Touching Love...

52

Jugheads POV
After finding out what happened to Betty I never left that hospital, at least I tried not too. I now understood what Betty felt those months she didn't have me, full of pain, but I didn't know what was worse...that she had all of these bandages, tubes wrapped in and around her or the fact she would never respond to me.

Toni had located Penny and thankfully she gave the information to Charles and his crew before I ever could lay my hands on her.

I was sitting with Betty as I read Romeo and Juliet to her. I sat beside her bed and looked up at her, tubes wrapped her face and arms.

I smiled and said "Betty?"

I moved over and sat on her bed as I played with her hand and smiled. It has been about 2 weeks and the fact Betty suffered with this for far longer has me extremely baffled. I smiled holding her hand. It was cold...it was limp.

I held back tears and looked at her "come on Betts...I was an asshole for leaving you all by yourself don't do this to me..."

I looked at her and I groaned out "oh I know it's not your fault...I'm just a awful boyfriend..."

I frowned and told her "I don't know why you love me, I can't believe I did this to you..."

I held my face with my hand as I tried to calm myself down.

I suddenly heard "I didn't know anyone was here..."

I looked up and saw Charles boyfriend and I wiped my eyes saying "oh...sorry."

He told me "no it's okay...I just came to change Bettys flowers."

He had a new bouquet and changed out the dead ones as I sighed and he told me "I know you're not doing okay so I won't ask but...I think you should go home and...shower, change, take some time to yourself."

I told him "I can't...I just..."

I frowned and told him "my parents don't like Betty, they don't want me seeing her at all. I've been sleeping at my friends places bouncing around. My parents can't understand which I still don't understand why because she's such a great person...I..."

I frowned and he sat down and told me "I mean not a good parallel but Charles and I never had an easy journey together. We've known each other since before we came out and Charles always pushed me away, he didn't want me to be involved with his crazy family. And by crazy he meant broke and...struggling family."

I frowned and he explained "his parents not that they didn't like me but mine didn't like Charles. Didn't really like that I was gay either."

I smiled and he smiled back.

"A lot of stuff pushed us apart sometimes but I promise you. It's gonna get better even if your parents aren't supportive. It's how you deal with it in the long run."

I frowned and he told me "Betty loves you and if here's any reason she fight this is to come back to you. You were all she thought about when you forgot everything. But you're gonna see that all of this will be worth it."

I smiled and he smiled back as I told him "why have you and Charles tied the knot or something yet?"

He laughed and got up saying "kid...it takes a lot for that to happen. Besides I always told him he should ask me."

I smiled and he smiled back.

"I'm staying to the Cooper for the time being...maybe you can stay with us? Fresh showers, nice food?"

I thought about it and said "I don't know I would be intruding..."

He smiled and told me "you won't be. Come on. She'll be okay, she's healthy, she's steady...you can come see her later."

I nodded and he and I left the room.

I was at the Coopers as I sat down at the dinner table and frowned saying "thank you Mr and Mrs Cooper for letting me stay here. It's been a little hard with my parents right now."

Mrs Cooper told me "well you may stay as long as you like. Now enough speaking about that eat up alright?"

I nodded and she smiled at me.

Later that night I sat on the couch and watch the television as I bounced my leg.

I sighed and thought about Betty as I jittered around and heard "you still awake? Thought everyone was asleep."

I looked up seeing Chic as he smirked shutting the door and said "just came back, Charles and I got to eat Pops for dinner and he's gotta stay back."

I shrugged saying "the Coopers were nice. I'm just thinking about Betty..."

He put his stuff down and told me "I know kid but don't worry, she will wake up and than you'll both be back doing cute couple stuff."

He smiled and I nodded as he moved over and sat beside on the couch as he patted my back.

"Betty is gonna wake up just...give it time. Sure the coma is agonizing but she wouldn't want us suffering for her."

I nodded and thought to myself and told him. "I hope she knows that I love her. I just want her to be okay..."

Hd smiled and told me "no worries alright? Now get some rest. I know I'm exhausted."

He went up ahead up the stairs and I smiled and held my hands and laid down and shut my eyes as I tried to get my mind as much as I could past the feeling of guilt.