❪ ꜱᴛᴀᴛᴇ ᴏꜰ ɢʀᴀᴄᴇ ❫

𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘯: 𝘮𝘶𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘳
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𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙡-𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩.

Camilla Cooper was frozen. Everything was a blur to her. She didn't even notice her Mom on the floor trying to clean up the blood or Chic shaking in the corner.

All Camilla Cooper knew was that she was a murderer. She murdered someone.

And even if it was in self-defense it doesn't change the face.

Cami couldn't stop staring at the blood feeling sick to her stomach the blonde ran to the kitchen and began throwing up everything she had eaten that day just as the front door opened and footsteps walked towards the the living room.

Cami suddenly feels hands grabbing her hair as she sobs.

"It was self-defense. It was self-defense Cami," Betty tells her sister who sobs nodding her head as she turns around to look at Betty. Cami takes a deep breath as she tries to calm down.

"Dad is the one way. He needs toiletries. We have to help Mom clean it up," Betty tells Cami who exhales but nods.

"G-get the bleach under the sink. I-I'll get some g-gloves," Cami tells Betty who nods her head heading toward the sink.

Cami takes a deep breath grabbing a hair tie to pull her hair up before getting the gloves on her hands her hand still fuzzy.

Nothing felt real at that moment.

And in one reckless moment, the lives of the Cooper women were forever changed. A mother wanting to protect her daughter, and a sister wanting to protect her elder sister while Camilla Cooper was numb to it all. 

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Dressed in a hoodie along with leggings Cami sat beside the fireplace burning everything as the front door to the Cooper house opened.

"Hello? Betty? Cami?" Hal questioned as Cami's body tensed up even more as she heard her father's footsteps heading towards the kitchen.

"Betty. Alice," Hal greets the two women.

"Hal. Dad," Alice and Betty greet as Cami with shaky hands begins lighting a candle trying to get the smell of blood and bleach from her nose.

"Oh, where's Chic? And Cami?" Hal questions as Cami rounds the corner.

"I was at the fireplace. Felt cold," Cami tells her Dad who nods wrapping an arm around his daughter and kissing the top of her head.

"Chic's upstairs in his room, resting," Betty tells her Dad with her arms crossed.

"What's that smell?" Hal questions smelling that strong scent of bleach making Cami tense up slightly.

"Bleach. I spilled tomato soup. I didn't want it to stain," Alice tells her husband just wanting him to leave.

"It must've been a lot because it smells like a hospital here," Hal states as Cami looks up at him.

"I dropped it on accident and spilled the entire thing. Betty and I were just finishing cleaning it up. That's why I was lighting a candle," Cami explains to her Dad who nods.

"Dad, Do you want me to get the toiletries?" Betty questions making Hal stare at the mother and daughter duo before kissing the top of Cami's hair and heading upstairs.

Cami's body didn't relax though but right now she couldn't break. There was too much at risk to do so.

Heading up to her room Cami grabs a jacket from the closet and pulls her hair into a ponytail only to freeze seeing a stain of red in her hair.

"Camilla your dad's gone. Hurry up," Alice says making Cami nod as she pulls her hair into a messy bun before hurrying downstairs already having on a pair of boots.

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Cami sits in the back seat as Betty drives Alice's car onto a trail near the woods as Alice stares at a map.

"What if someone looks for him?" Betty questions worried looking towards her sister who was just staring ahead not having spoken a word.

"People go missing every day," Alice tells Betty.

"But what if he has a family?" Betty questions speaking her worries.

"He didn't strike me as the type. Who walks around without a wallet?" Alice questions looking towards Cami worriedly as Betty continues driving until they get to sewer pipes that were shut down decades ago.

Betty and Cami held one side of the dining carpet that had the man Cami murdered wrapped in while Alice held the other side.

"They shut down these sewer pipes
decades ago. This used to be my secret place as a little girl," Alice tells her daughters as she holds a flashlight in her hands.

