*PLEASE READ THE BOLD! VERY IMPORTANT!*

I would like to point out a few things this time in the bold. Or should I saw I have a few personal requests I need to make from me to all of you readers. I very much like to write these one shots for you, but from now on I need you to at least skim through the bold at the top, because I am now putting a limiter on my requests for now because I have been floaded by requests by the hoards for all three of my one-shot categories and it is becoming overwhelming. So I will not be accepting anymore right now because I have over 20 to write plus a 50 page story for my friend for her birthday. I will put in the bold when I will be taking them again and that is when you can request once again. If some make it before this chapter I will put it to the side and make it at a free date, but that's it.

Also I know some people have odd ships that some wouldn't think about, and I don't mind that at all! I support it even because I make my own weird ships! But some are really outrageous and it makes it really hard for me to write a story and get it out on time without holding the other chapters up. I have received some where they don't meet at all in the series, don't even know about each other, or they are a minor character that doesn't really show up a lot and I have to look up about them to get it. So please if it's an odd pairing, please follow the outline on what you want the story about, because it's killing my brain trying to think about it. I put that outline on the description part for a reason, so please follow it.

Finally, my normal intro *cough cough* this request was made by Gingerninja! I hope this story is to your liking! At first I didn't know what to do, but then I thought of this adorable idea and had to roll with it! Thank you all for reading my stories and keeping up with me! I hope you hang on with me for the rest of my chapter updates! Love you all!

And remember to skim the bold!

"Come on!" Marco shouted out to his crew. "We need to make sure this ship is clean!"

"Oi! Marco!" Thatch called out to the first mate, stopping the young man from yelling at the rest of the crew. Marco narrowed his eyes at Thatch for interrupting him, and Thatch smiled and lifted up his hands. He pointed at the waters below, "There's a child in the water."

Marco looked at him with raised eyebrows before walking over and peering over the railing at the water. Down below there was a small girl, still a child, with orange hair that was floating on a small boat on the waters. She was face first and unconscious on the deck, and didn't seem to have moved for awhile.

"I'll get her," He said, changing his arms into the blue fire of his phoenix form and flying down to the small boat. He gently used one arm to hold her and use the other to fly back up to the Moby Dick.

"Is she okay?" Thatch asked, hovering over the girl with worried eyes.

Marco shrugged his shoulders and set the girl down onto the deck. He looked around her, trying to find any visible injuries that are on her. Aside from a few scraps on her, she was okay, but still she was unconscious.

Thatch reached out and grabbed her arm with the tattoo on it to look at it. "Fishman pirates?" He looked at Marco with questioning in his eyes. "Since when are they recruiting young, human girls?"

Suddenly the mikan haired girl snapped her eyes open and jerked her arm away from Thatch. She sat up from the deck and pulled out a dagger from her dress, holding it out in front of her defensively towards them.

"Woah, calm down!" Thatch said with a smile on his face as he held his hands up to her. "We aren't going to hurt you."

"Stay back!" She shouted, glaring at him with trembling hands.

Marco looked down at the girl with analyzing eyes and sighed. He reached forward over the small girl and forcefully took it out of her hand. She looked up at him with wide shocked eyes.

"Give it back!" She growled at him, standing up and jumping for the dagger he was holding up out of her reach.

Marco grabbed the small girl by the back of her dress and lifted her up into the air, but far enough that she couldn't reach him with her feeble hits. He turned on his heel and carried her away, ignoring Thatch as he complained about handling her easier.

"Kidnapping kids now, Marco?" The crewmates teased, watching him carry her across the deck.

He ignored them and walked into the kitchen before plopping her down into one of the chairs. "Stay there," He said, pointing at her sternly while he grabbed a few of the sandwiches from the fridge. He set them down in front of her and motioned to her. "You need to eat."

The orange haired girl pouted and crossed her arms as she snubbed him with her chin out. Marco looked at her with a pointed look and still she continued to snub both him and the food despite her growling stomach.

"Fine, then I'll eat it." He told her, taking the plate and holding a sandwich to his mouth.

The girl turned to him quickly and looked at him with sad worried eyes, as if he really wasn't going to give her any of the food. "What kind of person are you to not give a child food?!" She shouted at him. "I hate pirates!"

Marco chuckled and looked at her after he took a bite. "Yet your part of a pirate crew? That's ironic." He told her with a sigh. "I offered you the food, and you decided to be rude and not accept it." He set the rest of the sandwich down and pushed it back to her. "There, it's not poisoned okay?"

