Come Hell or High Water

Chapter 15

1 Year Old

Today is Freddie and Ally's first birthday. Jughead and Betty have gone a little overboard, but they keep telling themselves it's because a first birthday is one of the most special ones. Jughead is currently helping Betty decorate the living room for the party while F.P has taken the twins out with Jellybean. Betty and Jughead bought unicorn decorations for Ally and dinosaur decorations for Freddie. "Can you believe that our babies are 1 already?" Jughead asks. "I know. It only seems like yesterday I was giving birth to them." Betty says. "Sometimes I have to pinch myself so that I know everything is real because it feels like I have been dreaming for the last year." Jughead says. "I know that feeling but at the same time I'm lucky." Betty says. "I know what you mean." Jughead says. "I can't wait to be Mrs. Jones." Betty says. "Only 3 months to go Betts." Jughead says. Betty and Jughead share a short passionate kiss.

2 Hours Later

Betty and Jughead are upstairs in their bed naked when they hear the doorbell ring and reality comes back to them. Jughead dresses quickly to answer the door while Betty takes a few minutes to make sure her outfit looks the way she intended. When Betty emerges downstairs, she sees F.P, Jellybean, Sweet Pea and Josie in the living room with the twins. "Nice bite marks Cooper." Sweet Pea says as a greeting. "Lay off Sweets. At least JB and I can't hear when they get close unlike you and Josie." F.P says. Sweet Pea and Josie both blush. "There's my birthday babies." Betty says scooping Freddie and Ally up into her arms. "Mama." They both say in unison. Betty peppers kisses on their faces and they burst into giggles. "They are standing more on their own now." F.P says as a way of making conversation. "Yeah Jug and I recon they could take their first steps any day now." Betty says. "Then you need eyes in the back of your head you and Jug because they will run circles round you. If they are anything like Jug and JB were then they'll be climbing on anything solid." F,P says. "That's good to know. Where is Jug?" Betty asks only just noticing he's not in the room. "He went to pick up Cheryl and Toni, Cheryl's car wouldn't start, and Nana Rose told her that it was important that she bought Juniper and Dagwood so they can bond with their Aunt Betty and their cousins." F.P says. Betty nods and the doorbell rings.

Betty puts the twins down on the floor and opens the door to reveal Archie, Veronica and 4-month-old Natalia who gives Betty a gummy smile when she sees her. Just as Betty is about to close the front door Jughead pulls up at the curb. Jughead gets out of the car first followed by Toni and they pick up Juniper and Dagwood and then Cheryl steps out. When they step into the living room Cheryl and Jughead set Juniper and Dagwood on their feet and they run off to play. "Hey Juliet." Jughead says to Betty and kisses her. Betty pulls away before the kiss can get too heated. "Hey Romeo." Betty says. "Okayyy, you two can make heart eyes at each other later." Sweet Pea says. "Like you and Josie haven't been doing the same thing." Betty says making them both blush.

After everyone arrives, they spend the next few hours playing games. When they finish playing the games Jughead and Betty grab the twins present so they can open them. Jughead and Betty bought the twins clothes and toys. F.P and Jellybean bought them clothes. Cheryl and Toni bought them toys. Archie and Veronica bought them clothes. Once the presents are opened Betty and Jughead retreat to the kitchen and enter a few moments later carrying a cake each. Ally's cake is soft pink with unicorns and stars. Freddie's cake is forest green with dinosaurs and books. Betty and Jughead start singing Happy Birthday and everyone joins in. When it is time for them to blow out the candles no one says anything when Archie and Veronica help them.

Around 6 everyone starts heading home and Jughead starts cooking dinner. The only ones who stay behind are F.P and Jellybean because Betty offered for them to stay for dinner. "I can't believe they are a year old already." F.P says as they watch the twins play with some of their new toys. "I know it doesn't feel like it has been a year." Betty says. "I remember Jug's first birthday. Gladys and I had an argument the night before about whether he needed a party. She was adamant that it would make no difference because he wouldn't even remember it. I try to get through to her that Jughead is our only son and that he should have every experience that other kids have. I had got it into my head that even though we were poor I wanted my son to have everything I didn't. Of course, Gladys got her way. I never wanted Jug to hate his birthday, but circumstance made it so that he did." F.P says with a downtrodden expression on his face. "I know things were difficult back then for many reasons but Jughead is really proud to be your son and I know that sometimes things from his childhood bother him but he's using everything you taught to be the sort of Dad that Ally, and Freddie will proud of. Just like he is proud of you." Betty says. Neither of them noticed Jughead stood in the doorway with a small smile on his face.

Jughead walks fully into the room. "Food is ready." Jughead says and then heads to the dining area. Once everyone is in their seats Jughead dishes out the food. Once everyone has their food they dig in and eat in comfortable silence. When everyone has finished eating, they take a moment to appreciate Jughead's cooking. Betty wipes the food off the twins faces. F.P picks up Freddie from his highchair and Betty picks up Ally. They go into the living room and place them on the floor. Freddie grabs the sofa where F.P and Jellybean are sitting. Freddie stands up on his legs shakily at first and after he's steady proceeds to let go. "JUGGIE!!" Betty calls to Jughead. Jughead runs into the living room just in time to see Freddie take one shaky step towards Betty however upon seeing Jughead walks towards him and Jughead bends down with his arms open. When Freddie reaches Jughead he falls into his arms. "Good job buddy." Jughead says. "Dada." Freddie says right back to him. Ally not wanting to be outdone by her brother stands up holding onto the coffee table and then let's go and walks towards F.P. "Pa. (meaning Grandpa)" Ally says when she reaches him. "My babies are so clever. Now we really will need eyes in the backs of our heads." Betty says. Jughead nods with the biggest grin on his face.