7

She woke up on an orange velvet sofa upstairs, upstairs of The Wyrm. Grace sat up slowly and raked her hand through her hair before picking up her bag and grabbing her compact. Her eyeliner was less than prefect and was the second thing she fixed. Grace had just finished as she heard footsteps on the stairs. There he was, the FP that lived in her memory

"That's the FP I remember"

He tossed a leather jacket towards her, which she quickly catch one handed

"It should fit you?"

"I can't wear that, I'm not a serpent"

"No but at this point, you are under their protection"

"Under their protection?" she asked "What is this, England seventeen forty?"

"Gracie, do not fight me on this" he snapped "Just put the damn thing on and I'll meet you at the truck"

She watched him walk back downstairs, before pulling the jacket on and damn him. It did fit. Grace stood up, grabbed her big, fix her hair in the reflexion of some glass and walked outside.

She saw him leaning against the passage side door. Grace walked over and stood in front of him, FP didn't move.

She was pissed and she was trying not to seem pissed, but failing terrible. FP tired not to smile but he couldn't help it

"What?" she asked

"Look at me" he chuckled .She sighed, put her sunglasses on top of her head and stared at him. He snaked his arm around her waist and pull Grace towards him "I'm sorry"

"Don't worry about it"

She brushed him off and looked over at The Wyrm

"You had a nightmare last night about him, the night it happened, I think. I couldn't wake you. I'm not dealing with it well"

"Well, say that next time"

"I'm an ass"

"Yeah, you are" she laughed

"Jacket suits you though"

"This isn't permanent. I'm not preforming in front of a crowd, you can forget it"

She watched his face change rapidly at the thought and she couldn't help but laugh at him. Clearly FP didn't like that idea either.

"You have a point"

"I normally do"

She smiled up at him. He knew he was actually forgiven and truth be told he wanted to kiss her but didn't. Not knowing where they stood on that subject. FP instead, kissed her on the forehead before moving out of the way of the door.

They didn't know that they were being watched at the time. Dalton watched them from his car. It didn't take a genius to figure out what was going on. He had never seen her dressed like that, it wasn't the Harper that Dalton had known.

She had never mentioned anything about this place or this guy. It was pretty clear what he was into. He had been too obvious at the diner, too protective, there had been something unreadable in his eyes that had given him away. Also where his hands there on her body, gave him away. They were far too south of Grace's waist for Dalton's liking.

Grace and Dalton hadn't broken up. She had just left without saying a word. To Dalton they were still together and everything she was doing right now was cheating. She was cheating on him, with someone like that.

Dalton was starting to see Harper more clearly and he didn't like it, what so ever.

#

As it turned out, Fred was the easy one to tell. He had pieced it all together, although he did want to her to tell Sheriff Keller, just so something was on record. He had a point. It seemed like a good idea, even though she wasn't sure it was going to get that far.

She found Jughead and Archie in their hideaway of the basement. Truth be told, Grace didn't know how to tell them something like this but they needed to know, just in case of the worst case. Both kids look over at her surprised as she walked in the back door.

"Hey" she said closing the door behind her "I need to talk to the both of you"

"This about last night?" Jughead asked

"Somewhat"

"What happened last night?" Archie looked between Jughead and Grace

She sat down across from them and tried to think of the right way to tell them something like this. The only thing she could come up with was, come straight out with it.

"Ok, so do you remember the guy I was seeing in New York. Dalton?"

"Mr Loafers?" Archie answered

"Yeah, that's him" Grace laughed sweetly "Before I came here, we had a fight and it escalated"

"How?"

"Archie" Jughead interrupted "Look at her"

"I'm fine. He left the apartment and I just jumped in the car and I left him. I thought that was the end of it but Dalton showed up at the diner looking for me last night. FP and Pop's got rid of him but you know what he looks like?" she sighed "Jughead, you saw him, yeah?"

"Yeah"

"Ok, you need to listen to me. If you see him again in town, you need to tell either me, Fred or FP, understand? We will handle it. I don't need you guys going all Scooby Gang and sneaking around fixing anything"

"Gracie?" Archie protested

"Arch. I am serious. Most likely he has left town and we'll never see him again. I'm just telling you, just in case. Understand?"

"Yes"

"Promise?"

"Yes" both boys agreed

"What did he do?" Archie asked, he wasn't holding his anger very well and Grace hated it.

"Sweetheart, it doesn't matter now"

"Yes it does"

"Does my dad know?" Jughead asked with an all knowing smile.

"He is the only one that knows the full story. He is the only one that will know the full story"

"He wants to kick this guy's ass, doesn't he?"

She laughed and shook her head

"I think there are great pains that your dad would to inflict on Dalton but I'm not going to let him. Nobody wants your dad going anywhere. Don't worry"

She stood up and was surprised that both had the need to give her a hug. Grace made her way to the back door before hearing her nephew

"You're okay now though, right?"

"I'm getting there, Babe"

She was only too aware of two very attentive, caring eyes watching her go.

#

She heard both FP and Fred in the living room. She stopped and listened for a while as they spoke macho and were all protective. It was sweet, really. Both we're beating themselves up about it but really what could they have done. She lived too far away. Sure she came back as often as possible, when life allowed.

Grace loved that even though Fred and FP had been through lot. Good, bad and most certainly very ugly. They seemed to have found a good space now. They would never be what they were once but at least they could be in the same room these days.

She rounded the corner as they were deep in conversation

"Okay, stop talking shit about me" she joked before sitting on the arm on the sofa, putting her feet on cushions

"Feet off the lounge" Fred told

"Yes dad"

"Why didn't you say anything sooner?"

"What could you have done, Fred? It happened, I left. I wouldn't even be bring it up, if it wasn't for last night"

"Yet you told FP?"

"He guessed"

"No, I called you out on your bullshit"

"Which you always seem to do. It's really annoying, by the way"

"Only for you"

"Are you sure you're okay?" Fred asked frowning

"He has a point. You did hit your head a few times"

"Did the doctor clear me, FP?"

"Yes but he didn't gave you a cat scan because you didn't say anything about your head"

"I'm sure if I had a cracked skull or an inflamed brain or whatever. I would have showed symptoms by now" she chuckled "I'm not insane, in the membrane"

"No, but you are an idiot" he brother laughed "Go to the police station. Before they get busy"

"Does the Riverdale PD ever get really get busy?" she asked making her way to the front door

"Come on, quick. Before they charge me with killing someone else"

She turned around quickly and stared at FP wide eyed, opened mouth

"Don't even joke. That's not funny"

"Kind of funny"

She shook her head as they walked out the door. Fred knew she didn't want to be making a statement that she was only doing it for him but he knew that something needed to be on the record. Just in case.