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6 years old: Dress Up.
The first memory Archie Andrews have with Betty Cooper, the girl she grew up with, it’s playing to dress up in the little girl’s house when they are six years old. He knows it’s not the first moment they share together, since their parents have been neighbors from before they were born, and they were to the same high school, when neither Archie or Betty and her sister were even a thought in their parents mind.
Archie remembers being in the backyard of the little blonde’s house, in a play date their parents arranged, it was a weekly deal for both pairings, in which the couple not looking after the kids that time, could have a date and in that way keep the romanticism alive in their relationship.
The trunk with all the costumes that Betty had was placed on the small porch’s floor.
She wants to get married; she wants it perfect
She wants her granddaddy preaching the service
“What are you going to be?” the melodious voice of the tiny girl it’s heard around the backyard, while both her and the small red-haired little boy were looking into the options they had.
“I don’t know” Archie looks the customs, weighing which option was the best to wear. Tentatively he takes a sword, thinking about dressing up as a knight.
“I know! We can dress up as a wedding!” Betty starts to bounce up and down on the spot she was standing; clearly excited about the incredible idea she just came up with. “That way we can practice, Archie!” his cheeks start to get hot.
“P-practice?” the small boy stutters a little before what his best friend had just said. Betty’s eyes were shinning.
“Of course, Archie, after all you and me are going to get marry when we grow up, right?”
Hearing her saying that makes his face take a color almost as red as his hair, his eyes opens as if they were about to pop out of his head, while he looks at Betty, who just smiles at him.
She has a pretty smile; he can’t help to think when he sees her.
“Oh… of course, Betty, you’re my best friend, after all, who else would I marry?”
And, now that he thinks about it, the idea of growing up to marry with someone who isn’t Betty looks really silly, sincerely. After all, the small blonde is his best friend, who he spends the day playing hide and seek, playing catch in the park, she was the only girl without cooties, the only who he allowed himself to play dolls, when she wanted to make her happy, and superheroes, when it was his turn to choose.
Betty is the prettiest girl in the world, the funniest, in his opinion there isn’t a better person in the universe than the little blonde.
His heart starts to beat fast when Betty steps closer to give him a kiss in his cheek.
“C’mon Arch, there are so many things we have to plan so everything is perfect” she takes the red haired boy’s hand, they go to her parent’s office, were they asked Betty’s father for some sheets, after that they run to her room, so they can plan their future wedding in pictures, with the enormous amount of colors Betty owned.
That day they decided that everything was going to be held in Archie’s house, because he had a swing set in his backyard, which the guests would enjoy. Betty swore she was going to use a pink dress, after all it was her favorite color, and Archie will use a red tie, so it’d match his hair.
Regarding the food, they decided they’ll only serve dessert and barbeque, but no vegetables were allowed, after all they were icky.
Their cake was going to be the same size of the tree were Jughead’s tree house was-he is one of the best friends they share- it’d be red velvet with chocolate chips, their favorite, and for drinks Pepsi and their favorite juices.
“My grandpa can marry us, Archie!” the little girl’s tone is enthusiastic about the idea. “It’ll be the most beautiful and perfect wedding, Archie!” Betty clapped her tiny hands.
Unfortunately, they weren’t able to plan everything that day, Archie’s parents came to pick him up, but they promised they’ll keep organizing when they saw each other again.
That didn’t happen.
The following week Betty was going to travel with her parents and sister, Polly, to visit her cousins, Archie was going camping with his dad, Jughead and Jughead’s dad, in the day the little girl returned.
With all those distractions, the wedding planning was forgotten.
8 years old: Proposing.
Another important moment he remembers he shares with Betty was when he asked her to marry him, because the girl helped him a lot in that moment, making him realize that the blonde, who started to wear her hair in a ponytail almost all the time, definitely was perfect in his eyes.
When they were 8 years old, the things started to turn a little complicated for Archie, his parents started to have more and more discussions, until it came a daily thing, which the small boy didn’t remember happening before.
The drawings he made when in class the teacher asked for them to draw their family turned from three people family extremely happy, to one you would see two people discussing, with a smaller figure behind, looking at the biggest ones with tears, everything, of course, drawn as good as small kid like Archie, who wasn’t really good a drawing, could do.
And she wants magnolias out in the country
Not too many people, save her daddy some money
Ooh, she got it all planned out
Yeah, I can see it all right now
Luckily, things started to get better when his parents saw the pictures their son had made, they went to therapy and everything got better.
But a few weeks later, one of the worse events of the time was when, in a parent-teacher reunion, Miss Clay told Archie’s parent that they should consider the option to hold him back a year, making him repeat second grade, because the kid had some troubled in reading, writing and learning, making him fail in the requirements to go to third grade.
