Hello lovelies! It's another update Sunday! I'll keep it short and sweet and just say - I hope you enjoy this next chapter!

Chapter 23

"Tha-atch," Ashina called in a sing-song voice, making the fourth division commander flinch.

Ace and Marco chuckled as the red-haired woman skipped over to where they sat around a barrel playing cards.

"What now, woman? You can't be hungry again!"

"But I really want a fried pickle," she whined.

"A fried pickle? You just ate a peanut butter sandwich. How can you want a pickle?"

Ashina jutted her bottom lip out and swayed on her feet, batting her eyes at him. "Please."

Thatch sighed and stood from his chair. "A fried pickle? Just a fried pickle?"

"Oh! Maybe some watermelon too, and so-"

Thatch shook his head, cutting her off with a wave of his hand. "Red, stop. Just follow me. I get pregnancy cravings but, damn. You're getting worse than your bottomless pit of a man."

Ashina giggled. "Well, I mean, the baby is half Ace, too."

Thatch rolled his eyes, exaggerating the move by also rolling his head before turning and walking off. "Just come on. We'll get you a stupid deep-fried pickle and some watermelon."

"Ooo, and ice cream!"

"Pickles and ice cream? That's nasty woman. As a chef I refuse to feed y-"

Ashina cut him off with a delighted squeal. "Ooo! Can you make pickle ice cream? That would be so good!"

Marco and Ace erupted in laughter when Thatch stopped walking, a disgusted expression on his face as he slowly turned to stare at Ashina.

"That sounds like the most disgusting creation ever. No, I will not make pickle flavor ice cream."

Ashina frowned, her lip jutting out again. It quivered and big crocodile tears welled up in her eyes. Thatch sighed and scrubbed a hand down his face.

"Fine. For you I'll attempt pickle ice cream."

"Yay! Thatch you're the best!" Ashina launched herself at the man, throwing her arms around his neck and pecking his cheek with a kiss before she hopped down. "Now come on. The baby wants a pickle."

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The overcast morning brought with it choppy seas and the promise of rain that hung in the air like the thick gray clouds that blanketed the late October sky. Ace sat on the deck, back against the side of the ship and legs crossed. Ashina sat in his lap, enjoying the warmth of his hands as he massaged her shoulders and back.

"Try again," Ashina ordered, watching Tenshin and Yukichi.

The older boy sighed, but readied himself. The two boys were overjoyed that Commander Ace decided to sit in on their training and even agreed to assist. So far, his only assistance was suggesting the boys were ready to move on from locating crew members with Haki to actually trying to dodge attacks. The idea to use small pebbles, or in this case, dried beans, was a little advance, but the boys refused to back down from the challenge when Ashina said they weren't ready.

After fetching a small sack of beans from the kitchens, with Thatch's permission, the boys returned. Since then, they'd taken turns dodging the other's throws, first with the ability to see, and then after a few rounds, without.

Tenshin sat blindfolded now, waiting for Yukichi's next throw. She could tell he was using what she taught him so far: breathing control, reaching out with all of his senses, searching for the change around you.

The blond-headed boy dodged the first bean, but the second one, thrown rapid fire after the first, hit him square in the forehead. Tenshin shot to his feet, ripping the blindfold off. "You little cheat! I haven't thrown two at you! That's counts as a point, I dodged the first one!"

"No it doesn't!" Yukichi shouted, jumping to his feet as well. "I'm not a cheat! Take it back!"

The boys stormed toward each other, and Ashina was displaced as Ace shifted her out of his lap just as the boys collided together. She watched him rise to his feet and stroll over to the boys, reaching them in two strides as they wrestled on the floor. Ace snatched Yukichi up by the collar of his shirt, giving a pointed stare to Tenshin, who wisely stayed on the floor.

Ace laughed then, letting go of Yukichi's shirt and dusting off the boy. "Enough Haki training for today. How about a little hand to hand training?"

"Yeah!" The two boys shouted in unison.

"Okay. But first you both have to pick up all the beans and deliver them back to the kitchen."

The boys scrambled to gather the beans, depositing them in handfuls into the bag before darting off to collect more. Once the deck was clear of all the stray beans, the boys dashed down to the kitchens.

"How long you think they'll be?" Ace asked, twisting around to look at her with his hands on his hips.

"If they don't spill them? A minute, two tops."

Ace chuckled. "They are getting better. You're a good teacher."

