Disclaimer: One Piece belongs to Eiichiro Oda. I own only my OCs.

Sera learned a few things about the Heart Pirates within the next half hour after the mansion incident. First, Trafalgar Law seemed to know what he was doing and his medical assistants seemed to act almost as if they already knew what was going on. As soon as Sera stepped onto the submarine, ten minutes after she left the mansion, Law only had to shout for his medical crew and the name of the poison before Reggie was ripped out of her arms and taken inside.

Second, she learned that the submarine was, of all the colors that could have been chosen, a blinding yellow. Whoever chose that color was off their rockers. Another thing she learned were that the pirates, who were apparently relaxing on deck before the whole commotion occurred, were pathetically weak-looking, as if they hadn't eaten anything in a few days. Even as they lounged around like potatoes, they lacked energy and their faces were slightly pale. A couple were hanging off the railings like they were vomiting.

A man smoking a cigarette and a buzz-cut came up to her, staring down at her with questioning eyes. On the left side of his head was a pattern made from his shaved hair: a smiley that looked exactly like the smiley on Law's hoodie. He looked slightly more healthier than the rest of the pirates, but there was a hint of bags under his eyes and the way he stood was sluggish.

"Who are ya? Mind telling us what's going on, Miss?" he asked.

Sera wrinkled her nose when the pungent, acrid smoke fluttered across her nose. "You either smoke fifteen yards away or you speak to me without that damn stick lit!" she said, swiping her hand in front of her in a futile attempt to swipe the smoke away.

He looked taken aback, but suddenly he smirked and began to laugh. The cigarette was still burning and his breath reeked of the stale smell. Sera took a step back and frowned.

"Nobody told me to quit smoking in that way before," he said, but made no motion towards his cigarette. He shoved a hand in his pocket and then held out his other hand. "Name's Dominick. I'm one of the mechanics of the Heart Pirates."

The name seemed familiar, but she couldn't figure out where from. Then again, they were probably rookies and had never made a name for themselves in the Grand Line, so there wasn't a need to remember their name. Sera glanced down at his hand then back at his face. She shook his hand, ignoring the stench of cigarette. "Sera."

"Well, then, Sarah, mind telling me what's going on? 'Cause I'm not sure if I'm supposed to let you in or kick you out."

Sera frowned again. This guy…. "See-ra. Not Sarah!"

Dominick raised an eyebrow. "That's what I said, wasn't it? Stop trying to change the subject, Samantha."

Her eyebrow twitched. "That's not my name!" she shouted, her teeth almost like a shark's.

"Stop bothering her, Dominick!" a woman said, popping out of nowhere and then smacking the man on the back of the head with a wrench.

Dominick yelled and cursed at her. "The hell, Amanda?"

"It's Alice, you idiot! Get my name right!"

"At least I don't poison my crewmates!"

Alice, Sera immediately noticed, had a giant mane of peach-colored hair with her bangs pulled back in a bandanna. She, like the other pirates, wore a beige jumpsuit with the weird smiley where the heart was. Despite her having enough energy to yell, Sera saw the unhealthy condition of her skin.

If there was one thing Sera knew, it was the look of malnutrition. These guys must have had some bad luck out at sea, she thought with a small frown.

Her pity, however, didn't last too long as the pirates argued. The other pirates that were lounging on deck turned to watch, some looking as though they were betting. Sera had to fight the bubble in her throat that wanted to come out, forcing her to grit her teeth. She couldn't risk getting in trouble with pirates, especially if her brother was inside somewhere on the struggle between life and death.

The thought of her brother gave her the strength to swallow that bubble. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. Even though she had the great need to punch and scream, she wouldn't. Not now, anyways.

"Excuse me!" Sera shouted in order to be heard over the ruckus. Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to her. Sera looked at Dominick. "Can you please take me to where my brother is? I assume your captain took him to your infirmary."

"I passed by them some minutes ago," said Alice. A small frown was on her face. "The kid doesn't look very good, does he?"

You're a genius, aren't you? Sera bit her bottom lip and shook her head. "It's a long story. But can you please just tell me where they are? I don't want to leave my brother alone for too long with them."

"Don't trust Captain?" Dominick asked. He rummaged through his pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. Sera glared slightly.

