CHAPTER TWO:

WHILE IN THE WAITING ROOM, Sheriff Keller approached the group waiting for Fred Andrews. Archie and Ginny both knew what was going to happen.

"Sheriff." Archie greeted the male and Ginny waved shyly at the man in front of them. She glanced down at her hands, noticing the blood that stained her petite fingers.

"How's your dad doing?" The older man asked the red headed boy who held a solemn look on his face.

"He's still in surgery." Archie sighed, tired of waiting for news.

"Archie, I know this is a hell of a time for you, but perhaps we could go somewhere and talk about what happened. You too, Ginny."

"Is it cool if I tag along?" Jughead intervened, his hand wrapped around Virginia's waist in comfort. He wanted to be with Ginny and also find out what the hell had happened.

"Actually, if you don't mind–" Sheriff Keller didn't want the intervention but Archie had a different plan.

"Yeah, that'd be great, Jug." Archie interrupted the Sheriff and Ginny smiled at Jug softly, standing up to follow the Sheriff to another room.

"He was maybe 5'10, 160 pounds or so. And he was wearing dark pants and a dark jacket?" Archie thought long and hard at who he saw, hoping he could find something distinctive about the man.

The four sat in a private room, Archie near to Sheriff Keller as he explained what happened. Ginny was there for minor commentary since she had been knocked out for the majority of the trauma.

"Anything on that jacket? Any symbol or insignia?" He questioned Archie and Ginny shook her head.

"You mean like a snake?" Jughead interrupted, and Ginny squeezed his hand tightly as he grew defensive over the Southside Serpents. She knew that Jughead was protective of his father... but this was something different. Last night changed him when the Serpents came to the door last night.

"No, it was just a jacket. No snake." Archie told the Sheriff, his eyes glancing at his friends.

"And the ski mask that he had on—"

"No, it's not a ski mask.It's a hood, a black hood. Homemade, like he'd cut the eyes out himself. And the guy's eyes were green."

"Now, Pop Tate had a fairly good idea of what happened up until when your father was shot. And then, well—There are some gaps. And I need you to help me fill those. What did he do, our masked man?"

"After he shot my dad? He— Nothing. He shot my dad, ran out of the diner. Who did this, Sheriff?" Archie's voice was broke as he looked down at his blood stained hands.

"Archie, it's just—It's too early to speculate. But this guy, he was probably out of his head on meth or the jingle jangle, some Southside lowlife that was just looking for a cash grab."

"How much did he get? How much cash?" The red headed boy asked.

"We're waiting to hear about that from Pop Tate." The Sheriff sighed, "Since this is Riverdale, I have to ask. What if robbery wasn't the motive? What else could it be? Well, I mean, I suppose it could be someone who has a grudge against your dad. Wanted to make it look like a robbery. But I mean, it's just too early to tell."

The trio said goodbye to Sheriff Keller and entered the hallway, Ginny leading the way. She noticed that Jughead slowed down, turning to Archie.

"Oh, and speaking of Archie, hey. Were you not telling Sheriff Keller something?" Jughead questioned his friend as they paused in middle of the hallway.

Archie sighed, knowing that he withheld knowledge from the police. "My dad told me that he and Mrs. Lodge fired the Serpents they had working on their crew. I know your dad vouches for them, but what if one of them was pissed off enough to do something?"

"Let me see what I can find out." Jughead offered to his best friend with a small smile.

"Thanks, bro." Archie hugged his friend before going down the hallway, leaving the two alone.

Ginny went to the restroom, letting her boyfriend follow Archie back into the waiting room. She quickly washed her hands, disgusted to see her own hands stained red from Fred Andrews. She entered the waiting room, noticing a doctor talking to Archie.

"I need to see him."

"And you will. As soon as we've got him set in a room, you'll be able to sit with him. Should be an hour or two at the most."

"And until then, what am I suppose to do, nothing?" Archie asked.

"Maybe–Maybe you should go home and get changed."

"No, I'm not leaving." Archie refused to take the offer, he wanted to be here in case something happened.

"No, Archie, wait. Veronica's right." Betty told her friend, trying to give him some common sense.

"Here are your dad's clothes and personal belongings. Everything he had on him." The doctor passed the young Andrews a bag, who held it delicately, staring at his fathers things.

"Okay, well, yet another reason to go. You can get your dad a change of clothes. Veronica will go with you. Right, Vee?" Betty offered, pushing the raven haired girl forward.

"We'll hold the fort down here. Archie, try not to worry .Your dad is strong stock. He's a fighter. Fred Andrews isn't one to leave unfinished business behind."

And Ginny prayed that was true.

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GINNY HUGGED JUGHEAD TIGHTLY AS THEY WAITED outside of the hospital. Jughead had called someone on the phone after Archie went home and Ginny was happy to have a quiet moment with her boyfriend.

"I'm so sorry you had to go through that," Jughead whispered in her ear as they hugged each other tightly. It was nippy outside as the air hit their faces, as Ginny found shelter within Jughead's embrace.

"I'm okay," Ginny whispered.

"You're scarred though," Jughead frowned, pulling away to look Ginny in the eyes. His concerned blue eyes met her wide ones. "I know you, Gin. You've gone through hell with your mom and your r–"

"Don't say it." Ginny interrupted him, pulling away. She knew that they barely talked about it and that's the way she wanted it to be. She didn't want to be defined for the weak moments in her life. "Don't."

"Okay," Jughead sighed, stepping forward. He opened his mouth to say more but shut it as footsteps approached.

The man named Tall Boy joined Jughead and Ginny, his hands stuck in his pockets nervously. "I got nervous when you said to meet at the hospital."

"I was wondering about when you said the Serpents had our back. Does that courtesy extend to a guy who's like my brother, and a man who's like a second father to me?"

"What do you need?"

"Fred Andrews, my buddy's dad, was just shot, during a robbery at Pop's. The guy was in a black hood." Jughead began. "He also hurt Ginny."

"Serpents don't wear masks."

"Yeah, I get it." Jughead replied, "but some of those Serpents were working for Fred Andrews when, for reasons of his own, he decided to let them go suddenly. Maybe someone took it personally and went rogue. You guys know every hidey-hole in town. Someone has to have heard something about what went down at Pop's."

"All right. We'll knock some heads. Let you know." The older man nodded, telling the younger boy some good news.

Ginny watched as Tall Boy left the two, wondering what the hell Riverdale has turned into.

And was Jughead willingly joining the Southside Serpents? Why was he associating with them?

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