Mary was gushing like the proud mama she was at the two young adults sitting across the table from her at the diner Archie had picked to celebrate his big day. She still couldn't believe the two kids who used to play together in the sandbox on the playground were now college graduates and ready to take the world by storm.

"I need another picture," she decided, causing her son to groan.

"Mom, can we get through lunch first?" Archie tugged at his bow tie. Betty had talked him into wearing it. He felt a bit ridiculous, like maybe he'd outgrown it, but he caved to her batting lashes.

"This is an important day," Mary said.

"And you've got five hundred pictures of the event already. That's on top of all the pictures you took at Betty's ceremony two days ago," he chuckled, "I think a few minutes respite won't hurt."

Betty giggled, "Just count yourself lucky you didn't have to talk her out of a camera crew."

"You'll be grateful I was such a shutterbug today when you want to look back on these memories in twenty years," Mary told them both, "And don't worry, Betty. I have just as many pictures of your graduation."

"And if you don't, I'm sure Polly, my mom, and JB do," Betty smiled. "I'm just glad my graduation didn't coincide with Jug's so FP could attend as well."

"Do you two know what you want to order?" Mary glanced at her menu for the first time.

"Yeah," Archie replied, "The biggest, juiciest burger this place makes with everything bad for me on top. I haven't been able to have much junk food over the past four years because I was always in training and the nutritionist was very specific about what we could and couldn't eat. I'm going to gorge on junk food for a month."

"And then we're going to roll you to the doctor's office to get your arteries cleared out of all the cholesterol you've inhaled," Betty replied.

"At least we have a plan," Archie smiled.

"When are you two heading back to Riverdale?" Mary asked.

Betty studied her menu, letting Archie answer his mom.

"I still have some packing to do," Archie said. "Not until tomorrow at the earliest."

"What about you, Betty?" Mary asked, "Do you have anything left to pack at Northwestern?"

"No, I've been cleared out of the dorms for a while," Betty shook her head, keeping her answer a bit vague. Mary didn't know that she'd been staying with Archie for the past month and a half, and Betty had been quite insistent that they keep her in the dark.

"That's good," Mary said. "How was Cheryl's graduation? Archie mentioned you went."

"I was so tired from the long drive that I don't remember a lot of it," Betty said. "Kev and Fangs said it was nice."

"You've been wearing yourself too thin," Mary looked on with concern.

"Yeah, I think a month of sleep is in order," Betty admitted, "It's been a rough few months...years actually."

"We'll go back as soon as we're done eating," Archie gave her a look of concern.

"I don't need a babysitter, Arch. You should visit with your mom. I'll be okay."

"Are you sure?" he hesitated.

"Yeah, absolutely," she bobbed her head, "In fact, I think I'm going to head back and let you two have some celebratory mother-son bonding time. You don't get enough of it. Mary, can you drive Archie back to his dorm?"

"Betty, you don't have to go," Archie protested.

"Yes, please, Betty, stay. We can celebrate you too," Mary agreed.

"It's okay," she assured them both as she rose from the table, "I'm really more tired than I am hungry."

"You sure you're okay to drive?" he fished for his keys out of his pocket and handed them to her. Polly had driven Betty's car home to Riverdale after her graduation under the cover of Betty helping him pack and drive him home. Alice seemed a bit suspicious but said nothing.

"I'm fine," Betty assured him before she hugged Mary, "I don't think I thanked you for coming to my graduation."

"No thanks necessary," Mary hugged her back. "I was glad to be there."

"I'll be back in a couple of hours," Archie told her, "I'll try to be quiet so you can sleep."

"Thank you," she smiled.

Betty exited and Mary looked at her son, "Let's eat, okay?"

"Yeah," Archie sighed heavily.

"Do you know what's really going on with Betty?" Mary asked.

"Yes," Archie bobbed his head, "I can't betray her trust, but it's bad."

"If she ever needs my kind of help, don't hesitate, alright?" Mary said firmly.

"She might," Archie looked down at his menu awkwardly for a few moments, "I'll let her know you offered."

"Archie, how bad is it?" Mary reached for his hand.

"Bad," Archie swallowed hard, "It's really bad."

"Talk to FP when you get home," Mary said.

"If I can convince Betty it's a good idea, I will," Archie promised.

"Good," Mary decided to shift topics back to the day's celebration.

True to Archie's word, he ordered the greasiest burger the diner served, and he enjoyed it immensely.

"Are you going to keep up with your boxing?" Mary asked as they made their way to her vehicle.

"Yeah, just not as serious as in college. It felt like I lived and breathed boxing. I'd like to get back into mentoring at the gym," Archie replied.

"Are you going to have enough time for your contracting business?" Mary teased.

"Oh, yeah, that's definitely the top priority," Archie smiled.

"I'm hoping maybe you'd also add a bit of fun and perhaps some romance into your life," Mary gave him a nudge, "I'd like to be a grandmother in the next few years."

