Author's Note: Here's the third chapter for ya, ladies and gents. Life can be pretty damn difficult and complicated, can't it? It seems like it's always one thing after another, but I'm not letting it get me down this time. I will write my book, and I will share it with the world. I have to… Please enjoy, and keep strong out there. :)

Charmed Heart

Chapter 3

Confusion filled Nami as she seemed to not have any control over her body, and she was thrown into something strange. There was a fight. They were fighting. Who were they fighting? Why were they fighting?

She could see Luffy just before her, using magic she had never seen him use before, and she herself was using magic she was not familiar with. It seemed her enemy was out of focus, but she could tell it was a woman. What started this fight?

The image shifted, and she was now lying over the ground, reaching out towards Luffy with a bloody hand. He was gazing back at her, and from the blood dribbling from his lips, she knew it was not good. She took his hand within hers, and then she realized, his eyes were gazing off without any life within them. He was dead. "I'm sorry, my love," she heard herself whisper, and then another voice seemed to call to her, but she could not hear what was said.

Nami sat up with a gasp and a cry as she hyperventilated, clutching at the severe pain within her chest. It hurt; it hurt so much.

"Nami," Luffy called as he sat up beside her and reached out for her, though he hissed to the pain in his heart from her.

She cried out again in her disorientation and turned to press her hand to his bare chest. She gazed back at him, and she almost could not recognize him.

"Nami, it's okay - It's okay. It was just a bad dream. Come here," Luffy whispered as he pulled her into his arms, despite her weak attempt to push him back.

With each harsh breath she took, the harder and harder it was for her to breathe, and before long, she broke into sobs as she clung to him.

"Shh, it's okay…" he continued to whisper to soothe her as he caressed her back and also began rocking her.

It seemed like forever before she calmed down enough to think about the nightmare she just had. She never had such a horrible dream before, even after she had been attacked by all those men as well as her ten year enslavement with Arlong, and what was worse was how real it had seemed. She could almost remember the smells, and she definitely remembered the pain, physical and emotional.

"Nami, are you okay? What did you dream about?" Luffy whispered as he reached up to caress her cheek, but she just shook her head and buried her face within his chest. She could feel him sigh, and then he whispered, "Okay, I understand…" He then laid back down within the bed and brought her down to lie over his chest. "It wasn't about the time I kidnapped you, was it?"

The tiniest of giggles bubbled out of her, and she shook her head, nuzzling into his chest a bit.

The sound of his deep chuckle rumbled within his chest, and then he said, "Good… Was it about… Arlong? Or… when those men attacked you?"

She lost all humor, but then after a while, she gave a slow shake of her head. It was definitely not about those times. It was not even something that happened at all.

"I guess… that's good too. Sorry, I won't ask anymore," he whispered, and she knew he was just worried about her, but she did not want to talk about what she had seen in her dream; at least, not yet. She felt as he turned his head towards their window and whispered, "The sun is rising. Want to get some breakfast?"

"Yeah," she whispered after a while and sat up to offer him a hesitant smile.

"Okay, let's get ready then," he whispered and leaned up to kiss her forehead before tossing back the covers. She watched as he moved to pull on one of his crisp white shirts and tucked it within the pants he slept in.

With a sigh, she also moved to change behind the screen. However, she stood there for some time, but then she turned to stare at the screen separating them. She knew he was just on the other side, waiting for her to come out with the patience of a saint. Closing her eyes, she lowered her head and just changed into one of her many dresses.

As she walked out, she gave him a wary smile and said, "Okay, I'm ready."

He smiled right back and held his hand out for her to take. She glanced down at it, and then she stepped up to clasp it with hers. He then turned and led her out of their room towards the dinner hall.

Throughout the entire meal as Luffy and their friends laughed and chatted, Nami remained silent, only offering smiles when the others laughed. Every now and again, Luffy would glance in her direction, to which she could not bring herself to look at him. She knew he was still worried, and even more so, due to her silence. She could also feel as the others looked to her as well, most likely wondering if she was okay, but were being polite enough not to ask.

"Luffy, Nami."

Both Luffy and Nami turned to see Dragon standing just behind them with a solemn look to his face, and she could feel Luffy tensing beside her. She shifted her eyes towards him, but did not look at him, but then she looked back towards Dragon.

"What is it?" Luffy asked as he frowned back at his father.

