News spread quickly about what happened on the night of Homecoming. Forsythe Pendleton Jones the Second, Jughead's father, was guilty of Jason Blossom's murder. Well, that was what the town believed. Veronica messaged me and said that she and Archie had broken into FP's trailer and searched it. And, after a tirade of me berating her for doing such a thing, she told me that the murder weapon wasn't there, the murder weapon that the cops found, wasn't there. I wanted to tell Cheryl so badly that FP wasn't the killer, but she was in too much of a vulnerable position so I decided not to.

Cheryl was an absolute wreck, a whole storm of pent up emotions breaking free. With the news about everything, Penelope didn't bat an eye when I stayed the night. Mum wasn't at all fussed, that I stayed over at the Blossoms, just warned me to be careful. I stayed in Cheryl's bed that night, holding her close as she cried. I received texts throughout the night from Betty, Veronica and Archie in regards to the missing jughead situation. I messaged the beanie-wearing-brooder and he responded that he just wanted to get out of town for a few days. I understood where he was coming from, but after a message early the next morning, he decided to stay home.

TIMESKIP

The next morning, I sat next to Cheryl at the blossom's dining table. The morning's paper was laid out for all to see, with FP's mugshot clear as day on the front cover. Polly walked in, and Penelope stood quickly. "Polly, the most incredible thing has happened." She said. Penelope picked up the paper, walked over to the only blonde in the room and handed it over.

"He killed Jason?" Polly wondered, "Not…" Polly slid into the seat opposite me. Clifford reached over and took Polly's hand.

"I went to the station." He said, "I looked our son's killer in the eye. Finally, we'll have peace."

"Jason will have peace." Penelope corrected, "And we...we can all start over, all of us." Cheryl and I exchanged a look.

TIMESKIP

School was gonna be a nightmare. I hadn't gotten much sleep that night, so the bags under my eyes, the stitches in my eyebrow and the fact I was wearing leather pants, boots, and tank top easily deterred anyone wanting to come and ask Cheryl questions. It lasted all of 10 minutes, as the bell rang and we had to separate. The day was like a building opera, the soft singing at the start, slowly building to a huge climax. I could feel it in my bones, and I shifted in my seat at lunch, sitting next to Cheryl as the entire student body, one by one, came to give their condolences and share their elation at the fact that Jason's killer had finally been found. My head turned as the chatter of Riverdale's student body dulled, before becoming small incessant jabs directed at someone. My eyes widened as Jughead walked through the cafeteria. He told me he was staying at the station the whole day, why was he here? Jughead slowly approached mine and Cheryl's table. The redhead beside me, her back straightening as she stared at the black-haired boy. My eyes flicked between the two, waiting for something to happen. Jughead sniffed, as if he had been crying. "I'm sorry, Cheryl." Jughead muttered. Cheryl then stood, pulled her hand back, and slapped Jughead across the cheek. She then proceeded to thwhack his chest, pulling at his jacket as tears burst from her eyes. I stood, quickly pulling Cheryl off a stone still Jughead. I turned her away from him, making sure she was looking at me.

"Cher." I muttered, "Cheryl, come on, let's go." Cheryl ripped her arms from my hold and stalked off. I turned to Archie, Veronica, Kevin and Betty who had approached. "Let me know what happens to Jug!" I called to them, walking backwards before turning and running off to find Cheryl. If I know my girlfriend, and I do, she ran off to the girl's locker room. I slowly opened the door, slipping in. "Cheryl?" I called softly.

"I barely touched him." Cheryl stated. I closed the door behind me, approaching her.

"Jason's death isn't his fault, Cher. Even if FP was the one to do it…"

"Everybody keeps coming up to me and hugging me and telling me I must be so relieved that my brother's killer has finally been caught. This nightmare is over." Cheryl turned to me. "But then why doesn't it feel that way?" I stepped forward, opening my arms. Cheryl fell into them burying her head in my shoulder. I wrapped my arms around her, gently searching the base of her scalp with my nails. I kissed the side of Cheryl's temple, wanting so badly to tell her that FP wasn't the killer, but I had to find out who did do it before telling her.

