[ACE] make you understand.

[aerin 'ace' colt endsley]

Ace gasped, looking up at him with tear stained cheeks. He reached up, gently running his hand over his cheek. "It's not a nightmare when Hades is your uncle.." He said quietly, realizing Celeste was sitting up in bed, watching the two of them quietly. He leaned up, giving him a gentle kiss. Celeste looked up at Derek, then puckered her lips at him.

[derek chandler ralston]

Derek hugged him close. "I know baby.. I desk with him every day. But think, without him, I wouldn't have met you."
He kissed him softly, chuckling as Celeste puckered her lips, leaning down to kiss her as well.

[aerin 'ace' colt endsley]

Ace smiled, pulling his pillow under his head again. He gently ran his hand over her back. "Life would have really sucked if I hadn't met you.. I've never really felt like this towards anyone but you."

[derek chandler ralston]

"Same...I didn't care for love until you.. I never had reason." He kissed him a little closer, then hugged both of them close to himself. "I never could have asked for a more perfect family."

[aerin 'ace' colt endsley]

The word 'family' had Ace's heart beating a little harder. They really were a family, weren't they. A complicated family, but a little unit nonetheless. "I don't feel like a dad.. You're more her dad than I am.." He said quietly, hugging the girl close as she snugged up. "I'm just a kid. I'm just Ace."

[derek chandler ralston]

Derek smiled. "It's okay, Ace.. Just be you. You deserve what childhood you can get. I'll take care of the rest, okay?"
He had lost his own years since age ten, didn't want Ace losing what he had left.

[aerin 'ace' colt endsley]

Ace laughed bitterly, drawing his knees up. "Yeah.. If a childhood can be what I went through was called.. I've never been able to be a child, Derek. I'm not worried about that. I'm just worried I'm not gonna be able to raise her right. She's not a normal kid. She's never gonna be like a normal kid." It was then that Celeste started babbling, a string of 'da's coming from her mouth.

[derek chandler ralston]

"Ace..I fucking caused nine eleven, killed my parents.. I know it's hard. But you're an amazing kid." He kissed his jaw gently, looking at Celeste as she started to babble. A smile passed his lips. "She knows what she wants. I'm with you every step of the way baby."

[aerin 'ace' colt endsley]

Ace gently ran his fingers through Derek's hair at the kiss, looking down at Celeste. He smiled, gently rubbing her back. "Very good." He told her quietly, kissing the top of her head. "You're just as much her dad as I am.." He said quietly, looking over at Derek.

[derek chandler ralston]

Derek bit his lip. "Maybe.." He murmured, smiling at the two. He had his whole world right here now, though. It didn't matter what he was to them as long as they were there.

[aerin 'ace' colt endsley]

"You kind of have to be. I can't read or write.." He pointed out. He wasn't very proud of it. But there'd never been time to learn. And what little he could read, he struggled with. He couldn't even write his own name. "And someone has to teach her one day."

[derek chandler ralston]

Derek frowned. "I know.." He murmured. "But then you can too, hm?" He just wanted them to be happy. He would give them both the worpd if he could, quite honestly. Only if it meant a smile.

[aerin 'ace' colt endsley]

"I'm too old for that. Can't teach an old dog new tricks." He mumbled, gently pulling Celeste's thumb from her mouth. "No no." He said quietly. He'd always had his hand slapped from his mouth. Only he'd sucked on his fingers. He could hear his mother in his head telling him he was going to make his teeth crooked. He ran his hand gently through her hair.