I do not own One piece all rights and characters belong to Oda-sama
Heavy breathing and beeping from the machines surrounding the boy was the only indication that he was alive. Though with all the tubing protruding from him it was surprised he was alive at all. His hot breath fogged the respirator that was connected to his face and muffled the strangled breaths as his eyes brows furrowed in concentration from whatever dream was transpiring behind closed lids.
Flames surround the body of his now free brother. The handcuffs gone and the Devil Fruit powers and the prisoner released. "You never change, Luffy." His voices wasn't anger, or even reprimanding and it made Luffy crack a large smile covering half his face. "Never listening to a single word I say. Always doing the dumbest of things!"
Eyes stared in disbelief at what he was seeing. His brother...Ace was..Gasping for breath and trying not to gag on the smell of burning flesh forced from his throat. "Stop it..."
But this man wouldn't listen to his plea's. Why would he? He was a pirate. He wasn't going to let Ace die. Not when they made it this far. "Stop it!"
Jerking violently awake with a yell from the memory his muscles instantly moved to protect Ace who was about to be hit again by the Red Dog admiral. But what he saw was not the thing he thought. It was a metal room and not the open court yard of Marineford. There was no Red Dog, there was no Iva and there was no Ace.
Ripping the machines keeping him alive from his body he flung himself off the bed causing some metal devices to fall from the tugging of the cord. They sparked and caught fire immediately with an explosion, the bed and clothes spreading the fire quickly. There was a door on the other side of the room and Luffy made his way over there as quick as his bandaged legs would allow him. He needed to find Ace, He needed to protect and save his brother! Throwing his arm back he let a strong punch go and the door flung from its hinges hitting something and falling to the floor.
Walking through the walkway Luffy took a look around and still found no trace of Ace. Where was he and why was he the only one in this doctor like place. Shouldn't Ace be healing as well? He was worse off with his wounds and condition.
"Stop it, Straw Hat!"
Glancing around the room he saw men in white one pieces with a pirate sign on the front and back. It looked familiar but thinking from where was not his purpose right now. His eyes were desperately trying to find the thing he had gone so far to get. He was still unsure of his surrounding or why he didn't hear most things and that everything seemed far away. But it mattered not, maybe Iva would give him another shot of that hormone stuff.
"Are you trying to wreck the ship?!" Another man spoke this time. But he was mostly obscured by the smoke that was now leaking into the next room. Breathing heavily Luffy noticed with a start that there where only the room he was in and this large room. Which meant Ace wasn't even on this ship.
"Ace.."
Pumping his feet down he propelled his body up and shot through the metal of the ship breaking the top clean through and scattering debris all over the waters surface. He was outside. With the force of gravity his body plummeted back to the ground. Even though he had no conscience thought of where he was and what was going on he did expect to fall into the ocean and not solid ground considering he was on a ship. But it mattered not, it only meant that Ace could still be around. The land looked large while he was in the sky, he had to be here.
"Luffy-kun!" Another voice. Luffy didn't want to hear these voices! They did not matter. They were not his. Struggling to his knees his arms shook with the effort and the breathing got more labored. It hurt.
Digging his fingertips into the ground they left trails as he clenched his hands into a fist. "Ace...Ace!...Where is Ace?!"
His voice echoed through the small cove and it left Luffy gasping for breath. Why wasn't Ace here either?!
Later on that day and deep into the forests of Woman Island
Blood dripped from his mouth and his nose but he couldn't care about it. He destroyed all these trees and there was still no trace of Ace. If he had to destroy it all he would.
The sound of a crashing tree blasted through his ear drums and he could feel his sanity come backing to him. Everything was a little clear then it had been and things weren't so far off. However the pain was also at the edges of his mind making him grit his teeth and look towards the sky.
"Where am I?" This island didn't look familiar and there were no islands near Marineford so why was this island here with him on it? "Was it a dream after all?" Maybe he imagined the whole thing and Ace wasn't in trouble. Maybe he was seriously injured by something will being on this island and put into a coma. Maybe from that Kuma guy? Strange.
Luffy tried thinking back to before what was he doing before he woke up if this was all a dream. The more he thought and wondered though the more a headache was forming. And like a knife through his temple ringing began in his ears and pain flashed white hot in his vision. He screwed his eyes shut as hard as he could and ground his teeth together trying to withhold the onslaught of pain.
Ace was dead...Eyes wide open Luffy couldn't see anything accept for the body of his loved one hitting the marbled earth with a sick wet sound. He gripped his head adding pressure to his temples in hope it would stop the memories. Yelling his throat out the ringing continued and the pain grew.
"I'm sorry...Luffy..."
Falling to the ground he kicked his legs and rolled he didn't care how he looked he wanted these thoughts out of his head. He didn't want to think they were real! They weren't real! Ace was alive he had to be! "I couldn't be saved..." Lifting a hand in the sky he turned his palm to his gaze afraid of what he would see. His hands. They they had blood smeared with the bandages but there. His hand was covered with Aces blood at that time.
This was Aces blood.
