If We Had 5 More Minutes

You Didn't Break It, You Just Made It Bigger

As promised. Sorry in advance for grammatical errors

       Heather ran in along with Sabrina and was horrified at the scene before her. Several bodies scattered the floor and she looked over at Sabrina.

“Don’t worry I'll clean it up, my cousin works in our family mortuary.” Sabrina assured. Cheryl’s scream echoed throughout the abandoned building and Sabrina and Heather looked at each other wide eyed, before rushing towards where they heard the scream. Sabrina ran into Heather briefly wondering why she stopped, that was until her eyes met Cheryl’s desperate ones.

“Heather.” Cheryl let out a quiet plea, as she sobbed. “Please.” The words were barely audible with Cheryl’s head placed closely to Toni’s lifeless body, but Heather heard them nonetheless, and it was painful.

"Toni’s ancestor was a witch.” Heather thought aloud as she broke the heavy silence, she looked towards Cheryl who shook her head yes. “The Cain pit...Brina.” Heather looked towards Sabirna desperately as Sabrina let out a stressed sigh. Sabrina walked towards Cheryl and crouched down, she placed a hand on Toni’s body and whispered latin words. Cheryl jumped back suddenly as Sabrina and Toni’s body vanished in thin air, a second later after the shock settled in Cheryl jumped up.

“Where did she go, Heather?” Cheryl demanded, and Heather put her hand up in defense.

“Greendale. It’s a long shot so pray for a miracle Cheryl.”

    Cheryl and Fangs rode in the back of Heather’s car, Fangs hadn't said a word since they found Toni, and Cheryl didn’t bother with talking to him, she didn’t have it in her. Heather had told them about the Cain pit, how it wouldn’t work past thirteen minutes and how they had to be a witch. Cheryl was almost certain it had past thirteen minutes considering her lover’s body was cold, and Toni wasn’t a witch, at least not a current one. So it was indeed a long shot, but Cheryl was willing to try anything at this point, she’d even walk into hell and heaven to demand so. This was their last resort, so while Sabrina transported herself and Toni to Greendale as fast as possible, she was in the back of the car, for what felt like a lifetime. She stared out the window as the rain poured at outside, her eyes following the raindrops as they streamed down the glass, she wanted to stand out in the rain and scream towards the sky, how cruel she had been treated throughout her entire life, and the moment she found happiness once more it was ripped from her arms. Had she not suffered enough, was she not due anything? She thought back to the day of the death of her brother’s anniversary, before she sat at Sweetwater River with Toni.

Cheryl stood outside a trailer at Sunnyside, as she tapped her foot repeatedly against the rotten wooden porch, she wiped her sweaty palms on her skirt as she took deep breaths trying to calm herself and prevent her heart from literally beating out of her chest. When the door swung open, she felt her heart stop immediately.

“Cheryl. I wasn’t expecting you.” Toni’s nana said as she gave her a weak smile. She looked at Cheryl, confused before inviting her in. As Cheryl stepped in she had realized she’d been holding her breath and didn’t answer Toni’s nana directly but rather inside her head.

“What brings you by, Cheryl.” Toni’s nana asked as she sat down on her couch and waved her hand suggesting Cheryl do the same. Cheryl took a seat and noticed a photo on the coffee table, one of Toni. Toni’s nana noticed this and handed Cheryl the photo, eyes insisting she take a look at it. Cheryl accepted and scanned her eyes over the photo. Toni had two braids on each side of her head and a smile brighter than the sun.

“She was seven in that photo, it was for the yearbook.” Toni’s nana spoke up. Cheryl looked up from the photo.

“She’s very lucky to have you.” Was all Cheryl could say as she looked around at Toni’s childhood home. It was cluttered, and there wasn’t much space, there was writing on the walls from crayons. She saw a height chart on one of the walls, it showed the height of Toni, Sweet Pea, and Fangs. She chuckled to herself as she realized how Toni’s height stopped at a certain point, while the boys towered over her. Cluttered was the wrong word Cheryl realized, the house wasn’t cluttered at all, but rather filled to the brim with love and warmth, Toni was very lucky indeed.

