The Serpent Princess

Replaying

Jughead and Archie was so upset that Jess had to go through this again and Joaquin took it a lot harder than Archie and Jug cause he had recalled the first time so clearly.

At their house, Jughead sat down with Jess, Archie and Joaquin.

"Babe, what was going through your mind that day?"

Jess sighed as she did not want to relieve the moment.

"Something was not right when I was picking up Matthew I couldn't shake it off, but I walked down the hallway with my crutches and was heading to his classroom when I had heard a shot and I noticed a bullet was heading to Matthew, so I ran and I shield him with all of my might as I felt the bullet hitting the exact spots as if it was the first time around."

She was fighting her tears.

"I was having strong flashbacks of the initial moment as I felt the pain and I was scared but I put a brave face towards Matthew. Poor Matthew, our boy I think he saw something was wrong and I had to tell him to find you, Archie and whoever else."

Jughead said.

"He did find us and said Mommy Momma is hurt at school! He was so worried about you. We had to call Veronica and Marie to be there for the kids."

Hearing that for the first time, Jess teared up at this moment she felt like she was failing her son.

"I guess my brave face wasn't enough to cover up as I was in such pain three times worst then the first time."

Archie consoles her saying.

"You are a good mom trust me you are."

Joaquin agreed but they gave an angry look at Jughead. For Archie and Joaquin, seeing Jess stressed at the fact that she had let Matt down, was not a good idea to bring up Matthew's reaction. They could see in her face that she did gave her all to distract him from the pain the best she knew how just by shielding and smiling. He wiped her tears.

"He told me mom is a superhero you could have seen how she shield me! He was so proud of you in the moment."

Jess smile as she starts to relax at the compliment and continue.

" So after he left and told me that he loved me, I mustered whatever strength I had to walk through the lobby and prayed as I had my rosary around my neck and once I made it to the lobby, I felt myself falling and so I lean against the wall and slowly slide onto the floor. I cried out to my dad and mommy to not let me die and I was not ready then I cried out to Dad and asked where's Archie cause at that point I was feeling faint and then you three showed up and I knew at some point I was going to be unconscious and eventually as you three try to stop the bleeding, I went unconscious."

She admitted.

"As a wife, Sister and friend knowing that you all been through this before, your expressions at how I was looking, broke my heart."

Joaquin teared up.

"Inside I was screaming not again! She has come so very far. For the first time in years, I now understood how your Godfather, Mr. Andrews felt when he first saw you laying in your bed and how he felt like he had failed your father. I was in the room on that day with Marie and I had prayed that I would never experience that feeling ever in my life until I saw you leaning against the wall and the feeling your dad had expressed to Archie, I had heard his voice and pain that it just sucked the life out of me and that we failed both of them since you are their world."

Her heart broke she encourages Joaquin to come for a hug.

"Oh my gosh, I don't want you to ever have that feeling ok? You are an amazing person and friend a girl could ever ask for. Jughead and I love ya so very much! You better not tell Marie."

Joaquin said.

"She knows I have been carrying this pain for awhile."

she did her best hug.

"Take this one day at a time ok?"

He nodded.

Archie sighed.

"When I saw you, I felt like I was being back to the moment I found you. I was thinking the same thing Joaquin mentioned about Dad's reaction and I all I thought was we will get through it."

Jess sighed.

"I hoped it didn't affect you."

Archie admit.

"I struggled to get a good night sleep at home and Veronica did everything she could. I was worried about you, but somehow I slept while I visited you as I was on the cot holding your hand like the last time. Just staying with you gave me peace."

Jughead kissed her forehead.

"I'm sorry baby for the panic I know you did well in keeping Matthew safe and calm."

Jess kissed him.

"I forgive you."