Chapter Nine - Monster's Ball

The week went by in a blur. There wasn't much to do at the station, since there were no major attacks from the Black Hood. There were only a few scares where a couple of townies came in crying and holding letters saying that they would be attacked for their sins. Turned out it was either only an imposter or just a couple of teenagers playing a prank. Most of the focus was on finding Joseph Conway. The kids spent their time after school pouring through old yearbooks and school records to track down the missing survivor, but with no luck. It was only relief that Keller hadn't hounded them over it, or tried to figure out what they were up to.

But Alice only had one thing on her mind - one person, to be exact. She never imagined that she could one day be a mistress to a millionaire, but that was before she met Hiram Lodge. He charmed her, and she liked it. Throughout the week, they met for brief amounts of time either at Pop's or when he would "happen to be stopping by the neighborhood" during his morning runs to sneak in a few kisses. He even joined Alice and Chic one night at Pop's to aid them in researching the missing Conway child, and the two were able to passionately kiss while Chic was in the bathroom. There was no sex though - it was too risky and their time together was too brief. But Alice didn't feel the guilt or the shame that she did with Hal. She enjoyed Hiram's company and he made her feel good, although she still hated having to sneak around with him.

They weren't able to see each other over the weekend - Hiram ended up having to work most of the time due to the upcoming SoDale gala, and Alice had made plans to spend time with FP researching in Riverdale High's library. But the two did periodically check in with each other via text, so that seemed to brighten her mood. FP would tease her about it once every so often during lull moments. She would snark at him but wind up laughing.

She appreciated that FP could keep a good secret and help them hide their affair. She was grateful for him, all in all. He had done so much to help her, physically and mentally. She owed him a big one, but how? What could she do to thank him for being the best friend she could ask for? She started to think about his family…..his children. She wanted to help him get back to his children, or at least find a way to allow FP some time to visit them in the future. By the time Tuesday night rolled around, Alice sat down at her laptop with her reading glasses on, and she began researching for family-oriented lawyers in the area that could help FP. Chic was out with Joaquin and the other teen Serpents as they looked into Southside High's records, so Alice had the house to herself. She adjusted her glasses as she read through reviews from clients. It was a mixed bag of positives and negatives. Skeezy and well-worth-the-money. There had to be someone out there.

A knock on the back door leading out to the backyard made Alice scream. She debated on whether or not to grab a kitchen knife. Was it FP? Was it the Black Hood? A text popped up on her phone and Alice glared at it.

From Hiram: Let me in? :(

Scowling with some form of a smile, she strided over to the back door and opened it to find Hiram leaning against the door frame.

"What's happening, gorgeous?" he smirked at her.

"You son of a bitch." she grinned at him and pulled him in through the doorway. Their lips crashed together and she clung onto him. She broke off the kiss to go shut the door.

"Did anyone see you?" she peered out to her backyard, making sure none of the neighbors were in sight.

"I made Andre drop me off at the end of the street so I could walk through the back." Taking one last look, she slammed the door shut and leaned against it, smirking at him. She gestured for him with her finger mouthing "Come here". His body pressed her further into the door as they kissed. She wrapped her arms around his neck and his hand held onto her hips. After a few moments, his lips found her neck.

"I missed you." he panted in between the nipping. "Every free moment I had this past weekend, I couldn't stop thinking about you."

"You sound like a fucking Nicholas Sparks novel." she laughed. He found a sensitive spot on her neck and sucked there, making her laughter turn into whimpering. He took a moment to catch his breath and examined her face.

"You wear glasses?"

"They're for reading. I only wear them for long periods of computer work." Alice explained. She freed herself from her position and sat back down at the table. Hiram took a seat next to her and glanced over her shoulder.

"Child advocacy? This related to Joseph Conway?"

"No….." she sighed. "It's for FP, actually. I want to help him get back to his kids."

"I didn't know he had kids. What happened?" he asked. Alice's mind began to wonder. As much as she wanted to spend time with Hiram and be able to trust him with her secrets, this was FP's matter. She turned to face Hiram and reached for his hand.

"Something happened a while ago that broke them apart." she left the details at that. "But FP's been working so hard, and he's helped me out so much." she paused, staring off to the distance of her living room. "He's my friend."

"That's reasonable." he stated, adjusting their hands so their fingers intertwined. "Maybe when this whole Black Hood thing's over, we can do something." She turned back to him, and her heart swelled.

"Really? You'll help me?"

"I know FP and I aren't….quite the best of friends," he began, "but if it means that much to you….I'll see what I can find. But it will have to be when SoDale is no longer my main priority-" She squealed in delight and kissed him.

"Thank you." she muttered against his lips.

"Happy to do so." he leaned in and captured her lips again. "Speaking of SoDale…." he broke the kiss, "I want to get your opinion on something."

"And what's that?" she closed her laptop and rested her elbow on the table. He stood up and clasped his hands together, taking a shaky breath.

"How would you like….after the groundbreaking…..to spend the night together at the Five Seasons downtown?" She took her elbow of the table and stood up. "I was just figuring….since we haven't been able to see each other much….alone." As he spoke, he came closer to her and wrapped his arm around her waist. "So after the gala, we could get a room, order some champagne, dance under the moonlight, and…..other things. If you're comfortable with that, of course."

"It sounds wonderful." she reaffirmed him, smiling. "And as for the other things…." she rested her forehead against his, feeling his breath on the lower half of her face. She could smell his cologne and feel his heartbeat pumping through his chest. She stared down at his shirt and brought her fingers up to the top button, dangerously close to undoing it. She knew she didn't want to rush into things with him, but in that moment…..she was heavily considering changing her mind. "I'd be okay with that." she whispered, being honest with herself and with him. He blinked, tightening the grip on her waist. Their breathing began to sync. She took one of his hands and led it down to her ass. He squeezed, and she gasped and buried her face into his neck.

"Chic won't be home for a while." she began peppering kisses near his ear. "We got the place to ourselves."

"Sounds good to me." he growled and held onto her face. They kissed passionately, his hands moving to her ass and her fingers gripping onto his shirt. Alice took the lead and backed them away from the table towards the living room area. She broke the kiss to unbutton his shirt, which he had no problem in assisting her in. After undoing the final button, she ran her fingers up and down his bare chest and abs. She teased him by getting closer to him and brushing her lips against his. Before he could snag her lips, she pushed him down onto the couch. Hiram chuckled as she slowly straddled his lap. Her bodyweight lowered him into the couch as she kissed him, all while he continued to play with her ass. His hands slid back to her waist and his fingers sneaked under just the hem of her sweater, waiting there. She blinked at him, then without a word, she grabbed his wrist and led his hand under her sweater, up to her breast (she wasn't wearing a bra because it's her fucking house and she could do as she damn well pleased). She bit her lip to suppress the noise coming out of her throat as he held on, directing his attention to it in wonder. It wasn't much longer before he sat up, lifted up her sweater, and pulled her into him.

