././𝓛𝓪 𝓖𝓻𝓪𝓷𝓭𝓮 𝓘𝓵𝓵𝓾𝓼𝓲𝓸𝓷/./.

Thicker than blood, more precious than oil Riverdale's big business is maple syrup. Since the town's founding, one family has controlled this lucrative syrup trade, the Blossoms. They were a part of the fabric of our daily lives. Rich or poor, old or young we consumed Blossom Syrup by the bucket. That sickly-sweet smell was inescapable.

The death of Jason Blossom precipitated a crisis. With the heir apparent gone who would inherit the family business one day? Certainly not Cheryl nor Adelaide. It was a question that brought the wolves to Riverdale. And now the Blossoms were circling the wagons against possible attack from within their own ranks.

I was standing in the snow with Cheryl by my side, as I welcomed my distant relatives with a fake smile painted on my rouge lips. Polly stood on my other side, looking nervous as usual. Ever since she came here a few minutes later than me, she has been scared of what the Blossoms might do.

The snow was falling in my hair as I began to greet everyone who stepped out of the car. I knew they were thinking the same thing that Hal did, 'she is just a mistake.'

I was constantly burdened by those words. I knew I was never planned, but I had never thought that my family would see me that way. I played with my red and white plaid skirt that was identical to Cheryl's, the only difference in our outfits being my white sweater.

I felt my phone buzz in my pocket, and I knew it was probably Betty or Jughead calling me again, they were the only ones who were consistently calling me, the others had stopped a while ago. I hadn't spoken to anyone other than Cheryl and Polly this entire weekend, and I was missing school today to greet the Blossoms. It is not that I am angry with them, I wasn't even angry at mom, I just needed some space.

~❃~

The next day, Cheryl and I had to go to school so I dressed in my Blossom approved attire before preparing to face the entire gang who I have been ignoring all weekend. Cheryl and I got out the car, and she turned to me with a smile, "So, sister, do tell, are you inviting Jughead to the tree tapping ceremony?"

I nod my head, "I am going to try, but it isn't really his thing, and he already came to the baby shower."

"Addy, if he, as much as I don't like your choice of men," I give her a warning look, "I do know that he is head over heels for you. Hell, he would die his hair red, if you asked him to."

I roll my eyes at her over exaggeration before linking my arm with hers and walking into the school, "I don't know, I haven't spoken to him since Friday."

Cheryl seemed distracted by something in front of us, "I can tell," she says.

"What?" I ask Cheryl before she spins me around to face Jughead who is looking down at me with an upset expression, "Hey."

I heard Cheryl walk away, and I frowned at Jughead, "I know I have been ignoring your calls..."

Juggie shook his head, not in the mood to hear my excuses, "What's going on?"

I hesitated before pulling Jughead into an empty classroom, Jughead turned to me with a stone cold look on his face, "Look, Jul-"

I look up at him, finally voicing the question I was too scared to ask him this weekend, "Am I a mistake?"

Jughead's look wavered into that of confusion, "What?"

"The other night when I went home," I began to explain, "I heard Hal and mom talking about when she was pregnant with me and how they were considering an abortion," I felt tears cloud my eyes, "He called me a mistake," I choke out, "talking about how they both knew they would have been better off if they never had me and I-"

I felt Juggie's arms pull me into his warm body as he began stroking my head, "Hey. You are not a mistake, Juliette," I look up at him, while he continues, "Your mom has been torn up about the entire thing this entire weekend. She even kicked Hal out the house."

I felt two fingers left my head up, and I closed my eyes feeling Juggie place his lips on mine. I brought my hands up to his face as I melted into the kiss before we both pulled away, "Juliette, I don't know what I would do without you. I don't know what the gang would do without you."

I smile, feeling foolish for being so dramatic about what I heard Friday. I smiled up at Jughead before remembering that he was going to say something, "What were you going to say before I interrupted you?"

Jughead shook his head, "Nothing. Come on, let's meet the others."

