Chapter One: Runaway Love

Nobody will care if I die. I don't exist...I'm nothing...

Tears continue to fall as a newly sharp razor is taken out of its hiding place. As she lines the blade to her wrist once more, and continues to slowly slice her pale skin. For this little girl, the blades are her only release from the constant bullying at school, from her abusive father who blames her for her mother's death, and from reality. Therapy doesn't help, talking won't help, and no one would be able to stop her from taking her life the moment she snaps. She learned these things from the older children at school, and she's been trying to end her life ever since because of him. Blood begins to trickle down her fingertips as the sharp metal penetrates her skin, and her newly shed tears sting the wound as they drip into the fresh cuts.

I just want to die...everyone would be better off if I was dead. No one cares about me...I'm worthless…..

"Emily!" Her father's voice rings past the locked bathroom door. "Get the fuck out already! I have to take a piss!"

Emily quickly cleans up the mess, hiding the evidence, and then slowly opens the door. Her soft curly raven hair falls over her shoulders as her small figure walks out of the bathroom.

"What were you doing in there?! Did you fucking slit your wrists again?!"

Stop yelling at me...

"I swear to fucking god, Emily. Cut this shit out already! I'm not going back to the hospital again because of you," her father grabs her arm, and squeezes at her freshly cut wrists, knowing she can't speak or cry out since she's recovering from the surgery after she slit her throat and miraculously survived, "I'm going to fucking teach you a lesson, you little shit!"

Stop...it hurts...

He forces her into his bedroom after taking care of business in the bathroom, then throws her onto the bed.

N-No! Not again...someone help me...!

Her clothes are ripped off her body and she is beaten every time she fights back. She can't feel anything anymore as her monster father forces himself inside her, and she can feel herself tearing down there as she gets raped once more. This was considered punishment since she enjoyed the near-death beatings. More tears start to fall when it's over, and he tosses her out of the room as if she is trash.

"Get out of my sight, bitch," he snaps at her and kicks her out the front door, "and don't fucking come back this time!"

No shoes, no clothes except for a sheet she took from the trash since it has her blood on it, and she just runs. This time...she won't go back to him, no matter what. It's been a few hours already, but she hasn't stopped running. Adrenaline is the only thing keeping her alive, but even that will eventually stop. The soles of her feet are bleeding from running, her muscles ache, and her body is weak from malnutrition and blood loss...yet she's still running. Her shadow becomes her only companion now that she's alone in the world. She has no place to go and she's lost...cold...hungry...exhausted...hurt. Then, something is shining in her world of darkness. A bright light that's calling her name softly the way her mother used to do before she died. Emily listens closely as she slowly slips away from consciousness, not remembering hitting the floor.

That voice...it's not my mother's...it's a man...oh no. I need to run, but it hurts...

A gentle warm embrace as she's getting lifted by this strange man is the only sensation she feels before losing consciousness. The loud beeps awaken her from her slumber. Icy blue eyes finally open as she gets a look of her surroundings, panicking slightly at the sleeping man in the chair next to her bed.

Why did he save me? I don't deserve to live...I am nobody. Who are you? Are you nobody, too?

The man yawns a bit as he rubs his sleepy eyes and sighs in relief when he sees her awake. "Thank god...are you alright? You almost died..."

He has raven hair also as well as having freckles just like her, but his eyes are dark, onyx orbs that hide pain too. He's muscular and the tattoo on his arm is visible.

ASCE? The S is crossed out...is it supposed to mean something? Who is this man?

"My name is Ace," he smiles at her small figure, "the doctor says you can't speak for a few more days because of the surgery you had. Can you write down your name, please?"

She gives a shaky nod and accepts the notepad, writing in pretty cursive: 'My name is Emily.'

Ace smiles at the response, "It's nice to meet you, Emily. How old are you?"

'I'm nine years old...' She writes down, and then adds, 'I don't want to live anymore.'

"How come?" the freckled man asks softly so he doesn't upset her.

Emily wipes away the tears that threaten to fall before writing: 'My daddy does bad things to me. My mommy was shot trying to save me. It's all my fault...'

"It's not..." Ace whispers and gently puts a hand on top of hers, "would you like to have a new family? You'll be safer."

