A/N at the end of the chapter

Chapter Four

"Do you understand?"

Cheris nodded, looking at Sabo, who had been trying to tell her something. It probably had something to do with the fact that he had found her lying at the cave entrance. It had been a week since she had woken and with Sabo always gone, lying in bed was boring as hell. She only wanted to look at the outside world, but her body had other plans. She didn't have the strength to move very far, but at least she had made it to the entrance. Boy, was Sabo distraught when he had found her sprawled out on the ground like that in the evening.

He was saying something again, but she didn't understand. she simply smiled and nodded along.

"Hey, are you listening?!" He furrowed his eyebrows, finally noticing her slowly decreasing attention.

She nodded once more, causing the boy to sigh in frustration. It was probably the reason why he had brought her a picture book from high town the next day.

Still, that didn't stop her from trying to relearn how to walk. Sabo definitely wasn't happy finding her in all kinds on places, lifelessly lying on the ground, often with scratches and bruises littered across her body.

Some time around, Ace popped up again. She hadn't seen him in a while. He was carrying a ridiculously huge bear, dropping it off in front of her.

"Learn to cook, idiot girl."

"Excuse me?" She looked at him, expression unchanging. She was always putting on a smile. Sabo worried less when she did, so it had become a habit.

"I said," He paused, slowing down. "-learn to cook idiot girl." Ace simply turned away again and sat down against the cave wall as far away from her as possible.

"Ace, she can-" Sabo started, but was quickly interrupted.

"Okay." Preparing food was a mandatory skill. She would have to learn it anyways so why not take the opportunity? It would be hard considering she could barely move, but she would get the hang of it someday.

The boys got into an argument, soon evolving into a full out brawl, as she dragged herself over to their catch. Well, they had to get the blood out of the veins, the fur off and gut it. At least she already watched a butcher do his thing a few times. Still, the mere thought of cutting apart this huge mammal was giving her the chills.

The past meals, Sabo had always brought in already cooked food for the both of them. On some occasions even chocolate and fruits. She hadn't once wondered about where he had gotten it from, but now that she thought about it, he probably stole it. It was for the better that she put learning how to cook on her to do list.

"Hey, woman." Ace called out. Cheris turned to look at the boy, before he chucked a knife at the bear, barely giving her any time to move out of the way. After a moment of silent staring, she moved to get the weapon, her heart still thumping in her ears.

Crazy boy. She knew Ace wasn't the most pleasant person to be around, but for him to be this… angry, was scary in all honesty.

Things didn't change much after that. She was finally able to move around on her own now though and given that she had a knife at her disposal, she was able to prepare food and defend herself in emergency cases. Since she could cook now, Ace stopped by more often than not, claiming that her food tasted better than that of that old hag.

"Those dumbasses can't do shit. I'd prefer everyone's food over theirs" He grumbled between chewing. "I hate them."

Did Ace really feel that much resentment against Dadan? She knew that she wasn't exactly the best choice for a child, but she remembered that Dadan wasn't as heartless as she wanted others to believe. It would be less troublesome for Ace if the bandit just swallowed her pride and showed her affection.

Cheris frowned. Was there anything she could do to make it easier on him? She was already doing her best to make Sabo feel important and loved, willing him to teach her and showing her gratitude for his care, but Ace... - she looked at him- , he seemed so out of reach.

Gently, she put a hand on his head, stroking his raven locks, which earned her another angry glare.

"What d'you think you're doing, woman?!" He didn't move away though, keeping on eating his meat.

They care for you. She wanted to say, but couldn't find the words. Instead, she gave him a warm smile, before moving away again. She could hear him grumbling something incoherent, but decided to just let it slide, seeing the red tint on his cheeks.

Operation get Ace to like you, begin.

Plan one: Lunch Boxes

"What do you want idiot woman?" Ace asked in annoyance, glaring up at Cheris. She had pulled him back into the cave right after he stepped out.

"Food." She took his wrist and pulled his hand up, dropping a wrapped box on it. "Here."

He looked at her in confusion, before sniffing at the box. All he did was raise an eyebrow at her, before he left without so much as a thank you.

Well, what did she expect?

The next day she found the same box, trashed in front of the cave.

Plan one: Failed.

