8dr Whovian: Thank you so much! :) Yeah haha. Patrick definitely has a long way to go before Cheryl's ready to give him another chance. Yes, you'll see in this chapter and forthcoming ones that Patrick was very naive when it came to his siblings well being. Despite pretending otherwise, he's very much an optimist like Nell. Maybe too optimistic at times. Indeed! You'll get to learn more of his POV of his childhood as he strives to try and make up for lost time with Cheryl. Indeed it is. For Elena this is a huge thing she isn't remotely ready to talk about, but slowly but surely you'll start seeing her and Hermione grow more comfortable with each other as they work towards bettering their relationship.

BloodforInk: You'll find out what Patrick found and why nothing happened. Rest assured he'll be lauding it over his parents heads like the menace he is lol.

As Elena helped Veronica set the table, she still couldn't quite close her jaw from the surprise of it all. "She's cooking!" She exclaimed for what was probably the tenth time since she'd arrived at the apartment. Their mom had finished up with her shift before Elena, leaving the diner all secretive and smiling like she had something big planned. Much to her shock, she'd found only Veronica waiting for her once she'd arrived at the Pembrooke, who'd promptly informed her that Hermione was making them all dinner.

Veronica grinned at Elena's awestruck luck. "Can you believe it?"

"You're cooking!" Elena shouted into the kitchen.

Though she couldn't see her Mom's face, Elena could have sensed her eye roll all the way over on Mars. "You could say that with a little less surprise mija."

"I figured we'd just be ordering in. This is great!" Elena enthused, grinning as various yummy smells crept their way out of the kitchen and up her nose. She sighed happily, breathing it in deeply as she settled comfortably into her chair. She'd missed this kind of domesticity between the three of them. More than she'd realised. It was something as simple as her Mom cooking for them and Veronica polishing cutlery that made her whole body relax, content and in the moment as they prepared to have a normal family dinner together.

Though Hermione didn't offer any further response to her enthusiasm, Elena didn't miss the slight upwards tug of her mother's lips as she re-joined them in the dining room. As she sat down their individual dinners on to the table, Elena's eyes widened with joy at the meal in front of her. "You got the fancy salmon!" She stated in awe, inhaling the fumes from her meal as she eyed it in wonder. It was a large helping of orange soy salmon drizzled in soy sauce with rice and green beans to accompany it, the scents of which all combined together were making Elena's stomach rumble happily. Though she'd come a long way with her cooking skills, Elena had to admit that she occasionally missed the quality of food that had been a staple of the Lodge household.

"Well I know how much you like it," smiled Hermione, before turning to answer her now ringing phone. "Sorry girls, one moment. It's Smithers, he's bringing up the last of the furniture." She rose from her seat, heading to the door to open it up for the doorman.

Once she was certain Hermione was out of earshot, Elena leaned across the table to exclaim her excitement to Veronica. "She cooked!"

"Why do you keep saying that?" Veronica laughed, confused but rather tickled by Elena's wide-eyed incredulity.

"She kept my stuff, she remembered how much I love the fancy salmon. I don't know, it's just..." She settled back in her seat, a hand resting on her chest as she enjoyed the warmth that was blazing in her chest. "It's nice that she remembered." She beamed.

Elena and Veronica turned at the sound of the apartment door opening once more, both of them offering Smithers a friendly wave as he lugged in two lamps for the living room at once. Hermione trailed in after him, directing where both of them should go all while frowning as she whispered heatedly to someone over the phone. Is she talking to Dad? She wondered, the question involuntarily slipping its way into the forefront of her mind. Her Mom seemed rather agitated, and looked to be trying desperately to hold on to the last threads of her composure. Her eyes fell on Elena's for a few seconds, before flitting away guiltily as she realised she'd been watching her. Hermione sighed as she finally ended the call, waving Smithers out before finally turning back around to re-join them.

"Sorry about that." She smiled, slipping back into her seat at the head of the table. "Let's eat."

"Who was that Mom?" Veronica asked casually, as they began to tuck into their food. Elena meanwhile was trying her best to moderate herself, as she was incredibly tempted to wolf down the contents in front of her in one go.

"Oh no one." Hermione replied, an all too false casualness to her tone that Elena recognised at once.

"It was Dad, she just doesn't want to mention him in front of me." Elena informed her, not even looking up from her food.

"Mija."

"Am I wrong?" Elena arched a brow as she smiled teasingly, hoping to assure her it was fine. And it was, really. He didn't stop existing just because she hated his guts. Her Mom and Veronica had their own messy relationships with him that they needed to sort out for themselves. "It's okay, you can mention him in front of me. I won't pull out my Hiram voo-doo doll, I promise."

