Hi all! Sorry about that quick hiatus I took for the end of my school year. Now that summer has hit, we will be doing per weekly updates once again!
Thank you to my reviewers: Excited Guest, Fangnerd, Smileyface-Kitsune, Boris Yeltsin, Guest43, and Guest!
Excited Guest: I'm so sorry it took so long to update! But we're back!
Fangnerd: I don't know why his dad EVER thought Jughead wouldn't EVENTUALLY figure it out haha. And yes, she has so much more potential, that I hope to unlock in this world where Polly doesn't go crazy
Guest43: Polly hopefully will have a bigger voice here, and be a little less...crazy
Guest (Ch 16/May 3rd): It might have just sort of come up, most likely with puberty. However, probably being in contact with magic so closely did help to trigger it. I like your musings though!
Guest (Ch 17/May 3rd): It doesn't skip a generation and it isn't his dad. Archie still has another relative ;)
There was still much to talk about on the way home, even if none of it was directly supernatural related (due to Jughead's presence). So much, in fact, that there wasn't the argument over the music as Betty had thought there'd be. Sweet Pea put up enough of a fuss to be the first DJ, and Jughead of course had opinions about his weird music playlist, which played everything from Nightcore to ABBA, but eventually Kevin turned it low to discuss more important things...the Jason murder case.
It was agreed they'd go find the car. After dropping Betty off at her house, since her mom was already texting her asking when she'd be home. No matter, three could find it just as well.
"I have a really bad theory," Betty said when there was a lapse in the general discussion of everything they knew, plus the fact of Polly's pregnancy, "What if it was my dad?"
"Your dad what?" Jughead frowned.
"Who killed Jason," Betty took in a staggered breathe, "I mean, according to Polly, my mom was afraid for her, but my father was angry. He never approved. He wasn't around the night of the drive-in and wasn't with my mom and I when she went off on Grundy. What if he stole the papers?" She looked at Kevin. Her fingers played incessantly with the pendant.
"Okay, so maybe he stole the papers, that could be an answer. But kill someone? It's your dad we're talking about Betty," Kevin gave a half-nervous laugh, "I mean, I don't think I've ever actually seen him be aggressive about anything in his life."
"That's why it's bad," Betty pressed her cheek against the car window, "But my gut is telling me my parents know more."
"Here, here," Sweet Pea added dully, no doubt thinking of FP.
"Once we find the car, we'll be able to prove more. Let's not jump to conclusions," Kevin's fingers gripped and ungripped the steering wheel a couple times, "Like...Like…"
"Like a witch hunt." Jughead interjected. Betty gave him a small smile, but Sweet Pea looked concerned. More concerned than usual when a human made an unintentionally ironic comment. Did Jughead know something?
Instead of worrying about it, since Betty had a lot to worry about, she turned to Kevin.
"If you don't mind, I think it's my turn," She said, unhooking Sweet Pea's iPod, "And I have lots of musical show tunes to dazzle you all with."
XXxxXX
"We're an odd group," Sweet Pea said, head between the seats.
"Shut up." Jughead muttered.
"Hey, guys, c'mon," Kevin said, sighing, "Let's just find this, ok? And please, be quiet. It's raining so much I can hardly see as it is."
"Creepy things in the backroads here," Jughead gave an unintentional shudder as they turned onto the lost Highway off route 40, "Screaming. Death. Mangled bodies."
Kevin choked a little, "Hopefully none tonight."
"Sorry. Forgot you found Jason." Jughead winced.
"I-," Sweet Pea began.
"You know, silence is golden." Kevin said sharply, quieting them both, until Jughead gave an affirmation that they were nearly there.
"Stop here." Sweet Pea said suddenly. Kevin jerked the car to a stop, sending Sweet Pea nearly through the windshield.
"There's nothing here." Jughead said, peering into the rain.
