A/N~ HELLO! Sorry for the slow updates, had a lot of writing and drawing and personal stuff to do. Buckle up guys, this is another long one, and I didn't even mean for it to be that long XD

This story is very nearly over, I can't believe it! And to those of you who've stuck around, thank you again. I understand I might have disappointed a few of my readers, so I apologize if that's the case, but thank you for reading this story at all :)

I OWN NOTHING!

Enjoy!

(ALSO MINOR SPOILERS FOR THE MANGA THOSE WHO AREN'T CAUGHT UP WITH CURRENT ARCS!)

Chapter 35: The Path Towards the Sun

2 years later.

New York, April 13th, 1914.

The bar was particularly crowded late that evening, patrons laughing and drinking to their hearts content, or in one particular table's case, arguing loudly and animatedly over something to do with the state of the world, the affairs of the rich and powerful behind the scenes and why they were scumbags. Same old things. No really cared to listen to their prattle, thinking it too serious a topic to worry about on such a fine night, or thinking the three burly men were simply too drunk.

Well, no one but the young man sitting alone on the table in the far corner, the brim of his top-hat obscuring bright, discolored eyes from view as he swirled his second drink of the night.

His posture was relaxed as anything, feet up and legs crossed on the round wooden table, uncaring if it was rude or improper, his chair tilted back. He was dressed in a black coat and loose grey pants, a deep blue waistcoat over a sky-blue shirt that had the first two buttons undone at the top, collar bones exposed. A frilled, white cravat was tied loosely around his neck, and dark brown gloves adorned his hands, which were slightly scarred underneath.

Despite his noble-like appearance, no one really paid him any mind, which was incredibly convenient for him. Nothing distracting him from listening in on the conversation raging a few tables across from him, which was also very rude.

He grinned under his hat, discolored eyes glinting in the dim lighting. It was starting to get interesting.

"I'm tellin' ya! Things are really startin' to stir up big time in this damn bitch of a world," said one of the soberer men – there were three of them, and he really couldn't be bothered to remember their names, so he'd just call them Tweedle Dee, Tweedle Dumb and Tweedle Dumbass – slamming his hand down on their table and rattling the glasses. "It ain't just crime nowadays, either. You heard of all these revolutionary people runnin' around, right?"

"Eh, too many of 'em. Who's even keepin' count anymore?" Tweedle Dumb muttered, taking a swig of his drink and letting out a gross belch that made the young man in the back, and a few others, wrinkle their noses in disgust. "Heard a few of 'em are here in Brooklyn, though."

"Dragon's people, right?"

The young man smirked.

"Yeah, them. They're makin' the papers again I hear, like that time they were helpin' out gangs like ol' man Whitebeard's in that crazy gang war last year."

"Never heard of Rev's helpin' gangs," Tweedle Dee sniffed. "They target corrupt nobles 'nd the governments usually. Was 'cos of that – uh, what was his name? Flame somethin'?"

"Fire Fist?"

"Yeah, yeah him. 'Cos he got himself a date with the grim reaper after getting' tangled with the higher ups and, like, a gazillion guys showed up, even Rev's, to make a statement to the boys at the top or whatever."

"Now that was fun. Whole streets could'a been leveled with that brawl."

"Cheers to that."

The young man had to agree and disagree, frowning a little. That 'brawl' or gang war hadn't been a joke, nor had it been any real fun to partake in knowing that his brother – both of them, rather, the freaking idiots – had been moments from dying in the midst of it because of the actions of a few bastards who thought they could take out Whitebeard's crew by taking one of his son's hostage and use him as bait to lure him into a trap. It had failed, but only just.

There were many casualties that day, and he was sure that fight would make New York history someday. Hopefully, that history wouldn't be corrupted. Robin would probably castrate somebody (and that was no exaggeration, he'd seen her do it).

"Yeah, but – like, that's not what I'm talkin' about here, fellas. This is bigger than Dragon's guys," the first guy, Tweedle Dumbass, said, snapping the young man back into the present. Tweedle Dumbass looked around (incredibly obvious and not at all sneaky, the utter buffoon), motioning his buddies to come closer. He whispered, so the young man had to incline his head ever so slightly to hear.

"You guys heard of CP9?"

He froze, eyes narrowing.

CP9?

He knew quite a bit about that organization. Cipher Pol was a series of government organizations spanning over most of America and Europe. They acted as secret agencies who conducted investigations, assassinations and espionage for the governments they were assigned to. CP9 members, however, were not based on intelligence gathering, but instead were so-called 'shadowy' assassins who had the license to kill any citizen that did not cooperate with the government or acted in contrary to its interests.

Not quite the group he'd want to follow.

But how'd someone like the washed-up drunkard he was looking at hear about them? What did he have on them that hadn't already gotten him killed?

Tweedle Dumbass' friends turned pale, quickly darting their heads around in case any of the incredibly uninterested patrons heard or were listening in – he made sure to turn back to his drink, keeping the brim of his hat over his eyes – before they looked back at their friend.

"Seriously? Where'd you hear about those guys?!" Tweedle Dumb hissed, sweat trickling down his bearded face. "Aren't they s'pposed to be a secret?"

Tweedle Dumbass grinned. "I've got connections, y'see. Friend of a friend of a friend of mine's been travellin' around, heard some things, got on the inside…guy named Teach or something blabbed to him one night over some booze, he and his boys get all the juicy bits."

His friends looked at him like he was telling the most gripping ghost story. "So…what'd you hear about them?" Tweedle Dee asked, gulping nervously.

Now would be as good a time as any to start taking notes. The young man carefully slipped a small note pad from his coat pocket and a pencil from his sleeve. He listened closely as the idiot started listing off various things that his connections had so willingly let slip – he had a feeling someone was deliberately giving false information to throw others off their trail, but he could investigate that later. True or false, he couldn't let this chance slip past him. Not when it came to CP9.

Not only that, but Koala would never let him hear the end of it if he did. Dragon, for all that he was calm and collected, would probably have his hide. Luffy's father could be the scariest of guys sometimes –

(Oh yeah, big shocker – Dragon, leader of the Revolutionary Army based in N.Y.C, was his baby brother's freaking father. That had been a fun day for all of them.)

