Chapter 1

Goodbyes and Hellos

19 years ago

Cielle heard the footsteps coming up around the corner. She knew she was running out of time. Grabbing the rope, she let it run through her fingers, ignoring the burning sensation and the screams and shots ringing around the ship.

"I won't let them get you," she whispered as a splash let her know the lifeboat was in the water.

The white haired woman leapt onto the rail, using the rigging for support as she readied herself to jump down. Her eyes fixed on the small bundle placed securely between the two benches in the lifeboat. The small baby girl looked up with bright green eyes and a smile broke into her little face.

"You'll do great things," the mother smiled down at her daughter, "My little bird… you won't know your father, but he loved you more than anything. Just as I do."

She tensed her legs and leapt into the air. But a cry escaped her lips as something closed around her arm and dragged her back.

"No!" she screamed as she was pulled over the rail, away from her baby girl, "No! Hawke!"

"What have we here?" a crazed laugh came from behind her and Cielle quickly turned, her hand reaching for the gun that was always strapped to her thigh.

The pirate before her lifted his already bloody sword.

"Aren't you a pretty thing?" he cackled and brought his weapon down, beating the woman in speed.

Cielle felt the blade pierce her skin at her throat and knew this was the end.

She turned her body, trying to get one last glimpse of the boat that was floating away from the ship.

My little bird…

"I love you," her body sank to the deck and lay still.

Over the sounds of the battle, now dying down, a baby's crying could be heard, slowly fading into the distance.

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3 years ago

Makino sighed as she closed the door to the bar and saw a kitchen knife embedded in the wood behind it.

"I keep finding pieces of her," the barlady smiled sadly as she extricated the cutlery.

It had been a week since she had found the note Hawke had left on her bed, wishing her goodbye and telling Makino not to worry about her.

"If only we'd told her," the green-haired woman said quietly as she began cleaning up her bar.

She had obeyed Garp's orders for seven years and not told Hawke Luffy's whereabouts. In fact, Makino had been excited for the coming months, since she knew Ace wanted to set out soon and that meant that he and Luffy would return to the village and Hawke would finally be able to see her brother again.

But the young girl had been too restless and eager to set out on her own. And now she was gone, off to find her brother and heading in the exact opposite direction to where he actually was.

Makino paused in her sweeping and looked around the bar. The silence pressed heavily on her ears. There was no clink of dishes being cleaned in the kitchen, no dull thumps of knives being thrown into walls, no soft humming coming from the room upstairs, and no quiet giggles coming up behind her before arms wrapped around her waist.

"I miss you, Hawke," Makino wiped a tear away as it fell down her cheek, "Please be safe."

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2 years ago

"She was looking at the wanted posters again," Lieutenant Commander Shyro muttered as he surveyed the now empty room that Hawke had been occupying for the past two and a half years.

Falda came up beside him and let out a sigh.

"We knew she wasn't going to stay forever," the tall woman ran her fingers through her long blonde hair, "She always said she was searching for her brother. Vice Admiral Garp told us to let her stay as long as she wanted."

Shyro frowned, twirling his short, but always well oiled, moustache between his forefinger and thumb. He was still wearing his marine uniform, having just returned from headquarters. He turned to his wife, who was wearing a soft yellow sundress and had been enjoying her day off from teaching new recruits how to manage a ship.

"I know," he muttered, "But it's the fact that she was looking at the wanted posters right before she left is what worries me."

Falda rolled her eyes.

"I always suspected it would turn out like this," she moved back down the hall towards the kitchen, "She's come such a long way from the little girl you rescued from that pirate ship. At least she said goodbye."

Shyro nodded as he followed his wife into the dining room and sat down to eat.

Both marines paused before eating, looking at the empty chair placed between them.

"Vice Admiral Garp will kill us if he finds out she left to join a pirate crew…" Shyro cleared his throat nervously.

Falda sent a sad smile down the table.

"Don't talk like that," she said calmly, "The Vice Admiral's granddaughter is not going to become a pirate."

Shyro looked own at his plate and began on his meal.

"I hope not," he muttered, his fingers on his moustache again, "And she was showing such good progress. I was going to get her to help with the new cadet's sword training this year…"

Falda reached across the table and rested her hand on her husband's.

"I'm going to miss her too," she said softly.

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2 years ago

Luffy barely kept the smile on his face as Hawke wrote something on his arm with a marker. He knew that Rayleigh had told him to have a specific thing written there as a message to his crew, but he forgot what it was at the moment. Good thing Hawke remembered.

She always remembers, the thought ran thought the rubberboy's head as his sister stepped away.

