~~~~~~~~the very next day~~~~~~

Marco laid back against the deck taking in the peaceful and relaxed sensation he always felt on the ship listening to his brothers call out bets and then act on them. For example right now they were in the middle of an interesting set of duels, one member of the crew can call out another one at any point in which they spar with the weapons of their choice. Be it fists, guns whatever they prefer. Then the winner gets bragging rights or money, or any number of things.

It was also used to see who had increased in strength and move up in divisions. That is, if the commander wants them.

Marco was always slightly annoyed that no one called on him anymore expect for Thatch, Vista and very rarely Jozu. Thatch did so the most often seeming as he was the only one who had the guts to test his strength against the Phoenix repeatedly. Of course he would lose but still he tried.

Marco was pulled from his thoughts and rolled over slightly avoiding a body flying out of the ring in the deck and landing next to him. Lazily he sighed and forced himself up crossing his legs while lifting the man up lightly. He gave the unconscious man a once over before seeing no wounds that needed immediate attention and shook his hand to a smiling and victorious Thatch, who once again was circling the ring taking money that people held out to him, bowing.

"Thank you-" He bowed with a grin as Marco got up and walked off.

"Thank you." He bowed once more eyes closed as he made his rounds.

He then stopped in front of the large man who looked at him with a grumpy look and arms crossed. "Come on pops~." Thatch sang crossing his arms and then holding one out "You know the drill." He stated with a smile as Whitebeard eyed him and then huffed.

"You cheated." He murmured with a low voice. Thatch placed his hand on his chest and gasped. "How dare you! I have my honor!" He stated pulling away as Izo leaned threw the crowd and laughed.

"Awe, pops give him the money so his Angel~ has something to take from him next time he sees her!" He called as the group laughed at Thatch's rolled eyes. Marco walked up to the playful group a mug in hand before handing it to Thatch with a smile.

Thatch took it with a beaming smile and held out his hand's, drink sloshing as he did so. "You are all just mad because I got myself a hot marine GF." He stated as the group hollered with laughter.

"Oh really! Is that what she is now? Man! She's using you!" They called as Marco laughed at Thatch before they snapped their eyes at him going silent.

By now everyone had forgot the thieving Whitebeard had yet to pay Thatch and was now reaching for the past out mans wallet.

Vista who was enjoying the scene, pointed at Marco. "You can't laugh Marco!" He shouted loudly his cheeks red from the amount of alcohol the large sword's man could consume.

Marco rolled his eyes getting animated with his brothers. "Of course I can-yoi." He retorted as Izo shook his head sloshing his drink as Thatch looked up with a smile and walked away from the group.

"No, no you can't! You're worse than he is!" Izo shouted as Marco scoffed. "I am not-yoi." He stated leaning in "I don't let my money get stolen-yoi." He stated matter of fact as Izo shook his head.

"No, but yours uses you for medical purposes! Or am I the only one who noticed?" He shouted out as the group all went quiet thinking about it and then nodding. Marco taking a second to think about it once more.

Izo had a point. Out of all the times he had seen the Marine most of the time she was injured and or close to injury. Marco frowned as Izo tilted his head. "See! Both of you are just the same." He stated holding out his arm and signaling that was the end of that conversation. Because he was right.

Marco looked down at his drink lost in thought as Whitebeard and the group eyed Izo who sank down in his spot. He didn't mean to strike a nerve with his pineapple shaped brother. "oh, Hey Marco I didn't..." He started when a very animated Thatch choked on his drink.

"HOLY SHIT!" Thatch's shout pulling everyone's attention away from Marco and towards him. Even Marco felt the sudden outburst alarming and looked up.

He watched as a wide eyed Thatch had a drink in one hand and an unrolled newspaper in the other. Quickly he placed the cup down and ran over to the main group that still watched him.

"Well?" Whitebeard asked eager to see what had gotten his son's attention in such a sudden way.

Thatch shook his head and wiped the drink from his hand on his pants and fanned out the paper. "Just read this." He cleared his throat eyeing Marco who now was completely interested.

"After more then 11 years of silence from the Pirate king's crew one man has finally reveled himself in the New World quickly taking the world and the Marines by , blah.. None other then Red-Haired Shanks!" He stopped as the wide eyes and bellowing laughter of Whitebeard ensnared the crowd.

"That cheeky brat!" He started when Thatch held out his hand silencing the group and pointed at the paper. "Wait, wait. Pops just wait." He started waving back to the paper.