When it became clear that Tweedle Dumbass had nothing else to share, having gained the admiration and awe from his two buddies, he slipped the pencil and pad away and moved to get his wallet. He could've just got up and pulled a dine-and-dash, but these people in the bar had to make a living somehow, and the barmaid, Rebecca had been really sweet to him, smiling and polite despite the jeers and lecherous leers she'd gotten from the other patrons. Almost reminded him of Keimi –

He twitched, wallet slipping from his numbed fingers as he stared at the table.

He closed his eyes. Took a breath. Curled his trembling fingers into a fist.

Not here. Not right now.

He blew out a sigh once he was sure he was calm. Wouldn't do to have a flashback in public, on a mission no less.

He shook his head, ridding the lingering thoughts as he reached down to pick his wallet up from off the floor.

Like he was saying, he wasn't a complete douche-bag that just up and left without paying for food, unlike some people he could mention. Well, he still did it, but not nearly as often. So he reached into his wallet to fling out some bills and get going before –

A hand clapped him on the shoulder, too firm to be friendly.

"Hey there, pal."

Tweedle Dumbass.

Shite. There goes my cover, I guess.

Sighing, he withdrew his hands from his pockets calmly, tilting the brim of his hat to reveal a single blue eye. "Can I help you, gentleman?"

Tweedle Dumbass grunted. "You ain't foolin' me, kid," he growled, grimy fingers digging into his coat as he leaned in close, and oh wow his teeth were yellow as a brick road and his breath was putrid. "What're you think you're doin' with that little pad you've got stashed in your pocket? You eavesdroppin'?"

Lifting his head to reveal his charming grin and bright red scar for the fool to see even in the abysmal lighting of the shady bar, Sabo Portgas inclined his head to the side innocently.

"Why good sir, I haven't the slightest idea of what you're talking about. Perhaps you're mistaken, and –" he sniffed once, and then grimaced – "incredibly intoxicated. You should probably go home, rest your head, wash your face, brush your teeth several times –"

Tweedle Dumbass growled again, his friends getting up from their table and wandering over, wary and curious. Tweedle Dumbass then, in a surprising show of strength Sabo hadn't expected from a drunkard of his wide stature, grabbed Sabo by the lapels of his coat and dragged him from his seat, slamming him against the nearest wall. A startled cry rose up from the other patrons and the cute barmaid Kei – Rebecca, and Sabo winced.

Great, now they were drawing attention.

"Who th' hell are you?" Tweedle Dumbass barked, glaring down at Sabo hotly with the promise of a good beat down. "You a spy? One of them?"

Deciding he'd be a turd, and, what the hell, people were already watching, Sabo raised his hands in surrender and shook his head. "Still don't know what you're talking about, sir," he said, and then gestured the rest of the bar with a sweep of one hand, "I ask that you kindly put me down and walk away, you're disturbing these other good people and ruining their evening –"

"How's about I disturb your face?!"

"Pfft – I'm sorry, what?" Sabo snorted, having enough sense to quickly, deftly, duck out of the way of the man's swing that would've left a nasty bruise, and then prance out of the way of Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb as they lunged for him. The patrons watched, amused and confused, as the nimble young blond leapt onto a table with a showy little flip, standing with feigned dignity and authority, hands folded behind his back once he straightened from his crouch.

He grinned down at them, enjoying this way more than he really should. "Now now, is that any way to act in public?" he scolded mockingly, raising a neat brow. "Can't we solve this simple misunderstanding like civilized – oh crap –"

Tweedle Dee picked up a glass tankard, half full of alcohol, and threw it at him.

Sabo ducked, the thing nearly taking his hat off with it as it sailed through the air and smashed into the wall behind the bar, nearly getting Rebecca in the face had she not ducked out of the way in time.

Sabo spun on his heel, eyes wide. She was alright – incredibly shaken, but still in one piece.

That didn't stop Sabo's short fuse from burning or his good mood from vanishing as he whirled on the men again, eyes ablaze. It was one thing to throw a glass at him, but another thing entirely to almost catch an innocent bystander, or several.

"Oi! What the bloody hell was that for, gobshite?" he seethed, and all of the observing patrons did a double-take. "Damn near took her head off, ye bleedin' tick!"

The Tweedle Triplets all blinked at him, aghast. Sabo would've laughed had he not been so pissed off.

"Wait – you're Irish now?!" Tweedle Dumbass barked, pointing a pudgy finger at the blond standing on the table. "The hell are ya doin' in New York?"

"Correction, I'm actually an American citizen. I picked up the Irish from my brother because he's constantly getting pissed off and it's rubbed off on me, an unfortunate circumstance I assure you," Sabo shrugged, switching back to American and inwardly cursing Ace and his own habit of picking up things from his brothers. "But never mind that. You've endangered the well-being of everyone in this bar because of your inability to control yourselves. That, and you have an exceptionally big mouth that will get you, and possibly a few others, killed. For that, and because I just really don't like the look of you…"

He smiled, wicked and cold, taking incredible satisfaction from the fear in the three burly men's eyes as his own took on the form of a mountain of ice in the dark of the night.

"I'm going to kick your asses."

"So," Koala began casually, sauntering across the room with her gloved hands clasped behind her back, heeled boots clicking and echoing with every step she took; the abandoned warehouse they'd made their temporary rendezvous point was wide and empty, meaning voices or any sort of sound reverberated loud and clear.

She was undoubtedly using that to her advantage as she paced around Sabo like a wolf stalking prey, only she was smiling sweet and innocent as anything, whereas a wolf would be snapping, growling through dripping fangs before it lunged and tore its meal to pieces.

He almost preferred the wolf.

"You're telling me," she stopped and turned to face him, and though she was a good few inches shorter than him, she was intimidating as hell and still smiling, "that on a simple reconnaissance mission, not only were you caught and made a scene, but you also almost destroyed the entire bar fighting only three men, who, by the way, were drunk off their asses, meaning most of the damage was caused by you."

She tilted her head. "…how?"

