Lou's POV

I was sitting with my father and Jughead having breakfast, dad was reading the newspaper while I was drawing sketches in my sketchbook.

The pages were covered in snake symbols and other stuff, but mostly snakes.

"Sheriff Keller, what a surprise", Jughead sighed as he let the Sheriff in, once again. "Jughead, Lou, FP. Sorry to bother you it's, uh-",

"We do not have General Pickens head and we don't know who stole it. Same as the last four times you asked us and our neighbors", my father groaned closing the newspaper.

Apparently the day after the Pickens day, his head was cut off. Of course, the Northside was accusing the Serpents, what's new.

"Sheriff, these visits are starting to feel a lot like harassment. There is absolutely no evidence, zero proof whatsoever pointing to any particular group of suspects", I snapped.

"You, Jughead, did write a rather scattering article about the general's legacy which promoted the Southside Serpents to stop by Pickens day with an ax to grind", the Sheriff told my brother with his eyebrows raised.

"I'm actually writing a new article about how you seem to care more about catching a vandal than the Black Hood. Can I get a quote?", my brother asked making my dad and I chuckle.

*

"I already invited Archie, but I want you guys there as well", Veronica smiled at us as we sat in the students' lounge, "Usually these kinds of events, baptism, conformations, are family-only. But since it's all about me and you guys are my chosen family I pulled strings and reserved you a pew".

"What is the dress code?", I asked smiling.

"Catholic chick. So, dresses for the girls, veils optional, and coats for the boys", Veronica smiled before Kevin could make a comment the Principals voice was heard.

"Jughead Jones and Betty Cooper, please report to the principal's office. Jughead Jones and Betty Cooper to the principal's office",

"Damn, what did you two do this time?", I chuckled.

*

After school, Jughead and I went to Pop's for some late lunch and to get a little creative. He told me how well his story was going and all. I actually asked him for some relationship advances for Sweet Pea and I.

When it was already dark we finally went home walking and talking. I loved how me and my brother kept growing closer and closer.

"Come on you and Betty did it right?", I chuckled. "No, we didn't, we almost but the Serpents interrupted. Please tell me you and Pea didn't-",

"No, no, we didn't", I laughed.

When we saw our trailer I noticed a lot of Serpents outside of their trailers and then I saw the Sheriff.

"Sheriff Keller, we have to stop meeting like that", Jughead chuckled still amused by our conversation. "Where's your dad?", the man asked.

"Has a shift at Pop's, why?" he asked. "It's an eviction notice. You, you, your dad, pretty much everyone in this place, you all gotta clear out", Keller explained coldly.

"What? Don't tell me this is because of that statue. For the millionth time, sheriff, we did not decapitate General Pickens", I snapped raising my voice and getting the attention from the Serpents around us, "And you can't use that as some trumped-up excuse to evict us".

"Look. I am just the messenger, this order comes from the mayor. There's a lot of back rent owed here, you have 14 days to vacate. Perhaps, while you're packing you might come across that head. Calm the waters a little", the Sheriff winked.

"And how are we supposed to move and where? These families can barely afford a trailer here, you want us all to become homeless because if you do then you maybe should shield your back, Sheriff. The Serpents won't get pushed around by you", I told the man I lost every respect for, I stepped closer threatening.

*

The next morning our father called all Serpents for a meeting in crisis. After that Jug and I planned to talk to Mayor McCoy.

"We all got the eviction notices, but I swear to you, no one is going anywhere. The heat's been on us since Pickens Day and they are using that damn statue as an excuse to turn it up but if we're gonna fix this, I gotta ask: Is anyone in this room responsible for cutting off Picken's head?", my father asked.

I squeezed Sweet Pea's hand having a bad feeling about it all.

"Why don't you as your son or your bright daughter, what they have to say?", Tallboy asked. "What is your problem with us, Tallboy?", I snapped at the man.

"Your brother wrote the article that started this. You two and your posse fired the opening shot at Pickens day, Lou it was your idea to protest"

"It was a peaceful protest", Toni added.

"That accomplished nothing. What's to say you didn't go back that night with a ladder and hacksaw?", Tallboy asked my brother and I.

"Hey, we didn't do it. Hell, Tallboy, you are the tallest guy. You wouldn't even need a ladder", Jughead snapped.

"Jughead, Lou, Tallboy, the last thing we need right now is to turn on each other. Hey, we will find a way out of this", our dad said making me scoff.

*

"This witch hunt has to end, mayor. Serpents had nothing to do with that beheading. In the meantime, you'll send Sheriff Keller to sow seeds of unrest, threaten to take our homes away?", I asked the powerful woman in front of us.

"Since when do you care about a statue?", Jughead asked.

"Since Governor Dooley called and read me the riot act. That statue cost him a lot of money, he's furious", the woman responded.

