Chapter 26
Finally, May turned to June. The weather was fine, and summer could be sensed in the air. Law finished to densify Rosapelo's bones, but they had to wait a bit longer to see the effect of that treatment. The boy bore it very well and didn't experience any adverse effects. Also, any falls and incidents were spared him - mostly because he was very careful about his movements - so, in general, the whole enterprise could be seen as successful, at least in regard to carrying it according to plan. And all credit went to Rosapelo himself. Law was greatly impressed by the teenager's self-control, strong will and ability - or, rather, readiness - to adapt to an uncomfortable situation, which he praised him for several times.
"It's no fun to be broken all the time," the boy once replied. "So, if there's a chance that it'll end, it's worth trying."
Another time, he commented, "I'm used to being ill... being unable to move like I want. It's nothing new to me, and now we're talking only about short period of time."
And even though the whole business was of an unpleasant nature, Law couldn't help but admired the approach his foster child had enabled. When the strengthening procedure was finished, he took Rosapelo to New Piece to celebrate... and maybe also thank him for co-operation. He'd never treated anyone for so long before, so he could imagine that a patient's attitude might be different; fortunately, Rosapelo was a very pleasant object of treatment.
"May I go back to my room?" the boy asked as they were eating a gourmet meal by Sanji.
"Sure," Law replied, rolling squid ink pasta on his fork. "You didn't like it downstairs?"
Rosapelo shook his head. "Nah... But room upstairs is more fun," he explained. "And may I attend P.E. already?" he kept asking, and there was even more hope and enthusiasm in his eyes.
"Well, if I were to choose, I'd rather you didn't return to playing and running until autumn," Law said openly, "but it's no point restricting your normal activity. After all, we performed that treatment so that you could move freely again, right? We must know if we get any benefit from that," he added in a critical manner. "I hope so."
"Me too," Rosapelo replied. "I'd feel bad if all your work came to naught, Law-san."
"You mean, all your effort," Law corrected. "I would feel worse, believe me. But, setting aside that competition of which of us would feel worse... You have no moving problems? I mean... I can tell you do greatly in normal daily activities, but playing and running is a different thing...?"
"The more I'll move, the faster I'll get used to it," the boy answered with a smile. "Don't worry, everything is fine."
Once again, Law was amazed by the life-force of a young organism. Only four months ago that boy had been suffered from very severe depression and hadn't wished anything else than dying, but then, once he'd decided to live, he'd started to recover at an impressive speed. Spring probably had contributed to it, although some credit had gone to Law, too. Suffice it to say that Rosapelo had needed quite little time not only to recover but also get stronger some extra, so much that he'd born with the physically demanding process of densifying his bones. In case of an adult, something like that would probably required years.
On the other hand, it was beyond doubt that the boy still mourned his mother. He often visited her grave - sometimes by his own, and sometimes with Law - and always returned from the cemetery quiet, thoughtful. They did one more trip to the flat on Vokzel, and Rosapelo brought a photo album; he placed one picture, of his mother when still young, in a frame and on his desk. Law never spoke of her death, for questions like 'Do you miss her?' were pointless, and they would talk about Mrs Irma only when the boy touched the topic, which meant almost never. Law wondered what he could do to ease his sorrow, but he usually came with the same answer: nothing. He had to let time heal the wounds; there was no other option. He could only support Rosapelo, staying by his side and providing him with the safe place for that process.
In fact, he wasn't really that amazed by the boy's fast recovery. He remembered himself when of Rosapelo's age, and how fast he'd got on his feet after many years of suffering from the Amber Lead Syndrome, after tragedies that had befallen him, and after loss of beloved people. It had been hard to regain the joy of living - in fact, he'd never regained it - but once he'd found a goal to motivate him, once he'd made his decision to keep living, it hadn't taken long to get his strength back. Still, in the retrospect, he could tell that, contrary to his body, his psyche had never recovered. His only success had been retaining his sanity - after what he'd experienced, going mad would be understandable and even probable - but nothing else. He'd spent the rest of his adolescence and whole adulthood as an emotionally disabled person... Some months ago he'd decided to do everything in his might to save Rosapelo from the same fate, and it seemed he must have done something right.
That the boy had regained his mental health was obvious. In just two months since Law had taken him in, one could clearly say that his reactions were natural and his behaviour was more confident. The level of his anxiety had lowered, and Law hoped that Rosapelo had come to believe in the change that had happened, and especially that it would stay as it was. At least, he hadn't run away any more, as if he'd accepted that new situation and his daily life with Law. Law suspected that the boy might still experience bad treatment or unfriendly remarks, but he seemed to have decided he wouldn't let them influence his choices and actions nonetheless. Law didn't intend to intercede in any way, for it wasn't his habit; he knew that the best thing to do was to wait it out instead of drawing more attention. Sooner or later, people would get used to Rosapelo being Trafalgar Law's family and it would stop stirring negative emotions. Sometimes he asked the boy about any unpleasant comments, but the answer was always, 'I don't let it bother myself,' and everything indicated it was really so.
Law had once heard - he didn't remember where - that being loved gave a person strength, while loving someone gave courage. This particular time of his life he came to the conclusion he actually could agree with that statement, albeit with some reservations.
Himself, he'd been constantly in the state bordering euphoria; that was what Rosapelo's presence did to him. The world was moving forward with its problems, big and small, and the work continued like before: difficult medical cases, hospital administration, sometimes some unexpected events mobilising the whole personnel - and yet Law was under the impression he would never feel bad again. No, he felt he would always be happy. Every morning, he waked up full of energy, and he went to bed every night filled with joy. In last months, he'd probably smiled more than he had during the previous decade. And he accepted it without thinking, without marvelling at the fact it'd required so little - a few weeks - for his way of being to change so much. Maybe he even, which would have been completely out of question before, told himself that after a quarter of century of despondency, of hopelessness and deeply hidden despair - of life that hadn't been far from vegetation, in many respects - he finally deserved some happiness...?
