Greetings all! Welcome to the third installment of my crazy police cop One Piece fanfiction thingy. Yes. Thankyou to everybody who has read and reviewed this story, you make me keep on truckin':D I've spent a lot of time thinking about this particular story (maybe too much time… XD) trying to weave a suitable yarn that will remain fresh and exciting to read. My sister helps me out a lot (thankyou, dear sibling! X3) and we draw illustrations for the story and possible new chapters long into the night. I think I might scan them in and post a link up for them sometime. I love drawing fanart for One Piece. I seriously cannot stop drawing pictures of Sanji and Usopp. Over and over and over… XD I like drawing Zoro and Luffy too, but Zoro's hair is so hard to get right! Oooh, and there are so many lovely new SanUso fanfics popping up atm. Where will I find the time to read them? (sob)

Well, I've filled up too much page length already. Let's get down to business! Enjoy!

ABPD: Love Lawless

Chapter 3: Mistaken Identity

"Zoro's in danger! We've got to find him!" hissed Usopp, staring through the gloom at Sanji with wide, worried eyes. The blonde man nodded silently, scanning the grimy windows of the warehouse for signs of movement. He lifted his hand up slowly, pointing to a door in the corner that had been wrenched off its hinges.

"Let's go."

Eyes still anxiously sweeping the shadowy courtyard, the two men backed quickly through the narrow door, stepping into the absolute darkness of the dilapidated warehouse. Usopp slid a torch from his belt, switched it on, and began to slowly and shakily scan the looming towers of crates and the grimy, greasy floor. A huge, fat rat scuttled along an overhanging beam, it's shrill squeaks making Usopp jump and drop the torch with a resonating clatter. Both men flinched and held their breath, listening to the sound echo ominously through the building. Eventually, the eerie silence returned, broken only by the dripping plumbing and the scuffling of elusive night creatures.

Usopp gulped, quickly withdrawing his vice-like grip on Sanji's arm. He was pretty sure that he could see the white of Sanji's teeth grinning mischievously at him through the darkness. Don't start giving him ideas…

The silence was suddenly broken by the sound of hurried footsteps pounding up a flight of stairs just ahead of them. Sanji immediately leapt into pursuit, snatching Usopp's torch off the ground and vaulting a pile of crates to reach the stairs. Usopp started, scrambling up the mound of boxes to follow the flickering light of the torch.

"S-Sanji! Wait up!"

Sanji mounted the metal steps three at a time, flinging himself into an all-out sprint after the intruder. The second floor was cavernous, with a long, straight stretch through huge mounds of rotting wooden crates. Usopp was in hot pursuit just a little way behind, trying to keep sight of Sanji darting in and out of the shadows. The air suddenly exploded with the sound of a gunshot, the bullet narrowly missing Usopp and striking a crate to his left.

The blonde man stopped abruptly, aiming his gun, firing it directly at the back of the shadowy figure. His shot ricocheted off a large crate, the intruder slipping to his knees on the grimy floor to escape the bullet. Sanji yelled to Usopp through the darkness.

"Usopp! Take him down! Shoot him!"

The curly haired youth skidded to a halt, shaking his head.

"I can't! I might… I might k-kill him!"

Sanji grabbed him painfully by the arm, swinging him behind a large crate as another bullet clipped a box where he was just standing, showering them both with splinters.

"Well, he certainly doesn't seem to have a problem with finishing us off! Do it, Usopp! Shoot him now!"

Usopp whimpered, gun clasped in his trembling hands. Another bullet burst through the air, this time grazing Sanji's shoulder, making him cry out in pain. Usopp froze momentarily as the blonde man stumbled backwards, his gun clattering to the floor. Whipping back round, he saw the silhouette of the intruder scramble to his feet again, about to make for the door at the end of the cavernous room. Usopp raised his gun steadily and decisively at arm's length, leveling it with his eyesight. He braced himself, his breath trapped in his throat, aiming the weapon squarely at the fleeing figure. He squeezed the trigger. Everything around him momentarily ripped apart, the force of the shot pressing wave after wave of heat and deafening noise through the air.

