One Piece 1. Chapter 1

**A/N: A Law x Oc story that has been plaguing me for sometime now, badgering me to write and upload it. It should hopefully be completed in ten chapters, fifteen max. The story is rated M for mature content, such as language, sex and other naughty things. I promise this is no Mary-Sue. The story mainly revolves around Law, which by the way I really hope I got a good grasp on his character since he could be a tricky one to portray, so if anyone has and suggestions, comments or criticisms please feel free to inform and correct me in a review. Hope you enjoy :)**

**I don't own One Piece  
**

The infirmary had always been his safe haven for when sinister thoughts ran wild as they often did, itching for limbs to slice and dice, mix and match as he pleased. Latex and rubbing alcohol filled the young surgeon's nostrils, bringing him a sense of comfort as he stared at the empty operating table with a frown. How could he satisfy his twisted need to reconstruct a human being when he lacked a body to work on? People have been in a good state of health nowadays and Trafalgar Law couldn't help his feeling of disappointment.

Law began the lengthy process of decontaminating his tools, a process which he considered 'bonding time' with the instruments that aided him in countless surgeries. Law had always been very in tune with his tools and operating space, detecting even the slightest changes or differences in his territory, such as his table being moved too many inches to the left or whether his tools have been touched. In this particular case, he notices an unusual amount of silence. It was rather distracting.

Law listened carefully to the silence, trying to decipher the foreign language. It was by standing completely still in concentration did he discover the lack of faint, miniscule vibrations that usually coursed throughout his submarine. This fact led to the realization that the usual, practically inaudible hum of life from his vessel was no longer present and rose great concern in Law.

His ship had a malfunction, a sickness that can only be cured by a mechanic; a qualification he himself and the rest of his crew lack.

He quickly left the comfort of his infirmary and headed straight for the control room, which is usually under the ex-pirate captain, Jean Bart's supervision.

"What's the diagnosis?" Law sighs.

"Unexpected engine failure. We can't fix it but we can get a replacement when we hit land." The large man explains.

"Very well then. See if you can bring us to surface so we can put the sails in place."

"Yes, Captain."

Hands in his pockets, Law exited the room without another word. Sails were slow and tedious, tacking on an extra day or two to their estimated sixteen-hour journey but hiccups like this were to be expected one way or another. The submarine let out a loud moan of protest as she used what was left of her engine strength to bring the crew to the ocean's surface.

Law stepped out to the deck, pleased to see that his crewmates have already gone to work on retrieving the sails but unfortunately their cooperation with each other was less than desirable.

"Dammit Shachi, you're gonna end up putting our logo upside down again!"

"I know what I'm doing Penguin so shut your trap!"

The two crewmates played tug of war with the sails until a certain white bear decided enough was enough.

"Just give me the sails you two! Captain wants these up right away and you're wasting time!" Bepo growls, grabbing a fist full of sail to yank out of Shachi and Penguin's hands but when he does, the long, dreadful sound of torn fabric immediately puts an end to the argument.

"Congratulations," Law speaks, his calm tone having the opposite effect on his crewmembers who stiffen in pure horror. "It appears you have sealed our fate and damned us all."

With no engines or sails, the submarine is just a sitting duck out in the unforgiving ocean and it was only a matter of time before provisions were depleted, resulting in a slow death of starvation. The clumsy crewmates run about the deck as the situation finally sinks in, striking panic. The three throw themselves at their captain's feet, looking up at him with desperation.

"What are we going to do, Captain?" Bepo whines.

For the first time ever, Law hadn't the slightest idea what the next course of action should be. The strategic surgeon always had a secondary plan for every possible scenario that could occur on his ship but he had never taken account for his crew's stupidity.

Law shakes the paws that clutched the bottom of his spotted pants with a heavy sigh. "I don't know Bepo, but considering that this is your mess, I suggest you start working on a solution."

With that being said, Law turns on his heel, leaving the three of them to decide on how to reverse this situation.

* * *

Law sat at the desk in his cabin, arms folded to rest his head as his mind slowly slips into the brink of insanity. Several weeks have gone by, two in which he hasn't had a bite to eat and his mind of medical expertise envisions the step by step breakdown of his body, which he estimates to be at the stage of getting nourishment from protein, deteriorating what muscle mass he had on his lean form. It drove the doctor mad, being well aware of the physiological consequences of starvation yet there was nothing he could do about it. If left in his own thoughts any longer, Law was pretty sure he would succumb to lunacy before death.

Fortunately enough, the urgent rapping on his door pulled him away from his thoughts, delaying the mania just a little while longer.

"Captain! We're saved! It's a miracle!"

Law's head snapped up and alert, the excitement and happiness in Shachi and Penguin's voices foreign as he had grown accustomed to the groaning and sheer misery of his crewmembers aboard the malfunctioned vessel. Law quickly stood to his feet, fighting away the faint dizziness as he opened the door and allowed the two men to lead him to the source of their salvation.

Law followed them outside the deck and his lips quickly fell into a frown, as this was not the miracle he had been hoping for. Next to his submarine was a traditional pirate ship whose freakish crewmembers were in the process of tethering his ship to their own. Some sported horns, while others had green skin but almost all of them had some form of reptilian features. Law studied the men, his surgical instinct indicating that their strange appearance was all due to heavy body modifications. Law couldn't help his swell of pride knowing he had much better taste in redesigning human beings than the surgeon who decided to create these monstrosities.

Law went back to focusing on his displeasure of the situation. They were being rescued and he did not like it one bit. To be rescued is to be in debt and his reputation was far too notorious to allow him to accept assistance even from a fellow pirate. His attention turned to Bepo who appeared to be having a distanced conversation with one of the members on board the mystery ship.

"What is the meaning of this?" Law asked in a dark tone.

"A pirate ship that crossed paths with us. The captain was generous enough to lend us a helping hand by escorting us to the nearest island and even sharing her supplies!" Bepo answered all too excitedly.

Law raised an eyebrow in slight amusement but his frown remained. "Her?"

"Why, hello there!" a feminine voice shouted from afar.

Law looked up toward the ship, which had several feet more than his own vessel, catching the woman who he assumed to be captain yet she held no characteristics that resembled her henchmen. Her chin rested in one hand, her elbow supported by her ships ledge while her other hand waved lazily at them.

"You're lucky that teddy bear of yours is so adorable because I would have disregarded you otherwise." Although her voice was raised so her words could reach across to them, it held a soft and mature smoothness to it.

"Although I appreciate your consideration, we are perfectly capable on our own."

Bepo gasps loudly. "Captain, your crazy! We're in no shape to deny help!"

The woman frowns at Law. "I'd have to disagree due to the fact your crewmates are ransacking my kitchen right now for food. So please, don't insult me."

Law was not happy with this notion but smiled that dark smile of his nonetheless.

"Well if that's the case, then I will just have to accept your offer and trust that my crew did not allow their desperation to cloud their better judgment."

"Hopefully you can trust your crew to leave you some food. Now come on board and make yourselves at home." She says with a casualness that made Law wonder how she even reached this far as a pirate with such a trusting attitude in the New World. His thoughts briefly fall on a certain rubber man.

Although his honor told him to stay on his ship, close to his beloved infirmary and tools, Law's stomach growled, erasing any thoughts of that being an option. Her offer was indeed tempting but was she trustworthy? Law would just have to keep on his toes as he always did while he uses up whatever supplies she had to offer. With his mind set, he hesitantly boards the unfamiliar vessel with Bepo.

The mystery captain is nowhere to be found which didn't really concern Law. His mind was too preoccupied with the thought of finally ingesting something for the first time in two weeks, his stomach giving him a sharp hunger pang of anticipation. The faint clatter of utensils could be heard, indicating that they are not too far away from the kitchen and the two Heart Pirates followed the noises, leading them behind large, burgundy double doors.

Law entered to see the satisfied faces of his crew members as they sat back in their chairs, boiler suits unzipped to bring some relief to their protruding bellies filled with food. He was pleased to see that they have set a generous amount aside, taking their captain into consideration.

He opted for a dish with diversity in nutrients to replenish his protein, carbs, amino acids and so on and although he ate with patience and leisure, he fought the urge to just shovel it all in. Flavors can become so much more overwhelming when the tongue hasn't tasted anything but its own saliva for two weeks.

"I see you found the kitchen." A soft voice states. Law turns to see the lady captain leaning against the doorframe with her arms folded.

"As a matter of fact, I have." He answers with a casual smile.

She didn't appear to be bothered by his polite form of sarcasm. "I'm going to brew a pot of coffee. Would you and your crew like some?"

Law glanced over at his crew, who nodded eagerly at the offer. He turns back to the unnamed captain.

"It would be most appreciated."

Her smile is genuine as she picked herself from the doorframe and walked over to the kitchen counter to gather the tools necessary. While she busied herself with boiling some water, Law took the time to analyze her from behind and although the calm and collected doctor knew how to suppress signs of surprise or shock, his mind is screaming _what…the…fuck._

Law casually scanned the faces of his crewmates, amazed at how her appearance didn't seem to faze them the slightest bit. Perhaps they got over the initial shock when negotiating the extent of her assistance or perhaps they were just being very, _very polite._

The long tail swayed gently in time with her movements, the black scales holding almost a deep midnight blue under the right lighting. At the tip were two fins, which Law concluded their purpose was to steer when she was in the air, considering they greatly resembled the equally black wings that she kept folded tightly to her back. Although these features held no signs of being artificially attached, Law knew better than to believe that something of this caliber could possibly exist naturally in nature.

"Zoan fruit, I assume?" he asks behind a bored, somewhat unfazed tone, which resembled nothing to the thoughts buzzing through his head. Whatever this creature was, she was a medical wonder and Law couldn't help but fantasize about her on his operating table, studying her strange anatomy with his trusty scalpel.

"Mythical-Zoan, to be precise." She says as she strains the water through a filter containing the coffee grounds. Law releases a brief chuckle, which catches her attention, causing her to look over her shoulder for an explanation to what he may possibly find so humorous about that fact.

"I apologize, it's just that I would expect something more…extravagant…from a Mythical-Zoan, such as a phoenix or a grand daibutsu."

"And a dragon is not an extravagant creature?" Her tone is more amused rather than offended, despite the slight jab to her ability, which she takes much pride in. Although she sets some cups and the coffee pot in the center of the tables for the Heart Pirates to help themselves, she personally prepares and serves a cup for Law.

"If it makes a difference in your opinion, this is just a hybrid form that I've grown accustomed to walking around in. Maybe you can catch a glimpse of what I really look like if your lucky. Perhaps then you can form a solid opinion." She says, winking a ruby red eye before preparing her own cup and seating herself on the counter top. Law sent his trademark smirk her way, taking her suggestion into consideration.

Law sipped at the hot beverage, savoring the strong, robust flavor as the liquid slid down his throat, sending a wave of satisfaction to warm him from the inside out. It's been much too long without his favorite hot drink that almost always accompanied him when he reviewed the medical textbooks in his study.

He felt her eyes upon him, watching with a smile as he enjoyed the beverage that he will never take for granted again.

"It's decaffeinated, considering the dark circles under your eyes. You need to sleep."

Law rested his chin in his hand, smiling up at her with composed fascination. He noted her dress code was different compared to the women he's seen in the New World, who usually opt for wandering around half naked in revealing clothes. The only considerable amount of skin that was shown were her creamy thighs, which had garters lined down the front to hold up her sheer black stockings, accompanied by black knee-high boots. She wore black, high-waist shorts with the front of a lightweight, slouchy sweater tucked in messily, also the same color.

The single color scheme made her look sleek and mysterious, perhaps similar to a panther if one just removed the wings and tail. Law's mind pondered the thought, idly wondering if given the opportunity, he would slice off her unique appendages to store and save for a future, twisted experiment on human anatomy.

"Your concern for someone whom you just met is quite adorable."

"Feels like I've known you forever, since your name has been quite popular nowadays, Trafalgar Law." She smiled before taking a sip from her cup.

"Funny, since I have never seen your face on poster anywhere. So exactly whom do I owe my gratitude?"

"Ember."

"Ember," he repeats, tasting the flavor of her name. "Who would have thought, a shichibukai such as myself, receiving assistance from a novice in the pirating world." Surely Law would have never thought in a million years. This will just have to be something he will take to the grave

"We all have to start somewhere," she states. "And you certainly don't seem so gracious, lacing your polite tone with sarcasm."

"Usually I am much worse," he says. "But I am just merely making fun. Think of it it as a peculiar way of me expressing my fondness for you already."

Ember releases a short laugh. "That's what mothers say when the boys start to pick on their daughters. Just be grateful that I have endless amounts of patience"

"As do I," Law replies smoothly as a dark smile curls at the corner of lips. "I have a feeling something wonderful can blossom from this arrangement we have."

"Is that sincerity or sarcasm? I'm finding it difficult to tell."

Law remained silent, his smile widening slightly at the curious creature before him. The gears of his twisted mind began to slowly stir, shrugging off the rust that has formed over the long months of having an empty infirmary as they now slowly grind, generating new, dark ideas. He closed his eyes, smiling around the rim of his cup as he took a sip of the delicious liquid, leaving Ember to determine which of the two he's referring to on her own.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Just wanted to thank the wonderful people who took the time to review! It was the first chapter and i honestly wasn't expecting much but I was pleasantly surprised! Love you, beautiful souls!**

"Captain Ember! We've finished securing the Heart Pirate's submarine. It should trail behind our ship nicely." Said a dark skinned man with a forked tongue, who bustled through the double doors to deliver the news.

"Wonderful. Hoist up the anchor and resume our previous course."

"And where exactly are we going?" Law drawls, lazily swishing the coffee around in his cup.

"Just a little island close by for the sole purpose of restocking supplies. Perhaps there's a good mechanic to get your engine fixed."

"Perhaps there is."

"Are you really Trafalgar Law?" Ember's crewmember interrupts. "The Surgeon of Death?"

"Yes, that is I," Law answers, smiling darkly at the man. "Who wants to know?"

The man eagerly takes a seat across from Law, unable to contain his enthusiasm. "Please Mister Trafalgar, sir. It would be such an honor if you would perform a modification surgery on me."

Law released a short chuckle of amusement, looking down at his coffee with a smile as he ponders the request. Although it would be nice to have some flesh to work on after so long, it's no fun when they're on the operating table willingly.

"Now Komodo, don't you think that's a very demanding req-"

"I accept." Law interjects.

Ember eyes dart toward the doctor suspiciously, wondering if it's safe to trust this man with the well being of one of her own. He isn't exactly called the Surgeon of Life.

"Is there an infirmary of some sort located on your ship?" Law asks the baffled lady captain. She hesitates before answering, uncertainty apparent in her voice.

"Well, yes. On the upper deck but you don't exactly have to agree to this."

"I do things on my own accord Miss Ember, and I accept the task simply to keep the boredom at bay."

With that being said, Law rose to his feet, allowing the all too eager patient to lead him to the operating space. As they slipped through the double doors, Ember glances at the table of Heart Pirates with great concern.

"No need to worry miss, although his epithet is Surgeon of Death, he hasn't had one fatality under his care." Bepo reassures.

She sighs. "I hope so, Teddy Bear."

* * *

Law begins to reconsider taking up the job as he enters something that looks rather similar to a shabby tattoo parlor. Graffiti art decorated the four walls and by the way the used needles and numbing agents were left scattered and undisposed properly, Law immediately knew that there was no true doctor on the ship. Just amateurs with experience equal to an artistic criminal in a jail cell, using whatever materials at their disposal.

"So in what shape or form do you wish to desecrate yourself today?" Law asked as he put on some latex gloves he found. He wouldn't dare touch anything in the room without them.

"I want horns implanted onto my head, big ones." He says, pointing to a certain drawer. "Look in there."

Law opens the drawer, suppressing a chuckle as he pulls out two horns, which he assumes to be from some breed of goat.

"For a firm hold, a craniotomy is necessary, which means I will have to open and remove a small portion of skull. Do you consent?"

"Whatever you need to do, doc. Its hard to find someone willing to take on this kind of job."

"That is because no surgeon is capable of stomaching this kind of work, unlike myself." Law said with a dark smirk as he gathers the tools that may prove the most useful since there wasn't a single instrument with a purpose intended for this kind of procedure.

Injecting some horse tranquilizer, since it was probably very difficult for this crew to get their hands on legitimate anesthesia, Law put his patient under. He fondled the tools awkwardly, not particularly liking the way they felt in his hands simply because they weren't his own, but it still brought great relief to finally have a body to play with nonetheless, especially a procedure so dark and taboo.

Lips curling into that sinister smile, eyes bright with the thrill of cutting into flesh, Law got to work on the man's head.

* * *

The Heart captain wipes away a spatter of blood that landed on his cheek when he sawed into the man's cranium. He took off the gloves that were once white and tossed them into the trash, pleased to hear the man beginning to stir awake from the heavy sedative. Once semi-conscious, Komodo immediately reaches over for the hand mirror located on the tray of bloodied tools. When he sees his reflection, he appeared on the verge of a joyous breakdown.

"I look absolutely stunning!"

Holding his chin with thought, Law observed the man admiring his new features. He has never concerned himself with other peoples' motives behind their actions simply because he didn't care enough to ask, but this particular case was a different story.

"I usually refrain from probing into another's business but I can't help but question your reasoning behind these pointless alterations to yourself."

His eyes never leaving the mirror, Komodo answers. "We try to mirror Captain Ember's appearance as our own way of showing our loyalty and admiration to her strength and ability."

Law's lips form into a sarcastic smile. "If I may share my opinion, I must say that none of you come even close to comparison of her apperance."

"We can only try, Doc. Anyways its time for me to show off my new look. Thanks for the work, it's amazing!"

"Well of course is it, it was done by me."

As Komodo proceeded on his way out through the door, Law saw the curious red gems of Ember peering from around the doorframe. Upon discovery, she revealed the rest of her person and entered the room.

"That was an awfully long procedure. I was beginning to worry you killed him."

"Well if he died, it certainly would not be from my doing, but more of a staph infection from the sheer filth of this place." Law said with absolute disgust. "I truly hope that you haven't received any type of care within these four walls."

Ember laughed. "Well this used to be a medical room until my crew turned it into an artistic playground. Besides, it's more for their use since I detest entering doctor clinics."

A hint of something dark played within the smoldering grey of Law's eyes. "Is that so? Can I safely assume that it has been some time since you have received some form of a physical or check up?"

"Yes, since I can't determine whether to go to a doctor or a veterinarian."

"Well, if you allow me to take a detailed look, I can accurately refer you to the appropriate specialist." Law's neutral smile caused Ember's eyes to darken with suspicion as she struggled to determine the true motive behind his offer.

"If I even see an attempt to reach for a needle or-"

"Miss Ember, please. You are insulting my credibility as a doctor by assuming I would touch you with such contaminated tools." _My own tools however.._.

Using some cotton balls and rubbing alcohol, Law disinfected the earpieces of a stethoscope, the only health related tool he has found so far. Ember eyed it with distrust.

"This will not be painful. If it was, I would be much more excited. Now sit yourself on the counter since this medical recliner is an absolute disgrace."

She begrudgingly did as she was told, watching the surgeon as he put the pieces in his ears. When Law began to untuck the front of her sweater from the inside of her shorts, she held his wrists in a firm grip, eyes bright red and filled with warning.

"I will be unable to hear your heart beat if the chest piece is over your clothes." He stated calmly.

With an annoyed sigh, she releases her hold, allowing Law's tattooed hands glide underneath the loose garment with ease. When the piece makes contact with Ember's skin, she releases a short gasp. Law eyes catch hers in an analytic gaze, studying her expression carefully for the potential problem.

"It's cold." She says with irritation.

The frown from the false alarm quickly fades as his face falls into a deep concentration, moving the piece around from beneath her shirt in search for the best sound quality of her heart. The loud thrumming of the muscle beating erratically within her chest was music to Law's ears as it wasn't due to a health complication but the all too familiar pattern of _fear._

Law smirks, looking at her with dark eyes. "Am I making you uncomfortable?" he asked. "There is nothing to be afraid of."

"There is when I'm receiving a physical from the Surgeon of Death."

The Heart captain released a sound of amusement as he removed the stethoscope. His skilled fingers then reached for her face, holding her jaw and chin in a gentle grip as he tilts her head to look toward the dim light bulb that dangled from the ceiling. Such a simple form of control sent a strange thrill throughout his body but one can never tell through his stoic features.

"Hardly. Although you would not want to know the things I would do for the opportunity to have you on my operating table." he tells her. "Look up into the light."

Ember did what was commanded of her so Law can study the dilation of her cat-like irises. "I can't tell whether I should be flattered or frightened."

Law reaches for a jar of tongue compressors located along the countertop and by pulling down on her chin, he silently tell hers to open up. "I will leave that up to you to decide," he says as he pushes down on her tongue with the wooden stick. Law's grey eyes lighten with interest. "Well, what do we have here?"

The back of her throat was pitch black causing Law to painfully stretch her jaw wider for a closer look. Using the stick, he poked the area and was surprised to hear a soft tapping sound, indicating that it was hardened. Law smirked evilly.

"Well this certainly raises some questions, such as what on earth is this hardened material? And what kind of practice have you come across to have such a disciplined gag reflex?"

A burst of fire suddenly erupted from the back of her throat, causing Law to curse and drop the compressor on the floor where it burned for several moments before being snuffed by his foot.

"Sorry about that, I seemed to have choked when you prodded me with your stick. What were you saying about my gag reflex?" Ember said rather smugly.

Law smirked. Normally in the rarest of occasions when someone has caught him off guard, they weren't together as a whole for very long to celebrate the fact, but Law couldn't find it in himself to be upset. How could he be mad at this woman, this beautiful creature who held so many unusual and interesting physiological secrets? Ember was something fresh and new for his intellectual mind to study and grasp and the more time he spent trying to figure her out, the more it grew into an obsession.

"What happened to the endless amount of patience you so confidently spoke of?"

"There's an exception to being under the heavy scrutiny of a doctor who isn't exactly known for saving lives."

"I see. Well, allow me to complete one more test before we draw a conclusion to your check up."

Ember looked up toward the ceiling as if silently asking the gods the reasoning behind her torture. It's when she felt the warm hands of Law snake back under her shirt to flip the cups of her bra, did she quickly return back to the reality of her situation. Like lighting, her hands quickly snatched his forearms; stiletto nails digging into the tanned skin painfully as her eyes shone bright with warning. She looked absolutely dangerous and Law_ loved it._

"I am simply examining for cancerous lumps or tumors." He said calmly, fighting the dark smirk that wanted to curl at his lips. Law has found himself smiling a lot lately. This female was just too amusing for his own good as every button he pushed showed him an interesting feature about the peculiar creature before him.

"I highly doubt that doctors frisk their patients like this."

"It's quite a common practice actually. You would know if you would frequent a medical clinic more often than none."

Ember looked at Law with eyes that silently asked if this is really necessary.

"It will be quick."

She released his forearms without a complaint, not even a huff of annoyed breath as Law resumed his course of action. Careful and precise fingers maintained a strict level of professionalism as they circled and kneaded her breasts in search of anything out of the ordinary and although he found nothing to be alarmed about, he did notice that her skin was not soft the way a normal woman's should be. Not that it bothered him because he thoroughly enjoyed how she was anything but normal yet he was curious about the flesh that held such an interesting texture like leather. His fingers appear to be taking a liking to it as they trail down toward her sides and back up to her collarbone, fingertips studying the mysterious flesh.

"I'm assuming this isn't part of the exam?"

"I don't detect any signs of a potential skin disorder so I am curious about texture." he explains.

"Oh that. It's some kind of dragon skin. Rough and tough."

Law's hand snuck up through the collar of her shirt to hold chin so she can look directly in her eyes. "You, Miss Ember, are an absolute marvel." He said in a velvety whisper.

Red eyes eyed him suspiciously, unfazed by the compliment. "What is this fascination you have with me?"

Law chuckled, leaning forward so she can feel his hot breath in her ear. "I am a very dark and complex man, Miss Ember, and I enjoy studying equally dark and complex things."

He slowly arranged her bra back to its rightful position and withdrew himself and his his hands just in time before the door opened, revealing Komodo.

"We're about to dock Captain."

Law smiled inwardly as he noticed the faintest flush of Embers cheeks that competed with her ability to maintain a face of indifference. It appears he got a reaction from her after all.

"Alright," she started after clearing her throat and hopping off the counter "Split the crew into pairs so we can get what we need quickly. I do not want to spend any more time than necessary here."

"Yes Captain." He said before making his way off. Ember was about to follow him out until Law called out to her.

"Will you come back to me later for your results?" he said as he casually leaned against the counter with arms folded.

Ember glared at the smug surgeon. "I think I would much rather go get a second opinion." With that, she left Law by himself in the room, which was a big mistake.

You _never _leave Trafalgar Law alone in his own thoughts, allowing him to plan his next move accordingly.

* * *

It was late afternoon and Law was pleased to see Ember returning with her men from supply shopping, carrying lots of heavy boxes filled with essentials. He was getting rather bored watching the mechanic they have found to tend to his ship's needs and quite frankly, he missed the witty exchanges between him and his lovely new acquaintance but more so, he was eager to put his idea into action.

Ember approached the Heart Captain with caution, purposely keeping a distance she deemed comfortable for herself. "So what's the estimated time it will take to fix your engine?" she asked.

"A day or two approximately."

"Oh. Well I am glad I could be of service to you and your crew and I do wish you the best." She said shortly before continuing her way.

"Why, thank you Miss Ember but if I may ask a question," Law says in a very dark voice. Ember catches a smile she has never seen him wear before and it strikes a sense of unease but stands her ground. "What shall you do with all those supplies when you don't have a ship to put them on?"

Ember looks at him rather perplexed. She knows better than to believe such a smart man like Law has had a moment of stupidity so he had to be up to something. She looks at her ship that was bobbing gently along the docks and looks back at him suspiciously. "My ship is right where it should be so I can't say I understand what you're talking about."

Law chuckled darkly. "_Room"_

A blue aurora stretched over a great distance covering everything in its path, including Embers ship. Her eyes shot toward the Shichibukai, glaring menacingly.

"Law…" she warned, her voice shaky as she struggled to maintain the rage from peaking out beneath her composure.

He smiled before uttering the single word that will lead to her downfall. "_Tact"_

Ember, her crew and a large crowd that has now gathered watched in horror as her ship became suspended in mid air, miscellaneous items from the deck falling into the ocean with a splash. With several swift moments from his nodachi, Law sliced the vessel like butter, scattering the levitating pieces across the ocean with dismissive hand movement.

As the very last bits of what used to be her pirate ship sank beneath the surface to meet their grave on the ocean floor, Law casually strolled over to Ember who had collapsed onto her knees. Crouching to her level, he tilted her chin ever so gently so he could get a perfect look of the glassy red eyes that refused to spill tears.

"Now then, I will ask you again," he said in a smooth voice. "What shall you do with all those supplies when you don't have a ship to put them on?"


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Just a little warning of some steaminess located somewhere within this mess of almost four thousand words. And the fact that I'm no chemist, which you'll understand what i mean also within this mess of almost four thousand words but i swear there's a surprise at the end if you just push through it! Also to my wonderful, amazing, beautiful reviewers...I love you! Thank you for the awesome feedback!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece**

Law was slightly concerned that he may have played a little too rough with his new toy, breaking her far sooner than he had expected as she remained on her knees, her mind struggling to grasp the overwhelming amount of devastation that took place in a matter of seconds. Her hands were cupped over her mouth to prevent a scream that threatened to rise but never did due to the immense shock that caused it to be stuck somewhere within her throat. The treasures she had earned, the years of obtaining the necessary maps and log poses, her clothes and keepsakes, all gone with a just swift gesture of Law's nimble finger.

