Waking up to loud banging is annoying, let me tell you.

First there's the being pulled from sleep then the being made aware of the banging, and the banging doesn't stop even when you groan out 'I'm up I'm up!' even though you really aren't. Then it doesn't even stop when you roll out of bed, no, calls to 'get your lazy ass out of bed' join it. Then when you don't get to the door quick enough it literally gets kicked in, hits the other wall and if that doesn't wake you up then you get thrown out the window into the bay.

The waters are lovely this time of year though.

Since i've been here a week already i know this routine. Garp is determined to socialise me, after it became aparent i will happily sit in my room, missing meals, to avoid people i don't know. Since i know a grand total of four people in a base that holds nearly three hundred, Garp feels i'm not getting the care i need.

Now lets tick them off, shall we?

Monkey D. Garp. Marine Vice Admiral, currently in charge of this whole damn place.

Lieutenant Smoker. Overall badass that no one messes with. Out of fear.

Ensign Tashigi. Up and coming swordswoman who, while about as gracefull as a drunk bull in a china shop, can easily best most of her age group here.

Finally, a personal victory of mine.

Liquor Gary. Head chef of the Loguetown Marine base and the maker of oh so delicious spag bol.

The first three have helped me around yeah, Smoker out of orders but i'm growing on him! He cracked a smile at my terrible pun yesterday and tried to hide it! But Gary was the first one to speak directly to me without it being his job.

-!Flashback!-

Picture this.

Me being me, the awesome, stealthy, sneaky Morgan K. Dani breaking into the kitchens after a two day hunger strike over being made to talk to people, eugh. I get to the fridge, there's leftovers of the day. It looks like some sort of fish stew, not my favourite but i'm so hungry i could eat a fucking blob fish. Don't know it? Look it up.

Suddenly, our heroine is interupted by a voice singing so majestically it brings tears to her eyes. She scrambles to hide, but the only available place is the industrial fridge that sits open beside her. Desperately she dives in, pulling the door closed just as her unknown enemy enters the kitchen. She listens carefully, and after several minutes of pottering about the stranger leaves.

She decides to wait a few more minutes, just to be sure, but she's so cold. She is not dressed for this. Having had enough she bursts from her refuge, wielding the first wepon like object she found, a solid french loaf, and makes a run for it.

She's grabbed from behind, and no matter how she struggles she can't break free. Accepting her fate she slumps and says, "Cruel world, kill me if you will, jus let me eat this dammed bread!"

"Girl what are you doing? I know you ain't stealin' from my fridge."

"Well, haven't eaten in a few days because all food is here, people are here and i really can't be arsed to deal with people. Stranger Danger y'know?"

"Tha's stupid. Sit down ou' there and wait a while, i'll make ya somethin'. Any requests?" The man asks, letting me go.

"Well, there was a really good spaghetti bolognes here the other day, it was the best i've ever had," i rub my chin, having knocked it on a shelf on my way out of the industrial fridge.

The man lets loose a hearty laugh and shakes his head, "Ah ya liked mah spag did'ja? Good good, 's always nice to know your foods 'ppreciated!"

"You made that? Wow, okay, I'm impressed. 10/10 would eat again." The man sets utensils infront of me and starts on some noodles and meat. It's quiet at first, but then the chef asks my name and just like that we're chatting and laughing like old friends. "You're really easy to get along with, you know that?"

"hah yeah, it's my devil fruit. Paramecia type, i can help draw out emotions and feelings in people. i can't make them out'a nothin', just bring certain ones forward. Like you, you were already calmin' down and i can feel that ya're stressed a lot, so i just gave it a little tug. Encourage it, y'know?" He flips the concoction, checking temperatures then sits down across from me.

I tense when he tells me he influences emotions, but after his explanation, how he just brings them forward but can't fabricate them, i relax more. I lean forward, eager for more knowledge, "What's it called? Your fruit, I mean?"

"The 'feel feel fruit' some call it the emotion fruit while other say it's actually the 'emo emo fruit'. Pretty dumb but it's useful. i help in interrogations. People always have an emotion i can use, fear, honesty, guilt. Anything really can make them talk without torture," Gary shrugs, dismissing his power.

"That's really cool. I mean, you get the answers with the least amount of blood. It's good," I smile at him, he smiles back and gets up to plate up the food. We sit down for a bit just talking. He asks how i like the base so far and if i've met anyone noteworthy.

I tell him all about my shopping trip with Smoker and Tashigi, how Smoker couldn't even handle the mention of womens underwear and how i got a sword! He laughs at everything, and tells me about the other chefs and the soldiers stationed here. Which ones would be fun to talk to and which ones to avoid. Apparently the Marines take unfavourable applicants because they follow orders well, but they can't be trusted on their own.

