a cherry cola

Moving in and out

Cheryl's pov

The police and emergency personnel have just arrived
Everyone is outside the house
Betty is still screaming Jugheads name as the take him away. Archie has to hold her back
Toni and I️ are sitting on top of the small shoulder that surrounds the garden
Her arms around me. Holding me close.
It's still flashing before me
The gun. The blood. The tears.
As the ambulances leave everyone gets up to get in the cars and follow, until the police hold us back to describe everything that just happened
We let Fp do most of the talking. Everyone else is mostly still frightened and in tears.
Toni wipes away the few stray tear falling from my face.
"Hey it'll be ok they are gonna and we will catch them. And Jughead will be ok the paramedics said they will help him" she says stroking the side of my face
"I️ know I️ know"
After the questions we all go to the hospital to wait.
Everyone from the house arrives except Hiram and Hermione
"They went home. Said they needed to talk" Veronica says
We sit and wait. And wait. And wait
It's not until midnight that we get an update
"He's out of emergency surgery. He's asleep but you can see him" the nurse says
Everyone stands up
"I'm only taking a few"
We decided to send Fp, Betty, Sweetpea, Archie, and Toni back to see him
"Five is pushing I️t but fine" the nurse says
They leave so Veronica, Reggie, Fangs, Kevin, and myself sit and wait
"How are you feeling" I️ ask Veronica
"Scared. Yourself"
"Petrified"
The aren't gone for long. Ten minutes later everyone but Fp is back in the waiting area
"He's out. Said he won't be up for hours" sweetpea says sitting down
"We should go get some stuff from his house. For when he gets up" Toni says
"Yea lets go. We will be back in a half hour" I️ say
We get in my car and start driving. It's 1am and pitch black so I️ go slow.
"Are you ok" I️ ask her
"Yea fine" she sniffles
"Toni please you spend every moment comforting me. Talk to me please"
"Well he's like my family you know. And I️ haven't known him long but he's important to me no matter how much of a whiny ass he is. And I️ just don't want him to be hurt. I️ don't like when the people I️ care for get hurt" she says. She sounds like she's crying a bit but I️ can't see her
"Toni I️ know how much you care for Jughead. And he will be ok"
We pull up to the trailer park and I️ get out of the car.
I️ walk over to her side. She gets out and I️ pull her into a hug. She cry's a bit into my shoulder.
I️ pull away to wipe her tears.
"He will be ok. I️ swear I️t"
"I️ know. Lock this car. It's nice and this place is trashy" she laughs a bit
We walk to the entrance of the park and see a letter posted onto the front of the gate
"Can you grab your phone and put the flashlight on I️ can't read that" she says
I️ shine the light onto the paper

attention anyone parked in
sunnyside trailer park
This area will be closed and cleared in the next 36 hours due to gang threats
please relocate all trailers, cars, and belonging elsewhere
Hiram Lodge
                     Operator and Owner

"ARE YOU SERIOUS" Toni shouts banging her head against the fence
"Toni toni"
"No he can't everyone will be homeless my family he can't" she says staring to cry
"What are we going to do" I️ say
"I️ don't know. But let's go get jugheads stuff and go. I'll come clean out the few things I left be hide tomorrow" she says walking away
She's never upset unless it's a big deal. It's a big deal. I'm not sure where or what to do or what I️ can say. I️ don't know where to put all these people. But this is not going to go well the next time she's sees Veronica.
We get into the car. This time she drives saying she wants to take the long way so she can calm down before seeing Veronica.
"Hey Toni"
"Yes"
What I'm about to say is well. Crazy
"The serpents can move in with us"
She pulls the car over to the side of the road
"What"
"What I️ said. Then can come to thistle house"
"Cheryl there's a lot of them"
"I️ know. And I️ know more then serpents live in that park. But I️ know they will be denied entrance a lot of places. And 6 acres of land they can park there trailers and they can stay for a bit until things are sorted"
"You would seriously do that"
"Seriously"
She leans over and we meet with a kiss
When we break apart she whispers "thank you"

We arrive at the hospital and Toni says no words to Veronica at first. She walks over to Fp
"The trailer park is being cleared in 36 hours. Everyone can park on Cheryl's backyard temporarily"
"What" Fangs asks
"You can park on my backyard" I️ say "just don't make a mess. Not trash outside. No smoking"
"Alright well thanks. Why is the park being shut down" sweetpea asks
"Hiram Lodge. Because of gang threats" Toni says
Veronica hears this and gets up
"Guys I️ have nothing to do with I️t"
"Don't go off at her" I️ say as I️ see everyone become infuriated "just pack your shit and drive over to my house ok"
The three serpent men silently nod
"Tell your other gang friends there welcome as well"
The all nod again
"How's Jughead" Toni asks
"He's stable. But won't be up for a few days because of the medically induced coma they put in during the bullet removal. Said he will be fine" Fp says
"Ok well you all better hurry if you want Jughead to have a place to come home to"

Toni's Pov

A day later the news has spread throughout the town of the black hoods visit to thistle house and their affiliation with the serpents. Around 9 trailers are parked in Cheryl's backyard. She has told all of them they at welcome to stay on her property for a bit, but will need to find somewhere to go

Tonight Fp called an emergency Serpent meeting at the white wyrm. One of the only places Hiram Lodge hadn't closed down
"My sons in the hospital, and one of our own kind is part of the reason the person who did this got away" Fp says pacing around in front
"I️ think its TallBoy in his old coat" someone shouts
"I️t may be. But I️ have decided until we know who I️t is, and until we have enough money to buy back land for our homes. The serpents will be leaving Riverdale"