Read and review, it helps keep me motivated. If you have any ideas I would love to hear them as well :)

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece's legal rights of ownership... as far as being the creator anyway... I own the books and anime that I bought with my own money. So there.

Special thanks to my betas for helping me get this far

Chapter 3: Why…

Why…? Why were they doing this? Why do they care so much for someone as worthless as him? The stupid Marines took pride in revealing who his cursed father was, and not the man he preferred to be known as his father either. But the man who was responsible for his mother suffering. Now everyone knew just what he would prefer to keep hidden away.

He hated this. He hated that people disrespected his mother like this. He hated Gold Roger. He hated himself. His teeth grinded together in his frustration and disgust now that the whole world knew his darkest secret. He knew his family would accept him, some of them already knew his dark secret, but it didn't make him any less angry that the Marines were mocking him while placing him out on display for the world. What he hated most of all, he just knew he would be the cause of the war that was very likely to happen. To make matters worse, he was going to be reason why so many of his friends and family were going to die today. They should just kill him now rather than wait. He didn't want this.

Ace tried to get them to leave him to his fate. He didn't want them to fight because of him. He was the one that got in this mess because he didn't listen to what Whitebeard and the others said. If he had listened this wouldn't be going on right now. But they all disagreed… they were family they said. They wouldn't leave family behind. This caused Ace to be filled with grief and he bowed till his head touched the platform. He wasn't bowing just because he was so very grateful, he was also regretting what happened even more and he was doing his best to hide any threat of tears that could possibly escape.

Then the war began… Pops… Marco… everyone was there, even friends he hasn't seen in a while where there. Pops was more impressive than he remembered… what he did was incredible as he shook the world and literally changed the shape of it before giving rise to huge tsunami's to greet the Marines with a vengeance. However… the admirals began to move as well… the field seemed to be evenly matched as the war dragged on. Marines and pirates alike fell… and yet... they still wouldn't leave him to his fate.

Just when he thought that the Marines were beginning to overwhelm his family, he heard a very familiar voice that he didn't think he'd ever hear again. Looking around, he was trying to locate the source of the voice yelling his name and many new voices behind it that encouraged the disheartened or caused fear with the unknown location of where it was coming from. Pirate and Marine alike briefly stopped fighting as a result.

With no luck around the group of people on the ground, Ace looked up as that was the only other Luffy-logic that he knew. Sure enough, she was there, falling from a ship with a wide smile on her face as she called out his name. Shocked and heart breaking even more, whether from relief that she made it out of Impel Down or from the fact that she was still trying to rescue him from his execution, he couldn't tell. Last time he saw her was in Alabasta, before she went off to fight Crocodile… who was also in her little merry band of escaped prisoners now that he looked.

"Luffy…" he stated brokenly as he watched her and the others crash into the middle of the battlefield. She shouldn't have come… she should've stayed away from the very beginning. Instead she'd chased him into the depths of hell that Impel Down represented and he knew how hard that must have been for her to do so. The warlord Boan Hancock – Emperor of Amazon Leo, who came to see him, probably thought that telling him that Luffy was there would bring him hope. Instead it brought him despair… Why couldn't she stay away? He wanted her to be safe, not going into hell to save him from what probably should've happened a long time ago.

Alas, no matter what the circumstances… he couldn't be mad at her. He was mad that she was doing all this for him, but he wasn't mad that she was there all the same. Ace was glad that he at least got to see her face, hear her voice one more time. She was definitely a sight that his eyes needed to see before he died. At least… that was how he felt until guilt and regret built up inside of him as a result. He recalled their childhood promise all too clearly… plus, he still wanted to take care of her like he said he would do. His promise to Sabo also clear in his mind. Also, he had yet to repay Whitebeard and the others for accepting him with open arms like they did… he had so much to regret now… and yet he couldn't do anything but accept that he was going to die today.

Even when Luffy stopped his execution with the Conquerors Haki, surprising everyone there. The Marines, the pirates, the Commanders and even Whitebeard himself were all stunned at the occurrence. Then Ace knew. Before the Marines even made their move, that Luffy would be the target of every person wearing a marine uniform. She was their main target to destroy. Not just him anymore as she was the more dangerous threat that is running free. Ace, yet again, became the bait for their new target… his own little sister.

Ace stared at Luffy as she called out to him again, reaching for him, crying for him even. He wanted to take her hand and hold her close, tell her that everything would be okay and wipe her tears away. But he couldn't. Not if the Marines had anything to say about that. He had tried to tell her that she didn't belong there, but she gave him a fact that he didn't have the heart to deny. They were siblings… they promised to look out for one another. To live with no regrets. Again, Ace was at a loss for words… watching as Luffy ran and ran. He couldn't tell from where he was, but with the fights she had likely gone through at the prison, plus the fighting here, he could guess that she was exhausted. He heard her voice again.

"Ace! I won't let you die! You promised me, remember?" Luffy called to him again, her hand reaching once more to him.

'Luffy… please… don't do this…' Ace gritted his teeth together again as he watched her struggle to reach the platform, to reach him. He couldn't stand the thought of her dying because of him too. But, the sound of her desperation, the need to have him with her was very clear to his ears. He could even hear her cry in the midst of those words even if he couldn't see the tears. As much as he wished for her to leave, he couldn't force himself to break her heart. He knew that if he died, here – with her watching him, reaching for him… he would put a scar like never before on her. Even deeper than the one that they both carried from the loss of their blonde brother. All because of a promise that he made as a child to comfort his baby sister.

