Hey,

At first, thank you all for commenting, favoring and following. It really moves me to know that so many are reading this story^^.

BlueBoltKatana: I promise it's not another dream and Kanan is not possessed, she's actually all fine ;-)

baronnis: Thank you, yes, all of them are a little bit tense, I mean it's really important! At least Kanan thinks so.

The following chapter was one of the hardest for me to write. Not because of what's actually happening but because I can feel those emotions so well and remember them when I wrote it.

I hope it touches you as well.

Sharry

Chapter 22 – Wanted

-Nami-

The world froze for longer than a heartbeat. Her shivering hands tried to hold onto the newest edition of the newspaper. She closed her eyes for a second and calmed her breath.

Suddenly the noise of the daily breakfast reached her again.

The silence, almost drowning her just a moment ago, was now displaced by her friends' voices, allowing Nami to reenter reality again, to realize where she was and what was happening.

She observed her crewmembers.

The calm Robin next to her stirred her coffee while talking calmly with Sanji, who's pale complexion was by now always accompanied by dark circles under his eyes.

Out of nowhere he jumped up and barked at Franky, who had just shattered a plate by accident.

His harsh words however were drowned by Luffy's loud laughter, who tried to fight Usopp and Brook at the same time over some meatbuns.

For few days their joined meals had retrieved something of their old happiness. If Nami ignored Robin's serious look, Sanji's pale face and Chopper's sad eyes, it was almost like in good old times, they were almost like in good old days. Except for that empty seat next to Luffy. If it were not for this place, Nami could almost fall for that mirage of a joyful breakfast.

Her view fell on the silent Chopper, before switching to the laughing Luffy and over to the swords next to the couch.

Determined she turned over the pages and buried the shocking news under boring articles about some more or less known celebrities. She would guard this fragile peace, would not risk this illusive idyll by evil tidings.

Sighing silently she looked down at her almost untouched breakfast. She really had lost her appetite by now, so she buried her head behind the newspaper and ignored her surroundings.

"Something interesting happening?"

The unexpected question of the reindeer caught her by surprise. Because if she were honest she had actually no idea what she was reading.

But it was the first time in days that the other one was opening a conversation so she wanted to welcome him as warm as she could. So she smiled motherly and put the newspaper on the table, so Chopper could take a look t the pictures and headlines.

"Nothing important really." She lied without blushing. "During the last days the newspaper is even bigger than usual but has less information. It's all nothing but gossip, and they still want 100 Belly. Those damn cutthroats!"

She was actually really mad about that part. It seemed like the press was out under pressure by someone, probably the World Government.

On the other hand it would be a lie to claim that she was ignoring the growing articles about this young Lady Loreen. This woman hit her taste: Trendy outfits within an affordable price-range and always some interesting background stories. Every single article made Nami crave for a man who would go shopping with her, to pay of course. Those articles offered a little bit of normality.

Exactly one of those articles showed up in the newspaper and was discussing the newest rumor. Apparently that unknown beauty was lovers with Dracule Hawk Eyes Mihawk. The fat printed headline was accompanied by a huge black-white picture, which showed the best swordsman in the world offering a heavy coat to his alleged mistress. Despite the bad quality picture those cold eyes seemed to stare her down, like the Shichibukai was able to read the deepest secrets of every single soul. She wondered how Zoro had been able to fight a man with such cruel eyes.

She ripped the newspapers down from the table, her movements a little bit too sudden, too harsh, before somebody else was able to find the connection to their lost friend.

Ignoring Chopper's big and slightly confused eyes, she started to assign tasks, not reacting to the other ones' sighing annoyed.

Within few minutes everybody except for Robin and her got up and left the dining room. Nami had not given any orders to the young doctor, but he stood up as well and vanished into the sickroom. It almost broke her heart to see him caught that deep within his grieving, not able to comfort him any better. She also mourned over the friend she lost, but she knew exactly, that the relationship between their sensitive doctor and their rough swordsman had been truly unique. Their bond had been so deep, so close, Nami could compare it only to her own relationship with her sister.

Only the imagination of her sister dying was enough to take her breath. And Chopper had to feel this loss, because Zoro had died. She was so mad at that idiot! How could he do something like that to Chopper? To her? To all of them?

Why did Zoro have to die?

