❪ ꜱᴛᴀᴛᴇ ᴏꜰ ɢʀᴀᴄᴇ ❫

𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘯𝘦: 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘳
━━━━━━━━━━━━━
𝙖 𝙠𝙞𝙨𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙙𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜.

Death.

Some say when you're dying memories of your life pass before your eyes. Every moment that had an impact on you before the final memory appears what you would be missing.

Other says there is just a bright light and then you are gone surrounded by everyone you loved and once lost.

But Camilla Cooper felt as if she was floating. As if she was in between the two words.

She didn't even feel when Archie picked her up placing her into the backseat of Fred's pickup truck.

She didn't even know that Archie Andrews at this very moment careening down the streets of Riverdale while trying to outrace death.

Camilla Cooper couldn't even feel Fred Andrew's hand in her own squeezing it every few seconds trying to get her to squeeze it back.

But wasn't.

"Hold on, Dad, hold on. Hold on, Dad. We're almost there. We're almost there. They're gonna fix you up. Stay with me, Dad, stay with me," Archie begs his Dad before looking in the backseat and seeing Cami's stilled body.

"Cami! Cami! Wake up! Come on Cami! We are almost there! Just say with me," Archie tells the girl worriedly as he pulls into the Riverdale General.

Archie races towards his Dad's side to get him inside and then Cami but Fred shakes his head at him.

"Cam," Fred breathes out making Archie shake his head before looking at the girl seeing her once bright blonde hair now red from her own blonde. Her once-white sweater is now blood red.

But what made him run towards the other side was not seeing Cami's chest rising and falling.

Archie placed his finger on her neck feeling a tiny best from her heart before picking her carefully trying not to hurt her anymore.

Fred watches as Archie takes Cami her hand falling from his before he squeezes it once more before darkness overcomes his senses.

"Help, please! Help, hey! Someone help me!" Archie screams as he runs into the hospital with Cami making the doctors and nurses look towards the sound.

"Gurney!" One of the nurses yells as they rush toward Archie and Cami. The doctor took Cami laying her on the gurney.

"My dad! My Dad's in the truck!" Archie tells them making another team of doctors and nurses run outside towards the truck. 

"What happened to them?" A doctor asks Archie who runs his hands through his hair stressed.

"They were...they were shot," Archie tells them as he sees his Dad being brought into the hospital bloody.

Archie looks towards Cami and everything was foggy to him but he could see the blood around her and then the nurses attaching her to different machines.

"She's going into shock," someone exclaims as Archie runs his fingers through his hair trying to stop the sob from leaving his mouth.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━

"Dad? What gives? Take the picture," Archie tells his Dad dressed in his cap and gown along with Veronica Betty, and Jughead.

"The ceremony starts in the gym in ten minutes," Mary tells Fred who stares at the group his phone in hand.

Yeah, Dad, what's taking so long?" Archie questions his Dad who lowers his phone slightly.

"I...just can't believe we're here, Archie. We're at your graduation. I...I didn't think I'd live to see this day," Fred says amazed looking at the group as he raises his phone once again.

"Yeah, except you didn't, Mr. A," Jughead says making Fred look at him confused.

"What?" Fred questions him.
"You didn't live to see this day," Betty tells him.

"Don't you remember? At Pop's?" Veronica questions him as Fred looks at the four teenagers.

"Where's Cami?" Fred questions confused as he doesn't spot the blonde girl.

"Freddy," a voice whispers out making Fred turn around quickly to spot Cami but she isn't in a cap or gown like the others.

No, she was in a white sweater and white-washed jeans covered in blood.

"Cami!" Fred screams rushing towards her terrified.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━

"Good morning, sweetheart," Alice states as she walks towards Betty with a glass of milk and orange juice who is sitting at the dining room table.

"Is Cami still asleep?" Alice questions Betty looking towards the empty chair knowing her daughter was an early riser.

"She went to go get breakfast with the Andrews," Betty tells her Mom as she looks down at her phone texting Cami, but for some reason, Cami wouldn't respond.

"I'm thinking she left her phone here though or in the truck. She's not answering me," Betty tells her Mom who nods her head at her before rubbing her chest slightly.

Something felt wrong.

"So, what did you and your friends do after the Jubilee?" Alice questions trying to ignore the feeling that is getting worse by the second as she walks towards the stove to grab the French toast she made.

