Serpent Princess

House of the Devil

Jughead and I stood in the Whyte Wyrm as I smiled widely. "I have an announcement to make." Jughead called out, but when no one looked he looked at me. I whistled loudly and everyone turned, "Thank you." he told me, before calling out "My dad's getting out." Everyone cheered, "And when he does, I'll bring him up to speed about our plans with Mayor McCoy." I called out.

"That's brilliant." Tall Boy said. I scoffed, "Do you have a problem with that, Tall Boy?" He looked at us and said, "Your old man? No. I got no problem with him." He got up from his seat and walked over and leaned against the pool table as he looked me straight in the eyes, "But you both want us to sit down with the Mayor."

"I do. He's right." Jughead said, and he nudged me so I'd stop glaring at Tall Boy. "I think we can bring the Southside back. But it's going to take work and it's going to take compromise." I told them. Tall Boy then laughed, "Bring the Southside back. You've been here all of five minutes."

I then exploded, "Tall Boy, I am sick of you acting like a little bitch. Whispering behind my back about me and my brother calling him half a Serpent or that we don't belong here." He laughed again. "You don't you shouldn't of even survived that fire."

"Whoa whoa whoa." Toni called out as Jughead quickly grabbed me so I wouldn't touch him. "Why don't we put it to a vote?" Jughead called out, and then whispered, "Calm down. Breathe." I nodded and took a deep breathe. "If you guys think what I'm doing is wrong, I'll step aside." I called out. "All those who stand with Jughead and think that Tall Boy should shut the hell up..." Toni called out and just about everyone raised their hands.

--

Alice drove us up to the jail as we waited for FP. He smiled as FP cleared the fence and hugged Jughead. He pulled away and hugged me tightly. "I missed you guys." he said and pulled Jughead into our hug. "Hey, Betty." FP said as we pulled back. "Hi, Mr. Jones." Betty said. We all turned to Alice who was leaning against her car. Jughead had an arm wrapped around me and his other wrapped around Betty.

"Alice." FP said, "Is it true what they say about men who have just been released from prison, FP?" Alice asked. "What do they say?" FP asked, "That they're incredibly sexually frustrated." The words left her mouth and I tried not to laugh. "Mom!" Betty said, as Jughead said, "Wow." We get in the car, and the three of us sat in the back as FP sat in the front. "Seat belts, Betty." Alice told us and we clipped ours on.

We made it to Pops and sat down at a table. I was finishing my cookies and creme milkshake, as Alice said "The Black Hood is targeting sinners, so, I'd watch my back if I were you, FP, especially once you re-join that gang of hoodlums." Jughead and I then mumbled, "The Serpents aren't hoodlums."

FP just talked over us, "I'm not going back to the Serpents, Alice. I thought a lot about this while I was in Shankshaw, and I'm done with Serpent life. It's gonna be one last ride for my kids and I. But it's too much of a slippery slope for me." I made a confused face, and said "The Serpents need you, FP." Betty then said, "Jughead needs you, Mr. Jones."

"And what, pray tell, will you be doing with all of your extra time, FP?" Alice asked him.  "Working, Warden Cooper. Saw a "Help Wanted" sign in the window. Thought I'd talk to Pop about picking up some shifts." FP said and I smiled slightly. He's trying to set an example for us. "Let's hope your plans don't come crashing down once you start drinking again." Alice told him, "Actually, I'm in AA. Started in jail and I don't plan on stopping." I gave him a look and he looked at me, "What?" he asked and I shrugged. "I'm proud of you FP." He chuckled. "Thanks T."

--

I sat on the back of Jughead's bike as we rode beside FP. We popped a wheely and got ahead of him. Parking at one of the open grass cliffs we stood in silence. "Things got ugly when you were away." I told him and he turned to me. "I asked myself every day what you would do, if you were here. Tall Boy has tried to out leader me, but it hasn't worked yet." I told him and he nodded.