"I haven't talked to your captain that much. Why should I trust him? I don't have much of a choice to be here! And don't light that cigarette!"

Dominick rolled his eyes and turned away. "Bossy," he muttered.

Alice shook her head. "Ignore him. He's an idiot. Come on, I'll show you to the infirmary, okay? Captain told me to bring you there anyways."

Sera bit back another retort. Why didn't she do that in the first place instead of arguing with the smoker? Alice gestured with her arm for Sera to follow and the two women went inside.

The inside of the submarine was a deep contrast to the outside. Warm, monochromatic with its metal walls, and stinky with sweat and oil. The submarine looked small inside, but Sera quickly realized that there was more of it, submerged mostly underwater, as Alice led her down a set of stairs. There was a door to the left at the bottom of the stairways and a faint, repugnant smell hit her nose. She took another sniff, her nose recognizing the burned chicken smell and the overload of spices that made her sneeze. Alice sent an apologetic look over her shoulder.

"Sorry about the smell," she said, scratching the back of her head with a small blush on her cheeks. "I tried to make lunch."

Sera raised an eyebrow and glanced inside through small window on the door. Indeed, inside was a mess hall with a kitchen…a dirty one with globs of…stuff all over the tables, floors, and walls.

"We don't have a chef, so everyone takes turns in making the meals," Alice said. They continued down the hallway, although Sera took one more glance at the galley's door, having the urge to go in and clean the kitchen up. "We had some, but they don't stay long. I'm not that good of a chef, no one here is. You're either a mechanic, medical assistant, or a navigator here. We got four mechanics, including myself. The idiot you met is one, too, and we have two head mechanics who are off somewhere with our navigator, Bepo. Although, I suppose you already met them if you ran into Captain, right? It's pretty weird that he would help you, though. He normally doesn't do that, even if he is a doctor and doctors are supposed to follow this code of some sort to always help those in need. He probably saw something interesting with whatever happened to your brother. Or maybe he sees a benefit to this, 'cause he doesn't do anything without something in return. That's what Shachi and Penguin told me anyways. You know what's funny? They got in trouble with Captain one time when they were telling me about him when—"

Shut the hell up! Sera wanted to scream, but she gritted her teeth and stuffed her twitching fists in her pockets. Sera could handle stupidity, but this much talking is just too much. Stay polite, stay polite, stay polite, she chanted.

"You talk too much!" Sera snapped, cutting Alice off from a story about a training session that Sera couldn't care less about. "You must feel pretty comfortable telling a stranger about your crew! Don't you think you're giving valuable information away?"

Alice stopped in her track and looked at Sera with surprise. She tapped her chin. "Oh, I suppose you're right. Sorry. Can you not tell anyone about that then?"

"I don't care about what you told me!"

Alice held her hands up in defense. "Hey, hey. Calm down. You're temperamental, huh?"

Her eyebrow twitched. Sera took a deep breath. "Sorry. My brother's life is in the hands of some pirates and I don't want to leave him alone."

The woman smiled and continued walking. "You're worried then? Don't worry; Captain's a good doctor and he wouldn't waste his time with a patient if he didn't think he could treat him. He trained his assistants well, too. Ah, here we are!"

They stopped in front of a pair of metal doors that reminded Sera of ones leading to operation rooms. There was a red card on the doorknob. Alice frowned when she looked at it.

"What happened to your brother?" she asked.

Sera bit her bottom lip. "Poisoned plant. Again, long story."

Alice nodded. "Well, you see this card? Captain always puts up a colored card to tell the crew if we're allowed to come in. Red means no entry. He only puts this up when he's doing surgery."

"Uhh…." Sera wasn't sure on what to say. From what she knew, to cure Poison Molly poison, digesting the antidote would be enough to fight the poison from taking full affect, so there shouldn't be a need for surgery, right?

"He'll be fine, don't worry," Alice said, patting her shoulder. Her cheerful tone was obviously forced.

"You suck at comforting people," Sera muttered. Alice blushed and looked ready to yell at her, but Sera quickly continued, "But thank you for the effort."

Alice blinked, but then grinned. "No problem!"

