Hello Lovelies! Guess whose back!
Thank you for all the messages of support and the threats to come back or else! lol - but to be honest I lose the will to write this story for a very long time - but it is slowly coming back! I hope that I haven't lost too much of my already novice writing skills... eep
Enjoy!
'If I fall, I will get back up; If I am beaten, I will return!'
Many years had passed since the last time she had seen her brothers, or her hoard of guardians that she had once called her family. It had been so long since she had last heard their voices or the sounds of their laughter flooding around her and it was beginning to get to her. She missed the banter and the fights over the last piece of meat at the table after any meal, the arguments of whose bed they would fall into that night, or even who was going to take the first shower. Those were the little things that made her feel a part of something, like she belonged in this world.
There was nothing worse in this world than being alone, or so she had once thought.
The expected few months away from the Moby Dick, the place she once called her home, turned into something much longer, Thatch had worked the hardest he had ever in his life to recover from the attack on his body. There were so many ups and downs between all of them she had no idea how they had managed to all stay alive and happy with each other but they did.
She couldn't remember the number of times Ghost would rescue her from the various schools or study sessions that her two guardians had forced upon her. Making sure she caught of up on all the knowledge that she had missed growing up. Ghost became her best friend on that island, he was her everything. They trained together, slept together and simply just sat together watching the ocean from their special spot as they reminisced on the good old days together and dreamt of the future they would all have together.
She missed her life back then both on the Moby and on the island, it was simple and perfect. She had the three greatest brothers anyone could ever ask for, a set of overbearingly loving guardians who loved her unconditionally and a father who gave her the confidence to be whatever or whoever she wanted to be, together they gave her the feeling of safety and love that no one else had managed to counter. They gave her the strength to fight back even when all the odds were against her.
But that was the past.
She could never go back.
Not after what happened.
Not after what she did.
Every night she stayed up late at night, staring at the rotting wood above her bed, she resisted the urge to reach over into her pack in search for the single tone dial her brother's had given her as their final present to her all those years ago. She used to listen to their voices once as a source of encouragement and acceptance, but now, it was a lasting source of pain and regret for her. Their wishes and dreams of meeting again in the future and their excitement in seeing how far each of them could push their training was long forgotten.
Their original voyage for Thatch's recovery was meant to only be a year at most, that would be enough time for him to at least gain enough knowledge and strength to then continue his rehabilitation at home, or gain enough information to take for Lia to be able to interoperate and treat on the ship, but those twelve months that were spoken of, dissolved into years.
Thatch had recovered to almost his full self again thanks to the brilliance of the egotistical doctor of their home away from home island. It was hard for all of them during those eighteen months of rehab and constant surgeries, but he was alive and safe. And better yet, he was walking and running and even keeping up with his sparing with Lyon. Things were going great for them.
Were - going great for them.
She wondered where her brothers were now; Luffy would have left for his own adventure by now and starting to cause trouble wherever he goes. A smile formed on her lips imagining her dark haired brother running amuck through every village in search of meat. She missed his goofy smile and infectious laugh.
Sabo would be taking over the commander's station, probably taking on the role as Namur's personal shadow learning anything and everything about navigation and fishman karate. She knew he would probably have filled and entire library full of books that he had written of the things he had learnt and saw over the years.
And Ace, well she could see his smug smile as he commanded all the freshman around on the ship. No doubt taking on any marine or bandit that came there way. He was a mini Marco in training, even if he'd never admit it out loud.
She missed all her family to the point that it physically hurt her to think about them anymore. She was on her way back to them when it all happened. If only she had left one day earlier, things would have been different.
Stop!
She forced her mind to flash back into the present as she stared at the semi filled bar in front of her. From the first moment she had entered this washed up bar, she had searched for the perfect table for her to conceal herself from the rest of the drunks in the bar but also to be in site of every exit in the building. The past five years had taught her many things that her somewhat sheltered life could not have prepare her for.
All those years of being with the Whitebeard Pirates had completely eradicated her survival instincts. When she was first rescued her eyes immediately sort out every entrance or exit in a room, she could remember even the minutest detail of a man across the hall and judged his character on mere movements. But now, she had to relearn everything that her harsh childhood had taught her. She continued to look over her shoulder and remember every detail of anyone who got to close, there were too many silver scars over her body to keep her motivated to be on guard.
"Another lass?" a voice asked, slowly she lifted her eyes from beneath her hood and nodded to the kind old man holding up a large jug of rum. Sliding her empty cup across the wooden table he refilled it for her quickly before giving her a small smile and walking off to the next table over. Only once has the old man tried to talk to her in the last two days since she had become a permanent fixture in his pub, but after a quick wave off he kindly left her alone.
She downed the liquid, sighing in content as the signature burn trickled down her throat. It was one of the only things that brought her satisfaction now, its alcoholic powers muffled the pain and memories that bubbled into her sober mind.
Surveying the rowdy room, she caught a glimpse of each of the different men in the bar. Giving them a quick threat analysis she deemed most of them as a low level threat to her. No one gave her second glances, or held their gaze too long in her direction. To them, she was just another girl alone in a bar.
But then her eyes stopped on a cloaked man in the very corner who was by himself, sitting with his back towards her, almost mimicking her on the other end of the room. He picked the second place in the bar that she would have deemed safe enough to sit in; access to all the exits within a few seconds, view of every table in the room and the bartenders and it was probably second to hers to see the staff exit to the kitchen. He was hiding out just like she was, or maybe he was watching, waiting for someone.
What caught her attention mostly though was the tattoo that was scrawled across his fingers. She wanted to see who it was, who would openly make a threat on their body like that? Was he just plain stupid or was he actually a man who could back his promises. Who would openly write the word death along their skin?
"What's a pretty young thing, doing in a place like this?" a slurred voice spoke out, stepping in front of her blocking her view of the mysterious man in the corner. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the lame pick up line. A large, hairy, smelly disgusting man slunk down on the stool opposite her and caused her nose to wrinkle. He slammed down the jug of rum he had on the table and the contents of it slushed over the sides and onto her clean table.
Moron, she thought to herself.
"Piss off," she responded, lifting her drink back to her lips and downing the rest of it in one hit. She didn't want to deal with another asshole like him again. There had been too many countless bars, and drunk men who thought that she could be taken advantage off. Her eyes flashed down to her concealed blade and wished that she didn't have to see it coated in blood again. She wished people would just leave her alone and would stop hunting her.
"You've got a feisty little mouth on you don't you," he laughed, leaning his body forwards almost towering over her. She gaged on the smell of his breath alone let alone the rest of him.
"For the last time. Fuck - off." She glared, giving him her last and final warning. She would not ask again.
"How about I make you use that dirty little mouth of yours in another way," the man laughed, and she felt her jaw tighten, her hand moved slowly to rest on the hilt of her blade. The second he made his move he would be dead, or at least without his grubby hand.
"The girl told you to beat it," said a strong deep voice.
