Chapter 29

Before going home, Law stopped by Mary Geoise and demanded that all materials concerning the Ope Ope no Mi held by the authorities be sent urgently to Raftel: notes by the previous users, examination results, descriptions of techniques, and so on. He had no doubt that the World Government archives included pretty much information since that particular Devil Fruit had been targeted by the politicians since ever. As a current user of the Ope Ope no Mi, he had every right to access those data, for example for the good of mankind. Until now, there had been no such need - he'd known the abilities of his Devil Fruit good enough to sufficiently use it as a doctor (to say nothing about reacting allergically to the very thought of asking the World Government for anything) - but now the situation was different. He intended to use a technique he'd never planned to use, so researching all available information was the only sensible move.

Of course, there was a chance that those documents included knowledge about other diagnostic or healing techniques - something that would help cure Rosapelo without resorting to the Perennial Youth Operation - but Law was pretty sceptical in that matter. He'd been using his Devil Fruit for nearly thirty years, and he couldn't imagine having omitted some option, having left undiscovered and unused some function of it. The Ope Ope no Mi had been his part - part of his body and mind - and Law could use it without planning, simply by instinct. No-one needs to think about how their arm worked in order to move it, nor did they need to think constantly about familiar things. Something like that was usually fully integrated and under the person's control; it was the same for Law, who knew, felt and thought via the Ope Ope no Mi. No, it was impossible that some secrets still existed, he was convinced of it, so there was only one solution, after all.

After taking care of his business, he headed straight to Raftel, allowing himself only short breaks and moments of rest. The journey home took a bit longer, as he could still feel the earlier exertion, but the whole trip had taken less than six days; as he travelled only East, he didn't lose time and returned to Raftel on July 21. (He was absent from work for a week, as he slept a whole day again after coming back). For all his exhaustion, he could clearly notice the feeling of relief that welled up in him upon seeing the familiar landscape after the last skip: he retuned home. The Corazon Memorial Hospital was as he'd left it - it was standing proud and firm on the southeast coast of the Island of the End and Beginning, and light in many windows indicated it kept watch to immediately rush over with help in emergency - but why should it be the opposite? His competent personnel was able to deal with any problem... and Law had no doubt it would be the same in the future as well.

As for Rosapelo, him he found in much better condition. He'd left without saying goodbye, as the boy had slept the whole afternoon and night after the operation, while Law had departed at dawn. He'd asked Bepo to pass a message to Rosapelo - that he'd had to take a quick trip - and visit him from time to time, which mink had solemnly promised. Now, once he was back, Law was happy that journey had been so exhausting, otherwise longing for the boy - and anxiety - would have eaten him alive as soon as the first day... maybe even turned him around. Visiting Rosapelo was the first thing he did after sleeping off his fatigue and taking a shower.

It was early evening. The sun must have just dipped below the horizon, for the outside world was bathed in a soft shadow. Law ignored furious pangs by his stomach that, after three days of starving, demanded food (releasing glucose to blood helped only for short period of time) and walked one floor down. Rosapelo was still in neurology, although nothing ailed him. Upon seeing him, Law was almost swept off his feet by the feeling of happiness and relief - and the sudden affection filling his heart - but, at the same time, he felt an unusual bust of energy.

"I'm back!" he said from the door, smiling widely.

Rosapelo smiled back, and his eyes shone with joy. "Finally," he muttered.

Law sat down on the chair by his bed. "How do you feel?"

The boy shrugged. "Normal. Where have you been?"

"I had a sudden business to attend to," Law replied lightly. "But I'm back."

"You haven't left for so long before," Rosapelo said, frowning. "Actually, you never left."

"There was no need for that. Besides, I'm not going anywhere anymore," Law assured him with that cheerful tone.

The boy nodded slowly and then looked outside. He said nothing. Law realised he'd hoped that Rosapelo would be more enthusiastic about his coming back... Apparently, one happy look wasn't enough for him, he thought ironically, but then he became seriously anxious. Was the boy feeling unwell, after all? Or maybe he thought of Law poorly because of such a sudden disappearance...?

"Everything okay, Pelo...?" he asked cautiously.

The teenager clutched his hands on the cover. "Are we going home?" he asked, ignoring the question.

