A/N: "Together We Will Live Forever" by Clint Mansell is perfect for this chapter.

AND THAT'S A WRAP FOR THIS TRAGIC PIECE OF ANGST THAT WAS CAUGHT IN MY GRASP.

And to answer all your comments from chapter 12:

Naghi-Tan: me too. Music's pretty important, for me, so when I hear something associated with anything, I'm the first one to turn that shit off. Thank you for reading and commenting, friend!

Guest#1: Now you know the rest of it D: Thank you for all your comments and theories and I am hugely happy for your response to my fic, for knowing that it affected you in some way made me happy as a writer.

Lily: ZoSan is definitely my breath of oxygen. I have argued in defense of their relationship to anybody that dares ask me about One Piece in general. While I very much adore LawSan, it's the ZoSan that gets me going because maybe there's more of ZoSan than there is of LawSan. :D Thank you for commenting, and sharing with me your theories! Now that this story is over…yah.

Alasse-m: haha now you know the entirety of it! Thank you for commenting and reading!

SiberianRS: Yeah, it's a very sad song. And now I can't listen to it the same way. T_T. I always do this to myself, dammit. I wonder how you feel at the end of this fic? Listen to 'Take Me Somewhere Nice' by Mogwai, now, this song was mostly the inspo of this story.

Chapter Fourteen –

Hours later, the phone was at 100% now that Sanji looked at it again. He felt numb from the inside out. He still didn't understand the charge. He didn't understand why he was here. Was he here in Hell after what he'd done? How was he still alive after what happened?

He truly was alone. He had no one to go home to, if Law was dead. There wasn't purpose if the man was out of his reach.

He looked at his hands. His clothes, this weird pirate material, were entirely bloodstained. From the collar down, the sleeves – all of it was soaked with Law's blood. He'd killed the man – but was it self-defense when he'd put him in that state? Everything that had come back to him now all made sense. All of it was now in order, clear, and it was obvious that their dysfunctional relationship ended because of both of their actions. How was he supposed to atone for this? How was he supposed to find him, when Sanji was trapped in Hell? Was his Hell meant for him to be separated from Law because of it?

He was only vaguely aware of the shadow moving in the corner of the infirmary until he realized this world's Law was pulling up a chair next to the bed. Sanji was only aware of him because Law placed himself in Sanji's line of vision. Those discolored hands of his reached out, touched his upraised palm with gentle fingers, as if soothing a silent beast. As he did so, he seemed to clean the blood staining Sanji's hands. Little by little, the dirty red seemed to disappear. The meaning was vague to Sanji, so numb and lost that he could barely feel anything. If he wasn't seeing it, then he would've never known it was happening.

"When I was nine, my family was murdered by the World Government. Our entire town was built and prospered upon the fortune of a mineral that was only available there. But as a result, it cost generation upon generation an incurable disease. Of my family, my sister fell to it, first. Her name was Lamie. In my memory, I remember her smiling, laughing and very carefree. As she was my little sister, I saw her as all older siblings usually regarded their younger – sort of annoying. Clingy. It wasn't fair that she received the better share of our attention. That sort of thing. But…it's a shame that I don't remember more of our positive interactions. I'm sure there was more to it than she being a loud, spoiled younger sister. My heart has changed so much since then – I don't think it remembers too much of anything but hate and anger, so my memory holds all my pictures for me.

"The very last I saw of Lamie, she had withered away, dying painfully from the disease that left its mark on my skin. She was incoherent and weak, and in the middle of a hostile government turmoil, I remember thinking how inconvenient it was to tend to a sick, inconsolable child. Why should this be my responsibility? I was just as scared, hearing the massacre occurring outside. Shouldn't my parents be here, tending to us both? But at that moment, they were being murdered a few floors away, by Marines. Our peaceful city was a kill zone. All citizens were infected, and should be treated as such. Everyone was rounded up and murdered.

"I placed Lamie in a closet to hide her as patients were being shot in their beds, room by room. Then went and hid, myself. When I was sure it was clear, I went in search of my parents and found them murdered. Circumstances happened where I had to elude the Marines, taking me out of the building – taking me away from Lamie. When I was able to return, the entire building was aflame. She died somewhere in there, alone, sick and afraid – trapped in the closet I hid her in. Throughout the years, I hoped and prayed that she had been found by the Marines I'd eluded, giving her a faster death.

