When Betty woke a few days after Christmas, she felt a chill in the air. Archie was usually at her side to keep her warm, but oddly enough he was nowhere to be found. Slipping one of his sweatshirts over her head, stretching it out so it would fit her pregnant belly, she found the fury slippers Archie had given her for Christmas. Einstein had miraculously not thought to touch them yet. She smiled at the memory of how happy he'd been to receive the dog on Christmas morning. She almost wished she'd thought to film it.

She sighed as she padded down to the kitchen, where Mary and Archie had their heads together, talking quietly.

"Is this a private party, or can I join?" Betty made her presence known immediately.

Archie turned with a heartwarming smile on his face. He crossed the kitchen to greet her with a kiss, "Good morning, Betts. I was hoping you'd sleep in. I was planning to bring you breakfast in bed."

"That's a dangerous proposition with this thing in the way," Betty rubbed at her belly. Their little boy was happily kicking away. "I think he's hungry."

"I'll heat up some of the casserole we still have left over from Christmas morning," Mary was off her stool in an instant.

"Thanks," Betty smiled before she looked at Archie. He was dressed casually in a pair of sweats and a sweatshirt, "Aren't you working today?"

"We're off until next year, remember? I've been yours all week," he smiled.

"Right, another thing I've forgotten," Betty frowned. "This pregnancy brain thing is getting worse. Any word from Cheryl? I was hoping Toni had gone into labor."

"I figured you'd hear before me," he shook his head slightly.

"Do you have any idea where I put my phone?" she asked. She was becoming much more scatterbrained the further she progressed through her pregnancy. She was misplacing things with an alarming frequency. Her phone was at the top of the list.

"Yeah, it was dead when I found it on top of the refrigerator this morning," he smirked.

"How did it even get there?" Betty frowned, "I can barely reach the top of the fridge without the step stool.

"Is it possible you were looking for some of the snacks you made me put out of reach so you wouldn't gorge yourself on them?" he raised a curious brow.

"Maybe," she bit her lip in a nervously adorable way.

"I found it and plugged it into the charger about an hour ago," he kissed the tip of her nose.

"How long have you been awake?" she asked.

"Awhile," his hands rested at her waist, keeping her as close as possible with the belly between them. With their close proximity, he could feel a bit of the fluttering coming from her stomach, "He's really jumpy today."

"Yeah, I'm surprised I haven't been up before now," she smiled. "Maybe he's finally giving my bladder a rest."

"He knew his mama needed a bit of sleep. It's been a busy couple of days with all the holiday festivities," he replied.

"Where's Einstein?" Betty looked around for the dog that was usually glued to his master's hip.

"He's made himself at home in the living room on that comfy looking bed you got him," Mary smiled as she handed a cup to Betty. "Here's some tea."

"Thank you," Betty smiled.

"Why don't you sit down?" Archie motioned her towards one of the stools, "I'll retrieve your phone from the office."

"I'm fine, Archie," she touched his face, "I just got out of bed. I'm plenty rested. Why don't you finish whatever discussion you were having with your mom while I retrieve my phone?"

"We were done," he assured her.

"Are you sure?" Betty asked.

"Positive," he assured her a second time. "Stay here, drink your tea, and eat your breakfast. I'll grab your phone. Then we can talk about what we're going to do today."

"Relaxing on the sofa with an old movie sounds heavenly," Betty suggested hopefully. With approximately three weeks to go, she had little desire to do much besides stay at home and watch the classic movies from the 80's. She was currently on a John Hughes kick.

"I've got something else in mind," he responded cryptically as he left the room.

"Oh?" she raised a brow in Mary's direction. "Any hints?"

"I think he wants it to be a surprise," Mary took a quick drink from her coffee to keep from giving anything away.

Einstein trotted into the room and looked up at Betty with pleading eyes.

"You're such a beggar," Betty leaned over and patted his head, "Your food is over there."

"I think he smells the ham from yesterday," Mary smiled.

"You think?" Betty asked. "Sorry, Buddy, it was too good for any of leftovers. What we didn't eat, Jughead did when he stopped by last night."

Einstein continued to watch her intently. With each bite she took, it was apparent he hoped some of it would hit the floor.

"Einnie, come here," Archie returned to the kitchen with Betty's phone and set it beside her, "You've got several texts from Cheryl."

Einstein trotted over to Archie as he added some food to his pup's bowl. He patted the pup's head as Einstein began to munch away.

