Luffy sat knees drawn to his chest his slightly too skinny frame shivered. "Why do we have to care for these brats!" Dadans voice seemed to echo with every harsh comment coming out of the drunk bandits mouth. The soft steps of Ace entering through the door barley casting Luffy a glance, heading up the steps. The 10 yr old boy froze when he heard Dadan.

"One of them is the devil himself, no he's the devils child that's what he is" Dadan slammed her drink down. Ace stared at his hand clenching it into a tight fist. Luffy sat and listened to Dadan almost all night before falling to sleep in the same position.

Luffy watched Ace that morning leave usually he would attempt to fallow. However today Luffy decided not to. The child's stomach growled loudly. (Food) he thought looking around to began hunting for what little morsels might be lurking in the woods nearby. Luffy spent the better part of the day digging up grubs. Despite his efforts he only managed a small bowl full at least.

That night, while everyone else ate their fill of meat Ace brought back Luffy sat in his corner eating the bowl of rice given to him. Cleaning his bowl out after Ace left, Luffy began to wash the dishes everyone left behind.

Dadan stared in shock for once but chose to ignore the brat and went to get sake with Dogra and Magra. While Luffy finished putting the dishes away the small boy went to bed. Laying there wide awake, long after everyone went to sleep.

Luffy opened his eyes that morning, what woke him he didn't know. Except for a horrible pain on his right side. (Am I really hungry?) he asked himself, he got up intent on hunting for food again.

A wave of nausea washed over him. (I'm just hungry, I will feel better once I eat) Luffy thought grabbing his metal bucket.

Luffy worked in the shade of the Forest catching frogs near a stream. Luffy shivered badly the pain seemed to increase every time he bent down or climbed and jump. Luffy stumbled from a 3 foot drop, he dropped to his knees puking violently.

He collapsed off to the side. (get UP) he shouted in his mind. Luffy struggled to get his feet all the while telling himself to get up and not give up.

The shack was blurry by the time he got there, his head hurt as does his side. Luffy crawled into his mat with his thread bare blanket. The child's eye dropped shut it wasn't long before he fell unconscious from the fever.

"OI LUFFY GET DOWN HERE DINNER IS READY!" Dadan yelled her cigarettes threatening to fall out of her mouth. Dadan frowned when there was no noise. "Ace go upstairs and get him" Dadan turned glaring daggers at the boy.

Ace in turn glared daggers back. "Hmm" he got up walking upstairs with intent on beating the kid out of bed. Slamming his room door open. He went over to Luffys still form. A foot raised to kick the kid, he froze when he brought it down. To him Luffy looked white, lips tinted ever so slightly purple.

Ace bit his lip ran down the stairs "HES DEAD!" the words caused all three bandits to either choke, gag, or spit what ever was in their mouths out. Dadan was the first to reach Luffy. Her hands frantically were placed on Luffy.

"He's not dead, something's wrong though, the kids burning up" Dadan turned him over looking at the kids body a side from a few scrapes no bruises and being a bit skinny. Luffy was fine but the fever is raging.

"Magra go get the village doctor, and while your there send Garp an emergency message. Dogra get water and make sure its good and cold" Dadan instructed to the two bandits. "HAI!" they both shouted and ran in separate directions.

Ace stood of on the side watch as Dadan struggled to wake the young kid. Within an hour time Magra came back red in the face, with the doctor in tow. The doctor bent down to Luffy and began to work on him.

"Dadan, Garp is on his way he'll be here in the morning" Dadan nodded her head. "He won't make it till then" the doctor spoke standing up and removing his gloves. "Appendicitis, curable when caught in time, deadly when not. I'm afraid his appendix has burst, their is no

chance for him" the doctor shook his head pulling out a needle and a vile. "I can make him as comfortable as I can" the man extracted a large amount of medicine from the vile and injected it into Luffy.

