A/N: Hello and welcome to my second fanfiction! Thankyou all so much for reading my first one! You have all encouraged me to write more so here is my second one! Special thanks to Nerica for being my first reviewer, and also to existence555 and unluckyteddybear13(anon.)*hint! hint!*. Sorry if this story is a little confusing because I switch from 3rd Person POV to Zoro constantly. Enjoy!

One step at a time

Zoro was hurt. Hurt was probably an understatement. Blood flowed freely from several open wounds on his chest and arms, streaming down into the crisp, white snow beneath his feet. Every movement he made sent a fresh stream of the crimson liquid trickling down his battered body. Sure, the Marines had fared worse, most of them lying dead in the snow, but the amount of blood on the ground was a little excessive, even for him.

Zoro was also lost. Well, not really lost…the scenery around him had just moved, everything had just changed, it wasn't HIS fault. Call it whatever you want; but Zoro was not where he intended to be, and he was at a loss how to get there.

He had to get back to the ship. There were no ifs or buts. He had to get back to the ship.

He forced himself to his feet. The snowy ground seemed to buck and sway, making it hard to keep his balance. He rested his weight on one of the nearby trees and started again. Take it one step at a time, he told himself, one step at a time. He proceeded to take the first step. Lifting his foot took a monumental effort, and his boot thumped back into the thick snow. Step one, he told himself grimly. Do it again. He ordered his body.

He had to get back to the ship. No questions asked. He would get back to the ship no matter how many steps he had to take. He had to get back to the ship.

They were all waiting for him. It was almost routine that he would be last to arrive back, but hey, better late than never. He knew Nami would be pissed off at him, and then the stupid love-cook would join in. Robin would watch on with that calm face of hers and Luffy would laugh about it all and ask for food. Chopper would blubber about how worried he was and Usopp would launch into a heroic tale about "when I was five, I was lost on a snowy island, when me and my 800 men encountered a giant creature of monstrous size! It was huge and had big fangs and was threatening to eat us all! Then I, the Great Captain Usopp, fought with the gigantic monster and…"

Zoro shook his head to clear it. Telling himself one of Usopp's made-up stories wasn't going to help him make it back to the ship. He'd lost track of time. Zoro no longer knew if minutes or hours had passed. Dimly, he realized that the scenery around him had changed. He was no longer in the cold forest with dead trees surrounding him. The trees were beginning to thin out and he could see the edge of the forest. And, floating gloriously in the distance was the Going Merry. Almost there, he spurred himself on. Just get out of this forest and down the hill.

He gasped raggedly for air. His wounds were starting to throb again and the icy cold air stung his face. Zoro was out of the forest now. The Merry was just down the hill. Keep going, he urged himself, keep going. He stumbled on down the hill, ignoring the pain, ignoring everything except his goal.

He had to get back to the ship. Almost everything he had, wanted and needed was right there, less than twenty metres in front of him. He had to get back to the ship.

Zoro missed his footing and tripped, rolling a few metres down the hill. I wonder how many steps that counts as, he though dazedly. The world blurred in and out of focus as he struggled to get back up. I'm going to be the greatest swordsman in the damn world; he told himself angrily, I can't lose to a freaking HILL!

Zoro was back on his feet. One step at a time, he thought, one step at a time. He was nearly there. So close that he could almost taste the success. Too bad the blood kept getting in the way. Nearly there……

Just a few more steps and he could pass out in peace.

Just a few more steps and he'd have made it into the light.

Just a few more steps and he'd be home.

A/N: How was it? Please review and give me your suggestions and comments. And anything else you have to say! =]