"We really mean it," Nami insisted, wringing her hands together in her lap. "I don't know what we would've done. None of us are doctors or anything…"

The doctor smiled, his eyes creasing in the corners, "You're lucky I found you first. There's not many of us left." The doctor frowned deeply, his brows furrowing into a thick ridge, "I'd almost given up on any normal people being left…"

Nami and Robin exchanged looks. Robin licked her lips before asking, "Normal?"

The doctor shrugged, drying his hands before pulling on a pair of blue, vinyl gloves. "You've seen them. They aren't bitten but they're not right."

Robin nodded, "Yeah. We've seen them."

"Well," the doctor sighed, "Just be careful. Don't walk around the hospital. In fact, you should probably leave right after the treatment is over."

"So how's he look?" Franky demanded impatiently.

The doctor rolled his stool in front of Chopper and looked up at him with a smile, "He looks like a very smart little boy. What grade are you in?"

Chopper scrunched up his face thoughtfully, "I'm not sure."

The doctor laughed, "Alright then, how old are you?"

"Fifteen, probably," Chopper answered.

The doctor laughed loudly, "You're quite a precocious young man." The doctor smiled at Robin, "He's a handful isn't he?"

"He was shot," Franky interjected, running a hand over Chopper's shoulder. "We need him fixed up."

The doctor stood immediately, forcing Chopper onto his back. "Shirt off."

He examined the wound wordlessly before he turned and began rummaging through the cupboards. "I'm going to start an IV line," the doctor explained. "I'm going to start with some fluids and then I'll probably start some pain management and antibiotics." The doctor exhaled heavily, "I'm not an anesthesiologist. So we're gonna have to work with what I have…"

"It's okay," Chopper replied, taking off his shirt. "I'm tough."

"Yes, yes, you are," the doctor agreed. "I don't know any little boy that wouldn't be crying if he'd been shot. You're very brave."

"See," Franky murmured, knocking gently against Robin, "I'm brave and tough."

Robin smiled, "I know that."

"Usopp hasn't checked in yet," Nami realized, checking the clock. "Any idea how long they've been gone?"

"Hasn't been long," Sanji answered, "And I wouldn't be surprised if they forgot."

Nami nodded, crossing her arms over her chest, "Yeah. I guess. They're pretty stupid."

"You're not hurt are you?" Sanji pressed.

Nami shook her head in refusal, "No, really. I'm fine." She looked over at Sanji, her brown eyes soft and full of concern, "But you really don't look well."

"Yeah, well, Chopper and Franky first…"

Franky leaned over, towering over them with his impressive height, "I feel super. You're going after Chopper. I can wait."

"I'd really-"

"I fucking insist, brother," Franky growled.

"I will need some assistance," the doctor requested. "I need his arm to be held very still."

Franky and Sanji looked at one another, one missing his arm, the other's hands broken. Nami and Robin waved their hands to volunteer and Nami stepped forward. "Alright, what do I need to do?"

"Hold below the elbow, right there," the doctor explained, "and above the shoulder, right here…" the doctor poured alcohol over the wound and shook his head, "I'm going to have to remove the bullet before I can use the Sulphur to cauterize."

"I'm not sure I wanna do this," Chopper whined, looking around nervously.

Franky shrugged, "It ain't nothin'. Be a man."

"When it's over you can have some candy," Robin bribed, "Some delicious candy just for you."

It seemed to take forever for the doctor to remove the bullet. Chopper wriggled and moaned, his teeth gritting together tightly. His skin darkened, hair ridging along his neck. But if the doctor noticed his partial transformation, he didn't say anything.

Finally Chopper was done. The doctor patted him on the head softly and helped him off the examination table. Chopper hopped over to Robin and immediately unwrapped the large lollipop she had waiting for him.

"You did very well," Robin cooed, helping Chopper into a clean shirt.

"Thank you," Chopper breathed, licking his candy merrily.

"Sanji's turn," Franky murmured, nudging Sanji toward the table.

"Take your pants and shirt off," the doctor instructed, glancing quickly at Sanji. "Perhaps we could get some privacy ladies?"

Nami and Robin looked at one another and then shrugged. Nami tapped Chopper on the shoulder and they began to walk out. Franky grabbed Robin's arm gently, pulling her to a stop. He licked his lips before whispering, "Don't walk off. Just wait right outside…"

Robin nodded, "We'll just wait right outside the door."

"I found an intercom. Usopp King, US Army Sniper, checking in…"

Nami sighed in relief and Robin patted her on the back, "Told ya."

