A/N

Hey guys! Christmas break has finally arrived and I am so happy that I will finally have some time to work on this story. Although I tried to update as frequently as I could, it may have not been enough for some of you. I will probably post 2 chapters during the holidays but since midterms are also on the way I cannot really guarantee much at this point. I noticed some typos in the last chapter and I will correct them as soon as possible. Writing stuff on a mobile phone is not convenient at all. Anyway, here is the new chapter which I hope you like. I want to thank some people for their reviews, they really helped me and motivated me as well. Special thanks to:

Shivisdivis – you have been supporting me since the beginning and I'm really grateful for that. I am also really glad you enjoy the story and leave reviews and comments frequently.

valentina14 – I am so happy you liked the story! I also took into consideration the suggestions you made about the format of the text. Thanks a lot because being a new writer on Fanfiction I really get confused at how some things work.

Open-Book127 – thank you for your comments, I am glad you think of my story as a good one and I will try to keep up the good work.

There were also some anonymous reviews but I just wanted to thank all of you guys for reading the story. It's extra nice when you find the chance to review as well but all of you readers are the reason I have not given up. Enjoy!

Chapter 6: The Ugly Truth

"Shh, I am here now."

Even the sound of his deep voice helped her calmed down a bit. The feeling of his hands around her soothed her aching heart, making her feel safe at that moment. The trembling and sobs finally subsided and she was able to regulate her breathing. His body heat allowed her to relax and warmed her being

She finally pulled back from their embrace and looked him in the eye. Even though he gave the impression that he was calm and ready to deal with any situation, the fear and worry that filled his existence were evident in his dark orbs. She could make out the uneasiness as to how to deal with the situation. Having a girl crying her eyes out in his car was definitely not Zoro's ideal night and she felt that more grateful that he was there.

She was reminded of where she was by the cold wind and moved to close the passenger's seat she had left open when storming in the car. She leaned on the closed door of the car and faced him. She could not help but feel embarrassed in front of him so she averted her gaze quickly.

"Um, where to?" he asked hesitantly, not really sure how to deal with the awkward moment he was experiencing. He was clearly concerned for Nami. He had not seen her in a similar situation ever before. While he wanted to just help her calm down and put a smile on her face again, he was pissed with himself. He had made a promise; he would never make or let anyone make her cry and right now, he could not fulfill it for the second time today. However, his awkwardness and inexperience in dealing with girls was certainly a drawback here.

"I-I haven't thought about that." she openly admitted. She turned her gaze on her fingers, unable to look him in the eyes. A little blush crept at her cheeks and he could not help thinking that at that moment, she actually looked quite cute. His train of thought was interrupted momentarily when she spoke again. "I mean, I did not think about that. But…um, I needed someone to talk to. I still do. And not just anyone. I need you, Zoro."

Despite the state she was in, her voice faltering and everything, he took notice of the seriousness behind her words. Although her tears had stopped, he could tell by their puffiness she must had been crying for quite long. He wanted to do something to just eliminate the fear he was sure she felt, but just could not decide what would be suitable.

"Well, since it is late, I doubt there will be many places open. Do you mind if we went to my place instead?" Although what he said was completely logical, he could not shake the feeling that it might have made her feel uneasy. However, he was surprised to hear her answer.

"Sure."

She was also a little surprised with herself. The word came out naturally without her even thinking about it. After such an incident, another girl might be frightened to step into a man's house for months. But she knew she could trust Zoro to help her. He had ensured her he was there for her. But, even without this declaration, she just felt safe when she was with him. For some reason, he was the only one with whom she felt content.

Without neither of them realizing, they had reached their destination. Zoro parked the car in front of a 3-store building. They got out of the car and headed for the main entrance with Zoro struggling to find his keys inside the pocket of his jeans. When he finally did, the door opened with a squeak indicating that the structure they were to step inside was quite old. They headed for the stairs since the elevator was out of order.

"It's on the third floor." he instructed as they started going up. They walked in silence for some seconds until Nami decided to speak.

"You know, when we were still children, I remember you being hopelessly directionally-challenged. It is very surprising that you managed to get us here in such little time." she mocked him gaining a growl from the green-haired man. This made a grin appear on her face. She was grateful that despite their separation for so long, some things remained the same.

