You'll be happy, and then pissed off at me in this chapter I think. I'll say no more, just that, please don't kill me. Please? Oh, and I've decided to add a litte bit of SanNam. Not much, very light. Verrrry Light.

Ha! Over one hundred reviews for this story! My god! I am so happy! Thankyou all! -throws confetti and random Luffy's and Zoro's at you all- Love you heaps!

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Chapter 17: Apology Accepted

The car was silent as Nami drove them further and further away from their real destination and straight onward towards her own personal agenda. Luffy was awake, but he may as well have been asleep.

He barely made any sounds and when asked if he wanted something to eat by Sanji, he just shook his head, eyes glued to the road in front of them. Zoro was really no different. He made even less attempts at movement than Luffy.

Nami's eyes widened when she saw a familiar house pass by. Her hands tightened ever so slightly on the wheel and her face instantly became a mask. No way was Nami going to let any of them know that something was up.

She had worked too hard to throw it all away now. Flashes of her past began to come to her as she drove deeper into the little rural area. Bellemere… her foster mother and the one that had taken care of her until she had died.

That was Arlong's fault. Bellemere had died with a broken heart. Nojiko… her sister, and best friend. Genzo, the mayor. Everything came flooding back to her and she clenched her teeth, continuing to drive.

"Hey, we're here." Chopper called and both Luffy and Zoro both looked up to look around. Zoro's eyes narrowed and he cleared his throat.

"I don't remember this place." he said. Nami twisted in her seat and glared at them all in the rear-view mirror.

"That's because it isn't Zoro's town. It's a… pit stop." she growled and then watched the road again. Luffy grabbed his hat from the floor and casually dusted it off, the movement of his hand catching the swordsman's eye.

Zoro watched Luffy for a minute and then looked out the window again, his face falling back into a look of depression. Luffy saw Zoro watching from the corner of his eye, but, he wasn't going to say anything.

At least Zoro still acknowledged that Luffy was there. Luffy himself however, would rather disappear into the ground at this point in time. Nami pulled the car over and with the finesse that only comes from many years of thievery, she slipped the keys into her pocket so no one would notice that they were gone and that she in fact actually had them.

"I'm going to go for a walk." she said, popping her door open.

"My gorgeous Nami! I'll come with you!" Sanji cried from the back.

"No Sanji. You stay here." Nami commanded and the cook paused and then nodded.

"Of course. Whatever you wish." he replied. Nami watched him for a second and then got out of the car, slamming the door shut after her. She turned away and walked across the road.

She paused in the shadows and looked backwards at the car where Usopp was talking merrily to Chopper, Luffy was talking to Sanji and Zoro was leaning against the window, asleep apparently. She smiled softly, sadly, and then continued, disappearing down an alleyway.

----

Luffy looked around.

"Anyone seen Nami?" he asked. Sanji paused.

"She said she was going for a walk. She'll come back." he replied.

"But, it's sunset." Zoro commented, opening an eye. Luffy started slightly at the swordsman's voice.

"She might have gotten lost." Usopp defended.

"This is Nami, she's a navigator." Zoro replied. Sanji paused.

"So what are you suggesting? That she ran off and left us here?" he asked, getting thoroughly annoyed. The car was silent.

"Nami wouldn't do that." Luffy said. Sanji nodded.

"Exactly. She wouldn't leave us." the chef agreed.

"How do you know?" Zoro snapped. He was seeming more like his old self now. Luffy shook his head.

"She wouldn't. She's our friend."

"Nami… would she leave us?" Chopper asked softly.

"No, she-" Luffy said forcefully.

"Well, let's solve the problem. Let's go and look for her. Someone can drive the car." Zoro commented, cutting Luffy off. The dark haired boy frowned at him but Zoro shook his head.

"I'll drive." Usopp volunteered.

"No you won't. Sanji, you drive. Chopper, Usopp, you guys go back the way we came and look everywhere. Luffy, you're coming with me." Zoro commanded. Luffy was speechless and then he grinned and gave a short nod.

"Right." and he got out of the car. Sanji leaned towards the steering wheel and then paused.

"…where are the keys?" he asked.

"In the ignition idiot." Zoro growled. Sanji blinked and then frowned.

"They are not sea weed head."

"Nami was driving so she must… have…" and Luffy trailed off, not willing to finish his sentence.

"Go with Usopp and Chopper then."

"Why the hell do I have to go with them?" the cook snapped. Zoro glared at him.

"Because, I don't want your mouldy head hanging over my shoulder you skinny giraffe."

"Fuck you." Sanji replied and then got out of the car. Zoro got out his side, Usopp following him. Chopper bounced onto the back seat and then out the door as well.

"Right, meet back here. If you find Nami, don't give her any indication that we knew she ran off." Zoro explained.

"A) Nami didn't run off, and b) who the hell died and made you king?" Sanji growled. Zoro frowned.

"Let's go Luffy." he said and walked away.

"Hey, moss head! You didn't answer my question!" Sanji called but Zoro ignored him.

