AN: I realize it has been a while since I updated this fic. I'm sorry about that. I struggled with this chapter (and the other two that follow it) and I'm still not 100% happy, but this fic has been languishing on my hard drive long enough. Hopefully this chapter (and the others, once I'm ready to post them, too) won't suck too bad. :)

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.: Veritas :.
part three (reunion)

Between the constant fidgeting and face-splitting grins, Luffy was a bundle of excitement and anticipation. Were it not for the large air bubble the three of them occupied (something that Jinbe-chan insisted they use as he was worried there might not be enough breathable air for them), Nami was certain that he would be pacing around the inside of Megalo's mouth and probably end up wandering down the poor shark's esophagus for fun.

"I wish we were on his back!" Luffy said, his voice filled with child-like enthusiasm as he peered up at the roof of the shark's mouth. Jagged teeth circled them from all sides like stalagmites and stalactites, complete with the damp, cave-like darkness. Rays of sunlight filtered into the mouth between the rows of teeth, granting them just enough light to see their surroundings and each other, but casting the world in a surreal mix of sharp edges and long shadows with the steady rhythm of Megalo's beating heart filling their ears.

It was more than a little disconcerting to be standing inside the mouth of a shark, but to his credit, Megalo did a remarkable job of keeping his jaw perfectly still. Even so, Nami was wary of his pointed teeth, and the rows of replacements just waiting to spring forth should he lose one.

The situation didn't phase Luffy one bit. He smiled at them both and said, "The view from up there is so cool. You can see everything!"

Robin grinned in amusement as Nami rolled her eyes. "Jinbe-chan told us to stay put, Luffy," the navigator said. "His plan won't work if they see us coming."

He made a disapproving sound from the back of his throat as he crossed his arms over his chest and pouted.

"Besides," she added, "stealth is important for Robin and me."

"But it's booooring in here," he whined. "And it smells."

"We're probably smelling whatever Megalo ate last, and considering he's a shark I'm sure it was something quite bloody." Nami blanched as Robin simply smiled, "I doubt we'll be here long, Luffy. You won't miss out on any of the fun."

Nami agreed but the captain didn't seem entirely convinced. Since seeing the video feed of Hody Jones threatening to kill the King and Zoro, Usopp and Brook, he had been anxious to confront him. It took quite a lot of effort on Jinbe-chan's part (and a couple of solid punches) to get Luffy to finally agree to his terms. And now they were on their way to Gyoncorde Plaza inside the mouth of a giant shark.

Sometimes it genuinely boggled Nami's mind how her life became so strange.

"I don't wanna hide," Luffy grumbled and the navigator sensed that he was becoming restless. One didn't have to know the captain long to understand how extremely unpredictable a restless Luffy could be. With that in mind, she knew she had to try to quash that now.

"Just for a little while, Luffy," Nami said as she gave him an encouraging smile.

His pout tightened into something close to a scowl and she almost laughed at the ridiculous way he pushed his bottom lip out at her. Eyes narrowed and arms folded over his chest, he looked like a sulking toddler.

"Hiding is good strategy, you know," she reminded him.

The captain clearly disagreed. "Attacking directly is better."

Nami couldn't outright argue that particular tactic. It seemed to suit Luffy quite well as he had no problem charging at an enemy directly, usually with a lot of shouting. Still, there was a place for stealth and she knew he knew that, too. He just needed to be reminded.

"Staying hidden can work to a pirate's advantage," she said. "Less Navy to deal with, less competition from other pirates… Plus, it's the best way to steal valuables!" She smiled and winked. "Besides, Robin and I need the element of surprise for us to accomplish our mission."

"We shouldn't hide," he repeated and Nami felt her patience begin to ebb. He had this argument with Jinbe-chan already. It was a settled issue. Now was not the time to rehash it. "I'd rather he see us coming and know he's gonna get his ass kicked. By me!"

"Luffy..."

"Doing it this way is boring."

Nami looked toward Robin for some support, but the older woman seemed content to examine the row of giant shark teeth to her immediate right. She sighed and tried to reign in her annoyance, but his sulking toddler act was quickly growing old.

"This way takes too long," he continued as Nami's gaze quickly morphed into an annoyed glare. "My way would've been a lot quicker."

