A/N:

I don't know what to say.
This is the FINAL chapter for A lover & A fighter and I'm a little sad. It's been a wild ride. I've never written something this long, ever, it has to mean something. Only Logan&Veronica (LoVe is my OG ship) made me this inspired back in the day, but I wrote mostly one shots anyway. Then S4 happened and from there it's all a painful blur. For me Veronica Mars ended with the movie, thank you very much.

Btw, back on topic, I want to thank everyone who left kudos and took the time to write a nice comment, you guys made me so happy.

Now, I seriously hope the Riverdale writers give us a little hope too. If not, as I always say, we'll always have fanfiction to cheer us up.

They went to the bathroom in turn to clean up a bit and then they crawled in bed together, neither of them putting any clothes on. Betty laid her head on Jughead's chest, snuggled close on his right side and wrapped her arm around his waist, sighing. He could smell the fruity scent of her shampoo and inhaled deeply wanting to be completely surrounded by her essence and possibly drown in it.

Jughead woke up a few hours later, the pain in his wounded arm making him uncomfortable. He didn't want to move, afraid to wake Betty up since she was sleeping soundly, but he needed to get up and take some pill, so he slowly untangled himself from under her body, watching her face to make sure she wouldn't wake up. She simply rolled on the other side and continued sleeping, with her blonde hair sprawled on the pillow like rays of sunshine she was the image of contentment and peace, so much so that Jughead felt his heart clench.

He put on his briefs and closed the bedroom door behind him. He took the pills from his jacket before heading for the little kitchen and helping himself with a glass of water to gulp them down with. The curtains on the living room were open and the street lamps cast a light glow all around the block. The street was quiet, there were only very few cars passing by and the new hybrid cleaning vehicles, which practically made zero noise at all.

He opened the window a little and lit up a cigarette, sitting down on the couch and hoping the meds he took will kick in fast enough. Toffee mewled from the corner of the room - aware that one of the humans was finally awake - and padded her way towards him, jumping on the couch graciously and and nestling in his lap purring.

The cat seemed completely ad ease with him, like she'd known him forever. He smiled and pet her while he smoked. He never thought about getting a pet of his own before, maybe now that he was finally alone in his apartment he could adopt some stray puppy in need. Yes, he decided to visit a shelter as soon as he got back to New York. Though for obvious reasons, he wasn't so eager to leave Riverdale anytime soon. When he was finished he put the cat down on her pillow and made sure to close the window so she couldn't get outside.

When he got back to the bedroom, Betty had shifted again and was now laying flat on her stomach, her left arm dangling from the side of the bed. The duvet had slipped down and was now draped around her lower back, leaving her back and long slender legs exposed. One of them was bent at the knee and made her beautiful round ass stick out in a very tempting way and his eyes lingered on her curves. He smiled in appreciation, resisting the urge to bite down on her creamy skin. Instead, he sat down at the foot of the bed, watching her.

He loved her so much, and he wanted to make her happy and keep her safe, forever. Now that Penny was dead, he knew her faithful lapdog Malachi could step up and attempt to get back at the Serpents for it. And by association to him and even to Betty. They needed to be ready.

In the past they had both pushed the other away to keep danger at harm's length and the whole plan backfired every single time, crashing down on them like a wrecking ball, threatening to destroy their relationship for good. But they proved to be stronger than that, stronger than the crap the God forsaken town of Riverdale kept throwing at them, stronger than death, even. He swore many years ago to never do that again and he'd live by that vow. Especially now that they had found each other again.

He didn't know how much he'd been sitting there, lost in thought and staring in the distance, when he felt the sheets rustling and Betty's hands sneak around his torso as she sat on her heels behind him, wrapped up in the fresh linen.

"Hi..." she whispered in his ear and placed a kiss between his shoulder blades.

"Hey beautiful." He took one of her hands and kissed her fingers sweetly, then he looked closely at her palm and kissed the long faded crescent scars too. Betty sighed.

"Do you still, you know, dig in your palms when you're trying to decompress?"

It was a delicate question, but he asked it with such respect that she found herself smiling. He was always so thoughtful and tender.

Jughead turned around to face her.