He asks me about my sword and i tell him how Sandai Kitetsu led me to him, about how he doesn't have a name yet and all the TLC he's going to need. Gary actually knows a thing or two about sword play and offers to show me a few moves, ones not taught in dojos but used in streetfights.

Before i know it it's been nearly two hours, it's eleven at night and i have a curfew of ten pm. Gary offers to walk me back to my room but i tell him there's no need, thank you for the meal and i'll be sure to break in again soon!

His laughter follows me down the hall to the staircase, where i go up three at a time. Until i nearly fall back down after slipping so i go two at a time. I make it to my floor, run to what i think is my door and throw it open.

Only to see a sleeping Smoker in a bed right next to the window. Which is open. Filtering out smoke from the lit cigars in his gaping mouth. Plus the light is on.

"Fuckin' hell, is he trying to burn the place down?" Mumbling to myself quietly so as to not wake him, I tiptoe over to his window. I have to climb onto the bed to get to it because he can't have the headboard against the sill, can he? Noooo he has to have it length ways across the wall! I quietly shut the window, draw the curtains and move to get down.

Only for him to grab me around the waist.

I squeak as i'm flung to the outer side of the bed, locked in his arms. As romantic as it sounds, being cuddled in his sleep, it's really not. He's really strong and i don't think he's holding back. I struggle and squiggle my way around so i'm facing him. He grumbles slightly and i freeze, I really don't want him to wake up. Once he settles again i ease my way out of his relaxed arms, pluck the cigars from his lax lips and smother them in the surprisingly neat ashtray.

Does he clean it before bed or something?

Sighing i pull up the sheet to cover more of him. i hesitate because i have a sneaking suspicion that he's naked under there, and hey, i'm a hotblooded woman. He's hot. I resist fairly easily and make to leave. Turning around i spy a book on the nightstand. Curiosity gets the best of me and i pick it up to look.

And promtly freeze.

This is... this is the Hobbit.

How is the Hobbit here?

So lost in thought am i that i don't notice the change in breathing beside me. Nor do i notice the eyes locking on my still form. When I finally turn around, Smoker is sitting up and watching me. He doesn't look happy to see me. Fair enough, i'm apparently in his room, Without permission.

"How do you have this?" I ask stiffly, no more than a whisper.

He looks at me, unexpecting of the obvious demand. "Found it in a bookstore a few years back, didn't recognise the author but i liked the summary. Why?"

"It's impossible... this is impossible." The bed creaks under my added weight, sheets crinkling under me. "Smoker, this book shouldn't exist. How do you have it?"

"You're tired, you should go back to bed. We'll talk in the morning," Smoker pulls the sheets aside and oh, he has loose pants on, like thin tracksuits. Really thin tracksuits.

NO! Focus.

Smoker gently guides me out of his room, down the hall seven doors and nudges me into my own room. He waits a few moments while i look around. It doesn't feel right. He turns to leave and is stopped by my hand on his arm.

"Wait. I need help..."

Smoker gazes down at me a few more moments than is normal, then wordlessly dips his chin and closes my door, shutting the outside world out.

-!Flashback!-

I'm outside with Tashigi and Gary, who are teaching me the basics of 'kenjutsu'. Yeah, i thought only ninja called it that too. Got myself a smack upside the head when i sniggered it out.

Anyway, they're showing me how to clean and sharpen my sword, because 'you can't practise kenjutsue without a decent sword' and 'a sword is an extension of your body, care for it and it will care for you'. Both are fair points and i'm more than happy to learn, but i really want to get started. Garp and a few others have expressed interest in watching my first few lessons, just to see if i have any potential.

We're sitting in the courtyard with our swords, Tashigis' Shigure, an unusual katana, and Garys' Sweet. That's it, he calls her Sweet. I asked him about it and he said it's because he never really cared, but people always run from dangerous things with cute names. Something about how the owner must be insane.

"Okay, so i've cleaned off all the grit. I wish i could throttle whoever mistreated this sword. He's so depressed!" I prattle on about all the things i'd like to do as i lovingly smooth his blade. "I still don't have a name for you... Hey, I've been thinking all week and what if i named you 'Nidai Jinsei'?"

My two companions overhear me talking to my blade and share a look, then Tashigi speaks, "'Two lives'? Why that?"

"Uh, well, i guess you could say this is my second chance, and it's his second life. Hopefully he'll like it with me..."

"Why do you do that? Talk like the swords can understand you?" Gary elaborates at my clueless look.

