Cingulomania

This is a work of fanfiction, no copyright infringement is intended. I own nothing pertaining to The Archie Comics/Riverdale Universe.

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CHAPTER 21

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"Success is relative.

It is what we make

Of the mess we

Have made

Of things."

-T.S. Eliot

"Here he stands, Jughead Jones, king of the idiots." Placing a piping hot mug of dark oil like coffee on the kitchen counter adjacent to the sullen young man, Alice takes a seat with her own steaming mug. The look on his face is pitiful, she instantly feels for the boy.

"I take it you heard about my run in with Betty." He still hadn't looked her in the eye, his shame was monumental to say the least. Wanting, no, needing to crawl in a hole, Jughead simply took the seat next to Alice, clinging to his mug. "I wish I'd never left tonight."

"Oh sweetie, probably not best to have your business on display with Hogeye around. Kind of a blabber mouth, but don't beat yourself up about it. Young love? It doesn't always last. Sometimes you need a break from the person to realize what you really had. Sometimes you just need to be friends, to let each other grow freely, beside each other and not together. Believe me, I have had my fair share of stupid dick moves, just ask your Father. The stories that man could tell, I'd much rather forget any of it ever happened." Alice inwardly cringed at the memories.

"Yeah, but here you are Mrs. Cooper, with him again and we're a family. A real family, with this baby growing and the club." Jughead finally chanced a look at her, she was taking pity on him. Eyes warm with affection, something he'd never seen from her before. A warm hand came to rest on his cheek, her thumb rubbing delicate circles onto the smooth flesh of his face. Instead of pulling away like every part of him was screaming to do, he leaned into her comforting touch. Eyes closed, with his head nestled into his step mother's palm, Jughead let himself relax. Pain coursed through his broken heart, wracking his chest with emotion he'd been holding back for months. When his hot salty tears reached Alice's fingertips, she let her welling tears loose as well.

"Oh Juggie, honey, let it out. You need to feel this, to let it wash through you honey. Then we can rebuild what's left of your friendship. Start fresh sweetie, a new chapter." She had stood to hold his weeping face to her, but instead of moving away like she suspected he would, he clung to her, pressing his tear stained face to her swelling abdomen. In this moment, Alice and Jughead finally understood each other. They knew from this point forward that things would be drastically different while living under the same roof.

"Why does it have to be him? Of all the people, she falls for Sweet Pea. He's probably the most rash human being I've ever encountered. What do they talk about, motorcycle manuals?" Realization struck him. "Well, maybe they actually do talk about that, but still. He's a mediocre student at best. I honestly couldn't tell you if he's ever read a book. They're just so… So different." Picking the cooled mug up, Jughead brought it to his lips, shook his head, then gulped down half of it's contents.

"Are you really upset because they're so different, because his career as a high school student is less than stellar?" Resuming her position on the stool beside Jughead, Alice sipped at her coffee.

"Well, not exactly. It's more that she chose him. What the hell is so great about him Mrs. Cooper?" In his upset, Jughead flung his arm toward nothing at all, he just needed somewhere to channel his built up anger.

"Well, let's start at the beginning Jughead. She danced for you. In front of all those people on that dingy stage to that God awful song, she danced for you." Leaning her cheek into her open hand, Alice looked directly into Jughead's eyes, driving home her point.

"She let your Dad, and her Mom see her in nothing but her underwear, lacy little undies at that. Your Dad put his jacket on her to shield her from the scrutiny." She took another drink.

"In hopes that you two would finally be on the same side, allies, friends, lovers eventually. Only to be dumped in the parking lot for her attempt at being, pardon the pun, part of the gang." Draining her mug, Alice rose again from the seat, taking Jughead's empty cup with hers over to the coffee pot to refill them.

"Should you be drinking coffee like this? With the baby and everything?" Jughead watched her top the mugs with black liquid. Popping her hip when she turned to bring the mugs back, Alice narrowed her eyes at her step son.

