Chapter 27

Rouge waited until the deck was cleared before she approached Whitebeard. He was surrounded by so much medical equipment now. She grimaced at the sight.

"Don't give me that look," Eddy scoffed. "I'm just getting old."

"And it's nothing to do with all that alcohol I sold at the last port?" Rouge smirked, crossing her arms.

"I knew that was you, you little shit," Eddy huffed. "And you sold it? You brat!"

Rouge stuck out her tongue. "I'm not a kid, Eddy."

"You got stuck in your thirties after your death," Eddy said, his voice growing grim. "That was a long time ago."

Rouge frowned. "Brings back some memories, huh?" She looked up at Edward, and couldn't help but take in all the new details. "I miss the blonde hair."

He chuckled. "I did look good with it." His face grew more solemn and he patted the armrest of his chair. Rouge sighed and jumped up to sit on it. "You haven't changed a bit."

"You don't when you're dead," Rouge said softly, and smiled weakly. "Bright side for me is that I don't look old and wrinkly like you do, old man."

Whitebeard snorted. "Would have been interesting to see how you aged, or if you'd somehow cheat it like Shakky." His face darkened. "But you didn't. You didn't get the chance to."

Rouge sighed. "No. I didn't."

"What happened in Baterilla, Rouge?"

"I heard you killed a lot of men involved in that," Rouge said shakily.

"Haruta tracked down all their names." His gaze sharpened. "All of them. Most are dead by my hand, executed in front of their fellow Marines."

Rouge closed her eyes and leaned her head back, lying down on Eddy's arm rest.

"Apparently Roger had looked 'fatherly' when he was with me in Baterilla," Rouge said. "Some bullshit crap. However surprisingly none of those rumours revealed that I was involved too, otherwise those Marines sent to Baterilla to kill all the kids who could be Roger's would have been there to capture me. I was in my mother's house when everyone was called to the town centre for some big announcement, so I took a walk instead while she went to hear what they had to say." Rouge clenched her fists and gritted her teeth.

She had went for a long walk, keeping close to the shadows of the forest. Rouge remembered returning to find her mother hunched over the kitchen table, her face murderous. It had been the angriest Rouge had ever seen her mother before.

"I came back home to find my mother hunched over the table, furious. She told me how the marines announced that Roger had been seen in Baterilla, and that there now might be a 'devil child' amongst us. The moment they said that, they rounded up every pregnant woman, every newborn baby, toddler and young child, and took them into the hospital." Rouge clenched her fists and breathed in deeply. "The doctors, nurses and midwives had all been taken into custody too. A few had even resisted and had been shot dead for it."

Whitebeard put his arm around her, forcing her to sit up so she could lean in against him. Rouge took in another shaky breath and forced herself to push through it all. She could remember her haki screaming, remembering all the fear and anger in Baterilla, but Rouge forced it back.

"They had some of Roger's blood to test the kids, but that was for the older children." Rouge swallowed down a thick lump in her throat. "The newborns, the toddlers, the pregnant women, they were all 'terminated' as a precaution."

Whitebeard tensed up against her. "Those bastards..." he growled lowly.

"It gets worse," Rouge chuckled bitterly. "They blocked off all communication. We couldn't call anyone. We couldn't leave Baterilla. Those who tried were shot down. We had to dig so many graves. So many small graves..." Rouge shuddered. "The Lost Generation. That is who they were. Baterilla's lost children, and if we ever told anyone there would be a Buster Call."

Rouge gritted her teeth. "Garp was supposed to help me, that's what Roger said, but I couldn't wait for him. I had to protect Ace. So I did."

Whitebeard nodded gravely. "You did."

"I used all my willpower to slow down Ace's growth. It took all my strength to keep him safe, to keep him alive and healthy, but my haki won the battle." Rouge grinned shakily, laughing. "I deceived the whole entire world to keep my son safe, and I won."

Eddy stroked her hair, his face mournful. "I wish I could have been there to save you both, Rouge. I would have protected you and Ace."

"I know, but there was no way to tell you in time," Rouge said.

"I missed you."

"I missed you too."

"Yet you've been avoiding me," Eddy said, staring her down.

Rouge sighed. "I was nervous. I was even scared to see Shakky to be honest. It's been so many years, and you asked me to be your daughter so many times. I know when I died it must have been agony. You didn't have a clue what happened to me."

Whitebeard held out his hand and frowned heavily as he stared at it, as if there had been something within it. "I held your vivre card until the end. It burned away to ash in my hand."

Rouge bit her lip and wiped a few tears gathering in her eyes away.

"Guarararara," Eddy laughed, but it was quieter than usual, and one of his fingers brushed over her cheeks, wiping away a tear. "I don't think I've ever seen you so upset before. You're usually so composed."

