Lou's POV
After I slept over at Sweet Pea's it felt like me and him were even closer than before. At breakfast, him and I decided that I shouldn't ask my dad about my mother until we found out who it was.
He really was my Clyde.
The days passed without anything really happening, the black hood was still out there but he wasn't bothering me. It was Christmas Eve tomorrow and I couldn't be more excited.
I loved Christmas, it was the time of the year where everyone dropped their worries for one night and I was looking forward to that.
"I was thinking about our Penny problem", Jughead started, he's been kind of rebelling against dad after I told him that he was only my half-brother.
"My problem, not ours", dad snapped. "We are the one she has on camera, delivering drugs", I said.
"How I deal with Peabody is not your concern, I'm handling it", our father snapped. "By pimping the Serpents out as drug runners?", Jug asked.
Dad opened the door to let Tallboy inside, who was carrying two bags. "Boy... Toss them in the corner", dad ordered.
"Hey, what's in the bags, Tallboy?", I asked. "Hey, what did I just say? Mind your own damn business, get to school", dad snapped.
Jughead and I just scoffed before walking to our old school for Kevin's secret Santa.
I picked Cheryl and got her another one of her favorite red lipstick along with a silver sparkly bracelet that I picked out with Toni. She also helped me pick out Sweet Pea's Christmas present.
"That is yours, Lou", Kevin smiled handing me a present wrapped in blue paper. I opened it and saw that it was a hard case sketchbook along with a couple high-class pencils. There was also a small note:
Sorry I was such an ass, I hope you can forgive me - love Reggie
"Oh", I cleared my throat, "Thank you, Reggie. I love it".
"Veronica it's your turn", Kevin said saving the moment handing Veronica a small envelope. "Oh, a gift certificate for a couple's massage. Thanks, Josie", Veronica smiled uneasily.
"You can go with Betty or your mom", Josie stuttered. "Or I could go with your mom", Reggie insisted making me roll my eyes.
"Dear god, can we please get this torture over with", Cheryl groaned leaning her head on my shoulder as I clasped the bracelet around her wrist.
"Betty, you're next and mercifully last", Kevin coughed. "I think I know who picked my name based on these wrapping skills", Betty chuckled glancing at Archie.
Wow, okay what did I miss?
"Archie", Betty gasped looking at the little present. "My dad and I were cleaning out the garage and I found it".
"Swiss Family Robinson?", Veronica asked reading the label. "Yeah, it's this old read-along record we used to listen to when we were like, 5. Oh my god, Arch. I love it, thanks", Betty smiled.
"Hey Merry Christmas", Moose said walking into the students' lounge with Midge. "Moose", everyone gasped attacking the guy in a hug.
I walked up to him as he surprisingly pulled me into a hug. "I missed you, little Jones", "Ah shut up Moose", I laughed.
"I hope you liked Reggie's present, we helped picking it out", Midge smiled. "Yeah thank you".
*
After our one class at Southside High Jug and I walked into the Wyrm only to see it stuffed with presents and some Serpents wrapping up gifts.
"What is all this? Santa's present fabric?", I chuckled.
"It's Serpent tradition, every year we give back to the Southside. Toys for tots, meals on wheels, for kids and folks living alone", Toni explained. "The hells angels do it", Fangs chuckled.
"I'm always down for some charity work", I smiled. "Hey, have you seen our dad?", Jughead asked.
"Why aren't you two in school?", he asked stepping into the Wyrm on cue. "Uh, it's a half day before break", Jug explained while I walked up to Sweet Pea and hugged him from behind, looking at his awful wrapping skills.
"Well, in that case, you can hold down the front here, Jug", FP chuckled. "Or I could come with you guys", he suggested.
"Nice try, the answer is no"
"We do need another set of hands, boss", Tallboy added.
"There ya go, let me pull my weight. I don't know what the snake charmer has you doing-", "Sweet Pea, you're with us", my father said.
"No dad, leave him out of this", I snapped standing up. "You can run around with your boyfriend later, Lou. After all, you and your brother made this mess", my father snapped.
"It's okay, princess", Sweets smiled at me before leaving with the two men.
*
"Jug I can't believe him", I groaned while sitting on the couch. "Me nei-", Jug started but was cut off by a knock on our front door.
"Can I help you?", my brother asked as he opened the door. "Jughead Jones?", a man asked. "Maybe"
"I'm Jack Walsh, your guy's dad's parole officer", "He's not home", I said standing next to Jug.
"Doesn't need to be, do you mind if I come in?", the man asked. "Like we have a choice", Jug mumbled, opening the door further.
