A/N: Okay, this is a little complicated. I totally forgot I'd written the first chapter to this story. Which is kind of important because I trashed my outline… Oops…? Well, this was meant as a standalone anyways so… here.

I claim ownership over nothing but the context of how this story came to be… and my crazed demons… can't forget the demons…

Two years. That was how long we had known each other and the time that have passed since his death. Really, as used to death as I was, I really shouldn't be as shaken as I've been. I turned my gaze back to the ticking clock hanging on the wall facing me. My glass had been emptied again, but I didn't have the heart to pour myself another drink. When the wound was still fresh, I had tried to hide away and drown out the world however I could. Thank god for Izou. Chuckling softly, I dimmed the lights and moved to my bed intending to sleep. It really is a blessing to have comrades and subordinates that aren't afraid to cross you for your own good. But isn't it ironic? That the more you try to wipe certain memories from your brain, the more they creep into your thoughts. That accepting they're all gone now and having to live with their absence everyday are wholly different things. That of the hundreds of possible outcomes that could have been, it was the most tragic that came to be.

I glanced at the clock again, three in the morning. I could have sworn it was only midnight when I last checked. Then again, I have long realized that alcohol and exhaustion does strange things to my perception of time. With a sigh, I resigned myself to another sleepless night. I fell into the role of captain easily enough, having served as the first mate for so long. But some days are decidedly rougher. The insomnia was really starting to get to me, but it's still preferable to the dreams. Dreams that taunted me with endless possibilities and nightmares that plagued my consciousness. Yes, insomnia is a much better alternative to that.

In these two years, I have counted thousands if not millions of ways that day could have ended differently. If just one thing, any single, tiny factor, had been different. If the trouble had been dealt with at the earliest sign, they would all still be here. And I knew precisely what that one thing should have been. Teach had always made me uneasy for reasons I hadn't been able to understand, back then at least. And like a complete fool, I ignored it, chalked it up to a quirk of personality that simply didn't sit right with me. After all, if Pops trusted him, that was all that mattered to me. And now it was too late.

Sighing again, I made my way slowly onto the upper decks. I could do with some fresh air considering I haven't left the belly of the ship in days, fueled by a combination of work and denial. It's amazing how quickly things could go to hell when you're not paying attention to them. I've been determined to never have a repeat of that lapse in judgment. It's been taxing on the crew, but if it's what it'll take to keep them safe, then so be it.

"Hey."

I fought the urge to bury my face in my hands. "I didn't expect anyone besides the ones on watch to be awake… and even then."

Izou laughed softly and glanced briefly towards the main mast. The crew had anchored at the edge of the calm belt, a vaguely risky decision, but one that guaranteed that they would be left undisturbed. The days have been peaceful, so peaceful in fact that boredom had given rise to sea king hunts.

"You've been quite busy these days while the men lazed around." Izou stated. The unspoken question hung in the air. Aside from it being a break from our busy routine, I haven't given a real reason for our current position.

"Red Hair is stirring up trouble." I watched as his eyes widened in shock at the words.

"Does this have anything to do with his proposal?" His mouth was drawn in a tense line and his eyes cold as he spoke. I knew, and I'm fairly sure the other commanders understood as well, that he hadn't meant any discourtesy when he made us the offer. Join him in an alliance to take down the Blackbeard Pirates, he had intended to help re-establish our crew as one of the Yonko. The bad choice of wording on his part nearly had our two crews at war with each other.

"No. It's about the unbalance of power. You can think of this as the calm before the storm. Things are going to change and it'll be changing fast. I didn't think he would be interested in it, but I'm sure he has his reasons."

"I swear if he tries something like that again…" Izou trailed off menacingly, glaring hard at the calm ocean surrounding us.

"He's crass and careless, but not stupid." I shrugged. It's the truth at least.

"He told you what he's planning didn't he. That's why you have us stationed here." Comprehension dawned on his face, but was soon replaced by one of anger. "What's happening?"

I couldn't help it, I felt my face break out in a smirk as a rush of adrenaline tore through my body, it had been a long time since I've felt anything other than anger and regret. "I promised him one week. We'll be making our move then whether I hear from him or not. Izou. A war is brewing in the shadows and I have every intention of taking advantage of it."

Izou nodded grudgingly. "This better be good."

