My Own One Piece.

Set Course for Marineford

Marco held me tightly as I sobbed.

"Aoi, you can't blame yourself." He said to me. I held to his jacket.

"How can I not blame myself?! I was right there, Marco! I could have... I should have... But I ran away!" I sobbed. I felt Izo's hand on my shoulder.

"Aoi... You couldn't have done anything. If you had tried, there's no doubt you would have lost the baby." Izo said. I gripped tightly to Marco.

"Baby?" Marco asked.

"Oh, come on, Marco. You remember how skinny Aoi was when she and Ace left! She's four months pregnant!" Izo said. Marco held me tighter in a more protective fashion.

"Does Ace know?" He asked. I nodded.

"What is going on?" I heard The Old Man ask. I froze.

"You didn't tell him?" I asked.

"He was being treated. I couldn't." Marco whispered back. The group that had formed around me on deck broke away. I refused to let go of Marco.

"Aoi... Where is Ace?" Pops asked. I held tight to Marco's jacket.

"Ace... Ace was captured by Blackbeard on Banaro island. Odds are he's already been handed over to the marines." Marco said.

"Aoi... Is this true?" Pops asked. I nodded. Marco passed me off in to Whitebeard's arms. I felt the protective, yet gentle hug of the man I now called my father.

"Marco. You know what to do." Pops said. I heard the sound of feet shuffling around as my brothers ran to prepare for the impending war. The one I could have prevented if I had just paied fucking attention.

Pops carried me to his room and set me down on his bed.

"Aoi... Tell me what happened." He asked gently. I fought back another sob and tried to get my self under control so I could speak.

"W-w-we were on Banaro Island... I s-s-saw Teach there. A-Ace t-told me t-to stay... To stay away from t-the f-fight." I cried. My tears picked up as a wave of guilt over took me.

"I was... I was right there! I was right there when they were dragging him away! I cou-could have done something! I could ha-have saved him! Why... Why did I run away? Why didn't I save him?!" I sobbed.

"Aoi. Look at me, daughter." He said. I felt him tilt my chin up I opened my eyes and looked up at my father. His eyes trailed down to my stomach where I held Ace's hat. His eyes widened slightly.

"You're currently carrying Ace's child, aren't you?" He asked. I nodded. He looked in my eyes.

"Then you did exactly what Ace wanted you to do. If Teach had found out about the child, he would have been merciless. Ace's heart would have broke if he lost you and the baby." He said. I bit my lip, trying to hold back a sob.

"Aoi, we will bring him home. That much I promise you. We will not leave with out Ace. But, we need your help. As much as I want to stick you on an island out of harm's way, you are the only one who knows what our decisions will lead to. I need you to guide us. Where do they plan to execute Ace?" He asked. I drew a deep breath and forced myself calm down.

"Listen to him, Aoi. He's right. You did what Ace would have told to do anyways. You need to do everything in your power to save Ace. Even if it's just from memory." I thought. Finally, I steadied myself.

"Marineford."

Time skip

I lied in the bed I shared with Ace, trying to sleep.

It was difficult for multiple reasons.

For one, everytime I started to actually slide towards unconciousness, I swear I'd feel Ace's arms wrap around me or I'd hear his snores.

Second, I never actually realized how thin the blankets on the bed were. I never really needed thick blankets before because I was always sleeping next to a cuddly fire man. So I was cold.

And finally, everytime I closed my eyes, a memory would play.

The time before I got my voice back in the winter islands. When Ace got up to puke after being drunk all night and I was flipping him off from under the covers.

Our first kiss on his birthday two years ago, when I got my voice back.

Our first time doing... The thing...

The day he took a knee before me with a gold and garnet ring in his hand.

Our wedding day.

I curled up in a ball and held Ace's hat tightly and cried silently.

What if I'm not fast enough? What if I'm not strong enough?

"Stop doubting yourself. If you doubt yourself, then you will lose him. Have faith in your strength and have faith in your family." The sea goddess's voice ran in my ears. I sat up and touched the necklace she gave me.

"Only if I'm desperate." I whispered. I stood up and walked out on deck where I could see the ocean and sky.

Marco's POV

I sighed as I walked out on deck. Ace just had to scare Aoi like that. While she was pregnant, too.

"It should have been me. I should have been the one chasing Teach. I should have been the one to take him down a peg or two. Ace would still be here. With his wife and son or daughter." I thought. I looked over and saw Aoi.

"Aoi? What are you doing out here? I thought you were resting." I said, moving to stand beside my sister.

"Aoi?" I asked when she didn't respond. Was she having a vision?

"... I'm cold... With out him..." She said softly. I shrugged off my jacket and draped it around her shoulders.

"... Will we be able to save him, Marco?" She asked. I stared at her.

"Of course we will. This is us." I said, feigning confidence. I gave her a bright grin. This was just another mission that would be easily taken care of.

"Marco, please be honest with me." She sighed. I sighed softly.

"I hope so, Aoi. The world government knows what it is they're doing. They're declaring war against us by doing this. Their strongest are going to be there. Kuzan Aokiji, Borsalino Kizaru, Sakazuki Akainu... Even Monkey D Garp will be there." I said. Aoi's grip on Ace's hat tightend.

"Aoi, just have faith in us. We will be able to save him. No doubt his little brother is going to come to the rescue, too. Just believe and trust in our abilities. We will save him." I said. She was quiet.

"...If I lose him... Will I ever be warm again?" She asked. I opened my mouth to answer her and looked at her. My answer died in my throat as I looked at her. She was staring in to the ocean with fear in her eyes.

Then I realized what she meant.

If Ace died, it would leave her heart cold and she probably would be unable to properly care for her child. Her body may be warm, but her heart would be as cold as the deepest part of the ocean.

I pulled her in to a hug. She rested her head on my shoulder as I held her tightly.

"I won't let you go cold. Count on it." I said.