Everything was moving in slow motion as Fp guided the younger Serpents through the roaring angry rioters. He pushed their grabby arms away from the other. He wasn't going to let one of his own die for some stupid lie. Fangs forgarty didn't murder Midge Klump. He wasn't guilty for that sin. In other ways in maybe the lord's eyes he'd be seen as guilty as sin. He pushed and pushed through the raging enemies.

Jughead looked at all the directions as he observed the chaos. It was insanity. Pushing, shoving and poking. He felt Toni push her tiny weight through. No was aware of the raged violent intruder not far from the group huddled in a tight secure hold. Yelling, shouting and seared echos of a bang to the floor. He jump back a few feet backwards and then a loud blast seized the crowd. He docked for cover to only uncover his worst nightmare. Fp watched as Archie Andrews tackled Reggie Mantle to the Black dark as night asphalt. Then he felt a searing pain shoot through his body and into his blood stream. Sharp grunts exited his a-gaped mouth as his shock system was thrown out of wack. He had been shot. That's the only thing that registers in his brain as his son looks around his surroundings. He feels hands jolt him back. He can hear his son's yells for help as he shudders in agony. He felt like he can't lift his deadweight of his body. He surveyed his son's pained, furious eyes. Jughead couldn't believe his own eyes. His father was a second ago was standing and now he's bleeding out in the middle of the riots. Just when he thinks his day couldn't get any worse. It does. A lot worse. He wants to tackle Reggie for what he has done to his father.

"Dad?" He whispers softly as he presses the bullet wound his non-grown hands. He sees his dad's eyes start to roll back into his head. He starts shaking his body vigorously to keep his Dad from shutting his eyes. "Dad! Keep your eyes open! Okay? I need you!" He feels his father's shaky hand touch his face. He blinks his eyes hard to keep the unsheded tears locked into place.

"Ju-g?" Fp's voice rasps from the lack of oxygen and blood loss. He feels his breathing beginning to hitched as he raises his hand to his son's face. "G-o get help. I n—eed you to call Betty to keep you." He takes a breath. "...Safe. I know you w-ant to hunt someone down. Don't. Just get me h-elp." He coughs as his eyes blur with tears.

Jughead felt lost for words. It wasn't until he feels a squeeze on his shoulder. He turns his attention to the face in his eyes. Archie was standing beside him, whispering. With the help of Sweet Pea, Toni and Archie they were able to manage to hoist Fp into their grasps. The walk was grilling for Jughead. His father could die. He might never see his father can. This wasn't what he had planned. None of this was planned. He keeps fighting back the icy tears frosting over his pupils as he waits in the waiting room. He wants to call Betty like his father told him to. But he couldn't bring himself to press numbers into his phone. He just felt like he was frozen.

Archie couldn't stop himself from feeling guilty. He knew very well that Reggie didn't shoot him. He brings himself to walk over to the vending machine and press the buttons. A blue Gatorade slams into the opening. He grabs the beverage and that's the blue Liquid slide down his throat wishing it was something much stronger. More of a kick. He looks over to his best friend and feels a jab to his heart. Jughead could lose his father just like he felt when his father was shot. Helpless. That was what he felt all those months ago. While he was caring Jughead's Dad; he felt his stomach twist in agony. It reminded of him too much of his father. He decides to pick up his phone and enter some numbers. Praying someone would answer.

Betty was standing in the town hall waiting for her father to show. Cheryl told her that her father was at thistle house. And that she was alright and just to watch for him. As she walks over to her car. She feels her phone vibrating in her purse and she opens the zipper and pulls out her phone with Archie name dazzling her screen. What could he possibly want? She swipes answer and then her heart breaks. Her boyfriend's dad has been shot. She tells Archie she just has to make a stop and she will be there as soon as she can.

Alice was sitting in her living room watching tv when her daughter walks into the house, eyes bloodshot and puffy. She wants to ask what was wrong but she feels sharp ache in her stomach when she sees the tv screen light alarmlying with a new headline with someone she cares deeply about. She blinks back the stinging in her eyes as she grabs her purse and opens the door with her daughter close behind. Betty's confused the whole eerily slient ride to the hospital. Alice tries her absolute hardest not to crash her car as she drives down the highway in panic racing in her heart. Fp Jones. The love of her life is serious life threatening hurt. He's been shot. She never thought that he could ever die on her. Even if they weren't together or haven't been in years; didn't mean she didn't care. Betty could see her mother's eyes. Tears were trapped behind her mother's stubborn eyes. She could tell by the look on her mom's face that Fp meant the whole fucking world to her mother. It was like she was in love with him. Then it clicked. Her mother was in love. Not with her father. And her father was the Black Hood. She was scared. Her father was rummaging and rampaging through their town with murder in his blackened pupils. In the exact words of Pop Tate himself. "It was like the angel darkness had come to Riverdale." Guilt sucked through her heart and soul. She felt lost. She wouldn't know what to do if it was her mother. She would cry for hours. Non-stop.

