Note of the author:

This story is the first I post so please let me know if things are a mess or if the writting isn't good.

English isn't my first language so sorry for the miss translation or the grammar.

If you want to take some part of the story or else, please let me know. Don't be shy to let me some reviews and comment if you like it or not. I want to inprove.

I'll post as I feel like it but I have chapters already written so, feel free to ask if you want to know what happens next.

The story will follow the main event from the End of Punk Hazard to the beginning of Wano (more or less)
I follow the story and the events but I twist them a little since the story is based on what my original character is doing while the story that we know happened.

If you have any questions about the story or anything regarding the story, please ask.

I don't own the OP characters, only my Ocs.

Some chapters can contain some language warning and such.

I hope you'll enjoy it as I enjoyed writing it.

The Informer
Sixth chapter

They did it. They have actually did it. Kate couldn't believe it had work. She had never thought that their plan could be count as a win in the end. She had been ready for everything to go to shit so much that she had forgotten that her ally were strong. Dumbasses but, with a strenght quite unimaginable. But it didn't went to shit. They went throught hell, some more than others but knowing that each steps could be the last made people fight with everything they've got. People were badly injured and it would be a long time to regroup and take care of everyone. The island was ruined. It hadn't been in a good shape from the very start but between the battle and the lifting thing that Kaido did, it was a mess. Kate had thought multiple times that they were all going to die, mostly her and the navigator. The two woman had had to join forces in the battle. Well, to be true, it wasn't their idea. When it had been time to split up inside the skull, people were about to put the swordsman in the same group as the navigator and the sniper. Not that it was a bad idea or else but, it wasn't smart, so Kate had spoken up.

"Zoro need to follow Luffy?" She had stated to them after they had made the team. Obviously the navigator had talked back. To be honest Kate hadn't even had the time to listen to her and turn to the swordsman and the First commander that came, speaking to him for the first time in years.

"If you go with them you will not be focus on fighting and you will try to protect them. They can protect themselves so go ahead and do what you waited for. " The swordsman didn't responded, clearly thinking about what she said.

"She is right." Stated the first commander. "Kate will go with them." Zoro had nodded and immediately ran away to follow after his captain. Captain that hadn't listened to anything, as always. Kate had found herself being jealous of the Heart Pirate still in thier submarine with the samurais.

"What? No, that is not what I…" Kate had started to say, complaining about the new team composed of the navigator, the sniper and her.

"You go with them." He had ordered before to go as well. Kate had watched them all leave before to curse over and over to herself as she walked behind the sniper and the navigator, not glad either about their new recruit. After a while and not a single enemy in sight they had stopped, the sniper climbing a little bit in height to see better.

"So," Had started the navigator as they both were looking around, making sure they were alone. "I thought that you were friends." Kate had rolled her eyes and walked a bit away from her, not in the mood to talk about her relationship with Marco. "Clearly you lied."

"I didn't lied. I said that we knew each other not that we were in good terms."

"So, you weren't friends? Zoro told me that you were close with is crew before."

"He did? Good to know." No, it hadn't been good to know. She remembered the night she had spent drinking in the submarine with the swrodsman and the surgeon, she remembered what she shared and not once she thought that her memories would habe been shared with anyone else.

"He only said that you worked for them often, nothing more. I know you trust him but whatever…he didn't tell anything else. Zoro isn't the type to share others secret." Kate had looked at her, looking releived to know that he was still trustable while drunk.

"What make you think that we shared secret?"

"You tolerate him and you drink together." The navigator had simply said.

"He drinks with everyone and I tolerate the little doctor the most."

"Kate, I know you talked to him but, whatever you shared he didn't tell anyone. God knows I tried to make him spill it." The reaction that the navigator hadn't been the one she thought she would have. Kate had turned to her knives out, running to her before to tackle her to the ground. The red haired woman had been to busy sreaming and fearing for her life that shehad not noticed the two men Kate had just killed. Then, Kate had shot the three enemies on the left with her gun while the sniper took down the others. When she had stood up from the navigator she could see that she was in shock.

