As always, thank you to ImperialMint for betaing. And also for asking for the donkey because Erold kicks ass xD Only one more after this and it's mostly done already, so... not long now OoO

Thank you all for sticking with me!

The bottom dropped out of the world, and Marco forced himself to take a deep breath. It'd been more than a decade since anyone (besides Ace of course, but he was insane and didn't count anymore anyway) had dared to attack the Moby Dick, much less take it. He scrambled to remember if that had ever happened.

"Pops? Is he...?" Marco couldn't force the words out of his mouth, and Ace smiled at him, a small, forced gesture that nonetheless steadied him. He couldn't freak out now. Ace, Whitebeard, everyone needed him.

"He's fine or so he said. The bastard put him on the line for a moment for proof of life. Akainu is on his way with half the police department to put them all away."

"He wants us to make some harebrained attempt to rescues, so Akainu can take us all away." Sabo made a face.

"How long before Akainu gets there? We can gather the allies up maybe if there's enough time, make stand..." Marco trailed off as Nami and Robin started edging off toward the Moby a couple of block away, Erold getting up to accompany them. "What-?"

Luffy's eyes widened. "Is that a donkey? That's so cool! Where'd you find a donkey? Can we keep him?" He reached out to pat him on the head, snatching back his hand just before he was bitten and glaring. "Can we eat him?" He lightly tapped Erold on the nose in rebuke then scritched behind his ears.

"No, you can't eat him. He's our friend. He helped us clear our districts," Nami said, scritching down Erold's spine. "His name is Erold."

"There's no time for gathering anyone but who's here. Akainu should be there in 20 minutes," Ace said. "And Pops and everyone inside the Moby Dick of course. Is that enough time?" he asked, turning to Robin. Marco opened his mouth to ask what he meant by that, but he stopped.

Robin smiled, the kind of smile that made a shiver run down your spine, and traded a glance with Nami. 'Twenty minutes should be plenty," she said. "Is there some sort of dungeon where they will be held for torturing?"

"Don't say it like that!" Usopp yelled at her, and Marco stared at them all blankly. He looked at Shanks just to check if it was just him, but Shanks looked equally nonplussed. Sabo laughed at them.

"We specialize in harebrained schemes," he said comfortingly, and Marco thought there must be something wrong with him to actually find that comforting. "Nami and Robin will go first- and Koala if she wants to-" Sabo looked to her, and she nodded enthusiastically.

"Robin and Nami are so much fun! It will be a snap too with Erold along."

"- and free Whitebeard and everyone else. That way we'll be attacking on two fronts, and won't be as out numbered."

"Plus, we already beat up a bunch of their strong guys," Luffy said and laughed. "The backstabber was put out by three of his best men going down like that." He snapped his fingers, and Marco's eyes widened and he checked them all for injuries more carefully.

"So your plan is to sneak past all of Teach's men somehow and free the surely heavily guarded prisoners and then make a frontal attack on the joint?" Shanks asked.

"I don't see why we can't just attack," Luffy whined. "It would be more fun."

"Because they deserve a piece of the action too," Sabo said absently, like he'd already said this more than once. "It's their home."

"I guess..."

Marco's mind frantically scrambled for more possibilities, but he wasn't coming up with anything they could do in now fifteen minutes. He kept stumbling over the thought of Whitebeard locked up in the holding cells below their home. They weren't quite a medieval torture dungeon, but they were drafty. Izo was still injured.

"Okay," he decided. "Now, there's a secret passageway that-" He blinked looking around the assembled group, but the three women and the donkey were nowhere to be seen. "Where did they go?"

"To go get Ace's old man." Luffy said, tilting his head. "Weren't you listening?"

"But-"

"They'll be fine, Marco." Ace smiled at him, a real one this time, and Marco took a deep breath. "Now let's go wait for the signal."

"What's that?" Marco asked warily.

"I have no idea," Ace said at once, confirming Marco's suspicions.

"I'm sure we'll know it when we see it." Sabo looked remarkably unconcerned about the whole thing, and Marco was sorely tempted to shake all three of them. Luffy's crew looked remarkably at ease with the lack of any sort of plan, but Marco guessed they were used to such things by now. Shanks had given up and was just snickering, Benn looking just as amused by his side.

