(FP)

The morning came earlier than I'd hoped, but not early enough as apparently Jughead left before the coffee even started brewing.

So much for talking to him before school, I thought, running my hand over my stubble and through my hair. Might as well get a shower in before breakfast.

I stepped into it before the water had a chance to heat up and let the cold wake me. As the water ran through my hair I started thinking about Alice. About the good times we'd had as we were growing up and then the resentment that seemed to fester all through high school.

Every time I'd turned around it seemed like she'd wanted something different from me, like being groomed to take over the Serpents wasn't good enough. Like being there for her in the way that mattered wasn't good enough…like I wasn't good enough.

After one particularly stupid fight she'd taken off on her motorcycle to the North side, saying something about how maybe one of the guys up there would treat her better. We barely had enough in my house, and whatever I had I'd given to her, but it just wasn't enough. When she'd come back to the South things were different and a couple months later she just disappeared.

Some months after that I heard word she was back, but living on the North side, with her North sider boyfriend, who eventually became her husband. It was a tough pill to swallow, we were supposed to be end game, the Serpent Prince and Princess. But life never seemed to give you the hand you wanted and you had to learn to live with the hand you were dealt.

The water had long run back to cold by the time I got out of the shower, but the coffee was hot and ready and it's all I needed to get my day started. It was time to focus on the new South side Princess, and get her castle up to code.

I grabbed my leather jacket on my way out the door, hot coffee in hand. Sweet Pea had texted a few minutes ago to say they were heading to Betty's for 8:45 and that they'd be cleared out for 9, which means I had just over an hour to get some supplies and a small crew of guys over to the other side of the park.

I'd bring the basics with me and then make a list after getting there of what other supplies were needed. From the sounds of it there were some structural issues which I would handle, and some cosmetic ones better suited to other members of my team.

I swung by some of the younger Serpent's places first, though most of them were at the Fogarty's before school, to lay down a few ground rules for the day, and then a game plan for after school. I wanted everyone present when we did the unveiling, have a true welcoming celebration for Miss Cooper at her new and improved place.

Once I got to the home I could see it would need a fair amount more work than I'd imagined, but the bulk of it could be finished today.

I set some of the boys to ripping off siding, Tallboy I left in charge of getting rid of that hornet's nest and filling in that suspicious looking hole under the back section. I started my examination of the one rotten support post that was making the building lean.

I lost myself in the work, measuring, cutting, bracing…it was a handy man's dream.

Toni texted around 2pm, letting me know they'd made it to the school finally, and that everyone should be heading over by 3:20. The boys and I had just finished putting on the new siding when we heard the first motorcycle heading our way.

(Betty)

As we got closer to my place I could see more and more motorcycles lining the little lane and I became increasingly ill thinking about the whole gang seeing my new digs. I hadn't had a chance to put down new flooring or even try to mask the bad siding with paint…

I closed my eyes, trying to will away the amount of people clustered around my home. Trying to will the tears from my eyes at people seeing how shitty my home actually was. I felt Toni put her hand on my shoulder as the car came to a stop.

"Girl, open your eyes, you're not going to believe this!" she whispered excitedly, starting to shake my shoulder in her glee.

I cautiously opened one eye and then the other.

This-this couldn't be my place. Had we pulled up to the wrong house?

But no, there's my little garage and the little yellow mailbox at the end of the drive.

FP walked up to the car and opened the door.

"Welcome home Betty," he said casually, like there weren't a fuck ton of bikers on my front lawn.

"Did you do this FP?"

"Sweet Pea texted last night and told me your place could use some TLC so the boys and I came over and spruced it up a bit, hope you don't mind."

"You didn't have to do this, I would have gotten to it eventually. I don't need charity-"

"No, you don't, but you're family, and we help our own. No Serpent stands alone." He said, placing his hands on my shoulders, "Now, no anger and no tears, let me show you what we did and then you can tell these miscreants where to put your stuff!" he said, yelling the last bit to the masses.

I was overwhelmed, I couldn't believe what they'd done for me, what HE had done for me. Once we got inside and he'd shown me all the small upgrades and added details I couldn't stop myself from hugging him and thanking him profusely. I didn't know how I was going to repay the kindness my new family had shown me, but I knew I'd find a way eventually.

"Sunny across the street donated her old couch to the cause, you must have made an impression on her," FP laughed, gesturing to the floral sofa now in my living space, "she called in the middle of the day and said we could have it for your place if we could get it out of her storage locker, I don't even know how she could have known we were here."

"I'll be sure to thank her next time I see her, maybe bake her a pie!"

"She'd love an apple pie." I heard from behind me. Sweet Pea was making himself at home in my updated kitchen, putting away what small amount of groceries we'd liberated from my parents.

"And how would you know that," I queried, giving FP the side eye as he laughed and made himself at home.

"Sunny is my grandma, I called her and asked if she would donate her old sofa, she said she'd only do it if FP had to pick it up himself," he said, laughing at our King's dropped jaw when he realized she'd gotten one over on him.

"Don't be afraid to put a bit too much salt in that pie, Princess," he said, throwing a pillow at Sweet Pea's head as he snickered from the pass through of the kitchen.

Once the faux fight was over the rest of the young Serpents piled into the kitchen with the last of my stuff. I directed some of them through to the living room, while a couple heading towards the bathroom and bedrooms. The spare was going to have to become an office and storage space, but at least I had the extra room.

"Alright, now that your place is livable, let's raise a glass to the newest recruit!" Fangs crowed from the kitchen, passing around bottles of beer.

"And a toast to new family, thank you all so much for going behind my back and giving a girl a proper place to lay her head!" A loud roar of approval sounded throughout the house, followed by the clinking of bottles together. FP gave me a side hug as I took a swig from my bottle. I felt myself relax even further into his side, a feeling of warmth and a small thrill going up my spine as he rubbed gentle circles on my back.

I chose to ignore the heat creeping into my cheeks and focus instead on the overwhelming feeling of belonging.

This is what a home and family should feel like. I could only hope every day of the rest of my life felt this good.