Chapter 4- Clock Full Of Guilt
The remaining of the morning, Fp woke up with his eyes burning with irritation from spending his whole night sobbing about the little boy he wouldn't ever to get to know. While Jughead was sleeping, he snuck back into the living room and stared at little blood splattered picture of his boy, every time he glanced at the picture, his stomach dropped with guilt. It was like his guilt ran on a clock, ticking until he shoved his head into a pillow, screaming a muffled scream, trying not to wake Jug or the rest of the trailer park. Nor did he want everyone know the true devastation he was going through. He knew the trailer walls were thin, he hoped he wasn't being to loud.
Jughead didn't sleep well yet again, it seemed like a recurrence lately for him. It wasn't just the nightmares, it was the reality this time. He and Betty shared a brother, or did share one. He was still trying to grasp onto the information himself, he knew his dad wasn't taking the news well. He heard his dad sneak into the living room last night. Being the investigator he is, he quietly opened his door, sneaking around the corner. He saw his dad, curled up in a ball, eyes bloodshot, he was holding the picture. He knew it was Charles. He felt his heart break for his father, knowing that he will never get a chance to get to know his son, he must be devastated. He heard his dad talking, it couldn't really tell what was being spoken through the rawness in his voice, but he was able to make out a few words in particular. "I'm sorry, Charles. I wish I-I would of known about you. And no I'm not mad at your mother. I understand she was scared, and I'm sorry that I didn't know sooner. I will always love you, c-harles." His voice came out in a desperate plea as tears rolled down his cheeks. Jughead swallowed the lump in his throat quietly as he closed his door lightly behind him. When he was back in bed, he wiped the wetness from his cheeks and turned over on his side.
When he woke up, his eyes were still sore from lack of sleep, he felt his heavy eyes, they were desperate to shut. His mind wouldn't turn off. Fp was sitting at the table when he heard his son's footsteps creep behind him, he shifted his body, meeting his eyes with his son. He could tell Jughead didn't sleep yet again.
"Jug, you didn't sleep again. Boy, you need to start sleeping. I don't need you crashing your bike." He stated as his eyes looked into his son's. Jughead shifted slowly as he sat down. He thought about bringing up what he saw last night, but he decided not to burn his heart with more vinegar. Vinegar always burned after it was torched on fire.
"Yeah" He sighed not meeting his dad's eyes. His mind was still overpowered by after effects of the storm of yesterday. Fp got up from the table, narrowing his eyes to the floor, before opening his mouth.
"Jug, how about I take you to school today? Maybe we will pay Alice and Betty a visit. It's still pretty earlier, school doesn't start for another hour. I'm sure that we need to keep an eye on them. After everything that has happened recently." He says as he grabs his keys from the basket on the kitchen counter. Jughead knew that was a good idea. He also felt like Betty was hiding something.
"Yeah, that's a good idea. Dad, I feel like Betty's hiding something." He blurts our, causing Fp to turn away from the door.
"Jug, what do you mean hiding something?" He asked softly still feeling concerned. Jughead stared up sightly, letting out a long sigh.
"I don't know. When I came up from the basement after she ran upstairs after Chic told Alice that she killed him. Now we know he did it. But anyway, she was on the phone, she was all tense. I remember she used to get like that when the Black hood would call." He stopped at mid-sentence, automatically knowing what it was. "Damn it. It's that again. Why didn't she tell me." He cursed into his hands. Fp was still trying to take in the words and then his son stopped. He looked over at his son, waiting for the next words. The Black hood had been threatening Betty. What the fuck, He mentally cursed.
"Wait— are you telling me? That The Black Hood has been contacting her, threatening?" He asked as his son's expression darkened. Jughead just nods his head sightly, he knew that his father cared deeply about Alice and wouldn't let anything happen to them.
"Yeah, while you were shankshaw. He started calling her. I didn't find out until I found a letter addressed to her, when she was leaving. He knew stuff from her childhood, creepy to think. The night I went after penny." He stopped once he saw his dad's face change to a look. "They caught the wrong one and now the original is attacking. She told me that it was just her dad on the phone, but when I saw the way her shoulders tensed up when the voice talked to her. I also heard this weird jingle play while I was in the basement." He confessed looking at the floor. Fp knew that they had to go now.
"Jug, lets go. Alice needs to know, Betty could be in serious amount of danger." He rushed to the door and hopped into his truck, starting the engine. Jughead sighed grabbing his backpack, throwing it over his shoulder and followed his dad's direction.
