Warnings: Strong rated T. Use of swearwords and other things. Not for the faint of heart to read.

Letters from Ace

Determination

Impel down worked wonders on the criminal mind. It gave one too much time to think about one had done wrong. All of his loved ones were flashing before his eyes. Luffy and Sabo, his brothers, memories of their childhood spent together. White Beard, the man who accepted him in this world. Vivi, the girl who had stolen his heart.

What were they doing right now?

If he knew Luffy he was probably stirring up some more hell in the world, off on an adventure. He shouldn't worry about him but often times he did. Luffy was his younger brother after all. He bit his lip feeling tears well up into his eyes. He would never get to see his brother again. He was going to be used as a pawn to draw out his Pops.

White Beard, Pops, Old man, his father. His one true father. How he had failed him and so miserably too. He let one of his subordinates kill one of his friends and jump ship and what does he do? He gets himself caught and used as bait to lure his old man in. He wasn't daft; he just didn't want to hope. He didn't want to see what would happen if his old man came for him. He didn't deserve it.

Just like Vivi, he didn't deserve her. He had the blood of the world's greatest criminal in him and he had taken a pure girl's heart. A pure girl who was the embodiment of the government he was sworn to hate. Only he knew better than anyone else that you couldn't hold what a person was born into against them. He sighed. His thoughts coming to a full circle and it frustrated him. He didn't want to sit here and mope but that was all he could do.

His breath was tight and his wounds would start bleeding if he moved too much in one direction. It hurt, everywhere it hurt, especially his pride.

God damn his thoughts. He was now thinking of the Vivre card he had given to Luffy. Surely he brother would do something if he saw that. He would panic, and by now he had surely learned how the card worked. Even he didn't give his brother as much credit as he deserved. Probably from all the times he had seen his brother goof up the most obvious things.

The rumbling of the elevator in the distance didn't interrupt his thoughts. He was used to 'feeding' times by now. Once a day someone would come by with a slop bucket and throw food at the prisoners. The point was to try and make the prisoners feel like animals, to have to lick their food off the floor if they wanted to help quell their hunger.

The stupid jailer's probably didn't realize that this did not bother half of the people here. To people who had no manner's it didn't matter where the food came from. Not to say that he didn't have manners but he wasn't too picky about where food came from. Garp had taught him to appreciate that much at least and Luffy too. That bottomless pit was the main reason why he was used to going to bed with a half full stomach and even some times an empty one.

Well the jailers had succeeded in distracting his thoughts for a little bit, but once again his thoughts had come to a full circle. They began to argue loudly, it seemed like there was a scuffle over something about food. He didn't bother lifting his head to eavesdrop as some guards loudly argued.

"You ate that garbage?"

"No. I'm telling you it was demoned away!"

"That only happens when it's in storage," one guard growled. "Whatever, it doesn't matter. Just be sure to throw some slop in his cell before heading back up. The others can go without food for today," he ordered.

He felt the food being tossed at his feet as the sound of retreating footsteps greeted his ears. They were really terrified of him. He felt a small smirk about to form on his lips at the thought but it couldn't form all the way. He was defeated.

He felt something crawl on his leg and twitched his muscles trying to get it off. It was probably a rodent, an oversized rodent. He growled in the back of his throat, trying to scare it away. It would not so much as look at his food. He raised his eyes just enough to glare at the offending creature. Only the eyes staring back at him were familiar.

Horror and shock was his immediate reaction, but deep down in the back of his heart relief washed over him.

"How the hell…" he muttered, his voice was hoarse from misuse and cracked. His eyes narrowed.

"Get the fuck out of here," he whispered. He didn't want to attract the guard's attention.

A low familiar chirp reached his ears. It was a sound he would have never thought he would hear again. He would have thought for sure that Vivi would have found a way to get him to go home, or to some other place. He couldn't help but feel a swell in his heart for the small dragon that was in his lap though.

Hermes was tattered. His feathers were sticking up in odd directions and his left wing was sticking up in an awkward position. Dried blood was sticking to the poor thing's joints where his wings met his back and he had several open wounds from recent excursions. One of his eyes was closed as blood ran freely into it. He could only image what it would have been like to travel through the five hells to reach him. Swallowing the lump in his throat he pushed the small one down onto the floor with his remaining strength.

"Please… please you have to leave. You have to sail in the open skies and be free. Get out of here Herms," he pleaded trying not to let his voice rise or to let it crack. He had to make him understand. This was no place for a dragon, for a wild creature that represented freedom.

Hermes seemed to have a different idea. He curled up in his lap and let out a contented sigh.

"No," he whispered trying to move his legs without rattling his chains. Hermes had to get out of here. He didn't deserve to have a dragon be so loyal to him. The little creature didn't seem like he wanted to move at all though. He just sighed again and curled more tightly into Ace's leg.

