"jughead!" betty exclaims and grips his arm tighter. "breathe through it, babe" he turns and hugs her to his chest "you are doing so good. i am so sorry. you are so brave." he continues to mumble encouragements into her ear as she winces and gasps into his neck. she grabs a fistful of his serpent jacket and groans louder than she has the whole night. "oh betty..." jughead breathed out quietly sniffed back tears in his eyes. his stomach was doing flips as his wife desperately clutched him as she experienced the worst pain of her life, and he couldn't even get her to a hospital. we should have stayed in riverdale. he tries to push the regret out of his head knowing it is useless now. "babe, you got this" he whispers as the pain slowly releases betty. she nods and motions for them to keep going. their car is now far behind them, and the lights from the nearest exit can be seen. only a few minutes later betty stops again. "jughead" she cries and all but collapses forward. "hey hey hey—" he rushes to stable her "i've got you— i've got you; you're okay" "huhhhh... ahhh... juggie— mmmmm" she lets out as the contraction runs through her. "these are getting close" jughead mumbles running his hand through her messy ponytail. "ah!" betty yells surprised and bends her knees as if to crouch on the ground. "no—" jughead stops her from lowering herself "sweetheart, we can't stop here" she doesn't say anything; she only looks up into jughead's eyes and lets tears fall down her cheeks. "betty..." jughead kisses her forehead and then her cheek and then her lips. she is still breathing heavily but has regained her balance. "betty, let me..." he bends down to put one arm under her knees which are still wet. "no, jug—" betty argues but he already has her in the air. "please" he looks into her eyes; she can see how much her pain is hurting him, so she nods. her arms snake up around his neck and she lets her head fall against his shoulder. "but i am so—" "don't even" he cuts her off. "you are carrying our child; you—" he kisses her "—are perfect" he kisses her again and begins walking. the next contraction comes less than five minutes later and betty squeezes herself closer to jughead's chest. it kills him, but he keeps walking as she gasps and whimpers her way through it. as it ebbs away, betty feels something wet fall on her forehead and she looks up to see tears running down her husband's cheeks. "juggie..." she reaches up to wipe one away "this isn't your—" "—yes it is, betty." he snaps, not angrily but anxiously "my wife is in labor, active labor, and i can't do anything; i can't even get you to a hospital." his tears fall faster "betty i am so sorry" he chokes out. "hey..." she strains her neck to kiss his cheek "you are doing everything you can, and i know that" she assured him although she can tell it isn't helping "and i love you, jughead jones." he lets a small smile cross his face quickly. "and i love you, betty jones" he leans down and kisses her lips. suddenly betty pulls away and gasps "another one" she musters our before sobs over take her "betts..." jughead quickens his pace feeling more helpless than before "we are almost there, betty" he promised as she whines and grips his shoulder. "you're going to be okay; you are okay" he isn't sure if he is trying to convince her or himself. as the contraction releases her, they finally make it past the exit sign.
