Sweet Pea watched the strawberry-blonde girl emerge from her bathroom. He could see she was still shaken from the events. Emma wanted nothing more than to scrub her body clean and rid herself of the past.

Yet, even after a searing hot shower and quietly sobbing into the water in hopes that Sweet Pea couldn't hear her, she was still bothered.

"Emma?" He stood and looked at her.

She stood before him and sighed. Her freak-out earlier had subsided and now all that she was plagued with was fear and paranoia.

"I have to tell you some things."

He eyed her carefully as Emma gestured for him to follow her down the stairs. Fred was out of town for the weekend doing work on her grandfather's cabin in Maine after he received a call from his father-in-law that he had a few odd jobs that he needed help doing.

As much as Emma loved her grandfather, she begged her dad to stay at home than go. Fred was reluctant since it would mean she was alone, but agreed.

Walking into the kitchen, Emma pulled out two mugs and turned on her electric kettle. Sweet Pea watched her take two Advil's for the headache she procured from her sobbing and yelling. It was a sight he had never anticipated seeing, yet he knew this was most likely her PTSD that caused it.

Pouring the hot water into the mugs, Emma placed the kettle down. She sighed looking into the mugs, noting how the tea bags rose.

She found herself attempting to find her voice, but not a sound came out. Simply staring into oblivion, the water slowly turned from clear to a yellowish hue. Once again, Emma found herself fully vulnerable.

This time it wasn't to her safety nets—Cheryl and Kevin. Instead, it was to someone entirely new.

Sweet Pea walked up behind her and placed his hands on either side of her arms. "Little Red?" He had noted that she was deep in thought while she stood motionless.

"I first met Elio at an event his family was hosting..." She breathed out with her back facing him.

***

Emma entered the house alongside her mom and her new co-workers.

The main reason for their attendance was because the Grande's were one of the firm's most promising client and her mother was expected to attend along with her co-workers. Mary smiled at her daughter knowing that she felt like a fish out of water. "Are you okay?"

The strawberry-blonde looked at her mom and nodded, "Not a fan of wearing this monkey suit, but you are lucky I love you." Mary chuckled as the two followed behind two of her mom's friends towards a group of people.

"Oh and this is Mary Andrews, our newest addition to the team." Cecelia, a blonde haired woman gushed as the two woman waltzed over. 

"A pleasure, Mary. I'm Julian Grande and this is my wife, Emily." Mary shook their hands and smiled brightly.

The brunette man pointed to the tall boy besides him, who eyes were trained on the small strawberry-blonde. 

"And this is our son, Elio." Mary shook his hand and turned towards her daughter, "This is Emma, my daughter."

Emma smiled shook their hands, delivering a cordial hello. She could feel the boy's eyes on her, something she couldn't help but blush at.

"Honey," Emily leaned over towards her son, "Why don't you show Emma around?"

He nodded at his mom and extended his hand towards the girl. Looking at her mom, Emma placed her hand in his as he guided her towards the bar.

"I'm happy to see someone not enjoying this party just as much as I am." He mused.

The strawberry-blonde chuckled, "Well, it seems we can not enjoy it together then."

The two stopped at the bar. The sandy brunette turned to face her and smiled softly. He could tell she was much different from the other girls that ran in his family's circle. Most girls would say they loved the party or chewed his ear off with useless nonsense in a failed attempt to grasp his attention, but not her.

He grabbed two champagne flutes and handed one to her, "What do you say to ditching it and going into the music room?"

"Is this where you serenade me, Elio? Cause if so, I'll have you know I like the classics."

He laughed silently and grabbed her hand. He guided them out of the main reception area, "Sadly, I don't play, but I do have some records you might find interesting."

The two walked into the red painted room with wooden accents of mahogany. Emma was unsure if this was his house or someone else's but he moved with easy knowing exactly where everything was.

"How do you feel about Otis Redding?"

Emma smirked and neared him, "Redding and Roberta Flack are my two favorites. Glad to see someone has taste."

He smiled at her and slipped the record out of the sleeve, "Stick with me, darling, and I can introduce you to new things."