She went into another story, possibly as a way to keep her mind busy from negative thoughts. Sera tried to make an effort when Alice started to describe the submarine with large, technical words and giving her a lecture of how it worked in the scientific level. It made her feel a bit…inferior with all the intelligent talk that probably killed a few of her brain cells as her brain worked on overdrive to understand what she was being told.

A click. The two girls' snapped their heads to the infirmary door where the doctor himself stepped out. Alice snapped her mouth shut and stood straight, saluting Law.

"Thank you, Alice-ya. You can leave now," Law said, barely addressing the female mechanic before turning his attention to Sera.

Alice gave Sera a small smile before walked off, twirling her wrench in her hand. When she disappeared around the corner, Sera asked, "Is my brother safe?"

There was a small smirk on his lips. "Safe? Well, he's alive if that's the answer you're looking for."

The smirk on his lips disappeared and he turned around, motioning with a lazy hand for Sera to come in. Sera's eyes widened a little and she slipped through the door before it closed on her.

The air was heavy with disinfectant and cleanliness. Sera stopped near the doorway, suddenly wanting to shower and change into cleaner clothes. Although she had gone to dozens of hospitals in the past, the infirmary was possibly one of the cleanest places she had ever seen. The infirmary was well equipped with expensive equipment, some that she had never even seen before but probably costed more than what she had made in the past month.

Law looked back at her, eyebrow raised. Sera ignored him as she unstrapped her hammers from her back and propped them against a cabinet.

"Well, don't you have manners?" he said, that smirk growing on his lips once again.

Sera glared lightly. She looked around, eyeing the beds that were lined on adjacent walls before she caught a familiar mop of brown hair.

"Reggie!" she gasped. She was soon on her knees beside the bed, wanting to grab his hands, but couldn't because of the blanket he was tucked in. His face was an alarming red yet ashy, sweat damping his hair and running down the side of his face. A damp towel was on his forehead and he was panting instead of breathing.

"He has a fever of 105 degrees Fahrenheit," Law said. Sera's eyes widened and she looked up at him. "I barely had enough of the antidote to get rid of the poison, but his body didn't seem to accept the antidote very well. It had to be forced down his throat. The bite required stitches, but it should heal within a week or two."

His blunt tone didn't help ease the news at all. Sera laid her arms and chin on the bed. Her stomach churned and a sob almost choked her. There was a sting behind her eyes, but she didn't want to let the tears out in front of a stranger, so she held them back in with practiced ease.

Law sighed when he realized that the woman wouldn't say anything. He studied the almost impassive look—almost. He could see the way her hazel eyes dimmed with worry and the small downwards tip of her lips. What were the odds that he would run into her again after their meeting in the inn? She hasn't done anything that would earn his help—he normally wouldn't have done anything at all, because why should he waste his time and dwindling supplies on people he didn't know? But Law was a doctor and his doctor side seemed to prod him into helping. It didn't take long for him to recognize the poison, so he knew what would have happened if the kid didn't get treated: Die and then decompose from the bacteria eating his body.

(He supposed it was a coincidence or pure luck on the siblings' part that he was studying up on potential dangers of the Grand Line and had happened to meet a black-market dealer selling a vile of blue-ringed flower extract, which he had been analyzing before this incident.)

"I didn't anticipate such high fever," Law continued. "He will have to be on close observation to make sure his fever doesn't spike."

She bit her bottom lip. "He…he had an extremely weak immune system when he was younger. It normally took at least a week for a fever to disappear before he got another one. He hasn't had one this bad in a long time."

He took in the information. This could complicate things, he thought. "It's a high fever, but nothing that my medical team and I can handle. However, I would need to know if there's anything else that I should be aware of regarding your brother's health." He tilted his head. "Hm. I never got your name."

The frown on her face seemed to deepen. She took a long pause before she replied, "Julienne Seraphina."

Law tucked his thumbs on the loops of his pants and leaned against the wall. "Well then, Julienne-ya, if you haven't realized by now, your brother will be in my care until he recovers. And I don't waste my time and supplies without anything in return."

"I figured," she said as she sat down with legs crisscrossed. "So, how much do I have to pay?"

Law almost chuckled. She was straightforward and didn't seem to be the least concerned. He turned and walked towards his desk.

"Where you going?" she asked. Was it odd that he could hear her pouting?

