Out on the Line

Chapter Eight: In this together

Ussop and Nami hurried ahead into the galley to join their nakama and spring their trap. Luffy stepped in with Candy a step behind him. Before he even had the chance to register that the galley was decorated for a party his crew was shouting at him; "Surprise! Congratulations!"

Candy froze where she was. A small squeak escaped her lips. Oh my gods an engagement party?! Ahead of her Luffy started laughing. Nami and Robin started her way. There was a devious gleam in the redhead's eyes. Eh, Nami looks kind of mad. I think I'm in trouble!

"You should have told us your happy news sooner," Nami directed at her blonde friend.

Ussop had to back Nami up just a little. "We all think its great, coulda had a party much sooner."

Sanji stepped forward. He was still sort of pissed and distraught. "I made you a fantastic cake," he gestured dramatically to the huge cake on the table.

Luffy lost it focusing on the cake. "Sugee! Look at all that cake!" he hurried forward; he just had to stick his finger in the frosting. "Sanji you're the best!"

The cook stopped his captain before he could touch the cake. "Cake is desert, dinner first caveman."

The cake he was drooling for was just out of his reach. He stared at it hard and that's when he noticed there were three figures on top of the cake. A groom with a scar under his eye, the well endowed bride and a praying man. Luffy pointed at the prayer, "Who's that guy?"

"That's me begging Candy chwan not to marry you." Sanji lit up a fresh smoke.

"Feed us Sanji," Zoro butted in. "And roll out some booze. Let's have a drink to these crazy kids ne?"

Mr. Swordsman was chuckling and Robin smiled. "We have much to talk about ne?"

"We do?" Candy finally spoke. Nami had reached her still smiling devilishly.

"Of course Candy chan," Nami put just the right hint of threat in her voice. "We have to talk about dresses, yours and your maid of honor ne?"

Candy caught that one loud and clear. "Nami, of course you…" Candy bowed like a bad child. "Please be my maid of honor at my wedding!"

That's better bitch. "Of course I will and Candy chan?"

She looked up into Nami's scary face cursing Luffy for leaving her to deal with their friend. "Eh?"

"We're like sisters you can and should tell me everything understand?"

Everything? Candy swallowed hard. "Yeah, I understand."

"Good, then let's have a drink."

A few drinks and a good meal later Sanji's cake protest and Nami's scary moment were put behind them. Nami didn't let Candy off too easily. She insisted they start hunting down bridal magazines and exquisite fabrics in every town they came to. It would cut into play time ashore with Luffy but Candy had to agree. She didn't want her friend to stay mad.

Robin was a bit curious about the pair as was Ussop. She just had to ask "Have you always known you would get married?"

Luffy chuckled. "Sure, Candy is the only one who's ever been able to put up with me."

"I don't doubt it," Nami rolled her eyes.

He laughed again. "We're best friends, we belong together ne?"

Sanji swallowed some wine. "Candy chwan is stuck with you because she has the patience of a holy saint."

"And we have fun in the jungle," Luffy flashed Sanji a not so innocent smile.

"You just keep swingin through the trees monkey boy," the cook grumbled.

Zoro lifted his mug of ale. "Oi, to Luffy and Candy. Congratulations you two, whatever the hell your reasons are."

The captain finished his drink and begged, "Cake Sanji! Can we have cake now?"

Poor Candy chwan. "Yes Luffy, we can have cake now."

"Yosh!" Luffy couldn't keep all the happiness he was feeling inside. "You guys rock!"

Luffy was still all smiles when Candy snuck into his room much later that night. Candy was a little late; she had spent some time with Nami before heading off to bed. Luffy was already under the covers, but still to excited to be sleepy just yet. "Did you have fun?" he asked her as soon as the door latched behind her.

"You left me to deal with Nami all by myself," Candy frowned a little as she got into bed with Luffy.

He chuckled. "Sorry, I had to. If I'd a said anything to her she would have kicked my ass. She probably thinks keeping our engagement a secret was all my idea."

Candy had been guilted enough for one night. "We agreed Luffy, but you blabbed."

"Its better this way." He took her hands. "And we got cake."

She thought of the third figure on the cake and sighed. "Poor Sanji."

"He'll be fine. Nami too." He smiled at Candy trying to work one out of her. Eventually he did. "I love you and they know it."

Her big mouth boyfriend leaned in for a kiss. "I love you too Luffy."

