A/N: I thought it needed this short bit to round off the story.
III: Girl Talk
Robin gently ushered Nami to the couch, where she promptly curled up again and continued crying. Robin patted her back comfortingly.
"What if he doesn't come back, Robin?"
"He will."
"What if he comes back married?"
"I doubt that would be the case," said Robin, feeling that her usual mode of humouring the crew's fears by taking the bleak angle wouldn't be suitable here. A line of arms sprouted from the couch to the other side of the room, where one arm grabbed a box of tissues and passed it back down the line to Robin. She handed the box to Nami.
"What if he comes back engaged?"
"Most unlikely."
Nami blew her nose. "How do you know?"
"I don't know," admitted Robin, "but I can make an educated guess."
"But –"
"Nami, my dear, if he was going to be married, I really think there's only one person right now whom Cook-san would want to marry. Don't you think so?"
Nami froze. Robin wondered why.
Oh ho. Did something happen between them? Interesting.
"We know that he's always sweet to the ladies," continued Robin, pretending she hadn't noticed. "But in that respect, hasn't it always been about you? Come now. Isn't it always and only you of whom he asks," – she cleared her throat and spoke in (a rather poor) imitation of Sanji – "'Have you fallen in love with me, Nami-swan?'"
Nami couldn't help a giggle amidst the tears. "You weren't made to be an impressionist, Robin." She rubbed the back of one hand across her eyes.
Robin smiled.
The tears were still flowing, though less than before. Robin stroked Nami's hair. "Don't worry."
Another line of arms dragged a rubbish bin over to where they say. One hand popped up from the couch and swept the small (still-growing) pile of used tissues into the bin.
"I can't help but worry," sobbed Nami.
"I know."
Several moments later, Nami said, "Robin."
"Yes?"
"I miss him."
Robin resisted the urge to say, "Awww, I know, dear." She had guessed as much when she found Nami in the kitchen with the box of biscuits on the table.
"He'll come back. And he won't be married. Or engaged."
Nami gave her a small, teary-eyed smile. "Promise?"
"Well, I can't promise that but how about this – if we find him married or engaged, I promise that this Pudding girl will 'accidentally' be lost at sea?"
Nami chuckled and wiped her eyes. "You can be so funny, Robin." She drew in a deep breath and tried to blink away the remaining tears. "If Sanji-kun comes back married or engaged, I think I might throw him overboard myself."
"Not strike him dead with lightning?"
"Okay, that's probably a better option."
They laughed.
An arm appeared on the table and threw the box of biscuits over. Robin caught the box and opened it. "Have a biscuit, Nami."
THE END