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Epilogue

July 24th

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Jug smiled sadly, stopping on their bedroom door. Betty was awake now, her face turned away from his side of the bed, shoulders shaking as quiet sobs filled the room. He sighed quietly, climbing back into the bed, under the soft warm covers, and wrapped his arms around her from the back.

"Morning baby," he whispered, kissing her neck after pushing her messy hair out of the way.

Betty sniffled quietly. "Morning."

"Look at me?" he requested softly. The blonde sighed but turned around in his arms and rested her head on his biceps, making eye contact with her fiance. Jug's thumbs gently brushed under her eyes, pushing the tears away, quickly replaced by other new ones.

He wasn't stupid enough to ask her if she still wanted to do this. Of course, she did. They were more in love than ever, everyone was there already, and she was going to get her dream wedding; on a private beach, and later dinner and everything else it the big hall next to the amazingly beautiful place.

He knew why she was crying. She had been crying the morning after he had asked her to marry him too. She missed her dad. He wasn't going to be there. Not physically at least. And that hurt. A whole lot more than anybody could ever imagine. So much more than he could imagine.

His mother wasn't going to be there. But not because she couldn't be, because he simply didn't invite her. That didn't hurt. He had never even known her after Jellybean was born. And he didn't want to anymore either.

"Baby, it's gonna be okay," he whispered, looking at her trembling lip and hurt eyes. "You'll feel sad, but we'll address him, I promise. We'll pay respect, we'll take the moment of silence we talked about, remember?"

Betty nodded while crying. "I just... He was always going to be there. I never imagined he wouldn't. And now you didn't even get the chance to meet him and our kids didn't get the chance to meet him. I feel so broken all over again."

Jug's lips brushed against her forehead. "I love you. You love me. I'm sure he would've loved me, too." He gulped when she took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. "Would a plate of pancakes and syrup help with your feelings?"

Betty chuckled softly, letting him wipe away her tears once again. "Maybe it would. Are the kids up?"

"Too up. They're so excited, it's exhausting."

"Your genes," she murmured, kissing his lips. "I love you."

"I love you too," he smiled, kissing her nose. "Cutie."

"Come on, babies, you're up," Jug whispered to his kids.

"Not a baby, daddy," Nathan said, looking at his dad squatting in front of him.

"I'm sorry," he chuckled, giving his head a kiss and another one to Willow.

"Do I need to hold his hand?" Willow asked with her nose wrinkled up.

"Yes," Betty chuckled.

"Boys have cooties," she protested.

"He's your brother, you kiss him every day," Jug chuckled, bringing their hands together. The little girl kept frowning, so Jug kissed her nose, knowing it would make her giggle. It did.

"Come on, you're late," Betty chuckled.

The two went ahead, Nate being the ring bearer and Willow the flower girl. All of their friends and family awed when the two walked down the aisle under the burning sun. When Willow through yet another handful of flowers into the air, one flew into Nate's mouth though and he spat it out, looking at his sister angrily and making everybody laugh. Betty dropped her forehead against Jughead's shoulder, laughing with him.