"Just, get out. Fan out." Sweet Pea barked, almost crawling over Jughead to exit. Jughead had to duck so that his tennis shoe didn't beat his head, and while Sweet Pea might usually be trying to do it intentionally, this time he was just frantic to get out. He could feel it, magic, crawling over his skin, making him want to pick at his fingernails. Kevin turned it off, shrugging and joining him.
"You feel something?" Kevin whispered.
"Hell yeah. It's here." Sweet Pea assured. Jughead had his iPhone flashlight on, but was looking at Sweet Pea like he was crazy.
After about ten minutes in the cold rain, there was nothing to be found.
"I think it's probably further up," Jughead said, "This is an empty lot."
"Tell me exactly what Polly said," Sweet Pea demanded, "Again."
"I mean, I told you it already. It's written here. Word for word." Jughead handed Sweet Pea the crumpled slip of paper.
"Anything else? Literally anything?"
"I mean, she said something about a keyword," Jughead scowled, thinking back. Realization hit Sweet Pea.
The car was hidden.
"What was it?" Sweet Pea said.
"Something like reveal, I guess?" Jughead squinted.
"Something like or exactly like?" Sweet Pea grabbed his shirt, "Think, Jones, think!"
"Erm, revelia? Revo-? Reveling-?"
"Revlicarum." Sweet Pea breathed, realizing what Jughead was attempting to remember. Behind them, Kevin made a wheezing sound. The boys turned to see a car, very much present, under a tarp.
Jughead rubbed his eyes.
"Rain must have been playing tricks on us," Kevin said, laughing a little too loud.
"Uh, sure." Jughead shook out his confusion. He tugged off the cover, popping the lid.
"We found it. National Treasure like." Sweet Pea said as his fingers traced Jason's letterman jacket.
There was an assortment of items in the back for a getaway; food cans, couple thousand in cash, and some personal items too. There was also newborn clothes that Sweet Pea felt a little choked up seeing. He could admit babies were cute, okay, and something about the idea of a father who would never meet his child that had wanted it so badly, it stirred something in him. Because, hell, his dad didn't want him...whoever it was. Jason should have gotten to meet his kid. Life fucking sucked.
"Is this drugs?" Jughead asked, holding up a packed brick of something, "Crap, man."
Sweet Pea gave a shake of his head to Kevin over Jughead's body. That wasn't drugs. It looked like a literal shitton of coke or something, and to a non-magical person, they would never think differently. It was something else, something that Kevin may have not even known he'd stumbled onto. Or, he did, and that made everything equally as complicated.
"Put it down. It's evidence. Okay, okay," Kevin drew his hand down his face, "Stand aside. I'm going to take detailed pictures. Then, I'm going to get my dad. You two stay here with the car. Got it?"
"Yes, sheriff, sir." Jughead saluted.
While Kevin was taking pictures, Jughead helping to get the lighting right, Sweet Pea made a group chat with himself, Betty, Kevin, Toni, Joaquin, and Fangs. Joaquin was a beta-in-training, just as Toni was, just as Fangs may be. He may not get along the best with the quiet wolf, but he respected his place in the pack, and the fact that they were all held together by their young status and that their Alpha was majorly making things difficult.
SP to GROUP: Found Jason's car. It was hidden with magic. Jason knew this and also knew the spell to reveal it.
JOAQUIN: Woah
BETTY: As much as you keep denying it, I think we know what this means.
FANGS: It means a Blossom is a witch, right?
TONI: And since it's a female dominated trait, we all know exactly who it is.
Kevin finished taking his pictures. He glanced at his phone, seeing the summation of the group message. He gave Sweet Pea a look of acknowledgement and agreement. If he had a comment about Joaquin in the group, he didn't verbalize it. He did, however, have a small blush on his face.
"It should take me about twenty minutes to my dad's, and he'll drop it all to come right away. I'll try to call him earlier, but my phone keeps dropping the signal out here." Kevin said.
