*Sage*

"You have a stage," Betty said as we sat at the bar the next day. "Would you be open to me bringing in a karaoke machine?"

"For FP's retirement?" Toni asked as she cleaned the last glass with a smirk. "Sure, why not."

Betty came in and had the idea of throwing FP a retirement party, since he announced he will be stepping down as our leader. I was adamant of it, and talked to him, but he felt he had to do so, mostly for Jughead, and maybe if possible, bring Jellybean and Gladys back.

I was going to miss him, but assured him my support, and that Sweet Pea and I will continue to look out for Jughead, especially if he was going to take his place.

"Also, Toni, one of the reasons I wanted to talk to you and Sage beyond the party planning is..." Betty said, sighing as I turned my seat a bit, sipping my Sprite. "I've been walking the razor's edge, since Jughead joined the Serpents, and all I've been thinking is..."

She paused as me and Toni looked at her questioningly as she continued.

"You know, as soon as FP gets home, everything will get better, because he'll be there to protect Jughead and make sure he doesn't get hurt," she said.

"Yeah, I'm following you," Toni said. "I mean, with FP out of the picture-"

"But that's my whole point," Betty said, cutting Toni off. "I do worry. So... I want to keep an eye on Jughead, myself..."

I froze as I realized what she was talking about.

"Make sure that as deep into these snake-infested waters as he goes, he doesn't do something that... You know, puts him in danger," she said.

"So, what?" Toni asked. "You wanna be a Serpent?"

I looked at Betty worriedly.

"Let's say Serpent-adjacent," she said. "But yeah, part of his world... This world..."

"Betty..." I said, but was interrupted by cackling in the back and rolled my eyes.

"Shut it, Byrdie!" Toni snapped as we turned to see Byrdie sat near the bar.

"Sorry, Sweet Valley High... If you wanna join the club, you gotta do the dance... Serpent Dance," she said, then motioned to the stage where a girl was dancing at the poles.

"Excuse me, Serpent Dance?" Betty asked.

"Its an outdated, sexist Serpent tradition," Toni scoffed, annoyed. "Tried to get it outlawed, but misogyny dies hard."

Betty looks at her questioningly.

"While the boys have their brutal trials for Serpent initiation, us Serpent dames have to dance the Serpent Dance on that Whyte Wyrm stage to earn our skins," I explained, then motioned to my jacket. "Trust me, Betty, I had to do it, too, and I was the youngest out of all girls to ever do it here, barely 15, to protect my brother, just like you with Jughead. FP and Sweet Pea were livid, even Jughead was upset with me. I don't want you in trouble with him, too."

"She's right," Toni warned. "You don't wanna know."

"Uh, yeah... I do," Betty said, and the lack of hesitation surprises me a little as she looked at the stage. "I want to know everything."

I sighed as I then remembered how it went after my Dance.

>flashback<

I struggled to free myself from my brother's grasp as he gripped my arm, and dragged me to the billiards room where it was empty.

I then screamed as Sweet Pea pushed me to the ground.

"What the hell?! Do you realize what you've just done, Sage?!" Sweet Pea snarled.

"What? Joined the Serpents?" I snapped, glaring up at him as I got up, my jacket around my barely clothed body.

"YOU ARE FIFTEEN YEARS OLD!!" He shouted, grabbing my shoulders and shaking me before hands pried us off, making me fall to the ground, covering myself.

"ENOUGH!!" A voice boomed as I see FP shoved my brother away. "You don't put your hands on your sister like that, boy, you hear me?!"

"Then do something!!" Sweet Pea snapped. "You're our leader, take her jacket away!!"

"NO!!" I sneered, clutching the jacket closer to me. "I DID THE STUPID SERPENT DANCE, THAT MEANS I'M OFFICIALLY A SERPENT!!!"

"OVER MY DEAD BODY YOU BECOME A SERPENT!!" He roared.

"THAT IS ENOUGH!!" FP shouted as Tall Boy, Jughead and Toni ran in, Toni helping me up.

"Don't take away my jacket," I begged.

"Why did you do it?" FP snapped.

"To honor my parents, and to keep my brother safe," I said.