"Here, cover it up," Alice tells her daughters as Cami and Betty help their Mom cover the body in leaves and make sure the body is completely covered.

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After dumping the body, Cami, Alice, and Betty return home back home.

"We have work to do. Clean anything he may have touched so there are no fingerprints," Alice tells her daughter. Betty wipes down the front door as Cami scrubs everything she could even the apples worried the man might have touched one while no one was looking.

After scrubbing everything down Cami heads upstairs to her room not saying a word as she walks towards her shower.

Turning on the water not even knowing if she turned on the hot or cold but she couldn't feel it anyway as she walked in fully clothed and slowly slid down the tiles sobbing.

Pulling her knees to her chest Cami sits in the shower sobbing regarding everything that happened in one night.

She murdered someone and her Mom and sister helped cover it up to make sure she was safe.

The guilt over what she had done and what she made Betty and her Mom do was overwhelming.

It was breaking.

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The next morning hearing her alarm go off Cami just stared at the way. She didn't sleep at all. She couldn't sleep every time she tried to close her eyes all she saw was blood.

Moving felt exhausting but at the same time, she didn't feel it to begin with.

Hitting her alarm Cami slowly gets up before looking down seeing she was in a pair of leggings and a tank top. Grabbing a hoodie the blonde puts it on and heads towards her bathroom to brush her teeth and pull her hair into a bun before heading downstairs.

Nothing felt the same anymore

Walking into the dining room Cami freezes once she sees her Mon and Chic sitting enjoying chocolate chip pancakes as if nothing happened at all.

"Mom," Cami says softly making Alice turn to her with a smile.

"Oh, good, you're up. Have a seat," Alice says pointing to the table while Cami just stares not saying anything while heading towards the cabinet to grab some mug to fix some coffee.

As Cami pours her coffee into her mug all she sees is blood making her body feel even more tense suddenly a knock is heard on the front making Cami jump as she drops her mug onto the ground spilling hot coffee all over but still Cami doesn't feel it.

"Camilla?" Alice questions staring at her daughter who stares at the front door and sees Betty come down the stairs.

"Ask who it is," Alice tells her daughter walking towards the living room as Betty walks towards the front door.

"Who is it?" Betty questions as she opens the door only to see Jughead's head standing there making Cami take deep breaths not realizing she wasn't breathing the entire time.

Falling to her knees Cami begins to clean up the coffee mug as Alice walks back toward the dining room.

"I'll get the broom. Stop Cami or you'll cut yourself," Alice tells her daughter who stops and looks at her hands seeing cuts on them but not feeling them at all.

"Go get clean up Camilla and ready for school," Alice tells her daughter who gets up and walks towards the stairs but still staring at the blood.

But she didn't see her blood on her hands. She saw his.

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Slightly wet from the rain Cami walks into the high school still in a hoodie and a new pair of leggings but no makeup on or hair fixed.

The blonde held her books tightly to her as she walked down the hallway not noticing all the looks she was getting as she walked into the student lounge sitting down in one of the chairs.

"Cam, are you okay?" Veronica questions worriedly making Cami nod but not say anything as she blocks out everything Veronica and Jughead were saying she only snaps back into it when she hears dead body making her snap her head towards Kevin.

"Could the Black Hood have risen from the grave?" Jughead questions with a sigh.

"Did they say whose body?" Archie questions.
"Where did they find it?" Betty and Cami question as they look at each other for just a moment before looking back at Kevin.

"The investigation's ongoing, but it was a gruesome execution at the motel. Blood and brains splattered
all over the duvet," Kevin says making Cami release a breath but the blonde still felt she couldn't breathe. 

"Okay, Kev, we get it," Archie says stopping the boy.
"I gotta go," Cami says standing up as she walks out of the student lounge feeling as if she couldn't breathe as everything became dizzy.

Not being able to see where she is going Cami runs into someone who catches her and Cami begins to uncontrollably shake.

