Kaya burst back into the ballroom, not paying any mind to her guests who were seemingly alarmed at her behavior. She was pale as a ghost while she snatched her bag from her table, dropping its contents of lipstick, change and other beauty products onto the table. She shifted them around eagerly for her phone. Her hands were absolutely shaking.

Sanji was gone! He was missing! Where could he be? She couldn't understand. He couldn't have possibly gotten up on his own and walked out – he was impaired now, that much she knew. She winced a little in her panic, scrolling through her contacts. The position of the chair was another thing. It was on its side. Had he fallen out?

Or worse. Was Sanji attacked? Had someone pushed him down the stairs then dragged him away? She had hoped to herself the blonde had enough sanity to not plunge himself down them...then again that show that had gone down not more than an hour ago in front of everyone could have challenged him to take drastic measures.

Then the whole situation with Ussop and his friends! She had been kept out of the loop for obvious reasons that she was assured she didn't need to know, but they had rushed off to do something.

"Kaya is everything alright?" A calming voice from behind her.

Kaya just shook her head, looking at the numbers in her list. Who was she even supposed to be calling about this? They had all gone separate ways...That green haired guy with the sword was going to kill her valet for goodness sakes, she didn't want to call him and be on the wrong end of that anger. She could call Ussop but... It ache her heart to think that distracting him could cost him his life if they were in some sort of dire situation!

"I don't know..." She cried softly, turning to look at who had come to console her. "Everything's a mess and now Sanji's missing and I don't know who to call-"
The man's dark eyes widen slightly. Kaya's heart sank. She knew this person, but at the same time she didn't. It was only by association of knowing everyone else that they were connected. Ussop had mentioned him once she was sure, Luffy tons of times. There was a shadow cast on his face from his unique head wear, but even then Kaya could recognize the distinguishing freckles the raven haired man had.

"You are..."

The man reached out and took the phone from Kaya's hand rather quickly, but at the same time enough so that he was still gentle towards her. He closed it and his expression changed to a more serious demeanor.

"If you value your life and those of the people here..." the man began lowly, glancing off at the crowd. Kaya's frightened eyes followed and they gazed over.

Most everyone else had gone back to whatever they were doing, but a select handful that Kaya hadn't noticed before and couldn't very well recognize was still watching like hawks.

"You won't mention anything more about this."

He swiftly moved his hand back to the table, dropping her phone back with her contents. Then, he plastered a smile on his face. "Great party by the way." He continued to tip his hat then move towards the exiting doors.

Kaya just continued to stare at where he had been dumbfounded. What had that been about? Her ears were ringing so loud along with her beating heart and then at some point her cheeks had flushed. Why... Why was that guy here and acting that way? And then why... why hadn't he been wearing a shirt?

–-

Four weeks ago.

Everyone had heard it. The deafening crack that literally made all their hearts stop. They had made it, or nearly made it in time just to see it happen. They're spirits had been high. They were going to save Sanji. They had heard it all from Gin, that he had been in trouble, that he had been led here to this quiet shipyard... isolated for a reason.

It had taken them all longer to find him then they would have liked to admit, lost in the maze of the shipyard containers, towering up to the sky in rows like a never ending maze. They were all so out of breath in their panic, the relief at seeing the Cook still alive cooling over them. They had found him, it wasn't too late. Each one of the crew had wanted to scream out they were here; let him know he wasn't alone.

Sanji had been standing in front of them a ways those mere moments ago, up on a ramp that led to where their current enemy stood in amusement. His back was turn toward them and from the silence and stillness of the atmosphere they could tell the confrontation was yet to come. Between their pants and glancing at one another to rejoice in their arrival, they could hear the murmurs of a discussion.

Luffy grinned satisfactory to himself at arriving. He wasn't going to leave his good friend alone. He wasn't sure what the hell was going on, but what they had heard from that Gin guy on the way over here things weren't the best. Luffy never liked to pry, but if someone was going to harm his friend, no, Gin had mentioned killing, he wasn't going to stand idly by.

"SANJI!" He roared from their position. His voice traveled over the open space.

