AN – Sorry this chapter took so very long. Had half of it written for the past month, but I couldn't get it to go anywhere until today. This is a huge weight lifted off of me. I recently began posting chapters on AO3 as well and all the great encouragement I got from there got me writing again! I still want another few chapters of this, but I really have a great idea for a parents in high school story I want to write. Wondering if anyone would interested in it?

Summary – Takes place towards the end of episode 13. Betty and Jughead run into the Coopers before heading off to Pops with Archie and Veronica. Based loosely off the after the Jubilee pictures that were leaked but didn't make it into the episode.

No Certain Place to Go

Archie and Veronica had tried to stop Betty back stage before she left, but she had no time for them. She ran out the back door of Town Hall and around the front of the building to where Riverdale's residents were pouring out the doors. She peered through the crowd of her neighbors, searching for the familiar face of her beanie-clad boyfriend.

Her heart thumped just thinking of his words earlier today as they stood in front of Southside High. He had been leaning against a random car with a casualness she didn't see in him often enough.. She told him she didn't want to lose him to the stupid civil war in this town and he'd told her how everything he did was to keep her safe. She fell into his arms, the reality that their last school day was behind them already sinking in. No more Blue and Gold. No more lunch together. No more hanging around in the student lounge with their friends. Even though Betty was a stranger in this part of town, she couldn't stand the idea of breaking down in public.

Jughead wrapped his arms around her and leaned his chin on her shoulder. "Hey," he whispered in her ear. "Could you get away tonight after the Jubilee?"

She stiffened slightly in his arms. "I thought you weren't coming to the Jubilee."

He nestled his nose against her face. "I never said that. I just said I had no interest in speaking at it. Plus, I'd never pass up an opportunity to see you on stage. So can you?"

"Get away? I'm sure I'll have a curfew but I can go out for a bit. What did you have in mind?"

"I… I have a thing for you. Something. A surprise."

Betty couldn't help herself and she burst into fierce giggles. "A thing? All those beautiful phases you write and the best word you can think of is thing?"

"What can I say? You get me all tongue tied. So can you come? The surprise? The thing?"

"Sure. Where?"

There was a beat as he swayed her back and forth a bit ever so slightly. "My dad's trailer. Is that… is that okay?"

Betty's heart started racing in her chest so fast she knew Jughead could feel it through the thick fabric of both their coats. Before Betty had a chance to respond Veronica's frantic voice yelled to them, "Guys, we need to go!"

After their desperate attempt to save Cheryl Blossom from taking her own life, Betty felt like this day was already three times as long as it should have been. With the chaos surrounding them, her and Jughead hadn't had time to talk more or discuss tonight. She hoped they were still on for whatever he had in mind. Her heart pounded at the prospects.

She finally spotted him off to the side of the main entrance of Town Hall, trying his hardest to try to blend into the bushes behind him. Betty took off at a run and practically jumped into his arms when she reached him, quickly bringing her lips to his before he could protest. When they broke apart, a huge grin was plastered across his face. Betty was sure it matched her own.

"Thank you, Juggie," Betty gushed, her arms locked around his neck, noses nearly touching. "Thank you so much."

He chuckled and let his hands travel down and rest at her hips. "For what?"

"For coming tonight. For being here. For believing in me. For being the first to clap."

"That was nothing, Betty. Everyone was so mesmerized by your speech; I had to just snap them out of it."

She sighed and leaned her face against his jacket. "Just take the thank yous?"

Jughead leaned down to her ear so she could feel his hot breath against her. "Anything for you, Betts."

Betty shifted in her spot and broke away from him. It was now or never. "So are we going to your dad's trailer? For my surprise? The thing?"

Jughead's breath hitched and she detected his nervousness. She was glad she wasn't alone. "Yeah. If you still want to, I mean. We don't have to… It's up to you really."

She looked him in the eye. "What are we waiting for?"

He nodded behind her. "Well, your family's right there. You going to tell –"

"Crap!" Betty exclaimed as she looked over her shoulder. Sure enough, the three other Coopers stood at the top of the steps of Town Hall, each looking out into the crowd in different directions. Polly was looking directly at them with a smirk on her face. Betty placed her index finger up to her lip. Her older sister nodded and smiled at her, pretending to still scout the crowd out. Betty linked arms with Jughead and pulled him in the opposite direction. "Let's get out of here before my parents see us. I didn't have time to ask for permission and it'll be easier to go now and explain later."