And the longer that state continued, the more he wished that it never ceased. After twenty-six years of remorse and walking with barely closed wounds, now he was under the impression that all those empty places in his soul, even those darkest ones, had been filled with light and everything that had been sick and painful, had healed. It was a strange feeling that he'd never imagined, and now he wouldn't wish to lose it for the world. This warmth that had settled into his heart for good, made him stronger and confident that everything would be just fine, that he would handle any problem - or, rather, they would: Rosapelo and he. That rational part of his mind that had played the first fiddle for the most of his life, was now silent, maybe accepting that strength. After all, was there any danger in believing that...?
With every day passing, he became more and more attached to Rosapelo. He discovered ever more new character traits in his protégée, funny habits and unusual beliefs, all that completing the picture of the boy he admired fully and who seemed a real marvel to him. Sometimes he wondered how that could be possible; how Trafalgar Law, a critical and demanding man, could become so enchanted by another person? Maybe it was all about seeing and accepting the whole instead of dissecting. When one regarded another man through the prism of their virtues and faults, then it was easy to label. Yet, it was the opposite when one first saw the other as one and only later contemplated their virtues and faults; they would just turn into the person's integral elements.
Of course, Law was of the opinion that Rosapelo was the most adorable and flawless being in the world, although he kept that view a secret and never intended to share with anyone.
In any case, Rosapelo had turned his life - on a psychological level - into a constant idyll. The affection he had for the boy, was reflected in every interaction and only got strengthened in a feedback. Now, would anyone sane want to part with someone who made them feel only good? Whenever he realised it, a thought would occur to him - first very shy, just a question, but gaining strength and confidence as time passed - that maybe that was the way Cora-san had felt when staying with Law. For many years, Law had believed that his late guardian had acted on his sense of duty and conscience, and maybe an urge to defy Doflamingo, but now he slowly started to consider another option: that Cora-san might have enjoyed the time they had spent together and Law's presence had made him happy. Even if his rational part tried to remind him that Rosapelo and himself were different cases, he knew well that Corazon had never seen any evil in him, only a child that had deserved compassion. And if he'd really loved him - now it was easier to believe it, to accept love as the driving force behind Corazon's actions - then it was almost natural to assume that he'd felt happy when with Law. That, just like he was enchanted by Rosapelo, Cora-san had been enchanted by him. Was it too outrageous to consider it...?
When Law moved even further in his reasoning - and comparing - he encountered another idea: that his person may have brought some new quality into Cora-san's life, something his guardian hadn't had until then. Even though Corazon seemed an angel and unconditional love incarnated, he hadn't - as far as Law knew - travelled the world and bestowed that love on every person. Quite the contrary, he'd carried out a deadly mission by his brother-monster's side, pretending to be exactly the same and never showing his humanity. A sinister, insane and unpredictable figure that everyone should be cautious around. A pirate and a gangster, a cruel and powerful freak - that was how Law had seen him before learning the truth. Now, as an adult, he could imagine that staying with enemies - with people that had been only repulsive - must have burdened Corazon's psyche a great deal. Law had spent only two years in the Donquixote Family, and yet he'd soaked their evil up down to his fingertips, albeit on his own will. Rosinante, who'd been there only as a spy, must have constantly fought that repulsion and contempt - for them and for himself, for having entered that game - for much longer. One thing was as obvious to Law as his own name: Cora-san couldn't be happy when staying in the Family, and his only comfort had been that he had been doing the right thing.
When Law - the boy whom Corazon had come to love - had entered his reality, it must have been like the sun had risen after centuries of darkness. Now Law could tell the difference: he knew how it felt when one acted on love, not duty. Sense of duty was cold, but love filled with warmth. And Cora-san's smile had been full of warmth, and nothing else, just like his sight and his tears. Warmth had been in his hugs and gestures, in everything he'd done for Law. Could Law assume - he didn't need to believe it right away - that it was him who had made Cora-san feel something good, after years of fighting evil and corruption that had attacked him from all sides...? After years of staying in darkness, he could finally shine with light he'd desired and longed for all that time...? Could Law believe that, instead of bringing harm, he'd given him something precious and irreplaceable... something Cora-san would've never give up willingly...? It wasn't easy to accept such truth - that Trafalgar D. Water Law may have been a cause of someone's boundless happiness - but when he looked at Rosapelo and realised how much that boy had changed his inner world, then he was able at least question the beliefs he'd lived by for over quarter of a century. And it filled him with relief, made him think it was more right, for he was finally doing justice to Cora-san.
To be honest, the thought he may have done something good for Cora-san was intoxicating, but it would have never occurred to him if not for Rosapelo. So, he had one reason more to love that boy... though, in fact, he needed none, and it was the best thing here.
Having that said, every now and then life would remind him that the idyll wouldn't last forever and that having children involved also those moments when one felt like tearing out his hair, raging and swearing, and so on... Fortunately, in this particular case, such moments were rather rare, and he could only hope that tendency would last.
In late-June, as the summer holidays drew near, Law returned home for dinner, only to find his foster son all bruised. It hadn't prevented the boy from preparing the meal, just like always, but he generally seemed to be aching all over. It didn't look like an effect of football training. (It was worth mentioning that Rosapelo hadn't had a single fracture since the last treatment). For the first time in his life, Law thought that even this home - home of the greatest doctor in the world - could have a packet of analgetics. Better late than not at all, he thought ironically, promising to fix that oversight tonight.
"What happened?" he asked with a perfect calm as they sat down to the table in the dining-room. He realised that, regardless of Rosapelo's certain protest, the school would have notified him if anything serious occurred, and only that kept in check his anxiety. "You finally decided to become a rascal and started to get into fights?"
The boy glared at him, like he used to whenever Law used the word 'rascal' referring to him, but then he turned moody and lowered his head. "Nah..." he muttered.
"It doesn't seem you fell down the stairs, or spaced out and hit the goalpost," Law noticed casually. "So, what did you get yourself into?"
Rosapelo started to peck at the content of his plate, and Law didn't urge him to talk; he started to eat himself, occasionally glancing at his foster child. He had no doubt that Rosapelo would tell him everything, for there was that miraculous bond of trust between the two of them, one that didn't happen to all parents and children, or so it seemed to him.