Alice gasped at the feeling of his mouth enclosed on her breast, sucking on her flesh. His hand snuck up and held onto the other while he sucked in delight. She hung her head back and panted; she almost forgot how good it felt. Wanting more, she peeled off her sweater in a hurry, exposing her whole chest to him. She wrapped her around his head and dug her fingers into his hair as he moved onto the other. Alice could already see and feel the hickeys forming all around her chest but she didn't care. She felt his teeth sink in and a moan escaped from her lips.

She tugged his head up to her by the hair and kissed him, pushing him further into the cushions. His hands found her hips again and she began to grind into him slowly, causing him to groan in the kiss. He held on tighter and flipped them over so now she was underneath him, his bare chest pressing into hers. Another moan came out as Hiram moved to her neck and began leaving red marks.

The sound of a motorcycle pulling in outside the house scared them both. Alice sat up and her eyes darted out the window in fear. Hiram placed a finger to his lips and pulled back the curtain slightly to see who was outside. But she didn't need to see who it was because she could hear him.

"Chic." she whispered and they looked at each other. Alice jumped off the couch and grabbed her sweater off the floor as Hiram re-buttoned his shirt. She heard the keys rattling outside the door, he would be in there any moment now. The two dashed back to the dinner table and Alice reopened her laptop.

Chic came into the house and set his keys at the small side table. "Mom, I'm home!" he called out and saw the two at the table. "Hey Mom. Mr. Lodge?" Alice turned to Hiram, not knowing what to say to her son. She hadn't told him about her new affair, considering that he had no clue about the state of Hiram and Hermione's marriage. Luckily, Hiram stood up and greeted her son.

"Hello, Chic." he approached Chic. "Your mom invited me over to help out with more research on the Riverdale Reaper." he made up on the spot. Chic turned to Alice and nodded his head slowly.

"Well, hopefully you guys found something, because we're still struggling at the school. Joaquin and I just got out for the night and we were just about to head to Pop's. I wanted to stop by to grab my wallet, and to see if you wanted to join us?"

"Oh, Chic…" Alice stood up and joined the two. She looked back and forth between her son and her….Hiram. If she said no, Chic would start asking questions. If she said yes, then she won't be able to have another moment alone with Hiram. Which choice was the lesser of two evils? She sighed and made up her mind. "I actually haven't eaten yet. And don't worry about paying - I'll cover for it."

"No need to." Hiram smiled at her, then at Chic. "On me."

"Thank you, Mr. Lodge." Chic's face lit up.

"I should….probably put on something warmer." she gestured down to her outfit and made her way up the stairs.

"Alice!" Hiram called out, and she turned to face him. "Do you mind if I use your restroom before we head out?" he asked, winking at her.

"That's fine. Come with me." she made her way up the stairs. The moment Chic was out of sight and out of hearing range, she and Hiram sighed in relief.

"Close one, am I right?" he huffed. She rolled her eyes and kissed him.

"Yeah. We're booking that room at the Five Seasons for damn sure."

XXXXXXXX

"The Five Seasons, huh? Sounds better than that bedbug infested Sharebnb." FP grabbed a french fry and shoved it into his mouth as he and Alice strolled through Pickens Park.

"But we're finally getting to spend some good quality time alone." Alice tutted. "And I can take my mind off the whole Black Hood thing….at least for a night."

"Yeah." he stopped and turned to face her. "Doesn't it seem weird to you though that our little friend hasn't popped up in a while? Or even sent you a poem to analyze?"

"You're right, that is weird." She snagged a fry from his container and chewed on it. The past few days had been oddly silent. There were a few instances of neighborhood scares, but those turned out to be false alarms. But it still felt unsettling. And it seemed oddly coincidental that everything had been silent since Alice….

"Not to bring up another touchy subject, but do you know what you're going to tell Chic?" She swallowed her fry and raised an eyebrow at him. "About you and Hiram?" he added. She sighed, processing his comment.

"I don't know." Alice shrugged. "It was hard admitting the truth to him about me and Hal. How would this be any different? But this time, he's married to someone else!"

"Maybe just break it to him slowly. Or have you and Hiram tell him and Veronica together. That's he's unsatisfied with Hermione and that you needed comfort after Hal."

"Maybe." she nodded, "Be a bit easier if Veronica was still in town." They continued to walk on, FP munching on his fries as Alice rambled on. "It's just weird, FP. I thought by now Hermione would be giving me shit for being with her husband over the phone, or fly in to bitch-slap me in person. But I haven't heard anything. Maybe what Hiram said about their open marriage was true."

"Maybe it's a good thing?" he tried to reassure her, but she still looked uneasy.

"God help us all if the Black Hood found out about this. Imagine it - caught red handed as the Mistress of Pembrooke. I'll practically be flayed alive." He stopped in his path and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Okay, I'm gonna stop you right there, Coop." He looked her in the eye with concern in his voice. "No one is flaying you alive for anything. Not if I'm by your side." he paused, thinking of what else to say to her. He was still sketched out by Hiram, but he made Alice happy. He gave her the comfort and affection that she needed since the passing of Hal. FP needed to be supporting of her, she needed him as her friend. "This is the happiest I've seen you in a while, Alice. Don't let this Black Hood scare get to you. Okay?" She gave him a soft smile and nodded.

"It's just scary, that's all." she replied. "I've forgotten what it feels like to be with someone else….like that."

"Yeah, can't relate." he joked, causing her to steal more fries and laugh.

XXXXXXX

There were yearbooks spread all over the room, flipped open to different pages. Chic held one in his lap, Class of 85, tapping his foot lightly to a new song. Joaquin had introduced him to some indie band while spending time together after working at the Bijou over the weekend, and now he couldn't stop listening to them. He mouthed the words to the song as he poured through the yearbook. He was so engrossed in his music and his research that he didn't hear a knock on the door behind him. What eventually pulled him out was a frightening tap on the shoulder, causing him to jump out of his seat.

"Oh! Hi, Mr. Svenson…." Chic pulled off his headphones. The school janitor, Mr. Svenson, nodded at the young boy.

"Don't mind me, I'm just coming in here to clean." the older man regarded. He began to sweep the floors around the stack of yearbooks.

"I can move those out of the way if you need me to!" Chic stood up and made a dash for the yearbooks. Mr. Svenson waved him off, then took a closer look at the stack.

"Writing an article for the Blue and Gold?" he inquired.

"No, actually…." Chic picked up a couple of books and held them in his arms. "I'm helping my mom with something….regarding the Black Hood. We think there might be someone who can help….only problem is, we don't know what happened to him." The older man furrowed his face and sighed.

"Your mom seems smart. She figured out the Jason Blossom case. Hopefully she can find this Black Hood." Mr. Svenson continued to clean the room, not paying any more attention to Chic. The young boy stood there, confused. He only interacted a few brief times with the janitor in passing, yet….Mr. Svenson had been working at the school for ages. Maybe….

"Mr. Svenson!" Chic called out, causing the older man to turn his head. "You went here to Riverdale High, right?"

