This isn't the beginning. It may seem that way as Lane Vivian found herself standing in middle of the Whyte Wyrm surrounded by Serpents, but it's not. It didn't start with a body on her kitchen floor, it didn't even start earlier that day as she got ready for school. Today had been a long time coming, and Lane was ready for it.

.^.

As the last bell rang and students filled the halls to catch their bus or their ride or make their way to their after school activity, Lane stood at her locker filling her backpack with the day's textbooks and notes. Today was an easy day, she only had student council.

"Hey Lane."

Lane followed the voice to where Betty stood with Veronica Lodge on her left. "Betty," she greeted, and in turning to the other girl she gave her a long untrusting look. "Veronica."

Betty continued without noticing. "I know it's last minute but have you given anymore thought to helping with the fundraiser for Pops?" she asked with a small smile that was bordering pleading. Lane was head of the student council and had a hand in every school sanctioned event, party, committee, fundraiser. Everything. Betty's eyes were wide in a way she meant to be endearing.

"Yes, that'll be the main topic in today's meeting. Everyone's on board," Lane told her. A smile split wide on Betty's face and she stepped forward with her arms out so relieved she didn't think before trying to hug her. "We don't need to do that," Lane was quick to tell her, a hand held up between them keeping Betty back.

"Sorry," Betty said smoothing her shirt. "I can have more details for you tomorrow."

"Like a theme," she said nudging Betty in the direction Lane most wanted. Once they had a theme they could get to work on the smaller details like flyers and color coordination and slowly build up the larger pieces.

Betty nodded. "I was thinking of a kind of throwback feel, like when the diner first opened," she said watching Lane blink, no change in expression. "Remind people of simpler times."

When she was sure Betty was done Lane nodded. "That's good, people love retro. We'll create a mockup flyer in today's meeting, I'll show you tomorrow and if you like it we'll print it."

"That's great," Betty started, having more ideas she wanted to share.

But before she finished Lane said, "good, come in early we'll go over it first thing."

"Oh, um, I was hoping to-"

"Unless this isn't top priority, we do have other things that need to get done," Lane said in a serious manner.

Betty's smile strained as she shook her head. "I will see you bright and early tomorrow."

Her expression still unchanged, Lane offered a tight-lipped smile and an even smaller nod. "I'll meet you at the front of the school," she said before leaving the two girls in the now empty hallway.

Turning from her retreating form Betty looked to Veronica. "She is as intense as I remember."

Veronica was still watching Lane as she rounded a corner, having noticed how frequently Lane's pale watchful eyes flicked to her as she spoke with Betty. "I pride myself on dealing in ice but that girl operates on another level." The two walked in a heavy silence, Betty thinking about losing Jug to the Southside and losing the diner she'd grown up with, Veronica thinking about her father being home. And it just seemed like too much. "But she throws a hell of a party."

"Right?" Betty agreed with a faint laugh.

"I just get the feeling she doesn't like me," Veronica finally said, voicing what she'd been thinking since she first met Lane, who's heavy stare never seemed to let up around Veronica. She was the girl everyone knew but no one knew anything about.

Betty shrugged having always felt that way, but Jughead swore she was capable of being nice without any explanation as to how he knew that. "She's just hard to read. But everyone knows her, she'll get more people to come."

But come tomorrow morning Betty stood in the crowded hall five minutes til the first bell rang with no sign of Lane. And entering the building with his head down staring at his phone was a worried Reggie who'd gone to her house and found it empty, and was now making his fifth unanswered call to her.

.^.

Stowing the 50s themed flyer in her notebook Lane stacked the chairs from the student council meeting and rounded the corner going over in her head what all she needed to get done today to get ready for tomorrow.

"Took you long enough," Reggie said leaning against the wall outside the room they'd set up in.

Hoisting the strap of her heavy bag higher on her shoulder Lane replied with a short, "would've gone faster if you'd actually helped instead of playing with your hair." As his hand reached for her bag she side stepped him, knowing he only took it when he wanted to cop a feel.

"But then I would've messed up said hair, and we both know I look too good for that to happen," he said with a cheeky grin as he slung an arm around her shoulder, letting his hand dangle too low over her chest.

She rolled her eyes pushing against him, feeling his arm tighten around her. "Why are you driving me?"

"Because I drove you this morning," he answered simply.

That wasn't what she meant but his hand was grabbing something he shouldn't and she rolled her eyes again catching him in between steps and knocked him off balance with a well placed shove. "I figured you'd forget about me."

Righting himself he shoved her back, though softer so that he only moved her half a step. "That hurts," he said with a hand over his heart for effect. He grabbed the door throwing it open and letting her step through first.

"Yeah I can see you're wounded," she said looking up at his perpetually mischievous smirk. "But seriously," she stood by the passenger's door watching him walk around to the driver's side and they shared a look over the hood, "why are you driving me?"

They both climbed in and met in the middle, and he shrugged. "Can't be too careful," he answered vaguely turning away from her. It was as close as he'd get to telling her he knew she was alone and there was a guy in a black mask shooting people, this was his way of making sure she was okay.

Which she knew without him saying because although they weren't as close as they used to be she still knew him. So she sat back letting him drive her, looking at his street as they passed it and turned one street further.

"So you're mom's not home," he said as he parked in her driveway.