"Sometimes, but it's been way better since I started going to therapy. I'm not taking any medications, though. That was something I was very resolute about with my therapist, from the very beginning. So he suggested yoga and a hypnosis sessions. He pointed out this was the long road, but I don't mind taking the time to work on myself."

Jughead listened to her, brushing the back of his hand on the outside of her thighs as she spoke, letting her know he was there.

"You should take all the time you need, what really matters is the end result. And for what is worth, I'm sure you're doing great."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Betty wondered if maybe her healing process would have been different having Jughead beside her over the years, but she was the one who kept him at distance and in that moment, she swore that she will never do it again.
He'd always been supportive and encouraging, helping her get through tragedies and troubled times and boy they went through some real shit in their youth.

"Sometimes I feel like all the darkness from my past is catching up on me again. All the drama my family had to go through. First Jason and Polly, then my father, The Farm, Charles and Chic. I know it's not over, there are some issues I still need to process and I know it's gonna be hard, but, I'm determined to get through it and feel better, for good."

"You're the strongest person I know, and I'm certain you'll see this through."

"How can you be so sure when I'm not even sure myself?"

"That's easy, Betty. Because I know you and I've seen you battling with your demons before and slaying them all. I believe in you. And I'll be by your side, to cheer for you every step of the way, if you'll let me. You can count on me."

"I'm so happy that you're here with me, Juggie." He smiled sweetly when he heard his nickname on her lips and he leaned down to kiss her lightly.

"I'm proud of you, Betts."

Betty was happy, Jughead using cute pet names and saying nice things to her to make her feel loved and cherished was something she'd never get tired of.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him, shifting so that she was sitting on his lap. He simply held her for a while, caressing her naked back and peppering kisses on her shoulders. God she smelled heavenly and her skin was so soft and warm under his touch.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Mmh mmh..." she mumbled against his neck, the vibrations running down his spine.

When he heard Betty sigh deeply against his skin he grabbed her hands and squeezed.

"What is it, love?"

When she looked up her eyes were a little watery.

"I still can't believe that we're here. Together. We've lost so much time, Jug. And that's all my fault. I'm sorry. Please believe me."

"I do. I believe you and I trust you. Please stop worrying."

"I'm not going to screw things up this time."

"No, you're not, because I won't let you" Jughead brought her hands to his mouth and kissed her knuckles as she snuggled even closer, the warmth of her skin burning against his chest through the fabric. They stayed like that for a while.

The moment was sweet and intense, but the thought of her almost naked body so close stirred something inside him.

"What time is it?" She sounded still a bit sleepy.

"It's 4.30, we can sleep some more if you want."

"I don't want to sleep" Betty whined, and when she shifted back, the sheet fell down from her front and she brushed her hardened nipples against him. Jughead gripped her thighs, letting her know that her intent had been well understood.

"What do you wanna do?" It was a whisper, but it held a seductive promise of wonderful things to come.

"You."

Jughead laughed hard, his fingers drawing abstract patterns on her thighs. "Oh, my! You're insatiable, Betty Cooper!"

She frowned pretending to be disappointed when she slid her hands down his chest and found the waistband of his briefs.

"Why aren't you naked? I thought you were a man of honor."

Jughead smiled broadly, running his hands around her lower back and sliding down to palm her ass and giving it a light slap.

"I am!" He knew exactly were this was heading. "What are you talking about?"

"Uhm, I don't know" she said grazing the skin just above the elastic band with her nails. His abs flexed instinctively at her touch and she felt the muscles twitch and harden as he held his breath.

"I believe you promised me some intense lovemaking but," she made a very dramatic pause, cupping him through his underwear and stroking him lightly. Jughead cursed under his breath and bent his neck back trying to regain some control.

"But...what?"

"All I got so far is..." Jughead put a finger against her lips.

"...an endless series of orgasm while I was pleasuring you with my fingers?" Is that what you were going to say? Because I didn't hear you complain a few hours ago. Actually, you seemed pretty satisfied to me."

"Don't be cocky" she chastised him gripping him a little more firmly in her hand.

"Why? I can do even better than that if you want."

"Can you?" Betty was walking on very thin ice and the shiver that ran down her spine when she saw the lustful look in his eyes was enough to make her spontaneously combust.

"Is that a challenge?" he hissed narrowing his eyes.

