* EVIL AND A HEATHEN,, ace

[NELL DOE DALE]

Jane had to admit, it was strange being at the Academy again. Sure, she’d spent eight years of her life there, but that was…a long time ago. She hated coutning the years, it made her feel old. And it was true, she was getting on in years. Not that her face or her body showed it—Sinclair women aged gracefully, and she was not exempt. It made people wonder at her, as did her entire aura. Of course, she gave the impression of being an entire bubbly and sociable person, just as any Water elemental. But every woman had her secrets, and she had many.

However, her demeanor and mood were entirely pleasant as she sat in the classroom and chatted with an old friend of hers. The woman had stayed at the Academy and had become a professor, and Jane could almost scoff of that. There was nothing more she wanted than to return to New York and start up her career as a musician. And of course, her underground job that she did not discuss with anyone. She was a city girl through and through, and even though Maple Hollow was large and bustling, it was also mountainous and filled with forests. She preferred New York’s skyscrapers and smog and the crammed streets. Not to mention her family’s mansion where her great aunt accepted her back when she had made her return.

After an hour of discussion, Jane parted ways with her and stepped out of the room. She looked rather out of place around the students in her clothes, her black slacks and blazer, looking professional and beautiful as she always liked to be. Jane was average height for a woman, but her heels emphasized her height and the power that she carried with her. As she went walked down the hallway to head back to her car, someone of interest caught her eye. She approached him, and tapped him lightly on the shoulder with a manicured nail. ”Excuse me, but you’re Ace, are you not?” she asked, her blue eyes looking as if she was recognizing someone from long ago. She held out her hand, and said, ”I’m Jane, Nell’s aunt. I recognized you from a picture she keeps in her wallet. She told me you two were good friends.” Rather, she told Leon that the two were good friends, but Jane was there to overhear.

Her smile was polite as she asked, ”Do you have time to spare for a little chat? I like to keep up with Nelly’s friends.” It may have seemed odd that an older woman would want to have a discussion with a student, but she had ulterior motives which would make themselves clear if Ace took her up on her offer.

[AMBER SAVANNAH JAMES AMBROSE]

Ace had just come out of class. He was still a little drowsy, but a good nap during class freshened him up a bit. He had been up a little too long working on a research paper for another class of his. Since he didn't really think that learning about math would be too important in the longer run of life, he took his nap in there. His bag was slung on his shoulder, and he wore a hoodie over a green lantern tee. His dark blue jeans where stone washed and a bit long on the legs so that he stepped on the back of them occasionally. His sneakers where one of his old worn in Converses. His jet black hair (naturally of course) was styled in his usual, front spiked up, back down, hairstyle. He looked around for someone to walk with, but seemingly none of his friends where out.

Ace was always one to love nature, he loved spring the best. Everything was breaking through the sleepy winter hold and a burst of colors shot through all the white. He grew up in a foresty area. It was in the more mountany areas of Pennsylvania, so there was always more trees and greenery than people. He was in that mix of community, where it was suburban but also rural at the same time. The backyards of the people's houses weren't connected, but separated by tees and bush. It was a nice sort of place, and he preferred it to the crowded cities. He liked to visit them sure, but living in them was a different matter.

Ace was walking slowly, not really having a destination in mind, he just wanted to end up somewhere where there wasn't much fighting going on. He felt someone tap him on the shoulder. He turned and blinked for a second. The woman who tapped him on the shoulder looked, well amazing. She was, well really hot in Ace's words. She looked professional, sort of like some high up boss in a big company. She had a sort of powerful aura she had around her. She was beautiful, but something in her face reminded him of someone. He mentally shook himself out of his little stupor and answered her question, "Yes, I'm Ace." Ace took her hand and gave an odd kind of handshake, mostly because he was still somewhat admiring the woman. He gazed at her blue eyes and the realization hit him, that's where the familiarity came from, he saw tiny bits of Nell in the woman. "She keeps a picture of me in her wallet? I'm flattered," Ace said charmingly. His charm was turned on by accident, something that happened when he met a beautiful woman.

Ace nodded, "I had nothing else to do today, and a chat seems nice." Ace gave her a smile, accepting her offer, not knowing of her other motives.

