ChriComplex have drawn another drawing for this fanfic, it's the last one on the list on my profile, Sibling Love. Please go check it out, she did a damn good job with it!

And I'm so sorry for the delay. Life's been hectic, and my muse practically divorced me right before New Years…

One Piece and its characters belong to Eiichiro Oda. Dominica belongs to me.

"Hey, Pink." Said man looked up at Dominica who sat down beside him in the bar. At first he was a bit surprised at seeing here there. For the last few times they had docked at an harbour she had kept herself hidden in her infirmary, running tests and experimenting on god knows what. Seeing her outside in broad daylight would surprise anyone.

"Young Mistress." He nodded in acknowledgment and returned to his drink, the smoke from his cigar rising towards the roof.

"Lately you've been more… happy." He paused before turning to completely look at her.

"What makes you say that?"

"You're like a fucking sun showering the rest of us in sunshine and my tan is turning into sunburn." Both poetic and insulting, Pink thought with a chuckle.

"What gave it away?"

"The big ass neon sign above your head." Again he laughed, and Dominica turned towards him as well, one arm resting on the bar counter and supporting her chin.

"But seriously, what's going on?" It was not like Pink had thought to keep it a secret from the crew. None of them had simply asked him what was going on, or noticed his chipper mood for that matter. Dominica was the first to ask, the first to notice, and it made him realize that he had told no one, because he had never thought about telling them.

Because he had never thought he would ever get into such a situation the moment he became a pirate.

"I got married." She raised an eyebrow. The blonde pirate doctor had not expected that answer from him, and she had not expected him to sound so happy about it either. She had seen many happy looking couples, and while she had never been married ,her childhood had only shown her the abusive relationship between her beloved mother and spiteful father. It was hard for her to really believe that people who were married were happy about it. It was hard for her to believe anything good could come out of it. She started to wonder if Pink would turn into the same creature as her father had been.

"So, that's a good thing?" Pink stared at her as if she had grown a second head, and she guessed her question was odd. She quickly rephrased it.

"I mean, is she the one?"

"Yes!" He nodded vigorously and began ranting about how perfect his little wife was, from her light coloured hair; to the freckles dotting her cheeks and the sweet smile that spread across her cheeks when she saw him, and how she was with child.

His child.

"You're going to be a father?" The revelation caused something to stir deep within Dominica's heart. This was something she also saw as a positive outcome, the birth of new life, innocent lilfe, but at the same time she was struck with jealousy. She also wanted children… She shook her head lightly. Sugar was an adorable little sister, and she loved spoiling the little girl. She guessed that as a pirate, that was as far as she'd go. But then, Pink was a pirate too…

"How is her condition then?" Her instincts as a doctor kicked in then, a welcome distraction from the dark path her mind was treading. "Has she suffered any symptoms that are in no way beneficial?" Pink shook his head but then looked at her imploringly, and she almost regretted asking.

"Would you mind taking a look at her, Young Mistress?"

"Me?" She was a pirate doctor, she practiced patching people up or cutting them up, it all depended on the situation. She had little practice with pregnancy and the likes, as she had never come across a situation where she could cultivate what knowledge she had about it.

"Yes! There is no other doctor I would trust her with as much as you." She grinned at his words and slapped his back. He had instantly won her over. She now had a reason to pick up those books in the infirmary and expand her expertise.

"Sure I will. So, what's the name of the girl who married a pirate?" At this, Pink's good mood seemed to drain a bit and she frowned. "Pink?"

"She thinks I'm a banker." At first Dominica simply stared at him, mouth agape, before her eyes narrowed.

"She thinks you're a banker?" Pink nodded slowly. "So, you married someone based on a lie?"

"She doesn't like pirates." Dominica sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose before looking at Pink with an angry expression. "You married someone who can't love you for who you are? She can't be worth it then, if she can't look past what you chose to do!"

"She is worth it, Young Mistress! I love her with my all my heart!" Pink said with such determination it gave the pirate doctor pause. Dominica could see nothing good coming out of this. What if the woman found out and pushed Pink out of her life? What if she denied him watching his child grow up? Pink was a good man, and did not deserve such a fate. No one in the crew deserved that. Everyone deserved the unconditional love of their family. She continued to watch him, waiting for him to show some sort of waver in his iron like will, but there was none. Finally, she sighed and nodded.

"When do you want me to come by?" Her friend's expression lit up and he quickly began talking again, excited once more.

"Tomorrow! I want you to come by tomorrow!" She supressed the urge to sigh. Another all-nighter.

"Alright." Dominica said and clapped his shoulder as she stood up, leaving the bar. As she breathed in the fresh air she came to a decision. She was going to talk to Pink's wife, and make sure she would never hurt her friend, because then there would be hell to pay, her comrade's wife or not.