The members of Don Krieg's gang, some of which already found themselves on the ground scattered in the opening turned to look. Obviously, Sanji had already done some damage to get to his enemy. Nami scowled at their idiot Captain.

"Luffy!" She scolded, pulling him back by his shirt. Their plan had been to support Sanji from behind, only if he needed it. It was obvious this had been something Sanji kept away from them, for reasons they didn't really understand, but regardless they wanted him to know they were there for him should the situation call for it.

Sanji's back visibly tensed. What were they doing here? How did they find him? His cigarette dropped from his hand, his teeth clenching tight. What did they know? Don Krieg roared in laughter in front of him, gazing at something behind him, which could easily be assumed as the gang.

"What's this? You brought an audience to watch your demise?" He chuckled, grinning his ape like face.

Sanji's shoulder's shook. He wasn't planning to die here to day, least of all to Don Krieg. He swallowed hard, hearing softly in his ears the commotion from across the way.

"No matter. I'll be sure to make it quite the show."

Luffy freed his arm from Nami, fully determined to let his presence be known. He began walking towards the two. "Oi!" He called out again, this time using his hands to cuff his mouth. "Sanji!"

Zoro, who was standing with the other's glared at Krieg, sizing him up. So this was the international criminal who wanted Sanji's life. Ussop reached out towards Luffy this time too, taking the arm Nami didn't inhabit.

"Luffy! Shhh! Don't get involved." He pleaded.

Sanji balled his fist and turned around quickly. These idiots, what were they doing here? Were they trying to in danger themselves? Didn't they know anything?

"Luffy! You shitty idiot get out of here!" He yelled, glaring over at them.

His expression was desperate and it made his friends extremely uncomfortable. The shadow of the man behind him as he began to move didn't help. Sanji watched as each of his friend's faces began to visibly change into shock, how each of their mouths seemed to drop.

There was nothing running through his mouth but the constant curses for letting himself be distracted, even momentarily. When he tried to spun on his heel, his eye's caught it, the tip of the infamous exploding blade. He was to slow, he could do nothing. The distance between him and the weapon was unforgivable, whatever he did an impact would be made and the explosion would come.

If he kicked it away, he risked his legs. If he tried to smack it, there went his precious hands. He could hear the scream Nami let out and his head throbbed. This was it, he'd practically given Krieg the opportunity.

The Straw hat gang watched in horror as the spear made impact with Sanji. They couldn't tell if it was his side, or his back, nor did they have time. But they had heard it, oh they had heard it, that inhuman crack that echoed in their heads. Sanji's painted expression of agony as the explosion moved him forward in what felt like had been played in slow motion, blood spraying from somewhere on him, spitting out of his mouth and nose, trailing down his chin.

Sanji landed on his knees, his weight seemingly crumbling under him. His blue eyes were wide and empty, his body shaking. Don Krieg just chuckled, the smoke from the explosion clearing. His hand extended towards Sanji, who was now slowly begun to fall forward. The Bastard took a handful of Sanji's blonde locks with a gloved hand then yanked hard, snapping the cook's chin upward. The movement allowed more blood to flow from the corners of his mouth.

"Puny shit. To think they thought you'd actually be a challenge for me." He growled lowly.

Sanji struggled with his arm, attempting to bring it up and reach for Don's hand. Don Krieg wasn't about to have it though and to display his hold merely jerking him to the side. It worked and Sanji's arm dropped, the pain from the first attack and now from his roots far too overwhelming. But if it hurt it didn't show on Sanji's face. It was already frozen in that state of shock.

Don Krieg began to lift Sanji upright by his grip. With his other hand he adjusted his grip on his one ton exploding spear. He rolled his shoulder, glancing over at the state of Sanji's comrades. They were to petrified to move.

"Now let's give them a show."

There were a million thoughts running through their minds, but all went unnoticed as they came to terms with what was happening before them. How was this even possible? Was this for real? Had that attack really just caught Sanji and then... and Then that crack? Zoro couldn't feel his body. It was like he was watching something unreal. It had to be.

