The first week was the worse. His entire life had been turned upside down for the second time. He no longer got to live in his room or even among the rest of the world. Law found himself locked in the basement where he worked. Trebol was kind enough to provide an old pillow and a moth eaten blanket for him to use when, or rather if, he slept.
Law spent countless hours left alone in the artificial light of the basement. All windows and cracks had been thoroughly sealed. Even his secret escape route was closed off. All he could do was mope around or work on the drug. Trafalgar found himself choosing the second option without any prodding from Trebol to work since it was the only thing that took his mind off everything else.
At some point he had dared to ask about a funeral service for the deceased. Much to his chagrin, Doflamingo let it slip that the body was disposed of with no trace. The pain in his heart doubled knowing that not only could he never say a final goodbye, but that Cora's body lay cold in an unmarked grave somewhere. It was just another brick in the wall of depression he had been caged by.
Over time he became jumpy and distrusted every little sound of the basement he lived in. Every creak from the stairs, every time he thought he heard the door open, every breath of air on the back of his neck as he worked was an enemy. Law couldn't quiet decided which visitor he hated more. Trebol often came in to supervise his work, drop off more chemicals, or to take the completed drug away. These visits were often. During them, the disgusting man would be rather invasive. In the beginning it was just the hot pins that prodded the young teen every time he felt the man's hand on him. Fingers stroking unwanted circles into his skin as he worked. Trebol would tower over him, watching him work, or maybe just watching him in general. He hated it either way.
The visits became worse as the months wore on. Trebol's hands wandered and left a bad taste in Law's mouth. Flashbacks to that fateful night would come back as the man touched Law. The fear, the helplessness, and the sick feeling in his stomach all haunted him. Law knew when Doflamingo was out of the building on business because the deranged man would spend longer in the dank basement with him. Trebol would cross lines that he never dared to while Doffy was there. Lines that Law tried to cling to, keeping him safe.
The only other person who ever came into the basement was Doflamingo himself. He would slam the door open as thunderous steps warned Law of what was to come. The tension behind the gang leader's smile had always hinted at an unease. Law never knew how deep that ran until he became the man's personal punching bag. He only knew of anger and violence during these visits. No matter what he was doing the giant man would rip him away and start to scream and beat him.
Law had gotten fairly good at dressing wounds and stitching himself together after these visits. The first aid kit had to be restocked quite often because of how quickly the teen went through bandages. There was a sick satisfaction that at least he could practice at being a doctor still. It was the only thing he could still cling to in this place.
The bruises and touches burned into his skin weren't even the worst of it. His days were filled with abuse and torture but his nights were ruled by nightmares. Sleeping often seemed impossible not just because of the tender bruises that stung when he laid on the solid concrete. He didn't dream of anything anymore. Even the old memories that used to prod his mind had abandoned him. It was the voice in the middle of the pitch black room that scared him. It was a kind voice that sung out to him.
Despite how dark the room was, Law often found himself sitting in the room with the ghost of Corazon. It was quiet, barely able to whisper out it's pain. The ghost's shirt was stained with crimson blood, still fresh and leaking from the ever-present bullet wound. The teen had to face the translucent man with messed up hair, sweat dotted his forehead and makeup ran from his constant wails of pain.
Law had reached out to the specter before but only felt the cold clammy chill of death encompass his being. All he could do was cower in the corner and watch it stare at him. His lips moved as he spoke inaudibly most of the night. It was the same few phrases over and over all night long. The only thing he could ever make out was "Help me, Law." Every time the sentence was uttered in the cold cage of concrete he felt his heart tear into smaller and smaller pieces.
"You're not him." Law would assure himself out loud when it got bad. He'd cling to the words he didn't truly believe. Many nights he'd find himself waking up in the corner he was shackled to, head bent down and hands covering his ears to stave off the weeping pleas. The teen grew used to being sleep deprived. He lived off of the adrenaline response that filled him with every creak of the building settling around him.
Law had grown used to the routines and found himself coping by disassociating to the old days. His mind would wander back to his family and how they could have been happy together in their house, eating breakfast in Lammy's room and joking about recent events. He'd cling to the faded memory of their smiles and laughter as Trebol's sweaty hands traveled over his body.