"Don't take your guard down while talking." Kate had adviced her before to retrieve her knives from the bodies. "Get ready, others are coming."

They had fought together, the sniper taking them enemies down for afar, letting the survivor to the two women. Kate had saved the redhead life more time than she could think of and she had been saved once or twice too. What had seemed hours later, they had gotten news and had to move to help on the upper floor. They still had many enemies to get rid off before to be able to move so Kate decided to take the matters into her own hands and took two swords on the ground. Twenty minutes later they had join the swordsman and the little doctor upstairs in the main room, the sniper and the navigator still shook about what they had just witness. They both knew that Kate could fight or she wouldn't have made it this far with them but, they didn't know that she was that good of a fighter. They had all suspected that her bounty was high because of the information she had on powerful people but, they were slowly to think that it was also her strength in combat that allowed her bounty not that far high from their own captain. Her swords skill was almost as good as their own swordsman from time to time and her aura was monstrous. What had surprised the sniper the most had been her aim. He had lost count of how many bullets had ended up right between the enemies eyes.

,
She could not believe that it was over. That they had won. Not even when she had seen with her own eyes, Strawhat putting Kaido to the ground. She had waited, so long to see if he would stood up but he never did. She had stayed one the island until everyone had been evacuated or taking care of. She was sat down on the ground, her eyes looking at the ruined before her, trying to acknowledge the fact that the most feared man alive had been defeated by a twenty years old skinny brat when someone sat beside her. He didn't say anything. He just sat their, watching the destroy buildings and fallen enemies.

"He would have been proud." Marco said moments later. "They both would have been." His voices filled with nostalgia.

"Don't." He turned to face her, looking at how some blood had dried on her forehead and cheeks. How her left arm had been injured agin and how her clothes had been cut almost everywhere. She was a mess and she needed medical care since the wound on her right side was still bleeding. "Don't do the thing where you get all nostalgic please."

"You need medical assistance."

"I know. The little doctor said for me to wait here for him." She informed him. The little doctor had been the first to come to see her, panicking at her state before to start healing her. She had stopped him, telling that she would go see Law once she would have caught her breath. He had insisted to treat her wound but she only let him stop her bleeding.

"I could…" He started to say putting one of his hands on her shoulder.

"No." She stopped him, pushing his hand away. He looked at her for a while before to sight, standing up to face her.

"Kate. I'm not mad at you." She looked at him almost surprised by his words before to laugh a bit, making her chocked and bleed more. He looked around, trying to see one of the doctors. Marco was a doctor but due to a particular event years ago, he wasn't zllowed to treat Kate. Everyone on was finding it absurd but the both of them agreed on that pact.

"You hate me Marco. And you have every right too. I would hate myself too." She said, resting her head on the rock behind her, trying to take a good inspiration.

"I don't. Not anymore."

"You're lying." She said a small smile on her face. "It's okay you know."

"Kate. I don't hate you. I understand." Maroc kneeled, putting his hands on hers, trying to make her understand that no matter what happened, he still cared for her. "yes I was mad for a while but I get it now."

"Stop. Don't be nice with me because I look like shit."

"You always looked like shit Kate. Whit your drinking and sleepless nights." He responded a small smile on his face. "We will finish this conversation later. It's not fun when you are that calm and dying." He stood up once more, putting one off her arms around his shoulders to help her walk. "Let's go find you a doctor, shall we?" She growled a bit at him but didn't complain much anyway. When they arrived the little doctor was busy patching up the sniper nose. The Strawhats and the Heart pirates were the only one left what was left of the island. Marco walked with Kate to the doctor, catching his attention.

"Kate!" He yelled so loud that the sniper had fell of his chair, screaming out of pain. The little doctor run to the two of them and help Marco to lay down Kate who wasn't very conscious anymore. "What happened? I thought you were going to see Law." He said angry and worried at the woman. The wound he had took care off earlier had got worst and something really bad had also happened, something he should have seen. He had yelled at the commander to go search for Law and to bring some vaccine back asap. Kate had been touch by the virus and half of her legs were infected as her abdomen. The little doctor had already took off her top and started to heal the wound when the surgeon arrived and put a needle into her tigh immediately, reducing the virus from spreading. The little doctor explained what had happened and why he hadn't took care of her before fighting through some tears, feeling guilty and ashamed. The surgeon reassured him that it was only Kate's fault not his and started to look at her arms. She had been badly hit and he didn't know if her arms could be healed that easily this time around. They had to operate her, some sword piece were stuck in the wound as dirt and rocks. The surgeon took care of it, letting the little doctor taking care of the others and to make sure anyone else was infected.