Spotting his girlfriend Jughead finally breaks down and shatters in her arms. He looks up after awhile and sees Alice Cooper looked just as broken as he was. He had gotten the vibes for months. But he didn't know if he would be okay with them dating. If his father survived. Visitors started pouring into the waiting room, throwing their arms around the fragile Jughead Jones. Cheryl sent him looks of compassion; Something she recently had been showing more often. More then she ever had before. Cheryl knew what it was like to be waiting in agony. She kept on waiting to hear back from her brother when he disappeared. But he ended up dead. She hoped that Mr Jones would make it. She didn't want to see Jughead angry, suicidal like she was. And she couldn't stand to hear him mope around. It was darn right depressing. And most of all she cared a lot for the hobo. She didn't even call him that anymore. She became his friend after she helped his father. And she was still disgusted by the man's cleanup in her brother's sloppy ending. But him dying in the wrong hands just felt too inhumane. Even for Cheryl Blossom wrath. That was just too much for her to bare.

Sweet Pea wanted revenge for the loss. He wasn't dead yet. But in his eyes. A king always come to its fall upon weaponry. He wasn't as callous and mean as he was shown. He actual cared for Jones. He knew this would break him. Undeniably it will be the death of the Jughead Jones he knows. Yes he could be a pain in his ass. But for him to lose his father. That couldn't make him hate Jones. It wasn't his fault. It will never be. He wants to go up to him and tell him that it will be okay. But he didn't know the outcome or have the authority to change the outcome either.

Fred sat down by his son and his adopted son slash godson. He didn't want Jughead to lose his father. He knew that him and Jug had their issues and problems. With his drinking and the Serpents. He also knew that Fp wouldn't want his son to beat himself up. He would want him to be there. He felt a pounce onto his side. He looked over and saw Jughead curled up in a ball and snuggling his face into his side. Jughead hadn't done that since he was little. He felt his heart break for his godson. It broke many times this horrid year. First Jason Blossom and then he was shot by the Black Hood. And now his best friend in the world was lying in a surgical table holding on for his life to see his son and the true love of his life, Alice Cooper. He knew all about his best friend's love for that woman. She was the lighter to his flame. His ride or die. Whatever that meant. He still didn't get gang metaphors after all the years he had known Fp.

He met Fp when they were in sixth-grade together and ever since that day he stopped by Fp's locker (he was struggling to open) and asked him where Mr Cera's room was. He hadn't looked back. Even through their struggles and fights; he still stayed. When he joined the Serpents. He still stuck by his side. And now he was lying on a table getting sliced into. He shook his head to escape the graphic detail and eyes the clock. It officially was three hours since he was admitted. The doors swinged open, revealing two surgeons coated in blood. Jughead shifted and fluttered his eyes open. It takes him a few seconds to release a breath he had been holding.

"Family for Forsythe Pendelton Jones III?" Jughead rose to his feet and felt his legs weaken.

"He's my father." He says as he feels his arms glued to his sides. The two Surgeons acknowledged his presents.

Alice wraps her arm around her daughter for support. "He's going to be okay. The bullet hit his stomach and didn't hit any major arteries. He will recover soon." She takes a deep exhale and felt her eyes well up with tears. "Here's the bad news." Jughead and Alice both felt their hearts plummet to the bottom of their stomachs.

They weren't ready. Why had there always had to have bad news? Jughead didn't know if he could handle one more thing. "We don't when he will wake up. It could be days or—" The surgeons words were abruptly interrupted by a cold manic voice.

"Thought you would escape me?" Betty's heart sped up fifty times faster then a heart should be beating.

