Marco waited eagerly for today's news paper as Thatch sat on the railing of the ship reading to himself. It had been two weeks from when Marco last saw the marine and was beginning to worry, there was no news of her or her crews safe return.

He knew that she would be gone so why was this getting to him?

That was a rhetorical question. He knows why he worries about her. It's because he can't stop thinking about her. Her smile, her proud stance, her honey eyes, every curve of her body. He was being tormented by her image on replay.

But not the ones he wanted, the ones of her damaged and scarred body. He needed to know that she was okay. He wanted to know he accomplished his job as a doctor. However he still needed keep his cool and calm composure on the outside so here he sat boring holes in to Thatch with his glare.

However a very exaggerated Thatch, who "oooed" and "awed" at everything knowing that Marco hung on every word, made it hard to keep any emotion but annoyance. Yet he stayed silently watching an animated Thatch read the paper.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he got up. Marco shot up as well walking to intercept Thatch with a light 'gimme smile'. Only to have Thatch quickly pull the paper away in a childish manor. This of course would never end well for the pompadoured man because with a swift unchanging face Marco sent him tumbling over the railing and snatched the paper from his hand as he fell.

A smile on his face as Thatch hung from the railing yelling pineapple related curses.

Marco scanned the page and dropped his eager smile and balled up the paper as Thatch, finally pulling himself over the side, watched holding out his hands in surprise and throwing himself on the ground where the paper bounced off the deck and into the big blue abyss below faking sadness as he cried.

"Why! You pineapple shaped fiend! WHY!" He cried once more this time with more emphasizes of the motion of surprise.

Marco sighed looking away from his brothers antics as Thatch watched with curious eyes.

He quieted down going serious. "Oh, Marco you're really worried, aren't you?" Thatch asked quickly getting up and moving to put his hand on his brothers shoulder. Marco tried to pull away but instead let a relaxed smile grace his lips.

"No, just annoyed-yoi?" He asked himself before looking to Thatch unsure how to explain how he felt. Thatch made a face and scratched the back of his head unsure how to truly put his brothers mind at ease.

"Trust me Marco that marines a strong one." He stated with a confident smile. Even if he had no idea how to help Marco's heart he could still offer him something better. Encouraging words of a brotherly bond.

Marco smirked "I know she is-yoi." He then frowned and shook his head unable to shake her out of his mind. Even in her damaged state she still managed to take his breath away.

Thatch thought to himself before tapping his shoulder. "Hey you know what I bet her diary will cheer you up?" He asked wiggling his eyebrows "Did you peak yet?" He asked nudging a smiling Marco before he shock his head.

"No, I rather just sleep-yoi." He stated before walking off towards his room. Leaving a distraught Thatch thinking to himself what to do.

There had to be some way to get Marco back in to his normal relaxed mood. And Thatch was going to do it or else he wasn't worthy to carry Whitebeards mark.

Marco trudged over to his room swinging open his door and leaving it open to shed some sunlight into the dreary room. He looked over at his desk which was always clean and had the most recent medical journals organized in one corner and the purple rose on the other with an over hanging lamp in the middle. The leather-bound book sat underneath the lamps light as if calling to him.

He walked over to it and held his hand over the cover as if he was going to finally stop torturing himself on if it was right to do so or not and just read it.

But before he could bring himself to do it. He pulled his hand away and instead went over to his bed and threw himself on it. Allowing his legs to stretch out and his body get comfortable before he turned over to his side staring at the desk and the lone book in the spotlight.

He shook his head one more time thinking what she would say.

Surely she would call him a brute, in which he would respond with sadist, and then eventually their back and forth banter would lead to her rosy red lips on his and her soft body along with them.

He took a deep breath and quickly covered a pillow over his head trying to smother out the vivid images that now played in his head.

However the temptation was to much. He groaned and slammed the pillow down beside him walking and sitting himself In front of the book.

He nodded to himself, he was a pirate. He had loyalties to no one expect his brothers and Pops. All others were mere ships passing by and he did not have to answer to anyone on right or wrong.

At least that's what he told himself as he opened the book. The first thing that caught his eye was the black ink on the inside front cover with a single Viver card in its pockets. The other cards and his poster missing.

He smiled and chuckled to himself as he traced his hand over the broken writing. "I win you brute. Yours's truly, The Marine." He shook his head a smirk on his face.

She had left this book on purpose to torture him on what the right thing to do was. But of course, she knew he would give in, or else she wouldn't of written in it.

He then stopped his smile fading, this was something that seemed so important to her why would she leave it with him? Was it truly just for the satisfaction of knowing it would torture him? Or was it because she planned to be away and knew the madness of not knowing?

He scratched the back of his neck before ultimately beginning to read. His mind automatically reading over the apparent misspellings as he imaged her voice speaking to him.

Marco gave a light smile as the very first page began with. "Day 30 of marine hell" He continued to read silently and looked down at small drawings of flowers labeling the parts and properties underneath the excerpts. He flipped through the pages of childish ramblings, careful not to pull to hard as it might fall apart.

