Disclaimer: Me no own, you no sue! Capiche?

Sorry I haven't updated in awhile guys! Ive had this chapter written for awhile but getting around to typing it has been alittle difficult because of my finals coming up. I also apologise for the last chapters paragraph of spelling errors! God damn that was really embarrassing! I was half asleep when I was typing it out but that is no excuse! Anyway, thanks for reading and all that. :) It makes me happy to know you guys like my stuff! :D

Hellfire

Chapter 6

For the next two days Ace avoideded Smoker like he had the plague. Smoker was a little confused. Hadn't the brat said they were friends? Not that it really mattered to Smoker either way but the way Ace had showed up to work the next day after that night made him a little concerned. The older man noticed that there was something wrong and pointed it out. "Mind your own fucking business!" Had been Aces testy reply.

Smoker almost groaned in embarrassment as he remembered the way he had touched Aces bandages and how close their faces had been. He felt his blush reach his ears. Was Ace mad at his actions? How had things come to Smoker worring if he had offended the damn rookie? The captain didn't want to think of the freckled brat so he threw himself into getting ready for the drop that was a little more than three weeks away. He was going to fucking nail that bastard Crocodile this time.

Ribbons, pictures, and news articles were conected by different color string in seemingly random dots on Smokers maps. He planned and ran through scenarios, scoped out the place where the drop was going down all by himself. There were very few cases where Smoker and Ace had to be together, and even then they usually did their own thing.

But even though Smoker tried to stay consumed, the stupid brats laugh, and his stupid footsteps had Smoker on edge. He tried to convince himself that this was better, that this is what he had wanted. When he spoke to Ace that night about being left alone, this is what he had had in mind. But Ace had been the one to pursue the friendship, so why had the Ravens stopped now? The captain didn't know what to think of it, frankly, and he didn't know if he wanted to know the answer.

Finally on the beginning of the third day Ace brought Smoker a cup of coffee. He raised an eyebrow as he let out a cloud of smoke from his cigars. "You finally done PMSing, you shitty brat?"

Ace scowled, "Shut up, you bastard. You're lucky I even graced you in my thoughts." Smoker resisted the urge to roll his eyes as Ace sat down and Smoker picked up the coffee.

"How is your hand?" The captain asked despite himself. Ace stilled at the question and grabbed the burned limb by reflex. "Good. And you? Hows your... shoulder side?" Smoker took a sip of coffee. "Great. The doctor you recommended did a great job." He tried to think of something else. Anything else. "Is he really only 17?" Ace nodded. "Yeah. Graduated high school at 13 and spent the rest of it in medical school. He's recently been for certified as a legal doctor, so I thought you should be the guinea pig." Ace shot Smoker a forced smile.

The older man glared at the raven as he drank the coffee. "Are you going to the party next Saturday?" The brat seems startled. "Party? What party?" This time Smoker did roll his eyes. "GarpsbThanksgiving party? Its in two weeks. If you had actually let me talk to you these past few days you would know." Smoker let the edge creep into his voice. The younger man seemed to cringe a little at Smokers words.

"Listen, Smoker, I..." Smoker stood up, having had enough. The position was clear. "I don't want to hear it, Portgas. Your excuses aren't worth shit. Get you head out of your ass and get over your damn mood. We have a job to do." Smoker tossed the finished coffee into the trash can and walked out of the office.

"Smoker," Ace called, "Smoker, wait..." a loud crash came from behind him. He turned around quickly despite his anger. Ace was face down on the floor, the chair on its side next to him. "Hey, brat," Smoker growled around his cigars, a little nervous, "Don't dick around."

When Ace didn't respond or even move at all, Smoker walked over and poked him none to gently in the side. Not even at twitch. Smoker was a little concerned now. "Hey, Portgas!" He slaps the freckled man's face. No response. The older man turned him over and put his ear to Aces chest. There was a heartbeat, but it was faint and the captain didn't feel any breathing. Shit, Shit, SHIT.

The captain could do the only thing he could remember when someone wasn't breathing. He crushed his cigars under his boot, and plugged the Ravens nose. Smoker toke a big breath, and put his lips to Aces. He felt a blush creep up his neck as he tried to give a some rescue breaths. After a few he felt the man under him jerk and twitch. Smoker open his eyes - when did they close? - and looked into Aces face.