"Godspeed, man." Jughead murmured.
After Kevin left, Sweet Pea and Jughead did not speak. They took up their post on opposite sides of the car. After about ten or twelve minutes, Sweet Pea felt the presence of a werewolf.
"Hey, I gotta piss. I'll be back in a moment." Sweet Pea lied. Jughead made a disgusted face, but didn't stop him.
As soon as Sweet Pea was out of Jughead's sightline, he turned nearly right into Tall Boy's ragged looking chestnut wolf. He phased down, narrowing his eyes.
Why is it that whenever I turn my head, you're doing something you're not supposed to? Tall Boy growled, his tail flicking.
What are you doing here?
Get away from the car, come back. Direct orders, kid.
Sweet Pea searched for FP's alpha orders, but found the mind connection surprisingly silent. That is, except for one other…dammit, who was it? The signature was masked. Fuck.
Before he could warn Jughead, Tall Boy lunged, snapping at Sweet Pea's neck. Sweet Pea stumbled. The rain made the foliage slick and difficult to move on. Tall Boy slammed into his side, sending him careening over a small cliff. He slid nose first into the mud. The impact made him phase out, and he felt blood dribble into his mouth. Tall Boy didn't join him, but leapt on him in wolf form. His gigantic paws pressed down onto his chest, cutting off his breath. Gasping for air, he couldn't phase back to fight, and was at the mercy of a beta who didn't seem to like him.
Sweet Pea heard commotion near the car, but was helpless and trapped.
XXxxXX
Moments after Sweet Pea vanished, Jughead heard growling and snapping. He sat up straight, taking his iPhone out to record what he thought he might find. Fear and adrenaline coursed through him as Jughead prepared to meet wolves far too large to be real just behind the forestry.
He didn't have to go far.
Behind him, there was a threatening vibration. Jughead turned, ever so slowly, to find himself looking at a grayish-brown mid-sized wolf. Although he'd been preparing himself for this moment, all his relief and logic went right out the window as it was replaced by fear.
The wolf advanced on him.
"It's okay, boy," Jughead said, whole body quaking, "Please, don't eat me," He squeaked. The wolf corralled him away from the car, back in the opposite direction Sweet Pea had gone.
Jughead's phone slipped from his fingers as the wolf jumped at him, jaws inches away from his fingers. This wolf easily was his size, hackles bristling.
And yet, there was a familiarity in the wolf's eyes, one that had Jughead frantically searching for the name of the owner, for the eyes felt like a pair of human ones he knew. Where had he seen these? What did it mean?
Jughead stumbled backwards. A root caught his ankle and tugged him down. He hit his head hard. Right as his vision faded to black, the name he'd been looking for came to him.
When Jughead startled awake with a gasp, he smelled smoke. He scrambled to his feet, running back to the car. When he arrived, the entire car was up in flames.
His anger and horror washed over him, but only for a second, only before his head started to smart like nothing else.
There was coughing in the distance.
He found Sweet Pea dragging himself back to the clearing, looking much worse than he did. Sweet Pea was downwind to the smoke, and was coughing hard as he inhaled. His face was bloodied and already starting to bruise.
Jughead, though his muscles was burning and his head was swimming, jumped to help Sweet Pea up. He hauled the boy out of the smoke, into the clearing. Sweet Pea muttered a genuine sounding 'thank you', no snips or clever comebacks. He must be in real bad shape, Jughead decided.
Sweet Pea raised his head to the car and his whole expression drained of color.
"I couldn't...damn it!" Sweet Pea croaked, kicking a stone hard when he saw the car.
Almost like magic, not a moment later, Sheriff Keller's squad car pulled up. Kevin's jaw was open wide as he watched their one lead go up in flames.
Keller looked between the burning car, Jughead who was muddy and rubbing his head and Sweet Pea coughing violently and sighed.
"I might regret even asking...but what the hell happened?"
