Murder & Sickness is a Bad Combo (Riverdale)

[venuskiddo]

hey so i wrote a oneshot based on the episode tonight so spoilers!!! in!!!! this!!!! so it's basically if Betty was sick too and Betty and Jughead didn't go to Pop's to meet FP after he got rid of the body. enjoy!!! also vomit warning at beginning! 

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Betty sped to the bathroom after hearing about the new recent murder, vomit coming up her throat. She swung open a bathroom stall and her wobbly legs collapsed. Her knees slammed against the hard tiles as vomit spurted from her lips. She gagged violently. Anxiousness and guilt was still pulsing in her stomach, but there was something else too. She just couldn’t put her finger on it. She felt spaced out, traumatized. Constantly sick to her stomach. How could they do this? How could she do this? How can her mom just act like everything is okay? Nothing is okay. She wiped the sick from her mouth and sunk to the floor. She didn’t feel good at all. Her head throbbed. Probably because she had been crying all night.

Soft footsteps approached. She slowly, with as much energy as she could muster, pulled her head up from her hands to see Cheryl standing there with an extremely worried look on her face. Cheryl was always confusing. Sometimes she was incredibly sympathetic and caring, but other times she was a total bitch. Betty knew Cheryl was talking to her, but she could barely focus. The words were swimming together and she just wanted her to go away. She was so dizzy.

Cheryl went away after a quick conversation ending in Betty just wanting her to get away. Betty wanted to curl up and die. She deserved it. She hid a body that her family killed. Her blood, her family, killed someone. Betty felt herself gasping for breath as a new wave of tears came. Her nose was running all over her lips, but she was too numb to wipe the snot away. She didn’t feel like ever moving again. But she had to. She had to go to class. She had to act like everything was normal. Like she hadn’t done something unthinkable. She grabbed the stall door, hoisting herself to her feet and wobbled her way out of the bathroom to go to her next class.

 

-

“Betts, you don’t look so good. I mean you’re always remarkably beautiful, but you’re looking on the emo, pale, and in other words, me, side.” Jughead inspected Betty’s dark circles and the flush to her nose and cheeks. Betty’s eyes were watery and red-rimmed. She shook it off and gave him a slight smile.

 

“I’m alright, Jug. I just didn’t get much sleep last night you know. Family drama like always.” Betty forced a laugh and it turned into a couple chesty coughs. She quickly turned away from Jughead, letting go of his hand. When she turned back his eyebrows were knitted together in concern and his hand was pressed securely to Betty’s back. “I’m okay,” Her voice cracked and she cleared her throat quitely. Jughead bit his lip, turning back to the sidewalk to Betty’s house.

 

“Please get some rest, okay.” Jughead looked at her sternly, squeezing her hand. She nodded before turning away once more.

 

“hihhh’EKTSCH’ieew” Betty whipped around as she was caught off-guard with the wet sneeze. Jughead sighed and rubbed Betty’s goose bump-covered arm.

 

“Bless you, Betts. I’ll see you, okay.” Jughead gave her a quick, but loving side hug and watched Betty trudge up the porch to her front door, seeming too out of it to give a proper goodbye. Something was up. And she is sick.

 

Betty sighed as she heard the front door click behind her. She needed to confess. Badly. The guilt was eating her. She wanted to vomit again. She wanted to cry so badly. Betty began to walk up the stairs to her room when she heard her mom call for her.

 

“What?” Betty called back, voice cracking with the strain of yelling. She heard movement in the kitchen, then Alice walked out to staircase.

 

“Well what do you want for dinner?” Alice smiled and continued to dry the glass she was holding. Betty felt like her mother’s loving gaze was burning her. It hurt so bad. You aren't supposed to be happy right now. You are supposed to feel bad. You are supposed to hurt. You killed someone. You killed someone. You killed someone. Betty sucked in a quick breath and clenched her fists.

 

“Nothing,” Betty said blandly, trying her hardest not to cry. She dug her nails into her palms, trying to distract herself. But her mother’s normal, loving gaze never faltered. How. How can she act like this is okay. “... hihihh’HEKSKSH” Betty ducked quickly into her shoulder, turned around and stormed up the stairs.

