Bonds Broken

Wanted to try something different, something that wasn't fluffy and with a happy ending. So, this isn't a happy sotry with a happy ending. Lots of angst. I haven't written anything like this before. So, here it is. A super-angst one-shot! Some may be OOC. Enjoy~

Edit: Due to request, included a small epilogue.

"Thank you for loving me!"

Ace sat straight up with a scream, clawing at his bare chest, breathing heavily, panting like he'd been running for days. He looked around, the signs of a terrible battlefield fading. The sight of his traumatized brother, the sounds of screams, explosions, Luffy's denials of Ace's condition.

Ace realized he was in his room, the second division commander's room. His breathing evened out, but then he realized tears were coming from his eyes, hot and plentiful. They trailed down his cheeks and onto the sheets below him. Snot ran from his nose, and he hunched his back, sobbing into his hands.

He remembered everything. What happened to Thatch, the torture at Impel Down, the sight of his family fighting to the death for him. All because Teach betrayed. Pops was in terrible condition by the time he ordered all of them to leave. To leave him behind to die. And then Ace blew it, all of their work and sacrifice gone to shit.

Sabo had been right. Ace was reckless, and refusing to run wasn't always the answer. Memories, bitter and full of pain, rushed through his frantic mind. Everything, he recalled everything. He looked down at his chest, seeing it was perfectly intact. But the phantom pain was still there, the magma fist thrust through his back and chest.

He was impressed he hadn't vomited yet. He scrunched his eyes closed at the sights and sounds of a war all because of him. He put his head in his hands, wishing it would all stop. He didn't want to remember, didn't want to see what he'd seen. What he'd felt.

How Gramps had refused to help him. How it had all been up to Luffy. How sick he'd been, how injured. He'd gone through hell in Impel Down to save him, and look how Ace had repaid him, dying in his arms. But, he'd protect Luffy again if it were to all happen a second time.

Then, he finally left that trance he was in. He knew this was not just a graphic dream. It showed the future. Maybe he had been reborn, since he was sure he died. He glared and threw the blankets off of him, putting on shorts before storming out of his room and into the hall, hurrying to Pops' door, and slamming it open without even knocking.

Ace was furious. Furious at Teach, at himself for failing to avenge Thatch. Well, he'd fix things this time, he'd kill Teach before he could betray. He'd never been one of them in the first place, had only stuck around for the devil fruit. The devil fruit he wanted to kill Pops with. He was furious.

Pops sat up, clearly noticing the new presence in his room if the sound of his door slamming open hadn't been what woke him. "Ace, son?" Whitebeard asked in confusion, seeing the flaming Ace, who couldn't control the flames licking his shoulders in rage. He had to tell Pops everything. He knew he'd believe him.

"Hey, Pops. I gotta tell you something. Sorry for not knocking..." Ace said, voice hard and angry, still. He couldn't calm himself. He couldn't stop the anger swirling inside of him. Hopefully talking to Pops about it would calm him down and they could come up with a plan. Something to fix this all with. Maybe this was a blessing, and he could off Teach while he still could. Before he found the fruit.

But when was that? He had no idea when everything had gone to shit, it could happen any day. "What is bothering you?" Whitebeard asked in concern, patting his bed for Ace to come over. Ace closed the bedroom door behind him.