A/N: Ahhh... I'm feeling one more chapter.

This would have been up yesterday, but... well, no excuses. I went to sleep instead of finishing the chapter. :P

So one more chapter... I'm thinking it'll be either up tonight or early tomorrow similar to this chapter... Well, early morning my time. Probably tonight, because this entire weekend will be VERY busy. As will Wednesday, Thursday, Friday... so heads up on that. Not like it matters since this story will be finished before then... But before that I'll probably start up another!

Well, enjoy~!

Chapter 14

"Mom!" Hikime ran down the hallway shouting.

"Is that okay?" Harumi asked. He still held the torch, giving us much needed light.

"I got an eye on him," I said, holding Zoro's hand as I walked. I glanced back at Hideki. He was barely inching along. But he kept coming forward.

"Robin," Hikime ran back, "I don't know where she is."

"We'll find her, don't worry," I told him. I looked up at the crack in the roof of the hallway. Further down there was a large hole where light pooled through. I stopped underneath it and looked up. Marines were looking down at us.

"Eh? It's Nico Robin!"

"What? You guys?" Zoro walked into the light behind me. "I'm tired of fighting weaklings. Go fight the other intruder. Maybe he's more your speed."

"Ah! It's Zoro," They said, leaping away from the hole.

"Let's keep going," I said. "Is this where you came down?"

"Eh? I don't remember," Zoro said, following me without hesitation.

"We're not done with you!" The Marines called after us.

Zoro turned and glared up at them.

"Now we're done. Please stop scaring us," They cowered over the edge of the hole, their eyes and the top of their heads were the only part we saw.

"Don't follow us," He warned them.

"Do you think we have a death wish?" They said, their heads popping up a little.

"Do you?" He asked, his hand automatically going to his katana.

"No," They shrunk back once more.

"Go on," I said, pushing Hikime forward. We pressed on, and the Marines were true to their word. They didn't follow.

"Amazing," Harumi said, glancing over his shoulder for the seventh time. "Zoro has these Marines tamed."

"Who are you?" Zoro looked at Harumi.

"Did you just notice me?" Harumi muttered, shrinking back in a way similar to the Marines moments earlier. I frowned slightly, watching as he avoided Zoro's gaze.

"Mom!" Hikime called out as we walked.

"Wouldn't it be better to call her Aiko?" Hideki murmured from behind us. "She doesn't know our voices, doesn't know our faces, doesn't know her son would come all this way for her."

"Son? Not sons?" I questioned.

"I don't consider her my mother," He shoved his hands in my pocket.

"But you consider Hikime your brother, right?"

"Barely," he snorted.

"Mom?" Hikime continued shouting down the dark hallway.

"Hideki?" A voice called out, weak and frail.

Hideki froze.

"Mom?" Hikime ran forward.

"It's your other son," I spoke out, approaching behind him. Harumi followed with the torch, lighting the thinned face of the girl in the photo. "Hikime."

She looked up at me, gripping the bars tightly before reaching down and laying her hand on Hikime's head, "Hikime… Hikime…" Her breathing got shakier, her shoulders quivered. She sobbed loudly, covering her mouth with one of her hands.

"Here, unlock it," I told Hideki, handing him the key.

"Wha–?" He didn't take the keys.

"I can't touch the lock," I said, opening his hand and placing the key in it. "You open it."

"Why can't –"

"Open it," I said, speaking more firmly.

He scowled at me, and at first he didn't move. He just stood there and watched his mother sobbing over missing the first eight years of Hikime's life. No, I realized, he wasn't looking at them. His eyes were unfocused, looking but not taking in the scene. Finally he looked at me, and then walked the short distance to the cell door.

He slid a few keys in before finding the right key. The lock clicked, and he let the door creak open. Aiko looked up at him, wiping her tears away.

"Hideki?"

Hideki just looked away.

Pain washed over her motherly features. She approached the door cautiously. Hideki didn't back off. He held his ground, his aura saying he didn't want her to approach, but like most mothers in that situation, she did it anyway. She wouldn't have the right to call herself his mother otherwise. And she knew that.

"Hideki," Her voice cracked. Her hand reached out, touched his shoulder, and then pulled him to her. "You've grown so much…" She cried into his shoulder, holding him close. Slowly Hideki's shoulders began to shake like hers did. Hikime joined in on the family embrace.

I smiled, turning to Zoro who had already taken it upon himself to leave them to their reunion.

