XXX

Ace was sitting on the roof when Marco found him. From the top of the old broken-down mill there was a perfect view of the city, the tops of the buildings sticking up from the trees. But Ace was looking at the ocean, or perhaps beyond that. Marco didn't even have to guess what he was thinking about.

"I know it looks big," Marco said softly as he sat down besides his friend. "But take it from me. The oceans not nearly as vast as everyone gives it credit for. Trust me it's a small world when you need it to be."

Ace looked up at him before sliding his gaze back at the open ocean. "Your trying to make me feel better."

Marco shrugged. Old habits died hard it seemed. " When did you wake up?"

"An hour ago," He admitted. "I meant to come find you but…"

But he was still worrying over what Sabo said. Speaking of which. "Where is the revolutionary?"

"Sabo? I told him to go to bed. He looks like he has been up for days. And I thought you might want some space."

"Your still worried I'm going to kill him?"

Ace shrugged, confirming Marco's suspicions.

"I haven't yet." Although that was a close call when he first woke up. No wonder Sabo had sent the doctor away. The old man had come back to give Marco a checkup while Ace was sleeping, skittering around Marco like a nervous mouse while he worked. When he was finished, he bullied the blond boy into eating some more food claiming he was wearing himself out.

"Does he actually listen to you?" Marcos experience with revolutionaries was that they didn't take orders from anyone. They were rebels like that, it was right there in the name.

"I think he pretends to," Ace told him. Sabo gave them space, but he doubted he was actually sleeping. Sabo was so worried Ace was going to pass out again he was doing pretty much everything in his power to appease him.

"Why? Why is he helping you at all? What is in this for him. He claims he is your friend, but he doesn't know the first thing about you."

Sabo's consistent referral of them as 'friends' had not gone unnoticed by Ace. He pushed whatever urge he felt to tell Marco the truth down and instead settled for a half-truth. If Sabo wasn't going to broach that can of worms, then neither was Ace.

"He's a really old friend of mine," Ace explained. "We haven't seen each other for years. He might not remember me but I know everything about him."

"People change," Marco told him after a long beat of silence.

Not this one. At least not in the ways that count. And despite everything Ace would never entertain the idea that Sabo could be capable of doing anything that might stop them from saving Luffy.

"I would ask you to trust me on this one but I think that would be kind of stupid of me all things considered."

Marco turned his attention to the ocean below them. The sun was sinking lower in the sky and as it fell it hit the water in a way that made it light up like diamonds. No wonder Ace liked it up here. He missed watching the sun fall onto it. He missed his family.

"Sabo told me how long I was out for." Marco had never imagined he had been out of commission all that time. To him it had felt like a few days but in reality, it had been weeks. But that had been part of their plan. He had been part of their plan. At first to trick Teach into thinking Marco was gone and Ace was his dutiful puppet. And then Sabo and Ace had kept them out of the way for the rest of it. Probably because he would have objected. He had figured out that much on his own.

"You talked to Whitebeard."

It was Marcos instinct, especially after going missing so abruptly. He couldn't even imagine what his crew must be thinking. The last thing he wanted to do was worry them when they should be focused on getting Thatch back. But…

"Not yet."

"Yea," Ace said miserably resting his cheek on his bent knees. His tone reflecting someone who thought their entire plan, months in the making, had just crumbled around them. But when Marcos words finally registered his head shot up, looking at Marco with an owlish gaze.

"Wait what? You didn't."

"No," Marco told him again.

"Why?"

"I told you yesterday I would listen if you told me everything and I meant it. Give me some credit. I doubt I'll agree with this plan you two cooked up but right now I don't really have much of a choice." Not when it might be their best chance of finding Teach.

"I- yea but," Ace stuttered for a second before regaining his composure. "Thank you."

"I didn't do it for you."

"I know but thank you all the same."

It would be a stretch to say the teenager looked happy, but he did seem a bit calmer then when Marco first approached him. Probably because he knows there was still a chance now.

"Tell me everything, and I mean everything and then I'll decide what I am going to do. You can thank me or curse me then."

