Sorry for taking so long everyone! As you can see, this was hard to write.

Thank you for all your reviews

aznillusion: I am sadistic, I enjoy the heaviness and drama! Kinda gets worse now though...

Santoryuu: Took me long enough huh? :P I'm so pleased you class me as a fave author, the feeling is mutual. Have fun with the angsting now,

Jenelric: You know full well I can and DO leave a chapter like that. I feel empty now I've finished the story. Im glad I finished it, but it doesn't leave me happy. Gah too much angst.

Blackrose: We all mourn Shanks, but I was more sad when Yassop dies to be honest.

Yusuke: lol if you know my story so far, I imagine you already know how it's gonna end...

Blu: I hope your not in a public place for this one hun, I don't want anyone else looking at you weird. Cause this chapter makes me sadder than last.

BecauseIwasbored: It is morbid, but I wrote it so Im clearly as bad as you. As much as I love the no death in OP, my story is set in a harsh world. Mafia are not kind, and people die. Its just life

Crystal: Don't be mad at Zoro! It was me, controlling him like I was Donflamingo!

Yume: well...no..it doesn't :s

So enjoy, and I apologise for any distress caused

Chapter 14 – The End

The room was heavy with silenced emotion as the Mugiwara family regarded the unconscious nakama that was before them

Well, if Nakama was the right word for him anymore.

They had brought Zoro back to one of their haunts in the docklands, somewhere that was alarmingly similar to where the fight with Arlong went down. It did not help the family forget the memories of when their swordsman cemented his place in their hearts.

That cement was crumbling now, eroded away by the acid rain of tears and howling winds of grief.

Chopper was out back, with Luffy. He was concerned over the boy's mental health, as well as being too upset to watch what would happen in the confrontation with Zoro. Despite his anger, Chopper was young and naïve, and couldn't help but see the green haired man as anything other than his friend. The doctor was remaining alarmingly detached with the connection between Shanks' sword slashed body and the unconscious swordsman who clearly caused it.

Luffy too, was detached, but the mourning for the Capo di Cape Re seemed to fill his mind at present. Either with its importance, or its ability to let him block out the vision he saw at the top of those stairs.

Zoro had been unconscious for almost a day now, giving the family enough time to say farewell to their friend's bodies, and prepare for what was about to be done.

A closed off exhale was the only notice that the swordsman had woken up, but it was enough to catch the group's attention. The watched as Zoro tested his injuries and found himself kneeling and bound on the floor. When he cracked a dark eye towards the line of people staring down at him he chuckled humourlessly. Three earrings tinkled as he spoke into his chest.

"This is how it's gonna be, huh?"

Sanji got the first hit; unsurprising considering how much he seemed to grate with the swordsman anyway. The kick landed at the back of Zoro's head, sending him crashing forward into the ground. Pausing to light a cigarette, he waiting as Zoro hauled himself onto his knees again.

He didn't question anything as he sat on his knees; he was aware of the situation. They were mad, and they needed to pay him back for hurting their boss. He would want the same thing if he was in their shoes.

Zoro could get a good eye at the family now; to see how his betrayal had marked them. Sanji looked pissed, as per usual, but there was a glint of disappointment in his eyes Zoro had never seen. Nami stood behind him, eyes watering but the fury within them burned like fire. Her fist would twitch, torn between striding forward and hitting him and hiding away from her friend being hurt.

Brooke and Robin both looked closed off; resigned to the swordsman's actions. They had seen the world and were not new to betrayal, and though they had both accepted this result it was plain to see by the distance they kept and eyes casting the floor (in such an unnatural way for two normally so sure) that familiarity doesn't keep events from hurting.

Franky was weeping. He was shaking, trying and failing to hide the myriad of emotions inside, but the clear streaks on his cheeks cut through Zoro like a knife in the gut. The swordsman followed Franky's hand to where it lay, reassuringly on Ussop's shoulder.

The sniper was unusually quiet, not that it was surprising. Ussop would glance over to where Zoro kneeled, but would wince and look away before he could catch the captive's eyes. He was clearly taking the loss of his father hard.

Sanji moved towards him again, focusing Zoro's attention back on the situation at hand.

He didn't even notice Sanji was crouched at his side until a blast of stale smoke was blown in his face. The cough was barely suppressed, and the tiny noise echoed around the warehouse.

"Why did you do it Zoro?"

The despair in the Consigliere's voice threw him, almost so much he missed the lack of nickname. Zoro searched those blue eyes for something, and saw only hurt.

He turned away, chuckling internally. None of them would understand. None of them would need to do this.

The swordsman snorted, pulling himself up to the full height his bound position allowed, eyeing the cook with a superior smirk.

"You think he is the only one with a dream worth accomplishing?"

He nodded in the general direction of the door, where Zoro knew the Don and Doctor were talking. Sanji's eyes widened slightly before he stood up and leaned over the swordsman.

"Was all of this part of your dream too?"

Zoro looked up at the blond and his other distraught friends before casting his head back down and chucking.

"No, this was unexpected. Though I guess it was inevitable."

