Hello guys !

So, here's a one-shot I always wanted to write but never found the motivation to do so. It actually took 7 months to complete.
I hope you'll find it to your liking, I really tried my best to convey what I wanted to do with this "what if" scenario even if it wasn't always easy.

This OS is part of my Ace centric serie, you don't need to read the other one (To never see you again) but I would greatly appreciate it !

"On this cold sea, the deads ride free"

Dozen of voices roze from the deck, their words traveling to the ears of all living beings around them.

"No fear, no sin, the waves are family"

Ace shouted, joining his men in their motivational song. Years of practice didn't prevent them from being out of tune, but no one cared. It was their tradition, and they would never trade it for anything else.

"Your voice is too high Commander !"

Ace scowled at the mocking tone and sent a brush at the offender.

"Shut up and scrub, Ragnar. You left some spots."

His comrade grinned playfully but still did as told to.

"Didn't know you were such a fussy person Commander. I would have rather thought of you as some messy guy."

"Oh, believe me he is," came the nasal voice of his ex-first mate, "he can't keep anything clean for more than a day. He just doesn't want to face Commander Vista if everything isn't perfect."

Ragnar winced and sent a pitying look at his superior.

As much as he tried to deny it, it was true. Ace would rather spend twice as time cleaning the deck rather than hearing Vista's rant. He liked the man very much, though when it came to cleanliness he could be a bit extreme.

"Still, I'm not as horrible as you put me out to be, Deuce."

His ex-companion of the Spade Pirates snorted and glanced at him from the corner of his eye. "Please Ace, we lived together for more than a year on the Black Card, I had plenty of time to see how much of a nightmare you are."

Ace smiled apologetically however Deuce only rolled his eyes before returning to the task beforehand.

The rest of his division had long since stopped singing the previous shanty and were now screaming one he didn't know.

He wiped the sweat out of his face and looked up in the sky. The sun was shining brightly, but was not high enough to spread an unbearable heat. He was glad he chose to be part of the exterior cleaning team, it would have been really unfortunate to miss such good weather.

"Commander Ace !" He jerked his head at the voice. It was a man from Rakuyo's division that he got to talk with a few times.

"What is it Arcan ?"

"Pops want to see you in his room. Quickly."

"What happened ?" He asked, a little worried.

But Arcan only shrugged, "Don't know, he only asked for you though, it shouldn't be too bad."

Ace frowned. Contrary to his crewmate, he didn't think it was such a relief. If his father decided to take him out of his duty, it couldn't be good news.

"Okay. Men, this deck should rather be clean when I return or I'll throw you all at Vista's mercy !"

He barely heard the answer as he hurried to the deck below and shoving some of his crewmates out of the way. He would apologize later.

In less than a minute, he was already at the door. In spite of the urge to barge in, he still took time to knock politely before entering.

"Hey Pops, you wanted to-"

He stopped at once. Never before had he seen such a grim look on his father's face. His stomach tightened. Something was definitely wrong.

Without words, Whitebeard gave him a den den mushi. Ace looked up in incomprehension but his captain only pointed at the snail.

"Garp wants to talk to you."

Worried now more than ever, Ace moved the den den nearer. The communication was already on.

"Hello ?"

"Ace." He couldn't help but shiver at the gravity of his tone.

"Gramps ? What do you want ?"

"They know."

Ace froze.

"What ?" He gazed at Whitebeard, totally lost. Surely he didn't hear right, Garp hadn't said-

"I don't know how they did it, I don't even know how the Gorosei discovered it, but someone got hold of the info and leaked it to the press. It will be on the news tomorrow."

Fuck. Ace didn't need for Garp to elucidate, he clearly understood what was being said here.

They knew.

An immense dread filled his body, and for the first time since he ate his devil fruit, he felt a biting cold take over him.

They knew.

His mind went blank.

He couldn't breathe. He couldn't see. His heart was beating so much it may very well go out of his chest.

"Ace !"

Everything was over.

"Get a hold of yourself Ace !"

He woke up.

He gazed at Whitebeard, a sheer look of horror on his face. His father had put both hands on his shoulders and was watching him with great concern. The den den mushi was lying down on the floor. He hadn't even registered he dropped it.

He picked it again with quivering hands. By now he was sweating so much his clothes were totally soaked.

He sat on a chair in a vain attempt to keep himself tied to the reality, his father beside him. He never felt so thankful for his presence. Who knew what he would do if he was left alone ?

"Ace ? Are you still here ?"

Ace gulped. His throat felt on fire.

"Yes Gramps... I'm here." The weak voice didn't felt like his own.

"I'm so sorry Ace, I didn't know they were still on your tail. Fuck it ! I checked your profile every month, they didn't have any compromising information ! I don't know how they discovered the truth..." Ace barely nodded.

"They... The Marines didn't have a choice but to… to…" Garp's voice almost broke down, sowing how much the events affected him, "they gave you a new bounty." He finally said in a whisper.

Ace closed his eyes.

Tomorrow, everyone would know. He tried to picture the news-coo flying over the Moby Dick, his crewmates grabbing the newspaper and discovering the truth alongside the whole world.

Ace wanted to throw up.

The thing he tried to hide since he joined the crew, his worst fear and most well-kept secret, would be exposed to the ones he tried the most to keep away from it.

How would they react ? His father may have no problem with it, though Ace knew very well everyone wouldn't share his opinion. Things could only go badly.

He couldn't bear with rejection. Even if they had a rocky start, this crew became one of his most precious treasures, he didn't know what he would do without them. Once the news would come...

Whitebeard's grip became stronger.

Ace took a deep breath. It wasn't the moment to lose it.

"Thank you Gramps... for telling me."

He made a gesture to end the communication but something that Garp had said came to his mind.

"Which name did they put ?" His voice was barely a whisper, nevertheless he knew Garp heard. It was his last hope, his last chance that somehow everything wasn't blown over and the last indicator he still had little control over his life.

His grandfather took too much time to answer.

"I'm sorry, Ace."

He spent hours lying in his bed, however sleep never took over him.

Ace couldn't help but find it kinda ironic that the only time he would gladly welcome a narcolepsy fit, it didn't want to come.