"They do. Can't you feel them? Sweet absolutely loves you, and Tashigi, Shigure is just as morally straight as you. he respects you just like you respect him. Though, they're both a bit starved for affection. Maybe try talking to them more often? Really treat them with a good cleaning and oiling every now and then." Aand now they think i'm crazy. Yeah, i don't blame them.

"I've heard of some people being able to understand their weapons, but i didn't think it was like this..." Gary places Sweet on the ground, mindful of the dirt and turns to me. "What do you get from your sword? Feeling or thoughts? Does he talk to you like we do?"

"Feelings mostly, though the stronger the sword the clearer the feeling. if the feeling gets strong enough then i get flashes of thoughts. It's how i got Jinsei Kitetsu showed him to me. It's almost like he thought we'd be good together." I turn back to oiling Jinsei, really working on the blade. With all the grit and dust off i can see that he has a blue tint to the blade, and the hamon is more flowy than first thought.

I've had to find a swordsmith to restore him, but he's mostly the same as i got him. The silk on the pommel has been cleaned and mended. Now it shines a pretty seafoam colour, just like Smoker said. The new menuki is a simple flower with extending leaves, silver in colour. I had to completely replace the tsuba, it was snapped and bent beyond repair. Now it's shaped like a peace symbol, made from vines with flowers woven in, it's a match to the menuki.

I had to have an entirely new sheath made due to the old one rotting away. I threw it away as soon as i got back to base and wrapped him in one of the many shopping bags from the day. The new one is so pretty, it's holy wood with a clear lacquer finish and the upper third is wrapped in matching silk as the pommel. There's a carving on the end, i wasn't sure what it said so i asked Tashigi to translate and she claims it says 'Hope is never lost'. That was a bit unnerving because, dude, i really hope i can get home one day.

Probably not, seeing as i died and all.

The sheath is also tipped in seastone, so it's useful against devil fruit users. Smoker did not have fun with me testing that out.

Speaking of Smoker, we haven't spoken much since he helped me rearrange my room.

What? You thought we fucked? Sweetie, i barely know the guy.

We spent the whole night pushing furniture about and painting. Yeah, i found a shit tonne of paint in a storeroom on our floor. Now i have a mural of a dark purple forest on my far wall while the rest are simpler. Pretty dark and light purple marble with white speckles. As for the cieling, I'm doing that like the milky way from home. Smoker is very handy for a boost seeing as we couldn't find a ladder.

I painted my wardrobe, bed and nightstand white to tie everything together.

Back to the conversation at hand, Gary is going to show me how to safely sharpen the blade.

We work in silence for a while, but i can see both of them are bursting to ask something. The way they always glance at each other, then at me, then each other and dramatically tilt their heads to me is adorable, but seriously annoying. Finally i huff, gently place Jinsei across my thighs and stare at them.

They fidget for another couple of seconds before Gary cracks.

"What's with you and Lieutenant Smoker?" Damn son, say it a bit louder i don't think Whitebeard heard you.

"What's with me? And Smokes? Sorry I'm not following." Guess i'll just have to stare them down.

"Well, you get along really well, and you hang around him when you don't others. Plus there's the inside jokes you two have! And the touching, you always have a hand on his arm or he a hand on you!" Tashigi blurts, honestly i hadn't even noticed any of that. I'm about to say as much when she continues with, "Then there's the fact he left your room in the early hours of the morning just four days ago!"

"Ah, well, A) Never really noticed all that. Guess i'm just comfortable with him, and B) He helped me do up my room. Want to see?" Without waiting for an answer i get up, sheath Jinsei and head off inside. There's a second of silence then a mad scramble as the two knuckleheads try to catch up.

"~Up the infernal stair I go, two swordmen in tow, where we go where we go, oh my room is where we go~"

"Stop singing. You sound terrible."

"Oh, thanks Tashigi, can always count on you."

"She's right though..."

"Fuck off, we're here."

I throw open the door to my room and step back so they can admire my genius. I look at them and i'm rewarded with gaping mouths and buggy eyes.

"Well? What do you think?" They're in too much shock to answer me.

"Why is the Lieutenant in your room? and why is he shirtless!"

"Wait, what? Smokes! haven't seen you for a few days, how are ya?" I walk into the room and immediately spot the dark eyes and pale skin. "Smoker, whats wrong?"

I scan over him, checking for injuries. I don't have to look far because he has a gaping, jagged wound on his right side, where shoulder meets pectoral. It's bleeding heavily and i can see muscle.

"Tashigi, go get a medic, Gary i need my med kit, it's in the bottom drawer of the wardrobe," Neither of them move. "NOW PEOPLE!"

