*Corazon POV*

"The reason your parents died is upsettingly simple. Money." I pick at the hangnails on my fingers. Yearning for a cigarette to take the edge off.

Neither of them reacts to the news.

They must have already figured it out. Smart kids.

Both of them look like raccoons, heavy, dark bags drooping under their eyes.

Law is slouched down into his couch letting the side of his body press up against Lily's.

Lily however was sitting straight up and leaning as far as she could from Law without making it too obvious.

I small parental rage bubbles in my stomachs but I know it is no longer my place. Not yet.

"Law I assume you figured this out by now but I will solidify your assumption. Your parents couldn't keep up with Lami's medical bills so my brother approached your farther with a proposition: to help create SMILEs." I try to keep steady eye contact but I know I was going to be ashamed by my later actions.

His eyebrows furrow, "I've vaguely heard of them when I used to fight. Some kind of anabolic steroid?"

I give him a curt nod, "It is a steroid on it is own level. It is supposed to increase growth and strength of muscle by just popping the pill. Zero effort needed."

Lily leans forward quickly awestruck, "That is ridiculously futuristic. That could be useful for coma patients, astronauts, and any rehabilitation program. The possibilities are endless."

Her look withers when I turn to my gaze to her, "Not without major side effects. Lily your family wanted to get you into a good school. They saw your potential as a child and they wanted you to have the best. However, with your dad's career your family teetered on the edge of bankruptcy."

A clarity strikes her emerald eyes, "Rage is common side effect of steroids." She slumps back not caring this time that Law is pressed against her side.

"Your father working for Doflamingo was a freak happenstance. He heard about it from someone that was friends with someone that was already a test subject. He had no idea what he was getting into. Supporting you is all he could think about." I try to comfort her but silent tears spill down her cheeks.

Law rests a hand on her knee and rubs it with his thumb.

She quickly crosses her legs so Law couldn't reach them.

She sniffles, "So our parents needed money. How does that lead to them dying?"

I inhale a shaky breath, "Lily's parents are a bit easier to explain."

Law's face pales and his knuckles turn white as he grips the sofa. All of the worst possible outcomes obviously running through his head.

"Alright let's have it. I am tired of being in the dark." She sniffs as she grabs a tissue, blowing her nose, and tossing the tissue back in to the side table. Lily's voice was certain but both of her legs were bouncing a mile a minute.

I clear my throat, "Like I said you dad ended up being a test subject be a freak chance. The SMILEs are highly addictive with awful side effective: aggression, violent tendencies, severe muscle pain, brain damage, liver damage, and so many others."

She rubbed her eyes with the palm of her hands letting out a defeated sigh, "my father drank to numb the muscle pain."

An empathic smile ghosts my face, "the alcohol only increased the symptoms. That mixed with the drugs made him an aggressive animal. Your mother however refused to believe the creature your dad became was who he was. So," I lean forward and clasp my hands onto my knees looking deep into her emerald eyes, "your mother started to ask your father questions. He would usually keep quiet or would yell and hit her if she got to adamant about asking. It didn't matter though she wanted to know the truth."

Law lets out a curt laugh, "Looks like that deadly curiosity runs in the family."

Lily just slams her fist into his thigh making Law grunt and rub his leg.

"Doflamingo started showing interest in you once you landed your father in jail," I push on, "You were a smart, brave, and strong girl and he could use your family as leverage. He thought you would be easy to take advantage of."

Law out of nowhere pinches Lily's chin between his first two fingers turning her gaze up toward him, "And he will try to take advantage of you Lily. That is why everyone is so worried about you."

Lily swats his hand away with an irritated huff, "That's why I am going to heal up and get stronger. I'll train at the dojo and learn to fight from people who have fought at the Grand Line. I'll be okay."

"He has taken advantage of me Lily." His golden eyes sharp, "Corazoan hasn't been able to do anything either and even if I hate to admit it, he is formidable on his own."

She bites at her lip hard, mind lost in a memory. However, I could tell from how much their gazes differed that she was probably didn't know the twisted things my brother did to him.

Her gazed burned with fire while his eyes sat haunted.

My hand clap together breaking the tension the best I could, "As I was saying, once your father went off to jail my brother made it my job to make sure your mom wasn't getting close to the truth."

"Then I messed up." Tears choke my voice and bite at my eyes, "I fell in love with Elizabeth and I grew to care about her daughter. I tried to keep an eye on her the best I could but she was crafty. All of her strange behaviors all had believable tales behind them that were all backed up by evidence and witnesses. I should have done better. I should have tried harder."

Lily hands me a tissue, as she searches every inch of my face to make sure I am telling the truth.

