It was the first things that a parent remembers about their child:
First cry. First smile. First laugh. First steps. First word. First hold. First tooth. First day at school. First birthday. First football game. First grazed knee. First hospital trip.
All the first.
Fred could remember holding Archie for the first time. The way his kid had screamed and cried until he was tucked in his Fathers' arms. It was then, when looking down at the peaceful face of him firstborn child, his only son, that he cried while Archie slept blissfully. He remembered a spark igniting in his chest, the urge to love, protect and care.
It was a lifelong promise he had intended to keep.
However, no parent can protect their child from all harm, for a child must learn what is dangerous and what isn't. Like running down the stairs, or not looking when walking down the street, or not blowing before eating hot food.
It was a promise that can only be broken so many times. It can be chipped, but never broken.
And Fred Andrews had broken the promise he made to his son.
The first time he had broken it was when he had gotten drunk one afternoon, like an average man would. He had drunk more than intended. It was after him and Archie's mother had broken up for the third time (they had a rocky relationship) and he had had enough.
He had felt angry, frustrated and stressed. And then a 9 year old Archie came down the stairs with tears falling from his eyes, asking where his Mother was. And Fred had just snapped. He had grabbed Archie's wrist on a bone crushing grip, screaming at him saying how she had left them, left him all alone because she didn't care about them. Then Archie had sobbed and begged his Dad to let go and that his Dad was scaring him.
Fred had let go in horror and fear, calling out for Archie as he darted up the stairs cradling his arm. Fred sobbed as he chased after him, apologising repeatedly - only to get a door in his face which had been seemingly barricaded. He had sat outside the door the whole night, crying and drowning in his self-loathing.
He had fallen asleep a while later only to wake up to a mop of red hair under his chin and small hands wrapped around his neck. He woke up Archie, cringing as he flinched and held his now purple arm against him. Fred cried again and apologised, only for Archie to cry and forgive him. He promised Archie to never lay a hand on him again, to never hurt him like that again. That day, they went out to get ice cream, and go to the movies together because Fred was determined to spoil Archie and show him how sorry he really was.
The second time it happened, it was with Miss Grundy. Fred had read up about child molesters, pedophiles, and rape when Archie was in his first year of high school. He knew what Statutory Rape was, and he thought he would be able to protect Archie from all of it, and tell him that Rape can happen to boys too.
Then he found out that Archie's music teacher had been having sex with his son. And Archie was so hellbent with the idea that he had provoked it, he had wanted it, that he was responsible. But Fred knew what manipulation and being a hormonal horny teenager was. He knew what had really happened.
Miss Grundy was a child pedophile who molested his son. A woman in a position of power over his kid who had manipulated him into thinking that he wanted it, when quite frankly, he didn't. Fred knew his kid, and he knew Archie had boundries when it came to dating and relationships.
Teachers, for Archie, had always been a no go.
So he knew, he knew his son had been corrupted by this bitch in uniform. He wanted to tear her apart, his entire soul seething with rage and anger and the desire to protect.
After the confrontation, Fred knew Archie blamed himself for it all. But Fred didn't want to tell Archie that he was raped. He ahd to protect Archie, and if Archie thought he hadn't been hurt, then that was enough for now. But still, he could not let Archie believe it was because of him. So he pulled Archie out of the car, and told him it wasn't his fault, before holding his son tightly in his arms, not daring to let go. He silently made a promise to protect Archie from anyone like Miss Grundy, and to never let anyone like that go near him nor get away with it like she had.
And now, here Fred was... threading his fingers through red hair, sitting next to a hospital bed which held his son. Archie lay with his eyes closed and features slack. His skin was clammy, and his hair stuck to his forehead. He was pale, God, he was so so pale.
If it wasn't for the monitor which measured Archie's oxygen levels, blood pressure, and heart rate, Fred would think his boy was dead.
Fred didn't dare take his eyes away from Archie, afraid he would miss something if he did. He had to protect him, he had to take care of him, and he couldn't do that if he wasn't watching him.
He continued to stroke through Archie's hair, unaware of what was taking place around him.
"M-Mr Andrews?"
"It's Fred, Jughead." He said tonelessly. He could feel the nervous energy radiating off of the teen behind him.
"S-shouldn't you g-go home and u-uh-"
"I'm not going anywhere until Archie does." He said with a finality even Veronica couldn't argue against.
"Well, um... Cheryl sends her wishes, she'd stop by, but, some stuff went down at Thornhill." Veronica stuttered.
Fred mumbled a thank you before refocusing his complete attention on his son, his fingers now stroking along the hair on his temple and behind his ear.
The teens had a conversation around them, however Fred could hear it like he was underwater.
"Did the doctor say anything about when he'll wake up?"
"Veronica, didn't you listen? He said 'if' not when!"
"Jug! Relax!"
"No, Betty! Archie is... and we..." soft crying finished the sentence.
"Wait, Betty, if he isn't waking up, then that means..."
"He's in a coma." Betty finished for Veronica.
Fred closed his eyes, willing his tears to disappear. He re-opened them almost instantly, remembering he had to watch over Archie.
He silently begged any God out there to let his son live, swearing on everything he ever had that if he did, this time, Fred would protect him. He swore to never, ever break his promise again. Even it cost him his own life.
He just couldn't lose Archie.
'God, please don't take him away from me. I'll do better, I promise. I'm begging you, not Archie!"
He'd do better. He'd protect Archie from everything, tell him everyday that he loves him, he would never hurt him.
He promised.