Ooooooooops. I haven't updated, in, like, 18 years and I'm so sorry y'all. I can't promise consistent updates but I'll try my best to keep the story going at a consistent pace :)

BA-BOOM!

The battlefield shook as Luffy deflected yet another cannonball back at the navy while Ace roasted the marines in front of him. The brothers were showcasing an incredible display of teamwork; even Sengoku had to admit they were impressive. Luffy was grinning; he hadn't fought with his brother like this in a long time and he was enjoying kicking ass with Ace again.

Ace, however, was desperate, a harsh mixture of despair and determination that pushed him harder than he'd ever gone before. He had to reach her, he had to. After everything that she'd done for him, every blow she'd suffered for him, it was the least he could do to save her now. Nothing else mattered, not the men burning alive around him, the screams caused by his attacks, not even his other crewmates running with him. He had one goal, his focus solely on the woman in front of him. She and Luffy had saved him; now he would save her.

Kira, luckily, had gone numb a long time ago. Kizaru was down for the count, knocked out by a solid haki-enhanced kick to the head. Aokiji had a broken ankle and the blood dripping down from the gash above his eye was hindering his vision. Akainu, his broken rib now partnering with a broken arm, panted as he half blocked, half absorbed Kira's punch. How she could still move was beyond him; she looked like a walking corpse.

At this point her body was moving mechanically, steadily repeating moves that had been drilled into her since she was a child. She could no longer coherently decided what to do, where to punch. It was like she was a puppet and her martial arts masters from long ago were now pulling her strings, barely keeping her alive.

Block. Kick. Punch. Blast. Every usage of her ability emptied the already drained resource of her power. Where she was getting it from was a mystery but it kept coming, kept answering her call as she fought the remaining two admirals.

And then it stopped. She stumbled and collapsed to her knees, raising her bloodied hands to her face. She tried again and again to rally her rapidly fading power but whatever fumes she had been running on had finally run out.

And Akainu knew it. Planned for it. For now that she was utterly spent she could no longer defend herself or use haki. This was his moment, the opening he had so desperately waited for.

"Aokiji, NOW!" He screamed, his voice raw. Aokiji rallied the remains of his own abilities and Kira watched as his arm shifted into a long, deadly spear of ice, the point aiming for her face. He lunged for her, spear outstretched and gleaming in the murky battlefield light. A boom sounded from behind her but her focus was solely on the weapon, the arm, the man that would end her life. A sigh escaped her lips and faded into the smoky air.

This was it. At least, she thought, closing her eyes, I got to see Ace again.

So this was fear. The pure, unfiltered fear that propelled Ace as he hurtled for Kira coursed through his veins, filling him with a panic so strong he couldn't see, couldn't think of anything other than Kira, her broken body slumped on her knees, her eyes closed and head lolling back. She was waiting, he realized. She had no fight left and was ready to die.

He wouldn't allow it. Not after everything that had happened, not when they were so close to freedom.

"KIRA! GET UP!" Ace's scream pierced through the air and Kira's eyes flew open, meeting his before focusing on the spear now inches from her face. Some primal, internal instinct had her rolling out of the way, flopping onto the ground as Aokiji's spear now sailing high above her head. Ace's sigh of relief resounded in her ears as she lay there, watching him sprint towards her. Luffy was right next to him, defending him from navy men foolish enough to attack them.

As the two men neared Aokiji and Akainu turned, facing them. They both charged and Ace took the liberty to slam his hands into the pavement, creating a fire wall so high and so hot that both admirals stumbled before continuing their charge.

That stumbling moment was all they needed. Luffy and Ace swept past, guarded by Ace's fire wall.

And then Ace was there. Grasping her by the shoulders, Ace hefted Kira up into a sitting position, ignoring her groans of protest. His hand, warm and calloused, brushed against her cheek and her eyes fluttered open, hazily focusing on his handsome face. His eyes were scanning her, assessing her wounds and whether she was in danger of dying in his arms or not. Luffy was standing a few feet away, taking down any marines that neared them.

"Kira. Kira. Hey. Focus on me." Ace said, his voice strained. For she had indeed let her eyes wander away from his face to the battlefield around them.

"Look, you're in really rough shape, Kir." He used her familiar nickname, the one only he was allowed to call her. It brought her attention back to him and she struggled to process the words stumbling out of his mouth.

"Can you walk, Kira?" He asked, a note of urgency entering his voice. His grip on her shoulders tightened and he stared into her eyes, willing her to listen.

"No, I-" Kira coughed as her voice broke, overused from screaming. She shook her head, readying herself to try again.

"Ace, I can't walk or fight anymore. I'm as good as dead on a battlefield. Leave me here and Marco or Pops or someone can come get me after you and Luffy get on the ship-"

"No."

"Ace, please. Our objective was to get you out of here, not me. I came here fully willing to die to get you back and-"

"No."

"Ace, please just-" She was cut off a third time as Ace's arms shifted, one sliding underneath her ruined legs and the other settling on her back. Her hoisted her up in one smooth movement before turning to Luffy.

"Let's go."

And they were off, beelining for the Moby Dick. Kira, looking over Ace's shoulder as he ran, spotted Akainu seething behind them. He was too far away to catch up to them now with his broken rib and he was livid.

Serves you right, asshole. You can't do anything now.

Ace laughed while she flipped Akainu off before clasping her hands around his neck.

This, she thought as her eyes began to drag shut, exhaustion tugging her into blissful sleep, made everything worth it.