He rolled over on his side and clutched his stomach. It grumbled in hunger but the idea of inhaling food was nauseating.

Ace closed his eyes while sunrays got through the porthole. He would cover it, but his body was so numb he couldn't even get himself to move his limbs.

He heard a knock at the door.

Ace didn't budge.

"Can I come in, son ?"

He almost decided to ignore it, but of all the people on this ship, Whitebeard deserved it the least.

With a sigh, Ace finally found the strength to get up. Thanks to his wobbly legs, he almost fell down before reaching the knob. Once he opened the door, he sat again on his bed straight away.

Silently, his captain put the lock on the entry and sat down on the floor.

Seeing his father taking all the place in the room was oddly comforting.

He knew Whitebeard was watching him, he could feel his gaze on him, still he couldn't get himself to face him.

It may have sound stupid, but now that the truth was out, Ace was afraid his captain had somehow changed his mind. Because the reaction of the crew wasn't the only thing on his plate, Ace had no doubt countless people - pirates, marines, bounty hunters and civilians alike - would love to get his head. Now that he was one of the worst public enemies, his mere association with the crew would put backlash on them.

He didn't want to hurt them.

"Thirty-seven years ago, I met a peculiar man. He was young, foolish, had a big mouth and no sense of self-preservation."

Ace looked up, surprised by the soft tone. Whitebeard was gazing at the porthole with a far away look in his eyes.

"He didn't seem much at the first glance, with his small crew and simple mind, but even then I knew he was gonna become something big."

Ace pursed his lips in anger. He knew very well where it was going, and was pretty sure he didn't want to know more. He prevented himself from talking back just out of respect for his captain.

"As the years followed and his name imposed himself on the top of the world, no one was indifferent to his acts. For most people, he was a walking sin. For others, he was just a man with a big dream. He may have been my greatest rival, though I always respected him. When the news of his death came, it saddened me."

Flashes of angered men and their heinous words poisoned his mind every time his name was mentioned, and no words could soften the burning hate raging inside his body.

He didn't say anything, and Whitebeard certainly knew he wouldn't.

His captain got up with a sigh and put a hand on his shoulder.

"The Government may have taken the lead, you still can choose to do things your own way."

Ace bit his lips and avoided his gaze. He knew very well what he was implying, but the mere thought of going along with it was too much to handle.

He felt a hand lifting his chin and before he could remove it he was staring straight at his father's eyes. The warm he saw there was overwhelming.

"You are my son, whatever happens. Don't forget you're not alone."

That simple statement may have not been enough to calm his raging fear, nevertheless it put him slightly at ease. To know he still had the support of his father in spite of the storm that was going to break out soon lifted a small weight out of his chest.

When hunger became too unbearable, Ace finally decided to move to the dining area. He didn't want to cross anyone, still it was almost three hours past noon then, time for the last service, meaning only the Ninth and Fourteenth divisions would be there.

He strode alongside the corridors of the Moby Dick, his gaze fixed directly in front of him. For the two minutes it took to get to the mess hall, he tried his best to stay focused on the gurgling sound from his stomach and not actually the dark clouds surrounding his head.

No that it was any success.

When he finally got there, he sneaked in discreetly and made a dash for the service area. Not in the mood to engage a conversation, he sat on an empty table near the kitchen's entrance. He saw Blenheim and Jiru waving at him from the corner of his eyes but only spared them a small smile.

Sure that he wouldn't be disturbed, Ace took a bit of his plate but couldn't find any pleasure. Their chiefs may have been ones of the best, today even the most well-cooked beef tasted like ash.

The door leading to the kitchen opened and Thatch came out screaming one last thing to his comrades while wiping his hands on his worn-out apron. He then put his gaze on Ace, and a huge grin ate his face.

"Hiya Ace ! Whatcha doin' ? I didn't see you with the Second !"

Ace swore under his breath. He managed to greet Thatch with eager, though he knew it was levels below his brother.

Thatch's enthusiasm was mesmerizing. Out of all members of the crew, he was the only one Ace never saw without a smile. It had been annoying, back then he was still adamant to kill Whitebeard. How could this man be happy when he was trying to end his captain's, his father's, life ?

He was forced to recognize however that if it wasn't for Thatch's persistence, he would have maybe never joined the crew.

Maybe he wouldn't be in this situation, then.

Without waiting for his permission, Thatch took the seat in front of him. Ace glanced at him and wasn't surprised to see his eyes meeting his.

"You're not eating much today." Ace winced. Of course Thatch would spot it, he had been feeding him since he landed on the ship.

"I already ate at 10am." He said in a vain attempt to justify his small appetite.

"A chicken and a half, eight hundreds grams of potatoes, three slices of apple pie and two bananas for dessert, I know," he snorted at his pouting face, "But it's already 3pm and you still hadn't finished your second plate, so pardon me for being a little worried."

Ace shrugged and tried to offer a reassuring smile.

"You should be glad, for once I won't skyrocket your budget." He hated how his voice wavered at the end.

Thankfully, Thatch didn't comment on it.

"And Marco won't be on my tail then, thank you little bro. But enough about that, did you heard ? Once Blamenco returns Pops'll send me out, I can't wait." His grin was so beaming Ace was afraid it would break his face.

He tried to be enthusiast, he really did. He himself liked to go out of the ship once in a while, and he knew it had been months since Thatch got the occasion to do so. Still, he couldn't overcome the jealousy overtaking him, he would give anything to go on a mission far away from the Moby Dick right now.

"Good riddance, it will give us some peace at least." Ace's eyes widened for a second, followed by Thatch's. He hadn't meant to be so harsh, his mouth just blurted it out.

"Sorry, I-"

A booming laugh cut him, Thatch's eyes were glowing with mirth.

"Got your panties in twist, Sparkle ?"

"Shut up !" He could feel his cheeks reddening.

"Did I already told you that this blush is wonderful on your face ? It really puts Izo's products to shame."

"Go fuck yourself !" Ace groaned and tried to hide his face. He really wasn't in the mood to deal with Thatch's teasing right now.

His brother seemed to get the message as he didn't add any more fuel to the fire.

