It's Update Sunday y'all! So, this chapter is massive and I'm not even sorry about it. Enjoy!
Chapter 28
After almost six months on Sphinx and in her little house, it felt weird to see the space mostly empty. The second division made quick work over the span of the morning loading all of their belongings. The large bed and dresser would remain, now empty of their clothes and bedding. The kitchen table and chairs and the living room furniture would stay as well, but all of the items that made their house a home were packed. Sabo's toys no longer littered the floor, the cradle was on the ship as well as all of his clothes, knickknacks were removed from the tables and Ace's boots no longer sat haphazardly by the door. Ashina felt the twinges of longing, a desire to stay in this little safe place, Pops' home island, with her family.
"Ready?" Ace asked, coming up behind her. His hands slid to her hips.
Ashina let out a soft sigh. "We've been here for so long it feels weird to be leaving now."
Ace rested his chin on her shoulder. "We can always come back." Turning his head, he kissed her neck. "Are you worried about being on the sea?"
"No. I think I'm ready to go back, but this place holds a lot of memories now. I… I don't know, I didn't think I'd feel this way when it was time to go. I thought it would be so easy to go back to the sea, but now… I want to go. I'm ready. It's just that… I don't know what I'm thinking Ace."
"Sabo was born here," he said softly. "I feel that too. This new part of our journey has tied us to Sphinx. We'll come back. Think of all the places we can show him in the New World. We can go anywhere. One day he'll go to the West Blue and the East Blue, show him where we grew up. He'll grow up a child of the sea, but Sphinx will be his birthplace, like Pops."
Ashina smiled at Ace's words, ones that soothed her, before he added, "Ready to see more of the world together?"
"Always." Ashina leaned so she could see his face, admiring the boyish grin and the love in his eyes.
"Let's go."
Ashina took one last look around the space as Ace led her to the door. Ace was right, this was just one more step of their journey. Sphinx now held a special place in her heart, and in her life, but their story wasn't over. More adventures awaited them on the horizon, and to follow their dreams they had to set sail once more.
They walked hand in hand down the path, passing the other small houses, the crew's lodging, and the campground that had become their place to hang out. Stories were told, games played, and many nights were spent eating and drinking and laughing the hours away. The time ashore was a nice break in life on the seas, but it was time to bring the entire crew back together, join the sixteen divisions as one again, and begin the next leg of their journey. Ashina and Ace would board the Moby Dick once more in search of their dreams, but this time they would be bringing along their son.
"Where is everyone?" Ashina asked as they entered the forest, following the path to the waterfall to exit the beautiful valley.
"They're on the ship, preparing to depart. Marco's waiting at the waterfall with Sabo for us. Jora left him the umbrella."
Ashina snorted softly. "Good. I wonder how Sabo will do going under the falls?"
"We'll find out," Ace said on a chuckle.
The rest of the trek through the forest was silent, both of them lost in their own thoughts. Ashina could hear the roaring of the falls before the trees began to thin, opening up to reveal the small clearing on the backside of the falls.
Ashina spotted Marco, stretched out on his stomach on a blanket, facing Sabo who was also stretched out on his tummy. The brown leather backpack Ashina deemed the baby bag sat on one corner of the blanket, and an array of toys were spread between Sabo and Marco. Sabo reached for one of the colorful, plush balls and made an excited coo.
"Having fun?" Ashina called out.
At the sound of her voice, Sabo turned his head to look, and unable to make out his mother, but having heard her, let out a loud cry.
"Oh goodness," Ashina said in a playful voice, closing the distance between them. "Did you hear your mama?"
Sabo caught sight of her and gave a happy squeal as she bent down to inspect his play area. "Are you having fun playing with Uncle Marco? Mama didn't mean to make you wait so long, sweet boy."
She scooped him up in her arms, peppering his face with kisses as she held him up in front of her. His little legs kicked while he giggled and squealed in delight.
Marco rose up, gathering the toys quickly and tossing them back into the backpack. Ace took the pack from him and then turned to look at Ashina, who had Sabo in one arm. Marco handed her the umbrella and the group headed for the falls as Ashina opened the umbrella.
Sabo's wide eyes stared in fascination at the falls and mist as they stepped closer. Marco went through first, and Ace stepped up close behind Ashina, ducking under the cover of the umbrella mostly so he could watch his son's reaction as they went under the waterfall. The boy didn't disappoint. He showed no fear, as his delightful coos fell silent, wide eyes taking in all around him in pure wonder.
Ace took the umbrella from Ashina once they reached the other side, shaking the water from the material before closing it and securing the fasten. The noise from the ship carried over the bay, drawing their eyes to the bustle on the ship.
Ace touched her shoulder, a wide grin stretching across his face. "Ready, or you need a moment?"
She shook her head once, a warm smile stretching across her face as she looked down at Sabo staring at the massive ship, taking in all he could see. "No, I'm ready."
If possible, Ace's grin widened. The hand on her shoulder slipped to her waist. A gentle push had them walking side by side up the plank to board the ship. "Look Sabo," Ashina said softly, "this is our home on the sea. You'll love it. We get to see all sorts of islands, and meet new people, and discover new things. You'll get to meet the rest of your uncles."
"There's a lot of them," Ace added, making Ashina chuckle.
"There are a lot, but it's going to be so much fun."
Ashina kept a tight hold on Sabo as she crossed the deck, weaving between the crew who were moving about in preparation of raising the anchor. She watched Ace get swept up by Thatch, pulling him to handle Commander duties needing his voice. Ashina found a spot out of the way and pointed out all of the goings on around them as Sabo watched, his eyes catching one person before moving to watch someone else who caught his attention. She spoke to him, explaining in normal words what everyone was doing as the anchor was raised.
Ace joined her side once more just as the ship began to drift out of the bay. He wrapped an arm around Ashina's waist and used his other hand to brush through Sabo's dark hair. He pressed a kiss to Ashina's head when she leaned into his side. They turned to face the sea, both watching Sabo's reaction to the open water and the gulls following them out to sea.
Turning her head up to look at Ace, she pressed her lips to his jaw. "I think our boy likes the ocean."
Ace practically beamed. "Of course he does, being a pirate is in his blood. He was born to be free on the seas."
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Each rendezvous with one of the smaller ships was cause for celebrations as more and more Commanders and crew returned to the Moby Dick. They celebrated the reunion of the crew as well as the birth of Sabo. The young baby was still happy to be held and passed around. Ashina never knew at any given moment who had her son, but she always knew he was safe in someone's arms. Once the boy needed fed, or more often, changed, he managed to make his way back to her or Ace. On more than one occasion, Jora swooped in to change the boy and give Ashina and Ace a break, especially if they were already in the middle of a conversation or a game with friends.
They were lucky, little Sabo was rarely a cranky baby. A few nights when he was up later, distracted by the music and noise of the party on deck, he grew fussy as he fought his sleep. It was then that Pops demanded his grandson. The baby boy looked tiny compared to Pops, but was always quick to fall asleep nestled in his grandfather's captain's coat and laid against his chest.