"C-captain?" several of her crewmates called out cautiously to her. They were all too familiar with what usually comes next after someone has deeply crossed the Zoan user.

Ember ignored the concerned calls from her crewmembers and looked up at the shichibukai from her position on her knees, eyes glassy with stubborn tears that refused to ruin what was left of her dignity.

"Looks like rescuing your lot proved to be a big waste," she said darkly. "Considering now under the certain circumstances, you were going to die anyway."

"I would be delighted to see your best attempt." Law answered.

His casual response dug a way underneath Ember's tough skin that just infuriated her to an unnecessary degree. Destroying her ship then questioning her ability to do something about it just rubbed her the wrong way, yet a small sense of comfort made all of this slightly easier to bear, knowing that this will be the last time he will take a jab at her credibility.

Leaning forward on her hands to be on all fours, she allowed the rage to take hold from the tight coil within her being, coursing throughout her body like a raging fire. It traveled to the tips of her fingers down to her toes as her limbs began to lose their human characteristics and morph into something unrecognizable. Sharp horns sprouted from her head, skin stretching until it tore, revealing a black scaly mass underneath that grew and grew until towered above anything else on the island.

Law watched in slight amusement as she took form of her Mythical Zoan, an enormous black dragon whose wingspan was large enough to spread over several shops and homes. He couldn't help but smile to himself as he recalled their previous conversation about whether her Zoan animal is to be considered an extravagant creature. Law figured that as a man who lives by a certain honor system, he could remember to share his new solid opinion that maybe the creature does fit the criteria. Who knows? Perhaps the compliment and the ability to admit that he underestimated her ability would ease the pain of her inevitable defeat.

Spectating villagers began to disperse in panic as the sheer mass of her form shrouded the small town in a dark shade like an eclipse, creating an ominous setting. The ground trembled beneath her talons as she approached Law who wore a rather bored expression.

"You sure know how to piss off the right people Captain," Shachi whispered, unconsciously taking several paces back along with his other crewmates who were doing the same. Law however did the exact opposite, taking casual steps toward her as if he was on his way to greet a friend he hasn't seen in ages.

"Miss Ember, I do understand you may be upset with the loss of your ship, but I would be more than willing to return the favor by allowing you to reside among my vessel, considering you have no where else to go."

Ember went to strike Law with sharp teeth that craved for the crunch of his bones but only ended up with a mouthful of dirt when he dodged her attack.

The Heart captain wore a frown of disappointment. "It appears your anger is clouding your better judgment. Allow me to clear the fog. _Room."_

The familiar blue film formed a dome around the two captains and from the experience of several moments ago; Ember knew that it signified the first step to something disastrous. With wings spread in preparation to fly, her enormous size caused some delay in which Law took no time in using it to his advantage. A swift swing from his nodachi had Ember's wings on the floor, eliciting a cry of sheer terror from the dragon.

But he didn't stop there. Distracted by the sight of her wings convulsing on the ground, Law used this second opportunity to slice one of her front legs and like a crazed lumberjack, he cut her down limb by limb until she was left as an immobile stump. Unable to enter the dome without the risk of getting dismembered, Ember's crew could only watch in horror as their captain became stripped of her defenses.

But Ember still possessed one last trick up her sleeve, opening her mouth wide to prepare for her major offensive attack. Law detected the faint smell of gas in the air followed by a flickering of light deep within her opened jaws as a burst of scorching flame erupted, which he just barely avoided.

Getting frustrated with her misses, her long neck thrashed around wildly, spewing the flames all around with no particular aim or precision. Heart pirates and her own crew took cover wherever the flames haven't reached yet and Law was growing rather annoyed by her mindless desperation.

"This simply will not do." He growled before making one final slice down neck, separating it from the rest of her. The flames stopped and Ember began growl and whine in confusion when she couldn't access her fire anymore. Law slung his nodachi over his shoulder, one hand gripping the handle while the other casually resting in his pocket as he strolled over to the completely dismembered creature.

"Now how can I thoroughly explain this to you without getting too scientific," Law asked himself out loud as he climbed onto her face where he plopped down cross-legged along her snout. Red eyes eyed him dangerously and he couldn't help but return a smug look, adding more fuel to the fire that she couldn't access at the moment.

"That little check up I gave you revealed to me a lot of information, which was surprising since I didn't even need to split you open" he says as he rests his stubble covered chin in his hand. "While listening to your heart, I noticed a strange breathing pattern which indicated you had a second pair of lungs, a pair that housed methane gas, considering the black carbonized residue at the back of your throat. Although I'm a surgeon and not a scientist, it wasn't t hard to figure that if I separated your neck from the rest of your body, the methane wouldn't be able to reach your throat, thus ceasing your fire."

Just when Law had gotten comfortable, he quickly hopped off her snout when he felt her tremble beneath him, shriveling down back to human form. Her parts and limbs were still scattered about however, so Law proceeded to collect them and reassemble her although there was no point. She was already broken on the inside.

Once she felt most of herself back to normal, she quickly got to her feet and made an attempt to lunge at the shichibukai but fell face first in the ground. Taking a deep breath, she attempted to remain calm when she realized she was unable to walk. Ember's body has been failing her several times today and she knew it was all due to this sick doctor.

Law whipped Ember's tail around in front of her face teasingly. "A tail provides a sense of balance and equilibrium, Miss Ember. Without it, consider yourself crippled." He said with a twisted smile. "I'm going to hold on to these dragon parts of yours for safe keeping. I don't need you making more of a mess than you already have."

Ember remained on the ground, making no attempt to stand back up and fight. It would just make her look more desperate than she would ever want herself to be and she wasn't going to grind the shards of her broken dignity into an irreversible dust. She needed to save them for when she was ready to rebuild her reputation, which was pretty much non-existent now.

And there was Law, standing above her with that smug smile that she just wanted to rip right off his face. He just stood and watched her wallow in her defeat on the ground, probably feeling so high and mighty knowing he stripped her away of the ability that had molded her into the individual she was today. For the first time since eating her fruit ages ago, she felt like a mortal human, defenseless and naked to the cruel world around her. Out of all the foes to come across in the New World, she had to meet another Devil Fruit user whose powers only purpose was to strip her of her own. It was as if Law held a spoon, scooping out all the deliciousness that was her Devil Fruit ability until there was nothing left, leaving her behind as an empty husk with an inability to swim.

"I _trusted _you." Ember said in a broken whisper. She didn't even bother to look up at Law from the ground, her cheek resting comfortably against the cool earth.

"Which was your biggest mistake but we shall discuss that later. Now cheer up as one of my men will escort you to your new quarters."

Jean Bart scooped her up and slung her over his shoulder like a rag doll and although she didn't protest, her crewmates did for her behalf.

"Where the hell do you think your going with our captain?" Komodo shouts.

"Why, bringing her to my ship of course. Unless you have a course of action planned to stop me." Law says, raising an eyebrow at the lot. By the way they hesitated, he was surprised that they weren't as stupid as he first assumed. They knew better than to take on the Surgeon of Death, which made everything a tad easier for the doctor since he didn't feel like wasting time on something that didn't hold a challenge. "Run along now and find another pirate captain who is willing to let you freeload off their ship."

With that being said, Law turned on his heel, leaving Ember's crew to their own devices as they try to figure out what to do now.

* * *

Ember was tossed, _literally_ tossed into the room where she skidded across the floor and bumped her head against the foot of the bed. While she remained on the floor to allow time for the disorientation to cease, she retraced her steps to determine what her first mistake was that put her in this situation. _Oh right, it was allowing him to board my ship_. If this was Law's plan all along, she couldn't help but applaud the man for his amazing skill at deceit. Here she was, thinking she was fulfilling her good deed of the day when all along he was simply just plotting against her.

Which is what confused Ember to the greatest degree. What was his motive behind going out of his way to ruin her? It definitely couldn't be for competition purposes; she was just a novice, a guppy in a sea full of pirates swimming around decades of experience. He couldn't possibly feel threatened by her so what could the underlying factor be?

The total amount of time Ember spent on the ground today was enough to motivate her to get on her feet. She crawled toward a desk in the room, reaching for the edges so it could provide some support when she stood herself up and like a drunken man trying to find his way back to his hotel, she took awkward footsteps toward the door, hands grasping at the wall for balance.

Just when she was about to turn the knob, the door opened on it's own, revealing the last man she wanted to see.

"I must say, your determination for escape despite your current condition is quite admirable." Law says, tilting his head ever so slightly to look at her as if watching her struggle was the cutest thing he has ever seen. He was somewhat relieved that she still had some fight in her or else there would be no excitement in the process of taming this creature. "Allow me to help."

Law spun her around and pushed her so that she fell face forward on the desk. When she attempted to straighten herself, he held her head down firmly against the surface, keeping her bent over the furniture.

"Don't you think you have helped me enough?" she growled, trying to turn her head to look behind her but Law would have none of that. She didn't like this strange submissive position she was in and she certainly didn't like her enemy being where she couldn't see them. She writhed underneath the pressure of his hand until he dangled her tail in front of her face, which was enough to make her stop immediately.

"I can reattach this back to its proper place if you simply behave yourself." Law stated. He was pleased to see her relax against the surface of the desk, only to tense back up again when his hands reached forward from behind her to fumble with the buttons of her high waist shorts. "I need to lower these just a tad so I can align it properly with your spine. _Room"_

The blue aurora returned to circle them both and Law didn't need a degree in psychology to know that his power left a traumatic scar on Ember, who had begun to shift nervously beneath his hand.

"Is this blue circle of yours really necessary?" she asked, voice laced with dread.

"It makes the process easier, unless you prefer I reattach it manually through legitimate surgery which would be a pleasure for me." Ember didn't need to look behind her to know that Law wore his smirk that always made an appearance when finding something dark to be humorous. With a sigh, she complied with the doctors wishes, even ignoring the hands that pushed her sweater up towards her neck, revealing her entire, wingless back.

She felt the nimble fingers of Law prod the three bones at the base of her neck, using that as a starting point as they trailed a slow, careful path down her spine. As best as she tried to fight it, she was unable to suppress the shudder that slightly shook her and she could practically feel his dark grin boring itself into her back. She knew he was taking his time, savoring every bit of her submission and reveling in every slight reaction of unease and discomfort she displayed.

Ember felt Law's groin was practically flush against her rear and she couldn't determine whether it was just unbeknownst to him or just a ploy to make her more uncomfortable than she already was in this compromising position he had her in. She simply tried reassuring herself that it was the first option but by the way he would slightly press himself against her further told her otherwise.

His fingers arrived along her lower back, where they checked and double-checked a particular area to make sure it was the right spot. Ember's body went slack against the desk with relief when she felt her appendage return back to its rightful place. Now all she was missing were her wings. Law immediately responded to her thought as if reading her mind.

"I am keeping your wings as collateral. It would simply break my heart to have you fly away on me."

Ember growled softly, proceeding to straighten herself when Law quickly snatched her, pulling her back against his chest. Possessive arms locked her in with a vice grip, one around her midsection and the other across her chest, hand holding a shoulder firmly. Ember didn't bother with escape. She was curious as to what the doctor could be planning this time.

"What is your reason of keeping me here?" she whispered calmly although her heart was racing. It killed her to have her enemy so close yet not available for her to see.

"I'm simply returning the favor of your generosity by housing you on my ship, since you no longer possess one of your own."

"You're simply delivering a generous amount of cruelty to someone who just saved you and your crew."

Law nuzzled his face against the crook of her neck, chuckling against the textured skin. "I have never met anyone with the ability to match me in the battle of witty remarks the way you do, Miss Ember, and for the record" his index and middle fingers from the hand around her waist made a little walking motion along her stomach, tiptoeing down until they slipped into the lacey underwear left exposed by her undone shorts. "I can deliver a generous amount of _something else_ in particular…"

Law felt her stiffen against him and he could hear her doing her best to maintain steady breaths through her nose, suppressing the urge to pant softly. Whether it be from timidity or slight arousal, Law wasn't going to allow her to keep whatever wonderful sounds she could make to herself.

"I know what game your attempting to play," he whispers almost sadistically into her ear. "And I can assure you that pretending your not enjoying yourself simply to deprive me the satisfaction in making you submit isn't going to work for very long. Your resolve is just not strong enough."

Even though he hit the nail right on the head, Ember was determined to prove him wrong. Her mind screamed to fight against him however, she knew it would frustrate the man to no end if she were to act like he has no effect on her although in reality, it was quite the contrary.

Law usually took his time when toying with his victims but this was now more of a challenge than anything else, so his fingers took no time in going straight for the bundle of nerves that rested above her opening. Ember threw her head back, not even caring that it now rested on Law's shoulder, so long as her lips remained pursed to contain whatever cry that fought to get out. It was a good thing the sensation was wonderfully mind numbing because if she really thought about how it was skillful fingers of Law making her fight back the urge to moan, it would have made her sick.

"Like I said before, your determination is quite admirable," he said with a hot and heavy breath against her neck. The sheer excitement of this little game they were playing was starting to arouse the Heart captain an incredible amount. "But I am a doctor and have a rather extensive amount of knowledge for female anatomy."

With that being said, Law's finger delve deep within her, like a lock pick moving in a certain combination until Ember clicked open. The smirk of succession Law wore almost held a deranged look when Ember cried out in sweet agony that was music to his ears. She was even briefly surprised that she was even capable of such a sound.

Absolutely enraged now by her loss, she had Law with his back on the ground in a matter of seconds, whipping herself around and sweeping her heavy tail beneath his feet. She was on top of his chest in a moments notice, trying to ignore the ache of wanting more between her legs as she wrapped her hands around his throat. It was something about the way she looked, so predatory and feral on his chest that excited him in a way that slightly disturbed the twisted surgeon.

"Although I have never been in such a position before," Law's tone held a sick playfulness to it despite the strain against her tight grip on his neck. "I find myself rather enjoying it."

Ember could kill him, right then and there, but she didn't. She just couldn't bring herself to do so…at least not until she found her wings which were hidden somewhere on this forsaken vessel. She would prefer to wait until she was in her full dragon form so her carnivorous Zoan could savor the taste of his blood when she crunches him between her teeth. Until then, Ember felt the best thing to do at the moment was to make a dash for the door.

Buttoning her shorts back up in the process, she jetted down the hall, adrenaline fueling her bold and rather reckless attempt for escape. Judging by the furious footfalls behind her, she didn't need to glance over her shoulder to know that Law was chasing after her. She just concentrated on retracing the steps Jean Bart had took when leading her from outside to her room.

She didn't even bother wasting time on the ladder to lead her safely to the dock. Ember took a leap of faith over the ledge of the deck, rolling several times along the wooden planks in an ungraceful landing, grateful her ankles hadn't snapped in the process.

Her plan was to lead Law on a wild goose chase through town and when she gave him the slip, she would sneak back on the ship to steal her wings back. It was when Ember recited the plan for the first time in her head did she realize the huge flaw.

_Law is the only one who can reattach them_

Well, shit. It was too late now. She was already on the run, weaving her way through town now with no plan whatsoever. She would have to remember for future reference that running and thinking were not so good when done together since she was more focused on her thoughts that rather what was in front of her.

She bumped into a strong, muscular figure that had caused her to rebound on impact, landing painfully on her rear. Whoever she had bumped into appeared to be unaffected since he was still standing and very, _very _irate.

"You damn, whore! Watch where the hell-" the man cut himself off in absolute shock when his eyes laid upon Ember, who was rubbing her sore bottom as she picked herself up off the ground. When her red gems made contact with the mystery man, she fought the urge to pass out in pure relief of his presence.

"Red!" she shouted, throwing herself into his arms that eagerly welcomed her. They hugged her tight, hands running along her back, feeling her to make sure this isn't some cruel illusion. The thought soon became a consideration when the hands stopped over her back. _He wasn't supposed to feel her back._

"What the hell happened to you wings?!" the man exclaimed, more angry than shocked. Heads were going to roll for this.

"I would really prefer not to be reminded of that fact." She grumbled.

A loud cough was made behind Ember for the sole purpose of catching her attention.

"It's very rude not to properly introduce me, Miss Ember." Law scolded calmly.

The bulky man roared with laughter. "Well that explains a fucking lot."

Law frowned deeply, tilting his head in a way that caused his furry hat to cast a shadow along his eyes, giving him a dark, dangerous look. He was _not _happy, even more so when the man wrapped a protective metal arm around Law's plaything.

"What an unpleasant surprise, Mister Eustass."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hello my wonderful readers! Just a couple of things I would like to give you a heads up about! Number one is that this chapter/story will contain some Kid x Ember but only for the soul purpose of helping Law become self aware of hidden, unconscious feelings for Ember. Also for a plot thickener I have planned in much, MUCH later chapters which i wont spoil :) I promise this is still Law x OC so hopefully no one is too bothered. Secondly, this was supposed to be one chapter but I didn't want to make you guys suffer through 10,000 words so i cut it in half, since I have trouble finding the appropriate place to end a chapter. But at least chapter 5 will come out quick since its half written already lol. So other than that, I wish you a happy reading and would like to thank you all for your reviews as usual. It truly means so much to me  
**

Underneath the neutral exterior of Law, his blood boiled at the sight of Ember wrapped in the greased metal arm of Eustass _fucking _Kid. His mind could draw no reasonable explanation as to how someone with wits like her could tolerate or even more so, find _friendship _buried beneath the deep layers of Kid's arrogance and hostility. Perhaps the relationship between the two could have something to do with Kid being quite the animal himself, with his killer instinct and insatiable hunger for dominance and power but those were only minor comparisons, considering they were still so polar-opposite. It didn't explain the hidden factors behind this peculiar friendship.

Law knew better than to be envious of anything or anyone. With superb medical skills, a _very _diverse Devil Fruit ability and a place among the shichibukai, there was just no need for such feelings. He was more than pleased with how far he has come as a rookie from the North Blue and his only intentions were to keep it going from there. No one in this world possessed anything of great value that could catch his attention; he had everything he could have possibly imagined, besides One Piece of course which is on his to-do list.

But if he truly was so content with his position, why the hell does he find himself wishing to be in Kid's boots right now?

"When I heard talk of a dragon stompin' around somewhere, I immediately went on a hunt lookin' for you. What the hell kind of trouble have you been gettin' yourself into that this sicko took your wings?" Kid laughed.

Ember rolled her eyes. "I should ask you, considering your hideous scars and missing arm."

"An arm's an arm. Besides, I like this one a lot better." He said, flexing the metal fingers. "Your wings ain't replaceable though." His glare turned toward Law, who was examining his fingernails in boredom.

Law glanced up slightly, face displaying a hint of annoyance. "Have you finished exchanging pleasantries? I would like to return to my ship now."

Kid released Ember, stepping in front of her instead. "To bring her wings back I hope, for your sake at least."

"Well, if she accompanies me back without a fuss, perhaps I'll consider reattaching them."

Kid did not like this response. He growled, his rage quickly boiling to where it was sure to spill over the pot. "Listen Law, if it weren't for this little lady always throwing a fit when I shed blood in front of her, I would have killed you now and asked questions later." Kid looked over his shoulder at Ember, making sure she realized what an inconvenience her condition was to him. "So I'm going to grit my teeth and _ask_ that you bring back her wings so I don't have pound your face into the dirt."

Law was absolutely baffled. How much importance could Ember possibly hold to Kid that he is somewhat willing to be civilized and _ask _for something?

"You should really resume your ways of demanding and taking what you want, Mister Eustass. Asking just doesn't suit you."

"I tried," Kid says before activating his Devil Fruit power, seeking out all the metal objects that were in his abilities reach. Swords, guns, chains, all gathered around Kid's arms, forming two metal whips that twisted about in the air. Law retaliated by casting his blue dome around the three of them, causing Ember's newfound Post Traumatic Stress Disorder to kick in.

"Red, stop it!" she pleaded, pulling at Kid's shoulder who simply just shrugged her off. When Ember saw Law beginning to unsheathe his weapon, that's when she made her voice loud and clear. "STOP!"

Law was rather surprised to see the scraps of collected metal shower down to the ground in a chiming musical as Kid surrendered unwillingly, glaring menacingly over his shoulder at Ember. It was absolutely unbelievable how this fearsome pirate known for his blood thirst and killer instinct would allow not just anybody, but this _woman_ to stop him from spilling blood.

"You better have a damn good reason why I can't just kill him." Kid growled.

"Because you would be stealing the pleasure away from me," she said. Although not too far from the truth, Ember felt guilty lying to Kid. As powerful as he was, metal was simply no match for a doctor who can slice through anything within his operating space but good luck trying to get that through Kid's head. It would just devastate her to see him experience the horror of having his body dismembered the way she has. "My wings, my problem. Not yours."

Kid laughed heartily. "You really think that a little novice like you got what it takes to take down this bastard? If anything, I'm doing you a favor."

"I told you Red, it's my problem so just stay out of it." She said firmly before her voice turned soft, almost sad. "Although it was still nice to see you, despite the circumstances."

Kid wasn't fond of the solemnness in her tone and pulled her into a strong hug before she could reluctantly return to Law's side, which confused Ember a great deal. Kid will usually hold her in a possessive grip but never has he given her a hug. She soon discovered the reason why.

"Lee's Tavern. Tonight. Be there." He said in a whispered growl against her neck to disguise his moving lips. He then turned her around, shoving her rather roughly in Law's direction who glared darkly at Kid for the rude gesture on his lovely pet. "Do what you want with her, I don't give a shit anymore." He shouted angrily before storming off.

Law simply shrugged, resting his nodachi over his shoulder as he began a casual stroll back to his ship with a hand in his pocket. Ember was close behind, ignoring the awkward silence that lingered between them as they journeyed back together. She didn't dare strike casual conversation after she pounced and ran off on him but she did however take a quick peek from beneath her eyelashes to observe his face, which didn't hold much expression. Was that was part of his personality or just a skill he's acquired over the years? Whatever it may be, it was very useful in keeping others in suspense such as herself, who wondered if he was planning some torturous form of punishment for her disobedience, all while casually strolling alongside her as if everything was good and peachy.

Back on the ship, she followed him expecting to be led back to her room, locked away for the rest of the evening but of course one should never try to predetermine the next course of action made by Trafalgar Law because a good majority of the time, its wrong. He made a detour to the kitchen where he wordlessly began gathering the necessary tools to brew some tea. Not too sure as to what to do with herself, Ember lingered by the doorway, watching the languid movements of Law as he went from cabinet to cabinet. He pulled two chairs, her cue that she was supposed to take a seat.

When the kettle whistled to announce that the water was hot, he poured the steaming liquid into two cups, dropping a tea bag in both. He served Ember hers first and she took a grateful sip as he went to clear the items away, not even stopping to consider the motives behind this unusual act of kindness. She was too absorbed in the wonderful tea, the only genuine warmth she has felt so far within the cold metal walls of the submarine.

Law sat himself down across from her, resting his cheek against his palm as he lazily dunked his tea bag repeatedly. Ember felt some relief when he spoke. "Tension Tamer Tea. To hopefully sooth that inner beast of yours and put its idea of escape to rest."

And there it was, the true reasoning behind the kind gesture that wasn't performed out of the goodness of his heart but rather for something he see's as beneficial to him in some way.

"Well now that you have me relaxed and _tamed, _what is your next course of action?"

The word brought Kid to Law's mind as his thoughts played over today's events. _Tamed,_ a term that he would have never associated with the both of them until he observed their behavior today. The way Kid easily overstepped Ember's physical comfort boundaries without even a hint of a threat from the feisty dragon and then the way she had curbed him from attacking, a feat that is rarely even accomplished by the first mate, Killer. Two different yet similar hotheaded temperaments that seem to soothe each other somewhat when together.

Law took a long sip from his tea to ease the tension developing from the thought of imagining Ember and Kid as a pair. The idea irked him in a way that just didn't sit well in his mind and what bothered him even more was that he couldn't understand why. Is this what _jealousy _feels like?

Law finished his cup all too quickly, scolding himself for believing the claims on the tea box. It certainly wasn't doing anything of the sort for him.

"My course of action you ask? Well, my main priority at the moment is to get the ship's engine fixed. Until then, I thought I would use the ample time to better understand the newest edition to my crew." He said with a lazy smile to conceal the true turmoil within his thoughts.

Ember was not amused. "I really do hope your not referring to me."

"Well, who else would I be referring to?" It's cute when she plays oblivious.

Ember rolled her eyes. "If that's the case, then I'd rather be a part of the Kid Pirates, which is saying _a lot._" She took a sip, eyes closing as she enjoys the hot beverage.

Law's expression hardened, his brow tightly knitted together as he glared at her for making such an offensive statement. How dare she even suggest that joining those misfits would be much more appealing than Law's crew which has so much more to offer? He brushed off the insult to the best of his ability, since it's not everyday that he allows someone the leniency to get away with such a thing. Law decided to do some probing not just to get his mind off of her rude remark, but to satisfy some pressing questions of his now that the topic was put on the table.

"Speaking of the Kid Pirates," he began, idly playing with the tea bag by dunking it repeatedly in his empty cup as if there was still liquid left. "What is your association to my dear friend, Mister Eustass?"

Ember expressed a brief look of confusion before crossing her legs, her eyes darkening with mischievous intent as if she had just discovered something that she could use to her advantage. She leaned forward on the table as if this conversation had just started to get interesting, supporting her chin in her hand while her pinky finger rested rather seductively on her bottom lip. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

Law watched her carefully, not particularly enjoying her newfound confidence, as unbelievably attractive as it was. "As a matter of fact I would."

She smiled evilly. "Let's just say Red and I were once…_very close._"

And there she saw it. Overlooking the forever-neutral expression of Law, she saw the spark within his hardened grey eyes that indicated she had stuck a cord somewhere.

"Is that so?" Law asked casually. He was finding it rather difficult to remain unaffected by her statement.

"Indeed it is," She responded with a flashy smile of pearly white teeth. "Red has overwhelmed me with countless offers, his masculine way of _begging_ me to join his crew but I chose to be captain of my own ship. Joining him would have simply been…_a conflict of interest_."

Ember was speaking in suggestive riddles and Law did not like being left in uncertainty. He would draw no conclusions until he was absolutely sure about what she may be referring to and if his assumptions were correct, he may have to take out his rival sooner than he had expected to.

"I think it's time you retire for the night." He said flatly as he stood to his feet. Law wanted to dig more but knew he wasn't in the best state of mind to withstand the possibility of uncovering something that he may not be prepared to hear.

"What's wrong? I thought you were eager to learn about my history with Red." Ember pouted with playfulness.

"I get bored rather quickly, Miss Ember and quite frankly I'm not too sure myself why I even bothered to ask such a question, considering the fact that I simply don't care. Now come with me since I don't particularly trust you alone on my ship without an escort."

Ember stood from her seat, a knowing smile still playing on her lips as she followed Law wordlessly throughout the corridors of his submarine until they arrived at her door. Law looked down at her with a deep frown.

"Inside. Now." He ordered.

With a huff, Ember did what she was told, hearing the soft click behind her as Law locked her in from the outside.

* * *

Tight knots of anticipation coiled within Ember's stomach as she watched the clock anxiously. It was almost midnight and she was still in her room, unsure as to how long she should wait until she can plot her second escape attempt. She wasn't nervous about her plan failing, no not at all. She had learned from her first failed attempt that proper planning could make all the difference. She was nervous about how long Kid was probably waiting for her. That poor barkeeper, probably receiving drunken threats from Kid by now as he grows more impatient with Ember's absence. He was never really fond of waiting and Ember felt if she procrastinated any longer, Kid was surely bound to come turn this ship into scrap metal with her still on it.

