Night Fall | Sweet Pea (completed)

Chapter Thirty-Six.

Archie collapsed onto the backseat as Veronica and Josie got in the back with him. Reggie in the front as he yelled at me to drive. I hit my foot on the accelerator faster than I had in the last year and took off towards Dilton's bunker where we had all decided Archie would hide out until we could get his name cleared.

I took the back streets and every side alley I could to make sure that nobody was following us before we reached the bunker fifteen minutes later. 

"You did good Dani." Reggie smiled as he rested his hand on my shoulder before hopping out of the car and helping Archie to the entrance of the bunker. I took a moment to take a big breath of relief before getting out and heading to the bunker.

"Be careful." I warned Reggie as he practically dropped Archie into the bunker.

"Well he wasn't going to be able to climb down was he?" Reggie shrugged before heading down into the bunker after Veronica and Josie. 

"Archie?" I heard Jughead's voice as I made my way down the ladder, this was becoming harder and harder to climb down, before I could take a second thought I felt a pair of arms grab onto my waist and lower me down into the bunker.

"Thanks Reg." I smiled as he placed me down softly. I looked around and saw Cheryl, Toni, Fangs and Sweet Pea standing around in shock as they stared at Archie who was covered in dirt, mud and blood. 

"Dani?" Sweet Pea's voice pulled me away from watching everyone help Archie onto the bed as he ran over and hugged me tight. "I didn't think you were actually going to go through with helping him. You could have been hurt." 

"If we didn't get him out he would have died Sweet." I kissed Sweet Pea on the lips before walking further into the bunker so I could help Toni clean Archie's wound up over the next fifteen minutes.

"There. You're all patched up. Don't make any sudden movements." Toni spoke to Archie as I hopped up to take the medical tools to the sink. 

 "I won't. Thanks Toni, Dani." Arch nodded slightly to both of us as a thank you before Toni got off the side of the bed and stood with Cheryl.

Veronica walked over to Archie as us Serpents stood together.

"You guys really missed out on saving Archie's life to play some stupid game in a bunker?" I looked between my best friends wondering how they were so wound up in the game.

"It's not just a game Dani. It's real." Fangs tried to explain the point of the game to me as everyone else joined in, I met Betty's eyes and just rolled mine at her before we both shook our heads. We knew exactly what the game was doing to people, she had shared it with me earlier today, yet my serpent family still insisted on playing.

"Guys, where the hell am I?" Archie asked as he looked around at his unfamiliar surroundings.

"In Dilton Doiley's bunker." Jughead replied causing the confused look on Archie's face to grow.

"The only people that know about it are in this room. Now it's the safest place in Riverdale for you. I promise." Betty added as she held onto Jughead's arm. 

"Dilton Doiley has a bunker?" Archie questioned making me smile in amusement because that was everyone's first initial thoughts. 

"We'll catch you up to speed once you're fully rested, okay?" Veronica asked as she rested her hand on Archie's bandage softly to make sure it wasn't irritating him.

"Archie?" Veronica asked as she saw a branding on Archie's hip, moving the blanket down softly to take a better look at it. "What is that on your hip?" 

Sweet Pea and Fangs shifted anxiously as they saw the branding, almost as if they knew what it meant.

"Courtesy of Warden Norton. To put me in place, after I tried to escape the first time." Archie spoke, flinching slightly as the cold air hit the fresh branding.

"The warden branded you and ordered Joaquin to stab you?" Jughead spoke, realisation in his voice as he stepped closer to take a better look.

"Jug" Betty spoke softly as she too realised what that symbol meant.

Cheryl and Toni held onto each other tighter as they stepped closer towards Sweet Pea, Fangs and I. At the same time Sweet Pea's arms wrapped around my shoulders making sure he pulled me close. 

"Can I have everyone's attention?" Veronica spoke as she looked around the room at everyone standing in their own little circles. "Since my father saw me, I need to go do some damage control on the home front. But, someone needs to stay with Archie, at all times."

"Ronnie, I don't need anyone--" Before Archie could intervene anymore Veronica cut him off politely.

"Yes. You do." 

"You go ahead V. Jughead and I will take the first shift." Betty offered as she smiled softly at her best friend and her boyfriend.

"Sweet Pea and I will do the shift straight after you guys." I volunteered both Sweet Pea and I before he had the chance to object.

"Yeah then Cheryl and I will too." Toni offered. I watched as Veronica looked between us all, everyone volunteering alongside their significant other or their best friends to look after one of our own.

"Excellent." Veronica smiled at us all, I saw a tear come to her eye but she quickly blinked it away not wanting to show her emotions in front of everyone.

"Now, equally important..." Veronica continued after everyone had sorted out what shifts worked best for who. "Everyone in this room is a part of a pact. From this moment on, no one knows where this bunker is. No one was involved with that break out. And no one is aware of Archie's whereabouts. To the grave. Capiche?" 

"To the grave V." I smiled as I looked around at everyone nodding and looking at one another. Our group may have been strong before but this was bound to put our relationships and friendships to the test that's for sure.