Chapter Text
It’s four o’clock on a Wednesday afternoon so the Serpents bar wasn’t crowded yet. Toni, Jughead and Sweet Pea were at a table procrastinating doing their homework, and a small girl who they had never seen before walked in.
“Hey guys, look at this!” Sweet Pea said.
“There is definitely something wrong here.” Toni said as she looked up.
The girl walks up to their table and softly asks, “Where can I find FP Jones?”
Sweet Pea already in defense mode spat, “What gives you the right to see FP Jones?”
”Calm down Sweet Pea” Toni calmly said trying not to scare the girl who looked scared enough as it is.
As the girl slowly pulled up her sleeve to reveal the Serpents signature tattoo, there was an audible gasp from the table.
Jughead stood up “ Follow me” he said as he warily looked at his friends.
As soon as they were out of sight, Toni looked at Sweet Pea and said “I have a bad feeling about this, something is seriously wrong here.”
”I think so too” he said in return. “Let’s follow them!”
Just as they reached the top of the stairs, Jughead walked out of his father’s office and closed the door behind him. As soon as the door was shut Jughead had let out the breath that he had been holding and said “ Okay, here’s what I know. Her name is CJ, she’s nine and lived on the north side. She’s definitely a Serpent though, her tattoo is legit and her parents were Lex and Dan Anderson.”
”Lex Anderson!” They said in unison.
”That woman is the most violent Serpent to date even though she dropped off the face of the earth ten years ago after Dan died in that motorcycle crash.” Toni said.
“Yeah well, she committed suicide last night.” Jughead said as the color drained from Sweet Pea and Toni’s faces.
FP opened the door and said, “Come on in guys, I’m assuming you’ve been informed.”
”Yes sir, we have.” Sweet Pea responded as they followed FP into his office.
They all sat and listened to FP as he introduced CJ and told them about her. He explained that she would be living with Sweet Pea and Toni and that he would get homeschooling set up for her. He then told them to take her home and that they could take the rest of the week off to help her get settled in, and so he could make an announcement tonight to explain the situation to everyone else.
“As soon as they left Jughead turned to his father and asked, “How bad is it really?”
“It’s bad,” FP answered. “I want you to text them both tonight after I make the announcement, I didn’t want to talk about in front of her, so you’ll get the full story tonight.”
”No problem dad, I’ll talk to them about it.” Jughead said as he was leaving the office to go back down and start his homework.
As soon as they got back to the house Toni announced “I have a date with Cheryl tonight, so it will just be you and Sweet Pea tonight, but don’t worry he doesn’t bite.” As she walked into her room to get ready.
As Sweet Pea led CJ to his room he said, “So looks like it’s just you and me tonight kid. So let’s get to know each other.”
After they sat in silence for a minute, Sweet Pea spoke up, “You’re safe here, and it’s going to be okay. I know you’re scared because I was scared too when I first came here.” CJ slowly looked up to make eye contact with him as he continued. “I was abused too, my mom was in the military so she wasn’t home very often, and when she wasn’t home my dad would beat me, and when she was home I was too scared to tell her because I was afraid of what he would do to me when she left again. One day mom came home early to surprise us and when she walked in he was beating the crap out of me. After mom called the police to come and arrest my dad, she and I packed up and left. Dad’s in prison now and won’t ever be coming back.”
Toni was about to walk in to tell them that she was leaving when she heard what Sweet Pea was telling CJ. She remembered how hard it was for him to tell her about this part of his life, so she just slid a note under his door instead of interrupting them.
Sweet Pea paused for a minute to collect himself when he noticed a note slide under the door that signaled Toni was leaving. He continued, “Even after the divorce was finalized she realized that she would have to go back to work soon because she still had to provide for me. That’s when mom and I joined the Serpents because she needed me to be protected and taken care of when she wasn’t there to do it. So the Serpents became my family. Mom died in Afghanistan about a year and a half later. The Serpents are my family and since you’re a Serpent you’re part of my family too just like I’m now part of yours.”
CJ stood up and walked over to Sweet Pea and to his surprise gave him a hug and quietly whispered, “I trust you.” All he could do was hug her back but when he did she cried out in pain. Sweet Pea felt sick, “I hit one of your bruises didn’t I?” He asked.
CJ just buried her head farther into his shoulder and said, “no, she was more violent than usual last week and she... she stabbed me.”
Sweet Pea was furious! “Are you okay? How many times?” He asked.
“I think I’m okay but I don’t know how many times I don’t remember very much about that night.” CJ said.
“It’s okay that you don’t remember kiddo. Can I see where she stabbed you?” Sweet Pea asked.
As CJ nodded her head yes, Sweet Pea slowly lifted up the back of her shirt. He was seeing red. She wasn’t just stabbed, the word fag was carved into her back.
“It’s not too bad, but why don’t you go sit on the bathroom counter so we can clean it. I’ll be in in just a minute, I have to make a quick phone call.”
Sweet Pea called Jughead but before he could even speak Jughead said, “I was just about to call you, dad made an announcement to the rest of the Serpents about this and there was something that he didn’t tell...” “I know!”, Sweet Pea interrupted, “I know the signs of abuse, you have to remember that I was once in her shoes. Now back to what I called you about, get over to my place and on the way stop by Pops to get Toni and Cheryl.” “Why, and why Cheryl too?” Jughead asked. “Because Cheryl is over here all the time, Toni can’t keep this from her, and it’s an emergency!” Sweet Pea responded and then hung up.
When they arrived Sweet Pea met them at the door and Cheryl spoke, “ We know and I’m happy to help.”
”Thank you Cheryl,” Sweet Pea said. “I’m sorry I interrupted your date. CJ and I talked and she said that her mother had stabbed her last week so I checked the wound and she wasn’t just stabbed, she has a word carved into her back.” They all winced at that.
“ What does it say?” Toni asked.
“ See for your self because if I say it all three of you are going to deck me. Come in quietly because she’s jumpy.” Sweet Pea said.
“Hey kiddo I need a second opinion on your back. Is it ok if Toni, Cheryl, and Jughead come in?”
“Yeah,” CJ said quietly.
Toni brought Cheryl in first and said, “ Hi CJ, this is my girlfriend Cheryl, Cheryl this is CJ.”
CJ smiled and said, “ Your girlfriend is really pretty Toni.”
Cheryl blushed and as Toni said, “I know.” Jughead and Sweet Pea walked in.
“Alright let’s get this looked at” Sweet Pea said as he lifted the back of CJ’s shirt. They all paled as they saw the word fag carved into the girl’s back. Nobody spoke for a few minutes. Until Cheryl slowly approached CJ and said, “C do you like girls?”
“Yes, but mom said I’m not supposed to.” CJ mumbled.
“It’s ok to like girls,” Toni said pulling both girls into a hug.
As Jughead left, Sweet Pea said, “All right guys we’ve all had a long day so let’s call it a night, and Cheryl I assume you’re staying.”
“Always!” Responded Cheryl.
And at that they called it a night.