Chapter 456: The First Dance

"Mommy is back."

Alice no longer understood what was going on— whether what was happening right now was an illusion, or just her mind once again playing tricks on her and showing her visions and memories not really hers.

But it didn't matter.

Illusion or insanity, whatever it was, the only thing that matters right now was that she was hugging her son— she was finally seeing Riley again how she left him; she was finally hugging her baby.

"Why mommy cry?"

"..." Alice very gently placed Riley on the floor, before lightly pinching his slightly chubby cheeks, "Because Riley is so cute."

"..." The edges of baby Riley's unusually wide lips quickly turned down as he heard her mother's words. Alice was about to panic, but before she could do so, Riley's frown suddenly turned into a smile, "I cry because mommy is also cute!"

"...That's right," a short but very heavy breath escaped Alice's mouth as she once again carried and cradled Riley. She then turned to look at the room she was in, and no matter how many times she looked at it… it resembled a hospital room.

She was just talking with adult Riley and his friends earlier— could it be she was actually just hallucinating stuff?

If so… which one was real? It was getting harder and harder to tell. It was almost as if she was living in her memory, but also living in a moment that shouldn't have happened yet…

…seeing things that shouldn't be there.

"...Mommy, you okay?"

"Of course. Stop worrying about mommy," Alice quickly shook all of the thoughts away as she noticed Riley looking at her; his eyes, completely wide and slightly trembling with concern,

"When did you start talking fluently, though?"

"Fufu," Riley then wriggled, forcing Alice with no choice but to once again gently place him on the floor,

"Riley is big boy now! Riley is 3!"

"...3?" Alice could not help but slightly drop her shoulders, "But last time I saw you, you just turned 2 and—"

Alice quickly clasped her head as memories of her trying to kill Riley surfaced in her mind.

"...Mommy?"

"Get… get away! I… I don't want to hurt you again!" Alice then quickly stepped back as Riley approached her.

"...But mommy will never hurt me?"

"I did, I hurt you! I—"

"Well, well… look who's awake."

"Uncle Tempo!"

"...Huh?" Alice could really only slowly remove her hands from her head as Riley suddenly started running toward the door and leaping straight to a man wearing flip-flops.

"...Tempo?"

"You had another one of your episodes again," Tempo let out a small chuckle as he cradled Riley, "You…

…had us a little worried, isn't that right, little Riley?"

"Hm," Riley quickly shook his head several times, "Mommy is strong."

"Hm, that's right," Tempo nodded, before looking Alice straight in the eyes, "It's… really good to have you back, Alice."

"...What do you mean episodes?"

"...Your cray cray episodes?" Tempo let out a small sigh, "I swear, it's been getting worse. Good thing we still have a lot of the tranquilizer Whiteking made, if not… oof. I don't know what would have happened."

"The last time… the last time I saw you was… when I was trying to hurt Riley."

"..."

"..."

"Pft," Tempo burst out in laughter after staring at Alice for a few seconds, "You? You'll destroy the planet before you'd even hurt a single strand of this little dude's hair. Now stop wasting your time and get dressed, everyone's waiting for you outside."

"What? Wait, I—" And before Alice could finish her words, Tempo turned around and left the room with Riley. Her confusion was truly reaching its peak— could this actually be real?

"..." Alice stayed still for a few seconds, before quickly changing into the clothes that were sitting on the desk beside her bed. And with a short but very deep sigh, she stepped out of the room,

"Tempo, what do you mean by—"

"Happy birthday, Riley!"

And all of a sudden, Alice found herself surrounded by different people; with a slightly older Riley shyly hiding in her arms. She quickly looked at the faces of the people, only to see members of the Hope Guild there, as well as people she didn't recognize.

"..." She then turned to look at the table in front of her that was filled with all sorts of plates and different meals; as well as a chocolate cake with a large No. 5 candle sticking out of it.

"...Did you black out again?"

"Diana?"' Alice then quickly turned to look at the woman beside her, "What…"

"You want me to carry Riley for a bit?"

"...No?" Alice blinked a couple of times as she once again looked at the people, before focusing on Riley who seemed adamant on burying his face in her chest. And after a few seconds, she gently touched his cheek and lifted up his chin so he could look at her,

"..."

"..."

"...Make a wish, Riley," a small smile then crawled on Alice's face as she turned Riley so he could face the cake.

"No!"

Riley, however, slammed his fist on the cake and caused it to splatter and scatter everywhere; before escaping from Alice's arms and running away. The people didn't seem to mind, however, as they just started laughing as they watched Riley skulking.

There were other children who followed Riley as he stepped out of the venue— it would seem they would rather play.

"..."

"It seems it's been happening a lot lately."

"..." Alice then turned her eyes away from the children as Diana started checking up on her condition,

"It… doesn't matter."

And after a few seconds of looking Diana in the eyes, Alice leaned away to look at Riley playing with other children,

"I can watch Riley grow…

…that is all that really matters."

"That's… true," Diana could really only let out a long and very deep sigh as she also turned to look at Riley.

"Thank you, Diana."

"Hm?"

"No matter what is happening right now, no matter what happened and what happens…

…you brought Riley to me. I… will forever be grateful for that."

