Chapter 14

Six Months Later

"I hope you don't mind if I dissect your brother, Sabo-ya," Law said to the den den mushi sitting beside him.

Law had gotten comfortable against Bepo who was dozing on the snow. Winter had returned again, and now snow lay everywhere. It certainly had made Luffy hyper, especially at the thought of a 'Christmas feast' that they where going to have with so many people around. Law's grimoire lay in his lap, Ace's sat beside him, but Ace's still remained mostly empty still.

Grimoires were usually very private things. Nobody was allowed to touch them apart from a fellow head witch, or somebody very, very trusted. So far nobody had been allowed to touch Law's grimoire except his parents- he missed them so much- Doflamingo (back when Law trusted him), Cora-san (when Law began to trust him) and now Rouge and sometimes Ace when Law knew Ace was in one of his sensible moods. It was the same with Ace too, so far only Rouge and Law had been allowed to touch his grimoire. Neither of them knew why a grimoire was so private, but the idea of anyone touching Law's grimoire made him feel sick.

"Which one?" Sabo asked.

"Who do you think?" Law chuckled. "I can't very well dissect Ace-ya without Rouge-ya stopping me."

"Fair enough," Sabo chuckled. "So what are you up to now?"

"Luffy-ya has been rolling about in the snow and ambushing Penguin and Shachi pretending to be a 'yeti' or whatever snow monster he can come up with next. Ace and I have been trying to read our grimoires, but we've not had much luck. My magical energy was depleted badly by my Amber Lead disease and it's taking a long time to come back," Law admitted reluctantly.

"You look a lot healthier now though I have to admit. I saw the photos Luffy took during Summer," Sabo said. "And you're both really young still. Didn't Rouge say that witches don't usually hit their 'prime' until their thirties?"

"Which is terrifying to think considering Rouge-ya was only just hitting her thirties when she died." Law shivered.

Sabo's den den mushi's eyes went wide in horror. "That's terrifying."

"Extremely." Law shook his head, then paused when he heard screaming.

It wasn't Shachi's and Penguin's terrified yells whenever Luffy ambushed them. In fact they all sounded terrified. Was Rouge training them again?

"Is Rouge doing some training again?" Sabo asked.

"I guess so-" Law let out a strangled noise when Bepo suddenly sat up, his arm wrapped around Law to keep him from falling down. "Bepo?"

"I don't recognise that scent," Bepo said.

"What's going on, Law?" Sabo asked urgently.

"Not sure yet, but someone else is here that Bepo doesn't recognise," Law said, standing up.

He could hear crashing, the screams growing louder. Then out of nowhere the others all leapt from the trees, still screaming, and rushing his way.

"Law, run!" Penguin cried.

"ROUGE!" Shachi wailed. "SAVE US!"

"FIST OF LOVE!"

Sabo's snail went pale. "Oh god no."

"What?" Law frowned, then ducked as the trees went flying, dragging Bepo down with him. "What the hell?!"

"GRANDPA!" Luffy screeched.

"GRAMPS, NO!" Ace screamed.

"How the hell did he find you?!" Sabo cried.

Monkey D. Garp, the Marine Hero, snatched up both Ace and Luffy, holding them up by their jackets. The pair struggled, screaming, and Garp looked absolutely delighted.

"Finally found you, you pests!" Garp grinned. "But I'm missing the third one. Where's the blonde? And who are these other kids?"

Law paled.

Shachi yelped. "Nobody! We're nobody!"

"He's Traffy! And the bear, and the whale and penguin!" Luffy said, wriggling.

"Traffy?" Garp blinked. "He's the only one with a name?"

"Luffy-" Ace hissed.

"No! But Traffy is Traffy and he's like Ace-"

"LUFFY!" Ace screeched.

"Like Ace?" Garp blinked again, looking between Ace and Law. "Eh? Rouge had another kid?"

They all fell silent at that. Law was thankful Garp had came to that conclusion though. Very, very thankful.

"HOW IS THAT THE FIRST THING YOU THINK OF?!" Shachi yelled.

Garp stiffened. "Not Rouge's? ROGER'S?! THAT NO GOOD PIRATE HAD A SECOND KID?!"

