Happy Valentines to you all. it's Thursday and I believe I promised you all an update. So read and enjoy.

Chapter 6

Ace couldn't move. He was struck still by the reappearance of one of his best friends and brother, whom he had been trying to avenge for nearly four months. Finally he found his voice, "Thatch?"

"The one and only. What you didn't actually think I would die and leave you two alone now did you. So many pranks left to play and ways to piss Marco off. I couldn't miss any of that."

Ace actually started to laugh through his tears at hearing Thatch start to talk. It was so like him to lighten the mood of anything he talked about. Then a thought hit him and he turned to Marco, "Wait, is this what Pop's meant by I wouldn't have to go after Teach again?"

Marco nodded, "Apparently this stupid bastard decided he was going to eat that fruit he found after all and on his way to tell Pop's, he took a bite out of it. We think that it must have caused Teach to panic and that was why he attacked him and fled the way he did."

Ace was panicking a bit now, "But that doesn't explain why he survived, I fought Teach he had the full powers of that fruit."

Marco motioned for him to quiet so he could finish, "Well what we theorized is that taking one bite out of a Devil's fruit gives you the powers of that fruit, but if someone else finishes it they fade. Thatch here apparently activated those powers as the last spark of life was about to go out and saved himself. Gave the doctors a right scare too, popping back to life like he did. After that he hasn't been able to use them again, probably because Teach ate the rest of the fruit."

"So this isn't some sort of weird joke? "

Thatch who had been letting Marco explain smiled, "Nope I'm alive and here to stay."

Ace smiled back, but then it hit him and he felt anger rise to the fore. "He was alive and there was no reason for me to go after Teach, why wasn't I told?"

Marco and Thatch shared a look and then Marco spoke, "Well he healed himself right after you left. And yesterday was the first time you've contacted us since then." Then he grabbed his lovers nose and twisted a bit, "And we couldn't contact you, because a certain someone in their hurry to go play avenger forgot their mini Den Den Mushi."

Ace was a bit taken aback, and then realized that Marco was right. He had been so focused on Teach that he hadn't even thought to really call the Moby Dick to check in. He scratched the back of his head and smiled sheepishly, the other two just smiled back, the way one does at a youngster who has done something stupid.

Then Thatch swung his arm around Ace's shoulder grinning like a loon. "So I heard you got back and talked to Pop's already, and that he even gave the two of you the day off. You all been in your room 'catching up.'" Thatch finished making quotation marks in the air with his fingers to point out the obvious innuendo he was making, Ace blushed, he had almost forgotten how much fun Thatch had making fun of their relationship. Ace was about to say something in return when Marco interceded, "None of your buisness." He paused then he smiled slyly, "But If you must know we were busy talking about the announcement we're making to the crew this evening." Marco lied.

Thatch now looked very interested, "Announcement. Any chance I can get a hint at what it is."

Catching on Ace answered with a wicked smile, "You can wait to hear with the rest of the crew bastard."

"Aw, Ace-chan, you hurt me. I'll have you know my parents were married." Thatch looked thoughtful for a minute, then "Wait you all aren't getting married are you?"

Marco and Ace exchanged glances and then started laughing, Thatch watched for a second before he started too.

"Well that would be great news to break to the crew. We'd all back you and Pop's could make it legal."

Marco looked a little thoughtful at that, but didn't say anything. Ace was the one to reply seemingly not noticing his lovers look. "Maybe some day, but that isn't our news. It's a bit bigger than that, but you'll find out sooner if we head up. Dinner should be soon right."

"Yeah we're having a party on the deck to welcome you back, and we can't have the person of honor being late." And with that the three of them began making there way to the deck.

The feast laid out on the deck was one of the most impressive that Ace had seen in a long time, and right in the middle of it gorging himself was Luffy. Upon seeing Ace however he stopped long enough to call out and wave to his brother. "Ace come on over the food is good."

Marco and Thatch both laughed that, "Hold on a second Luffy." Turning to look at the two he asked, "And what is so funny?"

"Oh, come on Ace he's so much like you it's funny." Thatch managed to blurt out between laughs.

"The familial resemblance is stunning yoi." Both started laughing harder.

Ace fumed a bit, but calmed and realized it was very true. "I suppose, it's pretty amazing, especially seeing as we're not actually related by blood."

The two men stopped at that, not related, well that was news to them. A laugh behind them though broke them from their thoughts, "Gurarararara, well then he is no different then you three brothers right. We're all children of the sea; blood should make very little difference to those who sail the Grand Line." They all smiled, and turned to join in the festivities.

The party went for a few hours, and in that time Lucci had joined in moving to take a seat next to his new captain. Then the Kuja, too curious to stay away, joined and Ace had finally demanded to know the story of how Luffy had won over the Pirate Empress Boa Hancock, from his little brother. The resulting tale just left Ace shaking his head, until Boa Hancock herself came to introduce herself to her future "brother-in-law." However when Luffy had responded that he wasn't marrying her, and she ignored it commenting on how shy Luffy was, Ace just laughed.

