Chapter four
✔ Reality's Nightmare ✕

Mei gasped as firm arms slithered around her waist, pulling her into the rough chest. Her hands immediately pried where the mans hands knotted, trying to break loose. She didn't know if it was Law playing a joke, or maybe he had planned this from the beginning and really was a twisted pirate who she feared and despised. Her mind yanked her thinking around, ripping it from, 'it's Law' to 'what if it's an intruder'?

With a light motion, the man behind her brushed his lips against her cold ears, muttering ever-so-softly, "looks like we're not alone."

Mei didn't know if she should feel relieved that it was Law, or frightened. They weren't alone? What did Law mean by that? Mei's thoughts vanished as Law carelessly pushed the small lady down onto the couch. With all the fear that froze her bones, she wasn't able to seem to lift herself back to her feet.

Mei's eyes struggled to adjust to the darkness that filled her house.

"W-we're not alone?" Mei regretted speaking as she heard the pathetic quivers throughout her words. Mentally slapping herself repetitively, Mei tried calming her nerves as she sat up from the couch.

"Stay there, I don't need you getting in the way." Law's cold words pelted her like ice cubes.

Fiddling her hand into her pocket, Mei searched for the only solution to this mystery that she could think of. Her matches. Finally grabbing grip of them, she pulled them out and with a flick of her wrist, a small flame fluttered onto the tip of the small stick.

Mei's eyes hesitantly wandered the room. Her heart quickened when she seen no sign of anyone, that included Law. Her eyes planted themselves at the unlit candle that had so peacefully lit the room no longer than 10 minutes ago.

"... Law?" Mei whispered loudly. The darkness around her made her intimidated and she couldn't help but whisper. If there were an intruder, they would of without a doubt heard Mei's call out. Although, so should of Law.

Forcing her legs, Mei stood up and edged away from the couch, searching the corners of the room. Where did Law go!? He was here just a second ago? The more Mei thought, the more her heart pounded and wanted to run away from this situation.

"Law...!?" Mei used a grumble to cover up her quivering voice. "Are you here?"

Without a second to process what was happening, something gave what sounded like.. a light hiss and within a matter of seconds, she was pounced by something with sharp claws. Letting out a screech, Mei grabbed the furry creature and pried it from her, now ripped, shirt.

Disaster after disaster.

"I told y-"

Law couldn't finish his sentence as he was bombarded by the small body of the girl. She grabbed onto his bare chest with her fragile, cold hands and stuffed her head into his chest. Law felt the dampness of her teary eyes smudge across his chest as she whimpered.

With a small grin, Law gave a sigh, "look, it's just a fur ball."

Not daring to remove her head from Law's chest, she heard the meow echo behind her. Her sobbing thickened as she once again mentally slapped herself. She was crying over a cat. The fear she had been swamped with, was because of a cat.

I'm pathetic, were the only words that scanned throughout her thoughts.

Changing this dramatic scene, Law stepped forward, pushing the girl against the wall. Once he had her arms pinned above her head with his one hand, he leaned his chest back, revealing the girls wet face. With his free hand, he placed his big hand on her small waste, pulling her into him ever-so-lightly. Mei was lost for words, and Law took advantage of the situation.

"Now, now." He muttered lowly, his eyes reading into her bright blue ones. "What am I going to do with a crew member who gets a heart attack over a little fuzzy creature?" A devious grin was spread all over Law's features.

Opening her mouth to speak, Mei shut it as quickly as she opened it. She gave the air one good sniff and furrowed her eyebrow. What was this smell..? It was a smell she was all to familiar with. The smell of smoke. Fire. Ashes.

She ripped her eyes away from the mans dark orbs, no matter how much her conscience pleaded not too. Her eyes were attracted to the red flickering flames that were spreading across her rug, jumping onto her couch, and soon had engulfed half of her room.

Realization hit her like a tsunami. She had dropped the match when she was attacked by the cat.

".. No..!" Mei choked. What was with her luck today? First the rain and having to share her house with a pirate, second a heart attack by a cat and third, her house was going to burn down!? What in the actual fu-

Law growled, he hated being interrupted whether it was by his subordinates or even a fire. He hated it. Just hated it.

"Come on, we have to get out of here.." Law mumbled, tightly grabbing her wrist and yanking her behind him as they quickly staggered out of the burning house and into the rain which still pelted down as hard as before.

"...Nooo!" Mei shouted, pulling her wrist away from Law's grip. "No, no, nooo!" As she screamed she felt her vocal cords scratch against each other, her voice would be soar if she kept screaming like a dying child.

"My pictures! They're all I have left of my family! Of Kidd..!" Mei pleaded, her tears cascading down her cheeks, mixing in with the salty rain. Mei had hated Kidd, Law thought, so why did she have pictures of him. And why did she want to save them? So many questions Law wanted to find the answers to. There was no way he was letting her go back into the falling house. He wasn't letting his answers go.

Mei kicked and pounded on Law's arms as he harshly threw her over his shoulder. "If you go back in there, you're better than dead."

"If I lose the only thing that reminds me of me of all I had, then being dead is what I want!" Mei couldn't control her sobs and her limbs eventually got tired of wailing around. Within 10 minutes, she had lost all life so it seemed.

Hearing that she would rather die for the past than to look into the future, the upset Law spotted a nearby shed. It looked as if one that held tools and old material. With the rain harassing them like this, they had no choice to take shelter or else they would surely catch colds. Law was more worried about Mei and how she already had a cold.

He dug his way towards the shed, his bare chest being pelted by the rain. Swinging open the shed door, he dropped the weak girl, for a change, gently, on the ground, shutting the shed door behind him. The shed was big enough for about 4 people, so they had just enough room to move around and not be smashed up against each other. Although they might not of been smashed up against each other, but they would certainly have to share the room.

Law's eyes roamed over her ripped shirt and how it revealed patches of her pale, smooth skin. Tired himself, Law slid down the wooden wall next to Mei. Stretching his legs out, he let a light moan escape his lips as the sensation of stretching his soar legs out felt like heaven. Shutting his eyes, he leaned his head back on the wall, his dark hair letting the droplets of water drip down and onto the splintered ground. Within seconds he couldn't keep himself from loosing conscience any longer and into a slumber he drifted.

So sorry it took awhile, if any one you actually were waiting (I doubt it haha), I apologize.
So leave your thoughts in the review please? Those inspire me to write quicker and stuff.
Thanks for reading~ byebye for now my lovelys.