Rule - Sweet Pea (1)

My Sweets

Sweet Pea paced back and forth around their- his house, guilt eating him. Desperate to let something out, a hand reached for the nearest object, an empty orange vase on the kitchen table, Sweet Pea launching it across the room and into the wall. His gaze landed on an ivory colored envelope, My Sweets wrote on the top of it in silver ink. Tears stung the back of Sweet Pea's green eyes as he gingerly snatched the item, hooking his finger under the paper and tearing it open.

My Sweets,

I don't know where to begin seeing as this is the hardest thing I've ever done. But I do know this; You saved me. Before I met you I was broken, hurt, and alone. Meeting you in the Whyte Wyrm changed my life forever, and suddenly I had found the one. You. We bickered like an old married couple, and I guess we can thank Archie for our first kiss.

I love you Sweet Pea Christopher Reyes. From the first time I saw you, to the first time we made love. I remember the way you never left my side after what happened with St. Clair, no matter how broken I was. The way you cooked me breakfast the next morning and cuddled with me all night, or the first time we showered together.

But my favorite memory was the night you gave me two things I'll wear forever. My promise ring and necklace, it was the most important day of my life. From your speech to the idea itself, the way your fingers lingered as you laid them out, or how we couldn't keep our hands off each other the entire way home and you threatened to pull the truck over. I know how pissed you are at me over Fang's, but I have something to confess.

Fang's isn't dead, Sweets.

Jauquin and I snuck him out of Riverdale, I just didn't get the chance to tell you before FP showed up at the bar. But I need to tell you one more thing; I love you. You're mad at me, and I'm a little mad at you, but we always get through things like this, Sweets. Because we're together!

I know, I know, you're reading this and thinking who are you and what have you done to the love of my life? I'm right here, Sweets, I'm right here. I have to go do something, something to protect the south side, and you aren't going to like it. If I don't come back, don't be mad at me, I'm always here. But, if I do come back, we have a lot of celebrating to do ;)

Love,

your Angel

The letter fell from Sweet Pea's hands as soon as he finished the last word, simultaneously grabbing his bike keys and dialing FP. "Hello?"  The world was speeding past Sweet Pea, but it felt like he was slowing down.

"Its Rule, she's in trouble."

___________

Two Hours Earlier

Penny met Rule's eyes, the former unable to suppress her inner feelings of sorrow as her niece walked to her death. The blonde hurried toward Rule, stopping her before any of the Ghoulies saw her. "Rule, you don't have to do this. You can still run-" Rule cut off her Aunt, surprised by the sincerity in Penny's voice. "I don't run Aunt Penny, I'll die for the people I love. I guess that's the difference between me and you," Penny grabbed her niece's shoulders, panic on her face. "What do you need me to do? They're not here yet. Punch me, I'll tell them you got away!"

That's when Rule realized her Aunt cared. She cared whether Rule lived or died, whether she was happy or sad, hurt or healthy. Penny Peabody cared about her Niece, and she was going to be forced to participate in her death. Rule stepped forward, her hand slowly moving towards her Aunt's cheek. "Don't you remember what I said to be nicknamed Rule?" The pair started the next sentence in complete sync, the beginning of tears showing in their eyes.

"Don't you know why they call me Rule? Because I make them and I break them."

They chuckled quietly, Rule squeezing her Aunt's hand in a signal for her to listen closely. "I need you to do me a few things, okay?" Penny nodded so fast her head could've popped off, trying to dry her tears. "One, I need you to leave my tattoo alone. It's the only thing I have left of Mom and Dad, it seems fitting that it should be on me when I die." The tiniest of squeaks escaped Penny when her Niece muttered that last line. "Two, leave Jughead, Sweet Pea, and everyone alone. And three, he may have cheated, but I still love him, so please leave the ring and necklace alone. I love you, Aunt Penny." Penny nodded in agreement, confliction on her face as she did the unexpected.

Taking her by the upper arm, Penny squeezed Rule to her chest, one hand running through her ink-black hair. "I love you too, Rule. I haven't done the best job of showing it, but I do. Trust me, I know I don't deserve it, but trust me." Rule's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, not getting enough time to ask what Penny meant before they were separated by oncoming voices. Penny stepped away from Rule, a silent agreement between them as harden masks slipped over their faces.

It happened quickly, so much so that Rule wasn't sure if it actually was happening. Ghoulies and a few disowned Serpents gathered around her, Malachai throwing the first punch into Rule's stomach. They called her weak for not fighting back, but all the fight had left her a few hours earlier. Penny shouted in outrage when someone stabbed Rule in the shoulder, no weapons being one of the first rules. Blood poured from her wound, Rule falling back onto a slab of stone and cracking her head on the rock. A gasp rocked Rule's body, her swollen and bloody eyes managing to make out Penny's blonde hair leaning over her.

"Te-tell my family that I... I love th-"

One last intake of oxygen was heard before pure silence, not even a sudden burst of Ghoulie cheers yanking a distraught Aunt from the pain she caused.