~~~~~Author's Note~~~~~
Ok lovelies, this chapter has some twists to reveal and we see more flashback scenes.
Also, there is a none graphic M/M scene (making out) so if that's not your thing, be warned that it is towards the end. This chapter deals with a lot of things from their past (including their past sexual partners and the abuse suffered by Betty by Adam) and also discussions of certain characters sexual orientation and the support that they receive.
I want to thank Fonsie ( strangenightsofdaydreams) for helping me with that portion of this chapter, you were a life saver 3
Anywho, enjoy! I hope that you all like how this chapter turned out :)
P.S. This is not beta'd so all mistakes are my own :/
"Where the hell have you been?" Betty froze when she heard his voice, her panic almost suffocating her. All the hairs on her body stood on end as he walked up behind her, spinning her around and pinning her to the door. Betty turned her head away as he inched his face ever closer to hers, not wanting to see the look in his eyes. She was terrified for her unborn child, terrified of what he might do to the baby if he found out that it belonged to Jughead.
After that night a few weeks ago when everything went to hell and she had run out of his apartment, she messaged him and told him to stay away from her. She had never had anyone lay their hands on her like that and she wasn't one to put up with a man hitting her, especially while she was pregnant. She had to look out for her child's well-being before anything else and there was never an excuse for a man to hit a pregnant woman.
Granted, she had called out Jughead's name when they were having sex, but it was the first time when had been with anyone since Jughead. Not many men were lining up to date a woman who was heavily pregnant and Adam had seemed nice enough in the beginning. She couldn't help it that all she could think about while he was inside her was the man she really loved. She and Adam weren't even in a serious relationship, it was simply casual and she was horny.
They had only gone on a handful of dates before Betty had been comfortable enough to finally go back to his place. Everything started out fine enough, both of them enjoying themselves but then it fell apart catastrophically. She had climaxed and whimpered Jughead's name and then he hit her, dragging her all over his room before slamming her to the ground in a fit of anger.
Betty had huddled herself into a ball, crying as she watched him curse and scream at her. She had been so terrified that she didn't bother getting fully dressed to leave the apartment, she just wanted to get herself out of this dangerous situation that she had somehow found herself in. She formulated a plan of escape in her head and waited until he was distracted to set it into motion.
Betty slipped her dress on quietly and grabbed her undergarments off the floor before waiting until his back was turned and locked him out on his balcony. While he was pounding on the door - screaming obscenities and threats towards her - she grabbed everything else she had brought with her and waddled out of there as fast as she could. Her heart drummed in her chest so hard she thought it might actually burst out of her chest.
As she made it to his elevator and took it down to the first floor, she alerted the door man that she had been attacked and to stop Adam if he came down. Then she ran outside and hailed a cab to take her back to her apartment before she promptly burst into tears. She had been so thankful that she had never felt comfortable enough to bring him to her place so he didn't know where she lived. However, now it seemed that-that was all out the window. Somehow he had found her and she was not sure what he was going to do to her now that he had her in his clutches.
"A-Adam, what-t are you d-doing here?" Betty stuttered, trying - and failing - to keep her voice steady. Her eyes kept darting back and forth down the hallway, trying to figure a way out of this situation before he could hurt her again. Adam's eyes turned dark as he slammed his first down on the door beside her head, making Betty jump with fear. She covered her belly in a protective manner and squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself for his possible attack.
"What am I doing here?! No, Julie. You need to answer my question first! Where in the hell were you?! Were you with him? You little slut, you were, weren't you? ANSWER ME, YOU FUCKING WHORE!" Adam screamed and grabbed Betty by her biceps, shaking her violently enough that her head slammed against the door behind her. Adam went to raise his hand to hit her when a voice behind him stopped him.
"If you know what's good for you, boy, you'll leave that girl alone before I have to show you the 'err of your ways. And trust me hun, I was born and raised in the backwoods of Kentucky, I know how to handle a gun," Betty looked over his shoulder to see her elderly neighbor, Mrs. Frazer, holding a revolver and pointing it directly at Adam. A grateful cry escaped Betty's lips as she met the woman's eyes, silently thanking her for coming to her rescue.
"Go back inside Grandma, before you get yourself hurt," Adam spat, not turning to face her until he heard the click of hammer as she cocked the gun. For such a small woman, Mrs. Frazer looked larger than life standing in the hall of their apartment building dressed in her floral nightgown and wielding her .357 Magnum confidently.
"Oh, bless your heart, boy. I lived through a hell of a lot worse in my day and I ain't scared of you in the slightest. I could shoot a tick off a hound dog before you was even a gleam in yo' daddy's eye and I ain't never missed in my whole 68 years. So, you got about thirty seconds to get or I'mma show you the definition of a eunuch," she said firmly, her eyes never leaving his as she pointed the gun at his crotch.
Adam stepped back, holding his hands up in surrender as he backed away from the two women. He glanced back at Betty, a sinister smile creeping onto his face. "See you soon, Juliet."
"Boy, next time I even think you're in this building, I'll shoot first and ask questions later. Now, get!" the elderly woman yelled at him, keeping her gun trained on him as Adam ran down the hall to the stairwell. A sob tore through Betty as she clung to the doorframe of her front door, holding her belly and trying to get her heart rate to even out. After a few moments Betty looked up to see her neighbor watching her with concerned eyes.
"Are you alright, child?"
