You Can't Hurry Love

8| No More Secrets

Alice decides it's time to talk to FP; it's now or never. She had mentioned it to Hermione who had made up an excuse to pull Fred out of the office so they could talk privately.

She can see him from the window, working on paperwork at his desk. He looks up to see her approaching the office and waves at her with a sweet smile to come in. A smile that makes Alice start to reconsider coming here, but it's too late to turn back now. She's made it this far.

Alice pushes the door open and lets herself in.

"Hey, didn't know you were stopping by." FP gestures for her to take a seat. "Fred and Hermione aren't here though. They're at a meeting."

"I was actually hoping to run into you."

"Really?" They still aren't in a good place, at least that's what he believes. They're getting along now, but he has no idea how she feels about him. Is she still mad at him? Are they officially okay?

"Yeah, I wanted to talk to you about something. I know we really haven't had the chance to before." She gets distracted by the piece of art safely kept in a frame on his desk. "Did Charles make that?"

"This?" FP turns the frame. "Yeah, it's cool, right? He made me a portrait. He calls it Mr. Army Man." He chuckles. "It's nice to have something up on my desk now. Adds a little pizzazz, don't you think? I even get to rub it in Fred's face. He may have a picture of his fiancée to look at, but I've got a Charles original. Guess which one is worth more."

"That's really sweet of you." He isn't making this conversation any easier for her.

"So, what's up?" He turns the conversation back to its original topic. Alice freezes. She doesn't know if she can do it anymore. "Alice?"

"I'm sorry," She breathes out. It takes everything in her to not break down into tears. She wants to tell him everything, but how? How can she put it into words?

"For what?"

"For everything I've done to you. I know I don't deserve your forgiveness, but I'm very sorry. I had no right to treat you the way I did. I'm sorry I didn't tell you-"

"Stop," FP reaches over his desk for her hands. "It should be me who apologizes. I'm the one who upset you. I know I screwed up. Big time. I care about you, Al. I really do. I'm sorry for having hurt you. I was stupid and it's not fair that it effected you. If I could turn back time, I would. I would go back and fix things between us because if I'm being honest losing you wrecked me. I take full responsibility for jeopardizing what we had. I know I should have been more clear with where we stood. I'm a fucking idiot. I know. Losing you was one of my biggest regrets."

"You regret losing me?"

"Yes, you're the one thing I did right and somehow I managed to screw that up."

"I did care about you, too. I was heartbroken when I found out you just left. You didn't even say goodbye."

"You don't think I know how it feels?" His eyes blur. "One day I'm watching you with Hal and the next you're gone. I didn't get a goodbye either."

"It wasn't meant to be a goodbye," Alice shakes her head. "I guess you can piece it together now that you met my son, as to why I left. I left to have him."

"I knew you were pregnant, Al. Why didn't you tell me? We would have been there for you. You wouldn't have needed to leave."

"What?" He knew?

"I overheard you telling Hal in the hall the night of the homecoming dance. I was walking to the back to grab the rest of the equipment for Fred. That's when I heard you tell him you were pregnant."