Authors Note
I worked really hard on this new oneshot and I really hope you like it. It's a bit different from what I wrote before, but it just came out of my mind like this. Have fun and if you want leave a comment or a request for what I could write next.
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FP and Alice have been living in the same town their whole live, beside the time FP served in the army. As kids it wasn't possible to meet one without the other. They were inseparable. It was like they were connected on another level. When they got teenagers it got difficult for them. Some people thought that this close friendship between them was unhealthy since they spent all their time together and also because no one believed them at this point they were just friends anymore. They were teenagers after all and it was a common thought that friendships between girls and boy never work out. Everyone told them that at some point one of them would fall in love with the other one, yet the other one would just want to stay friends. How wrong they were. They had shared their first kiss when they were kids and they were both pretty sure they would also share all the other firsts together. But they never talked about it. Since this could have affected their friendship at some part.
At the age of 15 Alice got her first real boyfriend. She liked him and he was cute to her. So when he asked her out for a date she agreed without a second thought. Later when she told FP about it he pretended to be happy for her, when he was obviously not. But Alice seemed so happy and he would never do anything to make her unhappy so he went on telling her that he liked that guy and that she should go for it, even if it made his heart break into pieces.
To distract himself he asked out one of the vixens. He didn't cared who she was and wasn't interested into her at all. The only girl on his mind was Alice. He went out with that vixen a few times. They went to Pops after school and one time they even went on a double date with Alice and her boyfriend. It was the worst thing that could happen to FP. They were sitting in the last row of the Bijou. The movie playing was "Bodyguard" with Kevin Costner and Whitney Huston. FP really wasn't in the mood for it, but Alice wanted them to come so he agreed.
A few minutes into the movie Alice moved closer to her boyfriend until he straddled his lap and they got into a full make out session. FP couldn't take it anymore. He stood up without saying a word. He just had to get outside. The vixen tried to hold him back by grabbing his wrist, but he just broke away and ran out of the room. The girl was screaming for him to stay, yet he didn't heard her. He just felt his heart break into a million pieces. His Alice was really in there making out with some guy she just met a few weeks ago, when the only guy she should kiss was him. He walked outside the Bijou and around a corner. He sat down on the dirty ground and buried his head in his hand. This wasn't really happening to him.
He couldn't tell how much time passed. How long he sat there wallowing himself in self-pity for being too dumb to tell Alice what he felt when he had the chance. Now it was too late and she already was with someone else. He was so in his thoughts that he didn't noticed that Alice came up to him and squatted in front of him until she said his name. He startled out of his thoughts and looked at her.
"What is wrong, FP? Why did you ran out of the movie? What happened? Is everything okay with you and Keira?" "No! Nothing is okay! I don't even like her! I just can't take it anymore watching you with that guy! I hate him.", he snapped trying to avoid her look. He knew her relationship was none of his business and he shouldn't even say anything, yet he couldn't be quiet forever. "Wait? What?! FP? I don't understand... Are you jealous? You know that just because I spend time with him that doesn't change anything between us. We are still best friends and that will never change! And now look at me FP!" "I can't! I just can't do this anymore." He stood up and walked away from her.
"FP! Where the hell are you going?" She ran after him. Something was really wrong with him and she needed to know what it was right now before they would drift apart even more. Two blocks later she caught up to him, grabbed his wrist and turned him around. She saw that he had been crying before. He would never admit that. When they were younger they cried together watching "Bambi", but it was different now. She tried to get into his visual field, yet he was still avoiding her eyes. "FP...talk to me...", she said with a soft voice. She was now really worried about him. He was acting more than just strange. Finally he looked into her eyes and she could see he was hurt, but didn't knew why. She wanted to pull him into a hug to comfort him. He just took a step back. He couldn't do this now. He tried to get away, which made Alice only tighten her grip around his wrist. "FP...I am worried about you...What is wrong with you?"
"What is wrong with me you ask? I can tell you what is wrong with me. I am in love with you! But instead of telling you when I had the chance to stop all this I told you that you should go for it and go on a date with that dumbäss! I never hated myself more than in that moment! And then when I saw you today staddling his lap to start an all-in make out session in there I couldn't do anything else than run. I just can't take it anymore seeing you making out with him everywhere being happy. You know I would never do anything on purpose to make unhappy! I just can't do this at the moment. I think we can't see each other for some time until I am over it."