"Mrs. Frazer, thank you so much. I-," Betty choked, so overwhelmed with gratitude towards the woman. The woman placed her hand on Betty's shoulder, trying to comfort the terrified girl. She opened her arms up to Betty and hugged her tightly while running a hand up and down her back soothingly.
"Don't thank me, suga'. We women gotta stick together to teach these boys we ain't to be trifled with. Word of advice though darlin', call the cops and have his sorry ass locked up. There ain't no place in your life for a man who's gonna put his hands on you like that. And I can see it in him plain as day, that boys got the devil in 'im," she told Betty, uncocking her weapon and walking back into her apartment, leaving Betty to wonder what Adam might do next...
Jughead sat frozen on the black leather sofa in his office, elbows digging almost painfully into his thighs as he leaned forward and listened to her story. The entire painful tale of how she was abused, how she was stalked, how she almost died at this coward's hands more than once. It was all so horribly graphic and violent and he wanted nothing more than to rip this monster apart with his bare hands. He was pulled out of his thoughts of revenge when he realized she was still trying to speak to him.
"...the doctors said I was lucky. I should have been dead after that last beating but they said that I was a fighter, said they had never seen someone so determined to live before. I'm just glad he never did anything like that until after JJ was born. I don't know what I would have done if he'd have-," Betty choked out a sob, her voice cracking at the memory of that night in her hallway when she was saved by her neighbor. Jughead jumped up from his spot on the sofa to where she still remained seated on the edge of his desk, wrapping his arms around her protectively.
"Shh, baby, he won't hurt you ever again, I won't let that happen. I'm going to protect you and JJ and he won't get within a hundred feet of you without every Serpent in this town on his ass," Jughead rubbed her back lovingly, trying to calm her fears. Betty clung to him as she broke, all the fears she had washing over her all at once.
"But how, Juggie? He knows where I live, where I work. For fucks sake, he left a death threat on my doorstep just yesterday! How can you protect me all the way in the forest of Greendale?" Betty argued, trembling at the thought of what awaited her back home in Fox Forest. Will he hurt me again? Or worse, will he hurt JJ? Or even Jughead? Betty shivered at the thought.
"I won't have to baby, you and JJ will come home and stay with me at our parents house. What better place to stay safe than in the sheriff's house, along with the Serpent King, and surrounded twenty-four seven by your own personal bodyguards and a gang who will protect you with their lives?" Jughead asked, tilting her head up to look into her wide pleading eyes.
"Will that be enough, Jug? Will that stop him when I'm left alone?" Betty worried her bottom lip to the point of irritation, causing it to bleed slightly. Jughead tugging it free of her teeth with the pad of his thumb, gently wiping away the shockingly scarlet beads that formed.
"I won't leave your side, ever. You hear me? I will be with you at all times, you'll be safe," Jughead kissed her tenderly, his soft tongue gliding across her lips to soothe the burning sensations from her overworking. She parted her lips for him and he could feel the velvety softness of her tongue coming to meet his. He sighed into the kiss, pulling her closer to his chest and running his fingers through her hair.
He pulled back reluctantly after a few minutes, pressing his forehead to hers gently. "I promise, I will keep you safe, Betts. And once we catch that asshole, you'll never have to worry about him ever again," Jughead whispered against her lips, his hands gripping her waist tightly.
"Ok, Juggie. I trust you," she smiled softly, placing a sincere but hasty kiss to his lips before jumping off his desk. "Come on, baby. If Harv is going to be sticking with us for a while, you might as well get to know him some while we wait for Cheryl to drop off JJ. Maybe get his ideas on our plan and what he thinks we can do to make sure there aren't any gaps in security."
They walked back downstairs hand-in-hand to see FP standing in a corner, deep in what looked to be a serious discuss with Harvey while Toni and Fangs fluttered behind the bar, picking up broken bottles and trying to mop up the water as best they could. Betty frowned at the wreckage inside the bar that she hadn't noticed when she first walked inside.
Some broken glass and water damage was one thing but this place looked like a war zone. The destruction looked like it was more than just some kids causing chaos, this looked personal. Who would do something like this? Was it Adam? Was all this damage because of me? Betty thought. It wouldn't be the first time a place she was associated with was destroyed...
"What? You're letting me go? But- Vince, did I do something wrong? I thought I was your best performer?" Betty struggled to hold back her tears, half angry and half devastated by the news that her long time employer was firing her. "Is this because of me being out for so long? I know I was in the hospital way longer than I anticipated but I promise, all the bruises are healed so no one will see-," He shook his head, his eyes looking on her with pity.
"Look Julie, you're an amazing girl and one of the best damned dancers I have ever had but I just can't have the kind of trouble you bring with you into my place. It puts all the girls in danger and I can't have someone getting hurt on my watch because of some crazed ex-boyfriend of yours. Especially not after the damage he did to the bar the last time he came here looking for you," Vince said firmly, not backing down from his decision.
"Oh, so I guess it doesn't matter if I get hurt then, huh?" Betty snapped, her anger getting the best of her, "What am I supposed to do now with no one to protect me? How the fuck am I supposed to feed my kid? But, I guess that's just not your problem, right?" she said bitterly.
"I'm sorry, Jules. I really am," he said somberly, looking back down at his paperwork to dismiss her from his office. Betty stood up with her head held high, absolutely refusing to let him see her break. This was just one more thing Adam managed to take away from her and she was sick of it. She didn't know what she'd tell Harvey and Sabrina, they were going to be devastated when she broke the news to them. Just the thought made her heart clench painfully.
