Chapter 29: Saved.
Law felt comforted after hearing Nami's voice and he felt less pessimistic about getting her back. Now that he was on his way to her, he disconnected from those around him as he was totally focused on the phone that was glued to his ear, listening to the icy silence that came from the device after Nami had decided not to speak anymore. A stifling heat invaded his chest from the apprehension that tormented him, he feared that the woman would start to scream if someone attacked her. He no longer had the patience to endure other complications but he was a person who always prepared for the worst because he was realistic and he never believed in luck so he expected other problems.
Although he made an effort not to think about it, Law could not dispel the suspicion that was growing inside him, Nami had spoken in a weird way that worried him even more about her, she was like she didn't know the gravity of the situation she was in. he tried to find a probable explanation for her behavior, thinking that she might be very shocked because she had committed a murder and that she was jailed too, it was too much for her and she couldn't take the weight anymore, but Law was sure there was another reason because the woman must be panicking and crying instead of saying she was feeling good, even the most mentally strong people would not be happy in such a situation except crazy people.
Law had never felt time go slower than that day, it was the longest forty-one minutes of his life. When Sachi told him that they had arrived where the location was indicated and that a black car parked by the side of the road was in sight, the frown on the surgeon of death's face subsided as a wave of relief calmed his mind, thinking that he was close to Nami and that he was going to be able to save her. he had known how much he missed her because he couldn't keep still due to the excitement that overwhelmed him, the woman had managed to overcome his guard and she had taken possession of his heart as she took root inside him, deep within his being, that is why it had become impossible for him to drive her away because she was part of him now.
The procession of three cars had surrounded the stopped vehicle and each of the men prepared by drawing their weapons for a possible attack, due to tinted windows it was difficult to see what was inside the car, but from the front windshield two silhouettes were noticeable, which is why Law and his men were increasing their guard as they pointed their pistols at the two people. Corazon approaching from behind the vehicle waved his hand at the surgeon of death to signal that it was time to go for it, Law nodded as he opened the door on the driver's side.
"Nami-ya!" He whispered after being surprised to find the woman covered in blood, staring into space before turning her eyes slowly to him, apparently making an effort to concentrate on recognizing him because she looked like she had a squint, a silly smile on her lips showed she wasn't conscious, plus her white powder coated nostrils gave Law a quick explanation of her behavior, she was completely stoned.
"Law, it's you." She smiled more openly as she tried to hug him, but she couldn't do so because she couldn't calculate the distance between her and him due to her unstable eyesight.
Law felt desperate as he watched the woman wave her arms in the air hoping to catch up with him and the little hope he had in him was dispersed because now a new problem arose, Nami had took drugs after abstinence.
"What is happening?" Corazon asked watching the scene in horror, by the tone of his voice he already knew the answer to his question but he hoped he was wrong.
"She's high," Law replied before pulling Nami out of the car because he didn't want to prolong the unnecessary action of the woman who hadn't given up trying to catch him, besides, he didn't want to waste any more time since they were in hostile territory. "Let's go Nami-ya." He added as he began to guide her to his car.
"But…" Nami moaned rolling her lips as she was sulking. "I want to hug you, I missed you very much."
"You can hug me a lot afterwards," He tried to convince her even though he knew he was talking to a deaf person because she wasn't listening to him as she continued to moan in protest. "We have to leave this place first."
"So we can do it in the car." She let out a cry of joy when he nodded to her.
"What are you going to do in the car?" Corazon asked with a loud voice that startled the woman, pointing out that he was behind them and listening to what they were saying.
"We cuddle." Nami replied, wrapping her arms around Law, waking up the pain of his wound as she hugged him tightly.
"Told the guys to clean up," Corazon said sending Law a telepathic "I'm not going to leave you alone", apparently the elderly man didn't like what was going on between them, he had sort of become Nami's protector because she was his friend's daughter, making Law feel dirty if he really thought he was going to take advantage of the woman. "I will be your driver."
"Very well." Law commented before stepping into the back seat with Nami who had remained glued to him like a leech, because of this Corazon had not stopped staring suspiciously from the rearview mirror.
"Can I sit on your lap?" Nami asked after several failed attempts to do so before.
"No." He growled emphatically as he continued to push her away, he was afraid to reopen his wound because of the force he was using to pull her away from him, especially after noticing the red veins that were starting to appear in the whites of Corazon's eyes who apparently wasn't looking at the road because he was so focused on what was going on in the back seat.
"Look," Nami started to show herself by pointing her two index fingers at herself. "I'm covered in blood," She whispered, ringing her sentence suggestively. "I know you like it."
