Betty woke early with the intention of making Archie breakfast in bed. He'd tossed and turned all night. She knew what was bothering him, so she wanted to do something special for him.

"Why'd you let me sleep so late?" Archie padded into the kitchen in bare feet and shorts, no shirt, his arms wrapping around her waist to caress her slightly rounded belly as he dropped a kiss to her shoulder.

"You had a rough night," she flipped the last pancake, "I was hoping to bring you breakfast in bed."

"You don't have to wait on me, Babe," he nuzzled into her neck.

"I don't see it as waiting on you," Betty smiled and tilted her head to give him better access, "I just wanted to do something nice for you."

"Thank you," he whispered, "Let's have breakfast in the backyard."

"Okay," Betty nodded.

Once she finished cooking up the last of the pancakes and pulled the bacon out of the oven, they carried breakfast to the backyard. They'd worked like crazy to get the backyard back up to snuff after years of neglect while Archie was away. As a result, it was getting quite a bit of use.

Betty closed her eyes, letting a gentle breeze wash over her as she sipped her morning tea. She looked at Archie who was picking at his breakfast, "I have to work on my pancakes."

"No, they're fine," he assured her, "I'm just not very hungry."

"I know today isn't the greatest day for you, but I'd like to spend it with you, if that's okay," she reached for his hand.

"I'd like that," he mustered up a half smile as he gave her hand a squeeze. "Would it be okay if we went to the cemetery after this? I want to be closer to him today."

"Whatever you need."

"Thank you," Archie nodded.

Betty slid out of the truck and took Archie's hand as they walked through the rows of stones. She looked confused when she saw the flowers as the base of Fred's tombstone, "Someone beat us here today."

Archie looked equally confused. "Maybe Mom sent them?" he thought out loud as he bent down and read the name on the card. Before Betty knew it, Archie was throwing the flowers across the cemetery and storming into the woods.

"Archie?" Betty picked up the card and sighed.

It was signed Jeffrey Augustine.

Archie swung as hard as he could at the bag, breathing hard. He was dripping with sweat. His entire shirt was soaked through. He was trying to get all of his rage out, but he just couldn't kick it. His breathing grew heavier, his hands were screaming at him to stop, but he was angry, as angry as he possibly ever was.

Jeffrey Freaking Augustine, the boy who cheated him out of years with his father, had the nerve to send his father flowers today of all days.

He took a deep breath before turning to grab a gulp of water. As he set the water down he realized he was being watched and turned to see Cheryl on the bleachers.

"Hell of a swing you've got there, Andrews," Cheryl said.

"Cheryl," Archie huffed in a breath, "What are you doing in my gym?"

Cheryl looked around, "Funny story. I got a call to pick up my pregnant, stranded cousin this morning. Seems her boyfriend took off like a bat out of hell with the truck keys."

"Ah, damn," Archie winced, "I didn't mean to leave her there."

"She's worried about you," Cheryl told him, "She wanted to come here before me, but I told her to wait a bit so I could cool you down."

"And you think you can achieve the impossible," he challenged her, "I've been pounding the crap out of this bag for a couple hours already. I haven't made a dent."

"You know when we were eight I got into a huge fight with Mumsy. JJ was with Daddy on some maple business, so I decided I was going to run away," Cheryl nodded. "I packed a bag and ran off into the woods. I don't know how it happened, but I found myself at your dad's latest construction site. I didn't want to get spotted by any of his crew so I hid in the trailer, not realizing it was your dad's office."

"Cheryl, I know you're trying to make a point, but I'm really not interested today," Archie groaned.

"While I was packing, I remembered everything except food. Your dad found me going through his tiny fridge looking for something to settle my rumbling tummy," Cheryl stated. "Apparently he didn't keep the good stuff in the fridge. When he found me, he went straight to the desk drawer and pulled out a couple of candy bars. While we ate them, he pumped me for information about how I ended up in his trailer. He never once made me feel like I was a pest or a bratty little eight year old, which we know I totally was..."

Archie had to smile a little at that.

"Once he was done finding out what happened, he put me in his truck and drove me home. Before he rang the bell, he hid my bag behind some bushes near the front door. When Mumsy answered, your dad explained that I'd gotten lost when I was playing in the woods, and he'd heard me crying after he'd called lunch for his guys and decided to bring me home."

