"Land Ho!" Luffy shouted joyously jumping onto the deck. the strawhat crew cheered as Nami gave instructions. "Ok Zoro, Sanji you two take Luffy with you while you gather supplies. Chopper you take Robin and go find your books. Franky you and Ussop go get your building supplies. Brook and I will stay here to guard the ship. We only have a few hours until the log sets so get in and get out."

Everyone nodded breaking off into their expected and headed for town.

"Oh my god. I can't believe what just happened!"

"I know! That guy just took them out in a flash!"

Curious Sanji and the other two sauntered over to the two women. "Excuse me my beautiful doves. Could you tell us who you were talking about?"

The girls blushed, "um we don't... We never got his name."

"Oh?" Sanji asked placing a kiss on each of the girl's hands. "Do you know what this hero looked like?"

The girls nodded their faces beet red. "He.. He had curly blonde hair, and he was tall. He wore a top hat."

"Oh don't forget his smile!" the other girl chimed in. "He had a beautiful smile, even with the gap in his teeth."

Luffy sucked in a breath of air earning strange looks from his crewmates. "Thank you my..." was all Sanji got out before he was ripped away from the girls by an insistent Luffy.

"Where did he go?!" Luffy yelled his voice trembling.

"T...The docks... Something about an idiot he needed to see." The girls squeaked looking at him wide eyed.

Luffy eyes widened, he mumbled a word of thanks as he took off Sanji and Zoro rushing after him surprised. 'Is it you? Are you really alive?' Luffy asked himself as his feet carried him down to the docks past his own Thousand Sunny. 'Where are you?' Luffy skid to a halt scanning the docks and finding no one but himself and his very confused nakama. He sighed and turned to face his nakama sadness fleeting across his features. "Sorry guys, Lets go get the meat!" Sanji and Zoro stared at their captain wide eyed but nodded and followed him back towards town.

Supper was unusually quiet that night. "Captain-san?" Robin inquired quizzically "Is something the matter?"

Luffy looked across the table at Robin, smiling forcefully. "Nothings wrong Robin. Sanji Meeeaaatt!" Everyone laughed as Sanji started bickering with (Or rather at) Luffy, bringing the crew to somewhat normality for the rest of the meal.

A crash made everyone jump up and rush outside. Ussop and nami looked over the railing to note a boat floating next to the Sunny void of life.

"It's empty?" Ussop asked confusion written all the way to the tip of his nose (I HAD TO...)

"That means they're on the ship." Zoro growled.

"We search then."

"No need." A male voice spoke causing causing the crew to spin around.

"Who are you and why are you on... on...my...ship." Luffy spoke disbelief evident on his features. His crew looked on speechless as their captain brought his hands to his sides, his body trembling.

The blonde haired youth smiled tipping his top hat back to reveal his full face, causing luffy to take in a harsh breath. "Hey Lu! Man you've gotten big!"

"Sa... Sabo." Luffy whispered tears at the corners of his eyes. "You... You can't be... You're dead!"

Sabo frowned and placed his staff against the railing. Luffy's crew tensed as Sabo slapped him upside the head. "You dumbass! Why in the Hell did you think i was dead!?"

Rage coursed through Luffy's body causing him to growl and slam Sabo into the rail the strawhat crew trying helplessly to calm him down verbally before he could throw the man over the edge. "You jackass! Your boat got shot by the Tenryūbito! Dogra saw it with his own eyes! We got your letter! Then you never came back!" He screamed letting go of Sabo and backing up.

Sabo's eyes softened as he placed a hand on Luffy's cheek. "Luffy you're standing here talking to me, touching me. Do I feel dead?"

Realization struck luffy hard, tears springing from his eyes. "Sabo!" He wailed flinging himself into the embrace of the taller man.

Sabo chuckled pulling luffy closer. "Still the same old crybaby. ain't-cha?"

Luffy smirked up at him, "I bet I could beat you now though!" The two laughed never breaking the hug.

"Uh Luffy?" Nami questioned, "who is this?"

Luffy sighed, "it's a long story."

"Well," Sanji huffed heading to the kitchen, "let's hear it over a drink."

...

"Damn, saved by luffy's dad."

"Wow..."

"No wonder luffy acts the way he does and takes his being a pirate and nakama to such an extent."

"You were a noble?!"

Luffy and Sabo sat solemnly as the crew processed their tale.

"So if you've been alive this whole time, why didn't you help him save Ace? Why let him go alone? Why let them think you were dead?" Zoro's deep voice questioned through the muttering causing silence to once again fall on the crew and their guest.

Sadness etched itself on Sabo's features. "By the time I found about the execution I was too far away to help." Tears glistening in his eyes. "Should have paid more attention to the world around me."

Luffy frowned and stood up surprising his crew and brother. He grabbed a bottle of Sake and three sake cups. Each with a letter signifying each one of the brothers. He poured the sake and slid the cup with an S in front of Sabo, the one with the A in the middle, and the one with the L in front of himself.

"No matter what happens, who we met or how we lived, all of us will die happy. Ace told me as he died 'Thank you for loving me.' That wasn't just towards me but you and the Whitebeards to. We will always protect and be protected, it's our nature as the three brothers who never backed down. Brought together by sadness and loneliness and kept together by hapiness, trust and love." Luffy looked up from his cup to see the tears rolling down Sabo and some of his Nakama's cheeks. Luffy smiled brightly pure happiness showing in his eyes. "Now who's the crybaby?"

A chorus of laughter followed.

...

"Do you have to go Sabo?" Luffy whined the sun shining brightly overhead.

"Yea Lu, I have to go. I have important revolutionary business to finish." Sabo smiled hugging him tightly.

Luffy nodded as they broke apart. Sabo waved jumping into his boat and took off. Both brothers smiled a tear escaping their eyes as a whisper coasted across the sea.

"Thanks guys. A.S.L Always.