Betty was seven months along and starting to waddle like a penguin. She couldn't believe she had already been here four months. It seemed like just yesterday she stepped into the church seeing Jughead for the first time. He was so handsome that day with his beanie on but she soon found she liked it better with it off.
The pair had fallen into a routine, their days filled with wonder and excited as the baby grew. Some days Betty became sad to think that the baby wasn't really Jughead's. She wish they had met in a different way so the baby was his. She knew of course that he would treat the baby as his daughter, but she hoped one day she could give him a baby of his own.
In the two months since Betty's trip to the salon, she and Jug had busied themselves getting the baby's room ready. There wasn't much to do on the farm since the weather had turned cold. In the early morning, they would wake up and tend to the animals then come back to the house for a hot breakfast. Sometimes the hot breakfast led to a hot bedroom rendezvous.
They had taken their time on the room, wanting it to be perfect. They set the room up in Betty's old bedroom so the baby would be close by. Of course they would have a bassinet in their own bedroom. Thanks to the baby shower Jellybean had just thrown for Betty, they had a bassinet and many other things. The walls were painted a soft brown and the crib a rustic gray wood. Jughead had made it himself. He spent a whole week cutting wood, sanding it, and staining it a darker gray. Betty couldn't deny that she enjoyed his project. She spent most of that week propped up against the garage or bedroom door watching him work.
Jughead was now working to put the finishing touches together. He screwed each screw in carefully, his muscles tightening around his arms as he twist the screwdriver. His back clenched, beads of sweat falling down his arms. Jughead paused to wipe sweat off his forehead and noticed Betty standing in the doorway with some lemonade for him. He stood up smirking and winked before strutting over to her, his face smug and confident.
Betty laughed at his act as he pulled her in for a brief, chaste kiss. "Are you ogling at me, Mrs. Jones?" He asked pulling away.
"Maybe I was." She commented biting her lip.
"Tsk tsk tsk, and with my baby in your belly. You naughty girl." He teased kissing her and pulling her close. He pulled away pecking her lips once again. "Gotta leave for the vet soon." He exclaimed walking out the door.
Betty stood in shock, partly from Jughead's comment. But surely they had enough time. She wanted him to drag her to their room and have his way with her. She groaned and walked down the steps to put her shoes on.
Dakota had an appointment with the vet, her annual checkup. Which meant a lot of shots and tests to make sure she was healthy. According to Jughead, Dakota didn't like the vet. She was very good while at the vets but afterwards she wasn't herself. She would lie around all day, whining. Apparently, she wanted to be alone after all her appointments. Which worked out for Betty and Jughead because they had a family dinner at Jellybean's house that night.
The appointment was over quickly and Dakota did well. They three of them were waiting for heartworm medication when Betty noticed a small batch of kittens laying in a box. She melted at the sight of the blobs of black fur. "Oh Juggie, look!" She said pointed to the box. "They're so cute!" She exclaimed picking one up. "Oh they're so soft!" She stroked the cat's fur softly causing it to purr. Betty melted as she pulled the cat close to her body.
Betty must've lost track of time because she soon heard Jughead call her name. He had just finished sliding a small white piece of paper to the receptionist, face down, and was now waiting to Betty to be ready to leave. Betty sighed and kissed the kitten's head. "I know you'll find a good home." She whispered to the cat before setting her back into the box.
Betty and Jughead dropped Dakota off to the house and made her comfortable. They provided enough water and food to last her until they came back home from Jellybean's house. Betty placed a kiss on Dakota's head and walked out the door. Once Jughead saw Betty walk outside he leaned down to Dakota's level. "Be nice to the cat when she gets here, okay?" Dakota laid her head down as if she was submitting to his direction. "Good girl." He commended, rubbing her head before joining Betty outside.
They made it Jellybean's house and made their way inside, hands intertwined. They hadn't been able to visit the family since their first dinner there. Of course, jellybean and the kids would stop by the house but a formal family dinner never happened. Betty was excited to see Jughead's family, now that she knew them better.
