Fallon's Story: A Forgotten One Piece Tale

January 22, 1505

I creep alongside my parents' bed as I feel around in the darkness. I had a nightmare again and I needed my mom for comfort. Normally when I entered their room, both of my parents were fast asleep and my dad even snored. However, this time, I enter and I see my mom shaking. 

I rush over to her side of the bed as her back is to me. She is covered up in the blankets as it is very cold where we are. Once I approached her, I heard she was saying something alongside her shakings:

"Fallon," she whispered. "I'm so sorry," and then proceeded to shake again, only this time more violently. It was then did I realize something.

She wasn't shaking, she was crying.

Why was she sorry? I don't remember a time when my mom had ever apologized to me. But for what reason? She didn't do anything wrong that would require an apology. I reached my hand out to her to touch her back which was covered up by the blue quilt she and my dad used as a blanket. Her warmth touched my finger tips and I ached to comfort her.

"Mommy?" I whispered.

Suddenly, she turned around and stared at me. Even through the dark, I could still make out the reflection of fresh tears on her face as she reached out with her hands to touch me.

Only she didn't touch me, but went straight through me.

"Fallon?" she called out softly.

"Mommy, I'm here," I answered as her blue eyes widened and she pulled off the blanket that covered her. She stood up as her pink nightgown came down to her knees and she walked straight through me. Couldn't she see me? She heard me, so what was the problem?

Normally when my mom was in bed, she stayed there unless one of us is sick and threw up. However, she got out on her own and was now looking out of  one of the two windows that were in her room. She touched the cold pane as she inspected outside, the nearly full moon reflected her features and I realized her tears had started up again.

"Don't cry Mommy!" I tried to comfort her but her tears kept on rolling as her hand lifted up to her face. 

"Fallon, I'm sorry," she sobbed again as I touched her warm body but was met with uncontrollable sobs as she shook each time...

My eyes suddenly snapped open as I jolted in my sleep. I could feel Law's right arm underneath me as my back felt a little sore where it had been for most of the night. I still felt a warm touch to my hand and that's when I realized that it was now located on Law's chest.

What was that dream about last night? My dreams had been filled with other things that had been happening lately. One of them was about a recent mission we just got back from, another had to do with my dance class, but strangely enough, Law was in most of them. And if he wasn't, I still thought about him in my dreams.

Careful not to disturb Law, I carefully set my feet down onto the floor, and lifted myself up, letting the sheets and blankets which were on top of me now fall on top of Law. I fixed the bed as Law twisted and turned upon realizing a lack of warmth on my part, until I placed a hand on his shoulder and he suddenly became still. It made me feel glad that Law subconsciously noticed when I was gone but it also made me sad, knowing that I was leaving him, even if for a short while. However, Law typically didn't like it when I woke him up, so for now, I let him be. 

I quietly left out bedroom, careful not to disturb the other kids, and made my way to the playroom. Usually in mornings like these, I would play for a little while until it was time for breakfast. However, I was told that Papa would be taking me out to brunch this morning as he was coming back from a long trip.

I looked up at the bookshelf and pulled out one of the books in the new series Papa got me for Saint Nick's day. Law didn't particularly like this series and so I only read the book when I had a minute of alone time. Even out of all the nine books, I was only on the second one. At this point in the series, Laura was only five and six years old and was experiencing adventures with her sisters. My favorite part was that not only did Laura and her sisters go on real adventures, at the end of the day, they always came home to their log cabin of a house in the woods near a lake with their mom and dad. 

I thought a lot about my family and what memories I shared with them. Even though I loved my life here as a pirate and all of the friends and experiences that I made, not to mention meeting Law as well and having him be my boyfriend, but I always think, what's going to happen in the future when I become an adult? So far, I'm still unsure, but one thing I'm sure about is that I want a life like Laura is living. She can still go on all of her adventures but come home to her family at the end of the day.

A lonely tear escaped my eye as a thought soon rushed to me. One year ago, I joined the Donquixote pirates. This would be a cause to celebrate but what aches me is that I haven't seen my mom in over a year. Was this the reason why she was crying in my dream? I haven't cried for my mom in a while. I usually feel so much love for Papa that I feel ok from being away from her and everyone else. But I still had this feeling and I had no idea why.

A peek of early morning sunlight escaped through the window and a smile appeared on my face. I thought about all of the cool missions Papa would be taking us on and how much I would have missed out if I wasn't here. Would I be as strong as I am now? Probably not. 

I sensed someone walking towards the playroom and shifted my gaze to the door as a sleepy Law appeared. As soon as we saw each other, our faces lit up. Maybe I don't know everything and how they will turn out, but there are some things that I can control.