"Actually, it... was a fight," Rosapelo muttered in the end, but then he raised his head and looked him in the eye. "But it's not like I provoked it," he declared... only to add in a less confidence voice, "I think."
Law pressed his lips together, for suddenly he felt like smiling, which wouldn't be proper during this serious conversation. "You think... Then, what exactly happened?" he repeated his question, for he still knew next to nothing.
"Well, there's that kid in our class, he'd the smallest and often gets bullied," Rosapelo blurted out, and Law thought he could guess the rest. "Usually no-one can do anything 'cause Ace keeps an order and everyone knows it's better to not mess with him... Of course, Ace is the strongest," he added quickly, as if he'd felt obliged to mention that. "But Ace is still off, and... Today some guys ganged together and forced the kid in the changing room to torment him a bit after the school. So..." He paused and lowered his head.
"So you stood up to them to protect the kid," Law finished the sentence.
Rosapelo nodded; he still seemed down. Law felt like sighing. On the one hand, he felt proud of his son, whose capacity of empathy was perfectly okay, but on the other hand... He remembered the words he'd once heard, 'A parent sometimes would rather have their child live in shame than die for ideals'. Yeah, he could understand it.
"You did a proper thing," he said, though, for he couldn't say anything else. "What about that kid? Was he hurt?"
"Far from it. He ran away the moment they changed the object of their interest."
Law laughed, and Rosapelo looked at him again. After a moment, his lips twitched, too.
"Have they beaten you up badly?"
Rosapelo shrugged. "Nah, just a bit, they quickly got bored. One said, 'It's no point in getting tired. His daddy is going to put him together in one moment anyway,' so they stopped and left."
"They were at least as smart," Law agreed, happy that the colleagues of his son either lacked imagination or weren't bad enough to understand that every man could be beaten into such a condition that even miracle-doctor wouldn't help. He quickly drove away that reflection, though. "Although it would be better if they thought that 'your daddy' might turn them away from the hospital one day when they might need the Ope Ope no Mi..." he muttered and, before the boy said the familiar remark, 'You wouldn't do that', he added, "Are bruises all you got? You're moving normally, so... No fractures?"
Rosapelo raised his head and straightened up. "No fractures," he said, and his eyes flashed.
"That sounds good," Law replied, although he still didn't want to allow himself hope. "Once we've eaten, I'm going to scan and fix you."
"It sounded like I were some device," Rosapelo muttered with faked indignation; he'd clearly brightened up. "Besides, I don't think there's any need to use the Ope Ope no Mi... It'll hurt a bit and then stop."
"True, but if you go to school tomorrow when still bruised, those rogues will see that I didn't 'put you together' after all, and that could prompt them to keep doing their nasty business," Law pointed out, waving his fork. "You must be like new, that's beyond doubt."
"Fiiine..."
For a moment, they talked about what to do so that no-one bullied anyone, but the only conclusion they reached was that the relationships amongst the kids should be improved, so that no-one was left alone. The method 'become powerful and control others' wasn't proper in case of the normal people, and Rosapelo and his friends could be counted as ones... at least everyone except Ace.
During the conversation, Rosapelo had got his appetite back; he ate the content of his plate and a second helping. "Law-san... did you fight at school?" he asked as they continued eating.
"Me? By no means," Law replied. "I was an honours student who thought only about learning. Fortunately, the school I attended had only such kids, so no-one found it strange," he explained with a crooked smile that faded right away. "But later... I had to learn how to fight... and seriously, to hurt the enemy," he muttered. "By the time I was twelve, I had such fighting skills that I could ki-... I could defeat a full-grown man," he added in a lower voice and shoved another portion of food into his mouth. "No kid should know such things," he said, having swallowed.
Rosapelo looked at him closely. "But thanks to that you survived," he said after a moment. "And you became one of the most powerful pirates... right?"
Law shrugged. Frankly, he didn't want to reminisce the time he'd been a pirate. Not that he was ashamed of it... he just didn't see it as something to brag about, not to his own kid anyway. "Says who?" he asked.
"Ace," came the immediate answer.
Right, Law could have guessed himself who was Rosapelo's main source of information. Fortunately, Ace had been born after Law had stopped doing what he'd done until coming to Raftel, so it was only from Luffy the boy could learn about those times. Law decided to make Rosapelo aware of it. "You know, Ace only repeats what he was told... and his father is known for exaggerating things," he muttered. "You shouldn't believe all he says."
"Then, tell me about it yourself," Rosapelo said without hesitating, and his eyes were shining. "That way there will be no misunderstanding."
Law gave him a reproving look. "Why would you like to know? Those are old times I'd rather not recall..."
"But you travelled the whole world," Rosapelo wasn't giving up. "You must have seen so many interesting places... that I can only dream of," he added with some longing that made Law immediately decide he would help his kid travel as much as the boy wished to. "I'd love to hear about them..."
"You know, we sailed in a submarine... It's not like I saw many places..." Law tried to wiggle out of answering.
"Hey, I'm not as stupid as to believe that," Rosapelo saw through him right away. "You must have come up on land, even though you sailed underwater. Besides, it's not like the sailors on the normal ships can tell much about the cruise itself, right? Sea is the same, whether you see it over the surface or under it," he noticed lucidly.
Once again, Law caught himself thinking he's son was a bright kid. And, of course, it was always a nice realisation that could influence his approach. "Well, maybe I could give you our logs to read..." he said distractedly before focusing his eyes on the boy, who was clearly excited by that offer. "But where does that interest came from? You don't plan to become a pirate, do you?" he asked with a suspicion.
"Of course I do!" Rosapelo replied, and Law almost got a heart attack before he remembered that nowadays the word 'pirate' had a different meaning. "I'd love to read those logs, thank you!"
Law ground his teeth, although all critical remarks and objections somehow paled when put against the boy's happiness. "I'll be very grateful if you consider your career choice a bit more, could you...?" he muttered. As Rosapelo kept staring at him with burning eyes, he added with a complete surrender, "As for the logs... I'll try to find them... I think I know where to look for them." He suspected they were in one of the hospital storage rooms, for where else...? "But don't get your hopes too high. I was never a passionate writer. As I remember, I wrote down only dry facts..."
