Broken Doll (an Ace oneshot)

by xXMetalchicXx

an Ace oneshot. Enjoy :)

"Kimiko! You need to go to a doctor and get this stitched up" Sarah, a friend of yours told you but you shook your head and clutched the cut on your hip, caused by a pirate that had decided that you would accompany him to his bed, trying to stop the bleeding "I looks worse than it is" you pressed out and forced a weak smile on your face, your eyes cast down like always. Alone the thought of doctors, needles and threat caused panic to rise in your throat.
"Kimiko!" your friend prostested but hell had to freeze over before you would agree to go to a doctor.
"I should go home now" you replied, then you turned around and ran, ignoring Sarah's cries.
People were starring at you strangely as you ran passed them, blood runnung down your body. With every step you felt yourself weaken, the wound was deep and you were loosing quite a lot of blood. The world around you started to blurr and it was hard for you to run in a straight line.
Eventually you couldn't go any further and you were forced to stop, placing your arm against the nearest house wall, trying to hold yourself up. Looking down, you could see the blood still oozing out between your wingers, which actually was the last thing you saw before you passed out.

? P.O.V.
You were running through the town, you crew currently was staying, because you had left a bar without paying for you food when nearly stumpled over someone laying on the floor. At first you thought it was a drunken guy but when you took a closer look and turned the body around, you found it to be a girl.
*Beautiful* was the first thing you thought as you brushed some of the fiery red hair out of her face. She had skin as pail and smooth as porcelaine and her features looked like the one of a doll.
Your fingers traced over a small scar along her right eyes. A broken doll.
Eventually you noticed the deep gash along her hip, which was bleeding heavily, so you quickly lifted her in your arms and carried her as fast as you could towards your crews' ship.
As you stormed onto it, some guys of the crew lifted their heads a made some jokes about you having to knock out the woman to get her into bed but you ignored them.
"Old man" you said as you stopped in front of the huge male "Ace, who is this woman?" he asked and got up from his throne to take a closer look.
"She needs help" you simply replied and Whitebeard nodded "Take her downstairs, the doctor should be there"
With a nod, you did excactly this and while the doctor took care of the unknown beauty, you were sent out by him. You walked back upstairs to explain the whole situation to Whitebeard and to make sure that she would be able to stay until she would be healed up completely.
After about half an hour the doctor joined you to tell the girl was resting but will be fine, so you all went on with your duties, waiting for her to wake up eventually.
Everything was normal until suddenly a terrified scream ripped through the air. Your head shot up and you immidiately raced towards the infirmary, since it had been the cry of a female and at that time only one woman was on the ship.
You burst through the door, followed by some of your comrades, that had followed you. Looking around the room, you found all beds empty but then you heard a silent whimper and when you walked further, you found the girl curled up in one of the corners.
Her knees were pulled up to her chest and with her arms she shilded her head and face, which were covered by the hoody of her jacket, that was pulled deep in her face.
She obviously was terrified by something, so you slowly and carefully abbroached her until you were standing right next to her.
"Hey" you whispered softly as you kneeled down but when you touched her gently, she cried out again and tried to get away from you but you stopped her and held her close to you, afraid the she might hurt herself in her current state of mind.
"Calm down" you told her gently, yet sternly "We don't mean you're any harm. You're save"

Kimiko's P.O.V
With groan you woke up again, not knowing what had happened to you or were you are. Slowly you opened your still heavy eyelids but when you saw in what room you were lying, they shot open, wide in horror.
Without noticing you had jumped out of the bed and got in a fighting stance, like you were expecting to be attacked every second.

You were in labratory or some kind of medical room. Everything was white and cold, medical instruments laid on a table beside your bed and the air was filled with the scent of alcohol and disinfectant.
Immidiately you found yourself thrown back into the worst memory your still young mind held. It washed over you, striking you unpripared and wide open.

You were lying on your front on a cold surface. Naket. Some kind of tissue placed over your lower back and legs.
Your mind still was clouded from whatever poison they'd used to knock you out. Slowly, you opened your heavy eyelids and with a cloudy gaze you looked around the room you were in.
From what you could make out, you were in some kind of labratory or operation room but you weren't sure.
Slowly the fog cleared from your mind and you were able to hear noises, steps od thousand feet and talking. Forcing your head up, you saw figures, zombies, you noticed after a short time of focusing. They were walking in from a door, something drapped in their arms and carried them towards another room with a heavy metal door.
"Be careful with the components" a high voice called out and you furrored your eyebrows. Components?
You did your best to get a better picture of what was going on and when you saw it, you felt like throwing up.

