Falling with Pneumonia

It started as a normal cold. Nothing more and nothing else. But with the straw hat crew, nothing will ever be simple, and the cold quickly develops into pneumonia, which leaves the crew desperately trying to keep the cook alive until they reach land. Question is, will their efforts be enough? Or will it be too much for the cook?

It was a normal day on the Sunny. The straw-hat crew was passing between winter and fall islands, and the weather was slightly chilly, prompting the straw-hats to shed warm clothing in order to travel around on deck. It was rather quite, but Sanji didn't mind. He was chopping the vegetables to prepare a broth to warm everyone up and was enjoying the peace. Of course, Luffy had to ruin that.

"SANJIII! I'm hungry!" The rubbery captain catapulted himself in the kitchen.
"Dinner is not ready Luffy! Go outside!" Whether he wanted or not, Luffy found himself outside with a kick to his backside.

Barely five minutes had passed before Luffy came in the kitchen once again.

"Luffy I-"
"Marines coming up!" Luffy cut him off before leaving.

Sanji cursed as he ran outside, where Luffy was standing on the helm, Zoro to the side of him, his three swords already in place. Sanji calmly found his space on the other side of his captain just as the others found their places in different areas of the ship. They had thought of a strategy on how to split up when marines came, and it proved to be quite effective so far. Adrenaline was running high as the marine ship neared their ship, so it was justified when everybody let out a groan of disappointment when they noticed that it was a normal ship, not even a war ship. That meant that the marines were not as experienced and pretty easy to get rid of. It was still exercise though, so Sanji didn't grumble. After all, fighting would be a great way to warm up their limbs.

Swords clashing, weather changes happening every minute, disembodied limbs, explosions and other sounds and sights were a common thing in such fights, and so was the victory of the Straw hats. While Zoro and Franky searched the marine ship for gold and other rations, the others started cleaning the deck. However, when Luffy went to celebrate, he promptly misbalanced and fell off the railing, straight in the sea. Sanji groaned as he kicked off his shoes and jumped headfirst to recover his captain. The ice cold water was so shocking that he almost gulped a gallon of it in his lungs. He couldn't even feel his limbs in this water! With another suppressed groan he kicked his legs towards the direction of where he saw his captain, and managed to grab hold of Luffy's red vest. The rubber boy was already limp, but that wasn't such of a surprise, given that they were in the sea. With an almighty kick, Sanji propelled the both of them to the surface of the water, where he gulped in a lungful of air before taking hold and scampering up the ladder. Zoro grabbed Luffy from the cook's shoulder and laid him on the deck, where the rubbery captain started coughing out a gallon of sea water before flopping on his back while Chopper continued to dry him with a towel before laying a blanket or two on top of his trembling form. Sanji coughed out some water before taking a few towels to pat dry and a couple of blankets as he made his way to the showers. He was fine, no need to worry Chopper about him. He'd be fine and dandy with a warm shower and a nap before watch that night. But the nap would have to wait.

After the shower he went to the kitchen again to finish dinner, which he just nibbled at before giving it to Luffy. The rubbery captain accepted it with a grin and Sanji left the galley after appointing Usopp and Brook to do the dishes. He didn't have much of an appetite anyways. He had caught Zoro and Chopper gazing at him as he nibbled his food, but couldn't bring himself to care. His stomach felt queasy, and his bones were still numbed from his earlier dive in the ocean. But most of all, Sanji was tired, so after changing into a pair of sweat pants and a hoodie, he just crawled in his bed and fell asleep.

The blonde woke up to the horrible feeling of not being able to breathe. He reflexively gasped, relaxing as air flooded his lungs. Blocked nose then. Sanji groaned as he made his way to the showers, and with some difficulty, managed to dress himself in his normal attire and light a cigarette. Trimming his goatee was an action he did without thinking, and he was thankful for that, cause in this state, he wasn't sure if he would be able to not cut himself with the blade. Swallowing seemed to be a bad idea as his throat strongly protested when he went to take a sip of his coffee. Did the sandman rub sand-paper in his throat during the night?! Sanji grimaced as he sneezed and sniffled once again. With the rate he was going, breakfast would be ready by noon. After re-washing his hands, Sanji set to finishing the bacon, eggs and veggies before starting on the toasts, burning them to perfection. He set the plates on the tables before attempting to take another sip of the coffee. His throat protested once again, but the warm beverage was somewhat soothing against his sore throat, so Sanji downed the cup just before the crew started coming in, minds still hazy with sleep. Chopper however seemed to be alert as his eyes immediately took in Sanji's haggard appearance. The blonde was holding a great front, but the reindeer's trained eyes could see the small wince as Sanji swallowed the egg and washed down some water, and the way his shoulders tensed when he held in a sneeze. Yawns escaped him every now and then, and he didn't eat as much as usual, which led to the doctor worrying over the cook. However, as Sanji took the dishes and started washing them, he looked to be fine as usual, so Chopper decided to let it slide just that once.

It was about 10 in the morning when the cook deemed it time to go twirling across the deck to give a warm drink to the ladies. Zoro was laying on deck, napping as usual, and Sanji didn't pay attention to him as he carefully handled the girls their drinks, twirled and flirted as usual and then went to leave. On his way back he tripped over the marimo, who woke up immediately, but Sanji just didn't have it in him to argue, so after waving his finger at the moss head, he just headed to the galley, leaving a bewildered swordsman behind.

As the day progressed, Sanji could honestly say that he felt like death had warmed over. His nose was stuffy, aching and probably red, his throat was sore, he was tired and the mother of all head-aches had decided to visit him. The others shrieking outside didn't really help his matters. He also didn't want to talk, his voice was way too hoarse and it sent pain spiking through his abused throat. He was also pretty sure he was running a fever, if the chills he kept feeling were anything to go by. Sure, they were sailing through a wintery atmosphere, but he was in a heated kitchen with a coat, feeling cold, yet sweating, so the blonde was pretty sure he was running a fever. Ironically for a chef, the food was nauseating him, and as he put everything in separate plates, Sanji had to hold his breath as not to puke. Now next problem, how was he going to tell the others without them noticing his hoarse voice? Luffy made the answer for him as he rocketed in the kitchen, and yelled happily that lunch was ready. Sanji let loose a small cough, hoping for it to sooth his voice a little as he sipped his tea. His peace was soon shattered as Chopper entered and noticed that Sanji wasn't eating even as everyone dug in.

