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ajwehri: hahaha your welcome; no biggie. Glad I could be of service. ^^ -huggles- hope you like my next chapter as much as the last one! :D

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A/N: ...WOOO... more shitty f*ed up memories ahead. Enjoy. *Remember! this = NOT THE PRESENT -points to story below line- *

oh and the bolded " *~xXx~* " is saying that its changing from past to present. just thought i'd point that out.


Sanji, the ghost, oozed out of the body to drift down and onto the ground; it felt like he'd had all of the energy sucked out of him. Well, geez, Zoro really was a bastard in this world if that memory was anything to go by. Sanji really, really didn't want to go back in there. What was there was so dark and depressing Sanji got chills remembering it again. Truth be told it was more negative than anything Perona's negative-negative ghosts could inflict.

Zoro had just returned with Molly and began telling her that Sanji's wrist had twitched not but moments ago. Molly wanted to believe him, truly she did, but she just...couldn't. Sanji Roronoa was practically brain-dead; movement was impossible.

Ghost Sanji rose to his feet, he needed to revive this body if he planned on getting anywhere with Zoro. And if that meant he had to relive every single shitty memory this guy had—then so be it. He dove into the comatose body for round two.

*~xXx~*

Nami rushed to the bar she knew Zoro was inevitably at. Oh...he was SO getting a piece of her mind...and her Clima-Takt... This was one thing that was totally unforgivable.

Nami burst through the doors of the bar to find Zoro sitting on a barstool conversing with the bartender. For some reason, Nami's anger left her and she calmly walked over to sit on the stool next to him.

"Blood Orange Bellini, please."

Zoro turned his head to face her, slowly.

"Nami," his gruff voice was hoarse and crackly, almost like he was losing it. He had deep bags under his eyes and his brow was furrowed with stress.

"What the hell, Zoro?"

"I don't know. Its just… something's weird, Nami."

She raised a brow and clenched her teeth in anger. "Yeah. Something's weird alright."

He stared at her. "What?"

"That's precisely what I'd like to ask you. What's with you? Why in the hell are you screwing around?"

Zoro looked confused. "What are you talking about? I woke up here like twenty minutes ago."

"Huh? What do you mean 'woke up'?"

"I was just asking the bartender how long I'd been here."

The bartender jumped in, "Yes, that's right, I told him he's been here for about two hours, perfectly awake and drinking himself senseless."

"Are you telling me you're having blackouts?" Nami looked to Zoro.

"Yeah. In the morning I'll wake up at some house that's unfamiliar, eat somewhere, and then… nothing. The rest of the day is blank. This is the first time I've been 'awake' since the morning," he sighed.

"How long have you been blacking out, Zoro?" Nami asked, her voice serious.

"Um… since…"

"Okay, let me rephrase that. What's the last thing you remember doing before blacking out for the first time?"

Zoro furrowed his brow deeper in thought, and then he smiled. "I was dancing with Sanji."

"Where?" Nami pried.

"Our reception?" Zoro looked at her as if it were obvious.

Nami paled and asked, "Zoro… how long has it been since then?"

"Uh… a week…? Why?"

That was bad. She gulped, "Zoro… that was three years ago."

"H-huh? Wh-what? That can't be! It's April 23rd 2008!"

"No… it's 2011."

Zoro sat dumbfounded. It couldn't be. "Then… Nami… what's Sanji been doing? Has he been alone this entire time?!"

"I think, Zoro, if you want to save your marriage you'd be better off talking to Sanji yourself." Nami slid off the stool and left the bar. She called Chopper.

"Chopper, I need you to call Zoro and get him to come in to see you."

"Huh? Why, Nami?"

"Because, for the last three years, Zoro hasn't been Zoro."

"HUH? What?"

"Zoro's been in a blackout since 2008, he remembers bits and pieces, but Chopper… he thinks its been a week since his wedding."

