Riverdale Recap With Spoilers: Chapter Seven: In A Lonely Place

The episode begins with a dream sequence. As Jughead's narration ponders what 'home' really means, he sits at an elaborate dining room table. With him are Betty, Veronica, Hal, Alice, Polly, and Jason. Everyone is dressed in 50s versions of their clothes. Everyone is smiling, but Jughead is caught off guard. Hal hands him a knife to cut the holiday ham. Jughead hesitates.

He looks across the room and sees his dad, FP, in the present day, watching TV and drinking beer in a dark living room. Jughead looks down and sees that the knife is no longer in his hand. Archie, also dressed in 50s clothes, asks Jughead why he stabbed him in the back. He turns and walks away, the knife sticking out of his back.

In the real world, Jughead wakes up early in the morning to an alert on his phone. He's now living in an abandoned storage closet in the school. He wakes himself up and uses the school locker room to shower.

Jughead gets out of his shower and starts to brush his teeth. He looks up in the mirror in front of him and sees Archie. Archie asks what Jughead is doing at the school so early.

Jughead leads Archie to his storage closet. Archie asks why Jughead isn't living at home, and Jughead explains that FP fell off the wagon after being fired from the construction company by Fred, which led to tension in the Jones household. Jughead's mom and his sister, Jellybean, left to life with other family.

Archie suggests that Jughead move in with him, but he declines. He asks Archie not to tell anyone about his situation, because he doesn't want to be judged by Betty and Veronica.

Smithers and Veronica enter the Lodge apartment, Smithers carrying a large number of packages. Veronica explains to Hermione that she is doing retail therapy to make up for what happened with her parents. Hermione chastises Veronica for spending money the family can't afford to lose, and Veronica explains that they should be fine, considering Hermione's new job with Fred.

Archie, Jughead, Betty, Veronica, and Kevin sit in the student lounge. Betty explains that her parents aren't going to the authorities about Polly's disappearance, in part because it would lead people to suspect that Polly murdered Jason. Betty says that Sheriff Keller believed that Jughead and Betty were being followed, which was what led to the getaway car being burned. Jughead touches Betty's shoulder to help comfort her, which catches Archie and Veronica's attention.

Archie suggests that Betty go to the police about Polly's disappearance, regardless of what her parents say. Kevin volunteers to help convince his dad to keep the secret, but Jughead explains that Sheriff Keller is in the Blossom family's pocket, which would cause the secret to get out. One of Cheryl's minions listens to their conversation nearby and sends a text on her phone.

Archie goes after Jughead as he walks through the hallway. He asks if anything romantic happened between Jughead and Betty, and says that he's totally okay with it. He then reveals that he talked to Fred, who is willing to give FP a second chance at his job.

Veronica asks Betty about Jughead touching her shoulder. Betty explains that Jughead was there for her when she needed emotional support. Veronica says that in that case, she approves of Betty and Jughead's relationship. She then offers to help Betty go find Polly.

Sheriff Keller explains to Penelope that the getaway car was the closest that the police were going to get to solving Jason's case. Cheryl walks in, promising new information in exchange for Penelope letting her join the River Vixens again. Penelope agrees, and Cheryl reveals that Polly escaped the same night the car was set on fire, meaning she has to be the killer.

Kevin runs to Betty and Veronica and reads them a tweet that Cheryl just sent out, framing Polly. Betty gets worried, and says that they need to hurry and find Polly before the Blossom family does.

Jughead approaches his dad's trailer at a nearby trailer park. He enters and finds FP. The two make small talk, before Jughead reveals the job offer from Fred. FP explains that Fred already called him about it, and FP declined. FP feels that he loses his integrity if he goes back to work for Fred, and blames Jughead's mom for giving up on the family. Jughead explains that FP taking the job would help bring their family back together, and then he leaves.

Betty and Jughead lead a search party to look for Polly in the forest. Everyone begins traveling through the forest.

Archie pulls Betty aside and offers his condolences for what's happened with Polly, and apologizes for not being there to help. Betty says not to worry, and that she appreciates him being there to help now.

Kevin asks Veronica what's happening with her family's situation. Veronica explains that she hates fighting with her mom, but is willing to do it until Hermione admits that she forged Veronica's signature. Veronica entertains the idea of going out partying to spite her mom, and invites Kevin, Josie, and Reggie to go with her.

Suddenly, the Blossom family shows up with a search party of their own. The Blossoms confront the Coopers, blaming Polly for Jason's murder.

Alice and Betty sit in a church, Alice having hatched up a plan to help clear the Cooper family name.

