Now and forever, always - a bughead story

Chaper 54

Betty's PoV

Once we get down to the basement I grip Jugheads hand tighter as I see Penny, tied to a chair in the middle of the room. "Well well well. If it isn't jones and Cooper come to pay little old me a visit" "cut the crap penny, we want answers" "not gonna happen" "who's the leader of the ghoulies?!" I asked sternly and she just laughed "brother Cooper" "your lying!" I say as I slap her hard across the face.

"You'll pay for that!" "Listen penny...your an ex serpent okay? Tell us what we want and we'll let you go. Even set you up with a nice house and a new life away from here.  What ya think?" "What the hell jug?!" "...and if not" "you'll die a slow and painful death, at the hands Betty, me and your old friend sweet pea" with that penny went white, penny's scared of sweet pea? Not that I blame her, he can be scary when he wants to be. "Trust me Penny if your scared of sweet pea? He's a teddy bear compared to me! I'm a mother and I will do everything I can and more to protect my daughter"

"You think you scare me? Betty I've heard all the gory details of your childhood. Shame Hal's locked up, would of made a good ghoulie. Would of even put you in your place" Just then I crash my forehead into her nose, breaking it in what looks like multiple places. "You stupid bitch. When I get out of here I'm coming for you!" Penny scream in pain at me and I just smiled at her. "Don't. Ever. Say. His. Name. To me. Again." "Or what you'll broke my nose?" "I wouldn't push her Penny" Jug said to her and she just laughed. She actually thought this was funny? She's got a screw lose "you really this bitch scares me? I've dealt with the roughest serpents and ghoulies before and they didn't scare me so what makes you think will?"

I start to slow walk around her a few times and in one quick move I stab my serpent knife into her middle finger. She screams in pain, which I'm sure everyone upstairs can hear. I walk to the bottom on the stairs and call sweet pea. "Sweets take lili upstairs" "sure thing, but what's going on down there?" "We're just asking Penny some questions. But take her now please, it's gonna get worse" I say as I turn to look at Penny "much worse" and then I hang up

"So Penny...is Archie the leader of the ghoulies?" I say calmly. "He killed malachi so..." "so yes! He is!" I said. Angrily. "Why does Archie want to lead the ghoulies?" Jughead asked. "Who knows" "you do though, so answer his question!" "Yeah I do, but I'm done talking. They be here soon enough anyway!" "What are you talking about?!" I asked scared "he coming for his baby and me of course" "he's not getting any where near her!" Jughead shouted "and she's not his daughter! She's jugs and jugs only!" I say has a grab his hand and squeeze lightly, he squeezes back.

"I'll be back in a minute Jug" I say as I walk out of the basement and up to the apartment. I get in a fall back against the door tears falling down my face as I slowly slide down to the floor. Sweet pea walks in and quickly walks to me and wraps me up in a hug. "What's wrong?" "Archie wants lili! She's not safe!" "He's not getting near her okay?!" "I need you to do something" "anything Betty" I get up and walk over to the book shelf in the living room and pull out a copy of 'the princess saves herself in this one', sweet pea walks up next to me with a confused look on his face. I open it and find an address and a set of keys. "You remember I told you about the apartment my dad rented when my mum kicked him out?" "Yeah, yeah I remember why?" "Well this is the apartment, I kept it as like a safe house for us if we ever had to get away" "Okay so why are you telling me?" "Not even jughead knows about this. If the ghoulies ever attack, I want you to take lili and go there! It's just outside of riverdale, it's Secure, safe and is nearly impossible to break into. Right know your the only one I trust to keep my daughter safe other than Jug obviously and I love everyone else but your like my brother and I know you'll do everything you can to keep her safe" "you sure you want it to be me?" "Most definitely sweets I trust you with my life and so I trust you with lils" "your like my sister Betty, and I love you of course I'll keep her safe" "thank you! I love you too sweets" I say as I wrapped my arms around him as he does the same, this is the only other place I feel safe. Jughead and sweet pea and lili are the most important people in my life.

A/n - really amazing book by Amanda Lovelace