A/N: A big thanks to everyone who reviewed, followed or added my story to their Favorites, I'm happy you like it so far. Here is the new chapter :)

"So the old fisher was right, you are really back Nami." Genzo greeted her.

"How could I not after the letter you wrote me." Despite that the reason why she was back wasn't a good one, she smiled at seeing the man who she thought of as a father. He hadn't changed much and the smile he gave her in return still warmed her heart with the feeling of finally being back where she grew up.

"And you didn't come alone." Genzo looked at Zoro. The swordsman had changed quite a bit since the last time Genzo had seen him. There was a new scar on his eye, but that didn't surprised Genzo, after all he knew what battles could do to a man. However the way these two stood so close together and how Nami had looked at the first mate before he had announced his present to them made Genzo smirk slightly. "I see, you found yourself a boyfriend."

At his teasing words Nami blushed bright red. She wasn't even back for long and Genzo was already embarrassing her. At first she was sure that he was just saying that to get a rise out of her, but then again what if he had seen right through her? Surely he couldn't already know what she felt for Zoro when it had taken her years to come to terms with it herself, but the knowing smile Genzo gave her told her otherwise. That was the moment she realized that she hadn't denied it yet so she quickly spoke up.

"No, Zoro just offered to come with me. Now where is Nojiko, I thought she would be the first to greet her little sister."

"Then let's go to the tangerine grove and see her. I'll tell you there about the pirates that are threatening the village." With that Genzo started walking and the two followed him.

On their way through the village a few people greeted Nami and they stopped a few times so they could talk to her. The navigator enjoyed it immensely to see them all again, but she was also aware that a few gave her and Zoro knowing smiles. Was it really so obvious that she was feeling something for the swordsman? Looking from the corner of her eyes at Zoro, who was talking to the old man in the blacksmith shop, he seemed obvious to the whole staring. Maybe the villagers were just looking at Zoro like this because he was quite famous and had a high bounty and not because they knew that he meant a lot to her. She was probably interpreting way too much into the looks, because Genzo had already made a comment hinting at her feelings. That had to be it, she was just paranoid and seeing that Zoro was still obvious to her feelings, let Nami calm down. For now she would focus on the problem at hand and that was the pirates that were threatening Cocoyasi.

When they finally arrived at the tangerine grove Nami felt her heart squeeze painfully. While most of her memories that involved this place were good, there was one that was bad. The memory of Arlong with a pistol and Bellemere standing in front of her and Nojiko to protect them was still fresh in her mind and for a moment Nami felt a lump in her throat. Only when she felt a warm and strong hand touch her back gently she realized that she had stopped walking. Looking up she saw that Zoro stood right beside her with a concerned look in his eye.

Closing her eyes she tried to push the painful memories away and focus on the reassuring hand that still lay on her lower back. After another moment she took a deep breath and opened her eyes.

"I'm fine." She told the swordsman, before starting to walk again. After the first step she felt him pull his hand away and she immediately missed his warm touch. Luckily for her Genzo hadn't seemed to notice her moment of weakness and was already in front of Nojiko's house.

When Nami saw Nojiko the last bit of the sadness that came with this place disappeared and she smiled at her sister. She hadn't changed much and mirrored her expression.

"It's good to see you again."

"Well I could say the same. You have become quite famous and even Genzo has your wanted poster in his office."

"You didn't need to tell her that." The man in question quickly denied.

While Nojiko only laughed alongside Nami, Zoro couldn't help the small smile that tugged on his lips. Seeing the navigator with her family was quite the sight and Zoro was glad that she got to see them again.

After Nojiko made them all tea, the four sat together on the small kitchen table and without further ado Genzo began explaining the problem.

"A week ago pirates arrived in our harbor. We heard rumors about them before, but we never thought they would be interested in coming to such a small island like ours. They have a huge ship and people say that they have hundredths for men. They're a new pirate crew here in the East Blue, but their captain is already known to be ruthless. They threatened us and told us that they would come back and we better have money and our valuable stuff ready." Genzo took a deep breath before continuing. "We wanted to deal with this problem alone, especially because you have already done so much for us, but this village has gone through so much pain in the past that I just want for the villagers to have a peaceful life."

Zoro, who had also listened to what Genzo had told them, looked over to Nami. The navigator was clenching her fists tightly on her lap with a far away look on her face. It was clear to Zoro that she was thinking about her past again and it was obvious to him that thinking about it still pained her. There was no way that she would let anything happen to her village and Zoro had never held more respect for her than in this moment.

While Zoro wasn't aware that he was looking at Nami with concern in his eye, Nojiko looked closely at the swordsman. Back when the Straw Hats had freed Cocoyasi from Arlong, the first mate had fought for their village despite the huge wound on his chest. Later Nami had even told her that Zoro had trusted her enough to save him from drowning. It was obvious to the blue-haired woman that the swordsman cared deeply for her sister and all Nojiko could hope for was that Nami had found someone who loved her. However that was something to worry about for later, for now she listened to what Zoro had to say.

"I doubt that they are worthy enemies, but I didn't have a good training in a while. Don't worry, I'll take care of them." The swordsman smirked confidently.

"There are a few villagers who want to fight alongside you. Would you mind meeting them?" Genzo turned to the man next to him.

