Those of you who know me by now know that I am just winging this story as I write it as I go. No planning or anything. Not even a stroke of inspiration. All I have is raw determination to finish this story! I have this awful track record of not finishing stories because I lose interest in them but I am determined not to allow this to happen to this story! So this one is dedicated to everyone who had read and enjoyed this story; Nakama-ship forever!

Also, some of you pointed out to me that the last chapter was mostly Sanji-centric. After looking back on the last chapter again I realized that I did indeed center on Sanji. So I just wanted to let you know that I am aware of this and I apologize if the last chapter irked you a bit. I will do my best to make sure that I do not focus too much on one character in this chapter!

Poll Results: IT'S A BLOODY TIE DAM IT! So i shall go and right this up as nakamaship with ZoLu undertones. If your upset with the results and didn't vote than you should have voted! so nya :P

Chapter 5

(Final Chapter)

Epilogue: Silent Understanding

\ There're are many different ways to help someone understand you \

Zoro stood by the railing of the ship, gazing at the sea with no real expression on his face. He was thinking about something important, that much anyone could tell. No one could tell exactly what he was thinking, and no one ever could. The only exception to this was Luffy, but at the moment he was playing another round of hide-and-seek with Chopper and Usopp. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, Zoro could see Luffy squeezing himself tightly between two barrels. It was so tight a fit, that the only other person who would be able to fit into it would be chopper. Thoroughly squeezed in as tightly as could be, Luffy caught Zoro's eye and grinned his widest grin he could muster in the confined space. A silent message was passed between them. Smirking lightly, Zoro nodded discreetly.

'Don't tell anyone kay'?'

Loud cursing steadily made itself known, as a familiar voice and the smell of cigarettes filled the air. Raising his eyebrow slightly Zoro looked over at Luffy, wondering why Sanji would be looking for him. The answer made itself apparent quickly. This was not a game of hide-and-seek; this was a game of hide-from-Sanji-as-he-seeks-you-for-stealing-meat. Of course, just because the game was changed slightly that didn't mean that the Usopp and Chopper weren't playing as well. The cursing grew steadily louder as Sanji came above deck. Returning his gaze to the ocean, Zoro proceeded in pretending that he hadn't noticed Luffy hiding between the barrels. Zoro heard Sanji stomp around the deck looking everywhere he could think of, except the barrels. Grumbling under his breath the Cook turned his attention to the Swordsman staring out at the ocean.

"Oi! Shitty-swordsman! Have you seen the Crap-captain up here?" Sanji called rudely to the Green hair bushido.

"Cheh! Why the hell would I know if the gaki were up here, you ero-chief!" It was more of a statement than a question but it was enough to begin something with Sanji. Sensing the cook's attack Zoro quickly turned around and caught the chief's foot. Throwing it down the two males began to pummel each other while screaming insults into the other's face. The fight only lasted several minutes though, ending when hearing the slight

'Squeak' that Usopp slipped out. With Sanji's previous reason for fighting the green-haired swordsman coming back to him, Sanji turned to glare at the other thief-of-meat who was now fleeing back inside. Moving to go after him Sanji stopped suddenly when his back was turned to Zoro. No words were passed but both understood. The cook then proceeded in chasing after Usopp, but not before a slight nod to signify that he had received the silent message.

Glancing back to his captain's hiding spot; Zoro grinned at him and made a motion towards him to let Luffy know that it was safe to come out. Luffy squeezed his way back out immediately after being assured that it was safe to do so. After wiggling his way out, Luffy picked himself up and walked to where Zoro was now standing, having returned to the banister. Luffy leaned his back against the banister and put his arms behind him so that they could rest as well. Zoro was still hunched forward facing the sea with his arms draped leisurely over the banister as well. After several moments of silence Zoro unknowingly opened his mouth to speak.

"Just a question captain, if you had to choose between your dreams, your hat and us which would you chose?" The question had left Zoro mouth before he even knew he opened his mouth. Although not meaning to ask the question, Zoro was not one to back down, so after he heard himself say those words he turned his gaze to his captain whom was grinning at the noonday sky.

Without missing a beat Luffy answered, "What's stopping me from having all three?" He turned his grin towards his first-mate. Said first-mate returned his captain's mischievous smile. Yes…that's just the type of answer that Zoro had half expected from his captain.

The two pirates returned their gaze too the horizon. A few moments of silence passed between them as they gazed at the seemingly endless sea. Something was different now. In those few moments of silence, something had changed between Zoro and Luffy. Both of them could feel it but neither could identify it.

Sanji's call for lunch broke the two friends out of their thoughts. With a loud cry of "MEAT," Luffy ran into the galley with Zoro strolling leisurely behind him, taking his time. The smell of the galley made their stomachs rumble slightly as both picked up the pace to make it in time, laughing as they go.

Yes, something had most definitely changed between the two of them.

\Some are loud but subtle.\

The daily eating ritual of the crew went on as usual as the crew laughed and talked and protected their food from Luffy's wandering hands. Each crewmember at some point had practically sung their praises for the food. Except Zoro, who's only comment had been a slightly reluctant "it's edible". Luffy, Chopper and Usopp had eventually begun to dance on the table while singing different pirate songs slightly off key. Zoro, Sanji and Nami were all laughing at the seen, clapping their hands joyfully. Robin stared at them with a smile on her face and she giggled silently to herself at the scene. It was just another blissful, carefree day on the Going Merry as the straw-hat pirates simply enjoyed the day to its fullest.