Now, ordinarily, this would be the part Sabo would say something snarky like "at least I left a tip for the barmaid," (which he absolutely did) or "don't worry, I know Dragon will cover the costs of the damage, right?" but there was danger in her eyes and an aura of unspeakable evil and violence polluting the air, so strong that even Iva, Morley and Belo Betty had to take a few steps back. Even Karasu, a tall, dark, skeletal creature who put even the scariest of the Army to shame with a mask like a crows' beak and a feather coat black as midnight draped around his hunched shoulders, shifted away from the petite young red-head grinning up at the unfortunate blond.

Thanks for the support, traitorous bastards.

"Well?" Koala probed further when he failed to answer.

Sabo gulped.

"…I just wanna say," he began, sure and steady despite the current of fear coursing through his veins, "from the bottom of my heart…"

The room held its breath. Koala waited.

"…my bad."

If it wasn't clear enough how bad of a response that was when every single person in the goddamn room hissed through their teeth and shook their heads, then Koala's twitching eye and fingers certainly clarified it.

"Any last words before I kill you slowly and painfully for being an idiot? Again?" she asked, hands already rising and shaping into claws ready to pinch. Not the pinching.

Thinking quickly, he raised a finger. "Can I make the suggestion to not kill me so I can…make it up to you later?" he asked, grinning at her even as sweat trickled down his brow. Despite his extensive training over the last two years since joining the Revolutionary Army, he'd barely managed to get out of that scrap without a few nasty bruises and a sprained ankle. He really didn't need or want Koala – dependable partner, the rock in his life, the reason he had this job, partly the reason he was still here at all – kicking his ass into the next year.

She stilled for a moment. Blue eyes tracked to the side as she thought about it, lips pursed and hands lowering little by little. "…maybe…"

Hope blossomed in his chest and he smiled.

That hope was quickly dashed when fingers latched onto his cheeks and pulled before Sabo could blink, and he cried out in pain.

Gone was the feigned innocence he'd fallen for in more ways than one, replaced with a scowl that bore jagged teeth and a searing glare as Koala pulled harder. "Are you kidding me?!" she raged, pulling on his cheeks and stretching them like rubber bands, making him wince with every pull and pinch. "Why're you always like this?! You do whatever the hell you want while others are worried about you like hell! And the rest of us are forced to clean up your mess! I am not your babysitter, you got it?! Oh, and when I'm done with you, Dragon wants to see you!"

Resigning himself to his fate, knowing he'd get no help from his supposed 'friends' watching and wincing from the side-lines, Sabo rolled his eyes despite the pain. "Shwell," he muttered. "Pwease weggo of ma fash."

"Not until you apologize."

"I'm sowy. Sewiouswy."

"Good."

She released his face, skin slapping painfully back into place. He rubbed the reddened flesh and pouted at her. "That hurt," he whined.

And then the little red-headed heathen had the gall to grin up at him again. "That's the idea. Now get your ass in gear."

A few hours later, after that earful from Koala and a briefing from Dragon – he'd actually been rather merciful compared to his partner, since Sabo had technically gotten the job done and there were no casualties apart from the obvious…not that they were dead, just unrecognizable – and another hours' drive courtesy of an apologetic Ivankov and not-quite-as apologetic and snickering Lindbergh, Sabo, still rubbing his bruised face and pouting, found himself rolling up the front yard of his little family home. It was more of a cottage, modest in size with two stories and a chimney, still puffing away so late at night.

Someone was still awake, it seemed.

"No matter how many times I see it," Iva cooed, gloved hands clasped under his pointed chin as he smiled at the cottage, "it's still so adorable. How long did this take you to build again?"

Sabo shrugged, hopping out of the car and landing in the dusty driveway. "With Den and his guys, plus the Whitebeard's and Luffy's group? I'd say at least a week, tops," he said, snickering at Iva's expression and at the memory.

The nearby town had been given a collective heart attack when a notorious gang had showed up to help the brothers build their humble abode with the money they'd gotten out of the valuables from Luffy's coat – he still couldn't get over the fact that they'd somehow managed to rob his own father right from under his –

His smile fell.

His father. Outlook…and the memories of Keimi at the bar…

Sabo sighed, scrubbing a hand over his tired eyes.

Dammit.

Lindbergh popped his head through the window, whisker-like hairs of his mustache twitching as the man frowned in concern. "You gonna be alright tomorrow?" he asked, squinting through his goggles. Iva's painted lips thinned, repressing emotion as he turned away, eyes growing wet.

Tomorrow was…not a great day, for many. It was hard to believe two years had gone by so quickly. It would surely bring about worse memories for all of them.

Even so, Sabo mustered up the will to smile softly, gratitude in his gaze as he tipped his hat to Lindbergh. "We'll be fine. We're gonna go over to the Thousand Sunny and the Moby Dick to see the others, pay respects and such. But thanks for your concern, we'll be alright."

"And have you made up your mind about…well…" Iva shrugged, looking a little unsure, "…you know…?"

Shoulders sagging and smile fading, Sabo blew out a sigh and a stray lock of blond in the process. The one thing he didn't want to bring up, and of course, Iva brought it up.

"…I'm not sure she'll want to see me after all this time, and I won't blame her. But…" he shrugged, arms flopping against his sides uselessly, "I promised to live without any regrets. If I don't go, I'll regret it for the rest of my life. Might as well be a man and get it over with. I owe her that much."

A proud smile quirked Iva's lips, and Lindbergh chuckled in the backseat. "How noble of you, dear. I'm proud of you. Well, I wish you the best of luck, and a very goodnight. You did well today, regardless of my daughter's little rage. She just –"

"Worries," Sabo finished for him, grinning fondly. "I know. Don't blame her, either. Hell, if I were her I'd honestly question why I'm even courting someone who just pisses me off on a regular basis."

"That's love for you, dear. You'll piss each other off every day but always come back to each other at the end of it. Better get used to it, because I won't have you breaking her heart on my watch. Oh, and before you go," Iva leaned out the window, exposing his left cheek to the startled blond and grinning widely, cat-like and mischievous. "You know the drill, candy-boy!" he tittered.

Sabo just rolled his eyes and leaned forward to plant a kiss on both of Iva's defined cheeks. "Pass that on to Koala for me, would you?" he asked as he stepped back. "I doubt she's forgiven me yet for tonight, and I won't see her again till after…y'know."

