Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Author's note: Going to put the note here for this first prompt since some people on fanfic net do not have a tumblr: I'm revamping my oneshots. Prompts accepted in tumblr (or comments). First one: Sick fic with Betty and Jughead.

Chapter Text

Author's note: This Bughead one-shot is based off an episode in season 8 (I think?) of One Tree Hill, called Darkness on the Edge of Town. Title of the fic is the same. Enjoy and thoughts lovely per usual! (They live in Tree Hill in this one. Whoops). Betty/Jughead = Brooke/Julian and Sweet Pea/Emma = Nathan/Haley. (Emma will be included here and there as she is my favorite OC for Sweet Pea). Xxx

Chapter Text

Author's note: One-shot about Black Hood and how I wish the writers hadn't solely fucked up the show. I don't care if Bughead is endgame. You botched the writing Roberto. Own up to it. Comments appreciated as always!

Betty stared at her phone as the familiar ringtone ran through the noisy bar. Lollipop lollipop oh lollipop.

Rubbing a tired hand over her face, she got out of the booth she was sitting in at the Wyrm, glancing casually over her shoulder to make sure no one was watching her before exiting said booth and bar altogether. Swiping a thumb across her screen, she inhaled shakily and brought the phone to her ear, ready to hear whatever the next demand would be for her.

XXX

Shaking, Betty wretched onto the pavement just outside of the bar, taking shuddering inhales as soon as she was finished.

"Blondie?" A voice called, somewhat cautiously. "You okay?"

Straightening up, Betty wiped a hand across her mouth and glanced over her shoulder; her sight landed on Sweet Pea, a taller Serpent she wasn't great friends with but had a mutual respect shared between the two of them after she did the dance. Nodding, she attempted a smile.

"Yeah, think I took one too many shots. I'm gonna head home," she replied.

Sweet Pea trailed his eyes over her face first, then to the phone she had a deathly white grip on.

"Mhm. Need me to get Jug for you?" The taller asked.

"No!" Betty cried, then shook her head. Don't lose your shit now. "I mean, no thank you. Let him enjoy his night. I'll be fine. Tell him I'll call him tomorrow."

Sweet Pea looked like he wanted to say something, so she continued.

"You're a good guy, thank you," she whispered with a smile and a tremor running through her hands. "But I'm fine. Promise."

He hesitantly nodded, snubbing out the cigarette in his fingers – the reason he had been outside in the first place.

"Okay," he replied. She nodded resolutely and dialed for a cab, giving the driver the location. Her ride showed up a bit later. Turning on her heel, she looked at Sweet Pea.

"You take care of Jughead, okay?" Betty asked seriously, watching as the tallers' face crinkled into confusion. He nodded, nonetheless.

"Yeah. See you tomorrow, blondie," he said, rather forcibly. As if telling her not to do what she was about to do. Even if he had no idea what that was. A ghost of a smile crossed her lips.

"See you, Sweet Pea."

XXX

Archie's P.O.V.

Re-reading the text he just received, he sent out a group text to Veronica and Jughead.

Seriously man? What kind of layer of Hell is this? -Jughead.

Get your ass to Pop's. I think Betty might be doing something stupid. -Archie.

What the hell are you talking about, Archie? -Veronica.

Pop's. A.S.A.P. -Archie.

Shutting his phone, Archie took another long gulp of his coffee, thinking to Betty's text.

His best friend since childhood wasn't saying goodbye. She wasn't. She wasn't that stupid. He tapped his foot anxiously against the linoleum floor of the neon diner, watching the door every few minutes. Eventually, he heard the sound of a motorcycle, (or was it a couple?) arrive. The door opened moments later and in walked Jughead and the guy Archie had started to refer to as his righthand. Veronica was hurrying in behind them seconds later.

"What is going on? What do you mean Betty is doing something stupid?" Jughead cut to the chase, sliding into the booth as Ronnie sat down next to Archie and Sweet Pea pulled up a chair and sat at the end of the table.

"How much do you know about what the Black Hood is doing to her?" Archie asked after a moment of willing himself to be brave. If Jughead didn't know anything about that still and found out Archie knew, well, he'd deserve the ass kicking he'd be receiving.

"What?" Jughead demanded at the same time Sweet Pea asked, "is that who Betty was talking to outside of the Wyrm?" Although, the question seemed to be more directed to himself. Archie's head snapped towards him, eyes staring at him intently.

"Explain," he said. Sweet Pea glared at him, apparently not appreciating being told what to do, but went on to explain regardless.

"Blondie came outside of the Wyrm earlier – when I was smoking. She answered her phone and then immediately threw up after she was through with the conversation," he said, somewhat hesitantly.

"You didn't think to tell me this why?" Jughead barked, and Archie watched the two guys uneasily, waiting for some form of fight to escalate. However, Sweet Pea remained calm.

"C'mon, boss. You cut your girl off when she did the dance," he replied, tone somber. "I figured whoever had called her did not need to result in you two being fucking idiots and breaking each other once more."

Jughead watched him for a moment, before nodding and turning back to Archie. "How does any of that have to do with the Black Hood?"

"He's been in contact with her," Archie sighed, rubbing a weary hand over his face. "You, you uh, remember the kiss we shared?" All four of them looked a bit nauseous but Jughead waved his hand for him to continue. "I had just been buried alive. Well, almost. I knew she was being contacted by him from the day after she said the stuff she said to you at that party, Ronnie." He paused to look at his girlfriend, who was pale. He continued on. "It took a toll on us, that night. The Black Hood pointing a gun at her as she dug a grave meant for me. Anyways. We thought it was the janitor. Clearly, it wasn't. And, I think Betty knew that all along and just stopped accepting my help in an attempt to make sure I didn't die."

It was silent for several beats before his phone rang. Looking at it, Archie's fingers fumbled as he put his phone on speaker, conveying to the group to be quiet.

"Betty?" Archie asked cautiously.

"Arch," she whispered.

Jughead's P.O.V.

"Arch," Betty whispered, and Jughead wasn't sure if there had ever been a time when he had heard his girlfriend so terrified. He wanted to speak but his gut told him to stay silent so she could talk.

"Betty, where are you?" Archie asked carefully.

"He asked me to give him another name," she laughed, sounding a bit delirious, and Jughead wondered when she last had a solid night of a sleep. "So, uh, I did. You know, to keep Polly safe."

Polly?

"Betty...," Archie trailed off slowly, shaking his head. "Who's name did you give."

It was silent for a moment, Betty sniffling, before exhaling a shuddering sigh. "I gave him my name. He'll be here soon. Please, Arch. Make Juggie understand. Make him understand I died knowing that was the only thing to make the Black Hood stop."

Inhaling sharply, Archie stood up, Jughead and Sweet Pea following suit immediately.

"Betty, no. No. Listen to me: you're not going out at the hands of a fucking murderer okay?" Archie demanded, throwing money down on the table for whatever the fuck he had had and running out the door.

Just then, there was a bang and a long, drawn-out scream that had everyone stopping.

"He's here," Betty exhaled. "He's here. Tell Jughead I love him, Archie."

Then there was a sound of a door being kicked in and Betty scrambling around, more thumps, a few shouts, then silence.

"Betty? Betty!" Archie hissed.

"She will be the reason your soul will be cleansed," a voice replied, and Jughead's stomach bottomed out. He shook his head, placing his fist over his mouth. The fucking Black Hood had been stalking his girlfriend. And, he didn't know. He had no idea.

XXX

Sweet Pea's P.O.V.

"What do we do, Andrews?" Sweet Pea demanded. He had grown rather fond of the blonde, and he'd be damned if she died for the town. She didn't need to be a hero right now. Although, apparently she had no problem being a martyr. Archie looked lost for a moment before running his hand through his hair as he pulled something up on his phone.

"If there's any good left in the world, fucking dick didn't smash her phone," he muttered, fingers moving across his screen. A moment later, he grinned a grim smile. "I'm able to track her." He paused before looking at Jughead. "I, uh, put a tracker on her phone a couple of months ago."

Jughead nodded. "I'd normally be very pissed about that, but desperate times and all that," he muttered, getting on his bike. "Give me the address."

Rattling it off, Jughead nodded. "It's the house down in the woods."

"Yeah, I've been there," Archie sighed, mind on that awful night.

"When you were, uh, almost buried?" Sweet Pea asked, rubbing his neck awkwardly. Archie nodded. "Yeah, glad you didn't die, I guess."

"Thanks, man."

"Let's go," Veronica said. She hopped into Archie's truck as Sweet Pea straddled his own bike, following out after Jughead.

XXX

Pulling up to the house Jughead had mentioned, Sweet Pea looked up at it. In the dark, it seemed even more imposing than it did during the day. He looked around, automatically searching for a way in, before another long, drawn-out scream interrupted the quiet night. His stomach clenched. He didn't know much about Betty, but he knew she wasn't awful. Had accepted the Serpents without question. She didn't deserve anything bad to happen to her. Not in his book.

Sharing a look with a pained Jughead, he nodded. "I've got your back, boss."

"And, we have you both," Veronica chimed in, eyes narrowed as she stared at the house.

Pulling out his gun, Sweet Pea followed Jughead into the house wordlessly as Archie gripped the bat he carried in his truck.

"Where is Polly?" Betty's voice screamed throughout the house.

"I told you, your sister is fine," came back a snarl.

"I'm gonna need some fucking proof before I accept my fate!" Betty hissed and then there was the sound of skin meeting skin and Sweet Pea winced. Fuck hope that was Blondie throwing that punch.

"Shit," Betty hissed, followed by the sound of her spitting. "You through hitting me?"

Jughead hissed between clenched teeth as they kept moving towards the sound of their voices.

"Betty, give me one final name and I can end this all for you," the man who had come to terrorize the town said, tone oddly gentle. It made Sweet Pea's stomach churn.

"I am not giving you another name. I can't," Betty breathed. "I will not have anyone die on behalf of me. So, I just don't care at this point. Kill me. I don't care how painful you make it, either. I won't be giving up any name."

Jughead had started running faster at this point, Archie and Sweet Pea right behind him.

"Betty!" He yelled.

"Jug-," her voice was cut off with the sound of a slap and Sweet Pea winced once more.

"Shut up," The Black Hood hissed. "Come on in Jughead and friends."

Clenching his gun in his hands, Sweet Pea followed Jughead into the room and they took in the scene.

Betty was tied to a chair, face beaten in and shoulder, upon close inspection, looked to be dislocated. She currently had a gag in her mouth, but her eyes didn't hold fear for herself. She shook her head at Archie, who narrowed his own eyes back at her.

"I'd say I'm sorry, but I'm not," he muttered, fingers clenched tightly around the bat as he eyed the Black Hood warily.

"Archie Andrews. I should have had you killed when I had the chance," he sighed.

"Yeah, you didn't do shit. You tried to get my girlfriend to do your dirty work," Jughead hissed, eyes lit with a fire Sweet Pea had never seen.

"What do you want to happen here?" Sweet Pea asked, eyes falling back to Betty as he looked at her bindings. He could work with them if he could just get to her. He didn't want to leave his leader's side, but he knew Jughead would much rather have him help Betty.

"Well," the man said lightly. "I was going to have one soul left to kill and then be done. But, I've got a few more now."

"Get fucked," Jughead hissed, raising his gun. In retaliation, the Black Hood raised his and pointed it at Betty's temple. Jughead sucked in a breath, like Sweet Pea, and the dark-haired man watched as his friend looked at his girlfriend who had a look of weary acceptance in her eyes. She nodded as if to say it's okay and Jughead shook his head. "No, Betty Cooper. This is not how you will die."

Veronica appeared just then, and Sweet Pea wondered why he hadn't realized she wasn't in the room with them. Then, he spotted the knife in her hand and how she crept up behind the killer who stalked their town and every other thought vanished. He nodded discreetly towards her when she made eye contact with him. Watching as she inhaled and squared her shoulders, Veronica Lodge of all fucking people, shoved the knife into his shoulder blade and twisted it with a vindictive, "fucker!"

Sweet Pea raised his gun and shot off a well-placed bullet into his leg just as Jughead ran towards Betty, ripping out the gag.

"What were you thinking baby?" He whispered, pressing his forehead against hers'. "You know you almost died?"