"How is he?" Asked the swordsman later when the little doctor came to check on his wounds too. He knew that his captain was sane and sound but he liked to ask, making sure that their doctor hadn't discover something horrible while taking care of him.

"He should be up and running in a day." He answered.

"And Kate?" Asked the navigator. "Usopp told me she was in bad shape."

"Law is taking care of her. She will be fine."

"Look at that, asking about her." Teased the swordsman.

"it unlike you." Said Robin laughing a bit.

"She saved my life a few time so yes."

"Who would have thought. She had tried to kill you a few days ago and now she saves you."

"I thought she was attacking me at first." The navigator explained. "She really saved me today."

"Told you she wasn't against us." Said the swordsman as the little doctor put the last bandage on him before to go check on the others, just to make sure that everyone was okay. He would have to come look at Zoro again thought.

"I know it's just…I can feel that she is still hiding something."

"She hadn't told you?" Asked a voice near by. They all looked at the first commander approaching, some food and water with him. He gave them to the crew before to sit on the ground, legs crossed as his arms. "That explain things." He said to himself mostly.

"Explain what?" Asked the cook.

"I knew she was hiding something." Said the navigator, proud to be right. "Like her and Luffy's fight? We still don't know how or why?"

"They fought?" Asked the first commander.

"Yes." Said the swordsman. "When Law was treating them after the war, he said that they fought a little. That would be why they don't want to be near one another."

"You didn't know? I thought you were close friends?" Asked the robot.

"It's complicated." He responded.

"She told me that they weren't in good terms." Informed the navigator to the rest of the crew.

"What happened?" The little doctor asked. The commander looked at them before to sight.

"She…."He started to say before to cut himself, thinking. " Let's say that we were supposed to meet somewhere but she never came or told me that she wouldn't come."

"So, she ignored you."

"It's more complicated." Seeing that he won't talk more, the swordsman did. It was probably time to explain somethings about Kate after all.

"She faked her death or something like that." He said casually, shocking the others by the revelation. He didn't went into detail, not really knowing himself but by the look at the first commander, he wasn't to wrong.

"She told you then?" Marco asked looking at the swordsman taking off some of his bandages to move more freely.

"Not much. Only some information here and there. She was drunk most of the time." Everyone saw the little smile forming on the first commander lips.

"Drunk Kate talks too much." He said laughing a bit.

"Yes. Law knows. Or at least he knows more than me."

"He must know. The dude knows everything." Added the cook smoking his third cigarette since he sat down.

"No, he means that he knows because he and Kate are close." Explained Robin, her weird smile on her face.

"Close?" Replied the cook. "They are each other throat every time one of them speak."

"Yes, they don't agree with one another but haven't you notice." Robin added, contening a laugh.

"Notice what?" asked the little doctor looking at a bruise on the cook abdomen.

"Nothing, don't worry. Robin think that they are close because they call each other by their name now. I mean, of course they are close, he saved her life more than once and she did too. They have just a strange friendship."

"They aren't friends. Kate doesn't have friends." Said the navigator. "She told me herself."

"Anyway. He knows more than me." Said the swordsman stopping the gossiping of his crewmates. The first commander didn't respond right away, certainly thinking about something.

"I think they are close because he is her doctor." Said the little doctor walking to Brook, quietly drinking some milk.

"Yeah. Like, what is the deal with her arm. We all know that there is something but no one knows for sure. Like a few days ago, right?" The sniper said before to look at the cook who nodded.

"Right. She had scars on her left arms. I never seen something like it."

"Oh! And also after he saved her from poisoning!" Started to say the sniper. "The weirdest thing happened!" The cook nodded again, finihsing his cigarette.