She stared at him in surprise; how did he know she didn't want to eat it because there may be poison? Maybe this pirate knew more than she thought he might. Her stomach growled once more and before she could think about anything else she dug at the sandwiches and ate them faster than she could actually taste it.

"Slow down," Marco told her as he got back up and brought two more out. "There's still more that you can eat." He watched her slow down finally and actually taste the food she was stuffing down. "So what's your name?"

She looked at him and stopped eating, her mind conflicted on whether to tell him or not. He's a pirate; someone she hates. But he also isn't treating her like a child, and seems to understand how she thinks.

"Nami," She whispered quickly, before going back to eating the sandwiches.

"Nami, huh?" Marco said, making her jump in surprise at the sound of her name. He didn't say anything else but give a hum in agreement.

"So you got her to eat huh?" Thatch said with a smile as he walked into the kitchen. "Don't worry, I think he's pretty ugly too." He told Nami with a chuckle while pointing at Marco with his thumb.

Nami giggled, making Thatch and Marco to smile at the achievement. They gave each other a nod, and watched as Nami finished off her sandwiches with a smile. She patted her belly in happiness and leaned back, feeling fuller than she has yet.

"I guess I'll be sent off, huh?" Nami asked, looking down at her hands that were twiddling in her lap nervously.

Marco walked over to her and patted her head. He leaned over to her side and gave a warm smile, making her heart stutter at the sight. "You're welcome to stay as long as you like." He told her gently.

Her cheeks flushed at the invitation he gave her. For some reason, she felt like this pirate crew was different from the rest; she wasn't scared of them at all. She smiled back at them and nodded her head excitedly, taking him up on his offer to stay for a couple days.

She began to fit right in with the small crew of the Whitebeard Pirates. She helped them clean the ship as much as she could, she conversed with them normally, and she even played in their jokes and games. It was as if she were part of the crew to begin with. But as the days go by, she knew she'd have to return back to Arlong or he'd come after her and the Whitebeard crew.

"Are you really leaving?" Thatch asked, watching as Nami tossed the last of her things onto her boat.

Nami nodded with a small smile. "I need to get back to my island."

Marco patted her head and gave a smile again, making her heart nearly burst out of her chest. "make sure you sail safely. We put supplies on your ship to help you make it."

She nodded her head and climbed onto their railing, ready to jump down to the ship. Marco sighed and lifted her up into his arms, holding her close to his body. He jumped from the ship to her own and set her down gently.

"Try not to hurt yourself before you actually leave." He teased, ruffling her hair messily. "Make sure you come and visit again." He told her gently.

His arms lit up in blue flames as he flew to the Moby once more and landed next to Thatch. Nami watched in awe at the sight of the blue phoenix wings, never seeing them before since she was unconscious last time. But this was goodbye for now, and she needed to sail off.

"Thief!"

Nami chuckled at the men who were running around looking for her as she snuck off into her own small boat to get away. Another huge catch of money and treasure for the win! She watched victoriously as she sailed away smoothly and the pirates still clambered around trying to find the thief who stole from them.

After sailing for awhile and counting her treasure, she could finally relax a bit. And that was when she saw the familiar huge ship with the head mast of a whale.

"Ah! Is that?" She said, standing up on the ship and a bright smile appearing on her face excitedly.

She directed her small ship towards the Moby Dick, and climbed aboard quietly after securing her small raft to the side of theirs. She padded onto the deck of the ship, sneaking down the side of the ship under cover and peeking around the corner.

"Hey, thief!"

Nami's shirt was grabbed from the back and she was tugged backwards suddenly. Her feet hung lightly off the floor while she looked back and stared at the blonde man who was glaring at her harshly. She smiled at him brightly, seeing him the same as when she left years ago. It was like he hadn't aged at all in the time she had disappeared.

"Thief's have no place here on this ship." He told her strictly, and then stopped. He stared at her carefully, trying to place where he had seen this woman before.

"Marco!" She said with a beaming smile.

She reached her arms out and wrapped them around his neck, pulling him close with his hand still hanging onto the back of her shirt. She could feel a bubbly giggle coming from her as she tried to squeeze him tightly.

"Um…." He said, staring around for any help that was on the deck.

Nami pulled back and pouted out her cheeks, dropping to the deck with furrowed brows when she looked at him. "you don't remember me?" She looked at him and saw the slight shake of his head. "It's me Nami!"

Marco's eyes widened as he stared at her, grabbing her shoulders and looking her up and down carefully. He seemed to be piecing the two faces together and noticing the similarities between the two. It seemed to click into his head and the smile appeared on his face.

"Nami!" Marco said, pulling her back into the hug and spinning her around in the air several times before setting her back down to the deck. "it's so good that you came back!"