The idea to stay behind, and alone in a classroom with kids who were so much more younger than him – after all, a year is a big difference, in the mind of 8 year old Archie – while all his friends – even though he was thinking about Betty more than the others – were going to the next grade, was completely terrifying.
Archie, almost crying, told his best friend everything the afternoon he spent the night at Betty’s, the small girl frowned, not being able to believe what the red haired boy was telling her, because, how could it be possible for the grownups to even consider that Archie could study in a grade that wasn’t the one Betty was at? Shaking her head, the girl stood up and looked through her stuff.
Archie looked at her not understanding what she was doing, while she walked from a side of the room to another, taking in her hands sheets, crayons, colors, pencils and books they used in their classes. Betty fixed everything on her desk, she turned to look at the red hair boy and told him that she’ll be back soon.
She left her room, coming back a few minutes later with two cups of water and a bag of cookies… Archie’s eyes shinned, it wasn’t any type of cookies… it was his favorites.
“This isn’t for you to eat them all, Arch” his face changed, looking at Betty totally lost.
“Then why did you bring them?” he tone was almost offended, which made Betty to roll her eyes.
Her best friend was a little slow sometimes…
“We are going to study…”
“But…”
“Nope, I won’t let you repeat second grade, Arch. Every time you do an exercise or answer a question without asking for help, you’ll get a cookie.” Archie knew he didn’t have an option, Betty’s tone was firm.
They spend all the afternoon like that, sitting in her desk while she explained him how to do the exercises and everything that was necessary for him to answer correctly the question, she also answered some questions Archie could have, some were really dumb, if you asked her, but she always answered with a smile and patient, he was her best friend.
Archie had the second best grade in the test they had that week, Betty got the first one.
The rest of the school year consisted on Archie going to Betty’s house to study, where the blonde used the method of praising him with cookies, until this were finished or Archie couldn’t eat anymore, meaning the end of their study session.
Archie passed to third grade.
The first day of vacations Archie begged Mary to buy some flowers and chocolates to Betty, in a way to say thank you to Betty for all she did for him. Mary was touched by her son’s insistence and thankful for all the effort the girl she considered a daughter had put into helping Archie, so he wouldn’t stay back. She took him to buy them.
Archie quickly got out of the car and ran to the house next door; he knocked on the door, which was opened by Betty’s mother a few moments later.
“Archie, how are you? What are you doing here so early?” Alice looked at the small boy with a smile, already knowing the boy’s plan, because Mary texted her to ask her what were Betty’s favorite flowers.
“Good afternoon, Mrs. Cooper, I came to bring some things for Betty” Archie’s face turned the same color of his hair, which melted Alice’s heart.
“Oh, well, why don’t you go to her room? Betty went up a few minutes ago”
“Okay, thank you”
He quickly went to the upper level of the house he considered his second home, he walked to Betty’s door where some pictures Betty had made were hanging, he stood in front of it for moment, collecting the courage to knock.
“Come in!” the sweet voice of the girl was heard, Archie didn’t wait another second. “Archie!” when she saw her best friend, Betty got close to him quickly to hug him, and then she titled her head confused, noticing he was carrying something. When she realized the flowers he brought, her face shined “Peonies! Oh, they are my favorite flowers!
“I know… this are for you” he told her, giving her the small but adorable bouquet, Betty smiled brightly and took them “this too!” he said quickly, offering her the box of chocolates he brought for her.
“Thank you!” she smiled, taking them and laying it on the bed carefully, not wanting to brake the delicate flowers, she looked at him curiously. “Why the gifts, Arch? My birthday already passed” she asked confused.
“I wanted to thank you for helping me with school…” he tells her, while he scratches his neck, his ears turning as red as his hair.
“Of course I was going to help you, silly! You are my bestest friend in the whole wooorld” she rolled her eyes, boys could be dumb sometimes.
“I know, and you’re mine! But I wanted to ask you something…” he said, and Betty just looked at him, opening her eyes really big as the little boy dropped to one knee. “Would you marry me?” he asked her, offering his most prized possession, a penny his grandfather had gifted him about a few weeks before dying.
Betty blushed, surprised and excited for the declaration… but Betty Cooper was a smart girl, so her answer was obvious.
“Archie, of course I want to marry you! But we’re too young!” Mary and Alice, who were behind the door recording without they realizing, were almost laughing, Alice also had a proud smile in her face “Ask me when we’re 18, and I’ll say yes, deal?” she smiled, kneeling in front of him to kiss his cheek
“I will!” Archie smiled and hugged her, then they decided to eat all the chocolates while watching TV.
