"Oh," Ace mumbled and just hugged Smoker hard. Where he belonged was it? It was always so easy for the marine sometimes and Ace almost envied that, but mostly right now, he appreciated it in every way possible. "You really think I belong with you?" he mumbled, slowly letting his thoughts sort themselves out. "Yours?" it was a tentative question.

He was self destructive and it seemed like everyone else got caught up in that, but Smoker was still impervious, and Ace really needed that in his life.