The water turned red as Sapphire descended deeper into the water. Alice Cooper watched with wide eyes as nearly all the Serpents alongside Archie and Jughead threw off their jackets and ran forward on the fragile ice towards the area Sapphire fell in. Some of them fell as the ice cracked under them, but she didn't have any doubt that they weren't still trying to swim towards her.
Even from a distance, she could see the water turning red as Sapphire bled. She could only hope that the young girl makes it out of this alive. She looked up to the cliff where the Black Hood had been, but the man was gone.
Sapphire was sinking. The cold water nipped at her skin at every turn. She struggled under water to get the ropes off her hands as she trying to swim upwards, but she felt her body slowly slipping into unconsciousness.
Right as she gave up hope, the ropes slipped off and she swam up as quickly as she could force herself. She was just at the opening when the darkness finally claimed her, and she began to sink once more. She knew her time was up as her eyes slipped closed and only one last thought crossed her mind.
Please. Don't forget me.
Sweet Pea reached the area where Sapphire fell first. He dove right into the bloody water without a second thought. He looked around quickly spotting Sapphire sinking deeper into the river. The water stung his eyes as he swam after her.
Her eyes were closed, and she looked peaceful. He reached out and lapsed onto her leg. He tried to pull her towards him, but his grip was too loose, and she slipped out of his grip. He inwardly growled and swam back towards the opening.
He came up and took a breath before he was going back under not paying attention to any of the others. He swam down towards her quickly this time wrapping his arm around her waist before kicking back towards the surface. He didn't once let his grip falter as he made his way to the opening.
He broke the surface with her still in his arms before pulling both of them out of the water. Joaquin grabbed his sister while Fangs and Jughead helped him out of the water. They looked up as the sheriff brought out a small rover to take them back across the river and off the unstable ice.
Once it got by them, Joaquin and Toni wasted no time jumping on it and securing Saph who was slowing turning blue in the face. FP motioned for the vehicle to not worry about them and to hurry and get Sapphire back across the river to the ambulance.
They followed behind running and swimming quickly back towards the land. By the time they got there, Joaquin was gone in the ambulance with Sapphire. They hooked Joaquin's bike onto the back of Fangs' car and grabbed their jackets before getting on their respective vehicles and rushing to the hospital.
"Sapphire wake up."
"Saph, please open your eyes."
"Please, sis. Wake up."
"Princess, wake up."
"Ria, hija mía. Open your eyes."
"Saph. Princess. Please don't leave me. I'm sorry. Please, wake up."
"Sapphire, come back to us. We can't do this without you."
Sapphire was sitting in a field. Lush green grass that she absently picked at. She was dressed in a light blue dress and she wore no shoes. Her hair was hanging free and dancing wildly in the light breeze. But she paid it no mind.
"Princess, wake up."
Sapphire snapped her head up and looked around, but no one was there. Her eyes narrowed, but she made no motion to move.
"Ria, hija mía. Open your eyes."
Her head whipped to the right yet there was still no one there. Open your eyes? Her eyes were already opened.
"Who's there," she called out. She bent down and picked up a big rock until she could find a better weapon to use. No one answered her.
"Please, sis. Wake up."
Sis? She was an only child. And she was awake!
"Saph. Princess. Please don't leave me. I'm sorry. Please, wake up."
She listened carefully and that voice she knows that voice. And the other voices! She knows those voices. FP and Joaquin. And-and Sweet Pea.
"Sapphire wake up."
That was Fangs.
"Saph, please open your eyes."
And that was Toni.
"Sapphire, come back to us. We can't do this without you."
That was JugJug.
Come back to them? What did he mean? Her heartbeat sped up and she looked around the field she was in. No, she didn't want to stay here.
She wanted her friends and her family.
December 12
Sapphire had been unconscious for six days. Her room was filled with chocolates and balloons and cards. Grammy and Mama Sweets had long ago changed her out of her hospital gown and into one of her sweater dresses. Fangs who had recovered her grandmother's necklace slipped it around her neck and Toni had fixed her hair up.
Despite such a sad occasion, one good thing came out of Sapphire's hospitalization. The Northside and the Serpents worked alongside each other. Or more accurately, the Serpents and Police worked together to keep all the out of town reporters from entering the hospital.
But it was on December the Twelfth when Sapphire opened her eyes.
Sapphire's eyes opened to look at the room around her and a small gasp of pain left her as she felt the full effects of her injuries. Where was she? The last thing she remembered-
THE BLACK HOOD!
That bastard sliced her up and threw her off a cliff. She was going to kill that son of a bitch as soon as she found him. But she had more important things to worry about like three small, adorable faces staring into at her own.
