I have returned, I told you I'd be back :) , evem though even I doubted my sincerity at times.

I listened to The Doctor's Theme by Murray Gold while I wrote this, it felt fitting.

Beware the cheese in this chapter! It was necessary though, couldn't be helped. I will post a longer more eventful chapter later but I felt this needed to stand on it's own to gain the full effect.

Again, thank you so much for the reviews! You don't know what they mean to me.

/

Allblue95

The infirmary was almost completely dark, the only light coming from a cold lamp by the sink. The two people in the room were perfectly still in their positions, one due to unconsciousness, the other due to exhaustion and disappointment. Kiko's breathing was the same as it had been two hours ago, and Law's brain was struggling desperately with the fact that he'd caused this.

She was thin to the bone, unconscious and physically,and mentaly, hurt because of him. Because of his temper, because he was too eager in his pursuit to punish a possible traitor, a marine. He hated them with a fierce passion, and they had tried to infiltrate the Heart pirates before, but never gotten anywhere close. Law had assumed Kiko was one of them.

"Never assume Law, it's no good. Never leads ye anywhere nice." He assumed. He thought that was a habit he'd outgrown by now. 'Apparently not' . And Kiko was the one to suffer. Law looked up, seeing himself in the mirror across the room, his whole form almost completely drenched in shadow. Eyes traveling down they rested upon Kiko, her short black hair fanned out around her head on the pillow, her skin a deathly pale in the sparse light of the room, almost glowing in the otherwise dark room.

She'd now been unconscious for two weeks and four days and she still showed no sign of waking up. He had yet, for unknown reasons that continued to puzzle him, to leave her side, even for sleep. He'd taken the to sleeping on the second metal slab in the room, uncomfortable but it served it's purpose.

Finally having enough Law stood over her, tracing a finger down her hairline and down her chin, down her delicate throat, over the collarbone to lay a warm palm over where her heart would be. She looked so small, almost childlike, like this. Innocent. Removing his hand Law stepped outside and went to his quarters for a shower and bed. But not sleep, he highly doubted his mind would let him relax. Bepo followed his captains request and took his place to watch over her while he was gone.

XXX

Darkness, pain, worry, guilt, despair, darkness, cold, LIFE!

One deep breath and it all came crashing down, the memories resurfacing, the pain, the emotion. Something warm and soft and furry placed itself on her forehead, instantly calming her down. Breathing ragged Kiko pried her eyes open to be met by a pair of black beady ones. Bepo. Sweet sweet Bepo. But where was Law? Law. The name seemed to echo every time she thought it. The white bear seemed to understand her eye's silent question she had yet to actually voice.

"Law left here a few hours ago, to take a shower and sleep. You've slept for over two weeks, he's never left your side until now. " Kiko could only blink up at him as her muddled brain tried to take it all in. Her brow furrowed in confusion, this didn't make any sense. She was still alive, that much was for certain. But why? Why was she still alive? Had Law decided that it would be more painful for her to stay alive and suffer through whatever punishment he had in mind? But then why had he stayed at her side while she 'slept', as Bepo put it?

She was so into her thoughts that she didn't notice the bear had let go and disappeared out the door. Only when the light from the doorway was blocked by a tall and surprisingly hat-less stature did she come back to reality. His face was obscured in darkness and Kiko gulped tightly around her dry throat, trying to will her limbs to get her to move at least to the other side of the room. But her legs wouldn't budge, and he now took a step forward, then another, and another until he stood beside her, looming over her with his height. Raising a hand towards her she flinched, but he kept getting closer, Kiko closing her eyes awaiting the pain she was sure to come.

Soft big hands suddenly cradled her head and back and she felt her shaking chest meet his as he embraced her tightly, the hold soft but unyielding. Fingers threading through soft strands of hair he buried his eyes in her neck. Her hands finally waking to life they found his trademark hoodie, resting against it softly for a moment before suddenly clinging to it for dear life, her tears soaking his front.

"Captain"

"Miss Kiko."

"Just Kiko. Please."

"Kiko"