CHAPTER FOURTY FIVE:
WITH A BANG

     GINNY AND JUGHEAD LEFT THE DINER EARLY and went back to Jug's trailer for the night. Neither felt like celebrating too much after the crazy week. From the deaths, FP getting arrested, Cheryl's dad being the villain, to Cheryl attempting suicide— the couple decided they needed some alone time.

"Wow, you cleaned up for once? It looks great in here." Ginny snorted, looking around. Usually FP would leave beer cans out while Jug would leave comic books and movies around but it was unusually... tidy.

"I cleaned it up after Sheriff Keller thrashed it. Just in case my dad–" Jughead explained, embarrassed that Ginny teased him.

"Of course, Jug." Ginny smiled up at her tall boyfriend, softly. "Your father is innocent– we all are going to prove it." Ginny felt a surge in her heart as she spoke to Jughead, knowing in her heart that his father was innocent (in the murder, in other endeavours, he was still the devil). "You deserve to have a father– you deserve to be loved." Ginny wrapped her arms around Jughead, nuzzling her head against his warm chest.

"That is why I love you, Ginny." Ginny's breathing stopped as she looked up at Jughead in awe. She couldn't believe what he had just said, she felt like it was a dream even though they had said it before, it was always surreal. "I love you, Virginia Hopkins."

Ginny felt like crying and tears began to pool in the corners of her eyes and she sniffled. Jughead laughed softly, wiping her eyes gently to get rid of the tears. "Jughead Jones. I love you."

Jughead leaned down to place a kiss on her lips and Ginny reacted immediately, wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. The duo rarely were intimate so both were nervous on continuing this further.

Jughead pulled away from the kiss abruptly to look down at Ginny, an adoring look on his face. "It's always been you, Gin."

Ginny reconnected their lips, wishing she could always be in this moment with the boy she loved. The young girl giggled as Jughead swept her off her feet and pushed her against the hallway  wall leading towards the bedrooms. Her legs wrapped around her boyfriends waist, her dress pooling around her waist. She felt slightly embarrassed for being on display but she was with Jughead— he made her feel safe and special.

Jughead peppered Ginny's face with kisses before he moved down onto her neck, causing Ginny to gasp out. She latched her hands on his neck before tugging off Jughead's beanie. Her fingers got tangled in Jughead's hair as his hands clutched to her legs, underneath her dress.

A loud knock on the door interupted them from continuing and Ginny nearly shrieked in surprise. Both sprang apart from each other and Jughead rushed to fix his shirt and Ginny's hair.

"Oh, my God. Who could that be?" Ginny gasped out as she straightened out her hair. Both looked each other, wanting to say something but the knocking kept on occurring. Jughead pulled away from Ginny with a look of regret in his eyes but neither said a thing as he opened the front door.

A dog barked as Jughead exited the trailer and Ginny strained to hear who was out there. "Easy, Hot Dog. He's family."

"Hey." The man greeted Jug. "Heard your dad could have named names but didn't. Serpents take care of their own. We wanted you to know, no matter what happens to him, however long he's gone, we've got your back. This is yours, if you want it."

"Jug?" Ginny asked quizzically, as she saw from inside that he was putting on a leather jacket. She wrapped herself in a blanket further, stepping into view. She glanced at the Serpents at the bottom of the stairs and nodded, in greeting. She knew of the Serpents because of FP and her mothers involvement with them. Virginia, however, didn't want to mess with them— they were dangerous.

"You and your doll here are safe."

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     IT WAS THE NEXT DAY WHEN GINNY attempted to sneak out of Jughead's room at dawn to go to work. She hated leaving him there, but she felt bad waking him up. However, as she was about to open the door, a groan came from the bed.

"Leaving already?" Jughead asked his girlfriend groggily.

Ginny blushed as she stared at his naked chest and recalled how she was very much undressed last night as well. They didn't have sex. They agreed that they would wait a little longer before taking the next step in their relationship.

Ginny went up to Jug, kissing his lips softly. "I got to go to work."

Jughead hummed against her lips, his hands pulling her closer to him. Ginny gasped at his attempt to make her stay in bed but she hopped off the bed with a playful glare.

Maybe if she didn't leave, everything wouldn't be as screwed up.

"Hey, Casanova. I, uh I ordered you the usual."  Ginny snapped herself out of her daydreaming at the sound of Fred Andrews laughing at Archie who just walked into Pops. 

"God, Arch, do you ever order anything different?" Ginny joked, placing her hands on her hips as she stood above a seated Mr. Andrews.

Archie rolled his eyes at his friend and pointed towards the bathroom. "Thanks, Dad. I'm just gonna go wash my hands."

"How have you been, Gin?" Fred asked the girl as she refilled his coffee. She had put down two cups for him and Archie as they waited for Archie's return and their food to be ready.

"Great, Mr. Andrews." Ginny said with a bright smile, "Jug and I officially said I love you last night."

Fred Andrews smiled to himself as he heard this and was about to speak up when Ginny's attention was pulled to the front door where a man in a hooded mask entered the diner.

Ginny faltered in her steps towards the counter– she was right in front of the man before she realised he had a gun in his hand.

"Who's in charge here?" The robber held the gun up to Ginny, it pressed against her head. "Show me where the safe is!"

She shrieked loudly and pointed to Pop– "H-He's in c–charge!" She felt like she was betraying Pop by giving away he was the owner but she had no idea what this man in front of her wanted. It was best for them to do what the robber wanted.

"There is no safe!" Pop Tate told the man in the black hood.

The robber yelled loudly at Pop. "You've got a safe. Show me where it is! Where's the safe, old man?" 

Pop was terrified, holding his hands up in the air. However, Pop Tate had made a mistake– he looked away from the robber to Ginny. "There ain't no safe," he repeated.

Suddenly, the robber made eye contact with Ginny who stood, phone in hand. Ginny had almost began to dial 911. She shrieked as he marched up to her and took her phone, smashing it on the ground. Tears streamed down her face as he held the gun up to her again and before she knew it– 

The man in the hood hit her over the head with the gun, knocking her out. 

The last thing Ginny Hopkins remembered as she fell to the floor, was the robber approach Mr. Andrews and Archie running to his father. . . 

Before everything went black. 

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DOUBLE UPDATE AND WE FINISHED SEASON ONE??? 

I can't believe this!!!