New Beginnings

The Morning After

Alice and FP's bodies glistened with sweat as the two came down from their highs, slowly panting and trying to catch their breaths as they remained snuggled into each other with Alice under his arm and FP gleefully pulling her into his warm body, fully embracing her even on the cramped couch that didn't offer much space for the both of them.

Her porcelain skin tingled with warmth and a feeling of comfort surged through her body as his strong hands trailed along her forearm and strongly gripped onto her. This was a rather refreshing experience for the two of them, FP in particular as he hadn't been with anybody since Gladys, and he just couldn't find anybody who made him feel love or anything remotely close to it, that is until he met the woman cuddled into his side.

Everything about their passion filled evening proved to be just as tantilising, electrifying and fulfilling as the two somehow mutually anticipated. It wasn't about getting a cheap thrill or experiencing a few moments of pleasure, it was about the two of them finally giving in to their built up feelings and emotions and releiving themselves of the pressure to finally be vulnerable with one another. 

Her fingers continued to innocently dance across his naked chest, tracing them along his distinctive tattoos as the moonlight shone down on the two of them peaking through the blinds in his office.

"What's this one?" Alice whispered as her fingers traced the jellybean shaped tattoo over his heart.

He dropped his head to glance at the artwork before a wide grin appeared across his face. "Oh, that? It's a jellybean." He chuckles proudly, resting his ehad further into the side of the couch as he glared up at the cieling with gleaming eyes.

"That's cute." Alice giggles as her lips curl into a happy grin, finding it adorable that he had his daughters name inked onto him in such a meaningful way.

"Hmm." He groans in agreement. "Got it two weeks after she was born. Got a crown with a J in the middle for Jug too, just below my neck."

Alice found his permanent body art symbolising both his children to be a true testament to how much of a dedicated father he was, and she thought it was truly beautiful. She had always considered having Betty and Polly's names tattooed but her fear of needles outweighed that gesture.

"And the giant cobra? Right here?" Alice questioned ironically with an arched brow, circling around the giant reptile inked right at the centre of his chest.

"I'll have you know, that's a Serpent." FP jokingly corrected before glancing down at her longingly, observing her closely as her dark locks fell flowingly down her back and her ice blue orbs sparkled like diamonds while she laughed at his rebuttal.

Alice sat up right, clutching the rather small couch throw to her chest as she calmed herself down, turning around to catch his loving gaze over her shoulder.

"What?" She whispered softly to him before giving him a beaming smile.

"You're beautiful, Alice." FP softly answered with beaming eyes, taking Alice by surprise a little.

She smiled weakly before averting her gaze from his own, pulling her hair over to her left shoulder and lightly running her fingers through. That word had always sparked a certain feeling inside of her, for many years, and hearing it come from FP's mouth it just reminded her of all the men in her life who had said the same thing, and she was beginning to hate it.

FP sensed her tense up and pull a blank expression, despite not quite seeing her face. "What's wrong?" He asked, his voice laced with concern as he rested his warm calloused hand on her bare cold shoulder, offering her a touch of comfort. He knew something was bothering her.

"Nothing. It's nothing." Alice calmly brushed off with a light but uncomfortable laughter.

However, she underestimated how much FP had learnt about her within these past few months, and he instantly knew this clearly wasn't nothing. "You can tell me." FP encouraged as he began to massage her shoulder, hoping she'd give in as he just wanted to help.

"It's just, that word." Alice reluctantly croaked out before

"Beautiful?"

She nods as he eyes slowly dart downwards at the blanket covering her chest and taking a deep sigh. "It's plagued me almost my whole life. And I know what you're thinking-" Alice adds with a mildly saddened smirk before darting her attention back towards him.

"-That it would do the opposite, but I'm telling you, it hasn't. Sure my looks have given me some advantages I guess, God knows things in my life would've turned out worse, but deep down, it's made me insecure about what's beneath, and made me question if there even is anything beneath, you know?"

People had described her as beautiful and put emphasis on her looks and physical traits for as long as she could remember. She knew she had hit the genetic jackpot and she didn't knock herself for that, but she's always been afraid that it was all people saw her as, and it proved to be true, as everyone she had ever met, particulalry men, had failed to acknowledge what was on the inside or who she was as a person.

"No man's ever taken me seriously either."

All they ever saw was a pretty face and nice body, and once they got their pleasure out of her, they ran for the hills. It had always left her feeling empty and insecure, like she was nothing to them and was never worthy of love or any type of genuine care.

"And none of them ever saw me as worthy enough to bring home or even claim." She continues with an embarrasing chuckle. "Brody, Hiram, Hal. They just used and abused me, nobody ever sticks around."

FP's lips curl into a slight frown, feeling heartbroken for her as she explains everything she's been through. It just made him more emotionally drawn to this woman, the very woman that had caught his eye from the minute she arrived in town and turned his world upside down.

"Alice?" FP speaks softly, taking her chin in his hand and tilting her porcelain face towards his, glaring into her innocent eyes as she darted hers towards his. "You are, worthy. You're one of the most amazing women I've ever met, and I don't think I've felt this way about any other woman since Gladys. You're fierce, you're fiesty, you're compassionate, you stand up for what you believe in no matter the cost, and you've got a hell of a heart. Any man would be crazy to not appreciate any of those qualities."

Alice's heart flutters at her words, her big blue eyes sparkling in disbelief. "You really mean that?"

FP's lips curl into a beaming smile before continuing. "Every word. Don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise."

Without missing a beat, Alice leans in, parting her lips and embracing his, feeling the taste of whiskey and mint gum as their tongues dominantly danced around and they fell back into the couch, finishing up what they had started earlier that night.

For the first time in years, she felt like she had finally met the perfect match, her safe place, her Prince Charming, her soulmate, and nothing was going to take that away from her.