VIPER • the serpent princess

42

I lay on the clinic chair/bed thing. My shit lifted and little belly showing. The nurse comes in, puts on the liquid and then starts the ultrasound.

"No, you are fourteen and a half weeks. We can most likely see the sex of the baby. Would you two like to know?"

"Yes" I smile eagerly, squeezing Sweet Peas hand tightly.

We have been out of Riverdale for two weeks. FP called us yesterday saying it was safe for us to come home. My biological father is back in jail...because he killed someone else. My biological mother was found dead, chopped up like his previous victim. I didn't feel any sadness when I found out. I didn't have any love for my mother who abandoned me. I watch as the doctor looks at the screen closely, then pauses the screen.

"There it is, so, double checking. Wanting to know your baby's gender?"

"Hell yeah. I mean, yes please" Sweet laughs excitedly.

We arrive at our trailer and I smile, feeling so happy to finally be home. We walk up into the trailer, and as soon as we open the door, confetti blasts at us from Fangs, Toni, Betty and Jughead. I gasp shocked, Sweet Pea laughing and hugging Fangs fast. Toni squeals running to me and hugging me tightly.

"You're home!" she screams.

"Yeah! Don't make me deaf" I laugh, pulling back only to be collided with Fangs' arms, "Fogarty!"

"Casey!" he cheers, stepping back.

"Hey Jug" I smile, walking over and hugging him.

"I'm so glad you're back Case" he grins.

"Me too" I chuckle, "Hey Betty, it's nice to see you"

"You too Casey! Welcome home" she greets excitedly, wrapping her arms around me in a friendly hug.

Once everyone has caught up, we all go down to Pops for some lunch and catch up. How a girl was killed and hung up to a wall in the school musical last night. Sweet Pea and I agreed not to tell them the babies gender, there was one person who I wanted to tell first.

I walk into FP's office and he immediately rushes over to me and hugs me tightly. I laugh, hugging him back fast.

"God, it's good to see you kid" he sighs relieved.

"You too FP. Thank you" I smile, pulling away too look into his eyes, "Thank you for keeping me safe, and Sweet Pea safe. And...you're grandson"

His eyes widen and his mouth drops shocked. My eyes fill with water as I watch his do the same. He sighs and sniffs.

"Grandson? You're having a baby boy?" he grins.

"Yes, yeah" I laugh happily, wiping my cheeks, "I got a little boy!"

"Is Sweet Pea happy?"

"He's over the moon. He started crying before I did" I chuckle, "We're both so happy. I've never been this happy in my life"

"I'm so happy for you Casey, and I am so god damn proud" he declares, then hugs me once more.

"Now, to tell the rest of the family and I've got a surprise idea, you gotta be in on it" I grin.

Everyone is standing around the stage, watching as FP takes his place behind the microphone. I hold Sweets hand beside me.

"Alright alright. I just wanted to come up here and say welcome home to Casey and Sweet Pea! We are all so happy to have them back"

Everyone howls, Toni and Fangs cheering loudly and patting our backs.

"And! Another announcement, which made me the happiest, old man on the planet" he chuckles, "The Serpents are going to have to make some room for another Jones boy, cause I'm going to have a grandson!"

The howls become even loud. Toni turns to me in shock and I nod. She hugs me tightly and I laugh at everyone's happy response.

"I'm having a boy!" Sweet Pea sings.

"Yeah!" Fangs shouts jumping around Sweet Pea.

I turn to Toni and smile, "You wanna sing a song with me best friend?"

"Yes!"

"Now, welcome to the stage Casey and Toni! Everyone get a beer tonight is a night of celebration!" FP cheers.

Me and Toni rush up to the stage and I hold the microphone.

"Thank you thank you, everyone. There is no other family I'd rather be with and sharing this with. People see the Southside as dangerous and dirty and full of horrible scary people. But I see it as my home, and I'm damn proud of it" I smile.

Everyone howls and then the music starts to play. I look to Toni who has just as big of a smile on her face as I have on mine. We then start to sing 'Home' by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. Toni has a phenomenal voice, and she loves to sing like me. The energy in the Wyrm that night was amazing. Everyone was happy, smiling, dancing. I couldn't keep my eyes off of Sweets who was messing around being silly with Fangs. After the song, I jump down from the stage and rush over to Sweet Pea. He puts his hands on my cheek and holds me to him as he presses his lips to me, kissing me hard and passionately.

"I love you" he smiles.

"I love you more Sweets" I laugh happily.

The following day, Sweets and I return to school. The whole atmosphere has changed because of the Midge girl being murdered. Everyone is in the classroom for a Swords and Serpents meeting, Jughead sitting in front of us.

"War Baby called my father and I from Shankshaw. Her old adversaries, the Ghoulies, had been released" he declares.

Malachai is released. The Ghoulies who we all put in jail thanks to Andrews' call tot he Sherif at the drag race.

"Word on the street is that they want Serpent blood. They're gunning for a re-match. They want war" he sighs, not happy to say this news.

But he is cut off when the bulldogs charge in, Reggie leading them.

"Which one of you reptiles was screwing Midge Klump?" he hisses.

"What the hell is going on?" I glare.

"This is a private meeting" Jug states, standing up.

"I'm guessing it was you, Sweet Pea. Since your girlfriend is going to be getting fat soon and plus she's a bitch" he scoffs, making Sweet Pea stand immediately.

"Reggie, that's enough" Archie sighs.

"You ass, I didn't even know Midge" Sweet snarks, "But yeah, I get why she wouldn't want fleas from you mangy Bulldogs!"

I smirk, but then quickly jump off my seat when Reggie leaps towards Sweet Pea and shoves his chest hard. I quickly grab Sweet Pea with Fangs and we pull him back.

"Reggie, no!" Archie yells.

"Hey, hey, hey, hey!" Jug shouts, getting between us and the Bulldogs, holding us all back.