Author's Note

I found myself with some spare time and managed to get this chapter. For those of you craving some good Addy and Zoro content, this chapter will hopefully fill that need. As always please review and let me know what you think.

Unfortunately, due to all the running, they tired out pretty quickly. The heat becoming overbearing as the sun traveled across the sky. Conversation drew to a standstill. The only noise any of them was making was panting. It was even starting to affect Ace somewhat. Sweat dripping down his face. Addy feared that this would happen. The longer the journey the less endurance they were all going to have. With the desert sapping all of their energy. She took a look at her exposed skin. Cracked and dried out would be an understatement. She would have to submerge herself soon or she would be in big trouble. This may have been the longest time she had ever spent without being close to at least some water to submerge in. Or even some moisture. She shook her head. Dance Powder was really as dangerous as she was told. There would be no forgiving Crocodile for this.

Luffy came to a stop to take a sip of water. Spilling some of it to the ground. It immediately evaporated into steam. Causing Addy to wince.

"Hey, quit it!" Usopp chastised. "Look at how much you spilled! You big waster!" Sanji was also looking over the scene as if he couldn't believe what was happening.

"What's the big deal?!" Luffy asked placing his hands on his hips. "Ace bought a whole bunch with him!"

"There's a limit to everything! You've been guzzling away for a while now!"

"He's trying to drink, too." He looked directly at Sanji who was holding his own pouch of water.

"This is so when Nami dear says, 'Oh, I'm so thirsty!' I can take it right to her!" It was almost like red hearts were spilling directly out of him. He ran directly to Nami and Vivi. "Nami dear! Vivi precious! Would you like some water?!" He held it up towards them. Zoro offered Chopper some water as well.

"Don't be dumb!" Luffy remarked rolling up his sleeve. "I'll drink it!"

"We're fine for now but you may want to check on Addy." Nami shot her a worrying glance. Luffy also stopped in his tracks. Looking back at Addy.

She let out a sigh. "I wouldn't say no." Despite all the complaining and arguing the boys were doing Addy knew she was drinking the most. She had to. There was no way she was going to survive otherwise.

Sanji came up to her and handed her the canteen. She took a long sip. Making sure she didn't waste a drop. It was the sweetest thing Addy had ever had.

"Addy sweet," Sanji stated softly. "What's going on with your arm?" While drinking the sleeve of her robe slipped up. Revealing her dry red skin. Almost as if she had been burned. Zoro and Chopper materialized instantly by her side. Chopper growing big. Taking her arm in his hooves and examining it.

"You've gone on too long without being in water?" Ace asked. "Haven't you?"

Addy looked up and smiled at him. "What can I say?" She shrugged her shoulders. "Nereids aren't exactly supposed to be in the desert."

Zoro shot her a worried look. It was clear that he didn't like the look of her skin. Neither did anyone else. Usopp and Luffy also coming up to take a look.

"We're going to have to soak you in water," Chopper said in his doctor's voice. "Or at least sponge it over your skin. Try to combat the dryness."

As Addy was about to argue back Ace interrupted. "Don't worry. I made sure that we got extra. I figured that this would be a problem."

Addy knew there was no point in arguing. Running a hand through her hair. So dry it felt like it would snap in her hands. "We'll have to wait till nightfall. Absolutely no point in doing it now It will just dry up." There were nods of agreement before they broke apart. Continuing their trek in the desert. Chopper shrinking down and getting back on his sled. Luffy, Usopp, and Sanji going back to the front. Zoro sticking close by. One eye on Addy at all times.

Meanwhile, Vivi started telling them about the rebel army. Which was actually a story about her idyllic childhood with her fried Koza. Addy wasn't really paying attention. Vivi's childhood was not high on Addy's care o meter. As a matter of fact, seemed like no one was paying attention to the story. Usopp and Sanji were chasing Luffy around. Who was holding a water bottle hostage.

It came to a stop when they ran into the tip of a purple scorpion's tail poking out of the sand.

"What is that?" Luffy asked pointing at the tail. It was twirling around in the sand. "What is this thing?" He walked right up to it. Picking a stick up off the ground and poking the tail. Which did not make it happy. Emerging from the sand with Luffy standing on top of it.