Hermione and Veronica both began to smile awkwardly, in that same way they always did when she made a joke at his expense. A vindictive part of Elena couldn't help but delight in how awkward she'd made bringing up the topic of her father though. It made it all the more likely it could just be the three of them for once, without a great big Hiram shadow looming over them all. If Elena had it her way, his name would die on their lips and his existence in their lives would be consigned to some foggy, far in the distance past. "I was just relaying some moving details to your father. Apparently some of our art pieces got lost in the move." She explained, expertly swerving the topic away from all things Hiram. Nicely done Mom.

Elena perked up at that. "Including the ugly paintings?"

Hermione rolled her eyes at that. "They're not ugly Elena, they're very tasteful depictions of you and your sister. And no, they made it here safe and sound."

Six months before she'd been kicked out, their parents had made her and Veronica sit for their own painted portraits. Elena had spent nearly three hours sitting in a chair in one position, all for the stupid thing to come out looking like she was a Picasso painting on the verge of sneezing.

"Yeah they're not that bad." Veronica defended.

"Yours looks like it's plotting to climb out of the frame and kill you," Elena snickered, which earned her an unexpected green bean to the face. "Hey!" She laughed, barely missing the kick Veronica was trying to aim at her legs as she pulled them up on to her chair.

"Girls!"

Hermione's single word made Elena and Veronica straighten up at once, returning their attentions back to the food in front of them. Elena chanced a look, finding Veronica doing the exact same thing. The two girls wore identical smirks, barely supressing their giggles.

Once their laughter subsided, Veronica turned to their mother conspiratorially. "Come tomorrow Elena's venturing out into the big bad world of extracurriculars once more."

"Really?" Hermione swivelled her head in Elena's direction, surprised at the news.

Elena nodded, slightly uncomfortable by both of their probing stares on her, but continuing forth regardless. "AV Club. I already know Dilton Doiley who runs it, we get paired together a lot in classes. So a familiar face will be there at least."

"Is it just you two?" Veronica queried.

Elena shook her head. "No. There's a boy called Ben and a girl called Ethel I've seen in there with him. I've never really talked to them but they seem nice." Oh god what if they weren't nice? It was just occurring to her now. The worst feeling in the world was forcing yourself to be chatty and all extrovertish all while knowing the other person didn't like you one bit. They'd see her as invading their safe place wouldn't they?

"Mija." Hermione smiled gently.

Elena met her Mom's eyes, an all too knowing look in them.

"Don't be nervous."

Elena blinked in surprise. She hadn't realised she'd been letting her anxiety show around her. She relaxed her tensed shoulders, all while tapping out a rhythm with her right foot as she tried to explain her innermost thoughts to two of the most self-assured people she knew. "My brain would like to disagree." She joked, smiling sheepishly. "It's this automatic thing it does around strangers-" or her father "-where it spits out a bunch of scenarios of every horrible thing they're planning or say or do to me."

"What are they gonna do, not let you work on a speaker?" Veronica teased.

"Maybe." Elena reasoned with a shrug. "If they don't like me they could try and freeze me out. Get me to quit." People, especially new people, scared Elena more than she cared to ever admit. They had so much power of her, that it was kind of embarrassing.

"Elena don't be silly, you'll be fine." Hermione assured her sweetly, a gesture that while not entirely helpful touched Elena nonetheless. "I'm sure they'll be perfectly nice."

"Thank you." Elena smiled gratefully, digging into her food once more in a bid to distract herself.

The topic of conversation shifted on to other things, with Veronica and then Hermione regaling her with some stories from her day. Elena happily listened along, chiming in when she had something to say, and before long an assuring sense of contentment settled into her mind and body. This felt right. Being with them, having dinner with them, talking about ordinary things like school and decorating and her mom's hobby of being the world's number one Glamerge egg collector.

"Don't be alarmed if one happens to end up on eBay." Elena joked as the three of them finished the last of their food, earning a fond eye roll from Hermione. "So me and Nell are getting a new roommate."

Both Veronica and Hermione looked up at that. "Really? Who?" Hermione pressed, her brows furrowing curiously.

"Cheryl's brother." Elena replied. "Him and Nell go way back so he's staying with us while he tries to patch things up with her."

Her face unmoving, Hermione eyes widened ever so slightly as she registered her words. "He's staying with you?"

Elena nodded in response, eyes trailing to her phone that still had yet to light up with a phone call or text. "Yeah. I haven't seen him yet but Nell will be back from the airport with him by now. Cheryl found out and went to go see him. Odds are it wasn't pretty. I'm just waiting to hear from her."

"Eeek." Veronica pulled a sympathetic face. "Poor Cheryl. Give her my best, will you?"

Elena smiled gratefully, touched by the gesture. "Of course." Realising her Mom still hadn't said anything, Elena swivelled her head back around to Hermione. "Mom?" Hermione was staring straight ahead, seemingly lost in deep thought. What had she suddenly checked out for?

A second later Hermione shook herself out of it, plastering on a smile once more. "Hmph?"

Elena stared, utterly confused by her reaction. "Where did you go just now?"