"Sanji, what's wrong?" The concern was not hard to detect.
"Nothing," The cook replied, his voice surprisingly normal.
"Then why aren't you eating?" The reindeer pressed on.

Zoro frowned. The cook was sitting at the bar, appearing all casual, but the swordsman could see the tension in his back and shoulders, the way that he gripped the bar, as if everything was spinning around him. He could see the faintest puff of the cook's red cheeks, signalling a sure sign of nausea from Sanji. His head was bowed, but Zoro could see that the cook was way too pale for it to be healthy. And there was the fact that Sanji had refused to fight with him a few hours before. That was like a neon sign pointing at the blonde and shouting that something was wrong. Sanji's answer brought him out of his reverie.

"Sampled too much during preparation." Sanji excused himself as he suppressed yet another shiver.
"But Sanji-kun, you didn't even eat during breakfast, you need to eat something," Nami said, knowing that the blonde would not go against her.
"I SAID I'M NOT HUNGRY!" Sanji surprised everybody as he turned and shouted at the red-head. Seconds later his face crumbled. "Nami-swan, I'm sorry, I really am! Please excuse me." With that he left the room in hurried steps.

Chopper made a move to follow the obviously out of character cook, but Zoro took hold of him and told him to wait and give him a chance. Pure instinct told him that the cook was in the bathroom, so the green-head made his way there, grinning slightly in triumph as he noticed the locked door. However, the grin was short lived as he heard the rough sounding coughs from inside. Now concerned, Zoro knocked on the closed door and frowned when he got no response.

"Sanji? I know you're in there! Open up!"

There was no response, but Zoro was sure that he had heard Sanji fall on his knees just then. All be damned, Zoro took a few steps back and slammed into the door, causing it to open with a small bang as one of the hinges broke. Sanji tensed but couldn't really turn around as he was currently on his knees, puking out his guts. Zoro swore before wetting a wash cloth and draping it across the cook's neck. His hands brushed against the pale skin, and Zoro let loose a few streams of curses as he felt the fever hot skin. Sanji retched again, prompting the swordsman to rub the blonde's back in an attempt of comfort. The cook waved a hand at him, but ended up almost misbalancing as he took in a breath and twisted so that he was sitting on his ass, back leaning against the edge of the tub. The deafening silence didn't last long as a series of coughs took over the cook, making him shake like a leaf in the wind. Zoro frowned as he unconsciously wrapped a hand around the blonde's shoulders and rubbed circles in his back and shoulders, hoping to comfort the visibly very sick cook. Sanji shivered then, and actually snuggled in Zoro's shirt, causing the swordsman to frown and lean slightly backwards, just in time to see a red tainted hand.

"What the hell is wrong with you?! Coughing up blood and hiding it! I'm taking you to the infirmary." Zoro's tone brought no arguments.

Sanji weakly protested and tried to wriggle out of Zoro's hold, but the green-headed swordsman was firm as he dragged the barely conscious cook down the hallway. Sanji frowned slightly, then stopped suddenly. One hand rose as if to support his aching chest while another row of coughs shook him to the core and left him gasping for breath. Zoro swore again as he saw the blue tinge around the cook's lips just as the blonde collapsed in his hands, dead to the world. With yet another curse, which caused Zoro to wonder just how much Sanji's mouth was rubbing off on him, he hefted the lanky cook on his shoulders and hurried to the infirmary, where he gently laid the blonde in the cot before hurrying to the kitchen to get Chopper. The reindeer didn't even allow him a chance to talk before jumping down from the table and running to the infirmary, which made the swordsman wonder just how much his conflicted emotions were showing on his face. By now, they had arrived at the infirmary, where Sanji was, once again, half awake as he twisted on his side to cough out a lung. Phlegm hung from his lips, and Chopper got another wet washcloth, which he used to gently wipe the blonde's mouth with before he stripped the sweat-soaked clothes off. Sanji shivered and whimpered at the loss of warmth, but Chopper was quick to shut him up as the reindeer made the cook lay on his back on bed. However, Sanji kept rising up to sit all the time.

"Damn it ero-cook! Let him take care of you before you die!" The blunt scolding shocked both the doctor and Sanji, but the blond swiftly recovered.
"I can't breathe laying down!" He protested, his voice nothing but a weak whisper as his throat gave another harsh ache.
"Sanji, have you been feeling any shortness of breath lately?" The doctor was all business now, and Sanji debated whether to lie to him or not, but one glare from Zoro put him in his place.
"Shortness of breath, chills, fatigues, nausea, stuffy nose..." Sanji trailed off as both coughs and yawns took hold of him.
"He also coughed up blood earlier," Zoro put in helpfully.
"Why didn't you tell me you damned bastard!" The reindeer's anger was shocking as he moved the stethoscope across Sanji's well toned chest, feeling the irregular and fast heartbeat as well as the short, but fast breathes. A thermometer soon followed afterwards, and Sanji shrunk back at the look the doctor was giving him.
"How were you standing!? You have a 102 degree fever! And along with the previous symptoms, you know what that means Sanji? PNEUMONIA. YOU GOT YOURSELF PNEUMONIA!" Chopper all but shrieked as he ushered Zoro out and set to make Sanji more comfortable.
"Pneumonia?" Sanji dumbly repeated as the room seemed to swim before his very eyes.
"It's an infection in your chest, but I've got to make more tests to make sure, so just go to sleep for now," The reindeer said in a much more soothing voice as he set a cold washcloth around the cook's neck, who was now laying on his side.

Sanji did just that, letting the blackness drag him away into a painless abyss.