Betty chuckled wetly, shifting around and Sweet Pea realized just then how much pain she had to be in. He took his own knife, making sure to kick the killer in the leg on his way to her, and crouched behind her, gently cutting through her bindings.

Jughead pulled her to her feet, holding her steady as she stared down at the man on the ground. It was quiet for a moment.

"I need to see," she whispered. "I nee to see if I'm right."

"What do you mean?" Veronica asked quietly, but Betty shook her head as she approached the man who was groaning on the floor. She bent down slowly, her good arm cupping her ribs as she did so, before lifting it up to pull his hood off. She sighed, shaking her head.

"As Jughead said: get fucked, dad." She muttered, and Sweet Pea gasped.

"Hal Cooper?" Archie asked as Jughead caught Betty, who had stumbled back a few steps.

"You're alright baby," he murmured, turning her head into his chest.

"I'm just a kid," she whispered. He nodded, kissing her forehead.

"I know, I know," he said softly. "Call an ambulance." This was directed to someone other than his girlfriend and Veronica said she already had.

Sweet Pea was left to stare at the man who called himself Betty's father, mind whirring from the events. She was right: they were all just kids. Life was funny that way. Or cruel. Either way:

"Betty, I'm glad you're alright," he said softly, looking at her in a new respect. She nodded, acknowledging him without words and he understood. They were going to have a friendship out of this.

They'd be alright.

Jughead would make sure Betty was alright and Sweet Pea would make sure everyone else was alright.

It would be alright.

Author's note: Yeah. No idea. Enjoy! XXX

Chapter Text

Betty's P.O.V.

Betty watched as the room spun around her at a dizzying pace, her attention span drifting in and out of focus right before her eyes. She had fought so fucking hard to resist the damn "candy" those crazed bitches wanted her to take for as long as she could before they ultimately ended up restraining her and force-feeding them to her. Now she was forced to take them like clockwork and God, she didn't know what was real anymore. Sister Woodhouse was the nun she absolutely loathed the most. The old, bitter woman and Ethel seemed to get their kicks from personally tormenting her. Betty would scoff at their treatment if she had the energy to fight back anymore.

She tried to reconcile why her mother had done this to her, truly, she did. She had thought every which way about reasons that could have made the formidable Alice Cooper send her daughter to this hell on earth while she herself went and danced with the fucking hippies at some awful cult. But every time some idea started to make a modicum of sense to her, she was fed more pills and she lost the will to believe her half-hearted attempts at convincing herself Alice hadn't gone and done the one thing she swore she never would: crack.

Just then, there was a loud bang and Betty immediately shrieked, diving to the corner of what she had not so inaccurately deemed a prison cell/bedroom. Looking up, she spotted Sister Woodhouse and two menacing looking orderlies grinning down at her cowering form. Betty shook her head.

"N-no," she said softly. "Please, leave me alone."

"Hush now, my child," Woodhouse sneered, making Betty flinch visibly. "It's time for your afternoon snack." The nun nodded at the two orderlies who made their way to Betty, yanking her up by her skeleton-like arms, and dragging her to the wall, holding her in place as one forced her mouth open so the nun could shove the pills down her throat. Coughing, Betty closed her eyes as one of the men's hands' came over her mouth, forcing her to swallow the pills.

"That's a good girl," Woodhouse hummed, nodding approvingly, before signaling to her men to let Betty go. The instant they released her, she slid to the ground, wrapping her arms around her knees, knowing the hallucinations were on their way. "Rest now, dear." Her tone was one of pure wickedness, but Betty was already slipping down the rabbit hole to acknowledge her with any type of retort.

XXX

Jughead's P.O.V.

Haven't heard from Betty in a while, boss. Should I check her house? -Sweet Pea.

After replying that yes, he needed his righthand to do that, Jughead looked at Archie. He was seriously starting to question whether or not offering to get his longtime friend out of Riverdale was a good idea. He loved the guy, truly, but the idiot always seemed to be a penchant for danger. It followed him everywhere and, well, honestly, Jughead was fucking sick of having to help clean up his messes. This one in particular. Sure, Arch, let's flirt with the creepy barn girl who lives in the mild of fucking nowhere and then let me find out Hiram was planning on kidnapping you while I wasn't there to help. Thanks, pal. Scoffing internally, Jughead just shook his head and kept glancing at his phone periodically. Eventually, Pea texted him.

S.O.S Betty. -Pea.

It was enough to convince Jughead and Archie both to turn around and hightail it to the nearest train station and back to the town that had only grown darker as the years progressed.

XXX

"What the fuck do you mean Alice put her there?" Jughead shouted in his friend's face. To his credit, Pea didn't stand down; he was equally as pissed and Jughead respected his love for his girlfriend.

"Alice," Pea sneered. "Got her placed in that hell hole about two weeks ago from what I know. Before you say anything, Fangs, T, Cheryl and me had been searching for her during those two weeks, as was Veronica. None of us just thought about her being there."

Jughead clenched and unclenched his fist; reminded himself to take some breaths as it wasn't any of his friends or members faults that they didn't expect Alice to finally fly off her fucking rocker and admit her daughter into that asylum. Because that's exactly what it was. No amount of, "helping the mentally unwell" could convince him otherwise. For fucks sake, he had been there with Betty, two years prior. Had seen the lifeless looks in the "patients" eyes. He knew for a fact those poor people had been tormented; had heard it from his dad's conversation with Moose's father. Cheryl, not someone he willingly wanted to be open with, had confided in him one night about her own struggles in that place and he felt for the redhead. Something he thought he'd never be capable of.

Pushing those thoughts out of his head, he worked with his friends to come up with a plan to get his girl out of there as quickly as they could. They'd be ready by nightfall.

XXX

Listening to Fangs and Archie break the lock on the gate, Jughead addressed Cheryl, Toni, and Pea. "Pea, I'm going to need you to have my back when we run. Same for you and Cheryl, T."

They all nodded, knowing better than to question why he didn't say, "when Betty and I run". They knew it was a pretty much guarantee she wouldn't be in running condition.

"Got it!" Came Fangs’ whisper and the group crept onto the grounds and into the home for troubled youth after a quick glance to make sure the coast was clear. Veronica quickly but quietly went to go search for Betty's room number while Archie stood behind her, peering down the dark hallways. Jughead and Pea made sure they had their knives in their hands, only willing to tuck them into their waistbands when they were in sight of Betty.

"Room 203," Veronica murmured next to Jughead and he nodded. They hurried to the second floor, keeping their footsteps as quiet as possible. Reaching the door, Jughead tried the handle, knowing it was fruitless regardless. Sure enough, locked. No problem, he had picked up a thing or two from his beloved Nancy Drew. Accepting the bobby pin Toni handed him, he worked it into the lock, jingling it for a few beats before the door swung open. His eyes fell on a trembling form huddled in what could only be called a shitty excuse of a bed. Her hair was knotted, what used to be golden tresses now dulled. Jughead bit his lip, making his way to her quietly as he heard Pea and Fangs stand guard at the door.

"Betts?" Jughead asked softly, laying a gentle hand to her shoulder. She flinched instantly upon his contact and he didn't blame her. He also didn't remove his hand, instead rubbing soft strokes into her skin with his thumb. "It's okay, baby. It's just us."

"I'm sorry," she whispered, still facing the wall. "I promise to be a good girl, Sister Woodhouse, I promise." He heard soft footsteps behind him and looked up to spot Sweet Pea looking down at who the taller considered not only a best friend but a sister. The family he had always been searching for.

"Hey honey," he crouched down. "It's just Jughead and the gang." His tone was low and soothing, a stark contrast to his entire persona. But that's just who Betty Cooper could convince him to be. Betty was still entirely too tense for Jughead's comfort, but he did notice that she had seemed to stop shaking quite as much so nodded at Pea. He kept talking. "We're going to get you out of here."

Betty finally rolled over and Jughead sucked in a sharp breath. "Oh baby…"

Her entire left side of her face was swollen, and her eyes were out of focus. Upon closer look, Jughead recognized something.

"She's been fucking drugged," he gritted out between clenched teeth, causing Cheryl, whom he hadn't noticed at this point, to hiss under her breath.

"I'll fucking kill them all," she growled.

"Uh, company, four o'clock," came Archie's worried voice and Jughead acted quickly. Picking up Betty swiftly but with gentle hands, he tucked her into his chest, murmuring sweet nothings into her ear as the group backed out of her room. Just then, almost as in a planned, synchronized movement, orderlies darted towards them, alarms started blaring, and a nurse that Jughead vaguely recalled seeing when he went with Betty to find Polly, led the way as if on a witch hunt.

"No," Betty gasped, eyes as wide as saucers, before pressing her face into Jughead's chest and covering her ears to block out the sounds of the alarms screaming. "Run Juggie, run."

Not needing to be told twice, Jughead and the group dashed through the corridors madly, the Serpents throwing punches when needed. Veronica, in a very surprising movement, turned around and decked one of the orderlies who reached out to try and yank Betty away clear across his face. She grinned a self-satisfied smile as they heard the sound of his nose breaking, before shrugging at the looks of incredulity on Sweet Pea and Fangs' faces.

"What? My dad may be a mobster dick but he's one who made sure I can throw a punch if needed," she said simply. They continued running, gaining speed as Sister Woodhouse who, despite her terrifying mannerisms, was still old. A bonus. Her age didn't do her any favors when it came to keeping up with a bunch of pissed off Serpents and two friends of a blonde who had become victim once again to a cruel woman who claimed "love" through a title she didn't deserve. Alice Cooper was not Betty's mother. And, after this last stint, Jughead wouldn't rest until she was well aware of it.

XXX

Getting Betty to a safe place was easy enough. Opening the door of their trailer, FP Jones stared down at the blonde in his son's arms, shaking his head sadly.

"Alice," he muttered, rubbing a hand over his face. "Will pay."

It was a low promise, accompanied by a quick and soft kiss to her forehead and Jughead nodded, passing by his dad, and going into his room. If his dad had any objections about Betty sleeping in his bed, he was wise enough to not actually voice them. Sitting her down on his bed gently, Jughead caressed her cheekbone with the pad of his thumb.

"Baby," he said softly, watching as she blinked her eyes open. She had fallen asleep as soon as her head hit Jughead's lap in Archie's truck.

"Yeah?" Betty asked, voice hoarse.

"We do not need to talk about anything right now, I promise," he said, eyes trailing her thin form and newly acquired bruises and scars. "But, at some point, I need to know what happened okay? It'll help me know how to help you through this."

He watched as Betty's lower lip trembled for a moment before something beautiful happened. She swallowed, took a steadying breath, and cupped Jughead's cheek with her palm.

"Whatever happens, I love you," she murmured, eyes bright. "I'll always love you. And, that knowledge, you, and our friends will be all I need to help me through this. To help you help me through this."

It was a soft promise but there was such a strong sense of assuredness behind her words that he knew his girl would be alright. She always was. He ducked his head to give her a gentle kiss before standing back.

"Shower or sleep?" Jughead asked.

"Actually, I would kill for Pops," she sighed, shaking her head. "It’ been too long."

Jughead swallowed down his anger at what she wasn't saying: too long since she had eaten anything. He nodded instead, shot off a quick text and soon enough, their friends were walking through his small trailer, arms loaded down with food bags. Passing her a chocolate milkshake, burger, and an order of onion rings, Jughead placed a kiss to Betty's temple as she leaned into his side, taking a bite of her burger, and laughing softly at something Fangs said. Knowing that both hard and good times were laying ahead, Jughead just took the moment to savor what he realized in his bedroom once more. Betty was here. And fuck, if she wasn't a warrior, he didn't know who was.

Fin.

Chapter Text

Author's note: Quick oneshot featuring our favorite Bughead and Serpents. What happened in season four with Jug in the coffin but this time it'll be Betty. Enjoy. XX

Betty walked up the steps to Stonewall Prep, happy that she had gotten the time for her surprise visit that weekend. Jughead and her had been doing constant back and forth visits but with finals cracking down, it was intense on both ends. She knew they needed the respite. Thing was, it was a surprise visit. Jughead didn't know and, after swearing Sweet Pea to secrecy, he wasn't going to. She was going to completely surprise him. Chinese, Hitchcock, and a little sex for the weekend. Perfect.

