The first thing she was aware of was a chill.

However, unlike her previous fall, her head was not aching. She wasn't numb, but rather, she was very aware of the arms wrapped around her, cradling her to a muscular chest. Something heavy had been draped across her shoulders, the strong scent of leather, smoke and aftershave filling her nostrils.

Jughead's Serpent jacket.

Betty gasped, her eyes flying open. She tried to sit up, though his grip tightened instinctively, preventing her from moving too quickly.

"Juggie." She whispered.

"Betts." He answered immediately, his fingers brushing across her cheek. The contact surprised her. "Are you okay?"

"I don't know." Betty admitted. "What happened?"

"You spaced out on me." Jughead replied, knowing her. Too well. "You need sleep, Cooper, this isn't good for you."

"How did you-"

"I know you better than you think I do, Betts."

Maybe it was the truth, maybe it was possible that Jughead Jones knew her better than she even knew herself.

It suddenly dawned on her that she was lying across his lap, his arms still like iron chains around her middle, stopping her from budging an inch, but there was no awkwardness to the embrace, his hand making comforting circles against her back as he tried to coax an answer out of her.

"What happened?" He demanded.

"I don't know." She echoed. "I haven't been-"

"You don't have to keep defending yourself to me." Jughead told her. "I know, Betts, I know who you are. I trust you."

His words made her heart soar.

"There's something wrong with me." Betty whispered.

She was abruptly lifted, Jughead spinning her to face him with almost no effort on his part, her legs now straddling his hips. One hand gripped her waist, the other moving to push her hair from her face before coming to hold her chin firmly in place.

"Betty." He pronounced carefully. "Nothing is wrong with you."

How could she possibly, even for a second, ever think that the problem was her?

His jaw clenched at the idea.

Jughead's squeezed her waist unintentionally, making her squirm under his grasp. He should have let her go the moment she woke from her haze, but he couldn't. He needed to be close to her, to hold her and not let go. Ever.

"Betts." He said. "Look at me."

Her gaze reluctantly met his own.

"Nothing is wrong with you." Jughead insisted, pressing his palm to her cheek.

Betty's arms locked around his neck in response, burying her face into the crook of his neck. His grip against her back tightened.

His heart nearly shattered when he heard her sniffle.

"Betty." He muttered.

He had to tell her.

It was his fault she was suffering, he should have told her the moment it happened, he'd tried, but Archie, along with Betty's own stubborn nature and unwillingness to acknowledge the traumatic event had stopped him from doing so.

He couldn't keep it from her anymore.

"Betts." Jughead began. "There's something I need to tell you."

She made no moves to look at him, though her head turned slightly, and he knew she was listening.

"There was a party sophomore year. Do you remember it?"

Betty inhaled sharply.

"Betts..."

He remembered everything.

He remembered her name flashing across the screen, staring down at his ancient phone in confusion, surely she hadn't meant to call him, they hadn't spoken in months.

He'd greeted her coldly, he'd had every right to, it wasn't like they were friends anymore, she had picked Archie and being a River Vixen, and popularity over him.

He remembered the way her voice had trembled, her own nickname for him slipping from her lips.

He remembered everything.

Two Years Ago

"Jughead Jones!" Toni called, fingers locking around his wrist as she thrust his arm above his head. "Our champion remains undefeated!"

He chuckled, clapping her on the back, his touch lighter than it would have been with Sweet Pea, or Fangs or another male Serpent. Toni might have been the toughest girl he'd ever met, but she was still female, and the last thing he wanted to do was hurt her.

"Son of a bitch." Sweet Pea quipped, a smirk on his face.

He was drunk, they all were, with the exception of a certain beanie wearing boy. It was his night to remain sober, to ensure that his friends didn't do anything stupid or reckless. They were Serpents, it was a high possibility that some potentially dangerous situation could occur.

"How did you get so good?" Fangs slurred.

He shrugged in response.

There was an old pool table in Archie Andrews's basement. It was where he had spent the majority of his childhood, playing a few rounds in between their hours of video games, Betty on the couch beside him, her nose always buried in a book. Archie had never let her play, claiming she wasn't coordinated enough, and while that was true, Jughead had always had a soft spot for the golden haired girl next door, offering to teach her time and time again.

Jughead frowned at the thought of his former friends, the two people he had once considered to be his family. They were still at Riverdale High, probably still popular, probably enjoying their picture perfect lives.

As much as he wanted to, he couldn't resent either one of them for that.

"Pigs will fly the day someone beats Jughead at pool." Toni mused.

Jughead grinned down at her.

And then, his phone began to buzz.

He pulled it from his back pocket, glancing down at the cracked surface. It had been dropped many times in his haste to get away when business went south, but he could read the name currently flashing across the broken screen as clear as day.

And he couldn't believe who was calling him.

Betts.

It had to be some sort of mistake, a pocket dial, a prank call.

And yet, despite the wariness, despite the knowledge that they were no longer involved in one another's lives; she belonged to the River Vixen's, he belonged to the Southside, he still found himself accepting the call, pressing the phone to his ear.

"I thought you would have lost my number by now, Cooper." He said in greeting.

There was a momentary pause.

"Betty?" Jughead questioned, irritation laced through his tone. Why had she called?

His jaw tightened when he heard her sniffle.

"J-Juggie." She whispered, her nickname for him easily falling from her lips.

His annoyance quickly turned to concern at the sound of her voice.

"Betts?" He demanded. "Are you okay?"

"Juggie." Betty repeated.

"I'm right here." Jughead promised. He yanked on his leather jacket, ignoring his friends confused looks as he tore out of the bar. "What's going on?"

"Juggie." She sniffled again. "I... I need you."

"Juggie."

Her voice snapped him back to reality.

Betty was struggling against him, and even though the last thing he wanted to do was let her go, he relented, rising to his feet, pulling her up with him.

He hadn't meant to get so lost in thought.

He wanted to tell her what happened, he needed to tell her. It wasn't right that the information had been kept from her for so long, especially when she was at the center of the secret, and if her memories were really starting to resurface...

"Betty..." He began.

"What is that?" She demanded, breaking free from his grasp.

Her gaze was directed over his shoulder, and it only took him a moment to spot it too. A dark, square object, just barely visible by the stars beginning to appear above their heads. Instinctively, Jughead extended his arm in an attempt to half her, but she had already moved forward to retrieve it.

He raked a hand through his hair in frustration.

How could he protect her when she was so determined to go digging where she didn't belong?

"Betts." He warned. "Let's go."

She ignored him.

"Betty." Jughead started after her. "Come on."

"Juggie." She whispered, whirling around to face him, the object gripped so firmly in her hand that her knuckles turned white.

"Betts?" He questioned, wondering if he should feel concerned, or alarmed.

It was a phone she was holding, a newer, probably very expensive model that put both of their own phones to shame.
What was it doing there?

He wasn't sure if he wanted to find out.

"Betty, maybe we should-"

"Juggie." She said again, taking a step towards him.

Out of habit, he reached for her, his arm curling around her waist, anchoring her to him, protecting her the only way he could.

"This is Jason's phone."