"I was getting tired of standing and this conversation will stretch out a bit long," Law said. He sat at his leather seat and gestured at the chair across from him.

Sera pursed her lips and walked over, sitting down with her a leg crossed over the other and her hand supporting her cheek.

"360,000 beli."

Sera didn't react at first, but when the numbers registered in her mind and the reminder of how thin her wallet was in comparison, her jaw dropped.

"What?!"

"Of course, I am not completely unreasonable," Law said, his tone laced with sarcasm, as if this was a game. Sera's teeth clenched. "Your brother's treatment—the antidote alone—will cost 100,000. And as you can probably see, your brother will be sick and under my care until he recovers. Every day he stays in the infirmary will be an extra 80,000, including today. Finally, another 80,000 for both medicine and any medical assistance."

Sera mulled it over, her eyebrows furrowing. "As of now, that should only add up to 260,000. And why is the medicine so expensive?"

Sera didn't know if she was imagining, but his smirk became even more mischievous.

Law folded his fingers together. "That's where our deal comes in. I have a feeling that you don't have the money to pay for the medical bills, am I correct?"

Sera nodded slowly.

"Then, I will deduct 5,500 beli from the bill per day as you work in my crew as our chef. And unless you agree to join my crew officially, you will pay 50,000 by the month that you stay here. This means you would be with the crew for almost two months before you can pay the bill in full."

100,000 beli. Exactly how much she won from the drinking competition. This isn't out of petty, is it? Looking at the dark character in front of her, Sera wasn't sure if he does things pettily.

"And the monthly lodging is a separate bill, so you will need to come up with a way to pay that yourself."

Or maybe he is. Sera was starting to hate the man. She won that money as her and her brother's food budget. It was not hard for her to earn money (there were many jobs that she could take to earn a good amount of money, as she has been doing this her whole life), but she couldn't help thinking that she was a bit...cheated. She had to endure Reggie's complaints for that money!

She looked over her shoulder at her brother's sleeping form. He seemed much redder from afar and it was obvious how he was struggling to breath. Her hand went into her pocket where she kept one of her brother's inhalers. Reggie used to be such a weak child. Would this incident cause him to be the easily sickened kid again? Sera wasn't a doctor and she wasn't confident enough to take care of him all by himself if he got sick.

Yet, she wasn't sure if she should trust some pirate. This man, Trafalgar Law, didn't look the most trustworthy person. He helped her, yes, but for his own personal gain. Two months was too long for Sera and too much can happen within that time frame. She would technically be part of the crew if she worked for him.

"Wait, why do you want me as the chef?"

Law raised an eyebrow. "You can cook, right?"

"Yes, but there are others that can take the position."

"True, but as of now, my crew is in need of a chef and you are the only one I had come across who can cook decently. At least, I hope you can cook something other than the frittata."

Sera frowned. "I said I can cook! But I don't want to stay here for too long!"

He tilted his head to the side. "So you don't want your brother to recover?"

"Of course I do! But you said that the antidote costs 100,000. I have enough for that. I'll just take my brother and bring him to the hospital or the inn to recover there."

Almost immediately after she said that, the ship moved and Sera had the uncomfortable feeling that she was sinking. There was a deep rumble, like something heavy was enveloping the ship, and Sera had to grip the sides of her chair to stay on as she fought that weird feeling off. It was almost three minutes later when things started to calm down.

"What was—"

"We submerged," Law said. He looked extremely victorious. "I suppose my crew members returned from the mansion."

"S-Submerged?" Sera said, turning pale. She got up and ran to the infirmary's door, pulling it open and stared out at the porthole on the wall right across.

A school of fish swam past the porthole, submerged in the clear blue.

A series of curses ran through her mind.

She heard shoes clattering against the metal floor and she felt his presence behind her. Law appeared in her peripheral vision as he leaned against the door frame. He raised a hand out.

"So, I suppose we have a deal, Julienne-ya?"

Her hands clenched and unclenched. Sera never felt so recklessly stupid as she did right then as she shook his hand to seal the deal...

Then she ripped her hand away from his. She didn't catch the faint surprise in his face as she turned away from him.

"I'm gonna pay you back before the two months once I get the money! I have no intention of staying here for that long."

