Red Secret

A/N: Sorry this took so long. Shortly before I was ready to start this chapter, my friend asked my crush if he liked me, and he said, "Only as a friend". So, I was to upset to start. But, I'll try me best.

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Luffy's POV

Everyone kept looking at me. The glares had stopped, except Nojiko.

"You…you did this to her!" she screamed, and put her face close to mine. I stood my ground. Even though she was taller then me, I could still stand strong.

"No I didn't. She wanted to get the tattoo off. So, she stabbed herself. I had nothing to do with it." I said. She glared one last time, then ran to see if she was okay.

Ace looked at me. I blinked, and smiled. Grabbing a rag, I walked back to her room to clean it up. I scrubbed up the blood on the floor, but I couldn't get it off the sheets. So, I just grabbed them and tossed them in the washer.

I sat down on the couch, and sighed. It was only what? Noon? Yeah, noon, and I was already having a tough day.

Okasan called dinner about 45 minutes later, then asked Nojiko and Mr. Genzo-Otosan to join us. They stayed for the sake of their baby girl.

Nami woke up about 15 minutes after we started eating our silent meal of chicken. I was the only one who noticed her, so I quickly stood up in silence, and went over to her.

"Luffy-Oniisan…" she said softly. I grinned.

"You're okay." I whispered back. She smiled softly, then yawned. I stroked her hair again.

"Thanks. I owe you so much now." She said. I shrugged, and sat down where her head was before she woke up.

"Not really." I said, and smiled. She smiled, and put her head in my lap. I flinched, but didn't move her. I shrugged again, and kept on stroking her hair.

Nami's POV (the attack)

In my room, I started sobbing. Hopefully no one saw the glisten in my eyes indicating any tears at all. I looked in the mirror. All I saw was fear, anger, and hatred. I touched the tattoo again. My anger took over, and I had no more control.

I picked up my pocket knife, and stabbed myself, causing my lower lip to a bleed a bit because I bit down so hard. I heard a knock on the door.

"G-go away!" I yelled, and threw the knife against the door. It landed with a thud on the floor.

"Nami! Let-me-in!" I heard Luffy cry. Oh crap. To make sure he didn't get in, I threw myself against the door, and held the handle. I heard him rear back to come back full force. I'm not sure if my bleeding shoulder could take that right now. Shivering, I ran to the bed, and pulled the covers over me, except my head. Hopefully it wouldn't bleed through the covers.

He came flying through the doorway, and landed on his face. I held my breath. He pushed up his torso, and looked down. I saw what he was looking at: a drop of blood. Double crap.

"N-Nami…what…what are you doing?" he demanded. I stayed still while he stood up and glared at me. As he walked over, my body grew even stiffer. Finally, he threw the covers off. I winced.

He looked into my eyes for a second, but I looked away. His sapphire blue eyes were not what I needed right now.

"Nami…" he said. I kept my eyes averted. I kept my mouth shut. I was afraid that if I opened it, I would scream.

"Why…why would you let yourself come to this?" he asked, and sat next to me. More silence on my part.

"Nami, you're my Imoto, and I'm going to help you." He said. Magic words. That was it. That was I had needed to here. I didn't need to offer, he was here, and I was taking his offer, rather then me making an offer for him.

"L-L-Luffy…I'm scared…" I sobbed, and almost choked on the tears. He sat still, waiting for me to go on. "I don't want him to find me…I don't want to see Belle Mere dying in front of me again in my dreams…I want this tattoo off me…" I felt his soft hands touch my hair, and slowly start to stroke them. It felt so good, I knew it would pain me when he stopped. I could feel the blood lose by now. He still remained silent, so I continued, but I could see black spots everywhere, the blood was draining from me, but I couldn't stop...not now.

"I promised her…and myself…that I'd stay strong…that I'd keep moving, and stop crying…or even ask for help…I…I tried so…so hard to keep it…" I said, sitting back up, and tried to ignore the huge amount of blood gushing out of me. I stayed silent for a bit, so Luffy could talk.

"I know. You want to stay strong for everyone. But, Nami…you can't always stay as strong as you'd like." He said slowly. I nodded slowly.