That night when everyone was sleeping, memories of the island came back to all of them in a flash. Suddenly, their minds were full of information and knowledge of what had happened. Things the captain had left out, things that he didn't know about, and the battle. Especially the battle. They could see their captain fighting for their lives, calling out to them. They could see the barrage of a million arrows raining down upon their captain, who was frozen with an expression of shock and fear and anger written across his face. They saw as their captain trudged forward with the world against him and blood pouring out of his wounds to save them, to rescue them, as they cried his name as loudly as they could in their deformed monstrous shape. They saw a frightened father shoot an arrow at the flower beast which held them. Closer. Closer. Closer. And than…it's a beautiful day out today. But when did we get here? Why is the captain just lying over there? Why do I feel as if I am forgetting something?

Each straw-hat member awoke with a start, all at the same time. They were gasping for air at rapid paces and cold sweat sliding down their faces. Nami and Robin both stood up shakily and walked across the hall to the men's quarters. Opening the door the two female pirates walked into the room where the men, excluding the captain, where up and composing themselves. No one said a word. But all of them were thinking the same thing. They just stared at their captain for what felt like hours. Shocked still as the memories replayed themselves over and over again in their minds each member of the crew simply reflected on the man they chose to follow. And how, for the first time, they felt as if they truly understood him, even if just a little. It might sound sick and twisted, but this horrible experience that was now shared between all of them, was no longer a burden that the captain had to carry alone. And no matter how wrong it was, no matter how much pain it might have caused all of them, they realized that none of them regretted a single thing that happened on that island. Not anymore. Not when they now understood completely what had happened.

They understood everyone else's weaknesses better now. What frightened them and what irked them. They understood they jealousy and the rage. But they also learned not to trust what they always saw and that life is simply unpredictable. They were all pushed to the point where their trust in one another broke, and now they understood now more than ever, that they were nakama.

Friends.

Comrades.

Family.

They needed each other to survive. And that was Luffy's doing. He brought people together who believed that they would never be able to work together, to be friends. People who were used to being alone and used to protecting themselves, people who everyone else believed couldn't be trusted for some reason or another. He brought these people together, and together they changed from separate individuals who couldn't be trusted into a family that found their trust in one another. That was Luffy's power. And it had made them all stronger.

"We should head back to bed. He'll be worried is we're out of it tomorrow."

And with that each member of the straw-hat crew headed back to bed, the bond between them stronger than ever. And when morning comes the next day not a word will be spoken about the night prior. It didn't need to be mentioned as long as no one forgot.

\Others are quiet but obvious\

some time later

Much time has past since the nakama of straw-hat Luffy fully regained their memories of what happened during the days they spent on the Baron's island. It almost seems as if nothing has changed at all for them. Almost as if they blocked the entire incident from their hearts and minds. But they never forgot. In all honesty, it was something that still nagged at them from the back of their minds. It was those memories that they referred too before doing anything or saying anything drastic. The entire crew had been changed by the incident though, even if it wasn't entirely obvious. They watched out for one another more and they thought more about what they were saying and doing. They took nothing for granted anymore and they savored every moment they had.

But most of all, they no longer saw Luffy as invincible as they did before. They no longer believed that he was just some naïve idiot with a big head. He had his own emotions and his own scars, both physical and emotional; he just chose to ignore them as best as he could. They never asked his a single question about the strange scar they had first seen after the battle, the one that should have killed him and that none of them knew the story about. It was their captain's business and they respected that. But their curiosity about their captain just grew more, for out of all of them, their captain's past was the most mysterious along with Robin's. But they also knew he didn't not think about his past either.

When he thought back on that night he would shudder painfully, and a distant look would come to his eyes. But his Nakama would always seem to know what he was thinking and would distract him from it. The fact that they cared so much made his smile widen. I made him happy too know that he had nakama that cared for his well being. So he laughed and laughed and he played along with their attempts at 'subtly' distracting him form his thoughts.

Luffy's nakama cared about him, they were there to stay and they wouldn't be leaving soon if he had anything to say about it.

\But the best way to help someone understand you…\

Luffy wasn't the only one who would think about the incident though. Despite not thinking about the incident during the day it was during the night that the memories came back to bite them in the ass. In the privacy of their own minds the memories played over and over again in their dreams. Haunting them and taunting them with different outcomes and different ending. Most of which were far worse than could possibly be mentioned now. It was worse during the beginning when the wound was still fresh. But the nightmares have faded since than. But they never faded completely after all, something as important and significant and frightening as that doesn't just leave you're thought over night.

And so, the Nightmares still haunt them all sometimes, but at those times, where they wake drenched in sweat shuddering painfully at what they now fully remembered, They would find someone holding them softly and saying soothing words. Eventually the person having the nightmare would calm down at these soothing words, instinctively trusting this person for some reason. And just before they fell back into darkness, they would see the faint outline of a straw-hat sitting daintily upon a mop of hair.

The next morning they would wake with no memory of the night prior, feeling as if someone had just left the room.

\...is by saying nothing at all\

Owari

The End

Hahaha I know that it's a bit later than what I first anticipated but to be honest I didn't expect to finish this story on time anyway. Well this is indeed the end. I know it was a tad bit wordy and I also know that there isn't much dialogue in this epilogue but that was done on purpose so don't worry. I also realize that the actual story is a bit short but to be honest I kinda was hitting a brick wall.

Any way, I want to thank everyone who has supported me and has read this story since the beginning. I won't name names because frankly there're so many of you. Just know that you are appreciated here.

Translations:

Gaki- Brat

Ero- pervert

Hana-flower (from the last chapter)

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See you soon!

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