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Stirring her tension into the freshly-brewed coffee that Tabitha left her on the kitchen table, Toni's hand trembled. She was the one who invited Tabitha here— she was the one who wanted this, yet now that it was finally happening, she was unable to bring her eyes to meet the other girl's.
"Toni…"
"Where's Jughead?"
Tabitha breathed her frustration quietly, but answered anyway. "He's helping Archie with some yard work." She generously offered Toni a few more silent moments to collect her peace. "You said you wanted to know."
"I did," she swallowed. "I do, but—"
She couldn't take hearing it if it wasn't what she imagined or wanted.
"I can show you," Tabitha explained in a gentle voice, as if too much could just scare Toni away. Cautiously, she took Toni's hands that were both sitting on the table. "If you want to stop, just let go of my hands."
Toni nodded. She inhaled deeply, then exhaled. Her heart was still running a mile a minute, though she kept rolling her shoulders and trying to relax. Even if she didn't like what she saw, none of it was real.
For a few seconds, all she saw was darkness. She started to wonder if this was even going to work—
Suddenly, she was in a dimly-lit room. She had a cup of chamomile tea instead of coffee. She looked down at her body. Strands of wavy pink hair went down to her stomach. Her hair was different. Her clothes were different. She felt different.
She was in Thistlehouse.
Toni finally looked up again and Cheryl was approaching the sofa. Her face was riddled with apprehension and pain. Her hands fidgeted nervously before she sat down as well. Toni knew that look on her face. It knotted her stomach. Years had passed, but she still wasn't ready to hear this again.
"Toni," Cheryl started quietly. Her hands were on her lap, still fidgeting as she tried to find her words. "I have something to tell you, and it's not going to be easy." She didn't wait for Toni's response before elaborating, "I'm not going to Highsmith College."
Toni's breath hitched. She was right. It still wasn't easy to hear.
But she wasn't confused like she was back then. She was resentful, in a way. Resentful that Cheryl was going to give up all their plans, only to lock herself away in Thornhill for years. She couldn't sit there and go through this again.
"Yes, you are," Toni declared. "I'm not letting you give this up because of my nana."
Her nana barely even checked up on her anymore. It wasn't worth losing Cheryl.
"It isn't just your nana— it's me. It's my Blossom name," she explained tearfully. "It conjures a horror show in this town, and… rightfully so. But now that I have control of the maple factory and groves, I have a chance to lift up this town and rehabilitate our Blossom family legacy. But I need to be here… where the damage was done."
"I get that, okay?" Toni started, then reached for her hand. "But we can do that… together. We have a chance to go to college, learn amazing things about history and justice, and become the people that we were always meant to be."
"How will I atone for my ancestors' sins from Highsmith?" Cheryl shook her head.
Toni's confidence was faltering as she gazed desperately at the girl in front of her. She was determined to end things between them back then, why would it be any different now? She shut her eyes. This was probably a waste of time.
"Because I'll be there with you," Toni told her. "I know the Uktena inside and out. I know what they need. And Highsmith isn't that far away from Riverdale."
Cheryl looked up, a glint of hope in her eyes. Toni's heart skipped. She wondered if that was it— that was getting through to her. "Please," she pleaded. "Don't shut me out again."
Cheryl blinked confusedly, but she nodded her head.
"Okay— perhaps," she breathed nervously. Toni felt relief surging in her chest. Maybe it really was different this time. "But— but what about your nana?"
"What about her?" Toni raised her eyebrows. "She's already warming up. She— she even asked me if we'd be staying in the same dorm room. If she hears about everything that you— that we— do, she'll come all the way around, Cher. I know she will."
And she really would. She did, even when Cheryl atoned on her own. It took a few years, but Toni could only imagine how much faster it would be if they worked together. How much more impact they could have.
"Are you sure?" Cheryl asked, her tears threatening to spill, but stopping every time Toni squeezed her hand a little bit harder. "That this is what you want?"
