It was now Thanksgiving season, Callie, Archie, and Mom were at Dad's gravestone, Callie was putting flowers on his grave, and overnight Hiram Lodge was the new mayor, it helped with the fact of no one was running against him. Everyone was keeping their eyes on the forecast, mainly the ice storm heading their way. Callie was now at home with Sweet Pea, they were in the kitchen making decorations for the rec center tomorrow night.

"How are you doing this?" Sweet Pea asked.

"It's simple," Callie stated as she was making a paper machete. "Just attached two of the paper ends in the middle of the circle in the center and tape or staple it."

"It's not simple," Sweet Pea argued. "Mine is turning out to look like paper machete centipede." Callie looked over, she tilted her head as she stared at his creation.

"Wrong holiday babe," Callie stated, he glared at her playfully. Hours later, they were now at the rec center with Munroe, Archie, and Veronica.

"Feast your eyes on this boys and lady," Veronica announced as they walked by loads of vegetables. "A true Thanksgiving cornucopia." There was also a ton of bread.

"Wow! Ronnie, how..."Archie began in amazement. "Where did you get all of this?"

"I put in a to-go order at the country club," Veronica answered. "Daddy gave me the idea."

"Leave it for the kids," Callie whispered as she smacked Munroe's hands away from the food.

" A few bites won't hurt," Munroe stated as he took something else.

"I figured this could supplement whatever you and yours are cooking for the kids," Veronica stated. Munroe laughed as he picked up the giant pot. 

"Red," Munroe smiled as he stood up. "Tell me doesn't mean  you're deep-frying a Thanksgiving turkey?"

"Yes," Archie nodded. "Sweet Pea said it would be fine." Callie looked back at Sweet Pea, he stared down at her in question. "Plus, it's tradition. My dad would do one every year. 

"Best damn turkey I ever tasted," Fp stated, they looked up to see him at the top of the stairs. 

"You should come by tomorrow, Mr. Jones," Archie suggested. 

"Actually, Archie, that's what we need to talk about," FP stated as he walked down the stairs. "I hate to do this, but I'm under orders...to shut you down?"

"What? Orders from who?" Archie asked, Fp looked at Veronica. 

"Let me guess, the Mayor?" Veronica asked. Fp nodded. 

"Well, you have got to be kidding me," Archie scoffed. "He can't do this."

"Yeah, he can," Fp confirmed. "He's mayor now. He can do anything. And technically, the attack on Dodger is an open investigation. So this is still an active crime scene, plus, Hiram said with the ice storm coming--"

"He's doing this to punish me," Veronica interrupted as she folded his arms. "To get me to spend the holiday with him."

"Can't we push back?" Sweet Pea asked.

"I did," Fp nodded his head. "For a couple of hours." He began to walk away. "Look." They all looked up at him. "I'm not supposed to say this, but I know what I would do if I was in your place. Screw him!"

"Yeah," Archie nodded. "I'm sorry, but Hiram Lodge is not canceling Thanksgiving."

"Goodman," Fp nodded.

"In technicalities, Mr. Lodge is Mayor, not governor," Callie stated as she walked over to FP. She pulled out a few pieces of paper and handed them to him. "Holding this Thanksgiving will keep the kids off the streets doing the ice storm, providing them more safety from the storm. Governor Dooley seems to have agreed." Fp started laughing as he looked at the papers. 

"Nicely done as always Callie," Fp smiled more as he walked out.

"Callie?" Veronica asked in surprise, she turned to look at them.

"Archie and Munroe mentioned having the Thanksgiving here a few weeks ago, everyone knew about the ice storm, so I pulled some strings with the governor," Callie answered. "The papers were faxed over, and in the document, it is stated that the mayor cannot overturn this."

"You are my favorite sister," Archie smiled.

"I'm only your only sister," Callie reminded him. "There was no way of stopping Mr. Lodge from becoming mayor, so I think it's wise we are ahead of him in his game."

"What exactly are you doing for the Governor in exchange?" Munroe asked.

"Watching his grandkids," Callie answered. "Plus, I gotta go up to the Governor's building and do work there, such as sorting and delivering the mail to the people in government's building."

"That's a bummer," Sweet Pea frowned.

"Not really," Callie denied. "I'll get to know people, make connections."

******

The next day, Callie was in the kitchen, she was packing a bag of candles and last minute decorations.

"You sure, you still want to come, mom?" Archie asked. 

"Yeah, it's Thanksgiving," Mom confirmed. "And I know the difference between the letter of the law and doing what's right. And feeding those kids is what's right." She began to cut more vegetables as Archie put on his varsity jacket. "Anyway, Hiram is not gonna have guards stationed outside the door. Honestly, I'm more worried about the storm."

"Well, I'll put chains on the truck's tires and salt the sidewalk, around the center," Archie stated." Their mom started to tear up.

