Panting lightly, Law emerged out into the parking lot. He caught sight of Doflamingo staggering slightly towards a car that was parked sideways in the handicap zone, and Law's teeth set with a hard grit. He flipped the knife in his hand, blade up against his wrist to hide it and lunged over in that direction. With his blood pumping and memories of their last encounter strumming through his thoughts, Law was deaf and blind to anything else. The thought that Lamie would come home to this encounter also pushed him to end it quickly before she could be disturbed.

Many reasons for action came to mind and none of them were touched with common sense.

Before he could catch up, he found himself hit hard from the right by something heavy, which also grunted with surprise and fear. The combination of sound caused Doflamingo to pause in mid step, turning around with a grunt. Law stumbled and caught himself against a parked car, the kid in school uniform crying out awkwardly as he rolled to the pavement. His backpack prevented any injury, his limbs splayed out as he settled on his back. Looking over, Law realized that Cora had tossed the kid at him like the high school kid was a damn toy.

"Settle down," Cora grumbled, dashing ash to the side while Doflamingo finally understood the situation. The kid rolled to his feet and hurried off with a scared look while Law looked at Cora with petulant action before looking at Doflamingo. Emerging from underneath a stairwell, Corazon walked out onto the sidewalk, sniffling. His skin was in the same condition as his brother's, but he possessed a twitch to his head that caused his stringy hair to flutter. How the pair of them had managed to travel state lines for the encounter was beyond Law's understanding – unless they loaded up before setting out to confront him.

Sanji finally reached him, his steps awkward. He quickly assessed the situation with both towering men and sputtered astonished sound before he could regroup himself. He snagged Law's wrist with the knife and yanked at the weapon with a jerk of both hands, Law looking at him with irritation.

"Law," Doflamingo said, walking back. Hate caused Law's expression to tighten as he turned to face him. "You lied to me."

"Don't stab first," Sanji advised Law, pushing him forward. "Let him make the first hit and then stab to claim self-defense."

"Who is this agitator?" Corazon asked Law with bewilderment.

"Fuck you both for being here!" Law snapped at Doflamingo, ignoring Corazon. Every part of him was wired for a fight, his breath climbing with anticipation. "There's no fucking reason for either of you to be here!"

"I will cut you with that knife should you choose to intervene," Corazon warned Sanji, stepping forward while Sanji looked at him with a frown. He held the prepared knife at his side, attempting to hide it from any onlookers. "This is none of your business."

"I chose to come because I miss you," Doflamingo told Law with a slow moving smile. "You haven't come home. Why is that? Why must we, your family, come to find you?"

"You are not my family, and fuck you, the last time I saw you, I warned you to fuck off, or I'd - !"

"Must we start off with threats?" Doflamingo exclaimed over Law, lazily swatting his pointing hand away from him. "We'd come to visit, and you meet us with accusations and threats? What is wrong with this picture? Where is the thanks I get for my appearance?"

"You obviously came here to die because I will end this right here, right now - !"

"This is unexpected of you," Corazon cut in, stepping towards them. He had to stop short once Sanji stepped in front of him to prevent him from getting any closer. He sputtered, hands flapping. "Who the hell is this tiny person that keeps getting in my goddamn way?"

"No one is ganging up on anybody here!" Sanji snapped, looking at all of them. "Handle your issue one at a fucking time!"

"Wait," Doflamingo muttered, lifting his sunglasses to reveal his bleary eyes. "Do I know that person?"

"We just spoke, asshole!"

Doflamingo looked lost for words, confusion settling in before he looked at Law. His hand waved from one to the other. "I feel like I just saw this person somewhere…"

Law slapped his hands out from the air, disregarding the man's confusion.

"Maybe I'd seen him at the gas station up the street," Doflamingo mumbled, rubbing at his chin thoughtfully while Law looked panicked. Once he saw the expression, the man's face changed to a smirk. "So, this is where she's been hiding…"

"I thought that was Lamie, but it's been awhile since I'd seen her," Corazon chuckled while Sanji looked to Law with worry, knowing that these things were just going to rile the man into a state that could work for them.

Law shoved Doflamingo so hard that the man flailed, catching himself up against his car. "You stay the fuck away from my sister!"