They had a big tummy ache after it, but it was totally worth it.
I'll wear my black suit, black tie, hide out in the back
I'll do a strong shot of whiskey straight out the flask
I'll try to make it through without crying so nobody sees
Yeah, she wanna get married
But she don't wanna marry me
13 years old: Heartache.
And as years went by, Betty and Archie grew up, turning from kids to pre-teens and finally teenagers, just a few years away from high school. Betty had developed into a fine girl, even though she still had her baby face, Archie couldn’t help but noticed how her body started to look more like a girl body, as Reggie called it.
Oh, he remembers middle school, he remembers that’s the time he started to lose her to other boys, he was still Archie, her best friend, but the crush she had for him? Oh, it was long gone.
And it hurts, God, does it hurts? Watch how his best friend, the girl he’s been in love since they were kids slowly but surely turns into a woman as times goes by, but he doesn’t see him as anything else.
He knows he can only be the best friend, and remember the talk about love he had with his dad one night, were he asked ‘how do I know I’m in love?’, Fred smiled, knowing well why his son asked that question, and he could lie and tell him something like Disney does, but he decides that is better for the little boy to learn the truth, so he tells her that ‘loving someone is wanting them to be happy, no matter if that happiness is with you or not’.
So Archie just makes sure she’s happy, all the time if that’s possible, because watching her smiled and laugh makes his heart skips and it’s almost enough.
As he learns to accept Betty isn’t in love with him, things at home just keep getting worse, his mom and dad are having a new bad strike, discussing and fighting daily, and this time the light in the end just looks further and close to shut down.
All he can do is keep himself busy, going to Betty’s more often, starting to hang out with Reggie and his group, play sports, spend some time with Jughead, he really tries to cope, not wanting to make things worse or worrying his friends with his little things…
But then, the day comes where he can’t really cope anymore, his mother has a suitcase with her, his father eyes are sad as he watches her walk out the door, to a taxi that’ll take her to the airport… she’s going to Chicago, and Archie, even though he can be naïve or slow sometimes, know this is it.
His father retrieves to his room, and Archie takes his jacket because being in the house now feels too much, the tension, the sadness, it hurts and he can’t keep with that.
So he goes to his sanctuary, which is not a place but a person, he walks quickly to Betty’s, knocking on the singular red door, feeling as his chest tightens.
She opens, a smile on her face, her hair is down and she has a baby pink dress, soft makeup is on her face, and she looks beautiful, the redhead feels his heart stopping, and he has to shake his head, to compose himself because it’s clearly Betty has plans.
“Hey Arch!” she says with a happy tone, “it’s everything alright? I didn’t know you were coming!” her head titles and he bites his lip.
“Hi… I’m sorry, I didn’t really had it in my plans to come today, you going out?” he asks, partly because he needs the confirmation, partly because he hope she tells him no.
“Well… I kinda have a date with Trevor? He is taking me to watch that movie I told you that you don’t like?” she explains, kind of apologizing.
“Oh… right! I forgot! I guess I’ll go to Reggie’s!” he forces a smile.
“You sure? If something is wrong I can reschedule…”
He wants to tell her that nothing is alright, that he needs her, that he is lonely, that her mother left them, but most of all, he wants to tell him he’s in love with her.
But he doesn’t, because she’s excited and happy about that date, about that movie… and holding his pain another day is worth it if Betty is going to be happy.
“Yeah, totally alright! We can spend the day together tomorrow? We could go the river” he tells her and she smiles.
“Absolutely!”
They say goodbye and he walks to his house, after he is sure she can see him going in, not wanting her to catch him lying about going to Reggie’s.
He lies on his bed and cries in silent, and he doesn’t know what hurts more, watching his mom go, or knowing he is losing Betty and there is nothing he can do about it.
I remember the night when I almost kissed her
Yeah, I kinda freaked out, we've been friends for forever
And I'd always wonder if she felt the same way
15 years old: Homecoming.
It’s exciting, they’re going to their first homecoming dance ever, they finally are old enough for highschool and dances, and even though some of the older kids roll their eyes about how eager the freshman are, he doesn’t care.
Not everything is so exciting, when he stops to think about it, in an ideal world his parent0s wouldn’t be getting a divorce the following week, his mother wouldn’t have a new boyfriend that comes with an insufferable potential step-brother, and, especially, in an ideal world, his date would be Betty.
But the world is far from ideal, as Disney and all those kids stories want to sell you, so he does swallows and learns to cope, and Archie thinks he is starting to get over Betty because he is genuinely excited Valerie accepts to go with him to the dance.