Ace agreed easily, not that he had much choice. "What do you want to know?"

"Tell me when all of this started? Since when have you two been working together. Have you been working against us since you left the ship?"

"No," came Ace's immediate reply. Of all things he looked a little offended at the suggestion. "Of course not."

"But you were hiding something." He had noticed the change since the younger had first talked to Burgess.

"Oh that."

"That."

The young man sighed, ringing his hands over his shorts in a nervous way. "It's not what you think." He said finally. "It had nothing to do with you. They just caught me off guard… Teach is blackmailing me."

"Yea I got that much."

"Not with Luffy." Ace tried to explain. "Well yes with Luffy. Him and Thatch are the reasons I have to do what that bastard says but he went after me out of everyone on the crew because he found out something about my family."

"Your family?" Marco repeated confused. He hadn't thought Ace had much of a family. At the least he never mentioned any.

"I don't really know a lot about it," He admitted still fidgeting, clearly this topic made him extremely uncomfortable. "I never met them or anything. They died before I was born…" He trailed off unwilling to continue. "It's not something I like to talk about. I still don't know how Teach found out."

"But he thinks it might be worth something to the government."

Ace nodded. "I used to think it would be the end of the world if it got out. But with everything with Luffy and Thatch, I know that it doesn't really matter anymore. I just want those two to be okay. Even if that means everyone finds out that I really am nothing but worthless criminal trash."

"Where you come from doesn't define you," Marco reminded him. "It's what you do."

"What I've done is betray my crew," Ace reminded him his voice full of loathing. "The people who do that, people like me, they are the ones I hate the most."

Marco didn't know what to say to that. And he usually always knew what to say. But before he could figure it out Ace continued.

"I promised to tell you everything though and I will."

"No, it's okay," Marco told him. He saw no need to make Ace share something that he had kept secret his whole life. Especially now with the threat of everyone finding out. Marco figured he must have some family skeletons for him to catch Teach's eye.

"Are you sure?"

"Ace it's ok. If you want to tell me, you can. But I'm not going to force you. But you owe me the rest of the story."

He nodded, relief showing clearly in his features. "Thank you."

Marco nodded; it was the least he could do. He waited a few moments until Ace began talking again.

"All of this really started when I went to drop off the recruits. They gave me a choice, either kill you in two days or they would torture Luffy to death. I didn't want too agree but…"

"You couldn't let him die."

Ace nodded. "I am supposed to protect him. I can't be the reason he's not here." The young man shook his head as if trying to chase away the darker of his thoughts.

"I wanted to tell you, but I figured they would be expecting that. They made it so that it was impossible to fake it. Or at least impossible for me."

"I'm guessing that's were the revolutionary comes in," Marco said. He knew this plan was too complex for Ace to come up with on his own.

He nodded again. "Sabo found out what happened to Luffy and came looking for me. I am the one that asked him for help," Ace said quickly. "I didn't know what to do other then what they said. So Sabo came up with the plan.

"How did you manage to trick them."

"I switched your body," Ace told him. "We umm… broke into the town's morgue. A pirate died in battle a week ago and no one had claimed the body, so they were going to burn it."

"You don't do anything halfway do you."

"We didn't want to risk losing to you in the fight, so we cheated with a neurotoxin. After you passed out, I pretended to burn the entire room up. The temperature was so hot that Burgess had to turn away, plus fire- visibilities not real high. So I switched your bodies and burnt up the corpse. By the time I was done it was like charcoal, so they had no way of knowing it wasn't you. He took the head back to Teach like he promised. Burgess didn't stick around long enough to search the warehouse so I guess we were pretty convincing." From the little of it Marco had been a part of, they had been convincing. Enough to fool him. And that was hard to do.

"But that was weeks ago. Why couldn't you have told me afterwards?"

"Because Teach had another job for me. I think he was pleased with how it went, and he figured I was a good way to get some of his dirty work done."

"What was the job."

"To poison Whitebeard."