All good things must come to an end, I suppose? Betty thought grimly before walking back to the dressing room to gather her things.
"You good, Betts?" Betty jumped slightly at his voice, not expecting him to be so close to her ear as his spoke. Jughead squeezed her hand tighter, clearly concerned by her sudden skittishness. He looked at her in concern and waited for her to tell him what was wrong.
"Yeah, sorry, I was just thinking. What were you saying, Jug?" She asked, shaking her head to clear her thoughts. Jughead pulled her closer, his arm wrapping around her protectively as he kissed her forehead tenderly. He pulled back and furrowed his brow, trying to read her to see if she was just putting on a brave face but decided that it was probably just best to change the subject instead.
He cleared his throat and lead her over to a booth to talk, "Yeah, I was asking if you think that it would be ok if JJ shared Polly's old room with the twins for the time being? They have been bugging Alice about wanting to see you and she texted me earlier to find out if you'd be okay letting JJ do sleep over's with Junie and Woody anyway so-," Betty laughed sadly, completely drowning in her worries for a moment. Jughead looked at her in confusion as her laugh faded into a sad smile.
"Betts?"
"I guess she won't have to worry about that since I'll have to stay there for the foreseeable future," she replied. Jughead came around the booth to sit beside her and cradled her in his arms, her head tucked under his chin.
"Do you not want to stay there with us, Betts?" He asked cautiously, holding his breath as he waited for her reply. Betty pulled back, eyes wide with fear as she shook her head.
"No,no. It's not that, Juggie! I just- I guess I just feel like I am being a burden on everyone by being back here with all of the collective bullshit that follows me everywhere. Maybe it would be better if I just let him ki-," Jughead grabbed her chin, forcing her to look into his tearfilled eyes.
"Don't you dare, Elizabeth. Don't ever let me hear you talk like that again, do you hear me? You are not a burden," he growled. Betty could see the storm of emotions raging in his eyes and she knew that even the thought of letting Adaim do anything to her would kill him. She placed her palm to his cheek softly and gave him a tender kiss.
"I'm sorry, Juggie. I won't talk like that again. I just haven't had many people want me around after he catches up with me, and I guess I was stuck in that mindset. I love you, Jug. So much," Betty kissed him again as she felt a tear slipping down her cheek, not caring that there were other people around.
She pulled back, wiping the tears from her face with the backs of her hands and cleared her throat, "Hey Harv? I need you and FP to come take a seat so we can discuss some things. Jug has a plan and I wanted to run it by you."
Betty threw her things into a box, not really caring if she was being careful or not. She was still pissed off that Vince has fired her over something that she had no control over. She just wanted to pack up her things, go home, put JJ to bed, and soak in a nice warm tub with a glass of wine and her vibrator and just forget the day ever happened. Only if for a night.
Honestly, Betty had been doing that a lot lately and was getting quite the collection of toys built up as a result. It had been awhile since she had been with anyone - almost seven months - but even that time had been a spontaneous one night stand with a co-worker. She had enjoyed it well enough but she just didn't think a relationship was what she wanted or needed, not with everything going on in her life.
She decided that from then on she would focus on getting Adam put away once and for all and starting her business with Cheryl and Sabrina, who had both fallen head over feet in love at first sight and were now looking at apartments together. Betty smiled when she thought about how happy they were but was pulled from her thoughts when she heard yelling down the hallway. She walked to the door and peeked outside the room to where the screaming was coming from.
"Are you fucking serious, Vince?! You just fired her for something she has absolutely no control over?! That's messed up!"
"Harvey, it's not personal. She's a liability now. The longer she's here, the more the risk of someone causing damage to the bar or worse, one of the other girls. It's business, nothing more," she heard Vince explain, but Harvey wasn't having it.
Harvey shook his head as he stepped out of the office to where Betty could see him, "Well, one of us has to protect her so I guess it'll be me. I quit."
Betty watched in stunned silence as Harvey threw his badge at Vince and turned to walk down the hall towards her. She saw the anger and aggravation on his face and felt awful that she was the cause of him quitting his job.
"Harv, you didn't have to do that. I don't want to cause you two problems," Betty tried to argue but Harvey wouldn't hear of it.
"Nonsense, babygirl. You aren't causing any issues between Vince and I, he did that all on his own. He likes to talk a big game about wanting to protect these girls but as soon as one needs real protection, he throws her to the wolves. I can't stand with him on that," Harvey said, wrapping his arms around Betty in a comforting hug.
"Is Kari going to be mad that you quit?" Betty asked, wrapping her arms around his torso. He hugged her back, rocking her back and forth slightly as e did.
"Not if you like my plan and wanna go through with it," Harvey pulled back and smiled down at her.
"What's your plan, Harv?"
Adam anxiously paced back and forth in his motel room as he waited for his accomplice to call. He was ready to start the next phase of his plan and they would be a crucial part of getting that douchebag boy toy of hers out of the way. He just needed to get her alone, just one time, and he could finally finish what he started all those years ago.
He looked down at his phone impatiently and glanced at the table beside him, admiring all the various weapons he'd brought with him to torture Juliet with when he got his hands on her. He missed the feel of her skin under his, how she felt when she came around him. How good it felt to hold her life literally in his hands and watch the light slowly leave her eyes. I might just have to play with her some before we start the real fun, he thought sinisterly, rubbing the front of his jeans. He was just about to slip his hand inside - thinking of all the ways he'd have her when they were together again - when his phone rang, jerking him back to reality.