"Are you serious FP?!" She couldn't believe him. "Why did you never talked to me?" "Because I couldn't! You seemed to be so happy with him and I didn't wanted to destroy that...which I just did...fuck! I am sorry, Alice! I should better go. Maybe you can talk to him and explain him that I forgot a doctor's appointment and had to leave. Perhaps you can till fix it with him...I am sorry!" He tried to break free again before he heard her voice say something that made him stop and turn around to her again.
"I love you FP! I don't want to fix it with him! He was just a bandaid. I thought you only liked me as friend and wanted to make myself believe I could just move on and someday my romantic feelings for you would just fade away. - They didn't! They only got stronger with every minute we didn't spent together." FP tried to understand what she was saying, but his brain wasn't thinking straight anymore. He stepped closer to her and so did she. They were only inches apart. Alice could feel his breath on her lips when he stopped short before her lips. She waited another second letting the tension between them grow a tiny bit more. When it got too much tension she pressed her lips on his and put her arms behind his neck to pull him down to her. This kiss felt like everything. She would never be able to describe it with words. He had his hands around her waist when they got more and more lost in each other.
This was the start of the best time of their lifes. They were sneaking each other into their bedrooms at night to just be close to each other and have the biggest smile on their faces when they woke up curled into each other in the morning. They also checked the next point of their firsts together after a few weeks. They spend every free minute together like they did as kids, yet not at all as innocent as back then. One time they were caught by Fred while they were going for it in the boys locker room. It didn't bother them at all. After he had left they just continued where they had stopped.
Everything was good until one morning Alice woke up early feeling sick. She got out of bed and ran into the bathroom. She threw up into the toilet and set down beside it when she finished. This couldn't be true! She couldn't be pregnant. They were always careful...most of the times. She couldn't tell FP. He would hate her. She kept it a secret for weeks until it wasn't possible anymore to hide the small bump from him. When she told him he was the sweetest! He said they would do this together and that he would get a job to earn some money for them to raise their baby together. But she couldn't do this to him. She couldn't let him ruin his life for this baby. So she broke up with him and told him she would give him up for adoption so it would have a better life than they could give the baby. She did. She was heartbroken when she had to give Charles away. And that she still loved FP and that this was his son she was giving away made it even worse.
When she came back from the Sisters of Quiet Mercy she only saw FP once to tell him that his son was fine and that this was the right way to handle the situation. After that day they didn't really talk for decades. It hurted both too much to even look into each other's faces. They both started new lifes and started their own families with other people. They weren't as happy as they were with each other ever again.
Their ways never crossed again until they found out that their kids were dating like they did 25 years ago. It was like their worst nightmare. History was repeating itself. They would have to see each other at some point. They couldn't just tell their kids that they didn't want to meet the parents of their kids first real relationship. There was no chance to avoid each other anymore. And fate decided that they would even have to spend more time together than they would've ever agreed too.
They both were divorced, yet had the custody for the kids and so both were asked if they wanted to chaperon at the Homecoming dance of Riverdale High. This was the point when fate stepped in. They were supposed to chaperon in pairs and were asked if they perfered anyone. Alice wanted to work with Hermoine, who she had called a friend in High School, yet didn't really personally talked to for years. Maybe it wouldn't be that bad to catch up with her and get closer again. She really needed someone to talk to that wasn't her daughters. FP proposed to work with Fred, his best friend since High School.
When Betty came home they day before the ball she had the chaperon list with her. "Mom! You are going to supervise together with FP Jones." "Wait?! What?! FP Jones?? Are you sure?? Please let this be a joke!" Alice couldn't believe what her daughter just said. "No. It is right here black on white. You and Jugheads dad will have the third shift. Why are you so against it?" "It's nothing. It's just we never were good with each other in High school. But it will be okay somehow..." Alice sighted. She really would have to spend two hours together with FP. She couldn't believe it. After more than two decades avoiding each other completely they would have to work together for their kids school ball.