"I know…but…but I don't…I don't want Arlong to ever…ever find me…I couldn't keep moving if you couldn't pay the fee's…and had to…to…to…" she said, trying to say it, but she couldn't. "I…I got rid of it…I hurt myself to help myself….I'm so damn stupid!" I said loudly, and punched my throbbing arm, which didn't help the pain I was feeling. My eyes stopped seeing color, nothing but black spots, but I could hear it all, so I knew they were open, just, unable to see.

"No, your not. You are not stupid. You're strong. You went so long without help, and now you have it. Sometimes…sometimes it's better to ask for help. You can't do everything by yourself. Everyone needs someone in their life to keep them standing up strong, keep them away from danger. We all want that, some of us need that. You've changed everyone's life. Ace and I knew we were never getting a sister until you came along. Vivi and Robin don't fight as often when you're around. Before you came, they fought every day, and sometimes, more then words. Nami, think about it, if you hadn't come here, what would have happened? You'd be the puppet of some evil man's show. No one, not even some person with no heart, would ever want that. You made the right choice leaving, you had to. How else could you save…save yourself?" he said, looking into her eyes, and smiled.

I nodded vaguely. At this point of time, I had lost it all; feeling in my arm, ability to keep my head up. So, instead, I just simply put my head on Luffy's shoulder, and let myself fall asleep, or what to him seemed to be sleep. For me, it was peace.

I don't know how long I slept, but when I woke up, I could move my arm, raise my head, and sit up. So, I did so. I heard someone walk up to the couch.

"Luffy-Oniisan…" I guessed softly.

"You're okay." He said, with his famous grin, and it made me smile a bit.

"I owe you so much…" I said softly, and found myself wanting to sleep. I didn't want to face everyone else, and what better way then to sleep? He shrugged.

"Not really." I heard him say, and watched him sit down. He looked awfully like a pillow right now…so I laid my head on his lap. I felt him flinch, but he didn't much else, and started to stroke my hair again. Man…that felt so good…good enough….to….put me…to sleep…

After that, I had a weird dream.

The Dream

I watched as Arlong's ship pulled into the dock. He never left it though, but one tall, smoking figure did. I ran without thinking, and ran straight to her arms.

"Belle Mere! What are you doing…" I asked, but she cut me off. As soon as she let go, she dropped. Blood started to gush from her head, and her eyes closed, and she was dead.

I looked up to see the sheer terror of my life: Arlong.

"Nami, hope you've been well. Now come, come with me my tiny eight year old." He laughed. I looked down, and noticed the ground looked closer. As close as it was 5 years ago.

"No, we won't let you take our Nami away!" I heard a group of people yell. Looking back I saw them, and smiled. Usopp, Robin, ViviZoro, Sanji, Kohza, Luffy, Ace, and Okasan were there for me. Arlong laughed again.

"It's not up to you. It's up to her sister, Nojiko." He said, and pointed to her. She looked the same as now, but older, with long hair, and a cigarette in her mouth, a bottle of beer in her hands, and a fat round belly full of baby. She looked about 20.

"Whatever. I don't give a shit about her. It's her fault Belle Mere is dead." She said, sounding more tipsy then she should, and shrugged. My eyes widened in fear.

"Nojiko, no!" I heard my eight year old self cry. Arlong roared with laughter.

"Let's go slave!" he roared, and grabbed my hand. I tried to struggle, and I watched in more terror as everyone grew up, around the same age as Nojiko.

"Remember that Nami girl? I heard she died yesterday." One of them said. Another shrugged. Suddenly, I heard Ace's laugh.

"About time! 12 years is way to long." He said, roaring with laughter. I felt water slowly escaping from my eyes, as I gave up, and just him drag me away, listening to Nojiko, Arlong, and everyone roar with laughter at my tiny, feeble, eight year old body.

End Dream

I shot up on the couch. Looking at my hands, and whirled around, and shot up to my feet, ignoring the burning pain in my shoulder. I looked down. The ground looked far away. I sighed, and sat back down.

"Dreams suck." I decided, and laid back down, and let myself fall back to sleep, fearing the nightmares, and wishing for sweet dreams.

When I did wake up, I smelt breakfast. Smelled like…eggs, pancakes, and milk. My favorite.

Sitting up, I felt something soft and furry brush my hand. I looked to where my left hand was sitting, and saw my baby kitten rubbing against it. I picked her up, and held her close to my face.

