"Nice Jacket," Betty looked to her left seeing an impossibly beautiful girl, who looked like she should be on the cover of a biker edition of Maxim.

"Oh," Betty looked down nervously "It's not mine," She blushed, pulling the straw to her lips and taking a sip.

"I Know," the girl laughed, her voice somehow high-pitched and raspy at the same time, she reminded betty of a tattooed version of one those cartoon bombshells like Jessica Rabbit. "See that patch…" She pointed a long black fingernail at a rectangle patch on the upper left side that read King Cobra in green writing with a black background, underneath it was another patch with black and white cobra its neck flared out, the only color on it was its read eyes, she had never even paid much attention, but different patches were littered around the jacket "That's Jug," She smiled, somewhat obnoxiously. Betty eyed the girl carefully, not sure what to make of the situation yet. The girl pulled her finger back reaching over and running it along the rim of Jughead glass, the smile till on her lips as if she were lost in her own world for a minute, she finally looked back to Betty. "I'm Effie."

"Nice to meet you," Betty smiled politely.

"And you are?" The girl leaned her side on the bar top facing Betty.

"Betty," she nodded still feeling a strange vibe from the girl, trying to discreetly look at her from the corner of her eye, she noticed almost immediately a vintage style jester silhouette tattooed on her forearm, a thin box surrounding it making it look like a playing card, the old english J's on opposite corners had small red hearts around them.

"So Betty," the girl started picking up Jughead's drink and taking a sip, leaving a dark red lipstick mark on the rim "How do you know JJ?" she asked innocently tilting her head to the side. It took Betty a second to figure out she meant Jughead, and she tensed at the odd nickname she had never heard anyone call him before.

"Umm, we are old friends, I guess," Betty finally answered sitting up straighter, and suddenly wanting to get away from this new friend. She eyed the tattoo again the feeling in her gut growing stronger. The girl seemed to catch her gaze, and slid her long finger down the ink.

"You like?" She smiled wickedly, Betty just shrugged no longer wanting to be a player in this game. "It's the joker," The girl explained.

"Yeah I caught that," Betty refrained from rolling her eyes but couldn't help the slight attitude that made its way into her voice, all night she had been shocked by her own brazen reactions, the way she had yelled at Jughead, rode on his motorcycle, and now this, she was feeling a new feisty side of herself. Effie seemed to catch it too her lip twitching a little.

"I got it for him," The girl looked down at her arm, tracing the black J's, and smiling like someone madly in love, Bettys eyes narrowed a little, she didn't know how to feel, she was annoyed, but hadn't decided if jealousy was a part of it yet. "Because he is like joker, and I just happen to be his Harley, Quinn I mean, not the bike, but he has been known to ride me," The girl winked her lips pursed cockily.

"That's weird.. I thought Harley Quinn was blonde," she smirked, her voice confident despite what she was feeling inside as jealousy blurred her vision. She swirled her straw in her drink smiling sweetly at the girl, who seemed to be at loss for words.

"Betty," His voice rang out from behind her, making her turn her head to see him approaching them, she felt relief, but quickly after disgust as she tried desperately not to see him with the girl, but the image was already flooding her brain. She closed her eyes tightly just as he reached them, his large hand grabbing her shoulder. She opened her eye to see he him in a heated stare with Effie, the realization that the girl hadn't been lying washing over her. "What did I miss?" Jug tried to laugh light heartedly. Heat suddenly filled Betty, her ears burning slightly as the situation fully hit her, was she his girlfriend? Betty couldn't help but feel like a fool, her cheeks burning red in a deep blush.

"Nothing, Effie was just explaining her tattoo..." Betty looked at him sharply, sliding off the stool and out of his grasp.

"Betts," he tried, his eyes pleading with her, but she felt too stupid to just stand there anymore, she just shook her head and started walking away.

"What the fuck," She heard Jug scold the girl from behind her.

"Don't 'What the fuck' me! Who the hell is she JJ?" The girl asked her voice getting slightly hysterical. Betty slowed slightly wanting to hear his answer.

"That's Betty, get fucking used to it," his voice was so terrifyingly cold, she heard the girl gasp.

"J, don't walk away from me," The girl cried.

"Fuck off Effie," He said flatly, and Betty started to pick up her speed knowing Jughead was following her, she had made it halfway to the pool tables Kevin in her sights, when he caught up to her, spinning her around to face him.

"I guess I should give this back, King cobra, or should I just call you Joker, maybe JJ?" Betty slid his jacket off her arms, handing it to him, trying to make her stare as cold as ice.

