Taking my message from the veins | Jarchie ✓

Fifteen

The sound of the gunshot continued to ring in their ears far after it had been fired, along with the sickly feeling of their hearts pounding in fear. The scariest part of all of this was that neither Jughead nor Toni knew a) who had fired the gun b) who the gun was fired at and c) if anyone had even been shot. Everything was uncertain, the options were still open for both Veronica and Archie being unharmed, but Jughead couldn't help but let his mind dwell on the worst possible scenario. What if Hiram had gone and done it and shot Archie? But he couldn't have, could he? After all, he said that he wanted them alive. Or what if it had been Veronica who perished? That wouldn't be fair, after everything she had done to help their cause, leaving behind everything she knew and for what? For them. Neither Archie or Veronica deserved such a fate, they were both innocent. 

The weight of what had had just happened hit Jughead like a tidal wave, causing him to sink down onto his knees. His fists grasped at the grass and dirt below, but he didn't cry, he was still far too in shock as was Toni. She could hardly move, all she could do was look back at the building that they had just fled from, hoping that someone, anyone, would emerge. But, alas, no one did, the defining silence mocking them in their panic.

From behind them, Toni could hear some shuffling of leaves on the forest floor. She turned to see Cheryl, Josie, and Betty, obviously they must have left their posts after getting curious about whey the others were taking so long. 

"Toni?" Josie asked, noticing Jughead on the ground. "What's going on? Where's Archie?"

Toni sighed before beckoning the three girls to come closer, whispering in their ears what had happened as to not upset Jughead anymore. Once she was done explaining about the gunshot, they all took a moment as the shock made its way to the hearts of the blonde and the redhead.

"So..." Betty's breath hitched. "Veronica or Archie could be..."

Toni nodded solemnly. "But we don't know that for sure..."

At that point, Jughead couldn't take it anymore. He let out a scream of anger and despair that could have been heard for miles as he put his hands, which had lit up, over his face which muffled his uncontrollable sobs. Cheryl reached over to try and comfort him but Toni stopped her, knowing that he needed to let it all out before he would let anyone touch him. Jughead continued to cry, the thought of Archie being dead was too much for him. It was as if life just didn't want them to be happy, so much so that it decided to tear them apart for good. It wasn't fair, nothing was fair!

Just then, they heard a twig snap. They all looked up and saw two figures coming towards them. Without thinking, Cheryl whipped out her bow and aimed at the approaching shadows.

"Who's there?" She called out.

"Cheryl," a voice called out. It sounded choked as if the person had been crying, but it still sounded familiar. "Put it down."

They all stopped, Cheryl put down her weapon. It couldn't be, could it? But as the shadows came closer, it became increasingly obvious that it was. It was Veronica, alive and well, and by her side was none other than Archie Andrews. Jughead looked up, and for a second he didn't know how to respond, but then it all hit him, both the relief and the pure happiness.

"Oh my god!" Was all he was able to say before he ran over to both of them and hugged them both as if they could disappear at any moment. "You're alive! You're here!"

"That's right, Juggie," Archie said. "You're not getting rid of me that easily."

Jughead couldn't reply, he was far too overjoyed. And he wasn't the only one.

"Veronica!" Betty called out, running over to the raven-haired girl.

"Oh, Betty..." Veronica said, tears running down her cheeks. She put her hands on the blonde girl's cheeks and placed her lips on hers, pulling her into a passionate kiss. The others would have reacted, but they were too overwhelmed to really notice.