~Just a Dream~

A bit shy and nervous, Ace grinned as he watched Bloom and her friends from behind a wall. The black-haired was always really nervous in her present and whenever she spoke to him, he blushed. Furthermore he began to stutt when she was with him and he never managed to get a reasonable sentence out of his mouth. The fact that Bloom then always smiled at him in a soft and encouraging way, made everything even worse. His heart began to rush and his nervousness increased.

With every day that passed, his love for Bloom grew. He could feel how his feeling evolved over the time, until he couldn't stop thinking about her. Ace enjoyed the time he spent with her and when she was gone, even if it was just for a minute, it felt like his heart had been ripped out of his chest. If he could have chosen, he would have locked her into his room so that she would be always by his side. But he didn't want her force to be with him...

Even when he often dreamed about her, laying in his bed... to kiss her... to stroke her and to pamper her...

It drove him mad even when she hugged him briefly. He wanted those moments to stay forever.

"Oh, hey Ace", the soft voice of Bloom ripped him out of his dream.

"Eh...H-hey.. B-Bloom..", replied Ace and glanced to the floor

Bloom smiled because of his shyness and then asked:"Well, is everything alright?" Ace nooded and looked at her friends. Only they weren't there anymore. Ace wondered:"Whe are the others?" He looked at her confused. They were there just until a second ago and now they're gone.

With a big smile on her face, Bloom responded with excited anticipation:"Oh, the Winx and I have after a very long time again dates with our boyfriends. They already went ahead." Her expression now went from happy to sad:"And I also wanted to say goodbye to you..."

"WHAT?!", Ace interrupted her in a louder tone than he wanted. The fairy flinched a bit and she looked at Ace now a little bit frightened. He noticed her fear and said now in a more sensible tone:"I'm sorry... I didn't want to scream at you. It's just...why do you wanna say goodbye?" One could see the sadness in his face. Bloom sighed and responded:"My parents and I are going on vacation and I'll be back in four weeks."

Ace nooded amd looked depressed on the ground. Bloom hugged him and whispered:"Bye...Ace..."

Just before she opened a portal, she looked back again to Ace who was silently and sad looking to the ground. She waved to the black-haired and then went through the portal.

A few minutes passed within Ace stood still and starred holes in the floor. He already missed Bloom. Four days came and went and the only thing Ace since her leaving did, was laying in his bed and starring to the ceiling. He only left his room to eat...

Usually he laid in bed and thought of Bloom...

In the meantime, Ace had felt a decision... As soon as Bloom is here again, he would tell her his feelings...

This goal in his mind, Ace felt asleep and dreamed of his freat love, Bloom.

At the same time, Bloom spent a wonderful day with her beloved prince Sky. She already forgot the black-haired commander and her thoughts revolved only around her blond prince.

At the evening...

Both were standing on the balcony and watched as the sun went down. They shortly looked at eachother and were lost in eachother's eyes. They leaned forward, only centimeters separated their lips. But before their lips touched, Sky leaned back again and grinned a Bloom. She sulked a bit and and asked:"What are you doing, Sky?" He smiled softly at her and took a little box out of his pocket. He kneeled down in front of her and looked at her dreamy. The redhead's heart began to rush. "Bloom...", started Sky and he took a deep breath before he continued:"Will you do me the honour in becoming my wife?" Bloom didn't need time to think about it. Her decision was clear. She hugged Sky excited and one could hear a loud "YEEESSS!" Now she laid laughin at her future husband. He was incredible glad the love of his life said yes and he replied laughing:"Fantastic! We have to tell the whole magical dimension!"

In the meanwhile...

Ace sat on his chair by his desk and drew wihile daydreaming a picture. On this picture stood "AceXBloom" with a lot of hearts in different colors around. He smiled and his cheeks turned red and he said very quiet the words:"I love you, Bloom". He looked at his work before he laid it in his drawer and went to the hall to eat something.

Only three days left until he could be with his Bloom again. He was really looking forward to see his love. As he arrived at the hall, Marco noticed the glorious face Ace made and asked suspicious:"What's happened,Ace?" This one grinned wide and responded:"Not long now and Bloom will be back." Marco smiled and replied:"I understand..."

Ace could not have guessed that Bloom will be back with a wonderful message. Well, at least a wonderful message for her... for Ace, it would mean – agony.

Three days later...

