Blind Love

For Veronica

Better safe than sorry, the trio were on the run again. However, they were not running away this time. They were running towards Riverdale, walking right into the lion's den.

No, they were not stupid. They were not going defenceless. That last night at Joaquin's, Veronica had successfully cracked the code on who they were and had dirt on them. Now all they needed to do was call the FBI and go back home. Nobody knew they were coming home. Not Betty, not Archie, and not FP.

Alone and drowsy, Veronica sat in the car. She had stayed up all night before the final breakthrough. Apparently, they were going to the train one by one in private cars driven by Jughead's trusted connections. She felt uneasy that she had to travel alone but it had to be done for the sake of their safety. As the car drove on, her head slowly nodded to the rhythm of the car's movements until her eyes completely closed.

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"We've reached Riverdale," Jughead said grimly as their car rolled to a stop in the outer skirts of Riverdale. "We'll put an end to this chaos."

"They'll be running once they see me," Cheryl tightened her grip on her bow.

Despite their words of bravado that Riverdale could not hear nor admire, both of them sat rigidly in the car, not wanting to get off and step foot into the place they called home.

"We've arrived," the driver's words sliced through the loud silence.

"The FBI should be coming tomorrow. It takes time to mobilise a large number of highly trained police force to come arrest them all,' Jughead stated to no one in particular before finally opening the car door with a loud creak.

The moment Jughead stepped onto Riverdale ground, a crow cawed. Cheryl followed shortly and looked up. The dark sky had clouds looming over them in a sinister manner.

"Let's go. Veronica should be arriving in a few hours."

Cheryl smiled sadly at his words before following the boy whose beanie was missing.

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Veronica woke with a startled jump.

She still had her seatbelt on. Was she still in the car? How long was the car ride? She fiddled with the seatbelt buckle until...wait...hang on! This was not a car seatbelt! This was a seatbelt that one would only find on an airplane.

AN AIRPLANE?

Veronica scrambled up to look outside. She was not on ground. She was on air. What the hell? She immediately unbuckled her seatbelt and ran to look for someone else on the plane for answers. This was a small plane that she recognised. It was her mother's private jet that she had sneaked onto and rode to Las Vegas on the weekends back when she was a reckless teen living in New York City.

"Miss Lodge, please stay calm and seated, we still have an hour until landing," a flight attendant informed her, placing hands on Veronica's shoulders.

"Landing where?" Veronica demanded.

"London," the flight attendant replied pleasantly. "You'll be reunited with your mother."

"Turn around!"

"Pardon, Miss?" The flight attendant herself half turned in confusion.

"Not you! Turn this plane around!" Veronica demanded with her strong eyebrows and convincing eyes. Even without the convincing of her bold lipstick, brow pen and sharp eyeliner, Veronica's features were enough to get what she wanted.

"Miss...I'm afraid we can't..."

"I don't care! We're going back to Riverdale now!"

"We really can't! We don't have enough fuel to fly all the way back," she said in distress and slight fear to the furious teen confronting her.

"Where's the nearest place you can land for fuel?" Veronica was not taking no for an answer.

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FP Jones stood on the viewing tower of the Southside. Beneath him lay wounded bodies strewn in pain on the blood-decorated ground. It was the masked Barbarians versus the unmasked people of Riverdale fighting for their home.

"This does not look good," FP Jones shook his head ominously.

He aimed his rifle at the advancing enemy. Bam. Bam. Bam. Three men down. Like Atticus Finch, he was also known for his dead shots. He prayed the FBI would hurry up and assist them, as the Serpents' resources could not compete with the Barbarians', whose leader was from New York City.

Frantic footsteps behind FP made him whir around and aim in defense. The running Serpent held up his hands to indicate she was not the enemy. FP lowered his gun immediately.

"FP, Jughead's gone on the battlefield with Archie Andrews," the Serpent lowered her eyes to the ground, not wanting to take the wrath of his fury.

"God damn it! I should have known! That boy does not know how to take orders! You take the rifle, I'm going down," he shoved her the rifle and rushed down the steep stairs.

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Jughead knew he was ordered not to go on the battlefield. But he did not care. It was his responsibility as Serpent King to go on the frontlines and protect his people.

Despite his aching body from recovering injuries and pounding head from his lack of sleep, he marched on bravely, slaying enemies left and right.

A slash of his knife. This one was for Riverdale.

A hard punch of the enemy's gut. This one was for The Serpents.

A kick that sent a masked man flying a few feet away. This one was for his father, who had worked so hard to protect him, the Serpents and Riverdale.

A bullet shot into the opponent's thigh. This one was for his Northside friends, Betty and Archie, who have so loyally stood by his side np matter good or bad times.

A twist of the neck of one of the masked men who had so mercilessly tortured Veronica and him. This was for Veronica. The Veronica he loved unconditionally and would do anything to ensure her safety, which was why he had slipped her a sleeping pill and sent her on a plane to London, away from the dangerous Riverdale. She had gone through too much to have her life risked again.