FP had been gone for a almost two weeks and since Alice had been working a lot of nights they hadn't been able to Skype with one another before. And though it had been barely fourteen days since he had gotten on the plane, it felt like had been gone for an eternity.
But whether they liked it or not, an important part of long distance relationship was the online communication. It was all they had before FP would head back for a weekend home.
He was calling her exactly on time as promised. She was curled up under her sheets with her computer in her lap. Though she was excited to see him, all she could think of was how badly she wanted him with her, and not just through a screen.
Alice pressed the green button on her screen, revealing FP on other side. He smiled up at her the minute he saw her face.
"Hey, honey. Are you alright?" She smiled sweetly as she welcomed him.
"Yeah, everything is okay here. Missed seeing your face though." said FP, a bittersweet tone in his voice.
"I missed seeing your face, too. Did the project start already?" Alice swallowed the lump in her throat to try to keep her emotions under control. All she wanted was to pay an interest in his work instead of thinking of how much it hurt to miss him.
"We've had a few meetings, but we won't start building until next month. Lots of talking, discussing and drawing first." explained FP, as he sat down on his bed too.
"Sounds fun." Alice teased, trying to force out a laugh. It looked like he was buying it.
"It actually is, the process is one of the most interesting journeys of all." He perked up a little.
If he was totally honest with himself, he had been even more miserable ever since he had landed. This city was strange and unknown to him, this apartment was no where like the one at home, and there was nobody around that he dared to call a friend. The only thing that kept him from breaking down was the job, which he did really love.
"And how are you feeling?" asked Alice, knowing that this was a huge and scary step for him.
One night before he had left he had tried to explain her how he was feeling about the job, but somehow his most honest feelings he couldn't share with her. Not because he didn't trust her with his whole heart— he did, but because he didn't want to be weak. He wanted to show that he was making progress.
"The sun shines a lot here, so that's helping. Besides that I think I am doing alright." He shrugged, sending her a smile. She wasn't sure it was genuine, but before she could ask FP spoke up again.
"How are you, babe?" He asked in return, wanting to know more about what was happening back in Riverdale.
"I'm good. Great, actually! Work has been busy, and I've been babysitting a lot to take some things of Polly's plate." Alice forced a smile.
She knew it was stupid to try to play it cool, like everything was fine, when in fact it wasn't. However, the last thing she wanted was for him to worry around her when he already was under a lot of pressure.
"I'm happy to hear you're doing so well. How's the rest doing?" asked FP curiously, not questioning her well-being as she was a master in disguising her true emotions.
"Betty, Polly and Archie are working hard to graduate, so they've been studying a lot. Fred makes sure everyone gets fed, per usual." She grinned a little.
"That does sound like Fred." chuckled FP, immediately missing his best friend already.
"Did you have a chance to explore the city?" She asked, trying to turn the conversation back to him before she'd burst out in tears. The more they talked about life back at Riverdale, the more she wanted to tell him how much she, and everyone else, missed him.
"I did a little. Not as much fun without you, tough." He said sweetly as a sad smile tugged on his lips. I want you here, Al. I want you here so badly.
"Probably not." She answered a little absentmindedly, as her throat was tightening.
"Everything alright, babe?" asked FP worried, now seeing the facial features of hers that told him something was wrong.
"Yeah, I am just tired. I think I am going to bed." Alice tried to give him a smile, but the longer she looked at him the harder it became. Come home, come home, please.
"Okay... alright. Sleep well, baby." FP felt that something was off, but he wasn't sure whether to push it or not. Maybe she was telling the truth, maybe she was really tired. Maybe he was just looking into it because he was already anxious.
"Goodnight." She said quietly, before hanging up and letting the first tears fall.
**
Fred handed Hermione a glass of red wine before he sat down on the couch next to her. He had been brave enough to ask her to stop by to catch up, which he was more nervous for than he'd like to admit. However, compared to months ago he was actually feeling confident that he was ready to try to see where this was going with her.
"Thank you for inviting me again, Fred." smiled Hermione gratefully. She really believed Fred was the kind of man you only met once in a lifetime, and even if they weren't going to work out romantically, she really wanted to be his friend.
"My pleasure, I am happy having you here." He gave her his warmest smile.
"Sorry if I was a bit all over the place last time you were here." His cheek blushed as remembered how he had rejected her. Though he had a very valid reason to do so, he still felt embarrassed.
"Don't apologize, I completely understand." She comforted him sweetly.
"Are you feeling more at home in Riverdale?" He asked, before taking a sip of his wine.
"The way you, Alice and FP have welcomed me and my daughter definitely helped. Thank you for that." Hermione placed her hand on his arm and smiled. Without them she would have felt much more lonely.
