Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece.

Holly- I'VE Re-WRITTEN EVERYTHING.

Chapter 17 - November

Christmas.

December is still an entire month away and the whole world is already up in arms about buying the perfect gifts to put under the most splendid tree with the grandest meal to enjoy with their happy families.

I hate the occasion. Contrary to popular belief it's only publicized to make people spend an extortionate amount of money, and that of course leads to debt and men higher up the public hierarchy laughing about the bills in their pockets after once again, conning society with yet another merchandising scheme.

In my opinion, only two good things come from the seasonal holiday; snow, and that popular Coca Cola advertisement with the polar bears sipping from the little glass bottles of teeth-rotting goodness.

I'm not ashamed to admit that I have a predilection for the fluffy white predators. What's not to like about them?

As a child I had many stuffed animals feature their snowy carnivorous faces, with life like glass eyes and white fibers that clung to seemingly all that they came into contact with. I still have one kept back in the apartment that I had cleverly named Bepo (an anagram from Polar Bear) when I was around eight years old.

The mild obsession stems from a trip I once went on to the zoo in North Blue with my mother, one of the few good memories I have left from my childhood.

I remember pushing my face right up against the glass, telling anyone who would listen that someday, I would have my very own polar bear and we would become the best of friends. No strings attached.

Eustass snorts loudly from the floor before rolling over in the sheets.

It's early, Saturday morning actually, and I can't find fault in the redhead for still dozing happily. Dead to the world. Red hair still stuck up as if someone had stuck a taser to his rear.

I slide out of bed and wince. The mattress seems to become more uncomfortable with each sitting it endures. Perching on the edge of the bed I scan the room, eyes settling on my bag before flicking to Eustass' unconscious face.

It's a shame that he trusts me so much, I think to myself, slipping a hand into my bag and retrieving my open pencil case. From it I pull a black permanent marker, and I grin wickedly.

I glance into the back seat and watch Killer fiddling with his phone before glancing at Sara wriggling away in her car seat, desperate for freedom.

Today, Killer had decided to let me dress her, and I'm quite proud of the result. The little furry white coat with little bear ears on the hood looks adorable.

I can only hope that dressing the toddler in white isn't asking for trouble.

It's wet out, a fine drizzle left over from last night's heavy down pour. So of course the entire world has received a thorough washing, excess dirty puddles and sopping wet mud tempting to the eyes of children left in our wake.

A knock on the passenger side window nearly gives me whiplash, just in time to see Law opening the car door.

There's a bright aura coming from him today, which is saying something considering how gloomy he usually is. He isn't smiling, rather smirking with glittering grey eyes, brimming with happiness.

I blink dumbly, not sure whether to ask 'who died?' or not.

He's quite the sadist, so I think the question is quite relevant, given that I've never seen him in such a good mood before.

Before I get a chance to ask the door behind the passenger side is cranked open quite violently, and Eustass plonks himself into the carseat with a thunderous expression. And whiskers…

Law chuckles heartily while my eyes continue to bulge. Killer looks almost awestruck from the other side of Sara's place between the pair.

"Kitty!" Sara cooes happily, reaching out a hand from the car seat to clutch his sleeve.

I snort loudly, shoving my face into my hands and my legs wiggling involuntarily with my poorly restrained laughter. The mischievous fox-faced boy next to me acting as my echo while Eustass looks as if he could explode.

"You cackle like a witch," I say, rubbing at the corner of my mouth that aches from smiling so hard.

Dakota's hand flaps in a stereotypical 'camp' movement to whack me in the shoulder. Effective at making me laugh, to her dismay.

"Well at least I don't look like one," She says diplomatically, landing me with a sidelong glance and smirking, "Get your cauldron out."

We stop at some traffic lights and I grin at her crookedly.

"It's okay, I'll just use yours."

The next 10 or so minutes are spent quoting Yubaba from the Studio Ghibli movie Spirited Away. Such as "Your name belongs to me nowww!"

We're driving to the City Centre, just on the outskirts of New World where the city's main shopping district is housed. I don't regularly come here, if ever, but today Dakota had asked if we would like to tag along while we shop for Sara-Belle's birthday.