"Mom," Callie breathed as she and Archie walked over to her. "Hey, what's wrong?" She began to fan her eyes. 

"Your father," Mom sniffed. "I just miss him. It's not right."

"No," Archie agreed. "But, hey, we'll get through this." Mom nodded. "And we're doing exactly what he'd be doing." They all pulled into a group hug. 

******

 Hours later, Callie was helping put down the tables as the kids slowly trickled into the building. 

"Even if this storm's keeping most people away, thank goodness you're doing this, Archie," Veronica stated. "Where else would they have gone?"

"I don't know," Archie answered. "But I'm thinking maybe we should keep this center open overnight. No one should be out in this ice."

"You have your sister to thank for that," Sweet Pea stated as he fixed the decorations. "Clever little fox." Callie looked up at him, handing him a stapler.

"You're too good for this world, Archiekins," Veronica stated as they pulled off to the side.

"Clever little fox?" Callie repeated.

"Snakes aren't the only thing that shed," Sweet Pea stated. "You may be no serpent, but you are sure one hell of a fox, a hot one too."

"That's a high compliment from a snake," Callie stated as Sweet Pea leaned down, he kissed, she happily kissed him back. "Though I'm pretty sure foxes eat snakes."

"You ass," Sweet Pea breathed as he pulled away. Callie looked over her eyes widened, it was the people from long ago, Sweet Pea looked over.

"Shit," the two breathed.l

"Hey, guys, come on in," Archie stated as he walked over with plates. "Welcome to the center."

"And who are you?" Darla asked. 

"I'm Archie," Archie answered. "I run the center with Munroe, my friend. We're glad to have you."

"But, you're just a kid yourself," Darla stated. 

"Hey, Archie, uh, there's a spillover here," Mom informed as she walked up to him. "I don't know where the bucket and mop is."

"I got it, Mrs. Andrews," Sweet Pea stated as he went over, Darla and her crew looked over at him and Callie, they recognized them instantly. 

 "Please, help yourself to some hot chocolate or cider," Archie said as he looked back at the people. "Dinner will be ready in a bit." A few minutes later Callie was standing at the pot with Archie.

"Are you sure you are doing this right?" Callie asked as Archie touched the thermometer.

"Dad always did it like this," Archie stated. "I'm pretty sure I know what I am doing."

"Hey, Archie," Eddie greeted as he walked up to them.

"What's up, Eddie?" Archie asked. 

"You see those people over there?" Eddie asked nodding over to Darla and her crew. "I've seen them before at the arcade. They're Dodger's family."

"I think Chic brought them to Cooper's house once and threatened them with a box cutter," Callie recalled. 

"What the hell?" Archie demanded. "Are you sure?" Eddie nodded. "All right. Thanks for the heads-up. Go grab a seat. I'll take care of it. And hey, be cool." Callie went over to Sweet Pea as Archie went to go talk to Dodger." They heard a thump, they looked over to see Darla placing a gun on the table.

"But we've come for the man who tried to kill our Dodger," Darla stated. "Got a feeling he's you, the tall snake boy and his girlfriend, or one of your friends."

" I swear to you, no one here tried to hurt Dodger," Archie assured. 

"Well, someone did," the man in the baseball cap stated. "And whoever it is, he's got a real soft spot for this place."

"We think if we hang out here long enough, he'll show," the other boy added. 

"In the meantime, how about some of that delicious food I'm smelling?" Darla asked. Soon Darla's gang sat at the front table, everyone was sitting down, they were having the kids bring up dishes for them to try,

"How long can this go on for?" Munroe asked. "We have to fight back."

"No offense to you 'guns,' Munroe, but they have real ones," Veronica pointed out. 

"I can take them on," Sweet Pea offered.

"What are a pair of brass knuckles and a knife going to do against a gun?" Callie asked. 

"If I can get into the office, in my desk, I have a drawer full of weapons that I confiscated off of the kids," Archie informed. "Knives, switchblades--"

"No, hold on," Veronica cut him off. "I'm not sure I endorse this plan. Adding more weapons to the stew? One of those kids could get hurt.

"V has a point," Callie stated as Malcom brought up another dish. He grabbed for the gun, the guy in the hat grabbed his wrist.

"Malcom!" Munroe shouted as he got to his feet.

"Hey, you little run," the man growled. "You want this?"

"Relax, relax," Archie insisted as Munroe broke them apart.

"He didn't know what he was doing," Munroe stated getting in between. 

"Don't do it!" Archie exclaimed as he got in front of Munroe and Matthew. "Look, he's just a kid. Everyone, stay back."

"Archie!" Mom screamed as the man in the hat hit Archie. 

"That's for my brother," the man stated. He handed the gun to Darla. 