Doflamingo laughed merrily as he stumbled. "What is with all this hostility? I was only saying these things out of observation! Calm down, it's not what you think - !"

"You have absolutely nothing to say to her! Stay the fuck away from her! She has nothing to do with any of this shit!" Law snarled, looking at both of them while Sanji scanned the parking lot with some agitation.

"But considering how long it's been, the fact that you've both lost your parents to an accident…isn't it proper for us to extend our condolences to both children of a woman your father and I had loved?"

Law looked to Doflamingo with murder on his expression, hand snaking into his shorts. Sanji lunged to stop him but Corazon caught his shirt and yanked him off his feet, sending him flying into the nearby flower bed before striding over to the confrontation. He grabbed Law's wrist, stopping him from withdrawing the knife while Doflamingo struggled to stand upright. Law turned to face Cora, snatching his hand and then making to kick. Corazon shoved him away, holding onto the knife Law had attempted to use.

Once Doflamingo had himself situated, he wiped his forehead. "It's so god awful hot here," he observed bitterly, looking at the sky with accusation.

"Well, I suppose love is too strong of a word," he then amended to Law, who climbed back to his feet with a snarl. Corazon pushed the knife into his jacket pocket before looking back at Sanji warily. The smaller blond strode forward, brushing off various leaves and flower petals from his person. He edged in close enough to stop the taller man if he had to.

Doflamingo allowed Law to grab him. With all the strength he could, Law pushed the man against the car, using Doflamingo's loss of balance to then grab a leg. He dragged that leg out, Doflamingo stumbling before falling with a curse to the pavement because his one leg couldn't fully support him.

Corazon quickly stood, swinging wildly at Sanji. Once he had the space, Cora kicked out and caught Law square in the chest to prevent him from jumping onto Doflamingo. Doflamingo laughed hysterically from the pavement as Law hit the street on his back, wind knocked out of him. Corazon scoffed, lighting up another cigarette. The moment he pushed his lighter into his pants pocket, Sanji landed a kick into the side of his knee. This caused a loud, gruesome cracking that sent Corazon stumbling to the pavement, losing his cigarette.

The sound had Doflamingo lifting his head with bewilderment. His brother hissed as he braced himself onto the pavement, sunglasses lost.

"What just happened?" Doflamingo asked with bewilderment, reaching out to pat Corazon's shoulder for attention. "What happened to you?"

Law lunged to his feet. He climbed over Corazon's back, found his knife in his jacket pocket. Then he launched himself onto Doflamingo, settling on his chest while the bigger man looked at him with surprise. He used one hand to swat Law right up against the car, the sound of him denting the door ringing out into the parking lot. He then sluggishly climbed to his feet as Law struggled to get his wind back.

Huffing, Doflamingo looked to his brother to Sanji with accusation while Sanji watched him warily. Dismissing him, Doflamingo looked at Law once more as the man slowly climbed back to his feet.

"You broke my fucking leg!" Corazon howled at the pavement, face red and sweating as he looked to Sanji. "You broke my leg!"

"Stay out of it," Sanji told him.

"Who is this guy?" Doflamingo asked Law with confusion, gesturing at him. Before Law could answer, Doflamingo grabbed him by his hair and yanked him forward so that he hit the pavement on his knees. Law attempted to brace himself but Doflamingo pushed him backward then lifted him off his feet, slamming him into the car once more. He slammed the man's head hard against the passenger side window, causing the glass to crack ominously.

Sanji made to intervene but he held himself back with trouble while Corazon cursed, trying to stand. Before Law could attempt to defend himself, Doflamingo punched him, fist traveling down before whipping back up to catch him in the chin. Rattled, Law kicked him near his groin then whisked to the side, grabbing hold of Doflamingo's wrist as the man continued to hold him. Doflamingo staggered off balance, allowing Law to yank backward on his wrist with all his strength.

Doflamingo tripped over Corazon as Law rolled out of the way, Sanji hastily avoiding the knife as it flashed with its reappearance. Corazon shoved his brother out of the way so he could stand. He reached down and yanked Doflamingo up by his hair just as Law lunged at him with a knife. Sanji realized what was going to happen, looking on with horror before remembering he had Law's other knife. He flipped it out and had it thrown before Law could reach either man.