'Please don't make me go back...' Emily writes and can't stop the tears from falling down her tear-stained cheeks.

"Emily, honey... listen to me. You're never going back to where you came from...never again."

For the first time, she feels safe with someone. This man is her savior, and now he's taking her away from that monster. Though she can't help but wonder how anyone can love a child who tried to kill herself. She's nobody, who would want a nobody?

Ace notices the confused look in those blue eyes and tilts his head a bit when she writes down: 'I am nobody. Why would anyone me?'

"You're not a nobody anymore. You're somebody now...Portgas D. Emily."

No longer a nobody? What is he talking about?

Ace offers a warm smile and releases her hand. "I'm going to adopt you as my daughter, and give you the best life possible and love you unconditionally. Okay, Emily?"

This strange feeling inside her chest is definitely different, and for once it isn't the fear of being attacked again. For the first time in her life, Emily feels something other than pain, sadness, or regret. This stranger...no, Ace...no...her new father is the best thing that ever happened to her since the death of her mother. Once she heals, Emily just wants to hug him and thank him for everything he's done.

It's a whole new world to her the moment she exits the hospital a week later. Emily sits on the wheelchair the hospital provided, loving the sweatpants and t-shirt from Ace, and looks at the other sick or injured people lingering the hallways. The air reeks of disease, dirty sheets, and bad food so it is a bit funny watching Ace nearly run out of the facility. Sunlight blinds her eyes as she's out of the hospital, fresh air that isn't tainted by the aroma of her blood smells peaceful, and it all comes crashing down when he heads towards their direction. Emily's eyes widen and she looks up at Ace, hoping he'll understand that this man is her father.

"Oi, Emily. What the fuck are you doing now? So this is where you went? You little shit!" He raises a hand to strike her, but gets immediately stopped.

"Oi. Do NOT lay another hand on her, you bastard. She's my daughter now, and you'll never see her again," Ace's voice is cold and venomous, seeming to already know her father's name, "Crocodile...stay away from Emily, forever."

Someone stood up for me...?

He leaves Crocodile speechless as he takes Emily to his car, a red Nissan Altima. She's never seen such a nice car before, nor ever been inside one. Ace carefully helps her into the vehicle, even helping put the seatbelt on gently. Emily's blue eyes widen once more as a kiss is placed onto her forehead, and her cheeks light up to a cute pink.

No one has ever done that...except my mother...

"I'm sorry that beast is your father..." Ace sighs softly as he pulls out of the parking lot, "he's such a bastard, but that boyfriend of his is worse."

The drive grows silent quite quickly, and blue eyes look out the window to view a world that's never been seen before. In this vast world, there is someone who cares about a broken doll, someone who willingly puts their life on the line to protect such a broken object. It's a strange yet beautiful thing, but there's an odd sound voicing itself over and over again.

You are free. Live.

Through the boisterous city streets, through the business areas, and through the crowds then soft birds chirping before it becomes silence, peaceful families in their large beautiful homes coming together as the sun sets. Finally, the car stops and the engine's turned off. A gentle hand ruffles soft raven locks and onyx eyes meet blue ones.

"I hope you don't mind, but we have to make a stop first," he begins to explain, and smiles, "this is my friends' house. They're recently engaged and asked me to come see the house along with staying for dinner. My friend Sanji is a fantastic cook, you'll love his food."

Emily just nods and tries to return such a warm smile though it's difficult after her trauma. Ace just grins and takes her to the front door, lightly ringing the doorbell and gently rubs her shoulder soothingly. The person who answers the door seems frightening to her. He has bright green hair, only one eye, huge muscles, and a long scar across his chest followed by one around each ankle. Three long gold earrings dangle from the left ear and a small cloth is tied around his left bicep.

"Zoro!" Ace greets and hugs the man tightly, pointing to her, "this is Emily. I adopted her today."

"Ah," the man called Zoro crouches down to her small height, "it's nice to meet you. My name is Zoro."