"It's the first time in my life that I'm disgusted to see blood." Law stated bluntly, groaning at the loathing he felt at the time, the metallic smell that was once soothing, made him want to vomit now because it was from Nami.
"Mmm," She gasped as she took a moment to think about it when the expression on her face started to crumple and she sniffed repeatedly. "I see you are playing hard with me." She burst out laughing.
"Stop it," He said before checking Corazon who continued to watch them through the rearview mirror, that's why, he had to measure every word he said because he didn't want a problem with the man who was getting more and more suspicious, he didn't want the man who was like his father to think badly of him. "You are not in your normal state."
"I'm like this," She pointed out, digging her index finger into the man's chest to make her point. "I've always been like this, it was you who tried to change me, there is a saying that says bred in the bone will come out in the flesh!" She started to scream as she moved closer to him once more.
"Calm down," Law felt that his patience was failing him little by little. "Who gave you the drugs?"
"Hawkins, it is true that he is an asshole, but he is rather generous," She replied before frowning, looking at the man. "Unlike you, you deprived me of everything I wanted, you even took my freedom."
"What is this now?" Corazon asked after he couldn't bear to just listen to the discussion between them.
"It's nothing." Law responded quickly, sensing that he was going to have a problem with the man who had clearly told him to let Nami go after the Arlong events.
"Nothing!" Nami moaned as she stifled an involuntary wave of laughter, now looking at Corazon after she noticed his presence. "This man threatens me all the time and he even tried to kill me, he also makes me detox when I don't want to," She paused as she turned to Law. "Despite all that, I like you and I want to stay with you, I think it's called Stockholm syndrome or something." She added before hugging Law again.
"Is it true?" Corazon asked, addressing his question to the surgeon of death.
"Yeah," Law nodded, looking at the woman who had taken over what she had been doing before, which was to stuck to him. "Doflamingo ordered me to kill her and I was lenient in sparing her, but she kept scheming against me behind my back," He explained, trying to defend himself. "And I helped her quit drugs which was a waste of time because she took after a long period of abstinence."
"No need to justify yourself, you didn't kill her and that's already a lot," Corazon muttered before glancing over his shoulder. "But I think she seems to like you a little too much," He remarked seriously. "Is there something between you?"
"No." Law replied in a mechanical way that proved he was hiding something, luckily Nami hadn't heard the question because she was busy taking advantage of him.
"You told me before that she tried to seduce you." Corazon pointed out as he continued his interrogation, apparently his cop personality was gaining the upper hand.
"I didn't accept because I was busy planning her death." Law said as he avoided eye contact with Corazon's eyes glaring at him from the rearview mirror, he had regretted telling him all the details of his time at East Blue, even Nami's advances.
"Well." Corazon fell silent after that, from his voice he hadn't believed Law but he was probably going to think about it, that's why he remained silent.
Nami ran a towel over her long orange hair to dry it after the cleansing shower she had taken, now she was no longer bloody and no longer smelly, which was relieving because she could no longer bear to remain in the disgusting state of filth while her body was covered in viscous organic fluid, it was the most disgusting situation of all her life and the shame is that she stuck to Law, forcing him to put up with her lack of cleanliness, just thinking about it made her want to hide forever, she felt so ashamed.
Every time she took cocaine, everything that holds Nami unlocks and she feels freer than ever, and because of that, she made a hell of a show of herself after she was found by Law. At that moment, Nami was not controlling herself and she acted stupid, she stuck to the poor man all morning because she felt the need to be with him to fill the feeling of lack that tormented her when she was away from him, but when the effect of the drugs started to wear off, Nami realized she was doing whatever it was and rushed to her room to hide.
Nami started looking at the clothes thrown on the floor, she felt bad because that was what she was wearing while she was kidnapped, because of this her breathing became unstable and she shivered remembering the feeling of being imprisoned, the anguish lodged in her heart awoke and fear ran through her whole body like the blood flowing in her veins, making her sweat all over her body as she choked more and more on the oxygen that she aspired quickly. She could hear the word weak repeating itself over and over in her mind because that was her true nature, even though she had managed to get out this time, she remained as even weak unable to protect herself.
An idea crossed Nami's mind as she continued to mourn her plight, she wanted to leave everything and live a normal life, the redhead concluded that she was not made for the crime world, all she knew how to do was steal and swindle people, violence was not her strong point although it was one of the essential qualities to be able to live in the underground world. Nami had managed to survive until now thanks to cunning and luck, but she couldn't keep relying on that, because there were people more cunning than her and luck was not something to be trusted with.
