Hi this is Snowflake back for another chapter. I would like to apologize for not updating as frequently as I said I would but I made the mistake of not realizing that finals for me were just around the corner for me so I have been busy. I also don't know when I will get back on schedule so I don't know if I will be able to update this story but I will try. So here's the third chapter of this story. Sorry for any grammar mistakes and I apologize for any inconveniences.

This will be the normal letter for the story.

But if a character is thinking about something it will be in this writing.

Previously

"Maybe I can trust them and become part of their large family," thought Ace.

Chapter 3

Present Time

"Hard to believe that only happened a little over a month ago," stated Thatch. Marco had told him about this conversation and he still found Ace's reaction to be a bit confusing.

"I know what you mean it seems like he has been with us much longer because of how well he gets along with the others," says Marco with a bit of fondness since Ace was able to adapt to his surroundings quite quickly.

"I agree with you there but it was shocking to find out that he isn't moody and angry like we thought but that he is actually playful and when he wants to be polite," said Thatch still a little surprised by the 180 that Ace's personality took.

"There is something that bothered me about that conversation that we had though and it was that Ace looked so tired and immensely sad," said Marco concerned about what Ace had to go through to be able to have such a sad and tired look in his eyes. That look just didn't suit Ace in Marco's opinion especially because it made Ace look far older than he actually was and Marco thought that that look on Ace was wrong he should be carefree and happy.

"Aye, I noticed the same thing but maybe its got to do with something in his past considering that he hasn't told us much about his childhood," said Thatch thinking that that might be the case but he did find it weird that Ace held so much sadness and exhaustion within himself.

"Well whatever, he can choose to tell us when he wants to since we don't tend to pry into people's lives," said Marco getting off of the topic about his conversation with Ace.

"That's true, he would probably get nervous or scared if we asked him directly anyways," said Thatch and then suddenly sneezing just then noticing how cold it actually was.

"Go change Thatch, don't want to catch a cold and end up in the infirmary like last time," Marco told Thatch since last time things didn't end well.

Thatch paled remembering how the witch had treated him last time he was in the infirmary. "Okay I'm leaving, I'm leaving," said Thatch obediently following what Marco had told him to do.

"I don't get why he is so scared of Whiskey even going as far as to call her a witch. Perhaps it is because last time he got sick Whiskey handcuffed him to the bed so he wouldn't do something stupid. Maybe also because she almost killed him with haki when she found out that he had broken out of the handcuffs and was in the kitchen cooking when he wasn't suppose to since he was sick. Then there's the fact that she dragged him into a room with just him and her. He seemed so pale when he came out wonder what happened," thought Marco and realizing that Thatch had plenty of reasons to be frightened of Whiskey.

Time Skip (3 days)

It was the afternoon and most people were outside to feel the nice breeze or inside their rooms doing their own personal things. But as for Ace he was calmly just sitting on the ship's railing seeming to enjoy himself in the atmosphere. Marco and Thatch decide to go and talk to him since he seem to enjoy their company.

"Heya Ace, what'cha thinking about?" askec Thatch starting up the conversation.

"Nothing much just wondering why you're cooking up a feast to feed an entire island full of people," said Ace thinking about the reasons why Thatch would cook so much food but as he looked around he coild see that decorations were being put up.

"Oh, no one has told you?" asked a surprised Thatch thinking that everybody already knew what was going to happen.

"Told me what?" questioned a curious Ace trying to remember if someone had told him about this event but coning up with nothing.

"It's going to be New Years in a week that's what so we're going to have a party like we do every year," said Thatch shocked that Ace hadn't known how close they were to New Years.

Ace's mood quickly darkened but he quickly put on a mask of indifference so Thatch and Marco wouldn't notice. Ace looked at Thatch's and Marco's faces and saw that their expressions hadn't changed so he assumed that they hadn't noticed. But he was very wrong theh had both noticed Ace's mood change but decided against commenting about it so instead they gave each other a look that said that they would talk later. They continued to talk about the party and other things until Ace left to his room saying that he was tired.

That's when they decided that they needed to have a private conversation so they went to Marco's room to talk. Marco sat on his bed and Thatch sat on a chair that Marco had in his room since that chair was for when he had to sit at his desk and do paperwork. There was silence for a few minutes until Thatch took it upon himself to start since he was the social butterfly between the both of them.

"That's not normal Marco. Did you sense how Ace's mood went from calm and content to sad and depressed once I mentioned New Years," exclaimed Thatch concerned for their little brother since he hasn't been like this since he arrived on the ship.

"Calm down Thatch. Yes I did notice but he probably has a reason for being so sad and depressed about New Years," said Marco trying to calm down Thatch to stop him from yelling. But he would be lying if he said that he wasn't concerned about Ace's reaction to the holiday.

"But... But... that kind of sadness and depression isn't normal or healthy Marco," said Thatch more calmly but still very worried.

"And I thought I was the mother hen," thought Marco amused by Thatch's reaction but held a serious face since this conversation was important.

"I know but why don't we try talking to him but don't force him you know we aren't like that so just wait patiently until he talks and if he doesn't then don't make him talk or pressure him to say anything," said Marco not wanting to frighten Ace.

Six days have gone by and Thatch and Marco weren't able to talk to Ace because he was talking to somebody else or was busy. But they didn't give up because they both knew that they had to talk to Ace or at least be there for him and they got their chance at night since both of them were still awake. They both saw that somebody was in the crows nest so they decided to see who it was but were surprised to see that it was Ace. Ace hadn't seem to notice them yet but they soon approached him.

End of Chapter 3

End Note

Thank you for the wonderful reviews that you have given my story and thank you as well for favoriting and following this story. I am sorry again that I won't be able to update as often as I woukd like to but I will try my best. I might also start another story called Music Gives Friends and of course it will be One piece related but we will see. Thank you again for all the support and I will see you in Chapter 4.

Snowflake out! XD