Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece. Please don't sue.

Notes: I haven't written fanfic since…a really long time ago, but this little piece forced itself onto my computer. It's set sometime after the Alabasta arc.

3 weeks since he had left the note. Small cracks in the crew's patience had begun to expand into yawning caverns.

The night was beautiful. The stars were clear and bright in the sky and the seas around the Going Merry lapped gently against the boat. Nami surveyed the scene slowly, taking deep breaths of the warm night air. Where could Luffy have gone? Why? The logposts for all the islands were accounted for and the small rowboats were still there. Maybe Sanji was right, everyone should split up and look for him. Maybe an even better plan would be to hop a rowboat with her treasure and just leave. Everyone had practically stopped speaking to each other. Even Sanji had stopped fawning over Robin and her. She missed the frequent outbursts of "Nami-chaaaaaan".

Snoring. From behind the mast came loud, obnoxious, mindless snoring. Of course it was Zoro. Nami felt the great urge to kick him in the side. He had been distrurbingly calm and disconnected since the beginning. Only changing his weight lifting and sleeping cycles to fight with Sanji. Whenever they had group meetings he would simply say Luffy would be back and would either fall asleep or walk away. In fact nothing would make her happier this very second than giving Zoro a good swift kick.

She drew back her leg preparing to land her spiky sandal heel in his unprotected kidney. Her leg made the arc forward, but never found its intended target.

"Zoro if you don't let go of my ankle right now I will kill you."

"It's your own fault for trying to kick me." With a casual flick he released her ankle, followed by a loud thump.

"Why aren't you more worried?" Nami struggled to sit up and look dignified as she spit out the question. She loaded her words with all the frustration and anger she could muster. It was a tone of voice that would have broken most men. However, in his most infuriatingly calm voice Zoro replied, "Why don't you have faith in him?"

"He disappears in the middle of the night, from a ship in the middle of the ocean and hasn't been back for weeks. This is Luffy! He rushes into things without thinking. He's a trouble magnet! You understand him, so how can you act like everything's fine!" Actually most of the time when it came to crazy Luffy behavior, Nami could count on Zoro to back her up. Well back her up about as much as anyone on this crazy ship did at least.

"It's because it's Luffy that he will be back. His note said so."

"I swear to whatever powers are out there if you just grunt and pretend this conversation is over I will double the interest on the money you owe me!" Stopping mid-grunt, Zoro's eyes widened in fear at never escaping the clutches of Nami's wallet.

"Nami how long have we been on this ship together? Luffy's the captain. He can be an idiot, but he's the captain. We wouldn't all still be here if we didn't believe in him. Has he ever let us down before? Now can I go back to sleep?" Strands of tangerine hair fell across her cheeks. Was it all really that simple? They were all partners, nakama, and just had to trust in one another? No, it was never that easy. Nami knew from years of working for Arlong that you could never take anything at such an elementary face value.

Zoro pushed the hair out of Nami's eyes. His hand was rough and callused, but his touch was light. He was, as always, the perfect swordsman, a balance of violence and grace. She held her breath. Nami knew if she let it out that all her anger and apprehensions would flow out at the same time. It was hard to let it go.

"Try breathing, it's good for you."

"You bastard," Nami exhaled in his face and cracked her first smile in the past few weeks, "I think you're wrong Zoro. Something has happened to Luffy, but…but I do think that we are all better off staying together." I will try to believe in what we have, she silently added. Nami twisted and tried to stand up when an awkward set of arms was flung over her shoulders. The positioning was strange, the whole moment was strange, but she maneuvered herself closer to him and leaned into Zoro's shoulder. Then for a moment everything was just right. Within seconds rhythmic snoring issued from Zoro's mouth.

"So", Nami mused, "Zoro was actually concerned about Luffy too." They needed Luffy. Out of the crew, Nami and Zoro were the least likely to ever utter the words, but they also needed each other.

"Luffy we're waiting for you. Hurry back," she whispered before dropping into a rare, uncomplicated sleep.