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Trafalgar D. Ace - Ch 1
First Ace, and now Whitebeard. The captain of the Heart Pirates fought hard to keep his mind at ease as his submarine sped toward the battle. Absolute calm, Whitebeard's doctor had emphasized. Law's teeth chattered as he forced himself to get rid of the panic building up in his chest. It's okay. Everything will be okay.
But how? He closed his eyes in despair. Ace was dead, and so was Whitebeard. The father of the child he was pregnant with, along with the child's grandfather was dead. The two people in the world who could have protected the child in his stomach were dead.
Law felt a chill creep up his spine. The bloodline of Gol D. Roger. A frightening line to be continued, the reason why Ace was killed just a few minutes ago. If word ever got out that the bloodline was not completely gone yet, Law and the child in his stomach would be the target of all of the Marines. Law wasn't particularly afraid of the regular marines. But if Doflamingo showed up at his submarine with an army of Pacifistas in tow…
Law shoved the daunting thought away. How could word get out? The only people who knew were his crew, who would rather commit suicide than betray him, and Marco the Phoenix... a man who would also commit suicide than betray Whitebeard and Ace. Of course, there was one another, but that man would never tell.
That was why Law was speeding toward the battleground to save Luffy. Monkey D. Luffy. Ace's younger brother. The pirate Ace had talked endlessly about when he was still alive, before he went to chase Blackbeard, when Law and Ace were lovers that nothing could separate.
The Heart Pirates, and the Spade Pirates. It had seemed so perfect. Law closed his eyes. Blackbeard. The name made him seethe in anger. But not now, he told himself. Not yet. It was important for Law to make the right decisions right now. Saving Luffy meant the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates would owe a favor later. And if Luffy realized he was the uncle of the child, Luffy would protect the baby. But he needed to secure to favor, just in case anything else happened.
Ace had always told him that his brain worked too fast. Law had always taken it as a compliment – he was nowhere near as physically well off as Ace or Luffy. He was a distance fighter, calculating all of his options and judging the best one in moments. He was thankful for it now. Thinking about strategy kept his mind off what had just happened. There was no time to break down now.
"Captain." Penguin spoke softly. "We're at Marineford." Law broke out of his trance and nodded. "Monkey D. Luffy is with Jinbei. It seems they are both badly hurt, and… the pirate Buggy is holding them."
Law smiled softly. "That works fine. Buggy will give them over easily. He'll be happy to get rid of the burden, no doubt. Are we surfacing?"
Penguin nodded. "Captain, my priority is to keep you safe. If there is any danger to your life, whether we have Monkey D. Luffy or not, I will dive below." Law only nodded. He didn't plan to surface very long. He would be the first to admit that he would stand no chance against Kizaru, Akainu and Aokiji combined. And all things covered, he knew he wouldn't be in danger up on surface.
Red-hair Shanks was there, after all. Law looked out the window as the submarine rose quickly. Not many knew the relationship between Trafalgar Law and Red-hair Shanks. But then again, Law snorted, not many knew Shanks' full name. Trafalgar Shanks. Law snorted. Who knew? He wondered what the world would do if they found out Red-hair had a son of his own, one that was on his way to become as notorious as his father.
When he was younger, his father had told him one thing that Law had been bitter about his whole life. If they find out I have a son, they will try to kill you. So we have to pretend we aren't related. As a 7 year old, it had broken Law's heart to think his father didn't want to be related to him. But now, as a future parent himself, he understood. He hugged his stomach and thought back when Shanks had quietly visited him. He'd been elated at the news of a grandchild, but was worried. The grandchild of Gol D. Roger and Red-hair Shanks. Because it was a cruel world where infants were slain just because of who their parents were.
"Captain." Penguin's voice snapped Law back to reality. "We're going to open the hull."
Obtaining Monkey D. Luffy was easier than he'd thought. Buggy had handed both Jinbei and Luffy over quickly. Law was about to close the hull, the straw hat in hand, but his eye had caught the familiar shade of crimson. And the small child in him stopped at the missed sight of his father. Their eyes met for a moment, but Law saw enough to confirm what he'd been questioning since their meeting only a month ago.
As a growing child, Law had hated the father that had left him. He'd become a pirate partly because his father had told him not to become one. But at the recent meetings, Law had become an adult, and a parent. He saw the worry and the care in his father's actions. Even now, he saw the anxiety flash over Shanks' features when his only son appeared at a chaotic battlefield. Law had seen the jerky movement that Shanks had kept in correction – a movement to come race over to his son and protect him.
Law withdrew into the submarine as the hulls closed, and even as he readied busily to heal the two pirates' wounds, his mind remembered the main reason he had chosen to become a pirate. He had wanted to find his father, to sail with him on the blue seas.
Law slid the gloves off his hand and threw them into the trashcan. He rubbed the sweat from his brow and looked over the two bandaged pirates on his operating table. It had been a grueling work past 10 hours to patch the two back together, but both were now stable. Penguin caught him when his knees gave away. "Bring some water and warm soup for the captain!" Law heard vaguely as Casquette barked orders to the rest of the crew and Penguin wrapped a blanket around him.
"You overdid yourself." Penguin said, sounding like a mother. Law smiled slightly. "You've been up for more than 24 hours, and during most of those you were in high stress. You have to think about yourself and the baby." Penguin easily scooped Law into his arms. Bepo was already waiting for them at the captain's headquarters with a bowl of warm soup and a cup of cool water.
Law accepted both gratefully, and then looked around for his second mate. "Casquette?"
Penguin snorted. "He's with Monkey D. Luffy and Jinbei. You would have instructed him to go do it anyway." Law chuckled lightly and nodded, feeling slightly nauseous. He didn't feel any pain from his stomach area, though, which relaxed him a little. The soup in his stomach warmed him and he felt drowsiness take him over.
The next time he woke up, he was facing the Kuja Pirates' infamous beauty. Half drowsy with a headache and not much of an interest with women, Law was annoyed by her attitude. He only half-heard what she meant to say, and was amused that she was so infatuated with Luffy.
When he made it back to his bed, something caught his eye. The straw hat. Law reached for it. The priceless possession of his father. Given to Luffy. Law sighed and placed the hat on the table next to his bed. Law closed his eyes, rubbing his still flat stomach. He remembered his father's words. Is this really a good idea, Law? He's carrying so much dangerous blood…
Law curled up on his side. I'll protect you. Even if the world is after you, I'll protect you, just like your grandmother protected your father. No one will take you from me, and now I have insurance. Monkey D. Luffy wouldn't forget my favor. And he wouldn't let Ace's son be killed. He could hear Ace's laughing voice. Law, you think too much.
But Ace, Law thought as he slid to sleep. If I can't protect your son, who do I live for?