"We need to speak to the both of you. It's urgent," Dragon replied, and he did not need to specify who "we" was.

Luffy nodded as he stood and turned to hold his hand out to Nami. Nami hesitated as she kept her eyes on Dragon, and she felt an ominous feeling wash over her. Taking Luffy's hand, she got to her feet and just allowed Luffy to lead her to Garp's office.

Garp held his gaze on the couple as they entered with worry etched onto his face, and this had Luffy even tenser, which made Nami tense. What was happening?

"What's going on?" Luffy asked as he looked between his father and grandfather.

"Have a seat, both of ya," Garp said, unblinking.

Nami looked up towards Luffy, who was frowning deeper now, seeing as he did not move forward to sit right away, but after a while, he did, leading Nami towards the chairs before Garp's desk.

"What's going on, old man?" Luffy now demanded as soon as both of them were seated.

Garp took a long, deep breath, and then he said, "We've been informed that war was declared against our guild."

"What?" Nami whispered as her eyes grew with shock to this news.

"Who the hell would be stupid enough to declare war on our guild!?" Luffy demanded in anger as he sat up.

"Someone plenty stupid… Teach has allied himself with that puppet master, Doflamingo, you let get away, and the two of them managed to break a few more of our enemies out of the heavily warded prison just two weeks ago," Garp said as he sat back within his chair.

"What!? Two weeks ago!? Why haven't you said anything sooner!?" Luffy demanded as he shot up from his chair.

"Sit down, boy," Garp said as he nodded back down to Luffy's chair.

Luffy scowled back at his grandfather for some time, refusing to comply right away, but then he dropped back down within his chair.

"Our scouts say they've fled far from here, most likely to regroup and plan their attack, but we know it's only a matter of time before they do attack. Honestly, we thought the dragon you brought back might have been the start of that attack," Garp explained.

"You still should have said something sooner. Two weeks is too long to have waited before telling me," Luffy said, keeping his deep frown fixed on his grandfather.

"Stupid boy, we've known about the declaration for a few months now," Garp replied with a huff.

"You, what!?" Luffy growled, looking even angrier as he stood up, slamming his palms into his grandfather's desk.

Garp narrowed his eyes at Luffy and said, "We weren't intimidated by their empty threats. They were just whining about you meddling with their affairs."

"And now that they've busted out a few other mages from prison, you finally feel threatened? Who the hell did they bust out?" Luffy growled with a half scowl in disgust.

Garp took another deep breath, and then he said, "Croc, Enel... Moriah... Pretty much everyone you've fought against and thrown in prison, which was a lot."

Nami took in a gasping breath at the mention of Moriah, and she shot up within her seat. That was the mage who had cursed Luffy with not being able to sleep.

Luffy's jaw took a gradual descent as he gaped back at his grandfather, and then so did he as he dropped back into his chair. However, when his grandfather lowered his eyes, Luffy whispered, "Pretty much everyone I've fought against? There's more... isn't there?"

"Yes, there's more," Garp replied as he lifted his eyes again towards them. "They've also freed Arlong... and Alvida, and some of my enemies, as well as Dragon's."

Nami took in a much harsher gasp as she stood right up and moved behind her chair to begin pacing, all eyes following after her.

After a moment of watching her, Garp broke the silence and said, "I've called back every member of the guild in preparation for an attack. The idiots may have also allied themselves with other mages for all we know."

"I see," Luffy replied in a thoughtful tone.

Nami could no longer hear their conversation as she continued to pace, and all she could think about was the dream she had that morning. The more she thought about it, the more she began to panic. When she finally realized they were calling her name, she gasped and turned to look back at them with fear in her eyes.

Her eyes found Garp's, and then she whispered, "That's why you gave me the necklace… and joined me to the guild."

"Yes… Being a part of this guild also offers you more protection. I understand that this means you are also a target and in danger," Garp explained, but then he said, "and at the same time, joining you to the guild was just… overdue. Your talents other than just your Charmed Heart ability are above average. You are a very intelligent girl, and you picked up the incantations and usage of magic far more quickly than most mages do. You are overall an exceptional mage."

Nami blinked back at the matter of fact way he stated such praise, and she felt her cheeks heat with the flattery. "I see…" she whispered after a moment as she lowered her eyes.