Corazon eked out a curse as the blade embedded deep into his arm, forcing him to drop Doflamingo, who sputtered as he slumped down onto the pavement. Law's hand swung wildly off balance once he saw Corazon stumble back, hand reaching up to cradle the area around the knife in his arm. He looked back at Sanji with confusion.

"Don't stab him in the back, that isn't a proper defense wound," Sanji stated calmly. "Make sure he's facing you. They can rule against you with the claim that there was plenty of time for you to run and you chose not to, so do it when they're facing you in order to give a proper defense."

Corazon cursed noisily as Doflamingo braced himself above the pavement. Hearing the calm statement caused Corazon to look over at Sanji with a hiss as Law considered the warning. He ended up moving backward as Doflamingo shook his head and wiped his face, trying to sober himself up enough to concentrate on the task. Considering that Sanji was clear headed in the situation, Corazon grit his teeth.

"You attacked me," he stated slowly. "You broke my leg and attacked me. I could sue and win."

"You could," Sanji said with indifference. "But considering how he has the tan line of an ankle monitor still on his ankle, what legal defense do you have for breaking the rules of your probation? You two aren't even supposed to be here so every action Law has is a point for his defense. But, Law, you have to understand that there is a certain way to go about these tactics under the watchful eye of the security cams here."

Corazon stared at him murderously for a few moments, then jerked the blade out of his arm. Doflamingo sat up, catching his breath. The red haze started to clear up, Law rubbing his face to check for blood as Sanji crossed his arms smugly.

Climbing back to his feet, Doflamingo exhaled long and loud. They could hear life all around them – people driving through the parking area, kids voices at the park nearby, the weight of traffic on the main streets. Considering how open the battle was, there was no doubt people were watching the confrontation going down.

He brushed himself once he stood, Corazon giving him room to move. Doflamingo still wore the drunken expression of someone that was under the influence, every action of his sluggish and yet strewn with sharp movements that clearly suggested he had no care in his actions. Considering his size, Sanji wondered when he'd pass out. Corazon had the wide eyed look to him that said he wasn't ready to sleep for another day or so, but he seemed more alert than his brother when it came to the smaller details of the situation.

Steady on his feet, ignoring the hot, angry throbbing against the side of his face, Law calmed his temper. His fingers tightened on the handle of his knife as he considered Doflamingo's actions and Corazon's current temperament. He ended up wondering what time it was, thinking about Lamie walking home to this scene. He did not want his sister disturbed by the sight of the two men, to feel like she wasn't safe. But damned Doflamingo knew how to push every one of his buttons.

"Stay away from my sister," he then warned, looking up at the tall man who scowled with a twitch. "She has nothing to do with any of this. Any shit you need to say should be said to my face and no one else's."

Doflamingo cleared his throat. "I offered her a job to service my needs – "

Law attacked him because the red haze suddenly settled over him at Doflamingo's condescending tone. Easily, the taller man swatted him away with a swipe of his hand, causing Sanji to flinch. Law lunged towards his leg with the knife but Doflamingo sent a shin right up against his jaw, and Sanji reacted with horror as Law went limp before hitting the pavement. Even Corazon winced.

Seeing no movement from him, Sanji started forward to him but Doflamingo yanked Law up by the back of his shirt with a scoffing noise. One massive fist balled and flew, hitting the man's face with hard smacks that made both blonds cringe. Satisfied with that, Doflamingo continued hitting him.

"Wake up!" Sanji screamed out with horror, but pausing in place, torn by indecision. "Wake up, Law!"

"This is how it always ends!' Doflamingo scoffed, lowering the man like he was a rag doll. He shook him at Sanji. "Despite your devil's temptation, do you have the faintest idea how important family is? Just because we disagree on a few things doesn't make for such violence - !"

Then he stiffened as Law punched forward, burying his blade right into Doflamingo's side. Using Doflamingo's action of holding him, Law braced himself against the man and swung with a grunt to the side so that the blade swept through Doflamingo and emerged back out with a splatter of blood. Doflamingo dropped him with a gasp, hands clasping against his side while Corazon looked horrified. Law barely had time to reset himself, his actions unsteady before he launched himself at Doflamingo once more. He stabbed the man over and over while the man stumbled, Corazon crying out while Sanji froze in place. Someone screamed in the complex while tires skidded over the pavement.