Plan two: There-really-is-no-plan-two-just-be-fucking-nice-all-the-time-plan

She never claimed to be a great thinker. There wasn't much she could really do besides cook and talk.

She frowned.

Perhaps if she just kept up with making lunch boxes every day something would change. She's been at it for at least two months. Ace did nothing to show her that what she was doing was right, or whether he even liked her or not. Most of the time it didn't feel like he did. Most of the time, she felt like she was nothing more than a burden to the boys.

Perhaps it wasn't that important for him to like her… She could look out for him either way. It was fine this way…

"I'm back!" Sabo called out, entering the cave.

"Welcome home." Cheris smiled at him, already having prepared everything for dinner. Ace wordlessly dragged another crocodile inside, before instantly snatching the food.

"How was your day?" She sat down beside Sabo, taking her own makeshift plate.

Said boy chuckled, grinning widely. "Great! We managed to steal without getting into a fight today! Also, I beat Ace to the cave."

"Don't tell that idiot woman!" Said boy yelled angrily, scowling at them.

Cheris sighed, her expression falling for just a moment, before she quickly put on a smile. "I'm su-"

"Shut up!"

She jumped in surprise, silencing the moment Ace demanded her to. That glower he was giving her... It was scary. Why was he that angry? What had she done?

Afraid of his stare, she averted her eyes, mutely setting down her plate. He had never liked her very much, but it had never been this bad either.

Saying that Ace was furious was an understatement. He was downright livid. How long was that dumb girl going to mock him? Always looking down on him with those knowing eyes. If it weren't for Sabo, he would have long finished her off. He hated the way she looked at him, as if she knew everything. She knew shit about him. He didn't need pity. She even went as far as to make him extra food, which he obviously just dumped the moment he was out of Sabo's sight. She had the blonde wrapped around her little finger, but he'd never let her get to him.

"Ace, don't you think that this is a little harsh?"

Sabo knew about his opinion. He had told him, but the other boy had insisted on giving her a chance. He did, but he still didn't change his mind. There was something foul about her, yet sometimes, her words felt genuine...

"It's fine Sabo. I'm sorry." Cheris bowed her head, then silently finished her dinner. She looked heartbroken.

Sabo threw Ace a look, telling him that they would have a talk later.

No one dared to speak after the little incident. The air was as thick as butter. It took a while for someone to eventually decide to break the silence.

"Fire."

"Huh?" Sabo and Ace perked up as Cheris spoke. She shook her head, as if she had just changed her mind.

"I don't like fire. I like you two." A small smile tugged on her lips, before standing up and sitting down on her blanket. "I will always like you two."

Ace growled in frustration, anger fading away as soon as the words had left the girl's mouth. She had no reason to like him. He always yelled at her, insulted her even and never gave her much of attention otherwise. No one in their right mind would like someone like him. No one would like a monster... He didn't deserve this.

Sabo chuckled, taking off his top-hat and setting it beside his own blanket. "For starters, I like you too and Ace'll come around-"

"Like hell I will!" The freckled boy stood up, stomping out of the cave without saying goodbye.

"I'm sorry." Cheris said once more, directed at Sabo, who just shook his head.

"It's not your fault. He's-... complicated."

Cheris stood up as well, wrapping the blanket around herself and picked up some sweets she had stashed in the cave. She couldn't let Ace run off like this after what just happened. He'd end up picking unnecessary fights. She had seen it. She had seen it in his eyes. They changed the moment she told him that she liked him just as much as she liked Sabo. Pain… He looked like he was struggling with himself so much.

"You're going after him." It wasn't a question. Sabo knew her well enough by now.

"Yes. I'll be back."

The blonde scowled grimly. He didn't like this. It was already evening. It would be dark soon and Cheris still wasn't able to walk long distances. "I'll come with you."

She was about to shake her head, but decided against that. It would be futile. Sabo could be just as stubborn as the raven haired boy.

"Okay." She offered him her hand. It always calmed her down, knowing that Sabo was around. He had unknowingly been her last support when everything else was gone, left behind in a past she could never return to. "Thank you."

He took it, careful not to grab on too tightly. His other hand was occupied with his trademark pipe.