It took the better part of a week before Nami quit being totally possessive of Candy and Sanji to stop calling Luffy devious bastard, but things settled back to mostly normal. Nami and Sanji kept a closer eye on the betrothed. The way Luffy looked at Candy aggravated Sanji to no end; he could see the love for his bride in his captain's eyes. Nami thought Luffy still too childish to even know what to do with his feelings for Candy and she hoped that the little hentai brother wouldn't figure it out before the wedding either. Candy chan was a nice girl. Zoro simply kept his mouth shut.

Three weeks after they parted with Shanks the fords appeared on the horizon. The island was torn to shreds and only the fords remain. Nami had heard all about the place in the last port of call. An earthquake centuries ago heaved parts of the island high out of the sea and split the island in pieces. Navigating the passage she was sure she could handle but the island presented another problem. Huge deposits of raw seastone lined the cliffs close to the water line. The devils fruit users aboard weren't going to have an easy time of it. Rumor had it the log took three days to set. Everyone came to the bow to watch the torn island come closer. Nami kept an eye on Robin.

As they entered the passage Nami started barking orders. Zoro and Sanji hurried to take in the sails. She slowed them down wary of the shallow confined space.

Candy stood with Luffy and Chopper looking at the cliffs. The sea stone was visible in the sheered rock, it was everywhere. "Three days of this shit?" Luffy was already getting a headache.

"I'm sure we can anchor off shore on the other side," Candy tried to be reassuring for Chopper too. The little reindeer looked drowsy. "Are you alright Chopper?"

No he wasn't. "I think I need a nap."

This isn't good. Twenty minutes into the sail and Chopper was already out of it. "Shall I take you to your room?" Candy offered.

Luffy turned and saw Robin heading inside holding her head. Shit this is bad. "Think I'll go too. A nap sounds like a good idea."

She blinked at Luffy, he was frowning a little. "Are you alright Luffy?"

He started herding Chopper away. "Yeah fine. Help Nami or something for a while okay Candy?" Luffy left his puzzled sweetie at the rail and ushered Chopper below deck. "How bad is it gonna get?"

As a doctor he had prepared for worst case scenario. "Bad. The three of us will be in agony by nightfall. I have sedatives prepared. Enough for us all to sleep through the next week if we have to. Come on, I'll give you some. I have to take some to Robin too."

"Sleep," it sounded tempting. The ache was spreading through his body and his strength was ebbing away. Luffy followed Chopper to his room and the reindeer gave him a bottle of blue pills.

"Take one and go to bed Luffy," he advised grabbing Robin's bottle from the shelf."

"But what if something happens and we can't wake up?"

"Trust your nakama. Get some rest."

Two hours later Candy went to check on their ailing friends. She ducked into Luffy's room first and startled at the sight of him in bed. He was bathed in sweat tightly clutching fistfuls of blanket. Luffy was pale and there were dark circles under his eyes. He breathed in shallow ragged breaths. Candy's heart leapt into her throat. "Luffy!?" she ran to him.

Candy… It sounded like she was calling to him from far away. No don't be here. Don't see me like this!

Candy took Luffy's face in her hands. He was burning up. "Luffy? Can you hear me?"

Yes. He forced his eyes open as much as he could. The daylight was blinding and he groaned. "Candy…"

Instinctively she ripped the covers off of him. "You're burning up Luffy. I'll get Chopper."

It took all of the strength he had but Luffy grabbed Candy's wrist before she could get away. "Seastone," he swallowed hard. "The others are…"

"Luffy?" his barely open eyes slipped closed. The hand around her wrist went slack. "Luffy?!" he had fallen unconscious. Candy turned and ran out of his room. She tore over to Chopper's room and threw the door open. "Chopper!?" the doctor was in no better shape then Luffy. Tears of panic welled up in Candy's eyes. She did the only thing she could think of to do. She ran straight for Nami. "Nami!!!"

Nami turned away from the bow when she heard Candy screaming for her. Her friend sounded frightened and the moment she saw the blonde Nami knew that she was crying. "Candy? What is it? What's wrong?"

"Nami!" Candy was in tears. "Luffy… Luffy…"she sobbed running to her friend.

"Luffy what? Did that hentai bastard try something when you went to check on him?"

Ussop Sanji and Zoro all stopped what they were doing and eavesdropped. Candy answered, "Luffy, Chopper…. Robin probably too. They're all real sick. Please Nami, come quick."

Nami did.

