The entire walk to Pop's the group was laughing and joking around, talking about everything. But the minute we entered through the doors into the once welcoming diner, the entire mood changed. I could hear Archie take in a gasping breath.

Fred had gotten shot here, his blood had been on the floors, everything that caused our once happy lives to spiral into hell happened right here. Our once sacred hangout, the place where I, and many others felt safe could no longer be classified as that, safe. However after everything that had happened the past few months, I don't think anywhere in Riverdale was safe anymore.

"Archie, we can go if this upsets you too much." Betty quickly interjected and I turned to see Archie looking at the ground. My attention then shifted to Violet who eyes were bloodshot and her cheeks were wet with tears. I took a step forward towards her but when she saw me Violet quickly turned away wiping her face.

"No, it's fine, it's just…" Archie said his voice cracking and I could see there were tears in his eyes.

"Archie!" We heard a familiar voice say and we turned to see Pop walking towards us.

"Hi, Pop." Archie cleared his throat as he looked up at the older man before him.

"I'm so glad to see you. How is your father?" Pop started looking at Archie.

"The doctor's don't know how he is, they said they won't know until he wakes up." Archie said sadly.

"Well, your father most likely saved my life, so from now on you can have whatever you want on the menu no charge." Pop said placing his hand on Archie's shoulder.

"Thank Pop," Archie said cracking a slight sad smile. "Could we get some milkshakes, I'll take a chocolate and uh…" He looked around at us.

"I'll take a vanilla please, with a strawberry on the side like usual." Betty smiled.

"Strawberry for me." I responded as I turned to look at Violet who was still staring at the floor not having heard anything that was going on. "Violet?" I asked causing her to look up at me her green eyes staring into mine. "Shake milk…" I blurted causing Betty and Archie to turn and look at me shocked. "Milkshake," I corrected quickly. "What flavor do you want."

"Oh, uh… sorry. Cookies and Crème please Pop." She smiled but I could tell it wasn't genuine. Violet's mind was definitely not in the diner.

"No problem." Pop smiled back. "And it's glad to have you back Violet." He said before he hurried back to the kitchen as the four of us headed to our usual booth. It seemed strange that Veronica's place had been taken over by Violet. While Veronica and I had never really gotten close in the few months she had been here, her presence was one that I surprisingly missed. Not only that but everything had happened so quickly it felt like a dream.

Betty and Archie sat next to her and I took my spot next to Violet.

"Are you going to be attending Riverdale High?" Betty asked.

"I wish, but uh, no. The house my father decided to into is in the Southside part of Riverdale, thus meaning I'm going to have to attend Southside High." Violet grumbled causing me to smile. "Guess I'm going to have to make some new friends."

"Not all of your friends at Southside are going to have to be new." Betty said pointing to me. "Jughead is also going to Southside high."

Violet turned to me eyes lighting up slightly. "What! Since when?"

"Since my dad went to prison and the state decided that Mr. Andrews was not a fit person to become my legal guardian." I said angrily.

"That's bullshit!" Violet exclaimed. "But at least I won't be alone." She smiled as she lightly elbowed me in the ribs.

Suddenly Betty's phone began to buzz on the table. Kevin's name coming up.

She quickly answered it as Pop's came over with our milkshakes setting them down in front of us.

Violet quickly began to drink hers and I suddenly felt her foot hook around my leg as she scooted closer.

"What!" Betty suddenly exclaimed causing us all to jump looking at her concerned. "Alright, yeah, I'll tell him." She quickly hung up look at me concern in her eyes.

"What Betty what's wrong?" I asked fearing it was something that had to do with my dad.

"Jug, there's been a giant gang fight over on Southside between the Serpents and the Grizzlies 2 Grizzlies are dead and 4 Serpents are in the hospital."

"What!" Violet cried out. "Do they…" Her voice cracked. "Do they know who died?"

"No but Kev said you need to get back, his dad is looking for anyone who has any connection to this and he said he is going to shut down the main road from Southside to Riverdale." Betty said and my attention turned Violet who had tears in her eyes once again.

"Alright, let's go." I said as I grabbed Violet's hand and we got up out of the booth.

"Hey Jug!" I turned around to see Archie had gotten up and was walking towards us. "Let me know if you get back ok." Then he pulled me in for a hug.

"Alright Arch, I will." I said feeling very uncomfortable in this situation.

