Till Death - Ace Merrill (BOOK 2)

A baby crying.

Ace stopped running as he reached the hospital. Austin and Eyeball almost dropped exhausted by his side.

"What the hell are you-" Austin started but stopped as he followed Ace's gaze.

On the second floor window the trio all saw a candle burning.

"How the fuck-" Eyeball started but stopped as Ace pushed his way inside.

Both Austin and Eyeball exchanged a completely blank, confused look as they followed Ace.

*****

"Holy shit..." Vince mumbled as he looked up.

Ace stood in the hospital doorway, his focus on Oceane laying asleep in the bed.

"How the hell did you do that?!" Skylar managed to mumbled as Ace walked straight over to the bed.

Jack instantly jumped up and moved aside as Austin and Eyeball appeared in the doorway.

"Okay I'm officially freaked now..." Eyeball mumbled as he watched Ace take her hand in his.

He leant over her as he moved his head closer to his.

"Ain't no way this is gonna-" Austin started as he shook his head.

Yet as magical as it had been Ace knowing she was here and being called by the candle. The kiss he planted on her lips, caused her eyes to flicker and open slowly.

"Fucking hell..." Skylar mumbled as he shuffled his chair backwards, releasing her hand.

"I wouldn't have believed that if I hadn't seen it..." Vince mumbled as Jack moved by his side, nodding in agreement.

"Ace..." Her soft voice crackled out.

"I'm here." He replied back as he pulled the chair forward so he could sit down.

Her head turned to face him as the tears fell down her cheeks. He quickly reached out and wiped them away with his hand that wasn't holding hers.

Skylar moved to Vince and gently patted his shoulder.

"There's no danger for her here." He mumbled as he looked over at the couple.

"Our presence isn't required." Vince finished as they all quietly left Ace and Oceane alone, gently pulling the door shut behind them.

"Ace..." Oceane managed to say again.

"I'm sorry." He blurted out again. "I'm so sorry I fucked up, I let them take AJ, I let them take Connie. I got into a stupid fight with the wrong guy and I didn't realise how much you needed me. I am-"

Oceane reached up and put a finger over his lips. "I love you."

Ace forced a smile. "I love you too, but you gotta stop scaring me like this." He said as he nodded down at her laying in the bed.

"I'm sorry."

He shook his head. "Don't you dare apologise."

His free hand went to her head as he gently brushed the hair from her face, letting his fingers trail over her cheeks.

"I swear to God when I look at you, all I see is that little shit." He mumbled as he let a smile come to his face.

Oceane smiled herself up at him. "He's got my eyes, I know."

Ace nodded as he took a deep breath. "I'm gonna get him back. You'll see those eyes again."

Oceane nodded slowly. "I know you will."

"I promise." He leant down and kissed her again.

"What are you gonna do?" Oceane asked quietly.

Ace shrugged slightly. "I have no fucking clue."

Oceane managed to place her hand on Ace's cheek, "you'll figure it out. It's what all the best dads do."

Ace smiled down at her, unable to stop himself from leaning down and planting another soft kiss on her lips.

*****

"Billy! Billy!" Vern squealed excitedly. "There's post for you!"

Billy grumbled a response as he used one hand to shove his brother away before he stormed up to his room his parents had kept.

"You're brothers still an arsehole." Teddy grumbled as they heard the familiar sound of a door slam.

Vern nodded slowly as he walked over to Billy's door, slowly bending down he slid the envelope under the door and walked back over to Teddy as Chris and Gordie stood by him.

"Wonder what it meant." Gordie mumbled as the four began to walk out the house.

"To Billy, from the pretty girl." Chris repeated the words they'd read on the envelope. "Wonder which poor girl got involved with your brother."

Vern shook his head. "He only dated Connie."

"She was pretty." Teddy mumbled as the four began head up to their treehouse.

*****

"Wait stop." Chris snapped as he reached his hands out, stopping the three in their tracks.

"What?" Teddy questioned as they all stared at Chris blankly.

"Don't you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Gordie asked as they all looked around.

The sun had pretty much set as they all looked around.

"That noise." Chris said again.

"What-" Teddy started but stopped as the three finally heard it.

A baby crying.

*****

"Let's get you home." Eyeball said as he laced one of Oceane's arms around his neck, holding her up onto him.

She gave him a small smile as she allowed him to help her out. They were surrounded by Ace, Austin, Jack, Vince and Skylar as they began the slow walk home in the moonlight.

"When all this is over..." Oceane started as they all looked at her expectantly. "Can we spend at least a month locked in the house?" She asked facing Ace.

The others laughed slightly, they all silently agreed they needed a break after this.

"I'll do you one better," Ace started. "We're spending the month locked in the bedroom."

Austin almost choked as Skylar laughed, patting his back.

"Fucking knew it." Eyeball mumbled as he kept a tight hold on Oceane.

"Knew what?" Ace asked blankly.

"AJ's gonna be a big brother before next year."

The others all laughed as Austin once again coughed and choked, Skylar patting his back again.

"How about we get the first baby back before we think of number two?" Oceane said through a small laugh.

"How about no?" Austin quickly answered.

Ace laughed. "How about we get this wedding done first too?"

"Ooo good point." Oceane added. "There's still so much to do."

The guys all exchanged a look as Skylar moved to her side so he could lace her other arm around his neck.

"About that ma'am..." he started.