Hello!

Let's move on, shall we? I'm finally where I've been dying to get at in this story.

-Evil grin-

Relevant Tarot Cards to this chapter:

Reversed King Of Wands: The King of Wands is a most charismatic leader. An innovator who can get a following with one speech; adventurous, challenging, warm and in charge. The negatives of the King of Wands come through in the reversal where he becomes, well, Hitlerian. He expects people to worship him and do as he says as if he were a god, not a human leader. His temper is terrible, often violent as opposed to the motivating and energetic disposition of the The King of Wands.

The Emperor: The Emperor card is the "Who's the boss?" card. It is an important question. The meaning of the card includes being in control over your environment, your body, your temper, your instincts, your love life. This card gives the querent permission to be aggressive, brave, bold and in command. The card can also stand for a type of father-figure, the demanding tyrant, hated and feared, or the charismatic leader, respected and admired.

9. Reversed King of Wands - The Emperor

It was a warm morning on that Tuesday, the ocean calmly rolling its waves onto the shore, where the small army of people on the beach prepped for the upcoming promotional video shoot for the new Mugiwara phone featuring Vivi.

"The press is raving about your performance from last night!"

Vivi looked to her side from her dressing chair, keeping her head sill for her hairdresser to continue styling her long hair. "Really?" she asked the tall, thin man with the afro who stood beside her.

"Yes! And both the reviews on network sites and by officiall critics say that your surprise collaboration with DJ Cutty Flam in yesterday's encore was received with great enthusiasm. Your "Eyes on you" performance has even become the most watched video on the internet in the last 24 hours. Apparently a fan recorded it on his phone and placed it online."

She smiled happily and took the paper from him. "Yikes, that's a horrible picture," she laughed, looking at the front page article furtively before opening the paper on the indicated page for the full review. "Oh look, Brook, they've given Robin's place a good review as well!"

Brook nodded and took the paper from her again. "It's an excellent venue for the upcoming PR event."

Vivi made an agreeing sound. "I'm super excited about being here. I've met so many great people."

Brook raised an eyebrow at that statement and crossed his arms over his chest. "Like the guy you admitted into your dressing room after your show?"

"That 'guy' was a doctor who came to check up on me," she replied with a giggle, taking the tablet one of her assistants handed to her to approve of some pictures that were going to be used for the cover of a local a teen magazine for which she gave an interview yesterday. She tapped on 4 of them and gave the device back.

An annoyed pout formed on her manager's face. "What's his name?"

"Oh, Brook, don't be like that," Vivi whined, pouting back.

"Remember the last time you had a man visit your dressing room? I can't believe you're doing this again, Vivi!" Brook sighed, hanging his head.

She scowled at the tone of his voice and rolled her eyes away. "Do you know that this past weekend was the first 'off' time I got this year? I'll have you know that we're already halfway through September!"

"Vivi..."

Vivi raised a hand to stop him from talking. "Brook, I love you, you are like my father and my brother all wrapped in one awesome package, but you have to know that I need... I have needs! I am a woman now, not that 16 year old you signed ten years ago. I need 'fun'." She looked ahead at the ocean and the multiple PA's prepping the set for her shoot. She then thanked her hairdresser when she was done working on her hair, her long, light teal locks now bouncing slightly with loose and sexy curls. "This guy I met, he really is a doctor and I really like him. He is 'fun'! And if anyone starts asking questions, you can tell them his profession. It's the perfect excuse."

Brook pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and index finger, squeezing his eyes shut and sighing. "Fine, I get it! Just let Pell and Chakka know where you are at all times when you're not with them."

She looked up at him thankfully and took his warm hand in hers. "I can do that," she agreed. "And I understand the risks."

He nodded, looking at her for a moment. He had to admit that she'd been working hard this year. She'd only finished touring all the four Blue's on a year long concert date list for the promotion of her critically acclaimed comeback album. They'd only been back a week when she'd landed the Mugiwara deal and here she was again already doing promotion work on the Grand Line. Vivi may have been happy to be back to this city that she'd grown to love when she took the time off to go to college, but it was still for work purposes only that she'd been allowed to be here. The girl did deserve a break and her fun.

