My Serpent's Keeper [J.J]

The King has Fallen

"I need you to look after him. They'll be coming for him soon." FP Jones said quietly, his elbows on his knees as he stared at the floor. "It's his birthright, FP. Maybe it's time the prince finally came home." Cleo leaned against the wall and looked through the bars of the cell. "No." he said harsh "No, he doesn't need this life. He isn't ready." FP shook his head in denial. Cleo grabbed the bars of the cell "FP, the Serpents need a leader. I-" she was cut off "Just do what I asked, Cleo....look after my boy." she shut her mouth and stared at the man who didn't raise his head once to look at her. "Whatever you want, boss." she said finally. She backed away from the cell and stuffed her hands deep into her jacket pockets as she walked out.

-

"They're saying he has to live on the Southside, with a foster family, and then transfer to Southside High." Archie Andrews, Jughead Jone's best friend ranted. FP knew something like this could happen but he hoped that Fred Andrews could have taken his son in to keep him from the Southside. "That place is no joke." FP said calmly but his mind was racing "If there's a deal on the table, Mr. Jones, you've gotta take it." Archie pled "It tears me up, Red, but the Serpents are my tribe." FP looked up at Archie "They're also innocent, not that anyone in this town cares." he looked back to the floor.

"We care, believe me. But..." Archie sighed "Nobody wants you to go to jail for years, especially not Jughead." Archie couldn't watch his best friend's life get torn apart "That kid knows what's what. He knows you can't betray the folks that stand by you, who got your back." FP told Archie, he knew the Northsider wouldn't understand. "And that's the Serpents?" Archie asked incredulously "When the time comes, they'll step up." FP nodded.

"Hey, Jughead's a tough kid. Scrappy. A survivor. He'll make it. Especially if you're looking after him." he told Archie, he could see the worry and defeat on his face. FP stood and walked to the bars of his cell. "And he'll try to pull away from you, he'll try to disappear into himself. He needs his friends. That's why you and Betty, you gotta stick with him. No matter what." Fp told Archie looking him right in the eye, hoping the redhead will stick by his son. "He's got some darkness in him, I know, but I've got someone looking out. He'll be ok on the Southside." FP assured him.

-

FP Jones sat in his jail cell staring at the wall thinking about how messed up everything got. He thought he was doing right by the Serpents, by his son...how did everything go so wrong?