Ussop was calm enough in a crisis to find Chopper's notes about the effects of the seastone and the directions for the sedatives on the doctor's desk when he went in to check on him. He hurriedly informed the others tending to their nakama. Candy and Sanji set to making sure a cool compress was on every fevered brow. Nami Ussop and Zoro went back to getting the ship through the ford as quickly as possible.

Chopper woke briefly while Candy tended to him. He asked about the others and she held back her tears as she told him about their terrible conditions. Tiredly he reassured her, "You're doing a good job Candy chan. Don't worry, we wont die; it just sucks." With that he was out again.

Sanji prepared a nutritious drink for the ill. Candy woke them one at a time a few hours later to make them take a pill. Robin thanked her and immediately went back to sleep. Chopper didn't speak at all this time. Waking Luffy was difficult. When she finally roused him he took the drink but refused the pill. "Luffy take it. Chopper said."

Sitting up just the slightest to drink was nauseating. "I don't care what Chopper said. You could barely wake me as it is. No pill."

Candy had been watching over Luffy, it was obvious he was in pain. "Why can't you just sleep? You aint missing nothing around here. We'll be back out on the sea in no time. Just…sleep Luffy."

She knows it hurts. "Candy…."

It crushed her heart to see Luffy like this. "Please Luffy, for me?" she offered him the pill again.

Shit. "Will you stay with me Candy? So I know that you're okay?"

"Yes," she put the pill in his hand and Luffy took it. He finished his drink and she put the glass on the nightstand. Luffy reached for her and she sat down on the bed next to him.

He snuggled against her chest leaning on her, letting Candy hold him up. He was so weak now and it hurt. "Sing…for me… Candy chan." He did his best to hug her.

They had assumed a very old position and it touched her heart. Candy smoothed the hair back from Luffy's fevered brow. She held him and sang Sugar Mountain. He was asleep before the song was over.

The soup for the sick ones was nearly done but Candy chwan hadn't come back to the kitchen in quite a while. Sanji was getting a little worried. What if one of the sickies was having a fit or something? He dried his hands and went to find her. Luffy's room was first so he started there; and that's where he found her. Sanji stood in the door way looking in at Luffy and Candy. Luffy was curled up on Candy's lap, she dabbed his brow with the compress as he twisted some in his sleep. Candy chwan looked up at him with puppy dog eyes. Sanji knew she was hurting for Luffy. "Candy chwan?"

Perhaps it wasn't the best idea that Sanji see her with Luffy like this, but at the moment she didn't care. "They're still in pain Sanji. Isn't there anything else we can do?"

Sanji looked down at Luffy. His brows twitched in his sleep. "We'll get through this and then we'll nurse them back to health. I've made some soup."

"I'm not sure I can wake them."

"It can wait." He looked up at her again, at her sad eyes. "You're doing a fine job of taking care of everyone Candy chwan."

"Luffy didn't want to take his pill. I don't think he took the first one like the others did." Candy sighed and looked back down at Luffy. "He didn't want to be knocked out if something happened."

To protect… "Everything is fine Candy chwan. We'll be to the other side in no time now and then they'll be on the road to recovery. You just keep everyone's medication on schedule and leave the rest to Nami swan." Sanji turned away. It made his chest ache to see the two of them like this. He thought of the children that were going to be eaten by the witch in the fairytale, they had that look about them now; lost children about to be devoured. "I'll make another vitamin cocktail for our patients. I'll make you something too while I'm at it Candy chwan." He flashed her

a smile and went out.

Something else about Luffy and Candy weighted Sanji's chest. The way he was curled up to her. Sanji hurried back to the kitchen. Candy chwan's eyes. His chwan was all kinds of worried about the captain. Sanji huffed a defeated sigh. She really loves that idiot. She'll marry him too. Sanji entered the kitchen and went to the fridge for ingredients. Damn Luffy, you lucky devious bastard. The love cook busied himself fixing drinks.

"Luffy, oi Luffy we've cleared the island. Can you hear me? Can you wake up Luffy?" Nami had warned Candy not to expect any immediate results just because they had anchored out of the ford. Chopper had left notes about the seastone sickness. It was likely their nakama would sleep until this place was behind them.

Luffy felt her cool hand on his cheek and heard Candy calling to him again. Even now that it was dark in his room the migraine Luffy had made it feel like his eyeballs were about to burst. "It hurts," he mumbled.