"Seijo's here," Harumi said, interrupting them. I frowned, then realized what he had said.

"The third intruder?" I half turned back to the scene.

"Mm," He looked at me. "I'm sure of it."

"Who?" Zoro asked.

"Hikime's father," I told him. "But whether it's him or not, we should get moving and get out of here. We should get off this island before big-time Marines come along."

"Thank you," Aiko murmured, continuing to hug both of her sons. She closed her eyes, and she looked at peace for that one moment. But when she opened her eyes they were strong and willful. She pulled back and looked at the two of them. "We have a lot to catch up on, but let's get going."

"Mm," Hikime grinned.

Hideki didn't say anything, just wiped his sleeve over his face. Zoro met my gaze and gave a small grin. He wouldn't say anything out loud, but he was happy for the boys.

The two of us led the way back. The Marines at the hole had disappeared, but I kept going, back the way we'd come. If the new intruder was indeed Seijo, and he was as intelligent as Hikime's book made him out to be, then he would come from the staircase down to this level. Not like Zoro who liked making holes in walls and ceilings. And if the new intruder was someone totally different, well, that wasn't necessarily our problem.

"Why the hell would you let them through?"

"I don't care if they burned you! You're supposed to be the guard of the prison! You're too weak!"

I frowned as we approached the cavern.

"AHHH!"

A thump.

"Oi! Don't start throwing a tantrum!"

Light pooled in the cavern now. The ball of vines had disappeared, and at the top of the cavern there was a man-made hole with a sliding hatch to limit the amount of light that came through. There seemed to be another room above this one. Judging from the smell I'd say kitchen, but I couldn't be sure.

I looked down at the large Marine and who he was scolding. It was a young girl with long, long hair. Vines twitched at her side. So it hadn't been a vine-man, but rather a vine-girl.

"When you're a Marine, you fight until the death to protect what you need to protect!" The large Marine ranted.

"Oh, it's that idiot again," Zoro said.

"Idiot?"

"Some Lieutenant?" He didn't sound sure of himself. "Joba!"

"JOTA!" The man spun around. His bandaged wound was now displayed. He noticed all of us. "You!"

"How are you doing?" Zoro asked.

"I'm fine, thank you," Jota grinned sheepishly. "That's some skill you got there."

"Lieutenant! They're the enemy!" The Marine by the wall called out.

"Oh! Yes!" His face darkened.

"Roronoa Zoro and Nico Robin?" More Marines rushed in.

"Oh! So you're Nico Robin," Jota said, turning to me.

"How do you do?" I bowed slightly.

"I'm well, thank y–"

"LIEUTENANT!"

"Oh! Yes," He said, drawing a sword out. It was half the size of him. He looked over his shoulder at the girl. "I'll deal with you later."

"Yes, daddy," She murmured.

"Didn't see that coming," Harumi muttered, sticking close to me.

"Mm," I agreed. "It was certainly a twist."

"Lieutenant Jota! You shouldn't fight; you'll pull your stitches out!" A Marine rushed forward.

"I can fight!" Jota said.

Zoro walked towards him, drawing only one sword. He held it comfortably, with the blade pointing back towards us. He began to walk right by the Lieutenant, and that's when I began to follow. I watched as he shoved the hilt into the gut of the large man. He coughed up blood and fell to his knees.

"Lieutenant!"

"I'm fine," He muttered, kneeling there on the ground.

"Daddy?" The girl's vine touched her father's shoulder.

I glanced behind me to see Hideki, Hikime and Aiko following. Harumi hesitated before hurrying to catch up to me.

"Aiko!" Jota noticed her. "What are you doing?"

"Going home with my sons," She pulled them closer together.

"Sons… isn't one of those that pirate's offspring?"

"He's still my son," She said, lifting her chin.

I began to walk right by him, but Jota grabbed my arm.

"Twenty-two years on the run, but you let your guard down pretty easily," He muttered.

"Don't touch her," Zoro kicked his back, making him fall face first into the dirt. He took my hand and led me away.

Hideki and Hikime took the long way around him along with Aiko and Harumi.

"Am I too late?" A man called out from behind the wall of Marines.

"Captain Seijo!" Harumi exclaimed.

"Harumi!" The man wormed his way between the Marines nonchalantly.

"The third intruder!" Someone called out even further down the passage. "Someone get him!"

"Aiko!" Seijo greeted.

"Seijo," Her voice broke again. It was understandable. Eight years in isolation from her lover and sons.

