Hello again! Thanks so much to everyone who reads, favorites and comments! I appreciate every single one! As way of update, I am working on a sequel to Love on the Battlefield and am thinking about making it a series of shorts about Law's family :-). I have other stories on the way as well. Stay tuned!

This is my first story with chapters; it likely won't have too many, but I feel like it was the most complete out of my other stories at the moment. I have the habit of wanting to wait until things are perfect before moving ahead. Of course if you wait until things are 'perfect' you'll never do anything at all, so here goes! I hope you enjoy it!

Japanese words:

Ikuzo- let's go!

Urusse- shut up

The first sensation that Nami's damaged awareness latched onto in its climb back to reality was the fact that she was weightless- weightless and moving. It was at once a peaceful and unsettling feeling and it reminded her of when she was a child and would close her eyes while swinging just so she could feel her stomach do that silly flip-flop.

Slowly though, the arms that were holding her up began to imprint in her back as her mind cautiously took in more of the surrounding world. The swaying turned into a jolting lope and for the first time since she became aware of more than the nothingness that seemed to stretch on forever in her mind as a predecessor of happenings before this moment, she realized that there was another person in the fractured picture that her dawning consciousness was painting for her.

Whoever it was, they were breathing hard; if she were any judge of such things, though, it was the rapid respiration of someone who was stressed instead of fatigued.

Her head rested against soft material that was firm underneath and the multitude of smells that clung to it all conspired together to prod her memory about who this might be. One scent in particular decided it for her, though: a soft citrus that immediately brought the kitchen of the Sunny into her mind's eye; of countless memories of catching a whiff of the same scent when a hand reached over her shoulder to place a plate of food before her. It was the smell of the dish soap that one crewmember still preferred from his days onboard a floating restaurant and that always seemed to hang around his person. She had often wondered if he insisted upon it because it reminded him of home.

Sanji.

As if to confirm her deduction, the cook of the Straw Hats spoke: "Hang on, Nami-san, we're almost to the Sunny!"

His voice sounded strange to her ears; it was drawn and ragged around the edges. It sounded like a world of worry and she had no doubt that it was because of her; the problem was, she couldn't remember why. She wanted nothing more than to open her eyes, reassure him that she was fine and then order his perverted hands to remove themselves from her person. She couldn't though-she was unable to take that last step to consciousness and communicate with the world just on the other side of her eyelids. Her voice wouldn't obey her will to speak and her arms were jelly folded at her waist. It was unnerving, but at that moment, she was still too groggy to panic.

To focus her mind on something other than the fact that she was a stranger in her own body, Nami listened to the fast, rhythmic thump of Sanji's heart through his shirt. The reassuring beat and her movement through the air in his arms pulled her once again into the blackness that she had so recently surfaced from.

Her mind perked up at the sound of her name. Her fogged senses told her that it had come from more than one source, though how they had been able to discern anything intelligible from the echoing gibberish that she was hearing right now was beyond her. A dull thud in her right temple kept time with her pulse and made her jaw ache. She was starting to regret waking up again.

A hand grasped her arm and as the voice of her captain cleared away the fog, the rest of the sounds resolved into understandable speech.

"Nami!"

Sanji's chin just brushed the top of her head as he shook his own. That barest touch sent echoes of pain bouncing inside her skull.

"It's no good, Luffy- I've been trying to wake her up the whole way here"

She felt Luffy gently push some hair at her temple aside; the strands around the source of the pain were caked close to the skin and longer pieces stuck and tugged on the side of her cheek.

"What happened?"

"When I got to where Nami was, I found her like this on the ground with a bunch of villagers standing around. A kid told me that a group of guys jumped her, probably for the log pose. He said that she fought back- took one of them out with lightning- and that's when another one of them did this" Sanji gestured by gently raising the arm that supported Nami's back.

A clipped 'che' come from somewhere near her feet and she recognized the sound easily as Zoro's preferred form of sound without the burden of actually speaking.

Luffy let the strands of hair fall back, "Who did this?"

Her captain's voice was even and serious. Nami had heard this dangerous tone before and could picture his straight-lined mouth and the glare in his eye. She almost pitied that sorry lot that had jumped her. Almost.

At each waking turn, Nami was remembering more of what had happened. She had been jumped. The fact that she had suddenly found herself surrounded before the store front window she had been looking into had, quite honestly, shocked her. She was the Straw Hat's 'Cat Burglar' and former slave of the Arlong Pirates. She was resourceful, knew how to read her environment and how to get herself from point A to point B safely and, unseen, if she so chose. She hadn't noticed anyone sizing her up as she had walked through the market, and to be surrounded almost the instant that she had stopped to admire a dress spoke of a premeditated precision, an uncanny level of perfection at being inconspicuous, and a good agreement of coordination since it had to be executed flawlessly by many people.

Actually, she couldn't tell how many there were. There had been so many hands, legs, and snarling faces that separating them into individual human beings had been impossible. The latter had only grown in number and ugliness after she had managed to dispatch one of them with her Clima-Tact. It had been shortly after that that she had heard a grumbled slur in her direction and then a fist had slammed into the side of her head. The world had stopped then- all sound, all sensation, all awareness of her body in space and time- even the leering men had been suspended and then removed from existence. Her vision had come to her aid briefly as she lay curled on the ground and she watched the scuffling feet of her attackers as they ran away, chased by villagers wielding weapons. She had had no opinion on the matter of their retreat- no happy thought for the fact that she had been rescued, and shortly after that she had sunk into a calm blackness and stayed there until she had resurfaced again in Sanji's arms.

Sanji was rolling his r's; a trait of his that popped up when he was especially angry or effected by something.