Jughead slowed his steps, but Betty pulled him forward. "What happened to no more secrets with your family? I want them to like me. I don't want to be the guy sneaking you away at all hours of the night."

"It's hardly even 8 o'clock," Betty laughed. "This hardly counts as all hours of the night. And those are big words coming from a boy who –"

"Betty!" Alice Cooper's voice rang out through the night. They hadn't even made it to the end of the block yet. "Betty! Wait!" She could hear her mom's heels clicking behind them as she pushed Jughead to walk at a less leisurely pace. She could almost swear he was going slow on purpose.

Jughead smiled at her. "I think we've been spotted."

"Just keep walking and don't turn around."

"Betty!" A few people in the crowd walking around them turned and looked their way. "I know you can hear me! Betty! Jughead!"

"Betty," Jughead pleaded in a low voice.

"Just keep –"

"Betty!" Alice's arms came up behind Betty's neck, pulling her into a backwards hug. A small smile played at Jughead's lips as he unhooked Betty's arm from his own and let Alice take her daughter in a real embrace. "I'm so proud of you! We're all so proud of you!"

"Really, Mom?" Betty pulled away a bit and held her mother at arm's length. Her dad and sister were still several feet behind, obviously slowed down by Polly's protruding belly. "You're not mad I didn't play it safe? Talk about how swell and dandy Riverdale is?"

Alice shook her head, hands still on Betty's shoulders. "No, you did the right thing. Everything you said is true. This town really is at a crossroads and the sooner everyone deals with it, the better."

"You stood up for what you believe in," Hal said, catching up with them. He unlinked himself from Polly and pulled Betty into a hug as well.

"You were amazing, Betty!" Polly cried, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. She wiped them away hastily. "Sorry. These stupid hormones." She added herself to the Cooper family hug.

Betty let out a little laugh and turned her head so she could see her boyfriend. He had backed up a few feet from the hugging family, clearly not wanting to invade their space. She nudged her head for him to come closer, but he just smiled at her. He pointed back at the front door of Town Hall and started making his way over there, probably on his way to look for Archie.

"Juggie, wait!" she yelled, not taking into consideration the ears of her entire family were within a few inches of her mouth. The Coopers broke their hug,

"Geez, Betty," Polly whined, rubbing her ears. "Was that necessary?"

Betty had already taken off the few steps behind Jughad and grabbed his hand. "Where are you going?"

He smiled back at her and grabbed her other hand. "Go spend time with your family, Betty. You're finally all back together and you should enjoy it. I'll go play third wheel to Archie and Veronica."

"But, Juggie," Betty lowered her voice to a whisper, "my surprise?"

He squeezed both her hands in his. "It's not of the essence. It can wait for another day. Trust me."

"And if I don't want it to wait for another day?" She raised her eyebrows at him and felt a swell of pride as his Adam's apple bobbed. Maybe her surprise – the thing – was the same thing she had in mind after all.

"I can see you tomorrow, Betty. It's fine -"

"Jughead?" Alice asked. Betty jumped, not realizing her family had migrated right behind them. "Why don't you come over for a late dinner tonight? We haven't eaten yet."

"Mom," Betty said, trying to keep her tone level, "didn't I tell you Jughead is never accepting a dinner invitation from you again?"

Alice ignored her and stared at Jughead. "Consider this a make-up dinner from last time. No interrogations, I swear."

Jughead opened his mouth and Betty squeezed his hand to stop him. "Actually Mom," she looked back and forth between her two parents. "We kind of had plans already."

"Plans?" Alice asked. Her eyes darted quickly to her husband before looking back at the teens.

"Pops," Jughead said quickly, meeting Alice's eyes. "With Archie and Veronica. Veronica wants to celebrate Betty's speech, Archie's song. She was really adamant about us going."

"Oh yeah," Polly said suddenly. "Veronica mentioned that to me yesterday when I went to school. She invited me but they'll probably be out way past my bedtime." She smiled at her parents and rubbed her belly. "Let them go, Mom."

"You didn't mention anything, Betty," Alice said.

"These last few days have been crazy. It totally slipped my mind until Jughead reminded me just now."

Alice pursed her lips and looked between the two teens. "It's already after 8 o'clock. You'll be home by 10?"

"Alice," Hal said warning, putting his arms around his wife, "It's not a school night."

"It's still late."

"Pops is the safest place in Riverdale, Mom," Betty pleaded. "And with the lack of murderers on the loose, I think we'll be okay walking home."

"Actually," Jughead took a set of car keys out of the pocket of his jacket. "I have my dad's truck, so we don't need to walk anywhere."

