Well, it's been a month and a week or something like that, and the sequel to Triple Switch is finally on air. CONFETTI!

I do NOT own One Piece, although the first few chapters pull a lot of dialogue from it. If you recognize it, it ain't mine.

So: hello new readers, welcome back old readers, and I hope you all enjoy: For Love of a Brother.

Marineford.

Ace knelt on the execution platform, staring blankly at nothing, wondering: how had it come to this?

'Well,' Ace thought sarcastically, 'I s'ppose it all began when that absolute bastard killed Thatch.' If Thatch hadn't been killed, then Ace wouldn't have chased after his murderer, wouldn't have gotten captured, wouldn't be here now…

'Wouldn't have known that Sabo was alive,' offered the tiny part of Ace's mind that, somehow, always managed to find some sort of silver lining. It had always sounded a lot like Luffy.

Ace wasn't in the mood to count his blessings, and shot back at it that he would've found that out anyways, since it was Sabo who'd found that magic lamp and wished for his memories back. That was why he'd never contacted Ace and Luffy after they thought he'd died, he hadn't remembered them…still. As long as Ace was dying, it was nice to die with the knowledge that Sabo would look after Luffy once he was gone.

Ace lifted his gaze to the bright blue sky, thoughts wandering to the debacle that had reunited the brothers only a few months ago. Despite himself, his lips quirked in a smile. It was funny, looking back, the chaos that had resulted from Sabo's wish. The genie in that lamp liked messing with people, and it had granted Sabo's wish in a very roundabout way - by switching the bodies of Ace, Sabo, and Luffy.

They had spent five days trying to get back to normal, and most of that was just trying to get to the same island. Then Luffy had switched them all again thanks to a badly worded wish. Then they'd had to fight a bunch of Marines while switched, and only gotten out of it because they'd used the genie's magic as a bargaining chip - threatening to switch the Marines' bodies unless they were allowed to go free.

Then they'd switched back, partied hard, accidentally called Gramps because Sabo had tried to make Ace call Whitebeard while they were all still hungover, and called Pops after they'd gotten out of that. Ace had told his crew he still planned to go after Blackbeard, the bastard, and later that day he'd left to do just that.

He'd had a transponder snail with him when he'd found Teach. Sabo had accidentally stolen it from an inn while he was in Ace's body ("How do you 'accidentally' steal a snail?" "Look, the innkeeper had called the Marines on me and I had it in my hand, I forgot to put it down when I ran away") - Ace could've, should have called someone. He could've called Sabo. He could've called Pops and the rest. Hell, he could've called the Marines and given them an anonymous tip. Not that he would've done that.

But nooooo, he'd gotten cocky and thought he could take on Teach himself. Although, that wasn't really the whole reason. He'd wanted revenge for Thatch. He'd wanted to pound the traitorous scum into dust himself. He'd wanted the murderous asshole to burn in agony while Ace watched and laughed-

Well. Look how well that had turned out. Ace didn't know how long he'd been in Impel Down, weakened physically by seastone and psychologically by the thought of the immense pressure of the water outside, with Jinbe the only friendly face to speak to for…Ace didn't know how long. For a very long time, it felt like.

That was, until just earlier (today?) Boa Hancock, of all people, had visited him. She'd said Luffy was coming to rescue him.

Ace desperately hoped she was lying, but it was just the sort of thing his little brother would do. Ace didn't particularly believe in God, but he still prayed that Luffy was okay, and safe; and was glad that Sabo, at least, would be far away from Marineford.

It was a beautiful day.

Too beautiful for an execution, Sabo thought bitterly.

He was on a small skiff, occupied only by himself, Koala, and Hack, dead set on a course for Marineford.

"Are you sure this can't go any faster?" Sabo asked.

"For the last time, Sabo, yes, I'm sure!" Koala snapped, "Stop asking!"

"Oh, well, excuse me for being a little tense!" Sabo snapped back, "Ace's life is on the line, Koala!"

"You think I don't care?! He's my brother, too!"

That made Sabo's mouth snap shut. Hack continued to make sure they were staying on course and pointedly did not look at either of them, carefully staying out of the siblings' argument.

Two years ago, Sabo and Koala had sworn siblinghood over saké, just as Sabo had with Ace and Luffy ten years ago; not that he'd remembered that at the time. Then, just a few short months ago, amid the confusion that had resulted when Sabo had jokingly wished for his memories back, Luffy had declared that since Koala was Sabo's sister, and Sabo was Ace and Luffy's brother, then Koala was Ace and Luffy's sister, too.

There was no arguing with Luffy Logic. Ace had simply accepted it. Koala had been hesitant at first, but not for long. And so, when news of Ace's imminent execution reached them, Sabo and Koala more or less dropped everything and demanded that Dragon let them go rescue their brother.

Well, Sabo demanded. He was Chief of Staff. Supposedly, he'd have an easier time convincing Dragon. Supposedly.

As it turned out, demanding was unnecessary. Dragon had agreed straight away. Sabo had prepared an entire rant that went completely unused, and he honestly wasn't quite sure how to feel about that.

After a moment, Sabo took a deep breath and put a hand on Koala's arm. "I'm sorry."

Koala exhaled. "I am, too. It's just…"

"We're worried," Sabo offered, "We're tense."

"Yeah," Koala nodded.

"Koala-san. Sabo-san." The two of them turned to look at Hack, who had stopped making his point and now met their gazes with a steely, determined look in his eyes. "We will save your brother."

