Broken Promises / / A Falice Story

Chapter 32

FP eventually calmed down and Alice's tears stopped falling. He took her hand in his and put it closer to his mouth, he only let go after he placed a kiss on it. "I'm sorry." FP whispered. "If you think it's the end-"

"I don't." Alice cut him off. "I just had a moment." She insisted. Alice was confused and seeing how much her behaviour had affected everyone she knew she had to stop with the confusion and with her attitude no natter what.

"If you want I can tell the girls about Charles. You don't have to." FP wiped away what was left of his tears and pulled back so he could see Alice.

"It would be great." Alice said, she didn't want to have to explain it again. "I feel as if I feel more, more affected by his death than you." Alice heard herself and realised it sounded rather harsh. "I don't mean that you aren't, I just-"

"You've had to carry this burden for twenty years, I get it." FP slightly nodded, she was right. He was hurt, but not the way she was. To him Charles was the thought of something that could've happened, but Alice got to hold him, to see him and to lose him as a mother. "But seriously Alice, forget the promises and everything. If you really feel that we're-"

"I don't!" Alice wasn't lying, she didn't feel as if it was over between them, she just felt she couldn't be whole again and despite promising she'd never lie to him she couldn't just tell him that. "I love you, ok? Don't doubt it, I just had a moment."

"Ok." FP forced a smile. He had to do something. He couldn't sit back, not anymore. Alice could never be fine until she was sure no one else could ever hurt her in Riverdale. He knew how to drive Tall Boy out of there, but he didn't know how to do the same to Hal. "Let's go inside. You'll get to relax a bit and I'll talk to Betty and Polly in the meantime, ok?"

"Yeah." As Alice gathered all her stuff from the car FP went and opened up the door for her. Alice got out and when they got inside the kids were all in the living room. Alice went upstairs without saying a word and FP went to them.

"Gladys and JB are still at Pop's?" FP asked and Jughead nodded.

"What's with Charles? Hal was telling the truth, right?" Polly asked and FP nodded. "Why didn't Mom tell us?"

"We wouldn't have judged her." Betty added almost immediately. "We would've had some questions, but we wouldn't have judged her."

"It's been just about two months since we found out Charles was dead. Your mother wasn't in the right place, she was and is mourning. Alice blames herself for what happened to Charles and she didn't want you to blame her too." FP said in one breath and the girls were wondering how Charles died. "He, he ended his own life. Alice was devastated and still is."

"Poor Mom." Betty said as Polly sat down next to her.

"Can we do anything to help her?" Polly asked FP with pleading eyes. "Especially after what happened in court today."

"Assure her she's a good mother, but in a way she doesn't notice." FP sat down across from them. Jughead sat close in silence and listened thinking he might help in some way too. "Ask her for some help with homework or book recommendations, ask about her writing, she started writing again for a little while. Personal life, tell her more about you, but be subtle otherwise she'll know I told you to."

"What about those guys? Is Riverdale safe for Alice?" Jughead asked and everyone turned to look at her.

"Tall Boy has a big ego. I'll get him out of here in a week at most. I promised Alice I wouldn't get involved that I won't hurt him or Hal, but we're past that." FP said and his words scared the kids.

"You can't kill him FP." Polly was the one who had the courage to speak after FP's remarks. "Mom's gonna lose her mind if something happens to any of us, you included. You too so watch it!" She warned Jughead who seemed surprised.

"I'll challange him to a fight, if I win he's out of here forever, if he wins, I'll do whatever he wants. Believe me, I'll win and I won't kill him." FP was sure of that, he worked with him for too long not to know that and it was the only way to help Alice a little bit. "I'll go check on Alice, let me know when JB gets home, ok?"

"Sure Dad." Jughead said and FP left, leaving the kids alone. Jughead turned to his girlfriend and her sister. "Would Alice like, really care if something happened to me?"

"Of course Jug." Betty smiled while Polly smacked him.

"I know Mom's not big in showing her feelings for you because you're dating her daughter, she was the same with Jason. She loves you and adores Jells." Polly said.

"Jells?" Jughead frowned.

"That's how she calls Jellybean." Betty smiled at her boyfriend. "So your idea of joining the Serpents right now, not a good one. Wait a little bit, Mom knows the process, she'll go crazy if she finds out you're doing it. Especially know when Tall Boy's and Hal's biggest missions are to hurt her. They might just hurt you in the process or any of us."

"Ok, but I'm still officially joining them soon."