Forever Crime

36

Few years later...
Hal's POV
I was in a rocking chair as I smiled looking outside. I was at first a healthy man to a sickly man to now a healthy old grandpa man. It's been amazing to see the life I've lived, all of the troubles all of the love...it's all amazing. My cancer has been in remission for a long time and I want it to stay like that. I was reading a bedtime story to my three grandchildren. One was already sleeping on my chest as the other two held my arms.

When I finished I said "and now that's why equality is important kids, even if your friends are different or they don't look like you, doesn't make them any less or any more."

They smiled both my grandson Silas and my grandson Olly smiled at me and my newly born granddaughter Addy slept on my chest as she sucked on her small pacifier.

I got up holding her and suddenly Olly said "can we have another story grandpa? You always tell them best!"

Silas laughed saying "dad always rushes away and mom never has time. Please!"

I smiled and said "fine..."

They smiled as they both went back into there mother's old bed.

They said "tell us about how you first met daddy!"

Olly asked and Silas said "no! Tell us about the wedding!"

Silas again then said "wait! How I was born that's always a cool story!"

Suddenly Cooper jumped onto the bed and purred stepping on Silas and getting comfortable as he held him tightly as he meowed again.

I laughed at them and smiled and said "how about I tell you both something you haven't heard..."

They smiled and I held Addy as I said "alright...it was right before your father was going to marry your mother..."

A few years ago...

[Deleted Scene from Book 2]

Hal's POV
I was getting ready as I held Cooper and sighed lightly as suddenly I heard something. I went over to the bathrooms and suddenly saw Jughead holding a piece of paper in his hand.

He said "Betty...I...your are the best women ever, no too cliche. Oh, Betty I wish to love you no matter what...not good enough Jughead! Come on..."

He groaned and I laughed and knocked on the door.

He saw me and said "Mr Cooper! I'm...did you...how long have you..."

I smiled and he frowned saying "my vows aren't good enough...just like how I'm not good enough..."

I sighed and said "Jughead..."

He turned to me and I held his shoulders saying "I'm ecstatic you are marrying my daughter...I wouldn't have it any other way."

He smiled and I said "I'm gonna tell you something...I haven't told anyone."

We sat down and I said "the day I was diagnosed with stage two cancer...Betty was...awful, had nightmares every night, had panic attacks, couldn't focus on school. And I felt like it was all my fault... because I couldn't get better...then bills began coming in...and she told me she would drop out but I wouldn't have it...but then she said if she didn't then I wouldn't live to see the next day. So then I agreed to let her drop out...and I was very horrified about the jobs she had...in fact I didn't even know that she had these jobs till a few weeks and I was being extremely hard on myself and I was not getting better. I had emergency surgery performed on me one night and Betty came to see me, I woke up and she was holding my hand and she was crying as she was in the bed with me. I was in shock seeing her, when I got settled she told me she was able to pay everything...she got us out of debt...paid for my bills...after a while...I told her I wanted to give up. And I couldn't do it anymore if it brought her this much pain...but she told me that she doesn't care, she doesn't care if she has to do these jobs, has to live in group homes, she didn't care what she did as long as she was right there beside me. As long as I was in her life if she was on the streets or in a penthouse apartment. She just wanted me to live...over anything. And I see that in you two."

He smiled and I smiled saying "no matter what happens between you too I know you want to see Betty at the end of it, nothing matters but that."

He smiled and I smiled back at him as he said "I've told you I've never had a father figure...sometimes I wish I did have my dad there being loving, caring... helping me through this."

I smiled saying "don't think about him, today you are going to make my daughter the happiest women alive."

He smiled and I fixed his tie and said "now I must go see my daughter, don't apply pressure, she doesn't like perfection as we know."

He smiled and nodded as I walked away.

Now...
Olly and Silas were crying.

I laughed as Silas said "so I was right dads a wimp for mom!"

He covered his mouth and Addy moved her head lightly and snuggled back in as she fell back asleep.

I sighed in relief as I said "yes your fathers a wimp for your mother, but that's why it's important to know it doesn't matter what you become, who you are, what your future is. Family is the most important thing next to love."

They smiled and I smiled saying "now go to bed okay?"

They nodded and I kissed their heads as they smiled. I turned off their light and slightly closed the door. I was downstairs in the living room as Addy began crying, I rubbed her back and walked over and grabbed a bottle, she slowly drank it and I smiled and kissed her forehead. I went to my room and held her as I opened a book and read to her. As I finished she was still asleep as I set the book down and held her as I rubbed her back saying "goodnight." And I got her in her crib and fell asleep on the chair. When I woke up it was a few hours and Addy had woken up crying. I ran over and grabbed her trying to calm her down.

I saw Olly at my door "grandpa I'm hungry..."

I sighed and gave her a pacifier and she began calming down as I gave Olly some fruit and he went back to bed. I sat on my rocking chair looking outside as I rocked Addy. I smiled kissing her head and staring at the sunlight starting to peak through. As I was cooking the three of them of them breakfast the doorbell rang and Cooper ran to the door and began clawing at the door. I ran over and opened it seeing Betty and Jughead.

She hugged me and we heard "mommy! Daddy!"

I laughed and Olly and Silas ran towards them, I grabbed Addy as she laughed and smiled.

Betty gasped smiling holding her "how are you my baby? Yeah how are you? How are you?"

I laughed and Betty hugged me.

I said "you two okay?"

Betty said "we had an amazing time at the Met Gala, didn't we Juggie?"

I smiled as she kissed him and Olly and Silas gagged.

I laughed saying "hey come on don't you want pancakes?"

They both ran back to the table as Betty hugged me again.

She told me "thank you for doing this dad..."

I laughed saying "hey...it's fine Elizabeth especially because I got to tell them more stories."

She smiled and walked to the kids and helped them eat as Jughead stood next to me and I smiled at him.

He said "thank you for letting me and Betty have this time for ourselves."

I then said "I love watching my grandchildren, it's fine."

He smiled and walked over as I sighed and gave a light smile, it's was the family I had always wanted... I didn't need a wife...another daughter or son...just my daughter, a son in law, three beautiful grandchildren and a lazy cat. I smiled staring at them as I began remembering when Betty was a child, I sighed lightly and frowned.

Suddenly Olly was at my feet saying "come on grandpa..."

I smiled and he grabbed my hand and we ran to the kitchen. I saw them all eating and my daughter said.

"Best seat for the man of the house..."

She opened the chair and I smiled gently sitting down and we ate together as one big family. It may be a crime to be this happy, but he deserves this ending.