LoveToBake: The worst is behind for them. Hopefully everything will go smoothly from here on out.

94insnae: I definitely wouldn't want to stay if I were them.

Sorry about the shorter chapter! One more chapter and this is over, same with one of my other stories, so two more will be posted in their stead. I have nine to choose from, so it might end up being another crossover while I edit all of the others, or a romance one. Haven't decided on which ones yet. I wrote a bunch of dragon ones, which one was posted a couple days ago. So, look forward to it! Enjoy~

Ace scowled at the floor of the infirmary, getting his knuckles treated from being cut against teeth. Sabo was frowning at him and Luffy looked worried. After all, Ace had just punched one of the commanders on the ship. That was a big no-no, and the Spades were all angry with him for it. That it could jeopardize their chances of getting home.

Marco came into the room, walking to Ace was a disapproving expression. Ace had been pulled away from the incident immediately and brought there to have his bloodied knuckles treated. His victim had been smart and had good reflexes, and coated his cheek in armament haki. So he wasn't injured, Ace was.

"Mind telling me what happened?" Marco asked, arms crossed. The Spades were not all in the room, but Deuce was the one with the most angry aura. They didn't know why Ace had attacked one of the commanders, but it was so lucky it did no damage, even if that pissed Ace off. He was seething before he sighed and glared at Marco.

"That asshole called us retarded," he snapped. "Because we're so 'slow' when we feel sick." Marco had the decency to look shocked. "So I punched him for it."

Luffy frowned and Sabo looked angry now, as well. Oh yeah, the Whitebeards were so welcoming. They sure did want the brothers to stay. That's what Whitebeard had told them. Yeah, right. "I'm shocked. I never thought Kingdew would say that."

Ace snapped, "So you don't believe me?"

"No, I do. I'm just surprised and disappointed. I would usually make you do some sort of chore as a punishment, but I know it would exacerbate your symptoms. Just, don't attack one of us again. If they do something that really bothers you, just tell me or Pops."

Ace looked ashamed, but not because he felt guilt about punching the asshole - no, he deserved it - but because the three all felt like they were cripples there. They were weak, less than pirates. Ace turned on his side and said, "Whatever."

The Spades looked concerned and sad while Luffy and Sabo knew what hurt Ace in what Marco had just said. On the surface it was to be kind and considerate to their illness, but deeper, it was embarrassing and pitiful. Marco looked confused, but seemed to realize he was no longer welcome, and left the room.

They waited for a bit before leaving for the library, where they locked themselves in by putting a coat rack into the double doors' handles to keep anyone out. "I fucking hate this place," Ace snarled.

"We know, and feel the same way," Mihar said. "But, only a couple more days of them before we're back to the PoS. She'll be repaired for free, and we can try and put this mess behind us."

Ace growled, "If they made us pay for it, I would fucking snap and burn this ship down." Sabo shouted at him to not say things like that. It was already bad enough that he punched someone, serious threats would not help them.

Jojo said, "Only a couple more days. Then we'll be back to the Piece of Shit. We have to last just a couple more days and then we're free. Just a little more patience." She sounded almost begging, and Ace felt guilty. His anger fizzled away and he hung his head.

"I'm sorry, guys. I'm sorry for making things worse for us. I just couldn't control myself," Ace said sincerely. "I'll reign in my temper. I'll be different once we're free again. I won't be sour or grumpy or rude or brash. I'll go back to normal," he swore confidently.

Deuce sat down on the chair of the couch next to Ace. "We know this has been hard for you in ways that it wasn't for us." Ace nodded and wiped under his nose, but there was no blood, thankfully. "Once we're back home, things will go how they used to in many ways." He didn't outright say the brothers' conditions would return to how they had been for their lives since they were resurrected. They didn't know. It was scary.

"Hope so," Ace said simply. He laid on the couch, looking up at the tall ceiling or the two story room. This was the best place on the ship, the only thing they didn't have that they wanted. Everything else was unnecessary for such a small crew. And they weren't planning on expanding too much. A small group was best.

