Disclaimer: One Piece and its awesomeness are not mine to claim!

Thank you soooo much for the reviews! Its not like it makes me happy or anything to see them you stupid jerks! *totally a Tony Tony Chopper thing to say* X3 Thank you so much for reading!

revised 5-7-15

Hellfire

Chapter 4

Smoker was talking to the fire chief when he felt a tap on the shoulder. He turned to see a young cop named Kohza.

"Yes?" he asked annoyed.

"Sir!" He said, "Mr. Portgas has asked me to inform you that the perpetrator is fleeing south on 5th street!"

Smoker was already moving to his car, but snapped "And why couldn't "Mr. Portgas" tell me this himself?"

"Because," Kohza pointed towards the building, " He ran inside the building to save a kid, sir!"

Smoker stopped, "WHAT?!" He roared.

The young police officer's eyes widened as Smoker yelled harsh profanities. "That dumb ass!" Smoker exclaimed, " That son of a bitch!"

He pointed to Kohza. "Take two squad cars and get that fire bug! Got it?" Koza nodded, standing there awkwardly. "Then what the hell are you waiting for?" Smoker yelled, "GO!

Kohza stumbled backwards in fright, stuttering into his walkie talkie. While Smoker stormed over to the building, his heart was beating rapidly in his chest. That stupid, freckled faced brat! What the hell was he trying to prove? The captain forced himself to calm down by taking a deep drag from his cigar. After several minutes of attemptted relaxing breaths, Smoker was just as ready to storm into the building and kick Ace's ass himself as when he started.

He grabbed a megaphone from nearby man, who then started to protest until he saw Smokers face. The said man lifted the megaphone and shouted as loud as he could, his gruff voice ringing out. "Ace, you stupid brat, get your ass down here!"

The building seemed to shutter. One of the windows exploded out, the glass starting to rain down on the spectators. People started to scream and yell in fear until one voice rang out, "Look! Up there!"

Smoker looked up to the building and saw a figure dropping through the air from where the window had exploded. Ace... Smoker thought. All the captain could do was watch in horror as the figure continued to drop. Smoker watched Ace angle himself toward the tree and crashed into the foliage before grabbing one of its branches in an attempt to avoid meeting the ground. Smoker hadn't realized he had stopped breathing until he let out the pent up air in relief when the raven safely drop to the ground.

The sight of the paramedics rushing to his partner moved him into action. He ran over, watching as Ace dropped onto the cloth trampoline below him. Smoker saw a bundle being lifted from around Aces neck, and taken to the nearest ambulance. When Smoker reached Ace, the freckled face son of a bitch was smiling, but Smoker looked at the brats body in horror. Blood and clear liquid ozzed out of the various lacerations and burns that covered his body .

"Hey, Smokie?" Ace croaked softly.

"What?" He asked harshly, relief being replaced by anger at Ace's stupid recklessness.

Ace raised a shaky arm as he was loaded onto the stretcher and pointed in the direction of the bundle. "It was for my nakama, my family."

Smoker swallowed as he watched the bundle being cradled and kissed by hysterical parents. When he turned back, Ace was being loaded into the ambulance and taken away.

XXX

It was for my nakama, my family.

It had been almost 3 days since the day the fire started. And either Smoker had been assisting in the investigation of who started the fire (Kohza had failed to catch the man), or Smoker had been obsessing and pouring over the information he had received from Shanks and that bastard Blackbeard. But through all of these things, Ace's words kept going through Smokers mind over and over again.

He dragged a hand over his face as he unlocked the door to his house and stepped inside. He was so tired. The early morning sun filtered through Smoker's empty house as the said man dropped his things lazily on the kitchen counter before heading to the bedroom. On the way there he pulled off his coat and shirt, dropping them carelessly in the hallway. When he got to the bedroom, the captain dropped face first on to the queen size bed in just his jeans and boots. Then the boots hit the floor with a thump soon after.

Smoker groaned tiredly into the soft pillow and flipped over on his back. He threw in arms over his eyes and groaned again, but for a totally different reason. Why couldn't he get that stupid, freckled faced kids words out of his head? Whenever he thought of Ace, the brats soot covered grin entered his mind. And whatever he saw that grin, heat went straight to his groin. His mine went unbidden again to the night before the fire.

Smoker had gone home as usual at around 11 that night and had promptly fallen asleep. His dreams had been great because he had been pounding a really sweet piece of ass, but when the person underneath him turned to cry out, Smokers saw Ace's face sweaty and pink from pleasure. Smoker had jolted awake after that, his bed wet with his release, and didn't dare fall back asleep. Instead, he spent the rest of the night at the station researching everything he could find out about Ace, and the rest was history.

He still he couldn't believe he'd had a wet dream about Portgas D. fucking Ace, but his hardened member did. Smoker palmed his throbbing erection through his jeans to try to calm it down. He groaned again as Aces face resurfaced. God, he needed to get laid, but this was just pathetic. He knew next to nothing about his new partner, but when he looked at Ace he felt a jolt of... well, hell, of something. Whether it was lust, or the sexual frustration, he couldn't say. All he knew was that Ace had something that attracted him to the brat.