FP looked at me in shock.

"I had to do it," I said.

Everyone looked at each other questioningly.

>end of flashback<

It took weeks before Sweet Pea finally accepted that I was a Serpent.

Since then, I worked to prove myself worthy of being a part of the gang.

My thoughts were pulled when my phone rang and I looked, seeing it was Archie.

A: On my way. Meet you there.

I took a deep breath before downing the rest of my Sprite.

"Gotta go meet up a friend for an errand. Be back soon," I said.

They nodded as I walked out.

***

*Archie*

I paced around the front of my truck when I saw the headlights of Sage's bike pull up nearby.

I then walked over to her as she pulled off her helmet.

"Where's Veronica?" I asked.

"Something came up," I explained, handing her a flashlight. "We're on our own here."

She sighed and nodded, taking the flashlight. "Lead the way."

We headed up the porch steps before slowly entering, turning the flashlights on.

I sighed as I looked around.

"God, this place reminds me of the Sawyer's house in Texas Chainsaw Massacre," I said, seeing we were in the living room.

"Sheriff Howard kept coming back here year after year, there must be a reason why?" he said, looking through a shelf. "Something that didn't add up."

I shuddered, suddenly feeling like I was being watched.

***(A/N: Including this ^ because if you guys check Episode 2x8 and go to the part 20:40, when Veronica asks Archie what the article says, you'll notice something over Veronica's shoulder in the background. Picture will be show at the end of the chapter.)***

"So, what does the article say happened?" I asked.

I pulled the article out of my pocket and opened it, reading it to her.

"The Reaper came at night, when the rest of the town was getting ready for bed," I read as she walked over, standing next to me and peering over. "He killed the mother, Mary Ellen Conway, first."

I then shone my light over to a blood spot in the living room. "Maybe over there."

Sage carefully walked in, looking around as I walked nearby, then knelt down, picking up something.

I looked over and saw it was a broken framed photo of a woman, possily Mary Ellen Conway.

She looked up at me uneasily, her dark eyes showing worry.

I gulped and let out a deep breath, looking back at the article as she put it back down.

"He killed the father, Jim Conway, in the kitchen," I read.

She looked over, and walked over to the entrance of the kitchen. I looked over, walking as I continued to read.

"He was rushing to save his wife," I read as we shone our light on a blood stain on the linoleum floor of the kitchen. "He was shot point-blank in the chest... The kids were still in their bedrooms."

I then heard a sniffle and look to see her eyes were a little watery.

"Sage?" I asked.

She seemed to have been in a trance, but then snapped out of it.

"S-Sorry," she said, wiping under her eyes.

"We can go home," I said. "If you're not comfortable here."

"No, no, I-I'm alright," she said, taking a deep breath. "W-What was that about the kids?"

I hesitated to answer for a few seconds, but still did.

"They were still in their bedrooms," I said.

"Hiding..." she said. "My god, Archie..."

I looked back at the article. "They were hiding under the bed."

She took another deep breath as we walked down the hall to the bedrooms, and she shined a light in one, noticing a blood stain under the bed.

She took a shaky breath before looking away, seeing the rest of the room as I helped her out.

"Sage?" I asked.

"Hmm?" she responded.

"Are you really okay?" I asked.

She was quiet for a moment before she spoke. "Its just... I'm getting flashbacks... The night my parents were killed... Its a lot similar to this..."

I frowned. "I'm sorry...."

She sighed again. "Its okay... Only difference is my brother and I survived..." She said. "We're still here... These kids never stood a chance..."

I frowned, looking down. I can't imagine what Sage and her brother must have gone through, losing their parents like that.

"H-Hey, Archie?" she asked, pulling me from my thoughts.

"Hmm?" I asked.

"It was a family of four that was killed, right?" she asked as I looked over, seeing her observing a door.

"Yeah, why?" I asked.

"There's something weird here," she said, looking more closely at the door. I walked over and noticed some carvings and lines there, and realized they were height measurements for the kids, like how my mom did with me.

"Look..." she said, running her finger over them. "There's three sets of initials."

I furrowed my brows and looked closely.

"S.C.... T.C...." I said. "That's Sue Conway and Tommy Conway."