"Not yet," Law replied calmly, although he felt bad about it.

"Then, maybe I could... move upstairs...?" Rosapelo suggested timidly, looking at him again. "I don't need to lie here, right?"

Law nodded. He thought the boy's suggestion over and didn't find any contraindications. Actually, such solution suited him even better... and he was touched by the request, on top of it. It seemed that the fourteen-year-old had really missed him... "But you remember that my room is small," he warned. "And you couldn't leave it when I admit the patients in my office. And I probably won't be able to spend much time with you, for I'll have a hell of lot of work after one week of being off."

"I'm fine with that," the boy replied at once.

"In that case, there's no problem. But you're going to promise me that you won't leave without me, okay?"

Rosapelo nodded, albeit somewhat absently. His fingers were still fidgeting with the fabric of the cover. Law observed him closely and could tell that something was on the boy's mind.

"Law-san... What's wrong with me?" the teenager asked in the end; his voice was softer than before, and he had his eyes fixed on his own knees under the blanket. "I... can't remember a thing."

"But they probably told you why you got here?"

"I lost consciousness... fell from the stairs... at home...?"

Law nodded. "It looked like that. Fortunately, I found you soon enough and operated you," he said; as Rosapelo remained silent, he continued, "During the last week that I was absent... did anything happen?"

"No," the boy replied, adding, "I was staying in bed all the time."

"I appreciate it," Law assured him in an earnest voice, but then he smiled wryly. "I bet you were pretty bored...?"

The boy shook his head. "Bepo-san visited me often. And I asked for books... I had time for reading."

Indeed, three books were lying on the bedside table, although Law wouldn't call those thick tomes an entertaining read for a teenager... unless they were either Trafalgar Law or a similar freak. 'Anatomy and Physiology of Central Nervous System', 'Brain-degenerative Diseases', 'Epilepsy'. It seemed that whoever had taken care of the boy, they'd just grabbed several books from the ward library... Well, knowing Rosapelo, he may have read them with curiosity; for quite some time, medical literature had been included in his area of interest, so he'd probably asked for such books himself.

"Not too boring?" Law asked regardless.

"I read only 'Anatomy and Physiology of CNS', it was good," the teenager answered bravely.

"I think you don't need to open the other two, as you have neither brain-degenerative disease nor epilepsy... Unless, of course, you plan to become a neurologist," Law said with a grin.

Rosapelo, however, didn't catch his good humour and, instead, pierced him with an intensely blue gaze. "Law-san... Do you think I will live enough to become a neurologist... or anyone?" he asked directly.

Law felt his heart plunge in his stomach. "Of course you will!" he replied at once. That one thing he was sure of like his own name. "You're going to become whatever you want, Pelo!" He hesitated a moment... and then decided to confess it. "I finally found a way to guarantee your health. It's a reliable way to keep your good condition for ever. That's why I took that trip. I went all the way to Mary Geoise."

The boy stared at him, knitting his brows. He didn't seem as happy as he should... Ah!

"You don't believe me? Well, that's no wonder," Law admitted. "We tried many things and haven't succeeded so far. No wonder that you're sceptical..."

"No, it's not that," Rosapelo interrupted him firmly. "I just.. A reliable way? It sounds... well, a bit fantastic...? But it's not like I doubt you, Law-san...!" he emphasised.

Law tousled his hair with affection. "You'll see for yourself. I must work on it a bit, but I think that we'll get it done this month," he declared and smiled again. "You'll be able to finally live in a normal way, with no restrictions, run, play, do everything you wish... It's great, isn't it? Have you really stayed in bed all that time?"

The boy nodded. "I only got up to go to the bathroom."

"You're a good kid, Pelo."

A smile stretched the corners of the teenager's lips, and Law felt the pressure in his chest ease off. It was that moment that his stomach chose to loudly protest against being maltreated any longer. Rosapelo raised in brows in a complete surprise, and Law suppressed a laughter.

"I must eat something," he said, getting up. "And as soon as my room is cleaned, we're going to install you there. I'll come for you."