"He was finally matched by a one Jane. Domino, who defending the island of whatever doesn't matter. Blah. Blah. Big battle, leaving the island in ruins!" He yelled and looked at Marcos wide and surprised eyes. "SINCE WHEN?" he asked Marco who seemed just as shocked as Thatch sounded.

Thatch needed a second to process his thoughts at Marco's marine.

Granted he knew she was strong; she would have to be to have Marco so entranced with her the way he was. But this was a man from Rogers crew. A crew he knew from firsthand experiences to be a whole different level. Of course, if it were him going against Shanks it wouldn't be a problem. But imagining Marco's marine do the same thing? Well that was something he couldn't wrap his head around.

Marco shook his head finding it hard to believe as well. "Wait, are you sure-yoi?" He asked as Thatch blinked and shook his head. "No, I," He stopped his sarcastic comment and handed the paper to Marco.

"You tell me." He nervously laughed as Marco looked at the picture of a Domino sitting with arms crossed a frown on her face and blood trickling down her left eye that stared at the camera with pure disdain. He then looked at Shanks's wanted poster besides her picture both frozen in black in white captions. He shook his head and looked up at the men who watched him.

He let out a wide smile "That's her-yoi." He stated proudly. This would be something he kept. How could he not?

Thatch rolled his eyes. "We know that. But, do you think she actually fought Shanks and won?" He asked eyes big and curious.

Marco looked up thoughtfully before smiling to himself. He believed she could. Maybe it was hopeful thinking, but he did. "Depends-yoi." He hummed to himself already lost in thought at her smile and proud stance.

Izo shook his head motioning with his hand "Depends on what, If she takes special pills or not?" He scoffed just as surprised as the others.

Marco thought about it trying to maintain his composure at the insult that Izo threw out. It had been nearly a year since the last mention of his marine. The wait had been so maddening that it was almost worth picking the snail to call her, and now as a final mention of her finally graced the news her strength was insulted by his dumbfounded brothers. And yes it did irritate him. It irritated him a lot.

He pulled himself from his thoughts and shrugged. "No-yoi. I don't think she would fight unless he made the first move. But if he did, I believe she could have yes." He smiled before Whitebeard laughed.

"Doesn't matter if she could or could not! That cheeky brat finally came back!" He hollered to the crew however they fell on deaf ears as Marco looked at the picture of Domino and felt a heavy tug on his chest as he did. Why was she always so hurt? And why was it she was always out of reach for him to help her?

Suddenly he remembered her words painfully for what seemed like the 100th time that day alone. "Do you think you can really hold on to that worry for years at a time?"

Thatch looked up at Marco who was lost in thought and raised an eyebrow. "Do you think they're okay?" He asked genuinely concerned. He didn't want the cute nickname he called Adaline to be a very literal one.

Marco shrugged "Don't know." he mumbled moving to stand up deciding on what he was going to do. He had refused to resort to what now swirled in his head because just like her diary, it was a test to see how long he would last against it.

"But I know how we can find out-yoi."

Well he just lost. But so be it. He couldn't wait any longer.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Adaline looked over from the plain wooden desk towards a restrained and passed out Domino. Her injuries from the encounter with Shanks had been more then severe. Well they would have been less severe if she had actually let herself get taken care of instead she had refused every step of the way insisting that they leave her alone.

Once she had heard the real extent of Domino's injuries she had to admit she was beyond shocked. But not surprised, with the way her commodore was fighting Shanks. Granted the battle was at one point a pretty even match to then become solely one sided in Shanks favor. Until that is Domino stood straight and asked Shanks for a drink declaring the battle an end.

Of course, from Adaline's knowledge that was easily done due to the fact that Domino and Shanks were acquainted with each other from his days on Rogers crew when Domino was an apprentice to Garp. Personally Domino kept a lot of her past to herself and very rarely did she talk about being with Garp as an apprentice.

But, Adaline couldn't imagine meeting the rambunctious adult as a teen like Domino did, given her own meeting with the men he crewed she wanted nothing to do with them.

They were Ill mannered, rude, and pirates. At least Thatch, who was also a pirate, was sophisticated, and a man of well pure, manliness. Even if his hair sometimes looked outlandish at best. At least that man took care of his hair. She bet the Red Haired pirates didn't even know what a bar of soap was.

Adaline looked away from the peaceful Domino and then back to her damage reports shaking her thoughts away from her head. It was something almost unreal to her when she thought about facing Shanks. The presence she felt from him was like nothing she had felt before even, from Thatch.