"Or we could just burst in," Luffy said, his eyes sparkling in a way that made Marco certain he had no intention of waiting for any sort of signal.

"It will be nice to have a real fight," Zoro said, his eyes as eager and dangerous as Luffy's.

"You idiot! You have no sensitivity! Our precious dames, and the gorgeous Koala are risking their necks for us at this very moment!" Sanji kicked out at Zoro, who neatly dodged and snorted.

"Those three will be more than fine. You're better off worrying there will be anyone for you to fight by the time we get there with them."

This set them off into a full fledged squabble, swords and legs everywhere, and Marco stepped forward.

"Nah, it's cool. They're just bored," Luffy said, watching intently, like he was going to pounce and join in at any second. Marco had no doubt that was the case at this point.

Chopper made him sit before he could, though, looking at his wounds. "You're next!" he said sternly to Ace and Sabo as they started edging away. "Don't think I can't tell you dislocated your shoulder again, Ace."

"It was only a little bit! Sabo's limping!"

"Oi, Ace, tattletale!"

Marco stepped closer to Ace, tracing the bruise on his jaw lightly with his fingers. Ace softened and leaned into the touch. He bit back questions about how he was, where he was all hurt. He was here and as fine as could be expected and certainly wouldn't appreciate any babying.

"I see you had more fun than we did," he said instead, and Ace's smile grew.

"I'm fine, Marco. No need to worry. The shoulder was the worst of it, and it's already back in place."

Marco smiled broadly. "That obvious?"

"You made a good attempt," Ace said, and his eyes were dancing. Marco stepped closer until they were a mere inch apart, wrapping himself in the warmth of their proximity. He relished the feel of Ace's breath along his skin, proving he was well.

Chopper had finished checking over Luffy's collection of cuts, tutting as he cleaned them out and stitched a couple up with lightning speed. He looked at Sabo imploringly, and Sabo sighed.

"I just got hit in the face and did something to my leg, I'm fine." He wilted under Chopper's glare, submitting meekly to being checked over. A bullet had grazed his leg, and he allowed Chopper to clean and bandage it as he was lectured with what Marco thought was remarkable forbearance. It was hard to say no to Chopper though, and Ace didn't even bother trying when it was his turn.

He helded Marco's hand while Chopper looked over his shoulder, squeezing when Chopper prodded somewhere sensitive. Marco brushed his thumb over the back of Ace's hand smiling fondly.

"You did a good job putting it back in place," Chopper said. "Make sure not to extend it too much and rest it plenty when all this is over."

"Sure thing," Ace said easily.

Something that felt an awful lot like an earthquake shook the ground, and they all traded a glance. Zoro, Sanji, and Luffy froze in the middle of their play fight. Sanji's was foot smashed against Luffy's face, while Luffy had Zoro in a chokehold while he was trying to stab Sanji, and Marco snickered. Ace pressed into his side, a grin on his face.

"A signal!" Luffy said,

"As good as one as any, I suppose," Sabo said.

"That was Pops," Ace said, and Marco couldn't prevent the proud smile when everyone turned to him in shock. "We better get going or there won't be anyone left to fight!" They scrambled to their feet, Usopp wondering if that was really a problem until Zoro just gave up and dragged him.

When they got to the Moby Dick, people were fleeing the open bookstore as it trembled, and Ace grinned. They went in the front door (it hardly mattered with the Flatties* on the way already, and Marco led them down the stairs to the joint. With prisoners breaking out, it was likely everyone was below now anyway. They were all concentrating on the prisoners, and they all together cut quite a swath through the people in the joint.

He caught glimpses of Luffy's crew annihilating Blackbeard's men, but he only took out the people right in his way. If Teach were anywhere, he'd be down below, lording his supposed victory over Whitebeard. If there was any of him left now that Whitebeard was free, Ace meant to see to it that he was the one who got to clean it up.

Ace lost sight of Marco almost at once, but he didn't fret. He couldn't use any bombs because Marco would kill him from messing up his joint and he didn't know where everyone was. It was dark and gun smoke from below made it difficult to see. He worked his way to the stairs that would take him further down, sliding through the crowd of people fighting.

Before he could get there though, the door slammed open, and Bulls* came pouring in. Akainu stood at the top of the stairs, smirking, and Ace turned around. He'd have to leave it up to Whitebeard to take care of Teach after all.