So, he goes with Trevor, Reggie and Jughead –this last one forced by his friends- to get the tuxedos they’re going to wear, he thinks about getting Valerie a corsage, but he things is too much, so he doesn’t. Trevor does get one for Betty, with who he started dating this summer.
The day arrives and he compliments Valerie because she really looks beautiful and hot in her purple dress, her hair looks amazing and she is just a spectacular, he compliments Betty too, because she’s his best friend, he has to, or so he tells himself to justify how his heartbeat rush when Betty thanks him and kisses his cheek for his kind words.
He enjoys with Valerie, he can’t lie about that, they dance, get punch and a bit of the appetizers and stuff people had brought to the thing.
But then the night changes drastically, he is close to ask Valerie for another date, when he notices Betty rushing out of the gym and Trevor talking and walking mad under his breath. He tells Valerie he’s going to the bathroom, that he’ll be quick and to wait for him, she smiles and nods, kissing his cheek.
It feels wrong.
He goes after Betty, is his duty to look after her, he promised Hal he would, that he’ll keep an eye on Betty all the time, and he doesn’t plan on failing that promise even though the relationship with the Cooper has become strained over the years.
He looks for her around the school, calling her name, his heartbeat just kept going faster as he got worrier about the blonde. He wondered if the Prince in Cinderella felt that way…
He things for a second and remembers, and he knows where she is, because is just obvious where she would go when she is distressed, and he goes looking for her, leaving the school and forgetting about Valerie and the silly school dance… Betty is more important than all that – when he explains to Valerie the next day that Betty needed him, she doesn’t react kindly and call him an idiot, he doesn’t care.
He arrives to the tree next to the river when they always played when they were kids, where he told Betty about his mother leaving, where Betty told him about his sister getting pregnant… it was their spot, for them together or alone, Archie had come to it when he realized that Betty was dating Trevor… and now, he could see his Cinderella in an emerald dress sitting against it, not caring about getting his clothes dirty.
She is crying, and his heart aches.
“Betty?” he calls her and she jumps, scared because she thought she was alone, letting a short relieved sight when she realized it was Archie, she hugs herself and the redhead just walks towards her. “What happened?” he asks, and she starts crying.
She tells him she ended things with Trevor and he got mad, he had been telling her that he wanted to sleep with her, that it was time, that he was in love and wanted to make love with her, but Betty wasn’t ready. She told him that there have been so many fights about that she was starting to get tired, and she was going to break up before, but then he apologized for pressuring and asked her to the dance… she couldn’t say no.
His heart broke at how distressed she was, he wanted to go look after Trevor to give him a lesson, but Betty needed him more… - he gave the sophomore his lesson the next day at school with the help of Reggie and Jughead.
“I’m an idiot” she said and he sighed, hugging her.
“You aren’t, you’re just in love”
He doesn’t know who he is telling that.
They walk to their houses, he had promised to bring her back, because no matter how bad things were within their parents, Alice still trusted Archie –a bit. Once her heels had gotten insufferable, he offered to carry her the rest of the way – two more blocks.
She tried to make it look as if she wasn’t in so much pain, but Archie knew her better and picked her up making her yelp in surprise, they laughed as she yelled his name.
“You really don’t have to, Arch” she assures him, but he rolls his eyes and let her down.
“C’mon, climb, bunny” she rolls her eyes at that hated nickname she was given by him after a Halloween, it had stuck. She did as she was told, climbing to his back, resting her head on his shoulder as Archie walked the rest of the way with Betty’s heels in his hand.
When they arrived to her house Archie let her climb down, smiling as he gave her the heels.
“Not my brightest moment, leaving dad’s truck at Valerie’s…” he says and she laughs softly.
“Yeah, it would’ve been handy” he smiles and then his expression is serious. “You’ll be okay?”
“I think so… Heartaches are part of growing up, right?” she whispers and Archie nods, knowing the answer.
She hugs him, and he hugs her back, stroking her back and kissing her forehead… it feels like forever when she looks up, they are looking at each0ther eyes and their faces are getting closer…
The door opens, making them jump, Alice smiles –a little forced- to Archie and thanks him for bringing Betty, he tells her it’s nothing and says goodbye to Betty, going home.
Then the promise he made to Valerie comes back… he curses… oh well, Betty is okay, safe and will be fine, everything else is worth it.
When I got the invite, I knew it was too late
And I know her daddy's been dreading this day
Oh, but he don't know he ain't the only one giving her away
23: Lost.
Time kept going, and so he was able to learn to live with that constant pain that is be in love with his best friend, who is not in love with him… it takes time, a lot of time, but he does learns, he has dates, girlfriends, he lost his virginity with one girl too, and the closest thing he found to his love towards Betty was Veronica, but in the end they didn’t work.
