Garp looked at the small baby in his hand. Singular. The thing was small enough to fit in one.
He thought back to earlier that day.
They'd tried to stop him from entering that house. They thought he was going to kill Rouge and the baby.
He won't lie and say that didn't upset him. Does he look like a baby killer?! He'd never do something like that!
He'd joined the Marines to fight pirates, dammit, not to kill newborn babies!
Though he guessed with all the other Marines going around killing babies that wasn't how it appeared.
Garp closed his eyes. He didn't want to think about all those innocent babies - and mothers - who were killed for this.
The baby started crying again. Garp sighed. He'd only just gotten him to stop a minute ago and now he was back at it.
Damn, Roger! Even dead he's trouble to him!
Garp tried his best to make the baby in his arms stop crying. They can't sneak out if the baby's screaming his lungs out. And damn, does he have a set of lungs on him!
Why couldn't Roger have asked one of his crew to do this?! Rayleigh practically raised those two apprentices on their ship. He would've been amazing at this!
Why were so many bad things happening lately?! This should have been a happy period in his life. His lifelong enemy - and yes, they might have started this fighting between them when they were in their early twenties but he was still calling him his lifelong enemy, even if Roger always referred to them as rivals or frienemies - was finally dead!
But instead, his son officially started that Revolutionary Army thing he's been talking about for years which caused a fight that practically ended their relationship. He's stuck with Roger's baby. And, goddamn it, he misses Roger! Only his fights, of course. It's been boring without them. Nothing else. Nothing at all.
The baby finally quieted down.
The dirt in front of him was soft. Almost as if a hole had been dug in it recently. And it had. This was where the mother of the baby in his arms lay.
Garp closed his eyes.
He'd promised Roger to protect both his lover and baby. His lover was now dead.
And he needed to get a move on so that doesn't happen to the baby as well.
Sighing, Roger turned away from the house where Rouge gave birth, starting down the long pathway to get Mini Roger out of this Island and to safety.
He already knew where to bring him. He'd thought about it on the way here. Garp can't take care of him himself. He has duties as a Vice Admiral to deal with. Garp also lives close to the Marine base and he'd rather the baby be as far away as possible from there.
So he decided on some friends - more like drinking partners - in a East Blue Island. Nobody pays much attention to that place. Nobody would also pay attention to some brat living under some mountain bandits on a mountain next to a dangerous forest. And speaking of the mountain and forest, those combined would make him even more secluded and even less likely to get found out.
He also has something to hold over the bandits - all their crimes and how they could be imprisoned for life if he takes them in - to make sure they don't tell anyone. It's perfect.
Garp rising moon fell upon seeing a small Marine Sqaud. He cursed. The Marines should have all left already. Why's this one still here?
And he's stuck. If they see a random person suddenly leaving when they arrive they'll get suspicious.
As they got closer, he saw that they were an end sqaud. A type of squad for taking care of the aftermath of things and making sure nothing went wrong. There will probably a few of these sqauds doing rounds around the Island for the next few weeks to make sure nothing was missed. Killing the Pirate King's offspring is a big deal after all.
Garp subtly sped up as they marched past him. He used his marine coat to hide the baby - Ace.
Ace started crying. Because of course he did. Right at the worst possible time.
The Marine Sqaud came to a stop. Two of them ran up to him. Based on their outfits and where they was marching in the sqaud, they were a Petty Officer and Seaman First Class rank.
"Hey, stop right there!" The Petty Officer cried out, roughly grabbing onto his bicep as he was too short to reach his shoulder comfortably.
"We heard that baby cry!" The Seaman Officer yelled. "Turn around slowly! Now!"
Garp turned. They both gasped. They seemed surprised. Didn't they recognize his outfit? The Petty Officer quickly let go of his bicep.
"Vice Admiral Garp?!"
"I'm so sorry! I didn't know it was you-"
Garp stared. They're scared of him. This might work in his favor. "What do you want?"
"I - that baby - you-"
"What? I can't go on a walk with my grandson?" And that wasn't a lie. Not necessarily. He's decided that he's going to raise this boy as his grandson.
