ѕerpenт qυeen - Jughead Jones

XXI.

Jughead and Ava walked into the Tattoo shop, Ava looked around. "I'm, uh... here for Penny Peabody?" Jughead said. Ava knew that name and knew this was going to end bad. The Tattoo guy nodded to the back. Jughead went to where he motioned and Ava followed. "Jug... I don't think this is a good idea..." She said softly. "Then leave and I'll deal with this." He said. They walked inside her office. "Forgive the office space,but I'm a firm believer in low overhead. Plus, I like being close to my clients." She said motioning for them to sit. "Your clients being the Serpents?" Jughead asked. "Well, I was and still am a Serpent. Hello Aveline... Did you miss me?" She asked. "Not really, Penny..." She said rolling her eyes. She showed her serpent tattoo looking at Jughead. "They put me through college. Law school." Penny said. "Right. Serpents are oftenon the other side of the law, so, having one of their ownon retainer helping out, it's clever." Jughead said nodding. "FP always bragged that you were smart. Killain always bragged he had the best daughter so that's how I know Aveline or the Ser-" Penny said. "Shut up Penny and just help us." She demanded. 

"Oh, yeah, I know your dad. And I also know,from our, um... mutual friends, the deal he's been offered. It's garbage." Penny said. "Can you help?" Jughead asked. "I know the loopholes. In this case, there are none. But if you get the victim's familyto forgive him in front of a judge,that might shift things in FP's favor. Instead of 20 years,he can get time served with parole." Penny said. "Oh, that's great." Jughead commented. "Yeah." Penny said smiling. "Thank-- Uh...Am I... supposed to pay you, or...?" Jughead asked. Ava looked at Penny and watched her waiting for the moment she tells them it. "We're friends. I do you a favor,one day, maybe you do me a favor. Let me know how it goes, will you? Tell your dad to wear a tie." Penny said shaking Jughead's hand. Penny shook Ava's hand and pulled her close. "You will not warn him or FP of this meeting or I will tell your secret, maybe even do more." Penny whispered in her ear before letting her leave. Ava walked away to Jughead. 

Jughead, Ava, and Betty walked to where Cheryl was staying the Thistlehouse. Jughead knocked on the door, Cheryl opened the door. "Hobo. Bride of Hobo. Fancy Hobo. Welcome to Thistlehouse. Mother's in the conservatory. Follow me." Cheryl said. Ava rolled her eyes at the nicknames Hobo. They walked into the house and sat at the table in the conservatory. "Thank you for sitting down with us." Betty said. "Of course, Betty. You're family." Cheryl said. "Okay. The reason we're here." Jughead said. "FP's lawyer thinks that if the familyof the victim shows mercy-" Ava said. "Mercy. That's why you're here?" Penelope said stirring her tea. Ava clenched her jaw and smiled slightly. "Well, it's an appeal for leniencyfrom you... to reduce my dad's sentence." Jughead said. "Where was your father's mercywhen I spent those nights walking Thornhill in agony, obsessing over what was happeningto J.J., imagining the worst?" Cheryl asked. "Where was it when I slept under the same roof as a killer night after night?" Cheryl continued. "Cheryl... FP didn't kill Jason. Okay? That was your dad and Ava's dad. You saw the video." Betty said. "If it were up to me,I'd watch FP fry in the electric chair." She said watching the three. "We need this sordid chapterclosed forever, and FP is the last loose end to tie up. I will not have a living,breathing reminder of the darkest chapter of my lifewalking the streets of Riverdale." Cheryl said. Ava looked at Cheryl. "If your life is in danger again... Don't come crying for help from me anymore." She said glaring at her. 

