Dragon's Heart [One Piece]

Chapter Twenty One

~Lily's POV~

I ran all the way to Amazon Lily to find Law's vessel anchored a little bit offshore. The few crew members on the landing deck of their strange submersible vessel stared at me in awe as I ran past across the water's surface. Luffy needed me, I could practically feel his agony, it was threatening to fell me to my knees but I pushed onward, I had to get to him.

I stepped into a lush green forest and felt my heart begin to crumble as I heard Luffy's agonizing cries. In the distance I spotted Law standing at the edge of a clearing with a frown on his lips and a newspaper in his hand. He appeared to be trying to talk to Luffy but he wasn't getting through to him. My heart broke at the sound of his pained cries as he'd thought he'd lost another brother all over again.

Law jumped as I appeared a step behind him. I took a deep breath to keep myself from crumbling at Luffy's cries of pain and heartache. "ohhhh who's going to be the greatest pirate on the sea? Luffy, Luffy..." I sang the lullaby I used to sing to him when he was an infant.

His crying slowed as I stepped into the clearing. My heart stuttered in my chest and swelled with overwhelming love, joy and heartache as I saw my son. He was all grown up now. His body was covered head to toe in bandages, blood was seeping through in some spots and there were tears and snot streaking down his face. He shakily looked up as I stepped into the clearing singing the silly lullaby I'd made up for him.

His eyes grew wide. "...Kaa-chan..."

My heart swelled and tears immediately began to stream down my cheeks as I ran to him with my arms wide open. Luffy knew who I was! I caught him in my arms and hugged him close being careful not to squeeze him too tightly.

"I've missed you, my precious boy, my Luffy." I choked on a sob.

He slowly wrapped his arms around me, struggling to process all that had happened. "...Kaa-chan, why are you here?" He asked in awe. "You're supposed to be hiding, for your protection." He said in a daze.

"It was time to come out of hiding, my sons needed me." I gently smoothed his hair back, he'd stopped crying, he looked composed but still confused.

"Ace?" His voice cracked as if saying his name hurt him. I saw his gaze drift to a tear-soaked newspaper.

"Is not the first person in our family to have their death falsely reported." I said softly.

Luffy froze, "...he's alive?"

"Both of your brothers are, and they'll be joining us soon." I cooed to him softly as I rubbed his back.

Tears welled in his eyes, tears of joy and relief. He squeezed me tightly and wailed against me. He sobbed against me for nearly an hour before he finally succumbed to the pain of his recovering injuries and collapsed unconscious in my arms. I eased him to the soft plush grass and sat in the grass so I could rest his head atop my leg. Gently I streamed my fingers through his silken dark hair and quietly hummed his lullaby.

Law slowly approached, "if the idiot would stop reopening his wounds, he'd heal a lot faster." He grumbled.

"Law, I care for you a great deal, but you had better watch how you speak about my son." I offered him a cool smile.

Law paused. He looked momentarily wary but soon a soft faint ghost of a smile spread across his face. "He clearly gets it from you."