"There's a ship ahead of us, Sabo." Koala called out in warning, bended over a pair of binoculars.

His eyes opened and he sat up, instantly alert.

"A Marine ship?" He asked.

Koala frowned and squinted her eyes. "No… It's a pirate ship. I can see the jolly roger."

He stalked towards her, gently tugging the binoculars out of her hands. He peered into the lens and zoomed in towards the flag flapping violently in the wind.

"…It's the Red Hair Pirates." He murmured. He heard Koala sucked in a startled breath.

"You don't think…?" She asked worriedly.

"Why else would a Yonko be heading in the direction of Marineford?" He asked rhetorically. "Come on, let's go."

Koala tensed, blinking wide eyes at him in shock as he put aside the binoculars and grabbed his metal pipe.

"What are you doing?!" She shrieked, seizing the back of his jacket to stop him just as he turned around to walk over to the helm.

"We're going to catch up with them, of course." He said nonchalantly, not in the least affected and continued walking. "We won't be able to reach Marineford in time if it's just the both of us sailing this ship. I'm decent at navigating, but we need a good navigator to sail us towards Marineford safely. I'm not going to crash and sink into the ocean before I managed to save my brother."

"Wait a moment, we can't just sail up to their ship and not expect them to retaliate!" She groused. "We're an unknown ship with no flag. And what are you going to tell Red-Haired Shanks?" She straightened up, scrunching up her nose as she imitated the blonde. "'Hi, I'm Sabo and I'm Luffy's older brother!'" Her brows furrowed angrily and she threw up her hands in the air. "I know Shanks and your younger brother have history together, but he's not going to believe you that easily!"

"It'll be fine. Stop fussing. He's not like Kaido. He'll listen to me." Sabo said patiently. "Besides, there's only two of us. We're no threat to him."

"You must have a death wish!" She nearly yelled, but she didn't stop him as he sailed towards the Red Force.

To Koala's complete befuddlement, that was exactly what Sabo did.

The moment he was granted permission to come aboard the Red Force, he promptly told the red-haired Yonko that he was Luffy's older brother, in exactly the same manner she had said just a few moments ago.

Cheerfully and without a care in the world.

If she hadn't just watched Sabo nearly broke down back at the base and heard the blonde confessed his fears an hour ago, she'd have totally fallen for the charade that he had put up.

"Another brother?" Shanks frowned in bewilderment. "Just how many older brothers does Luffy have?"

"Just two." Sabo answered. "Ace and I."

The redhead looked up and stared at him, his frown deepening. Sabo patiently waited, not looking away.

The tension on the deck felt like it was going to snap her in half. She was in danger of going stir crazy if this continued.

Finally, Shanks nodded and a smile broke across his face. He threw back his head and laughed. Koala blinked at the Yonko in confusion.

"I believe you." Shanks grinned. "You're definitely Luffy's brother."

Koala breathed a sigh of relief and briefly wondered what the Yonko had seen in Sabo's eyes.

"Let me guess, you want me to take you and your friend here to Marineford?" Shanks asked. Without waiting for Sabo to answer, he continued, "It's going to be very dangerous there. I might not be able to protect you there."

"I don't need your protection." Sabo replied swiftly. "I'm heading there to save Ace. I can protect myself."

"As reckless as Luffy..." The redhead muttered under his breath as he shook his head. "Alright, buckle up then. We're heading towards Marineford full speed."

Sabo relaxed and felt some of the tension faded. Now he has obtained a ride. It's time to start planning on how exactly was he going to save Ace.

In the end, he couldn't come up with anything for a decent plan. He has no information on who was going to be guarding the perimeters, or the security measures the Marines had taken and even the blueprints of the headquarters. He was going in blind.

Furthermore, he had to factor in the Whitebeard Pirates and their allies' presences at Marineford.

Koala was right. Marineford was going to be chaotic by the time he arrived.

"Hey, I can see the island!" Someone hollered upfront.

Sabo nearly tripped over his feet as he rushed to the front of the ship. He stopped beside Shanks, squinting his eyes.

"The war has started." Shanks said quietly.

The blonde glanced around, arching a brow when he noticed pieces of ice floating in the ocean.

"That's Aokiji's ability." Koala said, coming up right beside him.

He exhaled, closing his eyes briefly before reopening them.

