Betty Cooper didn't know why she did it but when the Cheryl Blossom was sat up dazed in a California king sized bed with tears streaming down her precious cheeks- she pulled out her phone.
Betty called the strongest person she knew, a girl who knew how to handle the heavy shit.
Lilith seemed to appear out of thin air, her dark hair whipping around her from the fury in her steps. Lilith didn't ever mind Cheryl Blossom- if anything she respected the girl. Cheryl never looked weak because she wasn't weak despite all she'd been through and Lilith loved that.
"Cheryl?" Lilith had spoken as she took a seat besides her on the bed.
Cheryl seemed lost as she looked up to her, blue eyes searched across Lilith's with a look she couldn't decipher.
"You give me the word." Lilith said softly but the whole room could see the slight shake in her shoulders.
"I'll make him suffer." She promised with a locked jaw.
Cheryl was beautiful even in her state of depression, she offered Lilith a closed mouth smile.
"I just want to go home." Cheryl said before the girls started to stand, but as soon as Lilith saw the small buckle in the girls knees her anger left her.
Lilith surprised every Northsider in the room when she lifted the ginger, holding her bridal style as the group left the room.
Cheryl laid her head on the girls shoulder, unsure as to why she was being so kind to her when she seemed to hate them all.
It was because Lilith herself had been assaulted once and all she wanted was for someone to care, she wished someone had picked her up and carried her home that night. Instead she had to limp down the streets of Southside, each step pushing the trauma deeper into her soul.
In seconds Sweet Pea's trailer door burst open unexpectedly, Toni and Fangs immediately sitting up from their spots on the couch.
"He's a fucking rapist!" Is the rage filled statement that Lilith spat out once she met Sweet Pea's eyes.
"Some girl got drugged because you didn't let me take him out!" She blamed staring at the boy she cared about.
"What?" Toni asked quickly as she glanced between the two.
"What are you talking about?" Sweet Pea sputtered out as he stood.
"That spoiled brat, Nick!" Lilith threw her arms at her sides.
"He raped Cheryl Blossom!" His eyes flamed at the news.
"I was so close to crushing his esophagus with my own hands and you stopped me." Her hands shook violently as her eyes seemed to burn him.
"Her pain is on you!"
"That's not fair." Sweet Pea said, holding himself back from saying all Northsiders deserved was pain.
"And you think it's fair a girl was raped?" Her eyes seemed to blaze despite the dark room.
"No, Lili." Sweet Pea muttered out.
"Don't Lili me right now," She spoke through gritted teeth, "I want to crush your esophagus right now."
Despite her threat Sweet Pea took large steps towards her until he was right in front of her. Fangs and Toni stared wide eyed as they were worried. It's when Sweet Pea grasped Lilith suddenly by the shoulders and tugged her to his chest their worry faded.
"I'm sorry." He said with a sigh, "Nobody deserves that."
"I should've stopped it." Lilith's arms clasped around him just as tight, her nose burning as tears rose in her eyes.
"Like you said, Baby," Sweet Pea started, "It's about capability."
"If we ever see him again," Sweet Pea grasped her chin in between his fingers to look at her.
"We'll make sure he'll never be able to hurt anyone again." Lilith nodded but the pain in her eyes didn't diminish.
Sweet Pea glanced at his friends over his shoulder but they already knew- they were standing to leave.
"I'm sorry." Lilith said quietly as they passed, feeling guilty at her sudden intrusion.
"No need." Fangs smiled before Toni and he left.
Sweet Pea kept her in his arms for a long moment unsure if she wanted to talk about it or not.
"I want to rip his head off." She said finally.
"I'll let you." Sweet Pea said down at her.
Her blue eyes watched him wearily before they darted away, "Sometimes-"
"What?" He urged her.
"Sometimes when I wake up here I still get scared." She admitted.
"I hate that Cheryl is gonna feel like that too."
"That even when you're with the person you feel safest with there's still that slightest amount of fear." Her lip trembled when she finished.
Sweet Pea's heart pounded with guilt, as if it was his fault that she was scared- as if he had ever done anything to hurt her.
"I would never hurt you, Lili." Sweet Pea swore to her, his eyes shining with unspoken emotion.
"That's exactly my point, Sweet Pea." She frowned.
"I know you would never hurt me." Lilith shook her head.
"Can we go lay down?" She begged, "I want you to hold me."
"Of course, Baby." Sweet Pea agreed quietly before grasping her hand and leading her down the hall.
"Here." Sweet Pea smiled as he held out a shirt from his dresser.
Lilith had changed swiftly, he knew that she didn't want anything sexual, she wanted- needed to be comforted. Cheryl's story had stirred up her own pain.
Lilith glanced down at the shirt once it was on, noticing a small embroidered detail on the pocket of the shirt.
"SP." She smiled a little before meeting him in bed.
"My mother used to initial all my clothes." He laughed a little.
"Even your undies?" Lilith giggled as she snugged in against him.
Suddenly the happy expression on her face changed slightly, "We're you and your mom close?"
Sweet Pea tilted his head in thought, "Yes, when she was sober."
Lilith understood that.
"Most of the time we were just screaming at each other."
Lilith glanced up at him, "You still miss it though, don't you?"
When Sweet Pea glanced down at her she continued to explain.
"You miss it- even the fighting." Sweet Pea blinked at her for a moment before slowly nodding his head.
"Yeah." He admitted, "It's weird."
"Missing hearing her voice so much that I'd settle for listening to her scream at me."
"Rather see her too fucked up to stand rather than not know if she's ever coming back." Sweet Pea blinked as he stared off in his bedroom, as if he could see her in the dark hall.
"I'm sorry she wouldn't get better for you." Lilith whispered, "You deserve someone who would fight it for you."
"Like I'd fight for you." Sweet Pea surprised her by whispering back, "Like you'd fight for me."
"I'd kill for you." Lilith promised as they stared at one another, "Die for you."
Sweet Pea nods to her but her heart keeps pounding.
"I want to be with you." Lilith spoke quickly, "I want you to want to be with me, to see yourself being able to fall in love with me."
"You're already mine, Lilith." He whispered. "All of you."
"Even the survival mode you, the fake you that you need to survive." Lilith felt like she was choking at his words.
"All of you, Lili."
Lilith looked at the ceiling, knowing now is the time to tell him. That she had to tell him her secret.
"Sweet Pea-" Her eyes darted to him only to see his closed.
Only to see him sleeping, his heart seeming to full.
Lilith cried besides him in silence.