Behind Revenge's Door

Visits and Retrograde

I didn't know what else to do. I needed to see him. I didn't expect to find myself at the Sheriff's Station at nine-thirty seven on a Tuesday night but I needed him. It's like when you need to see something fresh because everything else has become so grey. It's this need that blooms like ivy into every fiber of your body that makes you itch with need. I needed FP Jones. I needed his scent and his touch and I needed to be with him.
The only one who I could see was Sheriff Keller himself. He walked right past me.
The Sheriff didn't have to stop and ask what I was doing. He knew damn well what was going on. He knew I needed FP simply to breathe.
I kicked off my stilettos and grabbed them before running. It was like the closer I got to him the faster I needed to go. It was as if running and colliding into him like two collapsing planets was the only way I could ever fully be with him again.
I found FP's cell. He was asleep in the dull light that barely was enough to fill the hallways.
"FP," I spoke softly, but FP didn't respond. "Oh fucks sake," I rolled my eyes. "FP!" I spoke sternly and he shot up like a rocket.
"Madison?" FP asked groggily before realization swept across his face and he ran up to the bars of the cell. "Madison. You're alive,"
"FP, it's alright. I'm alive," I smiled at FP Jones and set my hands on the small openings off the cell doors. "I missed you so much,"
"I'm so sorry, baby," FP began to sob softly. "I'm so sorry I hurt you and Jughead. I never wanted you to get hurt I. Just tried to protect you,"
I looked at FP in the shady lights that flickered from the ceiling. "Hey, hey, I know. I understand that now. It's alright,"
FP didn't stop crying and I sighed. "I love you so much, FP,"
Slowly, FP looked up at me with his pale, beautiful face. "You love me?"
I nodded as tears filled my eyes while our hands managed to touch through the prison cell doors. "I love you, I love you so much, FP. You have no idea how much I love you."
"You deserve so much better than what I can give you," FP sighed.  "Like thay lawyer. You deserve a guy like that lawyer,"
"I've never been one for the normal people, FP. You know me well enough to know that."
I trusted Penny more than I trusted Tolls. Tolls was probably educated at a higher level, but Penny had experience with the Serpents. She knew how to keep FP safe and I could never take that away from her.
"Jughead is doing well. Everyone is," I smiled to him, trying to distract him.
"What happened? At the restaurant?" FP asked me.
"I was shot. It was a robbery. Archie thinks it was something more but the only thing gone was my phone," I grabbed the replacement phone I stored. It was the work iPhone that was given to me as a gift. "My other one is gone. It's kinda creepy and scary but I'm ok. I'm more concerned about you and Jughead. I'm healed, I'm alright. No infections, no adverse reactions, I'm fine."
"Do you promise?" FP asked me.
I've never seen him in such a vulnerable state before. FP was always the bad boy that never felt anything. Nothing ever cracked his hard wall that he had built around himself. But I guess I had.
Slowly, the tears of relief fell down my face to know that FP was ok. I nodded vigorously before taking a deep breath. "Yes, I promise."

*****

I sat with Dad, Archie and Mrs Cooper the next afternoon as she explains what she found out about Geraldine Grundy's unfortunate murder. "There was no forced entry, which probably means she knew her killer," Alice said to Archie. I didn't know how he would take all of this, but there was only one way to find out.
"The police don't know if any of her personal belongings were taken."
"How, uh..." Archie trailed as anxiety filled him. I could sense it rolling off of him like waves. "How did Ms Grundy die?"
"The autopsy showed that she was strangled, with something the killer grabbed on hand. It was a cello bow, of all things." Alice said and I slowly rubbed reassuring circles in Archie's hand. "There was a struggle, she fought back. But Archie, this was a crime of passion in another town, with a completely different murder weapon."
I saw what she was getting at.
"The likelihood of these two crimes being connected seems slim."
I sighed and Dad cleared his throat.
"Son..." he started
"If you say what I'm thinking you're just gonna think I'm crazy," Archie said and I shook my head.
"I don't think anyone is crazy. Not anymore."
"Probably Mrs Cooper's right. Probably they're not connected," Archie sighed in defeat.
That was all that was left of Ms Geraldine Grundy.

*****

I had been convinced by Veronica and Kevin to help out with Retro Night at Pop's. I had to go back there eventually, and I knew that if the girl who got shot was there, it would be a big turn out. It's the least I could do. I simply stayed by the carts outside of posters and cleaning supplies, and helped delegate cleaning responsibilities. One day I would step foot in there again, but I knew that it was ok if that day wasn't today.
Betty and Jughead were sitting with the judge where Cheryl agreed to testify in favor of FP Jones. I wanted to be there oh so badly but I knew I'd fall apart if I was there. I couldn't handle it. If I saw FP sitting in a courtroom at the mercy of Cheryl Blossom I'd explode. Dad told me it wasn't a good idea and Jughead said he'd make sure that my love got passed onto FP. I just hope that everything was enough.
The crowd soon filtered inside and the restaurant became booming. It was radical to see what was happening. A concert from the Pussycats was blaring from the outside and I felt myself grow as if I was in a tiny, tiny space.
"You gonna step inside?" I heard as I leaned against the side of my red Jeep Rubicon.
Archie was there in his Riverdale High Varsity letterman's jacket.
"I don't know," I spoke as I swallowed. "I miss it, you know? Back when everything was ok. I'm just so happy FP's sentencing got delayed. I sent my friend back to the city and told him to stay away from the case. He didn't need his career ruined."
"You did the right thing," Archie said.
"I'm sorry about Grundy. I know she meant a lot to you," I spoke and took my little brother into a hug.
"I'm gonna head inside," Archie said. "Are you coming?"
"Maybe, have fun. I'll try in a few minutes." I spoke slowly to Archie and he nodded.
After the teenage boy went inside I found myself outside, alone. The tiny shorts and Pop's tee shirt failed to cover me from the cool night air.
So one step at a time, I made my way up to the doors. I took a deep breath and the door swung open to show Pop Tate in shock.
"Madison!" He said and rushed me into a hug. The both of us were shocked that I could even stand this place.
I could finally feel it all coming together.

"Hello?" I heard Jughead say in my kitchen.
"D-Dad!" He said. "Uh, yeah. We didn't have a choice, we did what we had to do,"
I quickly rushed down. I knew immediately something was wrong.
Jughead put the phone on speaker and I heard the end of FP's remark "-you don't wanna be in bed with the snake charmer!"
"Why- Dad?!"
The dial tone fell heavily on Jughead and I as we looked at each other.
What the hell did we get ourselves into?