There's a flurry of motion as they do what they're told. I push Smoker until he's sitting on the bed, he nearly passes out as he sits, instead resting his fore head on my collarbone. He's cold and clammy, which is confusing because usually this type of wound he'd try to sleep off. But he came here.

"Idiot, why didn't you go to Medical?" I run my fingers through his hair, throwing Gary a look to hurry the fuck up. He shouts in triumph and practically throws my kit at me. It hits Smoker in the side of the head and he grunts, giving the chef a withering look.

"Don't like doctors, figured you could stitch me up... I think it might be poisoned, feels... feels hot." I go to scold him because i can't deal with toxins when he keeps talking, "Only realised about the poison when i got up here, didn't feel like going back down all those stairs..."

"Okay, fine, that's fine. I need you to lay back okay? I have to clean the wound, to a tox test and go from there. It may hurt, but you're fine, right?" He's worryingly compliant as i push him down. His feet are still on the floor and he's too much of a dead-weight to manoeuvre, so i climb on the bed beside him and grab a cloth from my kit.

I set to work cleaning the wound, looking for foreign bodies. There are none, which is a relief, but Smoker is reacting to every little wipe of the now bloodied cloth. I take another and finish wiping away the blood. Once that is done i can take a strip of tox paper and press it to the most open part. It takes a few minutes to react so i leave it on the dirtied rag next to me. In the meantime i apply pressure to the wound, it's in an awkward place so i can't tourniquet it.

I ignore Gary's pacing and count Smokers' Pulse. It's a little fast but that's normal, adrenaline and all that, the odd thing is it's steady and strong, so whatever poison was used doesn't seem very effective. A colour change out the corner of my eye draws me to the tox strip. It's turned orange, sorbet kind of orange.

"Smoker, Smoker the tox test is orange, a strong orange. It's not fatal, okay? You won't die by poison. Not today." Smoker gives me the barest of nods, so i take pressure off his injury and it immediately squirts a bit of blood before flowing. "Shit! Gary come here and put pressure where my hand is, the blade or whatever nicked an artery, not sure how bad it is but i need to find it and tie it off."

Gary follows my instruction and shoots over. Once his hand is firmly in place i move to my kit, wiping my bloodied hands on my pants. In my kit i have just what i need: A clamp, surgical needle and thread. I turn back and instruct Gary to move his hand on the count of three.

"When you move your hand i need you to grab some gauze and soak up the blood, i need to see the exposed artery. Okay, one, two... three!" We switch places, with the blood gone i can see the little tube of blood, luckily it isn't severed, but it needs to stop now. I clamp down one end and weave the prepared needle under it, back over and shakily tie it. i do this to the other side of the cut to be sure.

"Okay, just keep pressure here, i think I've stopped the bleeding for now but we really need a surgeon. Smoker, can you hear me?" He tilts his head towards me a little and opens his eye a crack. "Good, I'm going to clean out the wound now. Don't squirm."

I get my bottle of medical alcohol and soak a fresh piece of gauze. Using a separate piece i wipe down the excess blood and, checking Smokers' breathing, sprinkle the alcohol over the wound. This gets a reaction out of his, he arches off the bed a ways and growls. I push him back down and wipe at the wound lightly with the alcohol soaked gauze.

With that done i sit back and take a real first look at the wound. It's nasty, a few inches long and at least one across with the way the skin is pulled taut. I laugh breathily to myself, earning an incredulous look from Gary.

"Not bad for my first ever operation. Thanks Gary, Tashigi should be here soon. I just wish the medical bay wasn't so far." I sit with Smoker as Gary waits outside for Tashigi and the doctor.

A few minutes have passed before they get here, in which time Smoker has sat up and drank some water. The doctor comes ambling in like he has all the time in the world with Tashigi on his heels, trying to hurry him. Gary is backing her up, saying how Smoker almost died because he took his time.

The doctor laughed and sneered at them, "Well, someone interrupted my dinner, i highly doubt this was an emergency anyway. You should feel grateful that i even bothered to come!"

The man squeals like a pig when i slam him against a wall, snarling. "You arrogant fuck. if you want to keep your balls i suggest you do your fucking job. If Smoker dies because of your superiority complex then you will suffer. Do i make myself clear?"

"Get your hands off me you stupid woman! All of you are the same, exaggerating papercuts and grazes!" the man digs his own grave deeper.

"Shut up, do your job and i'll ignore the sexist comments. Help him or you will live to regret it. Do i make myself clear? I won't ask a third time." My voice is dangerously low at this point, absolute hate for this prick seeping into every word like venom.

The man sets to work on Smoker, with me, Gary and Tashigi all hovering in the background.

