Prologue
Christmas Day
It was a abnormally frigid day, even for December, and the young man pulled
his jacket tighter around him, with a subtle shiver that clearly said he
was more than cold. The wind kicked up, spraying snow in a glittery dust
around the mid-calf boots, some of it undoubtedly ending up inside them.
The man didn't seem to care, however. Instead, his silver gaze drifted out
across the frozen landscape, feeling as frozen as the rest of him. There
was no hope... nothing left... his mind raced in a turmoil of thoughts as
he struggled to cope with the news.
Ace was in a coma...
The thought struck him again as absurd. Ace Cooper was a man who couldn't be hurt... he'd been in so many battles and come out on top of it, in the best condition too! All Cosmo knew was this was seriously fucked up. A few tears still clung to his fair cheeks, which were so red from the frigid air that it nearly matched the rather dishevelled mop of red hair that made this man both recognizable and unforgettable. He was far from tall, but not too short, making him look suddenly smaller in grief or fear. As he was now, all but curled in a ball, shivering and paying no atention to the ebony beast that sat at his side, nudging him to be petted.
Her golden yellow eyes stared up at the kid, and she licked his hand gently in an attempt to calm his shattered nerves. He looked down, smiled faintly... pet her head once, then went back into his brooding state. Even though he'd been told, he still couldn't make it make sense. All he remembered was Ace pushing him back, out the door... and taking the full wrath of the bomb upon himself. He remembered shouting, screaming, rather, for help, begging them to help his friend... to help Ace.
Nobody had come. The fire didn't last long, and the nineteen-year-old kid had dragged the other man from the building, only to finally be met with a paramedic team. They'd looked at him, then Ace, and simply dragged Ace from him, onto a strecher and raced away, sirens on at full blast.
Cosmo had never felt so alone in his entire teen life. Oh, there had been that period in his life when he'd roamed the streets, looking for love and acceptance, but even then he wasn't completly alone. Nor was he alone with Ace, whom he adored the way a child would adore it's father. Yes... Ace had, in truth, become the father Cosmo never had, then one who loved him and showed it. And this was how Cosmo repaid him? By letting him be hurt? He lowered his head in shame. This was all his fault... it had to be...
**********************
Ace wanted to cry out in pain more than anything he'd ever done, but he found that he lacked any sembelence of control over his body. Alarmed at once, he tried to force his eyes open... with a total failure to greet him. Again, he tried... no dice. Thoroughly exhausted, he decided to just listen to the world around him, and to, if all else failed, find Cosmo. He hadn't the strength to even attempt to reach out for him through magic, so he'd have to be contented listening to his boy speak.
His boy.
The thought nearly made him smile, although he couldn't have known it. Yes, Cosmo was his boy, after he'd formally adopted the kid at the age of twelve. And, to see what he'd become, Ace was thrilled that he hadn't listened to Derek Vega all those years ago. Now, for the first time, Ace felt the pride of being a father, the burning passion and uncanny link between figure of authority and best friend. Knowing that he was disturbing his thoughts, he forced himself to settle... and listened to Vega's voice floating softly towards him.
************************
"What the hell do you mean, Cosmo's gone!?" Derek Vega was not in a good mood. First Ace, who was lying on the bed before him, looking like warmed- over death, then Cosmo?
"I'm sorry, sir, but Zena just came rambling in without him. He left you a note, sir, tied around her neck..."
"Read it!" His voice boomed, and he was forced to quiet himself. Wouldn't do to disturb Ace... if the magician could even hear him.
"Yes, sir." His secretary's voice fizzled out for a moment, then came back over the com. "Dear Vega, I'm sorry that I couldn't deliver this into your own hands, but I know that, under the circumstances, you wouldn't want to hear from me. I'm writing this quickly, so that Zena will be in good hands before I leave town, but, please, don't come after me. I'm a failure to you... and to Ace. I couldn't protect him after all he's done for me. Perhaps one day I'll come back home... and then we'll see each other. But, if not, you shall always be in my prayers and thoughts. Much love, Cosmo"
Derek felt like he'd just been punched in the stomach. His fists clenced, and all he could think of was dragging that willful boy back by the hair on his scalp. Then, suddenly, the fight was drained from him. The boy had, in his own way, finally stolen his heart, as Ace had when he'd first seen him as a wild, unruly teen. He had to blink back tears, and his voice was broken when he went to sign off his com.
