This is it. This is it, finally, after all of these years!

I hope you've enjoyed this story. It's been a pleasure to share it with you and I can't wait to start my next story to procrastinate on. I've got a few ideas rattling around in my head so we'll see what comes up. Anyone have an OTP request? Let me know!

AND HERE WE GO! THANKS AGAIN EVERYONE!

"Well, it doesn't look like much yet, but that's why we're here."

Ryou stood on the sandy beach, looking out at the waves as his father talked to him. He was glad to have him back, in higher spirits and feeling much healthier, but he struggled not to think of the cost. He paid with his heart, while another paid with so much more. Ryou still couldn't believe that Akefia would give up so much for him.

It had been difficult to dock at the island without a proper harbor. They had to drop anchor a ways out and use small boats to transfer the needed supplies to the island. Presently, the port was nothing more than straw shacks.

"I'm going to name it after your mother," Ryou's father continued. "She always wanted to head out to sea, but sailing didn't agree with her. You don't seem to have inherited that from her, though."

"No," Ryou replied. "I actually enjoy being on a ship more than I ever imagined."

"Well you won't be going out on the sea for awhile. There is much to do here."

As the days went on, Ryou helped his father whenever he could. Loading and unloading. Building and delegating. Most importantly, he gave Ryou the job of naming the roads that were being constructed. There were only three at the moment. Gold, Silver, and Thief.

There was also a hill that he called Pirates Lookout. He would sit there every morning to watch the sunrise, and any time he saw a ship pass by, he imagined Akefia Bakura was it's helm. Just like he said.

But on one particular morning, as Ryou sat on his hill, the fog had rolled in and he couldn't see much further than the banks, meaning the ships that would have to drop anchor further out, couldn't be seen. Still, he had to wait, as they were supposed to be receiving extra supplies for the next phase of construction on the town and Ryou was to alert his father of its arrival.

Six weeks had passed since they left New Providence. They never received any news on Akefia Bakura's fate, but he knew that he had to have already...he couldn't bring himself to think of the words. The only concession the Governor had given him was that Akefia was to be buried decently, instead of displayed as a warning to other pirates.

"Land ho!" suddenly echoed through the fog. Ryou stood, sighing. He pulled a spyglass from his bag and held it up, to see which ship would be cutting through the fog. There was a splash, as the ship surely dropped it's anchor, and then another as a longboat was lowered. It was so quiet, Ryou could hear the gentle movement of oars as they moved closer.

Just before Ryou could call down to his father, the longboat suddenly appeared through the mist, gentle waves lapping at it's sides. Ryou lifted the spyglass and brought it in to focus on the face of the person leading the longboat.

A face which held a dangerous looking scar...

"No," Ryou whispered, in shock. "It can't be. I'm dreaming." But the longer he focused, staring, the he thought he had gone crazy. The man's wild, white hair was tied back and he stood at the prow as if he couldn't wait to land on the island. He scanned the island, eyes unblinking as if he was searching for something. And Ryou wasted no time.

"Akefia!" he called, throwing the spyglass and racing down the hill, tears suddenly streaming down his cheeks. He nearly fell twice as he ran, but he didn't care. He just kept running. Finally, his feet started kicking up sand as he got closer to the beach. "Akefia!" The other must have heard him that time, as he turned, grinning.

"Ry!" he called back, jumping out of the boat and landing knee deep in the water. He waded through the waves, fighting the current, arms open so that just as he reached the shore, Ryou was able to throw himself into Akefia's embrace and kiss him as hard as he possibly could. And that's when it became so real. This was no phantom or imagination.

"You escaped," Ryou said, pulling away from his pirate. "I knew you could do it! I just knew it!" Akefia was staring, looking over Ryou as if trying to memorize every part of his face.

"Ry-"

"Take me with you! I'll sign any articles you want!" Ryou called, gripping onto Akefia's shirt as though he could disappear at any moment. "I'd rather live as a pirate with you than spend one more day on this wretched island without you!"

At that, Akefia lifted him up, hugging him tightly again and laughing. Ryou thought he had never heard such a wonderful sound as that, tears still spilling down his cheeks.

"I would give you almost anything in the world," he said. "But I can't give you the life of a pirate."

"What?" Ryou gasped, pulling away suddenly. "But you came back...you can't leave me again!" Akefia pulled him close again, placing a hand on Ryou's flushed cheek, a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

"If I gave you the pirating life, then I might have to arrest you."

"W-what?" Ryou asked again.

"I renounced my pirating ways!" The joyous grin on Akefia's face was something Ryou never thought he would see. Tears fell harder down his face than they were before.

"Y-you..."

"There are still many pirates roaming the seas, and who better to capture pirates, than a pirate?"

"You're a pirate hunter?" Ryou was beyond stunned, gasping for air through his tears now.

"I'd rather be a pirate hunter with you at my side than spend one more day as a pirate without you."

Ryou threw himself at Akefia and they both landed with a soft thud at the shore, water gently crashing against them.

"I love you," he whispered, as he held his former pirate tightly.

"I love you too, Ryou. You're the only treasure I'll ever need."

And with that, so ends the story of a pirate who stole Ryou's heart.

I love you all! Thanks for reading!

Gem.