Pulling a trusty bobby pin she keeps stored in her lengthy black tresses for situations like these, she got to work on picking the lock. It was hard to believe a smart man like Law would believe a puny little lock would be enough to contain her. Once she heard the click, she quickly slipped off her boots, leaving her in her stockings as she exited her room. Her wings briefly entered her mind but now wasn't the time to look for them. They will remain wherever they may be waiting for her but Kid on the other hand, didn't have much patience.

Without her boots, she was able to pad briskly yet silently along the metal flooring as she rushed to get off the ship as quickly as possibly. Timing also paired well with this strategy, as the Heart Pirates were asleep at such a late hour, which is why she prolonged her getaway.

Relief washed over her as she reached outside, feeling the cool grass beneath her feet as she made it past the docks seamlessly. She glanced over her shoulder, making sure there where no sneaky followers before sliding into her long boots.

The town was still surprisingly lively at such an hour, lanterns burning bright outside late night food shacks and rowdy bars. She could hear the murmurs of conversations as townspeople and pirates alike, swapped stories in front of these establishments. She wandered down the main street, until she found the weathered cursive sign that read _Lee's Tavern_ and underneath the glow of it's hanging lantern by the door stood Kid, who wore a scowl as he took a swig from large glass bottle of an unidentifiable brand.

Crimson eyes narrowed as she approached the front entrance, taking one last gulp from his drink before roughly casting it aside where a soft shatter was heard. "What the hell took so long?"

"Would you rather have me rush and get captured?" Ember asked patiently.

"Don't remind me of the fact that you're being cooped up on another man's ship."

"Why not? Does that make you jealous?"

Kid growled. "Just shut up and get inside. I'm gettin' bit up by these damn bugs out here."

Ember shrugged, accustomed to Kid's manners or lack there of and proceeded to lead the way into the bar where wolf whistles and hollers were heard as she entered. Grungy looking men eyed her hungrily, making Kid even more irritated.

Kid had always enjoyed the way Ember made heads turn with her exotic beauty, especially back when they used to frequent many bars together. He enjoyed the fact of possessing something so desirable among other men and what he enjoyed even more were the looks of discouragement when he would display his ownership of his rare pet by placing a protective arm around her. It was so entertaining to watch jaws fall to the floor as the fact that this lovely lady belonged to Eustass Kid registered into their puny brains.

But Kid was in no mood for anyone to ogle at her like that. Ember was currently in the possession of someone else, no other than his rival Trafalgar Law and Kid would be damned if he were to allow another man the same privilege. So as a result, Kid just couldn't help but feel a tad overprotective than he normally would be.

"Quit gawking at her like you've never seen a damn woman before!" Kid roared.

The bar was quite for a quick moment and the men nervously turned their attention back to their drinks, continuing whatever conversations they were previously engaged in.

Kid grabbed her arm, black nails digging into her tough skin as he practically dragged her to where Killer saved them two stools at the bar by sitting on one and having his feet propped on the other. He sipped at his beer with a bendy straw that went through his mask and Ember couldn't help but grimace at the thought of how bad that must taste.

"All yours." He spoke before hopping off the stool to join Heat and Wire at a table.

Ember sat herself down with back facing the bar along with Kid, who slammed a fist on the surface to catch the barkeeper's attention.

"A gin and tonic for the lady and two shots of your hardest whiskey."

As the barkeeper got to work on their drinks, Ember couldn't help but smile at Kid, who had his elbows propped up on the bar behind him while observing the patrons through the thin film of cigarette smog that clouded the air

"I'm surprised you remembered my drink of choice."

"Tch. After all the time we used to waste in shitholes like this, how could I not?"

The barkeeper slid the beverages along the polished wooden surface where Ember caught them effortlessly. She handed the small glass to Kid. "Lose the negative attitude and have a drink."

A small smirk tugged at the corner of his dark lips and clanked glasses with hers before chugging their alcohol straight. It took Ember some time to finish hers since it was a full sized glass but completed the feat just several seconds after Kid. She then lightly tapped the table, signaling a second round to the barkeeper.

"No amount of booze is going to make me forget that you're on Law's ship, Em."

Ember rolled her eyes. "Is that the reason why you're being such a sourpuss?"

"Stop acting like this is some kind of fucking joke! I told you a bunch of times that you just ain't ready to man your own ship and crew. Look at what good it's done you."

"I didn't come here for you to lecture me again. The 'You're Not Ready' speech always leads to the whole 'If You're Going Start Somewhere, Why Not My Crew?'"

"If not my crew, then why _his._" Kid said with much venom.

"Dammit Red, are you that thick in the head that you're assuming I willingly joined the Heart Pirates?"

"Well you certainly ain't doing anything to prove otherwise"

Ember sighed calmly in an attempt to regain her composure. "Look Red, I'm not going to get into a debate about this. I came here because it's been a while since I last seen you and if you continue to be like this then I'll simply return back to Law's ship."

Kid growled angrily before washing away his rage with his second shot glass. It really annoyed him when Ember gets testy like that but the idea of her back in the clutches of that twisted surgeon had his blood pumping even more and decided that perhaps he could tolerate the latter…for tonight at least.

Drunken laughter echoed throughout the smog filled tavern, spreading like a contagion that caught every patron except Kid and Ember, who seemed to be immune to the cheery vibe. They sat on their stools in silence, irritated with each other as they leaned their backs against the bar, watching Heat entertain several men with some fire tricks.

Fire is just an element, a non-living entity that seemed to possess better company compared to what Kid was providing, so Ember all to eagerly left her stool to join the Kid pirates at their table.

Kid watched from his seat as Ember shared laughs with his crewmembers, taking several shots in unison as if they were the best of friends, which in reality, they were. His crew missed, and deep down Kid knew he missed as well, the days when Ember was just a nomad; A pleasant surprise that would swoop down on their ship every now and then during her intermissions of aimless soaring and soul searching, sharing her spoils of stolen booze. These were back in the good old days years ago, before she was a captain, before she left Kid's side in favor for independence and structure in her life.

"Ay Captain, quit being a mope and come have a damn drink!" Killer shouted over the laughter and loud conversations around them.

With an irritated huff of breath, Kid joined his crew with intentions to drink himself into a stupor to put his brain on pause. He hated thinking and he especially hated thinking about _her. _

Killer leaned his head toward his captain's ear so he could be heard over the loud banter. "Ember and Heat are about to do their fire trick."

Kid rolled his eyes. Ember and Heat were usually inseparable, probably due to their shared ability of breathing fire. Her company was very valued among his men and although they were his loyal crewmates, Kid was never too fond of sharing.

"On the count of three, Heat…one…two…three!"

They blew on their shot glasses as if blowing out a candle, releasing a small breath of flame to ignite the surface of the whiskey. The fire wasn't given much time to dance within the glass as it was quickly swallowed by Ember and Heat in unison. Everyone around the table applauded except for Kid who looked unimpressed.

"That trick is getting old Em. I could probably do it myself now after seeing it so many times."

Ember raised an amused eyebrow. "Oh?"

She got up and strut over to Kid with two whiskey shots in her hands, sitting herself down on his lap where his metal hand unconsciously reached for her lower back to support her. She blew into both shot glasses creating flames to flicker on the surface of the flammable liquid. The room quieted down to a soft murmur and Kid could feel the intense stares. He absolutely despised when people would even glance at him, let alone gawk at him like some freak show.

"Count of three, Red?" she said in a very sly tone, handing the drink to his human arm.

"I don't need to wait three seconds like some weakling." And with that Kid quickly downed the shot, only to curse and drop the glass where it shattered loudly on the wooden floor.

Ember was the only one who laughed. Everyone else knew better than to mock Eustass Kid so to lighten the situation of his failure, they simple resumed back to normal bar talk as if nothing had happened.

"Maybe you need to watch it a couple more times." She said before finishing her flaming shot glass. "Perhaps that cute guy over there with the gold hoop earrings would be more appreciative of my talents." She said, raising an unsteady hand to point a finger in the direction of the man who sat alone in a corner, the back of his raven hair facing them.

Kid briefly glanced over toward the direction she was pointing, but his impaired vision was not allowing him to see much, so he returned his annoyed gaze back to Ember, who was in much closer focus. "Making me jealous is a game you do _not_ want to play, Em."

"You're no fun." She pouted.

Kid growled at her before raising his fingers to touch his rather sore lips. "This shit still burns."

"I don't know what you want me to do about it."

"You could kiss me."

The metal arm behind her back pushed her forcefully toward him, pressing his lips to hers.

* * *

Fingers tapped along the table in a rhythmic motion as Trafalgar Law watched the two of them from the corner of his eye from an inconspicuous angle over his shoulder. A deep frown has made itself comfortable on his lips the entirety of his time spent observing them the moment he followed them into the bar, and he was even more upset as he watched Ember _kiss back._

This was supposed to be an experiment; a little study he has decided to take upon himself in an attempt to analyze Ember's questionable decision making skills in regards to proper planning, such as another escape attempt. Not only did he conclude that she has her priorities mixed resulting in her poor choices, but he now has a rather _firm_ grasp on the relationship between Ember and his Kid.

They had a history, obviously a romantic one and this bothered Law to an incredible degree. Ember has been tamed by a previous owner, who was no other than his rival, Eustass _fucking _Kid.

Luckily, Law was a cunning man who always thought out his actions before engaging in them, unlike his dear pet, Ember. As much as it pained him to sit there and watch Kid's calloused and most likely contaminated hands roam all over his prize, Law _very_ patiently waited for the appropriate time to strike.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Told you it would be quick. This will be Kid's last appearance until much later. Like I said before, his only purpose was to stir up some feelings in Law. I hope this chapter isn't too disturbing! Enjoy! Warning for some steaminess and rather disturbing stuff with body parts.  
**

**Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece**

His dark lips were scorched from the flaming whiskey shot he had failed to drink safely, but a cool tongue slid along his bottom lip in an attempt to soothe the burn. Kid parted his mouth, welcoming her inside like an old friend. Too much time has passed since their last kiss and he made sure to scold her by biting on her bottom lip in a way that would have probably drawn blood if not for her durable skin.

"Get a room, you two." Killer groaned, rolling his eyes from behind his mask.

Kid broke the kiss that was supposed to be medicinal for his burned lips to glare at Killer for his unnecessary interruption.

"You know what? Maybe I will," Kid growled, giving Ember a nudge so he can stand to his feet. "So I can leave you to enjoy this sausage fest. I'm steppin' out to the back, it's hot as hell in here."

Although Kid specified that 'he' was going outside for air, Ember was very well part of that equation, whether she complied or not. He grabbed her arm and led her to the back door while weaving around some tables in the process, sending death glares over his shoulders to men who thought they were slick enough to admire Ember from behind. As soon as their eyes met the menacing ones of Kid, they immediately turned their attention back to their drinks.

Upon entering the outside, Kid took a deep breath of cool air that wasn't contaminated by cigarette smog and musky men. There were no hanging gas lamps to illuminate their surroundings in the back of the establishment; Just the natural lighting from the full moon and the fireflies that buzzed around, much to Kid's annoyance.

Ember had her back leaned against the building for support, the numerous shots of alcohol finally taking its toll. Kid stalked toward her, laughing heartily along the way.

"Just because you can drink like a man, don't mean you got the tolerance of one." He stated as he pressed his forehead against hers, watching his fingers as they played with the ends of her black hair. He heard her chuckle softly, a rare agreement to his statement.

Ember enjoyed Kid's close proximity, the only man who has and will ever be granted the permission to over step her boundaries of personal space but she absolutely hated when he ruined such a privilege by bringing up a topic that _he knew_ she despised.

"How many times are you gonna make me ask you to join my ship."

Ember released an annoyed sigh, muttering _here we go_ under her breath, which annoyed Kid a great deal. The metal fist of Kid's left arm pounded into the brick building several inches above her head, leaving several cracks in its wake yet she didn't even flinch and Kid couldn't help but feel some disappointment

"If you want me to stop asking then just fucking join already! I'm just as sick of this conversation as you are!"

Ember wrapped her arms around Kid's neck so she can claim his lips in a kiss where she felt the enraged male tense briefly before his broad shoulders finally relaxed. Once she had tamed his inner beast, she pulled away from him much to Kid's dismay so to compensate for the loss of her lips, he settled for her neck instead.

"Kissing me ain't gonna stop me from buggin' you about it." He growled into her skin, teeth lightly scraping against the tough flesh.

"It was worth a try." She sighed in a way that had Kid questioning whether it was in defeat or enjoyment of his lips caressing her skin. The sound has awoken some dark desire that Kid fought to put to rest years ago after Ember had left, as he reminisced of the nights where he refused to sleep until he made sure he had his fill of those wonderful sounds.

"Let's do it, for old times sake."

"Excuse me?" Ember's voice was filled with bewilderment, unprepared for such suggestion.

"Don't play dumb," Kid whispered in a husky breath, fingers hooking into the loopholes of her shorts to pull her flush against him. They soon began working on undoing the buttons, brushing away her clumsy hands that tried to stop him.

"Not here, Red," she hissed. "Someone could come outside."

Kid bit her neck sharply for worrying over something so insignificant. When she gasped, his hand roughly grabbed her chin, pressing his forehead against hers once again. "I'll take you on the damn bar table! See if I care." He said, voice gruff and filled with primal need. He captured her lips in a bruising kiss, pleased from what little resistance she gave.

A calloused hand snaked under her shirt, palming the mounds of flesh before stuffing, what Ember felt as to be some piece of paper, within the undergarment that contained them.

"You can look at it later. Right now, your attention should be on me." He grumbled, repossessing her lips before she could object.

Ember didn't protest much. In fact she hasn't really shown much resistance at all. The warm, fuzzy feelings of drunkenness combined with the rough yet wonderful touches of Kid were just all too pleasant and deep down, Ember knew there was something about being back in the hands of Kid that made her feel, well, happy. It was certainly better and much more enjoyable than being in the clutches of Law.

Kid kissed her hungrily, devouring as much as he could before she could leave him again for some extensive amount of time as she always did after their intimate encounters. An impatient hand roamed wherever it could, rediscovering the familiar map of her dips and curves; a map that he practically had memorized, unlike the ones back in his quarters.

Ember's hands were clumsy, uncoordinated and quite frankly, irritating as they got in the way of Kid's assault. He placed them around his neck, giving them a place to stay so he can finally have full control of her. His rough hand snaked back under her shirt until the reached the top of her shoulder blades. Black fingernails then scraped sharply down her back to enjoy the rare opportunity of feeling its wingless expanse, biting the junction between her neck and shoulder as he did so. He smirked around the flesh in his teeth as this earned him a loud whine from the Zoan user.

Kid loved how she was anything but fragile, allowing him to play so rough with her, just the way he always liked his sexual encounters. Not many women can tolerate his rather aggressive affections, which is why he stopped pursuing them altogether once he found the one who can. He just hated how she always left him hungry for more, practically starving him until the next time she decided to pay a visit. Kid hated waiting.

Which is why he roughly turned her around, pressing her into the hard brick of the building that caused her to gasp in surprise.

"What do you think you're doing?" she said in an annoyed tone. Ember hated when people, whether friend or foe, were in her blind spot.

"We're doing it this way," Kid growled as he began to loop her long tail out of the large cut out hole she makes in her shorts while the heavy metal hand held her in place. "Because I don't feel like wasting time lookin' for a room."

"You know I hate it this way."

"I do a lot of shit you hate so deal with it."

Ember sighed in annoyance, resting her cheek against the wall that has been kind enough to support her as the world spun around her. She would have argued if she was sober, but she didn't dare risk leaving the safety of the wall and decided she could tolerate this position for tonight. It's been a while since she's been with Kid after all.

Ember heard him grunt impatiently as he fumbled with his belt and sash in the darkness. She soon felt his bare chest pressed to her back as he kissed and bit her shoulders, the impressive hardness between his legs nudging her behind with persistence. She turned her head over her shoulder to meet his lips, kissing him as she patiently awaited him to enter.

What happened next was completely unexpected and Ember wondered if it was her intoxication playing tricks on her, but the howl from Kid was all too close and real in her ear, unable to determine if it was from pain or some form of horror.

She whipped herself around, doing her best not to stumble. She observed Kid to the best of her ability, unable to detect the problem until she followed his gaze, which was staring wide-eyed at the ground in disbelief. She covered her mouth to contain a scream as well. The alcohol was definitely making her see things, very disturbing things.

The pride and joy Kid's once held between his legs, was now on the ground and as soon as that registered in Ember's mind, scarring her for life, it disappeared as if out of thin air.

A rather smug chuckle was hear somewhere with in the darkness and Kid's horror soon turned into absolute rage as the situation dawned on him. Pure dread flooded throughout Ember, nauseating her.

Trafalgar stepped out of the darker shadows and into the moonlight, putting Kid's genitalia on full display by throwing it into the air and catching it repeatedly.

"It truly is unwise to stick _this,"_ Law threw Kid's member higher into the air to draw more emphasis. "Where it doesn't belong, especially after Miss Ember expressed her dislike for such a demeaning position."

Kid took a deep breath through his nostrils as he fought the urge to lunge at this man and tear him to shreds with his bare hands. Now wasn't the time for rash decisions, not when his intimate parts were at stake. "Trafalgar Law, I almost didn't recognize you without that stupid, fur hat!"

"Which was the intention when I left it behind to pursue my escapee."

Purple static began to flicker in Kid's hands, but Law was not threatened by it at all. He simply smiled, dangling Kid's intimacy between his thumb and index finger for him to see.

"If I even see you summon forth a nail or screw, you can say goodbye to your identity as a male."

Kid growled angrily, crossing his arms as he cast his gaze to the side, not wanting to see the sight of his most intimate part dangling somewhere other than its rightful place between his legs. Thank goodness his crew wasn't here to witness this.

"Damn you, Law!" Ember shouted, charging toward him in an attempt to slug a drunken fist into his face. He would have probably chuckled, finding her clumsy attempt to harm him rather amusing if it weren't for the fact he was so cross with her at the moment. He simply ducked slightly, causing her to fall over and onto his shoulder where he hoisted her up, carrying her as if she was his sword. He turned his attention to Kid, ignoring the thrashing of the woman on his shoulder.

Kid watched Law carefully with clenched teeth, waiting for the shichibukai's next move. As rash and impulsive as Kid was, he knew when he had to stand down, especially when the odds were stacked high against him.

"What do you want Law?" Kid managed to say as patiently as he could.

"I already obtained what I came here for, as you can see" he said, readjusting Ember on his shoulder to get a better hold on the struggling woman. "I suggest you resume your business, what ever it may be."

The body part returned to its rightful place where Kid quickly refastened his sash and belt before the doctor could change his mind.

"Follow me and I can assure you that your family jewels will be next." Law warned, his tone holding some amusement at the idea.

Kid had no intention of following. As much as he wanted to for being disrespected, killing Law was not on his to-do list, at least not yet anyway. The favor was for Ember, which she passed up foolishly and by no means was he about to risk his genitalia for revenge. Before turning his heel, he asked one question.

"Tell me what has you so obsessed with Ember?"

Law smiled. "I don't have to tell you anything Mister Eustass but I suggest you ask yourself the same question."

"Fuck you Law."

Law only smirked before leaving Kid to his own devices, heading back to his ship with an exhausted Zoan user on his shoulder. He could feel the warm, ticklish trickle of blood trailing down his back from the slashes Ember has delivered during her struggle. The cool night breeze blew in between the shreds of torn fabric from his hoodie, somewhat soothing the injured, tan skin.

Being hung at such an angle that practically had her upside down caused the alcohol in Embers stomach to unsettle as she felt its slow approach back up her throat.

"Are we almost there? I believe I'm about to be sick any moment." She grumbled.

"Almost." Law responded flatly.

Law saw Bepo waiting anxiously by the entrance once he arrived at his ship. He looked torn between being relieved at his captain's return but rather alarmed of the semiconscious Ember slung over his shoulder. Law spoke before Bepo could question him.

"Draw a hot bath. Now." He demanded.

Bepo saluted his captain before running off to fulfill what was requested of him, Law trailing at a slow pace behind the white bear. Ember release a sick groan that concerned Law and he briefly placed her onto her feet so he could scoop her into her arms instead, earning a small sigh of relief from the girl. This new position reduced the discomfort of her upset stomach, as it was no longer under the pressure of being supported over his shoulder.

Law looked down at Ember, grey eyes deep in thought as he tried to solve the complicated equation that currently rested in his arms, who's numbers just didn't add up. How could a woman with so much potential just allow herself to go forth with such horrible life choices? It was obvious she was not captain material, but if she would just apply herself correctly, Law may actually see her posing a threat.

He gently pushed the washroom door that was slightly ajar open with his foot, pleased to see the steam emitting from the porcelain tub, just like he requested. He placed Ember gently on the eggshell tiled floors, propping her up with his knee as he proceeded to undress her. She stirred slightly in annoyance to the sweater that was being pulled over her head, but didn't really question what was happening. Ember just wanted to remain still in hopes to settle the nausea that disrupted her whiskey filled stomach.

Law found an odd enjoyment of undressing her that was not fueled with malicious intent, hence why it was _odd_. There was just something about providing care to this troubled creature that stirred something deep within him that he didn't know he possessed. Perhaps it was the power he currently held over her vulnerable form but Law quickly dismissed that idea since she was just as defenseless sober as she was intoxicated. What ever this strange feeling was, he simply indulged in the process of stripping her from her clothes.

Her boots were the first to go before he slid off her shorts, suddenly discovering a new interest in garters he wasn't even aware he possessed. He saved her bra for last, unhooking the clasp to release the heavy assets that were concealed under the slouchiness of her black sweater. He noticed a blank piece of paper that fell out of one of the cups and he examined it briefly before placing it along with her folded clothes. Gathering her naked form in her arms he proceeded to walk over to the tub when she regained some consciousness.

"You're being awfully nice." She mumbled, her eyes still closed.

Law had the politest of intentions to gently place her into the water, but he absolutely despised when people questioned his rare acts of kindness so he simply dropped her into the tub. He chuckled softly as he watched Ember come alive in the bath in order to save herself from drowning. Law got onto his knees, sitting on the back of his heels so he could rest his arms on the rim of the tub, watching the brilliant red eyes that glared angrily at him. He couldn't help but look back at them in pure awe of this endlessly amusing woman before him.

"Would you rather me be cruel? I would have no problem treating you so." He said with a smile, leaning his cheek against his hand.

Ember sank a little deeper under the water grumbling, little bubbles popping on the surface as she did so. Her eyes slowly began to close, the hot water relaxing her into a doze.

Law shook his head with a smile, reaching over for a bar of soap and loofa sponge, dipping it into the water to bring it to lather. A ruby red eye opened to watch him with suspicion

"I can bathe myself, you know." She stated flatly.

"I never doubted your ability to do so, Miss Ember," he said with a hint of playfulness as he began to move the bath sponge in slow, circular motions across her chest. "But considering your current condition, I suggest you allow me to do it for you. It will just be easier that way."

Ember didn't say another word, much to Law's relief. He didn't want this to be dragged out any longer than it needed to be. It was extremely late and he was rather tired himself but he would not be able to obtain a wink of sleep knowing that Ember remained covered in the filth of Eustass Kid. If he were to ever get her on his operating table, he wanted her free from the contamination so generously provided by his rival.

That strange resentful feeling returned to plague him as he thought about Ember being touched, kissed and held so intimately close by Kid. Is this what jealousy consists of? This ugly monster that hides deep inside the darkest parts of Law's twisted mind, poisoning his thoughts with flashbacks and reminders of Ember in the hands of someone other than him? Law felt absolute disgust as he finally admitted to himself that he indeed felt envious of whatever relationship Kid had or previously had with Ember, as he was the last man he would ever expect to harbor such feelings towards.

"Are you ready to explain about your relationship with Mister Eustass," Law asked quietly, squeezing some shampoo into her hair.

Ember moaned in delight as Law's hands massaged the product into her hair, leaning her head back more into his hands, her scalp craving more of his expert touch. "I was performing my drinking trick at a bar when Red walked in. After seeing what I could do, he offered to pay my tab if I would accompany him back to his ship, stating he had a crewmate who would appreciate my ability to breathe fire."

"And you agreed?" Did this woman not have any common sense?

"Why not? With no home to go to, I didn't have anything to lose...literally."

Law's face was expressionless as he took the loofa and wrung it above her head so the water that cascaded down could rinse out the shampoo. He didn't answer her; his silence was his way of telling her to continue.

"It was fun and I made strong friendships. Red and I have a lot in common surprisingly."

"Impulsiveness is what stands out the most." Law said, wringing the sponge over her head one last time.

"Great minds think alike," She didn't have to turn to know Law was rolling his eyes. "Spending time with Red and his crew had me curious about the whole pirating business, so I decided to follow them around until Kid started harassing me to become a permanent member." she said in a rather annoyed tone as she remembered all the times Kid would bark at her to just join already. " Which is when I began following them from the air instead. I just wanted to watch on the sidelines. I didn't like to stay on his ship any more than one or two nights every two weeks or so."

"And why was that?" Law asked as he began to lather up the sponge once more.

"Well the main reason was to put some space between Red and I as a reminder that I am _not _a Kid Pirate. Secondly, as much as I enjoyed Red's company, he was a very aggressive lover and I just needed lots of space in between my visits. If I knew that before hand, I would have never lost my virginity to him."

Law gasped but attempted to swallow it down, making a rather strained choking sound. He felt absolutely nauseated by the idea of Eustass Kid claiming this woman, probably so unappreciative of the opportunity to be her first. He quickly recollected his composure, channeling his silent fury by squeezing the bath sponge, pretending it was Kid's head.

Ember sensed something was different about Law, considering the way he scrubbed her with the sponge would have probably eroded her skin if it weren't for the durable flesh provided by her Devil's Fruit.

"Out of all of your questionable choices, this has to be the most alarming." Law said as he roughly scrubbed her sides.

"You know, Red was my inspiration to become captain of my own ship."

"Then I must say that Mister Eustass makes a poor role model, considering your current position.

"Why must everyone doubt my ability to be captain?"

Law sighed heavily through his nose. "If you wish to climb to the top, Miss Ember, one must start from the bottom." Law began to gently wash her back, watching her shift uncomfortably most likely due to the fact that it is a heavy reminder of the loss of her wings. "I will have you know that I was a subordinate once."

Ember snorted. "You? I find that hard to believe."

Law's smile was half-hearted as he recalled the not so fond memory of his servitude. "Well it is the truth, I assure you. Like you once told me before, you have to start somewhere and although I really don't wish to mimic that of Mister Eustass," Law said, dropping the sponge so his fingers can splay out along the expanse of her back. "But if you are going to gain any true pirating experience, I highly suggest considering my crew as a first step."

Law's precise fingers began to work out the knots in her back, earning satisfied moans from the Zoan user. "You have a lot of raw potential, Miss Ember." He purred. "Potential that just needs to be _molded_," Law's fingers dug deep into her back, massaging out the kinks that responded in a soft pop as tension was released from the muscles. "By someone with years of expertise."

Law's hands left her so he could get up to grab a towel. Ember growled softly at the loss of contact and as she looked up to see where Law had went off to with those wonderful fingers of his, she gasped loudly.

Law looked over his shoulder with a raised eyebrow.

Ember's voice was filled with guilt. "Did I do that?" she asked, pointing at his back

Law chuckled. "As a matter of fact, you did. I suppose I should take this off. Good thing there are more where these came from."

Law slid his destroyed black and yellow hoodie over his head, watching Ember eye him curiously from the tub. Her eyes were hovering just above the rim, concealing the faint blush as she watched the lean muscles of Law ripple underneath the perfect tan skin as he lifted the garment over his head. Why is she just becoming aware of his perfection now?

