Sorry, y'all! I wrote this awhile ago, but totally forgot I also had this fic on this site (I'm more consistent with my AO3.

This is a bit of a sad chapter, be warned.

~I~

Why did she have to fall in love with a pirate?

Stomach rolling in tandem with the waves, Makino gripped the rails and groaned.

Why couldn't she have fallen in love with a farmer? A sweet, land-locked farmer?

A cold sweat had broken out across her forehead, and her vision went hazy as she stared at the ocean below.

Why did it have to be a sea loving pirate?

A warm hand touched her back and slowly rubbed gentle circles between her shoulder blades. A kiss landed on the top of her head, and she turned toward it. The hand disappeared only to return with a cool, damp rag. Makino gratefully accepted it and wiped her forehead, sighing softly.

"Feel any better?" Shanks asked, keeping his voice low in consideration of her condition.

Ah, right. That's why.

For all that the Red Haired Pirates found her bouts of seasickness funny at first, the jokes eased up when they realized she wasn't getting any better even after weeks at sea.

"I'm okay," she assured weakly. Shanks helped her stand up straight, wrapping his arm around her waist, and turned her to see Yasopp approaching carrying her three year old son. When he came close enough, she rubbed his belly with a finger and smiled. "Hello, sweetie."

"The Commander woke up from his nap and wanted to see how his mom was feeling," Yasopp said, gently setting the toddler down. Tiny fingers clutched her skirt and wide grey eyes gazed up at her.

"Hi, Mama. Feeling good?" he asked, and Makino's heart melted at the innocent concern from her son.

"Yes, my little love." She swept him up into her arms and turned in towards Shanks so their son was close between them. "Did you have a good nap?"

He hummed and nodded, and she pressed a kiss into his dark hair. It was a fine distraction from her unsettled stomach and the way the world wanted to tilt on its side. Honestly, for as much as she'd love to stay with Shanks, it'd take serious thought to decide if the horrendous seasickness was worth it.

Thankfully, along with delivering their son, Yasopp had come over to report that they would arrive soon. Shanks patiently led Makino towards the bow where she and the young boy could see the island getting closer on the horizon.

It seemed like a relatively small island to Makino, though she didn't have too many to compare it to, just Dawn and the couple of islands they restocked at during the trip. There was a single, massive mountain jutting up from the center, surrounded by greenery and smaller cliffs along the shore.

There was no obvious place to dock, but she knew never to doubt the Red-Hair Pirates. They sailed smoothly around the coast and into a hidden entrance that led to a natural harbor. With no place to properly dock, the Red Force lowered anchor, and prepared to take a couple of the rowboats over.

As the crew rowed, Makino took the opportunity to look down into the waters. The closer they got to the beach, the clearer they became, and her son reached out hoping to touch the fish they could see swimming about.

When they landed and Shanks was helping her out of the dinghy, there was a man waiting for them on shore. With a steady hand on her back, Shanks led Makino over to him. "Makino, this is Marco. He was the first mate of the Whitebeard Pirates."

Taller than even Shanks, Marco was a kind looking man with messy blond hair, a scruffy chin, and glasses perched on a straight-edged nose.

"Welcome to Sphinx, Makino. It's a pleasure to meet you, yoi," he said, smiling and holding out a hand.

She clasped his hand and returned his smile. "Thank you for having us." Pausing, she turned to Shanks who gave her an encouraging nod. Everything she knew about the Whitebeard Pirates and their regard for their own crew was learned secondhand through Shanks, but if Makino had had any doubt about it, it would've been eased by Marco's reaction when she rearranged her son in her arms and said, "This is our son, Ace."

Numerous emotions flashed across Marco's face.

In the end his expression landed on a sad smile, and when he asked, Makino passed her son over to him. Marco cradled Ace in the crook of his arm, eyes misting when the toddler grinned and said hello.

There was a fondness in the pirate's eyes that made Makino pause. She waited patiently, seeing that Marco had gotten lost in his thoughts. Shanks rested a hand on her back and pressed a kiss to the side of her head.

Blinking after a few moments as he finally looked up at them, Marco hugged Ace tighter and told them to follow him.

He led them away from the beach and towards a waterfall. It had a hidden passage behind it that took them into a village. The citizens grinned when they saw Marco walking by and greeted him, and he waved back in return.

The village was neighbored by low rolling hills all surrounded by the high cliff sides of the island. Roaming the grassy fields were large beasts unlike anything Makino had ever seen on Dawn. She saw Ace squirm around in Marco's arms until he could look at her and make sure she was also looking at the creatures he pointed at. Marco looked over his shoulder at her to share an amused look and explained to both of them that they were the sphinx the island was named for.

Despite the flash of wonder and the beautiful day, as they made their way up a large hill, a solemnity slowly fell over them. The two monuments stole Makino's breath away. It was one thing to hear and to know, but another entirely to see.

She stopped in front of the smaller stone and swallowed heavily. Her eyes trailed over every inch, taking in the red beads that matched Dadan's - not that he would've ever admitted it - and remembering the time she restrung them together. They were swaying in the breeze. Luffy had cried when he walked into the bar with a grumpy older brother and hands full of beads.

Moving on, she looked at the bright orange hat. It once sat inside her closet for two months, because Luffy didn't want his brother to find it before gifting it to him for his birthday.

Sitting at the base of the grave marker was a crate with a bottle and three sake cups, and the memory of Luffy bouncing over to her, gushing about his new brothers courtesy of sharing sake, brings tears to her eyes.

Makino brushed out her skirt and took a seat in the grass, holding out her arms for her son. When Marco placed him in her lap, she sat Ace facing forward and wrapped her arms around him.

"This is your uncle, Ace," she whispered to him. "He was a kind man. He was brave and smart and strong—"

"He was also an amazing pirate." Shanks dropped down next to her. "Just like your papa."

Ace's wide eyes took in the grand memorial and leaned forward in his mother's arms.

"His name was Ace," Makino told him, and Ace turned to grin up at her.

"Just like me!"

"Just like you." She nuzzled his cheek and planted a kiss there.

"And whose that one?" He asked, gesturing to the larger stone next to Ace's.

Before either of them could answer, Marco joined them on the ground on Makino's other side. "That is Edward Newgate, yoi. Whitebeard. He was the greatest pirate ever!" He leaned over to mock whisper, "Especially better than your dad." Shanks playfully huffed but was more than willing to take the hit.

"He was your uncle's family," added Makino. She didn't know too much about the Whitebeard Pirates, but Shanks had explained to her the family dynamic they employed. As a child, Ace had always had trouble with figuring out his own family. Beyond his brothers, it had been hard for him to determine what family meant. It gave her a great sense of relief to know that he'd found a family he could feel accepted by and that he could fight for.

"He was our Pops." Marco's voice choked as he said it. He was wringing his hands together and gazing up at his captain's gravestone.

Makino leaned into Shanks' side and threaded her fingers through Ace's hair. She rested her other hand on top of Marco's and smiled softly when he turned his head.

"Will you tell us about him?"