Those wounds, they were bad. There was a lot of blood starting to soak his legs. He wished his hands had a little more freedom to move. He wanted to do something to stop the blood. Maybe if he wasn't cuffed he could use his Fire to sear some wounds shut.

"You're dying aren't you?" he asked feeling his voice crack. Why did Hermes come all the way here for this? Tears began to build in his eyes and he couldn't fight it anymore. He couldn't stand the sight of the defeated creature in his lap.

"You stupid dragon. Why did you follow me? You could have been free."

"Quiet in there Fire Fist," one of the jailors snapped. The guard slapped some weapon against the bars making Ace pull in his legs ever so slightly in recoil. He couldn't let them see Hermes.

'Please Hermes. Don't die just yet. I don't want to be alone just yet,' he thought to himself silently pleading with the dragon. He wasn't sure what to do if he died here. He couldn't have that. For one he wasn't even sure what he was going to do with the body if he did pass away. That was the last thing on his mind at the moment though.

Hermes had begun to twitch somewhat wildly in his lap. Ace swallowed fearing that the convulsing meant one thing for his small friend, death.

"Hermes," he whispered feeling his heart tighten in his chest. "Thank you."

The small dragon looked up and sighed again. Ace could have sworn a smile was on his lips as the creature slinked into his pocket and curled up. It felt weird to have him there when he was normally on his shoulder. Ace wasn't about to complain though. He could feel life starting to vibrate off Hermes that and a comforting hum. A hum that seemed to radiate with acceptance. He needed to accept whatever fate was coming his way. The noise soothed him into a light sleep, something that had eluded him since he had come to this place.

When he awoke he could see Hermes wing sticking out of his pocket in a weird angle and felt his heart clench. He was surprised that no haunting dreams had interrupted him, he had been sure that he would have nothing but nightmares. Only no dream came to him. He had just napped, and felt a little better. Not too much better, guilt still racked his mind but his mind did feel a little more at ease.

Was it because of Herms? Did he have some sort of power to calm him down? Now that he thought about it whenever the dragon hummed he had often felt more at ease. He sighed and shook his head, thankful that the little one was in his pocket.

He heard his jail cell creak open and his head shot up in surprise. How many days had he been here? Six or seven to be sure maybe even longer.

"Jimbei!" he gasped as a few jailors led the giant fishman into his cell.

"What are you doing here?"

()()()()()()()()()()

Luffy was coming. That was something that made his heart crack in his chest. He wasn't about to ask why he had come. He knew exactly why his brother had come. Luffy had come for him, because that was just how his brother was. He knew there could be no reasoning with him but at the same time he wished he could. He would still try.

He was about to be moved. Why didn't Luffy ever think straight? Why hadn't he just infiltrated Marine Ford? Why did he have to come here and fight through all of this hell? He swallowed. He felt Hermes move in his pocket and felt sweat gather at his brow. Would they search him again? What exactly could he have gotten while in a jail cell that would cause them to search him? Well he did get a dragon but he hoped that the jailors would put all of their faith in the fact that they had immobilized him pretty well.

Thankfully they did not.

()()()()()()()()()()

True to his word he didn't regret anything. It was painful to see Luffy like this, to disappoint him and utterly be a letdown but still he was thankful. Luffy was the first person to love him so completely. And in return Luffy was the first person he loved.

He couldn't be happier. His life was more than he had ever hoped.

He wanted to say one more thing as he felt his body fall out of his brother's warm arms.

'Tell Vivi I'm sorry I couldn't keep my promise. I love her Luffy. I love your friend, you don't care do you? You'll forgive me if I say sorry won't you?' the words never left his lips but he felt a smile plaster on his face anyways. It was better this way. She'd be safe now.

()()()()()()()()()()()()

He was alive. His wing was deformed now and he'd never fly again yet he was alive. It was fitting. Who needed a dragon that couldn't fly? Who wanted a dragon that wasn't free? He snarled as he crawled out of Fire Eyes pocket. He waited until he felt all the fire leave his body, all the warmth. He hated himself.

He was surprised that with all the people around that none of Fire Eye's fellow friends noticed him stumble out of his pocket. It didn't matter. He was lucky. He needed to find a way off this island. He wanted to see the Princess she would undoubtedly be upset. She would feel this pain no matter what distance was in between them. He took a deep breath. He wouldn't fool himself he couldn't smell anything at the moment. His nose was flushed with the scent of burnt flesh. He sneezed moving further away from the body.

Fire Eyes was no more. He had no need to stay here. He had to find the one that was like him, the one he had called his brother. He would go to Fire Eyes brother and help him no matter what. That was what the others had done. He cringed as his wing brushed innocently against the ground, limp and useless.