Without a speck of hesitation, Toni nodded her head. Vigorously. She brought her other hand to Cheryl's cheek.
"I've never been more sure of anything in my life."
. . .
Cardboard boxes and suitcases stuffed to the brim were scattered across the shoebox-sized room. Toni had a few boxes of essentials: bedding, minimal decor, toiletries, as well as one suitcase of her favorite clothes. The rest— the bulk of the mess— belonged to none other than her lavish girlfriend Cheryl Blossom, who couldn't possibly part without her entire closet, or her entire bedroom's decor.
"I got you, babe," Toni smiled anyway, because she wouldn't have it any other way. She took the heavy cardboard box from Cheryl's arms and carried it to her desk. "What the hell is in here? Weights?"
"No," Cheryl huffed. "Something far more precious."
"Better not be your collection of expensive candles," Toni teased. "Or your designer purses."
Cheryl just hummed and shrugged, unzipping her suitcase so she could start unraveling the daunting task of managing to hang every single article of clothing from her humongous walk-in closet back home into this tiny, rectangular slit the residence hall called a closet. Meanwhile, Toni sliced through the taped box and ripped it open. Her mouth was agape when she saw the contents.
Dozens upon dozens of frames. Photo albums. Loose polaroids. Some were group pictures with their friends back home, but most of them were Toni. And the both of them together.
"Cher…" she admired warmly. "You brought an entire box of pictures of us?"
Cheryl's cheeks flushed red as she turned around. "Well, I needed a constant reminder for all your new college friends so they don't get the wrong idea."
Toni tilted her head in disbelief, a slight smirk on her face. She set the pocket knife down and slowly approached her girlfriend, throwing her arms around her shoulders. "You love me," she teased.
"That, I won't deny.” Cheryl looked up playfully.
"Well, I love you, too," Toni grinned. "And I'm really happy you decided to come to Highsmith."
"As am I," Cheryl smiled. She snuck one hand up from Toni's waist to tuck a strand of pink hair behind Toni's ear. "I don't know what I was thinking before."
"You were trying to be selfless. And I love you for it," Toni spoke softly. "I promise, we're going to fix everything back home. Together."
"I believe you."
"Good," Toni said. Her smile turned playful. "Now, I know we're not done unpacking, but since your bed's all set up already, I think it would only be right if we christened the bed."
"My dorm bed?" Cheryl laughed. "I still am unsure about sleeping in this miniature bed, let alone lovemaking." She frowned sadly, "It's going to be torturous waking up in that miserable bed instead of your arms."
"Don't worry," Toni smiled coyly. "We can push our beds together in the middle of the room."
Cheryl's lips curved into an immense smile. "I adore the way your beautiful mind works, TT."
"What can I say?" Toni shrugged proudly. "I'm a problem-solver. I'll move my bed soon, but first…" She smirked as she lowered her arms to Cheryl's waist. Instead, Cheryl's arms found their way around Toni's neck. She leaned in, capturing her lips in a kiss. Cheryl giggled, trying her best to hold on as Toni lifted her up skillfully. She yelped when she was in the air, then began giggling against soft lips as Toni stumbled towards the twin bed dressed in satin red sheets.
Slowly, Toni began forgetting about the life she used to have and slipping wholeheartedly into this new one. She was happy here.
. . .
Exhaustedly, Toni set her head against the textbook on the library table, hugging out. She had a sociology midterm tomorrow, and even once she was finished with that, she was swamped with other assignments that were due by the end of the week.
"TT, awaken!" Cheryl exclaimed in a hushed tone. She tapped her girlfriend's head repeatedly with her pencil. "You still have three chapters to review!"
Toni groaned quietly as she forced her head off of her textbook. "I think I should just call it a night."
"Not a chance," Cheryl declared adamantly. "You have made it so far. Imagine scoring flawlessly on every section except the last, all because you gave up on the final chapters. I won't have it!"
"You won't have it?" Toni mocked, trying not to laugh. "And what are you gonna do about it?"