*~xXx~*

Zoro couldn't believe it. Three YEARS? How could that be? What had he been DOING? Zoro took out his cell-phone and dialed Sanji's number, which strangely wasn't in his contacts anymore. It didn't matter, because Zoro had the number memorized.

*~xXx~*

Ring… ring… ring… brr-ring.

Sanji uncurled himself from the couch, where Nami had left him and went to look at the caller-id.

Calling: BLOCKED

Sanji's eyes widened. Blocked? There was only one number he'd ever block… and that person hadn't called him for… years. Many years. Anger griped Sanji, and in his rage he flipped open the cell-phone and hit the green "answer" button.

"…"

"Hello? Hello?"

Sanji's eyes widened. His anger now forgotten he realized how much he'd missed that stupid, gruff voice of his husband. The tears wanted to fall again.

He held them back though, and replied, "… Wh-what?" it wasn't his steadiest voice, but Sanji was content with it.

"Sanji? Oh good, you picked up. Listen, we need to talk about—"

Sanji grit his teeth. "There's nothing to talk about. You made your feelings about me perfectly clear three months ago. I thought I told you never to call again."

"What? Sanji… what are you talking about? Never call again…? I don't understand…? Feelings? What feelings? Sanji, I love—"

"DON'T GIVE ME THAT BULLSHIT, YOU PIECE OF SHIT! You have NO right. No right…to say…" Sanji hiccupped and the tears finally fell, "To say those things to me anymore. Not after… not after THAT… how DARE YOU?! You…you're one cruel son-of-a-bitch, Zoro. Never speak to me again until I say so. Until I say it's ok for you to talk to me." Sanji hung up and buried his face in his knees. He sobbed, and sobbed, and sobbed his heart out until he couldn't cry any more. He stayed that way, all curled up in a ball on the floor, for a long time.

*~xXx~*

Bam.

….

Bam.

….

KNOCK

"Open the door, Sanji! So help me…! You've been in there for a week! Sir, please open the door…I'm really worried about him." Nami's voice came from behind the wooden door to his apartment.

It doesn't matter. He told himself.

Keys jingled in the lock as the man with her hurried to open the door. The door finally swung open and Nami had a heart attack when she saw him.

"OH MY GOD! SANJI?! SANJI?! CAN YOU HEAR ME?! Sir, please call an ambulance immediately! When they get here tell them to take him to Drum Hospital!"

"Y-ye-yes, ma'am!" The man ran out the door as fast as he could.

"SANJI!? SANJI?! ANSWER ME! PLEASE!"

Why? I don't want to, Nami…I'm so tired…

"SANJI! Oh my god… oh my god… SANJI, please TALK TO ME!" She slapped his cheeks and felt his for his pulse. Her breathing increased and she searched the apartment for a blanket and put the ones she found over his limp body.

"Oh my god, Sanji… How long have you been LIKE this?"

Who knows? Nami… I can't feel anything…it's so nice…peaceful…I think I'll just sleep… for a bit…okay?

"Sanji? No, no, no, NO! Keep your eyes open! Stay awake, Sanji!"

The cook's eyes drooped, even though he was trying to keep them open… for her sake. Sanji shivered. The room had been blurry before… but now it really was and he was feeling numb now too.

"Oh thank god! He's right over there! Please… you…help him!"

Huh? Why is Nami's voice so distant now…? I can't hear her… So tired…

Sanji slowly drifted into darkness, his weakening pulse pounded hard in his ears. His eyes drooped even further and the last thing he heard was Nami screaming his name.

I'll… sleep… now… and a smile graced his lips before his body shuddered and he closed his eyes.

*~xXx~*

Nami sat in the plastic chair and stared at the wall with a tortured look on her face. The way Sanji's body had just… she shivered.

The state he'd been in when she'd found him with the landlord…that had been so terrible. He looked so skinny with the way the clothes just hung so loosely on his body, his cheeks had been hollow, his eyes bloodshot with deep, black bags beneath them; his vacant, almost dead gaze as he stared into nothingness. His hair hung long and limp against his feverish face, the color no longer vibrant and healthy, the pallor of skin was paler than that of a vampire's. She'd thought him dead. Until she saw the very faint rise of his chest and just one blink of his eyes…she'd really, really believed he was dead. Worst of all about that was how his body was just… laying there. In the middle of the room in the very same clothes she'd last seen him in two weeks ago.