Doflamingo wound an arm back and swatted Law once more, knocking him off course. Law caught himself from falling by stabbing the man into the thigh, his unsteady weight dragging the blade down the length of Doflamingo's leg before he hit the pavement. Doflamingo kicked him aside before Law sputtered with a laugh, releasing the weapon. Doflamingo lurched away with a garbled cry, hitting the asphalt with heavy weight. His bloody hands transferred from his side down to his thigh. The loss of it looked massive, coloring the pavement around him.

Corazon dashed forwardly clumsily to help his brother before Law kicked out at his leg, sending him stumbling onto his knees. Climbing back to his feet, Law kicked him in the face until the man had to fall back just to cover up. Facing Doflamingo, Law strode up to him with his fists balled, breathing heavily. Sanji started forward but he did not want to deny a man his only wish to satisfy some of his demons. He stood close by, his own knees wobbly with the intense confrontation. His mind cleared enough to force him to look at his phone to see how much time they had left. Once he was satisfied with the reassuring texts, he shoved his phone back into his pocket.

Doflamingo tossed his head back and laughed noisily. He used his bloody hand to wipe at his eyes.

"This is so funny," he croaked, bracing himself with his elbows to the pavement as he watched Law approach. "You. You think you absolutely did something here. Two jackasses had grown concerned when neither of you Trafalgars thought to respond to police inquiry into your parents' estate matters. Without a timely response, do you realize that their debt has been repaid? I had thought the worst of things – both of you working together to pay off the debt, and here I am, a defenseless loser, had sought you out to inform you that the estate has been transferred to my hands. Upon a lawyer's agreement – your father signed the will to me. You guys are free."

Law stared at him with grim distrust while Doflamingo laughed again, Corazon clumsily pulling himself over to him. He attempted to stop the bleeding with both hands while sirens screamed in the distance. Sanji looked at his phone again, sweating at the thought of Lamie making her way home.

"I didn't think I'd come here and get my ass stabbed!" Doflamingo then barked accusingly at Law, rising to his feet like some majestic pillar, disregarding his wounds. Corazon clung to him then lost his grip as Doflamingo kicked free of it. For once, his expression cleared of that drunken sluggishness, appearing clear and focused. Law looked startled at the change and moved to steer clear of him before Doflamingo snagged him by the hair. He pushed him back towards his car, his leg dragging unwillingly behind him.

"Doffy - !" Corazon exclaimed, moving towards him while Sanji looked alarmed.

Slamming the smaller man against the already dented door, Doflamingo punctuated his words with fierce pushes that rocked Law. He grunted, trying to brace himself as the man's strength began to build. But he couldn't seem to get his footing, brain rattling with each impact.

"This hurt me too, you know!" Doflamingo snarled at him. "All these deceptions and lies built against us to look bad – half the shit you accuse me off is a product of your own fucked up head, Trafalgar. You piece of demented shit! You think after all these years, all your accusations hasn't caused me any damage? None of those things you said were even true!"

"You are a fucking liar!" Law exclaimed, grabbing hold of his wrists while trying to steady himself. Glass cracked as the window finally gave away, shattering over the passenger side seat.

"Fight him back!" Sanji shouted at him, glancing in the direction of the sirens. "Fight him back! This is what you wanted!"

"You are a bad influence!" Corazon snapped at him, sluggishly rising to his feet and stumbling once his leg gave out on him.

"You might not get this chance again!" Sanji hissed anyway, Law glancing at him.

He looked back at Doflamingo with determination, then kicked out with both legs. It threw him off balance just enough to have Doflamingo stumble forward while Law dropped back to the pavement. Doflamingo's forehead crashed off the roof of the car, and he had to let go of Law to brace himself against falling into the window of the passenger side door. Law pushed up against Doflamingo's knees and pushed to his feet with mighty effort, effectively tilting the man into the vehicle. Once Doflamingo's legs kicked helplessly while most of him had settled against the passenger side seat, enraged yells coming from the window, Law snatched up his knife once more.

