My alarm clock blares, dragging me out of such a peaceful sleep with a groan. "Life is not fair at all."

Last night was a lot of fun spending time with my brother and boyfriend, but they have a lot more energy than I could ever dream of having. We went to bed way too late, and today is going to be hard to get through without falling asleep in class. My brother can get away with it, being narcoleptic and all, but I did not inherit that gene. I'll just have to power through with a coffee.

I push myself up, swinging my legs over the side of my bed into some cat slippers, and shuffle out of my room. The strong smell of eggs and slightly burnt toast fills my nose the closer I get to the kitchen.

Ace isn't really known for his cooking skills. He's known for his fire fighting skills, or the fact that he's as stubborn as a bull (as I am also guilty of that), or being overly protective of me, or being one of the most attractive boys in school. Still, he wakes up before me almost every day and attempts to make breakfast. I'll admit, that in the beginning he wasn't good at all, but he's become a lot better with all the practice. He has too if we want to have something to eat in the morning. That used to be mom's job, but obviously she isn't with us to do that anymore.

"Morning squirt," Ace smiles at me as I slide into the kitchen. "You look a bit tired," he chuckles.

"Shut up," I sigh, plopping down into a chair at our small kitchen table. "You know, you should probably wear a shirt when you're cooking to avoid burns."

"No matter how many times you tell me that, I still won't listen."

"Who are you even trying to impress? Is some girl going to burst through the front door and proclaim her love to you or something?"

"Hey, anything can happen."

I roll my eyes, "All the girls swoon after you, and yet you don't go on any dates."

"You're the only girl for me," he teases.

"Gag me," I chuckle.

"I'll worry about you and Luffy first. I'm not in any rush to get a girlfriend anyways. I know the kind of girl I'm looking for, and she hasn't stepped into my life yet."

"Because, as you said, I'm the only girl for you."

"That's right," he nods. "I have to take care of my precious little sister. I am your guardian with mom in the hospital."

"Do you think she'll let us come see her today?"

Ace quickly prepares our plates, setting one in front of me and the other at his spot. Then he walks over to the coffee pot to pour both of us a cup. "We'll go today regardless, and I can talk to the doctor even if she won't let us see her. I'm sure that she'll want to see us though. We haven't been able to see her all month. I'm sure that she misses us."

"I know that I miss her," I sigh, taking a bite of my toast. "When are you going to realize that you can change the setting on the toaster, so it doesn't start to burn?"

"When I stop liking my toast a little burnt," he smirks, taking his seat and placing our coffees down on the table. "Get up earlier than me if you want it different."

"Where did Luffy go?"

"Over to Shanks, I think. He said he wanted to talk to him about something, I don't know. I'm sure that he's getting advice for something he wants to try on you."

I softly smile as my cheeks heat up, "He's too cute."

"And the only one that I would ever allow you to date. That boy has your best intentions at heart, and I trust him more than anyone else. He loves you."

"Hm, yeah, I know. He just doesn't say it in those words. He says it in so many different ways. He shows me that he loves me. I loved him for a long time before I was able to do anything about it," I chuckle. "And I will love him for even longer."

"You're too cute," Ace tosses a balled-up napkin at me. "I couldn't have wished for a better love life for my little sister."

We spend the next ten minutes eating and talking nonsense, doing our best to keep track of the time. I still have to get ready for school today and being late will never be on my agenda. Once we finish eating, Ace takes the dishes to wash, and I head to my room to get ready. Since we have uniforms, I don't have to worry about an outfit, but I still have to make my hair look nice (which is easier now that I cut most of it off last year) and other personal hygiene tasks. It doesn't take me too long to get all ready and make it back out to the front door where Luffy and Ace are talking away.

"Morning Luffy," I smile, slipping my feet into my shoes and tapping my toes to ensure the perfect fit.

"Dumpling," Luffy smiles, leaning over to press a soft kiss to my lips. "Sorry if we kept you up too late last night."

"I can't be too mad since I got to spend time with my favorite boys."

"Okay, enough of this lovey stuff, we have to get to school," Ace opens up the front door, shoving us out into the fresh morning air.

I chuckle, grabbing Luffy's hand and intertwining our fingers.

Our walk to school is pretty uneventful. We talk about all kinds of random things from the boys' hopes for the soccer season to my embroidery projects to the day at the beach that is approaching quickly. Sabo joins up with us about halfway like he always does, and he gives us the update on Luffy's father that he normally does. Luffy usually tunes out those updates, but I don't blame him. None of us have had good luck with fathers, but at least we were able to find father-figures to take the place.

"See you boys later," I wave at Sabo and Ace as they head up the stairs to their classroom.