"Oh nowhere." She dismissed, rising from her seat to gather up their plates. "Now how about dessert?"

An hour after her dinner with Hermione and Veronica, Elena somehow found herself outside the Cooper residence for the first time in months.

She'd been a semi-regular when Polly had still been attending school, but she had always done her best to avoid going over in a bid to avoid Alice. It wasn't that she was afraid of her or anything, but it was evident the woman didn't like her. She'd made more than a few thinly veiled digs at her when they'd been in the same room as each other, and now that Elena knew she'd been acquainted with her Mom, she now knew the source of her dislike for her. Elena knew for a fact that her Mom had been a mean girl in high school, so the odds of her seeding some sour grapes were astronomically high.

Elena steeled herself as she knocked on the door, preparing herself for some snide comment about how often she repeated clothes or about how scrappy she was. Thankfully it was Betty who answered the door, her shoulders relaxing as she welcomed Elena inside. "Thank god. She's upstairs."

"Where's your-"

"Not here."

There is a God.

"So she's here why exactly?" Elena queried, hurrying up the stairs after Betty.

"Something about making me over being a "much needed distraction." Betty shrugged as they reached the landing, pulling open her bedroom door to reveal Cheryl shamelessly admiring herself in Betty's mirror.

"Here she is!" Betty announced, the relief that she was no longer alone evident in her tone. Elena snorted, shaking her head to herself.

Cheryl looked up at once, brightening at the sight of Elena. "Ellie!" she squealed, a blur of sparkly eyeshadow and shiny lip-gloss as she enveloped Elena in her embrace. As they detangled themselves, Cheryl leaned forward and kissed Elena in greeting. Elena's hand flew to her cheek, softly caressing it as Cheryl held the kiss for a few seconds too long, an action Elena didn't doubt was an attempt to make Betty uncomfortable.

Elena eased herself away, shooting her a knowing look as Betty found herself suddenly fascinated with the ceiling. "Sweetie I know we're out to Betty but I don't think she wants a show."

Cheryl grinned wickedly, a tiger about to latch on to its prey. Elena saw her about to open her mouth, and threw her hand over it in alarm. Cheryl's eyes danced with mischief, a look that made the corners of Elena's mouth tug upwards despite herself. "You-" Elena ran her tongue over her lips, suddenly aware of the tangy flavour that was now on them. "Is this lime flavoured lip-gloss?"

Cheryl nodded as she pulled her hand away, inclining her head towards Betty. "A Betty special. We've been making each other over, haven't we bestie?"

As Elena's eyes met Betty's once more, it was only then that she truly registered Cheryl's handiwork on Betty's face. "Oh my." A hand flew to Elena's mouth. Heavy eyeliner, rouge and a generous amount of red lipstick coated Betty's lips, a look that bar her blonde hair made her look like a Cheryl clone. The look of despair Betty was wearing spoke volumes.

Cheryl shrugged as Elena looked over at her, flouncing carelessly on to Betty's bed. "I decided we should bond."

As she'd been leaving the Pembrooke, Elena had received the world's strangest selfie from Cheryl. Her arm had been thrown around an under duress looking Betty, as they posed together in what looked like the blonde's bedroom. Said selfie had been followed up with an S.O.S from Betty, with a plea for her to come at once.

Still stretched out on Betty's bed like a cat on a lazy Sunday afternoon, Elena walked over and poked Cheryl teasingly in the ribs. "Will you be dyeing her hair red next?"

Cheryl grabbed her hand before she could pull it away, interlacing their fingers as she rolled her eyes at her. "You doubt my makeover skills lover of mine?"

Elena bit back a laugh, grabbing a makeup remover packet by Cheryl's head and tossing it to Betty. "I do when you're using all the wrong stuff for her skin tone."

Cheryl mock gasped, a hand flying to her chest. "How dare you!"

"I know! The gall!"

"I demand another kiss as an apology."

Elena was all too happy to comply, leaning over to smooch her girlfriend once more. Elena giggled as she pulled away, noting the slight smudging of her lipstick on her upper lip. Elena sat herself down on Betty's bed, turning to a now fresh-faced Betty with a grin. "She hasn't been running you too ragged has she?" Cheryl let out a noise of outrage, giving her a gentle shove to the side. However this only served to make Elena giggle loudly at her expense.

Betty opted not to answer, instead settling into her dressing table chair. "We ah-" She smiled nervously, scratching at her wrist. "We were talking about Polly."

Elena raised a questioning brow as she looked down at her girlfriend, but Cheryl gave her a perfect look of innocence. "As I was saying Bettykins, given my Ellie's insistence upon your sister's innocence, I've elected to take her off of my list of suspects." Cheryl patted Elena on the shoulder. "Ever the champion of the Cooper folk aren't you baby."

"Maybe I should get that printed on a card." Elena pondered aloud, all while trying not to squee happily. SHE CALLED ME BABY!

