A/N: Hey friends! I have had this story in the back of my mind for a few years now. I wrote a one shot called 'Dreaming of the Past' and wanted to continue it into a full story. I have begun that process now, and this is what I have come up with. I hope you guys enjoy. Also, this story has been brought forward in the OP timeline to take place towards the end of the New World.

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece, or the characters.

Of Dreams and Heroes

"I'm gonna kill you Luffy!" Nami screamed as she chased her childish Captain around the deck for the tenth time.

"I'll get him for you Nami-swaaan!" Sanji called heroically as he leaped from the top of the Thousand Sunny's cabin. "Give it back you idiot!"

"Shishishi." Luffy chuckled. "This is fun. What's so important about this thing anyway Nami?" He asked as he grabbed the top of the mast with an extremely outstretched arm, just evading Sanji's grasp.

"It's my diary you idiot! Don't you know what a diary is?"

"Is there food in it?" Luffy asked, holding it by the corner with his thumb and index finger.

"No you idiot, it's a book!" Nami yelled as she attempted to scale the mast.

"Wha...?" Luffy said in confusion. "Why would you lock a book? Well, here you go; I don't really like to read." He tossed the diary onto the deck of the ship. Sanji dove off the mast to retrieve it, but was met mid air by a punch in the face from Nami who never was able to climb it. She picked up her diary and headed to the women's quarters to lock it away in a new hiding place.

'Jeez,' she thought. 'He can be such a stupid jerk.' She had finally found a place to keep her diary hidden from the boys, and sat down on her bed. It wasn't late by any means. In fact, it wasn't even dinner time yet, but for some reason, all the day's stress was wearing on her. She laid back and closed her eyes, letting sleep quickly overcome her.

She screamed. It was all she could do to express her rage as she repeatedly stabbed at the mark on her shoulder, in a desperate attempt to remove herself from an eight year long torment. A hand grasped hers firmly. She struggled but couldn't plunge the blade in again. She looked up and saw him. The young man who seemed to live without fear; without regret. She hated him. She hated him for being so carefree and happy. Why couldn't she be that way?

"Leave!" She screamed at him before continuing her tears. After a moment, she realized that he wouldn't go. For some reason, he stood by, hand on her shoulder as she cried into her hands. She turned to him when she could finally take no more by herself.

"Luffy, help me." He placed his straw hat on her head, and knelt down behind her. He wrapped his arms around her, gently resting his cheek against hers.

"Okay." He whispered.

Nami stretched as she sat up out of bed.

'What was that?' She asked herself. "What's wrong with me?"

"I don't know." Nami turned, startled at the voice. She turned to see Robin sitting, brushing her hair. "You kept saying Captain-san's name in your sleep."

"I…" Nami struggled for words to explain.

"Don't worry, I won't say anything." Robin smiled. The older woman was at least someone Nami could trust. She didn't want to think what kind of drama that a dream like that could cause on this ship. She got out of bed, and looked at the clock. It was ten in the morning. She had slept through dinner, and breakfast, but it didn't matter really, she only wanted to clear her head. She took a shower, and got dressed, but couldn't get that dream out of her mind. Deciding that she would start her next map out in the sun, she walked through the galley seeing Sanji at the counter probably preparing lunch.

"Nami-swan! Good morning, would you like a snack before lunch? You haven't eaten in a while." Sanji noted with hearts in his eyes. Nami usually didn't bother with him when he did this, but she needed to take her mind off things. Maybe this was her chance.

"Umm, I'm not really hungry, but I could go for something to drink…"

"Right away Nami-swan!" Sanji cut her off and almost dove into the fridge for some ingredients for whatever it was that he was going to make.

'Maybe it's not such a good idea. It wouldn't be good to use him to make myself feel better, even if he would enjoy it.' She giggled softly to herself at the comedy that was Sanji's unrequited love for all the women he met. He ran over and handed a glass to her. She tasted the drink, and was not surprised by its extraordinary taste. Sanji was always sweet. Even if he constantly took it too far and tried too often, the thought was nice and always made Nami feel special. She took her drink and headed for the main deck.

"Aah!" She shouted as she opened the door and got sprayed by hundreds of big raindrops. She slammed the door shut before she got soaked, and turned around. "Aagh!" She exclaimed in frustration as she stomped her way through the galley, slamming her full drink on the table as she left.