"We went to Pop's. And then, Jughead and I went back to FP's trailer," Betty tells her Mom who pauses at that.

"Oh, Betty," Alice states as Betty looks at her with a slight smirk seeing the surprise on her Mom's face as she places the pitcher of coffee on the table. 

"If that beanie-wearing cad defiled you, at least please tell me that you were safe," Alice tells her daughter who just stares at her before shaking her head.

"What? No, Mom, we didn't. I mean...we almost did, but then we were interrupted...," Betty says trailing off wishing Cami was here.

"Well, thank God," Alice says sighing in relief.
"By the Southside Serpents," Betty tells her Mom who just looks at her leaning closer.

"Excuse me? By those thugs?" Alfie questions in disbelief.

"Oh. See, I knew that Jughead was gonna follow in FP's criminal footsteps. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, especially not when there's a snake curled up in its limbs," Alice tells Betty who takes a sip of her orange juice just as her phone begins to ring. 

"If that's Snake Plissken, I want him blocked," Alice tells her daughter who looks down at her phone.

"It's Archie," Betty tells her Mom.
"Block him too," Alice tells Betty who sends her Mom a side look before shaking her head.

"It's probably Cami. She said she was going to call to make sure we didn't want anything," Betty tells Alice who nods her head as Betty answers the phone.

"Hey Arch-," Betty begins to say before she is cut off by the boy in a rush.

"Wait wait what slow down Archie! Cami was what?!" Betty exclaims wide eyed making Alice look towards Betty worriedly.

"Betty?" Alice questions making Betty look at her Mom with wide panicked eyes as Alice looks at her worriedly.

"Elizabeth! What happened to your sister?!" Alice exclaims as she goes to snatch the phone from Betty to find out herself.

"She-she was shot. At Pop's," Betty whispers in disbelief as Alice just stares at her for a moment.

"Polly!" Alice screams before grabbing her keys and phone and heading to get her shoes on not even carrying she was in pajamas still.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Fred Andrews rushed down the hallway towards the door at the end of the hallway. It was in some building he couldn't exactly pinpoint. Knocking on the door softly Fred hears a familiar voice telling him to come in.

Walking inside the room Fred's eyes were on the floor before he slowly looks up tears in his eyes.

"Do I look that bad Freddy?" Cami questions him turning away from the mirror she was staring into standing in an off-a-shoulder lace white dress with a slit on the side of her leg.

Camilla's hair was curled with a flower crown in her hair and a pair of diamond earrings in her ears.

"No no no," Fred says shaking his head as stares at Cami tears in his eyes.

"You look beautiful," Fred whispers to her as he wipes the tears falling down from his eyes.

"Don't start crying, Freddy! I'm going to cry and ruin my makeup. Vee will kill me," Cami tells the man laughing slightly as she waves her face trying to stop the tears.

"I'm sorry. I just-wow," Fred tells her walking closer to Cami who smiles at him.

"Not that I'm not happy to be the first to see you before your big moment but why did you need me? Do I need to get a getaway car?" Fred asks Cami who laughs at him shaking her head.

"No no no!" Cami says laughing as Fred smiles at her.

"And Kevin already said he has it in place just in case," Cami tells Fred who nods knowing that sounded like the boy.

"Alright then. What's going on Cami-Cam?" Fred questions her as Cami takes a deep breath readying herself.

"Well I was about to start heading towards the ceremony when I realized something important," Cami tells Fred who watches her worriedly as Cami looks up at him.

"I don't have anyone to give me away," Cami tells him softly as Fred stares at her tears in his eyes once again.

"B-but your Dad," Fred begins to say as Cami shakes her head.

"You're my Dad Freddy. You've been my Dad since the moment you met me. There's no one else I want to give me away. If you would?" Cami questions him anxiously as Fred walks closer to her grabbing Cami's hand and squeezing them.

"I would be honored," Fred tells Cami who smiles at him brightly wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

"Okay good!" Cami says sighing in relief as she pulls back grabbing her bouquet.

"Let's go. We are already late Freddy. Can't believe I'm late to my own wedding," Cami tells Fred who laughs at her interlocking her arm with his.

