After every storm, calm always comes
-...... Do you need something?- Crocodile asks with a cigar between his fingers.
Mihawk stood by Crocodile's side on guard just in case.
-My son... I... I owe you an apology...- Whitebeard looked Crocodile in his eyes with a look full of regret.- I know this apology is almost three decades overdue, but... Even so... I'm sorry. I'm sorry for hurting you. I wasn't a good father and I should have tried harder to try to understand your situation... I'm really sorry...-
Crocodile opened and closed his mouth several times, like a fish out of water.
A part of him didn't want to forgive him. He will never be able to forget that pain he felt when his father hurt him and that sadness he felt when he didn't understand that she was a him.
But a small part of his mind wanted to forgive him... Forgive the man who protected him since he was born. Who loved him more than anyone in the world and who gave him those childhood memories of him that he treasured so much after seeing how cruel and bloody the world was.
He was the man who left those scars and who embittered his entire adolescence, but he also remembered him as a loving and clumsy father who always tried to give him the best life a pirate can offer.
He doesn't know what to do and he never thought that he would have to return to this ship.
While Crocodile's mind was going a thousand miles an hour, Whitebeard simply wrapped him in his arms.
Crocodile snapped out of his thoughts and was surprised by this move on the man's part.
He felt so warm... He remembered those nights where he had nightmares and slept together with his father.
Those moments when he felt sad and his father comforted him with a hug.
Those days when he wished he could meet his mother who died the day he was born.
He felt... At home.
Crocodile slowly closed his eyes and let his tears fall down his cheeks. He returned Whitebeard's hug as he wept silently.
-Welcome back... My son...-
-I'm back... Oyaji...-
Everyone slowly backed away from the two of them to give them space.
The damage was still there, but it is slowly healing. They were sure that one day they will forget this and move on because that's what everyone does.
Hate and resentment can be long-lasting, but it is never eternal. After so many years, Crocodile decided to try to give his father another chance.
It is not only the blood bond that unites them, but also the love they have between them. Those bad moments will never erase what they always were, are and will be...
Nothing in the world will change the fact that they are father and son... And they don't want things to be any other way.
++++++++
Once Buggy made sure all the brats were safe, he took off with his crew. The Marines tried to capture him, but he is Buggy, the man who is able to escape even from Big Mom when she wanted to kill him.
Ahhhh... Old memories from the past... Too young in those times.
He accidentally sank Big Mom's boat full of candy and everyone know how she gets when someone touches her candy...
Thanks to him getting out of that encounter unscathed, the price of his wanted poster went up quite a bit. He had to hide for a long time until everyone's attention turned to other pirates. The only thing that interested him was money, not raising the price of his head.
As always, he managed to escape from there without much trouble, but what he didn't expect was that he had to meet Red Haired Fucking Shanks!!!
-Dahahahahaha! Long time no see Buggy!!- Shanks raised his only arm in greeting, ignoring the bad face that Buggy showed him.- I see that your pretty butt is still as round as ever!!!-
-Shut up you stupid Red Haired Bastard and stop looking at my ass, you pervert!!!!- Buggy yelled with his face completely red.
It is not known if it is because of shame or anger or a little of both.
Benn Beckman sighed wearily and decided to ignore his captain's lamentable attempt to flirt with the blue-haired man.
He has known him for years and he knows very well that every time the idiot tries to flirt with the other man he always ends up making the other man more angry.
God... Why is his captain such a moron?
++++++++
After Luffy and the others stayed on Amazon Lily, a safe place that Boa Hancock offered them as a place to stay and lay low, Crocodile left with Mihawk for the shorter man's island.
Several days have passed and he hasn't received news that Mihawk has been stripped of the Shichibukai title despite what has happened at Marineford.
Crocodile suspects that it is due to the fiasco that occurred during the execution.
The Marines suffered heavy losses. Much more than the pirates who were present in the war.
Even though Mihawk sided with Whitebeard, the World Government couldn't afford to lose someone as strong as him. At least not now.
The title may be taken from him once the situation settles down a bit, but definitely not when everything is in chaos.
Crocodile left Whitebeard his private Den Den Mushi code before leaving.
Daz Bones took the members of the Baroque Works back to Arabasta, where Cobra can help them hide in the meanwhile.
Luffy was able to contact his nakama now that Ace was safe. Nami and Vivi watched the entire broadcast in Arabasta and showed their concern once they received Luffy's call.
Robin took advantage of the fact that she was near the island where the survivors of Ohara and Flevance lived and decided to visit them along with Lami.
Brook, Franky and Chopper were on some random island near North Blue and they met some of the Eustass Pirates so they were traveling with them until they found the others.
Zoro and Sanji had landed on Mihawk Island, where they met Perona.
The good thing is that everyone was fine.