"Hee haw! Of course I will, dear," Iva cheered as he sat back in his chair, prepping to set off back to HQ. "Shall I spread your regards to my little candies back at Kamabakka?"

"Might as well," Sabo said with a smile, knowing how much Iva's secret underground haven for the queer and bodacious loved having Sabo around – maybe a little too much, but they were great company. Sabo still had pictures from when they'd made him and his brothers up and stuffed them in ladies' wear. They'd looked…actually, very nice. But Ace's expression was golden when they'd applied the nail paint, he'd hated it.

"Though you'd might wanna be careful," Sabo added with a playful grin. "Pretty soon I'll be running the place as their new King if the decide they like me more than you."

"In your dreams you cheeky little bitch," Iva snorted fondly whilst Sabo and Lindbergh cackled. Soon, they were driving off into the darkness, leaving Sabo to walk down the dirt path of their home and knock on the front door.

Not five seconds later was he greeted with a flying tackle hug as Luffy charged through the door, wrapping his arms and legs around Sabo's body like a leech.

"SABO!" he cheered, nuzzling Sabo's scarred cheek against his own as the older blond staggered and laughed. "We've been up all night waiting for you!"

Stepping inside the warm cottage and kicking the door shut behind him, Sabo quirked a brow at the teen. "Really? Why?" he asked, spotting Ace sitting at the table reading a book Marco had let him borrow. He looked up from it and grinned at Sabo in greeting, slipping the bookmark inside and getting up to meet his younger brothers in the main room.

Unlike Luffy, who hadn't really changed much aside from growing a few good inches and his voice dipping an octave (though Sabo was so incredibly proud of his step towards maturity the older he got and the experiences and challenges he faced as he traveled with his friends), Ace had let his hair grow out so it touched his shoulders, though he usually had it tied back into a ponytail, a single braid trailing down the right side of his head. He wore his shirts open now, and short-sleeved, revealing the scars littering his arms and now on his chest. He had two tattoos – one on his back, a symbol of his trust and alliance with the Whitebeard's, and one down his left arm spelling ASCE with the 'S' crossed out.

The changes weren't drastic, but a far cry from the man he'd met back on the Titanic, who wore long sleeves to hide his scars and hide himself from the world despite his longing to explore it, be a part of it, make his mark. It was a good change.

Luffy snickered, and though he was almost nineteen he still insisted on acting like a nine-year-old as he beamed cheekily at Sabo. "We wanna hear about your super-secret mission!" he chimed.

Sabo rolled his eyes and sighed for what had to be the millionth time that night, twisting in Luffy's grip so that he could get out of his coat and boots, to no avail because Luffy was a leech. "You know I can't tell you anything about my job, Lu," he grunted, "it's all classified information and – gah, Luffy, seriously I know you like to cuddle but – for the love of Pete, Ace, get him offa me will you?"

"Hang on," Ace chuckled and reached out to tickle Luffy's sides. Luffy screeched with laughter as he finally let Sabo go, toppling backwards into Ace's arms. Rather than setting him down though, Ace just threw him over his shoulder, the kid squirming and protesting all the while through his laughter as Ace turned on his heel and walked towards the stairs, motioning Sabo to follow him up. After shedding his coat, setting his hat on the hanger and ditching his boots by the door, Sabo followed the sound of Luffy's giggling and 'put me down, Ace, I'm too big for this!' and 'shut up you sack of flour' all the way to their shared bedroom.

The room was long and spacious, each brother having one little nook for themselves; Ace's was covered in paints, sketchbooks and art supplies and a mirror for self-portraits and expression-making (which was hilarious whenever Sabo caught Ace making faces in a mirror). Sabo's was a simple desk with books on a shelf overhead, three yet-to-be-filled journals on one side and an oil lamp on the other. Luffy's was chaos, piled with knickknacks he'd compiled over the years from his travels, including a black blanket he'd made into their own 'pirate flag', which he'd hung over their bed. The flag's Jolly Rodger was the letters of their first names in different colours, though Sabo's had the 'S' crossed out to represent the crossbones as it were (that's partly where Ace had the inspiration for his tattoo).

There was only one bed, a king-sized with just enough room for the three of them with Luffy still being the width of a twig, of which Ace proceeded to throw the teen onto and then sit on him, pretending not to hear his pleas for mercy as the freckled man hummed 'Bink's Brew' under his breath and kicked his legs like a child.

(One thing they hadn't managed to shake off after two years was their inability to sleep in separate beds. They'd tried it, but they'd quickly found that the separation, the feeling of isolation even in the same room, was just a little too much. Also, not matter what, Luffy always ended up in someone else's bed anyways because he liked to cuddle. So they got the king-sized and decided 'screw it'.

It wasn't like they didn't like sleeping in the same bed anyways; it was comforting.)

Chuckling as Ace finally decided to be merciful and roll off Luffy, Sabo joined them on the bed, folding his legs beneath him. Luffy lay sprawled out like a starfish on the mattress, and he looked up at Sabo with a grin befitting the cheeky monkey he still was. "Well? You gonna tell us or not?" he asked.

Ace thumped him on the stomach, making Luffy wheeze. "How many times does he have to tell you 'it's classified' before you get it through your thick skull that it's freaking classified?" he drawled. Luffy just pouted at him and rolled onto his side, muttering about how unfair it was that their brother was a spy and he couldn't tell them anything cool.

Sabo chuckled again, patting Luffy's back. "Don't worry, Lu. There's still plenty of other things I can tell you," he placated, and smirked when Luffy's eyes snapped back up at him and gleamed with attention and excitement. The twenty-two-year-old couldn't resist the urge to run his hands through his messy black hair as he talked, looking up at their ceiling streaked with a hectic rainbow of colors, a product of Ace's constant art blocks. "Iva says that Bon Clay says 'hi' from Kamabakka, and they can't wait to see you again. I know that Koala has something planned for your birthday coming up soon, and it involves a dress and lots of meat, not necessarily together. I also got to beat up three guys in the bar I was investigating – after cursing them in Irish –"

"PFFT HAHAHAHAHA –!"

