Lots of trigger warnings: This chapter is probably pretty dark. If anyone is triggered by child abduction, child abuse, and manipulation please skip this. There's also a trigger warning for violent imagery and dark themes. If that is something that upsets you turn back!

I sorta triggered myself writing this chapter. There was a scene right at the end where Luffy sees a dead guard. I got half a sentence into writing that and it felt like a car smashed into me. I had to spend some time with my face in my hands screaming obscenities until I calmed down. Sorry, I'm sharing this. I'm just trying to say I understand how unpleasant that feels and I mean it when I saw that if any of you want a censored chapter/ entire story, I would be HAPPY to do that.

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"His presence is required in the lounge."

Sabo frowned, looking down at Luffy. "Why?"

"It doesn't matter?"

"It matters to me?" Sabo reached down to grab Luffy's arm, pulling him to his side. "I'll do whatever it is instead alright?"

"They said him."

Sabo looked down at Luffy who was staring at him. For his part, Luffy had no problem going with him but Sabo looked scared- And Sabo didn't get scared unless there was something to be scared about.

"Is he in trouble?"

"No," The guard said.

"Then what do you want him for?"

The man huffed clearly annoyed now. "I don't know, to clean or something. Look kid this isn't a negotiation. Either he comes with me or I take him from you and get my friend to take you somewhere else."

Luffy pulled against Sabo. "It's fine." He told his brother. "I'll be back kay?" He smiled at him as brightly as he could manage. Luffy knew he had been a burden to Ace. He refused to make that mistake twice. So he would go. If nothing else to save Sabo from trouble.

Sabo set his jaw but didn't argue as the guard unlocked the cell, letting Luffy out before locking it.

"Hey!" Sabo said as the man turned away. "HEY!"

The guard turned around.

"You Don't Hurt Him!" Sabo warned.

"Or what?" The guard mocked grabbing Luffy's arm. "You'll kill me?"

Sabo didn't say anything, but he reached out to grab the bars. And something on his face seemed to scare the man as his face paled. He tightened his grip on Luffy's arm as he pulled him away. "Come on," he muttered. "We're late."

Luffy looked back at Sabo as the man pulled him along the hallways. His brother stood in their cell, his hand gripping the bars so hard the skin was white. He was staring at him. The guard thought he was angry. But Luffy knew Sabo wasn't. He was scared.

Luffy smiled back at him as the guard pulled him around the corner and he lost sight of Sabo altogether. When his pace slowed the guard yanked his arm cruelly, causing him to stumble a bit. The man's hold didn't loosen and Luffy was forced to keep up with the quick pace.

"Where are we going?"

"Shut up!" The man told him.

"Can you take me to Ace?"

"Who?"

"My brother, the one you took away cause of the fire." Luffy tried to pry the large fingers off of his arm, they were starting to hurt him. But the grip didn't budge. "I miss him and I really need to tell him something… please."

"Shut up!" The man snapped. "Your psycho brother deserved what he got. And you're never going to see him again. You should be grateful we let you stay with blondie back there after all the mistakes you made. But we can always change our minds about that.

Luffy felt coldness seep into him at the words. He froze and the guard yanked him forwards in annoyance. Luffy held his ground again, digging his heels into the worn wooden floor below him.

"What!"

"GET MOVING!" The man snapped. "He ain't like to be kept waiting."

"You're going to- take Sabo away from me?" Luffy knew they had threatened it before, but they liked threats. He didn't think they would really do it? He figured that if it came down to it Sabo would figure out a way to stop it. He was good at that. But Luffy remembered Sabo's face as the guard took him away. The face he was probably still wearing now back in their cell. He was scared, scared they were going to take Luffy away. Like they had taken Ace. -Luffy's fault.

"Please don't!" Luffy said as the man yanked him forwards. "You can't!"

"WE can do whatever we want! Get your ass moving or you just might come back to an empty cell!- Ooofmp!" He cried out in surprise as Luffy stopped pulling against him, instead of pushing forwards in the direction the man was taking them.

"Okay!" Luffy told him no longer fighting his hold, trembling as he readily followed him down the darkened hallways of the massive ship. "I promise! Please don't hurt Sabo. He's a good person, not like you."