"You'll be fighting Hody soon enough, Luffy!" she snapped as she rounded on him. "But to free everyone and steal back Otohime's letter of support from the World Nobles, we need stealth!"

He grunted, but remained silent. His lack of retort did nothing to lessen her ire. He had, after all, fallen asleep while Jinbe-chan was explaining the origins of Hody Jones and though that was typical, it was still aggravating.

"Should just go in, like I said, and rescue the crew. Then kick Hody Jones' ass and then get the thing from the whatever and stuff."

"The letter," she corrected.

"Yeah," he said, tone clearly reflecting his disinterest in the subject as he gave one of Megalo's teeth a curious perusal.

He was tuning her out, Nami realized. Which meant he likely had other "strategies" in mind for what to do once they got to Gyoncorde Plaza. While there was no doubt in her mind that Luffy could beat Hody, her real concern was for the safe retrieval of the letter. After Jinbe-chan's explanation about Hody, the Sun Pirates and subsequent apology for Arlong, Nami wanted to do this for him and all of the people of Fishman Island. Luffy could seriously make things difficult for her and Robin if he didn't go along with the plan.

"You promised Jinbe-chan," she reminded him as she took a step toward him. His gaze immediately snapped to her face. "Luffy, the plan is that we are going to sneak in, get the letter and free the King and his sons."

He scowled and Nami's patience left her at once. As he opened his mouth to speak, she grabbed a handful of his vest and gave him a hard shake. "Don't mess this up, Luffy! If Hody knows we're after the letter he'll probably destroy it, so we HAVE to sneak in."

"Can't destroy it if we beat him up first. He called me out, all of us, so we shouldn't hide!"

"We're not… why can't you…" Nami clenched her jaw in annoyance as her fingers tightened on his vest. "Catching him off guard isn't the same as hiding. Using stealth to launch an attack isn't hiding, either! We've sneaked into plenty of places and you didn't complain then. Jinbe-chan's idea is a good one! Stealth works! The element of surprise works! Gol D. Rogers, Buggy... even the Whitebeard pirates used stealth to get into Marineford during..."

Her voice trailed off as soon as her brain caught up with her mouth and her cheeks reddened with regret. In the heavy and awkward span of seconds that flowered from the sudden quiet, Nami uncurled her fingers from Luffy's vest and took a half-step away from him, her heart dropping sickly into her stomach.

She hadn't meant to bring it up like that. She had wanted to talk to him about it, to express her concern for him and grief at his loss — but the moment to do so never came. They had been so busy, so preoccupied with so much happening all at once...

And now the heartache of Marineford was there, floating in the air like a phantom that everyone could see but no one was quite sure how to acknowledge. Nami hoped that her thoughtless comment hadn't somehow reopened old wounds. She knew Luffy was resilient, but he was also human — and right now he was being uncharacteristically quiet.

Swallowing hard, she knew now was the time to discuss the past. She would apologize to him for not being there when he needed them most, she would express her own grief at his loss, she would tell him that she was sorry for not listening to him when he told them to run, that she had dedicated herself to training and study so that she could be the crew-mate, friend and navigator he needed to become the Pirate King.

As she opened her mouth to speak, Robin beat her to it.

"I heard the details about what happened at Marineford from Ivankov and Inazuma, Luffy," Robin said, voice tender. "More than what the papers reported."

Silence fell between them as Luffy's expression became strangely distant, no doubt remembering what happened there. Her heart twinged at the sight.

"I'm sorry we weren't there for you," the older woman said. "All of us wanted to be."

"You met Ivan-chan?" Luffy asked, his eyes brightening a bit.

"Ah, I did," her lips quirked upward. "He's an... interesting fellow."

Luffy chuckled. Nodded. "He helped me out a lot!"

The silence returned. After a handful of seconds, Nami said, "Sorry about Ace, Luffy."

His expression drooped a bit as his shoulders sagged, just for a second or two, then he straightened himself again. She knew he wasn't comfortable talking about his brother and probably didn't want to discuss the events at Marineford at all, but she had to ask, she had to know...

"Are… are you okay?" Nami asked delicately. "The... scar..."

He grinned at her, wide and dimpling as he thumped his chest with his fist. "Everyone helped to save me! Ivan-chan, Jinbe, Rayleigh and that Trafalgar guy... Lots of people!"