"Get every last filthy rat you can," Akainu yelled. "No matter who they pledge their allegiance to, we will bring them all to justice!" They charged into the joint, and Ace gritted his teeth. "Make sure that old loser Whitebeard doesn't escape! It's time he learned he's a has-been."

Ace growled and charged towards the stairs, weaving in and out of Flatties* and goons alike. He kicked aside a couple who were determined to get in his way. He got to the bottom of the stairs, and Akainu raised his brows, a nasty smile on his face.

"Oh, look. Come to defend your pathetic old man? Bring it on kid. You'll die here for the blood that runs through your veins. Roger's kid shouldn't be allowed to roam the streets. It makes me sick." The room froze an unnatural silence in the middle of a battle.

"Roger's son?"

"Ace is-?"

"I don't believe it."

Ace didn't bother to turn around. "My only father is Whitebeard, and I will not let you insult him like that!"

"Like you can stop me, brat! When I'm through with you, I'll take care of the pest Monkey D. Luffy too, extinguishing Dragon's bloodline as well. Justice will be served today."

"Oi, Ace, look they hate me just like you! Isn't that cool?" Luffy said from the crowd behind him, and Ace bit back a smile, warmth rushing through him that Luffy would want to be like him even in something so miserable. They would take Luffy over his dead body.

Akainu pointed a rifle at him, and Ace scoffed, dodging to the right and backing up. He needed Akainu off those stairs. Akainu started down the stairs, firing shots off at him as he went, reloading constantly. Ace kept moving as unpredictably as possible, dancing around the floor of the speakeasy around the other fights in an odd parody of his dance with Izo.

He couldn't keep this up forever though. Ace bit his lip, trying to figure out how to get Akainu down here with him. He ducked behind an officer, grimacing when Akainu shot his own man. It left his gun free, and Ace scooped it up. He fired off a few quick shots, but the pistol's aim was poor for this distance. None of them landed, and Akainu laughed.

"Is that the best you got? I thought you were going to stop me?" Ace growled, tossing aside the now empty, useless weapon.

A bullet clipped his side, and he stumbled, recovering just in time to throw himself to the side. His shoulder and ribs screamed in protest at the the violent motion. He shoved the pain down, rolling to his feet.

"Having fun dancing?" Akainu's smile widened. "Or is it running away? It wouldn't surprise me. You follow a loser, a relic of an age that will die by my hand. Of course you'd be a coward, who would run away at the first sign of trouble."

Pain seared through him as a bullet grazed his leg, and he knew this time, there wouldn't be time to roll away. Luffy burst through the crowd to get to Ace, and Ace's eyes widened. Horror exploded in his chest. Akainu's smug face seared into his brain, and the world slowed. He turned his weapon to Luffy.

Somehow moving came easily to him now, and he crossed the distance between him and Luffy in no time at all. Luffy's eyes widened in horror as he threw himself between Luffy and the bullets that would be coming at any second.

But they didn't come.

Ace turned around at the sudden loud bray to see Erold standing proudly where Akainu had been and Akainu tumbling down the stairs. Luffy burst into laughter, pointing.

"Ace he kicked him, did you see?" Ace snorted in disbelief. "I gotta go help Erold. He's a sitting duck up there. Don't do anything stupid, okay?" Luffy's eyes were serious and sad, and Ace found himself nodding.

"I made a promise, little brother, and I'm going to stick to it." Luffy's eyes lit up, and he smiled so hugely Ace couldn't help but grin back at the obvious faith radiating from him.

"You're going to kick his ass, I know it."

"Be careful," he said, but Luffy was already too far away to hear, hopping over Akainu at the bottom of the stairs to go to Erold. Ace noticed in amusement that Erold was placidly chewing on Akainu's hat. Luffy hugged him and whispered something to him, got on his back and rode him right down the stairs. Over Akainu, who had just been about to get to his feet. Ace snickered because, really, how could he not?

Warm hands came up to his shoulders ever so gently, and Ace turned to smile at Marco.

"I don't suppose you'll share?"

"I guess." Ace grinned back at him, letting himself lean into him. "What will you give me if I do?"

"We'll have to talk about that later." Marco nodded to where Akainu was getting up, and they disentangled themselves reluctantly.

