Disclaimer: If I owned One Piece, the manga/anime would have more drama, romantic moments, and just a wee bit more angst.

Do you see any of that? No.

A/N: Thanks to my reviewers and betas! Your reviews and help is greatly appreciated. R&R! And enjoy!

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Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

Chapter Three

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It was dark when the Thousand Sunny docked in Bahi Mahoy, the dark waters gently lapping at the ship. They were hidden behind the rocks as so none of the islanders would see and recognize the Pirate King's own ship.

They were all currently in the galley, eating dinner. Talk was sparse, and they all had the same thing on their mind: Had Nami seen Sanji? They all, except Dabelle, knew the circumstances the two had parted on.

Bad ones.

If they had remembered correctly, Sanji had made Nami cry.

Nami. Cry.

Zoro picked up his fork, speared a piece of roast beef, glared at it, and chomped down in such a way it made Chopper shrink down. He then pushed his plate back and left the galley. A black cloud followed him.

Luffy couldn't blame him. Nakama had always been extremely important to Zoro, even though he didn't really show it. After what Sanji had done to Nami, just being in the same room as the two had given a whole new meaning to 'awkward'.

Trying to feign sleepiness, he stood up, yawned while streatching, and gave a friendly "'Night," before passing out of the room and onto the deck where Zoro was stationed.

Usopp and Chopper ran to the now closed door, pressing their ears against it. Whatever happened tonight, they had a feeling it was important.

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Zoro leaned on the railing, scowing in the distance at the waters and sillouette of the island. Lights flashed in the distance. It was dark on their ship, except for the light behind him. It threw shadows onto the poop deck below. Luffy came up behind him.

"Oi, baka. What's with you? Chopper nearly passed out just by being in the same room as you. I mean, sure you might see Sanji, and Nami's gotten there first, and it's been four freakin' years…but why are you so moody? It's like being on the same ship as an angst prince."

Zoro spat into the waters, taking care not to hit the ship.

"Geh. He just pisses me off. He left four years ago, and none of the crew—except Dabelle—have gotten over it. He's a big-ass deal here, and he doesn't know how and doesn't care why. If he gave a shit, he wouldn't have left, and we wouldn't be like this."

Luffy gave a low laugh. "You really do care, don't you, Zoro? You just don't' show it."

Zoro made a low noise in his throat. "Well…"

Luffy gave him one of the few serious looks he was capable of, looking at him straight in the eye. "I know what I'm dealing with, Zoro. I know what happened to us…to her…but I'm willing to bet it all if it helps us protect ourselves against Buggy."

Zoro looked at Luffy incredulously. "…You mean…?"

Luffy nodded. "Numbers will protect us until the threat he gives off is gone. But if anyone gets hurt by him again…"

Zoro turned back to the horizon and stared at the black waters, unblinking.

"You'll kick his ass, huh?" he said.

Luffy looked out, a mimic of Zoro.

"…Yeah…" he said.

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Usopp looked at Chopper from behind the door.

"Do you want to record it in the Book of Things That Would Cause Helll to Freeze Over, or should I?"

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Nami reclined on her couch, sipping a water and leafing through a book she had recently purchased, the picture of relaxation.

There was a knock at the door.

"Coming!" she called absently. She carefully rose, book still in hand, place kept, reading. She felt her way to the door, fumbled with the lock, and opened it.

"Nami!"

Her book dropped down from her face. Oh, no. Oh, no no no no no no no no no.

It was the crew.

"Ohayo, Nami! We were docked on the island and wanted to see where you were—''

The door closed in Luffy's idiot face.

"Naaa-aami!" a voice sobbed from the outside. "Naaami, how could you be so cruel? And to your own nakama!"

Nami, on the other side of the door, was chewing on a thumbnail nervously. Surely that meant--? No, that was impossible. They couldn't have talked to Sanji yet. They, too, were a little sore from the last departure. But Luffy was known for doing something at exactly the wrong time…Being sensitive to others was not his strong suit…

She sighed in defeat and rubbed her temples. With the banging on her door still going on, she was acquiring what she knew was a headache. And barely at mid-day too!

They better appreciate how much sanity I'm risking here, she thought, hand on the knob.

No sooner had she touched the knob when the door swung open, revealing a wide-eyed Chopper and Luffy behind an amazed Usopp. His weapon of choice, a bobby pin. Robin and Franky stood behind, and in her opinion it was taking a lot of will power from the two to resist the urge of going round-eyed.

