Wow. I updated fast this time didn't I? And actually, I'm pretty proud of this chapter. But no further delays. On to the story!

Chapter 17

Kelvin stepped out of the shadows where he had been lingering. Vivi felt a cold chill run down her entire body as he approached from behind. He drew his sword and she waited for the cold sensation of metal being pressed to her neck, but it never came.

"What are you waiting for?!" Crocodile demanded. "Kill her!"

"No." Kelvin replied.

Vivi exhaled, letting out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. "What's going on?" she thought in wonder.

"You refuse me." Crocodile said. It wasn't a question. It was more of a threat.

"I won't kill her." Kelvin stated once again.

"You wouldn't dare defy me Kelvin. Or should I say, Mr.11." he said.

Kelvin drew in a sharp breath at this comment.

"What?!" Vivi cried, finally snapping out of her state of shock. She whirled to face her fiance.

He sighed, defeated. "Vivi...I meant to...I was going to...I..." he stuttered but stopped, helpless.

"Spit it out boy!" Crocodile ordered.

"Why should I?! My life is bad enough because of you!" Kelvin replied angrily.

"Then I'll just explain for you." Crocodile said. He replaced the gold covering over his hook.

"NO!" Kelvin screamed. He ran at Crocodile, sword at ready, but he vanished. Kelvin glanced around desperately.

Sand began froming behind him and as he whirled around, Crocodile raised up his hook and swung it at Kelivin, who didn't even attempt to move. He knew he was dead. But death did not come. Instead, he opened his eyes and saw that he had not been touched. Instead, his shirt lay on the ground in front of him. Realizing what had happened, he tried to hide his back from Vivi, but he was too slow.

Vivi gasped and put her hand in front of her mouth. Her eyes were wide in shock. "How could you?" she asked in barely even a whisper.

"Vivi I...I can explain!" Kelvin cried desperately as he turned to face her, but now she knew the truth. For on his back, there was a tattoo. And that tattoo was the mark of Baroque Works.

"Save it and just tell me what you mean by having the nerve to even come into this palace." Vivi said coldly.

Kelvin looked down at the floor like a child being scolded. "I'm sorry Vivi. After awhile...I never wanted you to find out. But here I stand in front of you in all my glory. My past has finally caught me." he said sorrowfully.

"Allow me to explain." Crocodile volunteered. He seemed to be enjoying this. "About ten years ago, Kelvin joined Baroque Works as one of the Millions. His expertise as a swordsman soon caught one of the officer's eyes and he was promoted to a Billion after only a year. He was young, strong, and a good fighter. In order to become a Billion, he was put through many harsh tests and he had to swear loyalty to me. Once he had passed all the prior tests, he was given his tattoo as a sign of loyalty and he became a Billion. This was about the time that I was setting the Alabasta revolution into motion. He proved capable to carry out any assingment he was handed and had a lot of potential. After the capture of Mr.11, I made contact with him. I offered him the position and he accepted. I never met him personally because of my involvement in the war and some unwanted intervention. I knew my time may be short lived so I wrote instructions in a letter for what to do if I was captured. Since Kelvin was currently my only top officer that was not wanted by the government, I sent it to him. It had specific instructions on what to do if I was ever captured, and I have to say, he has done a fantastic job." Crocodile said. Here he paused.

Kelvin was still drilling holes in the floor with his eyes. His tattoo was still revealed for the World to see his shame.

"Where was I? Ah yes. After I was captured, he had specific instructions to come to Alubarna and enlist in the Alabasta Royal Guard. Once admitted, he was to attempt to rise in ranks and impress your father. After that, I left it up to him as to how he was going to get close to you princess. Once he had your complete trust...he was supposed to kill you." Crocodile said with a dark grin.

Vivi stared at Kelvin in shock and disgust. "How could you?" she demanded. "How could you do that to me? How could you promise to be there for me, knowing you were going to kill me one day?! And how could you make me push away the one person I truly loved?! A man who is ten times the person you'll ever be!!!"

"Vivi, it's not like that!" Kelvin cried in protest.