"Sunshine?" Sweet Pea questions as he tries to bring Cami closer who shoves him away making Sweat Pea notice the tears in her eyes.

"Camilla?" Sweet Pea questions as Cami tries to go around him but Sweet Pea grabs her arm pulling her into an empty classroom and closing the door just as Cami shoves him away and falls to her scratching at her throat trying to get air.

"Damn it," Sweet Pea cusses as he falls to his knees grabbing Cami's hands to try to stop her as she begins to uncontrollably sob.

"Cami-how many windows are in this room?" Sweet Pea questions Cami who just cries harder making him pull Cami into his arms who tries to get away.

"You are safe. I've gotta you. You're safe Camilla. It's Sweet Pea. The door is being guarded by Fangs. No one is coming in. You are safe. I just need you to open your eyes or take a deep breath. Please," Sweet Pea tells her calmly as he holds her tightly to him making Cami release a shaky uneven breath.

"Again," Sweet Pea tells her making Cami do it again as she sobs.

"Do the same as me," Sweet Pea instructs as he takes deep breaths letting Cami feel the moving of his body making her mimic him.

"There you go," Sweet Pea says as Cami opens her eyes looking at him seeing the worry in his eyes.

"Here," another voice says making Cami jump as Sweet Pea holds her tighter to him as Toni comes into her view.

"You need to drink some water," Toni tells the blonde as Sweet Pea takes the water unscrewing the lid he tries to hand it to Cami but she is still shaking too much.

"Let me," Sweet Pea says as he puts the water bottle to her lips letting Cami take a few sips before laying her head on his chest.

"You okay?" Toni questions Cami who nods slightly.
"I'm sorry," Cami whispers as Sweet Pea shushes her.

"There's nothing to be sorry about," Toni tells Cami who just cries slightly.

"Do they happen often?" Sweet Pea asks the blonde who pauses slightly.

"I have anxiety attacks. I usually take something for them when my anxiety starts to get worse but I've never had a panic attack," Cami whispers but she knew exactly why she was having a panic attack.

"Why don't we take you home?" Toni offers Cami who immediately shakes her head no.

"Cam-," Sweet Pea begins to say as Cami goes to stand up even if she is unbalanced.

"Thank you for your help. I'm going to go," Cami says as she begins to walk but almost falls making Toni and Sweet Pea reach out for her.

"Yeah no," Sweet Pea tells the blonde before grabbing her and lifting her bridal style.

"If you don't want to go home you'll just come with us," Sweet Pea says as if it was that easy and begins leaving the classroom with Toni behind him holding Cami's bag.

"Sweet Pea no. Just put me down. Now," Cami tells him sternly as she glares at the boy who glares back at her.

"It wasn't a request," Cami tells Sweet Pea who scoffs at her.

"If you think I'm putting you down like this. Hell no," Sweet Pea informs Cami as he continues to walk outside. The blonde wanted to argue but she felt so exhausted.

She was too tired to fight anymore.

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At the Wyrm Cami sat on a stool playing with the straw in her drink with Toni behind the bar and Fangs and Sweet Pea beside her.

No one spoke a word but the three stared at Cami worriedly and as if she was a foreign object in front of them.

"Here Cami gotcha some fries," Hog Eye tells the girl placing a plate of fries in front of her making Cami nod but not take her eyes off her drink.

Hog Eye stares at him Cami worriedly seeing how pale she is and she just wasn't acting like herself. Hog Eye looks towards Sweet Pea, Fangs, and Toni who shake their heads at him making Hog Eye nodding sighing slightly.

Cami just stares in at her cup getting flashbacks to the blood staring at the cup of cherry coke.

"I'm leaving," Cami whispers getting up as she turns around and tries to walk away but a figure that she didn't even know was behind her.

Cami jumps covering her mouth as a scream almost releases from her mouth.

"Cami?" FP questions worriedly seeing the girl now trembling.