Betty bit on her bottom lip meeting his gaze and nuzzled her nose against his. "Maybe...What are you gonna do about it?"

He was on his feet in a second and had her pinned under him on the bed before she could even realize he had moved at all. He discarded the sheet that was still draped around her waist and whistled appreciatively at her supple body. She lay on her back, giggling, as he gripped the back of her thighs and bent her knees on either side of his hips, nestling himself between them.

Jughead balanced himself on his right arm as Betty tangled her hands in his hair and spread her legs even wider to accommodate him. She felt his cock brush against her inner thigh and instinctively looked down, he had managed to discard his briefs without her even noticing and was now naked and fully aroused.

At her impressed look, he simply raised his eyebrow and winked. It would never cease to amaze her how quickly their bodies responded to one another, like the years they spent apart hadn't affected their sexual chemistry whatsoever.

"You're about to find out."

Betty lifted her hips, letting him know that she was more than ready, and he smiled devilishly at her, moving his hips around a bit, hearing her sigh and moan when his cock brushed against her slippery folds. He didn't even had to check if she was ready, because he could feel her wetness on him, but he couldn't resist the impulse to sneak a hand between them anyway and part her folds with his index and ring finger and run his middle one up and down, spreading her juices everywhere before teasing her entrance pushing just a digit inside, earning a loud moan from her mouth.

She was squirming under him trying to make him go deeper, instead he withdrew his finger and pushed her back on the bed until her head was once again on the pillow and he was standing on his knees between her legs, his burning gaze traveling down from her face to her chest and then finally focusing on her glistening center.

She looked confused for just about a second, then her heart started racing as soon as he made his intentions loud and clear, placing both of his hands on her knees and parting her legs even wider apart.

"What are you doing?"

"Enjoying the view" he grinned watching her naked and glorious body. His hands glided from her thighs to her hips up to her flat stomach and higher, around her soft breasts palming her already puckered nipples.

"Oh, come on..." she whimpered wanting to feel him inside of her as soon as possible "you're teasing me!"

Jughead lowered his head to her chest, taking one of nipples into his mouth and fondling it with the tip of his tongue.

"You're so fucking beautiful, Betts" he muttered against her warm and damp skin. Betty squirmed underneath him and placed a hand on his shoulder, trying to push him down, but he ignored her and shifted his attentions to the other breast, squeezing it in his palm as he sucked the rosy peak into his mouth, pulling at it very gently with his teeth.

"I hate you" she whined pressing her thighs together as if that could prevent her body to react to his ministrations or stop the moisture from leaking down on the sheets.

"You love me. And you love this."

Jughead chuckled against her skin and sucked harder. One of her knees jutted up involuntarily and he was quick to stop it with his hand, before it could hit his side, spreading her legs apart again.

"Fuck it!" Betty was out of her mind.

She woke up all worked up, because she was having a very naughty dream about him and then they talked about therapy and her progress and her body had cooled down a bit. But then they started teasing each other and her arousal was back at full blast once again and now he was fucking playing with her.

"I'm going to kiss you Betty, try not to kill me while I'm down there, ok?" he said laughing, releasing her nipple and kissing his way down her chest and lower belly, sighing in contentment as soon as his face was just a few inches from her pussy.

Betty looked down and locked eyes with him, as he ran his tongue flat on her heated skin from her opening right up to her clit, smacking a kiss right on it and her back arched off the bed.

"Jug! Damn it!"

He grinned at the desperation in her voice, repeating his actions another couple of times before closing his mouth right on her bundle of nerves and sucking hard. Her hands gripped the sheets as she rocked against his face. She didn't even bother to hide her lust. She wanted him to suck on her until she couldn't take it anymore, but he had other plans.

"Just let me taste you for a moment, will you? It's been too fucking long." When his tongue brushed through her folds Betty's hands gripped the sheets so hard that her knuckles turned white.

"Oh, fuck!"

Jughead kept his mouth firmly on her, lapping and sucking and moaning, sending shivers running down her whole body. Jughead felt her juices drip down on his chin and moaned against her skin.

She heard him mumble something that sounded like "so fucking wet, making a mess on my face and on the sheets" but she couldn't be sure of the exact words because he kept his mouth latched on her pussy the whole time, the lapping sounds driving her crazy with need.