"C'mon Betty, don't do that," He kept his hands at his side not taking the jacket, she pushed it into his chest forcing him to take it before it fell, he gripped it in his hand, looking at her apologetically. "She is just being a bitch, don't let it get to you please."

"But is it a lie?" Betty asked not really wanting his answer but raising her chin confidently anyways.

"Betty.." He trailed off looking away, she let out an incredulous laugh, turning and walking away toward Kevin again. She finally reached him, Jughead still on her tail. Her best friend stood next to the pool table that Joaquin was playing at with a few other guys. He finally looked up at her noticing the look on her face.

"Trouble in paradise?" Kevin looked behind her at Jughead, then back to Betty raising one eyebrow.

"Can we go please?" She asked in a hushed voice.

"No, don't leave," Jughead tried, but she ignored him keeping her gaze on Kevin. The boy stood there looking between them obviously conflicted. "Just keep her here, please?" Jughead asked addressing Kevin.

"Don't put him in the middle of this," Betty turned around angrily facing Jughead, who had a pained look on his face.

"Can you just give me a chance to explain?" He asked reaching for her but she stepped out of his grasp.

"Fine explain," She said flatly crossing her arms over his chest.

"I have something I need to take care of, just wait here…. Please ?" His voice was so desperate and she sighed feeling defeated. She knew she wasn't actually just going to leave, it wasn't in her especially when he was being this vulnerable and practically begging her, she knew she was probably being stupid for even giving him the opportunity but how could she even be that mad when she still had a boyfriend waiting for her on the other side of town.

"Yeah… okay," She huffed watching relief flood over him.

"I'll try to be fast," He grabbed her hand squeezing it and she just nodded still staring at him angrily, he turned on his heel striding away and Betty let out a long exhale through her nose, looking back at the bar where the girl still stood, downing the rest of Jughead's drink and glaring in her direction, Betty turned around choosing to ignore her and focused back on Kevin.

"Okay what the hell was that?" Kevin asked as Joaquin walked over throwing his arm over Kevin and kissing his cheek sloppily.

"Nothing," Betty shook her head "just getting emotionally assaulted by Jughead's life," Betty rolled her eyes. Stealing another glance at the bar.

"I see you've met Effie," Joaquin followed her gaze his eyes wide, blinking drunkenly.

"Who is she?" She asked carefully, looking at Joaquin, feeling stupid for even wanting to know.

"Remember those snakeskins I was telling you about? She is Jug's…" Hurt swelled in Betty, making her chest feel tight, "or I mean she was…" Joaquin realized his words too late, looking at Betty apologetically.

"So they are a thing?" She asked looking down at the ground.

"They were," He reassured her "it's like I told you Betty…" He hiccuped in between his words "You're special, I promise… he is never like this… never ever," Joaquin smiled letting go of Kevin and grabbing her in a hug, knocking her off balance slightly, she grabbed him back righting him.

"Okay, okay babe, let the poor girl go," Kevin pulled him back laughing, Betty smiled too even though inside she felt like screaming.

"What the hell is Effie even short for?" Betty rolled her eyes wishing she didn't hate this girl already but it was too late. Joaquin looked away then up at the ceiling avoiding any contact.

"Wait no, that's a fair question… Effie?" Kevin asked watching Joaquin.

"Ummm, Elizabeth actually," Joaquin looked at her his eyes watching her empathetically.

"You have got to be kidding me…" She felt like she had gotten punched in the gut, Elizabeth. The girl stole her fucking name and got a cool nickname out of it and all she got was Betty? She needed to sit down, and fast. She made her way to the tall table against the wall and pulled herself up on a stool leaning on the table.

"It's gonna be okay Betty, trust me, I've got a good feeling about you guys," Joaquin slurred trying to cheer her up, as he grabbed his pool cue, smiling widely. He stepped back to the table, racking the pool balls again, a few of the other guys standing around waiting to start another game.

"I know we haven't had the chance to really talk," Kevin eyed her as he stepped over to the table "But I'm getting the feeling there is a lot you haven't told me," He sat on the stool opposite her and leaned forward.

"Yeah I guess so," She blushed looking away, she knew her best friend knew her better than anyone in the world, and he had known something was between her and Jughead, something that was way too intense to describe, but he didn't even know the half of it.

"So Elizabeth Cooper, spill it, all of it," He said dramatically resting his chin on his hand.