"How else do you think I started working here?" Svenson chuckled and returned to his work. "Why?"

"You know anybody by the name of Joseph Conway?"

The old man stopped his work. He turned to Chic with fear in his eyes.

"Who gave you that name?" his voice lowered, scaring Chic.

"I was just wondering, because…..because….."

"Because what?" Svenson stepped towards him. "Think he has something to do with the Black Hood?" Chic gulped.

"I don't know." the boy muttered. "But he could help us. Whatever happened all those years ago with the Riverdale Reaper could be influencing the Black Hood." Svenson looked down at the ground for a moment, then looked back up at Chic.

"I'm only going to tell you once, because you seem like a good kid. You don't want to dig in to this Reaper thing….it's caused a lot of bad blood in this town. And I don't think you or your mom should be dealing with the blood on your hands. Got it?" Chic stared at the older man. Something about Mr. Svenson struck out to him. Was it his eyes? The lines on his face? What was it that was screaming out to him? Chic decided to just nod, and the older man backed off.

"Can I just ask you one more question? I promise I'll leave you alone after this!" Svenson sighed at Chic's question.

"Make it quick."

"What year did you graduate from Riverdale High?"

XXXXXXXX

"We're going to need to return Howard's file soon….Keller's gonna start asking questions." Alice stated in a hushed voice as the two sat in on a group meeting with Keller. He was explaining the course of action for the upcoming new year and what the expectations were.

"Good thing you had me hide that in my truck during our break." FP leaned in. Keller kept droning on about work ethic and how they all needed to step up their game. The meeting concluded and Keller dismissed them all.

"I expect you all to be productive this month." he called out as the office began to file out. FP and Alice were the last two to stand and head out. "Especially you two." he called out to them, stopping them in their path.

"Keller…." Alice rolled her eyes and growled.

"Is there not enough work for the two of you with this whole Black Hood thing? Because all I've seen you two do these past two weeks is sit around at your desk not being productive."

"Really?" FP snorted. "You're not going to fucking count responding to false alarm calls and teen pranks as being productive?"

"Then what else have you two done?" he scoffed at the two of them, beginning to turn away when he stopped. The two looked at each other then back at Keller. His eyes lit up. "Are you two looking into the Riverdale Reaper case?"

"Tom-" FP stepped forward.

"WHEN I SPECIFICALLY ASKED YOU NOT TO?" Keller's voice rose. Alice joined FP's side and became defensive.

"You specifically told us just to be cautious." Alice retorted at him. "You never once said we couldn't look into it. And you allowed us time in the archives. Did. You. Not?" she crossed her arms. FP smiled down at her then turned back to Keller.

"She's got a point." he smirked.

"Oh my fucking god…." Keller covered his face with his hand and strode away from them. Alice began to feel her phone buzz in her pocket. She saw Chic's ID light up and answered immediately.

"Chic, what's up-"

"I FOUND HIM, MOM! I FOUND JOSEPH CONWAY!" he screamed into the phone. Alice moved away and covered her other ear.

"Chic, slow down. What?"

"It's Mr. Svenson, the school's janitor! He's the missing Conway child from the Riverdale Reaper murder!" he rushed his words, but Alice had all the details she needed.

"I'll be right there." she hung up the phone and went back to FP. "We need to go. Now."

"What? He found Joseph?" he spoke in a low voice. She nodded, and the two began to rush out the door.

"Where the hell are you going?" Keller stopped them.

"To go be fucking productive, Tom." Alice tutted. Then, she and FP turned on their heel and left the station.

XXXXXX

They peered down at the photo of Joseph Conway then looked back down at the photo of Mr. Svenson in the yearbook. The similarities were too blatantly obvious. The boy had the same smile. The same eye structure. How did he become a Svenson? Why become a janitor at the school? What did he know?

"That's him." FP spoke. "That's Joseph."

"Did he say anything to you, Chic?" Alice turned to her son. "Give you any information?"

"No," the boy replied, leaning against the wall. "Other than stay out of it all."

"Well that's a big fat no." FP set down the photo. "You know where his supply closet is? Does he have an office?"

"I think it's down by the gym. On the right." Chic pointed to an area behind them. Alice turned to FP and nodded. He picked up the photo and began to head out the door. Alice went to follow him when Chic stopped her.

"Mom….before you go, can I ask you something? And be honest?"

"Is everything okay, sweetie?" Alice stepped towards her son. He looked out to where FP was waiting then looked back at her.

"Are you seeing Mr. Lodge?" She stood there for a moment, then slowly began to absorb what he was asking. Her eyes widened and her breathing slowed. She bit her lip as he continued, "I don't think it was that much of a coincidence that he happened to be over the other night. And….I saw the hickeys mom. You weren't just doing research, were you?"

"Chic…" she sighed, worried that he would get angry and lash out. But he said nothing. She took a deep breath and spoke, "You're right. No more secrets, no more lies. He….he's been…."

"He's married, mom." Chic calmly stated in concern. "Unless there's some issue that he and Mrs. Lodge are having…."

"Kind of." Alice shrugged. "But it's not because of me. They've been having issues for a while…..We were going to find a way to tell you and Veronica, when she returned to town. We don't want to leave you two in the dark…..especially since I didn't tell you the truth about me and your father." she admitted. She exhaled and stared down at the ground, fearing that now Chic would never trust her again.

"Are you at least happy with him?" he placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at her son, pursing her lips, then nodded. "Okay, that's what matters." he continued.

"I know…..and that I need to be smart. Which I am!" she added, making him laugh. She kissed his forehead and ruffled his hair before leaving him in the Blue and Gold room. She let out an exhale as she joined FP outside the room.

"You told him already?" he asked as they made their way to Svenson's area.

"He figured it out. But he's not angry about it, surprisingly."

"Better than the Black Hood breaking the news to him." he joked. Alice scowled and punched him in the arm. They walked past the gymnasium, one more door down, and there it was. The door leading into whatever Joseph Conway….Mr. Svenson, was hiding. They stopped, staring at the label on the door. She turned to FP and felt her heartbeat racing. He knocked on the door.

"Mr. Svenson?" he called out. There was no response. He banged on the door again. "Joseph?" Nothing. He reached for the door handle and twisted. The door creaked and opened with no trouble. He let go of the handle and turned back to Alice. She nodded, and they entered the room.

His office was untidy. There were cleaning supplies scattered all through the room and photos hanging on the walls. They examined the photos, looking for any clues. Whoever this boy was all those years ago knew something. He could help them with the Black Hood…..if the Riverdale Reaper was connected to the Black Hood. They wandered over to his desk and peered down. There were scattered papers all filled with unclear passages and random thoughts and….

"Can I help you two?" a voice spoke from behind them, causing them to jump. Mr. Svenson, Joseph, stood at the entrance and frowned at the sight of them. Alice looked up at FP, hoping he would say something, then she redirected her attention to Joseph.

