Hi guys! I'm so sorry for the late update. I just got back from my holiday to Singapore for three days and local beach resort with my whole family. It's so fun and I totally forgot to post this chapter earlier. This is the final, thank you for sticking with this story even though I know this story skipped a lot of details, thoughts, etc. and really fast to come to an ending. I'm a newbie, please understand. I'll learn about writing more from my sister and when I've become good enough to write another fanfiction, I will. So, thank you. This is the final, and I hope you enjoy it.
Warning: Grammar Error.
"Damn it."
Ace's voice is barely above a whisper. He gripped his hair tightly and hold back his tears. He waited long enough in the private hospital's hallway for the news of Rose's surgery. It's been about forty-five minutes, but it feels like an eternity to Ace. He's worried. Worried as hell. How is she doing? Will she make it? She's not gonna—no. No. Ace shakes his head to prevent himself for thinking that word.
Dead.
No.
"No, no, no, no." he almost shouted. Marco, who's sitting beside him, just can only patted Ace's shoulder.
"She's strong. She's going to make it. She has to. For us—for you. She loved you, Ace. You need to believe in her." said Marco, concerned for the both of them. He knew it's hard for Ace, but it's hard for him too. Rose's just like a little sister for him. And he would do anything to protect her.
"I know, Marco. Trust me, I know." Ace threw his hands on air in a stressful manner. "But this is real world, Marco. Not some dreams. I believe that she's going to make it, but what about reality? She could—" Ace stopped. He just couldn't say that word. Just imagining Rose, being on the same sentence with.. Death. Ace's heart cringed. It hurts just imagining it. How could he live without Rose? The Rose who's been cleaning his desk, making him smile, always on his side anywhere he goes, the one who's probably knew Ace the most. How could he imagine that?
"We still gotta trust her." said Marco interrupting his thoughts. Ace looked at him and gave him a small smile.
"Yeah."
Three hours has passed, or that's what Ace thought. When the lamp in front of the surgical room turned green, Ace rushed to the door. Law came out from the room.
Ace bombarded him with questions. A lot of questions. Law looked at Ace only once to shut him up. His face is relieved, but troubled. Ace felt silence. Thoughts about things happened to Rose ran trough his mind. Marco—noticing the silence, decided to speak up and broke the uncomfortable silence.
"What happened, Law?" asked Marco, putting his hand to Law's shoulder. "Is she okay?"
"Yeah, she's going to be fine." Ace lets out a breath that he doesn't know he's holding. "But—"
"Wait—" Ace cuts Law off. "There's a but?"
"Yeah, there's a but." replied Law.
"What's the but?" asked Marco.
"I don't know if she'll ever wakes up."
Three months, it has been three months since Rose fall into her comatose condition. Ace came every single day after work for three hours and then he came home to have dinner with the Whitebeard Famiglia. He's become a different person since that day, he's become quieter and almost.. Empty. Sometimes, he can smile truly, but only sometimes. Luffy and Marco, also Thatch is the only one who probably can make Ace smile without even trying.
Law and Kidd usually stayed in Rose's room, too. They're just as worried as Ace. And then they asked for the permission to sleep in Rose's room until she wakes up, and accepted by Ace and Whitebeard. They barely came out from the room except for eating and when Ace visits her.
Today, too. Like usual, Ace is visiting Rose in the hospital. Everyday, he just came, and stared at Rose's face. Hoping that she'll wake up, and he will tell stories about things that he did today. He sometimes rants about random stuffs. Sometimes, he cries.
"How are you doing, Rose?" he asked the sleeping beauty in front of him. "I missed you."
He began telling Rose about his activities today.
Usually, he never get an interruption. But today, he did.
A very loud beeping sounds echoed in the room, and the monitor showed a flat thin line.
It takes less than a second for Ace to scream for Law with all his might.
"I haven't even— I— How could his happened?!" Ace shouted again in the hallway, again waiting for Law to resurrect Rose's heart back to functioning.
