They returned to the inn later that night, the two old men from earlier still sitting in the exact same spot as before.

"Well I'll be damned, y'all came back! But none of ya look like ya got any of that treasure..." One of the men said, looking at Nami in particular. She was in a sour mood, understandably. Sanji felt bad for her, wishing he could put a smile on her face, but at the same time...that place had been terrible. He didn't regret stopping her from going into the basement.

"We could have gotten it, maybe, but they happened to get home before we could make any real progress." Nami avoided mentioning the fact that Sanji had oh-so-kindly stopped her, although she did send him a little glare. "But we're going back as soon as we come up with a solid plan."

"Shit, y'all pirates are somethin else. Yer lucky to have made it out of there once, and y'all wanna go back?" The other man shook his head in disbelief, but grinned nonetheless. "Heh, I got faith in you lot. Y'all seem to know a thing or two about getting what ya want."

"Damn right." Nami muttered, sitting on the small sofa next to the two chairs being occupied by the men. "By the way, I don't think we ever introduced ourselves. You two gave us some valuable information, but I don't even know your names."

"Well, my names Lenard, and that's Daryl. Y'all are some strange pirates, being polite and whatnot. We heard of Trafalgar over there, but none of y'all seem familiar..." Lenard trailed off, giving Luffy a quick once-over to make sure he didn't recognize him.

"I'm Strawhat Luffy, and I'm gonna be King of the Pirates someday!" Luffy declared with his usual grin. The word 'Strawhat' seemed to jog the two's memory.

"Well fuck me, we got the Strawhats and Trafalgar Law on our little shithole island! I knew I seen ya somewhere, kid!" Lenard barked a laugh, directing his gaze back to Nami.

"So then yer Cat Burglar Nami I take it?" He asked, Nami nodding in agreement. "Well, no wonder ya want the treasure so bad. If anyone can get to it, it'll be y'all. Just be careful, those bastards are sick."

"Is there anything you can tell us about them? Any information would be appreciated. We're not too sure what we're dealing with." Sanji asked, hoping the two knew something, anything about those people. They would be going back to that house, and Sanji hated knowing that, but having information would make him feel marginally better about the whole thing.

"Well, they've been holed up in that house for about a year now. Came in one day on a real piece of shit ship. Didn't say nothin to nobody, just went walking into the woods like a bunch of weirdos, carrying a whole bunch of chests." Lenard began, looking a little angered at the memory. "Don't know how they knew where to go. They just wandered right into the woods and moved into the old farmhouse..."

"That place was a farmhouse?" Sanji asked. It looked like it belonged to someone with a lot of money, not some farmer.

"Oh yeah, until old man Dorian kicked the bucket a few years back. There's a barn, if ya follow the path in the back. Always did find it strange that they knew the place was there..."

"Didn't ya hear the rumor about that? One of them knew Dorian, supposedly it was his grandson. He inherited the farm, though I know for damn sure he ain't doin any farming." Daryl said. Sanji realized there was more to the story than he'd originally thought.

"Well I'll be. Makes sense, I guess. Anywho, one day they came into town, looking to buy food and whatnot. Except, they weren't willing to pay. So, the lady who owned the shop kicked 'em out. Her name was Carol." Lenard continued, and suddenly Sanji had a bad feeling again. Lenard looked a little too somber for his liking.

"What do you mean...'was'?" Nami asked, looking concerned.

"She went missin the next day. Never saw her again. Now of course, this pissed all of us townsfolk off. We burned their ship, some people even went to their house to try and kill them. Never saw them again either. After that, we...kept our distance. They ain't been back here ever since." Daryl said, something haunted in his gaze. Sanji had hoped learning more would make him feel better, but that sure as hell didn't work.

"How scary...these people really are twisted." Usopp gulped, face white. "Should we really be messing with them?"

"Y'all are the only ones who stand a chance. Other pirates have come here and caught wind of the treasure and disappeared just like everyone else, but y'all are different. Stronger, for sure. I don't think we'll be tearing up yer ship for wood like the others." Sanji knew Daryl was right. They were stronger, and this wasn't something they couldn't handle. But for some reason...he had doubts.

"You can't tear apart the Thousand Sunny!" Franky yelled in horror, appalled at the mere idea.

"Then I guess y'all better not die, heh! Gotta think of a plan now, don'tcha?"

"We need to eat! Come on, let's go eat something, please!" Luffy begged, appetite strong as ever. Sanji didn't even want to think about eating right now, not with his nerves so frayed.

"Oh fine, but we need to discuss our options too. I want to go back tomorrow, and we need a plan before then." Nami relented, suggesting that they go to the restaurant across from the inn for dinner. Sanji followed them, eyes becoming fixed on Law who stayed off to the side, being extraordinarily quiet. Sanji wondered if he was annoyed. After all, they were supposed to be on their way to Dressrosa. Nami had said they wouldn't stop for long, but that didn't seem to be working out so well.

Law had been interesting to Sanji the moment the alliance had been made. There was something about him...Sanji still had no idea what it was. He'd kept a close eye on the man from the beginning, observing him from a distance. He was usually pretty good at reading people, but for some reason Law was different.