She walked the quiet corridors, checking her phone one more time to make sure Jughead hadn't left his last class of the evening. She was still running on time and was utterly thankful. Fangs and Pea had called in the Chinese food to be delivered, even insisting on paying for it in thanks for her helping the Serpents stay on track while their king was off at a prep school. Yeah, she could still hear Fangs' snort over that particular comment. She walked through the opened door to Jughead (and, Brett's, vomit) dormitory, noting that the other guy wasn't there. Perfect. Looks like Jughead was right about him being gone for the weekend.

She began setting up everything accordingly. The laptop for the Netflix to be pulled up on; the over-the-top amount of junk food she had bought (Alice wouldn't notice), and then, finally, the blanket Jughead had gotten her for her birthday. Well, it was part of her gift, but she digressed. She had her back turned, meaning she didn't see the visitor in the room until too late. It was a whack on the back of her head that had her slipping into the blackness.

XXX

When Betty came to, the first thing she noticed was the pounding headache. Then, the fact that her wrists were tied together. Fuck. She tried to shout but noticed, not so greatly, that her mouth was taped shut. Double fuck. Then, she noticed the small confinement she was in. She briefly wondered if she had been buried alive and fuck if that didn't send her heartrate skyrocketing. She kicked against the (was this a fucking coffin?) wooden walls of the coffin, cries being muffled by the tape covering her mouth. She was trying not to panic; trying to remember everything Charles had taught her about remaining level-headed in a situation like this…except, she had never fucking been in a situation like this. Dammit.

"Betty Cooper," Donna said. Fucking Donna. She swallowed, kicking harder against the coffin.

"Oh, honey," Donna crooned, and Betty shivered at the malicious bite to her tone. "You're not getting out of there. And we're not letting you out. We're going to head home for the weekend. We'll send Forsythe your best."

With that, and what sounded like douchebag Brett's fucking laugh, their footsteps faded away and Betty felt herself begin to shake. She needed help. Any that she could get.

XXX

Jughead's P.O.V.

Jughead watched as Brett finally left their dorm, whistling some tune, before turning to his chest of drawers. Pulling out sweats, he changed, and flopped into his bed, getting ready for a night on the phone with the girl he loved more than anything. He smiled softly as he called her. No answer. Biting his lip, he placed his phone down and decided to wait a bit. He fiddled around with his laptop, editing an article he had due on Monday before glancing at the clock. A half hour had passed so, to him, that was deemed a reasonable amount of time to have waited before calling Betty once more. Again, no answer. Weird. Not uncommon, but weird, nonetheless. She never missed a call unless…she was handling business with his men. He called Sweet Pea and thankfully, his taller friend answered on the first ring.

"Thought you'd be busy with Betty," came his friend's voice, and Jughead sat up.

"What?" Jughead demanded, fear slowly starting to trickle in. "What do you mean?"

"What? She isn't there yet?" This time, it was his friend's voice that sounded concerned. "Shit, hang on." Jughead could hear Sweet Pea calling to Fangs in the background, asking what time Betty had left. "Fangs said she left two hours ago and got to Stonewall an hour ago."

"She's here? Wait, how does Fangs know when she got here? Did she call him?" Jughead demanded, getting out of bed and changing hurriedly. Sweet Pea paused.

"We, uh, have a tracker on her phone," he said haltingly, and Jughead paused.

"…Why?" Jughead asked, thoroughly confused.

"C'mon man, she's your girl, my best friend, and Fangs straight-girl crush or whatever else he calls it," he replied. "We want her safe as much as you."

Jughead nodded. "Okay. Anyways, you said she's here. Can you track her phone?"

Sweet Pea hummed an affirmative and told him to hang on while Fangs did so, leaving Jughead to bite his thumbnail anxiously.

"Looks like she's at a lower part of your school," Sweet Pea said.

"Like…the basement?" Jughead asked.

"Yeah, I think so. Why would she be there?" Sweet Pea asked.

"FUCK. I'm going to kill Brett. I got to go Sweet Pea. Just, get Toni and Fangs and get here, alright?" Jughead demanded, barely hearing Sweet Pea agree before shutting off his phone and sprinting through this fucking awful shitshow they called a school. He ran all the way to the basement, lungs burning, before pausing to listen. He heard muffled cries coming from somewhere in the back and rushed towards them, letting his phone's light guide him. He felt the wall for a switch and flipped it on once he found it, the coffin being illuminated by the light. "Jesus."

Falling down on his knees, he began hacking at the lock. "Hang on, baby, I'll get you out."

He heard the tremor in his voice; the shaking that matched the shaking of his hands. Pulling and tugging, he eventually got the lock to break after one particularly hard hit and lifted the lid of the coffin open. He looked down to spot the terror in his girlfriend's eyes, the tape on her mouth and her wrists behind her back. "Shit. Shh, baby, shh." He murmured, pulling her into his arms and gently peeling the tape away.

"Juggie," she gasped, voice hoarse. He kissed her forehead before untying her wrists.

"Brett?" Jughead asked, jaw clenched. He made sure to keep his fingers soft as he soothed them through her tresses comfortingly. She nodded, swallowing nervously.

"And, Donna," she uttered. Her hands were shaking, and she looked damn near on the verge of a panic attack.

"Keep your breathing steady for me, alright baby?" Jughead asked softly, and she nodded. He held her to his chest as she focused on her breathing and, eventually, they heard footsteps come thundering down the stairs. Sweet Pea reached them first, followed shortly by Toni and Fangs. The three Serpents took a look at the coffin, then Betty in Jughead's arms, then finally the tape and ropes that had restrained his girlfriend respectively and Sweet Pea spoke up.

"Ready for the shit to end now, Jones. Ready right the fuck now. Stonewall preppies won't know what the fuck they got themselves into by messing with her," he said, voice low and deadly. Jughead nodded.

This shit was personal. And it was ending. Game fucking on.

Author's note: Fuck if I know but I like kudos and reviews! And I hope you enjoyed! Xxx

Chapter Text

Author's note: It's October and bring on the witches. This is a lil Bughead Halloween oneshot. Enjoy. XXX

Betty opened the door, smiling at Jughead. "Hey."

"Hey, Betts," he greeted her, following her into her apartment after she opened the door further. He shouldered off his backpack and shrugged out of his jacket. "Okay, so we've got the greats. 'American Psycho and the Scream Trilogy'".

She cocked an eyebrow. "The trilogy? You didn't bring the fourth one?"

Jughead snorted. "That abomination to film everywhere? Do you even know me?"

Betty laughed, shaking her head fondly. "Yeah, it was awful."

"The original cast should have never agreed to sign onto that," Jughead sighed, shaking his head as if physically pained by their choices. Betty bit her lip, stamping down a smile.

"Come on, Juggie. Pizza just got here," she said, leading him to the kitchen so they could fill their plates. "Also, popcorn?"

Again, that damn snort. "Yeah. Popcorn."

"Of course," she laughed, going to heat some up as he poured the drinks. When they had all their food and drinks, they made their way to her living room where he set up the first movie. From the DVD cover, she saw it was Scream. "You know a way to a girl's heart, Jug."

"Hmm?"

"Screaming because of Billy Loomis and getting to admire how hot he is? May as well put a promise ring on ya, now," she teased.

"Yeah – wait, you think the killer is hot?" Jughead asked, lips tugged up in amusement.

"I mean, I wouldn't call him 'Daddy' or anything but, fuck. He has a certain charm," she replied, eyes twinkling. Jughead huffed out a laugh.

"Such a little shit, you know that?" Jughead asked, and she kissed his shoulder.

"What I like about you more though? You're hot but will not have me running and screaming for my life," she said.

"Yeah, but the screams you were making in the bedroom last night…," he trailed off with a smirk, and it was her turn to snort.

"Points for saying that with a straight face," she deadpanned as the credits rolled onto the screen and they settled into watch the movie. When it got to the part of Drew Barrymore being strung up in a tree, Betty turned and hid in Jughead's shoulder. He had already expected this and had his arm open and ready to tuck her into his chest.

"Just a movie baby," he murmured gently. She shook her head.

"Her death was so brutal. And all she wanted to do was save her boyfriend! It wasn't fair!" Betty exclaimed, peeking back at the screen.

Jughead kissed her temple, chuckling softly. "Yeah, but Drew's acting was amazing as ever."

Betty nodded. "Yeah. Should've gotten a Globe at the least."

"It's a horror film, not an Oscar worthy one," he rolled his eyes, and Betty just shook her head.

They carried on through the night like that, watching movies, and, when it got a bit cooler, Betty went and changed into her favorite pair of leggings and hoodie, before snuggling back into Jughead's chest.

"Betts?" Jughead asked quietly.

"Hmm?" Betty hummed.

"What's your favorite Halloween memory? Before you and I met in college."

Betty smiled softly. "My dad and mom took me and Pol out trick or treating one year. I got to dress up as a ballerina. My mom had spent hours on making my tutu and helped me pick out one of Polly's old leotards from her dance lessons. Then, she did my makeup and did my hair up into a bun. I remember her singing in her bathroom as we got ready, and she seemed so happy."

Her throat grew thick. She missed her mom. The cancer came and took her unexpectedly. She was her best friend. Always had her back. When she died, she had never seen her dad look so lost. Like, he had lost an appendage. Jughead traced his thumb along her knuckles.

"I wish I could have met her," he murmured.

"Me too," she whispered. "She made the best Halloween cookies."

"What kind were they?" Jughead asked, soft smile on his face.

"Sugar cookies with orange and black ghosts stamped into them. She'd let me and Polly lick the spoon and bowl respectively after she put them in the oven. Polly and I would switch who had the bowl and spoon every year. Mom wrote down who had what each year so we could have the other the next. She wanted us to be treated equally," she laughed.

"We should make the cookies sometime," Jughead said, grinning at her. "If you want."

Betty nodded. "I actually have the ingredients because I wanted to make them this year. You know, first year without her and everything."

He nodded, pressing his lips to her forehead tenderly. "I know baby. Let's make them. I may not be the most spiritual person, but I know she'll be with us while we make them."

Betty kissed him fully then, taking in his scent of cigarettes and coffee.

"I love you," she breathed against his lips. It was the first time she had ever said it.

He pulled back, looking into her eyes before smiling gently. "God, I love you."

Then, he was picking her up and spinning her and she was laughing and squealing.

"Juggie!" She cried, laughter in her eyes.

"I love you; I love you; I love you," he said, breathless. "I can say that now. Anytime I want."

"Anytime," she promised. He set her down and they headed into the kitchen to start making the cookies. Betty pulled out an old CD.

"What's that?" Jughead asked curiously.

"It's a Halloween mixtape my dad made one year. It's got a lot of the songs from horror movies of the eighties. I obviously didn't listen to it growing up cause it gave me nightmares. Still does, to be honest. But you're spending the night tonight, so I'll just have you hold me," she said confidently.

He shook his head, laughing. "Ah, tell a girl you love her one time…"

She threw cookie dough at him, smiling into his neck as he tried to retaliate

Chapter Text

It's over, Betty. I'm walking away.

Those six words played like a record on repeat inside of Betty's mind. She couldn't remember the exact point things started going astray in her relationship, but she knew that they had been in sink or swim mode for a while. Digging her palms into her flesh was the only thing that kept her grounded as those six words haunted her. Jughead had said he was walking away. Walking away from them. Their relationship. Her. And there wasn't a damn thing she could do about it. Not that she hadn't tried. She fought tooth and nail to get him to reconsider his idea but his mind was made up; she was a thing of his past.

Sighing, Betty curled her nails into her palms, digging at the flesh the way one would dig for buried treasure: hungry and desperately. She needed to feel something, anything to alleviate that dull ache that had wrapped itself like a noose around her heart. She felt the warm, sticky liquid before she saw it but when she glanced down, she saw the crimson blood making paths down her wrists. It felt good. She felt good. She released her palms from the prisons she placed them in and made quick work of going to her bathroom and rinsing the cuts out with water. Then, with a quick tightening of her ponytail, she left, determined to prove herself to be the perfect girl everyone wanted.

XXX

"B, you're coming to Reggie's party tonight, right?" Veronica broke into Betty's thoughts sometime midafternoon that following Friday. She shook her head, clearing her thoughts of Jughead, (damn him), and she looked at her best friend.

"Ronnie," she sighed. "I don't think that's such a good idea."