"Jughead, have you ever been around me without caffeine?" Shaking his head no, she set his mug down in front of him. "And that's a good thing, because you may not live to tell the tale." She drank from her mug as she sat down again.

"I just heard caffeine wasn't good for the baby." Jughead was quiet, repeating facts he'd heard in sex-ed last year in school.

"If these medical professionals think they can make me stop, they have another thing coming. It's fine as long as I pace myself. The rest of the pot is yours anyhow. Now, stop deflecting and let's get back to the point. Why did Betty choose Sweet Pea?" Contemplating her next sentence, Alice watched Jughead shift on his barstool, removing his beanie and stuffing it into his back pocket, just like he'd done earlier.

"Let me have it Mrs. C. I can take it." Smiling Alice, turned toward him once again.

"Hmmm. I do recall being escorted from the Whyte Wyrm by FP, we came across a shivering, crying Betty. No Jughead around, too busy ordering a bud light from Toni Topaz to at least take his new ex girl home." He didn't look up from the cup, just watched the steam roll of the top.

"Sweet Pea came out by chance, because he had to deliver alone that night, he was leaving the party early. Your Dad asked him over, asked him to teach Betty the ropes. She didn't even bat a lash at the request of her President. She didn't ask what it was for, or why her, or why Sweet Pea. She just, did it." They both sat in silence for a moment, thinking about the balls Betty had grown over the last few months. She was virtually unrecognizable.

"So you see Jughead, you wrapped her up in pretty paper and tied a huge red bow on her. Practically hand delivered the girl to Sweet Pea." She laid a hand on his shoulder. He finally looked up at her.

"If we're being honest with ourselves, she doesn't take too kindly to being told what to do. If you really want to be her friend, not lose her entirely, then I suggest you grow up Jughead. Be her friend, not her butt hurt ex boyfriend. Talk to her tomorrow, when you two have cooled down a little bit. Have her back because you genuinely give a damn about her. Rebuild your friendship. Work on the paper again, I know you went to ask her for your position back. It will be good again. It will take time, and you will have to earn her trust again." Jughead let it sink in. He was grateful that Alice gave him a chance. That she cared enough to talk to him about how he'd screwed up with her daughter.

"Thanks Mrs. Cooper." He really meant it.

"You're welcome Jug, but please, call me Alice. Or Allie, anything but Mrs. Cooper. I can't get rid of that name soon enough. I'm tired as all hell, don't stay up too late, and don't wait for her to come home." She poked him in the arm, kissed his head and went to bed. Leaving him to mull over what she'd had no problem pointing out to him. Even Though it hurt him to look at himself in a new light, he had to admit, it was his fault. He knew it was all along, but he had been ignoring damn near half of what he'd actually done. He was so caught up in trying to remove himself from Betty, he inadvertently blamed her for his shit.

Taking his time, he drank every last drop of what remained in the coffee pot. He soaped up the sponge and carefully washed the pot, the mugs and the filter basket before placing them on a dry mat next to the sink. When he was finished, he washed his hands with the green apple soap in the pump next to the dish soap. Letting it lather over his hands, he chose to think of it as a cleansing of himself completely. The fresh clean scent wafted to his sniffly nose. He needed to clean his face. So he retreated up the stairs, to the bathroom inside of his new room. Looking at himself in the mirror, he took a deep breath. It was time to change. It was time to man up. He knew it was too late for their relationship, but he'd sure as hell win back his friend. Maybe he and Sweet Pea could bury the hatchet once and for all. He hoped like hell they could, not just for the club, for himself too.

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"She's badass

With a good heart,

Soft but strong.

Unapologetic and honest.

She's the type of woman

You go to war beside,

The type of woman

You marry.

-R.H. Sin

Standing slightly self-conscious of her bare bottom half, Betty shied away from Sweet Pea when he turned to look at her. A look of smug satisfaction graced his face, he knew she would ask, but he took them anyway.

