FicWad

The next morning went just as Law had predicted it would.

Law was the first to rise, stalking quietly down the stairs of the inn to find his two engineers' terrified figures on the couch. They both seemed to be sobbing in their sleep, plagued by horrible nightmares. He could guess what they were about, and he smirked.

Liam and Reid were next, diverting themselves to the hot chocolate machine as soon as their feet hit the bottom step.

Bepo emerged from their shared room and sat down next to the couch, gently shaking Shachi and Penguin awake. They woke up half screaming and it took a while for them to calm down again.

More men awoke, stumbling slowly down the steps. They greeted their captain and lounged around the room to wait for the rest to wake up.

Finally, Law heard one door in particular slam open and bang against the wall. Angry stomping could be heard coming down the hall, and the crew's quiet conversations halted.

Summer emerged from the top of the stairs, circles under her eyes and her hair a mess. She was wearing Law's hoodie and her wrinkled black pants. She resembled a ghost, her eyes wide and an intense black mood surrounded her. From the perspective of the men, she seemed to be in some sort of trance.

Law looked over her disheveled appearance and couldn't help but find it...attractive. Especially her wearing his hoodie...

She walked past one man after another, oblivious to the strange looks and nervous glances the men were giving her. Law noticed the two engineers were currently trying their best to hide behind the couch, though it didn't seem as if she were paying them any attention.

"Umm...Summer-chan?" Liam asked, slowly approaching her as if she were a wild animal. He was the only one brave enough to try getting through to her. She stopped walking and gave him an intense blank stare. He recoiled slightly, reluctant to continue trying to talk to her. "Are...you alright?"

"Just fine." She muttered, once again walking past the crew. The room was silent as she carefully walked straight towards the front door. Her movements appeared stiff and awkward.

Law was curious as to what really happened the over the night, and approached the two engineers.

"Shachi-ya, Penguin-ya, what happened last night?" Hearing this, Summer stopped dead in her tracks and hurriedly spun around.

"NOTHING HAPPENED!" She yelled, pointing directly to where Shachi and Penguin were hiding. " ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!" Their eyes met and the glare she gave them probably would've made even a Yonko cry. The shaking walls from the storm outside were the only things permeating the silence. She hastily turned away and ran out the front door, the wind from outside slamming it shut. It took a moment for conversation to continue.

Deciding it was better for his safety, and her sanity, if he didn't ask, he walked over to the front desk of the inn, where the innkeeper looked around the room in bewilderment. Apparently, he wasn't used to such odd occurrences this early in the morning.

"How long does it take for a log pose to set?" Law asked, to which the innkeeper gratefully looked away from the crew that was now trying to see how long they could go without blinking. The older gentleman cleared his throat.

"Ah, Three days." He answered, to which Law nodded. "If I were you, I would try to stay indoors whenever possible. Blizzards have been known to spring up out of nowhere on a regular basis." He glanced at the front door where Summer had sprinted out. "Also, she might get lost if she's out there alone."

Sighing, Law gestured to Bepo to follow him outside to search for Summer.

The freezing cold air outside quickly calmed Summer down enough to think rationally. She was heading towards the submarine, intent on hiding in her room possibly long enough until they left the island.

'Now they all think you're a nutcase...' She thought, remembering all the shocked faces of the crew. She had probably looked pretty senile now that she thought about it. She had been so agitated, she had forgotten to do her hair that morning. Shrugging, she continued walking.

The town was smaller than that of the previous island. There was only one main street and she could see the end of it from where she stood. The buildings were all heavily fortified against the onslaught of falling snow. Walking in her combat boots was difficult, and Summer found herself bracing against each step she took to avoid falling like an idiot.

The harsh wind made it difficult to see and she held out a hand in an attempt to keep the snow out of her eyes. The lack of a proper jacket wasn't very helpful either...

/'Seriously, how does he manage with just this hoodie?' /Summer thought harshly.

"Summer!" She heard Bepo call behind her. Turning, she watched him run through the storm as if it were nothing more than a gentle spring breeze.

'Must be nice being a polar bear...' She thought.

"Summer, don't run off like that. You'll get lost."

"But the sub's just over there." She said, pointing in the direction she had been following. The bear shook his head and pointed in the opposite direction.

"No, it's over there."

