Rating: T

Timeframe: AU, after the events in chapter 37

Robin was settling in for a long night of homework when the phone rang. Irritation lanced through her, and Robin felt like throwing the stupid thing against the wall. She might have done it, except her cell phone was buried under a pile of textbooks and paper, and by the time she found it the moment had passed. Taking a calming breath, she answered as politely as she could.

"Robin speaking."

"You're needed in the office," a low voice said in a bored tone.

"I just got back," Robin said, barely keeping the frustration from her voice. "These aren't the hours I agreed to."

"Do you want a job or not?"

Did she want the job? No, not particularly. Did she need it? That was another story entirely.

"I'll be there in ten minutes," Robin said. As soon as the words were out of her mouth, the line went dead. Looking down at her phone, Robin scowled. "Fine. I didn't want to talk to you anyway."

After taking a moment to mark the place in her textbook and shutdown her computer, Robin grabbed her coat and started the walk to her place of employment. It wasn't far, but it was getting dark and her apartment was in one of the rougher areas of the city. Over the past three months she had learned to keep her head down and her nose in her own business. Life here was nothing like the quiet suburbs of Ohara, but Robin adjusted quickly. If she played her cards right she could still graduate from the University of Mariejois with a history degree. If that required her to sacrifice a few scruples along the way…so be it. She didn't care anymore.

She made it in good time. Pausing to fish the keys out of her pocket, Robin couldn't help but notice that the decrepit building looked as tired as she felt. The whole neighborhood looked tired. There wasn't a single house whose paint wasn't faded or roof without any missing shingles. Everything was shoved too close together and claustrophobic, like a prison. There was an atmosphere of hopelessness that weighed heavier than a lead blanket.

How did I end up here? Robin wondered, climbing up the crumbling concrete steps to the front door. She could hear the soft piano music that played inside—Debussy, perhaps?—and there was a familiar ache of loneliness in her heart. Mr. Brook loved Debussy. She buried the feeling quickly. There was no time to feel sorry for herself, not when there were bills to pay.

"About time," a voice snapped as she opened the door.

"I came as fast as I could, Galdino," Robin said wearily. "I don't have a car, remember?"

She turned the corner and almost ran into an easel. "Hey, watch where you're going!" Galdino exclaimed, brandishing a paint brush as if it were a knife. "You almost ruined my newest masterpiece!"

"My apologies," Robin said dryly. "Now, what do you want? I have a paper I need to write tonight."

"Back table, there's a package that needs delivered," Galdino said, attention already back to his painting. He added a few brushstrokes to what appeared to be a giant number three. "Address and keys to the van are beside it."

"And you couldn't deliver it yourself because…?"

"I'm needed here to man the phones," Galdino said, shooting her a glare.

Robin nodded, deciding it was best not to ask any more questions. She had been making deliveries for Baroque Works for a little over a month and, strange pictures aside, had yet to figure out what her boss actually did for a living. She didn't want to know. Any business that used random college students to deliver packages at all hours of the night instead of the post office was most likely not an honest one.

"And my payment?" Robin asked.

"In the envelope by the keys. Your usual amount, half now, half when you come back."

Robin's eyebrows snapped together. "I don't think so. I agreed to no more than two deliveries a day. This…this is overtime."

"Why you little…" Galdino growled.

"Take it or leave it," Robin said coldly. "I can always find another job."

Robin held her breath, waiting to see if he would call her bluff. After a moment of tense silence, Galdino dug out his wallet and flung two twenties in her general direction. "Fine! Just get going already! You're expected at Rain Dinners in half an hour, and the boss doesn't like to be kept waiting!"

"The casino?" Robin asked.

"What are you, stupid? Yes, the damn casino! Now hurry up and go, or we'll both be in deep shit."

Slowly, trying not to seem as if she were too desperate, Robin picked up the money and went to get the package. Rain Dinners. What did a rundown little business on the wrong side of the tracks have to do with the biggest casino in the state? Beads of sweat started to form on her forehead, and Robin wondered if maybe, just maybe, she ought to reconsider her line of work

After finding a place to park Robin cut the engine and settled back into the seat. According to the dashboard clock she was five minutes late already, but for some reason she couldn't make herself move.