"Thank you." Betty smiled gratefully, which Elena returned with a sheepish one of her own.

"So how did dinner with Mama Lodge and Public Enemy Number One go?" Cheryl queried, making Elena cringe at the latter term. Gee I wonder what else they were talking about? Elena didn't miss Betty's peaked interest, her head rising slightly at Cheryl's question.

"Great actually, it was really nice getting to hang out with them again one on one. We felt... familyish." Elena smiled, her chest warming as she recalled everything they'd talked about. "Plus there was minimal mention of my father, which is always a bonus."

"Your father?" Betty pressed curiously.

"They hate each other!" Cheryl snickered, giggling between her hands.

"I'm sure that's not true." Betty attempted to assure her. Elena was deeply touched by her kind words, but she had to vehemently disagree.

"Oh no, he does." She argued, laughing at the wide-eyed look of shock that enveloped Betty's face. If I don't laugh about it I'll cry. "He got his in the end though, so-" Elena flung herself down on to the bed beside Cheryl, trying her best to give off an air of apathy she didn't truly feel. "-I'm good."

"But why does he hate you? I mean that's-" Betty stared, bewildered.

"Utterly in keeping with narcissists who view their rebellious kids as extensions of themselves?" Elena supplied, her heart thumping wildly the same way it always did when she let herself think about her Dad. She had thought about it a lot, why he hated her. Was it for not staying a pliant little people pleaser he could mould into whatever he wanted? Saying all the quiet parts out loud? For trying to admit to him that she wasn't a perfect Lodge like her Mom or Veronica? Well she hated him right back. She'd gone easy on him that last day, spitting out whatever vicious comeback she could think of in the heat of the moment. But now she'd had time to sit with it and some therapy sessions to boot, Elena knew she wasn't afraid of him anymore. She had Nell, Cheryl, Jughead, her Serpent friends and maybe even Betty now too. What did he have, really? Her Mom already had one foot out the door with the money gone, and the kind of stain he'd left on their family didn't wash out.

So she would laugh at him. Make jokes at his expense and about how he treated her no matter how uncomfortable it made people. She'd paid fifteen years worth of dues. Dealing with perverts, losing her best friend to his world, not seeing her Mom and Veronica, and fighting everyday just to keep her head above water. Maybe she didn't know the specific reason as to why he hated her, but she damn well knew why she hated him. She'd have to live with the trauma for the rest of her life.

Betty blinked in surprise at her answer. "And your Mom and Veronica still talk to him?"

Elena nodded as she sat up, resting her weight on her arms.

"Doesn't that bother you?"

Elena did her best attempt at a careless shrug, an alarm sounding in her mind that she was fast approaching dangerously vulnerable territory. "And what would I say?" She couldn't control their respective relationships with him, even if she admittedly had been wondering for the past few days how on Earth they were both still so cordial with him.

"That he's a raging dick?" Betty offered.

Elena let out a roaring laugh of incredulity alongside Cheryl, making the blonde turn red. "My, my Sandra Dee!" Cheryl crowed.

"Sorry Betty, I just-" Elena shook her hand. She grinned, tapping the other girl's leg with her foot. "Anyone ever tell you you're great at cutting through the bullshit?"

"You're the first." Betty laughed, her embarrassment easing as she realised Elena was laughing with her rather than at her.

"Well you are." Elena rose to her feet, determined to rise to the occasion as she realised just how well this was going. They were laughing and talking and bonding! In a bid to keep the momentum going, an idea occurred to Elena. "Care to try your own makeover skills on me?"

"Sure." Betty nodded, her smile so sunny and glittery it made Elena's heart warm like a toasty fire. Betty stood up and directed her to her seat, carefully eyeing the contents of her makeup bag that had been messily spilled out on to the table. Cheryl's work no doubt. A second later she settled on some light pink eyeshadow, and soon began her work.

"Pink looks fetching on you Elena, I must say." Cheryl drawled as Betty finished, Elena opening her eyes to find them both looking at her in admiration.

"What do you think?" Betty asked, as Elena turned to look in the mirror. "Too much?"

Elena shook her head. Though she'd often dismissed pink in her general makeup choices, she had to admit that when subtly used it had a beautiful effect. "No that's so pretty!" Elena admired herself once more, a sparkly, happy sensation filling in her chest that she wasn't really used to. Oh! She liked this! She liked it a lot! "Where'd you get this?" She queried, taking the eyeshadow from Betty's hand to look at it closer.

"The Sephora at the mall," Betty clarified.

"I sense a trip there on our next visit." Cheryl observed, an amused smile tugging at her lips. "We'll make a beauty influencer of her yet."

Elena pulled a face at that, which only made Cheryl's smile grow wider. Without warning she launched into Elena's lap, tucking a finger under her chin whilst she exclaimed in surprise. "Right! I forgot! She who swears off social media and modern day devices like a boomer hopelessly traipsing through an Apple store."