She sighed again after the door fell shut behind Franky. She had to get rid of her own sadness, it would not help her at all.

Sanji was the only one of the men who stayed with the ladies; to clean up the mess the other ones' had left behind.

"So?" Robin asked blunt without looking up from her coffee. "Why did you send the others away? What do you want to keep from them?"

Of course the smart woman had noted her shift in behavior.

She could feel Sanji's surprised eyes in her back, he had not known, apparently.

"It's nothing." She sighed for another time, without believing her own words.

"What's wrong, my lovely Nami? You can tell us."

She knew that the young cook was right. Next to Zoro and herself Robin and Sani always had been the cool heads of their crew. The ones, who were able to put up a strategy, who everybody could rely on. Although both of those men had their moments of stupidity. She did not need to carry this all on her own. Maybe the other two could help her to put an end to it, to continue from now on.

Those thoughts were cruel, but would not their swordsman urge them to do just that?

"Here." She mumbled and opened the newspaper again. In between senseless articles was a single piece of paper, with careful fingers she pulled it out and put it on the table.

She could her how the other two stopped breathing for a moment.

At first sight they looked at a simple wanted poster, if it was not for those two, big, red lines crossing it.

The picture showed a green haired swordsman covered in blood, above it the word Wanted was replaced by the name Roronoa Zoro. The familiar phrase Dead or Alive as well as the amount of the bounty was missing. Instead there was a short text, which Nami read out loud:

"Official annulment of the assessed bounty

Wanted criminal: Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro

I ssued bounty: 120,000,000 Belly

Reason for annulment: Capture and Death by responsible authorities of the Navy

Date of annulment: 11/28/1522"

For another time it was like the world had fallen silent.

The navigator swallowed harshly. Now it was official. The last ray of hope they had, the last piece of desperate hope that Zoro could have had survived somehow, had been destroyed by this little piece of paper. For why should the Navy declare his death if they were not certain?

For half an eternity this message filled the air between them, while they all stared down at Zoro.

Finally it was Sanji to break this unbearable silence, although Nami was surprised that he was the one to talk fist and not the silver-tongued archeologist. But Robin was as pale as ashes and looked down at their lost comrade.

"Well." The cook mumbled in an even rougher voice than usually during the last days. "Had to be expected, right? A criminal's or pirate's bounty is only repealed if they die or become a Shichibukai. This thing only tells us what we already know." With every single word his tone dropped deeper, his voice became raspier, his crinkles became harder.

He was right, Nami was aware of that, but why did it hurt so much? Why was this picture filing her with anger? She knew, what had happened, what would happened, that this would happen.

She looked at Robin, who was still frozen and stared at the annulment.

"But I think it was for the best not to tell the other ones." Sanji continued cold, while leaning against the table, putting his hands next to the paper. "This was one of few meals, when they acted almost normal. It's probably better if they don't know of it."
The navigator shook her head.

"Normal? Have you seen Chopper? That's everything but normal."

Sanji nodded sadly:

"He's suffering the most. For whatever reason the Marimo out of all of us had been able to become so close to our youngster. He out of all was Chopper's most important person, I guess." He sighed heavy, his voice even rougher if possible. "Don't even know, if Zoro thought about that before launching his damn kamikaze attack?"

Yes, Sanji was mad as well, unbelievable mad. All of them were grieving, differently, she could see it.

"Maybe it's better if we tell them. Maybe Luffy can finally accept what happened and maybe we can all mourn together and move on."
Her voice broke, she was fighting tears. Of course she was not as coldhearted as she liked to act, not as strong as she would like to be. But would this not be what Zoro would want them to do? Would not Zoro be the one to tell them that death was a part of being a pirate and they should always expect something like this happening? Would not Zoro be the one to tell them that their weakened position was way too dangerous to be lost in sadness?

"This is not right…"
Surprised Sanji and Nami turned to Robin, who was mumbling at herself, her eyes never leaving Zoro's picture.

"What do you mean, Robin?"
She seemed to be far away, not listening to their conversation at all.

Slowly she looked up.

"Something is not right."

Nami shared a worried glance with Sanji.

"What do you mean?" He asked again.

And suddenly Robin was back, this deep, mysterious look in her eyes, which she always had when she was about to solve a riddle.