"I only wish I could have saved you, Alice."

"...You did," Alice smiled, before leaving and making her way to Riley, "Get back here, you little menace! You still need to make your wish!"

"I wish you could have been there, ma! You should have seen Hannah's face."

"..." Alice blinked a couple of times as her surroundings once again instantly changed. And this time, she was in some sort of amusement park.

"You think throwing a roach on my face is funny!? Why don't I feed this to you!?"

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"Hey, don't go too far!"

"..." She looked back, only to see Riley who seemed to be about 12 years old passing by her, being chased by Hannah with a bug in her hand.

"They grow up so fast, don't they?"

"..." She then turned to look at the unusually tall woman that suddenly approached her,

"...Empress?"

"You know, if my child was alive, I think they would have been best of friends."

"...Yeah."

Alice didn't even mind all the random and unexplainable stuff that has been happening around her anymore, and just turned to focus on Riley… who was now being choked by Hannah.

"Have I ever thanked you, Adaeze?"

"Hm?" Empress's eyebrow slightly rose as she heard the slight change in Alice's voice.

"For making me feel welcomed in the Hope Guild even though mother just forced me in."

"To be fair, Alice…

…you've been a very good friend, despite being slightly crazy. I just wished… I could've stopped you at times, you know?"

"Pft," Alice giggled, "I like that about you, you're always honest."

"Hm."

"But you really should stop shagging Diana's husband."

"That… that was a lifetime ago," Empress's eyes started to twitch as she looked to her side; seemingly looking at nothing in particular,

"I… I've moved on."

"Really? But you told me that in your culture, you only love one—"

"I think the hotdog I ordered is ready, just wait here."

"Yeah, I'll… be here," Alice then took in a deep breath; her eyes, not leaving Riley for even a single second— afraid of what she would miss if she even as much as blinked. But alas, no matter how much she tried… life just moves on.

She watched as Riley grew older and older, with no choice but to just let him go and be free. She watched him get in trouble, she watched him tumble, and very soon… she stood by him as he walks on his own.

"Mom, you can let go now."

"You don't have to worry, Ms. Lane— I'll take care of him."

"...I know you will."

Alice then let go of Riley's arm as he approached the woman that he will spend the rest of his life with,

"You have my permission to kick him a few times if he misbehaves, Hannah."

"You don't need to tell me that," Hannah was wearing a simple white gown; her feet, bare and surrounded by sand,

"You hear that, blankface? I have your mother's permission to beat your ass."

"...Why am I suddenly starting to regret this?" Riley let out a small chuckle; glancing at Alice for a few seconds, before nodding and gently holding Hannah's hand.

"..." Alice could really only bite her lip as she watch her son's back; standing tall as he writes the in his life— the chapter that will no longer include her.

She allowed her tears to fall, but she wasn't sad; not at all. Because she knew, she knew that no matter what happens next, her son will be happy because he is surrounded by people that truly loved him.

"Mother."

"Hm?" Alice then blinked a couple of times, she looked around her— only to realize that Riley was hugging her as they gently danced in the night,

"...What is it?"

"Is this the life you wanted for me?"

"..." Alice did not answer immediately, and instead looked at the people surrounding and watching the two of them dance— people that have been in her life and Riley's… friends that she made along the way. And after a few seconds, she looked Riley straight in the eyes and shook her head,

"No, I wanted more," she whispered as she rested her head on Riley's chest, "I wanted to the world for you."

"..."

"But this… this isn't bad at all. I can't really ask for more than this," Alice tightened her embrace; her hands, almost gripping Riley's back, "It is… this is what I want for you."

"Well… It is very beautiful, mother. Thank you."

"No," Alice shook her head several times, wiping her tears on Riley's clothes, "Thank you… thank you for coming into my life, Riley. Just promise me… please promise me one thing."

"What is it, mother?"

"Never forget how much I love you."

"...I won't, mother," and with those words, Riley also tightened his embrace; very gently brushing his hand on his mother's head,

"This is a very beautiful memory that I will never forget, mother."

"..."

"..."

And very softly, the sand that Riley and Alice danced on turned into metal; the night that was filled with stars and celebration, now back to the colorless ceiling they were before. But the people that were surrounding Riley and Alice?

They were still there.

The members of the Hope Guild; and even Charlotte was there. Diana was standing beside Katherine, who was hugging the sobbing Karina.

Tomoe just had her eyes closed; trying to stop whatever emotion was coming out of her. Hannah's white gown very slowly disappeared along with the smile on her face. As for Paige, she just took in a deep breath as the basement once again returned to its normal state.

But very soon, they all just left one by one— leaving Alice and Riley to dance on their own.

"Riley."

"Yes, mother?"

"I'm really sorry. You're still grieving your friend's death... and now this."

"It is fine, mother."

"It's not... it's never fine. I'm just afraid that it might be too much for you to handle."

"..."

"Riley."

"Yes, mother?"

"Can you tell me you love me?"

"..."

"Even if it's just a lie, even if it's just pretend… I want to hear it before I let go."

"..."

"..."

"I love you, mother."

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