"It'll be worth the wait." Seemingly satisfied with my answer, he called it a night and left. It will definitely be worth the wait, if the signs I picked up and the intel from Red Hair was to be trusted. And I did trust him. On this at the very least. The world powers had been unbalanced by the events back then and never completely recovered. All it would take is a little nudge and it will all fall apart. And that would be our chance to take down Blackbeard. To finally have our revenge for the hell he unleashed on us two agonizingly long years ago.

I made my way back into the belly of the ship as dawn neared. Murder would be a kindness to a man like Teach, of that I was sure. No, he was going to suffer, to go through the same hell that we were put through. Humiliation. That was the way to drag someone like him into a living hell. To crush his ego and his pride.

But it wouldn't undo the past. It wouldn't bring Tatch and Whitebeard and Ace back. I growled as another bout of repressed anger flared through me. It wouldn't change the reality of things either.

I felt compelled to remind myself that I had the chance to avoid this hell of an outcome if only I had heeded my instincts. Everyone would still be alive. Ace, would still be alive. I fell onto my bed with a thud, not caring that I was fully dressed and that the sun was starting to rise. I fought down the urge to scream. What good was power when you couldn't use it the one time it really mattered? Of course I had to be cuffed right before Akainu made it to Ace. Of course no one nearby had a sword on them. I would have much preferred to lose an arm than Ace. We could've gotten out before Blackbeard appeared. And Pops would have survived the confrontation.

Focus. There are no end to the what ifs. The past can't be changed, but the future is for the taking. I smiled sadly, Ace had always been one to live in the present. Well, after he came to terms with his demons at least. It had been a completely different story when we first met and I admit to have always found him intriguing. When he opened up to me for the first time, that was when things began changing. I had been happy. His attention and affection… not even Tatch's constant teasing could dampen my mood for long those days.

I shut my eyes tightly. Those were not the kind of thoughts I wanted to start my day with, regardless of the fact that I missed another night's sleep. It was so pathetic that I wanted to laugh at myself. The things that I had told him back then felt empty and hollow now. I had always hated hypocrites, but it's a different story on the other side. Life had never been easy, you would think that someone who grew up surrounded by death would be desensitized to its affects by now, but it's never that simple.

It's the guilt that hurts the most. No matter that years have passed, no matter that no one was the wiser at the time, no matter that no one could have saved him. Simple acceptance, it was the only way I could hang onto my sanity anymore. Amidst that chaos, Ace had been killed. Even if it hadn't been inevitable, it was the reality that slipped through, mocking all our efforts to save him.

Things are certainly different now. The winds of change are blowing once more and the brewing storm will throw the world into chaos once more. But this time, it will be in our favour.

I awoke to the sounds of men running above deck. I listened for moment before giving up on any further chance at sleep. They didn't sound panicked, but the tension in the air was almost palpable. I made my way onto the decks following the commotion to its loudest source.

Two days. The letter had arrived earlier than expected, delivered by no other than Beckman, his first mate. The man stopped his small boat a ways away from our ships. It was obvious what he intended and I complied, leaving to meet him alone. Much to the displeasure of the commanders.

"The letter, as promised. I can see that I'm not welcome here and I have no intention of staying any longer than absolutely necessary." Ben handed over the sealed envelope.

I skimmed through the contents quickly. There wasn't much penned out that I haven't already suspected. The letter was merely a confirmation of the facts. Tension between the World Government and pirates are at its breaking point. Blackbeard had been forced to make a move, having made enemies of both sides, there is nowhere left for him to hide.

"Anything you want me to tell him?"

I smiled. The first genuine smile in two long years. "Tell him that he is free to spectate if he wants, but make no mistake. I will not tolerate interference of any kind. This is our war."

It was almost impossible to swallow down the power boiling through my blood as I returned to the ship. By now, nearly the entire crew had crammed themselves onto the main decks, with the commanders at the forefront. Confusion and anticipation battled across the men's faces. I felt a near maniacal grin break out across my face, there was no need for secrecy anymore.

"The time for our revenge has come."

A/N: Just to clarify further, the original intention was for a series of interconnected short stories, but I might take this plotline and run with it. We'll see.

And yes, I'm still alive. I'm sort of back on track, but life's still hectic. Adjusting to living on my own has been… interesting. Yeah…