"Why is it killing him?" the doctor paused in his cleanup. "The bacteria builds up in an organ that the body does not use. then the organ gets so swollen that is burst, releasing the bacteria into the blood. Once it enters the blood their is really no chance of surviving. Maybe if he was older his chances of living are increased significantly.

Ace looked at the unconscious kid, thinking how the last few days Luffy didn't attempt to follow him at all.

The following hours were tense, when mid morning came around Luffy's breathing was shallow but still there. "DADAN" the huts door was ripped from the frame in a fit of rage. Dadan ran down the stairs to calm the enraged marine. A hush discussion followed by a heavy sigh.

Ace looked like he wanted to take off. He was curious about death, wanted to see it first hand. A large hand clamped onto his shoulder. Ace shrugged him off.

Garp reached down to pick up Luffy the kid barely responded. "His mother died, from the same illness" Garps revelation about Luffy's mother shocked Ace. "He was 3 too young to remember her". Garp brushed a strain of Luffys hair away from his sweat soaked face.

Hours ticked by there was no change in Luffy the doctor was called back. He gave more pain medication to the child, hoping to give him an escape from the amount of pain he is in. "he survived this long, if he makes it past a 24 hour mark his chance will increase" the doctor explained to garp. the marine nodded holding Luffy a little closer.

by the next morning Luffy still did not show any change in his condition. It was 3 days later on a sunset. Garp was once again cradling the child. The man was close to losing himself in

grief. "Jiji" the barely whisper spooked the marine. "Luffy" his hand fell onto his young grandsons head. the fever had broken at last and Luffy was finally coming too. Luffy opened

his eyes, Garp stilled himself, the child was blinded by the fever. Tear dripped down his face as he began to cry. Luffy blinked his eyes slowly confused, "ne jiji, Why is it so dark in here?"

Luffy struggled to speak. "I know, I know, Sleep, just sleep for now" Garp rubbed the side of Luffy's face affectionitly. Luffy did what he was told and went back to sleep. Garp lay the sleeping child onto the sleep mat, covering him with a thick blanket he bought the first day being back.

The stairs creaked, causing the four sitting at the table eating dinner to look up. Garp sank down against the wall. His face almost unreadable. "Garp-sama, did he?" none of them wanted to ask if the child died. "No, his fever has broken but there were some complications

from it." the man took some sake chugging the alcohol. "complications?" Magra asked fixing a plate for the marine, setting it down in front of him. "Yes, Luffy is blind, the fever took his sight from him" Garp sat the empty sake bottle down. "What do we do?" Dogra asked spoon

food into his mouth. "You do nothing, Luffy can not defend himself in the state he is in. Considering who is father is, I can't simply leave him with a nursemaid. I'll have to find a suitor for him and arrange a marriage right away." Garp rubbed his forehead in hopes to rid of

the headache. "One that will not mind having a blind wife, that is if he can still carry once he his older, the fever could have took that from him"the man grumbled to himself. Eating his food not paying attention.

Later that night Garp had went back to his ship collecting files of single marine under 25. He sat up all night in the Bandits kitchen searching through files. One file caught his eye. Chase Smoker age 24- devil fruit ability turning in to smoke literally. Ironic, the older marine scuffed.

setting the file into the possible suitor section. With two other files, unknown to him Ace watched the old man work through the night. Come morning Garp finished going through the files, tired and exhausted.

He relooked over the three files he set a side. Time to make some calls. "HELP!" the scream startled all the residences. Garp fled up the stairs to the kids room. Finding Luffy on the floor

blind eyes blinking, frighten and wide. "I can't see, WHY CAN"T I SEE!" tears dripped down the small face. Garp scooped the child up to his chest. Luffy sniffled, "Jiji?" he was hesitant but sniffed the man again. "I'm here Luffy" Garp carried Luffy down the stairs. Luffy was weak

and shaky from being ill for days. He could barely sit up and hold a spoon. "Here Luffy have some chicken soup" Garp pushed a warm spoon into the eight years mouth. Luffy willingly excepted

being spoon fed. Even though earlier he struggled to take the spoon from his grandfather.

