Where I Belong - Ace Merrill

Chapter 36

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~2022~
~~~~~

Harper instantly leapt up as she saw her dad finally walk in the bar. He rushed over and scooped her up in his arms, happily spinning her around.

"God I thought you were gone for good." He mumbled in her shoulder as he lowered her down.

She pulled away and turned slightly as she looked down at Betsy, who was still sat staring up at Harper and her dad.

"So did I." She grumbled as she continued to glare down at Betsy.

"Dad meet Betsy, Ace's cock knocker of an ex girlfriend." Harper grumbled again as she slowly guided her dad towards the table.

"Oh right... think I'm getting a picture of what happened." He said as he sat down next to his daughter, opposite Betsy.

"Yeah this bitch decided to try sending me back and landed her arse stuck here too." Harper snapped as she waved her hand towards Betsy.

"And now there's a full picture." Her dad finished up as he reached over and took her glass, quickly finishing her whiskey.

Harper stretched her arms out over the table and rested her head against the table.

"I'm stuck here dad." Harper grumbled as her dad gently patted her back.

"What about that note he gave you last time?"

Harper lifted her head up slightly as she rested her chin on her hands.

"That's back home, with Ace." Betsy grumbled as she copied Harper's actions.

"Yeah no thanks to you." Harper snapped back.

"It wasn't my fault." Betsy tried retaliating.

"Yeah because I clicked my heels together three times and we came skipping out here." Harper's sarcastic tone clear.

"Well if you had just-" Betsy started.

Harper's dad quickly raised his hands, silencing both girls.

"Okay okay! Let's just calm this down and figure this out." He quickly said, eager to break up whatever was about to go down between both girls. Though of course he'd take his daughters side if it came to it.

"There's still that Lost Boys panel. Kiefer's gonna be there?" Her dad offered up.

Harper nodded slowly. "It seems that's our best bet."

Betsy sat up straight. "Who is Kiefer?"

Harper turned and glared at her. "Also mine."

"You can't have him and Ace you know." Betsy snapped back.

"Kiefer is Ace you cock knoc-"

"Girls please!" Harper's dad interrupted again. "Let's just get out of here, you're getting a bit of attention." He said quietly as he noticed various people giving Harper strange looks.

They both nodded as they all stood up and followed Harper's dad outside.

"You wanna tell me how she got a black eye?" He leant over and whispered to his daughter.

Harper shook her head quickly. "Not really."

Harper's dad raised his eyebrow and watched as Harper grabbed Betsy's arm and tried yanking her towards his car. He tried not to laugh at how his daughter clearly had a way with words as he heard her call Betsy a cock knocker again before making her get in the back of the car.

They were all soon driving along out of Brownsville as Harper sat in the passenger side, leaning against the door and staring out the window. The sun was slowly setting as she felt guilty. Even though it was Betsy who had brought them back she couldn't help but feel like this was all her fault. She was the one who bet against their future after all.

~~~~~
~1959~
~~~~~

Ace had finally calmed down. Well, to an extent. He was currently up in his room, while the rest of the cobras all crashed around in the living room. None of them said anything as they stared at Harper's suitcase in the middle of the room and listened to the stomps and thuds from upstairs.

Eyeball stood up and walked over to her case, picking up the note Ace had left for her before they were returned home. The noises from upstairs slowly died down until they couldn't hear anything as Eyeball went and sat back down on the sofa. He couldn't take his eyes off the note.

"You think he's calmed down?" Charlie asked quietly.

Almost in answer to his question the loud sound of glass smashing upstairs came.

"Something tells me he hasn't." Jack replied quietly.

"We did the right thing right?" Billy questioned the others.

They all turned to Eyeball, who finally looked up and nodded.

"Course we did, if he went straight after her A, he'd probably be smashing everything up in her century and B, he'd never find her." He calmly responded.

"Yeah then we'd lose him too." Vince mumbled as he leant back against the wall.

Eyeball snapped his head up at him. "We haven't lost her!" He barked out. "She'll come back."

"Guys..." Fuzzy mumbled as he straightened up and looked at the sea of expectant faces. "Did any of you see Betsy once Harper went in the toilets?"

Silence once again fell upon the cobras. They all gave each other confused looks as each one shook their heads slightly.

"Oh no..." Eyeball mumbled as it clicked.

Betsy had gone to 2022 with Harper.

"The fuck are you all still doing here?!"

They all snapped from their trances as they turned and saw Ace in the doorway.

"Last I remember I told you all to go fucking die in a hole." He growled at them all. "So what the fuck are you all still doing here?!"

"Ace we..." Billy started as he stood up but stopped mid sentence as he received the signature Ace glare.

"We were just leaving..." Charlie mumbled as he got up and nodded at the others.

Everyone except Eyeball quietly and quickly left the house. Ace happily followed them out and slammed the door shut behind them as he stormed back into the living room to stare down Eyeball.

"Feeling brave?" He snarled at Eyeball.

Eyeball shook his head then shrugged. "Or stupid." He laughed slightly. "Honestly I could never work out the difference."

Ace tried to keep his annoyed face but couldn't help but smile.

Eyeball grinned at him. "You know she'll come back."

Ace nodded slowly.

"Besides there's that other dude there, Keith, he can give her the autograph."

"Kiefer." Ace corrected.

Eyeball shrugged it off and walked over to her case. "Same thing."

"Not quite." Ace mumbled.

"Wanna unpack her stuff at least? Make her feel more at home when she comes back?" Eyeball questioned as he turned back to Ace.

Ace smiled weakly at him. "You're a good mate Eyeball."

Eyeball grinned widely back at him. "Plus I wanna see if she's got fit underwear."

Ace laughed as he jumped on Eyeball as the pair began to wrestle about, laughing as they carried her case upstairs to Ace's room.