"Tell you what," he began gently, squatting down next to her chair. "How about sticking around after this week is over? I'll keep your agenda open so you can resource yourself and work calmly on your new material."

Vivi looked at him intendly, a small smile forming on her pastel pink colored lips. "Don't joke about this, Brook. You know how much I'd love to stay a while longer!"

"Then it's settled," Brook concluded. "I'll contact a local real estate agent to see if we can maybe rent an appartment or a house. Living by the beach for 4 weeks sounds fun, doesn't it?"

She gave him a radiant smile as he stood up again. "You're the best."

He grinned at her and put his phone to his ear to start making arrangements, exiting the tent as he went.

With a misschievous smirk she reached next to her into her designer bag to grab her personal phone to send a text to a certain goodlooking doctor.

"Miss Nefertari?"

She looked up from her phone to the young assistant standing at the entrance of her tent, holding a radio communicator. "We're ready for you now."

"Alright, thanks," she answered, putting her phone away. "Have Marco and Luffy arrived yet?"

The young man nodded, "They're going over the script with the director and Mr Rayleigh Silvers."

Vivi nodded in acknowledgement. "I shouldn't keep them waiting then."

As she followed the PA, her phone buzzed, delivering an answer that made an excited smile grow on her lips.

After he'd overseen the shoot of the first part of Vivi's video with Marco and Rayleigh that morning, Luffy spent the rest of the day in different meetings with consultants to coordinate the upcoming event. He had a last minute meeting with the decorator for seat assignments and to agree on set up and tear down times for the different stages and stands, and he also met up with Franky who'd agreed to find him 100 kids and teens as extra's to appear in Vivi's video.

He had hoped to be able to leave work earlier so he could go see Ace, but it seemed like everytime he felt he'd be done soon, he found another pile of work he'd completely forgotten about.

At 6.30 he was placing the finishing touches to his daily report to Rayleigh, feeling immensely grateful that he just had to mail him the document and be done with it.

"I thought you'd be long gone by now, Luffy."

"It's the details that are making this day longer than it should be," Luffy whispered back to Marco who was now walking over to his desk with his briefcase and jacket in a hand. "I'm almost done."

Marco smiled at how ardently industrious Luffy was, knowing that he was probably worried sick about Ace. "Shall we go to the hospital together then?"

Luffy hit the send-button on his e-mail and sighed. "If you don't mind dropping me off at home and picking me up tomorrow morning for the shoot?"

"I don't. Come on, let's go," Marco said, waiting for him to shut down his computer and laptop.

"Did you hear anything from the hospital?" Luffy wondered, packing up his laptop and throwing his carrier bag over a shoulder.

"Rayleigh told me earlier that the procedure went well and that Ace was still under anesthesia," Marco replied, beginning to walk towards the elevators.

Luffy followed him, sighing in relief. "I haven't been able to get him off my mind."

"I figured," Marco said, holding the door to exit the workfloor open for him. "Whitey was shocked at how pale he looked last night," he commented, pressing in the down button for the elevator.

"He didn't want to let it show, but he was worried," Luffy remarked. "But thank God it all went okay..."

When they arrived at Ace's room half an hour later, they were surprised to find an impeccably dressed, robust man with an impressive mustache and a pronounced chin sitting on the left side of Ace's bed, a worried expression in his caring eyes.

"Mr Newgate," Marco respectfully greeted with a nod.

Luffy did the same, albeit a bit more nervously because he'd never seen the great Edward Newgate in person. Somehow, he'd expected for him to be more intimidating but he supposed that now wasn't the time to be expecting a father to be at his most impressive when his son had just ungergone heart surgery and had yet to wake up.

Newgate looked up and gave them an acknowledging nod, smiling. "Gentlemen," he greeted, looking back at his unconscious son.

"How is he, sir?" Marco asked, putting his wrapped gift on the dresser near the door. Luffy placed his basket with all kinds of fruits, cheeses and a bottle of wine on the small glass table in front of the beige two-seat.

