Disclaimer: One Piece belongs to Eichiro Oda. I owe nothing.

Author's note: This fanfic will always be written from a first perspective. However, the pov characters differ between sections, the majority of them are Robin. I think this will be obvious when reading.

Chapter 1.

I wiped my forehead with the hand not holding the knife. The body on the floor had gone still. I glanced at his eyes for a split second. They were half-closed, and still focused on me. Definitely dead. My heart kept drumming against my chest still faster than I had thought possible.

One of the men pressed a boot against his side and flipped him onto the stomach. He gestured to me.

"Cut it off."

I looked between him and the corpse, then dropped to my knees. I tried to keep my nausea in as I cut through the skin. The blade moved in a jagged line. I heard laughter reverbating through the room. They were looking down at me. I took a deep breath, tried to keep my hands from shaking, and continued to work. Thin lines of blood fell onto the plastic, but some spread over his back. I dropped the knife, grabbed corners of the mark and pulled, separating the flap of skin from the bones and muscles. It was easier than I thought.

I moved back, waiting to see what would happen. They put the body in a trash bag and carried it outside. They were very efficient. Like they had done it before.

I followed on unsteady legs. I needed to clean the blood off my hands. I had rolled up my sleeves beforehand. No need to start fires. Just get rid of the knife and boots.

It seemed my part was over. They loaded the bag on a rowboat, filled it with stones and tied the end together. Two men took the boat out. The third one remained with me, standing and looking out over the mountain lake. Its surface was still, and I wondered how deep it went.

"Where will you go?"

I rubbed my hands in the water. "Home.

His gaze pierced my skin deeper than the nordic wind. "Better to disappear."

"I'm not done here yet. Don't worry, I won't talk."

The boat was near the middle of the lake. I watched the bag be pushed over the edge. As the dark water swallowed my former friend, small waves spread out from where the bag had sunk, before they, too, died out.

I heard the man exhale, felt the sharp scent of cigarr smoke. He had moved to stand behind me. My knife was still in the cabin. I looked at his blurry reflection, and felt my heartbeat rising again. "I know."

14 years later

"Only me and five bad guys were left standing. I fired a warning shot and took shelter behind a car. I checked my gun - one bullet left. The thieves were closing in, their heavy boots grating the asphalt. I took deep breaths - time seemed to slow down. I gripped my gun firmly, jumped and somersaulted sideways from behind the car. Bullets whizzed past my ears, but all missed. I pulled my arm from side to side, and fired in midair. The bullet curved and hit them all, incapacitating them. And that's how I arrested a gang singlehandedly and saved the day."

"That's so cool!"

"It's just an average workday for me."

I looked at the young men in the front seats, debating on whether I should say what really went down. Chopper's eyes almost sparkled like stars and Usopp was basking in the attention. I went back to studying the scenery.

"Criminals know and fear me," Usopp continued. "I once showed up at the scene of a hostage situation, and the culprit knew he was screwed and turned himself in right away."

Pure coincidence. I sighed softly.

"Woah," Chopper gaped.

"You're gonna have stories too, one day," Usopp informed his colleague. "When you have some years in the force."

"I hope so." Chopper turned so he was facing me. "How about you, Robin? Working in organised crime must be crazy."

"It can be intense," I said. "But my stories are not nearly as exciting as Usopp's."

"I've heard that your department took down Gold Roger and his gang. Is it true?"

I shrugged. "That was before I worked here."

Franky's voice emanated from next to me. "The objects are coming downstairs together."

I picked up the radio. "Are they leaving?"

There were moments of silence until the radio came to life again. "Yes, they're coming out the front."

Chopper picked up the system camera and aimed the lens at the entrance.

Four men in tall dark coats exited the restaurant. It was easy to dustinguish Capone Bege from the others; he had an aura of danger emanating from him that was impossible to miss. People passing by moved out of their way to avoid getting close to him.

Two of the men were his bodyguards. They had all been in and out of jail several times. The fourth man was plump and middle-aged, and quite unremarkable in that company. He kept throwing glances around the street, without noticing us parked across the road. None of us recognized him. He carried the same portfolio bag that he'd brought on the way in.

Chopper lowered the camera. "Why do they dress like 20th century gangsters?"