Coward, Robin berated herself, leaning her head against the steering wheel. The sooner you deliver the package the sooner you can start working on your paper. Get in, get out, get your money.

Remember why you're doing this.

Taking a deep breath, Robin put on a ball cap blazoned with the Baroque Works' logo. She looked at herself in the rearview mirror. A scared, out of her depth nineteen year old looked back. Robin glared at the image, trying to force the fear away. She almost succeeded, but no matter how she glowered there was still a shadow of doubt in her eyes.

It was as good as it was going to get, and she was late. Robin grabbed the package and took one last look that the wallet-sized picture that Galdino had given her. It showed a dark-skinned man with a jaw so square a carpenter could have used it as a level. His hair was cut short and dyed blond, giving him a distinctly thuggish appearance. According to the back of the photo his name was Daz Bones, and he was recipient of her package.

Robin got out of the van and squared her shoulders, walking with purpose towards the employee entrance of the casino. It required a key card to open, which she didn't have, and there was no call button. Robin banged on the door, and there was no answer. With an annoyed frown, she knocked harder.

"State your business."

Robin jumped at the voice before realizing it came from the keypad on the door. "Um, delivery for Daz Bones."

"He is unavailable at the moment. Please leave the package at the door and staff will make sure he gets it in due time."

It was very tempting to obey the voice, but Robin shook her head. "Company policy states all deliveries must be given directly to the recipient. Let me in, and I'll wait for him."

A staticy sigh came out of the keypad. "Mr. Bones is in a meeting. Just place the delivery…"

"I can't do that," Robin interrupted. Looking around, she found a security camera trained in her direction. She held up the package in full view. "See this? I was told it was of utmost importance to Mr. Bones and was to be delivered as soon as possible. I'm not just going to leave it lying around for anyone to take. Now let me in, or I'll go around to the front entrance and look for him myself."

"One moment please." Robin could hear the voice back away from the microphone and have a short but heated discussion with another Rain Dinner's employee. Then she heard the sound of the door unlocking, and the small light on the keypad went from red to green.

Robin took this as her invitation to enter. Not waiting for the people on the other side to change their minds, she opened the door and walked quickly down a long, narrow hallway, passing several unmarked doors Florescent lighting and laminate floors gave it a cold, uninviting appearance. She could hear the muted sounds of the casino, but it might as well have been a world away. Stopping at the end of a T-intersection, Robins swallowed, unsure of where she was supposed to go.

Presently she heard the distinct sound of high heels clicking her way. A woman immerged from the far end of one of the branching hallways. She wore clothing that appeared more appropriate for a strip club and her hips swayed suggestively as she walked. Upon seeing Robin her lips curled into an unfriendly smile, and she beckoned her to come nearer.

"You the delivery girl?" she asked.

"Yes," Robin said.

"You're late." There was no accusation in her tone, only the statement of a simple fact. Robin moistened dry lips. She would have preferred Galdino's wrath to that deceptive calm. Despite her eccentric appearance, this woman was not to be trifled with.

"Traffic was bad," Robin said. Technically, it wasn't even a lie. "Next time you want someone to drive across town you should put that into consideration."

The unnatural smile widened, showing too many teeth. "Cheeky one, aren't you? Come along and follow me. You've kept the boss waiting long enough."

The pair was silent as the woman led Robin down a flight of stairs and into the underbelly of the casino. This area was busier, bustling with security guards and floor managers of every variety. Robin made sure to stay close to her guide.

"Hey, Paula, it looks like we've got a problem at table seven!"

Robin's guide didn't even slow down. "Deal with it yourself, Betham. I'm expected in a meeting." The man's reply was lost over the noise of the crowd. Paula opened another door that led to another hallway, this one much quieter then the last. Looking down at Robin, she smirked. "Consider yourself lucky. There aren't many kids your age who get to see the VIP suites."

It was a privilege she could have done without, although Robin had the good sense not to say so. The VIP suites exuded a wealth she could never hope to attain. The stopped at a pair of doors that looked to be made of genuine mahogany. Robin braced herself as Paula knocked.