You screamed out loudly in horror and pain and you curled up in a corner, trying desperately to protect you from the pictures that maltreated your mind and slowly mixed with the presens.
The nightmare had a tight grip on you as suddenly you felt someone touching you. Scared you cried out and tried to get away from the attacker but he was faster and helt tightly onto you.
"Calm down. We don't mean you're any harm. You're save" someone told you gently, while you still were embraced tightly but not painfully.
When you realized this, you slowly relaxed, while the one who was holding you spoke to you silently and calming.

Ace P.O.V.
Slowly you could feel the woman calm down and when she stopped fighting, you lightened your grib around her.
"Please" you suddenly heard her whisper, her voice barely audible, swallowed by fear and panic "Please, get me out of this room"
"Come on" you replied, the led her out of the room and up the stairs, hoping that she would feel better without any walls surrounding her. All the time you tried to see her face, her eyes, not only wanting to see her beautiful features again but also hoping to be able to read something in her orbs that would help you understand her. But she kept her head lowered and here eyes adverted, making it impossible for you to even get a glimpse at them
When you stepped outside, you led her towards the railing and released her. She slumped against the wood, holding onto it tightly while taking deep breaths. Eventually she slipped the hood of her head and ran her fingers through those firely curls, yet still she kept her head angled in a way that made it impossible for you to see them, like she didn't want anyone to.
"Do you feel better?" you asked concerned and she nodded her head, streightening up from leaning onto the railing "Yes" she gasped, the slightly turned towards you "Sorry that you had to see that"
"Hey, everyone has his nightmare" you told her and she nodded in agreemend. "Yes but mine don't want to leave me alone" she mumbled in a hoarse voice, yet more to herself, than to you, while wrapping her arms around herself, shaking violently.
It pained you to see her like that, terrified and alone, before you cold stop yourself, you'd stepped forward and hugged her close.
At first she struggled, refusing the touch and the comfort but then she gave in and leaned into you.
"I don't know what happened to you and I won't ask" you whispered only for her to ear "But please allow me to help you"
"I can't be help" she told you while shaking her head violently but you weren't willing to give up that easily. Gently you graddled her face in your hands but when you tried to lift her chin, she cried out "No!" and ripped her head from her hands, taking a step back. "Please no" she told you in a dead voice "Not, my eyes"

Kimiko's P.O.V
"Not, my eyes", shutting them tight and looking away *Not those cursed orbs* you though panicking, tracing the scar that ran along your right eye.

He hovered above you, then he leaned down and opened your eyelids with two fingers, holding them open with some kind of tuel. He repeated the process with your other eye.
Your fogged mind didn't get what you he was doing until your could see the tip of his scalpel comming closer. A rear clear thought broke through the numbness and you struggled, trying to get your body to move, strangled cries escaping you.

Metal bondings closed around your wrists, ankles, stomach and chest, pinning you down efficiently.
"Good" He mumbled and went back to his work.

Hands being place on your shoulder pulled you out of the flashback in back into the reality.
"I'm sorry" you heard the man appologize and you immidiately realxed your stiffened body. Though you just met him, you felt save with him. Maybe because he seemed to understand you and doesn't force you to explain yourself.
"It's all right" you replied and slowly pulled away from his touch, afraid you might shadder with his gentleness and care. You never had experienced this kind of...love? "You didn't know"
For a few seconds you stood there in silence, then he cleared his throat and spoke "Er, you're still injured. I think it would be the best for you to stay on the ship-"
You interrupted him by shaking your head "That's not needed" you told him "I own a house in the village on this island"
"Please" the man asked and when you turned around and slightly lifted your head to see the plea in his eyes "It would me feel better to know you're immidiately get the help you need when something is wrong"
"Fine" you gave in, actually feeling happy that he wanted you to stay "But only until the worst is over"

Ace P.O.V.
You didn't know why you wanted this girl so badly to stay, you just wanted her close to you. There was somehing about her that made you want to hold and protect her from whatever nightmare had dug his claws in her heart. Once again she remindet you of a doll, beautiful and delicate, yet broken on the inside. You wanted to fix that and make her whole again, feeling that with a smile on her face, she would be even more beautiful.
"Hey, what's your name?" she suddenly asked and to your releave she seemed much more relaxed and carefree. "Ace" you told her with a smirk "Portgas D. Ace" "Nice" she replied with a light giggle "I'm Kimiko"
"Well then Kimiko" you started and stepped up beside her "You might not know but you're on Whitebeard's ship" you told her and from what you could see of your face, you could see that she was stunned "Interested in me showing you the 'Moby Dick' and it's crew?