Law returned to help her stand to her feet, cocooning her in the fluffy white towel before lifting her out of the tub with strong arms wrapped around her frame. He then escorted her wobbly self several doors down to where his quarters were located and when she entered, she looked around in confusion. This room was definitely more spacious then the one before.

"This isn't my room." She stated.

"Well of course not. It is mine." Law answered with a smile.

"Why can't I stay in my own?"

"You have escaped that room twice already so I have no other choice but to have you under my constant supervision like some child."

The alcohol allowed Ember to ignored the situation at hand as she stumbled over to the bed, sighing as she made contact with the comfortable mattress. She curled the wet towel around her as if it were a blanket and Law couldn't help but shake his head and smile.

He slipped into some black sleep pants and crawled into bed with her, snuffing out the bedside candle in the process. Law was never too fond of alcohol, as his years of medical study educated him on every single detail of damage it does to the liver, but if Ember was always this compliant while under the influence, he started to consider storing some on his vessel.

Law took the wet towel off of her, watching Ember's thick, black tail curl around her as she tries to retain heat. He pulls the comforter over them both, and when she didn't stop shaking, he opted for pulling her back against his chest where he felt one last shudder before she finally relaxed.

Law noticed how comfortable Ember felt against him as if her body was purposely molded to fit his perfectly in this spooned position. He found himself fighting with much effort to resist the urge to sample her exposed shoulder with his lips. Ember began to shift in discomfort from the position until she couldn't take it anymore, surprising Law with her next course of action.

She flipped on her opposite side so that she was facing Law, wrapping her arms around him that caused him to stiffen. Her tempting naked body was pressed flush against him and he lay still in uncertainty, unsure as weather to push her away or leave her be. He knew the alcohol was to be responsible but Law couldn't help but briefly wonder if she would operate similarly had she been sober.

He felt her fingers follow the tracks of welts she left on his back earlier and damned his body's natural physiological response as goose bumps began to prickle on his skin, followed by a slight shudder he somewhat managed to suppress.

"I'm sorry about your back." She whispered.

Law's speech temporarily caught in his throat. "It's quite alright."

She nuzzled her face in the crook of his neck and Law's body began to feel the aching consequences of remaining so tense and still. The next sentence she spoke almost had him unravel around her.

"You are absolutely perfect."

There was no doubt in his mind that this was definitely the alcohol talking but there was something about the compliment that stroked his ego, causing it to swell along with _other_ things.

Law's body relaxed somewhat, a tattooed hand reaching into her damp hair, scratching her scalp while in deep thought. Law was slowly coming to realize that he might have more than just a desire to dissect this wonderful woman in his arms. Unfortunately, according to the code of ethics that many doctors follows in regards to professionalism in the medical field, one of the many rules set is that a medical adviser of any kind should not have relations with their patients. Law smirked evilly.

After all the twisted surgeries he has done in the past, it was safe to say that Trafalgar Law simply didn't give a fuck.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: There was a lemon scheduled for this story and I was debating on whether to squeeze it in this one or just wait until the next chapter. Decided to just wait until Chapter 7 so it wouldn't appear rushed and last minute. Anyway, I do hope you enjoy this one! And the usual thanks to my wonderful reviewers, you all brighten my day :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece**

There was something irresistible about the warmth that had Ember snuggling closer to whatever the source may be, craving more of it's feeling of safety and comfort. Helpful arms provided assistance by pulling her towards the delicious heat, wrapping themselves around her small frame to envelope her front to back in the warmth she sought for.

Her cheek rested on a firm chest; the sound of the heart beating within almost lulled her back to sleep if it weren't for the conflict taking place in her thoughts at the moment. Ember could care less right now about where she was; it was obvious she was safe and in good hands, but her curiosity buzzed loudly in her head, not allowing her to slip back into dreamland until she questioned who or what was providing such wonderful hospitality.

_Who else but Kid?_ She reassured her inquiring mind, hoping it was enough to put it to rest but it only did the opposite as it made an alarming observation.

_Kid doesn't cuddle._

Ember's relaxed body came alive and on the defensive, pushing herself far away from the chest until the wall against her back left her with no where else to go. Red eyes met the dark greys ones of Trafalgar Law, who just returned her angry glare with a sleepy yet smug smile. Law laid sideways propped on an elbow to support his head, raven hair slightly tousled from the pillow while the comforter cover rested rather low on his lean hips. Ember bit her lip harshly to scold herself from finding the sight rather...attractive.

Seeing Law so bare in front of her had Ember question her own state of dress, as he looked down only to feel a part of her die inside. She was completely nude, her chest out in the open for Law's dark-circled eyes. Hands snatched for the sheets like lightning, drawing the curtain on the unintentional peep show.

With the half naked Law and whole naked Ember in the bed, she couldn't help but feel sick as her mind began putting these pieces together.

"Did…Did we?" she whispered, voice laced with dread. She held a hand to her mouth, just in case she vomited.

Law's grey eyes darkened with a malicious intent as a very soft but rather mischievous smile played on his lips. "Well, of course." He responded.

Ember felt her heart sink further and further down into the sea of shame and disgust where the pressure practically made it collapse in on itself. How did this happen? This had to be some form of a twisted nightmare that she just hasn't woken up from yet. How did she go from kissing Kid to being in bed _naked _with this detestable man? It just had to be a cruel dream.

Unfortunately, Law made it all too real by yanking the sheets from Ember's grasp, leaving her briefly exposed under his analyzing eyes. Tattooed hands found her thighs, pulling her away from the wall in one swift movement until she fell onto her back, replacing the loss of the sheets with his form on top of her.

"Why, Miss Ember," Law cooed in her ear. "I find it rather hard to believe you have forgotten our intimate encounter already, especially after the grand finale I delivered to you last night."

The sickness she felt at his statement encouraged her to try to wriggle out of his grasp. Law retaliated by holding her firmly in place, his morning glory unintentionally making it's presence known by nudging between her legs and Ember was all too grateful for the thin fabric of Law's sleep pants providing some form of barrier between them.

"I will make you say my name, Miss Ember," Law whispered before leaving a slow trail of wet kisses down her neck. "In the same desperate moan similar or exact to that of last night."

Before Law was able to make his way down to her breasts, Ember gave him a good, strong shove. What took place next had captured Law's eyes in fascination as black scales began to ripple up her body like a wave, starting from the tips of her toes until they stopped right beneath her jaw, encasing her in a sleek, black armor.

"Shows over, Law." Ember growled.

"The show is never over when it comes down to you, Miss Ember. You are just filled with all sorts of entertaining aspects."

Although amused by this demonstration of an ability he has never witnessed before, Law couldn't help the small part of him that felt disappointed from the abrupt ending to the little game he had going. It was fun leading her into believing something occurred between the two of them but perhaps there was too much fun involved as Law found himself falling for his own fabrication of last nights event. His gestures were so convincing that he practically believed it himself and the alarming part of it all was the rather crestfallen feeling he experienced when reminding himself that it was just his twisted idea of a joke.

Cautious eyes watched Law carefully as he lifted himself off of her. He sat on the backs of his heels, stretching his arms in a wide and casual manner that suggested he wasn't fazed at all about what just briefly took place or about what occurred last night for that matter.

Last night…she couldn't even remember last night. All she could remember was Kid.

_Oh no, Red!_ If she was here, waking up to Law on his ship, then something bad must have happened, but the pounding headache from her hangover disrupted her thoughts from uncovering the truth.

And if her headache wasn't enough to discourage her from thinking, her mind completely shut down when she saw the black sleep bottoms of Law fall into a neat bunch at his ankles after he approached the large armoire that stood in the corner of his room. Did he simply forget that she was still in the room? The knowing smirk he sent her over his shoulder answered her question.

He slipped into his spotted pants, which took Ember by surprise since she did not expect Law to be the type of man that would go commando, but the doctor was full of surprises that she would have much preferred not to know about. His lack of an undergarment preference being one of them.

With her attention now off his rather irresistible tan rear, Ember's eyes soon landed on the abstract artwork of scabs that now lined his back. Oh goodness no! Hopefully those weren't scratches from raking her nails down his back in pleasure or she may just have to throw herself into the ocean, unable to live with the fact if it were true. She studied them carefully and was relieved that her first assumption wasn't the case since the slashes were in haphazard angles. If those were love scratches, they would have been in straight lines down his back. The pattern jogged her memory as she recalled the exact order of each cut she delivered when she was over his shoulder.

"You lied about last night, didn't you?" she stated rather than asked.

Law chuckled as he pulled one of his countless spare hoodies over himself. "You truly are such a gullible creature."

"Why on earth would you have me believe such a thing?"

"I find myself running out of creative ways to conjure those horrified yet amusing expressions of yours."

"You are a sick man."

Law chuckled. "That depends on what your idea of sick is, Miss Ember. I find myself to be an average, healthy male."

Tattooed fingers messily combed out his bed head before placing his spotted hat on his crown. "I must leave to take care of my responsibilities as captain, so you will just have to give yourself the grand tour."

"For a man who is constantly questioning my decisions, you're making a poor choice as well by allowing me to run amuck."

"I regret to inform you that escape is not an option this time. Now run along and try not to cause me any more trouble. I have _real _duties to attend, duties I am sure you were never familiar with in your short term position as captain."

Law left, leaving Ember to her own devices on his submarine. Her head pounded heavily as if stuck inside was a monkey with cymbals, banging over and over to disrupt any coherent thought that attempted to form. With Law being a doctor, there was bound to be pain medication somewhere on this forsaken vessel. All it would take was a little snooping around, thus a perfect way to give herself a 'grand tour' and perhaps stumble across her wings in the process.

Ember stood to her feet shakily, fighting the away the dizziness that swam around in her head. Although she was covered in her scaly armor, her mind briefly fell on the idea of borrowing one of Law's many hoodies to cover her top half at least. The scales covered her flesh but they still revealed her womanly shapes and curves, causing the feeling of nakedness to remain with her. What was more important: her security or her pride? Well she couldn't have possibly gone any lower than being held captive on his ship in such a short amount of time so what the hell?

The trademark piece of clothing felt thin and baggy over her form, just the way she liked her sweaters, the sleeves long enough to where they went a little passed her knuckles. Although it was a nice touch, her main concern was satisfied when the hem was long enough to cover her plump rear. Keeping her arms tightly folded to conceal the Jolly Roger she was unfortunate enough to represent at the moment, she exited the room to pad down the halls, poking her head through the occasional door she would come across.

It was all just storage spaces and spare cabins, one of them occupied by Shachi who was in the middle of slipping into his boiler suit. Ember quickly shut the door once her eyes fell upon that sight, the string of curse words echoing behind her as she scurried down the hall in embarrassment.

The next door she opened was the washroom where she found more pieces to the incomplete puzzle of last nights events. The neat pile of her clothes caught her attention and she shivered as the memory of Law undressing and bathing her hit her hard. Oh, how she was beginning to regret ever picking up a damn drink.

She picked up her clothes, finding the piece of paper Kid handed to her. Well, to her breasts anyway. She examined it front to back becoming irritated with the blank sheet. Was Kid that thick in the head to forget to write whatever information he wanted to give her? She sighed in annoyance, stuffing the paper in her shorts pocket.

Her folded arms held the only and definitely dirty clothes to her chest, as she continued on with her exploration of the submarine. The halls echoed the occasional soft clank of metal every now and then, the unconscious sounds of the submarine as its parts powered the ship.

_Wait a minute…_

Ember choked back a gasp of horror as she ran down the halls, not stopping until she reached the deck outside. Her clothes fell from her hands as she took in the overwhelming surroundings.

Blue. All she saw was vast amounts of blue from the ocean water that surrounded them as the sailed along the surface.

_I regret to inform you that escape is not an option this time._

Ember slowly approached the rails, gripping them for support so she wouldn't buckle under the weight of this heavily dreadful news. This wasn't Kid's ship where she was granted the freedom to fly away and back as she pleased. No, Law had her wings clipped, grounding her until the day he decides to return them, whenever that may be. Footsteps approached from behind her but she didn't care enough to see whom they belonged to.

"You're an ex-captain too, just like Jean Bart. So that means you're under me in pirate hierarchy."

The hurtful reminder of her lost title caused something her to snap, spinning around to release a terrifying snarl that almost made the white bear jump out of his boiler suit and fur.

"Why don't we go according to animal hierarchy hmmm?" Ember said with a teeth-baring smile, making sure Bepo noticed the sharp fangs she usually tries to keep discreet in her mouth. "What creature is higher up on the food chain? Bear or dragon?"

She circled Bepo in a predatory manner that had him trembling in his boots. He was relieved when his comrades finally came to his aid after watching the ordeal from afar but was less than pleased with how they went about doing so.

"Please ignore this fur ball. He likes to play big shot around new recruits." Penguin stated as he walked over to them.

"I am not a new recruit." Ember defended.

"That's not what the captain's been telling us. Besides, you're already wearing our logo." He pointed at her, well, Law's hoodie.

Ember released a loud huff, refusing to stoop down to the level of bickering over the subject and stormed off back where she came. Penguin spotted her clothes on the floor and scooped them into his arms, taking it upon himself to wash them since she probably didn't know where the laundry room was.

All this irritation was adding more fuel to her raging headache as she became more determined to find a medicine cabinet, medical stock room or something. She temporarily gave up on her wings, having not a clue where to even begin her search. Pain medication however, should prove to be an easier task since they weren't purposely hidden away; she simply was just looking in all the wrong places.

Ember passed by unfamiliar, large double doors during her unsuccessful hunt and by peeking through one of the rounded windows, she realized this is the room that probably housed her needs.

She slipped inside and immediately felt uneasy as the overwhelming combination of latex and alcohol hit her full force. The room was semi-dark; the light from the powerful fluorescent lamp in the center of the room stretched pretty far, leaving just the edges of the space untouched. Underneath the lamp however, absorbing all the spotlight and attention it had to offer, was an operating table.

Forgetting what she originally walked into the room for, she circled the creepy furniture, letting her hand test the firmness of the thin cushion that was layered on top of the stainless steel. Her fingers played with one of the binds found on all four corners and she pushed away a troubling thought. _Probably _for_ the patients who were…less cooperative. _

When Ember's eyes landed on the tools that rested neatly on a tall tray with wheels, spotting a rather large syringe in particular, she immediately scurried toward a large cabinet hoping to find what she needed quick. She did not want to spend any more time in this space than she needed.

Countless vials and bottles were found labeled with long words that Ember didn't even attempt to pronounce. Nothing could ever be easy on this damn ship, not even finding a bottle of damn aspirin. It was probably right there in front of her face but since she wasn't exactly up to par with her medical terminology, it might as well be at the bottom of the ocean.

When Ember heard the double doors swing, the two bottles she was holding for comparison, which might as well been apples and oranges, flew in the air in result of her surprise. They fell to the floor loudly, pills scattering everywhere.

Ember had her back pressed against the cabinet, watching Law slowly reveal himself by stepping into the edges where the light stretched. He wore a disappointed frown.

"Such a waste of good medicine."

"What use is medicine if it's unidentifiable?" Ember said, her annoyance apparent in her tone.

"Its use is for trained doctors, Miss Ember. A qualification in which you lack, thus questioning your business in my operating theater."

"I was looking for medication to nurse this hangover."

Law shook his head. "And you're ingenious logic told you to take it upon yourself rather than seek the assistance of the only medical specialist aboard this ship?"

"My 'ingenious logic' told me I would be damned if I ever came to you for help."

Law chuckled, picking up one of the bottles that managed to maintain some of its contents. "Acetaminophen and Hydrocodone. This is pain medication."

"I had a feel-"

"For cancer patients."

Ember fiddled with her hands behind her back, so Law couldn't detect her feelings of foolishness.

There was a hint some type of dark thrill when Law spoke. "Why don't you take a seat on the table over there?"

Ember knew what table he was talking about, the only table in the damn room that was highlighted under the lamp so obviously.

"I would rather not. The last time you told me to take a seat in a medical setting, the results were less than desirable."

Law scoffed. "Please, I would hardly even consider what you housed on your ship to be a sanitary setting, let alone a medical one. Now take a seat while I find a remedy to your problem."

Ember didn't argue. How could she when the man spoke of making this dreadful sickness go away? She sat herself onto the center of the table, red eyes glaring at the tray that supported the syringe with distrust. While Law had his back turned, her foot discreetly pushed at the trays base, wheeling it as far away from her as possible.

Her feet dangled off the edge, ankles swinging back and forth in short, timid kicks. Hopefully this will be a quick fix because she most certainly did not feel comfortable sitting on a table where countless bodies were probably dissected on. Ember blamed the shiver that racked her body on the chilliness of the room, probably set to a low temperature so bacteria would be unable to breed. She wouldn't dare admit how fearful she was actually feeling just being in Law's medical territory. She would prefer his blue "Room" to this any day.

Law gathered a glass beaker and some water, dropping two tablets in where they began to fizz and dissolve slowly. Speeding up the process, he stirred the clear contents with a tongue compressor, all in plain sight for Ember to see so she doesn't make any false accusations.

He hands her the glass and while she takes a hesitant sip, a smug smile played on his lips when he noticed what she was wearing.

"I see someone has taken a liking to my dress code." He teases.

"I would have taken a liking to a pillow case if it were able to cover myself up. Unfortunately this was the only thing available to me."

"I rather enjoy the way it looks on your frame so it will continue to be the _only_ thing available to you." Law then scratched at his goatee in thought. "Along with those garters you're so fond of. It would make a perfect uniform for you."

Ember made a sarcastic sound while chugging whatever mixture Law had prepared for her that made her stomach feel fantastic.

Law watched Ember drink the simple remedy _on his operating table_. There she sat, absolutely oblivious to his true, twisted intentions of experimenting on a Zoan user, something in which he has fantasized about for some time.

Zoan users fascinated Law to a great degree. They were not like Paramecia or Logia fruits, which didn't really have a solid explanation as to what allows one to stretch like rubber or transform into an element such as fire. Hell, no amount of self-experimentation was going to come up with a valid reason as to why that Law can cast a blue film. He just simply could and that was the extent of his knowledge. The body of a Zoan user however, goes through obvious physiological changes that a surgeon like Law just couldn't ignore. He wanted to see the inner workings of a Zoan user and learn of the changes the body undergoes during transformation from human to beast.

And Ember made the perfect test subject.

"That look in your eyes is making me rather uneasy, I must admit."

Law recovered from his deep thought, smiling darkly. "Does it now?"

"Not even Red stares at me with the intensity you have."

"That's because Mr. Eustass isn't hungry for knowledge like I am."

Ember eyes him suspiciously. "What do you want to know?"

"You."

She could have sworn the room dropped several more degrees. Ember calmly raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to elaborate further.

"I want to understand you, a Zoan user. What changes, whether temporary or permanent go on during transformation?"

Ember tried to laugh as if amused by his reasoning, but it came out sounding nervous instead. "Grown tired of regular human anatomy, have you?"

"Tired no, but highly interested in yours, yes."

Ember looked down into her empty glass, fingernails tapping the sides timidly. Law relieved her of the glass, placing it along the counter top by the sink where he usually washes the blood off his hands.

"Was that your plan all along when you destroyed my ship?" Ember asked, doing her best to maintain a composed tone. It all began making sense.

"It was my plan _before_ I destroyed your ship."

Ember swallowed hard as her throat went dry. Law, that conniving bastard. If these are the results of successful planning, she will definitely start taking notes from the master of premeditation himself if she were left alive to do so. It is of course until now, when it has already become too late, that she realizes what she is truly up against. And to think she was going to escape with her wings as if it was a walk in the park, what a joke that was. What a joke her pirating career was.

"Are your intentions to kill me before opening me up?" She was unable to hide the shakiness in her voice.

Law spoke with a genuineness that made her sick. "Why, Miss Ember, I am offended that you would think I would waste such a precious specimen as yourself." Law picked up his scalpel, walking over to Ember so he was standing between her legs. "You are more useful to me alive than dead. I have no intentions to kill you, just simply put you under anesthesia on occasion to tinker around with your innards. No harm in that now is there?"

Law brushed some hair out of her face as if the gesture would be reassuring for his frightened pet. Goodness, he felt as if he has waited an eternity for this moment right here. The same hand held her chin, pulling her close to him so he could whisper in her ear. "You simply are a fixation that I can't seem to get passed."

Ember inhaled a sharp breath when she felt the cold steel of the scalpel trail lightly down the side of her face. _Wait...steel. _Ember felt some confidence return although she was nowhere near being out of the woods yet.

"May I share something with you before you slice me to pieces?" she asks kindly.

"You most certainly may." He said, trailing the medical tool down her neck. He was a little surprised to hear soft clicking sounds as he dragged the scalpel along the armored scales. They were rather durable.

"When you destroyed my ship, you destroyed some very important and _very _expensive medical tools of mine."

This statement actually caused Law to release a laugh. "And what important tools could they be that they were in such inexperienced hands?"

"Tools specifically designed to cut through my flesh."

The scalpel stopped its little dance along her scales. "What makes you think that my tools are unable to do the same? I spare no expense when it comes to my medical equipment."

"Well unless your tools are made of a precious metal like silver, gold or platinum, your scalpel will be the equivalent of a dull knife cutting through stale bread."

Law eyes narrowed. "You're bluffing."

Ember took the hoodie off in one swift movement. "Try me."

Law growled, hand latching in a vice grip around her neck that slammed her back on the table. He climbed on top of her, pinning her arms down with his knees to make sure she was completely immobile beneath him. The free hand held the scalpel above Law's most favorite place in all of anatomy, her heart.

"I get a little sensitive when my equipment is insulted, Miss Ember. Let this be a lesson learned, hm?"

"The only lesson being learned is the fact that you cannot cut me with those butter knives of yours."

Law smiled, taking the scalpel and with much force applied, slowly dragged the cutting tool down the side of her face. Ember howled in agony as she thrashed around beneath him, causing the tool to slice deeper into her now open flesh. The hand on her throat felt hot as she tried to access her fire but it just tightened its grip, practically cutting off her oxygen flow.

"A dull knife still cuts, Miss Ember. Just rather slow…and messy." Law stated.

Law continued his façade of confidence to disguise the true turmoil that brewed inside him as he sliced a jagged gash into her face, which was originally supposed to be a clean cut. She was right. Unless he had specific tools designed for cutting into this type of flesh, he might as well be a butcher hacking into her carcass, mutilating her beyond repair.

Concern rose in Law as he noticed Ember's struggles had begun to dwindle, realizing it was due to the lack of oxygen she was receiving. Upon letting go, Law quickly moved to the side to avoid the coughs of smoke and fire that escaped her throat, thus throwing off the weight proportion of the table. It toppled over to the side, spilling the both of them on to the floor. Ember continued to hack away on the floor, throat stuck between moaning in sheer agony and coughing up more puffs of smoke and fire from the constriction around her neck that trapped the flames.

Propped up by his elbows, Law watched with a vacant expression as the black tail curled around Ember's fetal position, hands pressed tightly to her face in an attempt to stop the blood flow, which just trickled through the spaces between her fingers. This was not how Law's fantasy was supposed to play out. Ember was not supposed to be in a bloody heap on the pristine tiled floors of his operating theater but lying neatly on his table, her body exposed to him without a fuss to do as he pleased with. That dream seems more than impossible now as Law wondered where on earth he could obtain such medical tools?

Trafalgar Law, the man who is usually a step ahead, was now a step behind.

When it comes to achieving a goal, for the first time, he was unprepared. And Law absolutely hated himself for it.

In the ever so rare times of defeat, Law simply shrugs off his failures and tries to busy himself with mind occupying tasks. Checking up on Ember seemed to be decent enough, so he crawled over to where she lay, being careful not to place his hands in he pool of blood that collected by her head.

Ember was not crying. She wasn't whimpering nor shaking. She simply lay there, taking steady breaths through her nose as she clutched her face, absorbing everything that just took place in a matter of moments. It was when Law tried to turn her over, did she stiffen.

"I think you did enough damage." She said, her struggle to keep a calm tone apparent.

"I am a doctor, therefore I can easily fix whatever damage is done."

"Real doctor's don't mutilate their patients Law!"

Although Law loved when people acknowledge his sadism when it comes to his profession, Ember's comment irked him in a way that he just couldn't shake off. Law may have performed unorthodox procedures in the past and sometimes in the present now, but he has never once had a patient come out looking like a butchered mess. Law was _very _meticulous in the operating room, handling every surgery with the same delicacy as if performing on own of his own valued crewmembers so it was offensive when someone questioned his craftsmanship.

"That is true. Which is why you should allow me to stitch up that nasty gash."

Ember's laugh was filled with delirium, unable to find words for this sick man. He had some nerve, some real _fucking_ nerve to offer stitching her wound when he was the one who deliberately caused it. There truly was no reasoning with this man, or fighting against him for that matter. This must be a sign, a sign that this was her fate all along. To be Law's captive until the end of her days. If this is what life has had planned for her all along, she figured the sooner she accepted it, the less treacherous this new path will be.

Bloody hands hesitantly peeled away from the deep facial wound for Law's analyzing eyes to inspect. She tried to read his expression for an estimation on how bad it may be but the attempt was futile. Instead, her eyes bore into his in search for any possible sign of regret or remorse, but with his eyes fixated her wound, it was pointless.

Law hated the way she looked up at him, eyes hardened with animosity and disgust. He felt a bit guilty as this was not his intention, but his curiosity had gotten the better hold of him. He knew she was right. He knew his tools were no match for her scales but he just had to test the theory against her flesh before confirming his scalpel obsolete. He got his answer and now he found himself slightly regretting ever discovering it.

His thumb repeatedly wiped away the blood that seeped out of the gash before reaching to grab her chin once the several attempts were proven pointless as more just spilled out. He tilted her face, leaning in close to get an up close view. It was definitely deep, several more stitches than he assumed off hand in order to close the wound. Law felt absolutely disgusted with himself as he studied his first ever hack job on the one patient he never had wished to mutilate. Some strange persistent urge to produce some form of apology bubbled inside of him. Law has never apologized for anything in life and although he was a very articulate man, he couldn't seem to find the appropriate words to express his grief.

The thumb that once held her chin was now lightly tracing over her lips, blood smearing around like poorly applied lipstick. Her eyes watched him in confusion, still trying to figure out Law's intention, which the young surgeon wasn't even sure of himself. What was his intention that he had his face so close to hers, eyeing her lips with temptation? Law decided to ignore the need for explanations behind his actions for once and to follow the magnetic pull that drew his lips to Ember's.

Ember released a shocked whimper as Law once again takes her by surprise. Slashing her then kissing her, just what in the world was this doctor planning? Ember quickly gave up trying to figure that one out, since she hasn't once made a correct prediction of the doctor's actions. Whatever it was, she much preferred an affectionate Law (as strange as that was to her) to an aggressive one.

Law was a little surprised when Ember opened her mouth to him but he quickly took advantage of the opportunity that was given, exploring her mouth for the first time.

Ember's flavor was tainted with the coppery taste of blood but Law didn't seem to mind despite his inner surgeon shouting numerous illnesses he possibly could contract. Law shut out his thoughts as he indulged in this unexplainable feeling, hand cupping her slashed face to deepen the kiss, wanting more than what she was providing.

Ember didn't know why she was kissing him. She didn't know why she was enjoying it either. Was she just taking the easy way out? Giving into Law simply so he wouldn't make her life anymore than a living hell that he already made it? She has never felt enjoyment and disgust at the same time, and the mix of these completely differing emotions sparked major conflict as she fought between giving in to the rather wonderful lips she wasn't aware Law possessed or maintaining her dignity.