"It's time for another pill Luffy. I've brought you some soup too. Can you eat something?"

"No," it came out sounding like a groan of anguish.

He's even refusing food!? Candy helped him sit up some. "Your pill Luffy," she popped it in his mouth and helped him bring the glass to his lips. "At least drink that. Sanji made it special for you guys."

Just the little he had going down was gagging him. "I can't." Luffy sagged and Candy took the glass. "The others?"

"Not much better then you. Robin seems to be taking it best. She's sleeping soundly."

"Chopper?"

Candy shook her head. "He's not well."

Three days of this Luffy remembered. "How long…been here?"

It pained her to say it. "Not a full day yet."

Fuck me. Luffy sighed and leaned back with Candy's aid. "Things okay?"

"Everything is fine Luffy." She reapplied the compress to his forehead. "We're all just worried about you guys."

His body flared in pain with every beat of his heart. "Cover my eyes," he begged.

She slid the compress down over his eyes and he groaned again. "Luffy," Candy stared down at her poor sweetie. She leaned over and kissed his lips. "It will be better soon."

"I love you Candy."

"I love you too Luffy." She could only hope he heard her before sleep took him again.

Nami and Ussop helped Candy make rounds to the sick a few hours later. Robin woke up and spoke to them. Her head was still pounding but it seemed to be letting up a bit. She drank all of Sanji's vitamin drink and took her pill. Robin had experienced a bout of seastone sickness as a teenager. Perhaps she had a tolerance her nakama did not. Poor Chopper had the shivers and Luffy had the sweats. Robin tried to reassure her worried friends that they would all make a fast recovery once this island was behind them.

Chopper accepted Nami and Candy's help having some soup. He wanted something warm. He asked Nami how far they were from shore and how long they had been anchored here. The doctor calculated at least another two days of feeling crappy but not as bad as when they were sailing through the ford. He asked about the others sick from the seastone. At least Robin was hangin in there.

Luffy was difficult to wake, Ussop had to help Candy sit him up and shake him awake. "Stop you're gonna make me puke Ussop," Luffy whined.

"You have to take your medicine Luffy," Candy got in front of him with his pill as Ussop held him up. She popped it into his mouth and Nami handed her the vitamin drink. Candy put it to Luffy's lips. "Drink it."

He gulped enough to swallow his pill and then turned his face away like a child having a tantrum. "Candy chan," he couldn't open his aching eyes so he reached for her.

Candy passed the glass off to Ussop and took Luffy's hands. "It's alright Luffy you'll feel better soon."

"Chopper, Robin?"

Ussop helped. "Doing better Luffy," it wasn't a total lie.

"Do you feel any better?" Nami took the glass from Ussop so he could steady Luffy better.

Ussop and Nami are in here too? "Noooo," Luffy groaned.

Nami frowned. Whiner. "Don't be such a baby Luffy."

"Mean Nami go away. Candy chan stay and sing me a story."

"Luffy," Nami growled.

Candy looked up at Ussop. "Go ahead and lie him down. I'll sit with Luffy a while."

Nami turned her frown on her blonde friend as Ussop returned the captain to his pillow. "He's being a cry baby Candy chan. You shouldn't submit to his whims."

She smiled at Luffy's half asleep frown. It was almost her bedtime too. "I think that Luffy is just lonely in here all by himself. I'm sure he misses being all over the ship and in everybody's business all day." Candy laughed a little. "I'll just fill him in ne?"

Ussop backed away from the bed blinking at Candy. He stood beside Nami and turned to her. Her frown twitched away. "Nami?"

Nami cut her eyes over to Ussop. "What?"

"Nothin," he shrugged. "You wanna go?"

"And leave Candy chan with this cry baby attention whore?" She sighed loudly. "Fine let's go Ussop."

Unbothered by Nami's bossy nature he obediently followed her out. He waited until they were clear the captains room and asked "You think Luffy's feeling better?"

"Keh, I'm sure of it. He's just hogging Candy to himself. Just wait till I get denge fever or something damnit!"

"Nami," Ussop chide. "Don't go and wish yourself sick. What kind of crazy talk is that? You can guilt Candy into doing girl stuff with you later ne?"

Her stare turned icy. "What did you say Ussop?"

Uh-oh! "How about in the next port you and I will steal Candy for a shopping spree. I'll carry all your bags," Ussop laughed nervously.

"Yes, we need fabric."

