"I lied Jug," Betty whispered from the passenger seat, practically staring a hole into the floorboard. Jughead almost didn't hear her over the roar of the engine, his mind too focused on shifting the car and racing away from the incoming police. He didn't want them to get caught and something happen to her because she helped him. They may have broken up but he still cared about her and felt the need to protect her. He swung the car towards Sunnyside Trailer Park where they could finally be safe until things cooled down.
"What are you talking about, Betty? What do you mean you lied? About what exactly?" He huffed, trying desperately to protect his heart from further damage.
"Let me guess, you lied about saying that you couldn't stop loving me? God Cooper, I really don't have time for this. I'm trying to get us the hell outta here-" Jughead stopped speaking when he felt Betty's hand on his forearm. He chanced a glance in her direction and his resolve nearly broke at the look in her eyes. He cleared his throat and kept his eyes on the road ahead but made no move to stop her from speaking.
"No, Juggie. I mean, I lied about wanting to break up. Well, I had Archie lie because I knew- God, I knew that if I went there, I wouldn't have been able to do it. And I had to keep you safe, Jug. I didn't have another option, I needed you to be safe. You would've been able to tell something was off, you've always been able to read me like a book, so I had to send Archie. It was the only way Juggie, do you understand?" Betty's eyes were filled to the brim, tears threatening to spill over.
She needed him to understand why she did what she did. Why she had to break up with him, not because she wanted to, but because otherwise the Black Hood would come after him if she didn't.
"Betty, what are you saying?" Jughead's heart raced, anticipating her answer. He watched her wipe some stray tears from her cheeks and clear her throat. His heart snapped in two seeing how vulnerable she was at this moment.
It felt just like the night of his birthday when she showed him her scars and her darkness. It was such an emotional day but the way it ended made it the best birthday of his life. That night they gave everything they had to each other: heart, soul, body, mind, even virginity. When he watched her fall apart in his arms for the first time, he realized that he loved her with everything inch of his being. Nothing would ever be able to change the way he felt about her.
He would never love anyone the way he loved Betty. And he tried, God had he tried. He shoved those feelings into a tiny box in the corner of his heart and tried to move on. When Toni kissed him, he wanted it at that moment. But he realized that he didn't feel those things with Toni that he'd felt when he was with Betty.
Yes, he and Toni fooled around some that night but what he didn't tell her was that the entire time, he'd imagined it was Betty doing those things to him and not her. He was actually relieved when Toni told him she was more into girls the next day because it saved him from having to tell her that he was still pining for his newly lost love. Jughead pulled into his driveway at Sunnyside and held his breath, waiting for her reply. Betty took another deep breath, blowing it out shakily.
"When I sent Archire to break up with you, it was because-" Betty's confession was interrupted by Jughead's cell phone ringing. He cursed under his breath and reached into his pocket to see who was calling. He winced when he saw Toni's picture flashing on the screen, hoping it wasn't bad news.
"Dammit, sorry I need to take this Betts. Just hold on, okay?" Betty nodded as he held up a finger and answered his phone.
"Yeah? No, I just pulled into Sunnyside- shit. Can it wait? Well, can't you-? Seriously, I've got something really important going- fine, yeah. I'll be there in ten. No, it's fine. Okay, yeah. See you in a bit." Jughead groaned, tossing his cell into the cupholder and sighing in frustration. He didn't want to deal with serpent bullshit right now, he wanted to sit and talk with the girl he loved, but with his dad being locked up, he didn't have a choice.
"I'm sorry about this Betts but I gotta go. There's a situation that needs my attention, but I do really want to finish this conversation," Betty nodded slowly, desperately fighting the tears that wanted to fall. By 'situation' she knew that meant it was a serpent thing that she wasn't allowed to know anything about. So, she was once again left in the dark about this whole part of his life.
"Who was it? Is everyone okay?" Betty whispered softly, her fears for him and their relationship playing in her mind. She felt like she knew the answer already, but she needed to hear it from him. As much as it hurt her, she had to know.
"Uh, it was Toni. She needs me-" Betty shook her head to stop him from saying anymore, she didn't want to know anymore details.
She had already suspected that they were attracted to each other ever since he moved to Southside but she knew the moment she saw the two of them in Pop's the morning after the break up, that she had truly lost him.
She knew he and Toni had been spending a lot of time together, so it was only natural that they would become a thing. She just never thought it would be the very next day. However, she was the one to break his heart so she truly had no right to judge or be angry. He was free to make his own choices. She just needed to suck it up and shoulder the pain until she was finally over him, if she ever could be.
"It's fine Jug, I get it. You know uh, it's only a few miles to my place from here so I can just walk. Go to Toni- um, she needs you. I'm glad you're okay, Juggie. I'll see ya around," Betty jumped out of the car and ran as fast as she could towards the northside line with tears streaming down her face.
She could almost swear she'd heard him calling her name but she couldn't turn back now. She had to get away from the heartache that she's carried since the night of the break up. She didn't want to think about this anymore, she just wanted to find the Sugarman and catch him so that she could be done with the Black Hood, once and for all.
Later that night, Betty walked to Pop's to meet up with Veronica so they could discuss what their next move in bringing down the Sugarman would be.
Even though she was still aching from the revelation that Jughead had moved on, she knew they still needed to find the Sugarman before it was too late. Her feelings would have to take a back seat until she could finish this and put an end to the phone calls and demands.
Betty walked in the door and saw Veronica waiting for her at their favorite booth, their favorite milkshakes already waiting on the table.
"Hey V, sorry I'm late. I needed to think for a little bit after Jug and I got back from the race and I must've fallen asleep. Been kind of a crazy day," Veronica perked up at the mention of their beanie wearing comrade. She grabbed Betty by the wrists and smiled.
"Did you tell him the truth? About the Black Hood and why you broke up?" Betty shook her head, Veronica's smile falling at the sullen look in Betty eyes.
"Well, why not? You said you wanted to tell him after the race. Did you guys have another fight?" Veronica asked, releasing Betty's hands to take a sip of her milkshake.
"I tried to tell him but he had to leave before I got a chance to really say anything. Toni called him and said she needed him," Betty voice cracked as she began wringing her hands, trying hard not to think about what Toni and Jughead were doing at that exact moment.
"Oh B, I'm so sorry. Are they-?" Veronica's question died on her lips, not really wanting to finish that sentence.
She could see the hurt in Betty's eyes, which only served to make her angrier with Jughead Jones for causing her BFF pain. Veronica vowed to march to that tin can he called a mobile home later and give him a piece of her mind.
After all this drug kingpin/masked murder horror was done, of course.
"Yeah, I think so V. But look, I don't really want to talk about my ex and his new badass biker girlfriend or- whatever they are. I just want to talk about how we're going to find the Sugarman and stop the Black Hood," Betty's phone began to ring just as the words left her mouth. She was frozen in fear, listening to that sugary sweet ringtone and knowing that her time was running out.
"Oh my God, is that the Black Hood?" Betty held her breath then released it as she flipped her phone over. She felt a flood of relief when she saw the name flashing across the screen.
"It's Cheryl," Betty said, answering the call. "Hey. You did?" Veronica's eyes met Betty's in question. Betty looked puzzled but that puzzlement quickly changed to excited. "Who is he? Wait, are you positive?" Betty stared down at her phone as Cheryl hung up, bewildered at what she just heard.
"Betty?" Veronica asked, the suspense evident in her voice.
"Cheryl just told me the Sugarman's name." Betty replied, still shocked that she finally had her answers.
"Oh my God, Cheryl Bombshell for the win." Veronica said triumphantly. She noticed Betty still looked nervous.
"What do I do, Veronica? If I give the Black Hood his name, may God have mercy on the Sugarman. And if I don't... May God have mercy on all of us," Betty didn't even want to think about what would happen if the Black Hood made good on his threats.
That thought alone chilled her to the bone...
Jughead waited for Toni at his locker to see what she may have heard through the rumor mill. After he had gotten home from the Wyrm the night before, he spent the rest of the evening debating on whether to call Betty or not. He wanted to see her, to talk to her, maybe even hold her for just a minute. Anything to replace the look she gave him before she ran away.
Part of him wanted to hop in the car and chase her down to work everything out. But the other part, the one that seemed to keep winning out recently, was telling him he'd made a commitment to the serpents and he needed to stick it out. Even if that meant losing the person he used to be, in order to become someone stronger.
"What are the other Serpents saying?" He asked Toni once she joined him in the hallway. They walked side by side at a leisurely pace, neither really caring enough to rush to their next class.
"Some people give you props for challenging the Ghoulies and beating them. Others hate that you cut a deal with Keller because it puts us in bed with the pigs," Toni shrugged, seemingly unphased by the whole thing.
"I didn't. That was Archie," Jughead responded flatly, annoyed that everyone was still skimming over this one major detail. If he had known in the beginning what Archie was planning, he never would have let him do it.