Akainu stood up, radiating fury, his face marred with a grimace. It was rather ruined in its effect by his hair sticking up with donky spit. Ace huffed out a laugh, mindful of of pulling his side. Both wounds were clotting pretty well, so Ace shoved them out of his mind. Marco was eyeing the blood with poorly stifled alarm, and Ace squeezed his hand.

"Focus," Ace said, and Marco scowled at him, affront in every line of his body. "Well?"

Akainu shook himself off, but before he could even begin to raise his gun, they were on him. He dodged Marco's kick by a hair. But the movement was too predictable, and Ace caught him squarely in the jaw, knocking him back. Marco didn't give him time to react, ripping the gun out of his hands and tossing it behind them.

"Two on one, huh?" Akainu smirked, a expression that wished he'd been able to punch right off his face. "I guess that just goes to show-"

"You're not worthy of fighting with honor," Ace said, the warmth of Marco's approval bringing a grin to his face that was entirely at odds with the situation.

Ace leaped forward like he was going to attack but skidded to a halt before getting in reach. Marco used Akainu's distraction to deliver a devastating blow to Akainu's knee. He crumpled, flailing, and steadied himself. Ace was already back, toppling him to the ground and pinning him neatly. Marco stood by while Ace wailed on Akainu. His knuckles split and his right arm didn't have nearly the strength that it normally did.

Akainu managed to throw him off, and Ace rolled away. He panted, breath coming in gasps now, a sharp pain in his side a lovely contrast to the duller pain of his ribs. Marco's eyes flicked to him, and he raised a brow ever so slightly, and Ace mentally curse him as he scrambled to his feet.

It was damnably unfair to look that fine in a fight. Downright distracting. He scowled at him repressively, but Marco laughed, and they sprang at the same time, raining blows down, skipping and sliding past each other. They'd trained together almost every day for years now, and it showed.

Exhilaration filled Ace, and he knew he must be grinning manically, as they wove in and out of each other, dodging Akainu's attacks, which grew steadily weaker. Desperation edged into his movements as the smell of blood overpowered anything else, even the cloying scent of panther piss* and gaspers* that suffused the speakeasy.

The sounds of the battle surrounding them faded, though occasionally a donkey's bray would break through Ace's concentration as he darted in and out. He hoped Luffy was managing to have some fun. Sabo was probably off lurking somewhere torn between chasing him down to keep him safe and pride. Ace was glad he got to share that confusing mix of emotions again.

Akainu was breathing heavily now, but they'd yet to wipe the self satisfied smile from his lips. He kicked out when Ace was trying to get into to knock him out. Ace hissed when it connected right on the wound in his leg from before, tumbling to the ground. The sound of a pistol cocking right above him had him rolling.

"I will eradicate your disgusting blood-" Ace blinked, watching with wide eyes as Marco's foot snapped out. It connected with Akainu's neck with the sickening crunch of bones. Akainu's head lolled at at unnatural angle. He fell to the floor, and Ace knew he'd never get up again.

He smiled up at Marco rather dopily, and Marco scooped him up, clutching him close, and it was glorious. He ignored all of his wounds screaming in protest and leaned in for a desperate kiss. It was short by necessity- they were still on a battlefield and the battle was only half over- but Ace's blood sang.

"Don't scare me like that," Marco said, his hold tightening. "I almost thought I lost you back there, and I was too far away to do anything." He shook his head, his eyes shut tightly against the memory, and Ace murmured nonsense, running a hand down his back soothingly. "I thought they were crazy, but that donkey is getting his weight in apples when this is over."

"I'm sure he'll accept that as his due," Ace said absently, scanning the joint. The tide was definitely in their favor. "And I'm pretty sure they are crazy. A good Luffy-kind-of-crazy."

"Doesn't that make it your kind of crazy? He takes after you a lot." Ace grinned at that, unable to hold it back.

"You think? But no, kid's been like that since we met-" The building shook, and Ace broke off, Marco's face lighting up with a grin just as the secret door to the lower levels exploded outwards, Teach flying across the room. Whitebeard stood in the broken doorway, the very air around him vibrating with fury.

What few of Teach's men still stood held up their hands in surrender in unison. They sat, cowering at the sight. Ace didn't blame them, though hope and relief spun through him in a dizzying rush. He swayed on his feet, and Marco forced him to sit on the stairs.