He fell a step back as they resumed their trek to the galley. "Want to have a drink Nami? I think the sickies are done for the night."

She was quite done with cry baby Luffy. "Dry martini's"

"Ooh that sounds good."

Nami smiled. At least Ussop was always agreeable, he wasn't as dumb as the others either. "Oi Ussop, if I got sick you'd help Candy take care of me ne?" she tested. Nami remembered Yassop's wink.

"Sure Nami," he answered right away. "I'd make you the nicest get well card with flowers and trees." He started picturing green things in his head.

She stopped short and turned on her heel to face Ussop directly. He startled out of his daydream and she stared at him. "That's very sweet of you Ussop."

Is it hot in here? "Uh…" Nami was staring him down.

"I don't see you making a card for Luffy or Chopper or even Robin for that matter, but you'd make one for me?" She lifted an eyebrow and smiled at Ussop devilishly.

His throat was so dry when he swallowed the click was audible. "Uh…"

Nami laughed a little at his red cheeks and resumed her walk to the galley. I so totally rule men. "Come on Ussop. Let's get a drink."

Nami complained some to Sanji as the cook served up drinks. Zoro came in and bitched about guard duty then headed out again. After her third martini Nami decided to hold Ussop to his promise. "We're doing some shopping in the next port. Sanji, you and Zoro can stay with the sickies. I'm sure they'll be much better by then. Ussop, you're going to be my mule. We're going shopping and having lunch at a café."

"Why does this asshole get to go to a café and I have to sit here and baby sit ne?" Sanji protest. "You're missing an opportunity here my swan. If we get Candy chwan alone we can talk her out of marrying Luffy!"

"You're blonde sometimes too Sanji. We're already too late for that. That's why that damn rubber brain kept it from us! I'm not going to have my day with Candy filled up with talking about Luffy!"

Three martinis had loosened Ussop up. "Luffy and Candy keep their promises. We all believe in him, that Luffy has what it takes to become pirate king. That's why we came with him, but it's not like that for Candy. Sure she believes in Luffy but he can't make her dream come true."

"Why the hell not," Sanji grumbled.

"He is her dream. Sailing with Luffy, helping him become the pirate king, us; their nakama. This is Candy's dream."

She thought of the way Candy was smiling patiently at Luffy when they left them. "It's what they've been dreaming of doing since they were kids."

"Keh, so what? That don't mean she gotta marry that numbskull," Sanji protest. "They never promised that shit when they were kids."

Ussop shook his head and a slight grin slipped loose. "No, that was after Luffy saw Candy chan all grown up."

"He's a lecher and he's greedy." Sanji lit a fresh cigarette. "He proposed to her too soon. That damn monkey will be poor Candy chwan's only boyfriend. I didn't even have time to convince her to go on a single date with me!"

Nami sighed. "Let's just agree that their both stupid. A couple of idiot kids that don't know what they're doing." She finished her drink and held out her glass to Sanji.

The cook retrieved his swan's glass to make her another. It was much easier to persuade Nami to be devious when she was a little liquored up. "They better not figure it out either," Sanji smoked. "I'll defend poor Candy chwan's virtue from that slob."

"You better," Nami made it a command. "If you see him acting like a hentai brother you beat his ass." She turned her glare on Ussop. "You too."

Ussop tried to hide behind his martini glass slowly downing what he had left. He tried not to think about Luffy and Candy hand in hand gawking up at Shanks. "Yeah sure Nami."

Sanji hurried to finish Nami's drink. "About that café Nami swan"

"Forget it Sanji. Ussop is coming with us. He's non threatening."

"And I'm what?" he handed Nami her drink and took Ussop's empty.

Nami waved her free hand at Sanji. "One blonde is enough for me to deal with. You stay and take care of the sickies."

"I'm non threatening? What does that mean?" Ussop rested an elbow on the table and looked at Nami.

"It means I can trust you in other ways I can't trust the rest of these bums," Nami sipped her drink.

The cook chuckled putting the finishing touches on the martini. "Lucky you Ussop they let you into the girls club."

"Shut up Sanji," Nami defended. "At least Ussop isn't a skirt chaser."

"He's just your bitch," the cook replied with a smile as he set the drink in front of Ussop. The poor guy was red faced. "Next she'll be picking out your clothes."

"Maybe I should," Nami growled up at Sanji. "I do have the best fashion sense on this ship. I could dress Ussop way better then this crap he wears."

