Becoming Lodge

Not your daughter

Cheryl Blossom walked into the living room with a huge smirk on her face holding the hands of her niece and nephew. Juniper and Dagwood Blossom adorably dressed in matching outfits giggling beside her upon seeing Camila. The three little ones hugging and kissing one another warmed Jughead's heart. "Veronica! Looking lovely as always!" Cheryl cried hugging Veronica tightly noticing the way Veronica smiled. Cheryl hated the smile if you could even call it one on Veronica's face. Her lips showing a smile but her eyes deadly blank and cold. Cheryl felt her own smile droop staring at her friend. "I missed you. I'm excited to talk about what we touched on in Riverdale during your last visit." Cheryl tried hoping to bring the light to Veronica's eyes. Veronica loved talking about business. Cheryl was hoping that this topic would help to bring the happiness back to Veronica.
  "Cheryl." Veronica replied trying to warm the coldness she felt in her tone. Veronica hugged Cheryl back inhaling the strong cherry perfume that only Cheryl blossom could pull off. "It's good to see you. Where's Toni?"
    "Right here." Toni Topaz said from behind walking next to Jughead both of them engaged in their own conversation. "Hi Veronica. Jughead was filling me in on the next meeting with Amber and the crew."
   Veronica nodded in agreement. "Yes, the meeting is tomorrow afternoon."
    Cheryl cocked her head listening to the exchange between Toni and Veronica. Cheryl knew that Toni had been working with Jughead and Veronica to do the business in Riverdale. That it was Toni's job to keep the serpents on task. But Cheryl wasn't sure what they needed her to do. "Veronica I'm not down with prison. Even though your father runs one in Riverdale. I don't want to be an inmate. How are you going to prevent that? This is dangerous and illegal Veronica. You know it, I know it hell everyone involved knows it. Im already hesitating with how wrapped up in this Toni is."
   "I know the ins and outs of this. With Jughead and my father's knowledge, plus what I have learned from my father's mistakes. We will be ok. I know how to hide it. To keep us out of the light. We will bloom in the dark Cheryl. I have just as much to lose if not more." Veronica stated grabbing Cheryl's arm to look her dead in the eye. "But Cheryl it's going to be dark for awhile so you need to learn to bloom in the dark much like I have had to. In the dark we will become what we all want to. In this world Cheryl we don't become what we want to. We become what we have to."
   "We must become what we have to." Cheryl repeated nodding her head understanding what Veronica was saying. "Ok, Veronica but you have to promise you will keep us safe."
   "As safe as I can. In this world there are no guarantees Cheryl. There are none. The only guarantee I can give you is that I will give everything to protect our family."
  "Family?" Cheryl laughed out. "Families just cause pain and disappointment. Betrayal, lies, deception. No thanks I've been there done that."
  "You're real family Cheryl may have abandoned and betrayed you, but this one won't. Honor, loyalty and code of conduct. You don't say anything, you don't know anything and you didn't see anything. Our code of silence. It's simple. That Cheryl is how we will survive."
  "Show me what you need from me Veronica."
   Veronica smiled for the first time that day her smile not looking quite so forced. "It's simple Cheryl." Veronica said grabbing her friends arm as they left the livingroom to Veronica's office. "Juggy.. you and Toni got the littles?"
    "Of course Reina." Jughead said watching Veronica and Cheryl depart before turning to face Toni again. A smile on his face when Camila threw herself into his arms smothering him with kisses. "Princess I love you too."
   Toni smiled at Jughead. "So hows it really going? You look good. I love the new beanie." Toni said sitting cross legged on the floor beside the twins. Jughead settles down beside her Camila still holding onto him tightly. "She's really attached to you." Toni pointed out.
  "She is. She's my little girl." Jughead said kissing Camila's face making the toddler giggle "Aren't you my baby girl?" Jughead blushed seeing the look on Toni's face. "Sorry. I get lost in her." Jughead put Camila on the floor and watched her toddle over to the twins and began to play. "Uhm yes everything is good, Veronica well.. she's.. Veronica." He sighed heavily. "I'm worried about her Toni. She's getting so cold, so mean and ruthless. She scares me sometimes."
  "I know Jughead I saw it at the last couple meetings. But she's ok. She will be you just have to keep being there for her. Unless you don't want to be anymore." Toni trailed off hating to see Jughead so upset over Veronica.
  "No way! I'm not leaving her not now not ever. Unless it's in a body bag. I made a promise to her, but not even just to Veronica. I promised Camila the first day I held her that I would always be there for her. I love that little one as if she was truly my daughter. I do Toni. Nothing or nobody will take them from me."
  "What about Archie? What do you think will happen when you guys are all back in Riverdale? What do you think is going to happen?" Toni asked curiously knowing Jughead hadn't entertained how things would change once they were all back in Riverdale.
  "If he becomes a threat I will just have to eliminate him." Jughead replied offhandedly. "We are still a year and half out Toni. Veronica will be over him completely by then. In fact I think she's close now." Jughead lies which Toni picked up on immediately widening her eyes at him to let Jughead know she didn't believe him in the least. "She is." He insisted knowing that his words didn't hold the conviction needed to convince Toni much less himself. "So yea, the new beanie.. Veronica got it for me I love the logo." Jughead changing the subject not wanting to continue the conversation regarding Veronica.
  "It still looks stupid regardless of the logo. Who is what?" Cheryl demanded walking back into the room Veronica behind her both with a small smile.
  Jughead shook his head at Toni. "Oh nothing. Our conversation didn't have anything to do with you Cheryl." Jughead snapped sharply surprising even himself at the tone. "Shocking I know not everything is about Cheryl Blossom."
  "Look here Donnie Darko. I don't know who you think you are talking to now, but according to Veronica I'm now second in command so I expect you to give me the respect I deserve." Cheryl quipped seeing Veronica's eyes darken drastically losing any softness that she had moments before.
  "Actually Cheryl, I don't answer to you ever. I am Veronica's conseligere. Veronica and even you refer to me on any serious descisions. It's my job to make sure that the family is protected."
  "Most conseligere's are lawyers." Cheryl snapped back.
   Jughead smirked at Cheryl. " I've been in this world with Veronica longer then you Cheryl. If you must know I changed my major to criminal justice with a track to get my law degree." Jughead watched the confusion on Veronica's face. "I was going to tell you Reina. All my online classes switched over easily I just got notice from the school today. I'm going to get my degree and be the families lawyer. Just a few more years. All my credits from stonewall actually counted as college credits. I have literally three years left until I have my law degeee."
   Cheryl stood before Jughead her mouth moving like a goldfish. For the first time in awhile Cheryl couldn't think of a good comeback to throw at Jughead. Veronica stood with a smile on her face Jughead had never seen before. "I'm so proud of you Juggy!" Veronica cried throwing her arms around him.
  "Well I'll be damned." Cheryl said finally finding her words. "Your devotion to one woman, a woman that you will never be able to be with or gain anything from is so unbelievable." Cheryl shook her head before continuing "Don't worry Jughead, I don't need you to answer to me. Nor do I necessarily want you to. Mark my words though Jones you will still respect me and my opinions regardless. That I am assured of. Because like it or not we are both a part of this. And make no mistake about it. I don't like this idea. I don't think you belong in this world."
   Jughead stared at Cheryl shaking his head in disbelief at the words she had just thrown at him. "This has nothing to do with sleeping with Veronica, or gaining anything from her. You soulless bitch. It's about loyalty! But you Cheryl Blossom wouldn't know anything about that now would you? Your opinions mean about as much to me as Archie Andrews opinions of me do. I will give you respect when you give me respect. You have to earn my respect. Which you never will. You shallow, arrogant, ignorant bitch."
  Veronica felt her mouth drop open. Jughead had never fired back at Cheryl so savagely. Hearing Jughead put Cheryl in her place caused Veronica to lose all the words she wanted to snap at Cheryl. Beside her Cheryl looked just as dumbstruck as Veronica. Cheryl's mouth held the same look Veronica's did. Both staring at Jughead. Toni stood quietly watching the exchange knowing that Cheryl was angry and almost embarrassed by Jughead's words. Cheryl pushed her long red curls away from her face as she stepped towards Jughead. "It's kind of sad Jones. Camila's not your daughter and once you are back in Riverdale you will see the truth. That child is Archie's. Once he knows that you will be just a distant memory to Camila. Just like you will be to Veronica. Hear me now listen to me later. I can't wait for you to be put in your place once and for all." Cheryl declared spinning on her heels storming out of the livingroom to the front door. Toni looked between Veronica and Jughead unsure of what to do. Jughead nodded swiftly. Toni raced after Cheryl.
   "Juggy.." Veronica said softly placing her hand on his arm.
   "Don't Reina, just don't." Jughead turned from her shaking her hand off his arm. "Hey princess lets get you situated for bed. I assume Toni will take them to the hotel." Jughead said picking Camila up and nodding at the twins who seemed unfazed by Cheryl's dramatics unlike Camila who was whimpering. "Sadly this mustn't be an uncommon occurrence. Living with Cheryl must be an emotional roller coaster for those two." Jughead pulled Camila close which immediately stopped her whimpering. "I feel so bad for the twins." Jughead took Camila out of the room leaving Veronica with the twins.