"I-I'm fine," Cami answers as she tries to pass him to leave FP watches her go before looking at the three serpents who were watching her go.

With a shake of his head, FP raced out of the Wyrm falling Cami who stood beside her car her hands shaking slightly as she tried to unlock the door.

FP walks towards her snatching her keys making Cami turn around quickly looking at the man.

"Give 'em back," Cami demands holding her hands back.

"What's wrong?" FP questions as he cups Cami's face looking into her eyes.

"Tell me. I know something is," FP tells the blonde who looks into his eyes feeling herself begin to fold and break.

Cami didn't even know when but somehow FP had become her safe place.

Cami knew if she told him FP would help her. He would hold her and let her break.

And that's why she couldn't.

Because Cami didn't know how to get herself and her family out of this situation they were in. She couldn't get FP out of it which made Cami take a step back as FP's hands slowly fell from her cheek.

"We're not sleeping together anymore. Don't pretend to care," Cami tells the man as she snatches her keys and gets in her car driving away while FP watches her leave.

Once again not stopping her. 

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After another night of not sleeping Cami heads down the steps only to pause hearing Betty's voice.

"You lied to us. That shady guy wasn't one of your customers. He was a drug dealer. It's all in here. Hundreds of messages from junkies looking for a fix. Including one from Chic the night of-," Betty says making Cami slowly slide down the wall and sit down on the steps.

Chic invited him over. Chic knew the man Cami killed.

"Betty, why in God's name would you go back there?" Alice questions stopping Betty's interrogation.

"To make sure you m broad daylight that no one could see him from the trail," Betty tells her Mom.

"Give that back to me before someone tracks that right back to this house," Alice demands as Cami's breath picks up again.

"No, Mom. I already turned off the GPS. And you're missing the point here, okay? Chic lied about the shady guy. What else is he lying about, huh?" Betty questions staring at her brother who looks at her with tears in his eyes as Betty stares in disbelief.

"Excuse me. Are you kidding me? No one is buying the waterworks," Betty says glaring at her brother as Alice stands up grabbing her daughter's arm.

"That's enough, Elizabeth," Alice demands pulling Betty away.

"You keep this up and you'll get us all caught," Alice tells Betty who stares at her Mom.

"He's the one who's gonna get us caught by not telling us everything. I'm thinking of Cami, Mom. Because of Chic, she had to kill someone to protect herself. Do you not understand that?" Betty exclaims to her Mom.

"Of course I do Elizabeth, but what's done is done," Alice says before walking back towards the dining room.

Betty shakes her head and heads towards the stairs only to pause seeing Cami.

"Cam," Betty whispers making Cami look towards her with tears in her eyes. Wiping her face Cami stands up clearing her throat.

"I'm fine Betts," Cami whispers before heading back upstairs as Betty watches her worriedly before glaring towards the kitchen.

Betty hated that because she wanted her Mom to have her son back Cami was now a murder and she hated her brother for it as well.

Her sister the strongest person Betty had ever met was now broken and Betty only had herself to blame.

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Cami stares at her bedroom wall as she ignores her phone ringing not even caring who was calling or how many times they call. This was already the third time.

"Hey, this is Cami! Sorry, I can't answer the phone right now. I'm either planning something, eating, destroying someone's life, or lastly and probably what I'm actually doing drinking a strawberry milkshake. Anyway, I'll call you back when I get the chance. Hope you have a good day or night whatever time it is!" Cami's upbeat and happy voice is heard from her voicemail.

"Cam please call me back. Are you okay?" Jughead questions worriedly trying to call Cami wondering if the blonde was coming for the meeting with the Lodges. A meeting he needed her there but Jughead was also scared because Toni told him what happened with Cami at school.

"Jug they're pulling up," FP calls his son who sighs nodding his head as he turns to his Dad.

"Coming," Jughead replies heading towards the front door while putting his phone down and staring at it worriedly for the blonde.