"This is quite bad. You, woman. Go get some paramedics, tell them to bring a trolley." He dismissively waves Tashigi away. She doesn't protest, but she does give me a disgusted look. I shrug because what can you do, he's saving Smoker.

We wait in tense silence for ten minutes before the trolley gets here. Gary helps the two paramedics load Smoker up, because of course the good doctor can't risk hurting himself with the brutes weight. He gets a kick in the balls for that later, and one for every sexist comment towards Tashigi.

I leave with the trolley, I hate the sight of Smoker hooked up to a breathing machine. It doesn't look right. At least the wound has stopped bleeding. When we get to the med bay the tell me to wait back, they'll help him but they need space to work.

"Is there another doctor working today? Not that idiot." The paramedics looks at each other sideways before turning to me and nodding.

"Yeah, Dr. Velley. He's a crotchety old man but he's one of the best." The tall, blonde tells me. as opposed to the tall blonde beside him.

"Good, get him. That fuck who responded won't be here much longer. Not if i can help it."

Tall blonde #2 salutes before running to the other end of the room, into an office where i can just make out a hunched shape. Moments later both he and a surprisingly straight backed old man rush to the theatre.

I stand with tall blonde #1 for a bit before i finally ask, "So, are you two twins or...?"

"Tomb? Nah, he's like four years younger. We're not related. He's actually my nieces dad." And tall blonde proceeds to pull out ever baby picture known to man. Such a Maes Hughs thing.

I wonder...

"i'm Dani, and you are...?"

"Oh, I'm hughey, it's noice to meet you."

Fucking hell, someone's having a field day.

"You too, Hughey. Any idea how long it'll take Smoker to recover? Fuck knows he won't like being on bed rest."

Hughey is about to answer when there's a crash and Garp storms into the room. He's shadowed by both Tashigi and Gary, so he obviously knows about his officer.

His eyes search the room before they land on me. His face darkens and he marches over, issuing a gruff command to follow him. I wave goodbye to Hughey and follow Garp. He leads all three of us into the office that Dr. Velley left earlier.

"Right, i want to know why one of my best doctors has lodged a complaint against all three of you. Well. SPEAK."

Tashigi bursts into a lenghty explanation, Gary fills in the gaps and i stand waiting my turn.

"So yeah, that's what happened. uh, Sir, can we go see Lieutenant Smoker?" Tashigi hesitates only a little, already showing the determination that will challenge the best.

Garp nods his head once and Tashigi and Gary flee the room. With just the two of us left he turns to me.

"Well? I need all accounts, Missy."

I loose a small sigh, him calling me 'Missy' means he's not angry with me.

"Okay so, Tashigi, Gary and i left the courtyard about an hour and a half ago? i was going to show them the work Smokey and i had done to my room but when we got there, Smoker was already there. uh, I went up and tried to ask what he was doing, but he looked really pale and sick. Then i saw the wound on his chest. It was deep and bleeding a lot. He nearly passed out just sitting down! I sent Tashigi off to find a doctor and Gary found my med kit in the wardrobe.

"While we waited, what must've been half an hour, for Tashigi to come back with a doctor i had to stop the bleeding. I've got basic medical knowledge, see, and it looked like a nicked artery. But then Smoker said about poison so i couldn't clean the wound because i didn't know what the poison would react with. so after i did a tox test, it came back bright orange, i cleaned the wound and tied off the artery. i tied both sides of the cut just to be safe. after that we, uh Gary Smoker and I, waited another ten minutes until Dr. Fucktard came strolling in, complaining about missing his fucking dinner.

"So yeah, i pinned that fucker to a wall and threatened to take his balls. Safer for everyone if he doesn't reproduce really. After being an unprofessional, sexist prick he took a look at Smoker, thought 'oh shit this is bad' and sent Tashigi after paramedics and a trolley to move Smoker down to surgery. I came down with him, nice lift by the way, and was waiting for him to come out of theatre when you came barging in like a rhino on 'roids."

Garp stayed silent throughout my whole statement, taking everything in. He nodded in some places and growled in others. Finally now i was done he just watched me for a moment, waiting.

I cant' hold it anymore.

I burst into tears.

I think i'm going to be sick.

I am so scared, what if he doesn't make it? I could have done more! What if he makes it but loses his arm? He'll hate me forever.

"I should have done more. i should have! I wasn't even sure that would work, i was just winging it and then it stopped then the doctor came i couldn't stop myself i wanted to kill him an-!"

Arms wrap around my shoulders and just hold me, they don't constrict me or confine me. Just nice, easy support.

"Shhh, you did so much more than i could have expected. You helped save his life, you definitely saved his arm. You aren't useless. Shh shhh quiet now..."