"Well, you should be studying for your own grade's sake, but…" Cheryl looked up pensively as she brainstormed a consequence. "You'll be on indefinite kiss probation."
"You're not gonna kiss me anymore if I don't study?" Toni gasped. "You wouldn't…"
"Would you like to find out?" Cheryl tilted her head, smirking as she obtained the upper-hand.
"Okay, okay, I'll study…" Toni gave in, sighing as she re-centered her notebook and picked up her pencil. "But only because I can't go a day without kissing you." She then smirked, "How about an incentive? You kiss me every time I finish reviewing a chapter?"
"I suppose I can accept the terms of that deal," Cheryl said playfully. She then leaned in, kissing Toni quickly.
"I haven't even started reading," Toni laughed. "What was that for? Not that I'm complaining at all."
She shrugged. "Just because."
Toni then glanced over at the other side of the table where Cheryl was, where she was holding a large sketchpad in her lap.
"What are you working on?" Toni asked curiously.
"Oh, just a sketch for my art class," she responded nonchalantly, then resumed doodling.
"Come on, show me," Toni begged, giving her puppy-dog eyes.
Cheryl huffed exaggeratedly before flipping her sketchpad around.
"You drew the Serpents?" Toni asked quizzically. She took a closer look, finding a mirror image of her sketched onto the center of the page. Her smile turned flattered. "You drew me?"
"The assignment is to draw something that inspires you," she explained.
"I inspire you?" Toni furrowed her eyebrows, but kept smiling.
"Of course you do," she smiled. "I dream of you turning the Serpents into so much more. A utopia of sorts."
"You really can't stop thinking about Riverdale, huh?"
"This isn't Riverdale," Cheryl told her. "Don't you see the little sun in the corner?" She pointed to the top left of the page. Then, she dragged her finger along the background. "The redwood trees in the back?"
"Where is it, then?" Toni asked curiously.
"California," she answered dreamily. "It's silly, I know— I just picked a place far away because it was supposed to show you expanding the Serpents out west."
"It's not silly," Toni shook her head, a wistful smile remaining on her lips. "It's perfect."
. . .
Sometimes Cheryl got weird. She got this incurable sadness in her eyes.
It always bothered Toni, but it worsened during their sophomore year, when they returned to their apartment after a night out at some off-campus bars with some of their new friends.
"Babe, is something wrong?" Toni asked. "You barely said anything all night."
"Nothing, TT," she forced a smile. "I wasn't up for much of a party is all."
"Hey, I know when something's bothering you," Toni sat down on their bed next to Cheryl, squeezing her forearm. "You can talk to me."
Cheryl swallowed nervously, then nodded her head. "Do you ever feel guilty… that we haven't done much in Riverdale since we left?"
Toni shook her head. "Why would I feel guilty about that? We still visited for summer and Thankgiving."
"Not Christmas, though."
"We were taking a vacation to Mexico— a lot of people do during break!" Toni laughed. "What's the matter, Cher?"
"I promised myself I would still find a way to make things right…"
"With the Uktena?" Toni asked, and Cheryl nodded her head. "Cheryl, you have. You distributed the maple groves back to them, and gave them as much of their land as you could."
"It doesn't feel like enough," she shook her head. "And word from back home is that the Serpents still don't even feel comfortable going to their reclaimed land ever since Hiram Lodge returned to town."
"Hiram is always trying to make things harder for us, but…" Toni sighed. "We'll find a solution. We always do."
"How can we from here?" Cheryl asked. "I feel guilty every time I remember I'm spending more time on my useless art projects than rehabilitation. And especially guilty when I take the night to go around town drinking and… worse, having fun.”
Toni tilted her head to the side. Leaning in closer, she held both of Cheryl's shoulders firmly. "As much as our tragic lives tried to tell us otherwise for years, you're allowed to have fun, Cher. You don't have to spend every waking moment worrying about everybody but yourself." She smiled, "Besides, my nana called this morning. She said she wants to come next weekend to visit campus and take us to dinner."
