Marco opened his eyes to find himself in what looked to be a house. He sat up and noticed the sea-stone handcuffs were still on his wrists but he could not remember what had happened. As he tried to get up a sharp pain shot through his side and he doubled over. When he looked down he saw bandages on his side and he remembered what happened.

-FLASHBACK-

The Whitebeard Pirates had come to the island to get supplies but as the came closer they noticed a couple of Mirine ships docked at the town. Marco knew they needed some things and he needed to find someone to get the sea-stone handcuffs off of him so he decided to grabbed a cloak hopeing he wouldnt be recognized. When he got there though things changed. Some Marines were harrasing a young woman with Brownish-black hair.

"Please leave me alone. I need to get home." She begged as one of the marines held her wrist.

"Aw don't be like that. Your safe with us." the other marine chuckled as they pulled the frightened girl to an allyway.

Marco looked around and saw nobody was even trying to help her but he wasn't going to just stand there and let those guys take advantage of her, so he followed.

He got to the ally right as one Marine reached for the young woman as the other held her. By the way the one guy was staggering Marco could tell he was drunk.

"Leave her alone!" Marco yelled and the two marines looked up in confusion.

"This doesn't concern you! Go away!" The first Marine yelled as he pulled out a gun.

Marco walked foreword as he spoke. "Actually it does concern me,oi. I dont like Marines." he stated as he swiftly kicked the Marine who was holding the young woman to the other end of the ally. "Especially ones that are drunken idiots." He continued as he punched the other one.

He looked at the young woman as she stared at him in shock. He opened his mouth to say something but before he could he felt a horrible pain in his side. He looked down and saw that he had been shot.

"DAMN YOU! I'LL KILL YOU BOTH! The drunken Marine bellowed and aimed his gun again.

"Come on!" Marco said as he grabbed the young woman's hand and pulled her through town as the Marine followed.

He pulled her into forest at the end of town and strangely the Marine didn't follow.

"AT LEAST ONE OF YOU IS GOING TO DIE IN THERE! The Marine yelled as he stomped away.

The last thing Marco saw was the young woman running to him as he fell.

-END FLASHBACK-

Marco was snapped out of his thoughts as he heard someone come into the room. He turned to see the young woman he helped.

"Your awake. That's good." she said as she smiled lightly.

"Where am I?" he asked as he tried to get up but felt a soft hand touch his shoulder.

"Please don't get up youll re-open your wounds. Your safe at my house."

"How did I get here oi?" He said as he fought with the shackles on his wrists.

"I put one of your arms around my shoulder and pulled you here. Let me see those shackles." She said as she took his hands blushing a little.

He watched her as she pulled out a small knife and began to pick the locks. After about five minutes she got them loose.

"My names Mae. I want to thank you for saving me." She as she got a plate of food and offered it to him.

"I'm Marco 1st commander of the whitebeard pirates." He stated as he took the food and smiled at her.

"Marco? As in Marco the Phoenix?" she questioned him curiosly.

"Thats me." he said as he took a bite of food.

"Are you really able to heal yourself like they say." She said a little excited as he stood up.

"Watch." He stated as blue flames surrounded his body and she backed away a little scared. "The flames won't hurt you oi." He told her as he held his hand out to her.

Hesitantly she took his hand and the flames sorrounded it. She looked up at him to see him smiling at her. She immediantly blushed and pulled her hand away.

The flames around him died down and he reached for the bandages on his side. When the bandages fell away she saw that the wounds were gone as if they were never there.

"Wow no trace of the wounds at all!" She said in shock and ran her fingers over his side, causing Marco to shiver under her touch. She smiled up at him and he smiled at her in return.

"Do you live here alone?" He asked as he looked around. The place looked like it was about to fall apart.

"Yep all alone for the past 8 years. Thats why I'm glad I met you, Its nice to have a guest once in a while." She giggled as he ran into a cobweb that was hanging from the corner and struggled to get it off. "Sorry its so messy."

"Its alright. I have no right to complain, after all you saved my life." He said as he sat at the table in the middle of the room.

He watched her as she straightened the make-shift bed he had been laying on and took in her features. She had Brownish-black hair that would probably reach her shoulders if it wasn't pulled back. She was kinda short but had a nice figure to her, he could see why those Marines wanted her. Marco suddenly found himself wanting her as well, but shook the thought out of his head.

"So can you tell me about some of the adventures you've had out at see?" She asked with curiosity lacing her voice.

"Like what?" He asked

"I've heard stories about your Captain from passer-bys I want to know what hes really like and have you faced any other dangerous pirates?" She insisted eager to hear what stories he had to tell.

"Alright." Marco smiled and he began to tell her.

He told her how Whitebeard or "Pops" as they called him took them in as his sons when the rest of the world hated them. He told her about the other commanders and what abilities they had. He said his friend Thatch was the 4th Division Commander until he was killed by a shipmate named Blackbeard over a Devil Fruit and that the current 2nd Division Commander "Fire Fist" Ace was after him for revenge.

Mae listened to the wonderful tales Marco told her and he saw the excitement in her eyes. He stopped and stared at her a minute.

"Whats wrong?" Mae asked.

"Nothing just thinking." He replied

"About what?" She asked curiously

"That this might be the beginning of a friendship." He said grinning.