Her mind raced, distracting her from the intimate kiss she was sharing with her captor. She couldn't continue on with this, not with all the chatter going on in her head, so she swiftly pushed Law away form her. They exchanged glances, both equally expressionless, revealing nothing to each other. Ember broke the awkward gaze to quickly stand to her feet and bolt out the double doors.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: I'm sorry for the long update. Usually I'm pretty consistent but between moving to a new home and keeping up with schoolwork, it's just been rather difficult to sit down and write. But here it is, Chapter 7 with LEMON put in capitals. In consideration to those uncomfortable with this type of material despite my disclaimer in the first chapter stating the elements of this story, I place some line breakers to separate the naughty material. So if you see the first line, feel free to skip down till you see the second one. That simple :) Again I apologize for the delay and hope you enjoy.**

The pillowcase clung to the wound on the cheek that rested there, white fabric transitioning from brilliant red to a dirty brown as the blood clotted and dried. Ember lay curled on her bed, scolding herself for not considering the possibility of Law going for the exposed skin on her face, which was less durable than the black scales that protected her everywhere else. If she is to ever outsmart this sick surgeon, she is going to have to start planning ahead rather than in the heat of the moment if she wanted to get remotely close to catching Law off guard. Even with that slim chance at her disposal, the true challenge lies in anticipating his unpredictable actions, example being the strange kiss he initiated after slashing her face.

Law was too strategic to act on impulse alone, always calculating the benefits before making a pursuit, which leaves the question as to what he could possibly gain from the kiss? It made no sense to the Zoan user, who began to ponder what her true purpose on this ship was since her captor was demonstrating mixed signals.

The doorknob turned from across the room and Ember didn't need to look over her shoulder to know it was Law entering, his presence accompanied by heavy tension which filled the room immediately. She remained facing the wall, ears listening carefully to the footsteps that approached until she felt the edge of the bed sink under his weight. Ember was caught between satisfying the urge to turn over so her enemy was where she would see him and remain as she is, unable to bear the sight of Law after the strange kiss that has left her in a state of confusion she hasn't recovered from yet.

Law remained silent, causing Ember to curl herself slightly tighter as if bracing herself for something horrible. She flinched slightly when a warm hand touched her shoulder, sliding down her scaly armor to sample its unique texture before gentle pulling her to face him, which she decided to follow.

Ember wondered just how bad the wound was when she felt the light tug of her cheek as it was peeled off the stained pillow. Her question was answered when she saw some tools laid out on the night table, eyeing one in particular that had some type of stringy wire attached to a crescent shaped fish hook of sorts. Although foreign to her, it didn't take much effort to figure out he was going to give her stitches.

"Are you really going to do that right here right now?" Ember said in disbelief. She watched as Law twisted the cap off of a small jar.

"Would you prefer my operating theater or the comfortable setting of your room? It can easily be arranged."

Embers eyes narrowed, muttering something unpleasant under her breath as Law proceeded to smooth over some type of salve around her cheek, making the skin tingle.

"I don't normally waste numbing agents on petty procedures such as this but considering the thickness of your skin, this will aid in relieving the discomfort that is sure to come."

While waiting for the salve to reach its full numbing potential, Ember watched Law with great curiosity as he began prepping his tools with the slight frown that seems to appear during his moments of concentration. Law wasn't a man who experienced everyday emotions the way average people did but for the first time, Ember was able to detect the faint glint of passion in his eyes. It wasn't a sick, twisted thrill, which was what she was expecting, but a strong sense devotion, dedication to his side profession as surgeon, which had Ember smiling softly in admiration.

Law noticed this, making him feel slightly uncomfortable. Although he has done it countless times to other subjects, Law wasn't too keen on being the one under scrutiny.

"Would you like to share with me as to what you find so amusing?" Law asked as he pulled on some latex gloves, allowing the ends to snap obnoxiously loud against his wrists as he did so.

"If you must know, I was expecting for you to look more psychotic when performing a procedure." _Not attractive. _

Law chuckled. "Although I would hardly consider this a procedure, you seem to have a misconception for my true nature. Hold still." With the suturing needle held firmly between the jaws of Law's medical forceps, he began the difficult process of pushing it though Ember's tough skin.

She winced, sucking in a breath of air to hold in her lungs as Law struggled with each stitch as if sewing through several layers of thick leather. Law could have continued nonstop until the ordeal was over but he took frequent pauses between each stitch for Ember's sake, his way of sympathizing for her since this was his fault after all.

Law continued where he had left off in their conversation, hoping it would provide a distraction to the pain in her face. "I enjoy my profession for the knowledge, Miss Ember, not for the simple thrill of dismembering body parts which just happens to come with the job." Ember didn't respond or couldn't for that matter, considering she did not want to disturb Law's handiwork but he could tell she was listening so he continued. "My goal is to learn from you, not to hurt you but since I came up short to your expectations of a true psychotic doctor, I could gladly introduce you to a particular scientist to make up for it."

Law smiled lazily at the red eye that peeked at him from its corner, reassuring her that it was simply a joke because he would be damned if he allowed any other professional to take his unique subject away from him. Law had many plans for her, a majority in which had nothing to do with science.

A snip from scissors completed the process and Law proceeded to take his off his gloves, watching Ember as her fingertips grazed the knotted threads on her cheek.

"Thank you." She mumbled shyly, not exactly sure as to why she was thanking him for fixing something he was the cause of. The thought of him simply leaving her there to either bleed out or catch infection slipped through her mind, which had her become more appreciative of the gesture. Perhaps he wasn't as deranged as she had first assumed, just cold-hearted instead. Her conclusion wasn't valid for long when she was reminded of the rather warm kiss back in the operating room.

"Law?"

Law glanced at her, the softness in her voice making him rather uneasy. Ember was more predictable when angry but calm and soft-spoken made it harder for him to figure out what she could be planning, if anything at all.

"Why did you kiss me?"

Grey eyes flickered in the briefest moment of being caught off guard by her rather forward question but he deflected it with a witty remark. "Why? Did you enjoy it?"

Although she didn't appreciate his playful manner on a subject that she was serious about, she decided to give the doctor a taste of his own medicine by going along with him.

"What if I told you I did?" That was as close as Ember would ever get to admitting such a thing.

His playfulness evaporated as Law leaned toward Ember to maintain a rather intense gaze, face hardened into seriousness. "Then I would need to ask if you are absolutely certain you feel that way."

Ember raised an eyebrow. Since when does Law care enough to ask for someone's opinion? "Why?"

"For reassurance."

"Reassurance for what?"

"For when I do it again."

Without a moment to even digest his words, Ember felt the warms lips of Law upon hers once again, only this time she was much more welcoming than before.

Ember still wondered about the true motives of Law but decided not to make the same mistake as before where she let her thoughts get the best of her. His lips, his taste was so much more enjoyable when she wasn't worrying about what was going on in that complex head of his.

However, Law was having a difficult time hushing his own thoughts as they processed what was occurring this very second. He's been stepping out of his comfort zone recently by engaging in spur of the moment decisions but found himself to be enjoying the results and good results were all that really mattered to Law.

Tattooed fingers reached for her chin, tilting her head at angle where he could get a deeper sample of her flavor, tasting every bit of what her mouth had to offer. Although Ember has grown more compliant with Law over the course of her stay, her tongue still held the feistiness that had attracted Law to her in the first place, refusing to submit to his in their battle for dominance.

Law broke the kiss to study her face with an intensity that made Ember fidget from such scrutiny. Although his expression would never reveal a single detail to whatever thoughts were brewing inside his head, Ember knew that Law was conflicted about something. Was he possibly reconsidering his actions? She knew she shouldn't be bothered with what Law thought of her in the first place but couldn't help feeling slightly worried at the possibility of being something he regretted.

She decided to disrupt whatever thoughts he was having with a witty remark to lighten the situation, something she knew Law was never able to resist. "Is this a new method of studying your patients?"

The way Law's lips curled into that lazy smirk that was becoming more and more attractive had Ember feeling rather reassured that this was indeed something he wanted as well. "It proves to be a decent alternative to splitting you open."

"Decent?"

"Perhaps a more practical, detailed and informative approach then."

Law was cutting corners to avoid admitting his actual enjoyment for the situation the same way she had done but Ember wasn't about to allow him the privilege of keeping anything to himself. "Is that all I am to you? A pet science project?"

Law's face became slightly perplexed as if not understanding the punch line to some joke. "Is it not obvious?"

The offended reaction he received made Law replay the response in his head, discovering its second interpretation. He simply chuckled, moving his body to hover above hers so he could reach to plant soft kisses on her neck, enjoying the way the cool scales felt against his lips.

"What I meant was," Law kissed up to her ear, whispering in a warm breath as he spoke. "Has it not been obvious during your stay on my ship, especially in this moment right now, that I see you as something more than a just mere subject on my operating table?"

That was all Ember needed to hear to finally give in to the dark doctor, pulling him down on her to feel his body against her own. A soft laugh escaped the captain, amused by her sudden eagerness but also quite pleased with her affectionate response. It put his mind at such ease, knowing that these strange feelings he had, whatever they were, were mutual on his captives end and instead of diagnosing what possible case of human emotions he may be suffering from, he decided to let the wonderful infection spread. Perhaps something positive will come out of doing so.

* * *

Lips met once again, hungrier than before as they devoured whatever the other had to offer, hands roaming wild in the process. The scales that once held his fascination has now added to his irritation as Law rakes his nails down the armor, craving the bare flesh that hid underneath. As much as Law enjoyed this unique form of hers, he couldn't help but feel left out, like a dog scratching at the door, begging to be allowed inside.

As if picking up the silent plea that wouldn't dare escape his lips, the shiny scales retracted into her skin until they disappeared beneath the flesh without a trace, leaving her completely exposed and vulnerable to Law, who forgot how to breathe for several moments.

Ember's body was nothing new to Law; he had seen it before when giving her a bath after retrieving her from the filthy hands of Kid. However, this was completely different, as he did not have to force her drunken body out of her clothes. Ember had willingly made herself vulnerable to him, _for him; _A privilege in which he hadn't expect to earn anytime soon yet by some miracle she had deemed him worthy and Law couldn't help his sense of great accomplishment. He has finally tamed this beautiful creature.

Before he was allowed to ravish her naked form, Ember desperately clawed at the collar of his hoodie and Law did not object when she pulled it roughly over his head, tossing it in some unknown area. He quickly closed the space between them, body shuddering slightly as his body made full, uninterrupted contact with hers. No annoying scales or clothes, just flesh against flesh and Law loved it.

Law's mouth rushed for her neck, feeling the pulse pound against his lips as it arched slightly to feed his greed of wanting more of her skin. His breath became hot and ragged, refusing to stop for something insignificant like air when there was so much flesh to explore. Law heard the breathy mixture of soft pants and giggles from Ember as he kissed down to her collarbone, tickling her skin with warm lips.

A tongue lazily trailed downward, lapping over her full breasts briefly before descending further, his body maneuvering smoothly as he did so. Arms aligned themselves along sides of Ember's waist, supporting himself as his tongue danced alone the flat plain of her belly, creating designs that glistened from saliva. Law found the slight dip where her hipbone was and nuzzled into it, delivering a hot, open kiss that resulted in a shudder from the woman beneath him.

It was strange really, to see the dark doctor, who Ember assumed was incapable of warmth and passion, treat her body with exactly that. He didn't claw, bite, scratch or bruise the way Kid had in the past. He treated her body with great appreciation, as if ever so grateful for it's existence that he spent every second he could worshiping it.

Law wasn't exactly fond of how selfish Ember was being by keeping whatever wonderful sounds she could make to herself but that was all going to change. A hand reached to cup a breast, the alternations between squeezing and pinching drew out a soft moan and although it was an improvement, Law was still dissatisfied.

His body continued to slink downwards until his hands rested on her thighs, which were trembling in fear rather than anticipation. Law was a master of anatomy; the body's movements and responses could tell him more than words can ever say. So when he felt Ember tense stiffly when his breath made contact with the sensitive skin of her inner thighs, he knew right away that it was a defense mechanism to brace for impact…such as_ abuse. _

Law's educated assumptions were rarely ever proven wrong, and he relished those moments, especially in the presence of a rival or enemy. But for Ember's case, he found himself wishing to be mistaken for once. Fingers carefully traced over the numerous scars that decorated the skin and when studied further, his blood began to boil. _They were bite marks._

It made no sense. Ember's skin was extremely tough due to her Devil's Fruit, making it exceedingly difficult to create a mark. Who was ferocious enough to purposely try and leave a lasting impression?

_Eustass Fucking Kid._

"Is this the work of Mister Eustass?" Law asked flatly although he already knew the answer. He didn't want her to know how truly agitated he was with this fact.

Red eyes filled with plead looked down at the doctor who currently rested between her thighs. "Yes and it took forever for the scars to fade so please don't have me repeat the same process."

Law was completely baffled. This poor creature, battered and mistreated by her previous and only owner, has never experienced the body's gift of physical pleasure when stimulated correctly of course, in which case Eustass has failed her miserably.

"I can assure that you will find this experience to be _much _different than the torture Mister Eustass must have put you through."

It would be a long while before the thought of Kid's cruelty to Ember in the bedroom would leave him but for now, the best he could do was push the idea into the furthest corners of his mind as now wasn't the best time to start feeling sympathetic. Law was going to make sure to leave his own lasting impression on Ember, one that didn't leave a physical mark. A scar can heal over time but a memory, especially a good one, is forever.

Without much warning, Law's tongue licked her folds heavily, hands already on her hips in preparation to hold her in place when they bucked from the overwhelming sensation. The surprise gasp that escaped Ember had him smiling against her heat, eager for more of the wonderful sounds she had to offer.

Law's tongue followed a particular pattern that he knew would elicit the most cries from his pet and the needy hand that reached to thread thin fingers into his raven hair confirmed his method to be very effective. The wet appendage would alternate between heavy strokes and circular motions, with the occasional dip right into her core, which Ember seemed to like best judging by the way she clutched at Law's scalp, pushing him deeper. With her breathing labored and fingers buried into his locks as if holding on for dear life, it was obvious that she was close, which was why Law had to stop.

He looked up at the panting Zoan user, who looked torn between expressing her agitation and remaining calm and unfazed. Law slowly crawled his way up towards her, loving the way those darkened rubies watched him with caution as he positioned his hips between hers, taking his sweet time in freeing himself from the constraint of his spotted pants, which had become unbearably tight. Law was a thorough man, so his half-assed attempt to rid himself of the clothing bothered Ember a great deal. Now was not the time for laziness when Ember wanted every inch of him available to her, so she expressed her displeasure of the situation by hooking her tail within the opened garment, yanking impatiently. Law released a breathy laugh, following her wordless demand by wriggling them off, repositioning his now completely nude self between her

"Do you know what comes next?" Law asks in a velvety whisper.

"With you, I can never be certain." Her voice had a playful edge to it and Law couldn't help but adore the cute smirk that accompanied her statement.

Chuckling, Law pressed his forehead to hers where they smirked together like mischievous little children. His mouth found the pulse of her neck, wanting to feel its pace escalate against his lips as he slowly slid his way inside her.

Ember's body tensed around him, ready to accept whatever pain Law had to offer but was slightly surprised that no such thing occurred. It was actually rather…pleasant and she wrapped her arms around his neck, nuzzling into his collarbone as Law opened a whole new world of sensation to her.

Law rocked his hips slowly, intensifying each push and pull that had Ember mewling softly beneath him. The way she clung to him, arms, legs even her tail, which snaked up his backside and was semi-wrapped around his waist, felt absolutely exquisite. Ember wanted him closer, deeper and although it was such a tempting request to fulfill, Law had to maintain his sadistic reputation.

The more her limbs struggled to reel him closer, the more painstakingly slow his pace became, turning her soft moans into annoyed growls. Ember's body became restless beneath him, hips moving in every which way they can in an attempt to soothe the wonderful ache that was beginning to form.

"You cruel bastard…" She said in a breathy growl against his ear, tongue running along the double earrings that dangled from the lobe. This was torture of a different kind although much better than what Kid had put her through. She just couldn't seem to win in the bedroom.

"Not always." He panted before claiming her lips in a searing kiss, muffling her desperate cries for more as he continued his slow assault.

Law was beginning to feel the toll of his own method, burying his face into Ember's black tresses as he fought off the shudders that threatened to rack his body, approaching closer to the bridge he was not ready to cross just yet. She was just too tight around him and combined with the slow pace that allowed him to feel every inch of her inner walls as they constrict around his length was beginning to be too intense for the doctor to handle.

Law quickly reached for her leg, lifting it at a particular angle that he knew would allow him the deepest access to her. One hard and unexpected thrust had Ember seeing stars and she practically sobbed when he did it again and again, repeatedly hitting a sweet spot with incredible accuracy that would lead to her undoing.

Even with his lips parted to exhale quick, breathless pants, the corners of his mouth were curled into a dark smile as he watched the Zoan user unravel beneath him. It was a wonderful sight as he watched her eyes squeeze shut, drowning in a sea of sensation and pleasure and Law made a vow to be the only one allowed to observe his subject in her most raw and natural state. Ember's hands scrambled in search of something firm hold and steady herself with, migrating from the bed sheets, to the pillow, to the headboard, back to the sheets again in a never-ending cycle.

Ember reached for Law's shoulders, clawing at them as she attempted to bring him closer. Law complied with this silent demand, pushing her leg forward to where her knee was almost touching her shoulder so he could get as close as possible. The two both moaned loudly in unison as they both felt the wonderful benefit of this new angle, mounting more pleasure than they could handle.

"I don't think I can…" That was as far as Ember's sentence could go before her hand cupped her mouth to prevent the string of lewd noises that were sure to erupt from her throat. For the first time, Law's facial composure slipped as his face flashed with anger, snatching her hand and pinning it down in such a vice grip that it practically disappeared into the soft mattress.

"Don't...you…_dare," _he growled dangerously, thrusting mercilessly with each word. How dare she believe for a second that she could keep those beautiful sounds away from him? He continued this abusive pace nonstop until Ember lost all control and came loudly, back arching off the bed as wave upon pleasurable wave washed over her, refusing to allow her to resurface and catch a quick breath. Law's ears hung on every decibel as no amount of tortured screams from previous patients could match the beauty of Ember's cry of pleasure. The quakes of her climax initiated Law's as the pulsating of her inner walls sent him tumbling right after her, spilling everything he had to offer deep inside her with a throaty groan. He felt Ember pull him close, fingers lacing within his hair as she held him until his spasms ceased, coaxing his body to relax against hers, in which he gladly did.

* * *

They lay together in silence with Law listening to her heartbeat while Ember scratched lightly at his scalp, both basking in the afterglow.

Ember spoke once her breathing became regular again. "So that's how it's supposed to be. It appears that I've been missing out."

Law didn't say a word of response to her statement. He simply rolled off of her and onto his back to stare up at the ceiling, which concerned Ember a great deal. He was definitely regretting this ever happening and she couldn't help but feel rather…hurt.

She did her best to shrug off the idea since there was no reason for her to care when Law apparently didn't. She huffed quietly to herself and shifted onto her belly, folding her arms beneath the pillow in an attempt to sleep before her thoughts prevented her from doing so.

Law eventually sat up, leaning his back against the headboard of the bed with his hands folded, arms resting on the tips of his bent knees as he sat in deep thought. He didn't like what was slowly emerging from the deepest, darkest parts of him that took years of disciple to suppress. Perhaps it's due to the release of endorphins from his climax, a simple side effect from what had just transpired between the two that will eventually subside in time but Law knew he was reassuring himself with false hope.

Trafalgar Law has appeared to have contracted a severe case of feelings, ones of the romantic, loving variety.

Which to his knowledge has no known cure.

A tattooed hand ran though his messy hair, uncertain as to what treatment options were available. He glances over to a sleeping Ember next to him, who looked so at peace in her slumber. At least one of them was able to rest easy.

Her smooth back was exposed and Law gave into the temptation to run a hand up and down the wingless expanse one last time, sighing in annoyance as he had a feeling he was about to regret his next course of action.

Law leaned over the edge of the bed, reaching for a large box hidden underneath which contained Ember's wings, cleverly placed in the last area she would even think to look for them. Blue energy swirled within his palm, allowing him one last chance to change his mind but Law did no such thing. He was about to conduct a risky experiment, one that could severely hurt him if gone wrong.

The blue dome was cast around them, and Law very carefully reattached Ember's wings, slipping under the covers once the deed was done.

* * *

Sun peaked through the round windows of the room, beaming directly into Law's eyes, which stirred him from his slumber. While one hand rubbed a tired eye, the other reached for Ember, who was absent from her place next to him.

Law quickly pushed away the uneasiness that immediately emerged once this fact sunk in but judging by the angle of the sunlight spilling into the room, it had to be early to mid afternoon, which surprised Law since he never sleeps in. Perhaps Ember had woken up earlier to fetch herself something to eat. He never expected her to wait for him to wake up after all.

Although late afternoon, Law wasn't quite ready to fit himself into his restrictive jeans moments after waking up, so he threw on some black lounge pants and proceeded out the door.

Law strayed from his usual routine of heading straight to the washroom to perform his morning, (or in this case afternoon) hygiene ritual and made his way to the kitchen in hopes of finding Ember there.

She wasn't.

Law calmly exited the kitchen and made his way toward the deck, his mind scrambling for logical reasons as to where she could be. _Reptilian creatures usually bask in the sun to store energy. Perhaps she is doing just that on the deck._

She wasn't.

Swallowing down a lump that began to form in his throat, Law calmly left the deck and went on a silent rampage of searching every room on his submarine. Utility closets, spare cabins, washrooms, laundry rooms, even his operating theater, Law searched behind every possible door until he stood before his own.

Law turned the knob, entering the room of his empty cabin and carefully closed the door, locking it behind him. He did not want to be disturbed.

He approached his desk, sitting himself in the chair where he propped his elbows on the oak surface, burying his face into his hands. Law remained that way several hours after that.

Ember was gone.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: So sorry for the long update! It's so unlike me but I promise now that final exams are done, I will be more frequent and consistent. I want to give my usual thanks to those who leave me sweet reviews. You guys are my motivation to improve and continue on with this story :D I apologize if this chapter seems a little bland but it will definitely pick up in the next one I can assure you. Hopefully you all enjoy Number 8 **

"Should we check on him?"

"For the last time Bepo, just leave him be!"

The bickering trio dressed in thick, black parkas sat in a triangle on the floor, enjoying a game of cards, or at least attempting to.

"I can't function knowing Captain's upset!" the white bear whined, throwing a card into the center among them.

"Captain's been in a pissy mood the past two weeks so you better get over yourself." Shachi growled in agitation. It was bad enough that they all had to deal with Law's shortened fuse since Ember's escape and he'd be damned if Bepo's bitching had to be added to his plate.

He soon sighed as his annoyed tone brought self-awareness to his own diminishing patience and adjusted his attitude with much effort. It appears that everyone has been on edge since Ember had left, especially after the way Law had reprimanded them all for allowing such a thing to happen so easily. Ever since then, the crew has done their best to stay out of Law's crosshairs, even if that meant playing a game of cards outside on the deck in practically sub-zero tempetures.

Law's unusual behavior didn't just come about overnight. The deterioration of his calm and collected demeanor was a gradual process similar to that of a slow spreading cancer, whose early stages had slipped by unnoticed from his crew. Shachi should have, they all should have known something was amiss by the way their captain's laid back, almost lazy drawl was replaced with short, curt responses that held just enough edge to hint that something was wrong yet not enough to raise question.

Just like an untreated wound, Law was left to fester in his inner turmoil and regret, weakening his emotional immune system, which he took meticulous care of for so many years. It seemed safe to say Law has been diagnosed with love sickness and there was no treatment plan the surgeon could follow to remedy himself from such a disease. Ember was his only antidote and the chances of her returning were similar to the chances of surviving a heart transplant.

"How much longer do you think Captain's going to be like this?" Penguin asked, his hand hesitating over a card before deciding to throw it in the circle between the three of them until a strong gust of wind blew the pile away. As hands and paws scrambled to gather the scattered cards, jaws went slack as they looked up in unison to see that the end of their game wasn't due to a bitter breeze from the frigid ocean.

"Be like what?" The black, leathery wings of Ember beat several times before letting her drop into a neat crouch on the deck while holding a large, wooden box polished in a cherry red stain under her arm. Wherever she had gone, she had picked up new threads similar to her usual attire except she wore black sandals instead of boots and by judging the scales that lined her body underneath her clothes, it was obvious that she was unaware of the wintery weather she would be returning to.

The trio alternated between gaping at her and at each other, unable to form coherent words as their minds struggled to grasp the situation. No longer will they have to walk on eggshells around their captain. Ember has returned.

_Why? _

How will Law react to this news? The Heart captain isn't exactly the type to welcome someone with open arms, especially after they escaped his grasp. Then again, its not escape if they return willingly.

Bepo was the first to find his voice. "Y-You're back!" he stammered in excitement, but it quickly evaporated. "Why the hell did you leave in the first place?! Do you realize the misery you put us through?"

Ember smiled. "I wasn't aware of how much I meant to any of you, Teddy Bear."

Shachi stepped in. "What fuzzball here is trying to say is life on the sub went to shit when you left. Captain's been difficult to deal with."

Her face softened with concern. "How so?"

"If he's not cooped up in his operating room days at a time, then he's snapping at us, scaring the living crap out of everyone! It's only a matter of time before he dissects one of us due to the bad mood _you _put him in!" Penguin chimed in.

Ember was expecting a great wave of satisfaction to wash over her at the thought of her departure having such an impact on the surgeon, but no such thing occurred. For some reason, the idea of being the cause of Law's sadness, distress of whatever it is he is going through according to the Heart pirates, bothered Ember more than she thought it should, especially when she felt Law didn't give a damn about her to begin with.

"Oh…" she muttered. "Well, I'll see what I can do."

The three watched as Ember let herself through the main door that leads deep within the ship, debating on whether to sneakily follow and spy on the events sure to unfold or to simply stay out of the way.

"Should we go see what happens?" Bepo whispered.

"Are you insane? Do you want to be scarred for life when Captain dismembers that girl?"

"So what should we do?"

Shachi threw in a suggestion. "I say we give it an hour, then check up and offer to clean the mess for Captain. I'm sure that'll cheer him up and win him over"

"I like that idea." Penguin stated.

"Me too." Added Bepo.

* * *

It was absolutely frigid within the metal belly of the submarine, probably more so than outside. Ember clutched the box to her chest in a poor effort to keep her body temperature from falling several more degrees, wondering what kind of course Law had set that has them leading toward a wintery climate. She absolutely despised cold weather.

Ember had soon found herself hesitating before the double doors leading to Law's operating theater, thoughts running through her head faster than she could process them. Why was she here? Why did she even bother to come back? Back to the man who destroyed her ship, held her captive and brutally attacked her? Who made her feel so prized and so worthless at the same time? Law was right; Ember really couldn't differentiate between good choices and bad ones but that wasn't going to stop her from following through with her gut feelings no matter how bad the decision.

She took a deep breath before quietly slipping past the doors, wrinkling her nose immediately as the pungent smell of blood hit her full force. She found Law by his operating table, snug in a long, black trench coat with a hat similar to his previous one with added thickness and a bill, hovering over his subject who appeared to be nonhuman. Tip toeing closer revealed that the specimen was in fact a rather large monitor lizard, which struck Ember as odd. Law was no veterinarian; what was he doing with an animal on the table?

Ember didn't have much time to wonder as the surgeon cast his blue room around them, not even bothering to look over his shoulder and acknowledge her intrusion. He simply continued to poke around his subject's innards as a distraction to the pounding heart in his chest that was fueled by a mixture of rage and thrill of her return.