"It's huge!" Usopp shouted. Sanji and Zoro standing next to him. Sanji scratching his head while Zoro rested his arm on his swords. Wondering how Luffy kept getting himself in these situations.

"Wow!" Luffy exclaimed. Holding his arms up in the air. The scorpion's claws and tail were twitching. Ready to strike at any moment. Which resulted in Zoro, Sanji, Luffy, and Chopper getting into a fight with the scorpion. Kicking up a whole lot of sand in the air. Usopp screaming and panicking on the sidelines. Ace watching the fight with a smile on his face. Nami and Vivi ignoring everything.

The scorpion barely lasted a minute. Soon they were dividing it between themselves. Ace helping to cook it. At least they didn't have to worry about provisions for lunch. Sanji ran up to Vivi and Nami with a claw in hand. Asking if they wanted any.

"This desert shrimp is yummy!" Luffy announced eating the other claw.

Usopp shoved him in the back of his head. "It's not a shrimp! It's a scorpion!"

Luffy laid on top of the remains of the shell. "Can't eat anymore!" Addy snorted. That was most certainly not true. The others were still munching on the scorpion.

"Knock that off, you guys!" Nami shouted at them. Addy looked up towards them. Vivi was as white as a sheet. Mouth hanging open while Nami shouted at them. Then beckoning Lashes to keep moving forward.

"What's she so mad about?" Luffy asked.

"Beats me," Chopper, Zoro, and Usopp stated. Addy rolled her eyes. Sometimes the guys could be real idiots.

They were soon back on the journey. Marching through the sand. No foreseeable end in sight. Just as the sun was starting to dip below the horizon, they found a pile of rocks to make camp around. Enough to shield them from Wind and the environment. Ace put Addy down on a rock and helped Sanji start to build a fire. Nami, Chopper, and Zoro immediately coming up to her. Chopper rolling up her sleeves and poking at her rashes.

"We should get that treated," Nami said putting her hands on her hips.

"Agreed," Ace said walking up having helped Sanji set fire to a bunch of rocks.

"Relax," Addy replied pulling her arms away from Chopper. "All I need is to let my skin soak in water. Once I get enough moisture it should clear up."

"So, we just need to wipe you with a damp cloth?" Nami asked.

"I'll do it," Ace and Zoro volunteered at the same time. Nami whipped them around and hit them both in the head.

"Idiots! Like I would let you undress her."

Ace arched an eyebrow at her. "Why? It's nothing I haven't see before." Nami and Zoro were speechless for a moment. Nami looking at Addy with a smirk. She just shrugged her shoulders. It not like she hid the fact that they slept together. Zoro had a look that was pure unadulterated jealousy.

Nami shook her head. "Vivi and I will help her out... Or Chopper since he's a doctor."

"Don't really need a doctor," Addy responded. "Nor will I allow Vivi to touch me. I may no longer want to actively kill her and may potentially consider her a friend, that does not mean I want her to strip me down and give me a sponge bath." Addy pointed at Nami and Zoro. "You two do it."

"Really?!" They all asked. Probably for very different reasons.

Addy rolled her eyes. "Ace will evaporate all the water before it even touches me. Chopper is exhausted from our trek here, I would die before letting Vivi do it, Captain is an idiot, Sanji would probably grope me, Usopp…." Honestly, Usopp would work too but she wasn't about to suggest that. "Which leaves you two." Addy would rather prefer if Zoro just did it but there was no way that was going to happen. The two of them could probably be married and Nami would still trying to protect her modesty. She was very protective when it came to that.

Which is how she ended up being sheltered behind some rocks away from the others. A barrel of water next to her. Open red sores covering her body. Even the parts that were protected by clothing. Nami worked on her front. Pressing the cloth to her skin which soaked up the water greedily, the sores barely fading. Zoro meanwhile was working on her back. Careful to not let his hands slip to the front. At the moment the only thing that she was wearing was her skirt. Everything else taken off to allow Zoro and Nami to treat her.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Zoro growled. His tone may be rough but his hands were gentle. Even more so than Nami was.

"Would you believe me if I said I honestly didn't notice until recently?" Addy asked sighing in relief. This is the best she had felt in days. "The heat kinda saps everything out of me."