"I wasn't worried," Nami replied, rolling her eyes. "Just annoyed that they ran off and forgot to check in."

"Want me to go?" Franky asked, leaning in closely to Sanji.

Sanji fumbled with the buttons of his pants. His first instinct was to say yes, but something caused him to hesitate. He shook his head and finished undressing, stripping down to his underwear and socks.

"Oh…" the doctor breathed out, taking in Sanji's appearance.

"Damn, Sanji," Franky grimaced, lowering his eyes.

Sanji looked down at his splotched skin. Dark blue streaks of bruising had spread across his pale chest. The bruises veined out like spider webs. And beyond the sickly coloration of his torso was his thigh; the bullet hole still producing blood.

"Okay, first," the doctor murmured, changing his gloves. "Let's check your leg out."

"Does that hurt?" Franky asked, edging closer as Sanji lay on the table.

Sanji shook his head, "I'm fine."

"What caused this?" Franky asked, leaning over Sanji to question the doctor.

The doctor shook his head, rubbing a scalpel with an alcohol wipe, "Who knows."

"Should I hold his leg or somethin'?" Franky wondered, shaking his head.

The doctor shrugged, "We sent the ladies out and you're, uh, well, down to one arm."

"Ah, yeah, well, you don't say…" Franky murmured, watching as the doctor cut into Sanji's leg. It was peculiar; the crimson that spilled over his milky white skin. It was hypnotizing; watching the blood leak from the wound beneath the surgical steel scalpel. Franky cleared his throat, "Doesn't that hurt?"

When he looked at Sanji's face he had his answer. Sanji bit down on his lip, sweat beading on his forehead. Sanji shook his head, his entire body shuddering from the pain and he lied, "Nah. It's fine…"

"Fuck. That's super nasty," Franky snarled. "Don'chu have something to spray for pain or whatever?"

The doctor grabbed a long pair of tongs from the tray beside him. He pursed his lips together tightly, focused on his work, "Well, I'm afraid I need to hurry…"

"What's the rush?" Franky questioned.

The doctor began to dig through Sanji's leg with the steel tongs, trying to secure the bullet lodged in his thigh. The doctor murmured under his breath, pausing to collect himself before trying again, "I need quiet."

"Oh, yeah, sure," Franky agreed, backing up. He couldn't even help it. He began to pace the floor, watching as Sanji's face twisted from agonized expression to agonized expression. Finally, he couldn't take it anymore. He stepped beside the table and cleared his throat, "Doc, sorry, uh, but is there another way to try? That looks nasty…" Franky shuddered for effect, "I mean, ouch!"

The doctor's face twitched, anger apparent on his features, and suddenly he gouged the tongs into the wound on Sanji's leg. He stabbed into it and then ripped the tongs out, the bullet collected miraculously at the tip. He dropped the bullet on the tray and turned toward Franky, "Quiet please!"

Sanji let out a strange noise; something between a gasp and a moan. He shook his head slowly, his toes curled upward. He let out a deep breath, a sob escaping his lips. He swung his bleeding leg over the side of the table and dropped to his feet. He shook his head, holding out his hand in refusal, "I'm done."

"I need to stitch the wound, sanitize it," the doctor insisted. "And the discoloration on your chest is concerning. Please, sit back down. I'm trying to hurry. We all want to get out of here, but you need medical attention…"

"That looked a bit… rough…" Franky complained, his voice barely above a whisper.

The doctor turned to him and smiled tightly, "I'm one man. I usually have an entire team to assist me. I'm working with the bare minimum supplies. Please be patient."

"Ah, yeah, well, I mean, I'm sorry, I just thought it looked, well," Franky backed up, raising his hand peaceably. "You okay, Sanji?"

Sanji nodded, blood dripping audibly to the tiled floor, "Sure. I just…" Sanji shook his head. "Let's just hurry up and get it over with."

The doctor nodded, "Please take a seat."

Robin popped her head into the room, splaying her fingers over her eyes as if to give Sanji privacy, "Franky, there's a vending machine. Want anything?"

Franky looked from Sanji's oozing wound to the bloody tongs on the tray. He shrugged, "Skittles? Starbursts? Something like that."

Robin nodded, "And you, Sanji?" Sanji shook his head wordlessly, leaning back slightly. Robin smiled, "Doctor? Anything I can bring you?"

"Yeah, uh," the doctor threaded his surgical needle. "What's in there?"

"I can't remember, I just looked real quick. Mostly candy and chips…" Robin said.

"Did you see Twizzlers?"

Robin smiled, "I don't know."

"See if there're any Twizzlers. Would ya, miss?"

