Author's Notes: Hello everybody, welcome to Chapter 16 of The Bump in the Road! In this chapter, Betty is twenty five weeks pregnant, so she's advanced a week. It's a Sunday, and this is the chapter where Betty and Jughead are going to be moving in with Betty's out of town cousin. I decided that I want them to live there, at least until Betty's pretty close to giving birth. I want the baby to be born in Riverdale, but at the moment, the chapters might get a little shorter. While I don't want to do many time skips, I want to actually get to know the characters. Their last name is Cooper, because I want them to be Hal's nephews from like… his brother or something. I know Hal doesn't directly have a brother in the show, but you know what? I'm allowed to create my own characters! Speaking of OCs, Boris Yeltsin actually came up with the family, although I did change Betty's cousin's name. So yeah! Onto Chapter 16 of The Bump in the Road!

JUGHEAD'S POV

"Betty, I'm serious," I said sternly to my very pregnant girlfriend. "You can't help. You can pack, you can tape, but there is absolutely no way I'm letting you carry any boxes out."

Betty crossed her arms over her chest and pouted. "Come on, Juggie! Why not? I don't want to feel like a fat, pregnant lump,"

"You're not fat," I whispered, stepping closer to her. I wrapped my arms around her, setting on her back, pressing my body as close to hers as it would get with her belly in the way. "You're beautiful,"

"No I'm not," she insisted, pulling away.

I let out a silent groan. When I first told Dad that I got Betty pregnant, the first thing he did was tell me that he was going to support us. The second thing he did was warn me that pregnant ladies get very, very insecure during their pregnancy. It starts like… the second they get pregnant, and it gets worse right about the time in the pregnancy that Betty's at right now. She's currently twenty five weeks pregnant.

Rolling my eyes, I leaned down for a kiss. "I think you're beautiful, Betts. And the fact that you think you look fat is ridiculous. You are creating our baby inside of your body, and I don't think I could be more grateful to you for making us a beautiful baby boy,"

Betty smiled and kissed me back. "Thank you, Jughead. I love you,"

"I love you too,"

XXX

Veronica was delighted when I told her that she didn't have to help, because I wanted her to keep Betty company, so that Betty didn't feel like she was missing out on much during the moving process.

Not that I didn't trust Veronica anymore, but I'd gotten extremely paranoid about a Gargoyle sneaking up on Betty and kidnapping her, or shooting her again. That was the reason that I told Veronica that I didn't want her to take Betty out of Sunnyside Trailer Park, and since neither Betty nor Veronica had many (if any) friends at Sunnyside, they were more or less forced to stay near mine and Betty's trailer.

"I don't understand why I can't help at all," Betty complained to me. Veronica had done her best to keep her occupied, but, just like a two year old, Betty got very bored very quickly. "If you're not going to let me help, at least let me go to the library or something!"

Word of Betty's shooting had gotten out very quick, and the town of Riverdale was acting almost identical to when the Black Hood was roaming the streets. People were even comparing when Betty got shot to when Fred Andrews got shot, which was severely irritating Betty.

Everyone was acting as though Betty was a sinner. Yes, she's seventeen and pregnant. But honestly, if that's anyone's fault, it's mine. The one time she tells me she forgot the pill and that we need to use a condom, of course it breaks. Because why not, universe? Just thow us another gut punch, eh?

My point is, Betty isn't a sinner. She's literally the exact opposite. Betty Cooper does everything for everyone, and I can see how much it tires her out. Honestly, that's one of the main reasons that, for as much of her pregnancy that I've been around, I've done my damn best to make sure that everyone does everything for her.

I smiled at Betty and said, "Betts, I love you. But please, for the love of God, sit down. We can't have you over-extering yourself," I winked at her.

She rolled her eyes, and then went inside to sit down on the couch.

We didn't plan on permanently moving to Alabama, where Betty's cousin on her dad's side lives with his family. Mainly, we'd brought in just Sweet Pea and Toni to help us pack up the few things that we still had to pack.

Once we were done, I gathered everyone around and said, "Thank you guys so much. It means a lot to us that you're helping us get Betty to safety,"

"I'm not in any danger!" she yelled from the porch. "I can take care of myself, Jug!"

She'd been saying that all day, and as much as I wanted to believe it, I knew that she couldn't if there was actually a situation where someone was running at her with a gun.

XXX

Two days later, we were boarding the plane to fly to Alabama, where Betty's cousin and his family lives.