Cheryl was stunned. Her eyes went side, smile creeping onto the edges of her lips. "Both of us?"
"Yeah, both of us," Toni chuckled. "I told you she'd come around."
Cheryl nodded, but sighed. "As thrilled as I am about your nana's change of heart regarding our relationship, this rectification was never solely about her, as I always said."
"Whatever you wanna do, Cher… I'm in," Toni declared, now cupping her cheek. "You know how much I want better for the Uktena. You have my full support."
Cheryl leaned forwards, pressing her forehead to Toni's with a smile. "Thank you," she said softly, before pressing a kiss to the tip of her nose.
. . .
It had taken months of juggling schoolwork with contractor calls and occasional visits to Riverdale, but every stressful moment was worth it when they marveled at the building in front of them. The brick walls were decorated with symbols and flags of the Serpents and the Uktena. It was surreal.
"I still feel bad," Toni pouted, though she was overjoyed by the construction they beheld. "You don't miss your home?"
"My home is wherever you are, TT," Cheryl smiled, taking both of her girlfriend's hands. "Besides, Thistlehouse was also a den of shadows. It brought me nothing but pain."
"I'm sorry we have to crash at my grandparents' trailer, though," Toni pursed her lips to the side. "There's not much privacy."
Cheryl shrugged with a pleasant smile. "As much as I loathe not being able to touch you as I please, I'm just happy that your grandparents were willing to host me in their trailer."
"We've come a long way with my nana," Toni admired. She then studied the building again, taking a proud breath as she did. "She's so happy about this, by the way. She won't stop telling me about how excited she is for the grand opening. I mean, a cultural center for the Uktena? The Serpents are going to love this."
"And Hiram Lodge has no claim to it since the property is technically my home," Cheryl noted proudly.
"I'm proud of you," Toni breathed, swinging Cheryl's hand back and forth. "Those sketches and plans you made for the center…"
"I couldn't have done it without your help," Cheryl smiled.
"We really make the best team, don't we?" Toni chuckled.
"I wholeheartedly concur," she agreed, pulling her in for a long kiss in front of the beautiful building they'd built together.
. . .
Junior year was the roughest of the bunch. It started normal, when Toni went for a routine checkup at a doctor's office, just because she needed to get some updated documents for her new semester at Highsmith. All it took was a few answers that Toni wasn't even thinking about, like how her cycle had been irregular, for her doctor to recommend she make an appointment with a gynecologist. It was, apparently, standard now that she was in her twenties.
She figured it was nothing. It was a routine check. She was so young, and people her age had irregularities all the time that meant nothing.
It meant something.
She remembered being slightly nervous when she got the phone call from the gynecologist's office. But it was just a little knot in her stomach, like when she checked her SAT scores or opened her college decision letters. Nobody liked talking to their doctor. But she hadn't expected anything more than a "drink more water!" or "exercise more!"
The second her gynecologist told her to come in for a follow-up to discuss her options, her phone slipped out of her hand. It crashed against the hardwood floors of her apartment. Her eyes stung. There was a lump in her throat. She felt like she couldn't move.
"Toni?" Cheryl had emerged from their bedroom when she heard the sound. "Is everything okay, my love? Was that the doctor?"
She hurriedly knelt to the floor where Toni had collapsed, sobbing uncontrollably. She took the lack of response for bad news, and immediately enveloped the smaller girl in her arms. She stroked pink hair, pulling Toni as close to her chest as she could.
Toni rarely ever cried, but that day she cried for nearly half an hour in Cheryl's arms.
It took a while for her to collect herself again, but Cheryl's coaxing eventually got her seated on the sofa. Cheryl never let go of her— not even once.
"All I ever wanted was a family, Cher," Toni's mouth trembled, her eyes still filling with tears constantly. She tried to control them, but they kept slipping down her cheeks. Cheryl tried her best to wipe them away with her thumb as they came. "Why did this have to happen? How did this even happen?" She started panting while Cheryl rubbed her shoulders to keep her calm. "I'm only in college," she choked. "I— I thought I had time."
