Top of Your Ambitions

Acacia slowly opened her eyes and is immediately met with the familiar ceiling. Her brown eyes scanned the room instinctively, sighing in relief when she realized that she is in her guest bedroom in Rian and Zack’s loft. She turned to her side and noticed that she is not alone in this room. Alex is seated beside her, eyes focused on the screen of his iPhone. All in honesty, Ace is relieved that she is still alive.

“Hey.” Ace slowly sat up from her position on the bed.

Just as she got up, she noticed several layers of blankets wrapped around her. She kicked the layers off because she is overheating from the smothering of the sheets. The bright side is, she is no longer in a freezer and dying from hypothermia is not an option for her anymore. She is warm; she is well.

Alex quickly looked away from his phone and grinned widely at the blonde. He shot up from his seat on the chair, running over to her with his arms out. She chuckled, letting him wrap his arms around her. In the hug, he sighed loudly in relief.

“Doctors said you passed out briefly from lack of energy, basically from starvation. I guess you’ll be fine as soon as you eat. Rian made sure I brought home Japanese takeout for you on my way back here.”

Ace rubbed her eyes several times and suddenly remembered.

“Alex, is Zack okay?”

The singer released his friend and repositioned himself on her bed

“Yeah, he is still at the crime scene. He suffered from hypothermia so the doctors kept him inside the ambulance to treat him. Whenever he wake up, he should be okay to come home.”

Ace sighed in relief, placing a hand on her chest. She shot Alex a thankful look.

“What happened while I was out? How long was I out? Did you guys catch Steven Hall, because it was he and David Harper? Did Iverson get the warrant to search Ryland Lockheart’s house?”

“Hey, hey, hey! Chill out!” Alex laughed, rubbing her upper arm.

The blonde stopped and pursed her lips at the brunette.

“We caught Harper and Hall. They are awaiting trial right now. Ryland Lockheart is still in custody, still trying to get a confession out of him regarding the murder of Conrad Lockheart. However, he is guilty of killing Raphael Lockheart.”

Ace’s eyes widened. She shook her head profusely as if she did not believe what is happening.

“No, Raphie died from a car accident.” She murmured.

“Raphie?” Alex raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah, that’s what I used to call him.”

“Anyways, turns out, Ryland hired someone to snatch out parts from her car and did something to the breaks. He was trying to kill Dale but Raphael ended up suffering for it.”

“I can’t believe this.” She whispered.

“Dale, Kaya, Loki, and Liezel have been at the precinct since this afternoon. Breck and Tallulah just got there upon hearing the news. But I imagine Breck wants to come back here to see you now.”

Ace looked down at Zack’s coat, realizing that no one removed it from her at the crime scene. Maybe she hasn’t been out for long.

“How has Breck been handling everything?”

“Rian took care of it. He told Breck to stay with Tallulah as a way to help her forget that you were abducted.”

“How long have I been out?”

Alex got up from her bed and returned to his spot on the chair. As he sat down he picked up a manila folder on the floor, placing it gently on his lap.

“We found you about three hours ago. You passed out and I offered to bring you back here. The doctor checked on you and said you were fine, just needed rest and food whenever you wake up. I placed you in my car, picked up the takeout on my way back and just dumped you on the bed. You weren’t out for long.”

Ace nodded, shooting him a thankful smile. Despite their conflicts and major differences, Alex is still willing to take care of her. She thought he would hate her for a long time. Now, after going through everything, she believes this argument with Alex to be petty.

“Where’s Rian?”

“He’s with Zack; Jack’s there too!”

After their conversation died out, Alex helped Ace out of her bed and then out of the bedroom. He led her down the stairs in order to get her to the living room. When they made it to the kitchen, Acacia sat down at the booth and Alex walked over to the other side of the counter.

He already had the food laid out for her. She smiled at him graciously, finally realizing how hungry she actually is. It has been several days since she last ate. She has no idea why she is standing here right now without food or water for three days. It is humanely impossible.

Just as she dug in, Alex started talking again.

“So Liezel is dating Loki Lockheart.” He scratched at his head.

Chewing the sushi, the blonde detective looked up at her friend with her eyebrows perked up. She blinked at Alex several times as she swallowed her food.

“Wow, she moved on fast.”

“I thought she was dating Berdy?”

“Yeah, she told me he broke up with her… it was right before Zack and I were abducted.”

Alex nodded and placed a manila envelope on the counter. He pushed it toward her as he made his way around the counter to take a seat beside her. She continued to chomp on her food, barely paying mind to the manila envelope. After a few minutes, she is feeling her strength kick back into her system again. Unbelievably she feels recovered; she feels normal, as if she wasn’t still in a freezer just three hours before.