"The coats make it easy to conceal weapons, and the hats let them hide their faces if necessary," Usopp said. "They're the real deal."

"You should get back here," I said into the radio.

"I've almost finished my pasta," Franky replied.

Vista and Ace both wore loose pants and oversized hoodies - comfort over style. They very much did not fit in the uptown Italian restaurant. They came out of the gate in front of the restaurant and Vista shook Bege's hand. Chopper's camera made more subdued snapping noises.

A black, shiny Mercedes with toned windows came to a halt in front of the men, without blocking our view of the men. They exchanged a few words before Bege and goons got into the Mercedes and it accelerated into traffic. Ace and Vista took off down the street. Usopp quickly turned the ignition.

"Get your ass here now or we go without you," I informed Franky without sympathy. Just as I finished, the door to my left opened and closed as Franky struggled to fit his massive body in the vehicle. Usopp took off before the door was closed.

"Five freaking days," Franky muttered. "And that's even stretching it."

"I know," I replied.

"Your seatbelt." Chopper was glancing at Franky from the front.

Franky sighed and looked out the window. No one said anything. Chopper turned his head several times. When no one acknowledged him he settled into his seat.

We caught up to the car, and Usopp let a few vehicles between us and them. "How was the food?" he asked.

"The most superb bolognese I've ever tasted. I don't think Sanji could have made it better," Franky said with relish as he removed the headset.

"Bold statement," I said.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket. Several signals went through before the person on the other end answered with a groggy voice.

"Could you look up a car?" I read the license plate of the Mercedes to Zoro, and waited as he tapped in the background.

"It's one of Bege's," he said, more alert now. "They're done already?"

"Yes. There were no exchange that we could tell. Well see where they're going, then head back," I told Zoro.

"Got it." He hung up.

The Mercedes navigated through the asphalt jungle with a certainty about its destination. We were leaving the city center snd heading north.

"Its almost rush hour," Franky said. He was right - the roads were getting packed. We had to stop just before a red light, and the Mercedes switched to the rightmost lane before us, heading for an exit.

Usopp drummed his fingers against the steering wheel. "Any chance there are drugs in the bag?" he asked.

"I doubt it," Franky said. "Beges brother-in-law owns the restaurant. He wouldnt put him at risk."

"You sure? Maybe Newgates guys wanted a sample of future goods," Usopp said.

"I'm sure," Franky said, but not before hesitating.

The light changed to green, and Usopp swerved the van to the right before any drivers reacted. Bege had been hold up by traffic too, and it wasnt long before the Mercedes were visible in front of us.

"Wait!" Chopper exclaimed. "Thats the stranger. They dropped him off."

Usopp slowed down, and we looked where Chopper indicated. The man with the bag was walking hurriedly along the sidewalk in the opposite direction we were driving.

"Nicely spotted," Franky said, and the young policeman lit up.

I unbuckled my seatbelt. "I'll follow him. Stay with Bege."

Usopp pulled over to the sidewalk. It was a relief to get out - the car was like a sauna under the broiling sun. The temperature seemed to increase every year - a proof of slowly impending doom.

The familiar city bustle of chattering and honking cars that had been muted now enveloped me in full. I took off at a casual place, blending in with the crowd. The man walked about ten meters ahead, and wasnt looking behind him. He crossed the road and went toward the door of one of the highrises lining the street. The building he entered was crammed between a hotel and an apartment complex, and several business logos were displayed next to the front door.

I went in after a group of people in suits exited. The hallway floor was white marble, and the walls consisted of expensive paneling. To my right was a reception desk, currently unoccupied. A door to the right led to a staircase, and the man was standing by a single elevator located farther ahead.

I went towards it, took one glance at the man before studying the list of the floors. The man had pressed the button for the elevator and stood behind me, his arms crossed. He seemed to have calmed down, but the wrinkle between his eyebrows had deepened.

The doors opened with a ping, and I strolled in first. I pressed the button for the third floor, and he went for the one above it.

The atmosphere was tense during the short ride - we were two strangers crowded in a small space. Naturally, both of us pretended the other person didn't exist.

I entered a dentist office which occupied the whole floor, and a receptionist looked up from her desk. "Hello. Can I help you?

I answered after I heard he elevator lurch into motion. "No, thank you. Wrong floor," I said.