"I'm going ahead first." He said firmly. He vaguely registered Shanks and Koala's alarmed cries as he jumped off the ship.

"Don't do anything reckless, you idiot!" Koala screamed after him.

Using the floating ice pieces as a foothold, he ricocheted towards the headquarters with only one goal in mind.

Save Ace.

He was going so fast that by the time he reached his destination, the ground and ice was cracking underneath his feet and he was knocking confused Marines aside with his pipe.

He could see the mayhem from his position, the flames and sheer heat making his eyes watered.

He wanted to curse Ace out the moment he spotted the dark hair and tattooed back. Why the hell wasn't the idiot running?!

His legs ached and his knees threatened to buckle, but he refused to fall. He saw the moment Akainu's attention shifted away from Ace.

Luffy!

It might have been ten years since he has seen Ace, but he knew his brother well. Luffy has always been first priority.

Infusing his body with haki, he shot forward, swinging his pipe up to block the punch.

He could feel the impact shattering the pipe in his hands. The metal shrieked and protested as it splintered, the searing magma licking the front of his clothes, his cravat burning up from the sheer heat. He could feel the magma blistered his chest, the unbearable pain coaxing a cry of agony from his lips.

Not again, he thought. Not again notagain —

With a burst of defiance, desperation and fear, his haki coated his legs, painting the skin black under his pants and he lashed out. His haki mastery was still shaky, so he could feel the magma burning his leg the moment it made contact with Akainu's logia body.

He could taste blood on his tongue as he stumbled backwards. The battlefield was silent as Marine and pirate alike startled at the unexpected turn of events.

Hah, Sabo thought as he sent a silent apology to Koala, I end up doing something reckless after all.

He swayed and staggered, his vision blurring and he blearily felt a pair of arms wrapped around his waist to catch him. Warmth encompassed him, a cloud of black hovering above him.

"...Sabo?" A terrified voice whispered. He struggled to keep awake, his breath hitching as he felt a warm hand pushed aside his hair.

"If you think… that I'm going to let you die here—" He coughed, spitting out blood. "After — After everyone worked so hard to save you…"

"It's really Sabo!" Luffy choked. "How — How — Anyway, we've to treat your wounds! Someone, someone—"

"Stay awake, Sabo!" Ace shouted, gripping the blonde's face tightly. His eyes were shocked and wild. Sabo wanted to tell him that he looked like shit, but he doubted he looked any better. His everywhere hurts like a bitch and he has no strength to joke.

"Not… dying." He reassured, trying to smile. He just needed a short respite and a chance to catch his breath.

"Who are you?!" Akainu roared, furious that his prey had escaped death.

Everyone reacted instantly.

Ace hauled Sabo up, wrapping his arm around the latter to keep him up and using his own body to cover the blonde from the Admiral's rage.

"Everyone stop Akainu!"

A dozen of cannon balls shot towards the Admiral, but they simply passed through his logia body seamlessly.

Over Ace's shoulder, Sabo could see Akainu pulling back his fist to launch another attack. Luffy screamed in anger.

The blonde flinched from the heat as Jinbe intercepted Akainu. Seeing so many people desperate to save Ace lended Sabo a strength he didn't know he still possessed. Using Ace and Luffy as support, he steadied his legs.

"Can you run, Luffy?" He panted.

Luffy nodded frantically, his words stolen from his lips as Sabo turned to him.

"Can you run?" Ace demanded anxiously, withholding his confusion and anger for later to help the blonde.

"Of course… Who do you think you're talking to?" Sabo chuckled breathlessly.

Tugging each other along, they made their escape as the Whitebeard pirates guarded their backs and attacked Akainu.

Unfortunately, Akainu was relentless and swat the pirates aside as if they were simply flies. He chased after the three brothers, magma trailing behind him and burning everything in the wake of his path.

Marco clashed against the Admiral and Jinbe shot forward to help Ace and picked up both Luffy and Sabo.

"No… Ace—" Sabo pleaded, reaching out to grab Ace's wrist. He knew Ace, and he knew Ace would not be able to resist helping out Whitebeard.

"Ace, please, let's go—" It was getting harder to breathe, and the Fishman was gripping him a little too tightly over his wound. The earth beneath their feet rumbled and Marineford split into two. Ace almost stumbled backwards and into the gaping hole if he had not been holding onto him.