***

The strawberry-blonde looked at Sweet Pea and sighed. "We exchanged numbers that night and began texting non-stop for a week. That's when he asked me out on a date and I said yes."

Guiding the raven-haired boy towards her living room, she sat on the couch with Sweet Pea sitting next to her. His attention was solely focused on Emma.

"We went on a few dates and it was great. My mom was working with the firm so we often went to events they held and if she didn't, Elio would ask me to come anyways."

Emma smiled softly at her memories of her and Elio before it all went sour, "He was a breath of fresh air and as you can see still left an imprint on me."

She shrugged as her smiled faltered, "They all do, I guess." She said in a lower annoyed tone. "Julian, Elio's father's birthday party was when I was introduced to Michael."

Sweet Pea watched as she looked down and knitted her eyebrows together. He knew she was reliving her old memories, something she constantly ran from.

***

"And this is my cousin—" Elio gestured towards the boy with raven locks and a dazzling smile that matched Elio.

"Michael Reed."  He reached for her hand and pressed it to his lips, leaving a soft kiss on the back of her hand. "And who might this kitten be, Elio?"

"Emma Andrews, a friend of the family."

Michael smiled at her, "A friend of my family is always a friend of mine. Care for a dance, Ms. Andrews?"

***

"Elio didn't like that." Emma sighed as she played with her tea bag. "I didn't think anything of it at the time, but it wasn't until later that I learned that Michael and Elio were always feuding. Him taking me for a dance seemed to piss Elio off, and so he found himself another girl to flirt with for the rest of the night."

Placing her mug down, Emma continued. "Anyways, I was so upset by it. I thought he had liked me. So, to find him too close for comfort after that incident I was hurt. Yet, Michael found a way to work himself into my heart."

Emma could see his hardened expression knowing that the story would only grow darker.

"And he was every girl's dream. Michael was romantic, more mature, refined." Emma pursed her lips. "He was older by two years— like Elio, more experienced and knew how to say all the right things. He managed to always outshine Elio in anyway possible knowing Elio still had his sights set on me."

Emma bit her lip, "When Elio gifted me a perfume he found in a boutique after returning from Paris? Michael sent me a large a bouquet of flowers, my mother too. If Elio offered to take me out after winning an art competition? Michael would instead rent out an empty gallery for the night for us to paint and talk— on the same night as Elio's proposed date just to spite him."

Sweet Pea could see her hesitation and reached his hand out to her. Looking at him, Emma offered him a sad smile and placed her hand in his. She knew he was eyeing the small burn marks on her hand.

The very sight of the marks infuriated him.

Sweet Pea remembered how Emma eyes shut in horror of the photo displayed to the court. The way that, even in the police report photos, she didn't look once at the camera. Emma cowered from his stare when he went to check on her after the cross examination and realized she was slightly shaking in the same fashion she had before when she stopped him from attacking Archie on riot night.

Even her breakdown earlier. Each event proved him that no matter how far she ran from her issues, they would resurface. And now they have.

"You don't have to tell me if you aren't ready." He said softly.

She shook her head, "I won't ever be ready." Emma whispered.

Sweet Pea had wanted her to tell him on her own accord, yet she was fearful of what may happen. Therefore, she chose to speak now.

He had only inklings of what occurred and speculation to fill in the gaps.

Not too long after her testimony for Archie's trial, Cheryl had spilled some of the beans to Toni, Fangs, and Sweet Pea.

About how Emma called Kevin up crying one night fearful that she was being watched and so he flew to her two weeks earlier than planned. Or when Cheryl stopped talking to her for a year because she wouldn't respond to her messages only to learn Emma had changed her number. The redhead even expressed how her and Kevin knew that just because Emma was finally home didn't meant that she was rid of him.

That Michael Reed was more dangerous than any of them could realize.

Toni watched as her girlfriend seemed bothered by the whole topic. Even more so, how she handled it and still is sometimes.

Both Emma and Cheryl were guilt ridden by there inability to be there for one another when they needed it most. It seemed to be their own curse.

Cheryl refused to disclose what he did. It was the one thing Cheryl and Kevin agreed on for the first time in the longest when Emma came back home.

