Abby ran into the police station with her mother. "So, what is the situation?" Mary asked FP and Keller.
"We're sweeping all criminal charges under the rug. But, we do have to talk about getting the proper housing." Keller told her the situation.
"Okay, I know they need to go to foster homes but can someone do real random checks to ensure they are good?" She had been avoiding it out of fear that they would end up in abusive homes.
"I will do the checks myself. We will do what we can to keep them here." Keller assured her.
"Thank you." She nods.
"I can become a foster parent and take in a few of them." Mary volunteers.
"Alright." He nods. "One of the kids wasn't involved at all." He led her into his office where the teen was.
"Eddie!" She hugs him.
"I'm sorry. You trusted me and I let the kids get out of control." Eddie squeezed her tight. He was scared this would be the last time he would see her. He overheard the police calling someone from social services.
"It's not your fault. I'm so happy you're okay." She let him go to look him over to make sure he was. "Where are the rest of them?"
"While none are facing charges, we are doing a Scared Straight. So, they are in a cell. If you could cry when you see them that would be great." FP wanted these kids to know what the consequences of their actions could have been.
"I don't know if I can fake tears but I am very disappointed and hurt." She thought about the video of her dad.
"Jelly Bean wanted you to know that Toby had nothing to do with the Pops Video." His daughter repeated that to him three times.
"He didn't even know about it. I didn't either until they were confessing to their crimes." Eddie couldn't believe the other kids would do that to her.
"I'm ready to see them." She took a deep breath before going to the holding cells.
"She's going to cry the second she sees Toby," Eddie told FP as they followed her.
"Toby!" She screeches at seeing him behind bars.
"Abby!" He ran to grab onto the bars. "I'm sorry. I swear I didn't know about your dad's video."
"I believe you. I don't think you would hurt me." The tears running down her face said something else. "My mom is talking to Keller to see what she can do for you guys." She looks at the faces of the other kids. She was happy that they looked disappointed with themselves. "Tell me why you did it."
"We wanted you to keep the center open. We were worried with things quieting down around here that you would think we didn't need you. But, we do." Toby said with the other kids nodding behind him.
"Clearly, you need me. I told you I was going to keep it open. I told you I wanted to make that center my career." She didn't understand their thought process.
"I know, I just got scared. If JB's mother could leave her then you could leave me." His bottom lip trembled. FP closed his eyes when he realized that his daughter lied to manipulate these boys.
"Okay guys, here is the deal." Mary came in with Keller. "Sheriff Keller is willing to let go of all legal charges. But, you have to be willing to work with the new foster families you're going to be in." That got her some outbursts.
"Hey! It's that or juvie." Mr. Keller yelled, making them silent. "I know there are horror stories about foster homes but I'm going to do random checks. If there is abuse going on, you tell me and I'll pull you out of there. We're going to do what we can to keep you close so you can continue going to the center. We will be keeping siblings together." That seems to calm them down.
"The center is not closing. I will be seeing you guys soon." She promises them.
Abby was hanging out with the Senior in the student lounge. "Guys, doesn't this feel so weird? Like this is the last time we'll all be hanging out in the lounge together." Kevin looks around the room at the face he knew all his life.
"Except for the reunions?" Jughead thought of the next time he would be here.
"Yeah, and homecoming, Kev." Toni thought of another.
"It won't be the same." Reggie brought them back to reality.
"I know, you guys are all getting so old." Abby teased.
"You shut your mouth, Abs." Cheryl reaches over her girlfriend to slap her knee. "What exactly are we waiting for again?"
"Hot off the presses, chums." Veronica came in carrying yearbooks with Betty.
"Oh yearbooks," Kevin took one.
"But, Honey banned those, didn't he?" Sweets grab a book.
"Yes, but Mr. Honey is gone and Betty already made them... So." Veronica hands them out.
"Brava, well done, ladies." Cheryl shows the page decade to Jason Blossom. "This is amazing."
"There's even an entire page dedicated to The Serpents." Sweets held up the book for everyone to see.