The only way she could describe it was, she felt something suffocating her from the inside out. It was remarkable to her that Domino went so long against this man but it didn't surprise her. Domino was insanely strong when she was well insane, But now that she truly thought about it her Commodore was right to stop the battle. If only She had realized that before she got so upset with the tall marine.

Adaline pulled herself once more towards the damage reports. The island's base wasn't lost surprisingly, Domino convinced Shanks to leave. However it was desolate now due to the sheer force of the twos fight. As well as Domino had some point lost control of her devil fruit obliterating the islands plant life.

So Adaline annotated the islands inhabitants would need to re-cultivate the land once they return. If they decided to that was. This island should just as well as be abandoned with the amount of damage it had sustained.

Adaline was lost in reports once again and yawned lightly stretching and looked over to Domino's alcohol cabinet a new lock sparkling across the glass cabinet. Adaline bit her lip, it would be nice to take the edge off, and everyone knows she deserved it for running the ship in Domino's absence. So quietly she began to creep over to the cabinet reaching for the key that she hides, for obvious reasons, and quickly unlocked it.

She looked up gingerly from the lock that she now held in her soft hands and then back at Domino, who was still sedated, as she slowly opened the glass door and reached for a blue pear-shaped bottle.

Quickly still watching as Domino's muscular but feminine body moved to stretch out more she pulled the bottle closer to her chest and tiptoed back to the desk and did a slight dance to herself as she set the bottle down and moved to grab two clear glasses. One for now, which she carefully popped the cork and poured. And one for later which she poured now as well a smile on her face.

"Are you going to share?" Domino's sleepy voice asked to Adaline jumping out of her seat with a yelp. Domino kept her eyes closed fully aware of the restraints that pulled on her writs and sighed as Adaline pulled herself back to the desk.

"Avery said no alcohol." She stated her voice defeated as she placed the bottle sideways in a drawer and picked up her own glass and swirled it around before shooting it back. "Besides" She squinted at how strong the drink burned her throat. "I deserve this." She then smacked her lips and shook her head at the taste that still burned almost numbing her tongue. " Damn Girl, that is like straight acid." She mumbled as Domino giggled then groaned at the pain.

"I know, that's my morning bottle, goes well with breakfast." She smiled madly her eyes still closed. Adaline leaned back trying to focus on the desk in front of her.

"This is the stuff you drink for breakfast?" She asked shaking her head her red hair bouncing along her shoulders as she did so. "We need to seriously, look into cutting your alcohol consumption. It's getting out of line." She stated as suddenly there was a knock at the door.

Both woman looked towards the blue and white painted door as Domino raised her wrist still tied down to the bed. "Mind getting that, I'm kinda tied up right now." She smiled before closing her eyes and laying straight once more. The sedation wore off the moment the bottle popped open leaving her in a whole new world of pain and burning. She only thanked Adaline for having the mind to tie her up.

She was tied for multiple reasons. One, she fought everyone and everything in her sleep, two she would get up to get her alcohol when no one was looking and ruin her wounds even more. She didn't mind the restraints anymore at this point she was used to cuffs as a child so why should now be different?

Adaline nodded and stood up going wide eye at the drink that still burned her and made her feel a bit dizzy as she briskly walked across the room reaching for the door only to miss the handle and take a step back before looking up at Domino's laughter and throwing the door open with a wide grin.

Before them stood a tall dark-haired man with a scar across his right cheek bone and a stern face holding two snails. One was a normal transponder snail that had lazy eyes and the other was a large white snail.

The white snail was used to interfere with the Marines tapping capabilities.

Adaline nodded towards them and opened the door holding her arm out trying to find the desk and looking at the man known as Jean with a wide and fluid smile.

"What do you ne..need?" She asked stopping to hold her chest as a gas bubble grew inside. The boy looked between the two woman and shook his head at the scene confused, but not surprised.

He was well aware of Domino's drinking problem and Adalines need to steal the men's money from poker. So at this point if one of them wasn't acting up, something was very wrong. Though as a new officer it was still hard to get used too.

"We got a long-distance call from someone called Pops?" He spoke clearly and consciously looking away from Adalines chest as she leaned forward on the door before pulling away with a bounce.

Adaline furrowed her eyebrows and looked at Domino who shook her head in a 'I dunno' fashion before she looked down at the snail. "Alright, Thank you Jean." She stated as he saluted and quickly turned walking out giving a side glance of worry to the restrained Domino who wiggled her phalanges at him with a smile.

