.: I'm not sure if it's obvious yet, but I love Sanji so much. I wish someone in real life would love me as much as I know he would. He can be an idiot and annoying sometimes, but I can see how real his heart is during a lot of One Piece. It makes me wonder how he would actually be if a character like Aurilee did exist in the show. Of course, we got Pudding and her little acting facade in Whole Cake Island, but Sanji did not truly know her know her, if that makes sense. He did comfort her, though, so I wanted to do the same for Aurilee. My goal is for Sanji to be a safe place for her as her story progresses and her character develops. :.

The Girl with A Half-Soul

Chapter 9:

That One Dream

There were thickets and thorns, and the sparse trees on the bluff were dry from the lack of nutrients in the rocky soil. There was no dirt path to follow, so Sanji had to make his way through on his own. Lots of stepping over flora and pulling the kilt free from snags occurred. But once he overcame the highest part of the bluff, he caught sight of Lollybroch on the other side. It looked just like how Nami described: Maybe a hundred Naval ships resided in the vast bay. The village itself was big like Edinburgh, but a little smaller.

After trekking far enough to lose the sound of crashing waves against the coast, Sanji found himself looking for a way to slip into the village without looking suspicious. The rain was picking up, changing the colors of his clothes to duller shades. He stood behind a wooden building painted white, peeking around the corner to see how busy the street was. There were people passing by, but not with the same volume as Edinburgh. The biggest difference he noticed, though, was that Marines were marching by every now and then. They were in formation and making their presence known for all the civilians.

Focusing back on himself, he cleaned up his attire by pulling out any prickly branches that were still holding on from his not-so-peaceful walk through nature. And he did not really want to, but he scrubbed his fingers through his hair to make it look wavier. The only thing he could not make appear native would be his voice. The accent he had screamed "foreigner," so he opted to keep quiet and not speak to anybody to keep his identity hidden.

Stepping onto the street once the coast was clear, he lit a fresh cigarette and then tucked the lighter in his kilt with the berries. This place was a ghost town compared to Edinburgh, which was crawling with people. There were some that were out, but the number of Marines in uniform outmatched everyone else. It was a little depressing, like the entire town was drained of its spirit.

He passed by restaurants with barely anyone eating in them, taverns with just the town's drunks occupying their seats, and a few farmers who were heading to places with a single animal like a cow or a goat. There were also homeless people wrapped in ragged blankets on the sides of the road, begging for spare change or just sleeping while sitting up against buildings. Seeing kids and teenagers among them rubbed Sanji the wrong way. Something about the military's presence here has really run it into the ground.

But Sanji did not spend time observing for long since that was not why he was here. He quickly found a shop and entered it. The door closing behind him echoed throughout the room. To say it was eerily empty was an understatement. "Uh, hello?" he said, forgetting about his lack of accent. Once he realized he spoke, he quickly silenced himself and wished that nobody showed up. He could just grab what he needed and leave the stack of berries on the counter.

As he began doing so, he listened carefully for anyone approaching. The only noise that he heard, though, was the sound of the racks of clothes being moved around. He paid attention to prices and sizes, pulling something for every member of the crew. He had a few berries leftover once he was finished, but he left every bit of it on the counter for the shop owner. Considering what the rest of Lollybroch looked like, they needed everything they could get.

Everything he bought was stuffed in a sack and tossed over his shoulder. Although his only objective was now complete, Sanji did not feel the need to head back to the Merry so soon. All he could think about was the trouble Luffy would get them in if he brought him here blindly. Although he knew his captain could take on every Marine here and come out victorious, he thought about Aurilee and how she needed to be handled with care. Being involved in a fight could put her and her unborn children at risk. So, he took it upon himself to go investigating to see if he could pinpoint Aurilee's position and her motives. That way, when he did return to the crew, he could tell them exactly where they needed to go.

The muscles throughout his back and shoulders were aching the whole time. He could feel every microscopic fiber move with his walking. There were many that were torn from the many hours of constant rowing the oversized oars. It would take three days until he felt back to normal, and the aforementioned muscles would be stronger than before as a result of healing. But it was not helping that he had no fuel in the tank to aid in it. The rest of the crew had enjoyed a late lunch full of protein since he knew majority of them were feeling the same way he currently was. When Aurilee was back with them, he could cook something fresh for them both. Maybe she would even let him eat with her. The thought of being alone with her made him smile like an idiot. It would be like they were on a date, just the two of them.

