A/N: I feeeeeeeelllll sooooooo baaaaaad for not updating this sooner.

This chapter would have been out a week ago, had my computer not been stupid and reset itself. I had the chapter 3/4s written, but I hadn't saved it, and although Microsoft Word is supposed to "autosave" (apparently not *insert unhappy face here* ) it wasn't recovered after the computer started up again. It was a sad, sad, sad day.

And if any of you have ever lost work on a computer, you know that you suddenly feel a little... lazy when it comes to rewriting it. I mean, don't get me wrong, the chapter's done, but it definitely took a while in the getting there.

I've missed you guys :3

Anyway, I suddenly found a little inspiration for writing this story. I know exactly what I want to do with it -and it may seem unpredictable at times, like today, but bear with me as I create another story of twists and turns :)

A one-shot should be up soon. Or so I hope. I work tomorrow, Saturday AND Sunday. Maybe Monday? ... ... ... Oh! Look at that. Monday AND tuesday. Hopefully I'll get an update Wednesday or Thursday.

Anyway, sorry it took so long, but if you're craving any of my work, I do have personal stories accessed through my profile :)

I suppose this spiel has gone on long enough. You can read now :) And I hope you enjoy! :D

Chapter 8

When I got back to the ship, I headed straight for my room. I didn't speak to Nami, Luffy or Harumi. I went to my room, excused my double from Zoro's side, then dispersed of her the moment she was out of sight.

With a sigh, I entered back into my room and fell backwards onto my bed. With a gentle hand, I rubbed my ever-growing abdomen. I inhaled, then exhaled slowly, closing my eyes and tilting my head back. A moment of peace surrounded me.

Today was nice, and I was grateful to Nami for letting me have some "alone" time –even if I wasn't completely alone. But was it wrong of me to still crave more? I understood their reasoning. I understood that they weren't protecting me, but the child I was carrying. I knew it –but I still though I'd prefer more space.

I would consider myself a reserved person by nature. You don't spend twenty years on your own with no one to rely on and get by being an extrovert. I needed space and time for myself.

When Luffy came along, I never intended to stay for long. He was an idiot, and the rest of the crew was easy to win over.

Except Zoro.

I rolled onto my side, spotting the book I read to Zoro before we fell asleep. I picked it up, flipping through the pages idly.

"Don't read on ahead without me," Zoro said from the doorway.

"I wouldn't dare," I smiled, finding our page. I patted the spot beside me on the bed. "Come –let's read."

"Mm," he said, crossing the room to the bed. He sat down, swinging his feet up and resting his back against the headboard. I rested my head against his chest, listening to the steady beating of his heart as I found the spot where we'd left off.

"Ready?" I glanced up at him.

"Mm," he repeated, shifting to get his arm out from underneath me. He wrapped it around me, resting it on my hip.

I cleared my throat before I began.

"The town was silent, the air thick with grief and remorse. Everyone was inside their houses, sleeping or drinking, trying to escape from their pain. Everyone, except for James Mallory.

James stood at the edge of the cliff, looking out across the sea. He didn't like the way things were now. They needed to be changed. And, as much as he didn't want to admit it, the only way to do that would be to rescue her; to rescue Angelina.

He and Lina had never actually gotten along. She was stubborn, annoying –and there was a part of him that wondered if his life would be more peaceful without her around. But he needn't anything more than a glance around his town to realize that everybody missed the town's beautiful Angel."

"She kinda reminds me of Nami," Zoro muttered.

"How so?" I asked.

"The stubborn and annoying part."

"But you'd rescue her, right?"

"She's nakama." So, yes.

I chuckled as I went back to the story.

"James turned away from the sea, heading back down to the town. If he wanted to save her, he'd need weapons and armor strong enough to withstand a demon's furious fists. It was only natural to head for the Blacksmith's hut.

"Mallory," Isabella greeted, wiping her hands on her shirt. If it had been any other colour previously, it was nearly black now. A dark streak covered her cheek, but even if she had any clue she wouldn't have cared. So James didn't mention it.

"Where's Anthony?" James asked, looking around.

"You're going to save Lina, right?" she asked, rather than answering.

"Maybe."

"Then take this," She said, throwing a sword at him. He caught it at the hilt.

"I don't need your swords," he said, throwing it back.

"You're wrong. If you want to save her, my swords are exactly what you need."

"That's the kind of girl you need," I joked. "One that can make you swords. Or fix them for you."

"I don't need anyone other than you," he said.

I rolled my eyes. It was obvious that he still had no idea how to take such jokes, but it was fine. I had the time to teach him.

I stole a glance at him, smiling.

"What?" he asked, meeting my gaze. His ears were red, and when I laughed he scowled at me. "Just read."

"Mm."

I went out more after that day. At least once every day that we were on an island, and each and every time, Nami and Luffy tailed me. Harumi followed me too, though she was a little harder to spot when she dressed up as a guy.

