The Redemption of Ace Merrill

That 8 year old kid

Stella woke to the feeling of being crushed. Her eyes opened as she almost jumped. Ace's face was right next to her as he stirred beside her.

His eyes opened as he stared down into her eyes confused.

"I thought I fucking said stay on your side and no cuddling." He snapped harshly.

"Um Ace..." she mumbled as she looked around before back into his eyes. "This IS my side."

Ace sat up quickly as he saw she was still on the edge of the bed, the side he had told her to stay on. He had been the one cuddling her.

Quickly he shuffled himself over to his side and got out the bed.

"Okay tonight you're sleeping on the sofa again." He spat out quickly as he grabbed fresh clothes and flew out the room, letting the door slam behind him.

Stella sat there confused as she looked down at his side of the bed. He had told her to stay on her side and not to cuddle her, yet he'd gone onto her side and cuddled her.

Quickly she climbed out the bed and rushed back down the stairs as she almost crashed into Eyeball walking in the front door.

His arms stretched out as he caught her, his eyes looked her up and down.

"Walk of shame or walk of pride?" He asked her with a smirk.

She stared up at him blankly.

"Nevermind Artois." He mumbled as he let her go to shut the door. "Where's Ace?" He asked, looking up the stairs.

"He um, went for a shower I think."

Eyeball nodded. "And you? Did you shower yesterday?" He asked slowly, hoping she'd say yes so he knew Ace helped her.

She shook her head slowly. "Ace said you were ill."

Eyeball grumbled under his breath. "I was love but I'm good now."

Stella nodded and gave him a smile.

"Grab some clothes, I'll give you a hand when Ace is out."

Stella nodded again as she went into the living room, just as Ace appeared coming down the stairs.

He glared straight at Eyeball as he reached out and grabbed his best friend's shirt, yanking him into the kitchen.

"The fuck was that for?" Eyeball snapped as Ace let him go and he straightened out his top.

"Oh you fucking know." Ace snarled out. "You fucking left me with her yesterday."

"Oh please, like it was that hard." Eyeball replied sarcastically.

Ace glared at him.

"Look Ace, she's clearly in need of some help so I don't think it would kill you to actually help her."

Ace continued to glare.

"Dude she's a girl who's lost all her memories, probably of her family and friends that love her. Imagine if that was you."

"I don't have any more family to lose." Ace snapped back.

Eyeball took a small step back. "So that's what this is about."

Ace looked at him blankly.

"See I've been trying to figure this out. Why you won't touch her or try anything on. You admitted it yourself that first day when we picked your car up that you thought she was hot but you've not made a fucking move. Even with her living under your roof."

Ace took a small step back as he shook his head but Eyeball wasn't stopping.

"And now I know why." He almost snapped. "It's because she's you." He nodded at Ace. "She's you that day your mum died, your dad walked out and your uncle moved away. No family, no-one to claim you." Eyeball spoke softer.

Ace just shook his head as he took another step back.

"She's just as helpless as you were that day. Hell even you had to get that lady on the street to zip up your coat." Eyeball's words were barely coming out now.

"That's the real reason you haven't taken her to the station. It just so happened one of your many flings was there, giving you the perfect excuse." Eyeball sighed heavily.

"She's just as broken as little 8 year old John Merrill, walking the streets alone and you know it..."

Ace was silent. He tried to shake his head but it wasn't happening.

"Are you really gonna let her struggle alone like you did?" Eyeball continued to push. "Or are you actually gonna fucking do something that may actually mean something to someone?"

Ace's gaze fell to the floor.

"Ace, that girl means something to someone out there. Hell she may have a whole fucking family out there searching for her." Eyeball was not going to stop.

"You can quite literally save her fucking life Ace. Be the fucking hero for once. The Hero to her Le-fucker."

"It's the other way round." Ace grumbled as he kept his attention on the floor.

"What?"

"The girl was called Hero, the guy was called Leander, you uneducated dumbass." Ace snapped out.

Eyeball sighed and shrugged it off. "Whatever it was doesn't matter."

"Ace, you know I'm right. That girl means something to someone. She could literally be someone's everything and right now their entire reason for existing is living with you, needing you."

Ace was silent still.

"Now are you gonna fucking save, not just her life, but probably theirs too or are you just gonna shut her out like everyone in this shitty town shut out that 8 year old kid?"

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Mini authors note!

Massive part of me is wishing Eyeball just dropped a mic right there and then! Hahaha