And here he was months later, learning of the horrors that the girl before him had to endure.

Sweet Pea inhaled deeply in an attempt to quiet his anger.

The strawberry-blonde rubbed his hand, "It all went downhill after Elio and Michael duked it out after Michael explicitly told Elio to stay away from me. And from what you can tell, he didn't."

***

Michael dragged Emma into one of the guest bedrooms at the party they had attended. He hadn't cared that his strides were longer causing her to trip constantly over her silver floor length dress.

He slammed the door shut and looked at her with anger. "What was that?" He sneered.

Emma looked at him confusingly, "Nothing, Michael, we were just talking. What the hell is your problem?"

Before she could react, he back handed her causing Emma  to stumble back in fear. His 6'1'' frame towards over her as he stalked near. "You are still wearing that stupid perfume. Is that how you bait him? Put on the scent he bought you, so that while you're with me, he believes he has a chance with you?"

"No! It isn't like that we were—"

"I don't want to hear it!" Grabbing her hair roughly, he dragged her near. Michael bent down and bore his eyes into hers, "You are mine. And in case you forget that, I will always remind you of that. Do you understand?"

Tears stained Emma's cheeks, terrified at how quickly he had switched. She nodded in agreement. However, he gripped her hair tighter. "I said do you understand!"

"Yes, yes." She cried out.

Releasing his grip, he pushed her lightly and fixed his outfit. "Clean yourself up and meet me at the bar. You look like a mess."

***

"And so, I complied." She breathed out.

Emma didn't dare look at Sweet Pea, but rather focused on the stairwell that stood across her entrance hallway. "I cleaned myself up and went downstairs. Smiling brightly on Michael's arm, hoping to evade Elio and his attempts to lure me towards him."

"Yet, he persisted. And Michael hated that."

***

Emma's back slammed against the side of the concrete building while Michael stalked near. This time he was livid and he hadn't cared who saw.

He puffed out smoke and grabbed Emma's hand roughly. His hand covered Emma's mouth while she screamed at the contact of his cigarette on her hand. Throwing it down after the damage was done, he roughly grabbed her by the chin.

"Why was his hands on you?"

Emma didn't respond this time. She was too terrified to speak instead her tears did the talking for her.

"Hm, Emma?" He taunted.

She attempted to move from his grasp, but he simply pushed her back against the wall.

His hands travelled up the side of her leg. "Do wish this were his hands, kitten? Touching you so close to areas he can never?"

Emma could do nothing, but cry. "Please, stop. Please." "

What was that?" His voice was cold and taunting. His other hand moved underneath her shirt as he roughly kissed her only for her to push him away.

Yet, his grip was firm while he pushed back once more. "Do you like playing innocent, kitten? I know how much you love to play games." He was dangerously close to her face, Emma's breathing was rattled by his threatening tone.

"He asked me for a dance. Nothing happened! You were there."

Michael pushed himself roughly against her and laid his arm against her throat, "I know I was there. You do not act like a cheap whore in front of your boyfriend. You. Are. Mine."

He released her, leaving her to catch her breath and stare at him fearfully. In that moment, she couldn't wait to return to Riverdale for her school break. 

"We are going home so I can show you how much you mean to me."

Yet, Emma had a feeling it would be anything but kind.

***

"I- I didn't see a way out. I was in too deep with him." Emma shook her head furiously as Sweet Pea moved closer towards her at the feeling of her hand trembling in his.

"And your mom didn't know?" He asked her quietly.

Emma shook her head, "She suspected at first and I told her that I had gotten into a fight with some girls. That's when he started to do other things to me or hit my in areas where she wouldn't see. I would wear turtle necks and scarves to hide the choking marks or long sleeves to hide his hand marks on my forearm and wrists."

Often he found himself questioning throughout most of their friendship, the things she did and wore, wondering if was in relation with her past. Now, she had confirmed his suspicions.

The strawberry-blonde sighed, "I wasn't just scared of him and what he could do to me. He had more hold over me than that."

Her eyes travelled towards his. She could detect the fury in his eyes that she had seen only a few times. Emma's face remained steady, not crying but rather haunted at her recount of a few events.