"Where the hell have you been? You were supposed to call me half an hour ago!" Adam growled into the receiver, annoyed that he was pulled from his filthy fantasy. He was also highly annoyed that he even needed someone else's help to get the job done but he was just glad someone hated her as much as he did and was willing to help him reach his goal.
"Look boss, I just left the Worm but I called you as soon as it was clear. The first phase of our plan is a go and we can start on whatever else you have planned for that bitch, Betty Cooper," his accomplice spat, the words dripping from their tongue like venom.
"What?" Adam asked, confused. The voice on the other end laughed menacingly.
"Didn't you know? God, you make for a terrible stalker. Her name's not Juliet Jones, it's Betty Cooper. She has been hiding her identity for years, probably so you wouldn't find out who she really is. But you are in luck, I know exactly where you can find her now. Don't worry, I'll make sure that Jones is out of the way so you can snatch her up. Just do me a solid and cut the bitch up real good for me?" Adam grinned as he wrote down the address for where she would be staying and when her boyfriend would be out of the way so he could take care of her.
"Now listen, Jughead isn't to be hurt, just like we agreed. You can do what you want to her but I want Jughead for myself. We clear?" Adam agreed to their request and quickly let them know when to check in again. They said their goodbyes and Adam hurried to load up his car, whistling a happy tune as he went.
"Looks like it's time we made a visit to Riverdale. Elm Street seems fitting for the nightmare that's coming your way, Betty."
"Hey, Harv. Cheryl just messaged and said she and Bri are going to meet me at my Mom's instead of bringing JJ here. How about you just follow Jug and I and then you and Sheriff Jones can go around seeing what needs to be done to safeguard the place?" Betty stated, slipping her phone into her pocket.
"Sounds good, boss. I'll pull the car around and check the parameter before we head out," Harvey said, throwing on his mirrored sunglasses and stepping outside. Betty turned to look at towards the bar where Toni and Jughead were currently hunched over an inventory checklist as well as their insurance policy, trying to see what they needed to do to get their claim paid quickly.
Betty smiled to herself before noticing Fangs staring at her from a corner booth in the back. Might as well get this out of the way now, she thought as she headed towards him. Fangs looked away quickly, making himself look busy with the list of repairs he was making. Betty stepped to the booth, sliding in across from him and placing her folded hands on the tabletop.
"So, do you want to scream at me too? Call me names or tell me how horrible I am? Threaten to skin me alive if I ever hurt Juggie again?" she asked firmly, tilting her head.
Fangs shook his head, trying not to make eye contact with her as he spoke, "No Betty, I don't have anything bad to say about you. I didn't really know you back then but I know we all have our demons and things we wish we could change. As long as Jug trusts you then I will too. No, I don't want to see him hurting again but I can see how much you two love each other so I am not concerned," he said quietly. Betty was completely flabbergasted by this. She had-had varying degrees of reactions from the people in town on her return but Fangs' was refreshing. It made her feel like she wasn't hated by everyone and she was grateful.
"Really, Fangs? That means a lot to me, especially given how Sweet Pea reacted to me being back," Fangs looked away, shrugging his shoulders as he continued to write.
"Pea means well, he can just be an asshole at times. I don't know why he was so pissed off earlier but I am sure it will all work out in the end. He really is a great guy, once you get to know him." Betty noticed a faint blush covering the man's cheeks and she was pretty sure that she knew Fangs defending of Sweet Pea's behavior was more than just them being friends. She'd tucked that information away for later, she didn't want to embarrass Fangs if the others didn't know about his obvious crush.
"I will keep that in mind, Fangs. Thanks," she said, getting up to gather her things. She walked to the window of the bar and saw that Harvey was almost done checking to make sure everything was safe so she walked to the bar, dragging Jughead away to let him know they needed to go meet Cheryl now.
"Ok, Betts. Toni, you and Fangs all good here on your own?" he asked as he shrugged his leather jacket back on. Toni nodded and waved goodbye to them as they left. By the time they had made it to the house with the red door, Cheryl and Sabrina were pulling up with JJ in the back seat of her convertible. His eyes lit up when he saw his parents climbing off of Jughead's bike.
"Whoa! Daddy has a motorcycle? That's so awesome! Daddy, can I ride your motorcycle too? Please," JJ begged as Cheryl unlatched him from his booster seat. Betty shook her head and placed her helmet into the handlebars.
"JJ, when you're older Daddy will teach you to ride one, just like he taught Mommy," Betty giggled at the sheer excitement in her son's eyes as he jumped up and down. "But for now, how would you like to go meet your family?"
"Okay, Mommy. Um, Mommy?"
"Yes, sweetie?" Betty paused and looked at him expectantly. JJ blushed and whispered into her ear which had her giggling even more. She looked at Jug as she spoke to her son, "Why don't you ask Daddy, honey." Jughead looked at her in confusion until he felt JJ's tiny hand grip his.
"Daddy, can you carry me inside to meet Nana and Pop-Pop?" JJ asked Jughead innocently, causing the man's heart to melt into a puddle in his chest. He fought back tears as he nodded, picking his son up into his arms. They walked to the door together as a family and Jughead's squeezed Betty's hand like he had done when he brought her back the previous day.
