Disclaimer: I don't own so please don't sue!

A/N: Uh, yeah.

Um…I never said I was going to do a sequel. Take a look at my profile page, I have at least 30 other stories to work on people!

To "?": Pointless? What's pointless is your review. I hate flamers. People like you help make excellent marshmallows. To all my reviewers: Thanks to this flamer we all have marshmallows! Eat up! YUM!

To Win a Woman's Heart

9th day of winter

Today and then tomorrow were all I had left here if Hatori didn't act. I was beginning to think he wouldn't act at all and he really just had been putting me on all this time. If not, he was the shyest of all the guys I had ever met or known! I mean it, if he didn't have the guts to be a man and ask me to marry him if he really did love me then he was just a…just a…never mind. I can't think of anything. This is just more useless anger that I don't need and when Hatori comes to see me today, if he does at all I can't be angry if he decides to pop the question today. I don't want to give my 'yes' and have it sound all wrong. Its romance, and I deserved some of that, didn't I?

"Hey Nami, good morning," Hatori's cheerful voice never ceased to break me out of whatever thoughts I was having.

"Is it really a good morning?" I asked. "It's snowing, the year's almost done and I'm feeling restless."

"Still feeling that way?" he asked with a smile. "I'm sorry you feel that way. I've been perfectly busy these past few days you know."

"Farming would keep you busy but doesn't it seem like you're in a rut now?" I asked.

"I could never be, I like farming a lot. It may not seem like much but it's a living I work hard for and can be proud of," he said. "It's an honest living."

"There are such things as dishonest farmers," I pointed out.

"But I'm not." He sounded so cute and honest right now, I couldn't help but try to provoke this.

"How do you know? People are evil sometimes and don't even know it," I stated.

"But I'm not evil either. Besides, being dishonest doesn't mean I'm evil, it just means I'm making bad choices, right?" he asked me. I blinked at him. "What?"

"You're ridiculous. Bad choices don't make you evil, and to be dishonest means to do things you know aren't right," I said.

"I guess that's true. Of course I could be dishonest and that could be due to misinformation," he said. "Would that make me evil?"

"Not intentionally," I said.

He began to laugh. "You're so interesting Nami. Figures you'd be the one to start an argument over what's good and what's evil."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked him angrily.

"You're the kind of woman who seems to have such a quest for knowledge that she would ponder what's good and what is evil." He smiled at me. "It's not a bad thing. You're just asking deep questions."

"Oh," I said as my anger subsided. He smiled even more widely at me and held out another Sashimi. "Is that for me?" He laughed at me again.

"But of course," he said, "I'm saving some of my more limited fruits and stuff for when I can make better recipes later. I have to have ingredients in order to cook it you know."

"When exactly will you be making these better recipes? Will I be able to try them?" I asked carefully.

He raised an eyebrow at me. "I will a little ways into the future. What makes you think I don't want you trying them? At least, I hope you'll want to really try them." I nodded. "Good then, so it's settled. All my future recipes are to be tried by you."

I didn't reply to that though. I didn't know where he was going with it and although it did sound like a marriage proposal it wasn't one in my opinion, even if it did sound like he was gathering up for something. "Yeah, um thanks." Great, now I in a way promised him I'd be around after this way if he didn't marry me. It was a promise I couldn't keep though. I wasn't about to remain, even if it was just for the food. I couldn't just remain for one thing, and for another, it would probably break my heart if he married someone else now. I was in love with him, it was as simple as that and I didn't want to get angry and hurt by remaining here.

"I'm going to go digging in the archeological site today," he said. "Just for a while. I got up early to take care of the farm and make you the sashimi and now I have a little bit of free time before I have to tend to things in the afternoon. If I find anything interesting I'll be sure to give it to you!" He walked off and left me there by the inn.

"Why doesn't he just ask me already?" I asked the wind and then kicked at the dirt and snow. "Is he purposely making me worry that he won't? If he is that's cruel and beyond cruel unkind!" I kicked at the dirt and snow a few more times, and then again a few more times for good measure. I was a little mad, more worried than mad because he hadn't asked yet and I didn't know now if he would ask or not now even if he had kinda inadvertently done so. Did he test me just then? Was he expecting me to yell out 'yes I'll marry you!' and embarrass myself like that? What kind of a woman did he think I was?

"Ruby I'm hungry," I said as I arrived in the inn in the later afternoon. "What're you making for dinner?"