"The village leader is waiting for you- he'll tell you about the group that did this- apparently they're well known around here. I'm going to get Nami to Chopper."

"Oi, Cook, did you forget? Chopper is on the other end of this island with Franky and Brook buying supplies. It's a good 2 day's journey away." Though spoken matter of factually, Zoro's voice also held an undertone of concern.

Sanji's hands tightened around her shoulder and under her knees where he supported her.

"We have to do something. If this was just a regular hit to the head, she would of have woken up by now. Something's wrong."

Luffy's voice sounded confidently, "Torao's here now- he'll help. Take Nami to the Sunny, I'm sure Traffy will be waiting to see what happened- he heard her scream too"

That's right. This stop wasn't just for supplies- it was also made for a chance to meet up with their allies, the Heart Pirates. Since Dressrosa, Luffy had been adamant that they continue their alliance. Law had given Luffy a drawn out sigh and affected the air of one dealing with an obnoxious toddler, but much to everyone's surprise, the Heart captain had agreed. Never one to overlook an advantage, Law had to agree that their crews got along fine and that they were of mutual benefit to each other; so why not? The two crews had been meeting regularly at random sites that they took turns in choosing and had, among other things, been sharing info and speculations about movement within the World Government and otherwise just enjoying each others company. That two separate pirate crews should co-exist so well together was unheard of. "Pathetic" as fellow Supernova Kidd had spat out one day that the three crews happened to be on the same island. The strong front of two allied crews and immediate problems of his own had kept the burly captain of the Kidd Pirates from doing anything else besides heckling.

Nami could feel Sanji's tension. "Luffy, I know that we've been through quite a bit with Law, but do you trust him to help Nami? This alliance is still fairly new and that leaves Law all but alone aboard the Sunny with Nami and Robin."

When Luffy spoke, his voice was firm and carried a tone of authority that ended discussion on this matter where Law was concerned.

"You weren't there with us when we fought Doflomingo- I trust him, Sanji. He won't hurt Nami. Besides, you'll be there."

A hand was again laid on her arm, "Hang in there, Nami! Torao with help you! Zoro and I will take care of the guys that did this. Zoro- ikuzo! "

"Don't ogle the pretty girls on the way, crap cook- get back to the Sunny!", Zoro taunted Sanji before running off after Luffy. The sounds of their pounding feet faded.

"Urusse!" Sanji's growled response to the swordsman was followed by a sudden shift as the cook stretched his long legs again.

Nami had no idea where they were now- had no clue how close the Sunny might be, but Sanji kept a level pace without flagging. Nami drifted in a fog; not quite aware of her surroundings and yet not sinking into the blissful darkness again. Gasps and exclamations from the people they passed and other town noises all blended together to make an ambient mix in her perception. The scent of citrus that clung to the Straw Hat cook was her only familiar anchor.

Sanji's shoes suddenly sounded on wood and Nami could hear the grating cackle of gulls and water lapping all around her. The hand on her shoulder and under her knees tightened their grip and pulled her close as Sanji bent over her. She felt the tall cook bow slightly and then, with a quick jerk, he vaulted into the air. The rushing wind whipped her hair and sent it flying behind her. Just when she thought that they were going to continue to fly on forever, Sanji uncurled himself and nimbly touched down with one leg. He skipped lightly off again and this time, landed on the grass deck of the Thousand Sunny. Nami surmised that the cook had chosen to dampen their landing by hitting the railing first.

"Nami!" Robin's concerned voice sounded from somewhere to Nami's right. A wave of comfort rolled over her at the sound of the other woman's voice. Being the only females on the crew had naturally brought the two close, but Nami had found more than the camaraderie that accompanies like genders-in Robin, Nami had found a steadfast friend and an older sister ready to listen and share advice. As hurried footsteps signaled Robin's swift approach, Sanji drew in air:

"Law!"

Robin reached them and Nami could feel the older woman surveying her. Then, a hand was laid gently on the back of her head, like one might a child, and Robin's low voice queried the navigator's inert form, "Nami?"

Sanji didn't repeat his call for the other captain. Law must have been close by. Indeed, soon Nami heard fast footfalls and Robin drew away. The immediate, close presence of another person was at her side and for a fraction of a second, it hesitated; assessing. Then slender fingers grabbed her wrist, knuckles brushing the bare skin of her waist as they did so. The fingers pressed deeply into the area just below the pad of her thumb and went still when she felt her pulse beat against them. Another set of lithe fingers pulled locks of hair away from her temple. The pieces that had stuck before pulled away with a crackling sound and the rich scent of iron floated past her nose. Nami could envision the doctor's tall nodachi resting against a black-clothed shoulder and his brow furrowing into a frown as he evaluated the navigator's wound.

"Has she woken up yet?"

The rustling of fabric told Nami that Sanji was shaking his head.

"About how long has she been unconscious?"

"Oi, why does any of this matter? Just help her, Law!"

Never one to rise to the provocations of either Sanji or Zoro, Law's voice remained even when he replied.

"It matters a great deal, Black Leg-ya. Are you going to continue hindering any help that I can give her or can you come up with a number that I can work with?"

Sanji growled, his hands tightening slightly on Nami's body. Then, he drew in air as he thought, his chest pushing against her lank form.

"From the time we heard her scream until the time I found her…." Sanji calculated a rough estimate and gave his time to the Heart captain.

The fingers were snatched away from her temple and wrist and she heard the distinctive clank of metal as Law took his nodachi in hand again.

"That's not good- she should have regained consciousness by now. I assume that Tony-ya will have no objections if I make use of his infirmary."