Zoro knew she was at a vulnerable place, so he suppressed his anger and just let out a growl. It was really annoying he got mocked because of his directional skills as a kid and he did not want history to repeat itself. Deep down he knew her statement was accurate. He actually spent 15 minutes to return home when the building was actually located 3 minutes away from where he had found Nami. Of course, he would not admit that to the orange-haired woman beside him.

After a couple of minutes in the poorly lit hallways and staircase of the building, they finally reached an apartment. Zoro opened the wide wooden door in front of them and let Nami in. The apartment was without a doubt occupied by a male resident. There was a small kitchen with a table and two chairs on the right. She could see a pile of unwashed dishes in the sink and she subconsciously showed her disgust at the image with a 'tsk'. Across from the spot she stood, she could make out two leather couches, a coffee table and a TV set. On her left, there were three doors. One of them was the bathroom as Zoro explained. Beside the bathroom door, on her right, was his bedroom. Before she had the chance to ask about the other room, Zoro interrupted her.

"Um, do you want anything to eat or drink?"

"No, I am okay for now. Let's just sit over there." she said pointing at the sofas in front of them. She started walking towards them with Zoro following. She sat at the corner of the one with him on the other side of the sofa.

"So, mind telling me what happened?" he guessed that it would be better to cut to the chase than just waste time.

"Well, for you to understand exactly what happened I need to tell you some things about-about my mother". He could see she struggled as her she gripped the edge of the couch so hard her knuckles turned white. He could make out the glistening of her eyes and he was confident it was something difficult for her to talk about. He felt the urge to reach for her hand, but he restrained himself. He listened carefully as she told him the whole story and was shocked with what he was hearing.

He knew what it was like to lose your mother. He had lost his mother recently, but he never could have guessed what she went through. It was a whole different thing to have to live with the murderer of your own parent. He could not hold back anymore and he took her hand in his, squeezing it gently to reassure that he was sorry for what she had to go through. She smiled weakly at him as she knew he was not a man of words and moved closer to him.

"I'm really sorry I was not there for you then, Nami. I really am". She looked at him and could see the sincerity in his eyes. She squeezed his hand in return to show him that she understood and he did not have to apologize.

"That's not why I wanted you to hear this. What I told you has to do with what happened today. Zoro...I was furious with Arlong because he was talking shit about Bellemere". Tears had started staining her cheeks one more. "But it's not only that. He-he got mad with me and he-he…" she could not finish what she was saying. Sobs began disturbing the ominus silence of the room. He sensed her tense up as the grip she had on his hand became deadly.

He brought her closer to him and he hugged her tightly. Her face found its way to his chest and he could tell his T-shirt was getting wet by her tears. He put on of his hands behind her head and the other around her waist. He could tell she needed this physical support he offered her to move on. Nami responding by encircling his waist with both her arms.

Her voice was only a whisper now, meant only for his ears. As if she was afraid someone else might hear if she confessed what had happened out loud. Or maybe she thought that as long as she did not blurt it out, it would not be true, just a product of her imagination. Gathering all the courage she had left, she just let it out between sobs.

"He-he tried to rape me, Zoro."

Her confession was followed by waves of fresh tears and a frozen Zoro. He wanted to believe his ears had deceived him. He really wanted to. But he could not. His blood was boiling with rage towards the man who had hurt the only person that meant the world to him. He was suddenly trembling and could not get a hold of himself.

"Nami…I swear I am going to kill that son of a bitch."

Nobody was allowed to mess with his friends. He tried to get up to leave and hunt that bastard down, but without notice, a blow made contact with his head. He was dumbfounded, he did not see that coming.

"What the hell was that for, witch?" he tried to control himself, but did not succeed this time. He could not find a reason behind this action of hers and he was slightly irritated that she decided to hit him in a time like this.