"And evicting all of us is going to cost us a lot of money. You're supposed to be an ally, Mayor McCoy. So why are you doing this? Unless it's", I asked.

"Who is pulling your strings? Is it Hiram Lodge?", Jughead asked. "You're a bright kid, Jughead. I've always like you as well as you, Lou. So, listen to what I'm telling you: Back down", the woman demanded.

*

That night Jughead and Betty made me hang up flyers from the head with them along the town.

Jughead and I finished and walked back into the Whyte Wyrm.

"Alright, order of the Ophidians-", Jughead smiled but stopped dead in his tracks when he saw what was in front of us.

"Jughead Jones and Charlotte, did you really think you'd seen the last of me?", Penny asked with a smirk.

My eyes went wide and I quickly searched for the brown eyes that would help me stay strong. Finally, I found them, Sweet Pea send me a warm smiled.

"What's the Snake Charmer doing here? Dad?", I asked. "I thought we were on the terms where you would call me mom?", Penny chuckled.

"No, I brought her in to help us", Tallboy said. "We don't need Penny's kind of help", Jughead snapped.

"You don't get to say anymore. Not since you and your sister broke Serpent law, and hurt one of our own. Penny was about to tell your dad. Show him Penny", Tallboy smirked.

Seriously that would be a great moment to just pass out.

Penny then pulled her sleeve up to see a huge red spot that would soon be a huge scar.

"That used to be my Serpent tattoo until your son sliced my arm and left me bleeding in a ditch in Greendale. But I'm still willing to help the Serpents, Tallboy showed me those eviction notices, they're legit but luckily I can think of about 41 ways to stall process and I'm talking years", the blonde woman smirked.

"What's your price?", our father asked the woman he shared a child with.

"Blood for blood, an eye for an eye. I want back in with the Serpents and I want him kicked out. I want time with my daughter. Oh and one last thing, I want his tattoo carved off and I want to do it myself with a dirty knife", the woman smirked and stood up.

I got in front of Jug protectively, she will not touch him as long as I am living.

*

"Well? What did they say? Are they kicking me out?", Jug asked our father as he came through the front door of our trailer.

After Penny's threat Jughead and I went home.

"There's gonna be a vote. You versus Penny", dad spoke. "Him versus? Can't they see what we get with Penny in the picture?", I asked.

"Penny's a cobra, but mutilating her? That's a thing you don't come back from, Jug", dad snapped.

"Like screwing her?", "Like stuffing a teenager's body in a freezer?", Jug asked right after me.

Suddenly we were both pushed against the wall, "You two need to learn to keep our damn mouth shut. Tallboy was right, you brought the Northside down on us, Serpents are losing their dens because of what you, Jughead wrote", our father spat in our faces.

"Don't kid yourself", Jughead snapped and slapped dad's hands off us while I still stood at the wall scared of my father, I thought he would never touch me, "They're using my article. They're using what happened to the statue of Pickens as an excuse to justify something they've already been doing".

"You think you two are heroes? Cutting up woman, Jughead? Beating up others, Lou? Bringing the temple down right on our damn heads? You two, you will be the death of us. Not the Northside, not Penny. You", our father yelled before making a turn and storming in his room.

I still stood at the wall a single tear rolling down my face. I felt Jughead pull me into his chest and wrapping his arms around me tightly.

"I will protect you, Lou. They won't touch you okay? Not dad and not Penny", he whispered against my hair as I buried my head in his neck.

"I am sorry Jug. It's not your fault", I told my bigger brother.

We stayed like that for some time, wrapped in each other's arms not wanting to let go in fear that the other one would get hurt.

*

I sighed when I slipped on my baby blue dress along with a matching cropped baby blue jacket. I paired it with black heels and a black purse. I pulled some strains of my hair back. Then I put the necklace Sweet Pea gave me around my neck, I usually never take it off just when I go take a shower.

"Ready to go?", Jug asked knocking on my door. "Yeah, let's go", I smiled as we both walked outside.

We made it to Veronica's confirmation together and sat down in the row where all our friends sat. I sat between Kevin and Archie.

I grabbed Kevin's hand out of reflex, "You okay Lou?", he asked. "I am", I smiled at him.

Josie started to sing making us all shut up and listen to the angelic voice of the girl. Then Veronica entered the church joining in on singing 'Bittersweet Tragedy'.

*

I was dancing with Kevin for about an hour at the after party and I had to admit it was a great night.

Kevin was spinning me around as we both laughed loudly having the fun of our lives. It felt like a normal night like we have never done anything else but dance together being fools.

"Kevin, we have to steal Lou", Jughead told my best friend. "Of course, bye Lou", he smiled. "Bye Kev", I said.

