Complications // A Falice story

Chapter 51

It was early in the morning of Christmas Eve. Alice was outside FP's house near her car and she was just hugging Jughead good bye. "Bye Alice." Jughead said smiling and after that Gladys told him to get inside and that she'll be right with him in a minute.

"Alice..." Gladys said stepping closer to her. "I hope it works out with you and your dad." She smiled slightly before she hugged Alice and they were both grateful they weren't the kind of son to be wife and ex that fought all the time over FP.

"Thanks." Alice smiled back at Gladys when they parted. Gladys slightly squeezed FP's shoulder on her way inside. "I should get going."

"Yeah." FP said and walked towards the car. He leaned against it and Alice moved right in front of him. "It'll be fine." FP assured Alice before she even had the chance to show that she needed him to do that.

"I'll miss you." Alice moved even closer to FP and he placed his hands on both her arms moving them up and down slowly trying to make her feel a bit warmer and also trying to encourage her.

"What's here not to miss?" FP asked and Alice let out a chuckle then she slowly shook her head in amusement. She looked at his lips for a few seconds before she leaned in and kissed FP deeply.

When they stopped the kiss Alice moved a bit and rested her head on FP's chest. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. He was going to do as much as he possibly could to help her. "I will miss you too, a lot." FP said eventually and Alice smiled even though he couldn't see her.

"Anyway." Alice stepped backwards and looked up at FP. "You have the address of the hotel I'm staying at, I'll call you the moment I make a stop and when I get there. I shouldn't be staying long, I just need some answers."

"Ok." FP nodded. He wasn't going to say more about how he wanted her to spend Christmas with him so badly it hurt because that would definitely stop her from going and he wanted her to do what it took for her to feel better. "Drive safely."

"I love you FP." Alice placed one more kiss on his lips before they walked to the other side of her car and FP opened the door for Alice.

"I love you too baby." FP said just as he closed the door.

The ride was definitely long and Alice stopped just a few times because she wanted to make sure she got a full night of sleep before meeting her father. All the way to Los Angeles Alice thought about how the meeting could go and she had so many scenarios in her head it drove her crazy not knowing how it was going to happen.

~ ~ ~

Alice was sitting outside of the office she was supposed to meet her father. She had just a couple of minutes before going in and she was trying to stop herself from shaking as she took her phone out of her purse and called FP. He picked up almost immediately but he didn't have time to say a word because Alice started speaking. "I'm an idiot. I'm outside this stupid office, I have no idea what to say and I'm going crazy. I need you here, you should've come with me."

"You don't need me there Alice." FP said catching a time where Alice was taking a breath. "Just breathe. If you really thought you needed me there you wouldn't have planned it so close to Christmas."

Alice sighed. It was true, she intentionally planned it so FP couldn't come because she wanted to be just her in that moment, but it would've still been great to have FP there.

"Doctor Russell can see you now Ms. Smith." His assistant at the desk said.

"I gotta go, bye." Alice quickly told FP before she shoved her phone in her purse, took a deep breath and entered the office. "Doctor Russell?"

"That's me and you are-" He said as he turned around then saw her. He knew who she was supposed to be but the name was very common he never believed it could actually be her. "-Alice Smith."

They stood there in silence for a few seconds. Alice was taking in the images of her father, he was in his sixties, but he didn't show it, he was taller than Alice, he had blue eyes, his hair was white because of his age and he was shaven, no mustache or beard. As she took in her father's image he took her. Michael had imagined her his whole life and he had seen her before, but he didn't put two and two together for a long time, and in that very moment he knew it, he knew that in front of him wasn't any Alice Smith, but his own flesh and blood.

"I am, you are, I-"

"You're my daughter." He said as if it was all that simple. Alice's jaw dropped when she heard his words, he knew exactly who she was. "And I'm your dad."