"I just remember how my mother taught me."

"By throwing beans at each other?"

"Well, no. Actually, mama threw rocks. They hurt more, so you learn to dodge faster."

The loud pounding of feet reached their ears seconds before Tenshin and Yukichi skidded to a stop in front of Ace.

"Ready?" he asked, grinning at the two kids.

They both nodded eagerly. "I'm your opponent. Two against one. Give it all you got."

Ashina leaned back against the side of the ship and closed her eyes, listening to the boys as they did their best to beat Ace. From the sounds of their struggles, they were having a difficult time landing a blow that wasn't dodged or blocked. Ace spoke words of encouragement and correction between laughter.

Running a hand over her growing belly she smiled to herself, picturing a little boy of their own old enough to train with his father. Ace would teach him how to be strong, how to fight, and when to fight. Mihar would teach their child to read and write, and she was positive Thatch would be the uncle to teach her child something naughty. If the baby turned out to be a girl, well, the reading and writing and fighting would still be in place. How her uncles reacted to her would be another matter entirely. Ashina had a good feeling that if it was a girl, she'd be the most spoiled child in the entirety of the New World, if not the whole Grand Line, as well as the most well protected.

Ashina didn't realize she'd dozed off until the sudden shout brought her suddenly out of sleep.

"Incoming ships! Port side! Enemy flags spotted!" the man in the crow's nest shouted down to the crew below. In an instant, the ship was alive with motion, as everyone moved to prepare for the possibility of a battle.

A shadow loomed over her and she raised her head to see Ace. He held out his hand, lifting her to her feet effortlessly. He kept a sturdy hand on her waist as the first sound of cannon fire boomed. The ball missed the Moby Dick, rocketing hard into the water a few yards away. The resulting waves rocked the ship, but Ace kept her standing as they swayed.

"Tenshin, Yukichi, take Missus and go below deck. Make sure she doesn't fall and stay there."

Ashina didn't argue. There was no point. While Marco still allowed her to train, she learned quickly that the growing swell of her womb threw off her balance and made it difficult to fight in close combat. She couldn't twist and move as she once did and it hindered her. Ace pressed a quick kiss to her lips as the boom of another cannonball echoed loudly in their ears.

"Go. Stay safe."

She nodded and the young boys flanked her, one on either side, as they made their way below deck. With her adrenaline rushing, Ashina felt lightheaded and hugely unprepared for this. It felt silly, she felt silly. She had been in countless fights on the sea with Ace. None of them however, had she been pregnant. This threw a different level of emotion into play that she no experience for. Never in her training had her mother mentioned how to fight when pregnant, likely because she assumed Ashina's fighting days would be over before she had children.

"I need to sit," she whispered to the boys.

Tenshin nodded and turned them into the mess hall. He led her to the nearest table and watched with a cautious eye as Ashina sat on the bench. Despite the initial dislike due to being a woman, Tenshin was beginning to warm up to her, especially because she agreed to train him.

"Are you okay? Should I get Marco?" he asked softly, trying not to sound like he cared.

"No. No, I'm fine. Marco has more important things to do right now. Just stay here. I just needed to sit. Got lightheaded is all."

The scrunch of his face said he didn't believe her, but he nodded his head and sat on the bench beside her with a huff.

"When can we fight?" he asked, eyes turning upward at the sound of shouts above deck.

Ashina smirked at him. "You've got a few more years, kiddo."

"I'm going to be thirteen soon!"

Ashina smiled fondly. "I remember thirteen. I sailed with my father at thirteen."

"Izo said Red-Hair Shanks is your father!" Yukichi shouted. "Is it true?"

"Yes."

"So cool! See Tenshin, I knew she was a good teacher! Her father is a strong Yonko."

Tenshin rolled his eyes. "That doesn't make her strong."

Ashina was going to comment back, slightly offended, before Tenshin added. "She became strong herself."

The gruff laugh made her jump and she snapped her eyes over to stairs, where an unfamiliar man was descending the bottom steps. He was a large man, with unruly brown hair and a scraggly beard. The large sword in his hand hung loosely at his side. "Women are weak. Surprised to see one on Whitebeard's ship."

Ashina stood, pushing the boys behind her and drawing her kunai from her pouch, fingers wrapping around the handles tightly.

The man's brows shot up as his eyes widened, taking in the sight of her belly. "Pregnant woman? Even more shocking. Whose bastard is it? Whitebeard's? One of the Commanders? Maybe just one of the lackies? Maybe you've slept with so many men you don't know huh, whore?"

