{A/N} This is a very long one guys, I hope you like it.
Every town has one. The spooky house that all the kids avoid. Ours was Thornhill, the Blossom family's mansion, with its very own graveyard. And, trapped with its walls like some gothic heroine, was Cheryl Blossom. Still grieving for her beloved brother, Jason. Linked in death even as they were in life.
"This is how my dad had his Jason Blossom murder board before it was trashed. "Kevin said as he finished putting up the finishing touches. "Any leads on who did that? Or what they were looking for?" Jughead asked from his spot on the desk next to Ellie and Betty, "Nope. No fingerprints. But they stole a bunch of files, background checks, and all the video and audiotapes of police interviews." Kevin said as someone opens the door.
Trev walks in, "Hey, Betty—" he said. Betty instantly smiles, "Trev, hi!" Trev walks in.
"Sorry to interrupt—" Trev said and Betty shakes her head and waves him off. "Oh, no—uh, it's okay." Betty said, "We're just, uh, working on—"
"Our murder board." Jughead said with a nod and Ellie giggles and shoves Jughead with her shoulder. "Well, I just wanted to make sure we're still on for tomorrow?" Trev asked Betty.
"Absolutely, it's a date." Betty said making Ellie and Kevin look at her in surprise, "I mean, I'll—I'll see you there. Bye," Betty stumbled.
"Peace out. See ya." Trev said, "Peace out. Bye." Betty said.
"Going on a date with Trev?" Kevin said, Does Mama Cooper know about that?" Kevin said looking at Betty. "Kev, we're not on house arrest." Betty said about her and Ellie and Kevin looks at Betty then at Ellie, "Okay, she's out of town at a Women in Journalism spa retreat." Ellie said and Betty nods.
"Anyway, it's not a 'date' date." Betty said she walks over towards the computer. Jughead, Ellie, and Kevin all look at her. "You just called it a date." Jughead stated and Ellie nodded, "You literally said, 'It's a date.'" Ellie stated this time.
"That's just my cover. Really, it's an intelligence gathering mission. We should focus on the one thing we have access to that your dad doesn't." Betty said to Kevin, "The kids at Riverdale High. You know maybe Trev knows something about Jason he didn't think was important." Betty said to her twin.
~xoxo
"Betty, you're positively radiating Nicholas Sparks. Tell me everything about this Trev." Veronica said as they take a seat on the bleachers, "Oh, there's nothing to tell. Just one of Betty's sources, there's nothing romantic in the offing." Kevin said.
"Why is everything weird here? Why can't a date just be a date?" Veronica said as she sat next to Kevin and Ellie shrugs as she sit next to above Kevin next to Jughead, "What about you, Archie? How's life in a PG world?" Ellie asked as everyone except Veronica looks at her. "PG. Post-Grundy." Veronica said and Ellie points her, "What, too soon?" Ellie asked with a tilt of her head.
"Coach Clayton says I have a shot at being varsity captain. So I'm not thinking about anything else right now." Archie said and Veronica sighs, "And you're back to being boring." Veronica said as she eats her fries. "Are you, maybe, throwing yourself into football as a way to avoid your feelings." Betty said and Archie looks at her and says, "I'm not avoiding anything, Betty. I'm trying to get my life back on track."
"Hey, Ellie." Valerie said as she walks up to them. "Hey, Val." Ellie said back. Valerie sits next to Archie and smiles, "I can help with that. I know Ms. Grundy was tutoring you." Ellie, Betty, Veronica all look at each other. "Understatement of the year." Veronica said and all three giggle.
"But there's this amazing songwriter from New York, who's an adjunct at Carson College? Incredible mentor. He does some coaching on the side and I told him about you. You wanna meet him." Valerie askedArchie as she smiled. "Yeah, yeah I'd love to, but football—" Archie said.
"No, Archie can. And he will." Betty said as she snaked her hand against his arms. Valerie shoves a phone number in Archie's pocket, "Call him if you want, but do it soon. His spots fill up fast."