"Why you!" The man took a swing at him but Luffy ducked. He couldn't go very far with the guy holding his arm. The next hit caught him in the corner of his mouth, and he was knocked to the floor.

Luffy sat up dizzy and confused, looking up at the angry man towering before him. He didn't understand what that was for? He was just stating facts. Sabo was nice, he took care of Luffy and always protected people that couldn't protect themselves. This man kidnapped and hurt people for money. He had to know that he wasn't a good person. Right? But apparently pointing out the obvious made him mad. People were confusing.

"You mouthy brat! Why I ought to to-," He took a step closer and Luffy curled up, expecting another attack. But it never came.

When Luffy looked up again the fist of the angry man was being held. Someone had grabbed his wrist before he could land his punch.

Luffy sat up confused.

"Enough!" The newcomer said and there was anger in his eyes. "You know how I feel about violence against children."

The guard gasped as his wrist was released. He held it against his chest, rubbing the reddened area. "Yes sir, sorry sir." He said.

"Now leave us!"

The guard was all too happy to comply and when the man turned his expression on Luffy it was softer. It took him a moment but Luffy recognized his face. This wasn't another guard this was the guy from a few days ago. The one with the pocket watch and sad family stuff. He offered his hand and when Luffy took it he pulled him to his feet.

"Are you all right?"

Luffy nodded trying to pull his hand back but the man held on. "I'm sorry about him. I should have sent someone else to get you. That man is always so violent."

They were all violent. Luffy tugged his hand again wanting the man to let go of him. He wasn't a dog. He didn't need people to keep holding him like he would runoff. "You sent him to get me? Why?"

"To thank you of course," The man said. "I figured I owed you for returning my pocket watch to me. You are a kind boy for doing that."

"That's okay," Luffy told him. "I don't really want anything from you."

"Well, why don't you come see first," He gave Luffy's hand a squeeze pulling him over to the room at the end of the hallway. Luffy let him hold his hand. Not because he liked it. Hand holding was for babies and he was trying to be a man dammit! But he was also scared about what the guard said about taking Sabo away so he put up with it.

The room the man showed him was quite large and very nice- the lounge they had said. He had only been in here a few times. Slaves weren't supposed to be where the important nice rooms were. But what caught him off guard was the smell. It had been a while since he had been so close to warm, cooked, yummy food. One of the tables had a couple of plates on it, piled high with food. His stomach growled loudly in response and he looked down at it.

"You're hungry?"

Luffy nodded he was starving.

"Well, it's all for you…if you want it!" He finally let go of his hand and Luffy walked over to the table looking down at the plates. Cooked veggies, a basket of dinner rolls, a bunch of shiny-looking fruit, and – best of all there was a huge piece of meat. Real meat! All cooked and good smelling. Luffy felt his mouth water. He turned back to the man.

"It's for me?"

"I said so didn't I?"

"I won't get anyone in trouble if I take it?"

The man smiled softly at him. "No kid, I promise."

Luffy returned the smile."Shi-shi. Thanks, mister!"

Leaving the meat for the moment he grabbed the rolls, stuffing them into his pockets, pressing them down so more fit. He wished he had bigger pockets.

"What are you doing?" The man asked in surprise.

"Taking it with me!" Luffy figured he could carry the other stuff in his shirt and the meat- Well he could put that in his stomach. No, he should share it too. No! That he should eat…. No! He was going to share that. But only with Sabo. The others could have the rest. Well, most of it.

The man stopped him before he could put the food in his shirt. "Stop! You're going to make a mess of yourself. It's not going to disappear if that's what you're worried about."

"I want to share it," Luffy told him. "With my brother and all of the others. Can I take some to Ace too!"

The man stared at him for a long moment. "This is for you."

"I know," Luffy told him. "Thanks…"

"Aren't you hungry!"

"So hungry!" Luffy agreed. "Everyone is! I bet they will be super grateful to you for this!" The man was staring at him now. "What?"

"Nothing," He said. "You just remind me of my son. So much it catches me off guard. He was like that too. Always thought about others. So much that it got him in trouble. You know Luffy, some people aren't worth your affection."

"That's not for you to decide," Luffy told him.

He shook his head in wonder. "You really are just like my son, it's… strange. Although I suppose you're a touch less shy than he was. You speak your mind, don't you?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Alright," He said. "Tell you what. Eat your fill. We've got plenty in the kitchen for all your little slave friends. Save your shirt. I'll make sure everyone gets their share. More than you have here."

