Alice winded her way down the small streets of riverdale. The station manager had given her two extra assignments and she had to clean out some old stories that didn't go anywhere.
Basically the station needed a janitor or they pay Alice for both...which they don't.
In her head she was going to tune out the two teenagers that were in her house and relax in a warm bath. After the day she had she might enjoy a glass of wine...or two.
"Betty I'm home." She called dropping her purse and hanging her coat up. "Betty, Veronica?" She called again but no response.
She walked into the kitchen to find a note saying he girls had gone to Pops and to expect them later.
She didn't know when Betty had become her own parent, but at the moment she wasn't complaining. She unlocked the bar cabinet and grabbed her favorite bottle of wine and a glass.
She headed straight for the bathroom. Lighting a few candles putting on some old slow jams. She heard the front door open and close.
Alice decided it would be best to grab some clothes just Incase Betty decided she was going to barge in unannounced.
She pulled her drawer open pulling out a pair of shorts until her hand hit a book. She looked at the cover shocked. She hid that book away along time ago deciding to never open it again.
"Elizabeth!" She yelled slamming the drawer shut and quickly pulling on her robe. "Where in Gods name did you find this?" Alice growled walking closer to the guilty faces.
"Well I may have...asked Hermione about the past and...that happened." Betty stood small scared to look her mother in the eyes.
"Damnit Hermione." Alice mumbled holding the bridge of her nose between her fingers trying to suppress her growing headache.
"Look mom I know I have a brother and...and I deserve to know more." Betty stood tall gaining confidence in her decision. "You have no right invading my privacy. Who do you think you are digging up my past?" Alice scoffed and threw the diary on the counter.
"Well if your mad now your going to kill me tomorrow." Betty chuckled nervously. Alice eyed the two girls furiously. She couldn't be mad at them really, but the thought of him makes flames rise in her body.
"I invited him over for dinner tomorrow and I gave him your work address." She backed up behind the kitchen table getting ready to run.
Alice took a deep breath before looking down at her past. She should be mad that he's coming...but why does a small sparkle of hope come out of her eyes.
"He loves you." Veronica whispered daring to speak. "Ya right. He never did." Alice scoffed pushing the journal further away.
"He had to leave. I'm sure he will tell you it all tomorrow, but Mrs. S...he truly does love you. He never stopped." Veronica gave her a sad smiled and went up to Betty's room.
"I can't believe you right now." Alice glared at her daughter and stormed to her room with the book. The bath was still hot, so she stepped in letting the heat take over.
Alice opened the cover seeing the first fight. She almost lost him then, but love won that battle. All these words she once wrote brought tears to her eyes.
How could she love a man this much but not have him. Dinner could...no it will change everything.
~~~~~~~~
"Mom, I'm surprised you are here." Betty smiled with shock. Her mother was walking down the stairs in a black dress that she could have sworn she has never seen before.
"Well he's coming over...maybe, so I might as well participate." She shrugged secretly excited and mad to see him again.
The door bell rang and she went to open it since Betty is setting the table. He's here...after years and years he is on her front door step in a nice shirt and jeans. Her first reaction is to slap him, but on the other hand she wants to kiss him.
She smiled politely and baked away from the door letting him in. "Hi Mr. Jones I'm Betty cooper." Betty smiles extending her arm to her brothers father. "I assume you sent the invitation?" He chuckled and glanced at Alice who roled her eyes walking into the kitchen.
"Your right...listen I'm about to do something crazy so ahead of time, I'm sorry." Betty smirks and pats his shoulder walking out the door.
He watches her leave in disbelief. She shuts the door behind her leaving FP by himself.
He wanders into the kitchen to see Alice setting dinner out. "My daughter left?" Alice didn't look up she knew if she did she would melt.
"She um...ya." He sighed standing there awkwardly. "I think I should go I mean..."
"No you can stay, I think we have some things to talk about." She hissed and mentally cursed herself for allowing him to stay.
FP nodded and sat in the closest chair. "Would you like to explain yourself or should I ask?" Alice sat down, glass of wine already in her hand.
"First...I love you"
"You don't have the right to tell me that anymore."
"Can I talk?" He calmly asked. She didn't change one bit inside or out. She nodded and waited for him to continue.
"I have always loved you, but unfortunately being crowned by blood into the serpents...serpent king to be exact. Comes with some consequences." He sighed and sat back in the chair.
"That woman...Gladys my ex wife. She was entitled to the Queen position. I had to marry her." He looked at Alice seeing the pool of tears start to build up.
"I hated it, but when you left I had no chance to fight or to make you queen somehow." FP sat in silence looking for any sort of reaction.
"I saw her kiss you. You hated it. But in that moment I decided I hated you too, so I left." Alice sighed setting her glass down.
"I was hurt and confused..." She held her hand over her stomach remembering what that night felt like. "I was coming to tell you...I was um I was pregnant." Alice let a tear fall. Her walls were breaking and they both new it.
"Your daughter she's..."
"No. We have a son. Who does not live here anymore." Alice sniffed trying to hold the waterfall behind her eyes.
"Al...I"
"It's not your fault. I never told you." She shrugged and he grabbed her hand. "I would have done anything to keep you and our baby...our son." He sighed and squeezed Alice's hand.
"I'm so sorry." FP whispered allowing his tears to surface. "We both screwed up." She wiped his tears away holding his face in her hands. "And...I love you too." She smiled sadly. Alice leaned her head against his.
They sat there in complete silence. Letting time role by. "So..."
"So..." Alice backed away looking into his eyes. "I would love to meet him." FP smiled intertwining their hands.
She nodded smiling back. "I need you FP...forever." Alice let her last tears drop hoping these were the last she would cry over him.
"No...I need you Alice Susanna Smith. In my arms, in my mind, in my home. Forever."
The two agreed that night to never give up again. Alice was able to introduce Charles to FP. The three cried for a long time that night...happy tears of course.
Betty smiled every time she walked into a room and saw them together and happy. She did this...she brought her mother the love she once had and deserved.