Marco was on Ace in a second, the young man put his hands up quickly to stop the other although he made no move to escape or even move back.

"He's okay," He said quickly. "Or he will be."

"What does that mean!" Marco demanded crossing his arms over his chest. "And you could of led with that! You damn near gave me a heart attack."

"Sorry," Ace told him honestly. "My heads not working right since I woke up. I didn't mean to scare you. I did poison him with the neurotoxin, but I left him the antidote and faked my death. Now everyone thinks-,"

"That Oyaji's dying, you betrayed them and now you and I are dead," Marco finished for him as the picture began to come into view. By all accounts that was a pretty impressive feat for the two of them to pull off, strategically at least.

Ace nodded, his expression anything but pleased with himself. Instead he looked like he might be sick.

"How did you manage that?"

"Every night after the nurses went to bed I broke into the infirmary and injected the poison in his medicine so-,"

"Not that," Marco interrupted him hastily. He didn't really want to hear how Ace had poisoned his father which was all well and good as it didn't look like the other wanted to talk about it, or any of this. "How did you fool everyone?"

Ace sighed softly, shifting ever so slightly so his knees were closer against his chest, subconsciously protecting himself before he spoke.

"Teach ordered me back to the ship. He claimed credit for murdering you when he spoke to Whitebeard. But he told me that if I even thought of betraying him, he would tell them that it was actually me and let them kill me themselves. So, I went with it. I tried to act normal…I don't think I did a very good job though. Izo knew something was wrong."

Marco smiled ever so slightly at that. Izo always knew. He was smart like that. He really missed them.

"Whitebeard knew I was lying but he didn't do anything. I think he wanted to let everything play out. But on the last night I was there I confronted him and told him everything and renounced him as my captain. I attacked him but when I failed I jumped into the ocean…The crows saved me and brought me back here where you guys found me," Ace added when he saw the look on Marco's face.

"What's the deal with them? They keep giving me weird looks."

"Their helping Sabo, don't worry about them right now."

"So then why did you do all of that? Why couldn't you have just told Oyaji the truth?"

"Teach bugged me, he heard everything I said since we split up. He would have realized something was off if he overheard the crew talking. We needed them to believe what we wanted to otherwise he would have caught on."

"How do you know he is going to be okay?" Marco pressed.

"I gave him the antidote."

"You did?"

"Well sort of. I left it at the door to his office before I confronted him. I folded up a note asking him not to take it for a few days. Hopefully he still trusts me enough to listen," Ace said trailing off. He had, in his own way, been asking Whitebeard to trust him even as he fought. But he didn't know if the men had gotten the message or not beneath all the horrible things Ace said.

"Why wait!"

"Because we need it to seem like he is dying. Teach thinks that he's weakened right now, that's how he will put his guard down."

"How do you think he is going to find out at all?"

Ace frowned, leaning forward a little bit as he added, "Sabo thinks that there might be a spy in the crew."

"Is he sure?"

"No," Ace admitted. "He just said Teach probably has ears in the Whitebeards. It would make sense."

"I guess he would know about spies after all," Marco muttered. He didn't like to think about it but it was a possibility. Judging by how Teach worked it was a big one. The Whitebeards had an extensive crew, most of them Marco knew very well. But there were new recruits all the time, usually a few seasonal workers to help with operations… it wouldn't be that hard to buy off one of the hundreds of crew members. Especially one on the fringes of the group.

"Either way news like this spreads fast." Ace told him. "Sooner or later everyone is going to know that Whitebeard is weakened."

"Especially if we let it get out," Marco said catching on. Let the rumors spread that Oyaji was losing strength and sick. If they could trick Teach into believing it he would let down his guard. And that's when they would attack.

Ace nodded wearily. "That's the plan."

"And you figured I would have stopped you two."

"Wouldn't you?"

Marco thought for a moment. "Yes probably." He agreed. Part of being a first mate meant you stopped assassination attempts against your captain. He doubted he would have been able to stand by through everything.

"Still you could have found some way to tell Oyaji what was happening," Marco argued. "It didn't have to be this way."

