The tick of the clock in the waiting room was deafening. The three men sat feet apart, silent and still. Ace wasn't sure how many hours they had been sat like this, motionless and rigid like mannequins on display. Many people had come and gone with their loved ones since they had arrived but they mostly had cuts and scrape nothing like what Alex was fighting.
The doctors had swarmed in within seconds as he ran through the doors of the ER, Alex's limp frame draped across his forearms. They began poking her with instruments, measuring her pulse and vitals before ushering her behind a closed door out of sight. Ace hadn't heard anything since and her blood still covered his clothes and skin but he daren't wash it off. A kind nurse had offered to get him some clean clothes but he felt he needed the reminder of what had happened, he wanted to remember that this was his fault. The rest of the Cobras had been forced to leave to avoid crowding the waiting room so only Ace, Eyeball and Vince were left. Vince didn't even want Ace there, he had said very little since the first sat in the waiting room but Eyeball had promised to stay to keep the peace.
Late evening was close by and Ace was fighting against his eyelids as they begged to flutter shut but he refused to let them. Every time he blinked he saw Alex lay across his lap, her eyes glassy and the scarlet stain on her shirt growing bigger by the second. He thought of their last kiss, she had told him that she loved him but he hadn't had the nerve to say it back.
Why didn't I say it back? He asked himself this question over and over. Surely she knew, she had to know how much he cared for her, how he must in his own messed up way love her. Or maybe she didn't. The thought hit him hard and he fought to fight the bile in his stomach from spilling from his lips. He shot to his feet and rested his head and palms against the cold sterile white wall in hopes of fighting the wave of nausea consuming him. He stood there just focusing on steady breaths in and out.
"Why her man?" No one had spoken in so long that the soft voice made both Ace and Eyeball jump. Ace steadied himself and turned to face Vince his head still leant against the wall behind him.
"After all the girls in Castlerock you've messed around with, you decided you wanted her… and now, she's gonna die" his voice was breathy and meek but it hit Ace like a brick to the head.
"Come on Vince it was an accident" Eyeball attempted to place an arm on Vince's shoulder but he threw it off.
"No! I'm right. You know I'm right, even he knows I'm right!" he spat pointing a vicious finger in Ace's direction before glaring at him with venomous eyes "All those years of her hanging around you and I thought you might maybe keep her safe. When you started dating I knew she would get hurt, I begged you not to date her and what did you tell me?!"
Ace stayed silent, he couldn't even meet his eyes.
"What did you tell me." He stated again through gritted teeth.
A shuddery breath rattled through his chest as he thought back to that day.
"I said I'd kill for her" his voice cracked as he spoke, barely louder than a whisper.
"And instead she decided she would die for you"
The room fell eerily silent after he spoke. The ticking of the clock filled the room again. Vince had finished talking, it seemed he had nothing left to say.
"I nearly did you know" Ace spoke again, both sets of eyes flickered towards him as he did. He walked slowly back to his seat and interlocked his fingers. He focused on the grooves of his knuckles as he spoke.
"Before anything, was... anything between us, I was at the junkyard and heard screams. When I got there Frisk had her in a chokehold, I don't wanna even think about what that sick fuck had planned. I beat the hell out of him, I just kept hitting and hitting till he was unconscious. Lex begged me to stop but I didn't listen, I couldn't focus on anything except hurting him. I had my blade in my pocket and if she hadn't been there…." he trailed off unsure of what else he could say.
"You should've done it" Vince said monotonously "if you had she wouldn't be here"
"I know" Ace's voice was barely a whisper "she called me a monster and I hated it. I want her to think of me as a protector, but the thought of him being near her drives me insane. When I was standing over him I was thinking how easy it would be… to just end it all of this shit… but I never wanted her to think of me like that again. If I had killed him I would be locked up and I wouldn't get to see her again, but if I had my chance again I would do it. She might hate me but at least she'd be safe."
Neither Eyeball nor Vince had any response to Ace's confession, not that he wanted one. His mind had already spent hours going over and over what he could have done to change the outcome of today.
"What are you gonna do to Frisk?" Eyeball asked no one in particular. It seemed a question with an easy answer but neither Ace nor Vince had one to mind.
All three of them knew he couldn't get away with what he had done. Today had brought a sobering reality. Ace knew he should be the one to do it, Alex was willing to take a knife for him and he was more than ready to take one for her. The only thing stopping him was the thought of where that could leave her. Who would protect her if he was locked up, would she wait for him? He would never ask her to do but he worried she would all the same. He'd done so much damage already he wasn't sure if he could ever fix it, but nonetheless, he would try.
"I'll do it" Vince's voice was so low it was nearly a growl "she's my baby sister, I'll kill that bastard, I don't care what happens to me"
Ace couldn't look up from his hands to meet his gaze. Eyeball only nodded before gingerly punching his arm.
"I'll be there too-" Ace began but he was cut short.
"No." Vince said sternly "The cops will be on your before you've left the scene. If she gets through this she'll need you. I should kick your ass and tell you to stay away from her but… you would do anything to protect her and I know that. If you want to be with Alex, I can't stop you but this is the end of this shit. I'm not coming back here again."
Ace finally met his eyes, the bag below them were dark and deep set.
"I'll go with you" Eyeball agreed "you're right, the first thing they'll do is go after Ace"
"You'll need an alibi" Vince added his voice was barely above a whisper. They both nodded in agreement "get as far away as possible, and when you get back, it'll be done."
A silence fell around them again but Ace was sure they all had the same thought. For the first time in a while, Ace felt younger than his years, like the boy on the cusp of manhood that he really was. A few years ago their only worries were chasing girls and swiping beers and now he sat here with his these same friends considering something so unforgivable.
It was another hour before they heard the sound of footsteps tapping along the polished tile floors and all three of their heads shot up in unison.
"Gentleman, she's stable"