Rouge laughed shakily. "Rahahaha, I know right? Guess I did change a bit."

"Motherhood suits you, Rouge."

"Ace makes me feel like one in a million," Rouge admitted. "I couldn't imagine my life without him, or well, more like my death I suppose. I will never regret what I did to protect him, not in a million years."

"Not even for a second," Eddy agreed. "I'm happy to see him, even if he is a little brat."

Rouge smiled. "My brat." She crossed her arms and frowned. "You're going to ask Ace to become one of your sons."

It wasn't a question. She knew Eddy too well for that.

"I am. Got a problem with that?" Eddy raised a brow.

"Nah, you're a good father, but if I do?"

"Then I'd say you're a hundred years too early to be complaining, Portgas D. Rouge." Eddy grinned.

"If he says no I'm going to help the Spades mess with you lot!" Rouge laughed.

"Guarararara, it will just be like old days," Eddy chuckled.

.::.

Marco paused when he heard Ace groan from his bed. It had been a week now since they had brought Ace aboard, but finally it seemed like he was starting to wake up. Rouge perked up from her slouch on Ace's bedside, and reached out to brush his hair out of his face. Ace blinked blearily up at her, eyes unfocused, but slowly beginning to clear up.

"Good morning, Ace," Rouge said, her voice soft, eyes warm.

It wasn't a voice Marco was used to hearing from her. It was usually light and happy, or cocky, but nothing soft and loving like the way she was now. Rouge really had changed a lot, even if her looks hadn't.

"Morning..." Ace mumbled, his voice hoarse. "What happened...?"

Normally this would have been the part where Rouge would tell someone to find out for themselves or give a very brief explanation. But she didn't do any of that. Marco was amazed to see her explain everything that happened without so much as a single complaint. Sure, she had always been patient with kids, and this was her son, so Marco couldn't help but wonder if this would last, or if Ace was the exception because he was Rouge's kid.

Ace was sat up by the end of Rouge's story, sipping slowly at a glass of water Marco pushed into his hands. Marco left them alone otherwise, despite the fact he wanted to check Ace's vitals.

"So we didn't get captured by Gramps because the Whitebeards saved us? But now Whitebeard wants to ask me to be his son?"

"Yeah, weird how things turn out. Rahahahaha!" Rouge laughed.

"You already share custody with Dadan," Ace said dryly. "I don't think I want another parent, especially if he's anything like gramps."

Rouge's face twisted, disgusted. "By the seas, no, thank everything for that. Eddy's a good dad to his kids, although he's a bit old now to take on another son, especially one as young as you."

"Well you could be his daughter yoi," Marco added in, grinning.

"No!" she screeched.

"Why did you never want to join him?" Ace asked, a hint of concern in his voice, eyeing Marco warily.

Marco snorted. There was nothing sinister to be worried about in regards to that. Rouge was just antisocial.

"Too many people." Rouge shook her head, grimacing. "It's horrible."

"I keep forgetting just how antisocial you are..." Ace muttered, then shook his head. "But before you think my manners are awful-" Ace began, and Marco startled when he turned to face him and bowed his head. "Thank you for treating me, Doctor."

Marco stood there, frozen in place, while Rouge cackled. Was he really Rouge's son? Rouge didn't have any manners, at least nothing like this.

"I-It was no problem." Marco roughly cleared his throat and smiled. "I was happy to help, especially if we do convince you to become our future little brother yoi."

Ace groaned. "No thanks."

Now that horrified look on his face was a mirror of Rouge's.

Marco snorted. "Good luck denying Pops then. He already loves you yoi."

"All I've done is have a fever on his ship," Ace snorted, then pointed at his mum. "And unleash her upon your ship."

"To be fair I was here long before you existed," Rouge said cheerfully. "I've been haunting them for years. I stole their gold all the time and tormented their souls for years."

Marco sighed. "Yeah, she did do that."

Ace groaned. "Why did they want you on their ship again?"

"I'm amazing."

Ace sighed, but Marco could feel the love oozing from it, and the warmth of his smile as he eyed Rouge. "I know."

Rouge softened instantly, and her eyes grew watery. She blinked the tears away though and pressed a kiss to his forehead, earning a squawk.

"Mum-" Ace protested, blushing red.

"You'll give him a fever again yoi," Marco warned her.

Rouge's smile was soft. "I love you, Ace."

"I love you too," Ace mumbled out, cheeks still red.

"Rahahaha, teenagers." Rouge grinned, standing up. "So, Ace, ready to go face Eddy?" she asked, holding out her hand.

