The Redemption of Ace Merrill

Fucking hell.

Ace walked out just as Eyeball and Stella walked out the bathroom. She gave him a small smile as he let her walk downstairs first.

She flopped down comfortably in between Billy and Charlie on the sofa.

"So what exactly are we doing today?" Stella said happily as she looked between the four guys.

Charlie and Billy shrugged beside her.

"What did you wanna do love?" Billy asked as he gave her a small smile.

"I wouldn't let her choose if I were you." Ace mumbled as he sat on the chair and lit another cigarette.

"Hey I can choose!" Stella snapped at him.

"Strawberry pancakes at the diner, followed by reading about some Greek romance crap, you'll try doing some stupid move, end up getting hurt, then it doesn't matter what you have for dinner because you'll put your sauce on the side in a little pile."

Everyone's attention turned to Ace as he stared at them all blankly.

"The fuck you looking at?" He snapped at them all.

"Nothing." Eyeball, Billy and Charlie quickly mumbled as they shook their heads.

"So um..." Eyeball attempted to start but he was still somewhat in shock from Ace's outburst. "Pancakes?" He said looking down at Stella.

She nodded slowly up at him but he could tell her mind was elsewhere. And he wasn't going to take 3 guesses as to where it was.

Charlie and Billy helped Stella stand up as Eyeball tied her laces up on her trainers.

*****

"So wait which ones the girl again?" Charlie asked as he held the door of the diner open for Stella.

"Hero. Leander's her love." Stella said as she walked in, facing Charlie.

Yet she stumbled back as she walked straight into someone. Turning she saw four younger kids.

"Oh shit, we're really sorry." The one up front quickly blurted out as he suddenly realised who was behind her.

"Bollocks." He mumbled as Eyeball instantly pulled her back into Ace's hold.

"The fuck you doing?!" Eyeball snapped down at his younger brother.

"We didn't fucking mean to!" Chris snapped back.

The diner suddenly went quiet as Vern suddenly pointed at her.

"Hey she's the girl on tv!" He said excitedly.

Teddy quickly clamped a hand over his mouth as the cobras all stared down at him blankly.

Stella felt Ace's grip on her arms tighten slightly.

"The fuck do you mean she's on tv?!" Billy snapped at his little brother.

Vern tried talking but it came out muffled as Teddy kept his hand over his mouth.

"He's crazy, you know how he is." Teddy quickly blurted out as he shook his head, still clutching to Vern's mouth.

"I'm not on tv..." Stella mumbled as she looked up at Ace. "Am I?"

"Artois..."

Stella turned to Eyeball and saw he was staring up at the tv hanging above the counter.

True to the younger kid's word, Stella's photo was on screen as a newsreporter spoke.

"Turn it up." Charlie snapped at the girl behind the counter.

Stella just shook her head quickly as she fought against Ace's grip. He didn't want her to hurt herself as he let her go.

She stormed out the diner. Ace looked between Eyeball and the door.

"Go, we got this." Eyeball mumbled as he nodded at Ace.

Ace quickly took off after Stella as Eyeball nodded at the girl behind the counter.

"He fucking said turn it up!"

She quickly grabbed the remote as the volume grew.

"It is said the Sergeant Major of the Army's daughter Oceane McClaren is still being classed as missing. The search radius has now been expanded and it is reported the reward for her safe return has been raised to a staggering one million dollars."

"Fucking hell..." Charlie mumbled.

"The 22 year old daughter of the man currently holding the highest rank possible in the USA Army, was first reported missing after her chauffeured car took a wrong turning that hadn't been marked. The car was said to have rolled down a 20 metre cliff, though the body of her driver was recovered, it was clear Oceane made it out the wreckage."

"Fucking hell..." Billy mumbled.

"Her family have yet to give up hope as her fiancée was seen only yesterday giving a heartfelt plea to the American public, in the hopes that someone had seen her. The number shown on screen is for anyone to call, who believes they have any helpful information on her whereabouts."

"Fucking hell..." Eyeball mumbled.

*****

"Stell!" Ace shouted as he finally made it back to his house.

Sighing he heaved himself up the stairs, trying to catch his breath as he pushed open the door to his room.

Stella was sat curled up in the middle of his bed, clutching tight at the blankets as she shook her head over and over.

"It's not real... it's not real... it's not real... it's not real..." Her whimpers were heard as Ace slowly came closer.

He watched as her hands released his blanket. They attached together and her fingers began fiddling and yanking at each other.

Ace took a small deep breath as he shuffled slightly closer. Reaching out he slipped his hands into hers.

Her attention was so focused as she began fiddling with his fingers, twirling them around her own.

"It's not real... it's not real..." she muttered over and over. "I don't... I don't know what's happening... what's happening?..."

Her head lifted as she stared straight up at Ace. "What's happening to me Ace?" Her question flew out as he heard nothing but fear.

Feeling her fingers still tugging and playing with his he sighed slightly. "What was always going to happen."

She shook her head over and over. "No. No no this shouldn't happen." She mumbled as her eyes went back down to their connected fingers. "It's not meant to happen. It can't happen. I don't want it to happen."

Ace sat there in silence as he watched her as she broke down.

That feeling came back. The 8 year old boy, having just lost his family.

He was losing her too.

"ACE!"

He looked up at he heard Eyeball's shout. He turned his head just as Eyeball, Billy and Charlie stumbled in.

They were all out of breath as Eyeball looked down at Stella.

"She okay?" He asked quietly.

Ace shook his head as he looked back at her. All he could concentrate on was her face and the tightness she was gripping his fingers with, the way they so easily merged with his.

"You might wanna read this." Charlie mumbled as he walked closer.

He revealed a newspaper from behind his back as he held it up for Ace.

Stella's picture was plastered on the front cover as he began to carefully read, refusing to let go of her hands as she continued mumbling to herself and playing with his fingers.