   Hours later Jughead found himself in the kitchen only to find he wasn't alone. Veronica sat on the counter holding a pint of ice cream in her hands. Veronica was lost in her own thoughts replaying Cheryl's parting words. Veronica startled when Jughead jumped up beside her taking the ice cream from her hand. "Can't sleep?" Jughead asked digging his spoon into her ice cream grimacing as he put it in his mouth. "Yuck. I always forget you love that triple chocolate stuff. Way too sweet." Jughead gagged playfully handing it back. Jumping back off the counter to grab himself a snack.
   "Yea something like that... Jug what Cheryl said.."
    Jughead cut her off quickly. "It's not a big deal. She's Cheryl. I have stopped letting her words hurt me years ago." Jughead lies. Cheryl's words did in fact hurt Jughead very much, because no matter how hard he wanted to believe it wouldn't happen. Jughead worried that Archie Andrews would push Jughead out of Veronica's life along with Camila's.  Jughead knew unfortunately that Veronica was very much still in love with Archie. That Archie would always be Veronica's third rail. No matter how hard she wanted to Veronica was obsessed with Archie just as much if not more then when they were in highschool. Archie's apparent lack of desire for Veronica made him more desirable to her Jughead knew.
  "Don't lie to me Jughead. Talk to me like you always want me to." Veronica prodded.
  "It hurt, yes. It's true. I don't believe that you will go back to Archie. But yes I do worry a little about Camila. How it will all effect her. And you."
  "Juggy.." Veronica jumped off the counter wrapping her arms around him. "Archie is no threat to you. He can't replace you in Camila's life. I won't let him. I promise... you're my family too Jughead. And family always sticks together." Veronica assured running her hands on his back trying to soothe the tension she felt.
  "I'm not worried as much about Camila, but you."
   "I'm fine. It's all fine. Archie and I are not now or ever will be a thing again. He betrayed me, he hurt me. He won't be a problem. I don't want anything to do with him." Veronica stated trying to sound stronger than she felt. Like Jughead, Veronica too was troubled by Cheryl's words. Cheryl's words hitting too close to home for both of them. Their lives would be turned upside down when Jughead, Veronica and Camila turned back up in the town that tried to destroy Jughead and Veronica. "It's going to be fine."