If Ace was to run off after his captain and seek revenge against Blackbeard, who had just appeared with his crew, Sabo would not have the strength left to stop him.

The timing couldn't be any more bad.

"You look like you're in deep trouble, Sabo!"

He wanted to cry in relief when he heard a familiar voice. Scratch that, the timing was just right.

"Stop, she's my friend!" He yelped when Jinbe tensed and flames burst from Ace's fists.

Koala balked at the sight of the Fishman, but she quickly regained her composure and turned to Sabo. She ran a critical look over his body and scowled fiercely.

"Ace…" He murmured.

She nodded curtly, reached out to seize Ace's arm and started dragging the bewildered man away. Ace's legendary stubbornness was bad enough to even surpass Sabo's, and she had promised Sabo that she would have his back. She's not going to let Ace go anywhere.

"Hey, let go!" Ace protested.

"Shut the hell up!" Koala growled.

Jinbe followed after the bickering pair, clutching the two brothers under his arms securely. Sabo's strength failed him then and he blacked out.

When he woke up, he could feel cold metal underneath his back. There were people rushing around him frantically.

"Don't move!" Someone snapped, pushing him back down.

"Ace... Luffy... Where are—" He croaked weakly.

"They are safe and alive and recuperating in the other room!" The other man growled in irritation. "Now stay down!"

Safe.

That was all he needed to know.

Sabo felt the darkness dragged him away again.

He woke up again, this time to total darkness. He blinked wearily and forced himself to sit up. Outside, he could hear the calm waves of the sea.

"Sabo, you're up!" He nearly jumped when the lump on the chair beside him shifted and leaped up.

"Koala, what happened?" He asked.

Koala beamed at him brightly. "You actually did it, you bastard! You saved Ace! We're on Trafalgar Law's submarine and heading towards Amazon Lily."

As the girl excitedly spoke about what had happened right after he passed out, he found his attention wandering and expanding his haki to sense out his brothers.

His haki control wavered and he sagged in exhaustion. Not good, he was still too weak.

"I need to see them." He said firmly. Koala yelped in surprise as he swung his legs out of bed. He was grateful as he felt her hands curved over his underarm, steadying him as he swayed against the vertigo.

"You're so reckless." She sighed, but didn't stop him as he limped his way out of the room. The wound on his chest felt itchy under the bandages and he had to resist scratching and reopening the injury.

He winced against the sunlight, using a hand to shield his eyes. As his eyes slowly adjusted to the glaring light, he took a look around the deck. There was a huge galleon pulled by a pair of Yuda at the front sailing right next to the submarine. He vaguely recognized the jolly roger as the Kuja Pirates.

"Sabo, you're awake!" He was momentarily blind sided by a body that nearly knocked him off his feet. "Hey — Ace, Sabo's awake!"

"Luffy!" He choked, struggling against the hug. "That hurts!"

"Oh, sorry!" Luffy immediately loosened his grip, but didn't let go. Dark hair tickled Sabo's chin as the younger boy nuzzled his throat.

The blonde looked up and felt his breathing hitched when he saw Ace. Other than a few scratches and bruises, the dark-haired pirate looked the best amongst them.

He felt apprehension and fear when he noticed the blank look in Ace's eyes.

"Ace…" He swallowed.

The pirate seemed to snap out of his daze and a mixture of emotions flickered across his face. Sabo watched in fascination as Ace struggled to control his emotions.

Ace has always been the most expressive out of them.

"Sabo, if you wasn't already hurt, I'd have punch you already." Ace said lowly.

The blonde choked on a sob as his chest tightened with the relief. It seemed to be the dam that broke and Ace lunged forward, wrapping his two brothers into a crushing hug.

"I — I'm home, Ace, Luffy!" He cried, cheeks blotchy with red and tears.

Luffy giggled under his chin and hugged him tighter while Ace tried to pretend that he wasn't crying by shoving his face into Luffy's shoulder.

"Welcome home, Sabo!" Luffy smiled brilliantly.

It would be a long time before the three brothers could heal and mend themselves from the decade-long crack. There were stories to share and Sabo wanted to hear them all.

For the first time in ten long, painful and lonely years, Sabo felt the smothering grief and darkness receded as he found himself back home in his brothers' arms.