32


Later that night, while dinner left a heavy feeling in his stomach, Law watched the clock again. He had an unsettled feeling in the pit of his chest that wasn't allowing his food to settle properly. Lorenzo was snoring in his chair again, Panda rested over his lap like a living throw blanket, while Lainy looked puzzled over a book she held. Polar was watching Law from the end of the counter, eyes narrowed as her tail whipped back and forth with warning.

Lainy kept glancing at her son, who sat near the phone with a sense of guarding the device, as if waiting for someone to tell him he wasn't allowed to use it. It hurt her to see that he still tiptoed around them, silently taking to the kitchen and his room without saying anything to them unless prompted to do so. But he watched the clock and the phone in alternate action. She tried not to pay too much attention and give him some privacy, but she was so grateful to have him back that she could not help but notice everything.

Settling at the house was something he didn't do – he continued to dig his clothes out from the trashbag he hadn't unpacked, and when Lainy had ventured into the bathroom he used, she noticed that he hadn't any toiletries; she'd bought some while buying groceries, flustered over the selection in front of her, unsure of what appealed to teenage boys. He wasn't helpful in that department when she'd returned, showing him what she'd bought – just grunted and nodded his thanks. She wondered if this was only because he himself wasn't sure what he wanted, based on what he could have. It was completely disheartening for her to bear; she and Lorenzo had created this boy, and none of them knew a thing about him, now. So it was comparable to having a roommate or a ghost in the house with them.

She focused hard on her book as he picked up the phone and dialed carefully. She made a mental note to encourage Lorenzo to pool together for a phone of his own – but a part of her wanted him to use only that one, if only to hear each and every word that left him because they were his words, made weight with his voice. A selfish want, but she knew she would eventually have to give a little more just to gain a little more.

She heard him ask for Sanji but a few moments later, he hung up. From the corner of her eye, she saw his frustrated expression. The cat growled low as he then looked at her, the animal tensing as she waited for him to make a move. The phone startled the animal as it rang, Polar hopping off the counter to make up for her scared movement. Law answered, but had to repeat himself a couple of times. The tone of his voice had Lainy looking away from her book to look at him, watching as his brow furrowed and his voice lowered even further. He then hung up abruptly and left the chair, leaving so hastily that she hadn't a chance to ask if he were going to his room for the night. She wondered if the pair were fighting – it wouldn't be unusual for teenagers to have their dramatics. She looked over at Lorenzo and swatted him awake as Law's bedroom door closed, lock moving into place.

Lorenzo sat up quickly while adjusting his glasses, looking at the television screen. Once he realized he had no idea what was on, he looked at her with a questioning look.

"Something's wrong," she whispered. "He was upset."

"At this? I would be, too," Lorenzo said with a frown, looking for the remote.

"He was on the phone with Sanji. I think they're arguing. He needs one of his own, I suppose," she said with a sigh.

"Do we need to right now?" Lorenzo asked tentatively, and with that, Lainy knew he felt the same way as she did. She gave him a gentle smile.

Hours later when he was sure they were asleep, Law quietly left his room. He knew something was wrong. Ichiji had answered the phone the first time and hung up on him, but moments later, when Law had answered his phone it was Sanji – answering as if someone had called him. There was something wrong with his voice when he assured Law that he'd see him at school tomorrow, a heavy sense of wrongness in the subdued quiet of his voice. Knowing that something was wrong, Law felt the urgency to go see him.

He paused at the front door, looking at his parents' vehicle keys. His heart thumped noisily – he wasn't allowed a driver's license until he was twenty-one, part of the conditions handed down to him because of the crime he'd helped commit years earlier. But another part that had him hesitating was that he didn't know where the Vinsmokes lived. It would take hours driving around Grandline High's district to locate the brothers' Buick. He could call again, but with how quickly Ichiji answered, the phone could be off-limits.

He stood there for some minutes, fiddling with his fingers. He could feel his heart racing wildly, the sound seemingly deafening within the silence. Polar meowed crankily, so he turned and saw the cat staring at him from the couch with her grumpy expression. Moments later, Panda was walking up the hall with a wide yawn, and when he caught sight of Law, he gave a sleepy bark. Law hastily turned away from the door and panicked when he heard the sound of someone moving in his parents' room. He went to the kitchen and searched the cabinets for cups, forgetting where they were. At that moment, Lorenzo turned on the living room lights with a puzzled look, Law glancing at him apprehensively.