[NELL DOE DALE]

Noticing the flirty tone Ace acquired, that caused her to actually be amused. Cute, but a little too young for my tastes, she thought, her lips edging up into a smirk. She had recently gotten a divorce from her sixth husband, but was currently single. Which she supposed was a good thing consiering the time she was spending in Canada. Jane laughed airily, as if she found Nell highly amusing when the hatred she felt toward her niece ran very deep. ”Oh yes, she keeps all her friends in there. It's quite adorable, actually.” She rolled her eyes, still with the air of amusement toward the girl. However, she didn’t find anything the girl did to be amusing. Every little movement Nell made caused inexplicable rage in the otherwise rather placid and carefree woman. It might have had something to do with the fact that she took away her only sister, leaving no chance of reconciliation between the two, or redemption for Jane. But there was another chance at redemption, and it would be destroying the daughter that Mia had tried to kill. Jane didn’t doubt the story Nell had told her, even though she didn’t want to think of it as a result of psychosis—she preferred to believe that Nell really deserved everything she’d suffered to protect her memories.

She made a sound of approval that could be taken as a chuckle when he agreed to talk to her. ”I fear I’ll have to steal you away from your classes,” she said, putting on her sunglasses as she began to walk down the hallways. She wouldn’t necessarily steal him away from school, but she remembered from her time in the Academy that there were benches in the courtyard to sit and talk, so she’d aim for there. It was a short walk till they reached the courtyard and Jane sat on a bench, crossing her legs, looking at students milling about. She didn’t get a strong sense of nostalgia, really—she was glad to be rid of this place after all those years. Jane had never been the schoool type, honestly, but she stayed for college because only one person in her family hadn’t and that was because Mia turned out to be normal. Plus, she liked the power.

Her smile was still cheery as she regarded Ace with interest. ”Well, what I wanted to talk to you about is Nelly,” she said, once again using the nickname. The woman had always called her that, ever since she first held the infant in her arms. She even remembered that ‘Nelly’ was born with a smile. But the fondness of the girl was now something fabricated, an illusion. There was a time when she thought Nell could have been something more, but that was back when there had been hope. When Jane was shaping up to be the sister she could have been for Mia. ”Has she told you much about herself? I don't imagine she really has, but there are some things I feel you should be...enlightened about. For your sake.” Jane asked this like a counsellor might, or someone who genuinely cared for Ace and wanted to know about him and his life in or to assist him.

[AMBER SAVANNAH JAMES AMBROSE]

Ace gave her a grin, how very nelly of Nell. He didn't really have much room to put pictures of people in his wallet, he had enough room for his family photo, and a picture of Ray. That was all the room he had in his 'photo' section of the wallet. Sure he'd keep pictures elsewhere in his wallet but that would start making it very cluttered. "That's pretty cool of her," Ace said looking down the hall, not noticing the roll of the eyes. Ace slowed down his pace, feeling like he should just stay and chat with the woman and not bother about his classes. It was only English, he didn't need that. He didn't mind if he missed the class, it was his last for the day, so why not get a head start on the relaxing part of the twenty four hours.

Ace gave her a friendly smile, "I don't mind at all." He didn't mind in the slightest. School was boring, English was boring because of the research essay they were currently writing. Ace was already ahead of the class and had nothing else to do but sit there and doodle on his notebook. So a chat with a friends hot aunt was better than that. Ace liked English, one of his favorite subjects, but not when they did essays. Nope, he preferred to read a book than write an essay. He liked to read Shakespeare out of all the books they had to read in class. He liked to write Shakespeare sonnets when he was in that poetry phase of life. He guessed that that had just carried over once that phase was done and over with.

Ace sat down beside the woman, listening to her as she spoke. Ace shook his head, "No she hasn't really told me much about her past. I don't mind though." Ace said with a carefree shrug. "But I guess if you want to tell me about her, there's nothing stopping you."

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[NELL DOE DALE]

Jane almost snorted in amusement. She did not think Nell to be cool, and she didn’t believe that Ace would think the same thing about the girl after he found out the truth about her. Being a fugitive is oh so cool. Of course, her criminal record was not a clean slate. But it was different with her. She worked through others most of the time, never handling business directly. That would mean immediate incarceration if dealings could be traced straight back to her. Nell had actively murdered her sister, and the woman’s blood was on her hands, while Jane’s were a porcelain white, perfectly clean as far as the law knew. Well, Pilar wasn’t too ignorant, but he hadn’t gotten his claws into her yet, no matter how many Sinclairs he managed to get tried. Nell being one of them.