"But seriously, Rika was bitching about how you were ditching your chores because Pops called you in his room, is something the matter ?"

Ace took in Thatch's appearance, his benevolent face, the way he tilted his head so similar to Luffy and the kindness flowing from his eyes.

"No, nothing's the matter."

As soon as the chef left him alone, Ace rushed out of the mess hall to the rear deck. When a gust greeted him he couldn't restrain the grin growing on his lips. No matter how much time passed, he didn't think he could ever get tired of the harshness of the wind or the iodine assaulting his nostrils.

Ace leant on the railing and gazed at the sea. He couldn't help but think of Goa, when he would climb up to the highest point of Mt. Corvo after another hunting session, Luffy in tow. They would spend hours there, lying in the grass, eyes lost in the endless sea, sharing their hopes of adventure and fortunate meetings.

"Fancy seeing you here."

Ace didn't need to turn around to know who it was. Even among hundreds siblings, Marco's lazy tone was unmistakable.

"Your division's starting to think you kicked the bucket for good this time. Please, tell them you're still alive, I don't want to deal with this shit."

Ace chuckled softly while the man took place next to him.

He could feel his gaze on him. Marco wasn't very subtle, which meant he didn't intend to wait long for Ace to talk to him.

He didn't give in, though. Eyes lingering on the deep waters, he decided to make the most of the peace he was granted for the moment.

"I heard you talked to Pops."

Ace feel like ice was flooding his veins. Before he knew it, his body as hard as steel, his mouth had let out words in the coldest voice he could muster.

"What did he say ?"

"Was there something to say ?"

Ace let out a relieved breath

It was stupid, he knew Whitebeard wouldn't reveal anything without his consent, he had made that clear when Ace confronted him months ago about it. His fear was just clouding his mind.

As much as he wanted to deny it however, a small part of him was disappointed. He couldn't help but think how it would much easier if he didn't have to say anything himself.

He killed the thought as soon as it entered his mind. It was the worst cowardly way he could deal with the situation.

Ace ventured a glance at Marco. To his relief, the First Commander had dropped his gaze on him and was now watching the sea with a pensive look on his face.

He bit his lips.

Before he could take action however, Marco had made a step toward the foredeck.

"Sulk as you want, but don't be too long, yoi. I don't want the Dai brothers to blow anything up while they're without supervision."

He watched the man's retreating form while his father's words resonated in his head.

Wasn't it already too late ? Could he really take things to his advantage ?

"Everyone's a child of the sea !"

Could he really do it ?

"What if Gol D. Roger had a son ?"

No sound.

Time had frozen in space, waiting for the last catalyst that would shatter the perfect image.

Then, as if the world heard his thoughts, Marco turned around, eyes wider than Ace had ever seen before.

He bit his cheeks so hard it drew out blood. The pain and metallic taste were far from pleasant, although he didn't want to spit it. Marco's silence was terrifying.

Ace was half tempted to run out of the deck and act like everything was just a dream, but he absolutely needed to know his answer.

"So ?" He whispered.

He wasn't sure Marco even heard.

"So everything makes more sense now."

Ace's breath hitched. He waited for his crewmate to add something else but he only met silence.

He couldn't decide if it was a good thing or not.

He heart was pounding with so much force now, he could feel it in his head. He moved aside some strands of hair from his forehead with shaky hands and finally looked at Marco.

The man may have regained his composure and vacant gaze, Ace could still tell he was watching his every move with great care.

"You… you're not mad ?" He finally let out softly.

"Why should I be ?"

Why shouldn't he ?

Before he could control it, his mind had started to wander in its dark realm. It wasn't Marco standing before him anymore, but a very tall man with long dark hair. Or maybe it was red and the man had short arms and callous hands.

"This child deserve to die !"

His voice was hard as steel, unless his accent made it impossible to distinguish the venomous words.

It didn't matter, in the end.

"I'm his son." His voice wavered.

"You're Whitebeard's son." Marco's voice was firm, leaving no room for argument.

Ace didn't meet his gaze.

He felt Marco sigh beside him.

"I'm sure Pops told you already, it doesn't change anything."

Ace closed his eyes. It was easy for Marco to say such a thing, he wasn't cursed. He wasn't tainted.

He wasn't the child of a demon.

When Ace realized he had talked out loud, it was already too late. Marco had fixed his sharp gaze on him.

"Roger was like us. A pirate. No saint but no devil either. And you're not him either."

He gritted his teeth in frustration. His words were too similar to Rayleigh's when he met him in Sabaody Archipelago for his liking.

"You need to stop this way of thinking," a hand was put on his shoulder, "you're Ace, Commander of the Second Division of the Whitebeard Pirates. Nothing more, nothing less."

He wanted to believe him. He wanted to believe him so much, but how could he when every time he looked in the mirror, he couldn't see anything but this man's face.

"Tomorrow, everyone will know." He whispered. He then slid along the railing and put his head on his knees.

Marco's traits softened. He crouched down to be as the same level as Ace and tried to meet his gaze.

"That's why you were with Pops, right ?"

Ace nodded weakly.

"They're going to hate me." He mumbled under his breath. From the silence that followed he wasn't sure Marco heard him.

But then, a chuckle surprised him.

"You really think that ? Didn't you hear what I said ?"

"But they're not like you !" he shouted out vehemently, "Surely they-"

Marco's hard eyes had cut him.

"You really think so low of them ?" He said in a sharp tone.

Ace's eyes widened. He then bit his lips hard and avoided his gaze.

"It's not like that, it's just that…"

Why wouldn't they ?

"Listen Ace, I understand that you're worried but," he let a sigh slip, "they won't care. We're all Whitebeard's sons, it doesn't matter where we came from."

Ace wasn't listening. Eyes set on the wooden deck, he had lost focus.

"Jozu hates him."

"Ace..."

"Kai swore he never met such a monster."

"That's not-"

"Squadro wished he had killed him himself."

"Stop it Ace !"

"Leroy wished that if he ever had a child, he would drown before reaching ten !" He finally yelled out loud.

The silence that followed was deafening.