Now he is a famous singer, his childhood dream became truth, he was able to pursue a music career after many hours, and one of his songs becomes a hit just a year after he graduates from highschool.
Everybody as him who is his muse behind those beautiful Ed Sheeran like songs, about a mysterious girl who he can’t get out of his head but there is no way is going to happen.
He tells the public is just stories, that they’re not his feelings, that he just imagines how it could feel… he lies, and over the years he has mastered almost believing it… but the truth is completely different.
Being honest, it’s been a really long time since he has felt that so well-known pain, but one aftern0on, when he arrives to his hotel room in a different city where he had an interview about his upcoming tour, he feels it again.
It starts from his heart and expands around his chest, his throat closes and his eye itches… there is an envelope on the coffee table; his manager must have left it there.
‘Mr. Archibald Andrews’
He knows the meaning of that letter, he is not stupid, he has known from a long time that this was going to happen, but watching that paper with his name on it… it just makes it real, more than that foreign ring on her finger… some tears scape, and he realizes thanks to the drops on the paper… taking a deep breath he opens it:
“Alice Smith and FP Jones II are thrilled to invite you to the marriage of Elizabeth Cooper and Forsythe ‘Jughead’ Jones III… the ceremony will be held at _____, the reception will be celebrated at _________”
It feels like a punch, watching as his house is going to be the place the reception will be held, her house is where the ceremony will be officiated… it feels like a nightmare, but there is nothing he can do…
I'll wear my black suit, black tie, hide out in the back
I'll do a strong shot of whiskey straight out the flask
I'll try to make it through without crying so nobody sees
He calls Reggie, over the years they’ve become close, even though he is married to Veronica now, but Archie is so happy with how they are together that it doesn’t bother him… he wonders if he was really in love with Veronica, as much as he thought he was.
“You got the note?” he asks, and he sighs, it seems that everybody knows he is in love with Betty… but Betty and Jughead.
“I did…” he swallows, looking at the envelope in his hand, it itches, it burns… it hurts.
“What are you going to do?” he asks him, and being honest Archie doesn’t know.
“I have to go… she’s my best friend” he says, but he’s unsure.
“Archie… be honest, would you be able to handle it?”
No, the answer is simple, he wouldn’t be able to, he doesn’t want to.
“Your tour is coming, tell Danielle to arrange a concert that day, you’ll have an excuse”
He thanks Reggie for his advice, but he knows he has to think about it a little more first…
Yeah, she wanna get married
But she don't wanna marry me
His plans doesn’t work, apparently Veronica can’t keep a secret from Betty not matter how much he and Reggie beg her to, so he pales when Betty calls a few days later, when he is finally about to call his manager to schedule the concert the day of Betty’s wedding, he pales.
He needs a few seconds, but he answer her just before it goes to mailbox… he wonder if he should’ve let her straight to it and call Danielle first, but he can’t no answer her, he just can’t.
“Archie!” her voice is soft, sweet… is perfect, and he wants to cry and tell her all he feels, but once again he remembers his dad’s words and takes a deep breath.
“Hey, B” he fakes a happy tone, while his heart is breaking in little pieces, which just get smaller and smaller. “How is everything going?”
“ARCHIBALD FREDERICK ANDREWS!” he sighs “how is that you are not coming to my wedding?”
He wants to tell her he is not going, he really wants to, but he imagines her, her sad eyes, her disappointment, and he chickens out.
Idiot, his brain tells him.
You’re in love… he’s heart reminds him.
“Who told you that lie? Of course I’m going! In fact!” he adds quickly, faking that he’s offended “I was calling Danielle about a concert she was going to schedule for that day so she would move it!”
“Oh, Thank God!” he can hear her smiling, and he knows all the pain will be worth it’ll make her smile, make her happy.
“I’ll see you there, bunny” he knows she’s rolling her eyes.
“I love you, Archie, I’ll see you soon!”
He says it back, but with a different meaning.
She doesn’t notices.
Bet she got on her dress now, welcoming the guests now
I could try to find her, get it off of my chest now
But I ain't gonna mess it up, so I wish her the best now
The day arrives, and is sooner than Archie wants to, he travels to his old small town, the one he only visits in thanksgiving or Christmas to visit his father, when he wasn’t going to Chicago to visit his mother, who now was dating a woman, she seemed happy.
He dad had dated, but nothing serious, making him wonder if he was still in love…
He goes to her house, he knew that house like the back of his hand, having grown up there, knowing how to climb to Betty’s without an stair, knowing how to sneak into the backyard, which window was always unlocked… all the memories invaded him.
