very aggressive and sensitive subject matter.
Cheryls POV
I wake up the next morning with Toni in my arms still snoring. She stirs and wakes up as I kiss her cheek.
« Good Morning Beautiful," I say moving a piece of hair out of her face.
"Good Morning," She says snuggling closer to the side of me
We hear Nikki open our door and see her head pop in.
"Good Morning Sweetie," Toni says as she walks over
"Good Morning Mommy," She says climbing onto the bed
Toni hugs her and kisses the side of her head. Toni is amazing with Nik.
"Hey baby come give me a hug," i say as Nik crawls towards me
She hugs me and giggles as I squeeze her tight
"Nikki, why dont you go get dressed and we can set up breakfast,"
"Is Fangs coming?" She asks
"Yes and Sweetpea and Jughead,"
"What about Aunt Betty?"
"I'm sure she'll be here too," Toni laughs
Toni helps Nikki off the bed and she walks into her room. Toni gets up and walks into the bathroom and both of us get dressed.
"Babe lets go," I say as she picks up her jacket
She throws my jacket at me.
"Put that on babe," She says
"Why?" I smirk
"Because you look hot in it," She smirks
I give in and put it on.
"Lets go babe," She says grabbing my hand
We go out to the hall to see Nikki waiting for us. Shes still pretty tiny so she cant go down the stairs alone yet. Toni picks her up and kisses her cheek.
"I like that dress Nik," I say playing with the ends of red dress she had on
She giggles as Toni walks down the stairs.
"Thank you Mommy," Nik says as T puts her down
"Anytime kiddo,"
We make breakfast and finish cooking everything just as Fangs comes downstairs
"Sit down Fangs," I say putting everything on the table "I hope you dont mind a few people are coming over,"
"Not at all, is Pea coming?" He asks
"Yep," Toni says "You know he hasn't even met Nikki yet either?"
"Really then how does Nik know him?" He asks curious
"Through pictures and I talked to him a lot on the phone," Toni says "He was looking for you for a few years, he got home a few weeks ago and he hasnt cone over yet,"
Just as she finishes there is a knock at the door. We all walk to go get the door and Toni picks Nikki up. I open the door and Jughead, Betty, and Sweetpea standing there.
We all say hello.
"You must be Nikki," Sweetpea says taking Nik from Toni
"Say hi Nikole," I say laughing at her
"Hi Uncle Sweetpea," She says smiling
"Nikole?" He asks Toni
"Only Cheryl calls her Nikole." Toni laughs
We all go to the dining room, and Nik goes to wash her hands.
"SO is it Nikole Topaz or Nikole Blossom?" Fangs asks
"Actually its Nikole Jaime Blossom-Topaz," Cheryl says
"Thats cute," Sweetpea says nodding
We hear a crash from down the hall and then Nik starts crying. I move to get up.
"Babes I got it," She says kissing my cheek
"Ok," I agree as she leaves the room
"So, how was your few weeks of rest Pea?" I ask
"Pretty good," He says
"Thats good,"
Just as we finish a conversation about Fangs and his time in the military, Toni walks in with Nik in her arms.
"Hey Sweetie are you ok?" I ask as Toni hands her to me
"I'm ok momma, I just fell,. Mommy helped me," She smiles
Toni grabs her blade off the counter
"Jug lets go," she says
"Babe what's wrong?" I ask confused
"Jug, up, lets go," She repeats with a blank expression
I know this could only mean one thing- her father was back. Her father abused her as a child, kicked her out for being bisexual and had even sent me death threats in junior year and no one gets Toni frazzled except for him.
"Have your blade?" Toni asks him
"Ya," He says
She nods and they walk out of the room.
"Momma where is mommy going?" Nikki asks
"Outside with her friends Nikki," I say pressing a kiss to the side of her head and playing with her hair
"We'll go help," Sweetpea says handing a blade to Fangs as they both stand up
I nod and they leave me and Betty alone.
Toni's POV
My father is a dick. Simple as that. He is every reason I have insecurities and doubts as a parent. And for him to aim a rock at a window where my 3 year old daughter was walking by is terrifying. No he didnt throw it but he would've.
"Dad come out," I yell into the woods surrounding Thistlehouse.