"Oh, it wasn't huh? Then what was it Kelvin?" she asked in a mocking tone. "You know what, I thought you were a good person and would have gladly married you. But now...I realize you are no better then the monster standing behind you! You probably never even cared about me!!!"

Kelvin flinched inwardly. "You are right. I have done some bad things. I'm probably not any better than Crocodile. But never make the mistake of thinking I don't care about you. It might not have started out that way, but that's how it turned out. I never killed you because there was one problem. I made the fatal mistake of any assasin. I got too close to my target." Kelvin said. He looked her in straight in the eye.

Vivi could see the sorrow in his eyes and they nearly broke her down. The only thing holding her back was the thought that this man had probably killed many of her people without a second thought. And even if his feelings had changed, that didn't change what he had done. And why hadn't he told her the truth? She would have had a hard time at first but it would have been better than now. Anywhere but here. "Why didn't you tell me? How can I believe you anymore?" she asked.

Kelvin shifted, obviouly uncomfortable. Crocodile grinned over his discomfort. "You can't. I want you to, but I have no proof to give you. I have never made anything good out of myself. I thought this was my chance to escape my past and redeem myself, but now...now that's gone too. I'm sorry." he said.

Vivi's heart nearly broke. "Kelvin..." she said in barely a whisper. Only he heard her.

"Enough. If you are done with your stories, then let's continue." Crocodile said. He made a lunge for Vivi with his hook. To stunned to do anything, she merely stood there, numb from shock.

"Vivi!!!" Kelvin cried. He quikly jumped in front of her, dropping his sword in the process.

"KELVIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Vivi screamed in terror. Even Crocodile showed a small sign of surprise. The hook that had been aimed at Vivi's heart was now sticking through Kelvin's back, continuing until it protruded from his chest...directly through his heart.

Kelvin looked at Vivi. His eyes were beginning to fade over. To her, it was like time was slowing to a crawl. Her frantic screams seemed to echo forever and Kelvin's expression would be forever frozen in her mind. Her tears dropped slowly. Each drop seemed to make a noise that she felt would shake the Earth. Finally, Crocodile withdrew his hook and Kelvin fell. He smiled and mouthed the words, "I'm sorry," before hitting the floor.

Vivi wacthed, unable to breath, unable to do anything but cry. Sobs shook her entire body until she felt like every part of her hurt. Nami came over and stood protectively beside her. For now, though, she couldn't comfort her. That would have to wait until their lives were no longer in danger.

Chopper walked over to Kelvin. He felt for a pulse, but found none. There was nothing to find.

"Why?" Vivi thought over and over. "Why did it have to happen? He was telling the truth. He was trying to redeem himself! It's just not fair!!!! Why why WHY?!!!!" her brain screamed.

Chopper looked at her sadly and shook his head.

"IT'S NOT FAIR!!!!!!!!" Vivi screached.

"He got what he deserved. He had the opportunity to kill you and he didn't. He disobeyed me. He didn't deserve to live. He's just like Strawhat. They both got what they deserved and so that, princess, makes it fair." Crocodile stated.

"I told you to SHUT UP!!!!!" Vivi screamed. Her hands were in tightly balled fists. "I cared about them and now they're gone!!! You've killed too many people and now it's time for you to pay!!!"

"And who's going to make me? You?" Crocodile asked skeptically.

"No. Me." Nami said. While Vivi and Crocodile had been talking, Nami had been busy. She had used her climatact to form a cloud over Crocodile's head. Now, she had a lightning orb attached to the final piece of her weapon.

"Nice try." Crocodile said. He started to move from beneath the cloud.

"Not so fast. What's the hurry?" Robin asked. She stepped out of the shadows where she had been lingering, waiting for a chance to jump in. She held Crocodile woth two hands she sprouted from the ground beneath him. Anger shone clear on Robin's normally passive face. She willed her hands to garb Crocodile's ankles in a death grip.

"Thanks Robin!" Nami said grateful. She slung the lightning orb into the cloud and formed another on the end of her climatact. She smiled at Crocodile who was still trying desperately to break free from Robin's grasp. "Thunder Lance Tempo!" she cried. A bolt of lightning shot from the low lying cloud to the end of the climatact. Crocodile was in the middle of the two and unfortunately for him, he was the target.