Archie was leaving his room, when he heard his dad gasped. He quickly raced down the stairs, heading the direction he heard his dad. He got there, watching his dad with wide eyes holding something in his shaky grip. He walked over to his dad, his dad looked up from the object in his hand.
"Dad, what's that?" He asked pointing to the white paper. He watched his dad take a step back, turning the paper showing him. His eyes went wide when he read the haunting red lettering. "Your next sinner" it was signed by the Black Hood. His blood was boiling beyond his boiling point, rage was wrecking his heart as his heart pounded angrily against his chest.
"Archie, I don't know what to do. Sheriff Keller left his post, he's resigning as Sheriff." His father explained, setting down the warning on the table, looking up at him. Archie's eyes went wide. He can't abandoned his post, during a crisis like this.
"What no he can't just abandon his post now, Dad. We are all in danger." He snapped softly, earning his dad's true reaction.
"Arch, his boss made him. Unfortunately this is just the reality. He's sending someone else to Riverdale to take over the case. Just keep your feelings down. We don't need the darkness to get anymore ideas. I love you, Son. See you after school." His Dad says as he leaves the room. He couldn't believe Mr Keller was stepping down. This town really needed him. Yes, he hasn't been the best Sheriff. Him and his friends caught Clifford Blossom, failed at catching the Black Hood. But not this time, he won't be making the same mistake now. And he will make sure of it.
In the Cooper house, Alice woke up after passing out on the couch, crying herself to sleep after such a heart-wrenching discover. Her son, real son was dead. Most of her was still drowning in the hole she dug herself by drinking. She didn't mean to drink the whole bottle of wine. Betty was rubbing her eyes when she spotted her mom on the couch, staring up at the ceiling with a empty bottle of wine standing right side up on the coffee table in the living room. She got closer to the couch, noticing her mom's eyes were filled raw pain. She softly touched her shoulder, causing her to flinch. Before she could open her mouth her thoughts were interrupted by a loud knock to their door. Alice's eyes remained staring up at the ceiling, still hungover, pleading for her life to be better. Betty hurried to the door, opening it to her surprise to see Jughead and Fp standing on her doorstep, worry in their eyes.
"Uh, Mr Jones... what you doing here?" She asked with her senses kicking in. Fp saw the blondes eyes, she hadn't slept well.
"Betty, have you been sleeping? You know since what happened?" He asked trying to tiptoe around the conversation. He didn't want to upset her more. Jughead watched the awkward silence fill the room.
"Uh, I guess. My mom on the other hand not so much. She fell asleep on the couch, drinking an entire bottle of wine. She's not doing well. And I get from the look in your eyes you didn't sleep well either." She explained in a whisper tone, trying to not bother her mom. Fp felt his heart jerk inside his chest, when he heard she spent the whole night crying and drinking.
"Mind me asking, Betts did he come back?" Jughead butted in softly, rubbing her shoulder. Betty felt her body stiffen. She knew he cared very much.
"Jug, he was murdered last night." She confessed watching the Jones men eyes grow wide. Jughead didn't want to think his girl killed him. He wasn't innocent, he didn't want to see her in prison. Fp was blown away. Is that why Allie was drinking? Did she kill me in a fit of rage? He hoped not.
"Betty, you didn't kill him did you?" He asked trying to hide his true fear from showing. Betty's eyes went wide. No, no she didn't. But she did contribute to it.
"No, no, Mr Jones, I didn't." She confessed watching Jughead and Fp's eyes shake off the shock. Fp felt a sigh of relief hearing that she didn't kill him.
"Oh that's good. Geez, Betty you really had me scared for you." He laughed tersely trying to lighten up the mood. Betty didn't feel like smiling. She was a accomplice to yet another murder. Jughead saw Betty's eyes go dark and a frown appeared on her lips.
"Betty, what's wrong? Does this have to deal with the Black Hood?" He presses lightly. Fp hadn't forgotten his conversation with his son, he knew his son was trying to get Betty to confess. He couldn't help, feeling his heart twist watching the blonde tear up. Betty couldn't believe Juggie figured it out. Would he be mad? She hoped he could keep her safe.
"Jug... If I tell you and you too, Fp? You won't tell a soul." She asked earning nods from the two Jones men. She takes a deep breath, eyes begging for her to release the tears from the guilt she had been holding in. Jughead watched intensively as she took a breath. Alice had gotten up from the couch, still groggy from the alcohol consummation she had. "The Black Hood has been calling me. He told me he killed Midge and framed Mr Svenson. He threatened to tell the authorities about the shady Guy. For exchange of Chic. I took Chic to meet him and he ran and ran until boom." She confessed tears running down her face. Shock filled the room. Alice stood there still trying to get the courage to open her mouth. Fp and Jughead looked at one another and then Betty, instantly wrapping their arms around her.