"I'm sure everyone will understand this," she said, her body tense, "Zoro might have a bit of trouble, but I'm sure he'll get it eventually."

Luffy laughed, but the sound was hollow in his ears.

"Zoro'll be fine," he said, putting a hand on her shoulder.

He met his sister's gaze and she sighed. He could see his reflection in her watery eyes.

No, Luffy didn't want her to be sad. She had helped him feel better, and now he was making her feel sad.

Just then Rayleigh called over to them; they were ready to set sail.

Luffy waved, then put his hands on both of Hawke's shoulders.

"See you in two years at Sabaody?" he asked, a small choke in his voice.

He had meant this to sound happy, but instead he saw tears in his sister's eyes.

Smile!

He held her tight as she hugged him.

"I'll be there waiting for you."

The words were whispered, almost inaudible, but to the rubberboy she might as well have shouted it at the top of her lungs.

Those were the words he'd needed to hear. The words that told him Hawke was okay. That she would be okay until he saw her again. Just like when they'd been separated as children. They would both get stronger and then meet up and sail on. Just like he'd promised!

"I'll see you there!" he laughed and ran over to the ship that Rayleigh and Jinbei were already on.

Wait for me! Hawke!

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2 weeks ago

A huge galleon sat in still waters, far ahead on the New World Sea. A heavy snow fall the night before had coated the entire deck in calf-deep snow and most of it was still undisturbed. Silence hung in the air, despite the large crowd of men standing along the rails. All eyes were focused on the patch of snow in the middle of the deck.

A pattern had been trodden out in the drifts; a message left by someone who was no longer among them.

"She's gone?" a voice broke the silence, but no one offered an answer.

"Okay, foods ready!" a call came up from within the ship.

The crowd slowly moved off the deck, casting sad glances over their shoulders before heading down to the galley.

The last man to reach the door paused and looked back one last time.

"We just saw her last night," he mumbled, "I guess we should've figured it out after her speech..."

A man with a long moustache, who was half way down the stairs, turned back and saw his friend paused.

"It's alright, Matty," the man called up, "I'm sure we'll see her again."

Matty let out a sigh and entered the ship.

"But it's not going to be the same," he mumbled, closing the door behind him, leaving the deck undisturbed.

The imprint of a snow angel and the word "Goodbye" drawn out at the angel's feet were left to start melting in the warm morning sun.

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Present

Red and orange sunbeams filled the air with a warm blanket of calm. The sound of popping bubbles was soothing to the ears and there was a general atmosphere of relaxation spread over Sabaody Archipelago this evening.

A hooded, white-cloaked figure moved silently around the outskirts of the groves, keeping to the shadows that the setting sun cast through the towering trees.

The figure paused for a moment and a hand emerged from between the folds. A white square of paper sat in the center of the palm and, as the figure stood still, the paper scooted forward. As soon as it moved, the hand disappeared once again into the cloak and the figure moved on.

The sound of raucous laughter suddenly pierced the air and the figure froze before quickly crouching down behind a small bluff. A crowd of happily drunk men staggered past and continued on their way, completely oblivious to the person watching after them. Said person quickly moved on and kept to the water's edge. As it rounded the bend, the silhouette of a ship came into view and the figure froze. Then took off at a rapid sprint, making a bee line for the ship.

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Hawke lowered her hood and let a laugh escape her lips as she saw the flamboyant cyborg strike his signature pose.

"Franky!" she shouted and ran down the hill, jumping across the rail and landing in a bear hug, her face pressing against his cold metal chest.

"Ow! Is this our Hawke-san?!" Franky returned her hug and then let her down, "I missed your smiling face!"

Hawke giggled and looked down, noticing the squishiness under her feet.

"Is this the coating that Rayleigh-san said he'd put on?" she asked, spinning in a circle, her cloak whirling around her body, "I can't believe there isn't a scratch on our Thousand Sunny! It's good to see you too, by the way, Sunny."

She stroked her hand along the squishy railing.

"Yeah," Franky nodded, "We seem to have had super good luck on our side."

Hawke smiled up at him, then patted her bag.

"I'm going to put my stuff away," she said, "Has anyone else arrived? I haven't been to see Shakki yet."

The cyborg sent her a smirk.

"I'm the second. I got here a week ago," he pointed a huge thumb at himself boastfully, "The first was the swordsman."

Hawke's eyes lit up and she felt her cheeks redden.

"Zoro's already here?!" she let out a gasp and hurried to the girl's room.

Excitement was bubbling joyfully inside her as she busied herself with unpacking all her belongings. Placing a brown, leather bound book under her pillow, she quickly hung her clothes in the closet and threw the bag under her bed.

