Veronica perched herself nervously on the counter of the bar of the speakeasy, her legs crossed, chewing nervously on her thumb nail, the Speakeasy was closed during the day so no-one was around to witness her being a nervous wreck. Today was the day that Archie was going to be released from prison, all their hard work and digging and fighting had worked, and he was coming home, months of absolute torture and isolation would end today.

Unless he didn't want to see her.

She paused and shook her head, no, she would not think like that, the only reason he broke up with her and he refused to see her was because he was in prison and it was like Betty said, he didn't want to put her in danger and he didn't know if he was going to get out. She took a deep breath and stopped herself from thinking too hard about it because the longer she did the more her blood boiled with the anger at him for thinking that she was just going to let him go.

Until the one thought that she had been avoiding turned her boiling blood to ice in her veins. Maybe the excuses where not to keep her away from the prison because it was dangerous or the break up wasn't because he assumed he wouldn't get out and he wanted her to move on. What if he blamed her?

What if he blamed her for not stopping him when he started getting involved with her family, what if he blamed her for taking them to the cabin where the murder happened, what if he blamed her for her father's actions in putting him in jail and what if he blamed her for not doing enough to keep him out of prison or not getting him out sooner.

What if, what if, what if.

"You are thinking way too hard."

Veronica blinked when her internal monologue was broken, she was so lost in thought that she didn't even hear what was said. She looked up and was momentarily blinded by the bright light hitting her eyes and the silhouette of the person standing in the doorway. She dropped her eyes back down to the counter and waited for the door to close again when she realized it was probably just Reggie and that he probably forgot his keys, again.

She and Reggie worked through their drunken kiss, although it took her almost a week to build up the courage to approach him, to which he just shrugged and made a joke that had her wondering how they managed to become friends. They both knew that whatever happened between them was a result of loneliness and alcohol, Veronica felt nothing more than friendship for him and she knew he wasn't lying when he said that it was the same for him, especially since he and Josie were now 'dating', or trying too. Veronica didn't ask too many questions, things were still a little awkward.

"This place looks incredible," he said and Veronica's head snapped up as he stepped further into the room toward her once the door closed and twirling slowly to take in everything that the speakeasy had to offer. His red hair almost shone like a beacon under the dim lighting and her breath caught in her throat as she slid slowly of the counter as if he would disappear if she moved too fast, staring at his back as he appraised the room. "You were right, I definitely love it, not really sure how it's inspired by me but if it looks this good, I will take that as a compliment."

For the first time in her life Veronica was completely speechless, even her thoughts seemed to have stopped, it felt like she was watching this scene from somewhere outside her body and it wasn't real. Her eyes were wide as he finally turned to face her, he had a short beard and he looked both buffer and skinnier than the last time she saw him, he looked taller if that were even possible. He was wearing his usual jeans, cardigan and converse that his dad probably took for him to change into, the boy next door get-up that he loved so much.

"Hi," he said softly, coming to a stop in front of her but not reaching out to touch her just yet because she hadn't moved or breathed, for that matter, since she realised it was him. Veronica shut her eyes and let out a slow breath, calming herself before she tried to speak.

"Promise me that when I open my eyes you'll still be here," she begged, squeezing her eyes shut tighter. "Promise me that you are not a dream."

She didn't have to wait long before he reached out and took her hands from her sides, pressing a kiss to her palms before putting them on his face. He ducked his head down and gently touched his lips to hers. Veronica started to cry as she pressed her lips harder against his, jumping into his arms when he bent down to catch her, anticipating her movements. Her arms wrapped around his neck and her legs around his waist.

In all of her dreams he had never kissed her, he just got close enough to touch before he was pulled away from her again, just before her fingers made contact. But here he was, holding her, kissing her, running his fingers through her hair. He was real, he wasn't a dream.

"I promise, I'm here and I'm not leaving again, for as long as you'll have me," he said when they broke apart, their faces were so close together that she felt rather than saw Archie smile before he was kissing down her neck and back up to her lips. Veronica giggled and pushed herself back just enough to look at his face properly.

"You're stuck with me for a very long time them," she answered, taking in his features like it was the first time seeing him. His brown eyes sparkled with laughter as he nodded, his slightly swollen lips tilted up in a grin and his flushed cheeks matched hers. There was bruising on his face both fresh and fading that she chose to ignore for the moment, she would focus on that later. "This is different," she murmured running her fingers over his beard, focusing on that new development for now.

"Good different?" he asked curiously with a raised eyebrow and Veronica could see that he was evaluating her too, taking in all her features, finding things that he might have missed since they last saw each other, making sure that she was unharmed, that she was real.

