Jughead groaned on the bed, his hand covering his stomach while the other pinched the bridge of his nose. Betty set her cup of coffee to the side, tucking hair behind her ear as she leaned forward.

"Hey," she breathed and he let out a deep breath. "Your dad's doing good. He, uh, woke up a few minutes ago. I just got back from his room, actually."

He sighed, swallowing thickly as he moved over on the bed. He tiredly patted the extra room he had made, his eyes still closed and his other hand still holding his stomach.

She bit her lip as she slipped out of her shoes, laying down next to him. She laid on her side so she could see him, slowly combing her hand through his hair.

"How do you feel?" she asked in a hushed whisper and he moaned. "Bad?"

"It hurts like a bitch," he grumbled, his voice gruff from the intubation from surgery. "But I'm not going to cry for my mommy in front of my girlfriend." She laughed, cupping his chin and titling it down so she could kiss him. He groaned, squeezing her thigh. "Don't tempt me," he whispered against her mouth and she laughed again, kissing his cheek. He groaned tiredly, breathing heavily. "I'm tired," he whispered groggily.

"That's normal," she muttered, continuing to stroke his hair. "Go to sleep, Jug. I'm not going anywhere."

He let out a heavy and deep sigh, resting his head on her chest. She combed her fingers through the thick strands, his eyes falling closed after he struggled to keep them open for a minute. He started to snore softly in seconds and she smiled tinily, placing a delicate kiss on the top of his head.

She felt her heart strings tug when he squeezed her close. She rested her cheek against the top of his head, still faintly stroking his hair. She breathed deeply and slowly, shaking her head. The idea was insane.

~

Within a few days, they were at Jughead's dad's trailer. Jughead was still pretty much bed-bound, but was able to move around with a slight limp.

"Jug, I have to go," Betty whispered one morning and Jughead whined. "My mom is going to kill me if I don't."

"And I will die if you don't take care of me," he challenged and she laughed, moving out of the bed. "Betty!"

"You can live without me for a few hours," she giggled, covering him with the blanket. "I'll be back by nine at the very latest."

"But I'm hurt!" he whined and she laughed, kissing him quickly.

"I do not have time to listen to you complain," she giggled and he groaned. "I have to shower."

Betty pulled her shirt down, sighing. She pulled her skirt up and placed a hand on her stomach, turning quickly when Jughead started to cough. When he laughed she gave him an unamused look, only making him laugh harder until he grunted.

"That's what you get," she huffed, coming to sit next to him on the bed. "I told you not to do that."

"You looked so sad staring at yourself in the mirror," he started and she swallowed thickly. "I couldn't just leave you like that and I know that's something that gets your attention in seconds."

"I was not sad-"

"You were sad," he chuckled sadly and she sighed, sitting down on the bed beside him. "You look... psh. Jesus Christ Betty, sometimes I think I made you up in my dreams." She rolled her eyes, ducking her head. "I'm serious. I may have been drugged up, but I meant it when I called you beautiful. Betty, you might as well be a goddess. And if your parents or family are too ignorant to see that, screw them. They don't deserve you anyway," he added in a whisper and she swallowed thickly, a small smile on her face as he wiped a tear off of her cheek.

He slipped his hand around to the back of her neck, squeezing lightly and coaxing her head down. He kissed her slowly and deeply, groaning into the kiss after a moment when she whimpered, sinking her hands into his hair.

She pulled back with a pant, her eyes squeezed closed as she rested her forehead on his. "I needed that," she whispered and he smirked. "Thank you."

"See? It cleared that pretty little head of yours," he chuckled and she laughed, biting her lip as she sat back on her haunches. "I'll be here waiting for you."

"You better not waddle off without me," she joked and he laughed, kissing her again. "How do you feel today?"

He sighed, shrugging. "I feel okay, I think. I've been worse and the pain is getting a lot better. I wish I could see my dad because... because, well, it's Christmas, but we don't always get what we want."

"Your sister's coming over later," Betty mumbled and he nodded. "And I'll bring you some stuff home. Pie, ham, that stuff." He smirked and she laughed. She kissed him again, groaning. "Okay, I have to go. I'm already pushing it."