"I was the only survivor of that town…the only reason why I'd escaped was because I'd hid underneath the rotting bodies of corpses that were being transported out of the city, to be burned miles away. I eluded capture, and wound up in a harbor town, called Spider Miles. There, I met the Donquixote family. They were a force to be reckoned with. And they willingly took in anybody that was strong enough to join their ranks. Children included.

"At this time, I had no regard to human life. Everyone around me were only meat bags, and the Navy itself, the World Government – they were the worst of it. I was willing to kill myself if I could kill as many as I could of them. I would do whatever it took. Lives weren't precious – they weren't valuable. Everyone had one, but there was nothing about them that made this world worth living in. There, I met Corazon, who tried very hard to discourage me from joining. But as you know, I am a stubborn fellow."

It was so hard to talk. Both from the heaviness of the emotion on his chest, from the injuries around his throat. But the more Law spoke to him, the lighter it felt. It was as if the man were lifting an intense weight from his body, little by little.

"'Corazon'…your father," Sanji managed to murmur.

Law's fingers were rough against Sanji's. They smoothed out the tense curl of his fingers, wiping away more of those stains. Maybe it was just an unconscious action, touching Sanji in this way, but the man removing the blood from Sanji's hands as he spoke about himself was a symbolic action. Spiritually freeing him from his actions that horrible morning.

"Yes, father figure, if you will. He was very dear to me. At the time, I didn't realize just how much. He was just this annoying prat with bad habits and a target on his back for disaster. I hated him as much as the next man, but…for some reason, he took a liking to me. Somehow, he managed to convince me that life was…worth more than I thought it was. In just a short amount of time, he reminded me that there was good in this world. It was in unexpected places, but there was warmth and light in the dark and cold.

"He saved me, in every possible way. His death gave me a goal – to live until I could see the day when I had his revenge against his killer. That's what motivated me, Mr Blackleg, to continue living. Thirteen years later, I was able to obtain my goal. But afterward, despite certain conversations, I found myself questioning my purpose here in life. You see, a majority of my life was fighting for survival in hostile conditions. It is what it is. My goal now is to overthrow certain governments, based on my hatred for certain past actions, and obtain a very valuable treasure that a majority of pirates here in this world want to achieve. Despite being around such…cheer and idiocy in those that have not served a step in my shoes, I cannot seem to 'lighten up' to change my outlook and values, as it had been my personality for nearly two decades.

"My life is a constant run of loss, pain, and it's driven with hate. I'm not going to say that I've found other meanings to look for when it comes to more positive things. Certainly, I've run into a nice share after I'd formed my alliance with the Strawhats. I'll admit, their cheer, optimism and strength is…minutely refreshing," Law admitted reluctantly, reaching for Sanji's other hand. As he did with the other hand, he wiped sensation back into Sanji's palm, cleaning it with the tips of his white fingers. Watching as the stains disappeared made Sanji realize that Law was saving him as much as Law said Sanji saved him.

"But I know it won't last. Strawhat himself has learned why life isn't always about dumb luck and blind positivity. As a child born into war, my values are different from his. I cannot think the way that he does, and I don't think anything else can change it."

Sanji was quiet for a few moments, reflecting on what he said. "So, what you're telling me is, as long as you're alive, while you had a taste of the positive, you'll not change your point of view as a cold bastard."

"You cannot retrain a feral animal."

"But you're not feral because you know what it's like to be loved."

"I do. But I also know what it's like to lose that love. Therefore, it is expected once I obtain it. I find myself reluctant to entertain the thought of settling down after I've reached my goals, because I know that sort of fantasy, it…would be dangerous."

"Then, if you're lonely, find someone who shares the same values as you. Together, there is a different world to see."

"I'm saying, that this is my life, Sanji. As low as it can be, these levels, as it pushes me to an edge to consider other alternatives, the only thing that can save me in this world is myself."

"I don't…"

Law reached out, and touched his hand over Sanji's mouth with his. Sanji was very surprised at the contact, and at the small smile on the man's face. When he had the silence he wanted, he shifted his hand from Sanji's mouth to his throat. Erased the marks there with just gentle wipes of his fingers, allowing him to breathe, again.

"I know why you're here. You thought you could save me in the way that you felt you couldn't with your version of myself. Truthfully, when I spoke about the sea beckoning me, I was at one of my lowest points. I hadn't a clear goal in mind to motivate me. After thirteen years of wanting revenge, and obtaining a twisted version of it, I'm tired. I don't feel the same fire in me as I felt before. The one goal that had been my primary motivator had been completed, and I had yet to find the weight in the others I'd only considered as a fantasy. I thought it would be easy to slip underneath the waters when everyone wasn't looking, and I'd be long gone before they'd notice. I'll admit, I still think about it every day. How easy it would be to leave everyone I've come to know behind. To ease this anger and hatred in me.