I ascended the stairs two step at a time. on the 4th floor there were two doors opposite each other. The stranger was either headed for a law firm or a fertility clinic. Both businesses required an ID card and a code to gain entrance.

I googled the name of the law firm and opened their website. The senior employees were listed with pictures, and I recognized the man's puffy face and mustasche.

Bege's new acquaintance was Joseph Gambino, a licensed attorney specializing in family and immigration law. And he was important enough for Capone Bege to bring to a meeting with another criminal gang.

I stared at the intercom. For a fleeting moment, I contemplated going in and confronting him.

Our office was among those closest to the precint's parking garage. It wasn't planned, but it was lucky for us since we often had to leave with short notice.

The office itself was a wide, open rectangle. There was little room between the paper-filled desks, and the air conditioning did little except provide a whizzing in the background. The workplace was imperfect but functional, and coming there felt like entering a second home.

Zoro was somehow relaxing in his chair - a cheap, skyblue IKEA model. His eyes shot open even though I tried to close the door quietly behind me. I placed one of the paper mugs before him before retreating to my desk with my own.

The bags beneath his eyes seemed more outlined than they were an hour ago. "All this overtime can't be good for you."

"I'll go after the new guy shows," he said. "Where are the others?"

"On their way back from Bege's mansion."

He sipped from the mug. "Thanks for the coffee." I nodded. "Why weren't you with them?"

"I followed the third of Bege's men. His name is Joseph Gambino, he works for a private law firm."

"Hn."

There was some time to spare before Franky returned. I opened my computer to see what I could find out about Joseph. Zoro closed his eyes again, but I could tell he was awake. He'd been working the night shift before today. A sane person would have been at home sleeping. I was happy to be working under someone so dedicated, but that feeling was overshadowed by my worry about his wellbeing. It was still several weeks before August ended and things went back to normal.

Sharp knocking brought me out of my concentration on the screen. The office door opened and an ancient, unsmiling woman appeared in the opening. "Detective Roronoa. Detective Nico."

"Captain Tsuru," I replied. Zoro just studied her, looking uninterested. He kept his feet on the desk and his arms crossed behind his head.

"I heard you were back," she continued. "Isn't Franky here?"

"Hes not here quite yet."

"I see. Lets do this anyway." Tsuru stepped aside, and gestured impatiently with one hand. "Your new colleague is here." I sat straighter in my chair. I hadnt been told much at all about him.

Another figure emerged into view. "Yo. Im Luffy."

What? was my first thought. I exchanged looks with Zoro. Was this for real?

Tsurus eyes narrowed in annoyance as the silence dragged on. "You should all get introduced. Ive given him a tour of the precinct. Ive got other things to do, so Ill be taking my leave." She turned to Luffy. "Again, welcome. We all look forward to working with you." She shook his hand and gave us stern looks before she was off.

The heat could explain why someone would wear jeans shorts, wooden sandals and a tshirt, if they hadn't been here. His clothes wasnt what had startled me however. It was his face - wide eyes and naive expression. Chopper looked young but this was another level entirely. There was no way Luffy was above 18.

This could be a prank. No, it had to be. Right? I glanced at Zoro again, he seemed to be thinking along the same lines.

"So do I get a desk?" Ever since his introduction, Luffy had been smiling, almost to the point of grinning.

I snapped out of it. I rose and moved to one of the empty desks, while I mustered a smile. "Of course. Its over here." As the boy approached me, I held a hand out to him. His grip was firm. Not at all what Id expected. "Im Robin. That is Zoro." Zoro inclined his head almost imperceptibly. I couldnt think of anything suitable to say. Luffys white t-shirt had a motif of a piece of meat on bones on it, and for some reason it drew my attention. I wanted to ask him to show id, but that seemed ludicrous.

"Are you fresh from the academy?" Zoro asked.

"I graduated a couple years ago," Luffy said.

I did another take of him. Despite his lanky appearance, there were hints of serious muscle between his skin. Most telling was the fact that Tsuru wouldnt participate in a prank if her life depended on it. "Please excuse us, its been stressful lately. Were glad to have you," I said.

"Whats going on?"

"Were assisting with a drug case," Zoro said.

"Drug case?"

"Well go into details later."

