Nami was trying her hardest not to break Zoro's nose. And Sanji's.

"So you're telling me—" She hissed, "That not only did Robin come back here. But she told you where she was going. She told you who she was going to meet. And you didn't stop her? And she trusted you to meet her, and you got her arrested?"

Sanji looked more than uncomfortable, and Zoro wouldn't even meet her eye.

She clenched her fists, trying to cool down before she said anything else. She could feel her chest getting hot, she was so angry, she didn't know how to feel.

"And—" Zoro still couldn't look up. "And she's been given the death sentence."

Nami twitched.

"In three days."

He couldn't even react before he was smashed over the back of the chair. Sanji and Nami both pulled back their kicks, finding their balance.

Nami took a shaky step back while Sanji started yelling. She sat on one of the wooden crates, trying to wrap her head around it. Robin had been sentenced to death. It was too much.

She was mad. Really mad. She just didn't know who to be mad at.

"So what are you saying we should do about it?" Her voice stopped Sanji's attacks, and they both looked at her.

Zoro pushed Sanji's grip off his collar, and sighed. "I came here to ask for your help. I need you to help me get her out."

"And how are we supposed to do that? You said they fired you." Sanji said.

He glanced at him, "They did, but all my information is still in the system. It takes about a week for all the paperwork to go through. Government protocol, and all that. I'm not officially fired yet."

Nami nodded thoughtfully, "You're saying your badge still works." She looked down, her thoughts following his. "So you still have access to the building."

"Officially, yes. The tech isn't a problem. But that doesn't mean we can just walk right in. There's still guards and cameras all over the place." He hesitated.

Nami cocked an eyebrow.

"It's a lot to ask. It won't be easy. You could get hurt. We might just get ourselves arrested. It's risky. I'm asking you to help me, but I'll understand if you don't."

The heavy silence fell over the room. Nami took a deep breath.

She looked at Sanji.

He only shrugged.

She smiled. "Ah, what the hell. Robin's practically family now. We've come this far with her. Why not 'til the end."

Zoro practically collapsed in relief, and Sanji's face split in a grin.

"Sanji, get in touch with the rest of the crew, see if they're in. I'll get Luffy and Boa over here so we can work out details." Nami got to her feet as Sanji scampered off. She crossed her arms.

"I still don't know if I trust you. I don't like you. And I don't think you're good for her."

Zoro looked down, and nodded quietly.

"But that doesn't matter right now. This isn't or me. And it sure as hell isn't for you." She offered him her hand. "This is for Robin."

He got to his feet, shaking her hand, smiling like a little boy.

"For Robin."

Three days flew by.

She hadn't had long to begin with, but it was still too fast. Robin was anxious. She hadn't been thinking clear enough at the time to read the file more clearly. She knew it was coming, but when? Did she have hours? Minutes?

She felt like a blind man, waiting for a monster she couldn't see.

She had already sat in thought. Meditated. Prepared herself. She had never been afraid of death. She wasn't afraid now. But now, she had a reason to live. A life to explore. Maybe even a love to form. And it felt like just as she had found it, it had been taken away from her. She scoffed. How anticlimactic. 20 years of running, just to be executed quietly. How sad, that she would end like this.

Keys rattling in the door made her look up, dread settling in her stomach. But she took a deep breath. No matter what, she would not show them she was afraid. No matter what.

Nami's heart felt like it was going to beat out of her chest. She kept her face emotionless as her and Sanji followed behind Zoro. The uniforms they had managed to steal were uncomfortable, and heavy. She felt hot, anxiety racing up and down her spine.

Zoro casually stopped to scan his card, and they waited behind him. She glanced up at Sanji. His uniform was spotless, his hair slicked back to fit regulations. She couldn't help but admire him a little. He looked good.

He glanced at her. "Nervous?"

She didn't answer, but did her best to give him a confident smile.