"Thank you Val." Archie said and Valerie smiles before she gets up to leave, she turns back around and looks at Ellie, "Don't forget to metal in the rehearsal room so that we can work on that song." Valerie said and Ellie nods, "Yeah, yeah of course." Ellie said and Valerie walks away, Archie watching her go. "Hey, now you have zero excuse for avoiding music." Betty said with a smile.
"Sorry to interrupt Sad Breakfast Club," Cheryl said as she walks up, "but I'm here to formally invite you to Jason's memorial at Thornhill this weekend." she then starts passing out invitations and as Cheryl hands one to Veronica, "To my surprise and chagrin, mother added you to the guest-list. In case you're tempted to steal our silver candlesticks, don't. We'll be searching bags." Cheryl said before she walks off
"Hey," Ellie said as she placed a hand on Veronica's shoulder, "try to remember, she is burying her brother." Veronica shakes her head.
~xoxo
Ellie goes to the rehearsal room to see Josie and Melody. "Hey guys, where Valerie?" Ellie asked them. Melody looks up and say, "She's helping out with Archie. Something about needing to write his music on paper or something." Ellie nods.
"So, what you got for us." Josie asked and Ellie pulls her music book outta of her bag and flips through the pages, "Thanks for helping me with this Josie and Mel." Ellie said as she places her book on the piano. "You're our girl. Of course, we'd do this for you." Josie said as Melody nods her head. They get to work on her songs sound.
~xoxo
Ellie meets up with Betty as they're walking home. "How was the 'Not Date'?" Ellie asked Betty as they walked home together, "It was good, I also found it some good information." Betty said with a slight laugh. They walk up to the house and see their dad in the garage fixing on the car. Ellie taps on the car to get his attention,
"Hey, good timing. Why don't one of you grab a wrench and tighten up that hose for me." Ellie looks at Betty and shrugs before she does as told. "Dad, every time we ask mom about Polly, she shuts us down." Betty said as she and Ellie look up at Hal. "Can we talk about it?" Hal looks back at them and sighs before he gives them his full attention.
"What happened? What did Jason do that was so bad?" Ellie asked wanting answers. Hal wiped his hands and says, "Jason and Polly had a fight. I don't know what it was about, but afterwards, Polly was pretty devastated. And I came home from work one day and I—I heard the water running in the bathroom upstairs. I went upstairs, I knocked on the door, I asked if Polly was alright, and she didn't say anything. So I kicked the door down. Polly was trying to hurt herself, girls. That's why we sent her away. To stop her from trying to take her own life again." Hal said and Betty and Ellie look at each other before looking down.
~xoxo
"Ellie, Betty, I'm sorry. That's hardcore." Jughead said as he sat in a chair next to the twins. "We asked our dad if we could call Polly. He said she was doing better . But then, when she heard about Jason's death, she had a big setback." Betty said as Ellie sat next to Betty thinking, "He didn't want to risk another one." Betty said.
"Why does a rich kid sell drugs?" Jughead asked and Ellie leans forward, "He was running away from his parents." Betty said and Jughead got outta his seat, "Yeah. Probably. Or drug dealers." Jughead said.
"Is that even possible?" Ellie asked.
"It's a theory." Jughead said, "Betty's is more likely. But why would he have to run away from mommy and daddy?" Jughead said Ellie looks at Betty as she says, "Because they're monsters."
"Yeah, but why, specifically." Jughead said as he walks around. "Well, we can't exactly just ask them." Ellie said and Jughead looks at her, "So we have to ask Jason." Berry looks at him confused. "Are you proposing a seance or—" Ellie said as she wiggles her shoulder. "No. Dead man tell no tales. But their bedrooms, their houses—" Jughead said and the twins look up at him with a raised eyebrow.
~xoxo
Later that night Betty and Ellie were asleep in their room before they hear a sound that wakes them up. "Daddy! Seriously?" They hear and they both stick their head outta their room. They look at each other and hear distant laughter. They creep down the stairs and hear more laughter. Betty looks at Ellie and they go down some more stairs, "Polly?" Betty said as she and Ellie look around the corner. "Dad—" they hear and see their dad Hal watching a video of Polly when she was little.