The time to the next evening past faster than she thought. She was nervous. Kinda like she was when she for the first time went to the school ball together with FP, but this time everything was completely different than back then. She wasn't sure how to feel about seeing him again after all this time. It was like there were two feelings inside of her. One was excited to see him again and wanted to know how he was and if he still looked as handsome as he did back then. The other was just scared about how awkward everything would be and that she maybe should tell Betty that she will not be able to do this. But she couldn't do this to Betty and anyways then she would have to tell Betty a reason and she wouldn't be able to lie to her again about this. And she wasn't ready to tell her the truth so she just got herself ready. She wore a tight black dress that hugged just the right part of her body. With it she wore a pair of black heels. She had put some makeup on with a fiery red lipstic that drove FP crazy back then and had her hair in soft curls.
When she came down the stairs where Betty was already waiting she gasped. "Mom! Like wow! You look great!" "Thanks honey! I thought it couldn't be bad to make a good impression." "You will definitely not make a bad expression looking like that! But lets go now. I am meeting with Jug in front of the school in a few!" Alice threw a jacket over her shoulder, grabbed her keys and went with Betty to the car.
They arrived in front of the school just a few minutes later. Jughead was already waiting for Betty at the entrance. He smiled at her when she got out of the car. "See you inside mom. And don't forget that you have a job later." "I won't. Have fun. I am just going to park the car and then come inside too." She started driving again and turned into the parking lot. She parked the car in a free spot and got out of the car. When she got closer to the building she saw a men standing in front of it. He was wearing a suit with a leather jacket above it. She couldn't see his face, but she could tell he was really handsome. Maybe the night wouldn't get as bad as she thought. That was until he turned around and she could finally see his face. She stopped breathing for a second. That couldn't be true. The handsome man she was staring at was no one else than FP Jones. She was already too close to just turn around and go to come back later and anyways he had already seen her. "If this isn't Alice Cooper I see there. Long time no see. Time was good to you Al." "You don't look so bad either Forsythe." She felt something when he said her old nickname. She wasn't sure what exactly it was, but it wasn't something bad.
"Why don't we just go inside and get something to drink. You don't look like you are dressed for long outside talks." Alice didn't answer him. She just walked past him and entered the building. He followed her without another thought. They entered the ball where people were mostly either sitting on the tables or were just standing on the dancefloor waiting for more people to come so it wouldn't be so embarrassing to dance.
On the other side of the room Alice spied Fred and Hermoine standing together talking. She looked back to FP, who was still right behind her before she went to them. "Hermoine. Seems like the cour four of our generation are back at school together...Haven't seen you all around the last years beside Fred, who is living next door." "Nice to see you too Alice. I see your daughter talked you into chaperoning too. And your partner is definitely one of the best looking guys here tonight beside Fred of course." The last sentence Hermoine said so quiet only Alice could hear her. Alice blushed slightly and chuckled.
"What were you two talking about", Fred asked curiously. "Nothing...just girls talk", Alice said while carefully looking at FP from the corner of her eye. He was looking at her and when he saw she was looking at him he smiled back at her. Alice blushed even more. So much Alice wasn't able to hide it anymore. "Okay...what is going on here that I don't know?!?", Fred now really wanted to know. "Nothing important. Just let us go somewhere else and give them a minute.", Hermoine suggested to Fred, while grabbing his hand and leading him away from Alice and FP.
There was a short moment of silence that FP broke. "What have you been doing the last years, Al? I feel like I know nothing about you anymore. And once I was the person that knew you better than you knew yourself...". His voice was sad and melancholic. He really wished they never parted and he still knew her like that. But that made it even more valuable to have this moment with her now. "The last thing I remember is you marring Hal."
Alice wasn't sure why she should tell him anything and what she should tell him, yet she felt the need to tell him everything also if there wasn't enough time for this now. Maybe they would find another moment where she than could tell him the rest.
"Okay. So as you probably know I have two daughter. Polly and Betty. I wrote for the Register for most of the years after going to college, but had to quit after my divorce from Hal about a year ago. Since then I just published a few articles in different magazines and recently applied to be a local reporter for Riverdale. I think that's the most important things. What about you? How are things with Gladys?" One could hear the disgust in her voice just thinking that he married her High School enemy. That was the worst he could have done to her.
