Chapter 39: "Who Plays With Fire?"

"Fuck off, Penny! I thought you were in prison!" He snarled with his nose flaring.

Penny cackled loudly as the Avalanches called fear came rolling down. She was fully aware they feared her but she also found the satisfaction to see others fear her. "No, no, Jones. You play with fire you're gonna get burned." She taunted him as she circled around a chair he was tied up in.

Alice rolled her eyes and bit her tongue as she wrestled to break free. It was no use, the rope was cutting off her blood circulation. Her wrists felt raw and she couldn't move not even an inch.

She bared her teeth, clenched her hand tightly."Where's my son?" She was furious by who was standing in front of her.

Penny just chuckled, slowly getting dangerously close to her face." Oh I bet you would just love to know." She kept hinting as she glides a blade through her fingers.

Alice sneered,"Yes I would, Penny." She got close and spit in her face.

Penny's arms went up and strikes her cheek with a blaze. "You made a big mistake, Alice." She iced her name with a thick disgust.

She wiped the spit off her cheeks and burned her eyes into Jughead's. He had his blade out and little did she know Cheryl was right behind her with a arrow.

He laughed,"No, I think you made a mistake." He added with a smirk. Then he turned to Cheryl and signaled her to fire.

Cheryl stood with two feet apart and pulled back the string and a red arrow went off. Penny didn't notice and then felt a searing pain in her right side.

"What—- fuck!" She screamed as she fell to her knees.

FP and Alice watched it all happen. They couldn't believe what they just witnessed. Jughead, Cheryl, Toni and Sweet Pea dropped their positions and helped them free. Alice whimpers as the rope was taken off. Her wrists were starting to bruise and turn all blue and black. "Fuck you, Penny." She cried out as she latched onto her daughter.

Betty helped her mother stand up. Her mother was in a fragile state and her heart broke for her. She's been through so much. "Shh… Mom, let's find Koel." She hushed as she supported her and took her away from the warehouse.

His son helped him free. Fp hated Penny more than anything. He and Tom called for backup. He bent down and felt for a pulse. He didn't feel one. Was it wrong and inhumane she was dead and he was happy about it? He didn't think so. She caused him so pain and tore his family apart. All the pain he had witnessed in the Army, Serpents and betrayal— hit the top of all pain.

He and Tom took a different route than his son, after twenty minutes of straight bickering, he finally let his son have his way. He wasn't sure how safe it was but everything was on the line at this point.

He was breathing heavily when he reached the end of the property. "Well, you sure love running." Another voice said taunting him.

He whipped his head around and nearly tackled the guy. Claudius stood three feet away from them holding a particular need. He took another step forward and FP could see what he was carrying.

"K-koel." He stammers out, his lungs feeling like a feather. The little baby boy squirmed, thrashed trying to escape. He started to growl," Give me my son." Claudius laughed, bowing his head and smirked.

"I can't do that, FP. My brother was specific in his will. It said I take the youngest Jones and kill him."

His spine tensed up, causing his whole body to go numb. "Why did you take over for Clifford?" He

questioned the spiteful man in front of him.

Meanwhile Cheryl was shaking in her girlfriend's arms. She can't believe she just killed someone, yet alone a woman. She was spiteful and an awful human bean, but did she deserve to die? She wasn't sure or she didn't want to think about it.

"It's okay, Cheryl. She was about to kill your mom and dad." Toni soothed her as she cried in her arms.

She shakes her head," N-no it's not okay, T-T." Her voice wavered as her and Toni decided to find FP and Mr. Keller. It didn't take them long for them to spot them but what she didn't expect was to see…

"Uncle C-claudius…" She couldn't believe her own eyes was actually seeing this. The man she barely knew was responsible for her brother's abduction.

Claudius grinned and his eyes grew darker than the night. Cheryl felt chills spazzing down her spine as he looked at her. She didn't like how his eyes lingered into hers. "I'm surprised, Darling. You made it to the exile." Her heart started pounding as she saw the little boy in his grimione arms.

