Warning! This chapter mentions some touchy topics. Please read this with caution and if it is too much for you, feel free to skip over that part of the story.
Chapter 16: Oh, Toodles!
July 17th, 2019
The heart rate monitor waves spiked, causing the anxious-ridden wife to jump of out her sleep. "Cher? Are you okay?" The wife noticed the lines going faster and starts to freak out. "Nurse! I need a nurse!" She called out.
The room starts swarming with nurses and doctors, causing a commotion to awaken. "Miss Blossom, you have been in a comatose state. We are going to take the tubes out."
The patient's eyes started to flicker rapidly. She starts to calm down when she heard a nurse's instructions. She looked around the room and sees the first thing that popped her mind. She feels a strong urge to cough after the tubes were removed from her throat.
"Miss Blossom, can you see my fingers?" She gave a nod. "Okay. How many am I holding?" She blinked her eyes and held up two fingers. The doctor smiles at her and nods," Yes. I am holding two fingers. Now I need to answer with your words. Can you do that?"
"T-Two." She answered back with a hoarse voice. "Very good, Cheryl." Her doctor praised her and she gave a small look toward Toni.
"T-T-Toni?" Toni's eyes flooded with tears." Yes, Cher?" Cheryl found herself overwhelmed with emotions. Cheryl grabbed Toni's hand and whispers softly." J-jay sent me back." Toni watches as her wife's eyes flutter closed.
Toni shoots a frantic look over to Jessica and Jess smiled softly at her." Her body just needs rest, Toni. She's going to be fine." She let out a relieved sigh and kissed Cher's forehead.
"Why don't you call your family and tell them the good news?" She heard Jess suggest.
Over the past few days, Jess, the night nurse has been very helpful during this time. Jessica bended a little bit to let her stay an hour after visiting hours. Jessica did get in trouble but she told her it was worth it. If it made someone's day better, it was all worth it.
"Okay. I'll do that." She muttered as she gathered her purse and serpent jacket off the nearby chair. She turned her head and before she could get the word out." I'll let you know if anything changes." She took that as her answer and left the room to make her call.
She had a lot of her mind and now conveniently the news turns on in the waiting room. Her eyes widened in shock. He didn't... no...no, no, no. Jughead just said he paid a visit. She knew better than to trust his word.
Her phone pings in her back pocket. She takes her phone out and looked down. She read the caller ID and sighed.
"Hello?"
"Tiny, it's all over the news." She heard Fangs' frantic voice screech into her ears.
"Fangs, calm down. What is on the news?"
"Nick. He hung himself in his cell last night. Jughead said that FP got the call from Shankshaw and that means his charges meant nothing."
"Wait, wait. Jughead said he paid a visit. You don't think he'd...?" She trailed off as she looked over her shoulder to make sure nobody was snooping.
"I don't know, Tiny. It all seems fishy. I mean... Jones was pretty pissed off a few nights ago and now scumbag is dead."
Toni takes a minute to pause and than opened her mouth again," If... if Jughead did it. You know what that means."
"Yeah, I do."
"No serpent is left behind." Fangs and Toni recited the law together. It was their oath to the gang. Their family. "Does FP know?"
"No, not yet, Toni. So are we confronting Jones or not?"
"I'll handle Jones, Fangs. You just sit tight and bring me some more Jim sticks." Fangs chuckles.
"On it, Sis."
Toni hung up the phone and held it to her chest," Oh, Jones. What did you just do?" She thought to herself as she tried to keep calm.
When she ended the call and about ten minutes later, FP came into the waiting area. She could see the anxiety on his face.
"Is-"
"She's fine, FP. She woke up a little bit ago. She was very tired and I'll keep you updated." FP sighed relievedly as he plopped into a chair.
-xxxx-
July 24th, 2019
It had been a week since Cheryl came home from the hospital, learned that Nick scum had his final hurrah before he passed. The St. Clair's sent gift baskets filled remorse cookies and even a little cash. Cheryl looked at the cookies with displeasure. She had scoffed when she saw them. That's all they could do? A lazy 'I'm sorry' basket for all her troubles. She had been held captive, almost raped twice now. She had gotten in a good punch before his parents set him up.
Every night she still wakes up screaming her lungs off, remembering his voice taunting her when she begged for food. She still hasn't told Toni what he had done when she was in that hideous bunker.
"Cher?" Cheryl heard Toni's sweet sounding voice echo through the hallway.
"In here, Babe!" She yelled back, head falling into the pillow.
Toni walks into their bedroom, sighing in relief to find her wife in bed. Her heart actually sped up when she didn't get a response right a way. She looked at her wife and almost cried.
"Cher, you are home." She whispered as her eyes started to fill up with tears.
Cheryl's heart snapped in half at the fear in her wife's voice. She could tell that her disappearance really scared her. "Babe.." She patted the mattress as a sign for her to sit.
"Cher..."
Cheryl silenced her with a kiss. "TT, I'm ready to tell you what happened."
Antoinnette's eyes widened." Are you sure, Cher? I can wait until you feel comfortable." Cheryl nodded her head.
"Yes, I'm sure, TT."
Cheryl began telling Toni about her time in the underground bunker. Toni's teeth clenched when she learned that St. Clair taunted her with food and then didn't give to her. She listened as Cheryl explained why she had scars from the knifes, chains. By time Cheryl finished, Toni's and her eyes were not even a bit dry.
"Did...?" Cheryl shook her head.
"He almost had the chance, but your guys' plan stalled him. He did hurt me before he left. I can still envision the look on his face. I can still feel his breath on my neck as... h-he tried to take off my c-clothes." She paused briefly, taking a break to calm herself.
"Oh, god, Cheryl. I'm so so sorry you had to go through that again." Toni apologized as she wiped away Cheryl's tears with her thumb.
Cheryl leaned into Toni's gentle touch as the covers were pulled over their bodies. She had missed falling asleep in her lover's arms every night. Toni's breath blew against her neck as her eyes start to shut for the night. It had been a hard discussion for her. She was worn out.
She was happy to be back him, safe in her TT's warmth. Nick was now haunting in hell and she could finally stop worrying he's lurking in the shadows. But what interested the most had to be how quickly it happened. The only question she had now that caused her brain to stir.
Who killed Nick St. Clair?
And when she finds out who did, they will receive a prize. Because to be honest, if she could, Nick would've died by her hand.
—xxxx
You can relax knowing that Cheryl's life isn't at stake. I wasn't going to kill her. I love her too much to ever kill her off. I think there will be another chapter and then I think that will be it. The mystery is really over, Nick is dead and now all that's left is to wrap it all up.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter and stayed tuned for the end.
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Light A Match
Mystery / Thriller- COMPLETED - Everywhere she went she was known as Fire. Cheryl Blossom rocked red, displayed fire in her soul. That was until the day she met Toni. That girl changed her world. They started dating towards the end of sophomore year and had been goi...
