A Stranger

Part 4

Law, carrying a tray of cinnamon pancakes and a glass of milk, reached for the doorknob and paused. He waited for the two passing crew mates to nod their greetings then pass on by before opening the door. He slipped inside and closed the door behind him. He smiled as his eyes automatically went to Neo. She was still asleep.

He walked over and sat the tray down on the nightstand. Sitting down on the bed, he watched her sleep for a minute before pushing off his shoes. He then laid down on his stomach near Neo. He placed a kiss on her bare shoulder before placing several kisses on her face, effectively pulling her from her slumber. Law smiled when she finally opened her eyes. "Good morning, Princess."

"Now that's a good way to wake up," Neo said just before Law leaned in and kissed her lips. She hummed against his kiss. "A very good way to wake up."

"Glad you approve," Law said with a smile.

"I smell cinnamon pancakes," Neo then kneaded her eyebrows. "Did I over sleep? What time is it?"

"A little past nine," Law said propping up on his elbow.

"Why didn't you wake me up? Where's Cora?" Neo, clenching the cover to her chest, started to sit up. Law pressed a finger to her forehead and pushed her back down. "Law-"

"Cora's fine and with the crew. You've been a bit stressed out with that woman onboard. You know I don't like it when you get like that. You needed a day to sleep in. And breakfast in bed. So you are staying right where you are," Law said, trailing his finger down her arm.

"I see," Neo smirked at him. "Can I at least get dressed?"

"Nope," Law gave her a devilish grin. "I very much like you in your natural state."

Neo's cheeks flushed pink. "Law, you're being naughty again."

Law chuckled as he grabbed another pillow and put it behind her. "You love it."

"Maybe I do," Neo chuckled as Law picked the tray off the nightstand. He placed it down on her legs then picked up the fork. He cut off a bite and held it up to her. "I don't even get to feed myself?"

"Not this time," Neo rolled her eyes slightly, but opened her mouth for the first bite.

"You're spoiling me," Neo said after swallowing.

"You deserve it, love," Law said before kissing her again.

"Ah, you're so sweet," Neo fiddled with his chin before he held up another bite for her. "But you know, the crew is going to interrupted us at some point."

"No they won't," Law smirked at her. "I've ordered them to stay away for two solid hours. If anything comes up, they are to handle it. If they do interrupted us, I told them I'd Shambles them into as many pieces as I could then stuff their body parts into a crate and shove them in the farthest corner of the sub."

"Law!" Neo's attempt at chastising him was useless. She knew he'd easily carry through on that threat and her mind automatically pictured the crew in pieces. She laughed. "You really are a naughty boy."

Law chuckled again and continued feeding Neo her breakfast. As soon as Neo polished off her milk, Law set the items aside and coaxed her into a heated make out session. Eventually, their time alone was up. And Law finally allowed her to get up and dress. The two exited their room with an arm around each other. Neo glanced up at him as they walked down the hall. "I love that you spoil me."

"Well, you deserve every bit of it," Law leaned down and kissed her again. "Are you feeling better?"

"Yes," Neo nodded. "I'll feel even better when she's out of our home."

"Just a few more hours and she will be," Law replied. "I promise she'll be gone right after lunch."

The two entered into the rec. room. Corazon squealed happily when he saw his parents. He dropped the toys he was holding and crawled over to them. Neo bend down and picked him up. "There's our baby boy. Have you been good for your uncles?"

"He always is," Penguin chuckled from his spot on the floor.

"I've got to get to work now," Law said. He pecked Neo's temple then tickled Corazon under his chin before leaving the room. "See you later then."

"Okay," Neo nodded as Law left the room. She then turned to Penguin. "It's almost lunch time. We should get cooking."

"It's already being taken care of," Penguin said as he stood up. "Shachi and Bepo decided to cook."

"Shachi?" Neo raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah," Penguin drawled. "We better go save our lunch if we wanna eat."

Neo laughed as they left the room. They made it into the galley just as whatever was cooking in a frying pan caught fire. Shachi shrieked as he grabbed the pan and threw it into the sink. "That was close."

"You're supposed to get better at cooking the more you do it, not worse," Penguin chuckled.

"Very funny," Shachi frowned.