Nami held her shoulders and tried not to cry. Then she heard what sounded like a stampede coming down the hallway. She looked up and even though it was so like them…she couldn't smile.

They skidded to a halt in front of her. Franky, Robin, Luffy, Brook, Chopper, Usopp, Vivi, Kaya, Ace—all of them…they were all there. Except Zoro. And that pissed her off so much she couldn't speak to them for over five minutes.

"Nami, Nami, Nami! What's going on?! We came as soon as the hospital called! What's going on?!"

"Luffy," her voice was hoarse, "Sanji died."

The whole world seemed to freeze as she said that. Luffy's mouth opened in disbelief, and there was such incredible hurt in his eyes that it almost made her cry again. Almost.

"They…they said they were able to get his heart restarted, but…Luffy…he…his organs failed…that's what they said. They said he had multiple-organ failure. He… he was starving himself for two weeks, Luffy…and none of us knew. They don't even know if he'll make it through Sunday and its only Friday."

The group was quiet. Then Nami heard someone running towards them and she spun around to face him. If looks could kill, Zoro would be dead right now.

"YOU." She spat.

He came to a stop in front of her. "What?"

"YOU. YOU DID THIS!" She screeched.

Zoro stared at her perplexed. "What? I just got here from the airport…"

Nami hissed and screamed, "NO! YOU DID THIS TO HIM! HE DIED FOR THREE MINUTES, ZORO! Because. Of. YOU."

"Who…? Chopper just told me to get to Drum Hospital as fast as I could…"

Nami shook with anger. "Look around, Zoro. Who isn't here?" She spread her hands out.

His eyes widened. "Sanji? Sanji d-died?" Zoro's voice cracked.

"YES. Sanji did, Zoro. I thought I told you to FIX it with him! NOT make it WORSE!"

"I tried!" Zoro yelled right back, angry, "He yelled at me! He said I had no right to tell him I love him! He wouldn't let me explain! And he said that I 'made my feelings clear', whatever that means. THEN he says not to speak to him! So tell me, Nami, what should I have done, HUH?!"

"You… of all times to listen to him…you had to chose THEN? Why couldn't you have just…I don't know! Have been like usual?! The usual Zoro who doesn't listen to Sanji worth a crap! The usual one… who doesn't hurt the people he cares about!" Tears rolled down her cheeks. "You idiot…"

Zoro stood there shocked. "What…?" He looked around to his other friends. "Chopper…? What's going on? What does she mean?"

They all faced away from him, guilty looks on their faces. "Luffy…? Ace? C'mon, man! Tell me what the hell is going on?!"

Ace clenched his fists. "I can't believe it. You really don't know what could have caused this? Are you that fucking cold-hearted, Zoro? That you just conveniently forgot what you did to him?"

"What…? No! I don't know ANYTHING! Chopper, tell them!"

Ace looked expectantly at the short medical-student who was currently wringing his hands. "It's true…" he mumbled quietly, "Zoro doesn't know anything."

"What?" The group said at once.

Nami nodded. "I confronted him two weeks ago. He said that he'd just 'woken up'. At that time, he'd thought he and Sanji had been married a week, and before that the last thing he remembered was dancing with Sanji at their reception."

The group stared at the doctor and redhead.

"Nami… are you serious?"

"Yeah, Luffy. I am."

"Well, what caused his amnesia?" Franky asked.

"We don't know," Chopper said sadly.

The group all sighed in relief and stared yelling out "I told you so" and knowing that something wasn't right. Zoro, however, collapsed into the plastic seat.

"What," he swallowed thickly, "what did I do?"

The group hushed quickly again. "I think, swordsman-san, that it is only fair to let cook-san tell you that." Robin mused.

