"We're all on the edge of madness; deep down, darkness is within all of us and we're on guard constantly trying to avoid losing control."
In which Mickey Lodge has a few skeletons in her closet.
{COMPLETED WITH ALL SEASONS + epilogue}
"They told me not to play with fire, and I should've listened because I got burned."
✿
"I don't think we can interpret the delivery of that head," Hiram points at the part of the statue sitting on their dining room table, "as anything less than a declaration of war."
"Well, we knew we'd have to go to war, eventually," Hermione says calmly.
"A Serpent delivered this head?" Mickey asks.
Hiram's jaw tightens. "I have one in mind."
She shakes her head in disbelief. "How are you trying to blame Jughead again? This little stunt caused a lot of attention that backfired on the Southside. Now, you want to go to war because you didn't do the job right? You lied to me!"
"There is, of course, another option," Veronica interjects. "At Spence, I was Secretary General of the Model UN, and before declaring war, we'd always try to negotiate a settlement. Now, if I could broker a detente between the Contras and the Sandinistas, you should be able to deescalate relations with a biker gang."
"This isn't high school," Hiram screws up his face at the suggestion.
"Said the man who just vandalized a park statue," Mickey retorts.
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Veronica squares her shoulders and leans forward on the table. "You're an excellent businessman, Daddy. I'll get them to the table, all you have to do is play nice."
"This will require your help," he says to Mickey. "You'll have to handle Jughead of course."
"I thought you didn't want me dealing with the Serpents," she tests. She gets up out of her chair. "I have to go."
Veronica tilts her head, "Where?"
"To see Jughead. To apologize for blaming him."
✿
The trailer door swings open and Jughead stands there with a hard look on his face. "Come here to get something off your chest?"
Mickey moves past him and into his trailer. "Where's FP?"
"He hasn't been home," Jughead closes the front door and faces her. "Look, I don't want to argue anymore. I told you I didn't cut the head off."
"I don't know why I didn't trust my intuition before, but I'm sorry for accusing you. I'm sorry for being so awful." she sighs. "Especially for ending things with you. I guess I was looking for an out."
"An out?"
"A say. I just thought if I left on my own terms, it wouldn't hurt as much as if you told me to go. It was stupid because we have our crap, but I still want to be with you."
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