I lean with all my weight to stop him from pulling me away, although he still managed to make my feet slide, "Juggie, tell me."

Jughead sighs before grabbing my hands and pulling them to his lips to place a small kiss on my knuckles, "I thought that maybe you were ignoring me this weekend because of what happened Friday night at the shower."

I frown, knowing that he was still worried about me leaving him, "Juggie," I pull him closer to me before placing my lips on his in a short but passionate kiss. Once I pull away, I am sure that the stupid grin on Juggie's face is identical to mine.

We both walk, hand in hand, to the rec room to meet everyone else. Once we make it in, Jughead sits on the only empty red armchair. I sat on the arm of the chair but, was quickly pulled off by Juggie and placed on his lap.

"Just in time," Veronica announced as we got settled in, "We're celebrating."

"Archie was just telling us how he's going to some super-exclusive music program this summer," Kevin smiled at me.

"Maybe," Archie pressed, "If it happens, though, it would be huge for me."

Jughead didn't seem to be as excited, "Do you have to audition for it?"

Archie shook his head, "Well, not exactly. Mrs. Blossom came by earlier and said she'd put in a good word for me."

"Terrifying," Veronica said at the same time that Kevin uttered, "Amazing."

"Uh-huh," Jug said before helping Archie along, "What's Blossom getting out of it?"

"I told her I'd take Cheryl to their family's tree-tapping thing. I already talked to Valerie, and she's cool with it."

Valerie was so sweet, but even I knew that there is a line when it comes to letting your boyfriend go on dates with another girl. I felt Jughead shift under me, and I looked to see a hurt expression on his face, he mouthed 'tree-tapping' to me. I had completely forgotten to invite Juggie, not that I thought he wanted to go. I mouth back 'later.'

Jughead nodded, "Cool with you being a gigolo now?"

I slapped his arm, but he just shrugged and kissing my shoulder.

"I'm doing someone a favor for my music, Jughead," Archie defended, "I need to make connections outside of Riverdale."

"That's the way of the world. It's all about connections....but Jughead's right. These kinds of favors always come with a price tag." Veronica sighed, seeming to be thinking about something that happened to her personally, "Betty, back me up here."

Betty shrugged, distracted, "I think it's a great idea."

"Thank you, Betty," Archie smiled, happy to have someone in their corner.

Betty added, "Yeah, and while you're there, would you talk to Polly for me? I just want to make sure she's okay. Speaking of, Adelaide, did she say anything to you?"

"She is fine," I trail off knowing she doesn't want me to tell Betty anything because she will only snoop.

Archie agreed, "Definitely." He then looked at Veronica, "And don't worry, Ronnie, I can take care of myself."

Veronica pointed her fork at Archie with a flirtatious smile, "Famous last words, Archiekins." She bit the watermelon off the utensil while Archie seemed to be giving her the same look.

The bell rang a few minutes later, and we all got ready to go to our next class, Jughead was walking with me so we could talk before my gifted chorus class.

He had his arm around my waist as he looked at me, "So a family tree-tapping?"

I nodded before turning around and stopping us at the door to my class, "Yes, and I was hoping that you would be my date. I would really like it if you came. I know you don't really like doing these things, so I understand if you don't want to come and my parents are being totally unreasonable anyway."

Jughead nodded his head with a smile, "If you want me there, then I am there."

I quickly gave Juggie a hug before pulling away, "Great. But I should warn you that you will have to wear red."

Jughead shrugged, "No problem."

I kiss him on the cheek before saying, "And you have to introduce yourself as your real name," I made sure to kiss him on the other cheek knowing that he hated his full name.

Jughead sighed before joking, "Anything for you."

I bite my lip waiting for him to say that he wasn't coming, but instead,, he just kissed my lips and said, "I'll be there at four, Angel."

~❃~

"My legs are frozen," I moan, as Juggie and I stand in front of the tree while dad gives a lecture on the Blossom family tradition of tree-tapping. I pulled my red cape tighter over my arms as Jughead just laughed, pulling me closer to his warm body.