Zoro hummed in response. "Still I want to be more careful. Keep a better eye on it. I don't want anything to happen to you."

Nami wiped her forehead. "Zoro see if you can find more water to spare. We're going to need it." Zoro got up faster than they could blink. Heading back to the others.

Addy turned her attention to Nami. Raising an eyebrow. "That barrel is still about half full."

Nami chuckled. "Sometimes you can be really dense. What are you going to do about Zoro?"

Addy was now seriously confused. "What do you mean?"

She rolled her eyes. "I mean he clearly really likes you."

Addy turned about 50 shades of red. And not from the sores. "Y-You think?" Maybe there was a chance.

"Mmm hm. I'm thinking you should take him to dinner. Or to a massive sword-fighting tournament, but dinner would be more romantic." Addy was thinking just a good old-fashioned bar. But those options may work also. She made a few notes in her head.

"I don't know." Addy rubbed the back of her head. "With everything that has happened…"

Nami scoffed. "Like I said. You can be dense sometimes."

"Here's some more water," Zoro said coming back. He put the barrel down next to the other one. Nami and Addy exchanged glances. Chuckling between the two of them. "Did I miss something?"

"Nothing at all Zoro," Addy replied.

"Right…" He sat back down. Clearly not believing her and started dabbing her back. The water still absorbing into her skin. "When do we know if you're feeling better?"

"When the water washes over my skin rather than being absorbed." She heard some excited shouting from the others. Apparently Sanji, Usopp and Luffy had gotten in trouble yet again. Addy gestured towards that direction with her head. "Nami go stay with the others. Make sure they aren't getting into too much trouble."

Nami arched an eyebrow. "You sure?" She shot Zoro a hard look. As if daring him to try anything.

"Relax. If Zoro touches me without consent he won't be walking. Ever."

"Well if you're sure." Addy could sense the doubt in her voice. She stood up and pointed directly at Zoro. "You do anything untoward and I'll raise your debt." He visibly winched. Watching Nami as she walked back towards the others. As soon as she was gone from view Addy whirled around to face Zoro.

"If you don't take your clothes off right now, I'll rip them off of you." Zoro had already gotten started. Stripping down to his bare chest.

"I thought she would never leave," he muttered pulling Addy close. "It's like she couldn't take a hint." Running a washcloth over her entire body. Taking his time in certain areas. Slowly moving up her legs. Yanking her skirt down roughly. Addy lifted up her legs. Helping to get it off. While she worked on his pants. "Ever since I saw you in that all I've wanted is to take it off of you." Addy really wanted that as well. Though she didn't expect that this would be how it would happen.

"Though is it smart to be doing this?" he asked. So close Addy could feel his breath on her skin. "I know how worked up we can get."

She let out a light laugh. That's true but I think it's worth the risk." She pushed him down onto the rocks. There was no way she was going to have sex on desert sand. No matter how desperate she was. She climbed on top. Straddling him. He moved his hands to her hair. Soaking it in water. Which absorbed it instantly. "Though I know I'm not the most attractive right now."

"Now I know you're not feeling well. Because you're just as beautiful as you've always been." He pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. Running the cloth up and down both her arms.

"Oh Zoro," Addy laughed. "You are in for a wild ride."

He gave her a cheeky smile. "Am I now?" He sat up. Pulling her up against him. Running a washcloth down her back. "Let's see if we can get your skin under control other Nami might legitimately kill me."

"Like I would let her." What was a sexually charged situation turned intimate. Zoro slowly running the cloth over Addy's body. Just as the first barrel was completed drained the water started dripping into the sand. Water washing over Addy's body as it should. Zoro put down the cloth and took her face in his hands.

"Addy I-" It like his voice broke. Unable to finish his sentence. Addy felt the tension rising. Wondering what he was going to say. His grip on her tightened. "Addy I-" He swallowed the lump in his throat. "You said something about a wild ride." Addy got the distinct feeling that's not what he was going to say. But whatever was on his mind Addy would wait patiently for. She wasn't going to push him. At least not until they had defeated Crocodile.

"I did didn't I?" She ran her hand down his face. "Let's just say neither of us will be walking in a straight line once I'm through."