"Y-you took my brother." Her uncle scoffed.

"He's not your brother, Cheryl. Jason was your brother. He's not your blood." She was about to shoot another arrow from her backpack but she settled down.

"He is my brother." She sneered at the older man with white hair." She inhaled a sharp breath," And FP IS MY DAD! No matter what you say or do! That label won't ever change how I feel about this family!" Her eyes gleamed with fear, hatred and tears.

"Oh really?" She nodded her head," What if I said I wasn't your uncle?" She looked at the man with a confused face.

She watched as the man in front of her revealed himself. She couldn't believe who was standing in front of her. She thought he died. What was happening? Her words were caught in her throat.

"D-daddy?" She gasped. Her stomach churned violently as the man smirked and she almost felt like throwing up.

FP couldn't believe his eyes neither. Clifford Blossom was alive and he was his son's kidnapper. He knew he should've known. He had other suspects in his head but Clifford was never one of them. Tom stood next to FP. He knew that FP would attack the man and as much as he wanted to he had Koel in his grimy hands.

"Killing your son isn't enough?" Tom questioned.

"No. I was supposed to get away with my plans but your damn kids ruined my plans. I was planning to kill Jughead many times when you were locked up. But nothing felt more achievable then a spawn from high school sweethearts." Clifford replied as he looked directly at FP. FP's blood was boiling hot at this very second.

"I took the deal. Wasn't that enough?"

Clifford shook his head, grinning," No, Jughead was the problem. He kept digging and digging. He was lucky that I didn't join my cousin Hal on the sinner cleanse." He looked sickly happy about that.

FP Jones kept his teeth locked tight and his eyes burning holes into Clifford. "You knew about Hal's plans?!" The man nodded his head. FP bit his tongue as he tried not to murder him.

Cheryl was crying as she remembered the video of her dad. She started getting closer to him. "Dad?" She tried to say without stuttering.

"Yes angel?" Her skin crawled at the nickname. He had no right to call her that anymore. He wasn't her father anymore. Sure he was biologically but she didn't love like she used to. Her love for her father ended the day she found out about her brother being shot by her father. There was no more and she would never ever think of him like he used to be.

"I saw you killing Jason. How could you?!" She started shouted, fiercely pointing her nails at him.

"He didn't want to be involved with the family business."

"You killed him over a family business?! I've been trying to piece it all together on why. But, I still don't get why you would kill him. He's your son. He loved you and you took away my only happiness." Tears streamed down Cheryl's cheeks.

Before anyone knew what was happening. A gun shot was fired. FP was screaming as he watched. His son and his daughter were in danger.

"Stop!" Bang Bang Bang the gun went. It was all silent and no spoke, not even a peep left anyone's mouth.

Early or late was the question of the dreaded outcome. All she could was ringing in her ear as she looked around. She saw faint objects moving towards her.

"C-ch-eryl?" She heard as her vision kept going in and out. She didn't know who was asking for her.

Stunned FP had his eyes stuck in one single spot. His eyes were looking at his daughter. Cheryl was on the ground and lying next to her was someone he didn't think would come to her rescue. He was about to run in front but he was pushed away by the force.

Cheryl slowly regained her senses and looked around again. "M-mom." Her name slurred off her lips.

"I'm here, Baby." She looked beside her and saw someone she never thought. She felt her hands brushing through her hair. "He can't hurt you anymore."

Penelope looked at the man she once loved or was forced to marry and was happy he was finally dead. She only wished she could bring Jason back or fought for him. She wished that she was nicer to Cheryl. Now she might lose her baby girl.

"M-mom… is he dead?"

"Yes… h-he—" She was cut off by a loud grunt. She almost forgotten about the gun shot she took in the process. "He is Dead, Cheryl."

Cheryl's eyes flew open," Mom!" She shouted as she gasped. Her mother got shot.

FP still was shook that she saved her daughter and threaten her own life. "Penelope, let's get you to a hospital." He gently encouraged as she shook her head.