"You already know most of it, I guess you just don't know how close we've gotten," she sighed.

"And how close is that?" Kevin asked. Betty thought of a way to explain it, chewing on her bottom lip in contemplation.

"Not just physically, I mean obviously that too…" She trailed off Kevin nodding knowingly "But it's like this weird pull I have to him. Have you ever been in face to face with a wild animal? I imagine it's like staring into the eyes of a wolf... you know it's dangerous, that they are a predator and you are the prey, but you can't look away, it's majestic beauty hypnotising you. Now imagine, if that wolf, let you reach out and pet it, run your fingers along its course wild fur, imagine if it nuzzled you and somehow made you feel safe and terrified all at once…" she trailed off getting lost in her own head thinking back to last night when he had his knife in his hand, or the sickening grin on his face when hit that man, or the way he had held her lovingly brushing her hair behind her ear, how soft his face had looked when he was fast asleep, or the way he had kissed her, rubbed his thumb on her hand as he held it, they way he had looked at her when he told that he would never let her get hurt. She looked over to where he had walked, he stood at the front of the bar Sweet Pea at his side, talking two men in suits, their conversation didn't seem friendly but it didn't seem hostile either, Betty watched him, his long arms crossed over his chest as he nodded to one of the men, his jawline impossibly sharp, his gaze completely emotionless, as if he sensed her watching he turned his head meeting her gaze, his cold eyes making her suck in a sharp breath, but even in the distance she could see them soften once he realized she was looking back at him, he quickly looked away, but she had seen it, even in the split second it had been. She looked back to Kevin, who was watching her intently, his eyes slightly glazed over.

"Holy crap, you are so far gone," He giggled, she couldn't help but smile too. "I hate bringing this up in the middle of this full on twilight analogy love fest…" Betty scrunched her nose in disgust at his teen novel reference hating that he wasn't wrong "But what about Archie?" she knew the question was coming but it still made her flinch.

"I don't know," She answered honestly looking at him sadly, that question she still couldn't fully answer.

"You have to leave him…" He sighed grabbing her hand across the table.

"I know," She sighed

"I mean I love this whole secret life thing, you are like a walking romance novel right now…. But Archie has been one of our best friends since we were kids.." He pulled his lips to the side.

"I am going to end it, I just don't know how yet.. It's so complicated," She put her head in her free hand feeling exhausted all over again.

"So let's move onto the physical stuff.." Kevin looked at her longingly, squeezing her hand that was still in his.

"There are no words…" She laughed.

"No words for what?" She looked up at the sound of his voice seeing him and Sweet Pea walking up to the table. Jughead had his jacket on now, and Betty couldn't stop looking at the patch that held his title, the cobra underneath it staring at her, and she realized she had been wrong, she wasn't face to face with a wolf, she was face to face with a snake, a deadly, fast, venomous snake, she shivered slightly pulling herself out of her own thoughts.

"Nothing, is everything okay?" She asked changing the subject and noting the change in their attitudes as they shared a strange look.

"Yeah, everything is fine," Jug's words were clipped and Betty shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

"I'm gonna head down stairs… start on processing the order," Sweet Pea looked back to the entrance and Betty followed his gaze seeing the two men, starting to exit the building.

"Yeah, thanks man, tell Ace and Happy to help," Jughead nodded. Sweet Pea walked away without another word, Jughead pulled a carton of cigarettes from his pocket pulling one out and resting it between his lips, Joaquin had made his way over now watching Sweet Pea walk away and looking back to Jug.

"Let me bum one of those," he held out his hand, Jughead pulled another cigarette handing it to him, shoving the pack back and sliding a lighter out of his jean pocket, sparking it and holding the flame up to Joaquin first then lighting his own. "What's up?" Joaquin asked holding the lit cigarette in his hand.

"Yakuza," Jughead answered Joaquin raised his eyebrows in surprise "They put in another order, they said Castle reached out.. Made some threats," Joaquin nodded slowly, watching Jughead carefully.

"Should I go help?" The boy asked, his voice seeming eager and scared at the same time.

"No, Sweet Pea has got it, but thanks prospect," Jughead smiled somewhat proudly. It was the most that Jughead had ever spoken about the club in front of her and Betty tried desperately to follow their conversation but she was completely lost, the only name she actually knew was Yakuza, but there is no way Jughead had meant the Japanese Mafia. Betty had only ever heard of them in movies. Betty looked over to Kevin who was watching the interaction with wide eyes but her normally loud mouthed best friend, kept quiet.

