AN: Urgh...The class I'm in is the hardest one yet...Have you ever avoided something your entire life and then suddenly had to take a class about it? And not just that, the class is geared towards teachers so unless I submit an assignment from a "certain point of view" I lose credit. I freaking hate it when you try to learn something just because you want to know it and others have to suck all the enjoyment out of it. Okay, I'm done bitching now. xD

Can't think of anything to say about this chapter except that I'm sorry it's late and it's about damn time right? :P This chapter might be one of my favorites so far but I'm having a hard time deciding on where to go from here. I don't want things to become too mundane but there are certain things that have to be established before I move forward in time, you know? Anyway...I've been wanting to write, I really have, I just haven't been able to. I am so frustrated. :(

I do not own One Piece.

They didn't stick around the shipyards for very long…For some reason Paulie got very nervous whenever one of his co-workers or his boss spoke to her, so after maybe half an hour the blond finally managed to pry her away from Lulu and Kaku, who both gave him smug grins, and back onto the water metropolis' streets.

"They're all so nice!" Nami gushed, aware of the annoyed look her companion had on his face. Her lips tilted upwards into a smile…which changed into a fixed grin on her face when she remembered the deal she had made…She was going to have to let him help her, 'Or let him think he's helping me,' for at least a few days…possibly as long as a week, otherwise he'd get suspicious.

The thief half expected the second voice in her head to accuse her of stretching her stay out but it was oddly silent. As she followed the shipwright the silence stretched uncomfortably, not just from him but that other part of her mind she had gotten used too.

"So what now?" She said out loud.

Paulie made a distracted sound and she realized they he was staring at the ground as they walked, deep in thought. 'What's he so preoccupied with…?'

Seeing as he wasn't going to talk to her the petite woman sighed deeply and stretched her arms above her head, then let them cross behind her neck and stay there.

They had been walking for a few moments when the copper haired woman was bumped, roughly, by a man passing in the other direction. "Sorry…" He mumbled. In her peripheral vision she saw her companion turn to see what was happening.

Eyebrow twitching in annoyance she stopped walking and waited, her arms sliding down to settle on her hips as she glowered at him.

"Sorry." He said as he attempted to leave.

The chain attaching her stolen purse to her body jerked as he tried to move further away. Unprepared the thief stopped and looked to see what his newly acquired loot was caught on. His eyes widened just before she brought her Bo staff down on his head in annoyance.

"Yeowch!!!" Clasping the forming lump on his cranium the would-be thief dropped her purse and whimpered in pain.

She snagged the chain and pulled it up, resettling her money back where it belonged while she glared at him again. "Idiot…" She said coolly and then turned back to the blond whose eyebrows had risen in surprise.

"I was a better pickpocket when I was ten." She sniffed disdainfully as she passed him, not bothering to give them cringing man another look. "Let's go." She added firmly; continuing in the direction they had first been heading, waiting for Paulie to catch up with her…which he did a few steps later.

"What was that all about?"

The cat burglar sniffed again in disgust. "That idiot had absolutely no idea what he was doing…!" Her tone was faintly outraged. "No finesse whatsoever."

Aware that she hadn't really answered his question, but not caring, the copper haired woman continued on, muttering uncomplimentary things about other thieves in general. She heard him snicker.

"What…?!" She snapped.

"Why the hell are you so offended that guy didn't get your stuff?" The tall man shook his head at her while reaching up to roll his cigar in his mouth. Whatever he thought about her stopping that little robbery was kept off of his face, leaving her with no guesses of his feelings on the matter.

"It's the principle of the thing!" Eyes flashing dangerously she looked up at her companion, even as they continued on their way. "I haven't had to teach an amateur like that in years!" The blond continued to smirk in that irritating way. "Oh, forget it!!"

She stomped after him for several more moments before she heard his slight groan. Her face jerked up from staring at the ground, thinking something was wrong, but felt another wave of annoyance when she realized they were back at the apartment…

'Him and those stupid stairs!!!'

But Paulie had already walked towards the complex door and paused to look at her when he realized she wasn't right behind him. It would have been nice to taunt him in some way, but that would be contrary to her plan; so instead she walked forward again, saying, "I'm coming! I'm coming!"

The shipwright let them back into the apartment and immediately the irritated little thief slipped past him and stalked towards her room…She had yet to stop muttering insults under her breath, and he suspected some of them were directed at him.