"Mr. Svenson…." Alice started cautiously, "You are the young boy that survived from the Riverdale Reaper massacre, right? You are Joseph Conway?"

"I don't go by that name anymore." he responded quickly and moved towards them. They both stepped back and allowed him to sit down at the desk. "Your son already tried talking to me, and I'm telling you what I told him-"

"Were you there that night? When your family was murdered?" FP began with the questions. The older man looked timid. Alice lifted her hand at FP then slowly approached the man.

"Please, you have to tell us something." she pleaded in a calm manner. "I know what happened must have been painful for you. But you have information that can help us. How did you survive?" Joseph looked back and forth at the two of them and sighed.

"My family struggled…..financially." he started. "It was hard, my folks having to take care of Tommy, Susy, and, me, the youngest of them. They didn't want me to deal with their hardships."

"Were you adopted by the Svensons before or after everything happened?" FP threw in.

"That was long after." Joseph admitted. "My folks….they wanted a better life for me. So that summer, they sent me to the only place they knew could take care of me - a church-run group that dealt with orphans and troubled children."

"The Sisters of Quiet Mercy." Alice realized. He nodded.

"It was lonely. And I didn't get why they wanted to leave me in there. So that night, I got out, just so I could see them all, just one last time. But as I was about to enter….I saw him. The son of a bitch who killed them. When the cops brought me back to the Sisters, they started asking me questions about what I was doing. What I saw. Anything that could help….it was all so much at once." Then he went quiet. He tapped his fingers on his legs and stared down at the ground.

"Joseph," FP brought him back in, "Did you ever see what the Riverdale Reaper looked like?" The older man slowly grew agitated.

"That's always the question, isn't it? Did you see him? What did he look like? At this point, even though I remember every detail of that night, that's the one part….I gave a description. I don't even know if it was accurate, but it was something. But I don't think it was him….the man they caught."

"Wait, who's they?" Alice interrupted. What was he talking about? Was there another group? More researchers like Howard?

"Some people in town that wanted the son of a bitch dead. They buried him alive, at least that's what I heard on the news. But it wasn't him!" Joseph's hands began to shake. FP softly grabbed Alice by the arm and took a step back. "I gave them the wrong guy. And now I have to live with all this damn guilt. That I didn't do anything to stop him. That I didn't help them catch him. If I could have just done something….." his voice went monotone. His face went stern. It was starting to scare her. Could it…..could it be possible that…. Alice took a moment to get a better look at Joseph. His body was too flabby. His face was too old. His eyes…..

"I think that's all I can give you, detectives." Joseph addressed them one last time. "Now, can you please leave? I have to close up for the day and I don't want you two trapped in here." He turned away from them and direction his attention at the scattered papers. Alice stood there, frozen.

"Alice…." FP caught her attention, then, with one last look at Joseph, they left the room. Once back out in the hallway, FP picked up on her quietness.

"Alice…..do you….do you think that…." He didn't finish. He didn't need to; she knew he was wondering if Joseph Svenson was the Black Hood.

"They weren't his eyes, FP." she responded. "I saw the Black Hood's eyes from the night he killed Phillips. Joseph's don't match his."

XXXXXXXX

They sat outside the high school the following morning figuring out what to do. FP offered to come pick up Alice and Chic and to drop the young boy off.

"So, what do we do now?" FP began after Chic left their sight. Alice sighed and turned back to him.

"Unless there's anything else we missed in Howard's file….Joseph's testimony is all we have." she shrugged. She pulled out the file from his glove compartment and flipped it open. He stared out the windshield and thought. Would it be smart to go back to the Conway home? Was there more hidden files in the archive back at work? What about….

"Is there anything in that file about that group that came to see him?" FP turned back to her, peering down at the file.

"Maybe…" she poured through. Unfortunately they found nothing.

"Well, we can't get him to talk." Alice huffed, then went quiet for a brief second. "But that place…."

"The Sisters of Quiet Mercy? That place Keller's son brought up?" FP finished her thoughts. "They seem sketchy as shit, but at this point, they're our best shot."

"Sisters of Quiet Mercy it is, then." Alice nodded. She pulled out her phone and began to Google search for their phone number. Once she pressed dial, she turned back to FP.

"You think they'll talk to us?" Alice whispered as the phone rang. FP shrugged at her. The phone stopped ringing and the line went somewhat quiet.

"This is the Sisters of Quiet Mercy. Can I assist you with something?" an unsettling older female voice came through the speakers. Alice looked back up at FP, raising an eyebrow. He gestured for her to say something.

"Yes, hi." Alice responded in an almost too cheery customer-service voice. "I was wondering if….if I could make an arrangement to speak with the Sisters. About your services."

"You're not cops, are you? We've had many come over the years, and it's all ended poorly." the woman on the other end threatened. Shit, FP thought to himself. If they couldn't go in to interrogate the Sisters, how would they…...wait. An idea formed in his head.

"Well, I…" Alice started. I've got this, FP mouthed to her and took the phone.

"We actually just wanted to come to review your program." FP spoke in a pleasant tone. "We were looking to adopt and we were recommended by our friends to come view your program." The other end stayed silent for a moment, then the woman spoke.

"Of course. Can I put you on hold for a moment while I check the schedule?"

"Sure?" Alice responded. The line went blank, allowing for them to speak at full volume. "What are you doing?" Alice snatched the phone back from him.

"Saving our asses." FP snorted. "In case you forgot, going undercover is kind of my specialty. If we can worm ourselves into seeing the Sisters, we can get what we need then get the fuck out of there."

"And how the hell would we be doing that?" Alice inquired. Before he could respond, the line went back on.

"There would be some available time for the two of you to come in Sunday morning. After mass, of course." the woman greeted them. Alice held her breath and FP quietly fist-pumped in the air. "And whom am I expecting to see then?" FP could see Alice's breath becoming short. He mouthed to her "breathe" before Alice spoke again.

"Of course!" she stated. "The name is…..Mullway. Mr. and Mrs. Mullway."

"And your first names? Just for the records?"

"Yeah, uhhhh….." FP responded. Think, FP, just say something….. "Monica Mullway." Alice glared at him as he spoke. "And I'm her…..husband. Chandler."

"Then we'll be seeing you on Sunday, Mr. and Mrs. Mullway."

"Okay, thanks." he responded, partially creeped out. The call ended and FP sighed. He turned back to Alice; she still continued to glare at him.

"Really, FP? Chandler and Monica?"

"What did I tell you? Undercover work is my speciality." he smirked at her. "You can thank me later, Mrs. Monica Mullway." Alice gave him a scowl that eventually turned into a closed mouth smile. He winked at her, then began to drive away from the school.

XXXXXXX

Saturday morning was quiet for the most part. It allowed for FP to sleep in until almost 10, and it allowed for him to not have to stress about work. Yet, he did stress to a degree about what the hell he was going to wear to the SoDale gala later that night. He culled through his closet as he had a Christmas movie playing in the background. Eventually, he decided to wear a black button down shirt that he struggled to iron and he paired it with a pair of black dress pants and shoes. He examined his face in the mirror and for the first time, he noticed how scraggly his beard had gotten. When was the last time he shaved? He ran his fingers through the coarse hairs on his chin and jawline. Was it worth it? Was he trying to impress anyone…..well, maybe…..