"See you Akari," Sabo waves back.

"Stay out of trouble, squirt," Ace teases.

I shake my head, turning to look at Luffy once the older boys are out of sight. "Trouble is his middle name, not mine."

"I'll see you at lunch, dumpling," Luffy steps closer to me, a small smile on his face. "Maybe we could go for a short walk around the halls?"

"Is that something Shanks told you to try out? Because I would love to do," I place my arms around his neck. "Anything on your mind that you want to talk about?"

"I just like to be alone with you sometimes." His eyebrows furrow together, "Wait, how did you know that I talk to Shanks about relationship stuff?"

I giggle, "Ace let it slip a long time ago, and I think that it is super cute."

"Well, I know that you are super cute," he pokes my sides.

I push onto my toes to give me the height to press my lips to his. "I'll see you during lunch, okay Luffy? And I can't wait to spend all day with you at the beach."

He grins, "Sometimes I don't know what to say when you do things like that. It makes my heart beat faster, and I like that."

"Then we are on the same page," I pull my arms away, taking a step back from the boy. "You know that I love you, right Luffy?"

"I would hope so," he chuckles. "Seeing as I love you, and I know that for a fact. I don't feel such strong feelings for many people, but I know that what I feel for you is love."

I feel my cheeks burst with heat. "There's not another boy in this entire world that I would want to spend my life with."

"I would hope not," he chuckles, starting to walk backwards towards his class. "Have fun in class."

"I'll try," I giggle, turning to enter my classroom.

Nami is leaning up against my desk with a smirk on her lips.

"What's with that look?" I narrow my eyes at her as I take my seat.

"I never thought that you could get so sappy," she teases. "Why don't the two of you just get married already?"

"Shut up," I groan. "With so much uncertain in my life, its nice to know that he is a constant. I didn't think that he even thought about that kind of thing. Love never even appeared on his radar."

"Akari has to deal with Hancock, so I'd let her have this one," Usopp speaks up.

"Luffy doesn't even give a shit about Boa," Nami chuckles. "She is relentless though. I'll give her that."

I roll my eyes, "She's gross is what she is. No matter, as you said, Luffy doesn't give a shit about her, and I just want to get through this day without having to deal with anything too crazy."

*~~~~~~~~*

   I sigh, looking down at my feet as I sit in the waiting room of the hospital. Each time I step foot in this place I want to curl up into a ball and disappear.

Ace is off chatting away with the nurse at her station. Most likely flirting because he can't seem to turn it off, but I know that its just his way of coping. That he wishes more than anything that we didn't have to come here. That he wishes one day our mother will miraculously get better and come home. That he wishes I didn't have to put myself through this kind of stress and hurt.

"Mr. and Miss. Portgas," the doctor calls out to the room. "Your mother is ready to see you now."

I slowly stand up, walking over to Ace.

"May we meet again," Ace grins, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. "I've never met a lady as sweet as you."

The nurse giggles, redness spreading across her cheeks.

"Ace, please," I sigh, looking up at him.

He looks down at me, a sadness swirling in his eyes. "She must be doing good today if she's letting us in to see her without any trouble." He looks over to the doctor, tugging me in that direction. "Any good news, doc?"

The doctor begins leading the way down the hall to our mother's room. "Not really any news, which some say is good news. She's not declining in health, but I can't say that she is really getting better either. We've been trying various medicines, but I think that rest and something positive from the two of you might do her some good. I mean, I have a feeling that she's fighting for the both of you, but she's walking a tightrope."

"Do you have any idea what is wrong?" I ask.

"All the tests keep coming back negative, but I do think that since the death of your father, she's gone downhill. It isn't uncommon for someone to be so in love with another person that they could die of a broken heart. I think she loves the two of you as much as she loved him, and to leave you alone is something she doesn't want to do."

"It's not like our father did anything good," Ace grumbles. "Leaving us when we needed him most. I'll never understand how she could love him after all she had to go through because of him."

"Love doesn't need an explanation," I answer. "So you believe she could recover, doctor?"

The doctor takes a slow breath, "I do think that it is possible. I know that she's been in here for many years with not much progress, but I do see a glimmer of hope in her eyes when she looks out the window on a beautiful day, or when she talks about the two of you, or when her favorite song comes on the radio. She just has a lot of days where that doesn't happen."

I sigh, not knowing what to say.

The three of us stop outside her door. A sort of understanding flowing between us.

"Please, stay for as long as you want," the doctor nods. "She will tell you if she's tired, but she rests most of each day, so you should get a couple good hours in with her if you want."

"Thank you so much," I bow to the man.

"We appreciate everything that you are doing for her," Ace adds.