But he dispelled the thought in his head, bringing himself back to reality. Before he could treat his sweet Aurilee, he had to find her. She could be anywhere in this rundown place. More importantly, why did she choose to run off here? To be shielded by the Navy? That was a very possible reason. All she had to tell them was pirates had captured her and abused her for years, and she could be in their care indefinitely. The only problem from his perspective was finding out if she really had turned herself in. He could not just walk up and ask a Marine if they had seen her. They might get suspicious, or even simply blow him off and lie to him about it to protect her. Considering he was pretending to be a native, however, he could easily just stroll wherever and see for himself.

He headed for the harbor since there were all kinds of ships. He had a feeling it festered with the military out of everywhere else.

The shipwrights stood in the doorway of their echoing workshop as they watched the rain. When it poured harder, it played drums on the metal roof above their heads. Sometimes it drowned out their voices while they talked with Aurilee. But once it calmed down a bit, they were ready to set off in search for a bite to eat. Aurilee took a leather coat they offered her, holding it over her shoulders and tightly pulling it against her figure from the inside. It hid her damp clothes well, considering how oversized it was for her.

Angus beckoned her to follow them. Outside still showed a dreary day with no hint at experiencing a sunny afternoon. Aurilee walked behind them both as they took the lead side by side and conversed about places that were open. The whole time, Marines passed by them as they worked. Many of them were transporting supplies or parts. It was kind of sad that they did not leave anything for Angus and Rupert to work on, but it was probably done on purpose to put them out of business.

She did not mind walking in silence. This was their hometown, after all. They knew where they were going. And she was so hungry that she did not care what they gave her to eat. It had been a whole day since she last ate.

"Say, Lass," Angus started, glancing over his shoulder at her, "would ya be opposed to asking the Marines for a way to yer home island?"

The question shocked her, causing her to falter in step and halt altogether.

He noticed her reaction and stopped as well, turning around. Rupert paused.

Before speaking, she looked around to see that nobody was around to hear her. "Y-Yes," she stammered, looking up at them both. "I can't do that."

"Why not? They have connection all around the world. It would be easy to find yer home through 'em," Angus reasoned.

"Because…I-I have a bounty on my head," she confessed. "They've chased me down before. I can't risk it."

"Oh…Cause of those pirates, eh?"

She nodded, paranoidly tucking her face deeper into the coat.

"Okay. Well, we can still find you a ride, but it'll be harder. They could only take you to the next island."

They started walking again, but Rupert added "You're in for a long and expensive trip. I'm surprised yer putting yourself through that with yer bairn so close to arriving."

She kept quiet after that. The truth was she had no idea how much longer she had left before delivering her triplets. That little walking and talking reindeer did not share that information with her. At some point, she would have to find a doctor and get proper help, but not now. Although the lingering pain between her legs was not easing in the slightest.

To her relief, they left the premises of the docks. She noticed the drastic decrease in Marine activity the farther they hiked. It felt like she was safer.

But she let her guard down too easily. Someone was actually trailing behind her. Her physical appearance was recognizable from a mile away. Wearing the coat was doing nothing to hide her. The person kept their distance but slowly caught up to her. Then there was a whisper. "If you're in danger, pull your coat tighter."

Aurilee wanted to gasp. It was so close to her. And it was male. She started getting flashbacks of last night with her attacker coming up from behind her. She could feel high stress build up in the form of hypertension. For a moment she forgot what was requested of her, but she continued walking behind the shipwrights. And then she suddenly recognized the voice. He was not the Marine who hurt her. Who was he? All she could think about was that blonde, curly-browed cook who was feeding her all the time.

Glancing over her shoulder, she caught a brief glimpse of a red patterned kilt and very obvious blonde hair that covered the left side of his face. It really was that guy from the pirate crew. This could not be happening right now. How the hell did he track her down here from all the way across the island?!

"I'm here to bring you back to the Going Merry," Sanji whispered. "Are you hurt?"

Feeling annoyed and spiting her pain, she shook her head. Then she looked over her shoulder again. "Go away," she whispered back.

"No. We've been worried sick about you."

"I'm fine. Just go," she insisted through gritted teeth. "I don't want your help."

"Can we at least talk?"

"No." And she wanted that to be the last bit of their conversation. She walked faster to catch up with the shipwrights, who never noticed their exchange.

Sanji did not pursue her as hard. Instead, he stayed a few yards back to keep an eye on her, but they would not notice him. He followed them to what looked like a restaurant. The three of them entered and sat down at a splintering table.