Almost delicate she touched the annulment.

"Usually it takes the marine weeks, maybe even months, to repeal a bounty. The administration department is some heavy, clumsy instrument, working slow and weary. And because it is more important to put up new bounties they do not really care for repealing old ones, this is why it takes so long."

She met their view, like she was holding the secret key in her hands, but Nami had no idea what she was trying to go for.

"So what does that mean?" She asked. Almost nervously Robin was striking back her hair, wetting her lips with her tongue.

"Obviously." She said surprisingly serious and collected. "The navy tries to hide something. They want to close the case around Roronoa Zoro and the fallen G-6 as soon as possible. Why else would they be in such a hurry to repeal his bounty?"

Nami did still not understand what Robin tried to explain, but Sanji on the other hand nodded thoughtfully and placed a hand at his chin.

"So the navy wants that the whole world forgets as soon as possible what happened at the G-6. But why? What's their reason?"He mumbled calm.

Robin meanwhile was filled with energy and drive. It was an unusual picture, to see the normally calm and thoughtful woman to pace in circles, folded arms, clicking heels, eyes chasing from door to picture and back.

"So." She said, thinking aloud. "If the bureaucracy would act normally it would take them weeks to identify Zoro's corpse and take care of all the paper work, until the official death certificate could be published, like I just said. If it's true and they didn't find a body it would take even longer until they could assume his official death."
Nami had a hard time recognizing her friend, who stared at them with wide open eyes.

"But they did not wait that long, which could only mean, that…"

Robin interrupted herself and ruffled through her hair again.

"Yes, nothing else makes sense… Of course, it has to be… Yes, certainly…" Lowly she muttered to herself, now and then looking at that meaningful paper and nodding at herself approvingly.

"You mean…?" Sanji sounded almost like he understood the senseless babbling of the older woman. But for Nami it sounded like she was close to her breaking point.

Robin simply nodded towards the cook.

"Of course. The Navy acts out of the norm. The fall of the G-6 brought chaos upon their management, but still Zoro's death is more important than rebuilding their base. There can only be one reason."

Sanji continued her thought. "And that is that they had to react onto something unpredictable, to something they didn't expect."

"Zoro's alive!" They said in one voice.

"What?" Nami did not get at all what those two were babbling about. This was nonsense.

Now Sanji looked at her the same way Robin did.

"It's obvious. Zoro's alive. That's the only reason why they had to hurry to declare his death. They have captured him and don't want us to come back and rescue him. And now they try to get information out of him."

"Or he could escape, badly injured." Robin replied. "And the Navy does not want anybody to find out. If we think he's death it's highly unlikely we would search for him so he cannot hope for help."

Unbelieving Nami looked at her usually thoughtful friends.

"But where could he be?" Sanji mumbled." We should return and search for him. We're still not that far away."

Robin shook her head. "Impossible. Without an Eternal Pose we cannot return. Besides the fire has probably destroyed the complete island. He could have only taken a ship."
"Then it's more likely that he has been captured. The Marimo is hopeless if it comes to maneuvering a ship on his own."

"But where do they keep them? I cannot remember a base being close to the Senichi islands and if, we would have been attacked before dawn when we escaped."

"Well, it could be that…"
"Shut up!" Desperate Nami screamed and slammed both fists at the table.

She had jumped up, heavy tears sliding down her cheeks.

Angry and hurt she starred at her friends.

"But, my lovel…"
"No!" She interrupted Sanji immediately.

"Are you listening to the nonsense you're saying? That's madness!" Her voice was shivering.

"Nami, liste…"

"No, Robin! You listen to me now!" She could barely speak.

"You cannot do that to me, okay? Luffy won't accept that Zoro's death. That's already difficult and his whole talking confuses the other ones. Especially Chopper is deeply hurt and every time we talk about it his hopes break over and over." She took a deep breath. "I can cope Luffy with all his stupid, useless believes, I can cope Chopper with all his desperate hope and I can cope the sad dreams of the others, I can cope all of that. But I cannot cope if you two go nuts as well, I cannot cope that!"

She was still crying, facing two friends, who were obviously not understanding her.

"I need your practicality, your objectivity, your sense and sanity, without I'll go insane. Of course I also want Zoro back, I want that he's alive. But we were there, we all have seen it." She looked at the cook. "You said yourself that he was extremely bad injured. That bad that he could not have had survived and that was days ago."