"As I told Rayleigh, the surgery went well; they've removed the tumor and repaired his valve without problems," Newgate replied, sitting back in his seat. "His body was put under a lot of stress though, and it's taking a bit longer for him to wake up than planned, but he should be alright."

Luffy approached the bed and looked at Ace's sleeping face, smiling softly. He then took a small breath and turned to face Newgate, extending a hand. "Mr Newgate, I don't believe we've met."

Newgate turned his attention to the young man, giving him an apraising look. "You are Garp's grandson, Luffy."

Luffy nodded in confirmation, smiling gently when Newgate took his hand and shook it. "Yes, it's a pleasure to meet you, sir."

Newgate grinned back, nodding as well. "We owe you an important business deal, son. The pleasure is mine, truly."

Luffy bent his head in acknowledgement, smiling proudly. "How do you know my grandfather?" he then asked.

"He and I went to college together," Newgate replied, crossing his arms over his chest. "Has he returned to Mariejois yet?"

The young male nodded, "He left yesterday morning."

Marco stood up from his seat on the couch, announcing that he was going to get himself some coffee.

"So, Luffy," Newgate said, now that they were alone. "What are your intentions with my son?"

Luffy blinked, caught off guard with that question. "Sir?"

"I know that you are sleeping with my son," Newgate clarified, looking at Ace. "What do you expect to get out of it?"

"What...?" Luffy wondered, shaking his head in negative. "No, Ace and I..." he fell silent and gave Ace an affectionate look. "We met but a week ago, true, but we've come to care for each other deeply. There's nothing I want, other than seeing him free of his cancer, sir."

Newgate looked up at him, finding Luffy observing Ace with a tender expression, dismissing his apprehension towards the youth about his son. "I see. You will pardon my bluntness, but my precaution comes from unfortunate past experiences."

Luffy stilled as he looked at the man, reading the obvious caring feelings off of his face. "I owe him so much, he gave me a chance that no one else would've given me," he then whispered. "I'm allowed to do what I'm best at thanks to him. The fact that we hit it off personally as well is pure coincidence. Neither of us expected this." He walked over to the right side of the bed until he could sit next to Ace's body. "I truly care for your son, Mr Newgate," he concluded, placing a hand on Ace's right cheek.

Newate closed his eyes and smiled to himself, facing the scenery outside when he opend his eyes.

Luffy kept his gaze on Ace, letting his eyes go over his unresponsive features, allowing the following few moments to pass by in a comfortable silence, except for the soft beeping of the heart monitor.

"Ace came into my care when his mother passed away, eighteen years ago," Newgate said after a while. He turned his head to look at Luffy, nodding in understanding when he didn't react to his statement. "But he already told you that."

Luffy moved his head affirmatively. "He did."

The older man sighed then. "When his father told me that he was expecting a child with Rouge, he requested for me to have the child tested for Papillary Fibroelastoma. I knew it ran in his part of the family, but his daughter hadn't inherited it, so I wasn't worried too much when Ace was finally born. I had him tested anyway, as per Roger wishes."

"So Ace knew early on that he would develop a cancer of his heart?" Luffy whisered, his expression now compassionate.

"No," Newgate replied with a shake of his head. "I kept it from him to give him a chance to live his life to the fullest. Telling him about it before the cancer made itself known wouldn't have changed anything, only put a damper on his teen years. Modern medicine can't prevent his type of cancer, only treat it when it finally does appear."

"Oh..."

Newgate made a confirming sound. "He's come a long way, that kid. I will not sit idly by while the sickness that took my dear friend takes the boy I have come to love as a son in the same painful and cruel manner."

Luffy's lips curled into an endeared smile at that. "I believe he knows how much you love him. All he wants is for you to be proud of him," he whispered, looking up at him. "He doesn't want this cancer to taint the feelings of gratitude he has towards you."

A genuine smile formed on the older man's face and he chuckled softly. "I'm starting to see what Ace sees in you."

Luffy grinned, blushing a little.