"I know, my love," Cheryl breathed, still rubbing her shoulders. "This world is so unfair."
"What do I do?" she sobbed.
"We drive to the doctor's office for the first appointment she has available, and we discuss our options," Cheryl declared, bringing her hands to Toni's to squeeze them reassuringly.
"She's gonna say I should freeze my eggs, but that doesn't always work," Toni shook her head. "If I count on frozen eggs, and they don't work, I…"
Nervously, Cheryl stared at her. She sat in pensive thought for much longer than intended, but finally found her courage. "What if we… started a family now?"
Toni blinked through her tears, hastily trying to wipe them away as she looked up at Cheryl in pure wonder.
"You'd want that?" she breathed.
"With you, of course I would."
"But— but you always said that you wanted to wait until we were older. Until we graduated college, sorted out our careers, and figured everything out," she reminded.
"Plans change," Cheryl smiled sincerely. "And I love you. These timelines I made have no meaning if they're not with you."
"Cheryl Blossom, are you asking me to have babies with you?" Toni was finally able to smile. She felt a rush of hope. Of excitement for the near future.
"I suppose I am," she shrugged playfully, her lips pulling into a tight smile.
"We're doing this?" Toni asked, gazing at her girlfriend while smiling tearfully. "We're really doing this?"
"I think we are," Cheryl grinned, leaning forwards.
"We're gonna be parents," Toni laughed, exhaling in relief as she surged forward to pull Cheryl in for a long hug. "You're gonna be the best mom ever, Cher. You were so good with Juniper and Dagwood."
"I certainly have exquisite competition with you in the running," Cheryl smiled as she pulled back.
"Have I ever told you how much I love you?" Toni asked playfully.
"Perhaps. But I would love to hear it again," Cheryl teased.
"I love you," Toni laughed, leaning in to peck her lips. "I love you." Another peck. "I love you." Another few pecks.
"I love you, too," Cheryl laughed, playfully pushing her off. "Now, would you call your doctor back so we can schedule that appointment?"
. . .
Giving birth a few months after senior year of college was not something that Toni had envisioned for herself, but she wouldn't trade it for the world.
It was hectic and messy, but it was her perfect life with Cheryl. And their son.
They moved into an apartment just off the campus of Highsmith as they tried to figure out what to do next. They searched for jobs in between taking care of a newborn. They didn't get a lot of alone time together, they found, because taking care of a baby was exhausting. Far more exhausting than just juggling finals and projects.
"I finally put Dale to sleep," Cheryl announced in relief as she exhaustedly trudged into the kitchen where Toni was sitting on her laptop, scrolling through e-mails.
"He's been crying way more than usual lately," Toni complained. "But thank God you're good at getting him to stop."
"It's a gift," Cheryl chuckled, sitting next to Toni at the kitchen table. She leaned in, pressing a long kiss to Toni's lips. She savored these brief moments they had during Dale's downtime. "How is the job hunt going, my sweet?"
Toni bit her lip, slowly turning to look up. "Actually, I got an offer."
"You did?" Cheryl asked, delighted. "What is the job?"
"Photojournalist for a social justice mag," Toni revealed excitedly. "But—"
"No buts!" Cheryl shook her head, shaking Toni's arms excitedly. "This is great news! I am so proud of you."
"Wait, listen before you get too happy," Toni chuckled nervously. "The job is in… California. In Oakland, to be more specific."
"Okay," Cheryl nodded slowly. "And what is the problem?"
"I mean, it's in… California," Toni laughed like the whole thing were utterly ridiculous. "It's across the country from home. From everything."
"So, what I'm hearing is that we make a new home… together," Cheryl reasoned with a content smile.
Toni laughed. "When did you become such an optimist?"
