Choni: Feel Free to Tremble

Chapter 15: Bags that Weigh a Million Pounds

AN: Sorry for the sorta cliff-hanger, but it really wasn't that big. So yeah. Thanks for reading and please leave comments! (Last chapter without finale stuff)

Written 5.15.18

TWO WEEKS LATER

VERONICA'S POV

I slowly blinked my eyes and woke up. I looked over to my left and saw Cheryl on her phone.

"Still can't sleep?" I asked an exhausted Cheryl, with dark, Jughead-like, heavy, bags under her eyes. She shook her head.

The doorbell rang. When it rang repeatedly remembered the unfortunate fate of Andre, and rushed to answer it.

"Keep it in your pants." I mutter to whoever it was, because they kept pounding on the door.

"Topaz!?!" I yelled as she entered the house, exhausted as well. She had a black eye and cuts and scratches  all over her face.

"Where is she?" She asked.

"Upst-" I began but was quickly interrupted by her rushing into my house.

I followed her upstairs and saw Cheryl get up from the bed, but only managed to walk a step before Toni tackled her onto the bed.

TONI'S POV

It felt great to finally feel Cheryl, safe in my arms again. I cupped her cheek and kissed her passionately before I pulled out.

"I told you I'd come back, Bombshell." I told her.

"I love you." She told me, before pulling me into another kiss. We finally sat up, after many kisses, as Cheryl cuddled into my chest.

"I missed you, Cheryl." I told her, kissing the top of her head.

I breathed in the smell of cherries, forgetting how much I missed it.

I wanted to take Cheryl, but I knew it was dangerous. I barely got out of there alive, but thankfully got my brother. He was at FP's trailer resting.

Veronica walked into the room and sat on her bed next to us. She turned on the TV as Cheryl fell asleep in my arms.

"When did she last fall asleep?" I asked Veronica, once I knew Cheryl was sleeping.

"She got four hours in a row two nights ago. I think that's the most she's gotten without waking up. She always woke up screaming your name." She said. That's when I noticed the red cloths littered all over Veronica's room.

"Thank you, for letting her stay with you. I don't know what she would've done if she were alone." I told her.

"No problem." She said, "Toni, I - I - I think Cheryl needs help."

I nodded my head.

"I know, we were working on it." I told her, remembering the nights we spent together talking about her mental health issues.

"Her hands. They shake all the time. And her nightmares, I mean Toni, I know love is the best cure but do you need any help? A referral, money?" She asked me.

"She - she won't go see a counselor. Not after the Sisters. I'm basically her counselor. We talk every night. The shaking stopped after I told her I loved her. She started eating more. Started to clutch onto me every night, but she didn't have nightmares anymore so it was fine. She was getting better.Thanks for your offer, but I think all we can do is offer moral support." I told her.

"Totally. I just think that what if someone else helped her? Like me or Betty. So she could open up about you and talk about your relationship and how it's coming? So she doesn't keep those feelings bottled up?" She asked me. I nodded my head.

"Yeah, defiantly. I never thought about that. I think it would help." I agreed.

"Toni, she refused to wash any of your sweatshirts, even though she wore them every night to bed. She said it would 'take the scent away'. Is this something that normally happens?" She asked. My heart sunk. It felt like all the progress went down the drain.

"N - No." I stuttered, "how bad did it get?"

"She was either sobbing every night or getting wasted." She told me. My heart stopped.

"She needs to talk to someone else about this." I finally said.

"Yeah, I'll talk to Betty about it." She reassured me.

"Thank you." I said, "Do you mind if I?" I said gesturing to Cheryl sleeping.

"Go ahead! You must be exhausted." She told me.

I repositioned Cheryl and laid down, finally able to sleep sound.

BETTY'S POV

"Toni's back." Veronica texted me.

"Also, we need to have discussions with Cheryl about her situations." She texted next.

Veronica explained everything with Cheryl, but we were going to wait until Toni came back so that she wouldn't burst into tears every five seconds over her.

"Okay, I'll come over now." I responded and quickly drove to the Pembrooke.

I walked into the house and to Veronica's room to find Cheryl leeched onto Toni, both sleeping. Cheryl had a faint smile on her face.

"I'm glad she's finally happy again." I said sitting next to them on Veronica's bed.

"Me too." Veronica responded, "once we get her  alone we need to ask her about Toni and everything."

I nodded my head. I knew that Cheryl had mental issues, but they never showed when I had seen her, until Toni left.

Veronica explained everything; how Toni was the only person she opened up to, how she refused professional help, her clingy habits.

"Who was Heather?" Veronica asked. I hesitated.  Cheryl never talked about her once Heather left, but she started acting meaner then before. I just thought they were best friends, but was staring to think something more was there.

"I wouldn't know for sure, but they were best friends until Heather randomly move away. Cheryl then became colder and meaner." I told her.

"Were they together? Like, 'together, together'?" She asked. I shrugged.

"I would ask Cheryl. I can't say for sure." I replied. She nodded as we waited for them to wake up.

AN: Shorter chapter again, I'm sorry. I like to have two chapters pre-written before I publish them, but if there is a good suggestion I'll sneak it in so please leave comments! 4K reads (when I'm writing this) is so amazing, so thank you so much! Love you all!!