AUTHOR'S NOTE
Finally the next chapter is the musical episode, just to leave you a bit more excited about it. Hopefully as much as I am. Anyway, hope you enjoy this. Thank you for all the support.
EVERYDAY
"Now that you've barged your way in, go ahead, girls. Ask your questions."
Toni goes first. "You said Cheryl was away at some boarding school?"
"Honestly, I'm not in the habit of explaining myself to school girls." Penelope remarks, and turns her back on them, ready to walk away with Nana Rose.
"Maybe not, Mrs. Blossom, but you may have heard that my mother..." Josie leans forward before continuing. "is dating Sheriff Keller. If you won't tell us, then maybe you'll tell him."
"Alright then." She gives them this smiles that's more dark than nice. "The truth is that Cheryl started exhibiting strange, deviant behavior, so I sent her abroad to a wellness institute where they're trying to help her. You don't have to believe me," She reaches for a book where she finds some papers, and hands them over to the girls. "but let me show you something."
Eleanor reaches out for it, and shifts uncomfortable on the couch before opening them. She frowns in confusion at the sight of a drawing of Josie and Cheryl.
"Oh my god," Josie gasps.
"She's drawn dozen like it."
"What does this have to do with anything?" Ellie asks, but her tone is already accusative. "This is the deviant behavior Cheryl was having? Drawing? Please,"
"You might don't understand," Penelope's eyes drift to the girl next to her. "but Josie does. Cheryl was obsessed with you. I was afraid she might hurt you... or herself, or both. So, if you would like me to tell that to your mother and her boyfriend, and shoe them, and the town, Cheryl's drawings of you, I'd be happy too. But hopefully, you have de decency to keep this private, am I right?"
Ellie scoffs under the sight of her friends' silence, and stands up. "If your daughter is that damaged, have you ever considered that maybe it's your fault? 'Cause the truth is you and your family didn't deserve to have a lineage, because all you do is screw up your kids' life, you sure screwed Jason's life." She throws the drawings to the ground, and looks at Mrs. Blossom one las time, before walking away. "And I'll be damned if I let you ruin Cheryl's too."
Eleanor saved Cheryl Blossom from the pit of hell once, and she would do it again doesn't matter how many times, because she wasn't there when Jason needed her. So, maybe – just maybe – she can make up for it by being there for Cheryl. Jason would surely appreciate it.
"If what Mrs. Blossom said is even a bit true, that means that Cheryl threatened me, sent me a bloody pig's heart." Josie speaks up, while walking behind the blonde girl. She turns around to face the rest of her friends, before letting out one last warning. "I'm out, you guys, I'm done."
"Josie, come on." Ellie faces her with a desbelief look on her face. "You can't be serious."
"Let it go, E." Veronica warns her.
"Are you kidding me? So what Cheryl has some problems? Well, flash news so do I." Ellie points out to Josie then. "And probably so do you, Josie."
"Yeah, not like that." Josie shakes her head, and steps back. "I'm out, I'm sorry."
Eleanor stays back while watching Josie walking away, giving up on their friend. The truth is not everyone's has the strength of character to be there when someone needs you if that someone's a bit damaged. Doesn't matter if everyone is.
. . .
Alice is washing the dishes, but turns to look at her daughters every now and then. Whatever that conversation was about back at the trailer, it lead to Ellie walking on eggshells around Betty, and it was paining Alice to watch.
"Mom," Betty finally calls her attention, but also Ellie's. She reaches for some paper on the back of her jeans and continues. "I wanna know if you would sign something for me. A consent form."
"What, are you trying to get emancipated because I made you move back?"
"It's so I can get a tattoo." Betty tells her. "A Serpent tattoo."
Ellie turns around at the words, now paying full attention. "Betty, come on."
"What? You did it, without consent actually."
"That's different." Ellie steps closer to her sister, and shakes her head slightly. "The Black Hood was running around trying to force me to pick a side, we were all on a really bad spot, I –."
"I did the dance, you didn't, so maybe if I get the tattoo they'll finally see that I'm probably more Serpent than you ever will be," Betty replies, and she doesn't even think through what she's saying, and she doesn't think how that can hurt her sister.
Ellie mutters. "Now, you're just being a bitch."
"Girls, enough!" Alice exclaims, and turns to Betty to finally answer her question. "You're not getting a tatto just to prove something to your boyfriend, or his friends. Or to get under your sister's skin. Absolutely not!"
"I'm pratically a Serpent! I shouldn't have to prove anything." Betty argues. "And this is not about Ellie, why does everything have to be about her, huh?"
