Song for this chapter is 'Soldier' by Fleurie! It really gets at the desperation, the hopelessness of the searching that Sweet Pea/Betty do in this chapter. As always, if you have a song to suggest, feel free :) And, please oh please review! It would mean a lot to me to hear your thoughts.

May 28th, 2018

Two weeks of useless searching in Riverdale and not a living soul left to find.

They did find one person, and Betty recognized him as someone who had worked at the hospital. He'd been kind when Fred was shot. His name was Kelly, she thinks. He was shaking and had a high fever by the time they came across him, hidden out in an elevator at the now near-empty hospital parking garage.

What had transpired after would follow Betty forever.

He had explained to them through chattering teeth that he'd been with other doctors and the walkers had just overwhelmed the staff. He'd been trying to get the elderly and sick into cars to take to New York City, but had been bit in the process. There was a nasty indent on his arm, necrosed and puss-filled, but undeniably a human's jaw. He hadn't' made it onto the van, because he'd started feeling sick. He didn't want to infect others so had convinced his friends to leave him behind and he'd been holed up here since. They'd only evacuated the hospital a couple days ago, he described, using guards and the numerous hallways to hide from the walkers until they could no longer do so.

They were far from the hospital, in terms of being able to drag him there (Sweet Pea searched for a gurney for about an hour) and Betty nor Sweet Pea had any medical training, so all they could do was watch him die, and try to make sure he didn't feel alone.

They were conferring if they should leave the body or attempt to bury it as to respect him when he came back to life.

The hand of the doctor-turned-walker grabbed Betty's arm, but Sweet Pea was faster, firing a shot through the skull. It all happened so fast that Betty didn't even realize what had happened until much later, when the world wasn't swimming and her ears weren't ringing.

The doctor's head hit the ground with a sickening sound, like a egg breaking on a countertop. Blackish blood, thick, seeped from under his head dripping through the gaps where the elevator aligned with the parking structure. Betty couldn't stop watching it.

"We have to leave. Others will have heard."

Betty was stunned, but nodded.

They managed to hightail it to somewhere safe, somewhere with a heavy locked door- the police station. Most of the guns had been looted but Sheriff Keller nor his son were anywhere to be found. Her father's cell was also empty; she wasn't sure how to feel about that.

"So, here's what we know from that," She said once she'd been sure to thoroughly wash her arms, "A bite gives you a fever and eventually kills you. You come back to life as a walker. Only way to kill the walker is a shot in the head." If she had to remember those events for the rest of her life, she better have learned something from it, she told herself.

"Sounds easy enough to remember," Sweet Pea leaned against the wall, his voice heavy with sarcasm. It was easy to remember. To avoid it? Easier said than done.

They could hear the sound of shuffling and moaning on the outside, so they both hushed up for an hour or so, but both kept a knife close to their fluttering hearts.

"I think if we find someone, it's going to be one or the other," Sweet Pea was the first to start talking again, balancing the knife on his fingers, dangerously.

"What do you mean?" Across the way, the sun slanted on Sweet Pea's face. He frowned.

"My people, or yours."

Betty looked at her hands. It was a possibility.

"If we find Archie and Veronica or Kevin, I wouldn't...ask you to go." At that point, they'd been together for two weeks. It wasn't a lot of time, but when the world had ended, two weeks past certain death felt like a very elongated period. She wasn't saying he was he best friend, but she knew he was a good person and she wasn't going to make him leave, not after all of this.

"I could stand Archie. Veronica, maybe. Kevin's okay." Sweet Pea declared.

Betty almost said 'good' but the words died on her lips a little. She wanted to also say that beggars shouldn't be picky about the survival of the human race. She also felt a thrill run up her spine that he wanted to stay with her, but tried to quell that.

"If we find the serpents, and Jughead's leading them, of course you'll stay. And if not…"

"You'll vouch for me?" Betty quirked an eyebrow.

"Actually, I was going to say you're basically a Serpent anyhow, so it wouldn't matter. It's just not official with a bow yet."

"What?" Betty actually stood, crossing the space between them, kneeling in front of him to make sure she heard correctly, "I don't-,"

"Jughead didn't ask you?" Sweet Pea almost looked embarrassed, "Shitty time to tell you that your boyfriend who we haven't found wanted you to take the mantle of his Serpent Queen and all…"

Betty thought back to two nights before the world ended. It seemed so far away. Plus, Betty hadn't been sure that Jughead had been serious about that. She thought he'd been asking in a soft way, not asking her to join up with the serpents...especially with how he'd been pushing her away from them all year.