There was no answer, but the doors opened from the inside. Robin's immediate attention was grabbed by the aquarium filled with crocodiles that took up the entire back wall. The sight startled Robin enough to keep her frozen in place until Paula nudged her forward. Only then did she notice the other people in the room.

The door was held open by a short, squat woman wearing sunglasses despite the dim lighting. The lines in her face made her look perpetually angry, and the way she looked at Robin made her think that the woman would like nothing better than to scratch her eyes out with her long, well-manicured nails. Robin held her package in front of herself defensively as she stepped into the threshold of the room.

The rest sat around a massive poker table and either didn't acknowledge her presence at all or looked down at her in bored distaste. There was a large blond man absentmindedly scratching the ears of a dachshund sitting next to a slender blonde woman holding a parasol. Robin recognized Galdino's business partner, a diminutive woman whose childlike persona and appearance often made her look much younger than she really was. She sat next to a powerfully-built man whose most distinctive feature was the long scar bisecting his face. The smile he gave her made Paula's seem positively warm and cheerful in comparison, and Robin couldn't hold his gaze.

Instead she scanned the room for Mr. Bones. He was off in a corner by a minibar, pouring himself a drink. Robin felt a palpable surge of relief. Her job was almost finished.

"Ah, the delivery girl," the scarred man said. He picked up a cigar that had been sitting in an ash tray and took a puff. "Bring it here."

"I was told to give it to Mr. Bones," Robin said, inclining her head to where the massive man stood. "Company policy states I can't give it to anyone else."

The room went deathly silent. The blond man stopped petting his dog. Daz Bones stopped pouring his drink. The scarred man leaned forward, and for the first time Robin noticed one of his hands had been replaced with a hook.

"Stupid bitch," the toad-like woman at the door said. "Do you know who you're talking to?"

Robin knew she should be scared, that she should apologize for her unknown transgression. But she wasn't. Instead she was angry. Angry at Galdino for going against their agreement, angry at being talked down to like she was a child, angry for getting herself in this situation in the first place. She turned towards the woman and smiled as politely as she could. The woman flinched, giving Robin a feeling of immense satisfaction.

"I have no idea who that man is, and I don't particularly care," Robin said coolly. "All I know is that this package is addressed to a Mr. Daz Bones, and I'm not allowed to give it to anybody else."

Again there was uncomfortable silence. Paula placed a hand on Robin's shoulder. "Oh, honey, you didn't just—"

"Don't touch me," Robin said, breaking away from the hold. "I'm going to give this to Mr. Bones now so I can go home and you can resume your meeting."

No one stopped her as she strode across the room and set the package on the bar. Daz nodded slightly, and knot in her stomach loosened. Her part in this mess was over. Not wanting to press her luck, she didn't waste any time taking her leave.

"I can find my own way out," Robin muttered to Paula when she had reached the door.

The scarred man chuckled. There was no humor in it, and a chill up Robin's spine. "Aren't you forgetting something, Miss Nico?"

Robin stopped.

"It is customary to tip service providers for a job well done," he said. Robin forced herself to turn around. In the scarred man's hand was a hundred dollar bill. His lips were curled into an arrogant smile, dark eyes glittering with amusement. "If all my employees had the same dedication to company policy I would be governor by now."

The way he toyed with the bill made it obvious he expected Robin to come get it for herself. She hesitated. It wasn't that she couldn't use the money—far from it—but every instinct was screaming at her to run and never come back.

In the end, need won over sense. School, rent, groceries…they all cost. Life was expensive. Swallowing her pride, Robin walked over to the poker table and extended her hand.

"Ah, ah, what do we say?" the man taunted, withdrawing the bill just out of reach. The blonde woman giggled as a frown crossed Robin's features.

"I…I don't…"

"Say 'Thank you, Sir Crocodile'."

"Thank you…Sir Crocodile," Robin said, face going ashen as she realized whom she had insulted. The blonde's tittering grew louder, and Paula snorted.

"You're welcome, Miss Nico Robin," Crocodile said, handing her the money. "I hope to be seeing more of you in the future."

"Yes, sir," she croaked. "It would…it would be an honor."