"We're happy to have you in the family." He told her, meaning every word.
"Hey, I don't want to catch you off guard but... is there any chance you'd like to go on a real date with me again? To see if there is something there? Somewhere out of this apartment." He chuckled nervously.
Even when what they were doing could be counting as a date, he wanted to go all out for their first official one if she would be open to that. Maybe he had screwed it up before it had even started.
"I'd love that Fred. But I have to ask... do you think you're ready? I don't want to be the one to rush you." She said softly, cheeks blushing slightly.
The first time they tried this, it had been clear that Fred was still processing some feelings. She did't want to be the one to upset him or disrespect Mary's honor.
"Yeah, this time I genuinely am ready. I think Mary is okay with it." Fred smiled, his eyes twinkling a little as they had glossed over.
"I'm happy she is. I wouldn't want to disrespect her." Hermione smiled. One thing was for sure, Mary was a special someone to all of them and she would never want to cross a boundary that should never be crossed.
"Don't worry, she would have loved you if she had known you." assured Fred, grabbing her hand.
Hermione blushed and looked at how his hand was now intertwined in hers, before she looked up and was met with his beautiful brown eyes. Fred wasn't just any man. Fred was special. She noticed how little by little he leant in, until their noses brushed against each other.
Hermione softly nudged it as her eyes closed, telling him that it was okay. And for the very first time in years, Fred took a shot and softly kissed the beautiful woman next to him that had caught his attention from the very first time.
They were so wrapped up in their now deepening, passion filled moment that they didn't hear the front door opening. It was Alice. She needed her friend to talk about her situation with FP. However, when she saw that Fred finally did what he had been wanting to do for so long, she smiled and closed the door again. Instead, she went to her second favorite place in the town: Pop's diner.
**
After ordering a strawberry milkshake and a basket of fries that she didn't touch, she had slid into a booth in the corner of the diner. It was quiet, which right now was something she really appreciated. Normally, FP would be sitting next to her, most likely making her laugh or whispering sweet things in her ear. But she was alone.
"Alice? You alright?" A boy's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. It was Archie Andrews.
"Yeah, I am. Don't worry." She brushed it off and shot him an unconvincing smile. It was clear that she had underestimated his ability to look right through her.
"You're obviously upset. Is this about FP?" He slid in the booth, across of her.
"Okay, talk to me. I'm a great listener." Archie started, as he urged her on to open up.
Alice smiled a little. Eighteen years old, and already exactly like his father. However the thought of sharing her worries was appealing, she shouldn't forget that he was a teenager.
"I don't think I should bother the boyfriend of my youngest daughter with stuff like that." She chuckled a little and played with the straw of her milkshake.
"You're family, Alice. I can take it, promise." Archie stayed put on his seat as he smiled sweetly.
He realized that this was the very first time it was actually just the two of them, but ever since he had started dating Betty, and Alice had become close to his Dad and FP, he had almost seen her every day. It was almost weird not to. Alice sighed and decided to give in. After all, his listening ear was the only thing she had right now.
"I don't know... I just miss him. Things have been a bit uncomfortable ever since he moved." She said quietly, looking straight into her milkshake as she twirled her straw around in it.
"It's like we don't even know how to talk to each other." sighed Alice, now leaning back into the booth.
"Don't you just need a bit of adjusting? Maybe it will be different soon." Archie tried to assure her.
He knew that FP always had a little trouble with change. Things wouldn't be differently this time. Maybe Alice couldn't deal with change either.
"I wish... every time I see his face I just feel like crying." She confessed, her cheeks flushing red. Part of her was ashamed to tell this to a teenager, but in a strange but comfortable way the boy was definitely family to her.
"I bet he misses you just as much." Archie smiled a little. Giving advice wasn't necessarily his strong suit, but he hated to see her this sad. She had the same pout as Betty, which made him smile to himself.
"That won't change the fact that I am at the east coast and he's on the west." Alice appreciated the thought, but no matter how hard she tried, it was hard to look on the bright side.
"He'll be back in a few weeks." Archie added, hoping that it would cheer her up a little.
"That weekend can't come fast enough." She smiled to herself, as she counted the days for his return. Those few days weren't going to be enough, but she'd take anything to be with him.
"How are things going between you and Betty?" Alice changed the subject, before they would chat about her relationship for hours.
"I'm crazy about her. I don't think I've ever been in love before her." The boy started to grin like a typical teenage boy. Alice loved seeing how much he cared about her daughter.
"You two are a very cute couple. I'm glad to have you in the family." She placed her hand on his and thanked him with one look not only for being Betty's rock, but also for taking the time listening to her.
"FP will be back before you know it." Archie said once more, and for the time being Alice decided to believe him.