I do not own anything besides these words and the cover art.

Nami closed the door behind her in a rush. She huffed from her sprint through the rain, over a fence, between joined backyards, and through the emergency exit in the back of her building. It was arduous work but very necessary. She threw her bag down and paced, even if she felt like she was struck by the ones she just ran away from.

Zoro was friends with a cop. Zoro was intimate friends with a detective. This hard ass detective was on the mayor's task force. A task force specifically for organized crime. Organized crime like The Fishman Crew and illegal underground fights. And why did she look exactly like the supposedly dead childhood friend of Zoro's, Kuina? Was Nami getting haunted as well as stalked by the police?

Nami was not paralyzed at the sudden stream of incoherent information, but she was not going to take any chances. She quickly went to the couch, pulled out her burner phone, and dialed while she rung her shirt and hair.

"Usopp?" She said with her phone between her ear and shoulder.

Usopp groaned on the other end, "What?"

"What are you doing? Sleeping?"

"Yeah, Nami. It's like 11…"

Nami laughed, "And here I thought you were a night owl."

"I am…but it's pretty boring where I am. I see that it's raining where you are."

"Yeah," she said as she saw the water pooled at her feet and cursed herself for not putting a towel down on her carpet. "But enough about me. I need you to look into someone."

"Again? Man, Nami. You used to do all your own recon," Usopp joked while she heard keys click-clack in the background.

"It's a cop."

There was silence on the other end, then it sounded like Usopp brought the phone closer to his face, "You serious?"

"Yeah, Zoro's friend", she said the last part with a hint of malice and Usopp registered it just fine.

"Friend? I assume a woman."

"Why would you assume that?"

"Cause you're jealous."

"Jealous? What? Are you kidding me! You're-you, ha! No!"

Usopp was about to point out that Nami had never stumbled over her words as much as she did now, but Nami sneezed loudly and cut him off.

"Oi, oi! Someone sounds sick!"

Nami shook her head and wiped her nose with the back of her hand, "Am not!"

"Then why'd you sneeze?"

"Because someone must be praising me." Usopp scoffed and Nami continued, "It's because of that stupid idiot who made me run through the rain with him and then we got caught in the storm and hid under some trees and then-"

"Made out?"

Nami turned pink, "How-no!"

"Nami, why are you so weird about this? Like…you've slept with dudes before."

Nami scoffed, "So you assume I'd sleep with anyone I meet?"

"No, you idiot. I am wondering why you haven't when you clearly like the guy. You seem to be standing still…when we both know you prefer to…move right through."

Nami ground her teeth, "Listen here, Usopp. We're using each other, okay? Now, what I need you to do is dig up what you can on a Detective Tashigi of the Organized Crime Task Force."

Usopp whistled, "Whoa. Seems pretty risky to be into a guy that has friends that high up the food chain."

"Yeah and-" but Nami stopped herself and screamed into the phone, "I'm not into him!"

Usopp laughed, "Fine. Whatever. I'll look into it. Just try not to catch feelings along with a cold, okay?"

Nami groaned and hung up, but she sneezed again as her head felt heavy. She shoved the phone back into the couch haphazardly and moaned as the chill grew. Nami wanted to pull out her hair in frustration. She was still wet and cold and now she was wet and cold and extremely worried. Not only was Tashigi on her mind but Tashigi worried her for two reasons. One reason was the most obvious, Tashigi was a powerful cop. The other reason made Nami kick off her shoes and stomp like a child with a tantrum. She turned on the lights and peeked through the curtains by her kitchen's balcony as she unbuttoned her blouse with one hand.

This was his fault. The stupid, wet, hot idiot who had to hold her hand and say he wanted a relationship. She laughed wildly. A relationship? What was she thinking? If his body matched what his eyes did, then yes, she would have made a very rash and illogical move. He played with her hair and left his hand by her ear as if he asked her to fall in love with him with such a simple gesture.

