Chapter 28- Problems To Truth And Dares
Four Days later, Alice makes an appointment with Sierra, while Fp's working at Pop's. She gets in her car and drives over to Sierra's office. When She got there, Sierra welcomes her in and she walks over to the chair and sits down with her hands on her crossed legs. Sierra sits down at her desk with her hands folded on top.
"What brings you in here, Alice?" Sierra simple asks as her morning voice kicks in.
Alice smiled at her old friend and sat up in her chair. She was nervous and very excited. "I'm here to see if I could adopt Cheryl." She sees Sierra's face of skepticism. She knows it's just a weird and strange morning topic. But she also really wants this.
Sierra looks up from her computer pad and sighs." Alice as much I would love to grant you this. I don't know if I can make you and Fp legal guardians." Alice sighs and fights the frown appearing on her face.
"Sierra please, c'mon who helped you get your first interview for law school? Me. I did. I helped you. Can't you just do this one thing for me? And I'm not being selfish. I- we generally want this. Fp and have been talking about this for weeks now. And Cheryl she loves the idea too. The kids really support us and I would be crushed if this can't happen." Sierra knows by the look of love on Alice's face that she really wants this. She hates that she might have to say no. But she can't get herself not to say no.
"Alright." She sighs," Since Cheryl wants this too. I can see what I can do." Alice's face lights up and she throws her arms around Sierra's neck.
"Oh, you won't regret this, Sier!" She exclaims as she continues to hug her.
——-
Later When Fp gets off from work. He walks into the house and smells home cooked food. His stomach grumbles as he reaches the kitchen. He finds Alice smiling like an angel. Alice sees him and kisses him on the lips.
"What's this all for?" He asks as his eyes sore around the room and sees all the food on the kitchen table.
All sorts of food were there. Mash potatoes, Gravy and Salisbury steak were all plated on the table. Alice sees his astonishment and takes the code.
"I went to see Sierra and she said she will see what she can do." Fp's smile brightens and he drips and kisses passionately.
"You're the best fiancé ever." He says as he kisses her again, longer this time.
They kissed until Betty and Jughead cleared their throats. They broke apart, blushing like crazy and Jughead bursts out laughing.
"Geez, You have a hard time keeping your lips to yourself, Huh?" Fp glared at his son.
"Really? I could say the same about you and Betty." He retorts back and Jughead closes his mouth.
——-
Three nights later, Betty climbs down the staircase sporting her baby brother on her hip. He was a month old today. She can't even believe how quick the time went by. It seemed like he was just a day old one day and the next he was almost a year. Okay maybe she was exaggerating a little.
"Mom?!" She yelled from the living room. She didn't get an answer. "Mom?! Are you home?" She yells again.
There was no answer. She sighed as she holds Koel to her hip before sitting on the couch. She was alone at home. Which was strange for her; but she didn't mind.
——
A night later, Alice and Fp were over at Fred's. Fred had invited them over for some fun. Alice quickly calls the kids over and they arrive shortly afterward. Cheryl sits in the couch next to Betty. Jughead sits next to Archie.
"Let's play truth or Dare." Archie blurts out of nowhere.
Jughead nodded his head and looks over at the adults. Mary, Hermione, Tom, Sierra, Alice and Fp sighed as they crossed their arms. "Dare." Moni states. Alice rolled her eyes. Of course she would pick dare.
Betty looks around and watches them closely with her eyes. Cheryl smirked as Fred makes a pout. "Fine. I dare you to kiss Mary." Mary's face grows red.
Hermione smirks and scoots over to Mary. Mary heisted at first and eventually gives in. A short peck on the lips before withdrawing makes everyone shocked. "Next." She says as she turns to Cheryl. "Cheryl, truth or dare?"
"Dare." Cheryl answered back as she clicks her tongue. Hermione's lips stay quirked. "Tell your darkest secret."
Cheryl's shoulders tense up. She was afraid that Alice and Fp would terminent her adoption. She didn't want to unadopted. She loves living with them and the family. She never had a family like this before.
"I burned down Thornhill." Everyone looked at her in shock. Yep this is what she was afraid of. Betty shook her head a little and then pulled her close and started laughing.
"Wow... C." She broke down laughing. Cheryl rolled her eyes. "It's not funny. I needed a clean slate. And that was my way."