Setting aside his amusement at her antics Paulie's mind returned to the problem at hand…How could he have been stupid enough to forget his own debts?! Nami must think him an idiot…Which, at the moment, he couldn't dispute.

Feeling the familiar frustrated anger creeping up on him the blond turned to make another cup of coffee, his first having been abandoned hours ago when his companion had insisted on leaving. He leaned against the shorter counter top, both elbows propped on it as he began thinking again.

25,000…

Groaning slightly he dropped his head, letting the fingers of one hand run through his longish blond hair in aggravation. He was such an idiot!!! No wonder it took Iceburg-san's interference before Nami agreed to stay…he was an absolute moron and she must have seen it from the beginning.

The sound of her in the hall, (her delicate looking sandals made a distinctive sound) made him look up in time to see the petite woman storm into the living room; her temper had not improved. Again it made his lips quirk but he forced the full smile away when she glared at him.

"If I'm staying than I am at least getting a shower!!" She demanded.

Though he choked slightly Paulie regained himself quickly. "Of course, Nami." He said mildly. "That bathroom's fully functional." He put his hands down flat on the counter top in a gesture of peace as she continued to glower at him.

"What's got you so down?!" Her question startled him no less than the tone in her voice which had lost its angry edge. "I've been outvoted, so I'm staying…" It was said almost jokingly, and he realized she truly was trying to cheer him up.

Though he would have liked to deal with it in private, his idiocy was going to cause trouble when he was supposed to be helping her…so she at least deserved the truth…

"I'm…real sorry I forgot…" Feeling unbelievably uncomfortable the blond absently put one hand behind his head to scratch his neck. "I uh...I hadn't thought about it for a while…" His cheeks began heating up as he confessed his stupidity to her, but the copper haired woman was looking at him thoughtfully.

"How much did you say it was…?"

'Ugh…Why's she gotta ask?!'

Feeling his discomfort rising quickly he coughed and hoped his answer would satisfy her. "25,000…I'll deal with it…somehow."

She nodded, the thoughtful look still on her face, and said, "Just a second." In confusion he watched her turn and disappear back down the hall and then heard her rustling around, a few curse words drifting to him.

His curiosity began rising and finally he stepped out from behind the counter to see what the petite woman was up to…She was digging around in that giant sack of gold he had left by her door.

Paulie blinked. What…was she doing…?

His question was partially answered as she triumphantly pulled out two huge wads of cash. Giving the money only a brief look she dove back into the bag, golden trinkets slipping out and onto the floor around her unnoticed.

"Where are they…?"

Without realizing it Paulie had begun moving closer, his curiosity now almost even with his embarrassment. Nami pulled out another wad of cash and dropped it next to the others. "One more…I know you're in here!" He doubted the thief knew she was speaking out loud…she was so damn cute…

He might have asked her what she was doing but the three piles of cash next to her unclothed leg grabbed his attention. Unthinkingly he squatted and picked up the green bills, his anger immediately overtaking both curiosity and embarrassment.

"Nami!!?"

She pulled her head back out of the large sack, strands of her coppery hair mussed from her struggle inside it. "Hmm?" She no longer looked angry herself, or even annoyed; she just looked over at him, her face innocent.

"Why is there blood all over this…?!" He held up the few beri he had picked up and brought it close to her face. She blinked but the only thing that changed was the genuine confusion that settled on her features….She really didn't know why he was so angry…

"Is this yours?" His tone was lower as he tried to control the rage he felt.

"'Course it's mine." She said in bewilderment. "All this money is mine…"

He cut her off, his breathing suddenly harsh. "Not that!!! This blood…Is this yours…?!!"

She still didn't get it!! Looking at him curiously the thief shrugged. "I dunno…" She said in an unconcerned voice. "I've handled a lot of beri over the years…It might be…"

The shipwright realized his hands were shaking so he dropped the money and placed them both on the ground, leaning against them so they wouldn't do something he would regret.

"Have you bled over money so many times that you don't even remember?"

He had meant it as a rhetorical question but she answered. "Yeah, I've bled on some of it."

Her casual dismissal of the subject made him want to yell at her but he breathed deeply on his cigar, determined to not lose control. "And that doesn't bother you at all, does it?!!"

It seemed she had finally guessed at the source of his fury because her eyes widened and then they softened. The beautiful woman dropped the bag she had been digging around in and shifted so she was facing him.