As promised, he wore a red and black checkered jacket and introduced himself as Forsythe Pendleton Jones the Third. I watch as Cheryl is called forth to commence the ceremony, but much to my shock dad calls me up as well. I move away from Jug hesitantly at first before walking next to Cheryl and holding the bucket under the spile.

She turns to face the board of trustees before I whisper, "You got this, sis."

She sighs before pulling the hammer back and hitting it into the tree. Everyone cheers as the sweet liquid flows from the tree into my bucket.

We then all rush to the group for a family photo. I stand near Polly and Cheryl.

"Archibald, come join us before the snow starts again. You too Forsythe," my dad calls to the two boys happily standing to the side. Juggie looks at Archie painfully before standing next to me and looking into the camera.

Once the picture is taken, the fake smiles dissolve off the faces of the Blossom family, and we all walk back to the house. Jughead takes my hand in his as he helps me walk over the branches and iced rocks.

"I don't buy this dog and pony show for a second. Cliff can't control his own family, let alone the company," I hear my aunt Francine tell her husband, as Jughead and I was in front of them.

"Agreed. And if he tried to put Cheryl forward as a successor? Do you remember what she did at the funeral? Crocodile tears." I tighten my grip on Jughead's hand, trying to keep my mouth shut as my father advised. We continued to walk as I leaned closer to Jughead, who was holding the black umbrella up for us.

"She's better than Adelaide. I mean a bastard child of a Cooper," I hear her husband mutter in disgust. I swallow back the hurt, I was feeling and continue walking. I feel Jughead's grip tighten on my hand and look up at him to see him looking at my aunt with a look that could kill.

"Come on, Juggie," I pull him to walk faster to get away from them but, Jug has already made up his mind as he stops.

"Hey, Adelaide is sweet, brave, and ingenious, top of all her classes. You should be honored to have her running the company. There isn't something that Adelaide hasn't perfected, and you would be a fool to underestimate her just because of her family," Jughead finishes, and I smile, pulling him down to give him a kiss on the cheek before we continue walking, leaving them dumbstruck.

~❃~

Cheryl and I were both dressed in our River Vixens uniform gossiping with the girls. I noticed Jughead and Betty walk up to us.

"Scatter, my Vixens." Cheryl commands watching as the girls scatter like roaches in various directions, "Yes, Betty. What is it?"

"Polly. Look, I don't know what kind of Stockholm syndrome spell you've cast, but I want to talk to my sister." Betty tells Cheryl, glaring at me as well.

"Let's not fight. Especially not when we should be celebrating." I glare at my sister trying to rally drama.

"Why. What happened?" Jughead asked, never able to pass up intel.

I bit my lip before giving Betty a smile, "Dr. Patel just confirmed it this morning. Polly is having twins." I put up jazz hands hoping Betty will not be mad that she wasn't there with us.

Cheryl flicked her rouge hair behind her shoulder, "Bless our Blossom genes."

"You knew about this, Adelaide?" Betty looked at me hurt and betrayed.

"She didn't want me to tell you," I explain, wishing I could tell Betty the full story. That Polly was doing this for Jason and not just to hurt the family and that the only reason I hadn't gone home yet to speak with mom was that I was trying to protect Polly.

"And she didn't call to tell me?" Betty looks up, trying to stop her tears from spilling.

I try to ignore the look of disappointment from Jughead, "Hostages aren't normally allowed to make outgoing calls."

"Can you please just give her a message for me?" Betty asks sadly, desperate to talk to her.

"As long as it doesn't upset her." Cheryl agrees.

While I say, "Of course."

"Tell her she should call our mom. She's trying really hard to hide it, but I can tell she's really hurt and upset. That goes for you too, Adelaide. I know that you heard what my dad said, but she wasn't part of any of it."

"We'll pass your message along," Cheryl interrupts, wanting the attention. She has always hated the fact that I was closer with the Coopers than the Blossoms.

Betty smiles, "Thank you."

"If we remember."

I roll my eyes at Cheryl before smiling at Betty, "Of course."

