Riverdale

Please…Don't Leave Me

Summary: Set during season four, episode eighteen. (Lynchian). Betty finally tells Jughead about her kiss with Archie. Will he forgive her for a second time? Or are they over for good?

Betty's POV

"Stop."

"What? What is it? You didn't like it?"

"No. It's this. Us. It's Us. I love Jughead. And you love Veronica, don't you?"

"But then what has this been about?"

"I don't know. I don't know, maybe it's because everything's changing in the next few weeks. And you and I feel safe with each other, we always have. I don't know, but I don't want to hurt or lose Jughead."

"I don't want to lose or hurt Veronica either."

"So, whatever this is, or it was, it's just over."

"I need to tell Jughead before he hears it from someone else. I would suggest you do the same with Veronica."

"If we tell them, then won't we lose them anyway?"

"If we don't tell them and they hear it from someone else, it's going to hurt them even more. If we come clean right now than there's still a chance that they might forgive us."

As I left the bunker and rushed home my mind was racing.

"In this town of nightmares, you and Jughead found each other. That's real."

...

"Betty Cooper, you are a sight for sour eyes."

...

"Betty, we are going to get through it. From now on we are partners in serpents, in life, all of it. Okay?"

...

"Because I know you. You are Betty Cooper, you're passionate, smart, caring, and have the biggest heart out of anyone that I know."

...

"He's your biggest cheerleader."

...

When I got home, I watched Jughead enter the living room heading over to me.

"There you are Betty; I was just coming to find you."

Before I could talk myself out of it, I took a deep breath and began speaking.

"Jughead, I need to talk to you about something."

"Okay. Are you alright?"

"No. I really have to talk to you."

"Alright," he said questionably as we headed to my room.

After we sat down in the window I began feeling really nervous and tears began to form again.

"What's going on?"

"Jughead, this is going to be hard to say because I don't want you to hate me."

"I could never hate you, Betty."

"Okay," I started saying after taking another deep breath. "Last week, after our fight, I went over to Archie's to rehearse and clear my head. We got caught up in the moment and we were both feeling vulnerable and we ended up kissing. I didn't tell you right away because I just got so mixed up and confused. I got stuck in this "what if" cycle in my head and I got sucked in my old diaries."

I was crying at this point and took a moment to try and calm down before continuing.

"In the bunker during the Stonewall drama, when you asked if kissing Archie made old feelings resurface, I genuinely believed I was telling the truth when I told you no. But after Archie's and my kiss last week, I just got so mixed up, Jug. I began doubting myself, until today. When Cheryl helped me realize that I was only ever in love with the idea of Archie. We met up tonight to discuss our feelings."

I took another few deep breaths because yes I'm still crying.

"He sang me a song he just wrote for me and all I could think about was you. I don't care about Archie in that way. Archie turning me down sophomore year was the best thing that ever happened to me because it lead me to you. The kiss was a stupid mistake, and I am so so so sorry Jughead. I love you so much and the last thing I would ever want to do is hurt you. I can understand if you can't forgive me this time. There is no good excuse. I just thought you would want to know the truth."

Before Jughead could respond we heard a knock on the door. He opened it to see Jellybean.

"We are in the middle of something Jellybean. Is this important?"

"I just wanted to know if I could meet up with my friends."

"Where are you going?"

"Just to Meghan's house then probably to Pop's."

"Fine. Be home by 8:00 and keep your phone on you at all times."

"Okay."

"I don't know how you want me to respond to all this Betty," he said after re-shutting the door. "Why didn't you talk to me sooner?"

"Because I wanted to have my feelings fully figured out before telling you. And they are. I'm in love with you Jughead. You mean everything to me."

"I appreciate you being honest with me. I know these past months have been hell and I know I didn't handle coming back to Riverdale High, again, in the best way, but kissing Archie?"

"Was a huge mistake and I'm so sorry. I can promise you right now that it will never happen again. I don't want to lose you, Jug. Can you forgive me?"

"I want to Betty, I really do. Can you give me some time to figure this out?"

"Of course."

After he left the room, I washed my face and laid down in bed praying for the best.

Jughead's POV

After leaving Betty's house I headed to Pop's and texted Archie. I know what has been going through Betty's head during all of this, now I need to hear what was going through Archie's.

To: Arch

From: Jug

I need you to meet me at Pop's. We need to talk.

