New Beginnings

Chapter 60

What was previously a joyous car ride home with a family high on excitement and celebration of the upcoming arrivals, had turned into a fear induced, bone chilling ride with an suffocating shifting mood that had followed Alice and FP home, fortunately for young Jellybean, she had been completely oblivious to the brewing tension and fear growing between her parents and the unpleasant shift in atmosphere.

"Can we get Pops for lunch?" Jellybean begged as she gleefully began to bounce up and down on the couch.

"Not today JB." FP sternly answered with a mild grouch  as he stormed into the house, his face etched with well disguised panic as he absentmindedly paced around. "Go to your room."

"But I want-"

"Now, Jellybean!" He bellowed pointing towards the staircase, his booming voice practically shaking through the living room as his sudden outburst came as a shock to his daughter and partner, one of which was on the verge of tears, causing FP's face to soften the second he saw the young girls trembling lip.

Before he got a chance to apologise, she had already raced up the stairs.

"Jelly-" FP called out pleadingly as he attempted to follow after before stopping at the bottom step. "I'm sorry!"

However, it was no use and his apology meant nothing as the damage had already been done and the slam he heard come from her bedroom spoke volumes.

"Damn it!" He hissed frustratedly, knocking a fist angrily on the bannister before running his hand over his defeated face and out of place dark locks, a clear indicator to his change in emotion in that moment.

Alice approached FP calmly attempting to reach out, one hand still unconsciously clutching her abdomen in a protective way. "I know you're worried, but don't take it out on her." She practically spat, still taken aback by his rage.

They were both struck with this sudden revelation the same way, and both were on edge filled with fear, the knowledge of it only being a matter of time before the body is identified remaining fresh in the back of their minds.

To think, this morning they were celebrating the scan for their unborn twins going well, how far they had come in their relationship and their families joining and now they were back to square one.

Alice clutched her belly, breathing deeply as her eyes welled up with tears, immediately taking her free shaking hand to her lips.

"Hey-" FP softly spoke, strolling towards her and immediately pulling her into his embrace, comforting her the best way he knew how. "It's gonna be okay. I swear."

However, despite expressing those words with such conviction as he held his shaken girlfriend in his arms, he wasn't convincing himself in that matter.

XXXX

"What the hell are we supposed to do now?!" A frantic Fred uttered out at Hermione, Alice and FP. Alice had called them both over from next door to explain everything, to which they didn't respond well. "It won't be long before they figure out who he is, connect the dots-"

"Relax, Fred!" FP exclaimed, his eyes bulging out and filled with seriousness. "We were careful enough, there was nothing linking us to him, we're not totally screwed here."

He understood they were in a troubling predicament and impossible situation, but he knew as well as anybody else that breaking under pressure now of all times was not going to help. They needed to remain a united front and keep their heads and hearts together.

"Hermione?" Alice timidly uttered, gaining the brunette's attention almost instantly and startling her out of her daze. "What are you thinking?"

"I'm sorry." The raven haired woman softly croaked out, slowly raising her formerly bowed head to lock eyes with her three peers. "I- I can't do this!"

In an instant, she tearfully stormed out of the Smith household with Fred on her tail, leaving a distraught and worrisome FP and Alice alone to process everything.

As their home was emptied, and they took in the sudden quiet and tense filled atmosphere, they shared a mutual glance of defeat before they pulled each other into an embrace.

FP softly stroked Alice's back as she sniffled into his chest, her bump not even stopping her from being as close to him as possible.

"It's gonna be okay Al. I promise."