Kimiko's P.O.V
It has gotten late, with Ace showing you around, so he was showing you the room that had been given to you on the ship. "If you need anything, my room is right next to yours" he explained while pointing to a door to your right, then added "And please don't hesitate to ask" "Thank you" you replied with a nod, feeling slightly embarrassed about all the attention that was given to you by the handsome pirate but you didn't dislike it "You allready did so much for me and still you're giving more" "Don't worry about it" Ace told you with a gentle smile "Now get some sleep and get well soon"
You nodded and with a smile whispered a shy 'Good night', then closed the door and placed your sword on a small table. Ace had given you one of his shirts for you to sleep in, so you quickly changed and crawled under the covers of the bed.
It had been a long and exhausting day, so sleep didn't wait long to capture you but the peace you'd found didn't last long and nightmares shoved their way in your resting mind.

"Be careful with the components" a high voice called out and you furrored your eyebrows. Components?
You did your best to get a better picture of what was going on and when you saw it, you felt like throwing up.

As the dream went on, you tosed and turned in the bed, struggling desperately to wake yourself up. You'd seen these pictures before, more then one time. They were stuck in your memories and you knew what would be next. Things you didn't want to see, to remember.
But everything was cold and silent around you. You were alone, nothing there you could hold on to, to find your way out if the dark.

There was a ring on one of the hands that laid on a stack of limps and you knew this too well. It had belonged to your captain, the whole crew had teased him more than once about the accessoire with huge ruby.
Then you saw a tattoo on a leg. You had been with this guy when he had gotten it.

Eventually you were able to force your eyes open and your mind in an awake state, definitely not wanting to see any more, everything coming after this sequences just would be getting worse.
You were panting havily, your body covered by a thin layer of cold sweat and your eyes wide open. Though your body still was screaming for rest, you weren't willing to lay back down and go back to sleep, knowing that more nightmares would await you.
Sighing you got up and changed back in your own clothes, then left the room and made your way upstairs. It was still dark outside but a stripe of silver was showing on the horizon, a faint omen of the soon rising sun.
You left the ship but didn't move far from it, then unsheated your sword and started training. The routinate movements and the cocentration soon took your mind of the pictures of the night and all you felt and knew was the feeling of your sword moving you.
You didn't feel any fear, any pain or the time passing by.

Ace P.O.V.
You woke up early and after you got dressed, you decided to check up on Kimiko to see if she was already awake or needed anything. The small voice in your mind that told you it would be to early for her to be up already after the last day and that you only wanted to see her, you ignored as you carefully opened the door the the room given to her.
The bed was empty, as was the whole room. Panicking a little, you turned around and jogged upstairs, not thinking that she would be in one of the other rooms.
As you reached the deck everything was quiet, none of the other crewmates being up this early but when you listened closely, you heard something. Following the faint sound,you found yourself moving towards the railing and when you looked over it, you saw Kimiko training by the ship all by herself.
You couldn't help but stare at her. Her fluent movements were beautyful and deadly at the same time, the look in her eyes spoke of deep concentration and that she had taken of her jacket didn't help much either.
You furrored your eyebrows as she turned your back towards you. There were some kind of markings on her skin but you were to far away to make it out correctly.
Before you were able to find it out, Kimiko suddenly froze and bend of over, pressing one hand to her hip.
"Damn it!" you cursed silently. How could you forget that she was injured. You should have stopped her.
Quickly you jumped of the ship and ran towards her.

Kimiko's P.O.V
You didn't know how long you had been training but eventually the exercises took their toll and the fresh wound on your hip started to arch. Eventually you couldn't ignore it any longer and you had to take a break.
You were breathing heavily as you pressed your hand to your hip. It felt sore but luckily it hadn't open up again and would be healed completely in a couple of weeks.
This was when you became aware that you weren't alone anymore, someone was abbroaching you.
"You shouldn't push yourself that much with a fresh wound" Ace scolded you gently as he walked up to you. "Are you all right?" he asked concerned as you turned to face him, making sure to lower your head enough, so he wouldn't able to see your eyes "I'm fine" you told him with a smile, though it was faked, not because what you're said was a ly but because you just didn't fell like smiling "It's just arching a little but nothing dramatical"
"Good" he sighed on releave, which caused your heart to flutter, it was a nice feeling to have someone caring for you.
"No please come back with me on the ship, you should eat something and rest" Ace asked you and you couldn't resist, though you told yourself to leave as soon as possible.
"Don't forget your jacket" you were reminded and you had to admit with that man in front of you, you actually had forgotten.
"Thanks" you replied sheepishly and turned around to grab your missing clothes. You bend down to pick it up from the ground, where you dropped it while training but when you straightened up again, you felt fingers trace down your back over one of the vetical scars that ran down on each side of your back. You froze up and gasped as unwanted pictures once again floded your mind.