"His family— Elio's family— are like Veronica's." She eyed him carefully. "They have a business front and behind that, it is more sinister. For the Grande/Reed family it was casinos, but they were entrenched in the world of organized crime."

Sweet Pea looked at her with worry. "He threatened to take out my mom before summer break." She whispered. "I told my dad after the trial. All of it, but it was something she couldn't know about."

Emma slowly placed a hand on his cheek and breathed out, "If he finds out about Jughead, he will kill him. Michael Reed isn't a man to brush aside. He will threaten anyone close to me, just to get me back."

The strawberry-blonde knew that if what Elio told her was true, that he wouldn't leave easily. For her sake, she prayed that he came when no one was around. That he caught her when she was alone because at least she knew that he wouldn't touch anyone she cared about but her.

"I will not let him come near you." Sweet Pea's voice was low and serious. Yet, while his assurance to keep her safe often gave her a sense of security, it didn't now. Emma's legs were tucked underneath her allowing her to look at him just below eye level.

"This is one battle that I don't want you involved in. I can't have you involved in." Emma sighed, "He will use you to get to me and if ever did, I would always choose your life over my own."

She eyed him hesitantly as she wrapped her arms around him and held the tall raven-haired boy tightly. Emma melted into his frame and inhaled smelling his cologne. His hands laced around her and pulled her in even closer.

"I will never forgive myself if he ever hurt you." She whispered softly.

He rubbed her back out of comfort. "I'm always going to protect you, Little Red, whether you want me to or not."

It had seemed that Emma clutched to him for dear life as they hugged in silence for a bit.

"Sweet Pea," She said softly. His eyes met hers while their arms were still wrapped around one another. Out of instinct, Emma brushed the hair out of his face and placed her hand on his cheek. "Outside of Cheryl, Kevin, and my dad, no one can know. It's too dangerous."

His eyes scanned her noting that she gave him a saddened look.

"I am so sorry that you had to learn this. It's not a burden you should carry." She said in a sincere and ashamed voice. Sweet Pea shook his head, "You are family, Emma. I won't let anything happen to you."

Kissing her forehead softly, he pulled her in once again as if he was terrified of her disappearing the second he loosened his hold on her.

***

"Good morning, princess." Sweet Pea smiled at the strawberry-blonde in her brother's pajamas.

Peeling her eyes from the stove, Emma smiled at the sight of Sweet Pea's messy raven locks and soft smile.

"Morning. How did you sleep?"

He walked over towards her noting she seemed to be cooking a breakfast for champions. Something told him she was still on edge.

Sweet Pea ran his fingers through his hair, "I might move in because your bed is like heaven."

Emma laughed softly before flipping the bacon over. Seeing that it was done, she turned the burner onto warm.

He noted her gloves were discarded on the counter near her, but seemed to hide her hands in almost every action she did. Pouring orange juice, grabbing plates, looking under the lid where the eggs sat on the pan.

Emma moved to grab the spatula. Sweet Pea caught her hand and sighed. "Come here."

She looked at him curiously as he pulled her near the kitchen island. He sat in one of the stools while she stood in between his outstretched legs.

Their eyes were leveled and she took this moment to scan his out of concern. Yet, his concern for her trumped hers for him.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Emma assured him, but something about her response did anything but assure him.

"Em, don't lie to me. I felt you get up in the middle of the night and then return early in the morning."

She closed her eyes and exhaled. Emma had a feeling she would've woken him up from detangling his tightened arm around her waist and the air that replaced the feeling of her back against his chest.

"I couldn't sleep." She said in a soft voice.

"Did you sleep at all?"

She shook her head.

Emma grabbed a book from her night stand and made her way to her brother's room and laid on his bed and read. Once the sun came up, she went back into her room to attempt to get a small nap in.

Yet, her mind still raced.

Sweet Pea tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear and rested his hand on her cheek. "Do you regret telling me?"

He had a feeling her retelling her past traumas took more of a toll than she let on. And in many ways it did, but regardless, the idea of Michael would've been present in her mind whether she told Sweet Pea about her past or not.