"They're up there," Lorenzo said, pointing to a cabinet away from Law's search. Law found a cup and poured some tap water into it, very aware of his father's puzzled expression on him. He drank water he didn't really want and cleaned the cup to set it inside the dishrack.

"Can't sleep?" Lorenzo asked, glancing at the clock.

Law found it hard to answer – mostly because an answer would invite small talk, and he wasn't in the mind to have small talk. He shrugged and headed back to his room, Lorenzo frowning with some defeat. But he looked at the glass again – there were three of them in the house, now, so the sight of more dishes inside the dish rack made a warmth spread inside of him that felt familiar.

The next morning after Lainy dropped him off as school, Law lingered around the parking lot waiting for the brothers to show. But when he saw only three of them emerge, that restless feeling intensified. Troubled, he continued lingering there, watching the parked Buick, as if Sanji would emerge from it at any moment. The brothers were strangely quiet – they weren't hassling each other or anybody unfortunate to cross their path. They separated to go to class without word to each other. When the first bell rang, he gave a frustrated grunt, feeling anxiety strum through his veins.

"Hi, Law," Luffy said in passing, yawning sleepily while Ace yawned noisily, Sabo cramming the last of a breakfast sandwich into his mouth. "Class is starting, you better get going."

Law watched them go, words building up but crashing at his teeth. All three of them sluggishly made it to the front walk before he blurted out, "Wait."

Sabo turned at the sound of his voice, turning to look at him with curiosity. The other two didn't hear him, but they noticed the lack of Sabo's presence once they reached the door, looking back.

Law pointed at the Buick, struggling to speak. "W-where do they – where do they live?"

"That ritzy part of those estates over there," Sabo said, pointing off to the left. "Gated community. I'm not sure what house, though. Why?"

Swallowing tightly once he realized he had all the D boys' attention, Law stuttered with, "Ssss-Sssanji isn't here."

"Their car's here," Sabo said with a puzzled look.

"But…not him."

"Maybe he'll come later, Law," Luffy suggested helpfully.

"He ssssaid he'd be here. This morning. So…where do they live?"

Sabo suddenly brightened with understanding, remembering Koala's tirade yesterday. He had his phone out, dialing quickly. "I can find out. You think maybe he's just in trouble? Mr Hansen's really lax – hey. Where do the Vinsmokes live? Can you find out?" he then asked Koala once she answered.

"What kinda trouble?" Luffy asked with a puzzled frown. "Zoro said Mr Hansen's real sloppy, he doesn't care to punish anyone. Too much paperwork."

"Maybe with his dad," Ace theorized. "His dad's a real hardass. Hey, you going to go look? Maybe he'll come in later, don't worry about it."

"Right, right, don't worry about these things," Ichiji said, emerging from the front door. Luffy hollered out with surprise, Sabo nearly dropping his phone as he hung up hastily. "Law, father will be bringing Sanji by, later. He was supposed to get a new cast, today. Didn't he tell you last night?"

Law glared at him. The second bell rang out, and he still didn't move from where he was standing. With a smirk Ichiji retreated back into the building, Luffy looking after him with a hand to his heart, Ace and Sabo frowning.

Sabo looked to Law again, noticing his body language and the glare. He hit Ace with the back of his hand to notice these things, Ace grunting in response. "Let's go to class, then, Trafalgar," Sabo said, gesturing at the doors. After a cautious glance back, Law made the uncomfortable decision to go along – without the information he needed, he couldn't do anything.

At lunch Law waited to see the blond join him outside, watching the doors anxiously. He couldn't smoke – he was down to the last few, and his nerves were wearing thin. The thought that Judge sent Sanji off to his mother's without Sanji being able to say anything made true sadness ring through him. Towards the end of lunch, Sanji finally walked out from a set of side doors, Law walking to him immediately.

Law knew something had happened. It was in the younger teen's expression, the hunch of his shoulders, the way he swallowed noisily as Law approached him. The new cast on his arm was brighter, still smelling of adhesives. He hugged him tightly, smelling antiseptics and something leathery on him – not his usual smells.

"What's wrong?" Law asked him, pulling back to look at him, Sanji struggling to hold his expression tightly.