Apparently, she’d been right in her assumptions. She was coming to find that Nell was keeping her status as fugitive under wraps, save for that boyfriend of hers. ”You don’t mind, hmm?” Jane said, flipping over a piece of her hair as her lips continued to twitch. Everyone had their secrets, and there was a reason people kept them secret—if Ace knew about Nell’s secrets, would he mind how much he didn’t know? Jane was glad that he seemed to be so open about discovering new information about his friend. It made this so much easier for her. ”Well then I guess I’ll just take the initiative.” This is what she wanted, and it was always nice to get it. She was a manipulative person just for that reason—she liked control, she liked being in command in a situation. Just as she was now.

Her smile was friendly when she said, ”You’d have heard about this soon enough what with the news and all,” she started in to catch Ace’s attention. Yes, the news and media was involved. Yes, Nell was in trouble. ”Nelly will be going on trial in a few weeks for murdering her mother.” Jane was not going to be at all subtle about this. ”Don’t you feel like that’s something she should have told you?” she asked with feigned curiosity. Of course, Ace wouldn’t be able to tell that she was faking it. The woman waved her hand dismissively. ”I just feel like this is something her friends should know. Did she mention anything about leaving for a little while?” She didn’t bother to hold back her smile, but it was still in the appearance of being a perfectly civil person. Because Jane was family, she knew exactly how to tear her niece down—aim for the ones she loved.

[AMBER SAVANNAH JAMES AMBROSE]

Ace shook his head, "Don't mind at all." He didn't mind, this was only a rumor, if it was true or if he had doubts about it's actuality, well he'd go to Nell for that. He wanted to hear what this lady had to say about his buddy before he went and talked to Nell about this. He didn't want any bad rumors circling around her and then just having her life get worse. Nope he'd listen to what this (hot) woman had to say before searching for Nell. He nodded agreeing with her statement about taking the initiative. The floor was all hers and he was her audience. He really did wonder what she was going to say.

Ace blinked a few times, processing what she just said. Murdering her mother? What? That wasn't, What? He was so confused, that was just like an anvil falling out of the sky and hitting him on the head and then him living to tell and wonder about why he lived. Ace knew for one thing that she wasn't one to beat around the bush that's for sure. "Why would she want to tell me that?" He asked giving her a questioning look. "I wouldn't tell her if I killed someone." He still didn't fully believe this chick. But she was talking bad about his friend, or was she? Well whatever way she spoke about Nell he decided screw the charm. "Her friends don't need to know that unless she wanted to tell her friends." Ace looked at her seriously, this was his friend, but still, did she really kill her mother? Did Nell commit Matricide? Why, why would she?

"Why would she kill her mother?" Ace asked now curious, wanting to know the plausibility of this story. Any good lie was made up with slight truths and a good story helped to back it up too. So he wanted to know why, why Nell, Nell who wouldn't hurt a fly and didn't fight back when half the school wanted her head on a stick, killed her mother. It just didn't seem plausible. Not plausible at all.

[NELL DOE DALE]

Jane was almost amused by Ace’s confusion. Her blue eyes were invisible behind her shades, but they were practically dancing with amusement. ”Of course she wouldn’t want to tell you,” the woman said as if speaking to a silly child. ”She’s a fugitive of the law.” No longer was she really a fugitive, now that she’d been found and she was going on trial very shortly. She was even more amused by his next statement. ”No killer likes to air their dirty laundry when they’re wanted by the police.” Unless they were the Zodiac and very cocky about what they were doing, but that was both rare and idiotic. When you were on the FBI’s shit list, it was a good idea to lay low. It wouldn’t do well to brag about the bodies in your crawlspace. Ace’s next words caused her to lift a dark eyebrow. ”So you don’t believe her friends need to know that she’s being hunted by the law for slaying her own mother? I would like to know about that.” She kept tabs on the people she knew, mostly. Well, when it was information she should be privy to. Jane liked to know who she surrounded herself with, but the affluent community in New York hid their secrets well.

