FP felt like this was the thousandth goodbye party they had thrown for him in a matter of a year. Although he wasn't leaving forever, it still made him feel uneasy to be in the center of attention, even if it was only a small get together.
Technically he even came back every four weeks for a long weekend, so it didn't feel necessary to throw a party. However, Fred was so proud of him that he had done it anyway, so it was more so to celebrate this new project than to say goodbye to him for leaving to the west coast.
Alice had just grabbed a piece of cake when he came to stand behind her after he had studied her face with a frown. She had told him she was totally fine with him taking the job, but part of him told him that it was simply untrue.
"Hey, I wanted to ask you... are you really okay with all this? Cause if not, I can blow it off now." He said softly, as he rubbed her back.
Honestly, he wasn't even sure whether he was asking more for her or himself. Maybe he wasn't so sure about leaving either. But he had agreed, and he didn't want to let Fred down either.
"Are you crazy? Of course I am okay. I'm insanely proud of you." Alice turned around in his arms and shot him one of her signature smiles before she pecked a kiss on his lips.
"Alright.... I'll believe you then." FP smiled a little unconvinced, which didn't went unnoticed by Alice. The one thing she didn't realize that the frown on his face wasn't just meant for her— it was his own doubt as well.
"Honey, it's true. Don't you worry, okay? My beautiful man is going to LA and we're celebrating that. Come, have some cake." She handed him over the piece she had cut for herself and wrapped her arms around his waist to keep him close.
The only thing that actually made him want to go was the way she was so supportive of his dreams. He wasn't only trying this for himself and for Fred, but for Alice too. No partner had ever encouraged him the way she did.
**
After the small get together, FP was collecting his bags to take downstairs. Alice was driving him to the airport, but he'd say goodbye to everyone else down in the lobby. This had been his own request, as he didn't want to make a big deal out of it. In his own words, he was coming back for a weekend in a few weeks anyway.
"How are you doing Mom?" Polly asked softly, as FP was downstairs with Fred to put his stuff in the truck.
She had read the look on her face and understood exactly what it meant. After all she felt like she needed to ask after her mother had broken down because she didn't want her boyfriend to leave.
"Besides that it feels like someone is trying to rip my heart out of my chest, absolutely delightful." She sighed sarcastically, rubbing her temples as she did.
"You still haven't told him?" Polly asked confused, figuring that since their relationship seemed so strong and solid, she would have.
"No, and I am not going to. End of discussion." Alice warned her daughter, knowing that she might be able to throw her under the buss in front of FP, which was the last thing she wanted.
Polly laid it to rest, but her stomach twisted by the idea of her mother being so unhappy, especially after she had seen her glow the past few months, which was all thanks to FP. However, this wasn't her relationship and she wasn't going to meddle if her mother didn't want her to.
**
Everyone gathered around in the lobby. The sun had set a few hours ago and the sky was bright with stars. Though, everyone's heart felt a little heavy knowing that FP was going to be far less home than they used to be.
It felt like they had been here before, which was when he left with Gladys back to Toledo to safe his family. But things were different now. He wasn't leaving forever, but the bonds FP had formed with the people next doors had changed.
Back then he couldn't even tell Alice that he was in love with her, his daughter didn't speak to him, and Daisy hadn't been born yet. Things were way better now. And yet, he was leaving that behind for a big part of the year.
"I'll miss you, Dad." Jellybean hugged her father tightly. Now she finally had him back into her life it felt weird that he was going to be so far away, but she was also very proud of him.
"I'll be back before you know it, Bean." FP promised as he kissed her head. She truly believed him.
"Alright, but when you come back I promise to visit in Riverdale again. Until then I'll keep Mom company so she won't get lonely." She grinned a little to lighten up the mood. She knew she couldn't stay in town for too long, or she'd miss too much school. Besides, she did miss her Mom as well.
"That's my girl." He ruffled her hair with a smirk.
Next one he hugged tightly was Fred— the man who made it all possible.
