Under Fire and Undercover

It'll All Make Sense Soon Enough

"Will you stay?" Edgar prompted Betty, as Alice wrapped an arm protectively around her shoulder. As much as she hated the idea of Betty staying here, being in Edgar's clutches, Hal was a bigger danger at the moment. It wouldn't be so terrible to have Betty close so she could watch over her.

"Yeah." Betty nodded her head slightly, her voice thick with fear. Alice knew how scared she had to have been to agree to Edgar's suggestion. If she ever saw Hal again, Alice was sure she wouldn't hesitate to kill him.

"I'll get you settled. Come on." Alice said softly and nudged Betty out of the room.

As they walked towards the hallway of dorms, Alice tried to resist the urge to ask. She knew that this new version of her was supposed to avoid talking about it at all costs. She couldn't help herself, though.

"Betty, what did you mean when you said that your father attached you at prom?" Alice asked firmly, knowing she sounded far too much like herself.

With her arm still wrapped around her daughter's shoulder, Alice swore she could feel Betty's muscles relax at her tone of voice.

"Jughead and I tried to lure the Gargoyle King to prom. We wanted to out smart him, but then Dad showed up. He chased me through the school. I don't even know what happened to the Gargoyle King. It was gone by the time Dad left." Betty explained softly.

"Honey, are you okay? Did he hurt you?" Somehow Alice's voice sounded fierce despite it breaking over her words.

"Just a few scratches and bruises. Nothing bad." Betty pulled at the sleeves of her jacket as Alice pushed her into a room. Once inside, she promptly wrapped her youngest daughter in a hug.

Her youngest daughter who had been through so much in her short life. Who Alice would do anything for. She would take on every once of the pain that Betty carried around with her if it meant that she didn't have to feel it anymore.

Alice had always been in awe of Betty and her strength. Not that she didn't love Polly with her entire heart, hence the whole undercover thing, but Alice never quite felt the connection to Polly that she did to Betty. It was something she had felt guilty over since the day that Polly was born. And Alice often attributed it to the severe bout of post-partum depression that she experienced after having Polly. Hal had carried his weight in those first few months, connecting with Polly in a way that she just couldn't. Betty had Alice wrapped around her finger from the moment she came into the world, though.

Alice could just barely feel Betty's shoulders shaking, but she knew that her baby was crying.

"He can't get to you here, sweetie. You're safe. I've got you." Alice whispered soothingly as she ran her hands up and down her daughter's back. It was true. No one came in or out of the commune without Edgar knowing it. And as long as she was set to be his wife, Hal would sooner be butchered for spare parts than hurt either one of them.

**

Alice helped Betty get settled, and then sat in the chair are she climbed into bed.

"You don't have to stay, Mom." Betty rolled her eyes, pretending to find her mother overbearing. But she was actually glad to see some semblance of parenting come from her.

"I'm not going anywhere. Just lay down. You've had a long day, and you need sleep." Alice ordered, and Betty complied.

"I love you, Elizabeth."

"I love you too, Mom." Both women attempted to swipe at their eyes without the other noticing before Betty laid her head down on the pillow.

Alice listened to her daughter's breaths as they evened out, sure that it was her new favorite sound. They'd been apart for weeks, and it felt so incredibly wrong.