It was quiet as we walked together. Luffy's hands were jammed in his pockets instead of holding mine like usual. I glanced at his hand in his pockets. I really just wanted to hold his hand. His hat was casting a deep shadow over his eyes. I opened my mouth to speak.

"I hate this." He said. My mouth snapped shut and I looked at him.

"Wh-what?" I asked timidly. Did he want to break up? My heart started beating fast. He sighed and looked up at the sky.

"Aoi has decided to retire from acting so she can be at home with the baby. She's going to do one last movie and it's going to be all on-location in the South Blue... Ace is taking all of us out there. Me, him and her. Sabo is going to stay and take care of the house." He blabbered on.

"Luffy?" I asked. He sighed and stopped. I turned and looked at him.

"I'm leaving, Ai-chan... I leave two weeks after school lets out..." He said. I felt tears rise to my eyes.

"... How long?" I asked. He looked at me.

"How long will you be gone? Are you coming back? Will you be back?" I asked. He stared at me. Slowly, he nodded.

"Two years... I'll be back in two years." He said. I ran over to him and hugged him. He caught me and held me tight in a hug.

"I'll wait for you. I don't care if it's two or twenty years. I'll wait for you. I'll be right here when you come home. I'll wait for you, Luffy. I love you." I said. He nuzzled in to my neck.

"I love you, too, Ai-chan. I'll wait for you. I'll come back for you and we can pick up right where we left off. I will come back for you!" He cried. I pulled away and kissed Luffy with all the passion I felt for him. His grip around my waist tightened as I decided to take things a step further. I licked his lower lip, asking for permission. Slowly, Luffy's lips parted and I slid my tongue in to his mouth.

He didn't fight me for dominance, he just let me explore. I traced over his mouth. His cheeks, his teeth, his tongue. I explored his entire mouth softly until air became demanding. I pulled away reluctantly. I stared in to his eyes. I got lost in those pools of brown. Just like that, he stole my heart all over again.

His hand came up and stroked my cheek softly. I closed my eyes and leaned in to his hand. I didn't want to lose this.

Everyone always called him childish and maybe they were right. But I didn't care. I loved that about him. I loved every little thing about Monkey D Luffy. The way his eyes would sparkle when he was eating meat. The way his grin seemed to light up the whole world. His unique laugh that he shared with his sister. The way he cared for me and protected me. Everything he did and he how did it. I loved it all.

God, I was going to miss him.

My eyes opened and I pulled away. I grabbed his hand and turned towards the school.

"Come on. We'll be late for school." I said. We started to walk again.

"I love you." He said. I tightened my grip on his hand.

"I love you, too." I said. We walked in silence the rest of the way to school. The school day past as normal, and at Lunch, Luffy told everyone he was leaving.

In math, I felt a hand grab mine. I looked up and saw Kaya. She gave me the most comforting smile she could give.

"Don't worry. I'm still here for you. I won't go anywhere." She promised. I smiled and held her hand.

"Thanks, Kaya." I said softly. She smiled at me. I knew Ms Boa was glaring at us, but I didn't care.

Next year, it was going to be just Kaya and myself. Kaya wasn't particularly the type of girl to fight against bullies. Rather, she'd be the one telling a teacher and hoping everything goes okay. No doubt since everyone is going to be gone next year, Jasmine, Yurra and whoever else they recruit against us will be upping their game and making things difficult, trying to drive a wedge between the two of us.

I wasn't going to let that happen. It was just me and her next year. I wasn't letting anything come between us, even if I had to throw a few punches on a few bitches.

Time Skip

I stared at my ceiling that night. I just couldn't sleep. My mind was on Luffy. I was hoping that he'd be okay in a new school for senior year with no one he knows there in school to take care of him. I sighed and rolled over.

