Come To Me (Zalfie Fanfic)

15. Bright Light

If you haven't read "Overjoyed" or "3 AM", I suggest you do! Otherwise the plot and most of the characters won't make since to you!

ZOE

Sitting down in the large office I could feel my stomach start to churn, thoughts of the last therapy session swam in my head as I noticed the walls and furniture. I hadn't been to see Alfie since that day, which was nearly two weeks ago. However I had to get use to coming here for Tallulah's sake, she missed Alfie and I had to come to terms with everything so she could come and see her dad.
"Zoe" smiled the tall doctor as he pushed open the door, "how are you?"
"Nervous" I smiled shyly as Alfie followed behind him.
"Hi" smiled Alfie as he sat down next to me, "how is Tallulah?"
"Ready for summer holiday" I laughed, "and missing her dad."
"I miss her" sighed Alfie, "I can't wait to see her."
"Okay, guys" interrupted the doctor, "I know things didn't go well last time, but now that we know what we are working with we can maybe do better now.
"I think we will be able to" I nodded as I looked over to Alfie.
"Good, lets start off today's meeting with Tallulah, shes your daughter?"
"Yes" snapped Alfie, "she is five"
"She will be six in September" I smiled.
"And she is your only child together?"
"Yes" we both nodded.
"And how was the pregnancy, Zoe?"
"It wasn't too good." I groaned
"A bit hellish" added Alfie.
"And why would you choose those words to describe it?" laughed the doctor.
"I delivered her early, she was born in September nearly two months early. The placenta was detaching early, Tallulah and I both nearly lost our lives."
"Plus Zoe and I were fighting nearly all of her pregnancy." sighed Alfie
"Why were the two of you fighting?"
"I didn't know if he was the father, but later found out he was..."
"I was afraid of competing to a family" added Alfie, "but once Tallulah was born and brought into this world, I knew that I had to have Zoe. I had to have a family."

Feeling tears start to form in my eyes, I could feel exactly how I felt the day Alfie had proposed to me. I could feel the fear but excitement that filled the air when Tallulah had made her entrance to the world. I could feel my love for him ache in the bottom of my heart.
"Did you feel like you had to marry him, Zoe?"
Shaking my head no, I quickly pulled at a box of tissues that sat on the large coffee table in front of us.
"I didn't feel as if I had to" I choked out.
"Did you feel like you had to marry her, Alfie?"
"I knew that I wanted to marry Zoe, when I first met her." he muttered.
"Was the wedding nice?"
"Beautiful" I smiled as I rubbed my eyes, "my mum and dad nearly used half of their savings for the big party. Tallulah was able to be there, along with Alfie's mum and most of our friends and family."
"How did the two of you feel on that day?"
"I was nervous" laughed Alfie, "the fact that everyone was there to watch me explain how I felt about Zoe out loud, scared me. But once I seen her start down the isle I couldn't help but break down. Zoe had the same smile and air about her the first time she held Tallulah as she did standing at the alter. She made me comfortable about the whole thing and I knew what we were doing was right, it just felt like it was."
"Alfie..." I sighed as I felt my heart flutter
"It was one of the best days of my life, Zoe."

---

ALFIE

Sitting at the large desk I ran through the events of the day as I gazed out over the cityscape. The therapy session was filled with emotions, some in which I hadn't felt since that day. After talking about the wedding we went on to discuss the honeymoon and our first year of marriage. Of course the first year was rocky, being new parents to a baby that seemed to stay sick was hard. But Zoe worked with Tallulah everyday of it, she stayed up at night with her and slept in every morning. I of course continued on with Youtube as I got a job at the PR firm.
As the hours increased at work, the hours with Youtube decreased along with my time with Zoe. Sometimes I blamed myself for Zoe saying she fell out of love with me. Even though she didn't seem depressed during that first year, I knew she was. One day after publishing a blog post she decided to delete it along with her Youtube. She soon started staying in the bedroom and less time with everyone else. I remember begging her to come to dinner with Louise and Matt, which ended with her leaving for the weekend and staying with her parents. Of course we were young when we got married, but Zoe and I have love that has proved to overcome a lot of things, and this divorce, alcoholism, rehab, well it didn't stand a chance with Zoe and I. We were meant to be.
Letting out a slow sigh, I changed my glance from the cityscape to the divorce papers. After reading over them nearly forty times, I knew exactly what I was going to do with them. I had to be fair to Zoe and Tallulah, I had to be fair with myself also. Picking up a random pen that I was given to write letters home, I quickly signed the papers as a knock echoed through the room.
"Its that time again, Alfie" laughed Rachel as she appeared at the door.
"And what do we have tonight?" I smiled as I stuff the papers into the large envelope, sealing them tight.
"Your favorite! Chicken pot pie."
"Really?" I groaned, "don't we have that everyday?"
"Every Thursday" she winked as I handed her the envelope, "can you mail those out tonight?"
"I'll throw it in the mail tonight." she nodded as she gave me a pat on the back.

