A/N: I've wrestled with the idea of continuing this story, but when I started it, I knew this is where I wanted it to end. The great thing about endings is that they're only beginnings to so much more. The fun in fanfiction is to create alternative stories and I think every one of us can imagine other endings after this particular one. I hope you enjoyed reading this story as much as I did writing it.

It was only a week away before the two years were up. Annagi found herself in a town she didn't know the name of. She thought about it before she used the vial of transportation fluids that Gramps was always improving. Remembering it was a nice place despite the man trying to grope her on one of her missions; it was why she chose it. Annagi wandered through the streets lined with shops. She had meant to buy a farewell present for Luffy. Looking at her reflection in a shop window, she frowned at the dresses she always wore. Maybe now she'd have time to shop for clothes she would actually want to wear, though she knew she was most comfortable in the shorts and shirt that many people now considered a costume reminiscent of Ace when she paraded as the head of a rebel organization. She let out a sigh. Duke would never let her walk around in the clothes she liked; they were too plain. He was the main reason she was stuck in the elaborate dresses suited more for a princess of some sort rather than the pirate she was.

Lost in her own thoughts, Annagi was unaware that someone stood behind her.

"Still wearing black, I see," a voice snapped her back to the present. "But I'm sure that dress isn't the reason you're wearing that sad face."

Annagi spun around, her eyes widened at the sight of a white marine coat draped on a pair of large shoulders. She smiled as recognition dawned on her. "Ah, my favorite marine! Long time no see, Coby! I see congratulations are in order!"

The pink haired marine blushed as she applauded him grinning widely. "I just got promoted to Captain. All my hard work paid off."

"I'm really happy for you!" It wasn't really a lie. She was happy that he was happy, just not that he now wore 'Justice' on his back. They weren't really friends and he never acknowledged that he knew who she was, but that never stopped them from him from always being kind to her. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I'm using up the last of my free days before I head out, so I thought I'd walk around the town for a bit. I seem to always find a damsel in the clutches men who never think with their brains, but it seems I won't have to beat anyone up today!" He actually sounded relieved that she wasn't on another doomed date.

"Well the day is still young!" She walked along the streets with Coby, glad to have the company. Annagi hadn't given him up as a source of information, though he was unaware the things he said yielded important data on the Marines. She wanted to turn him into an informant, knowing he would never willingly give her that information.

"So why are you here?"

Annagi explained her situation in the vaguest way possible as the wandered in and out of shops.

Coby frowned in thought. "Well, you have to tell your friend that you won't be able to go with them. It would have been better for you to tell them a long time before. You've gotten their hopes up now and they'll be really sad, but you can't leave it for the last minute. It's better to enjoy the time you have left with them honestly than to have them think you were lying the whole time. It's the right thing to do."

Annagi looked at bandannas displayed on a table as Coby explained what she already knew. Her eyes were drawn to a particular bright green one with pale blue flowers. Picking it up and paying for it, they left the shop and walked on as she continued shopping and chatting with her unlikely companion.

When they parted, the sky was already orange with the twilight setting in.

"Thank you, Coby," Annagi said, looking up at the kind marine. "I'm really happy that you're a step closer to your dreams. It might not look like it most of the time, but we're really on the same side. I'm sure you'll make the world a better place. You already have many times over. I look forward to the day when you'll be commanding all Marines!"

The man's cheeks flushed. Annagi wasted no time as she pressed the little bag with the green bandanna into his hand.

"What's this?" He asked genuinely confused.

"Well, I always give you flowers when you save me from those idiots. I thought this time would be no different. There wasn't a fool man this time, so these flowers are mine and won't wither away. And I think this bandanna suits you better."

"Thank you," he managed to stammer out before Annagi walked away waving goodbye.

Annagi was a nervous wreck as she sat outside the empty house she had lived almost a year in on this insanely treacherous island. She knew Coby was right; she couldn't wait until the last possible moment to tell Luffy she wasn't going with him. Running over each scenario in her head, she mentally steeled herself for the worst possible outcomes. It was all she could do from trembling or running off and as far away from as possible.

Luffy walked into the clearing looking tired but satisfied. It seemed he had a good training day. There wasn't much to do after he became the island's boss, defeating the boss who now became his staunchest ally. Now he focused on sparring with as many of his new friends as possible and testing out his new attacks to hone his haki techniques. The change from the beginning of the two years to now had been incomparable. His strength and technique grew exponentially.

"Hey, you're back."

"Yeah, I guess I am."

Luffy sat down and they ate a meal she prepared in silence as night fell. The moon was full and unusually bright, so there was no need to start a fire.