If he had been a little more alert, Ace would have been mortified by the fact anyone could have heard his screaming.

He looked at the seemingly unfazed face of his comrade, though the little opening of his mouth betrayed his surprise at the outburst.

"It's real Marco," Ace started in a broken voice, "some people care."

He could feel himself on the verge of crying but tried his best to not let the tears fall. To his great relief, Marco hadn't replied. He wasn't sure he could control himself if the man tried to soothe him, his powers were not far from breaking loose.

"And it's not the only problem," Ace delivered with a tight throat, "now people will hunt me down, what will prevent them from attacking our allies ? Our islands ?"

It was one of his biggest worries, really. Ace knew the allies could defend themselves, although the same couldn't be said for the territories under their protection. If someone got hurt because of his lineage, he would never forgive himself.

Before he could add anything else however, two hands pressed his shoulders against the railing. Marco then planted his golden on his own and made sure he had his full attention before speaking.

"Ace, we'll protect them. And if someone thinks that attacking us is a good idea then we'll make sure they'll always remember to never cross any member of Whitebeard's fleet."

It wasn't that simple, and they both knew it, but for the sake of his own sanity he would believe it, if just for a moment.

Marco then straightened up and sent him a small smile, "I know it won't be easy, some may be angry, but you need to know that Pops and I have your back. And I'm sure our siblings will too."

The trust he put in his family was almost unbelievable, sometimes Ace was afraid it would backfire on them one day.

He tried to return his smile but it looked like a frown more than anything else.

"So, what are you gonna do now ?" Marco asked innocently though neither of them was fooled. There was only one thing to do.

Ace gulped. Was he really ready for what was to come ? His current life with the crew was at stake, there was no doubt it would change everything.

Could he really do it ?

He let his gaze wander on Marco, only to find the man watching him intensely. They exchanged a glance for just a second but it was enough.

Ace breathed out deeply.

Fuck it. He never backed down from a challenge anyway.

Ace let Marco warn Pops and the Commanders about the coming meeting. He wasn't in the mood to search for his brothers and needed all the minutes he could get to regain his composure.

He would have liked to spend more time alone, however he had no doubt his tardiness would raise complaint, especially when he was the one to call the meeting. This was going to be a difficult moment already, he didn't need to give them more reasons to be angry.

He greeted the crewmates he passed on his walk to the meeting room in what he hoped a cheery way. The surprised faces he crossed, however, betrayed the fact his disappearance for the day hadn't gone unnoticed.

Too bad, he wasn't in the mood to justify himself.

Sooner than he would have liked, he found himself on the last corridor leading the Commanding Room. Unconsciously, he let his gaze wander on the wall where all the crew's bounty posters were displayed.

Like always, he almost fainted at the sight of Marco's. Even after a few years in the Grand Line, he had a hard time to believe a prize could be so high. His stare slided a little on the left and came face to face with his own.

He looked for a moment at the grinning face with a reward of five hundred and fifty millions berrys and wondered how high his new bounty would be.

He sighed. There was no need to wonder about it now.

He straightened up and came face to face with the door.

This was it.

Before he could change his mind, he opened the doorknob and entered the room. He instantly tensed up.

All the commanders currently present on the boat were already there, seated at the large table.

Breath caught up in his chest, Ace's eyes searched wildly for Marco. The man was next to their captain, talking low so no one would hear them.

The warm smile Whitebeard sent him certainly heated his heart way more than his fire powers ever would.

"How you're feeling, son ?"

He shrugged. Definitely not good, though he guessed it could be worse.

Whitebeard nodded and put a hand on his shoulder. It was such a simple gesture, but he could feel the total support coming from his father.

Marco decided it was time to act and called the attention of his brothers. Ace took the occasion to notice the den-den-mushis in place of Haruta, Kingdew and Blamenco.

He couldn't help the relief at seeing that three of them weren't there. It was stupid, as they would hear the news like the rest of them, but their absence would at least protect him a little more from potential bad reactions.

"So, Ace has something to tell you, yoi."

At once, all eyes fell on him. Ace's breath hitched and instinctively his right hand found the crossed S tattoo on his left arm.

He knew all of them had followed the gesture with rabid curiosity. Never had he told them its significance and never had he felt the need to, the remembrance was part of a past he both thrived on but wish it stayed buried.

'If you're somewhere over there, please help me.'

Ace tried his best to avoid Izo's piercing gaze and focused on Thatch instead. The Commander of the Sixteenth Division had always been able to read him like an open book.

"Yeah, so, sorry to disturb you in your activities but, something has come up."

If he didn't already, he had their full attention now.

Sweat ran alongside his jawline, but he quickly wiped it out.

He then exhaled briefly to prep himself.

"I… I-" What could he say ? No matter how much he tried to bury the thought, he knew from the start that one day he wouldn't have a choice but to tell the truth. It was foolish to think the contrary.

He had practiced, more than he counted, but never succeeded to say the notorious words.

"I wasn't born in East Blue." He decided it was a good start as any. Certainly not the best one - there was a better way to start a conversation than admitting one of your lies- but at least it was out of the way.

"I'm from Baterilla, in South Blue. Garp only took me to Goa a few days after I was born."

Ashamed, he saw the confusion on their faces.

"Stop beating around the bush, Ace." Izo required.

"Do you know what's so special about Baterilla ?" He mouthed.

They exchanged glances but none of them answered. He couldn't blame them, not only they were in the New World at that time, it had been twenty years or so ago, if they got the news they certainly forgot since then.

"Isn't it the island Roger lived on before his execution ?"

Ace looked up at Fossa and nodded slowly.

"What it has to do with anything ?"

By now, all their gazes were on him but Ace kept his own on Fossa's.

That was it, the big moment. The one he tried to avoid since he entered the room.

He hoped he wouldn't ever regret what he was about to do.

"Gol D. Roger is my father."

He didn't hear their reaction, didn't see their shocked gazed and angered traits and was certainly fine with it. Eyelids shut fervently, teeth clashing against each other, Ace tried to soften the iron grip tightening his stomach.

He was going to vomit.

A loud bang woke him up. It took only a second for him to froze on the spot when he saw Jozu.

