The house is silent, except for Archie's footsteps and Veronica's high-pitched giggles. She's draped over his arms as he carries her through his household, careful not to wake his dad.

"Shhh," Archie whispers, but there's an amused glint in his eye.

She giggles again. "Sorry," she mumbles. Instinctively, she wraps her arms around his neck as he makes his way up the stairs. Occasionally, her feet would hit the wall and she would squeal, earning a teasing eyeroll from Archie.

Miraculously, they manage to get into Archie's room with zero injuries and minimal noise. He lays her down on his bed and she flops onto her side, back facing towards him, wiggling herself until she feels comfortable.

She such a small little girl in a big wide world, trying to figure out who she is. It's so unfair that life is throwing everything her way and she is left to deal with the damages. It pains Archie to think of what she goes through on a daily basis. Her heart is so soft and gentle and wants the best for everyone, her somewhat harsh exterior is just protecting her heart. She deserves everything good, Archie thinks. She deserves the world.

Archie stands above her small figure, admiring the way her chest rises and falls with every breath. He smiles when she rolls over, so her front is to him.

He was just about to turn around when Veronica reaches her hand out and links her fingers with his, for just a quick, fleeting moment. It was so soft and light it could never have it existed at all. But it was there.

"Don't leave," Veronica murmurs. "Please." Her eyes are open. Wide, innocent, and hopeful. He could get lost in them, the way her eyes twinkle with happiness and shimmer with glee. Or the way they tear up with shame and guilt and sorrow, that time she broke both his heart and hers.

He crawls into the bed and lays down next to her. They are both awake, but barely. A blanket of drowsiness covers them, and they are so incredibly tired and their nearness allows them both to calm their minds. It's as if when they are closer together, they can breathe again.

Without really thinking, Archie leans forward and brushes his lips against Veronica forehead, delicately, oh so delicately. Its tender and sweet and something Veronica wishes would last longer. But no, he pulls away too soon and she's left with a chilly feeling on her skin.

She wants to stay awake and ask him what that means. She wants to know what he feels and what he wants and what he's thinking. She wants to understand what's happening between them.

But god damnit she's just too fucking scared to say anything.

Eventually, her eyelids flutter closed and she escapes into a deep sleep.


Veronica opens her eyes. It's dark. Pitch-black. She shifts her body a little and the wooden bed frame creaks underneath her.

Another boy is lying down next to her. A strong boy with broad shoulders and defined back muscles, yet so vulnerable and fragile on the inside. Just a gentle, caring, clumsy redhead who wants the world to smile.

She's in Archie's bedroom, she can tell, but how did she get there? Why is she here? She doesn't know how or why, but something tells her to relax. The way the mattress sinks in under her weight, the thin sheets that cover her figure, the soothing aroma that calms her soul, it's all has a fond familiarity to it.

Like déjà vu, but the best kind of déjà vu possible.

She snuggles deeper into the pillow and once again her mind loses consciousness and is dragged into the shadowy depths of sleep.


Veronica wakes to rays of blistering daylight streaming through the windows, blinding her eyes. She groans and digs her face into the pillow, wanting to be able to sleep forever, or at least for a few more hours.

But she can't. Slowly and reluctantly, she turns over onto her side and almost flops right on top of Archie's sleeping body. She's careful not to touch or disturb him.

She sits up and feels like death. Probably looks like death as well. She knows she's hungover. She can remember countless other nights of drinking her thoughts away and the awful mornings that follow. She's used to it.

But where is her stuff? Where's her phone? Her room keys? Her car keys? Her whole fucking car? Veronica crawls over Archie and stands up, determined to find her belongings then leave as soon as humanly possible. Of course, the toxins flooding through her bloodstream do not comply. The quick change from a sitting to upright position catches her by surprise. She runs to the toilet and dry retches. When nothing comes out, she puts the lid down and rests her head on it, breathing hard.

It's so weird how life works. Sometimes Veronica feels like she's on top of the world, and other times the world seems to be on top of her. But either way, she always ends up in a bathroom trying to vomit her guts out.

There's a mirror above the sink. She knows she looks like hell. There's no doubt about it. But still. It's a mirror. Mirrors are her thing.

She claws at the edge of the sink and pulls herself up, looking into the shiny reflective surface. Yikes. It's worse than normal. Smudges of dirt cover her cheeks and leaves are entangled in her knotted hair. Not to mention that she's literally in only a black cotton bra and tiny denim shorts, both of which are also covered in dirt and grime.

She's tired, thirsty, and looks like absolute shit. What a way to start the day.

"Ronnie." Archie's scratchy morning voice floats into the bathroom. Veronica bites her lip, inwardly cursing.

