Back In Black

Chapter Ten: Love Never Before Seen

The next morning I wake up early with Cheryl. Veronica sleeps a little longer.
"Hey Cherry?"  I look over to the red head.
"Yes Kat?" She smiles at the old nickname
"Would you help me, with..." I motion to myself. "I only have one dress and it really didn't work for the occasion and well..."
"Of course I will Kat." She smiles. She walks into her closet and comes out with a black dress that is simple yet elegant. "Its a little too big for me but it will hug your curves just right. And..." She walks closer to me tucking my hair behind my ear. "That Jones boy wont be able to take his eyes off of you." I blush at the mention of Jughead but nod. It put an uncomfortable feeling in my stomach that he and Betty would be coming together later. The dress felt perfect on me. It wasn't short it came to about my mid thigh but Cheryl was right. It did in fact hug every curve. It had an off the shoulder neck line and was beautiful. Cheryl paired it with a pair of strappy black heels. I sat in front of her vanity as she played with my hair. When she finished it was half up half down and framing my face beautifully. Finally she did my makeup, just a light makeup with my signature wing and her signature red lipstick.
"All done" She stepped back and Ronnie walked into the room. She had gotten up about half way through the hair.
"Damn Kat." I stood and gave a slight twirl. "I love it."
"Thanks Cherry" I smile and she nods before getting ready herself.