"Look at the life I have now," Cheryl gushed. "You, our son… I have everything." She shrugged, "Besides, I told you I always had this dream of you expanding the Serpents out west."
"You did say that," Toni nodded with a smile. "I guess you're right. We didn't buy a house anywhere because we were trying to figure out where to settle. What if this is our answer?"
"I have a great feeling."
"I— I applied to this job randomly. Just for fun," Toni blinked. "I didn't think I was gonna get it. Or even consider it if I did."
"Well, I am so happy that you did."
. . .
They bought a house in the center of Riverdale, just between the Southside and the Northside. Things didn't go according to plan.
Toni had accepted her job offer in Oakland, but she and Cheryl were quickly pulled back to Riverdale when Hiram Lodge intensified his plans to ruin the town. Their cultural center for the Uktena still stood, but most of the town had become a wasteland— especially the Southside.
They stayed for the subsequent years, trying to make the town better. There was progress, but it was slow. Cheryl sold her paintings to raise funds for Riverdale High and other projects.
It got better once Archie Andrews returned to Riverdale after being discharged from the military.
"This town has changed a lot since I left," he sighed sadly. "But I'm really happy that you two are still together."
Toni was really happy about that, too. Archie loved Dale when he met him.
It didn't take long for the others to come back. Archie reunited the gang at Pop's. Cheryl, Toni, Betty, Veronica, Jughead, and himself. They met a new friend, too. They met Tabitha Tate.
Together, they restored Riverdale to its glory. They took down Hiram Lodge. Soon after, they took down Percival Pickens— their next enemy. He left them with one final hurdle: Bailey's Comet.
"I don't feel right about this," Toni mumbled into her girlfriend's shoulder, while holding Dale in her other arm. "Staying here while you go out there alone and fight this by yourself?"
"TT," Cheryl sighed, tilting her head. "It's dangerous out there. You need to be here, keeping Dale, and yourself, as safe as can be."
"What about you?" Toni worried. "It's dangerous out there for you, too."
"Tabitha and Heather assured me that I have the best chance of fighting this," Cheryl reminded. "By harnessing my pyrokinesis and Phoenix abilities, I might just be able to melt this comet."
"Might…" Toni emphasized. "At least we'll all be dead if you don't."
"Toni!"
"Well, I'm kind of panicking here, Cher!" Toni cried, setting Dale down on his booster seat. "I don't know what I'd do in a world without you. I don't even want to think about it."
"Then don't," Cheryl whispered, pressing a kiss to her forehead. It was more reassuring in her head.
"I can't just not think about you possibly dying," Toni said, her voice strained. "It's hard when I think about you all day, everyday. What would I do without you?"
"TT…"
"Seriously, Cher…" she breathed. "Promise me that you'll come back alive."
"I promise," Cheryl nodded, despite not having a clue if she would truly be able to tackle this daunting feat.
Toni still looked unsettled. She hurried to the cabinets in their room, shuffling around every drawer she could find. Then, she rushed back to Cheryl.
"Look, I— I had a whole, multi-step thing planned out, and I wanted to do it after we defeated Percival, but… I don’t think I can wait anymore," Toni shut her eyes, taking a deep breath. Swiftly, she knelt to the ground, revealing a tiny, red, velvet box. Cheryl stood there shakily, eyes wide, unable to process the sight in front of her. "I love you, Cheryl Blossom. I've loved you for so long now, that I can't even remember what life was like when I wasn't loving you."
Cheryl laughed quietly through the tears that built in her eyes.
"I want a life with you and Dale, where we finally get out of this town and move to California like we planned. I want to be with you until we're really old and pruny, but still think the other one of us is the hottest person alive," Toni laughed tearfully. She took a final deep breath, then opened the box, revealing a beautiful, shiny diamond ring. “And I want you to melt this comet so that I can marry you. Will you do that? Will you save the world and marry me after?"
Cheryl dropped to the ground, surging forwards and inhaling Toni's lips with a kiss. Her hands squeezed Toni's cheeks tightly as she kissed the life out of her, just in case it was the last time.