Robin smiled, but said nothing. She was probably wise to do so, but Nami pushed forward. After two years of wondering and worrying, the need to know, to ask, was just too much.

"But what..? Where... I mean, there were rumors that you... you died," she said. "The newspaper said you were injured and then you went missing for weeks only to suddenly show up again—"

"That was Rayleigh's idea," he interrupted. "Sorry to worry you."

Nami opened her mouth to say more, but Luffy chuckled and said, "I was afraid you guys wouldn't get my message, but you all did! Everyone got some good training, right? I can't wait to see what everyone can do now!"

"I'm sure the crew is much improved," Robin said and Nami knew then that Luffy wasn't ready to share the details just yet.

She wished he would. She still wanted to know what happened to him when he went missing at the end of the battle until he suddenly reappeared at Marineford and rang the bell. She wanted to know details, but he wasn't in a mind to tell them. Not yet, at least. The initial reports were that he had been taken away by the Heart Pirates with the Navy in hot pursuit. The article she read implied that Luffy would soon be caught, if he hadn't been already, and Nami had been worried sick.

Days went by with no updates... then the rumors began.

The world was eager to know what happened to the pirates that managed to escape Marineford. To sate that need (and sell more newspapers), hearsay, theory and speculation were printed as though they were fact. Witnesses suddenly began to pop up claiming to know where Luffy was or what happened to the surviving Whitebeard Pirates. Nami read each story, knowing instinctively that most of the 'facts' were anything but. Somewhere in that tangled mess of rumors, a nugget of truth had to exist. She just needed to find it.

Between the claims that the Heart Pirates had been captured to the theory that the Straw Hat Captain had never actually left Marineford at all and was actually being held in Enies Lobby, one fact always remained — Luffy had been gravely injured. The description of his injuries were so horrific that many doubted he was even alive at all. But, there was no body. And if there was no body, there was no proof that he was actually dead — so Nami clung to her hope.

"Kuma sent you to Amazon Lily?" Robin asked conversationally, pulling the navigator from her thoughts.

Luffy chuckled, "Yeah, Sanji might have died if he was sent there. They don't have any men. None! They don't even know what balls are!"

Robin giggled as Nami rubbed her brow and wondered if she should follow up on that statement with a question, then immediately decided against it.

"But they were real nice and had some of the best food. Not as good as Sanji's food, but still pretty good. And lots of sea king meat!" He grinned, "Where did Kuma send you, Robin?"

"East Blue."

Both Nami and Luffy's eyes widened and Robin smiled as she continued, "I was sent to a place called Tequila Wolf and eventually ended up working with the Revolutionary Army. That's where I met Ivankov and Inazuma. I met a lot of interesting people, in fact. I think you might like to meet a few of them someday, too, Luffy."

Nami noted the way Robin studied Luffy for a reaction to the implication that she may have met his father, but he simply smiled at her. He either didn't catch her meaning or didn't care. Nami guessed it was the latter, but he continued to smile at her.

"That'd be fun!" he said.

The corners of Robin's lips quirked upward. "It might," she agreed. "They were all very nice and helpful with my training to improve my abilities with the Hana Hana no Mi."

"Really?" Luffy asked, eyes wide and sparkling. "Like what?"

The archeologist gave an enigmatic quirk of her lips, "You'll see."

"Oh, I can't wait! It's going to be so awesome! I bet Zoro and Sanji can do all kinds of new stuff. And Franky is so big! He has new weapons! I can't wait to see them! And his hair! We're going to have so much fun!"

Robin simply smiled as Luffy continued to ramble excitedly. Nami considered asking her about the details of her time spent at Tequila Wolf. She had heard the name before and knew it to be a bridge under permanent construction that utilized slave labor. It was in an area of East Blue that she made a point to avoid during her time as a cat thief under Arlong's thumb. How Robin went from being sent to a government-run slave camp to working with the Revolutionary Army was a story she definitely wanted to hear.

"Oi, Nami," Luffy said. He bounced once on the balls of his feet, his eyes bright with curiosity. "Where did Kuma send you?"

"Weatheria," she said. Robin and Luffy gave her a questioning look and she smiled. "It's part of the Sky Islands. It travels the circumference of the world studying weather and climate."