While he hung around outside, he observed the three of them. The two men Aurilee was with were tall and muscular. They were not Marines, but they were not wearing kilts either. They were cordial with her, even laughing every now and then. But she was stiff and not wanting to speak much. And she kept looking over at him while he kept his back pressed to a building and he smoked casually. She claimed to not be in danger, and those new friends of hers did not seem to be forcing her to do anything. When food was placed on their table, they ate with her and talked more.

He could not figure out how they all knew each other. Aurilee's features and voice did not match that of these Highlanders. There was no way this island was her homeland. So those men could not possibly be family members of hers. All Sanji could think about was they were convinced to take her in, or she was working with them. And working could mean anything, considering her trauma. He was reaching here, but he feared that Aurilee was selling herself to get by. If the abuse she suffered from the Gunslinger Pirates was all she has known, it was possible she would rely on that experience in order to survive. With that becoming a growing fear for him, his desire to get her back to the Merry burned greater. No lady should live that way, or feel the need to live that way.

Aurilee kept glancing over at him, expecting him to at least leave to go tell the others where she was at, but he never moved. He had a whole bag full of stuff next to his feet. Not even the wavering weight of the rain made him move. Whatever it was he was cooking up in his head, she had a feeling it involved forcing her back. Although she appreciated the food he made her and the kindness that the others displayed, she was ready to move on in her life.

Unfortunately, if that meant telling him that straight to his face, then she would have to bite the bullet and get a move on with it.

After their meal was finished, Angus, Rupert, and Aurilee all headed back to the docks. Just like how they left, the two men walked next to each other in front of Aurilee. Sanji followed like he did before. This time, Aurilee expected it. She purposely dragged her steps to create distance between herself and her new friends. When it was enough, she suddenly turned around and grabbed Sanji's wrist, pulling him into an alley. "I don't need rescuing," she told him, pushing him against the wall.

Surprised by the sudden approach, he submissively pressed himself to the side of the stone building. The feeling of her hand touching him sent a thrilled shiver up his central nervous system. But the stern expression on her face shot his hopes down. Her brows were furrowed and a scowl influenced her lips. But the sight of her pallid flesh alarmed him. The last time he laid eyes on her, her skin tone was a warm olive. Looking at her now, he could barely make out the patch on her forehead. In an instant, he dropped the bag and took hold of her hands. They were both not radiating any heat unlike his own. "Are you okay? You're pale," he told her, rubbing them together with his own hands.

She pulled herself free from his grasp. "Don't touch me," she demeaned.

He then also noticed the forming bruise on the underside of her jaw. His hand reached to caress it, but she took a defensive step back to avoid it. Now his worry was becoming ire. "What have those bastards done to you?" he questioned.

"Nothing!" she defended. "They're my dad's friends."

He took in her words for a moment. "Your dad's friends?"

"That's right. And I have proof." Suddenly she pulled out all the letters that Gerald had sent over the years to Angus and Rupert and pushed them toward Sanji. "His signature is at the bottom."

He curiously took them from her and scanned over the handwritten words. Every letter was addressed to the Lollybroch Shipwright Company. At the bottom was a cursive Harry Fitzgerald that was consistently in the same area of every paper he held. "Is that why you came to Lollybroch? To reunite with your dad?"

She hesitated with her answer. Although it was not the main reason why she fled here, it certainly became a hope for her. But Gerald was not even here so it did not matter anymore. "Yes. Happy now?"

Sanji took a minute to read over a paragraph in the top page. There was nothing significant in it. It was mostly rambling about recent events but nothing mind-blowing. It felt more like a journal entry than a letter to some old pals. But still, it was a huge coincidence that out of all the islands they could have traveled to in the Grand Line, they ended up right where her dad supposedly once lived. "But if these letters are from your dad and you're with your dad's friends, that means he's not here himself, does it?" he clarified.

Aurilee averted her gaze from meeting his. "So?"

"So? What's your goal here? You ran off without telling any of us and scared us to death. I find you across the island in a village that's crawling with Navy scum everywhere you look. If your dad isn't here, what does that leave you with?"

"I don't know, okay?!" she blurted out. Every word out of his mouth was pissing her off. She had no plan other than leaving this place, but she could not share that with Sanji. "I already had nothing to begin with, so what difference does it make?!"