Rosapelo nodded again, and his eyes flashed in happiness, provoking the same reaction in Law. His kid had really missed him and was happy of his return - could there be anything even more wonderful? With that thought, he left to waste no more time... and stay alive. He informed the nurses that he would take the boy from the ward within one hour. On his way to the canteen, he contacted the cleaning personnel and asked to take care of his flat. After that, nothing could stop him from stuffing himself with rice and fried fish. He couldn't quite remember the last time green tea had tasted so good.

When he returned to his office, he found his flat ready for Rosapelo, so they carried out the move immediately. Along with the boy, he shifted also books and clothes that someone, probably Bepo, had brought from home, so that the teenager didn't need to wear a hospital pyjama all the time. Law decided he had to thank his friend for having tended to his kid.

"Will I really not bother you here?" Rosapelo asked, having come to the familiar room.

Law looked at him with reproach. "You never bother me, Pelo," he answered. "It would be good if you remembered it already," he added with a smile.

His son nodded and sat down on the neatly made bed. "I'm glad you're back," he said.

And Law thought his happiness was getting more complete with every passing hour.

The next few days were so busy that - taking into account Law's previous lifestyle - it seemed totally impossible. Law had a week worth of work to catch up, so he asked his secretary to stop processing the referrals until the further notice; first, he had to deal with the patients that were on Raftel already, awaiting the admission. He didn't visit his home - Tiger, taken in by Penguin during his owners' absence, had to stay in the foster home a bit longer - he only brought himself a change of clothes. He slept slightly over two hours per day, suspended the consultations and stopped taking the days off; in practice, he devoted every moment to treating people. Rosapelo caused him no problem, spending time on reading, and didn't complain about staying inside all the time. At least, they ate together - Law had asked that the meals be delivered to his office at fixed time - but it was the only time they would talk. Law assured the teenager that it was just a passing phase and then their life would return to normal, and the boy undoubtedly believed it.

Rosapelo didn't bring up the topic of the 'reliable method' that Law planned to use to cure him. He'd probably concluded Law would settle down to it once he got ahead of his crazy workload, which was true, so some extent. With so many patients hanging over his head, Law had no chance to focus on that, and he was decent enough to first take care of the necessary things. Amazingly, no patient complained about having the already set date of admission and treatment moved up... delayed by even a week; maybe it was really about what Clione had once said: that people would forgive Trafalgar Law absolutely everything. Well, Law wasn't that convinced they would forgive his next - and final - egoistic act, too... but it wouldn't matter to him anymore...

Documents with the information about the Ope Ope no Mi arrived via fax as soon as the next day after his return. Together, they formed an over three centimetres thick pile of paper, several hundreds pages that Law put in a folder and browsed through bit by bit in the evenings when the work was done and Rosapelo asleep already. Every time, he found it more and more difficult to stop reading, but he forced himself to do so, knowing that he had to get at least two hours of sleep as the next day, well before dawn, he had to treat the patients and it wouldn't look good if he collapsed mid-treatment. It was a fascinating read. It included more or less detailed descriptions of action of the Ope Ope no Mi made by people who'd been either witnesses or objects - soldiers, journalists and normal people - together with the comments of the governmental specialists, aiming at explaining the mechanism behind those actions. There were also, of course, relations of the patients who'd been healed by the Ope Ope no Mi, in forms of both newspaper clippings and separate documents that seemed to have been prepared on request. In many places, Law's name figured, but there were also materials from before his time.

What interested Law more were the scientific and medical records written up by the previous users of the Ope Ope no Mi. He found the list of them and of people who'd been suspected to be ones, with the dates of their death (sometimes also of birth, if it was known). The list spanned many centuries - it appeared that the World Government had monitored the Ope Ope no Mi since very long, almost since its forming eight hundred years ago - and included slightly below twenty names. Later, Law found the personal files of the users; some had only a couple of sentences, others (like his) contained many pages. Much to his surprise, he discovered that only few had used that Devil Fruit for healing - besides Law, only three - while most of them had used its powers to foul ends, driven by greed for money or power. All had gained fame - or, rather, infamy - because it a person was intelligent and with a lot of imagination, the Ope Ope no Mi provided them with a wide range of skills and made them practically invincible, ensuring long career and quick success. The group included several contract killers, two thieves and even - how awful - a specialist of very refined tortures working for the government.