Robin couldn't have run out of the casino faster if it were on fire. Nobody stopped her as she made it to the company van in record time. She jammed the keys of the van into the ignition and peeled out of the parking lot, trying to put as much distance as possible between herself and the mafia boss who knew her name.

Robin was awoken the next morning by the sound of someone pounding on her front door. With a groan she rolled out of the futon she used as her bed and checked her phone. Nine thirty. She had been asleep for three hours.

The pounding didn't stop, and her head began to pulse with every beat. She had neither the time nor the energy to deal with this. After last night, she would be more than happy to keep her doors locked and never to leave her apartment ever again.

"Robin? Are you there?"

Robin bolted upright at the familiar voice. "Usopp?" she asked, not trusting her own ears.

She hadn't spoken loud enough for him to hear, but he continued as if he had. "Anybody home? It's me, Usopp, you're school friend? King of the lab, brave leader of eight thousand scientists, future Nobel Prize winner…"

He was rambling, just like he used to when he was nervous. As if her legs had a mind of their own, Robin got up to answer the door. She had cut all ties with her homeroom two years ago when she had dropped out of the Grand Line Academy. The smart thing to do was ignore him until he gave up or her neighbors drove him off.

Unfortunately, Robin didn't always do the smart thing.

"…probably wondering why I'm here. If you'd just open up, I'll—" Usopp's babbling came to an abrupt stop as Robin opened the door just enough to pull the chain taunt. "Robin! I can't believe it! Actually, I can believe it, otherwise I wouldn't be here. Lemme tell you, for a second I didn't think—"

"Why are you here?" Robin interrupted. The words came out harsher than intended, and Usopp deflated like a balloon stuck with a needle.

"Why am I here?" he echoed. "I didn't know you needed a reason to visit a friend."

The words made her stomach twist into knots. "Just…give me a moment," she said, and closed the door, nearly clipping Usopp's nose. Robin's vision blurred, and she had to squeeze her eyes shut to keep from crying. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly through her mouth, counting backwards from ten until she got her emotions under control. With trembling fingers she undid the lock, opening the door to the past she had run away from.

"Robin," Usopp said with a smile that made his whole face light up.

"I need to get dressed," Robin said, unable to meet his eyes. "Go ahead and sit wherever you want. I'll be out in a bit."

"You look, um, well."

Robin raised an eyebrow as she handed him a mug of coffee. Usopp sat at the edge of the futon, eyes wide as he tried to take in everything he saw. Pulling up a chair, Robin sat opposite of him and wrapped her hands around the cup she had prepared for herself.

"And you've got your own place!" he tried to sound excited, but his tone was strained.

"You don't have to lie, Usopp," Robin said flatly. The apartment was small and cluttered with her school supplies, and even when she took the effort to clean it was still dingy. And while she had done her best to make herself presentable, the fact remained that she looked like a god-awful mess.

"Sorry," Usopp said quietly, looking into his drink. "It is good to see you, though. It's been too long."

"How in the world did you even find me?" Robin asked.

He perked up a little at the question. "Heh, it's a funny story, actually. Did you know you're only a couple of blocks away from Franky's dad's shop? I spent some time with them earlier this year, and I could've sworn I saw you walking down the street. Franky must've missed you, 'cause he said my eyes were playing tricks on me."

Robin rubbed her forehead. She, in fact, had no idea she was so close to Tom's mechanic shop. After all the precautions she had taken, only luck had kept her from running into her school friends.

"And it's the beginning of my summer break," he continued. "I figured I'd do a little bit of investigating, and it totally paid off!"

"It's been years," Robin said.

"I know," he said, nodding emphatically. "Everyone's been really worried about you."

"Well, now you can tell them I haven't dropped off the face of the earth," Robin said.

"Why not tell them yourself?" Usopp asked.

Robin stood. "You came to see if this is where I live, and now you know. If there's nothing else, I'm going to have to ask you to leave. Unlike you, I'm not on vacation, and there's work I need to get done."

"Wait, what?! Robin, I just got here! There's so much we need to catch up on, and…are you crying?"

Robin wiped her eyes angrily. "Just…go away. I don't want you here."

