A/N: Now we go back in time. xD We'll return to Boa and Luffy in Chapter 3, I think. Probably.

Also, thank you to the people who support this story! Special mention to my reviewers theHoldyblade, Arnest sirleena, StariChanx, WondLa, heyheyhey, Zelga Lim Li, Vaughn Tyler, kei kei Yuki, and three Guests (not sure how many are the same person or if there are any, but please put your penname somewhere in your reviews next time so I can address you properly).

Disclaimer: One Piece is not mine. It's Oda-sensei's.

CHAPTER 2: FINDING OUT

She can still remember his grin.

His smell.

His laugh.

And now it is gone.

ooo

She opens her eyes to see the wide open sky of the island, it is a mixture of orange and blue, telling her she has woken up earlier. She sits up and touches her belly, which feels a bit different than usual.

"Ready to train, already?" It's Rayleigh whose expression turns a bit sadder. "Or is it a bad dream."

"Ah." She just says. "I'm hungry."

Rayleigh is not even surprised anymore. He shakes his head and shrugs. "Go and hunt, then."

This makes her blink and then she pouts. "But the food here is so strong!"

"Part of the training, kid." He says. "Part of the training."

"PSH."

ooo

It has been two weeks since they have decided to train for two years. And it has been two weeks since—

She doesn't dwell on that thought and focuses on the food at hand. It is a large, hungry-looking, boar and its tusks can impale her if she jumps to the wrong side.

But Luffy is especially hungry lately, even she can tell, but she doesn't think much of why either.

She readies her attack, until another random thought of that man pops into her head and she shakes it away. But she's distracted for long enough she almost gets impaled.

Thankfully, old man's there to block the attack.

"You can't be distracted." He says. "What's wrong?"

She remembers a passionate kiss and an even more passionate night with a man she hasn't considered that way before that.

Ace has just died. How could she?

Rayleighs frowned at this and his face slightly darkens in wonder how he'd be able to keep the girl's focus.

And then…

…she pukes.

ooo

Boa Hancock managed to sneak into the adjacent island without Rayleight knowing. Or so he thought. He flinches when he feels his presence suddenly appearing beside her. He has a dark face and he feared for his life.

"You."

"I-I'm sor—" then he catches himself. "I'm going to see my beloved and no one can tell me what to do!"

"You did something a lot worse than sneak in, Boa Hancock." The older man says and he frowns, gulps.

But he wanted to faint the second Rayleigh told him what the issue was.

ooo

She yelled out the wrong name when she came.

He gulped at the memory and it still pained him that he slept with the woman he loved, who was calling out another's name during their love-making. Then she disappeared the next morning, ready to train with Rayleigh, leaving Boa to desperately follow them only to find out she'd be acting like nothing happened.

Luffy has acted the same way as before, but Boa Hancock knew better—she is keeping distance. Her words and response are the same, but there is a newfound wall in her stare. It breaks his heart every time, especially compared to the feeling of utter ecstasy that night. It was a defense mechanism, as if Luffy isn't able to process what had happened between them.

And now he had impregnated her.

He is happy, but he also dreads it.

Does this mean he—someone who loves her—will be keeping her away from her dreams?

ooo

In the end though, the pregnancy only made Luffy concentrate better. Even the midwife they kidnapped from a nearby island says so.

Rayleigh's there to keep her (or the children) from dying, and with her body the strain isn't a threat to the pregnancy. It isn't like they can keep her from training, anyway.

Luffy is also hungrier so she is more motivated to kill the monsters, the life she needs to protect is keeping her from doing anything that'll hurt her for sure, and it forces him Boa Hancock to keep distance and not force his will out of guilt.

ooo

"Are you sure about this?" Glorio asks him when he told him of his decision, and he does not speak in return. "You have every right to make her marry you. It's long due that you marry at least one woman."

"I can't do that to her. She's not meant to be in one place."

"She'll be a mother."

"I took advantage of her during her most vulnerable state." He says with finality. "I can't ask anymore of her."

"Besides… she would give me the greatest gifts." At the very least, he knows she will come back and they will now have a concrete connection that will walk on this earth. That's all that matters.

ooo

Preview:

"Whoa! Unbelievable beauty!" Usopp screams the moment his eyes landed on the binoculars. Brooke, curious, took out his own telescope and looked for the infamous Snake Emperor.

Then Usopp tilts his head in puzzlement at whatever he is seeing. "Eh? There're three kids literally climbing up to him." He leans in closer, as if an inch of horizontal distance can make him see better. "…they look oddly familiar...

…who…?"

Ooo

Done! And as always, reviews are appreciated!