The fork dropped from Rosapelo's hand and clinked on the table as the boy stared at him as if Law had just grown another head. His eyes turned round like balls, and he went speechless for a longer while, forgetting to close his mouth. For some reason, he was utterly shocked.
"What?" Law asked, getting confused as the silence prolonged.
"Those are your logs?" his son asked faintly.
"Um... yeah? Who's else?"
"You were a captain?!"
Now it was Law's turn to stare at the boy in stupefaction and frown. "I never mentioned it?" he uttered in the end, running frantically in thought through their conversations.
Rosapelo shook his head, and his gaze became ever more ecstatic.
Law moaned. "Impossible... Then, what were we talking about all that time?"
Rosapelo, however, didn't seem to be thrown off balance as much as he was, for he only shrugged. "You told me you'd been in the Heart Pirates crew," he informed with a smile. "Ace didn't mentioned about you having been a captain, either," he added with some reproach. "He only said you'd been his father's ally and friend and helped him reach Raftel and gain the One Piece. And that you'd been one of the most powerful pirates of all times. But they don't write about you in the history books..."
"And I'm grateful to all sea gods for that. It's enough that they write about me in the medical books," Law declared, getting his confidence back.
"Well, it's only logical you were a captain," Rosapelo said as if he hadn't heard him at all, his voice still inspired. "Who else could be? I don't know why I didn't think of it, I feel foolish..."
"Pelo, those are really old times... It no longer matters," Law muttered, rubbing his forehead, for he felt stupid under that admiring gaze of the boy. "Ah, I must go," he remembered, and he probably hadn't felt so relieved about it ever before.
Rosapelo nodded, smiling. He was still in a trance of exaltation and excitation that nothing couldn't disturb now. Law suppressed a sigh and got up, although he realised, with some part of his mind, the whole situation was comical... even though it had resulted from less funny things, as he remembered.
"Damn it, we only talked, and I was supposed to fix you after your fight. Come here... Will you manage without anaesthesia?"
"Sure."
As promised, Rosapelo didn't made any sound when Law took care of his bruises and soon appeared to be as new. A quick scan of his bones revealed that he had no fractures indeed. It really gave hope that the treatment had the expected result. Law didn't wish for anything else.
"Then, I'm off," he said, deactivating the Ope Ope no Mi and putting on his shoes.
"Don't forget the logs," Rosapelo reminded him casually, cleaning the table.
"What? You expect me to bring them tonight?" Law asked with a faked despair.
"I can't wait," the boy replied with a radiant smile.
July started, as did the summer holidays. Law caught himself considering the idea of a leave that Bepo had suggested, but in the end he didn't decided on such a revolutionary move. It was enough that he already worked much less than before, which almost filled him with remorse. What was strange, however, his co-workers didn't seem to hold it against him; quite the contrary, they made him understand that starting a family was one of the best decisions he'd ever made, even better than starting the Corazon Memorial Hospital...
They also seemed to like Rosapelo very much. Bepo often asked about him and sometimes came to visit, just like Shachi and Penguin, who - once they learned it interested him - would more than willingly tell the boy about the adventures they'd experienced as the Heart Pirates. Ikkaku and Kaya, as if they'd colluded, tried to drag Law into conversations about bringing up the children during lunch breaks, and occasionally gave him small gifts for his son. Only Clione currently stood out of the picture; they would see each other only during Law's 'psychiatric days', but they stopped eating the dinner together. Sometimes, Law wondered why their relation had changed - a silent yet distinct voice in his mind would suggest, 'Maybe he's done with you...?' - but then he remembered that was how their contacts had been for years, only the events of the last winter had caused the untypical intensifying. He guessed he would be concerned about it if the situation had been different; however, he had too good mood to let it get to him now.
Currently, his main concern was that the media had taken interest in Rosapelo for good. First, it was only about the local journalists, but as the time passed, the reporters of the global newspapers started to come to Raftel. In just a few weeks, Law spotted several unfamiliar individuals with cameras and notes, one of them going so far as to climb the tree growing right outside their land, that he could see into the windows upstairs from. Those 'special watchers' were shamblesed one by one to the fountain in the plaza of Roger Bay and soon learned at least as much as they shouldn't come near Trafalgar Law's house. Still, Law couldn't do a thing about what happened when he was at work and how much the reporters bothered Rosapelo.
It appeared, however, that his son wasn't a cowed kid that let others get over on him, and he seemed to find it satisfying how he dealt with the journalists.
"It usually happens in line with a certain pattern. A person comes, introduces themselves and tells who is their employer," he told one day when Law asked him about it. "Then he or she asks if it's true that I live with you. I answer it is, and add that you forbade me to talk with the journalist. Usually, that person shows he or she is disappointed, but they try to make me answer a few questions anyway... convince me that I should really trust them. Then I show I'm shocked by the very offer and say I can't defy the order of the man whose care I am in. Most of the times, the journalists find that argument rightful, but I'm afraid, Law-san, that you're going to be seen as a strict and demanding parent..." he added in a troubled voice, although it didn't seem very sincere with the general tone of his statement.
"And it should be like that," Law declared as he really didn't have anything against that. "No-one should expect the 'Surgeon of Death' to be gentle and understanding..."
"Surgeon of Death?" Rosapelo picked up, and his eyes flashed with excitement again. "That's what you were called?"
Law sighed inwardly. On the one hand he was glad that his kid could show others his interest, but on the other hand he feared that Rosapelo turned obsessed... And he was probably right, for when he muttered, 'Mhm', the boy said slowly, "And you say that the medical books write about you...? Which of them?"
"Pelo, have you decided to become a doctor, not a pirate, after all?"
"I still have time to consider all the options," Rosapelo replied with a faked seriousness.
Law laughed. The boy's sense of humour gladdened him more than anything.