"She will become a predator" he explained as cold fingers stroke up your back and a shiver ran down your spine "Yes, wings. So she can attack from above"

Though again it just was a memory, draw back in the presence, you heard and felt everything as if it was happening to you again.

"Let's start" you heard him say and a second later you felt a sharp pain as he cut open your back in a vertical line.
Tears ran down your face and you lips parted for a silent scream but your throat would't allow a single tone to escape.
During the procedure you went in and out of consciousness, yet you not dared to pass out completely, always hoping that the numbness eventually would pass enough that you could move and free yourself.
After what seemed like an eternity, Hogback stopped cutting and left the table for a few seconds. Then something was drapped on your back and the searing pain fleared up again as he did something that felt like he was shoving something in the fresh wounds.

"Those scars" Ace said from behind you and for a few seconds past and presence were mixed together until you were able to seperate them again and concentrate on what he was saying. "Thei're unusual. Perfectly vertical and symetric. Were did you get them from?"
"A sword" you bit out and quickly slipped on your jacket to cover them up again, then pulled the hoody deep in your face, hoping to hide yourself in it somehow. You didn't really want to see anyone with those pictures on your mind and you definitely didn't want anyone to see you in this state and ask questions, No, you were willing nor ready to talk about it. Not now and maybe never.
"He had two swords and attacked me with both at the same time" you quickly tried to explain, feeling that Ace was doupting your words, though it was hard to tell without looking at his face.
Eventually he nodded and you had to hold back an releaved sigh aas he turned around and motioned for you to follow him, which you did hesitantly.

Ace P.O.V.
You knew Kimiko was lying about the scars but you also felt that she was afraid of somethig and forcing her to tell you wouldn't do any good.
It pained you to see her hide yourself within her jacket. You wanted to help her in some way but you didn't know how. She didn't seem like the type of girl you could hold in your arms while she was crying her eyes out, though at the moment she was looking like she would break at the slightest touch. The only way was to wait until she would come to you, until she was ready to tell you and when this time comes you would be there and help her to face whatever had beem done to her and wipe it out.

Kimiko's P.O.V
You had been on Whitebeard's ship for about a week now and you were on good terms with most of teh crew, even the old man himself. Some of them, tried to flirt with you but Ace would always stop them quickly and soon none of them tried anymore.
Ace himself...you couldn't deny it anymore, you were falling for him but still you kept your distance. You were afraid that if you would allow him to close and too deep in your heard, you would become weak and all those nightmares woud break free. And at some point, you were sure about this, Ace wouldn't be so patient anymore and would demand for you to tell him. You didn't know how he would handle knowing how broken you were on the inside. And you didn't know how you would handle telling and reviving everything.

You were having dinner with the whole crew when one of the members asked you to hand him some bread, which you did without thinking but when you wanted to pull your hand away, you felt it being held in place.
"Were did you get this scar from?" the guy asked curious, while turning your arm around to get a better look at the scar, that went all arounf your frist in one straight cut.

Again the blade was placed against your flesh, this time to make a clean cut around your wrist. You didn't feel the pain anymore, there was so much of it at the moment that you didn't care about the new one.

"I were in many fights" you said as you pulled your hand away from him "And I got many scars in all of them. I don't remeber every single one"
To your releave the guy shrugged and went back eating but then another one, sitting in front of you spoke up "Hey, why do you never look us in the eyes?" he wanted to know and a few others agreed. Obviously they took advantage of Ace not being there, he was in a meeting with Whitebeard and the other commanders.
You didn't know how to answer, just stuttered out some incomprehensible words until one guy grabbed your chin "We're not that ugly, are we?" he said and tried to lifted your head but before he could glimpse anything. you'd grabbed his wrist and threw him over your shoulder, into the nearest wall.
"Don't you dare to touch me like that!" you growled, then you turned around and stormed out of the room.
At first you didn't know were to go after this, confused by rage and the fear, then you decided that you needed some fresh air and left to ship to go for a walk.