Chopper hurried to work on getting the stubborn cook on the mend. Shivers wrecked the lithe frame, and Chopper frowned slightly as he glanced at the blond. His face was extremely pale, almost translucent, but his cheeks were adorned with a deep flush and beads of sweat highlighted his skin. Up close, the reindeer could see the dry, cracked lips, and the blueness in the corners. Now much more alert, Chopper set to investigate the cook's fingers, which to his alarm, had a blue tint as well. Blood Pressure was low, contrasting with the high heart rate, and once again, a frown marred the doctor's features as he saw the wince that morphed Sanji's features, easily signalling that the cook was in pain. From previous patients, Chopper knew that the cook was experiencing chest pain when he breathed and coughed, as well as probably stiff and aching muscles and joints.

As soon as he had written down all the symptoms and information he needed, the reindeer set to beginning the treatment, frowning once again as the thought crossed his mind.

He'll get worse before he gets better.

The crew hung outside, solemn silence only broken by the crashing of the waves. The girls sat idly on their deck chairs, staring at nothing in particular, while the boys tried to busy themselves but failed miserably, which resulted in all of them staring as if in a daze, only the painful sounding coughs and the crashing waves keeping them company. It was rare for such silence, but for once, even Luffy understood the severity of the situation and stayed quiet, hat tipped low over his eyes.

Sanji choked on his own cough and spit as more phlegm and blood made it past his lips. It was as if there wasn't enough air in the room. He wheezed, unable to breathe, until clear oxygen was suddenly presented by a mask that pressed down on his cheekbones. He could feel Chopper's hooves on the sides of his face, trying to gauge a reaction out of him beside the coughing, but the blonde didn't even have enough energy to lift his own eyelids, let alone assure the reindeer that he was fine. Shivers wrecked his frame, which confused Sanji, as he was feeling extremely warm at the moment, but he didn't dwell on that. The blackness once again pulled him into the unknown.

Chopper sighed as he finally finished the tests. If the cook wasn't so sick, the doctor would consider strangling him. Both of Sanji's lungs were inflamed, and Chopper's sensitive ears had easily caught on the rattling when the stethoscope met Sanji's chest. Two IV lines sneaked their way in Sanj's right arm, one in the crook of his elbow and the other in the back of his hand, delivering medicine for the pneumonia and antibiotics for the ranging fever. A heart monitor was irregularly beeping in the back-ground, displaying the fast heart-rate. Despite Sanji being unconscious, coughs rattled him inside and out, along with the shivers. His breathe hitched every now and then, making Chopper worry even more as he saw the blue tinge in both lips and fingertips. He fidgeted and tossed when nightmares plagued his mind, and Chopper had been forced to administer a light sedative as to be able to work. Cold compressors were placed strategically under the cook's neck, knees and underneath his armpits, but the temperature didn't seem to lower by any means. Zoro had brought a pair of pyjama pants for the cook, which Chopper appreciated as he tugged them up the blonde's legs. They were cartoonish, with little eggs and bacon painted on a white surface, and they contrasted vividly against the bad mood everyone was in.

It was agreed that only Luffy, Zoro and Nami visit him until he got marginally better, as to allow him to rest and not be in the presence of a lot of people. They both visibly blanched at the sight of their strong, foul-mouthed and witty cook, laying in bed looking helpless. He was pale, even more than usual, and that worried the girl as she gently passed her hand through his sweaty hair, brushing it back and revealing what his fringe usually covered. Another bout of coughs followed shortly after, and Nami almost screamed as she saw the little trickle of blood, but Chopper hurried to assure her that it was expected from pneumonia patients as he wiped it away. She had known to expect something like this, but it still shocked her when she saw the cook, whose cheeks contrasted vividly against his pale pallor, so unnatural. His eyes flickered continuously beneath their lids, and Nami found herself muttering meaningless words in an effort to sooth her sick crew-mate.

Luffy stared for a moment, undoubtedly shocked as he saw the state his cook was in. He understood the seriousness of the situation as he saw the multiple tubes that made Sanji look like a pin-cushion. The heart monitor beeped annoyingly in the back ground, a sound Luffy remembered clearly from his time on Law's submarine when he was still recovering after the battle. This time there was no bandages and wounds, but that didn't mean there wasn't any damage. If he ignored the flickering of his eye-lids, Luffy would be able to believe that Sanji was just sleeping peacefully, that the cook would wake up and kick him out of the kitchen in a few hours, but the captain knew that it would possibly take a week before the cook was back to himself, and even then, he would still need time to recover.

Zoro honestly didn't know what to think. He had managed to control his expressions but that didn't mean he wasn't shocked. He could tell that they were all scared, but all of them trusted in Chopper's abilities, even though the little reindeer always underestimated himself. A particular nightmare had Sanji groan out loud before his eyes fluttered open, even though they were glazed over with both fever and the drugs going through his system. His lips parted, as if to speak, but a bout of coughing had him unconsciously turning on his side and curling on himself, causing the monitor behind him to go haywire with the rapid beating as he panted for breath. Nami unconsciously brushed his hair back from his sweating forehead and gently wiped his face with a cold wash cloth in hopes to sooth him as he practically shook in her arms. Zoro knew that the blond was bad off when he didn't even react to Nami soothing him gently until he relaxed back on his back on the pillows. His breathes were as deep as he could, and Chopper scurried on the bed and next to the cook, whose eyes had closed again, to check on him.

Nami had left, claiming that she was going to the kitchen, and only Zoro, Luffy and Chopper remained in the room. The second the door closed Sanji's eyes fluttered open again, tired blue eyes staring at all of them blankly before Chopper offered the cook a glass of warm honey dissolved in boiling water. Sanji smiled faintly and took a careful sip, a look of bliss crossing his features as the liquid soothed his sore throat. Chopper's hoof stopped his other hand as he unconsciously scratched at the IV in his right arm, before noticing the clip on his finger and finally registering the annoying beeping noise. A groan escaped him as he slumped on the pillows again before turning around to face the green-headed swordsman, who was sitting on one of the chairs in the corner, quietly taking note of everything that was happening.

"You jealous of the attention marimo?"

Sanji wanted to tease, wanted to insult, curse and just be himself, even if it was just for the sake of things being normal. The attention was bugging him, especially his captain's serious gaze. Luffy was never serious! So what was the problem now? It wasn't like they were worried about him, he was going to be fine, if not the next day, next week.

"Shut up ero-cook."