"What happened?" asked the navigator eager to know.

"Well…I'm…I'm not sure but…he had comforted her. Like in a hug."

"Law hugged her?!" Shouted the skeleton making the little doctor jumped in surprised of his sudden outburst. "I'm jealous."

"Wait what?" Asked the swordsman. "Why?"

"I'm not sure…" Usopp responded before to look at the cook, waiting for him to tell more.

"He said that she was hallucinating someone and that she was willing to die to join that person." He added before to light another cigarette.

"Her boyfriend§ He said "dead boyfriend."" Replied the sniper, acting agitated by the conversation. Since he had witness the whole thing so many question was running through his heads, longing to know the truth. Of course he couldn't asked Law about it and Kate terrified him a little bit.

"Wait…what?" Asked the robot. While they were all gossiping the swordsman hadn't taken his eyes of the first commander, watching his reaction. It was hard to read him, still as a rock, his face didn't moved once. But, despite that, the swordsman started to put one and one together. It was like a puzzle, a really complicated puzzle with different pieces spread everywhere in time.

"It true isn't it?" Zoro asked the first commander after a long time of thinking. The two men were close enough to not be heard by the rest f the crew, still gossiping about Kate's life and Law's implication.

"What is it?" He asked back without facing him, still watching his crewmate restlessly talking.

"It would make sense about why she would spend a lot of time with a yonko crew." The first commander only smiled as a response, knowing that he now understood. Zoro was feeling a little bit dumb to have thought about this possibility earlier, but it was the one who could make sense after all. KNowing how Kate was and how things happened, it would explained her behavior and short tempered character.

"So. The surgeon..." Marco said turing to him. "Since when are you with him?"

"A few months now. Luffy thinks of him as a friend more than anything else. I think we might stay around each other for a while you know."

"Well, you sure accomplish great things together. I would have loved to fight against you." The first commander said before to stand up. "I will go make sure that he doesn't tear her apart. His reputation isn't that great."

The little doctor, having checked on whole is cremates, came back to the swordsman, making sure he hadn't put to much of his bandages off. He really needed to do something about that behabior of his. The crew starte to notice that the first commander had left and slwoly stopped their gossip.

"It is still in place." He annoyingly said to the doctor even thought he had took some off. He knew that he would be checked up completely again anyway.

"Say Zoro. Would you explain me what were you talking about earlier? With Marco." He asked, putting everyone attention on them.

" I don't know if I should. It's not my thing to say."

"Oh come on!"

"speak you dumb brain."

" Tell us." He sight before to order them to shut up if they wanted to know. The Strawhat crew, minus their recovering captain, sat in circle all facing the swordsman.

"It is not mine to say so I'll just tell you what she told me." He said waiting for the little doctor to finish and sat down with everyone else. "I don't know much but here what Kate told me and Law. She used to spend time with Whitebeard's crew. A lot even, because one of her friend were a crew member. She told us that it felt like home. She hadn't join the crew though but she was as faithful to the old man as anyone else. She was one of them." He said before to take a pause to see if they had questions before to continue. "After everything that had happened, the treason and the War…she had lost everything she had ever care for. After being healed she was supposed to join the remaining crew members but she didn't."

"She lost her friend during the war, didn't she?" Asked Robin already knowing the answer of her question. A weird silence came upon them all, not knowing what to say after that. Each one of them had thought about what might have happened to her and why was she at the War but none had really thought of that.

"Do you think she might have been injured at her arm at the war?" Asked the sniper breaking the silence.

"That would be possible." Said the doctor as the swordsman nodded sightly.

"Anyway. I said anything. She only told us because she was drunk but we never spoke of it again. So, you know nothing." Said the swordsman before to settle down to take a nap.