It was quiet and soon dark, just like Sabo had anticipated. Ace was nowhere to be seen, but Cheris didn't let up. He had to be around here somewhere. What if he got himself into trouble he couldn't get out of? Or hurt badly? After all these months, he had grown on her so much despite his cold attitude. Even though she knew, that he'd heal up just fine, she couldn't bear with the thought of having him hurt.

She softly tugged at Sabo's hand, who was had been walking on ahead.

"Let's head to Gray Terminal." Cheris suggested. Ace probably went to find some poor guy he could beat up in frustration.

Sabo tensed, instantly turning to look at her with disbelief written all over his face. "Are you nuts?! I can't take you there. It's dangerous."

She knew that. Grey Terminal at night was full of thugs and thieves, scavenging the trash heaps and pick-pocketing everyone that had any kind of valuable possessions. Sabo had already told her enough about his and Ace's adventures there. To say she wasn't scared would be a lie. She was downright terrified, but leaving Ace to his own devices was out of question. She'd have to make sure that he was fine first. Physically and emotionally.

Cheris met Sabo with a reassuring smile, trying to believe her own words. "Don't worry."

They were staring at each other in silence, seemingly arguing without having to utter a single word. Sabo's eyes were narrowing at her, his lips pressed into a thin line. He was less than keen about her suggestion. She'd get herself torn apart there. He couldn't offer her complete safety when he was fighting and she wasn't capable of doing so herself. It was a horrible idea to take her there.

Then he felt her wriggle her fingers out of his grasp and two arms around him, pulling him into a loose hug. Cheris was soft. She had fortunately gained back her flesh and some muscles without any problem. Her bones weren't that prominent anymore.

"Sabo, thank you for worrying about me, but I'll be fine."

She always knew just what to say to pacify him. He sighed wearily, leaning into her.

"Fine." He grumbled unhappily. "But we're not staying for long, got it?"

Nonetheless, he had a bad feeling about this.

Cheris nodded into his shoulder, letting go of him. He was such a mother hen, even though she was the older one, by years. She had found out that both boys were only nine, soon to be ten, while she was already thirteen. They would meet Luffy when they turned ten. Maybe with some persuasion, Ace would be a little kinder to the younger boy...

Once they had made it to Grey Terminal, Sabo pushed ahead, keeping Cheris behind him. He could hear the hushed whispers around them. The people around here had to be remembering the incident with Cheris in High Town. It had been quite the news to everyone. And that was why he wasn't comfortable with the girl lurking around this place. It was bad enough that she was pushing it by running around so much in her state. Having curious people approach them, without knowing their intentions was something they didn't need right now.

His eyes carefully scanned the area as they proceeded to trudge through the heaps of trash. His whole body was tense, ready to move the moment someone dared to approach them. There were too many people creeping around here. Everywhere he looked, he could make out distinct movements. Why Cheris would want to follow Ace this much was beyond him, but he knew once she was set on doing something, she would, even without his consent. He'd rather stay beside her than stay behind, not knowing what would happen if she were to be alone.

"That is what you get for messing with us, brat!"

Both Sabo and Cheris stilled at the sudden outburst, trying to pinpoint where it came from.

"Fuck off bastard!"

That was Ace.

Despite all logic, Cheris instantly sprinted towards the noise, only coming to halt at the sight of a group of men beating down the freckled boy. One was holding his arms behind his back, making it impossible to move them. Another one had his pipe, using it to beat the already bleeding child. He looked miserable. Everything was soaked in crimson.

Cheris sucked in a breath, barely containing her anger. Ace. Ace was being hurt. There was so much blood. WHO DARED TO PUT A HAND ON A CHILD LIKE HIM?!

She was trembling, her whole body shaking with fury. Balling her hands into tight fists, she got ready to burst into the scene. Her mind wasn't able to form a single coherent thought, clouded by anger.

Sabo was right behind her. "Don't!" He grabbed her wrist, quickly pulling her back behind some broken fridge.

"You can't just run there Cheris. You don't have any experience fighting and that are six fully grown men. What were you thinking?!" He tried to keep his voice as quiet as possible, not letting go of the girl.

"Ace." She seemed to be on the brink of tears. "He's bleeding so much. He's hurt." Her words began as a tremble, then growing into an angry growl. "They hurt him."