Zoro's card beeped, and they continued on. "Okay. They don't seem to have caught on to my card still being used. That's good. It means the times are still the same." He glanced at his watch. "That means she's just now being taken out of her cell. We'll meet the envoy in the hallway, but let me do the talking. We're lucky no one's recognized you yet, but—"

"Hey!"

All three of them froze.

"Is that detective Roronoa?"

Zoro turned toward the voice. A young man sauntered over. "Wow, I heard you got fired." He offered his hand, which Zoro shook wordlessly. "Looks like I heard wrong." He smiled warmly, and Zoro returned it. "That's good, congrats. Looks like you're busy, so I won't keep you. Good to know you're still on the job!" He laughed, before turning away again.

Zoro's chest felt tight, and he had to take a breath. That was close. But that told him only rumors had been spreading, and maybe no one would know enough to question him. Good.

"Let's move, we don't have the time to hesitate." Sanji muttered through clenched teeth.

He nodded. That's right. They didn't have the time. He set off again, the two following quickly behind. His mind focused in on a single word that drove every step he took.

Robin.

The two guards at Robin's back each held her arms, guiding her through the halls. They had cuffed her hands, as they always did. Same standard procedure that she'd already been through a dozen times. At least she could be glad this was the last time she had to go through it.

Her eyes trailed along the ground, desperately trying to find some kind of pattern or imperfection that she could focus on, instead of her destination. They pulled her to a stop, and she counted the scuff marks in front of her. They were tiny marks, like they had come from a woman's heels. She had never seen any women in heels around her. She wondered, whose shoes?

"We can take her. Commander sent us to meet you here."

Her head snapped up at the sound of his voice.

Zoro glanced at her, but his attention instantly went back to the guard he had been speaking to. His face was blank, his eyes the cold grey they had been when she had first met him. She stared at him for a moment. What the hell was he doing here? Was he personally going to take her to her death? Had he played her so well that she had thought he actually cared about her?

But then she saw Nami behind him. And Sanji at her side. They were both in uniforms, their faces were equally blank. Her heart sank. Had she gotten them so wrong too? Was it all just a giant ploy to gain her trust, and stab her in the back?

Nami's eyes barely flicked up at her, and their eyes met. Her brown eyes were muddled with an expression Robin couldn't read. And she looked away, barely even blinking.

How?

How?

How had she gotten this all so wrong? The friendships she had treasured so much fell apart in front of her. She stiffened, grimacing to herself. A reason to live? She would burn it.

Zoro's heart was racing. The guard had been staring at his badge for too long, forehead creased in thought.

He scratched his head. "You said Commander sent you? We didn't hear anything about that." He exchanged a look with his partner, who shrugged. "I just—I don't wanna hand off such an important prisoner without the proper paperwork. " He looked nervous.

"I understand that, but Commander just personally sent us a moment ago." He pressured him. "What's the problem?"

Robin watched him. He seemed off. This privileged attitude wasn't Zoro.

Zoro rolled his eyes. "Come on, we don't have all day." He motioned to Sanji and Nami, "Take her. Let's go. Commander's waiting."

They both took a step forward, each to take one of her arms. Nami's breath hitched. They were so close!

But as soon as she touched her, one of the guards wrenched her arm away.

And she punched him in the nose.

Suddenly they were all moving, Sanji kicking the guard away from Nami, and Zoro throwing the other. It was over in a matter of minutes, all three of them standing protectively around a very surprised looking Robin; two guards unconscious at their feet.

"Let's move!" Zoro snapped, hooking his arm around Robin's waist as the others took off at a cautious jog.

She barely had the time to orient herself before they were running together. The four of them slowed around a corner, all on high alert. Sanji held out an arm to stop, and they dropped into a crouch, moving in perfect unison. Zoro didn't look at her, but he felt her stiffen against him, her hand lightly on his arm. She was tense now too, falling back into a pattern of escape.

But then she yanked him around by his collar. "What the hell are you doing! And why are they here?"

He pulled her hand away, and let her go as Sanji motioned them forward again.