The older man quickly released him and stood. "What what the hell, Smoker?!" Ace demanded, wipping his mouth with the back of his hand.

He let out a relief breath, but replied highly annoyed, "Well you just collapsed on the floor and you weren't breathing! What the fuck was I supposed to do?"

Ace rubbed the cheek Smoker had slapped as he looked up at the captain. A flick of his tongue across his full lips made Smokers heart almost stop. "I was just asleep, you dumbass. Its called narcolepsy. I have pills to help prevent it, but I still have episodes sometimes."

Smoker remembered reading about something like that, he just hadn't given it much thought. "Well," Smoker snarled offended, "Excuse me, you shitty brat, for being concerned." He turned to go, but he felt a hand grab the arm of his coat sleeve. He turned, jerking out of the touch instinctively, and almost backed up when he saw the Ravens say so close to his. His lips parted in surprise and he saw a still his head toward Smokers...

The door burst open, causing the partners to shoot in separate directions. Tashigi stood in the doorway. "Sir, there was another fire downtown, but the fire department was able to catch it before it got too bad." Ace was the first to recover. "Okay, thanks, Tashigi," he said, his voice even and controlled.

Smokers brain was still trying to process what almost happened, though. Had Ace just tried to kiss him? Impossible, right? He mentally shook his head as he put a fresh the cigar into his mouth and lit it.

He walked over to the wall, his brain already processing the problem at hand. He looked up at the board full of strange pictures and newspaper clippings. "Downtown, you said? What's the address?" He turned to look at Tashigi and she in turn looked at the slip of paper and her hand.

" It says 37 Grafton Street. It is -well WAS- a chemical plant that was abandoned sometime last year after the man who owned it went bankrupt." Smoker turned and pushed a blue pen on the address on the map, then connected it to the fire from earlier from the last week with a string. He looked to his assistant again, "Tashigi, I want you to get me every fire- big or small - that has occurred in Illinois over the last 10 years."

He watched her go, then studied the map again. After a few moments Smoker spoke, still looking at the board, to Ace. "As fire fist, brat, you only went and lit up stuff that made an impression, right? Cause as crazy as it might seem, you didn't just stupidly light random buildings."

"Ah... yeah," Ace said slowly. After a moment the raven asked " Why, what are you thinking?" Smoker didn't answer, instead his mind was exploring new possibilities. Tashigi re-entered the room, glasses perched on her head and held out the papers to Ace. "Here are the papers, sir." The older man sighed, "Tashigi, I'm over here."

"Oh!" The said woman squeaked in embarrassment as she stumbled over to Smoker. He scowled with affection as he shoved his assistants glasses back on her nose, her eyes re focusing. "Here you are, sir."

He ignored the offered papers and instead showed her to the board. "I want you to mark all the fires with pins and then connect them in chronological order with red string along with any articles in the archives that you find, all right? Get Coby or that brat Helmepo to help you." Tashigi nodded and Smoker grabbed the freshly made car keys from the hook by the door and made his way to the car.

When he didn't hear the Ravens what steps he paused at the station door, shook his head in resignation and howled, "Portgas, get your ass moving! I'm going to need your help!" The door closed behind Smoker as he walked to the car and unlock the driver side door. He looked up and saw the freckled faced brat was making his way toward him.

The older man took a long drag of his cigar and blew the smoke out the window as he waited for the younger man to buckle up. "Why do you smoke those nasty things?" Ace questioned, his sentence puncuated by a harsh cough. "Its a habit I picked up when I was younger. Better than the drugs, I guess."

He felt the Raven stir beside him. "Have you always lived in Chicago?" "Well, aren't we chatty all of the sudden?" Smoker questioned back, sarcasm lacing his words heavily. After a moment he answered, "No. I moved to Chicago about 15 years ago. Before that I lived in a coastal town called Water 7."

He saw Ace nod his head out of the corner of his eye. "Thats a nice city. When I was in Water 7 a couple of years ago I met a crazy old lady named Kokoro. God, seeing her in a bikini still gives me nightmares, but that woman could really drink her liquor." Smoker couldn't help but laugh at the ravens words. "Does she still have that damn rabbit she's insists is a cat?"

Aces voice was smiling as he said "Yeah. She has granddaughter named Chimney and she taught a frog the front crawl." Smoker shook his head as he started to chuckle but stopped. Memories flashed in his mind like a slideshow on a projector. Bad memories, ones he did not want to think about. The car soon lasped into silence, both men thinking about not thinking of the past. After a few more minutes of driving they reached downtown.

