Chapter 50: Wood

Wise men say only fools rush in

But I can't help falling in love with you

Rolling out her shoulders, Nancy looked up at her work with a feeling of pride. It's been years since she had to roll back her sleeves to decorate a gymnasium of all places, but it brought plenty feelings of nostalgia. So many cheer practices, school dances, and a few poorly directed plays. She felt strangely at home, yet ill-fitted in the massive space.

Awards and banners for games and championships that spanned beyond her own graduation just hit the fact home. Riverdale had continued to live on, cultivating younger generations after their own tearful goodbyes. It was still their gym, but it now had memories from complete strangers.

Nancy hoped that the kids today thought fondly of their days at Riverdale like she did.

"Coming down anytime soon, babe? People are starting to come in."

Glancing down, Nancy smiled at Ginger Lopez. "I'm on my way down. Just keep a solid hold on the ladder."

"Like I'm going to let you fall!" Ginger laughed, sliding her hand up Nancy's back as she slowly descended. "What kind of girlfriend do you think I am?"

"One that works out regularly," Nancy squeezed Ginger's bicep before dropping a quick thank-you kiss to her cheek.

About to take the last few steps down from the ladder, Nancy just happened to look up at the entrance of the gymnasium and nearly stumbled.

Social media was a glorious thing. Nancy honestly wasn't sure how people kept up with friend before the dawning of social apps and smartphones. She knew that she would be one of the guilty many, who allowed distance, time, and life to be an excuse for not picking up the phone or sending a letter. But that was, fortunately, not the case.

Since graduation . . .

Since jobs . . .

Since moves and Betty and Jughead's wedding, Nancy was satisfied to know that she knew a little bit about everyone's lives. Valerie was no longer with Archie, breaking away from The Pussycats to work full-time as a highly-demanded songwriter. Midge and Moose seemed to be together? They both featured sometimes in each other's photos but never consecutively, which Nancy figured would be an interesting story for the reunion.

Veronica's face seemed to be everywhere. News websites, ads, television and radio interviews. Keeping up with her business and relationships was easy for anyone to keep up with. Only those on her private social media page saw the intimate photos of Veronica with her fiancee, sharing meals with her family, and spontaneous visits to Betty's home.

And Betty!

Nancy's breath was taken away as she watched Betty Cooper-Jones walk into the gymnasium, laughing as she signed in at the table. Jughead Cooper-Jones was close behind her, a soft smile on his face while his hands carefully caressed the precious cargo strapped to his chest.

The announcement, the pictures of Betty's pregnancy, and the inevitable birth of Elaine Cooper-Jones was proudly outlined on social media.

Nancy thought that it would prepare her for just how lovely and glowing the family looked.

She was very, very wrong.

Shall I stay?

Would it be a sin

If I can't help falling in love with you?

Surprising everyone, Dilton and Cheryl married first.

During Dilton's junior year of college, he had asked Cheryl over the phone if she was interested in possibly marrying him sometime in the future.

"Sometime in the future" ended up meaning during their Spring Break, when the two of them went to the courthouse for an official ceremony. Moose and Cheryl's twin brother Jason served as witnesses.

Surprising everyone, Cheryl didn't tell anyone until the summer before senior year, when everyone happened to be in Riverdale for the same weekend.

"Oh, by the way. Dilton has been my husband for a few months already, but we still want to have a ceremony to have you guys celebrate our glorious union. Does sometime in June work for you all?"

Dilton basked in all of the shock and genuine congratulations, feeling very much like the successful "nerd" that got the school, pretty-girl at the end of every Hollywood movie.

It wasn't until the two of them actually moved in together, that Dilton realized that he had it all wrong. More than anything, Cheryl took every social opportunity to show off her new ring and new husband. The ring was simple, something that even he could afford, so he never did understood why it was such a point of pride for a woman who literally had everything she wanted.

But, Cheryl was forthright with her feelings, and her consideration of Dilton. She was a guilty of putting him on a pedistal just has he was of her. Dilton felt so fortunate that Cheryl loved him. It was a bit novel to realize that Cheryl Blossom felt just as fortunate to be loved by him.

That look was reflected on Jughead's face, a baby strapped to his chest, hand in his pocket, and slightly slouching as he followed Betty into the gymnasium. Over 23 years later, and things were still the same.

Tightening his hold on Cheryl's waist, Dilton lead them both towards the awaiting family. "Hey, guys! Glad you could make it!"

Betty smiled, folding herself into Cheryl's exuberant hug. "Oh, it was touch-and-go there for a moment. Elaine was not a happy-camper on our way here."

All four pairs of eyes gravitated towards the young infant, contentedly strapped to her father's chest: socked feet hanging in the air, fists wrapped tightly in Jughead's blazer, and a binky suctioned between lips. Whisps of thick black hair framed soft, chubby cheeks and vivid blue eyes, glued to the Cheryl's red hair.

Dilton understood the sentiment.

"Well, Elaine." Cheryl leaned forward, offering her hand. "It is a pleasure to finally meet your adorable, chubby cheeks in person."

Elaine hesitated for a moment before releasing one death-grip on her father's clothing before reaching out to wrap fingers tightly around two of Cheryl's.

Dilton watched his wife practically melt before she gently shook their hands up and down. "It's lovely to meet you."

Like magic, Dilton watched as Jughead brought his hand up just in time to catch the binky as Elaine released it without a second thought. Before he could ask if Jughead had gained some kind of baby mind-reading powers, the child simply brought their joined hands up, latching her gums around the knuckle of Cheryl's finger.

They laughed as Cheryl began to squirm.

"Oh . . . lovely."

Jughead shrugged, running his fingers through Elaine's baby-fine hair. "She isn't teething yet, so it's not too bad. Baby slobber is much easier to clean up than all the other stuff this child ejects."