Sanji looked Ussop over. "Vintage country bumpkin ne Nami swan?"

Nami laughed. "Oh yeah."

"Gee thanks guys." Ussop picked up his drink and downed a generous swallow.

"Maybe he needs a pity make over," Sanji kept on.

She leaned away from Ussop sizing him up. Leaning made her a little dizzy. "Yeah we can do that. I see jackets with print, earth tones maybe even purple."

Purple? Ussop sagged. Choose my battles carefully ne? "You're the expert Nami."

Candy didn't leave Luffy, not even after he fell asleep again in her lap. She fell asleep sitting up with Luffy all over her. Nami decided it was too troublesome after five martinis to move her friend and went to bed. Candy slept lightly waking every time Luffy shuddered in his sleep. She would do her best to ease him in her half conscious state. Sometimes she sang a few bars of one of his favorite songs before she drifted back to sleep herself.

Nami was up just after Sanji with only the slightest hangover. The love cook had by passed the captain's room on his way up to start breakfast, so Nami took it upon herself to wake Candy. She went up the hall to Luffy's room and opened the door. She took a step in still holding the doorknob in her hand. Somewhere down the hall a door opened. "Ca…"

Her blonde friend was sound asleep. Candy and Luffy had made themselves more comfortable in the night. Luffy was all but on top of her and Candy had her arms around him. Luffy was snoring in Candy's ear; she didn't hear Nami come in. Candy dreamed of a sunny hillside and singing to Luffy as they watched the clouds roll by.

"Candy chan?" Nami was louder. Look at him being such a baby! "Oi Candy." She probably held him all night and kept the boogie man away. "Candy chan!"

She heard Nami that time and opened her eyes. Luffy blocked her view. "Nami?"

Nami came in as Candy tried to wriggle out from under Luffy. "You took care of this whine ass all night ne? No wonder you didn't hear me with him smothering you."

Her friend's frown was disapproving. "I fell asleep tending to Luffy." Candy sat up meaning to get out of bed and see to the sick. "We should get everyone their medicine."

Luffy had been awake since Nami called Candy the first time. At first he was too paralyzed by fear to do anything other then feign sleep, but Candy could handle Nami. He reached for Candy before she could get up. "Candy chan," he whined. "Where are you going? Don't leave me."

"I have to get you some medicine Luffy. I have to check on Robin and Chopper."

Ussop had told Nami what was in the notes Chopper left. By today the worst of it was over for the devils fruit users. "You're acting like a big baby Luffy. Candy chan stayed with you all night. You're lucky you're sick or I might think your hentai brother ass was up to something naughty with Candy chan in which case; I'd just have to beat the crap out of you."

Candy got out of bed fast. She hurried to Nami. "I'll bet Sanji has something prepared for pill time. We'll be back Luffy, hang in there."

His sweetie and mean Nami went out and Luffy frowned at the door. No good morning kiss? It couldn't be helped, it was alright. Luffy felt better, but a step up from agony wasn't saying a whole lot. His muscles still ached, his head too. He hoped he could eat something today even if he didn't feel hungry. He didn't move much or open his eyes more then a crack. The dizzy pukey feeling of vertigo was still with him. Luffy took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He moved slowly to make himself comfortable in bed. He let himself drift down into a light sleep while he waited for Candy to bring his pill.

Those suffering the seastone sickness had a better day off it. Choppers pills on a regular schedule helped them all sleep their discomfort peacefully away. They had made it past fever and chills and woke obediently for pills and vitamin drinks. No longer suffering but in a constant doped state when they were awake. Robin ate something at lunchtime and Luffy and Chopper ate some dinner.

The medication took away the pain but it also made him sleep. Luffy wanted Candy with him and whined enough when she brought him his evening pill that she stayed. Candy crawled in bed next to him and Luffy snuggled up too her. He was tired, feeling kind of floaty. "I don't like to be in bed without you."

"Cold feet ne Luffy?"

"I want you with me Candy."

"I'm here Luffy. Get some sleep."

Luffy did and the mother of all nightmares devoured him whole.

The ship was rocking; all was quiet save its wooden creaks. Why is it so quite? Luffy got up and went to the door. He opened it, the hall was empty. He stepped across the hall and opened Candy's door. There was no one there. Nothing but the sound of the ship reached him. It felt like they were at sea so everyone couldn't be ashore. Luffy headed for the deck. Get topside and see.

