Sweet Dreams - Ace Merrill

You got a plan?

Vivian fell back on the bed as she let out a big sigh. Uncle Ace? That was the best she could think of. He wanted to be uncle. He just wanted to be an uncle.

"You not gonna change?"

Vivian lifted her head as she saw Ace standing in the doorway.

"Why?" She asked as she sat up.

"Thought you wanted to go get your kid?" He questioned as he leant against the doorframe, everything pulled him closer but his legs forced him to stay there.

Vivian shook her head slowly. "It doesn't work like that Ace. I can't just go take him."

Ace shrugged. "Why not?"

Vivian shook her head again as she fell backwards onto the bed again, letting out another sigh.

"You don't wanna go get him?" He questioned, Ace couldn't work this out.

Vivian didn't respond as she just rolled over and faced away from him. Ace scrunched his eyebrows together, surely she could just go take the kid?

A thought crossed his mind as he left her alone. He got changed in a heartbeat as he returned to the doorway of her room.

"I'm gonna go find the boys." He mumbled.

Vivian nodded slowly as she continued to face away. Ace knew what he had to do.

Heading straight out the house and jumping into his car, he was soon off.

It didn't take him long to find the others, Irbys of course. Morning, afternoon or evening never fazed them.

Ace walked in to see Eyeball trying to pin down Alex and demand he just give in and let him do it.

"What the fuck have I just walked in on?" Ace mumbled as he approached the others.

Eyeball stopped as they all faced Ace.

"Kid needs the tattoo." Eyeball mumbled as he nodded towards Alex.

"Where's my sister?" Alex asked in seconds, noticing she wasn't with him.

"Back at mine. Said she couldn't just go and take the kid." Ace mumbled.

Alex nodded slowly. "It's gotta be agreed by that dickhead, when she had the baby Zach's parents took him, claiming she wasn't fit enough, ruined their family name having a baby out of wedlock, all that bullshit." Alex mumbled as he felt himself tense up. "He claimed she pushed him into having the kid."

"Why do I get the feeling it was the other way round?" Charlie mumbled as Alex sighed.

His eyes fell on Ace. "You gotta believe her. That first date dad set up, the guys a nasty piece of work to girls. As proven when she came home bruised to shit," his voice went quiet. "Next thing you know, she's knocked up and dad's fucking raging."

Ace felt that feeling inside him again, the same one he'd had from the moment he saw her.

"She lived with Zach till the baby was born and then he was quite literally ripped from her arms." He took a swig of his drink. "She's been fighting for him back for well over a year now. Always ends the same, she gets in a few good hits then Zach goes for the boy. She backs down, he wins."

The others were all silent as they listened to what Vivian had to endure the entire time. She'd been beaten about and whenever she fought back, he threatened her son. Any mother would back down to protect her young.

"You said whenever she went for him, he used the kid as leverage?" Ace mumbled.

Alex nodded slowly.