Where I Belong - Ace Merrill

Chapter 27

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~2022~
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Harper and her dad finally arrived at a familiar hotel. Even though they hadn't had a room booked Harper's dad was fortunately the one with the money.

The pair walked alongside the two bell-boys who wheeled their cases to their suite.

Just as the cases were unloaded into the room and Harper's dad went to give them their tip one turned to Harper.

"Hey has anyone ever told you-"

"I look like Harper from Stand By Me?" She asked almost sarcastically.

He laughed and nodded. "Take it you get it a lot?"

Harper nodded again. "You have no idea." She mumbled as her dad handed them a few notes and they left.

She flopped down on the sofa and stared up at the ceiling. Her dad sighed as he came over and sat next to her.

"You okay?" He asked quietly.

She nodded slowly and shuffled so she could get more comfortable as she grabbed a cushion and hugged it to her chest.

"You think he's still waiting for me?"

Her dad shrugged slightly. "Only one way to find out." He paused. "And hey if he hasn't you can just threaten him with the Amazon prime directive and come home."

Harper laughed. "The Amazon prime directive?"

Her dad laughed and nodded. "Combine Amazon prime and Star Trek's prime directive and viola!"

"And how would I even threaten him with that?"

Her dad shrugged slightly. "Well it's not like they're gonna know what it is so it will spook them to say the least."

Harper laughed and nodded. "That's true." A grin came to her face. "Ooo I could always threaten them by saying the Agents of Shield will come for them?"

Her dad burst out laughing. "You're gonna threaten them with Marvel? Just remember it was around in their time."

Harper couldn't stop laughing as she nodded. "Yeah but the Agents of Shield wasn't! Besides I'll tell them I've got the infinity gauntlet and snap their asses out of existence."

Her dad had to wipe his eyes as he felt tears form. "Or you could really wind Ace up by threatening to make him drink his own blood then have him dangle off a train track."

Harper nodded, her mind going to the Lost Boys. "Or I could get a leather jacket and a baseball bat with wire around and go full Negan?"

Harper's dad laughed and nodded. "It's gonna be pee pee pants city here real soon." He said, trying to lower his voice and sound like Neegan.

Harper laughed, still unable to stop. "I love all these ideas." She mumbled as her breathing slowly calmed.

"Exactly so if he hasn't waited you've got plenty you can do." Her dad said with a final nod.

"Would you want me to come home?" She asked quietly, looking up at him, still clinging to her cushion.

He gave her a weak smile. "I'll always want you to come home." He replied just as quietly.

"But I think we both know that even with or without Ace you belong there." He finished.

Harper nodded slowly. "It's definitely with Ace."

He nodded again. "Then any girl that tries is for sure gonna suffer."

Harper laughed and nodded. "Maybe I should take that bat."