Blossoms – We Can Work It Out

Robin sat quietly on the couch not daring to bring her eyes up to meet Nami's stunned gaze. Her words had created an odd silence that neither women knew exactly how to break. Finally Robin gathered her courage and lifted her glossy black head, fearing what kind of emotion she might read in Nami's soft brown eyes.

There was no judgement, no pity, no revulsion like she had feared. Instead the navigator's brown eyes shown with compassion, concern and friendship. The younger woman moved to stand, ready to approach her but decided against it sitting back down in her chair to Robin's relief. She had never been one for the whole touchy feely stuff and it always felt awkward when anyone other than Zoro put their arms around her.

"How sure are you?" Nami spoke softly, almost as if she were afraid to break the silence.

"I can't be certain yet but given this flu and the last time I got my period I'd say fairly sure."

"Well then we should get Chopper to examine you..."

"No."

"Robin if you are... well we need to make sure you're healthy either way."

"No one can know and besides Chopper checked me out because of the flu anyways."

"There are things he needs to look for that he wouldn't have Robin."

"I don't want anyone to know."

Robin spoke the words forcefully but couldn't keep from feeling slightly ashamed at once again putting herself in such a position. Nami was momentarily silent and Robin braced herself because she knew what the next question was going to be.

"What if you are...?"

"I don't know."

There were too many things to consider and Robin could feel herself becoming overwhelmed. No matter what she chose her life was going to change and given their situation a decision would have to be made sooner rather than later.

"Alright. I know this is a lot to deal with all of a sudden but we are going to get through this Robin. We need to figure out what the options are so you can think them through."

Robin nodded weakly, focusing on taking deep, calming breaths.

"The biggest decision for now is whether you are going to have this baby or not. If not we will need to do something next time we hit port because who knows how long it will be after that and this is a time-limited thing."

"If I terminate I'll need a couple of days to get back to strength. I'll need to be free of the crew for at least the first day or they will most certainly figure it out."

"Are you sure?"

"If I am p-pregnant, it... it won't be my first pregnancy."

If she thought the news of her potential pregnancy had shocked the navigator than this revelation had completely floored her. The archaeologist could see the younger woman processing the information and trying to sort it into something she could understand.

"When?" she asked, the words barely a whisper.

"Several years ago, before I had even joined Baroque Works."

"You were so young."

"I didn't have much of a choice then. I was young and constantly on the run."

"The father?"

Robin felt herself being drawn into the past, back into the dark times that had ruled her younger years. Back to days and nights of torture and disappointment. They were her darkest years, as bad as Crocodile was he was truly a gentleman after all she had gone through. An image floated through her mind. A dark room full of barrels and sacks of rice. A dirty wood floor with grease stains. One single light bulb hanging from the ceiling, flickering in its last stages of life. A face joined the image of the room. Scruffy, with jagged scars across his cheeks and a missing tooth. The twisted, sardonic grin that exposed the yellow teeth and foul breath. Hard stone digging into her back, the feeling of exhaustion.

Suddenly an arm was on her shoulder, gently guiding her back to the present and out of her haunted past. Nami was kneeling in front of her, calling her name softly. She blinked her eyes, suddenly feeling very tired and let out a deep sigh.

"Why don't you get some rest. We can figure this out later." Nami suggested softly.

Robin nodded, all of her energy seeming to have been stolen away with the horrible flashback to her past. She stood up to her feet offering Nami a weak smile and headed for the door. Her hand was on the doorknob when Nami called her name again. Robin turned to look at her over her shoulder, leaning ever so slightly into the door.

"You need to tell Zoro."

"No!"

"He deserves to know Robin."

"I can't. Please don't tell him. I can give you money if you want just please..."

The pain that flashed across Nami's face was acute and Robin felt it as if it were her own. She knew immediately that her words had offended the teenager and that she might have just damaged her friendship with the girl.

"How could you think that? Of course I won't tell, it's not my secret to tell and do you really think I'd use this against you Robin. This isn't like finding Sanji's dirty magazines."

"I'm sorry Navigator-san. I didn't mean it."

Nami's eyes softened and her entire body relaxed from its tensed posture, a soft forgiving smile pulling at her lips.

"I know. You're going through a hard time right now. Get some rest and I promise we'll figure this out. You've got nakama now Robin."

Nakama. She did have nakama but could she really drop her troubles on them?