Zoro groaned and rubbed his temples. "What happened to me?"

Just then the doctor reappeared and gestured quietly to Nami. Nami looked at him confused, but followed him into the hospital room anyways.

*~xXx~*

Nami closed the door and was thrilled to see Sanji sitting up, propped against the pillows.

"Sanji!" She cried out gleefully.

The lithe male turned his head slowly, and what Nami saw broke her heart. "Oh…Sanji…"

Tears were rolling down his face in fast, steady streams. His shoulders quaked with tiny sobs and a hiccup tore itself from his lips every so often. The cook's eyes were still bloodshot, his nose running, and his skin still much to pale to be considered healthy. She petted his hair soothingly.

"Want to tell me what happened?" She asked carefully.

"… Zoro…" Sanji flinched at the name. "… He called me."

"And? What did he say?" Nami prodded just a bit.

"He basically acted as if he hadn't done anything wrong. Bastard even tried to tell me he loved me."

"Sanji, about Zoro… there's something you need to—"

"Shut up." Nami recoiled. Sanji never talked like that to a girl. She couldn't believe it.

"Geez, Sanji. Calm down and listen to me! Zoro doesn't actually—"

"Shut up. SHUT up. SHUT UP!" He hollered and put his hands over his ears.

Nami quieted and just frowned at him.

"I… can't do this anymore, Nami. I can't do it! But I…I love him! I love him so much…" He covered his face. "I don't know what to do…Nami…help me…" he begged her.

"Sanji-kun…Zoro does love you he's just…he hasn't been himself since the wedding."

"NO SHIT! I know that! You don't need to tell me that! I knew it when we got home that night that there was something wrong! I knew… but I thought I was imagining things. I thought that there couldn't have been anything wrong. Look where that got me." He snickered bitterly.

Nami clenched her fists together. "Idiot! He loves you! What happened…what he did…that wasn't him! Listen to me god damnit!"

A shadow crossed over Sanji's face. "Nami. Don't lie. It's not…" he hiccupped, "It's not funny, Nami."

"I'M NOT LYING! It wasn't him! He was in a black out! It was like he was possessed by something! You know him, Sanji! He would never do something like this without something supernatural being the cause! Sanji-kun, please… you must listen!"

Sanji turned to face her with dead eyes. "You're lying. Something like that…" He grit his teeth and tried not to sob, "…something like that couldn't possibly happen…!"

Nami turned and ran out of the room, slamming the door shut on her way out.

She walked up to Zoro, rage clear on her face. She pointed to the door and said with a malicious voice, "Get your ass in there and fix it. NOW."

Zoro gulped at her tone and rushed inside the room.

*~xXx~*

Sanji clenched the sheets in his hands. He didn't even hear the door opening again. But he felt that presence. He smelled that steely, sweaty, minty, and strangely musky smell that he'd know anywhere. If he thought back hard enough he could taste him again; he could remember the calloused palms and the uneven skin of that person's chest. And if he was feeling up to it: he could see the hazel eyes, the tan skin, the toned muscles—a brief smile—the green hair. He could hear the voice whispering his name in his ear at night. He could even feel those strong arms wrapping around his waist…

Zoro's arms wrapped around his husband's waist with a gentle lovingness that you wouldn't expect of the swordsman. Sanji smiled knowing it was only him that could bring out that side of Zoro. He prided himself on that.

The couple's feet were shuffling slightly in a dance. Sanji's own hands were placed on the older male's as they danced in a romantic embrace. Zoro then gripped Sanji's hand and spun him so they could waltz.

Sanji flashed the male a bigger smile—a grateful smile. Zoro hadn't wanted to take dance lessons for their wedding after all. The music changed to a faster beat; tango. It changed again to a salsa dance. The couple were spinning and twirling and sashaying and grinning at each other like there was no tomorrow. The beat changed and the couple danced the Macarena, the Cha Cha Slide, then the Russian Cossack dance that drove the crowd into hysterical laughter. Finally, the tune slowed as it returned to their first song and they ballroom danced across the floor.

