The Change: Danni left her home island early, and joined a nondescript crew, making it to the Grand Line. However, a storm hit their ship and they became shipwrecked. By a stroke of luck, she'd managed to survive (though barely) and the Whitebeard Pirates picked her up. She joined the crew, and quickly became somewhat the "mother" of the crew. She became a member of the First Division, under Marco.

Genre: Angst/General

Warning(s): It's not a really nice story. Whoops.

Grotesque

"I'll give you an order that will be my last as a captain!" Whitebeard roared. Danni flinched, her grip tightening around her rifle. "So listen carefully, Whitebeard Pirates!" Danni bit her lip, fighting back tears as her crew all screamed at their captain. She didn't like, but she knew. God, she knew. Above all the others she could hear Ace's confused cry the best, and it nearly shattered her heart.

"This is where our paths separate, son! You must survive and return safely to the New World!" Whitebeard roared, blood pouring from his various wounds, and Danni didn't bother holding her tears in anymore. "I am only a relic of history! I don't have my place on any ship that sails towards the New Era!" With a great swing of his arm, he shattered MarineFord.

Danni swallowed heavily and searched out for Ace. She was going to stick by him and make sure he made it out alive. She was not going to let him die when he was finally free. She found him and his adorable little brother and began making her way towards them. She could grieve later, or she might just join her father in death. "GO, MY CHILDREN!"

The gunner ignored the pain building up in her chest and the cries and shouts of her fellow crewmates as she made her way towards where she could see Ace standing stock still while his brother called out to him. Explosions were going off everywhere, and Marines tried to stop her, but she wasn't going to let them, and smashed through them.

"Ace! Let's go!" she head Straw-Hat yell as she got closer. "Or the Old Man's resolution will—!" She smashed her rifle against another Marine's head, sending him flying into another group of Marine. She was getting close.

"I know!" Ace interrupted his brother, body trembling. "I won't let it go to waste!" With a great roar the son of the King let out an explosion of flames, sending Marines flying everywhere. "Get lost all of you!"

Danni stopped next to Straw-Hat, rifle resting on her shoulder and kept a sharp eye out for any Marines trying to attack her precious brother while he knelt on the ground, bowing towards their father. "No need to speak," Whitebeard rumbled, staring down at his son. "Just answer me one question, Ace...Am I a good father?"

Ace didn't even hesitate when he bowed his head and yelled, "Of course!" Whitebeard laughed loudly and then caught Danni's eyes. She stared up at him with teary eyes and swallowed, wincing when she tasted blood. He gave her a knowing look and then silently told her to make sure Ace got out alive and his brother. She nodded firmly and then looked away.

During her silent conversation with her captain, Jinbei had gotten Luffy and Ace on the move, and she quickly moved to follow, just in time to avoid a wave of searing hot magma. She cursed and tensed as she heard the Admiral speaking, "Running away the moment you grabbed Ace; what a bunch of cowards. The Whitebeard Pirates. The captain as well...it can't be helped... Whitebeard is after all just a failure from the previous era."

Danni didn't bother cursing in her mind anymore. "Fuck!" she hissed, pushing herself to go faster. Ace was not going to let that insult go. She pushed everything out of her mind as she saw Ace light up like a candle. The words yelled were muffled and her ears were beginning to ring. Her chest constricted painfully, and she choked slightly as the blood rushed up and splashed past her lips. She ignored it and leapt over a marine, using his head as a springboard to get even closer to the clash that was happening between Akainu and Ace.

Her vision was blurring, but she could see Luffy fall to the ground, and she noticed a look in the admiral's eye that she most definitely didn't like. Akainu geared up another attack, and she saw Ace prepare to take it, but the admiral wasn't going for the fire-man anymore. Making a split second decision she put on another burst of speed.

Ace's eyes widened and he shouted, "Hey—wait! LUFFY!" He didn't think, he only reacted. He leaped in front of his brother, closing his eyes in preparation to the fist that was no doubt going to go through his chest.

Except it never came.

Slowly, the teen turned around, dreading what he was about to see. His heart pounded loudly, pulsing through his entire body and he choked out in shock, "D-Danni?" And it was. The woman was in front of him, a magma fist through her stomach even as she smiled at him with tired eyes. Blood was dripping from her mouth, even though her hands were burned terribly, from holding back the fist so that it didn't continue through her and into Ace.

"Ace...," she murmured.

There was a terrible scream from all of the Whitebeard pirates as they roared in shock and anger, "HE GOT DANNI!"

The fist was pulled from her stomach and she collapsed to her knees, Ace catching her automatically in his arms. He stared down at her uncomprehendingly, stuttering, "Wh-why would you...?" The rest of the world didn't matter. The crew fought off Akainu, fierce in their anger. Luffy crawled over to the two, completely confused and shocked at the recent events.