"Let's go Cami-Cam," Fred tells the blonde a bright smile on his face as he opens the double doors for the two to walk through.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Betty ran through the hallways at the hospital followed by her parents. Entering another set of double doors Betty sees Veronica who interlocks her hand with her hers.

As the two walk down the hall Jughead joins them and once in the waiting room the three spot Archie covered in blood.

"Arch," Veronica says making the boy turn to them as he looks close to breaking down. The three wrap their arms around him hugging him tightly as Alice heads towards the front desk.

"My daughter Camilla Cooper," Alice says as the nurse nods and begins looking up the information.

"It seems she is in surgery right now Mrs.Cooper along with Mr.Andrews," the nurse tells Alice.

"Can you tell me how bad it is? Is the wound life-threatening? Where was she shot? What-?" Alice begins to questions repeatedly.

"I'm sorry Mrs.Cooper all I know is that she is in surgery," the nurse tells Alice who glares at her.

"Then find me, someone who can tell me what the hell happened to my daughter," Alice demands the woman who nods.

"Of course Mrs.Cooper," the nurse tells her as Alice looks towards the three teenagers who were talking. Alice walks towards the teenagers followed by Hal and Hermione.

"There isn't any new information. Cami and Your dad's in surgery. They're gonna be there for a while," Alice tells Archie who nods as Betty looks at her Mom.

"Is she alright?" Betty questions Alice who looks at her.

"I'm waiting for my information," Alice tells Betty who nods her head Veronica squeezing her hand as Hermione squats down beside Archie.

"Uh, Archie. Have you spoken to your mother about any of this yet?" Hermione questions him softly.

"No. No, I haven't called her. I'll be right back," Archie says as he gets up and walks away to call his Mom Alice eyes Jughead who looks at her confused.

"What?" Jughead questions seeing the distaste on Alice's face.

"Mom. Do not start this," Betty tells her Mom who rolls her eyes at that.

"Start what?" Jughead questions confused eyeing Alice.

"Well, of course, I can't help but wonder if your Southside associates had anything to do with what happened to my daughter and Fred," Alice stares staring at Jughead.

"Alice, relax," Hal tells the woman who glares at him.
"Relax? My daughter is in the hospital for surgery with a bullet wound. How do you expect me to relax?" Alice questions Hal with a glare.

"Unbelievable. At least you can't accuse my father of being the shooter, considering he's in jail," Jughead tells Alice who shakes her head at him.

"Oh, my God, I can't handle this," Veronica says as she sighs laying her head on Betty's shoulder who was pale herself.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Archie along with Jughead sat with Sheriff Keller Archie telling the man what happened as Kevin sat with Betty and Veronica when a doctor walked into the waiting room.

"Mrs.Cooper," the doctor speaks making Alice jump up and head toward him along with Kevin, Betty, and Veronica.

"I'm Steven Masters. I'm your daughter's doctor," Doctor Masters introduces himself.

"How is she?" Betty questions worriedly as Veronica squeezes her hand as the doctor eyes the group.

"It seems the bullet went straight through. From what we can tell it doesn't seem like she was the target. It hit the upper part of her left shoulder and then into Mr.Andrews since he was right behind her," Doctor Masters explains as Alice nods her head.

"How bad is it?" Alice questions her throat tight.
"A piece of the bullet did break it nick her heart," Doctor Masters tells the woman who takes a deep breath.

"But she is very lucky. It didn't hit anything impenitent. We had to have surgery to remove the small fragment before it reached her heart. Your daughter was very lucky ma'am. It could have been a lot worse," Doctor Masters tells Alice who covers her mouth tears in her eyes.

"So she's okay? She's going to live?" Alfie questions as the doctor nods.

"Yes ma'am. She is starting to breathe on her own. It seems her body went into shock to protect itself which made her heart stop for a moment. We need to wait for her to wake up to make sure there is no brain damage," Doctor Masters explains to Alice.

"I want to see my sister," Betty tells the man who looks at her.

"You will be able to once we've got her set in a room. Should be an hour or two at the most," Doctor Masters tells Betty before smiling at Alice.

"Your daughter is a fighter, Mrs.Cooper," Doctor Masters tells her as Alice nods. Betty sighs in relief as she turns to her Mom hugging her tightly as Veronica and Kevin hug each other.