"I do hope you have a good reason as to why I should refrain from slicing you to pieces for your escape." Law said in a lazy tone as he separated the still heart from the lizard's body.

"It's not escape if I come back."

Tools clattered onto the table as Law whipped around to shoot her a dangerous look, face hardened with agitation.

"I'm curious to know where in your thought process allowed you the idea that returning to me would come with no consequences." Law approached her in a predatory manner, casually grabbing his nodachi that was leaning against the table. He slid the blade out at a leisurely pace, accentuating the sound of metal dragging against the sheath. Raising the tip of the blade, he allowed it to rest beneath Ember's chin, lifting it gently so she could look him in the eye. "I don't need fancy tools to dismember you."

"In that case, I suppose my gift has no use to you." She said, sliding the box underneath her arm with nonchalance.

Law knew what bait looked like when he saw it, yet the doctor couldn't refrain himself from nibbling at the hook. He raised her chin higher with the blade. "What are you implying?"

Her slightly bashful expression had completely hooked Law, who was now itching to know just what in the world she was keeping from him. There were to be no secrets from Law, not on his ship.

Eyes cast elsewhere, anywhere but into those dark grey pools, she hesitantly hands Law the box who accepts it with the same uncertainty. He walks over to his operating table, resting his weapon before opening the box underneath the fluorescent light to study its contents in details. A shy Ember began slinking away into the shadows as she heard the faint gasp from the surgeon, unsure as to how Law will handle a gift she may very well regret giving to him.

Law spoke, not bothering to turn toward her. "Where did you get this?" he asked in a calm tone.

"From a previous doctor." Her voice was small with a hint of apprehension.

Law immediately stiffened. A previous doctor? So she was the patient of another before him. The more he thought about it, the more he wanted to tear her wings apart if it meant keeping her grounded and all to himself, out of the hands of other doctors, or anyone for that matter.

"I thought you didn't visit doctors." He asked, finally deciding to turn towards Ember, who was semi-concealed in a darkened corner.

"I said I detest them but that doesn't stop me from seeing one if I'm injured badly enough," Ember had found enough confidence to push her from the comfort of the shadows. "Which is why I want you to have this."

Law's face was as blank and as neutral as ever although his mind scrambled to make sense of it all. Careful fingers plucked a platinum scalpel from its velvet impression within the box, sampling its impeccable quality. It was just one of the several slicing tools found in the box that were also constructed from a precious metal.

Law has never received a gift in his life, especially one of such generosity so he stood there in silence, unsure as how to react. Why was she giving him tools he could use on her?

Ember broke the silence. "If I'm going to spend anymore time on this ship, I want to know I'm in good hands if I ever get severely hurt, especially by your doing."

Law turned to her. "If that is how you feel then why did you return?"

Ember paused, allowing the question to sink in so she could really think of an answer not only for him but for herself as well. She knew what a twisted bastard Law was and that anyone in their right mind would have ran and never looked back, not even taking a second to question Law's reasoning for allowing them to escape. However, Ember's conscious refused to leave behind unfinished business, especially the unanswered question of Law's unexpected gesture of kindness.

Law was growing impatient with her lack of an answer. "I really hope you don't take me as some sort of fool to believe this ploy of yours. Giving me the tools I need to split you open is not how to earn my trust."

Ember gasped, absolutely offended by such a comment. She may not have planned this as thoroughly as she had first thought but she knew damn well this was no trick to stab Law in the back. Does he really think that lowly of her?

A small puff of black smoke was exhaled from Embers nostrils as she huffed in agitation, turning her heel on the doctor in an attempt to head for the exit. Law frowned, swiftly coming up from behind her while gasping both ends of his nodachi, swooping it over her head and down to her waistline where he used the weapon to roughly reel her into his chest.

"However," he began in a softer tone, speaking into the black hair that intoxicated his nostrils with its sweet scent. "It is a sign that I have earned yours."

Her spine stiffened against his chest. Law seemed to know her intentions better than she did herself but she wasn't going to allow him the privilidge of uncovering a truth she was not ready to accept just yet.

"Does that mean the return of my wings is a sign that I have earned yours as well?"

Ember heard the brief catch in Law's throat before he spoke. "It was an experiment."

"A trust experiment."

Law's grip loosened slightly as a consequence of being caught off guard but when Ember saw it as an opportunity to slip from his grasp, he immediately brought her back with the sword, pulling it painfully tight against her hips so there was no space between his chest and the weapon that prevented her escape.

A tension filled atmosphere that Ember couldn't place a finger on, causing her to switch from agitation to concern when Law allowed his weapon to drop on the floor with a loud clatter. Arms suddenly wrapped around her with a tightness that seemed almost desperate and Ember couldn't understand why.

"I suppose you could call it that." The surgeon mumbled. His grip tightened even more around her. "Thank heavens my hypothesis was correct."

Ember was thankful that Law couldn't see her smile from behind her. "And what exactly was your hypothesis?"

Law hesitated, gritting his teeth before finally agreeing with himself to share such a private thought. "That you would continue to stay here…with me."

Ember wanted to whip around and look Law in the eyes as he revealed his honest hope for her to remain on his ship, a huge challenge for the shichibukai she was sure but Law's tight hug prevented her from doing so and she had a hunch as to why. _There must be some emotions on his face he doesn't want me to see.  
_

Law's chin slumped onto her shoulder as if exhausted by his confession, welcoming the palm of Ember's hand that reached to cup the side of his cheek. It was in this silent moment, a brief exchange of mutual affection not fueled by a lustful desire, that Ember realized this was the extent of the little warmth that Law possessed, perhaps extending a bit further than she would have ever expected from the doctor. It was in this moment that she finally came to terms with the fact that Law will never be as openly affectionate as she had hoped for him to be, yet despite his laidback sarcasm that disguises the true complexity of Trafalgar Law, he still wields some level of respect and care for her. With that little bit of insurance to hold on to, Ember can readily accept the fact that Law and his deeper feelings, if he has any, will forever remain a mystery.

Now enlightened, Ember decided to bring some relief to Law by going off topic.

"Care to explain the reason why you're dissecting an over grown lizard?"

Law paused before giving his short answer. "Research."

Ember raised a brow. "For?"

When Law didn't answer right away, the Zoan User decided to take it upon herself to form her own conclusion. "You were trying to replace me with another reptile, weren't you?" she joked.

Law turned Ember around to face him. "That is the most ridiculous thing to ever come out of your mouth."

"So tell me your logical explanation then."

Law released a short, annoyed sigh. "Without a dragon to work on, I chose the closest thing to one."

"I was right! You were trying to replace m-mmph-" Lips crashed on hers, refusing her rightful privilege to verbalize how correct she was. Cutting into human flesh just didn't have the same appeal anymore ever since he met this interesting dragon-human hybrid of a Zoan user.

Luckily for Law, Ember decided to keep her small victory to herself for now and melted into the lips she was beginning to have an insatiable taste for. He absolutely despised how much he truly had missed her and did not want to be reminded of the desperate attempt to fill the void in his cold heart due to her absence.

Ember broke the kiss, looking at Law with smug, red eyes. "Missed me, huh?"

Law growled angrily, roughly slamming her into a nearby medicine shelf causing several bottles and vials to crash on the floor, serums and pills spilling everywhere.

"Don't you _ever _disappear on me like that again. Do you understand?" Law bit his lip, not liking the desperation that seemed to be laced in his voice. He quickly sought safety from Ember's intense gaze by burying his face into her neck, feeling her fingers play with the black hair at his nape.

"Even if it was to get you a little gift?" she cooed near his ear.

Law pulled away to glare at her but the playfulness held in her eyes told him she was not intimidated.

"Don't get sassy with me."

"I thought that's what you liked about me."

Law paused, staring at her incredulously before allowing a smirk to appear on his lips. "That's right. You seem to be on a roll today."

With that, Law reclaimed her lips, hoisting her up higher against the shelf, guiding her legs to wrap around his waist. It was in this moment that he finally realized just how much he needed this girl. It wasn't about experimenting on her for the sake of medical science, but to experiment with these overwhelming yet pleasant feelings that seem to be evoked by her sheer presence.

Rough kisses continued to be exchanged, causing several more medicines to fall off the shelves from their fit of their passion. Too absorbed in one another, both failed to hear the swing of the double doors where Shachi, Bepo and Penguin watched in shock as their captain ravished what was supposed to be a dismembered Ember.

"C-Captain?"

Law pulled his lips away from Ember, turning his head slightly to look at them through the corner of a grey eye, unfazed. "Yes?"

Exchanging nervous glances, Shachi and Penguin pushed the white bear forward, volunteering Bepo to speak on behalf of their trio, who was not at all pleased with this decision. "W-we came to help clean up any…mess."

Law was reminded of the fallen medicines and looked down at the floor to make an assessment of the mess he had made. "How helpful of you three." He praised in a flat tone.

He couldn't help but smirk at the hint of disappointment Ember had expressed when he placed her back on her feet. Walking to the table to grab his weapon and new tools, he motioned with his head for Ember to come follow.

Trailing a couple of feet behind Law, she winked at the crewmembers who stared at her with bewilderment. "All fixed, just like you asked."

* * *

The sheets on Law's bed were ripped off the mattress and wrapped around Ember in a tight cocoon. It was still cold and the clothes on her body just weren't cutting it. She sat cross-legged on the bed in her bundle of minimal warmth and watched the surgeon search through his large armoire for something suitable for her to wear. He threw a bundle of clothes over his shoulder at her but it wasn't what she had in mind.

"These are my old clothes." She stated.

"I'm aware of that." He responded, continuing his dig in the closet. "I'm simply returning them to you so you can transition back once we reach reasonable weather again."

Ember smelled her clothes, inhaling the light clean scent signifying that they have been laundered. She remembered the paper in her pocket that Kid had given her, retrieving it from its confines to place in her bra for safe keeping.

Law hummed with uncertainty, pulling out clothes that were exactly of his currant state of dress. Taking his trusty nodachi, he made two very large incisions in both the hoodie and the long, black overcoat for Ember's wings to go through. "You will definitely need a belt to keep the pants on your waist but other than that, this should hopefully suit you, considering this is all I have that would fit a female."

Ember was not amused at the fact that she would be dressed identical to Law but if it meant retaining valuable degrees of body heat, then she would hold her tongue for now. Taking a deep breath in preparation of leaving the comfort of the warm sheets, she quickly got undressed, slipping into Law's clothes in record time. She retreated back into the sheets once again, wrapping herself to where only her ruby red eyes peeked through.

"It's not that cold, stop exaggerating." Law told her, despite how amusing it was to watch her antics on keeping warm.

"Says the man bundled head to toe." She countered. "Where are we going anyway that it has to be so cold?"

Law closed the closet doors to lean his back against the furniture, arms folded casually. "There is no point in sharing such information. The location is under the radar so the less who know about it, the better."

Ember's eyes narrowed from her displeasure of Law's response. "If you plan to include me in whatever objective it is you have planned, it would be smart to fill me in on where we're going and what we're doing.

Law raised an eyebrow at the mass of sheets that was Ember. "How do you know I have something planned?" He didn't have to see her to know she was grinning beneath the covers.

"Because Trafalgar Law always has a plan."

Law grinned inwardly, feeling the light stroke to his ego. "You've come to know me quite well in such a short amount of time, Miss Ember."

"Indeed I have," she said with a smile. "Now quit delaying and tell me where we're going."

"Fine," he said with a sigh. "Have you ever heard of Punk Hazard?"


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: As we approach the Punk Hazard story line, I just want to place a reminder that this is a fanfiction and things are going to occur differently than the anime/manga although it will follow in the same path somewhat. Other than that tidbit, I wish you a happy reading! If there's something you don't like or don't agree with don't feel shy to express that concern in a review :)**

Thank goodness the Heart Pirates hadn't misplaced her boots.

The soft crunch of snow was heard beneath Ember's feet as her and Law touched down onto the wintery wasteland that was half of Punk Hazard.

Law turned to his ship one last time before his departure, eyeing the white bear that watched them both from his position on the deck. "Head to the rendezvous point as planned. I will meet you as soon as I finish my business here."

"Are you sure you don't need our help Captain?" Bepo shouted over the rail.

"Yes Bepo. Stick to the plan we discussed. You know what to do."

A white puff escaped the bear's mouth as he sighed into the chilly air, not too fond of leaving his captain on his own. It just didn't feel right to be separated from the one person capable of leading them efficiently through the New World but despite his disagreement with the plan, he had to follow through with captain's orders. "Aye aye captain."

Bepo gave a quick wave before disappearing behind the flood door where within moments, the ship began its slow sink beneath the surface until it disappeared without a trace, the suction gathering near by glaciers to cover it's tracks.

With that short exchange done, Law turned to see Ember covering her ears to protect them from the wind's vicious assault; a chill so frigid it seemed to penetrate past her flesh into her very skull, triggering an immense headache. Reaching a tattooed hand within his long black coat, he pulled out his older, rounded fur hat and with one hand, placed it sloppily on Ember's head as he walked by without a word. As grateful as she was for the extra warmth it provided and the way it stopped her hair from blowing wild in the wind, she wasn't too pleased with the fact that she was now practically identical to Law.

It's been quite some time since Ember had ever seen snow, let alone in such abundance and volume. Law's height gave him a great advantage, being that it reached just around his shins, while Ember found herself knee-deep in the white stuff.

Lifting one leg at a time, she struggled to navigate within the snow, causing her to trail embarrassingly far behind Law, who's long legs granted him the ability to take graceful strides with little difficulty. The expression he gave her when he glanced over his shoulder to check on her progress had impatience etched all over.

"I'm doing the best I can!" she exclaimed, tripping several time as the pressure to keep up got the best of her. Taking a different approach, she started stepping her feet into the footprints left behind by Law which seemed to quicken her pace, but he was still progressing faster than she was. Giving up on the idea of catching up to him, she spread her wings and took flight, thankful for the alterations Law had made on the back of her layers of loaned clothes that allowed her to do so.

The cold was much more bitter and unforgiving in the air as the wind whipped snowflakes in her face that felt like dull bee stings but it was a small inconvenience she was willing to undergo rather than have Law grow more frustrated with her pace.

Grey eyes caught the soft shadow that zigzagged across the white blanket, looking up to spot Ember soaring above him, taking the lead. There was a certain grace she held as the wind gently carried her along that had Law feeling a small twinge of guilt for stealing her privilege of flight in the first place.

"Pick up the pace, Law!" Ember shouted down below her with a hint of playfulness to her voice. She saw Law smirk beneath that fur cap of his, a silent way of surrendering to this competition he wasn't aware they were even having. She descended down to his level, hands behind her head as she flew backwards in a laid back position, making sure to exaggerate her leisure while Law continued to shuffle through the snow. "Where are exactly are we headed?"

Law's gaze remained straightforward with determination, not even bothering to look at Ember as he answered. "That building over there, it's a laboratory. That's where we're headed."

Ember looked over her shoulder, spotting the large facility and frowned as she gave a rough guesstimate of the distance. "Not at this continuing pace I hope," Ember began circling Law in a playful manner. "I could carry you to make this faster. Either scoop you up into my arms like a reverse newly wed couple or give you a piggy back ride, whatever your preference may be."

Law choked back an embarrassed cough and was grateful that his cheeks were already flushed from the bitter cold. "That's quite unnecessary."

"Such a shame, it would have been so amusing," she then released a heavy, disappointed sigh. "I guess I'll have to resort to Plan B."

Law couldn't help but snort at the notion of Ember actually coordinating a second course of action. "_You_, have a Plan B? In such a short amount of time?"

Ember spat a small ball of fire at Law's feet as a warning sign to cease his ridicule. She beat her wings, gaining more altitude so she could release a more powerful flame. Soon Ember was breathing a steady stream of fire, carving a path within the snow to help quicken Law's pace.

"I now see the true meaning behind you name Miss Ember, although I personally feel 'Miss Blaze' or 'Miss Flare' would be more appropriate to you abilities."

Ember paused, putting some thought into her answer. "Hmm, I don't agree." She fluttered down, feet delicately planting themselves onto the ground right before Law. "A blaze or flare sounds like a fire that's out of control. That's not me."

Rubbing her hands together, Ember blew some fire onto them, allowing the flames to lick her skin with warmth as Law watches with brief moment of perplexity before it quickly dawns on him. _She's impervious to fire. _Another never before seen skill of hers that Law mentally adds to the growing list of unique abilities. Oh, how he craved to take a biopsy of her flesh to uncover all the secrets of her being.

Ember reached for Law's hands, holding them together with her own as she proceeded to warm them with heat charged by the breath of flames. "I'm just an small Ember, waiting to grow into a big fire once I figure out my purpose of burning."

Law's smile was so small that Ember could have missed it if she wasn't paying close enough attention but it was genuine nonetheless. "How could I have seen any different?" he says. "However, I think we both know where your true purpose lies…"

Law looked into her eyes knowingly, hoping she would grasp the hint he was trying to give her. When Ember realized he was referring to her staying with him on his ship, she smiled and gave him a simple, neutral response.

"I'll think about it."

An unexpected kiss landed on Law's lips, stunning him for the briefest of moments as Ember leapt back into the air, continuing her task of making a path for the doctor. Law, pulled the brim of his cap further down on his face to conceal his gratified smile. It wasn't a yes but it wasn't an immediate no either, so the fact that Ember would take his suggestion into consideration had Law feeling rather content.

* * *

A loud buzz echoed throughout the facility when Law pressed the red button to signal the inhabitants that there was company outside the steel double doors. For a long moment, the two waited for them to open with an obnoxious creak from rusted hinges, yet not a soul was found to welcome them in. Ember glanced at Law with a look of discomfort but the doctor did nothing to reassure her.

They invited themselves into the cavernous facility, footsteps echoing within the vast emptiness that had Ember whispering so her voice wouldn't do the same. "You never explained to me the purpose of this trip."

Law didn't even bother to look at her when speaking. "Remember that scientist I briefly spoke about during your stitches?"

"Yes?"

The short nod from Law was enough to confirm that not only did that information have something to do with all of this but that it was going to be the extent of Ember's knowledge of the plan.

Two men in hazmat suits opened the door to reveal a small lounge as if Law and Ember's presence had been expected the whole time, leading them into the company of a rather maniacal looking man who sat calmly on the plush, red couch, enveloped in what appeared to be a pinkish gas. Ember felt a pool of uneasiness form in the pit of her stomach when she realized that this man was a Logia user, a Devil Fruit type she was not particularly fond of considering how difficult they were to take down and she had a feeling Law didn't come here to simply exchange pleasantries.

"I was surprised when my men informed me of a Shichibukai at my front door. If I knew I was going to be expecting company, I would have tidied the place up a bit." He said with a hint of sarcasm, taking a quick sip from the cup of tea in his gloved hands. "Why don't you take a seat and explain to me why you're here."

Law sat all too comfortably on the opposite sofa with a crossed leg and arm stretched along the furniture, shooting Ember a warning glance when she displayed some hesitation before joining him. "I'm here to find some more in-depth information of recent government activity, considering this is the laboratory of Dr. Vegapunk."

"So what are you asking for?"

"I'm simply asking for access within the laboratory and around the island. We refrain from meddling in each others business which means you can not tell anyone of my existence here, not even Joker."

The scientist stiffened and Ember did not like the glare he sent Law but she wasn't one to talk since she found herself doing the same. How could Law tag her along on some plan that seems to be thickening with details yet refuses to keep her in the loop? There was a sharp twinge somewhere within her chest at the notion of Law not trusting her after her best efforts to earn it from him.

"Since I don't trust you and you're asking so much from me, what do I get in return?"

"A favor."

"A favor and your heart or else we have no deal."

Law hesitated momentarily. "That's too much power on your end, wouldn't you say? There needs to be an equal balance."

"Hmmm," Caesar hummed in thought. "You can have my loyal secretary's heart in exchange. I would say that's a fair trade."

Law was able to maintain a face of indifference despite his uncertainty with this arrangement. "It's a deal."

A flash of malicious intent shimmered within the scientists' evil amber eyes, lips curling into a sadistic grin. "By the way, did you bring that Zoan user to me as gift for your humble host? I've always wanted to study one up close, perhaps pick up the slack of Dr. Vegapunk's experimentation of creating artificial Zoan fruits as a side project."

The face Law made seemed to express more thoroughly how against the idea he was than his words did. "Miss Ember is already under my study so that is not an option. Perhaps something else."

The man looked genuinely saddened by this response, sighing out his disappointment rather heavily before directing a question to another party that Ember happened to not be aware of. "Any suggestions, Monet?"

Ember turned toward the direction he was projecting his voice and found a woman with minty green hair sitting at the bar behind them, her slender legs crossed as she scribbled into her book. "Well, we do have some former prisoners paralyzed by poisoned gas. Perhaps you could treat them."

"Excellent. Why don't you escort Law to his patients so he can get started right away?"

Law stood up when Monet approached him, stiffening slightly when an arm linked around his own. He already felt the burn of Ember's angry glare as it bore into his back and he briefly wondered if Monet felt it too. "This way please." She said.

Ember went to follow but was confronted by a wall of gas. "I specifically said 'Law' but you if you aren't fond of being left alone, you are more than welcomed to come with me. I would love to see how sea stone affects a Zoan type's physiology."

Tendrils of gas began to coil around her limbs and Ember found herself having some trouble brushing them off, breaking several pinkish streams only for the puffs to reassemble themselves around her arms and legs. A sword sliced through the gas, disconnecting all threads in one swift swing. "I don't like my experiments being tampered with, Caesar. She is to be off limits." Law warned.

Purple lips pursed into a thin line. "Your presence here is already reminding me of why I hate working with other professionals. Go be on your way, I have another experiment to tend to."

Caesars body completely dissolved into his Logia form, slipping through the ventilation shafts as a short cut to wherever he needed to be. When Monet softly cleared her throat to remind Law that he had patients to treat, he made his exchange with Ember short and sweet. "Just wait here. I shouldn't be long."

Law did his best to ignore the very hurt and angry eyes that watched him walk away to Monet's side as if he was conducting treason. He could have gained some peace of mind if he could at least left Ember with a bit of reassurance but expressing even the slightest bit of warmth would reveal that she was more than just a medical experiment to him, a weakness that could be exploited by Caesar if discovered.

Ember shuffled over to the bar once she was alone, so utterly alone as an index finger passed over several brands before making her selection of a booze she felt paired well with feelings of abandonment and sheer misery. Needing immediate relief from her mixed emotions, she drank straight from the bottle, finding no time to pour herself proper glass. She swirled contents from the neck, hearing the liquid slosh around within as she questioned her part in Law's little scheme, since he seemed to be handling things quite well on his own.

Holding her liquid comfort close as she walked over to the couch, she sat herself down, sinking into the soft, luxury cushion that felt out of place in this cold and bare facility. Polishing off the bottle with ease, she laid her herself down in hopes to sleep of the slight tipsiness since she had a feeling it would be a while before she saw Law again.

* * *

"I'm really enjoying this new look. What do you think Caesar?"

"How interesting, Law certainly has excellent modification taste."

The voices stirred Ember from her rest as she groggily righted herself to see what the conversation was about. When her eyes landed on Monet, she rubbed them repeatedly before ruling out the option that she may have still been tipsy. _What. The. Fuck._

Monet did a sultry three-sixty turn to show off her new parts consisting of minty green wings with a matching fluffy, feathered tail. Ember couldn't help but grimace at the visibly rough, textured bird legs that replaced her slender ones with sharp, ugly talons as feet. It appears that Ember lost her position of being the only animal-human hybrid, a title she could have cared less about if it weren't for the fact that Law seemed to have an interest in such oddities.

"Is that all? I would like to get started on my business here." Law interrupted. There was a brief moment of relief when seeing Ember safe and sound on the couch rather than stolen away by this mad man and he couldn't help his impatience to find some privacy so he could brief her on the situation at hand. It wasn't something he wanted to do, at least not during the early stages of the plan but the tension between them may jeopardize everything all together so it was minor alteration he was willing to make.

Law's eyes must have unconsciously displayed some type of urgency when he signaled for her to come because Ember's face softened with concern as she quickly walked over to him but unfortunately, she had been intercepted by her rival in the making, Monet.

"I'd hate to test these new wings by myself. Care to join me?" Monet asked with a knowing smile that put Ember on alert.

"Yes, why don't you take a little flight around the island, Ember was it? I need to talk to Law in private for a moment anyway."

Grey and red darted toward one another in silent communication, both reading the uneasiness in the others features and despite Law's short nod of approval, Ember knew by the deep frown etched on his features that he too was sensing something terribly wrong. "It should be fine. Go on now."

"_Should _doesn't sound so confident_."_ Ember mumbled before making her way to Monet's side, bearing no shame in expressing how reluctant she was of doing so.

She wasted no time in taking flight once they exited the lounge, leaving Monet to figure the concept out on her own since she wasn't obligated to teach her a damn thing, nor was she willing to in the first place.

Monet was a quick learner much to Ember's dismay and found her place along side the Zoan user with ease as they glided through the vast laboratory, looping through the network of overhead pipes that zigzagged across the high ceilings.

"Did Law give you your dragon parts?" the harpy asked in a sweet, curious tone that simply irritated Ember for a reason she just couldn't quite describe. There was just something about this woman that made Ember want to pluck off every feather before roasting her like the turkey she saw her as.

"No. I'm a Zoan fruit user." She answered flatly.

A beam of natural light filtered through a gaping hole from a section of ceiling that had caved in due to erosion from the harsh winter elements, a quick and convenient exit to outside where hopefully the chill can cool the boiling rage forming just by the mere presence Monet.

"Oh dear," Monet said as if she was genuinely upset about the fact. "I was hoping you would say yes so I can ask if it's usual for Law to be so handsy during modifications on woman."

Ember froze immediately minus the flapping of her wings to keep her suspended in the air. "What do you mean by _handsy?"_

Monet flew over to a nearby pipe and perched herself, getting comfortable before her elaboration, like teenage girl preparing to spill the latest gossip. "Handsy as in touching me in certain places he claimed would relax my body before making the alterations," Monet continued despite the obvious hurt displayed on Ember's features. "I think that constitutes as medical malpractice although I can hardly complain, considering how wonderful his hands were."

Ember's mouth went dry, making it difficult to swallow down the lump in her throat before speaking, doing her best to sound nonchalant. "Exactly how wonderful were his hands?"

There was a naughty gleam in her amber eyes. "Wonderful enough that he relaxed me from the _inside_ out in record time. Especially when he massaged my chest before extracting my heart." She winked in Ember's direction, triggering her unexpected take off.

Like a bat out of hell, Ember shot through the opening of the roof, wings climbing and climbing until the air began to grow thin and breathing became tedious due to the incredible altitude. Several cold tears streamed down her face, stinging her cheeks as the damp trail began to freeze over while her throat burned from the gasps of frigid air. Ember reassured herself that this was simply a reaction from the strenuous flight rather than the immense hurt that was becoming more and more prominent by the second.

Ember fluttered down with a lack of grace as she collapsed onto the snow-covered rooftop where Monet soon found her.

"Oh Ember," she cooed, encasing the distraught woman within her feathery wings for comfort which did nothing of the sort as Ember couldn't help but notice how much colder she felt in the arms of Monet than she did being exposed to the chilly winds. "If I knew there was something between you and Law I would have never accepted his affections."

Ember gently shoved the harpy away, shakily standing to her feet as she attempted regain her composure. "There's nothing between me and Law," she said. "Not anymore."

With that, Ember took off once again, relieved that Monet didn't follow this time. She flew until she found ocean, descending until she landed on a floating sheet of ice where she could finally spill her heart in private.