Both of his brothers burst into laughter. Sabo turned bright red. "Oh shut up! It's Ace's fault I even picked it up, so it's him you should be laughing at because he says 'em first!" he cried indignantly. They ignored him, of course, leaving him to fold his arms and steam in petty anger.

From there, conversations diverged and flowed comfortably within the four walls of their bedroom from one subject to another.

Luffy told his older brothers about Sanji finally having enough to start his own restaurant, the 'All Blue' he'd called it, and how he'd already gained a bunch of interested people who wanted to work there once everything was finished; Jinbei and Aladdin had offered to help with heavy lifting. Nami, Brook and Usopp were back from Florida, finishing off their month of touring the country and were now back at Thousand Sunny to get some rest. Chopper was exceeding all expectations at school, and Robin…

Well, Sabo knew what Robin was up to. They worked together, after all.

As for Ace – or Fire Fist as he was known by those of the Whitebeard gang and anyone who had the pleasure of getting the snot beat out of them by him – he was settling just fine with their extended family.

He'd joined soon after visiting Marco and Izo once everything revolving around the sinking had calmed down, and the old man they all called father – Edward Newgate, a muscular giant of a man that could easily crush someone's skull with a bare hand – had immediately taken a liking to Ace, offering him the chance to join them – "and I will call you my son."

Ace had come home and stuffed his head in a pillow for hours that night, leaving Sabo to comfort him and tell him of course he meant it and of course he'd want you as a son, who wouldn't?

Ace officially joined the next day.

That day, and every day since then, Sabo could safely say that Ace had never been happier.

(And if his dumb older brother still didn't feel like he was worth loving, well, that day would serve as a reminder that he really was, by a lot of people.)

Soon enough, the stories and laughter dwindled until Luffy was fast asleep, snoring away with a stupid grin on his face, sprawled across the bed without a care in the world.

Ace and Sabo shared a look.

"You do it," Sabo said, quickly getting off the mattress so he could get ready for bed.

Ace spluttered. "Why me?"

"I just got home and I'm tired and sore from kicking ass," Sabo replied, slipping out of his shirt and tossing it over his chair and then digging into his drawers for a clean pajama shirt. "I'm not dealing with flailing rubber-limbed baby brother at this time of night, screw that business."

Ace shook his head and kissed his teeth in annoyance, but he started on the difficult task of getting Luffy out of his dirty clothes and into his sleepwear anyways, grumbling under his breath on how Luffy was nineteen and shouldn't be doing this anymore, dammit. When he got a drowsy backhand to the face, he glared at Sabo. "Ass."

"Hothead," Sabo threw over his shoulder.

"Candy boy."

"Fire Fist."

"Hey, 'Fire Fist' is an awesome name, don't knock it till you try it," Ace argued, tossing Luffy's boots and red button-down on the floor and rooting under the pillows for his sleepwear.

Sabo snickered, padding back over to the bed. "Oh, yeah, because 'your punch burns hotter than the flames of hell' is so freaking badass and scary," he drawled, flopping gracelessly onto the plush surface. "You're a dork, is what you are, coming up with dumbass names to try and sound cool –"

He squawked when Ace chucked a pillow at his face.

"You're just jealous of my awesome scars," Ace teased, gesturing his bare chest littered with scars and grinning smugly.

"Please, mine's scarier, and one is more than enough. And you got shot in the chest with a gun three times. I don't want none of that," Sabo couldn't help but laugh as he tossed the pillow back at his brothers' stupid face. At the time, watching said brother jump into the line of fire and take three bullets to save Luffy from a rogue police officer had been less than humorous. It was a miracle he was even alive. God must've heard their prayers…for once.

But now, Ace, unrepentant and unconcerned, shrugged off Sabo's incredulity with a soft laugh.

It was incredible, the things they could joke about…and the things they really couldn't.

After a trip back downstairs to put out the fire and the candles lining the hallway, the three brothers settled down for the night, Luffy sandwiched between Ace and Sabo as usual; another thing they hadn't yet managed to shake off, unless one of them had an especially bad nightmare, in which they would switch places if that were the case.

Speaking of which…

"It's the anniversary tomorrow, isn't it?" Ace murmured on Luffy's right, looking up at Sabo, silver eyes aglow and solemn in the darkness. He smirked mirthlessly. "Time really sneaks up on ya, huh. Two years already…"

"Mm," Sabo nodded absently, shifting to wrap his arms around Luffy when the teen rolled over in his sleep to burrow into him. A soft smile tugged at his lips at the action. Nearing his twenties, but he was still the baby brother he knew and loved and still seventeen at heart.

The smile faded just as quickly, however. "I've been…having flashbacks since this morning," he confessed softly. Ace looked at him in surprise. "Dragon almost pulled me from the mission after a bad one, but I insisted that I was fine, I could still do the job. And I was. Then at the bar, the barmaid…reminded me of Keimi…"

He trailed off. Closed his eyes and let out a steadying breath.

He'd gone the whole day holding back the surge of grief that arose every time he thought of that damned night, the hundreds of people screaming and wailing as the ship sank or as they bobbed and splashed in the freezing water, the friends they'd loved and lost…

Thatch…Franky…Keimi…Hack…

Many things had changed over the last two years.

Sabo and Ace had jobs that they loved and paid well but could also get them imprisoned or killed, but they went on regardless of the risks, because that was the freedom they'd sought. Luffy and his friends, all with jobs and lives they adored or traveling the world (Luffy and Zoro had gone to Japan last year during the summer and had plans to go to Spain) and they were healing from the loss and trauma they'd suffered that night two years ago.

But the scars had yet to fade. New habits, unhealthy or otherwise, failed to die.

Robin sometimes became distant, a haunted, faraway look in her eye a she stared into nothing, her left hand clutching her heart, fingers of her right hand rubbing the wedding ring she never took off. It would take nothing short of her own son, in tears, to snap her out of it.