"SAPPHIRE! YOU'RE AWAKE," AJ cried out throwing his arms around her neck. His brothers followed suit each trying to make sure they claim a space in her around her. She chuckled tiredly and used all the strength she had to raise her heavy arms and hug them back.
"No wimp with an ugly ski mask can keep the Mario Kart Champ down," she stated with a heavy voice. But the triplets didn't say anything too busy crying into her hair and her neck. "Oh, Cerberus. Its alright. Let it out, okay?"
The boys clinged to her harder before Grammy and Mama Sweets maneuvered them around her so that they could stay lose to her on the bed without hitting disturbing her wounds or the IV in her arm.
The two women looked at her with relief before placing a kiss on each side of her head. "I swear we're going to wrap you in bubble wrap and lock you in a tower."
Time passed in a blur. Doctors and nurses walked in and out of her room and once they were finished, then came the visitors. Sapphire swore just about every member of the Serpents had came to visit her at least three times in the span of three hours.
Mr. and Mrs. DeSantos had rushed into the room and looked over in worry before gulfing Joaquin into a huge hug. They stayed for an hour before leaving to go back to Joaquin and Sapphire's house where they had been staying to get her room ready for her to go back.
A part of her didn't have the heart to tell them that she doesn't live there anymore, but Mrs. D gave her a knowing look, so she figured the woman did know.
And then she was left in a room with three sleeping triplets surrounding her. Her adopted brother and coming through the door were the other members of the Kingpin.
It was Joaquin that stepped forward first.
"Sapphire. Mi hermana. I am so, so sorry. This is all my fault. If I wouldn't have had never left from the beginning," he rushed out as he gripped her hand tightly. Tears welled up into his eyes and Sapphire felt a part of her breaking.
She didn't want to forgive him or the others. They lied to her. They replaced her. But she couldn't help it. They were still her friends. Her family. They were all she had.
Sapphire couldn't be alone. She wouldn't be able to cope. Peaceful sure? But she couldn't handle the loneliness. She couldn't handle the abandonment.
She squeezes his hand and he looked at her. He really looked at her and she gave him a small smile.
"I forgive you," she said. Her eyes flickered over all of them. "I forgive all of you. And what happened to me was none of your faults. The Black Hood had already targeted me, so it made sense that he'd do it again. I don't blame you."
If anything, she blamed herself. It was her stupidity that got her in that situation.
Sweet Pea opened his mouth o object, but Sapphire beat him, "Look, I'm tired and I'm aching. We can hash it out how it was none of your faults after I wake up."
Her friends shared a look and gave her a hesitant nodded as she got comfortable holding onto the triplets tightly before closing her eyes and slowly falling asleep.
Sweet Pea paced around the parking lot of the Whyte Worm waiting patiently for his girlfriend to appear. His hands were stuffed in his pockets as he gazed at the ground.
It took a minute, but the familiar purr of her car pulled up and he snapped his head up to watch her slip out of her car. She looked at him before arching an eyebrow and nodding her head.
"Am I right to assume that this meeting of ours was for you to end things," she questioned as she leaned back on to her car. Sweet Pea looked a little guilty, but Cheryl knew that this moment was a long time coming.
Sweet Pea sighed and nodded his head, "It isn't fair for me to be with you when I still love Sapphire."
Cheryl inwardly winced. She always knew that he still loved Sapphire. She was kidding herself to think otherwise. "Well if we're being honest, it wasn't fair for me to push my feelings for Toni on you. I guess- I guess I was just afraid of what my mother would say."
Sweet Pea blinked. He so didn't notice that she was crushing on Toni and he was going to tell the girl that as soon as they finished here. He gave her a small smirk.
"You know you're pretty cool for a northsider," he teased, and she huffed out of laugh.
"And you're a decent guy for a Serpent," she teased back. "You should give her this back and tell her to get better. We can't be good rivals if she's not well."
Cheryl handed him the charm bracelet before pressing a kiss to his cheek. "You take care of yourself too, Sweet Pea."
And then she got back into her car and sped off. Sweet Pea stood there for another moment before turning around to walk into the Whyte Worm.
Sapphire sat in front of the vanity in her room and she just looked at herself. It was Christmas and it was also her "Welcome Back", "Glad the Creepy Dude in Ski Mask Didn't Kill You", and "I'd Die if You Died" parties.
She sighed a little as she picked up the scissors. Taking a deep breath, she cut her hair. She took her time cutting it before fixing the uneven parts as best as she could. Once she finished with that, she curled it and put little braids slipped little braids in it.
She moved automatically as she put on makeup and slipped her grandmother's necklace around her neck. She turned slowly and picked up the sweater dress that she was informed to wear. She slipped on the thigh high black boots before turning to look at herself in the mirror.