Another cloaked man appeared and threw the man off the chair and across the room in an instant. Her first instincts told her it was the old barman, it wouldn't be the first time he stepped in when things went south, but the voice was different.
"Who the fuck do you think you -" her admirers voice went from angry to panicked in all but a few seconds. She sighed already knowing what made the drunkard lose his balls and cower back to wherever he came from. She could hear the scurrying of the oversize buffoon trying to flee as fast as he could.
"You've been hard to find," the owner of the new voice slid into the small booth next to her.
Her hand gripped around the cup tighter almost crushing the ceramic sides. Quickly releasing her hands she made a move to leave. Octavia had thought only this morning that she would have to leave this island soon, it had been three days too long, and now was the exact reason why she needed to leave.
He caught up to her – again.
"It's just me. Stay for a minute Flick," his voice spoke softly, causing her heart to bounce in her chest. Then his rough hand folded over the top of hers and her eyes wavered to look at his hand touching hers. It took everything inside of her not to look up at him, as soon as their eyes connected she knew it would be harder to leave again.
"Don't call me that," she whispered, but stayed still in her spot. She willed herself to drag her hand back to her cup needing something to occupy her hands. She fought with every ounce of strength not to thread her fingers through his strong fingers and hold onto it forever.
"Flick, please talk to me." Thatch said, removing his hood and his piercing eyes bore into the side of her covered face.
"What are you doing here?" she questioned softly.
"I'm here for you Prin-"
"Do not call me that." She snapped.
Octavia's eyes flashed to his in that instant and she felt all the rage that she was holding inside of her rise. That name would never hold the same endearment that it once did, now it was nothing but hatred and disgust. She would rip out the vocal chords of any man who dared call her by that name.
"Octavia," Thatch whispered, placing his warm, safe, hands over hers. "Come home Octavia, come home please."
"I can't," she whispered, lowering her head if only to cover her eyes even further from the man beside her. She wished he had never come here, she wished that he would stop chasing after her.
"Go home Thatch, stop looking for me and forget that I ever existed."
The hands around her squeezed firmly and suddenly she was forced to turn and look at her guardian in the eyes. Her eyes clashed with his dark brown ones in that moment and it seemed like the entire world around them stopped. She wished that it was the truth that they could freeze time and let this moment between them last forever.
"Don't you ever say that Octavia. Don't you dare believe a word that those people said, what happened was not your fault, do you hear me - it was not your fault. It's-"
"It's always theirs," she snapped back, ripping her hand from his, "really Thatch? Don't you dare preach that bullshit line to me; I'm not ten years old anymore. I've see the world for what it really is and what the true meaning of a monster is! So don't just sit there and think for one second that, that bullshit line is going to work on me anymore!" Octavia stood up out of her wooden booth of solitude and stormed back out of the bar.
"Don't you dare run off, don't you disappear on me again!" Thatch yelled, chasing after her.
She picked up her pace and searched for the nearest escape route. This had happened so many times over the last few years that she had lost count. Thatch was always the one who found her though; he was the only one who had seen her since then. Apparently her Uncle and her guardian were teaming up together in order to find her and drag her back with either of them.
She could feel him chasing after her and she found herself searching for an empty alley way. Somewhere she could disappear without anyone seeing her do so. It was her last resort to use her powers, if someone was to see her do it nowadays and report it, she might as well sign off on her own death warrant. Her powers were no longer a secret kept only to the world government, everyone who had eyes to see, knew who she was and what she was capable of.
The bounty on her head was large enough to bring every bounty hunter after her from the pathetic bandits from small towns to the career hunters that took on the toughest pirates in the seas. The only plus she had for her was her looks, no one knew what she looked like now only her powers and a very vague description.
The World Government had yet to get an updated version of her photo for the posters they had spread all over the world, so they were stuck with the same one when she was barely a teenager. She had read in the paper of so many false claims of red haired girls found all over the world and whom were handed in for the prize. She felt bad for those woman, but at least they were thrown back into the world. They were not who the government wanted or needed.
"Pops is dying!" Thatch yelled out.
Octavia stopped in the middle of a crowded street as her eye froze open wide. Hearing those three words was worse than hearing any torment that anyone had ever said to her. Whitebeard was dying, her Papa was dying. She could feel her hands begin to tremble as the world suddenly caught up to her.
"What?" she questioned, feeling Thatch step up behind her.
"He's really sick Flick. He wants to see you before -" Thatch gripped onto her hand and squeezed it. She found her fingers threading through his without a second thought. That was the moment her entire barrier around her came crashing down around her.
"Please come home."
He's dying.
Papa is dying.
Whitebeard is dying.
"I can't go back." Octavia said turning her head slightly to look over her shoulder. Every word she spoke caused a spike of disgust through her heart. There was nothing else in the world she would rather do than to go back home and return to the person they all knew her to be, but that was impossible.
"He's your father. He gave you everything you could want in this world and you're really not going to see him before he dies." Thatch spoke harshly.
"Papa is strong. He won't die."
"You know better than anyone that anyone can die. Don't you dare turn your back on your family, not now!" He screamed at her and she resisted the urge to flinch.
She stood there taking every bit of hatred that flew out of his mouth. It was nothing that she hadn't told herself every day and night. She had turned her back on her family, she had betrayed every single person she had ever cared about in this world. She claimed she was only doing it to keep them safe, but that wasn't the half of it. She was afraid to ever put her family at risk; from that buster call threat back when they were kids or when the marines had boarded the Moby Dick in search of her, but this was different. This threat hanging over all their heads was her fault and it was nothing that anyone of them would be able to face without dying.
"I can't go back." She tried again forcing the words out through her gritted teeth. "It's not safe."
"It's not safe," Thatch's voice whispered back her own fears as his hand tightened around hers, "we will always protect you Flick. I will always protect you." Thatch stepped closer to her and if she had leaned back an inch her back would be pressed against his chest.
"I'm not afraid for myself," she scoffed stepping forwards and away from her old guardian. Her arms wrapped around her chest as she turned side on towards him, "you cannot protect yourselves from me."
"You're an idiot Turtle," he spoke, appearing in front of her. His arms wrapped around her without a moments breath and she was smothered.
"No get away," she gasped, trying to push him away from her.
"I'm not letting you leave us again Sunshine, you're the Whitebeard Princess remember. You're my little sister." He kept one arm wrapped around her waist as the other gentle pulled her head into his chest.
"I can't go back." She screeched, thumping her fists into his chest over and over again. "Don't you get it, I'll kill you. I kill everyone I ever love!" A small sob broke through her defences. His strong arms wrapped around her frame and her face was buried into his chest.
How many years had she managed to avoid these feelings, of love and being wanted? She told herself every night before she fell asleep that this is what she deserved, only loneliness and solitude is right for her and everyone else in her life.
Her hand cupped over her mouth to hold back the force of emotions that she had held back for so long. She had been alone for so long. She couldn't go back. She couldn't put them in that danger again, she couldn't face them.