TIMESKIP

I was soon called to Archie's house as I was informed that Joaquin was FP's one phone call. Archie, Veronica, Kevin and I stood around Joaquin, interrogating him. I had my arms crossed, and I was glaring down at him. "We know FP used his call from Jail to get in touch with you." Archie stated. "What did he say?"

"It was basically just a warning." Joaquin informed, "Said to lay low."

"No one ues their one call to say 'lay low'." Veronica argued.

"Joaquin, do you know something?" Kevin asked. "I'm not talking to you as your boyfriend, I'm talking to you as the Sherif's son. Did FP kill Jason." Joaquin was taking some time to reply.

"Spit it out, DeSantos." I snapped at him.

"Yes. I mean, I assume."

"Did you see him pull the trigger?" Veronica asked.

"No. No, God no."

"Then why do you think he did it?" Archie followed up. Joaquin wrung his hands together, pausing again.

"Joaquin!" I barked, "Now!"

"On July eleventh, I got a phone call in the middle of the night from FP." Joaquin started. "He said he needed help with some cleanup job at the Whyte Wyrm."

"What job?" Kevin asked.

"The basement of the Whyte Wyrm is off-limits to everyone. But that's where I met FP...and that's where I saw...he'd been shot. I never asked FP if he did it. I just...I mean I was terrified. I just assumed. We stashed the body in a freezer. Cleaned up the mess. Got rid of any evidence."

"You...are...a criminal." Kevin accused.

"Joaquin, FP hs done jobs for my dad, Hiram Lodge, in the past." Veronica spoke up. "Do you think, killing Jason was one of them."

"There was one time I overheard a conversation, between FP and Mustang." Joaquin said.

"Mustang?" I repeated.

"Who's Mustang?" Archie asked.

"He's another Serpent." I dismissed with a wave of my hand, "Why was FP talking to him?"

"He was the only other guy who knew about the cleanup." I pinched the bridge of my nose. "The guy you got in a fight with at the Wyrm. I heard him tell FP something about some rich guy. I don't know who."

"Where is Mustang?" Veronica wondered.

"No, no, no, you do not wanna go see him."

"Yes, I do. You are gonna take us or-"

"Or I'm gonna tell my dad about your little cleanup job." Kevin interrupted.

TIMESKIP

The five of us were soon at the City Centre Motor Hoel, a lodging for many Serpents and drug addicts alike. Joaquin and I lead the charge, walking side by side up the trash littered stairwells and hallways. "This is him here." Joaquin said, indicting to a door. He knocked, and when no one responded he turned the handle. It was surprisingly unlocked. "Mustang?" Joaquin called. "You here?" He opened the door and we all entered. I gagged at the smell, pinching my nose.

"Man, Mustang never cleans, does he?" I muttered.

"Oh my god." Archie said. I turned to him, and peeked around Veronica to see what he was looking at. Mustang, lying in the bathtub, dead with a needle in his arm.

"I...I can't be here." Joaquin stated.

"Let's go." Kevin said. He turned to us. "Call my dad." He then proceeded to lead his boyfriend out the door.

TIMESKIP

It took all of fifteen minutes for Sheriff Keller to arrive, however, mine and Veronica's mothers were their much earlier. Fred arrived soon after. "I'm ok." He assured his dad. "We all are."

"What were you doing here in the first place?" Sheriff Keller asked.

"It was Serpent Business." I said, crossing my arms. "I just wanted to ask him about what's gonna happen with us when FP goes to jail."

"Ok, veronica, this has to stop." Hermione said. "Why are you doing this?"

"Lia." Mum said softly. I turned to her.

"FP didn't kill Jason." I told her in Italian, not wanting anyone to overhear our conversation. "Someone framed him."

"That may be the case, but he confessed, there's nothing we can do for him." I frowned.

"How'd you know he lived here?" Sheriff Keller directed the question at Archie, Veronica and I. Before we had a chance to respond, one of the Sherif's deputies called out to him, ducking under the police tape as she approached. She was holding a bag, and when she opened it, thousands upon thousands of dollars were revealed, neatly wrapped in ten-thousand bundles.

