Forever And Always

Chapter 36

Ever since the Black Hood made that call Archie and Veronica would make out wherever the went. Including in Archie's bedroom, when Callie was home. She would find any reason to leave the house. Callie now stood in the newspaper room with Jughead, Betty, Veronica, and Archie.

"So the reason we called you guys in here," Betty began.

" My dad is getting out of jail," Jughead informed them.

"That's amazing," Callie smiled.

" Yeah, what hearld this miracle?" Veronica asked.

" Uh, overcrowding at the jail," Jughead explained. " I guess the judge reviewed my dad's case and after Cheryl's testimony, it was...A perfect storm."

" What do you need from us, Jug?" Archie.

" Both of us. We have a new lead on the Black Hood case," Betty informed. " And I was wondering if you would follow up on it for us."

"But only if Callie didn't go yesterday," Jughead mentioned. " When I asked her to check out this house in Fox Foret."

"Did you go alone?" Archie asked. " After-"

" Sweet Pea helped," Callie answered. " I can have him send all the pictures he took, and send them to you... Or I will print out all the pictures and send them over to Veronica and Archie to investigate."

"Nice work Kim Possible," Jughead complimented. 

"I can give you all the articles," Betty added.

"It's just that I have to be there for my dad," Jughead insisted.

" And uh, yeah, I'm taking a break from the Black Hood," Betty added.

" Wait, so you want us to be you three?" Veronica questioned.

" Essentially, yes," Jughead answered. " Why, is there a problem with that?"  

" And where will Callie be during all this?" Archie asked.

"Working trying to figure out who is behind that voice on the phone," Betty answered. " With Sweet Pea I assume since you brought him into this."

"I said he didn't have to come," Callie pointed out. " But you know how he is."

********

Later Callie was at the Whyte Wrym with Jughead, so he can give his announcement. The other serpents were mad at her for learning how to fight, but not mad enough to keep her out of the Whyte Wyrm. She sat at a table with Toni.

"I have an announcement to make," Jughead announced. " My dad's getting out." Everyone cheered and clapped, some even whistled. " And when he does, I'll bring him up to speed about our plans with Mayor McCoy."

"That's brilliant," Tall Boy stated as slammed his drink down.

" Do you have a problem with that, Tall Boy?" Jughead asked.  

" Your old man? No," Tall Boy answered as he got up and made his way over to Jughead. " I got no problem with him. But you want us to sit down with the Mayor."

"I do," Jughead confirmed. " He's right. I think we can bring the Southside back. But it's going to take work and it's going to take compromise."

"Bring the Southside back," Tall Boy laughed. " You've been here all of five minutes."

"Tall Boy, I am sick of you acting like a little bitch," Jughead said. " Whispering behind my back that I'm half a Serpent or I don't belong here. Why don't we put it to a vote? If you guys think what I'm doing is wrong, I'll step aside."

" All those who stand with Jughead," Toni began as she stood up. " And think that Tall Boy should shut the hell up..." Everyone stood up and raised their hands.

"What about you Callie?" Sweet Pea asked her.

"Well, I'm not a serpent, so I don't know if it is my place to vote," Callie said.

"It is," Fangs assured her, then Callie stood up, and raised her hand. Tall Boy then left the room.

******

Callie was now at home with her dad and Archie. They were in the kitchen and something seemed off about Archie.

"What's wrong, Archie?" Callie asked. " Something you wanna get off your chest?"

"Yeah, actually," Archie admitted. " Me and Ronnie are in kind of a weird place. Things have been pretty intense lately. I said I love you to her, Dad and Cal." Callie and her dad both glanced at each other. " And she didn't say it back. And yes, she heard me."

" I wouldn't get too in your head about that, son," their dad advised. " I mean those three words for people are often on different schedules.

" Yeah, and sometimes those I love you may or may not last," Callie added. " Take me and Reggie for example, we said I love you and three weeks later or so we feel apart. Just give Veronica some space and time."

******

Callie now sat in the Whyte Wrym with Betty, they were talking to Toni who was working behind a bar.

"You have a stage. Would you be open to me bringing in a karaoke machine?" Callie asked.

" For FP's retirement? Sure, why not," Toni answered.

" Also one of the reasons I wanted to talk to you is beyond the party-planning, is beyond..." Betty began. " I've been walking the razor's edge since Jughead joined the Serpents and all I've been thinking is...You know as soon as FP gets home, everything will get better because he'll be there to protect Jughead and make sure he doesn't get hurt."

"Yeah, I'm following you," Toni agreed. " I mean with FP out of the picture..."

"But that's my whole point," Betty stated. " I do worry. So, I wanna keep an eye on Jughead, myself. Make sure that as deep into these snake-infested waters as he goes, he doesn't do something...that you know, puts him in danger.

" So, what? " Toni asked. " You wanna be a Serpent? We have been trying to convince Andrews here to do the same thing, but she won't budge."

" Let's say Serpent-adjacent," Betty said. " But, yeah, part of his world, this world." A woman starts laughing, and Toni rolls her eyes.

"Shut it, Byrdie," Toni demanded.

"Sorry, Sweet Valley High," Byrdie apologized. " If you wanna join the club you gotta do the dance...Serpent dance."

" Excuse me, Serpent dance?" Betty asked.

" The main reason I said no," Callie informed her.

"It's an outdated sexist Serpent tradition," Toni explained. They looked at a girl who was in her underwear, on the stage, while pole dancing. " Tried to get it outlawed, but misogyny dies hard. You don't wanna know."

" Uh, yeah, I do," Betty corrected. " I wanna know everything." Sweet Pea walked over to them.

"Let's go, shortstop," Sweet Pea told her. " We have things to take care of. We will be taking the motorcycle." He then walked away.

"When are you two going to get together?" Toni asked.

"What?" Callie asked as she got up.

" A lot of the young Serpents think you are cute, I included," Toni told her. " But none of them will do anything, cause Sweet Pea."

"I don't think is going to happen between me and Treetop," Callie assured her. She then walked away.

"The cute nicknames, sneaking into her bedroom window, walking her home," Toni listed.

"They are both oblivious," Betty pointed out. " It would take a miracle for those two end up together."

" Maybe we should try hooking them up," Toni suggesteed. " I love helping out a romance."

" I know Callie," Betty laughed. " And she would hate it if we tried to step in and help."