AN: Eiichiro Oda owns One Piece! (Yes, I type this every time, not copy and paste/shortcut :P )

Surprise update! XD I can't decide if you'll love me or hate me for this – but trust me when I say that you'll need the happy memories from the timeskip later! ...angst is coming.

(P.S. I've set up a poll on my profile to decide if I do a manga strip for this or just one/two sketch(es) – please vote ^_^ I'm going to put it on 'blind poll' to stop bias)


Chapter Nine – His Demon Woman

Zoro stood watching nervously as Franky and Usoppe tried to finish putting up the decorations, while Sanji sang away in the kitchen as he readied the feast. He couldn't remember ever feeling this nervous. This was it. Everything was even going smoothly, in fact he could even hear Brooke's violin playing perfectly from the aquarium room, just kindly reminding him what was actually happening. He still couldn't believe it was happening, even as he watched Luffy sitting on the Sunny's head rehearsing his lines.

He smiled nervously down at Chopper as he stood in his little handmade suit, looking around him wide-eyed. Even he didn't seem to be able to let it sink in just what was happening. The ship was completely covered in lilac and violet flowers, with long white ribbons scattered perfectly along the rails of the ship and the little makeshift stage that Franky had made for Brooke to stand on while he was playing, and there was even a giant one attached to the mast. If anyone didn't already know there was a wedding today, they would as soon as they seen the Thousand Sunny.

The white chairs were lined up in rows across the lawn deck, more ribbon around the back of each. Zoro couldn't help but laugh at the memory of the storekeeper when Nami had bargained for all the ribbon – she was determined to fulfil her job as head bridesmaid, and she'd certainly saved them a lot of money, getting most of the decorations for almost free. He'd had to carry it all though, but it was all for his Robin. He was finally going to be married to Nico Robin. A year ago, it had seemed insane just to consider the idea of her being interested in him, but here they were. Or at least here he was – Robin was hidden inside the ship getting ready with Nami and Hancock.

And then there was the missing Best Man.

He was an hour late already and the guests were starting to approach, a few ship's sails now visible as they approached the bay that the Sunny was anchored in. They'd been at the island for two weeks, and each of their guests had been give a vivre card with their invites a month previous. They'd actually come across the bay by chance, and it was certainly a pretty backdrop – well, Robin and Nami had liked it, he himself wasn't that concerned about backdrops...he was getting married.

And his damn Best Man was late!

The idiot had asked if he could bring someone once he'd found out his role, and after a little discussion that involved whispering into Zoro's fiancée's ear so that Zoro couldn't overhear them, it was decided the person would also have a role in the wedding. Zoro still had no idea who this person was, or what part they were playing – wasn't he the damn Groom?! His own Best Man had damn well spent an hour whispering into his Bride's ear and persuaded her to let some random stranger be a part of the wedding, and no-one would tell him anything – not that anyone other than Robin knew...he could have found out from just about anyone else using threats, but that didn't exactly work...threatening your heavily pregnant Bride...no man was that brave.

And after all that, the ignorant bastard was late!

Zoro felt the ship start to rock slightly, quickly accompanied by the sound of large air bubbles breaking the surface. He wandered casually to the edge of the ship and threw the ladder over the edge just as a yellow submarine broke the surface, its Captain soon appearing out of the now re-emerged door, dressed in a smart suit that matched Zoro's own. Finally.

"What took you so long!?" Zoro shouted down as Law started helping someone out of the submersible ship.

"Sorry, Zoro-ya – I've just travelled here from halfway along the New World, so forgive me if I'm a little late." Law replied tiredly as he steadied an unknown woman wearing a pale green lightweight shawl over her hair, covering her face, onto the rope ladder, a young child attached to her chest by lengths of material tied together. "You're guests aren't here quite yet, as we can both see, and I assume you still don't mind my bringing my family?"

"Family?" Zoro echoed, trying to look at the woman, only for her turn her head away before he could see her face.

"Hm, this is my partner and my son – as you can see, she's a little shy so I doubt you'll get much conversation out of her." Law replied, a yawn escaping him.

"Tired?" Zoro smirked down at Law, giving the mysterious woman a hand on board.

"Graham kept crying last night – I think he'd had enough of being underwater." Law replied as he started his ascent, as his crew started to emerge from the other ship. "He is only one, so I can't exactly complain. I actually quite like getting to spend some time with him, it's not as if it's an easy thing to do – at least your kid will be on the ship with you."

