The Redemption of Ace Merrill

I was following him.

Stella sat on the windowsill, staring out. She'd forced the window up and open as she heard the faint sounds of the town getting ready for bed.

The evening had drawn closer as the sun slowly set. She had changed into a pair of shorts and put Ace's shirt back on.

For the first time in a long time she managed to do up the buttons herself. Excitedly she jumped about but stopped as she realised she couldn't tell Ace or Eyeball, bragging about it.

She sighed as she looked down at the candle. Her hand fiddled with Billy's lighter, she flicked it open and gently lit it before letting go and relighting it.

Leaning her head back against the wall she sighed as she used the other hand to hold up the candle.

Flicking about with the lighter again, she carefully lit the candle and placed it down on the windowsill.

Gently she closed down Billy's lighter and put it down as she leant her head back against the wall.

Yet as she tilted her head to look down, she saw a figure come out from the alley across the road.

The evening sun lit him up instantly as a smile came to her face.

"You called?" Ace half shouted up to her, nodding at the candle, flicking away the cigarette that hung from his mouth.

"Just checking it worked." She replied as she half leant out the window.

"What's up? Ain't you supposed to be sleeping? Long day tomorrow." He asked as he shoved his hands into his pockets and slowly crossed the street, looking up at her.

"Nightmares again?" He asked as she didn't reply.

Slowly she shook her head. "Still reality this time."

Ace nodded down beside him. "So come out for a bit, take your mind off it."

Stella shook her head, "How?! They locked me in."

Ace shrugged and nodded to the wall ahead of him. "Drainpipe?"

Stella leant out further as she looked at the drainpipe going up the building before snapping her head down to him.

"I'm not climbing down a fucking drainpipe Ace!"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Why not?"

Stella just shook her head shocked. "Have you ever climbed down a fucking drainpipe?!"

Ace smirked up at her as he shook his head. "Only up." He winked.

Stella laughed as she turned serious, smirking down at him.

"Prove it."

Ace raised his eyebrows at her. "Dangerous game there Stell."

Stella shrugged. "Consider it an order from the daughter of the Sergeant Major of the US army." She replied sarcastically as she continued to lean out to him.

Ace laughed before finally nodding. "Yes ma'am."

Stella watched as he looked around the street, no-one was around. He moved over to the building as she watched him begin to climb up the drainpipe.

"You've so done this before." She said through laughter as she quickly stepped back.

In a split second he was in her room. But he didn't give her a chance to say anything else as he took a step closer to her, grabbed her face in his hands and brought his lips down onto hers.

Stella's hands went to his waist as she tugged him closer, gripping onto his shirt while kissing him back.

Ace quickly pulled away, Stella looked up at him confused but watched in silence as he took her left hand in his.