The dark laugh cut Sanji's insides to shreds, so he drowned out the noise with the heavy thud caused by kicking Zoro into the floor. Nami's gentle hand on his shoulder swayed the blonde from beating their captive into the ground and he instead stepped back, gracefully motioning her to move forward despite the rage he suppressed.

Zoro had just about managed to right himself again and spat a mouthful of blood on the floor when the clink of heels forced him to Nami's presence. Her staff was held in a white knuckled grip as he stared at his kneeling figure with a mixed expression of confusion and frustration. She spoke to him a barely a whisper, but with a tone that cut through the tension.

"How could you betray us?"

Sharp, dark eyes glittered as they gazed into bright, wide ones as Zoro chuckled over his thick lip. She looked so unnaturally unsure; he knew to push her over the edge.

"Surely you know all about that."

Her eyes widened to make Nami resemble a deer in headlights, before narrowing into cat-like slits. She hissed as her grip tightened around the staff and swung downwards.

Zoro wouldn't have avoided the hit even if he tried, and the force that connected square on his temple threatened to finish him. He slumped as he absorbed the impact, desperately attempting to shake the stars from his vision. Damn woman always hid her strength.

Nami fought tears in the arms of Robin so didn't notice Brooke calmly stride over to where she previously stood. His face was hardened; he knew this was necessary. They needed retribution, no matter how much it hurt to give it. By the schooled expression on Zoro's face, it seemed he understood as well. If only the others did; they tried to explain it to them all but it seems Nami and Ussop were having difficulty accepting. And poor Chopper won't even see their friend like this.

Yet the understanding the captive swordsman have made it that much easier for Brooke to thrust his still sheathed sword into his gut. The end of the cane unknowingly hit Zoro's previous injury from Shanks, and he slid back on the floor, chocking and heaving for breath.

A collective gasp filled the room as the green haired man fought to regain himself; the bond with their nakama still strong enough to feel his pain. Standing over him, Brooke hesitated before bending forward to help the swordsman up. Zoro glared at him, ignoring the blood trickling down his chin, and groaned as he managed to get up. His knees slammed to the ground from fatigue, but he still held his back straight and proud.

Robin came forward next, sure strides quickly reaching their destination. She didn't waste any time bringing her hand hard across Zoro's cheek. The slap echoed around the room and its force knocked the swordsman's head to the side. He seemed surprised at the lack of force she enforced, and indeed Robin's eyes promised pain and everyone knew of the knife hidden on her thigh, but she looked down at him with a small amount of satisfaction. She quickly walked back to Nami without a word, seemingly lost in memories of an unknown past and the terrors it hid.

Franky stomped forward to extract his own revenge, but midway he paused. Blue hair shook as he moved back and gently pushed Ussop forward.

The sniper stumbled and searched the faces of his family desperately for an escape. Nami and Robin looked away, and Sanji growled.

"You need this, Ussop."

He looked about ready to reply, and Ussop's mind told him 'he didn't, couldn't hurt him or make him bleed, not like that body…' but words failed him and he trembled as he looked stared down at Zoro.

Zoro only looked up once, and the loss in Ussop's face forced him to look at the floor again. His conscience chose a fine time to show itself

'You did that. You made him hurt like this, him and all the others.'

While Ussop fought the urge to run, Zoro mentally berated his mind for reminding him at the most inopportune moment.

Sanji barked from the shadows, snapping the long nose to attention.

"Ussop!"

The Sniper stared at Zoro, his fist clenched but trembling. Sanji grew angrier.

"Dammit Ussop, after what he did?!"

Ussop's eyes scrunched shut and he bit his lip.

"I know, but…we're still Nakama. I can't"

"He killed them goddammit! You of all of us need revenge!"

Zoro's gaze finally met with Ussop's, and when he saw the resolution in the eyes looking at him, Ussop was spurred into action.

'He didn't even regret it!'

As the fist began to descend Zoro smirked, pleased at least Ussop got brave enough to earn a small amount of vengeance.

With a roar the fist connected with Zoro's jaw, and a surprisingly strong punch knocked his head. Before there was a chance to recover Ussop exploded, landed blow after blow on the swordsman, shouting enough to cover the tears he shed for his friend and his father. By the time Sanji gently pulled him back Zoro was spitting a tooth from his mouth and trying to ignore the black spots in his vision.

As Zoro tried to recover and Ussop composed himself, Franky determinedly strode forward.

--

Somewhat calmed now, Luffy and Chopper left their solitude to return to the fold and the horrible matter at hand. The pair grudgingly walked towards the middle of the warehouse like men walking to their deaths, and came under the light to see Franky's fist buried into Zoro's gut. A chocked cough expelled from the captive's stomach as the force lifted him from the floor, hanging on the heavy hand embedded in him.

Chopper's exclamation drew attention to the new arrivals, and Franky's discomfort made him rush back to Ussop. Zoro crashed to the floor, coughing blood and heaving for breath.

Chopper ran outside in tears as soon as he saw the swordsman prone on the floor. His medicinal training wanting to help and his strong bond with Zoro overriding the knowledge that what he had done was wrong. Luffy had warned him of all this, but he still couldn't cope.