He shook his head, he needed to keep the composure, but a little help wasn’t bad, he took the flask out of his pocket and gave it a quick drink, he walks towards the door and goes in… it has already started, he looks from afar, in that moment she looks around and spot him, she smiles, and she is so happy, it makes the fact his heart might not survive the pain he is feeling, is completely worth it, because watching her next to Jughead kills him.
“Archie, after all you and me are going to get marry when we grow up, right?”
She looks beautiful in that dress, he bite his lip… it has tiny baby pinks details... her grandfather is the one officiating… that afternoon 15 years ago keeps coming back to slap him…
“My grandpa can marry us, Archie!”
He has to put all in himself to no interrupt, reminding himself he came late so he wouldn’t look for her before just to tell her everything he felt, he had to remember she was happy, the happier he had ever been.
“It’ll be the most beautiful and perfect wedding, Archie!”
It was the most beautiful, perfect and heartbreaking wedding Archie has assisted… she was getting married to someone else…
So I'm in my black suit, black tie, hiding out in the back
Doing a strong shot of whiskey straight out the flask
I'll try to make it through without crying so nobody sees
He realizes is everything as they planned many years ago, even though they’re doing the ceremony in her house, the fence that kept their houses apart is gone for the day, letting him see everything in his house backyard.
Betty’s nephew and niece are playing in the old swings.
The dessert table is huge, bigger than the appetizers one.
The flowers are peonies…
The cake is black, going against the white and he knew –because she had told him a few weeks ago- that it was red velvet cake.
She was having her dream wedding, and the only thing that had changed was the groom.
He does the best he can to keep himself together, going to say hi and congratulate them, he stays for a few minutes, but Reggie takes pity of him and makes an excuse so he can escape.
On the way to the airport, he cries like a little kid, as a new song comes to his mind, one he knows he won’t be able to release as his without exposing himself to Betty.
He didn’t tell her…
He lost her…
Yeah, she wanna get married
Yeah, she gonna get married
30: Accident.
The contact reminded, but he kept himself busy for a long time until he learned to cope and face her with this new kind of pain, which he tried to forget as he kept getting new girls every now and then, but it was never enough, he couldn’t forget her… it just didn’t happen.
He was lucky that his just kept growing as an artist, his fame keeping him super busy not allowing to see her more than one or two times a year, which hurt enough, especially after Aspen was born.
His sweet goddaughter, oh, how beautiful that little girl was, looking just like her mother, blonde hair, green eyes, but her dad personality, he loved her and swore to protect her.
Aspen’s arrival helps him to start to get everything over, not that he was planning to intrude his friend’s marriage, but knowing there is a little girl who could suffer as much as he did when his parents divorced, it helps.
The tragedy happen just a few weeks after Aspen’s 3th birthday, he received a call from Betty in the middle of the night, he was in New York, he was going home for a few relaxing days after finishing his last tour.
“Hey bunny, what’s wrong?” he ask her, worried, scared.
“Arch…” her voice is all he needs to know something really bad happened, he jumps from bed and is quick to start changing, forgetting how tired he is.
“Betty…. Tell me what’s wrong?”
“Jughead was in an accident…” she sobs, and he has to sit, because the beanie guy was his best friend too, and the one that had make the woman he love so happy, making him in a forever debt… the world seemed to stop.
“Is he...?” he wants to say okay, but noticing Betty state he knows the answer.
“He… he died on the impact” she manages to say, as she hiccups.
Archie cries too, not being able to remind strong, but is okay, because Jughead was his best friend and Betty knew he was human too, she was her safe place to cry, even when it was something that affected the both of them.
It feels forever as they just cry on the phone, but she has to go after a few because she needs to let the family know, and Aspen… they cry again, thinking about the little angel who looked up to her daddy.
Archie hangs up after a few minutes, he told her he would manage Reggie and Veronica, as Betty notified the family and the rest of their friends. He shot a message to his manager, canceling everything as he was heading right away to Riverdale, he would record an apology to his fans later, but now his family and Betty and Aspen needed him.
Both blond girls run to him when they saw him the followed morning, and he curse under his breath when he realized both mother and daughter had red eyes and devastated expressions.
It hurt knowing there was nothing he could do to make anything better, he hugs them tight and kisses both the top of their head, and just holds them as they hold him back.
They just cried, and little Aspen cuddle into his chest when he picked her up, her voice was a tiny broken whisper, and he hated the world, destiny or whatever the cause behind Jughead leaving them was for punishing a little innocent girl.
“Daddy is in the sky, uncle Awchie… its otay, he ouw angel now…”
His heart breaks as he looks at Betty, who has started to cry in silence once again, he knows he has to look after them now, they need her, not because he always loved the blonde woman, but because long before Jughead and Betty were an idea, when he and Archie were having their ‘only boys sleepover’s’ when they had made a promise:
“I don’t want my kids to go for the same I did” he had told Archie, when they were 17 year old boys discussing how their life has been so far.
