*warning: soft smut*

Or the part where secrets are revealed and loyalties are tested.

+ + + + +

"What the hell, Nellie?" Sweet Pea growled. He didn't miss how Nellie's eyes grew the size of platters at his touch but he couldn't help himself. How did he not know about this? Angry and humiliated, he searched for any sign on her face, anything that would calm him down.

Instead Nellie remained silent, too surprised to speak. Fighting the urge to shake her, Sweet Pea couldn't help but press his fingers deeper in the warm skin of her upper arms.

"Why?" he managed to get out. It came out restrained as he tried not to scream at the girl in front of him. He didn't know why he was so mad at the first place. He just knew he wished she had never climbed the damn stage.

"This is not the place," Nellie whispered, obviously shocked by his reaction. Her brown eyes searched for an escape route, a way the two of them could sneak out.

"You're right," Sweet Pea breathed, unclenching his hands. He hopelessly ran them through his dark hair. A strand tumbled in front of his eyes but he didn't seem to notice.

Against her better judgement, Nellie took his hand and dragged him up the stairs of the Whyte Wyrm. Sweet Pea followed, unable to form a coherent thought. Serpents were watching them in amusement, assuming the two had other plans. None of them knew of the fight that was about to occur.

Once outside, the cold evening air, reminded him of what had transpired. He still felt shocked at watching Nellie slowly walking up the stage. She looked calm and confident but Sweet Pea had felt anything but that. He hadn't even registered what was going on when F.P. had announced her. The true meaning of his words only hit him when the music started to play. He had wanted to run to the stage, grab Nellie from it and take her somewhere safe where she wouldn't be forced to expose herself to join the Serpents. Instead, he had watched, frozen as his flannel shirt was the first discarded item.

He had wanted to hate it. Wanted to hate the fact that the girl he liked was taking her clothes off in front of a club filled with gang members. The eyes of old men had lingered on her whilst she was looking in his direction. God, he wanted she had told him about it. Surely, he would've talked her out of it. Sure whatever problem caused her to join the Serpents, could've had another solution.

Nellie turned around, her big doe eyes scanning his face. "You're mad," she stated matter-of-factly.

Sweet Pea rolled his eyes. "Of course I am!" he let out, abruptly turning away from her. He let his hands rest on his hips as he frantically walked towards his bike. He still couldn't wrap his head around his thoughts. The truth was, he wanted her to get out of the Wyrm but he was also enjoying the view. Torn between his own desire and protecting her, he had chosen the selfish solution. Only later, when her performance had ended, had the consequences of it dawned on him. The obligations that now fell on Nellie.

"You should've told me," Sweet Pea hissed as he turned around. Unaware Nellie was right behind him, the girl nearly slammed into him. Chest to chest, their eyes fought a silent battle.

"You wouldn't have let me," she breathed, intimidated by his proximity.

Sweet Pea turned his head away. A calloused hand quickly ran over his face. "Of course not. What were you thinking?" His tone was accusing. Nellie didn't quite understand his emotion. By anything, Toni had given her the impression, Sweet Pea would react the complete opposite way. She hadn't really imagined fighting on a deserted parking lot at the end of the evening.

"I needed to do this," Nellie admitted. Sweet Pea frowned at her. "Sure, why the hell would you join a gang? Do I need to remind you of the dangers of it!"

"You don't have to lecture me!" Nellie bit back. She was tired of people thinking she wasn't capable of making decisions all by herself.

"F.P. went before you and he didn't change my mind." she added. She didn't notice but her words made Sweet Pea flinch. She needed to stop reminding him that the Jones's even had the slightest bit to say about her. He took another deep breath to collect himself, but his blood was coiling.

"Just tell me why?" He managed to say between gritted teeth. His fingers pinched the bridge of his nose trying to remain calm.

"It's not that simple," Nellie started but she was immediately cut off by Sweet Pea's hands wrapping around her arms again.

"For once, Nellie. Just tell me." he hissed. He would be patient, he had told himself. He wouldn't force her into sharing things she wasn't comfortable to share. But if she brought herself in danger, he would do anything to protect her. Even if that meant finally losing his patience.

"Don't you dare lie to me, Nellie. Not when you just became a part of the Serpents, my family."

Nellie felt tears prick in her eyes. Sweet Pea was clinging onto her, begging her to finally come clean. Would it make a difference after all? Jughead knew, F.P. knew. Why not Sweet Pea?

In defeat, a single tear ran across her cheek. Nellie rolled her eyes at the weakness of her own body. Sweet Pea watched its trail down but didn't move to swipe it away.

"I never had a family before," Nellie croaked. She was surprised by the thick emotions that laced her words. "Not a normal one, at that. My father... he left when I was twelve." she muttered. Sweet Pea looked at her in confusion but he didn't let go of her. "He got another family. A wife and another daughter."

Nellie struggled for another breath. Sweet Pea looked so expectantly at her, she couldn't imagine she wouldn't tell him the whole truth. The thought of lying finally evaporated in thin air.

"When mom died, I came to Riverdale to find him. I was kicked out of my home, had no money... Nowhere to go to." Sweet Pea's eyebrows rose in surprise but he didn't talk. However, the grip on her arms softened and Nellie felt herself being pressed closer to the Serpent.

"He's worse than I thought, Sweet Pea," Nellie suddenly got emotional, the struggle of the last weeks wearing off on tonight's events. "He's evil, you've said so yourself." the words tumbled out of her in a stream of incoherent thoughts.