"I'm here little Turtle, I'm right here." He whispered into her shoulder as his grip grew tighter. He wasn't going to let go of her this time around. He didn't need to say the words but she felt it. She wouldn't escape him this time no matter what she tried.
"I can't go back. It's too late to go back now," she whispered, letting her most terrifying fear surface. In the end that was what she was most scared of, facing her family again. After all this time, did she even have the right to call them her family? To her they will always be that, but would they ever look at her the same. No. The answer was no.
"I'll be right there with you," Thatch whispered, "I go where you go Octavia. Whether it's back to that shitty motel you've been staying at or to the Moby Dick I will be with you."
There was a moment of silence that hung over both their heads as they both read between the lines. Octavia knew that Thatch would never give up chasing her. He was abandoning his entire life to find her and bring her home, and he knew that she would never stop running. Together they would never stop looking over their shoulders for the other. Sighing she stepped out of his arms and used her sleeve of her cloak to wipe away the snot from her nose. Taking a much needed breath she steadied her voice enough to speak forcing her mask back into its place.
"I need to get my things."
Thatch followed after her silently as she walked ahead of him. She was glad he wasn't pushing himself onto her like they did in the past, things had changed and she wasn't like that anymore. She didn't crave the warmth of her guardian to keep away the fear of monsters lurking in the shadows, no, now she was that monster.
She unlocked the door and walked into the run down, one bedroom studio, that she had called her own.
"Flick," Thatch whispered in shock as he stepped into her space.
She ignored the pain in his voice as she moved towards her bed. Kicking up the floorboard she retrieved her small bag and the small pouch of money she had hidden. The door closed to her place and she waited for him to say something. She had never heard her guardian be so quiet in her entire life.
Walking to her wardrobe she pulled out her small amounts of clothes and stuffed them into a duffle bag. That was it - that was all she owned. Turning back she felt herself jolt seeing Thatch sitting on her make shift bed looking at the single picture on the small nightstand. In truth it was a wooden crate that used to hold several bottles of sake, but now it was a piece of her furniture that held her nightly candle that burned away the darkness.
"You kept this?" Thatch spoke finally taking his eyes off the picture and to her. Turning around to distract herself she searched through the knowingly empty draws. The picture was taken so long ago - it was the day of Ace's surprise water party. They were all grouped together with smiles on their faces. Those were the good times.
"Of course I did." She mumbled not sure if she felt angry that he'd assumed otherwise. But she had no right to be angry at him, she had no right about anything now. Of course everyone would believe that she hated them, that she abandoned them all because she didn't care, or anything along those lines.
"Please look at me." Thatch's voice sounded strained as he spoke. "Please Squirt, just look at me."
Slowly she turned around, but she kept her eyes to the ground. She didn't know if she would ever be able to look at him in the eye again. She didn't want to see what he thought of her now. She didn't want to see the shame that would no doubt be there.
"We should go." She pulled the duffle bag over her shoulder and made a move to the door. A wave of raw power filled the room and the hair rose on the back of her neck.
"Would you fucken look at me!" Thatch snapped and she felt her body turn and her defences came up. Her duffle bag was thrown behind her and two blades were in her hands ready to attack. Her eyes bore into his and she saw him for the first time in forever. His clouded eyes softened and she took a small step back. Her heel bumped into her duffle bag reminding her of her belongings. All she needed to do was bend down a fraction and then she could disappear.
There was a reason why she chose a room backing onto a forest. Her eyes instantly locked onto an empty space in the distance of the green sanctuary. All she needed was a fraction of a second and she would be gone.
"I'm sorry-" Thatch stepped forwards and she found herself countering his movements. "I'm sorry I didn't mean - I'd never hurt you Flick, you know that." His voice, pleading to her and she blinked a few times as the rhythm of her heart came back to a steady pace. Her tongue darted out to wet her suddenly dry lips.
"Sorry," she whispered, pushing up out of her crouch, "instincts." She murmured her reasoning's and slid her two blades back into their hilts beneath the leather bounds around her thighs. Dropping her coat back over to conceal her body she moved to recover her face when Thatch told her to stop. She looked back at him as he stared at her.
"Octavia," his face softened into one she remembered from all those years ago. "You changed your hair?" he all but whispered and she fought the urge to react. Out of everything that just happened he mentioned her now black hair. Her red locks were amongst the first things to go from her old self. It's what happened when you were a wanted person, every feature that could blow your cover had to go. Even if it was only mere words describing her features, it was too rare to not be seen as suspicious.
"We should go," she replaced her hood and picked up her duffle bag. She didn't bother locking the door behind her as she walked away from the small bit of sanctuary she had found. Even if it was only for a few weeks, she would remember the four walls and roof that sheltered her, she remembered all of them.
'You really think you can beat me,' she laughed bringing up her wooden bow staff to block the incoming attack. A smile was spread over her face as she danced around the small green field. The sun was bearing down on them causing sweat to run down their skin as they flew at each other.
'Give it up O' you cannot win against the beast!' a voice spoke too deep for its natural sound as the boy teased her.
She grinned seeing her opening and swung her attack down at his feet, it was the perfect attack but she didn't count for his own attack against her. Feeling the wind knocked out of her chest she fell backwards and laid flat on her back with her eyes closed and her breath coming out in short sharp gasps. A laugh burst from her lips and she turned her head to look at the boy lying beside her in the same state as she was.
'You're not like most girls are you?' he laughed and she grinned looking back up to the cloudless sky above her, not needing to answer the question he had spoken so many times. No, she was not like most girls. She was definitely different, especially comparing to most of the girls on this island.
'You're not like most boys either,' she responded, turning back to look at him when her smile fell.
The sweat on his skin turned darker by the second, the small scratches from their spar widened and grew deeper, blood dripped from his eyes and pooled in his mouth. She could hear his voice chocking his own blood as he tried to speak to her.
A scream bubbled its way to her lips and she flung herself forwards. Her hand cupped over her mouth forcing back the screams that followed after her nightmares. Her eyes took in her surrounds and she felt her panic rise in her chest as she felt the room tilt beneath her.
Thatch.
Boat.
Home.
The events from the previous day came flashing back to her and she remembered where she was, and where she was going now.
"Fuck," she groaned, letting her body slump backwards into the bed. Her hands moving to smash the palms of her hands into her eye sockets. It had been forever since she had a nightmare about him. Rolling over onto her side she searched for her bag and ripped through the contents until she found what she was looking for. Her hand gripped around the neck of the glass as her teeth tore off the small cork stopped on top. With her last ounce of breath she swallowed the contents of the bottle in one go. Reaching back into her bag she searched for another bottle. Groaning at the absence of the familiar clicking of glass against glass she knew she was empty.
She needed another drink, hell she needed another ten. This was why she always relocated near a bar; bars were opened to near all hours of the day and night. Ripping off the covers she pushed her feet out first and sat up. Her eyes went down to the dark ink that beared her right thigh. Her fingers danced over the ink and flinched ever so slightly at the scars that were concealed beneath the image. She would always see what was beneath the image on her leg, even when no one else could she would always remember how it got there, and who gave them to her.