Annagi looked at Luffy as he stared up at the moon, working up the nerve to break the silence. After shopping for him, she was forced to see the changes in him that occurred over the last two years. He had grown so much, both physically and mentally. He helped her in a way that no one else could have and encouraged and supported her in ways he would never know. His eternal optimism and determination in the face of deepest despair was the most inspiring thing she had ever seen. He would never know the strength he gave her.

"Luffy…" She began, her voice so quiet mingled with fear. "Can I talk to you about something?"

"Hm?" He looked at her, taken aback by the meekness in her voice and the pained look on her face as the moonlight illuminated her.

"You know I can't come with you…" Her voice was barely audible. As much as she forced herself to look him in the eye, her own eyes immediately found themselves staring at her trembling hands on her lap after the words were out of her mouth. Annagi didn't think she could handle looking at his face regardless of what his reaction would be.

"You're not going to join my crew?" Surprise grated in his reply with a feeling of sadness that radiated, burning into her skin.

Still, she couldn't look at him. She tried to make up an excuse. "…You never asked me if I wanted to go with you."

"Ann, join my crew." Luffy knew it was too late to ask, but it couldn't hurt to try. His voice nearly broke. He stared at the woman in front of him. All he saw was her long black hair glowing in the moonlight, hiding her face as she looked down at her hands. He pleaded. "Please, join my crew, Ann."

"I can't…" Annagi knew she had to look him in the eye. Raising her head, she saw his face darkened by the moon shadows as he looked down at her, knowing that his face mirrored that same pain she felt. "There is nothing that would make me happier than to sail with you and find myself adventures like the ones you've told me about. To become a part of the family you've made for yourself. To love all the wonderful people you love. I couldn't tell you before because I want to go with you. I hoped that I could, and every time you talked about it, I found myself wanting to go even more. I don't know what I'll do without you, Luffy. You've helped me in so many ways and I'll never be able to repay you for it, but thanks to you I have a dream now just like you. You've made me stronger and shown me that I don't have to be blinded by anger; that I have people who love me and people that I can love. You've shown me that my life hasn't ended; that it's just another start. You've made me so strong, so you know I can't go with you. How can I show you how strong I can be if I always have you to support me? How can I show you that I can live this life you've given me to its fullest potential if you won't let me go? How can I change the world in the way I promised, if I can't tear myself away from you? I know I'll say yes, and I'd be so happy, but I'll be dead all over again. So please, Luffy, don't make me answer your question."

Luffy stared into the shining brown pools that were her eyes. They drew him in. His heartbeat quickened. It felt like he was soaring through the clouds and hurtling down to the ground all at the same time. The willpower, the courage, the honesty, the sorrow all danced on her perfect face as she pleaded with him. When did he start to think her face was perfect? Had he always thought it was? It seemed like there was never a moment when it wasn't. But she looked just like a regular girl, like Nami, Robin, and Hancock. So how could she be so impossibly beautiful in such an ugly moment? Had anyone been more beautiful than she was in that moment? Was it the moon that made her glow like an angel come to earth? When did he start to feel like this? Did he always?

He swallowed. She wanted to come with him. She wanted to be by his side. He could be selfish and ask her again. Pirates are selfish. He was a pirate. It wouldn't be wrong. She would say yes. Could he live with himself? Could he allow her to kill a part of herself to be happy? Was that even happiness? He could make her happy. Make her forget whatever part that died. No. It was wrong. It would be the same as if he killed her himself. Maybe that's what made her seem beautiful and you never forget what dies. It stays with you for the rest of your life. It motivates you. She'd never forget it. She'd never forgive him. How could he forget what his own brother has asked of him?

"The next time I'll ask you that question, you won't have any excuses not to answer. You'll have already shown me how strong you are, how you've lived your life to the fullest, and how you've fulfilled your promise to change the world." Luffy made his voice as light as he possibly could under the circumstances. He had to let her go so she could move forward. So they could both move forward. She couldn't go with him now, but one day she'll come without any reservation. He could wait for that day when Ann and Max would sail with him. He believed it would come.

All the trepidation etched on her face faded into a smile that could melt stone as she never broke her gaze into his dark eyes. Luffy didn't know when her arms snaked around his neck finding comfort on his shoulders or when he felt the cold of her wet cheek brush against his own before he felt her soft lips rest on his cheek before pulling away as softly and quickly as it touched. He didn't even know when his own arms pulled her waist closer to him in return.

"Thank you." Her warm breath as she whispered her gratitude in his ear, still embracing him, sent a shiver down his spine. "I'm so happy you understand. I should have told you sooner."