Danni chuckled weakly, blood spilling from her lips. "Stupid brat...," she muttered, looking up at him with fond eyes. "Why wouldn't I? B-besides..." She coughed again, entire body trembling as blood poured from her wound, soaking into Ace's skin and shorts. "I made a promise to protect you."

Ace looked at her with wide eyes, his grip tightening around her. "B-but...he was after Luffy!" he stammered in response. By now Luffy was next to him, looking at the woman who had just saved his life and his brother's. He was confused as to why she had, though. Ace was right. The magma guy had been after him not Ace. So why did she jump in the way?

"Stupid, he's your brother," Danni breathed out, wincing in pain as her wound throbbed viciously. "Like I'm going to let you go through the pain of losing a brother. Sides...he's adorable." She gave him a toothy grin, reaching up a trembling hand that was almost burned beyond recognition. In an all too familiar move she ran her fingers through his hair, brushing them away from his forehead. "I'm glad you're alive, Ace."

Her breath hitched, and then, with a smile still on her face, her body went limp and her life left her. Ace stared down at her with teary eyes, hands trembling as they clutched onto the now lifeless body. Luffy's presence beside him was the only thing grounding him in place.

"Hahaha, you're still trying to kill Oyaji?" the pale woman asked, an amused smile on her face and arms crossed.

Ace glowered at her and spat defensively, "Yeah, so?" If anything, her smile only widened, and in a movement he couldn't catch, her fingers brushed through his hair, pushing his bangs away from his forehead.

"Word of advice," she said, her hand back by her side before he could even comprehend the almost, dare he say it, affectionate move. "Don't attack him from the back. That is cowardly and the mark of a traitor."

Ace flinched slightly when Danni appeared next to him on the railing, pale skin almost glowing in the moonlight. He gave her a wary glance, but didn't say anything. If were to be honest, she made him uncomfortable because she made him feel all fuzzy, and he'd never experienced such a feeling before. He didn't know how to act around her, even if he was now a member of the crew.

"I like the ocean at night," the older woman said suddenly. Ace blinked at her, but stubbornly remained silent. "My mom used to take me to the beach and tell me stories about my dad until I fell asleep. Even after she died and I didn't have any more stories, I still went to the beach at night." As she continued to talk, Ace found himself relaxing and feeling almost sleepy.

Fingers ran through his hair and brushed it away from his forehead, and Ace didn't even think anything of it anymore. "You've got night watch tonight," Danni told him as she went by, her fingers leaving his hair as she did. He grunted in acknowledgment and she left the galley. He continued to shovel food in his mouth, unaware of the amused looks he was getting from both Marco and Thatch.

"Well, Danni's sure taken with you," Thatch said with a wide grin. Ace looked up at him, blinking in confusion as he shoved another forkful of mashed potatoes in his mouth. "She's only that affectionate with you if she really likes you." Ace still looked confused. What was he talking about?

Marco chuckled, "Danni's not a touchy feely person. Sure, she's very much the mom of the crew, but she plays favorites. If she hugs you, plays with your hair, etc., then you're one of her favorites."

Ace merely blinked at them, head cocked to the side.

Ace's bottom lip trembled as the memories flashed through his mind. Danni had been the one who had made him feel like he really belonged with the crew. Marco and Thatch had been a big part too, but Danni had been mothering, but not smothering about it. She knew when he didn't want to talk or wanted to be alone, but she never let those moments last long. If he fell asleep on the deck where people would trip over him, she'd move him somewhere out of the way and put a blanket over him. She made sure he always ate (not that that was really a problem). That he was comfortable.

She had really been the mom of the crew.

The teen threw his head back and screamed, tears streaming down his face and then he lit up like some beacon of sheer rage. Her last words were echoing in his head and he took her body with him as he ran for the ship, making sure Luffy was close beside him. He wasn't going to let her death be in vain.

"I'm glad you're alive, Ace."

FIN

Note(s): This is more of me being in denial of Ace's death, so it never happens. I can assure you that there most likely won't be any other really angsty ones, like this, so yeah. This was more for me than, anything else. I like making stories where Ace doesn't die.

FOXGEISHA: Okay, so this is a lovely start to the Alternate!Danni story, isn't it? Eheheheheh...whoops. Don't expect quick updates with this, as Calls Me Home is my main priority. However, I will say that I will take requests or ideas for this, though I make no promises on actually writing them.

I hope you enjoyed (?) this, and look forward to more! Reviews are welcomed and really appreciated. On a note for Calls Me Home, I have the Thriller Bark arc written, I just need to get the chapter after that written, before I post it! However, it should be up relatively soon (ish).