"Yeah, I know that and you know that, but some of them don't," Toni emphised. Just as they approached the next corridor, Jughead and Toni froze at the scene rounding the corner. Several sheriff's deputies were walking in formation leading someone out in handcuffs.
"No, is this another raid?" Jughead asked, holding his breath. Toni shook her head and motioned to the man in cuffs as he passed by.
"Didn't you hear? They caught the Sugarman," she said as Jughead locked eyes with his English teacher, Mr. Phillips, the sinister smile plastered on his face giving Jughead chills.
"Wait, what?! Mr. Phillips is the Sugarman?" Jughead gasped. He couldn't have written this in a million years if he tried.
Although, now it did make a lot more sense as to why he was so against Jughead joining the Serpents, given that they were the competition. At least now they were one more step closer to getting rid of the drugs that were ravaging Southside High. "How did they catch him?" He asked.
"Not sure, anonymous tip maybe? All I know is whoever figured it all out did us one hell of a favor," Toni smiled, pulling Jughead towards their next class before the late bell rang.
Betty paced back and forth at the foot of her bed, waiting for the call that she had been dreading for days. This was it, she did what she thought was right and she knew there was no going back now. She had taken her life back one piece at a time and this call was just one more step closer to getting everything back to normal.
Betty's breath hitched at the sound of her phone ringing on the bed, fists threatening to curl in on themselves. She took a moment to settle her nerves before picking it up slowly and seeing the 'Unknown Caller' flash across the screen.
"I assume my time's up?" Betty sighed as she answered the call. She tried her hardest to keep her composure to help remain in control of the conversation.
"Yes, Betty. Have you found him for me?" The manipulated voice of the Black Hood replied.
"I did." Betty confirmed stoically.
"Good girl. Now tell me his name," The Black Hood asked, praise dripping from his words. The action made Betty's skin crawl but she was determined not to let him scare her into submission anymore. She rolled her eyes at his arrogance before she spoke.
"I could, but that wouldn't do you any good now. I've already notified the sheriff's 'll have to read his name in the expose I just published in the Blue and Gold. Care to comment?" Betty uttered calmly, channeling her inner Dark Betty and measuring her words carefully. She knew he'd be angry but she just didn't care, her darkness was rising and boosting her confidence.
"I told you what would happen-," He growled just as Betty cut in, interrupting him before he could say anything more.
"The Sugarman needed to be brought to justice, not execution. He will be dealt with in the right way," Betty said fiercely, each word laced with venom.
"You're playing a risky game," It was clear that she had struck a nerve, made him angry. Betty walked over to her window, peering through the opened blinds. She knew she had him right where she wanted him.
"Yeah, but it's my game now," Betty stated with confidence.
"Which is what, Betty?" The Black Hood asked.
"A game that ends with me catching you... I found out who killed Jason Blossom, I found out who the Sugarman was. You're next, Black Hood... I'm breathing down your neck. Can you feel it? Can you feel me?" Betty cooed, taunting him.
She felt a surge of power running through her with each word that passed her lips. She knew she'd faced evil before and she never let it beat her. See was strong, she was a Cooper. She didn't cower in fear before, she sure as hell wouldn't do it now. She smiled to herself when she heard him hang up the phone, triumphant in her goal.
Betty fell back onto her bed, happy that the madness was finally over, even if she couldn't help but feel her emotions shifting towards angst. Now she had to face the sad reality that she was all alone.
Almost as if he could feel her emotions radiating all the way across town, her phone went off with a text from the object of her musings.
Juggie /3 : Betts, I just saw that they caught the Sugarman today, did you hear about it? He was a teacher, my teacher actually. It's insane...
Juggie /3 : Look, I know we didn't exactly part on good terms yesterday but I think we need to talk. You told me after everything settled down that there was something you wanted to tell me. And there is some stuff I need to tell you too. Can you meet me at the trailer in 20?
Betts: Yeah. I'll see you soon.
Betty stood on the front steps of her former boyfriend's home, hand frozen in mid air while she debated whether or not to knock. She wanted to see him, God did she want to see him. To feel his hands and his mouth all over her body. To hear his laugh and see his smile. She wanted to turn back the hands of time and be back to where they once were: together, in love, and happy.
Logically, she knew that scenario wasn't going to happen. Not now especially, since he had another girl to have all those things with. She couldn't decide if she should knock and get it over with or hop back into her Mom's station wagon and race back home to bury herself under the covers. Before she could make a decision the door swung open to reveal Jughead in a pair of plaid pajama pants and a white tank, his hair messy and free of his beanie.
"Hey, Betts," he said as Betty lowered her hand, blushing at being caught just standing there like an idiot. Jughead moved aside, motioning for her to come in and have a seat on the sofa.
"Uh, hi Jug," Betty said awkwardly, walking past him and removing her raincoat. She glanced at the sofa, debating on whether to sit or not, but images of Toni and Jughead in different states of undress began flooding her mind. She felt her heart seize, seeing flashes of him smiling at Toni as they talked that morning at Pop's.
She squeezed her eyes shut, shaking her head vigorously, desperate to shake the thoughts loose. Just long enough for her to get through this conversation without falling apart in front of him. She couldn't let him see how broken she was, even though she desperately wanted him to.
She could hear her mother's voice in her head, strengthening her resolve. You did this Elizabeth, now you own it. Cooper's take responsibility for their actions and deal with the consequences.
"Do you want to sit?" Jughead asked, looking hesitant himself. Betty wrapped her arms around herself, hoping the action would help her to be able to hold it all together, but failing miserably.
"No, I-um. I think it's better if I just stand. So, what did you want to talk about?" Betty asked quietly, guarding her emotions carefully. Jughead slumped down onto the arm of the sofa and crossed his arms over his chest, his serpent tattoo catching Betty off guard.
"Well for one, I thought it'd be good if we finished the conversation we were having yesterday. But, I-uh, I think there is also something I need to tell you first. Um, about me and Toni... I need to tell you-" Betty held up her hand, silencing him.
She didn't want the gory details of how they obviously hooked up that night and ended up together. She just needed to get through this with her dignity intact, so Betty steadied her breathing and held her head high. She could hear the rain pounding harder on the roof of the trailer and it gave her a sense of comfort. Rain always washes my pain away...
"Let me go first Jug, please. I just- I need to get this out, okay? I lied to you about wanting to break up. The whole thing was one giant lie, I never wanted to break up, at all. I- well. I've been getting these phone calls... from the Black Hood," Jughead's eyes bulged as he collapsed onto the sofa in shock.
"He was trying to isolate me, threatening to kill the people I love the most if I didn't implode those relationships and push everyone but him away. My Mom, Veronica, You... He told me-" Betty coughed, trying to clear the lump in her throat.
"He told me he would kill you all slowly if I didn't listen. So, I did what I needed to in order to protect you. I realize now that it was the biggest mistake I could've ever made, and I'll regret it for the rest of my life, but it's done and I can't change it," Betty watched his eyes flicker back and forth, processing the information he just received. She didn't give him a chance to speak before she continued.
"And you don't have to tell me about Toni, I already know about you guys. I really hope she makes you happy Juggie," Betty's voice cracked at the end, forcing her to choke back a sob. She could actually almost feel her heart ripping in two, but she trudged forward. "Um, so yeah, now you know. I'm gonna go now," Jughead hadn't moved, still shocked by all she'd revealed.
Without a second glance, Betty grabbed her coat, not even bothering to put it on, before she raced outside into the rain. She felt her clothes sticking to her skin, the rain drenching her in a matter of seconds as she raced down the steps and towards her escape.
She felt her nails piercing the skin of her empty hand but there was no pain, only numbness. Before she could reach the car she felt a hand grab her arm, spinning her around. She looked up, face to face with a very distraught, and yet, very angry looking Jughead.
"Why Betts? Why didn't you just tell me? Why would you lie to me about what was happening? I thought what we had meant more than that?!" He yelled, effectively breaking the dam of her emotions. How dare he question what they had when he had already moved on? Anger bubbled inside her at his gaul.
"Excuse me? You- You- You have some fucking nerve, Jughead Jones!" Betty screamed, pushing him backwards with all her might.
Jughead stumbled a little in shock, but righted himself and got back in her face. Betty refused to back down, sneering at him.
"You sit here, trying to act all high and mighty, throwing stones at me for protecting you when you couldn't even go twenty-four hours before you moved on? I have been tormented for weeks, Jughead. Weeks! I had to hurt my mom and Veronica to save them. I had to break the heart of the only man I've ever -and probably will ever- love to keep him safe, even though it killed me. And you're gonna sit here and question how much I loved you?" Betty was so angry at the thought of him questioning her love that, without thinking, she slapped him across his face as hard as she could.
"FUCK YOU FORSYTHE! I'm going home, I hope you and your new girlfriend have a wonderful fucking life," Betty started to walk off but Jughead was too quick and held her against his chest instead. Their chests rose and fell heavily together, both of them trying not to explode at any moment. Betty glared at him but noticed his brow furrowed in genuine confusion.
