Come Hell or High Water

Chapter 18

2 Weeks Later

Jughead and Betty are currently at the zoo with the twins, F.P, Alice and Jellybean. They invited Archie along with Natalia however he agreed to go to an ultrasound with Veronica and Josie and Sweet Pea are looking after Natalia. Betty and Jughead have been letting Archie and Natalia stay with them until Archie figures out a more permanent solution. A couple of days ago Betty found out she is pregnant again, she told Jughead, but they are not sure how to tell Archie. They don't want him to feel like he will be being forced out of the house. Archie has been talking to Mary a lot recently and she has been trying to persuade him to move to Chicago. Archie managed to persuade to come to Riverdale for a few days so he can discuss some stuff with her.

At Veronica's ultrasound he is unsurprised to see that Kevin is there too. "Veronica, why am I here if he is here?" Archie asks when he sees them. "I know we messed up Archie but there is still a chance that this baby is yours. I don't want this child to grow up not knowing you are their father." Veronica says. "You should of thought of that before you and Kevin slept together countless times. My mom is coming down and she wants me to move Chicago. If it wasn't for Natalia, I would have taken but I want Natalia to be able to see her Mother. Lets get this nightmare over with." Archie says. Just as Veronica is about to point out they must wait till her name is called. A Nurse enters the waiting area. "Veronica Lodge?" The nurse calls. Veronica, Archie and Kevin follow the nurse to an examination room.

When the doctor enter the room that the 3 of them are in, he senses the tension and decides that whatever problems these kids have (they are after all only 19) is none of his business. "Miss Lodge, I believe you know what to do. Let's see how your baby is on the ultrasound shall we?" The doctor asks. Veronica silently lifts her shirt so that her stomach is on show. "It says in your notes that you have a 7-month-old daughter so the process will be pretty much the same as the first time." The doctor explains. The doctor squeezes the gel onto Veronica's stomach and then rubs the wand on her stomach. Veronica, Archie and Kevin focus on the screen of the ultrasound machine. The doctor stops on an area of Veronica's lower abdomen. "Your babies are perfectly healthy Miss Lodge." The doctor says. "Wait... Babies?" Veronica asks. "Yes, Miss Lodge, you are having twins." The doctor says. Archie and Kevin's jaws fall open. "Doctor, I was wondering is there any way of determining who the father of the babies is before they're born?" Archie asks. "There is but the procedure is only performed with permission from the mother." The Doctor says. "I would like to do the test." Veronica says. The Doctor nods and heads to his office to schedule an appointment for the DNA test. Once the doctor leaves Archie grabs his jacket and leaves to pick up Natalia from Josie's.

When Archie arrives back at Bughead's house they are still out, but they gave him a key in case he ever needed it. Archie heads inside and puts Natalia who is fast asleep down in the travel cot in his temporary room and decides to nap on the bed. When Bughead arrive home, they notice Archie's car outside the house. They are confused by the lack of noise or movement in the house at first however when they head up to put the twins in their cribs as they fell asleep on the drive home, they notice Archie's bedroom door open slightly. They quietly enter the room to check on Archie and Natalia and see Archie fast asleep on the bed and Natalia in the travel cot also fast asleep. They close the door quietly and head downstairs.

Archie wakes up to the smell of food wafting up the stairs and sees that Natalia is also awake. Archie picks up Natalia and heads downstairs. When he enters the kitchen, he sees Betty preparing a simple pasta dish. Betty smiles at him as he grabs a jar of baby food for Natalia. Archie takes Natalia into the living room after heating the food for the appropriate amount of time. He sees Jughead sat on the floor building a tower with Ally and Freddie. "Hey Arch. How was the appointment?" Jughead asks. "She's having twins Jug. I don't think I could bare it if they turned out to be Kevin's." Archie says. "Did she ask about the DNA test as I know you both discussed it last week?" Jughead asks. "She agreed to have one and I decided to leave when the doctor left to book the appointment for the test." Archie says. "I know it feels like everything is against you, but that test will make things easier because you will know for definite if you are going to have more children even if you and Veronica are no longer together." Jughead says. "I know I just wish that she hadn't fooled around with Kevin to begin with. I should have noticed sooner as now that I think about it, we have been drifting apart for some time now." Archie says. Jughead nods and looks at the doorway as Betty enters. "Foods ready." Betty says and heads to the dining area.

Once they finish their dinner Jughead sends Betty and Archie to the living room with the children and heads to the kitchen to do the washing up. "I managed to convince my mom that I should stay in Riverdale. I still want Natalia to know Veronica even if we are no longer together." Archie says. "That's good Arch because even though Vee hurt you this decision shows maturity." Betty says. "Thanks Betty, I know how hard it is having a parent halfway across the country. I don't want that for any of my children." Archie says. "Arch, I cant begin to understand life as a single parent, but we all know someone who does. I think it would be beneficial if you speak to Jughead's dad." Betty says. "I'll think about it Betty. Thank you for everything you and Jughead have done to help." Archie says. Betty nods and turns her attention to Ally who crawls into her lap.

That night Archie lies awake thinking about everything that happens in the past couple of weeks and wonders what he did wrong for this to happen to him. Archie thought that Veronica loved him enough that she would never even consider cheating on him however she has proved him wrong. All he knows for definite is that if those twins are his he won't let her keep him away from his children. He's tried to sort out co-parenting for Natalia but every time he tries, she seems disinterested. He doesn't want his daughter to suffer for stuff that is happening between them. Another thing that is keeping him up is that he should really find his own place because as much as he appreciates Bughead letting him stay with them he needs his own space.