"G-Grandson?!" They seemed even more scared. They were clearly about to ask him to hand him over. Now they don't know what to do.
"Yes. Now I'll be going now." Garp made sure to memorize what the two Marines looked like. His priority now was to get Ace off this Island but he'd try to find them later and maybe he'd be able to stop them from telling anyone he had a baby with him.
Senny and Tsuru-chan would definitely be able to tell what was going on if they heard about this. And he'd much rather they think they either already killed Roger's offspring or that there just wasn't one in the first place. It would make things while Ace grew up so much easier.
Ace stopped crying.
Garp started walking away.
Faint but fast whispers sounded behind him.
"Dude, what do we do? We were ordered not to..."
"I know. But this is Vice Admiral Garp we're talking! And his grandson. We're going to be responsible for one of the strongest men in the world's grandson's death."
"Death? No, we could kill all the other babies because they were just random civilian children. Since it's his grandson, he's probably just going to get checked."
"I didn't even know he had a grandson. And why would he even be bring him here?!"
"I don't know! But we're going to lose our jobs if this gets out."
"Shit, you're right."
The whispers stopped.
"V-Vice Admiral Garp!"
Garp stopped. And half-way turned. "Mm?"
He made sure he looked scary and threatening. Maybe that will get them to stop.
They both squeaked. But they didn't stop.
"Y-You need to hand over the baby..."
"Y-Yeah, you need to hand over the baby."
Usually Garp would have been proud at such Marines. Still doing their orders and duties even if they were frightened. Now he was just annoyed. And desperate to leave.
Garp turned fully. "What? You want me to hand over my grandson."
"I-" The Petty Officer gluped. "Y-You can come with him if you want. We just need a quick check then you're free to go."
"Let me have a talk with your superior." Garp was desperate. Hopefully this scares them into thinking they're going to get in trouble and they will just leave. Or they will both go and he can leave.
They both gluped. But yet again they didn't stop.
"I-I'll go get him." The Seaman First Class sprinted away. The Petty Officer stayed, trembling, following the marine procedure of at least one staying with the target. Shit!
Not even a minute later a Lieutenant Commander was in front of him. The rest of the sqaud was a few meters away.
"Hello, Sir. I heard about what's happening and I'm afraid we're going to have to ask you to hand over the baby for a quick check."
"Are you, a Lieutenant Commander, ordering me, a Vice Admiral and Marine Hero, around? And telling me to hand over my precious grandson to you? You've got some nerve. Now let me through."
The man looked incredibly uncomfortable but still continued on. "The check will only take a few minutes, Sir, and you can be there with him if you'd like. I'm just following orders."
"Do you know who I am? The orders don't count on me."
"Sorry, Sir, but the order counts for everyone. Now if you would just hand me the bab-" He reached for Ace and Garp would later blame his next thoughtless action on Roger. Because everything's always his fault.
Garp gave his world famous punch, the thing that gave him the nickname Garp the Fist, to the Lieutenant Commander's face. There was a cracking sound then complete silence.
Suddenly noise came all at once. The Lieutenant Commander's delayed scream. The Marine Squad scrambling and panicking. Ace's renewed crying.
Garp punched both Marines that first came at him. Then the next ones. And the ones after that.
It was hard fighting with a newborn baby in your arms. Ten out of ten would not recommend.
Garp jumped up over a building, running along it as he headed to the small port of Baterilla Island. He has a fully stocked boat waiting for him there.
Garp suddenly felt a sharp pain in his left bicep. And another one in his right back thigh. He stumbled.
The Marine Squad was shooting at him. The Marine Squad was shooting at him and the baby he's decided is going to be his grandson.
Garp turned back.
Two minutes later the entirety of the Marine Squad was unconscious on the ground. A few were probably dead.
Garp went back to heading to the port.
Rain started falling seconds after he arrived. Storm clouds were on the horizon.
He spotted his boat. It was pretty small, nowhere near his normal one, but that was because nobody was supposed to know he was here. Which was now pointless and he clearly needed to start heading out now if he wanted this small boat to escape the Marine Ships that would undoubtedly be coming soon.