"Isn't it obvious?! We're getting you out!" He pushed her in front of him as they ran.

"After you brought me here? What the hell, what's actually going on?!"

"We can talk about that later? We need to get to the roof! The rest are waiting for us."

"How do you expect me to trust you when you betrayed me!" She snapped, shoving him for a moment.

They came to a stop in the middle of the hallway.

"I trusted you! I let you meet me face to face. I even called you out. And you brought your people with you!"

Zoro glanced around nervously. They didn't have time for this! Sanji and Nami came to a halt when they saw they had stopped. Sanji motioned for them to hurry, "Let's go!"

"So was it all a trick? Were you playing me this whole time?" She scoffed, "I'm impressed actually, you did a good job. You had me completely fooled."

Zoro paused, staring at her for a moment. Her eyes were burning, like he hadn't seen in a while. She was angry, that was obvious. But…at him?

"Do you—do you really think I betrayed you? That I even could betray you?" He blinked, "I would never—I love you!"

The words sucker punched him in the chest, and he coughed.

She blinked, but the anger didn't leave her eyes. "What, you think that's going to make me forgive you? Did you expect me to melt in your arms?" She hissed, her face inches from his, "Do you think you matter that much to me?!"

They both froze.

Zoro blinked. Robin took a step back, turning away from him.

"I was ready to die."

Her voice was so small, it broke his heart.

"Do you know what that feels like? Do you know what it's like, to know your whole life's come to nothing. And that you won't exist in a week?"

He opened his mouth to respond, but no sound came out.

He reached out to take her hand, hesitantly. She didn't pull away, but she still didn't look him in the eye.

"I'm sorry." His fingers tangled into hers. "I'm sorry that I left you alone. I never—never wanted to put you in danger. I only wanted to protect you. All this time, that's all I've wanted. And no matter what I have to pay, that's what I'll do. If you say I've wronged you, then I have. And I will make it right." He looked her in the eye, "I will."

Robin stared at him. She had only ever seen him this vulnerable once, in the shadows of the evening. In the day time, it was like he had taken off a mask. His sharp eyes were so warm, and sincere. He was telling the truth. She smiled. Just a little. But he saw it. He knew.

"How touching."

They both stiffened at Spandam's voice.

Zoro straightened up, his eyes narrowing. "Your habit of ruining things is really starting to get on my nerves." He turned toward the other man. He pulled himself up to his full height, pushing Robin behind him. He felt her hand on his back.

"This won't be like last time." He snarled. Robin was here, and he wasn't going to let anyone take her away. Not this time. Not ever again.

Spandam only cocked his head, that greasy smile on his face. "Of course not."

He moved so fast, they had no time to prepare. He pulled a gun out of his pocket smoothly, firing three shots. Nami screamed as they all ducked.

But the shots weren't meant for them. They all winced as alarms started screaming all throughout the building. Lights were flashed, and people were screaming.

In the chaos, Zoro barely saw Spandam bring the gun to bear on their group. His thought raced, quickly taking in the situation. If he moved, Robin would probably be hit. And next to Sanji and Nami, Zoro was the most important target. He whirled around, to face Robin, pulling her directly behind him.

"I love you!" He yelled, taking in every detail of her face. The shade of her skin. The curve of her nose. The shape of her eyes.

He pulled her against him, one last time. "I love you."

He closed his eyes as the gun fired.

OKAY SO FEBRUARY WAS REALLY HECTIC AND I'M SORRY THAT I MISSED AN ENTIRE MONTH, MY COMPUTER HATES ME.

So yeah ummm:

Things that should have happened and did:
I am now a certified ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher!
I am now a representative of Pekiti Tirsia (a martial arts form) for this region!
I am helping my sister plan her wedding!
I am moving out of the house!

Things that should not have happened and still did:
My computer crashed, and I lost all my non-backed up files. Which was -of course- the rest of Marionette :')

But anyways! Enjoy! Thank you for staying with me :D I love you all!