Refuge

The Unknown

Since the night air is chilly, Veronica puts a coat on her four year old daughter before they leave their apartment, two small suitcases- one for each of them.

"Mommy, where are we going?" Charlotte asks softly, holding her stuffed lamb tightly.

"We're just going to get on the train baby, remember?" Veronica tries to smile. She's never been this scared or alone in her life, even though she's with her daughter- it's terrifying to her that there's another person counting on her.

"Yes," the little girl nods, holding her Mom's hand. She doesn't speak or ask any more questions for the entire cab ride, until they're boarding the train. "Where is the train going?"

"We're going to my old home," Veronica explains.

"But why? I like our old house," Charlotte frowns.

"Because, Charlie, it's time for us to go somewhere else," the mother pulls her daughter close. A single tear rolls down her face, but she doesn't want her daughter to see her cry. "There will be lots of friends and new people there who will be so excited to meet you."

"Where are we going to live?" Charlotte asks. "Am I going to have a new room?"

"I don't know, baby," Veronica bites her lip, before pressing a kiss to her daughter's nose. "But Mommy is going to figure everything out, and we're going to be just fine."

"Okay." The response is enough for the sidetracked four year old, who asks for her iPad and entertains herself with it for the rest of the train ride.

Veronica stares out the window, watching trees and signs as the train rushes past. She's never been uncertain of her next move before and she can't imagine what must have made her do this. How could she have been crazy enough to pick up her and her daughter's entire life and move it?

The only thing she wants in the world is for Charlie to be safe and healthy and happy and she knows that wasn't possible in New York City. Charlotte was not something she was willing to risk, and as a mother she would have gone to any extreme to ensure that.

Looking to her left, she sees her daughter snoring soundly, with her headphones still playing an episode of Peppa Pig. She carefully turns the iPad off and lets her sleep soundly until the train stops and the conductor announces the name of the town.

Riverdale.

The town is still familiar, at least what she can see through the window of the taxi she finally managed to get. Charlie is clearly confused, perplexed by her new surroundings.

When they pull up to the house on Elm Street, it looks all too familiar. She thanks the taxi driver and pays him a little extra, before helping Charlotte grab her little suitcase and holding her hand up the steps. The ground is a little wet, and she doesn't want her to slip. Why is it always raining in this town?

"Mommy, knock on the door," Charlie says after a few moments of Veronica just standing there. She doesn't know why she's so nervous.

A few seconds after the knock she hears the sound of it unlocking, and Charlotte ducks behind her mothers legs, making herself hidden.

"Ronnie?" the familiar voice says, and her heart drops into her stomach. "What are you doing here?"

"I-" she doesn't know how to explain it to him, but then Charlotte peaks her head out.

"Mommy, who is it?" she whispers, and the stranger's face might as well be green, he's so surprised.

"Who is this?" he asks, as Charlotte steps in front of her Mom.