"Don't talk about her like that!" Tenshin shouted, taking a step forward.

Ashina pushed him back with her arm, giving him a pointed stare and the slightest shake of her head.

The man laughed, sword hanging loosely in his hand. "Doesn't matter," he said, sobering and leveling her with a cold stare. "They'll feel your loss all the same."

He lunged, but Ashina was prepared for the blow. She was able to block and throw him off, but it was clear he had the advantage, both in size and strength. Without the ability to outmaneuver him, Ashina lost part of her own strengths.

"Leave her alone!" Tenshin shouted, charging forward.

The man easily knocked him aside with a sharp backhand, sending Tenshin skidding across the floor. Ashina moved to block Yukichi as the man approached again. Marco warned her rough fights could be harmful to the growing baby, but she had no other choice than to fight. Ashina readied herself again, shifting her weight and bringing up her kunai.

"A pregnant woman is going to fight a pirate?" The man bellowed out on a laugh.

In the next moment he moved forward. It was a blessing for her his strikes were lazy, overconfidence making him slack. Ashina took the chance to move in closer, twisting awkwardly to land a strike to his sternum with her elbow, aiming for his throat with the edge of her kunai. He landed a solid counterstrike, blocking her arm and causing the tip of her kunai to slice across his jawbone.

He cursed and delivered a hard punch that grazed off her shoulder. It knocked her back and she stumbled before Yukichi managed to catch her, preventing her from falling. She moved forward again, managing a hard kick to block his next attack.

Time seemed to slow, and Ashina couldn't get her body to move fast enough, couldn't twist the right direction due to the bump between her hips. She saw the blow coming, tried her hardest to dodge and protect herself and her child, but the blow was inevitable. She coated her skin with haki, focusing on covering as much of herself as she could, but the impact still sent her to her knees, tears blinding her vision, as a scream left her lips. She could hear the boys shouting above the man's laughter. She curled around her belly, every fiber of her being demanding that she protect her child above all else at this moment.

The next blow never came, instead metal rang against metal, and Ashina raised her head quickly to see the sandy blond hair of the teenage boy that disliked her even more than Tenshin.

"Get away from her!" Chisora bit out, shoving with all his might to move the man back and away from Ashina.

Tenshin and Yukichi were beside her in the next second. She paid no mind to their fussing over her, asking if she was okay, as her eyes stayed focused on Chisora and the enemy.

The man laughed before striking again. The blow sent Chisora back, but the young man kept his footing, adjusting to counter the attack. Ashina kept her kunai ready in one hand, the other still wrapped tightly around herself.

Chisora took a fist to the cheek, but he didn't stop. Striking hard and throwing off the man's balance before swinging the sword over his head and down, delivering a brutal final blow.

As soon as the man fell, the kunai in her hand clattered to the ground. Ashina could feel the pain in her womb and knew something wrong. Her hands slid to her stomach. She needed Marco. She wanted Ace.

"Missus?" Yukichi whispered, concern in his eyes.

Chisora wheeled around at her soft moan, rushing to her side. "Are you okay?"

"Proud of you," she said, eyes flicking up to his. "You didn't hesitate."

He sported a cocky grin until she let out a soft groan. "Ashina?"

"Marco… I need to find Marco."

"Stay here I'll -"

"No. I'm going on deck, just… let me lean on you." She wobbled as she stood and walked on her own, but she was leaning heavily on Chisora by the time they reached the stairs.

"Are you sure you can manage?" He gave her a skeptical side-eye.

"Just don't let me fall, okay?" she breathed out, hand reaching to grab onto the wooden rail for support.

The deck was a flurry of motion, but it was clear the battle was over. What remained of the enemy ship was burning and sinking into the depths of the sea. Dead men and wounded littered the deck, but Ashina was only looking for one of two people. Her eyes spotted the blond first.

Chisora must have spotted him too, for he shouted across the deck, catching the attention of most of the crew. "Commander Marco!"

She was glad Chisora had shouted, she wasn't sure she could find her voice. Ashina felt lightheaded, swaying on her feet, as she hunched over from the sharp pain. A hand gripped her upper arm harder, pulling on her to keep her upright. Something was wet, Ashina could feel the warmth trickle down her leg. She brushed her hand across her thigh, wiping at the moisture before bringing her hand up to her face, scrutinizing. Her fingers were tinged red.