He supposed he should find his fascination with Law odd. He did, in a way, but he had no plans to stop. Law was just a mystery to him, and Sanji felt compelled to figure him out.

After ordering food, they began devising a plan for tomorrow. Nami wanted to return at night, as darkness gave them an advantage. Not to mention that the people might be gone again. Robin would have to be on look-out duty again as her powers were the best for that. Zoro was in charge of helping her since he would likely get lost doing anything else, and they couldn't afford that this time.

"I'm going inside, obviously. I know exactly where to go this time." Nami's eyes were fixed onto Sanji immediately, the cook gulping at the sudden intensity. But then the image of Nami getting dragged down into the basement forced itself into his head, and he realized why she was giving him that look.

"Nami-swan, please, I know you want the treasure but..." Sanji trailed off as Nami held up her index finger, shutting him up just like that.

"But nothing. I'm going in alone."

"No." Luffy was serious all of a sudden, saying what Sanji had nearly screamed. Nami could not go into that house alone. She started to protest, but Luffy cut her off. "If they aren't home, maybe, but I don't want you in there alone with them. Not without me or Sanji there to help you in case something happens."

"We need to know whether or not they'll be there." Zoro said, frowning in thought. "Or come up with two plans. I mean, if they aren't home again it'll be easy."

"We'll scope everything out before anything. If it looks like they aren't home, I'm going in alone." Nami repeated. Sanji ground his teeth together, hating the idea of Nami going in alone but not wanting to argue with her.

"Take Torao." Luffy said, ignoring the angry glare he got from the other captain. "I'm not the best at being quiet, but I know he is."

"Nami-swan, I know what happened before made you angry, but I had to protect you." Sanji said, hoping Nami would at least choose him over Law. Then again, the guy was pretty quiet…

"From what, Sanji? We don't even know what's down there yet. I can't have you stopping me just because something feels off." Nami sighed, shaking her head and running a hand through her hair. "I'll take both you and Law. But I want him coming with me to the basement. You get to search upstairs, if we have that chance."

"And if we don't?" Zoro asked, "If they are home, what are we going to do?"

"Watch them." Robin said, sipping her tea before continuing. "We need to learn their schedule, their habits, what they look like. We still don't know how many live there. So if they happen to be home, or at least the majority of them, we should take advantage of that and observe them."

"Eh..why do you seem so knowledgeable about this, Robin?" Usopp chuckled nervously, gulping when Robin merely smiled at him.

"I wanted to look in the barn, too. Luffy, Franky, and Usopp can do that. Robin, Zoro, Brook and Chopper have to guard the perimeter. Sanji, Law and I will be inside...this might actually work this time. Assuming they aren't home..." Nami trailed off as their food came, all of them being as loud as normal while they ate. Sanji waited while they ate, mulling things over in his head. Having Law to help protect Nami would make him feel better, if he knew anything about the guy. He still didn't fully trust Law, either.

But sooner or later he would have to.

Sharing rooms at the inn was a pain. The place wasn't exactly big, meaning the rooms were limited on size. With ten of them, it took five rooms. The girls stayed together, of course, and the men were left to fend for themselves. Sanji smoked outside, listening to his crew mates push each other out of the way as they tried to find the best room. He didn't care what room he got. They were all the same, anyways, and he didn't care who stayed with him.

Once it seemed like everyone had gotten situated, he crushed his used up cigarette under his shoe and went back inside. He walked down the hallway where all of their rooms were, stopping at the only door still open.

Whatever he was expecting, it wasn't to find a familiar looking sword resting on one of the small beds, claiming it for its owner. The last person he would have thought of was Law, and for some reason it made him wary.

He shrugged off his suit jacket, placing it next to the only remaining bed in the room. Space was limited. He would be awfully close to the other captain while he slept, not that he thought Law would try to kill him or anything. Law really hadn't done anything to him. Sanji wasn't sure why he was being so paranoid.

"Oh, thank god." Law's voice nearly startled him. He turned to see the man pull his hat off, setting it next to his sword with a look of relief. "I wasn't sure who I would get. Thankfully it's just you."

Sanji was...oddly flattered to hear that. "Just me, huh? What makes me so preferable? I snore, you know."

"Snoring is the least of my concerns. If I had gotten your captain, I would have returned to your ship." Sanji wanted to laugh, because he could just see Law's face at two in the morning trying to cope with Luffy talking in his sleep.

"Oh come on, he's not that bad. Although he does make a lot of noise when he sleeps."

"And when he's awake." Sanji did laugh at that, any previous tension dissipating. Law was actually the best roommate he could have gotten.

"Well, consider yourself lucky then. The only annoying thing I do is get up to smoke every hour, but that's only if I can't sleep." Sanji removed his tie, kicking off his shoes and pausing. He didn't really want to sleep in his suit, but the idea of changing in front of Law made him uncomfortable, although he couldn't imagine why.

He really needed to get over whatever his hangup was with Law.

