Them [bughead]

~Him~

Jughead watched as Betty went back to class and then turned to Toni.
"You think he knows Mark is dead?" Toni shrugged.
"Sure seems like it. He flipped..." Jughead nodded. "I'm sorry you had to kill him." Toni whispered.
"Don't be. I had to protect you." Toni shook her head.
"No you didn't." Jughead nodded.
"Toni...what he did..."
"Don't talk about it. Not in public." Jughead nodded.
"We have to gather the Serpents. He might try something." Toni nodded.

No you won't. End of discussion.
He typed it in and sent it before thinking too much about it.
"I'll drive." Toni said. Jughead rolled his eyes.
"Sooooo you're not bottom. Good to know." He smirked and Toni rolled her eyes.
"Just because I'm bossy around you doesn't mean I'm as bossy around Cheryl." Jughead sat down in the passenger seat and sighed.
"You think Malachai is going to kill me?" He felt his phone buzzing but ignored it. Toni bit her lip and looked at Jughead.
"If I'm going to be totally honest...no. I don't think he's going to kill you." Jughead wasn't scared. He couldn't care less if Malachai killed him or not. But what Betty desperately had said to Malachai, that she couldn't lose him too, it made him understand just how lonely she was. She had Veronica and Jughead. That's it. And she knew it. He couldn't leave her. "I think..." She put her hair in a bun and quieted down for a few seconds. And during those seconds Jughead read the message Betty had sent him.
Please Jug, I don't want to be alone.
When Toni opened her mouth he stopped reading and listened to her. "that he is going to hurt Betty."
Please stay home. With me.
He read the two last sentences as Toni said the last words. And his heart dropped. Because he knew it was true. He knew it the second Malachai found out Betty was his girlfriend. He knew it when he asked Toni if she thought Malachai was going to kill him. Deep down he knew it all along. But he had to hear it. He had to hear her mouth the words. And he couldn't push away the thought anymore.
"I have to find her." Toni nodded.
"She really loves you, you know." He rushed back into the building. Rushed back to her. And when his eyes finally met hers he breathed out.

"He will hurt you Betty." Betty stared at the ground. "Malachai will hurt you." Betty looked up at him. "I don't want you to be scared. I will protect you. The Serpents will protect you. Okay?" Betty nodded as tears fell down her cheeks. "Don't cry love." He wiped away her tears and kissed her gently on her forehead. He didn't know that no matter how scared he was his touched gave her goosebumps.
"How did this happen?" She cried. "How did my entire life fall apart this quickly?" She sat down on a bench right outside the classroom. Jughead looked at his beautiful girl. Hurting just as much as she did. And he instantly knew the answer to that question. But he feared her reaction if he would answer it. He squatted in front of her and placed his hands on her knees.
"You met me." He mumbled and she looked up at him. He stared into her ocean blue eyes. Knowing he caused her all of this pain. If it weren't for him Polly would still be alive, her relationship with her mom would be fine, she wouldn't have seen her boyfriend almost get shot and most importantly, she wouldn't have a price on her head. If it weren't for him, she would be fine. And she knew it.
"Yeah." He didn't know what hurt the most, the fact that she confirmed that he had fucked up her life or the fact that he had fucked up her life.
"I'm sorry Betts." Betty cupped his face.
"It's okay."
"No, it isn't." He stood up and she wiped away her tears. "Let's go." He said and helped her stand up. As they walked to his car Betty took his hand and held tightly.

He opened the door to the trailer and walked inside. Betty followed him and looked him in the eyes.
"Do you think they're going to kill me?" Betty was terrified. The fear was so alarming, so numbing and it felt as if every minute was ten times as long.
"I don't know Betty." He said. "But I won't let them near you." Betty sat down on the old couch.
"Jug..." He turned his head and looked at her. She was afraid to ask him what she wanted to. But she had to know. "Who's Mark?" Jughead took off his Serpent jacket and Betty stared at his muscles.
"Mark? He's a dick." Betty wasn't satisfied with the answer. She wanted to know more. Because she knew that something was untold.
"Jug..." She wanted him to tell her every last detail. She wanted all the information but she knew Jughead wouldn't tell her.
"There's nothing more to say. I have to talk to Toni." He said and walked outside. All she wanted to do was drag him back inside and press her lips against his.