Chapter Text
“Cousin Betty, to what do I owe this honor of a snowy evening phone call?”
Cheryl Blossom was snuggled up in her luxurious sheets, favorite Netflix show on repeat and her sketchbook wide open on her lap. A call from Betty Cooper wasn't unusual but didn't happen every day... especially not at 8:24 PM.
“Cheryl? I’m outside, please, I need your help.” Said redhead rolled her eyes but untangled herself from the warmth of her bed and headed over to her balcony.
“Betty, you can use the front door. We are family, after all.”
“Not this time, Cheryl… it’s Toni.”
Her heart dropped to her stomach, her muscles freezing and preventing her from making it to the balcony.
“What?” came out more like a hiss and she heard some shuffling through the phone.
The faint chattering of teeth could be heard behind a soft, “Bombshell?”
At the sound of Toni’s voice, Cheryl burst through the balcony doors and looked down on her family’s side lawn, covered in a few inches of gorgeous white powder. Betty stood, phone to her ear, other arm wrapped around Toni’s tiny body, the girl not putting much weight on one of her legs and visibly shaking. Cheryl contemplated jumping, if it meant getting to Toni faster.
“Betty,” she barked into the phone, “Get her to the back gate. I’ll meet you down there.”
She tore threw the large mansion, uncaring if it disturbed her mother. She ripped open the back door and rushed over to the gate, cursing her cold fingers for fumbling with the lock. When the large wooden barrier swung open, Cheryl gasped at the blood on the side of Toni’s face and the lack of clothing she wore.
A particularly violent shiver ran down Toni’s spine, causing her to whimper in pain and Betty struggled to keep her upright. Cheryl ushered them in, only allowing Toni to rest against her cousin long enough to close and lock the gate before she shed her robe and wrapped it around the Serpent’s body, using it to pull her close.
Betty held the back door open wider and whispered, “Hurry, she’s been outside for too long already.”
The three girls had just entered the warm house when Toni cried out softly, desperately trying not to make too much noise and she almost collapsed, had Cheryl not been holding on so tightly.
“Shh, baby, I’ve got you. Betty, help me carry her upstairs.” The desperation in the redhead’s voice scared Betty and she was quick to Toni’s other side.
The Blossom-Cooper girls hurried upstairs and into the safety of Cheryl’s bedroom, placing Toni on the bed. “Betty, the door.”
As the blonde rushed over to close it, Cheryl climbed onto the bed behind Toni, pulling the girl in between her legs and allowing her to lean against her. She wrapped her arms around the Serpent and kissed her head. “Cher…” “I know, Cha-Cha, you’re okay now.”
Betty appeared in front of them with a damp towel and a first aid kit. “She’s too cold, Betty. Her body won’t stop shaking and her lips are blue!”
The petrified look in Cheryl’s eyes was foreign to Betty, accustomed to the heiress’s proud and confident attitude.
“Do you have a heated blanket? We should get her into a hot bath then right back in to something warm.”
Cheryl nodded and brushed away some of Toni’s hair as Betty got to work cleaning the gash on her forehead. Toni’s body was almost convulsing at this point and Cheryl worried for her teeth, they were chattering loud enough to be heard on the other side of Thistlehouse.
As soon as Betty finished, they carried Toni into the bathroom where Betty drew a hot bath and Cheryl tenderly undressed her. Once naked, Cheryl quickly wrapped the robe around her again, pulling her into an embrace until Betty was finished. She almost jumped when Toni’s ice cold nose brushed against her neck and Cheryl frantically rubbed her arms up and down Toni’s arms and back, trying to create friction.
“Okay, it’s hot and almost filled. We need to get her in, now.”
In any other situation, Cheryl would have kicked Betty out. At any other time, she would have rolled her eyes at Betty’s use of bubble bath for her girl. This time, however, Toni was in trouble and Cheryl was befuddled and scared.
Cousin Betty was allowed to stay.
After sliding Toni into the steaming water, her shivers only seemed to get worse but Betty assured her that was to be expected. Cheryl got to work, wiping the blood and dirt from Toni’s body and keeping as much of her dark skin from being exposed to the cool air as possible.
“Call the Inside Vixens, Betty. We are having a sleepover tonight because she is not leaving and if my mother finds out…”
Betty nodded, not needing anymore information and hurried out of the room to find her phone.