"You look great!" he called as she left the room and he chuckled when he could hear her laugh bubble from the living room of the trailer. "Goodbye!"

"Get out of bed, Jug!" she shouted and he huffed. "Bye! See you later!" The front door shut and he sighed, groaning. He hated being alone.

He waited a few minutes before forcing himself out of bed to use the bathroom. He washed his face and tried to fix his hair, ending up shoving a beanie over his head. Betty wasn't okay with him showering without her there yet so he had to wait until that night to shower with her. He wasn't going to complain.

He moved to the kitchen next, making himself a bowl of cereal before he paced the trailer as he ate. He mumbled the beats to some of their songs as he walked, dropping the bowl into the sink when he was done. He took his meds before he fell down onto the couch, sighing.

He stared at the ceiling fan for a few minutes before he grabbed his phone, turning it on.

He groaned when there was no answer, huffing.

He hit the call button, listening to it ring. She was giggling as she answered, sighing. "Jughead, are you dying?" she asked.

"No."

"Are you bleeding?"

"Well, no-"

"Then why are you calling?" she asked and he sighed. "Jughead, I told you you cannot call me if you're bored. I cannot cure your boredom over the phone."

"Betty," he whined and she laughed. "I don't want to watch TV and Jinx is sleeping. He's, like, the shittest company I've ever had. And usually he's pretty interesting. He's lazy," he grumbled and she laughed. "You should have let me come with you."

"No, no, no." He could see her shaking her head in his mind. "Jug, the last place you need to be during recovery is my family's house at Christmas," she stated and he groaned. "Jellybean is coming over at two-"

"But it's only noon," he complained, whining. "Betty!"

"Do not 'Betty' me," she laughed and he grunted. "You won't be alone much longer."

"You are so unfair," he grumbled, crossing an arm over his stomach . "Can I try on your clothes?"

"Jughead!"

"I could totally pull off skirts!" he exclaimed and she laughed, biting her lip as she approached the house. "I kind of have nice thighs," he muttered, checking himself out in the mirror.

She giggled, whispering, "You are going to break up with me to date yourself."

"Okay, let's not get dramatic," he started with a smirk, "we both know your thighs are better."

She rolled her eyes as she flushed, chewing her bottom lip. He bursted into laughter and she chuckled, blushing even harder. He groaned after a minute, sighing as he held his stomach.

"Be careful," she mumbled, stepping up to the door. "You've been out of the hospital for three days and you're acting like you've been out for three years. I know you feel good, which is great, but you have to let your body heal, Jug."

He sighed, picking up the phone and walking through the trailer to the living room. "Do you know how boring it is, though?" he questioned with a frown. "All I can do is sit, walk, eat and lay. I can't do anything, like, at all. I can't even see my dad—who I gave my liver to—for Christmas."

"A part of your liver," she corrected and he shrugged. "And I'm sorry, Jug. If there was a way I... could bend the protocol, I would. But most people who donate a liver are dead, and you are very much alive and I'd prefer it if we kept it that way." He swallowed thickly, letting out a deep breath. "Your health right now is just as important as your dad's. You have to give it time," she added softly and he groaned.

He was silent for a moment and she knocked on the door of her house. "You're there?" he asked, watching her carefully.

She nodded and clenched her jaw. He could hear the door open and Betty offered the nicest smile she could. "You're late," the woman snapped and he felt his heart break for her.

Betty sighed, walking inside and closing the door. "I should probably hang up," Jughead mumbled and Betty bit her lip. "Betts, I think you have more to deal with there than you do with me."

"I guess-"

"Who are you talking to?" another voice asked before they stepped into the screen behind Betty. She looked identical to Betty, just older. "Oh, so you're the boyfriend," she commented and Betty's cheeks changed to a hot pink color.

"Polly," she gritted out and she shrugged. "Jug, I should-"

"No, wait. I want to meet him," Polly whined and Betty sighed.

"Kind of hard to meet over the phone," Jughead piped in and Betty nodded quickly over her shoulder. Polly narrowed her eyes at Betty who shrugged.

She glanced back at her, muttering, "Some other time, Pol."

