The Pirate King Is Dead - Long Live The Pirate King

Part 3 of a Four Part Saga

By Aoikami Sarah

Chapter Six - Nami Returns To Kokoyashi

After less than a week at sea, sailing north from the Baratie toward Kokoyashi, the three friends hadn't exchanged more than a few words. Usopp tried to make jokes, Nami tried to laugh at them but Luffy hadn't even so much cracked a smile. The sun was trying to peek out from behind thick clouds as they spied land. Nami squinted up at the sky. "It won't rain," she said softly. "I wish it would."

"We'll see you to Nojiko's house," Usopp suggested. "Ok, Luffy?" He picked up one of Bon Clay's cloaks and tossed it to him.

Luffy caught it, stared at it for a moment and clutched it tightly. He looked up and saw Nami biting her lip in worry. "Sure," he agreed.

Nojiko was just as Nami had remembered her: tall, slim, gorgeous. Her hair was a bit longer. She was taking the wash off of the line, afraid of impending rain. Nami took a deep breath. "It's not going to rain, Nojiko," she called as they came around the corner of the little house she'd grown up in. Nojiko dropped the basket and charged at her sister. The women embraced and Nami let herself forget her pain for a moment. She was home. When she turned to her friends, it came back with a vengeance. If Luffy looked lost before, he looked downright morose now. Another one of his nakama was leaving. After this, it would be just he and Usopp. All too soon, he'd be all alone.

Nojiko asked them in and they talked about what happened over a quick dinner. Usopp and Nami did all the talking. Luffy played with his food, hardly eating any of it.

"I'm so sorry," Nojiko said, placing her hand over Nami's. "You must be glad to be home."

Nami nodded and pursed her lips. She kept her eyes on the table, finding it almost unbearable to look on Luffy.

Usopp shifted his weight in his seat. "Well, I guess we should get going."

"Nonsense," Nojiko said, clearing the dishes. "You'll stay the night, get a good sleep and a good breakfast in you before you boys head out."

It looked to anyone as if Luffy became nauseous.

"Luffy," Nami said, standing. "Can we take a walk?"

.x.

The grass was damp with dew. The air was cool and a light breeze made Nami shiver. She walked along beside him for almost ten minutes before she found the courage to speak.

"Isn't it funny?" Nami said with not a hint of mirth in her voice. "We've never been alone like this before." She made a face at her poor choice of words. "I mean, together. Not alone." She stopped walking. A few paces later, so did he. All around them an expanse of orange trees stretched as far as they could see. Insects chirped in the early evening stillness.

"Does it feel good to be home?" he asked with his back to her.

"I suppose so. I never intended to return here, so it's nice that I made it." Nami held her hands behind her back, closed her eyes and took a deep breath filled with the scent of orange blossoms. She shuddered, recalling the moment she had decided that her own life didn't matter: the same moment she learned he had thrown his life away to save them.

Standing in Bellemere's orchard, the events of only a week before seemed a lifetime ago. Nami never thought it would work. That she'd ever get a chance to talk to him again. She was sure she would be captured and executed before getting anywhere near Luffy's prison cell but she had to try. They all did. And they succeeded. But the loss of their friend Bon Clay seemed to have crushed Luffy.

"You should have left me," he whispered, rousing her from her thoughts.

Nami's mouth opened. She furrowed her brows and clenched her fists. "I can't believe you're so selfish!" she cried. He straightened up but didn't turn to face her. "How can you even think that we wouldn't try to save you? You think you're the only one who loves his nakama! We all love you. We all wanted to risk our lives for you. Robin did too. For your dream. For what we believed in. If we had been able to save her, we would have. But we couldn't. We weren't going to lose you, too. You've got to understand that!"

"But…"

"But nothing!" Nami shouted till her voice cracked. "If you love us so much, you should understand. If you love me, you should understand. I would do anything for you! I would die for you, just like you wanted to die for us," she sobbed and quieted. "Now it's my turn to be selfish. I don't want to leave you. I never want to be without you. Wherever you're going," Nami's voice lowered to a whisper. "Please take me with you."

Luffy turned slowly. Tears flowed from his remaining eye, dripped off of his chin and darkened his red vest. His mouth moved but he couldn't find the words. He stepped toward her and opened his arms. Nami fell against him and they embraced, hugging tightly as if the other would fly away if they let go. His shoulders shook with sobs. They rocked side to side. "I don't wanna be alone," he managed to say. "I just don't want any more of my friends to die because a' me."

"It's over," she whispered into his ear. "It's all over now. I'm never going to let you be alone."