As soon as they were inside, everything in the house stopped. Alice and FP both froze, tears pricking their eyes as they looked at the small family. FP placed his hands on Alice's shoulders and squeezed lightly before approaching the little Jones clone.
"Hey buddy, do you know who I am?"
"Yep, your my Pop-Pop and that's my Nana," he replied, pointing to Alice who was now full on in tears. FP cleared his throat, choking back his emotions as he looked at the vision of his son and grandson.
"That's right, buddy. We are so happy we finally get to meet you," FP whispered, the overwhelming emotions taking control as a tear shipped down his cheek. JJ grabbed FP by his cheeks, looking at the man with wide eyes.
"Don't cry, Pop-Pop! Mommy said that when everything was just the way it should be, we'd be together as a family, and now we are so don't cry," FP laughed and grinned at the boy. JJ looked at him expectantly as he spoke again, "Pop-Pop, do you have pie? Mommy said Nana makes the best pies!" the boy squealed in delight, even as his mother scolded him.
"Now JJ, don't be rude. That's not how we ask politely," she gave him a gentle but stern look and he nodded.
"Sorry, Mommy. Nana, may I have some pie, please?" he asked as nicely as he could, batting his eyelashes at Alice as he did so. FP chuckled, watching as Alice happily went to the kitchen to cut her grandson a slice of pie, JJ following close behind her.
"That boy got our appetite too?" FP asked, his eyes never leaving the sight of Alice and their grandchild in the kitchen. Betty laughed, wrapping her arms around Jughead from the side.
"You have no idea..."
They spent the rest of the day playing with JJ and once the twins came home from school, the three children stepped outside to play in the backyard. Betty let out a relieved sigh as she sat on her mother's couch, curled up to Jughead's chest and listening to the steady drumming of his heart. Alice came into the living room to join them while FP and Harvey checked the house for vulnerabilities.
"So, Elizabeth. FP and Jughead said that you and JJ needed to stay here for awhile? Um- I need to ask. This man who's been stalking you, do you know if he knows who you really are?" Alice asked, her deep concern showing all over her.
"I don't think so but maybe he does. Cheryl's guy is good so there is no way he'd have found it on his own if he did link it at all. Are you-... I mean, do you not want us to stay here?" Betty asked, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth.
"Oh honey, of course I'm ok with the two of you staying here. Elizabeth, it makes me ecstatic just knowing you will finally be home, even if it's under such horrible circumstances. I just want you both to be safe until we can catch this Adam fellow and get him behind bars," Alice replied, taking Betty's hand in hers and squeezing.
"Thanks, Mom. That really means a lot to me and I'm sor-,"
"Nonsense, Elizabeth. I don't want to hear anymore apologizes out of you. We are finally a family again and that's all the matters. I am happy to have you and JJ here with us as long as you need to be and the twins are happy to have another playmate besides Lizzy. Speaking of which... Betty, I think you may need to go have a conversation with Veronica. I know how upset she was about your sudden reappearance but I also know how much she has missed you, sweetie," Alice's face softened when she spoke of Veronica, a motherly warmth taking over her aura.
It was obvious to Betty that Veronica had become somewhat of a surrogate daughter after the disappearance of both Cooper girls. Frankly, Betty was glad that they had each other all this time to get through it all and survive without going mad. Betty chuckled internally at the thought that her mother and her best friend had finally seen through all of their bullshit over the years and came to love each other like family.
"Okay, I'll go talk to V."
Betty stood outside on the Andrews' porch, trying to work up the nerve to knock on the door. She had made amends with almost everyone in her life - except Veronica. Archie had agreed to take Lizzy next door to play with JJ and the twins and keep Jug company while she went to bury the hatchet with Veronica and hopefully gain forgiveness from her.
She knew she didn't deserve it for what she did to her - leaving that way - but she needed her to know she was sorry. Betty took a deep, steadying breath and knocked. She could hear Veronica's angelic voice singing something in spanish as she opened that door. When she made eye contact with her, Veronica froze. "Betty?"
"Hey, V." Betty whispered bashfully, shuffling her feet back and forth nervously. It only took a moment, and in that moment Betty felt like she had aged a lifetime, but Veronica suddenly burst into tears and threw her arms around Betty, crushing her to her in a fierce hug.
"Don't you ever leave me like that again, do you hear me B? Never again," Veronica sobbed into Betty's hair, thankful that her best friend was finally back. Betty began to cry as well, the two women feeling all the emotions of the last first years all at once. When they finally part, Veronica motioned for her to come inside and lead her to the living room where Betty had spent many a night having sleepovers when she was a kid. She choked back more tears that were threatening to fall when she saw the large portrait of Fred Andrews over the mantle.
"He died helping someone who was in trouble, just like he always did. A young kid had taken his Dad's car without permission and went for a joy ride. It- um, it was raining and Fred had stopped to help a woman fix her tire and then all of the sudden this kid came out of nowhere and Fred," Veronica paused to clear her throat, choking up as well as Betty. "Well, Fred pushed the woman out of the way. He saved her life, B. He died a hero..."
"V, I'm sorry I never- I should have... God, I should have been here for Archie; for all of you. I'm so sorry," Betty broke down into sobs again, hating herself for not being strong enough to come home sooner. Veronica stepped beside her and wrapped Betty in her arms, shushing her gently.
