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I've thought about posting this on mean, this isn't a song-fic...Close, but if you read the foreword, you'll understand.
Dedicated to a song, but NOT a song fic. I wrote the words, so don't take it (The bold words)!

Foreword:

Perhaps its because of her late appearance, perhaps its because of her mysterious aura...Whatever the reason is, I noticed that there are very, very few fan fictions out there including Robin. It's a pity really, as she really is such a wonderful character...And so, I decided to write one myself. Why I paired her with Luffy is a mystery even to me-I just thought they fit, despite their age difference. It could be because of way she shouted 'Luffy!' when she saw him challenging the CP9, which I believe is the first time she the called anyone of the Straw Hats by their first name (in the manga, anyway).

Also, this story is based on a Japanese song by Mai Kuraki, titled 'Like a Star in the Night'. As song-fics are now banned, I translated most bits, edited some, chopped some out and put some back in (which meant I did no 'copy 'nd paste'...)...Thus resulting into what I hopefully believe looked somewhat like a poem. The original is (mostly) in Japanese after all (which I believe will result into headaches if I posted it here)-

Author's Notes:

Every part (there are eight in total...) has exactly 200 words, counted by Word which, I hope, is the correct number. Eight sort-of-like drabbles down there, formed into a time thread. Ignore me.

Star in the Night

The night always seemed long to her. She would try to fall asleep, and wake up soon only to find that no time passed at all. Always, she finds herself staring at the ceiling, wondering why her life became so complicated.

And the ocean-the powerful waves of the ocean would always, always keep her awake until the next morning.

Perhaps it was because of the many nights she spent in fear? For she needed few sleep, if none at all. So she choose to spend the time reading, going through her beloved history again and again just to prove to herself that what she was doing was right, that even for all those people killed because of her, she was right to love history.

It was lonely, with no one to support her in her dreams.

But she almost gave them up. Almost gave up because of how impossible it sounds, how crazy it was to go for something no one cares about. Almost...He saved her then. Him. The person with the name so alarming she had to take a second glance at. The once-enemy she had to save even if it meant risking her own life.

Monkey D. Luffy.

In the darkness, between the sound of waves,
The cold wind blowing, on a sea of no one.
Like a shining star,
No matter how far, I can see its light.
Waiting quietly, watching the faraway stars.

She did not understand him.

When she took his straw hat and placed it on her own hat, that first time they met, she couldn't help but feel amused when he desperately shouts for his beloved treasure. And when that princess-Ms. Wednesday, or Vivi to most-told everyone who she was, he glared. Or did something close to a glare-no, it wasn't, compared to the one he gave Crocodile. He didn't really glare at her.

So she offered them help, though he declined it completely. All for the better, for she knew then that he was someone she would remember. Probably fight someday, but just remember for now. A small piece of wonderful memory she would keep just as a souvenir.

Who would have thought that she would join his crew then?

The funny thing was, they never even fought. She fought with the Alabasta national guards and with their dear princess too...But she did not fight the Straw Hat crew, and even helped them not just once but twice. No, not help them-help him. It was just for him. Getting him out of the sand. Saving him from the poison.

He was so different from what she was used to.

Like a star in the night,
Take away my unease, please grant my wish.
Like a star in my mind,
Please hold me, the one no longer hiding herself.

He made her smile though, and that was what made all the difference.

She was used to smiling, to trick others into believing or to mock others from trusting her. It was a simple thing, to curve the end of your lips and add a small twinkle in your eyes. With practice, no one could tell the difference between your false smile and your true one. But him-just by watching him, she couldn't help but smile. Smile so much that she had to cover her mouth with her hands.

And when he saw her smiling, he would grin at her, a grin so wide it showed his teeth.

So she no longer pretended. With the Straw Hats, she was finally herself, revealing for the first time in twenty years her complete self. Smiling whenever she wanted to, sometimes even laugh out loud-she knew she was happy.

And it was real. Not a dream, not just a dream in the occasional deep sleeps she had-the fights, the small cuts on her hands, the callings for her name, the way her heart was touched-definitely real.

So real that she knew she would break apart if it turns out to be a dream.

Whatever's in front of me now, I'm willing to believe.
The places I've been with you, I can wait to try to touch.
Like a shining star.

She was still slightly apart from the others in a way. Whenever the others are laughing in group, she would be apart, alone, watching...Observing. Learning what they seemed to know from birth-how to show your feelings out, how to not care about anything but what's in front of you, how to look up at the night sky and smile at the blinking stars simply for the fun out of it.