"Fascinating," he responded sarcastically.

"Look, you know how terrific your dad was. The entire town lined the streets to welcome him home when you brought him back after the accident. You also know how lucky you were that he was your father and not someone like Hal Cooper or Clifford Blossom, but that day I got a taste of what it was like to be in your shoes," Cheryl replied, "I also know how hard it is to miss someone on the day they died."

Archie winced, "I'm sorry, Cheryl. I know it's not the best time of year for you either."

"No, it's not," Cheryl shook her head, "I understand what it's like to lose a person who was always there and you thought always would be. If you ever want to talk, you know where to find me."

"Thanks," Archie replied, "I really appreciate what you're trying to do, but I can't open up to you about this."

"I get it," Cheryl assured him, "Just remember that you and me, we're going to be family soon. I never turn my back on family, even when they deserve it."

"Thanks for picking up Betty," Archie shed his gloves finally, "It would have ended up as yet another thing that I couldn't forgive myself for."

"I never liked Jughead," Cheryl said plainly.

"I kind of got that when you called him 'hobo'," Archie frowned.

"You're a million times better for Betty than he ever would be," Cheryl stated, "And you've proven it by being there for her the moment she turned up on your doorstep at Penn State."

"Thanks, Cheryl," Archie smiled.

"Sure," Cheryl nodded, "Okay, you can come in now."

Betty came out of her hiding place.

Archie tossed his gloves aside and went to embrace Betty, not giving his soaked shirt any thought. "I'm sorry I just left you there."

"It's okay," Betty ran her fingers through his sweat soaked hair.

"I'm not going to get another call to pick anyone up, am I?" Cheryl asked.

"I'll call you later, Cher...from home," Betty said.

"Thanks again, Cheryl," Archie turned slightly to address the fellow ginger.

Cheryl waved her fingers and took off.

"You scared me," Betty said once she heard the door shut behind Cheryl.

"I know," Archie said, "I just-"

"I know. I saw the card," Betty nodded.

"I'm so sorry," he apologized again as he embraced her a second time.

"I know you're used to spending this day alone and most likely with a bottle of tequila or something," Betty said as they sat down on the bleachers, "I hate that you didn't feel like you could reach out to me or Jug. You're not on your own anymore. I loved your dad, too. You can talk to me."

"I don't even know if I have the words," he admitted.

"When you do, I'm here," Betty said before she looked around, "Speaking of being here, is anyone else here?"

"No, the gym is closed for the holidays," he replied, "It was one of the reasons I came here rather than getting lost in the woods."

"Good," Betty smiled, "You need a shower. Let's go."

"Yeah, and I think I have something you can wear too," he looked at her shirt to see it soaked through courtesy of the sweat he transferred to her when they embraced.

"Then I was thinking we could take a walk to the river," she suggested.

"I like that idea," Archie nodded.

"You want company? I could wash your hair," she smiled.

"Hell yeah," he tugged on her hand. They stopped in his office to get a change of clothes and towel before making their way to the locker room. It was a bit eerie being in the gym without any other patrons even as Betty's laughter echoed throughout the gym along with Archie's chuckle.

"Are you cold?" Archie asked as they sat by the river.

"It's July," Betty shook her head.

"You could still be cold," he countered, "The baby could be causing some weird hormone surge."

"It's not," she smiled, "I like that you worry about me."

"Always," he tucked her into his arms.

"Let's go somewhere tomorrow," Betty suggested, "Someplace quiet."

"What?" Archie looked at her. "Why?"

"Fireworks are a memory for you," Betty reminded him.

"Yeah, maybe that's a good idea," he nodded, "Why don't we take the entire weekend?"

Betty nodded, "Sounds good."

She rested her head against Archie's shoulder and he pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

"Thank you, Baby," Archie whispered, "For everything."

"No thanks necessary," she smiled, "I love you."

After returning home, Betty relaxed on the sofa with the computer in her lap while Archie rubbed her feet.

"How about Maine?" Betty threw out an option for their weekend getaway.

"Too far a drive," he shook his head.

Betty tapped the keys again, "Vermont?"

"Aren't those places better to see in the fall when the leaves are turning?" he asked.