"Ok, jealous is not a good look on you, Betty." Alice lectures her, and feels the need to defend her other daughter. "Why can't you be a little nicer to your sister? She has been going –."
"Please, Mom." Ellie places her hands on the balcony, leaning forward into the conversation. "Don't pressure Betty into being nice to me just because my heart's broken. I don't need anyone's pity, specially not forced."
"Great." Betty gives her a yellow smile, before turning back to her mother. "And I will find a tattoo parlor who will do it without consent, Ellie did."
Before Alice Cooper can come up with a good reply, the front door opening calls their attention. Chic comes into view right away, calling for them, and as soon as Ellie gets a sight of his face she knows whatever's coming out of his mouth, it's not good.
"I was trying to help."
A woman comes up from behind Chic, and speaks up. "You must be Alice. And one of you must be Betty and the other one Ellie, right? Which one?"
"I'm Ellie." She raises her hand slightly, but she still trying to understand what this is about.
"Right. Well, I'm Darla."
Eleanor feels her hands shaking at the sound of that name, and her eyes drift to Chic. God, if she could she would bash his head against the wall right now, because everything he has been doing is screw up their lifes, and all they can do is nod and sit.
So, that's what they do.
Alice Cooper brings a platter with tea from the kitchen to the dinning table, where the rest of them is sitting, and Ellie notices how much her mother is shaking, and if there's anyone that understands it's her. Very familiar feeling, pretty much always.
"I'm not surprised that deadbeat Dwayne borrowed my car without asking." She chuckles. "He does it all the time. What did surprise me was the car turning up in a swamp in Riverdale." But Darla doesn't stop there. "And just as I was getting ready to head back to Centerville, Chic called me."
Betty faces him. "Why would you do that?"
"He thought he could sniff out how much I knew?" Darla looks his way too. "Isn't that right? But there's no playing a player. I saw through him." And as Alice finally begins to pour the tea, the woman continues. "It's ok. Dwayne was a heel. I wouldn't be surprised if he stole my car to pick up some floozy only to get himself killed."
Ellie finally faces her sister, and swallows. At this point, Chic's right. It's not his fingerprints all over his body, no that's theirs. And the blood, that's on their hands too. Somehow, even though he's the one who killed the man, he's the least guilty.
"Like I told Chic." Darla titles her head slightly to the left. "I don't particularly care what happen to Dwayne. I don't see any reason to ask any questions about him, especially not if I get the ten grand he owes me. If I get that, I'm a happy camper who'll be out of your lives forever and ever, amen. If not, well... I might just have to have a long talk with that handsome Sheriff of yours."
"We don't know what you're talking ab –."
Alice interrupts Ellie right away. "We don't have that money on hand." Her daughter looks over to her with a frown. "But if we get the money, we're done, right? You'll leave, no questions asked?"
"Zip my mouth and throw away the key."
She turns to her kids. "Ok, we'll make a withdrawl."
Darla calls her attention, stopping her from going anywhere. "Uh-uh, one of you goes."
"Ellie, then. Ellie will go." Alice tells her.
"The bank is not open until nine am tomorrow morning, Mom." Betty reminds her.
"I don't mind waiting." Darla speaks up with a shrug. "Got any board games?"
. . .
Eleanor's ready, as ready as she'll ever be. She has her Serpent jacket in one hand and her purse on the other one as she rushes downstairs, finding her Mom sitting down at the dinner table with Darla. So no, it wasn't just a nightmare.
"It's our account." Alice speaks up. "So you shouldn't have trouble."
Ellie nods, and tries to relax, but fails to do so.
She turns around, ready to make her way to the front door when Darla pulls her back by her right arm for one warning last warning. "Hey. Straight to the bank and right back, blondie."
Ellie doesn't say anything in return, she just pulls her arm back in a violent movement.
The all way, she can barely breathe. There's so much air around her, and still she's out of it. She just tries to focus on the walk to the bank, wondering if she should have just called the cops that night, god she almost did. Maybe Chic would have been gone by now and they wouldn't be threatened by some crazy woman that's keeping her family hostage.
Eleanor is almost outside of the bank, when her phone starts ringing. She reaches for it inside her purse, and picks it up right away.
"Mom, I'm already heading out."
"No, Eleanor." Alice's voice is quiet, but urgent. "There's another one in the house."
She swallows. "What do you mean."
"The guy that attacked Chic at the hostel, that manager?"
"Should I call someone?" Ellie asks her in concern.