Whenever the beatings by the boss were bad, he'd remember the diner Corazon used to take him to. It was amazing that the two of them were given so much freedom to slack off away from the hideout at the time. He'd try to remember the conversations the two had. All the silly finger fumbles Law would commit in the beginning. The mute man's breathy laugh was a found memory that he refused to let fade. Even when he was left limp on the ground after the ordeal, he'd think back to the kind waitress. She was always so happy to stop and chat with him. She was the one who tried learning basic sign language to talk to Corazon too. He clung to the fact that there are still some good people in the world. He tried so desperately to recall the world outside his box.
The teen had grown tired of this existence. What more was there for him to live for? The depression and psychological horror had worn him down. During work one day he reached out for an unmarked flask of liquid and out of the corner of his eye he saw his nightly tormentor. A hand reached out to Law, bidding him to go with him into the unknown. The bloody ghost tapped a small jar of powder that was long retired on the shelf. The teen found himself fixated on the abandoned ingredient.
His hands were wrapping around the vial of concentrated lithium. It had sat on the shelf unused ever since he switched over to a less concentrated amount. The change improved the drug immensely. It became less deadly and more addictive due to the pleasant feelings it produced. His sunken grey eyes looked over the powder as he brought it to his work table. A disembodied voice whispered like a chorus in his head.
Law dumped all the powder into the dented metal cup he drank from and mixed it in. He watched as the majority of it dissolved making the water cloudy. There was too much in the liquid and some of the powder had settled to the bottom. The slightest of smiles crossed his face knowing that there was more than enough to do the deed.
The teen took a deep breath and quickly chugged as much as he could, desperately holding back the urge to gag as it flooded his mouth and throat. He let the lump of undissolved powder slide out of the mug and into his mouth just to top it off. The sludge caught him off guard and forced his body to react. He hacked and spat violently, trying to rid the lump from his mouth. Tears fell from his eyes as his body convulsed.
He found himself laying face down on the floor, sore and in pain. His initial reaction was much worse than he thought it would be. His body wasn't quite on the same wave as his mind was. He couldn't find the strength to get up. What was the use anyway? He was literally about to die. A laugh tore from his throat as he took it in. He was going to die and leave this horrible life behind. He was going to do what the fire and what Doflamingo didn't do. Tears fell from his eyes and stained his reddened cheeks as he thought about it.
Death was terrifying still. He couldn't wrap his mind around the concept of suddenly not existing. Was it like sleep were he would go unconscious and wake up in the morning? This time, there would be no morning after. There would be no specter to haunt him, no pink feathered asshole to break his beat him and make him bleed. He rolled onto his back after what must have been a substantial amount of time. His body would be left behind. Every scar, bruise, and the ingrained feeling of hands rummaging over his whole body would be gone.
His vision started to blur as his thoughts slowed. The dark grey ceiling swam like an optical illusion on paper. He felt a faint buzzing in his mind every time he tried to think. Instead, he was left numb, crying, and thoughtless. His body felt heavy and sick. There was a sharp pain in his stomach signalling the beginning of corrosion. His body started to twitch as the pain took over. The onsets of a seizure gripped him. The world grew dark and quiet.
Law's eyes blinked open and stared up at a soft white ceiling above. His mind swam as pain enveloped him. The light was too bright and the room was too quiet. He rolled his head over to the side and saw a strange man sitting there, attention solely on a book. He made an attempt to talk, but only made some low rolling groan. It was enough to catch the man's attention.
He pulled himself from the chair he rested on so he could stand at his full height. It was hard to judge, but the man was pretty tall. He was rather thin as well. He hid it well with the large flowing coat he wore. The fabric must have been light since it rippled as he walked. It was like a cloud followed the man.
Long black hair scratched the teen's face as the man leaned over. A doctor? Law recognized the tools the man used and his eyes rested on the stethoscope around his neck. The man's long fingers pried open the teens eyes one at a time as he looked over him. A rolling laugh filled the small room they were in. It grated the teen's ears. "You've a lucky brat, you know that?" His eyes ran over an IV bag that needed replaced. "If Joker didn't bring you to me when he did, you'd be dead."
Law forced a confused hum past his lips. His head still swam and he couldn't remember anything aside from his name.
"Then again, it looks like that was the goal." A purple gloved hand grasped a small glass bottle off the desk where he had been sitting. He held the bottle in front of Law and let him look over the label. "Lithium" it read. "You must have consumed a lot. It was a pain to pump that much out of your system. Of course I could do it easily since I am a genius."
