Hauntings

Part 1

Law sigh as he rolled over onto his left side. He reached over for Neo. When he couldn't find her, he opened his eyes and found she wasn't there. "Neo?"

Law sat up and looked around the room. She wasn't there. He pushed the covers off and headed out of the room to find her. He eventually found her sitting in the galley. She had plate of cold ranch pasta and a cup of sweet tea sitting on the table in front of her. Neither of the items had been touched. Law leaned against the door frame and watched her mindlessly pick at the pasta, effectively shredding it.

After a while, he pushed off the door frame and walked over to her. He sat down without a word and kissed her temple. "You really should eat that. You haven't hardly ate anything since…I'm sorry. I wish there was something I could have done."

"I know you would have done something if you could," Neo replied softly. "I don't blame you for anything that happened. Especially since it-"

"Stop it right there. Don't you dare start blaming yourself for this again," Law ordered.

"But, Law, it is my fault," Neo released her fork and rubbed her face with her hands. "Just like is was my fault that Pendulum took me and separated you all on the Time Domes."

"Love," Law put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her to his bare chest. "What can I say to make you understand that none of this is your fault? Pendulum and Isleen are the only ones responsible for their actions."

"If it's not my fault, why do I feel so bad?" Neo asked as tears fell down her cheeks.

"Because you care. You love us all and want us to be safe. You worry about us just like we worry about you," Law tightened his hold on her. "No one blames you for anything. Cora still loves you. Penguin still loves you. We all still love you. No one, especially our son and Penguin, will blame you for anything that's happened. You know that, right?"

Neo nodded. She opened the compact. "I miss them."

"I know you do," Law kissed her temple again. "We'll get them both back."

"What do…What do you think she's doing to him?" Neo asked softly. It was clear to Law that she was afraid to ask this question, but she still had to do it.

Law thought carefully before answering her. "Well, since this is a grudge issue…I don't believe she's harming him in anyway."

Neo looked up at Law. "Think about it, if she really wanted to hurt us, then why didn't she go after all of us? I believe she only went after Cora because he's blood related to you. Also because he's a baby. He was the only one of us who couldn't fight back."

"I never should have left him alone," Neo whispered.

"Don't do that. No one, not even me, can be with our son every second of everyday. It's not humanly possible. And it's not Elementally possible," Law said. He picked up the fork and pierced a couple pieces of the pasta. He then held it to her lips. He sensed she was going to refuse, but she didn't. She opened her lips and allowed him to slip in the food. He continued to feed her while talking softly. "Penguin won't want you to keep blaming yourself. Both he and Cora need you to focus right now. They would want you to turn this self blaming, all this fear and worry and turn it into strength. They'd want you to turn it against Isleen and get them back."

"And my people?" Neo asked before Law gave her another bite.

"You know they won't blame you for anything. You are not responsible for the actions of your ancestors. If the Reality Warpers got locked up then they deserved it. And with what we have been told about them, they probably did deserve it," Law gave her another bite. "Now, love, what are you going to do?"

Neo locked eyes with him. After a pause she sighed and smiled lightly. "I'm going to stop blaming myself for something I had no control over. I'm going to get our son back. I'm going to get our Penguin, my brother, back. I'm going to free my people from her clutches. And I'm going to let the rest of my family help me and be my strength as they, as you, always are."

"Good girl," Law pecked her lips. "I'm glad you came to your senses. If you didn't, I was going to have to actually punish you. And I would not have liked doing it. Now finish your pasta."

"Only if you keep feeding it to me," Neo snuggled up against Law and batted her eyelashes at him. Law chuckled while rolling his eyes. But he did as she wanted. Once the pasta was finished, Law stealing a few bites, Neo chugged down her tea. She gathered up the dishes and sat them in the sink. Just as she released her hands from the dishes, a strange sound echoed through the sub. It sounded like someone, with very large nails, scratched a wall of the sub.

Skreeeeeeeeeeeeek

"What was that?" Neo jumped.

"I'm not sure," Law replied with narrowed eyebrows. Neo walked over to him and grabbed onto his arm. They stood quietly to see if it happened again. It did.

Skreeeeeeeeeeeeek

Neo shivered and clung tighter to Law. "I've never heard that noise on the sub before."

"Neither have I," Law patted Neo's hand then led her out of the galley. A cool chill settled onto the sub as they walked down the halls. Neo shivered and snuggled into Law's arm. They remained silent while roaming through their home. They checked each room carefully, nothing was out of place. They checked on the crew, everyone, but Penguin, accounted for. They checked the control room, the crew member was fine and nothing different, nothing out of place. "Did you hear anything a few minutes ago?"

