Chapter 13: Matters of the Heart

Ace's heart was falling to pieces with every shake of Lexi's shoulders. He banded his arms around her and whispered soothing words to her. "Shh, shh, it's gonna be okay," he murmured, gently rocking her back and forth as best he could sitting down. He didn't know what else he could do for her.

"And…and I don't even know WHY!" she screeched. "She was the best girl ever! She was nice, intelligent, caring, and so beautiful…why would they do that, Ace? WHY?" More sobs exploded from her. He rested his head atop hers and softly said, "Why do many things in the 'Tropolis? You couldn't control it any more than I can control Duck on his worst days. Please don't beat yourself up over the past."

"I hate the world, Ace, I HATE IT!"

"Hey now, don't be like that," he gently chastised, wiping her tears away. "Sometimes it's not the best place, but you know what?" She sniffed and turned her face to look at him. He went on, "There's still all the kids we keep watch over so they might make the future better. All the families-"

"My mom lit a bomb in my house and killed my dad the day before I graduated from high school while I was at a friend's house."

That blunt statement from her cut him short. Tears continued to trickle from her eyes, but all he could do was stare at her. "What?"

"Yeah. Ended up killing herself too, cuz she couldn't run away fast enough," she said with a humorless little laugh. "And she was the one urging ME to a perfect shape." She suddenly had more courage than she had had for a long time, and looked him square in the eyes. "I saw my dad today."

Again, he seemed confused. She went on, "I don't know what happened, but I think I died today. There was this light, and he was guarding gates, but he told me to go back, and it was for the stupidest reason."

Ace cocked an eyebrow. "And what was it?"

"He said that he loved me, but that someone here loved me more, and I had to return to them," she said, putting in little air quotations and a false voice. He turned his head to the side and asked, "Why is that a stupid reason?"

"Because the only person I love doesn't love me back, that's why!" she started, quickly working herself up again. "I took a chance with Pierce, but he left cuz obviously I wasn't worth anything to him! He only came back because I'm pretty sure he was mental! Now my heart is shattered, my dignity is gone, and my only reasons for existence aren't working as good as they used to anymore! I'm sick and tired of this, Ace! I just want to die, why didn't you just leave me there? It would've done everyone a favor!"

"NO, IT WOULDN'T HAVE!" he cut in harshly, effectively silencing her. "Don't even THINK that you aren't worth anything, because you're worth the world. No, you deserve the universe, that's how special you are.

"The team loves you, Lexi." he continued. "They depend on you more than you realize, probably even more than they themselves realize. But I notice those small things. They were all worried sick when you were in the lab. Do you even know how much they care?

"And me, Lex, what would I do without you?" he took her face between his hands, compelling her to look at him. "I'M the one who loves you more, more than your dad, more than the team, more than life itself! I just about died today, thinking I was going to lose you forever! You're not just my second-in-command anymore, you're more, so much more than that. I love you, so please…please, just…Just know that, if nothing else, I'll be here. Forever and always," he finished his tirade in a whisper, still gazing deep into the depths of her wide emerald eyes.

"You…love me? How?" She couldn't understand it, why did he love her when he could have his choice of women?

He chuckled, "What's not to love? You're so caring and self-less, always putting yourself on the front lines, even if you almost give me a heart attack each time…You're spontaneous, and beautiful, and just all around amazing." He brushed away some of the hair that had fallen in her face. "I remember when I took a chance and trained you, and when everything about you irritated me. And now I finally see that of everything I hated about you, I wouldn't want you to change a thing. You're perfect just the way you are.

"I love you because you're you, Lexi, there's no one else for me," he ended, producing a small box from his pocket. He made sure she was watching as he flipped the lid to reveal a locket. She gazed at it, and he opened it. On the left was a picture of the team, and on the right was an old photo of her dad. She recognized it as a copy from one she kept hidden in her room.

She was so touched by the gift, she wasn't even upset that he had gone into her room without her knowing. She allowed him to put it around her neck, and tried to keep in her tears as she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him with all she had.

"Ace…I love it. I love you." And she fainted.