Bughead

In Sickness and In Health

B POV
"It's a girl?" Juliet asks. "Yes." I smile softly at her. She hugs my neck tightly. She lets go of me and jumps on the bed. I stand and get hugged by Jughead. I wrap my arms around his neck and rest my head on his chest. "This would be so much better at the bar." he whispers in my ear. "I'm sorry." I whisper and let go of him. I go to the bathroom and lock the door.

J POV
"Can we go home?" Juliet asks and I sigh. "Come here Bug." I reply. "Please. I don't like California. I want to go home with you." she looks up at me. "I can't bug." I sigh. "Why?" she asks. "You live here with mama." I reply. "I don't like it here." she whines. "I know bug." I pick her up and kiss her head. Betty came back out of the bathroom and looked through her purse. "What are you looking for?" Juliet asks. "My keys. I have to go home and change. I have work." she replies and gets her keys. "You can keep her while I'm at work." She leaves the hotel room. "What are we gonna do today?" Juliet asks. "I don't know. Have any ideas?" I reply. "We can go to the park!" she squeals. "You need to change first." I chuckle.

I pull up at Betty's apartment and Juliet opens the door, running inside. I help her change and she grabs my hand, pulling me out of the apartment. We lock the door and go to the park.

B POV
"Hey Betty. What are you having?" my boss asks. "You were right. It's a girl." I smile. "I know you don't have a man in your life, but why don't you just get back together with the father?" she asks. "It's long and complicated." I sigh. "You should give him another chance." she says. "I know, I just. I don't know. We would move back to his hometown and you wouldn't see me anymore." I reply. "As long as I get to see pictures of that baby, I'm ok with that." she says. "I just." I get cut off by the bell. I rest my head on the counter and she rubs my back. "I know it's stressful and complicated, but give home another chance. You don't want your girls to grow up without their father." she says. "Why do you always have to be right?" I groan. "Because I'm the boss." she grins and goes to the backroom. I shake my head and see Jughead, Jacob, and Juliet.

I take their order and give it to the chef. "Leaving me high and dry." Jacob teases. "What are you talking about?" I sigh. "The baby." Jacob says. "Just because you are older, doesn't mean anything." I reply and get their order. "Yea it does." he retorts. "I don't have to tell you anything." I glare at him. "What's got your panties in a twist?" he asks, making Juliet giggle. I make him scoot in and I sit next to him. I rest my hand on my stomach and lean against the booth. "What's wrong?" he asks. "Shut up." I groan. I feel his hand on my forehead and I slap it away.

I change back into my clothes and go back to the booth. "Are you ok Betts?" he asks and I glare at him. "Sorry." he mumbles and I lean against him. "You are burning up." he says. "I'm fine." I mumble. I feel Juliet's tiny hand on my face. "Mama. You are sick. We should go home with daddy." she says. "I just need some sleep." I murmur.

We get back to the apartment and I change into some shorts and a tank top. I lay on the bed and close my eyes. I feel someone put a wet rag on my head and I grab their hand without opening my eyes. "It's just me." he says softly. I take the rag off and hand it to him before turning away from them. "Mama." Juliet says. "Mmm." I murmur. "Can we please go home?" she asks. I fell asleep before I could answer.

J POV
Jacob made Betty some soup and took it to her. "Betty. You need to eat." he says. "I'm not hungry." she mumbles. "You still have to eat." he says. "Why? Because I'm pregnant?" she asks. "Yes and it's not healthy for you." he replies. Juliet sits on my lap and falls back on me dramatically. "What's up bug?" I ask, tickling her. "I'm bored!" she giggles. "We gotta stay here, make sure Mama is ok." I reply. "Stop!" she giggles.

Juliet fell asleep on my lap with her head on my chest. "How did Betty come up with her nickname?" Jacob asks, sitting in the recliner. "She called her that before she was born." I reply. "You never told me how you know Betty." he says and I sigh. "It's long and complicated." I say. "We're gonna be here a while." he replies. "Daddy." Juliet mumbles. "Hmm." I murmur. "Can we go do something?" she asks. "Now right now. You are tired and mama is sick." I reply. "But I want to do something." she whines. "Maybe later." I say.

"She was staying in my bar." I start. Juliet was finally asleep. "She got pregnant and left with her friend Kevin. They shared an apartment for a few years. She finally told me that Juliet is mine and we lived in my house in Greendale. When I found out she was pregnant again, we had an argument and she took Juliet and left." I explain.

Juliet was tossing and turning on my lap. I rub her back and she was gasping when she woke up. "Hey. It's ok." I say softly and she shakes her head, tears filling her eyes. I wrap my arms around her and she cries into my chest. "Shhhh. It's ok." I whisper.

I finally managed to get her to calm down and Jacob left a little while later. I glanced up at Betty and she was sitting up, staring straight at me. I stand with Juliet in my arms and check on her. I sit next to her and feel her head. "How are you feeling?" I ask and she smiles slightly. I set Juliet down and she runs to her room. "You ok Betts?" I ask. She cups my face and kisses me. I rest our foreheads together. "What was that for?" I whisper. "Because I love you and I want to marry you." she grins and I kiss her again before standing. I turn to leave but she grabs my hand. I look back at her. "Stay." she whispers. I get in next to her and wrap my arms around her. She tucks herself into my side and rests her head on my chest. I stroke her hair as she falls asleep.

I woke up from Juliet jumping on us. "Are we going home now?" she asks. "Go back to sleep." I yawn. "I'm not tired." she retorts. "Sleep anyway." I close my eyes. "Juggie." I hear Betty mumble. "Hmmm." I murmur. "I want to go home." she whispers. "Once you feel better we will." I say softly and she nods. Juliet sighs and lays down on me. "Get some sleep bug." I chuckle.

We get all of Betty's things packed and into a moving truck. She gets Juliet buckled in the back and I drive. Juliet fell asleep halfway there and we were talking quietly in the front. "Do you remember what you said? At the apartment?" I ask. "I said a lot of stuff." she giggles. "After you kissed me." I reply. "Yes and it's true. I do want to marry you." she grins.

B POV
We make it to Greendale. We move all the boxes in the house and Jughead grabs my hand. I look over at him and he pulls me closer. I wrap my arms around his neck and smile up at him. He ducks his head and kisses me. I rest my head on his chest when we break. "Can we go to the bar?" Juliet asks. "Do you want to?" Jughead asks and I nod.

We arrive at the bar and Jughead puts Juliet on his shoulders. He walks in first and then I go in. Everyone freezes and gasps.