"What the hell are you talking about Betty? I don't have a girlfriend, why would you think that?" Jughead's tone was softer but Betty wasn't buying it. She knows what she saw that morning...right?
"I know about you hooking up with Toni, Jughead!" Betty spat, wiggling around, trying to free herself from his vice-like grip. Jughead's eyes grew larger, finally understanding why she was so mad.
"How?" He whispered. Did someone tell her? Did Toni?
"Because I saw you, Jughead. The morning after you joined- uh, after we broke up. I saw you at Pop's with Toni. I was coming to get you your favorite, hoping to explain what happened, but I saw you guys eating there instead. I saw how you looked at her, Juggie. It's- how you used to look at me," she choked, a few tears spilling down her cheeks before she brushed them off.
"It doesn't matter now, you're with her and I just have to live with the decisions I made. However stupid they were," Betty whispered, looking down at their feet.
"Betty," Betty looked up at the sound of his voice, Jughead's tear filled eyes cutting into her soul, "Betts, Toni and I aren't dating," Betty furrowed her brow in confusion.
"You're not? But- I saw you. You looked like you were, you know, on a 'morning after' date," Jughead winced at her words, knowing that is exactly what it was. He knew this next part would hurt her, but he needed her to know the truth.
"We actually kind of were, in a way, I guess, but it's not what you think," Jughead watched the light dim in her eyes at the realization his words gave her.
"How could it be something other than what you just said it was?" Betty asked in a whisper, not looking at him.
"Well, that night I ran the gauntlet, after you sent Arch to- Well, Toni gave me... a tattoo and, we kissed. It just kinda happened, and I was so fucking hurt Betts, I just wanted to forget. We did some stuff, not everything, but we did enough to...you know," Betty didn't think it was possible for her heart to shatter into even more pieces, but here she was. She could feel the bile rising in her throat, burning her esophagus.
"God," she choked, her stomach dropping at the thought. "I definitely don't need to hear the details Jug. I don't- I can't think about you with someone else."
"Just hear me out okay? Please?" Jughead begged, gripping her hands tighter in his. Betty nodded, motioning for him to continue despite her own pain.
"The whole time we were together, I felt like I was betraying you. I felt like shit for it, but I was spiraling. I needed something to hold me above water. The next morning when we went to Pop's and she told me she didn't want to be rebound, I was relieved. I didn't think I could be with her again, not when all I thought about was you. Then she let me know she was more into girls anyway, which I have to say, it definitely kills the male ego.," Betty didn't expect that. Honestly given how hard Toni seemed to be pursuing him, this was a huge surprise to her.
"But when she called the other day, she said she needed you? I just thought..." Betty trailed off, deep in thought, trying to take everything in.
"Oh, that. She just needed me down at the bar to get Tall Boy under control. He's been a prick ever since I joined and he was causing trouble. I swear to you Betty, I haven't done anything else with her since our PG-13 gropefest," Betty grimaced at his description of the act but she took some comfort knowing that some parts of him were still just hers. That would always be theirs.
"Believe me when I say, I haven't wanted to do anything with anyone else either. That night showed me that you're it for me, there is no one else who will ever hold a candle to you. I love you so fucking much, Betty Cooper, and I don't want gangs or parents or Black Hoods tearing us apart again. I just want you, for as long as you'll have me," Jughead watched the tears forming in her eyes again, fearing that his stupid actions had lost her to him for good.
Before he could say another word, Betty's hands gripped the back of his neck, pulling him in for a passionate kiss. He felt himself relax into her, kissing fervently, desperate to show her what she meant to him in this one kiss. Betty broke away, panting, never losing her hold on him. She needed him, more than anything else in the world, she just needed him.
"Juggie? Let's go inside," Betty said, walking backwards towards the trailer with mischief in her eyes. Jughead smirked as he raced towards her, chasing her up the stairs while she giggled the whole way.
"Betts?" Jughead asked, caressing her back and snapping Betty from her thoughts. She gave his chest a quick kiss before turning her head to look up at him. After spending the majority of the morning making love, they had been content to just lie in each others arms. "Everything alright, babe?"
"Yeah, of course. I was just thinking about the night we spent in your Dad's old trailer after we got back together," Jughead hummed and smiled, thinking of all the things they'd done that night.
"I don't know if you realize this, Juggie, but that was the night JJ was conceived. The whole week leading up to that moment was so horrible but out of all that pain and drama, our son was created. I think about that night all the time," Betty sighed peacefully, content to just be here with him in this moment. She'd missed so much with him already and she didn't want to ever miss anything else.
"You know, I think about that night a lot too, Betts. Especially, that one position we managed to get into. You know, the one where you had your palms on the floor and your a-" Betty covered his mouth with her hand and giggled. She leaned in, removing her pain to kiss him, when they were interrupted by the sound of the front door slamming closed.
"Shit! Cheryl's back with JJ already," Betty whispered, jumping out of bed in a rush.
She couldn't help the scarlet blush that covered her body as she scrambled to lock the bedroom door and find her clothes. She felt like a teenager again, searching for their clothes in the dark so Alice Cooper wouldn't catch them in the act.
"Juggie, get dressed. Hurry," Jughead laughed at her nervousness and slowly re-dressed himself, watching her flit around like a hummingbird. As he was pulling his socks back on, he looked up and caught a glimpse of Betty in her bedroom mirror, eyes locked with his, watching him with a smile.
"What?" He returned her smile.
"Nothing," she paused, "I just can't believe you're really here," Betty grinned, watching him in the mirror as he walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. Jughead brushed her hair aside and kissed the nape of her neck, humming in agreement. Betty ran her hands into his hair to pull him in deeper when banging on her door startled them both.
"Betty dear, do try to tear yourself away from Daddy Darko for a few minutes, JJ wants to see his Mommy and- Daddy," Cheryl called through the closed door. Betty giggled at Jughead's reaction, eyes rolling and raking his hands through his hair.
"Come on Daddy, let's go see our son," Betty leaned in to give him a quick kiss then turned to head out the door. Before she can get far Jughead grabbed Betty's wrist, spinning her back around into his arms. He wrapped one arm around her waist while his other hand cradled her neck. Jughead leaned into her, whispering in her ear, causing Betty's breath to hitch.
"Betts, if you are gonna call me Daddy, make sure we don't have a house full of people waiting. That way I can properly fuck you like a good girl," Jughead licked her earlobe, sending a shockwave down to her groin. He pulled away, chuckling at her noticeable flush.
"Come on baby, I want to spend some quality time with our son," Jughead said. Betty cleared her throat and nodded, still trying to push down her need for him.
Betty grabbed Jughead's hand, pulling him along towards her living room where JJ was currently running around like a madman, a cape on his back and a black mask covering his eyes. Betty let out a soft giggle at how happy her baby boy looked, glancing at Jughead to see him staring at JJ in awe. She felt tears prick the corners of her eyes as she watched him take in his son's presence.
"He's so beautiful, Betts," Jughead whispered, gripping her hand tighter.
"He's all you, Juggie. Every day I see more and more of you in him. God, he has such a wild imagination, you wouldn't believe some of the stories he tells. Makes me think of when we were little, lying in Archie's treehouse while you made up stories for me," Betty looked back at JJ and smiled as the memories flooded her mind.
"Those were some of my favorite times growing up. That was my way of showing you I loved you, without telling you straight out. I mean, what 8 year old would've been able to adequately confess his love for his best friend? I just did what I thought you'd like and hoped you'd read between the lines," Jughead confessed. At that moment JJ seemed to notice his parents standing in the doorway watching him and squealed in delight.
"DADDY, MOMMY! Aunty Cheryl got me a supersuit! Do you like it?" JJ came running towards them, throwing himself into Betty's waiting arms.
"I see that, baby boy. Did you have fun today?" Betty asked, kissing his cheeks. JJ giggled and nodded, squirming to get down to reach Jughead.
"I'm so happy you're still here, Daddy. I was 'fraid you were gonna leave before I got back!" JJ exclaimed, wrapping his arms around Jughead and burying his face into his neck. Until this very moment, Jughead never realized that his heart could contain so much love for someone he never knew.
He soothed the little boy, whispering in his ear that he would never leave him ever again and how much he loved him. The three of them were so engrossed in their moment that they almost forgot Cheryl was watching the entire scene from the kitchen.
"Not to bust up this happy family reunion but Betty, I need to speak with you. Alone. Jones, think you can handle JJ for a second?" Cheryl quipped, Jughead rolling his eyes.
"Yeah, I think I can manage for a few minutes, Blossom," Jughead followed JJ to his room, the little boy chattering on about all the things he wanted to show his Dad. Betty walked into the kitchen to start brewing a pot of coffee, the look in Cheryl's eyes telling her that she was going to need it. Once she hit the start button she turned around and waited for Cheryl to speak.