The older man pulled in between the police barricade and parked. The two men in the car got out and slipped under the yellow caution tape. People were snapping pictures for evidence in booking, further in a group of cops were in a circle around something. The captain took another drag of his cigar as he made his way over. "What's all the fuss about?"

His gruff voice made the policemen jump, but they quickly stepped aside. There in the middle of the circle was it man, handcuffed. He had curly black hair and abnormally long nose. The man seemed to be shaking in his boots. Smoker raised an eyebrow questionably. "Who is this?"

The man looked up at smoker with fear. "The man who started the fire," one of the men said. Smoker look to dubious. "I told you I didn't do it! I'm the one who called it in!" The man demanded, his high voice was filled with panic. The captain stepped forward and inhaled deeply. "Well, Long Nose, you smell heavily like gasoline and you're covered in soot."

"That's because I was tackled into two gallons of gas! I told them I know who did it, though, but they won't believe me!" "Ah, save it for interrogation, Long Nose," The arresting officer said. "Hold on a minute," Ace said as he stepped out from behind Smoker.

The captain noticed that the cuffed mans eyes widened in recognition as he look at Ace, but then it was gone. "Excuse me?" The officer said. Smoker gestured for the officer to stand down. " Portgas is an... expert in arson cases. What is it, Ace?"

The said man walked over to the long nose and helped him stand up. "Uncuff him," he commanded. The officer with the keys hesitated before smoker nodded to proceed. Ace wipped off the other man's hands and studied them for a moment. "This man isn't the arsonist." The cop who made the arrest visibly bristled that Aces words. "Look at his hands," Ace said, "They are almost perfectly smooth. If he was an arsonist then his hands would be covered in fire burns. Plus," he added as he looked over the officer who was turning red with embarrassment, " If he says he knows who did do it he might have a picture or video or something, right?"

The long nose nodding frantically at Aces words. Smoker knew that what he said was true, but he also had a feeling that the freckled brat knew the long nosed man. "Well," Smoker rumbled, "Do you have any proof?"

Long Nose squeaked as he stuttered, "O-on m- my phone. Its a blurry pic-picture, but there's a logo or -or something."

The captain held out his hand for the phone and an officer handed it to him. He opened the screen in the lock screen popped up. He looked at the long nosed man. "Th-the password is SniperKing," As Smoker tapped in the keys in the lock opened up he asked, "What's your name, kid?"

"Ussop,sir. Ussop Sogeking." The man replied as he hid behind Ace. "Alright, Ussop Sogwking, tell me, what were you doing down here in the first place?" Smoker asked again as he clicked on the photo gallery icon.

The most recent picture was as Ussop had said. He did manage to snap a photo and although it was blurry, the logo tattooed on the man's arm was clear. It was the emblem of Donquixote Dolflamingos gang.

"I was going to the scrap yard to get metal to weld. I am an artist." Smoker scanned some other pictures on the phone and decided what the man said was true. The pictures on his phone showed several sculptures, some he recognized in being in some very expensive art exhibits throughout the city, and Ussop handing them over to the buyers with a happy smile on his face. There were even pictures of him and some kids, and a beautiful blonde woman.

He shut the phone off. "Alright, kid. Sorry for the trouble, " he apologizes he tossed over the phone to the curly haired man. He caught it with surprising dexterity. The officer who had cuffed Ussop handed the long nosed man his wallet, apologizing as well.

"Its- its okay. You were just being thorough." Ussop stuuttered. He looked at Ace, "Thanks," and said and then hurried off in the direction of the scrap yard.

Smoker shook his head as he turned around to the men. "I want a full sweep of the area. Look for anything that links with Dolflamingo." The men scrambled into action. When they were there for two hours Ace started to wine, "Smokie, I'm hungry." " You're always hungry." Smoker said gruffly. "Yeah, but there's nothing in this junk. We've combed it, like, four times."

Half an hour worth of whinning later Smoker finally snapped, "Alright, you fucking brat! Just shut up! " "Great!" Ace smiled, but Smoker noticed it was without humor. "I know a great place not far from here!" "You? Know a place?" Sometimes Smoker forgot that Ace had grown up in Chicago.