Jughead's eyes grew and then he laughed. "Both Of us committed arson." Fp didn't find that comment funny. It was a serious offense and Jughead had to spend three months in juvie.
"Jughead!" He scolded with hard eyes and he shut his mouth. He still was laughing inside though. Archie smirked and laughed as well.
"Okay moving on! Mr Keller, Truth or Dare?"
Tom looks swiftly at Sierra. He was told by Sierra that Alice and Fp want to adopt Cheryl. He thinks that's a great idea. Cheryl needs a family and what better family than that. "Truth."
Archie smirks at rolls his tongue. "Have you ever kissed someone of the same-sex?" Tom clears his throat quite taken back.
"Yes I have. Moving on..."
Alice and Fp and Mary shake their heads. "No, no you have to tell us now!" Tom sighs and groans.
"Fine. It was a drunk makeout. Fred and I were at One of the super bowl game and I accidentally kissed him. End of story." His voice was shaky and Fred's face flushes at the memory. Archie was in wow. He didn't know his dad kissed another guy.
"Dad! You kissed a man!" Archie exclaims and his father's face flushes pinker. "I was drunk!" Fred defends as he runs his hands down his face.
Fp was laughing so hard. "Wow... Fred I didn't know you had it in you!" Fred rolls his eyes and groans. "I was drunk and it was a lapse of judgement!"
After everyone stops laughing the game continues. "Alice, Truth or Dare?" Alice sits up and stops drinking some red wine from her glass and sets it on the coffee table. Alice grins and presses her lips together.
"Truth." Fp looked at her with a Surprised look on his face. She turned to see his face and giggled. "What? I can't choose truth for once." He shook his head and responded by kissing her lightly.
"Have you ever kissed anyone else in this room, besides Mr Jones?" Oh shit. She can't tell him that. It would break his heart.
Fred tried to hide the fear in his face. He didn't know Archie was going to ask that. Alice felt her heart beating faster than ever. Tom noticed the hesitance in the air. It was thickened by sighs. Fp learned in closer and almost didn't know what to think. Alice kissing another man. That wasn't something he didn't want to think about.
"Yes." Fp looked at her with hurt in his eyes. He can't believe what he was hearing. "Who?" He asks with his jaw started to clench up.
Alice shook her head." It was a long time ago. Don't make me say it. It happened in the past, Fp."
That didn't make Fp stop asking. Jughead cleared his throat and tried to get rid of the tension. Betty, Cheryl and Veronica watched the room grow quiet. The only people talking were Alice and Fp.
Fp stood up absently as he contemplated on grabbing some whiskey in a shot glass. He needed to know what was going on. He can't be in a relationship built on lies and no trust. "No. I don't care. It affects us either way."
Alice sighs and inhaled deeply. She can't believe she was about to say this outloud. She never told anyone. Fred kept feeling sweat forming on his forehead. Alice exhales and feels her heart fall.
"Fred." It slipped on her tongue and Fp's eyes burned with confusion. As he stood he looked at the both of them and opened his mouth. "When? And what!" He seethed a little as he crushed the can of soda he was drinking before.
Jughead glared at Archie. Archie slumps down into his beanbag chair and tries to avoid Jughead's glaring eyes. Betty flickered her eyes over at Cheryl. And Cheryl knew this game wouldn't end well. Secrets were being exposed. Tom looked over the room and noticed how Fp's jaw clenched and tried to figure a way to calm the situation before it got out of hand.
Alice slowly gathers her thoughts as she hears the tone in his voice. She can't believe Archie's damn question got her in the line of Fire. "A few days after I ended things in high school." She watched as his eyes stayed angry and she tried to make it better. "I was drunk and one thing led to another."
Fp's eyes stayed angered. Alice and Fred? What the hell? A Few Days after she ended things! While he was drinking the pain away. She was fucking him behind his back. He never felt so betrayed before.
"Alice, I can't believe you would do that! You slept with Fred three days after you broke my heart!" He was screaming at the top of his lungs.
He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Jughead could see tears start to brim over his eyes. Damn Archie. Now he had to deal with this mess. This was the last thing he wanted to deal with. Alice fought the tears in her eyes. He was screaming st her. She couldn't believe she did that. It wasn't right. Three days after she broke his heart. She could hear the heartbreak in his voice.