When she thought she couldn't take it anymore she tried to sneak away from him grasp shifting towards the headboard, but he hooked his hands around her thighs and pulled her down to him again, resuming his tantalizing torture. Betty felt his tongue pressing against her opening and slowly inching in.

"Shit!"

Just to add up to her madness, he pinched her clit between his thumb and middle finger.

"You taste amazing, babe" he whispered against her swollen flesh.

"Please..." she begged entwining her fingers through his hair to guide him where she wanted.

He got her hint loud and clear and started fondling her clit with the tip of his tongue while slipping one long finger insider her at the same time and she let out a satisfied sigh.

"Yeah, you like that? My mouth on your clit and my finger inside you?"

Betty was biting her lip so hard that he thought she was going to draw blood. "Yes."

He added another finger and curled them inside her just as his lips resumed their suction on her clit and Betty's legs started to shake.

"I know you want to, but don't come yet!"

His voice startled her.

Betty's attention was so focused on her approaching orgasm that she looked at him in confusion, the image of his mouth on her heated flesh almost too much to bear.

"Wh...what?!"

"Don't. Come." He commanded, pulling his fingers from her but keeping his mouth so close that she felt his hot breath tickling her swollen folds.

It was the very first time he ever denied her the release she desperately craved and she felt lost. When her gaze returned to his face, though, she saw only love, lust and devotion.

"Hold on," he suddenly was all over her, his mouth crushing over hers in an electrifying lingering kiss. Betty tasted herself on his tongue as he guided himself into her in a single swift movement.

"I want to be inside you when you come."

They both moaned and Betty's nails scratched his sides and he bit down on her lip before using the tip of his tongue to caress her collarbone and her jaw. Her legs wrapped around his waist to keep him closer causing the angle to change and for Jughead to be sheathed even deeper inside her.

He was hard and smooth and hot and hopelessly hers.

"Juggie..." she whispered and Jughead shivered feeling her lips so close to the shell of his ear.

"Yes, baby..." Jughead whispered under his breath thrusting into her slowly a couple of times to let her adjust to his size and to test his own endurance. He was determined to make it last this time around. Back at his cabin, they were both so excited and they'd let their passion and pent-up burning desire take over, plus he'd let her take charge and set the rhythm because he was in a bit of pain, but also because seeing her on top of him, claiming his body and using it for her own pleasure was one of the most enthralling things he'd ever witnessed and the though alone was making him mad.

He braced himself on his good arm and stroked her cheek lovingly with the other hand, running his thumb along the contours of her full lips, so plump and soft.

When Betty parted them and sucked it into her mouth he felt himself getting even harder inside of her, if that was even possible. It took all he had to keep his body under control, because his subconscious was running back at the feeling of having her mouth wrapped around his cock.

Then he lowered his head and kissed her again, his eyelids fluttering close as his tongue engaged hers in a sinuous lavishing dance. Even though he was all the way in, he didn't move until he felt her inner muscles relax, accepting his body's thrilling invasion.

After a few moments of passionate kissing, Jughead pulled back for air and looked in her beautiful green eyes, sparkling with love and need.

"I love you Betty. I love you with all I have. Never forget that."

Betty felt complete, not only in the physical sense, but also on a deeply emotional level. She felt her throat clench at his words and hugged him tightly kissing his neck, his jaw and every inch of skin she could reach.

"I love you too."

Jughead gave her a gentle peck on the nose and slid slowly out of her before giving a tentative thrust forward, looking very closely at her face and paying attention to every little feedback from her body.

She still had her arms around him, but now she was gripping at his biceps for leverage as she lifted her hips to meet his.

"I want more."

"More of what?"

"More of everything!" She was squirming underneath him, her head bent back on the pillow, lips open, incapable of saying anything else.

Sex when they were younger had always been good, even if they were utterly inexperienced, but this? This was something else entirely.

They both knew their bodies better now, the way they responded to a certain stimulation or position, how long it took to find a perfect rhythm, where to touch and be touched, what to say to drive the other mad and when to ask for more. Being able to become intimate again knowing all those things was just wonderful.

She clenched around him again a couple of times, teasing him. She knew it would spur him to go faster and deeper and lose his mind. Jughead picked up the pace, but his movements were more controlled and deliberate than the day before and she was taken off-guard. She was so sure she had him figured out! She furrowed her brows and gave another hard inner squeeze to his cock only to hear him laugh softly.