"Hey, I was just about to leave." She slowly makes her way out of the bathroom, crossing her arms over her chest, feeling slightly uncomfortable that so much of her skin is exposed. She notices that his eyes don't scan up and down her body, and she's thankful. "By the way, do you know happened last night?"

"According to Mantle, you ran out of his house drunk as hell and then I found you at Sweetwater river."

Veronica raises an eyebrow. "Mantle? Reggie fucking Mantle?"

"Yup."

"Damn. I'm really stupid, aren't I?" Archie doesn't answer, which Veronica takes as a negative sign.

"Do you want breakfast or something before you go?"

She shakes her head. "Just a t-shirt or something would be nice."

"Yeah of course. In the dresser over there." Veronica smiles gratefully and picks out a plain white tee, slipping it over her head. It smells undeniably like Archie and the soft material hangs loosely off her shoulders. She was just about to shut the drawer when she spots a familiar shade of royal purple tucked underneath layers of other clothing items. Curious, she pulls it out and sees three large letters on the front of the sweatshirt.

NYU

"You're going to NYU?" Veronica asks.

"Yup."

"Me too." There's a brief moment of silence. Veronica shakily folds the sweatshirt and places it back into the drawer, closing it carefully.

"Um, do you want a ride home?" Archie is now standing up behind her, stiffly rubbing his neck. Veronica's first instinct is to say no. She doesn't want to deal with the awkwardness of the two of them stuck in the same car just a few feet apart. But the walk to her motel room would take at least half an hour, probably more because she feels like shit and won't last ten minutes before giving up.

"Sure," she replies. "Thanks."

"No problem."

The car ride is fairly short and isn't as bad as Veronica thought it would be. They small talk for a bit about NYU and Archie expresses his worries about moving to New York and leaving his dad in Riverdale.

"Don't worry, he's not dying or anything," Veronica says. It comes out more harshly that she intended, but thankfully he doesn't notice.

"Yeah, but still. I don't want to leave him all sad and alone."

"I've felt that way before," Veronica whispers. She stares at her hands. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Archie asks, but he has a feeling he knows what she's talking about.

"For moving to New York without telling you, back in junior year." She pauses. "That was pretty shitty of me."

"Yeah, it was."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I forgive you. I forgave you a long time ago." Veronica turns her head and looks at Archie. His eyes are glued to the road, but she can tell that they are a little darker than normal, a little more melancholy.

"I still haven't forgiven myself. I was a stupid, sensitive, confused teenager who would rather run away from her problems then face them. I always think that maybe if I had talked to you before I left then maybe we wouldn't have ended on such a horrible note."

"You know, I hated you for like a week after you moved." Veronica blinks, tears glistening in the corner of her eyes. "Like, hated you more than anything in the world."

"Understandable," she mumbles. "I hated myself too."

"Then I realized that I didn't hate you, I hated that you left. You were everything to me, you were my whole world. When you left, it was like I didn't have a life at all."

"I'm sorry," Veronica whispers again. The tears spill down her cheeks, and she wipes them away with the back of her hand.

"I was such a fucking disaster," Archie laughs, but there is no humor in his voice. "Betty and Jughead and Kevin and even Cheryl helped me through it. Honestly, I don't even know how they're still my friends when they had to see me like that."

Veronica shrugs. "That's how you know who your true friends are." Archie nods and they sit there in silence for a while. There aren't thinking of something to fill the gap, more like absorbing the situation and basking in the emotions.

Archie pulls into the motel parking lot, turning off the ignition. He leans back against the seat and closes his eyes. They stay there in the stillness, together both physically and emotionally. In front of them, the neon red and blue motel sign flashes on and off and sky is a brilliant baby blue. Such a nice day for a panic in the park or a dip in the ocean, but all Veronica wants is to lie down and not think about anything. This vacation is too much for her.

She just wants someone to hold her and comfort her, an all too familiar feeling.

The car door clicks open. Archie is getting out. "I can walk you to the door."

Despite the drab mood, Veronica laughs. "The door is like ten feet away. I think I can manage."

"Just let me be a gentleman, okay Ronnie?"

Veronica smiles. "Are you kidding me? You're always a gentleman."

"Thank you! I try." She chuckles and shakes her head but gets out of the car anyways and lets him 'be a gentleman'. They get to the door and then Veronica realizes that she has nothing on her. Phone, wallet, room keys, nothing.

"Shit. Shit shit shit." She grinds her teeth together in frustration.

"What?"

Veronica turns to Archie. "Do you have any idea where my phone is? Or my room keys? That let me into my fucking room?"

Archie groans. "Reggie's place probably. Unless you left them at Sweetwater river." Veronica purses her lips.

"I need a favor."

"A ride to Reggie's?"

"You got it."

"Lets go."