Garp kept mumbling until i calm down enough, no more waterworks.

"Listen, I need someone to stay here with the Brat tonight, think you're up to it? First twenty four hours after surgery are always the hardest." I nod my head, not wanting to leave or move more than neccassary. "Good, go get cleaned up and changed. The boy'll worry if he sees you looking like that."

I stay with Garp for a few more minutes. He's warm and comforting and i like it.

Eventually the tackiness of the blood on my arms and face turns disturbing, so i take leave of the Vice Admiral and head up to my room. It's more or less the same, except someone has taken the bloody sheets and mattress. there's still blood on the floor and the leather coat in the corner is still soaked in the stuff. i can't stand the sight so i grab my toiletries and go shower. I scrub and scrub until my skin is raw, no need to exfoliate tonight. I wash my hair with a coconut and strawberry mix and deep condition it. squeezing my favourite black cherry body was onto a scrunchy i make quick work of the stress sweat and lingering blood.

I take the chance to brush my teeth in the spray, figuring since i have no appetite tonight now i won't have to leave at all. I haven't gotten clothes from my room and i really don't want to go in there any more than needed, but i'll definitely need underwear...

Mind made up i dart in, grab the first pair of panties i find and dart back out.

Now to deal with the rest of my clothes problem. Tashigi may lend me things but i have no idea where she is, and i don't fancy walking around in a towel...

I eye Smokers door. I know he has shirts, would he mind me stealing one? I shrug, figuring i can just return it later.

Going in is oddly calming, yes there's Cigar smell everywhere and on everything, but it's dull, so i can find something at the bottom of his drawer that smells least like smoke. It's a fucking long sleeved, wide necked grey shirt with the marine symbol on the chest.

Deciding to go with it i pull it on and wrap the towel around my hair. It's surprisingly comfy. soft. I pull my fluffy robe back on and head back down to the infirmary. Inside i can see Tashigi and Garp, both talking to a figure on a bed. Cautiously i open the doors and slip in, shuffling over to where Smoker sits, upright, in a bed one off from the wall. He still looks pale, but his chest and shoulder is wrapped in neat, clean gauze and padded heavily.

Tashigi is the first to notice me and smiles brightly. She says something to the two men and they both turn to watch me walk over. Tashigi turns around fully and i see she has Jinsei and my care kit with her. She must know i'm staying the night and brought me something to do.

I smile weakly at her and keep my eyes down as i near them. they all look like they belong while i'm not supposed to be here at all. Garp pats me on the back, says a final goodbye to the two and leaves. I stand awkwardly for a couple of seconds until Smoker scoffs, with difficulty, and opens his good arm from his side. He raises an eyebrow at my blank looks and sighs.

"Come here, woman, i won't ask nicely."

I hesitate a moment longer before whispering 'Fuck it' and shooting over to him, latching onto his good side and burying my nose in his neck. He slowly lowers his arm to wrap around my shaking body and after a pause, pulls me closer. It's the oddest hug i've ever had.

It's the best hug i've ever had.

All three of us just sit in silence for a while, not wanting to speak.

Unfortunately, Tashigi isn't meant to be quiet for long.

"So, it looks like Dr. Myers is getting laid off."

"Who?" I mumble, i'm surprised she can hear me at all given the muffling.

Tashigi has to think for a moment before she grins and answers with, "Dr. Fucktard."

I gasp dramatically, "Miss. Tashigi! You swore!" Smoker and Tashigi both laugh at my scandalised face. "No, this is not allowed! you are fifteen young lady, no child of mine will swear until sixteen at least!"

"Hahah- I'm no-haah- not your daugh-hichaha-daughter!" She barely manages to speak through her hiccups. Smoker is doing his quiet, rumbling laugh and i soon join in. Everthing seems so normal, like Smoker didn't almost die, like i didn't threaten to maim a man, like we aren't sitting in the infirmary for fucks sake! My giggles turn to sniffles and my sniffles turn to sobs.

Smokers hand on my back starts rubbing soothing circles in an effort to calm me down. It works somewhat, and Tashigi decides to leave, or really she was kicked out by an orderly who didn't even try after the dark looks Smoker and i shot him.

Instead he shuts the curtain between Smokers bed and the rest of the room and knocks off the lights. Smoker decides to lay back, hissing at the strain it puts on his shoulder. I help him lean back into the plush pillows and debate going to the other bed. I decide against it because i'm still so stressed. Instead I toss my towel on Tashigis' vacant chair and follow up with the bathrobe. Before i lean back i shake out my curls, get under the sheets and cwtch up under Smokers arm again.