"Hello?" Adaline asked her authoritative voice back but a light slur as she shook her again. Domino laughed.

"It gets better if you drink more." She called from her corner.

Adaline sent a sharp glare to Domino and whispered. "And why would I do that girl?" She asked to Dominos smile. She then looked back towards the snail that now took in the shape of happy wide brown eyes.

"My angel! You're alive! I'm so happy! Please tell me Shanks didn't hurt you I'll kill him!" Thatch's boisterous voice called from the snail. Adaline went wide-eyed and gasped before looking at Domino who closed her eyes a wide grin on her face.

Adaline looked towards the other cup and quickly threw it back.

"Hello, Thatch." She responded smacking her lips at the taste of the acid going down her throat then shook her head and clicked the mic once more. "No, I'm not hurt, Domino got the blunt of it." She stated as the snail nodded pouring another glass and quickly throwing that back as well.

Domino gave her a wide eyed stare "Um..Ada." She whispered as Thatch's voice rang through the snail.

"That's such a relief." He sighed as another voice called out "How is Domino being hurt a relief-yoi?"

Adaline watched the snail as it changed. "Well it's a relief on ME." Thatch emphasized as Adaline tried to cover her smile but ended up laughing hysterically as Domino began to call out. "Adaline you're drunk!" She giggled as Adaline shook her head.

"No, No, No, No. I am not drunk. Just.." She hollered again slumping over and pulling the snail towards Domino. "The calls for yo..you!" She cheered before falling over on-top of Domino who let out a holler of pain and a gasp.

"Hey what's going on?" Thatch's voice asked at the almost skin crawling scream from Domino.

Adaline pulled back and fell to the ground a smile on her face. Domino leaned slightly over to see the red head passed out cheeks brighter then her hair and quickly twisted her wrist out of the tight cuff and grabbed the mic.

"She drank my morning booze, didn't spect it to be that strong, fell on me, and, I'm going to die." She explained with a groan.

The snail nodded. "Oh okay, wait, what. Uh? how strong is it?" He asked her clearly confused at all of that at once.

Domino shrugged then gasped at the pain. "Hmmm. Just about 98 prof, I mean it's only my breakfast stuff so not that much." She smiled looking down at Adaline who murmured "You're an alcoholic." Domino leaned over and responded. "I'm not passed out on the floor. Am I?"

Thatch looked around worried. "That's, that's a lot of alch-" "Give me that-yoi." Marcos voice stated as there was a thump and what sounded like mad laughter.

"You should cut back on your alcohol intake-yoi." He stated concerned.

Domino rolled her eyes. "That's eloquently spoken, birdy. But.." She smiled. "No." She stated as Adaline yelled "It's okay! I'll drink it for her~ She can't be drunk if I drunk before she does." Adaline explained with a cheer and a tiny 'woo' in the background.

Domino smiled looking down at the red head and went back to the silent snail lightly patting the red heads face with an open palm.

"I'm fine for now, Doc says I can't be drinking anyway, Like I said I'm dying." She stated with a smile as the snail nodded.

"I was afraid of that, how bad-yoi?" He asked his voice full of concern as the crew behind him awed at how sweet he looked.

Domino shrugged. "I mean, really, I've been worse. So not much more to say.." She started before Adaline tapped her shoulder. "Did you tell, them about the bab..baby... Yet?" She stated with a smile to what sounded like pure terror in the background.

Domino went wide eyed trying not to blush at the thought. Even though it was not a possibility with her the very idea of Marco's kids made her blush.

"You dumbass, that's not.." Domino started with a smile before she stopped talking when the snail clicked and a different face became present.

"Um' marine." A kid's light voice asked. Domino looked back at the snail. "Marco's passed out." Domino sighed trying to hide her painful and nervous giggle. "That's not what she means, I am not, or was not pregnant." She stated sternly to Adaline who giggled and made a motion of her tummy being pushed outwards.

Suddenly the snail was still. Domino ran her other now free hand through her hair. "I had a couple of internal injuries that made me look pregnant with how bad they were. Adaline meant to say it that way." She sighed.

"It took my medics a bit to get it under control, But I am fine." She reassured as Adaline nodded the frowned and shook her head 'no' vigorously.

