[A/N] Hey guys, here's your next chapter! It's a little short, but lately I haven't had time to write a ton for it so enjoy! The next few chapters should be fun :))) Btw thank you for all my reviewers!

"Who's there?"

They both stared at where the noise came from until a small squirrel ran across the bushes. Nicole snickered and shook her head, "Sorry, but I don't think the squirrel can tell you it's name."

Zoro growled and shook his fist at her, "Hey, it could have been someone!"

"Yeah yeah keep believing that. Like somebody would-" She spoke, but was interrupted when a man came out of nowhere and put a napkin over her mouth. She struggled and attempted to get a hit on the man, but passed out in a matter of seconds.

"Nicole!" Zoro yelled for her just as another man popped up behind him as well. Fortunately Zoro noticed in time and drew out his swords, making the man back off and jump off of the tree.

"Ohh, so it's the swordsman!" The man grinned and clapped lightly as he landed on the ground gracefully, "You're very in tune with what goes on around you, I'm impressed. To bad you didn't catch us in time, looks like Ms. Le roux is no longer here with us."

"What?" Zoro turned around and widened his eyes at the empty space on the tree limb where she used to be. He jumped off of the limb and attacked the man, who dodged in time to miss the hit. He tried to slice him with his swords again, but the man suddenly vanished and appeared across the yard.

"Well that's no way to negotiate," The man adjusted his suit as Zoro stood.

"Give her back," The green haired swordsman demanded as he pointed a katana towards him, "Or I will cut you into a million pieces."

"I'm sorry, but I have ran out of time, so I must bid adieu," He bowed before taking something out of his pocket. It was circular and he pressed down on a button with his thumb, "She is ours now, so just forget about her and leave this island."

Zoro growled and charged towards the man, but before he could strike the man disappeared, "Come back coward!" He yelled into the air, but the area was now empty, no Nicole, no suited men...just him.

"Now, tell me everything that you know children," Nami asked the three kids as the crew all gathered in the kitchen. Sanji began preparing something for them to eat as they listened to the little girl speak.

"There's something wrong with Miss Tanayaki..." She said with a frown, "But there are two men that come by every once in a while...they give her something, and it makes her better!"

"They are really shady though, and it makes no sense to me that they help the old hag like that," The boy on her left acted coolly and rested his cheek on his palm, "They talk about things...things from the past...maybe there's a deal or a bet? Adults do like to bet. We think that they took her...no...I know that they took her. '"

"Exactly what would they want from her?" Usopp chirped in, intrigued with what was happening.

The boy on the right spoke, not really answering Usopp at all. In fact he was quite random it seemed, but to everyone that knew him that was the norm, "That red headed woman you guys travel with...she was just like us once, right? She was abandoned...and miss Tanayaki took her in?"

"Nicole was taken in by Tanayaki yes...but we aren't sure if she was exactly abandoned," Nami answered as Usopp shook his head.

"She wasn't abandoned at all! Her father protected her and left her in the old woman's care while he went and took on the world! He is a hero, just like my father!"

"A dad abandoning his kid is no hero!" The little girl interjected as the boy on the right put a hand on her shoulder to calm her down. Pain was written on her face, and Nami then knew the kids had to have some kind of harsh past.

"Look," Nami put a hand on the little girls shoulder, "Maybe Nicole can explain it all to you when she gets back, okay?"

"When is she going to be back?" The girl asked, "Will she help us?"

"She has to! She has an oblig-... oblig..."

"It's obligation, we went through this before we got here!" The girl facepalmed as the boy ignored it and stared off in the distance.

"Whatever...geez.."

Nami laughed, "Of course she will help...all of us will."

"This Tanayaki lady is important to our nakama, there's no question to it that we will be helping, right captain?" Sanji sat a plate of snacks on the table and inhaled the smoke from his cigarette after standing back up straight.

"Right!" Luffy nodded and grinned widely before taking a handful of the snacks.

"Leave some for the children!" Sanji growled with the cigarette still in his mouth as he kicked Luffy's face.

Nicole was conscious, but she couldn't move. She could feel the man carrying her, hear his breathing, but she couldn't struggle to break free from his grasp.

She opened her mouth to speak, but her voice did not break the silence of the night. Nothing came from her voice box, and it was confusing her as to what was happening. She opened her eyes slightly and could see the ground moving beneath her.