His mind simply couldn't wrap around what was going on. He almost wanted to fall back himself in his disbelief. That crack wasn't part of the explosion- no that was Sanji. His Sanji. He had just watched his Sanji... and Now.. What had that even been? His legs? Oh god not his leg's, they were his life. Then his arms, his hands? But they were his passion. No it couldn't be those, It couldn't! Please no. Then, his back...?

Zoro wasn't even sure if he was breathing anymore. Could people even survive a broken back? Why couldn't he move? He needed to move! He cursed inside himself. Why did his body disobey him? He needed to run over there, slice that bastard into shreds. No, run to Sanji. Smack that hand off of him. Don't touch him! Don't you dare touch Sanji! He doesn't deserve the touch of such filthy hands.

But still his body wouldn't move. It was so surreal. All the sound around him, the reactions of his crew, though few considering they were in just as much a shock, were canceled out. It was a silent ringing, that's all he could hear. That and that crack he knew he'd never forget.

Sanji's eye's, though seemingly lifeless moved downward. He couldn't feel much of anything anymore, but he could still see. It hadn't been enough yet to drown out the rest of his senses. He could see them, the faces of those he cared most about. Those he had let down and lied to. What were they doing here? Why had they come? The tears streamed down his cheeks and merged with the blood covering his chin and neck.

He couldn't feel much, he wasn't sure where the hit had landed. God everything hurt, It hurt so bad. He tightened his eyes closed. He couldn't handle both. He could handle the pain, or he could handle the broken faces of his crew, but not together. Sanji Black was strong, but no he wasn't that strong. So he waited, knowing that finishing blow would come at any moment. He couldn't make his body protest even now.

Don Krieg looked back down at his prey and grinned a massive gorilla grin. Then, effortlessly with his massive weapon, he shoved it towards Sanji's back. The explosion was just as massive as the first and it sent Sanji flying forward. He landed on his side, but due to the ramp began to tumble, his blood staining the ground as he traveled. His body flopped and came to its abrupt halt when it met the flat service.

Each member of his crew's eyes had followed it. Luffy's pupils began to shrink in his panic, he was ostensibly coming back to his senses. Each one of them waited for any sign of life. But Sanji, as he had settled on his back, was no longer moving. Nami closed her eyes, letting out a loud scream of Sanji's name.

Luffy forced himself to step forward, rage pulsing through every vein in his body. He was seething as he opened his mouth and shouted across the large opening. "SANJI!" It held such power that all of Krieg's men that had seemed to find their footing yet again stumbled backward, struggling to resist falling clean over.

Luffy was hurting, hell they all were. Had they just witnessed their friend's demise? Why couldn't they move, so shocked from fear? If only they had moved seconds before, if only they had acted as soon as they came, No. They had to act now. This was still happening, Sanji was still there. He had to be. And Luffy's scream, before he moved his shoulder back, finally snapped them out of their bewildered state.

Within seconds their captain had extended his arm with the amazing ability he possessed. It stretched far beyond its limits, across the clearing, over Sanji and towards Krieg. He was worried about Sanji, yes of course there wasn't any question about it, but he was more infuriated with the son of a bitch who dared touch his family. Luffy knew enough in that moment to trust those he loved to take care of Sanji. His objective jumped straight to revenge.

His arm grabbed ahold of the railing to the ramp and he jumped off the ground, easily sending himself flying closer as his arm retracted. While in the air he tucked his legs forward, fully intending to land feet first into the hulk of a man.

Don smirked, watching the rubber man zone in on him. He extended his arms out smugly. This was the world's strongest armor of course, he'd like to see some little wimp just try and pierce it. Don Krieg's thoughts were very naïve though, which he discovered right on impact. The air escaped his lungs as he was pushed backward and away at an alarming rate. He slammed into some of the shipyard containers, hell he went through the first few, before coming to a stop.

Luffy hadn't even begun to quench his thirst for ass kicking though. With his sandal's clacking, he approached the containers, peering through their new Don Krieg outline holes.

Chopper gripped his bag straps tightly and closed his eyes. Sanji! He was in so much trouble! He reminded himself, and then opened them again. He had to make it across and fast! They were running out of time! But already Don Krieg's men were regaining their strength.