It felt like a literal nightmare coming true in the most unwanted ways ever expressed. Fred still had a bulletproof vest on from when he was helping Tom Keller get rid of the Ghoulies who were demolishing Pop's with spiked-balls. He blocked Jughead from the Black Hood's gun. He wasn't going to have Fp's son die too. Betty and Cheryl couldn't believe their eyes. Cheryl thought she had injured him enough. Unfortunately she hadn't killed the killer in him. Jughead couldn't believe his day just went from worse to horrendous in a matter of seconds. Hal Cooper was standing in front of them with a gun pointing right at Mr A. He was the Black Hood after all this time. Alice couldn't believe who was standing in front of her. Hal her husband and the Black Hood to her new realization.

"Hal it was you all this time. You hurt everyone." It chilled her to the core to even say the words. Hal just laughed and fingered the trigger.

"I'm surprised the scooby doo gang didn't figure it out since they discovered Jason Blossom's murderer." He mocked as he eyed everyone in the room.

Everyone's blood ran cold as he roamed the room as he approached Betty. Betty watched as her father started moving closer in her direction. Every muscle in her body tensed up as he got even closer and squatted down in front of her. She looked around the waiting room to see the others hiding behind the visitor desk and peaking their heads to see the scene unfold. Before returning her gaze at her father's stone cold green eyes.

"Say who I am, Betty." He lowers his voice when he hears a baby scream in the distance. She doesn't utter a word as she steals a glance at her boyfriend and then back at her father. "I said say who I am!" He shouted in her face bearing his teeth. Her teeth began to chatter as the cold rushes down her spine.

She brings to open her mouth to utter the forbidden words. "Y-our the bl-ack Ho-od." She confirms with her voice shaking as he backs away with satisfied grin.

The whole room grew eery silent as the confession overpowered the room. He starts walking around waving his gun on his pointer finger and laughs again. "Yes I am." He chuckled at the scared looks on their faces. Then he looks back down at the gun and smiles. "And yes, I shot you Fred." He winks as he stared Fred in the eyes. Fred shinks back down still covering Jughead and feels his heart pound.

Hal Cooper shot him. His next-door neighbor shot him. He couldn't believe the words exiting the sickening monster in front of him. Hal smirked as he watched Fred shrink down. It made him feel like he had every power in the world.

"I shot Moose, strangled Grundline or Ms Grundy. I killed the Sugarman, knifed Midge Klump. Tricked Joseph Conway into confessing. Murdered Doctor masters and..." He paused to mock as Alice and Jughead's eyes burn with tears.

Jughead already knew. He knew he was responsible for his father being in the hospital. "And you shot my father." He said in a quiver. And the way Hal looked at him made his stomach churn in sickness. It was enough to want to throw up.

"Why?! Why Dad?!" Betty shouted grabbing the killer's attention away from her boyfriend and over to her.

Hal followed the shouting and turned to face her. His daughter was speaking to him. She has figured out before everyone else. She had his darkness. He started explaining what he had been through as a child and was terrorizing the crowd. Fred and Alice knew they had to come up with a direction. Alice started walking up to him when he wasn't looking and wrapped her arms around his neck. She tightened her grip. She could see he was struggling to breathe smirked. She laughed as his face was turning blue. At some point he had dropped the gun and Betty kicked it away with her feet.

"That's for trying to kill the love of my life! That I stepped out on you with." Alice smirked as she tightened the grip on his neck as he fought her hands off his neck.

Something ignited in with him and he snapped. He pushed her against the stone wall. She broke out of his grip and started racing to anywhere to hide. But he grabbed her and threw her over his shoulder and grunted as he pinned her to the wall. Betty held the two guns in her hands. She swung the locked gun over her ex-father's head and he fell to the ground. Jughead sat there amazed by what just happened. One second they were choking each other and then the next Betty had Hal on the ground.

Then Hal got a second blast of strength and started standing up. But it wasn't long before Betty noticed and fired the gun. Her body jolted as the gun recoiled and a large amount of excitement shot through the barrel and into Hal's right arm. She screamed as she buried her head into Jughead's chest as blood seeped off her father's arm and into the floor. The crimson color mocked her as her stomach churned. She felt like she could actually throw up. Alice's eyes wrecked with tears as she was comforted by Fred as he soothed.

"He's going away from a long time." He whispered into her ear as she bawled her eyes out.

Moments passed and everyone came out of hiding. Arms wrapped around everyone as tears escaped their eyes. Breaths were taken as they thanked the man above for their lives being saved. They were just overjoyed and blessed that they weren't the Black Hood's next victims.