She seemed to consider his question for a moment, and then a pitiable sigh passed her lips. ”Nelly didn’t grow up in a good area. South Bronx is a hotbed of criminal activity, and she was drawn into that lifestyle. Always a problem child, sneaking out, doing god knows what.” It was easy to twist the girl’s story, changing little pieces around to work against her. Those bruised, the scars? Why, she was always getting into scrapes. ”Her mother—my sister—was always concerned about her, and it created a lot of growing pains in their relationship. And one day Nelly tried to run away, and when her mother came after her, she turned on her…you can guess the rest.” She didn’t have to fake the somewhat strained words there, caused by the grief and hatred. Her sister was dead because of her own niece, and that only spurred Jane on in her story. ”Nelly decided that instead of facing her crimes, that she would run and live in Canada as an illegal alien.” The girl’s existence was essentially illegal, and Jane took great joy in revealing this to one of her friends.

She was in the mood for a cigarette, but it wasn’t permitted on school grounds and so she resisted. Instead, she pulled down her shirt a bit and turned her head when she said, ”If you want to know anything more, just search her name.” Her lips twitched back into a smile as she turned her eyes back to Ace, ”Her real name is Nell Sinclair Fuentes.” It was like taking a scourge to her back, adding that ‘Sinclair’ to her name. She was certainly not a part of the family, never had been, and she knew those damned Fuenteses felt the same way. Resting a hand on his knee, Jane gave him a maternal smile.”I just thought you should know. Nell…seems like a nice girl. But once you know about her secrets…” Jane’s smile held much sympathy and pity. ”It’s a different story.”

[AMBER SAVANNAH JAMES AMBROSE]

Ace shook his head, "Not Nell, She wouldn't, no, couldn't kill anyone." He said sternly. That was his truth, he knew Nell. He thought he knew Nell. But she had a back story, just like him, something happened to her. Maybe this was something that happened to her, something that caused her to make her commit the crime. "No I don't, It's her story to tell, if she wanted me to know about it, she would have told me. If not, then I would have found out on the news." Ace was loyal, very very loyal. He was a loyal friend and would never abandon another of his own. The only way to leave his trust would be to totally betray him, sell him out, or kill someone who was close to him. He would, be loyal till the end, sort of like a dog, but better.

Ace listened to the story the woman gave him, then he closed his eyes and thought for a moment. It just didn't add up, how could sweet little Nell kill her mother. "Bullshit." Ace said confidently. No it wasn't true, it couldn't be true, Ace knew Nell, she would never hurt someone let alone kill them. He was so set on his truth he didn't think anything other than Nell saying she killed her mother, move him from his side. He trusted Nell, He thought he knew Nell. What if this woman was telling the truth, and Ace was just too stubborn to see it. No, He was right, Nell wouldn't have killed her mother, she'd have told him even if she did, she would have told him about her trial. He didn't know what he'd do if she was right.

Ace shook his head again refusing the truths, "Nell Sinclair Fuentes must be someone else. The Nell I know would never kill anyone." He paused and thought, "And Nell knows that I will still be her friend, even if I knew her secrets." Ace resisted flinging her hand off his knee and he tapped his fingers on the edge of the bench thinking about the next few words that would come out of his mouth. "We all of our secrets Miss... I'm sure you have yours, for all I know you could be part of the Mob. I have secrets, Nell has secrets, we deserve, as human beings, to share those secrets with who we wish. If Nell didn't want me to know, than it's her choice, but I still don't believe you."

[NELL DOE DALE]

Ace’s denial kept Jane amused. Nelly Nell, of all people, murdering her own mother? Was it so surprising, the lengths of which a human being was willing to go? Was it so surprising that Nell hid such a dark side? Because of her powerful loathing for the girl, she was more than willing to accept that Nell wasm ore than capable of murder. ”I guess that the corpse and her confession must be…lies then,” Jane said, opening her mouth slightly and raising her eyebrows at the boy. As much as he wanted to deny that his friend could do something like this, there was no denying the evidence. As for Nell telling him? Jane had to wonder. She didn’t know the niece too well, but the girl wasn’t hard to figure out. ”You’ll be hearing about it soon, now that the trial is coming up, I should say.” It was true. Ace may have not caught wind of it yet, but there was no denying it.