Violet and I headed out of Pop's making our way towards Southside.

"Juggie, your sixteen, don't you have a car we could maybe you know use." She said trying to sound as light hearted as possible.

"With everything going on I haven't had the time to head to the DMV to get my license." I smiled as Violet reached over and grabbed my hand. "Plus, my dad's truck is still at our old house and I haven't brought myself to go by and take it."

It was silent for a moment before Violet squeezed my hand tighter. "I'm sorry about your dad Juggie. You know I didn't believe for a second that he could have been the one to kill Jason. When I saw that he had gotten arrested I wanted to come back and see you I…"

"Why didn't you come back Vi, Greendale is just across the river, why didn't you come back to visit to see us." I asked letting go of her hand and turning her so she was looking at me.

"Jug," She said under her breath.

"Please," I begged as I stopped walking.

"Things were bad at home, my dad…" She paused, "Well, you know how my dad is and my mom she was tired of it, so she just left."

"Vi, I'm sorry I didn't know." I said grabbing her hand again.

"It's ok, I think ever since I was little I knew that my parents were going to split up. I mean my dad isn't exactly the loving type. I guess I always hoped that if my mom ever left she would take me with her." A tear slid down Violet face.

"Violet," I started but then I stopped afraid of how she might react to the question. "You didn't get those stiches from tripping did you?"

Violet quickly let go of my hand as she walked farther ahead.

"Vi."

"He just get's a little angry, that's all. It was my fault anyway, I know I'm not supposed to make him angry when he's been drinking it's fine." She said turning back to me tears streaming down her face.

Quickly I rushed to her pulling her into a hug.

Anger was rushing through me, I couldn't believe that any one could ever lay a hand on her. When I was younger I had always known that her father had beaten her, she would come to school with bruises, ones she just tried to ride off when people asked. No one suspected anything, but me I could see through her lies. I had always wanted to be the hero and save her. But in my head I wasn't the hero, Archie was the hero. Archie was the one who would swoop in to save the day.

"Alright, enough about me." She laughed sadly as she pushed me away. "I'm not the only one whose been hurting. How have you been holding up Jug?"

"I'm fine, I've been fine." I lied.

"I'm fine, I'm always fine because I'm Jughead and I like to brood and be angsty in my S shirts and my beanie." Violet laughed imitation me. "I'm serious Jug, how have you been?"

"It's been rough Vi. You know how you said you never believed my dad killed Jason, well I did. After everything shitty he had done I thought that it would just be the icing on the cake. He had already pushed away Mom and Jellybean and this would have been what finally pushed me away from him for good." I said my voice cracking. "I want to push everyone away from me, I don't feel like I belong in a group with people like Archie or Betty or you. I did push Betty away." I huffed under my breath. "I don't want to be afraid of being myself around the people that I care about most."

"Jug," She said as she placed her hand on my cheek. "We all love you for the S shirt wearing burger eating dork that you are. None of us want you to be anything but that. And what do you mean you pushed Betty away. She loves you Jug. You could never push her away." Her fingers began to play with my hair sticking out of the beanie.

"But I did Vi, I did because I was scared. You see, these past couple months Betty and I we dated, but I… I fucked things up, like I always do and now I don't think she can even stand to be around me."

"Jug what did you do?" Violet asked dropped her hand as she looked at me.

"Something I had sworn to myself I would never do."

"Juggie," She said reaching out for my face again but this time I backed away.

"Hey, you know what maybe it's for the best, now that Veronica is gone maybe Archie and Betty will finally get together. They were always destined to be together."

"Not true, when we were younger I could always tell that you had a crush on Betty. In my head I knew you guys were going to end up together eventually, that's why whenever we played house, I always picked you as my husband so she couldn't have you." Violet said but quickly shut up.

I turned to look at her eyes wide. I couldn't believe what I had just heard. Violet had just admitted that she had had a crush on me when we were younger.

"Violet?" I asked.

"Well it looks like I'm home. My house is just a block down," She said and I looked around to find that we were in a trailer park.

"I can walk you to your door Vi," I said not wanting to her go back into that house knowing what awaited her.

"Uh, no it's ok my dad, he… I don't really want him to see you. Things would not be good if he did. I'll talk to you later ok, I still have your number." She smiled as she leaned forward and kissed me on the cheek. "Bye Jughead." She said as she turned and walked away.