The day was warm and sunny. Big, fluffy clouds dotted the sky, creating isolated patches of shade. Once again, her son was in someone's arms, so Ashina took the moment to lay in the warm sun on the deck. She was still confident in herself, and despite the fact that she was back to her regular training and conditioning, she had yet to fully bounce back to her pre-baby body. Jora warned her she may never get back to how she was before, but the extra weight was slowly coming off and her muscles were tightening and toning once more. She'd also been cleared to resume any sexual activity, and the fact that Ace still couldn't keep his hands off her, was a major confidence booster. Finding the time, and energy, to have any sort of sexual interactions, with a three-month-old baby was hard, no matter how much they wanted each other.
Laughter caught her attention so she cracked one eye open, raising her head slightly to look for the cause of the commotion. A group of the crew were leaning against the railing looking out over the water.
"What's going on?" Ashina asked as Deuce walked by.
Deuce hesitated, shuffling his feet as he nervously ran a hand through his hair.
"What, Deuce?"
"Uh, well…" he shuffled again before taking a deep breath. "Ace is on Striker."
"And?" Ashina prodded, not quite understanding why that would be cause for such commotion. Ace rode Striker all the time.
"He's got Sabo with him."
"What?" Ashina screeched, shooting to her feet and rushing to the railing, pushing past several crew members to reach the side.
"ACE!"
He heard her, turning Striker toward the Moby and gliding over the water back to the ship.
"Yeah?" he hollered up to her.
She could see Sabo tucked in the crook of one arm, wide, green eyes observing everything around him. Ashina sighed. "Be careful! Neither of you can swim, Ace!"
He laughed, along with the crew around her, and despite her worries it made her smile.
"I will. I promise!" He looked back down at his son who was smiling. "Come on, Sabo, let's go."
Ace steered Striker away from the Moby Dick and propelled the craft to go faster. Baby giggles filled the air as the warm, saltwater breeze ruffled both of their hair. The joyous sound was the best music to Ace's ears. He wanted his little boy to stay a baby forever, but at the same time he couldn't wait to see him grow up into his own little person. Ace could already picture the adventures they'd have and the trouble they'd get into, no doubt they'd earn themselves a few reprimands from Mama Bear.
"We're going to go on so many adventures, Sabo. Daddy's going to show you the whole world. You'll be the most well-traveled kid in all of the Grand Line." Ace watched the infant's mouth stretch into a wide yawn and grinned. "Getting sleepy huh?"
Ace turned his gaze up to the sun, trying to judge the time. "Well, it probably is close to a nap time for you. Come on, buddy, we'll go back to the Moby Dick. If mama is still stretched out in the sun, you can nap with her on the deck. Yeah, your mama likes to nap in the sun." Ace chuckled to himself. "She's a bit like a cat in that sense. She's also really quiet when she wants to be, too. Huh? You wanna go nap with mama?"
Sabo made a soft gurgle, trying to fight his growing exhaustion, and Ace's grin widened. "Come on, buddy, let's go home."
Turning Striker back for the ship, Ace flew over the water. Saber and Aggie were waiting for him and tossed down the rope ladder as he neared the side of the ship. Ace looped the tethering rope over his shoulder and then carefully climbed the ladder one handed, being sure to keep a good grip on Sabo.
Vaulting over the side of the ship, Ace did his best not to jostle the half-asleep infant. He scanned the deck as Aggie and Saber pulled the rope ladder back up and secured Striker to the Moby Dick. Ace spotted Ashina still stretched out on her blanket, sunning on the deck. An umbrella was set up next to her, shading part of the blanket, of course, Ace thought with a chuckle, Ashina was still in the sun. Heading over, Ace bent at the waist to carefully lay Sabo on the soft blanket under the shade of the umbrella.
The boy made a soft noise of discomfort at the shift, a sound to which Ashina instantly responded, even in sleep. She rolled, reaching out a hand to place it gently on Sabo's belly. Ace couldn't help but smile down at his little family as Ashina shifted closer to curl her body around little Sabo.
"She's a natural," Jora said softly, coming up beside Ace and crossing her arms over her chest. "Marco and Thatch are looking for you."
"Yeah? Thanks."
Ace hovered there for a second, and Jora grinned. "They're fine on the deck Ace. I don't see how she sleeps on the hard deck, but it's a good day, calm."
To add to her words, Kotatsu came padding over and curled up on the corner of the blanket, laying near Sabo, but still in the sun. His golden eyes flicked up to meet Ace's before he closed them, shifting to get comfortable. The corner of Ace's mouth twitched into a smile and he nodded, more to himself than to Kotatsu or Jora. He would always worry about his family, but with his crew around he didn't worry as much. The crew would always look out for them.
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Ashina paced the deck, bouncing Sabo gently in her arms. It was another bright, sunny day aboard the Moby Dick, but her normally happy baby was having none of the good time. Sabo wailed as big fat tears rolled down his cheeks.
"I know baby, I'm sorry. Daddy had a mission. He's not here. He'll be back by tomorrow morning," she whispered in an attempt to sooth him as she rubbed small circles on his back.
The words didn't help. The day started pleasant enough, despite the fact that Ace had to leave for a short mission that needed the ability to blast away an entire town according to Curiel. On Pops orders, Ace's division and Curiel's departed at dawn.
The first few hours were okay. Ashina entertained Sabo in between her daily tasks and the pile of laundry that needed to be done. Tenshin and Yukichi played with the infant for a while, until he grew fussy, which is when Yukichi returned him to her arms, doing his best to hold onto the squirming baby. A feeding and cuddles usually soothed Sabo, but when that turned out to be no help, Ashina knew exactly what he wanted, something none of them could provide. He wanted the warmth of his father's embrace. Ace ran hotter than anyone on board, and it seemed Sabo enjoyed the temperature difference. He was also aware that each new set of arms that tried to help Ashina sooth the angry infant were not the arms of his father.
On the next pass of the deck, Pops' deep voice caught Ashina's attention. "Give him here."
Ashina shook her head while she walked closer to Pops. "No, it's okay. He's fussy today. He doesn't want anyone, not really even me."
"Exactly why I'm telling you to give the brat here."
"Pops, it's not your job to take care of my child."
"Quit coming up with shit excuses. You look like you're at your wits end. Besides, I'm not asking you, I'm telling you. Give me my grandson."
Ashina sighed and stepped up to Pops' chair, lifting the infant into his waiting hands. Pops pulled the boy close to his chest, situating him in the crook of his arm. He fussed and whimpered, but his cries quieted as he laid there and stared up at Pops.
"Better now, huh, boy? Can't be giving your mama a hard time when your dad's gone out on a mission for your grandpops now. You'll have the whole crew wearing earplugs if you keep that up. Then what will we do, huh?"
Slowly the little boy's soft whimpers quieted and he laid there in silence. Pops' voice lulling him to sleep.
"I can go lay him down," Ashina said. "If he's sleeping he should be fine in his cradle."