Hawke took off her cloak and looked at herself in the mirror. She had on a red, loose fitting, halter top with blue skinny jeans and knee high brown boots. Her leather jacket was once again slung around her shoulders, though it now only came down to the bottom of her ribcage. She did a twirl and frowned slightly as she saw the large tear down the back of her jacket. She had stitched it up with black thread but it was still quite visible.

"That damn Momonga," she muttered as she patted her hair down.

Her natural brown locks were back and had grown much longer, coming down to her butt. A white ribbon was now tied at the top of her braid, fluttering slightly whenever she moved. The gold chain around her neck now held a silver locket as well as the gold cross and red bead. And around her waist hung, slantwise, a beautiful black leather holster, which is where she kept her knives. There were twelve sheathes in the holster, each decorated with patterns of swirling vines, plump grapes and diving swallows. Nine of the holsters were filled, eight of them with her own black and gold knives and one with a delicate, jeweled, silver dagger. Hawke sighed sadly as her eyes moved over the three empty sheathes. Two were supposed to be filled with her knives, the ones she'd lost two years ago on this very island.

After doing another once-over in the mirror, she nodded and made her way back out onto the deck.

Franky was waiting for her at the base of the stairs.

"Here," he held out a mini-snail phone to her, "Ow! Take this so we can stay in touch."

Hawke took it and nodded.

"I'm going to go explore," she said, jumping onto the railing and leaping gracefully over to the shore.

"Hey!" she heard the cyborg calling after her, "Keep a low profile! We super need to keep quiet until everyone's here. And I'll need you to go buy some stuff for me tomorrow."

Hawke waved over her shoulder, already heading off towards the Rip-Off Bar.

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Hawke hesitated as her hand landed on the doorknob, but it was a fleeting pause. The door opened with a soft creak and she stepped inside.

She grinned as she saw Shakki look up and smile.

"So the third one's arrived," the bar-lady said, pouring a dark liquid into a glass and passing it to a silver haired man at the bar.

"I've already been to see Franky," Hawke smiled.

Rayleigh turned to her and nodded.

"I'm glad you got back here safely and without getting caught," he gave her a smile.

"Well it has been two years," Hawke said, "People are much less vigilant now. It's so good to see you Rayleigh-san! Does that mean-?"

But Rayleigh was shaking his head.

"I left him six months ago," he said, taking a sip from his glass, "I'm as excited as you are to see how much he's improved."

Shakki lit her cigarette and leaned onto the bar.

"I heard that swordsman-san wanted to go fishing," she said, a sly note in her voice, "But I don't know where he could be."

Hawke felt her heart begin to beat faster and fought against the flush rising in her cheeks.

"That's okay," she said hurriedly, turning back around, "I can find him. I hope the others get here soon."

She heard a laugh as she closed the door behind her and sped back out into the groves. The sounds of bubbles popping filled the air as she jogged down the thoroughfares. She slowed to a stop and closed her eyes, taking a breath. She brought the image of the green haired swordsman to her mind, though the act intensified the ache in her heart, and focused. Within seconds, she felt a pulling sensation in her chest and started off again, quickly weaving her way through the groves.

Hawke reached the edge of the shopping district and slowed to a walk, making her way to the shore of the grove, where the grass ran down into the water.

She saw a man sitting with his back to her, facing the setting sun. Her heart beat heavily against her rib cage.

It's been two years, she thought nervously, what if he's changed his mind?

She stopped in her tracks, suddenly very afraid to attract his attention.

Before she could do anything, though, the man stiffened and turned his head.

He's sensed my presence, Hawke breathed in slowly, this is it.

She stood still as the swordsman looked back at her. His face was hidden in shadow because of the bright reflection on the water behind him and she couldn't make out his expression. He slowly stood and faced her, then started taking slow steps towards her. Hawke wanted to go to him, but she couldn't get her legs to move. All the feelings she'd suppressed for the past two years came bubbling to the surface and paralyzed her.

What if it's changed? she thought fearfully.

"Hawke," she heard Zoro whisper.

His deep, masculine voice was the sweetest sound in the world to her ears. And the longing and emotion in his call completely banished any doubts she'd had. She found the strength to move her legs.

"Zoro!" she cried, her heart pounding in her ears.

Hawke took a few stumbling steps forwards, and then he was in front of her. They stood frozen, a small space separating them. There was a moment of silence; even the bubbles were still.

"I-it's been a while," Hawke stammered, unsure of how to begin and unable to meet his gaze for some reason, "You got here first then? How've you been—"

"Hawke," Zoro interrupted her.

Startled, the scout lifted her gaze to meet the swordsman's.