Corazon lunged towards him, Law swiping at him with the blade just to have him back up. Corazon jerked back to avoid it, his leg giving out from underneath him to have him falling forward. Doflamingo pushed away from the car with a roar, grabbing Law from behind – picking him up underneath his arms and slamming him up against one of the car port supports. The entire thing rattled noisily and Sanji made to help when Corazon snagged his ankle, dragging him back.

Awkwardly, he twisted to kick the other man to release him but Corazon flung him out into the street, giving Doflamingo time to slam Law repeatedly against the support pole. The police were moving through the complex, their sirens blazing. Once aware of the noise, Doflamingo lowered Law like a toy, glaring out at the lights that were moving steadily in their direction. Law panted for breath, unable to feel his face. He was dizzy from the multiple impacts, but his tongue sluggishly flitted about, making sure every tooth was still there. Slightly aware of the building noises and potential situation, he found enough energy to twist in Doflamingo's grasp and slammed the blade into the man's chest.

Doflamingo gave him a startled look, then tilted his head to look down at the point of impact. His expression seemed to reflect betrayal before both of them hit the pavement hard. Sanji quickly hurried to Law's side, pulling him out from underneath Doflamingo. The man's face was red, veins bulging in visible rage as his fingers locked on one of Law's arms. Breathing heavily as the police finally found them, Doflamingo hissed, "You'll never escape who you are!"

Sanji kicked his face just to get the space need to pull Law away from him. Doflamingo watched them stumble away as the policemen called out for attention, hands on their weapons with uneasy action. Corazon sat on his knees with his hands up, but he watched Doflamingo with a growing sense of agitation. When orders were called out, the three of them followed them while Doflamingo chuckled, dizzily pressing hands onto his various wounds. There was too much blood staining the pavement, and one of the cops hastily called for an ambulance.

Once Doflamingo was assessed, Sanji pulled his phone out to send a text. Then he glanced at Law, who was watching Doflamingo with a glare. The ambulance was called, but Doflamingo laughed until he ran out of air to do so. Corazon just looked resigned, shaking his head faintly as his brother died.

: :

Two days later, Law felt unsettled. The headache he had was excruciating, and most of his face felt like ground meat. His facial bones ached in a way that made him feel like someone had twisted and broken each one – his ribs ached where Corazon had kicked him. He wore bruises on almost every part of his upper torso, and needed stitches on his cheek where his head had been forced into the window. He required more on the left side of his head, hidden in his hair. His teeth ached. His chest felt tight. He wanted to vomit but nothing came up. One eye was swollen shut and his nose ached, along with his jaw and chin. He had fingerprints as bruises on his wrists and arms and he wondered how the hell he'd endured this much damage when he was younger. Knowing that Doflamingo was dead at his own hand gave him satisfaction but Law did not feel happy. Corazon was treated and jailed, but only for carrying illegal substances on him. He would serve some time and be released.

After some consideration, the fight was labeled a domestic disturbance and Doflamingo's record out of state helped with the matter. Law and Sanji had been detained for questioning and released when the security cams were inspected. What witnesses to the scene came forward only described a fight that went instinctively against the two bigger men; Law defended himself with a knife because they were clearly at advantage.

It was only after he was released from the hospital that Law found out about Lamie. Sanji had called Luffy and the others to go to the gas station to protect her – they weren't notified of the other details, allowing Law the time and space he needed to satisfy his needs. Penguin and Shachi were pissed. Luffy was pissed. Being left out of the matter that had been plotted for ages had sent men's emotions into a flurry of angry texts and words.

On one hand, Law understood why Penguin and Shachi were angry – they were his back up. Penguin called the police and they made his way over to prevent anything that went out of hand, and Sanji had prevented that. He allowed Law to carry out a fight that was fueled by his emotions, and had let someone else respond. If Doflamingo had won, there was no way Sanji could have taken on both men by himself to save Law. Sanji had endangered them both.

On the other hand, Law was grateful for what Sanji did because it allowed him to carry out his goal. Doflamingo was dead. It was dealing with the aftermath of that matter he now had to deal with. Since he was always the aggressor, Law didn't bother with the possibility that Corazon would continue harassing him.

He reached up to rub at the back of his aching neck. Every muscle there felt tattered and twisted, sore. Things slammed about in the kitchen as Lamie took her anger out on the appliances and dishes.

