A/N- Hello Everyone! Here's the new chapter! I hope you guys like it! Please leave a review so I know what you guys think :3

The sweat on her brow caused a stinging sensation that forced her eyes to squeeze shut momentarily. It gave more than enough opportunity for the man to swipe at her legs and bring her rear end to connect forcefully with the ground. She let out an 'oof' before sighing and laying down the rest of the way on the deck.

"Generally, laying down isn't the best defensive move against an enemy." Zoro grumbled before sitting down beside the exhausted woman. Her eyes were still closed, but she felt his leg come to rest an inch from her side.

"It's been a whole week since you started training me and I haven't improved at all. You are all so powerful, I'm not sure I'll ever be able to fight." She wasn't feeling sorry for herself as much as she was genuinely concerned. How could she protect herself against the intense enemies of their crew? "I'm a liability."

"It takes many years to reach the skill level we're on, but you will never improve by giving up." The swordsman looked down at the bruises covering her body as they slowly disappeared. She had taken quite a few hits, but nothing compared to what she faced as a member of their crew. "You need to focus on your strengths. You're skinny and have long legs. It'll make you faster than the larger, bulkier enemy. You're honing your healing abilities which will make you invaluable on the battle field. If you can learn how to dodge and weave, we should be able to take care of the front lines."

Emi sat up suddenly, pushing herself quickly up off the ground and pulling her fists up in front of her chest. "I will get better!" She chanted before reaching a hand out toward her mentor. "Zoro, I want to become an asset to this crew. We all have so much to accomplish!" He took her hand and smirked as he stood up. It wasn't true that she hadn't improved as her endurance had doubled in only a week and her recuperative abilities didn't seem to drain her energy as drastically as it had before. Her resolve had only grown as well, and he was thankful for that. You can teach someone anything but they have to be willing to work for it.

"I'm going to come at you. Your goal is to get by me and to your downed comrade over there." He pointed to a very dramatically laid out Usopp. His arm was over his forehead and his tongue was thrown across his cheek. He let out a pained cry and began to writhe on the deck, Zoro's eye twitched but he didn't comment.

Without warning Zoro's arm swung out toward Emi at mid speed. Her eyes widened in surprise, but unlike before she ducked quickly. Her feet shuffled toward Usopp,but he pivoted quickly and reached toward her again. This time his fingers only grazed her back before she evaded his grasps and flung herself onto the marksman triumphantly. Usopp sat up and cheered quickly cured of his imaginary injuries. Her smile was small but it lit up her face with a satisfied glow that caused the swordsman's heart to skip. Even though she had miles to go, he was incredibly proud of her improvement from the weak and inexperienced girl he had pulled from that burning building. Something changed in her the day the Sunny had been attacked and it was for the better.

"Zoro?" She asked looking up at him from her place on the deck a few feet away, "I can't stand up."

He couldn't help but smirk, scooping her up and bringing her face level with his. Her cheeks flushed, and he was honestly surprised with himself. In his entire life he had never been affectionate, but something about this woman changed him on a molecular level.

Witch Woman.

And he loved it.

Her smile returned as the distance between their faces closed, "Hey guys! How's training going?!" Emi jumped back at the question from her captain.

"OhHiLuffy! It's.. uh.. it's going well! I dodged Z.. Zoro and got to Usopp! I still have a long way to go though." She stuttered as her face reddened and Zoro 'hmf'ed, avoiding Luffy's eyes.

Idiot.

"That's awesome! Lunch is ready!" He bounded off and followed suit, singing a stupid song about fish kabobs or some other menial food item. It made Zoro squint his eyes and groan again, but Emi giggled as the boys skipped off arm-in-arm.

"Can you walk?" He huffed, making sure to help her balance before pulling away and grumbling toward the kitchen. She nodded and smiled sweetly at her knight in shining armor.

"You need to learn how to defend yourself." Zoro said, but his eyes remained focused on the dark sea. His injuries from the android were still fresh, and he wouldn't let her touch them. Emi jumped at his sudden words, they had been standing in silence for so long.

"You're right, I can't expect everyone to be there to protect me every time. I also can't expect to continue to stay here as a member of the crew without something to give back. Will you teach me?" Her eyes were twinged with water, and the glow of the moon off the ocean waves reflected in the pools. Delicate fingers brushed the hot, rough skin of his elbow and he shifted to look down at his charge. He had already decided to train her before broaching the subject, but the conviction in her expression was almost startling.

"We'll get started tomorrow." His eyes darted back to the sea, but his arm didn't pull from her reach. In fact he seemed to close the distance between them, if only by an inch.

"How's your training going, Em?" Nami asked over a plate of warm food, her fingers balancing a silver fork. The entire crew was gathered at the table actively devouring Sanji's latest exemplary dish. A plate and cup of hot tea awaited her in her usual spot and a smile pulled into her cheeks.