Because he didn't take a summer leave and it was pointless that Rosapelo stayed home alone, Law arranged it that the boy spent a couple of days with the befriended families. It started with Kaya and Usopp, then he was taken by Shachi and then Penguin, and in the end by Ikkaku. At first, Rosapelo didn't want to go anywhere, and he even went as far as asking, 'Who's going to cook for you, Law-san, when I'm not here?' which probably resulted from his concern and not his conceit, but in the end he consented to that solution, especially that he would come home for the weekends. Law didn't worry about him, for the boy had managed to get used to contacts with people, even though he still showed some reservation and Law was the only one he was fully open with. However, he easily found a common language with other children and was more than willing to play football with them; as he was thirteen already, he quickly became a real authority for the younger ones. Law wouldn't particularly inquire about it, but his co-workers gladly disclosed that their kids just loved Rosapelo. Of course, he wouldn't admit it to anyone he liked hearing it.
Taking advantage of his kid being elsewhere, Law did voluntary shifts in the hospital. Well, he used to do it every summer anyway, when his employees went on leaves en masse. As a desired workplace, the Corazon Memorial Hospital was the undisputed leader - for many years now, it had been on the very top of all global rankings formed by both health care professionals and students - which meant that they were never short of people willing to come for replacement, but Law was of the opinion that the seasonal employers required more attention than permanent staff. Moreover, summer was time with a shortage of specialist on the wards, and the residents had to manage more or less independently, so it was a good idea that the director offered them his support. After all, the amount of patients didn't change depending on the time of year.
Summer on Raftel was usually beautiful, although July was marked by the greatest precipitation. This year the weather didn't spare them a violent torrential rain either; it lasted a few days and caused several slight floods. Like always by such occasions, people wondered aloud why their island - the Pirate King's island, after all - was subjected to the elements just like all others, even though the former navigator of the Straw Hats could control the weather. Nami, however, had long ago delivered her opinion that manipulating the nature would always backfire. People had to comfort themselves that at least they had a genius engineer and constructor at their disposal, and he was always eager to help with removing the effects of disasters.
Belatedly, Law learned that, when staying in Kaya and Usopp's place, Rosapelo had become one of Franky's helpers this year. At first, he wanted to scold him for doing things he had no idea about and risking an injury; however, as no harm had happened to the boy - quite the contrary, it had given him clearly positive impressions - he spared Rosapelo a lecture. His son proudly informed him that the cyborg had praised his technical abilities, and Law had no heart to spoil his joy. He only commented ironically that Rosapelo probably considered a career of constructor now, but the naughty boy replied, 'You never know', and proceeded to inquiring him about the technical details of the Heart Pirates submarine. Law told himself he would support his son in every choice, whatever it might be. What he considered the most important thing, however, was that Rosapelo stayed healthy, which, unfortunately, wasn't so obvious in his case, and despite having the greatest doctor in the world for a father.
July, too, passed without accidents and fractures, despite Rosapelo spending it actively - except for exercise by Franky's, he also happily played football - and it seemed more and more certain that his treatment had paid off. The boy happened to fall twice, but all he got was a couple of bruises, which meant his bones were really stronger. Law wanted to believe that the phase of fractures was past Rosapelo, but he still couldn't give in to joy or congratulate himself on the success. Unfortunately, it appeared he'd been right.
In August, Rosapelo began to grow. Football boots he'd been using for a longer while, suddenly became too tight, and his trousers appeared too short, just as the sleeves of shirts and jumpers. In just a three months, he became eight centimetres taller, and it seemed that such a growth rate would continue. Also, Law discovered that Rosapelo would probably be a tall man; in the photo album, they found one picture showing his father's height. It had been taken shortly after the boy had been born: both parents were standing, with the mother keeping the baby in her arms. Law remembered that Mrs Irma was some one hundred and seventy centimetres, which meant that asshole her husband must have been well over two metres, judging from the difference. It didn't bode well for Rosapelo in the next few years, but it was pointless to think of years as the problems descended on them now.
A rapid growth was a great tragedy for the boy's bones. First, for all his fantastic coordination, such a violent acceleration in growing speed made it much harder for him to control the movements of his body, which resulted in more frequent losses of balance and falls. Second, it seemed that the density of his bones, having been increased by Law's surgeries only recently, diminished again when the tissue had been 'stretched'. Both things led to recurrence of fractures, and Law felt like swearing and cursing.
When the summer holidays ended, not a single week passed without Rosapelo returning home with a broken arm or Law being called to school in the middle of the day to heal a leg fracture. It also happened, twice, that the boy landed in the casualty department, like when rib fracture caused a lung injury and pneumothorax. Law was operating and learned about everything two hours later. Nothing serious happened as Bepo tended to Rosapelo at once, and when Law teleported on the emergency ward, he found his son in a good condition and emanating a 'I'm all right' attitude.
Rosapelo always said he was all right and that there was no need to worry, and Law every time replied that he hadn't been wrong about his choice of profession after all, but, in fact, neither of them felt like joking. They both felt terrible and blamed only themselves for the state of things.
The PE teacher requested that the headmaster excluded Rosapelo from sporting activities including football, and got an approval. The school authorities feared - which was reasonable - that sooner or later an irreparable tragedy would occur, and didn't want to be held responsible for that. For Rosapelo, who loved physical activity, that decision came as a blow. In addition to his dejection resulting from constantly - as he believed it - giving Law trouble, he was forbidden to play his beloved football. Moreover, the kids started to tease him again - this time, laughing at him for having a father who couldn't cure him once and for all, despite being the best doctor in the world - which definitely couldn't rise his spirit. Law was scared of Rosapelo getting depressed again, and did all he could to comfort him and sustain his faith in being cured one day. And he showed nothing of what was happening inside him.
Deep inside, he was furious, dejected and helpless. He was mad at himself for being unable to help his kid and making him suffer. Even if Rosapelo bore his situation very bravely and made light of his ailment, Law knew that fracture hurt like hell. He felt awful, but no matter how many times he examined the boy, he couldn't find any pathological process in his organism, one he would be able to cure with his Devil Fruit.