Ace P.O.V.
You yawned and stretched as you finally were released from the meeting and immidiately you directed your steps towards the canteen, knowing that Kimiko would be there.
"Hey, hey! Slow down firefist, you're girlfriend won't run away" one of your comrades joked but you ignored him and walked on.
The noisy room fell silent in an instand as you stepped in and searched the crowd for thefamialiar red head but you couldn't see her anywere.
"Where's Kimiko?" you asked into the room and after a few seconds of silence, one of your fellow pirates answered, his voice muffled by the food, he was still stuffing into him "Ran out after Bardoy tried something on her"
"What!" you called our and starred down the named guy, who looked like he was trying to melt right into the floor.
"I just wanted to see her eyes" he mumbled ashamed, not daring to look at you. You cursed, then stormed out of the room and of the ship, feeling that she won't be on board anymore.
After running aimlessly through the woods and calling out for Kimiko, you eventually reached the shore again, cursing yourself that you had run in circles.
You were about to return to your ship and wait for the girl to to the same when you suddenly heard more than one familiar voice. Getting curious, you walked towards them and after you'd climbed a small hill, you spotted Kimiko's firey hair in the distance but what really surprised you was to whom she was talking to.

Kimiko's P.O.V
You were walking along the shore, not paying attention to what was happening around you. That way it was no surprise you didn't notice the creature that was running towards you full speed. Suddenly you were thrown on your back by a huge weight and something wet was swapped over your face rapitly.
You had no chance to see what was going on until the sudden attack stop and whatever had jumped you was laying on top of you and...purring.
Confused you lifted your head as high as you could while being pressed down to see a huge white tiger lying partially on top of you, it's head resting on your chest with a content expression on it's face.
You looked at the huge cat stunned, then a happy expression lightened up your face and you squealed "Tyson!" and threw your arms around his neck.
The tiger started purring louder and rubbed his massive head against yours.
"I missed you so much" you mumbled into his soft fur, enjoying the animal's warmth that was wrapped around you.
"Tyson!" you suddenly heard someone else scream "Were are you?! Come back here!" and when you lifted your head you saw some familiar figures appearing from behind a hill.
You jumped to your feet and waved, while Tyson jumped around you happily.
"Kimiko?!" a orange-haired woman exclaimed causing seven other heads to turn in the same direction.
"Nami!" you called out, followed by the names of the other straw-hat-pirates.
You ran towards each other and there was a lot of greeting and hugging until you all sat down together and started talking, telling each other what had happened while you had been seperated. All the time you head was high up, the straw-hats being the only one you'd shoe yours eyes.
After some time, you heard a new pair of footsteps abbroach and when you all looked up, both you and Luffy happily called out "Ace!", then you looked at each other weirdly "You know him?" you both asked at the same time, then started laughing.
After everything was cleared, how you knew each other and who was related to whom in which way, you all together sat back down and went on talking.
Tyson kept a close eyes on Ace and growled whenever he came to close since he was sitting right beside you
"Calm down boy" you laughed and padded his head, which was resting on your lab, while his body was wrapped around you "Ace is one of the good guys"
Tyson snorted and shot Ace one last warning look, the curled tighter around you and started purring louder.
As the time passed on, you felt more and more tired until you were barely able to keep your eyes snuggled into your tiger. He was warm, soft and alive. It routed you and told you that you weren't alone, weren't in a cold surgery room. No, you were save. Tyson will protect you.
The many sleepless nights finally got to and you slowly drifted of in a deep sleep.