Leaves rustle to the side near the back door and I turn to see him standing on the other side of the fence. Behind me Jughead is joined by Sweetpea and Fangs.
"Go lock the front door," I whisper
"Already done T," Sweetpea replies
"What the hell do you want?" I ask drawing my knife
"I want to say hi to my daughter." He replies
"And I want to say bye go to hell," I yell back
"Now what happens if the little girl in that house said that to you Antoinette?" He asks
"Then I would wonder where the hell I went wrong. What I did to her to make her hate me as much as I hate you." I say almost breaking down "All the worst parts of me, everything I hate about myself is because of you. All the tears I shed as a kid were your fault, all the scars,"
"And you wouldn't hit that child?" He asks
"Never," I say choking up at the thought "She's my daughter,"
"You're telling me you have never and would never hit that child, no matter what she did?" He asks
"I would never strike Nikki, I would never hit her, or punch her, or do anything you've ever done to me. Never would I tell her that she was a disappointment, or a little shit like you reminded me every single day. Never would I send death threats to the love of her life and best friends or try and tell her it was her fault her mother was dead," I say with tears of anger falling down my cheek
"You would hit her, deep down you're just like me Toni. You would punch that child and crucify her," He says smirking "And the red head? Oh Toni again, you're just like me, if you dont hit the child, you'll hit her,"
"Leave now, you caused Toni way too much pain as a kid, just leave her alone," Sweetpea says from behind me
My father just laughs.
"Don't make us force you out of here?" Jughead says with his blade drawn and Fangs doing the same.
My father just starts walking, not away from the house- towards the back door.
"If you weren't so naive and dumb Antoniette you would have seen your uncle Jared lock the fence behind you."
I hear a click and a man close and lock our only entrance back into the house. Why was I so dumb? My dad was on the other side of the fence and we were on this side.
"Oh the Redhead is still with your daughter, too bad," He says revealing 2 knives in his jacket
"Don't you fucking touch them, don't you fucking touch them," I scream losing my cool "Do not go anywhere near my daughter and wife,"
"Or what Toni? What will you do to me?"
He tries the door knob and its locked. Phew. Then he starts picking the lock and I call Cheryl.
"Toni?" She asks
"Cheryl go upstairs, take Nik and Betty, My dad is trying to get into the house," I say
"Ok ok I'm going now, I love you," She says
"I love you too,"
I hang up.
"I can fit through this fence and unlock it for you guys. I say trying to turn sideways so my hips fit through a space that is missing a bar
I do it and unlock the fence as we run and unlock the front door.
I see Cheryl- frozen in fear as she has Nikki in her arms and Betty behind her on the stairs.
"You must be Nikki," My dad says creepily towards Nikki
"Don't move any closer Elliot," I yell running inside
"Antoniette you move, one of them gets a knife in the chest,"
That stops me dead in my tracks.
"Nikki?" He says aggersivley
"Nikole dont answer ok?" I couldn't hear Cheryl whisper something in her ear but I knew thats what she said
Nikki turns around in Cheryls arms and looks at Betty who smiles at her and tries to make her feel better.
"Dad please leave, leave me and my family alone. You're scaring my daughter," I say sternly
I walk to the bottom of the stairs so he is only about 5 steps above me.
"NIKKI LOOK AT YOUR GRANDFATHER," He yells giving me flashbacks to my childhood.
Nikki continues to look at Betty who is trying to distract her, before turning around and looking at him scared and moving closer to Cheryl.
"Do you want to spend a day with grandpa?" He asks
She didnt really understand and didnt even answer just looked at Cheryl.
"Why cant you leave Toni at peace and let her be happy," Cheryl asks, her voice shaking
"Because she ruined my life, ruined my happiness and killed her mother,"
I start crying again with the flashback, my dad was drunk and angry at me, a 5 year old at the time for making too much noise in my room. coming at me with a beer bottle. My mother jumped in front of me and took the 3 hits before the bottle smashed, then my dad shot her up with an overdose of heroin and threw her outside so the head wound just looked like she collapsed and died due to the overdose.
"You killed mom, not me,"
"You took away my happiness, so I will take away everything you love," He yells grabbing the larger knife from his jacket pocket.