"Baby, I- I'm so sorry. I can't even believe myself for doing that. Fp, I've never forgiven myself for that."
Fp just kept shaking his head. "I need some time Alice to calm down." And with that he was out the door. And Alice knew she fucked everything up.
Archie stood up finally dismissing the game and slipped away to his room. Veronica and her mother hugged crying Alice. Jughead knew grew to care a lot about Alice. He couldn't even look at her nor Mr A. He couldn't believe what she did. That was so cruel. Cheryl watched as Jughead ran out the door her new father went through. She grabbed Betty's arm and pulled her along.
Betty was confused at first but quickly caught on. When they found Fp. He was standing by the southside Sunnyside trailer park sign. His eyes were red brimmed and bloodshot. Jughead got on his knees and wrapped his arms around his father's frame. Cheryl placed her hands on his shoulders as soft hard sobs escaped his throat. Fp didn't know what was going on anymore. He knew he was a coward for leaving. He just needed some time to calm himself down. He didn't smell of liquor; which was a great sign. "I can't believe she did that." He muttered to the three teens. Luckily Jellybean was at a friend's house for the night.
Jughead stood by his father. He could hear and feel the hurt running off his body. Cheryl couldn't imagine Toni sleeping with one of her best friends after they broke up. That was cold. But it also happened a decade ago.
"Dad?" Fp heard his son's voice. He sniffed the air and let out a dry chuckle. He didn't want to seem weak. Maybe it was all stupid and he was taking this all out of portation.
"Yeah Jug?" His voice is all stuffy and sounds like he was crying. He didn't look his son in the eyes. He just kept staring at the green mildew on the grass. He knew his ass was most likely going to be stained. But he didn't care.
His son stood in front of him with his hands on his shoulders, looking into his eyes. "I know you're hurt by her confession. But man up. Doesn't this sound familiar?" Fp groaned. He was using his own words against him.
He stood up quickly and secretly wiped his eyes. "Now you listen. I told that to you about Betty. This is different, Jug."
"How is this different, Dad? Explain that to me!" Cheryl and Betty stood back a little bit from them. They didn't want to be caught up in a fight.
Fp stood hot on his heels, his eyes that were once glossy were a red. He could feel his teeth clenching in his mouth. "She slept with Fred Andrews! That's how it's different!" Jughead rolled his eyes and snapped his jaw tight.
"A decade ago! Almost two decades, Dad!" And what happened next. Completely surprised everyone in the dark. Before anybody knew what was happening... it was too late.
A fist smacked into a cheek. Jughead fell backwards and his hands braced his fall. His cheek throbbed and his head shook in automatic fear. Cheryl was shocked. She couldn't believe what happened. Right in front of her face. She had seen people fight but never this. Jughead scooted off his butt and looked at his father. Fp was shaking his head. He couldn't believe what he just did. He never hit his son before. Never laid a hand on him.
He looked at his son; who shook in fear. He tried to step forward and tend to his son's bleeding cheek. His son jerked away and he felt sick to his stomach. He had become a child abuser. Something he never intended to be. He didn't want to be one. He loves his kids and would never hurt them. "J-ug, I- I—" He stopped speaking when he saw Betty's eyes.
Betty couldn't believe Fp hit his own son. His own blood. She shakes her head in disbelief. She quickly shakes the fear off her shoulders. Cheryl helped Jughead clean his face. She pulled out two tissues from her purse and handed them to him. Jughead still frozen with fear, grabs the tissues from her hands and tries his best to clean his bleeding cheek. He still can't get over the fact his dad hit him.
"I think maybe you shouldn't come home tonight." He tells his dad as he walks away.
Fp shook his head at his son and comes over to his son. He placed his hand on his shoulder and can feel the way his son jerked. "No, No, Jug, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to do that. I never meant to hurt you. Ever. I promise!" He shouted as his son walked away from the old burnt trailer park.
Then he realizes that he fucked up and doesn't know if it can't be fixed. He knew he shouldn't have hit him. He didn't know why he resulted to that low point. Would Alice ever let him see his son? He kept shaking as he looked at the abandoned footsteps that were left behind by his three children. Betty, Jughead and Cheryl all left him. He knew he fucked up. Like every damn time. The Jones curse. And he hopes his sons can break it. If that didn't happen. He was afraid his sons will stay cursed. And he didn't want that for his sons or Daughters.
