Luffy's POV

I ran from the scene after the reporter got out of my face and I took back Aisuru's clothes. I glared at Bridget angrily.

Why? Why did Aisuru have that mark on her back? Who put it there? Was it him directly or was it one of his subordinates? Why would anyone do this to Aisuru?

I clenched my jaw angrily. I was headed for Aisuru's home. Zoro had pulled Ki away earlier and I don't know where the rest of the group was. They'll all probably try calling me later to ask about what happened, but right now, my main concern was my girlfriend. She was hurt and scared, and she needed me.

Finally, I reached the door I had been searching for and knocked on it as hard as I could, making sure that they heard me. The door opened and revealed Shanks. His eyes were red and blood shot. He had been crying. I had never seen Shanks cry before.

"Is she alright? Can I see her?" I asked.

"Luffy, now isn't-" Shanks started.

"Now is better than any other time, Shanks! She's hurt and scared! If I'm not here for her now, how can she trust me to be there for her in the future?" I asked. Shanks stared at me with wide eyes.

"I wasn't kidding when I said that I loved her, Shanks. Let me prove it to her." I said. Shanks grabbed my arm and pulled me inside, sitting me on the couch. I was about to protest but Shanks stopped me.

"Before you go up there and talk to her, you need to understand the weight those scars carry for her." Shanks said.

"He put them there, didn't he? Ai-chan's mom's husband?" I asked. Shanks sighed deeply.

"Yes, Hope's husband, Blaze Hono, put those scars on her back. Considering that Whitebeard adopted you, there's no doubt in my mind that you know all about the Mafia and the dealings I used to have in it, as well as Hono's involvement." He said. I nodded.

"You worked under the Mafia King, Gol D Roger as an apprentice. You quit not long after he died so you could be with your family, but that's when Ai-chan's mom divorced you. But as for Hono... I don't know a lot about him. The only thing the Old Man ever showed me a bout him was his mark... The mark on Ai-chan's back. I don't know anything else." I said. Shanks sighed.

"Blaze Hono is known throughout the Mafia Underworld for his work with drug dealing, assassinations and..." Shanks stopped, gagging and choking at the very thought of what he was about to tell me.

"Human trafficking."

My blood ran cold. My heart and whole world stopped. Everything stopped. I felt a sick feeling in my stomach. I wanted to puke. I wanted to track down Hono and tear him apart.

"Back when I was still doing my Mafia work, the way we knew a girl was under Hono's control was by the mark. He would engrave it anywhere he liked. Their arms, legs, chest, backs, sometimes even their faces or necks. When I heard Hope was marrying him, I fought even harder to have Aisuru in My custody. But... If I provided evidence as Hono in the Mafia, I'd be putting myself out in the open. Hono is an expert at covering his tracks and bribing the courts. If I took that chance, it was a 98 out of 100 chance that I'd end up jailed and Aisuru would probably be lying in a gutter somewhere."

My body began to tremble and my stomach clenched.

"The girls are often sold off as sex objects."

My entire body convulsed.

"Here." I barely heard Makino's voice, but I was able to grab the bucket she held out to me and I vomited everything that was in my stomach. The bile and half-digested food burned in my throat as I continued to hurl. I coughed violently as it finished out. Makino rubbed my back. I felt tears slipping down my face.

"Please... Please tell me he didn't do that to her... Please..." I coughed out.

"We don't know. She won't talk about it. She's too scared." Shanks said. I wiped my eyes and Makino handed me a cup of water to get the taste of vomit out of my mouth.

"Where is she?" I asked.

"She's on the roof. Just go in to her bedroom and climb out the window. She'll be out there." Shanks said. I stood up and turned to find Aisuru.

"Shanks? What are you doing?" Makino asked.

"Making a phone call." He said. I climbed the stairs to her bedroom and knocked before I entered.

Hope's POV

I scowled as I saw the number on my Cell phone.

Shanks

"Ugh, why the hell is he calling me?" I asked. I answered.

"What do you-"

"Turn on the TV to Channel 280 Grandline News." He said. He sounded mad.

"What?" I asked.

"Do it, Hope. You need to see this." He said. I huffed.

"Alright, I'm turning it on." I said and turned the TV to the Grandline News Channel. I froze at what I saw.