"I'll leave him in your care while I step out for a while," Newgate muttered with a lopsided smile, beginning to stand from his chair.

Lufy looked over his shoulder at the intimidatingly tall man and smiled, appreciating his wordless gesture. He leaned over Ace's face once he was sure Newgate had gone, kissing him gently on his lips, imagining for a moment that it'd be enough to wake him up. He grinned briefly before deciding the pull a chair closer to the bed so he could rest his head on it next to Ace's body while holding his hand.

Both Newgate en Marco found him lying like this fifteen minutes later, fast asleep.

"Who would've thought?"

Laughter echoed all around him that he reognised as being Marco's Ace's, illiciting a smile of his own. He felt so comfortable and if Ace was laughing that meant-

Luffy blinked his eyes open and found himself staring at the basket he'd left on the glass table earlier. He sat up, realizing he'd been carried to the couch while he was asleep.

"You're finally awake."

Luffy got up and walked to the bed where Ace was sitting up, fully awake and sporting his trademark, laidback smile. "It's well passed nine."

"Ace," he whispered, sitting down next to him on the bed. "How are you feeling?"

Ace laid his left hand with some difficulty over his chest and smiled wider. "Sore, but nothing too bad."

Luffy grinned, hesitantly moving closer. "Thank God."

"Come here," Ace whispered, gesturing for him to come closer so they could finally share a kiss. "You barely slept at all last night, did you?"

"How could I?" Luffy whispered back laying himself carefully next to him. "I've already invested too much in your sorry ass."

Both Ace and Marco laughed.

"How long have you been awake?" Luffy then asked Ace, brushing back a few of the older man's strands of hair behind his left ear so he could look at his face unobstructed.

"A little over an hour," Ace replied, looking over at Marco to be sure of what he was saying. "I hear you met my dear father?"

Luffy chuckled and nodded. "He seemed to know about you and I."

"Which isn't really surprising," Ace said. "He has eyes and ears in the entire city. He even has people watching my place sometimes."

"What about your privacy?" Luffy questioned, a little shocked.

Ace shook his head reassuringly. "We have an understanding he and I about the hours on which I want people surveilling my house. It's really for my own protection, nothing else."

"So it's not like you have people following you covertly and stuff, right?" Luffy asked jokingly.

"No," Ace softly whispered with a chuckle and a shake of his head.

"The day my dear friend needs to run and hide from people following him will be the day on which we'll all have to run and hide," Marco commented. "By some sort of miracle the press doesn't know that he's Golden Roger's son and we'd rather keep it that way."

"I'd rather keep all the focus on my lovely half-sister and her husband," Ace shrugged. "Or as the media famously coined them; BoHawk."

"I was telling Ace about another celebrity couple in the making," Marco conversationally added, grinning at Luffy who knew of what he was talking about.

Ace laughed, having been brought to speed just moments before Luffy woke up. "Yeah, how did that happen?!"

"I didn't believe it either when he told me," Luffy denoted, cracking a smile. "Apparently he saw Law kiss Vivi backstage."

Ace shook his head in disbelieve, still chuckling. "Again, how? Does she know what's she's getting herself into?"

Marco shrugged amusedly, not knowing the details of Law and Vivi's blossoming relationship.

"Oh, I wouldn't be too worried about her," the youngest male declared, sliding a hand over Ace's stomach comfortingly, snuggling up to him. "She's a woman who knows what she wants, and how she wants it." He sent Marco a knowing look. "She even impressed us with the way she explained her vision for the video; that woman knows exactly how to get what she wants."

Marco agreeingly nodded. "It's Law I'd be more worried about."

"I'm curious to see how that'll play itself out," Ace stated, placing a hand on Luffy's resting on his stomach.

"She's staying in town until the unveiling of the Mera S next month," Marco went on. "We'll have plenty of time to see how things evolve between them. It could even be that she's moving in close to your condo, Ace. She's interested in beachfront property."

"Huh," Ace uttered quietly, his eyebrows raised in slight surprise.