She huffed, looking to Jughead. "Next time she's here, you have to come. I want to meet the guy who my sisters suddenly star-struck by."

"I am not star-struck! Jughead," Betty complained and he laughed.

"She's totally star-struck," he agreed and Polly nodded, walking away with her nose high. "Okay, I should let you go."

Betty sighed deeply, nodding. "I'll be home by 8," she promised and he nodded. "Bye Jug."

"Bye Betts." He ended the call and she bit her lip, holding her phone tight in her hand.

~

"Will you stop playing those?!" Jellybean shouted over Jughead playing the drums and he stopped the cymbal with a huff. "God, you're going insane. And Betty will kill you if you overwork yourself."

"Jellybean, they are drums," he huffed. "It's all I can do that doesn't overwork me according to her. And I am going insane, I can't do anything but sit here all day."

"How do you think dad feels," she huffed and he sighed. "He's actually doing really good though, Jug. He's... he's getting better, he's doing way better and he's healing quickly. He's not jaundice anymore and he's not always super tired. He can... he can actually get up and go to the bathroom by himself now," she laughed, biting her lip. "You did a good thing."

"I know I did a good thing, but the recovery is bullshit," he complained, getting up off of the stool and moving over to the couch. "You're lucky you don't have to go through this."

"I would have done it if I could have," she stated and he chewed his cheek. "Jug, I would have. I wasn't a match, I can't help that. You were, that's... he got a new liver, that's what matters."

"Yeah, I know," he murmured, looking down at his hands.

Jellybean watched him for a moment before looking around the trailer, asking, "Where's Betty?"

"Uh, with her family," he answered with a deep breath. "I was going to go with her, but then I did this."

Jellybean nodded, clearing her throat. "You haven't been here in awhile," she commented and he glanced over at her. "You lived here longer than I did. I haven't been here since I was, like, 7. You lived here until college." He chuckled, picking at his hands. "Is dad going to move back in here when he's able to live by himself?"

"I don't know," Jughead answered softly, shrugging. "I'd imagine he would. I honestly think he'd be stupid not to. Betty's been cleaning this place all week, going from the hospital to here. I told her she didn't have to, but she's Betty and she's stubborn." He smirked and Jellybean furrowed her brows. "She's taking care of me and we've only been dating for, like, 3, 4 months. She didn't have to come here and she sure as hell didn't have to stay."

"I know you don't like hearing it," Jellybean started with serious eyes. "But your ex wouldn't have done this."

"I know she wouldn't have," he muttered, running a hand through his hair. "And that's just what happens. It's why she's my ex," he chuckled and Jellybean gave him a pointed look. "Betty knows, okay? She knows what she did, she knows how she acted. Don't blame her."

"Jughead-"

"No, Jellybean," he interrupted, clenching his jaw. "I don't want to talk about her. She's not... she's the past and... and Betty is the present, maybe the future, I don't know. I want to focus on her, not... not somebody I don't even hear about anymore. If I can move on from what she did, so can you."

"Jug, you're my brother-"

"And you're my little sister, so why are we worrying about me?" he asked and she sighed. "I know you're smart enough to not get caught up in something like that and if you're not, whoever puts their hands on you is going in a goddamn ditch. You don't ever let people treat you like that," he continued and she chewed her lip. "They're not worth it. Even if they have good days, or whatever you want to call them. Those 'good days' will slowly fade away and it will be permanent bad days. Your life will become... hell, and then you'll fuck up. You'll cheat, or you'll run your mouth... you will do something that will make the abuse worse and then... then you're screwed. Get out of it before it gets worse," he finished and she sighed, tucking hair behind her ear.

"And you're going to be going to college anyway," he scoffed, adjusting in his seat. "And the dumbest decision you can make is going to college while you're still dating someone from home. It rarely works out, I watched... my roommate had a girlfriend at home and it didn't stop him from doing anything. It's more pain than it's worth."

"You're acting like a relationship guru," Jellybean joked and Jughead laughed. "Betty's really nice, I like her."