Nami's headache was growing more and more and the temptation to calm down with the little drug she had left was strong, but the redhead had managed to restrain herself because she knew she was going to make her case worse, besides, she didn't have much cocaine left it would be a waste to waste it quickly, she was going to do as the asshole Hawkins had advised, she was going consume use it moderately, knowing that she would be in trouble the day she runs out of narcotics.
But before doing anything, even before going to get dressed, Nami wanted to make a decision about what to do in the future, it was funny thinking about the way she wanted to live and what she dreamed of doing at such a time, her brain was really tired from the toxic substances she had consumed, but the kidnapping and the imprisonment were events that had really upset her and it had helped her a lot to think more openly, it was the climax of her life, which meant she couldn't stay the same anymore, she needed to move forward and make sure she didn't go through a situation like this again.
Deep down, Nami wanted to go home to Cocoyashi and continue her life with her sister Nojiko, working in her mother's tangerine field, it was a thousand times better than her current situation. How ironic life was, the redhead wanted to return to the world she fled because of poverty and now that she could have all the money she wanted, she was not happy because neither was happiness nor peace could not be bought.
The only thing that made her hesitate to leave everything was Law, lately she had become very attached to the man and she had developed feelings for him, she wanted to be with him on other terms, she wanted them both to be normal people, who live normally in normal surroundings, basically, to be people who have nothing to do with crime, Nami could have envisioned a future with Law under those kinds of circumstances, however, the man was the fucking surgeon of death! A heartless man who rips the hearts of his victims, even if she asks him to leave everything to go with her, he will refuse because he was unable to do it, just thinking about it, it was a stupid idea and foolish.
Nami almost tripped out of bed, startled when someone knocked on her door, apparently it took a while for her to shake off the panic she had built up during her short period of imprisonment.
"Come i..." She stopped after she remembered that she had only one towel as a garment since she got out of the shower, she couldn't let anyone in while she was almost naked. "Who is it?" She asked instead.
"It's us." Lamy responded quickly, her low tone of voice reminding Nami of the woman's whining when they were kidnapped.
"Come in." Nami allowed the other woman to enter despite not knowing who was with her because she had used the plural instead of the singular in her answer.
The redhead remembered the door locked when she saw the handle twitch as Lamy tried to open, she quickly went to unlock it.
"Surprise!" Ikkaku cried as she entered the room, carrying a large coffee thermos in her hands. "Now I can touch you after you're no longer red," She hugged the redhead in her arms. "I was very worried about you."
"I'm happy to see you too." Nami smiled as she hugged the other woman back.
"Nami," Lamy called out softly to get her attention. "You came back!" She jumped on the woman, hugging and nearly suffocating her in the process.
"Please don't do this to me," The redhead moaned, rubbing the other woman's back in comfort. "I already had my dose when we were in our cell." She hoped to shut up because of her last words, Lamy started to cry.
"I was afraid I wouldn't see you again," Lamy whispered between sniffles, sliding the towel that covered Nami without realizing it. "I am happy!"
"And I feel jealous looking at this perfect body." Ikkaku commented with a mocking smile.
"Oh," Lamy noticed the redhead's naked body before sniffing again. "I am sorry."
"No problem," Nami winked at her before picking up the towel to cover herself. "I'll get dressed before Ikkaku bursts with jealousy, I'll be right back." She added before picking up from the bed the nightgown and underwear she had prepared, then she went to the bathroom to be more comfortable dressing.
Nami felt a little disappointed that her loneliness was broken, but at the same time she was happy to have company and forget about all her worries while chatting with the girls.
"Hope this thermos contains alcohol." Nami said pointing her finger at the object in question, smiling at the two girls sitting on the bed.
"Oh no," Ikkaku chuckled, shaking her head from side to side. "After witnessing your situation this morning, I thought to myself that a good coffee will surely help wake you up."
"Shit!" Nami spat before sitting down between the two women. "I wish you had brought me some vodka, but I'm not going to say no to the coffee because I have a terrible headache." She snatched the thermos from the brunette's hands before opening it and starting to drink, not even bothering to pour a cup, she almost burned her throat with the hot liquid.
"I don't think alcohol is appropriate in your condition." Lamy whispered hesitantly.
"Especially after this morning's show," Ikkaku hummed, watching Nami in amusement. "You openly showed your interest for the boss."
"Yeah I know," Nami nodded after taking another sip of the coffee, remembering what she did shamefully. "I am ashamed of myself!"
