The Redemption of Ace Merrill

It was from Eyeball right?

Stella sat opposite Jordan at the diner as they waited for their food. Austin and Bruce stood nearby.

"You've changed sweetheart."

Stella looked up at him blankly. "What do you mean?"

He sighed and tried to smile. "Just the way you are, you seem different."

Stella shrugged slightly. "Sorry."

He shook it off as he reached his hand out to cover hers.

"No matter, just gives me the chance to get to know the new you aye?" He laughed slightly.

Stella nodded with a small smile.

*****

"Trust me all this bollocks will work out in the end." Eyeball mumbled as he pushed a slightly disheveled Ace into the diner.

Billy, Charlie and Vince all nodded in agreement as the 5 found a table and sat down.

Ace found himself staring over to where Stella was sat, her two bodyguards standing nearby. She was wearing his shirt. He'd made Eyeball put it in her bag with a note.

"I'd say you gotta stop thinking about her but that ain't gonna work." Billy mumbled as they all noticed her.

Ace kept his attention focused on her. "She's wearing her ring." He mumbled.

All their heads turned as they saw the rock on her finger.

"That's fucking huge!" Charlie choked out. "Must have cost him a fucking-" He stopped himself as he saw Eyeball's glare and the small shake of his head.

"Not even that pretty anyway." Charlie mumbled as he looked down guiltily.

"Don't fucking lie Charlie." Ace spoke as he kept his attention on her.

They watched as Jordan and Stella's food arrived. Ace instinctively found himself rising to his feet, he felt it was still his job to look after her and she would need the help cutting it up.

Yet he stopped as he saw Jordan slide her plate over to his side before he began cutting it up for her.

Ace slowly slunk back down into his seat as the others all exchanged concerned glances.

"She don't need me anymore..." Ace whispered slightly.

The others tried to make him feel better but it wasn't working. Just as the waitress came over Ace got up and stormed out the diner. They shrugged at the waitress and took off after him.

*****

"Hey this is the shop Connie works at!" Stella said happily as Jordan let her inside.

Turning to Austin and Bruce he shook his heads.

"Don't think we need you in here guys."

Austin kept his straight face. "Will all due respect Sir, we are assigned to protect his daughter."

"And we're in a shop? What's gonna be a problem in here?"

Austin and Bruce were silent as they stared at him.

"Seriously? You can't just give us 5 minutes alone?"

"As I said Sir, we are assigned to protect the daughter of the Sergeant Major of the US army."

"What are you going to protect her from in here?!" He asked curiously.

Stella quickly reappeared and looked between them confused.

"What's going on? I thought we were going in." She asked.

"Don't suppose you wanna get rid of them for 5 minutes?" Jordan asked as he looked down at her.

Stella looked between him and her guards.

"Dad always wants them with me." She mumbled.

"I'll say it a third time Sir." Austin started. "We are assigned to protect the daughter."

Stella smiled up at him. "See? They're kinda funny, like robots who breathe." She laughed to herself before turning back to Jordan. "Where's the problem?"

Jordan shook his head. "There isn't one, let's go inside."

Stella smiled up at him as she led the way inside again. Jordan went to follow but Austin moved in front as he turned to him slowly.

"For the fourth time. We are assigned to protect her. From everything." He reiterated in a somewhat stern tone as he stared straight at Jordan.

Jordan nodded slowly as the three men entered the shop where Stella was just approaching Connie.

Connie almost jumped as she went out to hug Stella.

"Oh my god! Stella! Or Oceane or whatever it is!" She said excitedly as the girls hugged. "Billy told me everything, apparently Ace is-" she stopped herself as Stella stared at her.

"Ace is what?" She asked.

Connie glanced over at Jordan and the two bodyguards before back at Stella.

"Need a hand trying anything on?" She asked with a smile.

Stella nodded. "Pick me out something nice?"

Connie nodded, "I'll meet you in there?"

Stella nodded again as she went off to the changing room.

Connie soon appeared holding a bunch of dresses and tops. She shut the door behind her as she hung the stuff up.

"So what were you saying about Ace?" Stella asked as she faced her.

Connie looked down and saw Stella was wearing Ace's shirt, she recognised it anywhere.

"Nothing." She mumbled as she shook her head.

Taking the first dress down she held it up to her. "Let's try this one first?"

Stella smiled and nodded as she let Connie help her.

*****

"It's a bit flowery don't you think?" Stella asked as the pair stood in front of the mirror.

The dress was cream and covered in multiple flowers.

Connie smiled. "Where's the problem?"

Stella sighed quietly, the problem was that it reminded her of Ace.

"I mean you've got that flowery shirt on today." Connie said as she pointed to it hanging up. "It's so nice by the way, wherever did you get it?" She tried to hide her smirk.

Stella shrugged slightly as she fumbled over her words. "Oh um... well, I'm not sure I remem-"

Connie laughed and moved behind her, placing her hands gently on the zip.

"I'm dating one of his best friends Stella, I'd recognise it anywhere." She whispered.

She saw the small smile creep onto Stella's face.

"Don't tell him out there." She begged her.

Connie shook her head and laughed. "Ace really don't do things by half does he?"

Stella shook her head. "Actually it was Eyeball who gave me the shirt." She said matter of factly.

"You're so sure about that?" Connie asked raising an eyebrow as Stella climbed out the dress and picked it up, handing it to her.

"Yeah the note said it was from Eyeball."

Connie laughed and shook her head. "Ace Merrill, you really are something else." She mumbled.

"It was from Eyeball right?" Stella asked quietly.

Connie turned to her, holding up a new dress. "Sure, let's go with that."