A/N: I'm sorry I didn't update in almost 2 weeks, school just started and I've been really tied up! But anyways, I really appreciate all your kind reviews and thoughts! It's very inspiring!

CHAPTER 11

The Lion, despite its now bleeding eye, charged at Luffy again. Luffy tried to dodge its flying paw again but was no use. He had been hit a second time, its claws quickly ripped through his flesh and sent Luffy to the ground.

Luffy got on his hands and knees and looked up at the angry Lion that was now hovering over him. Oh…What to do…

Despite Luffys out-of-control bleeding, he had to stand up and fight. He wasn't about to give up, not yet at least. He used the thought of what the Lion did to Nami last time to give him enough energy to at least stand.

He slowly got up from his knees and kept on holding his stomach as he rose to his feet. The Lion almost satisfied with its work. Almost being the key word. Luffy still wasn't dead.

"I don't get it…" Luffy mumbled, "You're supposed to be dead…" Luffy continued, although doubting the animal could understand him, "I killed you…"

The lion growled as it got closer and closer to Luffy with each stomp.

Luffy fixed his gaze on the Lion again, "I killed you…" he repeated a bit louder.

The lion only growled again as it took it's time on heading over to Luffy.

Luffy looked around for something… Anything that could possibly help him somehow. But no use, all there was was sand and water. He coughed up more blood as he felt his knees begin to get week again. But he had to stay strong, for Nami, for shanks, for his crew, for everyone.

He held his stomach tighter with one arm as he stretched his arm back in one more poor attempt to get rid of the pest. But still no use. He was so weak, his body wasn't even responding to him right.

Not being able to stand any longer, he collapsed to his knees with his arm still wrapped around his stomach as if to stop the bleeding. Luffy felt tears build up in his eyes, was this it? Was that all there was? Was he just gonna die and that was that?

Tears streamed down his cheeks as he looked across the beach at Nami, who was still on the ground motionless, "I-I'm sorry…" he murmured.

He his gaze shifted back to the Lion standing before him, "You win…"

The lion growled and Luffy just growled back… That's all he could do. As he laid on the ground waiting to be killed, thoughts ran through his mind like; What am I gonna do in the afterlife or I wonder if Nami'll be there with me. He still couldn't fully wrap his mind around the fact that he was about to die. It just seemed so unreal, fake, a dream.

It all just didn't seem possible, but his thoughts didn't change fact. The pain was all too real, the situation he was in was actually taking place, he was really gonna die. It was REAL.

He took one last look at Nami before he shut his eyes. He bit his tongue as he could feel the Lion come closer and closer, until he could feel it's deep breaths against his skin. It was disgusting!

"Hurry up!" Luffy shrieked, he couldn't take the wait anymore. But, when he opened his eyes again, something wasn't right. He couldn't feel the lion's breaths anymore, or couldn't feel its blood-stained fur against his skin; he couldn't even feel its presence.

Luffy suddenly sat up, ignoring his painful thoughts and his injuries and looked around. No Lion, he didn't even feel it walk off. It was like it was never there. He only wished the wounds the lion gave him were never there too.

Then he felt a strong pain shoot up his back, forcing him back to the ground. He still was in bad shape. But he wasn't relieved that the Lion was gone at all. Weather the lion ate him of not, he was still gonna die. Ether the lion killed him or his out of control bleeding would.

He coughed up even more blood; this whole thing seemed hopeless, none the less stupid. He wondered how his crew would react when he found them dead.

Then the thought hit him: NAMI! He couldn't let her die, not ever. Although he wasn't afraid for his life, he was very much afraid for hers. He promised he'd keep her safe; he planned on keeping his promise this time. Even if it killed him. It was okay if he died, but he'd never just let her die. Not ever, not in a million years. She meant more to him than anything in the universe. Heak, to him she was the universe.

He used all the strength left in him to crawl over to Nami's side, and sit next to her. He leaned over her, and placed his right hand on the side of her face. He sighed in relief when he felt she wasn't cold, and he smiled when he realized she was still breath.

Good, she still got to live, if there was much life left in her. He was still confused as to why she fainted in the first place, but was still glad she was alive. It meant he did something right for once.

He lightly kissed her forehead before laying next to her, then reaching for her hand as he closed his eyes again. At least now he could die peacefully. At least now he could leave the earth knowing he died next to the one person he loved more than anything. And hopefully, she'd live a nice long happy life.

Well, he got his wish: For an adventure. But who'd of though it'd end up like this? Maybe if he's been a little nicer to Sanji he would still live to see one piece. If he wasn't so damn stupid… he might've been able to thank shanks for saving him.

As he felt his hands get colder and colder, he squeezed Nami's warm hand again. As if to stay alive just a little longer, just to feel her there. As he slowly began to be stripped of all senses, he relaxed into the sand and waited. Then… Absolutely nothing…

LATER ON THE NEXT DAY!

"Wake up!" a VERY old man barked, shaking a boy back and fourth.

"Ungh!" Luffy moaned as the old man, about 110 years old, shook him violently.

"I said up, lazy!" The old man continued, starting to slap Luffy across the back of his head.

"Go away…" Luffy slapped the old mans hand away, then sitting up and rubbing his eyes. Then it hit him, he was ALIVE! He jumped out of the bed and danced around, pushing the old man out of the way in the process, "I'm alive, I'm alive!" he shouted in joy.

"Of course you're alive, I fixed ya up." The old man smirked proudly, then frowned again and pointed back at the bad, "Now sit back down, you're gonna make all my hard work go to waist."

"Where am I?" Luffy asked sitting back on the bed.

"My underground home, but yer not welcome. So don't think ya can make yourself at home." The old man scowled at him.

"Not very friendly, are you?" Luffy scowled back.

"Yer lucky I'm letten' ya stay here till you're better…" The old man ignore his scowl and got up, already heading out of the room.

"Wait!" Luffy hollered from across the room, "Where's Nami?"

The old man looked over his shoulder and at Luffy again, "You mean that poor girl?"

"Uh…" Luffy scratched his head for a moment, "Y-yeah, her."

The old man frowned at him, "There's no way your going anywhere near the lass, not in a million years."

TO BE CONTINUED! (Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!)

A/N: OMG! I'm so sorry it took so long to finish! I hope you review! Come on, it only takes 2 minutes :D!

IN UPCOMING CHAPTERS!

Why won't the old man let Luffy anywhere near Nami? What does mean when the orb changes color? What exactly is the orb? This is all in the upcoming chapters!