Alice, Hal, and Betty stand outside the church in front of a crowd of paparazzi. Alice explains to them that while Polly was seeking psychiatric treatment, the rumors about her killing Jason are false. She reveals that Polly is pregnant with Jason's baby, which is why she would never hurt Jason to begin with. In the crowd, the Blossom family gets distraught and leaves. Alice offers a plea into one of the video cameras, asking Polly to come home.

Later that night, Jughead walks Betty home. Betty gets upset, believing that Polly wouldn't have run away if it wasn't for Betty telling her that Jason was murdered. Jughead reassures her that she did the right thing by telling Polly the truth. Betty tells a story about how Polly ran away when she was younger after a fight with Alice. Jughead asks how far Polly had gotten when she ran away that first time, and Betty has a realization. She pauses and kisses Jughead, thanking him for walking her home, before hurrying inside.

Betty enters her house, home alone. She grabs a flashlight and enters the attic, looking for Polly. Suddenly, Polly jumps out and puts her hand over Betty's mouth. Polly begs Betty for her help.

Betty helps bandage up Polly's injured leg. Polly explains that she needed to get away from the group home, instead of waiting for Betty to free her from it. She reveals that she wants to go to the farm where she and Jason had planned to raise the baby, but she doesn't have any money to get there. Betty asks why Polly won't stay with her family, and Polly explains that Hal and Alice wanted her to give the baby up for adoption, and that even if she were to keep the baby, she doesn't want to raise it in a house where it's not wanted.

The sisters hear Hal and Alice downstairs, and Betty asks Polly to stay hidden for a few days while she finds her somewhere to live in Riverdale.

FP enters Fred's office. The two talk about the job offer, and FP explains that he's willing to take the job as a last-ditch effort to win Jughead back. The men shake hands as Hermione enters the office. Fred introduces FP and Hermione before taking a phone call outside. Hermione asks if FP is here to threaten her on the Serpents' behalf again, and he says no. He asks her to keep his allegiance to the Serpents a secret from Fred.

Betty asks Hal and Alice if Polly will stay with them once they find her. Alice reassures that she's welcome, and Betty asks what arrangements they will have for the baby. Alice explains that Polly has agreed to put the baby up for adoption.

In the student lounge, Betty explains to Veronica that she doesn't want Polly to run away again. Veronica offers to get Polly help from her and Hermione. Cheryl walks in and pulls Betty aside.

Cheryl takes Betty into an empty classroom and asks her how she can help keep the baby safe. Betty says that she doesn't trust Cheryl, and Cheryl says that that's fine, she just wants to help in any way that she can. Betty reveals that Polly needs money, and Cheryl offers to ask her parents about it.

FP and Fred find Archie and Jughead hanging out in Fred's office. Jughead suggests that the four of them go out to dinner to celebrate FP's first day on the job.

The four of them sit at Pop's, Fred and FP reminiscing about their high school days. FP asks if Jughead is still a writer, and Archie reveals that the Jughead is working with Betty on the school paper. FP asks Jughead if Betty is his girlfriend, and Jughead quickly changes the subject. Pops comes by to get the bill, and FP gets disappointed that Fred wouldn't let him pay it, feeling that Fred owes it to him to do so.

Hermione finds Veronica getting ready to leave, wearing an extravagant outfit. Veronica reveals that she is going clubbing, but won't do it if Hermione tells the truth about forging her signature. Veronica explains that she doesn't want Hiram to think that she betrayed him, but Hermione refuses to call Hiram and tell him the truth. Veronica leaves.

Veronica, Reggie, Josie, and Kevin party in the club. Kevin asks if partying is really helping Veronica through what happened. She explains that after everything was taken away from their family during Hiram's arrest, Hermione had reassured Veronica that no one would ever take her name away from her. According to Veronica, this is ironic given that Hermione later forged her signature, and made her feel like she was worth nothing.

Archie, Jughead, and FP jam in Archie's garage. FP asks for a beer, and Jughead suggests that they leave instead. FP agrees, but before they leave, Archie asks about what FP meant by Fred 'owing' him. FP explains that he and Fred actually started Andrews Construction together, and that Fred helped bail FP out of jail. After that had happened, Fred suggested that he and FP part ways, and that the bail money was worth what FP had in the company - even though he really deserved way more.

Betty joins the Blossoms at Pop's, as they offer to financially and emotionally provide for Polly and the baby no matter what. They ask where Polly is staying, and Betty says she isn't comfortable saying. Penelope understands, and reassures that Betty and Polly will both be protected by the Blossom family from now on, as long as Betty trusts them.

Archie and Jughead realize that neither of them had known the truth about what happened between Fred and FP before. They both wonder what Fred's reason for doing it was, but FP shows up and gets Jughead to drive him home.