"She visited your father at the end of his jail time when he sobered up but he was to damaged and loyal to Doflamingo. He gave her information that she would be easily caught if she decided to dig into: labs, safe houses, case number, test subjects, and more." I bring my hand up to my mouth looking to curve my anxiety with nicotine only to breathe deeply between my first two fingers, "Needless to say she acted on the new information eager to save her husband. Elizabeth lite up Doflamingo's radar after that."

I move to the edge of my seat and reach out for Lily's hands. She doesn't resist, "Doflamingo set up a hit on your mother." Her body was trembling like a leaf and her nails dug deep into my palms, "Your father crept back to Doflamingo after he got out of jail begging for drugs. My brother refused to give him what he wanted until he killed Elizabeth. Your father swerved the car your mom and him were in into oncoming traffic. Your father failed but it didn't matter. She was going to die anyway. It was cold irony. Doflamingo made sure that she didn't get the medical treatment she needed so the cancer would consume her faster. After your mother died, Doflamingo overdosed your father on SMILEs and he died do to liver failure. The transplant never happened. My brother took your liver, sold it and let your farther waste away."

*Law POV*

"So, my parents just wanted to put me through school and died because of it. They were just collateral damage." She sinks back into the couch taking it all in. "And my liver was already stolen." She rests her hands over her stomach and clutches her shirt. Her face was blank obviously from shock.

Corazoan's gives her a weak smile "In a nutshell. Yes."

"Okay." Her voice was neutral and distant.

"Lily I am so sorry. I wish I could have done something. I just . . ."

"Stop babbling. Where is my tragic back story?" I bluntly interject, thumping my bare feet onto the coffee table.

Lily's eyes were transfixed on the window behind Corazoan; just an empty green void. Her forehead dripping with sweat beading down deep worry lines. Her teeth slowly gnawing at her lip causing them to crack and bleed.

"Ah. . . Fair enough, " He starts never really taking his eyes fully off of her. "Like I said before, my brother took advantage of your farther when your sister's medical bill started piling up." Corazoan runs a hand through his messy locks. "Doflamingo always had a fascination for your farther. I don't blame him. Your farther was the top of his field and was brilliant with any research he did. So, when the opportunity arose, he trapped him."

"Yes, any moron could have told you that. I thought you said this was complicated." I shoot him a nasty look.

Corazoan leans forward and gives me a very serious look. He takes a shaky inhale and swallows hard, "my brother killed your sister."

"What?" A mouse like whisper comes from Lily. His jarring statement being her back into the conversation.

I clench my teeth hard. I knew it was a possibility but didn't want it to be reality.

I stomp my feet in the ground and pull myself to the edge of the couch, "Did. You. Know?" My voice came out venomous and sharp.

"No. I didn't know until the day of the house fire." His voice came out even. I wanted him to be lying but I don't think he was.

"WHY!?" I roar as I jump over the coffee table and yank him closer to me by handfuls of his white pressed dress shirt. "What did my family do to deserve to die!"

Corazoan roughly shoves me back causing me to fall onto the coffee table. He grabs my shoulder and his nail bitten finger digging into my bare skin, "Nothing. Absolutely nothing." He replied harshly, "your parents were just trying to keep their family together and Doflamingo took advantage of that. He snuffs out anything good in this world just for shits and giggles." Corazoan pulls me closer his tobacco tainted breath suffocating my noise. "He is sadistic and narcissistic. He killed your parents because he no longer had use for your farther. Doflamingo reversed engineered the SMILES and then your parents became a liability. So, guess what? He killed them and I couldn't do anything!"

I spring up off the coffee table with my fist cocked back with all spite and rage, "You bastard!"

"STOP!"

My fist connects but not with Corazoan's face but with Lily's shoulder and clavicle.

Shit. Fuck. Damn it.

I hit her with so much force her and Corazoan both stumble back into the chair.

"Lily . . ." I reach out.

She slaps my hand and pushes herself off Corazoan's lap. I get a real good look at her face.

Her eyes are we red and swollen, her nose was dripping, and blood seeped through cracks of skin bitten from her lip.

"I just wanted closure." She sobs, franticly wiping tears.

Corazoan reaches for her but she slaps his hand away too. Then she turns to him and grabs both sides of his face fiercely. They looked at each other eye to eye even though he was still sitting, "Promise me you did everything you could do to save our parents."

He lovingly cradles his hands around hers. There was a gentle warmth to his eyes and a small spark of hope, "I promise"

She gazes deep into his eyes searching for the truth. Her gaze was calm even with the tears, "Thank you for telling us the truth Rosi, but I think it would be best if you left now."

Corazoan gives her a small grateful smile. His whole demeanor relaxes when she calls him Rosi.

Could he really have been a decent person?

Corazoan stops beside me before he leaves, "I know you don't fully believe me, but I want to take him down as much as you do. All three of us lost our parents because if him."

The door closes with a soft thump.