The door burst open, and Franky strolled in. He froze when he spotted the newcomer. "Who are you?"

"I'm Luffy."

"Luffy? As in, Monkey D Luffy?"

I heard Zoro spitting out coffee, then cursing.

That could explain a lot, I thought. I brought some kleenex from my desk to Zoro while Franky spoke. "Im Franky, nice to meet you." He didnt seem affected by Luffys appearance. "Usopp wants a meeting to discuss how to proceed. They expect us there now."

"Yeah, Im out." Zoro got to his feet. "Fill me in later."

"Will do," Franky said.

Zoro got his jacket, gave Luffy one last, lingering look, and left without another word.

I turned to our new colleague. "If youre up to it, you can come with us and get info on the case."

"Sure."

Two pictures - the prison photos of Vista and Ace - had been added to the pinboard. They both looked serious, and Vista lacked the impressive mustasch that he had acquired now. Their addition meant a lot more complications for us.

While I, Franky and Luffy were the only people from our subdepartment, quite a few police officers working in narcotics were present. Usopp, as the head of the investigation, went over recent developments, including todays events. Drugs had started appearing in schools and sportrelated events, and the priority of the case had increased. There was suspicions against Bege, but not yet enough evidence to warrant an arrest. The narcotics were brought in via boats transporting cars, but we didnt know when the next delivery was due. It was dawning how little knowledge we had. Usopp asked us to find out more about the Bege gang but also Newgates men.

Luffy got to introduce himself again, but he didnt reveal his family name. No one made the connection to the Monkey family, like Franky had done.

We started discussing our strategy in the elevator going back down. The people of most interest now was Bege, Vito, and Vista, and Usopp had arranged for them to be under surveillance. That left Ace and possibly Joseph, and other unknown individuals that could be involved.

We let Luffy go home early, this being his first day and all. The office suddenly felt desolate without his energetic presence.

Franky went to the vending machine for a cola, and when he returned he leaned against my desk instead of going to his own. "You let Ace go." He snapped the lid of the bottle and took a large swig.

I leaned my head against my palm. "There was not enought evidence against him. No incriminating fingerprints."

"We need all the info we can find," he continued. I looked at him. "Can you handle it?"

"I can handle it."

He nodded. "Good. Ill be looking too." He studied the bottle which looked minimal in his hand. "I love these, I have to get another. Be right back."

I nodded and continued working at my computer. When he was gone, I put my elbows on the desk and leaned my forehead against my palms. The task before us was overwhelming, and I wasnt sure that we could handle it. But I knew wed do our best.

"Remember, no running when were here."

Two sets of light blue eyes looked up at me.

"I know, mommy."

"Do you?"

Freja exhaled noisily and put her hands against her hips, showing all the sassiness a six-year-old could manage. "You always say that."

"And do you listen?" Freja avoided my eyes, and she looked smug. My oldest child is a demon in disguise, I thought, and suppressed a smile. "Please help me carry this." I handed her the snack bag - it was small enough for her to carry, but would still slow her down.

I hoisted Kevin into my arms. "Okay, lets go."

Frejas eyes lit up and she took off. She walked in an accelerated pace, but it was better than running. She waited by the exit of the locker room. "Come on!" she called out to us.

This was only one of the citys many swimming halls. On the weekends, it always bustled with activity. But ordinary afternoons like this, the atmosphere was much more pleasant. Kevin started wriggling about halfway to our destination, and I put him down. He padded along beside me, until he got interested in the nearest pool and veered off to the right. I swooped him up before he could get anywhere near the edge. This unfair concern for his safety caused him to burst into tears. He was still wailing when we reached the establishments shallow pool.

Freja had dropped the bag on the floor and was eager to get in the pool, but Camie, bless her, managed to get her to put on floating armlets beforehand. I bobbed Kevin up and down and the crying was exchanged by laughter. I watched Freja rush into the chlorinated water, splashing some of the other kids while she did.

"Have fun! Ill see you later, honey," I called out to her, but she was too occupied to pay attention to me.

I exchanged a quick greeting with Camie, who was one of the instructors for the swimming class, before I picked up the snack bag and moved on. The ruckus heard from the children died off, and it was almost silent when I reached the kiddie pool. Kevin started squirming again, and when I put him down I wasnt as worried. He waddled to the pool and climbed over the edge to enter. The water reached him just above the knees.