"You know what I think, carrot top?" Darla asked. "I think you've got a hero complex. You know what else I think? I think you beat my boy Dodger into a coma, and then, and then you called an ambulance so no one would suspect you." Archie shook his head. "But a mother, she knows. And you--You are gonna pay for what you've gone! Now, get your ass down." She put the gun in front of Archie, he slowly got on his knees. "Say it. Say it's you. You're the one who almost killed my son."

"Ms. Dickson, please," Archie pleaded. "Whatever it is that you think you have to do here, you don't."

"Say it!" Darla shouted. "Confess, boy, before things start getting real ugly in here." Archie looked over at his mom, Veronica, and then at his sister. 

"If I say it, you'll let everyone else here go," Archie stated as he looked back up at her. "And you can do whatever you want to me."

"I'll take that deal," Darla agreed. "But I need to hear you say it."

"Fine," Archie gave, he slowly got back on his feet. 

"Stop, stop, stop, it's me!" Eddie shouted. "I wear the mask. I'm the Dark Duke. Leave Archie alone."

"Shut the hell up," Archie ordered. "It's not him."

"It's me," Toby said as he stood up. "The mask is mine."

"Toby, sit down and shut up," Archie ordered. 

"I'm the guy you want," Malcolm stated. 

"That's enough!" Darla ordered as Munore pushed Malcolm back. She cocked the gun. "Now, that was a touching display. Hell...another day, I might have even cried. But not today. I already spilled all my tears over my son. And boy...your mother is gonna find out exactly what that feels like." She aimed the gun up, suddenly the deep fryer exploded, everyone took cover, Archie pushed the gun out of Darla's hands. 

"Go, get in the office!" Munroe ordered everyone. "Go, go, go, go!" Sweet Pea and Callie both helped usher people into the office. Archie took a swing at one of the guys. He flipped over the guy in the hat. Veronica stuck a prong through one of the guy's hands, he screamed, one of the guys reached for Callie when her back was turned. Sweet Pea gladly took the chance to swing his fist with his brass knuckles attached. 

"Stop!" Mom shouted after Darla swung a knife at Archie's neck. Callie was surprised to see Mom with a gun. "Step away from my son." Munroe held one of the guys with arms behind his back. " I have the right to protect myself against intruders, with deadly force. So, unless you want me to use it, you have exactly five seconds to get the hell out of here. One." Munroe pushed the man back to Darla. "Two." Darla freed the other guy. "Three." They scrambled up the stairs. "Four." With one last look, they all left. Mom let out a big breath as her composure fell. "Lock the door behind them and let's call the police."

"Mom," Callie breathed as Eddie and Toby rushed over to the doors with Sweet Pea. 

"I'm obsessed," Veronica stated as she walked over.

"Yeah. Mom, since when are you, Dirty Harry?" Archie asked. 

"What was that explosion?" Mom asked as she walked over to where the turkey was. The deep fryer was completely damaged. She sighed turning around. "Who in their right mind tries to deep-fry a turkey inside?"

"You said you knew what you were doing," Callie stated, looking up at Archie.

"Well, I didn't hear you pitching anything, besides do you know what you are doing" Archie argued back. Soon after cleaning up a few messes, everyone was back at the tables, ready to dig in.

"Before we start..."Mom began. "We were never a particularly religious house. But the one thing we always did, the one thing my husband always liked to do, when we sat down together to eat as a family, was to say grace. He believed in that. Archie, would you do the honors?"

"Yeah," Archie breathed, everyone grabbed hands. "Bless us, O Lord, for these, the gifts which we're about to receive. For this day, for this food, for our family, for our friends, we thank you. Amen."

"Amen," everyone responded.

"And then he would say..."Mom edged on. 

"Dig in, everyone," Archie smiled. "We're grateful to be alive, and to be here with you." Everyone happily dug into their food. 

****
The holidays came to a close, Callie gave a lot of thought to what Sweet Pea said about her being a fox, she kind of liked the sound of it. She was at her desk writing a few things down. 

'Serpent's fox, Riverdale Foxes.'

She was interrupted by Sweet Pea calling her. "I'm out front." The two wanted some time to there selves before school started back up.

"On my way down," Callie responded before hanging up the phone, she grabbed her things and made her way down the stairs. "Bye, Mom."

"Stay warm," Mom said. 

"Will do," Callie stated, she kissed her mom's cheek before heading out the door, Sweet Pea happily kissed her, they made their way to their date. A little while later, everyone was clapping as Archie put up a plague at the community center with their Dad's name on it. Along with a picture of him. 

"What do you think, Mom?" Archie asked. 

"Your father never would have believed this," Mom smiled as she looked at him. "everything you've been building here..." Everyone pulled each other close. "All of you..." Mom looked back at everyone that came. "He'd be honored and so proud."