"Nonsense. The boy's fine here."
"But -" The rest of her words died on her tongue as Pops cut her off.
"Don't you have things to do, Ashina?" Pops said with a pointed stare. "My grandson is fine just where he is. Go take care of whatever you may need to do without a baby in your arms."
Ashina was about to put up another argument, but thought better of it. She let out a breath of air and nodded. "Thanks, Pops."
"Anytime."
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The mess hall was full of crew members enjoying breakfast. The loud chatter and clink of silverware on plates kept Sabo's attention, his little head twisting and turning to observe everything around him.
Thatch chuckled as he sat beside Ashina. "Hey, there little man. You look like an owl with those big ol' eyes trying to see everything you can."
"He's curious. It's a lot to take in down here," Ashina replied.
Sabo stared at Thatch, watching the man intently as he picked up his fork to begin eating his own breakfast. Thatch glanced at him from the side, a grin tugging at his mouth. He twisted the fork toward the baby, a piece of sausage stabbed on the end.
"Here, wanna try some real food?"
Ashina batted Thatch's hand away as Sabo reached for the fork. "Get that away from him! Have you lost your mind?"
Marco chuckled across the table. "Easy, Mama Bear. He'll be able to try some real food soon, just not yet, and definitely not sausage. Think you can puree some peas or carrots?" Marco asked, looking to Thatch.
Thatch shrugged. "I mean I can, but that's boring."
"Boring is what we start with," Marco said, rolling his eyes. "One simple item at a time in case he has a food allergy."
Ashina went to respond, but her mild panic about potential allergies was forgotten as Ace came running up to the table, a piece of paper in his hand.
"Look, look! He got his first bounty!" He shouted excitedly, wedging himself between Thatch and Ashina and slapping the paper onto the tabletop.
The group peered at the bounty poster and Thatch raised a brow. "Another rookie? Thirty million's pretty high for a first-time bounty."
Ashina knew before the words were out of Ace's mouth. She knew by the straw hat on his head, the same hat she remembered her father wearing when she was just a little girl.
"It's not just any rookie. That's my little brother, Luffy!" Ace shouted.
"He's grinning like a fool," Marco said on a chuckle, peering down at the bounty poster.
Deuce came in with the paper at that moment, reading aloud, "Straw Hat Luffy, an upcoming rookie pirate, has quickly made a name for himself throughout the East Blue by defeating pirate captains Buggy the Clown, Don Krieg, and Arlong the fishman. An unknown amount of other, lesser known, East Blue pirate crews have also fallen in the wake of Straw Hat's rise to piracy fame. What's next for the Straw Hat Pirates? Sources say the small, but dangerous crew is headed for Loguetown, which means soon the upstart rookie will enter the Grand Line."
"He's taken the East Blue by storm already. Paradise won't know what hit it," Ashina said, taking the paper from Deuce and skimming the article once more. "Doesn't he have a devil fruit?"
"Yeah. He's a rubber man. Can't tell you how many times I had to fish his dumbass out of the water when we were kids," Ace replied.
"About as many times as I've had to fish you out?" she retorted with a big grin.
Ace gave a playful smirk. "Shut up."
Thatch let out a low whistle. "Damn. He's had his fruit since he was a kid?"
"Yeah."
"Ate Shanks' fruit," Ashina interjected with a giggle. At Ace's raised brow she continued, "Papa told me about it the year he came back without his signature straw hat and left arm. Said he found the fruit before they went to the East Blue. They were at the tavern and Luffy was enraptured by the band of pirates, asked Shanks all sorts of questions and basically hung out with his crew the entire time they were there. Luffy saw the fruit one day, I have no idea why Papa even had it out on the bartop within reach of a child, but anyway Luffy ate it before Shanks could stop him. Once he realized what Luffy ate it was too late. Grabbed him by the arm and lifted him off the floor only for Luffy to stretch. Once Papa realized what the fruit was, he wasn't even mad about it. Just felt bad Luffy'd never get to swim."
"So he nicknamed him Anchor?" Ace asked.
"No, I think Papa said that was from even before. I don't think Luffy knew how to swim at all."
"Sounds like Luffy," Ace said on a chuckle.
Sabo made a loud babble where he sat propped against Ashina's chest, his little hands reaching up for Ace.
"Hey, buddy!" Ace lifted the boy into his arms, shifting him to one arm and plucking the bounty poster off the table. "Look. It's your Uncle Luffy!"
Sabo tried to mimic the sounds, something he was doing more and more as he found his own voice. His arms flapped as his feet kicked against Ace's torso.
"Are you excited to see your Uncle Luffy? Huh, buddy? Let's go hang Luffy's poster up with the other bounty posters. Yeah? Oh, but first, we've got to show Pops!"
Ace took off out of the mess hall, Sabo in his arms, without a glance back. Ashina giggled, standing from the table and gathering up the nearby dirty dishes. "Well, I'm going to take the chance to get caught up on some chores. See you boys later."
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Being docked at an island was nice. Being docked at an island that wasn't specifically under Pops' territory was not so nice. Ashina thought for sure Pops would have let her disembark with Ace, but he held firm to his word that she was not to set foot off the ship unless they were in their own territory. It didn't matter that the townspeople were welcoming them with open arms. Ace wanted to stay behind with her, but Ashina could see the boyish desire to explore and potentially get into some trouble, so she sent him off with Deuce and Saber to enjoy the day. Kotatsu stayed behind and napped beside Sabo where ever they went on the ship.
Ashina took the day to clean the room her and Ace shared, dusting, scrubbing, and general tidying up of items that needed to be put away. When she ventured on deck to do some laundry, Kotatsu stuck with her, laying on the blanket and keeping a watchful eye out for the little baby who enjoyed tummy time.
Sabo was beginning to roll over, successfully able to make it from stomach to back, but not able just yet to flip himself back over to his tummy. It was a cause of great distress, until Kotatsu gently nudged him over to his belly with a large paw. Then it became a game. Ashina watched as she scrubbed clothes in the washbasin as Sabo took a few moments to roll himself over before Kotatsu would gently nudge him back the other way. Bright, bubbly giggles filled the air and Ashina couldn't help but smile as she watched the pair from the corner of her eye.
Knowing Sabo was safe with Kotatsu, Ashina finished with the laundry, disposing of the dirty water and putting away the basin, before she scooped the pile of clothes up in one arm and then reached for Sabo with the other. Kotatsu padded softly behind her as she made her way back down to the Commander's Hall.
"Kotatsu, did Ace tell you to keep an eye on me and Sabo today?"
The lynx gave a soft grumble.
"I'll take that as a yes," Ashina said with a chuckle. "It's okay. I don't mind. It's nice to have company.
She pushed open the bedroom door, depositing Sabo on the soft carpet beside the cradle. She tickled his belly, eliciting from him those giggles she loved so much, before she turned to the bed, tossing the pile of damp clothes on the edge. First, Ashina connected the thin rope to create the clothesline across part of the room. Once it was hooked securely in place she began to task of clipping the clothes to the line. Ashina was hanging the last cloth diaper when a soft tap on the door frame caught her attention.
