Alice saw the scene in front of her. Ace, staring Chris down like he was the hunter ready to kill the prey. Chris, looking like a deer caught in headlights. The rest of the gang was scared shitless standing behind him.

There had been many moments throughout her life where she felt a need to take action. The day she saw Gordie get his hat taken away, the day Chris had called her a whore, anytime she had needed to run from the law, and now. She could feel it inside her entire being. This was her moment.

She instinctively ran over and stood right in front of Chris. She barely knew him but knew she had to protect him. This was a major blow to Ace. She had chosen Chris over her own protector, her own flesh and blood.

"So I guess you know," she said flatly.

"Damn right I know. I told you to stay away from these faggots," Ace practically growled.

She faltered. "Yeah well, you can't control me, Ace. I'm old enough to make my own decisions." Alice never faltered for a minute. But he definitely had a power.

"Well you didn't make the right one." Ace pulled his switch out. "And if you think I'm not gonna do somethin about it you're mistaken."

The whole world was still. All she felt was the wind blowing her hair around her face. She even saw the other Cobras. They had no idea what he was going to do. All everyone could do was wait.

Chris put his hand on her shoulder; she turned and looked him dead in the eye. For once she had no shades. It was like they had a whole conversation.

You don't have to protect me, you know.

I know. But I want to. It's not your problem. He's my issue to deal with.

Then she glared back at Teddy to do the same.

How could you do that to me, to us? You little fuck.

He threatened to kill me! Don't be mad, please.

I forgive you. Always, Duchamp.

Alice smiled at him. She couldn't stay mad at Teddy. Especially when it had been his life. She couldn't blame him when most people would have done the same thing. But she never would have. There were two things Alice Merrill never did; one was she never sold her friends out and two was she never let someone else take the fall. Just because she was a Cobra, that didn't mean she had no loyalty.

Ace stepped closer, switch held high. Alice knew in that moment what she would have to do. It wasn't even a choice. She actually realized that she had been preparing for this the whole time.

"Don't you touch him, Ace," she said defiantly.

"And how are you gonna stop me?" He lunged for his throat but she grabbed his arm and pushed him back.

"Alright this is how it's gonna go. I know you want to kill him, Ace. But let's get one thing straight; you've got a choice to make. It's either him or me. Not both. Take your pick." She stood there unsure of what his choice would be.

Ace seemed to cloud over in thought. All Alice did was close her eyes and wait. Whatever happened, she didn't want to look. Then she felt it. There was a sudden force, a pressure, which hit straight through the side of her neck and she fell to the ground.

Nobody dared breathe. Chris leaned over her. Unlike the wound he got in the arm only a short while ago, this one just couldn't have a shirt stuck on it and poof! Back to normal. It was too deep. She was done.

"I wasn't gonna let him kill you. I knew I was gonna have to do this. I wouldn't let you take the fall," she practically croaked out. As usual she was still able to read his thoughts as if they were connected, even in the final hour.

The boys turned their heads out of respect. The moment killed them.

"Chris?" She looked up at him. That particularly struck him was that she had finally called him Chris. He'd sure miss having someone around that actually said Chambers kid as a term of endearment and not an insult.

"This is where we had our first kiss." She was almost done now, he could tell. She smiled up at him weakly. Then quickly grabbed his hand and squeezed it. Chris held on just as tight until he came to the realization that there was no more. There was no more returning feeling; just him. She was gone as quickly as she had come.

Chris pulled himself away from her to look Ace in the eye. The knife was gone and Ace didn't try to hurt him or knife him too. He had actually respected what she said. It was one or the other and he had made his choice. It wouldn't have worked out if he would have let them both go, even though Chris wished it could have.

Ace nodded at him and turned to follow the rest of the shocked and sickened Cobras away. He felt regret. The one thing that he truly cared for in this world had ended by his own hand. He was the only one to blame. His jealousy had killed the love of his life, in a familial way, and there was no turning back the clock.

The thing was he didn't know why he had done it. For some reason, he knew he couldn't kill Chris, especially now. He had to honor her in that way at least. But his anger towards them both had been strong. Maybe it was because she knew someone had to go, and she had silently asked for it to be her, because she wanted to die for him.

Chris looked back at her one last time and then silently walked off, past the gang, who left him alone respectfully.

Then he went to the only place he knew he could be at peace.

The tree house.