---

ZOE

"I will be picking you up today, so stay in the parent pick up!" I yelped to Tallulah as she flashed a thumbs up along with Alfie's grin. "Oh, Tallulah" I sighed as I put the car into drive and started back home.
It was now Friday, time for another weekend full of packing and eventually sending Tallulah off with my mum. Jack was suppose to be coming in late this weekend due to construction on the set of the show which was due to be finished next weekend and filming the next. Just to think of Tallulah and I moving to London in less than two weeks made my heart jump. I loved London, the big lights, buildings and people. Yet I would miss my quite Brighton home, one that Tallulah and I have managed to live by ourselves for two years.
Hearing my phone start to ring, I quickly put it on speaker as I turned down the road to the house.
"Hello" I answered quickly.
"Hey, pretty girl" answered Jack.
"And what are you up to?" I asked as I pulled into the large drive way, stopping at the mailbox first.
"Just a bit of work, missing my girls."
"Oh, well you just missed one of them, I just dropped Tallulah off at school."
"Is she excited about next week being her last day?"
"I really don't think she knows" I laughed as I noticed a large brown envelope as I sat it along with a stack of bills in the passenger seat, "but she loves school, so she is probably hoping it doesn't end."
"I am sure she gets that from you" laughed Jack.
"Hey, I am glad this semester of school is over! I made all passing marks, but all of the getting up early is for the birds!"
"Yeah, yeah" giggled Jack as I heard a loud bang in the background.
"Finn drop another light?" I asked as swear words filled the phone.
"Yeah, let me call you back" huffed Jack as the phone went blank.

Pouring myself some tea I slowly grabbed the stack of mail as I made my way to the back garden. Feeling the warm spring sun hit my bare arms, I was quickly taken back to the summer that Alfie and I had first met. The way that he, Marcus, Louis and I was so close made my stomach ache. To be able to be young and carefree was one thing that I missed about my life.
Sifting through the mail I strategically left the large envelope for last, as I knew exactly what it was. Seeing Alfie's name in large print made my stomach drop while my heart skipped beats. Taking a quick sip of the tea, I slowly opened it as I closed my eyes. Pulling the papers out, I promised myself that I wouldn't cry, yet I could feel my tears start to whelm up as I opened my eyes. Flipping through the papers I could feel all the air leave my lungs as the signature page was revealed. Sitting the stack of papers down I quickly covered my face as the tears started. Not only had Alfie signed the papers but he had done so with a heart, our wedding date and "I love you, forever & always."

---

ALFIE

Settling into the meeting room I was finally starting to get use to the routine as today was a visit from the medical doctor and the therapist. They would usually come in and ask a bunch of questions before I was allowed to have free time and was able to go to the large library that had rows of computers plus internet.
"Well, Alfie" smiled the tall head doctor as he and a group of people appeared from the large hall, "how are you today?"
"A lot better" I smiled.
"That is good" smiled one of my therapist, "we have some good news for you today."
"Okay..." I laughed feeling a bit of excited.
"Well, Alfie, you know that your previous release date was set for August, but at the rate that you are going, you might be able to leave us a bit early.
"How early?"
"We are shooting for the first day of June" grinned the doctor, "under two conditions."
"What are they?" I asked as I stood from the table.
"You come to the regular AA meetings, five days a week, you keep in touch with your peer counselor, Niomi, and you agree to a daily breath and drug test for at least a year. If any of those are broken we have a court order for you to come back here for at least two years."
Feeling my face turn red I slowly nodded as I realized that I could be a free man in less than two weeks. I would be able not only to see Tallulah but Zoe. I could actually get my family back.
"Would you be interested in this, Alfie?"
"Yes, yes I would." I laughed.