Last cover update! Hope you like this one :)

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"Ace?!" Marco yelped. He immediately ran to Ace's side. "Y-you're actually awake?" Marco asked. He wasn't sure if this was just trick, a simple illusion made by his mind or reality.

Ace wanted to chuckle at Marco's question but at this point, even breathing hurt. "Y-yeah." Ace managed to answer. "Okay. Listen up closely. Don't you dare close your eyes before I come back here. It won't take more than a minute. Okay? Just. Stay. Awake." Marco said before he flew away using his devil fruit power.

Ace began to think of anything else but the crushing pain in his chest. He knew that's where Akainu hit him. Funny that when it actually hit him, he didn't felt this much pain.

One simple thought transformed into a million of worries. What happened after he... well, died? What happened to Luffy? Did he manage to get out of there? How long has he been out?

How long... How long has he been out?! Ace realized that his eyes were closing but the moment he remembered just one simple thing, made him open his eyes wide open. (Name)! S-she's expecting their child!

Ace immediately started to worry. Did he missed out the pregnancy? What happened to the child? What happened to (Name)? He didn't saw her at the war when he eventually was probably declared dead. Judging by Marco's reaction, the whole crew probably thought he was good as dead. No surprise in that. The lava punch he received, straight in the chest, should've killed him.

Which brings the question... Why is he still alive?

Not that he didn't appreciate the fact that he didn't really broke his promises to Luffy and (Name) but, he was so sure he was dying at that moment. What stopped him from taking his last breath?

The door suddenly opened and two men entered the room. It was Marco and the ship's doctor. The doctor immediately came to his aid, and began to check his vital signs. After everything was checked, the doctor opened the bandage to take a look at the wound. It still looked bad but it appeared to have healed a little, enough for Ace to be conscious.

"Well?" Marco asked as the silence began to kill him. "You've improved a lot since the war, Ace." The doc said as he looked at Ace. "Just by waking up from the coma means you've won a big battle." He smiled. "However, you're still in a great danger. Just a small, ordinary infection could bring your death."

"The wound hurts like a bitch." Ace managed to say. Doc sighed. "I can't imagine. I'll try to give you the safest painkillers I can make." He assured Ace.

After a few more questions, which Ace answered all of them, the doctor left the room to go and make the needed medicine for Ace. He was now alone with Marco, who still looked shocked over the situation.

The silence was an awkward one. None knew what to say to one another. But after a few minutes, Ace couldn't take it anymore and spoke up.

"Where's Luffy and (Name)?" Ace asked. The moment Marco heard that question he felt how his heart stopped for a moment. He didn't want to bring that up now. "Ace..." He began. Ace got worried. What does that suppose to mean? "Marco, just say it."

"Luffy is still alive. He fled the battlefield, the minute you were declared dead. But there aren't any news regarding him or his crew ever since he rang the Ox Bell a few months ago. As for (Name)..." Marco hesitated to continue. He knew that it will only anger Ace anything that's about to be said. "Please tell me she's safe." Ace mumbled.

"Ace. She- (Name) was captured during the war. We never found her since." Marco finally dropped the bomb. Ace took some time to absorb the information. With all the anger he had now, he completely forgot about the hole in his chest.

"What?!" Ace yelled. "What do you mean captured?!" Marco sighed. "Ace, we looked for her for months. And then the whole fight with Teach came up... No one had heard a words about her since the war." Ace was shocked. Who was this man who was talking to him right now because it sure wasn't the Marco he knew.

"I didn't asked for some excuses Marco! I just want a solid answer! Is she safe?" Ace snapped. Marco took a deep breath. "I don't think so." Marco replied back. "And then why didn't you guys looked after her?! Two people would've been more than enough to search for one missing person!" Ace was getting angry. What happened to Marco? He wasn't like this before.

When Ace tried to stand up, Marco immediately rushed to his side and pushed him back on the bed. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" Marco yelled. Ace ignored him and tried to stand up again. "To look for (Name)." Marco scoffed. "In that condition?! Can't you see you can't even breathe regularly?! For once, for God damn once, think before you act!" Marco yelled at Ace.

Ace knew that the words Marco just said weren't referring just to this moment. He knew Marco was talking about the whole Thatch incident. Ace gulped. So after all, even Marco blamed him.

"Oh, now I'm the one at fault?" Ace mumbled. "No... You aren't." Marco sighed. "You think I wanted to get captured by Teach?! He was more powerful than I could imagine." Marco held his breath. "I was sold off as a gift to those fuckers. Teach told them everything about me. Every bit of information of my personal life before he handed me over to them. You think I wanted the world to know that the man they hated so much, had a child and that child was me?"

"Pops died." Marco said out of the blue, surprising Ace. Ace's eyes widened at that. "W-what?" Ace was taken aback. "Ho-how? He stuttered. "No way, you're lying." Ace shook his head. Marco didn't give him any signs of amusement. That's when Ace realized Marco wasn't lying. Pops really died.

"No way..." Ace said under his breath. He couldn't believe this. Pops couldn't be gone. Not like this! "How many months has it been since the war?" Ace asked. "It's been one year since the war, Ace." Marco said. A year?! But that's... "(Name)..." Ace began to tear up but he fought his tears back.

"I guess I'm a father now?" Ace grinned.

Marco was surprised by Ace's words. "You knew?" Marco asked surprised. "Pops told me the last time I saw him at the war, right before I had the fight with Akainu. He told me that I'll become a father and then we parted our ways. Didn't understood why he was the one telling me those big news but now I do. (Name) was already captured at that time." Ace explained.

"Well, that's great." Marco smiled. "Huh?" Ace looked confused. "(Name)  was really sad that you weren't the first one to know that. She tried to keep it a secret from us but failed. I guess it's a lot more better that you knew she was pregnant . She probably thinks you're dead, just like the entire world does."

"She probably thinks I died without know I'm going to be a father, too." Ace said sadly. "Well, I should just heal as fast as I can and then search for (Name)." Ace said determined.

Just as he said that, the door opened and the doctor walked in. "I wouldn't get up so fast if I were you, Ace." The doctor said which made Ace freeze in his bed. "The wound might open and you'll bleed to death." The doctor didn't even looked at him. Ace swam back in his sheets.

"So? How long will it take to heal this hole?" Ace asked. The doctor paused at looked at Ace. "Minimum two years." He said. Ace's eyes widened. "What?! Two years?!" He yelled. "At best... "

"I know you want to go back in action as soon as possible but... I think (Name) would appreciate it a lot more if you were alive and well." Ace sighed and stayed silent.

"Okay, I'll lay low for two years."

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I'm at school right now, the teacher's busy grading some students in the back while I'm laughing at them since I was the first one to be graded for this semester. 

Ace is back for good <3 so happy to finally share this with you guys. This is an introduction to the time skip so I'm sorry it's a little boring.