They were about to leave, they would set sail in a few hours and started a new adventure. The alliance was over. The Strawhat and Heart Pirates would take their own route and maybe see each other again in months or years for some, to the displease of one and the relief of another. What happened here had forged an unbreakable link between them all. They had spend a week here after the battle, helping a bit, making sure everything was alright. Luffy, who had been up and ready to go 35 hours after his last battle, was jumping around the beach happy to see his ship again. Every one of their allies were there to say goodbye, bringing food and drinks to celebrate one more time before to go separate way. They had started early in the morning and by the nightfall, half of them were out, sleeping on the ground too drunk to stay awake. Kate hadn't been allowed to drink a single drop of alcohol. Since the battle the doctor and the surgeon had been carefully keeping an eyes on her, forbidden her any heavy physical things or any alcohol. She had thought of a joke at first but the little doctor had grabbed every single bottle or glasses the woman had had in hands since the morning and now it was the surgeon who was making her glasses vanished and passed them to anyone near him. She had then tried to play the swordsman, asking to drink form his bottle but he had refused. So, not being able to drink Kate had walked away a little, sitting on the sand away from the loud and happy group of people. Being alone and sober for the first time in a long time, Kate started to think about her next move.

Kate was about to leave, with the surgeon or the Strawhats she didn't know yet which crew would welcome her on board for a few more days. She just had to leave the country shore and she would be alright. She had thought about the first commander but he was staying a bit longer and she thought that it wasn't a good idea to stay around him for to long. She hadn't been awake a whole day that he had came to talk. Talk that had ended up good but, she would have like to avoid the schooling from him. She had always hated it, even thought he was right most of the time. Everything was her fault, and he had every right to be angry at her but she wished that he would have leave her alone after that but no. He told her that she was family after all. God, she had hated hear it from his mouth.

So, Kate had to get out of here. She didn't really know what to do at this point. She could continue like before, trading information for the bigger bidder and sail alone until she found somewhere to finish her days unbothered. She could return to the revolutionary, they might take her back even thought she had left without saying why. She had a lot of information on the world government that may interest them enough to let her do ground mission. She could also go back to West Blue, her birth place, and settle down for a while, waiting for the madness to calm down. Or the Grand line could welcome her again, she had always liked working in paradise. It was calm enough but when things went south it was pleasant too. She could search for a crew too, recruit and have a crew of her owns. The problem with that idea was that she hated been around people for to long and she worked better alone.

She was thinking, making plan for her future when a little girl walked to her, holding something under her kimono. Kate looked up at Tama who was struggling with something. The little girl looked behind her to the group of people around the fire before to smile at Kate, handing her a bottle of sake that she had stolen. The woman smiled at the little girl before to started to drink a bit of it. The feelings felt good. She thanked the little girl and welcomed her beside her, hiding the bottle between them. Then, Tama started to talk about the battle to Kate, telling her how she fought to free Luffy from the cell. Kate had laughed when she told her about Big Mom amnesia. She kept talking for a while, Kate drinking from time to time or asking her questions, which would make the little girl smile brighter.

Hours had passed and no one had expected to hear the little girl cried, not after hearing her laughed with the woman. Luffy had immediately got up and walked to her, quickly followed by the navigator and the little doctor. Kate was still sat watching the ocean, Tame crying beside her, not moving a bit to comfort her. The navigator asked what happened, opening her arms to the girl but she walked to Luffy instead, looking at him sad and angry.

"Kate, what did you do?" Asked the navigator looking at the woman, unfazed by the situation.

"She started asking questions I didn't want to answer." Kate simply explained, not even bothering the hide the bottle anymore and finish it under the nose of the little doctor.

"And it's a reason to make her cry!"

"Tama…"Said Luffy kneeling before the little girl. He tried to put his hands on her shoulders but she stepped back, wiping her tears away.

"Kate…she told me that it was your fault." She said between cries. She started crying a bit louder before to run away to the group of people, seeking comfort where she could.

Luffy had stood up, his eyes looking at the ground, hat on his eyes. The little doctor had started to argue with Kate about the alcohol she had drunk despite the fact that she had been forbidden to. He was starting to get angrier when his captain told him to return with the other.

"But…she can't drink! I need to check that it didn't affect anything with her treatment and…" He explained trying to examine the woman who was pushing him away, telling that she was fine.