To: Jug

From: Arch

I'm guessing Betty told you.

To: Arch

From: Jug

Yeah, she told me a lot of stuff. Now you and I need to talk.

To: Jug

From: Arch

Be there in 10.

The place was empty, so it wasn't shocking to hear Pop call out…

"Your usual Jughead?"

"Actually, just coffee for right now. Thanks, Pop."

I sat in our usual booth and 8 minutes later Archie showed up. He sat down just as Pop came out with the coffee.

"Is Veronica here Pop?" Archie asked.

"She hasn't been in here today. Do you need me to contact her?"

"No thank you, Pop. I was just curious."

"Alright. Can I get you something, Archie?"

"Just some water please."

"Coming right up."

"I'm assuming by that question that Veronica doesn't know," I said.

"No. I haven't talked to her yet."

"How could you do this to us, Archie?"

"I don't know. I don't know how it happened Jug."

"You wrote her song, so it was obviously more than just a kiss."

"To me, yeah."

"You rejected her, remember? For her friend and then a fricken teacher. Why now? Why do you have to have feelings for her now?"

"I honestly don't know Jughead. It just happened, but you don't need to worry about me."

"Don't I? I wasn't upset about the first one because we were broken up. But this was cheating Archie. You kissed her and then wrote her a fricken song."

"I know and I'm sorry. Jughead I'm not sure exactly what feelings I have for Veronica right now, but Betty, she loves you and the last thing any of us wants is for our stupid kiss to blow up your relationship. I don't know what mine and Veronica's relationship is going to be like going forward, but you and Betty love each other and that never changed, right?"

"Yeah, but now both of us know you that have feelings for her."

"And like I said I don't want this to ruin your relationship, Jug. I'll keep her at arm's length, and it will all be fine. Can you forgive her?"

"Her I can now, but you. You, I'm not sure whether I can forgive you or not."

"That would make things a little awkward for the girls."

"And what exactly would you like me to do about that? This is exactly what I was talking about at the cabin last year."

"What are you talking about Jughead?"

Just then Veronica walked in and started walking towards us just as I was saying this…

"You blow this up Archie, not me. I'm forgiving Betty because she was vulnerable, confused and I love her, but I don't have to forgive you. Not right now anyway."

"What's going on boys," she asks confused.

"Try asking your boyfriend," I say before walking up to the counter. "Thanks for the coffee Pop. Keep the change."

"Anytime, Jughead."

I'm walking up to Betty's bedroom with the knowledge that yes, I'm still upset, mostly at Archie, but I don't want to lose Betty. She truly is the greatest thing to ever happen to me and I can't let one stupid kiss ruin what we have.

Betty's POV

I quickly sat up after hearing a knock on my bedroom door. I open it to see Jug standing there. After, I let him in he pulled me into a hug.

"You're hugging me and not yelling. Does this mean that you forgive me?," I asked once he pulled away enough to look me in the eyes.

"Yeah, Betty, I do. I love you and I'm not letting one stupid kiss come between us. That's all it was to you right, one stupid kiss?"

"Yeah and I promise I'll never stray again."

"Good, because I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Me neither Jug."

He then cupped my face and kissed me. It started gentle and sweet before becoming a heated make-out session and, well with us, I think you know what happens next. ;)

Later that night

After dinner, we sat down on the couch talking. He told me all about updates in the voyeur case. From Charles finding a copy of mine & Jug's sex tape in Ethel Muggs's house to the secret room in the Blue Velvet.

"It was actually called Ponytail Playmate?"

"Yeah. Bret Weston Wallace couldn't be any more of a creep huh."

After saying that Jughead's phone started ringing.

"Cheryl's calling me. Hello?... Yeah, I'll be right there."

He hung up the phone, turned to me, and said…

"Cheryl just got another tape. She wants me to come over."

"Oh, wow."

"Well, I know you swore off mysteries but…"

"No. I'm in."

"Well, well dream team back together again," he joked before giving me a kiss.

"Hey, Jug?" I said as he started towards the door.

"Yeah."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

And after another kiss, we headed towards his motorcycle hand – in – hand, off to solve another mystery, just like it's supposed to be.

A.N.: Thanks for reading and if you haven't already checked out my other Riverdale story Define Serial killer? I'd appreciate it. I have one more Riverdale one shot in mind so stay tuned.

Until Then,

Toodles!