For a few moments, Sanji couldn't say anything. The bell rang to signal the end of the lunch break, but neither of them moved. Not until Sanji pushed his hands into Law's sweater pockets, leaning in for a clumsy hug.

"Don't lose it," Sanji whispered to him desperately. He then pulled away from Law, forcing a smile on his face as he lifted his arm to show him his cast. "Look at this. Brand new!"

Law was puzzled. The other boy's voice was unnaturally loud – he was making himself appear cheerful, but Law did not mistake the clues from earlier. Turned away from the school as he was, Sanji's expression twisted just enough for him to beg on a whisper, "Go along with it."

Understanding, remembering how Ichiji answered the phone last night, Law forced himself to look at the cast. It was a struggle to say anything but he nodded slightly to acknowledge it.

"Doctor said I could have it taken off within the next three weeks," Sanji complained. "I've been too rough with it. I broke it last night…"

Question after question flooded Law's mind at this time, but as they made their way back into the school, he struggled to play along. He felt like he was moving through molasses, head ringing. He knew something was wrong but he just didn't know what and it was maddening that he couldn't ask why Sanji was behaving as he was. As they gathered their things through the usual crowded throng of kids in the hall, before he separated from him, Sanji patted his left hip.

In class Law sat in a daze. He examined his pen while thinking intensely about the short encounter. After a few moments, he reached into his left pocket and was startled at feeling something there. He pulled it out to see that it was a school flashdrive with Sanji's initials on it.

After class he headed to his locker, hoping to see the blond for an explanation. But he heard Yonji yelling out one of the side doors for his brothers to save him some snacks, so Law knew that the group was already leaving. He was disappointed and anxious, and he hid behind a wall corner as Yonji jogged off to practice. Law returned to his locker and finished exchanging his textbooks when Sabo appeared next to him.

"Give me your number and I can text it to you," he said.

"No cell."

Sabo looked extremely puzzled as Law shut his locker door and headed for the main front doors to meet his dad out in the pick up area. The D brother hurried after him, writing hastily on a slip of notebook paper. He gave it to Law, saying, "That's their address and that's my cell. Do call if something's up. We'd like to help."

Law pocketed the paper without saying anything, but Sabo took it as a serious situation because the prickly teen wasn't rejecting him.

"All those guys are pretty quiet, today," Ace told him as he walked up. "They're not their friendly, enjoyable selves. That blue haired bitch isn't up to his usual sass. Remember that one day when Sanji came back with his arm busted up? He's in that same mental state. Something happened, bro."

"All because of a pad?" Sabo questioned vaguely. "All because of a period pad."

"I guess, I don't know. If that guy's on edge, then what we going to do? What can we do?"

"I let him know where he lives, and gave him my cell. He didn't reject either."

"What should we tell Garp?"

"I don't know if we should tell him anything just yet. We don't know." With unease, Sabo fiddled with his phone. "I hope he calls us. I don't know what we can do, but we should do something. Something just doesn't feel right…"

Once at home, Lorenzo barely having time to unlock the door, Law asked, "Can I use your computer?"

"It's your computer, too," Lorenzo assured him, barely getting the words out before Law hurried towards the office that was half filled with boxes taped and labeled. The desktop blinked to full power upon prompting, and Law pushed the flash drive in. Opening the files, he scrolled through completed notes, homework details, downloads from various classes. When he came upon "Miss Nico", he opened it to find a set of photos that made him pause. A bedroom in shambles with clothes scattered on the floor, books laying in front of a fallen bookshelf, close-ups of a broken laptop, and headphones. There were torn clothes on the floor, shirts clearly torn apart while a closet was open, revealing a mess of fallen and empty hangers.

There was a close-up of pieces of white on the floor, atop of a throw rug. Law recognized them as part of a cast. The next part was a picture of Sanji's own arm, displaying his broken cast, which exposed parts of his bruised skin. Next was a picture of a digital clock with 7:32 pm on full display, as well as a cordless phone in hand with a call history up. 911 was dialed for a span of 2 seconds – the next photo was a pair of policemen at the front door, speaking to Judge. The photo had been taking hastily, from what looked like a kitchen.