Pushing away her dark thoughts she moved about her small cabin and grabbed the dark silk robe that was conveniently placed over the wardrobe door. She was surprised to see a full wardrobe, especially filled with female clothing. At first she questioned Thatch's love life, but then again, she knew him. He said so himself on countless occasions he would never stop looking for her, he would stop at nothing to bring her home.
Throwing her hands through the loose material she walked out of the small cabin and up onto the deck of the small boat. She didn't know where Thatch was but she headed straight to the front of the ship, detouring only to pass the kitchen to grab another bottle of sake along the way.
Sighing she flung her legs over the railing and let her feet dangle over the edge. She could feel the small sprays of the ocean on her bare legs and she felt a small smile reach her face. She closed her eyes and felt the breeze against her skin and smelt the salt that burned at her throat, this was home. The sea would always be her home.
Twisting off the cork to her new bottle she threw it over the edge and watched it disappear into the water below. Throwing back her head she sipped at her drink wanting to savour it for longer this time around. She didn't know how long it was going to take to get back to the Moby, or if they were even going to stop at any island in the meantime. Seeing the small single crate of sake in the kitchen she thought it wise to try and ration it out for as long as possible.
"Can't sleep?" Thatch spoke from somewhere behind her. She felt her entire body tense up at his sudden appearance. It wasn't easy for someone to sneak up on her, worse when they snuck up on her from behind. She felt his presence move closer towards her and she heard his boots this time move against the wooden deck. His arms appeared in her sights first as he leant over the railing next to her. She risked a small glance at him and saw his eyes glaring at the bottle in her hands.
"I'm eighteen now Thatch," she smirked lifting the bottle back to her lips.
"Still too young for sake," he grumbled and snatched the bottle from her hands and took a swig. She held out her hand and gave her fingers a small wiggle indicating the return of her bottle.
"You were the first one to give me sake, remember?" she teased and a light shone in her guardian's eyes as the memory came back to them both.
"You guys never did tell me what that was for?" he asked, handing back her bottle.
"Can't remember," she lied.
They both sat in silence and watched out over the night ocean sky. It was almost like old times. Almost.
"You got a tattoo?" Thatch question caught her off guard and she quickly followed his glance down to her exposed thigh. With a nod she gentle pulled the silk robe back over to cover the traces of the mark. The mark was for her and her only, all of her tattoos were reminders of why she did the things she did now.
"Pops will be happy." His hand gentle tugged as her robe until the Mark of the Whitebeard Pirates shone brightly up at them both. It was a long time ago she got that mark, after everything had changed. It was the only thing she could think off to cover up the previous marks scorched into her skin by that monster. Her father, still there to protect her from the sights of pure evil. But she wouldn't always know what lay beneath that small layer of protection.
"How long till we get there?" she asked not taking her eyes off the ocean.
"Late tomorrow, or I should say today." Thatch stared at her as he answered.
She felt her entire frame freeze as the timeline was revealed. So soon. In less than fourteen hours she was going to be back on the Moby Dick. Back with the people she held so dearly to her heart. The people who could break what was left of the suffering organ in her chest in an instant. When they found out what she did, what she was, they would hate her. They wouldn't be able to look at her again, she would lose everything she had left tying herself to this world.
"Hey, it's going to be okay Turtle," Thatch's hand was on top of hers in an instant and she felt her breath hitch. Her instincts screamed at her to run. To put distance between her and any person who dared to touch her. His hand gripped onto hers and she found her body being moved. "Calm breaths Flick, I'm right here." His voice soothed her like it always did when she was a kid.
"Two days. Please give me two more days." She looked up at her guardian and pleaded to him. She couldn't do this yet, she wasn't prepared yet. "Please Thatch, two days."
"Flick," his hand moved to cup her cheek and she felt herself leaning into his touch. Her mind was screaming at her, telling her different things. Her fight or flight instincts were on fire trying to tear the man touching her away from her skin. But her heart was pleading for her to never let go. She was so confused, so was scared.
"Two days," she whimpered as his arms pulled her into his chest. She was losing her mind.
"Okay, two days." Thatch sighed and held onto her tighter.
She was exhausted the next time she opened her eyes. She felt like she hadn't slept a wink in her entire life. Her body was heavy and sore after finally letting her past battles catch up to her. Sitting up from her bed she leant against the wooden wall and let her head fall back against it. So much has happened and now she was sitting in one place.
She could hear Thatch's heavy footsteps above her no doubt steering the boat towards their destination. She had two days, to figure out what she was going to do. What she was going to say to them all.
The light creeped through the window lighting up the cabin she was sleeping in. Her eyes flickered down to her duffle bag beside her bed. The contents of it were half thrown on the ground from last night's desperate search for her sake. But her eyes caught onto something that caused her to question herself.
The tone dial.
A single tone dial was all she had left to remember her brothers. Each of them had spoken in it for a few minutes before she had left them all those years ago. With a trembling hand she reached into the bag and pulled out the cream coloured shell and pulled it into her lap. She hadn't pressed down on the apex in such a long time. It must have been at least a year since she last tortured herself over the sounds of their voices.
Her finger ghosted over the top, urging her to press it, to hear the small bit of reassurance from her brothers that everything was going to be alright, that they loved her no matter what. Those were the worlds she had desperately clung to the moment she had stepped onto that island with Thatch and Lyon.
Click.
'Do I speak now?' Ace's voice was the first thing she heard. 'What do I say?'
'Whatever you want too,' Sabo.
'Octavia, first off we lov'
Ace's voice was cut off as she slammed her hand down on the top of the shell, shutting it off completely. Tears sprung to her eyes as she slammed her head against the wall over and over again. She couldn't do this. She couldn't face them.
Flinging herself off the bed she threw all the contents into the bag and quickly flung it over her shoulder. Her cloak and hood was firmly over her nightwear as she ran up the stairs. She couldn't do it, she couldn't face them after what she had done.
She didn't care how far away the next island was she going to run there. Her shield lasted for a good hour before she started to tire, but going back was going to be worse than a little exhaustion.
'You can run princess, but I will always find you,' the voice snarled in her mind and her body flinched away from the open space and she pressed her back up against the nearest wall. Her eyes darted around the room searching for his shadow that always lurked in the darkness.
'You destroy everything you ever touch,' the mocking laughter of her tormenter forced her hands to her temples. Pounding her fists over and over again to make it stop.
"Just stop, stop it!" she growled, bursting out onto the deck she readied herself to escape when she froze in place. Her eyes grew wide staring at the site before her. Her body trembled as the familiar whale ship was right in front of her.
"Flick," Thatch walked towards her, his hands up in surrender.
"You lied to me." She gasped, looking back and forth between her guardian and the place she once called her home.
"Flick please," he stepped forwards.
