Rosemary ⋇ Jughead Jones

XLIX

Thin Ice

  ⧊  

"Cheryl!" Rosemary screamed on the top of her lungs as she led the group through the trees towards the iced over Sweetwater River.

"Cheryl?" Archie yelled out. "Cheryl!"

Rosemary dragged Jughead by their links hands through the trees and finally towards the edge where the trees stopped and they could look across out at the river.

"She's not here," Archie panted.

Rosemary shook her head and frantically looked around the river until she found a flash of red. Rosemary gasped as she saw Cheryl blossom in the middle of the frozen river wearing only a white dress and slamming her hands into the ice beneath her.

"Over there," Rosemary gasped. "She's over there! Cheryl!"

"Oh my God," Betty called out.

Rosemary rushed ahead of the group, their screams for Cheryl to stop echoing. 

"Cheryl, stop," Jughead yelled as he raced after Rosemary. "What are you doing?!"

Rosemary was the first to step on the ice, running straight out towards Cheryl despite her friend's protests. 

"Wait, wait!" Archie gasped as he grabbed Jughead, who was about to run after Rosemary. "Wait, Jug! The ice!"

"Y-yeah," Jughead nodded but stared out at his running girlfriend in horror. "Too much weight. We'll all go under."

"Cheryl," Rosemary yelled as she slowed down to a halt, staring across the three feet of ice that separated them. "Cheryl, please!"

Cheryl slowly stood up and turned. Tears rained down her cheeks and her skin was paper white against the brightness of her ginger hair. Her white dress clung to her body where it was wet from the snow and her lips were blue.

"Just come to the shore, Cher," Rosemary whispered to Cheryl, slowly taking a step towards her close friend but freezing when she heard the ice creaking beneath her. "We'll figure this out together, okay?"

"Cheryl, please," Veronica yelled from the shore. "We can talk about this!"

Cheryl locked eyes with Rosemary and slowly, the blonde took another hesitant step forwards until she stood only a foot away from the crying teenage girl. Just as Rosemary's feet settled on the creaking ice, she gasped as a loud cracking sound echoed beneath her feet and both her and Cheryl Blossom fell into the icy waters of Sweetwater River.

"No!"

The group rushed towards the hole where they saw Cheryl and Rosemary fall. Archie leading with Jughead close behind him. Archie fell to his knees by the hole and saw the fast current rushing but no blonde or ginger hair in sight.

"T-The current has them," Jughead stuttered, his voice panicked as he looked around with wide eyes. "Spread out! Spread out!"

All four teens spread around the hole and looked beneath the snow. Jughead and Archie were swiping the snow with their bare hands while Betty and Veronica kicked and brushed the snow out of the way with their feet.

"They're here!" Archie yelled to the group from his spot, swiping the snow out of the way so he could see through the ice. "They're here!"

Archie and Jughead both, on their knees, began punching at the ice trying to break it. Betty and Veronica were screaming for help as they watched the two teenage boys' hands began to bleed and leave marks on the ice.

Rosemary held onto Cheryl with one hand while she paddled to try to keep them as close to the ice with her other hand, staring up Jughead Jones through the ice. Her lungs were burning and the water was so cold she felt her whole body stiffening up.

Looking away for a moment, Rosemary looked out to the depths of Sweetwater River to see, slightly in the distance, a small body also floating. It was a boy, thin and pale with dirty blonde hair like hers. She recognized him instantly. Floating in the distance was her younger brother, staring at her with lifeless eyes.

Without thinking, Rosemary screamed his name and instantly felt water rush into her mouth and lungs. Cheryl had also screamed below her and Rosemary felt Cheryl's weight get heavier. 

Rosemary's vision was spotting and she felt herself begin to choke and drown. Her lungs were on fire and her head was pounding. Her body felt weak and she found it hard to hold onto Cheryl for much longer. With one last look up, she saw Archie and Jughead's fists mixed with blood break through the ice.

Jughead grabbed Rosemary's arms and pulled her through the opening, Archie doing the same with Cheryl. Both girls were laid on the cold ice and instantly Archie and Jughead began performing CPR. Jughead pressed onto Rosemary's chest and then pressed his lips against hers, blowing air into her lungs. Betty and Veronica sobbed as they screamed for help and watched the scene in horror.

"Come on, Ro," Jughead muttered as he continued pushing her chest and then blew air into her lungs again. "Come on... Please j-just... Just breathe, please..."

Just as Jughead blew air into her lungs, Rosemary gasped and water rushed out of her mouth. Loud coughing echoed from her shaking body and Jughead lifted her up in his arms, cradling her against his chest and rocking slightly.

A few seconds later Cheryl did the same thing. Archie lifted her up in his arms and Jughead copied his actions, Rosemary in his arms and hugging her close as they ran on the ice towards Archie's truck.

  ⧊  

Jughead had taken Rosemary to her house while Cheryl was taken to Veronica's at the Pembrooke. Jughead, while cradling Rosemary's body, unlocked the front door and swiftly shut it behind him. He placed Rosemary's shivering body by the electric fireplace and turned it on before rushing upstairs and grabbing two blankets and a hoodie from her room.

Jughead came back downstairs and, without even thinking, stripped Rosemary of her jacket and shirt before putting the hoodie on her and wrapping her in both blankets. She had been crying on the ride back, though she didn't say a word or say what she was crying about. Her eyes were swollen and red and her skin was paper white.

Her shivering was beginning to worry Jughead so much that he quickly sat down and pulled her into his lap, wrapping his arms around her and holding her close. The silence of the house was eerie, but Jughead didn't want to talk or move. He just wanted to make sure Rosemary was okay. That she was safe.

"I-I'm sorry," Rosemary finally spoke up. "I-I'm sorry. I sh-shouldn't have gone ahead."

Jughead shook his head, his hand running through her wet and tangled hair. Slowly, Jughead rocked slightly as he held Rosemary against him. She wasn't crying anymore. She was limp in his arms and breathing slow and heavy with her ear against Jughead's chest as she listened to his heartbeat.

"I-I couldn't lose anyone else," Rosemary continued in a shaky voice. "I've lost everyone, Jug... I can't go through it again. I... I won't go through it again."

"I know, Ro," Jughead nodded, pressing a soft kiss on her forehead and hugging her tighter. "I know."