She looked at him then, wishing she hadn't. That dark smirk he had on his face was unnerving.

"If you say so, Cook-ya."

"Alice?"

"Yeah?"

"You're a mechanic, right?"

"…Yeah."

Sera tore her eyes away from the condition of the kitchen and looked at the peach-haired woman. "Then how come you can't cook? As a mechanic, you know how to do math and follow instructions."

Alice sweat-dropped and turned away, scratching her cheek. "Um, it's a bit different with food. I follow the recipes, but they never turn out good. Sometimes the recipes don't look right, so I try to change it a bit…. I'm not the worst cook here, though."

Sera didn't know if she was lying. When Alice came back to show her the mess hall, Sera tripped over a pile of deer and rabbit limbs and torsos, nearly landing face-first into a green glob that looked like vomit chunks encased in gel. Globs of what used to be edible food were everywhere. Some on the ceiling, all over the tables and floor that it was difficult to walk around, and even in the poorly washed dishes. A pot was left on the stove and Sera was scared to open it, fearing what concoction could produce the foul smell that burned her nose. The refrigerator somehow stayed clean, but the inside could be a different story. How did this crew survive with such a kitchen? This was even more pathetic than running out of food in the middle of the sea.

It was mid afternoon and Law had given her three hours to prepare dinner. Three hours was barely enough time to clean up the mess. Sera sighed; she would rather use that time to lament on her situation.

"I'd help you, but I have to head back to the engine room," Alice said. "There's only four mechanics to handle a complex ship like this one, so we have to make periodic checkups to make sure the Virus stays in top shape. Good luck, chef!"

Sera only nodded as the woman walked out, the door closing with a soft click. Her eyes scanned across the room, from the gunk in the kitchen, to the dirty tabletops and stained floors, and to the pile of carcasses that she assumed she had to skin. "For Reggie," she whispered. She pulled off her green spotted headscarf, letting her brown ombré hair fall out of its ponytail before she wrapped her head with it to keep her hair out of the way, then pounded her fists together and smirked.

"Time for war!"

The submarine wasn't the best smelling ship, especially with how often Law's crew spent underwater. After spending several months in this condition, Law had gotten so used to the heavy stench of sweat and grease that he was immune. Even Alice's efforts of trying to use air fresheners failed and spending days on the surface doesn't help lessen the stench. Sweat, grease, and antiseptics, but never food, even when the crew did have a chef.

That was why Law almost knocked over his sample of Poison Molly when the smell of fish and spices came through the air vent and into his infirmary. His medical assistants looked surprised as well, which comforted Law, because that meant he wasn't hallucinating. The smell was not overpowering and it mingled with the normal stench of the submarine and of the antiseptic of his infirmary, but it was strong enough to make his tongue tingle.

"Damn, that smells good," one of his assistants said, followed by a stomach's growl.

Law looked at the clock. There was twenty minutes left before dinner. He shook his head; time went by too quickly whenever he was working. He got up and started cleaning up his table, carefully packing the Poison Molly sample he took from the sick kid.

(That was why he had put the red card on the doorknob. Law had to use his devil fruit powers to cut Reggie's bitten arm off and take the sample while his assistants gave him the antidote. In Law's defense, he would have had to cut off the arm to stop the spread of poison and bacteria, so he was merely taking the opportunity. He had, at least, cleaned the dismembered arm and returned it to where it belonged. It wouldn't have done good for him if the older sister saw her brother with one arm missing, would it?)

His medical assistants slowly started to file out. Law finished packing his tools and was about to leave when he heard a soft moan.

Reggie shifted in his sleep, muttering something so softly that Law couldn't hear. Then his eyes started to open, hazy at first, but slowly began to become aware.

"Wha—" he muttered, but fell into a coughing fit.

Law walked over to the water dispenser in the corner of the room and filled a cup, striding over to the bed in only a moment. Reggie took the cup, eyes closed, and nearly choked as he tried to drink. Law patted his back after he finished drinking. When his coughing fit eased, Law grabbed a thermometer out from his pocket and stuck it under Reggie's tongue before the boy could even ask what was going on.

104 degrees. Better, but not good.

"Go back to sleep," Law said as he took the towel from where it fell and soaked it in the bowl beside the bed.

