Alive Sabo story. Because I want to believe, ok?

Summary: After spending so many years with the Revolutionaries, Sabo all but forgot of his life before that. But when news of his brothers keep coming and coming and the events of Marineford unraveling before his eyes, he realizes that maybe some things cannot be forgotten.

Characters: Sabo, Luffy, Ace

Disclaimer: I own nothing. *sigh* One of these days...

Forgotten Dreams

Sabo had been with the Revolutionaries long enough to develop some sort of routine. He knew his way around the headquarters, he had memorized rules and names and numbers. The transition was hard but seven years had managed to teach him a lot.

But he never quite managed to forget his previous life and even when he did, reminders always came in one way or another.

The first came seven years after his departure in the form of a bounty poster. A poster of a raven-haired man so painfully familiar to him with a determined look on his face and eyes with burning fire. Actually his whole being was fire.

Portgas D. Ace. Or Fire Fist Ace.

Sabo briefly wondered what he got that nickname for. The biggest part of his brain however was focused on the fact that his brother had in fact followed his dream. Without him. That realization came with a sharp pain in his heart. It was the first time he actually somewhat regretted accepting Dragon's offer to keep him around. Luffy passed through his mind and he felt sorry for the boy back in Goa, seeing as he had always hated being along. Was he miserable because of his brother's departure or had he found something worth striving for? Somehow he knew it was the second one. Despite being a crybaby, Luffy was a strong kid with a will to match. He would pull through.

Of course he was proven correct three years later.

The second poster really shouldn't have surprised him but technically Luffy should have just left for his journey and he already had a bounty this high and Sabo just couldn't help but laugh at how his little brother turned out. Straw hat Luffy, huh? Just how are you going to return the hat now, Lu?

And the bounties kept rising and rising until Ace was at half a billion and Luffy- sweet, innocent, little Luffy- was worth 300 million and he wondered what a boy like Luffy could have done to be labelled as such a dangerous criminal.

And then other kind of news came. News about the execution of Fire Fist Ace. And oh God, they were going to kill his brother.

Sabo was too far away to do anything but reach Sabaondy in time and settle with watching the live feed from there. He listened to the incredible story of Rouge and stared in awe at all of Ace's nakama fighting for him. Suddenly, despite everything he was proud of his brother and happy for the journey he had had, the amazing adventures, the life of a pirate. A pirate like he was supposed to be.

When Luffy shows up, Sabo's not sure whether he should be surprised or not. Luffy had always been chasing after Ace anyway. Though there was that one jaw dropping moment when they announced the boy's heritage. Dragon? DRAGON?! Had he really spent the last ten years of his life following Luffy's dad, of all people?! And how in the world was that idiotic rubber boy the son of the greatest criminal in the world, a person who, in Sabo's experience, was as far from Luffy as he could get.

However, seeing the boy's stubbornness and remembering the unwavering determination in his eyes as he announced that he was going to save Ace even if he died (and please, please don't let that happen!), it started to make sense. That fearless will could have come from only one person.

Sabo had never been prouder of neither himself not anyone he ever knew in his life than of Luffy when his feet touched that damn execution platform after going through all kinds of hell. He even had to fight Garp, his very own family. A very abusive family, mind you, but everyone knew the kid still loved his grandfather.

And so they were free. Fighting and laughing and helping each other. And Sabo longed to join them, he wished with his whole heart to be there with them, fight along side them. He wanted his brothers back so badly.

He smiled watching them go. And geez, could Ace get more protective?

Yes, yes he could. Damn it, Ace. No. NO. Why?

He knew why. The reason itself was right next to his fallen brother letting out the most gut wrenching cries of grief Sabo had ever heard.

With tears flowing freely from his eyes, he shamefully tried to cover his ears, not being able to stand the happiest person in the world in so much pain... Sabo mourned for the loss of both his brothers that day.

The next few days were spent in a state of numb shock and grieving. His own nakama couldn't figure out what was wrong with him or how to help him. Sabo was hurting so much he wanted to scream.

Ace... Ace was dead. Ace was dead. They were supposed to be free, sailing the seas together.

Luffy... Luffy was missing. Possibly dead. Wasn't he going to be the Pirate King? Make them see how strong he was? Where was he now?

Sabo was hurting. Wasn't he supposed to become a pirate? With his brothers? His selfless idiots of brothers who were ready to die for each other. And he would die for them in a heartbeat. If only he had been there to do so.

One day news came through. Of Strawhat Luffy's return to Marineford. And Sabo felt the light come back into his life. He had never been so grateful for anything in his life.

Soon Robin joined them for a while and he spent the next year with her, helping her, in return for stories of his brother's antics. The Celestial Dragon punch was one of his favorites.

News of Luffy's return to the pirating world found him in a small island in the new world. He was at his brother's grave. With a bottle of sake and three cups. The man left those next to the grave, with the newspaper. He knew Ace would be proud of them both.

Those sake cups represented their bonds as brothers, their childhood, their dreams. Sabo had once forgotten about them. But not anymore. Ace never stopped taking care of his little brother. Luffy still pursued his dream. And Sabo would never forget again. Maybe he would never be a pirate like he thought he would but even so he would never ever forget about his family again.

Sabo was going to find his little brother. And Luffy would understand. Because his dreams were not forgotten, just changed. Deep down they weren't so different though. Freedom was always going to be freedom and he was going to get it anyway, for both himself and his brothers.

A/N: That was a bit weird, but I hope it turned out ok. A slightly happier note after the horror of the last two chapters. Only slightly, though. As always leave a review and tell me what you think! :)