"A strange noise like giant nails on the wall," The crew mate replied with a shiver. "It was really creepy. But I haven't seen or heard anything else since then."

"Hm," Law huffed. "Neo, you don't sense a Warper, do you?"

"No," Neo shook her head. "I've been checking."

"It might have been nothing. Keep a close eye on things," Law told the crew mate. "If it happens again, come get me. We're going back to bed."

"Aye, Captain!" The crew mate chirped. "Goodnight, you two. Neo, I hope you're feeling better now."

"Thanks," Neo smiled sweetly. "I am feeling a bit better."

The two exchanged waves before Law led her out of the control room and back to their own room. He allowed her to climb in bed first before laying down himself. He held up his arm and she snuggled against him. She then opened the compact. Still nothing had changed with Corazon. He was sleeping peacefully with Elian and Velocity near by. Neo brushed a finger over the mirror, wishing she was actually touching Corazon. "He'll be okay."

"Of course he will," Law assured her. "He's strong. Just like his mother."

Neo tilted her head so she could look at Law. She smiled. "Just like his father."

Law returned her smile then lean down and captured her lips. His kiss was slow and tender. It was one of Neo's favorite ways for him to kiss her. It was comforting, soft yet strong. Like he was trying to pass his strength into her through their lips. When they broke their kiss, they settled into each other and watched Corazon sleep. Like always, it didn't take Neo long to fall asleep herself. Once he was sure she was out, Law carefully closed the compact. He kissed into her hair then closed his eyes, making sure to keep his hold on her.

…

Sanji sighed with delight. He was up on the deck of the sub, with Celeste sleeping on his head. His body finally reassembled, but it had taken hours because Luffy, Chopper and Usopp kept putting him together the wrong way and laughed about it. He was nothing but a toy for them. But, eventually, they finally put him together and in the correct order. He was now on lookout duty. Or he was supposed to be. He was distracting himself by summoning pretty women that were barely dressed.

Scrape Scraaape

"Huh?" Sanji snapped out of his fantasy and the women faded away.

Scraaaaaape Scraape

"What are those morons doing now?" Sanji shoved his hands into his pockets and headed inside the ship. When he got inside, a shadow moved across the far end of the hall. He paused for a second, the hairs on the back of his neck standing up. "Luffy? Usopp? What are you goofy balls doing now?"

An eerie silence was the only thing that greeted him. He shook his head. "Don't be silly. There's no one here. It's just one of the crew."

Sanji shuffled onto the mens quarters and stepped inside. "All right, which one of you…"

Sanji looked around and saw all of them were sleeping hard. He scratched his head then left. He made his way to the womens quarters. He knocked on the door. A few seconds later, Robin opened the door. "What is it, Sanji?"

"I'm just checking things out. There's been some strange sounds on the ship tonight," Sanji replied. "How are you and Nami?"

"We're fine," Robin replied.

"Sanji!" Nami hissed. She got off the bed and stomped over to the door. "If you have come in here to try and peak at us, I'm gonna knock you all the way to the moon."

"I'm not," Sanji replied.

Nami's fury disappeared when she saw Sanji's face and the seriousness his eyes held. "What's wrong?"

"I'm not sure," Sanji puffed on his cigarette. "It might not be anything. I haven't heard anything for a while now."

"Should we wake up the others?" Nami asked.

"Not necessary," Sanji waved her off. "If it happens again, I'll alert everyone then."

"All right then," Robin said. "Goodnight, Sanji."

"Goodnight, ladies," Sanji echoed back. He waited for the door to be closed before headed back out onto the deck.

…

Neo stretched out her arms as she walked out of the bathroom. She smiled when she saw Law. He had just pulled on his shirt. She summoned her wings and took to the air. She flew behind him and wrapped her arms around his neck, clenching his shirt, and legs around his waist. He chuckled when she nuzzled her nose behind his ear. "Mmmm, I missed you."

"You just saw me three minutes ago," Law pointed out.

"I know. But I still missed you," Neo purred. Law hooked his arms under her knees. He knew she was feeling vulnerable with everything that has happened. "Stay with me, okay?"

"Of course, my love," Law brushed his thumbs over her legs. "I'll do whatever you need me to do for you."

"Thanks, love. I love you so much," Neo whispered, tightening her hold on him.

"Love you too," Law squeezed her legs then headed out of their room. Just as they stepped out into the hall, the crew came running up to them.

"We're missing a crew mate!" Bepo reported. "We've look all over for him! He's not here!"

"What?" Law asked.

"No," Neo trembled. "Not another one."

Before anyone else could say another word, a loud shrill came from the Sunny. The crew exchanged looks before rushing over to their current company. But when they got to the door of the sub and opened it, they found it led them right into the Sunny instead of the deck. Then entire crew, but Neo and Law, shouted. "What the heck?!"