"What happened?" Jughead questions walking towards the group.

"Cami she's okay," Kevin tells Jughead who sighs in relief as Betty hugs him tightly. Jughead looks at Archie who nods regarding Jughead contacting the serpents.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Outside the hospital, Jughead walks towards where a couple of serpents stand beside their bikes.

"I got nervous when you said to meet at the hospital," Tall Boy states staring at Jughead who looks at him for a moment.

"I was wondering about when you said the Serpents had my back. Does that courtesy extend to a guy who's like my brother, a man who's like a second father to me, and a girl who has always been there for me?" Jughead questions Tall Boy who looks at him.

"What do you need?" Tall Boy questions him.

"Fred Andrews, my buddy's dad, and Camilla Cooper were just shot, during a robbery at Pop's. The guy was in a black hood," Jughead tells Tall Boy who looks at him.

"Serpents don't wear masks," another serpent states behind Tall Boy.

"Yeah, I get it. But some of those Serpents were working for Fred Andrews when, for reasons of his own, he decided to let them go suddenly. Maybe someone took it personally and went rogue. You guys know every hidey-hole in town. Someone has to have heard something about what went down at Pop's," Jughead states as Tall Boy nods slightly.

"All right. We'll knock some heads. Let you know," Tall Boy tells Jughead hitting his shoulder before heading back towards his bike.

"We really doing this?" The other serpent questions Tall Boy who looks at him.

"She's under our protection," Tall Boy tells the man before getting on his bike.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━

In Cami's hospital room number eleven Betty sits beside her sister's bed holding her hand and listening to the heart monitor.

"She just wanted to go get some breakfast at Pop's," Betty whispers making Jughead squeeze her shoulders.

"Betty," Jughead whispers as Betty wipes her tears.
"She was just smiling at me and now she is in the hospital," Betty whispers shaking her head in disbelief.

"You know I can't remember a memory without Cami being a part of it. When we were kids I used to hate sleeping alone. Cami used to sneak in once our Mom was asleep in run her fingers through my hair until I fell asleep. She would sneak out before our Mom woke up though. I just always slept so much better with Cami beside me. She has always been right beside me," Betty whispers as Jughead looks at her sadly.

"She's going to be okay Betty. We just have to wait for her to wake up," Jughead tells Betty who stares at her sister.

"I can't lose her Jug. I could lose everyone in my entire life but not Cami. She's- she's my big sister," Betty whispers squeezing Cami's hand when she feels a hand squeeze her back.

"Cami?" Betty questions standing up and looking at her sister wide-eyed.

"N-not yet Betts," Cami whispers making Betty laugh with tears in her eyes before leaning down to hug her sister.

"Careful. I'm sore," Cami tells Betty who pulls back to look at her.

"I'm sorry. You're okay," Betty says in relief as Cami smiles at her softly.

"Yeah I'm okay...but what happened? Where am I?" Cami questions around confused making Betty share a look with Jughead who looks at the two older Cooper girls.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Cami stared in the mirror looking at the wrapped bandage around her shoulder.

She was shot.

An actual bullet went into her body and she someone lived but she didn't remember any of it.

The last thing Cami remembered was sitting down in the booth at Pop's and then waking up to the smell of sterile and hearing Betty's voice along with a beeping sound.

"It will be a cool scar to explain one day," a voice says making Cami look to see Kevin.

"Hey Kev," Cami greets the boy who rushes towards her being careful.

"You are going to give me a heart attack one day," Kevin tells Cami hugging her carefully as Cami chuckles at him.

"I'm okay Kev," Cami tells him as Kevin nods slightly discreetly sniffling.

"You better be Camilla Cooper," Kevin says pulling back as Cami smiles at him slightly raising his hand to wrap his tears.

"You were worried? That's so cute," Cami says squeezing his cheek as Kevin shakes his head pulling back.

"Where's everyone else?" Kevin questions noticing the empty room.

"My parents went to go get me some clothes and Betty went to get me some food with Jug," Cami tells Kevin as the bathroom door opens.

"And I had to pee," Veronica states coming to sit beside Cami who smiles at her.

"Great. Now that both of you are here I need your help with a mission,"  Cami tells the two who look at her.

"If it's to help you pee I'm sorry no. I love you but never," Kevin tells Cami who rolls her eyes at him.