"Good," he whispered, biting his lip. "Has dad-"

"He likes her too, Jug. She's a good girl," she mumbled and he laughed. "She's really sweet, that's what I mean. I was... I was scared when you and dad went... when you guys went in. You had it... your surgery was laparoscopic and it... it had only been done so many times and..." She sighed and he watched her carefully. "I was scared and she just... she made sure I was okay. Nobody else would have done that."

"Betty works with kids too, Jelly," he explained and she shrugged.

"But she didn't treat me like a kid," she sighed, rubbing her hands over her thighs. "It was different than that. She-She cared. And you could tell that she was nervous too, but it didn't... she still helped me despite what she was feeling. You don't find that in many people anymore."

He smiled tinily, nodding. "She's pretty special," he whispered and Jellybean laughed.

~

"Your boyfriend doesn't happen to, like, have any friends who want kids, does he?" Polly asked in a whisper to Betty.

She threw her head back as she laughed, shaking her head. "Jughead's friends are basically children themselves," she giggled. "They are the last people you want being the twins' stepdad."

Polly frowned, sighing. "His friends don't have any friends?" she questioned and Betty shook her head. "God," Polly huffed. "Do you know how hard it is to date when you're also going through a divorce and also have two twin boys running around like chickens with their heads cut off?"

"It was hard enough for me to find Jug," Betty laughed, finding her sister's hand and giving it a squeeze. "You'll find someone at some point. Not all guys are still childish. I also just really strongly disagree with you dating one of Jughead's friends. They're in a band, they'd drive you nuts."

Polly chuckled, shaking her head. "Okay, you should go back to your guy now," she sighed and Betty stood. "He seems like a good guy—based on what you've told me."

"Jug is a very good guy," Betty muttered with a small smile, picking up the plates of food she had made before stepping over to the front door. "And I promised him I would be there by 8 with food so I have to go. I'll call you when I'm back in the city," she said softly, pulling Polly into a hug.

"I'll miss you," Polly whined and Betty giggled. "Easter?"

"Oh, of course," Betty exaggerated and Polly laughed. "Can't miss church with mom again, she'll skin me and Jughead." She breathed deeply, pulling on her outerwear. "Okay, see you in a few months."

"Bye Betty," Polly said sadly though with a smile as Betty left the house, walking down the steps and onto the sidewalk.

Betty sighed, pulling out her keys and pushing her key into the lock. She unlocked the door and pushed on it (hard) as she opened the door, huffing when she finally got inside.

She set the plates of food on the kitchen counter before she pulled off her jacket, hat, gloves and boots, sighing at how warm the trailer was. She stood and relished in it for a moment, letting the heat seep into her and warm her. She put the food into the fridge and groaned.

After a moment, she sighed, tucking hair behind her ear before she moved back to the bedroom. She slowly pushed the door open, stepping inside and leaning against it to close it. She bit her lip as she studied Jughead, his breathing blowing his hair slightly.

She tiptoed over to the bed, laying down beside him. She started at his temple, placing a feather-light kiss there before moving down to his ear. She nipped at it lightly and he groaned, trying to swat her away. She giggled, kissing his cheek, neck and shoulder.

"Mm," he mumbled, squinting at her. "Hi," he whispered gruffly and she bit her lip, smiling. "You're back late."

"It's only about 8," she whispered, placing kisses over his neck. "I brought you a plate of food and a plate of cookies."

He chuckled tiredly and she smiled against his neck, laying her head on his pillow. "You're too good to me," he murmured and she giggled, cupping his cheeks and kissing him. He groaned, squeezing her hip as he pulled her into him, his mouth moving down over her neck.

"Jug," she panted, moaning as he cupped her breasts over her shirt. "We can't," she breathed, accepting the rough kiss he placed on her lips. "Trust me," she giggled, her chest heaving as she looked into his eyes. "I would... we can't and you know that. If we could, I would, I promise you that."

He groaned, dropping his head back. "This is horrible," he complained and she laughed. "My stomach hurts, I can't have sex with my very, very, very attractive girlfriend, I can't see my dad, and I can't even smoke. I'm dying, Betty. Dying!"

"The amount of times you have complimented me this week is flattering," she laughed, kissing him quickly. "But I think you'll survive."

"I won't," he responded quickly.