Betty checked her messages, "Toni went into labor around two this morning. No baby as of twenty minutes ago."

"Babies take as much time as they need," Mary said. "Archie definitely took his sweet time."

"Mom said Polly was stubborn about coming out, but I practically fell out," Betty said.

"I'm sure Alice appreciated that," Mary smiled.

"Hey, Arch, maybe we should go to the hospital and be with Cheryl. You know she'll drive the hospital staff batty if she doesn't have someone to calm her down," Betty suggested.

"Let's leave them alone for a bit," Archie suggested. "We can visit later."

"Are you sure?" Betty looked conflicted, "I'm sure whatever you have planned can wait a day or so."

"Babe, did Cheryl ask you to come to the hospital?" he approached her.

"No," Betty glanced through the messages.

"This is Cheryl," he brushed a strand of hair behind her ears, "If she wants us there, she'll demand it."

"Yeah, you're probably right," Betty sighed, "I guess I just feel like I should be there for her after all the times she's been there for me, especially with the whole Louis thing."

"How about we bring her dinner from Pop's? Maybe Toni will have had the baby by then, and they'll be ready for visitors," he suggested.

Betty considered his idea and nodded, "Okay, good idea."

"Eat up," Archie smiled. "We've got plans, Baby Mama."

"You have that sneaky look on your face," Betty circled her finger around Archie's face.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Archie tried to look as normal as possible.

Betty studied him for a moment, "Nope, not buying it. What are you up to, Archibald Andrews?"

"I am not up to anything, Elizabeth Cooper. You are a very suspicious person," Archie grinned at her.

"Not suspicious, I just know you too well," Betty held firm, "Fess up."

"It's a surprise," he pecked at her lips, tasting the maple syrup from her breakfast, "Eat up, and then get dressed."

"Am I going to like this?"

"I hope so," Archie smiled.

After bundling up, Archie led Betty to a beautifully decorated sleigh with two sparkling white horses in the lead. The sleigh was adorned with frosted greenery and white roses, with red berries adding just a sprinkle of color. It was something out of a fairytale.

"What is all this, Arch?" Betty asked as Archie helped her into the sleigh and began covering her with multiple blankets to keep her warm during the wintery ride.

"I wanted to do something special for us," Archie settled in next to her as driver called out to the horses and the sleigh began moving forward. "We've been cooped up in that house for too long."

"Is this safe?" she looked around nervously.

"I've cleared it with Sheriff Keller, FP, and your security team," he motioned towards the black SUV following them down the road.

Betty snuggled herself against him as she enjoyed the ride. This was likely the last romantic moment they'd have before the baby arrived, so she was going to savor every bit of it.

"Archie, this is amazing," Betty looked at the beautiful horses pulling their sleigh along the river.

"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself," he caressed her cheek with his gloved hand, "Are you warm enough?"

"Arch, I'm covered in at least four blankets on top of this puffy coat you gave me for Christmas that comes down to my knees, which feels a bit frivolous considering I'm only going to be wearing it for a few months and then probably not until the next time I'm pregnant, assuming I'm pregnant in the winter months," she reminded him, "I'm fine."

"I just want to make sure you're both warm enough," he smiled.

"This is your idea," she reminded him.

"I know. I'm just making sure everything is perfect," he took her gloved hand in his.

"It is," she said, brushing her free gloved hand against his face with a smile. She chose to ignore the bodyguards a safe distance away. She loved that Archie could still surprise her with his romantic gestures. She wasn't going to let the reminder of their constant threat of danger ruin their time together.

Archie leaned into her touch, "You know I love you, right?"

"I do," Betty nodded, "I love you, too."

"I never want to let you out of my life again. I hate the circumstances that brought you back, but I love the fact that you came back into my life. I love that we've found a way to connect on this new and amazing level."

"I feel the same way," she replied, "Definitely a mixed blessing."

"I promise you that I will do everything I can to make sure Louis will never hurt you or our little boy," he told her.

"I know," she stated, "I have complete faith in you."

The sleigh driver stopped at what had always been their special spot. With the fresh snow, the entire shoreline was a pristine white. Add in the fluffy flakes falling, it almost felt like fairy dust sprinkling the forest.

"This is breathtaking," Betty glanced around. Of course, she had forgotten her phone. She just hoped Cheryl didn't call or send a frantic text while they were gone, "I wish I had my phone so I could take a picture."