The room tilted suddenly and tossed Ace off of the couch and onto his brother, who made a grunt at the sudden weight. They all sighed, knowing this was a storm's doing. So, they held onto the furniture that was bolted to the floor for just these situations. Whenever the ship moved due to a storm or attack, if things weren't bolted down, a mess would be made, walls broken from heavy objects slamming into them.

Ace, Luffy and Sabo had made that mistake in the beginning, not anchoring down the more vulnerable things in their first little dingy boat that really only fit two people when they were three. So, the moment they furnished the PoS, they bolted everything to the ground or walls. They made the cupboards in the kitchen stick so they didn't send glassware crashing to the floor, breaking and making a mess.

The storm passed rather quickly, and they were all back to lounging around, not in a good mood. There was the sound of someone trying to open the door, and Luffy was the one to get up and see who it was, removing the "lock" to see Thatch, looking angry. Luffy worried he was in trouble, or maybe Thatch was mad at Ace for punching his brother.

But then a cart came into view. "This is all that's left of my baking spree. The rest all got knocked on the floor from the stupid storm." Luffy was glad he wasn't mad at them. He asked why Thatch was giving it to them specifically. "Because my brother was being a dick. I'm not gonna apologize for him, he deserved a punch, but I'm pretty sure you guys wouldn't be happy regardless. So I made you some sweets," he explained in detail.

"Oh. Thank you," Luffy said and moved aside for Thatch to push the cart in. The Spades went to it and thanked Thatch, who just smiled and left the room, closing the door behind him which Luffy then put their lock in. The pirates ate the sweets, which were delicious, like usual. Thatch was probably the best thing about the ship since his food was so good.

The group ended up playing cards until dinner, which they didn't eat in the galley as glares were sent their way after Ace punched one of their commanders. They really weren't friendly with the pirates, so they probably wanted them gone just as much as they did. And it was lucky their captain was to order them to repair the PoS or they would probably all not do it out of dislike for the Spades.

It was lucky these pirates knew the concept of guilt and would repay them for everything they'd caused the brothers to go through. It was when they were returning the plate that they found Whitebeard in the galley, waiting for them. He nodded to them once and they got the message and sat across from Whitebeard at the table.

"We will be reaching the island with your ship tomorrow by sailing through the night," he said. It surprised the small crew, since sailing through the night was dangerous. "We want to avoid any more resets as best as we can. The only way to do that is to get you home."

Luffy smiled, looking at the table. He was glad these pirates could be nice, even if he still didn't like them besides Thatch. He'd miss Thatch, but they'd all agreed they would never see the Whitebeards again if they could help it.

"Thank you," Sabo said politely. "We appreciate it." Whitebeard gave him a strained smile. He looked so tired. Ace was staring at him with a blank face, not sure what to make of this. Perhaps him punching that asshole made them want to hurry. That would be great! Something good to come of his outburst.

Whitebeard sat up straighter and sighed. "Is there anything else we can do to make up for the worsening of your health issues? Anything you need?"

"Don't make contact with us again," Ace said simply. Whitebeard winced, looking regretful at the table. "And consider the feelings of anyone else you kidnap to try and make into family. Not everyone wants a big family or to be somebody's subordinate. Or to lose the life they already have."

The yonko captain sighed and nodded. "I will do that. This unfortunate situation has brought clarity to me. I can thank you for that while apologizing profusely. We will fix up your ship as soon as we can," he swore. The Spades thanked him, and left, knowing the conversation was over.

They headed back to their room, looking around at the place that had been their one safe space, but they still hated it. They were going home tomorrow! Then they could work to put this behind them. Luffy collapsed onto the bed and cried quietly into the pillow, so happy and relieved. "We're going home. I'm going to bed now!" he exclaimed, and changed on the spot into his pajamas and jumped under the covers. "Goodnight!"

The others changed quickly and got into bed as fast as possible as well, though it was hard for most to sleep. But, once they did sleep, they were all relaxed and had small smiles on, knowing the nightmare was nearly over, and then they could try and fix their lives and carry on how they had before. Hopefully they could put this whole incident behind them, never being reminded of these pirates again.