Nami laughed and looked around excitedly, trying to find the other man who would be so excited to see her after so long away. "Where's Thatch?" She asked Marco.

She stopped as tension ran over her from Marco, and she turned to look at him confused. The dark look upon his face seemed to change her mind about asking where he was again. She opened her mouth to ask if her thoughts were true, but the shake of his head with the downcast look told her all she needed to know.

"When? How?" She asked, tears wanting to build up in her eyes.

"A couple weeks ago. A crewmate turned against us and killed Thatch for a devil fruit." Marco told her with a pushed smile to try and make her feel better.

Nami down casted her own face and Marco pulled her in, knowing it was hitting her hard just as it did the crew. She shook her head and breathed in deeply, pushing her emotions away so she wouldn't cry in front of him.

"You've grown a lot," Marco said, standing next to Nami who was sitting on the railing of the ship talking with Marco.

"years have gone by." She giggled, pushing her hair behind her ear as the wind blew at her. She furrowed her brows and smiled at him. "By the way, how is it that you haven't aged since the last time I saw you?"

Marco laughed at the obvious issue in her head at the moment. He shrugged his shoulders and smiled at her teasingly. "Possibly because of my devil fruit. I'm a zoan type and I can change into a Phoenix, so it's possibly because they don't age."

Nami nodded her head with a smile on her face, that explanation making sense. "That's so lucky." She sighed, tilting her head back.

"So are you still part of the fishman pirates?" Marco asked her with a sigh of his own. "Or did you finally change to someone else?"

Nami looked at him and gave a sad smile, answering his question without actually saying anything. Marco lifted his hand and patted her on the head, bringing it closer to his shoulder so she could rest on it.

"You'll find someone better. There are always people out there who will be like family." Marco told her with a smile.

His shoulder was still just as broad as she remember, but somehow it seemed to fit her head much better with her height now. Her hand reached up and gripped the shirt on his side, tugging him closer to her as she relaxed into his hold.

Marco glanced down at her, his eyes accidentally hitting her chest first before looking up to her face. She had grown so much since he last saw her, and was especially matured in her body. He couldn't see her as a kid anymore, and he felt flustered with her just being so close already. He hoped Nami wouldn't hear his heart pattering in his chest like a race car.

Her small hands were gripping his shirt tightly as she clung to him for support. He wished he himself could take her away from Arlong and those bad fishman; but he couldn't just make her join them without Whitebeards permission.

"Who's this?" Whitebeard asked looking at Nami with a raised eyebrow.

"She's that little girl we save years ago." Marco said, pulling away quickly out of embarrassment.

Whitebeard looked from Marco to Nami and smiled. "All grown up now. Good luck." He said, winking at the two of them and making them blush at the obvious meaning.

"Sorry, Oyaji can get out of hand." Marco said, putting a hand to his forehead.

Nami scratched her cheek and glanced at him, staring at him as she noticed the deep blush on his neck and ears. She smiled and leaned on her hand closer to him. She pressed a kiss to his cheek and smiled at him. "I don't mind. It's not likes he's wrong." She gave him a goofy smile and slipped off the railing before spinning on her heel and looking at him with a giggle. "I think I'll stay here for awhile again!"

Marco smiled and gave a small chuckle before pushing off of the railing and up to her. He placed a hand on her lower back and gave a charming smile, somehow feeling absolutely joyous once she said that. "Well then, how about I introduce you to some of the new comrades?"

She took the chance and reached out towards Marco, sliding her hand into his carefully and looking at him warily to see if it was alright. He smiled back at her and his ears turned slightly pink before he squeezed her hand back and tugged her along.

Once again as she stayed for a couple days, it was like she fit in and never had left this crew. She felt welcomed here and comfortable; but it wasn't the feeling of family like Marco talked about. Though she made plenty of new friends aboard the ship with the new crewmates, she never left Marco's side with hanging onto him or leaning against him wherever they were.

"It's that time again huh?" Marco said, giving her a small smile.

Nami didn't want to part either, but once again she knew that if she didn't get to business, Arlong would somehow find out and come for her. She was almost there; just a little bit more Beli and she'd be able to buy the island from him.

"I'll come back again." She told him, stepping closer and grabbing the opening of his shirt in both hands. "And next time….I'll have my own crew to call my family. I'll have a better life; one I can actually enjoy." She put on a genuine smile that told him she was hopeful for the future.

Marco smiled at her warmly and nodded his head. "Make sure you find someone great."