"I'm fine here, Jones." She started as she closed her eyes for a second and the fluttered open."I didn't help him, Fp. I tried to stop him multiple times. He lied to me and made me think he was his brother but he wasn't. I swear that I didn't help him. He kept telling if I didn't, he would kill me. I was forced to marry him and now I'm free. I can die in peace." She even was crying as she looked at the man her husband robbed from.

"Penelope, come on, let's go." But her eyes were already shut when he looked back at her.

All the rest was blurry. He couldn't remember the ride to hospital with his youngest son in his arms, and Cheryl on a stretcher. He prayed that she wouldn't be injured. Alice only got there after she saw Cheryl and the painful goodbye. Now that Penelope was actually gone only made the praying even more important.

Betty, Jughead and wrecked Ton waited in the waiting room. Toni's mind was elsewhere. Her girlfriend was shot, her father was actually alive and her mother was dead. Penelope surprised her when she jumped in front of Cheryl. She hoped that Cheryl would be okay. She really couldn't handle if she lost Cheryl. Cheryl made her world turn unlike no other ever had done before.

"Family of Cheryl Aleah Jones?" FP and Alice's hand joined together, Jughead and Betty stood up and Toni uncrossed her fingers.

Toni's nails tapped on the arm rest as she waited for the news." She's okay. She's asleep right now." Now she could finally breathe.

FP stood up, releases his hands from Alice's and shakes the the doctor's hand. "Thank you for telling us." He couldn't stop smiling. She was going to be okay. She was just sleeping, nothing to worry about.

The doctor checked over Koel to make sure he wasn't injured in anyway or fashion. If he was? He would lose his shit and jump into hell and kill Clifford and Penny all over again. He wasn't injured and he was smiling at him.

"Dada." FP's smile never left his lips. Alice folded her arms across her chest but then giggled.

"That's right, Koel, He's your Dada." She just hoped he wouldn't remember being kidnapped. He was too young to understand. Tears poured down her cheeks as her and FP sat by each other.

A few hours later, Cheryl wakes up surrounded by her family. Betty gently hugged her, avoiding where she got shot. She was terrified Cheryl could die. Her mom told her that she was okay but Betty was still wary about her. The first couple hours she was tested for any drugs in her system. It was just precaution. Toni couldn't believe what was happened. It all felt surreal and nothing like she ever experienced before.

"Cheryl." Toni breathed as she kissed her forehead and the leaned in for a kiss.

After they broke the short kiss for air, Cheryl smiled at her girlfriend and snorted. "I'm okay, T-T." It felt amazing that someone cared so much her.

Even though her mother apologized for all the pain in her life, she couldn't just forgive her. She did admit that she didn't hate her. But there is just too much damage for sorry one could fix. Her real father was dead, her real mother was dead and Jason was gone as well. She still missed Jay-jay,but he will always be in her heart. No matter how far she goes or how long she's gone for. He will always be her best friend.

"Who plays with fire?" Alice asks her as she sat in a chair by her adoptive daughter's bed.

"God." Cheryl rolled eyes as she answered.

"You know, I burned Thornhill down, right?" Alice's eyes grew wide but she wasn't exactly stunned.

"I'm not judging, you've survived a gunshot. I won't be yelling at you for a little while." She said as she kissed her forehead.

"Mom?" She looked up," I love you, you're the best mom I could've asked for. I'm so happy and grateful that you made me one of your own." She could hear the happiness in her voice.

She was blown away by the tears. " I love you too, Cheryl."

Her and FP watched as she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep. They knew that their family was back together.

"Alice." They heard someone call for her. She turned and looked at the man.

"Adam? What are you doing here?"

Adam shook his head."I can't lie anymore. It's too hard to watch you cry." Both FP and Alice we're confused and a bit concerned.

Alice slowly got out of her chair and approached him." Can't lie about what anymore?"

There was a thick tension growing the hospital room. It was almost suffocating, heavy and very complex kind of thick tension. The kind that can make bones feel weaker and more frail.

"I'm Charles Smith, I'm your son."