"I guess that's a good thing, but to be honest I didn't know you had that problem – why didn't you say you had a family?! And a one year old! One year ago-"

"-I know Zoro-ya, and I believe it would be best for both of us today if you didn't bring that subject up. My partner does know, and Robin-ya knows, but we should maybe leave it at just them?" Law interjected with a serious expression, before turning to his guest and gesturing to the door that lead below deck. "If you leave Graham here with us, you'll find Robin-ya and the others through there – Robin-ya and Nami-ya should have your outfit ready for you."

Zoro watched as the woman untied her son, carefully handing him to Law before rushing towards the door at the back of the ship that led below deck. He'd still not managed to catch a glimpse of her face or heard her voice, but she was clearly a very forgiving person if she'd come to his wedding knowing that he'd shagged the father of her son. Hell, he wouldn't have done it if he'd known about her, especially the kid – what had the idiot been thinking?!

"We're going to talk about it later – you should have told me!" Zoro whisper-shouted at Law who was now rotating colourful alphabet cubes in the air with his Devil Fruit ability, while his son sat in his arms, watching them move.

"I did tell you about her, Zoro-ya. I've mentioned her quite a few times – she's the green haired girl, which I believe you will definitely remember me mentioning." Law levelled, starting to bounce the now fidgeting child.

"Daddy!" whined the boy, kicking his legs out.

"And now he's spotted the grass...he hasn't been on solid ground since we left the island, have you?" Law explained, ruffling the boy's messy soft green hair before setting him down, the boy quickly running off to stare towards the giant cyborg, his bare feet barely disturbing the grass as he went.

"Cute. Love the hair, shame he has your eyes." Zoro joked, watching the boy staring up at Franky with an unsure expression.

"Yeah, yeah – what was I supposed to be doing again?" Law returned, already attempting to wind Zoro up.

"Don't start – Ero-Cook's already making shitty jokes and telling me I don't deserve Robin, so I don't need you telling me that you've forgotten you're my Best Man, as random as that still seems." Zoro sighed, gently shoving Law's shoulder to make him move towards Franky and Usoppe who'd stopped to talk to the boy.

"We both know why, Zoro-ya." Law smirked, waving casually at the two 'decorators'.

"Yeah, I ran out of Nakama that wasn't already doing something important. Luffy's marrying us, Ero-Cook's doing the catering, Franky's the lights and camera, Brooke the music, and that only left Usoppe to walk Robin down the aisle since Chopper's Page Boy. You were literally my only option left." Zoro grunted, falling into a seat near the front.

"Well, I'm honoured you thought of me, Zoro-ya." Law teased, easily dodging the lazy fist Zoro threw in his direction. "Who are you expecting? My crew's already taken up most of the seats?"

"Just a few 'friends' we've made getting here – it's going to be hard on Robin, but she was determined to invite all of them." Zoro began, hoping Law would help if anything went wrong. "Dragon hasn't replied, but Garp is coming. He's bringing Coby and some other guy who apparently knows us. Robin insisted that I invited Mihawk and Perona...I was kinda hoping they'd say no, but if you look across in that direction, you can see his stupid boat."

"Is that everyone?" Law asked, taking the seat next to him.

"We're the Strawhat Pirates – of course that's not all of them. There's Jinbe, Hatchan, Keimi and Pappug coming from Fishman Island, and Kokoro and Chimney are coming from Water 7 with Iceburg, and Paulie might be coming. There's also some joint friends from Dressrosa, so you ain't gonna have a problem finding someone to talk to...and then of course there's Vivi and Kohza." Zoro sighed, glancing back at the door that hid Robin, unsure if inviting Vivi was a good idea after everything that had happened.

"So there's quite a few coming," Law replied, Zoro sensing an unasked question hanging in the air as Law seemed to cut himself short.

Zoro sat for a few moments, waiting for Law to just ask, already pretty sure he knew what the other Swordsman wanted to know. Everyone knew this could be difficult, but at least everyone else knew what was going on. Vivi was a friend of the Strawhats, but he knew it would be stupid to think that she could just let everything that had happened go, even if Robin had technically played a part in saving the desert country. He'd thought she'd turn down the invite. Now he was sitting nervously anticipating her arrival.

"Alabasta."

"Huh?" Zoro turned his head to look at Law, unsure if he'd heard him right.

"Alabasta – Robin told me about it. Vivi is Princess Vivi of Alabaster, the country that Robin helped Crocodile to take over?" Law replied.

Zoro nodded, not trusting himself to ask anything. This wasn't a time to start asking Law stupid irrational questions. The two of them were friends, so of course they'd talk, and this was his and Robin's wedding day. Law had even brought his 'partner' and son. What exactly did he even mean by 'partner'? If she wasn't his girlfriend, what was she? She obviously wasn't his fiancée or wife, or surely he would have just introduced her as one of them. Who was she?