Their eyes were filled with absolute love for the other. In that moment, there was nothing that could've torn the newlyweds apart. They lost themselves in the other's eyes and were completely oblivious to the murmured "awwws" coming from the crowd.

Nothing mattered more than the other in that magical, blissful moment of being one—of having their first dance. Sanji knew he'd ask Zoro if they could dance again like that. Knew that them dancing together would become a favorite pastime for them both.

To Zoro, Sanji was glowing…shining with sheer beauty. And he told him so.

"You're beautiful," he whispered in the blonde's—his blonde's—ear.

Sanji blushed cherry red. To him, Zoro was the most romantic, most gentle, caring person on the planet. Utter devotion shone in his eyes for his other half. He just would not be complete without Zoro in his life. He knew he'd never be able to live without Zoro and he wondered how he'd done it before all of this. He couldn't remember the how he had lived before Zoro came along.

"I love you," Sanji whispered back.

A tear slipped down his cheek.

Surprise, shock, astonishment, and guilt all clutched Zoro's heart as he watched his true love cry. Zoro went up to the bedside and sat in the chair. He looked down and placed his hand over the paler one still gripping the sheets.

"Sanji." He spoke softly, with gentleness.

The cook froze. His eyes moved to stare at the tan hand covering his own. He heard his name coming off those lips, speaking to him as they had on their wedding night. As they had when Zoro had been proposing. As they had when they were making love. As they had waking him from his slumber in the morning…as they had in his ear in the evening.

It'd been such a long, long time since he'd heard his name spoken like that—in that tone. It melted his heart and made him fall for the stubborn swordsman all over again. He told himself that this must've been a dream. A dream of the nicest sort, the kind you never wanted to wake up from. And he prayed to every god he knew that this was not a dream. That he would not wake up to find the other side of his bed empty and a hole in his heart where Zoro's existence had been, as he had so many times before.

Another tear rolled down his chin and Sanji flung himself at the taller male, sobbing.

"You idiot, you idiot, you idiot! I hate you. I hate you. I hate you, bastard! Leaving for all that time… it's about time you came back, stupid marimo!" He tightened his arms around the other's neck and cried fiercely into Zoro's shoulder.

Zoro chuckled and held his lover to his chest. He smelled Sanji's hair and relief came to his heart. "Sanji, I need to tell you how sorry I am. I haven't been myself since the wedding… I don't remember anything since the wedding… I guess you can say it's like a blackout? Anyway, I'm so sorry, Sanji. For leaving you the way I did. It'll never happen again, I promise. I don't know what I did to make you cry, but please tell me I can fix it. …Sanji?"

He knew it. This couldn't have been a dream. No… this was much too sad and agonizing for a dream. This was an absolute nightmare. He pushed Zoro away and screamed.

"NO! BASTARD! GET AWAY FROM ME! I HATE YOU! THIS…THIS IS JUST A NIGHTMARE! LEAVE ME ALONE! Go…go away…please…go away…"

Zoro sat there shocked. "Sanji…? What…? This isn't a nightmare! What are you talking about?! Please look at me I—" Zoro grabbed Sanji's cheek to turn him to face him. The anguish he saw there made him release Sanji's face and tackle the lithe male into the sheets.

He cupped Sanji's head and yelled almost right by his ear. "You idiot! Wake up! Come back! This isn't a dream, I swear! Please…wake up! Realize I'm here, idiot!"

Sanji stopped thrashing to breathe and cry and look at the man who was holding him down. His eyes widened and his breath caught.

"Z-Zoro…?"

"Finally…" The older man smiled with relief. "You came back…"

"What…?" the blonde's brows furrowed.

"Sanji, you went hysterical for a minute there…really scared me…"

Sanji blinked and looked at Zoro confused. "You…you're…you…"

"Well of course I'm me! Who the hell were you expecting?!"

Sanji frowned and whispered, "Whoever it was that's been you for the last few months."