"I could get used to it," she said eventually, her fingers leaving his chin to run through his too long hair.

"But you don't want to," he finished and she smiled as she shook her head no, after all this time, he could still finish her sentences.

"I'm surprised your mom or Betty didn't shave you the second they saw you," Veronica giggled, Mary had mentioned Archie's beard in passing when they were setting up earlier and how much she wanted it gone.

"I haven't seen anyone else yet, my dad brought me straight here to see you, he figured you might be hiding out," he told her and Veronica tilted her head down to kiss him again. "I missed you so much Ronnie."

"I missed you too," she said, her voice catching as the tears she thought were gone tried to make a comeback, she had been waiting to hear her nickname from his lips for such a long time. "My Archikins."

"I wasn't supposed to make you cry," he whispered looking worried that his being there wasn't as happy as he thought it might be and she shook her head. "I just really had to see you."

"Happy tears, I promise, I'm so glad that you came to me first," she assured him taking a shaky breath and pressing a series of quick kisses to his lips. "I love you," she said, smiling at the relief on his face.

"I love you too," he replied beaming at her, he gently let her down when she moved, so she could stand by herself and tilted his head down so that he could kiss her again, his hands coming up to cup her cheeks, they had months to make up for.

"We should go see your mom and Betty and Jughead, they've missed you," she told him, bringing her hands up to cover his, as much as she wanted him all to herself for as long as possible, she knew that there were other people in his life that she needed to share him with right now. "And Vegas, he might have missed you the most."

Archie snorted at the comment but let her intertwine their fingers and lead him to the door, where his father still waited for them outside. "Ronnie," he started, tugging on her hand to pull her back to him and Veronica shook her head quickly, by the tone of his voice she knew that his next sentence would be serious and she wanted to save that for later when they were alone and no-one was waiting on them or would disturb them.

"We'll talk about everything tonight," she assured him switching off the lights and locking the door. "We have time now."

After they had left the Speakeasy, Fred drove them back to the Andrew's house, smiling the entire way, where Mary had a welcome home celebration waiting for them, Veronica had helped them set up and then her nerves got the best of her so she escaped to the Speakeasy just for something else to concentrate on with instructions to Betty to call her as soon as they knew Archie was on his way home.

"Surprise," Mary Andrews said as soon as they walked into the house, gathering her son up in a tight hug. "My boy."

"Hi mom," Archie said hugging her back before letting go and looking around the room at the Bulldogs, Vixens and even the Serpents there together to celebrate his release.

His hand reached back blindly and Veronica stepped up quickly to grasp it, letting him pull her with him as he went around the room greeting their friends. She was worried at first when everyone showed up to the Andrews house that they would overwhelm Archie, but he seemed to be in his element so long as she kept her hand in his.

"I've never been so relieved to see Archie sitting on his couch and talking to Jughead before in my life," Betty said when she came up to Veronica and hugged her side, watching the boys.

"You and me both B," Veronica laughed. "Thank you."

"He's my best friend, I would have done anything to help him," Betty said and Veronica smiled, Betty and Jughead had been her biggest help in gathering what they needed to help Archie, Veronica knew her father was keeping a close eye on her so she couldn't do anything drastic without him thwarting her plans. "Is your mom coming over?"

"No, she needs to show my father that her loyalty is with him," Veronica said with a sigh, her mother was the real reason Archie was out of prison, she fed Veronica whatever information she could without arising Hiram's suspicion.

"Archie's staring, want us to kick everyone out so you guys can have some alone time," Betty asked in a teasing voice and Veronica smirked but shook her head as she looked up to lock eyes with Archie who smiled widely at her. "Do you think he'll be ok?"

"I think Mary wants him to see a professional but I don't know how he'll feel about that," Veronica said with a sigh as Archie turned back to Reggie and Chuck who were now cajoling him into an arm wrestling match. "We'll give him tonight and see what he thinks about it tomorrow."

"Are you still going to stay here?" Betty asked. "My house is always available."

"Thanks B but with everything going on with your sister and mother, I think I'm going to stay away from your house a while," Veronica said as gently as she could and Betty nodded understandingly, if she could run away from that house right now she would. "Cheryl has multiple extra rooms that I can move into so tomorrow I'm going to choose one."

"Come on, let's go to the guys, I'm tired of these puppy dog eyes he keeps shooting you," Betty said once she was happy that Veronica had a place to go and laughing as they made their way to the boys. Veronica stood behind Archie, her hands on his shoulders, cheering him on as he took on Chuck.

