✿
It was a whirlwind of events. Right after the wedding, those that lived had to "bury" their dead—a complete act to trick Percival. This included Archie, Toni, Fangs, Dagwood, Nana Rose, and Jughead. And they're convincing him that Anthony is dead too. The perished were being preserved in Dr. Curdle Jr's freezer while the rest of them waited.
Baby Anthony is also safe and sound, but hidden because he's Percival's real target.
An eerie feeling crept into Mickey's body and has been settling for days. It made her feel like she was back in high school going through all that trauma again.
Death, deceit, and doom. That's not the life she wanted. It's pretty outlandish. All of the antics were getting to her, including the fake funeral where they dressed in black. Of course, Percival showed his face to make sure his plans succeeded.
Mickey, Tabitha, Betty, Veronica, Cheryl, Heather, and Kevin have been waiting around Thornhill for a friend of Heather's to show up. This friend is supposed to help them revive their loved ones.
On the television, Alice is in her reporter chair, sharing a new story. "Reports are still coming in, but authorities believe, there was an altercation between rival gangs, The Serpents and the Ghoulies, that has resulted in multiple deaths at the Whyte Wyrm biker bar. Names of the deceased have not yet been released, but local authorities are warning—"
Betty cuts the television off and mutters, "Nice cover story, Mom."
Tabitha says, "You know, maybe that's why Percival didn't kill every firstborn in town, because it would be much harder to explain away hundreds, if not thousands of deaths."
Mickey nods, "That's a good point." She checks the time on her phone and then looks to Heather. "When is she coming? This Sabrina...—what's her last name again?"
"Spellman," Cheryl answers. She puts her drink down and looks to Heather too. "She'll be here soon, right?"
Heather's standing in front of all of them with her hands clasped in front of her. "As soon as she can be. Sabrina is the definition of a multi-tasking witch. 'Cheerleader by day, Queen of Hell by night,' was her tagline for a while."
"But you said, we only have three days to bring them back?" Veronica reminds her, "We've got, like, hours left."
Heather sits beside Cheryl. "It's true. There are different kinds of resurrection rituals. The one we are attempting must be performed within three days of a person's...expiration. Otherwise, the body becomes too corrupt to reanimate and the death becomes permanent."
Tabitha attempts to be optimistic by pointing out something. "At least it doesn't seem like Percival suspects what we're up to. And he doesn't know that baby Anthony survived his last plague. That gives us a tiny window to bring everyone back in time for the final battle."
Kevin asks, "Why did baby Anthony survive? Wouldn't he have been Percival's main target?"
"You were a firstborn, too, though, Kev," Betty points out. This seems to upset Kevin because he stands up and leaves the room. Betty trails behind him.
"Guys, where do we think they are?" Veronica clarifies, "Archie and the others. I mean their souls..."
"In some kind of afterlife," Cheryl says doubtingly.
Heather says, "Sabrina once described it simply as the 'Sweet Hereafter.' It's supposed to be whatever each person thinks is the perfect reality."
Tabitha feels a little comforted knowing Jughead and the others are not suffering. She notices Mickey's bouncing knee and knows hearing about the Sweet Hereafter did nothing to alleviate Mickey's concerns. Tabitha reaches for Mickey's hand. As soon as she intertwines their fingers, Mickey pulls her hand out of Tabitha's, stands up and goes over to the bar.
Mickey knew Tabitha would follow her. She faces her and says, "I can't think about us or anything right now. Our focus needs to be on saving Jughead and the others."
"That is where my focus is, Mickey," Tabitha assures her.
"Even when you were trying to hold my hand?" The doorbell rings and Mickey takes a deep breath.
"I saw that you were on edge and I just wanted to comfort you. This is going to work, Mick. We just have to listen to everything Sabrina says. We're gonna get everyone back."
Then Cheryl, Betty and a petite blonde girl—Sabrina—come into the room. "Sorry it took me so long," Sabrina smiles. "There was a lot of turbulence in the realms, but I'm here now. How can I help?"