"Would he have gone along with it? Lie to his entire crew based on the words of a traitor?"

Marco honestly didn't know. Telling Oyaji would have been a risk for sure. One that Ace didn't seem willing to take. It was pointless to think about now. What was done was done. There was n changing that. Only time could tell if things would play out. But for the moment Marco could work with this. The tables were beginning to turn.

XXX
Teach strode through his fortress with the self-assurance he had no doubt earned from all his hard work. Everything was falling into place at his feet, just like he knew it was. The only thing left for him to do was deal with the odds and ends until the government gave him what he was owed. But still there was no rest for the wicked.

He made his way through the passageways ducking down into the prison area where one particular prisoner was still held.

He stopped at the room at the end of the hallway, turning his gloating expression at the prisoner inside.

"I had almost forgotten about you," He said with a laugh. "You're a whole lot quieter without your little friend." Before this Thatch would be screaming everyday about something, he needed medical supplies, for them to stop hurting Luffy. But now, he was just silent.

Thatch sat in the darkness of his empty cell, leaning his back against the bed as he faced the wall continuously bouncing a pebble against it to have it ricochet back into his hand. He said nothing to the boasts, preferring to continue on as if the man was not there.

"What's wrong? Your not still sad about the kid are you? "It seems Teach's gamble of letting Thatch become attached had payed off. A little too well judging by his reaction. He had figured Thatch's bleeding heart and weakness for kids would make him sympathize with Luffy. But the two had gotten much closer then Teach could have predicted. Which was all well and good as it suited his needs just fine. Both were easier to control this way and taking Luffy away had proved to be the final nail in the coffin of Thatch's spirit.

"Do me a favor and get over it will ya? You should be far more worried about yourself."

Thatch frowned and the constant clicking of the pebble ceased for the moment as he turned to Teach. "Take your own advice," He told him darkly. "Do what you want with me. But you have to deal with Ace. He is going to kill you for what you've done."

"Oh, I doubt that," came the dark reply. "I don't think Ace is going to cause trouble for me or anyone else for that matter?"

Thatch looked up sharply. "What!"

"Ace failed his last assignment. Apparently, he would rather go for a swim then risk the consequences of disappointing me. He jumped into the ocean."

"Your lying."

Teach let out a booming laugh that echoed around against the tiny walls. "Funny, that's exactly what the kid said."

"You told him?" Thatch asked in horror.

"Not me someone else. I wish it was though. I would have loved to see the look on his face- losing all hope." For Thatches benefit he added, "right before he died."

"You really are a monster," Thatch said his voice croaked from disuse.

A vein of annoyance throbbed in Teach's forehead and he took a step closer to the bars, then apparently thinking better of it he backed down with a laugh.

"Be like that then. Sit there trapped in a cell while I kill everyone you have ever cared about. Let's see if you are still so defiant then."

"You think you can just use people as you like," Thatch answered quietly. "Just because you lie and cheat and steal, that doesn't make you above the rest of us. Maybe you will kill me, maybe everyone. But sooner or later everything you've done will catch up to you. All the fame and power in the world can't protect you from that."

"There you go again, lecturing me," Teach growled. "Do you really think I would take advice from my prisoner? What! Should I have a bleeding heart like you. And what did that get you? The crew you are so loyal too is nowhere in sight, you got too attached to the kid and now he's gone and your all alone. So keep your advice. I am not stupid enough to listen to the man who loses the game."

"There was a moment of silence before the bouncing of the rock resumed again. Teach shook his head in disgust turning back to the door.

"It's not advice," Thatch told him as he left. "It's a warning."

XXX

Sabo was sleeping outside when Ace found him. Well he didn't really find him. One of the crows was perched on Sabo's shoulder crying it's head off bloody murder. Every few minutes it would hop down his arm in agitation occasionally pecking at his face. Still he didn't wake up through all of that.

Ace called his name once and then a second time with more alarm. Upon reaching him Ace sunk down to his knees beside him. The bird stopped it's frantic calling upon Ace's arrival, hopping onto his shoulder as he tried to wake the other up.