Veronica was having none of it, though. "Betty, honey, I know you're still moping about Jughead-"

Yeah well, when one's soulmate breaks up with them, moping tends to be the most prominent course of action, honey.

"- And while I understand that, I think it's time for you to get out and have a bit of fun," Veronica continued, and Betty eyed her skeptically.

"By attending a party at Reggie's?" Betty asked warily. Betty didn't want go, would vehemently protest the notion if it wasn't for a ginger boy who had been her brother for longer than she could remember sitting down, throwing his arm around the dark-haired raven as his eyes locked with Betty's.

"Come on, Betty. It won't be so bad," Archie said gently, and Betty knew that Veronica had reached out to him; had hoped he'd be able to persuade her where she could not. Betty sighed.

"Are you going?" Betty asked, thinking gloomily that if he was it was two against one and those odds never stacked in her favor. Archie nodded, biting into his apple.

"I really don't want to go, Arch," Betty said, and he sighed.

"Look, I know you're still upset about the way things ended between you and Jug. If it's any consolation, I think he's pretty miserable, too," Archie offered. Betty knew he was hoping to bring a beacon of light back into her life but Betty couldn't lie to herself and say she gave a damn about what Jughead was feeling. He was the one who ended it, on his terms, without anything other than a whispered goodbye stolen away by the night.

Fingers curling inward of their own accord, Betty sighed miserably.

"Fine," she muttered, and Veronica squealed happily.

"Ah, thank you so much, B," she gushed. Betty just nodded, pushing her plate of food away from her as her appetited diminished rapidly.

"I'll be in the Blue and Gold office until class," she said offhandedly, hurrying away from her two friends without a second glance.

XXX

By the time Betty got home for the evening, it was to the formidable Alice Cooper asking her why she had to hear through the grapevine that her and Jughead had broken up. Rolling her eyes, Betty walked past her mother, mentioning something about not really having the energy to talk about it with anyone, least of all her. Alice said something in response but Betty was well equipped in the art of tuning her mother out. She didn't spare her a second thought as she shut the door to her room.

Betty spent the evening trying to put in the effort to look presentable for this party that she was being dragged to. Loose curls: check; make-up: check; appropriate outfit: check. Glancing into her mirror, she gave herself the once over, finding nothing out of place. Good. Just then there was a buzz from her phone and she opened her texts, noting that it was Veronica telling her that they were outside.

Sighing, she looked herself once more in the mirror.

"You can do this, Cooper. You've been plastering smiles on your face for years now without actually meaning them. Just go and mingle, then go home," she coached herself. Taking a deep breath, Betty opened her bedroom door and headed down to her driveway where she would accept her fate.

XXX

The party was in full swing by the time the trio got there. Predictably, Archie and Veronica split off to some private corner to make-out in without interruption, leaving Betty to fend for herself. Sighing, she made her way over to the array of drinks, trying to decide which one she wanted. After studying them for a moment, she heard someone clear their throat and looked around.

"You know, they're not going to jump out and attack you," Chuck Clayton said, amusement twinkling in his eyes. Betty rolled her eyes. Chuck Clayton, notorious bad boy. Betty Cooper didn't want to be stuck spending the evening with him.

"Forget it, Chuck," she said warily, too tired to have this conversation with him. He sighed.

"Look, Betty, I know what you think of me and I'm not going to lie, I deserve it," he said, and Betty pursed her lips, staring at him. "But what I am going to say is this: don't you think everyone deserves second chances?"

Thinking of Jughead and how she'd give him a second chance in a heartbeat if he asked for one, she bit her lip, looking back at the selection of drinks in front of her.

"What do you recommend?" Betty finally asked and he grinned.

"Rum and coke are my go-to choices, but I'm going to suggest whisky and coke for you. Here, I'll mix it," Chuck offered, walking towards the drinks and grabbing the appropriate bottle he was after. As he mixed her drink, he kept conversation going with Betty and she found that it actually wasn't as bothersome talking to him one-on-one as she thought it might be. She was even laughing at a few of his jokes he was cracking.

"Come on, Cooper, come hang out with me," he said, handed her the drink and walked towards a couch in the next room over. Sitting down, Chuck held his cup up.

"To new friendships," he said.

Not thinking too much of it, Betty clicked her cup with his. "Cheers."

XXX

Betty couldn't remember much of what happened after taking those first few sips except that she suddenly felt dizzy. Placing a hand to her head, she groaned.

"You alright, Cooper?" Chuck asked. She started to nod but shook her head instead.

"I don't feel so good," she mumbled, wondering why on earth her vision was as blurry as it was. She was nursing one drink for goodness sake's. Chuck stood up, placing his drink down on the coffee table in front of them, and helped eased Betty to her feet.

"Come on, let me take you the bathroom," he murmured, and she nodded, feeling touched at how kind he was being. He led her to a room down the hall that was empty and the first thing she noticed was the bathroom in the corner. Sighing happily, she started to make her way to it when she felt him grip her elbow and turn her.

"No, no, not that way, Betty," he said quietly, and she was too dizzy to question him – she simply allowed him to lead her to the bed that sat pushed up against the wall.

"What are we doing?" Betty mumbled as he laid her down on the bed, straddling her body as he did so.

"Shh, relax," he whispered. Through the haze in her mind Betty could tell that something wasn't right and began pushing on Chuck's shoulders.

"No, Chuck. I want you to get off me," she protested weakly, but he just silenced her with a kiss.

She tried to roll away from him as the tide of consciousness threatened to pull her under, weakly kicking out her legs to create space between their bodies. As her eyes started to slip close and her muscles started to relax, the door was opened and Chuck was off her in a millisecond.

Blinking open her eyes lazily, she spotted Jughead and the murderous look he wore.

"Juggie?" Betty whispered. Then, she tumbled into the dark abyss.

XXX

"What the fuck are you slowing down for, Pea?" The voice, however familiar, didn't stir Betty awake completely. No, it was the arms she found herself in and the footsteps of whoever was carrying her as they ran.

"Jug, we should take her to a hospital," came the reply.

"No, they'll know to look for her there," Jug said, and suddenly Betty broke free of her paralysis.

"Jughead?" Betty asked hoarsely.

"Shh," he murmured, tightening his grip on her. "We're almost to where we need to be."

She didn't question where that might be; she simply allowed herself to absorb the fact that she was in his arms once more, safe and sound.

XXX

The next time she remembered being aware of her surroundings she found herself in a bed. Blinking her eyes open, she stared around, trying to make sense of things before a soft voice to her left spoke.

"You're awake," he breathed in relief, and she automatically reached out her fingers, hoping he'd understand what she was after; he did, and acquiesced her request by interlocking their fingers together.

"Juggie," she murmured.

"Hey, baby," he said softly. She blinked her eyes owlishly at him, before frowning.

"You're an asshole, Jughead Jones," she muttered, and he laughed.

"I know. Please, let me explain a few things," he said. She had nowhere else to go and desperately wanted to know why he broke up with her, so nodded her head.

"Alright," she said quietly.

He sighed. "First things first. We'll make sure Clayton pays for what he did."

"Did he…," she trailed off, unable to say the words out loud. Jughead shook his head quickly, offering up a comforting kiss to her knuckles.

"Like hell I'd allow him to get that far," he soothed, and she nodded.

"Thank you," she breathed out.

It was silent for a few minutes and Betty could tell he was trying to gather his thoughts so gave him all the time he needed. Eventually, he nodded.

"The Ghoulies wanted to get me where it hurt," he said quietly.

"Me," Betty replied simply, and he nodded.

"I couldn't let them do that; couldn't let them bring you into the mess I created with Penny last year," he said.

"Jug, why didn't you just tell me?" Betty asked. He sighed.

"I should have, I should have, baby," he murmured. "But I didn't want you dragged even further into this fucked up situation than you already have been."

"We're a team, Jug. You asked me to be your Queen. That means we need to be able to trust one another when the shit gets hard. Especially then," she said quietly. She watched as he blinked back the moisture in his eyes and traced her hand along his face.

"What did Malachi want with me?" Betty asked.

"To make you pay for my mistakes," Jughead growled, and Betty calmly cupped his cheek.

"If protecting you means putting myself in danger, I'd do it without hesitation," she said.

He stared at her. "That's exactly what I'm afraid of."

"Don't be," she murmured. "I'm resilient. It's going to take more than a washed-up gang and some football player to knock me down. Do you remember who I'm related to?"

"I thought I had bad parents," he muttered, and she laughed.

"Promise me this Juggie: promise me you won't shut me out when things get hard. I know that's our go-to defense mechanism but we're a team. We fight like one. You prevented something from happening tonight, and I want to prevent something from happening for you."

He nodded, closing his eyes and kissing the palm that his cheek was still enclosed in.

"How did you find out about the party?" Betty asked after a moment of silence.

"Archie texted me when they couldn't find you. They had heard a rumor that Chuck and you had been chatting and it really didn't take me too long to deduce something bad was on his agenda for the night," Jughead said.

"Yeah well, after I went full dark, no stars on him, do you honestly blame him?" Betty asked quietly.

"You listen to me, Elizabeth Cooper. I don't ever want to hear you say that again. Do you understand me?" Jughead asked firmly. She studied his face.

"I hear you," she murmured after a moment of contemplation. He nodded, seemingly satisfied with her answer.

"Get some sleep," he said once he noticed her eyes start to grow tired.

"Will you still be here when I wake up?" Betty whispered, and she felt him place a kiss on her forehead.

"Always, my Betts. Always."

Author's note: One shot idea I had. Don't like Chuck so whatever to him. Hope you enjoy. Reviews are lovely. Xxx

Chapter Text

Betty Cooper was drowning. Sinking into the depths of her mind and body and no one noticed. No one except one beanie-clad boy by the name of Jughead Jones. Ever since the Southside had transferred high schools, he noticed her. The way she held herself around her friends. She seemed like the glue holding them altogether, the problem solver. The question he had was: who was her problem solver? He watched as she painted smile after smile on her face, always accepting the challenge placed on her shoulders.

"Betty, could you tutor Mr. Mantle in English?"

"Betty, could you be a dear and bake two dozen cupcakes for the bake sale this weekend?"

Betty, Betty, Betty.

Jughead watched as each time another responsibility was placed on her shoulders, she would diminish a bit; shrink in on herself slightly. He couldn't be the only one who noticed the way her smile would falter when asked to do another task, before hitching back in place, but apparently he was. He wasn't quite ready to talk to her, yet. She didn't know him from Adam. And, he was the leader of gang. That certainly didn't fit in with her cookie cutter life, he had no doubt. But, he did keep an eye on her, wondering if she would eventually just stop the act altogether.

XXX

The first sign of alarm he saw was when she came to school one morning and there was a bruise on her face. It was pretty well covered by makeup but Jughead had had enough bruises of his own in his life to know the signs. He studied her, wondering if now was when he needed to speak up but before he got the chance, her best friend, Veronica Lodge (how he hated that he even knew her name), came up to her.

"Missed you at Pop's this weekend, B," Veronica said, voice trilling like bells.

This was news to Jughead. He didn't know she went to Pop's. Then again, he didn't go until way late at night, practically when it was deserted. It was easiest that way. Betty forced a laugh and Jughead found himself wondering how Veronica didn't notice it wasn't genuine.

"Yeah, I was helping Polly with the twins," Betty chirped. Veronica nodded, satisfied, and hooked her arm with the golden-haired goddess.

"Well, let's go, shall we?" Veronica asked.

They were off the next moment, leaving Jughead alone to his thoughts.

XXX

The first time he noticed her…habit, he wasn't sure what to do.

She was staring at her redhead friend, Archie Andrews, who was yapping on about the upcoming football game and how he really needed her support for it. Watching her closely, Jughead noticed the way her fists clenched, turning white, as she stared at Archie with that fake smile painted onto her lips. Eventually, she loosened her fists and laid her palms flat against her thighs before nodding.

"Of course, I'll be there Arch. I'll just finish the assignment on Sunday," she replied brightly.

Archie beamed. "Ah, Betty, thank you."

With that, he ducked away from her and Betty took a moment to take a breath before walking away. That wasn't before Jughead noticed the slight blood smears on her jeans from where her palms had been resting against her legs.

XXX

The first time he actually spoke to her, it shocked them both to their core. She was one of the last to leave school, as was he, and he noticed her at her locker, pulling things out slowly. He bit his lip, debating his options, before hesitantly making his way towards her.

