A roar escaped his lips as he charged forward, cloud and light bursting out of him as lightning rained down around them all. He grabbed Ace and threw him towards Whitebeard who was charging towards them, Jinbe was kicked far out of the blast zone as Luffy let himself go.

"GOMU GOMU NO KAMINARI!" Luffy's voice boomed over everything as he threw his hand up, catching the sparks of his Conquerors Haki and stretching them into a lightning strike, throwing it down and repeating till Akainu was caged.

The air crackled as the red and black lightning rained like a cage around the two, wide terrified eyes watched as Luffy bounced and bounced from one strike to the other with speed that they began to lose track of him. Laughter echoed in the air, different from before, twisted, and bitter.

Akainu snarled and jumped up towards the figure in the middle, fist raised and ready to let his magma fly, only for his eyes to widen as the demon spawn of Dragon began to bounce faster and faster. Light growing brighter with each impact of the lightning till he could only see bright burning colours.

Blood spurted from his lips as he felt the burn phase through him, searing hotter than his own magma, than anything he had felt in a very long time. He barely managed to land on his feet, hand coming to his chest as he sucked in ragged gasps. Something began to tingle up his spine, something he hadn't felt in a very long time, fear.

Akainu hadn't felt fear since he was a child and this demon before him, eyes glowing bright red and burning with rage and malice that seemed to sit wrongwrongwrong on his face suffocated him with it.

His heart staggered and he tried to force the fear down and launched his attack. "Inugami Guren!"

The roaring magma-built dog head snarled towards Luffy whose eyes popped out of his head comically before he lifted his legs high, yelping as he felt the heat pass through his legs and shook the flames off his pants with panicked hisses. It didn't stop him though, not when he coated his fist in Haki, grabbing the tail end of the attack painfully and tossed it right back at the Admiral.

"I won't let you kill him! Not again!" He snarled back bouncing from one spot to the other, throwing pirates out of the way of the Mad Dog's attack.

His entire focus was on him, the harbinger of nightmares, the beast who had hunted him and all his nakama across every sea and killing several of his friends. So many innocent deaths burned at his hands… but it all started with the death of Ace at his hands.

"Gumo Gumo no…" He started pushing off the fallen building with a boing towards Akainu's back, yelping when the man spun and let a magma fist fly. He barely got his armament Haki-coated arms up in time, a cry of pain escaping as he felt the magma hit his exposed chest before rolling off.

He flew back, body tumbling and rolling over itself as he collided with the ground before he managed to correct himself, jolting into a handspring and pushing off another building back towards Akainu. His chest ached but familiarly, but he ignored that when his eyes spotted Akainu going for Ace once more who was struggling in Whitebeard's grasp.

"NO!" He roared as he pushed himself faster, slamming his fist into Akainu's face till it stretched and stretched. He could feel the panic waft off the admiral the moment his body stretched in ways it shouldn't. A feral grin, more of bared teeth than anything else as Luffy cracked his knuckles and slammed a Haki-coated fist into Akainu, driving him into the ground with a crunch.

"Luffy!" His dad's voice rang out in panic over the din, but Luffy shook it off as he let the entire weight of his Haki drop down across the field for the first time. He watched as marines and pirates alike staggered, many dropping immediately into unconsciousness. The Rear Admirals that were left staggered, and he could even see Sengoku drop to his knees.

He pulled his hat forward shading his eyes as he stepped forward, Haki condensing down into a single point slowly as he watched Akainu correct his face, staring up at him with hate fear-filled eyes.

"You killed my brother once; you chased me and my Nakama to the very end and so many innocent people died by your hand," Luffy stated bright and bubbly, sinister if one could hear the bite under the giggling pitch. "I won't let you do it again."

Shanks staggered, his and Whitebeards Haki combating Luffy's with slight effort, their eyes wide. Shanks knew his son was strong, knew his Haki was far superior to his own, even more so than his Captain but had never experienced it till now. He watched with proud awe as he could see Luffy's Haki condense down from a sphere to a cone, to a singular point all on one person with each step her took.

Never in all his years was he able to have this control over his own Haki and here was his son doing it with such terrifying ease.

It was surprising Akainu could withstand for so long.

Shanks knew theoretically Conquerors could kill people, but never has he seen it in person in all his life upon the seas. Not even with his own Captain or Rayleigh. This was well beyond what Rayleigh taught him.

It was… honestly kind of terrifying.

Because the look that was on his son's face right now? It was wrong, dark, and twisted and nothing like the bright sunny smiles he usually gave.

