Hey everybody! First let me just say I am a HUGE One Piece fan! LIKE MEGA HUGE! I love this anime! I'm currently getting done with the Marineford Arc and I've decided I'd actually become a part of the One Piece FanFiction family. I hope you all enjoy this first story I have!

First I guess I should say that I am indeed a Frobin shipper. If for nothing else except that if there was going to be any kind of romance in this series it would be between Franky and Robin. If you ask me there's already something there, so this story shows a bit of that. Also the whole Nakama thing cause that is totally what makes this series great. That and how epically awesome the fighting is. Though I love ALL the characters I will admit Zoro is my favorite. But anyway you don't want to hear me blabbin on, you'll see more of my opinion as I continue to write stories I suppose. This takes place somewhere between Enies Lobby and Thriller Bark.

Names

Robin sat lazily on the bench just behind the helm of the Thousand Sunny with a book in her hands. Her legs up and her back resting against the side. A glass of lemonade sat chilling on the railing provided to her by the Cook with hearts for eyes. Everyone on the crew was currently doing their own thing on the warm afternoon. It had been a while that they could all just relax.

Just currently coming from Water 7 and the ordeal at Enies Lobby everyone certainly deserved some rest. Robin looked up from her book and onto the Lion ship. Luffy, Long-nose, and the Doctor were sitting on the side with fishing poles in their hands waiting to catch something tasty for dinner that evening. The Navigator was tending to her tangerine trees carefully as the cook did a noodle dance as he served her a drink. The Swordsman lay resting against the mast sleeping peacefully. It was like nothing had changed, yet everything had.

They were on a new ship and they had a new crewmember. Franky stood at the helm fixing something that he deemed was very important. Everyone had just risked everything to save her from being imprisoned in Impel Down. Saved her from the marines, from Spandam, and from herself. They were her true nakama. Her friends. Family.

They were all so dear to her. She would do anything to protect them as they did for her. She still didn't know how she could deserve such kindness. Even Franky who the dark haired beauty had just met not too long ago risked his life to save hers. Robin felt truly blessed.

Yet there was something, something that was bothering her ever since they got back from the terror of the marines. She loved her friends so why couldn't she get by the simplest thing? The archeologists eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Why was it so difficult to change?

"Oi, Nico Robin, you feelin' alright?" Franky suddenly asked wiping his sweaty forehead taking a breath from the work he had been doing since after lunch. Robin twisted her head to look at him, her eyes a bit wide. She was surprised at his voice, she wasn't paying much attention to her surroundings. Something she was not use to.

"Yes. Why do you ask?" She answered calmly. She hadn't realized her emotions were so close to the surface. Otherwise Franky would have never bothered to ask something he could not see.

"You just looked spaced out there for a second. You looked upset at something." Franky stated bluntly. Why could he read her like one of her open books so easily? She and the shipwright certainly got close during their arrest together. His words on the seatrain and his actions on the bridge was something the blue eyed woman would never forget. Apart from anyone else on the crew, she could talk to him so freely. Closest to her in age the two had something the rest of the crew did not, an understanding of life the younger members hadn't experienced yet. That, and perhaps something else deeper than either of them discovered yet.

Robin sighed and looked down to the pages of her book. "Everyone here is so different from the other crews I've come in contact with. They are thoughtful and kind. Nothing like a normal pirate you see. They are so close and protect each other so readily. I feel as if though I belong now and yet…. I still cannot bring myself to call them by their names."

Franky raised an eyebrow. "Names?"

"Yes. Their proper names. Ever since I joined I distanced myself from them by using their titles instead of their proper names. Before long it became a habit. But that changed when I said Luffy's name back at Enies Lobby. But his is the only one I can use. I feel as though I'm still too far away from just how nakama works."

"Bahahahaha! That's so touching! Idiot! I'm not cryin'!" Franky balled from the insecurities of Robin's heart. He quickly recovered and regarded her with a questioning look.

You use my real name dontcha?" Franky asked lifting the sunglasses up to his blue hairline. "I don't think I've heard you call me Mr. Shipwright once."

"Yes that's true." Robin said with a small smile. There was no title she could really give him when they first met. She saw no reason to give him one afterwards as they were already friends.

"I think it's just a habit you're gonna have to work on. It's not like it's a bad thing to call them by titles." Franky reassured. He didn't like seeing Robin upset. The woman had enough hardships in her life that she didn't need to worry over petty things like this.

"It's not going to be that simple." Robin stated sadly. As much as she wanted to use her friends real names it just wasn't easily done. Not for her. She looked out in the distance of the sea in front of her, a crestfallen look on her face that ripped at Franky's heart.

The blue-haired man then chuckled.

"When is anything this crew's ever done been simple?" He asked smiling. "If you can survive a hell like Enies Lobby then you can certainly use some silly names. You've just got to be patient." He finished and winked.

Robin was once again hit with a waterfall of different emotions. Gratitude, shock, but overall a feeling of compassion. She didn't understand how the Cyborg could get to her easily. Her crystal orbs gazed at him and shook with feeling. Her lips grew into a beautiful smile.

"Thank you Franky."

Franky did his best to ignore the weird yet not unwelcome pulling at his heartstrings and smiled back. Now that was more like it.

"See now that smile of yours suits you much better than the frown." The blue-haired man commented pushing his sunglasses down to cover his eyes and turning his attention back to his work on the helm. Robin giggled lightly her eyes closing in amusement. She once again focused on the book in front of her feeling a whole load better. It was true that if it wasn't for Luffy and the others she would be dead but Franky saved her in a whole different way. He saved her soul. His words on the Sea Train were the beginning spark of her rebirth in looking at her life differently. It wasn't a sin to be born. She would be forever grateful to that man.

Glancing from the pages of interesting facts her blue orbs settled themselves on the shipwright. From the moment they met he certainty had a way with words.

Okay that was a really bad ending. But I hope you still liked the story! Please leave a review! Virtual hugs for those who do!