The next Sanji had taken of his arm, where there were vague bruises on the wrist – Law had noticed he had both wrists covered, today. The younger teen was using a Sony camera to take these pictures, and Law was very proud of him to take documented evidence of something that was intended on being ignored. It hurt immensely to know that something had happened, but what gave him comfort was having this in his possession. Thinking about Smoker's advice from years back, Law checked to make sure the printer was on and printed out each and every one of these upsetting photos. Then he made a copy of the file with an extra flashdrive from his parents' pile, marking that with a marker and taking everything back to his room.

He tucked his copies into a large National Geographic book Lainy had given him about animals of the world and shelved it. Then he put Sanji's flashdrive into his backpack pocket. He sat on the edge of the bed and stared out the window for some time, unmindful about the passing minutes. It was when Polar meowed at him from near his closet when he blinked and looked at the cat glaring at him. Despite her angry expression, the cat was really a cute animal – its missing leg was even more of its appeal.

"What do you want to do tomorrow for your birthday?" Lorenzo asked, appearing at the doorway and startling Law out of his thoughts. The jump was so noticeable that Lorenzo felt bad for not doing something to notify the teen of his presence.

Law remembered that he would turn eighteen tomorrow. After these events, it felt like it had snuck up on him. He remembered the Doflamingo had taken them to Cracker Barrel last year, and he remembered all the confused, frustrated, angry and scared feelings he'd had with this new family and their large men –

He shook his head. "Nothing."

"You don't get an eighteenth every year, you know. It's a special age! How about dinner or something here? Your mother makes some great lasagna. We can rent a movie, or – perhaps you can invite Sanji over, or friends – "

The thought of doing anything as a family with his parents made Law tighten his lips. They hadn't reached a point where these things were comfortable, so the idea of having a special dinner for his birthday was an absurd one. And after the incident with Lainy and Sanji, he didn't want the pair suffering because of him; he didn't want Sanji put into another tense situation, but he did consider that maybe pulling him away from his family right now would help.

He was so uncomfortable with the choices he now had – then registered that he even had a choice. When was the last time he had one?

If he could be a buffer between Lainy and Sanji it would be fine. At least Law could control that.

He struggled to get his words out as Lorenzo said, "Or eat out, either or. Maybe…maybe your friend's restaurant again? A movie? Would you like to go see a movie?"

"Here. Dinner. With Sanji," Law finished clumsily, watching him warily for any change of expression or denial while he tensed, clutching his pant legs with both hands.

Lorenzo nodded. "Okay. That sounds good. I'll let your mother know, she can pick up ingredients for it. Why don't you invite your friend over, let's make it a go? Say at six?"

Law nodded tersely. Polar meowed noisily as she approached Lorenzo, rubbing up against his legs while glaring in Law's direction.

Satisfied, Lorenzo left him alone, ambling down the hall with Polar at his feet and Panda hurrying over to meet him with his tags jingling noisily.

After his parents had fallen asleep later that night, Law left the house with his mother's car keys. He needed to see the other teen – it was important that he learn more so he could help. He found the community online earlier and printed out a map to locate the Vinsmokes' location. He parked the car at a nearby gas station and hiked it to the gated community, climbing over the wall behind some decorative shrubs to skirt through someone's backyard and emerge out onto the sidewalk.

Twenty minutes later he found the house and figured for an attorney like Judge, the man would have cameras setup in obvious locations. So he studied the house from a safe distance, trying to figure out how to get inside the yard to at least determine what window belonged to Sanji. As he was looking, he could see the cameras posted at every corner of the two story house – he would be caught if he ventured within 50 yards of the driveway or sideway. Reluctantly, he turned and headed back to the car.

On his way home, he took a detour towards Doflamingo's. He just wanted to see the house – Sugar would give him away if he tried to approach, and he didn't want to risk the lack of sleep coming to those inside if Rosinante was woken by the dog's barking so late at night. He hoped whoever was taking care of the man was doing things properly – did they know Rosinante like his eggs scrambled with light pepper? Did they know he preferred his green wool socks over his maroon anklets? Was Doflamingo listening to him as he spoke about his daytime shows? Hopefully the man remembered that Rosinante liked his rocking chair cushion to be turned over weekly. He drove by with heavy reluctance, wondering if Rosinante remembered him. When he returned home, he walked in very quietly, hanging the keys back up and slipping off his shoes to sneak back to his room.