Alice blinked. "And when did you get your license?"

"Two days after my birthday. Mrs. Andrews took me when she was here."

"Can I see it?"

Betty rolled her eyes as Jughead reached for his wallet. "I don't think that's necessary, Mom."

"It's really not," Hal said. "Just be home by," he looked at Alice, "midnight?"

"Midnight?" Alice asked. "We never let Polly stay out until midnight."

"Well, Betty isn't me, Mom," Polly said. "I don't care. Let them have fun."

Betty squeezed Jughead's hand harder as her mom looked the two of them up and down.

"Fine. But not a second past midnight."

"You won't be waiting up for me?"

Alice sighed. "It's been a long day. Maybe I will, maybe I won't."

Hal pulled his wife closer. "She won't wait up, right Alice?"

"There's the girl of the hour!" a familiar voice called out. "Betty Cooper saving small towns everywhere!"

"And Jughead Jones, master of the slowclap!" another voice followed.

Betty flipped her head around quickly and saw Veronica and Archie making their way towards them. Veronica waving enthusiastically, Archie following in tow. Betty had to act fast.

"You guys ready to go?" Betty asked loudly when the couple was still several feet away. "Jughead has his dad's truck so we don't even have to walk."

"Go where?" Archie asked, giving Betty a quizzical look,

"To Pops of course." Betty widened her eyes at Veronica, hoping she got the message.

"Archie, I told you this a million times," Veronica laughed. "Pops for celebratory milkshakes after the Julbiellie."

"You did?"

"Don't bother, Veronica," Jughead spoke up. "It's like talking to a wall. Archie has a terrible memory."

"I do not have a -"

"Well let's get going then," Betty started pulling Jughead towards their friends. "Thanks Mom, Dad."

"Midnight, Betty!"

"Sure!" Betty yelled over her shoulder. She mouthed "Go go go!" at Archie and Veronica. The two turned on their heels and the foursome made their way to the Town Hall parking lot.

Once they were safely out of sight of the Coopers, Jughead pulled his hand out of Betty's and gave Archie a small shove. "Could you be a little slower on the uptake, man?"

Archie stumbled a bit and laughed, his arm slipping off Veronica. "You guys could have just told me we had something planned."

"We didn't have something planned." Veronica rolled her eyes, but still had a smile on her face. "Haven't you ever lied to your parents before?"

Archie raised an eyebrow at her. "Not really."

"Not really, because they always knew when he was lying," Jughead chimed in. Betty and Veronica joined in laughing.

"Oh, Archikins, I have so much to teach you," Veronica smiled.

"Good luck. I've been trying to teach Archie the finer points of lying since we could talk. His face is just too innocent."

Archie shook his head, glancing between his girlfriend and best friend. "You know, I thought I'd like the two of you being friends. But not if your whole friendship is going to be based on making fun of me."

Veronica and Jughead exchanged amused glances. "Tough," they said in unison, invoking a laugh from Betty.

"A little help here, Betty?" Archie pleaded. They just reached the truck.

Betty bit back the smile on her face. "You're on your own their, Arch. I don't want them to turn on me."

"If there is one thing Jughead and I will always agree on, it's that Betty Cooper is a goddess," Veronica said, hugging Betty from behind.

"And that Archie Andrews is an easy target," Jughead said, unlocking the doors. All four laughed. "You might have to sit in Archie's lap, Veronica. Unless someone really wants to sit in the bed of the truck."

"No problem there."

The drive to Pops was less than five minutes from Town Hall. Betty sat in the middle, Jughead to her left driving, Archie with Veronica on his lap to the right. She placed her hand gently on Jughead's thigh, glad that it was dark enough that her friends couldn't see. She felt his muscles tighten momentarily before relaxing.

"So did you guys have actual plans?" Jughead asked Archie and Veronica. The couple exchanged glances.

"Sort of," and "Not really," came out at the same time. Veronica held up a finger at Archie.

"When we saw you guys, we were in the middle of discussing what to do. Kind of hungry, kind of wanting to watch a movie at my place. But milkshakes at Pops sound perfect, right?"

Archie nodded. "Right. Hey, you guys didn't have other plans, did you?"

"Us?" Jughead asked. "Oh please. Pops for milkshakes is our go to, of course."

Betty nodded, not looking at her friends. "Of course."

When they piled out of the truck at Pops, Veronica put her hand on Betty's shoulder. "I need to fix my makeup. Come with?"

