"Hey, the calendar says it's Jughead's birthday today. Congrats, man." Fred patted his best friend's shoulder when he just finished making his breakfast.
"Thanks, Fred. I can't believe he's eighteen already." FP smiled proudly.
He remembered holding him for the very first time and now he was becoming an adult. Time went by way too fast.
"Me neither. You're getting old." Fred joked, making FP send him a playful glare.
"When are you seeing him again?" He asked, turning serious again.
Jughead wasn't often at their apartment, mostly because Gladys had been very strict about how and when FP got to see his children. Jellybean was still being kept for him, but Jughead stopped by every once in a while when he got the chance.
"Probably next weekend. He said he'd come visit here so he can see Archie again, too." FP turned to the redheaded boy, who must be excited to see his friend again.
"It'd be nice seeing Jughead, it has been ages." Archie smiled, already looking forward meeting him again.
The doorbell rang, making all three man look up. It seemed like none of them expected anyone, considering the puzzled looks on their faces.
"Why do people visit before noon?" FP mumbled grumpy, but stood up to open the door anyway.
He guessed it weren't the across the hall neighbors, since by now they knocked and barged in a second later.
When he opened the door, his eyes suddenly grew wide. It was Jughead. His son stood right in front of him. FP sweared that he was hallucinating.
"Boy? What are you doing here?" FP let out in disbelief, a happy chuckle escaping his mouth.
"Visiting my dad on my birthday, of course." Jughead smiled, as if it was no big deal.
However, he had to ask his Mom a thousand times before she had eventually gave in. He was eighteen now, so she couldn't forbid him.
"God, I missed you." FP threw his arms around his son and hugged him tightly. Jughead returned the same gesture, keeping him close.
"Your sister isn't with you, is she?" FP pulled back, his voice filled with insecurity. He knew the answer, but he needed to ask.
"No, I'm sorry." Jughead said regretful. It wasn't anything he could change, but he still felt sorry for his Dad.
"Don't be, that is not your fault. I'm already very grateful that you are here." FP smiled softly, and gestured for him to come further.
"Jughead, welcome back! We were just talking about you." Fred beamed happily as soon as he saw the boy with the signature beanie walking in.
"Hey, what about we celebrate your birthday with a party today? We can invite Alice and her daughters?" FP impulsively suggested out of excitement. In his eyes a surprise visit from his son was something worth celebrating.
"Who's Alice?" Jughead asked him, the name totally unfamiliar.
"They moved across the hall." FP cleared up.
"I won't say no to a party, you know that." The boy grinned, a feeling of happiness taking over him. He had missed his father like crazy.
"Great, let me go over there and ask them." FP clapped his hands together and basically sprinted to the door to ran over to apartment 4A.
"He seems happy about inventing them." Jughead noticed a little confused.
"Oh, you have no idea." Fred laughed, shaking his head.
**
After a quick knock on the door, Alice paused reading her book and stood up to see who was on the other side.
"Hey, FP! What's up?" She smiled and looked at the sparkling brown eyes of her neighbor.
"You won't believe it, my son is here, Al!" FP walked in, a big grin plastered over his face. Alice had never seen him like this before. She could feel that this was a big deal to him.
"Wait, seriously? That's amazing! You're glowing." She said happily, making FP blush slightly.
He figured that not everyone would be this kind of ecstatic when your kids visit, but to him it meant the world.
"It's his 18th birthday, so we want to throw him a little party. I'd love it if you'd be there." He invited them, looking at Betty and Polly as well.
"Absolutely. You like that too, right?" Alice eyed her daughters now as well.
"I didn't know you had a son, Mr. Jones." Betty perked up, smiling at the man.
"He's your age, actually. But he lives with his mother in Toledo, we don't see each other often." FP explained.
"Count us in." Betty promised to be there.
"Should we bring something? I think I could whip up a cake in no time." Alice offered politely, as she wanted to contribute something since she didn't have a present.
"Yeah, that be good. Please invite Hermione and Veronica too. The more the merrier. That'd be nice for Fred." FP impulsively added, recalling their most recent conversation.
He was sure that Fred didn't mind seeing Hermione again, and since they had so much fun at Pizza Night it seemed nice to have them over again.
"Don't worry, got it." Alice winked and watched as he left back to his own apartment again.
"I've never seen him look that happy." Betty noticed, chuckling a little. It was nice seeing him like that.
"Me neither." Alice mumbled, smiling a little to herself.
**
The party had been going on for an hour now and Jughead seemed to mingle pretty well with everyone. He only knew his Dad, Fred and Archie but so far everyone else had been very kind. It mostly comforted him to know that his father had more friends around him than before.
"I don't think you understand how happy I am that you're here." FP stood next to his son and smiled softly. He had said it a thousand times already, but he just couldn't stop.
"I've got a feeling." Jughead grinned, pulling his arm around his Dad.
"How is Jellybelly doing?" FP asked curiously, as he finally felt ready to open up that conversation.
It sucked that she wasn't there, but considering his past he could understand why Gladys wouldn't want that.
"She's growing in front of my eyes, it's insane. You'd be surprised by how smart she is, it's almost intimidating." Jughead told him, a smile plastered over his face. He was so proud of his sister and the woman she was becoming.
"You miss her, don't you?" Jughead said quietly, seeing the sad twinkle in his father's eyes.