Who was he kidding? He couldn't go on like this. He had gotten his wish. He had been with Fire Eyes to his last moment. Now he needed his last moment. With a sigh he looked back towards the body. It looked so hollow and empty. A mourning full sound escaped him as he thought back to Fire Eyes smile. Good bye, Ace.

He wasn't sure what happened next. He might have crawled aboard a ship and he might have stowed away in the kitchen on that ship. He couldn't remember it didn't really matter. It might have taken years but the next thing he knew he was on an island. The desert, a place that he had loved and visited with Fire Eyes at one time. The princess's scent greeted him. He would go see her. As he had wanted too to begin with.

()()()()()()()()()()()

He was gone. That was all there was to it. The tears flowed, and the flowed often. She couldn't control it. Often times when she was asleep she would awake because her pillow would be drenched and her hair sticking to her salty skin. He was gone. That's all she could think of. Night and day she continued to function never letting anyone else see the pain she was feeling. Karoo knew, and maybe Pell or Igram. However, she refused to cry in front of anyone.

Luffy was doing well. She frowned she couldn't be hurt if his brother was doing fine. She couldn't be upset if the person that was the most affected by this was out and about. She had to be strong, like Luffy. She couldn't be weak and cry.

It just hurt so much. Why Ace? Why did he have to leave? It was so unfair. Was she going to be doomed to forever be alone, stuck with the memories he had given her.

A low whistle greeted her. A long, slow, sad whistle. It was a familiar one.

"Hermes?" she raced to her window and peered out. Only no flapping wings greeted her. She scanned the horizon in the sky unable to find a glint of gold. Without thinking she grabbed her cloak and jumped the ledge. She scaled along the side of the building and down to the walkway. She strode purposefully out to the ground, following the sad whistling tune.

"Hermes?" she called out again feeling her heart pound louder in her chest as the whistling abruptly stopped.

He was curled up in a ball in the center of the court. His wings were tattered and bloody and he was almost beyond recognition. His scales were all scratched and were a dull bronze, and his eyes were shut in peace. If she hadn't been any wiser she would have said he was sleeping.

"Brave warrior," she heard herself saying as she knelt down to the ground next to him. He was lighter than she remembered as her hands picked him up and her lips kissed the top of his head. "Rest in peace," she whispered feeling hot tears spill down her cheeks.

Life was anything but fair. Life was life though. She would fight every day for what she believed in even if it meant her own death. She would trust her friends and love again, but right now nothing but pain was present. Right now she just wished she could have seen Ace one last time.

She didn't say a word as guards came up and started asking questions. She stood and tucked Hermes safely under her arm as she strode towards a shed. She grabbed the nearest shovel and headed out towards the gate. Unsure what to do the guards just followed her wordlessly as she made her way across the desert. Coming to an abandoned looking cave like structure she placed his body down lovingly.

She felt herself begin to dig. She labored all day, digging a hole that was much too deep for such a small creature but she didn't care. She couldn't let them see the tears that were falling down freely from her face. She was mourning. She had loved him. She had loved Ace. They were both gone and she felt a terrible gaping hole where those two had once been.

This wouldn't defeat her. Tomorrow she would act as if nothing happened because she was strong. She wouldn't sit around and mope because that wouldn't be what Ace wanted. She felt strength pouring into her veins as she labored in her digging. Tomorrow was a new day. She would keep her promise, even if Ace couldn't. She would never get married.

After all she had enough determination for the both of them. She would be stronger. Wasn't she a friend of Luffy's? She wouldn't let this get to her. She felt a smile steal over her lips as the tears flowed freely.

Today she would cry as much as she needed because her heart was broken. Still she couldn't help but feel happiness. Hermes had come back to her, had given her something to do to mourn. She smiled as she dug with a little more force. She would never stop loving Ace. She was just happy that she had been lucky enough to know him.

"Look out for me Ace," she whispered as she lowered Hermes body to the ground. "I haven't chosen an easy path but I'm not going to break the promise. I'm not going to get married," she said feeling stronger by the moment.

"I'll always love you," she whispered as she patted the last of the dirt over Hermes body.

She refused to say goodbye, after all her and Ace had never said goodbyes. She would see him again one day, she just knew it. Until then she had to be strong and wait for that day. She smiled as she headed back towards the city, the silent guards in tow.

A/N: I'm sorry if the ending didn't make sense. I rewrote it like 5 different times. It was just so sad to think about this... anyways... I think I might come back and write another Vivi Ace fic with a happy ending. Currently I am beta-ing Snoweria's awesome Happily Ever After story about those two and it might inspire me to write some happy work. Sadly this was as close as I could get to a happy ending for this story.

A special thanks to Resha Tsubaki for following this story from start to finish and being such a faithful reader.

And thanks to everyone who has reviewed or just enjoyed this story. I hope you guys enjoyed it. Also feel free to leave some reviews ;). I would like to know how this ending was.