The bite in his tone was hard to miss, and Sanji sank back in the pillows at the dark look that Zoro was giving him.

"You've got to tell Chopper when you're sick," Zoro added then, his gaze and tone softening. No. Sanji would not take pity from anyone just because he was sick.

"Is this coming from you? Mister invincible who can be bleeding to death and still say nothing has happened?!" Sanji stopped to sip at the honey, his gaze practically murderous. "Who practically cares only about himself and doesn't give a flying damn about how people feel and go through when you are laying in this very cot fighting for your life?! When you almost bleed to death on the battlefield?!" He stopped for another sip as his throat protested the overuse. "Cause let me tell you this shitty swordsman, you don't get to be a hypocrite around here. And don't even think about pitying me, cause I hate it just as much as you do! It's not fair..."

It was then that he became aware that only adrenaline was keeping him going with his little rant. Everyone stayed quiet, silently watching as Sanji finished the small glass of honey and gave it back to Chopper, whose worry practically enveloped the room. He pressed his hand to his eyes, keeping the tears at bay. Why was he crying? God, the virus was reducing him to a mess of feelings! He remained like that until the pressure behind his eyes eased up a little, but even then the room was slightly blurry, and Sanji soon realised that a few tears had slipped past his hands and tracked down his cheeks. He roughly wiped them away just as another shiver ran through him. His throat was now throbbing, and no liquid was going to make it better.

"Sanji, calm down, it's not good for you-"

Luffy attempted to reason with him, but Sanji was beyond reasoning now as his hidden and shoved down emotions finally demanded to burst free.

"Cause freaking out and destroying a forest was good in your condition when Law had just saved you."

Sanji didn't even know what he had said before it rang in his ears, cold and filled with dark humour. He could feel his lips pulled in a half smirk, and his eyes were probably crazed, but Sanji didn't care. Luffy blanched slightly before silently walking out, his shoulders hunched down and hat tipped low over his eyes. Sanji swore under his breath as he saw his captain leave, the realisation of what he had just said and done hitting him like a brick wall. Zoro just gave him a somewhat dirty, somewhat neutral look before departing as well, leaving behind a frazzled reindeer and a shocked cook. No matter what Chopper did, he couldn't get the blonde to respond to anything, and he noticed that the glazed look in Sanji's eyes had nothing to do with the medicine. Shivers and coughs continued to wreck him, making his frame shake like a leaf, but still, Sanji just stared forward, shock clearly taking its hold on him. With a small sigh, Chopper let five minutes pass before tapping Sanji's face, gently bringing the man back to earth. Sanji just looked at him before speaking, albeit roughly.

"I screwed up Chopper, now everyone will hate me," The broken voice startled the little doctor.
"Nobody hates you Sanji, Luffy knows you are badly sick, he won't keep it against you," Chopper reasoned.
" I went low this time Chop, don't think he'll ever forgive me." The statement was said with nothing but a small sliver of hope, and Sanji slid down to lay on his back again before falling asleep.

When he woke again, the infirmary was empty except for himself, which surprised the cook as he sat up with a little difficulty. A cold compressor fell off his forehead, and Sanji felt a shiver run through him. His chest ached, but Sanji paid it no attention as he removed the covers and planted his feet on the floor. His breath hitched remarkably and sweat broke out on his neck. With a small groan, Sanji rubbed his aching head, which was thrumming continuously, both with fever and withdrawal. Speaking of withdrawal, Sanji went to reach for his pocket, but then realized that his pristine suit was gone, probably in the wash. The pants that Chopper had put him in made Sanji's face burn with shame, but the blonde didn't pay much attention to them as he removed the clip of the heart beat monitor from his finger and with some difficulty unhooked the IVs. The clock had shown him that it was 11 in the morning already, and he needed to cook lunch, regardless of his health, his job and wellbeing of the crew came first. The room swam a little when he was vertical again, but a few deep breathes, as deep as he could manage in his condition at least, helped with that. The cold nipped at his exposed flesh, and Sanji idly searched for a shirt. He managed to find a t-shirt in the cupboard, and with some difficulty, slipped it on his frame.

Sanji knew it was useless to search for the cigarettes in the infirmary. Chopper had a strict rule about smoking in the infirmary, and Sanji really didn't want to break it again. The blond was surprised that the wall hadn't dented when Chopper basically screamed at him to stop smoking in his infirmary and pushed him out. However, the reindeer happened to be in heavy point and had underestimated his own strength, which in result ended up with the cook barely conscious, slumped against the wall as the cigarette tumbled from his pale fingers and onto the floor. Needless to say, Chopper had spent an entire night looking after him and making sure that there were no lingering effects of a possible concussion.

Sanji shuddered as he thought about that particular accident, and almost immediately a bout of coughs took him under and had the blonde double over as pain spiked everywhere and blood and phlegm dribbled down his lips. It didn't take long to find a tissue and wipe it away. After a couple of breathes, the cook made his way to the kitchen, but was surprised to find Nico and Nami in it. They were equally, if not more, shocked to see him as well. Nami recovered first just as she noticed the cook move to the drawers and taking out a box of cigarettes and a lighter.

The red-head immediately slapped them out of his hand and glowered at him. Shock was still present in her eyes, and surprisingly, Sanji caught traces of fear and protectiveness as well, even though they were masked. He reached for his cigarettes, which caused Nami to pull away and throw them straight out of the window.

"Why did you do that?" He asked pathetically.
"Why are you out of bed? And you're not supposed to smoke even when you are in top-health, go figure when your lungs are infected!" She kept her voice quiet, but it was deadly.
"I need to cook for the crew." He told her, even though his voice was nothing but a croak. "And do my business." He added rather bluntly.
"We're cooking until you recover Sanji-kun." She responded.
"You're ladies! You shouldn't cook!" His voice rose slightly, which was a bad idea.