He swallowed before starting to talk. He knew that he hurted her with marring Gladys back then. "Gladys left when our daughter Jellybean was only two years old. I haven't seen my daughter since. She is ten years old now. But it took us long to finalize the divorce. About two years ago I finally could sign the papers and am a free man since then." "I am sorry, FP. But you can't tell me in the Whyrm there weren't a bunch of serpent ladies waiting for you to finalize your divorce to get a hand on you?" She had to tease him, she couldn't not do it.
He looked at her a bit shocked that she would think of him like that. He was never a ladies' man. Sure he had the possibility for it, but he never wanted to be this kind of man. He only really left two woman into his life and that were Gladys and Alice. He seemed tough on the outside, but with a soft underbelly he only really showed Alice back in the day. Not even Gladys got to see everything of him. "There were actually, but I denied them all. I never was the one for just a fling and you know that." He looked deep into her eyes saying that. She gazed back at him completely getting lost in his dark brown eyes.
Their moment was interrupted by Hermoine who had watched everything from a short distance. "Your shift is over by the way. You two can do whatever you want know.", she smirked at Alice, who didn't understood at first. "Me and Fred are going home now. So see you two. Bye." They were alone again. Not really alone, since they were still standing in the school gym, but no one was interested in the two of them.
They were just standing there shyly looking at each other like if they were some teenagers not knowing what to do or to say. Until they heard a change in the music the DJ played. Instead of the normal party music it was a slow song. FP looked at her and held his hand out for her. "May I have this dance, Al?" Alice just smiled at him and took his hand.
He leaded them both to the dancefloor and then placed both of his hands on her hips, while she laid her hands around his neck. She looked up into his eyes. He still had this chocolate brown eyes she lost herself in all the time. She was about to get completely lost again, when he leaned in to her and whispered into her ear: "I miss you, Alice. I missed this – us..." She looked up to him again. "I missed you too. A lot!"
She stepped closer and place her head on his chest taking his smell. He still smelled like he did twenty-five years ago. Like old leather, cheap liquor and cigarettes, also after he quit drinking and never had picked up the bad habit of smoking. She really didn't wanted this to end anytime soon. He pulled her closer even more so that there was no space left between them, while she took her hands from his neck to place her arms around his chest to keep him close. He chuckled a little at this gesture, which made Alice look up to him. "What is so funny?" "Nothing Al. Nothing." He just smiled at her and hugged her before leaning down to her and whispering into her ear again. "Why don't we just leave the kids here alone and go somewhere else? I don't need everyone to see us." "I like that idea. If they need us they can call." She let go of him, grabbed his hand and gave him a kiss on the cheek. She led them out of the building and right to the parking lot. She wanted to go to her car, but he pulled her into the direction of his truck.
"We are taking my truck. I have a place in mind and therefore my truck is better than your car." She wasn't sure what he had planned, yet she was back to the trust she had for him all those years ago so she didn't said anything and just got into the passenger's seat of his truck. FP started driving. "I was wrong all those years ago. I am sorry. I never shoud've done what I did. You have to believe me. I never wanted to hurt you like I did. I am so sorry." Alice was staring out into the dark night and just couldn't hold back the words that words coming out of her mouth. She just had to be honest with him now.
She was about to tear up when he stopped the car at Sweetwater River and placed his hand on hers trying to comfort her. They just met again after twenty-five years so he wasn't sure if just pulling her into an embrace would be okay for her. Feeling his touch she turned her head to him. A tear escaped her eyes, which FP just wiped away with a soft touch. He looked deep into her eyes. "It's okay! Everything is going to be okay. I am not angry at you anymore. I never really was to be honest. I could never hate you." He leaned closer to her. The space between them just didn't felt right. "Because I never stopped loving you." He came even closer stopping right before her lips. When she didn't moved away he overcame the last distance between them and placed a soft kiss on her lips. She didn't reacted so he slowly pulled back about to apologize to her for going too far. He opened his mouth and was about to start speaking, when he felt her lips on his again. Her arms were wrapped around his neck and she was pulling him closer to her. "I love you too, Jonesy!"