"Sorry, Betts. You can clench around me all you want, but that's not going to work today" he said looking her in the eyes and giving a powerful thrust. He was in complete control and resolute to last and he wanted her to come first.

Betty pouted and he kissed her, increasing the speed ever so slightly.

It wasn't enough and the desperate expression on her face made his heart beat even harder in his chest.

"Let me just show you how good it can be if I go slow."

Betty nodded, kissing him back.

Jughead took a deep breath and started moving inside her more steadily, pushing hard and deep on his way in and pulling back slowly on his way out, rotating his hips each time the base of his cock brushed against her clit. After a few minutes, Betty started moaning, his name falling from her parted lips like a chant.

"How does it feel?"

"Amazing" she let out in a whimper. To punctuate her answer she clenched her muscles and they both felt his cock twitch inside her. Jughead hooked his hand under her knee and pushed her leg upward, changing the angle and hitting a spot inside of her that made her hips buck as his lips closed on her hardened nipple. He wanted to punish her for her cockiness and tugging and sucking at her breasts seemed like the perfect way of torturing her. When he released one of her nipples, her skin was rosy and flushed and he bit gently down on it, just to remind her who was in charge.

"Don't challenge me, Betty."

She bit her lip and nodded.

"Tell me how I feel inside you" Jughead's eyes were closed and he rested his forehead on hers.

"You're so hot...so deep" she confessed, sounding completely out of breath and he felt her hands slide up his back and grip at his shoulders as he moved relentlessly.

"Wrap your legs around me."

She complied immediately and he started rocking his hips a little harder and faster than before, ripping a long, throaty moan from her.

"God, Betty you feel fucking good too."

"Fuck, yes! Faster, harder! Please!"

Indulging her had never been so easy or compelling for him.

"Touch yourself."

She moaned at his request.

He took one of her hands and brought it down where their bodies were joined, then he commanded her again.

"Touch yourself, Betty" he put her fingers to her clit and began to circle it, helping her with his own hand.

When she started moving on her own, he let her chose her own tempo and pressure and pushed her right thigh open wide against the bed to give her more room to move, reaching an even deeper angle with the penetration.

"I think I'm close, Jug" she told him, caught a bit by surprise. She'd thought she could last a little longer, but the feel of him moving inside her at that perfect restless pace and her own stimulation were more than enough to make her soar towards the edge in the span of minutes.

"I'm ready when you are, babe. Don't hold back." He knew she was very close.

Betty always frowned and pursed her lips when she felt she was on the brink of madness and, as she was doing now, she shied away from his gaze and bit her bottom lip to suppress her screams.

"Look at me Betty, I want to see you."

Her eyes snapped open and locked with his and that was her undoing. The look on his stormy blue eyes was so intense she could barely breathe, it pierced right through her.

"Come with me" he was so attentive and observant so when her hand sped up her movements he did the very same, feeling her body tense up and preparing to unleash a powerful orgasm. He pulled out almost completely and dived back in a handful of times until he felt her back arch from the bed and her core tremble around him, clenching rhythmically as she repeated his name like some sort of chant, over and over.

"Jug, oh my God! Jug..." she choked out as long, endless waves of actual liquid fire washed over her body.

The sight of her in his arms hypnotized him, he couldn't take his eyes off her face and off her chest rising and falling when she couldn't control her breathing, or from her swollen parted lips that he felt compelled to kiss again and again. All of this without skipping a beat as he slammed into her one last time before following her over the edge with a grunt.

"Fuck, I love you!"

Betty gripped his shoulders for dear life and her nails grazed his skin at the same time as her walls tightened all around him, pulling every last drop of his release from his body with such force that he hissed in her ear.

"You're killing me!"

Jughead eyes zeroed in on her face and by the look of utter and complete abandon painted on her beautiful features, he knew she had lost control of her body and its responses and it was reacting to his orgasm with another of her own. He was in awe.

"Are going to come again?"

"Jug, God...I can't..." she screamed, as her nails dug into his skin.

She was the epitome of gorgeousness and he felt like the luckiest bastard on earth.

"Yes. Yes, you can. Let me feel you."