Nami's eyes quickly went wide. No, she could not fall in love with him. She did not know if she was physically capable of love. Sex? Sure. But love? If they kissed, and with the way they looked at each other, Nami knew it would not have ended in just a kiss. No, Nami knew they would have ended up in a dark lit place or her place or his. Nami did not doubt it. What she could not fathom was how far she let it go. Why did she not push him away? Cause another fight? Get him pissed off? Nami was at her last few buttons when she felt arms around her waist.

"Why are you wet?" His voice rumbled against her back, and her chest tightened as he moved his hands to remove the rest of her shirt. She had not heard the door open, and she glanced at the couch in the reflection of the window to make sure she hid her phone.

"Arlong, I-" her voice wavered in fear. At first, it was the worry that he heard her talking to Usopp, but as his hands traveled, a horror emerged from her darkest memories. It was in the terror of his touch, which was all too familiar to her. It revolted her and she secretly thanked the rain that hid her emerging hot tears.

He simply hushed her as the wet blouse hit the floor. "I saw your fun little pictures." He inhaled her deeply and continued, "And I don't think you are taking this job seriously."

"Ar-arlong, I-I am!" She stammered as his hand went to her throat. Nami felt his pierced fingers and could almost hear the metal move through his hollowed bones. He was much taller, 7' 10" over her 5' 6 ½". She only reached his chest, so as he engulfed her, she felt like she was being swallowed whole.

Arlong was about to speak when he saw the flash of red and blue outside the window. He dared not peek, but they stood in front of the sliding glass doors of her balcony and their bodies cast shadows along the gripped her throat and hissed, "Why is a cop here?"

Nami's hands went to his arm, "I-I don't know." She tried to peel at his skin, but it slipped through her nails.

"Really? I picked this location because I knew it was out of their way," he said as his other hand went around her waist and squeezed tightly. She knew a bruise would form on her hip from his grip. Without her shirt, his muscles were against her back. The only thing that kept his chest away from her completely was her damp bra.

"Please…" she mumbled, "I don't know why it's here."

He narrowed his eyes and looked through the thin curtains as the car moved slowly down the block. He spoke with a final squeeze of her throat, "Shut off the lights."

With his release, she quickly went to the light switch and turned it off. Arlong stood in the darkness of the small kitchenette, glared out the glass doors, and backed away slowly. The car finally moved on, but Arlong's shoulders did not relax. Instead, he turned with violence in his eyes. "You brought them here. You're lucky I parked down the block and walked to your ungrateful ass."

"Arlong, I-" However, Arlong moved quickly and his large hand smacked Nami down to the ground with a thud. She landed half in the living room, so the carpet softened the noise but not the blow. Nami groaned as she tried to pick herself up. Arlong crouched down beside her, the little photo booth strip between his meaty fingers.

"You know, Nami, you make me do this. If you'd just listen to me and behave, I wouldn't have to hurt you." Before Nami could respond again, Arlong pressed his hand onto her face and held her to the ground. Nami struggled as her head burned from the pressure. "This hurts me more than it hurts you."

Nami spat out between clenched teeth, "I doubt it." She tasted the blood from her busted lip when he hit her. He usually knew where to go so that her "moneymaking" face did not get bruised. Nami surmised he was extremely frustrated to lose control, even for a moment.

Arlong chuckled, "Okay, Nami." He took the pictures and ripped them up before her, "If you need me to prove how serious those blue and red lights made your situation…I will happily oblige."

Nami knew screaming was pointless as he picked up her limp body from the carpet, but her legs kicked him all the way and slammed against the cheap linoleum. He threw her onto her bedroom floor, where she gripped the corner of her bed as he closed the door behind them. Nami could struggle all she wanted, but Arlong enjoyed the struggle because he knew he could win. She knew it was useless from when she was young. She knew it was just temporary pain, but regardless, she bit down on her tongue. The last thing he would get from her would be her cries. He relished in knowing how much he could hurt people, and Nami watched as people begged for their lives and Arlong grew overjoyed at the sound. Whatever he would get out of her now, she would not add to his pleasure.

