Jughead and you sat cuddled on his couch. You heard the front door being unlocked. FP walked in a second later. He looked at you both ambiguously. "Can I talk to you for a minute Jughead?"

"Sure."

Jughead and him disappeared into the bedroom. FP closing the door behind them. The conversation started out as a whisper where you could make out few words, but it was obvious that were speaking about you. Once the conversation got more heated you were able to hear everything through the paper-thin walls.

"No Jughead. That is her father. I just got out of prison. I don't need that guy saying we are holding his daughter hostage or whatever other crazy lunacy he comes up with. I don't need the Sheriff in my business at all."

"Dad-"

"No listen to me boy. This isn't my problem and it shouldn't be yours. She needs to go home to her family. You can't be a replacement for that."

"You have no idea-"

"A father seeing his daughter join a gang. Moving out of his house. She's fifteen years old for god's sake. He has every right to be upset. If you cared about her, you'd tell her to move her ass back in, and forget about that jacket."

"'I'd tell her to get beaten to a bloody pulp? To have a gun shoved in her face?"

There was silence for a moment. You couldn't believe Jughead told him. What was he thinking? "If you are saying that her father is doing that to her, then you need to be contacting social services."

"No-"

"I'll do it myself then."

"No." Jughead repeated, his voice astringent.

You couldn't stand it anymore. You made your way out the front door quietly, at a standstill once you were outside. You didn't want to walk alone all the way back to Cheryl's right now. Who knew if your father was roaming the streets or had gotten behind the wheel. You just sat down on the ground, leaning against the lattice fencing that lined the bottom of the trailer and began to cry.

Five minutes later you heard the door to the trailer open. You didn't bother to look up. "Thank god." Jughead said plopping down beside you and slipping his arm around your waist. "I thought you'd just taken off by yourself."

"Maybe I should have."

"No. Look I don't know how much you heard-"

"I heard enough."

"It's-"

"You told your dad." You wriggled out of his arm.

"I'm sorry. But he had to know."

"No, he didn't. I didn't want him to pity me. It's embarrassing."

"He-"

"And now he's going to go to social services. Which is exactly the reason I kept all of this from you in the first place. Now..." You began to cry.

"Hey." He grabbed your hand and squeezed it tightly. "He's not."

"I heard him." You whimpered.

"That was his initial reaction, but I talked him out of it."

"Maybe that's what you think. But he-"

"He won't." He said firmly. "I know my dad. He made me a promise. You do not have to worry about that. I swear to you."

"Why'd you tell him?" You looked at him with disappointment.

He scooted closer to you, slinking his arm back around your waist. "My grandfather hit my dad. I mean it was nowhere as bad. He never did anything like point a gun at him, and he had my grandma. But he can understand the situation more than most. I thought he may be able to identify with you, with your situation. Plus, he needed to know you weren't just being a rebellious teenager. That your dad is an actual piece of crap."

You stayed silent for a while. He eventually gave you a tender kiss on the cheek. "Talk to me." He appealed.

"The Serpents probably hate me now. My dad went in there saying all kinds of asinine things."

"You are not your father. Trust me there are more Serpents than you can imagine that are dissociated from their family for one reason or another."

The trailer door opened, and FP stepped out. "Hey kids. I got two mugs of hot chocolate getting cold."

Jughead looked at you affectionately. "Come on." He said standing up and holding his hand out to you. You reluctantly followed him into the house, paranoid that a social worker or the police were going to bust in any moment.

FP watched you as you took your first sip of hot chocolate. "Thank you." You said feeling uncomfortable by what he now knew.

"No problem." He walked over and moved the coffee table over. Then, going to the couch and pulling it open, exposing a full-size mattress. "You guys can take the bedroom. I'm going to camp out here tonight."

You looked at Jughead questionably. "It's late. We can get up a little early and we can swing by Cheryl's in the morning."

"I don't want to be an inconvenience." You said looking at FP.

"It's not an inconvenience. I've slept on this couch aplenty. It's become pretty homey for me."

Jughead gave you a tiny smile. "Just stay here tonight."

"Okay."

He squeezed your arm before getting up. He disappeared down the hall, carrying a set of sheets on his way back. FP turned on the television, focusing all of his attention on the screen. Jughead came back a few moments later. "You hungry?" He looked down at you.

"No."

"Okay. Come on." He led you into the bedroom and closed the door partly. You took off your jacket and shoes and laid down wordlessly on the bed. He nuzzled into you shortly afterwards, his arm slipping under your neck. "I love you." He whispered.

You clasped his hand. "I love you too."