She spent the rest of the day extraordinarily bored. She couldn't work on her maps, or look through her accounting logs, or anything that she normally did to occupy her time. All she did, all rainy day, was to think about Luffy. She lay on her bed and thought about him. She pulled out some paper, and instead of a map, she drew a picture of his face, smile as wide as could be. Everything she did that day revolved around the thought of her Captain.

'I… like him?' She asked herself finally, knowing the question was already answered. She had been trying to convince herself otherwise for a while, and had found it utterly useless. The question was no longer whether or not she liked him. Now it was, 'What do I do about it?' She got up from her desk, and made her way out to the galley.

"Nami-swan…" Sanji called.

"I'm sorry Sanji, but I need to speak with Luffy right now. Have you seen him anywhere?" Sanji stood against the wall. He lit a cigarette and took a couple of puffs before grasping it between two fingers and removing it from his lips to speak. "Hmm, I saw him at lunch and dinner, but not for the rest of the day. I'm not sure where he is."

"You'd think that he would be hard to lose." Nami said as she went to search the ship. She looked everywhere she could think. She checked the men's quarters, the bathrooms, the closets, even in the fridge, as Sanji had found him sleeping inside it a few nights ago. She stopped in the middle of the passageway to think.

'Well, I guess he could be there. I wouldn't put it past him to do something that strange.' She walked through the galley, grabbing an umbrella from beside the door, and headed out onto the deck. The rain was coming down hard and heavy. The sea was calm, and there was no wind, but nevertheless, the rain poured. She looked around and didn't see anything at first. Then, she made her way to the aft deck. 'No way!' She thought as she spied Zoro asleep in the downpour. However, it was not Zoro that she needed to find. She looked up toward the crow's nest and saw Usopp perched on watch with an umbrella. It seemed hopeless, and she turned to walk back inside. As she did, she spotted a familiar figure sitting cross-legged on top of the cabin, drenched, and smiling that same wide smile that always seemed to make the world into a giant playground.

"Nami! Hey what's up?" Luffy said as he waved to her, feet dangling from the cabin roof. He smiled again. Such a big, toothy grin, that made the deck of the Thousand Sunny seem like the happiest place in the world.

"Hey Luffy, um… what are you doing out here?" She inquired. Luffy turned his face toward the sky and closed his eyes, letting the rain bounce off his already dripping face. He sat like that for a few seconds before looking back at Nami and smiling again.

"The rain is warm. It feels really good!" He exclaimed innocently. Nami stuck her hand out to test the temperature of the water, and realized that it was in fact, very warm. "You should sit in the rain with me." He extended his invitation by patting the space next to him and holding out his hand to help her up. She had no intention of ditching the umbrella, but didn't want to miss an opportunity to speak with him alone. Not tonight, because she had something important to ask him. She took his hand and placed her foot on the wall. He grabbed her umbrella with his free hand, holding it over her as she climbed up.

"Thanks." She said as she took the umbrella back. She realized that her butt was getting wet from her new seat, but decided that it was too late. "So, how long have you been out here?" She asked, attempting to break the ice.

"All day... except for lunch and dinner of course." He replied absently.

"What have you been doing out here?"

"Thinking." Nami was surprised by his answer. She had expected him to say something childish. Luffy had his moments, but she never took him for the type of person to sit and relish in his thoughts for any extended period of time.

"About what?" She asked after a short silence.

"All kinds of stuff." He said, still looking off into space. He seemed to still be engulfed by whatever thoughts those were.

"Oh…" She wasn't sure what to say next, but found that she didn't have to think about it long. It was now or never, and she knew that she couldn't live with never. "Can I ask you something?"

"Shishishi, sure. What is it?" He seemed genuinely interested and sincere in his response, even though he continued to look to the sky. Nami felt a lump in her throat, but swallowed it hard as she readied her question.

"Why…" She stumbled on the words. "Why did you choose me, as your nakama?" She looked at him with anticipation. She wished she could take back the question, but wanted the answer more than anything.

"I could tell you were special when I first saw you." He said matter-of-factly. "There was a lot going on, but when I saw you escaping from that ship that Alvida attacked, I said to myself, 'Luffy, you need to meet her.'" She was stunned. She could barely remember, but she had seen him too.