"Why don't I take over?" Neo asked.

"Thank you," Shachi's arms hung low as he was grateful to be relieved from this current disaster. Corazon reached out for the man. Shachi smiled and plucked the boy from Neo's arms. While Penguin and Neo worked with Bepo, Neo summoned her wings and flicked them a few times.

"Your wings feeling a bit stiff?" Bepo asked.

"Yeah," Neo nodded. "I haven't used them for some time."

"Maybe you should fly some when we dock later," Bepo suggested.

"That's probably a good idea," Neo nodded.

A little while later, the crew and Isleen wondered into the galley for lunch. Isleen only glanced at Neo once before sitting down. The woman remained quiet as the crew chatted while they ate. Neo cast a glance at her. Something felt off. Corazon's yawning drew Neo's attention back to him. Law had a damp rag and was cleaning off Corazon's messy face. "Sometimes I think he gets more on him than in him."

Neo chuckled. "Especially when he's trying to fall asleep while eating. I guess our boy wants a nap now. I'll take him."

Law nodded as Neo picked up their son. She snuggled him agains her chest while walking out of the room. Law was about to stand up himself when he noticed Isleen was watching Neo carefully. He grunted. "You're off this ship as soon as we dock."

"I figured as much," Isleen replied. Law studied her carefully to see what her reaction would be. He didn't get one. Isleen's expression remained neutral.

Law wasn't sure why, but her lack of reaction bugged him. He shook it off. It didn't matter. Soon this stranger would be off their ship and out of their lives. He stood up and left the room.

…

Neo hummed a soft song as she rocked Corazon in her arms. She made sure he was fast asleep before laying him down in his crib. She lend against the railing, stroking his cheek and watched him sleep. She grabbed ahold of the railing to keep herself from falling backwards when the sub suddenly tilted with a loud thump. "What the heck was that?"

She then felt the sub rising to the surface. She looked at Corazon. The disturbance didn't bother him as he continued to sleep. She looked down at the legs of the crib. She had never been so grateful that Law had bolted down the crib to the floor than she was in that moment.

Another jolt of the sub pulled her from her thoughts. She turned and tried to run out of the room. More hits against the sub caused the need of using her wings. She snapped them out and lifted herself into the air. She went right to the control room. "What's happening?!"

"Two sea kings snakes are attacking!" A crew mate replied as he continued to guide the sub upward.

"What do you mean?" Neo asked. "I don't sense any sea kings near by."

"Well, there are two of them out there. The captain's already headed to the deck to deal with them," The crew mate said. Neo whipped around and headed for the deck.

…

Law narrowed his eyebrows and pulled out his sword. Penguin, Shachi and Bepo were looking over the railing. Bepo pointed into the water. "They're coming up, Captain!"

Just as the words left the bear's mouth, two large snakes rose up from the ocean. Law circled his hand. "Room!"

Neo emerged from the sub just as Law sliced them up. Shachi and Penguin cheered. "Way to go, Captain!"

"Law!" Neo called out to him as she flew over.

"Neo, how's Cora? Is he safe?" Law asked.

"Yes," Neo nodded. "But those things aren't real."

"What do you mean?" Shachi asked. He casted a glance at them divided snakes floating in the water. "They look real to me."

"But they're not," Neo replied. "They don't have any life in them."

Law narrowed his eyebrows. Bepo's shrieking pulled their attention. "Captain! Their disappearing!"

Law and Neo walked over to the edge and looked down. Piece by piece the snakes were disappearing from the water. Neo narrowed her eyebrows and took a harder look at them. A startled gasp left her lips. "They're…They're magic."

"What?!" Law all but hissed.

"They were created by magic," Neo said as color drained from her face. She lifted her head. When she made eye contacted with Law her bad feeling passed to him. "C-Cora…"

Neo snapped out her wings and took off back to their room with the others following close behind her. She jolted to a sudden halt when she passed through the door. She dropped to her feet as her hands shot up to her mouth. Standing there, across the room, was Isleen.

Neo felt like she was going to be sick. Isleen had Corazon in her arms. She had her left hand hovering over Corazon's sleeping body. Her hand was hovered over a strange dark glowing orb that seemed to be sucking Corazon's magic out of his body and into it. Neo's stomach turned.