Later the three of us stand around Cheryl looking in the mirror. "Cheryl, I'll be downstairs. Your mom asked me to welcome people in." Cheryl nods as her and Veronica have a moment alone. I walk down the stairs to be met by Betty and Jughead. Jughead looks up at me and then away before doing a double take.
"I need more reasons to see you in a dress" He smirks
"And I need more reasons to see you in a tux." I walk closer tightening his tie a little "cause I like what I see" I smile
"Me too." He smirks his hand falling to my waist he pulls me closer causing me to chuckle just as Mr. Blossom comes up.
"Pardon me but I need to steal Ms. Quinn" Jughead nods.
"Save me a seat." He nods. I give him a quick peck on the cheek before following Mr. Blossom,
"Everyone will be meeting in here, they are welcome to have some refreshments before sitting but try to keep everyone moving until they reach this room." He gives me a short smile before walking away. I stand there directing people through the home when Penelope walks over to me.
"Everyone is almost seated."
"Thank you Kathleen."
"Its the least I can do." I give her a hug just as Archie walks over. Penelope pulls away from the hug and sees Archie, her face drops and I know why. It even catches me by surprises sometimes.
"I'm so sorry for your loss, Mrs. Blossom." Penelope's hand that was still on my arm started to squeeze tightly as Archie continued. "I thought you might want to have this." I look down to see the folded up number nine jersey.
"You're so much like him." She whispers and lifts her other hand to touch Archie's face all the while squeezing my arm harder with a slight twisting as if trying to pull herself back into he moment.
"Penelope, Penelope..." I wine just a little as her nails start to dig into my flesh.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Thank you, Archibald." She lets go of my arm and takes the jersey. She doesn't move, I wrap my arm around her and guide her over to her husband before leaving the two and taking my seat. I sit next to Jughead who looks at my arm.
"Kat, you're bleeding..." He looks at my arm. I look down to see the little crescent moon shapes and the red hand print Penelope left.
"I'll be right back" I get up and walk towards the rest room. I get inside and run my arm under the cold water. Silent tears falling from my eyes. I quickly dry off my arm. I wrap some toilet paper around it. I make my way out of the bathroom and to the kitchen where I get some tape and make sure the make shift bandage wont move. Then I make my way back to my seat. I stop dead in my tracks as I see Cheryl walking down the stairs, She was wearing the white dress she was wearing on July fourth. She gives me a small smile as she confidently walks into the room. I smile back and follow her closely behind. As I walk in I quickly take a seat in the back by Jughead. He grabs my hand that was apparently shaking.
"What happened?"
"Tell you later" He nods as Cheryl makes her way to the front of the room.
"Welcome to Thornhill. Thank you all for coming. If you'll kindly take your seats. I'd like to start the memorial. With a few words about Jason." Cheryl says from behind the podium, Penelope goes to move but Veronica mouths something to her.
"The last time I saw Jason, I was wearing this dress. I know it's impossible. But I swear, when I put it on, it..." She looks over at the large picture of Jason. "It feels like he's in the room with me. Even though we were twins, I used to demand I have my own birthday party. Until one year, out of the blue, Jason convinced me we had to combine them into one. It wasn't until years later, I found out why. Its because only Kathleen Quinn wanted to come to mine... And Jason didn't want me to know. He protected me. Every single day. I wish, that day at the river, I had protected him." Cheryl started sobbing and turned around laying her head on the casket. I got up and made my way up to her. "I'm so sorry, Jay-Jay We failed you. All of us." Veronica followed me, Cheryl wrapped her arms around me tightly as Veronica came and hugged us both. I hadn't realized that at some point I had started crying as well.
"I think we'll adjourn now to the Winter Salon for a light supper." Penelope says. I pull away from the girls.
"Ronnie take care of her please. I'll be back Cheryl" They nod and I walk quickly, wiping my face. I grab Jughead's hand.
"Come on, now is the only chance we'll get." I sigh as him and Betty follow me up the stairs. I reach Jason's room, "Here, I'll venture in once the door is open but I will not open the door." The two nod not really wanting to make me upset. Jughead opens the door not letting go of my hand. I sigh, if Jason had any secrets they wouldn't be here.
"Is it me or did the temperature just drop like it does in horror movies?" Betty looks to Jughead. I squeeze his hand.
"That's just the icy chill of the dead." We walk further in as Jughead starts to look around the room.
"Where does a teenage boy hide things?"
"Under the mattress, maybe in the drawers, behind the headboard, in the closet..."
"So what you are saying Juggie is you have no idea where to look" He looks over at me with a small sad look. Betty just starts moving around the room looking for anything.
"Hello." I heard a familiar creepy voice.
"Holy..."Jughead pulls me behind him while he hides behind Betty. I roll my eyes.
"Nana Rose you have to be more careful, you scared us."
"Oh, I'm sorry darling."
"We are so sorry we were just leaving" Betty speaks from behind me,
"Oh. It's you. How lovely to see you again."
"Who Nana Rose?"I look back at my friends.
"Come closer, I wanna get a good look at you." I grab Betty's hand and lead her towards the woman in the wheel chair. She resists as Jughead says
"The horror. The horror."
"Would the two of you knock it off. Come on" I tug on Betty's hand and we walk towards Nana Rose.
"Come closer, Polly dear." I drop Betty's hand looking away from the old woman.
"It's nice to see you again, too. I'm sorry it had to be under such terrible circumstances." Betty says carefully, I walk around Rose to stand by Jughead who wraps his arm around my waist
"Well, of course you're not wearing it. Oh bless."
"Wearing what Nana?"I speak up, Jughead's grip tightening
"The ring, Polly" Nana didn't realize I was the one who had spoken "That ring has been in the Blossom family for generations. You keep it close to your heart, always. But don't tell Penelope I gave it to you. Or she'll likely come and snip it off your finger!" Nana Rose never looked away from Betty.
"I won't, I promise." Betty says scared, she looks up to Jughead and I.
"Such a shame. Your wedding was the last thing I was living for. I lost a grandson, but you lost the love of your young life. Poor Child" Betty stands.
"Excuse me. I have to... I can't..." Betty looks back to me and Jughead before running out of the room.
"Thank you Nana Rose" I say before being pulled behind Jughead. I pull the door shut behind me. Jughead and I follow Betty all the way downstairs until we see her leaving with her dad.
"Ah shit" I mumble.
"What?"
"Jughead, I know she is our friend, but if she is doing what I think she is what we just learned is going to go down the drain."
"What are you saying" I stop and look at Jughead in the eyes,
"I love Betty, but she shares almost everything with her parents and now she knows her dad was lying about Polly trying to hurt herself. She will be out for the truth but the Coopers aren't going to tell her."
"So?"
"So, she is going to ruin the only lead we have by telling her dad that she knows the truth. He is going to tell Alice and then..."
"Calm down Kat..."
"Jughead I have to find out what happened to Jason... For Cheryl, and for myself." He pulls me in close and hugs me tight. Once he pulls away he looks at my arm.
"Lets go get that bandaged up." I nod as he takes my hand. We quickly drop by the Andrews house knowing Fred would just be getting back from the memorial.
"Kat, Jug. Archie isn't here." I chuckle
"Actually, I need an adult" I hold out my arm with the wrapped toilet paper and tape.
"Come in, What happened?" Jughead and I follow him to the kitchen.
"I was standing too close to Ms. Blossom when she saw Jason." Everyone looked at me confused "She did the same thing Cheryl and I did when at the pep rally when Archie came onto the field. Looking at him she saw Jason and because of that..." I pause as they pull off the toilet paper. There was almost a perfect hand print still red and somewhat Indian burned and the crescent moon scars that we still slightly bleeding.
"She really did a number"
"She didn't mean too" Fred nodded before quickly patching it all up. He gives us a small smile
"You guys should stop by for dinner some time."
"I'd love to Fred" I nod and Jughead just smiles. "Well, we have a date with some milkshakes and fries. See you later Fred." I wave as Jughead and I walk to pops. We sit in our normal booth and Pop brings us our order.
"Thanks Pop."
"You are very welcome. And I have other news. Hermione Lodge got the job at Andrews construction, we have an opening on the staff if you want it."
"Oh my God, Yes pop thank you" I get up and hug the man who chuckles.
"I'll start you next week. Wednesday work?"
"Yes sir" I nod before sitting down. 

The next day Jughead and I are sitting in the Blue and Gold offices as Betty yet again tells us the stories of the Cooper family.
"Juggie, I fell like I don't even know who my mom and dad are anymore." I grab Jug's arm. My way of keeping my mouth shut.
"Betty..." He nods and then stands up "if your parents lied about Jason and Polly, there is probably more that they lied about."
"What do you mean?" Betty stands
"Your dad said he would do anything to protect Polly. So the next logical question is..." I start
"How far would he go to protect her?" Betty walks towards Jughead and the urge to jump up and pull them apart was great. So I got up and walked to stand slightly in between them, Jughead turns around and writes on a piece of paper...
"Jughead, who ever broke into Sheriff Keller's house and stole all his evidence wasn't at the drive-in. My Dad wasn't at the drive-in." Betty stands

The Coopers

Was now tacked on to the murder board.

"We need to talk to Polly" Jughead and I say in unison.