"Cousin, are you sure it's wise to bring him back into your life so quickly? Especially after last night," Betty could see that there was genuine concern in Cheryl's eyes. She knew Cheryl only wanted what was best for her and JJ but Betty had been waiting years for Jughead to find her and, now that he had, she wasn't about to let time go to waste.
"Yes Cher, I think it is. I know you're scared for me and want to protect us but you know Jughead. He's not like- well, you know who- and I'm not about to let him go now that we are together again. Can you just be happy for me and JJ? Please Cher?" Betty pleaded. Cheryl's eyes softened and she walked around the counter to wrap Betty into a hug.
"Okay B, if you're happy, so am I. But," Cheryl paused, pulling back to lift Betty's chin to look into her eyes, "If he ever hurts you, he's a dead man. I won't let anything like that ever happen to you again? Okay?" Betty nodded and hugged Cheryl again. She and Betty said their goodbyes at the front door in hushed tones so that the red-head could slip away without upsetting her nephew.
"So. Did you tell her?" Sabrina asked, her voice quivering with fear. She kept her eyes trained on the forest surrounding Betty's house, hoping to catch a glimpse of the author of the note she held in her hands.
"No, now's not really the best time, Bri. She's finally gotten to a place where she can smile again and I'll be damned if that low life miscreant is going to take that away from her too. She's lived in fear for far long enough so this needs to end now. We'll give the note to Harvey. He can hire some extra guys from the firm to guard Betty and enforce the order of protection. If push comes to shove, Betty has the Serpent's at her disposal be now, too. He won't touch her," Cheryl growled, peeling out of the driveway headed home. She turned up the radio, getting lost in the lyrics and her own troubled thoughts.
Cheryl could still remember the day Betty finally gathered the courage to leave Adam, like it was yesterday. She'd been beaten to a pulp and Cheryl nearly died when she saw Betty laying in that hospital bed looking so small and vulnerable. She knew at that moment that she had to get Betty out of that house. Cheryl hired movers to pack up the entire apartment and have all her things moved to a new property in Rochester.
She had been able to convince Betty that the new apartment was safer and there'd be no way Adam would ever find her. Not with all the obstacles that Cheryl had put into place to keep them both hidden. Unfortunately, they'd learned too late that all her precautions just weren't enough to keep them safe.
"Who's my sweet boy, huh? You are JJ, you are!" Cheryl cooed at the little dark-haired boy she was pushing in the baby swings. She loved her 'nephew' with all of her heart and made it her mission in life to spoil him and his mother. They were her only family, her whole world besides her girlfriend, Sabrina. She and Betty had been through so much together the last few years and they were finally able to have all the things they could dream of.
After everything that happened to her brother and her father, she didn't want to have to rely on her parents blood money anymore so she and Betty made plans. They went into business for themselves. With the help of some investors and a small business loan, they were able to open the first of three successful burlesque clubs with plans to open many more across the great state of New York.
Betty had big ideas and ambition to boot so after working in that dingy strip club for years, Betty was finally able to perform on stage at the first Black Cat club they opened.
Everything was going great now, they had opened two more clubs and Betty traveled to each of them, always performing under a different name at each one to help her hide from Adam.
She felt her mind jerk back to reality when her phone buzzed in her pocket.
Betty-Boop: Help. He found me...
"No, no, no, no. This can't be happening..." She whispered, ice instantly taking hold and running through her veins to seize her heart.
Cheryl gathered up JJ and all his things before calling the police and racing back to their apartment as fast as she could. She knew she'd get there before the police and God help Adam if he was still there because Cheryl was just looking for a reason to shoot his ass. She made it back to the apartment in record time but stopped when she noticed that the door was ajar.
Cradling her nephew close to her chest, Cheryl pushed the door open to a horrific sight. The place was completely trashed, glass scattered on the floor and furniture knocked around. A standing floor lamp was knocked over, illuminating a crumpled and broken heap on the floor.
Betty...
Cheryl rushed JJ to the living room, sitting him in his playpen before running as quickly as she could to check on Betty. She felt for a pulse, finding a faint one and choked out a sob of relief.
"Please, just hold on, please. Don't die on me, Betty. You're all I got left, please don't go," Cheryl cried, clutching Betty's limp body in her arms.
A tear slipped down Cheryl's cheek as she drove, the memory of that day being nearly as painful as the memory losing her beloved Jason.
"Don't worry Cher, we'll get this guy and put him away for life," Sabrina squeezed Cheryl's hand, giving her a comforting smile.
"He'll be lucky if I don't put him in the ground first," Cheryl's words came out like fire and even Sabrina knew she meant them with all her heart.
"What are you two up to, huh?" Betty stood in the doorway of her son's room, watching her two favorite guys building a blanket fort.
"Daddy is gonna help me set up a tent so I can camp in my room! Is it okay, Mommy?" JJ smiled big, eyes begging her to say yes.
"Of course it is, honey. You boys have fun. Mommy is gonna go start on lunch and then it's nap time mister," Betty booped JJ on the nose and made her way into the kitchen to make sandwiches with fresh veggies.
About 15 minutes later while she was finishing chopping up some celery sticks, she was surprised to feel strong arms wrap themselves around her. Jughead pushed her hair from her shoulder, pressing light kisses to the exposed skin on her neck.
"Mmmm Juggie, that feels nice," Betty sighed contently, sinking into Jughead's chest. She hadn't felt this safe in a very long time and she wanted to enjoy it while she could. They still hadn't talked about what they were going to do next or how they were going to make this work but she didn't care. She just wanted to keep their bubble intact for as long as possible.
"It feels so good to be able to hold you like this again. I've missed this so damned much. Betts, I know we haven't talked much about things but promise me- promise me this is real and you aren't going to disappear on me? I don't know if my heart could take it if this was all a dream," Jughead nuzzled his nose into her hair, his voice giving out at his last words. Betty dropped the knife in her hands to spin around in his arms.
"I promise you Juggie, I'm real. This is real and I want you, forever. I'm not going anywhere ever again," Betty's hands slid into his hair as she brought his lips to hers, kissing him with abandon.
Jughead deepen the kiss and picked her up, sitting her down on the counter top and running his hands up her thighs. Betty moaned as he sucked her bottom lip between his teeth but before things could become too heated, Betty broke their kiss and told him to go get JJ for lunch.
"So Betts, I was thinking. Since we're really going to try to make a go of this relationship, we should probably think about telling everyone that you're back," Jughead suggested as they made themselves comfortable after putting JJ down for his nap. Betty choked on her lemonade, giving Jughead an incredulous look.
"What? Are you serious?" Her voice sounded so small and broken that Jughead almost felt bad even bringing it up. But he knew there was no way he could keep her reappearance secret, not with the knowledge that they have a child together.
"Well yeah, I am. Everyone has been looking for you for five years, Betts. Plus, I think Dad and Alice would want to know that you're safe, and of course finally meet JJ," Betty could see his point, no matter how scary it was.
And frankly, Betty was so very tired of running. It seemed it was finally time for her to become Betty Cooper again and leave Juliet Jones to perform on stage -because she'd be damned if anyone would take the career she loved away from her.
"Okay, I guess you're right Juggie. When did you want to tell them?" Betty could feel the urge to pierce the skin on her palms creeping up but stopped herself when she noticed his gaze fall on them.
"Well, I was thinking maybe tonight? We always have a huge family dinner every weekend back at Dad's house, so maybe you could be my dinner date?" Hope dripped from his words, silently pleading for her to say yes.
"We could even have Archie and Veronica over, plus Charlie and Kevin since they already know I found you," he suggested.
"Wha- How? Did you tell them where I was?" Betty asked, shocked that he didn't mention this before.
"Well, yes and no? They kind of already found a lead on you but didn't get a chance to tell me before I went to the club last night. Charlie works for the FBI and Kevin is a fairly skilled PI now so they had a lot of feelers out. Between their connections, they were bound to find you eventually, Betts," Jughead chuckled, scratching the back of his neck and shrugging.
"Oh, I guess that makes sense. By the way Jug, who's Charlie? You keep mentioning him and I can only assume he is Kev's partner?" Betty felt horrible that she was so behind on everything that had happened to her family since leaving.
All she knew for sure was that her parents divorced and Polly was gone. But, what else had she missed in that time?
"Oh, right. Charlie, well rather Charles, is...he's our brother Betts," Betty's jaw nearly hit the floor at the news.
"Come again, did you say brother? Wait, we share a brother? How? Mom said that she had given up my older brother but how is he-?" Her brother is their brother?! How?
She knew she had a brother out there but she never thought they'd actually find him. Or that he would also be Jughead's brother. Oh God, she thought, her head swimming at the revelation. Jughead sensed her spiraling thoughts and grabbed her hands, threading his fingers through hers and squeezing.