I heard Kai start to cry in his room. I sat up, deciding to take care of him at let Makino and Dad get a little more sleep. I walked in to his room and turned on the little whale lamp on his baby dresser. As soon as he saw me, he reached for me, still crying. I bent down and picked him up out of the crib. I held him to my chest and he hugged me.

"Hey, buddy. What's wrong? Don't cry, Kai. Big Sister is here." I cooed softly to the baby. He hiccuped and sniffed. I carried him to his changing table and changed his diaper. He whined at me and reached out for me again. I picked him up again and went to the rocking chair.

"You're gonna miss Luffy, too, aren't ya, buddy? Yeah, you always loved it when he would come over and play with you." I said. I felt like crying.

"Aisuru?" I heard Dad's tired voice ask as he entered the room.

"Oh, Daddy. It's okay, I've got Kai. Go back to bed." I said. Dad sighed and sat on a small stool beside me.

"I think there might be something else keeping us both up, rather than your brother." He said. I forced a smile.

"It's nothing, Daddy. Everything is fine. Go back to bed, I'll take care of Kai." I said. Dad sighed.

"You know, when you lie, your hands shake." He said. I looked down at Kai. He stared up at me. He reached up and patted my cheek and cooed at me. I kissed his hand and he giggled, making me smile.

"It's Luffy..." I said. I saw Dad straighten up.

"What about Luffy? What happened? What did he do?" He asked. I shook my head.

"No need to get your gun, Daddy, calm down." I said. He relaxed a bit and looked at me again.

"What's wrong, baby girl?" He asked. I sighed.

"Since Aoi is doing one last on-location movie for the next two years since she's retiring for her baby, and Ace and Luffy are going to be with her... In the South Blue." I said. Dad stared at me silently as I felt my lips quiver as I fought back my tears, but failed miserably.

"He's going to be alone next year for school. I'm... I'm scared that... That he won't love me anymore after that..." I said. Kai whined at me. I hugged him softly. I heard Dad shift. Next thing I knew, Kai and I were in his lap as he sat in the rocking chair.

"Trust him, Aisuru. I know Luffy. He cares about you greatly. And when he cares about someone, he doesn't stop. He never forgets someone he loves. I know these next two years will be hard for both of you, but trust in Luffy. If life takes you on a different path, then that's life. It's painful, I know. But, Aisuru?" He said. I looked up at him.

"I love you, and I loved your mother, but there are times when I look at the ways we messed up each other's lives and I wish I had let her go back then. I almost lost my two best friends because of how I clung to Hope." He said. I looked back down at Kai. He stared back up at me, his brown eyes shining at me.

"But then again, I take one look at you and I'm glad I didn't." He said. I looked back up at him. He smiled softly at me.

"What are you saying, Daddy?" I asked, not understanding. He stroked some hair from my face.

"What I'm saying, Aisuru, is go ahead and follow your heart, but don't forget to listen to your head every now and then. Think about it before you make a huge decision here, okay?" He asked me. I slowly nodded. I rested my head against his chest and stared down at Kai. He looked like he wanted to sleep, but was fighting it. I sighed and stroked his cheek.

"What should I do? Should I hold on and wait for Luffy? Or should I let him go and see what happens in two years? I don't want Luffy to be miserable. I love him too much for that. But if I broke up with him, it would crush both of us. But would the distance be harder if we were together or split?" I stared at Kai as I thought, watching his brown eyes flutter. I looked up at Dad.

"Daddy?" I asked. He hummed in response, looking back at me.

"Yes, princess?" He asked. I drew a deep breath.

"I think it's best to wait for Luffy. If I break up with him before he leaves, it would make things harder. I can wait for him. I love him." I said. Dad kissed my forehead.

"If that's what you're mind and heart agree on, then do it." He said. I smiled and nodded.

"Now let's get Kai back to sleep." He said. We began to sing Binks' Brew together and Kai fell asleep in my arms. I carefully lowered him in to his crib. Dad then scooped me up princess style and carried me back to my room, still singing softly to me until I fell asleep.