~xoxo
In the morning bet comes into Ellie's room so that she can get dressed. Ellie puts on a black spaghetti strap dress with some black tights, some black heels and a black sweater. As Betty's putting on her sweeter and Ellie's putting her hair up they hear Simone come in, "You ready to enter the belly of the beast?" Jughead said and Betty and Ellie turn around.
Betty nods and smiles while looks at him impressed. "It was the best I could do." Jughead said as he put his hands in his pocket and Ellie goes up to him to fix his tie. "You look handsome Jug." Ellie said with a smile and Jughead blushes and smiles.
~xoxo
The twins and Jughead make their way to Thornhill and shook hands with Penelope, "I'm so sorry for your loss, Mrs. Blossom." Ellie said then walked in with Betty and Jughead and they go take their seats.
Penelope comes and Archie walks up to her with Jason old jersey. "I'm so sorry for your loss, Mrs. Blossom. I thought you might want to have this." Archie said as he hands Penelope Jason old jersey. "You're so much like him." Penelope says as she caresses Archie's cheek and hair, " Oh, I'm sorry. Thank you, Archibald." Penelope said as she takes the jersey. Archie walks away, "Did she just touch your hair?" Kevin asked and Betty leans forward, "That was very sweet of that you did."
"She deserves it. More than I do." Archie said and Veronica walks up to them, "Days like today really put things in perspective, huh? I mean, at least we're here" Veronica said as she sat down. "At least we're alive."
Ellie looks at Jughead then past him as she sees Hal Cooper and Clifford Blossom talking to each other. Ellie taps Betty and slightly nods her head towards them. The music starts and they all turn to see Cheryl in the outfit she wore when her and Jason last saw each other. Clifford and Penelope Blossom see's her and gasp.
"Oh, my god." Veronica said
"Yes." Kevin said ready for the chaos.
Cheryl gets the podium and smile, "Welcome to Thornhill. Thank you all for coming. If you'll kindly take your seats." Cheryl said as everyone takes a seat, "I'd like to start the memorial with a few words about Jason."
Penelope goes to get up but Clifford holds her back and Veronica whispers to her, "You are only going to make things worse." Penelope faces forward and crosses her arms. "The last time I saw Jason, I was wearing this dress. I know it's impossible. But I swear, when I put it on, it—it feels like he's in the room with me." Cheryl said as she looks at Jason's picture before looking back at the crowd. "Even though we were twins, I used to demand I have my own birthday party."
Ellie looks at Betty and she looks back at her, Betty grabs Ellie's hand before they look back at Cheryl.
"Until one year, out of the blue, Jason convinced me we had to combine them into one. It wasn't until years later, I found out why. It was because no one wanted to come to mine.and Jason didn't want me to know. He protected me. Every single day. I wish that day at the river, I had protected him." Cheryl said as she starts crying and walks up to the coffin, "I'm so sorry, Jay-Jay. We failed you. All of us." Veronica gets up and goes to Cheryl and hugs her.
Penelope walks up to the podium, "I think we'll adjourn now to the Winter Salon for a light supper." Penelope said and Ellie taps Betty and Jughead. They all get up and rush off to go look around.
~xoxo
Jughead finds Jason's room and opens the door and they walk inside before, "Is it me or did the temperature just drop like it does in horror movies?" Betty said they look around the room.
"That's just the icy chill of the dead." Jughead said and grabs Ellie hand as they walk around the room. "Where does a teenage boy hide thing?" Ellie asked Jughead
"Under the mattress, maybe in the drawers, behind the headboard, in the closet." Jughead said as he checks the closet, Betty checks the drawers, and Ellie looks behind the headboard and under the mattress. "Hello." They hear which makes them gasp and turn towards the door, "Holy—" Jughead said as he pulls Betty in front of him and pushes Ellie behind him as she hold onto his arm. "I'm so sorry, we were just leaving." Ellie said
"Oh. It's you." Nana Rose wheeled closer, "How lovely to see you again. Did you gain a double?" she asked Ellie as she looks at Ellie and Betty. "Come closer, I wanna get a good look at you."
