Faithfully

42

After visiting the Wyrm and swinging by Pops, Braxton walked through the front door and saw her dad sitting at the kitchen island going through paperwork. "Why the hell is Jughead in the guest bedroom asleep?" Rich asked her as she set the takeout bags from Pop's on the kitchen island. "FP basically kicked him out." She told him.

"What the hell happened?"

"Something with the Snake Charmer."

"The what?" He asked qucikly.

"I guess Jug owes Penny Peabody a debt and FP is trying to pay it off."

"You've got to be fucking kidding me."

"What?" Braxton question as Rich grabbed his jacket and slid it on. "I'll be right back."

"But I just brought home dinner!"

"Go head and eat. I'll be back!"

Rich made it to the Wrym right before the Serpents left for their evening run. He bursted into the bar and walked over to FP and grabbed his jacket. "What the hell are you doing?" He snapped at him as FP pushed him off. "We're going on a run." He replied as he adjusted his jacket.

"For Penny? Forsythe, I told you I had it covered!"

"Yeah well your plan isn't working! I had to take matters into my own hands!"

"Office, now." Rich told him in a low deep tone then headed for the door. FP followed behind him pulling it closed. "What the hell are you thinking?" Rich continued once they were behind closed doors.

"I'm trying to save my boys skin."

"FP, when I agreed to come back to the Serpents part time I told you to leave this to me"

"Yeah well your plans of charming the Snake Charmer isn't working out. I took the initiative to settle the leverage the old fashion way."

"By putting Serpents in danger?" Rich yelled. "Sweet Pea is a seventeen year old boy and you have him on a drug run! That is not how Serpents handle business and you know that."

"What the hell do you want me to do?"

"He's not going on the run tonight, I'm taking his place. You don't send a teenage boy into the range of fire, especially when it's Jug who made this mess and you refuse to let him clean it up."

There was a knock on the office door and when it opened Danny appeared in the door frame. "Danny?" Rich gasped as his eye brows raised and his chin dropped. "Hey, dad." Danny said with a half hearted smile. Rich walked over and wrapped his arms around his son for the first time in two years.

"When did you get here?"

"This afternoon. I came by to say hey to Braxton and tagged along on the run. Speaking of the run, FP we should probably get going."

"Apparently your old man is coming too." FP told him as he walked passed the two and out to the bar.

"What?" Danny questioned.

"I'm not having a seventeen year old kid on a drug run." Rich said as he followed behind FP. He walked over and place his hand on Sweet Pea's shoulder and said "SP, you're not running tonight. I'm sorry but you're just too young to be on this run and I'm not chancing you getting caught or hurt."

"But sir-" he started to rebute but Rich cut him off.

"I get that you want to contribute but this isn't the way, not now. Braxton just dropped off some Pop's at my place. Jug is there. Head over and just relax. Okay?"

Sweet Pea let out a frustrated sigh but ultimately shook his head in agreement.

Braxton was throwing the wrappers to her cheeseburger away when she heard the sound of a motorcycle as it pulled up to the house and then a knock at the door. "It's not locked." She said as she pulled it open but then stood froze when she saw Sweet Pea leaning against the door frame. "Oh, hey." "Hey." He replied shocked, "your uhm- your old man told me to come here."