It was the Central Park Fountain where Shanks had proposed to me. I saw three pictures on screen with the reporter. In one picture, it was a crowd staring in horror at young couple in the fountain. The second picture was of only the girl, shirtless, her back exposed with a familiar set of scars. In the final picture was the young couple again, only this time the boy had the girl covered with his jacket and he was holding her to his chest protectively, looking like he was angrily yelling at the crowd. The Girl's face was blurred out.

I recognized the girl as my daughter. My baby. My little Aisuru.

I covered my mouth as I stared at the television.

"...The girl, who's identity has not been released to the public, had these markings on her back. The Markings indicate that of an unknown human trafficking ring in the Mafia underground. The boy, identified as Monkey D Luffy, youngest brother of actress Portgas D Aoi, jumped in to the fountain and covered the girl in attempts to save her, covering her exposed body with his jacket and yelling at her attacker, who still stood on looking.

"In an interview with Mr. Monkey, He stated "I just can't stand someone who can't defend themselves getting hurt by someone else. I don't understand why anyone would hurt her." Only a few moments ago, we asked older sister of Mr. Monkey, Portgas D Aoi, on the situation."

The scene cut to the young actress standing outside of the agency she worked for.

""What Luffy did was save an innocent girl from being further humiliated than she already was." "Mrs Portgas, who do you think the girl-" "For god's sake, woman, can't you see that the poor girl has been though enough?! The last thing she needs is you sticking a camera in her face! Leave her alone!" We have been informed that the Revolutionary Police are now involved with the matter and they are hunting for the Mafia that branded the girl.

"We received word from an anonymous source that the girl will be receiving proper medical attention and will receive the mental help required. Back to you, James and Serah."

The cameras cut back to the news anchors. Serah was crying. James scowled at the camera.

"How horrible. I hope that whoever it was that did that to her is caught and soon." James said. I felt my knees weaken.

"Oh my god..." I breathed.

"Do you see it now, Hope? You claimed that you were keeping her away from me for her own safety. Tell me, Hope. How was my daughter safe when this is what was waiting for her? How was she safe?" He asked.

"Shanks, I-"

"No, Hope. Whatever excuse you have, it doesn't matter. It doesn't change what happened. It doesn't change the fact that every time her eyes close, she's right back under his knife." He said.

"What do I-"

"Don't, Hope. Just don't. You told me you couldn't stand it, seeing "your baby girl" in pain. So tell me, Hope. When did that change?" I had never heard Shanks speak with such disgust in his voice, but....

Could I blame him?

The day she had been born, Aisuru had become his whole world. He adored her. When she had spoken her first word he had been so excited. When she had leaned to crawl, he was constantly keeping everything even remotely dangerous out of her reach. He was always a calm and patient father with her, just as he had always been a calm and patient husband with me until I ended everything.

Until I took her away from him.

"It didn't..." I said softly as I felt tears running down my cheeks.

"Bullshit, Hope. Something had to have changed. Because the Shinko Hope I always knew would never let someone she loved get hurt, even if it meant she got hurt in the process. Hope, I know you hate me, but to let Aisuru suffer for it?" He asked. I covered my mouth and repressed a sob.

"Why... Why did you show me this?" I asked.

"You already know that answer, Hope." He said. He was right, I did know that answer. He showed me this news report because I was the reason it happened.

The line went dead and I dropped the phone. I fell to my knees and I began to sob.

It was my fault. I had been selfish. I had been so selfish in my desire for money, that I pushed away the man that truly loved me and hurt our child. Because of my selfishness, I put my child in direct danger because I decided to marry a dangerous man because of his dirty money. Because of me, my child was terrified of her own shadow.

"Bitch, what are you crying for? Shut up or we're going another round!" Hono yelled. I covered my mouth violently and ran to the bathroom.

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..." I cried.

??? POV

I clenched my fist as I watched the newscast. I felt rage build up inside me.

"So that's how you're playing it now, brat? Roger's lesson didn't sink in, did it?!" I growled and pounded my fist on my chair.

"Pops? What are we going to do?" My son asked me. I glared at the screen, the mark on the young girl's back blaring angrily at me, almost as if it was a taunt.

"Call Yatsumi. And Dawn. I'm done letting that brat Hono run around thinking he can do whatever the hell he wants. Especially when his dirty work has affected one of my boys." I said.

"I'll place the calls now." My son said and left the room. I stared at the newscast again, rage boiling inside me.

"I hope you enjoyed your fun, Hono, because your days are numbered!"