An image of a lush green field crosses her mind except this time it was filled with people. She smiled lightly before standing up straight and letting a smirk pull on her lips.
She was Sapphire Maria Stone, the sole heir to Stone Enterprises. The owner of every known business on the Southside. She was a Southside Serpent. A member of the Teenage Kingpin. A Southside Gem.
She could do this.
Sapphire stood in front of the crow of reporters. She stood on the platform looking like a goddess. Her shoulders were set and her back was straight. Her eyes flickered over the crowd making eye contact but never settling. Her lips were turned upwards in a small smirk and she said nothing as she let the cameras flash wildly before she rose one hand in the air and all went quiet.
"Good morning," she stated and Sweet Pea's heart skipped a beat. She sounded older and more professional. She sounded untouchable and unmovable. She didn't sound nor did she look anything like the girl that nearly drown in Sweetwater River. "Its good to have you all here, though I am sadden that you all would be here with me instead of with your families. I promise to make this quick, so that you all can get back to them as a result of that. I'm only taking five questions."
But then a sharp glare settled onto her face as she looked into the crowd, "But also note that any slander written after this conference will be taken care of swiftly and without hesitation, ignore that and you will not have a career anymore."
Toni and Fangs and Sweet Pea felt shivers run down their spines at the venom and heat in her words. They had never seen this side of Sapphire and by the looks on the reporters faces neither had they.
"Phire," Joaquin whispered. "She's channeling Phire."
"What are you talking about," Toni hissed.
"Saph has Dissociative identity disorder. She usually has it under control to the point where she doesn't even seem like she has it. Remember all of those times when we were younger and we would go out of town to visit family? Well we were actually going to visit specialists to help treat her."
"Okay, but who's Phire?"
Joaquin glanced at them before turning to look back at his sister on stage. "Saph is the girl we all know. We grew up with her and we know how she is. Sapphire Stone is heiress to Stone Enterprises that's all business and brilliant business woman for her to be so young. But Phire? She's every high-strung emotion in her and burned to the depths of hell. Nothing. Absolutely nothing will stand in her way to get what she wants. Its like she blackouts and nothing can get to her. She's untouchable."
At his words, the first thing that came to mind was when she fought Cheryl. The way she didn't seem to hear anyone talking to her or really feel anyone touching her. They thought back to the moment when she saw them in Pop's and how she basically ignored their existence. When she stood on stage and basically said fuck them to the whole gang. Her eyes. She was usually so expressive but her eyes they were blank. Unreadable. Untouchable. Sweet Pea remembered when he saw her kissing that boy in the hallway and how her blank her gaze was.
Was that Phire?
Back on the stage, Sapphire stood tall as she looked into the crowd of reporters. She saw Alice Cooper and Jughead sitting in the crowd. Reporters from People's magazine and even Ebony.
"You there. With the lime green tie," Sapphire stated pointing at a reporter. The reporter in question straighten up slightly.
"Can you let the readers know exactly what happened?"
Sapphire smirked bitterly, "I was going through a rough time. It honestly just hit me out of nowhere that this would be the eighth year that I'd be celebrating Christmas without my mom and dad. I had took a walk by myself to clear my head when this man in a ski mask knocked me out…"
Her eyes went faraway as she lost herself in her memories. "I woke up all alone in this room. There were no windows or anything. It was all so quiet. So quiet. My arms were tied together and threw was a chain wrapped around my leg to keep me from going anywhere. I cant remember how long I was gone for but time seemed to drag. Everyday the man in the ski mask would come with food and I wont eat any of it. I didn't know what was in it until one day he just snapped and punched me before he forced me to eat. And one moment I had fell asleep and the next I was being thrown off a cliff…"
She blinked slowly as she came back to reality before narrowing her eyes. The same reporter inquired, "Is there anything else you can say to describe the attacker?"
She frowned before stating, "There's not much. He has green eyes. Soulless green eyes. And he wore an ugly patchy fake leather jacket."
Sapphire shook her head before pointing into the crowd, "You there with red scarf."
The reporter asked, "Has the kidnapper been caught?"
She shook her head, "No, the assailant Black Hood is still at large but Riverdale's police force is doing everything they can to catch the man and Stone Enterprises has donated a large sum to department in hopes of speeding alongside the process."
Sapphire slightly narrowed her eyes with a sharp smile before going, "Mrs. Cooper."
Alice sat up straighter, "What were your injuries and are you healing alright?"
Sapphire thought for a moment, "My injuries included but were not limited to a mild case of hypothermia, deep laceration across my back, a mild concussion, a black eye, and a sprain wrist. As for my healing, I've been doing alright. There's a doctor always on sight in case I start showing an increase in symptoms. "
And then a small genuine smile appeared on her face before she pointed to Jughead, "Last question. Mr. Jones?"