Blood.

Panic struck her and her heart hammered in her chest. Wild eyes searched the deck. The scream tore from her throat without thought, "Ace!"

The shout caught his attention, and Ace turned to see Ashina, swaying as Chisora struggled to keep her upright. She appeared fine at first glance, but his heart thundered in his chest when he caught Marco running to her side. Ace took off running too, and as he closed in on her that's when he saw it. A bruise was already blooming on her shoulder, but what made his stomach drop to his feet and his heart stick in his throat was the blood smeared across her thigh.

Ace reached her side seconds after Marco did. "Ashina!"

"Ace." She reached for him, and Ace scooped her up into his arms, catching her from falling forward and relieving Chisora from the burden.

"Marco?" Ashina's voice cracked, and Ace didn't miss the tears that were pooling in her eyes.

"The infirmary. Now!" Marco ordered, eyes locking with Ace's before he turned and scanned the deck. "JORA!"

Once the woman's attention was caught he turned back to Chisora. "Tell me what happened," he demanded, walking off and making the young man scramble after him.

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The deck was silent as the First and Second Commander and Jora, along with several of the other nurses, disappeared to the infirmary with Ashina. Pops stood, fuming as he watched the remains of the enemy ship burn. Another fool who thought he could take his head and claim the role as the strongest man in the world. The strongest man in the world was the one who protected his family.

"Vista," Pops ordered, his voice booming over the deck of the ship, catching everyone's attention. "Steer the ship for Sphinx."

Pops caught sight of Tenshin and Yukichi, huddled together and managing to stay out from underfoot as Vista shouted orders to the crew.

"Boys."

The two looked up, and upon seeing that it was Pops who called for them, scrambled across the deck, narrowly dodging several other crew members.

Pops squatted down, gently grasping Tenshin's chin and turning his head side to side, slowly inspecting the boy.

"How'd you get this bruise? You're told not to fight in battles."

Tenshin waivered, but then puffed up his chest and shouted. "That man called Missus a whore and said awful things about her! He tried to hurt her!"

Yukichi's lip trembled as a tear rolled down his cheek. "He did hurt her. Missus can't fight like she used to. She screamed and fell when he hit her stomach. Is Missus going to be okay, Pops? Is the baby? She was bleeding, but he didn't cut her. Is she going to lose the baby?"

Pops remained stoic despite his inner turmoil. The boy asked a difficult question, one where he couldn't provide a solid answer. Patting the boy's head, he said the only thing he could. "She's in good hands with Commander Marco."

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From the time he was a small boy Ace trained and worked hard to be strong, to be powerful. He wasn't weak. He didn't want to be known as weak. He wanted to be known as one of the most powerful men in the world. He didn't cry. Crying was for babies. Luffy was the crybaby, not him.

At the moment though, he felt powerless and didn't try to stop the tears that streamed down his cheeks.

There was nothing he could do to help Ashina. He could not protect her or their unborn child. He'd sent her below the deck and never saw the man that snuck past them. He wondered what he had been looking for. Treasure? Food? It didn't matter, he found Ashina, hurt her, and then found the business end of Chisora's sword.

The sight of her bleeding, eyes unable to focus as her own panic took over, would be etched into his mind forever. She'd called out for him, knowing she needed a doctor, she'd cried for him. He could feel her trembling in his arms as he carried her to the infirmary, her warm blood smeared onto his arm. The same blood, no longer bright red, now sticky and dark still coated his skin.

Marco had ordered him to place her on the table, the nurses already surrounding her and starting the remove clothes and prep equipment. Marco ordered him out of the room next, had even forcibly pushed him out the door.

Ace scrubbed his hands down his face and then hung his head. He could hear shuffling behind the door, but the heavy wood blocked out most of the sounds. Ace wasn't sure how long he sat in the hallway, knees bent and drawn up to his chest with his head hanging down, until the creak of the door caught his attention. Ace jumped to his feet as Marco stepped out into the hallway, a clean rag in his hand.

"Is she okay? The baby? Is she… will she?" The questions tumbled out one after the other until Marco put a soothing hand on his shoulder, squeezing before releasing.

"Ashina is okay. We've got her stable, the bleeding has slowed, but there isn't much more I can do," Marco said. "It's up to her body to decide if the pregnancy will hold or if she'll miscarry." Marco gripped Ace's wrist, tugging his arm out straight, and wiped the blood from Ace's arm as he stood there, immobile while his mind raced with a thousand thoughts.