"Sanji, about that, I—"

"I don't want your apologies. I don't wanna know what made you go 'evil'. All I want is for you to leave."

"What…?" Zoro was hurt.

"Go. Now. I don't…I don't think I can ever see you again after what happened. It hurts too much. I don't wanna walk on eggshells, afraid that you'd return to being 'evil'. I can't live that way. So, I'm asking you to leave." Sanji put an arm over his eyes.

Zoro dropped down onto Sanji's legs. "I want to fix this, Sanji."

"I don't."

"Will you at least tell me what I did?"

Sanji did not answer for several minutes. "…No."

"Why not, damnit?!"

"Because. If you don't know then it's pointless."

"THEN GET ANGRY AT ME, DAMNIT! Punch me! Hit me! Do something other than…than…THIS!"

"…"

"Sanji. How am I supposed to atone if you don't punish me somehow?!"

"I…don't have the energy to kick your ass right now. I don't think I ever will. Leave now, Zoro."

Zoro lifted himself off of Sanji's middle and onto the tile floor of the hospital.

"Despite what you think, I still love you. I've loved you since the day I asked you to hang out with me. I don't know what happened to make you doubt that, but I do. I love you with all my heart and soul, Sanji. Don't ever forget that." And then…the swordsman walked out of the room with hunched shoulders.

It took all of Sanji's willpower not to call out to him. With Zoro's retreating back, another piece of his heart died.

*~xXx~*


The "ghost" rose out of the body and sat on the edge of the bed. For a long time he just sat there, feeling numb. God, life sucked.

"You know what must be done now, yes?" The angel of death asked, appearing in front of Sanji's withered form.

"Yeah," he croaked.

The being smiled, "Excellent."

"How do I do it though? If the body I'm supposed to be in is a vegetable?"

"There is no need to worry about that, Sanji." The angel frowned, "you will fix their relationship, yes?"

"Yes," Sanji whispered miserably.

"In that case, we can fix this body here. Or at least, enough so that these two lovers can speak."

"You can't heal him all the way?"

"No…unfortunately…But we can wake him up. We can extend his lifespan."

"Wait…'extend'? What do you mean 'extend'?"

"You said it yourself: he's a vegetable. Most patients in a continuous vegetative state do not ever recover. He has been this way for weeks, and in a coma before that. Recovery is…unlikely."

"What? Weeks?! The last time I checked he'd only been a vegetable for a few days!"

"Memory viewing can take longer than expected. We can wake him up, but it requires a price."

"I already gave you a fucking payment! My service! I never wanted them to get back together! Because the other Sanji—the other me—asked me not to! I gave my word! I think my fucking service is plenty enough."

"You have already paid. I was referring to him." The angel nodded her head to Zoro.

"Zoro…? Why him? Why two payments?"

"You are right. Zoro has already paid his dues. How silly of me to have forgotten."

Sanji blinked, totally perplexed. "Huh?"

"Oh, never mind. This shall take some time, I'm afraid. Oh, your spirit must be in the body. Good luck, Sanji. We angels shall forever remember the debt we owe you."

Now Sanji was really confused. Which was slowly not becoming a concern any more. His body felt warm and he was getting sleepy. As his consciousness faded he was vaguely aware of a pulling sensation that was tying him to something. To what, was his last thought.

~∞†∞~


A/N: T.T this chappie made me sad. Anyhow~ I will now point out the new symbol thing-y I used at the end of this chappie. If you will recall, it means "SANJI SWITCH" xDD haha…that's still funny to me lol…XD

I hope ya'll liked/loved this chapter! I don't have a Beta so sorry for any mistakes or minor confusion… if you have questions please leave a review! If you want to poor your heart into a review saying how much you hate me for being evil to Sanji and/or how sad ZoSan is in this fic, that's fine too ^^ Comments in general would be lovely since it feels like I haven't gotten very many reviews…. :(

but those who have and those who have followed this fic I THANK YOU~! ^^ 3 love you guys!

TBC