Yet the feelings of rage, shame and dejection paled in comparison with the terror that would strike him more and more often at the thought Rosapelo might get seriously injured and Law wouldn't be available to save him. The Ope Ope no Mi couldn't bring anyone back; it could only help the living. Whenever Law realised he could lose Rosapelo due to some accident, he felt horribly cold and was under the impression his lungs couldn't get air. It took a while to calm down his racing heart and gather chaotic thoughts, to turn that fear into cold determination. No, he would never let anyone take his dear person away again, even if he had to lock the boy home or keep him close day and night. Above all, however, he had to find a medical way to help him. In the end, he repeated the procedure from before, aware it was more an emergency treatment than anything else now. Rosapelo stopped break himself weekly, but it still happened, and often enough to distress Law. Such was the price of attachment.
Despite everything, those happy moments were much more often than sad ones, and Law didn't regret his decision to take care of Rosapelo, not even once. Living and sharing his time with the boy filled him with happiness. Half a year passed in a flash, and, as autumn came, Law wondered how he'd managed to live alone, earlier. Rosapelo's presence was complementing him and made him satisfied, as if some place had been filled, place that had been empty for many years and Law hadn't even known it. As for Rosapelo himself, spending time with him was a pure pleasure and joy. The boy was getting more bolder and uninhibited in contact with other people. He was a good discussion partner, although he preferred to listen even more. He did well in school and was curious of the world, absorbing knowledge like a sponge. He didn't lack sense of humour and distance to himself, although he also could stick to his guns; however, he always listened to Law and never went against his will. He tended to their home as if he'd been doing it ever since, and developed his cooking skills.
On Law's birthday, the boy prepared a splendid multi-course meal, almost moving Law to tears. Well, the cake didn't come out right as the young cook had got the proportions of flour and soda wrong, and the fish appeared to consist mostly of bones and wasn't edible, unless one decided to risk an oesophagus injury, but there was plenty of delicacies, and those minor shortcomings could be as well ignored. Rosapelo swore that no-one had assisted him in cooking and baking, but he confessed that he'd got the dessert recipe - two-layered jelly with cream - from Sanji, which filled Law with even greater awe. If a thirteen-year-old could prepare a dish according to the recipe by the best chef in the world, it undoubtedly called for recognition.
Maybe it was about the fact that this year October 6 fell on Sunday, and thus he was spared the whole hospital comedy - Law didn't know, but for the first time since childhood he decided his birthday was decent and he enjoyed it. He even thought with a rare sentimentalism that it'd been worth to live forty years to see it.
"I hope that in forty years we'll celebrate it, too," he said aloud and immediately got embarrassed.
Rosapelo, however, beamed like a sun. "I think that by that time, Law-san, I'll have mastered my skills and be able to prepare a real feast for you," he replied with humour.
And Law left unsaid the remark that in his opinion today's meal could definitely be called as such.
It was mid-November, when Sengoku-san unexpectedly called... and Law caught himself realising that, for the first time in the last twenty-six years, he'd forgotten all about the meaning of November. "Has anything happened?" he asked, trying to overcome the sudden feeling of guilt, and focus on the conversation.
"Actually, it has... It's stupid, but I won't be able to come this year," the former fleet admiral announced, and his voice indicated he wasn't happy about it indeed. "Two days ago I broke my leg," he informed grumpily.
"You too?" Law said without thinking. "I mean... Are you all right, Sengoku-san?" he asked, although the very fact the old man had called indicated that nothing serious happened.
"Sure I am," Sengoku assured him. "But what was that question? You haven't broke yourself anything, have you?"
"No, I just... have a patient with recurrent fractures, and it seems to me that recently I've been only putting the bones together," Law muttered. "How did it happened? You didn't trip over your goat, did you?"
"I'm not so senile yet," over ninety-year-old admiral replied with indignation. "I fell from the stool in the storage room. My goat has nothing to do with it," he added in a faked menacing voice.
"Fine, I understand, sorry for suspecting her," Law assured, suppressing a laugh. "Was it a serious injury? Did you have to undergo a surgery?" he inquired, guessing it was the fact. In elderly people, fractures healed much slower and not easily, even if Sengoku wasn't any ordinary man.
"They put something in my leg... and forbid me to move until the end of the year," the admiral confessed. "I told them they could order other people like that... but when I tried to walk, something cracked... so they probably were right about it."
"Of course they were right, Sengoku-san! Even a little kid know that treatment of fractures demands time," Law scolded him, refraining from adding, 'especially at your age'. "You must take it easy."
"Fine, fine. I don't like the idea of not visiting Raftel... but I think I should first get this leg healed..." the old man admitted.
"Such a long travel would undoubtedly expose you to complications," Law agreed, but then he added on an impulse, "I'm sorry I can't go there and cure you."
"Oh, come on, it's going to heal even without the Ope Ope no Mi. I'll manage. I won't be bored; I can always arrange myself something to do."
"In that case, there's even less need to worry about me," Law assured him. "Your health has a priority here. It won't be the end of the world if we skip one meeting," he declared, and then something made him add in a softer voice, "Though I always enjoy your visit... In any case, we'll see each other the next year, and the time flies. Though... Actually, why wouldn't you come earlier?" he suggested unexpectedly. "Maybe in spring?"
"It doesn't sound bad," Sengoku agreed. "I'll consider it. It would be nice to see Raftel in a different time of year than November."
Law smiled to the receiver. "I invited you many times, but you never wanted to visit on different month," he pointed out.
"True..."
There was silence for a moment, and then the old admiral asked cautiously, "Everything's all right at your end? You're not overworking yourself?"
"Far from this. I started to take days off more often. I even moved to a house; I no longer live in the hospital. And-"
Law stopped short. Like a bolt of lightning, he was hit by realisation he hadn't told Sengoku about the change that had happened in his life. Now he had no idea how to start the conversation, in the first place, for he knew it was too important to avoid it. He was filled with remorse, hesitation and anger. What to do...?
"I read that your situation had changed a bit," Sengoku said slowly. His voice was neutrally friendly, as if he didn't want to pry into someone's business... didn't want to cross the line, and for some reason it made Law feel even worse. "When you're ready to talk about it, I'll be happy to listen to you. If you want to... ask about something, I'll do my best to give you some advices."
"Sengoku-san, I..."
"Damn it, a nurse is coming with a duck. I have to hang up. I hope to meet your kid the next time. Bye!"
