Love Him Like He's Yours [FPJones] [JugheadJones] [O.F.C]

2003 cont'd

The first time Nerys Miller woke up in a room she didn't recognize, it was the day after her seventeenth birthday and she'd found herself curled up on an unfamiliar couch with one hell of a hangover.

After the previous night when she had been caught off guard by FP's kiss, she'd bolted from the trailer and would find herself spending several hours at Pop's hunched over a melted milkshake and cold fries, before stumbling back out into the night and lighting the first cigarette pulled from a fresh pack.

It was when leaving the parking lot, that she'd run head first into another restless wanderer who didn't have anywhere else to be. Based on experience from traveling with the Serpents, anyone fitting that description was generally a lost soul or a troublemaker, if not some mixture of the two.

Before colliding into this particular person, in her less-than-sober state, and at three in the morning, Nerys would've never guessed this person could be either. Not bothering to look ahead as she took a step forward, Nerys' face would collide into another's chest, and even after her own boozy smoke-filled evening, it was one instantly familiar to her.

She knew that she'd just walked into another one of FP's oldest friends, so without having to tilt her head up to confirm her suspicions - she instead glanced down at the worn flannel in front of her, and was sure that it was none other than Fred Andrews who was staring down at the top of her head.

After finally taking a step back and gazing up to get a better look at him in the light, Nerys realized then that she was staring up at a version of Fred she had never seen before. He too was swaying on his feet, even more so than her, and clutching a bottle shaped paper bag close to his side.

He looked exhausted, like he hadn't slept in days. He also looked filthy and disheveled, like he had been wearing the same clothes over and over, without washing them or himself even.

Lastly, he looked defeated and a little sad. When his eyes finally met hers, even with the thick drunken haze covering them, he still registered some shame at realizing it was Nerys Miller witnessing him in such a foolish state.

It had been quite some time since Nerys had crossed paths with the usually clean-cut Andrews - not since he and FP had put their friendship on a back burner over FP's Serpent connections affecting Andrews Construction. But in all the years that Fred and FP had been close, Nerys had never seen the taller brunette look so rough.

After some gentle reassurance, and several swigs each from the precious cargo tucked into his side, Fred revealed that Mary had asked for some time apart and kicked him out their apartment. Nerys then met his pitiful tale with her own - a bad date with a guy from school, followed up by an emotional confrontation with FP causing her to leave their home.

Nerys decided she would leave out the shocking kiss and how torn up she was about loving her best friend. She felt cliche enough without including the bit about her wishing for the one person she could never have.

But Fred wouldn't go on to press her any further than that. He was content with her simply not judging him and having someone to talk to. After a short walk together that was filled with as much stumbling as it was laughing and drinking, the pair would arrive in front of Andrews family home. Located in central Northside, a respectable distance from the tracks dividing the city, and where Nerys had resided all her life - the charming property was foreign to her and Nerys felt decidedly out of place.

During their walk, Fred had informed her that he'd had nowhere to stay but his parent's house. Just saying the words out loud had made his face grow painfully warm with embarrassment. But Nerys had admitted to Fred that she thought it was nice, that returning to his childhood home and getting to spend more time with his folks was still an option for him, even.

Nerys' solemn phrasing of it put a new perspective on his situation, and it made Fred feel a little less sorry for himself. He remembered to himself that Nerys Miller had always had a knack for making those around her feel better about things, and he found he was really enjoying their time together.

Fred could see how much Nerys had grown and changed in the last few years. Her time with the Serpents seemed to make her grow up faster than others, but in the best possible way. Fred would catch glimpses of the fierce loyalty and kindness that FP had always praised her for.

Their seemingly odd and close-knit friendship began to make a little more sense to Fred. Someone like FP *would* have great need for a trustworthy confidante like Nerys Miller.
Fred couldn't help but think to himself, that he could as well.

Soon the earliest streaks of daylight would be creeping up on them but Fred didn't want the spunky girl to leave yet, and he definitely didn't want her to be wandering the town looking for a safe place to rest. Before he could process what he was doing, the words were spilling out of his mouth as his arm reached out to hold the door open.

Fred Andrews was inviting Nerys Miller in, and to stay the night. Once the words had rung out into the air, the two drunkards would stand still at the houses side entrance, frozen in place and staring intently at one another.

"Okay." Nerys cleared her throat and took a step closer to Fred and the door.

"Okay?" Fred ran one hand through his hair and looked at her again, with his head cocked to the side.

"Yes Andrews, I said okay. That's if you've got more vodka and some decent movies anyway." Nerys scrunched her face up at Fred as a joke before squeezing past him through the door.

Fred chuckled at her goofiness and closed the door behind them. As the pair sobered up together, it was becoming apparent that the younger Miller girl was in fact, cool *and* funny - much to Fred's delighted surprise. He couldn't believe she was willing to stay and hang out with him some more.

Watching them from his darkened but open office window that faced his neighbours side door, an intrigued Hal Cooper sat up in his desk chair and was taking it all in. He leaned forward, taking slow sips of his beer as he glanced down at the two, unaware of his presence.

Hal couldn't believe it either.