Two Notes for the chapter:

1: I'm not terribly familiar with the Heart crew. I know Law, but the rest are a bit of a mystery to me. They haven't had a lot of development, and to be honest, I may or may not have totally skipped through the pre time skip part that vaguely had them in it. (I do enjoy One Piece, but there are a bit too many characters for me to care about and that particular arc had all of them minus the crew that I did care about.) That in mind, I don't know if I got their jobs or personality right aaaand I sometimes try to keep them off to the side as much as possible (*coughkindoflikeOdaisdoingnowcough*)

2: I looked at the picture of the Heart Sub and… I kinda don't get it? Because it's made to look like a pirate ship and still be a sub… but I didn't see a top hatch – just normal looking doors. So, for the purposes of the story, we're going to pretend those magical doors only work when in port and there is an actual hatch for them to use because… we're going to realism in an anime about magical fruits.

Shhhh.

Thanks for the Memories
.:Part 4; But my eyesight is going bad:.

She flies through the air, almost floating. Her feet are in front of her, ready to tuck and roll out of pure habit from when she had to worry about pain of impact. She hits the deck and it's a lot smoother than she expects. Her legs continued to move, pushing her towards the submarine's open hatch. Law is there, watching, waiting. His face reveals no expression. Water laps at her feet. She imagines that she is causing ripples and splashes. By the time she reaches her destination, she is ankle deep in the water that's pouring over the sides of the sinking ship. When she jumps in the open and waiting hole, a small part of her right side passes through Law on her way down.

It's none of my business. Pain in the-

She hears the hatch close above her while she shudders out the gassy feeling from the ghost limbs. The sound of the captain's descending footsteps echoes in the metal passage. It's the first time she's been in a sub and immediately she can tell the difference between the heart submarine and her own home ship. The metal walls around her are close and she fights of the caged feeling. When he reaches the bottom, Law skips the last perch of the ladder, opting to hop down. Nami's arms cross over her chest "This isn't permanent." She points out. It is as much for her benefit as it is his.

Law shrugs. He turns his back to her, giving her a nice view of the pirate signia on his coat. He begins to move down the hall, one hand tracing the walls, the other holding his sword at his hip. Nami's lips tighten before she follows after him with purposeful steps.

"I'm just here to figure out why I'm still a ghost." She insists, matching his footsteps. The echoing is loud in her already ringing head. She tries to ignore it. Before she can continue, Nami hears a new muffled voice. Law nods at his crewmate and his arm stretches out to relinquish is sword. Nami's face scrunches up. He's ignoring her again. Why did she follow this bastard again? The voice becomes clearer as the pirate gets closer.

"You sure?" She recognizes Bepo's voice.

Law's shoulders shrugs once. "Not really my choice."

" Okay, then. I'll make sure the crew is ready to go." Bepo finally comes into view as he squeezes passed Law with an arm raised. "Welcome aboard!"

"I'm not passing on without saying goodbye to my crew!" Nami continues after the bear had disappeared from her line of sight. She has to quicken her steps to catch with the captain's long strides.

"Do what you want, Nami-ya." Law finally answers. And despite finally getting some sort of response, Nami feels annoyance build up in her. There is something nagging at her – tugging at the back of her frazzled brain. She opens her mouth to comment on his less than helpful and concerned attitude when she is interrupted.

"Yo, Nami. I heard from Bepo," Nami's head snaps around to see Penguin waving at her. When their gazes meet, lips tip downward. "You're lookin' a little pale there."

"Shove it before I charge you for looking." It's an automatic response. Nami turns to continue following Law, but he has stopped and is staring at her with a calculating yet expectant stare.

Normally Nami is one of the quickest with the uptake. She could even be considered one of the smartest out of East Blue and on a good day could rival Robin. Still, ever since she'd found herself haunting the ship, her world had taken a bit of a turn and she wasn't quite feeling herself (or feeling at all – as Brook would joke if he could see her) and she wasn't quite up to par. Thus, it would take her a longer time than usual to pick up on the sudden change. Something is off – or rather, the fact that it isn't off is what rings so many bells. It rattles around in her stressed brain for just a mite longer than it would normally take her.