"Who…" he muttered. His eyes squinted as he stared, but they slowly widened as recognition hit him. "You're…Where's my sister?"

"Cooking. Go back to sleep. You need to rest."

Reggie shook his head. "No! I want my sister!" He took short breaths. "Where is she?"

He tried to get out of bed, but he was barely able to sit up before he collapsed again. Law sighed in annoyance and when Reggie tried to get back up again, Law held him down with a single hand. He leaned down and glared, making the kid freeze in fear.

"I am the one who saved you. I'm a doctor. You listen to my orders and I'm telling you to rest. Understand?"

Reggie cowered, but then he bit his lip and said, "I want my sister!"

Law could feel his stomach ache when he took another whiff of the food that seeped into the room. He was hungry and he really didn't want to deal with a kid at the moment.

"She's cooking for my crew. I'll tell her that you woke up after she finished, but you need to stay here and rest. Deal?"

Reggie didn't look like he trusted him, but nodded after a moment. He fell back onto the bed and closed his eyes, his breathing becoming even almost a moment later. Law raised an eyebrow at the speed, but couldn't blame the sick kid. He pulled the blanket back up to Reggie's chin and placed the damp towel on his forehead. When he was sure the kid was asleep and not faking, he dimmed the lights and left the infirmary.

He was surprised to see his crew crowded together in front of the door. Bepo was sitting on the floor, playing cards with Penguin, Shachi, and Dominick, a glob of drool slipping through the corners of their mouths. A few of his men were peeking through the small window on the galley door while the rest lounged around as if they were dying of starvation.

That may not be too far off, however.

"What's going on?" he asked no one in particular.

His crew looked at him, despair written on their faces. "She won't let us in," Bepo whined as he pointed towards Shachi and Penguin. "She kicked us out because they tried to steal some food."

"You did too, you bear!" they shouted.

Bepo's courage deflated. "Sorry…."

"Why is she here anyways, Captain?" Dominick asked. "Alice said that she's our new chef. That true?"

"For now," he said, mentally taking roll of his crew. "Where is Alice-ya?"

"Inside. Sasha would only let her in. That's discrimination, I say."

Law was confused at first, but realized who Dominick was talking about. Then there was a shadow of dread in him. "Our new cook isn't letting Alice-ya help her, is she?"

"N-No, I don't think so…I hope not…." Dominick's cigarette sagged as he looked away, face slightly blue.

"Oh, by the way Captain," Shachi said in a hurry, not wanting to continue that train of thought. "We found about a million beli in the house with some stuff we can sell! Did you know that the guy was that Grand Line traveler people talked about? We could sell some of his stuff."

Penguin set his cards facedown. "He was awfully weak and a coward. He probably is a fraud like some people thought. Too bad, right? He could have been some help since we still lack information about the Grand Line."

Bepo shook his head. "I wonder why the woman and her brother was there in the first place."

Dominick snickered. "She could be one of those fans of his who think he's a hotshot. Or maybe for money."

Suddenly, the men near the door yelped and a wrench came flying, smacking Dominick straight on the back of his head.

"Stop being such an ass, Dominick!"

Alice stood at the doorway, but the delicious aroma poured out like a wave, making stomachs growl almost in sync. Even Law's stomach growled.

"Is dinner ready?" Penguin asked, a hopeful smile on his face.

Alice barely nodded before she had to jump out of the way to avoid being trampled by her crew mates. Law merely followed them in, ignoring Alice's yells.

The mess hall had never been so clean ever since the last chef quit two weeks before. Law swore it looked almost as clean as his infirmary, which was saying something. All the gunk left over from failed attempts of cooking were gone with only a few remaining stains on the walls and floor. The tables had been rearranged, having been placed closer to the pass-through that separated the galley from the mess hall. Stacks of bowls and plates were on the table with serving dishes filled with food, the steam still visible to show that it had just been laid out.

Sera leaned on the pass-through, drying her hands with a rag. She must have taken a shower, for the headscarf that kept her hair up was slightly damp, and she wore a different set of clothes.

"This looks delicious!" Shachi said as he and the rest of the crew ran over to the table.

Sera smiled, her head cocking to the side. "I hope it is. What are you waiting for? Dig in."

