The force in Ace's arm sent her staggering. The others filed in front of her, keeping her from his view.

"What? You thought I wouldn't show up?" Ace said scornfully "Or did you just hope you could get away without me knocking your teeth out"

Frisk smirked. It was cold and cruel not like the playful one that often hung round Ace's lips. "I'm not playing anymore Ace. It's time to finish this, only one of us is leaving here."

Alex felt an icy chill roll down her spine. Ace traced the blade in his pocket. The action turned Alex's stomach and bile threatened to climb up to her throat. She didn't know if she could bear to watch but the thought of not being here felt even worse.

Frisk's eyes flicked to the handle in Ace's pocket all too readily. He had a thirst for blood, his ache to see Ace a deadman was clear and the possibility of it coming true was all too imminent.

The boys were only feet apart but inching closer by the second. The look of joy in Frisk's eyes was nauseating. The fucker was actually enjoying himself.

Suddenly a fist was thrown. Ace dodged it as much as he could but Frisk's knuckles caught his chin. This was all Ace needed to throw his own. The two quickly turned into a flurry of fists. Alex cringed as she watched Ace's ring slice through Frisk's cheek as easily as a blade.

A right hook was followed quickly by a left. An uppercut planted square on Ace's sharp jaw. A sharp agile kick to the kneecap sent Frisk's leg buckling.

"You motherfucker!" He cursed as his knee hit the soft muddy ground. Blood from the cut under his eye was dribbling down his face into his mouth. He spat it out leaving a vibrant red stain against the foliage around them.

Frisk's arm shot out creating a vice-like grip around Ace's throat. Alex watched as his fingers tightened and Ace's skin began to rouge as his air supply dwindled. It was too much to bear, she hid her face through spread fingers. The thud of fists against soft skin was deafening.

A yelp cut through her. She looked to see Frisk clutching a disfigured digit that had been warped until the bone snapped. This action was a catalyst that caused a chain reaction in front of her eyes.

Members from each side began to join in the fight. Fists were blindly thrown and Alex was unable to tell which side the figures were on. Seconds seemed to drag and her sight began to blur as she desperately flicked her eyes from group to group looking for him.

Ace had barely noticed the onslaught of kicks and broken teeth that surrounded them both. His knuckles burnt red hot but the adrenaline numbed the pain and he didn't slow down. He knew his face was just as bruised as the one in front of him, but he had a lot more fight left in him. Another punch had Frisk on his hands and knees crawling away on the onslaught in front of him.

A horrible deadly thought crossed Ace's mind but he knew he was better than that. The thought of killing Frisk was not a new one, he'd be lying if he said he hadn't fantasised about it once or twice. At one point in time, it had seemed inevitable, that all their fights and rivalry would eventually be fatal. Life was different now. For once he had someone who gave a shit if he was dead or locked up.

"Get up" he spat. His lungs heaved, his body starting to tire. He knew his face and body would be littered with injuries but he didn't feel them. He just felt anger and disgust.

Frisk stayed down.

"Get up!" He roared, his chest was getting tight and his voice was hoarse. In his peripheral, he saw his white shirt was stained with hues of red and brown. The sunrise of bruises that most likely decorated his chest filled him with a sick sense of achievement. He was going to give Frisk what he deserved.

Looking at him crawl away, his hair matted with dirt and blood and his shirt ripped and stained he nearly felt a pang of pity. It didn't last. He lifted his head and showed Ace his teeth bared and gruesome the only thought he had was kicking them in.

Alex watched the way Ace looked at him. Every nerve in her body was wired and laser-focused towards their every move. The fear creeping down her spine reminded her of that day in the woods. The last time she had seen Frisk this bruised and bloodied she had looked at Ace as if he was a monster. She had no such feeling now.

"You've had enough Frisk. Go home."

"I'd rather…. die" he snarled as best he could. His breath struggling to reach his lungs.

"I won't kill you Frisk. You're not worth it, I'm gonna walk away and I'll never see your face again if you're lucky."

Ace watched as Frisk found his feet. He winced as his knees buckled, his previously blue jeans were now covered with a dirty red mix of dirt and blood.

Ace shook his head, watching Frisk crawl around in the dirt had given him an overwhelming sense of pity. He kicked the dust in front of him creating a small cloud between them.

"Go home." Ace let his eyes linger on Frisk for a few more seconds before turning to leave. He squeezed his fists and flexed his finger trying to bring the feeling back into his bruised and busted hands. His head was rattled and all he wanted to do was get as far away from there as possible.

Frisk wasn't done. His anger only rose as he watched Ace turn to leave. It wasn't the first time Ace had made a fool of him and he wasn't going to let him get away with it again. He was going to make him pay.

The sliver of silver in his pocket was growing heavy and his fingers were itching to use it. Ace had barely taken more than five steps before Frisk charged using every last ounce of his strength.

The sudden, urgent footsteps should have alerted him but with the adrenaline in his body was beginning to dwindle and the dull aches and pain of his injuries were numbing his instinct.

The words "watch out" shot past his ear and by the time he turned his head Frisk was less than a few paces away. The glimmer in his hand shot terror into his heart but all he could do was wince as he knew it was too late.

His eyes were squeezed shut when he felt a weight again his chest. His body buckled and he waited for the searing pain to radiate through him but he felt nothing. His hand shot to his chest and stomach searching for the cold metal feel of a handle but he felt nothing. He unscrewed his eyes to see the haggard face of Frisk further away than he expected.

He let his eyes drop down to see the tiny frame of Alex between them. He felt an instant flush of relief but when her eyes met his he saw they were distant and bloodshot.

"Ace…" her voice was raspy and hoarse "I can't… my chest..."

That's when he felt her warm blood drip onto his hands as it spread across her shirt.

"Fuck" panic was beginning to set in. He stepped back and saw the gilded handle suspended in her skin above her kidney.

"Fuck…. fuck" he repeated over and over, louder and louder. A gentle ring began to grow in his ears, tunnel vision began to set in and his body froze, unable to respond to his surroundings. Her legs began to give way and he felt her chest fall against his. He felt the presence of the rest of the Cobra's around him. Eyeball's voice was the first to cut through the white noise.

"Ace man she's really hurt we need to get her to a hospital" he was still frozen with Alex in his arms. "Ace! You need to snap out of it" he watched through glassy eyes as Vince took her from his arms.

Frisk's face was a mix of fear and pride. He took a few slow steps back before finding his stride. The realisation of what he had done was beginning to set in and a sickening smirk spread across his lips.

"Wasn't you Ace but guess I was close enough"