A/N: Rumor has it, season 5 of Riverdale will be set five years into the future. Inspired by this, I've got some ideas to share.

Chapter 1

They might have been their parents, rigidly sharing a booth at Pop's; Betty beside Veronica and Archie beside Jughead.

In her elegant sapphire gown, Veronica was obviously doing well with her life in New York. Betty wore her hair in a ponytail but lower, gathered at her nape. Strategically dressed, her black suit gave little indication of her occupation. Jughead and Archie might as well have been eighteen, still, clad in a Serpent jacket and dusty work clothes, respectively.

"Free milkshakes for life," Veronica sighed. "Just what my nutritionist ordered."

"It's a thoughtful gesture," Betty mused. "But it doesn't make a lot of sense."

"Especially considering Vanessa's a vegan. She's going to update the menu…" Archie added.

Jughead gave an exaggerated groan of disappointment around his mouthful of burger.

"How many hours have we spend in this place?" Archie grinned, gaze fixing on each of them. Obviously, he wanted to change the subject.

"Half our lives," Jughead smirked, popping a fry into his mouth.

"Did the Sheriff investigate?" Betty asked, disturbed by Pop Tate's death. She wanted to know more. Riverdale had been quiet the last five years and Pop's murder was a shock.

"Keller did the best he could. But the mayor keeps cutting his budget," Archie explained, caving to Betty's persistence.

"Keller's back in office?" Veronica asked, wrinkling her nose.

"Perhaps you forget, he was the one who caught Charles before anyone got hurt," Jughead shot Veronica a pointed look then his gaze flicked to Betty's face at the mention of their half-brother.

Veronica arched a neat brow, "I did forget. It was right after we left for college – right, Bee?"

Betty nodded, idly stirring her milkshake with her straw to avoid looking at Jughead, again. Just the momentary shared glance had ignited embers in her gut; a sensation she hadn't felt since leaving him for Yale so many years ago.

"How did Vanessa inherit the diner? I thought your father owned it," Betty directed at Veronica.

"After the prison was finished, Daddy sold it back to Pop Tate for a pittance and he and Mother moved to New York to be closer to me," she explained, teeth snapping into a winning smile.

Quiet fell and the quartet glanced at one another. Archie caught Betty's gaze and grinned.

"It's so good to see you," he offered. "I've really missed you all."

"It's good to see you, too, Arch," Betty smiled back, enjoying his earnestness. "What are you doing these days?"

As if she was standing under a sunlamp, she felt the heat of Jughead glaring at her. Determined to keep her cool, Betty ignored him and focused on Archie.

"I picked up where my dad left off. Running Andrews Construction. And I play in a cover band on the weekends."

"I organize events for worthy charities," Veronica drawled, rubbing her fingertips together as if the very air held offensive particles.

"Did you finish college, Jughead?" Veronica asked with a narrow-eyed look at his black leather jacket.

Jughead huffed with nonexistent humor. "Couldn't afford it. I am the Serpent King once again…" he announced, plucking at the lapel of his jacket.

Betty couldn't help herself, she found herself examining Jughead. She noted a new scar on his jaw and several spiderwebbed his knuckles, speaking to violence. Despite his rough appearance, a wave of calm washed through her. How did the sight of someone speed the heart and lower blood pressure at the same time? She wanted to know what had happened. She wanted to know if he still wrote… If he was still the same soul she'd loved…

"Are you leaving right away?" Archie asked, his uncomplicated expression the same Betty remembered and cherished.

"I think I'll stay a few days. Check in with Keller. I don't like what I'm hearing about Pop's death…" Betty said carefully.

"Still Nancy Drew?" Jughead asked with a grin.

Was he teasing her? She couldn't read his expression like she used to. He'd grown a thick skin, hadn't he? He'd probably had to…

Betty smiled back and shrugged.

"You didn't say what you do, Betts," Jughead prodded.

"Oh! It's not very interesting. I'm a producer at NBS in New York."

"Are you kidding? That's sounds pretty interesting to me," Archie grinned.

Veronica tapped her manicured nails on her fountain glass. "I forget you're in New York, too, Betty. We should see each other more."

"We should," Betty agreed as a chime sounded on her watch. "Excuse me, I've got to make a call."

Betty slipped her cellphone from her pocket and hit speed-dial one as she stepped out of the diner, into the gravel lot.

"Bravo, charlie, six, six, seven," she said quietly, gaze sweeping the lot for activity.

"Go ahead, Cooper," growled her handler, Mason.

"I'm going to stay for a couple of days. An old friend was murdered and I want to check it out."

"Your assignment in Seattle can wait a bit. But I absolutely need you there by next Friday."

The swoosh of the door and momentary burst of happy chatter alerted Betty to someone exiting the diner behind her. She turned to watch Jughead stride towards a motorcycle.

"I'll be back before then," she agreed in a conversational tone, willing Jughead with her gaze not to drive away yet. He threw one leg over the bike and snapped the helmet clasp under his neck.

"Acknowledged, Cooper. Standard forty-eight hour check-ins are in effect."

"Yes, I'll be in touch," she replied, making her way towards the biker.

"Did you get your boyfriend's permission?" he asked as she walked towards him.

Betty lifted a brow; it was none of his business.

"Okay, that sounded catty even to me," he admitted. "You waiting for an Uber?"

"I didn't think Riverdale had Ubers."

"We don't," he grinned. "I can give you a lift somewhere," he offered, a glimmer of the old Jughead shining through. "Staying with your mom?"

Heart thumping, Betty glanced at him through her lashes. She hadn't connected with a man in a while. A couple of one-nighters but no one who made her breath catch just to see him, hear his voice.

"Is the City Center Motel Hotel still in business?"

Knowing she was kidding, Jughead grinned. "Thistlehouse is a B , now."

Warmth flickered in her gut; Betty was irrationally imagining inviting Jughead Jones up to her room. She didn't really know him and he certainly didn't know her. But, unless she was mistaken, there was something similar in Jughead's mind.

"Bee, Archiekins has your luggage and I've got a limo. Ride with me," Veronica called from the diner entrance.

"I'll be right there, Vee," Betty hollered back.

"I'm going to stick around and look into Pop Tate's murder. If you know anything, find out anything, give me a call," she said, slickly handing him her card. "It was nice to see you, Jug," she added.

"It's Jones now. But ditto, Betts. Drinks are on me at the Cottonmouth if you get bored later." With a wink, he revved the bike and Betty stepped back as he sped off.