"Hey! How did you get here so fast?!" Usopp demanded. He blinked and looked into the sub. "What's going on?! Why can I see into your ship?!"

"You tell us! We heard a scream!" A crew mate said.

"AH!" Another scream jolted through the air.

"That's Nami scream! She's in trouble!" Sanji said. He then bolted down the hall with hearts in his eyes. "And she needs me to save her! Coming, Nami Sweet!"

"Goofy boy," Celeste chuckled as she flew after the cook.

The rest of the crews followed after him. They dashed right into the womens room. Nami was in one corner, freaking out. She pointed across the room. And there in another corner was a dark grey werewolf. Luffy blinked at the wolf. "What the heck? Why's there a dog on my ship?"

"Take a closer look, Luffy. That's not a dog. That's a…werewolf?" Franky questioned.

"A werewolf?!" Usopp and Chopper shrieked while clinging to each other.

"Who cares what it is?!" Nami shrieked. "What in the world is it doing in our room?! And how did it even get in here?!"

"Let's make it a crew member!" Luffy shouted with glee.

"Are you insane?!" Usopp whacked Luffy over the head.

"Sorry, Luffy, but you can't have him," Neo said. She was still on Law's back when everyone turned to her. She flittered her wings and lifted off him. She then flew over to the werewolf. "He's ours."

"Neo?" Law asked.

"Law, he's our missing crew mate," Neo said with her eyebrows turned up in worry. "He doesn't know how, but he woke up here in this room, looking like this."

"Does this mean there's a Warper around here somewhere?" Zoro asked.

"That would explain why our ships are now connected like they are," Brook said.

Neo nodded. "And that's not all, I'm afraid."

"What else is there?" Law asked.

Neo turned her worried eyes to him. "He's fighting a darkness that's telling him to attack us."

"What?!" The loud crew members shouted. Just then the werewolf crew mate jerked away from Neo. He shoved himself in the corner and grabbed his head.

"It's okay," Neo said while reaching for the man. He slapped her hand away and snarled.

"Neo," Law said in his warning tone. He raised his hand to ready himself to use Room if necessary. "Come over here."

"But he's-"

"Not in control of himself," Law said. Before anything else could be said, the werewolf crew mate grabbed Neo and threw her back over to the rest of the crew.

"Neo!" They all shouted. She landed on her side and lid over the floor a few feet.

"Neo?!" Law kneeled down and lifted her up.

"How dare you attack her!" Luffy shouted and charged for him.

"Don't hurt him!" Neo cried out. Luffy stopped in his tracks. "I'm fine!"

"But he…" Luffy started.

"It's not his fault," Neo said. "It's the Warper's fault. That's the one we need to fight."

"But where is he?" Robin asked.

"I don't know. I know the Warper is here, but I haven't been able to sense where," Neo said as Law continued to hold her close to him. The werewolf growling turned their eyes back to him. It was obvious that he was struggling against the orders to attack his crew. He repeatedly shook his head, snarled, drooled, snapped his jaws. "We have to find the Warper."

"Then let's split up," Franky said. Just as the words left his mouth, circles opened up around them all. They fell through them, getting separated. The cyborg cried out as they slid down the dark holes they fell into. "This is not what I meant!"

"Where are we going?!" Neo asked. Law had her pressed firmly into his chest as he fell with her, Usopp, a few Heart Pirates and Franky.

"Ah! We're all gonna die!" Usopp cried. He flailed his arms and legs wildly. "I'm too young to die!"

"Neo, use your crystals," Law said. Neo summoned her wind crystals and gathered them up in her winds.

"Nice," Franky said. "Your crystals sure do come in handy."

"Thanks," Neo said as she summoned her fire crystals. She lit up their area and they looked around. Their surroundings were nothing but grey and it looked like they were inside some kind of tube or rounded slide. "Is everyone all right? Where are we?"

"We're fine," The crew mates said.

"I'm not fine! This is insane!" Usopp shouted.

"I have no idea where we are. This isn't part of the Sunny at all," Franky said while inspecting the walls. "These Warpers are going to be a serious pain to beat."

After several minutes of Neo floating them, the group finally landed on the floor. Neo slid her hand into Law's. "I can sense it. The Warper is somewhere around here. I'm not sure where. It seems like there's something, some kind of wall, between us."

"Might as well get moving then. We're not going to find it or our friends by standing around here," Franky said. Law nodded and the group started making their way through their strange grey surroundings.

…

Author's Notes: Glad everyone liked the last chapter so much. I love it too. Sanji and Luffy are such a riot. At least Law didn't kill Sanji for what he did. Neo's presence must have saved his life.