"Sanji! I'm coming!" he announced, making the bold decision to begin running.

Ussop, hearing his friend, watched as he ran. "Chopper! Wait!" He called out. The enemies were beginning to mob, what was chopper doing acting so restless? Of course they all wanted to rush over there but not get injured in the process.

"Go I'll cover you." Nami said shakily, grabbing her three parts of the Clima-tact off her waist. Quickly she began to disperse black clouds that were controlled inside bubbles into the sky.

Ussop nodded, taking this moment to follow after Chopper.

Zoro still hadn't come down from his panic, staring at Sanji's body. He didn't come to reality into the large hand of his cyborg friend touched his shoulder gently.

"Get going, we'll cover you Zoro!" He shouted in the chaos, motioning his thumb over to Robin.

Robin's expression was probably the most composed of them all as she crossed her arms in front of her and gently closed her eyes. Zoro didn't have to hear what she said; he could read it on her lips. "Clutch."

Several men on the field moaned in agony. It was all Zoro needed and he snapped back into reality. He unsheathed Wado with little to no effort and without even making a motion to respond to his blue haired friend, the swordsman had dashed off into the opening at impressive speed. Only the gushing of blood from Krieg's men as he passed could give off the path he decided to take. In mere seconds he was there, standing over Sanji's body, looking down at it.

There was an unsettling feeling in his gut and he could feel himself getting light headed. He slid Wado back into her sheath, and then absentmindedly grabbed Ussop's shoulder. The sharpshooter and the small doctor had arrived first without delay and were beginning to look the cook over, but that didn't matter to Zoro. He needed to be close to Sanji, and Ussop was in the way.

He was gentle, in the most gentle way you could be when you pried and tossed your friend off to the side. Ussop landed on his behind, looking up at Zoro in slight confusion, but he understood. They were all close, but Sanji and Zoro... they had something more, something even Ussop couldn't comprehend unless he thought of his dear Kaya. Even still, it was a mysterious bond, but he wasn't going to interrupt. There was no lying about this, it looked bad. Hell, it was bad.

Zoro bent down on his knee, his hand shakily reaching out. He could hear Sanji's shallow breathing, watched as those blue eyes, barely clinging onto the life locked away inside moved towards him. He could sense, no he could actually feel it, the dread inside Sanji of him looking, at seeing him in such a state. There was blood all around them, it was reaching out and staining onto Zoro's clothes as he bent over him, his dark eyes wide with confusion.

"Sanji." He croaked finally, breaking from those eyes. They trailed down his abdomen. Blood, so much blood. Where was it coming from? His fingers moved to touch it, emerging themselves in the thick liquid. There was a hitch in Sanji's raspy breath and he jerked back.

"Zoro we have to get him out of here right now!" Chopper's tiny voice demanded beside him.

Zoro wasn't paying attention though. He turned his chin upward meeting those eyes again. They were so pained, but they spoke to him so clearly. His jaw was trembling, his eyelids heavy. His chest hurt as brutal as Sanji's appeared to be. "Sanji." He breathe again, moving his hand towards the cook's face.

It was pale, so pale. His fingertips brushed against his cheek, but only received a faint warmth. They left a small trail of Sanji's own blood on his cheek.

"Zoro." Sanji's voice came out almost inaudible, and his hand shook at his side as he tried to lift it. Chopper immediately squeaked, instructing Sanji to stop moving at once.

"I'm sorry."

The words hurt more than anything Zoro could imagine. It almost made him wonder if perhaps the spear had come back and struck him, that in his distraction his chest has exploded and caused such a sensation. It was such a simple statement but he knew it meant so much more.

I'm sorry for lying to you. I'm sorry for letting you down. I'm sorry for pushing you away, for going off on my own, for failing in the end, for dying.. It was a final plea for forgiveness. Sanji knew it was bad, he knew how this looked, but this shitty swordsman wasn't about to accept that. Zoro grabbed his hand and squeezed it.