The teen's head hurt as he tried to keep up with the incessant rambling of the strange man. "Who?" He asked through chapped lips.
"I'm the amazing scientist, Caesar!" He announced loudly. "I'm the guy who just saved your life after such an ill thought out attempt to kill yourself." The man stood tall and gave a small spin as if to let Law take in all of him. The coat trailed softly behind as his long black hair whipped through the air.
"Joker?" Law asked. The word was familiar but not as a name.
"Tall pink fellow." He leaned over and wore an expression like he was too busy to tell a dumb kid something so simple. His hand rested in the air as if sitting on some invisible man's head. "Always smiling, owns the drug trade market, the guy who rushed you to me."
Law wore a quizzical look on his dazed face. Memories started to come back to him. while he laid back eyes closed. He recalled drinking something, he guessed the lithium, and convulsing on the floor. He felt a cold numbness settle in his bones. There was something about a small dark place but he couldn't quite see it.
"Honestly, I don't know why he even cared. You're just a dumb teen playing at science. I could easily replace you if he so chose."
"Then why hasn't he?" There was a smirk in his voice that his face couldn't convey. "Why didn't he just leave me there?" Law felt tears well up threatening to breach if he opened his eyelids. He laid in the bed just trying to ground himself and think back to fill in the gaps. All the horrors of the past quickly hit him like a truck as he remembered his situation.
"Those aren't questions for me." Caesar spat. His steps scoffed softly on the linoleum tiled room as he walked away. There was some rustling of papers followed by a door opening and shutting. Law opened his eyes and turned towards the last sound. There was a door on the other side of the room. His heavy grey eyes shifted around the room. Aside from the bed, desk, and IV stand, there was nothing. No window, no cabinets or shelves, and no one left to watch him.
He struggled to sit up in the bed, swinging his legs over the side. Law's head spun still out of it. His body ached and there was a horrible pain in his abdomen. He blindly grasped at his arm covered in medical tape and tubes. Even while feeling as terrible as he did, he could still make quick work around medical equipment. He tore the tape off his bruised skin and plucked the needle from where it rested.
His head swam as he worked on the basics. Trafalgar pushed himself off the high bed and onto his feet. Or rather, he attempted to land on his feet. Law found himself sitting painfully on the tiled floor, legs too shaky to carry him. He cursed as he pitifully hit his legs with closed fists. Even that was weak and had little carry through. "Come on body, work." He begged. Tears started to cascade down his face. The overall numbness he had relied on had slipped from his body and was replaced by stress and fear. One thought rang loudly through his head. He knew he didn't want to go back to that life.
Law's head rolled back over to the door. This might be the one time he could escape. There was a voice in the back of his head. A strangled chorus whispered "There's no use". He narrowed his eyes and focused as hard as he could to come up with a plan. "You can't escape the Donquixote gang." The teen crawled on arms and legs made of sand. "They're everywhere. They'll never let you go." Law refused to listen to the deafening whispers as he finally grabbed the chair.
Trafalgar brought himself up to shaky legs holding on to the chair for stability. He took in the desk now that he could see it clearer. A pencil and a plethora of eraser shavings lay on the nearly empty desk. One drawer was ajar. Law pried it open in curiosity. A box of gloves, a few face masks, and something actually helpful. The teen grabbed a small metal instrument and pocketed it. His fist ran against the long fabric that adorned him, unable to find a pocket. Only then did he notice he was wearing an over sized T-shirt and no pants. "Not very hospital-ish." He muttered to himself as he opted to just hold the cold metal in his hand.
A few wobbly steps brought him to the closed door. He rested his head against it, listening to see if he heard the large angry man on the other size. There were no footsteps or voices. Law was willing to guess that outside was an empty hallway. He slowly turned the doorknob, being a quiet as possible. He dared to peak out the small gap as he pushed the door. Just as he thought, there wasn't anyone around. A large knot in his throat choked him as he steeled himself. His fist clutched the metallic tool in his hand as if to comfort himself.
The teen took a few tentative steps out. He looked behind him and found a dead end. Nothing else was after the room he had come from. At least he had a good idea of which way to go. Trafalgar leaned on the walls as he shuffled along, slow but cautious. He took in the layout, it was simple, much like a small clinic or an office building. It was rather empty having ran into no one else but that Caesar guy in the beginning.
