Disclaimer : I claim no rights to the anime One Piece.

Current Song : Crazy Rainbow by Tackey & Tsubasa.

"Trials teach us what we are; they dig up the soil, and let us see what we are made of; they just turn up some of the ill weeds on to the surface." - Charles Spurgeon.

Chapter Eight : Beneath the Surface.

"I'm sorry." Antaeus wiped his tears away, making sure to avoid Robin's eyes; which he was sure were filled with curiosity and sympathy. "I shouldn't have gotten so worked up about this."

"It's quite alright, Antaeus." Robin soothed, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure it is quite a shock to find out that you have a husband. Let alone find out that he is the Pirate King."

"I don't think shock is the word I would use, Robin." Antaeus adjusted himself so that he could face the water. "Honestly, I have been seeing him in my memory flashes for a while now. It was frustrating to know his face, but not his name so I gave him one. It helped me because I felt guilty about not remembering him. I feel like crap now that I know he's my husband."

"It's not your fault." Robin stated.

"I know, but what am I going to say when I see him again?" Antaeus closed his eyes. "I know that you're my husband, but I can't remember the time we had together nor do I remember your name."

"Ace."

"What?" Antaeus turned to Robin who was looking at him with a sympathetic smile, just as he thought she would. "Who?"

"Ace." Robin repeated. "The Pirate King's name is Portgas. D Ace."

"Portgas. D Ace." Antaeus repeated, the image of Ace flashed before his eyes again and he smiled shyly. "Thank you, Robin."

"You're welcome, but you seem upset at the thought him being a pirate. I assume this is because of what happened with Blackbeard?"

"Yes, and regardless of the fact that I know his name and who he is it doesn't take away my wariness of the situation." Antaeus stated. "Do you know anything about him?"

"Not of the personal sort, no." Robin replied, giving him an apologetic smile. "What I can tell you is that he is widely known as Fire-Fist Ace and has over forty-six ships under his command. He is a very powerful, manipulative man according to the rumor mill. I can honestly say I'm kind of jealous you're married to him."

"Jealousy doesn't become you." Antaeus chuckled. "And besides, I'm not even sure I'm going to see him again. He probably thinks I'm dead."

"Do not sell yourself short." Robin scolded. "I do not think he is the type to give up so easily; especially if it concerns his husband. I have no doubt that he's probably looking for you this very minute."

"I don't know about that, but then again I don't know about a lot of things." Antaeus rose from the bench and stepped closer to the beach. "I mean, what will I say to him if I do see him again?"

"I can't tell you what to say, Antaeus." Robin replied. "But, I can tell you that I think you should give him a chance."

"Chance?" Antaeus turned to Robin, frowning. "What do you mean?"

"You're going to be scared." Robin deducted, rising from the bench and joining his side. "If you ever look him in the eye you're going to be scared, and you are going to be angry because of Blackbeard's actions."

"I-" Antaeus began, shivering. Was he going to be angry at Ace because he was a pirate? He didn't want to be angry, but some part of him knew he was going to be even though Ace had no part or knowledge of the attack. It was judgmental of him to place Ace and Blackbeard on the same page, but it was something he knew he was going end up doing in the long run.

"Antaeus?" Robin asked, concern coloring her tone. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Antaeus quickly reassured Robin. "I think you're right. I am going to be angry at Ace for something Blackbeard did and it won't be fair to him." Antaeus looked down at the sand, tears of frustration blurring his vision. "And if that's going to happen then I rather he not find me at all. At least, not until I get over this."

"If he is looking for your you -which I know he is- then you're going to have to face him sooner or later." Robin whispered, wrapping an arm around his shaking shoulders. "It is better to face the anger you have and let go then let it linger until eventually turns into hatred."

"Robin.."

"Come, let us discuss this later." Robin gently guided him back towards the house. "Are you hungry? We can go out and eat."

Antaeus chuckled wetly. "I thought I wasn't supposed to go out?"

Robin stared him with amusement glittering in her eyes. "I'll make an exception just this once."

"You see? This is why I love you, Robin."

Ace's impression of Dr. Kureha was that she was a kind-hearted, eccentric woman who took Luffy in and cared for him when he was injured. The first thing he planned to do when he met her was to thank her for taking care of his missing husband and then politely ask her to point him in the direction of where Luffy was staying.

Being a pirate, he should have known that it wasn't going to be that easy.

Instead of the sweet woman he expected Dr. Kureha to be, he found a vicious, sake drinking one hundred and forty year old woman. And that vicious woman was glaring at him with enough ice in her eyes to freeze his blood solid. Honestly, what did he do to deserve such a look?

"You got a lot of nerve coming in here and demanding things, boy." Kureha spat, glaring over him over the rim of her cup. "Do you know how much trouble I went through patching that idiot up?"