When Alice came home. She came home to no one in the house. She feels alone and lonely. She walks down the hall and sees nothing still. She wants nothing but to have Fp's arms around her. Keeping her safe and now she feel unsafe without him.
Six Minutes later, The door clicks open, She instantly gets off her feet and rushes to the door. And was greatly disappointed when she just sees the kids. Not that she doesn't love them because she does. She just wants to see Fp. Have his arms around her and kiss her endlessly. She sees Betty first and hugs her tightly. Betty fake smiles and hugs back. Not because she didn't love her. Because she does love her a lot.
"Betty, how was h—" She stopped once she saw Jughead's face. "OH My God! Jug, what happened to your face?" She asked she cupped the bottom of his chin lightly and carefully to not touch the raw exposed skin.
Jughead was a little overthrown by her comment and he didn't want to say it. "Uh... well... I tripped..." Alice's face doesn't change. She still looks at him with those puppy eyes.
"Jug... what really happened?" He feels himself starting to frown. He didn't want to say what happened. It still confused him as well.
"Nothing." He said avoiding her eyes as he walked away. Alice didn't buy it. She knew he got hurt or something.
"Jughead, I can tell when you're lying to me. Now tell me what happened." Her voice was loud and clear that she was getting frustrated.
Jughead slowly raises his head back up and sighs. "Malachi he cornered me on the way home." He lies through his teeth. He knows it's wrong. But he doesn't want his dad to get in trouble.
Alice arches her eyebrow slightly and wrinkled her nose at Jughead. She knew he was lying. His ears curl in when he lies and he avoids looking people in the eyes. She looks at him with an hand on her hip. Betty and Cheryl didn't like the fact he lied either. Fp did the wrong thing and Jughead shouldn't lie about what happened. Cheryl knows what Child abuse was like and hopes that Fp never does that again. She prays that he never lies a hand on another child again.
"Fine." Jughead sighs as he tenses his shoulders. "Dad hit me." Alice's eyes flicker with rage.
"He did what?!" She shouts as loud as possible but not enough to wake Koel from his slumber.
Jughead covers his ears with his hands. He didn't mean for Alice to get so mad. "He didn't mean it. He said he was sorry and that he deeply regrets it." He informs quickly as he looks down at his feet.
Alice just shake her head in disappointment. "Just get ready for bed. See you in the morning." Jughead sighs and Betty and Cheryl head to their rooms.
——
When Fp wakes up, he feels alone. He's still lying on the grass. He fell asleep like that after Jughead left. He couldn't get himself to come down. He ended up crying himself to sleep that night. And then he hears a squeaky voice.
"Forsythe! I can't believe you hit him!" He shakes his head and blinks his eyes. That's when he sees Alice in the flesh.
He stumbles on his feet and rubs his raw eyes. Alice just glares in his direction. "A—" He was cut off by a strong sting to his cheek.
He holds his throbbing cheek with his Opposite hand. He knows he deserves this and that he can't lie. He looks up at her fiery eyes and knows he's in trouble.
"I can't believe you, Fp! Hitting your own children now?! This is a new low!" Her voice shaky with evident anger. He was afraid to open his mouth but he did anyway.
Alice waited there with her hands on her hips trying to figure out what she was going to do. She didn't want to give back his ring. She wants a future and all with him. But him getting like this. Scared her. She didn't want her children around him. Not like this.
"Alice, please don't leave me." Fp's voice shook as he frantically gets onto his feet and looks at her with soft, rawed eyes.
She just turns away and starts walking. Fp's hearts pulsing faster and faster as he sees her walking away. He quickly stumbles forward like he's drunk. He's not. He's sober and doesn't want to crumble.
"Alice please!" He shouts as he rushes to get front of her to stop her.
Alice turns around. "Why shouldn't I?! You hit Jughead! He never did a thing to you! And you laid a hand on his face! You should never touched him, Fp!" His eyes flicked with pain as he sees her look down at her hand.
Alice didn't want to this." Al—" She cuts him off by yanking the crystallized band off her ring finger and tosses it at him.
