Sanji's been out for almost a week now.

Chopper says he's in the clear but it'll take a while for Sanji to recover the blood he lost. Even when he does wake up, he'll still be extremely weak. The best thing for him is to rest.

"Get better soon Sanji. We've had to put up with Ussop's cooking. Not that's bad; it's just crappy compared to yours."

I leave my room where Sanji is resting for now. My room is the only one with a comfy bed. I had no objection to it being used.

Something catches my eye as I pass the boys room.

It's Sanji's suit jacket.

I go in and pull it off the peg by his hammock it's hanging on.

I hold it close to me.

The fabric is high quality. Soft and feels good on the skin.

It's worn. Not tattered in the least, but has that well traveled quality. He's probably had this thing for a while.

It smells like cigarette smoke.

"Geez. How can I possibly like a guy that smokes? Such a disgusting habit."

But it's something I've come to tolerate and gotten use to. It's familiar and even comforting. It's part of Sanji. Part of who he is. Part of his split personalities. One moment flirting and lavishly showering complements on us girls, and in the next moment becoming brash and coarse when it comes to the other boys. He's a complete and utter dork and doesn't care, and somehow he makes it an endearing quality. His charisma attracts people. Luffy's the same way, Ussop too. They're so flamboyant and upbeat. When they're happy you can't help but to be happy too. Also when they're sad you can help being sad as well.

"Get better Sanji. You being out is such a downer."

I feel something inside his jacket.

I reach into the inner breast pocket and pull out Sanji's cigarette case.

Its antique, sterling sliver, engraved with an intricate design. I can tell it's worth a lot. It has the same worn well traveled feel to it his jacket does.

No else knows about Sanji's secret treasure.

--------

"Ne, Nami san. Can you hand me my jacket there on the table?"

I see Sanji's jacket and grab it. Something falls out and lands hard on the floor.

"Ah! Careful."

"Oops. Sorry" I bend down to get it. It landed under the table. It's a silver cigarette case. It popped open."

"Wow! Is that really silver? $$" I reach for it and look it over. "This is really nice. You could get a decent price for it. Who knew you had something nice like this."

"It was my grandfathers." He says as I stand up.

"Ah sentimental." I'm about to hand it back to him when I notice something. "Hm? What's this? A secret compartment?"

"Ah! Um… that's…"

Before Sanji can explain I open it and see a picture. "What's this? A picture of your long lost lover?" I tease

Sanji laughs uneasily. "Hardly." He makes a grab for it but I turn and hold it out of his reach.

I look closer at the picture. There are three people in it. One is a handsome young man with longish sandy hair. He has a wide happy grin and has his arm around the shoulders of a stunningly beautiful young woman. She has hair that's blonde, wavy and sweeps her shoulders. Part of it is pulled up to the side held by a lily shaped hair clasp. Her smile is soft and subtle but makes her eyes light up. The third person is a small boy the woman is holding on her hip. The boy is maybe 4 or 5 with blond hair and looks like he's laughing. The woman and boy both have curly eyebrows. I look up at Sanji.

"Sanji, this is…"

"Ya." He smiles softly.

So this is Sanji's family. You can tell right off that the man and woman are Sanji's mother and father. Sanji has his father's smile and his mother's fair features and blond hair. They're both tall and skinny the way Sanji is. His father was handsome with strong defined features. His mother was…well, absolutely gorgeous is an understatement really. Her hair seems to shine, her eyes seem to sparkle and her skin was pale and glowing as if she swallowed the moon.

"Your mother is so beautiful."

Sanji keeps smiling but his eyes become sad. "Ya. She was."

I feel a pang of empathy. So he lost his mother too. "I'm sorry."

Sanji shakes his head. "It's ok. You didn't know."

I take another look at the picture. They all look so happy.

I smile.

It makes me remember how happy I was with Bellmere san and Nojiko. I hand the case back to Sanji.

He looks at the picture and smiles lovingly at it for a minute before closes the case.

The way Sanji looked after that bothered me. His eyes became extremely sad, like he was going to cry. I've never seen Sanji like that before.

"It's a great picture" I comment "Every one looks so happy. Your parents seem like they really loved each other."

Sanji lit back up at that. The way he does when you tell him how good his cooking is or when he starts talking about All Blue.

"Ya. They really did. They were childhood friends."

Inwardly I sigh with relief. That's the Sanji I like to see.

He continues on "My old man was sooo in love with her. He worshiped my mother. He always told me: "Sanji! Women are the most wonderful and exquisite beings in this world. They're loving and caring and the bearers of life. You be sure to worship them like the Goddess they are."

I laughed. "Ah! So it's all the dad's fault."

Sanji only response was a giggling grin.

He went on "Nearly every other day he'd tell me: "Sanji! Your mother is the most beautiful woman in the whole entire world!"

I laughed. I'd believe that. The way Sanji carries on, he's such a hopeless romantic. But now I know he gets it from his father.