Archie nodded, thinking the same, because he didn’t wanted his kids to go through the pain of a separation and divorce, being molested by an harpy like Ms. Grundy… he shuddered at the thought now…
“Me neither, dude… I really don’t want them feeling this kind of pain and… PSTD…” he whispers, he stills feels weird giving it a name…. but the psychiatrist had diagnosed him.
They stay in silent for a few minutes, grieving for the hard moments they have lived so far…
“Arch…”
“Yeah?” he whispers, they are looking to the ceiling in Archie’s room, the TV playing with low volume at the background.
“If something happens to me… and I have kids and a wife or whatever… promise me you’ll look after them…”
Archie wants to joke, telling he really knew how to be dark, but he knew Jughead was serious, so he did what he had to do, from the bottom of his heart he answered:
“I will, Juggie, I will…”
It took time, it did because he had previous compromises to fulfill, but after sometime –around a year, he retired from his music career and went back to Riverdale, he didn’t told Betty until it was done, but they both knew that the reason why he purchased his old childhood house was because he wanted to move back to be close to her and help her with Aspen.
Before the tragedy, Jughead was an stay at home dad, while Betty went and worked doing interviews to her own small paper she had founded, following her parent’s divorce and the ending of ‘The Register’, she had called it ‘The Green and Black’, looking to honor her first newspaper, the one that taught her a lot of things while she was at highschool.
Archie became Aspen’s babysitter, even though he wasn’t his babysitter, it was a silent arrangement that Betty was grateful once the redhead had moved back, thanks to Archie having enough to no work for a few months, but also the private music class he gave around Riverdale, Greendale and Centerville helped him to keep that money saved in case he needed it.
Years went by, Archie looked after Aspen until the little girl started school, then picked her up two times a week from school, had a weekly dinner with her and Betty, they had settled into their own routine.
He felt happier than ever, being there for them made her feel almost complete, they missed Jughead, the little pain in the back of his heart didn’t want to leave, but he learned how to live with it.
32: Until the kiss
It was a night after one of their weekly dinner, almost two years after Jughead’s dead, Aspen was long gone to bed, after having Betty read her a story, the almost 5 years old little girl was getting so big that he was starting to miss her wanting him to carry her everywhere.
Archie thought about that she was so much like Betty, independent, a little adventurous, curious… he was like Jughead too, so many of her expression came from her dad, and her sassiness.. God, was that little angel sassy… Archie smiled at the thought of his goddaughter.
Betty took him out of his thoughts, smiling at him, he was happy to see it reached her eyes, it had took time, as she learned to grieve and go back to a life were Jughead wasn’t a part of it, but she was thankful for the time they shared, the little girl they had, and all the lessons she learned…
But life went on, and having the support of Archie was something else, how her best friend had left his career to help her out, under the excuse of being tired of staying away from his family, she was glad.
She had started to see Archie with different eyes, after time went on, but she was scared of him rejecting her, so she left the time go on, because she still loved Jughead, and was scared of allowing herself to love somebody else.
She remembered the talk she had with her therapist, one after about two months ago, a week after Archie’s birthday:
“You’re not betraying Jughead, you are a young woman with an amazing friend that is there for her, not expecting anything and helping her in every step she has needed, and that’s love, I can’t talk for him, but I would say he is in love, Elizabeth… You won’t lose him if he says no, that’s something I’m sure thanks to how you have explained me how he is…”
She took a deep breath, shaking her head, Archie raised an eyebrow:
“Everything alright?” he asks her, confused, a little worried her mind has gone back to bad thoughts, instinctively he took his hands, because no matter how long has been since the last time she had broken skin fisting her hand…
The movement is touching for the blonde; she shakes her head, takes a deep breath and finally talks:
“I want to do something, but I’m scared of the outcome…”
He looks at her confused, not understanding, but then she starts to get closer and he is too, and for a second he is sure they’re going to be interrupted, he is almost sure he is about to wake up.
Their lips touched….
There aren’t fireworks, is something even better, he can’t describes it, because is just a feeling that simply just matches Betty and all she is, and it’s so amazing and incredible that he feels like crying, screaming and dancing at the same time their kiss proceeds.
No, they didn’t make out, maybe it was just a brush, but then they look at each other and is Archie the one that makes the next move.
Then again, they doesn’t make out, because it isn’t about lust, their kiss just reflects love, it reflects Archie and Betty.
They stop and smile, Archie is happy thinking that, yeah, it might have took years, but it’s worth it, everything in the journey has been.