"When I saw my reflection in you in the sea, I was caught off guard. Seeing myself with a peaceful soul, already at rest – I had thought, If only I could be that relaxed. To not feel for anything other than peace. With the concept of an afterlife, I would be reunited with all that I held dear in my heart. They would welcome me, I suppose. It would be wonderful. Even now, speaking of it, I would want that before I wanted anything else. On my way to show you the path to the stars, I would be the sea."

"I wouldn't want that for you. Why take your life so selfishly after all that's been done for you? Yes, it was miserable, yes, it's suffocating, but… in your journey, you made people fall in love with you, and now that you're in their life – it's selfish to leave them behind. Your pain would end - theirs would be forever."

"I understand the concept of your argument, but in the end, the choice is up to me. At the moment, Mr Blackleg, at rest, with nothing much else to do, I let my past catch up to me. But when I am off this ship and we are approaching an enemy – I think nothing more of the sea. My life is a constant battle of hardship and hatred, and that's what I use to survive.

"When I was tossed overboard during the storm, I let it happen. I felt for sure that this would be the end of all this overthinking. Let the storm take away everything I'd fought so hard for, and everything that had happened could just…end, and I would be the one in the sea, reaching for my peace. But suddenly you were there. You saved me, and as you were pulling me up to the surface, it wasn't you that held my wrist so tightly. It was myself. At that moment, the concept of peace as I saw myself – I know it's there for me. But not like this, not at this time."

Sanji looked down at the discolored thumb that rubbed tenderly at his. His hands were clean.

"Seeing myself in another life, knowing that I was capable of finding peace as another version of myself, it gave me a bit of strength. And seeing myself in the sea – it gave me peace, as well. How odd is that? Knowing that you are dead, and finding it soothing. Those footprints you leave behind are his – mine. I stepped on them, once – I saw his memories of you in them. Cherished, mournful memories that made me…uncomfortable with the very concept of such a relationship between myself and another person, yet, after, I couldn't help but do it again and again, and it was seeing your relationship with another version of myself that made me realize what you were doing."

"None of us are dead!" Sanji said shakily, taking his hand from his. "I'll wake up from this horrible nightmare, and - !"

"You'll find in your heart the truth, Sanji. I'm afraid that this journey wasn't yours, as odd as it was for you. Whatever happened that day…I apologize for your loss. But know that your voice and your presence, it had reached out to me. You had accomplished what you needed to. You helped me see that cutting my time short here based on my expectations of past loss wasn't my path. As much as I entertain the thought of letting the sea take over, it's not…it would be a waste. My time will come as violently as I live it, and not at my own hand. I accept that, now. For myself."

Sanji felt hot tears roll from his closed eyes. In a way, he wanted to scream with frustration. In another, he acknowledged relief. Startlingly strong, grateful relief.

"It's my turn to deliver a favor. You know how to get to the stars. It's through the sea."

"How did this happen?"

"You heard a soul similar to the one you love cry out in pain similar to his. As odd as it is, this situation, I'm grateful that you stopped by. I think if I'd allowed myself to continue thinking as I did, I would've been walking right behind you. Seeing and speaking to you has allowed me to pull away from the sea. But now it's time for you to move on."

"But I'm not dead."

"Not yet."

Sanji sputtered a weak chuckle, tears still leaving his eyes with slow drops over his cheek, down his jawline. "Don't say it like that."

Law reached out and wiped Sanji's tears from his cheeks with a tender touch, smoothing the trails dry with his thumb. "When you get there, you'll find what you've been looking for. Know in your heart that you accomplished what you'd set out, for. You saved me. Now, it's time to find your own peace."

Sanji looked down, away from him. He was startled to see that the iPhone that he'd depended on since he'd arrived had been reset. It greeted him with its start-up screen, a cheery 'Hello' waiting for him to acknowledge it. So the phone was connected to Law, after all. It determined his struggle to stay aloft, and only Sanji himself had been able to help. The lows and the highs of the battery percentage had been based on the man's own spiritual battle. Now that Sanji had done what he could for him, the revival was only an optimistic new start for Law to continue on.