Only after thinking of the most disgusting sexual image could imagine, was Smoker able to calm his erection down. God, how he hated that fucking brat.

Smoker lifted up a new cigar to his mouth, but set it back down. He really needed to get some sleep. He looked over at the digital clock on the nightstand and saw it change from 5:12 to 5:13 a.m. He decided something and set his alarm before he laid his head against the headrest and closed his eyes...

Smoker hadn't realized he had fallen asleep until the persistent beeping of his alarm jerked him awake. The clock now said 10:00 p.m. He sat up and stretched his arms high above his head. Satisfied, he stood and shuffled sleepily to the adjacent bathroom, yawning heartily.

The older man rubbed the back of his neck as he turned on the hot water in the shower, waiting a few seconds before stripping off his jeans, and then stepping in. The first few moments in the cold water woke him up, then to heat relaxed him. He was there in there for over 15 minutes before he stepped out and grabbed a dark blue towel to wrap around his waist.

Next he wiped the steam covered mirror and began to lather his face with shaving cream. After he was done, he wiped his face clean and brush his hair and teeth, then went back into the bedroom to get dressed.

Smoker usually didn't care about things like looking good to other people, or even being polite, but tonight he was going to forget about Ace or he'd be damned. So, Smoker pulled out an outfit that Tashigi had bought for him a few months ago. The jeans were stylishly faded and torn, and the black long sleeve shirt clung to his muscular torso and arms "very nicely" according to Tashigi. He pulled on his brown leather jacket and boots before grabbing his keys from where he dropped them earlier on the counter, and headed out the door.

Smoker wasn't even paying attention to where he was going until he realized that he had pulled into the alleyway right behind the bar that he and Ace said visited that first day on the job together. 'Upper yard' he thought it was called. Well, regardless, he was here, and this place was as good as any. He walked down the hallway through the same door as he had the other day, but right now it was much more crowded.

Smoker walked with a purpose over to the bar, and ordered two glasses of whiskey, and sat down on a stool. He looked over at the stage and choked, nearly spitting out his drink at the site before his eyes. No one other than Portgas D. Ace - the man whom he was trying to forget- was up on the stage, dancing with a group of possibly wanna be hookers.

"Dear, God, " he prayed as he shook his head, "if I did something in a past life to piss you off, I'm truly sorry... " When Ace started rolling his hip suggestively to the music, Smoker finished his drinks, then got up and slapped money on the counter, preparing to leave.

He movement must have caught someones attention because as he turned, he felt a hot hand on his shoulder. He almost cringed as he saw Ace standing there, smiling that dumb ass smile.

"Hey, Smokie! You weren't going to leave without saying hello where are you?"

Smoker jerked his shoulder out of Aces grip and growled. "As a matter of fact, I was."

Ace pouted, crossing his bandaged arms across his shirtless chest. "Awww, that's not very nice, old man."

Smoker ignored Aces jibe. "What the hell are you doing here, anyways, Portgas?" Ace flashed him another smile, "I was discharged earlier this afternoon. I was really disappointed when you didn't come to visit me, Smokie. I was so bored with only the hot nurses to keep me company..."

The older man was about to say some not very boring words when Shanks came up behind Ace and dropped his good arm gently over the ravens bare shoulders. "

"Any problems, gentleman?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

Smoker stuck a cigar in his mouth and lit it for an answer.

" No, Uncle Shanks. Nothing at all." Ace said happily.

The Captain nearly bit his cigar in two. "Uncle Shanks? You two know each other?" This day just kept getting better and better.

"Yeah. Shanks isn't really my uncle, but he practically raised me and my brother." Ace explained happily. His pink face and slightly slurred speech indicated that the police officer was a little buzzed.

"And you didn't think to tell me this the other day?!" This was too embarrassing.

Shanks shrugged, removing the arm from Ace. "You never asked."

Smoker mentally face palmed himself. "Well, is there anything ELSE I should know?"

Shanks and that ass-hat Ace looked at each other, then back at Smoker. "Uh, nope. Not that I can think of... " Shanks said. "Well, I'll let you to get back to talking."

Smoker opened his mouth to protest, but Ace loud voice came out first. "Sure thing, Shanks! Thanks a lot!" He waved to the departing redheaded before turning back to an already leaving Smoker.

"Smokie!" Ace called in a whiny voice, "wait for me!"

The older mans jacket was grabbed and Smoker unconsciously slapped the hands away. He heard Ace hiss in pain, but he was too angry to care. That stupid brat hadn't even work with Smoker for two whole days and the raven already pissed him off beyond belief. Just like Hina used to... The thought made him stop abruptly. It was so sudden that Ace crashed into Smokers back.

Smoker whipped around, " We might have to tolerate each other in the office because we are partners, but outside of work I live my own life. Don't come near me, you understand, brat?! Stay the hell away from me!"

The club seemed to get really quiet, but Smoker didn't notice.