Even though she really wanted to laugh, her small smile carried at the sympathy and heartbreak of a woman who’d lost her sister and didn’t know what to do with the incorrigible girl who did. ”As you said, she never told you about her past,” she said kindly. She was secretly glad for Nell’s secrecy—it made it easier for Jane. ”This is why.” Her smile was not there, rather a forlorn expression had replaced it. Like she honestly cared about her niece. She did believe her own story, in a way. She believed that Nell deserved whatever Mia did to her. Jane couldn’t think of her sister—the little girl who she’d ran away from some twenty-odd years ago—in a bad light. Even though she and Mia had been abused and most certainly didn’t deserve that, she couldn’t let herself admit that because she wasn’t there for her sister, everything fell apart.

Jane looked at the sky, an easy expression on her face. ”They’re one in the same.” She had to give it to Nell, being smart enough to change her name in order to dodge the authorities, but didn’t she realize that it would just come around to bite her in the ass eventually? ”Even knowing she killed her own mother in cold blood? What if she turns on you? If you kill once…what’s stopping you from killing again?” It was reasonable, likely that someone could kill again after murdering their own kin and finding it easy to get away with. Of course, this could be a moot point—the family was hoping Nell would end up in prison. She was unfazed by the comment about mob affiliation which seemed oddly specific. There was no way he’d know about her business, so she wasn’t worried. ”It’s not a secret when the entire country knows. And the entire world, possibly.” She had once threatened Nell with blowing the story up even more, but ever since the trial date had been set, it’s been rather quiet. Jane wasn’t in America, and it wasn’t like she had much influence in Canada. Her pride was willing to admit that, because she had her influence over many other things. ”Just look that name up. There’s even pictures.” Ace wouldn’t be able to deny pictures of his beloved friend, would he?

[AMBER SAVANNAH JAMES AMBROSE]

Ace didn't want to believe this, this crap he was being told. "Sure there could be a body, but that doesn't mean she killed her, maybe she was coerced into giving that confession." Ace said trying to think logically, why would his friend, one of his closest friends not even mention this. But he told her she didn't have to tell him, it was his fault for not finding out, it's not like she'd have told him either way though, it was something he would probably want to forget too. Why hadn't he seen Nell in a while, was it because she was preparing for this trial? Why didn't she tell him?! She knew he had her back, he always had her back. Why wouldn't she want to tell him about this? He might not be able to help but hell it'd be nice to go for moral support.


"No!" Ace said spitting the word out. "Nell is not a murderer!" Ace said. Sure she could have killed someone, but murder? No there's a difference between murder and self defense. There's a rather large difference between the two. Ace knew, he knew murder was something someone would do to get ahead, or to get what you want. But what would Nell get from murdering her mother? He knew she had a sister that she had cared about so much, but killing your mother, that just seemed like a stupid and illogical move. There was nothing that she could be seen to achieve from killing. Logically it wasn't logical at all. She couldn't have killed to gain anything. In that gamble you'll lose all the time. "She wouldn't kill me, she hates to kill anything! Nell is not some sort of serial killer you're displaying her as! I know her well enough to know that she would not kill in cold blood." Ace said knowing what he was saying determined to protect his friends honor.

[NELL DOE DALE]

Jane let out a sharp laugh at Ace’s words. He seemed desperate for the girl’s innocence. ”She confessed in the hospital,” she said, speaking of that ‘self-inflicted’ wound. ”Nelly told me without so much as encouraging her.” This was very true. Of course, what the girl said had been the truth, thinking that her aunt may help her. And if she were a better person, she would have. If she wasn’t so bitter, it would have been easy for her to take Nell into her home and have Aunt Mary accept her, just as she had done with the runaway Jane. The girl could have become a rich, talented socialite living in New York, and would have ended up marrying a man who she could utterly destroy like all Sinclair women were fond of. But Jane would sooner like to see Nell behind bars than living in her mansion.

