"Are you okay Pop?" Cheryl asked, walking into Izzy's room, she'd heard the commotion downstairs but didn't feel like now was the time to walk in on Tate family drama.
"Fine Poppy, it's been a long night why don't you go on ahead and sleep?" Pop said getting up off Izzy's bed and returning the picture frame back where it belonged.
"She'll come around."
"Yeah… eventually" Pop admitted, eventually. But knowing Izzy as well as he did eventually could be over a decade from now.
"It could have been a lot worse, she didn't smash anything" Cheryl reminded him.
"It could have also been a lot better, I should have told her sooner."
"Izzy is stubborn, and yeah she can hold a grudge but… you're Pop" Cheryl said, he was Pop, the one person they all went to. He was a living icon to all the kids in town, Pop gave more people chances than they even deserved. He was Pop, and no matter how angry she was, Izzy would always forgive him. "And until she gets back; you have me, I'll make sure she doesn't do anything too stupid or reckless. I'll remind her every day that well that you've always done the best for her and a single lie doesn't change that."
"Thanks, we should both get to bed, I'm pretty sure tomorrow will be just as chaotic as today was." Pop sighed, finishing the first drink of what he knew would be many in the weeks to come.
x.x.x.x
On the other side of town Izzy laid in Jughead's bed staring at his ceiling, she wasn't thinking or remembering, she was just looking at the ceiling.
Just staring up at the glow in the dark stars they had placed up there about three years ago. Izzy was mildly surprised that they still glowed after all these years.
Who would have thunk it.
Jughead cuddled next to her, he didn't know what to say, he also knew Izzy won't appreciate his questions and need for answers until she had everything figured out in her mind first, but that didn't mean he couldn't be there for her.
They spent another twenty minutes in bed before Izzy got bored of it, and walked into the living room switching on the TV, ready to start a movie marathon.
By some kind of unspoken agreement, they both turned off their phones and ignored the outside world.
They would spend that first night in the trailer watching movie after movie, trilogy after trilogy until they both passed out from sheer exhaustion just before the first ray of light came through the curtains.
x.x.x.x
Veronica woke up the next morning, having spent the night tossing and turning to find her dad standing in her room.
Veronica got up, ignoring the sight of the man moving to grab her silk morning coat. "Get out, daddy. I don't want to talk to you" she stated from her chair in front of her vanity.
"Veronica, your sister, has just found out about who I am in the most horrible way possible. And while I get that you are also in shock as well, please learn to keep your indignation to a minimum."
"Are you kidding me" Veronica snapped, throwing her hairbrush onto the vanity, "You tell me you have a secret love child and you expect me to-"
"I expect you to not spend fifteen thousand dollars in under an hour in your attempt to punishing me." Hiram reprimanded sternly. "But seeing as you did, I expect you to be more humble when talking to me."
"What, I'm just preparing for the day you up and leave mum and me as well. The Louis Vuitton bag will provide comfort."
"I glad you belief so Mija, but spend another penny of my money, and I will cut up all your cards and have you get a job to pay me back." Hiram threatened, "Do you really think I would have walked away from them if I didn't know that it was the only way I could protect them?" Hiram asked.
"I am trying to do the right thing. You wanted honesty from me no matter the cost, so I am honest; I want to get to know Isabelle. I watched you every night when you were a baby, I got to see you grow up. I was there for every dance rehearsal and ballet audition. I wasn't able to do that for her, and from what I can tell she has turned out to be this amazing young woman, I just want the chance to get to know her as well."
"What do you think is going to happen? How do you think this is going to work?" Veronica asked, actually curious about her dad's plans.
"Well, I've told her everything, and I will give her a couple of days to get used to the idea before reaching out," Hiram explained simply, it was the only play he had left.
After the shock Isabelle had suffered last night it wouldn't be right to just keep piling on, everyone needed a few days to calm down and reprioritise.
"Get used to the idea? You are delusional."
"Would it be so bad for her to get to know me, to know her dad and sister, to have a step mum? You have the weekend to think about it, just know that everything I have ever done was to protect my family, I left to protect her because I didn't have a choice but now… I want to get to know her, Veronica. I want to make up for all my mistakes, I told you that I will be different, this is me trying to show you. I have the chance to get to know Isabelle without putting her life at risk, and I am hoping that you help me with this. We can get to know your sister together." Hiram got up knowing he had already won Veronica over.