When the exact and potential meaning of the past few minutes does connect and create sparks, Nami feels that dangerous emotion erupt in her chest. Hope has a funny way of feeling like it could make you fly and crush your soul to the ground at the same time. It's not for the first time that she wonders how she is still feeling despite having no physical nerves.

"They did see me, right?"

Law does not comment on the obviousness of her question – though nor did he answer it. His dark gaze continues to bear down on her, always calculating. She can almost see the gears turning in his head. Not one to back down from a stare, her arms cross over her ample chest and returns the calculations with equal fervor, waiting for him to speak. So her crew couldn't see her, but the Heart Pirates can. What did it mean? Was there something wrong with her and the ships members? Or were the Heart pirates coincidently supernaturally gifted? What is Law thinking? Nami's annoyance level rose. The latter question itself doesn't bother her – Law is an intelligent calculating planner and of all the people she could have been stuck with, he isn't close to the worst. But she found that she cared what he thought – what he would say. Whether it is because she needed his help or because she put so much value into his words didn't matter. She can feel her lips facial expression turning sour.

When Law does finally speak, his words are firm, "I think we should call a ship meeting."

"So you mean we can see ghosts?" Bepo turns to Law, his beady eyes glistening slightly. His food lay forgotten and unwanted in front of him.

"Not unless we're all going crazy." Law assures the bear. Bepo thinks about it, looks at the see through girl sitting next to his captain, then back at his food. The answer must have been enough because the fork is back between his paws in a moment.

"But the Strawhat crew can't see you?" Shachi confirms. Nami is fairly impressed with his dexterity and perception. He hasn't once dropped his stare on her while still managing not to let any food slip while it is being shoveled in his mouth.

"No. No one else can see me." Nami answers.

"How do you know?"

"Know what?"

"That no one else can see you."

Nami's mouth flies open, insults and reasons at the tip of her tongue, but she knows none of them are anything but excuses. He made a good observation. Damn it. "It's not like I had many chances to experiment." She finally answers. The words came out flat and whiny.

"Maybe it has to do with how you died?"

"I don't remember." Her words come out with a lot more frustration and irritation than she intended. It is a legitimate question and she has asked herself the same question so many times all with the same result – she can't remember a single thing.

"What exactly is the last thing you remember?"

"We had just won over some Marines who surprised us when we landed on Shion and were celebrating…"

"Yahoo!" Luffy's voice echoes in her memory, his fists high up in the air.

"That was easy!" Ussop enters the domain of her mind next. His nose is high, reaching up to the sky

"Too easy." The rough voice comes from behind her.

"Don't be such a pessimist, moss head." She can hear their fights even now, though it sounds a bit distant even to her ears.

"Great show!"

"Drinks!" Nami had declared. Bills crinkle in her raised fist.

"It was a regular night – we drank and ate like we would normally." Nami frowns. She had gone over the scene over and over again. It's a bit blurry – as most seemingly normal days are when you look back at them. Why would this party be any different? But she runs it over again and again. "Everyone in Shion town was friendly. I stole some money from the marines while we were fighting them, so I thought it would be okay to treat the crew."

"Do you think you can pay for all this?" A booming voice asked from across the wooden counter

"Drinks are courtesy of the marines." Nami slapped a few bills onto the counter and swiped the bottles into her arms. They clinked loudly when they touched.

"Your crew is quite lively!" One of the villagers commented. The voice was muffled and the vision was hazy.

Nami remembers stopping to turn to the speaker and offereing a large grin. "They can be pretty awesome.

"Has anyone seen my wallet?"

"That was it." She concludes. The scenes that played in her head were fuzzy. It could have been the effect of the alcohol, the unspecialness of the occasion, or her state of being. "We had a camp on the grass close to the ship and we ate what Sanji cooked, drank, and then fell asleep."

"Where's Chopper?" Nami asked. The liquid swished against the glass in her bottle.

"He's passed out next to Ussop." She remembers the dim firelight and his rough voice. It was very early in the morning.

"Where's Ussop?"

"Under Luffy." Their voices were muffled in her ears.

