Thanks for your patients. Here is the next chapter all.

Chapter 15

Ace was not happy. In fact he was down right miserable. They had been in hiding for nearly two weeks and that morning on the island he had woken and been completely unable to walk. And he had just been informed why. He had had trouble walking for the last few days as his hips had moved to better support the baby. They had stopped moving so he wasn't in as much pain, but now with the way they had settled he was completely immobile.

Life sucked. He wanted to be able to walk. He wanted to be back on the Moby Dick. And more than anything he wanted Marco with him. Shit here come the tears.

"Ace you ok bud?"

"Leave me alone Thatch."

"Now, now it's not that bad." Ace glared at the man.

"Thatch stop antagonizing him. I bet you wouldn't last five minutes in his position." Izo said coming over to sit next to Ace.

"Ha. I'd like to see the person who could knock up Thatch." Haruta said earning laughs from both Izo and Namur, who was listening from nearby.

"Ha, ha, ha, very funny you all. Now we all know that the next most likely to get knocked up is probably Izo."

"Ha, not with how much you sleep around I'm not."

Ace listened to the banter between his crewmates and felt himself relax a little realizing they were trying to make him laugh. However he did have to add to the conversation "Shut up you guys." They all stopped and looked at him. He smiled.

"And I'll have you know that after all of this if anyone is getting knocked up anytime soon, it'll be Marco."

They all laughed.

Thatch was crying he was laughing so hard, "Oh god. I think I'd pay to see that."

"You don't have to pay, just help me cuff him to the bed in a few months and we'll call it even."

"Feeling a little vindictive today are we Ace?" Jared said entering the tent they were all seated under

"Not at all doc, just planning my next kid. Shank did already promise me a hat and all that."

"Yes well that's fine and all that, but I would suggest waiting till this one is a little older. I hardly think you want a toddler and an infant at the same time."

Ace shrugged. "Not like our crew doesn't have enough people to take care of them. I hardly think I'm going to be left to care for this one by myself." He continued, patting his belly softly. "People are already fighting over the little one and he isn't even here."

"I suppose that's true. But it will be hard on you if you have too many children too quickly, so be careful with that. Now on to your current state, how is your pain?"

"Minimal. I just wish I could get comfortable. Plus the damn kid keeps kicking me every time I think I'm about to fall asleep."

Jared smiled, "The complaint of every mother to be."

Ace scoffed, and the other commanders just laughed, "Yeah, well I'm more than ready for this to be over. Then the others can fight over taking care of him and I can sleep for a week straight."

They all laughed at Ace's remark, but Thatch couldn't help but notice how tired his friend really looked.

Thatch waited a bit till after Jared had left, and then made an excuse and headed after the doctor.

Thatch jogged lightly to catch up with the doctor. "Jared."

The older doctor paused, allowing Thatch to quickly catch up. The two continued walking, Jared motioning for the younger to talk.

"Jared, Ace looks really tired. I really don't think he's been sleeping that well."

"Yes. I noticed that too. Sadly it's probably only partially because of the baby making him uncomfortable."

"Yeah I've seen him wake up from some pretty bad nightmares while I was on watch."

Jared nodded, not at all surprised. "I cannot give him anything without it possibly affecting the baby. If it gets bad enough I can prescribe a light sedative, but I think it best if we try our best to try and make him comfortable as possible. He may say the pain is moderate, but he may also be lying."

Thatch stopped looking thoughtful, "So you think if we can just make him a bit more comfortable he'll sleep better, even with the nightmares?"

"Most definitely. It may even reduce the nightmares, though that is hard to say for certain without knowing what they are about."

Smiling wickedly, Thatch saluted Jared, "Got it. I'll get on that." Then he was off.

Thatch left the camp with Namur and some of the others in tow shortly after his talk with Jared. When he returned he and the others were carrying one of the dinghy's off the boat they had arrived in. That done, Thatch sent them away so he could work. When done Thatch went to fetch Ace.

"Thatch I don't know what it is you want to show me, but can't it wait?"

Thatch shook his head, "Nope, you love this."

"But I was almost asleep." That came out far to whiny for Ace's liking, but he could hardly care, he was very tired. The rocking motion of Thatch carrying him wasn't helping either.

"Hold on, you can sleep after I show you this."

Sighing Ace relented, "Fine."

They came to a stop. "Here we are."

Ace looked at what appeared to be another tent, and then stared up at Thatch like he was crazy. "This is what you wanted to show me?"

"Well kind of, wait till you see what's inside."

Sighing, Ace nodded. Then Thatch set him on the ground so he could tie back the flaps to the tent. What Ace saw made him gasp.

Thatch had had the others set the dinghy they had carried up against a tree and between two large tree roots. Then the Fourth Division commander had dug up the ground to hold it in place and had proceeded to fill the dingy with pillows and blankets until it resembled a makeshift bed. A very soft and comfortable bed.

Ace was speechless as he looked up at the other commander, Thatch was grinning. "You like?"

"Thatch I don't know whether I want to hit you or kiss you right now."

Thatch laughed, then picked him up and very gently set him down.

"Damn that's comfortable, come here you." Ace said grabbing the other and kissing him on the cheek. "You are officially my favorite person right now."

That just made Thatch laugh harder, "Even more than Marco?"

Ace put a finger to his chin making it look he was thinking hard about that, "No, but pretty close." Both laughed.

"But really Thatch, thank you. I didn't want to say anything, but…"

"You were uncomfortable, and that's not your fault. It's our job to make sure you and Uri-chan are as safe and comfortable as possible."

