadn't had two loving parents who would do anything for the other.

"Ready buddy?" Jughead said coming to join him.

"Yes, daddy," Forest said taking his hand.

Together they walked down the aisle to join Archie, Jughead's best man.

Past family members and friends, who had all come together to see Betty and Jughead finally get married.

Veronica entered the doorway and watched Jughead and Forest walk down the aisle. She couldn't believe how much they looked alike, right down to their matching loose suspenders.

Shaking her head, Veronica blew a kiss to Archie as she began her trip down the aisle. Ahead of her best friend, who was finally getting her happy ending.

Betty smoothed her dress as FP came to her side. She couldn't think of a better person to be giving her away. FP had become a dad to her in so many ways.

Standing on her tip toes she pressed a soft kiss to his cheek as an errant tear slipped down her cheek, "thank you," she whispered her voice breaking, "for everything."

FP wiped his cheeks and pulled Betty close, "no, thank you," he said kissing her head.

"Ready?" he asked as they walked towards the doorway.

Betty nodded, "since I was 16," she whispered, looking down the aisle at her groom and their son.

Jughead stared at Betty as she and his dad made their way down the aisle. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. It was them against the world.

Tom Keller stood at the altar and watched as Betty came down the aisle towards Jughead.

"Everyone have a seat," Tom said as Jughead took Betty's hands.

"Jughead, do you take Betty to be your lawfully wedded wife?" Tom asked. He was cutting out the crap about someone objecting, because no one is this room was going to.

"I do," Jughead said looking at Betty.

"Betty, do you take Jughead to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I do," Betty beamed.

"I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss your bride."

Jughead cupped Betty's cheeks and kissed her. Reminiscent of their first kiss. Betty gently traced his jaw line with her fingers.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to introduce to you for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Jughead Jones."

Betty and Jughead smiled as Forest came to stand in front of them. Their little family.

Gently Betty took Jughead's hand placed it on her stomach. She was pregnant again.

Tom looked at the two of them and grinned, if you had told him 6 years ago that they would be getting married, he would have laughed said you were crazy. But crazier things had happened in Riverdale.

What did you think?