XXxxXX
"Oh my god, Sweet Pea! Are you okay?" Betty ran up to the front of the hospital, "Kevin told me Jughead was brought in, but he didn't say you were too."
"I'm alive," Sweet Pea coughed, waving a hand, "But I'm all off. Too loud in there. Too many sounds." He winced.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Betty asked, crouching down. His shirt was partially open and she saw deep bruises blooming across his chest. When he breathed in, it sounded pained.
"Broken rib or two," Sweet Pea said. In his half-delirious state, he grabbed Betty's fingers to brush against where the fractured bone was poking against his skin, "Maybe a popped lung. But I'm a werewolf, remember? I'm already starting to heal."
Betty drew her fingers away, feeling the burning on the pads of her finger. His chest, despite the place where his rib was for sure cracked, was hard and muscled. She was glad it was night out, or else he may have caught her tomato-red face.
"Then why are you here?"
"Well, it would have been super suspicious if my dad didn't drop him off here too," Kevin said, someone who Betty hadn't noticed was near him, "He's off looking for a doctor in the know to clear Sweet Pea, forge papers."
Betty was about to reply when there was the sound of a door slamming.
"Betty! Is Jughead okay?" Veronica asked, coming up, hugging her. Archie was a moment behind.
"I just got here. I was just…" When Betty turned back, Sweet Pea was gone.
"Talking to me. I'll bring you guys in." Kevin offered.
Betty inhaled hard as Kevin brought them to the area where Jughead was laying. He had a bandage over his forehead and looked sort of out of it.
"Juggie!" Betty said, grabbing his hand, "Oh, my god. I'm so glad you're okay." She said, launching herself at him.
"Careful, babe. I'm fragile."
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Veronica and Archie give each other mystified looks.
"Right, right. Sorry, just…" Betty gave a shaky inhale. He was so...human. Anything could happen to him.
"Am I going to live, doc?" Jughead asked as the doctor re-entered the room. The doctor chuckled.
"Well, good thing you still have your sense of humor. We had to stitch up your head, so you're probably a little woozy from the pain meds. You have a concussion, and it's not a small one. He'll have to take it easy for a couple days. I'll explain it to your contact when he arrives."
"Has anyone gotten a hold of your dad?" Archie asked, rubbing Jughead's shoulder.
"Doubt it," he snorted, "And I wouldn't bother."
"But-,"
"Jughead."
The teens turned to see Mr. Andrews at the door. Jughead was slightly pink in the face.
"He's been my emergency contact for three years now," Jughead mumbled to Archie, "Lot more reliable than ole FP."
Betty clenched her hands hard. She was sure if FP knew, he'd be out of his mind with worry about Jughead.
"Son, hey, glad you're okay. We'll make up the guest room and you can stay with us as long as you need." Fred rubbed Jughead's head, currently sans hat due to the stitches.
"Sir?" The doctor indicated for them to step out of the room.
"If your dad hasn't been your contact...are you even living with him" Veronica asked, her face in a deep scowl. Betty looked down. Still, it would be better for him to be with Mr. Andrews. Sweet Pea wasn't domestic enough or liked Jughead enough to play nurse. She sent off a quick notice to Sweet Pea, on the rare chance he was waiting for Jughead so the pair could go home.
"Yeah, I just don't think it's best for me to heal around him," Jughead lied, "But guys, dammit, I had a huge realization before I got knocked out. About the case. I can't remember it now, and it's killing me."
"Don't think too hard! It will come." Betty said, grabbing his hand, "Just, don't worry about that right now."
"With all the excitement, that's easier said than done, Betts."
XXxxXX
Sweet Pea leaned against the brick wall, sucking in air. He didn't want a little conversation with Betty's friends. He just wasn't in the fucking mood.
He saw movement near the woods out of the corner of his eye.
"You!" He snarled, half phasing, leaping for Tall Eye. At the last moment, FP grabbed him back.