"Pez!" he exclaimed happily. It was probably the only name he could pronounce correctly. The kid hed addressed, a 4-year-old boy, approached him and seemed pleased to meet his friend again.

Pezs mother was sitting at a nearby table, lazily eyeing a magazine while supervising her kid. I put my belongings down and took the seat next to her.

"Oh, Robin, hi," she smiled at me. "I didnt see you arriving."

"Chiffon," I greeted her.

She folded the magazine and put it away. "How are you today?"

"Im fine." Kevin and Pez were playing around with floating toys. "What about you?"

"Same old, same old," she said, waving one hand airily. She pushed her chair closer to me. "Youre only fine?"

I shrugged. "Pretty much."

"That cant be it." I didnt like the way she was studying me. She knew me too well for me to hide anything. "Hows it going?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You know..." She pushed my side gently. "The guy, in PR. The guy." I clenched my lips. "Have you hooked up yet?"

"Were taking things slow."

Chiffon snorted. "Lame."

"He doesnt want to rush."

"Uh huh. Whats he like? Got any pics?"

I decided to share with her. "No. He's not too shabby-looking. And he puts up with me."

"He 'puts up with' you. Did he tell you that?"

"Of course not." I saw her doubting me, and explained. "I'm a cop. I have two kids. I'm lucky if a man's interested in me."

"What about his personality?"

I gave that some thought before I answered. "He's... nice. A nice guy. A gentleman, really. I think he'd be good with the kids."

"So what's your plan for breaking up with him?"

Her question startled me. "Why would you say that?"

"He's not your type. It's obvious you don't fancy him."

As I thought, shed seen right through me. She'd known me since middle school after all. "I might in the future." She got silent for a while and I got nervous waiting for her response. Our kids were laughing and running around, splashing water everywhere.

"You obviously don't know this, so I'm gonna lay it out for you, Robin," she said eventually. I stared at her. "You're not a burden, you're a catch. Driven, caring, very intelligent... and this." She gestured in my direction. "You've used a mirror right? My gosh. Your kids are lovely. Any man would be lucky to be with you, not the other way around." I opened my mouth to speak, but she waved me down. "There is a guy out there for you, a super hot, attractive guy who'll adore you, and you know youve found him when hes on his knees begging you to be with him. Not fucking putting up with you."

"I have to think about what's best for Freja and Kevin," I said.

"Your children will be happy when you are. Dump the loser and find the man who truly makes you happy."

"Did you?"

"I did." Just then, Pez stood up and waved at us, and Chiffon looked at him with pure joy.

I didn't believe her. Bege was a monster, capable of killing anyone who crossed him. He had killed people who crossed him. He scared me. I couldnt fathom how anyone could love someone like him. Of course I'd never tell Chiffon this.

"I need to ask you something," I said. "The tracker. Did you use it?"

"Yes," Chiffon answered. "I put it beneath the car like you said.

"And?"

"And I got an address for you."

"Good."

"Before I tell you, remember what you promised?" she said.

"I'll do my best to keep Bege out of jail. I remember," I said.

Chiffon looked satisfied. "It's a cabin in the woods," she said. "It's pretty desolate. I don't know who owns it. He's been there during some evenings recent weeks."

"Where is it?"

The summer nights rarely became dark enough to offer adequate protection. I laid stretched out on the forest floor, partially hidden by a collection of trees, to make up for it. Dampness slipped through my dark goretex clothes, and I hoped I wouldn't catch a cold. I didn't have time to get sick.

Zoro was next to me. If he was as uncomfortable as I, he didnt show it. He'd been in the same position for almost an hour, while I kept shifting. It was almost eerie how still he was. I checked a few times to see if he was sleeping. I wouldnt have blamed him if he was - I'd almost fallen into a slumber a few times myself.

There had been no activity so far. I doubted this would lead to anything. I'd offered to go alone but Zoro had insisted to come with. I'd brought a bag of peanuts, and I offered it to him whenever I had some. He accepted a third of the times.

We didn't speak much at al, and had stopped entirely a while ago. The clock kept ticking. It was almost eleven. We'd decided to give it until midnight. My limbs had gone numb. My mind kept wandering to my bed at home. This was likely a waste of time.

