Graceful Silence

Lying on a bed Dexter just opened his eyes. Everything in front of his eyes was a blur. Trying to think of what had happened then the memories came rushing to him.

He was a sailor on a merchant ship and was paid for heavy lifting. He lost his family to the pirate attack and pirates were caught and sent to the Impel Down.

The last thing the sailor remembered was ship getting caught in a storm and he fell down the side of the ship and he died in the sea, then Dexter took over his body and was somehow able to swim to the shore, Dexter had no idea how long it took and where he was except for, he was in south blue.

Dexter sat on bed somehow, he wasn't able to use his powers as soon as he arrived, as it takes some time for his soul to adjust to the new world, that's why he couldn't just fly away. Now that he feels his body, it felt that he has pretty much recovered from the injury he got in the storm.

Sitting on the bed Dexter called, "Hello, anyone there?"

Suddenly some rushed footsteps could be heard from the outside, then a slim woman came inside, she had a head full of blond hairs with freckles on her face. She has a kind smile as if she was seeing someone she knew and not just a random stranger.

Dexter stood up and bowed," Thank you for saving me, madam."

She gave a good-natured smile," please have a little more rest, you were unconscious for two days."

Dexter replied with a smile," thank you for the care and I am pretty much healed up. Can you please tell me where exactly I am. As I don't remember where I swam towards after I fell down the ship."

"It's a little town called Baterilla." The lady replied.

Dexter looked around the room a little and it was a little rundown. He felt guilty for imposing on her. Then he looked at her a little more clearly and saw that she was pregnant with a hibiscus flower on her head.

Then his memory started to come clear in his head, Roger, Rouge, Ace, hibiscus flower, delayed pregnancy.

He had asked for a timeline before Luffy went out to the sea and after Roger's death and the system completely put him just a year after Roger's death. It was a long time from the main start of the story.

Dexter again gave a bow and said," Thank you for the help me again madam, but can you tell me your name please, my name is Dexter World and I was a porter on a merchant ship, that was before the storm and I fell down the ship. I had visited this town a few months ago."

"Hello, Mr. Dexter. My name is Rouge and I live in this town." Rouge replied with a smile, then continued, "But, are you gonna be alright? it is quite a hassle in the town as a lot of navies are patrolling around."

"Yeah, I will be alright!" Dexter replied with a confident smile then suddenly there was a knock on the door.

*Knock* Knock* Knock*, "It's the navy, we need to do a checkup!" someone said from the other side.

Hearing this Rouge became tense while sweat formed on her forehead, with a fragile and shaking hand she tried to open the door, but Dexter held her back and went forward to open the door. As soon as the door opened, two navy officers came inside. They looked at Dexter then looked around the room and finally looked at rouge who was showing a little bump on the stomach and one of the two asked," Madam, can we know, the name of baby's father."

Hearing this Rouge replied naturally, "Yes, his name is Dexter World, he was a porter on a merchant ship and he is standing right in front of you."

Hearing her Dexter became bumped he just came to this world and became the father of Ace, but nothing was shown on his face," That's right officer is there a problem?" Dexter asked.

"No, it's not a problem, just a regular checkup. We got the news that someone was rescued and came to check just in case, the rescued one wasn't a pirate." The other officer replied.

"Now that you have checked, can you guys go back; we were having a reunion!" Dexter said in an offhanded manner.

"Sorry, we need to do an official check just in care can you fill out the details." The other officer said and handed him a paper and Dexter filled out his details.

"Sorry, for bothering you guys and have a great day." The first officer said and they went back, closing the door.

There was an awkward silence in the room.

Rouge said with a friendly smile," Thank you for helping me."

"It was no problem. I get that you didn't want to name the father, so I just covered it. Guess I will have to wait until the baby is born, and as thanks I should at least help you until then" Dexter said sheepishly.

"You don't need to; I can pretty much take care of him myself. You don't need to delay your work on my behalf." Rouge replied seriously.

"Well, I could but won't the navy suspect if I just left you in your condition."

Hearing this Rouge became a little hesitant and finally bowed down," Thank you for your help, Mr. Dexter."

"You don't need to call me Mr. Dexter or it will be a little awkward if someone found out. Just call me Dexter."

"Ok, then Dexter call me Rouge."

"Although, I can't be your boyfriend, being a normal friend does sound right." Dexter said with a laugh.

"Yes, it does!" and Rouge too started to laugh.

Dexter looked at the house and said," Now that I too will be living in the house it is best if we change the house it looks a little small and rundown."

"I am really sorry for this Dexter, but I really don't want to leave the house." Rouge said with a lot of determination.

Seeing this Dexter replied with a little sheepishness," I am sorry for saying unnecessary thing Rouge but we do need to repair it a little and add a room to it for me."

"Thank you for your help again, I didn't want to let anyone know that I was pregnant, so I didn't call for a repairman to do the repairs on the house." Rouge replied.

"I am sorry since you rescued me, you were found out. I am really giving you a lot of inconveniences." Dexter said while scratching his hair.

"All right I will be going out for a while, I will need to make money to take care of all the projects and I am broke at the moment." Dexter said.

"You don't need to; I have a little savings we can use that to repair the house…." Rouge said, but suddenly there was a growl from Dexter's stomach.

Hearing this there was an awkward silence in the house and suddenly they both started to laugh," I am sorry, I am feeling hunger." Dexter said with an awkward smile.

"Its all right, I should be the one saying sorry. As I knew that you didn't have anything to eat and I still didn't ask you for lunch." Rouge said and went towards the kitchen.

It was a small house with two rooms, joined lengthwise and a kitchen adjoining the bedroom on the side. There were two separate beds in the bedroom and a wooden sofa in the front room.

"Thank you for the meal." Dexter said and went and sat on the sofa to read the newspaper until the food is prepared.

Today was the death anniversary of Roger and it depicts all the changes it brought out to the world with the chart of the increase in the number of pirates.

While he was reading and contemplating what to do in the future, Rouge came out with a steaming bowl of Rice with some curry on the side bowl.

Seeing him reading the paper she asked while putting the food on the table," So what do you think of Roger?"

Seeing the food Dexter put aside the paper and started to serve two plates for both of them while thinking how to reply. He handed her, her plate and said while taking his plate," I don't really know if he was a good guy or bad guy. But what he did was pretty bad. Because of him a lot of families were killed due to new pirates increasing. But there might be a reason for him to do so, Maybe he was trying to thin out the navy so that his family could escape or something."

After saying that he started to eat his food and Rouge looked at him for a while, then she too started to eat food gracefully and silently.