{UNFINISHED}We Won't Give Up//J.J.||Riverdale[sequel to The Diner]

Chapter 7

*Your POV*
"So why'd you do it, Pop?" Jug asks. We sit down at Pop's, and he gives me a vanilla milkshake, and Jug a cup of coffee. "They make you an offer that you couldn't refuse?"

"Who's buying it?" I ask.

"Shames me to say, but ChugMo." Pop says.

Jughead scoffs. "The liquor store chain?" He nods and looks over. I take a sip of my milkshake. "Hey, could I make a request of you, Pop? For a last supper?"

"Anything you want." He shrugs.

"Actually, it's not for me. It's for my dad. He's facing, 20 years of that weird meatloaf that they serve prisoners. So, barring an eleventh-hour miracle, I was kind of hoping that you could make him his favorite?"

"Fried chicken, cornbread, onion rings, and an orange freeze, if the memory serves," he says. I beam and look down.

"It's very 'Rain Man' of you, Pop."

"Been doing this for a long time. I'd thought I'd be doing it until the day I die."

"This is...unacceptable" I say, nodding.

"What?" Jug asks.

"Just, everything." I look at him, and then at Pop. "Have you officially sold the diner yet?"

"The contract's being drawn up," he says.

"Do not sign it." I back up a little, "Okay? Do not give up. Either of you." I nod and stand up. "I can fix this, alright? I-I will fix this." I grab my coat, "Okay? Bye."

I run out of the diner and get into my truck. I quickly drive back to school and walk inside. I walk for a little bit and then find the girl's locker room. I slowly open the door, and Cheryl's in there, fixing her make-up. She's only wearing her underclothes. I close the door, rather loudly to get her attention, and she gasps and turns around.

"Give me a warning, will you?" She asks.

"You want closure, Cheryl," I say, and she looks up at me. "And I want to help my boyfriend's dad."

She sighs, and starts to put her shorts on, "I already told you."

"And I'm telling you," I start to walk over to her. "To help FP, or..."

"Or what?" she asks. She kneels down.

"Or I wide-release the video," I cross my arms and lean against the lockers. "Of your father shooting your brother." That got her attention. She just blankly stares at me, shocked. "Try having closure with that out in the world." I tilt my head.

She doesn't say anything for a second. "I thought you uh...gave that damned thumb drive to Keller," she says, parting her hair.

"No. Not before I saved a copy onto Jughead's laptop." I lean forward a little, "One click. That's all I have to do to make the darkest chapter of your family's twisted psychodrama becomes a viral sensation."

"Are you threatening me? [Y/N] [L/N]?"

"This?" I smirk. "No, no. This is...fun girl talk." She doesn't say anything. "You could save a man's life. A nice ending to a sad story. Think about that, why don't you?"

She raises her eyebrow. "If I testify, that video is mine. And you will guarantee that any other copies in your possession will be erased."

I tilt my head, "Sounds like a deal to me. You have my word." She slightly nods and turns to her locker. "Oh, and also. I need the Vixens. For Retro Night. I know that you said 'no' to Betty, but will you to me?"

She smirks and nods. "You are a stone-cold bitch, [Y/N] [L/N]." She crosses her arms.

"You got that right. But I will give you that video, after you testify." I say.

"Fine." She turns to her locker, and I walk out of the locker room. I go back to my truck, and get in. Plan success.

~

Jughead and I are sitting in the courtroom, while Cheryl is in the witness stand. He still doesn't know exactly what's going on, but I said that he's going to want to be here for this.

"Ms. Blossom, you may proceed with your statement," the judge says.

"Your honor, I speak for myself and my mother when I say...we forgive FP Jones for the part he played in covering up my brother's murder, and we humbly ask the court for leniency," Cheryl says. In the corner of my eye, I see Jug looking at me, and then looking forward. "FP's guilt has been blown out of proportion to satiate what my father's suicide denied us. Closure."

"As much as I sympathize, I can't ignore the quality of Mr. Jones' crimes. There were no extenuating circumstances."

Jughead looks down, and so does FP. Cheryl looks at me, and I nod once. "My father threatened him," she says, quickly. "I overheard them talking in Daddy's study. Daddy said he would hurt Jughead if FP didn't comply." I nod again, and she looks at me. "Is that extenuating enough?"

"In light of these revelations, I suggest that we take a step back and reevaluate certain aspects of the case. At which time, we will revisit the sentencing. Adjourned." he smacks the gavel onto the table and stands up. Cheryl quickly stands up and walks out.

Jug takes off his hat and leans forward. He taps FP's shoulder, which startles him, and he quickly turns around.

"Is that a win?" FP asks.

"It's a delay, so yeah." Jug says. They quickly hug. I smile at them. He's quietly sobbing. FP looks at me, and mouths, 'thank you.' I slightly nod. After people gather and talk for a while, we walk out.

Jug grabs my arm. "So, this is what you were planning all along, huh?" he asks.

I smile, "Yep."

He pulls me a little closer, and puts his hands on my waist. "How do you do it, huh?"

I put my hands on his arms. "Well, I just convinced her to talk."

He smiles, "Thank you. You have no idea how much this means to me."

"I would do anything for you," I say. Oh, and we're still in the same position.

"Hey, you know how when, a couple nights ago, I was going to say something and then you had to go?"

I chuckle, "Yeah."

"Well, I was going to say, that I love you."

I smile like an idiot. "I love you, too."

He leans in, and he kisses me. The kiss is full of passion. We realize that we're still in public, and break. We just laugh at each other, and then walk to my car. "You ready to go to the retro-night?" I ask.

He laughs, "Yep."