"I'll look," Robin replied, backing away. "Be right back."

"I had a vending machine at work," Franky replied. "It was convenient."

"Ah, where did you work?" the doctor asked, beginning to stitch Sanji's leg.

"I was a mechanic," Franky answered, bowing his head slightly.

"Ah," the doctor said simply. "A good job. No one can screw you over under the hood."

Franky cleared his throat and licked his lips before continuing, "And I'd eat vending machine candy every morning for breakfast…"

"Oh, no, that isn't good," the doctor chuckled, "You've got to maintain a healthy diet."

"Yeah, I know," Franky said with a tight laugh, "Robin's always saying the same thing."

"I need a cigarette," Sanji murmured. He looked to Franky with a pleading expression. "Can you grab one? They're in my pants…"

"Yeah, no problem," Franky replied, unfolding Sanji's pants to find the pack of cigarettes. He grabbed the entire pack and lighter and handed them to Sanji. "Sorry, can't get it out or anything…"

"It's cool," Sanji nodded understandingly. He struggled with lighting his cigarette, but eventually got it. He turned to the doctor and smiled apologetically, "Sorry. I know I should quit but I can't…"

The doctor simply nodded, finishing up the stitching, "It's a hard habit to break." The doctor wagged his finger at Sanji disapprovingly, "But you need to break it."

"So, what part of the hospital did you work?" Franky asked, still absently holding Sanji's pants over his amputated arm.

"Oh," the doctor smiled, "Right here in Emergency."

"Convenient," Franky replied, brows arched.

"Yeah, I couldn't just leave… I took an oath," the doctor continued proudly.

"Yeah, sure," Franky nodded, "The Oath of Honor, right?"

"Yeah, yeah," the doctor smiled. "Do no harm."

Franky nodded again. He smiled at Sanji as the younger man turned toward him. Sanji was about to speak but Franky cut him off, "So, Doc. I'm surprised you don't know what's in your vending machine. I had that shit memorized at the shop."

The doctor laughed, "Yeah, I don't doubt that. I choose to eat less processed foods myself."

"But it's okay that Sanji's smoking in here?" Franky pressed, licking his teeth.

"I figure it's the end of the world," the doctor sighed, tossing up his hands, "What's the harm?"

"Doctor's don't take the Oath of Honor, that's the police oath," Franky said suddenly, tossing Sanji his pants. "Get dressed."

"Yeah," Sanji agreed, nodding weakly.

"Well, I wasn't going to correct you," the doctor said simply. "What's the problem? Why are you getting dressed?"

"What oath did you take, doc?" Franky pressed. "And what kind of stitches are those?" Franky pushed the doctor down as he stood, forcing him back on the stool. "What bones are missing from my fucking arm?!"

"What the hell is your problem?!" the doctor demanded, trying to recoil from Franky's overbearing figure.

"You don't look like a Nikhil Al-Assoud," Franky snapped, flicking the doctor's ID badge back over.

"I changed my fucking coat because the other was stained! Jesus Christ! I was trying to fucking help you. You're a fucking lunatic!" the doctor breathed shakily.

"Franky," Sanji called out, halfway redressed. "What…"

"What oath do doctors take?" Franky asked. He gave several seconds of space for the doctor to answer before continuing. "What's the strongest bone in the body?" Franky began to shake visibly. "What's Bacitracin?" Franky grabbed the doctor by the collar, lifting him unevenly to his feet with one hand. "Where'd you go to medical school?!"

"Get out!" the doctor shouted. "I was trying to help you and you stand there and accuse me of- of whatever!"

The doctor struggled, eventually pulling free of Franky's grip. Franky dropped the coat he still held in his hand and looked at the doctor in disbelief. "What the fuck… You're…"

"God damn it," Sanji growled, finishing dressing. "Let's just get the fuck out of here."

Franky stared at the doctor's splotched skin. The man was covered with rashes that had been hidden so well underneath the lab coat. Franky shook his head, "Are you even a doctor? A nurse? Do you work here?"

The man suddenly burst into laughter. He leapt forward and snatched the scalpel from the tray, slicing it through the air. He lunged toward Sanji and Franky stepped between them, the scalpel buried deep into his abdomen. Franky cursed loudly, gripping the man by the neck.

Franky's blood splashed onto the floor. The imposter doctor giggled uncontrollably, still held in place by Franky. Sanji grabbed the tray and swung it, hitting the imposter in the face. The metal shook like a gong and the man cried out.

"I can't hold him," Franky murmured. And then he sank to his knees, nearly folding in half.