"Not that I need any help with beating up a few weak pirates, but I won't mind meeting people who want to fight for their village." Zoro answered. He had always hold great respect for people that weren't normally fighters but were willing to protect their loved ones no matter what.

"Alright then come with me." At that Zoro only grunted in reply. "We'll be back for dinner." Genzo announced quickly to the sisters before leaving the house with Zoro following him.

"So I guess it's up to us to make dinner." Nojiko slightly shook her head at the retreating backs of the two men. This was her chance to talk in private with Nami about what she had just thought about her sister and the swordsman.

"I don't know when the last time was that I stood in the kitchen, Sanji always cooks so well for us." Nami mused.

"But I won't make dinner all by myself, so you better help me."

Of course Nami ended up helping her sister, so the two girls went into the kitchen and started cooking. It felt good to be home and the navigator enjoyed spending time with her sister again, that was until she started questioning her.

"So how have you been?"

"I'm sure you already know that from the newspaper." Nami smirked at her sister. It never failed to amuse Nami how the newspaper wrote about their adventures, sometimes it was close to the truth and sometimes it was mostly made up.

"I want to hear your side. Most importantly what happened during the last two years? We didn't hear anything from you." Now Nojiko looked sad. "You know, we were worried about you."

Seeing the look her sister gave her Nami's smirked vanished and a gentle smile replaced it. She had trained so hard the last two years that she had forgotten that Nojiko and Genzo would be worried if they wouldn't read anything about the Straw Hats in such a long time.

"I'm sorry. I should have let you guys know that I was okay, but I was so focused on my training. We got separated at Sabaody Archipelago and Luffy let us know through the newspaper that we should all meet two years later at the same spot. During my time apart from the crew I was on Weatheria, which is an island in the sky. There were only old men who couldn't hold their liquor, believe me I tried to make a contest with them and it was useless, but they taught me a lot of things about the weather. In short, I perfected my skills so I could be a better navigator and when we all met again I realized that the rest of the crew had used our time apart to get stronger as well."

"Zoro definitely seems stronger. I mean back when they defeated Arlong I thought that he couldn't get more buff, but now he is even more well-built. He is good looking."

Not seeing the sly smile on Nojiko's face, Nami nodded absentminded. There was no harm in admit that Zoro was good looking, everyone could see that.

"He seems to care deeply for you, if he even came here with you." Nojiko continued.

"Well we're nakama and it was the most logical choice that it was him who came on this journey with me."

"I know you Nami. You aren't telling me the whole truth. There is more to it." Nojiko still insisted.

"And what would that be?"

"I have a feeling that you feel more for Zoro than pure friendship, not that I can blame you for falling for him. He is quite the catch."

"What?" Nami gasped, momentarily letting go of the tangerine that she was cutting.

"Well, he is hot and that quiet protector behavior is appealing."

"You are completely misinterpreting this." Now Nami couldn't hide the blush on her face any more, but that didn't mean thst she couldn't try to deny it. "We bicker all the time and he can't even find the right way on our ship because he has such a bad sense of direction."

"Then you two are even more perfect for each other, seeing that you're a navigator." Nojiko gave her a teasing smirk and Nami could only gap at her. "Seriously Nami, I'm happy for you. After everything you have been through you deserve a man who loves you."

Taking a deep breath Nami shook her head to clear her thoughts. Nojiko always knew when she lied, so she should have known that denying her feelings for Zoro in front of her was pointless. However that the swordsman felt the same was the farthest from the truth.

"He doesn't feel that way about me."

"What makes you so sure about that?" Nojiko's teasing tone changed to a gentle one.

"I might be his nakama, but that's it for him. He is too focus on his goal to become the world's greatest swordsman to notice my feelings and I'm alright with that. We all work so hard for our dreams and the last thing I want is hinder him."

"So you just give up and live with it?" Nojiko turned to her sister with an angry expression. "That's not the way Bellemere raised us and you know it." She was provoking Nami with this, but her sister had always been stubborn so a little more force would be necessary.

"Don't you really think that this is me giving up?" Nami got angry as well now. "Don't you think I want to tell him? I do, but for once I can't be that selfish. If he doesn't feel the same our friendship would be strained and it would effect the whole crew. We live on the same ship, see each other every day, fight side by side. Do you really think I could bear to see him after he rejects me."

That was the moment Nojiko realized that Nami had thought about the whole situation long and hard. However the blue-haired woman was sure that Nami was wrong about Zoro not returning her feelings. The concerned and gentle look he had given her during the conversation with Genzo spoke volumes. Nojiko knew that Nami was old enough to make her own decisions, even if she thought that they were wrong, but she wanted to tell her sister at least what she thought was the right thing to do.

"Nami, I'm not telling you what to do, but if you ask me I don't think he would reject you. I might not know him as well as you do, but I can see that he cares deeply for you and even if you all have a strong friendship that's not the way a man looks at a woman that he considers just his friend." Nojiko lay a hand over Nami's clenched one. "It's your life and you have to live with your own decisions, but I would go for it."

While Nami seemed to think about her words Nojiko smiled gently at her. Whatever her little sister would decide she would support her.

A/N: Please review and tell me what you think :)