"You remembered that? I thought you didn't know." Luffy chuckled.

"Shishishi. Of course, I never forgot. When we were in Cocoyashi village, and I saw how sad you were, I decided that I was right. I will protect all my nakama, but you're special. I don't know why, but I want you to be happy more than anything else." He spoke toward the sky, leaning back onto his hands and kicking his feet against the cabin wall. The innocence and naivety in his voice attested to the fact that he really didn't understand his own feelings.

Nami felt the blood instantly rush to her cheeks, and was glad that Luffy was not looking at her. She looked away from him, attempting to regain her composure. She felt butterflies rise up in her stomach, and turned back to him.

"Luffy…" She said seriously and soft. He turned his head as she was hoping he would, and as their eyes met in the rain, she leaned close to him and pressed her lips softly into his. She drew in a quick breath through her nose, and lingered for only a few moments. She held her umbrella in one hand over both of them as she pulled away slightly. She looked into his eyes as they sparkled with astonished wonder, and glistening drops of rainwater trickled off his black bangs.

"Cool…" He said softly, unable to gain enough breath for a sentence. Nami giggled at his lack of charm and sophistication.

"Luffy, you're special to me too. I want you to know that." She dropped her umbrella and threw her arms around his neck. This time, he leaned to her as well. Placing one hand on her hip, and one on her cheek, he pressed his lips into hers. Her lips parted allowing his tongue to touch hers gently as they deepened the kiss, losing themselves in passionate embrace.

They sat for a while, talking and laughing, both soaked to the bone in the pouring rain. Her head on his shoulder, both kicking their legs as they dangled off over the deck below.

"Well, I should go to bed. It's pretty late already, and we still have a lot of sailing ahead before we get to the next island." Luffy jumped down and turned to help her climb off as well. He looked at her excitedly.

"Oooh! Really, what kinda island is it? I hope it's one with lots of adventure!" He turned and leaned against the railing, looking out over the sea with his usual innocent excitement.

"Um, I think I'll leave the adventuring to you. Don't think you'll get any more money from me though. You still owe me Luffy." She smiled and kissed him good night before walking back down to through the galley, leaving Luffy standing in the rain by himself. She felt relieved as she laid herself down to bed. Finally, she could dream of the future, and not the past.

It had been almost two weeks since she had shown him the first sign of affection. That one kiss in the rain grew into several nights of blissful romance. Sitting under the night sky, just him and her. Well, there was usually someone else on watch, but she ensured that they always sat directly under the crow's nest in case of prying eyes and the tendency of her crewmates to meddle in the affairs of others. She wasn't quite ready to make this whole situation a public ordeal, and found that it was surprisingly easy to keep it a secret. Sanji was oblivious to reality when he was around Nami, Usopp and Chopper spent most of their time together, Zoro slept, and Franky didn't seem to care if he did know. Robin was the only one that she couldn't keep the secret from, but she was glad to have an honest, female ear to hear her thoughts. Although she never responded much, she would smile warmly every time Nami would recap the night's conversation with her. Luffy, it seemed, was in no way going to give up the secret. Whether it was because he understood the situation, or didn't understand at all, Nami wasn't sure, but he hadn't said anything yet. In fact, during the day, he acted no different toward her. He never looked at her any different than before, and never spoke to her any different. He didn't show her any extra affection in the presence of others, or when they were alone, except during the nights on the deck. She never complained though, because the nights they spent together were otherworldly. Something out of a strange fantasy that never really happened. Nothing elaborate or even planned, but always special. They always sat, feet dangling off the side of the cabin, her head on his shoulder. They spoke about all kinds of things, and she had learned a lot about Luffy during those nights. Not that he was exceedingly deep or anything, but he had incredible dreams, and a resolve that seemed impossible for one man to bear. He was an incredible person, and the more she came to know him intimately, the more her feelings for him grew. She didn't want to say that she was in love, but she knew it was the only possible destination on the path they were walking together. The only problem however, was also the reason she liked him. His childlike persona made it impossible for her to tell how he felt about her. He enjoyed their nights together, that much was clear, but she could not decipher the particular reason. Was it some kind of game to him? Did he know what her kisses meant? She was going to find out, and there was no way that she was going to let go of something that seemed so perfect to her.