"That was a joke. Of course, I'll give her your message, Betty. But no promises that she'll care or respond." Cheryl links her arm in mine before turning to walk away, but I pull back, "I am going to hang out with Jughead and Betty. See you later?"

"Have fun with the hobo," Cheryl looked at Jughead in disgust before walking away.

Betty and Jughead both look at me obviously angry about the entire Polly situation. I sigh, "Betty. Please believe me when I tell you that Polly is okay. I am watching over her."

Betty groans, "Then why can't I speak with her. I don't believe that she doesn't want to speak to me."

"It's complicated, but I can't tell you anything," I frown, looking around for any of Cheryl's minions, "Just know she is okay," Betty seems confused, "Look. Just know that if we could, we would both be home right now, but there is business that needs to be settled."

Betty and Juggie both looked at each other before sighing, understanding that there was nothing more that I would say. Betty frowned at me before shaking her head and walking away.

I look up at Juggie to see a troubled expression on his face, "She is really torn up about this."

"I feel horrible about it all, but Polly made me promise," I tell him but stop when Jughead nods and wraps his arm around my waist.

"I know," I whispered, pressing a kiss on my temple, "Come on, let's go to Archie's."

I smile before walking with him to the Andrew's household. Once we made it there, I was greeted by three boxes of pizza and Vegas. I smiled petting the huge dog, who was just a baby at heart.

Jughead, Archie, and I began eating immediately. Pizza Night was a tradition that I took part in every Tuesday with Archie and Mr. Andrews. I listened as the boys were talking about some new video game when my sister's voice interrupted the conversation.

"Mr. Andrews. Nice haircut. Looking extremely DILF-y today. Is Archie home?"

I dropped my pizza back on my plate as I watched my sister walk into the room, holding a brand new guitar case.

"Cheryl. Yes. Um, come on in."

"The Icewomen Cometh," Jughead mutters into my ear, causing me to giggle and quickly try to hide my blush from the feeling of Juggie's hot breath on my skin. "Hey, sister."

"Hey, Cheryl."

"As a maj thank you for coming to the Maple Banquet with me tomorrow I wanted to give you this," Cheryl smiles at Jughead before slamming the guitar case on the countertop and popping it open, "An '84 Les Paul in our signature color. You're welcome. Okay, that's all. I'm going now. My claustrophobia acts up in small houses. See you tomorrow." Cheryl kisses Archie on the cheek before skipping out the room.

"Please don't bother getting me a gift for this thing," Jughead says, looking at the guitar. I laugh watching as he prods it with his finger as if it were dangerous.

"I'd give that back if I were you." Mr. Andrews looks at Archie.

"Dad, come on. The Blossom's, they're helping me get into that summer music program. Like, the best in the country."

"Since when did the Blossom's ever give a damn about you, Archie? Not including Adelaide, of course." He said, putting his hand on my head.

"Well, they think I have potential, dad."

"He's also pimping himself out to Cheryl," Jughead snitches causing me to give him a glare. He smiles before giving my lips a small peck, "Your glares are as scary as a baby doe."

I humph in the annoyance of the infectivity of my glare. I wanted to be scary, not cute.

"The Blossom's tried to run our business into the ground." Mr. Andrews reminds Archie.

"Maybe if you tried talking to Mr. Blossom..."

"I tried talking to him, Archie. He laughed in my face. Don't think for a second that the Blossom's are looking out for you. They're using you, Archie. They look at us like we're dirt under their shoe. I'm over it."

~❃~

The next morning, Betty, Jughead, and I met in the B&G to discuss the articles for this weekend. When I got there, I already heard Betty and Jughead talking, but it wasn't about the articles. I quietly walked in, not being noticed by either person as I listened to Betty speak.

"My parents are unbelievable, Jughead. Polly is locked up in that house like a character out of Jane Eyre, and what are they doing?" she laughed, "Changing each other's login accounts and throwing bricks through windows."

Jughead sardonically said, "I would pay to see that."