-x-

"Pops? Shouldn't you be in bed?" Marco asked quietly when he entered the library. It was one in the morning, and Pops was still in his day clothes, staring at a book that he clearly wasn't reading.

"I'm fine, son. I'll go to bed when I'm tired." But he looked exhausted. Marco assumed it had to do with the Spades. So he asked, and the captain closed his book with a sigh, setting it on the table beside the couch. "I asked them if we could do anything more for them after fixing up their beloved ship. Ace told me we could help them by never making contact with them again, and considering the feelings of anyone I wish to be part of our family."

Marco frowned and sat beside him. "This situation has changed many of our eyes on that factor. Not everyone will stay with us. We've just been lucky so far. But we need to take more things into consideration than just someone being stubborn." Whitebeard nodded in agreement.

"I will never not blame myself for causing them such pain."

Marco nodded, and said, "I think we'll all feel that way once they leave and we tell everyone why we are really taking them back."

"I agree."

-x-

"Piece of shit!" Luffy shouted as he jumped off of the side of the Moby Dick and landed in the sand, running to the beached ship, hugging the hull tightly. Ace and Sabo followed, the Spades running through the water with them, reaching their home for the first time in many months. Many stressful, scary months.

Some of them cried while Luffy pulled himself inside and into the tilted ship. The walls were the new floor, and he ran to his room, finding all of their things thrown around. He grabbed Sabo and Ace's hat, along with Sabo's pipe. He grinned, tears in his eyes, as he ran back outside.

"Ace, Sabo!" he cried from the doorway, and tossed down the hats and pipe. Ace and Sabo both beamed, putting their hats back on. "I don't think anything has been stolen!" he shouted happily. He dropped back down to the beach, and Jojo climbed her way back up the deck like an expert rock climber and went inside to get her swords that had been discarded by the Whitebeards after the fight.

Marco landed next to them, and spoke to Ace and Sabo as the captains. "Some of us are going to go into town to explain what's going on. The shipwrights will help work on your ship. We have supplies, but it will take a while. You'll most likely not be able to sleep on her tonight."

They frowned, but accepted the information. "Then we'll camp on the beach," Sabo said. Marco was clearly thinking of them staying on the ship again, and looked a bit surprised. "We won't be sleeping on your ship again."

"Fair enough. We can have a barbeque outside tonight so you won't have to get back on to eat, either," he replied. Luffy smiled, and Jojo dropped down with her swords crossed behind her back in their sheaths. She was grinning about having her weapons back. The others' whose weapons had been separated from them didn't go back onto the ship to get them, since there was no active threat. Jojo was just super attached to hers.

Ace and Sabo looked so much better with their hats, and it looked like color was brought back to them. Ace was grinning brightly while he looked at the PoS. Luffy smiled up at his brother, who seemed to shine again, now that they were free. Not quite home yet, but not in confinement. They were off of that damn ship that they never wanted to return to.

It was only an hour (which felt much longer to the Spades) until the pirates got to work on fixing the Piece of Spadile. They repaired the sides and then pushed it upright before getting to work fixing all of the fractures in the wood. None of the Spades helped other than carrying supplies to those working on their precious home.

Lunch passed and they continued to work. Piping had been damaged in the storm, so that took a bit to fix up. It was dinner time by the time they were ready to work on the mast. It had broken, so they needed it repaired. The pirates had to go into town and buy more wood, and when the town ended up not having enough for itself, trees were being taken down and turned into planks of wood.

It was a major undertaking that had to be stopped once it got dark. So close! They were so close. One more night and then they'd return to their home. Lots of things had been broken, but nothing too expensive or irreplaceable.

They camped out on the beach, sleeping on blankets under the stars, no covering over them. Being outside was so nice. Off of the ship, on land, away from all of the pirates. It was the first night in a while that they truly slept peacefully, without worry lancing their minds and making their necks stiff in the morning.