"That'll be all," and he left it off there. Circling the small room, the older man looked down on the prone figure of Ace as the tears started to fall.
"Why, Ace? How could you have brought that boy to this? If you're listening... please... bring him home." It was a plea that fell on silent ears. All Derek could do now was hope and pray that the boy was safe... wherever he was.
Ace was in a coma...
The thought struck him again as absurd. Ace Cooper was a man who couldn't be hurt... he'd been in so many battles and come out on top of it, in the best condition too! All Cosmo knew was this was seriously fucked up. A few tears still clung to his fair cheeks, which were so red from the frigid air that it nearly matched the rather dishevelled mop of red hair that made this man both recognizable and unforgettable. He was far from tall, but not too short, making him look suddenly smaller in grief or fear. As he was now, all but curled in a ball, shivering and paying no atention to the ebony beast that sat at his side, nudging him to be petted.
Her golden yellow eyes stared up at the kid, and she licked his hand gently in an attempt to calm his shattered nerves. He looked down, smiled faintly... pet her head once, then went back into his brooding state. Even though he'd been told, he still couldn't make it make sense. All he remembered was Ace pushing him back, out the door... and taking the full wrath of the bomb upon himself. He remembered shouting, screaming, rather, for help, begging them to help his friend... to help Ace.
Nobody had come. The fire didn't last long, and the nineteen-year-old kid had dragged the other man from the building, only to finally be met with a paramedic team. They'd looked at him, then Ace, and simply dragged Ace from him, onto a strecher and raced away, sirens on at full blast.
Cosmo had never felt so alone in his entire teen life. Oh, there had been that period in his life when he'd roamed the streets, looking for love and acceptance, but even then he wasn't completly alone. Nor was he alone with Ace, whom he adored the way a child would adore it's father. Yes... Ace had, in truth, become the father Cosmo never had, then one who loved him and showed it. And this was how Cosmo repaid him? By letting him be hurt? He lowered his head in shame. This was all his fault... it had to be...
**********************
Ace wanted to cry out in pain more than anything he'd ever done, but he found that he lacked any sembelence of control over his body. Alarmed at once, he tried to force his eyes open... with a total failure to greet him. Again, he tried... no dice. Thoroughly exhausted, he decided to just listen to the world around him, and to, if all else failed, find Cosmo. He hadn't the strength to even attempt to reach out for him through magic, so he'd have to be contented listening to his boy speak.
His boy.
The thought nearly made him smile, although he couldn't have known it. Yes, Cosmo was his boy, after he'd formally adopted the kid at the age of twelve. And, to see what he'd become, Ace was thrilled that he hadn't listened to Derek Vega all those years ago. Now, for the first time, Ace felt the pride of being a father, the burning passion and uncanny link between figure of authority and best friend. Knowing that he was disturbing his thoughts, he forced himself to settle... and listened to Vega's voice floating softly towards him.
************************
"What the hell do you mean, Cosmo's gone!?" Derek Vega was not in a good mood. First Ace, who was lying on the bed before him, looking like warmed- over death, then Cosmo?
"I'm sorry, sir, but Zena just came rambling in without him. He left you a note, sir, tied around her neck..."
"Read it!" His voice boomed, and he was forced to quiet himself. Wouldn't do to disturb Ace... if the magician could even hear him.
"Yes, sir." His secretary's voice fizzled out for a moment, then came back over the com. "Dear Vega, I'm sorry that I couldn't deliver this into your own hands, but I know that, under the circumstances, you wouldn't want to hear from me. I'm writing this quickly, so that Zena will be in good hands before I leave town, but, please, don't come after me. I'm a failure to you... and to Ace. I couldn't protect him after all he's done for me. Perhaps one day I'll come back home... and then we'll see each other. But, if not, you shall always be in my prayers and thoughts. Much love, Cosmo"
Derek felt like he'd just been punched in the stomach. His fists clenced, and all he could think of was dragging that willful boy back by the hair on his scalp. Then, suddenly, the fight was drained from him. The boy had, in his own way, finally stolen his heart, as Ace had when he'd first seen him as a wild, unruly teen. He had to blink back tears, and his voice was broken when he went to sign off his com.
"That'll be all," and he left it off there. Circling the small room, the older man looked down on the prone figure of Ace as the tears started to fall.
"Why, Ace? How could you have brought that boy to this? If you're listening... please... bring him home." It was a plea that fell on silent ears. All Derek could do now was hope and pray that the boy was safe... wherever he was.