"Nami, take him." He ordered a bit harsh. The navigator didn't move for a few seconds before to obey, carrying the little doctor away, not pleased. Kate sighed before to look at Luffy. From all the people around it had to be him.

"What did you say to make Tama cry ?" He asked, cold.

"Nothing important. I'll go apologies later. You can't go now." She said, shooing him away with her hand. Yet, he didn't move. Quite the opposite actually since he stepped forward, getting closer to Kate who stood up.

"What did you say to her?" He asked again, harsher that before.

"It doesn't matter what I said. I was getting frustrated. I told you that I will…" He cut her.

"What did you say?" He asked once more, lettinng his anger show.

"She asked me a bunch of question about Ace!" She shouted at him. She took a deep breath before to continue, a little more quitter than before. "I told her to stop but she kept going one and one. Then she asked how come he died and I lose it! I told her to go bother you since it was your fault! I just wanted to be left alone!" Kate responded, losing it a bit. She took a deep breath once more and turn to the ocean, ignoring the anger coming from the young man. "It came out of anger. I'll go apologies later and explain her why I snapped. It's no big deal." She explained as calm as she could. Yet, the young man didn't became clamer. It had surprised him a bit when she told him it was about Ace. He had also react a bit harsh to the little girl the first time after all.

"You think it's my fault? That is what she thinks?"

"No I….I told you it came out of anger…I…" She tried to explained to him, knowing that he was hurt by her words. He had seen her hatred for him the first time she had punched him. He had always thought that it was just because he had been laughing when she had arrived but, maybe it was something else.

"You wouldn't have said that if you didn't think it was true." He said, finally looking at her. She saw it, the anger and the pain behind his eyes. She hated herself for it but she couldn't help herself. "You really think that, don't you?" He asked her, stepping closer as she took a step back. Menacing.

"I don't want to talk about it." She said harsh, trying to avoid a confrontation.

"You think it's my fault! You think that I kill him?!" He snapped, stepping closer once more but she didn't moved this time and faced him.

"Because it is!" She screamed. There had been a moment of silence from everyone. They knew that everyone had heard them yelled and that they were able to listen to their conversation. If Kate had been able to hear them talk earlier with so much noise around they could easily hear them now while being silent. Yet, she hadn't broken eyes contact with Luffy while saying it and she wasn't about to despite the rage that was in his eyes. He was hating her more now than ever. "It's your fault! He protected you! You! He took that punch for you!" The young man fist had closed and aimed for her immediately. She avoided it in time and jumped back, getting away from him.

"I didn't asked him to protect me! I didn't asked him to save my life!" He yelled at her before to aimed at her again. This time she fought back, punching him while he didn't expected it. He took a few stepped back, holding his chin with his right hand. He knew that his crew were about to jump in so, without turning back, he told them to not interfere or they will be removed from the crew.

"You didn't killed him directly. I know that." She said a little more quieter. "But I can't help myself from thinking that if you had never showed up, he would still be alive." She explained before to avoid another of his punch. She fought back, punching him in the stomach. He wasn't concentrated enough to touch her or avoid her hit properly. His emotions were driving him and it was one of the reason she was still on her feet. He would have killed her if he had really wanted to, she knew it. So the only explanation was that he was just letting everything he kept in him go out on her.

"He would have died !" He yelled at her.

"Because you think that without you we wouldn't have been able to save him?" She asked a little in disbelief. "Do I need to remind you who were there to save him! You were no one and you screwed everything up! You came out of nowhere without a plan already out of strength! You should have let us took care of it! But no, because of your arrogance your brother is dead and one of the most respected and honest Yonko too! He didn't even wanted you to come!" He had yelled in rage and attacked her again, finally touching her. They went at it for a few minutes before to step back, catching their breath. They both had bleedings and bruises but they didn't care, it wasn't what was hurting the most.

"We need to stop them!" Someone had yelled when they were about to jump at each other again. Some men were already up, ready to prevent any more fight.

"No!" three voices said together. The first commander, the surgeon and the swordsman had answer at the same time, making everyone froze. Some had sat down immediately while some were asking why. They were both really strong and could injure the other badly. In their rage they could hurt them too if the fight came closer to them.