The man kept his low, his body shivering hard. Ace felt a shiver down his spine when he came across the dent his punch left in the wall.

"Is this a joke ?" he shouted out suddenly, "Please, tell me it's a joke." He may have whispered the last words, Ace was petrified. His voice was almost unrecognizable behind the anger.

Whitebeard got up before any of them could move.

"Son, calm down." He stated, voice firm, leaving no room for argument.

"No !" Ace took a step back, taken aback by Jozu's dismissal and his furious eyes. "Do you understand what this means ? He, he is...," he jerked his head to the right, "I can't".

The next moment, the door was left ajar to welcome the silence.

If only it lasted.

"There's something I don't understand. Roger died two years before you were born, how can he be your father ?"

"What about your mother ?"

"Why Garp took you ?"

Ace's eyes kept wandering from one face to another without being able to stop on one.

"Why did you never told us ?"

He finally found Thatch. Thatch, who had been honest with him from the start, who helped him everyday on this journey and trusted him with his life.

I'm sorry.

Before he could muster the courage to come clean, a hand gripped his arm.

"You're coming with me."

Izo loved his siblings more than he cared to admit, but someday they could be pretty idiotic.

With that in mind, he led Ace far away enough from the Commanding Room before letting him go. His brother instantly took a step back, watching his every move with great care. Izo on his part did his best to not betray any emotion or worst of all, hostility.
Ace had always been a wild individual, but today he had the attitude of an injured animal.

During the hundred days, it had been obvious the kid had some invisible wounds that ran deeper than a dagger's gash. Everyone seemed to have forgotten now that he was part of the crew, but Izo didn't. Anger like his couldn't be erased so easily under layers of goofy grins and politeness.

Izo never attempted to dig deeper, ghosts of the past should stay where they came from and everyone had the right to keep them at bay.

He sat on the floor, his back leaning on the wall. He never broke Ace's gaze, as if daring him to flee.

It took a few seconds of hesitation, but he finally joined him.

They didn't talk.

Izo sat still, his eyes fixed on the opposite wall displaying all their bounty posters. There were hundreds faces but it didn't take long to find his, right at the top of the sixteenth division.

Ace fidgeted beside him, the kid was clearly not used to staying immobile for a while.

He didn't leave, though.

"My father was an asshole." He could feel Ace's gaze on him but Izo kept his eyes locked on the eight hundred seventy-six million bounty.

"What did he do ?" he quickly realized what he just said, "Oh, sorry, I shouldn't have asked."

Izo let out a genuine smile. Brutal honesty accompanied by diligent courtesy, no wonder he liked the kid.

"He did the worst thing he could have done." It took years to master the neutral tone, more than he cared to admit.

To his relief, Ace didn't ask for details.

"He almost broke me. By the time I left Wano, I didn't know who I was anymore," he paused for a second and took a deep breath, "Without being aware of it, I had let him define me. It was years before I found myself again."

He heard a whisper. "How then ?"

Izo chuckled weakly. "You're really asking me that ?"

Ace didn't reply, but the small smile he sent him was enough of an answer.

"He's amazing, right ?" He whispered.

"Yes he is."

The silence lasted a minute before Ace broke it.

"Why are you telling me that ?"

When Izo glanced at him, his dark locks were hiding his face and his fists white from his hard grip.

"So you don't lose time like I did."

When they returned to the Commanding Room, only Pops and Marco were still there. Ace tried to not show his disappointment.

"Don't worry, I'll tell Thatch you will talk to him later," a voice muttered in his ear.

He jumped in surprise, "How did you-"

"Please kid, as if I didn't know you both." Izo then straightened up and looked at his captain. "So, what's the plan ?"

They pondered a while on whether they should tell the crew or not, but as Marco accurately pointed out, letting them discover the new by themselves would only cause a bigger ruckus.

"It wouldn't be fair," he said when they asked for his opinion, "the rest of the world shouldn't learn the truth before them."

As they couldn't fit the whole crew in one place at one time, it would fall upon each Commander to talk to their division. Ace was actually glad for that one, as he wasn't sure he would have been able to talk in front of hundreds and hundreds of people about this specific matter.

He asked however to be able to tell his division first, which everyone agreed on. They spent a year with him as their captain, and never had they failed him. This was the least they deserved.

That's how he found himself in the mess hall at 23.17pm, facing a few dozens siblings with some of them yawning and complaining about their shortened sleeping shift.

He dropped the bomb the second they all settled down. In retrospect, he maybe should have chosen his words more carefully to soothe the truth, but Ace was so tired at this point he didn't even care about the words he was mumbling through his gritted teeth and bitterness.

He watched with rabid fascination his crewmates' face change from mildly annoyance to utter shock. He could only imagine how angry they were, deceived by his perfect masquerade and how much of a failure as a leader he was.

It was just a matter of seconds before they would all see the bloody fangs nipping at his sheep's clothing.

He swept the room, never staying long enough on his siblings' face to being able to read them.

"I'm sorry for the inconvenience !" Even with his eyes only a few centimeters away from the floor, Ace could feel their gazes burning his neck.

Before anyone could react, he quickly bolted to the door, shame by his side.

He ran in the stairs leading to the navigation room, knowing no one would be there as most divisions were currently listening to their commanders.

Still, if he truly wanted to hide, he would have gone elsewhere.

He didn't have to wait long for Deuce to appear.

"You're an idiot."

Ace barely raised his head in acknowledgment. Deuce only spared him a glance before lighting a cigarette.

"Let's get one thing straight, I don't care who your father is."

"You knew." He didn't have anything to back up his claim, but his intuition was rarely wrong.

Deuce took a big puff before answering. "Yeah, since that night in Logue Town when you were too far gone to know what you were doing anymore."

That wasn't surprising, the memories of that night might have been fuzzy, the reason that pushed him to lose himself in the alcohol was clear as day.

"Who heard ?"

"Only me. And before you ask, no I didn't tell anyone."

Not that he was going to, Ace had spent enough time with the man to know he wouldn't tattle to anyone.

Still, he couldn't help but wonder, "Why did you never mention it ?"