"Nami," Garp said, drawing her attention once more, "as I stated before, I have called back every member of the guild to fight in this upcoming war," he started, and her heart pulsed in a painful way before it dropped, knowing what he was about to ask next, "and seeing as you are new to magic, as well as the guild, I am asking you, if you will help us in the war to come. Will you help us?"

Sucking in her breath, her head snapped over towards Luffy, who was looking back at her, and that was the moment she realized that Luffy would be participating in this war without question.

"No."

Luffy lifted his chin slightly as he gazed back at her, but then he said, "It's okay, Nami. You don't have to fight."

"No!" she repeated with more force.

Appearing confused now, Luffy just stood up and went to her. "Nami, I already said it was alright. You don't have to fi-!"

"You can't fight either!" she cried, frantic as she reached out and clutched his robes over his chest. "You can't!"

He blinked to this as he leaned back, and his eyes shifted between hers, as if noting the deep terror behind the chocolate brown orbs. "Nami… I have to fight. This is my family's guild, and those are some of my enemies."

"That's why you can't fight! They'll be trying to kill you! You can't fight! You can't!" she cried as a few tears began to fall.

"Nami, I'm going to fight," Luffy replied in a much softer voice than she was using in an attempt to calm her.

"No! I'm telling you no! I can't let you! I won't!" she screamed in her panic as she pounded his chest with her fist, and the tears were now pouring down her face.

"Nami," he whispered as he wrapped his arms around hers to keep her from hitting him further, "I have to."

"Just as he said, I'm afraid Luffy has to fight. He's one of the strongest members of this guild," Garp said in a firm, no nonsense voice, though he sounded remorseful to the fact that she was terrified and in pain.

Now that she could no longer pound against his chest in her frustration and fear, as well as to the fact that she was not going to win this argument, she allowed herself to go limp against him as she began to sob and just clung to his robe. Her body began to quake, and so his arms tightened more around her to comfort her.

After a while of letting her cry it out, Luffy whispered to her, "I'm sorry, Nami. I have to do this, and I have to keep you safe, too. Let's go back to our room, okay?"

She did not speak, but she did nod her head. She wanted to be away from the other two men. She just wanted to be alone with Luffy.

"I'll be making an announcement for the other members present here at the guild tonight at dinner," Garp informed his grandson before he left.

"I understand. We'll be there," Luffy said and swept Nami up into his arms to carry her out while Dragon opened the door for them. "Thanks, Dad," he replied in a quiet voice to his father as he stepped out with Nami.

"You're welcome," Dragon muttered as he watched his son walk away with his fiery woman. Once they were out of hearing range, he muttered, "Just as I said… it wasn't easy."

"Of course not… She loves him," Garp muttered as well with a sigh as he leaned back within his chair to stare up at the ceiling.

Dragon moved back inside and sat down before his father. "Too bad she won't be fighting in the war. We really could have used her abilities."

"I'm not so sure she won't be."

"Oh? What makes you say that?" Dragon asked as he raised a brow at his father.

"I said so, didn't I? She loves him… a lot, and though she can be a bit of a coward, she's a fiery woman, and I know she would do anything to protect Luffy. After all, what usually takes women with her abilities years to learn their song of enchantment, she learned in a few minutes, all in order to protect him. She'll be fighting in the war right alongside him," Garp replied in a voice so quiet, he was barely heard.

"Protect him? Wasn't she trying to keep him from killing her? She was trying to protect herself," Dragon said, his brows rising higher, but furrowing as well.

"Is that the way you see it?" Garp asked in a casual tone as he continued to study the wood beams along his ceiling, as if they were the most fascinating thing in the world.

"Well… yeah… How do you see it?" Dragon asked, curious now.

"Don't you remember how love works?" Garp asked with a scoff. "She didn't want Luffy to be the one to kill her, because she knew it would hurt him most. She also didn't want to lose him by dying. She was desperate to save herself… because of him. Last thing she would ever want to do is hurt him in any way. Like I said, she'll be fighting."

Dragon scratched his forehead as he thought about this, and then he just shook his head. "You're strange, old man."

"Thanks," Garp muttered, still appearing in thought.

To Be Continued…

Ending Author's Note: Ouch, war, huh? Nami isn't happy. :( So, that's what they needed to talk to her/them about. X( Anyways, hope you guys continue to enjoy. As for me, I just realized I made a fairly huge mistake there at the end. Going to need to fix it before I post… You know, because I can do that since I wrote it all before posting it! :D BAHAHAHAHA! Until next time. ;)