"Found it under his bed." She said, and then showed us a badge stitched into the side of it. 'H.L'.

"Hermione Lodge. You mind explaining to me why your initials are on this bag?"

"Not Hermione Lodge, Sheriff." Veronica corrected. "Hiram Lodge. My dad. He was doing business with the Serpents."

"And that's all we're saying until there's an attorney present." Hermione but in, cutting her daughter off. And with that, everyone left.

TIMESKIP

Later that day, I was called to meet up at Archie's place alongside Jughead, Betty and Kevin. Jason's letterman jacket was sprawled out on a chair before us. "This is meant to help FP?" Archie asked sceptically.

"I don't know. It looks like more incriminating evidence to me." Kevin said.

"This just confirms that my dad torched Jason's getaway car." Jughead added.

"And that his confession was true."

"Why would FP say Jason's varsity jacket is dangerous?" Betty wondered. "What can that mean?"

"I can ask my father." A voice spoke up. We turned our heads and saw Veronica walk into the room. "He would know, considering we found concrete proof that he hired the Serpents to kill Jason. Which probably means that your dad puled the trigger, Jughead. I'm sorry."

"No. No. No, I'm not giving up." Betty picked up the jacket and turned to me. "Put this on."

"Huh?" I wondered.

"You were closest too him, it'd feel weird if anyone else did it." Betty shoved the jacket into my hands.

"Fine, fine." I reluctantly slipped my arms through the sleeves adjusting the jacket so it fit well. I then shoved my hands in the pockets and I frowned. "There's a hole in the bottom of the pocket."

"Now we're grasping at straws."

"No, Kevin, wait…" I took my hands out and felt across the lining of the jacket. I soon came to a small rectangular device. I shimmied it out of the pocket and showed it to everyone, "This fell into the lining." It was a USB. Betty took it. As I shrugged off the jacket, Betty grabbed Jughead's laptop and booted it up. Everyone gathered around the screen. I perched myself on the arm, peering at the laptop. Betty pressed play on the video that showed. I gasped as Jason appeared in the video. He was wearing the same thing he wore on July 4th. He was tied to a chair in the basement of the Whyte Wyrm. Mustang was taunting him, pressing a finger to his chest and shouting in his face. I watched as he left and Clifford Blossom entered the room. I put my hands over my mouth. Clifford took something out of Jason's pocket and stepped back, putting it in his own. He took out a gun and lifted it to Jason's head. He pulled the trigger, causing us to jump. I stared blankly at the screen for a few seconds before Betty closed the laptop. I quickly stood and shakily pulled out my phone as Veronica started to cry.

"Lia, who are you calling?" Archie asked. I ignored him and clicked Cheryl's number. I quickly put it to my ear as it started ringing.

"Hey Lia." Cheryl greeted.

"Cheryl, baby, you need to get out of that house." I said, "Pack a bag, you're coming to stay with me ok?"

"What? Why?"

"We know who killed Jason...it was your dad Cheryl, I'm so sorry." There was a brief pause.

"I understand. Thank you." I hung my phone up as I shoved it in my back pocket. I snatched the USB from the laptop and quickly darted out of the garage and ran, ignoring my friends' shouts. I ran all the way back home. I burst through the door, startling my mother.

"Mum, car keys." I panted.

"Kitchen counter…" She trailed off. I ran into the kitchen and grabbed the keys off the table. I ran back outside, ignoring my mother's calls. I didn't bother opening the car door. I hopped over the side and shoved the keys into the ignition. "Ophelia Serena Johnson, you tell me just what do you think you're doing?" Mum demanded as she stormed outside. I tossed the drive to her which she barely caught.

"Get that to Sheriff Keller, now." I said as I turned the keys. "It's Jason's mutter video." Mum looked down at the USB in her hands. The car started and I peeled out of the driveway, ignoring the speed limits as I raced to get to Thornhill. When I got there, the gates were already open. I parked at the entrance of the house and got out of the car, spotting Cheryl on the front steps. I sighed as I walked up to her. "Cher…" Cheryl sobbed as she fell into me. I wrapped my arms around her and held her tight as she cried into my shoulder.