She shyly returns the offered handshake and slowly hides behind her new guardian. Zoro stands up before allowing them inside, instructing for their shoes to be removed before coming in. The house is very elegant and big. A glimmering chandelier hangs from the high ceiling, the foyer has a dual staircase leading to the second floor, and on the left is the main living room. It has a massive crescent shaped black sofa, a large hand crafted fireplace with a few picture frames on the mantel, and a round glass coffee table. On the right is the luxurious kitchen, and another man stands in it cooking. This man has golden blond hair, stunning ocean blue eyes, a curly eyebrow, a small goatee with a stubble moustache to match, long lean legs that are clearly uses for fighting, and one detail stands out the most. That detail is the magnificent diamond ring on his left ring finger. It's been crafted to resemble tiny ocean waves, there are sapphires embedded into the wave design, and those surround the beautiful 24K diamond in the center.

"Oi, cook," Zoro calls out to the other man, "Ace is here and he just adopted a little girl."

"Little girl?" The man smiles widely and literally twirls over to her, kneeling in front of her, "hello there, miss. My name is Sanji, and might I say that you're very beautiful. What's your name?"

Once again a cute shade of pink tints her cheeks as she finds herself blushing yet again. Emily tries to speak but no sound comes out, holding up the pen and paper from Ace and writing: 'My name is Emily'.

Ace chuckles softly and teases the one named Sanji, "Where's my compliment and twirling greeting, Sanji?"

"You are not a beautiful young lady or my marimo," Sanji chuckles softly and stands up, heading back into the kitchen, "why can't she talk?"

"She's recovering from a previous surgery on her throat..." Ace explains as he lets Zoro show her around and sits on the island stool, "she's been abused in so many ways. I found her nearly dead on the streets so I took her to the hospital and I adopted her."

"The poor thing..." Sanji frowns as he continues cooking, "do you know who her parents are?"

Ace clenches his fists tightly, "her father is that bastard Crocodile...he had been torturing her judging by the state I found her in."

They're talking about him again…

She sits on the floor with her icy blue eyes staring at the ceiling as memories of her father fill her mind once again. Every slap, cut, kick, every...cut flood each thought to remind her of the terror she once lived through.

Is it really over?

"You're nothing but garbage, brat. I should have killed you along with that piece of shit mother of yours."

His words shot through her fading heart after her mother was buried when Emily was five years old. She had cried for days until her throat was raw and scratchy, until she could barely speak, and until eating and drinking became difficult. He had killed the only person to love such a broken little girl without any remorse or regret. It all began on that day…

She was running away with her mother throughout the house with the slightest hope of a hiding spot big enough for the two of them. He was on another drunken rage, yet this one seemed the worst of all. Broken glass just wasn't enough to cause hurt yet again, though having beer bottles being thrown at her had a more punishing effect. Each shattered glass shard would pierce through tender skin as it breaks from a nearly lethal impact against the wall.

"You don't deserve to live anymore, bitch! How dare you fucking refuse to have sex with me, you filthy whore!?" Crocodile shouted at his wife of five years, Ariel.

"I don't want to...Emily needs medicine...she's sick…" Ariel pleaded.

Her words rendered useless to the drunken monster she was forced to marry. Emily watched in horror as a pistol was pulled from her father's coat. Ariel gasped softly in fear, standing in front of her daughter and ready to protect their only child. Two shots were fired one after the other, one hitting her stomach and the other through her chest. The helpless little girl witnessed the shooting of her precious mother. Ariel took a step backwards before collapsing next to the terrified Emily.

"Emily…" she managed to speak before coughing up a large amount of blood.

She held Ariel's hand one last time, tears pouring down her face as she cried, "m-mommy...Mommy, you can't leave me..!"

"Emily...please listen to me…" Ariel whispered as her life was slipping away, "mommy loves you, Emily…"

"I love you, too…"Emily whimpered through her tears, not fully understanding that her mother was dead, "please don't leave me…"

"Emily…"

It reminds me of her…

"Can you hear me? It's me…"

Ace…?

"Please wake up, Emily. You're crying in your sleep."

Once again she is surrounded by unfamiliar things, once again she feels like ending her own life, once again she feels alone, but...she isn't alone. Icy blue eyes slowly open to a concerned Ace and a gentle sigh of relief is released after their eyes meet. Emily wraps her arms around Ace's neck in a hug, and refuses to let go. Her eyes glistening with unshed tears as her small face hides away into the crook of his neck.

Please protect me...Papa...