For a moment, Law sat without moving, still holding the receiver that had gone dead. Finally, he put it back, leaned backwards in the chair and stared at the ceiling. He couldn't focus on work. He felt bad about not having been honest with Sengoku-san - no, about having ignored him altogether - but it was another thing that weighed on him ever more. He could cope with the interpersonal matters and emotional states resulting from them - mostly, he could be blamed for it himself - but this...
By some miracle, he'd completely, entirely forgotten about November. His first reaction was guilt; having forgotten about Corazon's death day, he felt as if he'd betrayed him, and the very thought made all his hair stand up, so dreadful it was. Yet this year, he'd had quite different thing on his head, things that had absorbed him without rest. For twenty-six years, November had been a time of self-mortification, and then had come this year that had changed everything, including that. This year, Trafalgar Law apparently had started to come out of mourning... and it was a good thing.
He knew that Cora-san would not want such grief. Cora-san had wished him only well... wished that Law remembered his smile, and smile was everything but sadness. Law, however, had needed that grief, for it'd been the last feeling he'd been capable of. If not for that grief, he probably wouldn't have felt anything, which would be even worse. Grief had protected him, in a way, although it had been his greatest enemy at the same time.
Rosapelo had made that grief disappear, burn out. Now Rosapelo - and everything about him - was what protected Law. It wasn't that Law had replaced Corazon with Rosapelo, had become faithless to his memory, even if his overreactive conscience might have another opinion about it... Corazon had been long dead and would never return; he'd left an empty space that couldn't be filled - until now. Remaining loyal to him didn't mean that Law had to spend the rest of his life in misery... right?
He thought he knew what Cora-san would have told him. It would be something like, 'I can't believe you keep observing my death day that I forgot about long ago, myself,' or, 'Life is for the living. Enjoy it, instead of grieving for me'. For the first time, Law understood that if he did that way, he would finally fulfil Cora-san's wish. It wasn't too late. Since the last spring, he'd been on his way.
By the year's end, Rosapelo slowed down with growing, although Law wouldn't be deluded into thinking it was anything else but a temporary delay. However, it gave the boy some time to get used to the new size, to get a hold of his own arms and legs again. Law knew that the teenager, just like half a year ago, gave his best to control the movements of his body, and his great sense of coordination helped him a great deal with it. In December, after three weeks had gone without a fracture, at least Rosapelo's mood improved, as Law subconsciously waited for something horrible to happen, that fear growing with every day passing. Nevertheless, he wouldn't stop thinking of the methods to permanently harden the boy's bones, and he finally shared the one that seemed most sensible and that he'd already made some preparation for.
"I'm going to impregnate your bones," he informed one evening, as they were eating the dinner in the nicely warmed living-room. "Before, I always densified your bones with natural material, that is your own tissue, but this time I'm going to use a foreign matter. It'll be something slightly different from the previous treatment. Since you're still growing, it's impossible to strengthen the bone over the whole length, but we're going to secure those regions that are most likely to break: the shafts."
Rosapelo listened to it and nodded. He had an unwavering faith in Law's medical abilities - even when Law himself doubted them - and agreed to every suggestion so far. Law didn't want to think how tired the boy must have been by the situation and constant injuries; such thoughts only worsened his mood.
"Then, I'll have to move downstairs again?" the teenager asked gloomily.
"That is what worries you the most?" Law asked in surprise.
Rosapelo shrugged. "It's more cool to be upstairs," he replied simply. "But I'll take it," he assured animatedly.
"I have no doubt about it," Law agreed, driving away a sudden thought that he didn't want to see a situation that Rosapelo wouldn't take.
"What exactly are you going to do?" the boy inquired. "Will it be some plate or what...? Fractures are often treated with the plates... titanium plates, right?"
Law smiled. The interest his kid had in the medical issues was charming, although, so far, it had been limited to reading the medical books Bepo provided him with on a regular basis. Well, taking into consideration Rosapelo's initial motivation, Law should be happy that the boy remembered something more than just which treatment method had been invented by his father.
"That's correct. Titanium plates is the standard treatment of compound fractures," he replied. "But in your case I wasn't thinking of the plates, only the fibres. Imagine such very long and thin, but hard and durable fibres running through your bones and strengthening them from the inside. Od course, I'll make it so that you don't feel any pain," he stressed. "You don't have to worry about it."
Rosapelo nodded slowly - apparently, he was imagining the process, indeed - and then focused his sight on Law. His lips twitched. "Maybe you should rather make it so that I won't grow anymore?" he threw with a flash in his eye.
"And let you stay a shrimp for ever?" Law asked. "You're not being serious. You're only one hundred sixty... What kind of a football player would you be?"
"I know, I was joking. It was a stupid joke," Rosapelo said quickly. "But maybe the problem would end that way..." he added in a softer voice, lowering his head.
"Come on, Pelo, we can deal with it. Sooner or later those fractures will end. And until then, I'm going to do everything so that they happen as rarely as possible, if ever," Law ensured him.
His son remained silent.
"Pelo...? You believe me, don't you?"
The boy's head snapped up as he looked at him. "What...? Of course I do. Where are you going to start?"
Law observed him for a moment. Rosapelo's answer didn't convince him, and he felt bad thinking that, despite what he'd assumed so far, the boy may have lost faith in ever recovering from the illness that, Law realised, had been persecuting him for two years already. On the one hand something like that could be perfectly understandable, but on the other hand... it would be a tragedy. A patient had to believe they would recover, as such faith gave strength and enhanced the treatment process. Scientific research had proved that people who'd lost hope about the treatment being a success, were much less likely to experience recovery.
The next moment Law realised he was thinking in the categories of conventional medicine, which he hadn't done in recent years, for the Ope Ope no Mi could cure any person, regardless of their faith. But, another reflection came to him, it fitted this situation more than any; after all, Rosapelo was a case that he couldn't cure with his Devil Fruit, no matter how he despised himself for that...
He pulled himself together. Even if presently he couldn't eliminate the cause of the fractures, he could still treat them or try to prevent them. Just like now. He mustn't show his lack of confidence, as Rosapelo could clearly sense it. Besides, when it came to believing in the effects of therapy, patient and doctor were the same; it was equally important to both sides.