Through her pain and convulsions, Toni managed a small smile, “You’re… cute.”
Cheryl broke into a watery smile, “Stop that. Just relax, okay?”
Eventually Betty returned with a hot cup of tea and Cheryl helped Toni sit up enough to drink it slowly. “Veronica is picking up Josie and they will be here soon. The snow picked up a bit so it will take them longer to arrive.”
Cheryl nodded and placed a soft kiss on Toni’s cheek. “Betty? What happened?”
The blonde bit her bottom lip, hesitant to tell the vengeful Blossom about where she found Toni and was saved by an almost violent coughing fit from said Serpent. Cheryl sprung into action, setting the mug down and helping Toni sit up, rubbing her back.
“She must be getting sick already. Let’s get her dry. Where are warm clothes for her?”
It was only minutes later when Toni was dressed in Cheryl’s sweatpants and hoodie, fuzzy socks on her feet and hair braided, out of the way. Her trembles were lessening slightly but her coughing was only growing worse.
When she managed a quiet, “Thank you,” as they helped her into bed, Cheryl could hear the congestion building.
Toni was tucked under the heated blanket, as well as the normal sheets and quilt. She was still trembling as Cheryl knelt beside her, lightly brushing her fingertips over the girl’s face.
“What’s the matter, love?”
“It hurts… when I shiver.” Cheryl’s heart broke just a little bit more and she pressed a kiss to Toni’s forehead.
“What do you need, Cha-Cha?”
Toni’s weary brown eyes met Cheryl’s and her hoarse voice whispered, “You…”
Betty stood and headed for the door, “V and Josie are here. I’m going to let them in. Go ahead and get in bed, Cheryl. We’ll be up in a minute.”
Cheryl offered Betty a tiny, yet grateful smile, and shed her own clothes until she was in just tank top and booty shorts. She crawled under the covers and used their brief moment alone to lay her body on top of Toni’s, careful not to squish her but wrap her arms around the Serpent’s frail body and just… breath her in.
Cheryl was scared.
“TT… what happened?”
“G-Ghoulies…”
The mere whisper of the Serpent rival made Cheryl’s hatred and anger skyrocket. She felt her spine straighten, her eyebrows rising dangerously. She was going to murder every single Ghoulie in Riverdale.
“Cher… please, calm down.”
Toni’s plea broke Cheryl out of her trance, caught up in the disgusting things she wanted to do to the other gang. Her reaction was to hold Toni tighter, putting painful pressure on her wounds.
“Sorry, baby. Hold on a second…”
Cheryl adjusted herself and her broken girlfriend who found herself in another coughing fit.
Leaning against her lavish headboard, Cheryl carefully maneuvered Toni to lay comfortably against her chest, curled up between her long legs. She pulled the sheets and heated blanket up to cover the small Serpent and kissed her head. Her arms constricted protectively around Toni and she sighed.
“Is that any better?”
“Hmm… I’m not as cold.”
Cheryl felt a tiny bit of her stress melt away but Toni’s body was still quivering and her voice was growing hoarse. She could tell Toni was trying to fall asleep, now tucked away in Cheryl’s chest but the pain from her injuries and the onset of illness was keeping her awake.
A sudden burst of people through Cheryl’s bedroom door also didn’t help.
Both girls jumped with the noise, Betty looking guilty as Veronica, Josie, Archie, Jughead, Sweet Pea and Fangs poured into the spacious bedroom.
“What the actual fuck?!” Cheryl growled, one of her manicured hands coming up to press against Toni’s head, her fingers automatically scratching softly against Toni’s scalp to calm her down and keep her cuddled up under the warm blankets.
It sounded like a thousand voices were coming at her at once and the Serpent boys crowded the bed, demanding answers from Toni.
Through the chaos, Cheryl heard Toni’s whimpers and she reached over to grab a fistful of Sweet Pea’s shirt. Pulling him almost violently closer, Cheryl growled, “Get everyone to shut up… now.”
She shoved him away and the tall boy adjusted his jacket before releasing a piercing whistle.
As the room went silent, Cheryl kissed Toni’s clammy forehead and cooed, “You’re okay, you’re safe.”