"Oh," She'd almost forgotten it in the chaos of it all, "No, he asked. I guess I just didn't think you knew."

"Of course I knew," Sweet Pea nearly looked offended, "He can't just ask anyone he wants to join. There's channels to it, people have to agree. I have to agree."

"And you did?"

"Why wouldn't I? You have more claim than Cheryl. I mean, don't get me wrong, she's terrifying, but she also was shitty to us in the past. She just hardly eked in, but no one will ever tell her that. You? Frankly, it wasn't much of a discussion." At Betty's shocked face, he continued, "Firstly, you already did the snake dance, and that's pretty much there already. And that show was, well," He smirked at her in a way that might have nearly been flirty, "It's just the first time Betty Cooper cam on my radar. And after that, you've been our ally. Plus, your momma was a serpent and family blood means a shit ton. So yes, I had no problems agreeing, swaying the crowd."

"Ah. Thanks." Betty murmured.

"But, knowing my shitty luck, we'll find your people," Sweet Pea groaned.

The next day, Sweet Pea went and came back with a serpent jacket that fit Betty. Betty didn't know where it came from or who he lifted it from, but she accepted it anyway. She doubted they had an untouched closet somewhere of Serpent Jackets, waiting to be doled out. He left and was back before she woke, for she would never let him go alone if she knew.

When she saw it, her eyes brightened and she realized she was much more excited than was likely appropriate. Between all the drama of the year, she'd never gotten a chance to even try on Jughead's.

"Human teeth can't bite as easily through leather." She said when Sweet Pea looked so smug handing it to her. She held her breath a little as she slid it over her arms, letting the weight of it drop against her shoulder blades. The leather was worn and Betty found a crumpled receipt in the pocket from the 7-11. Whoever this had belonged to had bought a Slurpee and a bag of Recess three days before the end of the world. Unwilling to let go of the owner of this jacket, Betty re-folded it carefully and put it back where she'd found it.

"So?" She asked, spinning around a little, more in jest than anything else. She turned to see Sweet Pea watching her intently. He didn't drop his gaze for a second, not even when she met his eyes.

"If only Jughead Jones was here." He whistled low, "Leather's a good look on you."

"Eat your heart out," Betty replied dryly, rolling her eyes, "Let's get going, huh? Find your people."

As it would turn out, they would find neither group, at least, not here in Riverdale and not anytime soon.

June 9th, 2018

They did find a group from Riverdale, but not in Riverdale.

It was three weeks and three days of searching and finding zilch that broke Betty's resolve. Twenty-four days of nothing was a lot to handle, a lot to swallow back. It was hard to admit that her worst fears might actually be confirmed.

Everyone she loved might be dead.

The moment that broke her totally was when she went back to her house. They'd passed it the first day, but Betty had quickly deduced that there was no one there, but couldn't bring herself to walk inside.

She convinced Sweet Pea to look back there once more, mostly because she felt like she needed a glimmer of hope, of something there. Something to make her stay here, to keep looking. Sweet Pea was doubtful, but didn't try to persuade her against it. Maybe he needed a win too.

Inside was practically ransacked. It looked like her mom had left in a hurry. She was relieved to see the knives missing, meaning her mom had probably taken them with her. Her mother's old serpent jacket was also missing.

There were walker guts all over too, which did not bode well.

Betty idly wondered if she would have gone to FP?

There was a singular thing left for Betty, a note on the ground, ripped in half.

Betty, love, come find me. I'm going to-

The rest was ripped away, shredded, missing. It wasn't anywhere to be found.

Betty stared at that note for a long time, shaking her head. Her fingers gripped it so hard it tore tiny holes where her fingers were. She stood, unmoving and unable to breathe.

This was so much worse.

She would never guess where her mother was going. She might never find her. It seemed like this was the snapping point, the point in which Betty could take no more disappointment from this toxic and walker-run town.

"Hey, that sucks," Sweet Pea said once she wordlessly handed him the note. It was as close to sympathy as he knew how to sound. While his words offered little comfort, his tone was someone who understood and might have hugged her, if he were a different person.

She walked upstairs and began to methodically go through her room, still mostly untouched, for things she'd want to take with her.

Sweet Pea followed.