The woman felt her patience wearing then, though it did not show. She really didn’t have time to deal with incorrigible children who just couldn’t understand the words she was saying, no matter how many times she spoke. ”Hmm…I’m not much in the mood to keep repeating myself,” she responded calmly. ”As I said, look her up. See what everyone is saying. I’m not the only one who knows Nell for what she really is, for what she did to her mother.” Jane stood up, believing she had stated her claim now. In any case, even if Ace didn’t believe her, she’d planted the seed. She understood that Nell wanted all this kept away from her friends, so any chance she could take at doing the opposite, Jane took it. ”Well, I fear there is some business I should be getting to,” she said, glancing at her watch. One of the only honest things she spoke. ”I shall be seeing you, then.” But she didn’t exactly plan on it. She didn’t care about this kid at all, he was just a pawn, really.

A few minutes after Jane departed to the Cadillac parked in the Academy's lot, Nell emerged from the building. Multitasking as she looked at a piece of paper on the binder she held in her hand, she didn't notice her friend until she lifted her head to see exactly where she was going. Upon seeing Ace, she smiled and approached him, tucking the piece of paper away. "Heyo, Ace," she greeted him cheerfully, unaware of who he had just been speaking to moments before. "How've you been?" she said as she shifted her binder under her arm and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Even though the trial was coming up so soon, she was still as bright and happy as ever.

[AMBER SAVANNAH JAMES AMBROSE]

Ace stood there staring at the ground. He clenched and unclenched his fists fuming at the moment. His mind was in such turmoil and doubt. And he was so angry at the doubt and turmoil that it just kept fueling the turmoild and doubt, it was all just a cycle of doubt and bad bad thoughts. How how could he doubt his best friend, and yet how could he not doubt her, he knew he shouldn't but the logical mind of Ace, the doctor mind of Ace was just questioning his loyalty. Why couldn't she tell him? Why couldn't she just give him the truth? She knew he had her back, through thick and thin, and yet he still had nothing. Did she not trust him? Did she not believe in him? Why, can't she trust him enough to tell her this? Was he not worthy for her trust? He trusted her with his life, he knew she had his back, but now, no he couldn't think that.

He looked up and saw Nell. He tried to manage a grin, but it just looked fake and forced. He wanted to say, Hi Nell I missed you, or Hey Nell what's up. He didn't say anything, he lost his grin and the usual shine in his eyes, the characteristically happy shine, was gone. His face was serious and he hadn't had his serious face on in a very very long time. "Nell," even his voice had lost the carefree tone he usually had, "I need you to answer something for me."

Ace looked her in the eyes, the question on his lips. "Nell, did you kill your mother?" His eyes stared her down, and he wouldn't let her look away, "And if you did do you have a trial that you never told me about coming up?"

[NELL DOE DALE]

Nell noticed that her friend certainly looked different from his normal, cheery self. She didn’t think too much on it, really, save for asking a light-hearted, ”You all right there, amigo?” It was asked more jokingly than anything, since it wasn’t like people couldn’t have their little down moments in the day. It happened sometimes, even though the lack of greeting was especially out of character for Ace. You’re thinking too much, she told herself in order to mentally shrug it off. She was doing that a lot as of late, probably the stress of the trial mounting. Her emotions were all frayed and she was trying to shove it down like she did with everything else. It was getting harder as of late, but she believed she could do it.

The girl merely shrugged when he asked his question, brightly saying, ”Go ahead,” not thinking that it would be anything of too much consequence. Just an innocent question that she’d be able to respond to—her brain instantly flatlined with his words, and so her reaction was delayed. All she was aware of was the hard thumping against her ribcage, the sound of it traveling to her ears. Her eyes even wider than usual, she didn’t know exactly how to answer that. ”H-how did you find out?” she asked quietly, and that should have answered his question well enough. Nell was aware of people strolling by, minding their own business, but was not in the right state of mind to take note that maybe they should have moved the conversation about her matricide elsewhere.

It took a few more moments for her to recover and swallow her shock. ”Yeah, I’m…I’m going to New York in about a week,” she said when Ace asked about the trial, her pulse still thumping in her body. He doesn’t need to know this, she thought. First Ethan and now Ace had found out from a source that was not her. Why? She didn’t want Ace to know about her dirty little secrets, she held him too close to want him aware of the things that were wrong with her. ”I’m sorry for not telling you,” she said in a soft voice, realizing how he added that in. ”It’s just…not something that’s easy to talk about.” She hoped he understood this, not realizing that he heard about the fact that it was first-degree, the lie from her aunt. Nell hated lying, but it was a necessary evil. She didn’t add on the fact that she was a fugitive, because that would have only made it worse in her eyes.