"Stand down."
Sweet Pea wrenched himself from FP's grasp.
"Fuck you, boss. Want to explain to me why Tall Boy nearly crushed me like a soda can?" He said, showing his chest to FP. FP gave Tall Boy a hard and disapproving look.
"I only told him to keep you away from the car. Not to attack you."
"Boy was relentless. Did what I needed," Tall Boy said resolutely, crossing his arms, "You're still alive. Wimp."
Sweet Pea bared his teeth.
"I knew it was you! Do you know Jughead's in there right now with his head near busted open?" Sweet Pea asked, waving back to the hospital.
"Why do you think I'm here?" FP demanded back in an equally hot tone, "I gotta...I need to-,"
"He's not thinking straight," Tall Boy shook his head, "If Keller sees him...they already probably suspect him."
"I have to know." FP argued, "I don't want Jug as a wolf, but I'd take that over dead or otherwise."
"Concussion and stitches." Sweet Pea told him, "He called Andrews. He's staying with him for the next few days. Betty told me."
"Oh, Betty told you?" Tall Boy leered, grinning in a way that made Sweet Pea's skin crawl.
"Can it. Really," Sweet Pea rubbed his forehead, "FP, why'd you do it? There was so much we could have known about Jason's death! He had of dirt in there, but dirt that was pure magic. I know how expensive that is. It was white like snow. The good stuff. Where'd he get it from? Where was he going?"
"Kid, really, you need to stop looking into this."
"You were the one to tell me to in the first place."
"I told you to keep tabs. But no matter, I was wrong. I want you to drop it."
"Why should I?" Sweet Pea exploded in anger, "You say trust you, but you haven't done much to give me that lately. You put me in danger. Hell, you put Jughead in danger! Why should I think that you're looking out for the good of the pack at all anymore when it's so fucking obvious you're hiding things?"
"Mind who you speak to, you disrespectful little-,"
"Stop it." FP growled, "Tall Boy, knock it off. Sweet Pea…" FP looked conflicted, "I forbid you from looking any more into Jason's death. You will continue to teach Betty her magic, but this is a path I fear I've led you too far into. It's going to get you killed too."
Fucking hell. An Alpha's command.
Sweet Pea felt tears on the edge of his vision. Dammit, he wasn't going to cry. But, he felt like a child. FP had always treated him sort of like an equal. FP saw his face and moved to touch him, but Sweet Pea flinched away. FP wouldn't let him. Sweet Pea never though FP would hit him, but he was wholly unprepared for the way that FP held him close, his hand at the back of his neck, his eyes level with the young wolf's. It was fatherly, it was a gesture farther than just between two pack mates. It was, in a sense, what Sweet Pea had always hoped for but never had the courage to ask FP about out loud. But right now? Fucking Christ, Sweet Pea couldn't do this. He needed to get away.
"I know you don't believe me, but I'm doing this to keep you safe. That's all I care about, son." FP's voice was sincere, which made it so much worse. Sweet Pea wanted to break something. To phase and kill a deer or bear. He had rage and sadness and so many emotions just running through his head.
"Fine," Sweet Pea swallowed hard, "You may have put the stop to me, but thank fucking god that your son is relentless. He's never going to give this up. I look forward to seeing him unravel everything."
XXxxXX
Betty looked at the picture portal that usually hung above her bed, now firmly against the wall with her chair pushed up against it.
After Jughead was released from the hospital, Sweet Pea had found her, begging that she let him heal in the portal place for a day or two. Of course, Betty had initially been unsure, but something in his eyes was broken and betrayed, and he said he did not want to go back to the trailer park for a couple days. In fact, he'd been the one to insist she turn the picture against the wall, so he wouldn't be coming out creepily into her room in the middle of the night.
Against Betty's better judgement, this was a friend asking...and she couldn't say no.
