Well... It was nice at first. I mean, I still at least got to get one guy. Course then Sanji stepped in every time a guy harassed me. I never got any action outside of practice at the crack of dawn, and I call that life: boring! I never got to do anything except my job! What kind of pirate- er...- former pirate, at the time, does that make me?

I was starting to regret leaving the Red Hair pirates, because I felt like I was a part of a family there, though it didn't feel like home, it felt like I was wanted. Here on the Baratie, I just felt like a woman who needed protection, which I didn't, not that it mattered to Sanji. And truthfully, it doesn't feel like home here either.

I sighed as I picked a piece of fruit out of the bowl as Sanji blubbered on about how much of a jerk the guy was for not treating my like a delicate rose. Even the most delicate rose has sharp thorns. I thought.

I was leaving the that day. I couldn't stand Sanji treating me like that any longer. I'd seen enough unruly government officials and evil pirates to last a lifetime. I watched as Zeff stormed down the stairs and stared at Sanji whom was still standing over me blubbering on.

"Uh... Sanji..." I said, my soft as Zeff walked over.

The head chef grabbed Sanji by the collar. "You crap kid! Look what you've done!"

Sanji looked into Zeff's eyes, "Shitty geezer, I was just protecting Leanah!"

"Maybe she doesn't need protecting." Zeff said as he threw Sanji on the ground. "Besides she's got other tables to wait on."

Very true. I thought. Yeah... you see I was the only waiter left seeing as the others had all jumped ship sometime in the last week. I was waiting on all the tables with little to no help from anyone.

I stood up and started to walk away, then stopped and turned to listen. "Crappy Geezer!" Sanji yelled, "I'm not a kid any more! So stop treating me like one!"

Zeff stayed silent as he grabbed the customer and threw him out the door. Sanji stormed off and I went after him. Sanji stood by the railing, he threw out the cigarette he had in his mouth, and lit another one.

"Sanji." I said comfortingly.

"Go away."

Yikes! Zeff must 'a really hit deep this time. I thought seeing as usually I'd come out here and say "Sanji." then he'd snap back to his happy heart-y self. "Sorry Sanji, but you're not getting off that easily." I walked up next to him, "What's on your mind?"

Sanji drew one hand through his blond hair, "Why doesn't he see me as an adult? I'm not a damn kid any more!"

I looked out on the ocean, "Have you... ever thought he treats you like a kid because you act like one?"

"What?!"

"Well it's true, I mean, you started smoking because you wanted him to see you as an adult, you always tell him your an adult, and for all I know the reason why you wear suits all the time is also because you want him to see you as an adult." I scratched my head. "Sure seems like how a kid would act to me."

Sanji had a thoughtful look on his face, for a moment I thought I'd actually gotten through, then he said. "Oh Leanah you really care about me don't you?" He hugged me as hearts choked the air around us.

"Sanji... crushing... can't... breath." He let go, "Thank you. And that wasn't exactly the message I was trying to get across." I frowned as I realized that Sanji was off in coo-coo land and nothing I said was getting through to him. I smiled at the crazy man standing next to me, "You really are a handful." I gave him a hug, and he literally melted.

I turned and walked away from the Sanji puddle. If Sanji won't listen, maybe Zeff will. I thought, surely he'll listen.

I now realize that I was such a blatant optimist when it came to others problems, I figured that everyone's problems could be solved by just talking to them. Which, I guess, stemmed from all the problems I had when back when I was still on Shanks's ship by Shanks talking me into/out of doing something.

I quickly found out, that where Sanji was good at not getting my point. Zeff was a expert at ignoring people.

I walked into the kitchen, "Chef Zeff?" I asked stopping just behind him.

"Yes Leanah?" He asked, slowly stirring a pot of soup.

I gulped, "Well, I think you really pushed Sanji too far... Maybe you should go talk to him?"

He grunted and moved to a different section of the kitchen, I followed, "Chef, all he wants is a little recognition, all you'd have to do is tell him well done after a good job." Zeff just went about his business like I wasn't even there anymore.

"Will you just listen for a second?" I asked Zeff as he was taste testing some of the food to be served that day. He just kept his focus on the food and payed me no mind. "Ugh, Why are you so stubborn! I swear you and Sanji are cut from the same lopsided cloth."

Still nothing. I huffed, "You two are just too dang thick" I grabbed some plates and washed them to get out some frustration, and for some reason... I just wanted to get as many clean as possible, I had a bad feeling that some of them were going to be broken before the day was out.

Zeff eventually started to head for his room, I stopped him and said, "I tired, and I give up, I'm going to leave to day as I mentioned to you two days ago." I sighed, "I'll go say good bye to Sanji then leave." I turned and untied my white apron, reviling to any chefs that had been watching that I carried my kogatana with me. I pried Ami from the spot between the door and the wall, then went to find Sanji. He had moved from the spot he had previously been at, and I wondered if he had also gone to his room, but a quick inspection of the dinning hall proved other wise.

He was standing at the side of a beautiful woman, of course she was customer, but that didn't stop me from being just a little angry. "Sanji." I beckoned him outside.

"What is it my darling?" Sanji asked as he walked out the doors.

Oh gosh... what do I say? I thought to myself, I can't really just say "Hey Sanji, I'm sorry this is so short notice but I'm leaving in an hour." Or "Hey Sanji nice knowing you, But I sorta hate your chivalry and that's why I'm leaving." I shifted my weight between my legs several different times until I settled for, "Nice day isn't it?" CHEESE AND CHARKERS!

"Yeah, It is a nice day."

"That's not... what I meant. You see... I... Ha!" A sort of pain short through my head, only it wasn't painful just a jolt, some images filtered into by brain, several of them were of a horribly mangled Sanji, and to be honest it scared me. It scared me to think that Sanji would throw his life away for this place, I mean yeah he's been here since it's beginnings but that's no reason to throw your life away! I looked up into Sanji's eyes, he looked back quizzically. I poked him the the center of his chest, "Don't go throwing your life away, you hear?"

"I hear." He smiled as he walked back to the house. A smiled played it's merry way across my lips. I went to go grab the food supplies that Zeff had set aside for me two days back. I'm not going to cry I told myself mentally. Yet nothing like that would prepare me for what was going to happen when I left.