[AMBER SAVANNAH JAMES AMBROSE]

Ace shook his head, he thought so, all that talking with Jane had finally convinced him that she was right, she had killed her mother. He broke the glare he had been giving her, the one that would give him answers, he broke it, he didn't need anymore, he was hurt, he felt slightly betrayed. He knew he shouldn't and yet he still did, why wouldn't she tell him, she needed help right? He always would offer her help no matter what. He would give his word to help her, and to him his word was unbreakable. He felt like she didn't trust him and that he wasn't worthy enough for her trust or her help. He wondered if Josh knew about this. But of course she would tell him, she would never tell her best friend. No he couldn't think like that, she had her reasons, but he still thought, Superman is still Clark Kent underneath it all.


"Nell, why. Why didn't you tell me?" He asked sadly questioning her. "You know me, you know I always have your back. You know I'll always help you." He looked away from her, he felt so hurt that she couldn't tell him. It was like a mental slap to Ace, he thought they were close, they could tell their dirty secrets, he told his, he wished she could tell hers, even if he said she didn't have too. That was like a formality, but he guessed it didn't matter. "Nell," He ran a hand through his hair, "I thought you trusted me, I thought you could depend on me. Nell, talking about Ray isn't easy, talking about the mistake I made wasn't easy, but I did because i wanted you to know, that I trust my life to you, you could have trusted your life to me." He paused and gave an exasperated sigh, he didn't want to yell at her, but he needed to tell her. "And what's worse is that you didn't tell me. You should have told me, You, not your Aunt. You should have. I-" He paused, he didn't want to be here anymore, he needed to think, he needed some fresh air, or fresher air than what was out here. "You're supposed to trust in Superman." Ace said quietly before he walked away, he needed time.

[NELL DOE DALE]

Nell felt as if she were shrinking away under Ace’s gaze, withering to nothing. A lump formed in her throat, and she couldn’t swallow it down, couldn’t fix it, couldn’t make things right now. In the space between her thoughts and his words, she realized she screwed up. Big time. It shouldn’t be like this, she thought stubbornly, I shouldn’t need to tell him that I killed someone. But shouldn’t she? Isn’t that something people had a right to know when they’re speaking to someone? She would certainly like to know if she was speaking to a killer or not if she talked to someone. It’s not fair. She didn’t want this complication, she wanted things to be normal, she wanted friends she didn’t have to hide from.

She felt a very physical pang in her chest when he asked why she didn’t tell him. I’m so sorry, but…but I can’t. ”It’s not that simple,” Nell said in a desperate attempt to get him to understand. ”Its not a matter of you having my back or not, it’s a matter of me not being able to tell anyone.” The only exception was Josh, because she’d felt like she’d put him through hell, making him dispose of phones and endure her mood swings. And it turned out that he’d already known, and had been waiting for her to tell him, as if he was expecting the truth to come out. ”I wanted to protect you.” That’s all she wanted for her friends, for everyone she surrounded herself with. She didn’t want them to look at her any differently, as someone not so dependable. She wanted to be something stable for others, not a killer, not a matricide.

He brought up Ray, and she wanted him to understand, her eyebrows scrunched together in a pained expression. ”It’s not the same, Ace,” she told him as she shook her head, looking him in the eye. She was glad he had shared with her his story, she wanted that, the feeling that she could be trusted. But her trust was different. ”We’re not the same people. I…I’m not as strong as you I guess, or…I don’t know, we’re just different.” She dropped her hand from its gesturing, wondered what to do with the rest of her body, how she should convince him. ”I never meant to hurt you, I wanted to keep you from this. Trust for me doesn’t mean sharing everything, it means having someone I care about even though I don’t talk about myself.” Nell gestured with her hands again, ‘this’ representing all the shit she was buried in. He mentioned her aunt, and she rolled her head back, a bitter expression pulling her lips. ”Of course, Jane,” she said resignedly, but before she could say anything else, he spoke of trusting Superman and she didn’t know what to do with that. It didn’t matter either way—he turned his back and left and she felt very cold.