✿
The first part of the plan—creating a coven of seven witches—was the easy part.
Sabrina, Heather, and Cheryl already made three.
Due to the manifestation of powers in the others, becoming witches would be easy. First, they had to sign their names in a book of witchcraft, The Maleficarumwill. Next, they lit candles and chanted, pledging allegiance to Hecate—the feminine ideals of maiden, mother, and crone. The last thing they had to do was dance to seal the deal.
Just like that, they were all blessed with the divine spirit of Hecate—and standing in front of a smokey portal that leads to the Sweet Hereafter.
All of the bodies were retrieved and are now in Cheryl's conservatory and Sabrina has gone through the portal to convince Jughead first. Sabrina is the certified death walker, so she had to be the one to cross over into the afterlife and coax the souls back into their bodies.
"How long do you think she will be in there?" Tabitha's nerves are now abundant and very evident. This is it. This is their last chance to make everything right.
Cheryl resists rolling her eyes because she knows this is a trying time for all of them, and their first time taking part in witchcraft. "She literally just went in, Tabitha."
"I know, but...she went into Jughead's perfect reality. Why would he ever want to leave that? To come back here?" Tabitha leaves out that here is a place that he dies.
Mickey frowns. "No matter how perfect it is, Jughead's not going to abandon his responsibilities or his friends that need him."
Sabrina walks through the portal in that moment.
"That was fast," Mickey notes. "You were in there for, like, two minutes."
"Time works differently in the Sweet Hereafter. It felt like it was a little longer," Sabrina explains.
"Did it work?"
At the same time, Tabitha asks, "Where's Jughead?"
And then Jughead enters Thornhill through the portal.
Tabitha leaps on to him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Jughead! Oh my God, Jughead! I missed you so, so much!"
Mickey smiles at him, "Thank God you're back." She can feel the mood lighten as all of their spirits go up. Theyre all thinking the same thing: This plan is actually working. They still have a fighting chance.
Tabitha notices him look at Sabrina and the faces they're both making. "What is it?" Her smile drops. "What's wrong?"
Then Jughead sighs. "I'm not Jughead."
Mickey steps forward, eyeing the person who looks just like Jughead. "What? Then who are you?" Then she turns to Sabrina swiftly, "What went wrong?"
Sabrina announces, "Everyone, this is my boyfriend. Nick Scratch."
"So, wait, wait, wait." Tabitha points an accusatory finger at Sabrina, "Your boyfriend's soul is in my boyfriend's body." Her tone is far from pleasant. "So then where is my boyfriend, then?"
"I asked if he wanted to come back, and he politely declined," Sabrina tells them. "It makes sense, though, doesn't it? I mean, think about it. Who wants to leave Heaven?"
Mickey's eyes burn with hot tears. "So then, instead you stole Jughead's body?"
Sabrina touches Nick's biceps lovingly, "I borrowed it with Jughead's consent to...spend a little more time with my Nick. But Nick is also a necromancer, and we're going to need his help for our next attempt to bring your friends back."
Veronica grabs her sister's wrist before she gets any closer to Sabrina. "Oh okay. Good. So we're not giving up."
Sabrina walks slowly to the book of witchcraft. "Absolutely not. So loved ones of the dearly departed... gear up."
Veronica's eyebrows shoot up. "You want us to go into the great beyond?"
"Your friends don't know me, but if you guys—the ones they love—appeal to them emotionally, they might come back."
Cheryl interjects, "Right. But we're not necromancers. How are we going to cross over?"
"I will summon Charon, the ferryman of the dead in Greek mythology, to help. He's sort of a work friend," Sabrina shrugs like it's no big deal.
Tabitha'a shoulders square. "Whatever it takes."
"Good, because you're also going to have to die. Temporarily, just for a few minutes to cross over.
Cheryl runs a hand through her long hair. She's slightly frustrated by this turn of events. "Okay, um...I'll go for TT, obviously." Then she remembers, "Oh, and my Nana and Dagwood!"