Ace could barely get the word to pass his lips. "Miscarry?" he breathed, before his eyes widened. "You mean she could lose the baby?"

"It's a real threat at the moment, but if the bleeding, which is already lessened dramatically, stops within the next few days, she and the baby will be okay. I've done all I can do, but we're monitoring her very closely."

Ace felt as if he couldn't breathe. Marco's hand clamped onto his shoulder, bringing his attention to the Commander's blue eyes.

"Ace, yoi. Ashina will be okay. She needs rest. No matter the outcome, she'll be okay."

"The baby," Ace whispered.

Marco remained silent for a moment, because the threat was very real, but he saw the fight in Ashina's eyes, the mother's love. "Have a little faith in your kid, Commander. Your woman's a fighter, I bet your kid is too. You can go see her."

Ace was through the door before Marco could say another word. Jora was cleaning up, and Ashina was resting on the medical bed, half propped up with her head resting on a pillow. Her eyes were closed, but she opened them at the sound of his approaching bootsteps. There was an IV line in her arm, a cuff around her bicep, and little round circles connecting wires to a machine taped to her stomach that he could see through the thin material of the gown she wore. Ace was hesitant to hug her until he saw the tears in her eyes.

He wrapped his arms around her carefully as she circled her own around his neck. She buried her face in the crook of his shoulder as tears ran down her cheeks and dripped onto his skin.

"Ace, I'm so sorry," her voice broke and she sobbed.

"It's okay. It's okay. This isn't anything you did, Ashina."

"I shouldn't have fought, but the boys and…"

Ace shushed her, running a hand through her hair before pressing his lips to the top of her head. He squeezed his eyes closed as made-up images that his mind conjured of the fight she endured flashed through his mind. "It's okay. I love you. I'm glad you're safe."

"The baby," she whimpered.

Ace attempted a grin and said softly, "Well, maybe being half of me isn't so bad if I pass on the Will of D, eh?"

Ashina snorted at his half-hearted attempt at a joke, but when he pulled back he caught the serious look in her eye.

"What?" he asked her softly.

Hope blossomed in her chest. Careful of Jora who was still in the room, Ashina whispered, "Do you think it's possible? I mean, you are like a double dose, both of your parents were D's. It would only make sense that your child would inherit that will, too, right?"

"Anything's possible," Ace said with a smile that came a bit easier now.

Ashina scooted over slightly, scrunching her nose as the movement tugged at the IV line. She patted the space beside her, but Ace was hesitant to join her as he eyed Jora across the room.

The woman gathered up a pile of dirty linens and turned her back. "I don't see a thing. When I was in the room you were standing beside her. Just don't let Marco catch you."

Ace smirked as the woman left. In the next second, he carefully crawled onto the little space with her, lying on his side to face her.

"What are all of these?" he asked, gingerly lifting the hem of the gown to look at her bare skin. He ran his fingertips around the little circles on her skin.

Ashina snorted as she glanced over at the machinery beside her. "Apparently Doctor Marco swiped some impressive equipment, just in case," she punctuated with finger quotes, "and didn't say anything."

Ashina pointed to one of the monitors. "That little line there is the baby's heartbeat."

"It looks strong."

"Marco said it is. I cussed him for kicking you out of the room. Probably should apologize, but when he hooked the monitors up he said the baby was in distress. Everything's fine right now, but…" her voice caught in her throat and she choked, tears brimming her eyes and sliding down her cheeks.

Ace kissed her cheek, nuzzling against her just to kiss her again, as he fought against the tears that formed in his own eyes.

"I know," he whispered, the rest of the words left unspoken. It was a tragedy they both knew was a potential reality, everything was fine now but in a flash it could all go horribly wrong. Ace prayed it wouldn't be the outcome. Prayed to whatever, or whoever, listened to pirates to let his child survive. He had been happy, still unsure and nervous, but he did not regret the life he created with Ashina, their child. Now, at the thought that it could be taken from him before he met him, he wanted this more than anything.

His hand slid over the swell of her bump, cautious of the little monitor pads, and kept it there, cradling the still growing life they created together. "What did Marco say to you before he came out to get me?"

"Well, as everything stands right now, I'm confined to bedrest for a few weeks."

"So I get to carry you around everywhere?" Ace shot back playfully.