"Do you need a drink?" Joaquin asked trying to help in some way.

"Sure," Jughead nodded. Joaquin gabbed Kevin's hand leading him away as they headed off to the bar. Jughead turned his attention back to her stepping forward, he placed his hand on her knee, pulling her legs open and settling between them, even with her on the high stool he was still quite a bit taller, he grabbed her face in his hands looking into her eyes deeply.

"An order for what? Who is Castle?" She asked trying to focus but the way he was looking at her was making it increasingly difficult.

"You don't want to know," He said putting his finger gently against her lips meaning to shush her, but instead he rubbed his thumb slowly over her bottom lip, staring at her mouth, she knew that look in his eyes, she knew where this was going, his body was so tense he seemed like he was made of stone and before she could say anything else he dipped his head down capturing her lips with his, he kissed her pressing his lips hard against hers, sliding his hand back into her hair and tilting her head up, he pulled away looking at her, seemingly like he was waiting for her to respond, but she didn't, his kiss had felt different somehow, like he was making sure she was real, it felt oddly protective, she just looked up at him silently trying to read him. He searched her eyes, an intense look on his face, before deciding to go in for another kiss, this time she leaned up meeting him, a sense of desperate passion coming off of him in waves, hitting her like a ton of bricks, she tightened her legs around him finally giving him the okay he had been waiting for, he deepened this kiss opening his mouth and moving his lips against her as he leaned further into her embrace.

"Fuck," He pulled away his chest heaving as he sucked in breaths, holding his nose against her, his eyes closed.

"Are you really okay?" She whispered, staring up at his features, the pained look on his face melted into a slight smile.

"I'm okay, as long as you're okay," He opened his eyes pulling back a little, his thumb gliding across her jaw. She shivered at his touch, reaching her own hand up and placing it over his, leaning her head into his palm. She couldn't even fully wrap her brain around what was happening, but something in her gut told her not to question it, or to question him. They stared at each other like that, until Joaquin walked back over, two glasses in his hand, Kevin next to him, with an electric green drink sipping it gingerly through a straw, Joaquin handed a glass to Jug, who let go of Betty and leaned out of her embrace, taking a sip.

"Betty," Kevin smiled mischievously, meaning he had seen the whole thing "I have this crazy idea…" he paused glancing at Joaquin "We should just stay here tonight," Betty stared at him pursing her lips.

"I can't… My mom," She rolled her eyes.

"Maybe I could just stay.." Kevin blushed awkwardly. Betty looked at him narrowing her eyes.

"I can take you home," Jughead announced, sipping his whiskey again, Betty shifted her glare to him and then to the glass in his hand, he seemed to catch on and shrugged putting the glass down on the table.

"No that's an even worse idea," She huffed, scrunching her eyebrows together as she thought of her options. She pulled out her phone checking the time. "Shit, it's already 12:30," She sighed running her hand through her hair and starting at her phone that now had three new texts from Archie. "I can't believe I'm doing this…" She slid off the stool, clutching her phone in her hand.

"Where are you going?" Jughead and Kevin both asked her at the same time.

"To call my mother," She sighed, and started walking towards the back door, needing to be outside and far from any noise, Jughead grabbed her hand and started walking with her, she stopped and looked up at him. "Can I do this on my own? It seems like it will be easier to lie to my mom without you staring at me," she gave him a pointed look. He seemed to hesitate for too long, but finally released her hand.

'Fine, but if you aren't back here in five minutes i'm coming to get you," He said sternly, she nodded, and started walking again feeling his eyes on her the whole time. Once she was in the dimly lit hallway she looked around taking note of the room that was a cigar lounge, but for the first time she noticed a door directly across the hall, with no label on it, maybe it was just a private bathroom but something in her gut told her otherwise, her hand itched slightly wanting to reach for the handle, her normal need of playing detective overwhelming her, she licked her bottom lip, looking around her she reached her hand out, the cold metal under her fingertips as she twisted it, it moved slightly and then stopped, she noticed the keyhole in the center of the knob and cursed under her breath, of course it would be locked. She straightened herself back up and kept walking before anyone noticed her, but that door was not going to leave her mind anytime soon. She pushed open the big heavy door, the wind outside impossibly cold, she wrapped her arms around herself, and kept walking hoping that once she got to the tree line it would shelter her from the night air, she hurried across the dirt lot and into the woods behind the Whyte Wyrm. She leaned against a large pine tree, sliding her thumb across her phone and deciding what she was going to say, she hit her mom's name knowing she would have to get it over with and soon. The phone rang twice before her moms sleep filled voice answered.