"EH?!" The Heart pirates screeched. "ACE IS GOLD ROGER'S KID?!"

Law breathed out sharply. "That explains why Ace-ya is so strong at such a young age with two great pirates as his parents."

"L-Law, you're not a bit more shocked about this?" Penguin choked.

Ace looked ready to scream and cry all at the same time. Garp had gone quiet, watching them, as did Luffy. Luffy kept throwing Ace nervous looks, and Sabo's den den mushi had gone pale, but was watching Law with a cold, sharp gaze.

"It makes sense." Law shrugged.

"And you don't care...?" Ace asked quietly, a little hurt, and afraid.

Law stared at Ace. They both remained silent for a time, their gazes locked, before Law finally answered.

"They called me a monster too," Law said.

Bepo's arm brushed against his back gently, which almost made Law smile, but he kept his attention on Ace whose eyes had gone wide.

He smirked. "Guess we can be monsters together, Ace-ya." He glanced back at Shachi and Penguin who were still making choking noises, both shocked. "If you don't start breathing you'll both pass out. Besides it's hardly interesting news in comparison to other things we've heard from Rouge-ya."

"T-True..." Shachi admitted. "S-Still a shock though."

"People make babies all the time," Law said dryly. "And if you don't know how that works then I have a lot to teach you."

Penguin chuckled warily. "We get it. We'll calm down. Sorry, Ace, it was a little bit of a shock, but I guess Law is right. It does explain how freakishly strong you are."

"Doesn't explain the squirt though." Shachi smirked at Luffy. "If your grandpa is Garp the Fist then how come you're so weak?"

"My punches are like pistols!" Luffy protested.

"Sure, squirt." Shachi stuck out his tongue.

Luffy threw a punch, but his fist bounced off the ground and he got in himself in the face instead, squishing it. Garp sighed and shook him roughly, forcing Luffy's face to spring back to its normal shape.

"Well this is an interesting gathering," Rouge mused, materialising from her ghostly form beside Law.

"Roger had another kid!" Garp blurted out.

Rouge tilted her head. "Eh?"

"Traffy here!"

Rouge laughed. "Just because he has dark hair doesn't mean he's Roger's kid. You could say the same thing about Luffy in that case too." She shook her head fondly. "Anyway, how did you even find us?"

Garp began ranting about searching all of East Blue then decided to head North. Something about a Bogard, but Law stopped paying attention when Rouge's hand landed in his hair. She leaned down to whisper to him too.

"Thanks, Law. You're a good kid," she said softly, ruffling his hair.

Law huffed. "It's basic common sense."

"Not so common though, is it?" she chuckled, then raised her voice. "So it was really Bogard who found us then? He always has to do the work for you, eh, Garp?"

Garp huffed. "I did my best! Now why did you all run to North Blue? I heard something about Cipher Pol and a Celestial Dragon?"

"Yeah, go grab Bogard and I'll set up some drinks, then we can talk all about it," Rouge said. "And put down my kid while you're at it."

"Right, right. So Traffy isn't yours or Rogers?"

"Nope."

"Then why did Luffy say he was like Ace?"

Rouge raised a brow. "He's a nature witch."

Law made a cutting throat gesture to Luffy when the idiot began to open his mouth. Luffy's mouth instantly clamped shut, the kid growing pale.

"Ace found himself a cousin?" Garp grinned. "Bwahahaha, nice one!" He dropped the pair. "Alright, I'll go grab Bogard and we'll have a drink. A toast even! Nice to see you kids making some friends-" Garp went to turn away, then paused mid-step and eyed them. "Good friends right? None of you are gonna be pirates right?"

"I want to be a doctor," Law said.

It wasn't exactly a lie.

"Yep!" Penguin and Shachi choked out. "What he said!"

"Way too smart for these idiots." Garp grinned. "Looks like they did find a good set of friends then! Bwahahaha!"

Once he disappeared into the forest Rouge sighed heavily.

"Sabo, please tell Dragon what just happened, and maybe get him to prepare a second hideout."

"He already did," Dragon said, and Law watched the den den mushi's face change its features. "Bogard is as tricky as ever. I can't believe he managed to track you down."

