Hold You Down

Chapter 13 - Bad Dreams, Good Memories

Archie had a really hard time falling asleep that night, he had spent hours pouring his feeling out to Jughead. He was beyond thankful for Jughead's company tonight, he couldn't help but smile at his friend re-assuming his old air mattress residence in Archie's room. Things then seemed so complicated, but now they were unimaginably more complex. Finally, around 3 AM, Archie let his tiredness overtake his mind, drifting off.

There she was, looking older, more mature, but still hauntingly beautiful. Her smile brought innocence and youth to her face, but it wasn't directed at him. Behind her Reggie snakes his arms around her waist, pulling her into him and placing a sweet kiss on her cheek. They seemed comfortable, Archie looks around at the unfamiliar setting, he's in a modern house, everything is white, his friends are all there but they too look significantly older. Everyone is dressed casually, but Veronica stands out to him, she looks radiant. But his admiration is cut short by her laughter being directed at Reggie. Archie can't make out what he's saying but Veronica, Betty and Cheryl are all laughing now. He wants to go toward her but his body doesn't move. Feeling panicky, Archie tries desperately to walk or even move his hand but he can't.

 He's brought out of his thoughts when Jughead claps him on the back "Hey Archie Andrews, long time no see, how's hermit life treating you? Word of advice from someone who's been there, isolating yourself makes everything feel hopeless, so come over to ours when Betty invites you, like the good Andrews boy I know you to be" Jughead quips then retreats. 

Before Archie can sort out his confusion about being a lonely, depressed hermit, he's caught off guard by Reggie himself. Standing a little too close, Reggie leans in and whispers; "This dinner party blows, wanna light up on the balcony before the meal is served?" winking at Archie. 

But before Archie can even respond, more like refuse the offer, Veronica appears, grabbing Reggie's hand and scolding him "I know what you're propositioning, I smelt the joints on you" she looks at him slightly mad but more disappointed. 

Archie is expecting her to yell at him for embarrassing her at this dinner party, but he's shocked when she leans in and kisses him softy, and says "I know dinner parties are triggering when everyone else is drinking and you can't be, so baby let's go home, I don't want you to ruin your sobriety again, your always so hard on yourself when you slip up, and it's hard on us as well" she says softly. He looks at her sadly, slightly embarrassed, but more like a pathetic man. "No, I can stay, thank you for being amazing Ronnie ...". 

Everything else that Reggie is gushing about fades away the moment he uses that nickname, although Nick St. Clair had made it clear to him that it was unoriginal, Archie had started it in Riverdale, and it was reserved for him. He can feel the anger rippling through him, as this glimpse into the future was evoking the pain in his chest to wake him up.

Archie sprung upright, breathing heavily, panting until he could steady his respiration. 

Of course this commotion had awoken a sleep deprived Jughead.

"Archie, what's wrong? Does your chest hurt?" he questions worriedly noticing his friend clenching onto his heart through his shirt.

 "It's fine, I just had a bad dream, go back to bed Jug, sorry for waking you" Archie says.

"Why don't we call Betty? Maybe she's heard something by now? Maybe you'll sleep better?" Jug offers, and honestly it's the best suggestion he's ever heard. 

Archie quickly reaches for his phone, noticing that it's just past 8 AM, god knows where Betty had ended up sleeping last night, but she wasn't in her room, so he assumed the hospital or back at the Lodges.