"Sorry to inter— what happened in here?" Someone gasped as they looked at the horrid sight.

Terrified looks on their faces confused the doctor. She had only been gone for 15 minutes to take on another patient and she came back to chaos. Blood on the floor and petrified families in the waiting room.

"The Black Hood was here." She turned to the voice and felt remorse for the crowd. These poor people had a long night.

"Oh my god! I'm so so sorry. I'll call the police. Th—"

"No call Sheriff Keller. Never mind I see him." Fred stated as he saw Tom Keller enter the room with three other officers.

He walked over to Hal and checked his pulse. He was still breathing. With the help of his other officers they handcuffed Hal and walked out of the building.

The doctor shook her head and sighed. "Now that's over. The Jones Family." Jughead's ears peaked up and he looked up. "He's awake. He's asking for his son." Jughead wiped his eyes.

"Can my step-mom come to and her daughter?" He lies as he asked hoping that they would allow them.

She sighed. "I don't see why not. Visiting hours for others are at 9 tomorrow." She explained as she started walking down the hall. Everyone was checked out by the doctors to see if they were alright.

Jughead smiled for the first in days and grabbed Betty's hand and looked behind him to see Alice's face. She was still utterly speechless that he called her his step-mom. She knew it was the only way to get her to go. Without having to sneak her in. She started walking following Jughead and the doctor to his room.

Fp opened his eyes to see nothing but white walls and hearing loud humming from the machines he was hooked up to. He couldn't believe how much pain he was experiencing in that very moment. It was like the worst pain he'd ever experienced. The next thing he saw was a red-head doctor with a white lab coat come into his room. She checked his chart and sighed.

"A gunshot. Oh no. I'm so sorry. Since we were able to get it out. You should have a smooth recovery." He smiled at the nice doctor. She was very nice. Maybe a little too nice he thought as she talked.

"Yeah it stings like..." he breathed out as a sharp pain burned his stomach. "A bitch." He chuckled with no humor behind it. Her lips turned into a frown.

"Yeah I bet. I'm going to notify your family. I will be back."

His family? He only had Jughead left. Would Gladsy actually come back? Probably not. "Miss?" She turned around. "I want to see my son." She nodded and left the room.

After she left. He laid his head back into the uncomfortable pillow that sure wasn't made for kings. He groaned as he flipped the pillow on the other side and cursed when it didn't fit his comfort again. Why don't they have pillows for kings, he growled as he waited for his son. He missed his daughter. He hadn't seen her in what felt like decades or even centuries. He seriously felt like it had been eternity since the nice redhead left his hospital room. Or maybe he was just impatient.

His thoughts were interrupted by his son nearly charging into his arms. He winces as his son hit his side and yells in pain from the throbbing ache. Jughead backs away feeling irritated with himself. He just caused his father more pain then he was already in.

"Dad. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you." He apologized as he backs further away from the bed. Fp looked over at his son's eyes. He noticed fear. Something he'd never seen before in his son's eyes. Not even once. Not when he was drunk and throwing shit.

"Jug, it's okay. You didn't know." He stopped when he saw someone with honey blonde hair enter the room. "Alice?" He said as he watched her eyes with the same fear his son had. What the hell is going on?

Then another Blonde curled into his son's arms. Betty looked just as terrified as his son and Alice were. Same look in their eyes. It was like some sucked their happiness out of their bodies.

Alice felt a huge weight lift off her shoulder when she saw him with wide eyes. He was alive . It only made her more furious with her husband. She was definitely going to divorce his motherfucking bastard crossing cheater murderer of an ass. She never hated someone as much as she hated that mother-fucking.

"Fp, oh god. You scared the shit out of me, You asshole." She snapped as tears blurred her vision and down her cheeks. His eyes froze on her.

"Alice, what happened? Why do you all look like you seen a ghost?" He voiced concern. She took a deep breath.

"Hal was the Black Hood." She breaks into sobs. His eyes widened. "He was the one who shot you. He showed up here and was planning to ki-ll J-ug-head" Fp's heart stopped. Hal was the one who shot him. And he was the B-lack h-o-od. He couldn't believe it. Though he knew Hal hated him. But enough to kill? That really shook him.

"Where is he? Is he dead?" They shook their heads and he felt the anger boil up within him. "When I see that motherfucker I'll—"

"You won't do a thing, Fp. Betty shot him. He's in prison for a long ass time. And your in no shape to fight him." Her voice began cracking.