"Garp is like a bloodhound," Rouge mused. "And you, Luffy, have got to keep your mouth shut about Law. If he learns about Law and how the Marines are after him then Garp might kidnap Law, and then you wouldn't get to be hanging around him anymore, now would you?"

Luffy looked horrified. "He can't take Traffy away!"

"Exactly, so he's a nature witch!" Ace insisted.

"And nothing about his devil fruit either. Not that you really understand it," Shachi said sharply.

"It's a weird fruit," Luffy said, scratching his nose.

"Yeah, stick to that," Penguin ordered, then sighed. "Law, you and Ace are in the most danger here, but especially you right now with so many people knowing about you."

"Not just him anymore. Cipher Pol know about Ace too and have spread the information around I imagine after what happened in Goa Kingdom," Rouge said.

"You had bodies hung form trees," Dragon said. "Of course that information got out."

"I could have just slaughtered everyone and everything, Dragon," Rouge said cheerfully. "That would have kept that information nice and secret."

"I'm so glad she's on our side," Shachi whispered to Law.

So was Law. She was a very good safety net right now, and Law would miss the day he couldn't rely on her. They couldn't stay hidden on Notice forever though. Law knew of all people that nowhere was safe forever.

.::.

Ace watched as Gramps and Bogard entered their home with mum right by their side holding Sabo's den den mushi. None of the others followed them inside, instead Law gestured towards the town.

"We can hide out there for a while," Law suggested. "As long as nobody does anything crazy."

They all looked at Luffy.

"Yeah, he's the problem," Shachi huffed. "But I suppose we can try our best to keep him quiet."

They walked off into the forest towards the village, but Ace slowed down so he could be beside Law. Law eyed him, but said nothing, merely waited until Ace sorted out his thoughts. Law had accepted him being that bastard's son so easily, Shachi and Penguin had looked shocked and horrified, and even Bepo looked shocked, but Law had been so calm about it.

"You said they called you a monster?" Ace asked quietly.

"When I was sick with Amber Lead I had white patches all over my skin. It's the biggest sign that shows someone is sick with it," Law said. "I was called a lot of things, monster being one of them, all for having a disease that wasn't even contagious."

Ace faltered. "I don't know how Gramps can work for them when the World Government does stuff like that..."

"Same with the events on Baterilla," Law said. "Rouge-ya informed me of what happened to her when she explained haki to me."

"Haki?" Ace blinked.

"She said she'll teach you all of it when you're older. Right now we're just on the theory of it," Law explained.

"And that guy, Cora-san, you call him? How do you feel about him working for the Marines?" Ace asked.

"Frustrated that he lied to me, but I understand why he did so considering I would have fought him tooth and nail, and in my poor condition it wouldn't have went well," Law said. "I trust him and I love him dearly, he's my hero, but I won't go to the Marines for what they did to my family either, no matter how much I care about him."

Law's frown deepened. "Besides, we're both witches, if we're caught we'll be escorted to Mariejois unless a deal is made for us. I doubt you and I are able to so easily make a deal with the Marines though."

"I could see you doing if it you were being sneaky I suppose," Ace mused. "But me? Nah!"

Law chuckled. "I suppose not unless your grandpa personally delivers the deal."

Ace paled. "Yeah, I might then..."

Gramps was terrifying after all.

.::.

"So you're going to train them here?" Garp mused.

"Yeah, after what happened back in Goa I thought the best idea would be to run with all the kids, then Traffy and his friends saved Luffy's life," Rouge explained. "He got tossed into the ocean so Traffy and his friends fished him out. Ever since then we've all been living together."

She was careful to leave some details out. If Garp had read any reports this 'Cora-san' had made or Kuzan then things could turn sour fast. Garp might just demand her to hand Law over, and she'd kill Garp first. Law was one of her kids now, along with his little Heart Pirates, so like hell she was going to let them kidnap the last Trafalgar witch.

Not on her bloody watch.

"I will train them in secret and let them do whatever they wish to do afterwards."

"Train them to be Marines!" Garp demanded.

"Pfft!" Rouge cackled.

"Don't cackle at me!"