"You're a doctor are you not?" Ace questioned, narrowing his eyes. "It's your job to patch people up, and I do not take kindly to you insulting him."

Kureha snorted, unnerved by his hard words. "You don't scare me-what was your name again?"

"Roy." Ace lied smoothly. "Roy H. Kingston."

"Well then, Roy tell me why I should believe anything you just told me?" Kureha took a sip of sake and reached for the bottle. "For all I know you could be out to kill Antaeus."

Ace's lips twitched in amusement at Luffy's new name. It didn't fit him at all. "I've given you proof. What else do you need?"

"I'm gonna need a lot more." Kureha smirked coldly. "For one, you need to stop lying about who you are, Roy or should I say Portgas. D Ace."

"Oh," Ace drawled playfully, picking up his cup. "So you knew who I was all along did you?"

"Of course I did." Kureha barked, waving a hand to his face. "You look like your father, and that make-up did a horrible job of completely covering up those freckles."

Ace snorted reaching up to touch his face with his free hand. The heat, along with him constantly wiping his face probably screwed up the concealer. No use worrying about it now. "You knew my old man did you?"

"Ran into him about once or twice. Asked me to become his doctor, but I turned him down." Kureha replied. "I didn't want to become involved with pirates back then and I sure as hell don't now."

"Not all of us are bad, you know." Ace stated, feeling a need to defend himself and his occupation. "Some pirates aren't out to hurt people and the towns."

"Bah, tell that to Blackbeard." Kureha shook his head. "I really wish someone would go ahead and sink that ship."

"Blackbeard?" Ace leaned across the table. "He was here recently?"

"Yeah, few days ago, as you probably saw on your way up here the town looks like it was partially raided." Kureha chuckled. "Marines arrived and drove them off."

Ace smirked at that. Served the bastard right for trying to harm innocent people- "Wait. Luffy wasn't anywhere near Blackbeard was he?"

Kureha suddenly looked grim and that was all the response Ace needed. Cursing, Ace slammed his hands down on the table, causing it to shake violently

"Is he alright?" Ace asked, panic drumming through his veins. "He's not hurt is he?"

Kureha held up a hand, stalling his words. "He's fine, but he came out with a broken arm and ankle. He's not very happy about using a crutch."

Sighing heavily in relief, Ace buried his face in his hands and forced his heart to calm down. Luffy was okay, his troublesome husband wasn't dead or on Blackbeard's ship.

Lifting his head, he stared into Kureha's eyes. "Can you tell me where he is? I-I need to see him."

"You really care about that boy, don't you?" Kureha asked, staring down at the picture of Ace and Luffy sitting in the middle of the table. "You must have searched up and down the Grand Line looking for him."

"Just Karate Island, Torino Kingdom and Centaurea." Ace stated, feeling weary at the thought. "So? Can you tell me where he is?"

"Sure, I can tell you where he is, but are you sure you want to see him?" Kureha questioned grimly. "You still want to see him even if he won't remember you?"

"Yes." Ace replied confidently. "I want to see him."

Kureha simply stared at him and Ace found himself slowly wilting under her gaze. When she told him that Luffy had lost his memory, Ace felt like his world had shattered. His vision of a happy reunion between Luffy and himself had sunk beneath the ocean like a rusted anchor that no longer had any use. His Luffy, his wild, loudmouth, genius shipwright of a husband couldn't remember him and Ace, who was known as a genius with an eidetic memory and I.Q of three hundred and Pirate King wanted nothing more than to cry like a child. He had searched almost all of South Blue for Luffy and when he finally found his husband, his treasure he was devastated that his precious treasure remembered nothing about him.

But, despite this huge setback, Ace had no intention of giving up on Luffy. He would do everything in his power to make Luffy remember and when he did, Ace would sweep Luffy away and take him off Baterilla and back home.

Where he belonged.

"I want to see him." Ace repeated, staring straight into Kureha's eyes, refusing to falter when she gave him a pitying look. "Regardless of the fact that he doesn't remember me."

"Alright then." Kureha rose from the table. "Come with me, he's staying with a friend of mine." Kureha frowned when Ace didn't move. "What's the matter, boy?"

"This friend." Ace began, frowning. "Is it a man or woman?"

Kureha's brow furrowed at his question. "What in the hell does it-" she smirked suddenly. "You're a jealous type, eh?"

"I have enough confidence in myself and my marriage, but I am man who does not like problems." Ace stated. "I hope that Luffy and the person he's staying with haven't grown attached to each other."

Kureha shook her head in exasperation, and Ace didn't miss the amusement in the doctor's eyes. He had no problem stating that he was very possessive man. After all, it was one of the very things Luffy liked about him and he no intention of changing for that specific reason.

"He's staying with a woman." Kureha clarified. "She goes by the name of Nico Robin, a librarian." Kureha paused dramatically. "She's very beautiful."

Ace rose from the table, and made his way to the door. "We're leaving, now."