(Whitebeard AU)
Whitebeard frowned, the snail was smiling shakily, looking so relieved. He was about to speak, to demand who it was again, when the other spoke up first.
"Eddy-"
"Rouge?" Whitebeard frowned. He and Marco shared a look, Marco who was keeping him company today at his chair. "I haven't heard from you in ages. Are you alright?"
"No. I need your help."
He froze. Because Rouge never asked for help. She would never in a million years, and yet here she was, asking him. Whitebeard nodded, and calculated how big this threat of, and how it would take to summon all his sons and daughters into battle. Whatever Rouge needed help with, whatever had her sounding so scared, he would pulverise it.
"Just tell me what you need and I'll be there."
"It's much more complicated than what you think. It's also private. Who is with you right now?"
"I'm out on deck with Marco by my side. I'll move to my room."
"He's a clever guy. He can come too."
Marco looked surprised, but nodded. They retreated quickly into his room, and Whitebeard sat down on his bed.
"Tell me everything, Rouge."
"I don't know how much time I have. I'm on Baterilla, and the Marines are swarming it. They heard rumours that Roger looked 'fatherly' and are murdering pregnant women and children. Any who have even a slight resemblance of Roger."
Whitebeard's blood boiled, and his son paled. Flames flared on his son's shoulders, and he gritted his teeth.
"The only reason I can talk to you right now is because some of the men destroyed the communications blockage," Rouge continued, breathing shakily. "Eddy, I'm six months pregnant, and I've been hiding it with my haki."
Whitebeard froze, and then it clocked on.
"Rouge, you're going to get yourself killed doing that, my girl."
"I won't let them have my baby. I can't do anything to stop them. I can't risk my child. He said he was going to tell Garp about me, before the execution, but there has been no sign of the idiot. Truth be told, I don't even want him to come get me. The bastard's organisation is doing all this, and I'll never forgive them. I've known these people all my damn life."
"I'm coming. Right now, but I'm deep within New World," Whitebeard growled. "It'll take me months, and with all my territories-"
"I know..." Rouge whispered, her voice choked up. The snail shook lightly, and tears burned it's eyes. It made his blood boil, almost made him see red. "I won't let them have my baby though. I'll die before they take my kid."
Whitebeard hadn't felt this angry in years. That Rouge was so scared and anxious, Hibiscus Rouge, the lone pirate, was terrified, and asking him for help. Marco threw him a horrified look, and that made his jaw clench.
"Rouge! I'm coming for you. I promise, I promise, as a pirate of the seas, I will come for you!" he yelled, but then, softened his voice. "But you have to hold on, because I'm deep within New World, and I'm sorry to ask you to-"
The snail's eyes hardened, despite the tears. "I will."
"I... I have a suggestion yoi," Marco said, grimacing. "But, Rouge, I doubt you're going to like it."
"Doesn't matter. You're a smart guy, Marco, and I value you're opinion. So please, tell me."
That made Marco smile, and he nodded. "Alright, Rouge, we all know that Roger cannot be the father of your child. Not if you want them to live as long as life as possible."
"Okay?" Rouge choked out, breathing in deeply. "Then what are you suggesting?"
Marco winced, throwing him a desperate look, but Whitebeard didn't know what his idea was. So, with a smile, he gestured for Marco to continue, picking up his tankard again. He really needed a drink after all.
"You are known to be friends, or allies, depending on how you see it, with two pirate crews yoi. One of them was Roger's, but the other is us. I think you should make it clear that the baby came from a member of the Whitebeard pirates."
Whitebeard choked on his drink.
There were two ways Rouge could take this, she could be offended, but laugh it off, or she could be offended, and pummel his son. He would have to defend his child, but he couldn't fight Rouge back, not while she was pregnant.
He would need a heavy bribe. A big, fat, heavy bribe to sooth her.
"Actually," Rouge began. "That sounds like a good idea."
Whitebeard choked again, pounding on his chest. Rouge agreed with it? Rouge of all people agreed with that plan?
Was it the hormones making her this reasonable?
He wasn't sure, and he wasn't sure if he wanted to find out.
"But, the problem is, I'm stuck here. For who knows how long-"
"And..." Marco grimaced. "And that is why it might have to be me yoi."
Whitebeard blanked.
"Oh, wait, yeah. That makes sense," Rouge admitted. "You can fly here."
Whitebeard chuckled. "Guarararara, my son is finally getting a pretty girlfriend, huh? How amusing."
Marco rolled his eyes. "I can fly over, and keep Rouge steady with my healing abilities while she holds back the pregnancy. Because for this to work, we have to make the Marines think Rouge and I have been together for some time, and that her pregnancy timeline won't match in at all with Roger and his death."
"It's a good idea, but Marco. This is really risky. It's also a big responsibility. Are you sure about this?"
"We can easily argue later on and 'split up' publicly yoi."
"True, but you will still need to be a father if the little one and I are to remain on the Moby Dick. It won't look good if you suddenly just start getting called 'Uncle Marco' by someone who is meant to be your child."
"Guarararara, you're going to be a daddy!" Whitebeard laughed. "And I'm finally going to have my daughter."
"Wait, what?" Rouge choked.
"You heard me," Whitebeard grinned. "You're going to be my daughter now."
"...Well... Shit..."
"Guarararara!"
Miss Meep, The time travel AU is pretty fun xDWhiteyWolf26, Yeah, the Marines have no hope of survival. They literally just locked Rouge in with them, the poor guys brought this on themselves at this point.
sairakanzaki, There are no actual plans for Roger to join in yet, but maybe. It just depends how writing the story goes :)