Start Again | Choni

family is so much more than just blood

Cheryl's POV

I spent a week at home, just having some time to myself. Toni came round every day before and after school just to check I was doing okay. School was apparently unentertaining, except Veronica was the hot new gossip, how she landed up in jail because "her past caught up with her". "What about Delaney and Josie?" I asked as we sat cross legged on my bed. Toni didn't respond but she knew I was waiting for an answer. "Well Josie asked Archie out on a date yesterday. And I think he said yes. Delaney's been following me everywhere but I ignore her as much as I can. I didn't tell her about us, though, I don't want to push you, babe." She said gently, leaning in to kiss me. We had just broken apart when we were interrupted by Hermione walking in. "Oh, I'm so sorry, I'll leave you guys to it." She said. "Oh, it's okay. Is there something you wanted?" "A boy is asking for you, Cheryl, Archie, I think. Veronica's brought him home a few times. I can send him a away if you want." She explained. I looked to Toni and then stood up. "No, I'll go and see him. I don't want to hide forever.

Archie Andrews was waiting in the lobby and I cautiously went over to talk to him. He smiled as I approached, maybe this wasn't going to be an attack of some kind. "Cheryl, I just wanted to say, I'm so sorry for what happened to you. I didn't know Nick or anything, but I should have stopped Veronica's stupid party or something. But I didn't." His face fell and he was close to tears. I pulled him in for a hug. "Oh Archie, it's not your fault." I whispered in his ear. "But thank you for caring." We broke apart and he smiled. "I gotta get going, but I'll see you around. Oh, and I can't wait to hear your music project." He waved as he left.

In a better mood, I headed back upstairs when I heard Hermione and Toni talking. "Mrs Lodge, why haven't you gone to see Veronica? I know she's been asking for you." I heard her sigh. "Toni, I love her, she's my daughter. But she's also not. Not by blood anyway. Hiram had a one night stand when we were previously separated due to work, and she was born Veronica Cecilia Maya Lodge, Maya after her birth mother. Her mother died after childbirth, so I adopted her as my own with Hiram and we moved to New York together after I stepped down as Mayor when I lived in Illinois." "Oh, I didn't know." Toni said quietly. "Veronica needs time to understand what she did was wrong, what she did was cruel and mean, something that her father would do. I'm scared, Toni, that she's going to turn into her father. She's getting more and more like him with each day, and I worry that one day I'll look into her eyes and I'll see Hiram." "Why don't you just divorce him and start again?" Toni suggested. "Are you kidding? You can't just break ties with Hiram and live to tell the tale. If you want to leave, you're better off dying instead. No, I'm in it for the long haul, till death do us part, as they say."

I chose that moment to walk in and they both smiled as I entered but the look on my face gave it away. "How much did you hear?" Hermione asked. "All of it, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have eavesdropped." I apologised, sitting down beside Toni. "No, it's okay dear, I had to tell you at some point. The question is, how do I tell Veronica all that? That I've been lying to her all of her life." She put her head in her hands and sighed deeply. "Hermione, it's going to be okay. Just because you didn't give birth to her, that doesn't mean you're not her mother. She loves you, she always will and I'm sure she won't let something like that ruin the strong mother-daughter bond that you have. That is irreplaceable. Family is so much more than just blood, okay, it's about caring for each other and doing everything you can to protect them, even, if needed, from themselves." I smiled and held her hand, with Toni's in my other hand. " Cheryl's right, Mrs Lodge, don't let anything change that." Toni added. "Thank you, you're both so sweet."

"Oh, there's something we wanted to say, as well." I started, nodding at Toni to show I was okay with it. We interlocked our fingers and held up our hand. "We're dating, Hermione." I said, slightly worried. To our relief, she smiled and clapped her hands in excitement. "Oh my god you guys, that's amazing. I'm so proud of you, Cheryl. I knew you were stronger than your mother. I'm so glad she didn't alter you one bit, you're still you. Hold on to that, Cheryl, and, even though the past was hard, that's what makes the future so much brighter."

Back in my room, Toni was collecting her things to leave. Hermione came in carrying a tray of drinks and snacks. "Oh, leaving so soon? Why don't you stay the night? I'm sure Cheryl would love you to." She smiled and I nodded. "If you want to..." I added hastily. "Are you kidding, yes, of course." She said excitedly and dropped all her stuff back on top of my bed. "I'm going for an early night but you can stay up if you want, just make sure to turn everything off when you're done." She put the tray down and left.

"Looks like I've got company tonight." I grinned, looking into her eyes. She smiled just as widely and pulled me in to her chest. "Come here, babe, you've been amazing these past few days." "So have you, Tee-Tee, I couldn't have done it without you." As we lay down, our noses were practically touching. I could feel her warm breath on my skin. Her hair tickled my face, her soft hands around my waist. Slowly, gently, we moved closer together until our bodies were pressed against each other. I kissed her forehead, her cheeks, her mouth, and she kissed back, carefully moving her hand down my hips to my thigh. "It's okay, baby, if you want to go slow." She whispered. "Just let me know." As her hand moved down, my heart rate increased and I started breathing more rapidly. I slipped my hand under her shirt and gently teased her breast, causing her to gasp. "I'm ready, Tee-Tee. I want you, all of you."

A/N

Let me know if you want a SMUT chapter/scene, I won't update until late tomorrow anyway so just hang on to read what happens next. If you're enjoying please let me know as it's my first Riverdale fanfic so I want to do it well. Leave a comment with what you think should happen to Veronica, and if you think Hermione should tell her, the truth, or someone else should? Let me know. Thanks for reading so far! XO