His sister was furious.

She, along with Sanji's friends, had been deceived. Sanji had sent out a group text to her, Luffy and the others, warning them that Doflamingo had contacted Law and threatened to show up there as a neutral point of confrontation. Luffy and the others showed up at the gas station to provide her with protection. They had waited for nearly half an hour until Sanji had texted them to stand down. Once she learned the real story, a wave of emotions and thoughts had swamped over her. The men released their anger with shouts, texts and angry phone calls - but Lamie clamped up.

Seeing her brother, as battered and bruised as he was, had allowed her to lose her voice. There were too many things for her to say, and none of them would come out right. Yes, it was great Doflamingo was finally out of the picture but it didn't quell the remaining feelings left behind. Only Law knew the answers to the questions that were brimming at the surface and she was so angry at him that she couldn't ask them.

She wouldn't even look at him, Law had noticed. He had too many things swirling inside of himself to sort out to allow Lamie's mood and anger affect him. He reviewed that night many times in his cloudy thoughts and winced each and every time. How had he lost so much control of himself to be so impulsive?

Penguin was angry at him for allowing Sanji to make a life threatening decision. Law looked over Penguin's angry texts; bawling him out for not thinking, bashing on the younger man's "manly assumptions", asking him how he felt, asking how Lamie was. But he stressed a reminder of their long standing plans, how long they had been friends, why he chose to act so impulsively. Law wanted to snap back at him for talking to him in this manner but he chose not to because Penguin was allowed to be angry, and things were okay.

But if Doflamingo had been more coherent and sober, perhaps this would have been different, Law had to think. The man had had an alcohol level well beyond the limit, and was coming off a binger. His skin was littered with traditional "bug bites", and his body was overtaxed. He'd left his ankle monitor with Vergo and left their home basically with the clothes on his back.

This was an unusual event for the big man to have undergone; this was part of the reason why Law felt so unsettled. He was only a drunken afterthought in that man's mess and it did not feel satisfying that he was now dead because Doflamingo was drunk off a meth-binger. Law had to wonder if there had been any truth to Doflamingo's words when it came to his parents – his mother. It turned his stomach.

His hands shook as he reached for his phone. His head throbbed painfully, and he abandoned the effort with a grimace. Leaning back onto his bed, he closed his eyes. He found the ice pack on the duvet and placed it over his eyes to ease some of the painful pressure. Something shattered in the kitchen, Lamie cursing noisily as she cleaned it up. Law wasn't sure how to approach that mess. He had no idea where and how to start it. He figured he'd let her vent when she needed to.

Sometime later, he grew aware of voices. His blood ran cold once he recognized Smoker talking to Lamie.

"Fucking hell," he slurred, dragging the ice pack from his face and tossing it aside. He rose unsteadily, knocking his phone and lamp over. Lurching out from his room, he glared at the older man venomously while Lamie looked at him with alarm and Smoker shook his head with a heavy sigh.

"The fuck is the matter with you?" Smoker asked as Lamie looked chagrined. Law left his room, using the wall as support.

"Get the fuck out," he snarled in response. His words slurred and stumbled with obvious indication of head injury. "The fuck you doing here?"

Tightening his jaw, Smoker said stubbornly, "I wanted to see how you were doing. The two that responded here that night were pretty bothered by what happened. I was telling your sister here to encourage you to take some of these free counseling classes – "

"I don't need fucking counseling," Law snapped at him, staggering towards the kitchen while Lamie bit her thumb nail with agitation. Finding what he was looking for in the cabinets, he then filled a glass cup with ice before giving it a shaky pour of the bottle. "I need time and space."

Before he could finish pouring, Smoker took the few steps over to snatch the bottle from him, sweeping the cup of ice into the sink. It shattered noisily as Law rolled his eyes.

"Alcohol won't do it, you dumb bastard," Smoker snapped at him, capping the bottle. "The doc told you to avoid it for a reason. You're already slurring your words like you had some."

"Law," Lamie said shakily, looking confused. "You're not well enough to stand, so why don't you go back to bed - ?"

"I want you out of here," Law snapped at Smoker instead. "Invading my fucking space."