After breakfast Garp placed Luffy back into his bed. "I got to go and make some calls Luffy" Garp crooned to the child as he drifted off to sleep. Garp face became emotionless.

(I pray you will forgive me one day) Garp thought as he brushed Luffys hair back. Then he proceeded to walk down to the docks.

The town bustled as if nothing had happened, they didn't know at all. Makino came up to Garp a little worse for wear. Her eyes bloodshot, dark circle under them as well. "Garp-sama" she greeted him with a sad but hopeful smile. "He's alive Makino, but the fever has blinded the boy" Garp reached an hand out placing it on her shoulder for comfort. Makino cried for the poor child that she helped raise. "He won't be able to do his dream then" Makino whispered and walked away from Garp in sorrow.

Garp boarded his ship being greeted my his crew respectfully. Reaching his office he placed the calls. "Hello a gruff sounding Marine answered the den den phone. "This is admiral Garp, I have a proposition for you Roy Pegasus" Garp spoke for nearly half and hour to the man, but he declined. The second was no better as he hung once he heard marriage. "Hello, Smoker speaking" Man carried an authoritative voice. Garp liked that. "This is Admiral Garp, I have a Marriage proposition I

would like you to consider". the man on the other was silent, Garp thought he may have hung up. "An arranged Marriage Sir" he asked after a minute. "Hai" Garp responded. A sigh was heard from the other end. "I mind as well listen before I decline then" was his response, Garp practically danced.

"My grandson Monkey D. Luffy 8 years old, I wish to marry him at 15, He is Blind, but can carry children" Garp explained all in one breath. "I mind as well accept" the voice seemed reluctant. "Are sure? You don't sound to sure" Garp sounded worry. "I'm sure because my mother just heard our conversation" the venom dripping in his voice screamed mommy wants grandchildren, and she wants them soon. Garp nearly snickered at that.

"Good will draw up a contract once it is signed, I want you to visit him every few months." Garp went over the detail as he drew up the draft of a contract.

The first meeting between the two was suppose to go off without a hitch. With Luffy though there is always a hitch. Luffy stood outside in the sunlight. His new clothes soaked in mud. Ace held a small smirk from his hiding spot.

Garp had a hand over his face, and as for smoker the entire front of his marine uniform was covered in mud too.

"Luffy, Please tell me why you were in the tree?" Garp strained out a vein popping on his head. "Ace dragged me up there and dropped me" Garps vein twitched, Smoker raised a eyebrow at the angry man.

"Ano, is Smokey here then" the kid ask sticking a finger up his nose nonchalant. "Yeah and you brats just covered him in mud. Luffy froze, "Jiji that's not my fault its ACES!" his defense was met with a fist to the head.

"ITAI!, THAT'S NOT SUPPOSE TO HURT!" Smoker watched in awe as the kids head bounced inhumanly from the hit. (Devil fruit user) He thought, sighing he knelt down in front of his betrothed. "My name is Chase Smoker, not Smokey" Smoker extended a hand taking Luffy's in his. Luffy stiffen from the sudden contact from the stranger. "I like Smokey better" the kid mumbled yanking his hand out of the others gentle grasp. Smoker sweat dropped at the kids bluntness. (This would serve to be an Interesting Marriage) Smoker thought, brushing some mud of his uniform.

Smoker spent the better part of his day with Luffy playing , the kid smiled and laughed. Garp seemed pleased with how happy Luffy was with Smoker.

Smoker swung him around in his arms. A rare and gentle smile graced the marines lips.

(I chose the perfect man for him) Garp thought to himself drinking some sake. Night settled, soon and problem arose "NOO! DON"T LEAVE YET" Luffy clung to his betrothed. Smoker held a look of surprise.

He knelt down, "Luffy I'll be back 3 months to visit" Smoker brushed back. Luffy frowned but nodded his head in acceptance. Smoker kissed his head running a hand under his chin before leaving.

Luffy never been happier since his arrival at the bandits hut.