Betty stepped closer to Jughead, as if afraid of Cheryl and she swallowed, “Cheryl… I’m sorry. I opened the door and they were all here! It’s snowing so hard now and I couldn’t turn them away.”
Jughead wrapped a leather-clad arm around his girlfriend and jumped in, unashamed. “We let ourselves in. When Betty said Toni was attacked, we had to come. One of our own was hurt, Cheryl. We need to talk to Toni to figure out who and where.”
Fangs clapped Jughead on the shoulder, “We want revenge. No one hurts Toni and fucking gets away with it.”
So much mention of her name caused Toni to push herself up, swaying lightly and groaning in pain. Cheryl shot up as well, supporting the Serpent and scolding, “Be careful, Cha-Cha.”
Toni’s words were quiet and slow, a little delirium thrown into it. “It was those fucking Ghoulies… They jumped me on my way home from work. I got knocked out and woke up this morning but they tied me a tree… wanted me to freeze to death…”
Rough coughs wracked her body and Cheryl glared at the boys, “That’s enough talking for now.”
“But Cheryl…”
“Enough!”
The Serpents never shut their mouths so fast and Betty could have smiled if not for the dire situation. “I found Toni on my way to Sunnyside this afternoon. I can show you all where I found her.”
Veronica came to sit on the bed, wrapping her arms around Toni and Cheryl.
“Now hold on a moment. There are five inches of snow on the ground and it’s not stopping anytime soon. We will stay here tonight, for emotional support as well as protection and in the morning, we will seek revenge on those damned Ghoulies for what they did to our Toni-kins.”
Sweet Pea’s eyes bulged, “We?”
Jughead began to argue as well, “Waiting until tomorrow would only…”
Veronica stood, her luxury coat only proving her unofficial authority over the group of teenagers. “You heard me. Even if we are in the midst of a gang war, you are not going anywhere in this weather. Betty, Sweet Pea, help me with the air mattresses? Josie, you know where the snacks are, oh, and take Fangs with you. Jughead and Archie can get a fire going to keep us nice and toasty. Chop, chop!”
The group begrudgingly got to work and Veronica turned to Cheryl, “You, darling Cheryl, just keep holding Toni. Something tells me there is nowhere else she wants to be.”
A wink from Veronica and the other wealthy daughter was gone from the room.
Cheryl looked down and Veronica was right. Toni’s head lay on Cheryl’s shoulder, her bruised hand maintaining a weak grasp on Cheryl’s tank top. She was already snoring lightly, and Cheryl smiled for the first time since her girlfriend arrived.
She adjusted herself once again, settling back against the headboard but allowing Toni to lay flat, the sick and injured girl automatically shuffling over until she was pressed right against Cheryl’s side.
After Cheryl slipped a pillow under Toni’s head, the Serpent shivered and tossed her arm over Cheryl’s legs, until she was flush against the redhead’s long legs and hip.
“Cher…”
“Shh, TT, sleep now. I’ll be right here.”
“I can’t, Cher, everything hurts.”
Cheryl’s chest tightened, the sound of her girlfriend’s broken voice piercing her heart.
“Okay, baby. You’ll be alright. Let me get you some medicine for the pain.”
She moved to get out of bed but a stray tear rolled down Toni’s bruised cheekbone.
The only thing stopping her from leaving the warmth of her large home to beat the crap out of each and every Ghoulie was her girlfriend’s fingers woven so tightly into her tank top and the exhausted and terrified look in her light brown eyes.
A fire sparked to life on the far side of the room and Veronica and Betty made their way back in with two mattresses.
Cheryl beckoned her fellow Vixens over with a heartbroken plea, “In the medicine cabinet, there are some light painkillers. Could you fetch some with a cup of water for TT. Please?”
Betty was already on her way to the bathroom before Cheryl was finished and Veronica helped her back into bed without jostling Toni too much.
“Ronnie… I’ve never felt so helpless.”
The other heiress could only offer a small smile and a gentle squeeze of Cheryl’s hand (the one that wasn’t wrapped protectively around Toni). “You’re doing everything you can, Cher. She’ll be okay.”
Cheryl removed her hand from Veronica's caring grasp to wipe at her own tears. The tone of her voice reminded Veronica of one of her first encounters with the youngest Blossom.
"She better be or those Ghoulies will burn."