Even before he had finished his first sentence, partially because this was the most honest he had ever been with Veronica in her entire life.
x.x.x.x
Fred wasn't surprised to see Veronica at his doorstep the very next day, even under all her makeup and pearls he could tell that she had spent half the night crying.
"Why don't I tell Betty to stop by as well" Fred greeted making his way out of the door to take Vegas on his morning walk.
Veronica could only nod her head as she passed by. Taking a seat in the living room, she didn't have to wait long before Betty came in calling up the stair to Archie asking about Veronica.
"What do you mean? She's at home." Archie responded from the top of the stairs.
"In here." Veronica corrected well aware that Archie still didn't know she was in his house.
"Vee is everything alright?" Betty asked, worried, rushing into the Andrews living room, dropping her bag on the floor by the couch. "Mr Andrews was-"
"Is this about last night with Pop and Izzy?" Archie questioned, racing down the stairs when he heard Veronica's voice.
After Veronica stopped responding to his calls and text last night Archie had tried one more time to get his dad to tell him what was going on, only to be dismissed and told to go to sleep.
"Izzy Tate is my sister," Veronica admitted studying the look on both their faces, they looked confused, but Archie did seem to come around more quickly than Veronica had expected.
"As in?"
"Izzy Tate. Pop's granddaughter she's my… my dad and her mum apparently-"
"Oh, Veronica, how are you?" Betty sympathised offering comfort. She knew how shocking it was finding out that your parent had another child out there somewhere.
"Tired, confused. How were you when you found out about your brother." Veronica countered she couldn't believe they both had long lost siblings except Veronica's one will be at school this morning.
Veronica knew and was disliked by Izzy.
"IZZY is your sister" Archie repeated hoping he had been hearing things.
x.x.x.x
"Guess she didn't come in," Betty noted looking around, it was their last lesson of the day, and Izzy hadn't made an appearance at school.
"My calls keep going straight to voicemails, and she's ignoring all my text as well."
"Who didn't come in?" Kevin questioned having heard the random statement. He wasn't overly worried or panicked, but with a serial killer on the loose set to strike at any minute a 'missing person' could already be a victim of The Black Hood.
"Nothing, I just-" Betty began backtracking, it wasn't up to her to tell anyone about Veronica's family.
"Izzy Tate." Veronica said, not willing to hide the truth from Kevin or anyone.
"Is this because she has been giving you evil looks the last few days?" Kevin wondered, "What did you do to her anyway cause I heard from Tina that she has the Vixen hiding your pom-poms and teaching you the wrong routine which-"
"She's my sister." Veronica cut in confessing once more, having said it that morning it felt surprisingly harder to admit it again.
"...isn't funny but apparently she has a bee up her bonnet- WHAT?!"
"Yeah Veronica, what did you just say?" Valerie questioned, turning around and glaring the Hispanic girl.
"Izzy is my sister. We have the same dad." Veronica clarified.
"Look this isn't Veronica's fault, she just found out about it herself" Betty defended.
"I am going to need you to repeat that." Val demand getting out of her chair and standing over Veronica's.
Everyone had that one thing that always got to them, for Izzy, it was her family.
Never knowing who the man was, never quite know where half of her identity came from.
While everyone knew or had a vague idea who they came from Izzy never had that, her dad was meant to be this random one night stand that Ms Tate had many years ago.
It what they all knew, what they'd all been told and now Veronica Lodge was sitting in the middle of their English class proclaiming that she and Izzy shared the same father.
"Ms Brown, please return to your seat, we have-"
"Repeat what you just said" Valerie demanded.
This was either a very sick joke to play or payback for Izzy harassing Veronica during rehearsals, either way, it was a disgusting thing to do.
Yes, Izzy was insufferable and what she'd been doing could be classified as bullying, but this was a step too far.
"MS BROWN!"
Veronica couldn't take the disgusted look on Valerie's face anymore and grabbed her purse and run out of the class.
She could feel Valerie judging her, it was only a matter of time before everyone found out and judged her too.
x.x.
Valerie blinked in confusion, watching Veronica run out of the room.
Grabbing her phone out of her back pocket, Valerie began calling Izzy just for the call to automatically go straight to voice mail.
"Ms Brown return to your seat now." Mr Greene demanded.