"Let's have the best week ever!" Luffy reluctantly broke away from her. It was too much to take in. His mind was running laps in his head. "But first, sleep!"

The last week on the island was the most fun they ever had in the last two years. Annagi brought Maximilian back to Rusukaina. She didn't want to deprive her two boys of each other. The mother knew that Max would cry for Luffy when he realized that he wouldn't be seeing him again. Luffy loved him as if he was his own and she wanted him to feel happy and relaxed because she knew everything would change once he stepped off that island. Enemies would come at him and his own idiotic choices to save people would get him into trouble. Becoming a mother made her worry unnecessarily about everyone and everything.

The three of them played from the time they woke to when they when the slept. Maximilian ran around with Luffy's animal subordinates like the wind whenever he wasn't being given rides by the lion, former king of the island or on Luffy's shoulder while he bounced on his springy legs. Luffy was just like a kid himself, entertaining the child by blowing air into his body and becoming a giant balloon or making him laugh by swelling up his head. They played on the little pieces of beach on the edge of the island, building sandcastles and Max destroying them. Of course there were incidents when Max wandered into the surf, and Luffy ran after him without thinking. Annagi was left to drag them both back, Luffy too weak from the seawater affecting his Devil's Fruit powers to hear her scolding.

When Max took his naps, Annagi and Luffy sparred, always pushing each other to their limit. Annagi had almost caught up to Luffy. Whatever difference in strength separated them was overcome through her expert usage of Haki. She used it like she wielded her voulge; it had become an extension of herself and every use of haki was without thought as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Luffy had the upper hand in most of their fights; he always came up with the most unconventional moves and threw her off guard, but when they fought only using Haki, no voulge or devil's fruit, Annagi always won.

The days flew by as the little family clung to the time they had left. The last night on the island came without thought for the people who didn't want to leave each other.

"I finally got Max to sleep." Annagi next to Luffy under the stars as she always did. "Bink's Sake still does the trick."

"I don't think I could sleep even if I wanted to!" Excitement poured out of Luffy. "Tomorrow I'll get to see everyone again! I can't wait!"

"I'm sure they're just as excited about getting back together again," Annagi said. She didn't know what else to say. A part of her still wanted to go with him, but her mind was made up.

Annagi fell asleep listening to Luffy talk about his crew. He was so excited that he carried the conversation and didn't notice her silence turn into sleep. Luffy looked at her sleeping form with a smile. As excited as he was, sadness crept in. The sleeping toddler inside and the sleeping woman next to him had become important people to him. The two years on the island had flown by. He knew without them, it would have just been two years of training. But he had grown, not just stronger, but wiser as well. It was thanks to them that he saw things differently. He could handle the trauma of Ace's death not just through training, but because of the woman next to him. She knew exactly how he felt at the time and that camaraderie had helped them both.

The last morning they would ever spend together on the island started as it always had. Max's crying woke them up, followed by bathing and breakfast. Luffy held onto Max as if he didn't want him to go.

"Luffy." Annagi presented her gift to him. It was the clothes she had bought when she met Coby. "Get changed. You can't wear those old clothes to meet your friends. A pirate captain needs to look the part when meeting with his crew again."

"Clothes?" He whined childishly. "Not something cool?"

"If you don't get changed, I'll do it for you," she threatened with all the authority of a mother.

Without another word, Luffy ran into the house and was out a few minutes later clad in a new pair of blue shorts and a red long-sleeved cardigan with yellow buttons complete with a new pair of sandals. Annagi clapped as he came back out. He looked so much better.

"It fits!" Annagi was holding a long yellow sash. "One last thing."

Annagi walked up to him smiling, a sash in her hands. Luffy forgot to breathe as she closed in to tie the sash around his waist. Too close. She hadn't been this close to him without sparring since the night she told him she couldn't go with him. The excitement of seeing his friends again had blocked the strange feelings for her away, but that night flooded his mind once again.

"You look more like a pirate now," she mused admiring her choices in clothes for him, her hands still lingered on his waist where she had finished tying the sash. "This suits you."

She didn't move away from him. She felt he would disappear right then if she wasn't looking at him. Annagi stood up on her tiptoes and ran her fingers through his hair. He had kept it longer than he did two years before. "I like your hair long like this. Very pirate like."

Luffy couldn't get any words out. He almost jumped when she laid her hand on his chest, right in the middle of the scar Akainu gave him. She looked at the scar and frowned. Did she feel his heart beat a million times a minute? The snow began to fall. He didn't feel the cold flakes as they touched his skin. Luffy didn't think he'd ever feel cold even if he froze to ice as long as her hand was on his chest.