"Franky and Robin are asleep by the trees." Her memory is fuzzy. She doesn't know if it was the alcohol or the night.

"Is Sanji keeping watch?"

"If by keeping watch you mean snoring away with Brook, then yes."

"Someone should." Nami yawned.

"Alcohol getting to you, witch?"

"No!" There was a brief moment of forced clarity which fell into further blurs.

"Get some rest. I'm clearly the more awake one."

"I can keep watch if you like."

"I'm fine! Zoro, you look like you're going to take a nap!"

"I'm always like this. Now be a good witch and get your beauty sleep." His soothing voice echoed inside the chambers of her memory as her eyes blinked shut.

"I was one of the last ones asleep, and the next thing I remember, we were on the ship again, and I had died."

"If you died." Law's voice chimes in, causing Nami to pause. It's not that she hadn't thought about it before – that she isn't actually a ghost. It was one of the first explanations that ran through her addled brain – because why else would her crew have forgotten about her? But the longer she thought about it, the longer she was ignored, maybe being a ghost was better than simply not existing.

"So, if I didn't die," Nami starts slowly. The words are heavy on her tongue and she pauses to get used to the idea of being alive again, "What happened?"

"That seems to be the question that you need to remember, Nami-ya." Law said.

A silence falls over the sobered and curious group. Most stare expectantly at Nami, waiting for her to answer.

The problem is she doesn't have the answer. Hell, if she did, she probably wouldn't be here and away from her family. It also isn't the first time she had tried to remember exactly how she died (or didn't die – and there was a clenching in her stomach area when she thought about how her resigned death might not be so permanent). So how is she supposed to get the answer?

Brown eyes flutter from right to left and back again, not seeing any physical objects her front of her. Pale lips part and made silent movements as the thoughts need another medium. "Retrace my steps." Are the only words voiced. What are you supposed to do when you lose something?

The heart pirates know the moment the intelligent navigator had a plan. Her eyes are no longer lost to the outside world and her lips stretch out in a wide smile. Her entire being – while still see through seems to shine with something that she had been missing before. The navigator turns her head, eyes squinted and hands clasped together.

The crew follow her gaze, and suddenly all eyes are on the stoic captain.

"No."

Eyes turn back to the navigator – her sweet, almost-but-not-quite pleading look does not falter. "What about our alliance?"

"You mean the one where no one actually listens to me and my plans?" Law scoffs. He shifts his stance. He's firm, but there are the tiniest of cracks forming and Nami zooms in on it.

She slides across the bench closer to Law's side and pushes her arms together so that her voluptuous chest stands out even further. "Please?"

"No." The tiny crack closed up.

Nami immediately pulls back as if stung, her sweet aura disappearing. Very well – she knew he wasn't that easy to manipulate. That's perhaps one of the reasons why she (grudgingly) respects him. Time to change tactics.

Angry brown eyes flash, "Fine. I didn't want to do this," Her arms cross over her chest and she leans back. "You owe me."

A shadow passes over Law's face and a small pulse can be seen on the side of his forehead. "I don't recall owing you anything, Nami-ya."

"You do." Nami's voice is flat and very business-like, but the glint in her eyes speaks of her enjoyment. "From Desserosa when I brought your crew back."

Law's mouth parts. He appears to be trying and speak, but words are caught somewhere between his brain and his choking vocal chords.

"She has a point, Captain." Penguin adds. "We got there a lot faster with her help."

"She did come get us." Beppo chimes in. He shrinks back after a brief look of betrayal is shot his way.

"We should help out, captain." It is Shachi this time.

"I think so, too." Adds Jean Bart, "Besides, it could be good if we want to ask something from the Strawhats."

Law's hard gaze passes over each of his crew members, eyes unblinking. Finally, a heavy breath passed through his lips and he sloucheds down. "Traitors. Mutiny." He murmurs under his breath.

