Death Bed
Based on Death Bed by Powfu
“Cheryl?” She heard a man's voice asked, “It’s Sweet Pea...”
The redhead felt her heart drop, something was wrong. “Wh-what happened? Is-is she okay?” Her breathing had picked up, thinking the worst had happened. Was she dead? Dying?
“No. She’s not,” was all the raven haired man had said as he took a deep breath in. Cheryl could hear the trembling in his voice, the tears in his eyes. “There was a gang war with the Ghoulies. She was stabbed multiple times.”
Cheryl’s free hand went up to cover her mouth, tears falling down her pale cheeks, “Is she…?”
“She’s alive. The doc said she’s stable, for now.” There was a moment of silence before he spoke again, “She’s unconscious right now, but I was with her until the ambulance arrived. She told me to call you. Begged me, actually. She needs you here, Red.”
With tears still running down her cheeks, she nodded, but quickly realized that Sweet Pea couldn’t see her. “Okay. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” Cheryl hung up her phone, dropping it out of her hand and onto the couch as she broke down.
Finally, after a few minutes, she got up and started packing a suitcase as she checked her phone for the next flight to New York. She hadn’t been back to the town with pep in three years, the last time being for Nana Rose’s funeral. Cheryl would be damned if she was going back to that god awful town to bury another person she loved.
Two hours later, she was packed and sitting on a plane. A redeye midnight flight to the town she thought she would never be going back to. She texted the number Sweet Pea had called her from to let her know when she would be in town.
Cheryl: I’m on a plane. Should be landing around 5am, and be in Riverdale by 7.
Sweet Pea: We’ll see you soon, Red. Archie is getting a hold of everyone else.
Cheryl didn’t sleep on the flight, like she normally would have. Her brain was moving too fast with thoughts from the past. She thought of when they were younger, and how her ex-girlfriend always found a way to cheer her up by taking goofy videos while they walked through the park. Or when they would hear a dog bark and Cheryl would jump into her arms.
She thought about the nights in their four poster bed when she would be sang to sleep after having a nightmare, or when her ex-girlfriend would sneak into Thistlehouse at exactly 1:03am every Sunday morning, and they would spend Mondays watching movies after school.
But it had ended all too soon. Cheryl was the one to leave, after promising she wouldn’t stay away for too long. Promising she would come visit a few times a year, but she broke her promise. She had only visited once in seven years. Seven goddamn years. Her only reason being that she couldn’t deal with the heartache she knew she would feel when it was time to leave.
She had promised the world to her beloved Toni Topaz, only to leave her behind. Or to be the one who was left behind. The redhead wasn’t sure which applied to her. Two weeks before their high school graduation, the opportunity of a lifetime came for the pink haired goddess. She was offered the position of Serpent Queen, but that meant she had to stay behind in Riverdale, instead of going to Highsmith with Cheryl, as planned.
“I understand, TT. You need to be with your family. They need a leader,” the redhead said with tears in her eyes.
“I’m so sorry, babe. This wasn’t at all what I thought would happen, but I can’t not accept this. It’s my birthright.”
“I know, and that’s why I fully support you. But I want to stay here with you, Toni. I can just call Highsmith and go to Riverdale Community College, instead.”
“What? Cheryl, no. You are so much more than this wicked town. You need to go to Highsmith and graduate. Become a businesswoman or a lawyer. You just...have to do it without me.”
Cheryl let out a sob, falling into Toni’s always welcoming arms. “I’ll come visit you, TT. I promise.”
The couple spent their remaining weeks together, tangled in the red silk sheets of their bed and hanging out with their friends at Pop’s. Cheryl watched as Toni had her crowning for Serpent Queen, with the proudest look on her face.
The redhead left for Highsmith, saying her goodbyes to her wonderful girlfriend...ex-girlfriend. The two had decided it would be best for them to go separate ways and put their relationship on hold while they figured their lives out. While they became the best versions of themselves. Promising that one day they would come home to each other.
Cheryl sat in the uber during the two hour drive to Riverdale General Hospital, absentmindedly playing with the ring on her left hand. The ring Toni had given her all those years ago, promising to one day make it back to each other. Cheryl may have broken those promises of returning, but she never took it off. Not once. Though, she had tried a few times. Toni had told her that Riverdale wasn’t safe, not for anyone. The Ghoulies had gotten far more out of control than they ever were, attacking people at random. There weren’t enough Serpents or police officers to keep the town safe.
There she was, pulling up to the hospital, seeing so many black leather jackets outside the doors. Cheryl stepped out of the vehicle, grabbing her suitcase, sporting her own red leather Serpent jacket. She hadn’t worn it in eight years, but now was as good a time as any. It still fit perfectly.
As she made her way towards the doors, the black leather clad bodies moved out of her way, knowing full well who she was. She heard murmurs and gasps as she moved her hair to one shoulder, opening the doors to find Sweet Pea.
Almost immediately, she spotted the tall raven haired man she once knew, covered in blood. Toni’s blood. “Hey, Red.” Cheryl, as if acting out of instinct, ran up to him and pulled him into a bone crushing hug and he hugged her right back, sobbing into her hair.