He stormed out of the club and out onto the brightly lit street. God, his heart was beating so fast he wouldn't be surprised it pounded right out of his chest! He should not be feeling this way about Ace God damn it! He was annoying and reckless and smug and everything Smoker fought against! Smoker would never admit, but he couldn't think properly around Ace!

And he HAD gone to see Ace in the hospital! But even just standing next to a sleeping Ace was too much right now. He had to get himself together. He was 32 years old for shits sake!

He tried to take a drag from his cigar, but even that didn't help. Frustrated, he took the cigar out of his mouth and threw it in the nearest trash can. 'Damn it all,' he thought as he walked down the street. His hands shoved in his pockets, Smoker made his way to the nearest intersection and pushed the button for the crosswalk, waiting impatiently for the light to change.

Out of the corner of his eye a pair of figures approached him. He turned slightly to see who it was. Could this day get any worse? He groaned to himself as he took in the two figures before him. It was Eustass Kidd and his second in command, Killer. His heart sped up though at the thought of a battle.

The men stopped just a few feet away from Smoker. After a moment the blond spoke.

"Well, well. If it isn't the White Hunter?"

Kidd's red lips stretched across his face in a grotesque smile as he said, "Yeah, Smoker, what you doing in these parts of the city,hmm?"

Smokers hand went for his gun, but it wasn't there. Son of a bitch! He had been so focused about not focusing on Ace, that he had forgotten his weapon. Killer looked sideways at Kidd. "Looks like it's our lucky night. The good old captain is off duty. No weapon to fight back with."

The two men took another step towards the harmless Smoker. At least that's what they thought. What they didn't know was that the anger humming through Smokers body was making his blood boil, and that, in fact, he was looking forward to fighting the two men in front of him. He was anything but harmless.

Smoker smiled at them with a wolfish grin as he cautiously backed into the alley behind him. "Why don't we take this somewhere else?"

Kidd and Killer simultaneously followed Smoker through the dark alleyway until they were in the back streets, and the only thing around was a flickering street lamp.

Kidd slipped on his brass knuckles and Killer withdrew his wicked looking blades.

"You have no idea how long I've been looking forward to this, old man." Kidd growled like a predator. Killer nodded in agreement, his blade looking dull in the shadows.

Smokers heart was pounding with adrenaline, and with anticipation. His body was tense, his stance begging for a fight.

"Hurry up," he growled, "I'm tired of waiting to kick your asses." The young men seemed happy to oblige, sprinting toward the captain.

Easily Smoker dodged Killers two knives, and caught Kidd's fist in his older man jumped away quickly as Killers knives descended, the tip of one of the blades grazing the top of Smokers thigh. But the said man barely noticed as he caught Kidd's punch again, then landed his own punch to the man's strong jaw.

Several minutes Smoker fought this way, and each punch in jab gained force and each knife cut hurt less and less.

"Come on, brats," Smoker taunted, wiping away the stream of blood that dripped steadily from his nose. "Im just getting started."

Kidd straightened up after recovering from the latest to Smokers have the upper cuts. "This is bullshit!" The redhead spat angrily, clearly fed up.

Killer panted beside him. "Let's just get out of here, Kidd." He said, sounding as if he had enough also.

"No!" kid barked, "That son of a bitch has had this coming for a long time. I'm not wasting this opportunity!" Kidd drew a gun from behind him. "I wanted to do this by hand, but it seems that this old man is just too much trouble." He raised the gleaming gun barrel to Smoker. "This way will just have to do."

The gun fired twice as Smoker went to dive behind a parked car. Footsteps pounded on the pavement before more shots where heard. Then the footsteps came towards him and his hiding place. So this is the end, Smoker thought as he leaned against the car.

Smoker clutched his left shoulder and when he pulled his hand away it was sticky and dark with blood. If he died like this, Hina would never forgive him, but Smoker was more sad that his life dream went unfulfilled. That bastard Crocodile was going to walk and that dumb fucker Ace was going to get himself killed because he was too fucking reckless. His eyes snapped open at the thought of Ace,but he quickly shut them again because the spinning ground was too much.

After a moment the captain clenched his teeth. No, he was not going to die tonight! Fuck Hina, fuck Ace, and even fuck Crocodile! He was going to live because he wanted to! Smoker rose to his feet, both hands clutching at his wounds. He only made it a few feet before almost falling over. The brick wall he was leaning against was his only support.

The footsteps were getting closer now. Where those bastards coming back for more? Despite his injuries, Smoker turned quickly, a growl coming from his throat, his arm pulled back to punch.

"Whoa, there, Smokie. Easy," Ace's worried voice said before his face came fuzzily in into view.

"What the fuck do you want, Portgas?" Smoker snapped, but his words lacked their usual venom.

His eyes begin to droop, the warmth was starting to leave his body. 'Damn it,' he thought,' Tashigi's going to kill me for ruining these clothes...'

Heehee. I hope you like this chapter, guys! Ive been just writting and writting and writting like crazy! I hope that my well of ideas doesnt dry up anytime soon! Haha. Ive even begun an idea for another story. So many good things to be happy about xp