"Yes," Cheryl breathed as she pulled back. "There is nothing more I want than to marry you, Toni." She kissed her again, just to feel her soft lips once more. "I love you so much." She sniffled, trying to quickly wipe her tears away. "Now, I seriously need to melt this comet…"
"Yeah, you do," Toni chuckled tearfully as she slid the ring onto Cheryl’s finger. "No pressure, though."
. . .
It was a miracle that nobody had full faith in, but Cheryl melted Bailey's Comet.
She never got tired of her friends' flattery. She was going to miss them when she and Toni really did move to California.
It wasn't a hasty process, though. They took their time putting their house up for sale, spending as much time as they could with their friends, and finally, having one last hurrah by getting married. They figured there was no better way to do it than with all of their closest friends here.
"Thank God that Fangs agreed to babysit Dale," Toni sighed in relief as they exhaustedly trudged into their bedroom, wedding gowns still on. "I was starting to think we'd have to refund our tickets to Italy."
"Actually, I had no fears. Nobody ever says 'no' to my requests anymore after I melted the comet," Cheryl smirked proudly.
"Good. They shouldn't. My wife is a damn hero," Toni joked, but her smile simmered as the weight of the word pressed on her. She kicked her heels off carelessly, stepping closer to Cheryl. "Can you believe that? You're my wife…"
"And you're mine," Cheryl smiled, tapping her nose against Toni's.
Toni put on a teasingly clueless face, tapping her chin curiously. "What was it again that newlyweds do on their wedding night?"
"Go through the registry and gifts?" Cheryl teased.
"No, they consummate the marriage," Toni rolled her eyes, reaching for the zipper on the back of Cheryl's dress. Cheryl assisted her by turning around so that her back was to Toni. With a smirk on her lips, Toni slowly began pulling the zipper down.
"We can't consummate the marriage if we've already had—"
"Would you just let me kiss my wife?" Toni laughed, pushing the straps of Cheryl's silky white dress off her shoulders. She leaned down, peppering kisses along the side of her neck from behind.
"Only if you let me kiss mine, too," Cheryl smiled playfully, turning around to face Toni. She wrapped her arms around Toni's waist, while Toni's hands found her cheeks.
Then, she kissed her. And it started to feel like what the rest of their lives were going to be like.
. . .
At long last, they moved to the Oakland Hills in Northern California. It was difficult saying final goodbyes to their friends, but they promised to always stay in touch. Especially with Tabitha. They would always miss her the most.
But both of them had no regrets when they finally settled into their craftsman home in the hills. And more importantly, when they settled into their life together.
It was busy and exciting. It was a dream come true.
"You're picking up Dale today from school, right?" Cheryl asked as she hurriedly packed lunches for both her and Toni.
"Mhm," Toni hummed and nodded.
"Excellent. I have a few buyers coming in to look at pieces in my gallery, but I should be home in perfect time for tonight's gathering," Cheryl informed.
"Sounds good," Toni smiled. "Some of the Serpent girls agreed to help us make flyers for the protest."
"The more, the merrier," Cheryl smiled back. She quickly grabbed her purse and started rushing to the front door. "I'll see you after work, my love."
"Bye, baby! And thank you for lunch!" Toni called. "Wait, you forgot something!"
Thankfully, Cheryl hadn't gone out the door yet. She furrowed her eyebrows and pivoted around. "What is it?"
Toni speed-walked towards her. When she got to the door, she placed a gentle kiss goodbye to Cheryl's lips. "This."
Cheryl giggled into the kiss. "How many times am I going to fall for this trick?"
"Hopefully, many more," Toni chuckled. "Now, goodbye for real! I don't want you to be late to your meeting with your fancy-schmancy buyers!"
"Love you!" Cheryl called as she rushed out the door again.
"Love you, too!" Toni called back.
