Falice

Replaced

FP and Hal sat in a cell together, in opposite corners to be more specific. There was a silence but the harsh glares directed at each other was enough to say something. "It's your fault we're even in here," FP broke the silence.

"Don't pin this on me. She loves me now not you. Let it go."

FP threw an ice pack at him. Hal dodged it and didn't retaliate. FP looked away. He pushed himself up and walked over to the bars. He sighed and dropped his head. "He's my son, okay? You didn't need to take him too."

Things were rough now with FP and Alice broken up. Alice moved on and met Hal at the diner. They shared a cup of coffee and hit it off. FP and Alice found it easy to raise Charles without any conflict, that was until Hal entered the picture. FP felt like he was getting replaced. He loved Alice and already lost her. He didn't want to lose their son to Hal too.

Just the other day Alice had arrived to pick up Charles and FP was excited to show her the new jacket he bought him. "Look Charles it's mommy," FP opened the door. He handed him over to her. "Hey, you're going to love this. Hold on." FP walked to his room to grab a baby sized leather jacket. "Isn't this the cutest thing you've ever seen? I had Hog Eye find me a guy that could make them this small." He held it up to show her. "It took a-"

"FP," Alice cut him off. "I didn't really want him to be associated with the Serpents. Hal and I have actually-"

"Hal huh?" FP cut her off now. He wasn't very fond of her boyfriend.

"FP," Alice sighed.

"No, no, go on."

"I know you don't really like him but for Charles' sake can you at least try?"

"Al, I don't see what you see in him. I love-"

"Don't," Alice rose her hand up to silence him. "Just stop. I love Hal, alright? You need to move on too."

"Am I not allowed to love you anymore?"

"I'm sorry," Alice backed away with Charles. "I've got to go. Hal must be waiting." She walked away and FP simply just watched. He looked at the jacket in his hands and tossed aside. He was too stubborn to admit that he was jealous of a preppy northsider.

"Take him too? Charles? He's your son. He'll always be," Hal grabbed the ice pack from the floor and walked over to FP to give it to him. He offered it to him but FP ignored the gesture. "I'm not trying to be that guy."

"Doesn't look like it," FP swerved his head to look at him, putting emphasis on his black eye.

"I met Alice and we hit it off well. I respect that you two are raising him together. I'm not trying to jeopardize that but she's moved on man. Maybe it's time for you too."

"Is she happy?" FP asked. He was curious to know. He grabbed the ice pack back from him and covered his eye. "Did you give her what I couldn't?"

"What do you mean?"

"I know she's always dreamt about escaping the southside. You're a northsider. You should know how that is. A life where you don't have to worry about when you're going to get your next meal or if you're getting one for that matter. Take it from the guy whose father kicked him out the house to live on the streets at the age of sixteen. I didn't want that for him and neither did she. She believed she was lucky to meet a hot shot from the other side of the train tracks. I got left behind and all I can ever just see is you replacing me and doing everything I couldn't."

"Do you still love her?" Hal asked the big question. FP didn't answer it. "Come on. Man to man, do you still love her?"

"I never stopped," FP admitted. Hal sighed. He was going to say something but didn't. "But she fell in love with you. She stopped loving me to love you."

"I love her, I do, but I don't think she loves me. At least not the way she loved you. She's still hung up on you. I know," Hal confessed. "I overheard her talking on the phone one day. She didn't know I came home early. She loves you man but you have to prove that she can depend on you. She's just looking out for your boy. I thought that with time she'd realize that she didn't love you anymore and finally love me like she loves you. But I was wrong. She loves you but you have to fight for her."

"Why are you doing this? Why are you helping me?" FP thought it was odd that he was helping him out.

"Because I want her to be happy and if that means it's with you then let it be. Talk to her when she gets here."

"Thanks," FP put his hand out for him to shake. Hal accepted it and shook it. As if on cue Alice walked into the sheriff's station. Tom led her back to their cell after signing them out.

"I can't believe you two," Alice shook her head disapprovingly. Charles was asleep in her arms. Tom unlocked the cell door and the two men walked out. "What happened to your eye?" Alice touched FP's face. FP looked at Hal from the corner of his eye. He saw Hal nod, telling him to talk to her, before walking out to give them a minute.

"Do you think I'm a bad guy?" FP answered with a question.

"Why would you think that?"

"It just feels like you think I'm a bad father."

"Do you love Charles?"

"Yeah, of course I do."

"You're not a bad father," Alice assured him.

"Is Hal a better man? I think about us and when he comes into my head I just think about how he's not me. A deadbeat southsider who sucks at love."

"That's right you're not him," Alice said and FP frowned. "Let me finish, Forsythe." She continued. "You're not a deadbeat southsider. You're a good man. Someone I loved with all my heart...no, actually someone I love with all my heart."

"You still love me?" FP felt the smile growing on his face. He pressed his forehead against hers. She nodded yes. He slowly leaned in for a kiss. She parted and looked at him. She kissed him back. "I've missed you."

"I missed you too," Alice rested her head on his shoulder. "Maybe it's time to try things again. I was wrong to give you up along with everything else."

"What about Hal?"

"I'll have a talk to him but I choose you. It was always you."

"You're a wild one, Al."

"Back at cha, Jonesy."

Charles woke up and lifted his head up from Alice's shoulder. He looked at his parents. They looked at each other and smiled. They kissed his cheek and he giggled.

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100K reads! That's crazy! Thank you to everyone who has read my work and left very nice comments. It means a lot to me. I appreciate it very much. I love the positivity I've been seeing, it motivates me to keep writing. Again, thank you all very much.