Jughead sat in the hospital room, holding Betty's hand gently as he stared at her broken body. There was a cast around her left wrist; a cannula providing her oxygen; and god, the stab wounds. So many he lost count around thirty. He couldn't believe she had survived the blood loss. But taking inventory of the wounds, he noted that they were strategically placed. In places that, had it just been a couple of stab wounds, wouldn't have caused her to need two transfusions. But that was the point, he thought bitterly. He imagined that Malachi and his men had stabbed her repeatedly in her arms and legs so she could bleed out slowly. He'd kill them all for it.
He traced the pad of his thumb along her knuckles, which bore defensive marks. She fought back. "Fuck." It was quiet breath but everyone heard it, putting Sweet Pea on high alert as he looked over his best friend's beaten and mangled body.
"What's wrong?" Sweet Pea asked, tone conveying that Jughead shouldn't even bother lying to him.
"She fought back." His voice was pitifully small as he stared down at her bruised and swollen knuckles.
"Punched the hell out of them, by the looks of it," Joaquin said quietly.
Jughead breathed out a whine of pain and pressed his face against her abdomen. "You've got to wake up soon, baby."
"Yeah," Sweet Pea croaked, voice breaking. "I can't look after Jughead by myself."
"You have Ronnie," came a weak reply, and Jughead's head snapped up, staring at Betty as she slowly cracked her eyes open and offered him a pained smile. "Hey."
He lost in that moment, howling against her broken skin unabashedly. "I'm so sorry, baby. So fucking sorry."
Betty trailed her good hand through his hair. "Nothing I can't handle."
He choked on his pleas as Ronnie's face became glazed with tears. A quick look at Sweet Pea told Jughead that the taller was crying too. "Fuck."
"Why – is – everyone – crying?" Betty's breathing was labored and she cupped a hand to her ribs.
"Shh," Jughead murmured, pressing a wet kiss to her forehead. "Just rest. We'll talk."
Betty opened her mouth, perhaps to protest, but seemed to think better of it. Settling back into her pillows, she nodded tiredly, looking around at them. It was Ronnie who spoke up first. "The fuckers just dumped you outside of the hospital entrance and left you there."
Betty shrugged a tired shoulder, half smile forming on her lips. "What did you expect?"
"They're going to pay," Jughead muttered in a dark voice. "All of them."
Betty licked her lips and looked at everyone else besides Jughead. "Can you guys give us a couple of minutes?"
All of them filed out back to the waiting room where Toni was waiting. She hadn't wanted to overcrowd Betty and said she'd go see her when Cheryl got to the hospital. Jughead watched them leave with a sinking pit in his gut. "There's more." It wasn't a question.
Betty inhaled a fortifying breath and looked at him with apologetic eyes. "They're going to need to do a rape kit if they haven't already."
Jughead's stomach lurched and rolled as he heaved. Damnit. Damnit all. "No."
It was a broken whisper; a plea for her to tell him she didn't mean it. "Yes. And, fuck, I am so sorry, Juggie."
He stood up from the chair next to her bed and stood by the wall. Rolling upward, he banged his fist multiple times against the wall, praying for it to get better. "I'll kill them. I'll kill them all."
Tears were coming thick and fast down his face and she was right to send his men out. They couldn't see him break down like this. "I took a couple down." There was pride in her voice, despite the detachment. "I killed two."
Being apart of the Serpents had toughened Betty up. She went from pastel sweaters and ponytails to leather jackets and motorcycles. Jughead had always been hard; all rough edges and harsh words. He killed for a living. The Serpents weren't known for niceties. He still hated that Betty had to do that. No doubt self-defense but still. Still. The fuckers should have never made her do that and they'd feel his wrath. "I'm so, so unbelievably sorry, Betts."
She shrugged a shoulder, cupping his jaw tenderly with her good hand. "I'd do it again if it meant keeping you safe."
"It wasn't me they attacked," Jughead replied in a lifeless voice. He had maniacal energy coursing through him and the taste of retribution was heavy on his tongue. He could practically feel Malachi's bones snapping in his hands, and he wondered if that was punishment enough. Decidedly not. He'd have to really take his time with the leader of the Ghoulies. Drag out his death. And then there was Penny. He'd make the ex-snake charmer pay. With her life. Eye for eye. It was the only way.
Jughead breathed deeply, cupping Betty's face with his palm. She stared at him, and he looked into her eyes, aching for what part of her soul she shared with him after an attack this bad. "They'll fucking pay, baby. All of them. I promise you that much."
Her lip quivered and rolled but she didn't cry. She nodded her head once. "Can you tell the others? About – the assault? I don't want to." It was whispered into the quiet room, the whirring of the machines the only other sounds they heard. Jughead would hate to do it; wasn't even sure if he could do it. But one look at Betty's eyes and he knew he'd never deny her this. He pressed his lips to her forehead and held them there for an immeasurable amount of time before pulling back.
"Of course," he whispered, wiping his eyes on his sleeve. But for now…"can I just sit in here with you?"
"Please don't leave me just yet," she whispered. His heart broke and he sat back down in the chair.
"Never."
