"Hey!" She whined, as he snatched the notebook from her hand. "Give that back!"

He smirked, holding it above his head, well out of her reach.

"Jug!" Betty made a grab for the pad of paper, but he was too tall. "Jug, come on! I need to-"

"You're not writing another article about the Bull Dogs, Cooper." Jughead told her, ripping the page from the metal rings.

He crumpled the paper in his fist, not looking back as he tossed it towards the nearest trash can.

"Jughead!"

"I'm trying to help you." He said, blocking her path. "Betts, you know I love your writing, I'm your biggest fan, your article about Jason Blossom was brilliant, but the last thing Riverdale's student body is what moisturizer Cheryl uses before bed."

Betty smiled at him, glee secretly filling her. "You love my writing?"

"I think you're losing sight of the problem, Betts." Jughead replied, his frown disapproving.

"You're my biggest fan?" She teased.

His nostrils flared. "Would you focus please?"

"You thought my article was brilliant?"

"Betts." His lips twitched as a grin threatened to escape. "Shut up."

"Make me."

"Okay." Jughead let her notebook fall onto the desk, taking a menacing step towards her, arms outstretched.

"Juggie!" Betty squealed, her hands coming into contact with his muscular chest, trying to push him away, but he didn't budge an inch. "Don't you dare."

He tilted his head innocently at her. "What, Betts?"

"You know what."

"Do I?"

"Jughead..."

"Um, guys." Toni drew out, not looking up from her laptop. "I'm still here."

Jughead quickly dropped his predatory stance, reaching out to adjust his beanie while Betty grabbed her notebook, tapping her pen against the blank page in a nervous rhythm.

"Cheryl practically begged me to-"

"I'm doing you a favor, Cooper." He promised. "What happened to the girl who went dumpster diving for answers? Where's the girl who led our entire Math class on a protest when we all failed that Math test?"

"In junior high, I guess."

He frowned at her answer.

Junior high was where she had left her investigative skills behind, until recently. It was where she had lost the fragments that had once made her Betty Cooper.

It was where she lad left her friendship with Jughead behind.

"C'mon, Betts." Jughead was almost pleading now. "You can write something so much more interesting."

She eyed him warily. "Like what?"

"Well..."

A few moments of awkward silence fell between them.

"Um..."

"Not so easy, is it?"

He pinched her waist. "Watch it, Betts."

She giggled in response.

"Maybe you're overthinking it." Toni suggested, closing her laptop. "Take a break. An idea will come to you."

Betty decided to take her advice, tossing her notebook down and hoping up to sit on the desk. Jughead leaned against the wall across from her, his arms crossed, their gazes locked.

"Juggie-"

"Betts, I will tear out every single page until there's nothing left if you try to write that article."

She huffed. "Fine."

A smirk graced his lips, almost no smugness behind it now. She grinned back at him.

Even with time, and distance, so much distance, little had changed between the pair, and for that, she was grateful.

Toni surveyed them, a small smile on her face. "How long have you known each other?"

"Oh wow." Betty muttered, surprised by the question. It felt like forever. "Um..."

"Since we were four." Jughead answered, without hesitation.

"Oh really?" She asked, an evil glint in her eyes.

"Toni..." He began, as if he knew what she was thinking.

"Toni?" Betty echoed.

"If you've known him since you were four..." Toni trailed off, pausing for dramatic effect. "Then you would what his real name is."

Jughead glowered at her.

Betty stifled a laugh, and his glare became fixated on her.

"She doesn't know?"

"Just drop it, Betts."

Betty turned her attention to the female Serpent. "You really don't know?"

She shook her head. "He won't tell us. Do you know what it is?"

"You bet I do."

"Betts."

Toni's smile grew. "Will you tell me?"

"You bet I will."

"Elizabeth Cooper." Jughead warned, taking a step towards her. "Don't you dare."

"Tell me, Blondie." Toni urged. "Come on, I've been dying to know!"

Betty snuck a glance at Jughead.

His eyes were narrowed, though there were still traces of amusement laced through his features. She knew the consequences of uttering his true name, a name he had never allowed anyone to call him by, but she was having too much fun.