"Um, no. Friends don't let friends cry by themselves." Usopp came over and rescued her coffee before she could spill it, carefully setting it on the ground. He then led her back to the futon. They sat side by side, Usopp awkwardly rubbing her back as Robin buried her head in her hands and tried to keep herself from completely falling apart.

"Everyone was worried when you didn't come back to school," Usopp said. "Then you wouldn't answer our calls, and no one knew if you were sick, or dead, or shipped off to military school. Nami even went over to your house, but your aunt wouldn't let her in."

"I know," Robin said, hanging her head in shame. "I was home."

"Then why'd you cut us off?" Usopp asked. "It was like after you were suspended you poofed out of existence."

Robin glanced at Usopp. He had come into himself over the past two years. He was taller now, and his previously skinny frame filled out with muscle. There was even a little bit of peach fuzz on his chin valiantly trying to be a goatee. But it seemed he still retained his innocent outlook on life, where friends stayed friends forever. She could respect that optimism and didn't want to be the one to snuff it out.

"I couldn't face you. Not after what I did."

"Did?" Usopp asked. "You didn't do anything."

"I almost got you all expelled and Mr. Brook fired."

Usopp looked baffled. "Whoa, hold on here. How in the world…? All I know is you got suspended for hitting Spandam—which everyone agrees was totally justified—and then you never came back to school."

Robin closed her eyes at the mention her suspension. It took a lot for her to truly lose her temper, but if there was one thing Spandam was good at it was picking at old wounds to see just how badly they would bleed. When he realized Robin's mother was a sore point…it was only a matter of time until she snapped.

"Luffy was with me that day, as was Mr. Brook. They didn't stop me in time." Robin explained. "It was no secret that Sanji and Zoro were giving lessons us in self-defense. There was enough evidence for him to indict our whole club in preemptively planning the attack. So Spandam gave me an ultimatum: Either I drop out of the academy or we would all go before the school board for disciplinary action. Our records weren't exactly squeaky clean as it was. There was no question what the outcome would be."

"Are you freakin' kidding me? He provoked you!" Usopp said furiously. "Besides, Spandam doesn't have the power to make that kind of decision. That asshole was going to go through that much trouble just because you smacked him?"

Robin snorted. "I nearly broke his nose. Had Brook not pulled me off I would have done worse."

"Still," Usopp said, "Spandam isn't the principle. I'm pretty sure what he said was illegal."

"I know, but that doesn't mean it wouldn't have happened. He had connections; I didn't." Robin looked at Usopp sadly. "The system has never worked in my favor before. I wasn't going to risk your futures on the off-chance that would change."

"Okay, fine. I still don't see why you went all Houdini on us."

"And I don't see why you care. That was a long time ago."

"Do you hear what you're saying?" Usopp asked. "Pretend it was Nami or Chopper who disappeared, and you found out took a punishment they didn't deserve so you could stay in school. Wouldn't you care?"

"That's not even remotely the same thing," Robin said.

"And why not?" Usopp exclaimed. "What makes you so different? What horrible thing could you have possibly done that you felt like you couldn't even say goodbye?"

"Because I lied! I lied, and framed Luffy for something he didn't do." Robin let out a broken laugh. "There, I said it. Are you happy now?"

"What?"

"Spandam had this crazy conspiracy theory," Robin said, ignoring the uncomfortable prickle in her eyes. "He thought out of everyone in the school, our group was out to get him."

"Well, he wasn't wrong," Usopp said.

"When I hit him, that just proved it in his own mind. He's always hated me, and when I started hanging out with you guys, that was enough to make him hate you, too. Spandam was looking for a way to punish Luffy, so as a part of our agreement I vandalized the art room and made sure he got the blame. It was that, or expulsion." A tear rolled down her cheek and onto her lap. "How was I supposed to face him after that? After all you've done for me, I just ended up getting you into trouble."

"But that's not your fault," Usopp said.

"Wasn't it?" Robin asked bitterly. "I'm the one who couldn't keep my temper. I acted like a coward. And when Nami came over to the house…What my aunt said was unforgivable. I heard every word, but was too ashamed to come out of my room and defend her. What sort of friend does that?"