Laughing, Dilton shared a smile with Betty. "Looks like you guys are doing great. Congratulations again on your first child."

Jughead puffed his chest in pride. "The two of us read every child-rearing book we could get ahold of before she was born. Shouldn't have bothered. She's been pretty great. Stinks sometimes and cries at weird hours, but she's been very good."

Cheryl tilted her head, seemingly resigned to the systematic drooling of her entire hand. "She was much fatter in your pictures online."

"Oh yes," Betty grinned. "Jughead was a very big baby himself, so I was prepared to some extent. Her arms and legs looked like bread rolls."

"Betty forbade me from naming her Honey Bun."

All four adults burst into laughter, causing Elaine's legs to kick out in content joy.

Like a river flows surely to the sea

Darling so it goes

Walking cane in hand, Bernice Beazley sat in one of the school's plastic chairs. Even after retirement, she tried her best to attend as many of these reunions as possible, fondly remembering all of the ungrateful children she served during her tenure at Riverdale High.

Well, not all of them were ungrateful.

Her attention was completely focused on the small group of reunion attendees near the refreshments table, men and women cooing over the precious infant strapped to one of her most favorite students ever.

Time had been very kind to Jughead. While Beazley distinctly remembered that he tended to look very indifferent until he was faced with a tray of food, it was very heart-warming to see him look so happy and content as more of his friends came to speak to him, taking a tiny square of cloth from his blazer pocket every once in a while to wipe at his daughter's glistening chin.

The boy-no, man-was practically glowing, keeping a hand at the small of his wife's back, Betty Cooper, if her memory served correctly. Beazley remembered the two of them being friends for most of their time at Riverdale. It wasn't until the last year that anything seemed to change between the two.

Betty pulled a friend into a tight hug, talking animatedly before pulling back to check on Jughead and their child. As if sensing her attention, Jughead looked away from his own conversation, silently offering up a cheek for Betty to drop a kiss before the two of them continued on.

Beazley smiled. She wasn't a Riverdale graduate, but she loved these events all the same.

Some things are meant to be

Take my hand, take my whole life too

Archie watched Betty and Jughead for a moment, fully prepared for the ugly grip of jealousy as Betty carefully took their baby into her arms, nuzzling her nose against the infant's cheeks. The baby giggled, arms and legs waving wildly as her father kept a supportive hand against her back. Jughead folded away the baby harness into the baby bag at his shoulder before taking the plate of finger foods Betty offered to him in passing, dropping a kiss to her hair before shoving a meatball into his face.

The jealousy never came.

The sight of the three of them being a family . . . it felt right. Even from this distance, he could see that over 23 years of being together did little to dull the obvious love that they shared.

Jughead was still deeply in love with Betty.

Betty was still deeply in love with Jughead.

Both of them were deeply, deeply in love with the little human they had made together.

The jealously never came.

And it was very easy to just be happy for them.

Would wonders never cease?

"Archikins."

Glancing away from Jughead's meticulous destruction of his plate, Archie smiled as Veronica approached, glass of wine in both hands. She offered one to Archie, which he happily took. "Ronnie. Lookin' good."

"Like always," she smiled. Her dark hair was cropped up to her shoulders and fell in softly scented waves around her neck. Hard-earned success looked good on her. "It has been a long time."

Archie smiled, shrugging a little. "Being a small-label music producer has been keeping me busy. But, I'm happy. Busy, but happy."

"Busy, but happy," Veronica repeated, her eyes moving back to Betty and Jughead, a soft smile on her face. "The story of my life."

Taking a sip of his drink, Archie nodded towards them. "You were there for the baby's birth?"

"Elaine," Veronica smiled. "And, yes. Betty turned down my offer of a highly-recommended doula, so it was up to me to make sure that her and her husband didn't give themselves heart attacks at the thought of becoming parents."

Laughing, Archie could imagine how two very successful adults could still be terrified by the thought of parenthood. But looking at them now, he could see that they were absolutely great at it.

They were great together.

They were meant to be.

"Well," Betty offered her hand. "You ready to go see our best friends?"

"Yeah . . . I'm ready." Tucking Veronica's hand in the crook of his elbow, he lead her across the gymnasium.

The jealousy never came.

For I can't help falling in love with you

[Word Count: 1,963]

AN: Yeahhh . . . I realize that the whole Nancy/Ginger relationship, while indeed part of the comic-verse, is not part of the canon comic-verse. But I love me some interracial bisexual relationships.

And that is the end of Playlist Amour. I have to say that posting this chapter was both very hard for me to do, and extremely cathartic. This fic would not have reached completion without the passionate support of the Archie comic and Riverdale fandom and I want to thank you all for sticking with me though this! Chatting with you all on , Ao3, and Tumblr has been an AMAZING experience, and because of you guys, I have really come to appreciate Betty Cooper and Jughead Jones.

I had a lovely time getting to know these characters as a writer, and I hope I did them all justice. Archie Comics helped me through my awkward elementary school stages, and these characters were my friends (despite my unfortunate puberty changes, braces, and AWESOME headgear).

I wish I could give you all huge hugs for the support you've given me. You are all the best, and make this fandom WONDERFUL.

Songlist for Chapters 41-50:

41. "Down" - Marian Hill

42. "Feels like Summer" - Weezer

43. "Collar Full" - Panic! At the Disco

44. Old Dominion

45. "Heaven" - Warrant

46. "Graduation (Friends Forever)" - Vitamin C

47. "Ain't It Fun" - Paramore

48. "Little of Your Love" - Haim

49. "Snowfall" - Ingrid Michaelson

50. "Can't Help Falling in Love" - Elvis Presley

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