Steady Breaths

H o l d O n

Jughead's POV
Oh...the baby.
It's gone. Like forever.

"Elizabeth Cooper is now awake and her breathing has made excellent improvements, she's in room 207 if you want to visit her...maybe the news about the baby is best coming from you guys." The doctor says to us.
Archie, Veronica and Kevin look my way.
"We'll all go in." I simply say.
We begin to slowly navigate our way to room 207. I slowly open the door and the sight isn't something I want to get used to.
It's just Betty, staring at the wall, I can tell she's in so much pain and it kills me that I can't do anything about it.
"Betty..." I sigh.

Her turns her head and looks at me with glossy eyes, filled with pain.
"Oh Betty..." I rush to her side as a tear falls down her face. I don't care that the others are in the room. I'm just worried about Betty. Only her.
"It hurts." She whispers. "It hurts so much."
"It's okay Betty, they got the bullet out, you're going to be alright." Veronica comforts her form the other side of the bed.
"Archie oh my god what happened to you." She says with a worried tone. Typical Betty Cooper always worried about someone else, then again Archie's shirt was now a rich red.

Archie's POV
"How do I explain this..." I sigh.

Flashback
The man ran out of Pops within a second of shooting the gun. Hit me. It should've hit me. I'm supposed to be the one on the floor bleeding.
"Betty! Betty stay with me okay!" I yell as I drop the the ground, holding Betty. This is all way too familiar. Dad, he was like this too. He was on the floor bleeding in my arms.
"Ronnie! 911!" I yell.
"Already on it." Her voice sounds lost and wet, as though she's already crying.
"Jug!" I yell at Jughead who is just staring blankly, as though he is frozen in time. A blank look etched over his face.
"Jug!" I yell again to get his attention.
"I need you to grab the first aid kit! It's by the bar!" He rushes over to the kit and grabs it for me.
"Okay Betty, just keep your eyes open, that's it, stay with me." I say as I pull out a bandage. I don't know how I learnt this but I know to always pressure the bleeding point, to stop the bleeding. I wrap it around her waist and she whelps in pain.
"Stop you're hurting her!" Jughead yells at me.
"Shut up I know what I'm doing." I says harshly. I know it's rude but now is not the time to give him a step by step demonstration on why it's important to put a bandage on someone.
"Arch, ambulance." Veronica says as red and slur flashing lights appear.
I look down and see Betty starting to close her eyes.
"No, no Betty no..."I say as I shake her slightly to keep her awake. Suddenly the medical team rush into Pops. Before I know it they take Betty off of my lap and into the ambulance. Don't die Betty. Please don't go.

End of flashback

"I uhh I was just helping out after it happened." I say not wanting to steal any attention.
"Are you kidding me, he saved your life Betty, he sprung right into action. He told Veronica to dial 911, he took me out of my frozen state and told me to get him the first aid kit, so that he could wrap up your wound, I swear he's some sort of nursing prodigy." Jughead chuckles.
"So I'm assuming that's my blood" Betty pointed at my shirt.
"Yeah...You seriously shouldn't have jumped infront of me Betty, I'd much rather get shot than see you in all this pain." I sigh. It was a kind act but I hate it. I hate the fact that she kept infront of me and took the bullet."
"I'm fine, it's fine now." She sighs.

Jughead's POV
Okay I should just rip off the bandaid.
"Actually...guys can we have a moment?" I ask to the others.
"Of corse." Veronica says with a knowing look in her eye. They all exit the room and I sigh.
"What is it? What's wrong?" She seems more worried now.
"Betty you know where the bullet shot you right..." I begin.
"Yes, below my stomach." She gestured to the obvious bandage.
"Listen uhh...the...the bullet it...it hit the b-"
"Baby. I know." Her eyes grew glossy, so did mine.
"H-how did you know? They said they didn't tell you..."
"I guess it was just mother's intuition. I mean it was right where the baby was Jug. I knew it I just didn't want to believe it. And now I have this feeling of emptiness inside me...so I'm assuming it didn't make it." Tears begin to fall her face, and I feel the water works coming my way.
"It didn't I'm so sorry." I cup her face with my hand and gently place a kiss on her forehead.

Betty's POV
I was going to be that pregnant girl. The one who was a teen mom dropout. And that sounded like the worst life ever to me...but then I started loving the small human inside me. It confused me, but I loved it so fucking much. I had daydreamed of what it's name would be, how we'd set up a nursery, the child taking its first steps, saying their first word, Jughead would've been an amazing dad.

Was this all really for the better? I mean it sounded messed up to say that I was slightly relieved but in all honesty I was. I mean it tears my heart out that this life was one that could never be lived, but at the same time it's better for my life, for Jughead's life, I mean we can both stay in school and wait, just wait until we actually what a child. The rumours will be cleared and my life will be normal. Huh normal, that was such a strange word. I don't think anything is ever really normal in the town of Riverdale. I'm not ever going to be normal...but that's okay, I think I like it that way.

A/N hope you liked this chapter! I've entered the #wattys2018 (all of my stories have been entered) so hopefully it will go well! I can't thank you guys enough for your support of this fan fiction it means a lot to me! Also who else is excited that the cast have reunited! The countdown begins for when they start filming season 3! As always thanks for reading leave a comment of what you want to happen next! Xx
(P.S choni fans get ready for the next chapter which is going to be based around their relationship!)