It was late in the morning when she crawled slowly out of bed. She hadn't felt hungry when she awoke earlier, so she had gone back to sleep to waste some of what would be a long, boring day. It was sometime past eleven in the morning when she finally made her way to the main deck. The sun was high and hot, and everyone seemed to be relaxing as usual. Zoro was asleep against the railing. Chopper and Usopp were playing some sort of card game which Usopp was creating rules for as they went. Robin was laying on her deck chair reading. Sanji was setting up an interesting picnic type lunch, and Franky and Luffy were nowhere to be seen.

"Where's Luffy?" Nami asked. Without looking up from her book, Robin pointed straight up toward the crow's nest. Nami looked up, and sure enough, there was her Captain. He was perched on top of the mast, with his hand cupped over his eyes to block out the sun.

"What's he looking at up there?" She asked to herself as she squinted to see his shadowy outline in the sun. She shrugged her shoulders, deciding that whatever he was doing, he would come down when lunch was served. She walked to the railing and leaned her hands on it, peering out over the ocean. 'No land out there.' Nami thought. She stood for a moment pondering how she would spend her day, when she felt a light tap on her shoulder. She turned to see no one near her, and looked at the deck to see if something had hit her. As she looked down, she felt another tap on the back of her head. Turning her gaze toward the tapping, she saw a hand above her head. It was Luffy's, who was still sitting on the mast, and had stretched his hand out to get her attention. He motioned her to come up, and offered to give her a lift. Nami grabbed his wrist warily, not sure of what to expect next. He grasped firmly to her wrist in return, and with a speed that caused a surprised yelp to escape her, hoisted her to his arms at the top of the mast. He set her down once he was certain she had her balance, and smiled broadly. That same toothy white grin he always had. His black hair dancing in the wind. His big innocent eyes that caused her to melt more and more as of late. She knew that whatever the situation was, she was glad to be there with him.

She looked toward the water over the bow of the ship. It was hard to maintain her balance on the thin wooden beam that now supported her weight high above the deck of the ship. Luckily, Luffy had set her down next to a crew line she grabbed immediately. Once she had gained her balance, she looked toward Luffy, only to see him watching her with that smile. She blushed slightly, and looked down into her lap to avoid awkward eye contact. Luffy ignored her embarrassment however, and peered again into the horizon. He seemed entranced with something that Nami could not see. She stared out over the never ending waves of the Grand Line, wishing that she could see with his eyes.

"Nami." Luffy spoke softly and frankly, showing a serious side of himself that she saw little of. "Someday I will be Pirate King. I know it." His gaze was fixed forward as he spoke in an unfamiliar tone. Nami stared at him, seeing him in a different way than ever before. She watched him intently as he crouched, one hand on his beloved straw hat to prevent the sea winds from claiming it. The salty air was cool, and the breeze carried the smell of fresh baked bread.

"That's strange. We shouldn't be near an island yet." Nami checked the log post, and was correct in assuming that it would point them straight in the direction they were headed. She looked back to Luffy, and realized that he hadn't moved. He still stared off into the distance, pondering some deep thought.

"There's land close. I feel him waiting for me. It's time to give it back." Nami was confused by his straight face and stern voice. He was speaking in riddles, and sounded like a prophet.

"Luffy, are you okay?" Nami asked, concerned for her Captain, and about what kind of trouble could make him act the way he was. "Luffy, what's wrong? You're scaring me…" He turned his head and smiled big. That smile that could ease the minds of the whole world.

"Shishishi, I'm hungry. Is it lunch yet?" Nami stared at him for a moment, puzzled. Wasn't he just worried about something? He leaned close, almost touching his face to hers. "Ready?" He asked.

"Mmhmm." She barely managed to say. Suddenly, to her great surprise and disappointment, instead of a kiss, she was swept up into his arms and they were both headed fast toward the deck. Luffy landed with a thud on his feet, and a moment later on his butt, as his legs gave way from the impact.

"What are you doing? Are you trying to kill me?" Nami jumped up screaming, and punched Luffy on the back of his head.