Ace led the way and 10 minutes later they were in front of a place most men only dreamed of eating at. "The Baratie?" he asked in disbelief. "Yeah! The foods the best, and the cooks pretty cute, too." Ace replied cheekily. Smokers stifled a groan as he followed Ace through the pristine doors.

"Don't you need reservations to get into a place like this?" "Yeah," Ace said with a shrug, "but if you know the right people..." Ace started but a big man with Popeye arms stood behind the podium and blocked their path. "I'm sorry, sirs, but the restaurant is closed till 2." "Awww, don't be like that! I know Zeff and his son! Ace exclaimed. The man huffed in disbelief. "If I let everyone in who said that then this place would be packed from floor to ceiling."

Smoker watched Ace peer around the burly man and squeal as he spotted the waiter. "SANJI!" He leapt right over the velvet rope and Smoker watched in embarrassed horror as Ace latched onto the blonde, unsuspecting waiters back. The man stumbled under the sudden weight, but stayed standing.

"Luffy, you bastard! I told you to stop doing that!" The blonde yelled, managing to buck Ace off. Smoker rushed past the burly man who had become transfixed on the scene before him, ready to stop the blond waiter from pounding in Aces fucking face, even if the raven DID deserve it.

But as the waiter brought his leg up to kick his gaze caught on Ace. He stopped and asked in shock, the cigarette almost falling from his lips. "Ace?" "Sanji, you bastard! Great to see ya!" Ace wrapped the waiter, Sanji, in another hug. The blonde blushed and forced Ace off of him. Then he lifted his leg, this time swinging at Aces head.

Smoker just stood there for a moment, confused, as Ace dodged the kick,cackling like a madman. He managed to entrap Sanji in another hug then unabashedly squeezed the other mans ass. Both Sanji and Smoker blushed Ace danced out of the way again before the blonde could say anything. At this point he decided that any hit that Ace got, he deserved it.

"I see these buns are still fresh from the oven,eh, Sanji?" He leered playfully. "Is Zoro still keeping them warm?" Smoker saw Sanji's face turn beet red and swung his leg again. "Ace, you shitty bastard!" He screeched, "Where the hell have you been! You could send a fucking letter once in awhile!"

Even through the insults that were thrown back and forth, Smoker was transfixed by the pure happiness that showed on Ace's face. Smoker had never seen that look of openess on Ace before. That made him realize once again how little he knew the raven.

Finally the two men calmed down and stopped fighting. Ace seemed to remember Smoker and waved him over. Smoker cautiously approached. When the waiter turned, the captain could see that the blonde was very good looking. The only out of place thing was the man's curly eyebrow. The blonde hair was the color of spun gold, hanging styled over his left eye, and his pinstripe suit hung on his body beautifully,accenting his long legs. Smoker couldnt help but wonder: was he another one of Aces ex-lovers?

"... Sanji," he was saying," this is my partner Smoker. Smoker, this is my friend Sanji." The blonde eyed smoker, racking his visible eye over the man in front of him. Finally the man spoke, "You must be pretty good for Ace to introduce you. I hope that he lets you sleep at night. Ace can be pretty slutty sometimes."

It took Smoker a moment to process sanji meaning, but when he did blushef harshly. "No! Its not like that! We're partners in the precinct we work at!" The older man said for almost frantically, trying to clarify. He looked it Ace for back up, but the asshat was pouting. "I resent that statement, Sanji. I'm not a slut." Sanji laughed.

"Oh, and I suppose that being fuck buddies once has given me no insight to what you you're like with your toys?" Ace continued to pout, but then laughed as he took off his coat. Smoker noticed he was wearing a white shirt that allowed the tattoo on his left arm to be seen through the fabric. Smokers sat down as the two men ask each other questions about there lives, trying to catch up. He felt odd feeling form in his gut, but before he could clarify it, his cell phone rang.

"Excuse me," he mumbled, standing up. The other two didn't even pay attention as he walked out side into the cold air inside. "Hello?" "Sir," Tashigis voice sounded a little warbled over the phone as she spoke, 'I wanted to wait for you to come back, but Sir, there is something really strange about the fires that you requested to be tagged..."

