Broken Promises / / A Falice Story

Chapter 71

Six months later

Alice was sitting in a booth at Pop's across from Hermione. She was playing with her food as Hermione watched her closely. She could tell something was in Alice's mind and she wanted to talk about it just as much as she wanted to keep it for herself.

"So what's bothering you?" Hermione eventually asked and Alice sighed knowing that the moment she decided to go out with Hermione there was no turning back.

"One time FP and I spoke about what to do in case something like this happened." There was nothing in his will and they only spoke about it because they saw it in a movie and were curious what each other's answers were. "He said he'd want to be kept on the machines for a year and if there's no improvement then..." Alice didn't finish her phrase, she couldn't get the words out, but Hermione understood.

"So you're gonna pull the plug on him in two months?" Hermione asked in a neutral tone. Keeping FP there like that was draining Alice, she was living on two hours of sleep per night, only eating when she felt she was gonna pass out if she doesn't. She was a shell of her old self, but she masked it well. Make up, she chose her clothes carefully so it wouldn't show how much weight she lost and that smile on her face that was there so many times, but it was an act.

"His wish is that I do." Alice stopped for a moment. She felt sick to her stomach only thinking about it. "But it's my fault he's in a coma. It's selfish I know, I'm selfish. But I can't let him die."

"Did these past ten months feel as if he were alive Alice?" Hermione asked with emotion filling her voice. "If you're worried about the kids, then you can stop. They've adjusted to life without FP, kids generally do that faster than adults. Everyone understands he's not coming back so you can let him go."

Alice stared at Hermione in disbelief. She wanted to be told to have hope that he'd wake up, that he'd be with them again, not that she should give him up. Even if the words were lies she needed to hear them. "I gotta go."

"Alice, I'm sorry if-"

"It's ok."

Two months later

Exactly a year passed since FP fell into a coma and they were all there. Jughead, Jellybean, Betty, Alice, Polly, Hermione, Fred, Sam and Hog Eye. All of them gathered around his bed. Everyone said a little something, whether they did it quietly or for the others to hear, well everyone except Alice. After a while Sam and Hog Eye suggested it was time to go.

"Wait, Alice has to do something." Jughead said simply surprising all of them. Alice looked at him confused. "It's been a year, it's done, pull the plug."

Alice turned to Hermione who said she didn't tell Jughead a word about it so Jughead explained how he knew from Archie who overheard Hermione talking to Fred about it. "Can I have a moment with Jughead please?" Alice asked and the others were happy to step out of the room.

"It's Dad's wish, pull the damn plug Alice, I'll go get the doctor myself." Jughead wanted to stop all of that. Hope was thrown out the window in his case the moment FP fell into the coma.

"Would you pull the plug on Betty?" The thought of that decision needing to be made made Alice's heart skip a beat, luckily it was just a theoretical situation to prove a point.

"If that were her wish yes." Jughead said without hesitation surprising Alice.

"Then you're stronger than I am." She paused for  a moment to gather her thoughts. "I won't do it, it's not time."

"When will it be time? When you feel like it? Stop thinking about yourself and think about us too!" Jughead said in all seriousness, without screaming. "Is Jellybean gonna spend the next few Christmases until she goes to college in a hospital room? And birthdays and everything because you're weak?"

"I don't expect you to understand me. But up to now I've been respectful and I've kept my mouth shut because you're suffering. I'm done doing that. You've made it clear this-" Alice gestured towards FP. "-is my fault. And you can't make me feel worse than I already do. So let me do what I think I should. I apologise if you don't think this is right, but this time I'm doing something for myself and not for anyone else."

"You know what? I don't care." Jughead was angry, for a year he had been angry with Alice for what had happened and he hated that because he wanted what Alice and Jellybean had. He wanted to be a kid and to talk to her, be close. But something was making him act in the exact opposite way. "To me now you're just like Mom, a waste of time."