His crew didn't need to be told twice. They rushed to get their plates and fought over the salmon, fried rice, and salad. Law almost chuckled when he saw Sera's surprised face before he sat at the head of the table—the spot in front of the pass-through where his new cook stood.

As Law sat down, his back facing the pass-through, he told Sera, "Your brother woke up."

"Really?"

Law looked over his shoulder and almost chuckled. Sera was practically lying on the counter, like she had attempted to jump over, but failed. Her head was only a foot away from his. "You can go see him."

"Can I bring him some food?"

"...Don't make a mess in my infirmary."

"Thank you!" Her grin was so wide that it shouldn't have been able to fit her face. "I guess you really are a legit doctor, aren't you?"

Law was surprised at the sudden attitude change, although he figured the news made her change from her from being grumpy to the (maybe unintentionally) rude and cheerful girl he met in the inn. He wasn't sure which one he preferred.

"What made you think I wasn't a legitimate doctor?" he asked as Bepo finished filling a plate for Law.

She cocked her head and smiled, somewhat awkwardly. "Well…you don't look like the type. You look more like the one who would bring death and pain instead of trying to cure it. And you look too young to be a doctor."

"Captain's twenty-four," Bepo said, his mouth already full of fish.

"Eh? Then you are too young!"

Law chuckled. She looked like she was thinking about something, but then shrugged and started to fill a bowl with soup. Law looked down at his plate and frowned when he saw croutons in the salad. He picked it all out with a fork and placed them on Shachi's plate.

"Don't like croutons, Trafalgar?" Sera asked as she passed him, balancing a tray on a single hand like a waitress.

"I don't eat bread…or any pastries," he answered before he tasted the fish. The flavor exploded in his mouth and would have made him moan if he didn't catch himself. His stomach sighed in delight as something delicious and edible finally entered its system.

"I'll remember that," she said. She took a step, paused, and then addressed his entire crew, "If there's anything I should know regarding dietary needs, can you guys write it down on list? Allergies, dislikes, a certain diet, or anything else."

"No problem," Alice said almost immediately. She took a large bite of a piece of chocolate cake and moaned, holding her pink cheeks in delight. "I hope you stay longer than the others!"

Sera cocked her head, looking a bit confused, but smiled. "Thanks guys. You can leave the plates in the kitchen so I can clean it later. And make sure there's no food wasted."

As if there was any chance of even a crumb being left.

Reggie woke up after Sera sat down beside his bed. He said nothing as he tried to eat the food she gave him, but he didn't enough strength to do eat more than five spoonfuls. Sera didn't force him and hummed their lullaby as she dabbed his forehead with the damp towel.

"…Sorry," he whispered, his voice coarse like sandpaper.

"For what?"

"…For…being in the hospital…again…."

Sera smiled, although it was forced. "What are you talking about? There's no need to apologize. This isn't even a hospital."

Reggie tried to smile. "It's the…same thing. I got healthier…because of Doc…but then I got sick…again. It feels…like before."

Sera's hand faltered and her mouth twitched. She shook her head. "I think Trafalgar's a pretty good doctor, even if he is a pirate. You'll be fine and healthy in no time."

"I…should have been…more careful." His voice was getting softer and his breathing started to ease up as he drifted to sleep. "Then…you wouldn't be…in so much…trouble…."

Sera didn't say anything as he fell asleep, only continuing that old lullaby she sang so many times in such familiar situations. She laid her head down, her voice becoming weaker and shakier as she held back the tears that were fighting to be released. One tear slipped down her cheek as she closed her eyes, the events of the day having been far too draining.

On the other side of the infirmary wall, Law was leaning beside the door frame, peaking in through a crack when he heard the lullaby fade away. A frown was on his face and his eyes held a faraway look as left.

He stayed awake that night as a he saw a little girl with brown pigtails and a pained smile, skin turning white as she laid on her deathbed.

And that's that.

Regarding the beli, I think Oda based beli off of yen, but I'm from the States and since I'm not entirely sure how different the prices are regarding medical care in Japan (or most of anything, really), I'm basing the prices off of what there is in the States and converting it. (1 US Dollar ~ 100 yen). Sera would have to pay $3,600 as of now.

As always, review and tell me what you think!