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Upstairs in her room Cami was meant to be at school but couldn't find the want to move from her bed screaming from downstairs made Cami get up dressed in a pair of joggers and a crop tank top and head downstairs seeing her Dad screaming in the living room just as Betty walks in. 

"I'm onto you. Your little game isn't gonna work with me. Where's my grandfather's watch?" Hal questions Chic as Betty walks from the foyer to the living room.

"Dad! What are you doing? I thought you moved out," Betty says making Hal turn to her just as Cami stands on the last step.

"I did, but I had a change of heart, and I was feeling like maybe it was time for me to move back and finally get answers from him. But your brother can't seem to look me in the eyes," Hal says raising his voice as he looks towards Chic who is shaking in the corner of the dining room. 

"That's because you're terrifying him," Betty tells her Dad who looks towards her.

"Oh, I'm terrifying him," Hal says sarcastically.

"Yeah," Betty answers nodding her head

"Come on, Betty. What the hell is going on here, really? Why does it stink of bleach? And where is the dining room rug?" Hal questions his youngest daughter making Cami's breath stop as she feels the panic begin to rise again.

"I-a I don't know. I think she sent it out to get cleaned," Betty answers stammering slightly.

"Oh. And what about the that's usually lamp there?" Hal questions pointing to the place the lamb used to be. 

"Why are you interrogating us?" Betty exclaims trying to get the topic off that night.

"Because something is going on in this house.  This kid is doing what...Turning tricks?  They're coming through the house. Who knows what they're stealing and pawning off? And my daughter cannot look me in the eyes anymore! She looks damn terrified!" Hal exclaims heading towards Chic.

"What the hell did you do?!" Hal screams shaking one of the dining room tables.

"Dad! Get away from him, or I will call Mom!" Betty screams at her father who doesn't even look at her staring at Chic.

"Fine. Think I care?" Hal questions not caring one bit.

"And I will tell her about you and Penelope Blossom," Betty says threatening to expose his and Penelope's affair making Hal slowly turn his head towards his daughter.

"Maybe the reason you feel like we're hiding things and keeping secrets is because you are," Betty says gaslighting her own father.

"You need to leave, Dad. Now," Betty tells her father softly who stares at Chic.

"If I found out you did anything to my daughter...no will be able to save you," Hal threatens Chic before turning and walking towards the door and out of the house Betty watches him go before looking at Chic.

"Thank you, Betty," Chic says softly as Betty has tears in her eyes.

"I didn't do it for you, I did it for my sister," Betty answers.

"What if he comes back? Or calls the police?" Chic questions as Betty takes a deep shaky breath when suddenly a squeak floorboard is heard making Betty turn to see Cami with tears down her cheeks but a mixture of numbness and pain on her face.

"Cam-," Betty begins to say walking towards her sister but Cami holds a hand up stopping her as she looks at the place where she murdered a man.

"I-I can't be," Cami whispers out brokenly before heading towards the door and walking out.

With no keys. No phone. And no shoes.

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FP sits on his couch in his trailer looking down at his phone worriedly when suddenly the front door is slammed open making FP jump up and turn to it.

"Cami?" FP questions worriedly seeing the girl paler than the last time he saw her along with tears running down her cheek.

"I-I do-don't know why I'm here," Cami says sobbing slightly as FP walks towards her.

"I shouldn't be," Cami says shaking her head as she tries to leave but FP grabs her arm and pulls her into his arms.

"I gotcha," FP whispers as Cami freezes before shaking her hard as she sobs into his chest.

"Camilla tell me what's going on? What happened?" FP begs with a mixture of demands as Cami shakes her head.

"I-I c-can't!" Cami sobs even harder as FP pulls her closer.

"Was it Chic? Did he do something?" FP questions trying to pull away to see Cami's face who just holds him closer.

"Baby please," FP begs as Cami sobs but pulls back as FP stares at her cupping her cheeks.