The sky was grey and the sea choppy. All sails were taken in and Thousand Sunny bobbed like a cork in the swell. Luffy started amidships to the bow and he saw her; Candy in a long white dress, her freed hair blowing in the wind. He called out to her and she turned to him. Candy smiled and reached out a hand to him. He was nearly to her when a fierce wind nearly knocked him over. Luffy blinked and Candy was gone. What the… Candy?!

He heard familiar laughter, it came from everywhere. What do you think you're doing with my treasure boy? Cherry is my bird.

It was Dark Alucard Luffy heard. What did you do to Candy? Give her back to me!

She doesn't belong to you boy.

Candy belongs with me!

So she can die a pirate's death? A short drop and a sudden stop; is that what you want for your lover? Perhaps you prefer her to die in battle instead of the lap of luxury.

I won't ever let Candy die!

You're helpless mugiwara and you can't protect her.

Something about his voice changed. Luffy looked behind him just as lightning lit up the sky. He saw him then, Monkey D Dragon. My…father…

Where's Tinkerbelle Luffy? Where's your nakama?

His father advanced on him on the deserted deck. His eyes blazed with fury and there was blood on his hands. Dad… no….

You lost em didn't you Luffy, even Tink. Shoulda known a little runt like you could ever hold onto a looker like her. Every stud in the Grand Line wants some of that.

Shut up

Where is she Luffy? Who do you suppose stole your Tinkerbelle away? Pirates, rich old men, rich young men? Would miss idol be swayed by a handsome smile and a fat bank account?

Shut up

Maybe she ran off with one of your nakama. Maybe your cook is showing her just how blondes have more fun.

Shut your mouth

Or maybe she got smart and ran off with Ace. They can make me a grandfather.

I said shut up! He couldn't move; he couldn't escape his father. Shut your godamn mouth!

Let her go Luffy. You can't protect her. You can't protect any of them.

"I said shut up," Luffy wheezed coming awake. Candy was shaking him.

"Luffy, it's a bad dream. Are you alright?"

Candy… "Are you okay?"

"I'm okay Luffy," she soothed. "Everyone is doing just fine."

He sighed tiredly trying to shake the remnants of the bad dream. "Don't leave me Candy."

She hugged him a little tighter. "I'm right here Luffy."

His arms felt a little stronger tonight and Luffy held Candy close. "Stay with me forever Candy. I love you."

Candy smoothed Luffy's hair back and kissed his forehead. "I'll always be with you. I love you too my poor, poor Luffy. Get some rest."

Luffy felt better with Candy in his arms. His nightmare melted away replaced by thoughts of the woman taking such good care of him. "You're so good to me Candy."

She smiled in the dark. "You need your rest."

"I can't wait until I feel better. I'll show ya."

A tired giggle bubbled out. "I'm sure you will Luffy."

Day three and Candy was up tending to the sick before Nami caught her in bed with Luffy again. Sanji had prepared for them a light breakfast and healthy vitamin drink. Candy was glad all three of them ate something this morning. Nami caught up to Candy in Robin's room. The navigator assured her friends the log would set any time now and they could go. Once away from this place the seastone sickness could come to an end.

It was just after lunch when the log finally set. Nami started shouting orders and her nakama made haste to get them ready to sail. Zoro pulled anchor, Ussop and Sanji shimmied up the masts to unfurl the sails. All able bodies pitched in and soon enough the Thousand Sunny was leaving the island mass in their wake. Nami set their course for the island their log was pointing to next and the wind filled their sails.

The sick were a little more alert and looked better then they had in days at dinner. Nami and Candy sat with Robin for almost an hour. Candy moved on to Luffy, Nami went to check in on how well Ussop was taking care of Chopper. The reindeer was relived to be feeling better and reminded his nakama that they should all take one more pill tonight. Tomorrow they would be weak and dragging, like someone recovering from a bad flue. He wasn't sure if they could get out of bed tomorrow but the next day should be good.

Nami was relieved to hear it. She missed having the others around and she was tired of Luffy hogging up all of Candy's time. She hadn't played with Candy's hair in days. She sighed tired. "Glad to hear it Chopper."

Ussop looked toward the door. He could hear Candy singing to Luffy down the hall; Annie's Song. He turned back to Nami as Candy sang let me drown in your laughter, let me die in your arms. "Things will be better now ne Nami?" he smiled a little.

"They certainly will." Nami pointed a finger at Ussop. "And then we're going shopping."