Coughs rattled his frame. Rough and wet coughs. He doubled over, and immediately felt a couple of hands take a hold of him until a chair was placed behind him. He sat down, his head automatically going between his legs in order to cease the coughs and just breathe. Blood or phlegm or whatever it was dribbled from his lips and down his chin, but Nami grabbed a wet washcloth and gently wiped it away. A sudden bout of never-ending chills took over his body, and Sanji was honestly frightened as grey coloured the edges of his vision. It was as if the air was thinning again, and his lungs wouldn't take in air, and it was all becoming too much for his battered body to handle. He was dimly aware of Nami shouting something, screaming at the top of her lungs, but he didn't give notice, he just tried to focus on breathing.

Luffy and Zoro stood next to each other next to the railing. Well, Zoro stood, Luffy just sat on the railing. The air between them was getting heavier with each passing minute.

"You know he didn't mean it. He's just frustrated. In his mind he's weak in this crew, and being sick basically cripples him." Zoro reasoned with a quiet Luffy.
"I know." The captain responded, not even glancing at the first mate.

A comfortable silence settled between them then, but it was interfered when the upper body of Robin suddenly appeared on the railing next to them.

"Kitchen now. Bring Chopper."

Maybe it was the urgency in her voice, or maybe because both of them were expecting Sanji to pull something like this, which caused the captain and first mate to sprint to the kitchen, of course shouting for Chopper, who had already disappeared in the infirmary. The sight that greeted them caused the duo to halt in their tracks.

The blonde was bent double on one of the chairs. His bare feet rested on the floor, and his elbows rested on his knees, arms locked behind his head, which was between his knees. Zoro swore and in a second kneeled down next to the cook so that he was able to see his face, even if just barely. With a huff, he pushed back the blonde silky strands, only to notice the red blotches on Sanji's cheeks, a sure sign that his fever had gotten worse. The worst thing though, was the fact that Sanji's lips were blue, easily showing that the cook couldn't breathe properly. Blood decorated the edges of his lip, but another cough caused the blood and phlegm to splatter on the floor.

Another swear passed Zoro's lips as he took one of Sanji's hands in his own.

"Ero-cook! Listen to me! You need to calm down, stop panicking!" Sanji's eyes were closed, but Zoro could see the rigid muscles through the thin t-shirt as even more shivers wrecked the blonde. His breathes were rough, uneven and short, which caused a few tears to dribble down his cheeks.
"Feel my breathing, feel my heartbeat, try to match it to yours," He added softly, watching as Sanji tried to do as requested.

Luffy rubbed Sanji's back gently, feeling the shivers that rattled the cook from the inside and out. Despite Zoro's help, Sanji was still finding difficulty to breathe properly, and by now everybody could see the sweat that ran in rivulets down the cook's face. A swear echoes in the room as Zoro's hand neared the cook's neck and he felt the rapid pulse there. Moments later, Chopper came in, shouting that the infirmary was ready and for someone to carry the sick blonde in. Luffy immediately stepped forward and pulled the cook flush against his side, one pale hand going over and around the captain's neck. Luffy carefully stepped forward, but Sanji almost collapsed on the floor right there, and Zoro was forced to step in on the other side in order to support the cook enough. Once they were in the infirmary, which was like 3 minutes later, but felt like 10, Chopper hurried them out in order to help his patient.

Chopper felt like bashing his head, or maybe Sanji's, against the wall. The cook was barely lucid as it was, so he probably wouldn't remember.. Chopper shook his head and forced himself to concentrate. He hastily redid the pulse monitor and IVs. The cook was barely awake, and clearly struggling against something.

The heart rate troubled the little reindeer, especially when he noticed that Sanji's blood pressure was dropping, fast. That's when he remembered. He scurried to his desk, where he found the little pill he was searching for. It was only used for emergencies like these, where the victim's heart was beating way too irregular and it became unhealthy and dangerous.

Getting Sanji to swallow it was not easy. It took quite a long time to get the cook sitting up and actually awake, but the little reindeer managed it. He gave Sanji a small sip of water, and was glad to see his edam's apple bobbing as he swallowed the pill along with the water. A frown pulled at Chopper's features as he felt the way too hot skin, and with some difficulty, managed to remove the sweat-soaked shirt from the lithe frame. Sanji grunted slightly as shivers wrecked him, and Chopper noted how his breathing seemed to have improved ever so slightly with the breathing mask that now rested on Sanji's face.

With a sigh, the reindeer slipped a thermometer in Sanji's ear, waiting patiently for the reading. He almost fainted at the end even if he had been expecting it. It was hovering on a 104.2 range, and Chopper had to take a few deep breaths in order to get a clear head. First things first. He grabbed some cold compressors and placed them strategically on Sanji's pulse points, even going as far to place one on his groin. Sanji groaned in his unconsciousness, and Chopper winced in sympathy as he unwrapped the stethoscope and felt around Sanji's exposed chest. Chopper frowned as he heard the rattling echoing in his ears, a clear sign that the pneumonia was still raging inside his lungs. Taking advantage of the fact that Sanji was unconscious and remembering what Nami had told him, Chopper started setting up a catheter, something which he knew the cook would hate, but having no choice. Attempting to at least spare some of Sanji's dignity, the doctor made a small incision in Sanji's belly and then expertly led the tube through Sanji's bladder.

Sanji muttered something in his delirium, and Chopper caught words like hungry and food, which didn't worry him, considering that Sanji was a cook. But he also caught something that sounded specifically like "so soft" and with a fright, he noticed that the cook's hand was caressing his fur. The blonde thrashed, causing Chopper to look in alarm as the precious tubes were jostled about. With a heavy heart, the little doctor grabbed a piece of soft leather and bound it across Sanji's waist, keeping his movements somewhat limited. Sanji's features contorted in a frown as nightmares and delirium caught hold of his mind and Chopper forced himself not to listen to Sanji's clearly agonized mutters as he administered a light sedative, hoping to make Sanji rest for a while until the fever hopefully reduced a little at least.

Nami and Robin sat in the library. They were taking advantage of the quietness around the ship to relax a little as well as catch up on work in Nami's case. However, a pile of paper already lay next to her feet, all crumbled and ready to be thrown away. Nico was reading quietly reading in the corner, not far away from the angry navigator. As she blotched yet another map she was trying to redo, Nami let loose an angry shriek before crumbling the paper and collapsing on a chair, her head pillowed by her arms. Robin allowed a few seconds to pass before speaking up, her voice low and soothing.