“Cheryl, you know I don’t mind your company, I mean after all those years Antionette spent away, I appreciate all the conversations we had.” Toni’s nana said as she sipped her coffee. “However once she returned the conversations were sorely missed, and your absence stung a little.” Toni’s nana gave her a stern look, waiting for Cheryl’’s apology.

“I apologize Mrs. Topaz, Tt came back, I didn’t want to overstep my boundaries.” Cheryl asked as she sat back down, graciously accepting the tea Toni’s Nana offered her.

“Still you didn’t come here to apologize.” Toni’s nana made it obvious. Cheryl sighed, her nerves calmer now.

“No. No I did not.” Cheryl said, placing her tea down on the coaster.

“I’m here to ask permission for your Granddaughter's hand in marriage.”

Cheryl smiled painfully at the memory, a memory that seemed so far away now. She pulled out the ring box Toni’s nana gave her, according to her it belonged to Toni’s mom, who was now deceased. Cheryl was going to wait and ask, on the road trip, after Anthony’s party. However that was no longer an option considering how things turned out, nothing ever worked out in Cheryl’s favor. Cheryl placed her head against the window and tears silently fell down her cheek, and allowed herself to fall asleep.
The car came to a halt once they arrived outside of Sabrina’s Home. Fangs had closed the car door for Cheryl, letting her walk in front of him. Upon the hill they saw Sabrina standing by what Cheryl presumed to be Cain’s pit, with a shovel and a dirty face. The three of them met Sabirna atop of the hill, grim looks shared with one another.

“Toni has been buried.” Sabrina started.

“However I don’t see this working… without a bit of a push.” Sabirna clarified, causing everyone to look up at her with shock.

“What do you mean by push Brina.?” Heather asks warily.

“It means we’re going to cut a few corners. Probably piss a few people off.” A black haired boy approached them. “I’m Nick. I'm the reason this all happened. So I'm going to help make it right.” Nick introduced himself. “I promise.” This time he looked towards Cheryl, and for some reason she felt hopeful.

“Toni is going to need someone to guide her back to the land of the living. So similar to how we revived Cheryl, we’re going to revive her.”

“But Cheryl wasn’t dead, just in a coma.” Heather pointed out.

“Yes.” Sabrina said hesitantly. “But Nick here dabbles in necromancy, and he’s going to help me.”

“But-”

“Heather, don't be such a Debbie downer, This is going to work.” Sabrina chimed, Cheryl cocked an eyebrow as she looked at Fangs who was clearly thinking the same thing.

“The question we need to be asking is who’s going under?” Sabrina asked, looking between Fangs and Cheryl.

“Cheryl.” Fangs said quickly. Cheryl looked over at him surprised, she honestly thought she was going to have to fight him for the spot. “Bring her back Cheryl. Please.” Fangs looked towards her, she recognized the look in his eyes, past the desperation. She saw envy. She recognized it because it was the same look she had in her eyes when she officiated their wedding. She respected Fangs for swallowing his pride and looking past that.

“Okay, Heather I need help with preparations, we’ll be back.” Sabrina said, dragging Nick and Heather inside the house with her, leaving Fangs and Cheryl alone. The two of them sat at Toni’s temporary grave in silence for a couple minutes.

“I’m happy for you two Cheryl.” Fangs muttered with his head hung between his knees.

“That didn’t sound very convincing.”Cheryl responded.

“Well, You did steal my wife.” Fangs joked as he looked up at Cheryl with a dorky smile. The same dorky smile Cheryl recognized from high school, a smile she once hadn’t hated.

“I wanted to give Toni the happiness you did, but I couldn’t. At the end of the day it couldn’t be forced. I’ve accepted that.” Fangs said as he tossed some of the soil at the makeshift grave.

“I’m sorry for stealing your wife.” Cheryl joked back, and he slung some of the soil at her.

“I’m sorry for breaking up Anthony’s family.” Cheryl said more seriously this time. A few silent seconds passed them by as they both sat at the grave.

“You didn’t break it Cheryl. You made it bigger.”