"Paulie…" Her tone was soft, understanding mixed with something else…pity maybe. "This is for my people's lives…do you think bleeding a little bit is enough to stop me?" Shaking her head slightly she reached out one delicate hand and laid it on his arm which was so tense it was almost shaking.

"Yeah…there have been some bad things happen in the past, I won't deny that, but isn't the whole point of me being here so I won't have to bleed for it anymore…?"

They both froze breifly. He couldn't tell which of them was more surprised by her question; for a second the two stared at each other, not knowing what to do. But then she swallowed and finished what she had started.

"I-I'm…not going to promise that I won't take risks." There was a warning in her eyes to let her finish so he clenched his jaw, grinding the edge of his cigar, and listened. "But I promise I won't leave the city until the money is all gathered…" Again he would have protested but she shook her head. "That's all I'm willing to promise Paulie…I've spent most of my life doing this…You can't really expect me to kick back and let you deal with the rest. I've…worked too hard, and for too long, to be pushed aside now."

"I'm not trying to push you aside!" He protested.

In return Nami gave him a disbelieving look. "And how exactly are you not? You won't let me leave, don't want me to try stealing, what exactly were you expecting me to do while you finished what I started…?"

"I…" He stopped. In reality…He hadn't really thought about what she would do…He just hadn't wanted her to get hurt by running around recklessly.

She seemed to see the answer in his eyes so he dropped them to the floor unhappily. She had a point, a damn good point, and he didn't want to admit it.

"Look…" Sighing the small woman shifted so she was leaning against the hallway wall, her legs outstretched. "You really aren't giving me much of a choice here…I'm a thief. I've been a thief for too long to just drop it like that." She snapped her fingers to emphasize her point. "I promise I'll be carefully, and I promise not to steal from the good citizens of the city."

Suspiciously he looked at her again but she was looking at the opposite wall. "If you aren't-"

"Pirates who come to get their ships repaired, however, are another matter."

He raised his voice in protest but she ignored him. "You don't know how good I am Paulie; you really don't…So at least let me prove I can do it."

He also shifted until he was leaning against the wall. "How?"

He heard her small laugh. "Like I said…I was a better pickpocket at ten then that guy will ever be." She turned to look at him again, and impish smile on her heart shaped face. "I can pick a pirate's pocket easily…and I'll do it at Galley-La alright? So you'll be right there if I get into trouble."

She had added that last bit just to pacify him, he was sure of it…but her plan was logically sound. No one would care if a pirate was robbed, and she would be in his sight, not off by herself where she might get killed…Frustrated he realized that she had covered all his reasons for not letting her go.

Unconsciously he reached up to mess with his cigar again. "You won't try robbing their ships?" He asked guardedly. Her answer was less than reassuring. "Not at first, no."

The blond found himself sighing deeply. She had beaten him…But she had said… "You won't go robbing their ships until you prove you're good to me then…" He nodded slightly to himself as if it was settled; but was extremely relieved to hear the thief next to him give her own sigh of acceptance.

"Deal."

Incredulously he looked at her, she was holding out one hand, her eyebrows raised in challenge. "Shake on it Paulie." She commanded him. Grumbling somewhat he did, engulfing her small hand in his own briefly before dropping it again.

Feeling uncomfortable again, for more than one reason, he looked back at the beri scattered around them. "What's all this for anyway…?"

He had hoped to change the subject to something he was less…emotionally involved in, but her answer made him groan inwardly.

"You're not going to like it…" Did she have to sound so damn cheerful about it?

"Just tell me now, so I won't have to get pissed off later."

Nami laughed and began gathering the beri next to her. "You're going to help me, but you've got your own financial problems, right?"

His breath escaped in a surprised 'whoosh!' and he turned his head sharply to look at her. Undisturbed she continued, "Makes sense that we clear up your problem first then, doesn't it?"

As he grasped the plan she had made his eyes widened and he spoke without thinking. "Hell no!!" The copper haired woman glanced his way but continued piling the money together. "Why not?"

Why was her voice so calm…?!

"Because I…! You…!!" The blond finally did give into his frustration, by thumping his fist against the carpeted hallway floor. "Damn it Nami!! It's not right!!"

"Not right?" She repeated sarcastically. "And what exactly is right about you helping me gather seven million beri, without letting me help you with the money we've got right here?" She waved one hand around at the gold and beri still scattered around them.