Growing up, Toni hadn't been dealt the easiest hand. But somehow, some way, she had gotten everything she ever could have dreamed for.
This feeling felt unreal— unlike anything she had ever felt before. She had been happy before, but not like this. This was a state of pure bliss that she never wanted to wake up from.
It was too perfect. Way too damn perfect to be real. She had never been this happy in her marriage with Fangs— she had never been happy at all. God, why did she even remember that? She thought that she had finally forgotten it, and everything in that life. She was happy here.
Toni jolted awake, back to an unrecognizable reality that made her stomach churn. She let go of Tabitha's hands, tears starting to well in her eyes. Shakily, she managed to look over at Tabitha.
”Cheryl and I,” Toni mumbled, her voice trembling from her quiet sob. “We grew together. We had an entire life together.” Her eyes shifted away, distant and hopeless as they settled on the abysmal, unwanted life she got as a consolation. She had started to accept it before, thinking that family and marriage were draining for everyone. That this constant state of unhappiness was normal. But now she knew it wasn’t. “I wish I didn't ask," she choked. "I wish I didn't know."
Tabitha looked at her. Like she pitied her. Like she warned her that it was a dangerous territory she was crossing by exploring what wasn't meant for her eyes.
"You could still have that life," Tabitha revealed softly, her volume so faint that Toni barely processed the words. But she did, and it constricted her chest because it wasn't true.
That life was far gone from her grasp, and she'd given it up the day she walked out of Thistlehouse with tears straining her eyes, her mind swirling about how this was the end of the world and she had to fix this, yet doing nothing about it. She'd written to Cheryl from Highsmith, but those were just letters. Meaningless words of consolation and checking in that she was sure Cheryl had tossed aside, too consumed by her guilt over the Blossom family's wrongs.
Her words had no meaning without action to back it up. She should have done something— she should have fought. She walked away, and that regret might stick with her forever.
"The choice to have that life disappeared eight years ago." Toni's tone was ridden with bitterness, though she knew it wasn't Tabitha's burden to bear. But she didn't want this false hope that she could change everything when it was over. She blinked through her burdensome tears. "We could have had all of that— we could have had a life together. A family. But I…" She swallowed, inhaling deeply. "I had Anthony with Kevin and Fangs. I married Fangs. This is my life."
"You're right," Tabitha nodded. Toni pressed her lips together expecting at least slight satisfaction, but it stung a little more to hear Tabitha really confirm that it was out of her reach forever— that there was no miraculous solution to turn back the clock. "That’s how life works, Toni. You make choices. You deal with the consequences. And then you get yourself together and do something about it.” She leaned closer, voice growing quieter, “You can't control what happened in the past, but you can control what happens now. In the present."
"It's too late, though… isn't it?" Toni asked.
"It's never too late," Tabitha shook her head. She smiled faintly, tilting her head to the side. "That last flash— that wasn't just the end of the story that followed that timeline."
"What do you mean?"
Tabitha's smile widened. "That was the end to your story here, in this life."
"But— but how could that be possible?" Toni shook her head in disbelief.
Tabitha explained, "Anthony goes off to college soon. Nothing keeps you tied to Riverdale."
"But it's too late for me to have kids now, isn't it? I can't—"
"But Cheryl can."
"We can still—" Toni choked, her tears wobbling her smile. "We can still be a family? We can have a life together in California?"
"Of course you can. If you do something about it. Now."
Toni wasn’t interested in wasting another second. She had already wasted so much precious time in this life. She smiled, quietly thanking Tabitha before she practically jumped out of her seat. She got in her car. And she sped the entire way to Thornhill.
There was so much to say, but she didn’t know where to start.
She took a deep breath. She knocked. And then she waited at the door until it opened.
"Toni?"
"Cheryl."
Toni smiled, finally feeling like the girl she saw in those visions. She couldn't take back her mistakes, and neither could Cheryl. It wouldn’t be the same as what she’d seen, but they could still have the life they'd always wanted.
The life together that they were meant to have.