*
After dad's parole officers left Jug and I sat in silence on the couch looking at the two duffle bags. The man was curious about them and we were too.
The front door opened but neither Jug nor I bothered to look at our dad, "Did you open them?".
"No, dad. Out of respect for you. But your parole officer, Mister Walsh, he sure was curious", Jug said. "Walsh was here?".
"Yeah, don't worry, we got rid of him. But he already has heard that the Serpents are moving into narcos territory", I said.
Our father then opened one bag which was filled with presents. "Gift boxes? With drugs in them?", Jug asked. "No, with gifts for you, Jellybean, Lou, and your mom", dad explained making me scoff.
"Christmas day, I thought we'd take a ride to Toledo and deliver them in person". "Dad, this isn't gonna work. Today, it's gifts, tomorrow it's drugs or weapons or god knows what. How long is this gonna go on-", I asked.
"As long as Penny wants", dad yelled.
"If her favors keep getting bigger, which you know that they will, what happens when she asks for more Serpents on this?", Jug asked getting in front of me protectively.
"Then I'll bring more Serpents!", "This isn't gonna work", I insisted.
"You know what? You're right, this isn't gonna work, you two and I living together. So maybe you can go back to Fred's or Betty's and you go to the Blossom's", dad yelled.
"Betty and I split-", "Then what do you want me to say?!"
"I just want you to let us fix this mess that we made", Jug said. "Get this through your thick skull, kids. We are trapped. We got no leverage. If that means I gotta be Penny's dancing monkey for the time being, then that's how it goes. I'm gonna get some rest, I have a long night ahead of me", dad scoffed walking in his bedroom.
"I have a plan, Lou", Jug said pulling me in a hug as he always does after we had an argument with our dad.
*
"Penny Peabody has got my dad dealing drugs. I know this because she had me and Lou doing it before him. Now she's roped in Tallboy and Sweet Pea", Jughead said.
"Man if you're pissed because your old man tapped me instead of you-", Sweet Pea said.
"No, Sweets, we're pissed because we don't want the Serpents to end like the Ghoulies. And I doubt that any of you became Serpents just to be at the beck and call of a drug queenpin", I explained.
"I know where this ends, jail, death. Which is why in the interest of self-preservation we have to take out Penny", Jughead finished.
"Snake Charmer has helped some of us", Sweets said. "Oh yeah? What did she ask for in return? How many favors? Now if we don't stop Penny tonight she is going to get every single one of us in on this. I promise you, Sweet Pea", Jughead told Sweet Pea.
"What I'm asking is are you willing to risk your necks to save our dad's life?", I asked the younger Serpents.
"What is the first law?", Toni asked smirking at me. "No Serpent stands alone", Sweet Pea answered and stood up taking my hand in his, "I'm in".
"Me too", Toni said. "Let's do this", Fangs smirked getting up as well as the other Serpents.
*
"Well, you're early, old hoss", Penny yelled from inside of the fabric. I stood in front of the metal door with a crowbar in my hands.
Penny stopped in her tracks as she saw me, "Penny, ho merry ho", I smirked.
"Lou Jones, nice crowbar", "This?", I asked tossing it to the ground, "I brought it in case I need to pry the door open".
"Are you gonna give me a hand with this? Your dad will be here in, like, what, 15, 20 minutes? He probably won't be too happy to see you, huh, princess?", she asked.
"I wouldn't worry about that. Neither of us are gonna be here", I smirked as the other Serpents stood behind me with their masks on.
"Is this supposed to scare me?", Penny asked with a sigh, "I wouldn't do this if I were you. You are making a big mistake".
Sweet Pea shoved the black pillowcase on her head as the rest carried Penny outside.
The entire gang and I drove to Greendale, where they sat the Snake Charmer on the ground and ripped the case off of her head.
"Where am I?", she asked breathing heavily.
"You're in Greendale, your new home. But frankly Penny, I don't care where you set up shop. But it's not gonna be on the Southside and it's not gonna be with the Serpents. You wanna deal drugs? You wanna extort people? That's your business. But not on the Southside that belongs to us", Jughead threatened while he was sitting on the ground.
"You stupid, cocky kid", Penny chuckled, "The Serpent law says you can't hurt one of your own", she smiled showing us her tattoo.
"Oh, Penny, it's time you learn", Jug said while getting rid of his jacket, "Grab her", he ordered.
Sweet Pea, Toni, Fangs and I grabbed the woman. "What are you doing get off of me!", she yelled.
"That tattoo doesn't make you a Serpent", Jug said flipping his knife open.