Jughead sat up straighter before looking at his friend. He had felt slightly unnerved by her earlier but he was relieved that she was back to herself.
"Now that you're out of hospital, the readers would like to know how does this effect Stone Enterprises and what are your plans for the future?"
Sapphire paused. Her mind flashed back to when all of this began. Back to when Jason Blossom was still alive and being held for ransom. To when her brother told them about his murder. To the tailgate. To homecoming. To FP getting arrested, Mustang's death, and her brother running away. It went to finding out Sweet Pea loving her. It went to starting The Plan and the incident with Nicholas. To when all of the Serpents got arrested at school. She thought of Sweet Pea asking her to be his girlfriend, to have their night of passion. It went to when the Black Hood first targeted her to Sweet Pea cheating on her with Cheryl. She thought about when Joaquin came back. She thought of the triplets and Grammy and Mama Sweets. She thought of Stone Manor that's been turned into a homeless facility. The lying from her friends and her kidnapping by the Black Hood.
But she finally settled on the thought of the lush green field with all of her loved ones surrounding her.
"I haven't thought much about what shall happened to Stone Enterprises, but I am publicly announcing that we will be donating money to various charities and organizations including but not limited to the Support of LGBT Rights, Equal Rights for Women, Equal Rights for the Colored which includes but not limited to Black Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans; Homeless Facilities, Food for the Homeless, Mental High Research and Facilities. We all have to come forth together as a whole. What happened to be was a result of a man who found the ammunition to strike by the clear divide in our town's society. I will not- Stone Enterprises will not stand to let this to happen to anyone else…"
She leveled Jughead with a look, "My plans for the future is to bring our people together and love and support each other. I know we can only take it one day at time, so today, I'll celebrate with my loved ones and tomorrow? I'll do my very damn best to bring peace to your loved ones."
Sapphire flashed the crowd another smile, "No more questions. That is all."
Sapphire stood outside of the Stone Manor where the Christmas parties were being held in the east end. She could hear the music faint as it were from outside, but her eyes were only focus on the her little pink pixie bestie and the redhead bombshell.
Toni had only just told her about how Sweet Pea said that Cheryl only dated him because she was trying to force her feelings for Toni onto him. Toni hadn't known what to do with that information. She had wanted to leave it alone because Cheryl's actions had let to Sapphire getting hurt. But Sapphire remembered the promise she made so long ago. If Cheryl was who Toni wanted, then who was she to stop it. She promised to do everything she could to get the two together, so if telling Toni that she was okay with Cheryl's actions would be make it happen, then fine. She didn't even blame Cheryl honestly. The poor girl had no idea that tearing away Sapphire's happiness who would lead her to getting kidnapped and almost murdered.
Sapphire watched as Toni walked up to Cheryl. She couldn't hear what they were saying but she could see. Oh, she could see. Toni was nervous, and she hardly ever saw nervousness in her best friend.
It felt so good to be able to say that again.
Toni had her hands stuffed in her pockets while she talked to the ginger. A small smile danced on the edges of both girls' faces before Toni stretched her hand and motioned towards her bike. Cheryl looked a little shocked, but she did take the other's girl hand before following her over to the bike.
Sapphire knew the two had a lot to talk about, but she could see it in their eyes that they both wanted it.
Sapphire felt eyes on her and she flicked her eyes around the area before she noticed Sweet Pea looking at her.
She turned to look at him and their eyes connected. On the inside, she wanted to cry. She wanted to scream because she was still hurting. He hurt her, and she couldn't forgive him. At least not yet. Hell, she doesn't know if she could at all.
But then he smiled at her and she froze. It wasn't one of his usual smiles. Sharp and jaded with a softness to it that's only reserved for those he holds dear. It wasn't one of his business smiles where he makes those that cross the Serpents shake in anticipated fear and wariness.
No, this smile. This smile was the one he gave her years ago when they had first met, and he helped her up from where Scott Reynolds pushed her off the monkey bars. This smile was completely soft and inviting. It was comforting. It was a little shy yet confident.
It was a hello and a goodbye.
The scary part was now she didn't know which was it, so she gave him her own smile back. Not a Phire smile. Not a Saph smile. Not an Heiress Sapphire Stone smile. She gave him a smile that was all just Sapphire. The one extremely similar to what she had given him back after he helped her up all those years ago.
Their first hello.
She didn't know what this meant for the two of them. She didn't know if this was a hello or if it was a goodbye. But the two of them just smiled at each other.
They'll figure it out.
After all a story never ends, it continues in your heart. And she knew that without a doubt in her heart she would always be Sweet Pea's Sapphire.