Jug handed me my Serpent jacket while he, Betty and I walked out. "What is this mission about?", I asked the two.

"Remeber the flyers we hung up? Well, a man from the scrapyard called saying he found the head", Betty explained.

We finally made it to the scrapyard and I hoped things would go by fast since it was freezing cold outside.

"You the kids looking for a head?", the old man asked us three.

"If only we lived in a town, where the answer could be no", I sighed. "We are, and you called to say that you have it?", Betty asked.

"I got nearly ten acres of scrap and I come across weird stuff all the time, but this is the first time I found a bronze head. It was stashed in an old refrigerator", the man explained and lifted a duffle bag on the little table.

He opened it and it showed the Pickens' head.

"You happen to see who dumped this? Has anyone suspicious been around?", Jughead asked. "I get scavengers all the time but there was a guy who came in last week, never seen him before. Claimed he wanted bike parts, but he didn't buy anything", the man explained.

"Well, did you get his name? What did he look like?", I asked.

"Low life type. Had on one of those jackets", the man told us pointing at my Serpent jacket.

"By any chance, was this gentleman tall?", Jug asked. "Sure was".

After we were done at the scrapyard the three of us went to tell our father about the Pickens' head and how Tallboy was the one to cut the head off.

*

We walked through the doors of the Whyte Wyrm, me in the lead with the Pickens' head in my arms the Serpents looked at us shocked and I saw my boyfriend smiling proudly.

"Stop the damn vote", dad yelled.

My father sat Tallboy down in the center of the bar so everyone could look at him while we would question him.

"What the hell were you doing at the dump last week, Tallboy?", I asked. "I don't know what you're talking about", he said.

"She was talking about you cutting the head off the statue and stashing it at the dump, where you were seen dumbass. So, start spilling", my father ordered.

"Why'd you do it?", Jughead asked.

"What is the Northsider doing here?", the tall man asked changing the subject, "This is Serpent business on Serpent land".

"She's here because she is one of us. You haven't answered my brothers' question: Why'd you do it?", I asked again.

"I'm tired of the Serpents going soft under your rule FP. Then Hiram Lodge came by, wanting to stir up trouble. He said if I took the head, he'd get Mayor McCoy and the cops to swarm all of us", Tallboy smirked.

"So, Hiram Lodge asked you to start a mutiny and you helped him? Why?", I asked.

"I figured it would be my chance to get rid of the two of you, sunshine. A woman could never lead the Serpents, not a bastard child especially with Snake Charmer blood running through her veins. And if I got rid of them, I could get rid of you, too, FP", Tallboy explained, his words cutting in my skin.

"And then what, you'd become leader?", dad asked. "He and Penny, you are a Judas, Tallboy. And an idiot", I spat at him taking a step closer.

"You betrayed your own kind, Tallboy. You broke Serpent law. What should we do with this lowlife?", dad asked the bar.

"Strip him of his jacket. Exile him", Jughead said taking my hand. "All those in favor?", I asked as everyone raised their hand.

My dad let out a low chuckle, "Looks like this piece of trash and I got a long ride ahead of us".

*

"Are you okay, princess?", Sweet Pea asked as we entered his and Fangs trailer. "Yeah, why?", I asked turning around to look at him.

"After what Tallboy said-", "No I'm fine, I don't consider Penny as my mother. I only have a father", I replied.

"But he is right, you will become our leader, the Serpents respect you more than they respect your brother", the handsome boy in front of me explained.

"We will see", I smiled.

"Come here", Sweet Pea smiled and pulled me into a kiss. The kiss lasted long and was full of emotions. At that moment my feelings went clear, I loved him and even though I didn't know if he felt the same I had to tell him.

I pulled away from the kiss earning a confused look from him, I took a deep breath and looked him deeply in the eyes, "I love you, Sweet Pea".

I held my breath as he just stared at me, "I love you too, Lou", he replied.

I smiled at him and soon after he crashed his lips on mine, his kiss was aggressive. I returned the kiss with just as much force as he did.

I jumped and wrapped my legs around his waist as he pushed us against the wall. His hands gave my butt a slight squeeze making a soft moan escape my mouth.

He then walked us in his room, where he locked the door. He then took his shirt off. I traced my hands down his muscular front before he pushed me on the bed gently.

He took off my shirt as well after kissing down my neck. I felt him suck on my neck probably leaving hickeys all over it.

He got rid of almost the rest of our clothes, "Are you sure?", he asked softly stopping at my underwear. "I am sure, I want you, all of you tonight", I replied. I pulled him down by tugging at his dog tags and placed a soft kiss on his lips, just before he pulled down my underwear.

*****

Hey guys!!!

Ahh, it finally happened, you can't even believe how fast my heart is beating right now, hahaha.