"You said you didn't want them baby girl, remember?" The leather in his large hand creaked from it's movement. One long stride and he was tossing the jacket on the back of the couch. Another stride and he was in front of her, hands on either hip, bringing her full attention to the material of her t-shirt being bunched up between his fingers. The warmth of his hands on the smooth surface of her hips sent shivers up her spine. Instinctually, her hands grasped at the worn leather sleeves over Sweet Pea's arms.

"I remember, I didn't think you'd want them though." Pink color flooded the apples of her cheeks and the bridge of her nose.

"Believe me Betty, I wish I could keep more than just the panties here with me. I'll give them back if you'll be uncomfortable without them. I don't want you to do things you don't want to do." Forgetting all about her nudity under the hem of her shirt, his fingers found the rapid warmth of her cheeks more fascinating.

"You can keep them Pea. I don't actually need them." Standing on her tiptoes now, she was smiling brightly at him.

"No?" He asked innocently.

"No, not at all." She answered.

"Okay then. Get those pants back on, and let's get you some food." Sweet Pea kissed Betty's forehead, grabbed her bare ass for good measure and let her return down the hallway to his room.

If he were being honest with himself, he didn't want Betty to leave, ever. Not knowing if the physical expression of their love would change their relationship in any way, it left him feeling conflicted. On one hand he wanted to relive every moment from start to finish, hang onto every word spoken, relish every touch they'd shared. It would never be enough to just hold her hand or touch her in passing. It never truly had been, but he stuffed it down and held his composure around her. She consumed him completely and it sort of scared him a little bit.

If she were any other girl, he would have been pushing her to get out of his place. He wanted so badly to ask her to stay, make her junk food and just watch garbage tv until she fell asleep in his arms.

Contemplating the last few months as he sunk into the couch, Sweet Pea didn't hear Betty walk in from the hallway, how could he? She never put her socks and boots back on. He only took notice when she wrapped her arms around either side of his head, kissing the silky tuft of hair at the crown of his head. Just smelling him made the butterflies she was feeling assault her stomach all the more.

"What if we just made pizza rolls and drank copious amounts of soda? We could stay in, watch a movie, I could borrow a shirt from you." She could feel the rise of Sweet Pea's smile on the side of her face, it made her smile too.

"Are you a mind reader now Betty?" His warm palms rubbed up and down her bare arms.

"No, I was thinking it'd be nice, just the two of us, I could stay over. That is if my Mom says it's alright. Should I ask?" Betty bit her bottom lip waiting for his response.

"Hell yeah you should ask. I'll raid the fridge. As far as the shirt, anything you want baby girl." He turned to her bright smiling face, kissed her lips and dashed into the kitchen.

Looking through Sweet Pea's closet, Betty held the phone to her ear with one hand and sifted through shirts with the other. Alice picked up on the third ring.

"Hello, dear Betty." Alice's voice was quiet.

"Hey Mom, did I wake you?" Now Betty was nervous to ask.

"No, not at all honey. I just have a mopey guilt ridden teenage boy lurking around." Alice tried to keep the sarcasm out of her tone, but let's be honest, it's just how she is.

"Yeah, I'm guessing you heard about that glamourous moment we shared at the Wyrm. Not Jughead's finest Mom." She felt bad for her friend, but she couldn't bring herself to let what he'd done go.

"Oh I heard. Just don't execute the boy too quickly. He's running off of piss and vinegar." Alice could remember a time when FP had such tendencies. Some much more recent than she cared to admit.

"Yeah, well, he's lucky I didn't beat the piss out of him. He really hurt me this time Mom, worse than the night of the dance. It's not going to be easy to forgive him." Betty began to nibble at her thumb nail, first biting it just to expel energy, then biting to ease the incessant thrum in her chest.