"Betty... you did that. He- he has been calling again." Alice's voice cracked, startling the group hug, jolt them away. Betty quickly wiped her eyes and looked over to her mom.
"Ye-s He has been. He told me I was making amateur mistakes, that letting Chic who has murdered before. That's where I was last night. I took Chic away so you weren't go to prison. I did it for you. I'm sorry I put you all into his mess. I should of done farther research. Now I keep feeling guilty. I know Chic was a bad man, but did he deserve to be murdered. I just can't st-." She was caught off by Jughead pulling her into his arms, rubbing her back soothingly as the tears slid down her cheeks, letting her shirt get soaked by the salty tears.
"Betts, Shh, it's okay. It's okay. He might of not deserved the ending he got. But he can no longer hurt us. I will protect you. That's what Serpents do. What do we do?" He asked softly turning toward his dad. Fp knew what he meant and teamed up with Jughead.
"We take care of our own." He reassured, Alice's eyes blurred with her own tears. The way he said it, made her know he meant it with all his heart. Betty still was sobbing uncontrollably in his arms. She knew what her boyfriend meant. Jughead looked over at his dad while he was holding sobbing Betty in his arms. They shared a look, one that said everything. This town needed the north and south to stay united. It can't cave in, it would cause imploding, devastation and the Black Hood would win. They were going to make sure that never happen. They will conquer the Black Hood once and for all.
Veronica sat down at the lunch table, staring down at her food in distaste, she didn't feel very hungry. She spent the whole night consumed with trying to pinpoint what was going on with her life. She was enraged by her father's actions. She couldn't believe he just was going to let Archie get destroyed by Nick St Clair. She was proud of herself for finally coming to her senses, she gave him a taste of his own medicine. Figuratively his medicine was roofie, he deserved every bit of it, Attempting to rape Cheryl Blossom was sickening. Cheryl Blossom was many things, Bitchy, vindictive, controlling, strong, and compassionate. But she was most definitely not a victim. She knew that Cheryl endured abuse at home, neglect and other issues that she was aware Cheryl never wanted to get out. She hadn't witnessed it herself, she knew that Cheryl Bombshell wasn't as strong as she made herself out to be.
Soon the core four table was joined with a bubbly Blonde, a loner weirdo from the outside of the tracks, a musician and a sweet Blossom. Betty still was trying to keep herself from becoming porcine, cracking under the pressure of the force dragging her down within and beyond the gravity. Veronica noticed the change between her best friend and the crown beanie.
"Okay, you guys have been way too quiet today. What's going on?" She asked quietly shifting her eyes between the silent couple barely uttering a single peep or movement. Betty shifted awkwardly in her seat, trying to avoid her best friend's concerned expression imbedding into her brain. Archie noticed it too. He found it strange. When the Black Hood called her last time, she started shutting everyone out whatever or whoever crossed her path.
"Betty, are you okay?" He whispered gently for only the table to hear. Cheryl knew something was up. She remembered her cousin once saying that her life at home was dangerous, she could somewhat relate. She was still waiting for her emancipation papers to be signed.
"Cousin Betty, Does this have to deal with your home life?" She noted how her eyes looked down and saw the tears appearing in her eyes. Jughead saw her tears, grabbing her hand gently and nodded telling her it was okay. Betty wanted to stay mute, trying to eliminate every urges she had to dig her fingernails into her palms.
"To answer you concerns yes it does have to deal with that. It's a mixture of both. First thing first, Chic isn't my actually brother." She confessed, drawing everyone else's eyes go wide, besides Jughead. "He impersonated my real brother, who's actually dead. And that's not all. Me and ...Jug share a sibling." Her eyes became misty. Cheryl wasn't surprised about Chic. But what did surprise her was that her and Jughead share a brother. It seemed like Riverdale wasn't that fucked up. That was the understatement of the year. "And to make matters worse the Black Hood has been calling again." She was now in tears. Archie's heart dropped, he didn't like seeing his friend in pain.
"Oh Betty... I'm so sorry. I can't believe he lied to you and your family." He apologized as tears still rolled down her cheeks silently. Veronica was in disbelief, she thought her life was fucked up. Maybe she should reconsider that statement.
"B, that's horrible. And sharing a sibling. I'm assuming that Fp was the father. Wow that's a real shocker. I had no idea about his feelings for your mom, B." She sympathized, getting up from her spot, pulling Betty into a hug. Cheryl wasn't pleased by the news. She technically was related to Jughead.