Sabo had never seen Cheris this furious before. It was an unfitting picture, but he completely understood her. Those suckers deserved a kick up their backsides. He couldn't help his own growl that made its way past his lips.

"Stay here." He let go of her wrist, instantly running off to help his friend out of the lurch.

Stay here. As if! She couldn't let them do everything on their own, when she was here as well. She refused to be the useless damsel in distress. Peeking at the scene from where she was hiding, Cheris frowned, her heartbeat loudly thumping against her chest.

There had to be something she could do.

Ace was freed, both boys fighting to the best of their abilities. They were strong. Seeing them fight up close was breathtaking. It looked like they were dancing, every movement perfectly coordinated to fit the others'. Even if they were taking quite the few hits themselves, they definitely delivered some hard blows themselves. They were a perfect team, always having each others backs, until- NO!

"SABO LOOK OUT!"

BANG!

The deafening blast of a gun going off, rang though the air.

No! Nononono!

All she could see, was Sabo's form, meekly crumpling to the ground.

NO

A lump began to form in her throat, making it hard to breath as a cold shiver ran down her spine, yet it felt like her insides were melting, hot fire coursing through her veins, eating her up from the inside. It was hot and cold at the same time.

She balled her fists, her nails ripping through the bandages.

Sabo. Sabo was shot and all she had done was watch.

Everything went red.

Without making a sound, she dashed at the one holding the still smoking gun, her expression mirroring her inner turmoil. She was losing control. She didn't even notice that she had dropped her bag and blanket, one of her hands finding its way onto the knife Ace had provided her with months ago. It was cool to the touch, like she remembered it to be. She didn't have to think twice about how to handle it, her body memory unconsciously taking over. Instincts, one might call it.

The man was grinning. HOW DARE HE GRIN AT THAT?! Her knife was securely gripped and without a second thought, she sliced off his hand, knowing where to place the blade from all her experience of cutting apart animals. There wasn't a single crunch, signaling her that it had been a clean cut.

She clumsily dropped to the ground. Her body dragged over the uneven gravel, shredding apart her bandages and tearing up her sensitive skin. She could feel her blood oozing out of the many small cuts, but chose to neglect the stinging throb in favor of bobbing back up to her feet.

"AHHH!" The man screamed out in shock and pain. His eyes instantly finding her crouched in front of him. "You ugly BITCH!" Then he made to grab her, but Cheris wasted no time watching what she had done to him, instead swiftly rammed the knife into his rips, aiming for his lungs. There was barely any resistance, her blade only meeting flesh. He doubled over as soon as she breached his skin. Using the opportunity, she hit the back of his head as hard as possible, causing him to drop to the ground.

Her whole body was yelling in protest. Everything hurt and she was sure that her thin skin had ripped in some places.

In the blackness of the night, it was hard to make out anything. Only a couple of stars lit up the otherwise pitch-black sky, offering what scarce luminescence they had down on earth, but it was enough. It was enough to see what was right in front of one.

Ace was still trying to fight off the other three men that were left and without Sabo, it seemed like he was starting to be cornered. Despite that, he had it in him to keep all of them occupied as she had done her thing.

Taking in a deep breath, she suppressed the need to rest and jumped at her next prey, her legs moving on their own accord.

"WHAT THE FUCK?!" The man hadn't seen her coming, only noticing her when she had already literally stabbed his back. However, exhaustion was slowing her down and before she could move away, someone had grabbed her hair, roughlessly dangling her in the air. Her knife dropped to the ground, leaving her helpless and at the mercy of her attacker.

FUCK OUCH ouch ouch! Frantically, Cheris tried to get him to release her, scratching at his arm that was holding her up. Tears prickled in her eyes. It hurt. He was ripping out her freaking hair! Everything burned, reminding her of that day. So much pain.

"LET HER GO YOU ASSHOLE!"

Suddenly, she was dolorously dropped to the ground as the man yowled loudly, before collapsing in front of her.

"YOU IDIOT WOMAN!" Ace yelled at her out of the blue.

But she wasn't paying him any heed. Instead, she crawled over to Sabo, panic keeping her going. He was pale. Too pale, his blood already having soaked through his coat. The bullet had pierced through his midriff, hopefully missing any vital organs.