"No pressure or anything," Archie hooted with laughter.

"Seriously, Arch, I've seen some definite sparks between you and a certain blonde-haired neighbor," Mary teased.

Archie blushed, "It's that obvious?"

"It always was, at least to your father it was," Mary smiled a little, "I was never sure."

"It's always been complicated," he sighed again, "There were a few moments in high school, but we went our separate ways for college."

"Maybe it's time to give it a go for real," Mary suggested, "You have nothing standing in your way."

"She just got out of a bad relationship. I don't want to push her or be the rebound guy," Archie said.

"Take it slow," Mary said.

"If we went any slower, we'd be going backwards," Archie snorted.

"Well, not that slow," Mary smiled. "If I'd seen you look at Betty the way you did today when you were back in high school, I'd have never pushed on you and Veronica."

"Timing," Archie shrugged.

"Why don't you go back to your room to see if you can work on that?"

"I'll take your suggestion under advisement, Counselor," he smirked.

"Good," Mary smiled.

Mary drove her son back to his dorm. She hated that she had to leave him to pack up his room by himself, but she was in the middle of a big case. She had to get back to Chicago to pick up her work.

"Thanks for coming, Mom," Archie gave her a tight hug.

"Think about what I said," Mary replied.

"I will," he nodded.

"Be good," Mary told him, "I'll call soon."

Archie watched his mother drive away and then made his way up to his room, weaving in and out of people carrying boxes. Several students stopped to congratulation him on his graduation and wish him well. Many parents thanked him for looking after their children over the past year.

Entering his room, he'd hoped to see Betty laying down to get some rest, but she had several boxes strewn about the room and was packing up his things.

"I thought you were resting," Archie set his keys in the bowl by the door.

"I couldn't relax," Betty said. "I thought I'd get you started."

"Thank you, but I'd rather you were laying down," Archie knelt before her.

"I can't shut my mind off," Betty admitted.

Archie took the possessions she was packing out of her hands and set them aside, "Talk to me."

"I don't think I can go back with you to Riverdale," she looked away as she spoke.

"What? Why not? I thought the paper in Greendale offered you a job."

"They did," Betty nodded.

"So?"

Betty shook her head as the tears pooled in her eyes, "It's too hard this time."

"What do you mean?" he brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and tenderly stroked her cheek.

"I can't go back to pretending again."

"Pretending what?" he frowned in confusion, "Betty, you're not making any sense."

"I can't go back to Riverdale pretending there's nothing between you and me," she finally admitted. She was both grateful to finally have her thoughts out in the open, but also horrified that he'd push her away. They'd stayed true to their word and never spoke of their night of comfort, but it was always on their minds. Night after night, they shared the same room, both feeling the pull towards one another, but feared how the other would react if they followed through on their feelings.

"Betty," Archie looked stricken.

"I know we're finally friends again, and I am so happy about that, you have no idea, Arch," Betty shook her head, "But after everything, I can't just be your buddy."

"Good," Archie smiled, "Because I don't want you to be."

Betty swallowed hard, "I keep thinking back to senior year and those moments we were having when no one was looking. I was so conflicted. Part of me wanted to be with Jug, mostly because I think that's what everyone thought I should do, and the other part of me wanted to be with you. Now I can't help but wonder what would have happened if you and me had a shot. I don't want to wonder anymore...I'm still a mess. I'm still looking over my shoulder all the time, so I have no idea what kind of girlfriend I'll be..."

"I don't care," he interrupted her, "We'll go slow, glacial if needed."

"Archie?" Betty looked at him questioningly.

"I want a chance with you. I want the chance you gave me when we were fifteen, the one I when was too stupid to realize what you and I could've been."

Tears she'd been desperately trying to hold onto began tumbling down her cheeks, but now they were in relief, "Are we finally in the same place?"

"Yeah, we finally are," he caressed her cheek reverently.

"We have lousy timing," Betty leaned into his touch, "Things with Louis are still up in the air."

"We'll end that soon enough," he assured her.

"Please tell me you know you're not a rebound," Betty said quietly.

"I know I'm not," he replied, "I think I've known since that night we shared but never talked about."

Betty swallowed hard, "You have no idea what that meant to me."

"If it's anything like what it meant to me, then it was quite a bit," he told her. He wished he had a better way of explaining himself, but damn if he was bad at these emotional conversations. He just wanted to be with her, however she'd have him.

Betty looked around them, "I'm aware we should pack, but I'm suddenly hungry and exhausted at the same time."

"How about a nap, and then I'll take you out for dinner?" he suggested, "I'll do my best to pack up my stuff quietly."

"No, I think we should take a nap together," Betty took his hand.

"Yeah, okay," Archie agreed.

"Good," Betty smiled, going to his bed and pulling back the covers before sliding in and over, facing him.

Archie didn't intend to fall asleep, but he found himself hypnotized by her rhythmic breathing. He was asleep in no time.

TBC...

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