Luffy said how he'd noticed Sanji and Zoro (who lived together now in the apartment above the restaurant they were going to open despite their constant bickering) sometimes clung to each other unconsciously, taking a piece of a shirt or even a forearm and hanging on like their life depended on it. The last time they'd slept over at the Thousand Sunny, an abandoned mansion of sorts that had been refurbished by Den and Jinbei's crew, Sabo had seen Sanji get up in the middle of the night, trembling all over, only to slide into Zoro's bed and never leave it. Zoro had allowed it.

Brook, like Robin, would sometimes stare into space and hum a haunting tune to himself, rocking back and forth. He would even chuckle under his breath, a sound that teetered on the edge of sanity. Someone was always there to bring him back to the present, assure him that everything was alright, but the sound, the sight, would be forever burned into them.

Usopp's panic attacks grew worse if Nami wasn't around, and vice versa. The two were inseparable as ever, but there were two sides to that coin and only one was positive. They were almost attached at the hip.

Chopper, whilst as cheerful and lovable and enthusiastic and as dedicated to his dream as ever, sometimes had incredible bursts of anger that seemed to come right the hell out of nowhere, triggered by the slightest thing, only to seclude himself and cry afterwards, guilty for the outburst, guilty for so many things that weren't his fault…

The three brothers weren't much different. The very reason they still shared a bed was due to the fear of 'drifting away'. If they strayed too far, they would let go, and the sea would take them, freeze them from the inside out…it was nonsense, but those two hours spent curled up on that damn little raft had instilled that fear into them like a brand embedded into their skin…

…much like another fear Sabo once had. One that had nearly driven him to abandon the promise of freedom and brotherhood.

But that had been a man, one mortal man who was long gone now. The sea was a different threat altogether, and yet still so enticing and beautiful…hiding the claws and jagged fangs that had nearly torn them to pieces and dragged them down with the Ship of Dreams…

A firm hand on his shoulder drew Sabo from his thoughts, and he sought his brother's gaze in the dimness. He belatedly realized his breaths had quickened, a cold sweat trickling down his brow. The touch of his brother's hand grounded him. He could barely see the soft smile, but he felt its warmth all the same.

"We'll be alright," Ace whispered, rubbing Sabo's arm soothingly. "We managed it last year, didn't we? And we have the others to talk to whenever we need to, and they have us."

Smiling softly, Sabo nodded against his pillow. "'Course they do. That's part of my job anyways. Y'know, helping people. 'S not out of my way or anything," he joked, but they both knew he meant it. Helping people, those less fortunate, lost and alone or oppressed, achieve the freedom he'd sought since he was a child…it was more than he could ever ask for. That was his freedom.

Then Ace bit his lip. "…you, uh…you're gonna go see her tomorrow?" he asked tentatively.

At that, Sabo couldn't help but frown a little, eyes darting to the side as he bit his lip. Yet again, that subject he'd passionately tried to ignore had been brought up.

"…I told Ivankov that I would," he admitted eventually with a sigh, cuddling Luffy closer for comfort and out of habit. "I told myself I would, over and over again since I found out where she was, what she's been doing since then…but…"

Ace quirked a brow. "Having second thoughts?"

It wasn't an accusation, just a simple question. And yet it burned Sabo like that flaming log had burned his eye all those years ago.

He sighed roughly, seeking assurance and Ace's hand at his arm. "It's just…what if she doesn't want to see me?" he asked, swallowing the growing lump in the back of his throat. "I mean, I wouldn't blame her after all this time, everything I did to her, she has every right to hate me. But…I need to make amends. She…she was bad, I know, but she wasn't a monster, not like he was. And after his death and Stelly's I... I can't imagine what it must've been like for her, all on her own whilst I'm happy with the people I love. It's –"

He sighed again, pain etched in his eyes. "It's not fair on her, Ace. She was – at the end of the day, she's still my mother…"

Ace didn't say a word, allowing Sabo a moment to collect himself, get his thoughts back in order. He was grateful for the silence for a change, and more so for his brothers' reassuring presence.

"You should go to her."

Both of them jumped when Luffy raised his head from Sabo's chest, wide awake, and stared at Sabo. Ace blew out a sigh, shaking his head. "How'd I not know you weren't asleep?" he muttered. Luffy ignored him, and Sabo smoothed a hand down Luffy's cheek in a tender fashion.

"Sorry, Lu. Did we wake you?" he asked. Luffy shook his head.

"Nah. Wasn't really sleepin'," he admitted, though he raised a hand to scrub his eye, meaning he was absolutely exhausted. "Knew I'd have a nightmare again, just like last year."

"Oh, Luffy –"

"I know you guys are always here. And if you're not, someday, I know I'll be strong enough to handle it. But…I guess tonight…and listening to you guys talk…" he shrugged, a sudden, jerky movement that looked more like he was physically banishing the thought than being casually dismissive. He looked Sabo in the eye again, firm and true. "But this is about Sabo and his mom, not me. If you wanna see her, just go see her. If she decides she doesn't want you in her life any more, then you'll be strong enough to live with that. I know you will. Stop worrying about it and just do it. You'll never get anything done if you just sit around and worry. Thought we made that pretty clear after the whole 'Outlook' thing two years ago."

Sabo stared at his little brother, agog. And then he remembered how perceptive his kid brother could be at the best and worst of times, and he huffed a laugh, bumping his forehead against Luffy's. "If only everyone could be as straightforward as you, little brother," he said, and Luffy sniggered. "Carry on like that, and you might end up being revered as some kind of wise man."

Luffy made a face at that. "Hell no. I'd rather be an explorer. Or a pirate."

Sabo snickered, and Ace just sighed again, slapping a hand over his eyes. "Dammit, Luffy, for the last freaking time, no pirating for you, ever. Bandit, fine, I can deal with that, but a pirate –"

"I hate bandits!"

"Well I'd rather you take after our foster mom than mimic Shanks, who, again, isn't an actual freaking pirate!"

By now, Sabo was too busy laughing to try and stop their stupid argument, the tension and worry leaving him little by little, though he knew it would return with a vengeance tomorrow.

But for now, he thought after an impromptu pillow fight before they all finally settled down to sleep (for real) wrapped up in each other's arms, Sabo would lay those worries to rest.

He would see Belinda again for the first time in two years. What happened then, good or bad…he wouldn't let it weigh him down or hold him back once all was said and done.