"Tell me. Let me help," FP tells the blonde who immediately shakes her head.

"That's why I can't! Because you'll want to help! And if you help I'm dragging you into it too!" Cami sobs shaking her head as FP stares at her confused.

"I can't even get myself out of this! Or my family! I have no idea what to do next so I can't involved! I can't tell you!" Cami exclaims to him as she begins to feel her knees go weak but FP pulls her closer grabbing her chin so Cami looks into his eyes.

"Tell me and I'll get you out of it. I'll get myself and everyone else. Just tell me. Let me help you. Because whatever it is, is breaking you," FP tells Cami who stares at him seeing the begging in his eyes.

"I killed someone," Cami whispers before covering her mouth as she sobs as FP stumbles back slightly at that.

"It was self-defense! It was self-defense! I promise! I promise. It was self-defense. It was self-," Cami begins to repeat making FP come out of his shock and pull her into him just as Cami's knees gave out from below her making FP pick her up bridal style as he walks towards the couch cradling Cami to him.

"I know it was," FP whispers to Cami kissing the top of her head as Cami sobs clinging to him.

"Cami...I need you to tell me what happened," FP tells the blonde softly who sobs but nods her head as she begins to explain what exactly happened before sobs.

Once she finishes FP just pulls Cami against him cradling her head to his chest as she feels her body become weaker and weaker from exhaustion.

"I'll deal with it Cam. It'll be okay. It was self-defense," FP reassures her as he runs his fingers through her hair making Cami slowly begin to fall asleep once she does FP lays her down on the couch and covers her with a blanket just as the front door opens again and someone walks in.

"Dad I need to tell you something," Jughead says walking towards the living room before freezing seeing his Dad's stressed-out face and a passed-out Cami with dried tears on her cheeks.

"I know," FP tells his son who gulps before turning to his Dad.

"I helped Betty get rid of his car last night. It was parked across the street," Jughead tells his Dad knowing Cami wouldn't have known that FP pulls at his hair just as another knock is heard making FP walk towards the door as Jughead walks towards Cami making sure the blanket covers her completely.

"FP I-," Alice's voice is heard but FP interrupts her stopping Alice.

"Save it, Alice. Cami and Jughead just told me. All of it," FP says looking towards his son and Cami who was completely unaware of everything that was going on. Finally sleeping.

"I not gonna let the three of you make the same mistake I made with Jason Blossom. And I'm not going to let Cami go to jail for defending herself. Come on," FP says letting the two other Cooper girls inside as Betty looks towards her sister asleep.

"She's asleep. She hasn't slept or done anything since it happened," Betty says surprised before sitting down beside her sister running a hand over her covered leg as FP watches Cami not realizing someone watching him watch her.

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Blinking her eyes slowly open Cami sees that she is in a familiar place but the feeling of a familiar heartbeat makes Cami look up to see FP staring down at her.

"I was getting a little worried. You've been asleep for almost fifteen hours," FP tells Cami who looks wide-eyed at that as she goes to sit up.

"The body-," Cami begins to say but FP pulls her back to his chest.

"I got rid of it. There is absolutely no evidence left," FP tells Cami who releases a shaky breath.

"I'm sorry," Cami tells FP who shakes his head at her.

"Cami no matter what you think I'm not using you for sex. I care about you. I truly care and won't let anything happen to you if I can help," FP tells Cami who looks at him.

"I never thought you were...I just needed to push you away," Cami answers as FP stares.

"I know," FP tells her as he pulls Cami closer to him who sighs in relief holding him tightly. 

"Thank you," Cami whispers against his chest.
"No thank you needed, Trouble. Snakes take care of their own," FP replies as Cami smiles softly.

❀ ༄ ❀ AUTHOR NOTE ❀ ༄ ❀
I don't like this chapter sort of but here it is!

Please ignore any spelling mistakes! I beg you! Don't forget to comment, my lovelies! I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! I love you all! <333