"The kind who was just forced to drop out of school because some jerk felt like going on a power trip?" Usopp offered. "You don't think we wouldn't forgive you? Do you think that little of us?"

"Of course not! It's just—" Robin was cut off as her phone rang, causing Usopp to jump. With a frown, Robin checked the number. Galdino. She stared at her phone, unable to make herself answer.

"Um, Robin, you gonna pick up?"

Eventually it went to voicemail, and the pair sat in silence. Robin knew it was in her best interests to see what her boss wanted, especially since she had just found out who his boss was.

And that boss knew who she was. Robin had no idea why Sir Crocodile knew the name of a bottom-rung delivery girl like her, but the fact that he did terrified her.

"Robin, are you okay? You're kinda pale."

"I don't know." Robin said, realizing the truth of the words for the first time. "I thought I had life figured out. That once I was on my own there would be a clean slate. I got my GED and enrolled in college. Mostly online courses, but it's better than nothing." She shook her head in disgust. "But you know what? They don't give many scholarships to history majors with skeletons in their closet. I had a perfectly normal job at the library, but part-time minimum wage doesn't cut it when you're on your own."

"I don't understand what you're trying to tell me," Usopp said.

"Bad things happen to those who are close to me," Robin said quietly. "I don't want to see the people I care about get hurt. Not if I can do anything to stop it."

"Even if that means being alone?"

"Yes. I'm sorry, Usopp," she said, seeing the hurt in his eyes. "Look around you. I'm barely managing to scrape by, and there's nothing you or Luffy or anybody else can do about it. All I'll do is drag you down with me."

"Is that how you really feel?" Usopp asked. He looked so damn helpless, and Robin knew she was already causing him pain. It was time to say goodbye, for real this time.

"It is," Robin said, putting as much force into the words as she could. "Now, please. I really do have to go to work."

Usopp studied her for a moment before he took a deep breath and slapped his hands against his legs. "Well, if that's how you feel about it, I guess I'll leave you alone."

"Thank you."

He held up one finger. "On one condition: You come out with me for dinner. For old time's sake."

"Usopp…"

"I'll pay," he interrupted. "It'll be our last hurrah."

"Fine," Robin said grudgingly. "Do you still have your same number?"

"Yep."

"Then I'll call you when I get back. Now go."

The more she thought about it, the more Robin realized that eating out with Usopp was a terrible idea. She had decided two years ago that she would make a clean break with her old school friends. It was better that way, less painful than desperately holding on to the people she had no hope of keeping.

It was worse now that she was involving herself with people like Sir Crocodile. The man was as crooked as they came, and everybody knew it. Criminal allegations never seemed to stick, but Robin heard stories. Those who crossed Crocodile had an alarming tendency to disappear without a trace.

Robin didn't want to even entertain the thought of involving her friends with men like that. Perhaps she was just being paranoid thinking that Crocodile knowing her name meant anything, but with her luck she had to be paranoid. Just because she didn't have any evidence that the world was out to get her didn't mean it wasn't.

But the longer Robin stood in front of the local restaurant Takoyaki 8, the more she realized, terrible idea or not, she wanted her last hurrah. There had been no shortage of guilt over the last two years over not saying goodbye. This would be her chance to correct that mistake.

"Well, should we go in?" Usopp asked.

"What? Oh, yes, I guess we should," Robin said. She looked at him hesitantly. "Look, about earlier, I'm sorry."

Usopp grinned. "No need. I do tend to have a startling effect on people. Besides," he added, giving her a knowing look, "everyone has bad days."

Robin couldn't think of anything to say in response, so they entered the restaurant without another word. The hostess beamed at them and asked, "Hello, Usopp. Just two this evening?"

"I've actually got a reservation tonight, Camie," Usopp said.

"Oh, yes, I remember now," the hostess said, looking in a small notebook. "The back room reserved under Sogeking. The table of nine?"

"Um, yes," Usopp said, watching Robin flinch out of the corner of his eye. "That's the one."

"The others are all here already," Camie said. "If you'll just follow me, I'll take you to your seat."