"It's a really long story, and Alice should be the one to tell it, but basically your Mom and my Dad dated in high school. The baby she gave up was actually his, not Hal's. Charlie found us about a year or so after you left. He and Kev hit it off while they worked together on the whole Farm disaster and they fell in love. Charlie and I are actually really close now, it's been nice having a brother," Jughead said, Betty's mouth still hanging open in shock.
"Oh my God! Jug, I legitimately have no words for the information you just dropped into my lap," Betty needed to process this information for a bit longer. Shaking her head, she decided to go back to the situation at hand instead of the Pandora's Box that was just unleashed.
"While I think it would be good to get this over with, what about JJ? I'm afraid that he might get overwhelmed with all the emotions that are sure to be flying around my sudden reappearance. Would you be ok if he stayed at Cher's tonight? That way we can kind of cushion the blow a bit? I think giving Alice and FP a heads up about being grandparents first might be a good idea," When he saw the fear in her eyes, he knew he couldn't push her on how they should do this. She deserved the right to be able to return home on her own terms.
"Yeah, as long as you are sure you're okay with this. Just give her a call and see what she says. I'll shoot out some texts to everyone and let Toni know I won't be working tonight," Betty nodded, kissing his cheek as she walked into her room to call Cheryl.
If Jughead was being honest, he wished it could just be the three of them for a little longer but he'd have to go home sometime. And since Alice still had that same ability to read people like an open book and drag the truth out of them, he didn't think he'd be able to keep the ruse up for long anyway. He opened his group chat to message to make it easier to speak to everyone -minus Kevin and Charles of course.
Family Dinner Chat
Jug: Hey everyone, so I need
a huge favor from you guys.
Dad: Jug, you better not be in jail or
something. I don't have bail money.
Alice: Lord FP, go easy on the kid. I'll handle this. Jug, if you got arrested I will kick your ass myself.
Jug: Jesus guys, no one is in jail.
I just wanted to talk about dinner tonight is all. Would that be okay?
Archie: Wait... who's in jail?
Veronica: Do try to catch up, Archikins. No one is in jail. Anyways, what's up Jug?
Alice: Well, then just say that out right! You don't want to give your father a coronary, do you? I'm not ready to bury my husband.
Dad: Dammit Ally, I'm not 90. If we can do what we did last night and me still have a pulse, I think it's fine ;p
Jug:...TMI, seriously. No one
needs to hear that ever again. Ew.
Veronica: Come now Juggie, you know your Dad is a total babe. And Alice is a woman and we women have needs, he's just treating his lady right. ;)
Jug: I hate you Ronnie. Seriously, a lot.
Veronica: Psst... Whatever you say Uncle Juggie. You love me and you know it!
Archie: Can we not talk about what Alice and FP do when no one is around?! Those are images I don't need in my head.
Alice: I agree Archibald, moving on... What is so pressing Jug? Bringing another girl home lol?
Jug:...
Jug: Well, the thing is...
Alice: WHAT? Forsythe Pendleton Jones the 3rd, you better be joking! :|
Veronica: EXCUSE ME? A girl? What about? Well, you know...
Archie: You're dating again man? But I thought you were done dating?
Jug: Look, it's hard to explain but I
promise I will tell you guys every-
thing when we get there tonight, okay?
Alice: Fine. 7pm sharp! Do not be late.
Alice Smith-Jones has left the chat
Veronica: I'll be there ready to assess your new lady friend. And she better hope she passes the Lodge test.
Jug: Well that sounds frightening...
Veronica: Good, it was meant to...
Veronica Lodge-Andrews has left the chat
Archie: Uh oh... Be afraid Jug, Ronnie is yelling in Spanish again, you may be in for it this time...
Archie Andrews has left the chat
Dad: It's gonna be okay, son. I'll keep Ally reeled in, but I can't promise I can do anything about Ronnie. I just want you to be happy. Say, what's this girl's name anyways?
Jug: Juliet. I call her Juliet.
Betty sat in the passenger seat of her car, fidgeting nervously as Jughead tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. She didn't know if she could keep her composure on the back of his bike so they parked it in her garage and decided to take her car instead.
A fully restored classic 1967 Pontiac GTO instead.
It was one of the first things Betty bought after she made her first big paycheck from the Black Cat. She had always loved classic cars (and rebuilding them) so she bought a clunker and fixed it up all by herself.
Other than JJ, this car was her baby. She took very good care of it and usually didn't let anyone else drive it, but seeing the look on Jug's face when she opened the garage was priceless. You'd have thought she just opened the Holy Grail or something.
"Betts, are you serious? You really rebuilt this? She's beautiful..." Jughead was practically salivating at the thought, having always finding it sexy that she was a grease monkey. Betty giggled, sauntering up to him to drop the keys into his hand.
"Yup." She said with a pop, "It's got an 8-cylinder 400cid/360hp 4bbl HO engine, 4 speed manual transmission, 15 inch redline tires, completely restored interior-." Jughead cut her off, driving his tongue into her mouth while pressing her against the hood of the car. Betty hooked one of her legs around his hips, grinding her center against him. Jughead growled into her mouth, pulling away to try to slow his heart rate.
"God, I love it when you talk dirty," Jughead panted in her ear. "Come on, let's go before I defile you on the hood of your car."
She smiled at how excited he'd become just hearing her describe her car. Jughead being here with her helped to calm her nerves some, but she was still scared about what would happen.
She figured that since the car itself would draw enough attention to their presence, she wore a long black wig and big sunglasses to hide her identity from the prying eyes of all the gossipy neighbors. She'd become a master at changing her appearance over the years, she had shed her pink gumdrop image long ago, so anyone who just glanced at her now wouldn't know who she was.
Betty needed to show her family who she was now as opposed to the person she left behind. Instead of a pencil skirt and cardigan, Betty was dressed in skin-tight black jeans paired with a steampunk style leather corset complete with a satin lace-up front that was accented by lace trimming.
Gone were the ballet flats of old replaced by 6.5 inch black stilettos. On her back she wore a tight leather jacket, not unsimilar to what she would have worn had Jug allowed her to become a serpent. Ironically enough, her current style would've fit in with the serpents better then how she dressed at sixteen would have.
"We're here babe," Jughead said, touching her arm gently. Betty was so lost in thought that she didn't realize until now that they'd parked in front of her old house. He must have been able to see her confusion because he continued nervously. "Uh, my Dad and I live here too since he and Alice are, eh, married."
"Oh." Was all Betty could say before Jughead was out of the car and coming around to her side to open her door. He noticed that Kevin and Charlie weren't here yet, like he'd asked, this way the other four dinner guests could get over their initial shock. Betty laced her fingers together with Jughead's as he led her to the front door.
"Look, they're probably all in the kitchen so let me go in first and feel out the room while you wait in the foyer, okay? I just know Alice and Ronnie were a bit hostile about me bringing someone home and obviously they didn't know it was you. I just want to make sure everything goes smoothly," Jughead brought their joined hand up to his lips, kissing each of her knuckles.
Once he opened the door, Betty was hit with the smells of her mother's cooking and instantly felt like she had never left. The first thing she noticed was that the inside of the house was very different, more like a real home rather than a staged magazine spread.
She could hear muffled voices from the kitchen but ignored them, too busy looking at the pictures all over the walls: some old, some new but all candid and real. She was delighted to see pictures of herself and Polly were amongst all the new ones.
She had walked further into the living room to get a better look at the photos on the mantle when she felt eyes on her and noticed that the room had fallen silent. Betty turned her head to see everyone in the kitchen and dining area watching her. She saw her mother standing in the kitchen holding a cherry pie, Cooper faux smile tightly plastered on her face, and Betty almost stood straighter out of muscle memory.
"Hello dear, Jug was just telling us he wanted to-" Alice froze mid sentence as she stepped closer to the 'stranger' in her home, clutching the pie in her hands. Betty's heart race as she lowered her head, removing her sunglasses and wig, shaking out her long blonde curls before looking back up at her.
"Hi Mom," Betty's voice squeaked out, giving a small wave. She already felt the tears forming when Alice finally snapped out of her trance, dropping the pie to the floor.
"Elizabeth?" Was all she managed to say before she raced over to her daughter, crushing her to her chest and sobbing. "Elizabeth, baby, is it really you? You're here? Jug found you. He swore- and now you're- I can't believe you're really here," Alice cried.
"It's me, Mom. I'm so sorry, I'm sorry I ran, I'm sorry I didn't call you. I was just so scared and stupid and I didn't-" Alice shushed her, easing Betty's fears while cradling her.
Alice pulled back after a few minutes, finally realizing she had dropped her pie and ran back to the kitchen to help FP finish cleaning it up. That was when Betty noticed a VERY pregnant Veronica standing in shock beside a more muscular -if that was even possible- Archie Andrews, who had a little girl on his hip.
Time seemed to move in slow motion as Veronica walked across the living room to where Betty was standing. A ghost of a smile formed on Betty's lips until she felt the stinging smack of Veronica's hand across her face.
