Collateral Damage ▻ Riverdale [1]

2.18

THE AFTERMATH
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN 

"When's the last day you saw him?" Sheriff Keller asked Polly as she spoke to them at Pop's. They didn't want to speak to them at the trailer so they insisted on meeting him at their local diner.

  "At Pop's when Queenie and him finalized the plan. That they were going to fake their deaths and then the three of us would meet up. But, before all of that could happen, my mom and dad sent me away." Polly explained to the Sheriff.

  Betty, who was also there, began to speak up, "One of Jason's teammates said that before he ran away, Jason was dealing drugs." Betty told her and Queenie shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

  "It was a one time deal. He needed, the three of us needed money to get away and start over." Polly informed them and Queenie sighed.

"So, Riverdale's star football player becomes a drug dealer alongside the girl from the wrong side of the tracks?" Sheriff Keller questioned, almost like he didn't believe her.

"Jason went to a bar on the other side of the tracks and made a deal with some biker gang." Polly stated, trying to leave Queenie's name out of it.

   "The Serpents?" Keller asked as he looked over at Queenie, who seemed nervous, "Were you apart of this plan, Queenie?" He questioned, knowing that the girl was a Serpent herself.

   "Jason was given an address upstate. Jason was supposed to deliver these drugs in exchange for some cash." Queenie informed him.

"The drugs you found in Jason's car," Sheriff Keller stated as he looked over at Betty and Betty nodded, replying with a small 'yeah', "Went up in flames."

  "Along with everything I had left of Jason," Queenie continued, tears threatening to spill, knowing it was her father who set flames to the car, "The ring must have been there, too, I'm guessing. I had it on my neck the last memory I had with him. It was the ring Nana Rose gave to me. I had it around my neck, but I must have left it there before we were going leave, I just don't remember."

  "I think that's enough for today. The three of us better get going." Betty spoke up as she stood up from the booth.

_____

The next day, before Queenie had to head to Southside High, she sat in the student lounge room at Riverdale High with the rest of the Riverdale Gang.

  "Polly's convinced herself that no one wants her baby." Betty complained in a calm tone.

    "Besides, of course, the child snatching Blossom monsters," Kevin commented, only to see that Cheryl, who was also there, seem offended by the comment, "No offense, Cheryl."

  "None taken." Cheryl replied with a small frown on her face.

  "So your mom and dad want Polly, but not the baby and the Blossoms want the baby, but not Polly. And then there's Queenie, with the temporary solution of letting her stay with her and Sweet Pea. It's a true Gordian Knot." Jughead explained to them. Queenie only sighed as she shook her head.

   "It's an impossible situation." Betty added in.

  "Betty, come on. An impossible situation is being invited to the Vanity Fair Oscar Party and Elton John's Oscar Party on the same night," Veronica spoke up, causing Kevin to place a hand on her shoulder as she turned to face her friend, "Which happened to me one year, I know." Kevin seemed to be amazed by the revelation as Veronica continued to speak, "This is merely an annoying situation, but luckily I've been percolating an idea. Hellishly simple in its conception. What if my mom and I were to host a baby shower," Veronica proposed before looking over at Queenie, "For both Polly and Queenie, seeing as they both are involved with this fued."

   "Uh, I don't know--" Queenie started, but Cheryl cut her off.

  "Count Queenie and I in." Cheryl smiled, agreeing with Veronica's proposition.

   "Betty, you want Polly to feel loved and supported, right? And Queenie, you want what's best for both you, your babies and Polly and her baby. We all know that the two of you are a package deal."

  "Am I expected to come to this thing?" Jughead asked them, seeming amused by this all.

  "Of course, you're Queenie's baby bro and Betty's boyfriend." Veronica replied as if it were obvious as she took a sip of her coffee.

  Everyone seemed to feel awkward after hearing the last part of Veronica's sentece, "Okay, guys, calm yourselves.It's just a word that starts with the letter B." Queenie spoke up and Betty smiled.

  "Betty, what do you say?" Veronica asked the blonde, who continued to smile.

  Just then, Alice Cooper entered, causing the whole group to turn their heads to look at her, "Elizabeth Cooper." She spoke sternly.

  "Mom?" Betty asked shocked.

  Alice seemed pissed as she pointed at Veronica, Queenie, and Betty, "I need you, you, and you. Right now." She demanded and Queenie rolled her eyes, unamused while Veronica frowned in confusion as she pointed at herself.

  After being led to a random classroom, Queenie, Veronica and Betty all sat at a desk while Alice stood in front the classroom near the teacher's desk ready to give the three girls a lecture, more specifically, Queenie and Betty.

   "Sheriff Keller told us everything," Alice infrormed, "How you're hiding Polly on the Southside of town with Queenie at Sunnyside Trailer Park."

"Better than in an insane asylum." Betty retorted with attitude.

  "Actually, Alice, it's on me. I'm the one who suggested that Polly stay with me. Betty had no idea where her sister was until two days ago when she showed up at the trailer unannounced, hooked on trying to rescue her sister from a place she didn't want to be rescued from." Queenie explained to her and Alice seemed to be even more mad after hearing the revelation.

  "Queenie's trying to help, unlike you and Dad, who want to give the baby up for adoption." Betty defended her boyfriend's sister.

   "Betty, it's what's best for Polly, and the baby." Alice argued.

  "No offense, Alice, but I don't really think that's your choice at all. Have you even asked Polly and figured out if she felt the same way about it all?" Queenie asked her with attitude, only to get Alice even more pissed off, "The only choice you have a say in is whether or not you want to be in your daughter and unborn grandchild's life."

    "Veronica and her mother have offered to host a baby shower for both Polly and Queenie." Betty spoke up, trying to break the silence between the group.

  "Well, that hardly appropriate," Alice argued as she crossed her arms.

  "Really?" Betty asked amused as he got up from her seat, "Because I think it's an amazing idea. You want to be loving and supportive like a normal grandmother for Polly, then great? Otherwise, stay away."

AN: There's probably going to be at least 3-4 more chapters for 1x08. This is probably the only episode I've done with Queenie in it that she very active in the plot. She's going to be in the plot of Polly's baby shower (Which is now hers also) And also, the Serpents part of the episode, too. She's pretty busy. Queenie's relationship with her upcoming love interest will be budding soon enough. And I'm pretty sure you all know who it is, it's kinda obvious.