His name is Ryan Cooper, related to Betty on her dad's side. He has a wife named Carly, a ten year old daughter named Samantha, and a one year old daughter named Hannah. From what Betty's told me, I gathered that Samantha was adopted, because Carly and Ryan were having infertility issues.

"What do you think it's gonna be like?" Betty asked me towards the end of our plane ride. "I mean… living with my cousin. We're not going to be in Riverdale anymore. We're not going to be able to see our friends whenever we want… I can't just go to the house next door and see Archie…."

Betty hadn't only been having body insecurities recently. She'd also begun doubting how well she was going to handle this, yes, very drastic change. In her mind, she's going to crumble and break, and there's nothing anyone else can do about it. But that's not true. Because I'm going to do everything I can to make sure that Betty is happy, healthy, and stable during this time.

I looked over at her and smiled. "Well, I think the thing that's going to really make us depressed here in Alabama is the fact that there aren't nearly as many murders in the town your cousin lives!"

She gave me that smile that made my heart flutter, and leaned in for a kiss.

XXX

The flight was four hours long, and Betty slept almost the entire way. As a last parting gift, Veronica paid for the super swanky in-air wifi so that we could be on the internet and stuff. Betty didn't even use it, and I was just writing the whole time, so I knew we were going to have to lie to her and tell her that she put her money to good use! I mean, not like she doesn't have any to spare, but Veronica Lodge gets gifts you can use, and if you don't use them, then she gets pouty and then… God, why are all my friends like two year olds?

When the plane finally landed at midnight, Betty woke up, not tired at all, and we got off the plane. We then walked down the train. I don't know how I didn't realize it in the airport just beyond Seaside, but it is amazing, getting to be in an airport with a pregnant woman.

The baby started kicking when we were halfway down the elevator, and Betty started talking to me about it. I put my hand on her belly and felt it, feeling a smile immediately come to my face.

"Aww, you two are so cute!" the lady in front of us said. "How far along are you?"

Betty smiled at her and said, "Uh, twenty five weeks. Twenty six weeks tomorrow, actually," she said, as it was a Wednesday.

"Well, congratulations. Parenthood can be tough, but at the end of the day, you get to raise a beautiful child to send out into the world," the lady said.

Everyone could visibly see that Betty was pregnant, she made no effort to hide it. When the train voice said that it was coming, everyone immediately stepped back and let Betty and I in, and we got to seat on the bench at the end of the train! It was awesome. Although there were was a lady (definitely a Karen) standing very close to the bench who muttered something like, "They look too young to be expecting. God, kids just can't understand what the word protection means these days, huh? Couldn't find a condom or get on birth control?"

"Honestly, I'm glad we made that mistake," Betty piped up, looking the woman right in the eye. She leaned back a bit to show off her belly more. "I know that we're young and we're going to miss out on a lot, but I already love my son. You might not like that, and that's okay. All that means is that you don't have enough love in your life, which makes you feel as though you need to make everyone around you miserable, just so that it looks normal on you,"

She then returned to scrolling through something on her phone, pretending as though that had never happened.

The Karen was absolutely shocked that Betty heard her, and her mouth just hung open in complete and utter shock. I sent her a look that said, You just got burned!, and moved on with my day, but planned to call everybody and tell EVERYBODY about what she had done once we got to her cousin's house.

When we got off the train, we began looking through the crowd for Betty's cousin. He had said in a text message that he was going to have a sign that said, "Sweet Home Alabama!" allegedly written in bright yellow letters.

We finally saw the Sweet Home Alabama! sign, and we walked in that direction, finding an athletic looking man who looked much younger than he was, with light red hair and pale skin. He looked nothing like Betty, although I had a vague memory of Betty telling me that Ryan was adopted, but I couldn't remember exactly.

"Hey, Betty!" her cousin said, handing his sign off to his ten year old daughter and pulling her into a hug. "You haven't met the kiddos, have you?"

Betty smiled and said, "No I haven't! But I've heard a lot about them,"

"This is Samantha," Ryan introduced Betty (and me, though he was mostly talking to Betty) to his eldest daughter.

"I'm ten," Samantha said, a nervous and shy smile on her face. "Congratulations on the baby, too,"

Betty gestured for me to come over to her as she said, "Aww, thanks Samantha."

"You can call me Sam or Sammy," Samantha said. "I feel like Samantha sounds too formal,"

We then noticed a blonde woman who looked much more related to Betty than her actual cousin did, who was holding a sleeping one year old.

"This is my lovely wife Carla, and our one year old daughter Hannah," Ryan introduced. Carly gave a friendly wave, while Hannah just… kept sleeping.