"Sabo…SABO-," Ace said as he began to shake him harder. What was he doing sleeping here of all places, half-way through the overgrown clearing that surrounded the old mill? When Ace had asked him to get some rest, the nearest patch of weeds was not what he meant.

"Is he alright?"

Ace had forgotten that Marco was right behind him. After their talk on the roof they had gone off in search of Sabo to ask a favor only to find him here.

"I don't-," Ace trailed off when his brother stirred.

"Hm?" Sabo asked sleepily.

'Oh thank god,' Ace thought as his shoulder sagged in relief. He remembered clearly how the doctor had pulled him aside to warn him that he had found Sabo on the floor a little while ago. He thought it was due to stress and over working himself. Ace had done his best to keep an eye on him (old habits died hard), but with everything going on apparently, he hadn't done a good enough job.

"What happened?" His brother asked as he sat up.

"That's my line idiot!" Ace said punching his shoulder. "What did I tell you!" The crow hopped from Ace onto Sabo's head stomping its feet into his hair as if to scold him. Sabo shooed him off as he turned back to Ace.

"To get some sleep," He said with a small but mischievous smile.

"Don't be cute," Ace snapped at him unaware Marco was staring at him. "I told you not to overdo it idiot!"

Sabo brushed him off easily as he moved to stand up. Ace had to grab him when he realized his leg had fallen asleep. "I'm fine," He insisted gently pushing Ace off him once he found his balance. "I guess he didn't kill you after all,"

Ace looked back at Marco. "For now, we need a favor though."

"Apparently that's what I do."

Ace opened his mouth to respond, still visibly angry, when he froze.

"Your nose."

The other frowned as he reached up to his face. Blood had begun to lazily drop from his nose down his face.

Ace was instantly worried again. "What happened!"

"Nothing," Sabo shrugged him off, stemming the bleeding with his sleeve. "Ace nothing happened," He insisted when the other refused to drop it. "It's just a nosebleed."

"Did you hit your head when you fell?" Marco spoke up surprising the two of them. Sabo gave him a weird look. He was confused why Marco was concerned when he made it clear that he did not trust Sabo.

"I know a thing or two about medicine," Marco informed him.

"No, I'm fine." He said again.

"I told you already, I always know when your lying," Ace reminded him.

Sabo sighed in surrender. "I'm fine, really. I just had a killer headache for the past few…. while. Guys it's no big deal." He told them when both of them continued to stare at him. We have bigger things to worry about then me….-ACE!"

"Fine," Ace caved. "Can you show Marco what you were doing while I was gone?"

"You probably figured it out already but I was looking for Teach," Sabo explained to him as they headed back to the old mill, their makeshift HQ.

"With revolutionary resources," Marco cut in. "What does your boss think about that."

Sabo looked at Ace who simply shrugged. "He knows," Sabo admitted finally.

"And he is okay with that!"

"He's a nicer guy then people give him credit for," Sabo said weakly.

"Not that nice."

"How would you know?"

"Ace!"

"Teach is blackmailing Dragon," Ace said as Sabo made an exasperated sound behind him.

Whatever Marco had been expecting that was not it.

"What! How."

The two of them shared a look. "If it's okay I think it's his business," Ace said. "Don't worry it has nothing to do with you guys."

"So that's it," Marco mused. "He has a personal stake in this. Is that why you are here."

"I keep telling you I'm here because I want to be," Sabo said in exasperation. "I'll tell you what-,"

"Sabo," Ace warned but his brother brushed him off.

"If you find out that I'm lying, that I've actually been working for Dragon this whole time. You can finish what you started when you woke up."

"SABO!" Ace snapped shocked and annoyed by his brother's recklessness. "Don't say things like that dumbass!"

"Deal," Marco agreed, and Ace groaned.

The blond held out his hand and Marco shook it, cementing their promise.

"Stop it!" Ace ordered them breaking up their hands. "Nobodies killing anybody and nobodies betraying anyone!"