"I miss both of you like crazy. You're my pride and joy." FP smiled, but the sad look in his eyes couldn't be missed by anyone. He was hurting, but couldn't say it out loud.
"Look Dad, I am really trying to talk some sense into Mom to convince her you're better. She just won't budge." Jughead had been fighting with Gladys about FP's progress for a while now, but she kept on saying that things hadn't changed.
"That's not your job, Jug. I screwed up so it's my mess. I will clean it up." FP said sternly. He didn't want Jughead between the cold war between him and his ex-girlfriend.
"You can't help your illness, Dad. That is not fair." Jughead's eyes filled with tears too.
"Life isn't fair boy, learned that the hard way. But I do need to fight to earn the rights to see Jellybean back." FP sounded more confident than ever, even surprising himself.
Maybe it was because he had been feeling so good the past months that he was sure that he could prove that he was doing better.
"Hopefully that will be soon. Please know that I am on your side." The boy smiled softly.
"That means the world to me, Jughead." FP hugged him tightly, somehow thanking him for having his back.
"Go have some cake, I saw you lurking." He grinned, and pushed his son a little bit to the kitchen counter. He wouldn't be told twice, as he made his way to the birthday cake.
Alice was standing there too, as she was cutting pieces to hand out to everyone.
"Are you enjoying yourself, Jughead?" She smiled at him and handed him the first piece of her signature cherry pie with whipped cream cake.
"Absolutely. It's great being back in Riverdale." He told her, beaming brightly. He had always preferred this little town over a city like Toledo.
"Can I ask you a question?" He furrowed his eye brow as he looked at her.
"Hit me."
"How long have you and my Dad been dating?" Jughead came straight to the point. He was incredibly happy for his Dad, but was curious about why he hadn't said a thing.
"Me and FP? Don't be silly, we're not together." Alice brushed it off, chuckling a little.
"Oh, wait... you're not?" Jughead said confused, his cheeks flushing a little for misreading the situation. He had been so convinced of himself that he hadn't even wondered if he was right.
"Sorry, my bad. I guess I assumed wrong." He excused himself, hoping that she wouldn't mind his bold question.
"What made you think we were?" Alice asked curious, a nervous chuckle escaping her mouth once again. Why was this question affecting her so much?
"He looks at you a certain way." Jughead shrugged a little, realizing that it had been the small things that made him believe they were together.
"Your Dad says he is a lone wolf. Don't you think he is?" Alice asked him, recalling their conversation of last week. When he had said that she had assumed that he didn't want to be with anyone.
"I don't know... but the eyes don't lie." He said knowingly, and took his cake to walk towards Archie, leaving Alice a little speechless.
If he was right, how was FP looking at her? And did that mean something?
**
At the same time as Jughead and Alice talked, Veronica has mingled with Betty, Polly and Archie. She had been staring at the beanie wearing boy for a while now.
"Betty, is that the boy who's birthday we are celebrating?" She nodded her head towards the boy at the kitchen counter.
"Yeah, that is Jughead. He's FP's son. You remember him, right?" Betty helped her remember, as she had met FP at pizza night.
"You're staring. Do you think he's cute?" Betty grinned, elbowing her new friend.
"Don't be ridiculous. It's nothing." Veronica brushed it off, an annoyed look on her face. Though, it was hard not to look at him. He had something... intriguing.
"Yeah, that sounds very convincing." Archie laughed, before taking a sip of his soda.
"Maybe you worry about your obvious crush on Betty here, Archie." Veronica spat back, a triumphant smile on her face. The redheaded boy's cheeks flushed, and both of them ignored her comment.
"Why don't we ask him to join us playing Monopoly? It'd be nice for him to make some friends here besides me." Archie offered, not only changing the subject but knowing Jughead well enough to know that he would really love that.
"That's a good idea, Arch." Betty smiled, as she saw Jughead making their way towards them.
**
"Your cake is amazing, Alice." FP's voice called from behind her, successfully startling her.
"Sorry, didn't meant to scare you." He chuckled a little, seeing the look on her face.
"I'm glad you like it. Jughead had two pieces already so I guess it's a hit." Alice smiled proudly. She always loved to bake and see how much it was appreciated by everyone.
"That boy loves to eat. He got that from me." Now FP was the one with a proud smile plastered over his face.
Alice laughed a little. She had come to learn that FP ate more than the whole state together, so she could imagine Jughead having the same kind of appetite.
"How are you feeling today? It must have been a nice surprise to see him at your door this morning." Alice poured the both of them some juice, which he gladly accepted.
"I can hardly describe what I felt... Jughead really has my back, and though I am not sure I always deserve his support, it's a wonderful gift to have one of your kids in your side." FP smiled softly, and took a sip of his orange juice.
"You should give yourself some credit, FP. You work hard to get your life back on track. Look where you are now! Don't be too hard in yourself." She said sweetly, and place her hand on his shoulder for a bit, before letting it slide.
"Thank you, Alice. That means a lot to me. I really hope Gladys will feel the same, one day." FP smiled a little to himself, and though it was just the tiniest spark of hope he wanted to stay positive.
A/N: I know some of you have been dying to get some falice, based on the comments I got.... I hope you understand how important the build-up is to the story, but stay tuned for the next chapter! You might get something you want :)