They gather Blackbeard and his double in the living room after moving the coffee table (not burned, of course, which made Ace jealous) out of the way. The two bodies lay side-by-side, close but not quite touching. Ace stares at them.

Fire Fist glances at Ace, biting his lip, "What if this doesn't work?"

He's scared, Ace realizes. Scared that if this doesn't work, then nothing else will. Blackbeard is going to wake up eventually—will they just have to keep fighting him? Are they really trapped here?

Marco comes, placing a comforting hand on Fire Fist's shoulder. "Then we keep searching. You two can stay here as long as you need."

"We'll be sure to keep you out of trouble," Thatch grins.

Luffy laughs, "This has been fun!"

"Okay. Okay," Fire Fist says and takes a deep breath. He grabs Teach's body before easily moving it closer and closer and closer—

When the two bodies touch, the room explodes in color.

Ace is sent flying back into the wall and he gasps when his spine slams into it. Pain races up his back and Ace gasps, closing his eyes. He hears someone else yell, glass breaking. There is a force so strong that Ace can't breathe. He's gasping and gasping—

As soon as the explosion appears, it vanishes.

Ace forces his eyes open and coughs. He sits up and tries to ignore how much his back protests at the action. He goes to sit up and there, in the middle of the living room, instead of Blackbeard and his double, is a giant white sphere.

"Everyone okay?" Marco calls out. There are various 'yes's that ring out in the room as everyone finds their footing again.

"W-what is that?" Thatch asks as he notices the glowing object. Now that Ace is a little more coherent, he can see that there's not one but two spheres. One surrounds the other, like a barrier.

The one in the center is about eight feet tall and a milky white color. It shifts and moves and every once in awhile, a splash of color appears and vanishes. It glows and hums with such power that Ace immediately decides that he is going no where near it. That's the portal for sure, there's nothing else it could be. The colors and flashes show what's happening in the other world. The world full of pirates and super powers and super humans.

The second sphere, while larger, doesn't have the same feeling of power coming from it. It's translucent in color and flows like the ocean, not keeping a perfect shape. It glows like the other portal, but that's not all. Ace recognizes it as the same thing their car collided with all that time ago when this whole mess started.

"It… it worked," Fire Fist says. He sounds surprised. "We can go home."

"YES!" Straw Hat launches himself through the barrier with no problem. He stops just before touching the portal and grins brighter than Ace has ever seen him. When he notices Fire Fist doesn't follow, he tilts his head and turns.

Fire Fist still hasn't moved from his spot, staring at the portal with an emotion that Ace can't identify. His fists are clenched firmly at his side, so hard that his knuckles are turning white.

"Why are you hesitating?" Ace asks. Fire Fist sucks in a breath.

"Two years is a long time… what if they don't—"

Oh, that's right. Fire Fist's family still doesn't know he's alive. From what Ace remembers about the war, everyone fought so hard to save him but in the end…

Thank you for loving me!

…In the end, here he is. Alive. Two years might be a long time, but his family would wait for him for eternity.

Thatch comes up behind Fire Fist and pushes him towards the barrier with a smile. Fire Fist stumbles, looking back with confusion written all over his face. Thatch offers up his biggest grin, "Get going, you idiot."

"They're your family," Marco says and gives Fire Fist a soft smile. Ace catches Marco's eye and smiles at him. "Then they won't care if it's been two years or a hundred."

"Come visit us again!" Luffy cheers and throws his hands up in a wave. "Next time we'll have more adventures!"

"Take care," Ace says in his own form of goodbye. His double grins while Straw Hat laughs and waves back. "Try not to die again."

"Yeah," Fire Fist says, but he's no longer looking at Ace. He's staring ahead at the daunting barrier. "I'll try."

Straw Hat hops from inside the barrier, looking at the portal nervously, "Ac—Fire Fist, come on, we don't have a lot of time!"