"It's fine. Don't worry about it." Sabo told him continuing onwards ahead of them. Far less concerned then Ace was about the new arrangement.

"Marco don't listen to him," Ace said pulling his friend back. "He's an idiot. Don't hurt him okay."

"You think he is lying?"

"I know he's not lying," Ace told him. "But I am tired of my friends getting hurt. The last thing I need is them fighting each other for no reason. Just tell me you won't hurt him."

"Why are you so desperate to protect him?"

"Marco," Ace said a slight hint of desperation in his tone. "I hated lying to everyone. I hated attacking Pops and I hated fighting you. It was one of the worst things I've done. And I've done awful things. Please! Don't make me fight you again."

And Marco understood what he was trying to say. Ace would side with Sabo again if it really came down to it. Ace was anything but disloyal, despite current circumstances. But everyone had a weakness. It was clear Luffy was Ace's. But apparently there might be two people he put before everything else.

"It was your friend who made the deal," Marco reminded him. You can't protect him from himself. Besides a promise between pirates isn't something you can will away. But if you believe it won't come to that then I choose to believe you," Marco told him as he pulled out of Ace's gentle grip, following the quickly disappearing blond.

Not that he could tell his friend this but he doubted it would come to that as well. Revolutionary or not Sabo had shown himself to be brave and honorable. And at times, like right now, he reminded Marco so much of Ace.

In short, he was starting to like the kid.

XXX

"Missing something?"

The second Dragon answered the call and the scratchy voice projected from the snail he knew he had made a mistake.

"It's you."

"Hello to you too."

"How did you even get ahold of me?"

"All this time and you still underestimate me. I have had a way of contacting you for years, I just didn't want to," Garp told him.

"I'm not missing something so much as you lost someone," Dragon replied darkly. "He was with you so this wouldn't happen. You were supposed to be looking out for him."

"I was! Can't get more remote then where I stuck him. But things happen sometimes. Especially to that kid, he is a trouble magnet."

"So you called me for the first time in years to tell me things happen?"

"No, I called you to tell you that I am sorry. I don't support your actions but I sure as hell don't like the government blackmailing you with my grandson!"

"Your sentiment is noted," Dragon told his father with irritation. "But I can't fight back with sentiment, can I?"

"Always so serious," Garp scolded him. "This is why Luffy takes after me."

"Thank you for your concern but I am better without it," came the stiff reply.

"Geez! Hold on- hold on. I didn't call you to say I'm sorry. I called you to make this right. I know where he is."

"What! THIS WHOLE TIME!" Dragon thundered.

"GEEZ! Calm down will ya!" Garp told him. Miffed his son thought so little of him. "If I had known all along Luffy would have been back ten times by now! It's not like they just willingly handed me this. I had to call in every favor I had and break a dozen rules. But that being said I'm not exactly in a position to go get him myself. Senny would have an army on me before I got out the doors. So I'm giving this to you instead, on one condition."

"Condition?"

"Luffy's brother, his name is Ace. This whole mess is kind of his fault. He is going to make this right; I know he will. So if I tell you where they are keeping him I need you to find Ace and pass it along got it! Unlike you I don't have ways of contacting Ace. He could be anywhere.

"Ace huh," Dragon said. "I might have some idea."

"Good!" Garp said. "I'm entrusting Luffy to you two… for now at least. Don't let me down. He is my kid two."

XXX

Sabo spent most of the night showing Marco where on the maps he had crossed off. Just from listening to him talk Ace had to agree his brother had done a ton of work. No wonder he wasn't sleeping. No doubt he was as worried about Luffy as Ace was.

"We need to narrow it down more," Sabo told him tugging at his hair in frustration. "But I can't seem to find anything else. It's like the ship disappeared somewhere in these waters."

"That's a lot of ground to cover," Ace said his chest tightening at the thought of it. They were still so far away. He needed something more then this.

"I'm sorry," Sabo apologized in earnest. "I don't understand how they just disappeared in the grand line. I'll keep working."