"Really?" Betty stared.

"I don't even have Instagram anymore." She replied with a shrug, leaning to the left of Cheryl in order to see Betty. "I know like five people and they all live near me anyway. I like non soul sucking devices though."

"The nerds are going to love her!" Cheryl declared, her pride evident as she sweetly kissed Elena on the cheek. Betty smiled at the action, touched and a little wistful.

"Hey." Elena realised, lowering her voice a little as she laid her chin on Cheryl's shoulder. "You never told me what happened with Patrick."

Cheryl's face tightened with displeasure, a cold focus in her eyes that told Elena she was in the midst of putting her mask back on. Cheryl fiddled with Elena's fingers, her voice deceptively carefree. "It... Went."

"Oh." That bad then.

Later. She mouthed, before gently pecking her on the lips. Her head swivelled around to Betty, a woman on a mission. "Betty how about you and I try to tame the overwhelming plainness of Elena's nails?" She asked, lifting up Elena's hand by the wrist to display them to her. "Nails with no nail polish are a wrong that must be rectified."

"Sure let me look." Betty took a few moments to gather together her nail polish collection, all varying shades of pastel colours all while Cheryl lounged lazily in Elena's lap. Though Elena loved the casual bit of intimacy Cheryl was comfortably displaying around Betty, she looked to be in a pensive mood as she settled against Elena's chest, her mouth in that firm line it always went into when she was puzzling over something difficult but didn't presently wish to discuss it. Elena sighed at the sight, kissing her brow as she willed whatever pain her girlfriend was in from this reunion to evaporate all together. It made Elena's anticipation in meeting this elusive brother of hers skyrocket. Who was this guy, who had caused Cheryl so much pain and yet was spoken of so fondly by Nell? The truth had to lie somewhere in the middle.

"Okay I think that's all of them." Betty announced, pulling up a chair to sit across from Elena and Cheryl.

Elena saw her smiling at them in that same way once more and tilted her head in concern. "You okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, fine." Betty waved off her concern, setting the last of her nail polish bottles down. Elena gave her a knowing look, telling her exactly what she thought of that blatant lie. No. You're not. You can talk to me about it, I'm not going to make fun of you.

"It's just-" Her face shifted as she thought over how her best to word it. "How did you two even know you'd work together? You have such contrasting personalities."

"I dazzled her with my amazing humour." Elena crowed, tossing her hair over her shoulder.

Cheryl let out a loud snort at that. "Oh please, I date you in spite of your god awful sense of humour. But to answer your question Betty, you simply find your person and let the rest take care of itself."

"Just like that?"

Elena held up her hands in surrender. "Finding them is the most difficult part, but after-" Elena turned to look at Cheryl, who to her delight was staring at her with the same gentle adoration. "Things have a way of working out." Elena shook herself out of her reverie. "Even when you're dating a prima donna."

"Or the world's biggest hermit." Cheryl interjected, giggling as Elena poked her in protest. "Why the questions Betty? Moving on from your one-sided love for Archie already?"

"Well-"

Elena and Cheryl looked to each other in sync, knowing smirks on their faces as they seized on Betty's single word. "Tell us everything and do not leave a single stone unturned!" Cheryl ordered, eyes wide with delight.

Betty looked uncertainly between them, before finally squaring her shoulders. "Jughead."

A hand went straight to Elena's mouth, barely able to contain her delight at the confession. "OMG!" Why did that weirdly make sense?

Cheryl laughed in delight. "Him?" Cheryl glanced at Elena. "I could see it? Could you?"

"I could." Elena agreed.

"What's his type?" Cheryl pressed. "Being as you have the inside scoop."

Elena merely shrugged in response. She'd never seen Jughead with another girl before, much less express interest in one. "No idea, he's not really one for talking about girls to me. But I know he's single."

"And potentially looking to mingle!" Cheryl enthused, wiggling her eyebrows.

"You're both ridiculous." Betty dismissed with a warm chuckle, fingers hovering briefly over the nail polish before finally selecting a light blue, pastel red and the most Betty looking pink nail polish Elena had ever seen.

Elena caught Betty's eye as she held out her hand for her to take, a happy twinkle in her eye. Thanks for opening the door for me.

No problem. Her smile seemed to say back.

Betty Cooper had a knack for nail art, who knew?

As Cheryl and Elena left the Cooper household an hour later, Cheryl couldn't help but admire the tiny little cherries she'd let the blonde paint on to her nails. She'd used a lighter shade of red than the initial base colour, and had gone on to highlight the whole thing with a little bit of white polish. Nicely done. She'd successfully endeared herself and Elena to the other girl, plus she'd saved herself a trip to the nail salon. Maybe this night was turning itself around.