Ace P.O.V.
You weren't really surprised that Kimiko had passed out that fast, she hadn't slept much lately. Taking a blanket Nami handed you, you tucked her in and padded to Tyson's head soothingly as he growled at "Don't worry, boy. I don't want to harm her" you murmured and he placed his huge head back on Kimiko's leg.
As you sat back down, you noticed how the whole straw head gang looked at the sleeping Kimiko with sadness, worry and even guilt in their eyes.
"Ok, guys" you eventually said and their gaze turned to you "I want to know what is going on here. What happened to Kimiko. If I'm to protect her, I need to know what she's afraid of"
Silence. All thinking about what to say. How to say it.
"To you know a man called doctor Hogback?" Nami eventually started and you furrowed your eyebrows "Wasn't he a chirurg or something?" you asked, remembering a newspaper article you've read when he'd disappeared.
Nami nodded but it was Robin, who went on "A long time ago he joined the pirate crew of Moria Gecko for whom he created zombies that Moria was able to revive by placing peoples shadows and souls in them" "Wait!" you interrupted, not sure if you were getting this right "Are you telling me that he built a body by sewing together corpses?" "Yes, something like that" Zoro reassured you and a shudder ran down your spine. "Anyway" Franky this time was the one to speak "He also experimented on living objects, stocking up their bodies with parts of mostly animals to strenghten them"
Your eyes widened and your head shot to the sleeping girl "Are you telling me?" you swallowed hard as you remembered the scars al over her body "The scars on her back?" "He had attached a pair of wings to them" Sanji growled, his scar grumbling withing his glenched fist "Chopper managed to remove them again"
"Her wrist?" "When we arrived he was about to amputate it" Zoro bit out "He wanted to replace it with some claws"
Your gut grew cold and you barely were able to ask the next question "Her...eyes?"
The crew became quiet and you already saw your thoughts as confirmed. It was Luffy who spoke "He replaced them"
You swallowed hard "And with 'replaced' you mean-" Zoro nodded "He removed her own eyes and replaced them with other to give her a sharper sight. He wanted to turn her into a predator"
"No wonder she panicks at the sight of a doctor, needles or labratories" you mumbled thoughtfully as you looked at the Kimiko. The girl looked so fragile with the huge cat curled around her.
"For a while she stayed on our ship but she was mentaly unstable" Chopper explained "At some point she suddenly was gone from the ship. She even forgot Tyson". At this the tiger lifted his head and whined sadly in agreement. "She needed some time to deal with everything. We don't blame her"
"What can I do to help her?" you asked, turning back to the others. "Stay with her" Nami told you with a gentle smile "Especially at night. She sleeps better when she knows that she isn't alone"
"WHAT!" Sanji called out "No guy will sleep with the sweet Kimiko in one bed!"
Nami hit him over the head and he shut up, crying silently to himself.
"Stay with her" Nami repeated and the others nodded "You might not be able to make the nightmares disappear that hount her but you may be able to mute them"
"I will protect her" you promised and got up "It's getting late. I better bring her back on the ship"
You said goodnight to everyone and carefully lifted Kimiko, craddling her in your arms. Tyson whined as you took away his mistress.
"Come on boy, you're coming with us" you told the tiger and less then a second later, he was on his feet and beside you, rubbing his heavy head against your leg in a silent thanks.
Back on the ship, you carried Kimiko into your chamber and laid her down on your bed, while Tysom curled up on a carpet on the floor.
You removed Kimoko's boots and her jacket, then tucked her in and laid down beside her on top of the blanket. Gently your stroke your fingers down her arm until you reached the scar that encircled her wrist. Your heart arched as you thought about what was done to her.

Kimiko's P.O.V

The nightmare came sudden but not unexpected. They came every night, no matter what you did.

"Be careful with the components" a high voice called out and you furrored your eyebrows. Components?
You did your best to get a better picture of what was going on and when you saw it, you felt like throwing up.
Limps. Body parts. That was what the zombies were transporting. The components Hogback needs for is work.

"Kimiko!" someone called yoour name and you clinched to that to that sound, the only real thing in this nightmare.

Suddenly you saw something sparcle in the dim light as one of the zombies passed by. With every passing second, the poison lost it's effect and you were able to see clearer, though when you realized what you were seeing, you wished everything is still clouded.

No! Not this picture again, you didn't want to see it.
"Kimiko!" you were called again as a pair of strong arms encircled your body. You held onto those arms, concentrating on the warmth and reality of the feeling of them against your skin. You used this to pull yourself out of your dreams until you were finally able to snap open your eyes.
First thing you saw was a bare chest, then carefully you lifted your head until you were able to recognize Ace' face but not high enough for him to be able to see your eyes.
"Are you all right" he asked concerned and you nodded your head lightly "Not better or worse than the last few days"
He understood and pulled you tighter until you both felt your heart calm down again.
"The other's told what had happened to you" Ace eventually whispered and you automatically stiffened up as those pictures dared to push back in your mind. "It's still hunting me" you whispered and pressed yourself closer to him, hoping to get the cold out of your bones and gut.
"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked carefully and let you go willingly when you wanted to get up. You needed to move, to feel the freedom of being unstraned.
"Some nightmares are to cruel to talk about" you whispered with your back towards the bed and wrapped your arms around yourself, still feeling the metal of table you had been chained to.
Tyson had woken up and feeling your uneasiness he got up and rubbed his head against you in an attemt to soothe you.
"I understand" Ace told you and you heard him shift on the bed in a sitting position "We have time"
You were glad that he didn't push you and you knew that you could trust this man, so you took a deep breath and talked.

