pretty when she cries ; fitz

chapter twelve

"um...excuse me?" amalie tried for her words to sound polite rather than rude. "sorry, i didn't mean to snap at you," she rubbed her face with her hands, trying to make sense of the information that was bestowed upon her.

sheriff maloney rubbed her back, nodding at the detectives to make their exit.

"i'm sorry, this is never easy to hear, amalie. we're doing our best to pin down this person," the woman in the lab coat coaxed.

"thank you, for your work. i guess evidence is evidence," amalie looked up at the woman before she also left the room.

now it was just the sheriff and amalie again.

"did you know my dad was gay?" she didn't have a filter in the moment. she didn't know what were the right questions to ask, so she just blurted out the first one that came to mind.

"no, i ain't know, sugar." sheriff maloney admitted. "but, do you have any ideas of anyone we can go after?"

"i mean, i don't know of anyone who has a key besides my uncle glen. and he only comes for christmas."

"uh huh, i see..." the sheriff trailed. "you're not a suspect because we know you were at school when this all took place. but where was your uncle glen?"

"gosh, i don't know. he's only ever on business or in melbourne. but he would never do such a thing, sheriff. you know glen."

"of course i know that crazy buckaroo, we'll touch base with him just to clear his name. he'll have an alibi. are you sure that's the only person you can think of that has a house key?"

amalie thought, but shook her head.

"okay, well, if you think of anyone. please let me know right away," she slowly rose from her chair, her knees unbending. "you should go back home and get ready for the service, sugar."

***

she heard right. the ceremony was absolutely beautiful, and for the first time since she'd arrived back home, amalie cried. and she cried hard.

the speech she delivered was something from the heart, she didn't need a script to stand up in front of faces--familiar and not--to share the love for her family. how she, and the community, should continue being kind-hearted citizens to honor them. her words brought more tears onto those who gathered.

finally, they can lay to rest. after being tested for this and that and the third.

the brunette said her last goodbyes, wishing she could have someone there for her. someone she could cry on, who could hold her. just for the time being.

it's never easy losing someone. and it's never easy losing three someones that meant literally everything to you.

but it was after the ceremony had ended, when people started to come up to her with heavy hearts and pity, that she realized she wasn't sure if she wanted to stay. at least, for now. maybe at some point, she'd come back in the summertime. and get her old job back, get another one too. and work. work herself into oblivion.

her new life in australia was some sort of distraction from all the madness, and she wasn't sure if she wanted to leave that section of her life hanging. she was just accepted into a hysterical and unique group of "let it all hang out" kind of people, including her best friend cal.

after the overwhelming pity party was over, amalie quickly got in her car before anyone else approached her and hurried home. she needed to go back to melbourne. putting glen on speaker phone, she filled him in on everything that'd happen during her time home. and what was going through her head at the moment. and what was her next course of action.

"glen, i want to come back to australia." she finally blurted out. "i need to. i'm going absolutely nuts being here. i'm going to buy my ticket when i get home."

"no need, i'll pay." he said from the other line.

"glen, no. you got me here. just because you feel like i'm sort of your responsibility now doesn't mean you have to pay for everything," amalie said, gracefully spinning the wheel to take the turn to her street.

"it's totally fine, dude. i have more money than i know what to do with--"

"no!"

"i insist. take that money and put it in your savings."

he was right.

"fine. if you insist. i'm home now, but i'll talk to you later. hope milan is treating you well,"

"it's beautiful. i'm just looking now, and your flight leaves at noon tomorrow. does that sound good?"

"perfect, thank you. i love you, bye."

"ciao bella." and the line went dead.

amalie squeezed her eyes shut, feeling anxious that someone was just outside and waiting for her. so she could get murdered too. and as she moved out the car, and towards the door. and as she punched in the passcode (part of the new system that was installed), she looked around behind her.

there was nothing.

***

cal was excitedly awaiting her friend's arrival from the airport. she sees the familiar figure in the distance, looking confused until those olive eyes locked hers. without wasting anymore time, amalie speeds over in a fashionable way to her friend, letting go of her worn suitcase to hold the other in a tight embrace.

"welcome back, mamacita." cal whispered, making the pair giggle. cal grabbed the suitcase voluntarily, chucking in the backseat.

as soon as cal starts the ignition, amalie sighs heavily.

"cal. there's something i need to tell you."

"okay, what is it...?" cal was at least expecting a hello! how are you?

but instead,

"i think glen could be a suspect for my family's murder."

A/N

hi! i hope you're doing well!

i know i said i'm not a huge author's note kind of gal, but i just wanted to apologize for this chapter. it's not as long as the rest of them (i work hard to make them all around 2,000 words), but i felt like it was extremely necessary to cut this chapter a little short. there's just over a thousand words in this one. i also really felt like the cliffhanger was a great place to stop.

i do have a final plan for this story!

i also wanted to apologize because i feel like it's taking a while for the story to build-up. i know this is supposed to be a fitz fan-fiction but trust me, it'll get there. very, very soon. i wanted to make it something entirely different than any of the misfits stories i've read before. if you're bored and lost interest, i can understand. hopefully you stick around because things are about to turn up in here.

i love you, stranger.

p.s:
cried out of happiness last night during fitz's cozy stream because HE READ MY CHAT OUT LOUD i was just so surprised hearing him say my name. got 10 points to gryffindor though so we're vibing. this definitely isn't a big deal just was rly exciting ok bye