Falice one shoots, Falice AUs, Falice crossover

She named him Charles. 03

„Please." Alice repeated with plead in her voice. Only by now she realized she had instinctively grabbed his arm with a too tight grip and released him step by step without really letting go of the fabric of Charles leather jacket. „How did you get to my address?"

"When I turned eighteen the nuns gave me the name and the address of my birth mother they threw me out on the streets. I wrote down the name Alice Cooper, née Smith, and the address a thousand times on variety of notes and then disposed the same. I only kept this one." Charles held out a piece of paper. Alice picked it up and ran her fingers over the letters of her name written in fine pencil lines.

In the meantime Charles had approached the fireplace again. He touched the glass oft he picture frames which already caught his attention earlier. He looked at a picture with Alice, two girls and a man. „Are these her daughters?"

„Yes."

„Who is the man?"

„That's Hal. We are married. He is ..."

„... certainly not my own father. Don't even try to lie to me.", Charles bursted confidently. Without waiting for Alice's reaction, he continued: „I've always wondered why I wasnt allowed to grow up in a normal family."'

„I wasn't ready. I was too young. I thought giving you up for adoption would be the best way to give you a good and normal life."

„Did he say that to you? You know, I wasn't adopted? I've spent all my life in that shit hole at the Sisters of Quit Mercy. At the age of 16 I tried to escape more often but my attempts always ended miserably. I never felt comfortable with the nuns, always knew that I've missed things in life that other people take as boring and given like being a part of a family. I grew up with serious rules and hard punishment but not with love."

„I'm so sorry."

„I know. At the end it worked out for you. You have your perfect family. Wasn't that hard, huh?"

„Let me help you."

„Help for what? I don't need your help. I am grown up. I'm not here because I need help or money if that's what you think."

„No, no, I know, Charles." She was terribly afraid of having him let go again.

„I regretted my past decision about giving you up. Not one day has gone by I reminded myself I made a mistake. You have every right in the world to not believe me. I understand that." She saw his face turn abruptly pale and his fingers started shaking uncontrollably. „Are you all right?"

He didn't answer.

It made her nervous and strengthened her deep-seated guilt. It was obvious that he had issues he couldn't handle. It almost seemed to her that he had come to her to seek for advice as if he had reached her at his lowest point in his life. Out of a reflex she covered his hands with hers. On the one hand, the warmth she radiated struck Charles in the heart but touched him in surprise unexpectedly.

"Alice? I'm home.", called a stressed-out male voice through the house and suddenly interrupted the tender moment between mother and son.

„Hal!" Alice snapped startled.

„My appointment with Tom at the register got canceled. Who are you? ", he asked confused as he joined Charles and Alice in the living room.

„Charles."

„Who?"

"I should go." The young man said fast as he noticed the unfriendly undertone in Hal Cooper's voice.

„No Charles, wait, please." Alice called after her son as he headed towards the front door.

But Hal interrupted her again. „Who's that Alice?"

"That's ...", she hesitated uncertain for right words. A moment too long from Charles's perspective. He left the house hurt and with no looking back.

Hal Cooper guessed now what was going on as he stopped her harsh going after the young man. He was still waiting for an explanation.

„He's the boy I gave up 21 years ago ..." She whispered silently.

„Let him go." Hals's advice sounded more like a command.

„Why?"

„He is not a part of our family."