"Betty, right?" Jughead asked softly, and she jumped, having been startled. He frowned as he watched her hand fly to her side, cupping it, before attempting a smile that came off as grimace.

"Hi, yes. I'm Betty," she said, and he frowned.

"Uh, you okay?" Jughead asked, nodding his head at the side she was still clutching. She smiled tightly, but there was a look in her eyes that told him he needed to be careful about pressing her.

"I'm fine. Banged into a door this morning. Now, what can I help you with, Jughead?" Betty asked.

That caught him by surprise. "You know my name?"

She chuckled. "You know mine."

That was fair. He looked around as she waited for him to speak up.

"Uh, I was just wondering if there was anything you, uh…wanted to talk about?" He finished lamely. God, he was bad at this. He had never been the supporting shoulder to anyone, not even the gang, but with Betty, something compelled him to be. Something told him she wasn't getting it elsewhere. She stared at him curiously, before giving her head a slight shake, painting on the same well-practiced smile she gave everyone else. Somehow it felt like swallowing nails when she gave it to him.

"I appreciate the offer, but I'm good. But, uh, if you ever need to talk or anything, the door to the Blue and Gold is always open," she replied, shifting from one foot to the other. It took him a moment for him to understand. Oh. She was nervous. He understood that. He nodded his head, not wanting to make her even more uncomfortable.

"See you around, Coop," he replied, and walked away.

XXX

He made more of an effort to go to Pop's earlier every night after that. Sometimes he caught her there with friends, chatting animatedly; others, he caught her staring off into space, mind elsewhere. He was about ready to punch the group of people surrounded by her. How did no one notice her light was dimming with each passing day? Sighing, he just kept watching her as he typed away on his laptop. He knew whatever was going on with her was none of his business, something Toni had reinforced more than once. The problem with Jughead, however, was he sure as shit didn't like to be told what to do, least of all by his best friend, so he continued to watch her from a distance.

XXX

The day he noticed her weight loss was like a slap in the face. She showed up to school in a sweater swallowing her thin frame and he noticed how her cheeks seemed more sunken in than normal. He was at his lunch table, watching as she sat at hers' with friends. There was Kevin Keller, the only one who seemed to be paying attention to her, too. He pushed his plate of fries towards her, causing Betty to look at him sharply. She shook her head, but Kevin gave her a pointed look and she sighed, picking up a fry and nibbling on it. Kevin Keller might be the best thing for Betty Cooper.

XXX

He eventually watched as she pulled away from all of her friends. Cutting them out. To their credit, they tried to reach out to her, but Jughead knew it was a lost cause. She wasn't willing to share with anyone about what was going on with her. Well, he'd have to suck up his fear and find out himself. He left school early, after being stopped by Kevin who gave him her address, mumbling something about the way he noticed his concern. Not sure what to think of that, Jughead gruffly thanked the other guy, and hurried into his truck. As he drove, he spotted a sight of blonde hair and immediately knew it was Betty walking. She apparently didn't care anymore about getting caught skipping school. He followed her at a slow place, wondering where she was going. When she stopped right by Sweetwater River, he slowly pulled to a stop, too. Following her on foot, he wove his way between the trees in the forest, trying to keep her in sight. Naturally, he lost her.

"Fuck." He cursed, speeding up as he began to run through the forest. He found her. And. Oh god.

"Betty, what the hell are you doing?" Jughead shouted, quickly shedding his jacket and beanie and wading out into the water to where she was, letting the current tug her along gently. She didn't seem to hear him and that scared him, but not as much as the look of serenity on her face. Like she had accepted her fate. Fuck that. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her into him. Eyes snapping open, she immediately fought him.

"Let go of me!" Betty screamed, pounding and pulling against his chest.

"No," he said simply, holding onto her tighter.

"Let go of me!" Betty continued to scream, but Jughead was able to use this to his advantage; as she screamed, he swung her up in his arms, noting the true discoloration of her face for the first time. There was not an inch of skin that wasn't black or purple and a growl escaped him as he carried her to the bank. Setting her down, he picked up his jacket and covered her with it.

They sat there for a long time, just staring at the river. It was Betty who spoke up eventually.

"Why did you stop me?" Betty asked quietly. "I didn't need you to do that."

"Someone needed to do that and since none of your friends seem to notice that you're fucking drowning, I thought I should," he shrugged. He looked at her face, licking his lips nervously. "What happened?"

"Why do you care?" Betty asked in a hard voice, clenching her fists. He gently uncurled them, watching as she looked up at him in surprise.

"I care because I know you're hurting. I also know what it's like to have help," he replied, hesitantly tracing his thumb across her bloodied palm. She looked down at their hands, then back at him.

"How long have you known?" Betty whispered.

"For a while," he admitted honestly. She shuddered, and he tightened his jacket around her, even though he doubted it had much to do with the cold. "I was hoping maybe you'd talk to someone about it?" Me.

Betty looked at him, angry, before she deflated.

"It's a fucked-up story," she warned.

"Good thing I like chaos," he said, lilt in his voice, and she smiled slightly.

She started talking, letting the story come out of her slowly. At first, things were fine. She was doing good in school; her family was as good as to be expected. Then, one night her dad came home and asked for a divorce. Just like that. Her mom didn't take kindly to it and began drinking. One drink at dinner. Then two. Then a six pack before bed. Betty was doing her best to take care of her mom and maintain her life at school, making sure that no one noticed what was going on. The first time her mom hit her, she cried and begged her to not tell anyone, that she'd get help.

"And, she didn't," Jughead said quietly.

"No," Betty whispered.

"And, today?" Jughead asked, dreading the answer.

"My mom found out I am on birth control. Before I could tell her it was just to regulate my cycle, she was screaming at me, calling me a good for nothing whore, which, surprisingly, hurt more than the punches," Betty laughed bitterly.

"Emotional scars," Jughead whispered. She went to go clench her fists again, but he laced their fingers together and held them in his lap, shaking his head slightly. "Please, continue."

Betty inhaled shakily. "After she did what she did, she cried per usual, hugged me, and begged me to never leave her. The way my dad did. But, I-," she closed her eyes.

"Couldn't take it anymore?" Jughead supplied quietly, and she nodded, swallowing. It looked painful.

"You can't go back there, you know that, right?" Jughead asked quietly.

"I know," she whispered. "But she's my mom. I love her."

"And, she's hurting you. What she is doing to you isn't love. She needs help," he said softly.

She nodded again but remained quiet.

"I know a place that helps alcoholics. I could have my dad make a couple of calls and they could help her," he said.

"She'd never forgive me," Betty muttered, looking down. He placed his fingertips underneath her chin, studying her busted and swollen lip.

"And, I'd never forgive her if she killed you," he said firmly.

"Is there something in it for you or are you just a naturally good guy?" Betty asked, no judgement in her tone.

"I'm a leader of a gang, I don't think I can be a good guy," he snorted.

"Yet, here you are, pulling a girl you don't even know from the river before something stupid could have happened and telling her you've paid attention. No one else has. So, try again," she whispered.

He didn't hesitate as he brushed his lips across hers', mindful of her split lip, before pulling back.

"Was that okay?" Jughead asked softly, and she just nodded.

"More than," she whispered. He pulled her into his chest, dusting a kiss to her temple.

"I'll have my dad make the call tonight. In the meantime, you can stay with me," he said.

She just hummed and he knew they'd be alright.

Author's note: Reviews make me so happy.

Chapter Text

TW: Suicide attempt.

Betty walked the empty streets towards her home. She couldn't believe that her mom had chosen Charles over her. The last time that happened, she had chosen Chic, and looked how well that turned out. Betty was tired. Simply exhausted to her core. Every other day it was fucking something. Archie and Veronica needing her; the pressures her high school was putting on her; even the memory of her dad. The night Penelope shot him was the night her life ended. Yes, she hadn't forgiven him for his sins, nor would she ever, but she didn't want him to be murdered. In front of her at that. Jughead had been great at helping her stay afloat, until he wasn't.

Jughead had been her saving grace from the very start. When she found out that her parents had sent Polly to the Sisters, it was Jughead who had caught a bus with her to the home for troubled youth and began investigating. It was Jughead who stuck by her the year of the Black Hood and then the year the Farm was wreaking it's havoc. Now, he was in his preparatory school and she was at Riverdale and they couldn't make heads or tails of anything.

A soft sigh escaped her as she let herself inside her home. A quick glance around told her no one was there – not that she expected them to be. Alice was most likely with Charles and Jughead was somewhere at his new school. That left Betty alone. She made her way up to her room and shut herself in, locking the door. She wasn't in the mood to see anyone. Not tonight. She wasn't even in the mood to do homework, so simply laid down on her bed, thinking about things.

How easy was it for things to take such drastic turns in less than a year? Archie's dad died; her dad died. She thought that maybe they could bond over it but knew it would be selfish of her to say she understood her friend's pain. Her dad was a murderer; Archie's was not. She kept her mouth shut on the matter. Then, there was Veronica. She felt like the two best friends were drifting apart. She was busy with Archie, which normally wouldn't be a problem, if Betty could find time to be with Jughead. But, with their different school schedules, it was just too hard.

"And, you're depressed," a voice in the back of her mind piped up. She put a pillow over her face, trying to block it out. She had been doing her damnedest to block out that infuriating voice for the past few months now, but with each passing day, it got louder and louder. She didn't want to acknowledge her depression, didn't want to acknowledge anything. How could she? She was fucking Betty Cooper, All-American girl who was as perfect as they came. She snorted. Perfect. What a fucking joke.

What she really wanted, more than anything, was a chance to make all the white noise to stop, if only for a moment. It was normally gone when she was around Jughead and her friends, but they had been on such opposite schedules, it had returned in full force, leaving her fucking breathless. She, if she was being honest with herself, wanted to end all of the pain. Right now. This very moment.

"Then why don't you?" The sly voice asked, and Betty sat up on her bed calmly. Why didn't she? No one was busy taking their time to come see her. No, she had been the one to try and make sure to check in with everyone until she couldn't anymore. If they didn't give a damn about her, why should she give one about them? Besides, it's not like Jughead would even notice. Biting her lip, she got off her bed and made her way into her bathroom, studying her reflection in the mirror. She looked tired. Terribly so. The bags underneath her eyes was an indication of just how little sleep she had gotten lately. Not looking at her reflection for much longer, her eyes fell on her bathroom cabinet and she opened the door. Rummaging around, she found what she was looking for a moment later.

Weighing the bottle of sleeping pills in her hand, she thought about her options. A few of these and she could just leave it all behind, everything. Don't take these, and she was still facing the same fucking struggles of each day without any help. The choice was easy. Pouring out some, Betty quickly swallowed them down with some water, and then went and laid on her bed.

XXX

Betty wasn't sure how long she floated out of consciousness for, but it was pressure against her hand that started to tug her back.

"Betty, Betts. Can you hear me?" Jughead asked. How she knew it was Jughead was easy: she'd recognize his voice anywhere. Her eyelids fluttered open and she looked around. Of course. She would be in a fucking hospital. She glared at Jughead as the memories came back to her of what she did.

"Who found me?" Betty snapped.

The look on his face told her he was taken aback by her tone, but she didn't care; she was simply too incensed.

"Your mother," he said softly, trailing a thumb along her knuckles.

"Fuck her," she hissed, angry.

"Are you telling me it wasn't an accidental overdose?" Jughead demanded quietly, and she snorted.

"Jughead, have I ever taken sleeping pills before?" Betty asked sharply, and he inhaled shakily.

"Why?" Jughead asked, sounding a bit breathless.

"Why not?" Betty shrugged, turning her face away from him. He tilted it back, a fire burning in his eyes, and she matched it.

"What the fuck were you thinking, Elizabeth Cooper?" Jughead growled. "Trying to kill yourself?"

"Why the fuck do you care, Jughead?" Betty snapped.

"Never, ever ask me that again," he exclaimed. "Do you hear me? I will always care about you."

"Really? It hasn't seemed like it lately," she said.

He opened and shut his mouth several times, seemingly at loss for words, before nodding his head.

"I know," he whispered. "And, I'm sorry baby."

She shrugged but didn't say anything.