"It's, uh, pink," He said, blinking at her space. If Betty were feeling her normal self, she may feel strange about someone other she didn't know too well viewing something so personal. She just felt numb now. This room wasn't her anymore. It was the room of a normal sixteen-year-old girl in a non-apocalyptic world.

Sweet Pea had brought his personal things with him when he'd gone to off Hiram, and told Betty there wasn't a house to go back to anyway.

Betty took a handful of things; pictures of her family and friends, small things Jughead had given her, a friendship bracelet from Veronica, her iPod, and other trinkets that could fit into a backpack. She stopped in the room that had been Polly's. Though they'd cleared it out for Chic, her things were still packed in boxes in the closet. Betty took things that reminded her of her sister from when they were children, like Polly's stuffed lamb or a shirt that Polly wore so much it had gotten holes in it.

She went to her mother's room, but found it trashed, and was unable to salvage much.

Sweet Pea was in her living room, sitting on the muddy couch and staring out the window.

"We need to leave." She said tiredly.

"Yeah, this house is giving me shivers, no offence," Sweet Pea agreed, and she could tell that he was curious to explore her room but was keeping his hands to himself.

"No, this town, I mean."

She expected Sweet Pea to be indignat, to insist he'd never leave without his fellow serpents, but instead he just rubbed the back of his neck and looked down.

"I uh, yeah. I'd been trying to find a way to ask if maybe we should. Glad you did it first." He sounded a little relieved.

"Our friends aren't here," Betty shook her head, standing, "I don't know where, but we'll go crazy if we stay here."

"Or die. There are walkers fucking everywhere." Sweet Pea agreed. They'd had a couple close calls.

They walked back to the Lodge's in silence. Betty was trying not to cry in front of him, swallowing back bile and bitter agony about having to leave with no leads, with no proof anyone still around, and with the resolution that her childhood home is not the same place it was. It stopped being that way the day Jason Blossom was killed, and she'd been trying to pretend otherwise for a year.

She wonders if she should just mourn now; mourn every person and believe them to be dead. It might spare her feelings later down the road.

They are silent as they get into the van they decided to make their getaway in. It's only once they've reached open roads that Sweet Pea speaks.

"Where to?"

Betty can tell he's trying to regain that teasing tone he usually had, but it's absolutely impossible in this moment.

"The Lodge's have a cabin. It's not too far away. Maybe they…" She frowned, biting her lip, "Jughead knows where it is. He might have gone there."

"Okay, sure." Sweet Pea twiddles his thumbs. She wonders if he would have agreed to anywhere that wasn't Riverdale.

Betty feels better every mile she puts between herself and RIverdale. She had thought she would feel guilty for giving up, but instead, she feels relieved. She feels a little bit free.

Around the hour mark, Betty breaks the prolonged quiet time they've both been having.

"What's your name?"

"Uhh," The dark-haired serpent looks at her, utterly confused, "Sweet Pea?" He reminds.

"No, no. Your real name." Betty waves a hand.

"What if this is it?" He chuckles.

"I seriously doubt that's what your god given name is." Betty mutters.

"What about Jughead?"

"I know that's not his real name," She sees Sweet Pea's mild look of surprise, "What, surprised that I know?"

"I kinda thought-," Sweet Pea turns red, "I dunno, never thought to ask!" He defends himself at Betty's expression once she realizes he's not shocked she knows his real name, he's shocked he has a nickname at all, "His dad was on and off drugs and drinking when he was born, so maybe, I just assumed,"

"It's Forsythe Pendleton Jones the Third." Betty informs him.

"Hardy-har-har," Sweet Pea clinks his fingers against the glass.

"Oh, I'm dead serious. It's Scottish. Why do you think his father is called 'FP'?"

A spark of connection skirts over Sweet Pea's face. He rubs his forehead, groaning.

"That name is terrible. Yeah, I'd go by a stupid name like Jughead too. It nearly sounds normal in comparison."

"Oh, stupid, unlike Sweet Pea?" Betty replied dryly, "Speaking of, never answered."

Sweet Pea shrugs, setting his feet on the dashboard, "They said it the first day we were transferred to Riverdale High overhead. Can't help it if you weren't listening." He really seems like he's not going to tell her.

"I wasn't listening," Betty muttered. She'd had other things to be paying attention to, such a trying not to obsess over Jughead, since it was very shortly after their breakup. And, even if she were, they announced at least thirty names. How was she supposed to have known which was his, on the off-chance she had been paying attention?