But the lights in the kitchen turned on with Lainy and Lorenzo looking at him with tired frowns from the counter, causing him to freeze in mid-step.

"Where did you go?" Lorenzo asked him sharply.

For a minute Law was voiceless – he didn't want to say where he went because he knew they would get the wrong idea. But if he explained himself he would have to tell them everything. It would make sense to show them, talk to an adult about the situation, but the threat of Judge 'ruining them' made it difficult to do so. He felt that this adult, with so much power and credibility to his reputation had so much more power than two doctors that had lost their children in one year and had to work hard just to get one back.

He had to say something, though, eyes darting from one to the other before stammering out, "I just wanted to see Rosinante."

Lainy looked relieved while Lorenzo's face suggested that he didn't know what to think. But moments later, he relaxed. Law wondered if they had thought the worst of his absence. Previous convictions and all. Or perhaps he was running away again.

"This late at night?" Lainy asked gently.

Law took a few more moments to answer. "Doflamingo usually doesn't come home until…early. Saturday."

"How is he?"

"…I didn't want to wake him up."

"You are aware that you don't have permission to use the car because you don't have a driver's license?" Lorenzo asked.

"…Yes."

"We should talk about this later, when we're all…more awake," Lainy suggested before any tension could arise. "But…next time Law, perhaps we can arrange a more manageable visit to see him during daytime hours. Your father and I can drive you."

Lorenzo looked troubled by this but since Lainy made the offer, Law was going to take it. He nodded then headed to his room, locking the door behind him. He took the National Geographic book from the shelf as he listened to the faint sounds of his parents' voices in the kitchen, and looked at the printed photos once more. He felt helplessly angry – he was powerless to do anything but keep this evidence until Sanji told him more about it. With Judge's position, Law needed security in who he gave this information to. Smoker would be ideal, but there needed to be more done. There were cracks in the system that Law was fully aware of and he did not want Sanji to experience what he had. He didn't want to lose the teen to something that either of them couldn't control; a plan was needed. Sanji had already started it – Law just had to help him finish it.

Saturday morning, he heard the phone ring. When Lainy called for him, he unlocked the door and hurried out, seeing that Lainy was cookng breakfast. His stomach growled noisily in response as he answered with some hesitation.

For a moment there was silence, then he heard Sanji whisper, "Did you find it?"

"Yes."

"Just…keep it. Don't look at it, just hold it. It has my homework on it, and I told dad that someone needed to borrow it for class, so I need to go after it. What's your address?"

Law gave it to him, Polar hopping onto the counter to glare at him.

"Happy birthday!" Sanji then said a little louder, lowering his voice moments later. "What are you doing, today? Do you want dinner, or something? Dad's taking those guys to Ichiji's thing and lunch after, so I'm free now. He told me to stay home but I'm not going to do that. I think I can use a bus – "

"That gas station. Outside your place," Law said, glancing at Lainy as she forced herself to pay attention to the bacon. "When you're ready."

"Ten." For a few moments, Sanji hesitated. "How do you know there's a gas station - ?"

"Ten o'clock, then," Law confirmed.

"Bye," Sanji said hastily once something that sounded like a pounding emerged from his end. Law hung up apprehensively. Then he looked to Lainy, knowing he had to ask permission for the other teen to visit but unsure how to.

She cleared her throat before looking at him, noticing the empty silence. "What's up?"

Just ask! Law told himself impatiently as he found it difficult to ask for something as simple as this. He placed his hand on the counter near Polar, hearing her warning growl as she disapproved of his action.

"That was Sanji, wasn't it?" Lainy asked, rubbing at her hands with nervousness. She could not get that night at Baratie's out of her mind, but she knew she had to bring it up and soothe it over. "Would he like to come over?"

"For a little while."

"Will one of his brothers drop him off? How old is he?" Lainy then asked curiously.

"Sixteen."

She rubbed her lips together with more uneasiness. "Law," she said, turning to look at her bacon, "this relationship…it could be difficult with the age difference."

Law knew what she was getting at, and he said defensively, "Nothing happened. Nothing will."

"I'm not saying this to agitate you in any way, but…we must be mindful of the laws in this state. I'm sure his father knows them very well…" Lainy trailed off with uncertainty. "Does…is his father aware…?"

"I don't know."

