Trouble // Riverdale (2)

CHAPTER TWO

"Where our pictures never fade and our hearts don't lie. Won't you stay a while and watch our world go by. I'll keep holding on to you and your Saturday smile"

The group gathered around on the uncomfortable hospital chairs to hear Archie's side of the story with Jughead seated next to his best friend and Athena in between hers. "I came out of the bathroom and there was this man, a thief wearing this hood with a gun pointed at Athena. He shoved her forward and pointed it at my dad and he fired." Archie, clearly shaken, looked at Athena with sorrowful eyes as they both relived that deadly moment.

"Oh, my god." Veronica gasped out, rubbing Athena's back as the Blossom girl stared at the ground with a blank expression on her face. She felt guilt in the pit of her stomach as she was comforted. Her father wasn't shot yet she was still getting comfort which she interpreted as taking it away from Archie. She subtly shrugged off Veronica's hand before turning back to her boyfriend.

"And then he--" Archie started but paused soon after causing both Jughead and Athena to stare at him. Jughead had no clue what his best friend was going to say whereas Athena knew exactly what he was going on about. He had been telling her about it on the drive over. 'I'm such a coward' he said as he stared at the hole in his father's chest. Of course, Athena rejected the idea with no hesitation at all. "And then he bolted. And I was holding my dad. Pop Tate called an ambulance and it didn't come so I drove us here-- And I don't know, maybe, I should've waited. Maybe. I made it worse." For the sake of her boyfriend, She kept her lips sealed, knowing that when he was ready he would share it with their friends. But for now, the thief simply ran out of Pop's, not looking back.

"No, dude. Are you kidding me? You saved your dad's life. First Athena and Cheryl, and now your dad. You keep this up, you're gonna need a superhero name. Like Pureheart the Powerful." Jughead is quick to comfort his best friend, patting him on the back before looking towards the adults in the situation who had stopped next to them. "There isn't any new information. Your dad's in surgery. He'll be there for a while." Alice explained to the teens who deflated once they found out the news was useless.

"Archie, have you spoken to your mother about any of this yet?" Hermione crouched down next to him, speaking in a soft gentle manner. "No. no, I haven't called her. I'll be right back." Archie stood up before leaving the group silent. Athena stood up before walking back towards her mother's hospital room. She felt guilty that she had left so quickly before, not even talking about the logistics of their situation. "Hi mom, Hi Cheryl. Anything new, I should know?" Cheryl gave her sister a smile before walking up to her and handing her a tissue.

"You have a little something there." Cheryl pointed to Athena's bloodstained neck causing Athena to furrow her eyebrows and swipe the tissue on her neck. "Where are we going to stay?" Athena asked sitting down next to her mother as the teen tried to process all that they'd lost. "We'll figure it out." Athena glanced towards the window to see Sheriff Keller walking through the corridors.

"I'll be back in a sec. I think I need to go make a statement." Athena jumped up before trailing behind the Sheriff who stopped at her friends. "How's your dad doing?" He asked in a gruff voice whilst taking off his hat. "He's still in surgery," Betty answered for them all, the sheriff nodding to process the situation. "Archie, I know this is a hell of a time for you. But, perhaps we could go somewhere and talk about what happened. You too, Athena." She nodded with understanding, stepping forward.

"Is it cool if I tag along?" Jughead adds with a curious look on his face causing all of them to look at him. "If you don't mind--" The Sheriff is cut off by Archie who thinks it's a great idea. The three follow the sheriff, Athena holding onto Archie's hand as Jughead trails behind them. "Do you want me to mention what happened between you and him to the Sheriff?" Athena whispered. It was the right thing to do. Tell the Sheriff the whole story but she knew he was ashamed. She would never do anything to affect him without him being okay with it.

He stared off and shook his head before they took a seat with the Sheriff and Jughead beelined for the vending machine as usual. "Can you describe the thief for me?" The Sheriff took his notepad out with a pencil before waiting for the two to start. "He was maybe 5'10, 160 pounds or so." Athena nodded, as she assumed the same. She watched the Sheriff scribble word on his notepad before looking up to see him staring straight at her.

"And he was wearing dark pants and a dark jacket?" The sheriff asked. "Yes." She responded before turning to Jughead who'd bought her a bag of jellybeans. She smiled gratefully before turning her attention back to the Sheriff and his investigation. "Anything on that jacket? Symbol or insignia?" They all knew what he was insinuating. The southside serpents were always the bad guys. Even when they weren't.

"You mean like a snake?" Jughead asked half curiosity and half frustration. "It was just a jacket." Archie shrugged "No snake. Nothing." Athena added causing Archie to send her a grateful look. "And this ski mask he had on--" The Sheriff started before he was interrupted but Archie. "No, it's not a ski mask. It's a black hood. Homemade, like he'd cut the eyes out himself. And the guy's eyes were green." Athena remembered the eyes. The color of fresh basil leaves that had just sprouted. Hauntingly beautiful is what they were. Athena would do anything to see them behind bars.

"Now, Pop Tate had a fairly good idea of what happened up until when your father was shot. And then, well, there are some gaps. And I need you two to help me fill those. So, what did he do? Our masked man?" Athena stared at Archie's trembling lips and slowly put her hand on top of his to comfort him. "After he shot my dad? He--" Archie became visibly distraught as he stared at the table with a blank look in his eyes.

"He did nothing, He shot Fred before sprinting out of the diner." Archie glanced towards her, giving her a small smile whereas Jughead stared at the two, knowing deep down that something else was wrong. "Who did this, sheriff?" Archie asked with a defeated undertone to the question. "Archie, it's too early to speculate. But he was probably out of his head on meth or the jingle-jangle, some southside lowlife that was just looking for a cash grab." Athena and Archie look down, disappointed with the answer to an impossible question.

"How much did he get? How much cash?" Jughead investigates, Athena, coming to the realization that he and Betty would be no doubt doing some couple investigating in the near future. "We're waiting to hear about that from Pop Tate." Athena looked down at Archie's bloody clothes, examining him whilst he pressed his hand against his face. "Since this is Riverdale, I have to ask, what if the robbery wasn't the motive? What else could it be?" Jughead continued to eat his vending machine food, his question leaving Athena wide eyed.

"I suppose it could be someone who has a grudge against your dad, wanted to make it look like a robbery. I mean it's just too early to tell." Athena sighs as the group gets up and reunites with the rest. "Athena, I just need to speak to Arch alone." She slowly nods before walking towards Betty and Veronica who are quick to embrace their friend. "V, I'm sorry that I got your outfit all bloody. I swear I'll replace it." V gives her a small smile before tucking a hair behind her ear.

"It is okay. I think I can let you off the hook because my god, you've been through so much." Athena gave the girls a small smile before embracing them once again.

This chapter would have been up like two hours earlier, but I got distracted and read the original pilot script for the show and my god that was a rollercoaster.

Thanks, Queenielale.

(EDITED)