It's been what, 2 weeks, since I last updated. I've done horrible and this chapter isn't the greatest either. For those of you who like fluff though, I guess it's pretty good.

Chapter 23

"You want me to what?!!" Terracotta asked in disbelief. "Vivi-sama, you know I want to help you in any way possile but isn't this a little ridiculous?"

"I'm sorry Terracotta-san. I hate asking you for a huge favor like this, you know that. But this is a special occasion." Vivi pleaded.

Terracotta sighed. "Even if I did agree to this crazy idea, there aren't enough chefs in the entire palace to preform this impossible task."

Vivi grinned slyly. "Oh, I know someone. Then again, you probably wouldn't be interested." she said, turning around playfully, daring Terracotta to play her little mind game.

Deciding it was easier to go along with the princess, she asked wearily, "And who would that be?"

"A friend of mine. But I can tell you're not interested." Vivi said indifferently.

"Vivi-sama..." Terracotta warned.

Vivi looked at her with puppy dog eyes.

"Okay! Okay! I give! Who is it?" Terracotta asked, smiling in spite of her earlier protests.

Vivi smiled triumphantly, knowing she had won. "Sanji." she replied simply.

Terracotta slapped her forehead with the palm of her hand. "That guy? Vivi-sama, he does more flirting with the women then he does cooking. Besides, he isn't that great of a cook, is he?"

"I heard that." Sanji said as he walked into the palace's kitchen. He flicked his used cigerette into the trash bin by the door and rolled up his sleeves. "I'll show you I can cook."

"Sanji-kun!" Vivi exclaimed in surprise. "I thought you were in your room."

"I heard you needed some help." he said. He grinned, "So, where's the fridge?"

"Hold on just a second! I never agreed on letting him into my kitchen!" Terracotta argued.

"Terracotta-san..." Vivi half-whined. "We don't have time to argue."

Terracotta glared at her but caved when Vivi gave her puppy dog eyes again. "Fine." she grumbled. "But he better not dissapoint me. Or flirt."

Sanji smirked. "I won't disappoint you. As for flirting..."

"Sanji!" Vivi cried.

"Sorry." he muttered.

"The fridge is over there." Terracotta grumbled, pointing to the back of the kitchen. "I hope you're happy." she said through gritted teeth.

Vivi giggled. "Thanks Terracotta-san. I owe you one." she said and rushed out of the kitchen, calling back, "I'll get the others and we'll be back for dinner!"

"Somedays that girl-" Terracotta started to say but was interupted by a crash in the back of the kitchen.

"You need to stack this stuff better!" Sanji called.

Terracotta muttered something uncomprehendable and then went to help Sanji fix the fridge.

Meanwhile, Vivi burst out of the kitchen and into the hallway where Karoo was waiting for her. "Come on. Let's go to the courtyard. Luffy said he wanted to meet me there for something." she said. She jumped on his back and they headed off.

As they rode through the palace, Vivi's thoughts drifted. "These last few days have passed so fast. How long has it been? Four days? Yes, that's it. It's been four days since Luffy's return and things are going great. He's finally fixed things with his friends. I wish I knew what he said but I couldn't intrude. I made my choice about being their nakama years ago and now I must live with that decision. Still, I wonder what Luffy wants to talk to me about?"

Her thoughts were interupted when Karoo came to a halt at the doors to the courtyard. She climbed off and stood beside him, resting her hand on his back. "Thanks Karoo. I'll be fine from here. Go take a break. You've earned it. Just be at dinner in a couple hours." she said. He quacked in agreement and ran off.

Vivi turned to face the doors and took a deep breath. She hadn't talked with Luffy by herself since...since he left. She shook her head in disgust with herself. This was a talk with Luffy! The same person who had saved her country and the man she loved. So why was she so nervous? She took a deep breath to steady herself and then pushed open the large doors in front of her. As she took her first tentive step into the courtyard, she saw him sitting on a stone bench in the palace's garden underneath the sakura tree. He was absentmindedly playing with it's blossoms.

"Luffy-san, you said you wanted to see me." Vivi said as she approached.

He looked up, startled. "Oh, hey Vivi!" he said with a large grin, obviously pleased to see her.

"So...umm...you said you wanted to see me." Vivi said as she sat beside him.

"Oh! Uhh...well..." he stuttered. Finally he gave a sigh and said, "Vivi, tell me the truth. Do you hate me?"