If Law had been more social person and shared an emotional bond with the humanity as such, he would've felt disgusted at the very thought he used the same abilities those scums had. But, like they said, weapon is neither evil or good; everything depended on the person holding it. Besides, he remembered, it wasn't like Trafalgar Law had always used the Ope Ope no Mi for the good of mankind... Then, he couldn't consider himself to be innocent, and condemn others... but he still felt better just knowing that, contrary to those individuals, he'd decided to devote himself to medicine, not piracy, after all.

He continued browsing the folder until he finally reached the desired materials: information left by his predecessor, that famous doctor he'd heard about from Corazon and whose name was, like he learned now, Shin'ya Kō. It was impossible to tell whether that man had been under the close surveillance of the government or simply had worked for them, but it didn't really matter now. What mattered was that he'd left a very detailed documentation of using the Ope Ope no Mi on the human body. Law found both the doctor's personal notes and reports made by the team he'd worked with. He read them with nostalgia and curiosity, and sometimes with a feeling it was something very familiar. Above all, he gained confidence that the previous user of the Ope Ope no Mi was a real genius, and he was amazed at the fact he'd never come across any mention of him over almost forty years of more or less intensive contact with medicine. It might seem obvious that such an outstanding specialist must have gone down in history and science, but apparently the government had had monopoly on his whole academic achievements and, for some reason, hadn't found it suitable to share it. Well, nothing else should be expected of the previous World Government... On the one hand, something like that was frustrating and unjust, but on the other hand... it was Law's name that would go down in history as a precursor or an originator of numerous diagnostic and treatment methods developed in the Corazon Memorial Hospital. Not that it interested him much.

He managed to look through all materials in slightly below a week, and he by no means considered it a wasted time, because he found a detailed description of the Perennial Youth Operation. It appeared that technique had been developed by Law's predecessor; no-one before had thought that the Ope Ope no Mi could be used to grant another person eternal life. Dr Shin'ya speculated that it was about simply passing on the internal energy every Devil Fruit had - he was of the opinion it could be compared to the energy of the sun, quantity and power-wise - but, as the Ope Ope no Mi was the only one to influence directly human anatomy and physiology, and without any limitations, only in its case it was possible to consciously direct that energy inside the other's person body.

Law had to admit that theory was sound. He'd long since assumed that the Devil Fruits were some kind of concentration of energy that, which was a common knowledge, could affect the physical and psychical traits upon permeating a living body. It wouldn't be anything strange if that energy were almost inexhaustible, so the comparison with the sun made sense. He could imagine the flow of that energy between the two organisms during the Perennial Youth Operation, but he wasn't any wiser than Dr Shin'ya in regard to what exactly happened to the receiver, on anatomical and physiological level. The documents, of course, didn't mention who it was that the surgery had been performed on, so Law couldn't search and examine that person in order to find out what kind of alterations his or her body had undergone, even though they had to live somewhere and do greatly. In any case, the detailed description of the procedure remained because Dr Shin'ya had dictated everything he'd done to his assistants, who later had attached also their own observations and conclusions to the file. Technically, Law knew perfectly well what to do, and was fully convinced he could perform that operation with equal success.

Finally came the evening that he managed to read the whole content of the folder - he'd read every page and every scrap of paper - and then returned to the description of the Perennial Youth Operation. The clock struck midnight. Law took the glasses down and leaned on the back rest of his chair. It seemed he had no other choice. He hadn't found any information about how to cure Rosapelo of his undiagnosed brittleness of bones. He knew no Devil Fruit that would make the boy enjoy health and help him to prevent any physical injury, and even if he had, there was no time to search for it. (Just in case, he checked the offer of the black market, only to be disappointed). He had no means to pass the powers of the Ope Ope no Mi to the boy, that could actively protect him from diseases. First, he would have to die, and it was still unknown how the Devil Fruits returned to circulation; it could as well be that the Ope Ope no Mi appeared halfway across the world and remained undiscovered for the next fifty years.

He had no other option than perform the Perennial Youth Operation on Rosapelo, providing him with eternal life. He knew he wouldn't hesitate to do it.