"You expect me to just leave you here all by yourself and tell the crew that you're perfectly fine? I can tell you right now that the first thing Luffy will do is run over here and bring you back himself. Trust me, once he has his mind set on something, he's not the persuasive type."

She ripped the letters out of his grasp to hide them back in the coat. What she really wanted to do was storm off, but the next thing Sanji said stopped her in her tracks.

"Have you even thought about your kids?"

With her palm against the building to her right, she stayed put and looked out of the alleyway. Of course she had thought about the little ones occupying her womb. It was hard not to considering how huge they were making her. Her hands started to tremble again. In a very cold tone, she responded with: "I'm not keeping them."

Hearing it made Sanji's heart sink. From the moment she had taken refuge in the Merry, and he tried to deliver that first meal to her, he was afraid that she would despise her own offspring. They were results of an attacker and a constant reminder of her trauma. But at the same time, they were just babies. Innocent byproducts of an unfortunate and terrible situation. Sanji gazed at the emotionally broken girl, wondering how she could resort to a decision such as this one. He knew all too well what it was like to be an unwanted child.

"No, Aurilee, don't give them up like this…" he trailed, not sure what exactly to say.

The distress in his voice only bolstered the comprehension of her position. Tears quickly sprang from her eyes.

"You can't hate your kids. You haven't even met them yet."

"I don't h-hate them," she corrected, using the back of her wrist to wipe her cheekbones. It took courage to come up with the rest of her words. She could feel contradiction within herself. "I just can't…I can't keep them. I don't want them."

Sanji reached to his mouth to inhale more smoke, but he realized he had already stuffed his cigarette to protect the babies from harm. "Then why did you cry for them?"

She held her elbows with the palm of her hands. She was at a loss of words for him.

"I watched you cry for them when you thought they were dead. Remember?"

It happened right after she was rescued from drowning herself. Trying to be convinced to have an early dinner, Sanji had mentioned how her baby needed her, or something of that nature. But she did not see the point if she had never felt movement in her womb. As far as he knew, they were deceased. Still to this day, there was not a single kick she could acknowledge. But they were alive. They were growing. One day, they would breathe air and cry. Her chest started to convulse, and her lip quivered. Three little lives depended on her to choose their fate. It was either be selfish and risk their lives as she navigated life alone or give them a chance at a better life by giving them up.

But why? Why were those her only options? Why did fear drive her to wanting to desperately hate them just so that letting them go would be easier? She was scared to death of everything coming her way. She was scared of them exhibiting Calisto's violet hair or blue eyes. She was scared of them becoming monsters like their father. Most of all, she was scared of not being the parent they needed. She could barely take care of herself. Hell, she allowed herself to be assaulted again. If she could not protect herself, she could not protect a set of triplets!

The reality was she remained trapped. No decision she could make was good. It was so frustrating! And she was so pathetic and worthless that the only thing she could do was cry and feel sorry for herself. So, she did. She completely broke down under the pressure. The desire to keep her babies was so strong that her heart hurt. She wanted them so bad. There was no point in denying it anymore. She remembered the day she discovered her pregnancy, and how she did everything she could to hide it. Since that first day, she did as much as she could to protect them. Even when the Marine was attacking her last night, she tried to keep them all safe. The only time she was outright neglectful was when she was inhaling seawater to end her life. She wanted that to be the last time she let them down.

Sanji watched her sob all over again. He knew her tears did not lie. Not then, not now. One of her hands hugged herself across her chest while the other covered her face. It was like she was ashamed of herself.

She did not want him to touch her, but it also hurt him to see her suffer like this. He took a chance by settling the side of his face into the back of her stringy hair and resting his hand on her shoulder to halfway embrace her. The gesture startled her at first, but it was gentle and allowed her to feel his warmth. It was the first hug she had gotten in years. The last one she ever received was a goodbye hug from Gerald. But Sanji's did not hint at goodbye at all. "It's okay," he comforted, slowly stroking her shoulder and arm. "Just tell me what you want, and I'll help you."

She sniffed and cried a little bit more, but she accepted the gesture by pressing her cheek against his arm and holding it in place with her hand. Some of her tears soaked into the fabric of his sleeve along with the raindrops that kept falling from the sky. "…I just wanna go home," she croaked.

Home. It was such a simple word, but it held so much meaning. It was meant to be a safe haven for people. For Aurilee, it was a place where her parents were. And if she returned to them, then she did not have to go through this alone. Her Mama and Papa could help her raise her children. It would be an ideal way to spend the rest of her life. Not perfect, but doable.