The intruder was stopped in his tracks, falling, as if in slow motion, to his knees, his cry of surprise and pain piercing the momentary stillness of the air.

Usopp froze, his eyes widening in horror, lowering his weapon stiffly in his trembling hands.

That… that voice!

Sanji appeared at his side, clasping his bloody shoulder.

"Wow, what a shot! You got him all right!"

He let out a hoarse laugh, but stopped when he saw the petrified expression on Usopp's face. The black haired man gazed, shocked, at the lifeless figure who was now illuminated by the dim light of the moon filtering through the small, grimy windows. Sanji gazed at him questioningly.

"Usopp…?"

The curly haired youth suddenly sprinted forward, down the narrow grimy path between the mountains of crates, throwing himself onto his knees at the side of the motionless figure. He choked, clasping his arms around the body, trying to heave the dead weight onto his lap. A foul wave of realization washed over Sanji, and he ran to the side of the crouched figure of Usopp, who choked again, still hunched over the limp figure. An officer's uniform… The blonde man's world momentarily reeled. Usopp pulled the body further into the pool of light, blood beginning to soak slowly into his shirt. Sanji gazed down at it helplessly, listening to the shuddering gasps of his partner breaking the deathly still air.

It was Zoro.

Sanji turned his back on the scene, placing his hands over his eyes, wanting the cold and the shadows to swallow him up. He had told Usopp to shoot him. He was responsible. It was all his fault.

Through the darkness, a low, strained whisper uttered from the still figure's lips.

"H… hey… Usopp… I saw the crooks… but… they got away. S-sorry."

Usopp let out a whimper of gratitude, brushing the rivers of tears from his cheeks. The green-haired man writhed slowly and painfully on his lap, his shirt now slick and wet with blood.

"Zoro! Y-you're all right!"

The man smiled and gazed up at him blearily, but then flinched and squirmed in agony, clasping his chest with a bloody hand. Usopp grasped the man tighter to him, trying to lift the much larger body from off the ground, slipping in the grimy sludge around them. He looked back desperately at Sanji, who stood silently away from the scene, hidden in the shadows. Usopp slipped painfully to his knees, still grasping Zoro tightly in his arms, the green-haired man beginning to slide in and out of consciousness.

"Sanji! Please, help me!"

The blonde man didn't move at first. His whole body felt almost paralyzed with relief. Usopp slipped again, and Zoro groaned in pain.

"Sanji!"

He stepped out of the shadows, bending down to take Zoro's legs, while Usopp lifted his upper half by holding him under the arms. Together they lifted him slowly off the ground, and Sanji looked across at Usopp, who was awkwardly bracing the sagging torso of the green haired man. Zoro groaned again. Sanji sighed, still slightly euphoric from relief. He isn't dead. Thank God.

He grinned.

"Let's get him outta here."

Usopp nodded, his face still shining from tears, sniffing heartily.

"Yeah."

A week later, Zoro was at home, sitting up in bed, wolfing down a large plate of Sanji's cooked breakfast. A large bandage was wrapped around his bare chest, and every so often Zoro would flinch at the dull ache emitting from it. Sanji poked his head around the door, busily drying a glass.

"Is it good enough, sir? Do you forgive me yet?"

Zoro gazed at him slyly, licking his lips.

"Maybe… but I might need another plate to be convinced."

Sanji groaned, stepping into the room to take the empty dish. The sound of the doorbell suddenly rang through the apartment. The blonde man started, snatching the plate and streaking out of the room, then running back in again, straightening ornaments and dusting furniture.

"Hurry hurry hurry! No time for another breakfast now, Zoro, Usopp's here!"

Zoro gazed at his empty hands, then yelled in surprise as a balled up shirt hit him in the face.

"C'mon, put some clothes on! We have a lady guest!"

Sanji stood still and gazed into space for a moment, his eyes glittering distantly.

"And what a lady! The way she fired that gun… it was like… like…"

Zoro grimaced in annoyance.