"Hey mom," Betty started

'Hi honey, is everything okay? How are you feeling?" Her mom yawned aright after she spoke.

"Yeah I'm feeling much better, I got finished with closing a little early, I just wanted to see if I could stay at Kev's tonight," She held her phone tightly against her ear, her fingers going slightly numb from the biting cold.

"What? Elizabeth you were just there, and you're sick," Her mom said in a very mom tone.

"I know, but I just want to…." Betty paused for a minute deciding that a least a small bit of honesty was her best bet "I don't want to go home," She sighed.

"Why not?" Her mom sounding more awake now, was also sounding more annoyed.

"It's not our home, I just don't want to have to face Archie, and if I'm there in the morning he is going to want to talk," Betty held her breath feeling awful that it wasn't actually a lie.

"I thought you and Archie were dating now…" Her mom said as more of a statement.

"We are, but I just don't know if I'm ready for all of it, I thought I was, but now I don't know how to tell him I'm not, I can't face him yet," Betty's word fell from her mouth so quickly, she hadn't realized how much she needed to say them, and how much she needed to talk to her mom, she suddenly felt so much relief in that moment.

"Were you really sick?" Alice asked knowingly.

"No, I just knew he wanted to talk, and it spun me into an awful anxiety attack," Betty admitted, which was mostly the truth, the only lie she was telling was about why she didn't want to be with him.

"Baby, you can't avoid him forever," Alice tried her voice filled with empathy and understanding, making betty flinch.

"I know, but I'm so scared it will ruin our friendship," Betty sighed leaning harder against the tree, wishing she could sit and talk more.

"You and Archie have been friends forever, these things happen, and your friendship will be strong enough to get through this," Her mother reassured her. Betty bit down on her lip knowing her mom would have been right if it wasn't for a Southside serpent she happened to be sneaking around with.

"I just can't face him yet," Betty stayed firm.

"Alright, do you have a ride?"

"Yeah Kevin is coming to pick me up already," Betty lied

"Well why don't you call me in the morning, I'll come get you and we can go to brunch and a movie and talk this out," Her mom yawned again and Betty smiled to herself, needing this talk, and probably needing tomorrow too.

"Okay will do, I love you mom," Betty stifled a yawn herself.

"Love you too Elizabear, good night," and with that she pulled her phone down hitting end. It hadn't been as difficult as she had thought, and it also felt like a weight had been lifted off of her. She pushed off the tree getting ready to head back inside when the large metal back door swung open, a loud thump sounding when it hit the wall behind it. At first Betty thought it was Jughead coming out to get her, but instead she saw a serpent jacket walking backwards out of the door, a man with a buzzed haircut, much older then the other boys, held one side of a large crate, Betty stepped back into the tree line hiding herself from view as she watched the man taking careful steps, the long crate was short and had writing on all sides, she squinted her eyes trying to read it but she couldn't make it out, only that it looked to be some kind of logo, as the crate made it all the way through the door she saw Sweet Pea holding the other side. They walked it carefully outside, setting it gently on the ground, another middle aged guy walked out the back door, holding a not very hidden gun across his chest, this one was much larger than the one Jughead had in his Jacket. She watched carefully trying to put the pieces together when a large black SUV rounded the corner and pulled into the dirt lot stopping by the crate and obstructing Betty's view slightly she stepped around the tree, but still couldn't see so she walked quietly along the tree line until she could see the two men in suits from earlier stepping out of the car and opening the crate examining what was inside, and wordlessly hauling the crate into the trunk. One man got back into the car, as the other stayed and spoke to Sweet Pea, not loud enough so Betty could hear. The man held out an envelope to the Serpent who just nodded and shook the man's hand, stepping back to where the other two Serpents were. Sweet Pea and the man who had helped with the crate walked wordlessly inside, the man with gun staying and watching the blacked out suv drive away, before dropping the gun to his side and striding back inside after the other boys. Betty let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding, looking from the bar back to the road and making sure the car was completely gone. She didn't know exactly what had just happened, but she knew it wasn't normal behavior, and she knew damn well she wasn't supposed to see it, she looked around one more time before racing across the dirt lot and reaching for the door just as it opened on its own, Jughead standing on the other side, he stepped outside crossing his arms over his chest.

"How much did you see?" His voice was cold but his eyes seemed far too worried for Betty to believe the edge.