He quieted and buried his face in her neck. "Nami," he breathed. "I didn't want to lose you." he chuckled through his tears. "I sorta really wanted to be selfish like that too." He pulled back and looked into her eyes. His brows were still screwed up with worry. He put his hand on her cheek and wiped her tears with his thumb. "You really wanna come with me?"

Nami nodded. "Anywhere."

Finally, like the sun coming out from behind the clouds that brewed above them, Luffy smiled, wide.

.x.

Nojiko kept busy packing a wicker basket full of canned foods for the rest of their trip to Syrup and Fuchsia. Usopp worried the strap of his bag between his fingers, anxious to get home, but nervous. The lavender haired woman tried to distract him with small-talk but she could tell by his lack of response that it wasn't working. Finally, she stopped and stared at him. She noticed his clothes were threadbare. "Those can't be the same overalls you were wearing when you were here last?" she asked.

Usopp gave her a sheepish grin. "Yeah, they are."

"Oh, you guys had to run," she realized. "You must have nothing but the shirts on your backs!"

"Something like that. Medical supplies from Chopper, a little food from the Baratie. I've still got a bag full of amo. That's about it."

Nojiko nodded. "So, you're off to Syrup and Luffy to…?"

Usopp blinked. "You know. I don't know. I have no idea where he's from."

Nojiko laughed. "Crazy! Well, wherever it is, I'm sure that's where Nami's headed, too."

"Come again?"

She raised a suspicious brow at him. "Oh please," she drawled. "You can't tell me you were on a ship with them for three years and couldn't tell how in love she is with him?"

"She… is?"

Nojiko blanched. "Oh. Guess not." She laughed nervously and clapped her hands together. "Don't tell Nami I said that, ok?"

"Nami is in love with Luffy?" Usopp asked again. "I know he's in love with her, but…"

"He is!" Nojiko cheered.

"Oh, yeah. It was right after we left here, after he defeated Arlong. Nami had gone to bed and Luffy came into our bunks. He said 'I'm in love with Nami. If anyone else wants her, fight me' or something like that," he recounted, imitating his captain's 'serious' voice.

"Did anyone argue?"

"No. Not even Sanji. It was right after that huge battle. I think he understood that the feelings Luffy had were true." Usopp made a face. "Didn't keep Sanji from flirting his ass off at her every chance he got. Didn't get him anywhere, though."

Nojiko laughed again. The door opened and Nami entered, followed by Luffy, grin still in place. Usopp blinked at them.

"Nojiko," Nami said, looking to her elder sister. "I'm very glad to be home, but I'm not staying."

"Oh?" Nojiko put her hands on her hips and grinned.

Luffy laughed a little. "I'm stealing her."

Usopp stood up. "Nojiko, you were right! I'm so surprised!"

Nami blushed and let Luffy put his arm around her waist and pull her close to him. "Now, now," Nojiko scolded with a smirk. "You're going to have to make an honest woman out of my little sister."

"Honest?" Luffy wondered. "We're pirates."

Usopp raised his hand. "Baka. She means you have to marry Nami."

"Oh. Ok."

"Now, wait just a second!" Nami cried.

"What, you don't wanna?" Luffy wondered calmly.

"Well… I mean… you… want to marry me?" Nami smiled.

"That means you stay with me forever, right?"

Nojiko laughed at his naïveté. "Sure does, kiddo."

"Then, yeah. Marry me."

Nami laughed. "Ok."

"Ok!" Usopp cheered before his jaw dropped in awe. "Holy crap you're getting married!"

"Getting?" Luffy wondered. "Can't we just be married?"

Nojiko raised a brow. "Someone has to marry you."

"Whatever. I'm the Pirate King," Luffy announced. "I say we're married. So there."

"Works for me." Nami laughed. "Wait, I don't have to be Monkey D. Nami do I!"

Luffy almost fell over with laughter. "Bwahahahaha! No! I picked out my own name!"

"That explains the 'monkey'," Usopp said under his breath to Nojiko.

"Your family picks their own names?" Nojiko asked.

When Nami was done swatting him and he'd recovered from his fit of giggles Luffy answered, "Well, my parents called me Luffy and my brother Ace. Then we got to pick our 'D' names ourselves. Ace picked Portgas after a famous pirate he admired in a book he read."

"And 'monkey'?" Nami asked.

"I like monkeys," he answered flatly.

They laughed and talked into the evening. Usopp put his chin in his hand and watched his friends from across the table in Nojiko's kitchen. To see a smile on Luffy's face was such a relief. Usopp sighed and the image of his captain handing him a note written in blood on the back of his own wanted poster faded just a little bit. "Thank goodness…" he said quietly.

To be continued…