In Your Arms

In Your Arms Chapter Five: The Not-So-Subtle Goodbye

Jughead's POV...

Betty lays asleep in the hospital bed while I sit in the chair adjacent to it, tapping my foot anxiously against the ground. I had called the...the funeral parlor yesterday when the Neurologist told me the news, and—with the permission of Alice, of course—informed them about our situation, and even though I keep telling myself she won't go, that she won't leave me and Juliet, I had made funeral preparations for Betty. My precious, beautiful Betty. Her life has still so much more left to live, and it might be taken away any day. Any hour. Any minute. Any second.
I shake my head, clearing those negative thoughts out of my mind and instead staring at Betty and Juliet, who's wrapped up in Betty's arms as she's also asleep. My two girls.
My phone buzzes and I open it, the group chat that Archie, Veronica and I had created pinging to life.

A: Hey Jug, how's Betty been? Y'know, with the news that you told us yesterday..

V: Yes, please inform us, Jughead. I need to know how my bestie's doing since this redheaded menace won't let me out of the house—or his sight, for that matter—while this baby is inside of me.

J: She's doing okay, nothing better nor worse since yesterday to my relief. Also Veronica, don't be too hard on Archie. I was the same way when Betts was pregnant with Jules.

A: Thank you! You see what I'm talking about, Ronnie?

V: Just say it to me you dumb ass, I'm in the same room as you.

A: Don't we just love pregnancy hormones, Jug?

J: Oh yes, how splendid they are 😂

V: Oh shut it you ungrateful pigs.

J: Ungrateful? Right, because you totally weren't there after Jules was born to hear me thank Betty so much that she had actually told me to shut the hell up.

V: You're right, you're right.

A: Mhm. And I'll be doing the same thing when Aiden is born, Ronnie 😘

J: Ugh, stop flirting over dms and just fuck each other already 🙄

V: Jughead Jones!

A: ...😏

I chuckle quietly to myself while turning off my notifications and putting my phone back into my pocket of my Southside Serpent jacket, a fiery argument between Veronica and Archie igniting.
"Well what are you laughing about?" I hear Betty whisper drowsily, smiling weakly at me while looking in my direction.
"Nothing, I'm sorry Love, did I wake you?" I respond, getting up to kiss her forehead before sitting back down.
She shakes her head, "No, I woke up by myself."
"How do you feel?" She rolls her eyes at the same question I've asked her every time she wakes from one of her naps or every hour on the hour.
"I feel fine, Juggie, relax."
I sigh, nodding my head, "That's good."
"Jug," Betty begins, "What's on your mind, Love?" She asks.
I shake my head, "Nothing," I assure her through a lie.
"Talk to me," she urges, taking my hand in hers since there's little space between the bed and the chair I'm sitting in.
I sigh, "Betts, I don't want to worry or burden you with my problems and thoughts."
"Since when we have kept something from each other? Not since the disgusting kiss between Archie and me right? So, Jughead, tell me."
"I...I just..." I stammer, not sure how to say what I'm thinking, lightly.
She reads my eyes, as if she was staring into my thoughts and sighs, "You're scared of losing me," it wasn't a question.
"How did you...?" I mutter in astonishment.
"Jughead, we've been together for almost ten years. I can tell what you're thinking within a matter of seconds," she explains.
I blink away my shock and exhale, rubbing my eyes, "I don't know what I'd do without you, Betts."
"Look," she grips my hands, "When I.."
"..if," I cut her off and she smirks slightly, shaking her head and rolling her eyes.
"If I don't survive this, you'll have to manage. I know it'd be hard, I do, but you need to be there for Jules. Alright? Don't do anything drastic, and don't give up. She'll need her father if I'm not there anymore. Please, Juggie. Promise me you won't give up for her sake."
I take my other hand and wrap hers in both of mine as I lean down, kissing it, "I promise, Baby. I swear, I wouldn't give up. I wouldn't do that to Jules."
"Thank you," she whispers.
"Of course."

Betty's POV...

I choke back tears, refusing to let them fall. I know that I don't have much longer. Last night, I had a dream where I saw Fred Andrews, Jason Blossom, Midge Clump, and everyone else that this town has lost. They were holding up a sign, which read Welcome Betty!
At that moment I knew. I feel weaker and weaker as each minutes passes, and I can tell that the next time I go to sleep, I won't wake up. I can see in Jughead's beautiful blue eyes that he's afraid of that, yet part of him expects it. I look at him, forcing a smile as I hold Juliet in one of my arms.
"Juggie," I whisper, deciding to tell him about the key, "There's a key in your Jean-jacket's pocket. It's to my locked drawer in our bedroom. Don't open the drawer until our anniversary, okay?"
He shakes his head, "I won't, because you'll be there to stop me if I tried. Don't, please don't talk like that, Betts. You'll make it, you'll survive this and you'll watch Juliet grow into a beautiful woman, you'll be there when you see your first grandchild, you'll be at her wedding, you'll be there to help her with her schoolwork. You're going to make it."
I let the tears fall, closing my eyes, "Juggie, I won't. I can tell, Jug, and I'm sorry but I'm not going to make it."
"Yes," he sniffles, "You will," he says, though I can see the flicker of doubt in his eyes. He knows I won't, he just won't admit it to himself.
"I love you, Juggie, so, so much. Don't ever forget that, okay?" I sob as he kneels beside my bed and I rest Jules in his lap, taking his face in my hands.
"I won't, Baby. Never. How could I?" He answers. We press our lips together, kissing one another for minutes on end.
I then turn to look down at Jules, hugging her close to my chest and kissing her head gently over and over again. I spend the rest of my night like this, kissing and hugging the people I love most before the night settles in. I take one last glance at Jughead and Juliet, allowing more tears to stream down my face as I frame and memorize their perfect faces in my head. After spending at least a half and hour refusing to let my eyelids shut, I finally allow them to fold over my green eyes.
Accepting that this will be the final time they ever close.