Panic Room || Jughead Jones

The Locked Room // Part Three

Veronica watched him for a moment. Jughead was far from okay and not just physically, either. This was tearing him up inside to not have Savanna involved. She knew it would, and it was honestly the only thing making her doubt Betty's plan.

"Are you okay?"

Jughead had heard the question plenty over the past few hours to days but it had never come from Veronica. He finally looked at her, both of them understanding the things that wouldn't be spoken out loud.

"I'm not worried about me. Just make sure she's okay."

--

FP was going through a string of emotions. He knew Riverdale wasn't the safest place to raise a family, but never once did he expect to lose his eldest child this early.

Betty Cooper was dragging him headfirst into a concoction of lies he could barely keep up with. After revealing the fake blood on the rock, he agreed to follow the blonde teen into the woods for this bunker he'd visited a couple of times before.

Now, he was face to face with his son who looked very much alive despite being a little banged up. FP didn't hesitate to wrap his child in a hug, a heavy weight falling off his shoulders.

"Oh, Jug. Damn, you had me worried," FP huffed and placed his hand on the teen's shoulders. "You kids are crazy."

Despite being stuck without fresh air and sunlight, Jughead looked okay. The gauze was still on his head but color had returned to his face and he was more alert than when he had first been brought down here.

"Your sister's been so scared, and those... those kids at Stonewall were no help. And Savanna, she's a mess, she's gonna be so relieved-"

"Savanna can't know, Mr. Jones," Betty's tone was quick and stern. "This is being kept under wraps. We have a plan to expose the murders that are hiding under Stonewall and for that to happen, they have to think Jughead is truly dead."

FP took a second to follow Betty's words and turned to regard his son. "She has no idea you're okay?"

Jughead's face sank at the constant thoughts that had been plaguing his mind being brought up again. His doubts about listening to Betty were starting to grow. Yes, he knew Savanna was being watched by oncoming eyes and it was important that she looked the part. Did that really need to happen without her knowing he was okay? She could hold her own and portray the emotions needed.

"Boy, I swear."

"Mr. Jones, it's only the beginning. We need to stage a search party and we need to convince everyone else of what they're hoping isn't true. They need to believe Jughead's dead. Savanna included."

FP looked at her but his expression said something completely different than understanding. He disregarded Betty, knowing it wasn't his place to correct her, and turned to the person he at least had some control over. "Jughead, I don't know what web of lies you all are spinning, nor do I want to, but anything you put that girl through concerning this, I do not approve of."

"Dad, I-"

"Jughead, I love you," FP sighed and held both sides of his son's face. "I really do. You're so smart and you've got a big heart. But you and I both know if this goes on and Savanna thinks you're gone, she will never forgive you. And I will stand next to her and agree with every word she has to say about it."

--

Some rain started to patter on the windows of the car, the sky turning darker with every gust of wind as I stared at Jughead.

"There's so much you still don't know, and if you don't want to hear it, I get it. I wouldn't blame you. I don't blame you for any of your feelings right now Sav, but I swear to you, more than anything, I love you. You probably don't believe me, and I wouldn't either if I were in your shoes. I love you so much, and you can ask anyone who knew that you were the only person on my mind throughout it all." His eyes were teary as he leaned across the center console, hands on my arms to keep me in place.

"You're it for me. I know right now isn't the time to be dealing with this. There's a lot that still has to happen and I'm not going to push you, so if you want to run, you can run. But if anything, if I can just see you and know that you're okay, that's enough for me."

It brought some comfort to know that Jughead was thinking of me despite what he knew I was going through. I closed my eyes and collected myself with his words. "Betty's after the Tracey True contract."

Jughead's grip loosened on my arms for just a moment. "What?"

I swallowed the knot in my throat as I recounted the information I'd seen from Veronica's phone when she left it on my kitchen counter. "Hermosa was digging into Donna's past to figure out her involvement. She's been awarded the contract for Tracey True. It's a long story involving her grandma, I don't have the details. Betty wants the contract for herself, that's why she went headfirst into this and kicked me out."

Jughead looked positively confused. "Wha-what? I mean even if she wants the contract, why would that involve keeping you out?"

I shrugged, my eyes burning with involuntary tears. "I don't know! Because she hates me? Because she thinks I would get the contract instead if I tried? I don't know. It's a perfect outlet for her to air all her dirty laundry and make a profit."

It was just a theory based on something I'd gotten a wave of. It didn't change the outcome, or how betrayed I felt.

"Sav, I'm so sorry. I can't say it enough."

I bit my lip and nodded as I looked away from him. "I need time, Jug. I don't know how much, and we can take this day by day, but I just need some time."

His expression was sad but he didn't seem hopeless as he nodded. "Yeah, yeah of course. I'll um...I'll see you around."

I watched as he climbed out of the car, pausing to give me a forced smile before shutting the door. He moved slowly to where his dad was walking out to his car, not sparing a glance before throwing himself in the passenger seat. FP pulled his door open and stopped as he turned to face me, smiling sadly in my direction before disappearing into the car.

Pulling the seatbelt across my body, I let the last few tears fall. Even though there was so much more to talk about, my chest felt much lighter than before, which made my next decision much easier.

--

I bypassed my apartment and walked straight into Felicity's which happened to be unlocked more often than it should.

"You need to lock your door," I commented to the girl who was standing at her counter. A storm raged outside sending a streak of lightning in the window for a moment.

"And you need to mind your business," She joked as she finished drying the plate in her hand and set it aside. "You look way better than when I saw you this morning. What happened?"

I shrugged and sat down on her barstool as she dug her hands back in the soapy water. "A lot. We talked, exposed the Stonewall kids, watched the teacher jump out a window, Jughead ripped apart our sex tape, cried, talked some more, and then here we are."

She hesitated for a moment but then continued. "Okay, gonna act like you said some normal things there. I'm glad you talked though, how are you feeling?"

"Wanna go home?"

Felicity dropped the fork in her hand as she made eye contact with me. "Excuse me?"

I smiled at her as if I hadn't just asked the most random question ever. "Do you, Felicity Parker, want to go home to Queens?"

"Like now?"

"Like right fucking now."

"Get your dog. I'll meet you in the car."

--

riverdale x mcu crossover here we comeeeee
happy halloween friends :)