Excitement colored his visage as his lips curled upward, "Oooohh, you went to the Sky Islands? Did you see Conis and Pagaya?"

"Not Skypiea," she corrected, knowing the difference wouldn't matter to him. "Just Weatheria. It was nowhere near as fun as Skypiea, but I learned a lot there. I got to study the science of weather, specifically the weather of the New World, as the island traveled over it. I was also able to study the ocean currents in the New World." She grinned, winked, "So wherever you want to go, Captain, I promise I can get us there!"

Silence reigned for several seconds and Nami was a bit perplexed by the pensive expression on her captain's face. Then he tilted his head at her, his lips forming a tight line as he studied her.

"You went to the New World?" he asked.

His question took her aback, her brain stuttering for a moment over what he meant. She had expected him to be pleased, instead he looked disappointed.

"Huh?"

"You've already been to the New World," he repeated. "Without us?"

Understanding at once, she was quick to clarify. "Oh. Oh, no. We floated over the New World. Far above. I didn't step foot on any of the islands or navigate any of the oceans." His features softened at her words and she smiled at him. "What fun would it be to explore an island in the New World without you and everyone else?"

"Indeed," Robin said. "But I'm sure your trip was very educational."

"It was," she agreed. "We were only flying over the New World for a few weeks at a time. The island kinda zig-zagged around, it doesn't float in a straight line. During the time we were there I dedicated myself to study and training. I didn't want to know any specifics about the islands of the New World unless I needed to know something to help with navigation. I'll see those islands for the first time with all of you."

Visibly relieved, Luffy dipped his head down until his eyes were shadowed by the rim of his hat. He was quiet for several seconds as Robin and Nami watched him, wondering what was going through his mind.

"I really missed you guys," he said, tone unusually somber. There was a beat of silence that followed his statement and Nami exchanged a curious glance with Robin when Luffy continued.

"I can't do anything by myself," he said, lifting his eyes to regard them as he adjusted his straw hat. "When I first got to Amazon Lily I panicked without you guys! Then I remembered I had the Vivre Card, but I'm no good at building a raft and I can't cook or figure out ocean currents or anything like that. Hancock and the other girls were real nice and helped me out a lot, then Rayleigh trained me up until about six months ago, but I really missed my nakama."

"Six months?" Robin asked. "But you were the last to arrive at Sabaody Archipelago."

"Yeah, Rayleigh had to leave so I finished the last of my training alone," he said, then sighed.

Nami's stomach clenched at the tone of his voice and the unusually downcast expression. He'd suffered without them, without their support and comradery. She could see that there was a quiet pain within him that went beyond the loss of his brother or the loneliness he must have felt for the last six months. What it was, exactly, she wasn't sure, but it reverberated through her and left her with the feeling that there were fears and worries buried deep within him, far beneath his normal genial and carefree disposition.

An instinctual urge to comfort him coiled around her heart and made her ache, but she resisted acting on it. To do so would not only risk revealing the full extent of her feelings for him, but would most likely deepen them. Worse, she wasn't entirely certain that Luffy would want her to.

"It's good to be back together," he said, voice edged with emotion as he smiled at them. "It was a long two years."

With those words, her body, her soul, seemed to vibrate with the desire to act. Clenching her jaw, she made up her mind to listen to her heart. With three steps forward, she pressed herself against Luffy and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. Surprised by the sudden contact, his body immediately stiffened.

"I— I missed you, too," she whispered and she felt him slowly begin to relax against her. A second later and his arms circled around her to return the hug. "We all missed you."

It was comforting to feel his closeness and she hoped the feeling was mutual. Truthfully, she wanted to hug him the moment she first saw him, but with the Navy after them and the importance of her role in making sure the ship successfully submerged and evaded their pursuers, she had no choice but to focus on the business at hand.

Now, in the few moments they had before they confronted Hody Jones, she realized that she needed to hug him, to feel the realness of him. In the back of her mind she knew the embrace was lingering a bit longer than what would be considered appropriate between friends, but she couldn't help it. She was reluctant to let him go though she knew she should.

As she made up her mind to do so, she felt his arms suddenly tighten around her, his breath tickling her neck as he gave a quiet sigh. It was such an unexpected reaction out of him, so calm and quiet, so out-of-character for someone as normally boisterous as him, that a flutter of worry tickled along the edges of her mind and she wondered if he was really okay.