"That was fun!" Elena grinned as Cheryl pulled out of the Cooper driveway, a happy glow about her that made Cheryl's heart swoon. Seeing her like that with Betty, her shoulders untensed, her hands separated, her mind fully present... It was better than anything Cheryl could have imagined. She felt as though she'd been able to glimpse into the true core of her girlfriend this evening, and see the girl she'd been before everything she'd gone through.

Cheryl snuck her free hand into Elena's to squeeze it, her entire body aglow with pride. "You were wonderful tonight."

"We just talked." Elena dismissed with a wave of her hand, though she was still smiling.

"No. You bonded." Cheryl refuted, grinning as Elena's beaming smile only widened. "Dare I say it, you were-" Cheryl paused for dramatic effect. "Extroverted!"

"Oh no that just sounds wrong." Elena snickered, resting her head on Cheryl's shoulder. "Thank you, by the way."

"For what?" Cheryl asked, feigning ignorance.

"For going over, for sending me that conveniently timed text just as you knew I'd be leaving the Pembrooke. You engineered bonding for me Cheryl Blossom, that's the sweetest thing you've ever done for me."

"Well I did buy you all those sunflowers after our first date." Cheryl countered, a nostalgic smile on her lips. For her and Elena's first date, they'd gone to a flower show in Centreville. It had been the single most romantic thing anyone had ever done for her. The event had been held on the grounds of an old manor house, where they'd toured the event and the surrounding gardens for hours on end. Cheryl had bought two bags worth of seeds for her and Nana Rose's particular patch on the Thornhill grounds, as well two heaving bouquets of red roses that Elena had carried around for the rest of the day without complaint despite them weighing more than the both of them combined.

It had only been on the boat ride home that Cheryl realised Elena hadn't bought anything for herself. Luckily she recalled her mentioning that her favourite flowers were sunflowers, so Cheryl had sought to rectify the situation with some help from Elena's favourite TV show.

A week later, Elena had arrived home to find 1,000 sunflowers had been sent to the apartment. Nell had nearly been buried beneath them after tripping over some, the florists of Centreville still adored Cheryl to this very day and Elena had know then and there that this was a girl she couldn't let get away.

"You're all marshmallow under there Blossom." Elena smooched her on the cheek, staring so lovingly that it made Cheryl's heart thump all the more louder than it already was.

She had to take a few moments to gather herself when she looked at her like that. Like she was this brilliant, beautiful sight to behold that Elena couldn't quite wrap her head around. But one she treasured like a delicate ornament or a timeless historical artifact she wanted to take her time to look at and admire. No one had ever looked at her like that. Like she was worthy. Like the thought of tossing her aside for something else wasn't even a spark of an idea in her mind.

Where did you come from? Cheryl found herself wondering, as Elena hummed along absentmindedly to Cheryl's music playlist. Where have you been all my life and how do I make sure you never go away? That easy display of affection around Betty had been the single most nerve wracking thing in her life. She'd easily feigned her confidence, but that old, scary, survivalist part of her brain had been on edge the whole time, just waiting for Betty to say something about it. Deviant. Filth. This is so wrong. The logical part of her brain knew Betty Cooper had happily embraced Elena's confession to her without so much as a second thought, but her anxiety had been ingrained within her for years. Her mind needed time to catch up with the logic.

But this, this was a start.

Elena wasn't going to leave her for someone she could be out with. She'd seen tonight that she could do this, be a couple around someone that wouldn't out her to her parents. She would wait for the days they could go outside and hold hands, without Cheryl looking over her shoulder. She needed her just as much as Cheryl did.

Cheryl swallowed the lump in her throat, recalling her earlier promise to explain what had happened with Patrick. "I went to the apartment."

"And?" Elena straightened at once, deep concern etched on to her face. "What did you say?"

"I think he's here for the company," Cheryl confessed, her her hands tightening on the steering wheel in anger. How could he do this? Did he seriously think he could just waltz back into her life after everything, after losing the only piece of her family who had cared about her and play her like a fool? All of this, Jason's death, the trouble with the company, the sudden return, the faux concern for her, all added up into one giant neon sign that pointed towards trouble. Well no one got to play Cheryl Blossom. Not him. Not anyone. She would root out the proof she needed of his nefarious intentions one way or another, and then she would send him back to the hole he'd crawled out of.

"Jason's shares, plus the legal technicalities around his own? It's all a perfect storm." Cheryl explained, her teeth clenched with barely concealed anger. "Where's he been all this time? And how's he suddenly pals with Lewis Hamilton and plastering his face all over cologne and designer clothes ads? He hated networking in our circles and my parents left him with nothing! How did he do it?"

"Hard work?" Elena offered, wincing as Cheryl rolled her eyes.

"Oh please. Someone gave him a leg up back into wealth and I'm gonna find out who. As well as proof as to why he's really here."

"Cher-"

"What?"