"Yeah, but then.... Who's J.C.?" She asked.

I frowned and looked around, soon noticing something.

"Sage," I said, shining my light on it as she turned, and I see it was a metal box.

I walked over, looking at it closely before noticing a name on the top in small letters.

Howard

Sage and I looked at each other questioningly.

***

Upon inspection, we found a bunch of files in the metal box.

"These are Sheriff Howard's files, his notes," I said, reading through a file while she read another. "He kept them here so he could keep working on the case."

"Does it say anything about a third child?" Sage asked, putting a file of notes aside. "With the letters 'J' and 'C'?"

I looked through it, flipping some pages when suddenly...

"Wait, wait," Sage said, stopping me. "Turn it back."

I flipped some pages back before I noticed a photgraph and stopped, Sage pulling it out and holding it.

"Oh my god, Archie, there," she said as we observed the photograph.

"The Conways were a family of five," She said, obviously shocked.

I gotta say, I was, too.

"But then... Where's the third child?" I said.

She looked uneasily at me as we looked at the photograph.

She then shivered a bit. L-Let's get out of here.... I feel like we're being watched...." she said.

"Never took the Sage Dawson for scared and paranoid," I said.

She gave me a look before scoffing in annoyance. "Shut up, I've been feeling it since we first stepped into this place. Get the files so that we can get out of here and get them to Jughead."

I nodded, knowing I sort of felt the same as well, and we gathered everything and headed outside.

"I'll take the files home and review them, find out more about this kid, then stop by during study hall to give them to you." she said.

"I don't think its safe to head that far on your own. I can drive you home," I suggested.

"Its fine, Archie," she said.

"No, really, I insist. Its a long drive, I rather you didn't get hurt," I answered truthfully.

She hesitated, but then sighed. "Alright, fine, but those muscles of yours are helping me get my bike on that truck bed," she said, walking over.

I snickered as I walked over, pulling the truck bed open and helping her as she rolled the bike over.

We managed to lift it up and carefully and set it on the bed laying down, and then we close it up.

We then climb into the truck and head to the trailer park.

***

*Sage*

"Here is fine, or else you be feeling my brother's wrath," I said as we were at the entrance of the trailer park. "If anything, leave me half of the files and you can take the rest."

He nodded and stopped while I grabbed the box, pulling up half of the files, putting them in my bag.

"Sage," he said, stopping me as I was about to climb out.

"What?" I asked.

"I really am sorry if being there bought back bad memories," he said.

I sighed. "Archie, that wasn't your fault," I said. "Yeah, it did bring back some crazy flashbacks, but I'm okay. I'm here, aren't I?"

He smiled at me and I chuckled.

"What?" he asked.

"No, its just... Its crazy how one moment we're at each other's throats, and then the next we're working together," I said. "I guess my dad was right when he said the universe does a lot of crazy stuff to people."

He chuckled. "Sounds like your dad and my dad would have been best friends," he said.

I sighed. "Not sure... My father never liked the North side of this town," I said. "Yet... There was the court day where he defended them..."

He frowned. "Wait, what?"

"From what FP once told me, my father witnessed one of the robbers, and when testifying asked if one of the people there, a kid who at the time was our age, was the robber.... My father said he was innocent, that it wasn't him... And pointed to the man he really saw.... It sent another kid to jail, and that's why they killed him... Because he told the truth, even if he went as far as to keep a Northsider out of jail, something he would have never done....." I said, shaking my head as a lone tear fell down my cheek. "And then they decided to take my mother, too..."

He frowned, when suddenly he reached up, and gently wiped my tear away with his thumb, his actions surprising me.

"You can't stand the Southside, yet... Yet you're being nice to me," I said. "Why?"

He shrugged. "I guess... You're just different from everyone else..." he said.

I looked down. "Different... How?"

He looked down bashfully before shrugging. "You just... Are..."

I smiled before I realized how close we were and I looked away.

"Umm, I.... I should get going, before my brother sends the whole armada to look for me," I said, and grabbed my bag. "Mind helping me with my bike?"

"Oh, u-uhh, yeah," he said, and climbed out.

