❝ SEASON ONE, EPISODE TWELVE ❞
⚰️ Anatomy of a Murder ⚰️

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Isabella didn't go to school on Monday, she knew that the halls would be full of pitiful stares and constant questions. But Archie did inform her that Jughead had shown up at school only to get slapped in the face and hit by Cheryl before being told to leave the school grounds. Isabella knew that Jughead was dealing how he could, she was in the same boat and they respected that each person needed to get through their demons in their own way. But later that night, Jughead showed up at the Larkin residence and the couple lay in bed in silence as they thought back to when everything was a mystery and things were easier.

Jughead pulled Isabella into his arms, she rested her head on his chest while she lightly ran her fingers up and down his chest. "I'm guessing you heard about the encounter?" Jughead whispered to his girl. "I did but I didn't want to bring it up in case you didn't want to talk about it. Though I will admit, I'm not happy about her slapping you," Isabella said before looking up at Jughead. "I thought I at least owed her that," Jughead replied. "Jughead, you didn't owe her anything. Whether or not your father played a part, he did not kill Jason Blossom," Isabella told him as she sat up a bit to look down at Jughead.

"You really believe that?" Jughead asked with a sad expression. "I know it, Jughead. FP Jones is a lot of things but he is not a killer," Isabella held his face in her hands, "And I will find a way to prove that he didn't have a choice in whatever his actions were." Jughead smiled at her, his head was swirling with everything that had been going on but right here, right now, it was clearer than it had ever been. He had Isabella by his side no matter what happens and he only hoped she understood that he had her back too. "I'd be lost without you," Jughead whispered to her, she leaned down and claimed his lips with her own.

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It was a cold day, the breeze had a certain sting about it but that didn't seem to deter the people who had covered themselves in warm coats and scarves. Isabella stood looking at her reflection in the full-length mirror, her eyes were unfocused and distant as her fingers played with a loose seam on the dress she wore. She decided against tights underneath wanting to feel something other than the numb emotion, even if the cold would nip at her skin. Isabella wasn't sure how to feel right now, she knew the right emotion was sadness and possibly grief but she just didn't feel that way.

A hand carefully rested on Isabella's waist, she let her eyes focus again to see Jughead standing by her side in a suit without his beanie. Jughead gave her a look asking 'are you sure about this' and she nodded to him before taking in a slow breath, she turned to him and let him lead her out of the room and down the stairs. Isabella's subconscious action to turn her head to her parent's room sent a rush of emotional pain seeing the space empty and silent. "Hey..." Jughead turned her head to him, "I've got you. I'm right here." Isabella sent him a quick smile before the two headed to the cemetery for the funeral of Annelise Larkin.

Jughead watched as people passed their condolences to Isabella, the brunette barely paid them any mind as they accepted her silence as mourning. But Jughead knew that Isabella was frozen, she didn't know how to handle this at all. When they were all called to attention, Jughead pulled Isabella to stand with him saving her from the woman who was rambling on about the life of the perfect housewife to an unfocused Isabella. Truthfully, Jughead felt useless at that moment. He wasn't sure how to help his girlfriend, he couldn't help his father and he was trapped within all the shadows that surrounded them.

Neither teen paid attention to the priest, Archie watched the couple closely with Veronica and Betty by his side. All three were worried for both of their friends, one dealing with his father being an alleged and confessed murderer while the other was burying her mother. Veronica and Betty didn't know how to help them either as it seemed the Breakfast Club of Riverdale all had demons on their shoulders; Betty learning that she is a Blossom by blood, Veronica being suspicious of her father's involvement in Jason's murder, and Archie's father doing what he can to protect his son who had been offered a chance to leave to Chicago.

"Now would Christian Larkin like to speak?" The priest asked before looking around, the man in question wasn't present which caused Isabella to look around for him. She took a deep breath as she squeezed Jughead's hand and moved to talk when someone cleared their throat and walked towards the priest. "Sorry... I, uh..." Christian sniffled as the priest nodded in understanding before stepping aside. Christian turned to the family and friends who had shown up for the funeral, he looked at every single person and fought an eye roll at the few who attended to save themselves a place in Heaven's gates.

"Annie was a sweet woman with a fierce side that never backed down from a fight," Christian began before looking towards the casket, "She hated me. I was the cliche jock who bullied others and was full of arrogance. And Annie, she was the Lily Evans to my James Potter." Isabella let out an unexpected laugh at that comment as she focused on her father's words. "Annie always protected the little guys and got into more fights than I ever did. She had a good life with a kind yet slightly rebellious brother--" Fred huffed a small laugh through his tears, "--And parents who did their best to support their children."

Christian looked up to the sky to blink back tears, "But during our junior year of high school, Annie and I went through something together. She learned about a side of me that not a lot of people knew." He shook his head before looking towards Isabella and Jughead, "She never would have given me a chance if it wasn't for FP Jones." Some people were taken aback by the mention of FP after his arrest. "FP was the one who convinced her to give me a chance. As my daughter would claim, FP was the Sirius Black to my James Potter," Christian said looking directly at Isabella who smiled fondly at him.