And then she felt his arms wrap around her waist and his lips press against hers. Tingles shot up and down her spine as she registered what was happening. And then she pressed herself against Zoro's body and returned his kiss fiercely. The relief that he still loved her washed over her and she giggled when they finally parted.

"What's so funny?" Zoro muttered softly, resting his forehead against hers, his arms still wrapped around her.

Hawke smiled as she gazed into his eye, seeing happiness in its depths that she hadn't seen in such a long time.

Why's the other one closed? She wondered, but was immediately distracted by other things.

She leaned back and took in the view of his more mature body.

"You've gotten a lot stronger, I see," she said, running her hand down his much broader chest.

"As have you," he replied, releasing her from his embrace so he could look her up and down.

Hawke saw his face flush again.

"Did you just get here?" he muttered, rubbing the back of his head.

Hawke was reassured by his old embarrassed habit. She had been worried that they would both change too much while they were apart, but it seemed that they had only grown closer together.

"Yes," she nodded, "I met with Franky at the Sunny already."

She blushed, her heart still racing.

That was quite the shock, I wasn't expecting that right away…

She reached out and wrapped her arm around Zoro's elbow. He stiffened for a moment, but then smirked and began leading her down the edge of the grove.

"So Franky's here?" the swordsman muttered.

Hawke lifted an eyebrow.

"You didn't know?" she queried, "He's been here for a week already. Have you even been to the ship yet?"

Zoro let out a huff.

"No," he grunted, "Couldn't find it, the vivre card must've been broken."

Hawke couldn't help but smile as she rolled her eyes.

"I'd hoped your sense of direction would have gotten better," she let out a laugh, running her hand absentmindedly along the hilts of her knives that hung around her waist.

Zoro's eyes followed her movement and then widened.

"Oh!" he suddenly stopped.

Hawke looked up to him.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

Zoro began searching through his robe. Then he pulled out an object that was wrapped in red cloth.

"Here," he muttered, unwrapping the object and holding it out to her, "I managed to grab them before Kuma got to me."

Hawke stared down at two black, gold-guilded knives.

"The one's I dropped?!" she gasped, picking them up gently, hardly believing that they'd been returned to her, "I thought I'd lost them!"

She looked back up to Zoro, her eyes full of happiness.

"You had them? You kept them all this time?" she asked timidly, putting them into their new places in the holster. Only one sheathe now remained empty and Hawke wondered when it would be filled.

Zoro's cheeks grew a few shades darker and he threw the cloth over his shoulder.

"Well, I knew you'd want 'em back," he muttered.

Hawke's heart soared and she flung herself at the swordsman, wrapping her arms up around his neck and her lips finding his again. The fact that those were the same words he'd spoken to her when he'd retrieved her leather jacket from the Rain Dinners Casino, so long ago, was not lost on the scout.

He always manages to bring back everything I've lost, she thought, overcome with a feeling of immense gratitude.

She was so happy that she had made it back okay, she was so happy that Zoro had made it back okay, she was happy that they were closer than ever and she was extremely happy that he was hungrily returning her kiss. She lost herself in the warmth of the swordsman's body.

Bringing her hand up, her fingers wove themselves through the hair at the base of Zoro's neck. The swordsman let out a soft groan and deepened the kiss.

Oh no, Hawke felt the heat rising between their bodies, this is escalating quickly.

Her chest tightening and her breath came in almost painful gasps as they parted.

Zoro gazed down at her. Hawke noted that his cheeks were flushed and his eyes were moving hungrily over her chest.

Before she could comment, the swordsman pulled away and took her hand in his.

"Let's go," he said, his voice sounded distracted, "I've got a place where we can wait for the others."

Hawke nodded as she was practically dragged along behind him.

"A place to stay? You haven't been sleeping at the Sunny?" she trotted along by his side as they moved through the groves, "What have you been doing?"

Zoro glanced at her.

"Been trying to fish," he grunted, "But nobody seems to know where the good places are."

Hawke lifted an eyebrow.

"Fishing?" she asked, "Since when do you like to fish?"

Zoro ignored her question and stopped walking, looking around with a confused expression on his face.

Hawke rolled her eyes.

"You don't know where it is do you?" she sighed.

The swordsman frowned, but then shook his head.

"Well what's it called?" Hawke asked.

"I think it was the Kraken's Cave?" Zoro muttered, scratching his head.

Hawke nodded and quickly drew the attention of a passing man.

"Excuse me," she smiled, "But would you happen to know where the Kraken's Cave Inn is?"

The man nodded and pointed back the way they had come.

"It's three groves that way," he said, then paused and eyed the pair of them, "Have I seen you two before?"