The first job on the list is navigation. Bepo brings out the maps and equipment and lays them out on the table. At first, Nami squeals like a child at Christmas. Stars shine in her eyes as she clasps her hands together and fawns over the parchments, tools, and new tricks that come with working on a submarine. Pleased with her enthusiasm, Bepo feeds off of it as his own grows. He shows her how the sub tools and radars work, and Nami shares some of her own secrets that she's picked up along the way. When it comes time to plan the trek, Bepo points out their position in the sea and Nami directs them to the town called Shion. The Heart navigator does not forget to brag (and rightly so) about the speed of their submarine underwater which according to him "can't be beat." He assures her that with their combined forces, they can arrive at their destination in less than a week.

Nami and Bepo spend the rest of the day in the navigation room. Visitors pop in and out, some checking on their progress and others just to chat with the female. No one misses the bright shine and how much more Nami she is now that she's back in her element.

Inevitably, Bepo decides that the third yawn in a row is probably a good sign that it's time for bed. He glances at the clock on the bookshelf and confirms his suspicions. His bedtime is usually pretty strict on the ship and he bids Nami good night just before awkwardly asking her if she can even sleep.

The answer is no, she can't sleep, but she doesn't bother him about it and waves him off. Nami remains in the navigation room for a short time longer. It's not her usual place and it's not quite home, but in such a foreign place, it's about as home as she's going to get for a while and she relishes in the comfort.

By the time she emerges, the ship is quiet. She stands outside the room a bit lost in more ways than one. The lights on the ship are dimmed, signaling the darkness outside the thick haul and above the depths of the dark sea. It's night time, but all of the sounds and feelings are wrong. There's no gentle rocking, no sounds coming from the water hitting the side of the boat. Instead of the creaking sound of settle wood, she hears the clanging of metal. Suddenly, Nami is feeling a bit claustrophobic. Well, she has the whole ship to herself. Nami swivels on her foot, picking the right as a random direction and nearly runs into the captain.

"I didn't think you'd leave the room tonight." He says.

"There's a lot of new information." She answers.

His shoulders shrug and he turns back to her, but tilts his head in her direction so that he can glance at her from his peripheral vision. Nami picks up on the signal and follows him in silence.

One of the negatives (or positives, depending on the viewer) of being a ghost is the sudden change in sleeping patterns – or rather the sudden lack of sleeping. Without a psychical body to keep rested and a physical brain to run dreams, Nami found herself unable to sleep.

Night was beautiful on the Sunny Go. She would stare up in the sky with all the time and energy to study the stars like never before. But for all of the learning and watching, there was a deep sense of loneliness and her only company – the night watch – couldn't hear or talk to her and the person on night watch wasn't even that entertaining since they couldn't go far from their post.

On the other hand, the submarine crew is different and Nami finds that she's more of a conversationalist that she thought.

Law leads her to the observation room where machines and beeping and blips littered the room and the walls were made of a glass that showed the undersea world around them. They entered and Law's arm presented the area with a large sweep of his arm. He said the name of the room and Nami took off from there, asking questions about the machines – especially those pertaining to navigating the sea depths and the view.

"Thank you." She says suddenly in between questions.

Law's head snaps to her and part of her is pleased to see him caught off guard. He recovers quickly though, and returns his thoughtful gaze out the window. "For?"

Nami shrugs her shoulders, "Everything." Showing her around, taking her to the island, talking to her… Thanking people is not a habit she made, but maybe being dead changed some priorities.

He doesn't answer. Nami doesn't expect him to and there is a brief interlude of thoughtful silence until Law is the first one to break it by asking a question she had been avoiding "What will you do if we don't find an answer? Or if we do find out that my crew his gifted with the supernatural sense."

Nami fingers ghost over a panel to her right, floating just above the green screen with blinking lights. "Find closure, I guess." Ghosts aren't really exactly new to her – not that she'd seen 'ghosts' in the stereotypical form (surprisingly, considering all the supernatural things she had her crew had encountered up until that point), but the stories had been told over and over again. Nine times out of ten, ghosts remained because of unfinished business (whether it was revenge or finding treasure). She supposes her dream was certainly unfinished, but how the hell was she supposed to map the sea when she can't even hold a damn pencil? Maybe she could just pass on her dream to Bepo and help him along the way. She gives Law a sidelong glance, a smirk playing on her lips as she voices her possible plan.