She rubbed her head where the door had hit her, grimacing.

Picking locks. Of course.

She stood up, brushed her pants, and in one smooth motion had pushed the Straw Hats (including one Zoro going "feh" that was hanging around the doorway) into the room and locked the door.

Over the cries of exhuberance directed at her quarters from three, no, four (since Franky had now joined in) childish crew mates, she did a quick face count. No Dabelle. He was guarding the ship, then.

"Uwaah! So cool! Look at this! And this! Oh, and…" Luffy ran around, screaming, from place to place in her room, examinng each piece of art, jumping on the couch and both of the king size beds, and makling obscene faces in her bathroom mirror.

Chopper and Usopp were currently unpacking a box of tools near an outlet where a lamp had previously been. She watched, in horror, as a torch and burner included the materials.

They were ruining her quiet. Her room. Her vacation. With each thing they ruined (Zoro opened the mini fridge for a beer and turned down the card face down that reminded that each drink cost five Beli.) her anger rose a level. Then, the bomb finally exploded.

"STOP! You BASTARDS are ruining my VACATION! What are you all DOING here!" Nami grabbed each offending male by the scruff of the neck, screaming in their faces. The 'death glare' had been used when they had first entered the room. She was now on the 'genocide glare', the one that could kill just from the atmosphere pressure it gave off. It was reserved for the most dire situations. Each of the males felt at least ten years evaporate from their lifespan.

Somehow, this was much worse than the time they had destroyed maps she had been working on.

Luffy, now next to a bawling Chopper, was the first to get over the shock of the glare and returned to his usual oblivion.

"Naaami?" he whined. "Why are you holding me like that? It hurts. Besides, I wanna see more of your room! As your captain, I—'' he was interrupted from his statement by a firebreathing Nami.

She spoke slowly, enunciating and emphasizing each word. "I'll repeat what I said. What are you doing here? Am I not clear enough? I have gone away to a spa to re-freaking-lax and you—'' she shook her left hand, causing resident sharpshooter, shipwright, and swordsman to shake "—and Sanji—'' she shook her right, making the captain and doctor sway with each jerk "—have done nothing at all to help that cause. Okay? I have walked hell twice over to have a nice time, and I have only achieved about four hours worth of total and complete relaxation."

Usopp tried to get on her good side. "Four hours sounds like a pretty long time, Nami." Alas, hanging from a vice-like grip and having a voice that wavers uncontrollably didn't help matters much.

"I WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE TWO WEEKS WORTH!" she bellowed.

Chopper tried the cute approach. "But, Nami, we thought that being all together would help keep the Buggy problem at bay! After all, strength lies in numbers, right?"

She couldn't keep it up, looking at Chopper's hopeful eyes. She lowered them to the ground, then slunked over to a chair and sunk into it. So comforting…

Robin must have a sixth sense, she thought, sipping her once-forgotten water now refilled. She sighed deeply, blowing hair out of her face as she did so.

"…Right, Chopper." She cracked a weary smile. "I appreciate it."

"Now what were you saying about Sanji, Nam…i…" Zoro barely managed to squeeze out her name, due to a large metal pole buzzing with electricity rather uncomfortably close to his neck, held by a drinking Nami.

She took another swing of her water, pole still in hand, and was it just him, or was the electric end getting closer?

"…Nothing…" she said, sloshing the half-melted ice around the cup absently, trying to find the sliver of lemon that had been there at the beginning.

"It was nothing."

Nobody believed her.

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Nami sighed as she approached the front desk in the lobby. The concierge looked up at her in surprise.

"Miss Nami-san?" He gave her a quizzical look. "Is there something wrong with your room?"

Oh, no, she thought sarcastically. Of course nothing's wrong! It's just that my annoying beyond belief crew have suddenly decided to join me on vacation! The nerve of that…captain! Gaaah! Why does God hate me? Sure, I've been manipulative and thieving and snarky…

She faked a smile at the man behind the counter. Paid to be stupid…Luffy needs a job like this. "Oh, no!" she said, smiling and laughing a bit. She leaned over the desk towards him, smiling coquettishly. Such a naïve fellow… "There's nothing wrong with my room, sir." Her voice was laden heavilly in syrup.

The concierge (whose name was Tim) gulped. This woman…she looked stunning! With the sunlight streaming in from behind her and…wow…

Maybe the cologne mum bought me is finally working, he thought happily.