After a short while of wandering around in what he assumed was a sane path, he found a large oak door. It stood out from all the other smaller doors that adorned the walls he clung to. "Best guess says that's the way out." Law whispered to himself. He double checked the corridors before wandering over to it. Once again he put his head to the thick wood and listened. No noises. He turned the knob and pushed it open. Even as it slowly swung open, he could make out a small waiting area. It really was set up like an abandoned clinic. He could see light shining in from a wall of windows.
Law broke into a run as he scanned for a way out. At the other end of the room was a glass door bathed in the afternoon glow. Shaky legs rushed towards it. He proved too unsteady to run. Legs crumpled under him as he crashed to the ground. A dull pain washed over his knees and hands. He just had to get up. Get up and get out. There was a world outside those doors. He could find safety and freedom in that well of light.
"You haven't been discharged yet." An icy voice laughed behind him. He felt a cold sweat freeze him to the core. He remembered that voice. It had been a long time since he heard it. He didn't dare look behind him. "Doflamingo isn't so forgiving as to forgive a runaway twice." She cooed, voice getting closer.
"Run damn it. RUN!" Law screamed mentally. He tried to will his body to move, to get up and dash away. Every muscle in him was stiff and unmoving. He stared at the sunlight that promised so much hope. He watched as a grown woman blocked his path and stared down at him with sadistic yellow eyes. Her lips curled up in a smile, hair framed her face and shoulders in green waves.
"Hello, Law." Monet stared at the teen, baring her sharp teeth.
"Wh-what are you...?"
"I've been sent to assist Caesar." Her hand clamped down on Law's arm and forcefully dragged him up to his feet. She kept talking as if it were just a normal conversation. "The better question here is why are you out of bed?"
Trafalgar's throat grew dry as he watched the door get further and further away. He couldn't help but follow behind Monet as she pulled him along. "You can barely stand." Monet observed as her hand kept him upright as much as it guided him. "I'm impressed by you. Always have been honestly. You're a smart kid." She stopped in the hall and turned on him. She had gotten taller since they last saw each other. "Always hated you too." Her face was cold and conveyed danger.
"Why?" Law felt the question leave his lips before realizing he was asking it.
"You were Doflamingo's favorite from the start." There was true hatred in her voice. "Day one you joined us and already got to be part of the elite. Do you know how hard I had to work for that? How long it took to earn the boss's approval?" Anger saturated every word she spoke.
Law couldn't help but let out a sarcastic laugh. "His favorite?" He questioned. Monet's fingers clawed into him like sharp talons. "You're delusional. I'm nothing more than a toy to him." A cold pale hand raked across his face to silence him. Monet's face was lost in pure hatred as she looked down on him.
"You're so fucking full of shit." She bit out. "I'm only helpful to him when I'm out of his hair and you have him wrapped around your finger. Do you like rubbing it in?"
"He sure as hell shows his appreciation in an interesting way."
"If he didn't care than why was he so desperate to save you? Why couldn't you be left to die!?" She shrieked.
"I'd like to know that myself." Law muttered. He turned his head away from her and looked down. "I guess he still needs me for that damn drug." A metallic glint caught his eyes. He still clung to the item he picked up earlier. It seemed that Monet hadn't noticed it yet.
"If you let me go I'll be out of your hair forever." Law attempted. If she really hated him than getting rid of him should be enough. "I'll walk out that door and be gone forever. You can curry favor with that pink bastard and become his favorite. Win win."
"You think I'm stupid?" She scoffed. "He wouldn't hesitate to kill me for letting you leave. Even if he didn't find out he'd still lay the blame on Caesar and I." She stooped down till she was face to face with Law. "Besides, I've seen the bruises and scars on you. Something shitty is happening to you, huh?" The smile on her face sent fearful chills down his spine as she spoke.
"Someone is beating you, rather regularly too. You deserve it. I'm not going to let you leave your punishment."
Law brought his fist up with as much strength as he could muster. The metal scalpel he had stolen ran deep across her cheek. Monet screamed and lurched backward, shocked by the sudden attack. The teen felt himself fall to the floor, not even realizing just how much the other had been holding him up. He clambered up to his feet and rushed towards the large oak door while she was in shock. He kept falling forward only to catch himself or run on his hands like a wild animal. It was a blur as he raced towards freedom.