"Oi, Luffy." Zoro's voice broke through the noise with a calm urgency. Luffy turned a questioning face to Zoro, who stood with his forearm resting on his katana. "There's another pirate ship ahead isn't there?"

"Hmm." Luffy nodded in confirmation.

"How do you know?" Chopper asked.

"He can feel it. Somebody dangerous is not far off." Zoro replied as he leaned against the cabin wall, eyes closed and arms folded over his chest.

"It's not that hard to tell. The air seems thicker. This one won't be fun." Sanji chimed in, puffing a cigarette and finishing the last touches on his gourmet picnic lunch. It was then that Luffy noticed the beautiful spread laid out on the deck of the ship. Cakes and pastries, wines and sake, cooked vegetables, and lots of delicious meats were sprawled out on a picnic cloth, ready to be devoured. It only took a moment for the view to completely sink in, and Luffy sprang like a madman toward his lunch. He took a last dive at the food, but was met midair in the face by Sanji's foot. He fell with a thud on the deck, and sat up grabbing his nose with both hands.

"Ladies first! You can wait for yours!" Sanji yelled, curly eyebrows furled.

"Aww… But I'm hungry." Luffy whined, as everyone else walked over to the meal and sat down.

"There's nothing wrong with waiting your turn." Nami flirted discreetly as she sat down next to him.

"As long as I get some meat, but hurry up! I want it to be my turn!" Luffy shouted.

'Well, maybe I don't need an answer right now.' Nami thought to herself. 'One of us needs to be patient, and it's not going to be him.' Sanji handed full plates to both Robin and Nami, and lunch was served.

It was about three o'clock in the afternoon when Nami stepped on deck. She had decided to spend the few hours after lunch in her room, putting the finishing touches on her newest map. There was nothing else to do, and Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji were keeping quiet about whatever it was that they were worried about. She walked down the steps to the main deck, and peered out over the ocean. It was calm, but ahead looked like rain. She could feel the air getting heavy and thick, and knew that it would be a good storm. She turned around, and saw no one else. She went to the aft deck to find Zoro, once again, asleep. She walked over and nudged him gently.

"Oi, what now?" Zoro scowled at her with one eye open. She knelt beside him and looked at the sky.

"It's going to storm. We need to take in the sails." She said, and stood up to walk away. "I'll get the others."

"Oi…" Zoro sighed in agreement.

It wasn't long before all of the crewmembers were on deck, furling sails and securing crew lines. They had become increasingly efficient at the task and in no time at all, had completed their jobs and were sitting in the galley sipping hot chocolate.

"This is good Sanji." Nami smiled as she took a small sip.

"It smells great!" Luffy yelled as he downed half of his cup in a split second, before realizing what he had done. "Yeeooww!" Luffy screamed as he leaped from his chair and ran outside, leaving the door wide open and the rain pouring in on the floor.

"I got it!" Sanji yelled mid-sprint. He slammed the door and collapsed with his back against it. He sighed, and the room was silent for a moment, before the whole crew burst into laughter at once.

"Captain-san really is ridiculous sometimes." Robin said as even she couldn't contain her laughter. Nami stood up, trying to settle herself.

"I think I'll go see if he's okay." She said between chuckles. Sanji stood up, with hearts in his eyes, and began in his most pleasant tone.

"It's raining Nami-swan. Allow me to check on the idiot." He floated lightly through the air towards her, hoping for some kind of return affection. Nami, completely impervious to his passes and worn charm, grabbed an umbrella from beside the doorway.

"I got it Sanji, thanks." She said dismissively as she passed him without as much as a glance. She walked through the door, and Sanji fell to his face, crushed again.

Nami walked out onto the main deck of the Thousand Sunny to see an extraordinarily calm and misleading night. The rain was coming down heavy, but the sky and ocean were smooth and clear. It seemed strange, even by the standards of the Grand Line. Many times had the sea of this wildly treacherous stretch of ocean tossed their tiny ship for hours, only to snow on them for twenty minutes and give way to a beautiful sunny afternoon. This was what was strange though. There was no island near, but the weather was becoming more and more regular. She couldn't even predict it anymore. By her best estimate, they should have been in a massive storm. This was not what she expected, and that frightened her. She looked around the deck once, and saw the figure of her Captain, leaning over the railing. She walked over and placed a soft hand on his shoulder. Leaning over to see him, she realized that he had stretched his neck down to the water, and was using the ocean to soothe his burned tongue.