"Well, I can't help you then," Sweet Pea leaned his head back on the seat, closing his eyes. He looked very comfortable.

"But-," Betty began to protest.

"Look, Cooper. My real name is a super-duper personal thing. Once you've earned knowing it, I'll tell you. Gottit?" He said without opening his eyes.

"Is it embarrassing?" Betty guessed, "Worse than Forsythe?"

"No, it's normal."

"Then...I mean, we've been traveling together for three weeks! Don't you trust me?"

"Trust isn't it, Betty," Sweet Pea opened an eye, watching her without moving, "It's only given to those that deserve to know. Trust is only a teeny-tiny part. Don't have you secrets?"

Betty was about to press the issue, since she absolutely felt like she should know, but then thought of her 'Dark Betty'. The darkness her father said she had. She quieted. Who was she to judge his secrets, as frivolous as it may seem to her.

Sweet Pea watched her face change and only rolled back on his side to sleep. He stayed asleep until they arrived.

"Welcome to Lodge Lodge," Betty kicked him with her shoe. He blinked awake.

"Did you just say 'Lodge Lodge'? God I hate the Lodges sometimes," He muttered, "It's a pun. It's funny. Dammit." He seemed to think that the fact that the Lodges could be humorous was the worst insult they'd laid upon him yet so far.

They hardly got a step and a half outside the truck when an arrow whizzed past Betty's cheek. Sweet Pea moved instictly in front of her, until Betty got a good look at the arrow.

"Next one doesn't-,"

"Cheryl! It's me, Betty. Sweet Pea too!" Betty spoke as loud as she could without fear of walkers. They hadn't seen many on their way up, but that didn't mean that they weren't out there.

"Cousin Betty?" A dark figure moved in front of them, into the moonlight, "Oh my maple trees."

Betty didn't expect a full on hug from Cheryl, but then again, the end of the world was changing a lot of people. She nodded respectfully to Sweet Pea, a sign of respect, and in that moment Betty had a feeling that Jughead wasn't here. Not when it seemed she was acquiescing to the second-in-command of the Serpents.

"Come in, weary travelers! We mustn't stay outside long." She stalked over to the tree and yanked the arrow out.

Betty and Sweet Pea shrugged, following them in.

"She's a strange one, huh?" Sweet Pea asked under his breath, nuding Betty.

"Well, she's your strange one now," She pointed out. Cheryl had been wearing her red Serpents jacket.

"Our." Sweet Pea corrected, plucking at Betty's own jacket. Betty gnawed her lip uneasily. The jacket on her felt more of a piece of clothing than an actual introduction to the group. Besides, as far as they could see, there wasn't much of a Southside Serpents gang anymore. Could one be a gang of a mere two- no, three- people?

There were three others inside.

Toni nearly bowled Sweet Pea over when she saw him, sucking in a gasping breath, "I thought you were dead!" She practically jumped him, her arms tightening around his neck and her legs around his waist. He staggered back a couple feet before finding his footing. Sweet Pea hugged her back, a motion that Betty hadn't expected from him. However, she knew that the pair were close.

The other two people were not who she was expecting to see- Ethel Muggs and Chuck Clayton. Her fists clenched when she saw the former, still recalling the horrible person he'd been last semester. She did recall that at the musical he'd seemed better, but that didn't make up for years he'd been awful. And, she wasn't sure that Chuck wanted to forgive her either. She worried, for an instant, he'd mention something about 'Dark Betty' to Sweet Pea.

She did recall that Veronica had lifted his pariahship, but...

"Look, I know," Chuck must have been able to read her face.

"It's the end of the world, Betty. We can't be choosy about survivors." Ethel broke in, but her tone held something else. She was looking at Sweet Pea with plain distrust.

"I trust him more than you," Betty replied frostily, addressing Chuck, "However, Ethel is right." She tried to let go her feelings toward Chuck. As far as she was concerned, any marks against someone should be wiped away in the face of the apocalypse.

"No Jughead?" Sweet Pea asked quietly to Toni. Cheryl had joined her girlfriend's side, taking her hand. Toni gave a slow shake of her head, "Fangs?" He rattled off a couple other names of Serpents that Betty knew in passing, all with the same response. There was a certain point in which it seemed Toni was waiting for him to say more names, but Sweet Pea just stayed silent. There was a moment of realization on Toni's part, the realization that the names he had not said were ones he knew were dead...it was probably the group from the Wyrm. Betty and Sweet Pea had spent the day after using a sharpie on a large rock and marking their names, leaving it in the parking lot. Toni gasped into her hand, choking back tears.