The concept of his understanding of it, now, made him shake his head. If only he had known earlier, then…

"Whatever it was that happened, your actions…well, there are always consequences. Not to say it was entirely your fault, it's only up to you what happens as a result. But your intentions here, they've been completed," Law said, holding Sanji's hand, drawing it to his mouth and kissing his knuckles. The gesture was so familiar, so warm that Sanji felt his heart expand, and he felt like his Law had reached out and touched Sanji, beckoning him to come to him.

"Go home to the stars, Sanji."

: :

The sea glittered with the blue sky above. The surface was still, and only the sails snapped through the warm air. When Sanji looked over the railing into the water, he could see the stars visible just below the surface. It filled him with joy to know that was his route to take. The more he thought of the darkness just beyond his reach, the more excited he felt at making the journey all the way. He looked at Law, who was watching him with a calm air, not standing as rigidly as Sanji had grown used to. He looked more relaxed, more accepting. He felt weird that the things Law had said to him felt true.

This wasn't his story. He'd only been here to help the man see what he'd needed to in order to stay out of the sea. Almost like some sort of weird sea angel.

It had been painful for Sanji, but there was a part of him that felt relieved for the pain. Almost grateful, almost as if he'd deserved it.

"What about the others? Shouldn't I say something to them?" he asked.

"No. I'd rather they not know my business. Strawhat is insufferably clingy and persistent enough."

"Isn't he? But don't we need that sort of thing in our life?"

"I suppose."

"Will it be weird when the other guy comes back?" Sanji then asked tentatively. "We're not the same."

"Maybe a little. But that's only for me to know."

"And maybe Nami."

"Well…"

Sanji leaned up and kissed his cheek, fingertips on his jaw. "Live for the positive, too, okay?"

"I suspect I will see more of it after you leave. This fresh memory has certainly left a large impact in my thoughts. I feel like if I needed to, I know where I can find you."

"Not under the sea."

"In the end, it's my own decision. Sometimes, you can't always save someone from making their own choices. But you can definitely leave an impact in their thoughts. In the end, I find comfort knowing that I have a choice."

"As interesting as this all was, I need to go. I miss him."

Law gave him a small smile. "Goodbye."

Sanji gave him another quick kiss, then leapt over the railing. When he heard the splash, Law looked over to see him go, the ripples obscuring his vision for a few moments. When he popped his head back up, he felt his face shift with concern.

But Sanji looked up at him with a confused expression, then began flailing. "What the fuck? What the fuck, my cigarettes! Who the fuck thought – did you do this?"

"No. It appears you fell in, Mr Blackleg."

"My fucking cigarettes are done for! Fuck - ! Why am I out here? Aw, I bet it was – those fucking apples! NOBODY TOUCH THEM! I can't believe this shit, I'll never shop there again, this is ridiculous – why am I WEARING these weird ass clothes? I'm fucking drowning here!"

Law had to snort as this world's Sanji flailed angrily, snarling as he patted his pockets. Then he was swimming for the side of the ship, hollering out, "Who's responsible for this shit? I will cut you up into bite sized pieces and feed you to everyone! Assholes! LUFFY!"

At the confused sounds of the rest of the Strawhat crew coming out from the kitchen, looking out in the water with bewildered expressions, Law turned away from them, seeking solace in the back of the ship. He heard Luffy's tentative shout, and then Sanji's angry reply, and that set them all off.

"I'm certain he'll find peace, now," Robin said, nearly startling Law with her sudden presence.

"He has."

"Who knew you were a ghost whisperer? You're a man of many secretive talents," she then said, chuckling lightly as she returned to the others, Sanji yelling at Franky, then Zoro for just standing there, 'looking at him'.

For the rest of the day, the crew treated Sanji differently. When made aware that some sort of switch had happened, he visually examined himself, cigarette shifted to the side of his mouth. He had a tray in one hand, with drinks for everyone, and while everyone was enjoying the rest of the late afternoon weather, he was passing them out.

"I remember testing out these pretty apples I bought from the market. They looked like the night sky."

"When I inquired about them, the seller had assured me they were normal fruits," Robin said. "I threw them away, just in case."

When Ussop kicked him in the shin, Sanji kicked him back. "OW! You shitty piece of shit, what was that for?"

"Just making sure it's you!" Ussop cried from across the deck, where Chopper tried to pull him down from one of the trees.

" 'Ow'?" Zoro repeated skeptically. "Did losing out on a wedding turn you into a pussy?"

"I mean, it was really inconvenient of you to kick me there, Ussop," Sanji amended, brushing off his slacks. "Anyway, I don't feel any different. I feel myself. Whatever happened, I don't feel, y'know, 'switched'."