He was brought back by Nami's voice.

"There's nothing wrong," she said, looking up at him with big brown eyes. "But…I may need another room. There are some…friends of mine who've showed up unexpectedly. And I'm afraid only three of them will be able to share a room with me." She gave Tim a pouty face. If Sanji was here, she thought devilishly, 'Mari-chan' would be out so fast her head would spin. "So how about it? Can I have, say, a suite for them? Pleeease…?" she looked over at his nametag. "…Tim? Please, can I have another suite?"

He looked dubious. "I suppose so. But the cost…"

Nami saw where this was going and stopped it instantly, the money-shark part of her taking over. "How about we go out for dinner and talk it over, hmm?"

Tim's face brightened. "Dinner?" he stopped and composed himself, trying to sound 'cool.' "Ehm. Dinner? Sounds cool…When? 'Cuz, y'know, I'm a busy man and all…"

Yeah, right. Nami fought the felt the urge to roll her eyes and resisted. 'Busy man' my ass. His schedule's as open Luffy's stomach is big.

"Maybe…in two weeks?" she purred smoothly through this routine. She knew it almost as well as the groves at Bellemere-san's. "'Cuz I'm busy too…work and quality time with my friends, na?"

He looked too happy. She caught in the corner of her eye as he slowly pinched his hand. Dork, she thought disdainfully. This is probobly the biggest event in his life.

He barely managed a small 'yeah' and Nami smiled as she glided away.

She might have dinner with the king of dorks in two weeks, but she'd be long gone before that happened.

Life is good, she resolved, making her way up the staircase. Life is good.

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Nami had managed to get five of the seven visiting Straw Hats, their belongings, and their obnoxious noise into their new suite, issued the rules and threats, and had settled into a comfortable scilence with Robin all before her four o'clock alarm had gone off. She felt very proud and extremely accomplished as she made her way to the hotel's bar.

Wonder why Robin-san didn't want any coffee, she mused, walking down the hall. She's usually a caffine fiend.

She barely saw the person barroling around the corner until it was too late. Their shoulders connected, and she was thrown to the ground opposite the offender.

"Hey! Watch it!" she called from the floor. The guy scrambled up and was gone around the next corner before she was able to fully regain her senses.

"Pssh. Loser," she muttered angrily, picking herself up. She examined her shoulder. Nothing sprained, twisted or broken. Just a very ugly bruise was probobly in store for her. She could see the hideous shades of purple and black beginning to form.

Making her way down to the bar, the vision of coffee still unfazed, she passed a commotion down in the lobby.

"Whaddya mean where you won't tell me where she is?"

"I-I'm sorry, sir, but unless she says she's expecting company…"

"What kind of shit is that? She told me specifically to visit! And just a second ago you let those girls and that old guy go up to their friend's rooms! So why not me?"

Nami drew closer, intrigued. What had 'Tim' done this time? Something stupid, probobly. She could see them now. Tim, shaking in his place, was trying (and failing) to keep the man opposite him quiet.

Wait a sec—she knew that—

Sanji?!

"Hey!" Nami stalked over to the desk and stood next to a now-shocked Sanji.

"Nami-sa--?"

She held her hand up in front of his face, ending his acknowledgement of her. She wanted to know what was going on. Now.

"Is there a problem, sir?" she pressed. A glint struck her eyes and Tim gulped. The beauty had a bad side.

He tried to start off on the right foot. "Well…this man here…he wanted to see you…I said that…that he shouldn't…that you…well…"

She leaned forward to Tim, eyes glinting in a devilish manner now more than ever. Sanji almost felt apathy for this man.

Almost.

"That I what, Tim?"

Sanji gave the man ten minutes before he wet his pants.

Tim gulped, extremely uncomfortable.

"I told him that you couldn't have a visitor. You…had to tell us before hand."

Nami grabbed Sanji's hand and Sanji tried hard to keep down a bubble of…hope, was it? No. No, that was…that was impossible.

Play along, he chanted mentally. Play along, she knows what she's doing…

She spoke slowly, enunciating each word perfectly.

"Let me tell you something, Tim; if someone wants to see me, let them see me. Okay? In the time I'm staying here, if I ever see you act this prejudiced to another person again, I'll make sure no one will ever want to hire you."