"Breathe, Ace. Breathe." Marco tried to relax him. "Law's trying his best, okay? It's been ten minutes and nothing happened!"
"I know he will, Marco. It's just— I haven't told her yet that I loved her! I never had a chance to! What if she really died this time, Marco?!" Ace gripped his hair that it nearly ripped out of his head.
"You need to—" a loud voice interrupts whatever Marco's about to say next.
"ACE!" Law rushed out from the room. He's practically beamed and his grin is from ear to ear. "SHE'S UP!"
Ace wasted no time to ran into Rose's room, shoving anyone, and hugged her immediately.
"Hey, easy there." Rose chuckled at Ace and hugs him back.
"I missed you." Ace's sound is muffled. He snuggled his face into the crook of Rose's neck and began to spout nonsense. Rose laughed at the man and began to caress his hair like a child.
"I'm home, Ace."
"Welcome home, Rose."
Another five months passed. Ace and Rose became lovers the next day she wakes up. He said that if he don't say it now, he will regret it for the second time. You guessed, of course Rose loved him back. She loved him from the very first sight. Three weeks ago, Ace proposed to Rose.
It happened so funny, actually. It happened at dinner. The dessert time, to be exact. Rose loves purple, and that night's dessert is macaroons that Thatch finally managed to create. The only purple macaroons is seen and Rose quickly snatched the food before anyone could do. When she bite the macaroon, she felt something hard inside her mouth.
She took out the thing from her mouth and stared at the thing with jaws dropped, while the others also stared with wide eyes. Ace, saw the reaction, wiped his mouth with his napkin and took the ring from Rose's hand. He turned the chair, and bent down before her. And then he asked her the question.
For her, it's the most romantic thing ever than a candle-lite dinner proposal.
She smiled at the memory. Now she's seeing her reflection at a big mirror in front of her.
Rose's getting married to Ace today.
She smiled again and checked out her dress, she should be ready in a matter of minutes. Instead of being nervous, she's really excited. She's wearing a sleeveless white satin gown with vintage floral patterns. She let her hair loose and wears only a little make up. Based on Ace's request though.
"Honey, let's go." said Shanks knocking on the Bride's Room door.
"Okay Dad." She got up and walked towards the door. Shanks smiled at the sight of his beautiful daughter and bent his elbow. Rose smiled and puts her own hand and grabbed the flowers. They walked into the front of the door in front of the wedding hall and paused for a moment, to wait for the door being opened.
"You sure you want to do this?" asked Shanks. Rose look at him funny.
"Why won't I?"
"Well, you both only dated for four months although you've known him for a year or less."
"I knew him, Dad. I love him. Even though we dated only for four months, we've been technically together for a year." she gave him ascertainment smile.
"You sure?"
Rose doesn't have a chance to answer that. The door's opened and she saw Ace, standing at the altar. Looking sinfully handsome and sexy in suit and smiled at her like he just saw an angel sent from above.
"Hell yeah." she whispered to her father. Shanks smiled proudly at his daughter.
Luffy and Marco stood beside Ace, looking proud. Whitebeard, Thatch, Law, Kidd, and the others can be spotted at the front rows. Nami and Robin, Rose's bridesmaids, already waited at the side of the altar. Ace looked intensely at Rose, he's finally marrying the woman he's been in love for the past year, the woman that organized his life, the woman that gave a light to his life. There was just something about her that just as same as Luffy.
Rose reached the altar. This was it. Vows was spoken, rings were exchanged, and nobody requested for objections. Finally, the words came— "You may kiss the bride.", Ace smiled at Rose and kissed her passionately. The audience clapped and cheered. They separated and smiled at the crowd. She could saw Shanks and Ben wiped out their tears.
Ace looked at her and she looked back at him.
"Forever?" asked Ace.
"Forever."
Because for them, forever is just a beginning.
- The End -
It's actually over! Thanks a lot for reading and see you! Reviews and Critics are very much appreciated.