Elena hesitated, fidgeting with her hands as she tried her best to voice her concerns. "Nell's a pretty judge of character-"

"Nell also talks to birds in the morning." Cheryl sighed. She could already see what she was getting at, but she was resolute in this. And she was not being paranoid.

Elena pushed forward. "All I'm saying is that you and I grew up in homes where we were conditioned to look for the worst in people. To pull them apart, to see what's really going on under the surface. I wonder if maybe, sometimes, all that hardwiring gets in the way of us seeing what's actually going on."

"I'm not paranoid." Cheryl replied.

"I know you're not." Elena assured her, taking her hand back into hers to rub soothing circles into it.

"It's too easy Ellie." Cheryl sucked in a steadying breath. "Seeing him again, it was like some twisted fairy-tale come to life. I lose one brother only for the one I waited years for to return. I can't ever have too much love at once." She attempted to joke, but her bitterness poured through like ink through paper. "I hate him Elena!" She declared, swiping roughly at the angry tears forming in her eyes. "I hate him for leaving and only coming back for money. He's not gonna get away with this!"

She turned to Elena, an idea forming at once. "Is what's her face back from her trip?" If anyone could help Cheryl with her Patrick-sized problem it was her.

"Yeah I think she'll be back by now." Elena had a math tutor at the Riverdale Community Centre, whose main job happened to be as a jet-set private detective. Cheryl knew this as Elena was always excitedly talking about how smart and nice and glamorous she was and about how much it meant to be able to connect and converse in Spanish with another Latina woman after being cut off from her family. "I'll text you her number." She offered, pulling out her phone at once to do so.

"Thank you." Cheryl nudged her, the tension lessening in her body. Even if she disagreed with her on her assessment of Patrick's intentions, it touched Cheryl to know that she was on her side regardless. Her panged painfully as she recalled being able to count on Jason too, who'd looked out for her well being for as long as she could recall.

Later, after bidding goodbye to Elena and parking up outside Pop's, Cheryl began to dial the number Elena had sent her. Along with the number she'd sent the woman's name, a simple blue heart and a kiss emoji following on.

It took only a few seconds for her to pick up.

"Hello?"

"Hi! Hermosa isn't it? This is Cheryl Blossom, Elena's friend. I was hoping to talk to you about a person I need dirt on. Stat. Maybe we could arrange a date to meet in person?"

I will not yell at a stranger for making Cheryl sad. I will not yell at a stranger for making Cheryl sad. Elena repeated over and over in her head like a mantra as she opened her front door, knowing she was entering a different home then the one shed left that morning.

"Hey!" Nell greeted from her place by the oven, giving her a sloppy wave from behind as she began pulling her tray of cookies from the oven. "How was dinner? You were out pretty late."

"It went great!" She exclaimed, dumping her jacket, shoes, bag and keys before making her way fully into the apartment. "Amazing even. It was like someone we'd unpaused how we were before and we were just sitting down and eating like it was any other dinner."

"Awwww!" Nell cooed, setting the tray on the kitchen counter. "I'm happy for you." Nell was grinning as she pulled off her pastel pink oven mitts, watching with delight as Elena inhaled the fumes rising from the cookies. "Good?"

"So good!" Elena moaned, her entire mouth filling with saliva. "You have the gift." She told her faux-seriously, a hand on her shoulder.

"Thanks." She laughed.

"I ended up at Betty's-" For a spilt second Elena thought she saw an odd look on Nell's face, but it was gone before she could pinpoint it. "-with Cheryl and we had a total teen comedy bonding montage going on."

Nell pointed awkwardly over her head to the couch, where a man was laid out on the couch with his eyes closed.

"Don't stop on my account." Patrick sighed miserably, eyes still closed.

"The potato on the couch feeling sorry for himself is Patrick," Nell introduced, rolling her eyes good naturedly as she went to go find some plates. "And the girl you're being totally rude to is Elena!" Nell's voice pointedly rose a few decibels, making the man jolt upright at once.

"Hi." He greeted with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, a slightly British sound clinging to some of his words.

"Hi." Elena waved, smiling awkwardly.

This was Cheryl and Jason's brother, there was no doubt about it. If someone stirred them both together in a pot and threw in Penelope's piercing brown eyes and cheekbones, then the man in front of her would definitely be the result. He looked gentle though, his features soft and inviting, his face an open book. This was the guy that caused all sorts of trouble at school, but would also help an old lady with her groceries. He looked... Kind. A little sad, but sweet. His hair was a clearly dyed light brown, and he was dressed so casually Elena would have had no trouble mistaking him for just another ordinary guy out on the street. But there was something else.

She couldn't quite shake the feeling that she'd seen him somewhere before.

She wracked her brain, trying to reason as to why that was. Sure, she knew he was famous, but Elena didn't know the first thing about F1 and she shunned the wider internet most of the time. Cheryl had never shown her so much as a picture of him, and the Blossoms certainly weren't keeping family pictures of him lying about around Thornhill, when they'd gone as far as to have him painted out of the family portrait. Had Nell ever shown her a picture of him at some point? She couldn't remember for certain.