"He didn't want to help me, so I asked F.P. for help."

"Nellie..." Sweet Pea started but Nellie was unstoppable now.

"I hate him, Sweet Pea. God, I hate him so fucking much. I want him on his knees. I want him to suffer."

The tall Serpent was shocked at the venom that dripped of every word Nellie said. The anger in her eyes lit up, shimmering in the deep browns. He had never seen her so certain of something.

"He needs to suffer, Sweets." She looked up to him with big desperate eyes, suddenly ashamed of her hatred towards her father, trying to justify her reasons. "He let my mom die. I know because she'd send him a letter. I know because I was the one who put it in the mail for her. He never even responded! He just let her die!" she shrieked. She had never told anyone about this and the truth of it broke her heart even more. Hiram Lodge had not only refused to help his daughter in need but also refused to help his lover when faced with monstrously high hospital bills.

Sweet Pea wrapped his arms around her, holding her shaking form close against him. "He wants to destroy everything I love," she whispered against the cold leather of his jacket. The accusation made Sweet Pea frown. He pulled away slightly, looking at the broken girl underneath his hands.

"He wants to take over the Southside. He's going to rip it apart," Nellie confessed and then finally realisation hit him. Memories of Veronica Lodge's confirmation, of the Serpent protest in front of Southside High, of heated discussions between F.P. and Jughead about the fate of the Southside and the part Hiram Lodge was playing in it, came together to form one coherent thought.

It was as if Nellie had been covered in a mist the entire time. He could hit him on the head for not seeing the signs. The dark features, the straight posture. The same dark hair of Veronica and Hiram. Although dressed in thrifted clothes and living in a trailer, Nellie was 100% a Lodge.

"You're father is Hiram Lodge," Sweet Pea revealed. His voice was low and dangerous and Nellie couldn't read the emotions that it held.

Suddenly, Sweet Pea pushed Nellie away. He needed the distance to think. She hadn't exactly lied to him but she had withheld something very important. He looked at her sideways, only seeing a broken, abandoned daughter, forced to take on the world by herself. She was a Lodge but would never be treated like one. She would always be hidden in the shadows, the bastard daughter of a criminal. He took her back in his arms, caressing her back as her tears ran freely now.

"You could've told me," he whispered against the crown of her hair. Nellie flinched at the accusing tone in his voice. He hadn't meant to sound cruel, but the hurt of betrayal left him confused and utterly out of sorts.

"You wouldn't have trusted me," Nellie admitted. He knew she was right. Hiram Lodge had taken so many things away from him. He would've never wanted to live with his offspring under one roof. He would've never allowed himself to fall for her.

In silence they stood, feeling trust and loyalty fleeing from their embrace. Nellie's secrets were heavy. The hurt and betrayal of Sweet Pea glowed around him but his affections for Nellie were the only thing holding them together.

He couldn't get abandon her. Nellie felt like home. A home with shattered windows, missing roof tiles and doors barely hanging on their hinges, but a home nonetheless.

Their minds were fighting, trying to figure out their position in the game. Were they enemies? Were they companions on the same side, fighting the same evil? Or were they just doomed lovers?

Nellie shivered when a cold autumn breeze brushed past them. Sweet Pea pulled away, shrugging off his Serpent jacket. He gently placed it on her shoulders, afraid of his own thoughts and feelings. The jacket was too big, the sleeves hanging limply against Nellie's sides.

They remained silent until they entered the trailer. It was empty and dark inside. The autumn cold caused a draft near the door. Nellie awkwardly stepped away from the living area, heading straight into the bedroom. She couldn't bare to look at Sweet Pea and see the disappointment in his eyes.

Sweet Pea let his head fall back, thoughts running through his mind. He should hate Nellie for being Hiram's daughter for lying to him. She was an enemy to the Serpents, by blood alone. His loyalty to the Serpents clawed at him, forcing him to get into his bed and leave the girl alone with her thoughts.

He stripped off his T-shirt, unbuckled his belt and kicked off his boots. However, he didn't head towards his bed but to the small bedroom in the corner of his trailer.

Nellie didn't hear Sweet Pea enter the room as she tossed her black dress to the sides. Sweet Pea swallowed, his treacherous body approaching steadily. He didn't think, he only felt. Nellie's back was turned towards him. The moonlight left the room in a pale white light. In the midst of it, Nellie's dark red lingerie seemed like the only piece of colour. He felt her flinch when his hands wrapped around her waist, his fingers relishing on the soft velvet of her high waisted panties.

She swallowed, enjoying the burning sensations of his hot fingertips as they ran across the bare skin of her stomach. Leaning back, she met his muscled chest. Her breath hitched in her throat as his hand rose, cupping the delicate fabric of her bustier. He pulled her closer, her back pressed against his chest.

Nellie was done lying, she thought. If this was how honesty was rewarded, she would never ever tell another lie.

One hand leaving hot fingerprints on her skin, the other managed to unlock the bustier that Nellie had carefully picked out for her Serpent dance. Laying on the ground, Nellie forgot about the high prize of the luxury item as new sensations send shivers across her spine. With a racing heartbeat she turned around, no longer finding the strength to wait. Chests pressed against each other, their lips finally met in a feverish need.

A need to know that they weren't alone in this confusing and dangerous world. A need to know that no matter what, they still had each other.

A/N

I'm kind of a little awkward on writing smut so this chapter doesn't contain a lot of it. However, if you want a more elaborate description of one of Nellie's and Sweet Pea's more intimate moments, comment below and I'll give it a try!