"Hate to tell you… yes. Well, at least once I'm admitted out of the infirmary."

Ace chuckled, nuzzling his nose into her neck. "I don't mind."

"No sex either."

Ace pulled back, frown on his face before it morphed into a sly grin. "We can work around that to our advantage, in a way that keeps the baby safe."

His comment made her smile, and he grinned back, leaning in to peck her cheek with another kiss. He slid his hand back and forth over the swell of his son or daughter and flicked his eyes up to meet hers, only to see her staring at him.

"We're going to be fine," Ace swore. "You, me, and mini-me."

She thought he might have been about to say something else, but his head dropped and a soft snore filled the room. A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth, fingers reaching to brush through his dark locks. He didn't stir under her touch. Ashina shifted carefully to better lean against his side, tucking her head next to his. Rest. It was one of the orders from Marco, so Ashina closed her eyes and basked in the feeling of Ace's warmth, his heavy hand still resting on her belly, fingers splayed as if his touch could protect their child from the world. The soft snores lulled her to dreamland and Ashina let her eyes close.

Ace jerked awake, embarrassed for having fallen asleep when Ashina needed him. A soft noise of discontent rumbling in her throat, as Ashina stirred beside him. He looked down to see her snuggled up to his chest, her mouth parted and eyes closed in blissful sleep.

His hand was still on the swell of their child, so he slid it carefully over the bump, cautious to not wake her from much needed rest, but wanting to touch her. He could have lost them both today, the very real threat that it could still happen weighing heavily on his mind. The bleeding had only slowed, enough Marco was sure she was safe at the moment, but they were still treading in dangerous waters.

"I swear I'll keep you safe. Please..." Ace pleaded in a whisper. "Please make it, be a fighter like your mother. Even if you don't inherit the will of D, come into the world strong and fighting. I'll protect you and your mother. I'll keep you safe no matter the cost." Ace paused, eyes flicking up to see that Ashina was still asleep, so he continued to speak softly to his unborn child. "Your mother is so pretty, but she's brave, and strong, stubborn as a mule, but she's kind. Be like her, boy or girl, be like your mother. Don't be like your dad. I had... a rough childhood, in a way. My brothers made it better, but I had all this anger and hatred, questions that I never got good answers to. I don't want that for you. Your mama's helped with some of that, but I think I'll still always have questions, hurt from my childhood. I didn't get to meet either of my parents. I promise to be here for you, to show you the world, and to show you how much you are loved."

Ace paused, smiling fondly as he thought of his brothers. "I'd like to introduce you to your Uncle Luffy, but he's still in the East Blue. Maybe one day I'll take your mama and you back there. Dawn Island wasn't so bad with my brothers. Luffy will be long gone on his own adventures, and Sabo… one day I'll tell you all about him. He was my best friend and my sworn brother. Sabo… I wonder if your mama would let me name you Sabo. If you're a boy of course. If you're a girl, I'm sorry kid, I have no clue what to name you."

There were sounds of a scuffle in the hallway and Ace tensed. Only once the sound of Thatch's voice and a muffled "Yoi!" reached his ears did he relax.

The commotion grew closer before a thump smacked the door. Ashina stirred again, a soft whine coming from her throat.

From behind the heavy door Ace heard Thatch shout. "I just want to see her. It's Red, I know she'll want a pickle."

The muffled sounds of another scuffle reached his ears before the door swung open to reveal Thatch, pickle in hand, with Marco right behind him. Marco shoved Thatch further into the room and then closed the door behind them.

Marco gave Ace a hard stare as he examined him lying on the narrow bed with Ashina. "Why are you on the bed?"

"The pregnant woman wanted cuddles. Are you going to argue with her?"

Thatch cut off whatever reply Marco was about to give with a firm, "Hell no."

Marco snorted, shaking his head, and strode into the room to check the monitors.

Ashina stirred again and Ace leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Wake up. Thatch brought you a fried pickle."

Her eyes flew open and she raised her head to search for Thatch. When she spotted him she grinned, "Oo! It's even on a stick. Ace, help me sit up."

Ace rose first and then slid a hand to her back to help her sit.

Ashina reached for the pickle as Thatch approached. "How you feeling, Red?"

"I've been better. My shoulder's sore."

Marco stepped closer to the bed and caught Ashina attention. "Give me your arm. Your stats look good. I'll take the IV out, but make sure you stay hydrated."