Shanks-ya, don't hesitate to stop Lu-ya when we reach Marineford… The words echoed in his head loudly and Shanks took off in a shot, skywalking with ease as he rushed forward, drawing Gryphon from its sheath and using it to stop his son's foot from slamming down into Akainu's head.

Blood-red eyes burned from underneath the brim of Luffy's straw hat, betrayal clear as day twisting at his son's face.

"He's dead, Luffy," Shanks whispered soft, firm and pulled his son close. "He's dead, you made sure of that, please son come back to me, everyone is safe."

Tears pooled in Luffy's eyes as Gear 5 melted away leaving him exhausted and drooping into Shanks's embrace, hands coming up to clench the material of his cloak tightly. In a blink the rest of the Akagami pirates were around him, Benn's arms encircling them all after sheathing Gryphon for Shanks and he could feel Law's hand curl around the back of his exposed neck.

"Shanks-ya, you need to give Luffy to me now." Law urged as his eyes scanned over his husband, he already knew that he would have to withdraw the hormones that raced through his system and whatever lingers from his stint in Impel Down, but a feeling told him that there was something wrong.

Shanks pulled back from Luffy to look at Law, his fingers refusing to leave from where they're tangled in his son's hair. He could feel the steady thump of his Anchors heartbeat against his chest, could still feel his warmth and it was the only thing that was holding off the nightmare from before.

"Fuck, Shanks!" Beckman's voice broke through as his eyes dipped down at the fleck of colour that caught his eye when Shanks moved back slightly to see the burned mess of their Anchor's chest. He quickly pried Luffy from Shank's hold, pushing himself between the gap to stop what he knew would be a desperate pull back towards him and passed him off to Law.

'Room'

"No." The word was rasped and wet, coated in exhaustion. "Not… yet… not safe… Blackbeard…"

The name was spat with venom, dripped with it. The tone was one that herald on the calm seas before a storm, still and sharp as the eye of a hurricane and just as violent.

Fury burned bright over Shanks, pushing away his fear and anguish at seeing his son still hurt, the memory of his death still fresh in his mind. He could hear that bastard's laughter in the distance, mocking and euphoric in a way it shouldn't be, the war was vastly different than before.

Whitebeard was still alive and unwounded.

Ace was alive though now unconscious in Whitebeard's arms, be it from a blow, narcolepsy, or Haki.

Kizaru and Garp were missing and Akainu was dead.

His eyes snapped to Mihawk who was attempting to leave, pinning him in place. That was something Shanks would need to deal with after this mess was done and his son was safe. He remembered clearly that Mihawk didn't hold back his attack on Luffy in the first go-round.

His sandals clacked across the stone as he stepped away from Anchor and towards Sengoku, heart aching and instincts screaming the further away he got. His hand clenched tight down on Gryphon as he let his Haki slip out of him in warning when Marines twitched forward.

"If you keep on fighting... both sides will suffer more pointless casualties." He voiced lowly but still, it echoed across the silent battlefield. "If any of you still hunger for... then come!"

The sound of Gryphon being unsheathed was sharp and crackled with the force of Shanks's Haki with it. All could feel his grief and anger, the malice that cut sharp as any black blade. "I dare you to keep me from my son any longer."

"Zehahaha!" Blackbeard's laugh echoed out, his form slinking out from the smog with his crew.

Red eyes burned into black. "Well Teach, do you want to try? Oh, sorry Blackbeard."

"You're more handsome than ever, Red-haired," Blackbeard replied with a smarmy grin. "Those scars are a nice touch if I do say so myself."

Shanks's Haki swept over the battlefield like a warning, heavy and bearing down upon everyone like weights. Whitebeard's own surged forward like a tidal wave, his steps loud as he pushed his way forward, Marco and Izou at his side.

"Teach!" Newgate's voice rumbled like an avalanche, disappointment heavy in his tone.

Blackbeard's eyes widened as he took in a relatively unharmed Whitebeard and crew, eyes scanning for his old commander and spotting him being tended to in the distance by some of Whitebeard's allies. This wasn't part of the plan; Shanks wasn't supposed to be here, and Whitebeard was supposed to be easy pickings thanks to a few pointed words and whispers to the marines.

Whitebeard chuckled low and dangerous, reminding everyone that he was one of the few people to never mess with. Marco grinned, glasses glinting in the light. "Something the matter Teach? Plans falling through?"

"Your presence here was already known," Newgate smirked; hand clenching tight around his Bisento that was thrumming with his tremors ready to be released. "I was instructed to wait and for a good reason, my patience has paid off, traitor."

Disbelief and ire raced through Blackbeard at that, his jaw clenching as he forced a grin. He could see the amused faces of the Red-Hair's and some of the Whitebeards. His plans for stealing the Tremor-Tremor fruit have failed, if that old bastard were more wounded, if Shanks wasn't here then it would have been easy pickings.