He runs to the abandoned ring and tries to reach for her arm. She yanks her arm back forcefully. "Don't touch me!" She snarls as she storms off into the newly established fineline.
He never felt so broken before. Not when his son left or Gladys took Jellybean. Not when he lost everything. Not when his son almost died. Not when lost his best friend. No. This was the worst feeling he'd ever experienced.
Then he saw something that made his heart pound. His father was standing in front of him with a gun. His face tries not look panicky as he father gets closer. "Forsythe." His voice coated with sickness. Fp slowly feels the gun pressed to his temple. "You thought getting away from me would save you. What has it been? 26 years? Ah yes."
Fp couldn't breathe. His throat felt dry and his heart pounds against his chest. "D-ad, don't please..." He pleads as his voice rasps.
His father blinked at him and rubs the bud of the gun against his cheek. "Hmmm... should I?" He teases wrathfully as he clicks the trigger.
Before he knows it, His father has him tied against the Sunnyside sign. His arms struggled to get loose. He sees two other figures through his one clear eye. He squinted his eyes and sees Jughead being held at gunpoint.
"Dad!" His son screams as his father brings the gun to his chest. A sharp poke from what Fp can see to his son chest. "Why did you hit me? I never did anything to you!" His son screams and then...
*Bang.... Bang*.... Bang! His son fell to the ground. "Jughead!" He cries as his son falls to the ground. His eyes brimmed with unshielded tears.
His father's cackle makes his blood run cold. "You bastard!" He spits out as his eyes ached.
His father laughs. "You did that to yourself, Forsythe." He shakes his head berlingently at his father, his eyes hung dark.
"It's Fp! Not Forsythe! I never wanted that name. You made mom leave and Abby. Abby my baby sister. You murdered her! In cold blood! And now you think your not done! Killing my son! What kind of father does that?! You make me sick!" He snaps with his jaw locked tight.
He was still tied to the sign. He tried shaking his hands loose but nothing worked. He was stuck. Why does his father hate him so much?
His father just cracks a sickening smile." You're mother chose to leave us. And Abby. I didn't murdered her. She killed herself!" Fp's jaw clenched even more.
"Shooting someone in the head that's killing themself?! Bullshit! It's not! You picked up that gun! You aimed it at her forehead and squeezed the trigger! She was only eight! And you took her life! She didn't kill herself! You murdered her!" His voice was raged and seething.
His father just huffs and points his gun at another loved one. His heart skips. No! Please! And then it was too late.
He cries and cries until wets his tight grip off his wrists and breaks loose. He runs to her and pressed his hand to her heart. "Al, no! Stay awake!" He screams and then it fails.
Her eyes shut and he screams at the world. His father was long gone and both His son and The love of his life were dead. He starts shaking uncontrollably and collapse to his knees.
"Fp?!" He heard voices echoing in his head. He shook his head and cried. "Fp, it's okay. Wake up!"
His body jolted up and his breathing was hitched. He looks around with blurred eyes. His lungs burned on fire. And then he sees two blondes in front of him. He blinks his eyes three times to fully clear his blurry vision.
"Alice..." His voice rasps as he blinks his eyes again. "You're alive." He says as his teary eyes bug out.
Alice nods her head." It was just a nightmare, Baby." She soothes, stroking his hand with her fingers.
He sits up a little more, breathing like he was having an anxiety attack. He felt his chest tightening and he starts coughing. "Shh.. Baby it was just a nightmare. Nothing happened. We are all fine." She keeps soothing him as she wraps her arms around him.
After he can finally breathe. He wipes his eyes and looks at her. Alice can see he's still very upset and wonders what his nightmare was about. "In my nightmare. I got pissed that you kissed Fred in high school and then I left. Jughead found me and we argued for awhile. I got really anger and hit him. I didn't mean to and then they left. Then I woke up the next morning. You came and yelled at me and then you broke off our engagement." Alice's head was spinning. She didn't know what to say.
She just holds him with her arms as small tears trickle down his cheeks. "Hey listen to me." She holds his chin with her hands. "None of that happened."
"Kissing Fred never happened?" He questions in a small voice. She feels her chest tighten and her throat go dry.