"Betty took the goodbye shots with me," Sweet Pea said. Gazes turned to Betty. She bit her lip, unsure of why Sweet Pea had included her right now.

"Did you maybe…" Betty took this opportunity to pipe up, "Juggie?"

"When I woke up and the tents were on fire, last I saw, he and FP were trying to evacuate some of the younger kids. I tried to run to the hospital to get help, but when I returned, everyone was gone." Toni explained.

A stone lodged itself in Betty's stomach. Hearing it twice was harder than she thought. She tried not to make a noise, but a pained mewling escaped her throat.

"We know where he might have gone, though." Toni added at Betty's sorrowful sigh, "Jughead." She paused, looking back to Sweet Pea. She looked over Sweet Pea's shoulder at Betty, apologetically, "Last we knew, he's alive. FP too. His dad wanted them to go down to Arizona to find his sister and mom. They had a huge fight. Jughead wanted to find you."

Somehow this made Betty feel worse. She felt physically ill.

"I don't know after what I told you." Toni finished, shoulders slumping, "Same with the rest."

"Oh," Sweet Pea sighed, "We looked. For three weeks."

"Longer than we did." Toni's face reddened, "I know I should have stayed longer, but-,"

"Hey, hey. It's a fucking warzone there. I don't blame anyone for leaving and staying alive," Sweet Pea grabbed her shoulders. He seemed to be able to calm her, he did have a leader quality that Betty hadn't seen him use yet. They hadn't needed a leader between the two of them. They'd been equally taking the reins on the situation, she realized. She didn't want to think about how that dynamic would change now that they found more people.

"Only consolation is mommy dear was one of the first to go," Cheryl broke in, shrugging, "I see you sporting your family's heritage, dear Betty."

It was only now that Toni spied Betty's serpent jacket. She didn't' know why she felt so self-conscious.

"I, erm," She fumbled, zipping the fob up and down.

"I gave it to her. Good protection against the walkers." Sweet Pea made it seem like it was completely casual and not a huge deal. Toni and Cheryl nodded, both believing him.

"Cute," Toni commented, "Someone should get a good use of it." Betty was glad that Toni didn't seem against her wearing this.

"Looks good," Ethel added. Betty had nearly forgotten she was still there. She was easily forgettable.

"Is this all that's here?" Betty asked, glancing at the group that now totaled six.

"The giger that strangely-is-not-my-cousin and his lady love are not here, no." Cheryl said. At Betty's totally broken face, she detached herself from Toni, "But…"

It was that but that made Betty's heart pound; she wasn't sure if she should be bracing for bad news or good.

Cheryl just took her hand and steered her to a wooden post near the entrance. Carved in it, carved with the precision that told Betty they hadn't been rushing, was a remembrance.

Archie and Veronica were here; May 30th, 2018.

"That was only a few days ago...we just missed them…" Betty whispered. But they had been safe, and for some reason, they'd left. She traced her fingers over it until a splinter caught on the pad of her thumb.

"We think it wasn't anything to do with those... things," Ethel spoke up, "But likely Veronica's parents. This place was pristine when we found it. We saw the damage those creatures do if they get in." Her face darkened. Sweet Pea sucked in his cheeks, scowling.

"Missed 'em again, Sweet Pea," Betty managed to reply with a cracked smile. Toni raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything.

"I have hope that they're still alive. They're the annoying sort that would, but, for the sake of the human race, I hope they have prevailed." Cheryl said, patting Betty's shoulder.

"Why?" Betty pulled a face. She was under the impression that Cheryl tolerated them both, but only truly liked Toni and Betty, on a good day.

"Those two could repopulate the whole earth with their rabbit-like mating habits. Usually a deplorable trait, but surprisingly useful in a time like this." Cheryl said without missing a beat. Sweet Pea did break out laughing at that. He wheezed, holding his stomach. Betty sent him a look.

"Oh, come on, that's hilarious. It's true too!" Sweet Pea defended himself.

"Feel free to take whichever rooms are open," Cheryl brushed past Betty, "I, for one, am going to bed. Toni's on watch. We'll work you into the rotation tomorrow. Toodles and absent dreams."

"Absent dreams?" Sweet Pea frowned, "Don't you mean 'sweet dreams'."