Of course, he didn't want to leave him. He wished to stay with him for the rest of his life, see him grow up, mature and become an adult man, support him in everything, rejoice in his happiness... But there was a risk that Rosapelo would die before he managed to achieve anything: maybe in one year, maybe in one week, maybe even tomorrow. Well, perhaps not tomorrow, as he was currently under Law's watch, but keeping him locked, prolonging his captivity, and limiting his life in every aspect would be a cruelty he didn't deserve. Rosapelo had his finest years ahead: his whole youth. He couldn't spend it at home, bed-ridden.

And, in fact, since Law had thought of the Perennial Youth Operation - since that moment in Impel Down he'd realised he could do it - he didn't see any other solution. Even if he considered other options that were at least worth checking, the idea of that particular procedure had stuck to him like an obsession. He was determined to use that technique on Rosapelo, and nothing could dissuade him from it, the least prospect of his own death. Actually... to realise that finally everything would end filled him with relief.

He was aware that he'd been condemned to death as a kid already. Corazon had managed to trick the fate and had given Law a few decades, but now Law was acutely aware that it was a borrowed life and that the debt should be repaid. That time, almost thirty years ago, when he'd been left all alone once again... it was then that he'd understood he shouldn't have survived, for his life had been paid with another man's death. For so long - most of the time? - he'd believed he should have died and Cora-san should have lived. He couldn't comprehend why Cora-san had died for him, for a stranger, and rotten to a core, too. He'd thought that one could die only for their family members... And despite witnessing it himself that sometimes brother was capable of killing his brother without scruples, he'd pushed it out of his memory, or so it had seemed to him.

When destiny made him cross ways with Rosapelo - a stranger who'd become his family - Law had started to remember that blood ties didn't really matter. What mattered were feelings; they could form much stronger bond. He'd begun to understand that, in the name of those bonds - in the name of those feelings and concern about the beloved one - a man could give his life. When watching Rosapelo's struggle against the disease, he'd started to accept deeply inside that no price was too high if he could release the dearest one from pain. Only now he could finally comprehend why Corazon had died, and only now he was able to finally believe what he'd heard from him on Minion.

Cora-san had loved him, and that was all.

Law had never wanted to let destiny govern his life - and now he had to admit it was really so, for he could see clearly all elements entwined together. Corazon had died so that Law could live. Law had lived his borrowed life, and now was the time that his death could guarantee Rosapelo's life. Meeting Rosapelo was no coincidence, and thus now it was his turn to pay off the debt and pass on the gift of life. Even if Law had finally found his happiness, it was obvious he couldn't remain in it. He hadn't deserved happiness, and yet he'd been given it, so even if he'd had it only for a short while, it was more than enough. If he had to choose between his own happiness and that of his beloved one, then there was no need to think of it at all.

There was something more that only strengthened his determination and legitimated his decision. Long ago, in childhood, his father had told him a story about a miracle-doctor who kept deceiving Death in the fight for his patients' lives. One day, Death, frustrated he snatched away those who were destined to come to him, deceived the doctor and carried to his kingdom. Law, when he'd become a doctor and devoted himself to cure people with the Ope Ope no Mi, also had been deceiving death, snatching those already doomed from its clutch, many thousands of human creatures... Then, it was perfectly just that he would pay for it one day, now... but he had a chance to save one more life, take it back from death for ever, and he couldn't imagine better end and greater victory.

He guessed that history and the public would judge him less favourably - as someone who'd given up his service to humanity for his personal reasons, stripping away hope of millions and leaving the terminally ill to their fate. The thought made him smile wryly. He didn't care; he'd always been an egoist paying little attention to what others might think of him... but maybe he should sent that list to the newspapers, the file containing knowledge of how evil most of his predecessors had been...? Compared with them, Law looked really good and definitely placed in Top 3 in regard to merits for the world... so maybe he wouldn't be judged too harshly...? He played with that idea for a moment before getting serious again.

The Ope Ope no Mi didn't belong to the mankind, and Trafalgar D. Water Law was a free man limited by nothing except love. He'd got that freedom, too, from Cora-san... and love he had for Rosapelo made him put the boy's welfare over the benefit of the rest of the world. Whatever others might say, that truth - the only truth driving him - wouldn't change.

Something made him get up from the desk and quietly open the door to his bedroom, where his son was sleeping. He stood for a moment in the doorway, listening to the teenager's even breathing, aware of the warmth spreading inside his chest.

