Phoenix Reborn

"Chapter II: Home"

It had been awhile since he met up with everyone again. Sure, he saw most of them every day but it was no longer the same as living under the same roof as everyone. He couldn't just disappear from his mother and his old man either because he was their son as well and they would worry. So he had to adjust to only seeing them at school and whatever time he had to spare after.

Even when he was there though, nothing really felt the same as before.

It was evident as when there would be a silence in the room, usually filled with a charming laugh or a witty comment. When a chair was empty they would all try not to look at it, even though they could all see it from the corner of their eyes. When someone asked for help it was no longer the eldest helping, but someone nearby and knowledgeable enough. At the table when eating, the place reserved for Pops' right hand was left empty – all of them just waiting for the day it would be filled.

Years passed without a whisper of him, not a word spoken and it seemed as if the eldest would never return. The family was giving up hope of him ever returning, seeming to condemn themselves to the fact he wouldn't return.

And if in the middle of the night they cried themselves to sleep, if they stared at the door that would never be used, if they got drunk more than usual some nights… well.

They weren't about to point it out.

It was warm and safe. Nice, healing blue flames surrounded him, finally being able to sleep for the first time in forever. Cuddling deeper into the fire brought a chuckle from the source, what felt like arms wrapping around him bringing him comfort. It had been a long time since he felt this heat, and it brought tears to his eyes.

But why… he thought, Why am I crying? He couldn't remember not being in this warm embrace, couldn't remember the cold that could be there. Yet he still felt like crying, as if this was something he had longed for a million years.

The source nudged him, coaxing Ace to look up into eyes that he knew better than his own. A smile was on his face, one that was happy and loving, soft and bright at the same time. A sense of urgency took over Ace's mind and body, urging him to grab ahold of this man and never let go.

Without much thought, he wrapped his arms around the stranger's neck, covering their lips with his own. The fire cocooned them, wrapping them so tightly that every inch of them was covered. It would never be enough though, his skin begging for more contact with this man. Ace wanted to hold this man and never let go, afraid that he would leave once again. He wanted to chain himself to him, wanted to brand this man with his mark to show that he belonged to him.

Because this man was much like the sky, and just as free – he could never be forced anywhere. And Ace didn't want to, he loved it when this man was free, when his laughter shone brighter than anything in the world. He just wanted to make sure they could always find each other.

Ace burned that face into his mind, knowing that good things don't tend to last and this was the greatest thing that had ever happened to him so he knew it wouldn't last. But by the gods, did he want it to.

The last image Ace saw was the man's smile.

School was about to start in about an hour, and even rushing down the street he felt like something was going to happen.

He couldn't tell if it was a good thing.

Brothers – because that was what they were, even if only because they called themselves that – were a pain in the ass if only because they wanted to have a race. Even when knowing the city for most of his life it was hard to maneuver the crowded streets, having to literally run into people to simply get a step in. In the end, he guesses he should be thankful. Because if he didn't have to run into people, he would never have met the person he was looking for.

It was completely accidental. Really. He didn't mean to run the guy over, even if he was the only one to fall down. The man was taller than him, by a good six inches at least. Older than him too, and wasn't cursing at him yet so Ace probably wasn't in trouble. So when he stuck his hand in front of Ace, he wasn't really surprised – he just didn't want to take it either.

"Kid, you okay?" That voice made his heart ache, he just couldn't place why. He could feel the man's eyes burning into him, studying him. It made him want to fidget, but he was the former commander of the second division from the Whitebeard Pirates. The only people who could make him nervous was Pops and the first division commander… who they hadn't managed to find yet.

When Ace took the offered hand, still not giving an answer to the man's concerns, he was forced to look at him. He would never be happier that he did because right in front of him was a face he would never forget.

The strong jaw line, high cheekbones, and broad shoulders. The coloring was off – pale skin where it should have been tan, black instead of blonde, and an emerald green in the place of a sky blue. But Ace knew Marco, better than anyone; save a few. He knew his body and his heat, the warmth in his eyes and the calluses on his hands. He knew how much strength it took to pull his body up, the right momentum and how he swung to the left just a little while pulling up with his right hand. Because Ace had memorized every detail of Marco when he thought he had lost him, and even if everything was different, Ace would always know Marco.

The man that had been missing for his whole lifetime, the commander that their family had been trying to find, was right in front of him.

Ace could have sworn Marco said something, his lips surely moved and his eyes were concerned. There was no way he could have heard it though, his heart thumping in his chest and the bustling of the streets getting in the way. Everything had zoomed in on him, his fretting behavior and knowledge of somewhat common checkup techniques. This man couldn't be anyone but Marco.

He disappeared from his sight though, side stepping him and hurrying along with the crowded streets. Even as Ace turned, desperate to keep him in sight, it was already too late. The crowd had swallowed him whole.

It was only a minute later did he truly understand what had happened.

Ace had found Marco, had found the love of his life, his soulmate, and there hadn't been any recognition in those once freedom-blue eyes.

Marco had no idea who he was.

Ace didn't immediately tell his family, even though he really wanted to. He was still trying to wrap his head around it, to prove to himself that it wasn't a dream and that he had seen Marco this morning. He replayed the moment like a record, unwilling to forget even a moment. Even the exact second he realized Marco didn't have any memories of him.