"It's okay, B. It's in the past and we need to leave it there, deal?" Veronica pulled Betty back to look her in the eye. Betty nodded and they sat down to have some tea and catch up on the last five years that they had missed. Once Betty was done spilling everything out for her, Veronica sat back in shock not saying a word, just staring at her.
"Christ, B. I had no idea that you went through something like... God, something so horrible. If I'd have known, I would have-," Betty shook her head. She wouldn't allow Adam anywhere near Veronica or Archie, she didn't want them hurt.
"No, V. It's ok, Jug and I are handling it and FP has men out looking for Adam. I think he may have been the one to damage the bar but I can't be certain. Whoever did it knew enough about the Worm to know where the wiring to the security systems were so that makes me think that it wasn't him," Betty said, biting her lip as she mulled all the evidence over in her mind. She knew if she thought about it hard enough that she could figure this out or at least figure out how to find evidence to back up her theory.
"Well, does anyone have a vendetta against Jug or the Worm? Did he piss off any employees in the past?" Veronica asked, seeing those old familiar wheels turning in Betty's head.
"Not that I know of. I mean, Toni and Sweet Pea seemed pissed that I was back. Toni got over it pretty quickly but there was an altercation with Sweet Pea," Betty replied, looking down at her wrapped knuckles. Veronica tilted her head and scrunched her eyebrows in confusion.
"What happened, B?"
"Well, he was making some snide remarks so I basically told him to get bent. Then he saw me hugging Harvey and got in my face and flat out called me a whore and called JJ a bastard. That dickhead said he wouldn't be surprised if JJ was someone else's kid. I fucking decked him and threatened to castrate him and feed him his own testicles. He was pretty pissed off that Jug made him apologize. I just don't get it, B. I barely knew Sweet Pea back then and I know him and Jug are friends but he is acting like I murdered Hot Dog or something. He is taking it really personal," Betty thought back to the way Sweet Pea looked at her and it was almost as if he were jealous of her.
"The best thing you can do is talk to Jug about it, B. Maybe Sweet Pea is just worried that you will hurt Jug again. I mean, I know for a fact that there were more than a few nights that Sweets had to go drag Jug away from the bar because he was so drunk he couldn't see straight," Veronica suggested.
Betty thought about it for a moment and decided she would ask him about it tonight. She needed to know what she did to Sweet Pea to make him hate her so she could fix it. He was one of Jug's best friends and she meant it when she said she didn't want to come between them.
There has to be an explanation...
"Juggie?" Betty whispered quietly as they started to take their clothes off, getting ready to step into the shower together after such a long day. This one thing had been eating at her all day and after her talked with Veronica, she needed to know what it was all about. Jughead looked at her, waiting expectantly for her to continue. Betty turned her back to him, making sure the water was warm as she spoke, "Why doesn't Sweet Pea like me? I mean, I get that what I did to you was shitty and I hurt you badly but he seemed- I don't know...jealous maybe? Hateful even?"
Jughead let out a long, shaky breath that had Betty spinning around in concern to face him. His head was bowed low, his eyes not meeting hers, and his hands shaking as they raked through the tangles in his unruly curls. Betty stood there silently with bated breath waiting to see what was so bad - what she had done - that it elicited this type of response from the man she loves.
"Betty, there's...um, there's something I need to tell you," Jughead whispered, fear etched on his face as he stepped towards her.
"Jones open the fuck up, right now," Sweet Pea yelled, banging on the flimsy aluminum door of the Jones' trailer. He was about to the point of just kicking it in when he heard footsteps approaching the door. Sweet Pea's scowl dropped slightly when he saw the broken boy in front of him, standing there with his shirt off in nothing more than a pair of pajama pants that slung low on his hips.
Jughead had spent the last year of his life getting lost deeper and deeper into the bottle and Southside girls and Sweet Pea couldn't stand by and watch him do this anymore. "Fuck Jug, what the hell happened to you today?" He watched as Jughead stepped aside to let him in, closing it behind him before he went to flop down on the dingy sofa.
"Don't you know what today is, Pea? Doesn't anybody remember? I remember..." Jughead trailed off, grabbing the bottle of whiskey from the table and taking several large gulps. Sweet Pea walked over and sat beside him, his heart breaking for this boy he had come to care about so deeply.
"What day is it, Jug?" Sweet Pea asked in a low voice, watching as a tear slipped down Jug's cheek. He wasn't sure when it happened, but he somehow fallen in love with this soul in front of him. Maybe it was the night of the gauntlet when Jug stood up to him or maybe when he had to pick Jughead up off the floor of the Worm and carry him home the day after Betty disappeared, either way he was was hopelessly in love with Jughead Jones and knew he would be for a long time.
"It's been two years. Two whole fucking years since she left me; disappeared and left me broken, Pea. Fuck, it hurts so fucking bad, man." Jughead started to cry silently and Sweet Pea wanted nothing more than to take away his pain in that moment. He reached over and grabbed his hand, interlocking their fingers and squeezing. Jughead looked at Sweet Pea in surprise, his breath staggering and squeezed back. Sweet Pea could see the despair washing over him and did the only thing he knew to do in that moment: he kissed him.
Jughead froze as Sweet Pea placed his lips gently to his, his free hand coming up to cup his cheek as Sweet Pea tried to deepen the kiss. Jughead pulled back suddenly, not sure of what just happened. "Pea?" he whispered, his eyes searching Sweet Pea's as the boy ran his thumb over the apple of Jughead's cheek.