"She wants to be of more help to the city as well and she's closed agreements with different charity associations in Sabaody, Franky and Usopp's Thousand Sunny Community being one of them," Luffy explained. "That new song of hers everyone his raving about was written over the weekend with Franky. She's also writing new material for a new album with collaborations with different local artist like Cutty Flam and the Rosy Life Crew."

"She's keeping busy," Ace commented."

"She certainly is, she proposed her video to be to the likeliness of a Saboady vista with portraits of the people and the different neighbourhoods. Even Luffy's sister will get a part in it when we'll shoot at a local club on Thursday," the blonde man reported, taking out his phone that was buzzing in the pocket of his jacquet. He looked at his phone and a smile grew on his face. "Whitey asks how her hot stud is doing. Should I be saddened by the fact that I know she's not talking about me?"

Ace laughed. "I'd be more worried if she suddenly started calling you her 'hot stud', 'pumpkin' is so much better."

They all chuckled at that.

"So, if I understand it all correctly," Luffy began, looking at Marco, "You, Law, Ace and Whitey all went to the same highschool here in Sabaody?"

Marco grinned. "Oh man, those were the times."

"I think they dubbed us Hachigan High's worst generation," Ace said with a smile and a shake of his head.

"We did set one of the schoolyard trees on fire," Marco confessed, chuckling. "Because you deemed it a good idea to get high during recess."

Luffy cracked up at that piece of information. "What, seriously?"

"And we flooded the second floor of the main building," Ace added, laughing too. "Because you and Law said those mushrooms he brought would help with our concentration."

Marco was laughing hard now, wiping the tears from his eyes. "Oh, we got ourselves into so much shit... how old were we 16-17? Man..."

Luffy grinned, enjoying these stories from their time in highschool. "And so were you and Whitey high school sweethearts, or how did you guys end up together?"

"We were indeed high school sweethearts, we've been together for twelve years already; ever since we were 16," Marco answered, a reminiscing smile forming on his handsome features. "The only times we've been truly apart was when she went to study fashion in Dressrosa for 3 years. That reminds me," he then added looking at Ace again. "Did you hear about Kid?"

"Kid?" Ace reiterated, raising an eyebrow. "What did he do this time?"

"Who's Kid?" Luffy asked in turn, shifting his gaze between them.

"He used to be a friend," Ace said, voice gone sad. "We had a falling out some time before we graduated high school."

"You mean around the time you found out you were actually the son of the most inspirational entrepreneur of all times," Marco corrected him with a derisive sneer. "That guy was already so jealous of you being in the care of Newgate, that he snapped when you told us the news that you were Roger Gold's son."

Ace tilted his head to the side in silent annoyance to the unspoken reprimand of his friend.

Marco never hid his dislike for that guy, mainly because he knew Kid Eustass had been the main reason Ace had started his rebellious streak during his teen years. They'd been best friends and were rarely seen without each other.

So naturally, Kid was an important part of Ace's past. Something he seemed to want to keep to himself for now, and not share it with Luffy.

"Either way, he's actually become a Captain of his Squadron in the Air Force," Marco announced. "He's finally made a name for himself, just like he wanted."

"Good for him," Ace replied with a nod. "We always knew that he was either going to make it or end up in jail."

Marco simpered, "He still could."

Luffy remained quiet, thinking about something but dismissing the thought.

He knew a man called Kid from back when he was in college, but he couldn't possibly be the same man they were talking about, could he? He hoped not, because that was a can of worms he did not want to poke, not even with a 10 feet long pole.

What were the odds, anyway?

As promised, Marco drove him home later that evening and he found the house already darkened and seemingly devoid of life.

On his way to his bedroom from the main hall of their house, he found the lights of the terrace lit up. Curious to see who was still out there at this rather late hour of the night, he walked outside, finding his sister sitting on one of the lounging chairs, wrapped comfortingly in a warm blanket, holding a big cup of camomille tea in her hands, pensively looking at the lit up city in the distance.

"You're back," Robin whispered when she noticed him standing by the doors to the house. "How's Ace?"