"I came here after I heard what happened," Smoker said slowly as Lamie furrowed her brow. "The report was messy. Couldn't this have been avoided?"

"Problem was solved."

Smoker chewed at the unlit cigar between his teeth while Lamie watched her brother with a stiff expression. "These things just don't go away," he said slowly, watching Law brace himself against the counter with a grimace. "I imagine, as lippy as you are, that things were said with feeling. I think it's important to understand that none of it was your fault. I know that just because someone is dead doesn't mean you won't keep picking at the wound."

Law looked up at him.

"I'm only saying this because any normal human being would feel guilty in killing another, even if it were by accident," Smoker continued. "I imagine that you would – "

"He talked some shit, I spoke some shit, and we agreed that both of our shit weren't the right shit to say. I have no regrets."

"Of course you wouldn't," Smoker snapped back at him. "Not right now at least!"

"Not ever! He's gone, he's finished, and it was by my fucking hands! No one else's!"

Smoker leaned onto the counter, frowning. "I'd advise you to not say that out loud in public, otherwise it would sound like premeditation. But after all of that, I don't know how you still find the will to fight everything I have to say. I see that one of the subjects involved that day was your – "

"This is about me and my actions, not his!" Law interrupted him.

"I'm only here to see how you're doing, not to make anything worse. You have enough time to take off from work?" Smoker then asked him, tapping on the counter.

"Yeah," Law said reluctantly.

"You two need anything?" Smoker then asked, looking at Lamie. She shook her head, wearing a confused expression. "Groceries? Toiletries? The name of a very good therapist?"

"Fuck off," Law snapped.

Smoker looked back at him, then shook his head. "I'm glad you're okay, kid. That shit could've turned out differently if he weren't so loaded. He came here for a reason – agitating because he could. Whatever he said to you after…I still say don't take it to any heart."

"He spoke something about our parents' estate, and neither of us wants any part of it. Said he had a will, or something," Law reluctantly admitted.

"I wouldn't put it past dad to do something like that," Lamie muttered bitterly. "Doffy probably told him it'd help with his debt. Whatever they had left…it probably wasn't that much, anyway."

"I can take care of any legalities in the issue," Smoker then offered. "But in the meantime, I noticed your cabinets were bare."

"I was just going to go shopping," Lamie said hurriedly. "They always look like that, anyway."

"Lamie," Law warned her, but she speared him with a look that invited no argument.

"I…don't want to go alone!" Lamie sputtered, giving him a look. "I had no idea those two were even out here – is Corazon still in jail? What about their friends? Vergo? Vergo was always Doffy's little lap dog."

She then nodded at Smoker before grabbing her wallet, who looked a little surprised that she would take the offer. Law glared at her pointedly once he turned, but Lamie stubbornly ignored the look from her brother.

"I didn't ask for your help," Law then warned Smoker. "I didn't ask for anything."

"I didn't ask you if I can help," Smoker returned. "I'm just going to do it."

"Don't expect anything in return!"

Smoker ignored that, looking around the place. "It's small," he then said, looking at Lamie. "Too small for two people. You should consider moving to someplace bigger."

When he didn't get a response, he looked at Law with a frown. Despite the tension, he couldn't help but reach out to touch the only spot on Law's face that wasn't discolored or swollen. Law immediately slapped his hand away, blazing with anger. Smoker sighed and turned away.

It was cowardly, but Law locked himself in the bathroom when they returned. He ran the shower and pretended not to hear anything when he heard the knock and voice at the door. He ended up staring at his injuries and then leaving the bathroom once enough time had gone by. Lamie was sitting in the chair, eating a popsicle when Law emerged. Lamie lowered the treat to glare at him.

"That was your ex, wasn't it?" she stated.

Law didn't find any notion to answer her if she already knew the answer. He shrugged a sore shoulder.

"There was one time where you found every word of his titillating, so stop acting like he was never important in your life."

"What got your bra in a fucking wad?"

Lamie glared at him for his exasperated comment. "You could have died out there."

"But I didn't. I had back up."

"You had a fucking idiot who let this happen back you up! What the fuck was he going to do if they both were sober? Penguin had a plan, why didn't you follow it?"

Law winced at the volume of her voice, his head ringing. Breathing tightly, Lamie glared at the television set.