The singer pushed a glass of water toward her and she took it willingly, gulping the whole glass down in just a couple of seconds.

“Damn.” Alex laughed.

“Days without food and water here!” She defended.

He nodded at her, placing a hand on her arm.

“How are you feeling?”

“I’m feeling a lot better, better than I expected. I want to see Zack later, but there’s something I need to do first.” Ace looked down at her hands before looking back up at him.

Alex gestured toward the manila envelope.

“What’s in there?” Ace asked when she finally noticed its existence.

“Your ticket to getting Zack back.”

The blonde finally finished her whole box of Japanese takeout and shoved it all aside to make room for the new piece of document. She turned the envelope over, impatiently picking at the opening of the object. Alex watched patiently as she pulled the item inside of the envelope. Her eyes widened slightly as her brown eyes fell upon it.

“Where the hell did you get this? You don’t even have access to…”

“Well, I’ve been extra involved in the process of saving your ass. Actually, I was the one who figured out where you guys were. But, I was sat down with Jacobs to review the interrogation with David Harper and I managed to get it. Jacobs gave me permission to keep this.” Alex explained.

The blonde sighed loudly, scratching at her forehead as she placed the object back into the manila envelope.

“So what are you going to do?” He asked.

Ace bit her lips in contemplation. Her morals and her desires are clashing; she is unsure if her decision-making should be different this time. Under any normal circumstance, she would choose her morals over what she actually wants. But this time, things are different. She wants Zack. After almost dying alongside him, she realized just how much she wants to be with him.

She screwed up by breaking things off with him. Losing Zack has always been the biggest regret, but she has never done anything to win him back due to pride and negligence. This time, things are going to change.

“I’ll give this to him later. I need to go to the precinct to check on the Lockhearts. I need to find out what happened to Raphael.”

Alex took the manila envelope from her.

“I’ll bring this to Zack right now if you want.”

Ace slid off her high stool and turned to him with a thankful look. He nodded at her in response, gesturing for her to make her departure.

“You are the best, Alex!”



“Where the hell is Ace? Is she okay?” Zack got up from the stretcher, frantically glancing around the space.

Rian and Wallace both placed their hands on either side of his arm. The bassist glanced down at his form above the makeshift bed. He blinked at the view several times before realizing that he is alive. The last thing he remembered was talking to Ace. She was telling him an interesting story. He remembered all the feelings that he felt during his time with her.

“Hey, she’s fine. Alex called, she actually woke up and is on her way to the precinct as we speak.” Rian soothed.

Zack sighed loudly in relief.

“So, what happened to me?”

Wallace pressed her lips against his lightly, brushing a strand of his hair out of his eyes.

“Hypothermia; you weren’t wearing your coat and you froze your ass off, that’s what happened.”

Zack nodded and turned to the bag of takeout food on the stand beside him. His hazel eyes blinked at it hungrily, prompting for the other two to notice the notion. Rian quickly reached over the bag and pulled out boxes of lettuce sandwiches.

“Jack brought them over on his way here. He’s outside on the phone with Dale, by the way.”

Rian watched as Zack’s gaze hardened on Wallace. A look of recognition appeared on his face and Rian instantly knew that Ace did not keep her own promise. Ace told Zack everything about Wallace, but she is not to be blamed. Zack had the right to know why his life was put at risk. He just did not know what would happen at this point.

Wallace and Rian watched Zack eat his food silently, shooting him encouraging smiles when he took breaks to examine them. He stared at his fingers, noticing that they are no longer purple and frozen like he last remembered them.

He cannot believe that he is alive. To his absolute relief, Ace is alive as well. They made it out of this mess together.

“Hey!”

Everyone turned to the entrance of the ambulance and acknowledged Alex’s entrance.

“Hey yourself, Gaskarth!” Zack chuckled quietly.

The brunette singer glanced at Rian and gave him a curt nod.

“Ace wants me to tell you to call her. She misses you. Go do thatnow.” Alex instructed.

Laughing, Rian made a sound of affirmative and got up from his chair. He waved at Zack one last time before making his way out of the ambulance. Alex sighed in relief internally as he noticed that only Zack and Wallace are left in here. It is just as he wants it to be.

“How’s Ace?” Zack asked.

“She’s doing way better than you, bro.”

Zack laughed humorously.

“That’s good to hear.”

Alex scowled slightly at the realization of what he is about to do. Encountering the drama with Liezel and Kaya, he realized one thing. He did not want whatever happened between Liezel and himself happen to Ace and Zack. He made a mental note to fix it as soon as he saw the opportunity to do so. Even if he is standing beside Wallace right now, he is dead set on destroying her.

He pulled out the manila envelope and handed it to Zack.

“It’s from Ace.”

It is necessary for Zack to know that Ace is taking whatever measures to win him back.