"Hey! Usopp nearly killed me!"

Sanji sighed, closing his eyes, and drifted out of the room.

"…like magic."

Zoro rolled his eyes, slowly and painfully pushing his arms through the shirt's sleeves, but not bothering to do up the buttons. The doorbell rung again, more irritably this time, and Zoro heard Sanji go to answer it.

"Coming, oh my brave, beautiful and talented Usopp-chan!"

There was the sound of the door opening, and two sets of footsteps approaching the bedroom door.

"You look so lovely today, Miss Usopp!"

"Uh… thanks. How's Zoro?"

Zoro snorted, imagining Sanji carelessly waving Usopp's question aside.

"Oh, yeah, he's fine. Eats like a horse, mind you."

Usopp's voice brightened.

"Then that sounds like he's getting better! Can I see him?"

"Uh… in a minute. Here! I… um… bought you some flowers."

"Er… Sanji? Those are my flowers. I sent them down here three days ago."

Silence.

"He's through there."

Zoro looked up, and saw Usopp opening the door tentatively, as if he were afraid of a sudden attack.

"Hey, Usopp! Come in."

Usopp entered the room gingerly, gazing tearfully down at Zoro, who beamed up at him, looking well, but slightly worse for wear. Sanji stood behind him, eyes slightly narrowed, his pupils darting suspiciously between the two of them. He turned to leave for the kitchen.

"I'll… go make some tea. Be back in a moment."

Zoro couldn't help laugh at Usopp's trembling lip.

"I'm all right, Usopp. Sanji explained what happened."

Usopp's lip trembled even more violently. Zoro laughed nervously.

"I'm O.K, Usopp! Really!"

Usopp let out a strangled gasp, fat tears beginning to well in his eyes and pour down his cheeks.

"Z-zoro! I'm s-s-so sooooorrrrrryyyyyy!"

Zoro looked around desperately, Usopp now standing in the door, whimpering and snuffling loudly.

"Oh, jeez… don't cry! Thanks for worrying about me, but seriously, if you start bawling, Sanji'll kill me!"

Usopp gulped, blowing his nose on a hanky.

"But I was s-s-so worried! I though you were…" -he gave a trembling sniff- "…d-dead for sure! I would never have been able to f-f-forgive myself!"

The curly haired youth began to wail loudly, sobbing into his small hanky. Zoro tried to sit up straighter to console him, but flinched and groaned as his wound gave an unpleasant twinge. Usopp gasped, tears continuing to trickle freely down his face, and kneeled on the end of the bed, beginning to crawl towards Zoro, sobbing heartily.

"Oh, n-no! I'm s-sorry! I'm just making you hurt yourself more! Here, I'll help you get comfy!"

"Hey! Wait a sec…!"

Zoro squirmed desperately, praying that Sanji wouldn't come in and discover Usopp floundering on the bed with him. Usopp reached out and tried to help Zoro sit up a little more, supporting him beneath the arms. At that moment, Sanji burst through the half closed door, calling to Usopp in a loud, out-of-tune singsong voice.

"Usopp-chaaaan? What would you like with your tea? Chocolates? Cake? A ten-course buffet? Anything that my Usopp… chan… desires…"

Sanji stared down at the pair on the bed. Zoro, half caught by surprise and half wracked with pain, had caught Usopp by the shirt and fallen backwards, taking the other man with him. The curly haired youth was sprawled in a rather compromising position on top of him, arms still trapped under Zoro's back. They both turned, slowly and reluctantly, to meet the livid stare of Sanji, whose face was beginning to turn a violent shade of purple.

"Oh, I get it now. Clear as day."

Zoro glanced nervously from side to side, Usopp fearfully sliding off the bed, pulling down his shirt and neatening his disheveled hair.

"Get? Get what?"

Sanji let out a short, mirthless laugh.

"Oh, stop acting like you don't know. You're my rival."

Zoro flinched again at the pain of his wound, lying slowly back down.

"Rival? Your rival in what, exactly? I could easily beat you at most things."

