Ace tapped his fingers on the panel of the car door, breathing in and out slowly. Outside of the car, the world passed by in a blur. 

“William”.

Ace tensed, sitting up in his seat, “sorry, Papa”. He moved his hand to his leg, tapping it instead. Anything to focus on to help ease his nerves. 

Next to him, his Papa sat with crossed arms, looking at him every so often while ranting. “You don’t have the decency to tell me yourself, you were in the hospital. Instead you come home and sneak into my office. You do know better, correct?” His Papa continued on, not waiting for an answer. 

Ace sank lower into his seat as the rant went on. It only stopped when their car turned down a familiar street. Ace forgot about everything as their church came into view. It looked even better than when he saw it last. 

One could see it before reaching it. Its stone and glass structure towering into the air and the cross at front and center reached high into the sky like a beacon drawing in God’s children. Despite his father right beside him, Ace relaxed at the sight of the cross. The perfectly trimmed hedges lining the parking lot and neatly lined cars filling the lot. It was always packed. It was nice to be back. 

Their car parked right next to the entrance, in one of the reserved spots. Ace glanced over at his Papa. The man was busy adjusting his tie but caught Ace’s eye. Ace fought the urge to flinch, settling for a smile instead.

“I’m glad we’re here together after so long.” 

His Papa kept his gaze and nodded. He didn’t return Ace’s smile but his eyes did soften and the crease between his brows relaxed. 

His Papa’s guards opened their doors for them.  Ace stared at his Papa’s back when the man exited, he hadn’t expected such a calm response. He said a quiet thanks to Liam, his father’s guard who held open his door for him before walking to catch up with his Papa. Another guard, Torsten, was inhaling the life out of his cigarette before tossing it onto the cement and stomping on it. A third guard, Jean walked up quietly. 

The three men looked out of place next to each other. Torsten with his perpetual long bed hair, no matter what he did to it wearing a leather jacket and jeans. Liam with his signature military standard haircut with a black crew neck and slacks to match. Jean with his locs on top of a buzz cut on the bottom, he was the only one in a full suit. 

As they walked up to the doors, Ace’s Papa glanced at him,“Jean is going to take you home after the service. I have business to attend to after.”

Ace looked behind them at Jean, catching the slight flex in the older man’s jaw. Jean’s eyes were on him, blatant disdain clearly on display for him. Ace turned his attention forward quickly at the entrance, tapping his leg to distract him from Jean’s feelings toward him.

Inside the double doors, a familiar face, Yannik Mengleberg was greeting people as they came in. a job normally reserved for one of the pastors. 

Ace had always seen Pastor Stein doing it. I guess he got promoted since I’ve been gone. Have I been gone that long?

Yannik towered above everyone present. His black hair was slicked back save for a strand dangling in his face. His blue button down shirt was neat except the top button was undone. His face seemed from stone, no matter who he greeted, his facial expression stayed the same. 

Just as Ace remembered him. 

A few older women, wives of the Elders from the congregation, were beside Yannik, handing out colorful pamphlets to the children along with crayons. Ace stretched around his Papa to get a better look at the pamphlets. He had liked them as a kid. They were easy to follow along with compared to the Bible. Yannik straightened up when he saw Eric, shaking his hand and stopping him to whisper something in his ear. 

Is that what Papa is busy with later? Things for the church? Yannik only whispered to him. Ace let out a sigh, trying to ignore the sudden realization that he felt out of place here. Coming to church was supposed to feel like coming home. The joy he had felt before was gone.

Yannik turned his full attention to Ace. A rare hint of a smile graced the man’s face, “Ist mein kleiner bruder endlich wieder zu hause?”.*

Ace smiled at him, "Herzlichen glückwunsch, Bruder! Jetzt muss ich öfter kommen!”.

Yannik cupped the back of Ace’s head a bit roughly and brought him in for a hug,“Yes or else”, he teasingly threatened. 

Ace hugged him back and then followed his Papa down a quiet hall leading to the second floor where a more private room was set up. It was filled with people mingling before the service. There were chairs in neat rows, a table with refreshments and a tv set up with a live feed of the main worship hall. The sound was off since the Pastor had not yet begun the sermon. 

Ace inched closer to his Papa, feeling out of place amongst the people in the room. His Papa didn’t seem to notice, too busy searching the room with his eyes. Ace followed his Papa over to a slim man in a green suit with messy blonde hair who had his head buried in his phone typing away near the refreshments, not paying attention to anyone in the room at all. 

Eric called out softly, “Wihelm.”

The younger man looked up, confused before recognition flashed in his blue eyes and he smiled, “Eric!”. His eyes shifted to Ace and he did a double take, his mouth gaped open like a fish,“now this is truly a blessing from God!”.

He stepped past Eric, grabbing Ace by the shoulders, turning him side to side to look at him properly. Ace let him, smiling awkwardly. Wilhelm let out a cry of disbelief before pulling him into a bone crushing hug.

“Where have you been all this time little brother?” Wilhelm let go when Eric grabbed Ace by his arms gently to get him away.

Wilhelm laughed, “sorry Eric.”

Eric pulled Ace closer to him and smoothed his son’s suit jacket, “fit in a meeting for me in the next few days.”

Wilhelm stopped smiling and leaned in dramatically, eyes wide, “you want to book me as counsel?”, he smirked, standing back to his full height, “It’s on the house, brother.”

Wilhelm pulled in Ace for another hug, “I’ll be seeing you too.”

Ace smiled against Wilhelm’s shoulder, a real smile. “Ja.”

A noise went off and Wilhelm pulled out his phone, “sorry,” he smiled at the two, “I have to take this”, he walked away to answer. 

Ace turned to scan the room and saw a familiar face his age, in the crowd. Toru, a childhood friend. Toru noticed him too and smiled. Toru’s bright yellow shirt and blindingly loose white pants contrasted  with his midnight black and dark grey eyes. Ace smiled back, feeling at ease again.

A hand landed on Ace’s shoulder, gripping him tightly, “are my eyes deceiving me? William Ace Jager is here?”.

Ace turned around and saw another older familiar face. He couldn’t find anything to say with the intense stare directed at him but his Papa saved him.

“Martin.”

Ace turned his head in the direction of his Papa, watching the man’s eyes land on his shoulder before giving Mr. Kruger a cold stare. 

Mr. Kruger ignored the obvious tension, continuing on at Eric, “and just where have you been hiding this boy? Damn you he should be in church!”. 

Ace swallowed, glancing at his Papa to gauge his reaction before trying to stop whatever notion Mr. Kruger had brewing, "I'm sorry I haven’t been here Mr. Kruger.”

Mr. Kruger waved his free hand dismissively at Ace’s words then began to stroke his huge sideburns while staring pointedly at Eric, "I blame this old man in front of me. You are a child, you're supposed to follow the path set out for you by your father. The order of one’s house falls on the shoulders of the head of the house… Otherwise children wilter. We can’t have you wilter, William.”

Ace’s eyes darted between the two. Neither one was backing down. His Papa appeared relaxed but he knew better, a silent intense stare and tense jaw were just the start. Mr. Krueger’s grip on him kept getting tighter by the second and the man was leaning into his Papa’s personal space as if daring a more physical confrontation to happen.