"Fuck," Sanji blurted, looking from the loose imposter doctor to Franky who needed help.

"You're all gonna die," the imposter whispered. "You're all gonna get cut up…"

"Well, there're no Twizzlers, but," Robin began, opening the door.

She looked at the scene in front of her, her mouth open slightly. She let out a small sound, her eyes resting on Franky. "What?"

"Robin, he's dangerous," Sanji warned.

The imposter doctor turned, dashing toward Robin and the open door. Robin dropped the candy and took a step back. The imposter laughed maniacally, reaching out for her, "You're all dead. All of you. Dead. Dead. Dea-"

Nami stopped the imposter in his tracks. She hit him bluntly with the butt of her cattle prod. And when he'd fallen to the ground she pressed the prod into the center of his chest and zapped him. She screamed as he screamed, closing her eyes.

"Good girl," Robin breathed out, her hand clutching her throat.

"I was supposed to stop him, right?" Nami questioned, looking down at the unconscious man. "He was freaking out. He was freaking me out."

"He stabbed Franky," Sanji groaned, limping from the room. "He's dangerous. Stay away."

"He's down," Chopper replied, "Nami got him."

"Okay," Sanji breathed out, pulling a gun from his holster. "Let's keep it that way." Sanji fired directly into the man's skull before turning back around to the others. "We need to get out of here. This place is fucked up. We need to find the others. I don't like it. I don't like any of this…"

Usopp rounded the corner, rifle aimed, "What happened? What was that gunshot?"

"Oh, thank God," Nami breathed out. "You're back. We need to get the hell out of here…"

"What's going on?" Clay asked, looking from the dead imposter to Sanji.

"Long story," Sanji answered. "Where's Luffy?"

Nami let out a bloodcurdling scream, pointing toward the mysterious figure behind Clay. Chopper covered his eyes, "What's that?!"

"Oh," Usopp began to explain, "That's Brook."

"He's with us," Clay added, shrugging, "Sorta. I guess."

"Hello," Brook said, waving in greeting.

Nami screamed again, brandishing the cattle prod like a sword, "What's wrong with you guys? What the hell is that thing?!"

"Everyone shut the hell up," Robin demanded, throwing out her arms in command. "Franky has been stabbed. Help me do something!"

Franky appeared in the doorway, holding his bleeding stomach. He nodded at Robin and looked up, smiling despite the pain, "It's okay, Robbie. I'm fine."

Robin looked from Franky to Brook and sat down on the ground, practically crumpling to the floor. She covered her head with her hands, shaking her head slowly, "What is happening?"

"Robbie," Franky breathed out, patting his pocket before sitting beside her. "It'll be okay."

Robin rolled her eyes, trying to hold back her tears, "Your standards for 'okay' are dangerously low, Franky Cutty." Robin wiped her face roughly, "And Sanji killed the doctor. We need a doctor."

"He wasn't a doctor," Franky explained. "That motherfucker was pretending."

"Maybe," Sanji interjected, "Either pretending or driven insane." Sanji nodded toward the imposter's body. "He's got that same rash." Sanji looked at the others before repeating his question, "Where's Luffy?"

Usopp smiled guiltily, "They sent us back here. They're still looking for a doctor…"

Sanji sighed heavily, "That's fantastic. We need to call them back. There's not going to be anyone left in this place."

"CA CA CA CA BRA CA CA CAW!"

"What was that?" Chopper asked, scooting closer to Nami.

Nami shook her head, "It's just Luffy being Luffy."

"Hello, and good evening, spooks and spookies, this is your MC DJ McDeadhouse, and tonight…"

They held their breaths, surprised by the sudden silence over the intercom. They all exhaled in relief as Zoro's stern voice boomed out through the speakers, "We're both fine. We've got more floors to cover. It might be a while."

"Thank God," Usopp exclaimed. "They're still alive."

"Of course they are," Sanji snapped. "They aren't normal humans. They're made of something else." Sanji puffed on his cigarette greedily before adding, "And it has nothing to do with Deadhouse."

"Well, it looks like we both have a lot to tell each other," Clay began. "We'll start. This is Brook, we found him on this floor…" Clay looked to Usopp before continuing, "This place is terrible and we need to leave as soon as possible."

"We're leaving as soon as Zoro and Luffy get back," Franky vowed.

"So, Brook," Sanji asked quietly, "What the hell ha-happ…ened…" Sanji's head tilted at a peculiar angle and then suddenly he collapsed to the floor, sprawled out and unmoving.

"Sanji?" Usopp called out, dropping beside him. "Sanji? Sanji!"