"Luffy, are you okay? You have to be more careful. Hot cocoa is called hot for a reason." She lightly rubbed his back as she chided him. "You're such an idiot sometimes."

"Wuhwawalaoowa." He mumbled in response. He pulled his tongue out of the ocean, and came back over the railing, breathing heavily. "Ocean tastes gross." He stated matter-of-factly. Nami could no longer contain herself, as she broke into a fit of laughter. Luffy with his tongue still hanging out, watched her laugh for a moment.

"Nami, you're really pretty when you laugh." He commented. She paused; confused for a moment that he would say such a thing. Then, she suddenly let the compliment sink in, and blushed quite a bit. She looked down and smiled, finding herself once again trying to regain her composure in front of him.

"Thanks." She managed finally, and looked up to meet his gaze. Luffy however, had already moved away, and was standing up on the figurehead looking straight out over the ocean. Nami hurried next to him to see what it was that had caught his attention, when she realized that he was looking at a small light shining in the distance, just bright enough to show in the early dusk.

"What is that Luffy?" She questioned, squinting as if she would be able to see farther doing so.

"It's him. He's waiting for me." Nami looked up at him, and realized that he had that serious look on his face again. One hand holding his hat on, he stared at the light, not moving. His eyes were wide, aggressive almost. Apprehension was something new from Luffy, and she found herself afraid of a situation she knew nothing about.

"Who?" She asked, a quiver in her voice that she hadn't expected. "Who's there? Is something wrong?" He stood perfectly still, staring at the ominous light as if he was being beckoned.

"Get everyone here." He ordered sternly.

"Luffy, what's…?"

"Please Nami." He cut her off, almost yelling.

"Okay." She turned and ran to the galley, hands clenched in fear and anxiety over whatever it was that had Luffy so spooked that he would bark orders; at her.

There was silence. They stood in the rain, in the dark. No one dared speak before their captain. They all understood the seriousness of the situation, and if Luffy wasn't smiling, then they sure weren't going to either. Everyone had been just staring at the small light in the distance for some time when Luffy finally turned to face them. He kept on top of the figurehead, but sat down to explain his situation. Nami was relieved that he was finally going to speak, and abandoned her umbrella to Robin, moving forward to better hear.

"That light. It's coming from a pirate ship. The ship is next to a small island." Luffy began softly.

"That's not possible. I don't have any record of an island being there, and the currents aren't moving as if we were that close to land." Nami was slightly bothered by his prediction.

"The currents are lying." Zoro replied. "There's an island there for sure."

"The currents never lie, Zoro. That's why I'm the navigator. I can read those currents like a book…"

"I'm sorry Nami, but there is an island there. It's home to pirates." Luffy scanned his crew's faces before settling his eyes back on Nami. "I can feel them. I know them. Usopp does too." The crew turned to Usopp who was staring at the ground with a frightened look on his face. He looked up before he spoke.

"It's my father." A few gasps escaped into the air as surprise hit the rest of the straw hats.

"Your dad's over there!" Chopper yelled, his jaw almost hitting the floor.

"Yeah, I can feel him. Just like Luffy said. I don't know how, but I know he's over there. Although, I'm not sure why, but something doesn't feel right. It almost feels like danger." Usopp's expression was decidedly worried, and he seemed to be struggling with an explanation for his prediction. Luckily, Luffy took the conversation from him, for his own explanation.

"It is danger. I have felt his presence for the last couple of days now. I knew he was getting closer, but I wasn't sure until now. He wants a fight, 'cause he can't let me be the King of Pirates without beating him." Luffy was still serious, but was now more relaxed, seemingly because he was able to get his troubles off of his chest. At least, that's what Nami assumed it to be.

"Wait, I don't get it. Why would Usopp's dad want to fight with you?" Franky asked.

"Not Usopp's dad." Zoro took the question. "Red Haired Shanks." He looked at Luffy with a smirk.

"Red Haired Shanks? Isn't he your friend? Why would he be after you?" Robin was curious.

"Because," Luffy replied as a sly smile crept across his face. "He wants his hat back."