"Those maps don't need redoing, what are you trying to do really?"
"I don't know," Nami mumbled, voice muffled in her arms.
"You usually do this with your eyes closed, where is your mind really at?" Robin continued gently.
"I just can't concentrate, must be tired, I'm going to take a nap." Nami brought up an excuse and made to sit up, however, a few disembodied arms stopped her from doing that.
"Nami." The single word had the red-head's walls crumble to dust.

"I'm worried Robin. In all the time he's been here, he only got sick once! Once! It was a fever, nothing else! Now he's sick with pneumonia, not a common cold, pneumonia! And he goes around saying he needs to do his job even when he can barely stand on his own two feet! It's not like he's weak or something! For heaven's sake he's one of the strongest on this crew! It's not like he doesn't know it, I mean, the marines nicknamed him, Zoro and Luffy 'The Monster Trio'! Why can't he just allow himself to take a break!" Nami ranted, hitting the table every now and then to release her frustration.

"Marines know he's strong, and he knows he's nicknamed like that, but thing is, are you all sure he believes it? He has this impulse to prove himself, and being sick just puts all his progress to waste in his mind. And be honest, if you were sick, would you still pass an opportunity to draw a new map? It's in his nature to cook, he is a chef after all." Nico reasoned.

"He feels like a burden when he's sick.." Nami trailed off.
"Yes, and try as we might, the doubt will always be there, it's in everyone's mind. Take Zoro for example, he exercises because he's scared he'll fail Luffy not just because of his dream." Nico said.
"And Sanji thinks he'll fail the crew and Luffy if he doesn't cook?" Nami questioned.
"Yes. He thinks that the crew will find no problem with finding another cook if he doesn't do his job properly, everyday." Nico added softly.
"Oh God.. That stupid cook, with this rate he'll kill himself," Nami murmured before attempting to hit the table again.

However, Nico immediately noticed what the navigator was about to do and stopped the fist before collecting the younger woman in a hug. The red-head tensed for a few seconds, clearly not expecting the physical sign of affection from the older woman, before relaxing and hugging back, releasing all her pent up emotions and frustration as she sobbed in the privacy of the library. Once she was done, Nami hastily rubbed her eyes to remove all tracks of her crying, even though those who pay attention would notice that her eyes were slightly puffy. Finally feeling somewhat lighter, Nami picked up all of her supplies and went outside, gulping in the fresh-air.

Zoro and Luffy stood next to each other once again, their shoulders almost touching as they stared at the dark horizon, a signal of another day passed and gone. Luffy's hat was tipped low, and for once, he sat as still as stone, only the rise and fall of his chest signalling he wasn't a statue. He was obviously still thinking about what happened in the kitchen and in the infirmary. Zoro leaned on the railing, the same positions they were in before they had discovered the cook in the kitchen. A comfortable silence hung between them, and no one made a move to break it, until Luffy spoke.

"Will he get better?" Luffy's doubt was shocking.
"Of course he will, he has us and Chopper, he'll be on his feet by next week," Zoro responded.
"I mean, will he ever treat me the same?"
"Huh?"
"I just walked out on him, I knew he said that because of his fever, and I just walked out, he must think that I hate him and will strand him." Luffy's shoulders shook slightly.
"That was not your fault. As you said, it was the fever talking, and you felt angry, you needed to get out before hitting him, so no blaming yourself on this!" Zoro said bluntly, before adding with a playful smirk. "We've already got guilty Sanji to deal with, we don't need you sulking around as well."

It was about 2 hours before Chopper called for everyone to gather on deck so that he can talk to them. It didn't take long for everyone to assemble, and Chopper frowned slightly before starting.

"We need to find land and dock. He got worse, and if we hit a storm or something there's a possibility he'll die. His fever has sky-rocketed, it's hovering on 104 and higher, and I'm worried about his breathing. We need to dock so I can find medicine which I don't have on the ship! Someone needs to be with him at all times, to make sure that he doesn't make himself worse and also so that you can call me if I won't be there," Chopper said, a ring of authority in his tone.

"I'll go do some research, see what I can find on how to get to the island as soon as possible." Nami said, determination steeling her voice.
"I'll go with her," Robin said as the two girls headed to the library.
"Chopper, can I come in?" Luffy asked gently.
"Sure Luffy, just try not to disturb him," Chopper responded as he headed to the infirmary.

Luffy had to admit that even he was shocked when he entered the sick bay. Sanji was propped up to a 45 degrees angle with pillows behind his back and head, pillows which he practically disappeared in. His skin was so pale it was almost translucent, if you didn't count the deep red flush that adorned his cheeks. Beads of sweat trailed down Sanji's face, neck and chest, and the patient seemed to be having nightmares in his fevered and medicine-induced sleep. IVs, wires and tubes, blankets and additional pillows made him look small and frail. The oxygen mask clouded ever so slightly with each rise and fall of the cook's sweat-soaked chest. The cold compressors were being changed periodically by Chopper and the rubber boy found himself wiping down Sanji's face every once in a while, then laying the cloth on the cook's forehead once again. Coughs rattled him every now and then, sometimes causing blood to taint the pristine mask. When that happened, Luffy just took the mask off and efficiently wiped the blood off like Chopper had told him to do. Said reindeer was forced to go take a bath, eat and sleep a little before going back to taking care of Sanji.

Luffy was worried. He knew Sanji was going to be fine, but seeing the blonde so still and quiet unnerved him. The monitor beeped irregularly in the corner, filling the room with sound, but Luffy found that he knew how to drown it out pretty quickly. Sanji remained unconscious all the time, thrashing every now and then, even if his movements were limited both by Luffy and the strap along his middle section. The captain stayed there until Chopper came back, a lot later, freshly bathed and rested. As he watched Chopper work, doubts unwillingly filled his mind, but the rubbery captain shook them away as he escaped to the open deck.

