Arranged

Never Ending Love

Archie begins to strum his guitar. The song melts all hearts.

This is family.
This is love.
This is home.
This is ours.

Senior prom
"Jug," Betty cries. "I'm sorry."

"Baby, you don't need to be sorry," he assures her. "You did nothing wrong."

"I kissed him," she says. "How could you not be mad. I cheated."

"B, he forced himself on you." Veronica demands, "Do not blame yourself."

"How could I not?" Betty grips her hair.

"Elizabeth Cooper, stop crying," says Cheryl. "Or I will go out there and kill his misogynistic ass."

"No," Toni says. "No. We're going full dark, no stars right now. I will not stand for this."

"Let's go, Serpents!" SweetPea commands, headed for the door.

"Stop!" Jughead ordered loudly as the king he was. "Betty," he says more softly. He cups her cheeks and keeps her eyes on his, "It's your call. We can go out there, and we can fight with fists. Or we can show him that he can't take our happiness. He can't have our youth. What's your choice."

"'Cause we're with you," says Toni.

"'Till the end of the line," Archie says.

(They watched all Marvel movies the night before).

"It's all you, B," Veronica assures. "There's nothing we wouldn't do."

Betty sniffles, "You guys are real cheesy, you know that?" She laughs sadly.

She bites her lip and glances around the room. No matter what, they're hers. Forever. She knows that.

He's hers. Death won't do them part. Ever. She knows that.

"My happiness," she says, "is mine. Is ours."

"In unity," Archie shouted.

"There is strength!" the young Serpents said.

They walked out the Blue and Gold in perfect formation. Their rulers in the front. Entering the gym, they cheer with their gang sign held high. If their queen is happy, everyone is.

Betty smiles at that. Jughead squeezes her hand and glares lovingly at her. They think the same: I love you.

Betty joins her girls on the dance floor, her short puffy light purple dress earning all eyes, also matching her pink leather Serpent jacket.

College
Alice kisses Betty's temple one more time. "I don't want you to grow up."

Betty really wanted to say, "You made me get married at seventeen," but she didn't.

"Four years and we're back," Jughead assures her. "I promise."

"You better," Alice pulls them both into a hug. "And every holiday too."

"We swear," Veronica says, receiving her warm hug.

"Bye, babies," she says.

"Bye," they say in unison.

They each planted a kiss on her cheeks before watching her leave. Jughead wraps an arm around his queen. She sighs, "I don't want to grow up."

"I'm sorry you have to," he says genuinely, placing a kiss on her head.

Sophomore year
"Juggie," the blonde whines.

"Yeah?" he asks, continuing on his essay.

She bites her lip, unsure if she should ask. He notices her hesitation without looking.

"Babe," he spins around in the chair and pulls her to his lap. "What is it?"

"Never mind," she says. "It's stupid."

He kisses her cheek and says, "It's not. What's up?"

With a sigh, she shows him the paper. "They're all affordable and cozy," she persuades. "And I really hate having to put a sock on the doorknob. That's just unsanitary."

Jug chuckles and takes the paper with red circles and underlines all over. "I hear your concerns," he says. "I hope you know we'd have to get the cheapest one and better jobs."

She nods and places her lips on his neck.

After quiet moments he drops the paper and carries her to the bed.

"What are you doing?"

"Sock's still on the door," he says and removes his shirt from her.

Junior year
"I love it!" Betty exclaims.

Jughead bought them a new couch. White leather with black, pink, and blue pillows. He also bought her ten stuffed animals and chocolates.

"Juggie, how did you..?"

"Anything for my baby," he says, pulling her to his side.

"Valentine is next month," she tells him.

"So?"

"Oh, I love you!" she picks up the chocolate. "Did you buy out the whole store?" she asks.

"Maybe. We'll never know," he responds as she gives him a piece of the candy.

"You're crazy."

"Yes," he says, "But only for you."

Senior year
Betty sits in bed crying all day. When Jug finally comes home he hears her sobs. "Betty!" he enters their room and sees her curled into a ball. "Baby, what's wrong?"

"I ruined your life," she cries.

"What?" he asks, crawling in bed to hold her.

"I've been throwing up, Juggie," she says. "For weeks. And I got fat—"

"Betty, you're not fat," he says.

"Yes, I am," she retorts. "Jug, I'm pregnant."

"Holy shit," he exhales earning another sob from her.

"I told you!" she clenches her fist.

"Betty," he slips his hands in hers. "It's okay. I'd love to have a kid."

"But we're still in college."

"We graduate in ten weeks, Betts," he says.

"Why aren't you mad?"

"Because I love you. And, hey, babies are great for...well I don't know," he shrugs. "But I want one. Especially if you make it."

"Jug," she whines, "I'm gonna have stretch marks."

"I don't care," he says.

"You really want a kid?" she asks.

"Mhm." He kisses her to prove it. "You, me, and out little buggie."