Betty was back in the hell that brought her so much pain. She stared at the walls of Sisters of Quiet Mercy and wondered how in the hell she was supposed to get out. Everywhere she looked, she saw a face of one of her tormentors. She didn't know what they wanted with her, except to hurt her, and she sprinted away from them as fast as she could. "It'll do you no good, my child." This was Sister Woodhouse, sneering after her as she chased her. She was suddenly ten times faster than Betty remembered and she ran as fast as her legs would carry her. It wasn't enough. It was never enough. Sister Woodhouse caught up with her, sneered at her in a menacing way, and then injected her with something. Betty screamed.

"Betty! Betty, baby, wake up," came a soothing voice, bringing Betty out of the snares of her terrifying nightmare. Eyes flying open, she whimpered as she looked around, spotting Jughead leaning over her.

"Juggie?" Betty asked, eyes wet with moisture.

"Shh," he murmured. "It's just a dream. It's not real."

She felt a tear slip out of her eye and crest down the side of her face. She knew that it was a dream; that she was with Jughead, in his trailer. Safe and sound. It still didn't bring her much relief as she shook in his hold. "It seemed so real."

"I promise you, you're right here with me," he murmured, ducking down to press a kiss to her forehead. Betty trembled in his hold, and she felt the tremors running through her. She knew better than to wish them away. She had to ride them out.

Jughead held onto her, soothing her gently as she rode out the worst of the anxiety, and then she was breathing deeply, and slowly, staring up into his gentle eyes. "There. All better now, hmm?"

"Yeah," she murmured, and he kissed her sweetly. She relished the way the kiss made her feel; safe and secure, and that was a feeling that had been ripped from her during the time at the Sisters. She knew that Jughead, and their friends, would do whatever it took to make her feel safe again. She just had to help them out. "Thank you, Juggie."

"You have nothing to thank me for," he reminded her gently, pulling her down onto his chest. "Want to talk about it?"

She didn't, not really. But she knew she had to. "I dreamed I was back at Sisters. Sister Woodhouse was in the dream and was chasing me. Along with everyone else. She – she injected me with something. A drug of some kind." She heard Jughead's throat hitched and continued. "You woke me up right after that happened."

"I'm so sorry," he whispered, gathering her into his arms and pressing a tender kiss to her temple. She closed her eyes, knowing in her heart she wouldn't get back to sleep.

"What time is it?" Betty asked.

"Just after four," Jughead replied quietly. So still super early in the morning. They didn't have to be at school for another four hours. Betty knew sleep was elusive at this point. She sighed softly.

"I should just go ahead and get up," she muttered. Jughead didn't try to dissuade her from the idea; perhaps he knew that sleep wouldn't be her friend as much as she knew it. He simply nodded his head and got out of bed, throwing on a pair of sweatpants over his boxers, then adding a t-shirt.

"We can make some coffee," he said quietly. "Come on."

XXX

The rest of the morning passed without incident and Betty was ready to go to school. The withdrawals were lighter today, a bonus she didn't think she'd be gifted with. She smiled at Jughead, who looked at her tenderly, and then they were joining the rest of the Serpents, who were waiting on their bikes outside of the trailer. Then Archie and Veronica were waiting in Archie's truck. Betty got on the back of Jughead's motorcycle, linking her fingers together at his stomach, and they were on their way.

Once at school, Betty and Jughead led the way into the building, with Cheryl and Toni following in after them, and the rest of the group after them. Betty knew that they wanted to present the picture of solidarity and she appreciated that. She walked down the hallways, the Serpents forming a formidable wall off security around her, and the other students parted in the hallways. No one but the Serpents and Ronnie and Archie knew that she had been to the Sisters, minus Ethel. And she didn't think the other girl would tell anyone. They had sort of taken care of each other while they were both there, and according to Sweet Pea, Ethel had gone to him straight away after she had gotten out.

Ethel walked up to them just then, looking at Betty with a kind smile. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm getting better," she agreed, and Ethel nodded.

"I know what you mean," she murmured. "The Sisters really don't care who they take as prisoners, do they?"

"No, they don't," Betty muttered. Sweet Pea spoke up just then.

"How are you doing, Ethel? Have you forgiven your parents for sending you there?" Sweet Pea asked.

Ethel sighed. "Not really, no. I'm currently staying with my aunt. She's not a fan of her brother or my mother, and she took me in. Said I should have never been at Sisters in the first place. She's trying to get custody of me for my senior year. Then I'll go to college in some city away from this place."

Sweet Pea smiled at her gently. "I hope it works out for you, Ethel. You didn't deserve that either."

Ethel flushed, looking away as she bit her lip. Betty could tell she thought she deserved it – a feeling Betty felt all too well herself. She patted the other girl on the shoulder. "Sit with us at lunch?"

"Sure," Ethel smiled. "If you guys don't mind."

"We don't, doll," Joaquin replied, patting her on the shoulder next.

Then, they were all going their separate ways, with Betty dreading the coming days.