Mickey's hands rest on her hips. "I'll go for Fangs."
"I'll go in for Jughead," Tabitha declares.
Betty unfolds her arms, sighing. "I'll go in for Archie."
Nick joins Sabrina's side again, giving Betty a once over. "I'm not sure what it is exactly, but there's something about your energy, blondie, that I'm worried will keep you from crossing over. Has anyone put a hex on you? Damned your soul?"
Betty scrunches up her nose. "...no. I mean, recently I was likened to the Harlot of Babylon."
Sabrina snaps, "Oh, yes. Totally. The Harlot wouldn't technically be allowed into Heaven. Anyone else here have an emotional connection to Archie that might be able to lead him back to the mortal realm?" She looks at each of the girls for a volunteer.
Veronica steps forward, "Sure. Yeah, kill me temporarily so I can go visit my ex-boyfriend in Heaven. Why not?"
Sabrina claps her hands together. "Great. This is gonna be awesome. Awesome."
✿
"It's weird seeing the two of you together," Toni comments with a grin as she looks between Mickey and Cheryl. "You've never gotten along."
Mickey glances at Cheryl before looking back at her friends. "Well, we both needed to talk to the two of you about something important." She's still taking in the fact that she's in Toni and Fangs' version of Heaven. Not only is it so bright, but Toni and Fangs are radiating the most positive energy.
"Mom? Dad?" A grown up Anthony enters the dining area of the apartment. "Auntie Mick!" he exclaims when his eyes land on Mickey. "I'm glad you're here to hear the news!" He wraps an arm around Mickey's shoulders. "I'm getting married...to Timmy Twyst. We're in love."
Mickey questions, "Twyst? As in...a Ghoulie?"
"That is...amazing, son!" Fangs stands up to embrace his son. When Toni joins their little group hug, Mickey goes to stand beside Cheryl.
Cheryl huffs. "Don't pop the champagne quite yet. Sorry to interrupt this moment, but might the grownups have a word alone?" She's directing this toward Anthony.
When Anthony leaves the room, Mickey pleads with Cheryl, "Please be gentle."
"There's no time for softening the blow," Cheryl deadpans. She looks to Toni and Fangs, feeling physically ill when she sees their linked hands. "Percival killed you at your wedding. Right now, we're in your version of Serpent Heaven. Alas, you must return to the mortal coil. You were untimely ripped from the bosom of life. Riverdale is on the precipice of an apocalypse."
Mickey hates to add on to Cheryl's emotional dump, but she says, "And what's worse is baby Anthony, your actual living son, is an orphan."
Fangs rolls his eyes. "Damn it, Cheryl, you've always hated the fact that Toni chose me. Now you come to us with this crazy story about Anthony still being a baby? And you've roped Mickey into it somehow?"
Calmly, Toni says, "Cheryl, we got married, and then we went on our honeymoon to the Poconos. Nobody died at our wedding."
"I promise you both, I am not here to create chaos, for a change, but we have a rapidly shrinking opportunity to make things right." Then she gazes into Toni's eyes. "Toni, you are an incredible mother. You would never leave baby Anthony. And Fangs...—" She can't muster up anything positive to say about him, so she looks to Mickey for help.
Unfortunately, Mickey's standing by the window now with her head in the clouds.
"Mickey!" Cheryl crosses her arms over her chest. "You are doing a half-ass job here! Your focus is shot!"
Mickey snaps out of her thoughts. "I'm sorry, Cheryl, but I don't think I need to be here. I'm worried about Jughead. I think I have to go help Tabitha convince him."
Cheryl's jaw drops at the idea of being abandoned in such a crucial time.
Mickey moves over to Cheryl and whispers, "All you have to do is convince Toni. Fangs will follow her to the ends of the Earth. That's our only hope." Then she's heading to their apartment door and swinging it open.
Then the strangest thing happens. When she steps through the threshold, she's inside of Pop's. She'll never get over how magic works.