The party was beginning to reach its peak when Whitebeard called for silence. The pirates present all followed suit, and Whitebeard motioned for Ace and Marco to come forward as he began to speak. "As you all may have noticed our esteemed Second Division Commander Ace has been returned to us by his brother and the lovely Kuja pirates. He has returned after facing Blackbeard in battle, with the news that Teach has started his own crew and has gained a terrifying power from the Devil's Fruit he stole. Sadly Ace lost to those unexpected new powers, which apparently have the ability to render other's Devil Fruit abilities useless." The disappointed noises and stares that the crew pointed at Ace had him stare at the ground in shame. Whitebeard continued, "However as you all were aware Teach may have fled, but he failed in actually killing Thatch. Thus Ace is under no obligation to hunt down Teach anymore, though we won't fail to exact revenge for his betrayal should he ever appear before us again." Cheers of agreement went up at that, waiting for silence he continued, "Furthermore Ace brought some good news, that relates to why he lost." All eyes turned from Whitebeard to Ace, Whitebeards eyes followed his crew and he now spoke more softly and solely to Ace, "Do you want to tell them or should I?"

Ace was about to speak when he felt Marco take his hand, he looked up and saw his lover nod his head to Whitebeard who smiled in return and sat back in his chair. "What Pop's said is true, but I should let you know it's both Ace and my good news yoi." Marco smiled, squeezed Ace's hand, and continued, "Ace is pregnant, and in a few months we'll be having a baby."

The news was meet with silence and dazed, surprised looks. Which were finally broken after a few minutes by Thatch who jumped up and pointed a finger at the couple up front. "That's the news! That's why you can't drink? Goddamn it Marco you bastard, when the hell did you two start sleeping together? I have three hundred Beli on that bet!"

Marco just raised an eyebrow before answering Thatch, "That's all you have to say yoi?"

Within a few seconds of their exchange someone in the crowd started to laugh, followed soon by another and soon the entire ship was laughing and cheering for the couple. Ace was a little taken aback, but then he had a very happy Thatch hugging him and congratulating him. After he had a small crowd of Division Commanders doing the same. Izou, Namur, Haruta were right up front and asking all sorts of questions, including as Ace had suspected, whether they could touch his belly or not. Jozu, Vista, ad Fossa were all patting Marco on the back and giving him their congratulations. The others stood by and smiled at the happy scene, and talked with Whitebeard who seemed more than happy to be surrounded by his family. Luffy continued to gorge himself.

Sometime later the party had begun to wind down, the Kuja had returned to their own ship to sleep off the alcohol, the men of the Whitebeard pirates had all left to return to their barracks or were passed out on the deck, and Ace, Marco, a few of the other commanders, Luffy and Lucci were sitting around Whitebeard all talking. Luffy was telling them all what had happened to his crew and how he planned to meet them back at his ship. He also told them the full tale of his adventures since seeing Ace in Alabasta. They all laughed at his tales, amazed at some of his feats and amused at his youth. It was Thatch that broke in first though, "Luffy do you really think you and your crew are ready for the new world though? If you all can't even beat those marine's or escape from them, the New World will be much more difficult."

Smiling Luffy replied, "Ah we'll be fine, things always work out."

The Commanders looked unsteady and worried, but it was Whitebeard himself who decided to point out the facts. "Straw Hat, as a captain it is your choice to take your crew to the New World or not. However if you are not ready, you will get them killed. I am sure that they are alive now, but the New World will not be so forgiving. The Snake Princess Boa Hancock has told me you showed promise of wielding Haoshoku Haki, with someone to teach you, you could be more powerful and more capable of defending your crew. I believe it might be in your best interest to put your plans of the New World on hold for the time being, inform your crew and train before you make that leap."

Luffy's smile had fallen listening to Whitebeard talk, Ace watched this with a frown, but said nothing. If Whitebeard believed Luffy would be in too much danger in the New World, he was bound to agree. The old man had not survived this long as a pirate and gained as much power as he had by luck alone. However how Luffy responded surprised him.

"You really think I could lose my Nakama if we went to the New World right now?"

"I do."

"Then I suppose I'll have to wait a bit, I'm going to be Pirate King after all. So no one can get One Piece but me." The ensuing laughter he emitted just had the others shaking their head and laugh a bit as well. Ace shook his head again, only Luffy would have the cheek to look the most powerful man in the world in the eye and say something like that.

Whitebeard turned to his commanders at that and spoke again, "Well we will head back to the New World in a few days, and as of tomorrow Ace you're on desk work only. I talked to the Kuja's elder and our doctors and they think you should be on complete bed rest. However I know you'll only go insane if I tried to force that, so deskwork is the best you get brat." Ace nodded mournfully, he had been told all this on the Kuja ship and they had barely let him walk around then. However he knew Pop's would understand somewhat, as the doctors and nurses on the ship were always trying to force Pop's to do the same. "The rest of you can help him as best you can, I'd like to see my first grandchild come into this world healthy." The Commanders nodded. "Marco I think you know what to do." Marco nodded, then Whitebeard added with a smile, "and I think you best get that one to bed. I don't think he'll be with us that much longer." Ace was listening, but he knew without looking that Whitebeard was talking about him, as he was leaning against Marco, his eyes already closing, and he could feel himself falling into the abyss known as sleep. He was gone before he could hear Marco's reply, but he knew he'd wake up safe so there was no problem.

So hopefully you all are still happy with me. Yes I brought Thatch back, and judging by the reviews I'm assuming that was a good thing. So please review and let me know what you think. Your reviews keep me motivated and I will see you all again sometime next week.