"I love you," he said in the dark and smiled. He was under the impression he would never stop smiling.

He returned to the office with a sudden decision he would do it tomorrow... or, rather, today. He'd cured all patients in the waiting line, and there was no new, so the time was right. Although... No, the day after tomorrow would be better, he decided then. Tomorrow he would spend the whole day - his last day - with Rosapelo. He'd neglected the boy for two weeks. It wouldn't be fair to not take him one more time to the New Piece, or for a walk on the beach, or anywhere else the teenager wanted to go...

Although it was past midnight, he didn't feel tired enough to not read once again about the Perennial Youth Operation; he had to memorise the technique in every detail. He put on his glasses and became absorbed in the texts. It was past two when he was finally certain he knew the procedure and would be able to follow it without trouble - he'd performed a simulation in his thought and was pleased with the result - but, just in case, he put the sheet of paper describing it aside, to be able to quickly find it in need. He gathered all other papers - he'd had them spread all over his desk, divided into categories - to place them back in the folder. It seemed he hadn't missed anything - Dr Shin'ya's documentation, witness accounts, the users' file...

He froze and then knitted his brows. He raised one paper back to his eyes, for he had a funny impression he'd seen a word 'Pelo' in the text. Of course, it couldn't be possible; it was probably his tired eyes playing tricks on him - sign that it was high time to go to bed - but he still decided to look through that particular document. He quickly realised it was a personal file of him, so he'd skipped it before; after all, he knew himself best and it was pointless to read what others had written about him. Ah, then probably Rosapelo was listed as his family member; they'd lived together for over a year now, and the documents were apparently updated regularly... But no, the line 'civil status/family' was followed by empty space with no information whatsoever... so his sight moved down, trying to locate the familiar name, although at the same time he was perfectly certain he'd only imagined it.

He hadn't.

When his eyes finally found what they searched for, at first he couldn't really understand what he was looking at. He was only sitting and blinking until the black letters on the white paper seemed to become imprinted on his pupils and he was sure he would see them even when closing his eyes.

It was the line of his workplace, correctly filled with the 'Corazón Memorial Hospital', but that phrase was followed by the name of the hospital in official languages of the four oceans, and the last one was...

Selle Sepotso Ea Pelo (SB)

Law was staring at those words, feeling his heart beat ever faster, harder, painful in his chest. He'd never wondered how the name of his hospital sounded in other languages. On Raftel, people used only the common tongue, which was used in the Grand Line and was considered the official language of the world. When he moved his eyes over the three names - of course, he was familiar with the language of the North Blue - he realised that Corazón had been translated as 'heart', with the rest meaning more or less the same. Then, when he looked at the last line... when he checked the word order... when he compared the parts of the phrase...

Finally, he got up and, absently, approached the rack. He took the South Blue dictionary and started to browse through it with his trembling hands. A sharp edge of a paper cut his finger, but he barely noticed it, only flicked the book over faster, first searching for letter P and then trailing the lines down with his finger. Pa... Pe... Peb... Pel... Pelo...

The dictionary fell off his hand, but he didn't pay any attention to it, for suddenly the whole world disappeared from his eyes and his leg would no longer bear him. He sat down on the floor and pulled up his knees, pressing both hands to his face. He felt pain in his chest and something hot trying to burst out, and he tried to contain it, for he could still remember with some part of his mind that Rosapelo was sleeping right behind the wall - but in vain. Sobbing got through the lips he'd bit till they bled, shaking his body and caring little about all attempts to stifle it... Tears made their way through his shut tight eyelids and wouldn't stop, even though he kept wiping them all the time... And finally he stopped resisting and surrendered to that emotion that seemed to be tearing him to pieces as if he never could become a whole man again... He was crying like he hadn't been crying since Corazon's death, unable to control himself - and, just like that time, he didn't know who it really was he was despairing over... He just... That shock had been too strong and too acute... and maybe it proved to him that everything had made sense from the very beginning.

The dictionary was lying on the floor, shut again, mercifully hiding its secrets. Somewhere in three-fourths through its content was a single line that had defined Trafalgar D. Water Law's world anew - or, at the very end, had given it a meaning.

pelo [pe·lo] heart

Cora-san had found him once again.