"No, no. You wouldn't let your momma get hurt, would you Charlotte?", Penny smirked looking up at me.
My eyes widened, that couldn't be true, Jug stopped in his tracks. "What did you just say?", I asked shocked.
"Oh, you understood me, Lou, or should I say Charlotte? I am your mother, I know you know Gladys isn't your mom. I am and you wouldn't let me get hurt, your own flesh and blood?", Penny asked.
It all made sense, the blonde hair that no one in our family shared, dad's weird behavior when it came to Penny, it all fit together.
"Cut her Jug", I said anger in my voice.
After Jug was done I rushed to my bike, trying to get away from everyone. "Lou?!", Sweet Pea asked.
"Please, give me a moment", I mumbled. "Listen, it doesn't bother any of us if Penny is telling the truth", he said.
"She is, she knew my name! No one does except for my family. It makes sense", I said. "Charlotte? Your name is Charlotte, not Lou?", he asked.
"Yeah, I don't like it, it's too long that's why no one uses it", I explained.
*
"What's all this?", dad asked walking into the trailer gesturing to the Pop's take out. "This is celebration dinner. Penny didn't show up for your pick up, did she?", Jug asked.
I was standing behind him not being able to look at my father. "No, she didn't, why? Do you know something about that?", he asked.
"She's gone, dad. We rallied the younger Serpents, we drove her out of Riverdale. I got my pound of flesh in the process", Jughead smiled.
"Are you nuts? She'll be back, better believe that", dad yelled. "She won't, I was very persuasive. And even if she does, we will take care of it. You, Lou, me and the other Serpents. In unity there is strength".
Dad then groaned and turned away, "That's the sixth law, while you were in jail, I lived by that, I recited that. You wanna take our jackets? You wanna relegate us to Toys for Tots? Fine but I'm still a Serpent and this? This life you wanted to protect us from? We are proud of this. I am proud of being a Serpent and you can't take that away from me. But that lie you lived by is revealed", I snapped.
"What are you talking about?", our dad asked. "Penny Peabody? My mother? How could you keep this from me?", I yelled.
"What are you talking about?", he asked raising his voice. "You lied to me for my entire life, Penny is my mother and you never cared to tell me", I yelled tears now forming in my eyes.
"How did you-", "I found my birth certificate because the black hood left it for me and today Penny told me", I said.
"Lou, look-", "Why dad? Why haven't you told me? You let me live in the dark, thinking my own mother never liked me", I asked a tear escaping my eye.
"I wanted to protect you. I knew you would flip when you find out, Lou, you were always my princess and I didn't want you to have this life where you had to choose between me and Penny. It happened before Jug was born, Gladys hadn't told me about her pregnancy and we weren't married, when Penny told me, me and her we decided to keep it a secret and let you life with me", dad explained.
"You hurt me so badly dad. I don't know if I can trust you again", I sobbed. Our dad didn't say anything just kept his head low.
I shrugged and walked into my room, shutting my door for the rest of the night. I grabbed the present Reggie got me and started drawing. I haven't drawn in ages and it felt so freeing fo my mind.
*
The next morning all three of us sat around the table since it was Christmas. Everything had calmed a little between my dad and I like I already said on Christmas everyone forgot about their worries for a second.
"Let me guess, that's from Betty", dad smirked as Jug unwrapped his typewriter.
"It's a vintage Underwood, it's the typewriter of champions", Jug gasped. "You, uh, you wanna swing by later? Say thanks in person?", dad asked.
"I mean, I'll probably text her later or call her", Jug shrugged.
A knock on the door made my dad open the door, "Lou, I think this one is for you", he smirked.
I looked up and saw Sweet Pea standing in the door frame, I quickly got up and grabbed his present from my bed and walked outside with him.
We sat down on the steps of my trailer.
"Merry Christmas, princess", he smiled and handed me a little present. I unwrapped the packaging and saw it was a red velvet box. I opened the box and gasped, it was a necklace with a snake and a crown.
"Oh my god", I gasped, "I love it. Now your turn".
I handed him my present, he unwrapped it and gasped. My gift for him was another dog tag, it had something engraved:
Partner in crime
"Thank you, Princess, I love it", he smiled looking at me.
We stayed like that for a second as my eyes flicked to his lips and back. I took a deep breath before connecting our lips.
I pulled away quickly to see his reaction. He smiled and pulled me in for another sweet kiss. For a moment all my worries and fears flew away, right in that moment I was happy, with him...
*****
What do you think about Penny turning out to be Lou's mom? Who of you already thought it was her?
Also yay it finally happened, they kissed