"No." Emma's voice was soft while she shook her head. Her eyes locked onto his as she licked her lips.

"Are you sure?"

She nodded, "I trust you with my life." Emma moved small pieces of his hair around that slightly stood up in his fluffy hair.

He watched the small quirk of smile grow on her lips as his non-moused hair seemed to be stubborn in its ways.

"But I do regret you finding me like that..." She states in reference to her crying against the side of Pop's. "And I regret dumping another one of my problems on you. It seems it's always something."

Sweet Pea shook his head at her and cupped her face, "I'm sorry that you are always being dragged into something. I wish I could take it all away from you."

She smiled softly at him feeling warmth bubble inside her at that sight of his softened eyes. Emma was surprised by how much of his anger he formally had, he had let go.

He spent his summer working on bettering himself and now she feared with her baggage that all of his progress would go to waste once something set him off.

Emma presses her lips softly against his forehead and sighed, "You're too good to me."

"Just like you are to me." He looked at her endearingly.

The strawberry-blonde chuckled hugged him. "God, I love soft Pea."

She could feel the vibration of his groan at the name, he made it explicitly clear that her hated it when she called him that. Emma made sure never say it around anyone else knowing Fangs and Toni would probably never let him live it down.

"I said to stop calling me that, Little Red."

Emma merely rolled her eyes and looked at him. "Ah, but soft you is so much more tolerable."

Sweet Pea laughed at her, "If it means having you become more affectionate I'm all for it." He winked at her.

A knock erupted at the door. The two looked at one another before Emma ruffled his hair and walked towards the door.

"Make up the plates!" She called out and moved to open the door.

Sweet Pea rolled his eyes, "Yeah, yeah."

Veronica looked at Emma with a small smile and engulfed her before the strawberry-blonde could speak.

Emma was tense at the random gesture but slowly hugged her back in silence. She held her tightly while inhaling the scent of Veronica's Chanel perfume.

"How much food did you even make, princess, because last I checked you don't eat this much." Sweet Pea's eyes fell Veronica who eyed him with an amused look.

While Veronica Lodge symbolized everything Sweet Pea was against, her strides to end her relations with her dad spoke volumes to him.

And since he was always with Emma over the summer, the two along with Reggie began to slowly began to form a better relationship.

Emma broke the embrace to see Sweet Pea with two plates in hand. He smirked at Veronica, "I hope you're hungry, Lodge."

"For Emma's cooking? A solid yes." She walked by him and grabbed a plate from his hand. "Nice hair by the way, very boyish instead of 'dark, damaged, and dangerous.'"

Veronica moved to the island earning a snort from him as he followed her.

Emma laughed loudly while she closed the front door and walked towards the kitchen and put on the electric kettle.

"So, I don't want to put a damper on your morning, but I did want to ask what happened last night. Also, Elio tried to clear out my entire speakeasy last night with his tricky fingers at the black jack table." Veronica muttered the last statement before taking a bit of her bacon.

Emma sighed and pulled out a tea bag. "You act like his family aren't casino moguls. It's no surprise that he would."

The raven-haired girl nodded in agreement but was still surprised by how much she knew.

The strawberry-blonde began making a plate for herself. "As far as what happened last night, well I can assure you that you won't like it."

"Pray tell."

Emma turned to look at Veronica and shrugged, "Well, I'm sure you already could tell that Elio and I had a romantic history."

Veronica nodded.

"What you don't know is that he also happens to be Michael's cousin."

The raven-haired girl's eyes widened as she quickly chewed her food and swallowed. Sweet Pea looked at her and nodded to confirm what Emma just said.

"Is he going to—"

Emma shook her head, "Elio wouldn't hurt me. But I did see him once before when you were thinking up Sweetwater Casino last year. Sweet Pea was with me and he warned me that Archie's relations with your father would reach Michael."

Veronica looked at her carefully, "And now, his trial and lock up has reached him."

Emma turned around and shrugged. She moved to pour a cup of tea, "It's what we both feared."

The raven-haired girl looked at her friend with a mixture of sadness and concern. Emma places the cup of tea in front of Veronica noting how she remembered her tea of choice— English Breakfast.

