Steal My Heart and Leave Me Breathless =Trafalgar Law=

)( Chapter Eighteen )(

After a brisk shopping trip, the captain left the fairy like girl to wander on her own and gather her thoughts while he went to check on the rest of the crew. He had a foreboding feeling as he left her at a small café. If she were truly his prisoner he’d never have left her alone, but deep down he wished she’d flee. Had she fled from him, he wouldn’t have to continue contemplating whether or not he could really turn her in to her uncle.

                Townspeople of the small tourist island didn’t seem to mind the presence of pirates. No one ran and hid at the sight of him or his crew. Shop owners didn’t close down shop. They seemed quite welcome, treated like everyday citizens. Children continued running around laughing and playing as if nothing were out of the ordinary.

                “Eh? Captain, where’s hime-chan?” Shachi, a young man with shaggy auburn hair partially tucked beneath a teal hat with a red rim asked upon noticing his captain returning alone.

                Hopefully she was finding a way off the island on her own; it would make his job easier. “I left her to look around town for a bit.” Law shrugged.

                “Is that okay?” Shachi pondered.

                “Why wouldn’t it be?” Law glared.

                “It seems like a nice enough place, but who knows what could happen to a young girl all on her own.” Shachi noted.

                He didn’t mention the prospect of the girl running off. Law cursed mentally, she wouldn’t run off. No matter how much he’d hope for her to flee and save him from his dilemma, she’d given him her word that she’d go along with his selfish exchange.

                “Captain?” Shachi interrupted his mental ramblings. “She’s not going to run off, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

                “Are you nearly finished?” The now calm and collected captain of the Heart Pirates asked in a bored tone.

                “Ah- just need two more barrels of water and another crate of fruit and we should be good to go.” Shachi reported.

                A chorus of screams erupted from the direction he’d left the fairy like girl setting his nerves on edge. The two men tensed and looked toward the sound of the commotion. Smoke and dust rose from the direction the sound had come shortly after a loud resounding crash as if a building had toppled over.

                “Damn.” Law muttered under his breath, “Get everyone back to the ship.” He barked at Shachi before bolting in the direction of the chaos. “Stupid girl, you better not be hurt.”

                Townspeople scattered about in a panic. Mothers called for their children and others called for their loved ones and neighbors. Law sprinted through the dusty street frantically scanning the now crowded street for a familiar head of moonbeam hair. Where was she?

                “Felicity!” He could barely make out a collapsed building through the dense cloud of dust and smoke and felt the panic begin to settle in. It was the café he’d left her at. “FELICITY!”

                “Captain?!” Her choked reply sent his heart aflutter. She emerged from the cloud of smoke coughing and spluttering. Her long moonbeam hair fanned out behind her as she ran toward him.

                “What hap-?” He began but cut off as she threw her arms around him upon reaching him. Fresh tears clung to her porcelain cheeks and he noticed a few small cuts and bruises littering her arms and a small scrape across her left cheek.