Shattered Smiles (A Choni Story)

Chapter 5

Veronica takes my hand and drags me to Kevin's truck with Toni following us.
Toni's POV
The three of us get to the truck successfully. As I slam the car door, Veronica tells Kevin to start driving and with that, Kevin speeds away from the horrid building.
The car ride is silent for the most part. The only talking is me trying to reassure a hysterycal Cheryl that she's safe now and that those weird fucking nuns can't hurt her. Cheryl is cuddled into me, sobbing into my neck and my arms are wrapped around her in an attempt to give her some reassurence. Veronica ended up falling asleep somehow. Maybe it's because of all the nights these past 2 weeks that I've kept her up with my frantic phone calls and she just had to sit there and listen to me explain my theories of what happened to Cheryl because she knew there was no way she could convince me to get some sleep.
A couple minutes pass and I notice Cheryl's fast heartbeat slow and her breathing even out. She starts snoring. It's like a cute snore though, not the extremely loud one that's impossible to sleep around and it just wants to make you punch the sleeping person in the nose out of annoyance.
About 10 minutes after Cheryl fell asleep, Kevin reaches the Southside. I told him to drop Cher and I off at Sweet Pea's trailer. I didn't want to bring her to Thistle House because technically Penelope still runs the house, I was only able to move in because Cheryl threatened  to report her, but if Penelope went this far to get rid of Cheryl then we are definitely not safe in that house for the time being. Cheryl needs to heal from whatever trauma she just went through, she needs to know that people care about her right now, I figured Sweet Pea would be my best shot because him and Cher had started to develop a really good friendship.
Kevin pulls up to Sweet Pea's trailer and I start to get out as carefully as possible because I have a sleeping Cheryl in my lap. I gently place Cheryl in the seat next to me and get out of the car and thank Kevin.
"I noticed that Cheryl is sleeping. Do you want me to carry her to the trailer while you talk to Pea?" Kevin asked with a small smile on his face.
" Yes please, thank you Kevin." I responded.
Kevin then goes to the back of the car a picks up Cheryl and walks to the door of Pea's trailer.
I walk to the front of the truck and knock on the window to wake up a passed out Veronica. She jumps awake, startled. She turns her head and noticed me standing on the other side.  She swings the car door open.
"Yeah, Toni?" She questions in a groggy voice, while rubbing her eyes.
"Well, I just wanted to say goodnight and thank you. So much. I needed to get Cheryl out of that hell hole." I lean down and hug her.
She hugs back.
"Of course Toni, after all I couldn't let my best friend stay in there either." She laughs.
"Text me when she wakes up or is in a good mood, I want to see her tomorrow." Veronica said.
"Of course, but only you. When she starts to feel more like herself and when I think she's ready then we can have more people over. I want her to know people care about her but I don't want to overwhelm her." I said in a serious tone.
"I get it Toni. Before I go I just wanted to say thank you for caring so much about Cheryl, she's had a hard life and deserves to be happy."
"Well, I hope I can be the person to make her happy. I know it's only been like a month and a half but I already know that I love this girl, so much."
"Trust me I know you do, Kev and I won't say a word about this until you've gained enough courage to tell Cheryl. Good night Toni."
"Night', Veronica."
Veronica then closes the car door and I walk over to Kevin and Cheryl.
I knock on Pea's trailer and he opens up the door.
"Hey Tiny, and Kevin with a knocked out Cheryl. What's up?"
"Can we stay here? We being Cheryl and I."
"What? Why?" Sweet Pea asks with concern evident in his voice.
"Penelopenis is plotting something, I can tell. I mean, she already sent Cheryl to a nunnery to convert her so who knows what she wants."
"Holy shit. Well, I want you two safe so of course you guys can stay here. Come in." Sweet Pea moved to the side of the door frame.
"Alright then, here's Cheryl." Kevin awkwardly passed me Cheryl.
I held Cheryl and she started to squirm so I hurriedly thanked Kevin and told him goodnight.
I walked into the small trailer and placed Cheryl on the old, blue couch.
"Alright then. Do you want to wake Cheryl up and I can make her something to eat? Or she can shower? Just to make sure she feels comfortable now."
"Yeah, sounds great Pea. Thank you so much."
"We're family T, this is nothing. Plus I like Red's company, I still have yet to beat her in Mario Kart." Sweet Pea said and that last sentence caused me to laugh.
"Ok, I'm gonna wake her up. Can you start making her something to eat?"
"Of course."
I grabbed Cheryl by the shoulders and started gently shaking her. She started to stir more and her eyelids fluttered open.
"Toni?" She asked. She was squinting because of the lights
"Hey Cher," I said with a bright smile, "how are you?"
"I'm tired and my body hurts." She responded weakly. She started hugging her knees.
"I'm sorry about that Cheryl. Hey, do you wanna take a shower?"
She gulped.
"A-a show-er?" She stuttered.
"Yeah do you wanna take one?"
"Will it hurt me?" She looked up at me with tears in her eyes.
"No-no, of course not Cherry." I stuttered, confused. Why would she think that a shower could hurt her? I reached over to put my hand on her shoulder and she yelped.
Did she think I was going to hurt her?
"Do you want to try taking a shower and then after we'll get you some food?"
"Yes. Please." Cheryl said looking down.
"Hey Cherry, you don't need to say please, you're ok."
"Ok."
"Alright then. I'll take you to the bathroom, show you what to use and let you continue on from there."
I reached for her hand, which she shyly took, and we quietly walked a few feet to the bathroom. I then showed her how to get the temperature she wanted and what soaps to use.
"Toni?"
"Yes?"
"Can you stay here with me? I don't want to be alone right now."
"Of course just let me get you a towel and something to change into. Then, I'll be right here." I said pointing down to the floor of the bathroom.
"Thank you Toni."
"Don't thank me, Cheryl. It's ok. Let me go get those clothes now and I'll be back in a minute."

A/N: Sorry for making the whole chapter in Toni's POV