"Why did Hawkins give you drugs?" Lamy asked curiously, unable to hide the fear in her eyes.
"Because he did a very thorough research on me," Nami replied, rolling her eyes after she remembered the man who knows everything. "He knew about my addiction, so he gave me drugs knowing I wasn't going to refuse."
"It's horrible." Lamy whispered dramatically, she was so innocent.
"Not that bad," Nami protested quickly. "For me that was great because Law makes me stay away from drugs, which is why I jumped at the chance."
"Nami!" Ikkaku sighed with an arched eyebrow. "You've put in a lot of effort to abstain from using drugs, and now you've ruined everything because you're going to have the same difficult experience again."
"I'm not going to relive anything," Nami pointed out seriously, she hated the fact that everyone was interfering in her life. "I will no longer follow what Law forces me to do."
"But it's for your own good," Ikkaku tried to argue softly, as if she was talking to a child. "You know very well that the drug road leads nowhere."
"Of course I know," Nami admitted, frowning, she wasn't stupid to believe she was right to destroy her life. "I'll try to find another solution that doesn't make me feel bad."
"And the solution is detox." Ikkaku pointed out, continuing the debate to make her point.
"I do not want to do it." The redhead growled as she started to feel irritated.
"Tell us how did you manage to escape?" Lamy interrupted her to change the subject, a fight would clearly ensue between the two stubborn women if she did nothing.
"I killed the two guys who were taking me to my next jail." Nami quickly recounted as she massaged her temples in hopes of alleviating the lingering headache, she received a moan of horror in response from Lamy who had no doubt regretted her question.
"You are really badass," Ikkaku commented, looking at the redhead in awe, forgetting the conflicting opinions. "They sure didn't expect a pretty girl to be stronger than them, you're my idol."
"I found myself in a crappy state," Nami clarified, remembering the event. "I was fucking covered in blood and kept cuddling Law."
"Now we are enlightened on how you feel for the boss." Ikkaku smirked sly.
"Yes, I can see there is a connection between you two." Lamy asserted, nodding her head, forgetting her shock.
"But it is difficult to get along, even to declare our feelings." Nami whispered, not being able to deny the remarks of the other women because there was no point in doing so, everyone had noticed the play between her and Law.
"You just need to speak," Lamy pointed out, emphasizing the word speak. "My brother is a great man, I am sure you will be happy with him."
"Yeah, but I have to wait until he gets over what happened this morning, I'm sure he's still shocked right now." Nami sighed shamefully.
"No," Ikkaku shook her head. "Law is calming the most shocked person in the story, Corazon."
"Corazon!" Nami echoed in confusion, feeling that she had heard the name before but couldn't remember where. "Who is it?"
"You met him this morning," Ikkaku replied, feeling puzzled. "He had stayed with you and Law the whole time, you even chatted with him every now and then."
"Damn," Nami hissed while she scratched her forehead, as if the gesture would wake her sleeping memory. "What does he look like?"
"Very tall man in his forties, white skin and blond hair." Ikkaku tried to describe the man.
"He's the one who brought you here," Lamy snapped her fingers as she remembered. "He was the only one with you in the car, you can't forget him."
"Ah," Nami gasped before taking a sip of the coffee. "So he was in the car and he saw what I was doing to Law." She added as the car event flashed through her mind like a blurry PowerPoint presentation.
"I would not like to be in his place." Ikkaku stifled the urge to laugh.
"It can't be very bad." Lamy tried to ease the tension.
"Although I don't care what he thinks of me because I don't even know this guy," Nami said with a thoughtful expression. "I'm ashamed of the impression I gave of myself in front of him, he probably thinks I'm a horny whore."
"You exaggerate a bit." Lamy whispered softly, deep inside she knew what Nami was saying was not wrong because Corazon had not stopped questioning Law about the relationship between them, the man thought her brother was keeping Nami against her will and took advantage of her.
"Law explained everything to Corazon, don't worry." Ikkaku added, sharing a knowing look with Lamy.
"Anyway, why worry, I don't even know him." Nami said what she was thinking aloud.
"Apparently Corazon knows your mother." Ikkaku informed her hesitantly.
"What?" Nami asked as her eyes doubled in size, that Corazon was starting to grab her attention.
"From what Shachi told me, Corazon was working with your mom or something." Ikkaku responded after clearing her throat, knowing that the subject of family was sensitive to Nami.
"I can't believe it," Nami stood up abruptly before turning to the two women. "Where is Corazon now?"
"In Law's bedroom." Lamy responded quickly.
After that, Nami started to walk out of her room, going in search of information.