"The horror. The horror." Jughead said Ellie looks at Betty and slowly walks closer to Nana Rosewith Betty and Jughead behind her. "Come closer, Polly dear." Anna Rose said and Ellie walks closer to her and sits down on the bed, "It's nice to see you again, too. I'm sorry it had to be under such terrible circumstances." Ellie said.
Nana Rose grabs her left hand and looks down, "Well, of course you're not wearing it. God bless." Nana Rose said.
"Warring what?" Ellie asked Nana Rose.
"The ring, Polly." Nana Rose said, "That ring has been in the Blossom family for generations. You keep it close to your heart, always. But don't tell Penelope I gave it to you. Or she'll likely come and snip it off your finger!" Nana Rose said as she leans forward scaring Ellie and Betty. "I won't, I promise." Ellie said as she looks at Betty and Jughead.
"Such a shame. Your wedding was the last thing I was living for. I lost a grandson, but you, you've lost the love of your young life. Poor child." Nana Rose said as Ellie gets up with tears in her eyes, "Excuse me, I have to—I can't—" Ellie said as she leaves the room with Jughead running after her and Betty behind him.
~xoxo
"You both dragged me out of the Blossom house and then neither of you talk to me the whole way home." Hal said as Betty, Ellie, and Hal enter the house. "Dad, Jason and Polly were engaged." Ellie said as she and Betty look at him, "Did you know that?" Betty asked and Hal looks at them about to say something but then closes his mouth and looks down. "Oh, my god." Betty scoffed as her and Ellie rolls their eyes.
"Of course you did. Is that what you and Clifford Blossom were talking about?" Ellie said with an irritated tone and Hal holds his hand up, "That is none of your business." Hal said.
"Yes, it is our business. So stop avoiding it and just tell us what's going on." Ellie said in frustration as she was close to slapping some sense into their parents. Betty grabs Ellie's hand to calm them both down a little, "Clifford and I were arguing because he and his filthy clan came this close to destroying our family.Your little friend Cheryl's great-grandfather—murdered yours, Betty, Ellie." Hal said as he walks closer to Ellie and Betty.
"Why?" Betty asked him, "The same reason they do everything. Greed and hate." Hal said as he sat down and the twins looked down then up at him.
"They were in business together. Seeing and reading make syrup. And one day great-grandfather Blossom decided that he didn't want to share the profits. So he murmured my grandfather in cold blood." Hal said and the twins look at him in disbelief, "That's why you hated Jason? Because of some blood feud that happened before you were even born?" Betty asked getting fed up too.
"They stole our livelihood, girl. And I'd die before I let them steal my daughter, too." Hal said making Ellie angry so she steps forward and slams her hands on the table, "Where is she?" Ellie demanded.
Hal shot up outta his seat and yelled, "She is sick! And Jason made her sick. And she's not coming home until. She isn't sick anymore. Fair warning. Stay out of it." Ellie shakes her head with watery eyes and turns around and goes upstairs to her room. Betty chases after her as Hal walks away, "Ellie!"
~xoxo
Every town has one. The house on the haunted hill all the kids avoid. Now that Jason was buried in the earth, it would only be a matter of time until something poisonous bloomed. In that long, cold shadow cast by his death. Whatever grew in the rich black soil of the Blossom's garden always found its way to the town. Whether it was murder. Or love. Or secrets. Or lies.
"Jug, I feel like I don't even know who our mom and dad are anymore." Ellie said as she sits next to Jughead in the Blue and Gold office. "Ellie—if your parents lied about Jason and Polly, there probably more that they lied about." Jughead said as he walks over to the murder board with Ellie and Betty right behind him.
"What do you mean?" Betty asked, Jughead turns to them, "Your dad said he would do anything to protect Polly. So the next logical question is—how far would he go to protect her?" Jughead said as he grabs a piece of paper and starts writing on it.
"Jughead, whoever broke into Sheriff Kellers house and stole all his evidence wasn't at the drive-in. My dad wasn't at the drive-in." Ellie said as she looks at Jughead. Jughead hands Ellie the paper, she looks at it then hands it to Betty and Betty places it on the board. "We need to talk to Polly." Jughead said and the twins nod.
~xoxo
{A/N} More Cooper twins and Jughead moments coming up.