Just when he was about to give in to despair, as there was nothing he could do – if he accepted that he was going to die, he'd hurt Luffy deeply in a way that she may not recover from for a long time. If he was to allow her and the others to continue to try and free him – putting his hopes on them – they'd die for sure. He was stuck, in a corner, with sea-prism stone cuffs that wouldn't let him go and help his beloved family. 'Why is this happening?! Why shine a light of hope only to have it crush me to the bottom again?! Is there nothing I can do but watch and wait to die?!' Ace wanted to scream out his frustrations, wanted to cry, TO DO SOMETHING! But he wouldn't give the Marines that satisfaction… no… he could do that if, yes if, he was able to return to the open seas as a free man again.

All thought left his mind as Akainu made his move, sending a giant fist of lava straight for his sister – from behind no less. His heart leapt into his chest and he yelled out for Luffy. "Luffy! Behind you!" But she didn't even hesitate in her steps, still reaching for him. He knew she was determined but… he had to make her aware somehow. If she was going to try and save him, then he'd do what he could to keep her as safe as possible from his current situation and position. Even if he couldn't move, he could still yell and talk.

"LUFFY!" Ace called one more time, trying to get through her determination to make her see reason. At last, she seemed to really see and hear him as she finally turned to look. But it was too late… that lava fist was too large and coming too close. He could feel his stomach lift and drop in fear for his sister – who was still running towards him.

A man, in the form of a phoenix, flew in and intercepted the attack with his body. Healing instantly while still protecting Luffy. Ace's shoulders sagged a bit in relief, glad to see that his best friend was still alive and to see that Luffy wasn't anywhere close to being hit by lava. "Marco…" he whispered gratefully. He couldn't hear what was being said between them, but it seemed to be an agreement of sorts as Luffy charged towards Ace once more and Marco stood and faced the magma Marine with his own confident gaze. Ace met Marco's gaze for a moment and he could swear that the blonde was getting a kick out of this still. He'd probably never seen Ace get so worked up and emotional like he was now.

Ace could see his brother and friend teasing him about it later… all of them would actually… if they survived this dumb war. Ace wished, hoped, with everything he had that his family would stay safe and in good health when this is all over. Even if he wasn't going to be around when the end came, he still wished for it.

"Ace!" Luffy called for him again. Though when Ace looked, she appeared… red… and steamy… HUH? What happened to her body!? Was she attacked while he was distracted? Maybe… but… since when did she move so fast? Since when could her arms stretch and snap back so quickly?

In fact, when and how did she get to be a few feet in front of his face!? More and more questions came to mind… almost always returning to 'why'. He could see her tears now, hear her voice clearer than ever as she said his name again, seeing her smile at him, look at him as if he was all she could see right then.

Right then, he wanted to feel her touch… he wanted to hug her tightly, holding her close to his chest and take in her scent. She worked so hard, he knew, just to get this far. Alas, that brief desire was dashed away as the Marines activate a switch… trapping everyone on the ice behind a freaking tall wall that even Whitebeard couldn't break. Save for one place. Just like that, Luffy disappeared from in front of him, trapped behind the wall with everyone else. Screams of frustration and anger could be heard from all the pirates behind the wall. 'I bet Luffy is part of that sound…' Ace mused slightly, finding some humor in it as he thought of a somewhat similar situation from when they were young and he'd left her at the bottom of a ravine.

Frowning again, Ace looked at the fleet admiral who still stood beside him before once more settling back down and wait for his fate again. Closing his eyes, he tried to think of what he could do… what he could say… that would let his family be safe and… dare he say happy? He wanted to wish for it with all his heart and yet he knew that there wouldn't be happiness even if he was rescued… many have fallen already.

Ace watched with a heavy heart as not one of his family was deterred by the trap that was clearly in place. Instead, they seemed to want just that… for the next surprise that they had in store for the dumb Marines - who brought this upon themselves by executing Ace. In such a humiliating way too, no less. "Pops… Luffy… everyone…" Ace called under his breath as he looked on in horror while Akainu used his powers to kill many of his family via shooting out his lava at them and destroying the ice in the process. Looking away in grief, Ace was gritting his teeth together again as once more, helplessness and the desire to do something surrounded him. He ignored the Fleet Admirals words… mostly… he didn't need to be acknowledge more than he already was. Instead, two words escaped Ace as he heard the horrified screams beyond the wall.

"I'm sorry…"

Gah! ACE DON'T GIVE UP! WE LOVE YOU!

So, I didn't get those 5 reviews I wanted, but I did get favorited and followed... I'll count it. Anyway, here's the next chapter. Don't hate me. I plan on making the chapters on a similar pattern. Two chapters are with Luffy, following her is Ace, and then another chapter Luffy's pov, and the 5th chapter will most likely be either Marco's or Whitebeard's take on the whole event that is unfolding. That way, you don't get so many flash backs that lead up to this point every chapter. And... I haven't decided how it would go after that, since I haven't written further than that. If you had noticed, I did change Boa's gender, just made more sense that way... I may do something with it after the war ;) no spoilers tho

But... I FINISHED TWO ESSAYS! YAY! Now... I need to write one more, plus an extra credit essay and I found out today that I have to write my final essay thing after my professor gives it in class and that gives me a week to write it before the last day of school... Why oh why did I have to pick such hard classes? I think I need to rethink my course load for next semester if this one is any indication...

Also, we learned that Ace has a very gentle loving heart that can't take all the love everyone is giving him... hence why he wants to just die and keep as many of his family alive as possible... BUT DON'T WORRY! Luffy will make him see the joy of life ;) Just you wait

Ace:... I hate you... you shouldn't even have my name in your username... You've ruined my pride...

Don't worry ;) Luffy will kiss it better for you

Ace:... Huh? *goes red in the face* K-kiss...?! But she's my little sister!

Anywho, review please ^^ 5 Reviews, or hmm lets say 5 follows/favorites, which ever happens first (or a mix) and a new chapter will be up after.

Ace: HEY! Don't ignore me again!

Audios,

AceAyane