Alice was finishing up the dishes when she heard a knock at the door. Her eyebrows crinkle in confusion at who it could be since the kids were at school and FP was at work.
She drops the rag on the counter and walks towards the door. Her mouth opens slightly once she opens it and sees none other than Forsythe Pendleton Jones.
"Alice smith, Jughead said you and my son were screwing again." He smiles meanly.
She gulps. "If you want to call it that sure."
She knew FP's father and how abusive he was. Last time they talked about him, he broke FP's heart by not showing up at the hospital. Now he's here? She doesn't know what to think.
"Why are you here Forsythe?" She questions.
"I'm here to see my son, where is the bastard anyways?" He chuckles, trying to get a view of their house behind Alice's body.
"At work, as the sheriff." She states proudly earning a confused look from the man.
"My boy the sheriff?"
"FP is the sheriff." She repeats lowly.
"Wow, never thought I'd see the day where he'd actually become something." He chuckles out of amusement.
"He's a good man, no matter how many times you laid a hand on him, it didn't change him." She taunts him.
He grabs her wrist firmly, feeling attacked by her words. She winces slightly, his grip was strong but she didn't want to give him the satisfaction.
"You listen here bitch, I won't be dragged down by what's in the past. It's all over now, he probably doesn't even remember. So I suggest you shut that little mouth of yours about all of it, and this." He whispers, gripping onto her wrist tighter definitely leaving a mark.
He lets out with a grunt and she slams the door in his face. She can hear gun curse has he walks towards his truck and drives away. She stands against the door, completely horrified as she holds her burning wrist in her other hand to try and soothe the pain. A few tears escaped her eyes, but she was quick to wipe them away.
There was no way she could let FP know...
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The day had gone by slow for Alice. Worrying that FP's father would show up again was haunting her. She changed into a long sleeved shirt to coverup the marks that he had left on her wrist, hoping FP wouldn't see it.
"Hey Al, I'm home." He calls out which snaps her out of her thoughts.
"Hey baby! How was your day?" She asks cheerfully, wrapping her arms around his neck as she leans in for a kiss.
"Boring, but so much better now." He leans in for another kiss which she giggles into.
Alice breaks the kiss once she hears the kettle on the stove. She runs over and takes it off placing it on the counter.
"Want some tea?"
"Sure." He smiles and her heart flutters.
She pours them both some hot water, then slips the tea bag in. They chat as they drink their tea, they were so caught up in their conversation that they didn't hear the front door open.
"Hey!" Betty greets happily which causes both adults to jump, Alice spilling her tea all over herself.
"Shit.." she breathes out as her skin starts to burn.
"Oh my god mom, what? Are you okay?"
"Al, come here." FP says leading her over to the skin, turning the cold water on.
He lifts her sleeves up and places them under the water. Alice closes her eyes and lets her head fall back as the burning starts to stop. He's caressing her wrists when he notices the marks and frowns.
"Al, What's- WHATS this?" He asks gently caressing over the mark.
Alice's eyes shoot open as she remembers the mark. She quickly pulls her sleeves down, wincing when the heat returned to her skin and sighed.
"I just left an elastic on my wrist, no big deal."
"Al, that's no mark from an elastic."
She's speechless. They just state into each other's eyes before Betty awkwardly cleats her throat.
"I'm going to go upstairs..." she says already leaving the awkward situation.
It's silent. Neither of them knowing what to say or do.
"Who did this?" He faintly whispers, anger already building up inside him.
"Al, who did this?" He asks more firmly, the anger now showing.
She grabs his hands into her own to calm him down.
"FP, your-your dad came over and he-"
"He did this to you??" He yells pointing at her wrist.
"Yes, but-"
She doesn't even get to finish her sentence as FP was storming towards the door. She was calling his name, attempting to get him to day and calm down, but he could barely hear her.
He laid his hand on the door and turned the knob but felt Alice lay her hand on top of his and paused.
"Please-please don't do something you'll regret." He hears her cry.
Tears form in his own eyes as he turns around to see her worried filled eyes. He just embraces her and buried his head into the crook of her neck so she wouldn't see him cry, but she knew.
"It's okay, it's okay. I'm here." She gently states caressing his hair.
"I'm okay, he didn't hurt me bad, I'm okay." she kept repeating, she knew he needed to hear this.
He presses a needy kiss to her lips, hoping to take away the memory she had just had with his father but he knew he couldn't. He grabbed her wrist gently, pulled up her sleeves and placed a soft kiss on the marks, letting a tear drop that he's quick to wipe away.
"Honey, I'm sorry that this happened." She apologizes.
"I'm sorry this happened. This is why I didn't want him back in my life I didn't want him to lay a hand in any of you." He angrily states pulling her closer.
"I know baby, I'm so sorry." She embraces him tighter and he melts into her.
"I love you, and I will make sure that he doesn't come back here to hurt you." He whispers into her hair.
"I love you too, FP. And I'm going to make sure that he doesn't come back here and hurt you." She replies which makes him smile.
This woman was his everything. Someone hurting her, especially his own father, angered him like nothing had ever before. But feeling her arms around him, and the sweet little kisses she kept placing on his neck made him feel like everything was going to be okay. Even with his abusive father coming back, she was with him.
And that's all he needs.
