A/N: Disclaimer; I do not own One Piece.

I thought about changing this fic to T since there won't be any intense sex scenes, but then, after writing this chapter, I think I'll keep it M. In my opinion, it's a bit mature with some disturbing scenes.

Again with my last minute typing. Broke one New Years resolution.

I will apologize ahead of time for any grammar and spelling issues.

Enjoy.

Murder

Part One- Hidden Truths

Deep Sleep

Law was in a pitch black room. In the far distance there was a single light that concentrated in the center of a group of people. Law squinted and gradually was able to see how everyone seemed to be observing what was in the center. Law slowly and soundlessly approached the light. He gradually heard their voices.

"Pass me the tray"

"It's done. Let's get this stitched up"

"Patient's heart is dropping."

Law reached his hand out to block out some of the bright light and noticed the thick nitrile glove on his hand. He then looked down at himself and realized that he was fully dressed in his surgeon suit. There was a space open between the doctors, inviting him, and he creeped himself there.

Although he wasn't able to see the patient's face due to the drape, he immediately understood who this kid was and what kind of surgery was being performed. He also knew all his coworkers surrounding this patient.

...Patient 308. It was Doctor Doe's patient- Law was training him. He was the head surgeon here and Law was supervising his performance. Everything was going well, but tension arose as the echoed sounds of the heart rate decreased in a steady pace.

The doctors desperately tried to regain Patient 308's heartbeat, but soon the single constant low key was heard throughout the room.

...The kid couldn't physically withstand the surgery being performed... Law noted as one of the surgeons turned off the patient monitor. It was a 10% survival to begin with. Law sighed at the bitter truth.

"...Dr. Trafalgar..." Dr. Doe stared at his blood coated hands. His voice was quivering. "...I couldn't save him..." He took a glimpse at Law and Law observed the clean trail of tears along the side of his nose to his mouth. "I couldn't save him." Law narrowed his eyes at him. "We promised- that, that, when he got better we'll-"

"Didn't I always tell you never to get attached to your patients?" Law told him icily. "Our job is to fix patients as if we are engineers and mechanics."

"-But... but... that's not it! Our job is to save people's lives! I wanted this job so that I can help everyone...!"

"We are not some sort of god. Life will end- that is inevitable. We make our effort to length it, but when it comes down to it, we are humans, and we have our limits to handling lives." Law removed both his gloves and the mask on his face. The doctor fell silent and stared at the child. "You won't survive with that way of thinking in this industry. Don't get too attached to your patient next time."

"...What should I tell his mother..?" The doctor spoke silently- the words Law spoke didn't seem to get into him. Law rolled his eyes and frowned.

"You should've prepared the appropriate lines for that." Law skimmed the room and the the rest of the doctors have gone out of the room. It was just the two of them.

"I don't intend to prepare those unfortunate lines before I operate my patient." The doctor spat sourly as tears continued streaming down his cheeks.

"When we have a deceased, it is proper to deliver the most suitable words to their family. We cannot break down to tears and not be able to tell them. We must notify them immediately and appropriately." Law glanced at his trainee who sniffled irrepressibly. He then sighed at the difficulty of this emotional doctor. "You can't deliver the right words in that state." Dr. Doe tried gulping down his tears but it wouldn't stop. "The parents are waiting. We can't make them wait any longer."

"...I" the doctor's voice cracked. "I can't..." Law watched him for a few more seconds and then patted him on the shoulder.

"You did well." Law spoke without much sympathy. "I'll go tell this kid's parents. You stay here."

The doctor looked relieved, but he had a mixture of sadness which told him how upset he was that he couldn't tell the parents himself. Law took a last glimpse at him and headed towards the door. He closed his eyes to prepare for the bright hallway lights as he opened the door.

When he slowly regained his sight, he noticed how the view wasn't the painful white walls and ceilings. It was a slightly dim room with a nice dark swirl of colors as it's carpet. The wooden walls and ceilings gave a cozy feel to the room. In front of him was a desk with a woman sitting behind it. The woman was old with white long hair and a crooked pointy nose like a witch. She wore a white lab coat over her dark purple suit. She sighed deeply.

"We will miss you." She finally said. Law briefly moved his eyes and saw that he was sitting down in front of her with his proper navy suit.

Oh yeah... Today is my last day here. Law remembered and promptly sat up properly.

"I had a nice time here. Thank you so much, Dr. Kureha." Law spoke clearly.

"Where are you going again? To the hospital out in the East?" She asked as she twined her fingers together.

"No. I am personally hired by Mr. Eustass. His wife is not doing well and he wants me to check her often." Law then visualized Kid, who was talking to him a while ago, that it was convenient for Kid to have a doctor stay with him instead of having to frequently take her to the hospital.

"Ahh." Kureha snickered, "is he trying to hog away my most outstanding doctors...?" Law raised an eyebrow and didn't hide the smile that formed on his lips. He was happy that he received a compliment from her on his last day.

"It was surely a pleasure working here." He followed up. Dr. Kureha was the head doctor of this hospital and she rarely gave any positive remarks.

"A 'Personal doctor' huh?" Dr. Kureha murmured as she sighed a form for him. "If you ever get tired of it, you are always welcome to come back."

"Thank yo-"

"-And I really mean it. I am not just telling you this. When things get hard, please come back here. I will rehire you immediately." Dr. Kureha insisted, raising a finger at him. "-Because, I know it will get hard."

