Chapter Eleven : Porcelain

"Hey V," Betty murmured through the phone as she sat on Jughead's couch.

It had been three days since she had been cleared to leave the hospital and since she couldn't bring herself to go back home, she'd been staying in Jughead's trailer. Jughead was out with Archie at the moment, an event Betty had planned to get Jughead to stop questioning her.

As long as she stayed away from the main triggers, Betty was able to say her PTSD was getting much better. Avoiding the main triggers meant staying in Jughead's trailer all day- but it worked.

"Just trying to get ahold of you, again. Update is… I'm good. Hope you are too. Okay, thanks for listening, bye." She hung up the phone, hoping Veronica would get her voicemail.

The worst part was the fact that Veronica still wouldn't talk to her. Archie had told Betty that Veronica was worried about her so she had started leaving updates for her friend. It was the only thing Betty felt capable of doing.

At least she was getting better. At least that's what she had been telling herself whenever something happened.

Putting her phone on the couch, Betty sighed, fingers pressing against her palms. Another thing that had happened, was that her old habit of self-harm was back. As much as Betty tried to contain herself, to keep herself from making her hands bleed -which was another trigger- she rarely could stop herself without Jughead's help.

Betty looked down at her hands and closed her eyes. She imaged Jughead wrapping his arms around her and the feeling of safety. Her hands uncurled and the pressure on her palm's skin was released.

At least I'm getting better. She thought and sucked in a breath. But if I'm getting better, then why is my life still horrible? Getting up, she walked over to the kitchen with a face twisted with emotion. Reaching down to grab some tylenol from the drawer, she rolled her eyes at how much of a mess it was.

When she reached in the pile of stuff she felt something dig into her hand. Scissors. She'd cut her finger on scissors. Cursing in pain, she reached out for a rag but froze at the sight of blood dripping down her finger and falling to the floor.

At the sight of one droplet, her throat closed up and her heart raced. When the blood hit the ground, she closed her eyes, trying to keep herself from remembering, but it was too late.

Betty gasped and Chic's fist made contact with her jaw. She tasted the blood, the metallic flavor, first. Then she saw blood drip down her chin and fall to the floor. The droplet landed on her pants instead.

Betty was shaking violently, gasping for the air that was being kept from her. Tears poured down her face, tickling her chin as they dropped to the floor. Betty fell to the floor, landing on her knees and putting her head on the floor as she shook her head.

The flashback just repeated, over and over again. It was the worst she had experienced so far, sometimes she could simply shake it off, while some she just felt the emotions and needed a hug. This was different, she was reliving the moment. The horror, the pain, the fear, she could see it all happening.

The door opened and Jughead stepped inside, laughing softly. "Betty you've got to hear what-" when he saw her on the floor he rushed over to her. "Betty, Betty…" he repeated.

She could hear him, but Betty couldn't stop seeing the flashback. "No…" she sobbed, eyes shut tightly in horror. When Jughead pulled her in a hug, she let herself go limp and she held onto his leather jacket.

"You're worthless, you know Jughead will choose himself right? He'll let you die." Chic went on, leaning on the wall.

Betty felt anger surge inside her, licking the blood on her lip. "He won't need to. I'll escape before he has to choose anyone." She spat and Chic leaned down, grabbing her face roughly in his hands.

"Will you now?" He growled, and he felt him jab his hand into her stomach. Betty felt the pain warm all over her. She took hoarse breaths, trying to get oxygen into her lungs again. "Will you?" Chic yelled and when she barely managed to nod, he hit her in the rib and she buckled, coughing to try and forget about the pain.

Jughead kept holding onto her shaking form, stroking her hair and whispering to her. "Betty, you're okay… We're in the trailer. Betty, understand? The trailer, with the ugly brown and white walls. Okay, Betty? You're okay. You're safe."

Betty felt the flashback slowly ebb away as she managed to open her eyes. Jughead's words were so calming, she wanted to look at him. Forcing her eyes open she took in the wall color, he was right. She was in the trailer with the ugly brown and white trailer walls. Not the gray basement. She stopped shaking so much and rested her head on him.

"Yeah… see? What you were seeing was all past. This is the present. Betty, see?" Betty nodded, looking at the walls of the room. Her arms were wrapped tightly around Jughead's waist. He was sitting on the floor, and she was sprawled on top of him, still half on the floor.

"I see," She whispered and took a few calming breaths. "I see…" Betty repeated, her grip on Jughead not loosening. He just felt so safe, everything about him.

After a few minutes, Jughead brushed a piece of hair out of her eyes and she looked up at him. His eyes were burning with concern and sadness. "Hey, Bets," he whispered and she sighed shakily.

"Hello,"

"Can I see you're hand?" Jughead asked, still rubbing circles on her back. She nodded and showed him the cut on her hand. When he winced, she looked over at sucked in a breath. Her nails had cut deep into her palm and blood was a growing pool on her hand. The cut was hardly noticeable compared to the nail wounds.

Betty bit her lip slightly, not daring to look at Jughead's face. When Jughead reached in his pocket and pulled out a napkin from Pop's, Betty took a few shaky breaths. Jughead pressed the napkin to her palm and kissed the top of her head. "And your other hand?" He asked and she let go of Jughead. to show him her other palm.

It was just as bad, but this time Jughead didn't wince. He stood up, still holding her slightly because she stood up as well. Walking her over to the sink, she turned the faucet on. Betty sighed in relief at the white noise and looked to Jughead as he ran her hands in the water.

