When I say I love you, its not because I want you or because I can't have you. It has nothing to do with me. I'm in love with what you are, what you do and how you try. I've seen your kindness and your strength. I've seen the best and the worst of y...
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Veronica sits in her bed, legs crossed with her phone going off in front of her in rapid succession. It flips from Archie to Betty calls integrating with texts.
She understands why Betty is still harassing her but she had already spoken with Archie and figured they wouldn't be saying much more to each other for awhile after that particular run in. She finds the only person missing from her barrage of missed calls and texts is the only person she actually, kind of just a little, wants to hear from. She shouldn't want to but...
Jughead Jones.
"The Third." His annoying voice corrects in her mind.
After almost an hour of ghosting Veronica decides to distract herself with a good movie if she can find one in this era of modern day television. She flips on her tv set and the first thing that flashes before her eyes is the sight of a very familiar motorcycle. One she was sure she'd seen on less than 24 hours ago. It was a wreck.
She read the news headlines. "TEENAGE BOY IN CRITICAL CONDITION AFTER MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT. FOUL PLAY SUSPECTED."
Veronica feels her heart jump out of her chest and she immediately picks up whoever is calling at that specific moment.
"Veronica? Please- I'm so sorry but Juggie he's hurt, he's hurt really bad an-" Betty hiccups between sobs. "And I need you please come."
"I'm on my way." Veronica tells her without hesitation. She'd already begun pulling on a discarded skirt the moment she saw the news flash. She knew she was headed there more for Jughead and less for Betty but she would be there for Betty nonetheless.
She hated the way her and Jughead had ended things the last time they spoke only a few hours earlier and she wanted so badly to make things right with him. The thought that she might not get the chance struck her hard and a tear slipped from her despite her efforts to stay strong. This was the second tear she'd shed for Jughead that day.
As she grabs her purse her mother walks into the room.
"Mija, I just heard!" Hermione exclaims.
Veronica can feel the lack of sincerity in her mother's voice down to her soul and the dark thoughts occurs that her parents could have something to do with this. She feels a part of herself wanting to lash out, that if they had hurt Jughead they would pay. The bigger part of her knows she has to stay in line. She's a Lodge and it's family first. Jughead isn't family, he's barely a friend.
What Jughead is infallibly however, is a pureness surrounded by darkness and this odd connection they've formed speaks to her heart. She tries to swallow the guilt, she had warned him and he knew her loyalty had to remain to her family. The thoughts swarm around in her mind and the conflict just causes the shattered pieces of her heart to break all the more.
"Mija, it will be okay." Her mother attempts to comfort her, unaware of the true nature of her tears. She's not crying because Jughead is hurt, she's crying because she's slowly losing hope in her parents, maybe even herself.
Veronica spots her father lingering in the doorway with his empty attempt at a sympathetic face.
"It's such a tragic accident to occur to such a young boy. Those motorcycles they can be quiet dangerous." He says voice holding a hint of remorse. "I understand why you would want to check on him and the rest of your friends. I'm sure Archie's beside himself. The car is waiting for you downstairs, tell FP the Lodges send their regards." He takes a sip from the small glass he holds in his hand so casually it makes Veronica physically ill. She is realizing how far her father is willing to go. Jughead maybe in a gang, but he is not a mobster, she cannot believe her father would resort to those tactics and with someone she's connected to and often with.
Veronica nods and makes a swift exit. She cannot shake the feeling her father wants her to visit Jughead because it would save face for the Lodge's. They would use her ties to Jughead to pretend the Lodge's have an intimate connection to him. They would use her as part of their alibi. There would always be a shadow of doubt on a motive because they would never hurt one of their daughters dear friends.
The is a storm outside coloring the town in dark rain and lightening. It seems to represent her life at the moment. Immediately upon arrival at Riverdale General Veronica is embraced with the site of motorcycles scattered around the parking lot. She walks into Riverdale General in fury of sharp heels slapping the ground. She looks at the receptionist.
"Jughead Jones." She demands pulling together her façade of bravado and command. She slips on her mask as easily as her father does his. No one will know how broken she is inside.
"The only Jones we have is a Forsyt- " She hardly waits to hear the nurse before she impatiently tells the nurse. "Yes that one." She gets the directions and storms into a hallway leading to the ER wing. As she turns the corner she's confronted with dozens of snakes snarling at her accompanied with the smell of smoke and cheap beer.
The Serpents. Jughead's Family.
Veronica forgets The Serpents are not Jughead's gang. When she thinks Serpents she thinks the small pack that always follows Jughead around. Toni, Sweet Pea, Fangs and others. She is reminded in this moment that they are simply the younger members of a larger body. There are about thirty men and a few women too in Serpent jackets she's never seen before.
Daddy's enemies.
Veronica takes a deep breath and steels herself before pushing through the throng of large men taking up a great deal of space in the small waiting space. She's greeted with the sight of FP Jones in the front of the brood. He's in his pops uniform but his donned his Serpent jacket as well which makes for an odd and contrasting site to Veronica.
We're not going anywhere until my boy opens his god damn eyes!" FP yells at a poor nurse unluckily enough to be tasked with speaking to the family.
"Please Mr. Jones we're doing everything we can. You just have to give the doctors some time and some space." The petite blonde pleaded as FP towered over her.
"We will be right here Darlin, while you do what you need to do, to save my boy." FP demanded while Veronica witnessed the lone tear slips from his eye that he quickly wipes away.
"Mr. Jones." Veronica spoke softly. "Jughead is strong, maybe one of the strongest person I know, he will be okay. Maybe we should let the staff do their jobs so they can help him through this." Feeling the weight of the truth in that statement on her tongue.
FP regarded her with a small glare that reminded her of Jughead so much it sent a chill down her spine. Then his features softened and he nodded before giving her a sad soft smile that also reminded her of his son. She has another dawning of how much Jughead resembles his father all tall, dark and handsome with the weight of the world on their shoulders.
Veronica finally lets herself take in Archie to the right corner of the waiting room with Betty sobbing into his shoulder. She ignores the sharp stab of hurt.
She walks down to them pushing down all her lingering feelings of conflict aside.