"RUN CHERYL," I yell taking two steps and grabbing his legs out from underneath him and dragging him down the stairs
Sweetpea and Jughead drag him outside where the police are already waiting because Fangs had called them. By the time I turn around Cheryl hugs me.
"I'm so sorry Cheryl, I'm so so sorry," I cry into her arms
"Babe its ok, I'm ok, Nik is fine,"
"He was saying we were built the same, that if it came down to it, I would hit Nikki and turn into him." I choke "I would never hurt a hair on her head, never in a million years,"
"I know you wouldn't babe. You're the best mother ever ok?"
I break the hug and kiss her.
"And I would never think of hitting you, I promise you with my whole heart," I say with tears rolling down my cheeks
"Toni you dont need to tell me this, I know. I know who you are Toni Topaz Blossom, I know you are the most loving, caring and protective person I've ever met," She says with a smile on her face
I feel a pulling on the edge of my jacket and I look down to see Nikki. Her face was tear stained and still scared.
"Oh baby," I say bending down and hugging her
I squeeze her tight.
"I'm so sorry Nikki, Mommy is so sorry," I say still hugging her "I love you,"
"I love you too mommy,"
"I'm always going to protect you ok?" I say looking into her Hazel eyes and wiping her tear
She nods. I pick her up and kiss her cheek walking outside to where Cheryl is now standing with the boys. When I get there I see my dad getting released from handcuffs.
"They said there wasn't enough evidence,"
"He paid off another cop, unbelievable," I shake my head
We always lived in poverty even though he had enough money to move us anywhere we wanted. He only spent the money on himself saying I didnt deserve it.
"Hey Nik are you ok?" Cheryl asks
"He's scary," she whispers looking at my dad
"I know Sweetie, I know," I say bringing her closer to my body and kissing her forehead
My dad starts walking up the long path and smirks when he sees me with Nikki.
"Go away," I yell
"I want to speak with my granddaughter,"
"Mommy I dont want to," Nikki whispers in my ear
"No no Nik, you're not talking to him dont worry mi pequeno patito (Spanish for my little duckling)"
She laughs. I taught her a little bit of Spanish and use it to make her and Cheryl laugh.
"Toni you think these people love you? You think thats even possible?" He says laughing "You're loveless, you're deviant, you're a dumb fucking bitch,"
"Woah woah woah, watch your language please," I say ushering towards my three year old
"Have fun ugh the rest of your miserable little life. By having you as a mother- that kid is already screwed. You're a whore, and a slut that ruined a child's life by simply st being in it. That child will grow to resent you, That child will hate you with every fibre in her body and the red head beside you? Is using you as a piece of ass, she is way out of your league and will leave you for someone better. You will be alone, and forgotten by everyone you thought loved you and an alcoholic just like your mother. And just like me, you will hit your daughter and ex wife and bully your way back into their life,"
Tears now streaming down my face. Cheryl replies
"Toni is the best thing that ever happened to me, she is the kindest person I've ever met and my soulmate. Do not discredit Toni as an amazing person and an amazing mother because not only did she manage to start a healthy happy life- which not everyone can do, she did this all despite her past and despite you. She is so good with Nikole and probably the best wife I could ask for. She will never be you because she fought her whole life to get away from what you did to her," She finishes putting her arm around my waist
"You are just as naive as Antoinette, when you find out shes a slut, you'll be sorry," And with that Sweetpea, Fangs and Jughead chase him off the property
"Thank.. you," I say through my tears looking at Cheryl and rubbing Nik's back
"Every time Toni. Never forget who you are,"
She kisses me and when we break apart I kiss Nikki's head and Cheryl tickles her.
"Te quiero dos más que la vida misma," (I love you two more than life itself) I say
Nikki giggles
"I love you Mommy," She says
"I love you too," I say kissing her cheek
She giggles again and we go on with the rest of our day.
...
When Nikki finally goes to sleep. I kiss Cheryls cheek.
"I love you Cher,"
"I love you too Toni,"
"I'm sorry for all the hell I bring to this house," i say putting my hands on her hips
"Tones I will say it again, and again, and again. You are the best person I've ever met. You are the best mother,"
I stop her by kissing her.
"Thank you for everything Cheryl.
"And Tones?"
"Ya Cher?"
"You're not loveless, you're not deviant, you're sensational," She says quoting me from many years ago