"BAKA! You don't get it, do you? Arlong is not the person you need to take care of at the moment" she said clearly mad at the person in front of him. He became aware of what she was saying at last and he was so embarrassed of himself. Just when she needed him most, he was ready to abandon Nami all over again. Although it would be done for her sake, he realized that was not that urgent now. He took her in his arms again and told her softly "I know, I'm sorry. I was just" he sighed "You know I just can't stand the idea that he would do something like this to you of all people. I mean, sure, you can be a cunning, manipulative bitch at times, but you are a kind person, Nami. You have a good heart. And I just can't accept what he did. I want to hunt this motherfucker down and make him pay for all the trouble he has caused you. I was blinded by my rage, that's all. But you're right. I said to you I would be here for you and here I am."

He pulled back a bit and looked at her. Damn, I hate seeing her like that. He took her face in his hands and slowly brushed away her tears. Warmth filled her at the lightest touch of his hands on her skin. "Damn it, Nami. I know it's hard but that's not the girl I remember. Come on, go on about that huge debt I own you and how it is actually existent. I mean who would charge me a thousand Berri or so for money I borrowed but paid back immediately?" he grinned at their childhood memory and actually managed to make her features brighten up a bit.

"Well, I had warned you that if you borrowed money, you had to repay me triple the amount but being the idiot you are, you forgot about it didn't you now, Zoro? Maybe it was the fact you had a thing for rice balls after all and you could not resist them."

"Urgh, but the store had just closed so I didn't use the money!"

"A deal is a deal, you brute. And you are a man that keeps his promises, aren't you Zoro-kun?" she smiled evilly knowing this was a weak spot of his.

"Why, you little-"he breathed in a large volume of air before he said something he would regret. He seriously could not understand Nami in the slightest. She had that habit of changing from a wailing, innocent girl to the most evil witch world has ever created. He could not help but grin at the thought. She was a hell of a challenge but he could not imagine how it would be without her. With a glance at the clock, he turned to her.

"It's getting late and after what you've been through today, I think we should call it a night. You have to rest; otherwise, you will be nagging at me that I am responsible for your lack of sleep or something."

"Well, you're right. God, I thought I would never agree on a thing with a low-witted moron as yourself. Next thing I know, pigs will fly. Anyway" she became a little hesitant "there's a hotel not that far from here. Think you can drive me?"

"Don't be stupid. You are staying here."

She was sincerely relieved by what he said. She could not picture herself alone in a cold hotel room right now. She smiled at him and said "Right. Where will I be sleeping then?"

"You can have my room. I will sleep on the couch."

She was glad Zoro was giving her space, but at the same time she felt a little disappointed. She could not tell why, but she had a suspicion. A suspicion which better not be true. Then, she recalled her arrival at the place "Wait, isn't there another room here?" she pointed at the door on the left of the bathroom she had spotted earlier.

"Well, let's just say I cannot sleep in there." She did not push the subject further assuming it was maybe a room where he stored things and did not have a bed in it. "Come on, I will take you where you will be sleeping." she followed suit and they entered Zoro's bedroom.

The room was quite big but did not have many furniture in it. There was a double bed in the middle with dark green sheets. Next to it, there was a nightstand where the charger for his phone. There was also a wardrobe across from the door although most of his clothes lay scattered on the floor. "You sure are messy" she commented gaining a glare from him. He started picking up the various t-shirts and trousers from the floor in embarrassment. The thing that got her attention immediately was a mirror. She never could have guessed that Zoro paid attention on the way he looked and she giggled at the thought of Zoro being in front of the mirror checking himself out.

"Jeez, what got into you all of a sudden?" he inquired. It was surreal that moments ago Nami was on the verge of a break down and now she was giggling.

"Oh, just shut it, will you?" she answered. She could also see various weights around the room. Sure, she had noticed that he had a well-toned body. She could tell by the way the shirts he wore clung to his muscles. There were also some women back at the bar that were looking at him like he was a piece of meat and that did not necessarily had to do with his figure alone. He was a handsome man, she had to admit and back there she had felt a little irritated by their gazes. She did not like where her thoughts headed so she just pushed them out of her head.

"So, here's the bed." he interrupted her train of thought. "Do you think you need any more blankets? It's kind of chilly today, even with the heating on."

"No, I think it will be fine. Um, Zoro? Mind lending me some pajamas to sleep in? I doubt the jeans I am wearing will be comfortable enough for me to sleep in."