Veronica couldn't help but feel unsure what it all meant and from the look on Sweet Pea's face, he was too.

"What do we need to do?" Veronica said in a determined voice.

Emma raised her eyebrows and sighed, "When he does come, Jughead can't be anywhere near nor can Archie." Veronica furrowed her eyebrows at her statement. Was leaving her unguarded the smartest option?

"Won't that make it easier for him to get to you?" Veronica asked.

Sweet Pea looked at Emma with concern, "I get Jones, but your brother?"

"He will come and he will get to me." She looked at them pointedly, "Veronica, we both know how these kind of things work. His reach is far and he's determined." Emma's eyes moved down as she began eating.

Veronica looked to Sweet Pea and nodded. While they both knew that the two boys would be unaware if they could help it, Veronica and Sweet Pea forged a secret alliance to ensure that Emma would remain safe when the time came.

Emma caught the two looking at one another before Veronica looked at her with a promising look, "You tell us when he is here and we'll take care of him and his family."

"I don't want you getting involved." Emma said sternly.

Veronica shrugged, "If Elio swore to protect you than so do we. After all, I'm like your sugar mama and this one would happily kill someone for you."

Emma rolled her eyes at Veronica and laughed. "I might actually have Sweet Pea kill you for calling yourself a sugar mama."

"I don't know those button down shirts she bought me for Christmas were pretty nice. I don't think I could kill her now." Sweet Pea said in a deadpanned voice.

Veronica pointed at him and nodded in Emma's direction. "I'm glad him and Reggie stopped trying to kill each other. They aren't so bad now."

"Hm, but I do have to say, Sweet Pea, while green might be Emma's signature color, that emerald button down you wore to Cabaret night looked pretty good."

Emma rolled her eyes at Veronica as she continued, "Though, I am torn because I think dark blue is definitely your color."

"I prefer black." He smirked at her knowing all five shirts she had bought him were anything but black.

The strawberry-blonde decided to jump in, "Yeah, but in this town there's a funeral every five minutes, so you'll have more than enough chances to wear black."

"We should so take him shopping." Veronica chimed in as his face grew unamused.

Emma nodded hurriedly, "Yes, please. The plaid is god awful."

"Oh we should definitely drag Toni with us. She's been onboard about ridding him and Fangs of that look."

Veronica began to type on her phone furiously while Emma's eyes moved to the raven-haired boy who eyed her with a pleading look.

"What's a work-wife for?"

He shook his head and took of a sip of his orange juice. "At least we aren't as gross as Topaz and Fangs were."

"The nagging was horrible to endure." Emma smiled softly at him.

He snorted and nodded in agreement, "I remember how disgusted you were when they would share a milkshake."

"Are you going to tell me it wasn't? That was just weird." Emma added as he laughed.

"You guys are cute." Veronica chimed in with a sinister smile on her lips knowing Emma and Jughead were on another break.

Veronica could tell that Emma was more comfortable in Sweet Pea's presence and he was always happy in hers. The raven-haired girl could see something much deeper was there even if Emma couldn't see it.

The youngest Lodge was best friends with Betty, who she knew would always put Jughead before everyone, and she dated Archie, who is the raven-haired boy's best friend.

All of their friendships were intertwined in a complex way.

Yet, Veronica never grew close to Jughead. She saw what Betty and Archie couldn't see because she was an outsider with a very different outlook.

Emma Andrews deserved better.

But, the small strawberry-blonde had no idea what was better. Veronica could see Sweet Pea cherished Emma in some ways even Archie could never for her. That he would readily give the world to her and from how Emma treated Jughead, she could very well reciprocate those strong feelings back.

And many times she does. Causing the lines of friendship and relationship to become blurred from an outsiders perspective.

Emma peeled her eyes from Sweet Pea's amused look to Veronica, "I could say the same about you and Reggie."

She wasn't blind to seeing their closeness as of lately. And while she was Archie's sister, he wanted Veronica to be happy. Plus, the girl had grown to be a close friend, how could Emma not support Veronica's endeavors towards happiness.

The raven-haired girl looked at Emma with shock and then to Sweet Pea, who merely smirked.