With utmost care, Cheris pulled off his clothes, wanting to see what she could do. Probably not much. She'd had some knowledge about first aid, but being shot wasn't very common in a country that didn't sell weapons to just anyone. He was still warm, which was good, but at the rate that he was losing blood, it wouldn't stay that way for very long. She wanted to help him right away, but her hands were drenched in blood. Blood of those she had struck down. It would be irresponsible and dumb to try and do something that way. There would be a risk of getting a stranger's blood into Sabo's system.

At the very least it seemed, that the bullet had cleanly gone through and didn't stay inside. All she could do for now, was to wrap it up and try to stop the bleeding. She was breathing heavily, tired from the fight. She could barely keep her legs from buckling and keeping her eyes open was a whole other problem. However, they couldn't stay here. Those men would only be out for so long and none of them were able to handle them a second time.

Cautiously, she lifted the unconscious blonde, not wanting to aggravate the injury. She had ripped apart her blanket and done what she could to cover the injury.

"Let's go home Ace." She called out to him. He had been silent ever since the fight ended, solely staring at her in disbelief.

Why?! Why had she come her? Ace took in a shaky breath. Why did she help him? She could have died! She was so dumb! That idiot! And Sabo. He got shot because of him!

He eventually sank to his knees, hitting the ground with his fists in frustration. He was no good… Perhaps they were really better off without him… better off with him dead.

Cheris hobbled over to him, seeing that he wasn't following her.

"GO AWAY!" His voice was trembling as he looked at her with wide eyes. "FUCK OFF!" But nothing he said seemed to reach her. She only stopped when she was right in front of him. Her hand raised as if she was to slap him. He had already closed his eyes in anticipation, but instead of the sting he had been expecting, he felt her gently, almost fearfully, caressing his cheek. Her thumb ghosted over his skin, before she proceeded to tenderly stroke through his tangled hair.

"You're alive." Her voice was airy. "I'm glad."

She was glad that he was alive? He averted his eyes, bowing his head in shame. For months he had been giving this girl the cold shoulder for no reason, no reason at all and she still had it in her to care for him.

Guilt bubbled up in his gut.

"You want me to live?" He asked, his voice barely above a whisper, cracking.

As if it was the most obvious thing, she chuckled at his question, pulling him into a one armed hug.

He let her.

"Of course."

He sucked in a breath. Damn it, he was such a fucking idiot.

"We need to leave. Come on."

She let go of him, quickly grabbing his hand instead and dragged him along. He'd never admit it to anyone later, but he was crying as he followed her that night.

Once they were back at the cave, Cheris tentatively placed Sabo on his blanket and went to get their medical supplies. Luckily enough, they had a whole stash to choose from, since both Sabo and she agreed that it was a necessity. Ever since she could move on her own, she had been taking care of Sabo's injuries. He often came back bruised and beaten up from his day with Ace and she herself had to replace her bandages on a regular basis. Sabo always took care of that...

Wordlessly, she got rid of the soaked gauze that was sticking around her hands and disinfected them, before getting everything set up next to her charge. Ace had slumped down against the cave wall with the oil lamp next to him, watching her as she nervously undressed his friend. He could see her panting, swaying every now and then too. She was in no condition to patch up anyone. He was surprised that she was still conscious at all.

But he was relieved.

Both, because he knew that she would still do a better job than he would on Sabo even with her barely being awake and because he felt like a weight that had long been bearing down on him had been lifted off his shoulders. Curling up, he rested his head on his knees, his eyes never leaving the strange girl. Her hands expertly slid across the blonde's body, visibly adept in this area of expertise.

"Where did you learn to do this? Did you have younger siblings?" Ace was legitimately curious. Cheris knew how to handle both him and Sabo without having met them too long ago. She could treat injuries, cook, do laundry and then there was the way she worried about them…

Cheris stilled, her hand lying heavy on her patient's chest. For only a moment a sliver of despair flashed across her eyes. Then she moved again.

"I used to help other people a lot."