Luffy perked up at that. "Can you make sure Ace get's some too!"

"Ace?"

"My brother!" Luffy reminded him impatiently. How could everyone keep forgetting him? "The one that I was sad about cause he lied about starting the fire."

"Ah, right. Him too then. But will you do me a favor in return Luffy?"

"Another one? What is it?"

"Will you keep me company while you eat? If you don't mind too much. I'm surrounded by those gruff guards. Young perspectives like yours are always refreshing."

Luffy nodded. He could do that. He didn't really want to. The man was- kind of weird. He would rather go back and show Sabo, who was worrying about him, all of the food he had. But he figured it must suck to get stuck with all those mean guards all day. Luffy would be lonely too if they were the only ones he had to talk to.

Luffy sat at the table with him, listening to him talk while he ate. He was only partially listening to what the guy said.

"He really loved that mother of his. He would have done anything for her. Too bad she wasn't a better role model for him."

"-Where is he anyway," Luffy asked, his mouth full of food.

The constant chatter stopped, and the room was filled with silence. It took a long moment for the man to answer. "He's with his mother. They're far away from me right now."

"Oh," Luffy figured that was kind of sad. He knew what it was like to miss your family.

"What about you? You're awfully young to be here. Where are your parents?"

"Don't got any," He stuffed a role into his face struggling to close his mouth around it.

"Oh? What's happened to them?"

"Dunno. I just don't have any."

"Are they dead?"

"I don't really know," Luffy said again. "I don't think so. They probably just didn't want me?"

The man leaned forwards in his chair a bit, anger flashing over his face. "That's terrible. It's a parent's job to protect their children. If they can't do that then- well they're not quite human are they?"

"Uh, I'm pretty sure they're human." Luffy figured he would know if they weren't. Then he would be part monsters, like a dragon or a tiger or something. That would be cool. No Gramps would have told him if he was some type of creature.

"Do you have any other family?"

"Yeah, I told you I have my brothers. Oh and my gramps and our mountain bandit friends… and Makino. Shanks too. And Shanks crew, and some of the villagers."

The man stopped him before he could continue to ramble. "Your parents walked out on you and you're brothers?"

"Oh, no my brothers have different parents. But I guess theirs's kind of suck too- or they're dead. So It's mostly just us."

"Oh," The man said with perfect understanding. "So they're not your real family then?"

Luffy paused mid-bite, food in his mouth. "Of course, they are?" They were more his family than just about anyone.

"Of course," the man agreed easily. "You seem very attached to them."

"I guess," Luffy hadn't really thought about it before.

"Do you still get lonely sometimes?"

"Why are you asking me all this? Why do you care?" Luffy looked down at the bread in his hands. He wanted to eat more. He was so hungry he could probably eat all the food on the ship. But he wanted to make sure there was enough for everyone. Even if this guy said they could have more. He pushed the piece into his pocket with the others.

"Just curious," He admitted. "It sounds like you have had a hard life."

"Not really." Luffy's life had been fun. Well, aside from being captured as a slave. "I guess sometimes." Especially lately when they took Ace.

"What if you never had to feel that way again? For the rest of your life. Would you want that?"

Did he mean that Ace was going to come back? That no one would try to separate the three of them again. Luffy nodded.

Something seemed to light up in the man's eyes and for a moment he looked genuinely happy. Luffy didn't like it. "Well Luffy, I think we might be able to help each other."

"How?"

The man waved off his questions. "All in good time. Are you done?"

Luffy nodded, pocketing the rest of the food on his plate. "Can we go get the rest of it for everyone?"

"Oh right. It's too much for you to carry yourself. I will get someone to hand it out in a bit okay."

"Okay… just don't forget -kay. Some of them are really hungry."

One of the guards took Luffy back to his cell. Sabo was gone when he got back but the guard said he was just working, and they would bring him back at the end of his shift. Most of the others were gone too but the nice lady Rose in the cell beside him was sick so they had left her behind.

Luffy gave her the bread so she could pass it down to the cells beside her (although he made sure to keep a few just for Sabo).

"You're such a sweet thing," She said patting his head. "If more people were like you the world would be a better place."