Sanji laughed to himself. "Then someone would usually joke and say: "Ya… So how'd she end up with a bum like you?" To which my dad would usually respond "Gee, I don't know…Hey honey! How'd a babe like you end up with a bum like me? And my mom would say something like:

"I got drunk and you knocked me up." Or "You have millions stashed away remember?" or "You made me dinner and slipped a love potion into my food." She'd always say something different every time. She was funny and clever like that. She was so radiant and friendly. Everyone loved her. She could make friends with anyone and could get even the shyest introvert to open up and talk. She was wonderful wife and mother so kind and caring and…and…" Sanji's words trailed off.

He became sad again.

His eyes got all shiny and his nose stated getting red.

It seemed like he really was going to cry this time.

"I miss her." He whispered after a bit of a pause.

Clinging to the cigarette case he was fighting the tears now. Fighting desperately and failing. He turned away from me as the first tear escaped.

He doesn't want me to see him cry. I know from my own experience to recognize he had to feel embarrassed.

Trying to be strong. Not wanting anyone to see you as weak.

He's fighting hard to not let himself be overcome by his emotions and loose it completely.

I understand how he must feel.

I walk over and put a sympathetic hand on his shoulder.

He tenses a bit and turns his head away from me.

"I know." I tell him "I miss her too."

He turns and looks at me surprised for a second. But then he makes the connection.

We have a moment.

One of those moments two people can have of complete understanding.

The feeling that says: "Yes. I know and understand completely."

Sanji gives an appreciative smile. He wipes his tears away.

Though his tears are gone he still looks depressed.

Depressed Sanji is no good. I have to fix it since it's kind of my fault. I think and remember something else about the picture.

"Ah!"

"Huh? What's wrong Nami san?"

"I just remembered something about the picture." His father had a chef's jacket on.

I smile at Sanji "The jacket your dad was wearing. A chef too?"

Sanji smiles again. And nods.

"Like father like son eh? Half as good as you?"

Sanji's lights back up again. "You bet! A great chef who was famous in North Blue. Though he and the owner of the place he worked got in a big fight. My father was the reason that place was so popular; he wanted to have a part ownership, but the guy refused. So my dad was like "Fine! I'll walk and start my own place." So we all moved to East Blue and he started his own place. That picture was taken when the restaurant first opened. Ever heard of the restaurant Celest?"

Come to think of it... "That super classy restaurant on the boardwalk of Monte Island that takes months to get a reservation at?"

Sanji smiled lighting up a cigarette. "That's the one. Celest was my mother's name."

Now I was super impressed. I'd been there once with one of my rich ex boyfriends (echem sucker who didn't know what hit him when I cleaned him out. Hey his dad was a pirate, what can I say. Plus he was an ass, and I was only with him for the money. One of the biggest hauls I made…but that's neither here nor there…)

It was our first date and he wanted to impress me. I'll give the guy props for that.

The place was amazing with a spectacular view of the sail boat harbor which was beautiful at sunset. The food was to die for. No wonder Sanji's cooking seemed familiar…

"Then your dad…"

Sanji cuts me off "Nah. My Dad's former apprentice runs things now. He's not bad at taking care of the place."

I wasn't going to ask him why he didn't take care of it. It seemed like a touchy subject. I mean, being in a place named after your beloved mother who's now gone. I can understand.

Instead I ask: "So are you ever going to start up your own place too?"

Sanji puts on one of those big trade mark grins guys get when they start talking big. Same as when Ussop starts telling his tall tales, when Luffy announces he's the Man who will become the King of Pirates, when Zoro talks about becoming the greatest swordsman in the world. All guys have one of those grins, but I like Sanji's the best.

With that grin he states "Of Course! When I find All Blue I'm gonna set up a restaurant right there smack in the middle of it! It'll be a place unlike anything else. I'll be able to make anything my imagination can dream up and people will come from all over the world! You'll have to make a reservation a year in advance." Sanji gives a big laugh. "It'll be great! And of course no matter how packed it may be at any given time I'll have always have a table reserved for The King of Pirates, The Worlds Best Swordsman, The Bravest Warrior of the Sea, The Greatest Doctor that's ever lived and naturally," He turns to look at me. "I'll have my best table reserved for the Worlds Greatest Navigator and Map Maker."

I smile. "Damn straight. There's no way I'd wait a year just to eat at some restaurant, no matter how good the food is."

"It all goes without saying my dear Nami san. And if you put my place on that World Map of yours, I'll let you eat for free."

I laugh out loud "Who are you kidding! You'd let me eat for free regardless."

He laughs too "True. You know me too well."

"Ah, what the heck." I say "The least I could do is put your place on the map. I'll have to if it's smack in the middle of All Blue. Though, you're gonna have to find All Blue first."

"Oh don't worry I'll find it. Just wait and see…"

----------

I close Sanji's cigarette case. I close the lid on those happy smiling faces.

"That sneaky bastard. He threw me off guard and got past when my defenses were down.

Unforgivable.