His response is a small snort and a comment on not turning his crew into the crazy cast of characters that she is so used to, but the light in his eyes and the curl of his lips suggest that he isn't completely against the idea.

"I don't think you're too far off." She waves her hand as if too brush away is fears, "You already have a talking bear, the reputation, and a crew obsessed with hats."

"Don't lump me in with your crew." He grunts as he slumps onto a chair, burying the bottom half of his face into his jacket.

"It's a compliment."

"Nami-ya," His dark eyes slide to meet her own, amusement and slight disbelief colored his otherwise flat tone, "I don't think your definition of compliments match that of mine."

The next three days pass without much hitch. At first, Nami felt like an intruder. Each member had their own job, routines, and habits and she couldn't help comparing them to her own crew. The food, for example, wasn't up to Sanji's standards but then anyone would be hard pressed to find any food that was as good as Sanji's. While the crew had their moments, they didn't have quite the same jubilation and only an ounce of the silliness that the Strawhat pirates had and while Nami appreciated the crew's kindness, she missed her crew.

By the second full day, the orange haired navigator found that she fit it better than expected – especially being a sleepless ghost. She appreciated having someone to talk to and they seemed to feel the same in return on their long night watch. After her night with Law, it was Penguin's turn. Together they tried to test out her 'ghosting' abilities by trying to pick up various items around the room. At some time in the night, he pointed out that she could enter any locked room, including the bathroom and treasury. That was the last time he saw her until the next morning when she showed up at the breakfast table with a sly grin and a golden shine to her eyes.

Bepo had night shift on her third night. Their talk started out friendly and casual and she slowly eased him into talking about their captain and what the crew had been up to since their last encounter. "He's a lot freer." Bepo admitted. Nami would have asked more, but like a tiger with a sixth sense, Law slammed open the door and leaned against the wall, mumbling something about being unable to sleep because there was some ringing in his ears. She and Bepo shared a secret chuckle.

On the fourth night, Nami stayed up with Shachi. They didn't exchange many words, but that was okay because with the news of their arrival due the next morning, Nami had a lot of thinking. Not for the first time did she review her last memories alive. Would the island be the same as she remembered? Would they be able to see her? Answer some questions?

So when morning comes and a clanging resounds through the metal hull signaling their rise to the surface (and startling the snoozing Shachi,) Nami is anxious and ready to begin.

Shion is a small lively town. People are friendly, often waving or nodding to each other as they pass if they are in too much of a hurry to voice their wishes. The island itself isn't big enough to warrant a big city or any large trades, nor is it so small that there isn't much to do or buy on the island. It's a good harbor island, a place for a tired ship to stop by and rejuvenate – whether by the friendly atmosphere or by what few supplies the natives can offer.

When the Heart pirates and Nami dock and the submarine is in its proper place, the crew pours out of the ship one after the other, Nami ghosts out first past Law, eager to get started and get some fresh air. Where their bodies would have smashed together, Nami's form goes through Law's. She barely has time to shudder and brush off the annoyed glare she receives from the captain before she prances to the edge of the dock. She turns on one foot, hands clasped behind her back and leans in towards the heart pirates still climbing out. "Come on!" She encourages, a radiant grin stretches her mouth so much so that it rivals her rubber captain.

Law is out first, waiting on the edge of the wooden platform for the rest of his crew. His glare has lessened, and if the keen observer would be watching, he or she would see the slight twitch in the corner of an eye and hand.

Ghosts have a lot of time, so it would be fair to assume they would be patient creatures, willing to wait for the less abled humans who are burdened with the limitations of solid matter. Yet, perhaps it is because Nami is (possibly) not a ghost or perhaps it is because Nami is… Nami that she does not meet expectations. By the time Bepo, being the largest, is the last to climb out, Nami's excited form has already turned from the crew and is heading towards the main part of town. Law's sorely tempted to shout at her, but thinks better of the stares and attracting attention in the event that she isn't able to be seen. He also briefly entertains the thought of just leaving her here since she doesn't seem to need their help, but it's quickly thrown away as he then imagines neither his nor the strawhat crew would take very kindly to the idea. So, instead, he takes a deep breath, nods to his crew, and follows after the navigator.