Jellybean opened the door and ushered them inside pulling them both into hugs. "Oh Betty! You're so big now! Only two more months, are you excited!?"
Betty grinned at Jellybean's reaction. "Yes, I am. We both are." Betty said glancing at Jughead with a smile. She paused, "Would you like some help Jellybean?"
"If you like! We can talk babies!" Jellybean grinned as she pulled Betty gently into the kitchen. Betty looked back at Jughead who threw her a wink. She smiled under his stare and followed jellybean into the kitchen.
Jellybean was in the middle of explaining the benefits of breastfeeding when Jughead snuck into the kitchen. Betty was chopping up a carrot when he wrapped his arms around her waist. Betty jumped slightly at his touch and sighed as his lips found her neck.
Jellybean caught sight of them confused by their actions. Since when were they so friendly? The kids weren't around to play pretend in front of. She shook off decided to confront it later. "Hey! No canoodling in my kitchen!" She teased hitting Jughead with a towel.
"Ow! JB! I'm trying to love on my wife here." He said throwing his hands up.
Betty chuckled and pushed him away. "Come on Juggie you're in the way. Go hang with the guys. Talk about manly things! Like football! Grrrr." Betty commented pushing him out the door.
"I don't even like football!" Jughead lamented leaving the room.
"Shhhh!" She yelled after him and turned back to Jellybean whose eyes were wide.
"What the hell was that!?" She exclaimed.
Betty flushed at jellybean reaction. "We gotten a lot closer…" She said trailing off. But jellybean didn't need a lot of words to figure it out.
Jellybean squealed, "Omg! You're in love!" She pulled Betty into a hug as they jumped up and down.
They pulled away as Jellybean urged Betty to tell her what exactly she meant. "Well… we sleep in the same bed, he calls me baby, he kisses me, amongst other things." She said with a giggle.
"Oh I'm so happy! I could see it in his eyes from day one but I'm just so happy it actually happened!" Jellybean said clapping her hands.
The pair finished cooking the big dinner Jellybean had prepared and carried it out to the dining room. Jellybean's face was beaming as she carrying the giant casserole. Jughead knotted his eyebrows in confusion. Betty chuckled and shoot him a look that said "she knows." Jughead laughed and shook her head.
The night went by quickly and Jughead and Betty were soon home. Jughead helped Betty out of the truck. Betty grunted, "We need a family car. This truck doesn't work very well." Jughead chuckled at her as she stabled herself on the ground. "I know babe I'm working on it."
Jughead led her to the door and unlocked it allowing her to walk in first. Betty immediately noticed Dakota hadn't met them at the door but rather was curled up on her doggy bed with another ball of black fur next to her. "Jughead…" Betty called but before she could respond a small head popped up out of the black fur. "Juggie…" Betty called again looking at him. Jughead merely smiled at her before Betty looked back to the kitten that was now walking towards her. The cat climbed up against her leg and pawed at her for attention. Betty picked her up and held her close. "Juggie how did you manage this?" She asked stroking the cat's back.
"I saw how much you love her at the vet so I adopted her and had the receptionist bring her here while we were gone." Jughead explained walking towards her and wrapping his arms around her shoulder, his other hand letting the kitten's head. "What are you going to name her?"
Betty only thought for a moment. "Lane." She said decidedly.
"Lane? That's a strange name. Why Lane?" Jughead questioned.
"For Lanesboro, where I belong."
Jughead held his emotions together as he kissed her softly. "Have I told you lately that I love you?"
Betty grinned. "Tell me again."
Jughead chuckled and kissed her forehead. "I love you." Her cheeks, "I love you." Her nose, "I love you." Her jawline, "I love you." Then her lips, "I love you."
"Mmm Jughead Jones, I love you." Betty kissed him before sitting the kitten down and kissing him again. Jughead lifted her up carefully and carried her upstairs.