FLASHBACK

You were lying on your front on a cold surface. Naket. Some kind of tissue placed over your lower back and legs.
Your mind still was clouded from whatever poison they'd used to knock you out. Slowly, you opened your heavy eyelids and with a cloudy gaze you looked around the room you were in.
From what you could make out, you were in some kind of labratory or operation room but you weren't sure.
Slowly the fog cleared from your mind and you were able to hear noises, many steps and talking. Forcing your head up, you saw figures, zombies you noticed after a short time of focusing. They were walking in from a door, something drapped in their arms and carried them towards another room with a heavy metal door.
"Be careful with the components" a high voice called out and you furrored your eyebrows. Components?
You did your best to get a better picture of what was going on and when you saw it, you felt like throwing up.
Limps. Body parts. That was what the zombies were transporting. The components Hogback needs for is work.
Suddenly you saw something sparcle in the dim light as one of the zombies passed by. With every passing second, the poison lost it's effect and you were able to see clearer, though when you realized what you were seeing, you wished everything is still clouded.
There was a ring on one of the hands that laid on a stack of limps and you knew this too well. It had belonged to your captain, the whole crew had teased him more than once about the accessoire with huge ruby.
Then you saw a tattoo on a leg. You had been with this guy when he had gotten it.
This was you crew that they used to stock up the zombie factory. They were all dead. All. All but you. But why? What was he planning with you?
"Seems like our patient is waking up" the same voice as before said but this time the person was right beside you.
A second later you felt a needle being injected in your in your neck and faster than you would have ever thought the fog returned to cover your senses, though you weren't unconscious.
"What do you want to do with her, Hogback?" a new, monotone, female voice asked, followed by a high pitched laugh of the doctor himself, causing your heart to beat faster in fear.
"She will become a predator" he explained as cold fingers stroke up your back and a shiver ran down your spine "Yes, wings. So she can attack from above"
*Wings?* you thought, panicking and tried to get your body moving but it was limp from head to toe *What does he mean with that?*
A hand tightly gripped and your arm was janked upwards "And we need claws. Yes claws to strike and kill"
He released your hand again and your arm fell hard on the table, dangling over the edge.
"And to make it perfect" Hogback went on and fisted his hand in your hair, pulling your head up to look at your face
You forced open your eyes to see the cloudy image of doctor Hogback in front of you. You wanted to scream at you to let you go if needed, everything to not become a part of his zombie army but no word came out.
"Yes, we need new eyes" said eyes widened at his words "With these she won't be able to see anything from hight above"
Hogback released your hair and your head fell back on the table.
For a few minutes you heard im walking around the room, collecting whatever he needed for his newes project. All the time you tried to get your body to move but not even a single limp was willing to work.
"Let's start" you heard him say and a second later you felt a sharp pain as he cut open your back in a vertical line.
Tears ran down your face and you lips parted for a silent scream but your throat would't allow a single tone to escape.
During the procedure you went in and out of consciousness, yet you not dared to pass out completely, always hoping that the numbness eventually would pass enough that you could move and free yourself.
After what seemed like an eternity, Hogback stopped cutting and left the table for a few seconds. Then something was drapped on your back and the searing pain fleared up again as he did something that felt like he was shoving something in the fresh wounds.
Hogback grabbed something from a small metal table beside him, then you felt a needle puncture your skin and flesh over and over again. He was sewing you up. Or something onto you?
You didn't knew. Pain and drugs had forced very clear thougt out of your mind. You were terrified and in immense pain but you already had given up your hope on help or escape. All you could do was lay there and wait till is over.
Again you black out as he repeated whatever process to the other side of your back.
When you woke up again, you were laying on your back, the pressure on the fresh wounds, causing you more agony. You tried to move your head but it was held in place by a metal frame.
"We don't want you to destroy your work by moving around" you heard Hogbacks say as he hovered above you, then he leaned down and opened your eyelids with two fingers, holding them open with some kind of tuel. He repeated the process with your other eye.
Your fogged mind didn't get what you he was doing until your could see the tip of his scalpel comming closer. A rear clear thought broke through the numbness and you struggled, trying to get your body to move, strangled cries escaping you.
He sighed and the knive retreated "Cintry!" He called out "Chain her to the table"
Like ordered, metal bondings closed around your wrists, ankles, stomach and chest, pinning you down efficiently.
"Good" Hogback mumbled and went back to his work.
Fear and renewed pain pushed you into darkness again as Hogback started to work on removing your eyes.
Your whole head was hurting wenn you came to senses again you it felt like thick bandages were wrapped around your head and over your eyes. To afraid to allow yourself to think what he had done to you, you tried to feel what was going on at the exact moment.
You noticed that the position of one of your arms had changed, it no longer was chain down to your side but was spread away from your body to rest on something beside the operation table.
"Now to the last part" Hogback declared and your wrist was repositioned and pinned that way.
Again the blade was placed against your flesh, this time to make a clean cut around your wrist. You didn't feel the pain anymore, there was so much of it at the moment that you didn't care about the new one.
Suddenly the sound of a door being pushed opened echoed through the room and you heard a mail voice calling out in rage "Get your filthy hands of the girl"
Banging, screaming and growls filled the next minutes, then everyting went silent, just the sounds of footsteps of more then one person as they came closer to you.
Gasp, strangled screams and bitten out words told you that whatever Hogback had done to you didn't look pretty.
"Let's bring her out of here" a boyish voice said, then you felt the bindings pinning you down were released and you carefully were lifted up, you head lolling back over a strong arms, you being unable to hold it up. Something heavy pulled on your back, causing you to cry out silently as new pain washed over your body.
"Your save now" someone told you soothingly "Well get you out of here".
This was the last thing you heard before you allowed unconsciousness to take you into a place without pain.