"¿Como pudiste?" Veronica yelled before running out of the house cursing in Spanish and crying. Betty felt the blood filling her mouth from what was undoubtedly a split lip and looked back towards the shocked faces of the others. Archie handed the little raven haired girl to Jughead and stalked towards her, causing Betty to flinch out of reflex. Archie stopped dead in his tracks when he realized that he'd scared her.
"Betts..." Betty looked up slowly to see him grinning and tears cascading down his cheeks. Archie surged forward, catching her off guard and gathering her up into a bear hug.
"Don't you ever leave me again, do you hear me Betty Cooper? Never again," He whispered before releasing her to grab the child Jughead was holding, running out the front down after his wife. Jughead rushed to Betty's side noticing the blood but she threw her hand up to stop him.
"It's fine, Jug. Believe me, I've taken worse hits. Besides, I probably deserved a hell of a lot more than a slap after what I've put her through. I'll be okay, promise," Jughead's jaw clenched at the thought of someone ever laying a hand on her.
If he ever found out who'd done that to her, they were as good as dead. He gently grabbed her chin with his thumb and index finger to assess the damage. Betty smiled softly, placing her hand to his cheek. "I promise Juggie, I'm okay."
Suddenly, a commotion outside the front door drew their attention just as Kevin and a man Betty didn't know (but who most certainly looked like he could be FP & Alice's son) burst inside, looking around the room. The older gentleman looked over to FP and Alice, startled by their frazzled appearances.
"Mom, Dad! Are you guys okay? What happened with Arch and Ronnie? She looked really upset," Alice shushed him and gently patted his shoulder.
"Come now Charles, we're fine. Just a little, mishap is all," Alice sighed. Charlie lifted an eyebrow in question, looking to FP for answerings.
"Your Mom dropped her pie, that's all. We got a bit of a shock, seems we finally found one of your long lost sisters," FP held his hand up towards Betty. Charlie walked closer to her and held his hand out to introduce himself.
"Charles Smith and you must be my baby sister, Betty Cooper," Betty shook his hand and smiled. Even at first glance she could tell that Charles was a nice man. She could see why Kevin fell for him.
Looks wise, he was the perfect blend of Jones and Smith. But there was a kindness in his eyes that must have come from someplace else, the same place Betty inherited it from. She was happy to finally meet him and looked forward to getting to know her half brother.
"That's me. Jug told me a little bit about you on our way here, all good things I promise," Betty joked. "It seems I have missed a lot more than I thought in the last few years," She said sadly.
"Well that's an understatement," Kevin quipped. Betty looked around Charlie to see Kevin still standing in the foyer. He looked exactly like she'd remembered, right down to his radiant smile. Betty couldn't help it, she broke, running to Kevin and apologizing for everything as she hugged him. For leaving and not telling him, for what happened to him and how she wasn't here for him, for missing his wedding. He assured her it was all fine and hugged her back. When they finally pulled away, Kevin looked at Jughead confused.
"Wanna tell us why exactly Arch and Ronnie ran out of here like this place was on fire?" Betty winced, walking over to the sofa to sit down. She was ashamed for missing so much, for hurting so many people. She wrung her hands trying to find the words to speak.
"Let's just say that Ronnie wasn't exactly thrilled when she saw me," She said, pointing to the split lip and red handprint forming on her face. Kevin gasped, sinking down beside her and mothering over her like he does with Jughead when he gets hurt.
"Jesus Kev, I'm fine. You don't have to baby me," Betty giggled, swatting his hands away.
"Trust me, he does." Jughead and Charlie said in unison, laughing. Kevin shot them both a glare and turned back to Betty.
"Okay B, I'll let it go but now you need to spill. Where have you been and why exactly are you dressed like you work at The Maple Club?" Alice cleared her throat, shooting daggers at Kevin for mentioning that awful place.
"What is the Maple Club?" Betty laughed in confusion, thinking that it was some kind of country club.
"Oh that's Madame Blossom's Brothel," Betty's eyes went wide.
"Wait, excuse me? Are you telling me that bitch is running a brothel after all the hell she gave Cher for wanting to open the burlesque club? She's got some fucking nerve-" Betty spat, anger rolling off of her.
"ELIZABETH!" Alice scolded. Betty just rolled her eyes and pulled out her phone, ignoring her mother's outburst.
"Excuse me one second," Betty raised a finger, dialing a number and waiting.
"Hey, Cher? Look- oh no, I wasn't calling for that. No, it's fine..." She looked around the room briefly. "Well, it's been interesting to say the least. Actually, I had another reason to call. Did you know that your she-devil of a mother has been whoring herself out to half of the tri-county area? Mmm hmm. Nope," She said, emphasizing the p with a popping sound. She hummed a few more times, acknowledging whatever Cheryl was saying on the other end.
"No, I'm dead serious cousin. You're right, you probably should've dropped a house on that bitch instead of just setting it on fire. Right?" She paused and took a deep breath.
"Now listen up Cheryl, this is what's gonna happen. Next think that dead-ass dime store hooker starts trying to mess with your trust fund, I'm marching my happy ass up to her sticky maple club, or whatever the hell she calls it, and I'm shoving my size 6 Pigalle Spiked Louboutins up her ass. Then, we're gonna send Harvey and the boys up there to tear that whore house down brick by brick. She is not messing with you or the Cat ever again, you have my word. What? I am calm- okay, fine... I know Cher but that woman deserves a hell of a lot worse than that, especially with everything she's done to you. Okay, fine. I promise I will. Alright, I love you too, Cher-Bear. Okay, see you tomorrow," Betty ended the call with a kiss noise and looked up to see the stunned faces around her. Well everyone was stunned except Jug who was too busy smirking at her. He was actually kind of turned on by the dominant side of Betty he'd just witnessed.
"Well damn, I guess she really is your kid Ally," FP chuckled, prompting a slap on the arm from Alice. She looked back at Betty, still in shock.
"Well, I guess you're not wrong FP. However, I still raised you better than to use that language, Elizabeth. But since you're an adult now, I guess I can't be too upset with you. What I really want to know is: were you really just on the phone Cheryl Blossom? And then told her that you loved her and called her Cher-Bear? Just how long have you been in contact with her?" Alice asked, the hand on her hip showing everyone that she was not happy.
"Yeah Mom, that was Cheryl Blossom. She's actually the only person I've had contact with since I left. She helped me get the money together so I could leave town back then. And I do love her, she's my best friend. She's helped me through a lot of hard times, so we're close now. She's like a sister to me," Betty stated, her head held high while waiting for her mother to explode.
"Well, I'm not happy about it but she kept you safe so I guess at least someone good came from that evil family," Alice shrugged and stood up, walking to the kitchen to make some coffee. Betty wasn't prepared from her mother to be so mellow about the whole thing but she counted it as a win.
"Well, well, well. It's good to know Dark Betty is alive and well," Kevin winked. When Charlie looked at him strangely he mouthed 'I'll tell you later' to him and turned back to Betty. "So, is Dark Betty a full time thing or..."
"My God, Kevin," Betty slapped her forehead and rolled her eyes. "To answer your question, yes. I'm no longer Basic White-Girl Betty. I'm the proud owner of 6 successful burlesque clubs and, up until recently, I was the headliner at all of them, alternating weeks of course. Now I only dance at the Greendale location since I own a house there now."
"WHAT?!" Alice screeched from the kitchen and ran to stand over her daughter. "Elizabeth Cooper, I know you're not sitting here telling me that you're a stripper?!" Betty stood up, fuming. She glared at Alice and squared her shoulders.
"No Alice, I'm not a stripper. Granted, for the first few years I was, but that's not the point here. At the time, stripping was the only way I was able to make money to survive, but I'm most certainly not a stripper now. I'm a burlesque performer and I love my work, so I will not stand here and let you judge me for it! That goes for everyone in this room, hell, the rest of Riverdale included!" Betty's eyes were spitting fire with such intensity that made it Jughead's body respond to her but he shook his head knowing now was not the time.
He needed to defuse the situation so he stepped between the women, pulling Betty close enough to whisper into her ear. Betty's face turned crimson and she giggled before nodding her head and giving him a quick kiss.
"I'm sorry everyone, I've just had a lot of people give me grief over what I do for a living and I refuse to take that shit laying down. Anyways my place of employment is not why we are here. Jug and I actually have something else to talk to you guys about that is much more important than my career path," Betty grabbed his hand for support and squeezed. Alice sat on FP's lap, concern stretching over her features as Betty began.
"Okay, so there was actually a specific reason I felt like I couldn't come home and it's also the same reason I had to strip for a few years to make ends meet," Betty cleared her throat, handing her mother her phone, and Alice gasped. Pulled up was a picture from JJ's most recent birthday, a picture where Betty felt he looked the most like Jughead.
"Is- is he? FP, look. He looks exactly like..." She trailed off as FP took the phone, his eyes widening in realization.
