Hey everyone, I'm really sorry it has taken me so long to get this chapter up but Uni took over my life. Good news is I'm on holidays in 3 weeks and I really want to get this story finished before Uni starts again. Anyways please enjoy XD

Life Chapter 5

I slammed my suitcase shut. I'd finally finished packing.

I hated packing. I could never decide what I needed to take and what I didn't.

I pack heaps of things because I might want a change of style while I'm away, consequently I always return home with half a suitcase of unworn garments.

The last time I had to pack was when the team was moving to Blanc.

Flashback

I screamed in exasperation as once again I emptied the contents of my suitcase all over my bed.

This was about the tenth time I had returned to square one with my packing.

Needless to say I was not happy.

I sat down heavily on the floor and glared at my suitcase, wishing that I had Ace's laser vision so I could turn that stupid suitcase into a smoking pile of ash.

Then, I wouldn't have to pack.

"You know Lex," said Ace from the door, "If looks could kill, your suitcase would be toast."

"Well that was the idea!" I replied through clenched teeth while I continued to stare daggers at my new arch nemesis, Mr Suitcase.

Ace chuckled. Not a mean chuckle but the kind that distinctly says 'I think your on drugs.'

So, I glared at him instead.

That was when I noticed the glint of mischievousness in eyes as he looked at me.

It took me a moment to decipher what that meant.

My eyes widened in realisation of what he was about to do.

"Don't even" I had started to say, but never got to finish.

In two long strides he had closed the space between us, pinned me down and started tickling me mercilessly.

I am extremely ticklish. The moment his hands start moving up and down my sides, I am reduced to fits of laughter.

This day was no different.

"Stop," I cried between laughs, "Stop it . . . please . . . I can't breathe."

He didn't stop.

"I can't breathe," I said breathlessly through giggles, "Ace, please."

He stopped, but he didn't let me up.

Instead he looked deep into my eyes, so deep that I momentarily got lost in the sea that was his eyes.

"What's so stressful about packing?" he asked softly, "It's not that hard."

"I never know what to pack and what if I get there and need something that I haven't packed" I whined.

"That's it?" he asked as if it was a very trivial problem.

Which it wasn't!

I nodded and stuck my bottom lip out for good measure.

He smiled and shook his head.

"I'll help you," he said, "but only if you put that lip away."

I gave him my biggest smile but he couldn't resist tickling me once more before he let me up.

End Flashback

I half smiled at the memory. Although I still didn't feel right being happy without Ace, I felt I could be somewhat happy remembering the moments we shared.

I walked slowly towards the wormhole generator.

Looking at the machine I remembered how Ace's sword had severely damaged it and how Tech had managed to fix it and give it voice activation.

It is a similar concept to Floo powder from J.K.R's classic series Harry Potter.

I wondered if that was where Tech got the idea from.

'Wherever he got it, it's brilliant,' I thought as I stepped decidedly into the core.

"Acmetropolis," I stated decisively.

A few moments later I had arrived at the entrance to Acme Tower.

I took a moment to breathe the familiar city air before entering the lobby for the first time in years.

Through habit, I looked at the clock on the wall behind the front desk.

12:18am.

"Good thing you didn't call home before you left," I whispered, half amused, to myself.

I walked over to the elevator and pressed the up arrow firmly.

Seconds later the doors opened to reveal the empty lift.

I stepped inside pulling my suitcase behind me.

"Please select your level" said the cool elevator voice surprising me.

For a moment I stared blankly at the numbers on the wall, temporarily forgetting to which floor I was headed.

Suddenly I remembered and quickly tapped the correct numbers on the keypad.

The doors closed and the lift began moving.

I sighed, 'How could I have forgotten the floor of our first HQ?'

Tired of watching the little digital numbers increase, I turned around and saw myself in the mirror on the back wall.

I was wearing blue jeans and pale pink top, I had left my suit back a HQ.

My fur was nice honey brown colour but it was dull and my pale green eyes were blue. My body paraded the pain that I was so desperately trying to hide.

I closed my eyes, not wanting to see the truth, and remembered how my coat used to shine and how my eyes sparkled.

Flashback

Ace and I were having a race. So far we had been neck and neck the whole way. We were nearly at Acme Tower, I sped up a little but so did Ace.

We were still tied.

Ace and I tore through the lobby towards the lift earning ourselves a disapproving look from the receptionist.

I reached out to press the elevator button, but Ace's hand was right there next to mine.

"I won!" We yelled simultaneously before bending over to catch our breath.

The elevator doors opened a minute later.

As we entered the empty lift I said, "Don't kid yourself Ace, I soo won that race!"

"No way!" He exclaimed as he keyed in our floor number, "I beat you by a mile!"

"Oh yeah?" I questioned sidling up to him, "beat this!"

I started tickling him, which was probably a bad idea considering he is way stronger than me and a tickle monster.

Ace jumped away from me in surprise then smiled mischievously.

"You do realise that this means war!" He confirmed.

My sparkling eyes dared him to launch an attack, so he did.

I shrieked as his fingers tickled my torso and I tried to escape, but seeing as an elevator is short on space he was able to grab hold of me again and pull me into a bear hug. A very tickly bear hug!

"Ace!" I squealed, "Stop it!"

"Never!" He exclaimed and continued to tickle mercilessly.

"Ace please," I begged, "I can't breathe."

He still wouldn't stop.

I somehow managed to turn myself around so we were facing each other.

I pushed weakly against his chest between laughs.

"Ace!" I said breathlessly, "please."

I looked up at Ace's face and realised that he too was breathless then I caught his eyes.

I forgot I was being tickled and he forgot to tickle me.

We just stood there drowning in each others eyes, his hands on my hips and mine on his chest.

This was the perfect moment I had been waiting for.

Ace leaned in, I leaned in and . . .

Ding! "Level 125" stated the cool elevator voice.

Startled we jump apart.

My perfect moment was lost.

End Flashback

Ding! "Level 125" said the elevator.

I stepped out of the lift and walked down the hall towards the only door.

Why they didn't put it straight across the hall from the elevator, I will never understand. It would have been so much more convenient.

I pulled my pink key card out of my back pocket and swiped it through the machine below the door handle.

It flashed green so I pushed the door open and stepped inside grateful that they hadn't changed the locks.

"Home sweet home" I said breathing a sigh of relief.

I headed straight for the couch without turning on the lights.

I didn't want to sleep in my old room tonight, there were too many memories in there and I'd had enough reminiscing for one day.

I rearranged to cushions on the couch then lying down I closed my eyes and before I knew it I was asleep.