Falice 2

Jealousy, Jealousy

"What is it that you want from me, Al? Do you want me to leave everything that makes me me behind and come crawling to you on the northside? I didn't have what it takes back then. What makes you think it's going to be any easy for me now?"

"All I'm asking is for you to put yourself in my shoes, I've got a lot to lose if I don't plan this out."

"And I didn't?" FP takes a step back.

"That's not what I said."

"I'm just going to ask you. Do you see yourself loving me the way I love you?"

"You love me?" Alice has never heard him say that to her.

"Of course I do," FP frowns. "The question is: do you? I'm trying my all here and it sounds to me like you only will if I change to be more like you."

"I don't want you to change. I want you to be safe." She swipes a stray tear away. "You know what happened to Fred."

"I'm not putting up a facade for others. I am who I am. If that's not enough for you..." FP pauses. "...then I don't know what we're doing here."

"If you want to act like a child, then fine." Alice glares at him. "Classic FP Jones. You just don't change, do you? Do what you're best at and just leave me alone. Worked for us once, right?"

+

Fred nudges FP, having caught him staring at Alice and Hal. FP is pulled away from his thoughts. The interaction between the two friends is nothing more than an eyebrow raise until Fred decides to get a verbal answer out of him.

"How long have you been sleeping together?" Fred bluntly asks him.

"What?"

"I'm not blind. You've been staring at her all night."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"If I can admit I still have unresolved feelings for Hermione, you should be able to admit the same about Alice."

FP huffs. "Ever since I was released."

"We're fools, aren't we?" Fred says. "Falling in love again when we could have made it work the first time around."

"I asked her to leave him." FP says, his eyes still gazing over at the couple.

Fred nearly chokes on his drink. "What?"

"I don't know what I was thinking. I wasn't thinking. She just came to me angry and it slipped out of my mouth."

"Something like that doesn't just roll off the tip of the tongue."

"You don't think I know that?"

"Well, what are we to do? They're married."

"We're not."

Fred gives him a look. "It's not that simple. I kissed Hermione and I nearly saw the light for that."

"Is it crazy that I don't care about the risk?"

"I think you're a lunatic but I wouldn't say I'm surprised." Fred shrugs. "All I'd say is be careful. I'm no saint, so I can't tell you not to have your affair. But you have Jughead to look after. Don't let him lose his only father."

"She has two daughters," FP shakes his head. The thought of their children has crossed his mind, but wanting her so badly turned him blind to the consequences. "Shit."

"A serious conversation is needed if this is something you both want with each other."

"She won't even look at me after what I asked of her. I drove her into taking him back." FP gazes over at the couple again. "Wasting her time on me would be more stupid."