He showed up to the gala around 4:45, shifting uncomfortably in his outfit and picking at his newly shaven face. He felt like an outcast amongst the crowd of people under the tent. He hoped that someone he knew could just come over and talk to him. Hell, he would be fine making conversation with Hiram Lodge. Or Keller. But most importantly….where was Alice?

He spotted Keller leaving a conversation with a small group of people and heading his way. He held a glass of champagne in his hands.

"Good day so far, FP?" he smirked. FP waved and rested his elbows on the standing table. Keller set his glass down next to him. "Nice not having to worry about the Black Hood for a day or two?"

"Pretty nice." FP nodded. Keller had no reason to know about the Howard file or their new discoveries from the Reaper case. But Keller seemed to dig in pretty damn consistently.

"Or have you been thinking about the Black Hood?" he asked. FP huffed for a brief moment attempting to not act out. "You still trying to dig into that Reaper case?"

"Tom…." FP turned to his boss. He went to speak until Hiram appeared between them. He clapped Keller on the back with a smile on his face.

"Gentlemen, I'm beyond ecstatic that you made it." Hiram looked pleased. Keller turned his attention away from FP, who made a weird look.

"It looks great, Hiram." Keller commented. "It's gonna be gorgeous when it's finally completed."

"That's the plan, Tom." Hiram directed his gaze at FP and looked around him. "FP, where is Alice?"

"Um…." FP tried to respond. Did she text him when she would be coming? "Stuck in traffic, I guess?" he made up an excuse.

"Well, hopefully she gets here soon. I'm planning on giving you two and the rest of the Police a toast for all of your hard work. I certainly wouldn't want her to miss it." When Keller wasn't looking, Hiram gave FP a mournful look.

"Let me check with her again." FP pulled out his phone just to avoid the rest of the conversation. Hiram smiled and he and Keller wandered off. Once they left, FP shoved his phone back into his pocket, still no messages from Alice. He scanned the crowd for any sign of her, still no luck. Then, a familiar face approached him, her red hair slightly curled.

"Hi Mr. Jones." Cheryl gave him a small wave and joined him at the table.

"Hey, Cheryl. I'm surprised you're here."

"Somebody has to represent the Blossom family. Or at least what's left of us." A waiter came by with a tray of champagne glasses. Cheryl grabbed two glasses and thanked the waiter, then she gestured one towards FP.

"I don't drink anymore." he shook his head. She set the one glass down and held onto the other, looking out at the scene around her. "How are you holding up, by the way?" he asked her, regaining her attention.

"I'm fine." she gave him a sad smile. "I'm living in my family's other house in town, Thistle House, with my Nana Rose as my legal guardian. But, unfortunately I had to resign my position as HBIC of the Vixens due to the school freaking out about my "fragile mental stability", or whatever. But….I guess it's a good thing? I mean, I get to help you find the Black Hood. And everyone is so great…..especially TT…." she went quiet, forming a shy smirk.

"TT?" FP raised an eyebrow at her.

"Toni, obvi." Cheryl clarified for him. FP stood there confused for a moment, then it occurred to him what might be happening.

"Relax, Mr. Jones. I'm not going to hurt her." she reassured him. "I'm cuckoo bananas for her. She understands me, like no one else ever has."

"Good." FP left it there. He was in no mood to give Cheryl Blossom the same lecture he normally would give to any guy or girl that began to date Toni.

"But I guess I should thank you, because without Team Falice and Co., I never would have had the opportunity to meet mon petite chérie."

"Cheryl, not to be a dumbass, but….what the hell does Falice mean?"

"It's your ship name!"

"My what now?" Cheryl rolled her eyes and pointed at him.

"Falice. It's FP, you," then she pointed to her left, "plus Al…" she turned her head and her mouth hung open. "OH. MY. GOD."

FP turned to see where Cheryl was gawking at…..where everyone had suddenly turned to gawk at. He blinked a couple of times, then his heart skipped. Walking into the gala in a red snake print maxi romper and gold heels was no one other than Alice.

XXXXXXXX

She knew people would stare as she walked in. Alice had this outfit sitting in the back of her closet for what seemed like months now. She hoped to wear it for her anniversary dinner with Hal, but that was all before the spiralling down of their marriage and everything that happened….now she was giving this outfit a new purpose. A simple but seductive way to drive Hiram over the edge and want her even more.

So she decided to throw on the romper dress, lace up her gold Roman-style heels, and pair it with gold snake jewelry, and headed out the door in an Uber. She offered calling FP to come pick her up and carpool over to the gala together, but she didn't want to place the burden on him, especially if she and Hiram would still go the Five Seasons later together. She also considered having Chic drive her, but he had a shift at the Bijou and she didn't want to make him late for work.

Alice climbed out of the Uber, taking a shaky breath, then made her entrance into the gala tent. Everyone turned heads at her, the men and the women. Some people turned to whisper to each other, but at that point, she didn't care. She made her way through and saw FP standing next to Cheryl at a table. She strutted over the pair and grabbed the extra glass of champagne.

"The hell are you two looking at me like that for?" she snarked. FP said nothing to her; he just continued bobbing his mouth open and closed like a fish.

"OMG! I love this whole getup!" Cheryl squealed in delight, examining her outfit. "We defs need to share our wardrobes at some point!"

"Thanks?" she responded.

"Well, I'll leave the two of you alone then. Adieu!" Cheryl waved goodbye and headed off. Partly in confusion, Alice turned back to FP, whose mouth was still somewhat hung. Something was different about his face.

"What?" she snapped him out of his daze.

"Where the hell did you get this?" he gestured to her outfit? "Have you always had this?"

"I've had it for a few months….in the back of my closet." she left it at that, continuing to look at his face. She stepped closer to him and brought a hand to the side of his chin.

"Did you shave?"

"I, uh….." he coughed. "It was kind of getting bad." he gestured to his face. He blinked at her, then his eyes widened. "Is it too weird? I mean, considering that you've only seen me with a beard?"

"No." she smiled. "You look good…..younger really." she took time to examine his face. He did look good….handsome, if she were honest. She wasn't expecting FP to go out and make himself look this presentable….yet here they both were. But she liked it.

The microphone on the stage went off, cueing for everyone in the crowd to come towards the stage. Alice held onto her champagne and turned back to FP.

"Are you going to be okay?" she asked him, "With all these people….and this…." she looked down at the champagne.

"I'll be fine." he stepped closer to her. "The few times I've been back inside the Whyte Wyrm to deal with stupid shits is much worse compared to this."

