Back In Black

Chapter 22; Coming Home

I'm walking with Jughead towards his father's trailer, I have one of my heavier jackets on as the weather is quickly getting colder. Homecoming is just around the corner, which means its a busy time for me as one of the only photographers in Riverdale. I'm holding Jughead's free hand while his other is holding Pop's. As we get closer Jug sighs.
"Its okay, Jug." He nods slowly.
"Please don't say anything about the mess..." I look at the boy who couldn't even look at me.
"I wont." We open the door to the trailer, Jughead stops just inside the door. "Jug?" He moves out of my way still speechless. The trailer was spotless. Not a single bottle, can, or napkin just laying around. Jughead looks around the building with a huge smile on his face. We walk into the living room until Jughead looks down the hall, I do the same seeing FP coming around the corner.
"Dad! Have you been body snatched?"
"Ah I feel good Jug. I wanna look good, too." FP says proudly. "Shave. Clean the place up a bit. A little paint. I wanted everything to be just right."
"Oh, I got us some coffee and donuts. Just right for what?"
"Well, for starters... when you two finally dropped by to tell me everything was okay."
"We are good FP, thank you." I smile at the two
"Don't mention it kid." FP winks taking the coffee and donuts to the small table in the corner.  "Also, I read your, uh... your essay? Manuscript?"
"You did?" Jug looks at me surprised.
"Yeah."
"Really?" He looks back at his dad
"I asked you for it, didn't I?"
"I'm surprised he gave it too you. He wont let me read it." I laugh taking a seat at the table. Jughead rolls his eyes at me sticking out his tongue in a childlike manor.
"Yeah, well. I don't know. I guess I figured you were just pretending to be interested. And you Missy haven't asked." Jughead messes with my hair causing even FP to chuckle.
"No, this is excellent" FP hits the binder clipped papers. "Me," He lightly taps my shoulder with the back of his hand " I can barely string two sentences together. But you, you got a gift. Thank God you're not wasting it." I look up at Jughead proudly. "Mind if I ask you a couple questions?" FP extends a hand to the open chair beside me. Jughead sits, pulling his chair closer to mine so he was also sitting opposite FP.
"Yeah. Of Course."
"Why Jason Blossom, huh? Out of all the things you could write about, why pick a dead kid?" I put my hand on Jug's knee under the table.  The two of them start to fix up their coffee's while I grab my hot coco.
"I don't know. It was sorta like he picked me. Tell the story that no one was gonna tell or even know how to tell. From the outside, looking in."
"Who do you think killed him?" My gaze flew to FP faster than a bullet. I looked at the man sitting there fixing his coffee when a thought crossed my mind What did you have to do with it FP?  Jughead just got his father back so I kept the thought to myself. It left shortly after it came though. "I mean, you and Betty are in this deep. Kat also I'm assuming. You guys gotta have an opinion."
"To me, I don't think the question is, 'whodunnit'?, I think the real question is whether Riverdale is a place of good or a place of darkness and evil."
"Or both." FP and I say in unison.
"Most things are both. Can I male on suggestion?" Jughead nods slowly "I think, at a certain point, you should move on." Jughead's smile fades "You can't let this be the only story you're going to tell, Jughead. Hell, it shouldn't even be the most important one." Jughead nods slowly. My phone buzzes in my pocket.

"I gotta get to school Jug, Alice needs me." FP looks up as I stand.
"I'll stop by again soon Dad." FP nods as the two of us leave.

I had Jughead drop me off at the Blue and Gold office, he pulled towards him. I wrapped my arms around his neck his hands found my waist.
"Do you really want to read it?"
"Your manuscript?" He nods "I'd love to. But I'm not going to force you to share it." He gives me a kiss before smiling.
"I love you Kathleen." My heart did a flip in my chest. It was the first time he ever said those three words.
"I love you too Jughead." I gave him another kiss. "I really should get in there." I look towards the office.
"I'll see you in first then." He kisses my forehead before walking off.