Snakes and Ladders - Falice

Sign of the Times

Just stop your crying, it's a sign of the times.

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The murder of Jason Blossom had proven to be only the beginning of Riverdale's twisted events.

Welcome to the final show, hope you're wearing your best clothes.

The Black Hood had been caught, Christmas had come and went, and the Cooper household was falling apart – something that did not seem uncommon as of late. While the town of Riverdale was on the brink of a full-fledged civil war between the North and Southside brought on almost singlehandedly by Alice Cooper, Betty and Jughead were in the process of facing the consequences of their mistake.

When Jughead left Betty alone in the rain, having pushed her away after she wanted nothing more than to be a part of his life. He was the love of her life, was what she did so bad? With all that had happened with the Black Hood, Betty hadn't had much time to think of her and Jughead's future – or lack there of. But, when it was announced that Southside High was closing, and all its students were being transferred to Riverdale High, Betty knew that it would be better to rip the bandage off sooner rather than later.

You can't bribe the door on your way to the sky.

To make matters in the big house at 111 Elm Street, Polly Cooper had given birth to her twins without so much as a phone call to her mother. Betty was the only one who knew, and it was due to a chance encounter. She understood why Polly wouldn't tell Hal, but why didn't she tell her? And Alice? Betty knew that it would crush whatever remaining pieces of her mother's heart that remained intact to find out the news.

She was going to tell her, later that evening, she really was. But, when Betty even briefly mentioned Polly's name, Alice's eyes widened with fearful hope. "Have you talked to her?" Alice dropped what she was doing to face her youngest daughter, mentally crossing her fingers that Betty had good news. "I've been leaving messages. I want to make sure she had everything she needs and ask her what colour she wants the nursery painted." She explained with a smile, clearly holding on to every bit of hope that she had left.

Betty knew that she did not have the energy to break her mother's heart quite yet. "Same, no – I was just wondering if you'd heard from her." She stated hurriedly, before the truth could come out.

"No, not in a while." It wouldn't have taken a detective to note the harrowing sadness in Alice's voice.

You look pretty good down here, but you ain't really good.

It was because of Polly's sudden and dramatic removal of herself from her family that the specific events could occur that would lead to the demise of the Cooper family.

"Why the sudden need for a brother?" Jughead had asked, after Betty asked him to meet her at Pop's and she'd requested he set her up with his social working. That was where it all began. The need to fill a void. Betty knew that, somewhere out there in the world – possibly not far from where she sat – there was a twenty-five-year-old man who should have been just as much a part of her family as she was.

Betty hesitated a moment before answering, Polly's betrayal had taken its toll on her as well, not just Alice. "Polly had the twins." She stated, averting her eyes. "And she didn't even call my mom to tell her. I know my mom's crazy, but she's also...really sad." Betty stared out the window as she spoke, "So, maybe if she found her son, having him in our lives..." She trailed off.