"My special Mushroom Curry," she said and beckoned me into the kitchen. "It's almost ready Nami."

"Yum, I'm starved," I said and walked past her into the kitchen.

"And here I thought the sashimi would have filled you up," she said with a laugh.

"That was in the morning…wait, how do you know about that?" I asked as I sat down.

"You're not hard to read Nami, not anymore. I can tell you're worried about something too, what is it?" Ruby asked as she got out a few plates and began to dish up for me and for her and her family.

"Nothing has me worried, I don't know what you're talking about."

"I can see right through that Nami," she said with a smile. "I know a lot more than you think. You know, if he doesn't propose you have to do it instead, right?"

"What're you talking about?" I asked.

"Sometimes a guy is to shy to propose. It may not seem like it but guys can be shy too you know," she said. "I would know."

"You had to propose to Tim?" I asked as she set a plate of mushroom curry in front of me.

"We were in love but Tim was still shy about making that next step. So one day I cooked him a fabulous dinner and inside a fortune cookie that he opened afterwards I had written down the words 'will you marry me?' and he read them, smiling and blushing the entire way. He immediately said that it wasn't how it should be done and approached me, determined to show me the proper way to propose, and got down on one knee and proposed the right way. He even had the ring already he was just too nervous to take the next step!" Ruby said with a laugh and then went to the kitchen door to yell out to her the boys. "Dinner is ready!" She turned back to me. "I would think Hatori is very shy about this thing, love is something no one wants to mess with."

"Why is that?" I asked as I picked at my food a little before beginning to eat.

"Because it's such a precious thing. When finding love it's a good idea to be careful and defensive, only a little, because sometimes it can be a little overwhelming once you do fall in love. Nami, I think he didn't defend himself and fell in love with you almost the moment he met you and now is just shy to do the next thing, which is to propose to you," she said. "I think he will though, he's just waiting for the right moment. The New Years Eve day is perfect for something like that. It's quite romantic in my opinion Nami." She looked at me, waiting for some sort of reply.

"It's not like we've dated or anything," I said between mouthfuls. Wait, was I talking to Ruby about this? I couldn't believe myself! I swore I wasn't…I give up. I just give up. I might as well talk to her about it because she seems to know my conundrum. "Ah, I don't know why I'm even bringing this up."

"You're worried enough now so you're seeking advice from others. It's not a bad thing you know. I remember asking some advice from my mother," she replied simply.

"But you're not my mother," I said.

"But I am a friend, am I not?" she asked and I nodded. "Well then it's just a friend giving another friend advice. Although it does feel like I am a little like a mom to you sometimes." I smiled sadly at her and memories flooded my mind, all rushing back to me in an instant. It made me a little depressed and I picked at my food. "Is something the matter Nami?"

"I never really knew much of my mother," I said and she fell silent. "She died when I was really little. I never really understood what had happened to her until I was in my late teens." I felt tears rush to my eyes and Ruby's arms were around me in a tight hug. "I just don't want to end up like my mom and marry someone who'll end up hurting me in the end." I don't have the disease my mother had died from, it was too rare and not genetic either, but dad had told her before she had died in the last argument before she was taken to the hospital that he never loved her. She didn't have much of a reason to hold onto life then, even with me. I think she just gave up.

"I don't think Hatori's that way," Ruby said. "I think he really loves you. I can see it in how he acts and everything. It think its true love." She released me from her arms and smiled at me, moments before Tim and Rock came into the room. "Everything'll be okay."

"Thanks Ruby, you always seem to know what I need to hear, or eat." She smiled at me as I turned my attention towards my food again, intent to eat up a lot before the boys really started to chow down. Why did guys have to be shy? I wish Hatori really wasn't…because I wasn't about to be the one to ask and then I'd be leaving soon if he didn't. Argh…I was so conflicted and I only had a day left to sort out everything… or have him propose…or get ready to leave. Mom, seriously, I wish I knew…seriously, I'm still so confused. If he proposes though…I know my answer. If he really loves me…I'll be with him.

TBC

A/N: Yeah, I bet I confused you with the Ruby/Nami conversation, didn't I? Well, I confused myself too so don't worry. Anyways, just a little bit more to go! Just don't flame me, 'cause I hate flames. I'll see you all next chapter! Please don't be mad at me! This probably isn't one of my better chapters…eh, I'll do better next chapter, PROMISE!