Not so much later, Law waked up on the coach - he must have pulled himself on it at some point - with his body and soul equally sore, and still in his clothes. It took him whole five seconds to realise it was the emergency signal that had waked him. When he teleported to the dispatch room - it wasn't even four yet - he learned there had been a catastrophe of a liner from the Red Line nearby. In the fog, the ship had veered off course, hitting the rock hidden right under the water surface. Hull breaches had made the ship quickly sink, before the evacuation had been initiated; most of the people abroad had been sleeping.

Law sent all ambulances to the site - he realised that darkness would make the rescue operation very difficult - and then spent many hours saving lives, which helped him forget about the last night. It was afternoon when he finished. With the drop of adrenaline, everything that had happened at night, came to him... but he noticed that he no longer felt that sorrow that had overcome him earlier. On his way to the office - he had to sleep a bit after using the Ope Ope no Mi so intensively for many hours straight - it was the feeling that everything was obvious that was filling him, and it only strengthened his resolve. He was under the impression that the final piece of the puzzle had clicked into place, that the critical argument had appeared, one he couldn't discuss against.

But when he lay down on the coach, he couldn't fall asleep. He didn't like it that reality had once more thwarted his plans, as if trying to influence his decision... but then he asked himself if one day of delay meant anything when the whole life was in question...? His lips twitched at that thought.

"Pelo...?" he called without opening his eyes.

He hoped the boy could hear him through the open door, and it happened indeed. Judging from the creak, the teenager got up from the bed. The quiet steps could be heard, and the next moment Law felt his presence by the coach.

"Law-san...?"

"I wanted to spend this day together with you," Law said in a tired voice. "But I don't think I can do it."

"I bet you don't," Rosapelo replied in that crisp tone that Law admired so much. "You seem to need a good sleep. There was some... accident, right? You operated all the time...?"

Law smiled. "Yeah."

"Tomorrow is another day," the boy declared. "Sleep as long as you need. Recently... I think you haven't got enough sleep...? You had so much work... Wait, let me tuck you in."

Law forced himself to lift his eyelids, although it proved pretty hard. Rosapelo took the blanket from the floor and put it on him. He smiled when his eyes caught Law's gaze.

"Why are you so happy?" Law asked. "That I'm in bed and you feel better this time?" he guessed.

"Yeah."

Law snorted with resentment... but he felt that even something like that, for all his fatigue, filled him with joy. "And he even admitted it..." he muttered, closing his eyes.

"I can sit by your side until you fall asleep," Rosapelo added and, without really waiting for an answer, sat down on the floor, resting his back against the coach.

"Insolent brat..." Law said in an ever softer voice.

For some reason, sleep came over very soon.

When he waked up, it was evening. Shadow was filling the office, with the only light coming from the next room. In the meantime, Rosapelo had returned to the bed, where Law found him with a book, of course.

"Did you sleep enough?" the boy asked upon seeing him.

"I did," Law admitted, stretching. "Have you eaten a dinner?"

"No."

"Then, let me take a shower and we'll go to the canteen, okay?"

"Okay."

Water was pleasantly relaxing and refreshing at the same time; however, standing under the warm stream, Law couldn't resist the impression Rosapelo was down. Maybe he resented him for being forced to spent yet one more day alone, as Law hadn't been unavailable...? Well, Law was going to more than compensate for that... Probably.

"Where would you like to go tomorrow?" he called from the bathroom, drying his hair with a towel.

"Anywhere is fine," he heard the answer he could've expected. "I haven't gone out for ages."

"Then, we'll probably go to the New Piece."

"Good."

Law hung the towel and grabbed the comb. "How are you feeling?" he kept asking.

"Okay."

Law put on the clean clothes and returned to the room. Rosapelo was still sitting on the made bed and reading. Law gave him a close look. "Something's not right," he declared in the end.

The boy's head snapped up as he looked at him. "What...?" he asked, frowning, and then closed the book. "I'm hungry."

"Hmm... Then, let's go and eat something."

At this hour, the canteen was nearly empty. They took food and sat down by the table by the window that was showing only darkness. Despite what the boy had said, he didn't seem to have any appetite. He pushed the food around on his plate, hardly ever put anything in his mouth and wouldn't look Law in the eye.