"Sorry, I'm feeling sick." Valerie blandly lied, gathering up her things as well and walking out, "Nurses office."
x.x.x.x
By the time Izzy and Jughead had woken up, the sun had set once more, and school was already over, not that the pair had planned to attend either way.
Izzy enjoyed the relative peace and quiet of the trailer because once Jughead woke up, he would want her to deal with the events of last night.
"Your hair smells like strawberry." Jughead pointed out, twisting a strand between his fingers.
"I thought you were asleep."
"I woke up because someone was using me as a pillow" Jug teased, "It must have not been very comfortable because she kept punching my leg trying to make it softer."
Izzy hit Jug's left leg a couple more times, probably even bruising it yet he remained still watching her, "... and you are still here, clear signs that you are a masochist."
"Grab a shower, and I'll make us something to eat. Then we can talk."
x.x.
"What I don't get is why Penelope told you in the first place." Jughead stated, sliding a grilled cheese sandwich onto Izzy's plate before taking the other one and sitting down.
"That one is easy; apparently Pop had Mayor McCoy draw up emancipation papers for Cheryl, and that was a step too far."
"But I don't-"
"If Cheryl is emancipated whatever Clifford let for Cheryl can't be controlled by Penelope. Whatever shares Cheryl has in Blossom Industries will legally be hers to keep." Izzy explained, just before she had fallen asleep, she had figured out exactly why Penelope was so pissed off. "So on top on not telling me about Hiram, Pop also didn't tell me about his plans to get Cheryl emancipated."
"I'm sure he had a good-"
"If you defend him right now I will stab you. So how do you feel about me sending everyone a text to let them know what's going on?" Izzy questioned. "I mean there's not exactly a guidebook in telling someone you found out who your dad is, plus I don't feel like calling anyone cause then I'll be on the line explaining for hours. I'm not going to write a letter or an email so text?"
"Or you could ask them to come over now." Jughead countered, "tell everyone face to face."
"No, I still like my text idea better this way. They find out, and I don't have to see the look on their faces turn into pity."
"Maybe that why Pop never-"
"I just figured out the best way to let everyone one know." Izzy declared taking her half-eaten sandwich and her jacket with her and running out the door before Jughead could stop her.
While Izzy had chosen to wear a sweater and jeans after her shower, Jughead had unfortunately decided to wear his a grey tank top and a pair of short as the trailer heating was still on.
Izzy's choice of clothing meant she could run out into the snow and drive away without a second thought. In contrast, Jug couldn't take more than three steps out of the trailer without shivering due to the cold wintery weather.
x.x.x.x
In the end, Izzy figured out the perfect way to let everyone know, the town gossip AKA Alice Cooper. After promising Polly that they could catch up soon, Izzy made her request to Alice; favour for a favour.
Izzy would do the whole interview thing Alice wanted if Alice wrote a scathing article on Hiram and Pop.
This way everyone got to know the truth and Izzy didn't have to go around telling people one by one and Pop wouldn't get off on being the 'victim' in all this.
As far as Izzy was considered Pop was just as bad as Hiram, worse even.
Pop was family, he was the one who had been lying to her every day for sixteen years.
Hiram, on the other hand, was literally a stranger, plus he had technically told Izzy the truth the first time he met her.
Not that the truth bought him any brownie points.
"You want me to-"
"Expose Hiram and Pop, yes."
"But he's-"
"DO NOT DEFEND HIM!" Izzy screamed in frustration before Alice could finish her sentence. "Pop is just as bad. You need to stop seeing him as this old sweet guy. Do you know the number of times this month that I've gone to bed knowing that I won't see him because he's at the diner? Or how about the fact that he made a deal with Penelope fucking Blossom to keep this a secret. Or the fact that you know, Mayor McCoy knows, the Jone's, the Sheriff, the Greens. Everyone in town knew and kept it a secret for Pop, Mr Lodge didn't make you do this. It was Pop."
"Hiram isn't some type of decent guy. He's-"
"Mrs Cooper I honestly don't care about Hiram Lodge, the man meant nothing to me before yesterday so I don't see why that should change today."
"I don't feel like writing an article trashing Pop so what else have you got to sweeten the deal?" Alice asked she was going to write the expose either way.
"Fine, Jughead has a theory that I am the angel, it might be true, or it might be false. Either way, it is opened to interpretation, but if in my interview you want to imply something along those lines I won't stop you."
"You want me to say you are the angel?"