"They need to talk." Said the surgeon.

"Talk? You are calling this talking?" Asked the navigator pointing at her bleeding captain.

"They need to talk and it's their way to do it." He clarified from his sit around the fire.

"Talk about what? Kate is accusing him of his brother death!"

"They need to talk about it." Said the swordsman calmly to his crew mate.

"That bitch doesn't know as things about losing someone as important as Ace was for Luffy and she accused him of his death like he was the one who ripped his heart out!"

"She just angry too. She doesn't mean it." Explained the surgeon.

"Don't pick her side! She doesn't even has her heart and you act as if she was right!"

"We are not." Responded the swordsman. "We understand that sometime grief is complicated. Luffy and Kate need to deal with it. Yelling and fighting each other is their way. I know it's complicated to understand but, she isn't really thinking that it's his fault, she just need someone to blame and she decided that it would be Luffy."

"But it's not! Why can't she blame the guy who actually killed him! She hurting Luffy more with her words than her punches! She can't do that! We all know how important Ace was for Luffy and we are just going to stand here and do nothing?" She asked her crew mates, not believing what was happening. At the same time, a cried of pain and rage came form their captain as he put Kate to the ground. She jumped back on her feet, throwing a nasty blow to his chest before he attacked her again, nailing her to the ground.

"They are both in pain." Said the surgeon looking at the fight.

"How Kate can't be in pain! She doesn't care about anyone but herself!"

"She cared about Ace." Explained Marco concerned. "She would have gave her life for his. She almost did." A loud sound arrived at their ears again before anyone could answer. Luffy had throw Kate to the ground in one punch again. Many didn't believed their eyes when they saw her standing up again, not after the strength he put into his blow. She spat some blood out of her mouth without breaking eyes contact, not caring that her strenght where leaving her slowly.

Luffy had yelled before to punch her again. Kate avoid it in time and appeared before him, her knives out ready to seriously injure him but he moved out of the way. She reached the ground and threw her weapon on the sand before to take off her coat. Her arm was killing her and the bandages had came of, staining the piece of clothing in red. Once her arm free she wrapped it with Haki ready to strike him. Luffy looked hesitant for a instant before to block her punch and get away rapidly. Things just got real for a moment. First, many were astonish by Kate's strength and power. None had realized how skilled and clever she was when she was fighting. Secondly, throwing punches were one thing, using Haki was another and everyone knew that it will not end with simple bruises and cut. After her first punch, she seemed frustrated and went immediately for another strike that he blocked again before to jump away.

"Why aren't you using it?!" She asked yelling, striking him again.

" I don't want to kill you." He yelled back, avoiding her attacked once more.

"You should!" She yelled striking again and again. They were both quick and powerful, Kate didn't let him a second to breath and kept throwing attacks full of Haki one after another, and he was always blocking, not attacking back. She was getting mad at him for avoiding combat. She was yelling at him to fight her, full strength. She was even insulting him now, putting everything she had. He yelled back too, saying that he didn't want to. She screamed and kept screaming at him, saying that he should be trying to kill her. She had jumped back after her last attack, trying to catch her breath, almost out of strenght.

"You are just choosing the easiest way by blaming me" He said as her Haki vanished, finally showing her left arm scared and wounded. Because of the fight, the stiches weren't in place anymore and it was bleeding more than before. The surgeon would have to fix her again.

"You should hate me…" She suddenly said quieter, her eyes locked on her left arm. She hated the looked of it, all scars and bruns. It had always reminded her of her failure that day and she couldn't stand to look at it. That was why she always wore her coat or long sleeves on this arm, it was to not look at it. "You should." She said before to kneel down, putting her arms around herself, trembling. She was out of strength and her previous injuries were still painful from the battle.

Kate couldn't anymore, she had gave to much that she couldn't fight the pain. Luffy looked at her shivering for a few seconds before to carefully walked to her, unsure of what to do. Minutes ago they were fighting, blaming one another, both in rage, in pain and clearly mad, but the Kate sat on the sand in front of him wasn't that woman. He had seen her like this once and he had hated it even thought he hadn't knew who she was.