"You fucken lied to me!" she screamed, feeling her instincts clawing at her skin. She felt trapped and cornered in an impossible situation. Her skin crawled beneath her clothes begging her to make it stop. Her hand ghosted along her blades ready to defend herself, to make her escape.
"Because I knew you would run!" he screamed back at her, "you can't keep running Octavia."
Her eyes caught site of a fiery blue flame heading straight towards her and her last escape was blocked. The large phoenix landed on the deck of the ship and transformed into her familiar guardian.
"Marco," she whispered his name. Her hand pressed against her hidden blade at her thigh.
"Welcome home Octavia," he smiled towards her and she flinched back "everyone's missed you so much."
Her eyes darted back to the Moby Dick and she felt her insides screaming at her.
"You're home now, you don't have to be afraid." His voice caused her to flinch backwards. She would never stop being afraid. Closing her eyes she prepared herself just like any other situation she found herself to be in. Good or bad. Calculate your actions, worry about the emotions later. Her years of training and conditioning has kept her alive up till today, she wasn't going to stop now. Masking her expression she opened her eyes and stared at her guardian.
"Take me to see him." She spoke looking at Marco. Her father was the only reason she was hear. She would see him and then leave. That was the safest thing to do. It was the safest thing for all of them.
She held out her hand to Marco who ignored it and stepped closer towards her. His arms wrapped around her waist and she found herself in his warm arms and pressed against his heated body. She resisted the urge to take in his calming scent and hug him back. She couldn't do that to herself again.
"I've missed you Octavia," he whispered in her ear before transforming into his phoenix form and launching them both into the air. Closing her eyes she felt the last bit of freedom before landing into her anxiety filled nightmare.
She was afraid.
She was afraid of everything that she was going to face today. She didn't want to see her father sick and dying in a bed, she didn't want to face the wrath of her brothers or their pained faces, she didn't want to bare the hateful words they will be throw at her when they found out what she did.
But to be honest, she knew she deserved every bit of their hatred and wrath. And she would take it all, she would accept her punishment whatever it may be. It was the least she deserved.
She opened her eyes to see the large deck coming closer and closer as they dove in for the landing. But what her eyes caught make her panic. Her father was sitting in his usual thrown like chair on the deck of his pride and joy. Tubes and cords ran from his body and into machines next to him. Marco flew them down closer and she felt every instinct in her to run. Her eyes glanced to the mast and she disappearing from Marco's grasp and landed on the wooden beam.
Hushed remarks were heard all over the deck but she blocked them out. Her eyes never left her fathers. Her hands gripped into the wooden beam as his head lifted and his eyes connected with hers. Tears welled in her eyes as the large man smiled up towards her. Marco landed beside him and he transformed back into his human form as he said something to her father and she heard his laugh bellow over the deck. A sob burst through her lips and she cursed these men to the very pits of hell for breaking through to her. She hadn't cried since that day, and now just seeing them brought back every emotion.
This was why she left.
This was why she ran and never looked back.
They would forgive her.
They would accept her and her faults.
But after what she did she could never accept herself.
"My daughter has returned." Whitebeard lifted his hand towards her and the mass of pirates on the deck turned to face her and cheered at her return. All she could do was stare at the man and shake off the tears that ran down her face.
"Come down my daughter," he called for her and she shook her head. She couldn't go closer.
"I can't," she whimpered to herself as she stared at the man that meant the world to her.
"Clear the deck." Whitebeard ordered and then suddenly the deck was empty. Only the captain himself and the commanders were standing on the deck. She didn't dare look at her other guardian's faces. She couldn't handle it all right now.
"Come down and give your Papa a hug." Her father spoke and she felt her body shudder.
"Papa," she whispered letting her tears wash down her face.
"You're home child." His voice reached her and she felt her body moving on its own. She flickered from her perch and landed right in her father's lap. Her arms wrapped around his neck and she clung to him desperately.
"I'm sorry Papa," she wailed. "I'm so sorry."
"Hush now my child." He ran his fingers through her hair and she started to lose control over herself.
"I'm sorry, I failed you, I'm so sorry." Her voice broke as the flood of emotions bubbled out.
"You're home now. You're home." She hiccupped and tried to calm down her breathing.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I never meant too – I tried to stop – I couldn't – please," she lifted her head from her hidden cacoon and looked at her father in eyes. "You have to believe me, I never meant for it to happen."
"You are my daughter Octavia, I pray that you never forget that. Never forget what we have taught you, what you should hold dear to your heart." Her father spoke to her with such conviction a sob broke through her chest and her hand cupped over her mouth. If only he knew, if only they all knew what she had done, they wouldn't look at her with such love and devotion.
"Octavia," a voice called her and she pried herself away from her father and stared at the faces of her precious people. Izo stepped forwards looking the same as ever. His arms raised she felt herself being passed from her father to her favourite sharpshooter.
"You're so beautiful," he whispered into her hair as she hugged him back. She snorted through the tears as she fought back the laugh. Of course Izo would mention her looks first. She felt his hands on her shoulders and she pulled back to stand in front of her guardian.
"Silvers Octavia." A voice snarled from behind her. Snapping around quickly she felt her hand go to her thigh where her blade was hidden. Her eyes grew wide at the site of her favourite medic.
"Lia?" she whispered out her name as she stormed towards her. She froze as the sound of a slap echoed over the whole ship. Her head was twisted to the side and she felt the burning of her cheek that had been hit.
"Lia, what the hell!" The guardians screamed at Lia, but she held up her hand. She turned her head back to Lia and saw the tears rolling down her face.
"Do you have - any - idea what you put us through, what you put your brothers through!" she screamed at her. This was what she deserved, this is what she knew would happen when she returned. Her eyes started to fall but then her hand was gripping her chin forcing her to stare back at her.
"Do you have any idea how worried we all were for you, when you didn't show up? When you seemed to disappear off face of the map or when Thatch came back completely destroyed and catatonic mumbling about you! We thought you were dead! Do you have any idea what that did to everyone?" she screamed at her and she found herself froze still. She had thought about those questions every day. Every day she thought about her family and brothers and what would happen if she dared go back.
"I thought we drilled it into your thick head long ago, you belong here with us. No matter what happens." Suddenly Lia let go of her chin and she was pulled in her medic's arms. "You're grounded you know that right." Lia mumbled and she found herself nodding into her chest.
She was passed around from guardian to guardian and she felt her heart constrict every time she was hugged and handed over to the next person. Her eyes roamed around for her brothers. She needed to see them the most, she needed to know what they thought of her now. For better or for worse she needed to know.
"My brothers?" she asked looking back to her father. His expression grew tired and she prepared herself for what was to come next. They didn't want to see her, they left knowing she was coming back.
"I see." She whispered, completely understanding why they left.
"Luffy set off a few months ago, he went back to Dawn Island to visit Makino before he started his own way." Marco stepped forwards and explained. "He waited for as long as he could, but he left a few months ago."
"Waited?" she found herself asking. She knew he was dead set on leaving when he turned seventeen. Why did he wait?