"Last stop, everybody off!"

Ace shook his head and chuckled at Haruta's antics – he was only a few years older than Ace, but he was still one of the youngest members of the Whitebeard family, and thus was prone to the same childish antics and theatrics Ace himself admitted he attributed to – as he hopped out of the back of the truck, landing on the dirt path to their cottage. It was a bright, somewhat warm for April, and the sun was at its peak, bearing down on Ace's bare, tattooed back.

It was a damn good feeling, not wearing a shirt, no matter who stared at him, whether it be for his tattoos or his scars. He bore them proudly.

Luffy would probably still be at the Sunny until later, gathering his crew together to remember those they'd lost that night, two years to the day. Ace had just come back from one such gathering. As for Sabo…

His smile dimmed a little at the thought of his second younger brother, mind going back to the night before, how he'd been pent up with nerves and anxiety. He peered through the windows of their home; no blond head in sight. Either he was still in town, or he was upstairs. Only one way to find out. But first…

He turned to his crew-mates, his honorary older brothers and sisters, grinning widely. "Thanks for the ride guys," he said, tipping his brand-new cowboy hat to them, a gift from Sabo during their trip to Santa Monica. "I appreciate it."

"Not a problem, yoi," Marco said, dropping down onto the dirt path from the back of the tractor to pull Ace into a tight hug, one that Ace wholeheartedly reciprocated. "You sure you and your brothers don't wanna stay over tonight?" the older blond asked. "Plenty of room, y'know."

Ace smiled against Marco's shoulder, chuckling softly. "Yeah, I know. Not this time, though," he said as they drew back, but Ace kept hold of Marco's left hand, giving it a comforting squeeze. God knew he was still aching for the brother who'd died in his arms that night, as were the rest of them. A part of him felt awful for leaving them this year, when the wounds were still fresh and bleeding. However…

"Just this one time, Sabo…he went to see his mom again, so…Lu and thought it'd be best if it was just the three of us, just for tonight."

Marco's hand squeezed back, and his smile was warm as always. "We understand, yoi. Really, don't worry about it." He was the first to let go, and he hopped back into the truck to squeeze in with Izo and Jozu, the latter being a pretty big guy so it really was a squeeze. "If you ever change your mind, though you know our door's always open."

Warmth spreading in his chest, Ace saluted them as he backed up towards the door. "Yessir, Marco sir!" he teased, and the others laughed whilst Marco just rolled his eyes. Rakuyo, grinning at the wheel, made to drive back up the path to head back to the Moby Dick, and Whitey Bay waved and blew Ace a kiss from the passenger seat.

"See ya later, little bro!" she called, and was mimicked by the others as they all waved, not stopping until they were well out of sight. He felt a blush coat his cheeks even as he grinned – he still wasn't used to being called 'little brother', but it was a good feeling. A damn good feeling.

He stepped into the cottage, throwing his bag in the corner and setting his hat on the rack, kicking the door shut behind him. He looked around, listening, waiting for the tell-tale sound of anyone else in the home besides him (and if it was an unwanted intruder, well, they'd find out the hard way why it was a bad idea to try and raid the Portgas household and join the other idiots in the hospital).

"Helloooo? Sabo? Lu? I'm back," he called, just in case, already making his way up the stairs.

And then –

"In here, Ace."

Sabo's voice coming from their bedroom. By the sound of it, he was probably face down in a pillow – and yeah, he was, Ace soon discovered as he opened the door.

Well, he was actually on his side, though his face was stuffed into a pillow, curly blond hair fanning about the plush surface. His coat and boots were discarded in a messy heap on the floor along with his beloved hat, something he never usually allowed even though he didn't care or have to adhere to noble standards anymore.

His back was facing Ace, so the older man couldn't see his face. Something told him his reunion with Belinda hadn't gone as planned.

He stepped into the room proper, shutting the door behind him with a light kick. He sat on the edge of the bed, watching his younger brother for a moment. He was so still, breaths soft and measured. It was worrying, to say the least.

"…Sabo. You alright?" he went ahead and asked, because the silence was grating on him. "Talk to me, brother."

The younger blond said nothing for a moment, curling in on himself a little. Until finally –

"…I went to see her, as you know," he croaked at last. "I told you how she'd opened her own little bakery with her roommate, right? She was…she was just opening up the shop for the day and I just…" he shrugged, "I just walked in, I guess. Rip off the band-aid, or whatever. Took one look at me and she…just stared at me…didn't say anything…"

Ace remained silent, didn't move an inch, not even when Sabo's shoulders started shaking, breaths hitching as he hunched further into himself. He just closed his eyes, waiting for the inevitable revelation.

Then Sabo huffed a laugh that was only partly a sob. "…she started crying. A-And then…she hugged me."

Wait, what?

Ace's eyes snapped open. "She…she did?" he asked, not quite believing what he'd just heard, edging closer to Sabo, who nodded into his pillow. At this angle, Ace could just see the barest of smiles on Sabo's face.

"Y-Yeah," he sniffed, roughly wiping away the few tears that had escaped. "S-She did. And I hugged her back. She called me a 'wicked, cruel, horrible boy' and hit me on the chest a few times which was crazy because I've never seen her throw a punch in my life and it actually kinda hurt, but she – I could tell she was happy. She was happy to see me, Ace, can you believe that?"

He turned slightly to look up at Ace, and from the unnatural redness rimming his eyes, it was clear this wasn't the first instance of tears he'd shed today. But these weren't tears of sorrow, disappointment or heartbreak. These were tears of joy.

Sabo sat up, crossing his legs and wiping his face again with the heels of his hands, laughing wetly. "She was – kind of a mess," he said, and then shrugged again. "So was I, in the end. I told her – I told her how sorry I was, letting her think I was dead. I told her how I'd wanted nothing to do with them after the sinking, thinking they'd be fine without me and me without them. I told h-her I was sorry I hadn't gone to see her sooner after hearing about Outlook. But then she – she –"

The tears came harder and faster, even as he laughed. He didn't move to wipe them away this time, and Ace didn't move to do it for him as his not-quite-twin brother looked at him. There was a light shining in his eyes, something impossibly happy and relieved that it started to crack at Ace's walls, and the older man couldn't help but smile back.