"No, you idiot. I want to see Fred," Cami tells the two as they look at her.

"Cee," Veronica begins to say making Cami look at him.
"He's in a coma and we could have died. Please," Cami begs making the two share a look.

"I'll go find a wheelchair," Kevin states making Cami smile at him.

"I'll help you get her in the wheelchair and then distract the nurses," Veronica says making Cami smile at them brightly.

"I love you both," Cami tells them with a bright smile as they laugh at her.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Fred stood outside a hospital room with a soft smile he knocked before walking in with a soft smile on his face.

"I brought you a milkshake thought you might need it,"  Fred says eyeing the girl lying in the hospital bed who smiles at him.

"I have never loved you as much as I love you right now," Cami tells Fred with grabby hands making Fred laugh as he hands her the milkshake.

"Where's your husband?" Fred questions looking around making Cami shrug at him.

"Well after twenty-two hours in labor and pushing a watermelon out of me I demanded he got me some food in a not nice way," Cami tells Fred who laughs at her coming towards Cami and kissing the top of her head.

"How are you?" Fred questions the blonde moving the sweaty blonde hair out of her face.

"Tired but happy," Cami tells him with a smile as a knock is heard again.

"Alright Mom we are back," a nurse states rolling into the room with a bassinet as Cami sits up a bright smile on her face.

Fred smiles softly as he sees the nurse hand Cami her baby. Fred had never seen her so happy as she stared into her own kid's eyes.

"Well, Grandpa do you want to meet your grandson?" Cami questions Fred who looks at her with tears in his eyes walking closer.

"Freddy meet Fred Bailey," Cami tells Fred who looks at her in disbelief.

"We wanted a name that would mean something and the only name that came to my mind was Fred after the man who raised me," Cami tells Fred who sniffles taking the small baby boy from Cami.

"Hey, little man. I'm your grandpa," Fred says making Cami smile at the two tears in her eyes as Fred sways with the baby in his arms looking up at Cami with tears in his eyes.

"He's perfect," Fred tells Cami who nods smiling at him.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━

With Kevin pushing the wheelchair Cami enters the room Fred lies in with Archie holding his hand beside him. Cami didn't even notice the redhead boy as she stared at Fred in the hospital bed tears in her eyes.

"Cami," Archie states standing up making Cami look towards him.

"Hey...I hear I need to thank you for saving my life," Cami tells Archie who smiles at her slightly.

"I'm glad you're okay," Archie tells Cami as he helps Kevin put her wheelchair in lock.

"I'll give you a few minutes alone," Archie tells Cami who looks at him.

"Are you sure?" Cami questions Archie who nods his head.

"Of course. I need to get something out of the vending machine," Archie tells Cami as he leaves the room with Kevin shutting the door behind him.

Cami takes a deep breath before placing her hand in Fred's trying not to sob.

"Freddy you know my Dad and I never really got along truly. Sometimes I truly think he hates me, and it used to hurt more than anything. But then I meet you, Freddy," Cami tells the man as she looks at him feeling the tears well up in her eyes.

"You became the Dad I needed. The one who taught me how to ride a bike. How to throw a punch. How to change a tire and now that when my dashboard light shows up I need to tell someone. You even taught me how to drive," Cami says as the first tears fall from her eyes.

"You're my Dad and I can't lose you. Not yet at least. I need someone to walk down the aisle one day and someone for my kids to call grandpa. Someone to eat pancakes with. Someone to worry about me. Someone to hold me when I cry," Cami says as she releases a sob.

"So, please. Please don't leave me, Daddy," Cami sobs as she places her head on their interlocked hands.

When a hand suddenly squeezes hers making her snap her head up to see Fred looking at her.

"Hey, it's okay. I'm here. I'm still here Cami-Cam," Fred tells her making Cami laugh slightly as she cries more.

"I love you," Cami tells Fred who smiles at her rubbing his finger over her knuckles.

"I love you too," Fred tells her making Cami smile at him softly.

❀ ༄ ❀ AUTHOR NOTE ❀ ༄ ❀
I cried writing this! I hope it wasn't terrible! And I'm not a medical expert so if something is wrong I'm sorry!

Don't forget to comment, my lovelies! I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! I love you all! <333