CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
"It's ok to cry."
Drew dropped Marley off at the station. Marley got out of the car turning around to thank Drew.
"Thank you Drew, I owe you one." Marley said smiling cheekily before walking into the station. Drew just shook his head at his friend before driving off.
Marley walked into the station and walked right up to the front desk. She called Jughead's dad a few times and he didn't answer the phone. Marley sighed in frustration before calling Archie and Archie said he'll be there soon with his dad.
"I'm here for Jughead Jones." She said to the deputy at the desk.
"He's in questioning." The cop shrugged before going back to the computer screen.
"Can I ask what for? Because he was just arrested in the middle of a school day." Marley said to the cop loosing her patience.
"I can't tell you that." The Cop replied.
"Yes the hell you can." Marley said to him getting angry.
Before the deputy could reply sheriff Keller walked out of his office requesting Jughead's files and Marley walked up to him.
"Sheriff Keller, why was Jughead arrested?" Marley asked as soon as she approached him.
"Marley, I just needed to ask him some questions." The sheriff replied to her.
"Questions about what?" Marley asked him. The Sheriff sighed before answering Marley.
"About his whereabouts on The eleventh of July." Sheriff Keller answered while Marley blew out a puff of air in disbelief.
"Eleventh of July? You think Jughead killed Jason?" Marley asked in disbelief while the sheriff shrugged.
"Sheriff Keller what evidence do you have?" Marley asked him and the sheriff looked down.
"He had put together a murder board." The sheriff said and Marley scoffed.
"Correction. Jughead, Betty and I put together a murder board and Kevin helped us. Are you going to arrest us too?" Marley asked the sheriff. Marley put her wrist together and held them out towards the Sheriff.
"If Jughead is getting arrested because of a murder board, you should arrest me too," Marley said seriously and the Sheriff sighed.
"Marley-" The Sheriff began before he was interrupted by Marley.
"With all due respect, Sheriff Keller, are you arresting Jughead because you have solid evidence or are you arresting him because the Blossoms are pressuring you to find Jason's killer? I hope you're not trying to make Jughead a scapegoat." Marley continued after the Sheriff sighed.
"Hold on now-" Mr Keller, began but Marley interrupted him.
"Mr Keller in England, the police are not allowed to arrest a minor with informing their parents or having solid evidence against them. Have you done that? Do you have evidence? Is Jughead being charged Mr Keller?" Marley asked the sheriff getting angry.
"I know you are worried about your friend but-" the Sheriff began before he was interrupted by Fred Andrews.
"What is going on here?" Fred asked approaching Marley and the sheriff with Archie following straight behind.
"Mr Andrews, Jughead is being detained without reason." Marley said to him while the sheriff sighed.
"Marley, have you called his dad?" Fred asked her and Marley nodded.
"I've tried but he's not answering." Marley replied while Fred and Archie sighed.
"We are still questioning Jughead." The sheriff said to Fred.
"Why is that Sheriff? Do you have evidence?" Fred asked the sheriff while Marley just crossed her arms over her chest looking at the sheriff waiting for him to answer. After a few seconds of silence Fred Andrews spoke again.
"Can you at least let the boy's girlfriend see him?" Fred asked on behalf of Marley. The sheriff sighed and nodded calling over a deputy to show Marley where they had placed Jughead.
When Marley walked into the room, Jughead looked up from his hands and released a breath a relief standing up and pulling her into a hug and Marley hugged him back.
"Jughead what's happening?" Marley asked worry lacing her tone. Jughead sighed and sat down at the table, Marley sitting in the seat opposite him.
"He thinks I killed Jason." Jughead said
"Why? Where's the evidence?" Marley asked confused.
"There isn't any. He said it could be me because Jason and his friends used to bullied me and in elementary school I accidentally nearly started a fire by playing with matches." Jughead said running a hand over his face.
"That's not evidence. That's assumption based on the past." Marley replied using the hairband on her wrist to tie her hair up into a messy bun.
"I didn't do it Marley, you have to believe me." Jughead said after a few seconds of silence. Marley sighed and grabbed his hand interlocking their fingers while Jughead let out a breath.
"Of course I believe you Jug, I was with you, and I know who you are." Marley said squeezing his hand.
"Well, those paradise fall kids went to death row because they were black and listened to Metallica." He paused to take a deep breath.
"I don't want to become a scapegoat." Jughead said
"I'm not going to let that happen. All the evidence against you is circumstantial. If we can even call it evidence. We're going to get you out of here Jug." Marley said reassuring him.
Jughead let out a shaky breath before looking back at Marley.
"Is my dad here yet?" He asked hopefully and Marley looked down quickly before looking up at Jughead.
"Archie and Mr Andrews are here. They are talking to the sheriff," Marley paused before looking down quickly before looking up at Jughead.
"No one knows where your dad is. I've tried to call him but there's no answer." Marley said using her thumb to stoke the back of his hand while Jughead sighed.
After a few minutes the sheriff came in.
"Jughead, you are free to go. I apologise about this." Sheriff Keller said opening the door while Jughead just nodded leaving the room still holding Marley's hand.
Mr Andrews, Archie, Marley and Jughead all left the station together and walked down the steps to see FP walk around the corner quickly it was clear to see that he was hungover.
"Jughead!" He called out to his son while the group walked down the steps.
"I'm sorry, I came as soon as I got your messages. The phone's battery died I forgot to plug it in last night," FP chuckled while everyone looked at him. Fred Andrews put his hands into his pocket.
"What the hell happened?" He asked looking at Jughead.
"Nothing. It's fine now. Mr Andrews took care of it." Jughead answered his dad while Fred looked down.
"What jacked up crap did they accuse you off in there? Huh? Those bastards trying to throw you in jail like they did to your old man? Well screw that. I will rip Keller a new one for trying to pull that shit." FP shouted storming towards the station while Fred pulled him back.