She helped him sneak in and brought him the jar of peanut butter, a couple water bottles, and a blanket. He didn't want to talk at all, and when Betty asked how she'd know to let him out if he needed, he just said to check back on him in a couple days.
A couple days...that seemed crazy, but Betty wasn't going to push it tonight.
She didn't know how she could sleep, not with everything rushing in her head.
Most presently, the idea that Cheryl had to be a witch. And what did that mean? How could they prove it?
Her dreams tasted like ash in her mouth, and smelled like cherries.
She was in the Blossom's home. She felt like she was watching a movie of her own live, not a dream. She realized with a jolt that this was the missing memory from Jason's wake.
Her and Jughead were looking around, when there was a voice from the corner.
"Hello. How lovely to see you again. Come closer, I wanna get a look at you."
They'd jumped around. Jughead had gone stiff, murmuring 'the horror, the horror'. To be honest, Betty was getting really black, dark magic bites from this room. And, some from Nana Blossom.
No, that wasn't right, just...magic. Magic that wasn't meant to be used incorrectly, but was.
"Come closer, Polly dear."
Betty frowned. Her and Polly did look like, but not so much of late. Still, Betty could see how she may be confused.
"It's nice to see you again, uh, too," Betty fibbed, playing along, "Though I'm sorry it had to be under these circumstances."
"There's something different about you. I can feel it strongly now. Did you unlock it?" Nana rubbed a hand over Betty's palms. Jughead gave her a quizzical look, and even though Betty send him a bewildered look, she knew. She knew that Nanna Blossom was talking about magic and that Jason's grandma sensed she was a witch.
The feeling of the magic became a whole lot more clear.
"Well, of course your not wearing it," Nanna lifted Betty's hand.
"What?" Betty sputtered.
"The ring, Polly. You know, did I tell you that it has a magic enchantment on it? To keep the wearer safe?"
"Right," Jughead whispered sarcastically. He probably just thought Nana was off her rocker. Betty, however, was entranced.
"No, you didn't."
"Ah, slipped my mind, I suppose. The ring has been in the Blossom family for generations. My great-great-great-great grandfather put the enchantment on himself. It's saved many a wearers."
Betty almost asked how a man could have, since it was a female trait, but held her tongue because Jughead was here.
"I'll keep it close," Betty lied, her heart breaking to think that this ring may be lost forever. One thing was for sure, she had to find it, because this could prove the Blossoms were witches too!
"Don't let Penelope see it. She's always been jealous about the natural family power. She doesn't have a lot herself," Nanna frowned, "Never approved of her, but she had the right stuff for the family lineage."
"I won't." Betty promised.
Nanna sighed, "Such a shame. Your wedding was the last thing I was living for. Taking life from the ground, though it's a nasty business. But, I figured, your children and grandchildren are worth breaking nature's rules for. I'm not sure I can hold on much longer now." Nanna shook her head, "But you, poor dear. I lost my grandson. You lost the love of your life."
Betty remembered the tears rising in her throat, to hear it so plainly. She believed Polly loved Jason. To hear someone else say it…
"We should get going," Jughead urged her.
Betty nodded, leaving swiftly.
"Well, good to know that she's certifiably insane," Jughead said, "Sad, isn't it."
"Yeah, totally." Betty replied absently, "Shoot. I forgot my purse in there. I'll just be a second."
She darted back upstairs, grabbing her purse from Jason's bed.
"Polly?"
"Yes Nanna?" Betty asked, turning.
"Cheryl is...lonely. I doubted you'd ever come into your powers, and she hasn't had a fellow witch to be friends with. I remember my coven mates...it's been a long time since the Riverdale Coven has been active. Either way, reach out to her? She's very lost. She'll need a sisterhood after all is said and done."
Betty couldn't remember her reply, more than a half mumbled agreement. She had been quaking with excitement.
But, as soon as she stepped out of the room, a powered had poofed into her face.
And then, Betty was waking up, gasping.