Luffy's eyes snapped open, head jerking to the right, eyes locking onto Blackbeard immediately, hand stretching out to grasp Whitebeard by the cloak and yanking just in time for him to avoid the Kurouzu that was just sent.

"Luffy no!" Law exclaimed as he watched the black fade into white. "You can't, you've reached your limit, please."

There was no way in any lifetime that Luffy could ignore Law pleading, begging him like this as it was something his Husband never does generally. Luffy could count on one hand how many times Law has begged like this.

Whitebeard turned his head as he gathered his balance, eyes latching on the dark eyes of Mugiwara no Luffy, it seemed he owed this brat more than he could repay. He was too much like Roger, too much like Shanks and he grinned at the boy before turning to snarl at the traitorous wretch before him.

"Jinbe… Jinbe…" Luffy wheezed as pain started to radiate from his chest outwards in a very familiar ache. His hand stretched and reached for his helmsman who kneeled at his side with wide eyes. "He doesn't know… about the fruit…"

"I'll tell him captain, but please, allow Torao-kun to help you and then we can find the others." Jinbe stressed firmly, hand coming down to gently rest over the burned flesh. Failure sat heavily on his shoulders as he took in the wounds on his captain, worse than the previous life, but yet, still better.

He'll have the X scar he was known for, but he hoped it wasn't so severe, so debilitating.

Because he can still remember their whispered talks late at night, the confession on how the scar never stopped burning. Except now… now Jinbe didn't have the matching mark, and it shamed him more when he knew it shouldn't because it was a mark that caused Luffy more pain.

"Okay." Luffy acquiesced his eyes growing glassy the moment his gaze dropped from Jinbe's. And wasn't that a humbling moment, no, not humbling… it was a feeling that always warmed Jinbe to the soul at the sheer trust in him Luffy had.

"Thank you," Law muttered as he pulled Luffy close, eyes locking onto Benn.

Beckman turned his gaze to his husband and then back to his heavily wounded kid. "Shanks I'm going with Law and Luffy, meet you where Ray trained Anchor."

Shanks nodded and waited for the Room to disappear, his son's Haki fluctuating in a way that sent him spiralling because it was like before. Except this time, he wasn't by his sons' side, wasn't holding him close and the crown didn't weigh heavily on his head once again.

The world began to spiral as his heart sped up, breaths coming out in short pants as panic clawed at his throat and mind. What ifs swarmed his head like angry bees, and he couldn't do anything but watch as Whitebeard went toe to toe with Blackbeard, Marco and Jinbe tag teaming while his men and Whitebeard allies held off the Marines.

He felt his Haki building the longer it took and the more his worries grabbed hold.

"…ank… sha…nks… SHANKS!" Marco's voice snapped him free of the ringing that he didn't know he could hear, bringing the world back into focus.

Looking around he blinked in confusion and surprise as he realised he was back on the Red Force, Marco at his side with the Moby sailing right by him, a barrier of their allies in an arc following them. Lucky Roux was in command but every single one of his commanders were watching him out of the corner of their eyes.

"What happened?" He asked after swallowing thickly, mouth dry.

Marco grimaced and turned his gaze up to Whitebeard who was standing looking down at them. Worry was clear in the old man's gaze as well, he was covered in bandages and when Shanks glanced down he noted his shirt and cloak were missing also, his chest bandaged just as much.

"Blackbeard's crew aided him in the fight, but Oyaji took a hit from Teach and went down hard, I went to attack when you were suddenly there. He managed a few good hits but, I can't recall much your Haki dropped over us all." Marco explained calmly, it was then that Shanks noticed his hand was resting firmly on his wounded chest, blue flames flickering. "It took all of us to get you to calm enough to stop attacking once Blackbeard was down."

Nodding Shanks shook off the hand, "Marineford? The war?

A tired victorious smirk pulled at Marco's lips. "Marineford is in ruins, you and Pops made sure of it."

"Good," he knew how much of a nightmare that place was to his Anchor. "Lucky, any news on Anchor?"

"Benn called, Law got him stable, Ace is relatively unharmed as well besides the injuries from Impel Down," Lucky reported as he gnawed on a drumstick, hand lowering as he pinned his captain with a gaze that confused Marco. "Before won't happen again, Law removed the hormones and Anchor is safe."

Relief. Pure unadulterated relief filled him at the news, and he felt the heavy weight lift from his chest, the vice easing. "Then let's hurry towards our Anchor boys! I have a son to hug and then lecture!"

