The Side You Don't Hear (1D)

Chapter 3

Alice's POV

The next morning I paced my small apartment what seemed to be a million times.  I kept Clark securely in my arms the entire time, occasionally catching his recently blue-turned-green eyes that could just as easily be mine as his father's.  When I wasn't entranced by how adorable he was, I had my eyes on the door, waiting for the knock that would announce Peter's arrival.  I know Liam had told me to bring Clark along for lunch, but I just didn't think that was the best idea.  Upon hearing the story of last night's phone call, Peter had jumped at the opportunity to babysit, and I greatly appreciated it.  As nervous as I was, it was cut in half knowing that my baby would be safe with someone I trusted.

                The rap on the door took a huge weight off my soldiers as I hurried to open it, smiling at the happy face on the other side.  "Hey there," I said, giving Peter a hug more to settle my nerves than to welcome him.

                "Hey," he responded, hugging me back a little too tightly and swiping Clark from my arms in the process, "And hello to you, my little Superman!"  he greeted the now giggling child, clearly making fun of his superhero inspired name.  I rolled my eyes as Peter started giving Clark's belly a few raspberries, making them both laugh.  I grabbed my jacket and my purse and started making my way over to the door, knowing I'd have to start walking now to make the time Liam text me.

                "Bye Superman," I said, placing a kiss on Clark's head as he continued to giggle, "Bye Spiderman," I joked, giving Peter a kiss on the head, too.  He sent me a death glare, as he absolutely hates when I call him that.  "Hey, if you can do it to my son, I can do it to you!" I defended myself as I backed out of the door and locked it behind myself.  I pulled the hood of my jacket up to its usual place and applied my sunglasses, even though it was way too overcast to need them, and started walking.  Liam just had to choose a restaurant practically clear on the other side of London, and as I turned down Peter's offer to borrow his car, I had to walk there. 

                It was easier to walk briskly when I wasn't pushing around the baby stroller, and the threat of being recognized and mobbed only caused me to walk faster.  I made it to the small, out of the way restaurant Liam had listed ten minutes earlier than expected.  I walked in, planning on waiting at a table in the corner and collecting my thoughts before he actually arrived, but that plan was short lived.  There Liam was, clearly having seen me before I saw him, standing with a dumbfounded look on his goofy face beside a secluded table for two.  I walked over to him, probably looking just as scared and confused as he did.  The two of us stood there starring at each other without saying a word until he seemed to suddenly snap out of it and motioned for me to sit down.

Liam's POV

                I arrived at the tiny restaurant an hour early, unsure about exactly what my plan was.  I must have seemed like an idiot sitting there for so long without ordering and doing nothing but alternate between watching the door and watching my hands wringing on the table.  What was I thinking inviting her to meet me?  Management told all the boys straight up that none of us were to speak or see Alice, except for Harry for specific reasons.  I think it was just too much seeing Harry ignore her calls when she obviously needed something.  She would have never even tried if it wasn't absolutely necessary, and it pained me to think of her in need and being rejected again.  I could clearly remember the pain in her eyes when I said my final goodbye, and it wasn't right to let that pain continue.  This is why I made the decision to sneak Alice's number off of Harry's phone as he changed before we went to the airport.

                I checked the time on my watch for the thousandth time, seeing that it was only ten minutes until 12:30 PM, the time I had sent Alice with this address.  I looked up at the door, dreading and hoping at the same time that she would walk in early.  To my amazement, the door's bell rang and in came Alice, lacking the telltale stroller of her baby.  I instinctively stood, unsure of what to do next.  Her fair skinned cheeks were pink, clearly from her walking too briskly in the cold.  She removed her hood, revealing her long, wavy, dark hair that curled a little more than the rest at the roots pulled back into a sloppy half bun, half pony tail.  She hadn't seen me yet, but I know that when she does, her most prominent feature would take my breath away, the way it always did to Harry.

                Alice turned, scanning the restaurant, either hoping I was there as early as she was or not there at all.  She finally saw me, making eye contact immediately, and I was taken aback.  Her eyes were just as piercingly green as they were the first time I met her two years ago, and they never ceased to amaze everyone.  They were just so bright and purely green, circled by a practically black ring.  Along with her extremely pale skin and practically black hair, she as truly different.  She wasn't the classic model pretty that Harry tended to go for; she was almost seven inches shorter than him and wasn't exactly a skinny little stick person.  It was her face that made her different, but it was her personality that made her a force to be reckoned with.

                I don't know why she had such a hold on me in those first few minutes, but I couldn't bring myself to do more than stare at her as she walked over to our table and stood there just as awkwardly as I was.  Suddenly I snapped out of it, partially at least, and was able to motion her to take a seat across from me.  As she did so, she broke eye contact, allowing me to shake the irrational thoughts out of my head and focus on what I had come here to do.  Before I could say anything to her, she spoke up.

                "Liam, I don't know why you're here, but I just want to make sure you know that I don't need your help or anyone else's." She stated very matter-of-factly.  I had barely situated myself in my chair before she said this, and I was caught slightly off guard.  She didn't need help?  Then why had she been calling Harry so often?  Was it a mistake to make contact if she didn't actually need anything?  No, she must be lying.  She couldn't stand Harry anymore after what he did to her, and she would never have done this without a reason.

                "Are you sure about that?  I know you've been calling Harry quite often and you don't normally do that.  I swear, you can talk to me without me telling Harry or management.  I still care about you and your needs.  If it's money, I've got plenty and you're welcome to as much as you need.  I have resources and can get you anything, all you have to do is tell me what's wrong."  I completely blabbed all of that out.  That wasn't the plan at all.  I really hope I didn't scare her away with that, as it seemed really desperate, even to me.  Her face was extremely uncertain, but I couldn't tell whether that was because I scared her or because she was debating telling me what was truly on her mind.

                The waiter arrived at the table to serve Alice, as I had already told him I was expecting someone almost an hour ago.  She politely ordered a water before they both turned to me for what I'd like to drink.  I asked for a beer, seeing as I was no longer in America and was of legal age to drink in England.  The waiter then walked away, and I looked back at Alice, waiting for her to respond to the crazy blob of information I laid on her.  She was looking down, seemingly out of embarrassment, letting the time pass.  I sat patiently waiting, but then something donned on me.

                "Do you want Harry back?" I asked solemnly.  With that short question, her head shot up and she glared at me.

                "No," she shot at me, but then she looked down again.  I couldn't help but believe that I was at least close to the answer or she wouldn't have reacted as extremely as she had.   I was prepared to wait a long time for her to continue, but she did so almost immediately.  "I just want him to meet Clark.  I may not want Harry in my life, but Clark is too young to make that decision.  A boy needs his father, even if that father is a selfish bastard that won't own up to his own mistakes.  I don't know, maybe I just have an irrational hope that actually holding his child will make Harry realize that he acted too rashly.  But even if that does happen, I would never in a million years take Harry back, not after what he did to Clark and I." 

                She had given me more than I expected her to, but I had been completely wrong about her motives.  She didn't want Harry and she didn't want money.  All she wanted was for her child to properly meet his father, even if it's only once.  I had misjudged her, but the reality made me smile.  Alice was so selfless, at least in my eyes.  Not moments after she finished talking, she stood up with a flourish and left the restaurant, practically running over the waiter that was bringing back our drinks.  She hadn't even stayed long enough to receive her water.

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