The cold smell of steel ingrained with the mixture of sickly sweet perfume of the visiting mothers and sweat filled air condition. Jughead never thought to be in this cursive place To visit him…..not this way around.

He sits in the too small plastic chair infront a cloudy plexiglass. The stinging sound of buzzer sounded as he walked out.

Hair ruffled and hands lined red from the cuffs  dressed in that depressing grey jumpsuit.

A shaky reach for the phone together. A long stare both unsure what to say. 

"Why you do it Archie…."

Archie looked down…

Jughead quickly understood.

"Listen...Archie we will do everything you can to get you out of here alright "

"Not in time….20 years least….."

"Please hang in there Arch...trust me your mom is fighting hard to get you out not to mention me, your dad, Betty,...Veronica"

Archie visibly caresses his bump blinking away his tears to no avail.

"Not quick enough Jug, my baby….can't keep my baby, can't have my baby here"

"Don't worry about it, if that happens and you have her here, your dad will surely take care of her until you come"

Archie mouth opened but closed .

"Hirams not going to get here I promise"

Archie wipes his eyes and nods. "Jug how's Veronica "

"She is still trying to convince her dad to drop the charges, no success yet"

"Tell her…..tell her to keep safe,"

"I will Archie…"

"Jug I-"

The buzzer went off signaling the end of the meeting.

"Times up…" Jughead laments looking at the red light before looking back. "Just don't worry, it's not good for the baby"

Archie gives a small nod however his mind already left as the memories from a week ago came flooding back.

•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•
3 months earlier.

Archie

"Hiram is the father of Archie's baby"

A hush came over the group. 

Unsure what to make of the venom that came from the vipers mouth. What reason would a snake eat it's own tail.

 Hermoine Lodge revealing her darling husband's inner secret. What for?

Little did I know the true reason why until it was already done.

The world just moved like molasses. My once calm father pounced Hiram with a fist to the face. I barely had time to process the first blow when the second was fired, this time by Hiram.

A fist fight broke loose with fist and feet. Veronica's eyes filled with tears as her face in shock. I took her hand in mines staring at her in my daze. It wasn't until my dad pushed Hiram onto the coffee table shattering it to splinters things really escalated. 

The cocking of a gun sent eyes straight to Hermione.

"Step away Fred don't make me use this on you"

Fred stared at her complying with the order moving away.

"Thank you Hermi-" The gun was pointing now at Hiram. "Now Hermione think carefully what you about to do"

"Hiram you have used me all these years and I followed you with out question and now you repay me with betrayal "

"So, killing me , that's your way to solve all this" Hiram replied and opened his arms. "Kill me"

A dark aura came over the house. Hermione face turned to a smile before shaking her head. "No….I'm not going to kill you, " 

Soon the sleek barrel of the gun pointed directly at me. "You are who caused all this to happen, everything was fine before you came into our lives." Hermoine hands were steady but her face going through different emotions.

"Mom please this not you!" Veronica pleaded one more time pushing me behind her.

"Get out of the way Veronica, soon you will forget all about him and about the cursive town called Riverdale" 

Veronica stood her ground. "I can't allow you to kill Archie and his baby, can't you see how sick this is mom."

I k ew this would be right I. A quick moment I pushed Veronica away Hiram wrapped his hands around her not letting her go.

Sorry Ronnie

"Goodbye Archie Andrew" 

In a quick moment the gun went of I could hear the bullet fly past me. My mother knocking Hermionie to the ground sending the gun fly in my direction.

In the corner of my eye I saw a small glint of silver under Hermiones sleeves. I just reacted.

POW!

It went so slow again.  The silver dagger dropped to the floor with a clatter. Her eyes widened as the color slowly drained the more she crashed to the floor along with the gun. My mind soon hit speed as it came.

I just killed Hermione Lodge.

The red and blue lights soon filled the area as the police burst in through the door. I just saw Hiram point before being roughly grabbed and cuffed. The bright morning light hurts my eyes as I'm lead to a police car. Least the light blocked me from seeing the many questioning faces that bore holes into the car.

•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•

Present

I got up slowly from the chair with a small ache as the baby pressed lower on my bladder. Archie groans feeling a sharp kick to the ribs. 

"Andrew's you have another visitor"

Wait till I get up to tell me that.

I ploped down onto the chair again. Who would be visiting me anyway, Veronica? Betty?

I felt a strong cramp run across my belly when I see who is sitting infront of me.

"Hello Archie" Hiram greeted.

"Why….why are you here?" 

"I am here to make an offer"

And offer to the man who killed your wife.

"What kind of offer?"

"I will get you out of here within a day, you can have your baby and raise the child. However, you will be mine"

A chill ran up my spine . His drawling voice always did this to him.

"Mine as in?"

"You will do what I say when I say, everything you do, every decision I make will have to come through me. If I say roll over you roll over" 

"What about Veronica" my shaky voice asked 

"Don't worry Veronica will be there, take it as my gratitude "

"But what would my father say"

The guard behind me handed me some papers. 

Emancipation? My parents wouldn't…..

My heart froze.

They really did it.

They really gave me up. 

A long tear ran down my face.

"Just sign Archie and you will be free, with you, your baby and Veronica"

And him….

My hand went to the pen attached clicking it open. The tip loomed by the line . I gave one more gaze towards him before signing.

"There is also one last document left" 

I looked puzzled moving the Emancipation lalers to see my fate to be .

Marriage License.

"I…..I…." He stutters feeling his belly tighten awfully. "Marriage?"

"Just sign them Archie"

Dont do it 

"And your fate is sealed"

Don't!

I raise the pen to the line.

No….Archie

With a single signature and a buzz of the buzzer my life as Archie Andrews is over.

Hiram rises from his seat with a devilish smirk on his face.

"I will  pick you up tomorrow Archie" he replied his eyes eating away at me before he left.

The guard reached and took the papers and pen from the table.

"Back to your cell Andrews well I suppose now Lodge"

The last part of Archie Andrews died that day and put came the new….

Archie Lodge.