Again her eyebrows rose in challenge and he could do nothing but stare at her in helpless anger. "While you…I…"

"Uh-huh…" This time it was her voice that sounded decisive…and he doubted she was waiting for him to agree with her. "You'll just do what you want no matter what I say, won't you?" He accused her. Her eyes sparkled and her lips lifted into a full smile. "Now you're getting it."

She reached up and pat him on the cheek sympathetically and then turned back to the over sized bag, beginning to shove the dropped gold back into it. Paulie stared at her back; it felt like his brain wasn't working…but then he had a flash of insight that made his eyes widen again.

Seriously he took her by the arm and pulled her around to face him. "One thing Nami…" She was giving him a startled look, though he couldn't detect any anger…yet. "If you help me like this and then run away…" He paused so she could tell he was being dead serious and not bluffing this time. "I will find you."

He felt the little shiver go through her and saw her swallowed hard. The shipwright had expected that to be the end of it; but Nami, never one to accept without a fight said, "I'm not saying I will but…how would you expect to find me…?"

He released her arm and moved to help gather the scattered money. "I got no need to find you…I know where you're going." He heard her sharp intake of breath but for once it didn't make him smile, instead he met her eyes again, which had gone wide and slightly fearful.

"You can't…!" Dropping the wad of cash again, and ignoring how the bills fluttered away to separate places, she reached forward and grabbed a handful of his jacket. "Paulie, you absolutely can not go there!! He'd…" She choked a little and when she spoke again there was real fear in her voice. "He'd kill you…don't you dare-"

"Don't run."

The petite woman stopped ranting and stared at him. "W-What…?"

"I'm saying I won't go there…as long as you don't run away." He took a deep breath and then let it out again; closing his eyes briefly he took his cigar away from his mouth and held it in one hand. "As long as you keep your promise I'll keep mine…And I'm not willing to promise anything better than that."

Her small hands were shaking, he could feel the vibration on his collar from where she was holding his coat, but he didn't say anything about it. Instead he reached up gently and pulled her hand away, dropping it before going back to cleaning up the floor.

Nami didn't move; she stayed in a kneeling position on the floor, and when he glanced at her quickly he saw that she was staring ahead blankly. Thankfully the coffee machine chose that moment to beep loudly, alerting them to the fresh drink. He had pushed all of it into a pile next to the bag; looking at her once more, which she didn't notice, he stood and walked back to the kitchen.

The situation was at once easier to deal with, and more complicated.

The copper haired woman's reaction told him all he needed to know…She had been planning on running…The shipwright raised his coffee cup to his mouth and blew on it gently before drinking any.

He fervently hoped she had changed her mind…because he had meant everyone word he said. Kokoyashi was in East Blue, he would be able to find it easily, and she knew that.

The whole mess would be a whole lot easier if she just gave in…

She wasn't seeing the living room even though she was looking right at it. Her eyes weren't registering anything, neither were her ears…the only thing that she could focus on was Paulie's words…

It was possible that he had been bluffing earlier, in fact she strongly suspected he was…after seeing him with his nakama she was sure that he loved his job…But this was not a trick…neither was it an idle threat…If she ran away he would go there…and he would most certainly die…

Unaware her eyes widened again; the horror of that thought echoing in her head.

'We're staying.'

It wasn't a request but Nami couldn't even work herself up enough to fight it in her mind. 'Yes…There's no way…I could leave now…'

She didn't know if he was aware of it, but with that one promise he had locked her here completely. She couldn't even think about running now…

Swallowing thickly the cat burglar stood up, her body feeling slightly shaky, and moved back into her room quietly.

AN: Kekekeke, I love Nami. And I loved writing her reaction to that guy trying to pickpocket her. lol! And that thing with Paulie and the stairs is from a private joke, in case you were wondering why I keep bringing it up. Poor boy-o, I'll fix them eventually I promise. :P

Like I said, I really enjoyed this chapter, partially because they finally worked some stuff out, and partially because of Paulie's awesomeness. :D She wasn't expecting that, lol.

I'll just mention this breifly again but the reason I'm having such a hard time writing (besides my demon class) is because there are certain things that have to happen in the next few days but it's hard to go through them without making things seem kinda boring. :( I don't want the story to feel flat but I can't really jump ahead until I have everything set into place so...blah. Yeah.

Please leave me a review to let me know what you think!! I need the encouragement lately. :(