Although the pirates had incurred heavy losses, they had managed to achieve their immediate goal. The only thing that mattered then was that they were able to save Ace. And now they are docked at an indescribably strange island, a place that whispered sweet promises that neither Marco nor Ace could turn away from. [Post-Marineford] [Semi-A/U] [Marco x Ace]

In a rare moment alone, Marco and Izou reminiscence about the past while trying to come to terms with the reality. From the first meeting to the last goodbye, life marches on, heedless of those left behind. How does one cope when all that's left are hazy memories of a better time? [Semi-A/U] [Marco x Ace] [Thatch x Izou]

Ace awoke in utter darkness. A complete blackness where nothing save for him existed. But it is also in that emptiness that a single light shone, a window into the world outside. A glimpse into the life he had been forced to leave behind. [Post-Marineford] [Semi-A/U] [Slight Marco x Ace]