Ashina turned around to see Tana in the doorway, a large white bag in her hands.
"Hi, Tana. What's up?"
"Jora, Honosu, and I just came back from shopping and we picked something up for you."
Kotatsu stretched and padded softly out the door, giving the two women some time alone, as Tana stepped further into the room. She handed the bag to Ashina and then stepped over to Sabo.
"Hi there, little man. Yes, hello. Hi."
"Tana, what is this?" Ashina asked, pulling the box out of the bag she'd been given.
"It's a breast pump. Jora said you might want one after mentioning that Ace doesn't ever get the experience and bonding of feeding Sabo. So… with that, you can pump out milk and then put it in a bottle, of which you will find several in the bottom of the bag, and yeah, Ace can feed his son."
Tears stung her eyes without warning and Ashina sucked in a breath, batting her eyes to try and fight back the waterworks.
"You guys shouldn't have done that. That's so sweet of you!"
"Well, it's not like you were going to be able to get off at this stop anyway. So Jora did her research, and by research, I mean she grilled the poor store owner, and picked out the best one. I really hope it works for you."
"Tana this is amazing! You three shouldn't have done this. Here," Ashina said, moving toward the desk and opening a drawer to pull out a small pouch of berry. "Let me pay you back."
"No! No, Ashina that's not necessary. We wanted to do this for you. You didn't really get to have any sort of cute baby shower with lots of gifts."
"That's because Ace and I went a bit crazy getting stuff ourselves."
"Well, you did good because it's all being used, but you didn't have this, and we thought you'd like the break and that Commander Ace would enjoy getting to bond with Sabo a different way."
Ashina smiled softly, plopping the bag of money back into the desk drawer and closing it with her hip. She glanced over at Sabo who managed to lull himself into a peaceful sleep.
Tana followed her gaze. "Now may be a good time to try and pump. I can help you if you'd like. Ace was still in the town when we headed back for the ship. You should have time before he comes back. Then you can surprise him."
"How long will the milk be good after I pump it?"
"Jora said you'd ask this question," Tana replied on a giggle. "Four hours at room temp. Four days if you store it in the fridge, and up to six months if you freeze it."
"Wow."
"Yeah, but we'll just worry about room temp for now. Ace won't be gone for longer than four hours so you won't have to worry. The worry will be if Sabo takes the bottle from his daddy instead of the joy of his getting his milk directly from his mama. I'll leave you to it."
Tana went to leave as Ashina began to unpack the pump. Nervous anticipation ran through her as she stared at all the parts, tubes, and little funnel looking cups.
"Hey, Tana? Tanaharu?" Ashina called.
Tana popped her head back around the doorframe, a smile gracing her pretty face. "Yes?"
"I think I could use a bit of help."
Tana tittered as she stepped into the room, shutting the door behind her. "Alright. Let's do this, just you know, don't be bashful."
"Tana, I think my modesty went out the window the day I gave birth. I distinctly remember you, Jora, and Marco getting a good look at me in all my glory multiple times that day."
Tana laughed, covering her mouth to muffle the sound so she didn't wake Sabo. "If it's any comfort at all, we try to be very quick in our looks and checks, and Marco only looked the once when Sabo was crowning."
Ashina snorted. "I'm sure it's an image he really wanted in his brain."
Tana snorted. "Oh yes. Now, let's see how this sucker works," she said, plucking the instruction manual out of the box and beginning to read.
Forty minutes, lots of giggles, and a few failed attempts later, Ashina held the small container of milk in her hand. Tana left her to choose a bottle, all of which had already been sanitized, for the actual feeding and went to clean the parts of the pump for her. Ashina decided the bottle whose nipple piece looked most like a real nipple would be the best option for the first time trying to give Sabo a bottle. Very carefully, Ashina poured the milk into the bottle and twisted the lid securely closed.
Boisterous laughter reached her ears and she knew Ace was on the ship, as much from the noise level as from the hints of his haki growing stronger as he moved through the ship. Ashina never really understood exactly what part of her sensed the haki, but after years of training, she could also close her eyes and see the colorful ribbons of power swirling around her the same as she could sense their presence. Ace's was a deep red and glowed like fire, warm and commanding, almost overpowering in his raw strength. It was clear why Ace had the ability to use Conqueror's Haki, as his own underlying current of haki was comparable to her father's in the way it reverberated. Unlike her father, he could not make his haki come to the surface at his will.
Sabo stirred at the noise echoing down the hallway, as Ashina moved the white bag holding the remaining bottles and pump pieces to the corner of the room.
Ace rounded the corner, entering the room with a big smile.
"Hey. Sorry I was gone so long. Did you have fun today?" Ace asked, crossing the room to pull her into a hug, giving her no time to respond as his lips molded to hers.
When he broke away she gave him a soft smile. "Yes. Kotatsu and I had lots of fun on deck with Sabo."
Ace gave her a wink, but at the mention of his boy, pivoted around to where the baby lay asleep on the small carpet. Despite being asleep, Ace lifted the boy into his arms.
"Hi, buddy," he cooed to Sabo, who let out a fussy cry at being woken. "Sorry, buddy. Daddy was just so happy to see you, I couldn't help myself. I just had to pick you up. You're too cute not to be picked up."
Sabo squirmed, and Ace did his best to adjust his hold, trying to sooth the irritated baby for several minutes. Pleading eyes caught Ashina's, and she chuckled as Ace whispered. "Sorry. I think he's hungry."
He stepped forward, extending his arms out to hand her the still squirming baby. Ashina shook her head which caused Ace's eyes to widen.
"Is he hungry? Usually he's hungry when he wakes up. Is it too early?"
Ashina giggled and shook her head again. "Sit in the rocking chair."
Ace raised a quizzical brow, but followed her direction. Glad that Ace was oblivious to the bottle that was still sitting on the desk, Ashina swiped it before turning to face him. She held the bottle out to him with a grin, catching him by surprise. "Thought you might like to try and feed him." His eyes widened, but she kept going. "He may not like it, the bottle I mean, the milk is mine, but Jora and Tana bought a pump for me today and we tried it out. I thought you'd enjoy getting the experience of feeding your son, too."
Ace's fingers were shaking as he reached for the bottle. He took it from her, fingertips brushing hers, before he adjusted Sabo better in his arm.
"I'm just going to warn you to, you know, not get your hopes up. Sabo may hate the bottle and I may have to take over, but…" she trailed off, watching as Ace caught Sabo's gaze and held the bottle in front of him.
"Hey, buddy. Can daddy feed you? Huh? I know it's not mama, but it's from mama so it's still the same good stuff," he cooed softly.
Ashina leaned her hip against the desk and watched as Ace lowered the bottle to Sabo's lips. The boy fussed for a bit, not used to the plastic nipple, but once he sucked in a good pull of milk he calmed. His green eyes stared up at Ace as he drank, little cheeks moving with each suckle.