"I don't... I don't know, Eleanor." Alice replies, there's only one thing she begs of her daughter. "But whatever you do, don't come home."
Eleanor's about to say something, but the call ends there. And she worries even more. She looks around her now, there's so much people but no one that can help her.
Ellie can't stop worrying about her Mom, how terrified she sounded. That gets her thinking of the only one thing that can get them out of this and belongs to the two of them, Alice and her – or did – in some twisted way and that's the Serpents.
. . .
Alice feels her heart tightining on her chest at the sight of Ellie turning around the corner, and entering the living room. She can't hold back the thought of her two daughters dying.
She murmurs to her. "Why did you come back, Ellie?"
"Took a week to get the pepper spray out of my eyes." The man speaks up, calling their attention.
"Next time, maybe don't attack my brother." Betty shrugs.
Darla finishes counting, and looks at them. "It's all here. Nice work."
"You have your money." Alice tells her. "Now go."
"What are you talking about?" Marcel, the manager, chuckles. "I just got here."
"Yeah." Darla leans back on the couch. "And Riverdale is so much nicer than Centerville." She looks around then with a smile. "And this house, I could get used to this house."
Chic stands up in frustation. "You said if we gave you the money, you'd leave."
"Chic." Alice warns, mimicking him.
"Or what?" Darla titles her head to the side with a smirk. "You think you four can take us?"
Ellie holds her chin high, at this point she's beyond angry. And she isn't wrong. "You have no idea who you're messing with."
"Try it."
Betty holds her sister's arm back, stopping her from doing something she'll regret. "Don't."
Marcel reaches for the razor inside his pocket, and then gestures towards Chic. "You, sit your ass down or I'll cut your brave sister's eyes out."
"Try it." Ellie smirks, the words leaving her mouth much more confident than when they came out of Darla's mouth, and there's a reason for that.
The door bursts open, and everyone turns around to look at what's happening. But not Ellie, no she keeps looking at the couple in front of her, and she loves the look of defeat in their faces.
Jughead stops next to Eleanor, and she notices how right she is to trust the Serpents with her life. They all reach out for their knifes as well, and now this is a much better fight. Ellie smiles at the dark-haired boy that returns it for a second, before looking back to the intruders.
"Heard what I said?" Ellie crosses her arms. "I said try it."
"You brought back up." Darla still smiles from her seat. "Does that mean you want me to go to the Sheriff, start making a stink?"
"That's your call, but my friends and me, we're friends with the Sheriff's son." She titles her head to the side with a shrug. "Whose side do you think he'll pick?"
"The Coopers are one of the most respected families in Riverdale." Jughead add, and steps forward. "You two are just Centerville scumbags."
"Anything that was in your car washed away, else we'd have heard about it." Ellie leans a bit down to lock her eyes with the woman. "So why don't you grab your money and run?"
Eleanor lets go of a breath she didn't know she was holding when the couple gets up and make their way to the front door with the Serpents escorting their way out until they're out of sight, and she hears the rest of her family sighing too.
"I'm sorry," Chic tells them.
"Shut up, Chic." Ellie warns him, her eyes burning with rage at this point. Her heart still pumping with adrenaline. "Before I bash your head open."
Betty holds onto her sister, and pulls her in for a hug. It feels nice, after all the fighting maybe they needed this, something to remind them that life is just so fragile. After Alice hugs her two daughters too, she starts putting away all the trash those two made while occupying their home, and Jughead comes back from checking on the rest of the Serpents.
"I'm sorry about the door."
"I'm just sorry they weren't behind it when you knocked it down," Ellie jokes.
"Thank you, Jughead." Alice's voice is soft, and then her eyes drift between the dark-haired boy and her daughter. "Thank your friends' for me."
"We're Serpents, it's what we do." He tells her, with a smile.
"Girls, you've been telling me something I didn't wanna hear." The woman faces both blondes now, with tears in her eyes. "And I'm sorry." Alice then turns to face her son. "But Chic... you've put us in danger twice. I think that you should do what you said, and leave."
Chic nods. "I will. I'll find a place."
"Do it quickly, because you're not gonna spend another night here."
Eleanor can't put into words how relieved she feels right now, but at the same time her Mom is hurt, and that doesn't sit well with her. She knew it would get to this at some point, she just hoped her mother would be better prepared for it, but how do you prepare to kick out your own son that you regret ever abandoning?
Eleanor and Betty follow Jughead outside, both desesperated to walk away from all that.
"I'm sorry, Ellie." Betty looks down at her feet, but continues. "To both of you."
