Stardust // Reggie Mantle (3)

Chapter Fourty-Five

"You can put your stuff in that closet over there. The bathroom is down the hall, but I'm sure you pretty much know your way around this place."

Jughead and Caia stood in the doorway of what was to be her new room for the time being. With her father possibly on the loose, a fact made further tangible by Dr. Curdle Junior's analysis on exactly which body parts of Jack were found in the crash, no one had wanted Caia to stay at her own house. FP had offered the guest bedroom at the Cooper's old residence, and Caia gladly excepted. Couldn't get much safer than living with the sheriff.

Caia nodded at Jughead. "Great, thanks Jug," She replied.

"No problem." Jughead swiveled to leave, but paused before turning back. "Just a heads up, I'm going to try to figure out how the Gargoyle King, the Black Hood, and possibly your father are connected this week. Betty's locked up in the Farm, so she won't be able to help. If you want to help though, I wouldn't say no," Jughead suggested.

Caia paused, contemplating for a moment. "Yeah," She finally replied, nodding. "I think I will help. Anything to figure out what my father's motives are."

*

Reggie was still reeling from the shock of prom night and the realization that Caia had been targeting and that her dad was probably back, again. It was like he could never get rid of the man. In all honesty, Reggie was starting to hate Caia's dad more than he hated his own. Which was saying a lot, for him, anyway.

On account of the fact that Caia's dad was possibly trying to kill her, Reggie hardly let her out of his sight, and dreaded every moment that he had to. However, Caia extremely resented that, especially considering that she and Reggie had only very recently started 'dating' again, and she wasn't exactly used to the constant surveillance.

"It's fine, Reggie!" Caia exclaimed. "I just have to drop off my essay before class today. It'll literally take two seconds, and I'll be back," she reminded, exasperated.

Reggie pouted. "I just don't want you to get hurt!" He exclaimed.

Caia rolled her eyes, adding a little smile. "However sweet that sentiment is, Reg, I think you need to loosen my reign a little bit," she explained. "This is just school. I'll be fine without you sometimes. He's not gonna come and try to get me here. And if he does, there's plenty of people around who would notice and come help me kick his ass." Reggie chuckled.

"I guess you're right," He relented. "I'll try not to be so worried."

Caia smiled. "Thanks, Reg. I gotta go." She pecked a kick kiss onto Reggie's cheek and then turned away, continuing to the classroom she had been intending.

"I'm still not letting you walk home alone!" Reggie exclaimed after her.

Caia smiled to herself. At least he cared, she thought.

*

That night, Caia sat at the vanity in her new room, taking off her makeup, when Jughead breezed through the open door and slammed a piece of paper on the desk in front of her. Caia recoiled a little bit, shooting Jughead a confused glance before setting her sights on the note in front of her.

Jughead motioned to it, saying the words out loud just as Caia read them. "Follow the envelope," he repeated. "That's our next move."

Caia raised her eyebrows as she leaned back in her chair. "Am I supposed to know what that means?" She quizzed.

"Prom night, Betty only left because she got an envelope from someone dressed as a jester, inside which was a note telling her to go the hallway," Jughead explained. "That's where she saw all those murdered kids, her dad, and the Gargoyle King." He paused. "We gotta find the jester, then follow the envelope."