"Jug? Betty? Is this for real? Is he really-?" FP couldn't say the words, he was too mesmerized by the picture of the smiling little boy on Betty's phone. They both nodded at their parents.
"His name is James Pendleton Jones, but we call him JJ for short. He just celebrated his 4th birthday this past October. Funny enough, he and Jug actually shares birthday weeks," She looked at Jughead and smiled.
"Jug got to meet him this morning and JJ knows about all of you. I never lied to him about who his family was or where he came from. He's been waiting to meet you all for a very long time," Alice and FP both had tears streaming from their eyes as they passed the phone back to Betty.
"When can we meet him?" FP asked, still processing the fact that he was a grandfather.
"I was thinking about tomorrow, if that's okay with you guys? I didn't want him here tonight for the super crazy emotional stuff. I definitely don't think he would've needed to see Veronica slap me, that's for sure. But I know he'll be super happy to find out he's meeting all of you. Just let's try to refrain from explaining to my 4 year old about our twisted family tree, okay?" Betty laughed. Jughead tucked a stray flyaway behind her ear and caressed her cheek when she looked at him.
"Juggie, is it okay if I lie down in your room before we eat? I think I need a minute to decompress. Please?" Betty asked. Jughead nodded, standing and leading her upstairs to her old room. When she walked in the door she stopped to take it all in.
Everything was just like she left it but also different at the same time. All her things were here but Jughead's things were fused into them, as if this would've been how it would look if they lived there together. Betty choked back a sob thinking of all the nights he must have cried alone in this room wondering where she was.
"Hey, hey baby. What's wrong?" Jughead pulled her into his arms, smoothing her hair down. He kissed her temple trying to ease her pain.
"I'm so sorry, Juggie. I'm so fucking sorry for all of it. I love you so much and I swear to you I will never ever-" Her voice faltered. He clung to him tighter and cried her heart out.
"Hey, shhh, I know Betts. I know. It's all in the past baby. We're together now and that's all that matters. Look, why don't you lay down for a bit and I'll wake you up when it's time to eat? Sound good?" He asked, helping her out of her heels and lying her down on his bed. "I'll be back soon baby. Just rest," Jughead kissed her forehead and crept out of the room on a mission to calm down one Mrs. Veronica Lodge-Andrews.
"Come on Arch, open up! I'm alone and I know you guys are in there. I can hear Veronica crying from out here," Jughead shouted as he pounded on his best friend's door. Finally, it cracked a little and he was met with the puffy eyes of the woman he came to see.
"Hey Ronnie, you doing okay? I know I just kind of threw this at you but I only found her last night and there's still so much stuff you need to know. Can I come in, please?" He heard Veronica sniffling as she stepped back to let him in. "Where's Archie?" He asked
"He went to grab me a burger and onion rings from Pop's. It's the only place in town where a girl can get a dill pickle slushie with her meal." She chuckled at his grimace, motioning for him to have a seat on the couch. She sat down in the plush armchair next to it and released a shaky sigh. "Does she hate me, Jug?"
"What? No, of course not Ronnie! She actually said she probably deserved worse after what she did to everyone. You know Betty, she could never hate anyone, not really. She may seem tougher on the outside now but she is still that same girl we grew up with on the inside. Life has just given her more of an edge," Veronica shot him a knowing look and smiled.
"Dark Betty," they said in unison before they fell into a fit of laughter. As they were calming down, Archie and Lizzy walked back inside with a Pop's bag and a drink carrier.
"Jug! Hey, is Betty uh- is she okay man?" Archie glanced at Veronica and then back to Jughead who was wiping tears from his eyes.
"Yeah, she's resting. I kinda wanted to tell you guys the rest of what Betty came here to say since you guys left before she got a chance to explain things," they nodded and Jughead told them the whole sordid tale.
How Cheryl Blossom helped her to run away, how she found out she was pregnant and was too afraid to come home, how she stripped then turned that into owning a chain of burlesque clubs where she performs, and how she and their son are now living in Greendale, even how she and he had gotten back together. Archie and Veronica sat in stunned silence for what seemed like an eternity before they both began firing questions at him that came so fast that he couldn't do anything but nod.
"Wait, Betty had a baby? Your baby?" Veronica asked.
"Hold on, Betty's a stripper?" Archie asked quietly.
"And Cheryl Blossom has known where she was all this time? That pelirroja ella diablo, she knew where to find her and lied to us, to the town, this whole time?!" Veronica spat angrily, slurping on her slushie to cool herself down.
"Little Betty Cooper... who we made mud pies with... is a stripper..." Archie said in disbelief.
"And now Betty is home and wants to start over with all of us? And tomorrow she's bringing your son for us to meet?" Veronica asked, the anger subsiding and a smile forming on her lips.
"Betty Cooper... is a stripper." Archie stated again.
"Yes Archie, Betty Cooper was a stripper and now she performs mostly nude for her artwork. Can we please move on? Estúpido cerdo de un hombre." Veronica enunciated, rolling her eyes at her husband.
"Yeah we're bringing him by Dad's tomorrow to meet everyone. So, if you want to that is, you guys are welcome to come meet him too," Jughead paused. Archie looked at his wife and they both nodded.
"Well, I should probably jump back over there. Betty might be up by now and I don't want to leave her to the wolves for too long," Jughead kissed Veronica on the cheek and hugged Archie goodbye, dropping a kiss to the top of Lizzy's head before marching out the door
"Mom, I promise we'll be back in the morning, okay? JJ will be with us and we can talk some more," Betty reassured Alice that she was indeed coming back and she wouldn't disappear. "By the way, Jug's going to crash with me tonight since his bike is still there. We'll just ride back together in the morning," Betty hugged her mother one last time.
"Ok, Elizabeth. But before you go, you are on birth control, right? I just want to make sure Jug isn't going to be knocking you up again anytime soon," Betty burst out laughing, a pink tinge splattering across Jughead's cheeks.
"Yes, Mother. Don't worry, no babies any time soon," Betty turned and began dragging Jughead to the car before her mother could say anything else to embarrass them.
"I swear, that woman still doesn't have a filter," Betty groaned. "Tonight was fun right, Jug? I'm really glad you talked me into this. I just still can't get over FP being sheriff, that just seems so surreal to me. I just wish Polly could be here, too," Betty said, sadness laced in her voice. She cleared her throat, changing the subject as Jughead opened her car door for her.
"So, where to now Juggie? Cheryl has JJ all night and it's still early, so I want to have a little fun. Been a long time since I went out anywhere that wasn't kid friendly," Betty asked once they were both seated inside.
"Well, we could go to the Black Cat if you want?" Betty scrunched her nose up and shook her head.
"No can do, babe. I have a strict policy of never mingling or drinking where I perform. Trust me, it's safer that way," Betty said, staring out her window.
"We could go to the Whyte Wyrm if you want? I usually make it a habit of only drinking where I work so I can keep an eye on things. Plus, I'd really like you to see what we've done with the place. Definitely not the rundown bar you'd remember," Jughead chuckled, turning to head towards the southside. When they finally pulled up to the club, Betty couldn't stop herself from bursting out laughing.
"Oh my God Jug, you turned a biker bar into a nightclub? How'd that work out for ya?" She asked, laughter still shining in her eyes as she grinned at him. Jughead shook his head and smiled before getting out, walking around to help her out of the car and pulled her into his arms.
"I'll have you know it's going pretty fucking well actually. Between the Wyrm, the tattoo parlor, and the body shop we run, the Serpents are fully legit," Jughead said with pride. He was proud to still be a serpent but also to be able to say that they were no longer criminals.
"Mmm. So. Mr. Big Time Businessman, I saw you admiring my car earlier, you ever work in that shop of yours? Because I think my engine is in desperate need of a good tune up," Betty whispered in his ear, her tongue licking a stripe up his jawline causing him to shiver. He grinned before leaning her head back, biting down on the sensitive flesh of her collarbone.
"Well, I think something can be arranged for you Miss Cooper. You know, I always did my best work under your hood," Jughead gripped her hair, plunging his tongue into her mouth as they slammed into the side of her car. Betty moaned into his mouth, his hands moving from her hips to the backs of her thighs to pick her up to place her onto the hood of the car. Betty snaked her arms around his neck, her hands finding purchase in his dark curls. Just as Jughead left her lips to suck and bite kisses along her neck, they heard a car horn and a bunch of drunk patrons whooping as they watched them make out.
Jughead groaned, pulling away and giving her forehead a soft kiss, "Let's go inside and get a drink baby. Then, I'm taking you home and we're going to finish what we started on the hood of this car," he teased with a smile.
"Juggie baby, if you really wanna play you're gonna have to buy me a drink first," she winked. Betty jumped off the car, smiling as she stepped past Jughead, swaying her hips. She made it a few steps when she felt him smack her ass, hard. Betty squealed and jumped in surprise, whipping around to face him.
