Betty's POV

*The Next Morning*

"I don't know about this Jug.." I winced as I tried to pull my tank top over my head. He sighed as he helped me slide it down my waist. He stared at the bruising going all the way down my arms. He bit his lip as tears started to form in his eyes.

"Betty..you need this more than all of us. You're hurting and I want to help you, but I can't Betty if you won't let me in. I know you're scared of this now. Of me...of us..because of what I did. I don't know why I thought us breaking up would fix anything. I'll be apologizing for the rest of my life for what I did. But the town was imploding around us, Betty. I felt like we were next if I didn't take charge. Look how that backfired on me, you were going to attempt to get rid of him weren't you?" Jug said as he held my shaking hands.

"How did you...I mean..I thought about it." I said in disbelief that he knew exactly what my plan had been from the start.

"You were going to get Malachai to trust you, then stab him in the back...in both senses of the meaning." Jug said patting his pocket. "You didn't?" He looked at me as I pulled his pocket knife out of my jean pocket.

"I didn't...but I should've. After everything that he did to me, what he put us through..." I said as I slid my skirt zipper up.

"It would've only gotten worse. " Jug said as he cupped my bruised face with his hand.

"It already has Jug. Look at you, Archie, V...this whole town is falling apart. Look at me Juggie..I'm not the same girl I used to be. I don't think I'll ever be her again, to be honest. Come on Archie and V are waiting downstairs. As much as I don't want to take Hiram up on his weekend away offer, I feel like I'll go crazy if I have to stay in this town any longer." I said as I grabbed Jughead's hand and led him out of my room.

"Did your mom ever come home Betty?" He asked as he picked up the suitcases I put by the door.

"No...and at this point I don't even blame her Jug, do you?" I sighed as we walked out the front door. Archie and V were standing there all cuddled up once again. Finally, their month-long fight was over. Maybe now things were starting to go back to normal. Oh god did I speak too soon, I should've known Hiram's offer to get us out of town was for his own diabolical plans to go into effect without Jug or I intervening.

"Betty nice to see you up and about after yesterday's fiasco. " Veronica said as Jug helped me into the back seat of Archie's car.

"I'm in desperate need of one of your famous jalapeno margaritas V." I laughed as I leaned my head on my boyfriend's shoulder. Archie pulled down the street and headed towards the highway. Finally..we'll be out of this place. Two hours into the drive I fell asleep in Jughead's lap. I had this dream that while we were in Shadow Lake, Riverdale literally burned to the ground. It turns out that dream was about to become more of a premonition. As we pulled up to Shadow Lake I got this eerie feeling. Jug squeezed my hand, I knew he felt it to as we both looked out the window.