"And what for ? You clearly didn't want to talk about it, and like I said, it didn't change the fact you were a pretentious brat."

Despite the mocking tone, Ace smiled.

"You're amazing, you know."

"I have to be if I want to keep up with you." He crushed the cigarette and turned around to face him straight on. "The others, it may hurt them, but they would understand. You should talk to them, though."

"I will." And for once, confronting his past didn't seem so terrifying.

Ace didn't sleep that night, the conversation with the Spades had lasted longer than he expected and when everyone had finally calmed down enough he was too preoccupied by the future behavior of his siblings to let himself rest.

No matter what he told the others, Ace wasn't ready for the next day. The morning only proved him right.

The second he set foot on the deck, he could feel them.

The stares.

They were everywhere, following his every move. From the entrance to Pop's chair, near the railing or under the mast, no matter where he went there was still dozen pairs of eyes set on him.

He didn't dare to meet any of them.

The more people filled on the outside, the more the whispers became louder too. He couldn't hear what they were saying distinctly, still the buzzing sounds in his ears were painful.

It gave him nausea.

"Hey Ace ! Is it true ? You're really Roger's son ?"

He looked at his fellow crew member in anticipation, but while he was frowning slightly the man didn't seem aggressive.

Ace opened his mouth a few times before he found the right words.

"Hum… Well, yes it-" He stopped, unsure on how he should continue. As if on cue, the news-coo flew over the Moby Dick and dropped dozens newspapers on the deck.

For a second, no one moved. Then, countless hands went to a grab a copy.

Ace pondered if he should try to get one but decided against it, he didn't need to see the Government's comments over his questionable existence when he already had his own thoughts.

"There's a new bounty !"

At once, his eyes fell on the aforementioned bounty poster.

Gol D. Ace glared back at him.

With quivering hands, he picked the paper in front of him. He couldn't help but notice with disdain how his new photo showed a particularly dark face.

He didn't even know where they took it, he didn't remember wearing such a sadistic smirk and glaring so hard at anyone. The fire didn't help either, the reflection gave him quite the insane look.

He snorted. He shouldn't be surprised really, it was a given the Marines would picture him in his worst way to go along with the name at the top.

Gulping, Ace's eyes followed the letters displayed for the entire world to see.

They just had to do it, right ? They couldn't leave the name he chose for himself but rather the one he hated with a passion.

In the end, the last three years he spent trying to leave the shadow of this man meant nothing. To know they could erase his life so simply with only ink on paper was humiliating.

He wanted to shout out how it was unfair, but his words only fell in his throat. For someone who got stripped of identity, he was pretty subdued.

He glanced finally at the reward and almost fainted on the spot.

One billion, four hundred and eighty-nine million berrys, the third-highest bounty on the Moby Dick and top ten in the world. (*)

A hand on his forehead and the other on the railing, he tried to stabilize himself.

"Wow ! You're a really big shot now, Ace ! You must be proud !" One of his crewmate exclaimed.

No he wasn't. He didn't earn it, the only reason they gave it was because of his name, not because of his feats. It was an insult to his nature as a pirate and Ace had no doubt the Marines knew it.

Without waiting for another word, he put the paper down and quickly left.

It took ten minutes for the anger to catch on. By then, fire was already creeping under his skin, waiting for a release. It was hard to keep control when his whole body was shaking and his powers were on the verge of breaking loose, but Ace had enough sense to tie the leash around them when he was surrounded by wood.

Still, he needed to let it out. And soon.

Sweating and burning inside, he didn't hesitate long before making a dash to the Stricker. He heard someone scream his name while untying the boat but didn't spare him any second thought. He knew he shouldn't leave the ship without informing anyone, but the need to get off some steam was too strong.

Surely, they would understand.

His feet were on fire before he touched the Stricker, seconds later he was already too far away from anyone wanting to stop him.

With one last look at the Moby Dick - always, always look back - he sped up the boat. He didn't care about the harsh treatment of his skin from the wind, neither about the blinding sun, he just needed to be faster.

The slapping gusts on his face would have been enough to freeze anyone, but not Ace. Ace was an inferno, burning through every pore of his skin. From his toes to the roots of his hair, flames had taken possession of his body.

He was fire.

He instantly felt the benefits of his release, as his heart had calmed down enough it wasn't pounding in his head anymore and his fists had stopped turning white for a while.

He stopped abruptly. The calamity wasn't there anymore. Gone was the wonderful sense of power he felt whenever he was too tired to care.

Such a shame, he would have loved to free it on a Marine base.

Ace shot a glance behind him. The main ship was just a dark figure on the horizon at this point, if someone went to look in his direction they would only see water.

He looked up in the sky and unsurprisingly didn't have to search long before spotting Marco. The phoenix was hovering somewhere between the Moby and him, high enough to see any danger coming but not low enough to talk to him.

Neither of them made a gesture to acknowledge the other.

When Ace returned shortly after, he didn't have to wait long before an opportunity to avoid his siblings presented itself in the form of a meeting with his father.

It turned out Pops had confined himself in his cabin for all day. Ace didn't need to be a genius to understand he was answering the desperate calls of their allies.

As much as he wanted to be anywhere else, Ace knew he should hear what have been told. If he couldn't take responsibility for himself then he could leave the ship immediately.

If they didn't want to be associated with him anymore, fine, he could deal with it. It just wouldn't be fair on the crew if they decided to call off their alliance.

"Sit down, son."

Ace rushed to his side, taking comfort in the warm gaze of his father.

"I received calls from one hundred and five members of our fleet. The remaining twelve are unfortunately in places unreachable by any form of news."

Ace nodded slowly. Any other day he would have marveled at the fact Whitebeard got the time to talk to so many people in one day, but he was honestly to preoccupied with what they actually said to care.

"They were surprised, of course, however most of them actually wanted to tell you that you had their utter support."

Ace let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

It was… surprising to say the least. After what happenened with Jozu, he clearly didn't expect such reaction, something more along the line of disgust and betrayal, but it warmed his heart greatly.

His family was amazing, he didn't deserve them.

"What about Squadro, though ?" As much as he was worried by the answer, he had to ask.