Elena frowned, pointing a finger. "Have we met? You seem familiar."

Patrick shook his head, not even missing a beat. Shit. The older Blossom boy cursed to himself mentally, willing for his words not to falter. "Not that I recall. Oh I know!" He exclaimed suddenly. "My Calvin Klein campaign! That'll be it. It started rolling out like a month ago. Have you been in a perfume store or mall recently? I'd be worried about overexposure if I didn't look so damn cute."

Well he had Cheryl's self confidence that was for sure.

"I guess that's it." She conceded with a nod, shaking her head to herself. "It's nice to meet you. Nell's told me a lot about you."

"All bad?" He joked.

"You bet!" Nell shouted from the kitchen.

Elena shorted at the exchange, as Patrick began rifling through the suitcase he'd dumped on the floor by the couch. A second later he emerged with a wrapped gift, tossing it over for Elena to catch. "Consider it a thanks for letting a strange guy crash with you gift. Or a please don't hate me gift, whichever you prefer."

"Thanks." Elena smiled, a touch of pity filling her at his tone. He sounded genuinely put out by his reunion with Cheryl, like a little kid with a balloon who'd had it popped right in front of him. "And for the record I don't hate you."

Elena unwrapped the gift at once, peeling the paper away to reveal a book she'd been wanting to buy for weeks. "Wow!" She looked up to find him smiling a little at her reaction, looking rather relieved. Gift giving was his love language just like his sister it seemed. "Seriously thanks, you didn't have to."

"No I did I-" His shoulders deflated. "So did she-"

Elena nodded sympathetically. Cheryl was wrong about him. He hadn't done right by her and Jason, but it was evident to Elena that he wasn't like the rest of his wider family. He had his heart in the right place. This was a guy she didn't have to worry about, in any way, shape, or form. "She told me what happened."

"Have I even got a shot?" He wondered, his eyes brimming with pain. "Tell me now, I'd rather you be honest."

"I think you have, but you'll have to work for it. Hard." Elena emphasised, hoping to get her point across there and then. "She won't just hand you her trust back overnight."

Patrick nodded sincerely, listening to her thoughtfully as he took in what she was saying. "I know. I've got years to make up for. It's probably gonna take me just as long if I know my sister, but I know the reality now. And I'm prepared to do whatever she needs. I-" He took a shuddering breath. "I need to do something. Anything. I- God I can't believe I thought they were safe. I was an idiot."

Elena chewed on her lip, mulling over what he was saying. "Financial protection would be a start. From your parents I mean."

Patrick frowned at that, his brow deep with concern. "Are they-"

"No, no." Elena shook her head. "Physically she's okay, but-" She trailed off, her point clear.

Patrick didn't know that his heart could sink even further, but somehow it did. "If I got something together for her-"

"Maybe she could get emancipated." Elena offered. "Or when she turns eighteen she won't have to rely on your parents for financial security. She could leave the vipers den free and clear." And not have to hide anymore.

Elena could see him filing everything she was saying away, his mind considering every little morsel. "And above all else? Be there for her. Aggressively. Show up for her at school, at practice and cheer games, even when she's telling you to fuck off trying to belittle you. She's gonna try and do everything she can to shove you away, so you'll prove her point about not being there for her. Shove back is what I guess I'm saying." Elena explained, ignoring the painful chord her words struck within her.

"Drown her in love and affection." Patrick nodded gratefully, his face completely serious. "Yeah, yeah I could do that. You know when those practices are?"

"I'll write them all down."

Patrick offered her a deeply awkward thumbs up as a thank you, rearranging himself into a normal sitting position, as Nell came and joined them with three plates of still warm cookies. "All right eat up!" She called, waving Elena over to join them.

Elena sat herself down on the couch arm as Nell sat herself beside Patrick, patting him gently on the shoulder.

What do you think? Nell mouthed over his shoulder.

He seems cool. Elena mouthed back.

Patrick took a bite out of a cookie, moaning happily in surprise. "My god Eleanor!" He cried, taking another ravenous bite at once like he was a college kid with a serious case of the munchies. "You're gonna make some sweet toothed lady really happy one day."

Laughter poured forth at once from Elena, taking a bite of her own as Nell went to turn on the TV. This was going to work with the three of them.

Patrick grabbed another cookie, turning to Nell thoughtfully. "You think I should mail some of these to my Mrs, as a white flag?" It was only then that Elena spotted the expensive looking gold wedding band he was playing around with on his finger, as though to reassure himself that it was still there. Nell had mentioned he was married before. Where was his wife in all of this? Not that it was any of her business, but she couldn't help but wonder.

Nell answered his question with a smack to the forehead.

If nothing else, he was going to keep them both on their toes.