Choices

Chapter 21

The past 10 years for Jughead have been pure hell. But Jughead's nightmare is finally over. Now it's just time for him to pick up all the pieces and fix what he's broken.

He sees Betty sitting at the base of a tree. Archie and Veronica are next to her, and they seem to be having a conversation. He smiles as he walks over to her. "Betty," he said.

She looks up and smiles. "Juggie" she said as she tried to stand up, falling back to the ground and winces.

A look of concern goes over his face as he kneels down. "What's wrong?" he asked her.

"I think I sprained my ankle, when Penny and her goons were manhandling me," she said.

He frowned. "Let's get you back and have that looked at" he told her as he picked her up. It felt so good to have her back in his arms. He craves her.

He carries her back to where the vehicles are parked. He looks for the van he was in and he gently puts her in the back and gets in with her and sits next to her, raising her ankle and laying it on his leg. "I got you" he said as he kissed her forehead. She lays her head on his shoulder and they stay like that the whole ride back.

A little while later they are back at the Wyrm.

Jughead gets Betty out of the van and carries her into the building. The first person she sees is her mother.

"Mom" Betty yells.

"Elizabeth" She said walking over to her daughter "why are you holding her. Put her down" she said to Jughead.

"Mom, Stop," she said.

He puts her down and she sits in the chair next to her. Toni comes and starts looking at her ankle.

"I'm so glad you're alright. If it wasn't for this heathen. You would have been fine" Alice said glaring at Jughead.

Betty got aggravated at what her mother was doing. "Mother. Stop it right now. I don't blame Jughead one bit for anything Penny Peabody's crazy ass did. She's been dealt with and can't hurt anyone else. All I want to do is rest. Maybe eat and then go back home and move on with my life" Betty told her mother.

"It would be nice if you moved back down here" she said "it's safer" she adds. "Plus your family lives down here." she said.

"I'll visit more, Mom. I promise. But this isn't my home anymore. It hasn't been for years" Betty sighed as she remembered all the horrible things that had happened over the years. She wonders why her mother said it's safer here. She wants to laugh. It's not safe here.

"What about him?" Alice asked as she pointed at Jughead.

"Mom. That is between Jughead and I and no one else will be involved in this" she said loudly so all her friends could hear. She looks at all of them too. "Do y'all understand. I want no interference" she adds.

They all nod. They understood that Betty meant business.

"Got it B" Veronica said, as she smiled. Her best friend seemed happy. The happiest she has seen her in years. She wasn't going to stop the inevitable.

"I got pops coming with some food" pea said as he walked inside the bar.

"Good," Betty said. "I'm starving. I was supposed to be fed hours ago." she laughed. Trying to make light of everything that has happened.

"You know who you sound like?" Veronica said laughing.

Betty smiled. She realized now she sounded like Jughead.