"I know I haven't been around, and I'll do whatever it takes to earn your trust back, but you can't do this shit again, do you understand? You can't try to end it. Especially without telling me what you're thinking. I could have stopped you," he murmured.

"I didn't want to be stopped," she sighed.

"Too bad," he said simply.

"Get out," she said quietly.

"No."

"Jughead, get out!" Betty screamed, feeling all the pent-up isolation and loneliness she had been feeling rushing through her like a tidal wave. He wrapped his arms around her, and she tried to push him off; he held on with a tenacious grip.

"No, baby. I'm not leaving you. We are going to get through this and get back to who we once were. I love you. I have always loved you. I will always love you. Nothing or no one is going to change that. Today proved that. You have no idea what I felt like to get a call from Alice Cooper, saying that you had tried to commit suicide. I was so fucking scared, Betty! So fucking scared! I swear to God, had you died, they may as well have dug another grave cause I would have followed, too. I can't fathom a world where you don't exist, let alone live in one," he said, holding her to his chest. Betty curled her fingers into his shirt, gasping for air as the reality of what she had done came tumbling down onto her.

"I'm sorry," she cried. "I just didn't want to feel anymore. I didn't want to feel pain every day of my fucking life."

"And, think about what the rest of us were going to feel had you succeeded, baby. It would have been unimaginable," he murmured, rocking her a little. She hiccupped into his chest as she tried to get her breathing regulated. For his part, Jughead just murmured soothing words into her ear, hushing her gently. When she had spent all of her energy crying, he helped ease her back onto the bed before pushing her hair off her forehead.

"You're going to a treatment facility. Not Sisters – you'll never have to go to Sisters again. This one is upstate, and they have the best treatment services in the state for suicide survivors. We're going to get you well, I'm going to be with you every step of the way, and you will never feel like you're so alone that you have no way out but to end it again, okay?" Jughead asked firmly, eyes tracing hers'. She looked at him for a long moment, mulling over her options, before nodding.

"Alright," she whispered. "Will…will you visit me?"

He traced her cheekbone.

"Every damn day. I don't care if they say I can't; I'll sneak into your room," he promised, and she chuckled, feeling a little of the ache in her heart lessen. Her eyelids grew heavy and he was kissing her forehead.

"Get some sleep, love," he murmured.

She closed her eyes but not before saying one more thing.

"Jughead?"

"Yeah, baby?"

"I love you."

His laughter as he dusted another kiss to her forehead was enough to tell her they were going to be just fine. They always were.

Chapter Text

Betty knew that fighting at this moment would be pointless with her hands restrained. She knew that Edgar was going to fight tooth and nail to get her organ and she needed to get the upper hand on him. So, she immediately stopped kicking her legs out, forcing her body to go limp, and let her eyelids flutter close.

"I think she's out, Edgar," one of the nurses said quietly.

"Excellent. Thank you, Cecil," Edgar said pleasantly. Betty could hear him moving around, picking up different instruments he'd need for the surgery and she tried to remain calm and unflinching – the last thing she needed to do was give away the fact that she actually hadn't inhaled any anesthesia.

"You ladies may position yourselves around me," Edgar continued, and Betty heard the two nurses' footsteps as they situated themselves around him.

"What are you going to take, Edgar?" One asked softly.

"Her liver," he said simply, and Betty forced herself to breathe as calmly as she could. Like hell he'd get her liver. She felt the point of the knife press against her soft skin and seized her opportunity. Shoving out her right leg, she kicked Edgar where it would hurt him the most, relishing in the way he groaned as he fell to his knees.

"I said, stay the hell away from me," Betty hissed. She had had just about damn near enough of the farm and the mind games they all played here. Polly, with trying to convince her she was the reason her pet cat had died and that she had pushed her down the stairs; her mother, for telling her she had a serial killer gene inside of her. She knew in her heart that just wasn't true; Kevin and Fangs for handing her over to Evernever. She knew she'd never look at them the same way again. But, now was not the moment to dwell on that, not if she wanted to get out of this alive.

The nurses rushed to her and she kicked one in the abdomen, grinning triumphantly when she collapsed. The other nurse looked at her, suddenly afraid.

"Untie me," Betty instructed. The nursed hesitated. "Now!"

"Okay, okay! Just don't hurt me," she said, rushing forward to free her wrists from the straps they were in.

Betty didn't hesitate to slam her elbow into her nose, effectively breaking it and disarming her all in one go.

"Sorry, but that is where I draw the line," Betty smirked. Just then, she heard Edgar coughing as he tried to stand to his feet and quickly picked up the tray holding the scalpels he was going to cut her open with and hit him over the side of his head; he fell to the ground just as the door to the operating room opened.

"Betty, what the hell?" Jughead asked, and she had never been more relieved to see her boyfriend in that moment.

"No time to explain, Juggie, we've got to go," she said, grabbing his hand and darting through the door. "Keep your eyes peeled for guards and don't hesitate to put someone out, okay?"

"Okay. Why are you in a hospital gown?" Jughead asked, but Betty shook her head.

"I'll explain everything later, I swear, but right now my only mission is getting the hell away from this place," Betty said, ignoring the stitch in her side in favor of running faster.

They sprinted down the hallway, with Betty peering through every door they passed.

"Where is she?" Betty muttered.

"Who?"

"Cheryl, I know she got caught, too," Betty said, running faster than she ever had before in her life.

"Yeah, Toni found my dad and I and explained what was going on and all about the surgeries Edgar was doing. Hang on," he said slowly, pausing his running. "You're wearing a hospital gown…"

"I put Evernever out before he could succeed with the surgery," Betty assured him quickly before encouraging him to run faster. Just then, they heard screams pierce the air and they looked at each other.

"Cheryl," Betty whispered, and Jughead nodded, worry etched across his face. Turning to the left they followed the sounds, coming to a stop outside a door. Not hesitating, Jughead slammed his body weight into it and it gave way. Betty's eyes fell on Cheryl, fighting two guards who were trying to pin her down. Pulling out the scalpel she had pocketed, she ran up to one of the guards and pressed it to his neck.

"Stay away from my cousin, so help me God," Betty hissed, eyes flashing dangerously.

His hold immediately loosened as Jughead came around behind the other one and knocked him out with a quick pinch to his pressure point.

"Weren't you with Edgar?" The guard asked, confusion coating his tone.

"He's a little indisposed right now," Betty said, eyes on him. Then, quietly, to Cheryl, "are you alright?"

"Yes, Betty. Thank you," Cheryl murmured.

"We need to put him out quietly, and then we need to go," Betty said.

"Put me out?"

Just then, Jughead swung his fist into a beautiful upper cut, sending the guard sprawling down to the floor. He was unconscious before his head even hit the ground.

"Yes, put you out. And now, we need to leave," Jughead said, and the three of them ran.

When they made it outside, it was to spot the Serpents and Sheriff Jones, who was holding Toni back.

"Let me go, FP, I swear!" Toni screamed. "I need to get to Cheryl!"

"Toni, I'm right here," Cheryl said, running to her girlfriend, who caught her in her arms, shoulders shaking.

"Thank God, thank God," Toni muttered over and over.

Deciding to give them a modicum of privacy, Betty looked around at the other people in the group and her eyes narrowed as they landed on Polly and Alice. Fuming, she made her way towards them.

"Congratulations on being the worst people ever," she hissed vehemently.

"Betty -," her mother began, but Betty shook her head.

"Shove it, Alice," she snapped. "You knew I didn't have the serial killer gene in me and the little mind game you let Edgar use on me? Turns out that it isn't even real. I put in earplugs and wouldn't you be surprised to find out who was the person telling me such horrible lies about things I did as a child?"

She spun to look at her sister, who was staring at her in shame.

"What have I ever done to you, Polly?" Betty demanded lowly, and Polly looked down, unable to say anything.

Breathing deeply, Betty turned to look at the Serpents around her, both new and old. Her eyes landed on Fangs briefly, who wore an apologetic grimace but she merely shook her head at him.

"I want it to be known by every person here I am separating myself from my toxic family," she said clearly. "Alice and Polly? After this moment I will cease to be your daughter and sister."

"Betty, don't be rash," Alice begged, but Betty shook her head.

"No, you don't get to do that, Alice," she snapped. "I'm getting an emancipation."

"Betty!"

"Shut up, Polly," Jughead snapped, wrapping his arm around Betty's waist. "You can stay with us until the paperwork goes through, alright, baby?"

"FP, you can't let this happen!" Alice said, desperate for an ally, but FP merely shook his head.

"Betty is one of ours; you made your choices, Alice. Now, it's time to live with them," he said lowly,

After that statement, he began ushering his squad into the farm to make the inevitable arrests and Betty felt like she could breathe a bit easier.

"Take me home, please," she murmured to her boyfriend, turning her back to everyone else. She had had enough excitement for one night.

Hands clasped in one another's, they made their way to his bike, letting the wind kiss their cheeks. After getting on first, he patted the space behind him and Betty hopped on, wrapping her arms around him. Then, they were off. Not looking back once.

Fin.

Author's note: So, I am both extremely excited and nervous for the season finale because I really want to see Alice and Polly get what's coming to them. They probably won't give it to us but hey, a gal can dream. Kudos, reviews, and anything else you deem worthy of your time is much appreciated! It really helps a writer along. Xxx

Chapter Text

TW: Abuse.

"Get back here!" Hal Cooper's voice pierced the quiet night, unsettling Betty's stomach as she ran. Keeping her head down, she allowed her feet to pound against the pavement, carrying her further and further away from her drunk father and his abusive tendencies. The night was like any other night in the Cooper household – her father had been nursing an entire bottle of whisky while Betty worked on homework in her room. She had been itching to lock her door, so her father couldn't enter her room and start lashing out at her in his drunken haze, but rules were rules and she knew that if she even dreamt of locking her door, there would be even more hell to pay.

As her feet continued to propel her forward, Betty's mind was calm, an occurrence that happened only when she was running. Her dad hadn't always been the drunk he was today. He, at one point, was a kind and loving man. But, the world had turned a cold shoulder to him; had toughened him up. When her mom had finally had enough and left, Betty was the only one left behind to fix the broken mess that was her father. Despite her hardest efforts, however, she still didn't seem quite able to be the stitching he needed. Sighing, she inhaled through her nose as she ran, her father's cries buried far behind her now, a distant echoing in the night.

At long last, she stopped, glancing at her surroundings. She was surprised, (actually, not as surprised as she should be), that she was here of all places. The White Wyrm looked welcoming, no matter how many drunken men were leering at her. It wasn't that she couldn't handle drunken men; it was that she refused to fight back against Hal. These guys? They were a different story entirely. Pushing her way through the crowd, Betty eventually made it into the bar, letting the air engulf her in a warm cocoon.

"Lost, Princess?" An oily voice whispered into her ear and Betty bit back a growl as she came face-to-face with a tall man, grinning unpleasantly at her.

"Are you?" Betty hissed, eyes flashing dangerously. The man smirked, raking his eyes over her frame. She suppressed the urge to growl again, shoving her way past him. As she stalked her way towards the bar, she caught sight of a familiar bartender with pink hair. Smiling slightly, she sat down, tapping the bar.

"Your usua-god, Betty, what happened?" Toni asked, staring horrorstruck at her face. Betty shrugged.

"You know, got on the wrong end of someone's fist," she laughed, hoping the twinge she felt in her ribs didn't come across as a wince.

"Hal?" Toni supplied quietly, and Betty nodded once, firm and quick.

"Per usual," she muttered, before clearing her throat. "Vodka and sprite, please."

Toni busied herself with making the drink as Betty took in all the patrons at the bar. Normally, she wouldn't be caught dead in a bar like this, especially on this side of town, but ever since Toni Topaz had transferred to her school and became her friend, Betty found herself questioning how she lived her life. Toni was a part of the no nonsense gang, the Serpents. She was the right-hand woman to their fearless (or so Betty had heard from the petite woman), leader, Jughead Jones. Betty didn't know much of the man in question, just that he was a year older and was leader of the motorcycle gang fresh off his graduation.

"Do you need to stay somewhere tonight?" Toni asked, looking at Betty worriedly. She shook her head.

"No, T, he'll be passed out by the time I get back and hopefully too hungover to get out of bed tomorrow," she replied. Toni slid the drink she made towards Betty, and Betty took a sip, relishing in the way the cool liquid burned her throat. She had always sworn to herself she wasn't doomed to repeat her father's mistakes, which is why she never had more than one drink on the nights she showed up to the bar.