The plan was to split up and ask questions, poke around as subtly as possible, and stock up all at the same time. With Jean Bart and Beppo collecting supplies, he could only hope Shachi and Penguin find Nami first. Dealing with other people's problems is not high on Law's priority list – not that his priority list is quite as urgent now that he had fulfilled his main goal at Derossa. Truth be told, he really does owe the Strawhats something (even if it it's swift hit in the head) and while he finds the lot of them to be quite tiresome, of all the crew, Nami was one of the least annoying and she had helped him out by retrieving his crew and staying after while he was healing.

Law does find her first, but he doen't rush to her side. He hangs back, observing and following her to see what progress she has made – to see any sign she might have missed in her enthusiastic haste.

She is walking through the town, back straight and head held high. Her hand waves at the children, she nods politely to the older ladies, and she leans in towards the younger men, squeezing her ample chest together and blinking with lips pursed.

Nothing. No acknowledgement, not even a batting of the eye. Nami turns the corner to the next street. And continues on, but her back is a little hunched, her head a little lowered, and her jaunt a little less jovial.

By the third street, Nami's steps have slowed. From his position, he can see her body give the slightest shake when she stands up after kneeling down to talk to the children. She doesn't try to seduce the men, only try to step in front of them. Once, when she doesn't step away in time, the hurried form of a mother chasing her child speeds through Nami and she disappears with a puff of air.

For that slight moment, Law tenses, his hand instinctively clenching around his sword for all the good it will do. She appears two seconds later in the same spot, gasping and frozen in shock and possibly even less visible than before.

He takes careful, loud steps and stops behind her still back. She doesn't move and Law doesn't push her, giving her time to collect herself. One hand twitches, fingers wanting to do something – anything that might help. He is used to reaching inside someone, using his powers to heal or destroy – but it's difficult to such things without a body to heal or destroy.

A minute passes before she finally slowly turns to face him. Her eyes are dry, but her lips are pressed together, and the slight tugging movement suggests she's sucking on the lower one. Her fists are clenched so tightly together that they are shaking.

An unfamiliar feeling washes over Law. It's uncomfortable and it almost hurts. It's not necesarily a new feeling, but it's nto the most welcome feeling and it rarely happened. When it did, it generally occurred when Nami was feeling upset, so logically, fix Nami, fix the unpleasant feeling.

"Come with me." Law abruptly turns and begins taking strides towards the shopping area Nami had been heading away from. Nami's footsteps are quiet as the grave – nearly nonexistent if he didn't know to feel for her. She had hesitated for only a second before following his command. She's dragging her feet and he can almost hear her sucking on her bottom lip for how silent she is being and how concentrated he is on her well-being.

Which of course, bothers him to no end.

Their walk isn't long – the shopping district not being particularly large to begin with. Law finds his target fairly easily. The small double doors swing open and shut, banging lazily against each other when he goes through. He stops briefly to look around the shop. Bottles are hung and reach every corner of the room. Where the bottles don't cover, barrels take over, piled on top of each other and each one having as many bottles as could fit on the top.

A large, beefy worker, perhaps a little stuffy and out of place in the small building, stands behind the counter, a rag shoved inside the glass held in the other hand as he rubs the two together. His pointy red mustache twitches.

"Welcome to Arini's Alcohol shop – best place bar and alcohol in town." He pauses in his task to wink at Law, "And don't you say it's because it's the only one in town." With one last rub, he slams the glass down onto the wooden counter with a force Law is surprised didn't cause the container to shatter. "Have a seat!" His voice booms and echoes in the empty room. "You look like you could use a drink!"

Law eyes the cup warily. Being a pirate, alcohol came with the job description – but that didn't mean he is an avid fan. His eyes slide back to Nami, she is eyeing the liquid filled bottles with a deep envy and a thoughtfulness that said he was correct in his choice of buildings.

"Whisky." Law slumped down on the barstool across from the bartender. His elbows and arms crossed and rested on the space before him.