"Hardly. Any dreams around this time are filled with terror and generally unsavory thoughts. I'd rather just rest and wake up, wouldn't you?"

Toni was grinning, and shrugged at Sweet Pea, "There's one more bedroom open. Are either of you hungry?"

"When isn't he?" Betty murmured, looking at Sweet Pea, "I'll help."

To be honest, she wanted to talk to Toni.

In the Lodge's kitchen, Toni methodically pulled out a few cans.

"So…" Betty hopped on a barstool.

"You and Sweets? That's a pair I thought I'd never see. As travelers." She added after a moment.

"Survival." Betty mumbled into her hand, resting her jaw in her palm as she leant on her elbow, "Hey, do you know his real name?" Yes, it was still bothering her.

"Sure do, but you're not gonna get it out of me." Toni said, looking up and seeing Betty's face, "Oh, he'd kill me if I told you. You have to earn it."

"That's what he said," Betty sighed dramatically.

"He doesn't have much control. His name is something he can," Toni opened the jars, heated them, and handed them to Betty, "If he hears you asking about it, you'll never learn." She advised.

Betty scowled, but shut up about it.

June 10th, 2018 (early morning)

Betty couldn't sleep. Sweet Pea had insisted that she take the remaining bedroom, where he'd take the couch in the living room. She hadn't put up much of a fight, mostly because Betty had wanted the bed.

But now, laying here, she felt on edge. After weeks of searching, she was used to two things this bedroom didn't have; enclosed spaces or Sweet Pea within an arm's length. She didn't need him in the bed, but she'd gotten used to knowing he was close, and vice versa. It was just natural, and the best way to protect themselves.

"You're safe," Betty whispered into the darkness, "You can relax. Get a full eight hours, or more." Somehow, she wasn't convincing herself.

She was semi-glad that the last bedroom wasn't one that her and her friends had touched when they'd first come up here. If she had been in Archie and Veronica's room, she might have been up laughing all night, wondeirng how many times they managed to have sex during that time. If she'd been in the room her and Jughead had been in...that room would only bring her pain and memories. This was the last bedroom...the Lodge's Master Suite. Betty was mildly surprised that Toni and Cheryl hadn't taken it. It was nice and comfortable, but at this point, Betty would have taken a blow-up bed.

Finally, she was just totally unable to drift off. She wondered maybe if she took a lap around the house, just to be sure, she'd be able to convince herself to relax.

She crept out of the bedroom. Toni and Cheryl had taken residence in Archie and Veronica's room, and that door was firmly closed. Betty hadn't been thinking very hard about the configuration of the other two residents, yet when she passed the second bedroom and saw Chuck and Ethel moving together and moaning, she was completely taken off guard. The door was open, probably because they weren't used to a third pair of people wandering around. Betty tiptoed past as quick as she could, completely unwilling to engage in an awkward conversation between the three of them if they saw her.

It should have been obvious,since there was only one more bed and Chuck wasn't camped out on a couch.

In the living room, Sweet Pea was sitting up, leg bouncing and staring at the wall. He glanced up when Betty entered.

"Can't sleep either, eh?"

From even the living room, Betty could hear the creaking of a bed and the breathy moans and winced, unable to answer Sweet Pea's question at the moment.

"Ugg, yeah, I heard that too," Sweet Pea shuddered, "I mean, good for him, I guess."

"They just, I don't understand!" Betty said, "He was awful to her last year. He...ah, I dunno, I just didn't see it." Betty didn't really want to get into Chuck's whole backstory right now, but all that aside.

"The end of the world brings strange couples together." He looked pointedly between the pair of them. He patted the couch next to him, an invitation for her to sit.

"Yeah, as platonic companions." Betty made a face right back, "Not lovers? Fuck buddies?"

"There's nothing like good ole fear to get two people in the sack. Do you know how many kids were probably conceived on December 20th, 2012? Like, a ton, I'm sure." He said.

"They were about six years off," Betty rolled her eyes, "No one was guessing mid-May as the end of it all."

"Maybe the hate-sex is great?" Sweet Pea shrugged, "I guess I don't care. I guess I'm just glad that there's still some pleasure happening, somewhere."

"I hope they're being safe," Betty rubbed her arms. She wondered if Sweet Pea would laugh at her for that being her first thoughts about this, but instead, he just blinked.