"What's your par-"

Zoro found himself being cut off as Perona appeared in front of him, squealing in her stupid high-pitched voice at him a she hovered in midair. Stupid girl – didn't she have anything better to do than nag him?! She was as irritating as the damn Witch! He ignored her as he watched Mihawk board the Sunny, resisting the urge to challenge the World's Greatest Swordsman for his title. Zoro didn't even have to give attacking Mihawk a second thought as he instantly decided on the outcome concerning the Bride and her Bridesmaids. He wouldn't live very long.

Zoro stood at the top of the 'aisle' with Law behind him. He pulled nervously on his sleeve, wondering what was taking them so long. It felt like they'd been standing there for years. He glanced back at Law, wondering if he was also thinking that they were taking a little too long. What if something had happened? What if something had happened to Robin or the baby? He had to go check on them. He shouldn't have let-

Robin stepped out of the ship's interior, her white strappy stiletto pressing into the grass of the lawn deck, to the sound of guests gasping. She wore a simple long white wrap around her waist, the opening to her left allowing her legs to move freely. Her chest was wrapped up in a simple white bandeau, allowing her large baby bump to move freely without the overly warm restraint of material in the island's summer climate. In her straight dark hair, a band of pale lilac flowers that matched the Sunny's decorations formed a beautiful flower tiara.

Zoro watched in dumbstruck awe as he stared at his Bride. He was marrying Nico Robin. He was marrying the woman that he loved. He was marrying his beautiful demon. He was marrying the intelligent, beautiful demon that was the going to be the mother of his child. How the hell had he managed to get here?

He felt his face flush as her giggle reached his ears. He'd been staring...with his jaw hanging open...hopefully Franky didn't get a photo of that. Hell, he'd kill Franky if there wasn't a photo of Robin coming down the aisle, even if Usoppe was in it with the Witch directly behind them. He tried to give Robin a smile, and cursed himself as he only managed a stupid awkward smile – what was he thinking?! He wasn't thinking! Shit! Where were they?!

Robin's musical laughter reached him again and he smirked, shaking his head. He'd get to hear that laugh for the rest of his life. It was his. After today, they'd be married, and in a couple of days, they'd be parents. He'd never thought he'd be standing here, and he'd never have thought it would be the demon woman standing across from him, but he was a demon himself. And that was his sexy, pregnant demon standing across from him.

"Zoro-kun?"

"Hm? Oh, shit – where are we?!" Zoro panicked, realising he'd completely lost track of the ceremony.

"Fufufufu, your vows, Zoro-kun." Robin giggled, her pale blue eyes shining, reflecting back that same happiness that Zoro just couldn't help himself from feeling.

He grinned back at her.

"I promise to be your lover, to be your protector. I will defend you until the end, no matter the opponent. You are the woman I want to marry, and the mother of my unborn child. I love your dark humour, and your strength. I love the sound of your laugh, even when it's directed at me. I love you, Nico Robin, my demon woman, my bride, my Nakama."


Ok, I'm still really sorry about the timeskip, but I hope you liked that! And like I said before, ch9 became ch9&10 ;P


megaME, hehe, I know – and there's more to Hancock's trip than you already know! XD This was obviously all focused what was going through Zoro's head as the time was getting close to the ceremony, and then his thoughts through the ceremony! XD Next chapter has more detail on the others! ^_^ Promise the timeskip moments appear later! Part of me feels terrible, but I know you'll thank me later...And Zoro asked Law to be his Best Man, so I think that's definitely the start of should how 'close' they are...there's so much more to come...*fighting against telling spoilers* I love them as a pairing and as friends! XD Just as much as I do with Sanji! XD Well, you'll get to read about the first time they say them later, but what did you think of Zoro's vows?! Hope you liked this chapter!

YukiHannah87, I've (potentially) already let you down :'( I'm sorry...but as for the Lawbin moment...you'll have to wait 3;P The question is more in what way will it appear later in the story?! 3;P

R. N. Zuzu, happy to know you're still there! XD You're welcome, but thank you to you! XD


I can upload the missing sketches, but I'll need to finish them...:P I have a bit of catching up to do!

· Chapter 1 – Cover Photo (uploaded)

· Chapter 2 – Zoro & Robin / Law & Zoro. Both sketches are them on the deck! (uploaded)

· Chapter 3 – Robin & Brooke (uploaded)

· Chapter 4 – Zoro lifting weights (uploaded)

· Chapter 5 – Robin sitting reading

· Chapter 6 – Robin in Zoro's lap

· Chapter 7 – Zoro and Sanji talking

· Chapter 8 – Zoro confronting Luffy

· Chapter 9 – You Vote!

All the current sketches can be found on my Facebook page ^_^