"Okay." she nodded in concern. He squeezed her hand, giving her a soft smile, then the two walked over to the stage area together. They weren't front and center, but they still had a good view of Hiram on the stage. He hadn't seen her yet; he probably had no idea that she had just showed up. Next to her, FP glanced back and forth between her and Hiram, the realization finally hitting him.

"I see..." FP leaned in and whispered to her. "You're getting all your sinning out tonight before we have to get cleansed for the Sisters tomorrow." She leaned back into him while still looking out at the stage.

"Took you long enough, genius." she gritted her teeth.

On the stage, Hiram tapped on the microphone, capturing the audience's attention. "Welcome, everyone. I'm thrilled that you all came for the groundbreaking of the new SoDale. This new community will hopefully bring in new residence to Riverdale and the Southside."

"Okay, any second now….he's gonna look down at you and completely bust a nut." FP whispered to her. Part of her wanted to roll her eyes and punch FP in the gut, but she had to stay composed….for now. Hiram continued his explanation about what good the SoDale project will bring, and so on and so forth. Maybe it wouldn't cause so much harm in watching his reaction to her….

"I know it's unfortunate that my dearest Veronica and Hermione couldn't stand with me here today….well due to the Black Hood situation." Hiram continued, "But I know most confidently that we as citizens of this town are in the best of hands. So I would like to toast to the Riverdale Police Department for their hard work, and…." then he finally looked down at the crowd and saw her. She gave him a seductive smile and a small wave. She knew she was being a bitch, but she didn't care. She wanted to watch Hiram squirm. He blinked a few times, coughed, then continued, "And….um, their contributions to this great town. So, here's to them." The crowd raised their glasses and began sipping on champagne. "Alright, I won't hold you up any longer. Go, enjoy your night, everyone!" He left the stage and the crowd dispersed.

They headed back to the table. Alice sipped on her champagne and raised her brow at FP. He was trying not to burst out loud into laughter at the scene.

"Okay, who are you and what the fuck have you done to Alice Cooper? Because…..this is the complete opposite of how you normally are." He started giggling.

"Oh shush. I can be flirty when I want to be." she took another sip of her drink. He glanced around, then his eyes widened at one point. He leaned in and coughed.

"Then you might wanna start doing that." he spoke in a lower voice. "Fuck buddy coming in at your eight o'clock." he pointed behind her and she turned to find Hiram coming her way.

"I'll leave you lovebirds to it." he patted her on the shoulder and wandered off. Alice gave Hiram a coy smile then turned away slightly, giving him a little tease. She twirled her champagne glass in her hand, seeing his reflection becoming larger. She felt his fingers trace the area of her upper back as his other hand found her waist.

"Since when did you have the time to get this little number?" his voice sounded velvety in her ear. She made sure no one was watching their interaction, then she faced him and leaned back against the table.

"I've actually had this one for a while, but never really put it to good use…..until now." He stared her up and down in pure awe. He placed his hands near her waist and rotated her around slowly.

"You take my breath away, mi amante. And I'm safe to assume…..that…." he stopped, pulling her in closer to him. His face was barely an inch away from hers, so close that they could kiss if either one moved. He kept his hands on her waists, playing with some of the fabric on the outfit.

"Yes." she whispered. "This is all yours to take off." She lifted his chin with one finger. His eyes looked desperate, hungry almost. He attempted to lean in to kiss her, but she held him back and placed a finger over his lips. "If you behave yourself, Mr. Lodge. You still have to play business man for a few more hours." She gave him an evil grin and freed herself from his grip. She grabbed her champagne and ran her fingers along Hiram's jaw. She began to back away, waving at him, watching as he looked more desperate. She turned away, feeling triumphant. Let him go crazy for her. Let him beg for it.

She joined FP at the drink stand, still having that evil grin on her face. He clapped his hands slowly, chuckling in a low register.

"Okay, that was quite the bitch move. But I am impressed." he complimented her. She stuck her tongue out at him and giggled.

XXXXXXX

The event went on smoothly. Some townies approached the pair and thanked them for their work on the Black Hood case. Some even tried to pester for details and rattle off their conspiracy theories to them, which just made FP laugh. There was only an hour and a half left of the gala, and FP and Alice found themselves sitting at one of the tables glancing around as some couples danced to whatever the DJ was playing. He looked out and saw a little girl dancing with her parents. She reminded him of JB.

"You okay?" Alice placed her hand over his wrist. He turned to her and tried to not get emotional.

"Just thinking about my kids, that's all." he attempted to sound optimistic, but she could see the pain in his expression.

"FP, I've been thinking...what if I could help you find a way to see them again? When this is all over?" She moved to grab his hands and bit her lip.

"Alice…." he began but she interrupted him.

"I've been doing some research….lawyers who help with children and their families. I'm thinking….that if we can find someone….maybe a little bit after the holidays….we could try and persuade Keller to let you off the hook, so you can see your kids again." He didn't know what to say, or how to respond. When talking about the matter with Keller, all he ever received were "we'll talk about this later" or "we'll see after you do this for me". He didn't get much help from the other Serpents either…..well, it didn't help that he wasn't as involved with them anymore and that he was a potential traitor to the gang. But then there was Alice….someone he's only known for a short amount of time, and yet they were closer than ever before.

"You've done so much to help me, FP. You helped me with Hal, my monster-in-law, and you've been so good with Chic. Also, you've given me so much support. I want to do the same for you. After all those years of working for Keller and the PD, you deserve this." She paused for a minute and let out a breath. "I've met so many people over the years that I thought I could trust and rely on…..but I've never actually had a friend. A good, real friend…...until I met you. So do you want me to do that, FP? Do you want me to help you reunite with Jughead and Jellybean?"

He felt his eyes watering. He read the sincerity on her face.

"You would really do that?" he finally choked out, and she cupped his cheek.

"We take care of our own." she replied. "I know that's a Serpent saying, but I think it applies to us too. You are part of my own, FP. Now more than ever." She wiped a tear away from his face with her thumb. He grabbed her hand and kissed her knuckles.

"Sounds like a plan to me." he formed a soft smile. She beamed at him; he noticed her face glow under the lighting. He began to take detail in her snake jewelry…..it looked good on her. She would have been a good member of the Serpents, he thought to himself. She had the fierceness, the loyalty, the same values he did. Gladys would have liked her too. Alice was a fighter, just like her.

She looked over at the little girl on the dance floor. "Hal and I actually did consider having a girl a one point. He was trying to convince me, that if we ever did, to name her Polly."

"Polly?" FP chuckled. "That's actually kind of adorable."

"His thoughts exactly." she commented. "But I preferred Elizabeth. Call her Betty for short." she shrugged. He looked back and forth between the little girl and Alice. The next song began through the speakers. He swore it sounded like Pat Benatar. An idea came to him.

"Okay, that girl's got the right idea." he stood up and releasing her hands. "How much longer do you have until your handsome Latin love whisks you away?"

"Not for a while. Why are you asking?"

"How about we have some fun while we're still here?" he held his hand out to her. She stared down and started to laugh.