"Yeah. Having a kid, even accidently right now, would not only be irresponsible, but dangerous, hella difficult, and just all around a bad idea." He said, one of the few times Betty heard his tone go absolutely serious. Betty wondered if she should bring it up, awkwardly, to Ethel the next morning. Sweet Pea was looking at her, head tilted. He patted the couch more firmly.

"Stop pacing. It's annoying." He said. Since all he'd done was pace at the Lodge's apartment, Betty was tempted to argue that point, but didn't really have the energy.

Betty sat next to him.

"This house feels too big," She wasn't sure why she admitted that, but then again, they'd gotten used to talking about things in the last couple weeks. After the first awkward weeks of silence, slowly, Sweet Pea was opening up. Betty was too.

"Uh-huh," Sweet Pea swallowed, agreeing quietly.

"That's why you couldn't sleep?" Betty guessed.

"Maybe." Sweet Pea looked at his feet.

"I'm not saying you crawl into the bed, but maybe, if you brought the blankets there...we could switch off on the bed, night to night."

"Betty Cooper, platonically inviting me into her bedroom? Scandalous," Sweet Pea whistled, and Betty would feel self-conscious, except for the fact Sweet Pea was already gathering his stuff, "Well, night's wasting." He motioned.

Sweet Pea took a very long time adjusting himself on the floor beneath her, which was still soft and carpeted. She was sure he took a long time just to piss her off, but she realized it wouldn't be Sweet Pea if he didn't. And, once they both had stopped shifting around, Betty closed her eyes and listened to the sound of his breaths as he fell asleep. She dozed off not long after.

June 10th, 2018 (Day)

Cheryl might have made a comment about his move the next morning, but no one else seemed too concerned about it. Plus, she could tell that Sweet Pea was ready to defend her honor, or his. Either way, he seemed completely ready to vouch for the fact that he'd slept on the floor and nothing at all was going on. From the narrowed glare he gave both Toni and Cheryl, he seemed to be daring them to even think about commenting. His power as the leader of the Serpents shut both their mouths. The end of the world had bigger problems than Sweet Pea moving in the the room with Betty, very platonically as Sweet Pea enunciated to no one in particular.

Betty had an chat with Ethel about condoms, to which Ethel replied that Chuck had raided a whole Walgreens' worth and they were good. That was also the last time Betty or Sweet Pea made any comment about anyone's sexual activities. Chuck and Ethel might have also tried to be quieter, since now they knew someone had heard the night previous. Betty didn't hear any noise from Toni or Cheryl's room, not a peep.

Betty and Sweet Pea switched out sleeping on the bed every night, just to be fair. Sweet Pea was a gentleman enough to make sure no one thought badly of Betty, but not quite enough of one to let her take the bed every single night.

They stayed there for only four days before Toni told the pair that her and Cheryl would be moving on in the morning.

"But why?" Betty shook her head, "It's safe here!"

"It was also just a stop along the way," Toni shrugged, "We're going to find my brother. He's in New York, last I heard."

"Toni, it's been a month," Sweet Pea crossed his arms, "Don't be stupid." From the way Toni rounded on him, Betty wouldn't have been shocked if they started throwing punches.

"I'm not being stupid," Toni's fists clenched and Cheryl shot him a deathly glare, "Are you going to tell me I can't go, all great second-in-command?" Her tone was biting.

"Right now, with Jughead MIA, I am the first in command." Sweet Pea's voice grew dark, darker than she'd ever heard. He was pulling rank, something she could see he hated to do.

"So what? Are you going to command me not to? You'd be pretty shitty if you did and I would never forgive you." Toni said.

Sweet Pea looked torn before giving a slow shake of his head, "No, of course not-,"

"Then butt the hell out! I never asked what you thought of it." Toni shoved his chest hard. Sweet Pea didn't even budge. He flexed his fingers, pinching the bridge of his nose. She saw Sweet Pea very carefully trying not to explode at Toni.

"I'm just pointing out that New York is bound to be a thousand times worse than Riverdale and he'd have to be pretty good to still be around." Sweet Pea said. Betty clicked her tongue. Sometimes, Sweet Pea was intelligent. He was deceptively clever, she'd decided. And, it was all well to be the one to fly off the handle when he wasn't a leader, but having other people's lives his responsibility made him more logical, slower to anger. Slower than before, at least.

"He's that good," Toni said resolutely, "I have to look, Sweet Pea! You stayed three weeks in a town of the dead, so don't you dare tell me to not be personal about shit. You aren't going to change my mind."