"I'm going to go grab you some ice." I dismiss myself and lean over the sink for a moment head pounding with information.

What am I supposed to believe? Is my past completely wrong? Can Corazoan really help us take him down?

I return to the living area where Lily is curled up on the couch and a small mound of tissues on the side table.

"I would say I'm sorry Lily but you did jump into the line of fire." I apologize as I extend the ice pack.

She accepts the ice pack and rests awkwardly on her shoulder and clavicle. Her emerald eyes meet mine glassed over, "Why are you calling me by my first name? After all that you have done to me why do you think you have the right to call me by my first name?"

I scratch the back of my head and sigh irritated, "I never meant to do you harm."

She opens her mouth to make a comment but I raise a finger to stop her, "Even before I knew you were missing organs, I made the choice not to cut you open. You share the same hardship as I do. How could I make you go through more pain? Plus, your too stubborn to seduce anyway."

That earns me a small scoff.

I turn my body to her and lean over her, consuming her with my presence. I let a slow lazy grin take my face, "plus you moaned my name first when I bit you neck."

Her eyes sprang back to life with a fire burning quickly retorting, "Just because I said your name during some drunk make out session I don't remember, doesn't give you the right."

There she is.

I scruff her hair loosening her bun causing wisps to cascade her face, "I think it does."

Her lip quirks up just slightly, "You think you're so special don't you."

I give a cocky nod. I gesture to my completely smoking body, "I do. I think you found me so irresistible that you couldn't help but kiss me. I think I am so handsome you won't mind if I call you Lily."

She lets out a curt laugh and booped my nose with her finger with a certain sass, "you weren't even the only person I kissed that night. You're not that special."

Wait. What?

I glare taken aback, "excuse me?"

She leans in toward me, breathe hot on my face, "I kissed Ace first. You are just sloppy seconds Trafalgar."

Jealously chewed at my stomach but I couldn't help but laugh a bit, "You're a slut when you drink."

She gave me a disbelieving face but her lips finally curl into a laugh, "I really am. I just really am."

My grin can't help but widen as I watch her start to lose it, "So the biggest problem right now is you are slut when you drink."

She starts to crack up so hard she lets her ice pack falls to her lap and she clutches her stomach, "You know I think it might be a bigger problem than my step farther having a secret identity I didn't know about"

The laughter just roars out of my throat, "Do you think it is a bigger problem than the psychopath that is watching our every move?"

She clutched my knee hard her face red as a tomato from the laughing fit, "You mean the one that killed our family and drove us to substance abuse. Absolutely!"

I double over grasping her hand on my knee.

None of it was funny. But the whole situation was so fucking ridiculous.

We sit in a silence for a moment after the laughter dies down. She wipes tear away from her face. A small disbelieving laugh occasionally leaving her throat. "so, does this mean that you believe what I have told you?" I ask trying not to rock the boat.

She hums sliding her hand back into her lap "I guess this means that today I am very content with being a college student that is a slut when she drinks. But yeah. I believe both you and Rosi."

She reaches up and cradles my face with her soft hands. She searches my soul with her beautiful emerald eyes causing the world to stop for a minute, "You have to promise to tell me the truth from now on though okay?"

My brain is screaming not to promise anything. If I let anyone else in my life it just one more person to be taken away from me.

"Yeah yeah yeah I promise. You needy child." I smoosh her ice pack on her shoulder again.

She rests her hand on top of mine for a second before she takes the ice pack from me and gives me a small grateful smile.

I rest my arm behind her on the couch and regretfully ask a question that been sitting in the back of my mind, "What was Corazoan like?"

She quirks an eyebrow for a moment than her face softens, "He was the best father I ever had honestly. I mean they first one wasn't hard to beat."

A sad smile crosses her face for one moment until a light bulb turns on and she searches around for her phone.

She throws the ice pack on the table and sits shoulder to shoulder with me.

"Your arm is freezing." My body automatically pulls away from the cold that is now invading my under arm.

"If you didn't punch me it wouldn't be a problem." She leaned closer into me stealing my body heat as revenge.

I flick her ear with the arm that is on the back of the couch, "it's your own damn fault."

"ANYWAY!" She quickly opens the picture app on her phone. "This is Rosi at my undergrad graduation."

Corazoan has the largest smile on his face as he and Lily's mom flanked her in her graduation robe that was flourished with cords and pins.

She flipped through a few more. There was another one at graduation where Corazoan had Lily up and his shoulders with both of them laughing is disbelief that he could actually lift her.

Another must have been after a gig. Him and Lily were making funny rocker poses with the rock on symbol, glasses, and sticking their tongues out.

The next one she showed was a selfie of her mid laugh while there was a very frantic Corazon in the background trying to put out a tent that was engulfed in flames.

