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Strong rain drummed on the roofs of Thistle house... lightening bolts flashed across the cursed grounds of Thornhill and dark maple groves, getting ready to die... now it was only a couple of weeks until all of the trees would lose their bronze crowns and let the cold embrace their lives...

For determined Cheryl, however... it was only a matter of a few hours.

"My dear Queen...," with her throat tight... she whispered to the painting of beautiful sun-kissed woman, the fine brush gently outlining the perfect curves of her body for the countless time. 

"I was the one who let you go to live your life peacefully... to spare your family my curse and hatred towards us..."

As the water in her eyes spread the colors of the dark wavy hair into the orange shadows... her eyelids closed tightly.

And you are indeed smiling most of the time... then why I am the one who still suffers?

Lips wet from the tears, her gaze wandered to the candle-lined table... the main source of light, giving her a feeling of warmth she lost years ago.

"You were the one who opened my eyes and learnt me to know and embrace my shadows... to love each corner of your soul and body... to love myself so sincerely. You lifted my crown every time someone tried to step on it and made me feel alike your princess..."

Honestly, until then I just tried to act strong and keep my chin up... but with you... with you I discovered my true feminine powers.

She simply couldn't... she couldn't live in this world without Toni by her side. But the serpent queen seemed to not need her help anymore... and each of her looks was alike an another dagger into Cheryl's chest.

That was why she made the decision.

"I will rise from the ashes again for you, dear Serpentina..."

The ginger head tilted, as Cheryl stroked the dry part of the painting for the last time.

"Cheryl..."

The addressed woman turned to face the female black guardian angel of Riverdale, seated in a chair by the fireplace.

"I guess I didn't come to watch you brokenly paint a picture of your ex... whom you still can't really let go of..."

Cheryl quickly wiped her cheeks, then came down from the chapel with a faint smile forming on her lips.

"Of course not, lovely Tabitha," she replied in a soft voice, her eyes rather immersed in the flames of the candles between them, "you're here to help me on my way to rebirth."

"Cheryl, I already told you we shouldn't play with the space-ti-"

"It is not a request," she interrupted the angel with her decisive tone, "I refuse to live in a world where I have no one. I refuse to live in the world, where she doesn't need me by her side, Tabitha."

The speech... pity for the fire lady robbed the angel of words for a moment.

"I refuse this huge... lonely... dark cursed place full of ghosts of past hunting on me. Can you understand that?" Cheryl threw up her hands, despair painting her expression again.

Yet you are still hunting on that beautiful past with her... Tabitha shook her head, brown eyes glistening in empathy for the girl cursed by Blossom's blood. She understood... she knew very well what it was like to feel like she didn't belong anywhere.

"Please, I won't live without her," with her lips quivering, the redhead looked straight into the eyes of soul sister, who stood up on her feet and grabbed Cheryl's shaking shoulders.

"She's my soulmate..."

"But she already learnt you the lesson, Cheryl. You should let her live her life and enjoy yours..."

No... no...

"My death is in the ashes of Thornhill I'll set on fire... and I'll rise in the paralel dimension in which she lost me and misses me the same way I miss her," Cheryl babbled nodding at her words, trying to avoid her tears coming back into her eyes and tightened throat.

"You can not just leave. Riverdale needs you."

Me?

"Riverdale needs the maple sap and sponsors, but freakin' nobody needs my soul!"

The lightening and the thunder highlighted the emotions erupting as from a volcano.

"If not that... I'll bury myself in the burning maple groves, I swear."

"You're just threatening me again."

Was she? Was she always so weak?... Trying to reach her goals and look strong by threatening the others... barking at them alike a dog?

... and has she ever seen some other option, if this was how her parents' attitude learnt her to fight for her bare life?

Cheryl fell on her knees.

"Please, she was the only pure happiness in my lifeline...," the Phoenix chirped, throat already too tight for her to speak confidently.

Get me out of here to a place where I can breathe freely and bloom.

Tabitha has never seen the Blossom's daughter so broken. Everybody knew her as the strong woman with her own tactics and values...

... and that actually hasn't changed. Could the angel even judge Cheryl for finally putting herself first because no one else did?

Values can be changed. Her attitude has changed, not her strength and determination.

Cheryl really willed to die for Riverdale so she could live for herself and someone who needed her.

"I'll open that door for you as long as you transfer your legacy to Betty. I will not allow the maple grove to fall into those dirty hands of Hiram Lodge."

The red head lifted her teary face and quickly wiped her cheeks getting back on her feet, a long extinguished spark caught in the eyes.

"... but remember - that door is just a new chance. You are your fate and carry all the good as well as bad within you. Don't insist that your happiness is in Toni... first find it in yourself... then let her approach you of her own accord."

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See you next time->