Junkyard yawned as he woke up, still cuddling against the crook of Toni's legs.
"Morning, Junk." Toni pats the dogs head, careful not to wake Eleanor Who was snuggled up next to her.
Junkyard whines and steps over Toni to get to Eleanor. When he reaches her, he licks all over her face, waking her up.
"Ah, Junkyard! Stop!" Eleanor giggles, gently pushing the dog away.
"Good morning." Toni smiles at her.
"Morning." Ellie smiles back but her smile quickly fades when she sees Toni's hand soaked through the gauze with blood.
"What?" Toni asks, following Ellie's gaze. "Oh. Shit." Toni sighs and sits up, heading to the bathroom to refresh the bandage.
"You should really have someone look at that." Ellie calls after her, propping herself up on her elbow and petting Junkyard with her free hand.
"It's fine." Toni calls back.
"It could get infected."
"It's not that deep."
"It's deep enough to still be bleeding. Could need stitches." Ellie gets out of bed and walks to the bathroom. "Let me see." She takes Toni's hand and examines the wound.
"I'm fine." Toni assures her.
"No." Ellie wraps her free hand around Toni's waist and places her chin on her shoulder. "I think you're a bit better than fine." She smiles.
"Oh yeah?" Toni smiles.
"Definitely." Ellie kisses Toni's neck once before pulling away. "But I should get back before Jughead comes up with some new conspiracy against me." She says as she walks back to the bed. She starts to pull on her shorts when Toni stops her.
"Don't wear those."
"Look, I know you'd much prefer me to wear nothing but I don't think that'll fly just walking around." Ellie teases. Toni play punches her.
"I meant they're dirty." She goes to her dresser and tosses Ellie a skirt. "Here. You can borrow this."
"Thanks, T." Ellie smiles at her and changes, stealing one of Toni's shirts in the process. "How do I look?" She poses and Toni laughs.
"Very cute." Toni responds, fixing Ellie's hair.
"Cute? I was going for sexy." Ellie jokes "Okay, gotta go." She pecks Toni's cheek and heads out the door, not knowing what awaited her at the Jones trailer.
As she stepped inside Ellie could tell something was off.
"Damn, FP keep your negative vibes over there please." She says, sitting down on the couch next to Jughead. "What happened? Did someone die or something?" She raises an eyebrow.
"Where were you last night?" Jughead asks Ellie.
"With a friend, dad." She sticks her tounge out at Jughead.
"What are you five?" Jughead smiles slightly. In all their time being forced to be together the two had become contempt with each other. Not friends, but not enemies. This wouldn't last long.
A knock echoed from the door. "Jesus who's here this early?" Ellie groans, sinking into the couch.
FP stands and walks to the door, keeping his face expressionless. Standing there in the door frame was no other than Penny Peabody.
"What the hell are you doing here?!" Jughead jumps up, about ready to hit her.
"I called her." FP says, looking Jughead straight in the eyes.
"Why the hell would you do that?!" Jughead yells. Ellie's eyes widen and she tries to hide her face.
"For her." FP points at Ellie. Jughead turns to the girl and fills with rage.
"You told me you weren't involved with the Ghoulies! I believed you and ignored it when Cheryl sent me that video because I actually thought for a second that you could be on the Serpents side!" He screams at Ellie.
"Video?" Ellie asks.
"A video! Of you behind the school with her!" Jughead points at Penny. "I shouldn't have ignored it!" He turns to his dad "and you knew she wasn't our ally?! You let her live here, knowing she was helping out the Ghoulies?!" FP shakes his head, slightly amused.
"She's not helping out the Ghoulies." FP says. Jughead looks confused but still pissed off. "Do you want to tell him or should I?" FP asks Ellie. Ellie looks between FP, Jughead and Penny before sighing and standing up.
"Eleanor, you tell me right now where your loyalty lies and why she's here." Jughead demands, staring her in the eyes.
"Jughead, I'm not helping the Ghoulies. I'm a full blooded Serpent, I promise." She assures him, avoiding the second part of his question.
"Then why is she here?" He steps forward.
"She's my mom." Ellie flinches, expecting him to hit her.
"You're kidding." Jughead raises an eyebrow. "How? I don't…" he stutters, trailing off.
"It's the truth." Penny shrugs. "You should have told me Steve kicked you out." She says to Ellie. "Get your shit, let's go."
"No. If I'm being kicked out again, that's fine. But I'm not going with you." Ellie glares at her mother.
"Eleanor. Let's. Go." Penny warns.
"You can't tell me what to do."
"Yes I can. I'm your mom. It's what I should have been doing all along."
"Really? Do you think a court would see it that way? Queen of the drug dealers isn't really a sound occupation for a mother."
"Look, kid. I'm trying to do the right thing. Let's go."
"The right thing would have been being there from the start."
"Yeah, I get it. I'm a horrible mother. But look where you live! Do you really think any of these shitbags have a normal life? Look, we don't ever have to be buddy buddy or whatever, but at least let me take care of you."
Ellie looks between Penny and FP before finally pushing past Penny out of the trailer.
"Finally." Penny mumbles, following her.
Jughead calls after the girl. "Eleanor!" Ellie turns around. "You go with her, and you're dead to the serpents. Not that you were ever really initiated. And I will make sure everyone knows that you are officially a Ghoulie."
"I'm not a Ghoulie." Ellie calls back.
"Once you leave with her, you will be to us." Ellie stares at Jughead.
"He's bluffing." Penny whispers to Ellie.
"Like you were bluffing about killing Toni?" Ellie says. Penny goes quiet.
"Boy, you know that she has no other can't keep her here anymore." FP mumbles to Jughead.
"The schools janitor closet is comfier than you'd think." Jughead says. "Well?" He asks Ellie.
Ellie thinks for a moment. Where could she go? Steve's? No, he wouldn't take her back. Kacey's? No, Kacey was already a visitor where she lived. Black Eye and Veridian both could barely scrape by on their own. That left Toni. But she couldn't ask for shelter from a girl who she had almost gotten killed, especially when that girl doesn't even know that she was the reason why. Plus, she didn't want to put a strain on the new relationship.
Ellie took in a surprisingly strong breath and looked Jughead in the eyes. "Then I guess I'm not a Serpent anymore." Everyone is stunned at Ellie's words.
"You heard the kid." Penny smiles and walks off with Ellie trailing not to far behind.
"Eleanor!" Jughead calls.
"What now?!" Ellie turns to him.
"The jacket." He glares at her.
"It's my dads. No way I'm giving it to you." Ellie wrinkles her nose.
"I guess you won't mind if I send that video to Toni then." Jughead threatens. "That is her shirt you're wearing, right?" Ellie looks at FP for help but he's trying to stay out of it.
"Fine." Ellie hesitates but takes off her jacket, setting it on the ground. Her heart stung as she and her mom walked off, a traitor and a snake who had shed her skin.
"You should have told me Steve kicked out out." Penny says.
"You should have minded your own business when FP called you." Ellie replies.
Hey guys let us know if you liked it!