FLASHBACK END

By the time you had finished your story your were back in Ace' arms, your face pressed to his chest and you crying out all the feelings thst hadbeen bottled up all this time.
"I thought I would get over it one day" you sobbed and fisted your hand in his shirt and the memories dared to take over your mind again "But every time I look in the mirror and the these eyes...it all comes backk again. Those forsaken eyes"
Ace held you even tighter, anchoring you to the here and now and pulling you out of the past. There were no words needed and you knew very well that he probably ddidn't even know what to say.
"Please show them to me" he eventually said and you lifted youe head a fraction "Your eyes" Ace told you and your gasp in surprise "Pleace show them to me"

Ace P.O.V.
"Your eyes. Please show them to me" you said, knowing that you asked for a lot but you hoped to be able to help her somehow.
Yet, slowly Kimiko lifted her head, her eyes still close. She stayed like this for a few seconds and you waited patiently and eventually her eyelids slowly were lifted up.
You froze at the impact of those orbs but when Kimiko was about to lower her head again, you quickly caught her face in your hands and held her in place.
"They're beautiful" you told you with a gentle smile as you looked in those cat-like eyes. They were of a bright green, the pupil slightly slitted but for the lack of light barely noticeable.

Kimiko's P.O.V
"Don't ly to me" you bit out bitterly but Ace still held her in place with a gentle force as you tried to turn your head away. How could someone call these cursed orbs beautiful. They're ugly and dusgusting.
"I'm not lying" he told you and rubbed his thump along your you cheek "They are beautiful. Just like you"
"I'm not beautiful" you replied and this time Ace gave you free when you tried to pull away "Not with these scars and the nightmares inside my head"
"That doesn't matter to me" Ace told you sternly, still looking deep in your eyes "To me your the most beautiful girl I've ever seen"
Ace enclosed his hands around your waist and effordlessly lifted you onto his lab "Please let me help you to leave those nightmares behind"
Fresh tears streamed down your face but this time one of happiness instead of fear.
"Why are you doing this for me?" you sobbed into his neck while clinching onto his shoulders. "Because I love you" Ace answered and when your head shot up in shock, he missed no second and pressed his lips onto yours.
You were shocked, it had been a long time since you had alowed someone this close to you but Ace made you feel things you thought had been erased.
Slowly, you wrapped your arms around his neck and started ot return the kiss.
Ace took it slow, careful to not pressure you in any way as he gently moved his lips against yours.
Eventually you grew used and comfortable with the new feelings and shyly tabbed your tongue against Ace' lips. A smal smile graced his lips as he opened up for you and moved his tongue to meet yours in a sensual dance. An unexspected moan escaped you at the new sensation but you didn't back away. You wanted this, wanted to explore those new feelings that managed to nump those memories that hunted you.
Ace gently ran his hand through your air, then placed his arm back around you and hold you close.
Suddenly the bed sank in from a heavy weight and a low growl was heard, just before Tyson nudged his head between your bodies.
You broke away and a giggle escaped you as you looked in the silver eyes of your tiger, which begged for attention.
"Seems like someone doesn't like to be left out" Ace mused, while padding the tiger's head loving. "Don't worry, boy. I won't take her away from you as long as you willing to share"
Tyson looked at him for a while, then he snorted, backed of and curled up at the end of the bed, his eyes still clued to you.
"I think he wants to say 'I'm watching you'" you said with another giggle, feeling much lighter and carefree. "I can live with that" Ace replied and turned his attention back to you "So where were we?"

This night there weren't any nightmare and many followed. They were still there and you knew they never would go away but with Ace by your side, you weren't afraid of them anymore.

The next day you were nervously standing in front of Whitebears, having asked for permission to stay on his ship. The tall man looked at you for a long time, while you looked straight back into his eyes, not hiding yours anymore.
Whitebeard's gaze wandered from you to Ace, then to his protective arm around your waist and you locked hands, then the corners of his lips curled up into a smile and he started laughing, throwing his head back.
"Welcome on board, my daughter" he eventually said and gently padded your head with his giant hand "Or shell I better say daughter-in-law"
You blushed lightly at the old man's comment, which caused him to laugh again "Take good care of her, Ace" he told his second commander, who pulled you tighter against him and presseda kiss to your temple "Don't worry, I will"