Was there something more troubling him? Or was it possible that he was simply relishing the moment, like she was? Could he have wanted, needed, this kind of physical contact as much as she did?

An inquiry was on the tip of her tongue when the sound of Robin politely clearing her throat marked the end of their time together. The warmth of Luffy's arms quickly left her as he stepped away, his eyes crinkling around the edges as he grinned. Heart pounding hard in her chest, Nami tried her best to push back the blush she knew was already coloring her cheeks as she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.

"I think we're getting close to our destination," Robin said, a knowing smile playing about her lips as she gazed at them both. Nami was certain the archeologist would have something to say about that hug later.

Shoulders squared and chin held high, Nami cleared her mind as she withdrew the pieces of her Sorcery Clima-tact and quickly assembled them. "All right," she said, expertly spinning the staff as she moved near Robin. "When my mirage takes effect you'll know it because everything will appear a bit blurry around the edges. That's due to the light bending around you. When the mirage envelops you, you'll be just as invisible to me as I will be to you, so we need to work out a plan to transfer the keys once I lift them."

"No problem," Robin said and one of her arms suddenly sprouted from her lower back and gently curled around her waist. "It'll be out of your way like that," she explained. "When you get the key, just put it in my hand," the hand attached to Nami's body wiggled its fingers for emphasis, "I'll take care of the rest."

The navigator smiled, "Sounds good." She began to twirl the staff in her hands and the air around them suddenly felt cooler. "Time to disappear!"

As she spoke, Robin's feet vanished. Then her calves, followed by her knees, thighs and hips. Luffy gave an excited whoop as he clapped his hands and grinned. Then the older woman faded completely from sight.

"You can move freely while the mirage is active," Nami said as her own body began to slowly disappear. "But be mindful of sound — if you do something to make a lot of noise, they'll hear it."

"Of course," Robin said from seemingly out-of-nowhere. The sound of her disembodied voice made Luffy laugh.

"Once I get the keys to Robin, then it should be your turn, Luffy."

His hands curled into fists as he said, "I'm gonna kick that guy's ass! Just watch!"

"Remember to wait for Jinbe-chan's signal," she reminded him and he nodded a split second before they felt the sudden jolt of Megalo landing. They heard voices outside, distant shouts, but nothing similar to the sounds of battle. At least, not yet.

"We should go while it's quiet," Robin said and Nami guessed she was already making her way out of the shark's giant mouth.

Nami moved to follow, but paused beside the captain. She knew he couldn't see her, but she got the sense that he knew she was there right next to him. Gently touching his hand with her fingertips, he responded to her touch by curling his fingers around hers.

"Be careful, Luffy," she whispered.

He inclined his head in assent.

"And beat the hell out of him," she added, giving his hand a quick squeeze. His only reply was to simply grin, wide and dangerous.

As Nami made her way out of the shark's giant mouth she couldn't help but to feel the tiniest bit of pity for Hody Jones. The poor bastard had no idea what was about to happen to him. And, if she had any say in the matter, they would be very handsomely rewarded for the service before the day was through.

(TBC)


AN: So when the crew all reunited after two years of being apart, I was totally disappointed by the lack of hugs. Primarily the lack of hugs between Nami and Luffy. ;) I rationalized that they couldn't hug right away because of all the stuff happening while they departed for Fishman Island, but I still needed my moment of fluff. Hence this chapter.

Also, yes — I characterized Nami as being more reserved than she normally is. And this is something I struggled with, but I kept coming back to these two facts:

1) They've been apart for two years and a lot happened during their separation. Ace died, Luffy did intensive training and Nami also did some intensive training/studying. Two years apart would require some "let's get reacquainted" time for everyone. Where did you end up? What did you do? What new things did you learn? etc. Which is what the time inside Megalo's mouth is supposed to be.

2) This is the first time Nami has been able to have an actual conversation with Luffy after accepting the fact that she is in love with him. The circumstances are still messed up, granted, but they're not running from the Navy or trying to survive an underwater attack or listening to Jinbe explain who Hody Jones is, etc. So not only have they been apart for two years, but now there's feelings involved. Things are the same, but a little different — so the characters are going to be a little different, too.

Next chapter — they finally "admit" how they feel. Kinda-sorta. :P