Luffy just smiled up at her. He didn't know about that but he was glad he could help out a nice lady who didn't deserve to be here. But she didn't keep any of the food he gave her and instead passed it all down to further cells, telling the remaining slaves who weren't at work to try nd spread it as much as they could down the cell block.

"Aren't you hungry?"

She smiled at him. "I'm fine little one."

"They said they will come give us more food. You can eat then."

She didn't say anything but Luffy knew she didn't believe him that they were going to bring more food. She was right.

The food never came.

XXX

Sabo moved Ace's leg to the side as gently as he could so he could work on his face. "You really are a mess." He was rubbing a damp dishcloth over the other's face trying to remove some of the blood and grime that caked his skin. As it was Ace looked like a demon with streaks of bloodied soot covering most of him.

They were back in the kitchen, grabbing supplies and weapons. They had to be careful not to linger here too long or someone might discover them. Ace was sitting on the counter while Sabo stood next to him, trying his best to patch him up.

He felt Ace tense beneath his fingers when the cloth pressed against a still-healing injury. "Sorry." As it was Sabo couldn't even see where the damage was. "I can't understand how you're still standing." The more layers of soot he wiped away the more he realized what rough shape his brother was in, and that meant something coming from him.

"I'm fine," Ace told him.

"No, you're not," Sabo sighed. None of them were fine. He put his palm on his brother's face, gently urging him to look up at him. "Ace I'm so sorry I couldn't stop them from taking you away. I'm sorry I wasn't watching Luffy better that night. I'm sorry he got so hungry that he passed out in the first place. I am sorry I let them take him away and I am so fucking sorry I couldn't help you more. I'm just," Ace was staring at him with wide eyes now and suddenly Sabo couldn't deal with those the look those sad grey eyes were giving him. He turned away. "I'm just sorry." Sabo finished his eyes burning as he looked at the floor. He shut them before they got the chance to start watering. God after all of this crying in front of Ace, who had been to hell and back for him, would be so embarrassing. But more than that it was pointless. What was that going to accomplish? Crying about it was not going to undo anything or bring Luffy back. God, it was not going to bring Luffy back.

His hand was still on Ace's cheek. When he tried to move it Ace stopped him, grabbing his wrist to hold it in place. He leaned in to the other's touch ever so slightly. He waited until Sabo looked at him again. It took a moment, but he was patient.

"Sabo, none of us would still be here without you. So honestly save it for someone who gives a fuck Outlook."

The exact same thing he said the last time Sabo tried to apologize to him. He knew Ace didn't hold him responsible, nor was he interested in his apology.

"I wish it mattered," Sabo told him quietly. "I wish my regret could mean something." But all of those thoughts that kept him awake at night, haunting his waking life, affected every action he took, they meant nothing. Not to their situation. It was weird to think about but some of the greatest catastrophes in life could be avoided by a handful of people taking responsibility and seeking repatriation. But Sabo was not one of those people whose regret would change anything. Why was it always that the people who felt bad, who wished to change things, were the same people whose actions were utterly pointless. He didn't know.

"It matters," Ace promised him. "It matters to me okay. You're not someone who should be apologizing for how things ended up. But you are because no one else is and that's just who you are. And that matters. I promise I'll show you that one day."

Sabo pulled his hand free, continuing to patch his brother up without a word. "We need to get Luffy back."

"These pirates, what do you know about them?"

"Rose seemed to think highly of them. I don't think they are the type of people to kill slaves just for the fun of it."

"They might not know Luffy is a slave."

"I don't think they would kill kids either."

"That's a big assumption you're going on," Ace told him and Sabo sighed. "I know." He remembered the way that man had held Rose's cold hand. He had a hard time imagining those same hands lashing out at Luffy for the sake of hurting him. Then again what did he know? People were complex.

"You met them right, what do you think?"

Ace frowned. "They tried to bring me with them. They didn't hurt me when they could of. But I have no clue what they wanted me for. They said they wanted to help me but," He shrugged. "That's what everyone says. I honestly can't tell you anything other than their strong as hell and I don't trust them with Luffy."

Ace didn't trust Luffy with anyone. Sabo had spent most of his childhood watching Ace develop those protective instincts that come with being an older brother and one of the ones responsible for a person. Especially someone as accident prone as Luffy. All of that was only cemented in their heads by their current situation. So Sabo understood what Ace was feeling, perfectly.

