Chapter 19: Back on Alabasta

May 15, 801 WG

Fujitora's blockade had moved away from the island for reasons unknown to the two pirate crews, but it made sneaking in after nightfall ridiculously easy. To which they were grateful, they didn't have anything left to fight with and couldn't afford the time it would take to reach the palace if they had to drop anchor in some unoccupied area.

Law watched as Jinbei carried Luffy to the carriages Vivi had sent to smuggle them into the palace. With the Marines gone, it seemed like overkill, but the transportation was appreciated. Everyone was tired.

The princess said nothing as she hustled them to their rooms. She understood the toll battle could take. Everything could wait until morning.

Law made certain Luffy was settled into his bed with the necessary IV and warm blankets to stabilize him before collapsing into his. He was asleep before his head hit the pillow.

The next morning the crews rose, save for Luffy who was still unconscious, but at least the spasms had stopped, and he seemed to be truly resting. Law barely had time to sit down at the table Vivi had prepped for their breakfast when Lami barreled into him and then threw herself onto his lap.

"Onii-chan, you're so mean! Why didn't you let me know you'd come back?" she demanded, her dark eyes boring into his gray ones.

Law swallowed then replied, "Because I was tired from the battle and you were already asleep."

Lami pouted at him and crossed her arms. "That's not a reason!" she declared.

Of course it isn't, Law thought. Little kids never thought being tired was a good enough reason for an adult to not do something the kids wanted. It was plenty of reason for the kids to not do something the adults wanted but not for the adults.

Law smiled, however, and patted his little sister on the head. How he had missed her pouty face. "You're right. I'll do better next time. I'm still not used to having you back yet."

Lami held her scowl for a moment longer before she broke into a grin and slammed herself against his chest eliciting a grunt from him. "Then I'll hug you until you're sick of it!"

"Oi!" Though Law grinned like a fiend despite the protest. Sixteen years without his baby-sister, she would have to hug him for at least that long if he was to become sick of her. Probably even longer.

He then heard his crew snickering into their meals and he glared at them. Just because he was soft on his sister didn't mean he would be any less harsh with them. He glanced over at the Straw Hats.

They were busy trying to calm a hysterical Ann who had probably come over to do the exact same thing to Luffy as Lami had done to him, but Luffy wasn't there. Three-year-olds, especially traumatized three-year-olds, were not reasonable. Their attempts to explain where her uncle was, and, more importantly as well as damning, why she couldn't see him just yet were falling on deaf ears.

Law sent them a sympathetic smile but didn't even try to intervene. The brief time she had spent onboard the Polar Tang had shown him just how stubborn she could be.

Luffy awakened to the drawn curtains of the medical room in Alabasta. His friends must have found him. His head no longer pounded with the ferocity of a thousand angry giants with war hammers, but his body still ached. He struggled to sit up, moving like he had seen old men move, he wondered if this was what it was like to be old and decided he didn't like it.

A hand appeared against his back and pushed him the rest of the way up. Luffy looked over and gasped in surprise.

Lance sat next to his bed looking no worse for wear despite having been on the deck of a ship that had exploded into nothingness. He smiled and handed the young captain a steaming mug of tea. Luffy only avoided jumping on him in delight because his body refused to move as he commanded it.

He managed to get his hands around the mug, though Lance didn't let go until he was certain Luffy could hold it. Only once the warmth of the mug penetrated Luffy's fingers, did he realize how cold he was. He just sat there for a minute letting the warmth of the mug filter through his numb flesh and up his frigid arms. It stung but felt so good at the same time.

Luffy sipped at the tea and sighed as warmth filled his core again and took away the aches.

"I did something again, didn't I?" said Luffy without really expecting an answer.

"I don't know what exactly but you're alive, so I'm not going to think too hard on it," said Lance. A frown fell upon his lips and his eyes grew troubled. "This was my fault. I didn't realize just how dangerous that stuff was. It was good thing Dragon didn't succeed on Moady or there wouldn't have been any Revolutionary Army left and you would have lost another brother."

Luffy stared into his tea as if he could read the future in it. "We should have stuck with Law's plan. I just suddenly had a bad feeling and…"

"Don't fret, Luffy. Unless we dropped the armory below the waterline instantly, the explosion would have been five times greater. They said it was more potent when splashed then when burned. Pluton was within five miles of Alabasta. It would have been affected by the blast if that happened. For our ignorance, this was the best outcome."

Luffy stared at him. "How did you hear about that?"

Lance gave him a wiry smile then replied, "I was picked up by the Marines and had a chat with Fujitora and few other officials. Don't worry. Alabasta is no longer in danger. I talked them out of taking further action against the nation, its people and its rulers. However, I do need to have a little talk with the princess."

Luffy stared. How had he pulled off that miracle?

Lance chuckled at his expression. "I'll tell you all about it when everyone's together. I don't feel like explaining myself more than once."

He was not patient by any stretch of the imagination. However, Lance's eyes held the glint of cold unyielding steel despite the lighthearted smile. No amount of egging and whining was going to get the man to reveal before he was ready.

Luffy crossed his arms and pouted.

"Where is everyone anyway?" the captain grumped.

"Eating. Or more likely, trying to placate your niece," replied Lance.

"Huh?"

"Little Ann wants to see you and they aren't letting her."

Luffy still looked confused. Then again, he hadn't had Ann in his life long enough to figure out what Lance was hinting at beyond that there was probably trouble. No one needed placating if they were happy.

"How do feel right now? Do you think you want to join them and grant your crew mercy?"

Luffy paused to consider it. His stomach turned over in rebellion at the thought of food, a terrible feeling that he was now all too familiar with. He grimaced and said, "My stomach doesn't like food right now." Luffy hated it. He should have been starving. The way his limbs trembled showed how week he had gotten. He needed food but his stomach refused to accept it.

Lance grimaced in sympathy. "I'll get your friends in here along with the princess. What I have to say concerns all of you anyway. And it needs to be said sooner rather than later. For right now, just stay put and let yourself rest. I know that's bothersome but there's no short cut to recovery with this."

Luffy nodded and Lance shifted the pillows until he could lay back and still be sitting up. Then the man got up and left the room.