Ace flicked his eyes up to Ashina and grinned, a grin bigger than any she'd seen before. "Thank you."
A bubble of laughter swelled up, but she tampered it down before giving him another gentle smile. "You're welcome, Ace. Don't forget to burp him when he's done."
Then she was gone, leaving the room and closing the door behind her, allowing Ace the moment alone to feed Sabo and bask in the connection such a simple action created.
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The sky was threatening rain, but that didn't stop most of the crew from milling about on the deck, enjoying the cloudy day before the skies eventually broke. Ace wasn't sure where Ashina was at the moment, but it didn't matter much as he stretched out on the deck, laying on his belly as he faced Sabo who was also stretched out on his belly. Tummy time was something Sabo enjoyed more if someone laid with him, mutual suffering, Ashina jokingly called it.
Kotatsu laid next to them, his giant paw of great interest to Sabo who tried to reach for the furry foot. His little hand batted at Kotatsu's paw, and the lynx shifted. Ace chuckled when Sabo let out an angry grunt and tried to scoot to grab the paw again. He was successful, little fingers threading through the thick fur. Happy babbles echoed in the air before Kotatsu shifted again, removing his paw from under Sabo's little hand. The boy let out another grunt of displeasure and tried to scoot again.
A splash followed by a hard thump on the deck caught Ace's attention and he looked up to see Jinbei standing on the deck.
"Jinbei!" Pops greeted first. "What brings you here old friend?"
Jinbei struck up a conversation with Pops, interrupted multiple times as he said hello to many crew members that passed and gave a greeting of their own.
"Haven't seen you on the seas in a while. Your crew was very hush hush about your whereabouts. For good reason I assume?"
Pops chuckled, nodding his head to where Ace still laid stretched out on the deck across from his son. Jinbei's gaze landed on Sabo and he turned quickly back to stare at Pops.
"A baby?" Jinbei swore.
Pops let out a loud guffaw. "First son of one of my Commanders. Ace," Pops called out, catching the young man's attention. "bring my grandson over here to meet Jinbei."
Ace hopped up instantly, a huge, proud smile on his face. He scooped Sabo into his arms and crossed the deck, tickling the boy's tummy which elicited joyous giggles and squeals.
"Ace-san," Jinbei said in an almost whisper. "He looks just like you."
"Thanks. Jinbei, meet Sabo," Ace shifted the baby so he could see Jinbei. "Sabo, meet our friend Jinbei."
Jinbei leaned closer to smile at the boy, and Ace watched as Sabo's face morphed from one of happiness to terror in an instant. His scream pierced the air and he twisted in a way Ace hadn't seen him move before, clutching at Ace and wailing.
"Hey, buddy," Ace whispered, tilting his head down to look at Sabo and rubbing soothing circles on his back. "It's okay. It's okay, Daddy's got you. Jinbei's not gonna hurt you, he just wanted to say hi."
Nothing Ace did or said would calm the baby.
"What have you done to my son?"
Ace breathed a sigh of relief as his eyes met Ashina's. She reached his side and plucked the screaming boy from his arms. Sabo's wailing stopped, but the cries and soft whimpers did not.
"Hi, baby. What is it? Did mean ol' Daddy make you mad? Are you scared of Jinbei, huh? Is that it? You aren't scared of Namur. Huh? Is it all better now that you're with mama?"
Sabo snuggled closer to his mother's chest, laying his head on her shoulder as his big green eyes stared at Ace.
"I'm sorry, buddy," Ace said, reaching out to rub a hand over Sabo's back. "Sorry, Jinbei," Ace added, cocking his head to look at his friend.
Jinbei just chuckled and waved a dismissive hand. "S'alright, Ace-san. You've got a cute little boy. Congratulations, Missus Spade."
Ashina smiled, pressing a tender kiss to Sabo's head. "Thank you. I'm going to go lay him down for a nap. Will you be staying for a while?"
"Just for the day. Wanted to stop in and check on the Old Man."
"Good, I'll be back once little man is asleep."
As he watched Ashina disappear below deck, Jinbei chuckled lowly. Turning his gaze to Pops, Jinbei said, "So that's why you've been incognito for the last half a year. Got you a kid on board. Didn't think I'd see that again."
Pops just shrugged, grinning at Jinbei, "Needed to ensure she rested, we docked at Sphinx for a few months. Let the little brat get a bit older before we returned to sea."
"Gave time for Pops to relax and take it easy for a change, too," Marco interjected, joining the group. "Nice to see you, Jinbei."
"You as well, Marco," Jinbei replied.
Pops' grumble sent the other three men into laughter.
"You should take care of yourself, Old Man."
"If you're going to lecture me Jinbei then I need a cup of sake."
Marco rolled his eyes as Jinbei laughed loudly. "Still the same, Old Man. Let's have a drink then!"
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.
.
Crystal clear blue-green water gently caressed the white sandy beach of the little tropical island. It was another stop, this one for fun and some relaxation rather than a restocking of the ship. It was another island that was not claimed under a yonko's territory, therefore, it was another stop where Ashina was not allowed off the ship.
"Please Pops," Ashina begged, holding Sabo on her hip. "It's so beautiful and calm, and it doesn't even look inhabited. I won't go far. I just want to let Sabo play in the water and the sand. Ace will stay with me."
Ace scratched a hand through his hair, ruffling the ends. "I'll stay with her, Pops. I promise not to take her anywhere but the beach."
Pops eyed the pair and then sighed. "Fine. Only the beach, where I can see you from the deck. And only after Marco does a fly over to make sure nothing seems out of the ordinary."
"What?" Marco asked, catching his name as he walked by.
"Fly over the island. Check it out. Make sure it's safe for Ashina and Sabo to be on the beach."
Marco nodded, handing the crate he was carrying to a passing underling. "Take that to the storeroom." He exploded into a mass of blue feathers and was gone in an instant.
Sabo watched with wide eyes, trying to follow the path Marco flew. He let out a loud coo, hands reaching toward the sky. Ashina giggled as she looked down at her boy. "Did Uncle Marco fly away? Oh no! He'll come back. Then we can go play on the beach. Mama's gonna stick your little feetsies in the water."
Ashina tickled one of Sabo's bare feet, making the little boy squeal in delight and kick his feet.
Marco landed beside the group a few moments later. "All clear, Pops. I think they'll be alright on the beach."
Pops nodded, humming lowly, before looking at Ashina and Ace. "On the beach and the water only. Ace, don't let them out of your sight."
"Never, Pops," Ace replied. He bent down to pick up the bag Ashina had at her feet and then looped an arm over Ashina's shoulder. "Let's go, Missus."