"Um…" he suddenly became embarrassed and even blushed a little. "actually, I don't have any. I-I usually sleep in a pair of sweatpants alone." It felt weird to confess something like that to Nami which was highly illogical. "But, maybe, would you want a t-shirt or something like that to-to…you know." He wanted to punch himself in the face. He should not be that embarrassed. However, thinking of Nami sleeping in his clothes was something that sent goose bumps all over his body. He was a man that could restrain his body and thoughts on all occasions except for when he was with her.

"Sure. Do you happen to have any shorts as well?"

"Of course not. Only women wear shorts."

"Fine, then I will have to find something on my own. Jeez, thanks for the help, moss-head" she said sarcastically. Still, when he fumed because of the nickname, she could not help but smirk. "Ah, found it."

It was a black garment that seemed like shorts in Nami's eyes. Well, that should do.

"Um, are you sure you want to wear these?" he asked quizzically.

"Yeah, why? What's wrong?" she could not understand what was wrong with that.

"Well… that's my-my underwear actually." Zoro had turned the color of a tomato and she started laughing loudly. "Keep it down, will you? And what's so damn funny about it?"

"Don't be such a prude. They are washed, right?" his growl was a good enough answer for her. Even Zoro could not be that much of a pig. "Then, I do not see the problem. Now, get out."

In an instant, he was pushed out of the room violently. The slam of the door was a remainder of what a crazy friend he had. He smirked and went to lie down on the couch. He took off his leather jacket, t-shirt and boots and pulled a blanket over his body. It was slightly uncomfortable but he did not mind much.

He started drifting off when a punch to his head awoke him. He did not have to guess who his assaulter was.

"What the hell, Nami?" he shouted clearly mad at the orange-haired girl.

"Come with me." It was not a question but a demand. She just had to order him around even in his own house, didn't she? He sighed and followed Nami to his bedroom.

"Well, what is it now?" he asked slightly sleepy.

"Lie down, moron." he was surprised at what he heard. "It's your bed. I cannot let you sleep on the couch. That thing must be a back killer. I can tell just by looking at it." He was ready to object when he noticed her expression. "I-I will not be able to sleep. I feel reassured when you are there." she gave him a faint smile. He sighed. There was not much he could do about it.

"Are you sure?" he asked as if she would change her mind. When she nodded, he could tell she did not feel uncomfortable with him in the same bed as her so he obliged. He went to get under the covers but she stopped him.

"Just to be clear. This is my side" she pointed to the left "and this is yours. I do not want you trying anything funny. If you do, I'll make sure your debt is as big as your stupidity." He growled irritated at both the things he was saying.

"As if. Besides, you are the one that dragged me in here, so maybe I should be concerned about my own safety." he smirked and Nami's face twitched. The blow he received moments later was expected.

"Ow. You sure are tiresome, you know that?" she did not have the time to answer "but, come on, let's sleep. I think you need it." Just when she was ready to turn around, he felt Zoro move. He kissed her forehead and whispered "Goodnight, witch."

She remained still for a moment. She would never expect such an action from Zoro. She smiled to herself and turned around to get into bed. Although it was a gentle kiss on the forehead, she could not get rid of the goose bumps all over her body. When she was under the covers, she said "Goodnight, baka." She closed her eyes but his voice had her attention again.

"Oh, and Nami? Green suits you."

Zoro was likely referring to the shirt she had chosen to wear which was a shade of light green. She felt her cheeks burn, and she recalled what she was wearing at that moment. The t-shirt was baggy on her except from the place her chest was located where it was a little tighter. The "shorts" she had put on did not cling to her body but were rather loose. They were, however, hidden due to the length of the shirt.

But she could not help feeling this was not only about the clothes. "You think so?" she answered and heard him chuckle. After that, she was lulled to sleep.

Well, that was a big chapter. I had been stuck on it for days! I hope you liked it, it was fun writing. The next chapter will probably be up after New Year's and it will lack the drama these past chapters possessed (it's Christmas time after all!). Feel free to comment, follow and favor this story. Happy holidays to all of you!

-T