"Ah, Nami-Chan! You're up!" I heard someone say. I turned to the direction to the voice, and saw my favorite blue-haired friend sitting at the table. Luffy, Robin, and Zoro were sitting there as well. Sanji was at the stove, cooking while Luffy complained. I blinked.

"Vivi-Chan…Robin-Chan…what…what are you doing here?" I asked, and rubbed my eyes. They shrugged.

"Luffy-San wanted us to come over. Are you all right?" Robin asked. Had he told them…? No, he wouldn't do that. I shrugged, and stared hard at Luffy. My memories were in a haze, and all I could remember was just, me running to my room, stabbing myself, and waking up last night…oh, that horrible…horrible…dream I had. The second was better: I couldn't remember it. Luffy finally looked at me, and mouthed, 'I didn't tell them' to me. I sighed.

Placing Peaches on the ground, I walked to the table, forgetting that I was in a tang-top, and pajama pants, my white bandaged shoulder revealed.

"Nami-Chaaan, did you hurt yourself again? Kya…I told you to stop climbing trees." Vivi said, and poked the wound. Right. Where. The. Knife. Went. In. Deepest. I jumped back, and fell on my ass. Luffy jumped up with me, and held a hand out to help me up.

"Nami! You okay?" he asked, when I was up. I bit my lower lip to stop from crying out in pain, and nodded. All eyes on me.

"Oi, Nami, tell the truth. Your sister said you stabbed yourself. Is it true?" Zoro asked bluntly, his arm around Robin's shoulder.

I stiffened. Grabbing Luffy by the front of his shirt, I pulled him close.

"You said you didn't tell them!" I hissed to him in a whisper. He grinned.

"I didn't. Nojiko did." He whispered back. Giving him a final glare, I let him go.

"Please…please…don't make me explain again…" I said, looking away. When I looked back, all eyes stayed on me.

"Alright Nami-Chan! We won't ask anymore. Isn't that right? Kyaa!" Vivi said, and sat down. I smiled weakly, and sat down next to Luffy.

"Ace went job-hunting, your sister and Mr. Genzo-Otosan, went back to their apartment, and Okasan is at work." Luffy said, and pounded the silverware on the table, signaling for Sanji to feed him.

"Alright." I said, then heard my phone go off on the couch. Peaches hissed at it, and ran away. Hikari yelped, then followed Peaches. Vivi giggled at them. I grabbed my phone, and looked who was calling. Ace-Oniisan.

"Yellow." I said when I flipped it up.

"Yo. Guess what." I heard him say. I heard a lot of people in the backround.

"Nani?" I asked, and walked back to the table.

"I got a job. They want me to start working today. 50 berries an hour, for about 10 hours a day. Yuck…well, I'll be home…whenever." He said, and I could almost hear him smile.

"Alright. Have fun." I said, then hung up.

"Ace-Oniisan got a job." I told Luffy, who just shrugged.

"SANJI FEED ME BREAKFAST!" he roared. Sanji turned around, his blonde hair hanging over his left eye.

"IT'S ALMOST READY! NOW SIT DOWN YOU SHITTY BASTARD OR NONE FOR YOU!" Sanji roared back, and returned to the stove.

Everyone roared with laughter, even Luffy.

"YES SIR, CURLY-EYEBORW-CEF-SIR!" he cried, causing everyone to continue laughing.

I saw Sanji glare at Luffy. He mouthed something, and it shut up Luffy instantly, but I didn't know what he said.

"Oi, Nami-Swan, I have an important question for you." He called, causing everyone to quiet. I sat down, and smiled.

"Shot." I told him, and plucked Hikari from the floor, and put her on my lap.

"Alright, I will." He said, smriking at Luffy, who looked suddenly serious. "Would you, Nami, like to be my, Sanji's, boyfriend?" he asked, and smiled at me. Luffy mumbled something about wanting to watch T.V. and he left.

I looked at him. "Be your…girlfriend…?" I asked softly, and stopped stroking Hikari.

A/N: Yosh! Ahahahaha, evil cliff-hangers! Yeah, I did it. What'cha gonna do about it? Hmm? Hmm? HMM?! Yeah, I thought so.

Have fun waiting for the next chapter. Aren't I such an evil person? Well, I try.

Oh, by the way, now that one week has passed from that horrible-rejected-day, I'm feeling better. We're still friends, and pretty much everything is back to normal. Well, thats all...if anyone cared to know...