"Hang on." Fred Andrews said trying to calm him down but FP pushed him away roughly.
"He's my son, Fred. You'll do the same thing for your boy." FP said pushing Fred away and walking to the station. Jughead let go of Marley's hand and pushed his dad back.
"Dad, don't make things worse." Jughead said to his dad and his dad nodded taking a few steps back.
"Yeah, alright then. You-you um are, coming home with me?" FP stuttered walking back in the direction he came from.
"He-He can stay with us Mr Jones." Archie said to Jughead's father. FP stopped and looked back.
"We, um, already offered." Archie continued while Jughead looked at his boots.
"Is, um that what you want?" Mr Jones asked his son. Jughead didn't reply straight away and FP spoke again.
"Maybe, its for the best. If you uh, don't mind Fred." FP said to Mr Andrews.
Mr Andrews sighed before slightly turning his head to Mr Jones.
"Whatever you want FP. It's between the two of you." He said before looking back at Jughead.
"I'll, I'll um, go with you dad." Jughead said sniffling slightly walking towards his dad.
Mr Jones put his hands on Jughead shoulders. "Son listen to me," he began while Marley and Archie looked away to give them somewhat some privacy.
"I'm going to do what you want, I'm going to get my act together. I'm going to get your mom and Jellybean home so our family can be the same again. I promise. I just need a little time, not a lot, a month, two at the most and then I'll be back on track. Alright? You believe that don't you?" FP said and Jughead nodded.
"Yeah, I believe you dad." Jughead said before he pulled his dad into a hug and his dad hugged him back.
FP then pulled away chuckling playfully pushing Jughead away before walking away. Jughead turned around wiping his nose trying not to cry and Marley went up to him pulling him into a hug before the pair of them walked away.
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Marley unlocked her front door and led Jughead up to her bedroom shutting the door behind her. She dropped her backpack to the floor while Jughead sat on the floor leaning against Marley's bed-frame. She sat next to him and took his hand in hers and they sat there in silence for a few seconds.
"It's okay to cry, you know." Marley said finally breaking the silence. "I saw you at the station, you wanted to cry. So cry." Marley continued and Jughead looked at her before all the tears he has been holding in came out. Marley sighed and pulled Jughead towards her so his head was in her lap. Marley rubbed his back while Jughead cried.
After a few minutes Jughead's crying subsided and Marley still continued to rub his back.
"We are one fucked up couple huh?" Marley said after a few seconds of silence and Jughead chuckled.
"I can't argue with that one, Ro." Jughead said sitting up and leaning against the bed frame again while Marley place her head on his shoulder.
Jughead looked up at the ceiling and gasped at the painting.
"Woah, Marley you are so amazingly talented." Jughead said in awe of Marley's copy of Van Gogh's Starry night.
Marley chuckled and before she could reply Marley and Jughead's phone beeped simultaneously. Jughead pulled his phone out of his jacket pocket and read the text.
"Betty said she's at Pops with Veronica, Archie and Polly waiting for the blossoms and she wants us to meet her there." Jughead said and Marley sighed getting up and holding out a hand for Jughead to take which he did. Before Marley could leave the bedroom Jughead pulled her into a long kiss.
"Thank you Marley, for being there for me." Jughead said to her when they pulled away and Marley smiled before putting her hands on either side of his face and pulling him into another kiss.
"No problem, J." Marley said smiling.
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The pair of them arrived at Pop's hand in hand. Archie, Veronica, Polly and Betty were sitting on the stools.
"The blossoms aren't here yet?" Marley asked approaching them.
"No not yet." Betty answered. Marley looked at Polly and smiled and she smiled back. Jughead sat on the table while Marley leaned against it standing next to him waiting for the blossoms.
"After you talk things through with the Blossoms we can then call mom and dad." Betty said to her sister.
"Are you nervous?" She continued and Polly shook her head.
"No I'm thankful, at the home the sisters said each of us had a guardian angel," Polly began pausing to place her hand on top of Betty's.
"And your mine Betty." Polly said to her sister smiling.
The door and Pop's chimed signifying someone walking in the group turned to look and only saw Cheryl.
"Cheryl." Polly said getting up to greet her. Cheryl looked at Polly's baby bump, she reached to try and touch it but pulled her hand away quickly.
"I am so sorry, about Jason. I know how much you loved him." Polly began pausing to grab Cheryl's hand. "He always talked about how much he loved you." Polly continued and Cheryl looked down.
"Cheryl, where are your parents?" Betty asked her.
Cheryl looked back at Polly "You need to leave. Now. " She said urgently "My parents, I don't think they want to help you. They want you out of the picture Polly it's not safe for you with them. It's not safe for Jay Jays baby" Cheryl said and Polly quickly turned back to her sister.
"What am I going to do? Where am I supposed to go? I can't go back to the attic." Polly said frantically. Before Betty could reply and before Marley could offer the spare room in her house Veronica spoke.
"You don't have to Polly, and don't worry about my mom Betty, she'll want to help." Veronica said and Betty nodded before they started getting up and shrugging on their jackets. The four of them left Pops.
"Come on Marls, we'll walk you home." Archie said getting up and Jughead jumped off the table and grabbed his girlfriends hand.
The three of them walked to Marley's house. Archie waited by the steps while Jughead walked her to her front door.
Marley pulled him in for a kiss and he responded instantly kissing her back.
"I'll see you tomorrow?" Marley asked him once they pulled away.
"You'll see me tomorrow." Jughead confirmed. Marley smiled pecking his lips one more time before going into her house.
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A/n: I just wanted to say thank you guys for the 1K reads. I can't believe it. Also a special thank you to the people that vote and comment it honestly means so much to me.