I spoke up, "Mom threw a brick, threw Hal's window?" I knew that mom was a little torn up about Poly and I leaving but, I didn't think that it hurt her this much. I figured that she had Betty and I knew that she had been interviewing the town for some new article she was doing.

Jughead and Betty turned to see my guilty expression, not knowing I was there.

Betty looked at me, annoyed, "Yeah. And it feels like we're falling apart. And the way things are going, the Coopers, we're not gonna exist anymore. And there's nothing I can do to stop that," Betty's voice cracked at the end as she brought her hand up to her head.

"Betty," I walked up to her, rubbing her shoulder, "I didn't know that it was that bad."

Jughead nodded with me, "Your family is definitely splintering right now, but it won't fall apart because of you."

I nod before smiling, "I will come home after tonight. I can't let you and mom tear yourselves apart like this."

Betty's face breaks into a grin, finally having something good, "I would really like that, and I know mom would too."

I smile, pulling her into a hug. After discussing the articles for the B&G, Betty and I set out to meet Veronica at her locker before walking to lunch.

Once we all met up, Kevin ran up to us, waving his phone in the air.

"Oh, my God, did you hear?" Kevin said while Ronnie shut her locker door, "Remember when you went swooping in to save Ethel 'cause you thought she might be suicidal?"

I didn't know what they were talking about, but I didn't need to be a fool to know what he was leading to, "Kevin, please tell me she didn't-"

Kevin shook his head, "No, but her dad did."

I felt my heart stop, Mr. Muggs seemed like a nice guy. I had never spoken to her, but I knew Ethel, and she was always so sweet and very proud of her family.

Veronica took off towards the girls' bathrooms, and I looked at Betty waiting for an explanation to why Veronica was so bothered by the news of a man she didn't even know.

Betty sighed as she pulled me towards the girl's restroom, "The Muggs family invested with Veronica's dad, and she has been trying to make up for her father's doings. You really missed a lot while you were with the Blossoms, A."

Once we made it in, Betty immediately ran to Veronica while I stood behind watching while my sister helped my best friend. I didn't realize how selfish my actions had been or how much I was hurting others around me. Veronica was going through all of this and I never even knew.

I swore to myself that I would never do this again to the ones I loved before kneeling down with Betty to comfort Veronica.

~❃~

I wish that I could have gone to the hospital with Veronica and Betty, but I knew that I couldn't ditch the special event.

Jughead had dressed in a suit, and I had on a simple pink dress for the event. We were all speaking amongst ourselves, I was mostly talking to Juggie when my dad stood up to speak. All conversation ceased, and we turned to listen to him speak.

"We were tested this year. As a town, as a company. Mainly, as a family," I feel Jughead rest his hand on top of mine. "And it may not have been Jason's hand that staked the maple this year, but it was the hand of hope." He turned to Cheryl and then turned to me, raising his glass while everyone applauded.

"Don't think they're being nice or genuine," Cheryl leaned forward to speak to us, "They wanted me to fail at the tree-tapping. But you're going to help with all that," she smiled at Arch.

Jug and I both gave him uncertain looks before we went back to eating out meals. I noticed my dad pull Archie away to speak to him. I noticed Polly pull him away and begin dancing.

"You wanna dance?" Jughead's hand was in front of my eyes as he stood up.

I laugh, "You don't dance, Juggie."

Jughead smiled before taking my hand in his and pulling me towards the dancefloor, "I may have been asking Betty to help me learn." We begin swaying back and forth, which is a major accomplishment for Jug.

I can't help but smile at his kind effort, I quickly pull him down for a kiss, moving my lips against his before pulling away and resting my head on my shoulder, "You are amazing."

I could have sworn I heard Jughead, murmur, "I wish," but it was so quiet I wasn't sure.

I noticed Archie run across the room and see Cheryl leaving with tears in her eyes. I turn my head to Jughead to tell him I have to go, but he is already nodding his head before grumpily saying, "Come on."

I saw Cheryl and Archie talking by the pool. I stopped in my tracks while Jughead wrapped his arms around my waist.