The question was though was why didn't he have his memories? Everyone from the Old Era of Pirates had gotten their memories back fairly quickly if they didn't have their memories when they were born. The longest case of amnesia was until they were ten years old, and Marco had looked well into his twenties.

He didn't even question if it had been Marco – he would know the phoenix anywhere. It didn't matter what life it was, Ace would always find his nestmate.

When the idea that the first commander had been reborn with them settled into his mind, the school day had just ended. He couldn't even remember what was supposed to happen, the homework he might have had, or if he had been scolded by his teachers for not paying attention. His siblings probably noticed, shooting him concerned looks as they escaped from their jailer.

Thatch and Izou, two of his best friends and closest brothers in their makeshift family, rushed over to him and gave him questioning looks. He gestured around them with a shake of his head, nodded towards a less crowded area that was on their way back to the house, and hurried in that direction. It didn't take long for them to hurry up, and Ace had to get back to their father before the hour was up – he wouldn't keep this information to himself any longer than necessary.

"We need to go see Oyaji. Now."

Everyone had been called for this meeting, no one knowing what it was about – only that Ace had called it while on his way home from school and that it was an emergency. So the once-commanders gathered around the table, near their father while their one time subordinates littered the outskirts of the room. Ace had said it didn't matter who heard, and he was a pretty good judge of information.

And so the remaining members of the Whitebeard pirates waited for some of their youngest siblings to get home, somehow hoping beyond hope that it was good news for once.

"We're home!" the voice of Thatch shouted out from the hallway, bright and jolly, an undertone of nervousness. He, Izou, and Ace came through the door not long after, still wearing their school uniforms. They took their respective seats while being greeted by their family members, leaving only one chair left empty – a chair they thought never to be sat in.

"Ace, my son. Why did you call for this meeting?" Newgate Edward, more commonly known as Oyaji or Whitebeard in the old days, asked his youngest son. He was quite curious as he knew how Ace didn't like to meet from dinner or meetings because of the empty chair beside him. And if he were to be honest, Whitebeard didn't like it much either.

When Ace fiddled with hands for a moment, Whitebeard started to grow uneasy. When he bite his lip he started to worry. And when Ace finally stood up and look up at him, he couldn't help but think something horrible had happened. "Ace?"

Tears filled his son's eyes, dripping down his cheeks and his lips trembled in a way that he had only see when he saw his youngest son miss his eldest. "I found him, Oyaji. I found him."

There were only so many people Ace cared enough to cry over, and the ones he had with him weren't missing. It struck deep, the pain in his eyes as well as the overwhelming relief seeming to almost break him where he stood. And while Ace cared about the family, thought of it as his own, he wouldn't have brought up a missing person from his family until he introduced them first. So this had to do with the Whitebeard Pirates, and there was only one person missing that could cause Ace to cry.

Of course, Newgate wouldn't get his hopes up. He could have easily been mistaken, though he hardly doubted it. Ace knew Marco well, and no matter how much Ace missed him, he wouldn't dishonor his memory by thinking he was someone else. Whitebeard had to hear it from Ace's mouth though, had to be sure they were on the same page.

"Who, son?"

There was a heartbreaking moment of silence that stretched so long that Edward feared Ace wouldn't answer. It was naught though because Ace was smiling so wide it couldn't have been anyone else.

"I found Marco."

Words: ~2000
Night: Man... it's so hard not to just jump right into this story. I want there to be suspense, though, and when I'm this excited it's just not working out for me. Do you guys think I'm doing good? Sorry, it's a little shorter than the last one, but when I wrote that last line I knew it had to end there. Next chapter is all but written, and you might just see a meeting between the Whitebeard Pirates and Hadrian if things go according to plan. I was thinking about them meeting this chapter, a simple scene where they would recognize him only at the last second and by the time they did, Hadrian would be gone. As you can see, that didn't happen. But man do I have a funny scene in mind when they do meet.

Now... I don't want to give anything away, no matter what. Hadrian's background is so rich that I would feel terrible for ruining it, and no matter how badly my mouth wants to shout it in your ears, I won't. I'll be a good author-san and just sit in the corner, wait for your theories and thoughts.

I would love some feedback, if you don't mind. Gets me motivated to write more often than I would have.

Reviews:

Elfin69: ...there is a reason, but because its part of the plot and everything, you must learn along with the Whitebeard Pirates exactly what type of person Marco has become as 'Hadrian.' The only thing I will say is that Hadrian could be a bad influence, and there are zero romantic feelings on Hadrian's end of his relationship with Rose. (Because I know that's where your mind is heading)

Kitty Katrona: I'm glad to see an AO3 reader here :) Not many bother to see the same story on another website.

I also... have a little preview for you guys. Hope this inspires you to review? (This may or may not be in the next chapter)

Preview:

"Have you seen my first division commander?"

"I hired Harry-chan a few years back, he was one of my customers that was spiraling towards an early grave."

"...that dame broke his heart."

"There's nothing I can do, no matter how hard I try, no matter what I do, I can never forgive myself for being a reason he's suffering even after all these years!"

"May I have this dance?"

"I'm afraid that one day I won't be enough to hold him to this world and he'll... just fade away."

"Hey, Pops, look at this. It's Marco's medical files..."

"I'll take her home. Will you be okay'?"

"ROSE!"

"Please... please, wake up."