"Ah, this is troublesome," Zoro said, looking at all the Marines.

"Let's go back and up through the hole in the ceiling," I told him, pulling him back. Everyone turned the moment the words were out of my mouth, a united decision that it was for the best.

"I won't let you," Jota got to his feet. Vines wrapped around his body though, and pulled him back down and away from our escape route. She glanced up at me and blushed, embarrassed.

"Oi!"

"Sorry daddy," She murmured. "It's better if you don't fight. The doctor's right."

I nodded my thanks at her, and she called out to me just before we disappeared back into the dark hallway.

"Nico-san?"

I looked at her.

"Thank you."

I smiled at her, giving a small wave before hurrying after the rest.

"Hurry! Stop them before they escape!" Jota shouted at his men.

"But Zoro's there!"

"Grow some balls!"

"But I'm a girl!"

"Just get out there!"

Footsteps were running behind us. Zoro stood underneath the hole as I approached, looking up as a pair of feet disappeared above us. He lifted me up towards the hole, although I didn't need it, and I grabbed the edge, pulling myself up along with the others. Zoro was right behind me in an instant.

"Let's get out of here," Aiko said, throwing open the nearest door and exiting through it. She led the way out of the Marine base. We encountered few Marines that were willing to stand in our way.

Once we were outside of the Marine base, Hideki and Hikime took the lead back to their grandfather's house. Eventually we slowed down to a walk, and Zoro took my hand in his.

"Cute kids," Seijo commented on Hideki and Hikime who were walking in front of them. Hikime kept on glancing back, scared that his mother would disappear when his back was turned to her. He was nervous of Seijo, or else he'd be right there beside Aiko.

"The younger one is your son," Aiko said, her fingers slipping between his.

"My –" He looked surprised.

"Mm," She smiled at him.

"You never said anything," He said. He must have been referring to how she left him years ago.

"I'm sorry,"

"It's okay," He brought her close, placing a kiss on her forehead. They'd been apart for eight years, but it seemed like they were picking up right where they left off. Watching the interaction almost had me believing it'd been days since they last saw each other. Harumi smiled at the interaction. "You used to talk so much of Hideki."

"I wouldn't know what to say about him now," She murmured.

"He's a good kid," I said aloud. "Stubborn, frustrating at times… protective and caring. A boy who's missed his mother, frustrated that she just seemed to forget about him during the years that she was away."

"I never forgot about him," She said to me.

"I know," I told her, remembering my own mother. "But he doesn't."

She nodded slowly, closing her eyes and letting herself be led momentarily by Seijo. She opened them and looked at me. "Thank you. But why are you helping us?"

"We needed an eternal log pose back to our nakama," Zoro answered for me. "This was the deal we made with the old man."

"And they're good kids," I said, watching as Hikime finally gave in and ran back. Hideki glanced back, but didn't come back. "They deserve to have their mother nearby."

"Thank you," She repeated again.

"Aiko!" Tanaka-ojiisan called.

"Dad!" She rushed forward.

"You're alright," He hugged her close. He met my gaze. "Thank you."

"Our ship?" I asked.

"In the same condition you left it. Our things are packed and on it."

"Then let's go," Zoro said.

"We're leaving?" Aiko asked.

"We can't stay here after breaking you out," Hideki muttered, shoving his hands in his pockets. His walls were back up, but that was fine, there was a crack in there somewhere, and that's all Aiko and Seijo would need.

"Marines!" Hikime called out, looking behind us.

"Let's go," I said. I looked at Seijo. "Need a ride?"

"Considering I came here in a rowboat," he said. "A ride would be nice."

We hurried to Tanaka's dock, and climbed aboard. A Marine ship was coming around the corner of the island. There was an explosion and water sprayed at us.

"Prepare for a coup de burst," I told Zoro, kissing his cheek quickly.

"A coup de what?" Hideki asked.

"You'll see," I told him, climbing up to the helm. I raised the anchor and then started turning the ship towards the sea. I called over my shoulder, "Do we have the log pose?"

"Yes!" Tanaka-ojiisan called.

"Everyone into the kitchen," I said, coming back down and ushering them up the stairs.

Veeeeeeennnnnnnnn.

The ship's engine started up.

"What's happening?"

I looked at them all, grinning slightly.

"Getting away. Straw-hat pirate style."

We jolted forward as the ship took flight. They screamed in fear.

I sat down on the sofa.

"Welcome to the Thousand Sunny."