"You don't need to apologise." Jughead tells her.
"No, I really do." She sighs. "I was horrible, specially to Ellie."
"We're sisters, it gets tough sometimes." Ellie comforts her, even though she appreciates that her sister is sorry. It means a lot. "But I'm not going anywhere."
"You saved our lives, not me. You as a Serpent did." Betty realizes, and says it out loud because it's the right thing to do. "So, maybe Sweet Pea and Fangs were right, and I knew that, that's why it bothered me... You said I was the better person... I'm not, Ellie."
She clears her throath before speaking up, and avoids making eye contact with the dar-haired boy while doing so. "Well, you're Jughead's girlfriend." She manages to smile before continuing. "So they'll have to get used to that, and they will, Betty. You'll see."
Jughead gives Ellie a small smile, almost a thank you for trying to make things right for his relationship even though their problems won't go away, because Ellie is always going to be here either it be as a Serpent or as his best friend, or his childhood crush. She's here.
. . .
Eleanor is trying to call Archie one more time, and she wonders why she's in this position. Maybe because she has more respect for Fred Andrews than his son ever will, and that stings. She's ok with him choosing Hiram over her – at least she's trying to be ok with that – but over his Dad too? That's another level of messed up.
"He's not picking up," Ellie turns around to tell his parents. "I'm sorry."
"You already did too much, Ellie." Mary smiles at her, and faces Fred now. "I think we should just start."
"Yeah, maybe you're right."
Ellie places one hand on the man's shoulder, which calls his attention. "We're here, and I know it's not the same, but... We're here."
"Thanks, Ellie." Fred gives her a sad smile, but a gentle one. "I'm glad you're here."
Mary pulls Eleanor with her under the umbrella as they follow Fred Andrews to the speaker. Ellie still looks around at first, hoping the red-haired boy is going to come through for his Dad, but some deep part of her knows he's not showing up. And maybe, it's better this way.
"Good afternoon." He speaks up. "My name's Fred Andrews. And I stand before you today, a humble resident of this town, to announce my candidacy for Mayor."
Everyone claps their hands with enthusiasm, and Ellie is really happy with this possibility of Fred being the Mayor, instead of Hemione, because that means Riverdale wins. Not just some rich part of town, everyone. Well, maybe not the Lodges, but she's ok with that.
. . .
"Reggie," Ellie speaks to the phone when he finally answers. "I've calling you for hours."
"Sorry, cutie." He replies, and it's noticeable that he's smiling. "Let's just say your boyfriend payed me a visit, or should I say ex-boyfriend?"
"So he couldn't bring himself to show up for his Dad's announcement but he could go around offering votes?" She scoffs. "Geez, right now I'm glad he's my ex."
"How do you know he offered me votes?" Reggie frowns in confusion at her words.
"Because, Reg, I know Archie and there's only one reason why he would go to the guy that fixed his ex some pills, and that's because he needs something." Ellie explains, and continues before the boy can say anything. "And I know you, you'd never offer your services for free."
"Can't say you're wrong,"
She shrugs even though he can't see it. "That's because I'm not." Ellie sighs after, going straight to the reason why she called. "And you know me, so you know why I'm calling."
"You promised, Ellie." Reggie's voice is serious now, and he's not afraid to argue with her on this. "I told you, we both in too deep, we need to get out before someone gets hurt. Because someone will, Ellie. What do you think will happen when your Mom finds out? Or Betty, even Jughead? Have you thought about that?"
"They'll never find out unless you tell them, Reggie."
"Maybe I should." He tells her, and she swallows at his words. "I care about you, you know that. And I'll have your back, always, Serpent or not. So, this is how this is gonna go." Reggie pauses for a second to really get her full attention, and then continues. "I'm gonna drop you off some pills tonight, and if you ask me for more after that, I'm gonna tell someone."
"Thanks for that, Reggie." Ellie sighs, and her voice is softer than it thought it would be with this ultimatum of his. "For caring. Not a lot of people do these days."
"You deserve better than him, cutie. Always have,"
Eleanor ends that call with Veronica calling out for her, and Reggie's last words stick with her. Maybe this is the time when she finally comes to terms with that – with what Reggie and Jughead have been trying to tell her since the start – and finds a way to move on.
"So, are we ready to go?" Ellie raises her eyebrows at her friends.
Toni smiles, and gestures with her head to the door. "Let's do this."
