"So, did Mommy fail her test?" Jughead is brought back to the present moment, his little family all huddled together on a blanket in the middle of the campground. His beautiful 5-year-old girl with dark curly hair and piercing green eyes sits in front of him, perched up, sitting on her heels, desperate for any information she can get about her parents before they were Mommy and Daddy. His blonde headed, blue eyed 3-year-old boy was climbing his back like a jungle gym, having lost interest in the story about half way in.
Smiling at his daughter, Adelyn, he says: "Of course not, Bean."
Her eyes light up with admiration and she climbs into Jughead's empty lap. Peering up at him she whispers, "But only because you helped her, right, Daddy? Because like Mommy always says, you're her knight in shining armor."
"I don't know Bean, I think Mom is the knight in shining armor." Jughead quickly pulls his son, Luke from his shoulder and plops the boy onto his lap next to Addy. Tickling them, he calls out over their laughter, "I think I'm the dragon in this family! Here to take you down with tickles and kisses!" The sound of squeals of delight and laughter echo through the night as Jughead showers his children with kisses.
A soft, sweet voice comes from behind them. "Alright hooligans, who wanted hot chocolate?"
"Mommy!" Both kids instantly scramble towards Betty, leaving Jughead on the blanket. Addy grabs the cups from Betty, ever the little helper and Luke clings onto Betty's leg, forever her sweet Mama's boy.
Leaning down, Betty scoops up Luke and places a loud smooch onto his chubby little cheek, so she can actually walk without spilling the hot chocolate everywhere. "Well hello, my loves. Did you survive with Daddy while I was gone?" Luke's response is to snuggle deeper into her shoulder, his eyes already droopy and Addy nods enthusiastically. Jughead smiles up at his beautiful wife before taking the thermos from her. They all get situated on the blanket, Addy back in her father's lap and Betty leaning up against him with a sleeping Luke in her arms.
Jughead reaches his arms around his daughter in order to pour the hot chocolate from the thermos and into a cup for her.
"Did you remember the marshmallows, Mommy?" Addy asks, her eyes transfixed on the chocolate liquid being poured in front of her.
Betty reaches from behind her and triumphantly holds out the bag of white puffy sugar bombs. "Of course I brought them! Who do you think I am?" Addy's face splits into a huge grin, taking up the entirety of her face. She makes grabby hands at the bag and immediately rips it open when Betty gives it to her, marshmallows going everywhere. Shaking his head, Jughead helps to pick up the launched marshmallows. He's rewarded with a kiss to his cheek by the 5-year-old and a "Thanks Daddy." She settles in with her cup and a half eaten marshmallow, leaning as far back into her father a possible before tilting her face to the sky.
Betty leans over and brushes a stray curls from the young girl's face. "Okay Pumpkin, do you remember any of the constellations Daddy taught you last night?"
"Yup!" She answers, with an exaggerated pop to the "p". "The Little Dipper is right there, with the shiniest star at the very top."
Jughead runs his hand through her silky hair, heart bursting with love for his smart girl. "That's right, Bean!"
Addy looks at her mother and nearly shouts, in the oblivious way children do, "That's the first constipation Daddy showed you!" Betty and Jughead share a look and try not to laugh at their daughter's mix up.
"It's a constellation, sweetheart. But yes, it was the first one. How did you know?"
Addy looks back at the sky. "Daddy told me all about it."
Jughead watches the little girl in wonderment, knowing that what he has right now couldn't hold a candle to anything he had envisioned for his life as a child. Betty kisses his shoulder, taking his attention from the little ball of energy in his lap, his head turning towards her. They share a smile, both watching as Luke lets out a little huff, nose scrunching in his sleep, and snuggles deeper into Betty.
Jughead places a kiss to the crown of Betty's head and whispers into her hair. "He looks just like you with his nose like that."
Betty caresses the toddler's cheek lovingly before looking up at her husband. "My nose doesn't scrunch." she whispers back, acting like he's crazy for saying so.
Jughead looks at her and narrows his eyes in jest before she breaks out into a smile. "Fine, maybe I do." They're quiet again, until Addy breaks the silence with her curiosities. Jughead points out all of his and Betty's favorite constellations as well as pointing out the Milky Way. By the time he's finished explaining, Addy is fast asleep, a ring of chocolate around her mouth from her finished drink. Betty and Jughead watch their little mischief makers' peaceful faces, relishing in the quiet that so rarely occurred.
Betty breaks the silence once more. "I want another one."
Jughead pauses the gentle up and down on Addy's back to look over at his wife. "Another...hot chocolate?"
Betty laughs and stamps a kiss to his lips, moving carefully as to not wake up Luke. "No, silly. I want another baby."
Thinking for a moment, Jughead realizes how absolutely chaotic his life would be with three little monsters running around. He smiles against Betty's lips and whispers an answer easily. "Absolutely."
Betty sighs in relief, her body relaxing further into his. "When we get back to the house, we have a lot of work to do, Mr. Jones." she says with a sly wink.