"I think I can handle that much." Law replied, pulling his feathered sweatshirt over his head and letting it fall to the floor. Sanji's eyes caught a flash of the tattoos covering Law's chest before he politely looked away, unbuttoning his shirt before slipping under the covers. From there he removed his pants, distracted by the movement in the corner of his eye.

He glanced over at Law for a quick second, although his gaze lingered when he realized Law was removing his pants, practically peeling the tight fabric from his legs. He didn't expect Law to be shy or anything, but for some reason it took him off-guard.

Maybe rooming with Law wasn't a good idea. Everything about the man was distracting to Sanji, and it was starting to piss him off. He wanted to figure Law out already. But even with his haki, he couldn't read Law even a little.

Sanji liked knowing things about people. It gave him a sense of security, especially in the presence of potential enemies. If he could just get something from Law, maybe he could relax a little.

He finally managed to stop staring at Law, eyes suddenly drawn to the mans hat. The spots were familiar to him. He'd noticed the ones one Law's pants, too, and he recognized the mans fashion sense.

"So, you're from the North Blue I take it?" He asked, hoping Law would at least tell him that much. The man didn't seem like the type to talk about his life, especially to people he barely knew.

Law looked surprised for a quick second before covering it with a smirk. "What gave it away?"

"You've got spots on damn near everything you wear. I knew I recognized them from somewhere." Sanji felt a little better knowing they came from the same place. It was better than nothing.

"How perceptive of you to notice." Law's smirk grew, something in his eyes making Sanji feel transparent. It was almost like Law knew exactly what he was trying to do. "So, you're from there as well?"

"I was born there, yeah. Didn't really stay for too long though." Sanji shrugged, not particularly wanting to talk about his childhood. Luckily Law didn't press any further, but Sanji could feel eyes on him as he tried getting comfortable.

There was a bang from across the hall, followed by a distinct 'shishishi', and he almost started laughing at the sound of disbelief and annoyance Law made. Sanji was thankful for the distraction, since he couldn't feel Law staring a hole into his head anymore.

"Honestly, I have to wonder how you keep your sanity living with him." Law grumbled, and Sanji could hear him getting into bed.

Sanji did laugh that time, sometimes asking himself the same question. "Ah, I guess I'm used to it. You might want to consider doing the same, since you're stuck with us now."

"I don't know about that. Once the alliance is over—"

"You'll still be stuck with us, trust me. Once Luffy says he likes you, you're pretty much screwed. We warned you from the beginning that his idea of alliances were different than yours. He'll find a way to see you again." Sanji almost felt bad for Law, but it was the truth. Luffy wouldn't let him off that easy.

Law sighed, knowing Sanji was probably right. "What a pain."

"You allied with him."

The next day was uneventful, for the most part. They spent the day running errands and exploring the island, not that there was much to explore. Nami seemed a bit jittery, most likely due to her excitement over the prospect of treasure. Sanji just hoped they could get it tonight and get as far away from that house as possible. Just knowing what the night would be like made Sanji antsy.

It grated on him for the majority of the day, until finally he couldn't take it anymore. With his mind being so obsessed with what could be in that basement, and so preoccupied with Law of all people, he was beyond stressed out.

But Law was going to be with Nami, if they got to enter the house again. Her life would be in his hands. The fact that those same hands literally said 'death' wasn't fucking helping him, either, but he had to make sure Law knew how important it was to protect her. He made sure to let the man know while they were walking back into the forest.

"Stay close to her down stairs. I don't know what the fuck is down there, but it feels..." Sanji trailed off, not really knowing how to put the feeling into words. Nobody else seemed to feel it as much as he did, for whatever reason. "Just protect her or I'll kick your fucking skull in."

"Rest assured, Mr. Blackleg, I won't let anything happen. Despite my...dissatisfaction for being here, you all are doing me an incredible favor by helping me defeat Kaido, as well as Doflamingo. I'll treat her life as if she were my own navigator." Law looked unimpressed by Sanji's threat, but still, he was being sincere.

"You'd better. I'm not the only one who would kill you." Sanji sighed, knowing they were almost there. "If something goes wrong, get her out of there immediately."

"I can easily teleport her a safe distance away from the house using my fruits ability. She'll be fine, Mr. Blackleg." Sanji had completely forgotten that Law had that power, but fuck it made him feel so much better. He was suddenly glad Nami chose Law over him.

They turned the corner and were faced once again with the large iron gate. Sanji stubbed out his cigarette, nerves on fire all over again. They peered through the gate, only to find the house completely lit up from inside.

They were home.

"Hm, stakeout it is." Robin smiled while Nami fumed, picking the lock yet again. Sanji was relieved. He wanted more information about these people, especially what times they left the house.

"Fine, but I still want to see the barn too. Let's split up and cover more ground. Luffy, Franky, Usopp, you know where to go. Everyone else can spread out, and make sure to stay hidden." Nami said, opening the gate and letting everyone in. She closed it behind her, glaring at the house and cursing the inhabitants.

At this rate, she would never get her treasure.

So kind of a boring chapter, nothing really happening yet. Things should get interesting in the next one, if I could just figure out how I'm going to write it. This chapter was hard enough, I think my brain is melting.