When the car moved down the street through the rain, Zoro recognized the complex and thought of a plan to break out. He would wait until Tashigi turned the corner and eventually let him off. Then he would run back to this street and salvage what he could of the night. If nothing else, he wanted to know why Nami was so mad. However, all his planning died out as he looked at the balcony window where two figures stood. He knew exactly which light belonged to Nami, but he never expected to see two people bathed in it. One was tall but too large to be the skinny musician next door. They looked like they were in an embrace, and Zoro swore he saw hands woven together. Bodies against one another and faces too close for it to be anything but intimate. Zoro did not realize he tightened his grip on the stuffed animal until he heard a quiet squeak in his hand and saw the reindeer suffocated between his fingers.

"Oops," Tashigi said, "I accidentally turned on the lights."

He glared at the woman who seemed just as antsy. He wondered why that was. Why was she so interested in Nami…and Nami's… Zoro turned back again to see the lights of her apartment off, and the figures were gone. Apparently to her bedroom or couch or wherever else he imagined Nami to be with…whoever it was.

"Zoro? You see her place?" Tashigi had stayed quiet and when she saw his intense stare out the window, she reached for her phone or notepad to jot down the address but flicked the lights on instead. Luckily, no noise came out, but if Nami was somewhere in the building Tashigi drove by, she did not know exactly which apartment. That would be tough to surveil, but at least she narrowed it down to a building. Regardless, she looked back at Zoro who seemed stuck, like he looked for something, someone, too desperately. His hands worked the soft plush toy until it looked deformed and destroyed. Tashigi hated him seeing him so still, at least not like this. "Zoro!" He released the object and it slowly came back to life, as if it finally inhaled a breath it could not take before.

"What!" He snapped back, and Tashigi pumped on the breaks.

She looked at him and pushed her glasses up, "Are you okay?"

"Why does everyone keep asking me that?" He said with frustration.

Tashigi peered at him and wondered what was so important about Nami that made him put so much effort in. She remembered the gangly boy she grew up with. He was always ready for a challenge, always ready to fight, and Tashigi told him he would be a great cop. If only she met him before he met Luffy. Luffy was 13, Zoro 15. Tashigi at 17 never interacted with the boys unless they were causing trouble and Tashigi came across them in the neighborhood. She always knew Zoro was strong, and Tashigi appreciated strength. What she did not like was how he wasted it. So, she told him to be a cop...like her. He was going to, but then Luffy died and he just blamed everyone, because he could not blame himself. Zoro did not want to admit that Luffy brought upon his own death when he made his choices to fight the powers that existed…the law of the world.

Tashigi always thought Zoro could be that law, be a positive change. He could have changed the world, but he wanted it under Luffy's terms. At the end of the day, Tashigi only saw Luffy for what he was, a criminal who broke the rules to get what he wanted. Others called him a saint, a superhero, the "Robin Hood" of the town. Tashigi never praised criminals, no matter the reason. She shook her head at the harsh memories and turned back to drive, "I'll drop you off, okay?"

"Just leave me alone," mumbled Zoro as he slid down his seat.

She peered through the rearview mirror and saw it again, a sadness that made her heart ache. She loved Zoro because it was in her nature to love people who spent time in her life. They had not spoken since Luffy's death, and that was 2 years ago. Sanji, luckily, was more so Zoro's friend than Luffy's and he at least kept in contact with her...even if was to stalk the women in his life. Tashigi appreciated that Zoro had someone who loved him. However, for Zoro, her love was very twisted. When Luffy died, she thought he was free, but as she looked at the man and his downcast eyes, she knew that the day his best friend died, a piece of him died, too. Now he filled that void with yet another bad choice, and regardless of how much it pained Tashigi to use Zoro, she needed him to find the real criminals.

