Come Hell or High Water

Chapter 24

2 years and 9 Days

Betty is currently at home on bedrest as their little boy is due any day now. Jughead is working at the register and Toni has offered to keep Betty company until he returns home and so there is also someone to help with the twins. Jughead is currently working late because he wants to finish the double issue for this weekend that contains a special on the Southside Community Homeless Society which finally has the green light and is being run by Tom Keller, Sierra Keller (McCoy) and Mary Matthews (Andrews). Jellybean is 5 months pregnant but wants to keep her babies gender a surprise. F.P and Jughead have been helping her get everything ready and she also attends school at a special center for teenage parents.

Toni is currently on the phone to Cheryl making sure everything is okay at Thistlehouse when she hears Betty shout her name. "I've got to go babe. I love you and I will call you later." Toni quickly hangs up and runs upstairs. "Toni something is wrong." Betty says when Toni enters the room. Betty lifts up the cover and Toni sees her blood-stained trousers. Toni runs outside and across the road to Archie's house walking in without knocking. "Archie, I need your help it's Betty." Toni says out of breath. "Go. I'll watch your kids." Mary says. Archie nods and follows Toni back to Betty. Archie lifts Betty bridal style and takes her to the car and Toni frantically calls the hospital and Jughead. When she reaches the car, she jumps in beside Betty. "I phoned the hospital they will be ready for when we arrive." Toni says putting on her seatbelt. Jughead picks up the phone on the 4th attempt to call. "Hey Toni, is everything okay?" Jughead asks. "No Jug, we have left the twins with your dad. We are on our way to the hospital. Betty is bleeding out we think it might be the baby." Toni says in a hurry. "Shit! I'm on my way. Tell Betty I love her, and I will be there soon. I am just leaving the office now." Jughead says. "Will do just hurry." Toni says and then hangs up the phone.

Archie parks the car haphazardly in the parking lot at the hospital and carries Betty inside. "My friend is 9 months pregnant and has started bleeding heavily. We phoned ahead to let you know we were on our way." Archie says breathlessly. "I NEED A GURNEY NOW!" The receptionist shouts. The hospital staff load Betty on to a gurney and wheel her down the corridor. "Does she have any family we need to contact?" The receptionist asks. "Her husband is on his way now. He should be here any moment." Toni says and just as she finishes her sentence Jughead runs in. "I'm looking for my wife Elizabeth Jones she's 9 months pregnant." Jughead says. "Your wife has just been taken for tests if you take a seat, I'm sure someone will come and get you shortly." The receptionist says. Jughead sits down and puts his head in his hands.

10 minutes later a nurse emerges from down the corridor. "Mr. Jones?" The nurse asks. Jughead stands up. "That's me. Are they okay?" Jughead asks. "Mr. Jones there is no easy way to say this, but your wife experienced a hemorrhage and we are now preparing her for an emergency c-section." The nurse says. "Can I see her?" Jughead asks. "She's been crying for you. You will have to scrub up before you see her." The nurse says. The nurse leads Jughead to the room where he needs to scrub up as does the nurse. Once they have both done that, she leads him to the Operating Room where Betty is.

Later Jughead emerges to the waiting room where he finds F.P, Archie, Alice, Charles, Toni and Cheryl. Archie spots him first and nudges F.P who is next to him. F.P stands up and heads towards Jughead. "How is she?" F.P asks. "She's sleeping now. The baby has been taken to have tests done to make sure he's okay. He went into distress when the hemorrhage happened." Jughead says. "I was told I could let one person in besides me to see her." Jughead adds quickly. "I want to see her before I head to the station. Someone was assaulted by a guy in a mask." F.P says. Jughead nods and leads his dad to Betty's hospital room.

When they enter the room, Betty is still asleep. F.P sits down in one of the hard-plastic chairs. Jughead sits at the other side of the bed. They sit there in silence for a few minutes and then the nurse wheels in the baby. "Mr. Jones your son is healthy." The nurse says. Jughead stands up and picks his son up from the crib and hands him to F.P. "Dad I would like you to meet your new grandson James Forsythe Jones." Jughead says. "He's gorgeous Jug. I never imagined you would have 3 kids before you are 21." F.P says. "I know. I have to pinch myself sometimes to be sure this is real." Jughead says. "I'm proud of you boy." F.P says. Jughead looks at his dad with a small smile on his face.

Betty woke up about 20 minutes later. "Betts, don't move." Jughead says before she attempts to sit up. "Where is he?" Betty asks. "He's here with dad." Jughead says. "Actually Jug, I have to head to the station." F.P says handing him James. F.P kisses Betty on the head gently and gives Jughead a light pat on the back before exiting the room. Bughead sit in silent just enjoying the presence of their newborn son when the door opens to reveal Alice. "Hey Mom." Betty whispers still exhausted. "Hey Betty, you scared us for a minute. I got a frantic text from Jughead telling me that you were at the hospital." Alice says. "It makes a change from me doing the scaring." Jughead says light-heartedly. "He's making his dad's hair turn grey." Betty says jokingly. Alice lets a laugh at that sentence. Jughead stands from the chair and hands the now sleeping James to Alice.

After about an hour Alice heads home with Charles and Jughead stays the night with Betty. Jughead settles himself in the chair and James is back in the nursery for the night. Betty fell back to sleep 20 minutes ago. Everyone else left about 45 minutes ago and agreed to come back and see them tomorrow during visiting hours.