"I am sorry that you lose your family that day." He said quietly, putting one off his hands on her shoulder, trying to show some comfort. To be fair, he didn't knew she had been at the war only when he had saw her with Jimbe after he had waken up. He had concluded that she had been fighting to save his brother and it had been enough for him to trust her. If she had been ready to save his brother she had to knew him, and if they knew each other and that his brother was her friend and it was enough for Luffy. But, she had punched him out of nowhere one day. She hadn't talked to him once, he hadn't said anything either and yet, she had throw him a few meters away with a single blow. He had obviously punched her back immediately, starting to think that she might not have been someone to trust. To his surprised she hadn't punched him back but she had smiled. He still didn't know why she had punched him while he was minding his own business by eating and joking with the Heart crew and he still didn't knew why she had smile. Jimbe told him that she acted like that because she was hurt and needed someone to blame for everything. He told him that she may not hab been part of Whitebeard crew, she had been considered like a daughter. So, Luffy had forgive her for the punch. Yet, he didn't like the energy and the looks she had gave him after. They had spend three days on the island together before she had took off and he had felt insecure the all time. He knew that she was dangerous and unpredictable.

He hadn't been glad to invite her on his ship, being careful, watching from afar as she was talking with his crew. She had only been threatening with him and only him. When she had offer her heart as part of a bargain things got easier. He hadn't like it but as a captain, it was his roll to keep an eyes on people like her, to insure his crew safety. He had been strange to have her heart in the palm of his hands. Then, after a few days, he had let his hypervigilance around her drop a little ,enough to go see her. At that time, he had wanted to ask her about the war but he hadn't been able. That is when he saw it on her notebook, the drawing of his brother pins. Whereas the other drawing, that one was the least roughly drawn and whoever had drawn it had been applicated. Since that day, he knew that she had been closed with his brother, close enough to be able to draw or let him draw his pins on her notebook. She hadn't just been at the war because someone of her "family" had been capture but because on of her friend had been about to be executed.

"I'm sorry." Kate whispered, her voice breaking. He stopped his hands from moving on her shoulder, wondering why she was apologizing for. "I'm sorry." She repeated before to look at him. She was crying, looking more in pain now than before.

"For what?" He asked confused.

"I got him arrested." She confessed through the tears.

"What?" He asked taking his hand off.

"I…gave him the direction he needed to find Blackbeard. I knew were he could find him and I let him go. He got killed because I told him." At her words Luffy stood steal, letting her cried, hugging herself. Marco had approached them quietly the moment she had dropped to the ground and had been able to hear her confession. He had exchanged a look with Luffy before to kneel next to Kate, taking her into his arms. She tried to pull away but he didn't let her as she kept repeating that everything was her fault.

"Kate, calm down. It's okay. Ace would have found him eventually." The first commander said to her. She punched him a little in the chest, trying to push him away but he didn't bugged. He even hold her tighter, finally unferstanding what had happened to her during those years. The guilt she had put on herself was to much to bare.

"I should have stopped him." She cried. "He would have listen to me! I should have told him to stay! To come home with me! He would have!"

"We both know that he would have pursuit him to the end of the world before to come back." Marco said to her, trying to calm her down.

"No…He would have come with me!" Then, shocking everyone, Luffy knelt down slowly and join the hug. He had wrapped his arms around the two of them before to put his head against Kate's.

"It is not your fault." He said, making her cry even more. "He would not have stopped, for anyone." The woman tried to object but he didn't let her. "The marine was after him anyway. He had been a walking target since the day he was born. It was just a matter of time before they catch him." Everyone could hear the pain coming out from the woman, brutal and rough pain that had been hidden for to long. Blame, guilt, sorrow, anger, pain, sadness...everything was eating her alive for so long.

"He…" She tried to say.

"Kate. Ace told me something before he died…"Luffy said, visibly struggling to hide his own grief and sorrow. "He thanks me, you, for giving him a family." Kate had quickly turned her head to look at him. "He thanks us, for loving him…" He said, his voice breaking a bit at each words.

End sixth chapter.

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