It has been a long and twisted road getting Alice back from the farm. It took Betty, Charles, FP, and some of Jughead, while he was home. Edgar has hidden the cult for awhile, keeping Alice MIA for over five days.
Betty and Charles kept working hard trying to find their mother when something finally cracked. The two finally found the location of the farm. FP joined them in the take down needing to see that Alice is ok.
It was a little messy getting Alice home safely. She had a bruise and a cut lip after the escape. Which no one was happy about.
"I'm fine. I just want to leave." Alice sighed. She had finally finished the mission. "And I'm going to check into a hotel." Her mouth went into a straight line avoiding FP's glare.
"Mom, Mr.Jones is letting both you and I back into the house. What do you mean a hotel?" Betty looked at her mom confused. She just got her mom back and didn't want her gone already.
"It's just until I find a place for us ok. I'll do it quickly." Alice pulled Betty into a hug and then got into Charles cruiser. She couldn't say or even look at FP right now. She knew if she did she would be going home with him.
"You sure about the hotel mom?" Charles asked pulling out of the old farm. "I can't go back into that house at the moment." Alice sighed trying to hold the tears back. "Because of the Hal trauma?"
"Um...ya." Alice choked up. The less Charles knew about her heartbreak the better.
"Ok then, I'll come see you tomorrow?"
"That will be good." Alice nodded hugging her son goodbye. He had checked her in and walked her up to the room.
She closed the door looking around the room. She was home...well back in riverdale at least. The closet was filled with some old clothes she had. Charles has kept some clothes she had "thrown out" so after the farm was caught she could be more comfortable.
Betty had called and texted all night trying to get Alice back on Elm street. Alice was finally able to calm her down and rest for the night. After what she had just been through all hell knows she needs it.
She had just settled down with a glass of wine when someone knocked in her door. She sighed and slowly made her way to it. On the other side was FP. He had to know if she was ok. The door opened slowly.
Neither of them said a word. Alice moved to the side allowing FP to come in. They sat in the living area still quiet.
"Why are you here?" She sighed needing the tension to be over with. "I need...I want to know if your ok I guess. I just couldn't stand you not being with all of us." FP struggled to get the right words out. He wanted her home, but she wouldn't come just for him.
"Is my daughter safe?" She looked up at him. "Yes of course."
"Then I'm fine." Alice took a sip of her wine. She could barely sit still without wanting. To throw something toward him.
"Does it hurt?" She asked randomly meeting his eyes for the first time. "Does what hurt?"
"Gladys leaving you after she used up all she could?" Her eyes were icy, but her tone was like fire beating upon FP.
"It uh..."
"Never mind. I don't want to hear you say I was right. It will hurt more then it already does." She closed her eyes holding the glass tight in her hands.
"I have Jellybean, Jughead, Charles, and even Betty home and safe. Nothing hurts right now...except you." FP stood up getting ready to leave.
"I hurt you?" Alice stood quickly after him. Stepping in front so he couldn't leave. "Listen I get that I've hurt you. But I can't sit here and watch you hate me. I hate myself for what I did. If the situation was different I would have ran away with you the moment you asked me if I loved you. I have loved you since before I even knew it back in high school." FP's breath was short trying to think of things to say to make things right.
"Gladys was the mother of some of my children. You are the love of my life and the mother of my first child and nothing will ever change that." Their bodies were close and both focused on one another. Their eyes in deep concentration.
Alice couldn't remember the last time someone told her they loved her and meant it.
"Alice I..."
"Stop." She whispered. "I believe you, but I need you. So if I let you back in you have to promise me you will never leave. I don't think I could deal with that again." Alice felt her heart pound at her words. It was like her heart shut her brain off in that moment.
"I'll never leave. When we're fighting and you hate me or I disagree with you I'll be sulking the the corner, but I won't leave." FP chuckled for the first time that night. Putting a smile on Alice's face.
"Ok then."
"Ok what?" FP's hands went to Alices side pulling her closer. "I want us." She smiled like a teenager. She had not smiled this big since they were together last summer.
"I love you." She whispered placing her hand and his chest and neck leaning into a kiss. A kiss that would bring her home to her family. Her big dysfunctional family.