"Don't apologize," Marco told him before Ace could answer. "This is good work. You're a skilled tracker. It might not be what we want but it's something! More then we managed to get so far."

Sabo smiled faintly at the praise although most of his attention was fixed on the map.

"I know how important it is that we stay undercover, but I think it's about time I call Whitebeard! At the very least he can help us search the area."

The two of them shared a look before Ace nodded slowly. "Will a letter work?"

"Yea, that will probably be fine."

"I think it's time you introduced him to your friend," Ace told Sabo.

"Your friend? He's coming here!"

"He's been here the whole time," Sabo said holding out his arm. One of the crows that had been perched on the windowsill swooped into the air to land on Sabo's shoulder. "He is here as a favor to me," Sabo told Marco. "Not on orders."

"Wasn't going to ask," Marco said. "I believe you, you promised after all." Sabo grinned as his attention moved to the crow.

"Can we talk?" He asked it and the creature stared at him with its black beady eyes. If not for the bird's strange behavior earlier Marco would have thought the both of them had just lost their minds.

For a second nothing happened. And then like hail there were bangs from the outside as hundreds of wings beat the walls of their base. The crows seemed to stream in through the open window like they were part of a single hive mind. They flooded the room in a flurry of black feathers.

Marco ducked down to avoid them as they flew over his head, all seemingly amassing around where Sabo was standing. Circling around his head and hands. No, not really circling, they were… fusing. To Marco's surprise, if anything could surprise him anymore the murder began to take form, the form of a man. A very large intimidating man dressed in a cloak of black feathers like the grim reaper himself.

"I pet you," Marco accused him.

The man stared at him for a moment without answering before turning to Sabo. There was a muttering sound like he was saying something unintelligible. Sabo reached up, standing on his toes to fidget with the man's mask and suddenly his voice was booming.

"You look pale."

"Not you too," Sabo waived him off. "How are things?"

"The Whitebeard pirates are in chaos."

"Your Spying On Them!" Marco said incredulously.

"Be mad about it later," Sabo said cutting Ace off before he could try and explain. "This is Karasu," Sabo told him."

The man turned to Marco. "Your captain is aware of me," he told him. He reached into his coat to pull a familiar set of goggles, handing them to Ace.

"These were recovered from your bag, he asked that I return these to you."

Ace looked down at them in shock, taking them back. "Thank you," he said quietly, and the man nodded. He was worried you could of drowned, but he thinks you escaped."

"You talked to him?"

"He talked to me," Karasu said. "I listened as a crow. It seemed like he figured out why I was there." He turned back to Marco. "Your crew is saddened and grieving but they are intact and looking for retribution," He tilted his head respectfully showing his solace before turning bck to Sabo.

"Can you get a message to him?" Sabo asked and the man dipped his head again.

"It's the safest way if we want to stay dead." Sabo explained to Marco.

"Thank you," Marco told him earnestly. "I appreciate your help."

Karasu dipped his head again. Not a man of many words it seemed. He excused himself to go get food before his flight leaving the three of them alone again. Marco moved to the desk in search of paper while Ace turned his attention to Sabo.

"You! go to bed!"

"What are you my mother?"

"I'm worse than your mother!"

"Well now I'm scared."

"Good, finish your work tomorrow Sab."

"There's no time."

Marco listened to them bicker as he began to write out a note. There was so much he wanted to tell his father, so much that he was sorry for. But now was not the time for that. They could talk after this war was over.

"There's time for you to sleep! We already have to deal with me passing out all the freaking time! The last thing you need is you to start copying me."

"Sorry I didn't realize you had the monopoly on falling asleep."

"Well I do!"

Marco really didn't understand them.

Their argument was broken up by the sudden buzzing of the Den Den. All three of them stopped, turning their attention over to it.

"Who is that?"

"It's Dragon." Sabo said in confusion as he moved to answer it.

"That's weird though he doesn't usually call so late. Whatever it is, it must be pretty important."

XXXXXX

I hope everyone and their loved ones are doing all right.