"For you Flick," he answered and her eyes went wide. "He kept saying over and over that you promised to join his crew for the same amount of time you were gone. He was so sure you would join him." She didn't know what to say. She was in shock. He still wanted her on his crew.
"Sabo?" she questioned, looking around for her fourth guardian. He wasn't here. Where was Namur?
"He left with Namur a few years ago, there was some trouble at Fishman Island and Sabo refused to let Namur go alone. Sabo met some interesting people along the way. He's joined the revolutionaries." Marco explained so much in such a small sentence she felt her head spin.
"Ace?" she would find out more details later but for now she needed to know where her eldest brother was. Each of the guardians looked from one another and then to her father.
"Papa where is Ace?" she questioned more urgently this time.
"He's travelling." He answered her question slowly and carefully. She understood now.
"Come on, let's get you in the shower and into some new clothes." Izo pulled her away from the group and Lia tagged along beside her. She felt her medic grab onto her free hand and she was grateful for the grounding feeling it gave her.
"How is Papa really?" she asked as she let her head fall back against the bathtub. Lia sat on the outside rubbing her hands through her hair brushing through the treatment that she was forced into having. It took one look from the two fashion guru's to force her into a full bath and repair session.
Lia sighed before pouring a jug of water over her head her hand was on her forehead stopping the water from flooding her face.
"I won't baby you like the others Flick, he worried about you a lot. It wasn't good for him or his health." Lia spoke bluntly and she winced. "He's getting old now. He doesn't bounce back the way he used too. And the stubborn fool doesn't listen to a thing I say." She rolled her eyes already knowing that. Stubbornness ran in their family, even though none of them were blood related it was an aspect that they all inherited from that man.
"After this, you're getting a full physical and I will not hear a single objection. Do I make myself clear?" Lia spoke and she felt a smile form on her face. She missed Lia so much.
"Yes ma'am." She smirked.
Lia and Izo left her after she was deemed clean enough, which left her sitting on the edge of the bath looking in a mirror at her naked body. It was a completely different reflection staring back at her from the last time she looked into this same mirror.
Her long dark hair looked unnatural for her appearance, but its pitch black colour was a necessity for her survival. She ran her fingers through the locks and grimaced when they got caught in the split ends near the bottom, she really needed to ask Izo for a haircut. Her eyes ran from her head and down to her shoulders and chest. Puberty was definitely something she wished she had a girl around for. She remembered the moment she got her first period and the horror on Thatch and Lyon's faces when she questioned the things happening to her body.
Her hand drifted to the dark tattoo that rested over her heart. The shape of a paw print. Her hand cupped the tattoo and her eyes squeezed shut remembering the final happy moments she had with Ghost. He was her best friend when they had left. He was the one to curl up with her on her bed at night, he was the one who kept a lookout when she snuck out after dark; he was her animal brother.
Turning around she glanced over her shoulder and read the letters that marked down her spine. Her second tattoo she got, exactly one year into her time away with Thatch and Lyon. The initial of everyone who was important to her ran from the top of her neck down her spine and finished half way down her back.
She got the idea from Ace, after the reveal of one of his wanted posters. Bastard got one before the lot of them and his title, Fire Fist Ace. How appropriate, she remembered rolling her eyes at the site of her shirtless brother grinning at the camera. What caught her eye first was the large tattoo that ran down his arm. A.S.L.O. She would never admit but she sat up the whole night crying over that poster when she first saw it. To know that her brother loved her enough to mark her on his skin. The next day she went out and did the same, but the letters that she held dear to her went on for a little bit longer.
"You're beautiful Octavia," Izo spoke snapping her out of her trance. She looked in the reflection and noticed both Izo and Lia standing there looking at her.
"Ready?" Lia asked taking a step forward. She was sure her eyes lingered a little longer at the three L's on her back, it took her a fraction of a second to realise that yes, one of them represented her.
"Let's get this over with," Octavia sighed moving toward the cold metal table and laid down. She lay there in silence until Lia would point out a mark that she couldn't quite determine how it got there and demanded for the story, some of them were short and easy, bar fight with a drunk, fell through a window, stabbed herself training to catch a flying dagger, simple ones. But some of them were not, she chose to pass on several ones that were too painful to remember, so instead she mentioned the weapon and nothing else. That was in the end all she really needed to know. The room seemed to freeze over as Lia turned over her hand and looked at her wrist.
"Flick," her voice was soft and filled with worry. She knew what the medic was seeing. Two long silver lines that ran across her skin. Evidence of the only marks she had given to herself.
"Don't," she gentle pulled her wrist free from accusing eyes and moved to escape from the room.
"Flick," Izo stepped forwards and held onto her shoulders ceasing her movements. "You're home now." He leant forwards pressing a kiss into her temple. "You're safe," that was all he needed to do to bring on the onslaught of tears that were threating to spill. Everyone would soon know of the two identical scars that ran down her wrists, they would know the attempt that she made out of complete desperation.
"I don't deserve to be," she whispered to herself as she walked out the door and towards her familiar room.
She paused outside of her father's door. It was late as she crept through the halls of the Moby Dick. But she couldn't sleep and Thatch had forbidden her from drinking alone and she promised to abide. Which Marco had double teamed her and threatened hours upon hours of training if she dared to break that promise to them.
She had searched the major places for her guardian, for any of her guardians really, but she couldn't find not one of them. Lia was already asleep so she didn't want to wake the beast and ask her to be her drinking partner, so she went to the next best thing, her father. No doubt he was already onto his third or even fourth barrel of sake and she was happy to join.
She had stayed in her old room for as long as an hour before her mind went nuts with memories that haunted her, she had to leave. She would roam the halls for the whole night if she had to, but everywhere she turned there were more happy memories of them growing up together. Now she wasn't sure if she could even call herself their sister. She lost that right a long time ago and she wasn't sure if she would ever earn that right back.
"…drum Island. He's tracking him down faster now." Marco's voice spoke and it made her pause. She pushed her back against the wall and tormented with herself. She knew eavesdropping was rude, but doing it on her own family was worse.
"Idiot's going to get himself killed." Thatch snarled and she was more invested now.
"Ace can take care of himself." Izo spoke out harshly. "What we should be more worried about is telling Flick." Now she knew where all her guardians were.
"We can't tell her yet." Thatch's defeated voice sent off alarms in her head. They were keeping something from her that revolved around Ace and her. "She's home now. After all these years she is finally home and we can help her heal. If she finds out what he's trying to do she will leave again."
"She deserves to know." Izo spoke a little softer this time.
"Don't you think I don't know that? You didn't see her back there, you didn't have to stand by and watch as she destroyed herself after what he-" Thatch sighed and she could just imagine him rubbing the back of his neck. "- but she also deserves some kind of peace, when Ace kills Teach this will all be over. She can live in peace and not have to be looking over her shoulder at every second she's off this ship." The anger in his voice caused her blood to start to boil.
He told them.
