Broken Promises / / A Falice Story

Chapter 15

"I don't want to lay in bed without you, but I can't lay in bed with you." Alice whispered between sobs. She wanted to be in FP's arms, but she was incredibly grateful he gave her the space she needed.

"It's ok, that's fine Alice. We've got all the time in the world." FP said and she managed to look up at him. She didn't feel as if she would ever be the same so it took everything she had not to laugh in FP's face and tell him that.

"You got a call, who was it?" Alice asked and FP told her the truth. Lying to her about anything was never a good idea. "So they're free? They're walking freely and I can barely talk without having a breakdown?"

"You can press charges, you can try to fight them in court-"

"No!" Alice shook her head. "No evidence FP, who would believe me? Going against my ex-husband and one of the men that it's clear to everyone that I've hated for such a long time isn't gonna work. No jury would ever believe me."

"I'm sorry." She was right and FP didn't know what to say. "If you want I'll talk to Sierra, see if she thinks-"

"I don't have a chance! I can't win! And even if I do win the case, what's gonna happen? Is Hal gonna have his dear friend Hiram kill me? Or torture me? Or rape me again? Wasn't two men enough? Do I need a third one treating me like I'm just a piece of meat?" Alice was so angry, she felt sorry for herself, she wanted to be strong and act as if it never happened, but it was impossible.

"Whatever you wanna do I'm here for you. I'll always be, I will move mountains if I have to Alice. And I mean it in the most literal way." FP was dead serious. Even if she asked him the impossible he would try to do it. "They'll pay for what they did to you, I can promise you that."

"You can't do anything." Alice said seriously. Her tears stopped from falling, instead fear clouded her eyes. "I don't want to lose you and if you let anger get the best of you that's what will happen."

FP stood up and moved to the edge of the bed, far enough from Alice so she wouldn't feel uncomfortable. He pressed his palm on the sheets between them and Alice stared at his hand as he spoke. "You won't lose me, not now not ever. Ok?"

Alice placed her hand next to FP's. They weren't touching each other, but it was as close as Alice felt she could get in that moment. "You're my rock." She looked up at him with teary eyes. "Don't do anything, please."

"I won't."

FP was gonna keep his promise to Alice, but he hated that he had to. For a whole week she didn't leave the bedroom unless she had to go to the bathroom. She barely ate and slept. Alice seemed to get smaller and smaller by the day, the bags under her eyes became more and more visible and the redness around them started looking painful to FP. He had to get her out of there, he had to make Alice do something or at least talk, she didn't say another word about what had happened.

But Alice was ahead of FP. He was trying to come up with something with the kids downstairs when they heard Alice descend there. "I thought we could order takeout."

"Sure Mom." Polly was the first to speak. She had been so angry ever since they got Alice back because she wanted to go to her father and ask him some questions, but FP wouldn't let her. She could've gone either way, but she didn't want to go alone and FP wouldn't go with her, neither would Jughead or Betty.

"How's school Polly? Are you keeping up?" Alice asked as she walked to the furthest armchair from them and sat down on it while Polly started talking about her studies.

Everyone's eyes were on her and Alice felt like a weird animal at the zoo. She just wanted to cry when she saw everyone look at her that way, but she did her best not to. "It's great then honey." Alice said after Polly finished her rant about how well she was going.

Betty and Jughead were met with the same questions and they were glad to answer. The teenagers got in a small argument about the high school's paper and Alice ended up looking at FP. "Pizza?"

"I'm craving Pop's." Alice forced a smile. "Burgers, fries, milkshakes."

"Great." FP said and put his phone on the coffee table close to Alice. She was the one that knew everyone's orders by heart, she was always the one ordering. Alice picked it up and did what she usually does as FP watched her.

He could see her leg bouncing up and down. Being downstairs was an effort for her, he knew that. She wasn't wearing her clothes, Alice was wearing his. They were bigger and covered every inch of her skin and even more. 'Those animals broke you.' FP thought. He couldn't say it out loud, he couldn't even show emotion while thinking about it because it would've made Alice tear up. 'But you're still standing. You can't fall Alice, I won't let you fall.'

"You always change it FP, vanilla or chocolate?" Alice asked as she covered the end of the phone.

"Vanilla." FP smiled. Alice would always finish her vanilla milkshake before actually eating. He stopped giving her his a while ago, but this time he decided to give it to her before actually having it himself.

"Yes, and two vanilla milkshakes please."