Whitebeard sighed and put a hand on his shoulder

"He… thinks it would be better if we don't meet for a while, he need some time to come around."

Ace looked at his feet.

He had always like the man, with his soft voice and precious advices. Considerate in many ways, it had been nice sitting down by his side and listening to his tales from another time.

Ace's eyes shone under the light.

"I'm sorry-"

"You have nothing to feel sorry for, son." Whitebeard cut him softly.

"But it's my fault, isn't it ?" said Ace harsher than he meant to be, "If I, if I wasn't-" he hiccuped a few times, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand.

Before he could finish, an arm engulfed him in a tight embrace. Ace didn't know if it was the fatigue, the circumstances or the fact he desperately needed some comfort that made him lose all appearances, but he wouldn't exchange his current place for anything in the world.

"I'm here son, I'm with you."

He shut his eyes, holding a sob. "Thank you Pops, thank you, thank you-" Words muffled by Whitebeard's chest, Ace lost himself into the loving embrace.

Was it hours, minutes, or mere seconds, he couldn't tell. Nevertheless, he was certain that up there, between the prickly mustache and muscular arms, nothing could touch him.

And maybe, he dared to think, things would turn out alright.

Ace left the room fighting a yawn with a clear intent to crash in his cabin. He hadn't got any sleep in the past thirty hours, the exhaustion was taking a toll on him.

The walk to the Commanders' quarter was thankfully short, he only had to go a level below by narrowed stairs, and then he would be finally free.

He blinked a few times to chase the dark spots in his vision and only had a fraction of a second to react before he ran straight into a chest.

"Ow sorry man, I didn't know where I-" He cut himself abruptly.

It was Jozu.

Their eyes crossed for a second but Ace broke his gaze instantly. He shifted on his feet, still Jozu didn't budge.

"Come with me." He said gruffly. Ace hesitated for a second, not sure what to expected, but still followed him.

Jozu led him to one of the resting room on the fourth deck. A few people were there, chatting with a drink in their hands. They gave them curious glances, although neither of them returned it.

Jozu quickly escaped while Ace sat on the farthest table from the entrance. When the other commander returned, he was holding a bottle of rum between his fingers.

In silence, Jozu poured two glasses and pushed one towards him.

Ace's heart was pounding in his ears.

It seemed to do that a lot recently.

"Ace." The voice was harsh and cut like glass.

He raised his head. Jozu's mouth was set on a straight firm line, his eyes narrowed a little. With his jaws shut, whitening fists and straight stance Jozu had always posed as impressive, but for the first time Ace was truly uncomfortable.

"I hated Roger," he started without dropping his dark face, "more than any man on this sea." He furrowed his eyebrow even more and delivered quietly, "because of him, because he stayed there for a while, the southern part of my island's been annihilated."

Ace was white as sheet.

Before he could help it, his thoughts had wandered in dangerous water and soon enough Baterilla was the only thing on his mind.

Because of him, Marines hunted down hundreds women in South Blue. Hundreds of innocent mothers-to-be, yearning for a quiet life, had to meet their demise thanks to his sole existence.

Not only had he ruined his mother's life, his curse had to touch the lot too.

Like father like son, huh ?

He shook his head and let out a hollow laugh.

He risked a glance at Jozu and found the man watching him intensively. He had to do everything in his power to fight the urge to look down.

"I have nothing against you, Ace" the man said softly, his brown eyes set onto his ones, "you're a nice fellow." He then swung his glass and let his gaze lost itself in the dark liquid. "I'm sorry for how I reacted, it wasn't fair."

"It's fine." Ace muttered.

"No it's not," he stated with a firm voice, "I sincerely regret what happened."

Jozu had always been a man of little words, so Ace wasn't surprised when he didn't add anything else. Still, it didn't prevent his eyes from widening in astonishment. The apology was so unexpected it was hard to believe his brother had pronounced it.

Ace stared at Jozu in complete silence. The glimmer of hope was burning with a passion, but he didn't dare to let himself totally feel it.

He didn't want this bubble of happiness to burst.

So, when the commander finished his drink in one go and got up, he followed his moves with apprehension.

"If anyone's giving you a hard time, send them to me, okay ?"

Ace sent him the biggest grin he could muster.

When Ace dropped dead and had to wait for one of his crewmate to shake him up, he realized it was time to finally reach his cabin and plunge himself into a deep slumber.

Twelve hours later, he could tell it was certainly the best choice, as for the first time in a while he felt truly at peace. He didn't know if he should thank his good night sleep, his little talk with Jozu, or both, nevertheless he was ready to confront the day head on.

The sun had just begun to rise, lightning the sky on fire. Dolphins were swimming next to them, basking in hues of red and yellow under seagulls' cries.

"Ace !" He waved a hand at Riga, a man from his division, and set off to the mess hall. Seeing a fellow crewmate fulfilling his duty kindly reminded him it was time to resume his service.

Once he had stuffed enough food in his stomach, of course.

Being still early in the morning, only people from the Second and Fifteenth Division were there, though it was enough to spot a clear drop in conversations once he entered the mess hall.

Lowering his head and running quickly to get his food was tempting, but Ace had decided he would stop hiding cowardly. He sent a small smile at his siblings, trying to control the knot in his stomach when he saw most of them whispering between each other.

He made a beeline for the dinning setup, took a plate with his cutlery and had to pause. Unsure on where he was welcome to sit, he spared a glance at the roughly eighty people assembled and pondered his options. He cursed the absence of the ex-Spades, too busy doing their duties on the upper deck.

In the worst case, he could always-

"Hey Commander ! What are you waiting for ? Come sit with us !"

Ace looked up, only to see Ragnar surrounded by both members of his and Fossa's Division. The man was already pushing his plate so Ace could sit next to him.

Ace nodded curtly and joined them without missing the exchange of looks between his crewmates.

"So, where did you go ? We didn't see you at all yesterday !" Ragnar asked before the silence became too awkward.

Ace hesitated, not sure how much he wanted to say.

"I… was quite busy, sorry. Paperwork, you know." What an atrocious lie, there was no way his division wasn't aware of his little stunt from yesterday.