"Everything seems to be in order, Ms. Lucian." Dominica said in her detached polite manner as she put away her equipment and stuffed it in her bag, a bit more hurried than was normal. "Have you felt anything unusual since you began to show? Anything uncomfortable or the like?" Lucian shook her head with a small smile, the freckles dotting her cheeks were indeed making her an adorable lady and Pink's presence amplified the smile. Dominica watched as Pink laid a hand on the bulging stomach, grinning widely and listened to the soft laughter of Lucian. They were the perfect family picture, eagerly awaiting their third member, and unleashing such bright happiness upon their surroundings which almost blinded Dominica.

And she felt a stab at her heart.

She had never really given it much thought, such happiness. She had thought about it once or twice, yes, but not so much that it would occupy her thoughts. Watching it now, she wished her own parents had shared such joy when they learned of the conception of her and Doflamingo. She was sure that their father had cared nothing about it, and that their mother was surely quite horrified about carrying the noble's children. Doflamingo and Dominica had been lucky that their mother had been a decent human being, someone who loved them no matter who their father was when they were brought into the world.

'No, not father. He merely donated his seed, that's all it was.' Everything she had thought about saying to Lucian when she had a moment alone with her faded away from her mind as she watched them. Maybe Pink was living a lie, but she had never seen anyone so happy while doing it. Jealously stirred deep, but she squashed it quickly. Instead of feeling jealous for something she herself had never experienced, she was going to be happy for her comrade. Lucian seemed to be quite the loving lady, and she also seemed to love Pink very much, despite him being gone for certain periods of time. Patient woman, the pirate doctor thought, as Lucian said that she was lonely when Pink was gone, but understood that he had to do his job, that she appreciating him working so hard to sustain them with a good lifestyle.

Dominica briefly wondered if other married couples also were like this.

She wondered if she would ever have any children of her own.

'Who'd ever want to marry a pirate… ?' She excused herself after offering her congratulations, which she had not properly given the couple yet, and returned back to the ship, where she locked herself in the infirmary and began to think. How could she ever attain that one thing that had been popping into her mind more frequently as of late?

Quite a few men had tried to earn her favour, and if she had not beaten them to a pulp, Doflamingo had killed them and pulled her close, laying claim on her. Nothing had truly changed; she still thought that she belonged to Doflamingo, as he belonged to her, but… She could not stop it, the feeling of wanting what Pink had now found in another.

She wanted a love and family too.

Had becoming a pirate to serve her brother been the right choice? Should she have searched another path? Did she even want to be a pirate anymore?

The crew was her family though, and what love was left in her was stretched thin for them, but… She realized she had curled up on herself and was now weeping into her arms. An instinct which she did not know had even existed within her was now openly fighting to break out, to chain her to its cage and never let go. It was fighting for control, and for the first time in her life, the urge to create life overpowered her urge to shed blood whenever her mood soured.

'What is happening to me?'

"Nica?" Doflamingo stood outside the door to the infirmary. He had seen her return to the ship with quick but silent strides, but she had disappeared beneath deck just as quickly as she had appeared, and that was hours ago. She still had not come out. He tried to knock, but there was no answer.

"Dominica?" He called again, using her full name this time, and finally he heard movement behind the door. It opened slightly, and he could see her blonde hair but nothing more.

"Why have you locked yourself in?" He asked and at first there was no answer. But then she spoke, and her voice was raspy, as if someone had forced sandpaper down her throat. He knew that pitch and forcefully pushed himself in, slamming the door behind him and grabbing her cheeks.

Wet.

The marks of salty drops marred her skin and the red eyes offered more proof to his suspicion.

"Why are you crying?"

"I'm not. I'm done." He frowned at her response and kept her looking at him. "Dominica, tell me what's wrong, please." How could she? How could she tell him that she doubted in her belief that being a pirate was her true path, or at least the path she wished to walk. She wanted to always be with him, but somehow that seemed to be such an impossible thing. She felt that the maternal urge that had risen in her in such an early age, that reminded her that the clock was ticking, that the years were passing by so quickly, made her believe she could not be with him and seek out that which Pink had acquired as well? She loved him, by everything that was good and holy, she loved her big brother and she would do anything for him, but this thought that had planted itself so firmly in her mind as she tormented herself over it was selfish.

Could she allow herself to be selfish?

"I-I am so confused, brother." She stuttered, eyes wide and tearful, lower lip quivering. "I don't know what I want anymore." Doflamingo was conflicted. All he wanted was for his little sister to be happy, to be safe, to live life as she saw fit, but even if he wished her all happiness in the world, he would not part with her. She belonged to him, with him.

"I will support you, whatever choice you make."

'But please, don't you ever leave me.' He saw her hand fist in the material over her stomach and his heart gave a painful twist. After having escaped the nightmare they had been forced to call him, Dominica had discovered that all the abuse she had suffered since childhood had left her damaged beyond repair. Some things were not meant to be, he thought, and reasoned with himself that her unbalanced mental state was a result of this damage. The only family by blood she would ever have was him.

And though he could not openly admit it, it pained him to see her agonize over this damage they had tried to leave behind.

"Oh Dominica…"