Mentally face-palming herself, she kept a neutral expression on her face as she swallowed her pride and nodded. "Oh…"

'You idiot! Nice job getting lost! Now you look like a dumbass who can't find her way to the freakin' sub like twenty feet from the inn!'

"Come back to the inn where it's warm." Scratching the back of her head with a sheepish expression, she agreed and began walking back with Bepo beside her.

The walk seemed to last forever, but she still couldn't see where the buildings were. Glancing at Bepo, he sniffed the ground and confidently kept walking forward. Trusting his strong nose, she didn't say what was on her mind.

'Are we even going the right direction? Did I really wander this far?''

Their walk continued. To Summer, if felt as if the wind had picked up and struggled to walk through the intense weather. Underneath the thick snow, her foot found a particularly slippery piece of ice at the same time a strong burst of wind swept past them.

"Ah!" Losing her balance, she reached out blindly for something to stop her fall. A strong hand gripped her arm and prevented her from falling straight onto her ass. Looking up, she scowled when she saw the smirking face of Law. He hoisted her up and she brushed herself off.

"How do you expect to get anywhere with your clumsiness, Miss Summer?" He asked in amusement. She crossed her arms and refused to look at him.

"I'm a very graceful person, thank you very much." He raised an eyebrow in doubt.

"Mmm…" He hummed in response, turning back towards the inn. The two followed him inside the warm building.

The men glanced up at their entrance and all eyes landed on Summer. Her face went red from all the attention and she kept her eyes focused on the ground. Law walked into the center of the room and raised his voice so they could all hear him.

"We'll wait until the storm passes to get supplies. Relax in the meantime." No one had any problem with this so they all went back to their business. Summer felt uncomfortable around the crew after her little outburst that morning. A hand landed on her shoulder and she looked up.

"Hey, you ok?" Liam asked, Reid standing right behind him. Now that she really had a chance to look, Reid looked a lot younger than she knew him to be. They both looked concerned, and she couldn't help but smile.

"Yeah, I just snapped. But I'm fine now. Hopefully those two aren't scarred for life." She said, glancing at the two engineers who were currently nursing cups of steaming hot chocolate.

"They'll be fine. Just give 'em a few days." Liam reassured her. The room was filled with the rich smell of chocolate and Summer glanced longingly at Liam's cup.

"Here, have this." Seeing Summer's eyes land on one of the mugs, Reid offered the second mug he was holding in his hand to her.

"Thank you." She said quietly. She missed the blush that appeared on the engineer's face. Carefully taking it so as not to burn her hand, she timidly took a sip, testing the temperature. The warm liquid filled her mouth, not too hot but not lukewarm. It was perfect and she closed her eyes in ecstasy before downing the whole thing in one go.

"I'll uh, get you another cup." Reid said, heading off towards the hot chocolate machine. The poor innkeeper was going to run out of his entire supply in one morning at the rate the pirates were drinking it.

When Reid returned, they sat in companionable silence for a long while. The crackling fire and cheerful atmosphere were a welcome reprieve to the raging storm outside.

Finally, the wind died down and the walls stopped shaking enough that the crew could safely venture out into the snow without fear of getting swept away into the unforgiving landscape.

Law stood by the door and gave out orders. "I want everyone to go in teams of two. Find the supplies we need and bring them to the sub. Do not get separated." He said sternly, to which everyone nodded their understanding.

The crew paired off and headed out the door. Summer wasn't the least bit surprised when the captain ordered her to stay there. She crossed her arms and threw him look. He didn't seem to notice, but she knew he had just ignored her.

Soon, Law and Summer were the only ones left in the inn. Bepo was to remain by the sub and help anyone with loading the supplies.

'/Great...Time alone with the sadistic doctor. Just what I wanted...' /Sighing, Summer stalked over to him.

"What are we getting this time? Medical books? Bodies? Candy from innocent toddlers? Hell, nothing would surprise me at this point…"

"Proper clothing for you, Miss Summer." He interrupted. He had just proven her wrong. She was surprised. She had been about to continue her sarcastic rant, but his words left her speechless. Things for her? Was he actually being.../nice?/

"Oh…" She said, feeling just a little guilty she had been so sarcastic. Only just.

"Unless, you'd rather candy from innocent children. That can also be arranged." Rolling her eyes, she cursed him under her breath. He flashed a smirk and exited the inn with her following close behind.