They headed down ramp together to the makeshift dock floating in the water. Ace tossed the bag in one of the tiny rowboats, and sat at the oars. As soon as Ashina sat, Ace used a powerful stroke to propel them through the water. Ashina hopped out first when they reached shallow water, and waded to the shore as the waves broke around her knees. Ace looped the bag over his shoulder and then hauled the boat to shore. He followed Ashina to the spot she picked out on the sand and Ace pulled the rolled-up blanket from the bag, stretching it out over the warm sand. He placed the bag at one corner to keep it weighted down and started to pull out toys while Ashina plopped Sabo on the blanket.
She kicked off her sandals and then looked to Ace. "We're on the beach, why on earth are you wearing boots?"
Ace shrugged and bent to pull off his boots and socks, watching as Ashina lathered Sabo head to toe in sunscreen. Marco joined them, beach chairs tucked under his arm, with Thatch behind him carrying an umbrella and another chair.
"Thought we'd crash the party. I'll be sure not to cover all the sun, Red," Thatch announced, ramming the umbrella pole deep into the sand.
Ashina snorted. "Whatever. Come on, sweet boy. Let's go play in the water."
"Little man looks cute in his little swim trunks," Thatch commented as Ashina and Sabo headed for the water.
Ace snorted and glanced at Thatch. "You really just use the word cute?"
"To describe your son, yes. I'm secure enough in my manhood to use the word cute."
Marco rolled his eyes as he reclined in the beach chair. "Right. Okay. Don't you have scavenging to do?"
"Naw, sent the crew to look for any fruits or plants that were safe to consume. Thought I'd explore the island just for fun later though. Seems strange to have never come to this island before. We've been all over the New World."
"It's a big ocean. There's still more places we've never been, probably some we'll never see."
Sabo squealed loudly, catching all three men's attention. Ashina was holding his torso as she stood knee deep in the water. Slowly she'd lower him toward the water and let the gentle wave wash over his feet before she'd dip him quickly into the water. His legs kicked and arms flapped in excitement at the sensation. The baby liked water, loved bath time, but being in the ocean was a first.
Ace wished he could join them, but the seawater would weaken him, and he wanted to be at his strongest in order to protect them. "Hard to believe he's already five months old."
"They grow up so fast," Thatch said, his voice teasingly feminine.
"Shut the fuck up," Ace shot back on a chuckle.
"They do grow up quickly," Marco said. "He'll be crawling soon or he may skip straight to trying to walk."
"Be funny to watch him earn his sea legs," Thatch mused.
"He'll learn better than most grown men since he'll learn to walk on a ship from the beginning."
Ace just grinned, so caught up in watching Ashina and Sabo that he barely heard Thatch and Marco continue talking. Boisterous laughter caught his attention and he turned his head to see Tenshin and Yukichi barreling through the surf.
"Commander Thatch!" Yukichi shouted. "We've finished all our chores, so can we play for the rest of the day, please?"
Thatch gave them a hard stare. "Deck scrubbed?"
Both boys nodded.
"Kitchen clean? Dishes done and put away?"
Another nod.
"Commander's Hall swept and mopped?"
The boys nodded again, shifting under Thatch's scrutiny. Thatch let them stand there in silence for a moment longer before he grinned. "Put on some sunscreen so you don't end up looking like boiled lobsters by the end of the day and don't drown each other horse playing in the water either."
Both boys jumped in excitement. Sunscreen was applied quickly but thoroughly, before they danced around in the hot sand.
"Yes! First one back in the water is a rotten egg!" Tenshin shouted, taking off for the water.
"Hey! Not fair!" Yukichi yelled as he too took off into the water, kicking up sand as he sprinted across the beach.
Marco chuckled as the two boys splashed through the surf, finally reaching each other and pushing and shoving, splashing each other with water. "They make good cabin boys."
Thatch chuckled. "They'll be exhausted by tonight and useless for kitchen clean up."
"Don't be too hard on em," Ashina said, joining the group and sitting under the umbrella with Sabo on her lap. "They deserve a break to be kids."
"They ought to work on some of their training," Ace said.
Thatch shushed him quickly. "Don't say that too loud. They're all for training sessions, eager buggers. They act too big for their britches sometimes."
Ashina giggled. "They're doing well with haki training. Tenshin showed signs of armament haki the other day. Hand to hand training would be good for him."
"I know the perfect person," Marco said, looking toward Ace.
Ace only chuckled. "Whatever. You're just as good."
"I don't have time to train cabin boys," Marco retorted.
"Who trained you?" Ashina asked him, "when you were a cabin boy?"
"When I was a young boy I trained mostly with Pops. When Oden came along he trained with me. Then Thatch came along and we used to fight all the time."
"I hope you kicked his ass," Ashina interjected.
Marco laughed loudly while Thatch pouted. "With my Devil Fruit I did until Thatch learned my moves."
"Then I managed to kick your ass."
The group laughed, Sabo joining in and mimicking their mirth. Ace scooted closer so he could lift Sabo from Ashina's lap. He held the boy up in the air above his head, smiling up at him. "Hi, buddy! Do you think that's funny?"
Ace tossed him barely into the air and the boy giggled uncontrollably as Ace caught him, only to repeat the action. He pulled him down close to his face and blew raspberries on his belly. Sabo pawed at Ace's head, grasping at his hair as he giggled and squealed. Laying him down between his legs allowed Ace to tickle Sabo's belly.
Sabo kicked his legs and then tried to roll himself over, giggling the entire time as Ace tickled him. Sabo managed to flip himself over when Ace paused his ministrations.
"Did Daddy get you?" Ashina cooed to Sabo, making the little boy turn his head, seeking out his mother's voice.
Pushing up on his arms, Sabo tried to rock and move.
"You can do it, little buddy!" Thatch encouraged, hopping up from his chair. "I think I'm going to go explore the island. See what these forests have hidden in their depths. Wanna come Marco?"
"Why not. As long as Ashina and Ace are good to keep an eye on the troublesome twosome."
"Are you talking about the boys or ourselves?" Ashina retorted with a cheeky grin.
"The boys, but you two stay outta trouble too," Marco said, standing from his own lounge chair. "See you two later. Bye, Sabo, have fun on the beach, yoi."
Ashina leaned back on the blanket and closed her eyes. Ace let his own eyes travel down her body, from her messy bun of red hair, to the little black bikini that barely covered her curves. She wasn't exactly as she was before Sabo came along, but Ace could still see the lines of muscle on her and knew she was working and training hard whenever she could to keep up her strength and skill.
"What's say we call in the boys for a training session while Sabo takes a break under the umbrella."
Ashina cracked open an eye, raising her head slightly to see that Sabo was in fact starting to drift off. Sitting up fully, she leaned over to first peck Ace's cheek with a kiss, before gently scooping Sabo into her arms. Crawling on her knees, she moved Sabo to rest more under the center of the shady area. He stirred and fussed for a moment, but calmed under Ashina's soothing whispers.
"Ready?" she asked, jumping to her feet.
"Yeah." Ace walked out near the foamy touch of the waves, cupping his hands around his mouth before he called out. "Hey, want to do some training?"
Both boys instantly froze, rough housing halted, before they both whooped and dashed for the shore.