 

“Bless you, sweetie!” Alice called, pleasantly. Images of the once bloody floor flashed in Betty’s eyes. The bleach. His blood on her dress. His body. She punched the wall, a spark of dangerous energy bubbling in her blood. She grunted in pain and sighed, rubbing her sore knuckles, and sank to the floor.

 

-

 

Betty found the phone and confessed to Jughead. Jughead was appalled, but he proceeded to help her and get rid of the car. Betty regrets getting him into this mess, but there is no going back now.  She confessed to her mom that she confessed to Jughead. Her mom was furious and freaking out  Betty felt disgusting about everything she had done.

 

“Betty we are going over there right now.” Alice said harshly, grabbing her coat and storming out the door. Betty wiped the tears from her eyes and the snot from her upper lip with a crumpled tissue and grabbed her coat too, following her mom.

 

The car ride to FP’s and Jughead’s house was silent. Alice pulled up to the rickety house and turned the engine off.

 

“Betty, I love you.” Alice whispered, looking straight ahead. “They will help us. FP will know what to do.” Her lip quivered.

 

“Mom, nobody knows what to do.” Betty said softly, shoving the car door open and stepping outside into the chilly air. She tightened her ponytail and waited for her mom to follow her to the Jones’ door.

 

-

 

“So I’m gonna go take care of it okay? You guys just wait for me at Pop’s.” FP sighed, running his hands through his dark, messy hair. Jughead and Betty sat on the couch while Alice and FP paced the door.

 

“Dad-”

 

“Jug I’m doing this. For all of you.” FP looked wildly at the bunch gathered in his living room. Jug nodded, relaxing back into his spot on the old, dirty couch. He handed Betty a tissue as her nose began to drip once more.

 

“hhehih’EKTCHDHH’IEW” She pitched forward into her elbow, eyes watering. “Excuse be” Betty whimpered and Jughead handed her another tissue. Her face was bright red with embarrassment.

 

“Bless you, Betty,” FP muttered, giving Betty a loving glance. Alice rolled her eyes at her daughter’s ‘outburst’ and grabbed her keys.

 

“You two are staying here. Betty you’re sick. Jughead… just take care of her.” She said stiffly, before walking out the door along with FP.  Jughead got up and grabbed the old, knitted blankets from the small chair across the room and laid them softly across the sick girl.

 

“I’m sorry I’ve been so difficult, Jug. I mean, you know me. I always am. But all of this hurts so bad. I’m so scared and I feel so bad. What about the guy’s family, Jug?” Betty hadn’t realized, but she had started crying. She pulled one of the blankets up over her head as her breath hitched. “hehih’GKKTSH eh’KSCTCHSH” She sneezed harshly under the rough fabric.

 

“Betts, it’s not your fault. It will never be your fault. You did what you could to help the ones you love. It was the best you could do. I’m here for you. I love you.” Jughead stated boldly, rubbing the lump of a blanket that was now Betty. Quiet sniffles and trembling sobs echoed throughout the room in the silence. Betty emerged from the mess of blankets, her ponytail halfway out, her eyes red and puffy, and nose an angry sunset.

 

“I lohh-ove you too, Juhhhg… heh’KTSGCH’ieww” She pitched forward into cupped hands. Her face turned bright red and she held her hands right where they were. Jughead understood and grabbed a fresh tissue, pressing it into her hands. She blew her nose harshly and sighed.

 

“I don’t think I want Ronnie or Archie knowing. This is too big a secret. This is too much for anyone to handle. Nobody is supposed to murder anyone.” Betty whispered, staring at her hands.

 

“Betty you didn’t murder anyone. You fixed what others had done. What your mom and brother had done.” Jughead scooted towards the vulnerable girl. “Nothing is your fault” Jughead said firmly. Betty’s soft cries echoed through the room as she began to ball again. “C’mon, let’s get you to bed.” Jughead kissed her forehead, tucking her in.

 

“I’m sorry for everything.”

 

“Don’t be.”

[beau34]

Awwww! This was adorable!!!! Please continue!