When she saw the blood on her hands, her heart stopped and panic shot through her again. This time though, Jughead was there and rubbed her back, kissing her forehead. "You're alright Betty. You're alright." Betty nodded, trying her hardest to believe him.

An hour later, they were sitting on the couch. Betty had her head rested on his shoulder and Jughead had his arm around her waist as they stared at the blank TV. Betty's hands were wrapped in a bandage and she had calmed down since her… episode.

"Betty?" Jughead started and Betty felt her mouth twitch in annoyance. She knew that tone. The sweet, slow one.

"Yeah?"

"Are you telling me everything?"

Betty felt her mouth go dry and she sighed softly. Maybe if she didn't say anything, he'd leave it. Jughead kissed her head and she swallowed. He was waiting for an answer. Cursing him for being so patient she took a breath. "No," She whispered, maybe if she could talk quiet enough he wouldn't hear her.

"Can you please tell me everything, I want to know. So I can help," Jughead murmured back, and she could hear the pain in his voice. Betty felt guilt well in the pit of her stomach. She was hurting him by keeping secrets.

"Alright,"

"Alight," Betty whispered and Jughead sighed in relief.

When he walked in on her screaming in horror, he felt his heart stop. He had thought she was doing okay… Jughead cursed himself for being so naive. How could Betty really be okay after everything?

When Betty started telling him everything, he felt his heart sink farther and farther. It hurt to hear what she had been dealing with.

"As for Veronica… Jughead she's my best friend." The young woman breathed, voice quiet. "And she won't even talk to me." Tears bubbled in her eyes and Jughead wiped them away with his hand. "I'm falling, drowning and I don't want to hold onto anyone because I'm scared I'll pull them under with me." She swallowed hard and Jughead felt her heart sting with bitter hate for Chic. "Veronica- see she was smart." Talking about Veronica put a strain on Betty's voice and Jughead gave her a quick hug. "She jumped ship before I could bring her down."

Jughead pursed his lips and sighed. "Betty, look at me." She looked up at him, eyes red with unshed tears. Jughead didn't know why Veronica stopped being friends with Betty, but he wasn't going to let this continue. "You did nothing wrong." Her eye twitched ever so slightly and he knew she didn't believe him.

Instead of continuing, Jughead kissed her lips and she kissed back. It was soft, quick but when they pulled away, Betty seemed already more relaxed. Jughead grinned slightly and pulled her in closer, she rested her head against her chest again.

"I love you, Jug."

"I love you too."

Archie threw open Veronica's bedroom door and took a shaky breath to control himself. Veronica looked up to him with a blotchy face and narrowed her eyes in confusion.

"What's wrong?"

"Betty just had another flashback- and Jughead says it has to be the worst one yet," Archie said, voice shaking with frustration. "You need to talk to her."

Veronica's face fell and she sat down on her bed again, shaking her head. "Arch, you know I can't." her voice cracked slightly but Archie just narrowed his eyes and sat beside her.

He almost wanted to yell at her for being so stupid, but he knew that would accomplish nothing.

Betty was hurting, Veronica was hurting for Betty. For Veronica to get better, she needed to help Betty get better, but she wouldn't even text Betty.

"Ronnie, she needs you-"

"-Stop telling me that!" The Latina snapped and put her face in her hands. "You think I don't know that?" Her voice was shrill and rising by the moment. Archie kissed her cheek to stop her talking and she stopped.

"Listen- you need her to get better and she needs you. She calls you every day and you listen to every one of her voicemails over and over. Don't you just want to talk to her?" He asked and Veronica's face was blank for a moment, then something flickered in her eyes and Archie couldn't tell what it was.

He didn't need to ask.

"Oh my god, you're right." Veronica shook her head and blew out a breath. "I've been so selfish… oh my god, I need to talk to her!" she jumped up. Archie held back a comment that he was always right. It wasn't the right time.

Veronica threw on a faux fur coat over her dark velvet dress and slipped on some black heels. "Thank you, lover-boy," she smirked and Archie grinned back. "I need your car."

Then she took off, the door swinging shut behind her. Archie felt realization dawned on him and he raced after Veronica. "Wait- I need my car to get home!" but when he saw Hermione looking at him from the kitchen, a wine cup in her hands he blushed. "I'll… just walk." He murmured awkwardly and the mayor laughed.

"Smart move, I'm pretty sure she's already in the car."

Archie smiled awkwardly and walked outside, shaking his head at how awful that had been. The worst time for Hermione to just be standing in the kitchen, but at least Veronica was going to speak to Betty.

Archie put his hands in his pockets and his hand dropped to his pocket, for his phone. When it wasn't there he remembered he left it in the car, Archie blew out an annoyed breath.

When his eye caught onto something -somebody- in the shadow of a building, Archie felt his hands clench. The short blond hair was unmistakable. When the man looked over at Archie and their eyes made contact, the man turned and retreated in the shadows.

Archie wanted to rush forward, but at just the sight of Chic made him freeze.

Chic was still out there, lurking in the shadows.

"My past is an armor I cannot take off, no matter how many times you tell me the war is over."

A/N: Okay, I had just finished the new Riverdale episode and I was so ready to write so that's why this was posted early and longer. Tell me what you think of this episode and what you think of Chic coming back. Thank again for reading! ^^