"Uri-chan?"

"Ah cute, isn't it. I figured since you won't let us call it him or her, we should give the little one a nickname. It means 'My flame' and it's a girl and boys name. Perfect right?"

"It is. But how did you come up with it?" Then a thought hit him and he added, "And how did you know that meaning?"

Thatch grinned even more and pulled a small book out of his breast pocket, then handed it to Ace.

The Baby Name Book: Finding that Perfect Name for Your Little One

Ace laughed. "How long have you had this in your pocket. The poor things worn to shreds." He leafed through the pages, "And you've even highlighted names you liked."

"Well I saw it when I was looking for a gift for the baby shower, after I had found those cookbooks and thought I'd get it for you all. But I never found the chance to give it to you and plus it was interesting to look up everyone's names and find the meaning behind them. For instance, Marco's name means 'Warlike.' I mean who looks at a baby and thinks he's warlike."

Ace just laughed, leafing through the pages slowly.

"Oh and Pop's name means, 'Wealthy Guardian.' I think it fits him well."

"Hmm, it does. Anne. 'Gracious, or merciful.'"

"That'd be a nice girls name. You considering it."

"Not really, but if I had been born a girl I'm told it's what my name would have been."

"Doesn't fit your personality at all." Both laughed.

Thatch stood, stretching as he did. "Well I'll leave you to sleep, you keep the book. It'll give you something to do. Let me know if you need anything."

"Hey Thatch?"

Thatch turned around, "Yeah?"

'Thanks."

"Any time little bro. Now sleep." Ace didn't need to be told twice.

It didn't take long for the rest of the group to find out about what Thatch had done with the dingy. Izo and Haruta immediately set about teasing Thatch about him stealing Ace from Marco, however Thatch ignored it. He was going to be the babies favorite uncle after all.

Teasing aside Ace was sleeping better than before, however after it became obvious that the nightmares weren't going to end even with the introduction on a comfortable bed, another new system was added that at first just added to the teasing Thatch was getting.

Unable to watch Ace have obvious problems tossing and turning one night after he got off of watch, he woke Ace and settled down next to him. It seemed the only cure for Ace's nightmares was another person next to him.

Marco was going to have his head. At least he would have if Izo and Haruta hadn't used it as an excuse to settle in a comfortable and soft bed for a night. And so their new shifts began, including only the Whitebeard's, as Ace wasn't comfortable enough around the others with them to let them that close. None of them were even slightly interested in the idea either.

Most Ace related problems aside, the group settled into a comfortable routine. And it would remain that way for nearly a month. But all good things must come to an end, especially for pirates as infamous as the Whitebeards.

It was late one afternoon when Yassop spotted them. "Rockstar and Poe go tell the others Marine's at 6 o'clock, and they seem to be getting closer. Verne you stay incase we need to make changes to our plans or if they turn off to the side. Lewis you go check with the others on watch and make sure they know what's happening."

In less than an hour the group was ready to move out, all of their gear on the ship when Thatch woke Ace and got him ready to leave.

"Where are the others?"

Thatch lifted his friend off the ground, "They're ahead of us getting ready, you slept through the entire thing. We didn't see the point in upsetting you. We don't even know if they know we're here or if they're just checking out the island. Either way we want to be gone before they land. Or at least prepared to leave if they are just coming this way."

"Well too damn bad cause I am upset. I don't like this Thatch."

"None of us do Ace."

They were making good time towards where the boat was when the first explosion erupted on the island making Thatch lose his balance.

"Shit they're firing."

"Thatch this seems off."

"Hold on Ace, lets get to the boat first."

"Zehahahaha, going somewhere commanders?"

Ace felt his blood run cold at hearing that laugh. "Teach."

"What the hell do you want you traitorous bastard?"

"Zehahahaha, well seeing as our diversion worked so well I thought I'd come and collect the prize. Best set him down Thatch-taicho and you can walk away unharmed."

Thatch tensed, "Like hell bastard. And since when have you been working with the Marine's?"

"Long enough, and I'd be in a better position now if he hadn't escaped. But I can easily remedy that now. So put him down and walk away."

Thatch's grip tightened, "Again not happening."

"Thatch put me down and run."

Thatch looked shocked at his younger friend, "Ace?"

Ace was almost in a trance as he spoke, "Hurry. I don't want to drag you down, now ru…."

"Like hell. And tell Pop's and Marco what. That I just left you with that bastard to be sent to the chopping block."

"But you don't stand a chance, not with me dragging you down. You don't have to tell me that I can't fight."

Thatch knew Ace was right. He could see Teach's men out of the corners of his eyes, slowly closing in on them. He couldn't run. He could only surrender and hope that the others showed up soon. However he was not leaving Ace with them alone. Hell he knew Teach would kill him the second he turned his back.

"We aren't going to run. They can have two of Whitebeards commanders, cause I'm not leaving you with them."

"Thatch?" Ace was mortified.

"Shut up Ace. I'm carrying him Teach. I'll follow. And I won't run or fight."

"Zehaha, a very calculated, but stupid move commander. You could have left alive."

"Yeah, right."

Teach only continued to laugh as his men surrounded the two commanders, and then as they made to follow the mad man and his crew to the shore.

And later when the others made it to the same shore, the boat was already next to the Marine vessel turning over it's hostages.

Well hopefully that answers some of your guys questions. I'm a terrible person I know, and I had planned all this from the beginning. Anyway as always, Please Review.