Still, it seemed to satisfy them as no one asked how it could take him all day when he usually avoided paperwork like the plague.

He was starting to fill his plate when he suddenly jumped in realization. " Did you call A.O ? I completely-"

"We did, don't worry." said Irna, a forty years old woman from his division.

"And the fifth deck ? Did you have enough wood ?" He pressed on.

"Done, and yes we had plenty. Don't worry Commander," Ragnar chirped in, "we got everything covered."

Ace bit his lips in embarrassment, he had completely forgotten what he was supposed to do the day before. He knew his division was capable enough, they had managed well before him, but it was still his responsibility as a Commander.

"I'm sorry, I-"

"No need to apologize Ace, we understand." Irna replied softly.

This was the closest they got to mention the mess he was in, and to both his surprise and relief, no one jumped at the opportunity to ask for more precision.

As he took a bite, Ace let his gaze wander on his surrounding, quickly assessing the current mood in the hall. The noise was definitively louder than before, but he could clearly catch a few glances sent in his direction.

"Don't mind them," said a quiet and deep voice on his right, "they're still quite surprised."

Eroh was a man from Thatch's Division and certainly one the eldest members of the crew, in both terms of age and recruitment. His physical health may not still be perfect, his knowledge of the sea, on par with Whitebeard's, made him an extremely valuable member of the crew.

Ace managed to smile, but he knew he had fooled no one.

"The fact the Pirate King had a son, and that his son is you, is just a big new," he grunted, stroking his beard, "it's nothing personal, but you can't blame them from being curious. Just give it a few days."

Ace nodded, a little more assured. From this point of view, his crewmates' reaction wasn't really worrying.

"The old man's right, you know. No one expected it." A member of his division said from the end of table. Apparently, their discussion hadn't been kept private. "Though, it doesn't change the fact you're our own fire brat."

"Fire menace you mean" Another one grinned playfully.

"Hey !" Ace scowled, but the beaming smile that came next betrayed him.

"See," he felt a pat on his shoulder and a warm breath on his neck, "told you it would be fine."

The next day however, reality decided to slap him in the face.

He had just finished his watch when the news that one of the island under their protection had been attacked reached him.

"What happened ?" He asked the second he joined the other Commanders under the mast.

The nervous glances sent in his direction were enough of an answer.

"Shit !" He turned on the spot and ran out of the deck.

Stomping on the wooden floor, he barged through the inside of the ship, scarring a few crewmates along the way.

He opened his cabin and kicked the first thing he found.

He knew it could happen. He told them it would happen. He should never have stayed.

"Aaargh !" He violently smashed his hand against the wall, not feeling the shards piercing his skin.

He was burning, sweating, shaking. Inside on fire, he was only seeing red.

He vaguely heard the door opening before something slammed him against the wall.

"Get a hold of yourself, you'll set the ship on fire !"

He eyes fall on his arms, hidden by the flames. Bemused, he finally registered he was losing control of his powers.

Ace closed his eyes and took a deep breath. In, out.

When he deemed himself calm enough, he opened his eyes right into Marco's face.

"What's the matter ?" His brother asked, frowning.

"You know it." Ace replied, grinding his teeth.

Marco pursed his lips on a firmer line.

Ace jerked his head at the back and let a rictus grace his lips.

"I told you I was dangerous. See what they did ? It's just the start, believe me." he spat at his feet.

The next second, a hand slapped his cheek.

Speechless, he looked at Marco in disbelief.

"Stop it right now. I won't listen to your nonsense." He fixed his gaze on Ace to make sure he understood the message. "You didn't listen, did you ? The islanders, they defended themselves. Yes, even when these scumbags told them why they were doing it. When Zodia's crew came, their ship was already burnt to the ground."

For a while, Ace said nothing. He was clenching his fists so hard his palms were bleeding.

"It won't be like that every day," he muttered, "next time they could be all killed."

Marco sighed and put his gentle gaze on him.

"It can happen indeed."

"Some islands may quit the alliance. Pops will lose influence."

"He may, your point ?"

He couldn't answer.

"Ace," the grip on his shoulders loosened, "I won't lie, it will happen again and there could be serious consequences. But everyone knows the risks and is willing to take it, because you're our brother. When will it get into your thick skull ?"

"It's just so hard," Ace whispered, "I'm trying, I promise, but, but-"

"We'll wait, but don't forget we're here."

He thought of Ragnar's bright smile and Eroh's gentle growl, of Deuce's comprehensive face and Izo's trust, of Pop's arms and Thatch's warm food. He thought of all his siblings, some he knew better than others, and their utmost, silent support.

Thank you for loving me. His lips remained frozen, though when he crossed Marco's stare he knew the man understood.

Things wouldn't settle for a while. Ace had no doubt in the next few months, even years, the Moby Dick and all his allies would be under attack from people ready to get a hold of his head.

He didn't think he could ever get over the fact Gol D. Roger was his father, the wounds ran too deep. But as he left the room to join his division on the deck, he thought that maybe, just maybe, he would finally start to heal.

(*) This part was written before the recent chapters, you understand then that the bounty aren't canon relevant. However, I couldn't decide on another : for a while I thought the billion was reserved for an extremely short number of people, so Ace gaining such a bounty was made to show the Marines were really determined to make his life hell. But now that we know Luffy's worth a billion and a half, I can't picture a scale. What are the Yonko's bounties ? Dragon's ? Roger's ? It seems endless. In this context, I couldn't put a realistic prize on Ace's head so I left it at that.

Sooooo. As I was always a sucker for character's secrets coming to light, it was only natural then I would start to think about an alternate scenario for One Piece. I read many fanfics, some where the WB discover his legacy before the execution, but they rarely showed an extensive reveal. So here it is.

It isn't perfect. I'm actually quite disatisfied with how I dealt with some interactions, or more accurately, how I didn't. Ace & Thatch's conversation for exemple, the Spades' too, but I couldn't put them all without breaking the balance. I hope Ace doesn't seem OOC, that's my biggest fear.

If you could leave a little review, it would be greatly appreciated :D
Any constructive criticism is accepted, I am fully aware my grammar and writing aren't as great as I wished.