Jughead's POV

I woke up the next morning regretting everything I said and did. Betty didn't deserve this and she certainly didn't deserve me abandoning her when she needed me the most. Something I promised her I would never do. I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and scrolled through my phone. I had a million missed calls from my dad. I immediately jumped out of bed and called him. "What's up?" I yawned into the phone.

"Boy...you've got some nerve not answering my calls. I thought you went with Betty to the town hall. She found her father, he tried to attack her Jug. She's fine but she did cut her once or twice before Archie...yes Jughead Archie Andrews put Hal in a headlock wrestled him to the ground and saved Betty's life. Betty returned the favor my hitting Hal with a folding chair and ran to untie her mother who Hal was holding hostage. Whatever happened between you two I suggest you call her right now. The sheriff said Betty was beyond shaken up..holding on to Archie for dear life. All I could think when I heard there was where the hell was my son?" My dad said. 

"Wait she was with Archie? He was holding her? No that can't be right..." I stuttered trying to play back last night's events in my head. "Oh my god...I broke up with Betty." I said out loud.

"You did what?" My dad said back in shock.

"I broke up with her, I said if she went to look for her dad she would probably get hurt. I couldn't be apart of it anymore. She told me it wasn't my decision to make and she could do what she wanted. I told her it actually was my decision and I was done with her. What have I done?" I said frantically as I got dressed.

"Find that girl Jug....before Archie takes this as an opportunity of a lifetime. An opportunity you let fall right into his lap." My dad said as he hung up. I started to dial Betty immediately, it just kept ringing and then someone picked up. Someone who wasn't Betty.

"Jug " Archie said as he answered her phone.

"Archie, what the hell? Put Betty on right now." I demanded.

"Jug she doesn't want to talk to you anymore, stop calling her. Do you have any idea what happened last night? Where the hell were you when she was walking home back across the South Side bridge Jug?" Archie said as he hung up on me. What the hell have I done? I was starting to freak out that I had lost Betty forever so I did the only thing I could think of. I got on my bike and speed to her house. I got there right as Archie was leaving. I slipped in through the cracked open front door and headed towards Betty's bedroom.

"What the fuck is wrong with me." I heard her cry I peeked through the cracked in the door. There she was sobbing on her bedroom floor, looking at the blood that was dripping down her arm. "Nothing works...nothing works...." She stopped for a second as she looked over at her phone. Archie was calling her. She answered it immediately. "Hey, Arch...no I'm fine. Stop no I'm not spiraling. I told you last night...things are finally going to be okay again. I'm going to be." She insisted on holding back her sobs. "No don't come over Archie...I'm fine. Go talk to Veronica." Betty said as she hung up. "Juggie was right...I do bleed just to know I'm alive." Betty said as she stood up. I burst through the door at that second and looked at her.

"We all do Betts." I said as I looked into her light blue eyes.

"Jug I..." It looked as if she was happy to see me but also disgusted.

"I get it, Betty...I messed up. I was scared of watching you get hurt again. Fuck I should've been there with you. I'm so sorry. I'll be apologizing the rest of my life for putting you through this." I said as I walked up to her.

"Jug..." Betty cried as I cupped her face with my hands. "I kissed Archie last night, I don't know why it just happened. I don't know what's going on with me right now. But I don't think you should be around me. I don't think anyone should be. I'm so sorry." Betty cried. For some reason, I didn't react the way she expected...maybe because I understood why she kissed him.

"It's okay Betts...it's okay for you not be okay. Stop trying to pretend you are, it's going to take some time for things to get back to normal around here. It's going to take you some time to adjust. We don't have to be together right now, but I'm not going to stop being there for you. Archie can be there for you too. It's okay. I love you Betty at the end of the day that's enough for me." I said.

"Jughead Jones I love you too. I'm sorry this can't be easier for us right now. I just need to clear my head. I'm starting to hurt myself again, I know you said to come to talk to you first but I freaked out last night after I came home from Archie's. He bandaged my arm up for me...my mom was still at the Sheriff's station. I laid down on my floor and sobbed, I didn't know what else to do. Look at me Jug...I don't blame you if you can't even do that anymore." Betty cried. I gentled wrapped my fingers around both her arms to steady her, as I looked at the markings carefully.

"Betty....you have to stop doing this. I get it if a relationship is too much for you right now. But I'm not leaving like I said. And I don't necessarily want you too much Archie away either. You really need both of us right now." I said to her as I kissed up and down her arm. She half smiled as she looked at me.

"Thank you for understanding. It's not over for us Jug. I just need time to heal, something I wish you could do for me." Betty said as I pulled her into my chest.

"Believe me, Betty, no one more than me wants to be able to do that for you. " I said right as Archie walked into the room. "Oh except for maybe Archie. " I said as Betty and I both turned to look at him.

"I just wanted to check on you." He sighed the second he saw me.

"Calm down Archie...Betty and I were just talking. We didn't get back together...I agreed with her that she needs to heal on her own. But with our help of course...yes I said our, against my better judgment." I sighed as I looked at him.

"Well alright then, I say we go to Pops to get you out of the house. " Archie suggested.

"Good idea. " Betty said as I helped her up. I put my jacket over her shoulders. Archie gave me a death stare.

"What Andrews its cold outside. " I said making Betty laugh as we walked downstairs. I was going to give Betty as much time as she needed to realize the right choice was me. Even if I had to pretend to play along and make Archie think she was fair game. I wonder how Veronica would feel, or Betty if she knew that Archie stood idly by behind a bush when Malachai attacked her and carved an M into her hand in the cemetery.