Ace was sitting in the background, intently listening. Why was she this persistent? Why did she keep everything about herself under wraps? All they - including even Sabo - knew was that she had a dislike for fire, although she seemed to be fine preparing meals for them, and now apparently used to help other people. It was one of the reasons why he just couldn't fully trust her, even if she just proved herself to be dependable today. He could accept her and perhaps even grow to like her, but he could never trust someone that didn't trust anyone else.

It was a mystery. He bit his lower lip. He just couldn't freaking understand that idiot woman, not when he was doubting her words. She claimed to stay with them because she liked them, but would someone, who used to have a steady life they could return to, really stay merely because they liked someone? He couldn't believe that. There was more to her than she was willing to expose.

She didn't trust them. She didn't trust herself.

Ace clenched his fists, closing his eyes. As long as she preferred to keep everything concerning her under wraps, he just couldn't let her closer to him.

"Let me look at you too when I'm done." Cheris' gaze wandered over Sabo's face. He had been scrunching it up when she was treating the wound with alcohol, but he seemed content for now. Hopefully, he would get better soon...

Affectionately, she brushed her hand over his forehead. She didn't know if this was supposed to happen. The manga had never provided anyone with information about the time before Ace and Sabo met Luffy. She only knew that they had already met each other before the younger one practically barged into their lives

"You're weird."

"Thank you." She smiled at the freckled boy, gesturing for him to come over. Surprisingly, he complied without complaining for once.

What if she changed the way Luffy and Ace met? Maybe, if she found a reason good enough to head down to Windmill Village on a regular basis to monitor what was happening, she could weasel her way into Luffy's life early and convince Ace that he should treat the younger boy well… Would it change a lot if she did that? After all, their relationship and trust was built on the fact that Luffy kept quiet about their secret when he was caught by those pirates… but she couldn't knowingly let a child be tortured like that. There had to be a different way to settle things. She refused to believe that everything was written in stone. Letting things play out like they did in the manga wouldn't necessarily mean that she was being humane. They were real…. All those characters, they were real. Just because she knew one way things could happen, didn't mean that they had to. What kind of person would willingly let someone suffer for some so called 'greater good'?

It was decided then. She'd find an excuse to go see Luffy and change up some things that didn't sit well with her conscience. There were more paths to take and more decisions to make than just the ones she knew.

A relaxed smile unconsciously played on her lips as she gently rubbed away all the dirt and blood from the seemingly brooding boy's skin. She was careful not to hurt him even more.

"Why did you stay?" Ace's stare bore into her head, but all she did was to continue cleaning up his wounds. Her smile faltered a little, barely visible to someone who wasn't paying attention... but he did. He had given her a chance; a chance to clear his suspicions, but she had chosen to wave if off.

"I-" She stopped for a moment. "You saved my life and I like you two. So I want to stay and help."

Again with this answer. Ace had to force himself not to hit her skull for it. "What about those people you used to help?" He inquired instead, listening to Sabo's advises for once.

The people she used to help? Fire. They…. They were burnt; dead. She had killed them. Cheris shivered at the thought. "They don't need me anymore." No, they never did in the first place. After all, it was her help that had brought them to their early graves.

Her hands were shaking, making it harder to wrap the bandages around the freckled boy.

She wasn't ready yet. She wasn't ready to talk about what had happened yet. All this time was spent trying to forget, trying to deny, that that day even existed. She had other things to worry about here. There was enough to keep her mind occupied, but… She knew that one day Ace and Sabo would grow curious. She couldn't keep it hidden in the farthest corner of her mind forever… but for now, that was what she would do. For a little longer at least.

Ace took ahold of her wrist, forcing her to stop. It stung.

"You're always lying, aren't you?" Oh shit, he hadn't planned on being too demanding. Sabo still needed her to look after him. He knew that she was someone very special to the usually perceptive boy or else he would have long noticed her fishy behavior.

She bit her lower lip, unsure of how to react to that. The accusation stung.

"You pretend like you don't need help, but you're practically impaired." He poked her upper arm, where blood was already staining her once white bandages. He had to backpedal. She jerked back at the contact, but at the same time relief eased her ever worrying mind. She had thought that Ace meant something entirely different. This-, this was fine. Let him believe that she was only hiding her superficial pain, little did she know, that the boy knew much more than she suspected.

