Remember When - Ace Merrill (BOOK 3)

His heroes.

Oceane felt the tears pouring down her cheeks as she tried to fight them.

Her gaze focused on the children ahead of her as she tried to tell them she loved them no matter what.

AJ, Salvatore and Hero all had tears gushing down their faces as they struggled against the men holding them tight.

They wanted their mother to save them.

All they saw was her.

All they wanted was their mother to save them.

All they really wanted was to save their mother.

Never, never did they imagine it would be their father.

The glass above them smashed as the loud whirring of helicopter blades was heard.

The men holding them instantly let go off the small children to protect themselves.

Salvatore quickly tugged Hero away as AJ took off running.

Robin's grip on Oceane's back relaxed as he tried to cover himself from the glass shower.

She forced herself to roll away from him as the glass covered her.

The glass walls on all four sides were smashed as everyone inside tried to duck for cover.

Salvatore yanked Hero under him as he tried to protect his baby sister and his own head.

AJ was more focused on the many men coming in from all four sides.

His uncle Billy, uncle Charlie and uncle Marco came in from the left.

His uncle Nico, uncle Jack and uncle Fuzzy came in from the right.

His uncle Evans, uncle Bruce and uncle Skylar came in through the now smashed front doors.

His uncle Vince, uncle Hugo and uncle Seth came in through the now smashed glass behind him.

Yet what got his mouth dropping was seeing his own father, uncle Salvatore, uncle Austin and uncle Eyeball scaling down on ropes from the ceiling.

AJ stared in amazement as he watched them all scale down.

He felt two hands on him, trying to pull him back but he fought it as he saw his three uncles fighting against the men that held him and his siblings.

He watched in shock as his uncle Skylar scoop up Hero.

He watched in shock as his uncle Vince scooped up Salvatore.

He turned back to see his dad help up his mother.

He watched as Robin dove on her again.

His fist going straight in her face as she stumbled back.

He watched his father punch Robin straight in the gut.

His mouth was almost on the floor as he watched his mother manage to stand up straight as she grabbed out at Robin's arms.

He saw his father's fist going straight into Robin's face as a loud cracking was heard.

He saw his mother kick down hard at the back of Robin's legs.

He watched Robin drop down hard to the floor as his father punched him again.

He watched his other uncles take out every other man in the building but his attention was stuck on his dad.

He watched as his uncle Austin grabbed at one of Robin's arms from his mother and twist it right round, sending out another crack.

His uncle Austin and father.

The two men that gave him his name.

Austin John Merrill.

He watched his uncle Austin break the man's other arm.

He watched as his father sent another bloody fist into his face.

He was named after them.

His heroes.

Salvatore watched from his uncle Vince's arms.

He watched as his uncle Salvatore took down two men at once.

He watched as his uncle Eyeball grabbed one of the men by the back of the collar and flung him forward for his uncle Salvatore.

He watched as his uncle Salvatore shoved his gun in his face and sent one bullet through his head.

He watched as his uncle Salvatore and uncle Eyeball gave each other a small smile and nod.

The two men he was named after.

His heroes.

Salvatore Richard Merrill.

Hero looked up from her uncle Skylar's arms.

Though she was crying her attention focused on her mother.

She watched her mother fighting side by side with her father.

She watched her mother battling her own struggles but pushing forward to fight for them.

Her eyes widened as they focused solely on her.

Her mother was fighting for her.

She watched as her mother almost collapsed into her father's arms, clinging to him like he gave her the strength to carry on.

She saw their hands gripping the other tightly. They gave each other the strength.

Her hero.

BANG!

The world stopped.

Ace and Oceane stared blankly as Robin dropped to the floor.

Blood finally pouring from the small bullet hole in his head.

They turned in slow motion as their eyes fell on AJ.

AJ had shot Robin.

He stood there, holding the gun he'd had before as a small hint of smoke trailing from the gun's barrel.

He quickly chucked the gun down as he raised an arm.

"It was Hero!" He shouted.

Ace and Oceane raced over to him.

The parents dropped to their knees as their arms wrapped around AJ as they almost squeezed the life out of him.

Salvatore and Hero struggled to fight against their uncles, who quickly let them down as they raced to join.

Ace moved his arm as Salvatore and Hero clung to their big brother.

The family of five clung together tightly.

Each of the uncles glanced around at the dead bodies and the family.

"Well that went well." Skylar let out a sigh as he looked around.

Salvatore reached up and smacked him over the back of his head as they all silently looked over at the family.

"Read the room." Salvatore snapped at him.

"Don't think it quite counts as a room when we broke all the walls and the ceilings..." Eyeball mumbled as he looked around.

He also, winced as he received a smack from Salvatore.