Chapter eight
The straw hats were exhausted, a week ago they had arrived at Bear Claw Island and searched every town on the island and so far no sign of their friend Zoro was now convinced that Mihawk had set them up and there was going to be a buster call or something on the island while they were there.
Luffy sighed plopping down at a table in a random bar as the rest of the crew dragged chairs over and pushed a second table over so they could all sit together no one seemed to mind a woman walked over
"Hello my name is Annie and-"
"Just get us all grog and the skeleton milk" Zoro said the woman shrugged counting out the people before heading to the back not paying any mind to the people Luffy laid his head on the table depressed now
"That's it I give up we're never going to find him" Luffy said not noticing the chef walking over with their drinks
"Alright so that's seven grogs and a milk" Sanji said setting the drinks in front of everyone not really paying attention to the people at the table who were ordering the drinks he was just doing a favor for the lovely Annie while she dealt with some riffraff causing an issue at the bar Luffy looked up a little
"Where'd the girl go?"
"Oh she had to handle something else"
"oh alright thanks Sanji"
"not a problem Luffy" Sanji began to walk away and the straw hats each took a sip of their drinks before realization hit them all the straw hats all choked on their drinks and spat them out as Luffy sprang out from behind the table
"SAAANNNJIII!"
"LUFFY!" Sanji cheered dropping the tray and the entire crew (well everyone but Zoro) Hugged Sanji in one giant group hug all bombarding him with questions
"OI!" Tom yelled at the top of his lungs to get their attention before walking over with Susan and Terry
"What's going on here?"
"TOM THIS IS MY NAKAMA!" Sanji shouted it was then the three smiled now just as happy as the others
"Guys these are my other Nakama well part of it Tom, Susan, and Terry" Sanji introduced
"other Nakama?" Luffy questioned
"We have been his temporary Nakama taking care of him for you" Terry said smiling a little bit then she turned to the kitchen
"ANNIE! COME OUT HERE! SANJI FOUND HIS NAKAMA!" Terry shouted Annie hurried out of the kitchen and smiled although it was clearly a sad smile
"That's… that's great" she said she was truly happy for him as she approached, she hurried over to him and hugged him as Sanji introduced her as "His guardian angel" causing her to blush a little bit
"WE FOUND YOU!" Luffy sang over and over again with Usopp and Chopper laughing the entire time
"So I guess you'll be leaving now huh?" Annie asked him Sanji stopped his smile vanishing as he stared at her now realizing he had to leave one Nakama for the other
"Yeah I guess I am" he said Annie put on a happy smile for him she hugged him tightly Sanji smiled at them the rest of both Nakama did seem to notice the two were rather sad about this Annie let go of him after a minute
"I'll go get your pay" Annie said before walking away Sanji couldn't help but notice that once she thought he wasn't looking she wiped her eyes gently going upstairs and he couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt but smiled as he hugged Robin who was crying she was so happy to see him alive Tom gave the crew free rooms for the night and they all sang happily and drank the entire night Sanji looked for Annie but she never came back downstairs when they had all gone to bed Sanji laid in his bed and stared up at the night time sky from his window by this time tomorrow he would be back in his old bed and back out to sea if they got their supplies that Nami said they drastically needed there was a part of Sanji that wanted to leave but then half of him that didn't there was just this nagging voice in the back of his head for a while it sounded like someone singing it was then it occurred to Sanji that he was hearing someone singing and it wasn't him it sounded like some kind of angel he stood before going downstairs being careful Annie now sat on the stage her white night gown stained with tears as she sat there singing softly to herself
(I Do not own this song all copy rights go to Avril Lavigne)
"I'm standing on a bridge
I'm waiting in the dark
I thought that you'd be here by now
There's nothing but the rain
No footsteps on the ground
I'm listening but there's no sound
Isn't anyone tryin to find me?
Won't somebody come take me home
It's a damn cold night
Trying to figure out this life
Won't you take me by the hand
Take me somewhere new
I don't know who you are
But I... I'm with you
I'm with you
I'm looking for a place
I'm searching for a face
Is anybody here I know
'Cause nothing's going right
And everything's a mess
And no one likes to be alone
Isn't anyone trying to find me?
Won't somebody come take me home
It's a damn cold night
Trying to figure out this life
Won't you take me by the hand
Take me somewhere new
I don't know who you are
But I... I'm with you
I'm with you
Oh why is everything so confusing
Maybe I'm just out of my mind
Yeah-he-yaa, Yeah-he-yah, Yeah-he-yah, Yeah-he-yah, Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!
It's a damn cold night
Trying to figure out this life
Won't you take me by the hand
Take me somewhere new
I don't know who you are
But I... I'm with you
I'm with you
Take me by the hand
Take me somewhere new
I don't know who you are
But I... I'm with you
I'm with you
Take me by the hand
Take me somewhere new
I don't know who you are
But I... I'm with you
I'm with you
I'm with you..."
Annie wiped her eyes gently before realizing she was being watched her face went a bright pink and she continued to try and hide her tears not looking at Sanji
"S-Sanji…I didn't realize-how long have you been there?" Annie asked him Sanji approached her and sat next to her on the little stage his hand placed on hers
"You don't want me to leave tomorrow do you?"
"No I mean I want you to leave I mean ugh" annie couldn't get the words out correctly she sighed
"I want you to be happy Sanji you've waited so long for your Nakama to come and now they're here if you're thinking of staying just because I don't want you to go" Annie stopped realizing she had said it Sanji smiled a little he held her hand gently now Annie looked at him and was surprised when his lips met hers for a the first time.
I do not own one piece that belongs to Oda sensei I only own the bear claw and its residences not including the straw hat chef and for those of you who missed it I don't own the song all copy rights for the song go to avril lavigne just as all copy rights for one piece go to shonen jump