Hello! Sorry that this chapter took forever...kind of but oh well its here now and I do apologize that its short, I mean it COULD have been longer but the next one will I promise. Please enjoy!

When Sabo came to in the early hours of the morning he had a killer headache, his eye where he had been struck a few hours ago throbbed painfully. Reaching up, his cold numb hand brushed the injury and he quickly flinched. "Shit!" He cussed silently, he was sure there was a mark of some sort there…

Just then images of last night came flooding back to him as soon has the blond man picked himself up off the ground. The boy. Where was he? Was he still around or…?

Wincing, he slowly stretched out and got to his feet shakily, he gazed around trying to find any sign of the strange boy. He wanted to help him, Sabo didn't know why though, he didn't know the kid but the boy was injured and alone and the blond was too nice for his own good…

Walking slowly around the dump his blue eyes scanned for any movement, if he was attacked again he would be ready…boy he really needed a shower he smelled and felt so bad.

Just then the familiar bright red blur caught the man's attention, with a wary smile, Sabo inched close to the cowering boy that was hiding behind some wrecked and beat up cars. "Morning" Sabo greeted with a small smile trying to look less threatening as possible. He crouched slightly and stalked closer to the boy. Now that he was up closer, he saw that the boy was wearing a red tattered dirty shirt, black shorts with nothing on his feet. His raven hair was messy and in need of a good trim and a wash, dried blood and dirt caked the boy's face and arms and every other visible part of his skin. This boy…who would do this?

"I'm Sabo, pleased to meet you" The blond tried again after receiving no response from the boy who just gazed at him owlishly. He held out his hand hoping the young boy would just take it but of course nothing. "D-Do you live here?" Damn it! He didn't mean to stutter! But just looking at this boy quivering and hunched behind some dirt…he just couldn't help himself. "Do you have a family-wait what?" Sabos eyes widened as he heard the most quiet words leave the boys chapped lips. "What did you say?" He asked again hopefully. The boy in question simply huffed and licked his lips before parting them for the second time that day. "S-Sorry"

Scratching at his cheek, Sabo couched down lower so he was at a better level with the boy. "Sorry? What for?" He asked feeling hopeful but also keeping his voice down. But the boy once again ignored him and opted for picking at a small scab on his arm, his eyes cast downward but also still alert.

Letting out a loud sigh, Sabo looked around the place. It was still the early hours of the morning so little to no cars or people wear out in the town. Maybe he should leave and come back later with help, that would probably be the best thing to do but who knows if the boy would even still be hear in a few hours? Damn it…why was it always Sabo who had to be caught into these sort of things. It was never Ace, he always had the good life…

"…S-Sorry…"

At that word, Sabos eyes perked back up and looked at the boy who seemed a little calmer now, he had stopped fidgeting and was now just staring at his feet, the look of guilt on his dirty pale face.

"For what, please tell me" Sabo urged, his eyes narrowing but the softness in them still remained.

Said boy huffed again and met Sabos gaze. "I hurt you…felt bad" He all but whispered, his tongue poking through his lips once again to lick at his dry lips.

This boy, what was his game? What was his story? One second he was attacking Sabo like a rabid hyena and the next he was a boy in need of comfort and relief, like, it was almost as if he desperately wanted Sabo to forgive him or he needed to get his apology out.

But pushing those thoughts aside, turning back to the small boy the blond let a gentle and caring smile grace his lips. "No harm done buddy, now…are you hungry?" He watched as the ravenette perked up some, in fact Sabo could have sworn he saw relief flash in his large tired eyes. Hesitantly he nodded and looked away in sheer embarrassment. So it was best not to sit around and give the boy time to change his mind, Sabo stood up and held out a hand which the boy just stared at. His eyes gazing back and forth from it and Sabos face. "Come with me and I'll get you food?" The male asked, his plan was to get the boy food of course but he also wanted to take him to the closest hospital as well. "I won't know what food you like unless you come with me" He mentally sighed and cursed, if anyone walking by saw this-they would probably call the police and accuse him of kidnapping or something.

Finally after the longest staring contest, the boy finally budged but not before scurrying off somewhere to retrieve his pipe, the one that gave the blond the nasty swollen eye. It was then that the male and boy both walked out of the dump, unknowing of the effects that would soon follow.

….

'What am I doing here? How stupid could I be, ugh maybe what they said is true…'

'I just met this guy and now this!? Well this sandwich does taste pretty good! How long had it been since I got a meal like this…who knows'

'I just wish these people would just stop staring at me! And why does this guy….Sabo keep looking at me? Ugh, he seems nice but they all were in the past then-'

"Is there something wrong?" The man sitting across from the boy asked. Currently they both sat in a 24 hour diner just down the street from their meeting place. Sabo nursed a cup of coffee while the raven chomped down on a triangle shaped sandwich. People in the diner shot strange looks their way; apparently they were concerned by the shape the poor boy was in or the fact that he had a long metal pipe resting on his knee.

Shaking his head, he finished his sandwich and picked up his drink and took a largemouth full.

'This guy, what's his game…why is he being so nice to me…I don't even know him'

'I don't trust him…what if he's working for them…what if this is all a big game and he's going to take me right back!'

'As soon as his guard is down…'I'm leaving!'

Smiling at his train of thoughts, he started picking once again at a wound on his left thigh.

"Uhm, won't you tell me your name…I told you mine so it's only fair" Sabo laughed a little, still holding his hot cup in his hands. He really needed to get back home and rest he felt like crap but he needed to make sure the boy was in good hands first.

'What's he playing at, so what if he told me his name. He should already know if he's working with them…' Shifting his gaze towards the wound he had given him, he winced at the sight. He was probably going to get punished for that one…

…

Sabo tilted his head to the side, trying to urge the boy to talk but so far he only uttered two words so far. Well…names could wait he just wanted to get the boy help.

"Well never mind, anyway…I want to take you to the hospital to get that leg and everything else checked out, is that okay-then after you can go back to the dump" He quickly added seeing the distressed look on the boy's face. "Won't you let me help you?"

And there it was again, the staring contest…

Sabo sighed and leaned back in his seat, he secretly thanked the Gods that he had nothing to do today because he had a feeling that this was going to take some time.

Again im sorry that this chapter is crap and rushed but I really wanted to get an update out there for you guys and I got distracted, this is a set up for the next chapter ^^ But anyway I hope you enjoyed it anyway : )

Review Replies ^^

Wordlet-Thank you for you kind review! Im glad your excited for this fic as much as I am! :D And I do hope I can impress you in later chapters :P

OctaveTea- Indeed poor Luffy :( But for some reason I find fics that have...what word should I use..tortured characters interesting. I don't know what it is :/ Ace WILL be mentioned in the next chapter ^^ Also Im looking forward to writing his character...its been so long since I have.. Once again that's for reviewing!

SilenceOfRain7-Thank you! I hope this fic will impress you and I hope you like it ^_^

Nala1220-I hope you like this fic :) Ill try my best otherwise XD also, Luffy is sort of a mute, he can speak but chooses not to if he can help it. Something from his past that will be shown later on. And their ages are, Luffy is-14, Sabo and Ace are both twenty-two ^^

Thank you all for reviewing :3 Im sorry if the replies were kind of bland but Im not really that good with that sort of stuff.. err yeah Bye ^^