He raises both brows at me wearing his shirt, shrugs, and closes his eyes. Soon enough he's snoring peacefully and i snuggle closer.

I drift off to snores above me, breathing beside me, and a strong, steady heartbeat below me.

I've slept through worse.

Morning comes, birds are not tweeting if they know what's good for them, and i have drooled all over Smokers' shoulder.

Oh yeah, gonna have to clean that up before he wakes.

Grabbing two tissues i first clean up m mess then blow my nose. Thank god for wastebaskets. I chance a look at smoker to find he's still snoring away in happy land, home of the cheesecake, land of the Cigars. I snort at the image. The noise apparently wakes my teddy bear up because he ever so slowly opens his eyes, frowns and then yawns. Jesus Christ the man has a big mouth.

He just went back to sleep.

Can he do that? I want to do that.

I settle back down to conk out when an orderly pulls back the curtain and showers us in glorious sunlight.

Can you hear the sarcasm?

No? I'm not doing my job right.

Suddenly there's a high pitched squeak and darkness. I look up from where i buried my face to see Tashigi has chased off the nurse and redrawn the curtains. Lovely girl, knows we're both not morning people. Tashigi drops into the wicker chair by the closed curtains and gets out a book. Thankfully this is one i know is from one piece.

How do i know this?

Well, it's the devil fruit encyclopedia of course.

Anyway, while she reads that i slip back to sleep and dream of cats, of all things. Cats in clouds, cats in onesies, fuckin' hell dinosaur cats.

Actually i wouldn't mind a saber tooth cat.

Snickering beside me pulls me from my slumber, and i watch Tashigi nearly fall out of her chair.

"Wha's Wrong?" Ahh to sound like a drunk.

"You want cats. Lots and lots of cats. And no, you can't have a saber tooth cat." Damn Smoker, way to kill my vibe.

Smoker leans his head back onto the pillows, leaving me in silence. Because apparently Tashigi is a ninja and disappeared, leaving me with a bed full of Smokin' hunk. Literally, he has a cigar in already.

"Can you not smoke that in a hospital?"

"'s not a hospital."

"Infirmary, same thing."

Smoker ignores me and continues puffing on his Cigar.

"Prick"

He just laughs at me and settles further into the pillows with the Hobbit. This reminds me that we still haven't talked about where the book came from. Honstly i'm not sure i want to know, because if it's here, then what else is here that shouldn't be?

It's so boring just sitting in the hospital bed.

"See ya, i'm getting breakfast. You want anything? Never mind, i'll just grab your favourite~" I saunter out of the infirmary with a wave behind me, ignoring Smokers calls.

I enter the canteen with a yawn and head to the serving block. Gary is there already dishing up plates of muesli and other stuff. I really don't know what there is, okay? One of the assistant chefs spots me and tells Gary, who immediately smiles and grabs two plates.

"Mornin' darlin'. How's our Lieutenant this morning?"

"Awake and in a good mood, for once," I munch on an apple as i watch Gary stack one plate with a full English breakfast. Four fried eggs, two massive sausages, black pudding and bacon, hash browns and beans, roast tomatoes and mushrooms with some crispy toast on the side. He hands it to me and starts loading up the second plate.

"Ah, can i just have the sausages, eggs, bacon, beans and hash browns? Not a big fan of vegetables..." He gives me an unimpressed look and dumps a handful of each on my plate. I wilt a little but think, 'hey, i can just give them to Smoker!'. We proceed to make small talk, trying to ignore the looks i'm getting. It's odd, and a little unnerving. People are snickering and whispering behind their hands all around us. It's annoying.

With both trays in hand i go and grab some drinks. Coffee for Smoker and tea for myself. It's a new fad of mine and it's so nice here!

Leaving the whispers behind i go back to medical to find Smoker up and about, Trying to undo the wrappings.

"Oi, no. Stop that," I Place the food down quickly and step over to him, getting in his bubble and slapping away his hands. Tucking the ends back in to avoid his gaze. Turning around i pick up his tray and hand it to him, "Breakfast, Gary fixed your favourite."

"Yeah, thanks" He takes it and sits. Before he can dig in i plonk my vegetables on his plate.

We eat comfortably, mumbling quietly every so often until Smoker discharges himself and we leave.

We walk through the halls, talking about the incident. Smoker says he was caught off guards by a seastone coated sword, but that the pirate who cut him got away. He frowns when saying that and i can just tell he wants to get back out there and hunt them down. We get various looks through the halls. Most people are happy to see Smoker up and about, while the less respectable ones are glaring. Not at him, at me. Smoker notices this and looks to me with a quirked brow.

"Why are they looking at you like that?"

