What We Once Were: A Bughead Fanfic

Chapter 19.

Jughead arrived at Archie's house, meeting him in the garage, since his friend needed help with his car.

"Hey Jug." Archie greeted as he stood beside his car with a dazed and tired look on his face. His posture was slouched, his hair was messy, he looked like a drag which was not like him at all.

"Woke up on the wrong side of the bed, Arch?" He teased.

Archie gave him a half smirk, "funny. Ronnie's been a little high strung for the last few days, she hasn't been sleeping good at all either, and neither have I." Archie sighed, rubbing his eyes. "But I guess I could say the same to you, you look like crap."

"Wow, thanks man. Really, I'm flattered that I wake up early to help you and you insult me." Jughead said, sarcasm dripping from his voice, causing them both to laugh.

"Just...another rough night." Jughead sighed, turning his attention to the car. "So what's the problem here?"

"It won't start."

Jughead popped the hood and saw that Archie had blown a gasket. "Well, you've blown your gasket, I can pick up the part for you later. Do you need the car at all today? I can give you a ride somewhere if you need it." Jughead offered.

"Thanks Jug, but I don't think I need to go anywhere today."

"Isn't Veronica due any day?"

Some light flickered in Archie's tired eyes, "Yeah. But her due date is on Wednesday, it's only Monday. And she's out with some coworkers today."

"I'll bring the part by after work today." Jughead said, slamming the hood shut. "Are you excited?"

"For the baby? Yes, but I'm kinda freaking out." Archie admitted, dropping down on a chair in the back corner of the cluttered garage; stuffed with empty boxes, bubble wrap and other baby items.

"You and Veronica will be great parents. You don't have to worry about that." He reassured Archie.

"How did you—oh, right. I'm sorry." Archie started but then remembered that Jughead had never had to worry about this part of having a kid.

Jughead's heart sank, he wished he could've been like this. All worried and afraid for having the baby, but at the same time, feeling excited and anxious to meet their baby for the first time. How had Betty done this all on her own? He thought, thinking of all the times he'd seen Archie and Veronica who had this look on their faces of excitement and paranoia. At least they both relied on each other, they could both talk to each other and depend on each other for this. Betty had no one, not even her own mother came to her aid.

He'd been so foolish, he loved her then. God he'd loved her, then and even more now. Why in the world had he thought that he would stop, he'd been crazy for her. Jughead would drop anything and everything to be by her side and comfort her, love her and be there for her no matter what stood in their way. And when the possibility of a future together was so close, something they'd both wanted with each was within reach, he'd ruined it. It seemed as though he was more in love with her that day than ever before and he'd crushed her, he broke both their hearts that day over a thought—a feeling that wasn't even near the truth.

Jughead wanted to change that day, the five years to follow that day we're dull, grey and pointless. Betty was the light in his life, she was there to guide him away from his darkness and at the same time, allowed him to confront it and face it. Without that light, the love of his life, he was nothing, he felt like nothing he did or even he himself had meaning. Not without her.

"Jug? You okay?" Archie's voice pulled him from his all consuming regret.

"I'm fine."

"One thing Ronnie has taught me, is that whenever someone says they're fine, they really aren't. What's going on?"