Hawke stiffened and glanced back at Zoro.

She didn't think people would begin to recognize them this quickly!

"Oh, I don't think so," she smiled, "We just got here, we're traveling on our honeymoon."

The man shrugged before wish them his best and walking off.

"Honeymoon?" Zoro's voice in her ear sent shivers down her spine, making her blush furiously.

"I had to say something!" she stammered, pushing him away, "Let's go find the place."

She grabbed Zoro's hand and quickly retraced their steps. After asking another woman for directions, they finally came to a large, elegant looking inn.

"Here it is," Zoro muttered, as if he'd known where it had been all along.

Hawke rolled her eyes and followed him into the inn and up to the second floor.

Her eyes flitted around the room as she walked in after Zoro. It was quite spacious, with the bed occupying one wall and a door in the other, which Hawke assumed was the bathroom. There was a desk and chair, as well as a large wardrobe. Along with a deep purple rug that covered the floor, the whole room had a neat appearance.

"It's nice," she said as she took off her holster and placed it on the desk, "How did you find a place like this?"

"Well, someone set me up here once I found out I was number one," Zoro grunted.

"Oh?" Hawke sent a curious glance his way and wondered who had helped the swordsman.

Zoro moved across the room and sat on the chair, kicking off his shoes. Hawke watched as he gave her a nervous glance and rubbed the back of his head.

"So Franky's probably getting the ship ready to sail…" his voice trailed off, causing Hawke to lift her eyebrows.

"Yeah, I figured I'd stay out of his way during the day. He said he has jobs for us to do tomorrow though," she went over and sat down on the bed, since there was no other seat, "I can't wait to finally sleep on the Sunny again!"

Zoro let out a frustrated sigh and suddenly stood, moving so he was standing in front of her. Hawke blinked and sat still as his hand reached out and took her hair ribbon between his fingers.

"I… I missed you," his voice was gruff and hesitant.

The colour in Hawke's cheeks rose multiple shades and she opened her mouth to tell him that it was okay, they were back together. But her words were whisked away as Zoro bent down and kissed her.

She felt his hands on her shoulders as he gently lifted her to a standing position.

"Zoro," she whispered his name when they parted.

The swordsman held his face inches away from hers. Their gaze locked together and Hawke saw a tremendous longing in his eye.

"Too long…" he said softly and pulled her closer, "I won't let that happen ever again."

Hawke's eyes widened as Zoro pressed his body to hers. She rested her chin on the swordsman's shoulder and let out a contented sigh.

But then she felt his hand moving down along her waist and slide over the front of her jeans.

Hawke quickly took a step back, an unwanted feeling of fear suddenly curdling in her stomach.

Damn it! she clenched her teeth.

She cleared her throat, pushing down the sick feeling that had suddenly risen in it.

Get a grip, she told herself, this is Zoro.

"I… missed you too," she spoke shakily, "And I never want to be apart again… but…let's not go too fast."

Her arms moved protectively around her body and clenched her fists. But before she could try and explain anything further, Zoro lifted her chin and met her gaze. His fingers gently weaved into her hair as his lips pressed against her own. When they parted again, she could see a slight frown on his face and a dark look flashed across the swordsman's eyes.

"Okay," he said simply.

Hawke blinked and gave a weak smile.

"Umm… c-can I stay with you for a little while?" she asked tentatively.

She caught the immediate spark that lit up Zoro's eye and smiled warmly when he nodded his head. He stepped back and stretched out on the bed. Hawke sat down and wriggled up beside him, placing her head on his chest. She immediately felt his arm wrap protectively around her shoulders, his fingers gripping her tightly.

"So where were you these past two years?" she asked as she snuggled into his body.

She felt a thrill move through Zoro, but his voice was level and calm when he spoke.

"Fighting baboons and ghosts," he grunted.

Hawke let out a giggle and looked up at him, her gaze pausing on his scarred left eye, but quickly moving on. She had a feeling Zoro didn't want to be asked about that.

"What about you?" his question made her start.

"Oh," she smiled, "…Fighting crocodiles."

Zoro lifted an eyebrow and shrugged. But Hawke felt his fingers grip her a little tighter.

"So how long do you think it's going to take the others to get here?" he muttered, leaning his head back on the pillow.

Hawke relaxed and closed her eyes, feeling the movement of Zoro's chest as he breathed and listening to the beating of his heart.

"Well, I think it'll be a few days yet," she whispered.

"Yeah," the swordsman's hands tightened their grip on her shoulder and he turned his body, pulling her in close.

"Can I stay here with you until then?" Hawke whispered softly, wrapping her arms around Zoro and burying her face in his chest.

"Yeah."