"I've got to go check on the others, but stay for a bit, yeah? I want to catch up," Toni said, and Betty nodded. She wasn't in any mood to head home just yet. Toni walked off, leaving Betty to her thoughts. Hal Cooper had once been a decent man; had once loved and supported his family in the way only a father was capable of. But, things happened. People changed. Hal changed. Alice and Polly Cooper leaving were a testament to that. Sure, there were the promises of coming back for her but Betty learned on the night that her mother drove away from a tear-stained thirteen-year-old, that promises were just empty words; they didn't amount to anything.

Sighing, she swirled around her drink, before taking another sip.

"Hi, Princess," came the same oily voice from before and Betty shot him a glacial glare.

"Not interested," she snapped.

"But you haven't even heard what I'm offering," the reply made her roll her eyes.

"Not. Interested." Betty said through gritted teeth. She went back to her drink but could see out of her peripheral how the man got angry, getting ready to force himself into her personal space.

"Do you mind not sitting in my lap?" Another voice asked, and Betty blinked, looking up. A tall guy, closer to her age, had sat in the seat at the last moment. She quirked an eyebrow at him and he shook his head infinitesimally. Deciding to play along, Betty watched curiously as the scene unfolded before her.

"I mean," the guy continued. "As flattered as I am with the attention, I don't play for your team. So, there's really no point in being this close to me, Andrew."

Andrew looked shell-shocked at the guy, and stood up, stammering out apologies.

"S-Sorry, Jughead, I didn't know this seat was taken," he muttered, and Jughead nodded. Andrew turned around then, and headed off in the opposite direction, only pausing when Jughead called him back.

"Oh, and Andrew? You'd be wise to leave women alone in my bar," he added, the underling threat clear. Andrew nodded once and scurried off. Betty laughed.

"Thanks," she murmured, taking another sip of her drink. Jughead shrugged.

"Don't mention it…" he trailed off, and Betty filled in the blank.

"Betty," she supplied.

"Betty," Jughead replied, small smile quirking at his lips.

"What happened to your face, Betty?" Jughead asked.

"What happened to your knuckles, Jughead?" Betty asked in return, eyes zeroing in on his bloody and bruised knuckles. Jughead chuckled.

"Accident," he replied.

"Same here." Betty remarked.

"Oh, yeah? How so?" Jughead challenged her.

"Fell," she said simply. Just as he was about to open his mouth again, Toni came back to their side of the bar.

"Hey, Jug," she greeted her friend, and Jughead nodded once at Toni.

"Toni," he returned the greeting with a simple smirk. Betty took one last sip of her drink before sliding the glass back to Toni and leaving a twenty on the bar top.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay with me tonight, B?" Toni asked, eyebrows pinched together in worry. Betty shook her head.

"It's fine," she replied, sliding back into her sweater. A quick nod to the bill on the counter told Toni to keep the change. Then, Betty was out into the night, headed in the direction of her home.

It wasn't too long before someone caught up with her.

"At least let me give you a ride," Jughead said, and Betty whirled around so fast she nearly got whiplash.

"God, don't do that," she hissed, and he looked contrite.

"Sorry," he murmured. "Didn't mean to startle you."

Betty wasn't much in the mood to be comforted so shrugged. "It's fine. I've got to go, though."

"Where you headed? I can give you a ride," he said again, and Betty debated. Here she was, in the Southside, with a stranger offering her a ride home. It screamed danger and yet, there didn't seem to be anything outstandingly dangerous about Jughead. At least, not off the first impression he had given her. Hesitating for a moment longer, she eventually nodded her head.

"I live on the Northside," she replied. If he was surprised, he didn't show it. Just led her to his bike and handed her the helmet in the basket on the back. After looking at the helmet, then the bike, uncertainly, Betty eventually gained the confidence to swing her leg over and get on. They were off, into the night.

XXX

By the time they got onto her street, Betty tapped him on the shoulder and Jughead slowed down to a stop.

"Here's fine," she said, and he kicked the kickstand down to help steady the bike. She got off it and handed him his helmet back.

"Can I get your number?" Jughead asked curiously. Betty bit her lip, thinking about what her father would do to her if he knew she had talked to someone other than who he deemed appropriate. She nodded regardless.

"Sure," she murmured, and accepted the phone Jughead handed her. After typing in her number and saving it, she handed the phone back to him.

"Well, I'm this way," she said, tilting her head down towards the end of the street. Jughead nodded.

"I'll be seeing you, then," he replied. Then, with a quick turn, he was gone down the street.

XXX

Jughead and Betty texted intermittently throughout the upcoming weeks. Whenever she could spare a moment to herself or get out of the house, she'd text him. He told her about the Serpents, more than Toni ever did, and she was fascinated. In turn, she told him pieces about her life, but not enough for him to be suspicious. Just then, her door flew open and Betty barely had time to turn her phone over.

"Who the hell are you talking to all the time?" Hal growled, and Betty could smell the stench of whisky rolling off him in waves.

"No one," she replied, fists curling. She wasn't about to tell him about the only two people in her life she had come to care about.

"Well, it ends here," Hal said, stumbling his way towards her. Betty stood up, alarmed, and watched as her father swiped out for her phone – she held it out of his reach.

"You're drunk, dad. Go sleep it off," she said soothingly, hoping to placate him. These were the wrong words.

"You idiot girl," he growled, slamming his elbow into her eye. Betty gasped as she toppled to the ground from the sheer amount of force Hal had exerted. He kicked her in her still healing ribs and she felt one of them crack again. Inhaling shakily, Betty curled up on the ground into a protective ball and listened as her father stomped towards her door, and slammed it shut. The lock clicking on the outside further signified the hell she was in.

XXX

Betty wasn't sure how many days had passed since Hal had locked her in the room but it was enough to note that what was once was starvation was now a dull ache in her stomach. She wasn't even sure if she could handle food right now. Her palms, a littered mess of half crescent moons and blood, found their way to her fingernails again and she relished in the pain. Just then, she heard her father calling up the stairs.

"I'm going out of town for a couple of days," he said, then the door slammed and there was only silence echoing in Betty's ears. Betty vaguely wondered if she'd be able to pick the lock on her door and sneak downstairs for some food now that her dad was gone, but she wasn't sure if she had the energy. Sighing, she curled up in her bed and let the exhaustion take over once more.

XXX

She woke up to someone shaking her shoulder.

"B? B. Betty," Toni's soft voice filled her ears and Betty blinked her eye that wasn't swollen shut open.

"T?" Betty mumbled.

"We're getting you out of here, Betty," Toni promised, easing the other girl up.

"Who's 'we'?" Betty asked, wincing as her ribs jostled. It was then that Toni cut her eyes to two guys in the corner. One she didn't recognize but the other…

"Jughead?" Betty asked, and he nodded.

"Come on, Betty, we don't have much time. Your dad is only gone for a couple of days," he said. The exhaustion was starting to clear and Betty looked at him.

"How do you know that?" Betty asked quietly.

"I'm the one who came up with the plan to get him out of town while we got you out of here," he replied. Betty, not having the energy to question him anymore, allowed Toni to help guide her to her feet and then out of the room.

"God," Toni groaned. "She's so thin, Jug."

Jughead appraised her thin-as-a-rail waist, before narrowing his eyes.

"First things first, we need to get her out of here before that miserable excuse of a man shows up once he realizes he was sent to the middle of nowhere on a job that doesn't exist," he replied.

Betty just nodded, letting Toni lead her out of the house. It was then that she noticed a car, and not a bunch of motorcycles like she was expecting.

"Come on, B," Toni said, allowing the girl to climb in.

"I don't have any of my stuff," Betty muttered, leaning against the door wearily.

"Don't worry about that, Sweet Pea is packing up some of your stuff as we speak," Jughead said. Betty wondered who named their kid Sweet Pea. Then, she wondered who named their kid Jughead. They couldn't be their real names. She was too tired to ask, though, so opted for nodding instead. The last thing she heard was the engine starting, then she was back into the black abyss.

XXX

When Betty woke up it was late, that much was clear. She was in a bed, (not hers', she noted), and changed out of the jeans and cardigan she had been in and into sweats and a tank top. Wondering who changed her, Betty tightened the comforter around her despite the discomfort it brought to her ribs.

"Don't worry, Toni got you changed," came Jughead's quiet voice. She gasped, snapping her head up to meet his eyes. He was sitting in a chair next to the bed, keeping his distance, as he looked at her.

"You didn't see anything?" Betty demanded, voice hoarse. Jughead shook his head and reached for the pitcher of water on the nightstand.

"Here, drink this. It'll help," he said, handing her a glass he poured. Her hands shook as she took it and took a long drink. Her mouth was dry – incredibly so. Wanting to be around someone she knew, Betty looked at Jughead.

"Where's Toni?" Betty asked timidly.

"She went to Pop's to get half a dozen burgers for you," he replied, and Betty sighed in relief.

"I get to eat," she murmured.

"You'll never be hungry again. Not on the Serpents watch," he said firmly. She nodded, muscles feeling stiff.

"Thank you," she whispered, touched by this kind stranger. But, if he knew Toni, he wasn't much of a stranger.

"Get some sleep," he murmured, tracing his thumb lightly across her forehead. She couldn't remember the last time someone had been this gentle with her. Perhaps when she was little and her mom had still loved both of her daughters.

"I will," she replied softly, drifting off again.

XXX

The next few months were filled with healing for Betty. She'd wake up every night, wrenching herself out of the grips of a nightmare. The first few times she screamed herself awake, then, that slowly faded and she'd just jolt awake, sweaty and shaking.

The first time she truly realized she had a fear of the dark was when, after getting a job at the White Wyrm, she went down to the basement to restock and the door accidentally shut and locked her in. She banged on the door and screamed her head off, flashbacks of being a prisoner in her own room, until she heard thundering footsteps and then the door being yanked open. Toni and Jughead captured her into a hug and held her tightly as she took deep, calming breaths.

Her first true turning point in her recovery was when her ribs became less pronounced and she didn't feel the urge to claw at the skin in her palms. Then, the next turning point was when Jughead offered her a place to live until she saved up enough money for her own place. They stayed in his flat above the bar and spent countless nights talking until the sunrise about her past. She bared her soul to him and he drank in every bit of information greedily.

"You're not broken," Jughead said one night, after a lengthy conversation about how damaged she felt.

"Juggie," she whispered, brushing away a tear that had fallen.

"You're not," he insisted. "You're beautiful. And perfectly flawed."

She stared at him for a long moment, noticing that something had shifted between them.

"I'm going to kiss you now, alright?" Betty asked, and he smiled.

"Alright," he whispered. She hesitantly cupped his cheek, tracing her thumb along his cheekbone, before brushing her lips across his once, twice, three times. It was a simple kiss, filled with promises of better tomorrows. They didn't say anything after that, not that they needed to, she just tucked herself into his side as he wrapped an arm around her.

And, when they decided to start a family of their own later on, Betty didn't feel the need to share her fears of not loving her children properly with him. He just knew. And promised her she wasn't her father. And that was good enough for her.

Author's note: Yeah, not really sure what this is but felt like writing it as a standalone. Hope you like it. Xxx

Chapter Text

Jughead Jones watched on in pride as his half-brother, Sweet Pea Jones made the game-winning shot, meaning their team secured the win. Sure, he hadn’t been playing well (see, playing well the first half of the game because of the deal he made with the loan sharks), but when he saw Betty, safe and sound from the hospital, telling him their baby boy was all right, he knew he couldn’t let down his pregnant wife. Knew he couldn’t let down his team and family alike. So, sucking up his fear, he played to the best of his capability, helping his brother to bring in the win. The moment Betty threw down her pompoms and ran into Jughead’s open and waiting arms, the married seniors kissed without abandon. God, he loved his wife. Loved renewing their vows in front of all their friends; loved the fact that he was able to be with her when Dilton Doiley brought a gun to school. He just loved her and everything she encompassed. Betty was good. Wholesome and real in ways that not many people were granted.

After the game had ended and the fans had gone wild, Jughead saw his dad, Mayor FP Jones walking down the stairs, a beaming grin stretching his lips before he paused in front of Malachi and one of his goons, the two lone sharks that had bet on Jughead losing the championship. Seeing that his dad seemingly had it handled, he grabbed Betty’s hand and the couple got back on the bus that was riding back to Sweet Pea’s moms’ café.