"I doubt he'll need much help. He's in a mood, isn't he? I've not seen him this mad in a very long time." Marco snickered, presumably at the memory. He wavered a moment, but Whitebeard met his eye, and he sat next to Ace. "Not in the mood to share, apparently."

"I'm a good sharer," Ace said inanely, wishing the words back as soon as they were out of his mouth, but Marco just wrapped an arm around Ace and turned back to the scene in front of them.

"You were. Don't forget to collect your reward once you figure out what it is you want." Ace shivered at the heavy promise in his words and nodded numbly. Teach got up, scrambling in his panic, and Ace smiled at the sight. So the coward showed his true colors at last.

He eventually stood up and started prattling about something or other, and Ace turned to Marco suddenly remembering.

"About Roger..." Ace began softly, but Marco pulled him closer.

"Doesn't matter a bit to me who your father was. Never has." The world froze, and Ace hardly dared to breathe.

"You knew?"

"It's not all that hard to figure out. I did know him. And I spent far too much time watching you, remember?" Ace snorted, joy bubbling up in him until he had to fight down a laugh for no reason. He spared a thought to wonder if he was maybe a little in shock. He rested his head on Marco's shoulder.

Whitebeard had had enough of whatever nonsense Teach was spouting, and he knocked him clear across the room with one blow of his bisento. He hit the wall so hard that he dented it, and Marco sighed.

"Clean up is going to be a pain." Ace nodded sleepily, eyes drooping as he watched Teach try to shake himself right.

"You should see my place. Luffy went a bit mad in the freeing of the prisoners. It's a wonder it's still standing, honestly." A shadow split off from the doorway behind Whitebeard and lunged toward him. Ace and Marco were halfway to their feet in an instant, but there was no way they'd make it in time.

"Pops!" Ace yelled, his heart in his throat, unable to do anything but watch. But something stopped them, and he laughed out loud in relief when he saw Sabo and Luffy standing between him and Whitebeard.

Luffy knocked Crocodile back, and he hit the floor hard. Luffy's hat shadowed his eyes, and the smile on his face didn't look at all like his usual carefree expression.

"You won't touch this old man," Luffy said, his voice danger and fury wrapped up in one. "Ace likes him."

Sabo darted out, but not towards Crocodile, like Ace had expected, but to the right. His pipe knocked aside a sword and sent it clattering to the ground. Ace turned his eyes to Sabo's opponent and gasped. Marco was rigid in fury next to him, eyes lock on Squard, their supposed ally.

"You dare protect the son of that monster, Whitebeard? I will not tolerate this." Ace's head spun, and Marco's grip on his hand was the only thing that kept him grounded. But Sabo had heard more than enough, and he scoffed and knocked the traitor out, a grimace of disgust on his face.

"I would take care about how you speak about my brother if I were you," he said, his pipe twirling idly, scattering droplets of blood.

"I guess we're not needed," Marco said amusedly, and Ace nodded.

"They know what it means for me to call someone father," he said quietly, and Marco looked like he wanted to ask but didn't know where to start. Ace was glad when Teach recovered enough to draw Marco's attention back to the fight. Luffy was still toying with Crocodile, and Sabo simply stood there, spinning his pipe like a fool and looking dangerous enough to keep everyone back, even the other commanders as they began to trickle up the stairs.

Ace's lips curved up as he saw Thatch and Izo arguing about who the hell Sabo was and who was going to go tell him they had it under control. He would pay to see that. Izo seemed to be on the side of leaving it be, though, so it was unlikely he'd get to.

"I will defeat you, old man! I will take my rightful place as strongest in the world." Teach sprang toward Whitebeard, who snorted and batted him away like a fly.

"You're an insignificant pest. I will never call you son, Teach." Ace inhaled sharply, eyes glued to the fight. His grip on Marco's hand had to be on the edge of painful, but Marco made no complaint, his eyes serious as he witnessed the fall of a traitor.

Whitebeard knocked him down again and up went his bisento. It hit the floor with a conclusive thunk. And with that, it was over. They'd finally won. Ace smiled.

When the world faded away, the last thing he felt was Marco catching him as he fell.

*Flatties- police officers

*Bulls- police officer

*Panther piss - whiskey

*Gaspers - cigarettes