"Mrs. Cooper," he spoke in a snooty rich voice that ended up sounding more like a Muppet voice, "may I have this dance?" She rolled her eyes and stood up, taking his hand.

"Alright. I'll dance with you, but only because that stupid Kermit the Frog imitation won me over." He gave her a Grinch-like smirk and pulled her out onto the dance floor. We Belong by Pat Benatar was becoming more prominent the further they went out. She beamed looking up at him. Happiness looked good on her. As the chorus kicked in, he hesitated for a moment on how to go forward. Rolling her eyes, she placed one of his hands on her waist and held onto the other. He smiled down at her as they began swaying to the music together. Time seemed to slow down when he moved with her. She felt warm in his arms, her face glowed, she was soft. She wrapped her arm tighter around his shoulder, allowing her to come closer into him. He could smell her perfume, it was lovely. For a moment, he released his hold on her waist and twirled her out. She spun out and held onto his hand with her arm extended out. He spun her back into his arms and they immediately molded back into their dance. The song ended and the two stopped swaying. They stood there in each other's arms, looking at one another.

XXXXXXX

The dance was over, but it was so relaxing and carefree. She felt safe in FP's arms, warmed up. His brown eyes looked so soft under the lighting. He did look good with a shaven face, she thought to herself, he should do it more often. Her breathing was slowly stabilizing with his. He was so close, and so…..

"Thanks. For the dance." she finally said. He opened his mouth then closed it, nodding his head.

"No….yeah. I wasn't too awful, was I?"

"Not in a million years." she reassured him. Damn, there was something about him that she couldn't put her tongue on. She pursed her lips and looked out into the crowd. The scene was starting to die down, but there were still a few business representatives around, all waiting for their chance to talk with the one and only Hiram Lodge. She saw him after a few seconds talking to a group of men. He looked miserable. Uncomfortable. He glanced away from the men and looked at her. FP noticed the pair then turned back to her.

"Wait here." FP whispered to her, then left and jumped into the conversation. "Hey boys. I think I lost my wallet back over by the bar. Could I get you guys to help me out?" The men looked confused, but FP was able to convince them to pull away from Hiram and follow him. He looked back at Alice, mouthed "Go get him." and winked before he left. She smiled at FP then faced Hiram. She strutted over to him and grabbed his hand.

"Wanna dance, handsome? You look like you need some good company."

"Absolutely." He took the lead and brought her out to the dance floor. At this point, because the crowd was no longer as busy, she didn't care who was watching them. She felt him coil his arms around her, just like he did back from the night at the bar, and felt the heat from his chest. She could hear Nights in White Satin over the speakers, a song she hadn't heard in years. They were closer now, their faces almost touching, his chest against hers.

Their swaying transformed into the pattern of a tango. It wasn't rushed or elaborate like a Dancing with the Stars routine - it was slow and methodical with every step. She only danced tango a few brief times - only because she and Hal were forced by Prudence to take ballroom dancing classes before their wedding. Nevertheless, she at least knew what the hell she and Hiram were getting themselves into. She let the words of the song flow through her veins and allowed him to guide her movement. He was a good lead, just like he was the first night they could behave like this in a public setting. Yet, it felt like the rest of the world had gone away, and it was only the two of them out on that dance floor taking on this passionate, sensual dance. Her heart beated faster when he led her back, to the side, up….she flowed with him so easily. The song slowed down its pace, and she had her back against his chest. Her leg hooked around his waist, and he lunged back, holding on by her thigh. Her hand coiled around his jawline, caressing the side of his face and his neck. He returned back to a standing position, placing a kiss between the crook of her neck and her shoulder. She felt his hot breath linger on her as he turned her to face him. The beat was picking up again, nearing the end of the song; she felt like she was floating on the dance floor and only had him to keep her steady. She clung to him tighter, losing herself and her senses to the heat of it all. The song ended, allowing her to ease her hold on him and to rest her head on his shoulder. She was out breath, but she loved it.

"Say the words, and we'll go." Hiram whispered to her, "I trust my men to do what needs to get cleaned up here. It can just be you and me."

Alice pulled her head back up and looked at him. She saw beads of sweat forming near his hairline. His arm snaked around her waist, bringing her closer to him, their foreheads now touching. She wanted to kiss him. She was half tempted to just pin him to the floor and do crazy things with him right there. No matter who saw them. She didn't want to wait anymore. She wanted him. All of him.

"Get me out of here."

XXXXXXX

There wasn't much for FP to do when the gala came to a close. There wasn't really anyone to talk to - Keller had left a few minutes before the end just so he could get some sleep, and Alice….the event, if he were honest, really died down when Alice disappeared with Hiram long before everything had ended. FP knew what they were doing, and where they were, but he didn't want to be a dick and go bother her. She deserved to have fun and let loose for once.

He offered to help some of the wait staff clean up, but he was sent away, told that they could very well handle the mess. After a few attempts, he bid them good night and headed back out to his truck. He had fun for the first time in a while that didn't involve work. Or alcohol. But now that the fun was over, he needed to get his head back into the case. He needed to start strategizing what to do about the Sisters and Joseph. And the Black Hood.

The traffic was almost nonexistent, so he returned to his trailer in practically no time. He was ready just to hop into bed then be ready to get up the next morning to make the trip out to the Sisters of Quiet Mercy.

But there was someone sitting on the steps outside his trailer. The figure became a shadow when he turned his headlights off, but he didn't need the lights to show him who it was.

"There a reason you're outside my trailer, Tall Boy?"

"Got brought up in tonight's Serpent meeting, Jones." Tall Boy stood up and waited for FP to come over to him. "Your involvement of Sugarman's arrest got out. And the fact that you went to see the Snake Charmer in prison."

"You realize that's for my job, right?" he reminded Tall Boy. "I'm not betraying anyone in the Serpents. As a matter of fact, I'm keeping all of your asses from ending up behind bars. Now if you excuse me, I would like to go inside my home and get some goddamn sleep." He tried to move past the older Serpent, but Tall Boy stopped him and grabbed him violently by the arm.

"I suggest you watch yourself, FP. Know where your loyalties lie, 'cause God help you if the Serpents found out what you were up to. And I pray that the Black Hood doesn't try to go after you again. Or that pretty little partner of yours." His eyes lit up in anger, but he was in no mood or had no energy to fight Tall Boy now. Instead, FP pulled himself free from his grip and glared him in the eye.

"What we do is none of your damn business anymore. Got it?" The older Serpent didn't respond. He looked FP up and down and scoffed.

"You're doing a nice job playing the role of a Northsider. Think that sums up your loyalties right there, if I say so myself." And with that, Tall Boy walked off, disappearing into the abundance of trailers. Part of him wanted to run after Tall Boy and beat him up, but another part of him wanted to go to Alice. To tell her what happened. But that would have to be for another time. Another night.