"Do you want to find Nami or not?" Luffy snapped before following the swordsman.

"Of course I do." Sanji replied.

"Then go!" and Luffy ran after Zoro who was already across the street. Sanji blinked and then looked around to see Usopp and Chopper already walking away.

"Stupid kid and a messed up marimo. They're a fucking match made in heaven." and then he moved after the reindeer and the marksman.

----

Luffy glanced up at Zoro, and then back at the dark alley ahead, and then at Zoro again. He didn't know what to say, there was nothing he could say.

Have to say something that sounds really smart. Luffy thought. He opened his mouth, and tripped on a loose, large piece of stone in the alley.

"Gafhga!" Luffy cried as he fell forward and then hit the ground. Zoro paused and raised an eyebrow.

"Ah… that hurt?" he asked.

"… just a little." Luffy groaned as he sat up, "Hey, you talked to me." Zoro blinked and then sighed.

"Yeah… that's why I wanted you to come out here with me."

"So I could trip and embarrass myself?"

"Wha…? No. I meant, I wanted to talk to you."

"Oh…"

"Right, well, what you said got me thinking and, well, I have been a little mean."

"Yeah, you were."

"Will you shutup and let me finish?" Zoro growled. Luffy shrugged.

"Finish then."

"And… well, I'm… sorry." and he looked at Luffy's face a little hopefully. Luffy paused and then he tilted his head.

"You're sorry? Oh Zoro. I'm sorry too. I didn't mean to say what I did, I just got angry at you." he said, pushing his two pointer fingers together. Zoro laughed.

"I guess we both kind of got a little carried away." and he continued laughing. Luffy looked up and then he began laughing as well.

"Yeah, we were acting like idiots!" and he grabbed his stomach as he laughed. It echoed through the alley for a few minutes, before finally dying down, leaving two friends to look at each other and smiled.

"Friends again?" Zoro asked, holding out a hand. Luffy tilted his head.

"When did we stop? Just cos' we had a fight, doesn't mean we weren't friends." the boy replied. Zoro grinned.

"Right." and he stood straight up again. Luffy got up and dusted himself off.

"My nose hurts." he commented, going cross-eyed as he tried to see said nose. Zoro snorted.

"It should, you hit the ground pretty hard." the taller of the two replied. Luffy chuckled and then looked at Zoro again.

"It's good to be talking to you again Zoro. I missed you." he said. Zoro blinked and then a small smile appeared on his face.

"Yeah… I missed you too Luffy." and he placed a hand on his friends shoulder. Luffy placed a hand on Zoro's shoulder as well. They stayed like that for a few moments, faces seeming to inch closer together and eyes slowly closing.

Both knew what they wanted, and both knew that it was going to happen. Nothing could stop it now. The two were so close that their breaths were felt on the other's cheek.

CRASH!

"ARLONG!" came a yell and Luffy turned, looking down the alley.

"Nami." he said and grabbing Zoro's hand, he dragged the swordsman down the dark path.

…damn. Zoro thought.

----

Usopp walked along the sidewalk, hands in his pockets and one finger sliding up and down the gun he held there. It felt weird in his pocket, almost...alien.

But then, it felt comfortable as well, and Usopp knew that when the time came for him to use it, he would know exactly how. And he was sure there would be a time he would have to use it, being a fugitive and all.

"Why do you act like that around Nami?" he suddenly asked, startling Sanji and Chopper. Sanji blinked.

"Because, Nami is the most beautiful flower I have ever seen!" he cried, eyes becoming hearts. Chopper raised a reindeery eyebrow.

"Why?" he asked. Sanji puffed out a breath of smoke.

"Well, look at her. She's perfect in every way. Sweet," and Usopp snorted, "beautiful, has a perfect hourglass shape. Need I say anymore?" he asked.

"No. But, Sanji, if you looked beyond her beauty, I'm sure you'd see something else. Whether you'd like it though, is up to you." Chopper replied. Usopp raised an eyebrow and Sanji was silent.

"What was that Chopper?" Usopp asked. Chopper blinked and then grinned.

"I saw it on a bumper sticker." he replied brightly. Sanji fell over behind them and the two stopped to look at the chef.

"What are you doing down there?" Usopp asked. Sanji groaned as he got up.

"I don't know, but it hurt." he replied.

CRASH!

"ARLONG!"

"That's Nami's voice!" Sanji cried and turning, he began to run back in the direction they had just came.

"How can you tell?" Usopp asked as he ran just behind the chef.

"I'll never forget my sweet angel's musical tone!" he cried, hopping a step before continuing. Usopp rolled his eyes at Chopper, who was running beside them. Chopper giggled.

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Well, that was a very short chapter. Sorry about that. I didn't feel very well this week, so, I kind of slacked off on my multi-chaptered fics, and instead worked on one shots. They were a lot easier and my brain didn't have to work as hard.

Sorry bout that. Hope this chappie wasn't too much of a tease either. -laughs nervously- Reviews would be very much appreciated.