Behind Mansion Walls

5: Nobody Messes With Evil,It Always Strikes Back

Chapter Five: Nobody Messes With Evil,It Always Strikes Back

Hermione fought as Hiram held his hands around her throat. She couldn't breathe. Before she knew her vision was getting spotted and she could hear his voice slowly fading. "You stupid slut! You told FP Jones!" He growled, tightening his grip around her already bruised throat.

"Get off her!"

His cold blooded eyes tear away from Hermione and faced his devilish daughter. Veronica held a pistol in her hand. He chuckled at her. She doesn't have the guts. She's always been a whiner. She can't even fight if she wanted to. She's weak. Veronica glared at her father.

"Aw sweetheart! Put down the gun before you hurt yourself."

After years of his abuse. She had gotten good at masking his actions. She knew he locked his pistol away with her birthday. If she killed him, it wouldn't be a sweat off her back.

"You really think that's wise, Daddy." She taunted, twirling the gun around her finger. "I have the ammo, right Daddy?"

"Veronica don't." Hermione gasped weakly, unable to move from the crush injury to her leg.

Hiram chuckled." Go ahead. I don't think you got the—"

Red, crimson blood spatters across the mansion. And that's when the boss became touchable. You may think; was it wise? But what's about to come will rock your world. All news will be talking about for weeks and every one will know their story.

Veronica stared at the gun, she hadn't pulled the trigger. She looked at her mother with wide eyes and gasped. Hermione couldn't believe what just happened.

"Guts." They turned toward the voice and gasped. "FP called me after Gladys stabbed Jughead. He won't be harassing you anymore."

There was the assailant in clear. Veronica couldn't believe it was all over. They were free. She only wished Jughead didn't have to pay the price.

—xx—
Tom guided Hermione and Veronica into the hospital. FP stood by waiting room door, tears in his eyes and Hermione's heart just snapped in half. Her mind wandered into a daze as more and more people came into the room.

She slowly walked across the room on her throbbing ankle. Before Tom rescued her, she fell down and twisted her ankle. FP immediately looks up and his face falls. Hermione can see the tears in his eyes and embraced him tightly.

"What happened?" He swallows the bile to the back of his throat and looked away. "Gladys found out. She came at him with kitchen knife and stabbed him in the stomach. I tried to pry her away but..." His voice was so fragile, it broke her heart.

She rubbed a hand down his back and hovered over to the nearest chair for them to sit in. "Shhh, it's going to be okay. She can't hurt you or your family anymore. You're safe, FP."

Veronica watched as the room got quiet again. This was her fault! If she hadn't— no it wasn't her fault. It was Gladys's fault. She broke him and his Father Time and time again. It was all on her.

"Is he okay? Is my Juggie okay?!" Everyone looked toward the door way and noticed Betty's puffy red eyes.

Alice followed behind her daughter and almost raced into FP's fragile arms. His broken expression caused her pain. FP looked up from Hermione's shoulder and nearly fell to his knees.

"FP... What happened?" He heard the stutter in her voice as he slowly approached her.

"Gladys." He gritted his teeth as he spat her poisonous name like venom was on his tongue. "She did this! She stabbed my Juggie!" He cried as her arms pull him into her embrace.

Alice stood in shock as FP and Hermione explained what they've been through. She nearly fell to her knees when she heard this had been going on since Jellybean was born. Her heart shattered. The love of her life spent years in abuse.

She survived the south side to only leave him behind in the worst relationship. Fred came storming in, his heart pounding against his chest when he saw his friend. FP had red eyes and didn't look like he had eaten in days.

He noticed Jughead becoming more distant ever since Gladys returned but this... this was more than he expected. He hated the fact that his best friend kept this from for some many years.

Although he can't blame the man. He was trapped and that only made the guilt deepen within his soul.

"Are you sure you're okay?" He remembered asking a couple weeks ago.

FP just came up with the closet lie he could think of. "Yeah, just a nasty run in with a Ghoulie."

He should've know his friend was crying for help. Now there was nothing to do but wait for the outcome.

Gladys in prison.

Check.

Hiram injured.

Also checked off.

All they needed now was .... Jughead to be okay.