"My cousin's an Jones. Oh lord, no offense, Jughead. But, I still haven't been able to get over the fact your father covered up my father's murder and disposed him in a villainous way." She pointed out, snapping a bite off her carrot stick. Jughead tried his hardest to resist the urge to roll his eyes and scoff. Betty didn't like this side of her cousin, she knew that was still a vulnerable, touchy spot in her cousin's tattered heart.
"Cheryl, I know you're still upset and angry about that he did. But he's already came to terms that was the wrong thing to do. He's disgusted by how he took care of things. He only did it to protect Jughead. To keep him from hurting Jug just like he did to your brother, Cheryl. I know it will take sometime for you to open your eyes and see that he's not actually a bad man. He just made the wrong decision then he should of made." She tried to reason with her as both their eyes overflowed with tears. Cheryl's eyes were overflowing with her tears, she knew that Betty meant well and also that she was right. Fp Jones didn't make the right decision. He did feel sorry for what he had done.
"Betty, I'm sorry about being so cold. I shouldn't of been so harsh. I'm still very hurt by his decision. I will think about the possibly of my forgiveness. But for now, I will just stay peaceful and not start anymore drama." She said softly wiping her cheeks and placing a soft smile on her lips.
Before anybody else could say anything else, the loud buzz from the overhead speaker blasted through, grabbing everyone's attention. "As the town we need to stick together. Unfortunately, Sheriff Keller's stepping down." The commotion caused gasps and murmers of the crowd. "In his place will be someone else coming to take over. At this point we encourage everyone to stay inside durning night hours. Keller did supply his officers to continue watching over the town, till a new Sheriff can be directed toward us. We would appreciate everyone to follow our specific directions. Oh sorry one more announcement. It seems like the Black Hood has targeted again." More gasps and looks over shock ran over their faces. Betty felt her heart pounding anxiously in her chest. Did they find Chic? She felt so paranoid, feeling like everyone knew her secret. " Chic Smith has been found by the grave site. He was brutally shot down by the Black Hood, at nine sharp of last night. We have no idea what he was doing at the graveyard. But we will get to bottom of it." The deputy announced before the buzz ended. Jughead shifted his eyes directly at Betty, who looked like she was going to pass out. Her first thought was oh shit, She's going to prison.
Alice was sitting down at the table when her door rang. She didn't know why she had this weird feeling in her chest, almost like shivers and tingles were sent down her spine as she approached the door slowly. When she opened the door nobody was there, nothing only a small brown box addressed in her name on her doormat. She carefully looked around her surroundings, before picking up the box marked fragile and placing it into over her dinning room table. As she carefully opened the box, her heart pounded drastically in her chest. When the box was finally unsealed, a red oozing pig's heart was revealed, she dropped the box containing the pigs heart on the floor, screaming in complete terror,traumatizing the Cooper women. She looked down, spotting a note on the floor, as her heart was rapidly pounded in her chest, she reached for the white note card. "Oh Alice you thought you were escaping too. Even though you weren't one of my victims. Your daughter was, and since I don't want to lay a hair on her. My next best choice is of course her precious, dearest mother. So you have two weeks to figure out who I am or Fp Jones will die." Love B.H. She felt sick to her stomach reading that haunting writing. Why did he want to go after Fp? He didn't do anything wrong. Her eyes were now leaking tears as she slid down the wall holding her hands to her chest.
Another Knock at her door made her jump two feet backward from the unpleasant gift she had received. She slowly walked over to door, moving in slow motion she opened the door. She blinked her eyes in shock, also relief. Fp was standing right in front of her. She quickly grabbed his hand, pulled him into her house and closed the door. He felt her pull him inside, locking the door in panic. He was confused. What was going on?
"Allie, you look like you seen a ghost. Are you okay?" He softly asked trying to keep his worries to a minimum. He observed her stance, her legs were curled in fear.
"No, I'm not." She confessed as she led him into her dining room. He followed her still confused, his eyes bugged out in complete disgust. Seeing the pig's heart and reading the note made his blood boil like never before. He was scared for Alice, he was also terrified for himself as well. He wasn't made out steel, he was just like everyone else. He was made from bones and other organs. He wasn't like the Incredible Hulk. Even though he secretly wished he was as powerful as the super heroes, he used to read Jughead when he was really little.
"Allie... come here." He swallowed softly as he pulled her into his arms, her cries became stronger as he held her closer to him. She felt safe in his arms. She couldn't explain why she felt this way. She just did. There was no explaining that needed to be done. All that was running in her mind. How was she going to tell Betty?