The Don Mugiwara himself gazed down at Zoro conflictingly. His mind ran through everything he had discussed with Nami and Sanji earlier, though his heart was still in doubt.

"Even if he is family, this can't go unpunished Luffy, not something like this."

"You know what must be done. If we let him get away with it the others will think we're weak. They'll never accept us."

Luffy his is face with his hat and muttered so quietly it was almost unheard, yet the tone made the words cut through the room like a knife.

"I need to talk to him alone."

There was only a minor pause before his family, his nakama, shuffled past. He saw their feet pass but Luffy's eyes were trained on the still struggling figure bound in front of him. When shiny black shoes paused at his side, a hand fell on Luffy's shoulder.

"Remember Boss, if it were anyone else, what would you do?"

When he received no recognition, Sanji left like the rest already had, but where his hand lingered Luffy's shoulder tingled, through the numbness that was his mind trying to reject what was happening.

That wasn't working very well.

From his sprawled position Zoro was still gasping for breath, all too aware of the man who was now facing him. Reigning in his waning consciousness, several minutes of breathless struggling had him kneeling again, though his body would no longer sit tall and proud.

Luffy's hand flexed whilst Zoro struggled, his feet dancing in indecision as he fought the urge to punch or embrace his injured, traitorous friend.

"What do you want L-Don?" The swordsman muttered, brushing over the use of the Boss' name. He no longer deserved to speak so familiarly, not after what he'd done. Zoro lifted his head and looked upon Don Mugiwara for the first time since that moment of victory and loss.

Luffy looked heartbrokenly torn, and his voice tried to whisper the things he was afraid to ask.

"…Why?"

There was too much emotion to handle in that one word and Zoro looked away for fear of losing composure. Luffy searched the swordsman with an expression only born to a desperate man.

Swallowing thickly, removing the blood, bile and guilt from his throat, Zoro spoke.

"I…When I was a kid, I met this girl. Tried to mug her first, like the little shit I was, but she beat me. She gave me a home, and a reason to fight. Sha-, He was mad at her father, so he killed him. She was a witness, so he killed her too."

Luffy didn't move as his swordsman spoke, wanting, needing to know what caused everything he knew and loved to end. Zoro continued.

"…Without them, I lost everything. They were my home, my family; I was nothing with them gone."

Zoro met his Boss' eyes again, and spoke with heart wrenching honesty as he looked him directly in the eye.

"I know if the same happened to you, you'd want revenge too."

The Don sunk to his knees, clutching his hat and shaking his head. Zoro never stopped looking at him, as if watching this pain was its own punishment for his sins.

Though neither of them said it, both knew. Just like Zoro needed his revenge, it was crucial Luffy got his.

--

Minutes passed, neither moving now speaking. It was achingly quiet even outside, and it seemed the only noise to be heard was Luffy's stifled emotions and Zoro's laboured breathing.

"Damn you."

There was an edge to Don Mugiwara's voice that scared the green haired man and it instantly grabbed his attention.

"What?"

Luffy sighed

"You go off, on your own adventures, doing what you want. What about us Zoro?"

At this point, Luffy shook his head and looked up at the swordsman. He was alarmed to see tears in the Don's eyes.

"What am I meant to do?"

The pair stared at each other for some time; too afraid to break the connection as Luffy racking his brain for the right thing to do. Zoro broke the gaze, slumping down and speaking into his chest.

"You know what you have to do."

Luffy jumped closer, grabbing Zoro's bloody shirt in his hands and hauling them close together.

"Idiot! What am I meant to do without You!"

The shout echoed in the now empty warehouse, mirroring the echo of hurt that it followed.

Zoro fell forward until his forehead rested against Luffy's. The Don flinched, but didn't move away from the support when a deep voice reverberated through him.

"Idiot, what did you do before me?"

Luffy squeezed his eyes shut; desperately trying to still his body's shaking.

"But-"

"You don't have an option anymore, and you know it." Zoro's voice was quiet, carrying a weariness that Luffy found terrifying. He pushed away from his captive and walked backwards in a sign he didn't want to hear anymore, but Zoro was relentless.

"I've waited my whole life for that moment; if I could I would kill Shanks all over again."

Luffy shook his head, muttering to himself. Zoro could vaguely hear one word.

No.

He sighed, and the green haired man's voice took a firm edge.

"Would you forgive for that, Don Mugiwara?"

The young man stilled at the use of his formality, the result painfully resolute.

"I couldn't…It would never be the same."

The smirk of relief was hidden as Zoro hung his head. Material sliding across metal had never been so difficult to hear.

"Then what will you do?"

"…Avenge Him."

Zoro swallowed thickly as he heard the click and lifted his head, but couldn't look Luffy in the face.

"I don't regret killing Shanks, but for what I did to the family…I am sorry, Luffy."

A pause.

A Bang.

A pause.

Luffy dropped the gun like it was poisoned, and choked back his harsh heaving as the blood began to pool around his former nakama.

Roronoa Zoro died fulfilling his dreams.

Mugiwara Luffy cried, for his hero, for his friend, and for the hollow feeling revenge gave him in his heart.

-.-.-