The sound of a car approaching reverberated between the trees. As Chiffon had said, there were no other houses nearby. It'd been a two hour drive just to get here. Zoro reached for the bag with the camera. I grabbed the binoculars.

A green Mazda. Four people. Their builds indicated they were male. Their hoods were dragged far up, and it had finally started to get dark. It was hard to make out features. One was dragged by a couple of the others into the cabin. The fourth disappeared behind a wall.

Minutes passed. The person gone behind a wall didn't reappear. Curtains covered the windows, and we could only make out shapes. "I'll move to get a better look," I said. Zoro nodded.

I moved farther into the forest, hurried to the left, and approached bent over to see the back garden. The fourth man was digging.

There was a series of faint thuds. The front door opened and two people lugged a limpless body towards the back. They brought shovels from the car to help with the digging.

I sensed Zoro lay down on the moss beside me. I havent noticed him moving through the forest. His expression was grim and he looked like he was ready to burst down there. But he stayed put.

They dropped the body in the hole and started refilling it. One culprit went into the cabin. He appeared after a minute with a full plastic bag. They got into the Mazda and left.

"Shit," Zoro muttered. He reached for his phone.

"We can't report this," I said.

"We have to."

"She's my friend," I said. Zoro hesitated with his fingers over the display. "He's already dead. Please."

"Fine," he said, but didn't look happy about it. "I'll figure something else."

"Thank you." I stood up and brushed off my legs. "I'm going to have a look. Okay?"

"It's a crime scene. Be careful."

"Notify me if you notice any vehicles approaching."

He nodded again and started walking towards the road.

I remembered where the men had stepped, and avoided the areas as best I could to not mess with bootprints. I circled the cabin, and looked through glimpses in the curtain. There were four rooms in total, all of them sparsely furnished and without any blood splatter on the walls or floors. There were empty beer bottles on a table and cigarettes discarded in a corner. Empty rat traps appeared here and there, and there were layers of dusts on the windows and some surfaces. The bedroom consisted of three beds, well made with unwrinkled sheets. I didn't spot any cameras.

I picked up one of the walkietalkies that I'd brought from home. Zoro had the other. "Cabin's empty. There are some cigarr butts on the floor. It's a hazard. The fire squad could get here tonight."

"I know what you're thinking, and no, we can't. The DNA traces are too valuable."

"You never let me do anything fun."

"I have a stack of paperwork in my office, if you want to get on that?"

I let out a subdued laugh. I had almost reached the man's grave. "They didn't dig very deep at all. I'm having a look at the victim."

"Why not? We've already broken several rules."

I got the shovel the murderers had left. They had worn gloves, just like I was, so there was no prints to ruin. I dug the sharp end into the ground. The newly disturbed dirt was easy to move.

I didn't like the feeling like I was alone, and spoke into the talkie. "Did you recognise anyone?"

"They didn't look familiar. But I'll study the photos later."

The shovel hit against something solid. Nausea rose in my throat. I couldn't believe I was doing this. I removed several more shovelfuls of dirt. I picked up a flashlight from my backpack and studied the hole.

"I'm about fifty meters along," Zoro's voice emanated from the electronic. "It's looking calm here. Are you good?"

"It's the lawyer," I said. "Joseph."

"I'm coming back."

"Don't bother. You don't want to see this. I'll come to you. I'll just finish here." I kept my hands steady enough to take a photo with my camera. I'd have to keep this away from Freja when I got home - she loved taking pictures. I chastised myself - I shouldnt think of either of them now. I gripped the shovel, but couldn't bring myself to use it. Joseph's half-open, empty eyes seemed to stare directly at me from below. I closed my eyes and took a breath. I had seen dead bodies before. This was no different. I avoided looking at his face as I quickly refilled the grave. I put the shovel back against the wall and checked the scene. Everything looked similar to before.

There was about a kilometer back to my car. A ten minute walk, maybe. We were both eager to leave, and made it in less than that. Zoro's had some rest before this, but I wasn't gonna let him drive. I wanted to get home as soon as possible. Olivia would be fine watching my kids, but I had an urge to see if they were alright.

"See you in the morning," Zoro said as he got out by his apartment. I didn't know what to reply, I just drove off. I had to be up in less than five hours.