For all her worries about Archie's state of mind, she was so glad that Mary put this together, it felt so normal, that Veronica almost forgot what they were celebrating.

They stayed up till late that night, their friends catching Archie up on everything that he had missed in Riverdale. Fred and Mary hovered around them, both trying not to intrude but just wanting to be in their son's space. Later that night once everyone had left Mary and Fred got to have him all to themselves for a little while, Veronica giggled at the look on Archie's face when his mother hugged him and then just refused to let go but she knew he was just acting, he missed his mother, even before.

As much as they were always close to each other, Archie and Veronica hadn't had a moment alone since they walked into the Andrews home and when they finally did they made their way up to Archie's room and crashed on the bed, Archie wrapped her up in his arms and within seconds they were both asleep.

Which is why when Veronica woke with a start to an empty bed, she started to panic. The sheets were still warm when she reached her hand out but her breath was already short and she had to convince herself that she didn't dream that he was back, it was real, the warm sheets on his side of the bed made her certain that it was real.

Veronica blinked her eyes a couple of times now to adjust to the dark before she felt the cold night breeze hit her face and she realized with relief that it really wasn't a dream. He was there, sitting on his roof but he was there.

She got up and grabbed a blanket and her robe, before climbing outside and draping the warm blanket over his shoulders. Archie jerked out of his thoughts when he felt the blanket but relaxed when he tilted his head back to see her there and smiled. He opened his arm out as an invitation for her to sit next to him and wrapped the blanket around them both when she did.

"What are you doing out here?" she asked, clearing the sleep from her throat. She ran her hand down the inside of his arm till she reached his hand and interlaced their fingers, smiling when he squeezed her hand and started to move his thumb soothingly.

"I needed some air and I didn't want to wake you," Archie whispered, letting out a breath and tilting his head up to look at the moon peeking through the clouds.

"Well that didn't work out well because I kept getting up to make sure you were there," Veronica told him placing a kiss to his shoulder before resting her chin there so she could look up at him, watch his cheeks take that familiar tinge of red that told her he still reacted the same to her as he did before. "I had to be sure I wasn't dreaming."

"I am no longer a dream, and neither are you," he said turning to her and resting his forehead on hers. "You got me through a lot in there Ronnie."

"How?" she asked in a whisper, built up frustrations from the past few months being shaken up as she opened her eyes to stare at him. "I wasn't even on your list of people allowed to see you."

"Veronica," Archie said softly as she pushed herself away from him, her hand was still in his but her face was now looking away from his to the dark cloudy sky, she wanted to wait until they were rested and he was home at least a day but it looked like they were talking about this now.

"I needed something Archie, a letter, a message in a bottle, smoke signals, anything besides that one phone call telling me to move on," she scoffed feeling the tears gathering in her eyes, she was never an angry crier, not unless it's Archie she's angry with. "I would have hated every moment of seeing you in that place, but it would have been better than not seeing you at all."

"I know," he said softly trying to find the words to explain why he did what he did but she was already shaking her head no. She saw the panic in his eyes and she hated that she put it there, but they had already started this and if she didn't get it off her chest or get answers then she might explode.

"No you don't," she said, her hand leaving his as she pushed herself further away from him. "I spent the last few months shut out by you, you, the person I knew I could count on more than I could count on my own parents, suddenly wanting nothing to do with me."

"I didn't think I was going to get out, I was stuck in there not able to do anything," Archie said, his arms reaching for her but falling back down to his sides when it became obvious that she didn't want his comfort right now. "I thought that if I could keep you away from the prison then I could still protect you, none of your fathers people would get a chance to know you, none of the actual criminals would lay their eyes on you and you would stay of the Ghoulies radar, just because of this stupid tattoo and your connection to me, they would have come after you."

"So that's what this was?" Veronica asked narrowing her eyes and Archie felt the heat drain from his cheeks, he could see that she was taking this all wrong. "Protecting me? Newsflash Archie, I didn't need your protection, I can protect myself and even if I couldn't, my father might be the devil but he would never have allowed anything to happen to me."

"I would not trust your father with anything regarding your life," Archie snapped angrily and Veronica huffed out a breath, her lips pressed into a thin line. "Being part of a relationship is being able to protect the person you're with and that is what I was doing, everything in my limited power to protect you."

"Being in a relationship is also about communication," she countered and he shook his head and looked away. "If you had just told me – no, instead you used the one phone call we had to break up with me."