"Pelo, what is it about?"

The teenager remained silent for a longer while. "When are we going to go home?" he asked in the end.

Law felt the tiniest shade of relief. Was it what tormented the boy? Well, it could be understood; he'd been in the hospital two weeks already...

"I thought that tomorrow we could take a day off, as I had no time for you for the last two weeks," he said. "I finally dealt with my backlog, so I can take a holiday. I planned it for today, but you see yourself how things turned out..." Rosapelo nodded silently, so Law went on, "The day after tomorrow I'll perform that operation I mentioned. I want to do it here... but then there will be no reason for you to stay here," he said with smile. "From then on, you'll watch this hospital only from a distance. I'm sure you're sick with it for one lifetime."

The teenager shrugged. Then he put the fork down and glanced at him from behind the fringe, and his eyes were hesitating. Finally, he opened his mouth... but, before he managed to speak, Law's personal Den Den Mushi made a beep and informed Law was needed immediately in the emergency department.

Law suppressed a groan. "What this time...?" he muttered in annoyance, getting up. "Pelo, you're going to wait for me here. I hope to deal with it quickly," he declared and activated the Ope Ope no Mi, wondering distractedly why it was now that fate insisted on putting spokes in his wheel. "If not, I'll ask someone to come for you."

In the emergency unit, he learned that a bloodbath had happened in a bar in Roger Bay, with many people getting injured and some in danger of dying, so every second counted. Law teleported there together with Bepo - they had to seize the perpetrator first, as he was still shooting to the customers, apparently in a drunken frenzy - and spent two hours, operating the wounded and bringing some of them back from the doorway of the kingdom of death to send them to the hospital in the stable condition.

"I wonder if it's not time that weapon should be licensed," he said when the work was done and Bepo and he were walking back to the hospital. Evening was warm, with the air smelling of summer flowers and the gentle sound of the sea filling the darkness with calm, making it hard to believe that a massacre had almost happened, right behind the corner... one that could have been prevented. "If not everywhere, then at least here. We have peace. Did you ever believe such time would arrive one day...? When we still sailed across the oceans?" he asked in the tone as if he'd just discovered something amazing.

"I don't remember," Bepo replied with a laugh. "But talk with Luffy. He can decide on that... But you must explain it to him so that he understands."

"Good idea..." Law muttered... but then realised he wouldn't be able to meet with the Pirate King again. He almost stopped in his track, and his heart suddenly beat faster.

The day after tomorrow, he planned to die. As for the final day of his life, tomorrow, he wished to spend with Rosapelo and no-one else. Maybe those people he'd just snatched away from death were his last patients...? he thought, looking back. As if he'd just realised it...! He had no regrets, for he believed in his decision... and yet every moment began to appear precious, amazing and meaningful... He was under the impression he could hear the clock measuring every second that was still left: the limited period of time that only few things would happen in and many would no longer happen. They passed his home, standing silent by the road from Roger Bay to the Corazon Memorial Hospital. He swept the dark windows with his eyes, stared at the bicycle by the fence and understood he would never come back here. He wouldn't see Tiger curled in a ball on the coach, he wouldn't sit down to a dinner in the living-room... In just two days, everything would end. How strange. No, he'd better not think about it.

The next moment he surprised himself. He hadn't planned to tell anyone about it, and now he felt a sudden urge to. "Bepo...?" he spoke without looking at the mink and striving to sound natural. He'd involuntarily clenched his fists and now relaxed them, taking a deep breath.

"Mhm?"

"The day after tomorrow... I'm going to use a certain technique on Rosapelo, one I haven't used before," he said. "It's going to guarantee him complete recovery."

"You managed to develop it? That's a great news!" his friend rejoiced, and Law tried not to feel guilty... especially when he heard the next words that made his heart leap, "Is there any danger to it?"

"Let's say that after the operation... I won't be able to work."

"For how long?" the mink asked lucidly.

Law didn't reply. His throat clenched. He didn't want to lie... he didn't want to lie to Bepo, but... The mink would think that it was impossible to specify in advance all effects, since a completely new technique was in question. He forced himself to speak. He told himself it was the last time he wouldn't be honest.

"We'll see."