Author's note: This is the last chapter of this story, it was quite a short one I suppose, but I tend to prefer one shots over long stories, I will be posting more Ace x Rosa one shots probably later. I hope you like it and special shoutout to Ezaria for reviewing my first two stories! Hope you all enjoyed this. ^-^

I used the powers of my kaze kaze no mi devil fruit to fly across the skies, it wasn't much further now, I could almost see the shadow of an island in a nearby distance. What do I do if he's there? What do I do if he's not? I was feeling anxious and eager at the same time, I could recall having this feeling once before too, when Ace had come to visit my home island for the first time after our meeting, after our first kiss and our goodbyes had been said, it was our 2nd meeting and I was worried if he still felt the same about me, it was also the visit in which I had finally joined the whitebeard pirates.

By the time I landed on the island, it was already morning, I'd left the ship a few hours after midnight and spent the whole night and good portion of the morning soaring the skies till I reached, but I wasted no time in looking for a place to rest, though I was exhausted and my body was fighting my orders to move. I found it harder and harder to continue but I had gotten too far to stop now.

I took a stroll around town, asking anyone if they'd seen a tall muscular man with a tattoo on his back and an orange cowboy hat hanging on his head, most of them said they hadn't but finally an old man sitting on a wooden stool by the bar told me he'd seen him head off to port. I thanked the man and rushed over there.

In the distance I could see Ace's figure, I'd recognize him anywhere, after all I'd spent hours and days watching him, memorizing his every detail, in case I never saw him again, even to the point of knowing the number of freckles on his face, yes I'd counted them, even made him stay still so I could and we ended up laughing about it.

"Ace!" I called his name as I approached him then came to a stop to catch my breath when I reached him. He turned around startled, and his brown eyes grew wide as he saw me.

"R-rosa… what are you doing here?" he asked still shocked and confused by all this.

"Finally, I found you" I said with a relieved grin and a sigh, not really answering his question. I took a deep breath as I thought of what to say next, wow it's been a long couple of days… I actually wished I didn't have to say anything, all I wanted to do was embrace him, put my arms around the nape of his neck and pull him close to me so I could feel his comforting warmth against me.

"Ace... I…" I began as I realized that I had to say something, it was what I came here for anyway but soon after paused and went silent again, looking away cause looking at him made me nervous and made it even harder to talk.

"Did something happen?" he asked worried and concerned. "Is the crew alright?"

"What?" I asked confused by his question, oh, he thought I was here cause something bad has happened… great, I just ended up worrying him. "No, yeah, they're fine, everyone's fine" I replied immediately shaking my head to assure him.

He tilted his head and raised an eyebrow and I knew I had better start explaining myself.

"I'm sorry…" I whispered and my lips quivered, and my eyes were about to get teary, but I fought the tears, forcing myself to stay strong, I promised myself I wouldn't cry, I've done enough of that in the past day.

I felt his warm muscular biceps wrap around me as he pulled my smaller figure towards him and placed his forehead against mine. "What for?" he asked and moved one of his hands to touch my face removing a strand of my hair away from it. Why did he have to touch me and hold me like that? Like I didn't already feel weak enough around him… not that I didn't love it, cause I did but did he enjoy making this harder for me? Cause it definitely wasn't making it easier, it just made it harder cause I knew I couldn't keep him by side.

"I just couldn't let you leave with the way we ended things" I admitted honestly. Okay so maybe it did make it easier… no it just put me in a position where I had no option left but to tell the truth. The look on his face was enough to let me know that he wasn't very pleased with the way we'd left matters either.

"You shouldn't have come" he said with a sigh and I felt the heat rise up to my face, not in shyness or anything of the like anymore, but in anger, I was mad and furious, I'd come all the way here after him only to hear him say that, I gave him a light push and tried to back away from him but his grip around me tightened and he kept me close till I looked up at him with a frown and was about to open my mouth to protest when he added. "But am glad you did" he had his usual arrogant teasing smirk on his face and damn, how I've missed that silly look of his. I blushed and giggled then buried my face in his chest.

"I don't want to argue anymore" I slowly said then looked up at him. "Ace…?" he nodded.

"Yeah, me too… but I…" he was about to say more but I interrupted him.

"I know… you have to do this, it's your duty as commander."

"I'll get this job done, then I'll be back"

"You'd better!" I teased with a giggle and a playful smack on his chest and he laughed a little then we went quiet again. "I know you will and I will be waiting for your return" I said, calmer and quieter now, as I hid my face again in case the tears decided to rebel and fall.

"You'd better" he teased back getting even and we both chuckled.

"Ace, I love you" I said looking up at him, my blue eyes met his brown ones, and I just realized that this was the one thing I've been wanting to tell him all along, if I never see him again, if something was to happen to either of us, then I wanted those to be the last words I said to him, the last words he remembered me by. His lips curved in a warm and gentle smile and for a moment I wondered if he would say it back, not that he hadn't said it before, but considering our argument earlier about our relationship as lovers and nakama I was starting to doubt he would… he can't do this right now… those were the words he said afterall, his duties come first.

"Yeah?" he asked and I just nodded, I wasn't going back on my words, even if he didn't say it back, I wanted him to know that I did love him, no matter what.

"Good, cause I love you too" he said and flashed me a grin and I felt all my pain and worries for the last few hours drown away with just those three little words, I held on to him tighter, and nuzzled my head against his shoulder, I knew he could clearly see the silly wide grin plastered across my face though.

I pulled away knowing it was time for goodbye… we'd said what we had, but that didn't change what had to be done, and I couldn't be selfish about it anymore, if Ace had to do this then I will try to support him, regardless of how much it pained me or broke my heart to be away from him.

"Rosa…" he said softly, his voice sounding compassionate and concerned and I realized a tear had streamed down my blushing cheek, damn it; I just had to ruin the moment by crying, didn't I?

I shook my head and wiped the tear away with my arm to let him know that it was alright.

"I'll be back" he repeated to somehow assure me and comfort me and I nodded cause there wasn't really anything else I could say, and cause if I tried to I'd probably break down again.

He stepped closer towards me again and I blinked at him, I didn't really think there was anything left to say, but what he had in mind wasn't words but something different instead, he leaned in, bringing his face closer towards me, if I was feeling warm and fuzzy earlier, then I was melting right now, he was too close and I could feel a vibe of electricity run through my entire body, making me tense and relax and feel weird in all the good ways. I closed my eyes, and felt his lips brush mine; he gave me a quick kiss then stepped back again.

He smiled; my favorite smile in the world. And I smiled too; and it felt like there was a connection between us that let us know there was no need for words anymore, we both understood how we felt and what had to be done… he turned to walk away and I flew in the other direction not realizing this would be the last time I get to hold him like this.