Darlin' ~ FP Jones

Dark Paradise

"Where is he?" Fred Andrews anxiously dialed FP's number one more time. His boy was in jail, but he was nowhere to be found. Archie stood nervously tapping his foot against the floor.

"Where's Jughead is he okay?" Betty rushed in with Harper by her side. Harper had adopted the role of Betty's older sister at school since Polly had left Harper had been one of Betty's biggest advocates. Betty clutched at Harper's arm as she looked at Archie, tears filling her eyes.

"You can go in and see him if you want." Sheriff Keller angrily kicked the door to the holding room closed behind him. Betty hurried to the door and slipped inside. Fred followed Keller down the hall with Archie in tow and Harper leaned against the wall. From her spot she could see through the window on the door of the holding room. She saw Betty reach out and hold Jughead's arm gently as he shook his head at something she said. Stubborn, like his father.

Harper looked around for FP, but he was nowhere. This fact almost made her angrier at the man. How could he just lose it like this? How could he just abandon all responsibilities? Harper wondered, is this how Jughead feels each day? Except a deeper pain. A deep betrayal. A deeper fear that he might disappear and never reappear.

"If you can verify those documents saying where he is on July 4th, he's good to go." She heard Keller say, Mr. Andrews nodded thoughtfully.

"I'll have to check my timecards." Archie and he exchanged an odd look and at once Harper knew they were lying. She looked the other way, as she had been learning to do when people lied lately. As she began to slowly immerse herself in the world of Serpents, she stopped paying attention to rights and wrongs.

Harper stood quietly as Jughead was let out of the room and his handcuffs were taken off. Betty clung to him as Harper had clung to FP many times. She saw herself in Betty and FP in Jughead. And that scared her. She trailed behind the group not wanted to interfere at this point. When they stepped outside of the precinct into the rainy grey weather they all looked up to see FP, stumbling out of his truck, dirty flannel, and unshaven face, hurrying to Jughead.

"Jughead! I'm sorry. I came as soon as I got your messages. My phone, the friggin' battery. I forgot to plug it in last night. What the hell happened?" FP stood there awkward looking at everyone who was staring back blankly at him. He hadn't noticed Harper yet, hiding in the back of the group behind Archie.

"Nothing. It's fine now. Mr. Andrews took care of it." Harper watched as Jughead's words broke his father down to the bones.

"What jacked-up crap did they accuse you of in there, huh? Those bastards trying to throw you in jail like they did your old man? Well, screw that. I will rip Keller a new one for trying to pull that." He started for the door by Fred blocked his path.

"FP, settle down." He spoke calmly but FP gave him a hard shove away from him.

"Hey, hey! This is my son, Fred! You'd do the same for your boy." His eyes were fiery when they fell on Harper and softened. She looked at him with pity, just pity. His breath fell out of his mouth shakily. He had no words for her, and even if he did, he wouldn't be able to say them anyway.

Jughead pleaded with his dad not to make things worse. FP only ever felt like he made things worse for everyone. Not only Jughead, but Harper too and the Blossoms and Freddy Andrews and everyone who ever came near him. FP stood in front of his boy, who was sniffling as he watched his dad and his life fall apart before his eyes. FP gripped Jughead's shoulders, looking him directly in the eyes.

"Son, listen to me. I'm gonna do what you want, get my act together. I'm gonna get your mom and Jellybean home so we're all under the same roof. I promise. But I-I just need a little time to do that.

Not a lot, not long, a month, two at the most." Jughead looked away from his dad but FP needed to keep his attention, "Hey. And then we'll be back on track, all right? You- you believe that, don't you?" FP wanted to beg him to believe him. He had never been so sincere in his life. Harper knew it too, but she couldn't help but feel a pang of pain and jealousy at the mention of FP's wife. Because she was at that point the other woman.

"Yeah, I believe you, Dad." Jughead whispered. He pulled his father into a tight hug, which no one expected. FP hesitated at first, his eyes flicking to Harper. Pity rested deeply in her eyes and in her soul. He wrapped his son tightly in a hug then, as if it was his last. He released his son, with an awkward chuckle. He stumbled away not looking back.

And in that moment, FP Jones had never felt more worthless in his life.