"Not until I check him over, damn you!" Marco bristled.

"Yeah, and I want to see the Spades too!" Ace insisted. "We all got separated out on to different ships? Jeez, they must be causing a riot."

"Yep!" Rouge grinned.

"Don't sound so pleased!" Marco scolded. "Fossa is getting grey hairs."

.::.

Whitebeard was tall. That was the first thought that came to Ace's mind the moment he met him. It was pretty late now. Ace hadn't been released from Marco's supervision in the medical bay until he had eaten, showered and drank plenty of water. Kotatsu was now by Ace's side, purring and nuzzling him, while Cornelia, Banshee and Deuce stood by his other side, fretting. Mum stood next to Kotatsu, her arms crossed, while Marco approached Whitebeard.

"Guararara, you look harassed, Marco," Whitebeard teased.

"He's as much of a menace as Rouge," Marco huffed. "But at least not as bad as you. You're just a complete nightmare yoi. Ace at least thanks me for helping him."

Whitebeard groaned. "You're in a fussing mood, aren't you, Marco?"

"It's because he's a mother hen!" a brunette chef sauntered over, flashing them all a grin. "Hey, Ace! Glad to see you're awake. Welcome aboard! I'm Thatch."

Said brunette winced as Marco's foot booted him across his back. Thatch yelped as he hit the deck, Marco glaring down at him.

"Mother hen?" Marco scowled.

"W-Worth it..." Thatch groaned.

"Not when I assign you and your division to clean the men's toilets yoi," Marco hissed.

Ace sweat dropped. This really wasn't how he was expecting this meeting to go.

"Rahahahaha!" Mum cackled.

Whitebeard ignored them and grinned at Ace. "It's good to see you awake, son."

"You didn't even ask him!" Mum huffed.

"Yeah, I'm not your son." Ace shook his head, but bowed. "But thank you for saving me from my grandpa. He's insane."

"Guarararara, no problem, son." Whitebeard's grin sharpened.

Ace huffed. "Did you not hear a word I said? I'm not your son!"

"And if you keep us here against our will then it's gonna be an outright war against the Spades and Whitebeards," Mum added, winking. "We'll be the biggest pains in your ass, Eddy."

"Guarararara, I wonder who will be more stubborn then? The Spade pirates or us." Whitebeard threw his head back and laughed hard. "It'll be fun having some squirts running about again."

Ace groaned. "So we're basically being kidnapped, but fighting our kidnappers through pranks?"

Deuce sighed. "It sounds like it."

Cornelia grinned. "Well the Spades are good at committing acts of terror, as long as we work and help the Whitebeards out at the same time until they get fed up of us and let us go then this should go pretty well for all of us. We would be acting as good guests apart from the unusual methods of torment."

"Yeah, we'd get a reputation for being the biggest pains in the asses," Mum cackled. "I can see it plastered on the newspapers now."

Ace shook his head. "This was not what I had planned."

"If you want to give up and become my son now then feel free too," Whitebeard chuckled.

"No." Ace scowled. "You might have saved us, which I'm very grateful for, but I do not need anymore parents."

"I'm the best one." Mum stuck out her tongue. "You can't replace me, Eddy."

"Nobody could," Ace sighed. "You're one of a kind, Mum."

Mum cackled. "That almost sounds terrible, the way you put it! Rahahahaha!"

"You're way too excited for this!" Ace scolded.

"C'mon, this might help you get strong enough to save Yamato and the people of Wano," Mum said slyly, eyes glinting.

Whitebeard paused. "Wano?"

Mum faltered. "Shit, actually, yeah we need to talk about that. When was the last time you heard from Oden?"

Whitebeard grimaced. "Not since he boarded Roger's ship and sailed away all those years ago." Whitebeard sighed heavily. "But we know of his fate, despite Wano's isolation."

"But you make it sound like you've been there recently yoi," Marco said, blinking. "How?"

"We kinda crashed the Spadille on its shores..." Ace winced.

Cornelia groaned. "Damn Finamore! He's the one that got us on the current!"

"And Saber, Barry and Wallace. If those four hadn't been fighting and knocked the Spadille off course..." Deuce sighed.

"Mum had said that she knew someone from there, but there had been no way he could have been alive with the state Wano was in," Ace said softly, throwing his mum a sad look.

"It's bad, Eddy," Mum said.

"We always had a bad feeling about Wano when we never heard from Oden again. I guess you should tell me everything." Whitebeard frowned.

I now have a twitter account, or x, whatever it's now called xD I'm planning to post updates to my chapters there, repost people's awesome artwork and maybe even teasers for future chapters of my fanfics :) If you want to follow me there I'd appreciate it :D /HeroesLegacy6