This is mostly just for me to practice writing and also because I love writing about one piece characters. I'm still undecided about pairings, though there will most definitively be hints towards love with some characters. It will also follow canon for the most part but there shall be a few things that are exactly the same. If you notice anything majorly wrong with either my spelling/grammar or even if the story seems off just tell me so I can try and fix it. It is greatly appreciated and helpful. Anyways Enjoy.
Prologue
Marco sat up in the crows nest enjoying the cool night air. He was always one to enjoy some time alone to gaze at the stars. Of course that does not mean he was not paying attention to his current task. Though he was not too worried because Moby Dick was currently docked off of one of the many islands under Whitebeard's protection. They were there because Whitebeard had received a message from someone on the island that he must meet them. Glancing over at the small island, he noticed a small rowboat with a single person sitting on it. With a light stretch as he stood up he jumped over the railing, landing on the deck with a dull thud.
Upon closer inspection he noticed that the one in the rowboat was a woman who was quiet well known on the ship. Simply because she had been the head nurse for Whitebeard up until roughly two years ago where she suddenly left. He leaned over the railing watching her draw closer until her boat had reached Moby Dick. He quickly let down the rope ladder where she quietly climbed up and gently landed on the deck.
"Welcome back Layla, yoi." He commented with a slight smile towards her.
Layla gave a fond smile back and adjusted her grip on the object she was glanced at the bundle of cloth wrapped up in her arms before looking up at her with a curious gaze. She glanced around shyly before once again gently moving the bundle of cloth to show Marco what was wrapped up in the cloth. Marco was met face to face with a youthful face with sky blue eyes staring into his widened blue eyes. He suddenly looked up at Layla with a cheerful smile.
"What's its name, yoi?" He questioned glancing at the baby once again.
"Rose D. Edward." She said smiling fondly down at her child.
His head shot up with break neck speed to look at her face once again shocked. She glanced away again with a faint blush on embarrassed to offer anything. After a few moments of silence, she turned to finally look at Marco still not looking him in the eyes too embarrassed.
"W-well when two adults love each other very much or get drunk late at night with each other -"
"Okay I get it. You don't need to explain it. Anyways I assume you are here to see pops than, yoi?"
She gave a quick nod pulling her child close before glancing up behind her. Marco glanced over his shoulder to see the fourth division commander Thatch walking across the deck towards them. After a few more short strides he stood next to Marco resting his arm on his shoulder. He flashed them both his cheesy smile before looking up Layla up and down.
"Layla your back. We have all missed you, Especially Oyaji." Thatch rambled happily.
Layla looked down at the baby with a gentle smile. Thatch eyes had followed her. He stared at the child and then looked at followed Layla's and examined the baby she was holding. He gasped audibly before looking up at Marco. He could already feel his eyebrow twitch in annoyance.
"You had a kid with Layla and didn't tell me?!" He shouted at Marco with wide eyes.
"No, I did not have a kid with Layla." Marco said trying not to punch him.
"But the baby had blonde hair and blue eyes. Well, Layla does have blue eyes so do you and you are the only one on this ship who has that color blonde hair." Thatch pointed out.
Layla gave Thatch a short smile before gently rocking the newly awakened baby in her arms.
"I need to talk to Whitebeard." Layla said glancing at Marco.
"He is still in his room. I'm sure I don't need to show you the way." Marco told her.
She shook her head side to side and let out a small worried sigh. Before making her way to his room where she stood outside his door briefly before knocking lightly. She heard his gruff voice telling her to come in.
Whitebeard was awake and sitting on his bed when Layla stepped inside. He gave her a soft smile happy for her return. She promptly returned the smile before glancing down at her kid and back up at her lover.
"So this is why you had suddenly told me you were going on a vacation for a while." He softly said not wanting to wake the child. She offered him a shy nod before her continued on. "I assume I know who the father is?" He asked with a knowing gaze. She gave him another nod before looking down at her child who had fallen asleep again.
"Yes, you are the father Newgate. This is our child, Rose D. Edward." She told him looking up at him to see he was also looking at his child. He had a fond smile on his face glancing at Rose proudly. Layla walked over to Whitebeard before gently setting the child into his hand. He gently held his new daughter afraid of dropping her. Layla let out a few chuckles at the sight. Here she was witnessing the strongest man in the world fret over a tiny child in his giant hand. The child was barely the size of his palm, though Layla herself was just barely taller than his palm herself.
"So what will you do?" Whitebeard asked while glancing at Layla. She looked down at the ground thinking before heistentally looking back at him.
" I was hoping you would take care of her...Just for a while...I'm afraid of…" Layla kept glancing at Newgate and the ground unsure how to tell him.
"Afraid of what my dear?" He asked softly gently to pick her up with his other hand to hold her closer.
She gently shifted in his palm until she was comfortable. She stared intently at her fidgeting hands before letting out a profound sigh. She brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear before looking in his eyes and continued. "I'm dying dear. I only have a few days, a week tops. And before you ask, no there is no cure. I will die this week and sadly there is nothing anyone can do to stop it. I came to tell you about our kid and ask you take care of her. Though I know it will be hard, and it may be safer for her to live out her life in one of the normal seas not knowing who her father truly is…I hate how she will never be able to experience an average life simply because the world will claim she is the child of a devil...No kid deserves to have to live that life…"
Whitebeard still sat staring into his lover's eyes. He mulled over what to say to her before giving her a reassuring smile. "I will take care of her my love. She will grow up strong, and she will get to determine how she wants to live her life, whether it be as a pirate, a marine, a revolutionary, or even a average civilian. You can rest easy knowing that she will be in safe hands. We will not spread that she is my child."
She smiled and her shoulders relaxed as if a tremendous weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She stood up and gave whitebeard a quick kiss before pulling away. She leaned over to his other hand to pick up her child and give her a small kiss on the forehead.
"I love you both so much...I wish I didn't have to go and forsake you both...but the world is a cruel place..." Layla told him as she put Rose back into his hand before jumping down to the ground. He watched her with a sad smile.
"I assume this is the last time I shall be seeing you?" He asked trying to hold back his tears.
She allowed him a heart broken smile before nodding. He gently gave her a hug which she returned to the best of her ability. She gave him another kiss, longer than the previous one but fill with just as much passion and longing as the first. Their actions conveyed their feelings and the words they could not tell each other openingly. At last Layla pulled away and gave Whitebeard one final smile. She set down a small basket next to him and gave Rose a final goodbye kiss on her forehead. Rose smiled happily and reached towards her mother babbling. Layla's eyes silent filled with tears as she quietly left the room never to be seen again.