"Good point," Betty replied, "We'll save those options for a babymoon."

"A baby what?" he chuckled.

"A babymoon," she repeated, "It's when the parents-to-be go away together before the baby comes."

"And do what?" he asked.

"Enjoy being together," Betty explained.

"I enjoy being with you like this," Archie continued to rub her feet.

"That's not the point," she nudged her foot into his thigh.

"When do the parents-to-be do this babymoon?" Archie asked.

"Usually sometime in the second or third trimester," Betty replied.

"You're not even through your first," Archie reminded her.

"That's why I'm bookmarking these ideas," Betty clicked away at her computer some more, "Remember that place we drove past in the Catskills?"

"Yeah, you said it looked like the location from Dirty Dancing, only it couldn't be because that was filmed in North Carolina," Archie recalled.

"They have vacancies," Betty clacked away at the keyboard, "We're going. Where is your credit card?"

Archie reached into his pocket for his wallet and handed it to her. She quickly thumbed through it, pausing when she found a worn out picture inside, "How long have you had this?"

"I've had that in every wallet I've ever owned," he looked on proudly.

"It's you and me in the sandbox," she smiled, "We don't look more than five years old."

"Younger than that actually," he grinned, "That's our first meeting. Remember how my mom used to have a camera permanently attached to her hand?"

"Oh my god, I totally forgot about that," Betty laughed, "It used to drive you crazy."

"Still does," Archie reminded her, "Remember graduation a few months back?"

"I can't believe we've gone how many years, and I never knew you had photographic proof of our first sandbox hookup," Betty admired the picture again.

"It's one of my favorite pictures," he smiled, "I've had Mom get it reprinted several times. She has the negatives in Chicago."

"Next time you talk to her, ask her to make me a copy," she replied.

"Deal," he leaned in for a kiss.

Betty returned the picture to his wallet and then pulled out his credit card and made the reservation, "You're okay with this, right?"

"Yeah, definitely," he bobbed his head, "A few days away will be good for us."

Betty clicked a few more keys and then squealed, "Booked. I'm going to start packing. We can leave first thing in the morning."

"What's the rush?" he grabbed for her hand before she could get out of his reach, "We can't check in until the afternoon, and the place is only a couple of hours away."

"We can still see the sights of the area," she reminded him, "Maybe we can find some magical waterfalls like we did with that first stop on our road trip coming home from Penn State."

"If I find them with you, they'll definitely be magical," he tugged her closer.

"Wow, what a line," Betty pecked at his lips, "Did Mantle teach you that?"

"Do you honestly think I'd ever take dating advice from Reggie Mantle?" he snorted.

"Good point," she pecked at his lips again and then freed her hand, "I'm still packing tonight while I have some energy. Who knows what tomorrow will bring? I could be hurling my guts out all the way to the cabins."

"Promise me you won't overdo things," Archie caught up with her as she climbed the stairs and entered her bedroom.

"I'm fine, Arch," she gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. "Women have been having babies since the beginning of time. I'm not the first woman to have morning sickness."

"You're the first woman carrying my baby to have morning sickness, and every bout of it turns my stomach into knots," he admitted.

"That's really sweet," she caressed his cheek, "The end result will be worth it."

Archie bobbed his head as he retrieved her suitcase from her closet.

After checking into the lodge, they were showing to the cute little cottage Betty had booked near the water. She was in need of a nap as soon as they finished unpacking, so Archie wandered the grounds to give her some peace and quiet. He was beyond grateful that she'd suggested getting out of Riverdale before the festivities of the holiday kicked in. Even driving through town that morning had twisted his stomach, bringing back the memories of people lining the streets as he drove his father home for the last time.

"I know that look," an elderly man fell into step beside him, "Your girl ripped out your heart and stomped on it."

"No," Archie shook his head, "My girl is asleep in our cottage. She's tired and pregnant."

"Then why the long face?" the man asked, "Seems like impending fatherhood should bring nothing but smiles."

"It's been a rough couple of days," Archie rubbed at the back of his neck to relieve some tension, "Yesterday was the anniversary of my father's death." He didn't know why he was pouring out his heart to this complete stranger, but he felt compelled to do so.

"I'm sorry to hear that. How long as it been?" the man asked.