Walking away and pulling Sanji with her, she called over her back, "And you can forget about our 'date!'"

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Sanji handed a steaming Nami a cup with coffee just as hot. She looked really, really pissed.

The bar they had finally arrived in was painted in hues of very dark scarlet and brown. The chairs were next to the floor-to-ceiling-windows, made of beautiful mahogany. The bar was but two-and-a-half feet from the tables and not only were the stools a comfortable leather, but the bar itself gleamed. However, in spite of the dark colors and little light from the lamps, it was considerably bright inside thanks to the waning light from the sea.

Sanji stood at a window. Nami, finally calming down and sipping her coffee, joined, curious, at what he was staring at. When she asked, he replied simply.

"Just looking for the treatments."

She made a small 'ah' and took a long sip of the coffee. It was cooling considerably, like her temper, although she wasn't sorry for that. It—the coffee—couldn't compare to the special blend Robin occasionally made.

"So where do they keep it?"

She looked at him, confused.

He clarified for her. "The spa. You're here on a resort vacation, right? So…where is it all?"

She smiled, relieved that the topics they were talking about were so simple.

She began. "Well, the hot springs are on a secluded spot of the island, more in the woods. It's really relaxing, supposedly. People sometimes spend the night there, since it's kinda far out. Like an extension. The pool, if you wander a bit, is found near the back. I haven't bothered to look for the gym because I have zero interest, but I think it's only a little ways from the special treatments—the therapy—and the saunas. I've actually been able to swim a bit and have a massage myself—which, mind you, was amazing. I was going to go for a bit longer today…maybe finally being able to visit the sauna, but…" she paused, trying to think of an alternative of what to say. She was going to go out a bit after she had finished her book that morning. But then Luffy and the crew had arrived…she had a feeling that bringing up the Straw Hats now would be a stupid move. She tried to make a quick lie.

"But…I wanted a bit of coffee…and some shopping…before going, so I decided to come down. Then the argument…"

She waved with her right hand, coffee in the left. "You know the rest."

Sanji grimaced, remembering the previous minutes. Was it really such a big deal that the concierge had been so prejudiced?

Better not to know, he resolved.

"So…" he began slowly. Nami turned to him, body still facing the window. "How about dinner?"

Her eyes flashed and ears turned red and he instantly knew he had said the wrong thing.

"Sanji…" she said coldly "You have a girlfriend. What do you think I'm going to say?"

"That's not what I…what I was trying to say…Actually…"

"Go on, spit it out."

"What I meant to say was 'will you go out to dinner with Mariasol and I?'"

Nami looked doubtful. "Well…I wouldn't want to impose on an outing just for the two of you…"

He brightened. That was all she was worried about? That was nothing.

"Oh, it'll be fine," he assured. "Mari-chan won't mind at all. Unless…" he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "…You want it to be just the two fo us?"

Nami blushed deeply. Where had that come from?

Deny, deny, deny! she thought frantically.

"No!" It came out louder than she intended to, and she clamped her free hand over her mouth.

Sanji laughed, a deep, husky, and melodious sound. It…kind of reminded her of the way Genzo laughed.

Running a hand through his hair, he smiled, giving a simple "joke, joke!"

She relaxed, visibly and mentally, and hit him lightly on the arm.

"Fine," she relented. "I'll go out with you and Mari-chan."

Elated, Sanji began filling her in on all the details: They'd meet her in the lobby at seven, have a coat or umbrella because it was supposed to rain, the place they were going to go to was dressy, but not ball gown worthy.

Running through her head the entire time, however, was the thought What have I done? Oh, god, what have I done?

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Robin slipped away from the wall, making her way quickly through the hall, ear trailing behind.

She had heard the whole thing.

Hmm…so Sanji had a girlfriend, eh?

She had a felling that, compared to Nami, she wouldn't last long.

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A/N: Well? Whaddya think? It's the end of chapter three, and to be honest, it was going to be a lot longer. But when I began counting pages, I felt sympathy for the betas and readers…

I may not update for a while, mainly because I have some pretty big projects due at school soon, and also because I need to plan out for the following chappies a bit. Don't give up all hope, though! I will update—just not for a while.

In the meanwhile, try the songs (Everything I Do) I Do For You and Don't Speak. It speaks the drama between these two pretty well.

Nami's going to dinner with Sanji and Mariasol! (le gasp!) What drama shall unfold?

Please R&R!

--VirgoMaiden