As long there is us.

25 - There will be consequences.

FP's shock freeze lasted only seconds but felt like eternity. „No, no, no." He pleaded desperately as he ran towards the damaged building. On his way he stopped a car and yelled almost commanding. „Call an ambulance."

The initially flame inferno gradually fizzled in the air and left instead a black stuffy veil. FP held the sleeve of his leather over his mouth and nose for protection from dark smoke as he cleared his way past the rusty and sunken exterior facade parts into the Register. The smoke was biting his eyes so it was difficult to overlook the chaos inside the building. „Alice?" He called in panic, once, twice, three times until his voice broke. He struggled with tears and fear, that flooded through his entire body. There was only rubble and debris where Alice's desk had been before. FP searched for Alice among the pieces torn by the explosion. The debris-flocked fabric of her handbag actually flashed out of a hard-to-reach corner. With this discovery his hope to find Alice drifted away dramatically. Anger rose inside him, untamable and brutal. Out of nowhere he pounded on the hard stony ground with clenched fists, again and again, until he collapsed exhausted from his outburst. „Alice please, stay with me."

Pieces of debris clattered from the back of the Register, drawing FP's attention. His head snapped in the direction from where his ears heard the continuing noise. The aisle to the back of the Register had also suffered severe damage, walls and ceiling were crushed. The smoke seemed even thicker to him. Constant coughing urged through his lungs and forced FP to take short breaks inbetween. Only the tentative tugging at the fabric of his trousers on one of his legs silenced his cough.

„FP. " He heard Alice croak weakly and shakily.

The serpent king dropped to his knees and groped his way along the floor. „I'm here, babe." Then finally he felt the fabric of her clothes, found her shoulder, arms and upper body. „Thank God." He was relieved when he saw the outline of her face. The beginning of a smile washed over her lips.

„I'm here I will get you out. Everything will be fine. Are you hurt?"

„Something is not right, FP!" She sobbed and swallowed hard. „I can feel it. Something is not rigth with the baby." While Alice had said these words she put her hand protectively over her stomach.

FPs looked at her with wide eyes. He wasn't sure if he understood her correctly. „We are having a baby?"

Alice was clearly in pain when she tried to answer him.

„Careful there. Slow down."

„Oh, I think I can't walk ...", Her effort to get on her feet by herself failed miserably. „I wanted to ..." A painful groan hissed through her teeth, „ ... tell you tonight. I found out the night we broke into Hals apartement."

„That's why you were late? "

„It was the only chance to get an ultrasound image."

„A ultrasound image to lighten up my mood. Now I get your tease from earlier." He completed the puzzle in his head with a beaming smile on his lips.

She nodded. FP slid his arms under her body to lift her up. „Tell me if I hurt you, okay!" His look turned into smug as he continued: „And I thought we would have wild sex tonight ..."

Her hand found his beard and caressed his chin. „That would have been on the top of my plans for tonight too ... to lighten up your mood even more."

„I love you, Alice. Let's get you out of here. I can already hear the ambulance sirens. You will be fine and our little one will be fine. I'm sure."

***

Except for two broken rips, a few bruises and a slight smoke poisoning Alice didn't seem to have any serious injuries at first sight. In order to be safe with the baby she had to stay in the hospital for a few more days and do some tests.

Fred had joined his friends in the meantime after FP messaged him. While the serpent king was answering questions from the police, Fred made sure that Alice was fine and felt safe. Until his eyes were drawn to a bright red Chevrolet Corvette slowly passing by.

„It's Hal." Alice stammered, who had also noticed the car.

„I'll take care of it." Fred squeezed her hand encouraging before he jumped out of the ambulance in one movement. Harold Cooper stumbled baffled in Freds direction. His face was visibly shocked and pale so that his current hematomas looked even more conspicuous. He was holding a bag with food in his hands. Fred made sure that FP was still busy by answering Sheriff Tom Kellers questions before preventing Hal from getting closer to the scene of the explosion.

„For heaven's sake, what happened here?"

Fred Andrews shook his head. He couldn't read Hals facial expressions. Played Harold Cooper clueless?

„Who did that?" Asked the owner of the destroyed newspaper.

„ You tell me!"

Hal immediately understood what Fred was referring to. He frowned in disbelief and grimaced a dangerous smile. „Andrews, I would be careful with what you accuse me of!"

„Are you threatening me?"

„If you feel that way ..."

Fred sighed in disgust. „Stop with your games. Alice almost died. It's time for the truth."

Only now did Hal realize that he had completely suppressed Alice's presence in the Register. „Is she okay?"

Fred wasn't able to tell him about Alice's condition because at that moment a hard clenched fist hit Hal Cooper brutally in the face.

„FP! ... FP!" Fred Andrews tried to hold his friend back.

Rage was written all over FPs face. Another punch hit Hals nose which immediately started to bleed.

Fred was getting a hold of the Serpent king and dragged him away from his victim.

„You're an asshole Cooper, a goddamn dirty asshole."

„What do you want from me?" Hal hissed.

„You could have killed her! If you ever touch Alice again, if you ever put her in danger again or even my children ... I will hunt you ... and I will kill you. That's a promise! Do you hear me?"

Hal still played innocent. „I have nothing to do with this ... explosion. I swear, Jones. Do you think I'm destroying my property? "

FP snorted contemptuously, didn't believe Hal one word. „I saw you right before the explosion. You were in a hurry. I wonder why? Oh exactly, because you knew the building would explode seconds later. "

„No."

„Tom, hey." Fred cut the heated discussion by guiding Sheriff Keller in the middle of them.

„Just in time, I guess." Said the Sheriff. „We have some questions, Hal. But first let's take care of your wounds." Sheriff Keller pushed the owner of the Register towards the next medical assistence. „There will be consequences, Jones." Cooper spat from a distance.

Fred noticed that FP was trembling. „Are you okay?"

Words got stuck in FPs throat. Tears formed in his eyes and rolled down his cheeks randomly. He tried to hide this moment of „weakness" by placing his hands over his face.

Fred took a step towards him and just hugged him silently. FP let his emotions run free, cried uncontrollably, got rid of the stressing burden of this day in an instant.