Toni was right.

Maybe she did need a distraction.

"Blondie?"

"Betty..."

"Sorry Juggie!" She sang, but she didn't sound it. "Toni, Jughead's real name is-Mmmph!"

A hand smacked over her mouth before she could finish her sentence.

Jughead was quick to pull her from the desk, pressing her back into his chest as he retrieved both his backpack and her own from the floor. Carefully, he began to walk towards the door, still facing Toni. Betty wondered what expression his face mimicked, perhaps amusement, perhaps irritation, maybe a little of both.

"Where are you taking her?" Toni demanded.

"A place no one will hear her scream." He replied.

Betty froze for a moment, only relaxing when she heard him chuckle under his breath.

"Relax, Betts." He muttered, his lips close to her ear. "You know I would never hurt you. I'm just not gonna let you out of my sight until you swear never to utter the F word again."

The thought secretly thrilled her.

Where would he take her?

What was he going to do with her?

Finally breaking his backwards stride, Jughead tugged her out into the hallway, his palm still pressed firmly against her lips. It was only when they were well out of earshot did he stop walking.

"If I take my hand off your mouth, do you promise not to say it?"

She nodded, grateful that he couldn't see her face.

"Okay..." He drew out, his hand slowly falling away.

Betty turned to face him, a smirk gracing her lips as she darted forward. "Toni! Toni! Jughead's real name is-"

His fingers locked around her wrist, yanking her back. Looping an arm around her waist, her feet left the ground as he began to drag her towards the parking lot.

"How could you not tell them?" Betty asked, in between giggles.

"No one calls me by that name." Jughead hissed, his grip tightening against her middle. "You and Archie knowing it is an unfortunate coincidence that I wish I could remedy."

"For-"

"Say it again, Betts, I fucking dare you."

"I'm gonna tell her." She threatened.

"No, you're not."

They were nearing the exit now, he shouldered the door open, pulling her along behind him.

"Are you gonna let me go?"

"Are you going to run and tell Toni my real name if I do?" He retorted.

"No."

Jughead frowned, knowing her all too. "Betty."

"Probably." She admitted, reluctance dripping from her tone.

"Then no." He grumbled. "I told you, Betts, you're not leaving my sight."

A chill ran down her spine at his words.

She never wanted to be far from his sight, those gorgeous blue irises watching her every move, his strong, well defined arms enclosing around her, protecting her, though from what, she had no idea.

"You can't watch me-"

"Don't underestimate me, Cooper." Jughead mockingly threatened.

The sound of an engine's roar cut off her reply, followed by two others. Jughead stiffened, suddenly whirling around to face her, his eyes wide, his jaw tight.

"Go back inside." He hissed.

"W-What?" Betty stuttered, fear prickling her skin. Goosebumps covered her arms. "Juggie..."

"Go." Jughead snapped, pushing her away from him. "Go. Find Toni. Don't leave the office."

"Jughead-"

"Go, Betty."

Another push, firm enough to send her stumbling backwards, finally made her listen to him. She spun on her heel, taking off back towards the Blue and Gold. She met Toni just as the girl was about to step into the hall, her bag slung across one shoulder.

"Blondie?" She questioned, arching an eye brow. "What's up?"

"J-Jughead." Betty panted. "He... He told me to find you... To... Not leave the office."

An unreadable expression crossed the Serpent's face.

She swore under her breath.

"What?" Betty demanded. "What is it? What's going on?"

"Nothing." Toni said. She grasped Betty's arm, pushing her back towards the office. "Look... Just stay here, okay?"

"Toni-"

"Just do it, Blondie!" The girl snapped, wrenching her keys from her hand.

When Jughead had dragged her out the first time, she hadn't even realized that she'd neglected to lock the door. Her micro distraction was all the time Toni needed to shove her inside, the door slamming shut behind her.

Riverdale High was out of date, too old fashioned in the fact that doors could only be locked from the outside, not the inside. When the familiar clicking sound, as rushed as it was, echoed off the thin walls, and the knob wouldn't turn, she smacked her palms against the wood in frustration, tears filling her eyes for reasons even she didn't understand.

What the hell was going on?