Just This Once

10

"Seriously, Jug? I'm already living in your house, I can't let you do this."

"Betty, I'm fine with taking the couch. I usually sleep there anyways." I laughed at her, as I watched her grow more angry and stubborn.

"Jughead."

"No, Betty. You get my room." She looked anxious about it, but I didn't care. She gave up, and that's all that mattered. "Love you, Cooper."

"Fuck you, Jones." I laughed at how she made the same remark as she did when she went on that date with Tomas. She walked out of the room, but left her book bag full of clothes. She surprisingly had a lot considering it was only supposed to be for one night at the cabin. Veronica made her pack a lot extra.

"Juggie, What will your dad think?" I walked out to the living room to see her lying on the couch.

"To hell what he thinks. You need me right now, and I will help you however I can." She turned to me and smiled, and I sat down with her.

"Thank you, so much, Jug. You don't know how much this means to me."

"I would do anything for you, Betts."

"Okay, Jughead." She sounded unsure.

"Do you think I wouldn't?" She sat up and looked serious. Her eyes were watery, and I had no idea what was going through her head.

"Jug, would you live for me?" I paused, and looked at her closely. I had no idea why she was asking me that.

"Why, Betty?"

"Because I don't think I can live without you, Jug. And I would go insane for it. I know it's a selfish question, but would you spare me that pain, or can you not live without me?" There was no right answer to this question, and I knew it. But I moved closer to her and held her in my arms.

"Betty, I would do whatever to keep you safe. And if that meant dying, so be it. But if that meant living, then that's what I would do." I was still so confused as to why she was asking me.

We passed the time by watching tv until it was kind of late. Betty looked exhausted.

"Jug, I'm going to go to bed."

"Okay, Betts." About 10 minutes after she had been in my room, I walked down the hallway towards the bathroom when I heard noises coming from behind the door.

I opened it to see Betty sobbing, buried under the brown covers. I quickly walked over to her, and made her sit up so I could hug her. I kissed her forehead and told her to breathe, since she was hyperventilating.

"Betty, what's going on?" I whispered. She responded after a minute so that she could catch her breath.

"My mom is dead.  She didn't live. I'm losing everything's that's important to me. My mom isn't coming back. Never. I won't ever see her again." She started sobbing again, and I just let her. I forgot that she never had a reaction to her mom dying, maybe it was just hitting her then. At least I knew why she asked me about if I would live for her, though.

When she finally called down some, I set her back down on the pillow and decided to move to the couch.

"Jug." I turned around to see her reaching out to me. "Stay." I climbed back into bed with her, and fell asleep with her in my arms.

It was perfect.