Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece.

Pain

Edited by Con68. (Thank you Connie :D).

Late at night, Luffy awoke from his sleep from a dream he'd just had. He had dreamt of Ace. As he tried to move, he felt a warm body next to him. Looking over to the the orange-haired woman, who still slept peacefully in his arms, Nami, he, somehow, felt that her existence brought a great deal of unexpected power to survive in the hardest moment. Then, suddenly, he felt an unexplained pang in his chest. It hurt so much that he wanted to hold her closer. He wanted to feel her warmth, to smell her scent, to feel her softness, and to shove the coming memory away. He held her and buried his face into her neck.

Nami awoke at that movement, opening her eyes slowly and blinking a few times to realize what was going on, which didn't take long for her to know. "Luffy, dear," she whispered, brushing his hair gently. He didn't reply, but it was okay. She knew what was happening, and so, she let him cry. This was not the first time she saw him crying. He cried many times. He never hid his feelings, and this time was no different.

It pained her so much, though, to see him bear this pain, the pain from the memory of Ace's death. She'd been through the same pain when Bellemere was taken away from her and Nojiko. Bellemere exchanged her life for Nami and Nojiko's. At that time, from what she saw through her teary eyes, Bellemere didn't regret to give her life for them.

She knew his pain right now, the pain of losing someone important in life. She'd been there. She'd been through it. But Luffy had saved her once from her despair. He once set her free from the burden that she carried for ten years. He was her savior once and always would be.

Now, when he was carrying the burden of overwhelming sadness and despair from Ace's death, she desperately wanted to be his savior. She wanted to set him free. She knew that it was impossible – even to wish that it never happened to him. Everyone has to face losing someone important in life someday. Now, he was the one, who must deal with these feelings. She knew he was not the only one, who still grieved over Ace's death. She remembered he had his grandpa, who was also torn by what had happened. She just held him back. That was the only thing she could do for him right now, and so she cried with him.

Luffy couldn't hold his tears. The pain was too much to bear, which felt like it was sucking away all his breath. He remembered this feeling, though it wasn't nearly as painful as this. Long ago, before Ace sacrificed himself, Shanks had done the same thing by sacrificing his arm. Although, Shanks had said it was okay, that it was just an arm. Luffy could not hold his tears. He was crying, because he felt very weak. He felt as if he didn't have enough strength to take care of himself, nor to avoid others' sacrifices.

During his journey with his nakama, he didn't want that to happen anymore. As much as he could do, as much as one life that he had, he wanted to protect his nakama, and help them achieve their dreams, and to fulfill his promise to Shanks. When his only brother sacrificed his life for him, that familiar feeling of weakness and regret consumed his heart, that even tears was not enough to describe the pain.

One arm; One life, it was too late for him to pay the debt, especially to Ace. But he knew the debt could only be paid by fulfilling his promise to them.

As he struggled with his pain, he heard a soft hiccup. Nami, she was here, in his arms, crying with him. He looked down at the orange-haired woman, and he remembered; he had another promise to that pin-wheel guy back at Cocoyashi Village.

"Nami," he whispered down to her. When she looked up, he could see pain in those wet, tawny-colored eyes, something he didn't want to see on her beautiful face. But then he sighed. "Arigatou, Nami," he said as he lowered his head and gently kissed her lips.

She opened herself to him, letting him to take her. Anything he wanted from her, anything would do. She was his, and she would give herself to him fully.

They would continue their adventure, no matter how great the pain of the past that came along with their journey. He would become stronger to protect their dreams. He would become stronger for his nakama's sake, and for this woman, who fully gave herself to him.

xxxxxx