"But, you're not, this is the like 300th time you have almost died on me and.." She trailed off and watched a speck of dust float in the light "Oh pretty~" She hummed as Domino looked back at the snail. "Is birdy awake yet or did we scare him to death?" She asked as the kid's eyes looked down then back up.

"We're trying to wake him up but no dice." The kid stated as Domino rolled her eyes. "Well, while you wake him up tell me why y'all called? Really concerned about us?" She asked with a smile.

The snail nodded "We wanted to know if the paper was true? Did you really fight off Shanks?" The voice asked eagerly.

Domino let out a girlish giggled before biting her lip. "That's really cute." She grinned thinking of how to answer the kid.

"I did in a way, yeah." She stated honestly. But it feel on Deaf ears as the snail began to pick up others voices.

"Hey, Haruta, go get me one of your socks that'll wake him up for sure." Thatch's voice called out in the background.

"Okay."

"No, I'm up-yoi."

Domino smiled at the actions and looked at the white snail humming in the distance and smiling. That gave them plenty of time to talk. Something she was more then willing to do. Hearing his voice for even a moment made her feel better then any alcohol she could ever drink. Which is saying something.

"Sorry to scare you, birdy." She smiled as the snail changed.

"Don't do that again-yoi." He stated sternly a new unrecognizable tone in his voice.

Domino giggled at how unfamiliar and menacing it sounded. "Now I'm tempted to." She smirked at watching his face pale. But then she sighed before he could speak. "Don't worry I won't, Anyway, Y'all really called about what you read in the papers?" She asked as the snail nodded.

"Thatch insisted that we checked in on his angel-yoi." He stated and what sounded like a someone beginning to speak up about 'lie's and slander' but then a thump in the background silenced them.

Domino raised and eyebrow and moved to lean against the wooden closet that was against her cot.

"Like she said, She's fine, Not a scratch, Even though, she did had a pretty good fight against this long haired sniper guy. But I ended the battle before they could really go at it." Domino smiled quickly eyeing the white snail.

"That's so no, fair girl! I had him in my sights! One hit then...BAM!" She called as Domino rolled her eyes "Do you want the call?" She asked holding out the mic as Adaline shook her head. "Nah, I'll just write to him later~" She smiled as Domino went wide eyed.

"You whore you what?" She asked ignoring the call as Marco looked over at Thatch who smiled sheepishly and whistling to himself scratching his head as well.

"I write to him once or twice a month, just checking up on him~" She sang as Domino sighed "And hear I thought you were a marine, shame shame shame." She teased as Adaline giggled.

"Whoops!"

Domino rolled her eyes and looked at the white snail starting to blink, signaling that the marines were trying to tap into their own snail. "Damn, I'd thought we have more time." She sighed before she clicked the mic again.

"Hey, looks like the Marines caught on. Short story short, I knew shanks back when he sailed with Roger, and I was under Garp, I fought like hell but i'm pretty sure he would have killed me or my men, so instead of being a good little marine and going out swinging, I offered him a drink, Saved my men, got beer so it's all good. But that doesn't matter now, because I'll be out of commission for a good bit so I can heal and stuff." She smiled taking a breath.

"All in all, I'm fine, Ada's drunk, and don't believe everything the news says when it comes to the marines." She stated quickly as Adaline giggled waving her arms in the arm. They were noodles after all.

"Ahh you Loves the news. So you're brothers know you're good~" She giggled audibly towards the snail.

Marco's lazy eyes closed lightly as if he was irritated. "Domino, please, be careful-yoi." He sighed allowing his concern to show itself.

Domino gave a light smile towards the snail. "Why say anything when you already know my answer Marco?" She teased before she placed the mic to her lips one more time.

"Thanks Birdy I will. Promise... Time." She stated sternly and then hung up the snail. Once she did she looked down at the giggling Adaline playing with the snails cord a large smile on her face and her cheeks red. Domino shook her head and mumbled.

"Tell, 'them about the baby'. What the hell's wrong with you?" She mumbled before Adaline shrugged "It's what it looked like~" she called before suddenly passing out her whole face red.

Domino rolled her eyes laying back gingerly in her cot placing her hands back in the cuffs that at some point were secured tightly around her wrists. "They called because they were worried about us?"She asked herself looking at the ceiling imaging Marco's blues and yellows swirling around her. "Well, Damn." She stated seriously and straight face feeling her chest grow warm.

"I'm in love." She hummed to herself. Before closing her eyes one more time a large grin on her face as she did so.