Thank You, For Everything

Mistakes

"Alice. What's wrong?" FP grabbed her arm and pulled her into the trailer. Alice just leaned against the door and let the tears fall, she had no will to move.

"The body, FP. They, they found the car. And now – they, they're looking for the – body," Alice's breathing was uneven and her words were broken up by sobs and hiccups. FP grabbed both her arms and let his hands slide down to hers. He put a hand on her chest and told her the breathe slowly and didn't take it away until Alice's breathing was even and she'd stopped crying. She leaned her head against the back of the door and refused to move.

"Are you okay now?" FP asked. He was still holding her hand, "do you want me to let go?" he kept his grip on her hand when Alice shook her head, her hair stuck to her tear stained face. It was then she realised the height difference between the two of them. They were so close, yet so far. FP's spare hand reached up and pushed Alice's hair away from her face and behind her ears. He took both her hands again and led her away from the door, knowing she could become claustrophobic in moments of panic.

"Oh god. Shit. Fuck. Fuck, fuck, shit, fuck," Alice screamed into her hands. If she was caught, she'd go to prison. If she was caught, she'd end up dragging FP down with her. If she was caught, she'd never see her children again. She was spiralling again and she had no one to help her deal with it. FP took her hands, turned them over and caressed the raw crescent moons on her palm; he led her over to the kitchen sink and cleaned her newly formed cuts for her.

---

Hal Cooper walked up the front steps of the Cooper house and entered the front door. There was something going on in the house. Alice was hiding something, it was obvious by the smell of bleach; how tense she became when he mentioned the police and the car; and how fast she ran out of the house, completely forgetting to lock the front door.

---

FP stood in silence while Alice braced her hands on the kitchen sink. She couldn't look at him, she couldn't look at anyone right now. She heard FP swear under his breath. They were both in shark infested water and Alice didn't know how either of them were going to get out. The one thing that had to do, that they couldn't not do, was keep the kids out of it. As long as Betty, Chic, and Jughead were safe from this mess, Alice would be able to keep things under control. Neither of them knew what to do, but there were still rumours about the Black Hood's return circling round. Everyone was tense. If Alice used them to her advantage and convinced the town, and Sheriff Keller, that he was behind this, both her and FP may get away with it. She told FP of her plan to keep the blame off them, now all she needed to do was write an article and publish it before Hal.

"Alice, it was self-defence. Keller won't send you or Chic to jail for that," FP said. He turned Alice towards him and put his hands on her shoulders and gave her a nod, as if to assure her everything would be fine.

"We're still criminals, FP. It doesn't matter if it was self-defence, we still disposed of the body and covered up a murder. What if the Black Hood knows that? The rumours- "

"Are rumours. They might not be real," FP looked down and took one of her hands, "you're gonna be safe. I'm gonna keep you safe."

Alice looked up into FP's eyes, and FP looked down into hers. She parted her lips as she flicked her eyes down to his mouth. So close, yet so far. A touch. A breath. A look away from starting something. Not giving it a second thought, Alice grabbed the collar of FP's flannel shirt and kissed him. One of FP's hands found its' way to her face and one to her hip to pull her closer to him. Alice yelped when her back found the door FP had backed her into; one hand in his hair, another on his chest. They both moaned as Alice started to unbutton FP's shirt, and he untied the bow keeping her coat closed and began to unbutton her silk blouse. He lifted her up against the door and kissed her collarbone, sucking on the skin and received another moan in reply. Alice wrapped her legs around FP's waist and buried her head in his shoulder. She brought her head up, kissed him again and FP pushed her into the door again. Alice had completely forgotten about her marriage as twenty years of pent up feelings were brought back with a simple kiss. Neither of them could get enough of each other in that one, short moment which felt like an eternity.

Alice pulled back from FP, horrified, "I can't do this. I'm married."

FP gently put Alice down and stepped back, he nodded at her one, and put his hands in his pockets, looking down. Alice ran out the trailer apologising and slammed the door. FP leaned the back of his head against the door and covered his face in his hands as he realised he was in love with Alice Cooper, and he'd never stopped.