There's No Place Like Home

Chapter Nine

Three years later

"Daddy!" Aubrey cheers excitedly from Cheryl's arms as the redhead walks into Pop's.

"Hey, Princess." Jughead stood up. He took Aubrey into his arms. "Hey, Cheryl."

"Auntie Betty." Aubrey cheered, upon seeing Betty over her father's shoulder.

"Hey Aubrey." Betty said from her seat. She had finally come around to the idea of Jughead being a dad.

Cheryl smiles at them as she sits down beside Veronica and Archie. "Hey guys, sorry we're late Bree, couldn't find her favourite shirt."

"Don't apologise." Betty said as Jughead took his seat beside her again.

Aubrey lays her head on Jughead's shoulder. "Daddy, I'm hungry."

"We are ordering lunch." Jughead said.

Reaching up to rub at her eyes, Aubrey nods slowly. "Okay daddy."

"What would you like to eat?" Jughead asked her.

The three year old points excitedly at the confetti pancakes Pop had added to the menu just for her.

"Okay." Jughead said.

Cheering softly, Aubrey curls back into him.

Jughead looked through the menu for his own meal.

Cheryl watches them with a soft smile before turning her attention to the menu.

Eventually Aubrey wriggled out of her dad's lap and onto Betty's lap and sat there looking at Betty's menu, though she could not yet read.

"What can I get you guys?" Pop asks, reaching out and giving Aubrey a lollipop like always.

Aubrey smiles widely and looks up at him. "Thank you Pop."

They all ordered their meals.

After a while, Aubrey finds her way into Cheryl's lap. Having finished her pancakes. She rubbed at her eyes tiredly and curls into her mom.

Cheryl played with her daughter's hair softly.

The three year old struggles to keep her eyes open, her head drooping forward every so often.

Cheryl kissed the back of her daughter's hair.

"Mama," Aubrey mumbles tiredly, turning to curl further into her.

"I think I should take her home, she's tired." Cheryl said.

Jughead nods his head in understanding. "Of course, I'll stop by later."

Cheryl nodded, standing up with Aubrey in her arms.

The little girl instantly buries her face in Cheryl's neck.

Cheryl grabbed her bag and keys. "Bye." She turned to leave.

"Bye." The group replies.

Jughead couldn't help but watch them leave, he wanted to spend more time with his daughter.

Betty took his hand in her's. "You okay?" She asked.

"Yeah, I'm good. I just was hoping to spend more time with Aubrey." Jughead admits softly, looking over at her.

"I'm sorry." Betty said. "Why don't you offer to take her for the weekend?"

Jughead looks over at her. "You sure?" he asks softly.

Betty nodded. "One day you and I could be parents together so we could use the practice, right?" This was the first time Betty had even acknowledged the fact that they could have children one day.