"I already know what you're calling about young lady." Alice said, changing subjects abruptly. Betty stopped biting on her nail. "I have to say, I'm pleased you called to ask this time. This way I don't find out in the morning when you come schlepping in, hair and makeup a mess. A smug yet handsome Sweet Pea on your trail. It's quite romantic really." Then there was silence. Betty was waiting for the pause the cease, for her Mother to give a definite yes or no answer, but they sat there in silence, for what felt like an eternity.

"So is it Okay? For me to stay here, at Sweet Pea's?" Feeling the heat, prickly and unforgiving on her cheeks, Betty waited in uneasy silence for her Mother to answer.

"I don't see why not. I really do like that young man." Alice said in a sing song voice.

"Thank you Mom, thank you so much!" Betty could have jumped for joy.

"Don't get too excited. You've been keeping up on your prescription I assume, or you'd be begging me for a ride home. Anyway, please be safe Betty. I don't need a repeat of Polly. See you in the morning. I love you, good night." Alice was to the point. She knew keeping a tight leash on her remaining daughter would only end badly.

"Thank you, I mean it. I'll see you in the morning. I love you too Mom. Good night." There was relief knowing her Mother supported her, that's why it was a little shocking when they went to get the pill. Even more shocking when Alice told her she wished she'd have done the same with Polly.

Pushing the memories away, she searched through the closet for a shirt that caught her eye. It was toward the back of closet, a simple black shirt from what she could see. Soft to the touch from being worn and washed for several decades. Taking it off the plastic hanger, the material had that perfect t-shirt feeling, she smiled to herself with satisfaction. Upon turning it over to view the front of the shirt, a shock of royal purple met her gaze. The words BLACK SABBATH were silk screened into the ancient material. The purple was still quite vibrant for it's age.

She took the time to feel the material between her fingers, going so far as to rub the worn out shirt against her cheek before returning the ancient artifact to it's sacred hanger in the back of Sweet Pea's closet. She took a worn looking STONE TEMPLE PILOTS shirt instead.

Comfortable in the oversized shirt, Betty smoothed over the material once more, then exited the dim lit room. She could hear the clanking of the oven door shutting and then the beeping of the timer being set on the oven.

Sweet Pea was too busy getting a two liter of soda from the fridge to notice Betty leanin on the door frame watching him move around the small kitchen. He took up nearly the entire space, she smiled to herself. She liked watching him move, almost graceful for how damned tall he was. She found him sexy, the way he bit his lip in contemplation and the furrowing of his brow when he second guessed himself. Startled, he finally turned enough to see her in his peripheral.

"Jeez Betty, you scared the shit out of me." He closed his eyes and took a breath.

"How could I possibly scare you? I'm just standing here, doing nothing." Her eyebrow raised, half questioning, half an attempt at trying not to laugh at Sweet Pea's discomfort.

"You think this is funny? I could have had a heart attack." He stood at his full height now, his turn to raise his own brow.

"Very likely I'm sure." Crossing her arms under her bust, Sweet Pea took notice of the shirt she chose.

"Nice shirt." He said, bringing a bent finger to brush over the top of one of her clothed breasts. He almost looked hungry. She leaned into his touch, arms still crossed.

"Yeah, well, I would have rather had the one with guy riding the bike, but album art for PURPLE is cool too." Nearly losing her breath when he closed the space between them, taking both sides of her face in between his palms, she had no choice but to breath in his musky cologne. The scent alone had her mouth watering and her thighs tensing at the memory of him engulfing her.

"PURPLE's no SONGS FROM THE VATICAN GIFT SHOP, but it looks fucking great on you." He couldn't wait any longer, her mouth had fallen open and he wanted so badly to taste her again. So he did. Crashing his lips to hers, his tongue dove deep into her waiting mouth, eliciting an intoxicating moan from her throat. A sound he wanted to hear every time he kissed her.

Slender pale fingers wove into his thick inky hair, Betty wanted him closer to her, she craved him like a woman starved. His hands left her face, only to take purchase of her hips through the too big shirt, bringing her body flush with his own. Needing to feel her legs wrapped around him again, Sweet Pea grabbed hold of her thighs, and brought her to sit on the countertop. He was really beginning to like this whole cooking thing. Even if it was just pizza rolls.