We got my bike down and set on its wheel.

"Hey, you know.... FP's retirement party is tomorrow night,... At the Whyte Wyrm," I said. "You should come."

"You sure the Serpents won't hang me from my toes after all that Red Circle stuff?" He asked.

"You should be fine, just stick with me or Jughead," I said.

He took a deep breath and nodded. "I'll see... Thanks for the invite."

I smiled, holding the handlebars of my bike. "Drive safe, Archie."

He chuckled. "See you soon, Sage."

I then rolled my bike down the path towards my trailer and Archie climbed into his truck and left.

I parked my bike next to my brother's and went up the stairs, unlocking the door quietly.

It's late, I rather not upset Sweet Pea.

I walked in, sadly not being greeted by Hot Dog since Fangs has a turn taking care of him, and see my brother fast asleep on the couch.

I smiled, seeing he looked comfortable, and put my bag aside, then grabbed a nearby blanket and pulled it over him, and he groaned before his eyes opened and he looked up at me.

"Sorry... Didn't mean to wake you," I whispered.

He yawned as he stretched. "It's fine... Where were you, though?"

"Helping Betty with an errand for the party," I said.

Really hope she covers for me if asked.

He yawned again and nodded.

"Come on, let's get to bed," I said.

He nodded and we both get ready for bed.

***

>>The next day<<

I sat at Pop's the next morning for breakfast, examining the police files.

As far as I read, "J.C." stood for Joseph Conway, the third child, who survived the massacre. His identity was hidden and his name was changed to protect him, immediately put into the foster system and adopted by a family in Riverdale. He attended a local high school.

"Oh boy, don't tell me Jughead's got you joining the Scooby Gang now," FP said as he looked over, done mopping the floors.

FP had shortly gotten a job at Pop's

"Its just a favor, FP," I chuckled, then sighed as he looked it over. "Though this stuff is all too familiar to me..."

He frowned as he rubbed my back.

"I really am sorry I couldn't save your folks, kid," he said.

I shook my head, looking up at him. " No, its not your fault... You did everything you could, and it was more than enough. Me and Sweet Pea can't be anymore grateful than we are now."

He smiled at me when suddenly the door rang and...

"Betty won't listen to reason, so I'm telling you, FP," Alice Cooper snapped as she stormed in, FP rushing over to her as she walked over to him. 'If she even thinks about putting on a Serpent jacket, I'll have your head!!"

"Alice... I'm working," he said as I watched.

"I won't have our kids make the same mistakes we did," Mrs. Cooper snapped.

"They weren't all mistakes," FP said.

I furrowed my brows as I got my vanilla milkshake, sipping it from the straw as I watched.

"If you're that worried, come to the party," FP bargained. "Chaperone her."

"Are you high on fumes, I can't!" she snapped.

"Yes, you can," FP told her a bit sternly. "Stop by. Say hi to some old friends."

Mrs. Cooper scoffed as she contemplated.

"Hal would never come," she said.

"Well, then leave him," FP suddenly snapped.

I froze, surprised by FP's words, milkshake straw still in my mouth as I looked at Mrs. Cooper, who was equally shocked, then back at FP.

FP seemed to realize what he just said before he muttered, "At home..."

I put my drink down, leaning my head towards.

He backed up and quickly went back to work.

Alice stood there as I sighed, gathering up my things into my bag before slinging it across my shoulder.

"I'm gonna head out, and let the tension here clear up," I said, getting my milkshake, tipping it to her. "See ya around, Mrs. C."

I walked out and headed to my bike, soon going to school.

~~~~~

Okay, so, while watching the eight episode of Season 2 on Netflix, at around the time point 20:40, I noticed something behind Veronica in the distance as she and Archie are are investigating the Devil's House.

Looks familiar to anyone?

Now, it could just be the lighting, yeah, but its awfully convenient that the silhouette looks very familiar to a certain Season 3 character.

Foreshadowing, maybe? 🤔🤔🤔

Hope everyone is enjoying the story so far! Leave some feedback and let me know what you guys think so far! 🌻

🎼 Currently in Sapph's playlist:

Maroon 5 "She Will Be Loved"

♡~ sapphire.