"And it was the hardest thing I could do," he said, all the fight leaving him as he sighed and hung his head, defeated. "The last time my mother visited me, she couldn't even look me in the eye when she spoke about my chances of getting out of there, my father had already given up even though he was trying to be positive and I knew that there was no way I was coming home, the only way I could get you to move on, to stop my situation ruining your life, was to break up with you."

"You really thought I would give up on you that easily," she asked, her voice high with emotion and Archie couldn't help the smile that tugged on his lips at the fact that nothing stopped her from making sure he got out of there. "I tried actually."

Archie raised an eyebrow and looked back at her at that comment. "Giving up on me?"

"No, moving on," Veronica told him her hand coming up to run through her hair as he waited for her to continue. "I kissed Reggie."

"I know," he said after it was obvious that she wasn't going to say anymore and she furrowed her brows and looked up at him confused. "Reggie came to see me a few days after the opening of the Speakeasy, he mostly just ranted about what an ass I was for the heartache I was putting you through and then he told me what happened and I almost killed him."

Veronica sucked in a sharp breath at how easily he said that but waited for him to continue, wondering why Reggie hadn't told her any of this.

"But then he started talking about Josie and alcohol, I didn't know if he was still talking to me or just talking to himself, until he started talking about you and everything that you were going through and how he wasn't even sure how you were holding yourself together," Archie said shaking his head and letting out a bitter laugh. "By the end of that visit I was grateful that you had him there, even if you kissed him, just to be there for you when I couldn't."

"Oh," Veronica said softly, trying to process Reggie telling Archie what happened and Archie coming to terms with it all before she really could.

"I'm not angry, I promise," he said when he saw the look on her face. "I practically pushed you into the first available drunk guy's arms, I'm just glad it was Reggie who's so in love with someone else that taking you away from me wasn't even an option."

"As if I would let myself be taken away," Veronica snorted at that moving herself closer to him again. "Where do we go from here?"

"Where ever you want to go," he said without missing a beat, giving her a half smile that she loved so much. "Can we just forget about that stupid break-up, if you can even call it that and that I was trying to be selfless and just be … us again, because Ronnie I really, really missed you and I don't want to spend any more time without you."

"You and me against the world," she whispered and Archie smiled reaching out to take her hand, squeezing it gently as he used it to tug her against him so he could wrap his arms securely around her, burying his face in her hair and breathing her in because he missed her and the moments like this more than she could possibly imagine. "I thought you blamed me."

"What?" Archie asked pushing her back so that he could look at her face and see if she was serious. "No, Ronnie, I could never blame you, it's not your fault, none of this is your fault."

"Archikins," Veronica said softly, reaching out to cup his cheek as the tears she fought to keep out of sight since she woke up finally pushed through. "If I had fought harder to keep you away from my family, from me, then you wouldn't have been on my father's radar, we could have avoided this, you would have been safe."

"No, no, no, no, none of this is your fault," he told her using his thumbs to wipe her cheeks. "I don't think you understand just how much I love you, I know the consequences but I would do it all again to have the last 2 years with you."

"You are more than anything I could possibly deserve," Veronica told him, kneeling so she could wrap her arms around his neck and kiss him.

"Would you really have wanted smoke signals?" he asked curiously when they broke apart and Veronica laughed, was that really what he was focusing on now.

"Yes, that's how desperate I was getting," she told him.

"I'm sorry," he said pressing another kiss to her lips. "I wasn't thinking about how you would feel about it, I just wanted you safe."

"I know," she whispered, her fingers tracing his features delicately. "I forgive your misguided attempts at being my broad shouldered protector."

"Let's go inside, it's cold," he said nudging her toward the window into his room when she shivered, he helped her to the window before grabbing the blanket she brought and climbing in after her. Veronica shed her robe and stood at the foot of his bed watching him as he shut the window and closed the curtains before turning to see her watching him. "What? Is there something on my face?"

"No," she said shaking her head and smiling as she stepped toward him and tapped the underside of his chin. She was right, as soon as Mary got a hold of him his too long hair was gone and the beard was shaved off, Archie was back to looking like Archie again. Veronica gripped the bottom of his shirt ready to pull it over his head when he stopped her, placing his hands over hers. "What's wrong?"

She knew there wasn't going to be anything happing that night, both of them were much too exhausted from the day and Betty was not letting either of them sleep in tomorrow but she was used to him sleeping without a shirt and she wanted that feeling of closeness right now, to hear his heart beat right under her ear.

Archie took a breath and closed his eyes for a second and Veronica's heartbeat sped up as she waited for him to speak, she would not jump to self-depreciating conclusions she just had to focus on him. When he finally opened his eyes again, he looked at a point above her head and took his shirt off. Veronica flinched at the scars and bruises marring his perfect body.