They took turns sparring with Ashina and Ace, and each other. The young boys were quick learners, Tenshin picked up the moves and countermoves more easily than Yukichi. However, the younger boy didn't let defeat get him down, and focused on correcting himself and learning from the mistake.
While taking a break for a drink of fresh water and a breath, Ace trotted off into the edges of the trees. Ashina watched, curious as to what he was looking for in the brush. Turning her attention back to Sabo, she smiled at her boy. He wasn't asleep, but he was peaceful as he stared up at underside of the umbrella and chewed on his fingers.
"Hi, sweet boy." Ashina rubbed his tummy gently and Sabo cooed up at her, his lips pulling up into a slobby grin as he continued to chew on his hands. "Does mama need to change you? Huh? How about a diaper change, and then we play in the sand? Yes? Does that sound like fun?"
Sabo cooed and babbled, trying his best to mimic her sounds.
"That's my sweet boy. What do you have to say, huh? Do you want to watch Tenshin and Yukichi train some more with Daddy?"
Ashina was slipping Sabo's blue swim trunks over his fresh diaper when Ace emerged from the tree line, three long branches in his hands. Ashina lifted Sabo up, peppering his cheek with lots of kisses. She held him against her as she turned around to look at Ace when he tossed two of the sticks at the boys.
The long branches were solid, and about as thick as her forearm.
"What are we going to do with these?" Yukichi asked first, picking up his branch.
Ace spun his own longer branch in his hand, jamming it into the sand and giving the boys a big grin. "We're going to add a weapon to our hand to hand. My brothers and I used metal pipes, but we're fresh out of those today."
"Really? We get to use weapons now?" Tenshin asked excitedly.
"Just these sticks, and just this one time. We might do some more training like this on the Moby, we'll see how today goes. Wanna hear the rules?" Ace asked them.
"Yes!" The boys shouted at the same time.
Ashina grinned, shifting to sit cross-legged in the shade, and cradled Sabo to her chest so he could feed. Ace winked at her and then turned his attention back to the boys.
"Alright. You two against me, but only one at a time. You get a chance to attack and then you tag out. Next one can try while the other catches their breath and think of their next move. Tenshin, you go first. Yukichi, watch carefully to plan your attack for when your turn comes."
Both boys nodded and fell into a fighting stance, each slightly clumsy with their wooden batons. Tenshin shifted his hold, adjusting the weight in his hand, while eyeing Ace who was casually twirling his own weapon in one hand. Tenshin moved and Ace easily countered him, sidestepping and gently tapping the boy on the back of his thighs.
"Out."
Yukichi moved next, striking with a hard, overhand swing that Ace easily knocked away. "Out."
The boys continued trying to take down Ace, and Ace continued to counter and attack. They practiced for a long time before both boys collapsed in the sand, panting hard.
"He's too strong," Yukichi panted.
"He's just older, s'all. We've got to train more. Get stronger," Tenshin replied between breaths.
Ashina and Ace shared a knowing grin. They too knew what it felt like, the desire to be stronger, to get better so that you could be one of the best.
"Hey boys," Ashina called out. "What's say we pack up the stuff and head back to the ship. I'll make us all some fresh lemonade."
The boys were a little slower, their excitement quieter, but they rose to their feet and moved to help fold up chairs and take them to the little boat. Ace rowed them back to the ship and the boys rushed to unload items. Once the task was completed the boys raced off to the kitchens.
"Gimmie, gimmie, gimmie," Jora said, rushing up to Ashina. "You've had him all day. I've been waiting to play with him on the new water mat all day."
Ashina chuckled as she handed over Sabo, who cooed happily at Jora. "Then you can keep him while I go make the lemonade I promised Yukichi and Tenshin."
Jora waved a dismissive hand as she headed off. "I'll be on the quarter deck, take your time."
Ace tossed an arm over Ashina shoulders and pointed toward Jora with his free hand. "Did she just snatch and dip with our baby?"
"Sure did. Come on, let's get these boys some lemonade and then grab a shower while Jora has Sabo."
.
.
.
The crew was scattered about the deck, enjoying the last rays of warmth from the sun as it began its decent toward the sea. Pops was sipping sake in his chair, while Jozu and Vista lounged beside him, the three men sharing quiet conversation.
After their quick shower, Deuce caught Ace and talked him into a game of cards. They sat with Saber and Mihar around a large barrel playing poker and sharing jokes and stories.
Sabo was still enjoying the water mat Jora found at the last town. Ashina and Jora sat on either side of Sabo while he played. He sat in the middle of the mat, which had a layer of plastic that covered the blue, sparkling liquid inside. Bright colored plastic fish floated inside the mat. The edges came up high enough to allow water to be filled inside the play mat too. Sabo splashed his hands in the shallow water, trying to grab one of the unreachable plastic red fish.
Jora waved a bright green octopus in his face and Sabo reached for it, leaning to grab it just until he was unsure about his balance. Then he straightened to sit up again and screeched at her, his fist clenching and unclenching.
"Goodness, Sabo. Here," Jora replied to him, holding out the toy.
He gripped one of the tentacles and flapped his arms happily, splashing in the water and sending droplets into the air along with his giggles. A particularly large splash doused Kotatsu in a mini rain shower and the lynx stood. He shook out his fur before padding a foot or two away before flopping down once more.
The beat of wings caught her attention, and Ashina tilted her head back to see Marco flying above them, doing circles with Thatch on his back as he slowly descended toward the deck.
Thatch jumped down, Marco's wings disappeared, and both men landed light-footed on the deck.
"Thought you two got lost," Jozu called out, making many around the deck laugh.
Thatch shook his head. "Just got lost in adventure," he pulled his arm from behind his back and held up his hand. "Look what I found!"
Kotatsu let out a loud hiss, shrinking back toward Ashina and Sabo.
"Woah," Ace said, hoping up from his poker game to trot over to Kotatsu. He patted the lynx's shoulder while examining the fruit in Thatch's hand. "It's okay, man. It's just a Devil Fruit. I wonder which one it is."
Thatch shrugged. "No clue. Found it growing on this weird looking bush. It was bright green with spiky leaves with dark purple tips. Thing looks pretty cool," Thatch said, holding up the fruit and admiring it.
"You gonna eat it or just look at it?" Marco teased.
"I'm gonna think about it. Gotta weigh the options. Besides, I don't even know what powers it has. Do you?"
Marco shook his head.
"So it could be something really cool, or something really stupid."
Ashina chuckled. "It's still a hard no for me. Your kitchen crew said to tell you dinner is almost ready. They want your last opinions before it's served."
Thatch nodded, tucking the fruit under his arm, and heading down to the kitchens.
.
.
.
Ashina laid her sleeping son in his cradle, watching the gentle rise and fall of his chest. Sabo took to the bottle easily, allowing for Ace to help feed him, but at night it was easier to just feed him herself than to deal with warming up milk. She was hoping soon he would sleep through the night without the need for the midnight feed. It disrupted her sleep, which was beginning to take its toll. Most nights she could curl back up into Ace's warm chest and fall asleep, but some nights, like tonight, she couldn't fall asleep.
