Hey guys!

I was just thinking about what could've happened differently between the discussion with luffy and Ace. Like what if something dramatic happened that taught Ace a lesson without the bear scene.

Yeah, I suck at talking , anyways, I hope you enjoy it!

Ace's head snapped toward his younger brother.

"Are you saying you would've preferred it if I died instead?!" He asked defensively.

Luffy took a surprised step back, 'I-I didn't say that!"

"You implied it!"

Luffy didn't wish for that. He wished Sabo was still alive. But, that didn't mean he hoped his other brother died in his place.

"I wouldn't want that, Ace!" The young boy with the large straw hat shouted at his brother.

"Well, at least Sabo was useful, unlike you!"

Luffy winced. That hurt. The younger boy tried his best to help his older brother. But, now it seemed like the truth about how his older brother felt had come out.

Luffy didn't say anything. He just quickly turned and ran away from his brother. He ran as fast as he could so he couldn't burden his older brother anymore.

As Luffy ran deeper and deeper into the forest Ace watched with a mix of emotions. The idiot would be back after all. There's no way he would stay away permanently. He was just too pesky to do that.

And with that Ace walked back to Dadan's house.

Hours went by. Each hour that passed Ace grew more and more nervous. Luffy would usually come running back after about only one hour. But, he was taking longer.

"Ace!" Dadan called as she barged into the room Ace was occupying, "Where's Luffy?"

Ace just shrugged attempting at hiding the fear he had about his younger brother's where abouts.

"You idiot!" The large woman yelled at the ten year old, "If Garp finds out that I lost him he'll kill me!"

"So, what."

Dadan grabbed Ace's shirt and dragged him out of the house with a growl. With a thud, he was thrown a couple of feet out of the door.

"Wait here until he comes back!" Dadan ordered before she slammed the door shut.

Ace growled angrily. The woman always got on his nerves. The young boy reverted his attention back to his brother. The sun had already set and a light drizzle was raining down. There's no doubt that the cry baby would've come dragging himself back to the house normally. So, something bad must've happened.

What could he have gotten himself into.

The ten year old walked down the path leading away from Dadan's house. He surveyed the forest on both sides of the path. Maybe Luffy had passed out somewhere near Dadan's house. That way he was close enough for comfort, but far enough to prove the point that he was trying to give Ace the silent treatment. He would just apologize to the cry baby and all would go back to normal.

That was when he heard footsteps coming closer to him. Ace gripped the metal pole that he had grabbed before Dadan threw him out. A dragging sound followed every two footsteps. This could be bad. Maybe someone got a hold off Luffy and were literally dragging him back.

Ace got sight of who the maker of the sound was. It was someone short. They wore a wide brimmed hat on their head. They stumbled every time they took a step. A giant figure was being dragged behind them with what looked like much effort.

"Luffy?" Ace asked as he took a nervous step forward. The rain was coming down hard now. Along with that and the darkness of light it was hard to see the person's identity. But, Ace could tell.

The ten year old sprinted toward the figure. He slowed when he approached.

"Where have you been. You had Dadan worri-" Ace stopped himself when a small break in the clouds allowed for him to get an illuminated look at his brother.

Luffy had a bunch of gashes all over him. His shirt and pants were torn in various places. A large black eye was covered up by the shadow of his straw hat.

Ace was about ready to ask what had happened to him when the younger boy fell forward weakly.

Ace quickly leapt forward and caught his brother's limp form in his arms. He cradled his brother examining the steady rhythm of his breathing. It was then that he looked at what his brother was dragon.

Ace's eyes went wide when he saw that it was a large alligator. What the hell was he doing bringing an alligator back with him so late at night.

"What the hell were you doing?" He asked his brother with a firm tone.

Luffy took a few deep breaths before he answered, "I wanted to show that I was useful and not just a burden." The younger boy said with a large grin.

Ace felt his heart break. He had practically told Luffy that he was useless, and this is what his brother ended up doing because of that just to prove himself.

Luffy's grin slowly slipped off of his face as he went to sleep. Ace sighed as he carefully hauled his little brother onto his back. With that done he slowly stood up and ran swiftly to Dadan's house.

Magra patched Luffy as Ace hauled the Alligator back. When the lizard was all put inside the house, Ace went to see his little brother.

He slowly tip-toed into the room. The ten year old spotted his little brother wrapped up with bandages in the middle of the room. A peaceful expression showed on his face even though that, as far as he had seen, he had been put through hell.

Ace went and sat next to the still form that lay under the blankets. A feeling suddenly overcame him. It wasn't exactly the feeling he had expected to feel. It as pride. As well as disappointment. Pride in Luffy and disappointed in himself.

Fluffy had successfully proven to him that he wasn't a waste of time. That he wasn't useless.

But what disappointed him was the fact that it took so much for him to see that his brother was useful. Useful was such a loveless word. And Luffy being his little brother deserved something much more than that word. Perhaps it was a word that did not exist or never would exist.

But, Luffy being his little brother, the one that he now lived for since Sabo was gone, was enough to say that he was the furthest thing from being useless.

He was his brother.

And he would do anything for him.