"Aw, look at you and Fangs sitting on the steps of Pops." Abby coos at the picture.
"And a shout out to the Pretty Poisons." Toni smiles.
"And the musicals." Kevin smiles at his hard work. "Even though…"
"Despite nothing, they were amazing." Abby shut down his negativity. Kevin and Fangs smile to show their appreciation.
"Well, the yearbook leaves room for dedication pages, and only one was brought before Honey canceled them so I took certain liberty to fill out the pages." Betty was happy with the memories she picked.
"Who bought the one?" Sweet question got answered when he turned the page to see his girlfriend.
"It was a Kurtz. He gave me a bunch of pictures, and Abby was in all of them. I think I worked it, so it seems like a friend page and not a worshiping goddess page." There were pictures of Abby, Nancy, Kraken, Dracula, and Greg. For Sweet Pea, it was looking at the missing time of Abby.
"Look, it's time we made the throne chair." Dracula pointed at Kraken holding the drill.
"Oh, our celebration of the trail we did in the woods." Nancy points at Abby crowd surfing on the rowdy Gargoyles. She had a huge smile on her face. She looked carefree like she wasn't being held up by people who believed a roleplay was real life.
"Looks like you're having the time of your life." Sweets look at her in bittiness.
"Being a goddess was fun when Kurtz or Tadpole weren't that close to me." She admits. "A group of people who think every breath you take is precious. The power is intoxicating."
"That's why it was important I was there deflating her ego." Greg gave a thumbs down. Abby smacks his hand away.
"Archie Andrews and Jughead Jones to the principal's office." Doris came over the PA.
"Dead teens walking." Jughead put his yearbook down.
"Fingers cross." Abby crosses them with the other people in the room as they walk out.
The day of graduation came, Abby was walking down the hallway with Sweet Pea and Fangs. Toni and her Nana were walking in front of them. "And this Nana has been my locker since the end of sophomore year." She opens it for her to see. There were pictures of her friends and girlfriend taped on the door.
"It's a lot nicer than the one you had at Southside High. But all your things are still in it, Antoinette." She smiles.
"I know. I'll clean it out over the weekend. A Lot of special memories with a lot of special people including my girlfriend." She couldn't clean it out today. It was too final.
"We're so incredibly proud of you, Toni. The whole family is. You've honored the Topaz name." Nana hugged her.
Abby took a picture of them. "I'll send you a copy." She told them. "I got to find Archie. It's going to be a hard day for him without Dad." She kissed Sweet Pea before going to find her family.
She finds her mom and brother with Tessie, Eddie, and Toby. Her mom was able to become their foster parent. "Hey guys." She greets them before hugging her brother. "You good?"
"Yeah, I'm good." He said slowly.
"You're not." She shook her head.
"No, but I'm going to be." He smiles.
"Yeah, you are." She let him go.
"Take a picture of us." She hands the camera to Eddie. She grabbed her brother's arm and smiled at the camera. Tessie ran to get in before the flash went off.
Abby was sitting in the theater room with Tessie on her lap between Toby and Eddie. "Ladies and gentlemen, it imbues me with such pride and joy to invite to the stage the senior class's valedictorian, Miss Elizabeth Cooper." The crowd clapped while the blonde took the podium.
"Hi, I've been struggling with what I wanted to say today. High school is supposed to be this amazing, safe time. But our years were co-opted with heartache and drama and even death. It's not fair that so many of our classmates aren't here to walk with us today. And it's not right that some of our parents aren't here to watch those of us who are. Those younger than us have known no Riverdale other than the one steeped in violence. Our class is lucky enough to remember a time before the era of tragedy. When this was just a small sleepy slightly boring town, that's the Riverdale I wish upon the generation coming up behind us and the one, I want us, our class to remember as we head into the future. So please, stay young for as long as you can. Stay innocent for as long as possible." Abby nudges Eddie and Toby before squeezing Tessie. They gave her a knowing smile. "Even if it's only for one more moment. Thank you." Abby claps for Betty's speeches along with everyone else.