Zack removed his grip from Wallace and used both hands to open the envelope. He pulled out the paper inside and turned it so that he can get a clear view of the content. His serene expression immediately turned to one of fury. The hazel eyes hardened as he glanced up at Wallace. The redhead, in return, stared at Alex questionably.

“Wallace…” Zack muttered in disappointment.

Still confused, Wallace craned her neck to see what is on the paper. Alex took this as an opportunity to discretely walk out of the ambulance. His departure left Zack alone with Wallace.

The latter froze as soon as her eyes landed on the picture in front of her boyfriend. She sighed tiredly and opened her mouth as an attempt to explain.

“That one is Dan Potter, am I right?” Zack asked calmly.

Wallace gaped at him.

“Ace told you?”

“Yeah, unlike you, she doesn’t lie to me.” He muttered bitterly.

Wallace sighed loudly and placed an arm on his bicep. Zack dropped the picture on the floor, turning away from it in disgust. Wallace cringed at the picture of that precise moment when Dan pressed his lips against hers at the break room. She didn’t know how Alex managed to acquire it. She didn’t even know there are security cameras planted in the break room.

“Zack, I can explain.” She started.

“What is there to explain, Wallace, Layla, whatever the fuck your name is? I can’t believe you lied to me! You kissed him. You aremy girlfriend, not his.”

“This is taken completely out of context…”

“I don’t know about you but all I’m seeing here is your lips on his, and it seems to me like you are enjoying it very much!” Zack snapped at her.

Wallace shrieked in her position.

“I’m sorry I kept it all from you. But you must surely understand why. My past is a dark place. My own brother just got charged with accomplice to murder, for god’s sake! I don’t want anything to do with my past. Suppressing it from you meant that I wasn’t part of that life. You were my second chance, and I took it!”

“And when your past comes creeping back to you, you make out with it! Why are you kissing him? You thought I’d be dead? You believed I was dead and thought it justifiable to run back into Dan Potter’s arms?”

Groaning in frustration, Wallace kicked at her seat and shot up from it. She stood over Zack, pointing an accusing finger at him. Her face tightened in fury and darkened in her sudden change in mood.

“You know what’s going on? Because I do! You are finding a reason to break up with me! You are trying to justify your affections for Ace.”

Zack opened his mouth in objection, but is immediately interrupted.

“You love her, Zack! What the hell are you doing with me? This petty image and revelation of my past has turned you on me, you want a reason to turn on me. Deep in your heart, you love her but you are covering it up with me.”

“Wallace, that’s not…”

“Fine, Zack. Look me in the eye and tell me you do not love her! Wait, don’t bother. You love her!”

“No, I love you Wallace. I chose you over her! I will always choose you over Ace!” Zack reached out for her hand but she moved away from him.

She shook her head, running a hand over her long, red hair.

“Stop lying to yourself. Zack, you need to stop hiding. You are afraid. You are afraid to love her. That is why I am used as your human shield. The only thing that stood between you and Ace was me. It was always me; and you made sure to love me well so you don’t have to go back to her.”

“Wallace, that’s not true!” Zack tried again.

“Look, I love you very much and I believe that you have affections for me, but it’s not the same. It has always been Acacia and I’ve known that for the longest time. When I see you interact with her, I see you fight hard against yourself to remove yourself from her. You try way too hard to not love her and it is so painful to watch. I don’t know why you need protection against her, but I was willing to protect you for the past year. I love you so I did what I had to do to prove it.”

Zack’s eyebrows furrowed as he continued to shake his head profusely.

“Zack, what are you doing here with me? The first thing you woke up, you thought of Ace. You didn’t even acknowledge my existence until Alex came in with this. Stop torturing yourself and follow your heart.”

“I loved her, yes. I did love Ace, but that part of me is done. I am with you; I only want you.” Zack pleaded.

Shaking her head, Wallace leaned down and pressed her lips against his forehead.

“We’re going to break up because it is the right thing to do. I want you to confront Ace without using me as an excuse to not love her. Goodbye, Zack.”

Wallace turned from him and left, despite his greatest protest.

“God dammit.” Zack shot up from the stretcher and snatched at his car keys from the counter.

The police managed to recover their possessions after scanning the proximity. It is perfect timing too, because he has a job to do. He stormed off the ambulance and ignored the protests of Rian, Alex, and Jack. Just as he found his car by the parking lot, he approached it with one thing in mind.

He knows there is only one thing he can do now; he is going to give her hell.

Notes

Zack's alive so YAY!

Are they going to finally get together, or is Zack never ever going to forgive her? And besides, anyone hate Wallace? I mean, she's a nice person, just with the wrong man, yeah?

And thanks to alltimeblowww for commenting on chapter 19!