One day a few weeks later, it was Luffy and Nami that followed me. The swelling of my abdomen couldn't be mistaken for anything than what it was –proof that I was indeed pregnant.

It didn't help that I lingered outside of stores, decorated with pastel colours and furniture only suited to children. On some islands the only stores with baby supplies were the stores that also handled the farm tools and supplies.

As I walked, I looked around. Nami's orange hair stuck out like a sore thumb –though at least Luffy wasn't wearing his straw-hat. I watched out of the corner of my eye as Luffy started drooling the moment the smell of meat coming from the nearest bar hit his nose. I chuckled, shaking my head as Nami had to drag him away.

Not paying attention to where I was going, I bumped into someone.

"Excuse me," I bowed my head in an apology as I side-stepped to get out of their way.

"Hey," he began, grabbing my arm. "You're Nico Robin."

I looked up at the muscular man, my hand instinctually flying to my stomach as I took a step back.

"Oh ho! And you're carrying a ch-"

A hand hit his jaw, sending him reeling. I followed the hand back to its rightful body –Luffy.

Nami appeared by my side, taking my wrist and pulling me into a run. The fight behind us was audible long after we turned the corner, the sound of hard impacts as buildings and other things were destroyed.

"It's Nico Robin and the cat thief!" someone shouted. Nami and I both turned to see the all too familiar white and blue uniforms.

"Zoro's going to kill us," Nami flashed a half-hearted smile as we ducked between two buildings, still running.

"We can't tell him," I breathed heavily as I ran behind her. There was the sound of a gunshot and the both of us stumbled.

Nami pushed me ahead of her, "Keep running. Luffy should be along shortly. Head back towards the ship."

"Then Zoro will know," I began –and if he found out, he'd never leave my side for a second. I would have no freedom at all.

"Luffy and I were with you," she smiled, taking out her Clima-tact. "And we protected you."

I hesitated only a second longer before I took off. Luffy handling pirates and Nami handling Marines. I felt awful having to depend so much on them. I glanced back at Nami just as I turned the corner once more.

I checked the corners carefully with extra eyes and ears, long before I approached them.

It wasn't until I got back to the main street and looking out towards the bay that I realized that it wasn't only the one group of Marines. It was a fleet of three ships –and now the town was crawling with Marines.

Fingers wrapped around my forearm tightly.

"Got you," A Marine said, panting for breath. He grinned as he looked me over. "A pirate having a baby. The lieutenant's not going to be very pleased with you, Nico Robin. Everyone knows that the offspring of pirates are evil. Look at yourself. And that Ace boy. Don't pirates ever learn?"

He pulled me out into the open, shouting "I've caught Nico Robin!"

Swiftly, I produced a leg, kicking him in the groin and forcing him to release me as I ran to the edge of town. The moment I reached the forest, I knew it was my game. I sighed as I sat on a branch of a tree. It felt great to run that much again. I couldn't remember the last time I'd been so involved.

I smiled as I leaned against the trunk of the tree. Now I only had to wait for Luffy and Nami to catch up. Just in time too, because Zoro was waking up from his nap.

Zoro

I rolled over, draping my arm over her perfect body, my hand immediately going to her stomach and touching it with the entirety of my palm.

"I love you," I murmured into her neck, holding her from behind.

"I love you, too," Robin responded immediately, sounding slightly breathless.

I sat up and looked down at her, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she said, rolling onto her back and looking up at me.

"Hmm," was all I replied with, staring her down.

With a small smile she stretched her hand up and placed it against my cheek. I cupped my hand over hers, leaning into her palm.

"Give me a neck massage," she said, sitting up and turning around. "Lately, it's been sore."

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"I think it's just the way I've been sleeping," she rubbed her neck.

"A massage," I repeated.

"Mm," she said, pulling her hair over her shoulder.

I looked down at my rough fingers before placing them against her soft skin. Then I noticed that one of her beauty marks was missing on the back of her neck. I frowned, caressing the place where it usually was, right in the middle of her neck, just under her hairline.

"Hey –where –"

"SANJI! ZORO!" Harumi's voice called to us from the dock. "ROBIN –ROBIN HAS –"

Robin has -?

I looked down at Robin, then slowly got up from the bed.

"Don't go," Robin told me, pulling me down.

"She sounds worried about you," I frowned.

"I'm fine. I'm right here with you –I'm fine,"

"But you're not, are you?" I asked. "Where are you?"

"I can handle myself, Zoro," she told me.

"Where are you?"

"I'm –" suddenly she disappeared, just as Harumi burst into my door.

"Robin'sbeencapturedbyMarines!" Harumi said all in one breath.

I didn't need to hear it twice. In a heartbeat I was out the door, my swords sharp and ready to cut anyone that stood between me and Robin.