"Annie was never judgemental, she made it her mission to help others no matter what or where they came from and it was one of the many things I loved about her," Christian placed his hand on her casket. "There was no one else for me other than my Annie--" Jughead's gaze turned to Isabella at Christian words, "--She understood me in a way that no one else did. She knew when I needed her, when I needed to be alone, and when I needed someone to put me in my place." Everyone laughed at the last part due to Christian chuckling. "And when Annie fell pregnant with my little warrior, Isabella... I knew that I'd love her forever," Christian let out a small breath.

"And I promised my Annie that no matter what would happen, I'd protect, love and care for our daughter. And I know that Annie wouldn't want us to cry at her death but to smile and laugh with the memories we were all lucky enough to share with her," Christian said sternly. "She'd want us happy, to cry once in a while but to keep fighting and living for her," Christian smiled as tears rolled down his face. "And that's what I plan to do. I'm gonna live for her, my sweet Annie--" Christian looked down at the casket, "--I'll always love you, Annelise. Thank you for the best years of my life and for leaving me a piece of you. Our daughter."

Isabella let out a cry, everyone turned to her, and for the first time since her breakdown; she cried. She ran away from the funeral, she couldn't stay with all those eyes on her and knew that the others would follow. Isabella made it to the car park and leaned back against her car, she pushed her palms to her eyes as she cried. Within a few seconds, arms wrapped around her and pulled her into their embrace. Isabella leaned into Archie's warmth, he held his cousin as she cried while Jughead, Betty, and Veronica stopped just behind them. Archie had run after her the moment she turned away from the casket, he wanted her to know he was there.

Veronica moved first and wrapped her arms around the two knowing that Archie had lost his aunt, his father's sister. The cousin melted into Veronica's hug leading Jughead and Betty to step forward and join the embrace, Jughead kept close to his girlfriend. And together, the five of them cried for Annelise, for FP, for Jason, for Hermione, and for Polly. All of the numb emotion that Isabella had been holding was melted away as she let every tear fall from her eyes; her friends holding her felt like the sun on a gloomy day, and for the moment, she truly believed they might be okay.

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Isabella sat at the kitchen table with a plate of toast with scrambled eggs, she slowly ate as she stared off into space. Her attention snapped back to reality as someone placed their hand on her shoulder, she turned her gaze to her father who smiled softly. "How are you feeling, Rocky?" Christian asked knowing better than to tread lightly. "Honestly, I don't really know. I'm trying to work out exactly how I'm supposed to feel," Isabella answered before brushing her hair back with her fingers and letting it fall back into place. "I keep asking myself, do I break and cry every day or do I toughen up and smile," Isabella asked rhetorically.

"You do both," Christian told her as he sat down with a coffee mug, he sighed as he looked towards their family portrait. "You cry when you feel like crying, you scream into your pillow when you feel frustrated, you punch the bag when you feel angry and you smile when you feel happy," Christian answered her as Jughead made it down the steps, he stopped halfway listening to Christian. "You let yourself feel what you need to feel. Because Annie was happy and smiling right up until her last moment and she'd cursed us from Heaven if we fall apart," Christian told her with a small chuckle, letting Isabella wipe his tear away.

"We take it one day at a time and remember we have people around us who will help us when we need it," Christian continued as he smiled at his daughter. "There's no rush to move on, there's no pressure to be better. Take your time and remember to let the emotions in, becoming numb to everything will only delay the pain; it won't take it away," Christian finished off before kissing the top of her head. Isabella felt a new clarity from her father's words, she knew that her mother didn't want them to break from her death and despite hearing her father cry at night; she knew they'd make it through this and make her proud.

Jughead stood in the doorway, he was leaning against it and smiled softly at his girlfriend who looked up at him. "You have to admit, he's great with words," Isabella said making Jughead shake his head and walked towards her. "It must be where you get it from," Jughead told her before kissing her, he savored the moment before pulling away. "I'm gonna meet up with Archie, he wants me at Pop's but I'll see you later," Jughead told her before kissing her once more. Isabella watched Jughead leave and let out a sigh, she needed to talk to him but knew now wasn't the time for that.

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Rosemary Here!

*cries in writer*

Not me realizing that this book seems to be the saddest one I've written so far.

But how good is Christian's advice? It's never easy when your grieving because everyone goes through it differently. I really wanted to show that Christian and Isabella respected Annelise's request to be happy for her life rather than sad about her death.

But I promise there will be happier content, just wait for it!
Also, now all I can see is Isabella and Jughead all domesticated and shit... I'm pretty excited to write about Jughead living in the trailer because I get to write more happy domesticated scenes!

See you next chapter!