"Troy died." Nami said not really believing it.
"Yes. He's been in jail, death sentence. He died a week before Sanji came back. Troy worked in his brothers gang. The loss of a close family member, or only living, loving family relative dying is always a trigger."
"Why was he in jail?" Usopp finds himself asking.
"Kidnapping and torturing a police officer." Sabo says reluctantly.
"Can't we just tell them?" Luffy asks.
"You know the rule Luffy," Sabo says staring at the boy.
"But I'm tired of hiding it, having to keep it a secret." Luffy says pouting.
"He's right wouldn't it be better for them to know too?" Smoker says. Sabo and Tashigi look at him in shock.
"You were there, how could you think it's ok to tell them?" Sabo asks.
"He wouldn't want them to know, you know that." Tashigi says.
"I don't see why not? They're his friends." Smoker says.
"If they were really his friends Zoro would let them know. They weren't there, they don't know... they don't know anything." Tashigi says. That hurt all their feelings. Was that coming from her observations or did Zoro really not see them as friends anymore? They haven't been with Zoro since Usopp's wedding but even then he wasn't really himself. When was the last time he was like he use to be? That would be graduation. Zoro was Zoro then. It's not there fault life slipped through their fingers.
"And they won't know anything because no one has told them, because this is Zoro. We all know he doesn't ask for help when he should the most." Smoker says, he's getting frustrated the longer this conversation goes on.
"If we tell them Zoro will be hurt the most." Sabo chimes in.
"Zoro's already hurt, at this point he's been brought back to life more than he can should." Smoker says.
"We aren't his only friends and family, they are too. How can they help if they don't know. How can Sanji help Zoro if he doesn't know?" Luffy says.
"Shouldn't Sanji be the one to know, we know his feelings." Smoker continues.
"And if Sanji does know it could hurt Zoro more. How can we trust him?" Tashigi says.
"You told him when we found Zoro today, if you trusted him to tell him that then surely he's trust enough." Smoker accuses.
"This and that are different things. If Sanji knows, if they all know they will see and treat him differently, he doesn't like that. They will act like Zoro has changed." Tashigi says.
"Zoro has changed! He's not like he use to be especially after Jamie." Smoker yells at Tashigi. That made everyone pause. For the outsiders they are shocked, not knowing who Jamie is but also that Tashigi had told Sanji Zoro is found and left them out. For those who did know pause because it's true. He changed after Jamie died.
Everyone just stood there or sat there. They all are in lost in thought that they didn't notice Law and Chopper walking out of the double door. Both doctors see the group, they are all silent as they look down at the floor or each other. They all wore the most hurt expression on their face. The group must have all been worried.
"No need to wear such gloomy looking faces." Chopper says. At the same time, everyone's head turns to the doctor. They jump out of their seats and crowd the doctors.
"How is he?"
"How bad was it?"
And the questions kept coming. Law coughs in his hand gaining the attention of the group. "He's alive. He's resting, he'll wake up when he's ready." Law says.
"If you all will follow me," Chopper says as he walks down the hall to a room, big enough to fit everyone. The walk is eerily quiet. No one said a word, the only that could be heard is the sound of shoes tapping against the polished floor and Luane and Krisimira sleeping. They didn't really know what to expect but that was not it. When they walk in they notice how big the room is then all eyes go to the bed in the middle. All eyes took in the site of Zoro laying on a bed IV needles in his arm, a heart monitor attached to his index finger, over the bottom of his face is the resuscitator. Zoro's hospital bed set at an acute angle. Wires decorated the back of the hospital bed. On one side of the bed is where the monitor is making the beeping of Zoro's beating heart while there is a computer on the other side. A nice couch set on the side with the monitor, in front of the window which curtains are drawn closed. Everyone crowded at Zoro's feet.
"Maybe we should let Zoro decide to tell them or not." Ace interrupts the silence. Sabo, Smoker, Tashigi and Luffy all nod their head in sync.
"Who's Jamie?" Usopp asks.
"Zoro's fiance."
"Zoro was almost married?" Usopp asks.
"Yes. After high school he meet Jamie at the police academy. They feel in love."
"What happened?"
"Jamie died before the wedding." Sanji says.
"You know?" Luffy asks.
"Yeah, Tashigi told me."
"I can't believe Zoro almost got married before everyone else."
"It's kind of hard to imagine, Zoro married."
"Then stop imagining it." Nami says.
"It's kind of hard. You are imagining it too."
"Yeah, when I was told like two month ago, when Sanji told me." Nami says. She looks at Sanji. "Are you feeling ok?" She asks, they all turn their attention to the cook.
"I..." How does he answer? He doesn't know. He's been in a daze since he saw Zoro in Smoker's arms. So lifeless, limp, and bloodied. He likes Zoro, really likes him, he doesn't know if it's love yet but he doesn't want to leave what they talked about before he got kidnapped for until the adoption is final. "I confessed to Zoro the night he got kidnapped."
"What?!" Everyone shouted. Chopper and Law had to quiet them down.
"You did what?" Nami asks.
"What did he say?"
"He didn't know how he feels about me but he wanted to think about it more after he officially adopted Arin and Lili." Sanji says as he looks at all the bandages around Zoro. They are around his arms and neck going down to his chest, He has one around his head with a patch on his cheek.
"He's adopting Arin and Lili?" Sanji nods.
"Speaking of, I'm going to go home and take a shower. I'll tell Dadan that we found him. She'll want to let Arin visit." Sabo says stretching and walking out the door.
"I better go and scrub his blood off me." Smoker says with Krisimira in his arms and Tashigi following behind him.