AN: Here is the update I promised! I will see what I can do about maybe spitting out a chapter tomorrow, but I am leaving for a convention on Thursday. I am going to be cosplaying One Piece though!

What was he doing? Elena still couldn't figure this man out, he had no reason to help her. In fact he had wanted her gone before he had found out about her ability, it must be something to do with that.

He had explained the rules of the ship to her before sending her away to the mess hall to help the cook prepare dinner, shutting the door rather rudely in her face. The rules were pretty simple, pull your weight and don't be stupid and you would be fine. At least thats how he made it sound.

She timidly stood at the door to the kitchen where a hefty man stood. He had his back turned to her, his hair was shaved close to his head and he was flipping a frying pan as she cleared her throat.

Immediately he whipped around, she could see his green eyes starting sharply at her in narrow suspicion.

"What are you doing here?" He asked rudely.

Elena was starting to wonder if this was a good idea, she needed the help in order to free the others and Law had said he could teach her how to use her devil fruit, but…

"Well?" He prompted irritably.

"Uh…Law…I mean the Captain sent me to help you with dinner…" she managed to stammer out, the large man a very intimidating sight. He seemed to stare at her for a moment, judging her candor before huffing and turning back to his work.

"Fine. Go chop up those vegetables into rectangular chunks" he demanded harshly. Elena moved to sit at the table, dragging the cutting board towards her as she picked up a carrot and took hold of the knife handle.

She stared at the gleaming stainless steel. The last knife she had held was at the house, she had wrangled it from the guard by the door and killed him with it. She had killed someone. More than one person, actually. She felt a chill run down her spine at this realization.

I didn't have a choice.

She tried to validate it, but it didn't make her feel any less dirty. She took a deep sigh as she looked at its glint, that wouldn't be the last man she killed. If she planned to rescue the others she would have to shed more blood.

Not for the first time Elena wondered if it was really worth it. She could just run, lay low somewhere and develop a new identity and a new life. She would never have to return to the brothel, she would be free.

She couldn't do that. She didn't have the heart.

Elena thought about the girls there. Diane had been there the longest, she was a real natural beauty and brought in the most money so Dario was a little more careful with her. If it had been 8 years ago Elena would have envied her beauty, but now she realized what a curse beauty was.

Diane had dark skin, splashed with freckles. Her dark curly hair brought out her light green eyes and when she smiled they lit up. Elena had only seen her smile once. Usually she tried to distance herself from the girls, it wouldn't do to get attached to them when they would be killed a few weeks later. It would only make things harder.

Diane had been there for six months, the longest Elena had seen any girl stay at the house (besides her). Sometimes the girls would turn hostile towards her, they would resent her for what she did to them every day. She didn't blame them. She tried her best to be cold as she drugged and prepped them every day, but she knew how it must look to the other girls. She didn't have to wear chains.

But Diane had figured her out, Elena could still remember the day she went in to clean her up after a customer. She tried to ignore the pang she felt at the woman's tear stained face and bloodied lip. Although she had been through hell, she looked at Elena with pity.

"You don't want to be here…do you…" she whispered, though it was less of a question and more of a statement.

Elena had only looked at her with shocked eyes, many girls had tried to speak with her. To plead with her to release them. But none had ever shown any sort of sympathy towards her, why should they? They were the ones strapped to the bed, not her.

She shook her head slowly, not meeting Diane's gaze. But the woman grabbed her arm to get her attention as she was sponging off the blood from her wrist.

Brown eyes snapped to green and they just stared at each other in a silent understanding for a moment.

When Elena brought her dinner to her she had placed some of her own portion onto it. She didn't think Diane realized it but it was her way of thanks. Thanks for understanding. She hoped she was still alive.

She couldn't live the rest of her life in peace if she didn't even attempt to help the dark skinned beauty who understood her in a way no one else had for the first time in years.

"Whats the matter? Don't know how to use a knife?" A voice said, Elena snapped her head up and apologized as she began to slice the carrots up. Even if she didn't know why Law wanted her on the ship to begin with, she wasn't about to turn away help that she needed. That Diane and the other girls needed.

"So you a part of the crew now or what?" Came the brash voice of the cook.

"I guess so." Elena said, focusing on cutting the vegetables. She heard the cook mumble something under his breath unhappily, she opted to ignore it as she continued with her task.

It didn't matter if he liked her or not. She just needed his Captain's help.

What the hell was he doing. Was he a complete idiot? Law knew the answer to both of those questions. He had half a mind to just dump her at the next island they came to, she had no skills that would benefit the crew and she would likely just be a large distraction.

But he couldn't. Not when she reminded him so much of Corazon. What he did need to worry about it how he would justify it to his crew. Penguin, Shachi and Bepo would know his true reasoning but he had to come up with a better excuse to validate her presence on the ship. Still, she had to possess some fighting spirit in order to have survived as long as she had.

There was one redeemable quality he saw in her though, one that he could relate with. He could see the desire for revenge in her eyes, she wasn't content to cower. She wanted vengeance, and he didn't blame her.