Jughead kept moving inside of her for a bit as she shook and trembled, riding wave after wave of pleasure, her head falling on the bed. She was beautiful and he couldn't take his eyes off her.

"Holy shit! You're amazing!"

This was definitely a first, he thought. Sex was definitely better now, as adults. They both had time to explore and understand their bodies better and being connected again now felt unbelievably good.

Betty felt boneless, like her legs and arms had turned into jelly. She was tingly all over and a sheer layer of sweat covered her chest and her face. She was thoroughly satisfied and smiling to herself. She closed her eyes and took a couple of deep breaths to help her heart rate to go back to normal.

"I'm pretty sure I can't walk right now" she giggled, her voice raspy.

Betty was thirsty, but the distance from the bed to the kitchen seemed way too much, and her legs would probably fail her anyway.

"Me neither" he confirmed kissing her forehead and rolling to the side, slipping out of her, their worn out limbs still intertwined. He flopped on the mattress next to her and stroked her hair lovingly.

"I really hope you don't have neighbors..." he laughed. "If so, they'd most definitely be awake and outrageously embarrassed by now."

Betty rolled her eyes and and scooted closer to him for a while, simply enjoying his warmth.

She actually dozed off for an hour and Jughead let her sleep, she had her leg laying across his thighs and there was no way he could or would, for that matter, move. When she woke up, he was watching her, smiling.

"Sorry, did I fall asleep again?" she groaned, her cheek resting on his chest.

"Yes, but I really don't mind having you in my arms all warm, soft and pliant."

"Oh, so you're a lover, a fighter and a cuddler now?"

"I've got layers, Cooper, you should know that by now."

Betty smiled at his comment and nodded.

After they both had showered it was half past 6 a.m. and they were in the bathroom, brushing their teeth and getting dressed, sharing the space naturally, like they'd been living together for years.

"So, uhm, why did you rent this apartment instead of staying with your mom?" he asked.

"Because, I've been on my own for the past seven years, first in college and then in Quantico. I feel free when I'm by myself" she was fully dressed now and headed to the kitchen to feed the cat.

When she got back Jughead was fastening his boots. "And also because" Betty sighed rubbing her eyes "she still thinks she can boss me around and treat me like a sixteen year old. And I'm so not anymore!"

"That I can confirm, you're way louder now! There's no way sixteen year old Betty would scream like that" he said with an eloquent smirk.

"Stop it!" she slapped him playfully on the arm, blushing.

"You're adorable," he smiled softly moving a strand of hair behind her ear and rubbing his thumb on the side of her neck "after everything we've done in the last few hours you still manage to blush at the smallest reference to sex. It makes you even hotter."

"You look pretty hot yourself" Betty smiled standing in front of him and running her hands up and down his torso and resting on his chest.

Jughead bent his head and kissed her lips. "I honestly don't know how I'm supposed to go to school and concentrate when the only thing on my mind is your naked body sprawled on our bed, ready for me."

"Our bed?" Betty repeated, looking him in the eyes.

"I was thinking that maybe you could, you know, save the rent money and come stay with me at the cabin as long as you're in town."

Jughead was smiling and Betty felt her heart beat impossibly faster in her chest.

"You want me to come live with you?"

"Well, my cabin is so much nicer than this apartment and there's zero chance that we're sleeping in separate beds from now on, so..."

Jughead was talking in a very practical tone, like he was barely listing the pros and cons of a specific matter, when in reality he just asked her to move in with him.

Betty shook her head, laughing and he wrapped her in his arms. It felt so good and so right to be together.

Suddenly, Jughead's stomach let out a very loud grumble.

"Hey, Betts?"

"Huh?"

"I'm hungry."

His stomach grumbled again and they both burst up laughing and she hugged him even tighter. Some things never changed.

"God, I really missed you, Jug..." her tone was dreamy as she looked him in the eyes, then she smiled broadly. "Come on! Let's get you fed. My treat!"

"I missed you too." He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and kept her against his side as they grabbed their jackets and headed for the door.

And with that they walked out and into their new future together.

Aaand that's a wrap on my first ever Riverdale fanfiction.
What do you guys think? Too sappy?
I don't even know if I care, tbh LOL

I needed a happy ending and I wrote what I wanted.

Until next time...take care folks!