Law wondered how the new job would get hard on him. Unlike right now, it'll just be one patient and tons of spare time. Would the large amounts of it make me bored? Would boredom turn into a 'hard time'?

"-You are human, Dr. Trafalgar. You do have your limits." She fixed her brown eyes on his gray ones.

"Yes. I will keep your offer in mind." Law gave his business smile.

"...Law"

He was looking at her face but her mouth didn't move when he heard that. Law crinkled his forehead as he listened carefully. Then Dr. Kureha blurred away and it was replaced with Penguin's face. His eyes were full of concern.

"...Nnn..." Law stretched a bit. His muscles felt hard. With Penguin's help, he sat up.

Where... Law swiftly roamed his eyes to his surrounding.

Ah. I'm in the tea room. I was invited to tea from Welma and...

'I'm sorry.' Law heard from his head. It was the last few words he saw from Welma's lips. Then he remembered how strange she acted with the tea- then how she acted throughout the week. He immediately paled.

"...Law, are you alright?" Penguin asked and Law just nodded without much thought. He was immersed in his thoughts and didn't really hear what he said.

Why did she drug me...? He tried to concentrate on his thoughts, but he felt like something was missing. His right hand, which was touching the cold waxed flooring, unconsciously moved toward the back of his jeans. There, he didn't feel the usual lump in it's pocket.

...My keys...! Law realized instantly. He usually carried the keys to his room, belongings, and medicine box all together in a single metal loop, and it was not present. He staggered up in an instant. Welma must have taken it.

He swayed a bit, but Shachi got a hold of him. He vaguely heard him call his name.

...Why would she...? Then a horrible thought shot at him.

Suicide.

Then Law swung his arm to break from Shachi's steady grip and bolted out of the tea room. His eyes enlarged as he saw how dark the outside was, but continued running.

Did she wanted to get into my medicine cabinets? Law ran with full speed. He felt the adrenaline and his heart pumping loudly in his head and chest.

How long was I out? He asked himself as he entered the brightly lit halls and sped right to the stairs.

He soon approached Welma's bedroom. He grabbed the round brass doorknob and it did not turn. He knocked twice and placed his ear on a smooth surface- he didn't even hear a sound stirring. He glanced at the floor and did not see any light leaking out.

Good thing I changed the door. He told himself as he touched his pockets to find a coin or some sort. He had recently changed Welma's door from a key and lock to a turn button lock which didn't require a key. However, he needed something that fit the slot to turn and unlock the door.

Fuck. I don't have change on me. He cursed himself as he jabbed his thumb into the knob. He quickly turned it with his fingernail- slightly tearing it off his finger in the process- and quickly unlocked the door.

He swung the door open and turned on the lights. At first glance, it looked like she was asleep, as she splayed in her bed, tucked in appropriately. However, she didn't move a muscle as soon as the lights were on. Although the light gave off a light yellow tint to its surroundings, Law was able to tell how pale she was. From the long experience as a doctor, he was able to tell immediately whether someone was healthy, sick, or dead from afar.

And according to that, Law's head instinctively told him Welma Eustass was dead.

"Fuck..." Law slid down and went on his knees. "FUCK."

He then created a fist and slammed it against the wall.

Why the fuck did I let myself off guard. His face twisted in pure anger. I was told by Eustass-ya to watch the place and I just let this happen this easily.

"...Law..." He heard and glanced over his shoulder. It was Shachi. He hadn't realized how Shachi was following him. Then, he became aware of his surroundings- he heard the thumping of footsteps up the stairs and voices in the hallway. It soon turned up to be Penguin, Killer, and Chopper. Law quickly calmed down his frustration and cleared his mind.

"-Don't enter the room." Law stated loud and clear. "Penguin, call Smoker. Shachi, Killer, stay there and watch us. You are my witnesses. Chopper, you can come in and watch me, but don't touch a thing- you'll be my witness up close. I'll check on her if she's really dead." As his adrenaline faded, he started to feel some concentrated heartbeat from his right thumb. He took a peek at it and saw that it was bleeding a bit. Soon after he took notice, he felt the pain kick in. Law just curled his fingers around his thumb and gripped tightly. "On the other hand, Tony-ya, can you check her up for me? I think I shouldn't be the one doing it just in case." Law said as he was concerned about the rules of unnatural deaths.

"...Ok. I will." Chopper spoke gravely. He entered the room slowly with his big bulky leather bag. From the color of her skin, they were able to tell that pallor mortis- the paleness in the skin- was taking in effect. Law observed her open discolored lips and slightly visible eyes. Chopper touched Welma's wrist, then her neck, and shook her head.

"How stiff is her hand?"

"...Not yet. Temperature is still a bit warm, but there are already signs of livor mortis." He said as he showed Law the bluish purple skin color on the arm facing the bed.

"Do you have any coins? I think it might be too late, but her eyelids aren't closed."

"We can still do it in case." Chopper reassured as he brought out coins from his big medical bag. He carefully settled them on her eyes.

Law closed his eyes and remembered the next process for death management protocol- to inform next of kin. Then he paled.

...How do I tell Eustass-ya? He asked himself.

A/N:

Thank you for reading.

New Year's resolution: reread and fix my previous chapters.