However to his dismay some of it did. One noteworthy picture was of a tall girl her hands dirt covered and tattered dress plastered in stains. She had a bob cut hair and stood between two boys both shorter then the young woman. One of them had a distinct mark along his neck as if something had melted it and it healed with no help from a doctor. The other had faint blue discoloration along his exposed and dirt covered shoulder. However fearsome the two on the other side of the young woman looked. The teenage Domino (From what he assumed) had a skull splitting grin. Her fists up and around her wrists broken chains.

Quickly he looked away unwilling to think when this picture was taken. He then flipped the picture in a chance to see when it was taken. Yet the only thing he found was a black and ageing smudge mark that seemed like an emblem that was crossed out.

He looked up at the rose on his desk thinking for a second on if going through her whole life would ruin how he felt, before shaking his head. He knew she left it for a reason, besides, If anything it cured his boredom.

Marco took a look at the book once more and then wrinkled his high arched eyebrows to himself. It was a near description of how she uses her devil fruit, including being barefoot.

Maybe this was to much for him to be reading. It was all personal things and he didn't need to snoop. This was something Thatch would do. He wasn't Thatch, So instead he did what a normal person would do and continued to read.

"Day ?"

"I think it's safe to say I forgot when or what I was supposed to write in this thing. Garp had said it was important for to do this stuff but By now i give up trying to stay on track. All I know is it has been at least 1 year since I joined the marines, and I have to say somethings wrong. This was hell. I fought everyone on everything. Including the dreaded con sept of shoes. I wanted no ones help, and felt like I made myself a prisoner. But, no matter how much I fought them Garp and Mr. Oldman fought back. And well somethings different, Adaline, she's the red head I met a year and ½ ago? She no longer likes the Vice Admiral like she used to. That was fun screwing up all her plans. But i saved her cause he is a huge buttass. Or butt hole? Anyway that doesn't matter. She joined the marines to protect her town from some goons who were messing around with her family. I told her why I joined the marines and she cried because my smile was to scary. But after she cried we decided to be the best of friends because we had no one else. In case I haven't noticed there are to many men here. And if they weren't scared of me then I wouldn't get anywhere. But I need to be better then just that. I can't have people being scared of me anymore. So from this day on I will try. They say my smile is still scary, but I only have the one smile? Garp beat me a bit before I stopped smiling but, I like to smile. But anyway I will try harder to not just outright kill someone. Garp says its honor in a battle that drives people to fight. But that's to much work. But I will try. I promise I will get stronger. I have no other choice. I made sure I gave myself no choice. I will be one of the greatest marines I can be. I'll take on every god until I am. That is a promise."