“Where is she? Can I see her?” Cheryl asked.
“They’re only allowing one person at a time. Jughead’s with her right now. Veronica and Betty should be here soon.”
Cheryl furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, “Umm, not that I’m complaining, but why? They weren’t friends.”
“Veronica and Toni have done a lot of work together on the Southside, taking down Hiram. Betty came back to town a few years ago to help Alice with the Register and they ran into each other at Pop’s and are apparently good friends now,” he shrugged. Cherly nodded and sat down in one of the chairs in the waiting area, catching up with Sweet Pea on everything that has changed in the last three years.
Ten minutes had gone by and Sweet Pea noticed Cheryl kept fidgeting with her hands, before a pink topaz diamond caught his eye. “Ya know...she never took hers off.”
This caught Cheryl off guard, “What?”
“Toni never took off the ring you gave her. I see you’re wearing yours.” he nodded his head towards the ring.
“I...never took mine off, either. I never stopped loving her.” she spoke, now looking down at the ring.
“But somehow it still took you this long to come back? While she’s dying?” Sweet Pea spoke louder, tearing falling down his face.
The redhead furrowed her eyebrows, “She told me not to. That it was too dangerous.”
“You could have at least tried.”
“Look, I know you’re angry and sad, and so am I, but this isn’t all my fault. It’s a two way street.” Cheryl spoke with a bite in her voice.
The waiting room doors were opened by a teary eyes Jughead Jones, “well if it isn’t Cheryl Blossom. Do my eyes deceive me?”
“No, Hobo. Your eyes are fine. What room is she in?”
“She’s in 217, it’s on the left. But Cheryl...she doesn’t look like herself.”
And with that, Cheryl stormed through the double doors, suitcase rolling behind her. Standing in front of Toni’s room, she took a deep breath and slowly opened the door. There she was. Her beloved tiny Toni Topaz. Her one true love. The tears started falling as she walked into the room and closed the door behind her.
Cheryl’s breathing got heavy as she slowly walked across the room to where there was a chair next to the bed. Next to Toni. Her Toni. She sat down, examining the now older woman. She looked the same, with fading pink hair, a dimple on her left cheek and a red diamond ring on her left hand. The redhead cried at the sight and ever so softly grazed her fingers along Toni’s arm.
Sobs started coming from her throat as she could no longer hold them in. She missed Toni and never stopped loving her. Cheryl lightly gripped Toni’s hand, laying her head on Toni’s thigh, body aching from crying, from missing Toni, the softness of her skin. Heartache.
“Don’t cry.” a very raspy, familiar voice called out.
Cheryl’s eyes shot open and she sat upright, “TT? You’re awake.”
Toni smiled sfotly at the nickname she hadn’t heard in so long, “Hey, babe. Long time, no see.” she lightly laughed, causing her to cough.
“Shh, Toni. Let me go find the doctor.”
Toni held onto her hand even tighter, “No, wait. I need you here with me,” she breathed out, causing her lungs to ache.
“I’m so sorry it took me so long to come back, TT. I hope you’ll forgive me.”
“It’s ok, Cher. I told you it was too dangerous. C’mere.” Toni very slowly and painfully moved over in the bed, making room for Cheryl.
“TT, I don’t want to hurt you.”
“I’m already hurt. You laying next to me will only make it better.” Toni wheezed, completely out of breath.
Cheryl gently sat next to Toni with her head on the shorter girl's shoulder, holding her hand. She was finally home with the love of her life. Anywhere with Toni was home. Toni Topaz was her home.
“Ya know, this whole dying thing...it really got me thinking. About our future and how I fucked it up, how we’ll never see those days. I don’t know...know why this happened, but...I probably deserved it. I tried...my best.” Toni said in between breaths.
“TT, you didn’t deserve to get stabbed twelve times. And you didn’t fuck anything up. We still have a chance. I never stopped loving you, Toni.”
“And I...never stopped loving you, Cheryl Blossom. Please promise me...you’ll love again.”
Cheryl raised her head, now looking at Toni, “What do you mean?”
“I’m happy that...you’re here...with me, Cheryl. But I...can’t stay awake...for too long.”
“Please stay with me, TT. We’re still young. There’s so much we haven’t done.” Cheryl begged.
“Get married...Cher. Start...a family. I won’t...make it out...of this bed. I had a short...life, but you were...the best blessing. I'm happy you were...mine.”
“Toni, please don’t leave me here. I don’t want to keep on living without you. We promised we would make it back to each other. I’m sorry it took me so long. Please don’t go.”
“I love you...Cheryl Blossom. Always...and for-forever. Will you...sing to-to me?” Toni’s breathing was becoming more ragged with every breath she spoke.
“I love you, Toni Topaz. Always and forever. I’ll see you again one day.” Cheryl cried out, hugging the smaller girl gently, as she curled up into her side and gave her soulmate one last kiss on the lips before singing her to her final sleep.
Hope you enjoyed ♥️ And I'm sorry