Now for the matter at hand. Law sifted through the wanted posters on his desk, he had his crew pick up every new one he could find so he would be up to date on any potential enemies. He likely wouldn't find much if what Elena said held any merit, there was no way a brothel of that much power and influence would be allowed to operate without some help from the Marines. He would have to ask her about what he should be preparing for when he got the chance.

He felt like an idiot even though there was no way for him to have known about her situation. It made too much sense in the aftermath. The fact that she couldn't swim to the ship, her interest in his devil fruit ability, her ignorance to his identity, her weakened and malnourished state, why she flinched when he reached for her unexpectedly.

Knock knock knock.

"Come in" the dark doctor shouted. The door opened and his chef, Vincent, opened the door.

"Dinners ready when you are, Captain."

"Bring it to my room." Law ordered with a grateful nod of his head. Vincent voiced his confirmation and turned to go, but seemed to hesitate before glancing at him one more time.

"Is she really on the crew now?" The large man asked skeptically.

"Yes. Make her feel welcome. Also make sure Penguin and Shachi behave themselves." Law said pointedly, not wanting to spook the girl off by his crew members obsession with women.

Vincent nodded as Law's door shut with a click. Now it was back to the wanted posters.

It was much like the first day she had arrived. Almost every member of the crew stared at her as she shifted uncomfortably. She was relieved when the cook she had been working with re-entered the room, taking some of the attention off of her. He sat down and began to eat his own meal when he noticed the stares she was receiving.

"What are you lot looking at? The Captain has made her part of the crew, now stop gawking and eat. Heathens." The large man said irritably.

"Really?" The man she had met earlier, Penguin he had said his name was, asked with a gleeful expression.

Elena nodded with a forced smile, still a little uncomfortable.

"Nice! You already know me, I'm an engineer on the sub." Penguin said with a smile that made her relax ever so slightly.

"I'm Shachi, I'm an engineer too!" The redhead she had sat next to during all the other meals she had on the sub introduced.

"I'm Jean Bart." A large man introduced, voice deep but expression kind.

"I'm Bepo! First mate and navigator!" It startled her a bit to hear the polar bear speak, but she couldn't muster up the courage to inquire about it. She just gave him a nervous smile.

"I'm Jasper!" A shaggy haired brunette exclaimed.

"I'm Walter." The calmest one, a tall thin man with black hair and brown eyes, said.

"My name's Brice. I was the newest member until you came along. That big lug over there is Vincent, he is always grumpy so don't take it personally." A friendly looking man with sandy blonde hair and dimples said, gesturing to himself and the chef she had been working with.

"I'm Elena." She said timidly, raising a hand slightly in a wave. Even though she was still a little nervous, she felt oddly at ease. These men seemed friendly, they didn't leer at her like the ones from the pleasure house.

With that the crew went back to eating, their curiosity seemingly sated for the time being. She listened as they joked with each other, a few times some mashed potatoes were flung across the table before Vincent scolded them. She couldn't help the small smile that came to her face, she hadn't had a dinner this relaxed and playful since Arienne and her mother.

She was grateful that they didn't ask her any more questions, she didn't particularly want to explain about her past to anyone else today. The crew members slowly began to disperse as they had every other meal, until the polar bear stood and addressed her.

"When you are finished would you like me to show you around the ship?" He asked kindly. She swallowed and nodded, standing up.

As the pair walked down the various hallways and up and down the levels on the submarine Elena was certain she was going to get lost sooner or later. The bear had a strange habit of apologizing every time she asked a question, but it was an endearing trait.

"Whats that room?" Elena asked, pointing to a door that several of the crew members were walking in and out of.

"Oh, sorry! Thats the recreation room! I'll show you!" Bepo apologized as he held the door open for her. When she walked in she saw most of the crew relaxing inside.

Shachi and Penguin were playing a card game while Jean Bart read a book in the corner. Jasper and Walter were arguing over something in the newspaper and Brice napped in a chair, he had a mustache drawn on him.

"Hey!" Penguin said with a wave and a smile.

Brice gave a loud snort in his sleep.

"Wanna come over and play the next hand with us?" Shachi invited the two over, Bepo looked at her and she shrugged as the walked over.

It turns out Elena was really good at poker. She had watched Dario play it countless times, but she hadn't ever played herself. Soon enough she found herself smiling and laughing, her chest feeling light with happiness for the first time in a long time.

It didn't last though. The door swung open and Law entered, nodding to his crew members. Her stomach clenched in nervousness when she saw him, she knew he had offered to help but there was still something about the man that made her uneasy.

"Elena, come with me." He ordered, not even checking to see if she was following as he turned his back and walked out.

"Ohhhhh" Walter started to tease, his smirk ending with a splutter of pain as Jasper elbowed him.

Elena stood to follow the man, certain she would get lost if she lost sight of him. She scrambled out the door where he was waiting for her, he silently turned and motioned for her to follow.

She took a deep breath. Here goes nothing.