Chapter Text
It was Thursday morning and the Serpents were ready to start the day. It had been decided that CJ would go with Fangs, Toni and Cheryl to auditions for the musical instead of going with Sweet Pea to basketball tryouts.
Reggie on the other hand was freaking out, he was trying out for basketball. He wasn’t even good at basketball, but he had actual feelings for Sweet Pea. He liked him, like a lot and he was going to make a move.
School went by slowly but it was finally time to show that the Southside wasn’t what people made it out to be.
“Archie we need to talk!” Veronica yelled, “We’ve terrorized a nine year old! A nine year old Serpent! Her brothers are dangerous. We need to apologize.”
“I know Ronnie.” Archie said, “I feel terrible about it. I say we apologize at auditions because Jug, Fangs, Cheryl, Toni, and Kevin will be there.”
“That’s a good plan.” Veronica replied, “But why Kevin?”
“Betty was scared that Kevin was going cruising in the woods, so she had me follow him. He’s not cruising, Joaquin is still here.”
“What!” Veronica said with a shocked look on her face.
“I know.” Archie said, “auditions?”
“Auditions!” Veronica replied.
As the group of Serpents were about to walk into auditions they were stopped by Kevin.
“A couple of things!” Kevin said, “Fangs I would like to have you as my co-director,” Fangs smiled and nodded in agreement. “And, I need you guys to meet me in fox forest tonight, Sweet Pea too. He’s ready for you to know.”
All of the Serpents just gave Kevin a confused look and nodded because they were not going to go against the sheriff’s son. As Betty whispered to Jughead, “I’m coming too.” “I know” Jughead said as he kissed Betty’s head.
Auditions were just beginning. Meanwhile Sweet Pea was about to leave the locker room when Reggie stopped him.
“Hey,” Reggie said, “This is kinda weird and I understand if you want to avoid me from now on and pretend like this never happened but I like you and...” Sweet Pea cut off Reggie’s rambling with a kiss that quickly became more heated. When they stopped, Sweet Pea said with a blush, “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that.”
“So I’ll take that as a yes!” Reggie said with a grin as they both headed to the court.
“You know it!” Sweet Pea replied.
Auditions were just finishing up and Archie and Veronica walked out on to the stage and Archie said, “We would like to make a public apology to the Serpents we have treated you guys like crap and we’re sorry. I only bought the gun because I was scared of the black hood coming back for my dad and I only used it on you guys because I was scared of you guys. So I propose a truce we don’t go after yo and you don’t come after us. The red circle has also been permanently disbanded. And this deal includes the kid!”
“Alright Archie!” Jughead said, “That sounds fair. But she has a name, her name is CJ.”
“Sounds good!” Veronica said.
It was six o’clock and basketball tryouts were supposed to be over a half hour ago but Sweet Pea was nowhere to be seen.
“I’ll go to the locker room to look for him.” Fangs said as he started down the hallway.
As Fangs walked into the locker room he appeared to be the only one in there but as he walked down the rows of lockers he did a double take because there were Sweet Pea and Reggie in the middle of a pretty heated make out session.
With a smirk on his face Fangs said, “Did you two even make it to tryouts?”
As Sweet Pea and Reggie pulled away from each other Sweet Pea said, “I’m in the running for captain,” and Reggie said, “I can’t play basketball to save my life!”
“Okay, but we need to get going, Kevin wants to meet all of us in Fox forest tonight.” Fangs said, “you can bring your new boyfriend too!”
“Okay Reggie,” Sweet Pea said. “If we are really going to do this than you have to be okay with my sister CJ, we were abused as kids, she got the worst of it and hasn’t recovered, so she’s jumpy and doesn’t trust people so I want her to trust you.”
“Of course!” Reggie replied.
Sweet Pea and Reggie walked out of the locker room hand and hand.
“Well it’s about time you got a date!” Toni said to Sweet Pea as he walked out of the locker room.
“Shut up Toni!” Sweet Pea blushed as he and Reggie made their way over to CJ.
"CJ, this is Reggie, hopefully he'll be around for a while. He’s a good guy, okay.” Sweet Pea said.
"Hey, CJ I'm Reggie and don't worry, i won't hurt you or your brother." Reggie said as he held out his hand to give her a fist bump.
CJ looked at Reggie, nodded slowly and accepted the fist bump.
"Alright!" Cheryl said, "Kevin wanted to meet us in fox forest for some reason so we better not be late, you can come too Reggie."
The group of Serpents with Betty and Reggie were waiting in the spot in fox forest that Kevin said to meet him in. CJ was on Sweet Pea’s back because they were deep in the Northside and lots of black hood attacks had been reported in these woods so he wasn’t letting her out of his sight.
Suddenly Kevin appeared out of the brush and said, “follow me!”
The group followed him farther into the woods to a small tent.
They all jumped when a shadowy figure stepped out. CJ yelped and dug her head further into Sweet Pea’s shoulder.
Reggie acted quickly as he sensed that this could be dangerous as the group drew their knives and Cheryl reached for an arrow. He pushed Betty behind him and grabbed CJ off of Sweet Pea’s back as Jughead lunged at the figure.
The figure said, “calm down Fangs, it’s me!” The group froze they knew that voice anywhere, “Joaquin?” Fangs said shocked.
“I never left, I’ve been here in the woods the whole time.” Joaquin said.
Betty stepped up to be with Jughead and said, “Okay, this explains a lot. You’re why Kevin was being all secretive and going to the woods at night.”
“Pack your stuff Joaquin, you’re staying at my place.” Sweet Pea said as he clapped Joaquin on the shoulder. “You also need to meet the new members.”
As they started walking back to the bikes Sweet Pea announced, “Everyone is staying over at my place tonight.”
Once CJ was in bed every one was seated in the living room.
“Alright,” Joaquin said, “What’s with the kid? Because I know that none of you guys have siblings.”
Reggie gave Sweet Pea a confused look.
“Ok,” Sweet Pea said, “Kevin, Betty, Reggie, the Serpents voted and decided it would be easier to pass CJ off as my sister instead of having to explain the whole fiasco, but Reggie I just want you to know that I never lied to you. We were both abused and I do think of her as my sister.”
In response Reggie threw his arm over Sweet Pea’s shoulder, kissed him on the cheek, and whispered, “It’s okay, I still think you’re perfect.”
Sweet Pea continued, “So CJ came to us from the north side, with a Serpent tattoo. She walked into the Wyrm and asked to see FP Jones. Do you guys remember that suicide case about two months ago?”
“Yeah,” Betty said, “the woman shot her self in the head. Mom came home really distressed that day.”
“Well,” Sweet Pea said before he paused, “come on kiddo I know you’re listening,” he said and CJ walked out of her room.
As CJ curled up in Sweet Pea’s lap she asked, “Were my parents Serpents?”
“Yeah,” Fangs sighed, “yeah they were, but they were dangerous and not good people. After your father died your mother got crazier and was exiled from the Serpents.”
“But then why do I have this?” CJ asked pulling up her sleeve.
“We don’t know,” Sweet Pea said, “Do you remember when you got it.”
CJ nodded, “I was seven and this guy came over, he fooled around with my mother for a while and then gave me this tattoo.”
The group sat there in shock. An older Serpent had broke Serpent law. But who?
“Okay, I think we should call it a night.” Fangs said.