The first thing she notices is Jughead at a table with a line that takes up one-half of the diner. He's chatting and smiling with the teenager in front of him as he signs a comic book. The next thing she notices is Tabitha at the front counter drinking coffee.
Tabitha sits straight when she notices Mickey storming over to her.
"You're supposed to be getting Jughead back!" Mickey snaps.
"I can't bring myself to do it, Mick..."
"What're you talking about?"
"Look how happy he is," Tabitha points at him. It's endearing to see him have the life he wants.
Mickey doesn't even look because there's no point. "This isn't real, Tabitha! Our world is real. We need him back there, not in this fantasy realm. Now, let's go!" She latches a hand over Tabitha's wrist, but then she pauses.
A weird tugging feeling takes over both of them, like they're being forced away."
Next thing the girls know, they're waking up on the carpet back at Thornhill. Mickey sits up, looking over at Sabrina. "What happened?"
"I had to wake you up," Sabrina answers. "If you're cast under that spell for too long, the consequences could be bad, even fatal."
Veronica, who is now sitting up too, asks, "So what now?"
✿
Plan C was their last option.
There was no more time for gentle coaxing because time was not on their side anymore. The clock has dwindled. Their friends wouldn't leave the Sweet Heareafter willingly, so they had to be ripped out of there forcefully. It was an agreement between the living because they all had to be okay with it, even with the risks.
The bodies had to be brought to the mines—the one place that would be able to survive Cheryl's fire power. Cheryl had to do the necromantic incantation to tap into her Phoenix ability. Alone, she had to make the bodies burn so hot that they'd combust.
And it worked. Their loved ones returned, risen from the ashes and back where they belong.
Tabitha sits next to Jughead on their couch in their apartment. "I'm so sorry, Jughead, but we needed to bring you back." She is so full of guilt. "And I...I wanted you back."
Jughead's eyes widen. "Wait, say that again," he insists.
"If we have any hope of stopping Percival, we needed to bring everyone back. You included."
"I can hear you." He grabs her hands in his. "I can hear your voice."
"What do you mean? You're not deaf anymore?" Relief floods her body.
"Apparently not."
"What about reading—"
"Yes, I can still hear your thoughts, loud and clear." His hand moves to the sides of her neck. He smiles, "Well, that cushions the blow."
Tabitha says, "Maybe Cheryl's Phoenix Power rebooted you, reset your systems, somehow. Maybe it gave you the ability to hear again. Mickey, isn't this great?" She twists her body to look over at Mickey, who has been awfully quiet.
Mickey stands from the dining table and moves into the living room. Ignoring Tabitha's question, she asks, "So what was it like? The Sweet Hereafter? What made it so special?""
"Mick..." Tabitha chides.
"It was like the ideal version of Riverdale," Jughead answers her. "There was no suffering. Just endless burgers, and comic books, and I could hear again. I thought I was so much better there."
"Did you think about Tabitha? Or me? Or anyone who cares about you?" Mickey's frown is so deep that there's an indentation between her eyebrows. "Who gives a damn how perfect it was when you knew we were still here, waiting for you."
"Mick, you don't understand. It was like anything I thought about, I had. The allure was—"
"You once made a promise that you'd never leave me willingly and that's exactly what you almost did. Thank God Cheryl forced you back." Then she narrows her eyes at Tabitha. "And you. You wanted to leave him there."
Jughead knew this was a losing battle. There was no way to make her see why he did what he did and he definitely didn't want to see Mickey lash out on Tabitha. He stands up and moves to stand in front of her. "I'm sorry." He squeezes her hand before pulling her in for a hug. "I'm really sorry."
"Me too," Tabitha says once's she's standing beside them. "But I did learn a few things during my visit to the Sweet Hereafter."
Jughead pulls away from Mickey to face Tabitha. "What did you learn?"
"The first is...baby Anthony can't die because he's immortal. I saw an angel and told me. He also said that I'm Riverdale's guardian angel."