"But the bounty…" Robin replied.

Now it was Nami shuffling through her hair.

"Oh Gosh! Don't put so much into it. The navy wants to finish up some sad story about the fall of a base, that's it. If Zoro actually did survive they would have captured him and he would have died a miserable death, because they would not get a single word out of him." Slowly she breathed out.

"If Zoro were still alive and captured, they would have captured us as well. But Zoro would never betray us, so there would be no reason for them to keep him alive. No matter what way, it ends the same. We lost him."

Tears kept streaming down her cheeks, while Sanji looked at her shocked and Robin lowered her head, shaking.

"No…" She whispered. "But that makes no sense."

"Listen!" Nami raised her voice again. "We have to pull ourselves together. We are so vulnerable like never before. We lost Zoro." Her voice broke again. "But Zoro would tell us that we're not children playing pirates. Death is part of the game and now we have to continue, we have to keep fighting. Zoro would not want that we do something stupid because we're grieving. Didn't he save us so we could chase our dreams?" Slowly she folded her arms, like she wanted to keep the cold away.

"But I cannot do that on my own. I will break if you two start to hope that he did survive. Zoro's dead, got it?! We have to live with it! So please, stop chasing ghosts!"

Crying she fell back on her chair. Why did Zoro leave them alone?
"I think Nami is right."

To all surprise it was Brook out of all who entered the dining room; he had obviously noted the discussion. Now he closed the door behind him and sat down at the couch across from Nami, close to the three swords. His skull unreadable as always.

"Robin, Sanji. I understand your and the others' feelings. But Nami is right. Zoro has died for sure. And if you put your grief and hope away for a moment to think objectively, you will see that you already know that."

The blonde took a deep breath and sat down very slowly next to Nami. He was even paler than before. With shivering hands he was searching through his pockets, pulling out a cigarette and matches. It took him four tries to finally light his cigarette, greedy he sucked in the nicotine.

Robin on the other hand was still standing. Her eyes dark and locked again, the lips a fine line.

After more than an eternity she sat down as well.

"We should tell the other ones." She mumbled emotionless. "All of us should get the opportunity to bid farewell."

Brook nodded and Nami was more than grateful right now, because the skeleton was taking some of her burden.

"Of course Robin, but we should wait for a little bit. We are all exhausted and tired. All of us need some time before we can bear the next message."

Nobody denied that and so it became silent.

Not far away Nami could hear the moving of a chair. Was somebody in the sickroom? No, she had given everybody something to do. She did not want to have unwanted listeners; she had made sure of that.

"Brook." She whispered and looked at their oldest but newest crewmember. "How is it to die?"

Sanji next to hear breathed loudly and buried his face in his free hand, taking another draft from his cigarette. Robin did not move at all.

The older man sighed silently and placed his bony hands at his knees.

"I was already expecting that question." The afro-man said calm. After all he was probably the only person in this world, who was alive after meeting death.

He sighed for another time.

"If you ask me, Nami, how it was for me to die, I can only give you one answer."

The navigator observed him, how he observed the floor.

"It was horrible." His voice was filled with suffering and sadness.

"And I'm talking less about the wounds and the pain. That was bad, but bearable. But the unbearable thing was to watch my friends breathing their last breaths, one after another, leaving me behind, all alone. I was so sad, I was so lonely. This moment, when I could only hear the piano, that moment was the worst of my whole, long, lonely life."

Nami closed her eyes and bit her lips.

"I died knowing that I had lost all my friends, even if I were able to return to life. I believe this is the cruelest thing that can happen to someone."

Slowly Brook met her view.

"But I don't think that Zoro had to suffer that feeling, when he died."

Next to her Sanji suddenly looked up at Brook, who was smiling silently.

"I remember when you and Zoro entered Franky's and my cell and I was worried, because Zoro looked so exhausted. I thought it was a miracle he was still able to walk, but I barely knew him and all I had known was that he was unbelievable tough."

He paused for a moment, probably remembering those last moments with the swordsman.

