Collateral Damage ▻ Riverdale [1]

2.2

THE AFTERMATH
CHAPTER TWO

Queenie didn't know why she brought herself there. It only held the worst memories. It was the last place she remembered being after two months: Sweetwater River. Queenie slowly walked over to her and Jason's special spot. She remembered the dates they had together. She remembered having her first kiss with him there. Even the day they went on a boat ride together on July Fourth. Everything after that was just a big blur. Tears fell down her cheeks as she took a seat on the shore of Sweetwater River, her bare feet touching the damp dirt near the water.

She began to cry as her mind began to be overcome with memories of her and Jason. Every single memory came at her all at once, both good and bad. All she could think about at that moment was the promise he made her, 'I'll never leave you.'

"Queenie?" A voice spoke up and Queenie thought she might be just hearing things until they called out to her again, "Queenie. It's me, Cheryl."

Queenie turned her head to see the redhead who had become one of her closest friends once she started to date her twin brother, "Cheryl?" She asked shocked, finding the strength to stand up to talk to her face to face.

Cheryl's eyes widened as she looked down to see Queenie's visible baby bump, "Oh, my God." She quietly gasped, lightly placing her right hand on the girl's belly before pulling Queenie into a tight hug.

Queenie began to silent sob as she dug her face into Cheryl's chest. Cheryl began to cry also, thinking for all these months that she would never see Queenie again. She already lost Jason, she didn't want to lose Queenie, the girl who was like a sister to her, also.

"I am so, so sorry, Queenie," Cheryl apologized, "You must have gone through so much in these past two months. I Should have never let the two of you leave."

"He's gone," Queenie cried, "He's actually gone. I can't believe he's gone."

Cheryl nodded her head, still holding onto Queenie tightly, "I know, I know. I miss him, too."

"God, why can't I remember what happened! I've been gone for two whole months and I can't remember a single thing about what happened."

Cheryl sighed, "When I visited you a couple days about with my mother, they told us that whoever hit you on the head, they hit you pretty hard. They said it's a miracle your babies are still alive after all the trauma you've been through." Cheryl explained to her and Queenie pulled away from the hug, giving her a confused look.

"Why does everyone keep saying babies?" She questioned.

"Because, Queenie, they were able to do an ultrasound while you were unconscious. You're not having one baby, but two," She informed the brunette with a small and genuine smile, "You're having twins, Queenie. Twins! Oh, if Jason were here to see this."

Queenie's face suddenly dropped when she heard the mention of her late boyfriend's name, "Sorry, I shouldn't have said that."

Queenie sighed and shook her head. She wiped the remaining tears from her eyes with the back of her hand and looked back up at Cheryl, "No, it's fine. I can't be fragile like this all the time."

Cheryl slowly nodded her head in understanding, "Queenie. They have almost half the town looking for you. I was the only one who thought of looking for you here. We need to get you back to the hospital before the police grow suspicious and try to rule you out as a suspect." She explained to her.

Queenie was hesitant to follow Cheryl back to the hospital, but then finally agreed after a moment of thinking about it, "Fine, let's go."

And with that, the two teenage girls made their way back to the hospital where nobody seemed to be yet. They were all out looking for Queenie. The Sheriff and his deputies, Jughead, Penelope Blossom, FP and the Serpents. Hell, even some of the Riverdale Bulldogs and Vixens. Betty and Archie were also looking for Queenie after seeing how distraught Jughead was about it. Veronica Lodge, who didn't even know Queenie, decided to help because Betty, Jughead, and Archie were.

Cheryl quickly called the sheriff up and told him that she had found the pregnant girl. The sheriff immediately made his back to the hospital after alerting the whole town that she was found.

"Forsythia Jones, since you've been found, I need to bring you in for questioning." Sheriff Keller announced once making his way over to her.

Queenie nodded her head in agreement and Sheriff Keller put handcuffs on her before heading outside to see Jughead, FP, and numerous other people standing outside, watching as the scene unfold.

Cheryl stood there motionless, not knowing what to do. She walked over to her parents, who were also standing outside. Penelope began to question her daughter about how she found her while Cliff Blossom had his eyes locked on Queenie, who was getting ready to be put in the back of the police car.

  He smiled slightly, wondering if the girl would be found guilty of killing Jason because she couldn't remember a single thing about his death, even though she was completely innocent. It would rule him out as a suspect and that would be a lifesaver.

FP was about to walk over to the Sheriff and confront him about arresting Queenie, but Jughead pulled him back, "You can't do that, dad!" Jughead told his father sternly.

"They're putting her in handcuffs, Jughead! She didn't even do anything!" FP protested and Jughead sighed.

"Once they question her, they'll find that she's innocent. Just like we know she is. She'll be out of there by tomorrow. Don't worry," Jughead assured him, even though, he himself, wasn't that sure about what he was saying.

"Is the handcuffs really necessary, Sheriff?" Queenie asked him concerned as they walked over to the cop car. Her wrists stung, they were extremely tight on her wrists. She wondered why he put them so tight. There was no reason for him to, she was innocent.

"It's protcol, Queenie. Just doing my job." He replied before placing her in the back of the car. He walked over to the driver's side and got in before making his way to the station.