XXX

After the congratulatory celebrations had ended and people were getting ready to go home, Jughead and Betty were one of the last to walk out of Karen’s. Spinning his wife around, Jughead held onto her hand as they paused in the middle of the street. “About why I played so badly at first tonight, Betts….I have something to tell you.”

“What do you mean – Jughead look out!” Betty yelled as two headlights lit up her profile and she shoved him away from her, taking the full impact of the car that hit her. Her pregnant belly made a resounding thump on the hood of the car as she rolled over it and off onto the ground, leg curled at an awkward angle.

“Betty!” Jughead yelled in a panic, throwing his basketball workbag to the side as he all but flat-out sprinted to his wife’s unconscious body on the pavement. “Betty! Baby. Oh God!” He cupped her torn and bloody face and tried to shake her gently.

Sweet Pea, who was Betty’s best friend before Jughead was her husband came running to them. “Jughead, what the hell happened?”

“He just hit her man!”

“I’ll call 9-1-1!” Sweet Pea exclaimed.

Eyes falling on the car at the end of the street, Jughead stood up to his full height. “Sweet Pea, stay with her and watch her.” Jughead sprinted down to where the car had crashed, yanking open the front door and tearing Malachi from the driver’s seat. “What did you do?!” Jughead punched his fists repeatedly against the other man’s face, a white-hot anger coursing through him at the thought of his wife’s broken body. Just as he got ready to swing against his face again, he felt a hand grab his wrist.

“That’s enough son! He’s dead, you killed him,” FP said quietly, halting Jughead’s moves and Jughead collapsed onto the ground, crying as he glanced first at his father then at Malachi’s lifeless body. “You killed him, son.” FP looked up at the sound of sirens and flung Jughead’s arm away from him. “Go be with Betty; I’ll take care of this.”

“Dad -,” Jughead began but FP cut him off.

“Go, Jug!” FP yelled and Jughead didn’t need to be told twice as he ran back down to the end of the street where paramedics were taking care of Betty. He clambered into the back of the ambulance, holding her hand as he looked on through the windows of the door in time to spot his dad punching the ground and then holding up a broken hand in front of the cops.

It was a fucking mess.

XXX

At the hospital, Jughead was told to wait in the waiting room while they prepped Betty for surgery and he hated that. Veronica and Cheryl ran in just then and stood by him.

“Jughead, how bad?” Veronica whispered.

“Bad,” he choked out hoarsely. “She – she could lose the baby. This is all my fault.”

“Jughead,” Cheryl whispered, looking at him sadly. “This is not your fault.”

Just then the doctor came up to Jughead and Cheryl and Veronica gave him some space. “Your wife has a collapsed lung, a broken femur, and some broken ribs.”

“And the baby?” Jughead asked quietly.

“Right now, our main priority is saving your wife, Mr. Jones,” the doctor reminded him gently and Jughead nodded his head. “Surgery’s almost through and then when she wakes up is up to her.”

“She’s not even awake?” Jughead whispered.

“She’s still unconscious. We’ll have her in her room shortly.”

XXX

Jughead was brought to Betty’s room about half an hour later and he had the wind knocked out of him. She looked small and pale in the bed with the gauze wrapped around her head, her leg in a sling type contraption, and her eyes closed. Sitting down in the chair slowly, he pressed his head to her hands clasped in his and cried. He wasn’t ashamed to let anyone see the tears should they walk by. It was Betty. He would always cry for her.

XXX

Two days passed and she had still to wake up. Jughead hadn’t left her side once and on the third day, he spoke to her. “Hey baby? You know how you’re always telling me you’re not leaving? Well, I need to hold you to that right now. If you could just move one of your small, beautiful fingers in my hand – that’s all you have to do – and show me that you’re still there, fighting, I’d really appreciate it. So how about you help me out?”

He dropped his eyes to her hand resting in his but her fingers were as still as they had been moments prior and a couple of more tears slipped down his face. He should have lost that stupid game. A championship meant nothing if his wife and son died.

XXX

Jughead found himself in the chapel in the hospital, not really thinking much of it. Betty was a slightly faith-based person and he tried his hand at praying – just to see if it would help anything.

“God, I don’t know if you can hear me but if you can, don’t take Betty away from me. Don’t take our baby away from her. She’s a good person and didn’t deserve this,” he choked out, hands clasped as he looked up towards the ceiling. “Please, don’t take her from me and don’t take our child away from her.”

He fell quiet as he heard the door open and Cheryl’s voice spoke out. “Jughead.”

XXX

Walking into the room, he felt his knees grow weak as Betty was propped up on pillows, smiling at him tiredly. “Hey.”

“Hi,” Jughead laughed in relief, bending down to kiss her forehead as he cried against her skin. “I love you so much baby. Thanks for showing me your eyes again.”

They had to spend three more days in the hospital but it was the next day that would bring news for them.

“Now, there’s no guarantee with this but if we hear your baby’s heartbeat, there’s no reason to say that this baby won’t turn out perfectly healthy,” the nurse said, and Betty nodded, eyes focused on nothing as they listened intently to the ultrasound. It was a consistent thumping that filled the room moments later and Betty cried as Jughead crushed her into his chest, the sound of their baby’s heart playing on like music to their ears.

They’d be all right.

Fin.

Chapter Text

Just reminding you guys that I take prompts for bughead one shots in the comment or on my tumblr, girlsloveamystery. Please give me some more to write! If you want to see oneshots of continuations of stories I've written over the years, lemme know as well! XO

Chapter Text

Betty woke up with a weight on her chest. She knew that depression struck her at the most inopportune times. Today, for example, she had a report due for her blog and she had Ronnie’s birthday to celebrate. But she felt heavy. Tired in ways she didn’t know what to do with. Then there was Jughead, her husband of five years sleeping next to her. He dealt with depression too. And by the pinched line of his brows, she assumed today was one of those days as well for him.  

Jughead woke up a bit, eyes moving around as he took in the room. Then he looked at Betty, and her heart hurt at the glassy look in his eyes. “Hi, baby.” She curled up to him as much as her achy body would allow her.  

He sighed softly, carding his fingers through her hair as he tsked. “Did you sleep at all last night?”  

The truth of the matter was, she hadn’t. She had been up all night with a weight pressing down onto her chest. She couldn’t even say why she was depressed. She just knew that she was. “Maybe a couple of hours?” She really wasn’t sure.  

“Babe,” Jughead sighed. “You have to sleep.”  

“You know mental health doesn’t care about that,” she said gently, tone tired.  

And gosh, was she tired. Betty was always tired. There was no doubt about that. What she did to try and alleviate some of that exhaustion was in her routine. She’d run three miles on the mornings she could get out of bed and on the ones she couldn’t, she’d do a light yoga session. It helped her to move some. And she knew that.  

Jughead ran a hand down his face. “I know. I just hate that you cannot seem to get more than a few hours a night.”  

“Some is better than none,” she reminded him, voice heavy. It hurt her body to talk, and she knew her depression was at its worst today. She didn’t know why her brain had to do this to her, but here she was. She tried her best.  

“Do you want some coffee?” Jughead asked, tightening his body around hers. She did. She just couldn’t summon the energy to agree to it.  

“I want to lay here,” she whispered, tear rolling down her cheek as her tired eyes blinked blearily.  

Jughead pressed a kiss to her head and then pulled her on his chest. She knew that he knew she was tired. That wasn’t rocket science. And she knew that he was tired. His depression may not be as bad today as hers was, but it wasn’t a competition between them, either. Ever. They both dealt with the mind-numbing pain of depression. Some days hers was worse, some days his was worse. But it wasn’t a competition. “We can do that.”  

She snuggled into his arms, heart aching a little less, and she burrowed down to wait out the pain. It was all they could do.  

Chapter Text

Prompt about Betty having a son with Archie and Archie being a bad husband and father. Now she’s married to Jughead, and her son views him as a father and they’re expecting their daughter.  

Betty stared at the scar left over from the knife Archie had used against her abdomen. During a particularly rough night of drinking for him, he had sworn he was going to cut their son out of her womb since she loved him more than she loved Archie. The pain had been excruciating, and she had to come up with a plausible explanation as to why she had a wound from a knife on her stomach. She couldn’t very well say her abusive husband had hurt her. He’d be thrown in jail, and he was only an asshole when he drank.  

Then he became a monster.  

Betty knew that Archie was apologetic, but it didn’t help that his best friend – Jughead Jones – had been the one to swoop in and clean up the cluster fuck of a mess he had left in his wake. Jughead knew that Archie spit vitriol at Betty with a sharpened tongue, but he had had no idea he had hit her. She still wasn’t sure how she had convinced him that the knife had been an accident.  

To this day, she still thought he knew it wasn’t and was just too afraid to ask.  

So, fast forward three months later and she had her baby. Archie hadn’t been a doting father at all. He had drunk and left everything on Betty’s shoulders. She knew that was how her whole marriage was going to be, and it was the thought of Archie raising a hand to Andy that had her filing for a divorce behind the redhead’s back.  

Archie was livid when she showed him the papers her and her lawyer had painstakingly crafted. Not only did he rip them up in front of her, but he laid his hands on her and put her in intensive care. Andy was one. And Ronnie had found her. How Archie still let her keep her friendship with Ronnie, she’d never know. But she was grateful to her. She had gotten her to the hospital after Archie went to drink it off in a bar.  

Ronnie had called Jughead and when Betty woke up, her two closest friends were sitting on either side of her bed, holding her hands, and promising her to get her out of the hell that had become her life.  

Jughead convinced her to not call the cops but leave it to the Serpents, his gang he ran. They weren’t your run-of-the-mill Scooby gang. These men and women dealt with women abusers, child abusers, and everything else in between. So, Betty, terrified and trying to protect her son, let Jughead handle it.  

She hadn’t heard from Archie since, and the divorce papers had been re-written by her and signed by him. All was well.  

Now, it was three years later, and her little boy was four years old. And she was married to Jughead. Jughead had taken his time to prove to her that he was a good guy and that he’d never hurt her in the way Archie had. They went on dates slowly, and she didn’t invite him back to her apartment until the third month of them dating. She hadn’t called him her boyfriend at first. She had been too scared. Every little disagreement between them led her to believe that Jughead was going to walk out on her, or worse, raise a fist at her. It wasn’t until she flinched one night – at something completely ordinary – that Jughead talked to her.  

They stayed up for the whole night, talking about Betty’s fears and Jughead’s reservations. Turned out Jughead didn’t want her to be afraid of him at all and he saw it in her minute expressions that she earned through her trauma with Archie. Those scars had carried over into her second relationship and Jughead was so scared of doing anything that could remotely hurt her, that he wasn’t being completely committed. Sure, he loved her. More than he had ever loved anyone before. But Betty knew Archie, in his own sick way, loved her too. So, she knew that they had things to work out.  

After talking about their issues for a while, Betty and Jughead had come up with a plan. They’d be open and honest and if either one of them were uncomfortable, they had to tell their partner. That took a lot of trust on Betty’s part, but Jughead was gentle with her. He didn’t rush her. And for that she was forever grateful.  

Jughead was the only father figure Andy knew. She knew that her son loved him like a father and that Jughead was touched when Andy’s first word had been dada. Spoken to Jughead. Jughead had broken down and cried and Betty had held him. Turns out, having FP Jones as a father figure made Jughead worry about his own ability to be a parent.  

He had nothing to worry about.  

Now she was pregnant with their daughter and Jughead loved her in a way Archie would never have been capable of. He loved her gently and kindly; wholeheartedly and passionately. There wasn’t an ounce of her that didn’t feel his love. And when they had disagreements – usually over who was going to be little spoon – they talked it out like rational adults. Jughead always won and she was the little spoon, but she didn’t mind. It meant she was in his arms, safe and where she belonged.  

She smiled as Jughead and Andy came lumbering up their driveway, Andy tugging on his father’s hand. “Daddy! Let’s go talk to sissy!”  

It was a tradition of theirs. Andy would get down on his knees and talk to his baby sister in his mother’s womb, sharing with her about how much he loved her. Then Jughead would kiss her stomach, following up with a kiss to the lips, and they would be well.  

All was well.