Getting Around the World in One Piece

vii

I didn't have any new dreams throughout the rest of the night. I just held Luffy tighter now that I was awake. I had been selfish to ask him to make that promise. I knew he would refuse. If he had known I was taken in the first place he would have done the same thing as my crew. That's just who he was, it's who they were.

"You missed breakfast." He said to me. I didn't say anything back right away. I was so lost in thought it took me a moment to realize he had spoken.

"Did you eat?" I asked him holding myself up to look at him. I swallowed thickly trying my best not to stare at his bare chest. He's too close.

"Sanji brought us breakfast, but yours is cold. Lunch is here also."

Had I really slept the day away? And Luffy stayed with me? "You didn't eat mine?" I smiled with a laugh. "That's a surprise."

"I didn't eat all of it. Just the bacon, but I didn't eat any of your lunch!" He scratched his cheek looking away from me.

"Luffy I want to apologize for last night. I just had a really vivid nightmare, and...I'm afraid." I sat up putting my hands in my lap. "I don't want you to have to meet him, and see what he is capable of. I wasn't strong enough, you're not strong enough, and neither is your crew."

"Shut up." He said with a glare. "We will get stronger, and you will to. Then you won't have to be afraid because you can beat him."

"I-" I love you too much to see you get hurt. The words died on my lips, and I just settled on smiling at him. "Of course." I said putting my hand to his cheek, and running my thumb across the scar under his eye. "I'll always be stronger than you though. There's no way you could compete." I pinched his cheek laughing as he swatted my hands away.

"Fight me for real, and you'll see just how strong I am."

"Maybe, but Chopper would be upset."

"Well not right now stupid."

I pouted getting up from the bed. "I'm gonna go get changed, and take a bath."

"You're not gonna eat?" He said with a frown on his face.

I looked down at the plate, but didn't feel too hungry. "If you set it in the kitchen I'll eat it when I'm all done."

"Chopper told me to take you to him when you woke up. Could you go see him first?"

"Of course." I said smiling at Luffy before waltzing out of the room. I was going to go right to the infirmary knowing if breakfast, I mean lunch, was over then Chopper would be there, but I had a surprise for him. I quickly grabbed the bag with all of Lulu's notes, and her books.

Going out to the deck the sea air hit me, and a nostalgia hit me hard. The sun was reaching the horizon and would be setting soon. I really had slept the day away. Zoro's eyes met mine and an unreadable expression was on his face. I sent him a small smile out of nervousness and slight discomfort and received a grunt in response. I shrugged it off ignoring the glances of the other crew members as I walked towards the infirmary.

I pulled the bag higher on my shoulder walking in the infirmary, the door was already open, and Chopper was engrossed in something on a petri dish. I dropped the bag on his desk causing him to jump and fall off his seat. Before he could hit the ground though I caught him. "Good afternoon Chopper. Luffy told me you wanted to see me."

"Yes. I'm going to take the cast off today. I think it's been enough time for it to heal."

"I thought you wanted to give it another day or two?" I asked furrowing my eyebrows. After his talk I was sure he would request I keep it on even longer.