She got up right in his face, and in that moment, something seemed to click in Sweet Pea's mind. Maybe it was the realization that Toni wasn't bluffing and she couldn't be budged. Instead of lashing out at her, Sweet Pea spun abruptly.

Sweet Pea kicked a chair over, stalking away and muttering under his breath, glaring hard at her.

"I take it you're going too?" Betty asked Cheryl weakly.

"Of course," Cheryl's eyebrows knit together, "Where my amour goes, so do I," She patted Toni's hand gently.

"You should come too, Betty," Chuck offered, "I don't know about you, but I'd rather meet up with a whole group of survivors as compared to just a group of high school kids. There has to be others that are making it near New York."

"Uhm," Betty frowned, looking back at Sweet Pea, picking at the beds of her nails. Sweet Pea had stormed out of the house.

"Betty, you know us, longer than you've known him." Ethel pointed out. She still hadn't warmed up to him. Far as Betty knew, Sweet Pea had never done anything to Ethel so Betty was pretty miffed about this imaginary prejudice.

"I'll think about it." She whispered. She didn't want to say goodbye to more people, not when she'd just found them. Plus, as much as she had hated to admit it when she'd originally found out, Cheryl as her family too and that blow was the hardest. And yet...something in her gut was telling her not to go to New York. Betty didn't believe in superstitions, gut feelings, what have you...she also hadn't believed in flesh eating undead cannibals. She was a little more inclined to listen to that small voice in her head than ever before.

She found Sweet Pea out on the docks, staring at the rippling lake. She saw he had one of the maps he'd knicked from a gas station splayed out. His fingers were tracing the route to New York. Betty had thought he was with her. Well, she wasn't going to stop him, and of course he'd want to stay with his people.

"I'm not going to New York." She said out loud, taking off her socks and shoes and dipping her feet in just a bit. Just to feel the tingle of the water, "But if you want to go, you should."

Sweet Pea seemed less inflamed, and now just made a 'meh' sound. He very carefully folded the map.

"Those are your people, your group. The group you were looking for. Some," She continued, truly not wanting him to feel tied to her. She was choosing not to go for her own reasons, not because of his response after all. Plus, she could see the indecision playing on his face, "And so I'll survive by myself." It was terrifying to admit, but Betty was strong. She wasn't going to have Sweet Pea resent her forever, not out of some weird obligation to keep her safe because Jughead had been his alpha.

She touched his shoulder, a friendly gesture, before standing.

"Well, I'm not going either." Sweet Pea's voice carried when she was nearly back to the shore. He turned, "No serpent left behind. That's you too, Betty." He said, pointing at the jacket she still wore.

"Not even really," She said, downplaying it, "Just by your word of what would have happened. Not what did." In reality, it still felt strange wearing this jacket. She didn't not want to be part of this world. She'd done the Serpent dance, so clearly, that wasn't the issue. The issue is that it felt fractured and a little too late for new members to join up.

Sweet Pea stood, cupping his hands with water.

"I'm the leader when Jughead's gone, aren't I?" He asked her. Betty narrowed her eyes, unsure where he was going with it, but nodded.

He dumped the lakewater unceremoniously over her face. She sputtered, blinking and trying not to swallow it.

"Now punch me."

"What?"

"Punch me. I'm a big girl. Imagine I'm your dad." He said.

Betty gave him the darkest, angriest look she could muster, "I'm not going to punch you, Sweet Pea."

"Just do it, Cooper. Or, are you afraid?" He teased, "Let's be honest, it'll probably hurt you more than it will hurt me." He grinned and she had been egging to do it for a while now, but had only half thought about it. She balled her fingers into a fist and aimed for his chin.

"Congrats," Sweet Pea rubbed his chin, "You're a serpent."

"What was the water for?" Betty asked, rubbing her knuckles. Sweet Pea grasped her wrist, sinking her hand into the lake to soothe her cracked skin. Once it seemed Betty got the idea, he let her wrist go, standing above her and snickering to himself.

"Baptismal, ritual something or other." Sweet Pea patted her head. "Seemed like the right thing to do. Now can I say no serpent left behind?" He rested his elbow on her head, and she tried to shake him off but he kept fast.

Betty gave a deep sigh, "Fine. Yeah. You can come with me, or stay here, whatever." As soon as she agreed, he lessened the pressure, standing back. She turned to see him looking across the lake.

Sweet Pea rubbed his hands, "Excellent."