"It definitely gave us another perspective, Sanji-kun," Nami admitted, looking at him worriedly. "I arranged a schedule so that all of us could handle cleaning duties and the like so that you're not doing all the work."

"Why?" Sanji asked her, kicking Zoro aside as the man moved to take a nap on the lawn nearby. "Get up, you slob, I don't want to trip over you! Wasn't I doing a good job? At least when I did it, I know it was done right."

"It was just...you do a lot for us. And we appreciate it, it's just...it's not just you. Okay? No arguments!"

"Anything for you, and anything you say is everything to me, my lovely beauty!" Then he looked over at Brook, who was making some adjustments to a new song he'd been singing. "Where did you learn that song?"

"You taught it to me! Oh ho ho ho ho ho, it's a romantic lullaby, sung to lure in the truest of hearts to another!"

"Well, it sounds dumb, and I don't like it. Robin! Does this song make you think of me?" he then asked, at her side in seconds with her favored hot tea in hand.

"Not at all!" she admitted. "It belongs to someone else."

"I don't think I missed your personality," Franky said to him, hands on his hips. "I think I liked the other one better."

"You talk to me like your shitty opinion matters to me," Sanji scoffed, walking off, taking care not to trip over Chopper as he pulled on Ussop so hard that he lost his grip and went tumbling backward. "Where's that rubber kid, at? I'm out here with snacks, and he's not here whining about seconds?"

"I'm right here, Sanji!" Luffy called from Nami's tangerine garden.

"GET DOWN FROM THERE!' Both Nami and Sanji shouted at him. Luffy hopped down, taking the slide so hard that when he neared the deck, he reached out, caught Sanji by the shoulders, and snapped them both towards the soldier's dock. Amidst the cursing, crashing and scuffling sounds, Nami relaxed in her chair.

"Look me in the eye, Sanji," Luffy said firmly, pressing his forehead against Sanji's. Sanji just looked back at him with bewildered action, holding his tray out of his reach. Luffy then pulled back with a wide smile, grabbing hold of his hands - just above the scars that were left behind by his father. "It's you, alright!"

"Of course it is, you shitty captain. Look, i'm aware something happened - but i'm back now, so I don't expected anybody treating me any differently. Whatever happened, it's over with. Now, get off me, you're heavy."

"If you're ever sad again, please tell someone," Luffy said, hugging him tightly before releasing him. Then he sniffed at the tray, looking at the small plate with glee. Sanji kicked him in the face with one leg, rising up with the other, then kicked him again to give himself space to walk off. "Ow...I did not miss this at all."

"Did i just hear the captain say 'ow'?" Zoro bellowed with disgust. "Anyone that feels threatened by the runaway bride will need to come to me for further training!"

"Shut up, Zoro!" Nami hollered.

"Me! Me!" Chopper cried.

In response to Luffy's words, Sanji said over everyone's yelling, "Whatever pleases you, captain."

When Sanji made his way back to the kitchen, he veered off to the aquarium bar with the last item on his tray. He approached Law, puffing smoke around him before removing the cigarette from his mouth. "Shitty surgeon. You didn't eat all your breakfast."

"I wasn't all that hungry."

"Don't give me that shit. Eat this, and you better be at the table with the rest of us, tonight. I don't want to find you by yourself again, got it?"

"Don't order me around."

"I'm watching you," Sanji warned him, making the gesture as he turned with the tray underneath one arm.

Law just snorted, looking at the small plate of rolled hams with vegetables. "I know," he said quietly.

: :

That night, when everyone had gone to bed for the night – Sanji kicking Zoro repeatedly for not helping save him from his own goddamn wedding, Zoro cursing and fighting him back until Nami was throwing barrels at them both – Law sat at the back of the Thousand Sunny. He looked up at the night sky, scanning the brilliant blanket of blues, violets, black – the stars twinkled brilliantly, burning in the distance. As he listened to the waves crash against the ship, he felt peace warm his heart.

He felt comforted by the fact that, as wretched and low as he felt, there were those that were watching over him. He knew that if he wanted to talk as freely as he could with this other world Sanji, all he would have to do was to go the sea to reach the stars. He knew the man would reach out and catch him, return him to the surface like he had before.

He saw that the sky seemed fuller, tonight. It seemed to extend everywhere – the surface of the sea was so still that it reflected the entirety of the sky. When he reached out to see if he could actually touch the sky, he felt the sea touching him back.

"Just a little longer," he told himself, Kikuko agreeing with him reluctantly.