"It's going well, Nami! Thank you so much, Sanji. This looks amazing!" Her stomach groaned as she slid into her chair, hardly being able to contain herself long enough to use silverware. Sanji's eyes grew big and pink and his dance was wrought with appreciation, but before he could flounce his way toward Emi's seat, Zoro hit him in the chin with the end of his sword.

"No."

"I was just going to accept the beautiful ladies appreciation, Moss Head." The blond cook fought back, but the swordsman ignored him and took his own usual seat beside her.

CEEEEEEEERRAAAAAAAAAAAAACKKKKKKKK

A terrible screech breached the walls of the ship, causing everyone to cringe. The sound was starting to grow on Emi, it announced the arrival of the News Coo. A very strange but helpful bird who delivered Newspapers to various ships out at sea. Chopper left to great the bird, as well as throw him a tip from their wonderful lunch. He returned quickly and distributed sections among the crew, who fell into a routine of scouring their favorite parts.

"New wanted posters are here!" Usopp practically sang, taking each out and scouring for those of his crew. "And look who made the cut!" He tossed a thin paper toward the middle of the table, and Emi gasped at what she saw.

WANTED

Emi Ueda, known daughter of Gol D. Rodger pirate and new member of the Straw Hat pirates. Possessing abilities of the Heal Heal fruit, known to be traveling with dangerous persons.

1,000 Berries

Emi felt her face heat at the picture before her. "How... how did they even get that?!" The eyes staring back from the poster were not her own, but those of her Mother. And those of two healthy rice balls. "Ahhhhh!" She cried as she slouched into her seat, Zoro's eyebrows twitching as he remembered the first time he had seen that photo.

"I wanna see!" Luffy practically yelled over the table, gearing his arms to stretch toward the piece of newsprint.

"No." Zoro said, blocking his Captain's gummy fingers and snatching the paper from Emi's hands. He squished and rolled the paper into a ball before walking out of the kitchen. Emi watched with big eyes as he walked away and sweat-dropped at the idea of her name being associated with such a racy photo.

"So, what's your bounty?" Nami asked to break the awkward silence, her smile holding little secret of her intentions. "Mine is 66,000,000 berries. Luffy's is over 300,000,000 berries!" She gloated, Emi's eyes widening at the monstrous totals.

"Um... 1,000 Berries." The newest Straw Hat squeaked both with a new fear of her crew mates and feeling rather small at her own measly bounty.

"Aw, that's okay! Chopper's is only 50!" The pink headed woman laughed, smacking Emi on the back and standing up to empty her own plate into the trash. "I'm going out to survey the waters and make sure we're on track!" With that, she flounced out of the room and left behind a very diminutive feeling Emi.

"I.. I didn't realize you had such an impressive bounty, L..Luffy!" She stuttered as she assessed her Captain with a new perspective. He still had the same large and none threatening smile plastered to his face, the same almost scrawny appearance and the sweetest aura a person could have. Emi hadn't realized how little she actually knew about the people she so easily rode into the sunset with, they had been so inviting and so warm. She had never felt like she was in the presence of dangerous pirates, she had only a glimpse of their might when those men had attacked the ship. But even then, their wrath wasn't unprovoked.

"Yeah! It's so COOOOL isn't it?!" He cheered, and soon everyone was standing up to part ways. The overwhelmed brunette found herself almost scurrying away to a part of the deck where no one seemed to reside at the moment. Emi watched the waves crash into the side of the ship, the blue sky melt with the dark blue green of the ocean. It was her favorite pass time since arriving on board, aside from studying with Chopper or listening to Usopp's wonderful stories. She just couldn't believe she had spent weeks with these people, people she wholeheartedly considered her new family, without even knowing they had any bounty much less in the millions of berries!

Of course she knew they were wanted pirates, that had been what started this whole thing back on her island. She didn't realize just how wanted they were!

Did it really change anything? Emi may not have known the monetary value of their wrongs to society, but she had learned so much about who they were. An overwhelming energy entered her radar, but it held a familiar sort of comfort.

Her eyes widened.

She couldn't even imagine the bounty Zoro might have on his head. She froze and he stopped walking toward her, sensing her sudden wariness of him. "Are you okay?" He rasped, before sitting down cross legged a foot from her, leaning his swords against the wall.

"Z..Zoro, What's your bounty?" She felt small, as small as a thousand berries would standing next to a million. Her feelings were conflicted about the answer, he had sworn to protect her and he was even training her to defend herself. But was there something sinister she hadn't seen in his intentions? Possibly something they were all hiding from her? Emi didn't feel like she really had any value to the crew, but until now she figured they had helped her out of the goodness of their own hearts. And a minute possibility she could give them a lead on One Piece. Though now she thought there was a bigger chance that was the real reason she was still alive.