"Thanks for this chance, brother. I owe you a lot." FP said softly, as he held him close. The one thing he was most afraid of, was letting the one down that saved him from dying.
"You've got this. I'm already proud of you." Fred patted his back and had to swallow the lump in his throat. He knew they'd see each other often enough and would call basically every day, but it was still bittersweet to see him go.
"Have a safe flight, Dad. We'll see each other soon." Jughead hugged his father and smiled.
He could always look at things a little bit more practical, which is why of every one he had the least trouble seeing his Dad fly off to Los Angeles. Not that he wasn't going to miss him, but the proud feeling he had was way stronger.
"Be good to your girls, Sweet Pea. I might be at the other side of the coast but I'm still keeping an eye on you." teased FP as he pulled the boy closer, embracing him in a bear hug.
"I'll be more than good to them." He promised, a big grin curling on his lips.
FP moved on to Polly, the one that he grew really close with, even after their rocky start.
"See you soon, sweetheart. Can't wait to come back and see how much your little one has grown." He kissed the little baby's cheek after hugging Polly.
"Come here you two. Be nice to each other." FP tugged on Betty and Archie's arms to hug them both at the same time. They had been inseparable ever since the Smith women had moved across the hall. He was going to miss their joy and love which they brought to both households.
FP took a step back to look at everyone as his eyes filled with tears. He didn't want to go. He wanted to stay in this town, in this building, with these people. But giving up before you had even started was weak. He couldn't give into that, especially not when it were only the voices in his head talking him down, telling him he couldn't do it. And still, he wanted to give into this feeling so badly.
"Honey, you ready?" said Alice softly, snapping him out of his thoughts.
"Yeah, I'll come." He blew a handkiss to his family and turned around towards his truck. It was real now. They were on their way to the airport.
**
FP was almost ready to board and after dreading it for so long, he and Alice had to part ways. She wanted to buy a plane ticket and move with him, but that was an impulse that wasn't just realistic. For the next year, this was going to be their reality. FP at the West coast. Alice at the East coast.
"Alright, I've got everything." FP said a little melancholically.
"I'll miss you so much." Alice croaked out, the very first tears escaping her eyes. She had promised herself not to make a scene or to cry, but now it became so real that plan was off the table. FP swallowed to stop his throat from tightening.
"Me too, baby. But don't cry, I'll be back for a weekend in four weeks." He cupped her cheeks and smiled sweetly. He was talking to himself just as much.
"I'll be counting the days." She whispered, giving him a smile through her tears.
"I love you." She promised, nudging her nose playfully against his to make him smile as well.
"I love you more, Al." He did smile by the sweet gesture and kissed her softly, savoring every second of the kiss while he still could.
"Get in there, they need your sexy ass at the golden coast." Alice sniffled and wiped away her tears while she teasingly slapped his butt.
"I'll call you as soon as I land." He looked behind him, to make sure she knew that it'd be the first thing he'd do.
"Be safe, honey." She called after him, waving at him with a sad smile.
"I promise." He blew her kiss, but had to turn around quickly before she'd see that he started crying too.
And while they both tried to hard to hide the tears from their significant other, they had no idea how many were shed together. FP had cleaned his now soaked cheeks just as he boarded the plane and looked behind him once more in the last moment he could change his mind, when Alice had ran towards her car and broke down in loud sobs, clutching the steering wheel of the truck tightly into her hands.
Her knuckles turned white and her head started to ache, but she didn't have any control. What if she had asked him to stay? Would that have changed everything? She started to feel dizzy, which was a sign for her to control her breathing. She quickly wiped away the tears in her eyes and turned on the enige. She really wanted to go home and climb under the sheets of his bed so she could smell his scent that still lingered on there.
After a ride that she miracoulously survived, she stumbled up the stairs of her apartment building, but instead of going to her own door, she barged into apartment 4A. Fred looked up immediately, meet her blood shot eyes. She didn't say a word, but just stood there as she sobbed quietly.