But she ain't gonna marry me
Whoa, but she ain't gonna marry me, no
33: Archie and Betty…
They take things slow, not putting any titles until around four months later, when they are sure of what they want, how they want it and why… it’s not easy, the fail from time to time, it takes time, and therapy, but the reward in the end is so worth it that in the end of the day they are happy.
The first one to know is Veronica, a month after the kiss, she is happy and encourages Betty to look for her happiness.
Reggie smiles, congratulates them too, because he finds out a second after hearing his wife screaming, it’s a happy scream, but hearing the pregnant woman making such noise scared him.
Three months in they tell Alice, she is just Alice about it, but Archie knows her, she’s happy about Betty moving forward, and accepts the desire for her to wait to tell about the new development that didn’t have a title a the time. For once in her live, Alice accepts.
Telling FP was hard, he and Betty were scared to his reaction, but the old man just smiled and hugged them both, telling the blonde that he was his father in law once again, that he was happy that her other son had found the most amazing daughter in law there was for him… the three of them cried and talked about Jughead, until later that night.
Aspen is the one to put the tag to their relationship, thought, they were planning it, what they were going to say her, how and when… during one of their weekly dinners, the 7 year old said serious:
“Uncle Archie, when are you going to tell me you and my mommy are dating?”
Archie spits his drink, Betty needs a moment to decide to answer the little girl or laugh… God, her little girl was something else, her mini me was with her arms crossed and looked serious:
“We don’t keep secrets!”
They laugh softly at that, and then is Archie the one to talk:
“You are right, Az, we don’t keep secrets, you mommy is my girlfriend, but only if that’s okay with you?”
“Yeah, you’re cool, better than that Ted guy… he creeps me out” she frowns her knows, Archie raises an eyebrow at Betty.
“She means Trevor….”
He spends the night that night, he smiles and kisses her forehead as he hugs her, they haven’t have sex yet, not because they don’t want to, but because it doesn’t feel right for them to do it in what used to be ‘Betty and Jughead’ territory, and he really can wait all the time she needs.
“Aspen is something…” Betty says, looking up at him with a shy smile, he nods.
“She is amazing…. Looks like you’re my girlfriend now, bunny?” he asks, joking a little, she nods and kisses his cheek.
One year in their relationship, Archie asks Aspen her help and permission, they go to a jewelry store, she chooses it and is so excited about everything. They had moved into Archie’s childhood house two months ago.
Archie had decided it was finally the time, so, one night, after a completely normal day, he waits until Aspen is asleep to take the velvet box out of his pocket when they are watching TV in the living room.
She takes a few seconds to realize what he has in his hand, and for once she is speechless.
“I was going to wait, take you out to a romantic dinner and all the stuff, sign you one of the songs I never released because they were about you when you weren’t mine yet… but, then I realized that is just a little part of who you are, and this is really my favorite part of who Elizabeth Cooper is… I love you in your pjs, your work clothes, when you look at your best or your worse…”
“Arch…” he looks at her and she knows there is more to say.
“I want to be lucky to do it for the rest of my life, love you and Aspen… I’ve always loved you, since we were planning our wedding when we were six, and no, it wasn’t a crush, because is the same feeling I have now, I was just two little and too immature to deserve you… It took time, and maybe it’s not the way I dreamed it, I certainly want you to know I would gotten over you if Jughead haven’t died, because is just like it is, he deserved you, and I’m thankful for him and the amazing little girl he left behind.… But life is how it is, and here we are… and I love you, not only you, but Aspen too, and I’m so lucky to have you, and I want it until I die…”
Betty has tears, Archie is blushed and his voice is broken, he takes her hands and kisses them…
“Marry me?”
She doesn’t say yes right away, she ask him for a day to think about it, she clarifies that she loves him, but she has to think…
He comes home the next night after being giving classes to one of his Centerville students, he finds a box in his bed, Betty isn’t home, he checks the hour, is Aspen’s bed time, they are probably reading right now… He takes it in his hand and opens it…
He almost dropped it.
A white onsie, so small that is just a little bigger than his hand… he read ‘Yes, mommy will marry you…”
He looks towards the door when he hears steps and quickly run to her, hugging her and spinning her, they kiss.
Two months later wedding isn’t the one they planned when they were six, deciding that they didn’t need the big fuss, they just needed each other, they brought Veronica and Reggie as witnesses, and Aspen, and had a quick but perfect ceremony in the City Hall, followed to having red velvet cake…
It was better than what they dreamed about.
Six months later, they welcomed Frederick Pendleton and Blake Alicia Andrews, two red haired babies with their mother eyes… the little family was happy, and the black haired blue eyed angel looking over them was too.