Sanji jabbed an accusing finger at Zoro.

"Ah ha! I knew it! You've been secretly trying to muscle in on my territory! Well let me tell you, Officer Roronoa, I have my foot well and truly stuck in the door, so you're too late!"

Zoro gazed up at him incredulously. Usopp shuffled uneasily on the spot, trying not to catch anyone's eye.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

Sanji gestured to Usopp, who massaged his forehead distractedly, becoming suddenly fascinated with a speck on the wallpaper.

"You are in love with her."

Zoro choked and laughed incredulously.

"In love with Usopp? I don't think so!"

Sanji made an impatient noise and folded his arms.

"Denial."

Zoro, temporarily lost for words, sat with his mouth agape. Sanji leered at him slyly.

"I'll have you know that, on the night we went to the warehouse… something happened in the backseat of your patrol car."

Zoro's look of incredulity turned to one of disgust, and Usopp turned to Sanji, eyes flashing dangerously.

"Would you shut up?"

Sanji shrugged, making apologetic gestures with his hands.

"Hey, don't worry about it, sweetheart. Zoro will back right off once he's heard about what happened between you and me."

"It was not how you make it sound." Usopp muttered through clenched teeth.

Sanji turned a defiant stare on Zoro.

"When you shot at me that night, I would bet my life that you knew it was me all along. Sure, you say you thought I was an intruder, but maybe you were just trying to get rid of me, so I was out of the way, once and for all. But it's all right, I understand. Love can make people do desperate things…"

Sanji shook his head as he said this, a saintly expression upon his countenance. Zoro's expression turned from one of confusion to red-hot anger. He sat bolt upright, feeling his whole body seethe with fury.

"How dare you even suggest that? I would never even think of killing a fellow officer, no matter how brainless and pig-headed they are!"

Sanji backed towards the door slightly, shocked by Zoro's furious outburst. The green haired man turned to Usopp, whose knees were knocking in terror.

"What did he do to you in the car, Usopp?"

Usopp bowed his head in shame.

"He… he, uh…"

Sanji giggled like a schoolgirl.

"It was so much fun! Even though you did nearly knock my nose off afterward…"

Usopp straightened up, tossing his curls defiantly.

"He sexually harassed me!"

Zoro gave a murderous grin.

"Right, then. I may have missed my opportunity at the warehouse, but I can certainly have another crack at it…"

He leapt out of bed, striding towards the rapidly retreating figure of Sanji, addressing him in a low, dangerous voice.

"I – am - gonna – kill - you."

Sanji let out a terrified yelp, scrambling for the door. Usopp couldn't help laughing. The two men rushed out of the door, followed by the sound of more yelping and some loud thumps.

"G-Get lost, moss haired freak! I'm a-a-armed!"

"If I can't be killed by a bullet, then I certainly can't be killed with a saucepan."

"Get awaaaaay! HELP, USOPP! HEEEELP!"

"Come here! I just wanna talk to you…!"

Usopp folded his arms, listening to the ruckus outside. Those boys… fighting over little old me… Usopp flicked his hair and batted his eyelashes in a nearby mirror, striking a seductive pose with one hand on his hip. Hmm… maybe I could carry on with this little game a while longer. Outside, Sanji screamed like a woman, followed by an ear splitting crash. More yelling. More thumps. Usopp chuckled. Who knew mistaken identity could turn out to be so much fun…?

End of Chapter 3

Well, that's the end of the third chappie, folks! I hope you enjoyed it. I don't know… was it a little confusing? Heh heh. Sanji the perv. Ooh! It's Christmas Eve today! I seriously cannot WAIT for Christmas. This year's gone so quickly, what with me leaving high-school and all, so it's been a very exciting year, too.

Oh! And I've also set up a new One Piece forum here on 'The One Piece Yaoi and Shonen Ai Forum' in fact, so please come along and drop a post or two! All pairings can be discussed freely! (pluggedy plug plug…) XD

Please review, and stick around for the next chappie! Xlovex Till next time! Yoy!