With Betty in a more accessible position, he wrapped her legs around his waist. Her head was resting on a cabinet when the timer began to ring. The pair ignored the monotonous dinging from the oven. Opting instead to push each other for more. Betty's black painted nails skimmed the surface of Sweet Pea's back. He could feel the goosebumps rising over his biceps from her nail tips. A shiver rose up his spine, his hips bucking forward into her.

"Sweet Pea! Turn that damn beeping off!" Tanis rounded the doorway of the kitchen, expecting to turn off the oven and the built in timer. Thinking Sweet Pea had walked away to take a leak, or to lay on his bed. What she found in her kitchen was not something she ever wanted to witness. Creamy white calves wrapped around her son's backside. Calves that led to thick thighs around his hips. Thighs That led to Betty's own hips being grasped tightly by her son's large man hands. She almost dropped the bags of groceries. Thankful she didn't; for there would be smashed eggs and broken jars all over the floor.

"Oh my God Mom…" Sweet Pea moved in front of Betty as she untangled herself from him, pulling at the edges of shirt she wore, trying her best not to flash anything to Tanis as she slipped from the counter.

"Put this away, I have to figure out if I want to know what's been going on in my absence. Maybe offer Betty some shorts or something." Tanis exited the kitchen quickly. Rushing down the hallway, she had more questions than she wanted answers for. This was not how she wanted to spend her Friday night. Hoping for a beet and sketchy junk food and maybe a movie with her kid. Not to see half of Betty's ass on her countertop and Sweet Pea between the girl's legs.

She could hear the clanking of cabinets and jars and bags being put into the pantry. She sat still on the edge of her bed. Never made an attempt to remove her work clothes or even take off her shoes. Knowing that what she saw was not the most they'd ever done together, Tanis tried to remember that she was young once. Desperately delving into memories she kept locked away; she could recall mostly fear.

Fear of telling her parents she was pregnant, fear of leaving school to raise a baby, fear of doing it all alone. She felt fear watching her squirming newborn be placed into her arms. In those moments she tried to remind herself he was conceived out of love. Tears burned her closed eyes, threatening to fall rapantly with her devastation.

Silently, she stood, walked to her closet, blinking back the painful watery demise of her youth. She kicked off her work shoes, took her night shirt from the closet and did her best not burst into tears on her way to the dresser. She remembered Nash. How he swept her off her feet, taking her on long bike rides around town, much to her own parent's chagrin. She loved the feel of his leather jacket on the palms of her hands when the rode. The warmth of his body in contrast to the wind biting at her flesh as they whipped through the forest roads to get to Sweetwater River. A lump had now firmly rooted itself in her throat, swallowing against it, Tanis was dressed at last. Slipping her feet into her fuzzy black slippers, she stood in front of the door to her bedroom. Noticing now, that her bathroom door was ajar, swiftly she walked to it. Turning the light on and searching every inch of her bathroom with her eyes. First, the toilet didn't look askew. The trash can beside the vanity, nothing amiss there either. The towel rack was a little off, a hand towel had been used. Then she seen it, the hamper beside her linens. There was one towel in the bottom of it. It wasn't there before. She thought better of picking it up. She already knew what it could have been used for. Closing her eyes, she took a breath. Picking up the light blue towel, she inspected it. It had been folded in a meticulous fashion. So that you wouldn't be able to see what was on it at a glance.

"Please Lord, please don't let this be why I kill my son." Unfolding the towel, her stomach dropped. Fears she didn't realize she had, had been confirmed in the center of the towel. A smear of blood and something else. Tossing the towel back into the hamper, Tanis almost let the tears slip, almost. Instead of sobbing in her bathroom, she stood tall, walked back to her bedroom door and tugged it open. Almost losing momentum as she entered the living room, Sweet Pea was sitting hunched over, head in hands. Betty was wearing the same shirt as before, but with leggings and a look of self loathing on her almost tearful face. Tanis took a seat in her armchair, swiveling it to face the two teenagers on her couch.

