Enlightened

Chapter Twelve: Bloody Nights and Golden Days

A/N: There's a lot about Toni's past in this chapter.

"What the hell Archie?"  Toni said incredulously, taking out a pair of handcuffs and locking them around the taller boy's wrists.  "How could you do this to me?  To the station?  To your family?  To Riverdale?"  Toni said as they walked back towards the house.  They had a fair bit to walk, so the Sheriff would be able to get to the bottom of all of this.

"First, I was mad because Veronica clearly wants Cheryl still.  She's ruining my relationship and I wanted to get back at her, but I couldn't directly.  So I figured if I hurt your reputation or just you in general, Cheryl would snap or something, sending Ronnie running back to me."  Archie said, distaste and anger filling his voice.  "Second, I hate you for making Fangs Deputy over me.  I'm a harder worker, I don't question your orders, I'm willing to do anything to protect Riverdale.  Hurting Fangs directly would be too obvious, so getting at you would screw his job up."  

"I have nothing to do with your relationship that you probably won't have after Veronica finds out about this, Archie.  You should've talked to Veronica and Cheryl about it because your plan didn't work.  Veronica came into the office earlier today and asked Cheryl to get back together.  I would tell you to comfort her and win her back, but there's no way you'll be able to do that now."  The Sheriff could feel the redhead tense at her explanation.  His jaw tightened, eyelids softened, gaze hardened and hands clenched into fists.  If he wasn't shackled, he probably would've hit her.  Which brings her to her second point.  

"I didn't make you Deputy because of the reasons you gave.  You don't question my orders, sometimes people make stupid decisions.  If I were to give Fangs an order he thought was rash, he'd talk to me about it, you'd just follow blindly.  You are a harder worker than Fangs, I'll admit.  But he's a good balance for me.  I'm a workhorse, I have to be working all the time.  Having the Sheriff and the Deputy like that would be devastating to the station and the town.  The fact that you're willing to do anything for Riverdale is admirable in some people's eyes, but I think it can be dangerous.  I mean, look at where we are now.  You've been supplying the most dangerous gang in the city with weapons for what, a promotion and a girl.  It was too risky Archie, your red hair suits you because you're a firecracker."  

They walked in silence for the rest of the trek.  Toni's mind wandered back to Cheryl, specifically the situation with Veronica.  The Sheriff's worry began to grow as she ran through possible scenarios.  All of the possible outcomes end in Cheryl leaving, except for one.  The case where the redhead does actually love her.

That was a possibility, but Toni wasn't sure yet.  It wasn't that the pink haired girl didn't trust her girlfriend, it's just that they'd moved pretty quickly and she wasn't sure if Cheryl's "I love you" was serious or if she was still in the honeymoon mindset when she said it.  Toni wasn't going to tell the redhead about any of her doubts, she'd just observe how Cheryl acts and see whether she really was going to be upstaged by the Latina.

~

Ten minutes later, they reached the back door of the house.  Toni took out another pair of handcuffs and locked one end around the chain of the pair on Archie's wrists, and the other end around a metal bar on the side of the house.  She stepped off and took her phone out, she called her Deputy, happy she'd made the right choice.  

"Are those Ghoulies back at the prison yet?"

"Yes, ma'am.  All of 'em."

"And the drugs?"

"In the autopsy room.  I called the Chuck and he's going to be in tomorrow to identify what's in them."

"Perfect.  I need you to get down here, bring a couple duffle bags with you."  Toni turned and looked at the red-headed boy.  He was struggling against his restraints, refusing to accept defeat.  I guess she would have to show him his defeat then.  "Pick Veronica up too, I have something she needs to see."