"66,000,000" He said with no real emotion, his eyes slipped closed as they did when he was holding her at a distance. The flash of horror in her stance caused him to tense, ready to catch her if she decided to jump overboard. He figured now was a good a time as any to tell her how he became a pirate in the first place. "When I met Luffy I was being held in a marine base. The spoiled brat son of the Navy captain there was a complete asshole. He had a wolf that he used to terrify the villagers, I killed it before it could attack a little girl."

Her shoulders relaxed a twinge, but uncertainty still filled her belly with a hot, boiling fear. She didn't dare interrupt his story, and hung to each word like they would save her life.

"At the time I was known as a great Pirate hunter, and because of that the kid said he would let me and the girl go if I let him string me up outside the base for a month. After a week Luffy broke in and asked me to be part of his crew, and I refused. At the time I never would have considered becoming a dirty pirate. I was going to pay my dues and leave. But he wouldn't stop. Soon he told me the kid was full of shit and was going to execute me in three days." His own stance was informal and relaxed, though he was watching the woman closely as his story unfurled.

"Apparently when he found out he punched the brat so hard he broke his nose and rushed the Marine Base. Luffy saved my life and that's when I vowed to help him reach his goal as long as he didn't interfere with mine. I became a pirate because the most sincere man I've ever met was a pirate. I trust him with my life." His honesty was uncharacteristic and it felt stupid laying his inner most thoughts out at her feet, but he could understand her anxiety. They were both people who never considered they would end up pirates, but at least he made the decision willingly. She had been forced to become a pirate or find herself alone and wanted by the marines in a strange place.

"We mean you no harm. You're one of us." He ended, waiting to see what her reaction would be. Emi found herself considering the details again, checking them for any signs of falsehood. Zoro was a lot of intimidating things. He was strong beyond her comprehension, he had probably killed many people and hurt countless more, and still she felt his heart was good. His energy was that of a protector and someone who valued honor beyond all else. The man had even shown her this was true innumerable times in only a few months. Her bones started to relax, she felt him stand beside her and slowly lift an arm around her to place his hand on the rail she was leaning against. The warmth that flooded her was calming, and it melted the rest of the ice cold fear in her core. His embrace was more familiar than anything she had experienced since the destruction of her home. It was her home.

Her shoulders turned into the side of him and she hungrily took in his warmth, her arms reaching up in front of her to wrap around his neck. "Thank you for saving me that day. Thank you for bringing me here and convincing Luffy to accept me. I don't care why, but I couldn't imagine being anywhere else." She buried her face into his chest, embarrassed at her sudden admission.

"No problem." He grunted as he rigidly turned himself into her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her into him. His nose was filled with the scent of roses and salt, the soft skin of her cheek smoothing across his own as she brought her lips to his. It was so soft, he barely brushed against her almost like he was afraid to break her if he pushed too hard.

Emi pulled back slightly, smiling up into his eyes and pushing her body in closer to his. His eyes were dark, his body was heavy and soon his lips captured hers again with a more certain force. They stood there in each others' arms for what could have been days or half a second. Emi's lips were swollen and pink, her eyes hooded with a craving she had never encountered. Her fingers slipped between his as they entered a door into the hull of the ship, weaving through hallways. Her feet moved toward her destination but her brain hadn't quite caught up with the intent. He followed her lead, more aware by the second where they were going. Crossing the familiar doors to the more secluded area of bedrooms where Emi resided, the glow from the candles on the wall only fueled their escape.

Soon, the tall woman fiddled with the knob of her door, turning toward Zoro with big eyes. "Ah, come in?" She soothed, a little breathy, and before he could answer he pushed her inside with the power of his kiss. He closed the door behind them, and she pushed back until he was against the door itself. Her fingers shakily threw the latch and her feet shuffled backwards until her calves hit the soft mattress of her bed.

"Are you-?" Zoro pulled away to ask, but Emi silenced his question with a nod and a pull of his shirt. He had never... she had never... but they worked seamlessly toward their current goal. Clothes hit the floor and soon her skin smoothed so sweetly against the tears of his chest. He slowly picked up the shy woman in front of him and gently adjusted her onto red satin pillows. Her hands pulled down at the blankets under her until they were both snuggled beneath their warmth.

He looked down at Emi, her white unmarked skin and soft eyes. She looked up at him, the man who carried her bleeding through a strange town, risking capture to make sure she lived. The man who cut down an android and insane shop keeper to make sure she was safe. Emi couldn't think of a better way to convey her feelings for this man. For her man.

"I want to give you all of me." She breathed into him, still shying back a bit from his naked form. "I want... I want to be yours."

"You are mine." He growled lowly before closing their distance once and for all.

OPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOP

A/N- Hey, hope you enjoyed! :D