"Your father is none other . . . than Pirate King, Gold Roger!"
Relief flowed through him like a tidal wave as he gritted his teeth, trying to keep up his facade. They knew. The marines knew. But they didn't know, not really. They thought it was him who was Gold Roger's son. And that was all that mattered.
His brother was safe. Luffy was safe.
Never before had he been so grateful to Garp for keeping his word. If he died, that would be the end of it. Garp would keep his silence, and no one would think to look for the Pirate King's son if he had been given a public execution.
They'd gotten close, though, so very close, and they would never know it.
He'd lived his life without regrets, just as he had promised Luffy. In the end, it didn't even matter if Whitebeard came to save him or not. He had devoted his life to making Whitebeard the Pirate King, because he knew Luffy wouldn't need his help, not with the kind of nakama he drew to him. But he could give him something else - freedom. The freedom to make his own way, as Luffy and not Gold Roger's son. The freedom of not being hunted to the ends of the earth, of not being pursued any more than any other pirate.
Whitebeard could replace his father. But no one could replace his brother. If Luffy died because of him, because of his stupid rescue attempt, he would never forgive himself.
But as the gates of Marinford parted and one last Marine ship, damaged by cannon fire, trailed into the harbor, Ace knew with a sinking feeling that Luffy was aboard that ship.
Oh well. It looked like he wouldn't give his life for his brother today - even if it was only so he could kick Luffy's ass for being such an idiot.