He headed in and quickly set sail.
The storm made the waves stronger but Garp's navigated the harshest oceans within the volatile New World. This was child's play even with two bullets in him. Which he should probably start treating soon.
Several hours later Garp had already treated his wounds, fed both himself and Ace - and were newborn babies supposed to drink that much milk? -, and made sure he had his cannons right beside him in case of emergencies and he needed to do his famous cannon throwing.
Now that Ace finally went to sleep and he had some time to himself he could think about the day.
What happened has definitely already been reported.
Garp didn't know what he was doing. Risking it all - all those years of hard work and drive - for the baby of his lifelong enemy.
He won't be with his childhood friends, Sengoku and Tsuru. He won't get to see Sengoku's adopted son, Rosinante, who he thinks of as a nephew and is the only Celestial Dragon he doesn't hate. He won't-
Ace made a little noise in his sleep.
Garp looked at him. He should probably try to find out what to do with him now.
Should he stay with him or should he bring him somewhere?
Earlier today he would have said bring him somewhere as Garp would be too busy with his duties as a Vice Admiral to raise him. But he isn't a Vice Admiral anymore, is he? And isn't that a weird thought? Garp can't even imagine life as not a Marine. But he doesn't have to imagine it anymore, huh? He definitely isn't one anymore. The only Marine in his title now is probably Traitor of the Marines.
Garp sighed.
Maybe he could continue with his plan to go to the East Blue's Dawn Island?
No, East Blue is such a calm place that such a big incident happening there once the Marines catch up will bring way too much attention. Garp can't afford more people to find out about Ace. Luckily for them, the Marines also want to keep the whole Pirate King's offspring thing hush for now. Garp hopes it stays that way. He really doesn't want to deal with even more people, mostly Roger's enemies wanting to get revenge though his son or just people wanting the large award that will undoubtedly come with him, after them right now.
Maybe he could go to Dragon?
But then he would endanger him. Bringing the Marines gunning for his head right to his doorstep.
Even if he's already wanted by the Marines, just a few days ago Senny - call me Sengoku! A voice that sounded like Sengoku yelled in his head - was complaining to him about 'that wayward trouble making son of yours', his organization is still new and small and struggling to survive and doesn't have that much attention, though knowing his son that will definitely change soon. Adding the attention from having probably what's going to be the most wanted traitor of the Marines and the Pirate King's baby into the mix the organization probably won't make it to the end of the month.
But he also hasn't talked to him in a while. Not since they got into that huge fight regarding Dragon starting that organization in the first place - he calls it the Revolutionary Army - several months ago.
Maybe he could go to remainder of Roger's crew?
Maybe Silvers Rayleigh. He'd definitely help protect his Captain's son. Any of them would.
But he doesn't know where any of them are. No one does. Ugh!
Or maybe he could go to Whitebeard?
While Whitebeard's an enemy there were plenty of times where after a fight they partied together. And wasn't he close with Roger? Like frienemies as Roger once stated. He'd probably want to keep Roger's son safe.
And if not that, Whitebeard would still not approve of Ace being hunted down simply for being born. He wasn't that type of man. If Garp tells him about what's happening, he'd probably help them, right? Or at least help Ace.
Garp didn't know. He wasn't thrilled with any of the options.
Ace choose that moment to wake up, stomach rumbling.
Garp sighed. He got up to heat up some milk in the small kitchen.
Putting the baby bottle against Ace's lips, he watched, careful to hold his head steady, as he gulped it all down.
As he used to do with Dragon when he was a baby, Garp put Ace on his shoulder, patting his back until he let out a burp. Said burp also included some milk that poured all over his back.
Garp sighed - he was sighing a lot today - as he cleaned up and changed, heading back to Ace after. Dragon used to do that alot as well when he was little.
Garp nudged Ace's small cheek with a finger. "Are you really worth all this?"
The baby just giggled, drool and some milk pouring down his chin as he babbled, teeth less mouth opening and closing.