"We'll get him back." He promised. "We'll fix whatever's wrong with him." He had to remember them, he just had to. Sabo could fix it. He would find some way to remind him.

There was that crushing feeling again. It was all for nothing. Everything was for nothing. Sabo had a lot of things taken away from him in his life. But the time they had spent with Luffy since he was seven years old. Somebody- somehow- had taken that away from them.

But that didn't matter right now. Not when so much was at stake. He helped Sabo down from the counter. They had raided the knife rack and dozens of blades were piled on the counter. They weren't ideal but it would have to do. Sabo tucked a few into the waistband of his pants, hiding a few more under his clothes just to be sure they wouldn't be caught defenseless. Ace did the same.

Sabo looked at him doubtfully. "Maybe you should stay here. You are really injured." Sabo didn't want Ace passing out on him during a fight.

"We both know I'm not going to do that."

"Yeah, I know."

"It will be fine. Listen, Sabo, I know I've done a real shit job of it lately," He cut off the other one when he tried to disagree. "But I am going to take care of you two, I promise. No matter what it takes."

That was what scared him.

"I know you will," Sabo told him. Ace would always watch out for them, and Sabo would always watch out for Ace.

God knows Ace wouldn't protect himself.

XXX

There were a lot of guards on the lower levels of the ship. It was dark down here and the air smelled damp. Luffy had never been here before. He had never been a lot of places on the ship, but he was glad he hadn't spent a lot of time here. It was miserable.

A lot of the guards were dead in the hallways. Luffy recognized some of them. He didn't like a single one of them. They were always mean to him and something in their eyes scared him. Plus, whenever he met them it was usually because they were hunting him down to bring him back 'home'. But he never wished them dead.

This was what Thatch had tried to warn him about. When Luffy froze the captain had simply grabbed him around the middle and kept moving. Like nothing happened. He only set him down when they reached the room with all of the surviving guards.

"Thank god Cap! What are we going to do?"

"Barricade the door!" The man commanded. "Shake yourselves off and get ready for a fight. The pirate scum isn't far behind me."

He knelt down beside Luffy, grabbing his trembling arms. "Luffy are you okay?"

Luffy looked up at him, his eyes big. "Why is everyone dead?"

"Pirates," The man spat. "The friends of that man you defended so harshly. He was going to do the same to you."

Luffy shook his head. "No, Thatch wouldn't do that. He promised they wouldn't kill me."

The man laughed humorlessly. "Their pirates Luffy, they lie. You are naïve still. This is why you must obey me."

Luffy remembered the faces of one of the guards. He looked scared. He felt tears well up in his eyes. "Are we going to die?"

He tightened his grip on Luffy's arms. "Do you remember what I told you when we first met?"

Luffy shook his head.

"No, I suppose you wouldn't remember. Well, I asked you if you had the chance to never feel lonely again- for the rest of your life. Would you want to take it?"

"You did what?"

"And you agreed to it so I am going to keep that promise. For however long or short the rest of your life it. You won't be alone."

He was starting to scare Luffy. He pulled back the man didn't let go of him. Lonely! He was always freaking lonely. That was why he ran away so much. Whatever promise he had agreed to, there was no way Luffy had wanted this.

He had wanted to go with Thatch so badly. To see the ocean and the stars. Now he was going to die with the same crushing lonely feeling he always had. And suddenly everything was too much for him. Screw his promises. He twisted his head back sinking his teeth in the hands that held his shoulders.

The man let go, yelling in surprise and Luffy bolted.

"Grab him!"

He heard the trampling feet as the guards chased him but he didn't stop.

He wanted to get out of here, go far far away from here. And he wouldn't stop running until he was free.

XXX

Recently something happened that is making me question the type of stuff I write. I'm not going to stop but I am going to say that I absolutely abhor violence and murder in any form. The last thing I want to do is promote it. This might be a weird thing to apologize for but I am sorry about all of the nameless characters I killed off. In real life no one is nameless. They have families and people who love them.

(Out of context I know this makes no sense) I'm just trying to say that you, your family, and all of the people you care about are irreplaceable. The most important thing in the world is that you guys take care of yourselves and Each Other.

XXX