Ember couldn't remember the last time she truly, genuinely cried. There were some close calls though, being the occasional watering of the eyes and the runaway tear or two but to be on her knees and openly cry was something foreign to her. She didn't cry over Law's disloyalty. He wasn't obligated to uphold such a thing when this, whatever 'this' was between them was still undefined. No, the reason behind her tears was caused by the realization of how much she truly cared for Law, a man who seemed to reciprocate the same affectionate feelings only when the mood struck him, which was either rare or never. She knew she shouldn't even concern herself about being involved in Law's plans, let alone care about what he does in his spare time in an operating room with another woman but the fact of the matter was that she did and it truly frightened her. Ember genuinely cared for a man whose feelings for her still remain in question.

She wiped away her tears, taking a deep breath as she attempted to clear her mind, concentrating on the whistling wind and the soft lapping of water against the glacier.

Semi-clear thoughts allowed her to remember the paper in her bra and she dug under her numerous layers to fish it out, hissing slightly as cold fingers made contacted with her own skin. Being in the constant presence of Law, she was never given the opportunity to further inspect this pointless sheet of paper.

"Oh Red, what was going through your mind when you handed this to me?" she sighed, flipping the paper over and over as if a message, a picture or something would appear eventually.

The blank sheet was bent at an awkward angle, causing Ember's palms to shelter it from the bustling winds. Her curiosity was peaked when it remained the same, pointing in the same direction with a sense of urgency.

"Is this some type of cheap log pose?" she asked herself, wishing Kid had given her a brief explanation or at least an instruction manual in regards to whatever this paper was.

Standing to her feet, she cast one last glance at the wasteland behind her, spotting the grey speck that was the laboratory several miles away before taking off into the air, following her sorry excuse for a log pose.

* * *

It's been quite some time since Ember last had a flight like this, soaring for days on end that brought back nostalgic memories of her nomadic times when the sky was her home and yet for some reason, this flight seemed lackluster in comparison to her other journeys. The warm breeze combing through her hair, the thrill of the next unexpected destination, it just didn't have the same appeal as it once did, making the flight more tedious than enjoyable thus diminishing her stamina.

Getting fatigued while soaring across several oceans is not something you want to happen if you're a Devil Fruit user, and this concern was enough to fuel Ember for several more hours until she noticed the paper in her hand pointing straight downwards. She lowered her altitude, immediately recognizing the pirate ship that became visible among the vast amount of blue and relief hit her with a force that almost dragged her down into the ocean if she wasn't mindful. She rushed over to the ship, exhausted to the point where she struggled to execute a seamless landing, crashing into several barrels of valuable booze.

The ships first mate came to investigate the commotion and froze when he saw Ember's crumpled form. "Captain, you better come take a look at this."

* * *

"Make it quick Caesar, I have more important things to tend to." Law said, not bothering to conceal his impatience.

"Let me ask you something Law," the scientist began. "Do I look like a fool to you?"

Law's face remained neutral and if his heart was still within his chest, one could probably never tell he was feeling slight unease. Unfortunately, he relinquished it to Caesar as promised and he was certain the mad man could feel it beating erratically within the pocket of his lab coat, giving him away.

"It depends in what context." Law says. "If you're referring to physical appearance, I'm afraid yes."

Law didn't regret his comment despite the consequential squeeze of his precious organ that had him keeling over as if he had taken a punch to the gut. He knew giving Caesar his heart was a risky idea but he wasn't expecting to regret it so soon.

"Shurororo, you're in no position to be snarky with me." Caesar said, his grin curled wide at the sight of the doctor doubled over on the floor. His attention soon turned to Monet, who had just returned from giving her new wings a test drive. "Monet, your back. How did it go?"

"Wonderful," she said, her long bird legs stepping over Law as she made her way to the sofa. "Although not so much for the dragon girl."

Law sucked back in enough air to growl dangerously through clenched teeth. "What…did you do to her?"

"Nothing," she said with a shrug, helping herself to a cup of tea from the pot Caesar had brewed for himself previously. "She flew off angrily when I told her about our moment of intimacy during my modification."

"What on earth are you talking about, Monet?!" Law was on his knees now, so close to being back on his feet until another violent squeeze of his heart had now rendered the idea impossible.

"Wait, so we didn't share a steamy moment in the infirmary?"

"No, what are you…" If Caesar's tight hold on his heart didn't knock all the wind out of him, Law's sudden realization of Monet's true intentions did. "You filthy, bird flu-ridden pigeon! You lied to her!"

"Hm, I suppose I did." She said, taking a sip from her tea, expressing no sign of remorse.

Law scolded himself for allowing a simple strategy of Divide and Conquer to cause discord between him and Ember, thus leading himself into this predicament. He should have just told her from the start, coming clean about the true reasoning behind this personal goal of his but he just wasn't ready to share that part of himself with her, at least not yet. Law's past was not something he liked to visit very often but now it seems as though his insecurities may not only have cost him the opportunity to achieve his plan, but his connection to Ember as well.

Caesar sneered down at Law curled on the floor, gasping air into his lungs as he struggled to recover. "It's a good thing I have people like Monet and Vergo to warn me of pests like you who want to sabotage my work."

Law felt his blood run cold as the wild card he could have never predicted was drawn. "Vergo?"

Footsteps were heard approaching Law from behind, followed by a fast twirl of a weapon as it cut through the air repeatedly before striking him in the head with a blunt force that knocked him unconscious.

"It's Mister Vergo, to you."


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Yeahhhhhhh a LEMON just happened and I don't know why since only one was scheduled for this story and that was in Chapter 7 . This chapter is one sided Ember x Kid (Its a Law story I know please don't kill me) with bits of Law thrown in but this will be Kid's last apperence so don't worry. Kid's sole purpose is to stir up emotions, this time being Ember on an extreme level.**

**As for the lemon, it's one of the strangest I've ever written. I honestly don't know what my brain was thinking. Flame me if you want, i most likely deserve it.**

**I hope you could still enjoy T.T**

Grey eyes struggled to take in their surroundings as the lack of cooperation from Law's recovering brain caused the bland colors of his holding cell to blur into a whirlwind of grey.

Law craned his neck to stretch, feeling the thick, crackle of blood that trickled from his head wound and dried there. The reminder triggered a dull throb at the back of his skull as he recollected the events that had led him to this predicament.

It was as if a rug had been pulled out from under Law. So quick and unexpected that he simply just didn't have enough reaction time to diffuse the situation before it escalated in the way it did. The unexpected appearance of Vergo didn't make matters any easier. Perhaps he gave too little credit to the deranged scientist.

His thoughts were disrupted by the faint yet debilitating ache that coursed throughout his being, looking down to discover the sea stone chains encasing his entire torso with their generous length. The doctor chewed the inside of his cheek as he realized he had not had the opportunity to replace the sea stone chains with plain ones in the events of accidental capture. Another reminder of how underprepared he was.

Since this was Law's first time being captured, he couldn't help but long for Ember's company, being that this was nothing new to her. Being captured and recaptured by Law, he was certain she could shed some light on the situation, perhaps formulate an escape plan considering how she had slipped from his grasp twice, the third time omitted since she did return, a gesture Law was secretly grateful for.

The idea of Ember returning after Monet had planted her seeds of deceit seemed very unlikely yet despite the anger towards him due to the lies, he felt some relief knowing she was out of Caesar's grasp. Where she was however, remained a mystery to the doctor, as he pondered where a girl with no family, no home, could have possibly retreated to.

* * *

When his captain hadn't responded to his call, the masked first-mate decided it was for the best. He wasn't exactly sure which situation his leader would be most angered by: the loss of several booze barrels, two in which contained whiskey with twenty-five years under its belt, fermenting further until a special occasion rose or Ember's unexpected visit aboard their ship, the first one in several years since she snuffed the flame between her and Kid. If Killer was shocked, he couldn't imagine how his captain, the most temperamental being he has ever met, would handle such news. Kid was only capable of registering one emotion no matter the situation and that was anger.

Killer rushed to her side, pushing at several barrels before reaching her crumpled form that lay drenched in a whiskey-wine pool. The mask gave decent protection against the potent aroma that was now being emitted from Ember's form as the alcohol seeped into her pores, burning his nostrils slightly. It was an extremely heady combination that Killer was almost certain he could get drunk off of if inhaled a little while longer.

He briefly fumbled with her large wings, not too sure as how to fold them before eventually figuring out the concept. Scooping the drenched mess into his arms, he carried her to the washroom, leaving behind a trail burgundy droplets that were sure to stain the wooden deck.

Ember stirred rather sleepily in his arms as if she was napping throughout the whole ordeal. "You've always been the politer one in this circus of a crew."

Killer didn't even look down at her. "Don't remind me. I get enough crap for it already."

A foot gently pushed the door of the washroom open. It was surprisingly clean for a ship filled with men but that was to be expected when bathing was a seldom part of pirate routine.

Killer carefully set her on the floor before making his exit. "You've washed here before. I'm sure you know where everything is."

Killer left Ember to bathe in private; thankful she had recovered just in time. He had slit countless throats yet wasn't certain if he had the balls to undress and wash an unconscious woman, especially one that used to be Kid's. Killer would have liked to believe it was simply because he was a somewhat decent and sensible man rather than the fear of Kid turning him into a pincushion that prevented him from doing so.

Killer returned to the mess, hoping his captain wouldn't notice the drastic cut in alcohol if he cleaned up fast enough but the red-head that stood in the in the puddle of precious liquid proved that wasn't going to be an option.

An angry amber eye glanced over a fur-coated shoulder. "Who's the asshole responsible for this mess?"

Killer remained silent, hoping Kid wouldn't associate his wine stained clothes to him being the culprit of a crime he didn't a commit. "It's been taken care of."

"It's ain't taken care of until his head is on a goddamn platter!" Kid roared. His eyes soon made contact with the trail of red drops, glancing back up at Killer for several intense seconds before storming after the path, his first-mate hot on his heels.

"Dammit Kid, why can't you handle things like a civilized human being?"

"Because I ain't gonna show manners to fuckers who wreck shit on my ship!"

Before Kid could reach the washroom door at the end of the wine trail, Killer sped past him to block his passage, which only added to the captain's rage.

"This is for the sake of your sanity, Kid."

"I lost that nonsense a long time ago, now get the fuck out of my way!"

Despite the years of bantering with his first mate, Kid had never put his hands on him until now, shoving him with a great force that sent him tumbling backwards into some supply crates, nothing serious that a man like Killer couldn't walk away from. It was nothing personal, Kid just hated when anyone, whether friend or foe, got in his way.

He kicked the door open for an unnecessarily dramatic entrance, lips quivering in a growling snarl for added intimidation only for the fearsome façade to fall seconds after discovering the culprit.

Ember froze in the middle of turning the tub's left nozzle, not in fear of Kid but to stare at him like the big buffoon she saw him as.

Other than the sound of rushing water cascading onto porcelain, the room was silent, neither uttering a single word. Kid's face held a neutral, almost dumbfounded expression as he watched her lips curve ever so slightly in an amused smile. His brain registering her state of dress gave him reason to speak.

"What in god's name are you wearing?" he asked, referring to the Heart paraphernalia such as the branded overcoat and Law's trademark hat.

"Why, do you like it?" she teased, turning the tub's nob before the water shut off with several loud squeaks.

"Take…it…off." He growled, struggling to hold on to his last smidgen of patience.

"I was about to until you intruded on my bath time."

"Is that what you used my Vivre Card for? To come take a damn bath?"

"A what card?"

Kid huffed, getting annoyed all too easily. "Whatever, I'll explain it to you later. Just hurry up," he said, but just before he was about to turn on his heel, he remembered something. "And one more thing…"

Kid strode to Ember's side with heavy footsteps, grabbing her throat with a force that slightly affected her balance on the tubs edge. Leaning forward, he proceeded to lick around her neck, his tongue making its climb to her cheek where it swirled around briefly before returning to his mouth.

"I never got a taste of my aged whiskey." Kid said in a gruff voice before leaving Ember to bathe in peace.

* * *

Despite the all the scrubbing, Ember could still smell some remnants of booze as all the delay allowed it to sink in her pores. Either that or crash landing into such aromatic liquor has shocked her sense of smell, its potency lingering within her nose. Whatever the cause, the remaining scent made her never want to pick up a drink again.

Drying herself off with a ragged towel, Ember encased her body in scales since her loaned clothes were soiled. Exiting the washroom, she made her way to Killer's cabin and invited herself in for the hope finding clothes from his slender days, before he bulked up with muscle.

Careful not to disrupt the neatly folded garments in the drawers, she searched until she found his old black, polka dot shirt pushed all the way at the end. As she struggled to rip two slits into the back, a voice interrupted her task.

"You could have asked."

Ember turned to Killer who stood in the doorway. "You weren't around."

Killer walked over to Ember and took the shirt from her hands, opening it wide so she can shrug into the sleeves.

"Coming back is only going to get Kid more attached to you." Killer said as he waited for Ember to finish buttoning.

"I'm sure he could manage," she said.

Killer sighed; carefully delivering two slices with his scythes in the back of one his favorite shirts for Embers wings to slip through. "Kid let you come and go as you pleased because he knew you would always come back. Now that you have other priorities that don't revolve around him, do you really think he's going to let you go so easily this time?"

"Unless he could cut off my wings, then I highly doubt it." The thought of Law popped in her head without an invitation and caused a knot of hurt to form in her gut. She knew this was for the best. "Besides, I don't intend on leaving." She said in a rather small voice.

The way Killer tensed gave away his surprise, an occasional loophole to decoding his reactions when his mask concealed the majority of them. "Is that so?"

When Ember didn't answer, Killer just solemnly shook his head. "Think about it carefully before Kid makes the decision for you."

With that, Killer opened the door to see himself out, holding it behind him for Ember as he jerked his head for her to follow. "Crew's getting ready for lunch, I'm sure you're famished."

Ember smiled, following Killer to the kitchen where she was welcomed with some whistles and cheers.

"Look who finally got her wings back!" a random voice shouted in the crowded room.

"Did ya kill him Emmy? Roast him to a crisp? Chew him up and spit him out?"

"Story time will be held later for you nosy bastards. Let the girl eat." Killer defended.

Heat handed Ember a plate of rice with a generous amount of chicken on top, bones still in place. "Good to have you back Ember."

She took the plate and gave him a grateful smile, looking around at all the interesting faces that were the Kid Pirates, who always welcomed her back with the same enthusiasm. It reminded her of how long it's been since she last returned to Kid's ship, which was several years ago.

She wrinkled her nose as a certain smell began to nauseate her. Looking over everyone's cups, she identified at least seven different varieties of hard liquor.

"As much as I'd like to catch up, I'm going to eat outside. The smell of all this alcohol is making me sick."

"Ha! After pummeling into all that booze, I don't blame ya." Another voice shouted, resulting in some laughter as everyone recalled the incident.

Killer turned to Ember. "You'll be alright by yourself?" he asked.

Ember waved a hand to brush off his concern. "I'll be fine. I'll just go eat in my old room."

Ember dismissed herself, leaving them to continue their previous conversations. She strolled along side the ship, passing several cabins as she forked some rice into her mouth, tail swaying happy and content as she strode. She briefly wondered just how long this mood was going to last before her thoughts trailed back to the doctor she was trying to forget about.

Ember's thick tail was suddenly grabbed, yanking her inside one of the rooms while some rice spilled off her plate from the sudden jerk. At least the chicken wasn't wasted.

When she turned to see a coatless Kid snickering like a mischievous child, her hips twisted sharply to give some momentum to her tail as it went to slap his face, her hands were carrying the precious cargo that was her plate of food.

Kid caught it with ease, creating a cylinder with his fingers that pushed their way up the length, folding the fins located at the tip. He loved playing with the appendage; it was similar to messing with the tail of a cat, creating the same annoyance for Ember.

"Don't scare me!" she scolded, jamming a leg of chicken into his mouth with the hope of him choking but was disappointed when it was swallowed whole, bone and all.

"Quit being such a priss." He drawled in annoyance, reaching for a bottle of rum from his personal collection stowed away in a drawer.

Ember hopped on his desk, sitting cross-legged on top of all his maps, which didn't seem to bother Kid the slightest. He pulled out his desk chair, plopping himself down before kicking his boots up on the desk's edge.

"I was wondering what took you so long to get here. That Vivre Card acts as a compass to lead you directly to me."

"Well if you explained that to me before shoving it under my shirt, maybe I would have arrived sooner." She said before taking a bite from her plate.

"I figured since you thought you were hot shit after becoming a captain, you would have heard of those things by now." Kid took a swig, smirking around the rim when he received a glare from ruby red eyes. "I see you got your wings back. Do I even wanna know what you did to accomplish that?"

Ember purposely waited until Kid took another sip. "Sometimes a woman has to bed a man to get what she wants."

And then came the desired result: Kid sputtering his drink all over, some spraying on to Ember's legs, who jumped off the desk in slight disgust but shrugged it off, leaving the plate behind.

Kid eyed her dangerously as she sat herself on his bed. "Don't toy with me Em. Killer ain't here to hold me back."

"Hold you back from doing what? Pummeling me?"

Kid used a long gulp from the bottle as enough reason to not respond. A fight with Ember could have been interesting considering how tough her body was. He could deliver a few blows without being too concerned for her well-being but fighting her was not something he didn't want to do, despite his love for violence.

Ember laid her back onto the satiny sheets of Kid's bed, looking up to the ceiling where several wanted posters of rivaling pirates were taped. Metal daggers were jammed with great force and deadly accuracy into to the vitals such as forehead and eyes, probably thrown by Kid during a grumpy day or two but out of all the posters, the one that had enough knives to fully stock a professional kitchen belonged to Trafalgar Law.

Ember quickly looked away but that didn't stop the returning knot in her stomach. She needed to forget about him, needed to find a way to occupy her time, her thoughts, until pictures or his name didn't nauseate her with hurt anymore.

"Red," she spoke softly, returning her gaze at the ceiling, avoiding a certain picture in particular.

Kid chose to acknowledge with a grunt since it was the only way he could respond and take a long swig from his bottle at the same time.

"I think I'm ready to join your crew."

Kid choked on his drink rather than spit it out this time, swiveling his chair so he could face her to make sure he wasn't hallucinating. "You're ready to what?"

Ember turned to him, annoyance written on her face. "Please don't make me repeat myself."

"You're gonna have to just so I know you ain't fucking around." Kid voice was not at all playful as he stood up from his chair and strode to the bed.

Kid crawled onto the mattress, hands and knees carefully finding proper placement to loom over her. When Ember tried to get up, he only lowered himself down to his forearms, leaving enough space in between them but not enough for her to escape him.

"Tell me you ain't fucking around, Em." He demanded in a husky growl.

He nudged her cheek with his structured nose, trying to coerce a response from her but by no means was this some cute display of affection from Kid. No, he let his face caress hers everywhere with a predatory dominance and it reminded Ember of how an alpha male demands attention from a member it forced into submission. She understood this behavior, being quite the animal herself but her Zoan type, despite being the rare mythical one, was still carnivorous and the beast within did not take kindly to being made prey.

She swiftly made an escape attempt with reflexes that Kid almost couldn't keep up with. She quickly sat up, but so did Kid and the strength of his metal arm was enough to pull her into his lap and keep her there.

It was insane how large it was, wrapping around her small frame tight enough to pin one of her arms between them, while the other was grasped within the metal fingers.

Spreading one's wings was an instinct most animals of flight had to appear bigger and more intimidating during confrontation. Smoke became to emit from Ember's nose, fire beginning to brew within her throat as her eyes shone bright, looking more reptilian than usual. This type of display always aroused Kid and he wasn't even ashamed by it.

"I fucking love when you get all pissy." He confessed. "So sexy when you're mad."

He reeled her head in, forcing her into a kiss she struggled to enjoy due to the taste of alcohol in his mouth. She pulled away with a grimace while he backed away with several coughs.

"You taste like shitty rum."

"You taste like ash. Quit with that fire shit." Kid grumbled, pushing her off where she bounced back on the bed, stifling some giggles.

It was like old times, the bickering and the play fights that usually led to aggressive lovemaking. This was exactly what she needed. Someone who was loud, expressive and in your face, not some neutral brick wall that she always had to be on her toes around but if that was the case, despite the laughter, why did she still feel empty? _Red could fill that hole…hopefully. _

Kid soon hovered over her, fumbling with the buttons of her borrowed shirt since his metal fingers weren't as nimble as his normal hand. The polka dot design clicked something in his head. "This Killer's?"

As soon as Ember nodded, Kid ripped it down the middle, buttons flying in all directions like bullets.

"You'll wear clothes belonging to other men yet I don't see you putting on my pants and coat."

"I don't like your tacky wardrobe."

"You mouthy little bitch." He growled before swooping to reclaim her lips in a bruising kiss that practically pushed her deep within the plush mattress.

The way Kid kissed was draining, as if he was stealing the life out of her. He was so needy, so hungry that he took more than she could give, especially now when she wasn't in the mood to match his fervor. He began to claw at her scaly armor like a desperate animal.

"This…get rid of it." He panted, lust apparent in his voice.

Ember did as she was told yet despite how erotic it was to watch Kid become so desperate to jump in her skin, she couldn't help feel, well…bored.

The chemistry was off but she didn't dare express this concern. Instead, she remained silent, continuing to go through the motions as her thoughts buzzed in the background of her mind. _Now's not the time do get distracted. You need this, Ember. _

Without his oversized coat to cover him up, Kid was bare chested with the exception of the black strap that held his dagger and revolver, which Ember pushed off his shoulder with ease. With that bulk out of the way, he immediately swarmed her body with his own, pinning her wrists that seemed tiny in comparison to the palm of his metal hand so he could consume her without her hindrances.

Kid always went for her neck first; it was one of his many favorite places on her body, being he could taste her skin while whispering repeatedly how she belong to him and only him.

Kid nipped her with the same amount of bite that he always did, but was surprised when he felt Ember flinch for the first time. "What's up with you?"

Ember did her best to brush it off. "It's been a while, that's all." _Law never bites._

Kid quickly dismissed the incident without a second thought, moving to the next phase of his routine: her breasts. How he had missed playing with her generous mounds, nipping at them to elicit cries of pleasure mixed pain yet when he did so, all he got was another flinch accompanied by a muffled whimper of discomfort.

Kid was getting irritated now. "What the hell has gotten into you? When the fuck did you decide this hurts all of a sudden? I thought you were tougher than those other broads." Kid decided to ponder it more in depth and anger quickly flashed in his face. "Did that bastard do shit to you?"

Ember was grateful for the replacement of bastard rather than the doctor's name and shook her head, but Kid was not pleased with this response.

"I ain't deaf Ember," Kid using her full name was the equivalent of a child knowing she was in trouble if her mother did the same. Ember realized Kid was in serious mode. "So use your words and tell me he didn't do some twisted shit to you. I'll need to snap his neck if that's the case."

Ember rolled her eyes, feeling this whole ordeal was taking longer than it should and couldn't help but anticipate getting it done and over with already. "No Red, La-_he_ didn't harm a pretty little hair on my head."

Kid scrutinized Ember's face for any sign that could reveal she's not telling the truth and upon his study, he noticed the light scar on her cheek. "Where did that come from?"

And there was the hint he was looking for, the slightest flush of her face that gave her away. Kid was not pleased.

His right hand grabbed her hair, pushing her to press her forehead against his while the mechanical hand of his left trailed to her exposed southern parts, stroking her folds as lightly as he could with a heavy metal finger. Ember tensed immediately. Kid never caressed her _anywhere_ with that hand.

"Don't lie to me. Who put that there?"

She didn't answer; she was too distracted with the foreign fingers that touched her in a place where only things of flesh and blood should go. Kid was growing impatient with the delay.

A metal finger slipped inside and she yelped in pain, pushing desperately at the artificial arm but it was too heavy to be affected.

"Not so tough on the inside than you are on the outside," he sneered, allowing his fingers to pump slowly. "Don't make me ask you again."

Ember spoke through clenched teeth, fighting the pleasurable pain. "He did but it-ahhh…wasn't a big deal, I completely forgot about it…please stop."

Kid seemed somewhat satisfied and alternated hands, soothing her core with calloused fingers that felt like silk compared the previous intrusion. It was a small mark, not worth getting mad over. His girl was strong and can easily walk away from such injuries. He just hated being lied to, but most of all he hated marks on his pet that weren't his own but pushed that thought to the back of his mind for now.

Ember began to pant softly, a natural response to direct stimulation but not as responsive as Kid used to remember. She became slick but not soaked the way he liked her to be. He pulled his hand away from her to quickly unfasten his pants, pulling them down half way but never taking them off as usual. It was time to make Ember scream his name the way she used to years ago. There was no way she was going to keep up with this withdrawn attitude.

Kid pulled her legs around his waist, positioning himself, not before making more ferocious demands. "Bite, slash, claw, try to fucking hurt me."

Ember briefly wondered what type of childhood Eustass Kid had that made him the aggressive, violent man he is today. Even in the bedroom, Kid needed some fight in his fuck and Ember was always able to deliver since her body was resilient but after being in the relaxed, gentle hands of Law, she didn't know if she remembered how to put up with Kid's aggressive affections.

Kid pinned her down as he eased himself in with a slight shudder, never giving her body any say in this tango meant for two. He loved to feel her fight against him, it's what made this all worth while so he got a little irritated when she showed little resistance as if she wasn't really interested.

Hit bit her neck hard until she began to fight him off, smirking around the skin he held between his teeth. _That's my girl._

Kid's thrusts were slow but filled with momentum and power, bruising her thighs with his uncontrolled strength, filling her to the point wear she could tear. It always amazed him how durable she was and he always rewarded her with great pleasure for being so tolerable. He made sure to give her exactly what she wanted the same way she did for him. Kid was no good-doer but when it came to sex, he knew all too well the dynamics of 'give to receive'

As for Ember, what she thought she wanted, what she needed, turned out to not be working for her. Kid was showering her with aggressive affections she no longer found enjoyable for some reason. This was going to be bad unless she figured out how to remedy this situation.

When she managed to wrap her arms around his neck, she closed her eyes and that was when her imagination took control.

Ember panted against what she imagined to be tan skin, threading fingers into what she thought was soft black hair, excitement pooling in her stomach as images of the Dark Doctor infiltrated her mind.

Kid felt thin fingers thread through his hair and although he wasn't big on the sensual touches, he found himself to be enjoying her new gestures and tried to mimic the style by licking the shell of her ear in a slow, sensual way, not realizing he was fueling Ember's fantasy. When he heard the soft moan, he continued to explore this new idea, kissing her neck hungrily, nipping the skin in his usual manner just not as hard, adding his own personal twist.

Ember felt her leg being lifted and looked to see a familiar tattooed hand supporting it. She gasped in pleasure filled surprise and felt her chin being grabbed to look at the face above her.

She was greeted with a dark smile, lips slightly parted. "I want your eyes on me at all times." Law spoke.

Ember was at a loss for words, partly because of the tan hips that continued to pump into her, disrupting any words that tried to form. She threw herself around him, heel of her other leg digging into his back pulling his hips back into her every time he withdrew.

"Eager now all of a sudden?" Law spoke. Ember answered him by meeting him thrust for thrust, his speed picking up. "Show me how much you want me, how much you need me."

Law pushed her leg toward her chest slightly, allowing himself to push deeper into her causing her back to arch off the bed. Her head tossed side-to-side, gasping and panting from the overload of sensation. Her muscles were clenching around him hard and at this rate, she knew it wasn't going to be long until she reached her peak.

