Love Exists

Chapter 2

A/N: My apologies about the wait. I wanted to catch up on the series and I was also fighting with the, 'should I continue posting, is it worth it' and all that such. I have come to the conclusion that regardless whether it is being liked or reviewed I am posting it. I am putting something out there in a way I haven't usually. Sure, knowing whether it is liked or how people feel is nice, but I am not the kind of person to beg for that. Anyways, if you are reading this, you don't want to listen to me drivaling on and on.

Chapter 2

Kuraigana Island

Zoro woke with confusion, whiskey colored eyes squinting against the pain as he tried to check his surroundings. His entire body was screaming at him but at least he was alive. Things starting coming back to him. The fight at Sabaody with the Celestial Dragons, the fight with the Marines, the reunion with Kuma. He frowned, Nami’s last words came to him.

“Please don't leave me. I can't lose another. Please, I promise, I will tell you everything. I’ll stop lying, to you and myself. Just stay, please just..stay.”

Perhaps he had dreamed it? Why the hell would Nami say that? It just wasn't something she would say. He shook his head as though he could clear his head that way. He had always been attracted to her, he was a man after all. He wasn't blind and he would certainly have to be to miss her beauty. He groaned when the realization hit him. He liked her, he freaking liked her. Oh yeah, he was a goner. A glutton for punishment, masochist perhaps. Had to be. There was no other reason for it.

She was always finding some way to make him be indebted to her, and then taking on ridiculous interest. Yet, all that, he yearned for her touch even if it was her hitting him. He would take it. He would take her yelling at him, just to hear her voice once more. Now he just had to figure out where the hell he was. The woman that greeted him was familiar, he almost couldn't remember her and then he remembered Thriller Bark and her uncanny power with her ghosts.

He needed to leave though, he had no time for this, they had to meet in three days. He tried to leave, and beat down the monkeys that had attacked him, but it seemed they weren't done just yet. Once he saw the paper, and figured out the message he understood. They needed to get stronger, it was the only way they would survive. He needed to get strong so that he could protect the crew, protect Nami.

It was the reason he had found himself on his knees, Zoro Roronoa who knelt to no one except maybe his Captain and the woman who held his heart, before Dracule “Hawk Eyes” Mihawk begging him to train him. Once his training started he knew it would be a matter of time before he was ready. He worked hard ensuring he was getting stronger and when he finally beat the monkeys it felt good, really good. He had new scars, including a very evident one over his left eye. He was changed, felt older somehow, not just that he was now 21, but more. It wasn't something he could really put words to.

Perona helped him get to the meeting spot. While he would never admit it out loud, he was thankful for her help. His sense of direction sucked, granted he tried to deny it out of a sense of pride, bit everyone knew it. He was the first one to arrive at the bar. He knew it wouldn't take the others too long to follow. He waited for them there. Waited to look upon orange hair and brown eyes once again. He still couldn't believe his revelation he had learned in the to years. He’d tried so hard to ignore it or shove it down until he finally accepted it as truth.

Weatheria

Nami came to after her landing and looked around frantically. She needed to get off this island. She had to get to their meeting spot, she wouldn't be left alone. Her heart clenched suddenly and tears escaped her brown eyes as the sudden memory of him laying on the ground still, and almost lifeless returned to her like the sea train slamming into her. She gasped bringing her hand to her chest and squeezing her eyes shut against the tears that wouldn't stop. No. She refused to believe he was dead.

He promised!!! He said that he wouldn't die, that he wouldn't loose. He promised!!! She let the anger overcome her, at least that she knew how to deal with, she understood well. She had always welcomed anger to chase back the sadness and the pain of heartache. She hadn't even been able to tell him how she felt. He didn't even know and now, probably never would. Shaking off those thoughts and feelings she began furiously trying to figure out how to leave.

A sky island!!! Of all places she would be sent, she had to get sent to a sky island. How would she get back? How would she get to the meeting place? It didn't help she was currently imprisoned at the moment, trying to implore the old wizard looking men that she had to be released. In a show of letting down her guard she cried, the tears while they had some base in truth, we not as real as they probably should have been. She would cry later.

The newspaper’s arrival with it’s message made her smile. That was just like Luffy. He thoughts soon turned to green hair and whiskey colored eyes. Had he lived? Had he been able to heal and start his journey to become stronger? She hoped so, and it was those thoughts that made her work hard. The strongest swordsman needed a strong woman, and she would be damned if she failed at becoming just that.

Sabaody Archipelago
Straw Hats Return

With the help of the men from the island she made her way back to Sabaody. She was sitting at the bar waiting when Usopp came in, she almost didn't recognize him when she saw him. Afterwards they had a run in with imposters saying that they were, well, them. It made Nami angry, especially the fact they treated those living on the island horribly. It didn't take much to defeat them before making it back to the ship. They were missing some of the crew, and the only reason she didn't panic was that she had been told by Shakky that Zoro had been the first to arrive.

It was Chopper's voice that had her looking. Of course there was no relief yet. He got on the wrong ship? How could he get onto the wrong ship? Bad sense of direction notwithstanding he knew what the Sunny looked like. Her eyes widened as she watched a ship cut in half. How was that even possible? Who was strong enough, that thought was abruptly cut off when she watched Zoro's approach and hear the sharp metal clink of his sword being sheathed.

Brown eyes were wide as she watched him, every muscle twitching with the desire to run into him, to be wrapped up in those strong arms. Tears threatened to fall when she finally saw his face, and the scar over his left eye which had yet to open. But as with all his scars, sadness warred with the desire to lay a kiss there.