Law raced through the streets until he reached the Heart Pirates Submarine. Clattering, stumbling and shouting through the deck and door – he had gathered his crew timely.
"Capta-" Bepo began to start, worried about his captain's horrified expression. Law didn't seem he would cry, he just seemed absolutely distraught. He felt sick to his stomach.
"Call the Strawhats." He commanded, his 'captain' voice striking a sense of fear into his crew. They had never seen him like this. One wrong move, and he could snap.
"Yes sir" a crewmate responded
"Captain, what's wrong?" Shachi asked Law tentatively, moving next to his Captain who had pulled out a large map of the Grand Line.
"Hold it" Law told him, referring to the map. Law picked up pins, holding them between his lips as he planted them into the map securely.
Shachi didn't say a word but held the map open as told. Meanwhile, Penguin was glancing around the ship, confused.
"…Where's Leila?" He asked innocently. Bepo also began to look around but when Law stiffened and his bloodlust travelled throughout the room, he realized.
"N-no…Captain don't tell me…" Bepo stammered, his eyes quivering as he tried to imagine the sheer possibility.
"Be quiet. I can't think" Law snapped at him, his hands moving erratically.
A crewmate stumbled into the room with the den den mushi, passing it to Law immediately.
"Luffy" Law spoke firmly, trying to communicate the seriousness.
"Law?" A female voice rang through the den den mushi, surprise in their voice. "It's rare for you to call, wh-"
"Nami-ya" He recognized the energetic redhead's voice immediately. "It's urgent. I need to speak to Zoro – quick"
"Whoa, what's going on?" Nami asked him, concerned lacing her voice.
"Just get him. I don't have time"
"Hmph, fine…" Nami huffed down the line. Law could hear bustling of movement and distant chatter.
"Here, for you" He could hear Nami speak, although from a distance. "It's Law"
"Why would I want to speak to him?" Zoro dismissed in the background, causing Law's eyebrow to twitch. The den den mushi made a clattering sound, Nami had seemingly pushed the recorder into Zoro regardless.
"Ya?" Zoro answered the phone, irritated.
"Shut up and listen for a moment" Law commanded him, not giving him a moment to speak. "Leila-ya got taken, you know who by. I need any and every piece of information about where she could be"
"You bastard, how did that even happen?" Zoro raised his voice down the phone.
"Do you want to do this right now?" Law argued back. "She's in danger, are you going to help or not?"
"Of course I'm going to fucking help" Zoro roared, movement being heard in the background. The sound of swords clattering was evident. "Meet us. We'll go together"
"Do you think we have time for that? Just tell me what you know"
"And leave her safety down to you? Yeah right" Zoro scoffed "Look how that ended up"
Law gritted his teeth, biting his tongue. Although he was being riled up, he couldn't help but believe Zoro's harsh words. He hadn't kept her safe. It was factual.
"…tell me the location" Law replied, agreeing to work together.
"What, are you really not going to say anything after all these years?" Xander scoffed as he grinded his teeth together. Leila met his gaze with undeniable fury, her golden eyes willing him to choke. It made him chuckle.
"You really haven't changed have you? You still look the same as when you did when you were little" He thought back to the picture on his wall, her eyes still holding the similar defiance. His eyes travelled over her body. "Although I suppose some things have changed…when did you grow up to be such a young woman?"
Leila refused to reply, she simply looked at him with disgust.
"I see you've made a playmate out of Trafalgar Law…" He tested, his eyes studying her facial expression closely. Leila felt her chest tighten, her insides clench and her heart began to race. However, her face remained still, unmoving and unfeeling – she wouldn't give away a thing. But her biological reactions could not be hidden. Xander studied her like a hawk and smirked when he saw her throat bob slightly as she swallowed uncomfortably.
"How did you catch him in your web?" He laughed manically. "Or did he catch you? It's rare for you to stay with someone for so long, after all, you can't trust anyone. You know you can't be loved with such a despicable personality, all your good for is your powers. And you can't even do that right"
"…it was convenient" She lied through her teeth, wishing to distance her and Law's relationship. "feelings were never a part of it, he was just easy to take advantage of"
'If I have to insult you, if I have to persuade him that I hate you, I will do that. I'll do that to keep you safe' She thought to herself, her panic alarm resounding in her head.
"Hmm?" Xander stared through her, eyebrow's twitching in irritation. He reached into his pocket and threw a report through the bars of the cell. Leila glanced down at it and the picture caught her eye – making her breath hitch in her throat.
In that report, was a photo of Leila and Law, arms intertwined, lips locked at the ball. She felt her palms grow sweaty. She did not look into Xander's eyes – her eyes stayed reading the report.
'…That's how they found me?' She thought, immense sadness welling up inside of her. 'My wish to go to a ball…how could I have been so fucking stupid. How did I forget this is my past?'
"Does that look like there are no feelings involved?" Xander snarled, his fist tightening around the cell. Leila met his eyes slowly.
"Have there been any feelings with any of the other men I have been with?" She challenged him, referring to the countless times she had been caught with guards and varying men. Xander stiffened. He highly disliked her promiscuousness.
In an instant, Xander had opened the cell and was beside her. He pulled her onto her feet by her arm and she flinched at the aggressiveness of his grasp on her. He towered over her intimidatingly.
"Since you've displayed your feelings so clearly – you don't care if I kill him?"
Leila felt like screaming. There was no way she could win.
"Have I ever cared before?" She replied coldly, pushing past him and outside the cell. Xander let her go; she was still shackled and moving in small steps; no way to escape. The pair had been in this situation one too many times; they knew the routine by now. It always ended the same - with her remaining by his side.