Law suddenly pulled her up, seating her on his lap as he pushed his hips upward, holding her steady with his tattooed arms. "Scream my name when you come. I want the whole ship to know of the only person who can make you feel this way."

Ember wrapped her arms around Law's neck for support, feeling her control slipping at her body prepared for release.

"Say it! Say it right now!" he growled viciously, nails raking down her back and parts of her wings.

As her inner walls began the wonderful throb that was her climax, she did what she was told with much difficulty.

"Ahhh…nghhh…Law!"

It happened all so fast. She was on Law's lap one second and tumbling on the floor the next. She struggled to right herself, body shuddering as it began to come down from its euphoric high. She looked up to Kid fuming, with a face that she only saw when he was on the verge of killing something.

Then it hit her.

Her fantasy got way out of hand. What she was imagining to be Law was in fact, still Kid. Her face fell dramatically. She had just screamed the name of another man, Kid's biggest rival to be exact, on his ship.

Ember would be lucky to get out of this alive, or in one piece.

"Red, I-"

"Don't," he immediately cut her off, his voice loud and dangerous. "Say another word."

Kid got up to refastened his pants, practically ripping them in the process, his hands shaky with rage. Running his normal hand through his hair, it dragged down his face and chin as he began to pace back and force in the room.

Scales slowly began to creep back up Ember's body for safety measures as knives and other metal objects began to tremble in the room. This was a type of anger Ember has never witnessed before and for some odd reason, what made it worse was how Kid struggled to keep it together, like a ticking time bomb you didn't know when was going to go off. He was easier to predict when he expressed his rage by immediately charging into action.

"I think I'll go," she muttered hurriedly, quickly scrambling to the door but several knives darted there first, floating with their tips pointed at her.

"You ain't going nowhere," he hissed. "Not until we have a nice fucking chat."

She swallowed hard. "Since when do you ever talk things through?"

"I've put years of my time into you. It's the only reason why you're still standing so be grateful you disloyal bitch."

Ember began to fume. "Disloyal? There's no loyalty in an occasional fling, Kid."

Kid tensed at her response, the replacement of his pet name stinging more than he knew it should. His whole body began to shake with anger and that was when the bomb finally went off.

In less than three steps he grabbed Ember by her arms, slamming her into the wall. The metal hand held her firm by her neck, squeezing slightly so she couldn't access one of her best offenses.

"I claimed you first Ember, you belong to me whether you like it or not. Now that I know that bastard stuck his cock where it don't belong, shit ain't gonna be pretty for the both of you."

Ember clawed at the mechanical hand only to use it for leverage when her feet began to dangle off the ground. Kid felt a twinge of guilt watching her gasp for air, so he flung her across the room, slamming her into a bookshelf with a force that made it splinter to pieces.

Kid chuckled, strolling over to her crumpled form where he crouched beside her, watching her gather herself. "Look Em, I like you. You're an amazing fuck and honestly I think I got a soft spot for you, but I can't have you flying around, doing as you please."

A knife whizzed by in an attempt to pierce the membrane of her wing but she luckily folded it to her side before it can make contact. Another went for the other wing but she quickly avoided that one once she became aware of what Kid's intention was.

"Poke some holes in a kite, it can't fly." Kid laughed, moving to sit in his chair to watch the spectacle of Ember deflecting the knives with her armored wrists.

Each one she swatted away, it just picked itself back up to take another shot. It was a dead end battle, one that she was never going to win if she didn't attack the puppeteer.

She spat a small fireball at Kid's feet, knives falling once he became distracted. He managed to put the flame out with his boot, only to be slammed into the wall by Ember as soon as he became occupied with that task. It was that or have his ship burn down, what else could he do?

Kid always knew she was strong, almost brutish as she charged at him with the strength of a full sized dragon. He was even slightly winded and he couldn't help but mentally applaud her for that. He loved strong women.

In the midst of his praise, he felt her watching him, calm with a hint of hurt on her face. What the hell did was she so upset about? She wasn't the one betrayed. Her collectedness seem to radiate off of her, infecting him and he allowed her to hold him against the wall, waiting to see if she had something valuable to say.

"Kid, I came here because I thought being with you would help me forget about Law. It didn't. Instead, you helped me realize how wrong we are for each other."

Kid choked as those words were shoved down his throat. "The fuck are you talking about? Give me one damn good reason why you shouldn't be with me?"

"All I'll ever be to you is a good fuck. I have the potential to be something else with Law."

Kid growled, deciding he was done pretending Ember was strong enough to keep him pinned and shoved her, her back landing on the wooden floor.

"You ain't going to be shit to anybody if people know your mine!" Kid roared, veins bulging from his neck in anger.

His devil fruit power called forth a nearby knife, zooming into his palm handle first. Kid kneeled by her side and with his metal hand keeping her entire head pinned into the floorboards, Kid got to work on descaling her neck.

Ember screamed under the hand in agony as one by one a scale was flicked off with the tip of the knife. Fire was spewing from her lips but it did nothing to hinder the iron palm on her face. Once he uncovered enough skin, he began to carve his jolly roger with ease, as the flesh underneath was soft and slightly raw from the peeled scales.

Limbs, wings and tail began to thrash around wildly and Kid pinned what he could with his knees.

"Keep flopping around and its gonna come out ugly." Kid growled through clenched teeth as he tried to concentrate, ignoring the muffled sobs of the trapped woman. Adding some final touches, he finished up, wiping away some blood to examine his handiwork. "Heh, not bad."

A little jagged but Kid was sure it would look better once it healed. Ember was panting, exhausted from her struggle and he looked at the rest of her person with a frown. She had a bald spot on her neck now that didn't match the rest of her scaled body.

He had to even it out.

He scrapped the knife against her stomach, a shower of scales littering the floor. Another wail was heard from Ember and Kid briefly wondered why his crew haven't arrived to investigated. He was certain they heard her screams long ago but they knew better than to interfere in his personal affairs.

Ember gained a second wind and fought harder, running solely on adrenaline where Kid had to use his entire weight to completely immobilize her. He leaned forward to whisper in her ear.

"You're branded with my mark, Em. No one is gonna want you now so you might as well stick around."

Ember spoke, her voice hoarse and uneven from the sobs and cries. "I really liked you Red. I wanted to try and escape without causing any damage to you or your ship but that looks like its inevitable. I'm not going to hold back anymore. I'm sorry."

Kids face twisted slightly in confusion until he felt her body changing beneath him, realization of what she meant hitting him hard. He fell with a thud as her skin tore; revealing the black mass beneath that grew until it burst through the ceiling while her wings took out two cabins on either side as they stretched. Splinters of wood rained down like an endless shower as debris flew every which way. Ember took on the form of an enormous black dragon, who's mass caused the ship to tilt slightly.

"Captain Kid!" Crewmembers shouted as they rushed to his aid, finding nothing amongst the debris.

"Calm down you idiots," a muffled voice grumbled. "I'm fine."

Ember lifted her wing, revealing an unscathed Kid. Even during their biggest fight in the history of their dysfunctional relationship, she still cared enough to protect him. Although somewhat appreciative, he took it as a big slap in the face.

Kid was unreadable as he took in the amount of damage. He wanted to shout, to slit some throats, crucify some bodies, to be mad but just couldn't. The damage was done and right now, he was grateful for being numb.

Kid looked up at the dragon, spotting the pinkish flesh that bore his mark on her long slender neck and somehow, managed to smirk after all the devastation.

"Still branded, bitch."

Ember snorted, some black smoke streaming from her nostrils in response to his statement. She prepared to spread her wings for flight but before she left, Kid needed to make one thing clear.

"I'm going to slit you boy toy's throat. Keep that in mind next time you get in bed with Trafalgar Law."

Ember simply looked at Kid with a sad, almost pitiful expression before she took off, leaving Kid with all the hatred, vengeful feelings he's going to bottle up. The ship bobbed heavily from her weight, causing several crewmates to loose footing.

Killer walked over to Kid, watching as Ember turned into a black speck in the cloudless sky. "You can never be civil, can you?"

Kid gave his first mate the nastiest glare he could muster. "Congrats smartass, you just won the privilege of cleaning up this mess."

With that chapter of her life officially closed and put to rest, Ember set her course for Punk Hazard in her mental map. She was still angry, but her care for Law outweighed the hurt he had put her through and she would never have peace of mind again if she didn't get some answers.

**A/N: Gosh I hope that wasn't terrible.**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: I'm sorry for the wait. I have no excuse other than I simply haven't been inspired. Probably because this chapter was a pain since I'm not too good on writing what hopefully comes off as action packed. If its bad or unorganized tell me. If its good, let me know. I can't improve without structural criticisms from you lovely people.**

**Hope you enjoy.**

_It was cold._

_It was really, really cold._

If Ember was ever able to swim, she imagined this was what it felt like to go against the currant.

Flying high against the wintery winds that penetrated her hide down to her very core, Ember fought the chill that practically froze her wings, the thought of seeing Law fueling her journey.

She took the risk of being easily spotted in her black dragon form for the sole purpose of having the extra fat from her size retain whatever heat she had available.

She was certain that she would have frozen in place if in her normal form. Human or reptile, neither could ever adapt to such frigid temperatures.

Ember found the chink in the armored facility she had escaped through before and reentered from there, transitioning to human form mid air to slip through the mouth of the gaping hole, careful to avoid the jagged teeth that were pieces of rusted, weathered metal.

It was such a dramatic difference in temperature to the point where the metal pipes and walls felt almost cozy in comparison to outside. Sheathed in her scaly armor, Ember quietly padded down the hall to the reinforced doors that were not originally there when trying to reach the lounge.

This raised a red flag for the Zoan user. Armored doors were a defense strategy that could be used for several purposes such as keeping unwanted guests at bay, but Ember knew better than to consider such a thing. Who in their right mind would visit here on their own will?

Option number two unfortunately made its way to the stage. _They were keeping someone in._

Law.

Ember could feel the skin beneath her scales prickle at the troubling thought of Law captive. All because she left him here alone for a possible misunderstanding; she didn't know but she wasn't about to make any assumptions, not when she came back to get answers straight from the source and right now, these suspicious characters in this facility were in her way of doing so.

To save on time, Ember took to the air to quickly search and make sure there weren't any other entrances she wasn't aware of. Unfortunately every door she found was a steel barricade, a complete lockdown of the laboratory.

Frustrated, she rammed herself into the reinforced door, scales scraping along down until she slumped to the floor in complete agitation. She could easily barge through with two or three slams in her dragon form but what may lay on the other side had her hesitant. Law could be on the other side equally as he could be absent and Ember wasn't sure if she was ready to make such a grand entrance, grabbing unwanted attention from the laboratory's security personnel. She had to approach this situation through a strategical perspective.

_What would Law do?_

Ember looked up into the high ceilings, studying the network of wires, pipes and other connections that failed to be engineered in a neat, organized fashion. Holding her chin in a brief moment of thought, she decided to test her hunch by flying up to search through the jungle of unorganized framework until she found what she was looking for.

A soft hissing sound was heard as steamy air was filtered through a ventilation shaft. Ember ripped the grill from its rusty hinges, letting it fall to the ground with a loud clatter before slipping inside.

It was cramped and hot as heated air passed through to warm the facility. Beads of sweat began to form on her brow and her cheeks were slightly flushed as she crawled through the narrow passageway. Making sharp turns to follow another connecting shaft was a hassle as there wasn't even enough room to crawl comfortably, let alone completely maneuver her body into another direction.

Thirty minutes felt like thirty years as Ember struggled to find an end to this maze. Panting from the uncomfortable heat, she wanted to lie down for at least ten seconds but worried of being unable rearrange herself onto all fours again in the cramped space. Ember briefly wished for her Zoan animal to be a rat, since dragons were not meant for this sort of thing.

A bloodcurdling scream startled her from her silly thoughts, causing her body to unconsciously jolt upward and hit her head on the metal above. She listened as the wails echoed throughout the vents while rubbing the small bump that was beginning to form. The screams grew more agonizing to the point where it almost didn't sound human anymore, sending a chill to rattle Ember's spine despite the humidity. She reluctantly followed the sounds that bounced throughout the cramped metal space, reaching the end of her maze by peeking through the slits of the vents grill. What she saw caused some bile to bubble at the back of her throat.

"Let me tell you something interesting," said a man in a quilted white coat, with what appeared to be a half eaten hamburger patty on his face. With a leg that looked to be composed of pure iron, he proceeded to kick a chained and crumpled form along the floor, like a child kicking the same rock along his route home. With every kick, Ember could have sworn to have heard a cracking sound, a possible rib or bone fracturing every time, she wasn't sure. "I had always thought, after your treason against Joker, that New World would give you the horrific death you deserve in no time at all."

Pulling his leg back for extra momentum and power, he sent his victim flying into the hand railing of the expansive metal walkway that was suspended above countless chemical tankers and moving machinery. "Never did I expect to be the one administering your torturous demise. Trust me, it hurts me more than it hurts you, _Law._"

More agonized howls erupted from Law's throat as he felt his heart in the stranglehold of Vergo's fingers, sparks dancing behind his eyelids as pain radiated throughout his body. Every nerve ending was aflame as his body began to spasm uncontrollably within his seastone bindings from the overwhelming torture.

Sudden relief came, as if his flaming internal suffering was doused by a bucket of cool water. Once his vision regained focus, Law saw Vergo standing there with a lax grip on his precious organ, head tiled to the side as if listening to something.

The Haki infused bamboo stick whistled loudly as it twirled rapidly in Vergo's hand, delivering a loud crack despite the swiftness of the blurred figure, sending them flying into the wall behind him,

"Interesting," Vergo began, unfazed by the sneak attack. "I was not expecting company."

Law's jaw was clenched so tight to prevent the string of obscenities that could possibly summon a demon, his teeth were on the verge of shattering in his mouth. What the hell was _she _doing here? She was safe, an escape attempt finally done right. Why on earth was she returning back to enemy territory? She might as well hand Vergo a shovel and ask for her shallow grave to be right next to Law's.

"You stupid, stupid reptile!" Law managed to shout in a cracked voice, the vastness of the open space they were in carrying his message along in an echo for Ember to hear. It was the only insult he could manage despite the long list of foul vocabulary lined up in his head. Law couldn't just have a torturous death; humiliation had to be tacked onto it as well. The notorious Surgeon of Death getting assistance from this not so organized creature. What kind of message is that sending? Law could practically feel his reputation decreasing in value already.

Ember shakily got to her feet, ignoring the loud ringing in her ears as she took a blow that rattled her bones down to her very core. She couldn't even recall a time where she had taken a hit that hard and the frightening realization hit her even harder.

Vergo could actually break her if she wasn't more careful.

She had his full attention now, as he completely disregarded Law and turned to face her in an intense stand off. It was ladies first as Vergo waited for Ember to make the first move and she used this brief period of time to devise an attack plan that would wipe that hamburger off his stern looking face. The element of surprise seemed like a worthy enough approach since no one here knew the full extent of her abilities, so saying a quick little prayer to a higher power, Ember lunged forward.

Spinning his bamboo stick in one hand while holding Law's heart in the other, Vergo prepared for her attack, wondering why she was making the same mistake twice but who was he to complain? If she wanted to die then so be it. He swung his weapon, missing by mere inches as she jumped, wings launching her into the air with one powerful beat. Vergo looked up, confused by the black mass morphing above shrouding him in a large shadow as if witnessing an eclipse. When he realized it was approaching rapidly close, dropping down onto him, he did his best to jump out of the way but was unable to escape her great size as Ember literally sat on him, earning a horrified choke from the incapacitated surgeon since Vergo still held his heart.

As if sensing his concern, Ember shifted slightly, revealing Vergo's arm that poked from under her rear, twitching slightly as it still clutched Law's beating organ. She gently nudged it out of his grasp with her snout, allowing the cubed heart to totter across the floor like dice before resting on one of its four sides before Law.

Law could only watch with a blank expression, as Ember's long, slender neck reached down to his restraints, not sure how to respond to the Zoan user's strangely successful rescue. Unusual feelings began to brew as the thought of Ember risking her life to save his own despite everything he had put her through, touched something deep within him. Law was actually grateful, another mental confession he swept under the rug of his mind, never for his conscious or subconscious to accidentally utter aloud.

Sharp teeth shattered the bindings, sending a powerful toothache that rattled her teeth as the sea stone chains made its debilitating effects known to her Devil Fruit infused body. She watched Law wince as he reached for his heart, returning it to its rightful place in his chest before struggling to roll on his back to rest.

Blood oozed from his nose and mouth and the black eye was the only visible bruise out of the possible hundred that most likely decorated the tan body underneath his tattered clothes. A soft, grumbling whine was released from her throat as she gave a nudge to Law with the tip of her nose. Seeing him battered like this pained her more than she would ever like to admit as this was not the Law she was used to seeing but when he gave her his small yet dark smirk that always accompanied his smug and confident personality, it reassured her that there was hope in getting out of this alright.

Law shakily opened his palm and reached out, wanting to caress Ember in her Zoan form and feel the hot steam that blew from her nostrils, the thick hide that armored her face. He wanted his fingertips to take in all her different textures, to appreciate what she truly was that he had taken for granted before.

Ember leaned forward, mere inches away from nuzzling her snout into his palm when a thick wall of snow suddenly separated them. Snarling, she whipped her neck to slam her head into the wall, shrouding a wing over Law to protect him from the falling snow mounds.

Snowflakes began their gentle descent as if out of thin air and judging by Law's defensive look, she knew this was not a normal occurrence within the facility. The flakes accumulated on the floor unusually quick, swirling in a soft whirlwind that began to solidify and grow. Ember brought herself onto all fours, kicking a crumpled Vergo aside with a hind leg as she prepared to investigate.

The snow slowly began to take shape, causing Ember to tense as it grew to equal her in size, the weight of both herself and this snow structure earning loud screeches of warning from the flooring that had them suspended above the tanks.

The snow mound suddenly stilled into a curvy tower and Ember looked down at Law, who now had his back against the bent railing as he sent her a cautious glance.

The large dragon crept closer, her head reaching out to sniff the snow mountain before turning to express her confusion to Law. She tilted her head by his horrified reaction and before he could lift a finger to point behind her, Ember's neck was being crushed by what she first assumed to be teeth.

Each tooth-like object shattered against her armored neck, only one finding its way into her skin by the soft spot so kindly provided by Eustass Kid's knife.

The dragon roared in anger, thrashing her head against the snow creature before the shard could sink any deeper and released a gust of fire to melt it down to a puddle.

Silence followed, the echoing drips of water falling through the grated floors was all that was heard. Law looked around furiously searching for any signs of movement before he decided it was time to get a move on. Shakily getting to his feet, he hastily limped towards Ember when a large, snowy wing slapped him away with a force that sent him tumbling several feet away from Vergo's crumpled form.

Ember let out a high-pitched cry before shrinking down to human form, rushing to Law's aid in panic. She quickly rested him in her lap, trying to keep it together as Law's pained gasps tore her apart from the inside. Red eyes quickly skimmed the surrounding area, finding it difficult to believe that despite the size, Law's sneaky attacker was no where to be seen.

The Heart captain was struggling to keep his eyes open as he stared up at Ember, watching the blood trickle down her chest from the shallow neck wound. Her gaze however, was focused elsewhere and although he was too weak to even muster the strength to turn his head, he heard the beating of wings that did not belong to his dragon.

He could feel the tension radiating off of Ember before she carefully set him down to rest, which gave Law a better view of what was going on. He watched as Ember slowly stood to her feet, stepping in front of him defensively where looking through her legs, he saw the harpy Monet standing with a mysterious smile in front of Vergo's position on the floor.

Of course Law's strange interests would allow him to find the fascination behind the current situation despite the odds stacked against them. As if straight from an animal documentary, Law took in the powerful scene as two winged creatures of myth stood protectively in front of their injured males, poised for battle.

Being a pirate all his life, _safety_ was not a word in Law's vocabulary_. _The captain always held caution to his surroundings and associations. Even with loyal subordinates and reliable connections, Law never put the trust of his well being in the hands of others up until this very moment as he watched Ember guard him with full intentions of fighting to the death. This was as close as Law could get to experiencing true safety, especially when the probability of Ember emerging victorious was equal to both of them being killed but despite these odds, the fact that someone was actually willing to protect him with their own life was something Law never thought to appreciate until now.

"Oh dear," Monet said with mock concern. "Did you return all this way to make me feel sorry for playing with Law?"

Ember laughed. "I'll admit you had me at first, that prank was so convincing," A smirk then split on her face. "But I eventually caught onto your little scheme simply because Law wouldn't involve himself with a woman composed of scrapped bird parts. He has much better taste in hybrids than that."

A smug smile appeared on Law's bloodied lips. Ember did have some faith in him after all and that was enough incentive to try and get back on his feet to help her. She wasn't the most organized fighter but Law tried to shake off the negativity. If she had the confidence in him to uphold the voluntary loyalty in their strange relationship despite the convincing lies told by Monet, he should show the same in regards to her fighting capabilities.

Monet gave a chilly giggle although the struggle to disregard the insult was there. "I was wondering when you were going to catch on. Don't worry dear, you can have him," her voice suddenly held slight excitement as if she had just came up with a fabulous idea. "In fact, I'll make sure you two are thrown into the garbage incinerator so you can burn together like the cute couple you are."

Monet lunged at Ember who braced for the attack only to watch the harpy break into snow. Ember panicked as she lost sight of the enemy yet again, whipping around behind her only to find Law on his feet, casting his blue Room to have his nodachi return through teleportation.

"That's not going help against a Logia user." Ember growled the reminder to which Law gave no comment.

It then happened so fast; the sudden chill before a feathery embrace. Ember's struggle lasted no more than three seconds before the sub-zero chill immobilized her, like an insect caught in a venus flytrap. She tried to call upon her flame but only a puff of warm breath escaped into the frigid air, her body slowly losing its ability to function as the temperature dropped. If this was how Ember was going to die, she couldn't really complain. Being frozen to death seemed quiet and peaceful as she debated on following the urge to slip into a permanent sleep.

But something more inviting immediately changed her mind as warmth coming from her left side led her out of Monet's hold. Ember heard the soft impacts of snow hitting the ground followed by a mildly surprised gasp from the harpy as Law cut one of her wings. Ember couldn't help but feel brief jealousy of Monet; at least she could reform the appendage rather than wait for a certain surgeon to return it. It must be nice being a Logia user.

While Monet was recovering her wing, Ember used this time to scramble towards Law, limbs still slightly numb. Law reached her first, quickly extending his sword to intercept the bamboo that was about to swing a punishing blow on her. Ember then realized why Law needed his weapon stat.

Ember spoke while sword and bamboo ground into each other. "It amazes me how that hamburger is still on your face."

"Hm?" Vergo took Law by surprise, shoving him a good distance with a kick so he could investigate Ember's claim. He touched his face, finding the slab of meat before peeling it off and discarding it over his shoulder. "How rude of you not to inform me earlier."

As punishment, Vergo dashed to the Zoan user to deliver a good whack only to be intercepted by Law's blade yet again as he swiftly leapt in front of her. Monet had returned with a vengeance, talons spread to slash Law while his sword was occupied with Vergo's bamboo until Ember shot her down with a ball of fire.

Their weapons disconnected as Law and Vergo jumped backwards from each other, their females following suit. The two pairs stood in a tense stale mate; both parties trying to find a solution to the unsaid yet mutual agreement that fighting all at once would be pointless. Every attack was just going to be deflected by the other trying to protect their ally, resulting in an endless circle that would lead them nowhere. They had to fight two on two but there was not enough room for two battles to take place.

It was hard to determine who thought of it first as both Ember and Monet took to the air at the same time, flying high in a strangely synchronized upward spiral while leaving their men to engage on the ground. There was something unsettling about Ember holding her own without his assistance but Law saw no option other than to hope she can apply her skills and strength in a tactful manner. He did see some major improvement in coordinating her attacks, but she pales in comparison to Monet. Joker doesn't hire just anyone after all.

So then it began, the onslaught between enemies as they battled their counterparts; Creatures of myth dominating the skies while two past acquaintances with bitter scores to settle fought from below.

Every so often, Law would glance upwards to check on his dragon in between swinging and deflecting, hoping his fight with Vergo would be quick so he could provide his assistance to Ember. Being acquainted with her for some time now, Law became all too familiar with her poor combat skills that were not even close to bringing her victory in this fight without the cunning surgeon. Law still had Monet's heart stowed in his coat pocket, keeping that knowledge to himself for now knowing Vergo and Monet would gang up on him if that information were to be revealed. He had to wait until Vergo was defeated before moving onto Monet and could only hope Ember could hold off long enough until he gained the uninterrupted chance to kill harpy. She simply was no match against a Logia user. Surviving a battle with this type fruit user was an impressive feat and usually makes for good bar time stories in the pub but killing one is a tale not many are able to brag about.

"Stop worrying about your freakish pet," Vergo's face was flat and unreadable as he watched Law through the gap where their weapons crossed. "Monet is merciful in her kills. The girl's frozen death will be like a peaceful sleep although I can't say the same for yours when I'm done with you."

Law's gut received a lowballed kick, causing him to double over in pain while exposing the back of his neck. Vergo took no time in using this to his advantage, slamming Law with his stick until the doctor's face was planted unceremoniously into the floor. He then lifted his foot above Law's head; taking a mental photo of the moment he squashes the traitorous subordinate.

Something large fell on top of the pirate, the speed sending him crashing into the floor, missing Law by several inches as he managed to roll out of the way. Grey eyes sought the source of impact, face imprinted with the grated flooring pattern as he found Monet back to back on top of Vergo.

Law couldn't believe it; he was practically dumbfounded by the thought of Ember delivering something containing that much brute force. He looked upwards, watching as gravity dragged her downward, wings folded tightly to her side for less wind resistance. At that velocity Law was certain she was going to break straight through the flooring and with Monet in her crosshairs, he only hoped that she could spear the man beneath the harpy on some sharp machinery below. Just several more seconds before impact; Law counted in his head. _Three…two…one…_

There was a ringing in his ears, but it wasn't due to her touching down on to the floor. It was like listening to a radio, hearing the soft white noise before finally tuning in where the station comes crystal clear. The sounds of punctured flesh, the echoing of blood drops that bounced off the tanks below had Law turning the dial in his mind but the same thing was on every channel.

Ember's red eyes were wide with shock, almost asking _how?_ Monet stared up at her, licking her lips hungrily before pulling the icicle pick from the patch of Ember's stomach left unprotected by scales thanks to her encounter with Eustass Kid.

As soon as the entirety of the weapon was withdrawn, one by one her scales began to fall until they all rained down in a noisy shower, leaving her naked, exposed. Monet pushed her off with little effort, where she rolled to the side, completely still.

A hot rage began pumping through Law's bloodstream, burning his veins as his once dark grey eyes became fierce and light like an incoming storm cloud. Law's neutral features were breached as his brows furrowed and teeth clenched with unrestrained anger.

Law reached for the heart within his pocket and threw it into the air, savoring the expression on Monet's face as it finally registered with her. Law's arms were wound practically behind himself as he swung like a batter hitting home run. The heart split so seamlessly that Monet wasn't even able to utter a dying scream, being split in half for good measure along with Vergo and half of the metal flooring.

Both halves of Monet and the bottom half of Vergo fell into some rotating gears, the crushing of flesh and bone echoing loudly. The undercover pirate knotted his fingers into grates of the flooring, holding on to the structure that began to dip dangerously low into the machinery below with every unsettling jerk of bending metal before completely falling to its demise.

Law quickly cast his room, Ember suddenly appearing in his arms. He proceeded to calmly walk toward the steel doors, taking in the destruction one last time over his shoulder before disappearing to the other side.


End file.
