"Oh Betty..." my eyes were watering as I turned her palms up and saw the tell tale crescents that she had pressed her fingernails into her flesh until it bled. She was my best friend, my family, my rock, my biggest supporter, and the love of my young life.

In the movies, love is portrayed like a black and white film that bursts into technicolor, but the real world is too cynical for that. I loved her with all my heart and that was not enough, it was never enough, to save her from herself. Love doesn't stop you from feeling the downs, it can just provide you with someone to hold your hand and ride the roller coaster with you. Unfortunately, this civil war brewing in town had mapped itself out on her beautiful skin, like a constellation in the sky.

I told her she could always call me, that she was never alone, but when the demons are at your door, I guess we all sound fake. I didn't want to bother you. You never bother me, Betty, especially not with this.

She didn't want me to worry, but I did. I once tried it, just to attempt at understanding it. I felt like I was bruising my nerves but I never could break the skin. Thinking back to it, I looked down to my hands and it struck me. I had short and dull nails. Nails are awkward and unmanly and they just get in the way. I don't like them. I always cut them off.

Betty's nails were long and feminine, probably sharp too. Given Veronica's wealthy upbringing, she probably got mani pedis with Betty fairly regularly.

It was like a puzzle clicking into place and I grabbed my coat and bolted, not telling my foster family where I was going or even saying so much as goodbye.

Despite being so far away, it felt like I had arrived at the front door of the Cooper residence within minutes. I knocked and then took a minute to catch my breath while I waited.

Betty opened the door and gave me an inquisitive look. I pushed past her and ran to the washroom. Bath salt, bandaids, tweezers, nail polish, nail polish removed, feminine hygiene products... Where was it?!

Ensuite. I heard Alice and Hal talking downstairs in the kitchen so I ran through their room and checked the mirror cabinet. I breathed a sigh of relief. Right there was a manicure set, with clippers, mini scissors, and a nail file.

Betty got to the doorway as I was about to walk through it.

"What are you doing, Jug?" I held out the little pink shell case they came in.

"I realize I can't make you stop, and there's way too much going on. I want to help. Please let me help you, Betty," I pleaded.

"You want to cut my nails," she stated, bluntly.

I held her hands as I spoke. "I want to keep you safe, and if that means cutting your nails short and buffering them so they're too dull to hurt you anymore, then so be it." I pulled her hands to my face and kissed her knuckles. "You'd still have the prettiest nails I've ever seen and you can still paint them, just dull and not long, okay? I love you."

She nodded. "I love you too, Jughead Jones." A tear slid down her face and I gently wiped it away.

"Hey, we don't have to do this if it makes you this upset." I lightly tugged at her chin so she would look up at me. Her eyes met mine, piercing.

"It's not that, Jughead. It's just...," she looked down at the marks and clicked her tongue, "I never thought it would get this far; this bad."

I pulled her to me and let her cry it out.

"Shhhh shhhhhh hey Betts, it's okay. We all have our coping mechanisms. We just need to find you a new one, and we can do this together. In life, love might not conquer all, but I'll still be your champion. You don't have to be so strong all the time. Strong is all you ever are, but there's so much more to you, Betty, and you have such a big heart. There's so much to love, so don't throw it away by hurting yourself, intentional or not. I love you."

We stayed like that for what could have easily gone on forever, but eventually footsteps were coming so we moved to her room. Sitting cross legged across from me, she gave me a small smile, held her hands out to me, and then looked to the side like she was getting a needle.

As gently as I could and as meticulously as possibly, I cut her nails and shaped them to fit in with the "perfect" Cooper standard. I filed them down to a dull edge.

"Did you want me to call Veronica for a spa night? Maybe she can paint your new nails?" I sent her a sympathetic look. Her was gaze cast up to match mine.

"When we were little and I was almost a tomboy because I liked to play with you and Arch, Mom always scoulded me. Stop breaking your nails Betty. Nobody will think you're pretty with gross, dirty nails. Why can't you just grow your nails long like normal girls?" Betty scoffed bitterly. "It never mattered what I wanted. It never mattered that it was literally hurting me. But it matters to you. It will take some getting used to, but they look beautiful. Thank you so much, Jug, for taking care of me and finding ways to teach me to take care of myself for when you can't be there. I love you, too."

A/N: the idea came to me and I just had to write it, even though it was a bit short. Me and a lot of people in my life have been going through some pretty hard times and we all want to support each other but sometimes we don't know how or can only help in small (but no less meaningful) ways. It also occurred to me that what Betty does is either difficult to do for the average person, or impossible with short nails. My own mother has hounded me about my nails and I finally managed to grow them out just for them to rip and break at work, so a part of this is a bit personal, too.