Jughead's ears rang. In the distance, someone called his name, but it was like he was hearing it from underwater. He knew he needed to wake up, but he couldn't make himself move. His body was stiff, reminding him of all the times he'd slept on the floor wherever he could find a safe place, anywhere to escape the shit storm that was his family life.

He heard his name again. It sounded like Betty. Betty! She was still missing. He'd run after her, but her driveway and the street in front of her house was empty. He'd taken off on his motorcycle without even telling Archie where he was going. He'd ended up in front of the Whyte Wrym. He was about to go in, but when he heard someone come up behind him, he was knocked out before he could turn around.

Trying to swim through the thickening waters of unconsciousness, Jughead heard his name again. It was definitely Betty. Betty, the world's most perfect girlfriend. His eyes flew open, and she was there, alive in the flesh right in front of him. She reached behind his back and loosened the ties around his wrists. He grabbed her face, gently touching the side of her head, his fingers brushing against the dried blood there.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Are you?"

When he nodded, she collapsed into him, his arms going tight around her, and they held each other while they cried. After a moment, Betty pulled back, and he got a glimpse of FP over her shoulder. One of FP's eyes was black and swollen shut, but his dad was here.

"Dad?" Jughead asked, afraid this wasn't real.

FP hauled him to his feet and enveloped him in a hug. FP kissed his son on the top of his crown beanie, and then he pulled back. "I love you, Jug, and I'm so proud of you."

Everything inside Jughead softened. Every disappointment melted away as his eyes misted over with tears. "I love you, too, Dad," he replied.

He didn't want to take away from this moment, but he had to figure out why they all had just been kidnapped. Jughead stepped back and looked around. "Are we in Michael's James's cabin? Were you here the whole time?"

"We were in another cabin,"Betty said.

"Somewhere near the border of the Southside," FP said. "We're not really sure. Once they lit the place on fire, we just ran."

"They tried to burn you alive?" Jughead asked. He clutched at Betty, looked her over again to make sure she was really okay.

"I'm okay, Juggie, I promise."

Everything inside him went red, and he understood how and why Betty had choked Hirman. He would happily snap Johnny's neck. That crazy asshole had almost killed the love of his life. "This isn't okay," he said. He marched to the entryway and ripped open the front door. "I'm going to find that son of a bitch , Johnny, and kill him."

"Jug," FP said, coming to his son and grabbing his arm. FP wrapped his hand around the back of Jughead's neck, forcing him to look at him. "No, son, have a cool head. We'll call the police."

Jughead glared at FP. "And what are they going to do, Dad? Fuck everything up? Again? No! Betty is at risk. You're at risk. I'm not willing to gamble with either of your lives."

"I need to keep you safe, too," Betty said, stepping in front of FP, taking his place. She took his face in her hands. "We need to find some place safe, where we can think, calm down, and figure out our next move."

"I can't rest," Jughead said. He pulled back. "Not now. Not when that psycho is out there, slowly bumping each of us off. I'm not going to let that happen."

"What do you think you're going to do, Jug?" FP stepped in front of his son again. "You can't go out there alone, half-cocked, blinded by rage."

"We need to make a plan," Betty said.

She was right next to FP, taking Jughead's hand. He looked down at their interwoven fingers. The anger started to abate, and the world went from red to a softened pink as he focused on Betty. She was right. They needed to take caution. If they could figure out who was helping Johnny and why Johnny had a vendetta against them all, they might be able to save everyone.

"Okay," he said, nodding. "Where can we go?"

FP scratched the scruff on his chin. "I know a place. We should get everyone else there, too. I'll call Mary, Snake, Alice, and the other kids."

"Not my mom," Betty said. "She's safe."

"Is she?" FP questioned. "What if Johnny has someone watching here and Polly and they don't even know it. Separated, we're easy to pick off. Together we'll be harder to get. There's strength in numbers."

"I'll call her," Betty said. "Where should I tell her to go?"

"The Serpents have a house, deep in the heart of Southside. It's a place where the Snakes can hide out when they need a little trouble to blow over."