"Before you try to explain away what I witnessed in the kitchen, I want to say that, I hope you are being safe." Dear Lord, give me strength. Don't let me say the wrong thing… "Don't give me excuses, don't play dumb. Please, tell me someone is being safe, at least one of you."

"Mom…" Sweet Pea began, but was interrupted by Betty's hand on his shoulder. She squeezed him slightly amd smiled at him when he turned.

"I have been on the pill for a couple of months now. I know it isn't one hundred percent. It just happened, which is why I asked my Mom to take me in the first place. I don't want to jeopardize anything." Sweet Pea never stopped looking at her after she'd started talking. When she told him she was going in for birth control, he almost fell out of his chair. When he found out Alice was taking her he almost choked on his tongue. Betty was smart, and he loved her and he respected that she wanted things outside of their small town.

"So, you won't be Grandma too soon. Okay Mom?" Sweet Pea tried to lighten the mood. The air felt thick with tension. When he looked back toward his mother, she was leaned forward in the chair, an elbow resting on each arm of it. He glare was dangerous to say the least, it certainly had his smirk falling quickly from his countenance. He cleared his throat and sat up in his place on the couch.

"I'm sorry Ma." He tried to look anywhere but at her squinted eyes and her rigid jaw, but this woman was lethal and he knew her furry all too well.

"What if the pill failed and Betty did get pregnant? Huh funny man?" She didn't sound at all like the Tanis Betty had come to know. This was the Mother coming out, and Betty found herself sinking into the couch a little further

"I… I don't know." Sweet Pea gulped. He was wildly uncomfortable.

"Tell me Sweet Pea, how many child support checks did Ignacio send your way?" Again, Sweet Pea tried not to look at the savage woman before him.

"I don't know." His voice was smaller.

"Mmm." She raised a couple of fingers on her right hand. "Two." She looked away now, trying not to cry again. "Tell me, who watches the baby while you two try to graduate high school?"

"Not you. Not Grandma." Sweet Pea wished like hell he was asexual, or dead or something.

"That's right Son. Why?" She waited. Elbows still in the armrests.

"Because you had your baby. It's not your fault that I screwed up." Tucking his lips between his teeth, he bit down, eyes squeezed closed, hoping he'd jerk awake any moment now. But the silence was deafening.

"That's right. I was sixteen once. I fell in love once. I fell into bed more times than I'd like to admit. I got knocked up, and Ignacio bounced. He fucking left. I know you wouldn't do that Pea. You're a great kid, you mean well, but accidents happen. It ruins people." The tears were back with a vengeance. "These goddamn tears!" She smacked her palms on the chair.

Wordlessly, Betty leaned over and gave Tanis a tissue. She accepted the kleenex with a smile.

"I'm sorry for my erratic behavior. You have a good head on your shoulders Betty. I just wasn't expecting to see you in Sweet Pea's shirt, and nothing else on my counter top. I wish I could be more upbeat, but I seen my life flash before my eyes." Blotting at the tears that had slipped down her cheeks, Tanis sucked a shaking breath. "I know you're not him. That you're good, smart, and you love her. I think that scared me most. How you love her. How she loves you. All consuming. It scares the hell out of me. Always doing things fast, too damn fast Pea. Just don't go so fast you forget what you're really doing." They sat silent for a moment. Contemplating the elephant in the room.

"Mom, I'm sorry I didn't talk with you. This wasn't planned at all." Sweet Pea put his hand over his mom's in her lap.

"It's alright you little shit. Just, don't be so bold in my kitchen. That's all I ask." Relaxing for the first time since she walked through the door, Tanis smiled.

"Hey Mom." Sweet Pea said.

"What?" Tanis asked.

"I didn't burn the pizza rolls."