Veronica learns that her credit card was declined and reported stolen at the club, but she, Reggie, and Josie all threaten to rat out the club if there's a problem. Veronica explains to the group that Hermione declining her card is a sign that she's willing to negotiate.

Jughead brings FP home, and FP passes out on the couch. Jughead begins to tell FP updates on his mom and Jellybean, but FP falls asleep.

Archie asks Fred about what FP said about their history with the company. Fred explains his side of the story - that FP was stealing from the company, even after Fred helped bail him out on several occasions. Archie reminds Fred that in firing FP, he also ruined Jughead's life in the process.

Veronica comes back to the Lodge apartment and confronts Hermione about her card being declined. Hermione says that in order for them to move past what's happened between them, they need to have a negotiation. Hermione explains that her moving forward with Fred is to help get her family out of the situation that Hiram put them in. Hermione asks Veronica to accept she and Fred's relationship until things are sorted out, and Veronica agrees.

Veronica asks that Hermione not bring Fred over to their apartment, and that Hermione needs to come clean to Hiram about the signature forging. She agrees, as long as Veronica stops clubbing and shopping frivolously. Veronica agrees.

At school the next day, Sheriff Keller and Principal Weatherbee find Betty and Jughead's murder board. Jughead walks in, and Sheriff Keller tells Jughead that he's going to need to bring him down to the station.

Sheriff Keller and Weatherbee lead Jughead through the crowded hallway. As he passes by Betty and Archie, Jughead asks them to call FP.

At the police station, Keller reveals to Jughead that they found his and Betty's prints on the trunk of Jason's getaway car. Keller explains that Jughead's prints were already on file, after he attempted to burn down Riverdale Elementary School six years ago, and was sent to juvie.

Keller then says that after looking through Jughead's school records, he discovered that Jughead has been bullied a lot by the football team, which would give him motive to kill Jason. He asks Jughead to share his whereabouts the week of Jason's murder, and Jughead says he wants a lawyer.

Penelope asks Cheryl if she's ever seen Polly take drugs, as Cheryl has previously described Polly as a party girl. Cheryl says she hasn't, and Penelope explains its for the sake of the baby.

Still at the police station, Jughead pleads to Betty to believe him. She says that she does, and that she won't let Jughead become a scapegoat in the murder. Jughead asks if FP is at the station, and Betty reveals that no one knows where FP is.

Outside, Fred explains to Sheriff Keller that Jughead was working for his construction company on the week of Jason's murder. Sheriff Keller believes him, as long as Fred can provide documents to prove it.

Fred, Archie, Betty, and Jughead leave the station. FP arrives, explaining that his phone battery died so he hadn't gotten Jughead's messages initially. FP grows angry at the fact that Jughead was accused of anything to begin with, and starts to head inside to reprimand Sheriff Keller. Fred tries to stop him, and FP shoves him away.

Jughead stops FP, telling him that doing so will only make things worse. FP listens to him and invites him to come back home. Archie reveals that he and Fred already offered to let Jughead stay with him. Jughead starts crying and says that he'll go with FP.

FP reassures Jughead that he'll work hard to get the family back together, even if it'll take a little bit of time to do so. Jughead believes him. The two embrace and FP leaves. Betty rushes to Jughead's side, and the pair leave as well.

Veronica and Hermione sit at their kitchen table, waiting for Hiram to call them from jail. Hermione admits that she's nervous, but that she'll live with the consequences regardless of how Hiram reacts. She answers the phone.

Archie watches Fred make a timesheet for Jughead for the week of Jason's murder. Fred explains that it's the least he can do, considering what he's put Jughead and his family through by firing FP.

Archie, Veronica, Betty, Jughead, and Polly sit at Pop's, waiting for the Blossoms. Betty explains that once they figure things out with the Blossoms, they'll let Hal and Alice know that Polly is safe. Polly thanks Betty, calling her her guardian angel.

Cheryl enters the diner, and Polly gets up to greet her. Polly apologizes for what happened to Jason, and the two hold hands. Cheryl reveals that she doesn't think that her parents want to help Polly anymore, and that Polly needs to find arrangements elsewhere. Veronica volunteers that Polly stay with her and Hermione.

Hermione greets Polly, saying that she can stay as long as she needs to. Betty and Polly thank the Lodges for helping them out.

Archie gets a sleeping bag for Jughead ready in his room. He apologizes for what happened between their dads, and Jughead says he's not giving up on FP yet. Archie asks if he thinks FP will show up for work tomorrow, and Jughead says that he hopes so.

Jughead's narration explains that although Riverdale hoped that Jason's killer would be found, the situation was not that easy.

FP stammers through his trailer, drunk. In his closet is a jacket - Jason's letterman jacket.