Behind Revenge's Door

Teenagers and Cleanup

Madison's POV
I opened my eyes again, after the fear of dying consumed me. But, when I opened my eyes again, I was back in high school.
It was senior year, in what looked like the middle of winter, judging from the view from the windows.
The only reason I knew it was senior year, was because I was wearing this ugly sweater my mom had from the 90s. I adored that sweater. It was warm, and loved, no matter how ugly it was. Little red flowers were on the shoulders, and it fit well over my grey tee shirt, which felt slightly suffocating under the top.
I was standing in the middle of the room for the Blue and Gold. It was mine before I graduated, I helped run the entire club. Shit, I was the entire club. I wrote the articles, I edited them, I partnered with photography club for pictures, I built the Blue and Gold to its peak, where teenagers would actually read it.
Yet, although I stood in the 2012 version of Riverdale High, the kids were all there. Jughead had his arms wrapped around Betty, and Veronica stares longingly at Archie, as he stared back.
"Hey, Mads," Betty smiled. "You get the text I sent you? About Jason making playoffs?"
"Jason?" I asked her, confused.
"Yeah, Jason Blossom. He's coming around in an hour for an interview for the B&G."
Jason Blossom
What the hell was going on?
"Uhm, Betty, Jason Blossom's died."
"So did you," Veronica said simply, as if it meant nothing.
"Wait, what?"
"You think Jason Blossom didn't survive, but you did?" Betty asked, "you died on the table."
Everything began to move in slow motion as the door was kicked in from behind us. I spun around to see the masked man with a gun in his hands.
his brilliant green eyes forever would haunt me.
"Archie!" I scream as I jumped in front of the bullet to save Archie as the evil man shot a bullet, dead set for my little brother.

Archie Andrews' POV
After Veronica and I had showered together, I walked downstairs to see Madison's belongings spread out among the table.
"What's all this?" I asked Veronica, curious as to why she opened the bag.
"I wanted to help, I hope I didn't overstep," Veronica frowned, "I know Madison would hate if her clothes got stained. She worked hard to be where she is, I'd hate to see it ruined."
I shook my head with a shrug. "It's fine. Have you seen her phone?" I asked her and Veronica poked through the stack of clothes before shaking her head.
"No, sorry. I haven't seen it."
My blood ran cold.
Madison kept everything on her phone. Credit card information, addresses, names, phone numbers, her photographs, everything was on her phone.
So where the hell was it?
"Damnit, V," I shook my head.
"I'm sorry, Archie. I'm sure it's still at Pop's, or the robber took it," she shrugged.
The robber took it
"Why did you even open the bag, Veronica?" I asked her bitterly, my mood changing instantly.
"I'm sorry," she started anxiously. " I was just trying to help."
I snapped my eyes up to her as I let out a rude snap. "I don't want your help. Why don't you just go?"
Her eyes welled with tears. "You want me to go?"
I nodded. "Yeah, yeah I do."
Taking a seat down at the kitchen table, I stared at all of Madison's belongings with sad eyes as Veronica's heeled feet paused in my living room.
"You know what? I'm sorry. No," Veronica said and I sighed before turning to look at her.
"What?" I asked her, tired of games.
"I'm sorry, but I'm not going. Archie you shouldn't be alone right now," Veronica said as she pulled a chair up next to me, a soft sigh coming from her. "You're angry, and hurting and probably terrified. I know I am. So go ahead. Yell at me, try to push me away, but I'm not going anywhere."
Fear overcame me as I fell into Veronica's arms, the emotion whisking me away like the current of Sweetwater River.

Betty Cooper's POV
I was sitting with Josey and all the others who had come to the hospital for Archie and Madison.
Madison was the girl next door in high school. She was a River Vixen, on the Blue and Gold, graduated valedictorian, and helped all over the community. She had people with her everywhere she went.
Veronica walked back in with Archie a few moments later, and Veronica gave me a small smile.
"Can you guys do me a huge favor?" Veronica asked Jughead and I. "Maddy's phone is missing, and we're thinking it might be at Pop's."
Jug shrugged. "That, or the man who shot her has it,"
I nodded. "Well," I started, "if it's just some rando robbing Pop's, he probably took the phone."
Jug spoke up again from beside me, "unless it was premeditated, and not just some rando robbing a local diner,"
Veronica's eyes snapped from mine to Jughead's. "What? Is that an actual theory?"
The boy beside me shrugged. "Not according to Sheriff Keller, but if you ask me? People have grudges? People have enemies. I mean, think about where we live. Fathers are killing their sons. It's entirely conceivable it was a hit,"
I looked at Veronica, giving her a small smile to avoid the sickly feeling hollowing out my stomach. "Or, the wallet's just at Pop's. So we will check it out, V."

*****

"A motorcycle?" I asked my boyfriend dubiously.
"Hop on," Jug instructed casually.
"Without a helmet?" I asked anxiously, rubbing my arm.
"You can use mine," Jug offered
"Or we can walk," I suggested. "We can take a bus."
"We can call your Mom," Jug suggested and I quickly took the helmet.
"Oh, no."
We reached the restaurant very quickly, and I stood off the bike, slightly dizzy.
Jug helped me up the stairs until I fully regained my stability, and walked inside to see the floor seated in a pool of blood.
"Oh, kids," Pop Tate said shakily as he saw us enter the restaurant. "We're closed today."
"We heard, we just got back from the hospital," I said to Pop.
"Is she...?"
I shook my head. "She's still in surgery. We won't know more until she wakes up. We came here looking for her phone."
"Well," Pop Tate pointed to a booth near the front by the kitchen door, "that's where they were sitting. Feel free to take a look around, but the police combed it pretty well."

Archie Andrews' POV
"Mr Andrews," Doctor Masters said and both my dad and I stood. "She's in room twelve. You can see her now. She's not awake, but keep it light."
Masters looked at me. "You'd be surprised how much it can help."
My dad and I both started walking to the room. "I'll give you a few minutes," Dad said and I gave him a small smile before booting into Maddy's room.
She was hooked up to all sorts of machines and ugly bruises. Cheryl's crimson lipstick kiss stood out against her pale skin. She'd cringe if she could see the mess her hair became, but she'd be more upset to see the burden she'd think she's become.
Leave it to Maddy to get shot, the apologize.
"The doctor said to talk about happy stuff," I started, "saying how it can make you wake up. But I don't have much that's happy to say."
My mind tumbled on and on as I looked at my sister, my hand on hers. "The only thing I can think of, is that I'm glad you and FP are happy. But I promise you I will protect you, and Dad. It'll never happen again."
Madison slowly opened her eyes, looking at me lazily as her sedation slowly wore off.
"Madison, thank God."
Once the doctors got Maddy unhooked from all the breathing tubes and monitors, she looked at me.
"I just want to tell you how sorry I am,"

Madison's POV
"I just want to tell you how sorry I am," Archie said to me and I rolled my eyes at him. "I'm sorry I didn't do more at Pop's."
"Honey," I started but Archie kept going.
"And whether Sheriff Keller finds him or not, I'll protect you. I'll protect Dad."
I squeezed Archie's hand. "Archie, it's why I came back."
"What?" My kid brother asked, confused.
I gave the biggest smile I could muster, which wasn't too big, I assumed.
"I came back to protect you. It's something I'll always do."