"Cheryl and the Blossoms are undeniably witches." She breathed out in one long breath to her empty bedroom, "What now?"
XXxxXX
"You sure you want to come to school today?" Archie asked Jughead for the umpteenth time as they walked into school. Jughead resisted the urge to snap at his best friend. He was only concerned.
"Yes. It was a bump on the head. I'm fine. Just need to get back to normal." He insisted. In reality, he wanted to see Betty. He wanted to get back into working. He wanted people to stop pitying him.
"Well, if you're sure…"
"I am. really dude."
Jughead dug in his locker, cussing. When Archie was at his side, like a loyal dog, ready to help. Jughead gave him a tight smile.
"Realized that I left my Algebra textbook in my room. Wonder if Sweet Pea has left yet?" He took out his phone, scrolling to the name in his phone he had marked with the barfing emoji. Sure, it was childish, but Jughead knew for a fact he was in Sweet Pea's phone as 'Sulking Hemmingway' and a poop emoji, so he thought he was fully fair.
"So he can pick it up from your dad's?" Archie blinked at him.
"No…" Jughead started slowly. Had Archie still not realized it? He knew Veronica didn't care, so it wasn't strange she hadn't picked up on it, but how had Archie not realized where he was living? He wasn't hiding it. He loved his best friend, but sometime he was sorta dense. Good thing he was pretty, "So he can grab it out the door."
"Why would he...are you…" Archie fumbled, "What?"
"Arch, I've been living with Sweet Pea."
"Oh! Jughead, you know, you can tell me if you're-,"
"Ew, man, not like that." He shuddered, "I was, well, floating around and he offered me a free room."
"I thought you two hated each other?" Archie scratched his head.
"We do, which is great. We pretty much don't interact, unless needed. Perfect for a self-proclaimed moody introvert, eh?"
Archie still looked concerned, "Jug, if you had needed a place to live, why didn't you tell me?" He seemed hurt.
Jughead uncomfortably shuffled his backpack on his shoulders, "It's not you. I didn't want to let anyone know I needed help. Southside kids raise themselves, that's what they say. It's how I was taught. So, don't feel bad."
"Does Betty know?"
"She's friends with Sweet Pea. Course she does." Jughead looked back down at his phone, "Dammit, just when you need a particular annoying junior, he's not answering texts."
"Jughead, really. You can stay with us. You could move out of Sweet pea's trailer. To a house of someone you actually like." Archie interrupted.
"Let's just take it one day at a time. Cool?"
XXxxXX
Betty couldn't focus on her homework. She'd convinced her mom she was sick today, because in case Sweet Pea needed something, she wanted to be there. Plus, she'd been under the assumption Jughead was staying home, until Veronica had told her in 3rd period he was there.
Either way, her mom was too preoccupied with the new story to worry about Betty faking sick. Jughead had feigned a headache halfway through school and came back to the Andrews. He and Betty had spent most of the afternoon on the couch downstairs, with tentative kisses and bad daytime TV playing.
Now, she was returned to her house, getting nowhere on her homework. She doubted her mother would be so absent-minded as to let her miss a second day, so she needed to do this. Had a perfect record to keep up, good grades.
Just as she was about to see how Sweet Pea was doing, there was a whisper.
At first, Betty couldn't decipher it and she just froze up, choking in her room. Was it shadow shrieks? Was she going to be attacked again. Betty's fingers slipped on the wood of the painting to throw it around, to grab Sweet Pea, until…
Betty? Betty, you there?
"Polly?" Betty stood, scrunching up her nose. There was no answer, just silence.
Betty furrowed her brows. She shouldn't be able to even think about Polly much in this house, but it was like someone had cleared her mind, taking away the clutter, allowing her to think freely.
Betty, grab your necklace!
Betty's fingers carefully closed around the charm, "Polly?" She tried again.
Betty! Oh, it worked!