They all knew.
"There is not a single person aboard this ship who doesn't want the same thing for her. But I don't know what Teach's plan is." Whitebeard spoke and her heart pounded in her chest. Her father knew. They all knew.
"He's dangerous." Marco added. "We need to bring Ace back, he's out there with only rage guiding him. He's going to get himself killed."
Ace knew.
Tears flooded down her face when everything slowly pieced itself together. She now knew exactly why Ace wasn't here. He was out there; he was trying to kill the very demon that starred in every one of her nightmares. He was still protecting her.
"Flick, are you alright?" a voice called out from down the hallway and her head snapped up as Lyon jogged towards her. The door next to her flung open and she was faced off with a horror struck Thatch.
"Turtle…" he whispered, reaching out to her but she startled backwards.
"You told them." Her voice was firm and strong but the tears that flooded down her face gave away how betrayed she felt. "You promised you wouldn't tell anyone!" she lashed out.
"Flick please," he stepped forward as she counted one backwards. Her mind racing.
"You've been lying to me for weeks." She only had to take a look at her Father to know that he wasn't on his death bed the way Thatch had convinced her back on the island. Or the amount of days the Moby Dick was away from them.
"Yes, I have. I've been lying to protect you. Of course I told them Octavia. They're our family and we protect our family." He stepped forwards and forcefully pulled her towards him. His hand gripped onto her cheeks as he bent down and looked at her in the eyes.
"Every single one of our family knows what that bastard did to you and what he made you do and every single member of our family is out for his blood. Not yours, his."
"No stop!" she screamed letting her rage fan out around her. "No matter how many times you say it, I have the blood of every single one of those villagers on my hands. I killed so many people. Me, not him, it was my power that slaughtered every single one of those innocent people; men, woman and children god, I fucken killed K-" her hand cupped over her mouth as his face flashed in her mind. "I killed him. He smiled to me as he choked on his own blood, he kept telling me over and over again that it was okay. But it's not okay, don't you understand it will never be okay. I killed him, I loved him and I killed him!" She screamed and felt her knees grow weak beneath her.
"I kill everyone I love." She sunk towards the ground, only Thatch's arms were holding her up. "Everyone around me who tries to protect me dies. My parents, Keito, Ghost and now Ace is out there. Don't you get it? That's why I couldn't come back." She looked up at her guardian, pleading with him to understand. "I killed them." Her arms wrapped around her chest as she tried so hard to hold herself together. "I killed them all Thatch, they're all dead because of me."
"No Kiddo, each of them were killed protecting you because they love you. Keito loved you so much Octavia. And Ghost, you rescued him once upon a time and now it was his turn to rescue you." Thatch sat down beside her and pulled her into his lap. "They wouldn't want you doing this to yourself," his fingers stroked through her hair as she clutched into his shirt like a lifeline, "Keito would want you to be strong, to fight back. Remember your sparring matches; he never let you back down then, so why are you giving up now?"
"You cannot be serious?" she spoke glaring at her father. After everything that had happened, and after everything they all knew, he was still sending her away from the battle. She knew she had been the optimum of weak these last few weeks being home. But, that was then and this is now. She was talking with her guardians on a daily basis on a crash course therapy regime. She began training again with Marco and she even helped out in the kitchen again. She was feeling more like herself in the last three weeks than she had in the last five years.
"You promised your brother did you not?" Whitebeard smirked at her and she felt the urge to groan and throw a shoe at him.
"I've spent five years away from Luffy, I'll spend ten years with him when this is all over to make up for it." She argued but all she got was a loud laugh from her father. Not exactly how she planned to convince him to let her fight with them.
"My orders are final, you will go to Luffy and follow through with your promise to him. We raised you to honour the promises you make, didn't we?" he questioned and she groaned slumping back into the chair opposite him. It had been three weeks since her break down and a week since her revelation hit her square on the head and back into the game. She was not going to hide for a moment longer. If Ace was out there fighting for her own freedom, then she was going to be there right beside him. She was one fourth of the Whitebeard Wolfpack, and she was not going to back down again.
Never again.
With that thought alone she yearned for a drink or ten. The demon vision of herself on her shoulder always herded her towards a bottle when things looked impossible, and sometimes the angel did too.
But she was adamant now. She was going to train like she had never trained before, she was going to get stronger every single day, until the time came when she could send a thousand arrows into the devils heart. She would destroy his life like he had destroyed countless others.
She couldn't do that if she was off in the Blue seas, or even in Paradise with a bunch of rookie pirates who had never seen a true battle. She needed to be here with her family and learn from the best. She would take a thousand of Marco's training sessions if she had to.
"That is not a request Octavia, you will go find Luffy and you will honour your promise." Her father spoke firmly and for the first time in her entire life she felt as though he was speaking to her as her captain and less of her father. She lifted her head and gazed into his eyes, she needed to see what he saw. And what she saw made her groan. There was no getting out of this.
"If anything happens-" she spoke but was interrupted.
"You and your brothers will be first to know. But for now my daughter it's time to live your life, go on an adventure with your younger brother. Go see the world through new eyes and experience everything you can get your hands on." She couldn't help but smile at the way her father spoke about the ocean and everything that inhabited it. It reminded her of the stories he used to read to them when they were kids. He spoke of the world as if it was just one great big adventure just waiting to happen.
"That's a lot of sake," she grinned back at her laughing father.
"I have raised you well." They laughed together. Disappearing from her chair she appeared on her father's desk and peered up at him. Even though she had grown a good head and a bit taller she was still nowhere near his height.
"I missed you every day," she whispered to him. She hated herself for falling into that monsters spell. She hated herself for wasting so much time in fear when she could have been growing stronger to defeat the monster. That he was able to defeat her in a mere moment after her family and given her so much strength.
"As did I, and as I will every day from now," he pulled her effortlessly off the table and into his chest. "Now remove this horrid colour, black does not suit the daughter of Whitebeard." She laughed, feeling her father's fingers running through her still darkened locks. She was hesitant to reveal her true hair colour back to the world. It would paint the target on her back larger and brighter than before. The smile on her face grew wider as a plan forged its way into her mind. There was a simple way to counter her own image with the image of something else.
"It's time to bring that prophecy to light." Her father chuckled and she couldn't help but roll her eyes.
"Seriously Papa, you made that prophecy up." She laughed along with him. Everyone on board the Moby Dick, hell every ally of Whitebeard knew his self-proclaimed proclaimed vision.
"The Whitebeard Wolfpack will wreak havoc on the world." He laughed running his fingers over the end of her braid.
"Pretty sure we already started," she whispered but nodded. She understood what her father was trying to remind her. She was a Whitebeard Pirate, she was his daughter. She would not lay down and let others walk over her, she would stand back up and fight for what she believed in.
God help her she had no idea how she was going to manage it, but somehow she will.
Thatch found her later that night at the other end of the ship sitting with her legs dangling over the front of the figurehead. A drink in her hand and her face staring up at the night sky. Lyon had put up a feast fit for kings as celebration for her last night on board.