"I'm going to call my mom and get her back," Betty said.

She stepped into the hallway, and Jughead paused to listen for her mom to answer. After he heard Alice's voice, he breathed a sigh of relief. He needed to make sure everyone else was safe, too, and when they were all together at the Serpents' house, he'd feel a lot better. Betty disappeared from sight for a moment as she paced to the end of the hall. He'd be a lot happier once he could get his hands on his girlfriend, just to convince himself that she was really real, really safe.

"Should we call Keller?" Jughead asked. Since his dad trusted the idiot sheriff, he would too.

"No! We saw Keller and Hiram Lodge here at the cabin," Betty said, rejoining them. "They are the ones who took you."

"No," Jug said. "It wasn't them."

"How do you know?" Betty asked. "I thought you said they knocked you out."

"I came to for a few minutes when I was tied up in the backseat. Everything was a little foggy, but I could make out one of them was definitely Johnny. The other person, I didn't recognize. All I saw was the back of his head. He had a hat on, but his neck was covered in pockmarks. I didn't know him, but it wasn't Keller or Hiram."

"But they were here," Betty said. "We saw them leaving. They must be involved somehow. Why else would they be here."

Jughead started to respond, but his phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket. "It's Keller," he said and answered.

"Jughead!" Keller yelled. "Where are you? Where's your dad and Betty? We've been looking everywhere for you all."

"I'm not telling you," he replied.

FP grabbed the phone. "Keller, what the hell is going on?"

"FP, is that you? Thank god you're okay! I know that Johnny is responsible for this, but he's got someone working with him. Who I don't know yet. I had to release Snake from jail. He's with Eric now, but I'm not sure how safe they are."

"Do your fucking job, Keller and find Johnny and the asshole trying to kill us all. I'm not going to put my kids at risk anymore," FP said.

FP was talking about Jughead and Betty. FP Jones, the coldhearted, feared leader of the South Side Serpents, had accepted a cheerleader and all around good girl into his family.

"I've got the whole force on this," Keller said. "Lay low. Stay safe. I'll take care of everything. I won't let you down this time."

"10-4," FP said and hung up.

"Do you trust him now?" Betty asked FP.

"No," he said, with a gruff laugh. "I know you're smart and want justice, but I'm not risking you. I just want to keep the two if you safe."

"But we're not safe," Betty said. "All three of us were taken. FP, you and I were almost burned alive."

"We'll be safe in the Serpents safehouse. I'll get all the Snakes there to protect us," FP said.

"I can make some calls," Jughead said.

He started to dial, but FP stopped him. "No," FP said. "I know you mean well and filled in for me while I was gone, but I don't want this life for you."

"I think I've done a pretty good job," Jughead said, feeling defensive.

"That's not what I meant, son," FP said. "I know you're smart and resourceful, and I don't doubt your skills as a leader. I just don't want you mixed up in this anymore."

Jughead sighed, but he nodded. He liked how important the Serpents made him feel, but FP was right. Being an outlaw and a social pariah wasn't what he wanted, not for himself, not for Betty. He wanted better for them both.

"We gotta get out of here," Betty said.

"How?" Jughead asked.

"I saw a truck parked on the side of the house," Betty said. "We'll use that."

They went outside, and when the old truck wouldn't start, she told FP and Jughead to hang tight in the cab of the truck while she lifted the hood and looked inside.

"I see why you love her," FP said to Jughead. "She's amazing."

"She's everything."

"And she saved or asses tonight."

"I have a feeling she's going to save me for the rest of my life," Jughead said.

"That's what a good woman does."

The engine roared to life, and Betty opened Jughead's door, and waited for him to scoot over. She got behind the wheel and put the truck into gear. She followed FP's directions to the safe house, and within ten minutes they were parked out front of whitewashed, rundown one story. The house was secluded at the end of the dirt lane, not another place for a mile. FP pulled a key from beneath the welcome mat and let them inside. The place was dusty and little ragged, but clean. FP bolted the front door back and peaked out the blinds.