"I don't like it, but I'll accept it idiot woman." He was grinning at her, telling her that she wasn't on his black list anymore in his own quirky way. For now.

Cheris chuckled. "Thank you. I'm happy."

It was late. Too late for Cheris to let Ace go home and be square with her conscience. Obviously, he was strong enough and had been running around places long before she popped up, but something could always happen… She'd be at ease, if he stayed for just one night. With Sabo in this condition, she could always use some help anyways.

"All done." Tying the last piece of bandage securely around Ace's arm, she gently pat it. She was expecting him to immediately jump up from where he was sitting, however, instead she was met with a soundly sleeping raven haired boy.

Cute. She giggled silently, standing up to grab some more blankets as well as picking up the oil lamp that they were using as a light source - the inside bonfire had always made her nervous, so she had asked for a lamp - , carrying everything over to were Sabo and Ace were getting some well deserved shut eye.

She had known about Ace's condition. Narcolepsy. Nonetheless it came as quite the surprise when she first witnessed him falling asleep on the spot. Sometimes Sabo would carry him back to the cave or even when they were fighting outside, he'd just drop like a sack of potatoes. Somehow it felt more dangerous than the manga had depicted it to be. It had been displayed as a comic relief, untrue to its real nature.

Carefully, she laid the blankets next to Sabo. They had to keep him warmed up. With how much blood he had lost, his body temperature was sure to drop and most likely rise up later on. He'd probably develop a fever overnight.

It didn't take long for her to get Ace tucked in next to Sabo. He instinctively scooted even closer to him. Oh how she wished she still had her phone to take pictures. Maybe she could find some kind of camera somewhere around this world. With a gentle expression, she stroked over both boy's heads. She didn't know when it happened, but over the course of the past few months she had spent with those two troublemakers, she had come to see them as people instead of characters like she had in the beginning.

Turning off the light, she went to lie down on Sabo's other side, shielding him from the colder air as much as possible and hopefully keeping him from moving too much. It would aggravate his already bad injury.

In spite of having thread on the thin line of consciousness, she couldn't seem to be able to fall asleep, worries nagging on the back of her mind. She didn't have the strength to sit up and wrap herself anymore, but chasing after sleep seemed just as tiring.

She sighed. It would only get worse in the future. This was nothing compared to all the things that would happen on the Grand Line. A bullet wound was something people there would only laugh at and here she was, panicking already. How was she supposed to live with things like this on a regular basis?! Damn, she fucking cut off someone's hand today.

Her guts did uncomfortable flip-flops at the thought, causing nausea to shake her body. It didn't feel any different from cutting apart dead animals - not the least -and in that moment, she had not had a single qualm about hurting and crippling someone. Oh god, she had crippled someone. She had crippled someone and didn't feel bad about it. That jackass had shot Sabo. He had it coming. She didn't have to feel guilty about it. The man had chosen to live the life he did and should know what to expect from it. He was an adult after all.

But in the end, she had still actively hurt someone.

Swallowing thickly, Cheris pressed shut her eyes, trying to forget. She didn't want to think about that. She didn't want to think about anything at all. She had done something awful. She had acted on impulse, but it would happen again and again and again…. There was no use beating herself up over something she had yet to learn to control… She could have… She could have had the self-control to think before acting. No- Not what someone precious to her was being hurt. They had picked the wrong boys to mess with. She had sworn to protect them at all cost and if that meant fighting off others so be it.

She had to grow strong enough to be able to do so. She had to train herself… She had never been a fighter or athletic in any way. She was pretty much a couch potato, but for them, she'd do anything and she already had an idea.

She'd become a marine.

A/N: Thank you everyone. I was positively surprised to find that some people actually favorited and followed this story after my last update. It made me incredibly happy! Knowing that there are people out there supporting me with this fanfiction is a huge help. It boosts my confidence a lot. I've decided to try and keep somewhat regular updates. It might not always work, but I'll give it my best. Thank you!

Cynical Internet: Thank you so so much for reviewing! I can't count the times I went and re-read it. I'm happy that it seems my English is still good enough to be read and that no one is OOC up until now :) I honestly didn't expect anyone to leave a comment, but I'm indescribably grateful! I'll definitely try to keep at least one or two updates a week up!

Love, Jay