I hesitate a moment, but it's not like it's a big deal. "I think i got Dr. Myers fired..."

"Hmm..." Smoker watches the men as they pass. The front man sneers at me, while his lackeys smirk nastily. They round the corner and the tension passes.

Smoker and I continue on to our floor. I want to shower and change, and Smoker just wants to get a new coat. Gary recovered the old one for him but Smoker chose to throw it out. There was more brown than white and a large slash in the material, cutting clean through the zip at the top, making it useless.

With a wave I leave Smoker to his own devices, apparently a shower two floors down, to go get dressed for the day.

There's a sense of foreboding in reaching my door. I hesitate a moment and breathe deeply. There's really nothing to get worked up about.

I throw open the door and step inside.

I blink. I blink again but it's still there.

Blood.

Blood on the floor, the walls, furniture. Even on the ceiling.

In the middle of the room is a white sheet covered lump. I know i shouldn't, I'm breathing heavily and i know this is a bad idea, but i can't stop myself from taking the sheet and softly dragging it to the side.

My breath hitches and i scream.

There's an oozing, gutted pig on the floor that is still bleeding. I fall back and hit the door, scrambling out of my room as fast as i can.

There's a picture of me pinned to the pig. With a big bloody 'X' over my smiling face.

I'm screaming so much I don't notice others surrounding me. Hands reaching for me. Voices calling to me. When the first hand touches my shoulder i scream louder and throw my fist out, catching someone in the meat of the shoulder. More voices and hands are coming for me now, but all i can see is the poor pig. I scooch backwards until m back is against the wall.

I'm breathing harshly, and it's getting more and more difficult with every ragged breath. My body is shaking and there's a ringing in my ears that won't go away. The room is spinning, and i'm trying so hard no to vomit. The people around me are trying to help but i don't want to be touched at all. Concerned shouts asking what happened and why i'm still screaming. Am i still screming? I hadn't noticed. Someone finally has the sense to open my door, and immediately jumps back with a sound of disgust.

'What happened?'

'Mercy, who'd do this?'

'She won't stop screaming!'

'What do we do?'

'Someone go get the Lieutenant! He needs to see this.'

'And the Vice Admiral. He wants updates on her, remember?'

There's a flurry of footsteps as people go looking for the two officers. Meanwhile i've stopped screaming, my throat too raw to keep it up. Harsh sobs leave me as i clench my eyes shut and cover my ears, trying to block out the world. People reach for me again, slowly with soothing words, but i flinch s soon as i feel them and shrink in on myself. I don't want to be touched leave me alone it hurts.

Thundering footsteps part the gathered marines like Moses and the sea, Fast and heavy. Harsh breathing evens out and a large figure kneels before me.

"Missy? Can you open your eyes for me?"

It's Garp.

He reaches out to me but i still don't want to be touched, my skin is too sensitive, tingling with every brush of fabric or shaky breath.

"It's okay, Missy. You're fine." He soothes me as best he can, with gentle words and promises.

Relief floods through me as i throw my arms around his neck and sob into his chest. His arms circle around my shoulders and hold me tight, shielding me from worried stares.

"What happened? I heard screaming then a kid came to get me. Sir?"

Smoker is here, sounding worried.

Garp turns slightly to look at the Lieutenant, still hiding me, "Someone butchered a pig in Danielles room. There's blood everywhere and a crossed out picture of her stuck to it."

I hear a muffled curse and peek out to see Smoker running a hand through his short, green hair. His eyes lock on mine and he gives me a quick once over. There's no blood on me, i think, so he shouldn't worry.

"Do we have any idea who?"

"None."

"Sir, the uh... the blood is still a liquid. It can't have happened more than three hours ago. We have someone checking security but it seems likely that the snails were down."

"Thank you Sanchez. Get me as much as you can," Garp gently hands me over to Smoker before heading off with the black haired Sanchez.

"Come on, let's get you to Velley. I'll have Tashigi get some clothes for you," Smoker steers me down the hall and back to the infirmary.

Dr. Velley is not pleased to see us. He starts ranting about respect and down time but sets to work checking me over.

"No visible injuries. Open your mouth. Wider, wider. Good. Flatten your tongue please. There we go, back of your throat has been stressed too much," He picks up a pink notebook and jots down notes. He shoots me a dirty look when i snicker at the colour. "Enough of that. My granddaughter got it for my birthday."

"No i'm not, it's just... sorry."

"Just what? No don't answer, write it down," Dr. Velley hands me the pink pad and a matching pen. I look at it oddly and shrug.

'That shade of pink doesn't go with your tie.'

"My tie? My wife got it for me." He looks down at the tie, yellow and blue with a loud palm leaf pattern.