"She told me she was sorry," Sabo said at last, his smile wobbling but staying stubbornly in place. "Sorry for everything, for – for not being a good mother to me, for not realizing how much I was suffering because of them. I-I mean – 'sorry' doesn't make it all okay o-or make it go away, but…but she meant it, she's changed, and s-she, she even wants to see all of us to apologize –" he laughed some more, a little hysterical, running a hand through his hair in disbelief. "Oh my god…this is crazy, I don't – I can't believe –"

He dissolved into a fit of laughter as he jumped forward and threw his arms around Ace's shoulders, burying his face into the bare skin as his frame shook with mirth and tearful relief. Grinning, a little misty-eyed himself – not on Belinda's behalf, but at seeing such joy in his brother's eyes, joy over something he'd never thought he'd ever receive from a member of his blood family who'd abused him for years – Ace hugged him back tight, the two of them toppling sideways onto the bed as Sabo continued to laugh into Ace's shoulder, tears dampening his skin, but the older man didn't care in the slightest.

Ace hadn't been as exposed to Belinda as he had to Outlook, but he'd quickly gotten the impression she was an all-around bitch and a horrible excuse for a mother, which, considering his own background, was saying quite a lot. Hearing that she'd managed to turn things around and start up her own little business in a bakery, partnered with a sweet young woman and her daughter, Rika, right in New York despite the deaths of her sons and her corrupt husband…it was unbelievable, at first. No way a woman like her could possibly turn over a new leaf like that.

Until Ace had casually spied on the place one night on the way back to the Whitebeard's and, yeah, it was true.

She'd lost everything she and her husband had built up over the last few decades through lies and abuse and the ignorance of everything around them that didn't sparkle or promise a life of wealth. But rather than wallow in despair and slowly wither away, she'd instead decided to start over, or so it seemed, becoming a humble baker and living in a tiny apartment with the single mother and child who had kindly taken her in, all in the span of two years.

The moment Sabo had heard of his mother's whereabouts last year from Koala who'd been on her way back from a mission and had recognized the woman in the window of the shop, he'd started sending anonymous funds to help keep the place open. He'd never once gone in to see her personally, too afraid of what would happen. He may have split ties with her, but…a part of him must've still cared, despite everything she and her godawful husband had put her through.

Eventually, after months of thinking it over and over and having just about everyone they knew telling him to just do it, Sabo had finally mustered the courage to go to her. To offer condolences, apologies, and maybe even closure.

And now, as Ace held the delirious blond in his arms, he mused that his little brother had not only gotten the closure he'd sought, but also chance to reconcile with his mother, maybe even repair what had been broken all those years ago.

Looking at him now, as he sat up and wiped the tears from his grinning face, Ace swore he saw an enormous weight fall from his shoulders. Maybe now, his all-but-twin was well and truly free from the ghosts of his past.

Granted, 'sorry' didn't make everything magically go away, or make it even remotely okay. 'Sorry' wouldn't banish the scars searing his face or his memories, the ones Outlook had left behind after his untimely death. But it was a step they were both willing to take, and that was enough. It was more than Sabo could probably ever dream to ask for.

"Gaaaah," Sabo suddenly groaned, throwing his head back dramatically, but he was still beaming like a fool. "I'm so done. I'm so sick of crying, I feel like it's all I've freaking done today, and every damn day since I met you and Luffy!" he covered his face with his hands and shook his head, chuckling. "I mean, not all of them have been necessarily sad tears but there have been too many tears!"

Ace laughed, sitting up a little. "How many tears?" he asked.

Sabo peeked at him through his fingers, feigning a frown. "All of the tears."

He squawked when Ace poked him in the gut and sent him sprawling backwards on the bed. Ace smirked, sitting up proper and folding his legs under him, not caring that he still had his boots on that were caked in dust, looking down at the beaming idiot. "Feel better now?" he asked, tilting his head.

Arms flopping on the mattress, spread out like eagle's wings, Sabo drew a deep breath, closing his eyes. When he let it out again with a long sigh and reopened his eyes, they were bright as the sun's rays and clear of any lingering shadows for the first time since Outlook's death. He met Ace's gaze, and his smile was wide and full and utterly at peace. "…yeah," he said softly. "Yeah, I am. In fact…"

There was a glint in his eye that Ace wasn't sure to make of, until –

"I feel like I'm flying again."

Ace stared at him for a moment, agog. Suddenly, he was standing at the bow of a mighty ship, nothing but the sea and his brothers surrounding him…

"I-I'm – I'm flying!" Sabo laughed, unable to tear his eyes away from the setting sun in the distance as he leaned forward, arching his back. Ace's strong arms around his waist continued to steady him. "We're flying!"

And then he came back to himself, back to the present, looking down at Sabo's ridiculous grin. Heat rose to his freckled cheeks as he grabbed a pillow and shoved it over Sabo's face. "You – you freakin' sap!" he cried, ignoring Sabo's muffled, laughing protests as the blond fought to breathe.

Cheesy one-liners and mushy feelings aside, Ace couldn't disagree. Seeing his brothers so happy, finally, truly free from the burdens that weighed them down, together despite all odds…it was a liberating feeling.

And Ace couldn't ask for any more than that.

Later that night, Sabo received a written message from Koala, delivered by a crow of all things. All three brothers gathered around to read it, regardless if it was classified or not, squashed together on the bed.

It was a short message, but it made their blood run cold.

'Sabo,

Remember that 'storm' Dragon always predicted was coming? I think it's finally hit. Something really bad has happened. We don't know for sure what it is yet, but prepare yourself, you and your brothers.

Love Koala

Not long later, the news was out.

Soon after that, the world was at war.

A/N~ ...I'm sorry.

Well, there you have it! I wanted to give Belinda a little redemption, because at the end of the day, let's be real, Outlook's the biggest douche in the family. Belinda was basically following him and getting drunk on money and power that she forgot how to be a real mother. Also, shameless fluff and reference to Iva's freaking awesome paradise XD

I hope you enjoyed it, and a few more are left!

Reviews are writer chow :3