Playlist for the Apocalypse (Sweet Pea/Betty)

Track 22: Aftermath

March 12th, 2019

They tore into the house. It felt ghastly, like that first day walking through it, breaking some sort of silence.

Sweet Pea carried Betty in; he would not allow it any other way. As he shouldered through the threshold to the living room, he was caught off guard, full of emotions. The last time he'd stood here had been right after they'd had sex. He'd thought it would all be grand.

And then he went and got bit by that stupid raccoon. No, he was the stupid one for being out there anyway, and...

"Earth to you, snakey," Brad snapped his fingers in front of his face.

"Dying woman. Bed?"

Sweet Pea nodded, inhaling hard. For a second, he nearly took her to a spare room, but if she was going to die...he wanted her to be in a place she knew. Even if she was not awake to feel it, her heart would know it was their room.

But she wouldn't die. That was silly of him. But what if...?

He set her down, and even though she was covered in yellowing bruises and dried blood, she looked like an angel. He started to kneel down next to her and was rudely shoved out of the room by Brad.

"The fuck, man?"

"You, out! I don't need a scared boyfriend hovering. You'll mess me up," Brad snarked.

"Nuh-uh, not the deal," Sweet Pea tried to shove his way through the door, but Brad was admittedly bigger than him and apparently this wasn't his first rodeo. He expertly pushed Sweet Pea back.

"You really want to go, kiddo?" He demanded, eyes flashing.

"Who you callin' a kid?" Sweet Pea demanded, "You're really going to deny me to be at her bedside? After I open my house to you?" He asked.

"Yeah. I am!"

Sweet Pea didn't know if it was the frustration, the fear, or the anger but his fists flew before he could stop it. Still, hitting Brad square in the nose felt good.

Brad hit back.

In a flash, they were tussling in the walkway outside of the bedroom, throwing punches and kicking and shoving. It was childish and stupid but Sweet Pea had never been told he was particularly smart with his emotions. Quite the opposite, actually.

"Oh my dear God," Octavia grabbed them apart like two puppies playfighting, "Are you both fucking serious?"

"He hit first," Brad said, wiping his nose and the blood that trickled down from it.

"You. Have. A. Patient!" Octavia waved her hands, "And yeah, you get your jollies off from punching and being the biggest ass I know, but didn't you get your fill in? Seriously dude!" Brad looked a bit sheepish.

"And you!" Octavia spun on her heels to Sweet Pea, "Your girlfriend is on her deathbed and you're trying to kill our doctor? Are you insane?"

"I want to be in there with her! That's why the fight started!" Sweet Pea threw out his hands, trying to slide under the warrior woman, but she was not budging.

"No need for simps while I'm trying to do delicate work," Brad sneered.

"He loves his girlfriend like you love your wife," Octavia said in an even, but threatening tone, "And you'd be frantic too, Bradley. But I understand. An agreement...if it seems Betty is going to not make it, you'll call him in. Immediately. Agreed?"

"But-,"

"You have guests," Octavia wouldn't hear a word of Sweet Pea's arguments, "Show us around. And we have a scared to death little kid," She reminded in a hushed whisper and for the first time, Sweet Pea noticed Jughead's younger sister pressed to a wall, eyes far away, "Sweet Pea...you saved your girl. She's home now. You can't do anything else."