"I'm angry," she said slowly, "because it was frightening. Because you did something stupid. You were lucky."

"This is not the first time we tried to kill each other, Lamie. Admittedly, it wasn't always this intense, either. Doffy came out here to brag about his exploits and didn't expect me to fight back."

Lamie's lips thinned as she crossed her arms tightly over her chest. "You could have died. You probably still can. What did the doctor say about your head?"

"I'll be fine."

"What if Cora wants revenge?"

"Doffy was always the instigator. Without him in the picture, I doubt Cora would give any shits about us!"

"I hate him," Lamie said with warning, Law looking for the bottle of alcohol he'd intended on using earlier. But Smoker had taken it with him, as well as the cube he'd had in the fridge. He slammed the door shut with a curse. "And I don't want to talk or see him until I'm over it."

"You don't have to," Law said impatiently.

"Sanji. Because he lied to all of us."

"I don't care."

"He just fucking stood there while you got your head beat in - !"

"You can have your fucking opinion, but it doesn't mean shit!" Law bellowed back at her.

Lamie glared at the television set, her eyes dry. Her lips thinned and her shoulders hunched, but she was in no mood to cry. He watched her for a few moments, then limped off to his room. She grit her teeth as he shut his door behind him.

: :

"All of them are not speaking to me," Sanji said with a chuckle. "But I think the overall point is that you were able to do something that can only settle you. They won't understand that sort of thing until they're doing it themselves. I don't care, I mean, they'll get over it eventually once you start to heal up."

Law had him on speakerphone while Lamie had the volume of her television show up loud, determined to fume alone.

Law once again reflected on the actions of that night, fiddling with his fingers. Even if Doflamingo was gone, would he ever begin to relax?

"Law…?"

"I guess I rushed in there halfcocked," Law admittedly slowly. He kept his voice low so Lamie couldn't hear him. "I mean…I had a plan and followed none of it…"

"I know. You weren't reachable in that state. But I know what it feels like. If anyone interrupted, you wouldn't feel any better. Denied what you really wanted probably would've festered into some other obsession."

Law rubbed his eyes tenderly as his head continued to throb against the front of his bruised skull. Could bones be bruised? It felt like someone had their fingers wrapped around his brain and was steadily squeezing inward, forcing constant, unescapable pressure.

"Is this something I'll be expecting from you in order to return a favor?"

"You had your head rung hard, didn't you?"

Law sighed. "None of my words make any sense. Everything's still jumbled."

"You'll be fine. Just tough it out. Um…"

Law waited for Sanji to complete his sentence, but the weight of silence suggested he'd been distracted. When Sanji spoke, it was obvious to Law that something had rattled him enough to have him stumbling.

Sanji cleared his throat and exhaled heavy before saying, "Get better soon. I'll call you later."

There was something in Sanji's voice that didn't carry his usual confidence, and because he already had the experience to know what, Law knew what the distraction was.

"Sanji. I can't do anything if I don't know anything," he said low, pointedly.

The fact that Sanji even considered the option was enough to have Law grateful for his trust.

"I guess…my name…was out on some public report about this thing. My father has a few questions about it. So he sent out one of the dogs to talk to me in person rather than over the phone because he doesn't believe me over the phone."

"Sanji. Have someone stay with you. It's not cowardly to ask for it."

"I don't want them knowing any details."

"Come over here and have them meet you here."

"Same as above."

"Make them meet you at a restaurant, somewhere public."

"Just get better, Law. After this, we can both pick up the pieces and put them back together. More importantly, figure out how to get Lamie to like me, again," Sanji said with a chuckle before hanging up.

Law looked at his phone. He thought about it for several moments, exhaling heavily. His head continued to strum with a hard headache.

With the weight of the event, it was surprising he felt more horror of what he'd discovered at Sanji's home than what had happened here in the parking lot.

Guess I know what's more important, he thought sluggishly, glaring at his phone while he considered his options. He opened his Contacts app up and went immediately to 'R' before finding the one he needed.

Naghi-Tan, Harmonica Smile and Sarge1130: Thank you for sharing with me your thoughts! You guys are awesome! This story will be concluding pretty soon. It's drafted and awaiting editing so…prepare yourselves.