Taken- A Bughead Fanific

Chapter 1: Hidden Secrets

Buzz, buzz, buzz.

"We will have to have this conversation later, mom. Jug is calling," Betty insisted, picking up her phone. Alice had thrown her a curveball, yet again. But, soon, that be the least of her worries.

"Okay," Betty's mom sniffled, wiping away a fallen tear.

Betty scurried up the staircase into her room to talk privately. "Jug!" Betty exclaimed into the phone optimistaclly, trying to hide the weariness in her voice. She could not burden Jughead with even more problems with her mother. It had been hard since
Hal being in prison -on account of him being the black hood- but it had been especially hard for her mother. She was drowning in shame and sorrow. Another reason not to worry him was that Jughead was under a lot of pressure. The serpents were counting on him to fix the Hiram Lodge problem. He had engulfed himself in trying to devise a plan to take him down, once and for all.

"Betty. They released Archie! I guess they couldn't stick anything to him! He is okay for now, but there is no telling what V's dad has in store for him next" Jughead replied. He inhaled sharply, pausing to wait for Betty's response.

"Oh my God! He's out? And, you're right, Safe for now. God Juggie, I have been so worried about him. I wander if he's alright. There is no telling what that Sheriff Minetta has put him through. Where is he?" She questioned frantically. She knew that they would release him sometime, because they had no evidence to keep him. Nevertheless, she was glad he was finally released out of Minetta's hands. After all, she questioned his intentions. She had been feeling a wave of emotions that morning; she was glad to add happy to that list.

Jughead hastily replied, "He is with Veronica... and I think it's best to give them some space. Just for a little while." He hesitated. Betty was silent on the other end. She was nervously waiting for him to finish. He could hear it in her short, impatient breaths. "I think Archie knows more about the murder of Cassidy thank we think. Meet me at FP's?" Jughead made sure to tread lightly. Betty had taken things with her dad well. Almost too well. It had been almost one month since her dad's arrest. He felt as if anything, or anyone, would just make her snap. She was a ticking time bomb.

Jughead sat at the kitchen slumped in his chair waiting for Betty. He mindlessly stirred his coffee while he stared at his closed laptop in silence. Everything had been piling up. Hiram was always three steps ahead of him. In return, the Serpents were losing faith in him. He could feel it.

"I'm letting everyone down," He thought, "I have disappointed everyone." The very thought made his eyes water. A single, silent tear fell down his cheek and onto the floor. Just then, someone knocked on the door. Startled, his head darted towards the door. His messy, black curls bounced against his face. He quickly patted his eyes dry with his sleeves.

"Coming!" He shouted. He was glad that he asked her girlfriend to come over. She always made him feel better. She was almost like his very own, personal therapist. He rushed to the door and swung it open. "Betts!" He greeted, but to no avail. It was not the girl next door. It was someone much worse. Shit. He thought. It was Penny.

"What in the hell do they want? Why has she come back?" So many questions flooded his head. He could feel his heart beating out of his chest. He just stood in shock, speechless. Behind her was the infamous Malachai, the face of the Goolies. He gripped the handle of his old, worn bat with nails violently hammered into the sides of it. He draped it over his shoulder. He had a look on his face. A look Jughead Jones didn't like. Malachai had an evil, malicious grin that creeped up the sides of his face. The Goolie's eyes were wild, filled with hunger, a longing for chaos.

Shit. This cannot be good.