"Why can't I move?! I need to break free...but I feel so...so exhausted..."

Her thoughts were racing, but they soon slowed as she fell back into unconsciousness. It was a while before the man got to his destination. He handed the girl over to the next person and saluted.

"She's all yours boss."

Zoro walked to the ship as slowly as possible. He couldn't believe what had happened,or he didn't want to believe. He looked up towards the night sky and sighed. If she was with him right now she would be rambling on about the stars, or they would be talking about random things in their life...or even just teasing one another. He would give anything for her to be beside him at that moment, but it wasn't possible.

He had lost the enemy...and they had taken Nicole because he let his guard down.

"That red head is the strongest woman I know...but it still shouldn't have happened in the first place...she may fall victim to kairoseki*...that's her biggest weakness if anything..."

He had gotten to the docks and jumped on the ship. All he could do was tell his crew the truth and everything that had happened. Of course he knew they'd go after whoever took her of course, the problem was finding out who actually did take her.

As soon as Zoro stepped into the room, everyone grew silent. The green haired swordsman ignored them and sauntered over to the liquor cabinet, gulping down the burning liquid.

"Zoro," Chopper piped up, "Where is Nicole?"

He didn't answer the little reindeer until he sat down by the table, "She was taken by two men in black suits. We were over by that old woman's house and was attacked."

"What?!" The entire crew looked at him with their eyes wide open.

Nami ran up to Zoro, completely baffled, "So she got kidnapped?! How did they even get a hold of her?!"

"Chemicals I guess," He answered and took a swig of his drink, "Knocked her out cold. I confronted one of them, but he took this thing out of his pocket and vanished in to thin air."

"So he just poofed?!" Usopp blinked before grabbing his hair with his hands, "Oh this is bad...really bad! Wait...where can I get one of those things?" He rubbed his chin before smirking and leaning over the table, "I say we capture these guys and check out what other equipment they have!"

Nami rolled her eyes before knocking him upside the head and putting a hand on her hip, "What's important here is getting Nicole back...it shouldn't be that hard since she can take care of herself after whatever restraints they are holding her with are released.

"Damn marimo," Sanji growled and butted heads with Zoro, "What kind of man are you if you can't even protect a woman?"

"Watch it ero-cook," The green haired man growled back, "I tried to get her back, it's not my fault that the guys know how to escape with just a press of a button! And who am I anyways? Her body guard? I don't think so!"

"Will you two cut it out!" Nami punched them both square in the heads, making Luffy and the kids laugh. She went and punched Luffy as well.

"What was that for?!" He rubbed his head and pouted as she crossed her arms.

"For laughing!"

He pointed at the three children, "But they laughed too!"

She only sighed and went back to talking about a plan. Chopper frowned and sat on the table, "I hope she's not hurt."

"It's Nicole," Luffy grinned, "She'll be fine! Now let's go find her!" He jumped up and went for the door, but Nami stopped him.

"We wait until morning...it would be too hard trying to find them in the dark." The crew all came to an agreement and decided to listen to the orange haired woman. They gave the children places to sleep and headed for their rooms, except for the swordsman of the crew. He volunteered to keep watch and headed straight for the crows nest.

As soon as he made it up he made himself comfortable on the floor, lying his katanas beside of him. It felt wrong to sleep while Nicole was missing, especially with the thought of never finding her floating in his mind. He was never one to doubt his own self, but he couldn't help the pain that stabbed at his heart when he thought of never seeing her again. The woman has plagued his thoughts and feelings, even if he didn't want her to.

It scared him that he would be so focused on her sometimes, when he should be completely focused on becoming the worlds greatest swordsman...but he had no choice but to care for her...his heart had already made it's choice.

He shook his head before crossing his arms behind his head, finally trying to get a little bit of shut eye. He opened his eyes and looked back at the stars, "We'll be there soon Nicole...try not to get into trouble wherever you are..."

He knew how she liked to run her mouth when she shouldn't.

[A/N] Hope you liked it :) Now who's ready for the next chapter? :D

Nicole: Not me, I hate this shit *growls*

Zoro: Stop letting your guard down baka.

Okay guys..lets calm down here XD

Btw Kairoseki* is the sea stone if you don't remember :P

See you nest time readers, feel free to review! :)