They managed to smile. "Thanks, Hack," Sabo said.

And this was on top of Luffy vanishing from Sabaody shortly after punching a Celestial Dragon. At least it had been Kuma who vanished him; Sabo knew the bearlike man could be counted on. For now, at least; maybe not anymore.

(Koala had cheered when she heard of Luffy's actions at the auction house, though, and he couldn't begrudge her that. He'd nearly joined in after he got over his panic.)

Sabo hoped that he and would be able to save Ace. Luffy, at least, would be okay. He was sure of it. He had to be.

The ocean at Marineford was calm and perfect for sailing.

Right up until Whitebeard's ships burst out of the water, and the man himself caused a seaquake, and the resulting waves were quickly frozen by Aokiji.

Things sort of snowballed from there.

The division squad leaders exploded into battle, and Marco's gaze swept the battlefield, briefly taking in the ocean of ice, the Vice Admirals standing to bar their way, the Warlords standing on the walls of the plaza entrance. Hawkeye struck at the Moby Dick - Jozu blocked it. Kizaru struck next, and Marco moved quickly, his blue and gold flames taking and healing the damage as he transformed his arms into wings, spiraling in front of Pops to block.

He exchanged a few terse phrases with Kizaru in a kind of mocking banter, trying to keep an eye on Pops and the rest of their nakama as Marco fought the Admiral. The phoenix was briefly worried when Akainu rained lava on their ships - but Pops had it handled.

Privately, Marco worried about the old man. Pops was already in bad health, and this battle wouldn't do him any favors. But he was determined - they were all determined. They would save Ace, and nothing would stop a single one of them, short of death.

Marines and pirates crashed together in explosions of violence. Oars Jr moved forwards, clearing their path. Distantly, Marco heard Ace scream for Oars to turn around, go back, and he heard Oars's shout of "I'm coming to save you!" as the giant stormed into the bay.

Pops issued a warning, then an order, and Marco pushed forwards with the rest of the crew, protecting Oars. Marco vaguely noticed Boa Hancock, attacking pirate and Marine alike without discrimination. 'Better for us, then.'

Then came Kuma's Ursa Shock, forcing Oars to his knees. The Marines concentrated all their fire on the huge giant (and maybe that was redundant, but really, Oars Jr was a giant among giants). Marco cursed. Doflamingo sliced off one of Oars's legs, and Marco cursed some more, worse words.

Ace was screaming. Oars was inside the plaza, reaching, his hand only yards away from Ace. Moria's shadow shot through him.

The giant fell, and Ace screamed, and Marco howled with pain in the privacy of his own mind.

They used Oars's body to advance. It was logical. It made sense.

It hurt.

Doflamingo had taken control of Atmos. Marco, high in the sky, vaguely noticed Akainu kill another Marine. Doflamingo made some sort of pithy speech. Whitey Bay arrived.

And Marco fought on, towards Ace.

The sun was hot and bright, and Garp was decidedly uncomfortable.

Not because of the heat, which was almost pleasant, and not because of the battle intensifying under his nose. No, it was because Garp was guarding his own grandson so the boy wouldn't escape being executed.

In fact, to say he was only 'uncomfortable' was a massive understatement. Garp longed to unlock Ace's shackles himself and let the boy go free, but it was too late; the boy's parentage had been discovered, and Garp's duty bound him.

Garp made his way up to the execution platform, to be near his adoptive grandson one last time.

Ace picked up his head ever so slightly. "Gramps…"

Sengoku spoke over the boy. "What are you doing here, Garp? You haven't had second thoughts, have you?"

"No. We're fighting pirates here," Garp replied. He was solid in his beliefs - pirates were criminals, a plight on the world, terrifying and slaughtering the innocent. And it was the Navy's job to protect the innocent. "There's no reason to show them any mercy."

And he believed that. He truly did, with every fiber of his being.

He sat down next to Ace anyways.

"Then…" Sengoku began.

"Shut up!" Garp barked, "Just let me sit here!"

But.

"Outlaws deserve no mercy…" Garp said, his mind crowded with memories of a tiny Luffy, a small Ace, "But this is family!"

He heard Ace make a tiny, choked sound.

"What am I supposed to do?!" Against his will, tears well up in Garp's eyes. His nose began to run. "Ace! Why?!" He couldn't bring himself to look at his grandson, instead staring at the battlefield below. If only the boy had become a Marine. If only. Maybe then they wouldn't be here right now. Maybe it all would have been avoided.

(Maybe not.)

"Why didn't you live the way I told you?!"

"Old man!" Ace said, sounding shocked. Brat. It was like he'd never seen Garp cry. (Well, he hadn't.)

Sengoku's expression was ironclad. "Just don't get any funny ideas in your head, Garp, or I'll dispose of you too."

Garp snorted, despite the tears and the snot. "Hmph. If I were going to do something, I'd have done it a long time ago."

And that was about when Luffy fell from the sky.

Would it surprise you that the angst hasn't even started yet?

I've had to break Marineford into like, three different parts. It is much longer than I thought it was. Once we get to the end of Marineford. That's when the angst begins. S angst.

Anyways, leave a review! Please. I feed on those things. Part of the reason it took so long to write this was because I couldn't get motivated.

On that note, thank you to YJV for reviewing. Do you know you are responsible for singlehandedly getting my ass to fucking finish up at least part one?

Well, you are. Thanks.

So, again, remember to review, and the next chapter is coming...who knows when. Two weeks? Probably that. Possibly less. Depends on you guys, really.

See you all soonish!