"Just let me help you forget, Jug. Just for one night, you and me and no one else. I promise, I just want to help stop the pain for you, Jug. Please?" Sweet Pea practically begged as he leaned in closer, his lips hovering just out of reach of Jug's. Jughead's eyes darted back and forth as he studied Sweet Pea's face before he let out a slow breath.
"Fuck it," he said as he surged forward, thrusting his tongue into Sweet Pea's mouth, kissing him hungrily. Sweet Pea relaxed into the kiss, running his hands into Jughead's hair as his tongue tangled with Jughead's velvety one. Jughead moaned into Sweet Pea's open mouth when he felt Sweet Pea's hand ghost over his growing erection. Sweet Pea tugged on Jug's lower lip before trailing kisses down his neck and chest, finally kneeling before him.
"Can I help you, Jug?" Sweet Pea said in a husky voice as he palmed Jughead's dick through his thin pajama pants. Jughead nodded frantically as he threw his head back against the back of the sofa and groaned, his cock throbbing for release. Sweet Pea made quick work of Jug's pants leaving him naked and exposed, his hips thrusting involuntarily seeking relief. Sweet Pea gripped his erection, sliding his hand up and down as he spoke, "I'll make you feel so good, baby."
The Next Morning:
The sun came shining through the thin curtains of Jughead's room, pulling him from his alcohol induced slumber. As he opened his eyes, he immediately realized two things: one, he had the worst hangover of his life and two, he was very very naked.
"Fuck," he whispered as he sat up slowly, expecting to see yet another random girl whom he'd used in his black out drunk state to warm his bed and his body. What he wasn't prepared for was the sight of a man lying in his bed. And to top it off, Sweet Pea of all men. What the fuck did I do? Jughead thought in a panic. Just as he was scrambling further up towards the headboard, Sweet Pea woke up and smiled at Jughead briefly before noticing the look of confusion on his face.
"Jug? Wha-?" he started to ask when Jughead interrupted him, twisting the sheet around his body.
"What the hell happened last night, Pea? Did- did we?" Jughead whispered, his voice shaking. Sweet Pea frowned when he realized Jughead didn't remember their night together.
"Well, I mean. We didn't do it, if that's what you are asking. We did do...other things. Mostly hand stuff but I did suck-," Jughead held his hand up, shaking his head violently, not wanting to hear any details.
"No, no. I couldn't- I mean, we didn't-oh, God..." Jughead trailed off as he started to recall bits and pieces of the night before. A kiss here, a touch there, but mostly it was blank. Last thing he remembered was Sweet Pea kissing him and him kissing back and the rest was nothing more than a blur.
Betty stood in stunned silence as Jughead finished speaking, shame and guilt coming off him in waves. They had somehow made it into the shower while he spoke, washing each other gently while he told her his tale of the night that made Jughead change his ways, his rock bottom so to speak.
"Bits and pieces came back to me over time, but most of that night was just blank and I felt awful. It wasn't that I was upset about being intimate with a guy, that confused me but that was all. No, it was the fact that I got so fucking messed up that I used one of my best friend's to warm my bed when I was just trying to ease the pain of losing you. I freaked out and told Sweets that I was sorry because I didn't think of him that way and we never spoke of it to anyone," he paused briefly, squirting shampoo into his palm and lathering it up.
"It ate at me for years and I finally talked to Kevin because I had never had a desire or attraction to men before so I was confused about how that scenario could even happen," Jughead whispered as he washed Betty's hair.
"What did Kev say?"
Jughead chuckled briefly, "You mean after he said he was offended that he didn't get to be the one to pop my rainbow cherry?"
Betty scrunched her face up and chuckled. "Sounds like something Kevin would say. Ok Juggie, continue."
"Well, I think Kevin's exact words were: 'Oh sweetie, it's confusing you cause you aren't gay. You may be bi or pan but honestly, I think you just needed a warm body and a good fuck. But Jug, I really believe this was your wake-up call to get your head out of your ass and finally look for Betty, instead of trying to replace her.' And when I thought about it like that, it didn't freak me out so much. I legitimately tried anything and everything - short of hard drugs - to make me forget the pain. That experience, it changed the way I saw my life. I stopped drinking so much, buckled down on making the Serpents legit, and stopped having meaningless hookups. I focused everything on finding you," he said as he finished rinsing her hair out, spinning her in his arms to meet her eyes.
"Jug, I do have to ask... why didn't you tell me? When I told you about Adam or even after Sweet Pea freaked on me, why didn't you tell me?" Betty asked, trying to hide the fear that maybe he didn't fully trust her yet.
"Honestly, I was afraid. I was worried you would look at me differently knowing that I had been with a man, even if there was no actual sex involved," he looked down, water droplets cascading down his flushed cheeks. Betty smiled sweetly, holding his face in her hands and lifting it to make eye contact with him.
"Is that all, Juggie? That doesn't bother me at all. Being curious isn't something to be ashamed of, no matter what that experience tells you. Besides, sexual interest and sexuality doesn't always come with matching romantic attraction. Honestly, unless you feel you need one, labels don't matter that much. I don't use them for myself. Gender never mattered to me with my past hookups. I mean, how do you think Cheryl met Sabrina anyways? Sabrina was doing the walk of shame from my apartment when Cheryl was walking in to bring JJ home," Betty chuckled.
