Forever And Always

Chapter 25

Later on, Veronica came into the hospital, but without Archie. She walked over to her with Betty and Jughead.

"Where's Archie?" Callie demanded.

"At the sheriff's station," Veronica answered.

"Wait,  Archie's where?" Betty asked.

" At the sheriff's station, doing a line-up," Veronica answered. " He asked me to come back here with Fred and Callie until he gets back."

"Well, that's going to be traumatizing for him," Callie stated.

" We should go down there," Betty suggested. 

" Wait, actually, can you guys do me a huge favor?" Veronica asked. "Mr. Andrew's wallet is missing. We're thinking it might be at Pop's. That or the guy who shot Fred might have it."

"Well, if it was just some rando robbing Pop's, then he probably took the money and then got rid of the wallet," Betty said.

"Unless it wasn't just some rando," Jughead pointed out. " Unless it was premeditated in some way."

"What? Is that an actual theory?" Veronica asked.

" Not according to Sheriff Keller, but if you ask me, people have grudges. People have enemies I mean, think of where we live. Fathers are killing their sons. It's entirely conceivable this was a hit," Jughead explained.

" Okay, or the wallet's just at Pop's. So we'll check it out, Vee," Betty confirmed. Soon Archie came back, he was hugged by everyone and told the same thing that they told Callie.

"Thanks, Reggie," Archie said.

"Bulldogs are here for you," Reggie assured him.

" And so are the Pussycats," Josie said as she and the rest of the Pussycats walked up. " We're sending your dad our prayers and giving him as many of our nine lives as he needs."

"Thanks. Josie," Archie told her.

" Veronica said that you were down at the sheriff's station? That maybe they got the guy?" Josie asked.

" Yeah, but it wasn't him. He's still out there," Archie answered.

"Archie, Callie," Doctor Masters greeted them as he walked up to the two. " He's in room 12, you can see him now."

"Okay, great," Archie breathed. The started to make their way towards the room.

"Listen, he hasn't woken up yet. But talk to him, coax him back. Keep it positive. Honestly, that could make all the difference," Doctor Masters advised, with that the two went back to the room. The two sat on one side of the bed, Archie grabbed his hand.

"Dad, I don't know if you can hear us, Hopefully, you can," Callie began.

" We're only supposed to talk about good things which," Archie continued. " Kinda limits our options, but...what can we tell you?"

********

In the unconscious mind of Fred Andrews, he sat in a booth with Archie and Callie at Pop's.

"I'm doing it, Dad," Archie stated. " I'm asking her tonight."

" Wow," Fred breathed as he grabbed the ring on the table. " You know, Veronica's gonna love it."

"Well, she better, she picked it out," Archie smiled.

"Yeah, that sounds about right," their dad laughed.

"Tell him your good news," Archie told Callie, their dad looked at her. Callie held out her left hand and on the ring finger sat an engagement ring.