X

When Luffy woke it was to the familiar view of the Polar Tang, the old one, the one he recalled seeing so often before Blackbeard tore it apart. He could hear the rhythmic beeps of the heart monitor, a smirk tugging tiredly at his lips at the familiar beat.

He lifted his hand painfully to rest right atop the beating heart, letting out a huff of laughter that twisted into a wheeze of pain. Yet, that couldn't stop the joy and love bloom in his chest.

Law had taken his heart and gave Luffy his own back.

"You're not getting it back for a long while Lu-ya." Law's voice was deep and angry, drawing Luffy's attention immediately.

Tired eyes opened to blearily stare at Torao, his love, his everything. Anger sat heavily on his face, but Luffy could see the dark smudges under his eyes, the red tinge that indicated he had been crying, could see the relief in those Golden eyes.

"It's yours anyway Torao." Luffy rasped softly, his free hand curling around Law's fingers. "Has been the moment I saw you back at Sabaody."

"That isn't going to work, I'm still mad at you." Torao drawled blandly, though his fingers squeezed his husband's tightly, contradicting his words.

"Worth a shot… where's… Ace? Dad?" Pain wracked through Luffy as he coughed, chest spasming.

Law quickly got to his feet, shambling the glass of water to his hand as he carefully propped Luffy up and tilted the glass against his lips with practised ease. "Easy now, slowly."

Once the glass was drained Law carefully got Luffy comfortable again, sitting by his side on the bed instead of the chair, fingers running through freshly clean black hair. "Shanks-ya is asleep with Beck-ya, we've been taking turns sitting by your side. Ace-ya is speaking with his captain even though he should be sleeping, Marco-ya is making sure he doesn't overdo it."

Luffy nodded and sighed, his eyes locking onto Law with dark eyes, tired eyes, "I am sorry Law. I'm so sorry that I didn't tell you, that I lied… I'm sorry I left you when I swore I wouldn't. I just… after Sabo…"

Heartache surged through Law as he watched a tear escape, his hand coming up to cup Luffy's cheek, thumb brushing away the single tear. He leant forward and pressed a kiss gently on his crown, lips brushing softly as he spoke. "You should have told me; I would have helped."

"No." The word was forced and harsh, Haki simmering under the tone. "No. I couldn't… if something happened… I couldn't lose you too."

Anger surged at those words. "So, you expected me to live with it!? To live in a world without you? I knew you were selfish Luffy but not so cruel. You died, you idiot. You died in Shanks-ya's arms, and I was so close. I felt it even from a distance and all I wanted to do was join you in death." He snarled furious, voice echoing off the walls.

He felt a surge of Haki flow downwards, familiar, panicked, Shanks. He waited as he heaved, the door slamming open a minute later with Shanks and Beckman hurrying in half-dressed, with panic on their faces.

He ignored them for now as he pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed, the anger draining out of him in an instant as he stared at Luffy pleading for him to understand. "It was death do us part Lu-ya. We swore on it. I cannot live in a world where I survive another death of a loved one, I couldn't. I refuse. So, if you die, I will go with you, keep that in mind."

"I can't watch another kid of mine die Anchor." Shanks croaked, tears gathering in his eyes as he moved to the other side of the bed. "I lost Uta to her Devil Fruit, I cannot lose you to yours as well. It broke me, Anchor."

"It broke everyone." Beckman corrected as he stepped up to Shank's side, his hand laying gently on Luffy's leg. "I felt your heart stop as I held you, I watched as Shanks collapsed as you crowned him in your last breath kid. I can't do that again; we all can't do that again."

"I'm sorry, please, I'm sorry." Luffy cried as he clutched onto Shanks and Law, eyes pinned on Beckman. "I was so angry, so tired of losing the people I love that I just… I didn't think…"

"You never do." Law chuckled out through the lump in his throat. "But we love you regardless."

"I expected more yelling." Luffy sniffled out once he calmed down.

Shanks and Law shared a look, "There will be, once you're better. New lecture about Impel Down, plus Jinbe has one waiting as well about the Before and the rest of your crew said the same thing when we called them. Ace already got his from Whitebeard and he too has one for you. For now, we're just glad you're alive."

A soft shishishi escaped Luffy. "Me too."

"But, till then." Shanks started voice turning strict and he raised his finger. "You're grounded. Confined to this bed until Law says otherwise."

"What!? No! DAD!"

Law and Beck chuckled as they watched their two idiots bicker.

All thankful that everything was okay, that things were looking up for them. For now at least.

Author Note: Okay so this didn't end how I expected it to go! But this is it folks, sorry if it's ending not how ya'll also expected it! Thank you for following and please come shout at me on discord if ya'll want. See ya'll next time over in Red Sun Rising.