As she pulled up to Sanji's apartment, she unlocked the doors and Zoro got out slowly. It was if his muscles were made of molasses. He usually had two speeds, "on" and "sleep". She watched him carry the stuffed animals up the steps. As the door open, she saw a wooden spoon land on his green head. However, whereas he usually shouted at his roommate, Zoro merely sidestepped Sanji and went inside. Sanji glanced outside and upon seeing Tashigi, he sprinted down the steps with a smile. "You two go to the carnival?"

Tashigi shook her head, "No. I found them."

"Them?" Sanji asked as he leaned into the open passenger seat window.

"Yeah, Zoro and her."

Sanji raised an eyebrow, "And?"

"And you're right. She's cute." Sanji smiled but Tashigi handed him a piece of paper with a frown. "But she is still dangerous. This is where I think she lives. If you believe she's innocent, fine. Prove it."

Sanji took the paper and nodded, "So you're giving her a chance?"

Tashigi started the car and sighed, "No. But I want to trust Zoro one more time. He…he really seems to care for her, so I guess I can give her the benefit of the doubt."

Sanji gave her a soft grin and Tashigi pushed her glasses up her stern face. He straightened himself and waved Tashigi goodbye as she drove off. He directed his attention back to the apartment. Sanji agreed, Zoro really was not the same since he met her. Sanji just hoped their "will they, won't they" game did not give him an ulcer from all the stress.

Music Inspiration/Theme: "Paralyzer" (Finger Eleven)

So, I literally trolled through an entire night trying to remember this song, because oh my gosh, I thought of it and I just needed it to be the heart of this story. So, my babes, how you doin'?

At least, I gave you a bit…ya know. Until Tashigi cockblocked, hehe.

Coming Soon: Sick Nami is a…ZoNa moment? I was originally going to make her drunk, but as an ode to the OP time of Nami falling ill, here is what Zoro did in that room when he told Luffy to go look at the island. I'd like to think he took care of her, but anyways, get ready- Dr. Zoro is in the house;)

I just realized I never addressed…Arlong. So, as I stated before, I think we often forget how broken every character is. At least from my perspective, every single one of them had/has heartbreak in their lives…and Arlong, though a very basic villain, in the beginning, orphaned a child and then abused and used her by lying and cheating. That is literally a criminal make-up of child abusers and violent offenders. Meaning, I don't think it is so far-fetched to think that beyond the emotional and psychological abuse, Arlong could have physically…and sexually abused Nami. Now, I hate doing that to her. It does NOT make me feel good, but hopefully, that just goes to show that Nami is very familiar with touch…just not the good kind. I think it is very important to note how, not necessarily cliché, but complimentary Zoro and Nami are. Zoro, for the most part, is a very ruthless person. His name came with a prestige of being a hunter…and I think we can say there is a bloodlust there that is "demonic". Yet, he caters to Nami, not in the way of Sanji, but he listens when he doesn't need to. Help her, because yes, she's a friend…but when they first met, Nami was saving Luffy and that was all Zoro needed to be convinced that she was good and she should be their navigator. I don't know, maybe I'm trying to overanalyze, but honestly…when you feel an OTP, you FEEL it, son.

Anyway, another lengthy response to…yes, Nami is…so precious and I just can't let her jump Zoro's bones until he just holds her close and she is happy with that hold. Ya know…I'm a romantic;)

Side note, a reader asked why I inculded Nami (Hello Kitty bandana) as one of the "prizes" Zoro got from his game. Now, I'm glad you liked that...but also did not want it to all be stuffed animals, so I tried to be creative. My goal is to bring those prizes back into the story, cause you know, I am a well-rounded persona nd I ike to inculde the whole crew in this story. Also, forgive me for all my "American" references. That's what happens when you forget that there are readers of this story from all over- but thank you for reading regardless!

Stay tuned!

XoXo shipfiend