I don't own One Piece or it's characters; that's the good fortune of Eiichiro Oda.  But the way the words go together - that's all mine.

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Moonlight knifed through the window.  Nami moved quietly to keep from waking her sister.  Having thieving skills could be useful at times.

"Nami."

Or maybe she wasn't as great a thief as she thought she was. Instead of crawling into her own bed, Nami went and sat on the corner of her sister's. 

Nojiko's voice was muffled by the blankets pulled up around her chin. "I'm sorry I snapped at you."

Nami shrugged, a useless gesture in the darkness of the room.  She changed the subject. "The oranges seem to be coming along."

Nojiko sniffed indignantly. "Of course they are.  I take care of them, don't I?"

"Yes, you do," Nami said gently.  "You take care of a lot of things.  The land, the house… me."

Nojiko curled into a ball under the covers, her body shuddering with repressed emotion.

"You want to know why the orchard is doing so well?  Because it is the only thing I do.  I hide myself in that orchard everyday and sometimes I hope I never find my way out so that I won't have to return to this empty cottage with nothing but memories to keep me company!"

Nami said nothing.  How many times had Nojiko kept silent while she talked the pain out?  How long had this been building up?

"When you're here on the island, I hate it because I know you're in that awful room with those…things…around you. But I hate it even more when you leave because I don't know where you are or if you will ever come back to me.  At least with Bellemere I have a grave to visit - but someday you just may never return."

"Look at me." Nami brushed the hair out of her sister's eyes.  "I promise I will always come back to you, Nojiko."

Tears ran down Nojiko's cheeks and soaked the bedspread.  Her voice was drained of emotion when she whispered, "I don't know if I can do this anymore. I don't know if any of us can."

Nami was seized by fear and whispered fiercely, "No! I made a promise to you.  You have to return the favor.  Promise me that you won't go near Arlong!"

Nojiko looked away and mumbled, "I promise."

Nami frowned.  "That isn't good enough."

"I promise, alright," Nojiko said with irritation. "I promise.  I won't do a thing… because I can't."

Nami tried to give her sister hope.  "I have a lead, okay?  Treasure and a map - a map that Arlong will want.  I'll be gone in a few days.  But I promise I'll come back.  I'm always careful and pirates are stupid.  They can't lay a finger on me."

"Pirates killed Belle-"

"It isn't the same.  It isn't the same."  Nami took Nojiko's hand and squeezed it tight.  "Believe me when I say that it isn't the same.  I don't take stupid risks, I don't start anything I can't finish."

She'd had close calls - cuts and bruises and very real threats that had been carried to her on the wind as she sailed away in stolen ships.  She tried not to think what would happen to a woman on the high seas who was caught by a group of pirates.  She wasn't stupid enough to imagine it would be pleasant. 

Nami trusted in her smarts and her instincts.  The Great Pirate Age was a hard time, but Bellemere had taught her all she need to know.

She stayed with Nojiko, stroking her hair and holding her hand, until her big sister fell asleep.  How many times had Nojiko done this for her, when Arlong's laughter wouldn't stop echoing in her head?

Nojiko stirred very little and, eventually, the furrow in her brow relaxed and the frown at her lips disappeared.

"Love you," Nami whispered. Tomorrow she would leave - at first light if she could. Patience was wearing thin if men and women were gathering weapons and preparing to resist.  Her heart thumped as she imagined another person in the cross hairs of Arlong's gun. 

No one else was going to die.

Nami could feel the gold under her fingers.  Yes, she would leave tomorrow and see if that tip was true. 

She'd see what good old Clown Buggy had in his treasure box. 


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