Cheryl Blossom is in the Sisters of Quiet Mercy, and yes Ellie has been there before. It wasn't nice, and she wishes she could take that back, what Polly went through in that place. So, maybe Cheryl is her redemption after all, for not being able to save Jason nor Polly.
Kevin is waiting for them by the secret passage, and tells them as soon as they approach him. "According to my intel, the tunnel from the main residence comes out here."
"That's our way in." Veronica sighs, and gives their friend a warning. "Kevin, you stay here. If we're not back in fifteen minutes, call your Dad. Okay?"
He nods in response, and Toni turns to bust the door open.
They travel through the small tunnel together, and stop once the tunnel gets bigger just to make a plan from this moment on, because it's important to know what they're about to do, and how.
Ellie faces her friends, the flashlight pointing to the ground. "When we get to the main building, what then?"
"We search each and every damn room until we find her." Toni tells them with determination. No way she's leaving that place without the red-haired girl.
Veronica nods, and gestures for the way they're supposed to follow. "Let's go."
Once they manage to make their way into the main building, they search every door on their path, but Cheryl's no way to be found, so Toni stops them midway.
"We should split up. We'll cover twice the ground."
"Be careful," Ellie gives their friends one last look. "both of you."
Eleanor makes her way to the right, and she doesn't look back to see where her friends are going but she can hear them calling out for Cheryl, just like she is. Her sister's name almost spills out of her moth one time, because somehow this place still haunts her dreams.
She recovers rather quickly when she notices some nuns coming her way on the hallway, and they call out for her. At this point, she knows they've been busted. So, she makes her way back down the hallway to look for her friends, and it's Veronica she finds first.
"We gotta find Toni and hope she has Cheryl, because we've nuns after us." Ellie tells her, and can't hold back the joke that follows. "God, never thought I would speak such words."
Veronica pulls her blonde friend with her to where she thinks Toni is, and she busts the door open with one strong push. There stands, the red-haired girl safe and sound, locked in Toni's embrace, and Ellie lets out a sigh of relief.
"We've to go, there a bunch of nuns coming."
Ellie hurries them too. "Yeah, like right now. Let's go!"
Eleanor is the first one out the door, and she turns to her right, but the nuns are too close down that way, so she turns around in urgency, pushing Veronica the other way, the other two following close behind them.
Only, the left is filled with nuns too, so they're forced to enter the door to their right, and when they do the alarm starts sounding. They find their way into the tunnels they came from, and all they can hear is the nun's steps behind them, and their short breaths.
Ellie lets Cheryl climb the staircase first, because she's the one they're rescuing, it makes sense. So, she's the last one climbing, and all she can think as she does is that this would turn out as a great story written on paper – so she can't wait to tell Jughead – but as fun as it sounds, she only feels the relief fill her chest when she steps outside, and Kevin closes the door behind her shut.
"Let's go," Veronica hurries.
. . .
"Would you mind telling me what was so important that you couldn't be there for your Dad?"
"I had every intention of going." Archie replies right away.
"You used to worship your father." Mary steps forward, and continues her statement. "You used to play music. You, Ellie and Jughead, you were inseperable. God, the Golden Trio." She scoffs the last words with disappointment. "But I'm looking at you now, and I don't know you've become."
He sighs. "Mom –."
"No! I was standing there and this girl was calling you like crazy even though you broke her heart because she didn't want you to disappoint your Dad the way you disappointed her. Yes, because you lost her, Archie. For good." The red-haired woman shakes her head, and tells him. "So don't come at me with Mom, because who are you, Archie?"
Mary Andrews is a disappointed mother at the moment, because she doesn't see Archie as the man her and Fred raised him to be. He used to be kind, and understanding, always running around with his friends, and standing up for them the whole way. Until Hiram Lodge got a hold of him, and since then Archie has been gone.
That's what Alice thought the Serpents had done to Ellie Cooper – taken away her innocence and kindness – but she has been wrong the whole time. Ellie is different, sure, but she's stronger and knows what to fight for and when. The Serpents didn't take away her daughter, they gave her a home to run to when everything seems dark and ugly, and that turned her into someone Alice couldn't be prouder of.
"I told Jughead to thank you for me, but I reconsidered, because I wanted to do it myself." Alice speaks up, and everyone's attention is on her. "So thank you for what you did. I also wanted you to hear directly from me that I'm done attacking and disavowing the Southside." She glances at Ellie for a moment, and smiles. "My daughter is one of you – as I was – and she taught me that I should be proud of where I'm from. And, from now on, I will be. And like Ellie, I will fight tooth and nail for it. Everyday."