She'll be turning 4 next Wednesday, and I think Dakota's quite emotional about her daughter starting Kindergarten next year.

There's a lot of things that I'm not looking forward to on this shopping trip. Queuing, herds of people standing at a close proximity, over-priced sales, and more than anything, the mere mention of anything to do with Christmas.

It's November!

I don't notice that we've pulled into a multi-story until Dakota stops the car at the ticket machine. She does an awkward motion of having to unbuckle her seat belt and hanging halfway out of the window to push the button.

The barrier lifts up and I practically drag her by the back of her hoodie to get her into her seat so we can pass through without having the mechanical arm breaking down on the windscreen or something similar.

I sometimes forget that under her facade of responsibility that she's still a year younger than I am, prone to mistakes and even more prone to having stress put on her.

I can't imagine what having a baby at 13 must have been like.

We park quite successfully and make our way down the stairs to the level which leads to the Mall - or Hell as I've come to think of it.

Dakota leads our cavalry through the chaos and mishmash of people with Sara perched on her hip. It's admirable how she is able to completely immerse herself to the point of having everyone move out of her way to let us through. Perks of having a small child, I suppose.

The little fur-coated munchin spies at me over Dakota's left arm and waves at me giddily, eared hood hanging low on her face. I wave back despite myself.

Sara stares up at us with doe eyes and a little frown on her face.

Dakota grins and gives her a little nudge as reassurance.

"Go on, go pick your favourite," She suggested.

It's a toy store, child's haven and the source of every parent's nightmares. I doubt that there will ever be just one 'favourite'. I can still hear an older child throwing a tantrum somewhere outside the store.

Sara shook her head, not wanting to explore the place on her own, and instead opted for grabbing Dakota's hand and dragging her along for the journey. The height difference had the older redhead stumbling along with her back bent. I smirk slightly.

Kidd and Killer had opted for waiting outside for them, uninterested in drowning in children's tears.

If Dakota had noticed the increasing closeness of the pair she hadn't uttered a word of indication, and I both appreciated and despised the sentiment. I need to ask her what her opinion is, but I'm also scared that she might assume that I'm scared of losing him.

I am, but admitting weaknesses has never been something I'm good at.

Dakota lifted Sara back onto her hip to avoid getting back ache, and strolled slowly through the aisles while I take up the rear.

I remember growing up that my mother would always spoil me rotten with toys and treats and games to play. It's a vivid memory, and a sad one. I was never able to play games on my own, and too serious and down to earth to have the imagination for creating imaginary friends.

It's not that I'm unappreciative, but at the time I would have much preferred her company that pieces of plastic advertised for screaming children.

Money can't buy Love, but my mother had certainly tried her best.

I frown slightly to myself. I've thought about her today for the longest time that I have in a while. I had barely known the woman, and this train of thought isn't going to a happy place.

"Law-Law!" Sara called, grinning at me from her hold against Dakota's side.

The toddler holds her arms out to me, making grabbing motions and swinging her legs for emphasis. Her mother stops and smiles at me, back-tracking to loosen her grip and offer the child to me.

I smile weakly, somewhat nervous about holding the kid. If I dropped her, and she landed on her head, Dakota would be anything but pleased. The thought of children's tears and Mama Bear's wrath makes me hesitate.

"Go on, you'll be fine, children bounce," Dakota grins.

I stare at her with slight concern, taking Sara into my arms and settling her on my hip as I usually see the freckled girl hold her.

"Do they really?" I ask, slightly curious as the child looks up at me with a huge grin and touching my jaw.

"No," Dakota laughs, tucking her hands into her jean pockets, "Motivated you though, didn't it?"

"You're evil. What if I had actually tested the theory?"

"You wouldn't, I know you care more than to do that," She pokes her tongue out at me.

Holly- Hooray! Fluffy as hell, I do apologize, but I think some of Law's memories from his past are pretty valid for later in the story. Also, Law's opinion on Christmas is basically my own. I love the excitement and I love spoiling people but I really hate receiving things. I'm one of those boring assholes who wants presents that will be legitimately useful. Like socks, and I never get socks any more...