"Get back here!" Monet's shrill voice screeched. He could hear her rushing after him, no longer stunned. He lurched for the door knob fingers just skimming the metal as she caught up and pulled him violently. Law landed back first on the floor. His hand was forced open as she used a pressure point against him. She must have been studying anatomy here since it was so expertly done. "You little rat!"
A loud cracking noise rang out in the teen's ears. It took only seconds for the pain to envelope him. Law let out the loudest shout he ever had in life. Never before had he experienced this pain, not even when Doflamingo was in a rage. Wave after wave of pain was accompanied by shrill screams of agony as he writhed on the tiled floor. Trafalgar clutched at his leg as he continued to squirm and scream, tears ripping down his crimson red face.
"What's going on?" Caesar called out as he ran down the hall to the two of them. He didn't have enough time to take in the whole situation. All he could do was tear Monet off of the teen and hold her back as Law continued to scream. "Are you stupid?" He scolded. "I just got off the phone with Joker. He's already on his way to come collect the kid."
"He tried running away." The young adult replied. She brought a hand to her cheek and ran her fingers through the dribbling blood. "He got my face too." She turned towards the scientist who had his arms around her.
"It's on your hands if Joker's angry." Caesar muttered. "That's a pretty nasty cut though. Any further up and he would have nicked your eye." The man released her from his grip and held her face looking the slash over.
Caesar picked up the paralyzed teen still crying out in pain before turning back towards Monet. "You're both coming with me. Looks like I've got some patching up to do." There was an annoyance in his voice as he walked back to the room Law had escaped from. Pained whimpers poured from the teen from every movement of his broken leg. Each step was excruciating.
They were both more or less patched up by the time Doflamingo arrived at the empty clinic. Monet had explained the situation as she walked him back to the teen. Law was clinging to what little relief a few over the counter pain pills provided him. He ended up wrapping his own leg after Caesar proved that his medical skills were lacking. It was tight but straight. Law was fairly confident it would heal correctly, though it would be long and painful.
"I thought you knew not to do that by now." The gang leader said through a forced smile. "Our family stays together. Forever."
Law turned his head away wishing he wasn't stuck here with him. Doflamingo simply grabbed the only chair in the room and sat on it directly in front of the kid. He removed his ever present glasses and looked deep into the scared grey eyes of the teen. "You're a bright boy. I've seen how quick you are to pick up new things. How well you apply everything you learn. So why are you struggling with such a simple idea. You belong to me. Mind. Body. Life." He punctuated each word trying to drill it in. "I've been so kind to you. Let you get away with so much ever since you came through my doors. Why do you feel the need to retaliate like this?"
"You know why." Law spat.
"Clearly you just have a death wish. Unfortunately I'm no genie. You're going to go back to your lab and you're going to leave all this running away and killing yourself bullshit behind. I assure you that I haven't even begun to ruin your life and if you keep pursuing this childish notion of leaving me you'll find out just how horrible life can be."
"Why don't you kill me?" The teen asked. "Hell, I did the hard part. All you had to do was leave me on the floor to die and you couldn't even do that."
"I have my reasons."
"Did you ever even plan to kill me in the first place." Law's gaze finally held a fire in it. He was determined to get a direct answer. "Were you just fucking with me that night? Did you already know you'd kill Cora and leave me alive?"
"I had asked Corazon to kill you that day." Doflamingo admitted. "We had found your journal and figured that Caesar here could crack your silly code and replace you. There wasn't a need for you anymore."
"What changed?"
"Your code wasn't so silly after all." The mobster answered. "Even my trusted scientist couldn't replicate what you made, as bad a product as it is."
"What would you have done if Cora went through with it? What if he killed me like you asked?"
"I honestly couldn't say. It was a miracle that you both came back that night. Guess God loves me." Law laughed a pained laugh. He knew better than anyone that God didn't exist. "As soon as I was told you came back alive I knew I was going to have to keep you there."
"So I didn't even have to beg for my life?" Anger rose in Law's voice. He tried desperately to hold it back. That last few months taught him to keep his cool around the time bomb of a man.
"No, but it was delicious to watch. My brother's death was just a cherry on top. Something to break you. It worked rather well it seems. Two birds one stone and all that."