Dust, earth and plants went up shooting into the air along with another and another plume.
"Disappear! Disappear!" Smashing his head off the rocks and tree trunks he felt the blood run down his face and onto the bandages soaking them. But it didn't stop his memories.
He had to get Aces vivire card back. It was right in front of him why couldn't his feet move him forward. Was his time up? Was the hormones running out? He was so worried about trying to get Aces card back he didn't even notice the man jumping towards him till he was right there, fist covered with flaming magma. And Ace shouting his name. "Luffy!"
"Stop it!" It was just like back then, he stop them to stop them, but the pleas went unheard for the second time.
The fist went through but Luffy felt nothing, not the hot magma that should be coursing through his body nor the pain. Nothing. Looking up his breath caught in his throat. Ace...took the hit. He has a fist through his chest. Ace was a devil fruit user! His brother was fire itself!
"Disappear! Disappear!" His voice was growing hoarse but it didn't stop him from trying to command his mind to do his bidding. His arms strained with the boulder the size of a small mountain above his head as he threw it at a rock formation jutting from the ground. The impact broke both and a shower of earth fell like rain.
Falling to his knees once again he tried to keep his breath even but it was hard. It was like breathing pain. The pain made it hard to do anything but it took his mind off of certain thoughts. The sound of foot steps hitting the ground at a slow pace made Luffy pause in his heavy breathing hoping the person would just continue on their way and leave him alone. When the sound got closer and not further away he looked up in anger and growled at the intruder.
Law stared back at the broken and anger young man and couldn't help but see himself in him. He couldn't do anything about the mental state of his patient that was all up to the person but he could make sure that they didn't go killing themselves like an idiot. "The war has ended. Fire first-ya is..."
he did get a chance to finish his sentence and he huffed in annoyance. "Don't say it! Don't say another word! " It looked like with all the things destroyed around him his body just couldn't keep up with the sudden adrenaline and has probably shut itself down in order to protect it from becoming paralyzed. He cant move anymore.
"I've already" he gasped. "pinched my cheeks so hard it started to bleed."
"Now that was a stupid thing to do now wasn't it?" Law said with a bored tone as he leaned up against a torn tree with his sword.
A louder growl one of anger and hatred rung out in the clearing and law could have sworn if he wasn't looking at the boy make the growl himself he would've said it was a tiger in the vicinity. "How dare you! I'll beat your ass!"
"In that state you cant do anything but bark."
After that Luffy was quiet. With his breathing slightly under control he didn't need to gulp for air. Finally some silence law thought with relief. He hated annoying things and Straw Hat-ya was the image of annoyance. And yet-
A sob broke cut through the silence and caused law to whip his head towards the injured patient. "It wasn't a dream was it? Ace...died didn't he?!"
Nodding his head to confirm this Luffys sobs grew louder as well as the tears falling from his face. He almost looked like-Shaking his head law rid himself of his own memories and made his way over to the broken boy. Now that he was calmer he could check the new and old injures he created and get them treated before he died on spot.
Before he could start probing for broken bones a hand had latched itself onto his sweatshirt and pulled him to the broken ground with a whoosh of air that left his lungs empty. Luffy sat on top of him his legs of either side of the mans thighs and hands fisted into his yellow and black clothing. Tears still leaked form his eyes and dripped from his cheeks leaving wet spots on law. He grimaced at the bodily fluids on his person but continued to stare at the weeping pirate.
"Why?" It was choked out but it was loud to the lying surgeon and he narrowed his eyes in confusion to the question. Shaking Law with force he slammed his torso into the ground again with a louder "Why!?"
Luffy lowered his head to the chest of Law but still weakly shaking him cried more he was so tired but if he slept now he wouldn't be able to know the answer. He would see Aces dying face without an answer for him.
"Why didn't you save Ace too!?" Sobs racked his body and it was felt through him to Law who tried to keep a neutral face and not give way to the sadness that was creeping into his heart. "Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?"
Why didn't he save the other D brother? If he had gotten there sooner we was sure he couldn't saved him with his devil fruit powers. But he only appeared when straw hat was in trouble. It didn't involve him. The freeing of Portgas D. Ace or the rescue. The one who was to cause a storm was this damaged boy and that compelled him to save. There was no turning back and regretting his decision. He had no excuse so he opted for silence and a look of understanding.
Running his hands up the dirtied and blood stained back Law brought his hand to the neck of Luffy and pinched slightly making the body above him slump instantly. Sighing with relief he laid there some more petting raven hair and feeling regret creep up on him. He couldn't turn back and change time, but he could regret and he did. He didn't want Straw hat going through what he did with lamie. He wouldn't be able to stand the empty looks and robot movements. He didn't want any one going through what he went through and yet here he was so out of character and giving the only thing he could give now. A presence.
Looking to the sky it was burned orange and red and he couldn't help but be reminded of flames. "You're not alone Straw Hat-ya. They'll be with you till the end."
A breeze flew through the clearing ruffling Luffys hair back and forth and in his sleep whispered. "Ace.."