He recalled the boy's last words. "We'll start as soon as I receive the fibres. I already ordered them."
"They didn't write about the fibres in the book... I bet it's some innovative method?" Rosapelo guessed.
"Definitely. No technology making it possible to insert thin fibres in the bone shafts exists yet. Fortunately, I can do it with the Ope Ope no Mi. It's very easy."
The boy nodded. "I'm going to have titanium fibres in my bones..." he said thoughtfully.
"Actually... Those won't be titanium fibres," Law corrected.
Rosapelo looked at him in surprise. "Then, what fibres? I thought titanium was the main material for the orthopaedic implants...?"
Law suppressed his smile and ignored the feeling of proud that suddenly warmed his chest - his kid was using a medical terminology, and flawlessly - and continued calmly instead, "We're going to use lighter, but even harder material," he said.
"Is there anything harder than titanium?" Rosapelo asked. "Diamond, perhaps...?"
"Bingo."
The boy's face expressed a perfect stupefaction, and only after several seconds Rosapelo shook his head in disbelief. "You're joking..."
"I'm not joking."
"You're going to insert diamond fibres in my bones?"
"Yes. Diamond is the hardest material we know."
"Titan wouldn't do?"
"Let's say I want the best for my child."
Rosapelo went speechless again and only stared at him, blinking occasionally. His expression was of shock, disbelief, hesitance, guilt and many, many others... Law waited which of them would win, but he intended to carry out his plan regardless of the boy's eventual objection. No, he simply believed that Rosapelo, like every time so far, would agree to treatment Law suggested to him; he only needed time to accept the offer, to think it over without being rushed...
In silence that fell over the table Law could hear ticking of the clock on the chest of drawers, sound of water in the pipes, and hiss of wind outside. It was an unpleasant, cold December evening, with moist air getting under the clothes and sticking the needles of frost in the skin of face. The gulls could no longer be heard; sensing the storm, they'd flee to take a cover inland. Law was immune to temperature, but there was something repulsive about weather tonight - maybe the promise of first snow - which made the prospect of going out again seem very unpleasant. It was much better to sit here, in the warm living-room, with a dear man - to sit in his own home.
"But... Law-san..." Rosapelo spoke finally, looking down, and his voice was faint. "It's going to cost a fortune..."
"That is the least of our problems," Law replied lightly; he'd been prepared for that. "Besides, I have a fortune. Even more."
"But..." the boy started and then bit his lips.
He looked so miserable that Law's heart clenched with compassion that soon dissolved into deep affection. He was amazed at the fact he could love that boy more and more with every passing day, and wondered distractedly if there was a limit to that feeling.
"Pelo, looked at me," he asked and, when his request was fulfilled, he went on, "When your health and well-being are at stake," 'and your life,' he added in his mind, "it doesn't matter in the slightest how much it would cost. I'll gladly pay any amount of money to guarantee you life without pain, and there's nothing strange about it. Quite the contrary, it's normal, and you shouldn't bother your head about it. You know I feel horrible whenever you get hurt. I'd give anything, really, anything to protect you from it," he said with emphasis, although his voice was calm. Then, however, he added on the spur of the moment, "I'm sorry I'm so hopeless and can't help you once and for all..."
"Law-san, it's not your fault," the boy interrupted him in a whisper before staring at the table again. "It's me... and my stupid bones..."
"Stop it, your illness isn't your fault," Law stated the obvious. "While I'm a doctor, and I must remedy it."
"Yes, but... diamond? "
"Consider it to be a gift for your fourteenth birthday," Law suggested as it suddenly struck him.
"Since when fourteenth birthday is an occasion for such gifts?" the boy asked, wiping his eyes and sniffing. "I've never heard of it."
"It's the first birthday you're going to spend with me," Law pointed out and, all of the sudden, felt like smiling. "We have to celebrate."
"But you're not going to give me such presents every year...?" Rosapelo asked, glancing at him.
"I'm not," Law replied warmly, although he wouldn't have anything against it. "But if it disturbs you so much," he added with a sudden inspiration, "we can make it so that once you recover from fractures, which would undoubtedly happen, we'll take all that diamond out of your bones and sell. In that case, it's going to be... like a loan, don't you think?"
The boy straightened in his chair and looked him in the eye with more confidence. Apparently, he found the idea acceptable. Law knew that his child didn't want to only receive, even if it was but natural in this situation. Inside, he congratulated himself on the thought.
"That sounds better," Rosapelo said, his voice still coarse, and nodded. "A temporary solution, I see. One day, I'm going to return the treasure to you."
'Pelo, it's you who is my treasure,' Law thought, filled with immense affection. He didn't say it, however, only threw with a crooked smile, "A deposit even." And when the boy stared at him questioningly, he explained, "The price of diamond is bound to rise, so we'll get the money back and with interest. There are only benefits, you can't deny it," he added in a theatrically serious voice. "And, besides, your bones are much safer place to keep it than any bank."
He was relieved to see that Rosapelo's lips twitched and that his eyes started to regain their previous spark. The boy sniffed once more. "Only... speaking of that... You won't tell anyone that I was impregnated with diamond from head to toe, right?" he mumbled, glancing at him. "If you do, there's a risk of someone wanting to get that diamond in their hands... which, I fear, wouldn't end well for me..."
Law laughed. "Of course I will keep quiet. Why should I tell anyone where my treasure is?" he said in a faked reproach. "Damn, it seems that deep down I'm still a pirate," he added in a voice indicating he wasn't happy with that discovery. "Then, let's just say it's about doctor-patient confidentiality," he suggested and blinked.
Now Rosapelo had to smile, and though his eyes were still watery, that smile moved Law more than all previous ones.
"Thank you," the boy whispered.
"You're going to thank me when everything is over," Law muttered.
Rosapelo, however, shook his head and said no more. Maybe it was that quivering smile, or maybe warmth in his eyes, Law didn't know that, but something made him add, "I'm glad you no longer ask why."
And this time Rosapelo nodded. Just like Law, he'd already accepted they were family.