Doris and Weatherbee called the senior's names. They cheered anytime they recognized one. Abby wolf-whistled when Sweet Pea and Fangs were walking across the stage. "Don't make us sick," Toby whines when Sweets blows her a kiss and she catches it.
"Too late." Eddie leans forward to pretend to hurl.
"I see why you like having them around." Mary laughs.
"Yeah, they are charming." She rolled her eyes.
"Nancy," Tessie screams and waves at her. Nancy laughs while waving on her way to grab her diploma.
The Serpents were having a party for the seniors who graduated by the lake. "Fangs, Toni, and Nancy are going to college, Greg is going to a trade school, and Sweet Pea is helping the kids in the community. The Serpent's future's looking bright." Hogeye was proud of their graduating class.
"Thanks, Hogeye." Sweet was happy that he was added to the list when he knew most adults would say he needed to figure something out.
"Oh, shots." Eddie went to grab a cup from a tray when Abby slapped his hand.
"Don't even think about it." She scolds him.
"I'm sure you drank when you were a freshman." He whines.
"No, I only ever had virgin drinks." She nodded to the bartender who corroborated her story.
"What about you?" He nods to Sweet Pea.
"I've been drinking since middle school." He drinks from a bottle.
"Keg stand contest." Fangs scream.
"Neither of you are getting drunk tonight." She told her foster brothers.
"The cops do normally check on our party. It wouldn't look good with Keller." Sweet Pea said when they looked at him.
"Okay." They put their heads down while walking off to meet with their friends.
"Why do they always look at you for the last word?" Abby looks up at Sweet Pea. "Seriously? They come to me for everything: food, homework, illness. Yesterday Toby came to me because he had an itchy mosquito bite. But, for some reason, they look at you for final decisions, even when they like what I'm saying."
"That's motherhood, sweetie." An older female serpent pats her back as she walks by them.
"It's because they know I'll give them a beat down if needed." He told her.
"What?" Her jaw dropped.
"Yeah, You don't give them any punishments. And, you negotiate with them. I don't." He never gave in as she did.
"You wouldn't beat them, right?" She whispers.
"Not a real beat down, but I ran them harder during boxing practice." He thought they probably would prefer a beating.
"It's a good thing you're here because I don't want to be the bad cop." She decided it was fine. Sweet Pea backs her up in front of them even when he doesn't agree with her.
"I don't want to deal with their everyday bullshit. So, we are the perfect balance." He grabbed another beer. "Let's party for me never having to go to school again." He cheers with her using the soda bottle she was holding. She was the designated driver for the night.
The family went to the front door with Archie when there was a knock. "Ready to go?" Jughead asks. Archie was leaving for basic training today.
"Yeah, just about. Hey!" He kneels for Vegas to come running to him. "Be a good boy, okay? Look after Mom, Abby, and Tessie. I love you, buddy." He pats the dog's butt. "Tessie." He opens his arms up
She ran into them. "I'm going to miss you."
"I'm going to miss you too." After trading I love you. He got up to shake Sweet Pea's hand. "Good luck with my sister."
"Thanks, I'm going to need it." He jokes before getting serious. "You're not going to need it with the working out you've been doing but good luck in the Army."
"Thanks." He nods. He gave bro hugs to Toby and Eddie telling them to be good and to take school seriously.
"I love Abby. I want you to know I'm proud of you." He squeezed her tight.
"Archie?" She holds back a sob.
"I am. You took the center and made my idea fly. I can't thank you enough for being the best little sister ever." He swings her side to side.
"I love you, Arch. I'm proud of you too. I'm going to miss you so much." Fat tears rolled down her cheek.
"You don't know how good that is to hear." Archie let her go to hug their mom. "I love you, mom."
"I love you." She rubs his back.
"Thank you for everything." He took one last look at the house before leaving.
Mary took a deep breath, watching Jughead drive Archie away. "Okay, boys, let's get those bunk beds set up." She wraps an arm around each of her foster sons to guide them back into the house.