"What did my dad say to you?" She asked him, "That everyone thinks I'm a train wreck?" Archie didn't answer. While Cheryl just nodded in sadness, "Jason was the golden boy. Adelaide is the innocent sweetheart," Cheryl scoffs while I can't help but feel touched to know that is how Cheryl sees me, "But me? People hate me, Archie."

It hurt hearing my sister say these horrible things about herself. The things that our family has made her think. I always knew that her confidence was just a coping strategy to bear through the hell she faces, but I never knew it was this bad. I just wish Jason was here, he would know what to do. He always did.

"And at school that's fine, whatever. But this is my family."

I felt Jughead pull me away, knowing that hearing it was hurting me too much, "Let's go." Jughead whispered in my ear.

"I never knew Cheryl thought all those things about herself or Jason and me."

"Juliette, everything Cheryl said about you was true," He looked at me like I was crazy while I mirrored his expression, "You are the top of our class, everyone loves you, and you have no idea how hard it is not to punch literally every guy who passes you with that disgusting look on their face because you are so beautiful."

I smile while tears fall down my face, "Yeah, and everyone hates my sister."

Jughead didn't seem too eager to defend Cheryl but, pulled me into his arms. I wish there was something I could do to help her, but there wasn't, and Jug knew it too.

~❃~

Jughead had led me to my house and walked me inside. We both silently walked inside the house, I saw mom drinking a glass of wine with tears streaming down her face, Betty was sitting next to her, looking helpless as she watched.

"Mom?" I walked closer to her and sat in the chair next to her, grabbing her hand. She looked up at me with a small smile before pulling me into her arms. She kept whispering how much she loved me and how she kicked Hal out and that she never doubted that she was going to keep me.

I smiled at her tears blossoming in my own eyes as I looked at my mom, "Polly didn't choose the Blossoms over you, she's there to spy on them."

Mom wiped her tears in happiness before getting up and running into the kitchen, "What would you like to drink honey. I can make your favorite, peach pie and chicken alfredo?"

I walked up to my mom, who was desperately trying to set everything up for me, "I'm fine, and just happy to be back."

She smiled tears, brimming her eyes, "I just thought that you weren't coming back. And it was all because I was a horrible mother-"

"You are far from it mom," I tell her before smiling at Juggie, "And I was hoping you would even spend some time with Betts and me at the school newspaper. The Blue and Gold. We need someone to help us write the story, and you are the best journalist in town," I wink at her, "And I'm pretty sure that our annual operating budget is bigger than the Register's."

She finally looked at all of us with a hopeful smile, finally gaining back her own life.

~❃~

"At the banquet, I heard Mr. and Mrs. Blossom talking," Archie sat on the desk in the Blue and Gold telling Betty, Jug, and I what he heard after we left the banquet, "It sounded like Clifford Blossom was responsible for sending Veronica's Dad to jail."

"Oh my god," Betty gasped. "If Clifford sent Hiram Lodge to jail, tore apart his family, then maybe Hiram was trying to do the same thing to him?" Betty began piecing together the information.

"I don't think that is it," I mutter staring at the picture of my dad in the corner of the murder board, untouched.

Jughead continued, "Yeah, by going after what the Blossoms value most, their family, their legacy. That's a motive."

"That's a motive," I sigh, knowing that my strange assumptions have no proof.

I watched as they put my best friend's dad on the board. I knew it wasn't him. He was definitely, not innocent, but I don't think that he was the cause for Jason's murder.

Maybe it was my weird Blossom blood, or maybe it was just my connection to my brother, but I had a feeling that my family was connected to his murder. I just didn't know who or how.

It seemed that, for Veronica, the sins of the father would remain simply that. While Archie Andrews returned from the brink with one more bit of news. Winter had come early to Riverdale. Brutal and unforgiving. Did it work? Are the vultures appeased? We're not out of the woods yet. But it would be nothing compared to the storm that was gathering. A storm of chaos named Cheryl Blossom.