Vivi was caught off guard by his question. It was so direct, just like that night 8 years ago. "Luffy, why would you even think something like that?!" she cried.

"Well do you?" he asked, this time looking her straight in the eye.

"Luffy," she said, more gently this time, "I could never hate you."

He seemed slightly comforted by her response. "Okay, so I know you don't hate me. We're nakama, right? But I want to know something else. Promise to tell me the truth?"

"I promise." Vivi replied.

Luffy took a deep breath before continuing, "Do you...do you still...love me?"

Vivi looked him in the eyes, searching for a reason behind his odd questions. However, she found it impossible to read what Luffy was thinking, just like every time before. "Luffy I..." she started to say but he cut her off.

"It's okay. Just say it." he said, looking away as he attempted to hide his tears.

"Luffy, I could never stop loving you, no matter what you did. Sure, we might have had some hard times these last few days but, that doesn's change how I feel. And right now, I need you. I need you more than ever." Vivi said, on the verge of tears.

Luffy looked up and then slowly whispered, "And that's the truth?"

"I promised didn't I?" she replied.

Finally, Luffy smiled. It was a huge smile that Vivi had missed so much. The one she had thought about ever since he had left. But, just as soon as it had appeared, it vanished.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"It's just...how can we ever be together? I've thought about that. You're a princess and I'm a pirate. You have your country and, well, I'm the Pirate King." he said as he leaned back against the tree.

"I knew I would have to answer this question one day but now that the time has come, can I do it?" Vivi thought. She looked at him and said something she had been preparing ever since he had left. "Luffy, if you will let me, I want to come with you. I know that I stayed before, but I realize that I should have come with you and I've waited for 8 years to ask you this. I want to be with you no matter what. You said you would give up being a pirate to be with me but now I'm going to give up my country for you. Because if we stayed here, you would never have my whole heart, no matter how much I would want you to have it. That's why I want to leave. I want you to have my whole heart."

Luffy grinned. "That's exactly what I wanted to hear." he said happily. "Vivi, will you join my crew?"

She gasped. Her eyes widened and tears trickled down her face, but she was smiling the whole time. "Of course I will Luffy." she said.

"Then...I have something to ask you." Luffy said.

Vivi wiped away the few remaining tears and asked, "What is it Luffy?"

He stood up and walked slightly away from her while looking at the sky. He turned and began pacing back and forth in front of the bench with his hands behind his back. Finally he stopped and turned to face her, avoiding eye contact. "Vivi...I...er..." he stuttered. He cleared his throat and then finally looked at her. "Vivi, since you're coming with me, then...I guess it's finally time to ask you something I have wanted to for a long time now." Here he paused and took a deep breath. Vivi looked up at him expectantly. "I want you to be with you for a really long time and that's why...that's why...I want you to marry me." he finally said.

At first, Vivi's face was that of pure shock. Then, she slowly began crying until it became an uncontrolable sob that shock her entire body.

"Vivi, what's wrong?! Is it something I said?! I'm sorry!" Luffy cried helplessly.

"No! You didn't do anything wrong Luffy! I'm crying because I'm happy!" she said through fits of tears.

"Huh?" Luffy asked, now completely lost.

"Sit down!" she cried as she pulled him onto the bench next to her. He let out a small yelp as she threw her arms around him and kissed him. When she let go, she was laughing.

Poor Luffy had no clue what to do. In less than a minute, Vivi had gone from crying to kissing to laughing. He had no idea how this romance stuff was supposed to work and this wasn't helping.

After Vivi finally calmed down she looked at him with a large grin. "Well, now that you've made me happy, it's time for me to show you your surprise." She paused to look up at the sky. The sun was just beginning to set. They had been out there longer then she had realized. "Come on. It should be done by now!"

"Surprise?" Luffy asked, still a little dazed.

This made Vivi giggle as she dragged him toward the palace. "We have to go get the others too." she said.

"Okay." Luffy agreed, uncapable of saying anything more complex.

Vivi rolled her eyes as she threw open the doors to the palace. To her surprise, she found Karoo and one of his many friends waiting on her. "How did you...but...never mind." she said. She shoved Luffy on the other duck before jumping onto Karoo. Then they were off to get the others.

So, I've been off for a couple weeks. Did I do any good at all? Ugh. This story has no direction. Actually, I'm hoping to end it soon. Maybe even the next chapter. I don't know.