"No, I want you to destroy Pop and Hiram, you saying that I am the angel gives you more subscribers and readers, which makes you more money."
"The Black Hood is a serial killer Izzy, he could come after you."
"He's coming after all of us anyway, and if we are wrong about this, he's going to let us know."
"Yeah, by killing you."
"Or by writing back to you to correct the assumption. The Black Hood was getting away with literal murder, and he felt the need to brag about it. If we say I'm the Angel and I'm not he's going to write back and correct the mistake meaning more people reading your newspaper and more money for you."
"And what if by some miracle Jughead is right and you are this 'Angel of Riverdale'"
Izzy's brain short-circuited for a minute, it was an actual possibility that's why she had spoken to the Sheriff.
"Well the Sheriff knows about this possibility, so maybe he can actually do his job and protect me."
"I don't feel comfortable about this, why don't you go talk to Pop. Give him a chance to explain this properly, so you get the full picture."
Izzy sat there, remembering all the things she'd found out or had been through in the last two months.
Clifford shot Jason.
Cheryl tried to commit suicide.
Jughead planned on leaving town. F.P being arrested for stuffing Jason's body into a freezer.
Fred got shot in the diner.
Izzy's had developed an anxiety disorder.
Cheryl was an arsonist and maybe an attempted murderer.
The town had a serial killer.
Hiram being was her dad.
Pop had been lying to her.
Everyone had been lying to her.
She was meant to be a twin, but he died thanks to the shady dealings of Hiram Lodge.
Shady man stalked her on the orders of Hiram and to top it all off Veronica Lodge was her sister.
And the fucking cherry on the cake was the fact that PENELOPE BLOSSOM was the only one to tell her the truth.
Izzy had HAD ENOUGH with being the only one dealing with things, it shouldn't be up to her to tell everyone. This should never have been a secret in the first place. "You know Jughead being the great friend that he is wanted to let me know that I'll get through this. He wanted me to know that I'm not the only child whose parent abandoned and all that. He wanted me to talk to Veronica or Betty for perspective." Izzy casually replied back. "You abandoned your son didn't you Mrs Cooper, it may not be for the same reason as Mr Lodge's, but abandonment is abandonment. Who knows maybe Jughead is right, maybe I should toughen up and tell everyone myself face to face. I can even ask Betty for help, and I can explain to everyone how I'm not the only one who has a long lost sibling. And before you say I wouldn't, we both know that I would. So how about it Mrs Cooper, you write this article for me, I do this interview for you and no one finds out about your baby boy, at least not from me."
"Get out."
"I know it's short notice to get it out in any paper today but how about tomorrow. I'm sure you could write an excellent article for tomorrow." Izzy tossed out, getting off Cooper's beige couch. "You know the way I figure, if I am actually the Angel it is literally the only good thing going on for me right now. The Black Hood isn't likely to kill me if he's busy admiring me and thinking I am some pillar of virtue. If I'm not the Angel, it doesn't really increase or decrease my chances of being killed by the town's serial killer; I'm either a sinner in his eyes, or I'm not. Thanks for hearing me out."
Izzy walked past Betty Cooper on the way out, all she had to do was look at the girl to realise she knew about Hiram. "Oh, I, erm, I didn't. You aren't. Are you okay?" Betty finally managed to stammer out.
"Your mum seems upset, you may want to go look in on her," Izzy replied back instead before shutting the door behind her.
x.x.x.x
Andre was doing as ordered, he kept his eyes on Isabelle Tate, silently watching as she went from the Copper house over to her own home to slash Pop's tyres, before driving away.
While the boss wanted to give his daughter some space, his wife wanted the opposite and since Hermione was willing to blackmail Andre... he had no choice other than to follow Izzy around town.
The boss should feel hopeful, Isabelle seemed to be more angry at her grandfather than she was at him, after all, it was just as easy to go around to the Pembrooke and slash the tyres of the cars outside the building, but she hadn't.
Writer's Thoughts:
Now that Hiram has 'lost' interest his wife has taken an interest so this will be interesting. Izzy seems to be dealing with this really well, apart from the whole slashing of the tyres things and getting Alice to also go after Pop she hasn't really done anything bad.
All in all the girls are handling it really well.
Izzy is quite justified in being more angry at Pop than at Hiram if we are being honest.
comments, reviews, PM everything is appreciated.