Jughead’s head was already pounding as he made his way through the packed club to Betty’s regular section.
After their discussion earlier in the week, Jughead realized just how much the distance between him and Betty was starting to take a toll on both of them. Her suspicions coupled with his guilt caused him to skip his most recent feeding session so he was a bit on edge, which did not help matters much.
He’d even spent the last few days dodging Sweet Pea’s calls, not wanting to deal with his bullshit on top of everything else.
As he sat in his usual spot, Jughead looked around the club that was packed to the gills with humans and vamps, all dressed up for the annual Halloween bash. He tried to get her attention a few times, hoping to find a moment to sneak Betty off to explain his strange behavior but every time he tried, she’d say she had to run drinks and tell him they could talk on her break.
So, he waited, watching her flutter around the room in the naughty nurse’s outfit that all the waitresses seemed to be wearing tonight. The moment he saw her in it, he almost ripped the article off her body and taken her right there in their living room.
He smiled as he watched her walking up to the bar in her bright red heels, chatting with another waitress while waiting for her drinks. He was just about to call her over again when he felt it, a groan escaping his lips.
Jughead looked around at the stark white walls of the room, the fluorescent lighting harsh against his newly opened eyes. He had no idea where he was or how he even got there. The last thing he remembered was being on a date with–
BETTY?! Where’s Betty?
He looked around frantically but the only things he could see were an overhead speaker, a bar stool and a darkened window. There were no doors and no other windows, no means of escape. He was trapped.
Suddenly, the speaker crackled to life and the sounds of someone’s desperate cries filled the room.
“Juggie! Help me, please! Don’t let them take me again! Please, Juggie, I’m sorry! Please– Oh God, they’re coming back, Juggie! Please, help me, please! I need you– No, stop please don’t hurt me! Ahhh–” Betty’s terrified screams echoed off the walls, the deafening sound piercing his ears until the speaker cut out.
Betty stretched out on the bed in Kevin’s guest room, a smile plastered on her face as she remembered how the night before ended. Jughead had been a perfect gentleman - had even asked to kiss her before she lurched up to take matters into her own hands.
She’d felt like her entire body had exploded into hundreds of butterflies when their lips touched and it felt liberating to do the things she was always taught would send her straight into hellfire. Suddenly, Veronica came bursting into the room as Betty closed her antiquated flip phone from sending Jughead a good morning text.
“Excuse me, Miss Cooper! When were you going to tell us that you kissed that hunk of gorgeous man last night?”
“Listen, I–” he started, trying to think of the right words to say, “I don’t want you to look at me any differently than you did that first day in the park, before you knew I was famous.”
“I don’t, I promise,” she replied, taking a deep breath and reaching out to touch his arm lightly. “It’s just, I’ve never had anyone give me this type of attention before so I guess I’m just a little confused by it. It’s all very new for me, I’m not entirely sure how to take it.”
Betty chewed at the inside of her lip nervously, waiting for him to respond. He placed his hand over top of hers and stroked it with his thumb with a small smile on his face. His skin was warm against hers and she felt that familiar sensation that she’d experienced in her dreams again.
“Take it however you want to,” he replied. “But just know that it means that I really, really like you, Betty. I have for a while now.”
Jughead grinned as he attached the photograph to his post - one much similar to the one he tweeted when he first got Flapjack. This time though it was one of him holding the much bigger, adorable pup, with the ring still tied to his collar.
Betty learned after the fact that Jughead had taken the picture before their date and she had somehow missed it in all the commotion to leave.
“I can’t believe I didn’t notice the ring around his neck,” Betty laughed as she gazed at the twisted, white gold metal on her left ring finger. She hadn’t stopped staring at it since the night before when Jughead slipped it on her finger and asked her to be his wife.
Never in her wildest dreams did she think she would have this life, that she deserved this life. But here she was being shown every damn day that, not only did she deserve it, but she earned it.
“Jug?” Betty called out, but there was no answer. She saw a shadow behind the curtain next to her bed. Her voice trembled as she asked, “Who’s there?”
She heard a slight eerie chuckle before a soft melody landed in her ears. “…and if that diamond ring turns brass, Mama’s gonna buy you a looking glass. And if that looking glass gets broke…”
Betty’s heart plummeted into the pit of her stomach as she heard that all too familiar voice. She clambered to get out of her bed, tearing the IV and heart monitor from her body before almost falling out of the bed to pull back the curtain. She knew that song. She’d know it anywhere. It haunted her and she promised herself she’d never sing it to her children.
“…And if that winter cloak’s too cold, Mama’s gonna buy you a pile of gold. And if that gold was stolen, too, Mama’s gonna go to jail for you…”
Betty’s eyes widened in panic, her heart was racing and pounding against her ribs, her breath constricting. No. No, there was no possible way. How did they find her? How did they get here so quickly?
“There’s one more thing, the whole reason she called in the first place,” Jughead said finally as he helped her with the dishes. The tone in his voice had Betty swallowing around nothing, bracing herself for bad news.
“I– uh, I actually left work and didn’t say anything to anyone. So, unfortunately, I have to go back to the city to finish filming. Production has done all they can without me there and I need to get back to the city or I’ll lose the deal.”
“Oh,” she said as she idly dried the dishes. “So you need to leave…”
“It’s only a few weeks,” he explained as he watched her walk over to the fridge, hoping she might agree to his next question. “And I was thinking… what if you came with me?”
Betty was having the strangest dream. She was in a beautiful field of poppies, her hair loose and blowing in the wind - as was the beautiful black gossamer dress she wore. She looked around the field of flowers, searching for Jughead. She could hear his voice in the wind but she couldn’t see him anywhere.
Just please, baby. Please wake up.
Betty opened her eyes slowly to reveal that she was still in her hospital room, hooked to the monitors that kept an eye on her daughters’ heartbeats to make sure they were strong.
Wow, I could have sworn I was discharged but I guess it was all a dream. I really wish Jughead was actually here though…Wait…