"Cook, don't you dare die." He growled in false anger. He knew Sanji was a fighter, he knew tha t this wasn't the end. It couldn't be, it was never the end. They'd wake up tomorrow and everything would be fine. This was ridiculous.

"Zoro we really got to move him!" Chopper pleaded again, only to fall on deaf ears.

"GOMU GOMU NO-"

A large explosion shook the ground beneath them. "I'll fucking kill you if you die." There was a slight twitch at Sanji's eyes as he stared into Zoro's eyes. His vision was getting really blurry now and all he could really make out was the green of the Marimo's hair and the tan of his skin, but he was stubborn about moving his glance from the spot where he eyes had met with Zoro's.

He could only hope that the message was conveyed across to the idiot swordsman in the usual way where they understood what the other meant, without any words even being said. He loved that most about the relationship he shared with Zoro. Man, he had to admit, even now that things were looking so bad and the shit head went with some cheesy ass 'I'll kill you if you die' statement that made no sense whatsoever, that he really did love the guy.

But even so, he couldn't control everything. Finally everything started to shift and things went very dark for the blonde. Zoro's hand went limp as he felt Sanji's loose its life. If it were even possible to explain he saw it, the light fade from Sanji's eyes. How they glassed over and shifted upward onto something else.

"We have to retreat immediately. He's planning to gas this whole vicinity." Robin's calm voice alerted the others from behind.

"That makes no sense; he'd kill his own men!" Nami's nervousness replied.

Chopper, noticing the change in Sanji yet again grew restless. He changed into his heavy point, literally shoving Zoro away like a linebacker and scooping up his patient in his arms. Zoro stumbled over silently and unmoving. His gaze was down at his hand that had held Sanji, still sticky with his blood.

"We've got to get him to a hospital! NOW!" Chopper instructed. No body protested as they began moving back towards the way they came.

Ussop moved towards Zoro. "Zoro come on! Let's go! We gotta get out of here!" He yelled at him, shaking his shoulder. It was obvious the daze the green haired man was locked in.

Zoro stared up at him, unsure what to even say or do.

"Chopper's got Sanji. He'll take care of him. He'll be alright. We gotta go! Now!"

Zoro looked away and at the carnage. Don Krieg's men were on the ground in agony, defeated easily. Thanks to Nami there was even a slight drizzle falling from the sky. He hadn't even noticed and here he was soaked. He forced himself to a closure and nodded. He stood up, his body tense and began to follow the rest of the crew as they high tailed it out.

Franky raised his sunglasses, looking at the battle behind them between the two bosses and the gas they had nearly just escaped.

"Is he going to be alright?" He wondered out loud.

Robin glanced at her husband then over at Sanji's fragile body in Chopper's arms.

"There are more pressing matters at hand." she assured.

Present

"Un, deux, trois! Un, deux, trois! Un, deux trois!" Bon Clay sung, spinning around on the tips of his toes.

The poor okama was in a bad shape, fighting with the mixed feelings surrounding his mind. He stopped his twirling for the moment and let his arms fall to his sides. He let out a deep breath. It was no fun twirling around in his okama way when he had such doubt and regret. But that's when he noticed how far from his initial spot he had traveled. He was still where he needed to be, but not anywhere he recognized.

His eyes widen though when he caught sight of something interesting. He let out a long 'tisk tisk tisk'.

"Sanji-kun," He began, putting his arms on his hips. "We should really stop meeting like this."

Author's Note: HOLY CRAP THIS FLASHBACK. JUST THIS FLASHBACK MAN. I actually got so nervous about writing this so I kept putting it off ;; I hope that it came through okay. You liked it though at least...right? RIGHT? ragequit. Oh and that mystery man who I hope came across as obvious.. You guys forgot about him didn't you!? I mentioned him like two chapters ago! It was just a little detail but I did!... ~ Please be sure to let me know what you think about this chapter~! QnQ Sorry there was initially suppose to be more here in it but that flashback engulfed chapter 11. Hope it left a ginormous impression like I wanted it to ! Back to hiding under a rock until next update 8D

ps. Also as I'm sure youve noticed this chapter is still under construction edit wise.