He entered his trailer and removed his gala attire, only throwing on a t-shirt to wear to bed with his boxers. He didn't bother to brush his teeth, he just flopped onto his bed and set an alarm on his phone. FP ended up lying awake staring up at the ceiling for a few minutes….a few hours. It took him longer that he anticipated to fall asleep. He didn't know if it was because he was on edge about his confrontation with Tall Boy, or nerves about going to the Sisters the following morning, or Alice…..

XXXXXXXX

She texted FP to let him know she arrived at the Five Seasons alive and well. She wanted to see which roads the driver was going down so FP would know how to come pick her up the next morning, but she didn't end up paying any attention. She spent the entire car ride over on Hiram's lap making out with him. His hands roamed her body and his fingers became lost in her hair with every kiss. He tasted sweeter than heaven and he felt hotter than hell. She loved it.

They entered the lobby and grabbed the keys from the concierge. Alice had only been to the Five Seasons only a handful of times - she never stayed in the rooms, but she had been to the ballroom and restaurant when Hal hosted a couple of Christmas parties for the Register. They ran over to the elevator, hand-in-hand, giggling like a bunch of teenagers, and pressed the button for the third floor. They kept on kissing as the doors shut and the ride up began.

"I've waited all night for this." he breathed heavy against her lips. "I've been waiting for this since we started seeing each other."

"Good thing you won me over." she gave him a malicious smile and recaptured his lips. The doors slid open to lead them to the third floor. He led her down the hallway to one of the suites on the left. After fidgeting with the key, he opened the door and moved aside so she could enter.

The scene took her breath away. The room was giant, with a couch, television, wine and drink bar, and the comfiest bed she had ever seen. She ran her fingers along the wooden cabinets of the bar, taking in her surroundings. She wandered over to the window and pulled back the curtain; downtown Riverdale was glowing in string lights and street lamps - she had never seen the town this gorgeous.

"Isn't it beautiful?" he came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her stomach. He nuzzled his head into her neck and planted little kisses. She leaned back into him, humming in delight, and coiled her hand around to the back of his head. His kisses moved from her neck to her lips as held onto her tighter. She rotated around so her chest was against his, and she let him back her into the wall near the window. A few seconds into it, she reached for his jacket and peeled it off. He began to undo the cuffs on his wrists and started to unbutton his shirt, all while coming back for more kisses. Her fingers went through the buttons with ease. She hesitated for a moment, wanting to take her time.

"If this is going too fast, you can tell me." he cupped her cheek. "I want this to be good for you. For both of us."

"It is." she kept her eyes on him while she focused her attention on untying the ascot around his neck. The moment she pulled the fabric off, lacing it between her fingers, he backed away and removed his shirt. He kicked off his shoes at the same time he undid his belt and slid his pants off. She laughed and threw the ascot at him. She moved into him, half naked in his boxers and socks, and wedged her fingers under his chin as she kissed him again. But now he was focused on something else.

"May I?" he muttered. She nodded at the touch of his hands escalating up her back, up to the zipper of her outfit. Without much hesitation, Hiram buried his face into neck, starting up his routine of nipping and sucking on her skin, all while he slowly unzipped her outfit. Alice dug her fingers into his hair and hung her mouth open at his touch going back and forth between removing the fabric from her shoulders and cupping her breasts. She helped him by pulling her arms out of the sleeves and letting the fabric fall to her legs. She stepped closer into him, her bare chest against his. He tilted his head back up to kiss her and he brought his hands down to her hips. He directed his attention to the lower half of her body, his fingers slipping under the gold belt hanging around her waist. He snapped it open, and leisurely pulled the rest of her outfit down. He allowed her space so she could step out of the fabric. Alice lifted her legs slightly, one by one, to take off her heels, When she finished and felt her bare feet hit the floor, she stepped back into him. She felt his hands on forearms, his fingers were now freezing, as he stared at her in wonder.

She grabbed him by the wrist and led him over to the bed, standing only a few inches away from the edge. She guided him closer to her so he could take her into his arms, but he decided to get down onto his knees, focusing on her legs. He placed a tender kiss above knee, moving slowly up her thigh, and repeated the same on her other leg. His fingers tracing the shape of her thigh caused her breath to hitch. When was the last time she was with someone like this? The only time she could remember was….NO. Don't think about him. Don't think about what happened with Hal. This was someone new. Hiram was not just a warm body for her to fuck and to let fuck her.

Alice sat down on the edge of the bed. He was only a couple of inches away from her, but his hand still held onto her thigh. Hiram crawled closer to her, his fingers creeping up to the hemline of her underwear. "Hey." she spoke and lifted his chin. "I know you won't hurt me. I trust you, Hiram." she smiled down at him. He leaned up, holding onto her waist for support, and kissed her.

"You're so beautiful." he muttered.

"So are you." she replied, blushing. He kissed her one last time before looping his fingers into her underwear. He tugged at the fabric and slowly slid them off. He moved down to her chest and kissed her cleavage, then her abdomen, her stomach, down further….

She found herself reacting to his movement in way she hadn't in a long time, not even during her recent time with Hal. She forgot that it made her senses go haywire, but it felt good. Her fingers gripped onto his hair, bringing him more into her, and she panted in between unsteady breaths. The sensation overtook her body, and she collapsed onto the bed. He wrapped his arms tighter around her thighs and continued giving her the pleasure she desperately needed. She felt high, drunk, and yet completely sober all at once. Her fears of them getting caught together and her anxiety melted away with every sound that came out of her. It was like there was no Black Hood, no dead "sinners", no poetry to analyze in some twisted mind game…..all of that disappeared in her mind. The only thing she could focus on was him. She reacted to his fingers slipping in, beginning a slow rhythm that picked up a pace after a few moments. And to think that she didn't trust him when they first met. Beside her rebuilding relationship with Chic and her newly forming friendship with FP, she wanted to thank the Black Hood for bringing her and Hiram together. He was lonely and misunderstood, just like she was. He made her feel the bliss and excitement that she lost with Hal a long time ago, and she and Hiram hadn't even been together for more than two weeks. The passion and the impact of his movements made her swell up inside and grit her teeth, fighting to hold back the last of her moans. A brief moment passed, and she fell apart. Her hips sunk into the mattress, her stomach rose up and down sporadically, and her eyes rolled to the back of her head. She felt hot and somewhat dizzy, but the feeling made her smile. Alice opened her eyes slowly, attempting to catch her breath, as he moved up to meet her gaze. She could taste her raw scent on his tongue as he kissed her.

"I made the right decision to be with you, Alice." Hiram ran his thumb along her lips and down her chin. "Everything I wanted, what I desired…..it's you, Alice. You check off every fucking box." She felt like she was tearing up, not from sadness but from joy and…..she wouldn't call it love but it was damn close to it. She grabbed his face and pulled him back down for another kiss. She felt the vibration of his chuckle against her lips, causing her to giggle as well.

"Then what the hell are you waiting for?" her voice went deep as her hand crept down to his boxers. She raised an eyebrow up at him, hoping he would take the hint. Lucky for her, he caught on quite quickly.

End of Chapter Nine

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