"Ann?" Luffy finally spoke up, snapping her out of whatever she was thinking. "Are you ok?"

She shook her head, pulling her hand away quickly. She had been concentrating on using observation haki and forgot her hand had been on Luffy. She didn't want to leave, but time was drawing near. "They'll be here soon. I thought we'd have a little more time."

Luffy knew she could sense the people on the Amazon Lily pirate ship at a greater distance away than he could. As Max ran past him, he scooped him up, wanting to hold him one last time before he left. "So you won't go to Sabaody?"

"You want to get in and out of that damned place before you're discovered. I might have done a little too much there than I should have. A girl with a face that's plastered all over the archipelago isn't going to help. And I can't let anyone see Maximilian with me." A snowflake landed on her cheek.

"I'll miss you and Max." Before she could wipe it away, Luffy's free hand was on her cheek to do the same. He caressed her cheek, very unsure of what he was doing only that he felt his life depended on it.

Annagi laughed softly to keep from crying. "We'll miss you too. There's a little den den mushi in your pants pocket. Give it to Nami to keep. You'll lose it or break it and then I won't be able to reach you when I need. Max will be sad if he doesn't hear your voice once in a while."

"You know you're not alone, right Ann? I promised Ace…If you ever feel like that; just know that I'm here for you. If you ever need me, let me know and I'll be right there." Luffy would keep the promise he made to his older brother. He would have said the same even if he didn't promise. The pirate hadn't moved his hand away as he cupped her cheek.

"I promised I won't let you get into too much trouble and I know you're not going to make my promise easy. I think I might have gotten the harder job. Ace loved to give me the all the jobs he didn't want, but you're lucky I'm actually one of the few people capable of doing just that." Annagi touched his scar again. The scar on Luffy's chest was there for all to see. That scar represented the loss of his brother. The woman couldn't bring herself to tell Luffy about Akainu's rise in rank to Fleet Admiral Sakazuki; she still couldn't stomach the fact that they promoted him and nearly went off to fight him had Garp not stopped her. She had no physical scar of that day, just the hollow still inside her, though it had become bearable in the past two years. She hoped it would still be so when she wasn't in the presence of Luffy. "If I find the man who did this to you before you do, I will do what I have to and I will not apologize to you for taking your revenge away from you."

"Same here." Luffy didn't want that to be her last words.

Annagi's hand reached for Luffy's hand on her cheek, laying hers on top of his before she removed his hand from her face. She stood on her tiptoes, and kissed his cheek, before taking Max from him as gently as she could. "Max, say 'bye-bye daddy'."

"Bye-bye, Daddy." Max waved goodbye.

"Take care. Of both of you." Luffy held down the lump forming in his throat as Annagi stepped away from him. There were so many things he wanted to say to her, though he didn't know what they were. All he managed was, "I'll miss you guys."

"I might not sail under a Jolly Roger anymore, but that doesn't make me any less of a pirate so don't worry about us. We'll miss you too. You, take care of yourself, Luffy. We will meet again. Chances are, I'll be the one saving your sorry pirate captain hide." Annagi laughed at the thought. She wanted to leave with a smile on her face and see a smile on the man whose friendship gave her strength.

Luffy laughed. He sensed the ship pull up to the island. "There's no way, I'm pretty strong now. But if I get to see you and Max again, maybe I'll get into some trouble so you'll come save me."

"Don't even joke about that! You're not even back yet and you're giving me trouble!"

Luffy couldn't help himself. The smile that played on her face and the mildly exasperated tone in her voice were the last he would hear and see of her. He closed the gap between them and pulled her into a tight hug while ruffling Max's unruly hair as he was embraced by both of them. He ingrained that moment into his mind from the way he felt when he held them to the way they felt against his touch to their scents and the cadence of their breath and Max's soft babbling voice.

"Thank you, Luffy." He heard Annagi whisper as she broke away. "For everything."

Drinking the vial of liquid she always did before she disappeared, Annagi gave him a warm smile which Luffy returned as he waved goodbye. With that they were gone. Luffy heard a voice call for him. It was one of the Kuja Pirates.

Luffy and Annagi were prepared for what was to come. Both knew the other was capable of whatever would happen to them next. They had given each other the strength to overcome their pain and pushed each other beyond what they thought was possible. They carried the weight of Ace's final requests in their hearts, knowing that the man they both loved had given them a way to ease the pain of being left behind. He had given them a new bond, in place of the bonds he had with them, a bond with each other. And between them, that bond made all the difference.