"Five years," Archie replied, "He was killed when he stopped to help someone who was having car trouble."

"I'm sorry to hear that," the older man put a hand on Archie's shoulder, "I lost my father early in life too. He was killed in World War II. I was barely a teenager when he went away."

"Does the pain ever go away?" Archie asked.

"Not completely," the man shook his head, "I was angry for a lot of years. I wanted to join up as soon as I was able and take out the enemy responsible for his death, but the war ended before I was of age. Instead I enlisted when the Korean War started. I was a hothead, volunteering for all the dangerous assignments, trying desperately to unload my rage."

"Did it work?" Archie asked.

"Not really. I ended up getting myself shot in the leg. Ended up being the best thing that ever happened to me. I met my Annie while I was laid up. She was one of the nurses who took care of me. We fell in love and got married after we made it home. We had seven kids, and now more grandchildren and great-grandchildren than I can count. We're all here to celebrate the holiday and our sixtieth wedding anniversary."

"Wow, that's a long time. Congratulations," Archie managed a slight smile.

"I know you probably don't feel much like celebrating anything, but if you do, you should join us with your lady at the beach this afternoon. We're having a cookout, and after the sun goes down a campfire," the man told him. "I know part of you wants to live in your grief…"

"No, actually I don't," Archie interrupted him, "I have so much good in my life, and I hate that my girl is having to live with my anger. We went to my father's grave yesterday, and the guy who hit my dad had sent flowers. I was so made when I saw them that left her there, with no way home. I just up and left."

The older man motioned for Archie to sit in an Adirondack chair they were passing. "I'm going to let you in on a secret. You're going to have moments of anger, moments of sadness for your entire life. I still have trigger moments, but the trick is to learn what your triggers are and avoid them when you can."

"And when you can't?" Archie asked.

"Then you find a constructive outlet for the anger and sadness," the man replied.

"You sound like the team shrink I had to see my first year at Penn State," Archie chuckled, "I went to school on a boxing scholarship. They required all of us to see a therapist regularly. I went through the motions but didn't put in the effort."

"Hazards of the job," the man pulled out a card from his wallet and handed it to Archie.

"Doctor Wallace Williams," Archie read off the card.

"You can call me Wally," he patted Archie's shoulder.

"Wow, um, thanks," Archie replied.

"I'm retired now, but you can take the shrink out of the office, but you can't take the shrink out of the man," Wally grinned. "Feel free to call me any time. I'm happy to offer up my advice, free of charge."

Archie glanced at the time on his phone, "I'd better get back to my girl. She didn't want to sleep too long. She wants to enjoy the delights the grounds have to offer…her words."

"I hope to see you later at the beach," Wally patted his back.

"Thanks again for listening and for the advice," Archie pocketed the card.

Betty was just waking up when Archie returned to the cottage. He's stopped off at the gift shop to get her a bouquet of roses.

"What's the occasion?" Betty took the flowers with a smile.

"No occasion," he knelt before her, "Are you feeling better?"

"Caught my second wind," she bobbed her head, "Did you find anything fun to do on the grounds during your walk?"

"Actually, I met this man. He and his wife are celebrating their sixtieth anniversary today with a cookout and campfire. He invited us to join them," Archie brought her hands to his lips.

"Sounds like fun," Betty replied, "You know I love a good campfire."

Archie pulled her to her feet, wrapping his arms around her waist to bring her in close, "Before we go, maybe we should expend some of that energy you've discovered."

"Yes, please," she rose up on her toes.

"You made it," Wally greeted Archie with a handshake as he and Betty joined the festivities. There were dozens of people milling around, some with beers in their hands, others with various other beverages. Young kids were running around. Everyone was having a lot of fun.

"Yeah, Wally, this is my girlfriend, Betty," Archie introduced the two, "Betts, this is Wally."

"It's nice to meet you," Betty shook his hand, "Archie had a lot of great things to say about you. Thank you for what you said to him earlier. It seems to have helped a lot."

"Happy to help," Wally grinned as he then proceeded to introduce both Archie and Betty to his wife and the rest of their family. They spent the rest of their time at the lodge with the Williams family.

As they drove away from the lodge and back to Riverdale, Betty could see how much more at peace Archie seemed to be.

TBC…