Archie pulled his phone from his pocket and handed it to her, "Snap away."

"You're the best," Betty snatched up his phone and began taking picture after picture from every possible angle, "I saw pictures once of this rock in Iceland. It's called the Elephant Rock. It looks like the face of an elephant."

"Sounds fun," Archie nodded.

"I love looking at pictures of things like that," Betty snapped one final photo.

"Did you want to get out and walk around for a bit?" he asked.

"No, I'm perfectly content right here," she rubbed at her belly, "I'd hate to slip on a rock and fall."

"Good point," he released a shaking breath.

"Arch, are you okay?" Betty noticed how fidgety he suddenly was.

"I...ah..." he inhaled deeply as he slid down to a knee, "Elizabeth Cooper, you have been the best person to ever come into my life. When we were kids, I asked if you'd marry me, but we were too young to be taken seriously. Now we're adults. We have college degrees, steady paychecks, a roof over our heads, and a baby on the way. I have almost everything I've ever wanted in life, except for one thing, you as my wife. So will you..."

Betty looked at him in confusion.

"Will you marry me?" he rushed out.

"You were supposed to ask five years ago, but this was so worth the wait," Betty smiled as the tears welled in her eyes, "Yes, I will. I absolutely will."

Archie pulled the ring he'd had designed from his pocket. He'd received the engagement ring his grandmother had passed down to his father. He'd had it reworked to add a several baguettes around the center stone and make it something perfect for Betty.

"It's beautiful," Betty extended her slightly quivering hand, hoping with all her might that her fingers weren't swollen too much for the ring to fit.

It fit perfectly and Archie bent his head to kiss her hand before looking at her, "I love you."

"I love you, too," she whispered as she brushed tears away from her cheeks.

"Sir, would you mind taking a couple of pictures of us," Betty fished for Archie's phone in his pocket and handed it to their driver.

"I'd be happy to," he took the phone from Betty and waited until they arranged themselves together in the sleigh before he took the picture making sure to capture the river in the background.

After several pictures and a few retakes, Betty thought about texting the news to everyone they knew. She was just too excited to wait, but Archie snatched the phone from her before she could press send.

"Let's save our news for New Year's Eve," he suggested, "That way we can tell everyone at the same time."

"That's several days away yet!" Betty exclaimed, "How in the heck are we going to keep this a secret for that long?"

"If we wait to tell them in person, we get to see the looks on their faces," he pointed out.

"This is going to be a hard secret to keep," she glanced down at her hand and the sparkling rock adorning it, "I mean, your mom is staying with us. She's going to notice the ring."

"Her, we'll have to tell," he chuckled. "She knew my intentions when we left the house."

"God, Archie, I'm so happy," Betty felt like her smile was going to break her face because she was just so happy.

"I am too," he brought her hand to his lips as they road along the river.

Returning to their house, Einstein greeted them with an eager wag of his tail. Mary wasn't far behind. It took a few minutes for them to shed their winter clothes. As Archie bent down to give Einstein a good rubdown, Betty thrusted her newly ringed hand towards Mary. "We're engaged."

"This is so wonderful," Mary hugged Betty as tight as she could, "I'm so happy for both of you."

Mary pulled Betty into the living room as they immediately started talking wedding plans. Archie chuckled as he plopped down on the floor to give Einstein his attention. "I think we need to get used to being invisible."

"Don't be silly," Mary heard her son's conversation with his dog. "Of course, we want your input on the wedding."

"Sure, you do," Archie chuckled as he continued to rub down Einstein, "Just tell me when and where to show up."

"Men," Mary shook her head in amusement, "His father said pretty much the same thing."

Betty and Archie traded looks of amusement before Betty went back to planning with her soon to be mother-in-law.

"We've come to mediate between you and the hospital staff," Betty and Archie entered Toni's hospital room where the new moms were gushing over their little girl. "We hear someone has been overly aggressive towards the nursing staff."

"We're so over that," Cheryl waved away the accusation.

"You might be, but I don't think the staff is," Archie chuckled as Betty stepped in to join the praise for the newborn.

"Oh my goodness, she's so adorable," Betty smiled.

"We've been smiling nonstop since she joined us in this world," Toni wrapped the little girl's fingers around her pinkie, "You should have seen the ruckus my wife caused as she rushed me into the emergency room."