Nami nodded and let go of his hands, taking the time to part now. She jumped over the side of the ship and landed on her smaller sailing one. Marco jumped over the edge after her, making her small boat rock as he stood up and looked at her. Suddenly he placed his lips upon hers when she turned around, cupping her cheek and pulling her face closer to him.

He smiled before blue flames erupted around him and turned him into his phoenix form, letting him fly in front of her. She reached out to him carefully with a shining smile, and cupped his face this time, looking at him carefully in this form that she had never seen.

"I'll be sure to remember this." She told him gently, placing her forehead upon his. To see such a beautiful form was great; it was what was going to keep her going until she could be saved by her own nakama.

Nami's foot stepped onto the Moby Dick once again, but this time the ship was deathly quiet. It was like there wasn't even a living soul upon this ship. Slowly she walked around the ship until she peered around the corner and spotted Marco sitting on the deck.

She walked up behind him, her heart thumping in pain at the sight of his lifeless form. Slowly she kneeled behind him and wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing him into a comforting hug. It was the only thing she knew to do in a situation like this.

"I came as soon as I read the paper." She told him, mumbling into his shoulder. She could feel the pain in her heart from the loss. She had only met Ace in Alabasta briefly, and she had only seen Whitebeard for those few days each time she visited, but she still hurt. She hated to think how pained Marco was feeling at the moment with loosing the man who saved him, and his best friend.

His hand reached up and gripped her arm, pulling it from his neck so she'd let go. She sat there on her knees in confusion to why he was pushing her away, but she could understand if he didn't want affection at the moment. But it wasn't what she was thinking, instead of pushing her away like she though he turned around and pulled her closer to him.

He laid his head on her shoulder, holder her closer to him so he could feel some real tangible person was there again; someone he really cared about. His hands gripped her bare back desperately as the tears slipped down his face. She could feel the water hitting her stomach as he silently cried. All she could do was hug him tightly, trying to let him get the pain out of his chest.

After letting it all out, Marco finally recovered and sat up to really look at her. Once again she had changed a lot. Her hair was longer and her body fully matured to the woman figure. She was taller, but somehow still shorter than him. She let out a small laugh and wiped the little water on his cheek.

"You still haven't aged a day." She told him with a smile.

He let out a small chuckle and placed his forehead on hers. "It's like you're the stress reliever."

Nami smiled at him proudly and held up a peace sign. "That's what I'm here for." She dropped the peace sign and gave a sigh. "How are you holding up?"

He shrugged his shoulders, still feeling slightly numb from it all. "I think it's all too surreal to everyone that we could lose Oyaji, Ace, Oars Jr, and so many more."

"listen, I know it's not really my place to say, but…" Nami stopped and let out a breath, hoping he wasn't going to be offended by it. "….I think you need to buck up quickly and take charge. I know no one can take Whitebeards place, but without a leader, no one is going to know what to do." She stopped, and looked at him carefully, seeing if he truly understood her. "You need to become that leader. You were the first mate and everyone listened to you. I'm sure they'll follow you whatever you choose to do."

Marco looked at her with wide eyes, surprised at what she said. The thought of trying to take Oyaji's place to create the crew was beyond him. He didn't want to replace Oyaji, but he also knew that she was right. The crew would lose their way without Whitebeard there and they needed someone to keep them together.

"She's right."

Marco looked up to see the rest of the crew standing there on the deck with smiles on their faces as they listened in to what Nami had to say. He let out a sigh and stood up, rubbing his neck in exasperation before helping Nami up herself.

"Are you sure?" He asked them, but the nods and the smiles on their faces said they were definitely sure that they wanted to do this.

Nami smiled at him warmly and placed a small DenDen Mushi in his hand. "This phone goes directly to me. Whenever you need me or want to come visit."

Jozu chuckled and gave Marco a smirk. "Oyaji always did like her best. He said she was the perfect match for you."

Nami covered her mouth and giggled, laughing at the dumbfounded look on Marco's face at the bluntness of his comrades words. They were all so much like Oyaji that it was funny. He squeezed her hand tightly and pulled her closer.

"You guys don't give me much of a choice anymore." He laughed, making them smile victoriously at their success. "We'll keep living. We'll live on for those we lost."

Loud cheers came from the ship as the crew shouted victoriously and happily. They wanted to live up to their late captain's name and their best friend who were lost at Marine Ford.

Marco leaned over to Nami closely and smiled. "And as long as I have you by my side." He told her in a whisper, making her heart patter loudly again and for her cheeks to flash red.

She didn't mind having to visit a few more times. And from the look on his face, she guessed he'd be visiting her a lot more now too, especially with Luffy climbing up the ranks in the pirate world.