I Loved You | CHONI |

Twenty Eight

After their bath Toni had wrapped up all of Cheryl's cuts and sores before getting her into her pyjamas.

They laid in bed together engulfed by darkness, Toni had her arms wrapped around her wife while Cheryl had her head on Toni's chest.

'Can we talk about what happened now?' Toni asked softly.

'I guess' Cheryl said quietly.

'If it gets too much just tell me okay?' Toni said sweetly.

'Okay' Cheryl nodded although Toni couldn't see her only feel her in the darkness.

'I was driving back home to tell you what had happened with Raven when a what I assumed was a police car pulled me over. I was speeding but I was so lost in my thoughts I didn't notice. I got out and when I realised who it was it was too late. I tried to get in my car to get away but he hit my face against the steering wheel and I guess I blacked out' Cheryl paused for a moment, she hadn't looked in the mirror yet but she assumed her face would be badly bruised.

'It's okay take your time baby' Toni said softly although inside she was burning with rage.

'When I woke up I was tied to a chair with a dull light above my head in a different room to what you found me in. Malachai was pissed because he wasn't able to get his hands on the twins and that's when he called you' Cheryl said.

'You was out for a while then' Toni said as she tried to piece things together.

'Yeah I suppose I was. Anyway you know how the conversation went, I'm not sure if you heard him hit me, I think he was getting worried that his plan might not work out. He left me alone after that and that's when I managed to break out of the chair. I hid behind the door and hit him hard with a piece of wood. I took my phone and his switchblade and ran to hide which is when I called you. After he found me he got his minions to take me to that room and that's when he had the gun, I thought I was going to die. I thought I'd never see you or our babies again' Cheryl began to cry.

Toni wrapped her arms around her tightly and kissed her head, she knew Cheryl had shortened down the story but it broke her heart to think about how scared her wife would have been.

'Shhh I got you' Toni said 'I've got you' if she could kill Malachai for what he'd put her family through and get away with it she would do it in a heartbeat.

***

Neither of them slept much that night and when Toni's phone blared loudly in the morning the brunette jumped up to answer it before it woke Cheryl up but it was too late.

'Hey' Toni said as quietly as she could with her heart in her throat.

'Hey T, look can you get down to the vets?' Sweet Pea said down the phone.

'Is he okay?' Toni said as she tried not to cry.

'Just come as soon as you can' Sweet Pea said before hanging up the phone.

Toni let out a breath as she put her phone down on the nightstand and turned to look at her wife.

'Was that about Bear?' Cheryl asked.

'Yeah, Sweet said I need to get down to the vets' Toni answered.

'Could I come?' Cheryl asked, she loved Bear too and she wanted to see him especially if this was for the last time.

'Sure baby, let's go' Toni said climbing out of bed obviously scared.

'He was so brave' Cheryl said as she climbed out of bed 'he risked his life to save us... to save me'.