Her eyes drifted leisurely open in the thin sunlight. She lay on her side, feeling rested and languid. With a brief start, she noted Zoro's arm wrapped snugly around her waist, felt his body at her back, curved with hers, felt his breath, deep and steady against her hair. She relaxed; she yawned and rubbed sleep from her eyes, blinking slowly. She felt…happy. She felt happy and content for the first time since life had changed.

Zoro's fingers clenched briefly into a fist, tightening his grip on her midsection, then relaxed. She felt him point his toes downward, stretching his legs in half-sleep and then pull back close to her, burying his face against her neck, warm in her tangled hair.

Feeling loved like this…feeling safe and cared for, nothing could harm her. He had been devoted to her for weeks and she felt the security such attention brought. This was happiness.

As he slept against her back, she felt a change; felt the stiffening about his pelvis pressed to her body. His hips gave a small, gentle thrust. He snored lightly. She held her breath; part of her felt ready to run away at the touch of his morning erection…part of her felt curious. She blew out slowly, measured. She considered her options.

She pressed her hips a bit more firmly against his. He gave a second small, sleeping thrust. She reached behind her, unsure. She felt him immediately and closed her hand delicately around his penis.

His breath caught. "Robin?" Zoro whispered, suddenly awake.

She jumped, turning toward him, red-faced and ashamed. "I'm sorry. I—"

"What are you doing?" Zoro asked, a bit playfully.

"I…wondered, is all."

"Wondered?" Zoro asked in a husky voice. "What did you wonder?"

"Just…if I was…ready. If I was…me again."

"And what did you find out?"

"I…Zoro?"

He tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and ran his thumb down her cheek. "Yes?"

"Kiss me?"

He looked at her, searching. His eyes seemed to gaze through hers deep into her soul. The length of his pause seemed to span lifetimes. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," she whispered.

He tucked his hand behind her head, fingers spanning the top of her neck, wrapped in her mussed hair. Searching her eyes once more for any sign of hesitation, he finally leaned his face towards hers and brushed her lips with a kiss made of air. He looked at her again, scrutinizing.

She looped her arm under his, her hand coming up to rest against his shoulder blade and pulled him closer. "Please, Zoro."

At that, he leaned more heavily toward her, pulling her body against his, his lips pressed to hers, stubble scratching her chin. His hand migrated from the back of her head, down her side, pausing to brush his thumb against her breast, continuing down to gently grip her thigh, raised with her knee bent. He leaned back to breathe, and she found that she could not tolerate space between them; she raked her fingers through his hair and pulled her face up to his neck, pressing her lips to his racing pulse. He gave a hum of pleasure and came back to her, his other hand now tracing her face, her jaw, her lips. She opened her mouth and grasped his finger, firmly sucking a moment before releasing him. He groaned and kissed her harder, his hand gently squeezing her breast, thumb circling her nipple. She moaned and arched her back. "Robin," he murmured.

She looked at him dreamily in response.

"This is going fast."

"I don't care." She reached down and grasped his erection, a bit more firmly this time, feeling the smooth head, following the veins with her fingertips. He closed his eyes. Her hand migrated ever downward, touching his balls, and at this, he gasped.

He growled playfully. "If that's how you want to play it…" he darted toward her and nipped her earlobe. "I'll give you exactly what you want."

"Robin?" Pause. "Robin?"

"Hmmmm….no, don't stop."

"Robin?"

"Zoro…yes."

He cleared his throat. "Robin." He spoke a bit louder.

She awoke with a start. "Zoro?" Her breathing was heavy, she felt wet and ready for him in her, but…

"You were, uh…having a dream, I think."

"A dream?"

"Yeah. Maybe not a nightmare this time," he smiled.

Robin's brain was sluggish with sleep as she processed this. "A…oh!" she covered her hand with her mouth. "Did I…oh gods…Zoro…"

Zoro chuckled and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. This feels exactly like…stop it! she squashed her thoughts. "It's okay, Robin. No worries."

"This is so embarrassing…"

"Robin, it's okay. It's natural," his face still held a playful grin, and she found she was completely unable to look at him. It felt like he was teasing her, knowing that she was aroused, and knowing it was for him. "Robin?"

She looked up.

"Really, it's okay. There's no shame." His grin was replaced by a tender look, and as she met his eyes, she felt that maybe her really did understand. Maybe it really was okay. Or maybe it wasn't. She felt vulnerable, as though she had actually been caught in some wrong act.

"Come here," he whispered. She accepted the invitation into his arms, burying her face against his chest, feeling the rise and fall of his breathing against her cheek. Against her will, she felt a tear brim over, trail down, and vanished into his shirt. He tightened his encircling hold on her. "Sweetheart, please don't worry," he murmured. She stayed against his chest, away from his eyes. "Robin, you are a beautiful woman. Possibly the most beautiful woman I've ever known." One hand moved to hold her head against him. "Let me tell you something. Someday, if it's something you still want, I'll take you right here and make love to you, and worship your body the way it should be." He tipped her head back, and she looked at him with wide eyes as he kissed her forehead. "But not now. Not yet."

"Zoro?" she whispered.

His eyes searched hers. "Robin…I—"

The bedroom door banged violently open and Chopper leaped into the room, tears streaming down his cheeks. "Guys! You guys! Nami and Luffy!" he sobbed, tiny body racked with anguish.

"Chopper—what about them? What happened?" Robin asked, voice full of concern.

"They-they…guys—they're gone!"