Author's Note: All right, so back to 1 chapter a day, unless I deem it necessary to post more than one. xD Which I very well might do, but you know, my poor chapter 5 only got 2 reviews… so maybe not… Hmm… At least 2 people were awesome enough to review it. :3 Thanks you two! Anyways, on to the next chapter! xD Enjoy! :3

Faceless Mask

Chapter 7

When he awoke from the heavy sedative, Tony blinked his eyes and quickly sat up. Looking around, he saw most of the nurses for the floor huddled together and crying. "What… What happened?" he asked, rubbing at his eyes, but jumped when he heard the first few shots, which made the nurses scream in terror. "No!" he cried and quickly stood, running to the closed door of the supply closet. He rammed against the door and turned the knob, but the door would not budge. He then heard glass shattering. "Damn it!" he cursed, moved back and then rammed his shoulder hard into it. It took a few more times ramming into it before the door finally gave way.

Falling out over the floor, he scurried to his feet and ran towards the room with the shattered door. He could see a man, unconscious, lying over the shattered glass. He then stepped inside, seeing a shocked Sanji, holding an unconscious Red, and then that same orange haired young woman, huddled within a corner of the room.

"What happened?" he demanded as he looked to each person, but they looked to be too far into shock. Turning to look out, he yelled over his shoulder, "Someone call the police!" He then rushed over to Sanji and frowned when he saw the blood trickling from Red's nose. "Sanji, let me see him!" he called, and Sanji finally moved to help the young doctor place Red back onto his bed.

While the doctor checked out Red, Zoro quickly came out from behind the nursing station and went to collect up the man who was thrown through a wall. He was confused. What the hell had happened within that room? Did the yellow haired, curly browed man do all this? Dragging him over to the first man, he removed four zip ties, concealed within his vest and tied their wrists and ankles together. He then looked up and called, "Nami, where are you?"

"H-Here," Nami called weakly as she slid along the wall, but paused again.

"Nami!" Nojiko cried and ran in over the glass to envelope her sister within a tight hug. "You did it again, damn it! You scared the shit out of me! What is wrong with you?"

"I-I-I don't know!" Nami replied honestly as tears quickly fell. She had no idea what had made her react. That was twice in the same day she had nearly met her end. "I'm sorry! I just… I just… I just reacted again!"

"Are you all right?" Zoro asked, coming towards the two sisters and placing a hand over Nami's head.

"Y-Yes… Yes, I'm fine," she said and nodded quickly. "Didn't get hurt."

"Good, now what the hell happened?" Zoro asked, frowning deeply.

"I… I-I don't know," she said, shaking her head now, just as quickly, and then she buried her face within Nojiko's neck. He had come again. This was also twice today he had saved her life.

Now that Tony as well as the nurses had everything under control with Red, and already the police were there to clean up, Sanji slipped away and headed for the three, his eyes on Nami. "Excuse me," he called quietly, though he still looked just as shaken.

Hearing the voice, Nami pulled away from her sister to look into the pale blue eyes of the handsome blonde man. Nami gazed into those eyes, and between them passed a silent understanding. Neither could speak about what they had seen. "Y-Yes?" she finally managed to whisper after a while.

"I… I wanted to thank you, for what you did. It was very brave of you," he said and a ghost of a smile graced his lips.

"It was a damned foolish thing!" Nojiko cried, still looking very upset.

"Perhaps, but still very brave. If it had not been for you, I would be dead; my assistant Red, would be dead," Sanji said, keeping his eyes on her. "What you did gave me just enough time." There was a slight twinkle within his eyes, and Nami just nodded.

"You're welcome. I recognized them from earlier today. I couldn't let them," she said and lowered her eyes. "I couldn't let them. I had to do it," she turned to her sister, "I'm sorry, Nojiko."

Nojiko shook her head, but then she grabbed her sister to her for another hug. "I'm so proud of you!" she whispered into Nami. "It was stupid, but he's right. It was brave, and because of you, they weren't hurt."

Nami nodded, but then she pulled away to face Sanji again. "I'm sorry about your guards," she whispered and looked to the two men on the ground, which were being prepped to be taken to the morgue.

"As am I," Sanji said, his eyes saddening as he also looked to them, but then he looked back towards Nami, taking one of her hands within his to kiss. "I owe you my life, my dear. Please, allow me to repay you in some way."

"I-No, it's fine, really. I don't need repayment," Nami said, smiling jerkily. She could not believe she was turning him down. She was sure he would pay a fortune, but she could not bring herself to accept it.

"Dinner then, perhaps?" Sanji asked, his voice having dropped a few pitches and became as smooth as freshly churned butter. It did not help that he was looking at her through his lashes, and even his lids and slid down, hooding his pale blue eyes.

Zoro scoffed loudly to this, crossed his arms and looked away. This dude got on his nerves, for some reason. He could not put his finger on it, but at the moment, he did not care. He wanted to punch him across the face; thinking he was all slick… Tony glanced towards Sanji and Nami, and his cheeks erupted into a blush. He then just turned and gave his attention to Red.

"I, um," Nami started, feeling her heart skip a beat before pounding away as she shifted her eyes to the side slightly, but then she nervously smiled. "M-Maybe."

"Maybe?" Nojiko asked, incredulously, but then she looked to Sanji and said, "Of course she will!"

"W-Wait, Nojiko?" Nami exclaimed, her face heating with a flush as she looked to her sister, slightly appalled she would speak up for her. However, she huffed and turned back to Sanji. "I'll think about it."

"Then I will await your answer, my dear," Sanji said, kissing the back of her hand again, and then he held up a card. "My card."

"Th-Thank you," Nami said and took it from him, but then she looked past him towards the bed. "Is… Is he okay?"

Sanji turned, and his face instantly softened. "I do hope so," he whispered softly. "He's all the family I have."

"Then shouldn't you be with him, instead of trying to pick up girls, you curly browed freak-Oof!" Zoro said, but was interrupted by Nami and Nojiko both elbowing him.

Sanji turned a single eyed glare to the man, but then he scoffed and turned back to Red. He then moved forward, but remained out of Tony's way. "I-I hope he gets better," Nami said and smiled to Sanji.

Sanji turned and offered her a gentle smile. "Thank you, my dear. Perhaps, when he awakens, you can meet him?" he asked and turned to look at Red again.

Losing her smile slowly, she shifted her eyes back to Red, and then she finally said so softly, it was nearly a whisper, "I would really like that, actually."

"As would he," Sanji said and nodded as well.

"Excuse me," an officer called from within the doorway, catching their attention. "We'd like to ask a few questions, if that's all right, Mr. Zeff? We would like to ask all of you."

Both Sanji and Nami exchanged a look, but then Sanji shifted his eyes over towards the officer.

"Of course we can, officer."

To Be Continued…

Author's Note: Don't ask me why I end off my chapters this way. I just do. ._. I kind of like the single sentence dialogue. It's kind of dramatic! But it probably gets old, right? xD Lawl! Anyways, stay tuned for the next chapter. :3