Back In Black

Chapter 25: Isolation is Freedom

"I'm not going to Toledo..." Jughead sighs. I sit up looking at him bewildered.
"What?"
"Something happened, I called my mom to give her warning she turned me down..."
"Oh Jug..."
"Citrusville, Florida... Thats where the next bus was going so I took it." I nod slowly.
"We will figure something out." I lay back down. "We always do..." I sighed.

Just as I had described, Betty, Veronica, and Archie showed up an hour later. Jughead and I were half asleep when they arrived. The three of them made themselves comfortable on the opposite side of the booth.
"Dammit" I muttered sitting up, Jughead did the same.
"Jug, we're so sorry... about everything" Betty starts soft. I shift in my seat resting both elbows on the table giving the three across from me the most hateful glares. Jughead lightly puts his hand on my knee. I take a deep breath.
"As you should be..." I stated firmly.
"Juggy, we screwed up. We all did." Archie leans towards the boy. He earns a glare in return, Jughead continues to remain silent. "Breaking into your dad's trailer was wrong, but at least so good came out of it."
"I'm pretty sure my dad was just arrested for murder." Jughead mumbles on the verge of tears again.
"That gun wasn't there when we searched his trailer." Veronica stared at her hands in her lap. "Someone put it there after we left." Jughead sits completely straight. As did I.
"What are you talking about?" Jug says barely above a whisper.

We all took off to the sheriff's station after that. None of us positive what was going to happen inside those doors, but all of us knowing we had to tell someone.
"Excuse me sir, we need to see Sheriff Keller." Archie walks straight to the man at the front.
"I hate sheriff stations" I mumble hugging myself. Jughead wraps an arm around my shoulder.
"There's been a huge mistake." Betty runs to the counter behind Archie.
"Sheriff, we need to talk to you about FP Jones."
"What about him?" Keller drawls
"He's innocent."
"He's being framed."
"They're finishing each other's sentences?" I mumble to Jug.
"Then why did he just confess?" My shoulders drop hearing those words.
"FP you dumbass." I shake my head grabbing the bridge of my nose. Jug lets go of my shoulders as they march his father past the five of us. FP's gaze starts on Jughead then shifts to me. The look behind his eyes changes between the two of us.

The next day Jughead and I are walking hand in hand to the cafeteria/
"Are you sure you want to do this?" He doesn't answer me but just keeps walking. I stop a few feet back letting go of his hand. Everyone is watching the two of us, he makes is way towards Cheryl.
"I'm sorry, Cheryl." She stands up and for a split second she looks like she may just hug him. Then her hand comes flying right into his face, she grabs his collar and starts to shake him before hitting his chest. The group moves to be closer I hold out my arms stopping them.
"Take another step and it will be your ass getting punched" They all stopped, looking at me concerned. By gaze was locked on Jughead. Archie finally rolls his eyes and runs passed me to Cheryl grabbing her.
"ENOUGH!!!" Weatherbee calls. "Mr. Jones you need to come with me. Right now."
"He was apologizing, he didn't do anything wrong." Archie whines.
"RIGHT NOW!" The two march away I turn to leave, Archie grabs my right forearm causing me to cringe in pain.
"The hell was that about?" I glare over my shoulder biting back the pain.
"He wanted to make amends."
"For something that didn't happen?"
"FP is a damn serpent, Archie! Unless there is fucking... Video evidence or some shit, he will never be going free!" I finally ripped my arm away from him. "We all lost someone last night, some of us more than others..." I look at the doors that were still swinging.
"Kat..." Archie sighs. I look at him with tear brimmed eyes.
"My actual family is gone Archie. FP, Jughead, and Des are all I have left."
"You have us..." I scoff
"Right, the northsiders who will save their skin before mine." I glance to Betty "Who will only speak up when defending herself no matter what you've done for her..." I look to Veronica "Who will ALWAYS think her father had some part in the scheme." And finally my gaze lands again on Archie "Who will let some puppy love blind him from the first good thing to happen to his best friend in a long damn time." I shake my head looking down to the floor.
"I lost you guys when I lost them. I learned that the hard way last night."
"Kat we are so sorry." Betty steps forward.
"Right, sorry. I've heard that one before." I chuckled a humorless laugh. "You've made your beds, now you must lie in them. Now I have some business to attend to." I march off from the group.