Betty said hello and introduced herself to Samantha and Carly, and then turned to me, and I immediately got nervous.

"This is my boyfriend Jughead," she said, pulling my face down to kiss her.

Good ol' Cousin Ryan seemed to think that Betty had come alone, and that I'd ditched her or something, because when she kissed me, both Ryan and Carly had a look that said something like, Oh my Lord, Betty just kissed a stranger!

"Oh uh…" Carly said, very clearly wanting to ask, Are you sure? "Is he… the baby's father?"

Betty's persistence continued to amaze me as her eyesight switched between Ryan and Carly multiple times before nodding her head vigorously. "Yup. We're both really excited about it,"

They seemed to get a little more skeptical of me after this, Carly looking somewhat intimidated by my "hobo outfit," as Cheryl would say. Despite that, Betty whispered in my ear to ignore them, and I tried to keep as silent as I could the entire time we were still in the airport, and I got more silent once we were in the car. Betty had been given the front seat, and I had to sit in the seat across from her so I could still see her. Ryan was driving the car, and Carly was sitting next to me, seeming to make cutting remarks that were sent directly towards me.

She said stuff like, "So I went to Old Navy the other day; it's amazing how many nice clothes there are if you actually go to a nice store!" and I knew she didn't like my Serpents jacket. But I wasn't going to take it off, now was I? I don't give into peer pressure, okay? If I did, I'd be best friends with Reggie Mantle, and currently practicing for the next football tournament or… whatever they're called.

When we finally arrived at the house, while Carly dealth with the kids, Ryan brought us to our shared room, and then laid down some rules.

"I'm gonna tell you two right now, I don't like that you're sharing a room," he said. "But, this is the only empty room we have, and there's no way I'm gonna kick one of my girls out of her room just so one of you can sleep there."

I nodded vigorously, somewhat afraid of what would happen if I didn't do that. Betty had a smile on her face as she gently nodded.

"So, that means there's going to be some rules. Number one, absolutely NO canoodling. These walls aren't very thick, and Carly and I are trying to hold off telling Samantha how babies are made for as long as possible!" Ryan said. It became very clear in that moment that Betty's cousin is very, very intense. "If I hear anything about of the ordinary that sounds anything close to canoodling, you're sleepin' on the couch, beanie head!"

I instinctively took my beanie off at that point, revealing my mass of hair that caused Betty's cousin with a shaved head to grunt, and look up disapprovingly at my hair.

He sighed and then said, "Rule Number Two: you two will refrain from being lovey-dovey in front of my girls. Not like today, you can't kiss like you did at the airport. That's too close to canoodling!"

Ryan laid down about ten more rules before saying that I can't sleep with Betty, I have to sleep on the floor.

"No, Ryan!" Betty protested. "I get cold. Besides, I get nightmares if Juggie isn't holding me,"

I couldn't help but smirk at Ryan (who made almost every rule go against what he'd seen Betty and I do so far, like… no holding hands, no looking at each other with "lovey eyes," and other stuff like that), who let out a huff and then agreed to let us sleep in the same bed, as long as we don't canoodle.

"So… wanna canoodle?" I asked Betty as a joke.

She slapped my chest and said, "No. Ryan'll kill you, I promise,"

"No, I know," I said, stroking her hair. "Why do you think they hate me so much? All I can think of is the kiss today, but you kissed me,"

Betty sighed, closing her eyes slightly. "Well, my mom was the one who contacted them about this, and she isn't exactly known to love you. She most definitely told them that you put the devil spawn inside me or something…."

I reached my hand under the covers to place it on her belly. "I love you," I whispered.

"I love you too," she leaned up and kissed me, and then closed her eyes, falling asleep almost instantly. I couldn't help but chuckle quietly, as I continued to rub her belly, I felt myself falling asleep.

I leaned my head down on hers, closed my eyes, and within a few minutes, I was asleep.

Author's Notes: Okay, that is the chapter! They are going to be in Alabama for a little bit, but not for the rest of the story. I want the baby to definitely be born in Riverdale, I don't know why, I just do. Do you all think that Alice was talking bad about Jughead to Ryan and Carly? Also, Boris Yeltsin, I'm super sorry, I did change Ryan's name from Lester to Ryan. I just felt like that… I don't know, fit the story a little better. I know this wasn't the most like… entertaining chapter to read (or write), but it's one of those chapters that no one really wants to read, and I don't want to write, but I need to in order to get the story on the right track. I am starting a new story that's coming out almost right after this, so yeah! I hope you all enjoyed reading this chapter even though it was boring, and have a great day!