Smokers heart start to pick up speed. "Okay, thanks, Tashigi. We'll be there in an hour. He hung up and quickly went back inside the warm building, wanting to tell Ace. When he got back inside, the man at the front was gone, but the other two were still talking. Smoker stopped when he realized the voices were not so happy anymore.
"... Why did you bring him here? I don't understand!" Sanji was saying. Smoker could see that they were completely absorbed in their conversation as he peeked around the corner. "Sanji, its okay. You guys have been three steps ahead for ages! Now you-" "That's not the point, Ace!" Sanji hissed venomously, leaning over the table toward Ace. "Have you been working for the World Government so long that you have forgotten what they did to you? What they did to Whitebeard?!"

Ace slammed his hand on the table, making the crystal clack together. He rose slowly, towering over Sanji as the blond man sunk down, realizing he had crossed the line. Smoker had never seen a face look so dangerous, he looked like the heartless criminal the paper said painted him to be.

"How could I forget, Sanji?" his voice was low, almost a whisper as he said darkly, "Amost my entire family was wiped out in a single night! You are the only one who knows what I've had to do to protect the rest of them, and I want to keep it that way! I busted my balls off to keep Luffy safe, but what does that fucking idiot do? I tell him I forbid him to enter a gang, so the minute I go away the bastard goes and starts one himself! How do you think that makes me feel, Sanji? Knowing my little brother is screwing around with some of the world's most dangerous criminals? I know you guys stand up for what you believe in, but that just puts you guys at the top of the radar. Keep in mind, Sanji," he narrowed his eyes, "That I have been in this game for a very long time. So take my advice and convince Luffy to settle down a little."

Smoker took in Aces words. Sanji... That name did ring a bell, Luffy did too. His eyes widened in realization. Ace's little brother was the leader of the Straw Hat crew! The feeling that had been forming in Smokers gut earlier had been suspicion. The man in front of him was Black Leg Sanji, no doubt about that. He was the only man Smoker knew that used his feet as a weapon. Straw Hat Luffy was wanted everywhere in Illinois, along with his crew. Most of them had big bounties on their heads, along with wanted posters. Smoker would stake his reputation that the long nose man from earlier was part of the crew too!

The captain's mind was drawn back to the conversation, "I'm calling on my favor to Luffy. I want you guys to DISCRETLY dig up some dirt on him and for me." He saw Ace hand Sanji a slip of paper. The blonde raised his curly eyebrow. "Blackbeard? What are you into, Ace?" "I can't say, Sanji, but it's really important, okay?" The blonde cook nodded and put the piece of paper in his breast pocket.

Smoker had to quell the urge to stalk out there and beat the shit out of Ace. To use Ace by letting him use whatever knowledge of the gang underworld was an advantage that Smoker didnt have by himself. After all, he didnt make deals with gangs if he could help it. Blackbeard was the exception because he needed to keep an eye on that man too. Like hell the bastard would ever honor his end of the deal. If Ace wanted to know something about Blackbeard it was just as important as information about Crocodile. After all, Blackbeard was waiting Crocodile to fall, to pick up the mantle of warlord.

If Acee wouldn't tell Smoker, then the older man would find out himself. Something was there just below the surface and if it was about Crocodile or that bastard Blackbeard, then Smoker was resolved to do almost anything to find out. A thirst for justice and revenge boiled in his blood.

Smoker wasnt a fool, though. He suspected that Ace,too, had his own motives because if he could gauge anything solid out of the over heard conversation it was that the raven hated the World Government and everyone in it. Like hell he would do anything willingly to help them. As he knew from the start, he would have to keep a very close eye on the brat.

When the raven had walked into Smokers precint he had recognized Ace as a man who knew very well of pain and suffering. He knew of Aces past with his crew and how everything had gone down in flames. Smoker also knew the pain of losing your nakama and everything you believed in. Things like that you never forget. And you never, ever forgive.

He straightened his braod shoulders as he backed up silently. Thats why he was who he was. He knew the cops were crooked and cheap. And He knew that the World Government was oppressive to say the least. He also knew that the men of the underworld never really changed. Smoker was still in the precinct he was in because he chose to stay. He couldve been in almost any postion in almost any place he choose but his heart and duty were here. He had a job to do to bring the bad men down, to bring justice. Justice was his mantra and Smoker would do whatever he could to bring it. Even if that meant turning a temporary blind eye to someone like Ace until his usefulness was done.

I am sorry about my updates once again! I was gone all weekend riding the worlds fastest, most terrifiing pee-your-pants rollercoasters in the world! GO KINGDA KA!

I look forward to your reviews and comments with happiness! X3 Love ya all bunches!