The duo trudged down the street in silence, nothing but the wind and their footsteps to accompany them. Summer took her time to look around the lonely little street. Barely anyone was outside, though for good reason. No one wanted to be out in such cold temperatures, but still. The lack of people left her with little impression of their culture and way of life.

"Here." Law said ahead of her, and she looked up to see a clothing store. The windows were devoid of frost, indicating that the inside was a much warmer temperature. The store owner, a man in his forties at least with bushy eyebrows, a full brown beard, and friendly eyes, smiled thinly at their entrance.

"Welcome. What may I help you with?" Law glanced around the little shop.

"She needs proper clothing for the harsh weather." He said, gesturing to Summer whose interest had been captured by a pair of thick mittens decorated with reindeer on the counter. She looked up and smiled.

The man looked her over as he walked in a circle around her, measuring her body proportions in his head, and scurried off to find clothes that would fit her. Summer followed politely behind him, giving Law a questioning glance. He nodded, not seeing the homely man as any kind of threat. Law sat down on a bench nearby, waiting for Summer to be fitted.

Holding a large pile of garments in one arm, the shop owner ushered Summer into a fitting room. She emerged wearing a dark green jacket that reached down to her knees. She spun around in front of the mirror.

"Mmm…nah." She said, shaking her head and going back behind the door. The next one was a bright orange jacket that ended at her waist. She shook her head immediately at the color and retreated back inside the dressing room.

Law, in the meantime, watched her curiously as she shopped. He had figured this little expedition would be a boring experience, but he didn't mind waiting as she tried on all the selections.

Contrary to what he might think, the shop owner did not try to sway Sumer's opinion about the clothing, simply bringing them to her and agreeing with her comments about each one. Personally, Law had never much cared for the obnoxious sales strategies that could be found in other clothing stores. It wasn't unbearable, and Law found himself feeling quite content on the soft chair in the clothing shop.

Numerous garments later, Summer emerged in a brown, army-style jacket with a faux fur trim around the hood. It fit perfectly, and Summer admired how it looked in the mirror.

"This one." She said decisively, smoothing the front down as she examined it from all angles. Law didn't miss the gleam of excitement in her eyes and stood up from his seat.

"We need boots as well." He told the shopkeeper. The man nodded and guided them towards the shoes section.

He brought Summer several pairs that were sturdy and essential for travel in the snow. Her decision came much quicker, her eyes beholding the combat-style snow boots in her hands. Her expression made Law smirk and he quickly paid for the new articles. This did not go unnoticed by Summer, who ran up beside him as they left.

"I'm half surprised you didn't steal them." He kept his gaze ahead.

"The man wasn't overbearing." Was all he said, leaving Summer with a suspicious look on her face. She quickly let it go, content with her new clothes and shoes.

The walked in silence for awhile, until Summer spoke up softly.

"Thank you, by the way." She mumbled, and Law just barely caught her words. "I appreciate the new clothes."

He didn't look in her direction, but he detected a hint of sorrow to her words. Thinking back on the little information she had given him about her past, he came to the conclusion that this was probably the first time she had actually been given nice things. Receiving anything to call her own was probably a new experience. It was then that he recognized just how tragic this girl's childhood and life thereafter were. What a normal adult woman found routine, she found fascinating and novel.

'No wonder she appreciates the little things...' He thought, remembering the look of joy on her face when she had entered the shop to begin with.

He remained silent. He admitted the girl deserved some respect in that sense, so he'd allow her this one moment without teasing or sarcastic comment.

But just this once.

"There's one other thing I want to look for." Law stated, leading her towards the snowy hills at the edge of the town. The main road ended and the thickly blanketed became even harder to slog through.

"What is it you need exactly?" Summer asked, placing her feet in the spots Law's feet had already traveled to make the trek a bit easier. He turned slightly to answer her.

"It's a rare herb found in this island's mountain region. We have to pass the hills to get to them." Disbelief passed over Summer's face.

"We're going into dangerous mountains in the middle of this freezing island with nothing but the clothes on our backs? Are you insane?" She asked harshly.

"I'm not sure /you/, of all people, have the right to question my mental state." He shot back. "Your outburst this morning is proof of that." She scowled back at him.