My dream of being less busy came true. But this wasn't really what I meant.

As per my contract, I apologize once per chapter haha. This week it's for the lack of Whitebeards. I keep trying to put them in, but they keep getting forced out by these three attention hogs. But if you were hoping to see more of them don't worry. They are going to be hugely important for the next part.

So let me know if anything was confusing about Sabo and Ace's plan. One thing I didn't talk about was after poisoning Marco they gave him the antidote and recruited the doctor to keep him sedated so he couldn't stop them. The plan was until Ace came back and explained everything, and hopefully survived. But, even with sea stone, his devil fruit started fighting back enough that he was able to wake up.

Also, because I loved listening to you guys guess how Ace and Sabo did it; in chapter 23 when Ace said he needed Sabo to stay at the mill it was because he felt awful about what happened to Marco and he only trusted Sabo to make sure Marco was alright. (Also he didn't want Sabo to come with him in case the Whitebeards tried to kill him). And in chapter 14 the thing Ace was carrying was the poor sap he stole from the morgue. I know that wasn't much to go on but you guys were onto me haha, I had to be careful with my clues.

I said things were going to get better and they will. Just give it four more chapters! I'll try to post them quickly while we are all trapped here.

(Ace is big-brothering Sabo and it is confusing the hell out of Marco.)

As always thank you guys for reading! Let me know if you are excited for the next (much- muuuch fluffier part of the story because I know I am) Or tell me how bored you are (because So Am I)

XXX

JustCallMeCookie: Haha I'm sorry. At least there is more Sabo and Ace in this chapter! Luffy and Thatch have been better, but they just need to hang on for a little longer. Don't worry! Everythign will get better.

MR97: So AM I! I have been waiting for this forever. I've had the whole seen together for years! Haha. But fixing Sabo's head is the next thing!

I hope you are doing all right as well.

Rev: I'm glad you like it. Hopefully I can write the next few chapters quickly! Thank you for the review.

Guest #1: Yes! Here is some more.

Fluffypuppies: I am glad you liked it. I had a lot of fun writing that part. And there is a second half coming in a few chapters. Marco and Sabo had a rough meeting, but Marco is coming around to him slowly but surely. And we are so close to the rescue! I'm glad you like it. Thank you for your reviews : )

Demon-night24: Aw thank you. Wow you read this whole thing in one day. That is a commitment. I have also done that before haha, but usually Is tay up all night like a crazy person. Luffy survived though, and so will Ace. Everythign will work itself out, eventually.

I'm really happy you like it.

A6r6o6k: Your one of the people I definitely owe more Whitebeard time on haha. I promise they will be a lot more active in the second half of the story. I will try not to fail you.

Guest #2: Aw thank you. I am really glad you like it!

yukino76: Yes he is! Via proxy!

SoulMore: !

Sophia Mendes-Coruja: Thank you! You too. I know things are so crazy right now.

I am glad you liked it! I also wished we could have got a backstory on them. But there is a part 2 to Sabo's memories, in just a few chapters. I love how hostile kid Ace is! Anime kids are always so likable, but he is just strait up rude and it's great.

Don't worry, Ace and Sabo will be saving Luffy really soon now. He just has to hang on a little longer. Best wishes to you too!

xXxWolvesInTheNightxXx: Thank you! I love their relationship. I wish we could have gotten an official one. I think your right about Marco. He was worried about trusting Sabo, and now he is just confused by the two of them haha.

Mel72000: Thank you! There is more to come on the two of them. Marco is (mostly) caught up. I'm glad you liked it!

RIAEVANS: Aw, glad you liked it.

iyulia juuzou:

Luffy's spirit?

Onar27: Wow, I need to watch this show. That sounds awesome. I'm glad you liked it! And Sabo will get his turn soon enough! It's the next order of business. Luckily for Garp Teach and Akainu did not share that Luffy died with the higher ups or they would have gotten in so much trouble. Teach is just using it to guilt Thatch. Hand on four more chapters! I will hopefully have those up really soon now that I have nothing to do. Thank you for the review!