"Fred's waiting outside and we all were in that turmoil. He was going to kill you again I believe." She continued.

Jughead was still visibly shaken from the event. He couldn't stop shaking. Fp saw his son shaking and signaled him over and kissed his forehead. He couldn't he could've lost everyone he's ever loved and not even know it. His eyes burned with tears as he hugged his son tightly. Betty curled up on the couch with her mother as they watched the Jones men take comfort in one another. The doctors said they could spend the night in room.

Later that night, Fp couldn't sleep and neither could Alice. She couldn't stop thinking about what happened. And she knew he couldn't stop think about it either.

"Alice, I'm sorry I turned you down at Pop's that wasn't cool of me." Fp apologized as she curls up next to him on the bed. Jughead and Betty were sound asleep on the other sofa to even hear them talking.

"Fp, it's fine. It hurt but. Now that I have you here. I want say. I love you and I haven't stopped and I meant what I said that night. I was going to leave Hal. And now I wished I left you behind or let you go. That was one of my biggest mistakes besides giving up our son. It wasn't my choice. And now I know Hal was just a murder and I wish I—" he cut her off by his lips crashing into hers.

"Alice, I don't care. And I love you so much. My dying thought was you and jughead." He received a slap on his wrist for that comment. He raises his hands up surrender. "Hey, Betty was your first thought too. She's your daughter." He defends himself as she rolled her eyes.

"Fine." She groaned, " I'm not happy with being second Place. But I understand." She sighed.

She looked over at the sleeping teens and smiled. "They look like little bears all snuggled up. It's adorable." She awed as she kissed his cheek.

Fp smiled back at her and chuckled." Yes they do." He says as he snaps a picture.

They close their sleepy eyes. Alice buried her head into his chest and inhaled his cologne. She loved the smile. It was so manly but not too power or pungent. He sighs happily as he hears a soft snore escape her mouth. He found it adorable how cute she looked when she was sleeping. He closed his eyes and dreamed sweet dreams. He finally had his Allie back and he was never letting her go ever again.

In the Morning they awoke to a sweet smile sneaking into their nostrils. Pop was standing in the doorway with a plate of freshly made pancakes and Sausage in his hands as he set them down. Betty and Jughead got the first serve. Only because Fp couldn't get out of bed and Alice was too preoccupied to bother.

"Jug bring me some pancakes." Fp whined as his son ate the stack in front of him.

"No. All mine." Jughead taunted as he continued to eat them mockingly in front of him.

By the door, Pop Tate blurted, "Don't worry I brought plenty." He smirked at the hungry expressions on their faces.

"Juggie that's rude! At least let me join" Betty exclaimed as she joined in on the torture.

Fp turned to Alice and rolled his eyes. "Damn they are really us." He groaned. Alice giggled at his frustration written on his face.

"I guess so." She said as she got out of his arms and took a pancake and stuffed it in her mouth.

Fp groaned again. She was just taunting him. This wasn't fair. "You too?" She nodded her head and chewed. "Ugh! This isn't fair. I was shot and you guys are eating my pancakes." He groaned as he crossed his arms.

"Oh chill. I got you one too." She rolled her eyes and brought him three pancakes. "My god you are just compliant box, Jonesy." She added as she looked around the room. They all nodded their heads.

He groaned once again before leaning in to kiss her. "Whatever, Al." He teased as stuck a finger in her ear.

She hopped out of the bed, almost dropping the plate full of fluffy pancakes on the sterile hospital tiles. She couldn't believe he gave her a wet willy.

"So not cool, Jones!" She scolded as she watched stick out his tongue in satisfaction.

"That's for taunting me like the kids were." He smirked as he kept his tongue sticking out.

He missed this. He can't believe he went this long without her. He wasn't sure if he could last another second without his Allie. Alice Susanna Smith was all his and forever will be his. Betty smiled as she ate the pancakes as her mother and Fp were bonding. She was happy and so was he. That was all she could ever ask for. Jughead was just happy his father was alive and very happy. He might not completely up for the idea of his dad dating his girlfriend's mom. But he'd rather have his father happy then unhappy and a drunk. His mother never made him smile like that. And at last he never wanted to go back to that life. Hal was behind bars. Alice wasn't in danger. And most of all he was happy to finally have a mother figure back in his life. He missed that. Sometimes life threatening situations have good outcomes.