"That's not fair, Juggie! Don't be a tease," She giggled as he rubbed the spot with his palm to soothe the sting his hand left behind. They continued to head towards the door when Jughead suddenly stopped her mid-stride, pulling her into the shadows to grind his growing erection against her backside.
"C'mon now, Betts. I remember you used to like me teasing you til you were dripping for me," his voice so gravelly and deep that it had Betty rubbing her thighs together for friction. He tilted her head to the side, sucking another dark bruise behind her ear as she writhed against him in pleasure. After a few more seconds of listening to her moan, he pulled away to fix his clothes and smiled down at her.
"Come on baby, let's get those drinks," Jughead dropped a kiss to her bare shoulder and pulled her inside. Betty looked around before leaning in so he could hear her over the music.
"I'm gonna go fix my makeup Juggie, I'll be right out. Order me a martini would ya? Dirty, just how I like it," Betty whispered, biting his earlobe and walking away with a wink. Jughead tilted his head and watched her walk all the way down the hall, her hips swinging seductively. He bit his lip and shook his head before making his way to the bar, chuckling to himself. He waved at the bartender on duty, Delilah, to get her attention.
"Heya Boss, this is a surprise. Toni said you weren't gonna be around tonight. What can I get ya?" The older woman asked.
"Get me a jack and coke and a dirty martini, thanks Dee," Jughead tossed a $20 in the tip jar and waited for Betty to meet him in his usually seat. A few minutes later he smiled when he felt a dainty hand wrapping itself around his forearm only for his smile to drop once he saw that it belonged to Ethel Muggs. He snatched her hand off his arm as if she burned him and scowled.
"Ethel, what the fuck are you doing here?" Jughead pinched the bridge of his nose and screwed his eyes shut tightly, groaning.
"Didn't Cheryl and I make it clear last night that you're not welcome here anymore? I suggest you get the fuck out of my bar before I have you thrown out," Ethel's sly smile faltered just briefly before she chuckled, leaning into him.
"Oh Juggie, is this about that skank you were dry-humping in the parking lot? Because if it is, I promise that you can do better than her. I mean, of course you're probably out there trying to ease that broken heart of yours, but what? You find out about Betty being some tainted whore so you go find some trashy bottle-blonde slut for you to slum it with? I mean c'mon Jug, don't you want to be with a real woman? I bet I can show you pleasures that neither Betty nor that bitch you came with ever could," Ethel grabbed the martini and slung it back, drinking it in one go. "So, where is the little slut anyways?" She sneered.
"She's standing right behind you," feeling a tap on her shoulder, Ethel turned around only to be met by a fist connecting with her nose. The entire club fell silent, even the music stopped, as everyone watched Ethel clutch onto her swollen nose, blood pouring down her face, an enraged Betty standing over her.
"You know Ethel, I was always nice to you in highschool. But did it ever occur to you why we were never friends outside of school? It was the same reason no one else liked you or wanted to be your friend. Because you were always a back-stabbing, two-faced bitch who'd do anything to be popular. I put up with it in highschool because I felt sorry for you," Betty growled, her trembling fists clenched at her sides.
"Well, news flash Muggs, highschool was over a long time ago and you still haven't changed a bit. Now, I'm going to say this just once, this man right here?" Betty grabbed ahold of Jughead's chin roughly and brought his lips to hers, her tongue dipping into his mouth, catching him moan. Betty nibbled on his bottom lip as she pulled away, satisfied with the dazed look in his eyes. She turned back to the frightened girl, her voice dripping venom.
"He's mine. Always has been, always will be. And nothing you do will ever change that fact. So, if I ever see you around this bar or touching what's mine ever again, well- Let's just say I can't be held responsible for what might happen to you," Betty leaned down to grab Ethel by her collar, dragging her to her feet and pushing her towards the exit.
Before Ethel could make it out the door Betty called after her. "Oh and Ethel, I can assure you I am a natural blonde. Ain't that right Juggie?" She smiled at him devilishly over her shoulder.
"Oh yeah baby, the carpet definitely matches the drapes," He said wiggling his eyebrows, his eyes never leaving Betty's face. Ethel stumbled out of the bar, grumbling about reporting Betty to the sheriff but knowing good and well she wouldn't do any such thing because of who the current sheriff was.
Jughead motioned towards the DJ and the music started back up, the people around them going back to what they were doing before the commotion started. Jughead pulled Betty back to the bar where Delilah had replaced her drink for her.
"So I'm your's, huh?" Jughead smirked. Betty stepped between his legs, her nose brushing his as she drew her lips just a breath away from his.
"This is mine," she said, pressing her lips to his fiercely. He moaned into her mouth allowing their tongues to tangle together for a few moments before she pulled back. "And this is mine," she whispered, moving her hand down to rest on his chest, covering his heart. She bit her bottom lip as she raked her nails further down his chest. "And this is mine," she panted, palming his erection and giving it a light squeeze. Jughead hissed and grabbed his drink, knocking it back before pulling her against him.
"Upstairs. Now." Jughead growled, grabbing her hand to drag her towards the staircase leading to his office. He couldn't wait any longer, he needed to have her right now. Once they came to the top of the stairs he slammed her up against the first door in sight. Betty preened under his touch, her body humming with want.
"God baby, do you have any idea how fucking hot that was?" He moaned, grinding himself into her core. Betty whimpered as he trailed kisses down her neck, sucking a dark bruise onto her collarbone.
"Juggie..." Betty was nearly sobbing, her need for him consuming her in the moment. "I need you. Please..." She begged. Jughead picked her up, wrapping her legs around his hips, his lips never losing contact with her skin. He kicked the door closed with his foot, flipping the lock before dropping her down on the corner of his desk and kissing along her chest and collarbone.
"You are so beautiful baby. I want to worship every last inch of your body," Jughead accentuated each word with another kiss to her skin, settling her ablaze deep in her core. She ground into him further, dropping her head back to give him better access to her bare skin.
"I may not have become the Serpent King until after you were gone Betty, but you were always my Queen. No one else could've ever come close. I love you so much, Betts," Jughead praised, bringing his mouth back up to cover hers. Betty grabbed his hair in both hands, tugging sharply to elicit more cries of pleasure before pushing him back to hop off the desk.
"Well in that case Juggie, I think it's about time that your Queen worships her King," Betty walked him backwards towards his office chair, pushing him down and dropping to her knees.
She looked up at him with innocent eyes, licking her lips while she slowly untied the satin lacing of her corset. Jughead watched as she gently brushed her fingers down the valley of her breasts, loosening each lace as she went. Watching her torment him like this was the sweetest form of torture he could ask for. His hands moved to undo his belt, popping the buttons on his trousers and sliding the zipper down to free his already aching shaft.
Betty's pulse raced watching him spring free from the confines of his boxers, her need to taste him overwhelming her. She grabbed either side of the corset opening and tugged until her breasts spilled free.
She watched him stroke himself while she cupped her breasts in her hands, leaning forward to flick her tongue across his tip. She grinned, watching him squirm as she replaced his hand with her own and took him into her wet, hot mouth.
Jughead fisted his hands into her hair as she took his entire length, pausing at the base before slowly pulling her lips back up to swirl her tongue around the tip. Jughead screwed his eyes shut tight, knowing that if he looked at her right now -breasts spilling out onto his lap while she fucks him with her mouth- he wouldn't last very long.
God, how he'd missed her mouth and all the ways she liked to tease him with it. Betty has always been a master at giving head, something they'd done often back in school while hiding away in the Blue and Gold offices. She would hide under the desk while he typed away on his laptop, bringing him to completion with the door propped open for anyone to see what they were doing.
Eventually it became a game to them, seeing how many times she could edge him before he finally broke and fucked her mouth or they got caught. Needless to say, he broke every single time. Jughead could feel his insides beginning to tighten and he knew he was getting close.
"Baby, baby... You gotta stop before..." Betty whined as Jughead dragged her mouth off of him with a wet pop before he brought her in for a sloppy, wet kiss. She pulled away to catch her breath and continued to pump him in her hands slowly, lightly squeezing upwards towards the tip.
"I wasn't finished with you yet Juggie," Betty pouted, licking her swollen lips. Before he could protest, Betty leaned further into his lap, wrapping her breasts around his cock and sucking the tip into her mouth. On instinct, Jughead began thrusting into her mouth frantically, one hand gripping the back of her head the other clutching the arm of the chair.
Jughead felt his body tingle as he started to reach the summit of his pleasure, his hips thrusting upwards sporadically before one more final thrust had him spilling down the back of her throat. Once he was spent, Betty released him and dropped a kiss to the head, giving him a shiver. Satisfied, she sat back on her heels and smiled, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.
"Jesus Betty... I- I mean, damn..." He panted, trying -and failing- to form a coherent sentence. Betty grinned up at him, tucking him back into his pants before fixing herself and lacing her top back up. "Baby, what about you?" He breathed.
"Later baby, that was just for you," she smiled, crawling into his lap to press kisses along his jawline. "Take Me Home, Juggie."