"ACE!" BANG BANG BANG "Ace?! You there man?!"

Ace's eyes flew open. He jumped up almost losing his balance. He'd forgotten where he was. He looked around his surroundings to see that he was home. His eyes locked on Alex. She was still sleeping. The tv was still flickering through frames.

BANG BANG BANG

Someone was intent on bashing his door down. Alex stirred attempting to block out the sound of shouting from outside. Ace ran towards it to stop the perpetrator. He flung the door open with reckless abandon to see Eyeball mid pound. His fist stopped inches from Ace.

"The fuck do you want? We were coming to meet you at the junk yard any minute" Ace complained in a hushed tone. He wanted to let Alex sleep, by the look of her she could do with that hour of rest.

"Is Alex with you?! Vince is worried sick!" Eyeball hollered. Ace pushed him further away from the door.

"Course she's with me, keep your voice down she's asleep! Jesus why didn't you wait for us at the junk yard? Like I said we were about to meet you"

Eyeball took a cigarette out from behind his ear and lit it.

"You were supposed to meet us yesterday"

"What the fuck you on about? We left you at four"

"Yeah and now it's two, and it's sunday"

"Fuck! We've been asleep that long?!" Eyeball raised an eyebrow, his mouth formed a small "o" shape.

"You've been asleep eh?…" Eyeball winked at Ace, Ace gave him a daring look back. He knew what he was getting at. "…What together?"

"You know it's not like that" Ace spat menacingly towards him. Eyeball backed off, he knew that he could push Ace a little if he wanted but he knew when enough was enough. There was an uncomfortable silence between them for a minute until Eyeball asked him again.

"So she's still with you? Vince has been going mad since you didn't show up, he went home and his folks asked him all sorts of questions about where Alex was. He stayed up all night looking round town, no one thought you'd be here"

"It seemed like the best place" Ace spoke to himself more than anyone else. He tapped Eyeball on the arm issuing a invitation into the house. As they passed through the door Eyeball mimicked Alex's previous actions surveying the unfamiliar house of his best friend. He saw Alex on the sofa and sat next to her gently. Ace stood back. He didn't want him to get the wrong impression again.

"Shit.." breathed Eyeball as he surveyed the now very prominent bruise taking up almost half of Alex's face. He tapped her arm delicately as if she might break under the touch. She only slightly stirred so he shook her arm.

Alex's eyes flew open. She bolted upright and pushed away from Eyeball slightly before her vision unclouded and she remembered the previous days events.

"When the fuck did you get here?" she asked, her voice still croaky from sleep.

"Since you and Ace decided to take a nap for a whole day! Vince is worried sick"

Alex went to rub her eyes "AH!" she suddenly remembered her face and touched it delicately.

"After you too didn't show up at the Junk Yard we went to every hang out in town, Vince eventually went home and your folks weren't too pleased"

"Where is he now?"

"Diner, we thought you two would eventually show up there, then I remembered this place and thought I'd just double check"

"We better go make sure your brother hasn't called the police then" Ace weighed in. Alex just nodded, not awake enough yet to form proper words.

She headed to the bathroom to look at her injury once more. "Can I borrow a shirt?" She called back to Ace, she heard him utter a quick sure. She flicked on the bathroom light and looked in disgust at the bluey-black mess that was once her face. The cut had closed up and the swelling had gone down but the bruise was as bright as ever. She clocked Ace in the mirror. "It ain't pretty is it?" she sighed without turning round. Ace just smirked throwing her the shirt. He left straight after, closing the door behind her.

Alex carefully removed her own shirt, she noticed small blood stains along the collar now old and dried. She grabbed the white one Ace had handed her. It drowned her almost passing the ends of her shorts. She tucked it in for good measure, and left the bathroom adjusting her hair to try and tame it once more.

The guys were both already in Vince's truck, that Eyeball borrowed to get here. She climbed into the empty back seat pulling her knees to her chest. Ace leaned back to check she was seated then sped off towards the diner.

After a minute or so Eyeball leant towards her. "Here" he urged handing her a newly opened bottle of beer "It'll make you feel better". She took it quickly taking a large swig. It was warm but comforting and she was dehydrated as hell. She was half way through it by the time they pulled up at the diner. She saw the Cobras sat round a booth near the window, none were talking much. She saw Vince he looked like a live wire, Alex knew she would get hell but right now she couldn't care less.

Ace wrapped an arm round her shoulder but Alex pushed him off. He scowled at her confused. "It looks bad enough" she muttered, Ace only nodded in response.

All heads flew to the door as the three of them walked in. Vince jumped out of his seat heading towards them.

"The fuck have you been" he scalded grabbing Alex by the arm and pulling her to sit next to him. Ace answered for her.

"She stayed at mine" Ace grunted sitting across from the both. Vince scowled even more.

"Yeah they've been asleep for the past day" Eyeball chipped in.

"Nothing happened.." Alex ushered quietly enough so only her and Vince could hear. It was enough to diffuse Vince's mood at least.

Conversation quickly turned to Alex's face.

"Does it hurt?" Fuzzy asked.

"Yes dipshit!" called back Alex. The whole gang laughed but Alex was much more interested in what happen to Frisk. On the whole there were only a few scratches and bruises between them. She hoped Frisk had a lot worse than that.

"After you left things got nasty" Charlie began "Vince and Eyeball had Frisk up against the wall but Ace had already done half their job for them. We were out numbered by the rest of the gang but without Frisk they were pussys!" The guys slapped each other on the backs and Vince carried on.

"Eyeball had Frisk pinned again the wall again we broke his arm and a couple of fingers at least, his face will be as colourful as a sunrise by now!"

Alex couldn't help but smile. She was glad she had the guys to watch her back when she needed them. Especially Ace. She was glad to have a friend like him. Yeah just a friends..