She knew he meant Rebecca, who she honestly knew more than her real mother, she also knew what he was getting at by noting her house was empty. "You're as subtle as a hand grenade," she said with a half-hearted roll of her eyes as she climbed out of his car, hearing the clap of his door as he followed. She didn't need to turn back to him as she made for the front door to know the smug way he smirked as he watched her climb the stairs. "I'm doing homework, you're always free to join me." She stood in the now open doorway looking up at him, seeing his half curled smile begin to melt.

She wasn't into him, neither Reggie nor Lane had ever questioned that – he was a different matter, and neither Lane nor Reggie knew what he really wanted. What he did know was that she was serious about the homework. "In that case, I have somewhere to be that isn't here," he told her with stark unapologetic honestly.

It made her smile, and she nodded with a long hum as she stepped inside her empty house. "Thanks for the ride," she bid him.

"I'll pick you up tomorrow," seemed to burst out of him, and in the time it took her to look back at him he'd pulled himself together enough to offer a sly grin.

But he hadn't done it quick enough because she caught a glimpse of what might've been vulnerability in his dark eyes. But she'd blinked and it was replaced with the kind of smile that made her want to hit him. "I have to be there early," she said in such a monotonous way it gave no hint as to whether she wanted a ride.

It left it entirely up to him and he hated how easily she ripped through his arrogance, leaving him feeling exposed. So he heaved a heavily grieved sigh. "The things I do for you," he bemoaned sounding put out.

"See you tomorrow," she told him before shutting the door. Leaving him on the front step chilled from the coldness that came off her in waves. She seemed entirely without warmth, but what he didn't know and what she'd never admit was that she counted on him being there.

Pulling her shoes off and leaving them in the cubby by the door she made her way to her room unpacking her bag on her desk. Within a couple hours she had everything done but an English paper, she had it outlined but she figured she'd eat dinner and shower before writing it up and calling it a night.

She made her way downstairs trying to remember the frozen dinners she bought a few days before, none of it sounded good. Reaching the bottom step her gaze flicked to the deadbolt as it always did and she turned to the right to head for the kitchen. Her feet stilled not even a step after as her mind caught up to what she saw. Turning back to the door she saw it unlocked. She stared at it unhappily taking a deep steadying breath and turned back for the kitchen.

If nothing else she was a creature of habit, certain things had certain routines and there were no off days. She didn't leave the door unlocked. Her own personal boogeyman had returned not even two weeks ago, it really was only a matter time before he sent someone after her.

Stepping into the kitchen she hooked a right where there was the pantry and a small wooden table by the window she'd set up because she didn't like eating in the spacious dining room alone. She quickly grabbed a bag of chips and set them on the table and stood looking at the window. Lane had come in the doorway from the main hall, to the left of that was a wider archway leading to the dining room she rarely used. She could see the glare of the lights reflected in the window, and around the corner of the dining room a dark figure emerged with carefully placed steps. She released a shaky breath picturing from his distant reflection where he'd be standing on the far side of the kitchen.

She moved before he did which is what she'd been planning on. He'd barely gotten a hold of the gun tucked in his pants before she suddenly whirled heaving a vase that broke over the arm he'd raised to protect his face.

Shattered glass knicked his skin and his grip on the holster tightened as he looked up ready to take her out quickly. But her efficiency surprised him again, as soon as she'd let go of the vase she grabbed the back of a chair and in hearing the glass break she lunged. He had enough time to meet her burning green eyes before a blow fell over his head and chest sending him to the cold tile floor. With his ears ringing he raised his arm as though to take a shot at her as she stood over him, only to realize his hand was empty and she was holding his gun.

"Are you working for the man who killed my father?" she asked surprised at how heavy it felt in her small hand.

"You're outta your depth kid," he told her, getting an arm under himself so that he was in a better position to go after her. "You have no idea wh-"

"Did I stutter?" she cried in a commanding voice that sounded more confident than she felt. But it shut him up, and as his eyes flicked to her legs she backed up knowing he was planning how to get to her before she got a shot off. "Should I take that as a yes?"

He sneered, and it was the last thing he did before she killed him.

.^.

There was a lull in the Whyte Wyrm at the sight of a well dressed teen standing where she didn't belong. Her pale eyes scanned their unfamiliar faces not finding the man she knew the most, instead her gaze landed on a very tall rough faced man with long hair.
Her stern face seemed to soften as she stepped toward him, and standing so close to him at a foot shorter she suddenly seemed so small. "Are you the leader while FP's away?" she asked him, feeling untrusting heated eyes surrounding her.

Towering over her Tall Boy nodded. "Yes ma'am," he told her with something close to gentleness in his gruff tone.

This man had accompanied FP to her father's funeral, he'd stood at FP's back when he gave her his word. She recognized him. "He said I could use my father's favor," she said hearing the crowded bar grow impossibly quieter, ready burst, "I'd like to cash in."

This is an idea I had for the show, I hope you guys enjoy it. It will be a slow burn all around; the romance (which I'm so excited for), getting to know Lane because as you might be able to see in this chapter she's a little difficult. And it's okay if you don't like her at first, she's very guarded and I cannot wait to start chipping at her walls who she really is underneath.

I hope you enjoy, and thank you for reading.