The oasis town was a desert.  The rebels weren't here.  Uncle Toto looked like a wraith.  There was no water.

Crocodile�Elt;br>
She had been awake when Uncle Toto had drug Luffy into the building.  She had watched as he carefully pulled a blanket over the pirate captain.  She had listened as he carefully shut the door behind him.

Why?  Why Yuba? Why Uncle Toto? Why�Ef all the awful luck in the world�Eeren't the rebels still here?

She couldn't sleep, so she threw off her covers and went outside.

Sanji heard and followed her.  He found her pacing like a cat in the sand. "Vivi-chan."

Vivi rounded on him. "Why did you say that in there?  Why were you in my bed when you were so quick the other night to say that you didn't want to arouse suspicion?" she asked angrily.  "Is that what you want from me, Sanji-san?  Is that all you want from me?"

"Vivi-chan, of course not.  It was a joke.  One that was in very poor taste." Sanji held out his hands, a gesture of appeasement.  "Please don't be mad at me.  Please."

"I'm not mad, just worried. I'm worried about Uncle Toto."

She lied worse than Usopp, he reflected.  "Yes.  He doesn't look like he's been eating well."

"He looks horrible," she said bitterly.

"I'll fix him something before we leave," he said.

"Not everything can be fixed with food," she spat out.

"I know that, Vivi-chan."

She walked away.  "Please go back to bed.  We have a long walk tomorrow."

"I won't.  Not now.  Not when you're like this."

Her voice grew dangerously loud. "Like what?"

"When you're upset."  When you need someone, he thought.  Why do you insist on bearing all the weight on your shoulders?  When will you admit that you need us?

And will you ever say that you need me?

Her anger cooled in the cold air.  Sanji didn't deserve to bear the brunt of her fury just because the enemy was absent.

She took a step towards him. "I'm sorry."

"Vivi�Equot;

"Please forgive me."

"A princess asking for forgiveness?  It doesn't seem proper," Sanji said, hoping to distract her with humor. 

It hadn't worked earlier and it didn't work now.

Proper could go to hell, Vivi thought furiously. She was sick of proper. Proper princesses didn't wish to have their enemy's neck in between their hands, wringing the life out of them. Proper princesses didn't associate with pirates. Proper princesses didn't �Elt;br>
Vivi showed Sanji exactly what she thought of 'proper.'

These were not the lingering soft kisses of the nights past.  Vivi was out to prove to herself that she could feel more than anger and despair.  She wanted to feel alive in the chill of the night and lose all her fears in something mindless and physical.

When Vivi threw herself into his arms, Sanji only wanted to shield her from her worries and soothe away her anger.  That is what a gentleman would have done.  But he was not only that; he was a pirate as well.  When her fervent kiss caught his mouth, he could not stop his response to her unspoken demands.

His desire to protect her from the world's darkness was devoured by his hunger for everything she was.

Vivi gasped and drew away.  She gathered her disheveled clothes back around her.

Sanji gaped at her, now realizing what he had begun to do.  "I didn't mean�E'm sorry."  Vivi looked like a frightened animal, ready to run off if he made the wrong move. What in the name of love had he been thinking?

"I'm sorry," Sanji repeated.  His voice was low and thick with self-loathing.

Vivi wouldn't meet his eyes.  She had been so quick to throw propriety to the wind, but had felt her entire body seize when he had touched her.  She took a deep breath to calm her heart and began berating herself. Now he probably thought she was a tease!  Or a child.

She had to make Sanji understand that it wasn't fear of him that had thrown her back, but rather of the sudden, strong answering she'd felt, an emotion that had bypassed her heart and head and traveled to parts of her she hadn't known had feeling.

Sanji thought his heart would explode with relief when she walked towards him again, gingerly but not timidly.  Whatever she felt for him now, it was not hate or fear.

Vivi stopped a pace away, as if there was an invisible barrier between them.  He reached out and traced a line from her temple to her chin, trying to convince her through his touch that she could trust him again.

"I�E don't think I can give you what you want," she whispered, forcing the tears back. 

Want? Need, crave�ESanji pushed those thoughts away. "I wasn't asking for anything, Vivi."

"No, you don't understand.  It's what I want too." She trailed off, not sure of anything but the fact of his nearness.

Slowly he pulled her closer, losing himself in the perfume of her hair.  His silence was heavy with a thousand longings undeclared

"Sanji-san?" she asked tentatively.

"I lie.  There is one thing," he whispered into her ear.

She stiffened, afraid of what her reaction to be if he persisted. 

"Vivi, I want�Equot;

If he didn't stop, perhaps she wouldn't be able to either�Eamp;nbsp; She tried to say 'no' but her lips wouldn't obey when she fell into his eyes.  They were so fierce and kind and sad.

If he asked, would she be able to refuse?  Did she want to?

Sanji swallowed thickly.  "I want you�Eo much�Equot;

She closed her eyes, deciding to let her heart speak.

"�Eo be happy."

She sobbed into his chest. Sanji closed his eyes and held her tightly. 

His princess's happiness, that is all a true prince would desire.

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