Ava, Jughead, and Betty walked out of the house. "What do we do nowthat Cheryl's gone full Poison Ivy?" Betty asked. "Blackmail, extortion. If they weren't literally an orphanand a widow, I would do it." Jughead said before leaving. Ava, Jughead, and Betty went to Pop's to have their last meal before it closed. "So, why'd you do it, Pop? Did they make youan offer you couldn't refuse?" Jughead asked. "Who's buying it? Do you know?" Betty asked. " It shames me to say... ChugMo." Pop said. Ava gasped shocked, "The liquor-store chain?" Ava asked. Pop nodded as he looked at her. "Could I make a request for a last supper?" Jughead asked looking at Pop. "Anything you want." Pop told Jughead. "It's not for me. It's for my dad." Jughead said. "He's facing 20 yearsof that weird meat loaf that they serve prisoners." Ava said. "So, barring an 11th-hour miracle, I was hoping, for his last meal in Riverdale,that you could make his favorite." Jughead said finishing the sentence. Pop nodded and looked at them. "Fried chicken, corn bread, onion ringsand orange freeze, if memory serves." Pop told them and they nodded. Ava knew his favorite by heart. He used to always want to go to Pop's to talk about Jughead when it was night out. 

"That's very Rain Man of you, Pop." Ava said smiling kindly. "Been doing this a long time. Thought I'd be doing ituntil the day I die." Pop said. Ava nodded and drank her chocolate milkshake she always ordered from there. "This is... unacceptable." Betty said shaking her head. "What?" Jughead asked turning to face Betty. "Just everything. Have you officially sold the diner?" Betty said. "The contract's being drawn up." Pop told her. Betty got up and got her items. "Do not sign it. Okay? Do not give up. Either of you. I can fix this, all right?I will fix this, okay?" Betty told them, she kissed Jughead's cheek before leaving with a bye. Pop looked at Ava as she watched Jughead be in a relationship... She watched him change from how he was, she honestly hated it. 

Jughead and Ava walked into see Veronica scrolling on her phone. "I don't have red hair and broad shoulders." Jughead said. "Or a blond ponytail, for that matter. Do you wanna talk?" Ava said. Veronica sighed softly, "You were ready to walk away from your dad. And now you're crusading for his freedom. What changed?" Veronica said looking at him. Jughead was eating one of the cupcakes he found. "He did." Ava said nodding her head. "He made an effort. Took another swing at being a good dad." Jughead said eating the cupcake after he was finished talking. "But don't you think... some people can't change? Like it's just in their DNA to be bad?" Veronica said looking away. "I'm not gonna presume to knowwhat lies in your father's heart. But Archie's dad almost died. And FP, my adopted dad is going away for 20 years. If there's even a 0.0001 percent chancethat your dad is trying-" Ava said. "I get it. Thank you, Jughead. Thanks, Ava." Veronica said honestly. Ava nodded and walked off. 

Ava, Jughead, and Betty were sitting right behind FP for his trial for court. Ava was so nervous and she couldn't sit still. " Ms. Blossom,you may proceed with your statement." The Judge said to Cheryl. "Your Honor, I speak for myselfand my mother when I say we forgive FP Jones for the part he playedin covering up my brother's murder. And we humbly ask the court for leniency. FP's guilt has been blownout of proportion to satiate what my father's suicidedenied us. Closure." Cheryl said. Ava watched her as the Judge leaned close to her. "As much as I sympathize, I can't ignorethe quality of Mr. Jones' crimes. There were no extenuating circumstances." The Judge said. Cheryl had to think of a quick reply to help him... to help Jughead. "My father threatened him. I overheard them talking in Daddy's study. Daddy said he'd hurt Jugheadif FP didn't comply. Is that extenuating enough?" Cheryl said. "In light of these revelations, I suggest that we take a step back and reevaluate certain aspectsof the case. At which time, we will revisit sentencing. Adjourned." The Judge told them. Ava got up quickly to hug FP. "Is that a win?" FP asked looking at them. "It's a delay, so, yeah." Jughead and Ava said in unison. They all hugged each other and Ava tried not to cry in the court room. She had it delayed all it was needed now was him out of this mess. 

Everyone was doing retro night for Pop's diner since it was a night they were never going to forget. Ava was outside waiting for people to arrive and help around. She loved this place, she was always here since she was a child. Later in that night, Serpents came which Ava talked with them for their orders. Ava glanced at everyone and rolled her eyes. Pop's had got news it would stay open as long as people shows. Hiram Lodge even gave to Pop to help Pop's diner but in reality they bought it. Ava left early to spend the night at Sweet Pea's. They were dating now, they have for a few days.