Two days after, they were still at sea. Nami had discovered that they had at least 3 days, 4 if the weather went against them, like it was doing now. Once again, Luffy was sitting with Sanji, who had gotten better with the forced bed rest. His temperature had gone down to a safe one of between 101 and 102, much to Chopper's relief, and his breathing had improved even more. The reindeer had even removed the breathing mask. The cook was still unconscious when Luffy stepped in the infirmary, so the rubbery captain was careful to remain quite as he sat on the comfortable chair beside Sanji's temporary bed. Chopper was bustling around, trying to make the cook more comfortable and taking readings every few minutes. Luffy couldn't help but grin as he saw Doctor Chopper in action, once again thinking how good of a job he had done when choosing his crew-mates. Without thinking, the rubbery boy reached out and wiped the sweat off Sanji's face, which contorted slightly out of annoyance before smoothing over once again.

When awareness started returning to the blonde, he couldn't feel his body, he just heard people quietly conversing. He could hear Chopper's high pitched voice, and Luffy's unexceptionally serious and quiet voice, even though there was still an underline of excitement in it. As his touch began to return, Sanji felt Chopper's hooves bustling about, checking tubes and compressors and doing tests, and that's when he felt it. Someone was wiping down his cheek gently, which made the cook slightly scrunch up his face, even if it was soothing him. The hand stopped for a few seconds, and a tense silence reigned the small infirmary, before everything resumed, even the soothing cool cloth wiping down his face. It became apparent to him that breathing didn't hurt as much; even if deep breathes set him to a bout of coughing, as he painfully found out.

The reindeer was next to him in a second with a glass of water in his hands, which Sanji sipped carefully, as his throat was still very sore. It was then that Sanji noticed the catheter. Needless to say he was mortified.

"CHOPPER!" He shrieked.
"What is wrong?"
"Why do I have a.. a catheter?!"
"Cause, your body need to urinate and you were unconscious. It stays there until you get better enough to stand up!" Chopper's voice didn't leave any room for arguments.

Sanji's head throbbed because of several reasons. His hand itched, and he soon noticed the additional IV's that pulled at his skin. The clip that pinched his finger was as annoying as the breathing mask had been, and Sanji was happy to note that it was gone. Luffy sat quietly next to his bed, surveying everything but not speaking.

"Capt-"
"Since when do you call me captain?" Luffy cut him off with a raised eyebrow.
"I'm sorry, for earlier, Luffy." Sanji said, looking at the ground.
"Why did you felt an impulse to say it? You must have wanted to tell me that if it was the first thing that came to your fevered mind," Luffy said, his expression nothing but serious.
"I don't know.. I never really would have told you that, but I was just…." Sanji cut himself off.
"Just what?" Luffy pressed on.
"I'm weak, I don'-" This time it was Luffy who cut the cook off.
"No you're not. Not one member of my crew is weak. Sure, some are better than other in sword fighting for example, but no one is weak in this family, and don't you dare think you are weak again! Deal?" The serious conversation took a turn as Luffy grinned happily.
"Deal Luffy." Sanji sighed happily as his body relaxed in the mattress once again.
"Now stay in bed, captain's orders." Luffy said with an authoritative ring in his voice.

Fatigue was taking its toll on him, and the blonde sighed quietly, feeling comfortable for the first time in what seemed like forever. It looked like he made it a bit too obvious.

"Just go to sleep Sanji. You'll feel better once you rested for a bit." Chopper said as he tucked the blanket around the cook.
"Sure Chopper," Sanji blinked a couple of times before settling down, his expression calm and serene in his sleep.

When he woke again, he was feeling much better, and would go as far to say he was fine, at least would have if a coughing fit hadn't caught hold of him the second that Sanji tried to speak. A dribble of phlegm made it past his lips, but it was nothing extreme as the cook sat up without help and relaxed on the pillows. Chopper bustled around, checking, re-checking and running tests that just drove the cook crazy. After roughly half an hour, Sanji was informed that he was still running a temperature of 101, which didn't worry the reindeer so much. His lungs were clearing up, thankfully, and he no longer felt as if he was drowning on dry land. The bluish tint had also faded, but Chopper wouldn't let him out of bed, claiming that he was still too sick to move around. Thankfully though, the catheter was gone.

The day became very boring. His chest still ached every now and then, clearly demanding to stay resting until his lungs could suck in enough air on their own. However, it was nothing to his joints and muscles. They ached tremendously from his whole week of bed rest, and the cook found himself stretching and just pacing in the small infirmary while he healed. Once Chopper caught him and tried to force him back to bed, insisting how he needed to rest if he wanted to heal, to which Sanji had protested furiously until Chopper allowed him to pace the infirmary every now and again. His breathing had improved much more, but he got tired easily and was still feverish. Coughs wracked him and made the cook feel as if he was forcing his organs through his throat, which was still extremely sore.

Food was the worst. The first time he had tried to eat anything after waking up with a 101 bordering on 102 fever, he had puked up everything no more than an hour afterward. His stomach was clearly upset. His head was constantly aching, and Sanji found himself staying more and more in bed as they neared the island. His behaviour scared the reindeer, but the blonde had hasted to reassure the little doctor that he was taking advantage of the extra bed rest, which wasn't technically a lie. His head ached continually, a combination of both fever and withdrawal, and Sanji was finding it comfortable to sleep it off for long periods of time. The reindeer was still forcing him to swallow medicine at periodic times, hoping to quench the remaining fever as well as to kill the virus that still attacked his lungs.

It was night, and after a reasonable amount of soup the cook laid on his side, albeit a bit uncomfortable because of the IVs that still pulled at his skin. It took him a long time to fall asleep, but he managed it and just hoped he would be allowed to rest for as long as he wanted for once. Apparently he wasn't getting his wish. Voices awoke him the following morning, voices which he wished just didn't exist. Of course, that was before he understood what was being said.

"I wish he would wake up. He needs to eat. And he's been sleeping for almost 12 hours already.." Chopper was saying.
"He's taking advantage and sleeping in." Nami responded with a small chuckle. "But we really need him to wake up. We're docking in roughly an hour and if we find a doctor or medicine I think it would be better if he is awake during the procedures."
"His fever is still hovering on 101, it just won't decrease!" The frustration was quite easy to detect.

What happened next Sanji couldn't decipher, because it was said in a whisper. Then they continued in normal voices.