"The others and the Serpents will be here soon. I'll keep watch. You two should snag the master bedroom while you can. Get cleaned up, take a rest. We're safe now."

Jughead followed Betty into the bedroom, locking the door behind them. He went with Betty into the bathroom. When she reached for the shower knob, he placed his hand over hers. The shower kicked on, the pipes clanging as the hot water rushed through.

She stepped into the shower and he followed her, closing the curtain behind them. He took the soap off the niche and rubbing his hands together until he worked up a lather. He washed her, starting at her neck and then moving down her arms and over her stomach. She whimpered when he made only a brief pass over the mound of her sex. As always, he wanted her, but they both needed to get cleaned up first. She took his lead and leaned her head under the spray to wash her hair. They both took turns under the water, letting it rinse the suds off their bodies. Then he helped her out and handed her a towel. She dried off, but remained naked. He did the same.

Her back was to him as she hung the towel back on the rack. He brushed her hair aside and pressed his lips against the back of her neck. Leaning down, he started at the small of her back, brushing his mouth up the dip in her spine, touching every vertebrae, taking his time. He fingers curled gently around her neck, pressing into her throat as he angled her head to the side so his tongue could sweep across her skin.

"I thought I lost you," Jughead said, his voice quaking. "I thought you were gone."

His arm surrounded her waist as he pulled her body against hers. "I'm okay, Jug. I'm safe. So are you. Until this thing is over, we're not leaving each other's sides. I'm not losing sight of you ever again."

"I thought I lost you," Jughead whispered into her hair. "I thought you were gone."

"I'm right here, Jug," she said as she turned around in his arms so she could face him. "I'm never leaving you again." She went up on her hip toes and kissed him gently on the lips.

But he didn't want gentleness now. He needed to be reminded that they were both still breathing, still alive. He scooped her up into his arms and carried her out of the bathroom and into the small, nearly empty bedroom. He set her on the mattress on the floor. There was only a bottom sheet and thin quilt. Betty scooted back until she lay across the bed. She reached up for him and pulled him down onto the bed with her. He settled between her legs. The hard tip of him touched her gently and she was already wet, so with one soft, swift thrust he was inside her.

He looked down at her, and her eyes were wide open, looking directly into his. Her body moved with his. And they were alive, brimming with feeling, with love. He was hers, and she was his. Forever. There wasn't a crazy murderer after them. He wasn't caught between Riverdale and the Southside. She wasn't struggling with her darkness. They were just two people in love. And that was all that mattered.

After, they lay, snuggled together, simply enjoying the moment, being close.

"We should probably see if they others are here," Jughead said.

Betty checked her phone and read a text from her mom. "Alice and Polly got there ten minutes ago." She pulled on her t-shirt. "Oh, god, do you think they heard us having sex?"

Jughead laughed. "Nah, we were quiet."

They finished getting dressed and Jughead took her hand as they left the bedroom. As they walked down the hall, Jughead thought to himself that for a house that was supposed to be full of at least ten people, it was awfully quiet. Something was off. Betty must have felt it, too because she tugged on his hand and picked up the pace.

When they came into the living room, they stopped short when the saw Alice Cooper run into Snake's arms and kiss him deeply. For a moment, Jughead thought that the two former lovers were so caught up in the embrace because they hadn't seen each other in so long, but when they came around the corner, the entire room and the whole scene came into view.

FP, Mary, Hiram, Keller, and Eric were all kneeling on the ground, and Johnny had a gun pointed on them. Betty's hand tightened around Jughead's and he pushed her behind him a little to shield her.

They both jumped when the kitchen door swung open, and man walked into the living room. He was wiping his bloody hands on a white dishtowel. But the blood wasn't the most disturbing thing about him. His hair was missing in patches. His face was red, skin raw and wrinkled, like it had melted off. Like he'd been in a fire.

"Well, it's about time you two finished fucking each other's brains out while your families suffered," he said, coming closer to them.

"Who are you?" Betty asked.

"Michael James," he replied. "Surprise."