The bartender turns and eyes the rows of bottles behind him. He hums under his breath, looks back at Law once more with a skilled eye, then nods to himself and reaches for a bottle. The bottle opens with a loud popping sound and immediately the room is filled with the smell of fermenting liquid. "Here's some strong stuff." He says as the contents are tipped into Law's waiting cup.

"Thanks." He picks up the glass and swishes it around.

"Don't be such a wuss." He hears the female voice behind him. "Down the sucker for the both of us."

Cursing his luck at being stuck in this situation, Law throws his head back the drink with it. It burns going down and he thinks if his mouth wasn't clamped shut he would be breathing fire.

"Fire whisky." The bartender answers the unvoiced cry.

Dark eyes blink rapidly and he fights the scowl on his face. He damns the situation again as the bartender doesn't hesitate to fill his glass again.

"That was good, now you think you can do it again, wussy boy?"

This time, Law ignores the taunting behind him in favor of getting this damn mission over with.

"I want you to answer some questions."

"Damn it Traffy! I want to be the one to get drunk! You're not doing it right!"

"Ah," At least that's what he thinks the bartender said. It was difficult to catch over Nami's complaints. The hairy man pours himself a drink from the same bottle. The tip clinks against the glass. He takes a sip before continuing, "What can I do for you?"

"There were some pirates who came here before."

The barman gestures to the cup in Law's hand. His lips twitch, but he obeys. The liquid burns, but not as much as before.

"We get a lot of pirates in here." The barman answers. His wrist rotate, the brown alcohol following behind the movement. "You'll have to be a lot more specific."

"You'd remember these ones. They're loud and obnoxious."

"HEY!"

"The captain can stretch and has a strawhat. There was this ridiculously disproportionate –"

"Oh, yes." Instead of making Law burn his lungs for another answer, the red head throws his head back and downs the drink. His merry atmosphere sobers despite the contents pouring into his stomach. "It's a shame about that one."

He doesn't have to look behind him. The taunting had quieted with the change in attitude from the bartender, but more than that, the temperature in the room got significantly colder.

"Care you tell me what happened?" The drink is gone from both of their glasses and the bartender does not miss a beat filling them up again.

"It's a shame, really. They were pretty lively – very good for business anyway, even though the big chested lady cheated me out of some money and stole some from another one of my customers."

"The long nosed one – he told me he had just defeated this band of marines, but the marines must not have been too destroyed because they caught the crew by surprise while they were sleeping and managed to get the big chested lady."

"Get?"

"Killed – sword right through her chest. Crew was still hungover as hell and sleepy to boot. Guess they picked on the lass first. Well, the marine's certainly learned their lesson. Because soon after… now there was a fight." The massive hand raises the glass to his lips and places it down onto the counter, softer this time. "It got strangely cold, I'm going to check the temperature."

With the bartender's back turned, Law takes the opportunity to turn and judge the navigator. Like the rapidly cooling air, she seems frozen. Her vision is forward, glass eyed and not really seeing; her arms stiff at her side. The pale hands clench into such tight fists that Law can almost see the nerves shaking.

Without thinking, he can't help but raise a hand to place on her shoulder – anything he can do to offer some form of comfort. His hand passes through and her arm disperses like steam from a kettle. Time slows and Law finds himself in a switched position – his hand frozen beside her arm where it came out from her shoulder, staring at the evidence of his unthinking actions. Nami jerks away, blinking rapidly before turning on her heel and bolting through the exit.

The swinging doors remain as still.

-Chapter End-

God, how cheesy was that last line? I'm not sure if I love it or hate it. I almost added "as still as death" but that would have crossed some line.

Call me crazy, but I don't see Law as a huge drinker. I feel like he would sit in a corner and nurse his drink – and if he was to get drunk, I feel like he would be a broody angry drunk. Not violent angry, just have less control over his urge to yell at stupid people.

Also note, yes, the 'flashback' is a bit confusing. It's meant to be that way. I promise it will unravel itself eventually.

And finally, I have more bonding moments with the crew planned out in another chapter. I think here Nami is just getting used to being seen again and enjoying the attention. Later there will be more thorough talks (*coughflirtingcough*)with Law and crew and what not.