"Hey Squirt," she glanced back over her shoulder as Thatch fidgeted awkwardly on his feet. It had been a week since they had last spoken to each other. Well, Thatch had tried but she was still angry. She knew she had no right to be, but it still hurt that he lied to her. Even if it was to protect her.
"Hey," she whispered back and shuffled a bit to the side. It was more than enough of an invitation for Thatch to climb over the railing and sit next to her.
"Flick I'm sor-"
She cut off his rant by picking up his hand. She knew that already. She knew he was sorry but he would do it a thousand times over again. She leant to the side and rested her head on his shoulder. His arm moved around her and soon she was in his lap with both his arms wrapped firmly around her.
"I'm afraid," she whispered to the one man who had seen her at every stage of her life.
"I know," his arms grew rigid around her, "we will get him for this Flick. I promise you."
"I know we will. But that's not," her voice trailed off and she sighed, "Luffy." She finally voiced her largest fear at the moment. What she was not expecting was a laugh from her guardian.
"You're afraid of Little Luffy," he laughed again and she wacked him.
"I'm serious Thatch, I left him. You know how he hates being alone, how he hates weaklings and cry-babies. I don't doubt that he feels completely betrayed and I don't blame him if he never wants to see me again let alone join his crew or be his sister." She vented and that quickly sobered him up.
"You're an idiot Flick," he ruffled her hair and she groaned. "Your brothers love you more than anything in this world. Nothing would ever turn them away from you, not even you." He turned her in his lap so they were facing each other, "you four know each other better than you know yourselves. Luffy may not know what happened, but he knows you Octavia. Luffy won't care about the past only that you are there with him now. That and whose ass he needs to kick for hurting his sister."
"Luffy doesn't know?" she skipped over the rest of his speech and ran the words through her mind.
"Not everything," Thatch sighed, "When I first came back I could barely control myself Flick. When Pops finally sat me down and I was able to tell them what happened, Luffy heard only what he needed to hear before walking out of the room claiming that you would forever be his sister and he would kick anyone's ass who tried to change that. The Little brats tried to steal a boat that night to go find you too, determined to find you."
"Idiots," she groaned but couldn't fight off the small smile that graced her lips. Luffy was still the same as always, so sweet and innocent. He found the good in everyone, even for people who don't deserve his kindness.
"Those are your brothers remember, you chose them." Thatch laughed and pulled her back against his chest.
"Pretty sure they forced this brotherhood thing upon me," she laughed.
"I'm going to miss you Octavia," he spoke into her hair and she wrapped her hands around his arms tighter. She was finally back to what she could only call a sort of normal self, and now she was leaving again. Only this time is was on her terms and with her family in full support of her.
Together they would hunt down and kill Teach.
He would be stopped no matter what the cost.
"Love you big brother," she whispered.
"Big," she heard the intake of his breath, "brother?" he asked almost in shock as she nodded against his slightly vibrating chest.
"Thank you," they both mumbled together and clung to each other.
"Love you too, squirt," he hiccupped and she pulled back.
"Thatch, are you crying!" she laughed, seeing his watery puffy eyes.
"No it's the sea salt." He quickly rubbed at them furiously and she laughed pulling herself back into his arms.
"Big idiot," she spoke as he whimpered like a big cry baby.
"That's big brother to you," he laughed and she instantly regretted saying that out loud.
"Now come on, I have a surprise for you." He grinned, throwing her over his shoulder and jumping back onto the deck. A squeal forced its way out of her mouth as she hung on for dear life.
"Man I missed that sound."
"What the hell Thatch!" she laughed as she was carried through the crowds of whitebeard pirates all drinking away into the celebrations.
"Just shut up and let me do this," he jumped in his step and she groaned as she landed hard against his shoulder as he bounced her. Laying her hands under her chin she watched as they disappeared down the corridors and towards Whitebeards room.
A second later Thatch knocked on the door and pushed it open with his foot.
"…seriously if he doesn't hurry the fuck up and get here I'm coming home."
A voice echoed around the room and she felt her body still. Slowly Thatch lowered her to the ground and she turned towards her father's desk. There sitting on top of the wood desk was a purple snail.
"Guys are you even listening to me!" the voice grew angry and tears flooded her eyes as she watched the tiny snail's eyes mimic the person on the other end. "That's it, I'm on the first boat back screw the marines I'll destroy them all if they -"
"Sabo?" her voice broke and her hand cupped her mouth. She watched as the snails eyes turned from frustrated to surprise in a second.
"Flick?"
"Sabo," she answered his call and she moved closer towards the snail in hopes of getting one step closer to her brother.
"Thank god," his voice was deeper than the last time she had heard it but it was him. "Are you okay?" he asked and she nodded through her tears.
"Yeah, I'm okay." She answered with a small hiccup her hand came up and wiped away the snot form her face.
"Guys can we talk alone?" Sabo's voice asked and she looked up at her family. They looked at each other for a moment before agreeing.
"We'll be right outside, take your time." Thatch whispered to her and gave her hand one last squeeze before they left the room one after the other.
"Are you alone?" Sabo questioned as she sat down on the desk to move closer to the snail.
"Yes," she said.
"God Octavia," Sabo's painful voice flooded through the speaker. "Remember when you first left us, when you found out about the threat of the buster call and you ran off in the middle of the night. You were so afraid that someone would come for you and kill us all in the process. You ran away to try and protect us."
"I remember Sabo," she whispered.
"I guess you need another lesson Flick. Remember what we said, we are family. You are our sister and there isn't a single person in the world that could come between us. Not even you. We left that night against ever order to come find you. We will always come and find you Flick, we will take on whoever dares to touch you and we will destroy them." His voice was firm as he spoke and she could just imagine him starring deep into her eyes as he reassured her.
"We fight each other's battles remember. Your enemy is our enemy and our enemy is yours. When you hurt so do we, so when the time comes, we will stand together to face our enemy. We will stand as the Whitebeard Wolfpack, with our guardians and friends and family by our side and we will stand as one. You are never alone in this, so whatever dark thoughts come creeping back into that thick headed mind of yours you remember what I said, alright?" He waited and all she could do was nod. The tears were flooding down her face and she could barely hold onto her body as it trembled.
"Flick?" he questioned and the snail eyes mimicked his own panicked voice.
"You still want me as a sister?" she hiccupped and the snail laughed.
"You and Ace seriously - of course you dumbass. I don't know if you get this yet or not, but there is no going back on that pact we made. We are brothers and sisters for life. No take backs." He laughed and that was enough for her to laugh through her snot and tears.
"I really missed you Sabo," she admitted.
"I missed you more."
'We cannot become what we need to be, by remaining what we are.'
Well there we go guys!
What did you think? Did I somewhat keep it up?
Advanced apologies, will try to upload as soon as I am happy with the next chapters and so on so forth. Not weekly updates like part 1.
Thanks!
Octavia
xx