And he came to her, asking her why she wasn't dancing or drinking with the others, even offered a hand (the other still holding a large piece of meat)...

She felt something change then. Not much, but enough for herself to notice. Though she did not dance, she sat closer to the fire-became closer to the group, felt attached to the crew.

Her eyes kept looking at him that night.

She found that she couldn't look anywhere else. There was nothing to watch but him...The way he shines, the carefree words that came out of his mouth...Almost, almost a shadow of what she wanted to become. What she might have become if she wasn't discovered by the government...A little extreme perhaps, but that was what kept her eyes on him.

Searching for the star night colors in the deep dark night,
And feel the time I see you, that deep dark heartbeat.
I've been watching you, all along.

Ever since then, she couldn't stop herself anymore. She would continue watching him, the one person who changed her life. The first person who she truly believed cared for her ever since that incident.

So bright, with such a blinding light.

That was him all right. There was no one else in the world like that. So unique, so pure wonderful...It made her heart jump, her throat tighter than usual just thinking about him. Even cried once, not able to stop her tears anymore-tears of pure joy as she gazed upon the stars, as she saw his reflection in it. An illusion, but with the same light as the real person.

Then she understood.

She was, in a way, too caught into darkness for the sun. There was no possible way she could retire to a small village and spend life as a maiden or such. But, as she walks in the night, the stars can be there still, to slowly bring her back to the lights. And he was, in a way, the stars in the night. Not perfect, no, not by any means...But shining, oh shining so much.

Lighting her path and showing her the way to live.

Like a star in the night,
Believe that everything's changed, walk across the roads.
Like a star in my mind,
Glittering tears flowing, shining in the night sky.

It was what she feared of and longed for all her life-to finally have someone who cared for who she was and not what she was capable of. She knew that even if she didn't have the ability to translate ancient writings, he would have accepted her anyway.

And he saved her life. It seemed unforgivable then, for she truly wished to die. But she's alive now...Alive, and dreaming, dreaming of the future. If she can't live for herself, then she'll live for his sake then. Walk on just because he willed it so.

Stay strong, and go on closer toward her goal.

After all, isn't the world a scattered history? If the Straw Hats wanted to get to the end of the Grand Line, they'll need the knowledge provided history...And after some of the islands they pasted, she almost started to believe that the True History will hold a great connection with One Piece. Hers and his, two different dreams slowly twisting into one.

Yet what is the point of thinking so much? All she needed was one more smile of his, one more, and she wouldn't dare to give up.

Perhaps, life is no longer a simple nightmare.

No need to know,
No need to tell me what you've done.
Tomorrow...If you're still there tomorrow, then,
You will change my darkness fear to the light.
Don't be afraid.
Walk in the dark.

She didn't know how much the others are aware of, but her eyes just wouldn't leave the raven haired rubber boy. She hasn't felt like this before, not once in her life has she dedicated so much for one person.

Well, not since she was eight, anyway.

The wind must have gotten stronger, for she felt her world rocking...Her entire world, on that one ship carrying the crew named Straw Hats. All she has now, all she cared about, all she felt...It's been so long since she felt anything so strong.

Slowly and gradually, her concentration seems to gather more and more on one person, that one person that's just so special no word (except his name) seemed to describe him. Her eyes will turn to him without notice, and her heart starts feeling so many things at once, a joy so deep she starts to follow without even realizing that she's changing too, changing and growing accustomed to the stars.

Feeling complete, just when looking at him and smiling at him and watching him smile and watching him fight and watching him and just watching...

If this isn't love, it's the closest to love she's ever going to feel.

Into the sky,
You will shine through the night.
Lead me to the way when I walk in the night.
Starlight is in you,
Like a star in the night.

Her pale hands shook slightly as she picked up the pen. The tips of her fingers were white by the cold, but her palms were wet with sweat. Stray strings of her hair covered her left eye as she stood up, pushing the chair until it was back under the table. The other female sleeping on the bed moved slightly, but was still far from waking up.

Opening the door slowly, she walked outside the girl's cabin, the wooden boards creaking under her feet. Careful not to let anyone notice her, she reached a small corner between the mast and the kitchen and sat down.

There was so much on her mind, and so less time to think about it. Her breath was too fast, and so was her heartbeat. She wasn't sure if anyone would notice this, but she certainly know she would have no idea how to explain this if anyone found out. Still, she wanted to so much that it hurts...Just a pen, two words, and it would be finished...Just this, and she would be able to sleep well tonight.

And so, beside the childish scribble of his name, she carefully wrote down her own.

Nico Robin.