"It's your birthday, let's make it a special one," Lainy then said hurriedly, waving her hand about. "This talk can wait until later. So, shall we go pick him up?"

"Yes."

"Then we can do so," she said, forcing a smile to her face. "Your friends are more than welcome to come over, but, er… I suppose we need to set some ground rules with…with this. Um, for example, no closed doors with Sanji. I think that's fair, that was my rule with my own mother whenever I brought a boyfriend home."

Law thought it was weird to hear of Lainy speaking of his grandfather, whom he vaguely remembered. It was as if he were absorbing the tales from a stranger, of another life. He grew aware that he was holding his own fingers tightly, tension making itself known in his rigid shoulders and clenched jaw. It was a fair rule.

"Okay," he agreed. "But no judgements from either of you."

Lainy looked at him with a start until she understood what he was requesting. She smiled. "Of course not. But your father and I will have to talk to…to get used to this. We…never thought that a day like this would come, and…and we missed out on so much, so…of course it would make sense that you would – you would have some type of relationship, it's just…we never thought it would be this one – "

"I never, either, but I'm not – " Law started to say defensively, automatically feeling frustration well up inside of him at the mention of lost time.

"To be honest," Lainy interrupted firmly, hands on the counter, "we're not in the total dark about gay relationships. We're not against them, either. You – all of us here have to understand each other, and if you chose this boy to have one with, then we will accept it. But as parents and adults, we have a right to interject if we hear or feel something is…out of the ordinary. We have a right to set rules. Healthy rules. Understand?"

Law said nothing because he understood that Lainy was giving him a choice; she wasn't forbidding him from Sanji, nor was she closed to the relationship. She was only setting rules. It was more than he had been allowed at any house, and while he felt he didn't like them, he had to accept it.

He nodded faintly.

Relieved, Lainy's shoulders dropped until she whirled around to her bacon, exclaiming with dismay at the near blackened strips. Law returned to his room at the chance and heaved a heavy exhale. All the tension he'd felt left him for a bit, but overall, he was glad how the events were going. He looked over at his trashbag, then the closet. The silence there, combined with the ambiance down the hall left him feeling nostalgic. Saturday morning, Lamie would be posted in front of the television set in her pajamas. She'd holler her breakfast orders to whomever was listening, a large cup of strawberry milk nearby. She would have her stuffed bear under one arm and –

It occurred to him that he had yet to open the bag Lorenzo had tried to give him weeks earlier. He stood up to crouch by the bag, Polar settling herself in his open doorway to continue glaring at him. It amused him how the cat was so diligent on keeping watch on him, like a silently patrolling security guard. He wondered where Panda was. But he opened the trashbag and retrieved the bag that was crumbled and wilted, holding a heavy shape inside.

After Lamie died, Law remembered taking the bear she'd always carried with her. Who always had to be posted on the bathroom counter whenever she used the bathroom, who had to sleep with her, had to accompany her to the kitchen table.

He withdrew the bear from the bag, seeing faint marker stains on the back of its head, neon colored patches on his arm from her last snack; it was dressed in a silly orange jumpsuit with a funny looking face on the left breast.

"Bepo," he muttered, remembering Lamie's name for it. The bear's expressionless face stared back at him, and he pulled it to his nose – it no longer smelled like his little sister but his memory conjured up her bubblegum scented shampoo and her evil Funion breath. He remembered that she liked eating Hot Cheetos and yellow was her favorite color. She loved her iPad and watched makeup tutorials with a passion. She also loved skirts and dresses and called him 'Fart Brain' whenever she was mad at him.

The memory of her was painful but at the same time lovely. It still hurt to think of her end as it had happened, and it hurt not hearing her voice, but if he had this bear, she was still present.


Naghi-Tan: he definitely does! But Judge isn't through, yet – he's got an ass to cover after losing control D:

RR: Isn't he? While Doflamingo seemed threatening and dangerous, it was the man in the suit that turned out to be more so than he. More of the brothers' reactions will come later. I hope this chapter revealed a few things to answer your questions. :D

Penumbra: Thank you for your reviews! They definitely can be, can they? I have to remember that they're still just kids in this fic; neither with too much power to interfere and no magic trick up their sleeves to come through in a spot. As it's nearing its end, I promise your heart won't hurt for very long ;D