Marco took in a deep breath and finally forced the book closed deciding to instead focus on other things. Like maybe the clouds? Yeah clouds are nice. He got up to stand and walk away from the book before glancing at it again a knowing smile on his face.

~~~~~~~~~~small timeskip~~~~

Adaline watched in fear as Domino was once again thrown back against a pillar a burst of Magma dripping and eating through the floor she once stood.

Adaline tried to gasp or make any sound as Domino stood up her upper body dropping over her legs and her breathing labored. Adaline once again tried to move to her friends aid before domino slowly and painfully reveled her face. A blood thirsty smile evident as she held up her fist and through the settling dust you could see a small smudge of blood that coated her knuckles.

Quickly Adaline looked over at the now Admiral who looked at her with smug surprise before he gingerly touched his lips and noticed that Domino had in fact cut it.

Domino then began to laugh and shake her head bringing herself back from the dead and jumping lightly. "2 months to go Magma Dog!" She called out as Akainu nodded and ran towards her "I'll make a marine of you yet!" a smile on his face before the fight was once again on.

Kuzan casually strolled over to were Adaline sat and leaned over the petite red head, making an effort to not look down her busty shirt. "She made him bleed?" He asked his voice showing less curiosity then he actually had.

Adaline watched the two fight once more, Akainu clearly dominating the fight. Domino was just dodging and trying desperately to stay alive with a mad grin on her face.

"I think it was a fluke." She whispered back before Kuzan nodded "She's going to have some burns. If she's lucky that is all." He mumbled before walking off.

Adaline pulled her eyes from the battle and looked over at Kuzan who lazily walked the corridors. He had been promoted and was now wearing only suits which was a new sight to see but nice to see him taking initiative.

"Oh sir, was there something you wanted?" She called before he stopped and looked at her giving her a 'got me smile' "Ah, no.. it was stupid forget it." He waved before walking off. Adaline nodded and looked back to the battle and then back towards the icy admiral.

"Actually, sir wait!" She called before rushing after him. She wasn't going to let her best friend go through something this nerve wrecking alone.

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"Thatch you did what?" Izo whispered yelled while Thatch quickly shushed him and pulled him back in to the kitchen, making sure he closed the double doors behind him.

"Come on be a little more obvious, will you?" Thatch whispered back both of them leaning there heads down as if someone watched them. Really the kitchen was a wide open room, ovens and assorted cooking necessities lined the walls as a clean counter space called to the brothers.

On the opposite side of the ovens multiple windows lined the inner walls all currently closed. Which meant they were blocked off from the rest of the ship.

Thatch quickly glanced around to make sure the windows were all locked and even went to lock the kitchen door to Izos scoff. "Oh, now you know how to use a lock."

Thatch rolled his eyes and held out the leather bound book waving lightly in his hand.

Izo gasped "The Marines diary!" He called before Thatch quickly placed the book on the counter and grabbed Izos mouth.

"You idiot. Marco will kill us! Shut up, shut up!" He hissed quietly as Izo nodded. "Oh yeah, yeah right." He then looked down at the book then back at Thatch.

"Why did you take it, it's not yours?" He asked crossing his arms suspicious of Thatch's give away smile. "It's not Marco's either." He called out in defense.

Izo rolled his eyes "It's more his then yours besides there's no reason for you to have it."

"Are you kidding? Marco's been cooped up in his room reading this thing for months now! It's not healthy! I am just helping a brother. WHOM I care about okay?" He called spewing out words at a lightning pace.

Izo dropped his eyes and then rolled them, "Thatch..." Was all he drug out before Thatch ran his hands over his face.

"Okay! I want to know if she mentions how Adaline feels! I need to know if I captured her heart like she did mine?" He asked looking off in to the distance with a pleasant smile. Imagining a green meadow where they could frolic and a manor of other things in the field.

Izo looked sideways at Thatch's creepy glance into the distance and pulled back. "I don't think you need to, I mean you guys have had time in the kitchen twice so.." He started when Thatch shook his head.

"No, no. You don't get it, the first time the gorgeous angel took my money. This time it was a shower." He murmured looking down as Izo hollered in laughter.

"You got used! For a SHOWER!?" He called out before hollering again as Thatch shook his head "I got lost in the moment of passion!" He groaned before Izo looked at him trying to hide the laughter and then cackled again.

His perfectly done up make up now starting to run with tears.

Thatch crossed his arms nodding his head at Izos laughter before he rubbed his face. "It's not that funny." He mumbled before Izo nodded looking up and gingerly wiping away his running mascara "It's a little funny." He gasped.

Thatch sighed and held out his arm "Can, you just please help me look?" He asked slightly annoyed as Izo nodded and looked towards the counter the book lay on.

"Sure, how do I help?" He asked as Thatch absently looked down. Unsure how to continue himself. He held out his hands and folded up his long sleeves smiling.

"Just be my look out while I flip through, we just recently met so it shouldn't be in the front." He hummed as he went to lean over the counter to read as Izo went to the door to look out and nod to Thatch giving the signal it was all good.

Thatch nodded and licked his finger tips before flipping through the pages of notes and taped down flowers before stopping at the back of the book and looking at the words. He furrowed his eyebrows and shook his head.

"Damn." He stated looking at Izo who looked over and creased his perfectly done eyebrows. "Whats wrong?" he asked as Thatch hit the counter with his fist.

"No wonder, Marco's been locked up for hours at a time. It's coded." He murmured and then placed his head in his hands and shook it slightly.

"I'll never know the truth." He sadly whined as Izo reached past his distraught brother and looked over the words before letting out an exaggerated sighed and shook his head in disbelief.

"It's upside down man!" He called to Thatch's instant perkiness. "God learn to read!" He called out before Thatch smiled and grabbed the book.

"There is a chance!" He called before something fell out between the pages.

Both of them looked at the large now browning paper. They bent down leaving the book on the counter loosely in Thatch's hands and stared at the strange markings.

"What is that?" Thatch asked now leaving the book to reach and grab it as Izo followed him with his eyes. "It look's like a dial, for a transponder snail." He mumbled before Thatch nodded pulling the paper and placing it on the blank counter.

"Yeah? You think it's a direct line or something? Hey." He asked Izo looking up with a smile. "What if we call the Marines themselves? What other way to find out what we need, then straight from the Angels mouth?" He asked smiling as Izo looked at his goofy face and vigorously shook his head, his topknot bouncing with him. "No way. That's crazy." He stated.

Izo and Thatch now entranced with the paper that Thatch waved in his hand.

"Yeah, yeah, I remember her Code, remember Domino said that, that's the only way the marines communicate." He smiled putting it all together. "All we have to do is hijack a marine ship get the snail make a quick call and get." He stated his smile growing as Izo rubbed his temples.

"Thatch, no. First of all that's crazy! Second of all. ARE. YOU. CRAZY!" Izo shouted grabbing Thatch's collar and tossing him back'n'forth as Thatch gave a love-stricken smile he was lost in the thought of the angels melodic voice once again gracing his ears.

Thatch just shrugged as Izo let him go and shook his head in disbelief before looking at the book seeing an empty slot from where it should be.

"Thatch!" He called tapping the love struck man as Thatch went wide eyed and fell back from the counter before crawling back quickly looking everywhere for the book.

"Where'd it go, where'd it go! IZO!" Thatch called as Izo's face paled and before he could say anything forced himself through the wooden curtains of the windows, dashing up the stairs and hiding somewhere above deck. Thatch quickly stumbled backwards to see a menacing Marco standing before him blue flames dancing across his shoulders.

Thatch began to crawl backwards cowering. "Now, listen, I was trying to save you. I was worried for you!" He yelled before the onslaught was upon him.

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