"I think I had a pretty good reason to flip out like I did. Speaking of that...You, sir, have sick-minded men in your crew." She huffed, her breath creating large clouds in front of her. Law smirked.

"And what, may I ask, did happen last night to cause such a commotion? I believe I told you not to engage with any sort of relationship with my crew." She struggled to control her anger, baring her teeth and clenching her fists tightly against her sides.

"Hell no! And t-that's none of your business!" She shouted, pointing an accusatory finger at him. He noticed her red face, both from shouting and the cold air, and chuckled quietly. They kept quiet after that; Law focused on finding the rare herb and Summer trying unsuccessfully to burn a hole into the back of his head with her glare alone.

The scenery quickly changed from snow-covered hills to rising mountains and cliffs. The ground was uneven and their progress became much slower as they had to focus on the placement of their feet. One wrong step and they would end up with a broken ankle.

"Are you sure it's even here?" Summer asked, eyeing the steep climb to the top of the mountain. Law nodded.

"I read it in a medicinal herb book. It only grows in the highest altitudes of this island." He began the long trek up the mountain, glancing back with a look that said 'Are you coming or not?'

Sighing deeply, Summer followed slowly after him.

'/Following this bastard is gonna get me killed...Ah, what the hell? Why not? I just love a good hike.'' /She thought bitterly.

The path quickly ascended, and the right side of the mountain became a steep cliff. Summer peered over the edge and gulped at how high they had already climbed. She backed away from the edge quickly and noticed that Law was farther ahead of her than she felt comfortable with. Jogging to catch up, her foot slipped on an icy patch.

"Ah!" She yelled, falling to the ground and sliding backwards down the mountain. Her arms scrambled for anything to hang on to. Nothing gave her purchase, her icy fingers too numb to properly grasp anything. In her panic, she began hyperventilating.

Her wide eyes looked to Law, who wore an intense expression. He was too far away to help her, and she thought in despair that she didn't wish to die. His face was the last thing she saw before disappearing below the side of the cliff.

"Room."

Law's blue sphere covered most of the mountainside and past the point of the cliff edge. Moving his hands, he switched Summer with the snow on the ground next to him. She appeared and landed on the snowy ground with a thud. The fall made her lose her breath, and she lay gasping for air with eyes tightly shut. He crouched down next to her and inspected for any injuries.

Her attempt to stop herself from falling had caused many little red cuts along her hands and arms. They were clean, which was good, but they were bleeding as well. Everything else appeared to be uninjured. Her breathing began to even out, small puffs of air forming above her, and she opened her eyes, peering at him in relief.

"Law…" She muttered. Her skin was white as a sheet from shock, and she seemed to blend in with the snow around her.

"Can you stand?" He asked. She gave a small nod and struggled to get to her feet. With Law keeping her up by her arm, she managed to stand. It took a few moments to find her balance again, but she looked to Law and nodded, indicating she was ready to keep going.

They began walking again, albeit much slower than before. The snow was still coming down on them. It seemed to Law that the storm was getting worse, and he hoped that he could find this herb soon so they could get off the mountain quickly.

They had to stop a few times to rest and catch their breaths, but they relentlessly continued forward. By the time they reached the top of the mountain, luckily without any more incidents, the storm had become a blizzard yet again. Summer bit her lip against the strong, freezing wind blowing directly onto them.

"We have to find shelter!" Summer shouted over the roaring wind. Law narrowed his eyes and glanced around. He pointed to a place on their left. Following his gaze, Summer saw an outcropping of rocks, tall enough to offer some protection against the storm.

To their relief, a small cave lay hidden behind two of the larger rocks. It faced away from the wind and they eagerly entered the makeshift shelter. Both were breathing heavily at this point, exhausted from pushing their way through the fierce storm. Summer threw herself onto the floor and blissfully welcomed the absence of wind. Impel Down had been very similar to this island's weather, and she quickly remembered why she hated the wind so much.

It stung like a bitch.

"Now what?" Summer asked breathlessly, glancing over at the pirate captain. Law shook his head, waiting a moment to catch his breath as well.

"We wait until the storm passes." He sat down and leaned his head back against the rock wall. She followed suit on the opposite wall.

Looking out into the white expanse outside the cave, Summer hoped it would stop soon. If this continued for too long, the others would worry about them, and...

She really wanted some hot chocolate.