"You!" Law hissed. Neo didn't even hear him and the boys coming into the room. "Let our son go!"

"Now, now," Isleen purred. She brought Corazon closer to her face and kissed his forehead. "You'll wake the baby."

Neo clenched her fists. Everyone one of her crystals appeared in the room. Their respective elements gathered around the crystals, threatening to lash out at Isleen. The woman just smirk, undisturbed of their appearance. "Calm down, Princess. We don't want to do anything that will cause harm to your precious little boy."

Neo instantly banished her crystals. Tears streamed down her cheeks. "What do you want? Why are you doing this?"

"I really don't want anything," Isleen said. Her face then curled into pure hatred as she looked into Neo's eyes. "But to make you suffer."

"But why? What did Neo ever do to you? She saved you!" Shachi hissed. Penguin glanced at the man then carefully slid a foot away from him and locked his eyes onto Isleen.

"You can't technically save someone when they purposefully put themselves in a situation like I was in," Isleen smiled.

"You set us up?" Bepo asked. He bared his teeth at the woman.

"You better explain yourself," Law hissed. He raised the pointed the tip of his sword towards Isleen's throat.

"I don't have to explain myself to a lowly human," Isleen hissed back. "This is between me and her."

"I…I don't understand!" Neo stuttered. She was trying her best to compose herself. "What did I do to you?! We've never met before!"

"Well, it was your people I have a grudge against. And you are an Elemental, a royal one at that," Isleen looked at Neo with such distant. "I couldn't have planned this any better. My revenge is going to be sweeter than I thought."

Law stepped between the two women. "Don't you dare touch her! Give us back our son!"

"Sorry, Doctor Pirate," Isleen kissed Corazon's forehead again, make Neo's stomach spin. "I need your son's magic to replenish my still depleted magic. I'm still a bit low and my subjects are waiting for me."

"Subjects?" Shachi asked. "Why is your magic depleted? Tell us what's happening!"

"I will not answer to you lowly humans or to a magic creature who allied with them. You have betrayed us twice now, Princess," The small group gasped when a portal opened up behind Isleen. She started to back up into it. "Farewell!"

"No!" Neo cried. Before anyone could do anything, Penguin bolted towards Isleen. He grabbed Corazon and slammed his shoulder into Isleen. The woman stumbled back as Penguin ran towards the others.

"I will not be denied!" Isleen hissed. She regained her balance and shot out her hand. A burst of magic exploded from her hand. It engulfed Penguin.

"Neo!" Penguin shouted while holding out Corazon. Neo grabbed their baby, pressed him to her chest then grabbed ahold of Penguin's arm when his body was pulled backwards by Isleen. "Let go, Neo!"

"No!" Neo shouted. Shachi and Bepo grabbed onto Penguin while Law put his arm around Neo's waist. Isleen growled and her magic exploded. With another tug, Penguin was pulled from their grip and into the portal with Isleen. Neo dropped to her knees and held Corazon tightly to her chest. "No! Penguin!"

"Penguin!" Shachi and Bepo cried as they dove for the portal. But they weren't fast enough. Just as they were about to reach it, it disappeared along with Penguin.

Law kneeled down and put his arm around Neo's shoulder. He didn't even bother to sheath his sword. Neo shook as she mumbled hysterically. "Penguin…S...She took...Penguin."

"He will be fine," Law said softly even though he wasn't so sure himself. He placed his hand on Corazon's head and noticed their son was cool to the touch. A lot colder than he should have been.

"Something's wrong with Corazon," Neo said, seeming to have noticed at the same time Law did. "He's cold."

"She said she was taking his magic," Law replied. "And Cora's element is fire."

Neo nodded, tears flowing down her cheeks. She summoned a couple fire crystals to try and warm their son up. "His magic is fire. That must be why he's cold. Magic…Our magic is a part of us. I-I don't know what to do. H-He…His lips are blue. Law, what do we do?"

Law flinched when she looked at him. He didn't have a clue. This was a magic issue. All of his medical experience wasn't going to help with this.

…

Author's Notes: Cliff hanger was unavoidable for this one. I'm seriously gonna have to figure out a story where Neo doesn't get torture. :/ The poor baby.