Jughead stared at her for a minute and then breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't want there to be any secrets between them that they didn't share with each other. He was glad she didn't judge him or think differently of him because he had experimented in the past. She simply continued to love him for who he was. He kissed her deeply and they finished showering in relative silence.
When they stepped out of the shower he dried her off with a fluffy towel, pressing soft kisses across her shoulders and up her neck. Betty sighed and lifted her hands into his wet curls, moaning as his lips and tongue grazed her skin. He pulled her firmly against his chest, his hands roaming her body as his hardening erection poked into her backside.
"Jug..." she trailed off just as his hands came up to cup her heavy breasts, squeezing them and making her whimper. She pulled away, turning in his arms before kissing him thoroughly and hard. She walked him backwards towards the bed, pushing him down on it gently before straddling his thighs. She leaned her body down, pressing her breasts against him as she rocked her hips back and forth. Jughead's breath hitched when he felt her warm heat sliding against his aching cock. Her alabaster skin glowed in the lamplight of his bedroom, the blinds drawn on both windows to block out the eyes of would be intruders.
"Betts, please..." he begged, desperately trying to line up with her core. She stilled in his lap, not allowing him to enter her.
"Juggie..." she paused, tracing his jawline with her fingertips. "I am so grateful we found our way home to each other. Regardless of who else we have been with in the past, you are the one I want to grow old with," she whispered as her fingers ghosted over his skin, leaving lines of fire in their wake. Jughead sat up and held her tightly to his chest, running kisses along the hollow of her neck.
"Same, Betts. You're all that I want. Forever," he whispered against her lips, covering them with his as she sank herself down on top of his shaft. Betty gasped into his mouth, loving the feel of him pushing deeper inside her. They had-had sex several times since getting back together but each time they did, she felt like another piece of her was healed. She hoped that she did the same for him, healed all those broken pieces she had left him in all those years ago.
A tear shipped down her cheek as she slowly rode him, taking her time to make love to him like she used to when he was scared and broken; before it all turned to hell. Jug caught her tear with his thumb, brushing it away and kissing her softly. She sped up slightly, getting ever closer to her climax. They clung to each other like they were the only thing keeping the other grounded to earth. Betty's breath started to hitch as her climax crested higher and higher and her body began to tense up.
"Let go, baby. Let go for me," Jughead whispered, grinding her harder against his cock. He caught her rapturous scream as she fell apart in his arms, tears still streaming down her cheeks just from the sheer emotion of her climax. She didn't stop - even after she climax - chasing yet another orgasm. Jughead groaned and rubbed his thumb against her clit, spilling himself into her as she combusted again.
"I love you so much, Betty," he whispered into her hair, running his fingers up and down her back, his body continuing to spasm as she milked his cock.
"I love you too," Betty replied, placing kisses all over the exposed skin of his shoulder and collarbone. She basked in the feeling of the two of them being so connected together for a moment before she sighed. She hated to ruin this perfect moment they were in but she knew they still needed to talk about Sweet Peas attitude towards her. "Juggie, about Sweets-," Jughead pressed his fingers to her lips to cut her off.
"I know, Betts. I'll talk to him. We'll talk to him if need be. He has to understand that I am with you now, whether he likes it or not. He and I had that one night, nothing more. I only see him as a friend and I never should have let what happened between he and I happen, especially when I was so drunk. I just hope he understands and doesn't place blame on you when it's not you stopping anything from happening between us. I just don't see him that way," Jughead breathed heavily, worrying about how this situation would play out.
"Hey, Jug. It's okay. Talk to him and let him know how you feel. If Sweet Pea has issues with me, I can handle myself. Trust me," Betty assured him before climbing off of his lap, using the abandoned towel to clean them both up and tossing it into her hamper as she crawled back into his bed. He wrapped her in his arms and held her close, carding his fingers through her damp hair as she drew circles on his chest.
"Thank you, Betts."
"For what?" she asked, turning her face up to him.
"Everything. Loving me, accepting me, never judging me... For coming home to me, for our son, just everything, Betts." he whispered, kissing her crown before holding her tightly and falling into a much needed sleep.
Adam parked his car just down the street from the house with the big red door, grabbed the VHS camcorder the he had purchased in Greendale and started to record the front of the house. He wanted her to know he was watching her, that he knew where to find her no matter how hard she tried to hide. He sat there all day watching as they arrived as a group, as her kid and two other little brats played in the yard, and even while her neanderthal bodyguard and some small town sheriff checked all the entry points
Go ahead, secure all the doors and windows. Like that ever stopped me before... he thought with a chuckle. He stayed there, still recording as he watched her walk to her house from the neighbors just as the sun faded into night. The sway of her hips still enticed him beyond comprehension and he remembered how it felt to be buried in her heat, even if was for a short amount of time.
As he set the camcorder down on the dash facing the picture perfect house on Elm Street, he started to think of all the things he was going to do to her body once he had her in his grasp. He slowly lowered his zipper, pulling his erection free before he began to stroke himself and breathe heavily so that the recorder would pick up the sounds of him pleasuring himself.
He picked up the pace as filthy visions of her filtered through his mind; the dark, dirty, unspeakable things that he planned to do to her was enough to push him over the edge, spilling hotly into his hands. He leaned into the microphone of the camcorder and whispered something, switching it off before cleaning himself up and taking the VHS out and placing it in a large envelope. He got out and ran quietly up to the porch, leaving the VHS tape on the doorstep of the Cooper-Jones home before he fled into the night.