Nami as well tried to remember hers. Had Zoro really been that weakened? When he had broken up the door to her prison, she had noticed his heavy breath, but he had actually looked like always; a little bit grumpy, weary like all of them had been from the time imprisoned, but except for that he had been like always. The unbreakable mountain against the waves of the ocean. Not one second she had doubted that he would free all of them, not until that gate had fallen down behind her and Usopp.

"Of course Zoro was in pain." Brook continued calm. "We all know how badly injured he was, but I don't think that he suffered. After all, despite his bad state he had been able to free all his friends, rescuing them alive. No, if I think about how glad I would have been if I had been able to save only one of my comrades, I'm more than certain that Zoro was simply relieved that all of us had survived."

His voice was so determined, so honest that Nami just wanted to believe him, believe that Zoro died smiling.

"And death itself is anything else than horrible." Brook continued. "No pain, no suffering, no fear. A really peaceful place, full of familiar faces. Is there someone, who could have been waiting for him?"

His question was strange, asking if Zoro would be alone.

"Don't know." Sanji mumbled and looked at Nami. "I don't know much about his past except that he was some bounty hunter. You knew him longer, do you know anything?"

Sad she shook her head. "Only that he traveled from Dojo to Dojo until he found a good place to train and become stronger. He never said anything about a family."
"There was a girl."
Surprised they turned towards Robin, who was still looking at the picture, pale and frozen.

"She was a swordsfighter as well and died, when they were still children. She owned the Wado-Ichi-Monji." Her voice was nothing more than a breeze as she gazed at the white sword.

"That's good." Brook nodded. "That means he won't be alone. He will be fine over there."

Slowly the skeleton got up. "And I'm sure he wants us to feel fine too."

With these words he left the room, whistling a soft tune.

Robin stood up as well. Sharply she nodded to her friends, but left without a word, closing the door behind her.

"You think Brook's right? You think, he found peace before he died?" She had to ask Sanji to drown her last doubts. After all he was the last one seeing Zoro alive.

The cook sighed and dropped his burned-down cigarette.

"I don't know." He mumbled and stood up." But I have asked myself often already why he didn't want to build up a strategy together with me to escape. He had not told me anything. But if he had I'm sure we could have got him out alive as well." His voice was dead serious.

"So why didn't he tell you?"

Slowly their eyes met.

"Brook's right. I noticed it way too late, but Zoro was really in a bad condition. His injury had not been treated well and got infected." He was silent for a second. "I think Zoro decided fully aware to not escape."

Shocked Nami stared at the broken cook, who looked as tired and exhausted as she felt.

"Why? Why should he do that? It's not like he wanted to die!"
Sanji shook his head. "Sure not, but the Marimo was one of those who preferred to die fighting than sick in a bed." He lowered his view. "I guess he knew that he would have to give in to his wounds sooner or later so he decided to choose a faster, honorable end."

Unbelieving she looked at her friend. Was that possible? Would someone do something like that?

"But that's madness! Even if badly injured due to the fight with the marines, he could have at least waited for Chopper… oh…"
She paused. Now she understood and Sanji nodded.

"Exactly, that's what I think. Zoro knew that the injury was fatal and didn't want to put Chopper into the position of taking the responsibility to avoid the unavoidable. He shouldn't bear the burden of not saving a person he loved, not again."

They were silent. For more than a moment they were simply looking at each other.

"Do you really think, Zoro would think something through like this?"
Sanji laughed silently but hollow.

"Actually I wasn't even sure he was capable of brooding at all, but after all he got all of us out. Who knows what this head of vegetables was actually good for." With slow steps he made his way to the sink to pick up his long forgotten work.

"Zorro's dead." He murmured after another few minutes.

Nami nodded without replying anything.

"And he couldn't even reach his dream." Sanji's voice became hoarse. "Shit! We're so done! What can we do now?"

She followed him towards the sink and took the plate out of his hands to dry it.

"Live." She said plain. "Live and fight for our dreams, so his sacrifice was worth it."
Sanji looked at her.

"But I'm so tired, so endlessly tired."
She knew of the blonde's nightmares, knew that all of them were having some, but his were the worst.

She also knew that he was not talking about this tiredness, was not talking about his tired body.

"Go to bed, Sanji." She ordered softly. "Go and take a nap till lunch. I'll take care of the rest."
"But…"
She shook her head. "I'm sure Zoro was at peace. So go and make up your own. Take a rest."