Everyone in the room crouched down as the lightning found it's target. Robin made her hands disappear just in time. When the lightning disappeared, everyone slowly stood up to see what had happened.

"Is he..." Chopper asked slowly.

"I don't think so." Robin replied. "It will take more than that to win."

Sure enough, when the last remains of dust and debris cleared, they could see the hunched over figure of Crocodile.

Crocodile coughed up blood. The pain from the attack was something he hadn't felt in a long time. He slowly and painfully pushed himself up and faced the small group. "Not bad. I'm impressed you have even gotten this far. I'm especially surprised to see you Nico Robin. Or should I say Miss All-Sunday?" he asked with an evil grin.

Robin glared daggers at him but did not try to retaliate. "You had no right to kill that man." she said catching him off guard. "I've been in the same position he has. I defied you in order to live and finally be free. I know how he felt. I know what he wanted and you had no right to take that away. And another thing," Robin said, pausing only long enough to cross her arms and sprout hands on Crocodile's back. "Never call me Miss All-Sunday again." She uncrossed her arms. "Clutch."

Crocodile felt like he was being ripped in two. He let out a small cry as Robin dropped him to the ground. "So this is how it feels." he thought.

"Robin..." Nami said quietly.

Vivi had watched the entire scene in amazement. The woman who had always been at Crocodile's side had destroyed him. As she came back to reality, a wave of sadness suddenly washed over her and she kneeled beside Kelvin's lifeless body. He had given his life to save her and now she would make sure it wasn't in vain. Robin was already making sure of that.

"C-C-Chopper." Nami studdered. "Check on Sanji and Zoro now."

Chopper nodded in agreement. He slowly made his way over to his fallen friends and began an evaluation. He was as much in shock over Robin's outburst as the rest of them.

Franky, who had been off to the side the entire time, unsure of what to do, now stepped out. Tears were rolling down his face. "Robin...so beautiful! So powerful!" he sniffled.

"Thank you Cyborg-San." she replied.

Chopper stood up. "They'll be okay. Sanji just lost alot of blood, but a little rest and he'll be fine. As far as Zoro, the poison should wear off in a couple days." Chopper explained.

"But what about you?" a voice from behind Chopper asked. Chills ran down his spine.

"Chopper!!!!!!" Nami screamed.

Crocodile grinned as he impaled the little reindeer with his hook. Everyone had let their guard down and now Chopper was paying the price. His face was blank as Crocodile slung him off the hook and onto the ground beside Sanji and Zoro.

"I tire of these games. I have other matters to attend to and it's time for this to be over." Crocodile said. He turned to sand and disappeared.

"Watch out until we know where he is!" Nami ordered.

Everyone looked around frantically, searching for any hints of their enemie's whereabouts.

"There!" Franky suddenly cried. He pointed up to the top of the stone.

"It's time for this fight to be over!" Crocodile yelled down to them. A sand tornado was starting to form in the palm of his hand. "Desert Sands Heavy!" He released the sand and it came toward the ground.

Nami, Franky, Usopp, Robin, and Vivi watched helplessly as the sand bomb sped toward them. It hit the ground with a defening explosion. The group of five was slammed into the closest wall to them, knocking them unconscious.

Crocodile began laughing, a slow, monotone laugh as he saw his handywork.

Vivi slipped in and out of consciousness, fighting to wake herself completely up. It was useless. Just before she finally slipped into that dark void, she heard a cracking sound and could have sworn she saw the giant saphire start to break. But she could never be sure for she lost consciousness at that time.

Crocodile however, was wide awake. He heard the cracking noise. He saw the giant saphire shatter and the pieces fall to the floor. And finally, he saw a giant shape coming toward him as it ripped through the wall. He could have sworn it was a giant fist but he didn't have a chance to find out because he was knocked out before he ever hit the ground along with the pieces of the destroyed rock in the chamber's center.

The giant shape disappeared and a man appeared in the gaping hole where the grand doors used to stand. He shrunk his fist back to normal, causing him to shrink also.

"Gear Third." Luffy said as he stepped onto the balcony.

Surprise! Luffy's back! And sorry for killing off Kelvin. It will make sense later. Please don't kill me!!!