"He was your brother!" Law protested. The emotion in his voice grew against his better judgement. "How could you kill him like that?"
"He was a traitor. He tried to leave and take you with him. That means he was no longer a brother of mine." The plain simplicity in his words turned Law's stomach.
"But-"
"No more." Doflamingo cut the teen off. He stood up to his full, intimidating height and looked down on Law. "We're going back. I do mean what I said about forgetting these fantasies. I'm no longer feeling so patient with you." The large man grabbed Trafalgar by the back of his shirt and walked out of the room with him dangling in his grasp.
Law found himself back in the dull grey basement. The room was cold, the cement was as hard as ever, and this time he came back to cameras set up everywhere throughout the room. There wasn't a single corner that wasn't in full view of at least two lenses. The coal haired teen tapped unkempt fingernails at the thick metal cuff around his good leg. He couldn't reach his work station with the short chain that kept him grounded to the corner his blanket rested in.
Trebol had welcomed him back as soon as he stepped foot into the dark cellar. He explained the new rules to the teen as he only halfheartedly listened. Apparently he wasn't allowed to work alone anymore. If Trebol wasn't there himself, another trusted member directly under Doflamingo would sit and watch over him. Even when he was physically left alone, there was always someone watching the cameras. There was no longer any privacy in his world.
The only thing Law truly got out of the whole speech was something left unsaid. All the people watching him were going to take notes on what he did. If they figured it all out than he could finally die. He struggled with weather or not to just give in and let them have it. Death seemed like a much better option than this.
Law found himself left alone for an entire week with no one checking on him aside from bringing some food down. No work was driving him crazy. All he could do was cower in the corner as he was haunted with visions of the dead mentor. The same ghoulish rotting body shared the basement with him. Cloudy eyes peered out from the messy mop of dull yellow hair as he silently judged. Fresh blood dripped rhythmically from his gun shot wound. Nothing else about him would move. No walking or breathing or even blinking. Law was forced to confront his mental hell all alone with no way of getting away or even hiding. It wasn't long before a pool of blood lapped at his bare skin and soaked his old, ratty clothes. It stained his entire body and no matter how hard he scrubbed, he couldn't get the sticky wet feeling off his skin.
When work finally resumed he was barely sane enough to cover his tracks. Some time in the mental hellscape of lonely regrets he convinced himself it was better to live like this than to die and deal with the demons in his afterlife. He started switching labels around every time he used a chemical. He would vary the amount he made each batch so no one could cross reference with older observations. He mixed up the placement of all his tools and supplies as well. Even with all the juggling he was still able to work just fine and no one was able to keep up.
He found that most of the associates that watched him didn't say much or take notice of him. They treated it like a boring babysitting gig and ignore him. Some would read books or take short naps. Trebol was as terrible as ever though. If he wasn't literally over Law's shoulder watching him, he was under the teen's clothes. He took full advantage of the broken leg and the fact that Law had no where to run or hide. It was during these days that he would mentally check out and go numb. Doflamingo would often times visit later that week to scold and beat the teen for the lack of drugs made. Somehow, the pain grounded him. A rare treat from the numbness and horrible lonely visions.
Law was certain that the only reason he hadn't completely snapped was the kind gangster. Senior ended up watching the teen every few weeks when Trebol was out and no one else wanted to be saddled with the job. He was the only one who would talk with him. The man would prattle on about this woman he had met and started dating. He would speak of a normal life and happy memories. Law clung to the words and spent hours on end asking about the lady. Every once in awhile the slick man would sneak him some small treats. What Trafalgar liked most was how natural their time together felt. It was almost warm. Just some soft small talk and even a joke here and there. Senior did most of the talking and he never pried into the bruises, the broken leg, or Law's work. Best of all, he never made snide remarks about Law's suicide attempt. In fact, he was the only one who didn't ever bring it up. He only ever listened if Law ever wanted to talk. It was the only good thing in his life.
Years would go by like this. Never alone but always lonely. Sleep would allude the teen every night as nightmares whittle down his sanity. New bruises, cuts, and horrors would adorn him every week. Even the medical books that he read and reread every day would ware down and no long distract from his life. Law found himself deteriorating until the only thing that kept him together was the unseen blood that soaked his skin every night.