"Woah." Betty mumbled, fingers still around it. Now that she was paying attention and not fearing for her life, she noticed the necklace was warm, "How'd you figure this out? This is so cool!"
Granny told me. She said she had the commissioned so that we'd always be able to rely on each other, after we were born. Mom didn't want us to have these, since she tried to get rid of what made us special...guess it worked with me…
"Oh, Polls…" Betty felt so guilty.
Stop it," Polly must have heard her tone, at least now I know, and we can learn together. Granny said this works because each necklace is imbued with each other's blood. So, yours has mine and vice versa.
"That's so cool," Betty was just floored. She grabbed a post-it note, reminding herself to ask Sweet Pea about this, "You doing okay?"
All things considered, sure. Did you find the car?
"Uh, well, sort of. I wasn't there, but Jughead and Kevin did. But, by the time they got Sheriff Keller, someone had burned it."
There was a long silence, Betty was worried what her reaction would be. Would she go hysterical again. Crazy, like her mother claimed she was? Unhinged?
Finally,
You're fucking with me, right?
Betty didn't think she'd ever heard Polly swear. It took her off guard.
I mean, I guess half of me expected it, but dammit! It's so frustrating! And that car was the last thing I had of Jason's-
"You know, except his kid."
There was laughter on the other end, and Betty gave a small smile.
You've always known exactly how to make me laugh. I mean, yeah, but mementos and stuff. It just really...wow. Granny says no one has a lead yet? It's been months since he disappeared, at a month since they found out he died and they have no one?
"They're trying, but I think Sheriff Keller rightly thinks it's supernatural related. It makes it that much harder. Trust me when I say this is the only thing the town cares about figuring out. We'll do it."
"Betty?" Her mother opened the door, "Who are you talking to?"
Betty dropped her hand from her necklace, placing her collar over it.
"No one. Just reciting my biology notes out loud," Betty fibbed, holding up some notecards she'd previously been looking over. Her mother knew about witches and werewolves and magic, and had never said anything. Betty wasn't ready to confront her yet. She held back her anger at Polly being stripped of her powers, wondering why her mother had ever thought what she did was right?
"Oh," Alice frowned. Her eyes traveled to the picture. Betty flinched, "Why's that on the ground?"
"Spider crawled under it last night. Took it down to kill it." Betty said the first thing that popped into her head. Alice strode across the room, picking it up. She leaned on Betty's bed, placing it where it once was.
"Have to keep this safe. It's a family heirloom, you know?"
"So Dad says."
Alice glanced into it. For a second, Betty feared she could see Sweet Pea, human or otherwise. However, the painting was like a two-way mirror. You could see into the room, but you saw the same picture on the other side, nothing behind it. It was an irrational thought, but one Betty had all the same.
"There, right where it belongs. Finish up, dinner's nearly ready." Alice instructed, leaving and keeping the door open just a crack.
So,
Sweet Pea totally has #daddyissues...I mean, as does Jughead. They're much more a like than they like to think!
Yes! we have confirmation that Cheryl and the Blossom family are witches. Finally, right?
And, I'm not sure if I mentioned this elsewhere, but my headcanon is that SP is a year older than the group, so a junior. So is a couple others, like Cheryl and Josie, but it's not terribly important.
Also! I have posted 7 one-shots in this universe on my tumblr (youngbloodlex22) as well as Archive of Our Own. Some of them are very smutty ;) The couples are: Bughead, Sweet Pea/Betty, Fangs/Midge, Kevin/Joaquin, Josie/Archie, Veronica/Reggie, and Jason/Polly. The Jason/Polly one is actually super important to the plot! Anyway, if any of those pique your interest, head on over there to check those out. I'll be posting them on here, fanfiction, hopefully tonight. So, also look on my profile to see if you see a fic called 'Hic Sunt Dracones', cuz that would be it!
We're seven reviews away from 100! Let's do it y'all! Please review so I can hit 100!