"All I did was make sure you were well cared for," Cheryl responded calmly.

"Yeah, that's part of the story," Toni snickered.

"It doesn't matter," Cheryl bent in to kiss her daughter's forehead.

"What's her name?" Betty reached in to take the girl's free hand.

"Rose Antonia Blossom-Topaz," Cheryl stated, "Named after two of my favorite women."

"What a beautiful name for a beautiful girl," Betty gushed, "And you are going to be the most spoiled little girl in all of Riverdale, but also one of the most loved. Welcome to the family, Rose."

"Now we can officially ask you both to be godparents," Toni reluctantly transferred her daughter into Betty's awaiting arms.

"Oh my goodness, you are just the sweetest thing," Betty cradled the baby over her belly. "And I know you are just going to love your playmate, Frederick. He's going to be joining you in this world in a few weeks. We know you are going to be the best of friends."

Little Rose fidgeted slightly in her sleep but didn't fully stir.

"Oh, she's going to be a good sleeper," Betty realized, "You're lucky parents."

"Or it's the calm before the storm," Cheryl caressed her daughter's cheek.

"Did you want to hold her, Arch?" Betty offered the baby towards Archie. He visibly hesitated. "You'll do great, and this is good practice."

"Uh, I'll give it a go," Archie caved as he gingerly accepted Rose from Betty, jostling her a bit in the transfer. The little girl's eyes popped open as Archie held his breath, praying her lungs wouldn't explode in a shrill cry. Rose locked eyes with Archie, made a slight little sound, gave a little bit of a stretch, and then tumbled back to sleep.

"She's already fallen under Archie's spell," Betty laughed as she took Toni's hand, feeling how anxious the new mother was to have her daughter back in her arms after only a few minutes, "We'll have to set aside some time soon so you can share some of the tricks to labor."

"Not going to lie, it hurts like a bitch," Toni admitted, "It was worth it though the instant I held Little Rose."

"Good to know," Betty bit her lip nervously.

"I'll give you all the deets on New Year's Eve," Toni offered.

"Really, are you still going to have your party?" Betty asked, "You'll barely be out of the hospital by then."

"What a perfect way to introduce our sweet, little angel to the family," Cheryl guided Archie towards Toni so he could return her daughter to her mother.

"She's going to be the belle of the ball," Betty could see instantly how much more relaxed Toni was after being able to cradle her daughter in her arms.

"It's hard to be away from her, even for a couple of minutes, even when we're in the same room, and I can see she's perfectly safe and content," Toni explained.

"You've been inseparable for nine months. It makes total sense," Betty assured her, "I'm sure I'll be the same way in a few weeks."

"I can't believe you're only weeks away from giving birth," Toni smiled.

"Oh, I know," Betty rubbed at her belly, "And unlike you, my doctor says I'll be lucky to make it to my due date. Apparently, someone is a bit anxious."

"Babies do come in their own time," Cheryl smiled.

"Archie and I have some news," Betty held up her ringed hand.

"What!" Cheryl and Toni shrieked at the same time.

Archie glared at Betty for a moment. They'd discussed on the drive to the hospital not telling Cheryl and Toni their news as they didn't want to overshadow Rose's big day, but apparently Betty couldn't hold it in.

"Oh, wow, Betty, that's amazing," Toni smiled.

"Andrews, I've never given you the credit you deserve," Cheryl responded after snatching Betty's hand to examine the ring, "This is gorgeous."

"Thanks," Archie replied, "The center stone was my grandmother's. I had the jeweler melt down the metal and remake the ring to add the additional stones."

"I like that you added color to the ring," Toni chimed in.

"Thanks, I added the garnet because it's going to be Frederick's birthstone," Archie replied.

"Too bad he wasn't born in November. You could have added topaz," Toni winked.

"What is that delicious aroma I smell?" Cheryl's nose picked up on a new scent.

"Oh, right, Mary sent over dinner," Betty held up a bag full of plastic containers full of food, "Arch and I were going to bring you something from Pop's, but Mary made a celebration meal for our engagement. We have tons of leftovers."

"Bring it on," Cheryl snatched up the bag, "This hospital's food leaves a lot to be desired, especially flavor."

Over a decent meal, the quartet bonded over the joys of new parenthood. When it became apparent that both Betty and Toni were struggling to stay awake, Archie took Betty home. In bed, they traded thoughts of how excited they were for it to be their turn in the hospital.

TBC...