"I don't understand why he's going after me or you for the matter." She cried into his chest. She lifted her head, looking up him. Her heart was pulsing when her eyes began to trance with his. He watched as her eyes landed on her lips. As much as he wanted to kiss her. He knew it was wrong. She started inching closer to his lips, their lips were almost touching. Heat from her lips he could feel as he stared at her lips, trying to resist his impulses. He looked away, swallowing a gulp of guilt down her throat.
"Al-ie, we shouldn't. Your still with Hal and I'm with Gladsy." He stuttered as her lips connected with his. He tried resisting, but her power overthrew his. When he knew his battle was overpowered, his lips slipped into their unconscious roles as hers did their own desires. She broke the kiss, opening her mouth confessing more secrets she had been keeping.
"Didn't you hear me and Hal are done? We're getting divorced. He was fucking Penelope while his name came into our house. He didn't love me. He said he cherished me, but I knew it was just a lie to keep me from his blossom pay day money. I haven't stopped loving you, Fp. When he found out about Charles he made me appointment to fix what he called a mistake. Instead I told him hell to the fucking no and he sent me to the Sisters Of Quiet Mercy. And every since then I realized I made a mistake by leaving you. I can't be all us were friends at one point. I love you, Fp. Just please take away my pain." She begged him as tears rolled down her cheeks. He hated when she cried, it was his weakness. He really did love her so much. He didn't know how he was going to turn her down. Hearing how Hal wanted to "fix it" made his blood boil and it got worse when the tears rolled down her cheeks.
"Allie, I never stopped either. It was nearly impossible when Jughead told me he was with Betty. I knew my chances were long over. But hearing that made me really miss you." He admitted as he cupped her cheeks.
"Forsythe, just make me forget we ever broke up. Take the pain away. I need you to ta-" She was caught off by his lips.
He couldn't handle it anymore. Her begging finally gave way. His lips connect with the sweetness of her cherry chapstick stinging his bottom lips as she roamed her mouth on his neck. "Let's take this to the bed." He smirked as he picked up, throwing her over his shoulder. She didn't put up a fight, unlike last time she was more eager this time. He didn't know what it was. Maybe she felt she had nothing holding her back. As she was backed to her bed, she threw her shirt over her head, quickly disgracing every moral she had ever promised herself on the Northside. He quickly discarded his jeans, grinding his hips against her smooth silky legs. She must of shaved. How had she been prepared for this? Did she know he was coming? By the look on her face she definitely didn't have a clue he was coming over.
They were fully naked, bodies moving in rhythm as he slowly thrusts as she moaned his name. Her nails dug into his back as he drives into her. She felt like she finally could release. She arched her hips higher as he hit just the right spot to make her scream his name. She didn't care if she woke the neighborhood. She was thankful the kids were still at school. He sticks two fingers into her, swirling around until she reached her full compactity. His tongue trailed down her back. She flipped her on her back, his tongue continued to trace from her breasts all the way down to her pussy, savoring her sweet juices as she came. "Fuck"! She screamed out as he penetrated with the familiarity. He couldn't stop himself from grinning like a man dog. "Yeah you like that." He groaned, surging her throughly before pulling out, thrusting back into faster then before. Even though it only had been a few days since their last encounter, he still missed her every part of her as he nibbles on her ear.
Betty was finally done with her day. She couldn't take much more of this dreadful day. Jughead saw Betty waiting for him outside his class. He wanted to go to the Wyrm. But he knew Betty just wanted to go home. After hearing that announcement she had been very on the edge about everything.
"Betty, I was going to head to the Wrym. If you want to come? I'm sure Cheryl will be there. Her and Toni have been inseparable from each other. I don't think I have seen Cheryl this happy and relaxed in ever." Jughead said as he mounted on his bike, holding an extra helmet in his left hand. Betty wanted to protest, but having a stress reliever was something she was willing to risk for.
"I'm in." She answered as she took the helmet from his hand, buckling the helmet in place and hopping on as they rode off.
When they arrived, Toni's eyes were full of surprise as she saw Betty walk in. She didn't think they would be ever a day she would see a Cooper in a bar on the southside.
"Nice seeing you here, Cooper." She welcomes as she eyed Betty's appearance. Betty smiled as she looked up to the bar menu.
"I'll have on sherirly Temple." She stated as she saw Jughead's eyes widen in shock. Toni nods her head and hands her the temple. "Oh calm down, Jug. It's just one drink." She remarked as she sipped her drink confidently. Oh this was going to get much more complicated, he thought as he watched her set down the now empty glass. How did she finish a whole glass in a short amount of time?