"Sanji," Nami was addressing him. "Please wake up, we're worried."

The concern in her tone was real enough, and he was about to open his eyes when the girl dropped the bomb.

"I'll let you touch my boobs if you wake up."
"I have been awake for the last 3 minutes." Sanji hoarsely declared as his eyes snapped open.
"Pervert," Nami muttered, but it didn't have the same amount of fire as usual, not even close.
"But Nami-swaann!"
"Save it cook. Take a wash and try to eat something." The girl was authoritative.
"Yes Nami-swan." The blonde hung his head, causing the silky strands to hide his small smirk.

Sanji was happy to finally be allowed to bathe. He stood under the lukewarm water for a generous amount of time and scrubbed the sweat off his skin before wrapping a fluffy towel around himself and drying off. Thankfully, he was able to change the dreaded pygama pants into a pair of comfortable sweat pants. Unfortunately, the little reindeer had asked Sanji to remain shirtless so that he could access his chest quite easy. Sanji returned to the infirmary, breathing slightly erratic as the work of towelling his hair dry had taken its toll on him. Chopper frowned as he saw him before ushering him to lie down. Sanji didn't object anything as the little doctor re-adjusted the IVs and took his temperature all at the same time of taking his other vitals. His heart was still thundering, and the cook would say that his blood pressure was slightly dropped as well, if the vertigo was anything to go by. However, everything righted again soon enough.

"The virus seems to have run its course. I need to get the medicine from in land to make sure you'll be fully okay though, as your temperature is still at a 101 degrees." The reindeer declared as he soaked the towel and draped it around Sanji's neck.
"When will I be able to get out of here?" Sanji asked as he leaned back in the pillows.
"When you're better!"
"When can I smoke?" The question earned him a glare.
"Hopefully you cut that habit!" Chopper said with a huff.

Sanji chuckled at the reindeer's antics, but didn't comment as he laid back, idly staring at the ceiling until he fell asleep again. When awareness teased him once again, Sanji was aware of being prodded and poked quite harshly by some stranger, and he cracked open his eyes only to see Zoro next to Chopper, idly talking to the reindeer while he poked the blonde continuously. It unnerved the cook, who grunted to show he was awake.

"Sanji! I got the medicine! But it will have to be administered in a syringe, not pills or anything," The doctor exclaimed.
"Just get it over with Chopper," Sanji sighed.

While the reindeer got on with preparing the injection, Sanji observed that the cool towel was gone, as well as the IVs, which he was glad for. A bandage was wrapped around his hand and elbow, probably there to make sure the small wounds closed without any trouble. The sharp sting brought him out of his reverie, and a hiss escaped his lips before it was over. However, it was making him extremely drowsy.

"Chopper? What was in that drug?" He slurred, unable to keep his eyes opened much more.
"Medication, some of which has side effects that will make you sleepy," Chopper stated with a small, barely hidden grin before scampering off.

He was getting tired of sleeping. He was ecstatic when awareness returned to him fully. Sanji soon discovered he had been laying on his stomach, one side of his face smothered by the pillow. The blankets were extremely heavy on him, and he threw them off as he stretched his stiff muscles. To anyone passing outside, he would have looked like a cat. With a small grunt he got to his feet, happily noting that he got no vertigo, no coughs, no chills and no shortness of breath. His chest ached only slightly, but Chopper had warned him of that possibility and also said it should wear off after a day or so. With a shocking realization, Sanji realized that dawn was just cracking, and that he had woken up as usual.

A grin decorated his features as he took a wash, rinsing away all the sickness before dressing in a pristine suit as usual. The fabric felt good against his skin, smooth and soft. His hands flew in the kitchen as if he hadn't cooked in a month. Despite it being only a week, it had really felt like a month to the well trained cook. Soon enough, the wonderful aroma began to waft through ventilators and waking the others, who wondered in the kitchen with barely concealed grins as they saw the cook up and about and cooking them breakfast.

"SANJII! Good food again! Nami's food isn't as good as yours." Luffy grinned happily.
"BAKA! At least I cooked!" Nami's fist collided with Luffy's head and slammed it in the table.
"LUFFY!" Chopper screeched.

The captain, however, just grinned happily as Sanji put an even larger plate than usual in front of him. Breakfast was as chaotic as usual, but the cook found that he enjoyed it as he laughed with his nakama and celebrated being out of the infirmary and well again.

After cleaning the plates and everything. Sanji found himself leaning against the railing, enjoying himself thoroughly as the sun warmed his skin and a cool breeze caressed his cheeks. A smile decorated his features as he saw his nakama fool around, and he didn't say anything as Zoro came to stand next to him.

"You owe me a watch you know," the swordsman stated.
"A watch?"
"You were supposed to take watch that night of the fight, but you were dead asleep so I did it instead," Zoro explained.
"Ohh..Thanks for taking care of me moss head," The cook then murmured. Zoro shrugged.
"Nakama look out for each other," He responded after a while.

It was a great day, and that was before Zoro brought out the sake, poured out a glass for everyone and raised his in the air.

"To nakama. Who will always look out for each other no matter what." He said, loud and clear.
"NAKAMA!" Everyone repeated as laughs rang out in the air while the straw hats drunk the night away.

From beside the railing, Sanji watched with a cigarette hanging between his lips, and a dozing swordsman next to him, just how much the crew meant to him, and one fact rang in his ears. All of them would achieve their dreams. Luffy would become king of the pirates and they would always be together.

As Friends. As Nakama. As one, big happy family.

I AM ALIVE!

Hi guys =D I haven't written on One Piece for so long ;-; But worry not! I have a couple of Law/Kidd centric ones coming up =) Dunno if slash or not though. Probs no, just close nakama-ship. (One is hopefully multi-chaptered ;) )

Anyway, this was a prompt by Shizuka Taiyou! I really hope she likes it =) And Happy Early Birthday! I hope this will be a sufficient present =3

Guys, I am aware some scenes are OoC, but I just didn't know how to do them otherwise ;-;

Anyway, leave reviews and tell me what you think, would love to hear your views! =D

Till next time!
-Chrisii
xox

Disclaimer - I don't own One Piece. It belongs to Oda.