He's right; the barrier is already starting to fade and the portal is getting smaller and smaller. Instead of eight feet tall, it's now down to seven and shrinking by the minute. White sparks are dancing around the living room, casting shadows on the white walls. The portal is closing, and soon it wouldn't be there any more.

Fire Fist grins and waves at all four of them before going to take a step through the barrier—

—only to stop.

Ace scrunches up his eyebrows, wondering why he hasn't gone to the portal yet, only for Fire Fist to put both of his hands on the barrier and push.

With a start, Ace realizes the barrier is solid.

"I-it won't let me…" Fire Fist mutters and his words sound horrified.

The portal is down to six feet tall now and Straw Hat is staring at his brother with panic written all over his face. Fire Fish tries to push through again, using all of his body weight, but the barrier won't budge.

It's then that Ace realizes Fire Fist can't go back because he was never meant to go back in the first place.

Fire Fist keeps trying to get through, but nothing was working. He tries his Devil Fruit, his own body, his fists, his legs. Ace tries to push him through, but nothing's working. He can't get through the barrier.

Eventually, Fire Fist screams and bangs both fists on the barrier in frustration, "Damn it!"

"Ace, what are you doing?!" Straw Hat shouts at him, glancing between Fire Fist and the portal.

"I-I'm so sorry," Fire Fist says and his voice is barely above a whisper. "I can't go back with you, Luffy."

Straw Hat is staring at him like his world just shattered. He jumps away from the portal and easily passes through the barrier. He tries tugging Fire Fist through, but the barrier remained solid.

"You promised!" Straw Hat shouts at him and continues to try and tug his brother through. Ace wishes he never had to see that expression on Luffy's face, no matter what version.

Fire Fist is smiling as he pushes Straw Hat off of him and towards the portal. Straw Hat stumbles back enough that he falls on his butt, looking up at Fire Fist with terrified eyes.

"Sorry, Luffy, but it looks like I'm going to have to break that promise."

"You have to come back!" Straw Hat scrambles to his feet to try and tug his brother through the barrier once again. Fire Fist shrugs him off and gives him a weak smile, tears in his eyes.

Straw Hat tries to run through the barrier once again, but the barrier seems to have enough and turns solid before he can leave. Straw Hat crashes into the side, tears rolling down his face. Fire Fist backs up and Ace tries not to cry.

For all their differences, they are still the same people. And right now, Ace is losing his brother.

"You have to go back. Your nakama are waiting for you," Fire Fist says and furiously tries to scrub the tears from his eyes. Straw Hat hasn't stopped banging on the barrier, throwing himself at it with all the force he can muster.

"Come with me!" Straw Hat shouts. "We can find a way! We just need more time!"

"We don't have time!" Fire Fist shouts back. "The portal is closing; you have to go!"

"I CAN'T LOSE YOU AGAIN!"

The portal is down to four feet now, swirling out of control. Ace knows it's only a matter of time before it closes completely and apparently Straw Hat realizes it too before he looks at the portal, his entire body shaking.

"I'm so, so sorry," Fire Fist says as he sinks to the ground. There are tears in his eyes and Fire Fist covers his face with his hand. "Please, please, Luffy, go… If nothing else, go for me…"

Straw Hat stops banging on the barrier and sobs. His entire body shakes with such emotion; longing, hurt. Then, he glances at the portal (three feet now and getting even smaller) before pushing himself to his feet and staring at Fire Fist with grim determination.

"Wait for me, Ace! I promise I'll find a way to get you home!"

Straw Hat jumps through the portal just before it closes and everything disappears in a flash of light. Ace is left with a sobbing Fire Fist while Marco, Thatch and Luffy just looked on with horror in their eyes.

Suddenly Fire Fist stands up, wiping the tears from his eyes. He looks at the spot where Straw Hat disappears and whispers, "You better."

oops

anyways one more chapter left! pls review if u have time,,,, i love reviews,,,,