It's been 6 years since I saw her last. She haunts my dreams, it's always the same with her walking away. Just like she did 6 years ago. I became King of the Pirates, we shared a night of passion and then she was gone. I was going to ask her to become my queen the morning after but when I woke she was gone.
I was 21 when I became King. I had grown up and matured in the 4 years it took to get where I am. I may not be the smartest man in the world, but I know I love her, I know that I want her back in my life. I don't know where she is, she didn't even leave a note. I can barely remember what she looks like anymore. I often wonder if she thinks of me, or if she misses me. I wonder if she forgot all about us, our nakama, whether or not she married and had kids. I wonder and hope that she's trying to find her way back to us.
I sigh and shake my head. Thinking about he always makes me depressed. We've been sailing the seas for 6 years since she disappeared looking for her. Chopper and I are the only ones who haven't given up hope. Even Sanji has moved on with his life. They all miss her, I know they do. They just won't admit it. Nothing has been the same since she left. We all fight more than we ever have. Even now I can hear Zoro and Sanji fighting in the kitchen. They've gotten worse. Without Nami here with us, everyone fights. Her tangerine grove was always a sign of our friendship and our love for one another, and we have all tried desperately to keep that grove alive…but we just couldn't do it. We need her with us. It just isn't the same without all of us. Franky hasn't been fixing the ship at his normal speed, Brook's music has just been depressing. Her leaving affected all of us and I just want her back in my arms. I will kill anyone who gets in the way of mine and Nami's future. She's mine and she always will be.
"Captain, we will be at Cocoyashi Village Port in a few hours," Robin said interrupting my thoughts of Nami. We had been here several times before, all ending in disappointment. Everyone telling me they hadn't seen or heard from her. We had given up those times but this time would be different. I refuse to leave until I get an answer from someone.
True to Robin's word, we pulled into port within a few hours. We weren't greeted, but we weren't expecting to be as no one knew we were coming. We got off the boat to go find the one person we knew would have the answers we were looking for, Nojiko.
Eventually we made it to the house she and Nami grew up in. What we saw when we got there was something none of us expected. Nojiko was outside playing in the tangerine with a young girl, couldn't have been more than 5 or 6. The little girl was wearing white shorts, with an orange tank top with thick straps and had bare feet. Both were smiling as Nojiko lifted the young girl up to pick a tangerine off the tree. Her shoulder length red hair was sticking out in all directions and she looked like a child who loved to play in dirt and mud. I watched the scene smiling before making my presence known.
"Nojiko! Great to see you again! How have you been?" I watched as her eyes widened before putting the child down and telling her to go inside.
"Luffy, what are you doing here?" She asked surprised to see us.
"Look, I know last time you said you hadn't heard from Nami but I'm not leaving till I get an answer. You don't understand what we have all been through the last 6 years. We've been looking for her all this time and we need her back. I need her back more than anything. My life is nothing without her and I need to know where she is," I told Nojiko. I meant every word and I think she knew I did because she closed her eyes and sighed, before motioning to follow her.
"I really hated to lie to you, but Nami and I have been in contact this whole time. She's been afraid to face all of you again. The reason she left is because when you defeated Arlong, she made a promise to me to come home when you became King of the Pirates. I didn't want her to tell you because I knew you would try to stop her. She promised me she'd come home with millions of berries for all of us in the village. We were in contact when she left you but she didn't return till 2 years ago. She went back to her thievery to bring home the money for us. Although there's something I think you should know, Luffy. I think you should go first because she didn't come alone," Nojiko said. She pointed to the door and I walked in on my own.
"Nami?" I called. I could feel all the energy building up at the thought of finally being able to see her again. The sight that greeted me when I walked in was one that would have knocked me off my socks, if I was wearing any that is. There was Nami sitting on the floor, with the same red headed girl that Nojiko was playing with outside. The little girl gave a big grin that looked familiar as she looked at me and then back at Nami.
"Mommy it's Him! He's the King of the Pirates, isn't he?" The little girl asked. My eyes widened at the word 'mommy.' I watched as Nami smiled down at the little girl. She had gotten more beautiful if possible. I was trying my hardest to memorize every feature of her face and body. I would follow her to the end of the earth and back to bring her back if I had to. I watched as Nami looked up at me. All time stopped at that moment as I looked into her eyes. They showed all the emotion she was feeling, all the love I now knew she had for me.
"That's him alright, sweetie. He came just to see you," she told the little girl whose smile widened. I couldn't help but smile at the young girls innocence. I crouched down on one knee as she walked up to me.
"Hi, Mr. King! I'm Belle! My mommy has been telling me stories of your adventures for as long as I can remember! You're my hero! And I want to be Queen of the Pirates some day! You'll see! I'm gona go on all these adventures and beat the Grand Line just like you did! Mommy said she used to be a navi- the person who told the ship which way to go! So she's been teaching me all she knows! You'll see! I'll be the next best pirate out there!" She looked at me, her eyes sparkling as she spoke. She reminded me of a younger me, when I would takl about becoming King of the Pirates. I smiled and patted her head.
"Keep at it Small Fry, and I'm sure someday you'll achieve your dreams," I told her smiling. The look on her face was precious. Her eyes lit up even more as she began cheering. Nami laughed.
"Ok, Belle, hunnie, go outside and play with auntie Jiko, Mr. King and I need to have a private conversation ok?" Nami said as she approached us. I stood up and looked at her as Belle walked outside.
"Cute kid." I said as I looked Nami in the eyes. I gave her a hard look waiting for an explanation. She sighed.
"You might want to sit down, this is going to take a while," she said as she gestured to the table in the middle of the room. "before you say anything, I want you to know that our night together meant everything to me. If it weren't for that night, I wouldn't have our baby girl. She's your daughter, Luffy. I'm sorry I didn't come in contact with you sooner, but I was afraid of what you would think of me. I was afraid that you would reject Belle and I." That made me angry.
"Reject you?! Reject the life WE created?! Do you know me at all?! We have done nothing the past 6 years but search for you! Of all the times I rescued you, you should have known better than to think I would have rejected either of you!" I yelled at her standing up from my chair. I saw the tears in her eyes and instantly felt guilty.
"I know I should have known better. But I just couldn't face you after I left again. I felt so bad leaving after our first night together. I just couldn't find it inside myself to face you. I told her about you, she doesn't know you're her dad but she knows all about your adventures," she told me as I calmed down. I picked her up from her chair and pulled her close to me.
"I'm never letting you OR our daughter go again. If you have a problem you come to me. Got it?" I could feel her nod into my chest through the tears and I smiled. I finally had my other half back. I pulled her up and kissed her. I could taste the saltiness of her tears. We pulled a part to look into each others eyes and we knew it would only get better from here.