The man nods, turning and heading down the hall to no doubt check on another patient.

Ace and I lock eyes for a moment before heading into the room.

It feels homey, with the walls painted a light purple with red flowers all over. The curtains are open to let in as much natural light as possible, and if it doesn't have to be hospital furniture, it is not. Some of my embroidery pictures are framed and up on the walls, and pictures of Ace, myself, and our friends covers a corkboard. It pains me to know that she's had to spend so many years in this one room, but at least we've done what we can to make it comfortable for her.

"Ah, my darlings," our mother smiles, sitting up more in her bed. "It is so wonderful to see you. What have the two of you been up to? Is school going well?"

Portgas D Rouge has always been beautiful with her rose gold hair, piercing brown eyes, freckles that Ace and I both inherited, and flawless skin. Even looking as tired as she does now, her beauty still screams out to us. I can't help but see that hope the doctor was talking about. It is deep within her, but it is there.

I take a seat in the chair next to her bed. "Well, school is going as well as it possibly could. I'm doing my best to get high marks, but your son over there is another story," I chuckle.

"Doing well enough to still play soccer, so that is all that matters to me," Ace plops down on the couch in front of the window. "We're heading to the beach on Sunday to have a well needed break from everything. Luffy actually planned it to make Akari happy."

"Oh, that boy is too sweet to you," she happily sighs. "I remember when the two of you were little, and he would pretend to be your bodyguard wherever you went. That boy has always had such a liking towards you."

"I think he was just being nice when we were little because he had good teachers to tell him to be so," I smile. "But I am glad that we've always been close. It would have been awkward for me to be falling for a boy that never even looked at me," I chuckle. "Luffy and I actually went on a walk around the halls during lunch today. We talked about all kinds of different things. It was nice to hold his hand the entire time."

"My sister is in love," Ace teases, smirking at me.

"Oh, don't tease her for that," our mother giggles. "Love is one of the greatest feelings in the world, and I am glad that my dear sweet Akari is able to feel it. You should take a page out of her book, Ace."

"We already talked about that earlier," I chuckle. "He said he'll know when he's ready."

"Exactly," Ace says.

"Of course you will," she shakes her head. "Well, Akari, have you been working on any new embroidery items?"

"I have been working on one while the boys' practice, but I'm only like halfway through," I answer. "Other than that, I never feel like I have any time with all the time I spend with my friends. I mean, Luffy was over all night last night, and I'm surprised that I was able to get anything done for classes today," I chuckle.

"I should try to pick up some kind of hobby. You'd think that after all my time in here that I would have, but sometimes I just feel too tired." She sighs, "I think I have felt so tired for a long time, but I keep going for the two of you. I want to see both of you grow up and become the great beings that I know you are destined to be."

"We are for sure going to make you proud, mom," Ace says. "You don't have to worry about us one bit. I just wish that we could give you something great to hold onto. Some kind of news that could really lift your spirits."

"Just hearing about how well you are doing is lifting my spirits, darling. Just seeing the two of you today is lifting my spirits. I know how busy both of you must be with everything going on in your lives, so it means that world of me that you would carve time out of your busy schedules to come see me. Even when I am in the kind of state that I am in."

"You're still beautiful mom," I say. "I wish you would let us come see you more often. We don't care if you aren't looking your best. We love you no matter what, and I want you to know that. I want you to know that we would come every day if you let us," I lean towards her, placing my hands on her bed.

"Oh, dear, I couldn't expect that of either of you," she places a hand on top of mine. "Besides, it makes these times even more special if you don't come every single day. I know that it must pain you when I say that I don't want visitors, but it makes me feel better when I know no one is going to see me in that state. It doesn't mean I love either of you less, I just need that time for myself. I know that this time has been hard for both of you, and I wish that I could be home with the two of you, but I also know that is just not right for me at the moment. I'm trying to work on getting better, but I just find myself lost more often than not."

"We can help you find whatever you are looking for mom," Ace reaches out with his words. "We can help you get over whatever roadblock is keeping you at a standstill. There's still hope swirling within you."

"I know there is, dear," she sighs. "I know there is. That's what makes everything that much more difficult. Enough about me for today though. We can talk about that another time. I really do want to know what is going on with the two of you and all your friends. Tell me everything that you can remember. Hearing your stories is always such a delight to me."

"Oh geez," I chuckle, leaning back into my seat. "Where do I even begin?"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hope you enjoyed another filler chapter! I'm having a ton of fun writing these up! Next will be shopping with the girls, and then the beach day. Then it will back to the main story. I've already thought of a Royal AU, and possibly a Zombie AU. Anyways, I would love to know what you thought! :D