Without another word, she ran off to FP's bedroom and immediately crawled under his sheets and clutched the flannel he hadn't cleaned up into her hands. Her headache only got worse, but it was the last thing she cared about. Her cries were the only thing that filled the strangely silent room, until the door squeaked open. It was Fred. Alice didn't look up. She couldn't.
But Fred didn't need any words, not even a look, to know what she needed. Without a second thought, he climbed into the bed next to her and wrapped his arms around her as tightly and secure as he could. Alice sniffled and held onto her friend for dear life as her tears stained the flannel that she held close to her face.
It was in the moment that he held one of his closest friends and heard her heartbreaking sobs that he realized he had made a very big mistake. He should have never given FP the job, not if it was going to tear Alice apart like this.
**
Following day, Fred and Alice had promised to babysit Daisy for the afternoon so Polly and Sweet Pea could go out to do some shopping of supplies they were already out of, and for them to take a breath with a Pop's milkshake.
"Look who's there, it's grandpa Freddie." Alice cooed sweetly when Fred came walking into the Smith apartment. He sat down to her and smiled instantly at the cute little infant in Alice's arms.
"Look at those beautiful eyes. They really made an angel." He whispered, while stroking his index finger on her soft cheeks.
"They truly did. I'm so proud of how they manage. Polly and Noah are wonderful parents and a lovely couple." Alice said proudly as she kept on staring at her granddaughter.
"Speaking of lovely couples... how are you holding up?" He said carefully, not wanting to upset her with his question. After she had dozed off to sleep, Fred had slipped out of the bed to go to his own bedroom. He hadn't seen her the next morning.
"What do you mean?" Alice asked confused, as if nothing had happened.
"With your boyfriend at the other side of the country?" Fred cleared up, his eye brows wrinkling in confusion by her denial.
"I'm fine, Fred." She said shortly, still avoiding to look at him.
"Are you tough? Yesterday you came home crying after you brought him to the airport." He scooted over a little closer to her to try to meet her eyes.
"I don't want to constantly think about him." Alice said a little coldly, but her trembling lip betrayed that she was on the verge of crying again.
"Alice, it's okay to feel." Fred wrapped his arm around her and stroke her shoulder with his fingers. This time Alice looked up to him, eyes filled with tears that were ready to fall.
"I never thought missing him would hurt this much." She cried out as she leant into him and rested her head on his shoulder. Once again, Fred's heart broke hearing her cry, knowing that he was partly responsible for this.
"I want to wake up next to him, Fred. I want to eat breakfast together, to go on surprise dates, to walk in your apartment and see him doing a puzzle or him watching TV. I want all that. Not just a weekend every four weeks." She rambled as she looked down at the baby, who looked up at her with big curious eyes and reached for her tiny hand to Alice's thumb, as if she was trying to give some way of comfort.
"Did you tell FP how you felt?" asked Fred quietly, knowing very well what the answer was. If she did, he'd never be in Los Angeles right now.
"I haven't and I am not going to. He's doing something he has always dreamed of, I just need to get my act together." Alice pushed herself up again and took a deep breath.
"Alice, you're in a committed relationship. Don't you think honesty and communication is important?" Fred didn't want to impose, but the way they handled this seemed everything but healthy.
"Fred, if I tell him the truth... it would do more damage than good. Trust me, I know." Alice shook her head as all the times she did tell someone how she really felt flashed in front of her eyes.
"It's your choice, but knowing FP... he would like to know what's truly going on." Fred frowned, knowing that it wasn't his place to decide what Alice should tell him and what not, but he wasn't sure she realized that this would be very important to FP.
But Alice shook her head again. To her, this was a kind of sadness she would get over. Her proud feeling towards him would take over soon enough.
"This will pass, Fred. And it will only make him worry. I am not going to crush his happiness by being the one that breaks down. Because if he knows, he'll come back to Riverdale. I will blame myself forever for that. And he might, too." She said quietly as she thought over the consequence for their relationship if she made the in her eyes selfish decision of telling him the truth.
"It's your life and your decision... but choose wisely, please." said Fred quietly, not sure what to do to help his friend out of his miserable situation.