"Sure thing. Just give me a sec?" Veronica nodded at her knowingly, pulling Archie into the diner. Betty turned to Jughead.

"Hey, I'm sorry about this. I know we had actual plans."

Jughead smiled and wrapped his arms around her. He leaned her back against the truck, reversing their spots from earlier today when they were in the parking lot of Southside High. "It's really okay, Betty."

"But, the surprise. The thing."

"Betty."

"What?"

He glanced at the diner, making sure they weren't visible to anyone inside. He titled her chin up and placed a soft, lingering kiss on her lips. Betty wrapped her arms around his neck and ran her tongue over his mouth, waiting for him to open and deepen their kiss. His hands ran down her sides, once again coming to a stop at her hips. A rush ran through her as she felt his nails dig into her coat. He pressed himself against her, pushing her further into the truck. A small moan escaped her lips as he pulled away.

"Betty?" he asked again.

"Hmmm?" she opened her eyes, feeling like she could be knocked over with a feather. "Yeah, Juggie?"

Jughead's mouth opened and closed. He cleared his throat. "The night's still young."

Betty nodded. "I don't have to be home until midnight."

"I can drink a milkshake pretty fast."

"Let's… let's get inside before they get suspicious."

The linked hands and walked inside. Archie waved them over. "Ronnie said to get to the bathroom as soon as you came in." He exchanged a 'Girls, am I right?' look with Jughead as he settled into the booth.

Betty took a breath before stepping into the bathroom, knowing she was about to walk into her own personal Veronica Lodge grill session. Veronica was staring at the mirror, flipping her hair this way and that. Her face brighten up when she caught Betty's reflection in the mirror.

"It's been three minutes. What the hell were you two doing out there?"

"What? Nothing. What're you –"

"Look at yourself. You're all disheveled. Your lipstick is smudged. Your hair's a mess."

Betty glanced at the mirror. "Oh god. I hope Archie didn't notice."

Veronica snorted. "Oh please. Archie's a doll, but he's not exactly the most perceptive." She leaned back against a sink as Betty reapplied lipstick, wiping whatever smudged around her lips. "Spill."

Betty swallowed. "We just kissed a bit. Outside." Veronica raised an eyebrow. "Pressed up against the truck."

"Made out a bit, you mean to say. Oh, my little girl is growing up! Now where were you two actually headed?"

"We told you, we were coming here."

"You wouldn't lie to your parents if you were just coming here."

"I was just trying to get a later curfew."

"Betty."

She put her lipstick back in her purse and started running her fingers though her hair. Had Jughead even touched her hair? How'd it get so messy?

"We were going to the trailer."

Veronica's jaw dropped. "Oh my god, Betty. Were you two going to, you know?"

Betty nearly bit her lip, but remembered her newly applied lipstick. "I don't know. Maybe? Jughead told me," she turned to face her friend, "he said he had something for me. A surprise."

Veronica let her whole head fall back as she let out a barking laugh. "Oh, I'm sure you already felt whatever he has for you when he pressed you up against that truck."

"Veronica!"

"Betty!" Veronica let out a smaller laugh this time. "If you can't talk about it…"

"No, it's just… maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I'm just totally reading this wrong. For all I know he literally has something to give me."

"Trust me, it is a literal thing."

"You're worse than Kevin sometimes."

"Okay, okay. I'm stopping. Is it what you want? You're both virgins, aren't you?" Betty nodded. "Are you ready?"

"I think so. I used to think it was supposed to be this whole big deal. Like rose petals and candles and a predetermined soundtrack in the background. But now I just kind of want to do it, you know. I don't need all this build up. I just want him."

"Betty!" Veronica cooed. "That's adorable."

"But like, I really might have this all wrong. We've never done anything but kiss before."

Veronica pursed her lips. "Not even second base?"

"Over the clothes a little? I don't think that counts." Betty looked down at the sink. "My mom put me on birth control."

"No way! Does she think you two are..?"

"I don't think so. She'd never let me out if she really thought we were. She gave me this whole speech about cute boys and smiles and girls being allowed to want sex. It was really weird, to be honest."

"Alice Cooper trying to be a cool mom. Never thought I'd see the day."

"Me neither."

"Well, my best advice to you is just go with the flow. Don't rush anything. Don't do anything you're not ready for."

"Thanks, V."

"And," Veronica put her hands on Betty's shoulders and smiled at the girl, "you give me every last detail tomorrow."

"No deal."

Veronica pretend pouted. "So unfair. Now let's get back out to those boys. I'm actually dying for a chocolate milkshake now."