"What did they do to you?" she asked more to herself than to him, one hand coming up to cover her mouth and the fingers of her other hand tentatively reaching out to touch him, pausing when he tensed. "I'm not going to hurt you," she promised, her eyes shooting up to his face where he was still looking straight ahead. When she first saw him at the Speakeasy she saw the bruises on his face, but she never thought that his body would look worse.

"They didn't like me very much in there," he said forcing out a laugh and moving himself forward slightly so that her fingers would make contact with his body, she hadn't moved since he tensed up.

"I hate them all," Veronica said, biting down on her lip as she ran her finger down a particularly large scar on the side of his ribcage. Archie reached out and wrapped his hand around her wrist when he saw her start to shake with anger, the index finger of his other hand going under her chin to tip her head up to look at him, away from the bruises.

"I'm here with you now," he told her, his hands cupping her cheeks. "I'm fine, we're fine, they won't hurt me again."

"He might," Veronica said, her breath shallow as she thought of the things her father might try now that she had managed to play his game well enough that she got Archie back from right under his nose. "He will."

"We'll cross that bridge when we get there," he told her, he had his own fears about Hiram Lodge targeting him again now that he was out of prison but the fact that Archie managed to get free had a bad impact on the people he was trying to control so before Hiram went after Archie again, he needed to gain his control back, regain the trust of his gang of evil leaders.

"I'm not losing you again," she said fiercely and Archie hissed when her finger dug just a little too forcefully into his side. "I'm sorry," she whispered shaking his hands off her so that she could tilt her head down and press a kiss to his skin where she had caused him pain.

"You won't," he said sitting down on the bed and tugging her down with him. "We just need to be extra careful until we know we're safe."

"We'll never be safe," Veronica said shaking her head, letting him lay them down so they were facing each other, their hands clasped between them. She could see how tired he was from his day but he was forcing himself to stay awake so he could talk to her. "Not until he's put away."

"Will you be ok with that?" Archie asked, furrowing his brows, no matter what happened, Hiram was her father and she was 'daddy's little girl' for the longest time.

"He's lost his right to me caring about him after I begged him to let you go and he flat out refused," she said clenching her jaw at the memory of her father looking at her straight-faced as she pleaded with him to stop Archie's trial, she knew he had the power and she knew he was the reason Archie was in this mess, all he needed to do was say the word and everything would be ok. "As far as I'm concerned he's dead to me."

"Hey," Archie soothed, his eyes wide at her bold statement but he could see the hurt underneath all that, he moved so he was lying on his back pulling her toward him so she was half on top of him and he could hold her properly. Her arms wrapped around him and he could feel her clinging to him, just like the night before his trial began, before everything fell apart, but it wasn't falling apart this time. "It's going to work out, I promise, we did not just walk through hell not to make it."

Veronica snorted at his words but pushed herself up to kiss him, she couldn't help it, she wanted to kiss him at any chance she got, she lost too many kisses in the time he spent away from her. "Did you watch a lot of romantic comedies in prison?" she asked, making her voice as light as possible to move away from the topic of her father.

"Had to find the best ways to charm my girl back into my arms if I ever got the chance," he told her, tucking her hair behind her ear and grinning, Veronica shook her head and giggled at him.

"Well it's working out very well for you," she said falling back to the bed and cuddling herself up to his side, resting her head just above his heart, where she wanted it to be and closing her eyes, letting the beat of his heart lull her to sleep like a lullaby. "Consider your girl, exceptionally charmed."

"Hey Ronnie?" Archie whispered and Veronica made a noise and tilted her head up, her eyes were still closed and she was sure his was as well, even as she felt his lips press against her head. "I love you."

"Till the end of time."

A/N: Is this the sappiest thing you've ever read or what?

The conclusion of what was supposed to be done and posted before episode 1, I tried to get this out before episode 2 but it wasn't to be, I haven't watched the second episode yet but I will after I post this (Timezones bleh) I'm already mostly spoiled on the Varchie scenes

I hope you guys enjoyed this little story that I needed to write to pass the time before the start of season 3, there are a couple Veronica/Archie stories that I want to write so be on the look out for when those eventually come out

I'm terrified of what this season is going to do to Varchie especially since they thought that they would be the couple that would be easiest to break up when they first planned it out and now that Camila and Charles are together it makes me even more nervous, while I love them as a couple IRL, I cannot and will not ship Veggie in the show

Anyway, please read this and review and let me know all your thoughts in the comments
Until Next time (^^,)