"He's well, the surgery was a success," Luffy replied, taking a seat next to her, stretching his legs next to hers. "What are you doing out here by yourself?"

"Just thinking," she whispered with a smile.

"I know that," the younger sibling retorted, bumping his shoulder against hers amicably, returning her smile. "Why are you thinking in the dark? Where is Zoro?"

"He's already asleep," she said, taking a sip. "I can't seem to find mine. Sleep, that is."

"Did something happen?" Luffy asked, voice growing more quiet with ascending worry.

Robin sighed deeply and stared at the warm liquid she was holding, taking a moment for herself. "I told you that Zoro and I were trying for a baby, right?"

"Yeah?"

"I went to see my gynaecologist this morning to get back the results of some tests I had taken," she began, looking ahead again and tucking a strand of her long black hair behind an ear as a cool night breeze blew some of them in her face. "Apparently, I sustained some scar tissue in my womb from my accident 4 years ago and that is making it harder for me to conceive again."

"Oh Robin..." Luffy whispered in sympathy.

She produced a small smile and closed her eyes. "I miscarried again, Luffy," she then said, sighing. "I lost it before I even knew I had it..."

"Did the test say that...?"

Robin nodded, taking a shaky breath. "The hormonal test showed it."

Luffy took his sister in his arms and held her close, resting his chin on the top of her head. "I'm so sorry, sis. It doesn't mean you can't conceive ever again though, does it?"

"I don't know; the doctor only told me to keep trying, that only time can tell," Robin whispered desolately. "I'm sitting here trying to find the words to tell Zoro about this; he's going to be so dissappointed."

"He'll understand, Robin," Luffy replied with a resolute shake of his head. "He'll be more thankful about the fact that the chance still exists that you could still have a child together."

She cracked a smile in his hold, sighing. "Being around granddad has done wonders for you. Or is it Ace's magic that I'm witnessing here?"

Luffy grinned, "Definitely a little bit of both."

"Oh?" she whispered, sitting back in an upright position, taking another sip from her tea. "So the reason you've been glowing since Saturday is...?"

Luffy nodded, grinning wider. "We're taking it slow. He's just had heart surgery too, so..."

She nodded back in understanding, gazing back at the scenery ahead. "Good. I'm happy for you."

"Thanks, Bee," Luffy said softly, approaching her to kiss her lovingly on her cheek. "And I foresee at least one beautiful little niece in my future."

Robin chuckled silently and looked at him. "It's definitely something I would want to have in your future as well."

"Alright then," he said decidedly, taking a corner of the blanket and throwing part of it over his legs. "Let's talk babynames."

She laughed heartedly and nodded, pressing a kiss against her little brother's right temple.

When he arrived at Ace's hospital room that Wednesday, after a long and exhausting day at work, he found a muscular, red-haired man standing by Ace's bed in a military uniform, talking softly to him. His hair was done in a flame-like style, his lips were of a dark colour and his nails were painted black.

Cold sweat began to run down Luffy's spine and he stood there by the door, frozen in place.

For just a split second he thought he was dreaming.

It couldn't be.

Not now.

Not here.

Echoes of his moaning voice and another male voice whispering roughly in his ear as the salacious noise of skin slapping against skin sounded in his head, memories of long nights, sweaty orgies and drug induced hazes filling his mind.

His left arm also recalled an altercation that had turned very violent and painfully physical the last time he saw the man standing next to Ace.

Because his mind was otherwise preoccupied reliving the marking experience that were his first three college years, his body worked on autopilot, his fight or flight response kicking in, urging his legs to start moving backwards.

It was too late though.

A surprised, non-pleasant smile cracked on the red-haired man's face as he noticed Luffy. "Well, well..."

Luffy felt Ace's questionning eyes on him, but he couldn't dare to look at him as his throat managed to produce the only thing he could, unable to help the quivering in his voice.

"Eustass...!"

The can of worms had been poked and the worms were now crawling all over the fresh start he'd wished for himself.

And the malevolent grin on Eustass' face only grew wider.

To be continued...

In: 10. The Ten of Cups - The Devil

-BDP-