Instead of fidgeting in the bed and risk waking Ace, Ashina slipped on her long robe and padded softly out of the room. The summer air was warm, but humid with the lack of a breeze, even on the open sea. The deck was dark, the heavy cloud coverage blocking out the stars and threatening rain on the horizon. A distant flash of lightening illuminated the deck long enough for Ashina to spot Thatch. Now that her eyes found him, she found it easier to see his tall shape. He held the devil fruit in his hands, tossing it back and forth, as he sat perched on a large barrel.
Ashina headed toward Thatch, the sudden warm breeze blew across the deck, lifting strands of her hair. Electricity seemed to buzz in the air, lifting the hairs on her arms as well. Ashina squinted in the dark, catching movement behind Thatch. The flash of lightening illuminated the deck and Teach's wide body as he stepped out of the shadows.
A glint of steel caught her eye as Teach moved close behind Thatch. "Hey!" Ashina screamed, but the boom of thunder drowned out her cry.
Thatch's shout of pain reached her ears as he crumpled, the fruit dropping from his hands. Ashina watched as it bounced on the deck, rolling a few feet away before Teach scooped it up. He was laughing, holding the fruit up triumphantly as blood dripped from the three-bladed claws clutched in his hand.
"THATCH!" Ashina screamed as he slumped forward, falling onto the deck.
Teach caught sight of her and he took a step forward, as she screamed, "ACE! POPS! HELP!"
Teach stopped and locked eyes with her, squinting at her with a cold, unfriendly gaze, one she'd never seen on his face before. The next flash of lightening was followed suddenly by the boom of thunder and the downpour of rain. As her eyes blinked back the fat raindrops, Teach was gone.
It was Pops who reached her first, Marco seconds after with Ace on his heels. The bellow Pops released had the deck a flurry of movement within seconds, but Ashina couldn't make out his words. Warm arms pulled Ashina off the deck. She didn't remember falling to her knees. The arms wrapped her tightly in a desperate hug all while checking her for injury.
"I'm okay," she heard herself whisper. Ace's lips pressed to her forehead while his arms kept hold of her.
Ashina turned her head to watch as Marco's fingers worked quickly, ghosting over Thatch's wounds. Thatch tried to mumble something as Marco tore away his shirt and Ashina caught Marco's smirk as he snapped, "shut up, pervert" before it disappeared to his serious look of concentration.
Marco shouted to Izo, as Pops was shouting his own orders. Izo stopped next to Marco as the nurses came running onto the deck. Jora's scream pierced the night as she caught sight of Thatch's bloody body. Marco caught sight of her and shouted her name.
"Jora. Jora! Prep the operating room! Now."
Marco's Commander's tone, one rarely used, snapped Jora into action. She took control of the nurses surrounding them, barking out tasks as she ushered them back below deck.
"Ashina. Ashina. Hey, look at me," Ace's voice snapped her out of her dazed thoughts and brought her back to him. She met his gaze, focusing on his dark grey eyes. Ace's thumbs brushed over her cheeks as his hands cupped her face. "Are you hurt?"
"No, I… I couldn't sleep. I came up here, Thatch was sitting on the barrel. It was dark. Teach, he… he came out of the shadows. He took the devil fruit. He attacked Thatch for it."
"He stole it?" Fossa asked.
"Why would Teach steal Thatch's devil fruit? He knows the rules of the ship," Haruta mused.
It was then Ashina realized the other commanders were surrounding them. Her fingers dug into Ace's arms, sudden panic striking her. "My baby."
Ace held her tighter, not letting her run away. "He's okay. Deuce is with him."
"I need to… I need my baby." Ashina whimpered, clutching Ace tighter.
Pops touched Ace softly on his shoulder, catching his attention. He nodded toward the doorway, motioning for Ace to take her below deck. Ace looked around the circle of his brothers, all standing in shock as the rain washed Thatch's blood from the boards of the deck.
Ace nodded his head and gathered Ashina in his arms, striding quickly out of the rain and disappearing below deck. Deuce pushed open the door for Ace and stepped to the side. Ace was glad to see that not only was Deuce guarding the door, but Kotatsu sat protectively beside the cradle.
The moment they were in the room, Ashina scooped Sabo into her arms, cradling him close to her chest. Her lips pressed to his forehead and her eyes closed. Ace could see the relief on her face at the feel of her baby safely in her arms, and the shock that he could have lost her tonight stuck him with a suddenness he was unprepared for. Teach had so easily severely wounded Thatch and he could have easily struck Ashina as well. Her screams woke him, like Marco and Pops.
Ace felt the sudden urge to have her in his own arms. He turned to look at Deuce, clapping him on the shoulder. "Go up on deck. Check in with Pops. Tell him I'll be there in five."
Deuce nodded once, shutting the bedroom door behind him as he followed Ace's order.
Wasting no time, Ace closed the distance between him and Ashina, pulling her in to his chest with one arm while being mindful of their son. He lifted his free hand to gently brush her hair back, tucking it behind her ear. Ashina raised her head to meet his gaze. Ace dropped a tender kiss to her hairline, before touching his forehead to hers, the tip of his nose brushing hers. Her free hand slid around his waist and she managed to press herself closer, their son still sleeping peacefully between them.
"Why would Teach do this?" Ashina whispered. "He tried to kill Thatch, he-" her voice cracked, choking off her words.
Ace brushed his thumb over her cheek, raising his head so he could see her eyes better. Ace wasn't sure what to say. Teach was a member of his crew. A member without a bounty. A man who, when Ace joined the crew, encouraged him to take the position as second division commander. Tonight he, a man who seemed to have no care for power or fame, attempted to murder a fellow crew mate - a Commander - for a devil fruit. Ace tried to contain his building rage. Teach was one of his men, one of his brothers and he committed a heinous crime aboard the ship.
Ace took a deep, slow breath, his hand trailing down Ashina's neck to her back. "I don't know, but we'll find out. Stay here with Sabo until we know for sure if he's left the ship. I'll send Deuce to stand outside the door again. Kotatsu, will you stay here?"
The lynx nodded as Ashina whispered, "Why would he stick around?"
"I don't think he did," Ace replied, lifting his hand to brush a strand of hair away from her face. "But stay here, please? I'm sending Deuce back down just in case."
Ashina could see the worry swimming in his eyes, and gave him a soft smile. "I'll stay, but keep me updated, please."
"I will." Ace kissed her mouth. He let the kiss linger, treasuring the feel of her in his hands, safe, before he turned for the door.
Ashina felt tears sting her eyes, sudden and unbidden. Laying Sabo gently in his cradle first, Ashina moved to catch Ace's arm.
"Ace." Her voice broke again as the sob left her lips. She flung herself into his chest, arms going tightly around his torso, squeezing him just to feel the hard presence of his body. "I love you."
Tears blurred his vision as he dipped his head to press his lips to the top of her head. "I love you too."