"Give us a second," Robin said stiffly. "There's something I need to discuss with Sogeking before we eat." Without waiting for an answer, Robin grabbed the front of Usopp's shirt and half-drug him back outside.

"You didn't say anything about the others being here," she hissed under her breath.

"Well, technically, you didn't ask, so…"

"Don't give me that!" Robin said, straining to keep her voice low. She could see people staring at them as they walked down the street, and her cheeks flushed red with embarrassment. "What do I have to say for you to understand? I can not see them again."

"I don't see why not," Usopp said, jutting his chin up defiantly. "You talked with me just fine earlier today. If you can't trust yourself, trust me when I say they'll forgive you for something that was never your fault in the first place. It's been two years, but you're still our friend."

"Was this your plan the whole time?" Robin said incredulously.

"Plan?" Usopp said with a laugh. "Robin, I wasn't even sure I had the right address until you opened your door. I hoped, and then I got lucky."

"Why won't you listen—"

"I have been listening," Usopp said, anger flashing in his eyes for the first time. "Now it's your turn. Do you know why I went through all the effort of finding you?"

Robin glared at him.

"It's because after high school me and Luffy got into a huge fight. We were roommates this year for college, and things didn't work out. Luffy said things, I said things, and we ended up not talking to each other. A lot of it was my fault, and when the others called me out on it I stopped talking to them, too. Is any of this sounding familiar?"

"I fail to see what this has to do with me," Robin said.

"I was alone for two months, and it sucked. Then out of the blue it hit me that maybe that's what you went through. Nami told us what you family was like, so I knew you didn't have any support there…" Usopp shrugged. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay. All this time I'd assumed you were off writing doctrinal dissertations and dazzling the world with your genius, but that was nothing more than a lie I told myself to keep from feeling guilty. And you know what? I'm pretty sure you're lying to yourself, too."

"I am not," Robin said.

"People who don't want to see their old friends don't keep their phone numbers for two years," Usopp said knowingly.

"Look at me," Robin said. "I can barely take care of myself. I can't just…waltz in there and pretend that everything's fine, because it's not."

"I know. But I think there's something you're not taking into consideration.

"And what's that?"

"They want to see you, too, or else they wouldn't be here." Usopp grinned at her dumbfounded expression. "You didn't let me tell the end of my story. When I finally realized how stupid I was acting, I decided to man up and apologize. They took me back, no questions asked. They'd do the same for you."

"I…" Robin's excuses died on her tongue as the last of her defenses came tumbling down. "I'm scared," she whispered. "There are things you don't know about me, things I don't think I can escape from. I've lost you once already. I don't think I can go through that again."

"Who says you have to" Usopp asked. "When the time comes, we'll face it together. That's how our group's always been. Now," he said, rubbing his hands together in anticipation, "why don't we go inside? Hachin's takoyaki is the best in the city, and if we don't hurry Luffy will eat it all."

Robin managed a small smile. "Together?" she asked hesitantly.

"Together."

It shouldn't have been hard to set foot into the restaurant, but with each step she took Robin had to fight the urge to run away and never come back. Without Usopp by her side, she probably wouldn't have made it to the back room. Taking a deep breath, Robin was about to face the ones she had abandoned when her phone went off.

With an annoyed frown, Robin checked the number, and nearly chucked the stupid thing across the room when she saw who it was.

"Work again?" Usopp asked.

"Give me a minute." Answering the phone, she said, "I told you what my availabilities were, so whatever you want done the answer is no. Some of us have lives outside of work." Without waiting for an answer, Robin hung up and looked at Usopp. "Shall we?"

His smile was so wide it threatened to split his face in two. "That was awesome. It's good to have you back."

"It's good to be back," Robin said, her attention to the others already seated. She heard Luffy's laugh sound over the noise of the restaurant, and for the first time in two years felt like she was right where she was supposed to be.

AN: I think sometimes writers try to force canon events into their AUs, when that's not always the best option. So when writing this I tried to replicate Robins character arc instead. This chapter is my AU version of Enies Lobby, with Usopps intervention at her apartment is like his Sea Train speech, but with a more positive outcome.

As always, thanks for reading.