My Own One Piece.

Only Time.

Ace's POV

I slowly opened my eyes. I stared at the ceiling and waited for my brain to fully wake up.

"What an odd dream... I was supposed to be executed at Marineford, but then Aoi, Luffy and everyone showed up to save me. They all fought hard. Some people even died. The Moby was destroyed. Akainu almost killed Luffy, but Aoi used Haki or something to stop him before he could hit me and Luffy. I remember thanking Luffy and Aoi for loving me, but after that... Nothing... What an odd dream." I thought. I felt a body against mine. I tunred my head and saw Aoi. She was sound asleep and cuddling me.

I wrapped my arm around her waist and pulled her closer to me. She looked so peaceful and angelic. I laied my free hand against her swelling tummy, where my baby grew.

Slowly, I began to realize that my dream, wasn't a dream. But that was actually life.

Slowly, worry over took my heart. Was Luffy okay? Was everyone else okay? What happened after I blacked out? Why did I black out?

I wanted to ask Aoi, but I didn't want to wake her up. From the bags under her eyes, she needed sleep.

Despite how anxious and fidgety I was, I gently stroked her baby bump. After a few minutes, her face twitched and she began to stir.

I watched her beautiful eyes open. She blinked a few times as she stared in to my eyes. I watched as she slowly woke up.

"Ace!" She said. She jumped on top of me and kissed me all over my face. I couldn't help but laugh.

"Well, if I knew this was the wake up treatment, is play with your hair more often." I said as I sat up. She burried her face in my neck. I wrapped my arms around her waist. I heard her sniffle.

"Aoi? What's wrong?" I asked. She pulled away and I saw the tears rolling down her cheeks. I moved my hands from her waist to her cheeks and wiped away her tears with my thumbs.

"Ace... Don't you remember anything?" She asked. I stared at her.

"Marineford... You... You died, Ace." She said. My heart sank.

"That can't be. If I died... Then how am I here?" I asked.

"It's a long story." She said. She told me about how after I died, she passed out and Kaiyo the Sea Goddess took over her body, revived me and then killed Akainu.

Then she told me about Pops.

I felt as if my heart had gone cold. Aoi was leaning on my shoulder, crying. My body felt numb.

"Teach..." I thought, I bit my lip and began to shake.

"Teach... That bastard... This is his fault!" I said as tears started down my face.

"Ace?" Aoi asked.

"I'll tear him apart! I'll hunt him until I can't walk any more. I'll fight him until there's not a piece of him left! I'll-" I was cut off by Aoi's tight hug.

"Idiot! Ace, think of your wife for a damn minute! She just watched you die for real! This time it wasn't a vision. Your life actually ended before her eyes for a moment. Hearing me say those things... It must tear her apart. Think, Ace. Even with Aoi's visions blocked, she'll still know what's coming. You have to listen to her." I thought. I held Aoi tightly to my chest.