She shakes her head." I did kiss Fred in high school. But everything else never happened." Fp shakes his head. He knows that his dad killed Jug and Alice.
"No, he killed you guys. He murdered you guys I front of me." Alice was confused. What was he talking about? Betty didn't understand. Who was he talking about?
"Fp, Honey. Nobody killed us. We're fine. We're safe." Her voice sounds so assuring. Fp was still shaking. He had nightmares before. But nothing this realistic before.
Nightmares like Clifford killing Jughead or Jellybean dying and even Fred dying in battle. He still had night terrors about war, bombs, tanks blowing into ash, soot and coal. One about his pal, dear friend Adam dying on the battlefield. They were very close. Shared home lifes and grew up in small towns. They bonded over a lot of stuff. Both were in a gang. And then he lost him. It was June third of 1994. He had been in the army for two years and was on his tour. Adam got shot down by the enemy line. Fp was devastated. After his tour was complete he was never the same. He would never be the same ever again. War changes you. And never for the better. Always for the worst.
Alice keeps her eyes on Fp. She made sure he was breathing more regularly. Betty came into the room with a glass of water. She handed it to her mother and Alice handed Fp the glass. Fp shakes his head from the terrifying memory. He didn't want to think about Adam. He was another reason his drinking got the way it was.
He grabbed the water and took a huge gulp from the glass. He felt the clear liquid slide down his throat. His throat was dried from the screaming. His father abused him for years and that didn't feel like a nightmare. His father went to prison after his eight-year-old sister was murdered by him. He was sentenced life without parole. He always knew his father would want revenge. And he was afraid that he would make his plot.
"Dad killed you and Jughead and made me watch just like he did with Abby." He finally breaks again.
Betty never heard of Abby. Who was Abby? She locked eyes with her mother. Alice shudders at the mention. Fp hadn't mentioned his sister in decades. She remembered the night Fp came banging on her door. She remembered the shattered look on his face. And how his voice cracked when he opened his mouth. His rawed pain in his voice saying that his father murdered Abby in front of him and made him watch. He was only thirteen at the time. And she never seen Fp cry as much as he did that night.
She met Abby when they became friends three years before Fp turned thirteen. Abby was the happiest girl you'd meet. She smiled like no other. She had a lot of hopes and dreams. She loved art and dancing. She wanted to a surgeon when she grew up. She can't believe it had been so long. She had been gone for 21 years since Abby passed. If they were going to have a girl. Fp wanted to name her. Abby. He wanted to honor his dead little sister.
Alice situated them as his throat caught on tiny sobs. She signaled Betty to leave the room. Betty sighs as she gets off the bed and closes the door behind her. Alice returns her attention to the fragile man lying his head down on her lap. His throat feels raw as his cries shake his body like an earthquake. He can't stop the earth shattering tears as he starts to hyperventilate.
"Fp... it's okay. We are alive. He didn't hurt us. He's in prison locked away. He can't hurt us." He wants to believe her words. But he can't. Something just feels wrong.
"No, he's going to hurt you guys. He killed Abby..." His lips tremble as he tries to speak.
"Fp, Baby. Yes I know. But she's in a better place. He can't hurt either of you." He hears Alice's calming voice helps him calm down.
She strokes his hair back with her fingers and calms him with kisses on his forehead, Cheeks and, finally his lips. He feels better. Only a little. He just wants to be held. In her arms. He felt safe in her hold. He loves her so much. She loves him and wants to forget about their silly fight. It was in the past. Not in the present.
After sometime, Fp eventually was calm enough to lift his head off her lap. He looks at her face and she gently wipes away his tears with her thumb. He can't believe anymore thankful for her. She knew how to calm him down. He never liked breakdowns. Who likes them anyway? He didn't know a single person that likes having breakdowns. And if there was anyone that did. He would smack them for being psychotic.
As he takes a deep breath, his chest rises a little and his heart beats at a regular pace. "Thanks, Al." He says he leans his head against the headboard.
Alice smiles at him and curls into his chest, lying her head down on his chest and looked up at the ceiling. "You're welcome, Baby. You'll be okay. Right?" She asks as moves her hand side to side over his chest.
He closes his eyes and thinks for a second before opening his eyes. "I think so, Al." He mumbles as his head hit the pillow.