A watch all of Lily's memory flicker by on her phone. She was giggling and spurting out small antidotes.

Everything felt back to normal. I couldn't tell if it was dumb that she trusted people so easy or if she was amazing judge of character.

She was chirping so happily about Corazoan, "we were trying to make s'mores and Rosi was telling a very animated story and flung his stick back and the marshmallow went flying! The whole tent was consumed in seconds!"

I scruffed her hair messing up her bun even more, "You thought very highly of him."

She turns to the side and give a determined look, "I still do. I know he will do everything to help us."

Stubborn little thing, aren't you?

I fix her hair without thinking; tucking the loose wisps behind her ears, "if you trust him I will too. Well. At least try."

She reaches for my hand and takes it in hers bringing it into her lap. My knuckles just brushing her cheek on the way down.

"Thank you Law." She clasps my hand affectionately, running her thumbs across my knuckles.

My whole body goes weak. I could feel my heart drop in my chest.

How her lips wrap around my name is cruel.

*Ace POV*

"She just got up and left without a word Marco! The news set her off and she ran for it." I rant at Marco on my cell while I rummage through drawers trying to find some clothes.

The line hangs silent for a very full minute, "She didn't explain where she was going?"

I snag a black t-shirt and jeans and call it good, "she just ominously said that she would explain everything later."

"You know where she went. Think about it. Your very perceptive Ace. Think!" My blonde friend barks at me.

Her eyes were wide with shock. She bit her lip hard and ground her teeth. She huffed and stormed off so motivated and so enraged.

The realization stopped me cold, only one leg in my pants, "It's gotta be Trafalgar." I cruse under my breath and hop into my other pant leg, "that's the only person off top my head that would have given her that reaction. She seemed betrayed."

"Sure you want to go chase after her? Could scare her away. She could feel like your following her around." The office was bustling on the other side I could barely understand him. They news on the murders threw the police station in a frenzy.

"If I am honest with her, I should be just fine. She has too many liars in her life I think the truth will make her more willing to respond." I grab my leather coat and my keys and head out the door, skipping stairs on the way down to the lobby.

"Let me know how it goes. Be careful. I know how hot headed you can get." Marco's line goes dead.

Did I wait too long? I should have chased after her right away instead of debating in my house for an hour.

As I sped down the road in my car, I prayed to myself that Luffy and Lily where right.

Maybe Trafalgar isn't that bad of a guy. Maybe this was a misunderstanding.

My body boiled when I even thought his name. I just had the sinking gut feel that he definitely was the Surgeon of Death.

My car screeches to a halt in front of the building.

I jam all of the buttons for residents except 3D.

Luckily someone buzzed me up no questions asked.

I sprint up to the third flood and take a deep breath before pounding on the door.

I bounce up on my toes while I wait for the door open.

The door opens to reveal Lily with a very disheveled bun, "Ace what are you doing here?" She gives me a very quizzical look trying to mask the discomfort in her face.

"Officer Portgas." Law extends his tattooed arm all the way up the door and grips the side.

He snakes and arm around Lily's waste and pulls her flat against him causing her to let out a surprised squeak. "Is there something I can help you with? If not, you are ruining a perfectly good moment." His voice was languid but serpentine.

My face started to boil, "Excuse me" I growl.

Lily was deeply blushing, "Ace it's not. . ."

Law gives a devilish grin, "Come on Portgas. Are you really not going to let me finish what I started last night?"

He gave her the hickeys. That low life bastard took advantage of her!

Lily removes Law's arm from her waste in a huff, "He is just trying to get under your skin Ace. We were just studying for midterms." She grits her teeth and shoots daggers at him, "Isn't that right Law."

Law flexed his arms up over his head and then relaxes them on the back of his neck, "Well aren't you Ms Killjoy."

"So, the bruises aren't his doing either," I ask hopefully.

She runs her hand over the bruises sheepishly, "They actually. Law said that it was just some drunk mistake."

Law winks and wags his eyebrows at me.

I hate him so much. Arrogant asshole.

I take Lily by the shoulders and put her behind me in the hallway, "Did you take advantage or her before or after you drugged her?"

He lets out a long sigh, "We have been over this. I'm innocent."

I shove Law back into his apartment out of pure rage.

He staggers back; he golden eyes filled with boredom, "I know you want to protect your friend, but you are wasting your time."

I stand nose to nose will Law, hot air seething through my teeth, "I really don't think I am."

I cock my arm back and swing with all my might.

Before contact is made my arm quadruple in weight and was jerked down. Lily has her arms clung to my bicep with all her might. She was huffing and puffing. Her emerald eyes pleaded at me begging me to relax. The forest on her eyes was warped by frustrated tears, "It was Law."

"What?" Both Law and I exclaimed. His golden eyes were twisted with horror and betrayal.