Falice 2

Trauma

Charles walked Betty up to the house. FP asked him to drive her home after their trip to the morgue. He thought it was best to get her out of there.

Alice pranced up from the couch when she saw the door open. "Betty," She saw how her tears had ruined her make up. She immediately pulled her into a hug. "What happened?"

Charles softened his face. "The body that was found...it uh, it was confirmed to be his."

"Oh my God," Alice felt her heart ache. She had been worried about Jughead and getting that sense of fatal confirmation was more than enough to strike. "I'm so sorry, Betty. I can't imagine how you feel." She rubbed her back. Realization then struck her. She looked at Charles. "Where's your father?"

"He stayed behind."

"He shouldn't be alone. Who knows what a loss like this could do to him?"

"He should be here soon. He was just finishing up some paperwork at the morgue."

•••

Alice waited hours, but FP still hasn't come home. Being worried was an understatement. She knew he wasn't in the right state of mind right now. She wanted him to come home. She would be able to comfort him if she knew where he was.

Betty was upstaged locked in her room. She made it clear that she needed alone time. Jellybean was in her own room. She was aware of Jughead's missing persons case but not about his found body. No one has sat down with her to tell her the full extent of it all. Charles suggested to wait for FP to do so. She was going to need her father for that.

"He's not back yet, Charles. It's already dark out."

"Do you want me to take a look around town? He probably needed his time alone to process this. It's not easy."

"I know, but I also know your father. He doesn't know how to deal with his emotions. Finding your brother in that state-" Alice croaked out. "He's not okay. None of us are okay."

"I'll go bring him home," Charles pushed himself off the armchair.

"Wait, I'll go. I think I know where he is." Alice stopped him. "Can you just stay here and keep an eye on your sisters?"

"Are you going to be okay?" Charles knew that if she found FP in a bad state she would not be happy about it.

"I'm bringing him home," Alice assured him.

She went down to the station to check his office first. It didn't hurt to start off there. She walked in and found the blinds to his office closed. She knocked on his door, but no response. She poked her head in and found him at his desk.

A half empty bottle sat on his desk. Right in front of the man. It wouldn't have been good for him. Alice's eyes went straight to it. "FP?" She softly spoke to him. "You didn't come home. We were worried about you."

FP didn't say anything. She stepped in and shut the door behind her. "Honey, can you talk to me?" FP's eyes were fixated on the bottle. He could hear her speaking, but his ears weren't listening. Everything around him was drowned out. "FP, let me take you home."

"I failed him as a father. I'm supposed to protect him and I failed."

"It's not your fault, honey. You did your best to protect him." Alice approached him. She removed the bottle from his sight, but the pending question had to be asked. "FP, I won't get mad, but I just want to know the truth." Alice remained calm. Bursting out on him was not be what he needed from her right now. "Did you have any of this?"

"I lost my son," FP shut his eyes and hid behind his hands. He completely ignored the question. All he could think about was his son's lifeless body in those woods. "Seeing him lie on that table was a reliving nightmare. Looking at him like that made my world come crashing down. I can't get the image out of my head. It keeps reminding me of the first time." FP's mind was plagued with the first time he thought he lost him. He was a lucky man before. This time he wasn't. "How I had to pick him up all bloodied and beaten. I got to him in time then. This time I wasn't so lucky. This time I had to find him dead and I couldn't do anything about it to bring him back."

"I'm sorry, FP. I know it isn't easy but you're not alone. You can come home and mourn as a family. You don't need to hide and have a drink."

"I didn't drink," FP said defensively. He promised his son he would stay sober and he couldn't break that promise. Especially not now. "I'll admit I was tempted, but I stopped myself for Jughead."

Alice let him burst. She knew he just needed to get it out. She still remained calm for his benefit. "Why was that bottle out?" She questioned without wanting to accuse him.

"It's a bottle I confiscated from a couple of rowdy kids a few days ago."

They locked eyes and that's when she saw him break. She held him and he sobbed in her arms. "Why him? Why my boy?"

"I know, baby, I know." Alice frowned. She didn't like to see him like this. She stroked her fingers through his curls. "It hurts and I know that."

"Jughead was a brilliant boy. He had a future ahead of him. He was going to make a name out of himself." FP took a deep breath. "I just can't do this again. It's too hard."

"You're not going to go through this by yourself. We are a family and this family is going to get through this together. That's what he would want. He wouldn't want you to quit here. He would want you to continue to make him proud. He's not gone because he'll always be right here." Alice placed her hand above his heart. "Are you ready to come home, baby? We need you."

FP nodded slowly. She helped him up. He placed his hands on her shoulders and looked her in the eyes. "You're never going to leave me, right?"

"I'm not going anywhere," She assured him. "And this family is never going to leave you."