Bloom and Sky were holding hands as they went throught the portal. They were welcomed by the Whitbeard-gang. Ace smiled as he saw Bloom and immediately wanted to hug her as his focus moved to Sky and Bloom's hands. The smile on his face was gone at once...

"Hello, Ace" Bloom greeted Ace and as she noticed his sad look, she asked:" What's happened?"

The commander only shook his head and replied with a fake smile:"Nothing, everything's fine." Bloom saw through his smile, but nooded and said with a happy voice:" We two wanna tell you something...", Bloom paused shortly and then announced:"Sk and I will marry!"

After then one could only hear applause and shouting and cheering for a moment. But there was one who wasn't very enthusiastic about it than the others were.

"What?...", whispered Ace:"You will marry..."

Before Bloom could answer, Ace ran already away as fast as he could. He stormed into his room and locked himself. The fairy of the dragonfire wanted to run after him, but Sky kept her from doing so. He said:"Let him go... He needs time for himself..." Bloom nooded and glanced worried to Ace's chamber, before she turned to Sky and kissed him softly.

One month later...

One month had already passed and in those, Ace almost never went outside nor spoke with anyone. The princess of Domino began to worry, because of this situation. She decided to visit Ace and to ask him what happened.

"Ace?", Bloom asked as she knocked on the door of his room. The commander responded only after a few minutes:"Yes?"

"Can I come in?"

As she heard another 'yes', Bloom opened the door and looked inside.

She glanced at Ace who obviously held something behind his back and smiled a bit nervous and shy at her.

Bloom sat down next to him and then asked:"What's happened, Ace? You're ignoring me now since one month..."

The black-haired just starred quiet to the floor.

Bloom looked a bit curious behind his back and wanted to know:"What is is that you're holding?"

He blushed and hid the picture under his pillow. "Please let me see..", Bloom looked in a begging way at Ace. He thought about it and finally decided to hand her the picture.

He then hid his face in his pillow, out of fear of her reaction. He feared that maybe she would hit him...

Bloom didn't know that he grew feelings for her... She didn't feel the same. She thought of him more like a brother than a lover.

"I'm so sorry Ace, but my feelings are not the same as yours."

Bloom laid the picture on the table next to his bed and stood up. The black-haired didn't respond, he only sobbed. Bloom sighed and already started going. As she was leaving, she could still hear a "Bloom..." from Ace, before she left the room and closed the door. She had a bad conscience because of Ace... but she couldn't change her feelings.

Three days later...

Ace was sitting on a rail and starred at the wide sea. In his hand, he was holding a little blue bottle that was given to him by the Trix. This bottle contained a sort of sleep-potion. The potion caused that he could sleep three full days and have a wonderful dream...

But after this three days, he would die...

Without hesitation, he opened the bottle and drank the whole content empty. In the evening, the unconscious Ace was found by Marco who then brought him to a hospital room. Worried, Bloom and Marco stood around the bed where he was laying.

The fairy read the label of the potion.

"Oh no...", she whispered and let the bottle fall. "What's happened, Bloom?", Marco asked and looked worried at her. She then explained what potion this was.

At first, Marco didn't say anything, but then he asked in a calm tone:"Bloom? What is better? Years of suffering alone or to die within three days while having a wonderful dream? Ace loves you... he now surely dreams of you..."

Bloom sobbed and looked crying at the commander of the second division. The poor Ace... he didn't deserve to die... but Bloom couldn't force herself to love him...

But Marco was right.

Maybe it was better for him...

As Bloom cried, Sky came up to her, took her in his arms and tried to comfort her.

"I hope you'll find your peace... goodbye Ace...", said Bloom and covered his body. As if he would noticed her sadness, a tear ran down his cheek that Bloom softly wiped away...

In Ace's dream...

The black-haired dreamt of his Bloom and their child, Alice. Alice is three years old and has black hair and blue eyes. "Daddy?", the little girl whimpered to her father's chest. "Yes, my dear?", he asked and took his daughter into his arms. "Where is mommy?", she then asked.

At the exact moment, Bloom entered the room, hugged her husband and kissed his cheek. She took her daughter into her arms and hugged and kissed her.

Ace smiled lovely and softly...

He was so glad to have them both, his wonderful girls.

That everything was a dream... the black-haired had long forgotten and maybe it was better this way...

Three days later...

The heart of the commander stopped to beat... he was dead...

But he died peacefully in his sleep and with a smile on his lips.

Epilogue for this chapter:

R.I.P Portgas D Ace '3