To Raise a Vampire

Thinking About the Future

It seemed the Spade's hangovers disappeared in their worry. When they reached the infirmary, Ace and Sabo were now both awake, on either side of Luffy, who was the only one left unconscious. The Spades ran to their captains' sides and asked if they were okay.

"We're fine. Sabo can't speak for a little while. Teach choked him good," Ace said angrily. Sabo sighed, irritated he couldn't say a single thing with his neck like this. His eyes were slightly red from being choked until knocked out. "The doctor said Luffy's head should be fine, based on what we've told her about his healing powers. He just has to wake up."

"So, what are we gonna do, cap?" Deuce asked Ace.

"Well, we can't exactly go anywhere right now. We're still staying on this ship, at least for now. Izo said the next island is a week away. We can decide what to do when we reach that island. Water 7 is still a while away from here," Ace said, observing the crew's reactions to what he said. Some of them smiled in relief. Ace finally asked what had been bothering him for awhile. Since almost the beginning of being on this ship. He'd worried about it for weeks and he was tired of being worried about it.

"If we decide to leave, will you guys go with us?" Ace asked in a tight voice. Worry was evident on his face. His crew looked at him like he was an idiot.

"Of course we'd go with you. You're our family, brought us misfits together," Jojo said, a bit exasperated. The others nodded with her looking at Ace like he was being silly. And maybe he was. He grinned brightly, so relieved. "And you decide to stay, we'll stay, too."

Luffy woke up not long later, everyone talking quietly. He made a confused sound when he opened his eyes to the bright room. Then he started sobbing, remembering what had happened. Ace reached to him and drew him into his arms, soothingly running his fingers through Luffy's hair. "Shh, you're okay. We're all okay. The bad man will never get us again," the teen assured his baby brother. Luffy still cried. It was very traumatizing.

"He threw me into the ocean!" Luffy cried. Ace hugged him closer, Sabo rubbing his back softly. He would reassure his brother, but couldn't talk, so he counted on Ace being the one to calm him.

No one but Thatch had seen Luffy get tossed into the raging sea, and the two had heard what had happened, but hearing Luffy recount it was sickening. "It was so far, an-and then I h-hit the wat-ter and went as-sleep! It wa-was scary!"

"I know Lu. It must have been very scary, but no one is badly hurt. No one died, and you were saved," Ace said gently. "We're all okay. Teach is locked up and badly hurt. The Whitebeards will protect us from him. And me and sabo will try our best to fight back if something bad like this ever happen again."

Both Ace and Sabo were ashamed of how weak they had been. Ace had only given Teach a bad burn, but it hadn't stopped him. It was most likely Luffy's power that incapacitated the traitor. "Luffy, did you see what happened to Teach after he grabbed you?" Luffy sniffled loudly and shook his head. "We think you ended up saving us. Teach started acting weird after he hurt you, and we think it was some of your powers. So, Thatch said thank you."

"Why did the bad guy want to hurt us?" Luffy wondered, wiping his runny nose along his arm. Sabo took a tissue off the bedside table and wiped the snot off of Luffy's arm.

Ace replied, "He wanted the devil fruit." Luffy frowned, not understanding why someone would want a fruit over family. "We don't know what it does yet, but whatever it is, Teach wanted it badly." Luffy switched to sit in Sabo's lap, while Ace still talked. "He is going to be severely punished." Luffy nodded, hoping he wouldn't have to see the man again. Ever again.

-x-

Marco, Thatch, Whitebeard and Izo all stood in front of Teach's cell. They each gave him looks that said they thought he was the most disgusting piece of trash they'd ever seen. Teach glared back, but it was clear he was afraid. Whitebeard had a dark look on, one full of disappointment and sorrow, also with anger buried underneath.