Ace smiled as she scrunched her nose. Marco was unfazed. "Just eat your nasty deep-fried pickle and look at Ace."

Thatch arched a brow as he caught on to her unease. "Are you afraid of needles?"

"I don't want to talk about it," Ashina muttered.

"You have a tattoo."

"I said the same thing," Marco retorted.

Ashina gave her arm up to Marco and shifted to face Ace, pickle poised at her lips. "It's different," she snapped before taking a bite.

"I'm still amazed you keep that down when you barely kept anything down for weeks," Thatch muttered, shaking his head.

Ace watched Marco carefully as he tended to Ashina, amazed by the skillfulness and tenderness of his hand. He cleaned and then bandaged her arm where the IV once sat and then stepped back.

"How are you feeling?" Marco asked her.

Ashina turned back so she could face him too, and answered, "Better. The sharp pain is gone."

"Good. Any pain?"

Ashina shook her head. "Just sore."

Marco nodded. "That's to be expected. You'll stay here for a few more days. I want to monitor the baby closely, ensure the bleeding stops."

Ace nodded once, but it was Ashina that spoke.

"How's the baby?" Ashina asked softly, eyes cast down to look at the half-eaten pickle in her hands.

"Heartbeat is strong. Your vitals are stable. It's only precautionary. You gave us a huge scare, but it looks like your kid is stronger than you think."

The door opened again and Pops ducked under the door frame, entering the room.

"Thatch, out. Leave my daughter alone. She needs to rest."

"What? I only brought her a snack and came to check on her! I'm not even doing anything!"

"That's what Marco is for. She has her snack. Let her rest."

Thatch gave a disgruntled, muttered complaint before waving a hand at Ashina. "I'll have Marco bring you dinner later."

Ashina giggled around the last mouthful of fried pickle, as Marco scowled.

"If you could manage to not be so disruptive then you could bring it to her, yoi."

Thatch chuckled and waved him off, heading for the door. "You'll have to check on her anyway. You can do it."

Marco looked to Pops and then to Ashina and Ace. "Are you staying here with her?"

"Yes," Ace answered quickly.

"Good. If anything happens, use that den den mushi. It will alert the small one in my pocket. Give me the stick," he said, holding his hand out to Ashina.

She dropped the cleaned off stick in his palm. "Thanks."

"You're welcome. I'll be back later to check on you again." Marco nodded to Ace and then to Pops as he passed, exiting the room and closing the door behind him.

Pops moved to perch on the very edge of the bed and leveled Ashina with a hard to read gaze. "You gave us quite the scare today."

"Sorry 'bout that. Marco said all the vitals are good, but I don't think I'm in the clear just yet."

"No, I'm glad to see you're staying in here. Tenshin is enjoying the praise from the Commanders, as is Chisora."

"How's his face?" Ashina asked with a frown.

"Busted lip and bruised cheek. Tenshin will be fine."

"What happened to Tenshin?" Ace asked.

"He tried to intervene to keep the man away from me."

Pop nodded, adding, "Boy was still angry when I asked him what happened. Said the man called you a whore."

Ashina shrugged as Ace's fist clenched tightly, his knuckles turning white as she replied, "Eh. He suggested I didn't know who the father of my child was, which is utterly ridiculous, but yeah, Tenshin stood up for me."

"You're not a whore!" Ace bellowed.

"Well no," Ashina said, giggling as she brushed her fingers over his knuckles. His hand relaxed and he intertwined his fingers with hers.

"Simmer down, son. The fight is over. Chisora killed the man. I wanted to come and check on my daughter and future grandchild, and to tell you the plans."

"Plans?" Ashina asked, nervousness evident in the squeak of her voice. Was this accident the catalyst that would send her to an island permanently?

"I've given the orders already. We're heading for Sphinx."

Ashina frowned, her shoulders slumping. "Does that mean I'm grounded?"

Pops laughed at her pitiful expression. "Not permanently at least. We'll talk again after you've had the brat. Marco agrees. You need to be on land, the chance of another attack is unknown. You cannot be put in that situation again. It's my job to protect my family. You won't be grounded alone."

Ashina nodded. "Okay."

"Good." Pops patted her leg that was under the blanket and stood. He clapped a strong hand to Ace's shoulder and gave them both a grin. "Keep her off her feet. Deuce is handling the Second Division, so don't worry about anything but your woman."

Ace nodded. "Will do, Pops, thanks."

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