"Yeah, Lodge, he checks your ass out more than he looks at your face."

Emma bursted our in a fit of laughter and high-fived Sweet Pea. "Oh, that was a good one."

***

In that month, it had seemed all began to simmer down. 

Elio left town once again leaving his number with Emma in case either one heard about Michael and his pursuits. Veronica and she grew closer knowing that the very things that they faced posed a danger to themselves and those around them, leading them to understand they would need to rely on one another. 

Diving into her own work, Emma made it her mission to boost the living quality of the Serpents that were still left. Veronica offered some jobs as bouncers for La Bonne Nuit or on the waiting staff at Pop's. Her dad took in some to work on his construction crew with Emma and Sweet Pea vouching for who was reliable to hire-- since her dad was still in the dark about her official title.

The strawberry-blonde would go on to tutor the younger Serpent members and the children of established members. While she wasn't versed in all aspects of the Serpent community, she relied on Sweet Pea to handle those aspects. It was something he happily did.

The tall raven-haired serpent admired her efforts to learn more knowing Jughead would sometimes hide some of those aspects from her. If she was Serpent Queen then she deserved to know everything that went on and was going on. 

And so, he took the initiative to explain everything to her, that included the good, the bad, and the ugly. 

Despite coordinating how life would operate without their King while he stayed in Toledo with her brother, Emma couldn't help but feel slightly at ease.

Pushing her feelings aside with Jughead, she worked on her relationships that she realized she was neglecting in the midst of her chaos. That meant dinners with Kevin, girl's days with Cheryl, and even deep talks with Reggie.

Emma could sense a slight resentment developing from Fangs and Sweet Pea with how Toni had slowly pushed to establish her relationship with Cheryl. Yet, Sweet Pea confided in her that Fangs was more hurt than he was. The raven-haired serpent would never outright say it, but Fangs hated that Toni had seemed to ditch their plans for Cheryl. 

So, Emma made sure to incorporate him in all of hers. 

Fangs Fogarty was a sentimentalist. When he deemed you worthy of his inner-circle, he anticipated you staying in it. Therefore, the strawberry-blonde made strides to assure him that Toni would always be around for him. 

Regardless of the small mounts of annoyance and usual teen squabble, Emma found herself missing moments like this. Moments in time when the entire inner-circle would get together and drink around the fire. No need to discuss serpent issues or rushing to find a solution on life or death issues. 

It was calm and simple. 

Something that they all needed before what was to soon come. The dark cloud that would cover the skies above Riverdale. 

***

Emma walked towards her house after coming back from La Bonne Nuit. She knew it would only be a few hours before her dad came back from the Canadian border. She FaceTimed Archie before he entered the ranger living quarters a few hours back.

Softly humming the song she had been listening to before she turned off her car, Emma pulled out her house keys and made her way towards the front steps.

A hand slither around her waist causing her to turn around and greeted with an familiar face.

Her eyes widened at the sight of Malachai's second standing right before her.

"Who knew the Queen sang so sweetly." He taunted.

A white rag covered her mouth, she held in her breath as she struggled against his hold. He began to pick her up causing her to kick around and knock over a pot of flowers from the stairs.

She bit his hand as he jerked her around, his grip loosened and she screamed before he roughly covered her mouth again.

They had made it halfway down the driveway before the Cooper's front lights illuminated, revealing Alice reacting fast. "Betty, call 911!" She gunned towards the assailant and Emma. "Hey! Let go of her!"

Only catching brief glimpses of her surroundings, the man had dropped her and ran towards a black mustang.

The driver pulled away.

Alice held Emma as Betty ran near the Andrews' yard, the other neighbors had began peaking out their windows and opening their doors due to all the commotion.

"Ghoul- Gh..." She whispered in a raspy voice.

Betty looked at her mom, "The Ghoulies." Pulling out her phone, the blonde began to send a mass text message to the inner-circle Serpents to meet up as soon as possible. 

The neighbors neared Alice as she held Emma. One neighbor kneeled down and felt her pulse as the sounds of sirens blared in the background. "I'll call Fred." He said as he began dialing Fred Andrews number.