Saving Her

Chapter 41. Concern

Nine Weeks Later

"Forsythe, I'm worried. It's going on months now, since we've seen or heard from Charles," Alice mentioned to FP as he was getting ready for work.

"I know, hon, and I am doing everything in my power to make sure we find him. I talked to his partner and they said he had been getting ready to take down Edgar's cult and he happened to be late with his report. Everybody is worried, but we have to be brave. And you can't stress," he took a seat on the edge of the bed. "You have to relax, Alice. What you're going through has already worsened and we need to keep that baby safe and sound in there, okay?"

"I know," she sighed and rubbed her stomach.

Twenty-nine weeks into her pregnancy; her body was in a lot of pain, she was still on bedrest, but it was hard not to stress when her son had disappeared for no reason. She was scared, already nervous as it was due to the baby within her; she just couldn't take it.

"Call me if you need me," he kissed her head, her lips and then her belly. "I love you both," he assured as he stood.

"We love you too," she said almost wearily. "FP, please be safe. Your job has never scared the hell out of me more."

"I will." He then walked out and he left the bedroom door open a crack.

She picked up her phone and she started reading through all of the text messages in which she had sent to her son; all of them unread. "Dear God, please keep my son safe," she immediately started feeling sad because she just couldn't fathom losing him after barely finding him.

Beyond the search for Charles, the Black Hood had also been rather silent.

The prom had taken place in late May; leaving the family on Elm Street slightly unsettled as they were in the remaining days of July.

Though Betty and Jughead were heavily invested with the Black Hood and Gryphons and Gargoyles, as well as finding their brother, they were going at a slow and decent pace; staying on task, but not jumping the gun or being lazy about the situation even if it was easy to lag as the weeks passed them by. They chose to do things in such a way only because Alice couldn't have been stressing more.

When they approached summer, the lady of the house thought that meant the children would be staying in more, but it only meant the opposite as well for Jellybean.

The preteen was often at her friends', the older teens were constantly out and about whether it was with Archie and Veronica, with the Serpents, or even alone. And it drove Alice baddie only because she wanted them home and secluded while her ex-husband was on the loose, most likely killing people in other towns if not in Riverdale.

···

That afternoon, Jughead and Betty made their home from the weekend away they spent with Veronica and Archie at a lake house the rich gal owned.

Though they were stressing the fact that they would have to leave if they heard anything, they still tried to have a good time and be normal teenagers.

Walking through the front door of the house and sliding into the foyer, Jughead dropped both of their bags down carefully.

"Mom might be sleeping," she mumbled in whisper so he would take the hint and be quiet.

He nodded in return.

"Elizabeth, is that you?!"

"Guess not," Jughead mumbled.

"Give me a second!" she replied to her mother and she set her purse on the small table near the stairs. She then jogged up the case and she made her way towards the bedroom. "Hey, how are you holding up?" she furthered in and sat on the edge of the bed.