A Falice Story

30. Lay Your Cards on the Table

"Shut up, Penny!" Charles barks at her, hoping that Jughead won't ask questions.

It's too late. "How do you know her, Charles?" Jughead asks, giving him a skeptical look. 

"That's not important right now," he answers. Penny laughs behind him. 

"Yeah, you're right. That's not really important right now," she snorts, "This is sweet though, seeing the brothers finally united."

Jughead snaps his head in her direction, "And just how do you know that?" 

Penny rolls her eyes, "My God, it's not that hard to figure out. Just look at him--he's obviously the spawn of your old man and little miss June Cleaver."

She moves around to the other side of the bikes to get closer to them, "I was given strict orders to find Charlie here and make sure he gives me what he owes me--or are you going to break your deal with me like your old man did?" 

Charles shakes his head, "I don't owe you anything--and what the hell are you talking about?!"

"Ohh, so he hasn't told you about what he did, huh? Well I guess that doesn't matter now--" Penny lunges at Charles, pressing the knife against his throat.

Jughead grabs her but Penny knees him in the groin, causing him to let go of her and drop to the ground in pain, "WE NEED HELP OUT HERE!" 

She laughs and presses the knife deeper, Charles trying to throw her off of him, but also not wanting to make the wrong move and cause the knife to slip deeper, "Now if you keep quiet, I'll grant you the luxury of an open casket--"

"Not if I put you in one first!" a small voice echoes from the far side of the diner. Charles spots JB standing with a slingshot in hand aimed at Penny's head. 

Penny let's out a loud chuckle, "Oh no! Not Strawberry Shortcake coming to save the day!" 

"Drop the butter knife bitch!" JB yells at her, pulling the shot back.  

"JB! Don't!" Jughead warns. 

Penny groans, "Careful kid, you might poke an eye out--"

The slingshot is released and Penny drops to the ground with a thud, releasing the knife from Charles's throat. He stares at the young girl, a mixture of thanks and pride across it. She runs over to her brothers, wrapping her arms around Charles, and he pulls her into a hug.

Alice's POV 

"Thanks for checking the leak, Mr. Jones," Veronica thanks FP as we walk back upstairs from the Speakeasy. Betty looks around, "Where's JB? I thought she was right behind me..?"

"Maybe she went outside with the boys?" I reply, taking another look around the diner. Something outside the window catches FP's eye and he's out the door like a bolt of lightening. 

"What the hell...?" I look to Betty and we follow him out. I gasp as I see the scene before me, FP and Betty as equally shocked.

"Care to explain this? What's Peabody doing out here--laying unconscious in the dirt?! Don't tell me you're making dealings with her again boy--" FP questions, the anger in his voice apparent. 

"If you want the answer to that, you're looking at the wrong son--" Jughead answers, and FP turns to Charles, a concerned expression across his face.

Charles lets out a sigh, and meets his father's gaze. They don't say a word, but internally they're having an entire exchange.