All right guys, this is it. Last chapter. I am sad. Anyway, thank you to everyone who reads this and enjoys it.

Luffy woke up slowly. He had the presence of lying on something soft, something warm.

He opened his eyes to see he was back in the infirmary, lying in the clean white bed. He moved only to grit his teeth as his shoulder dissolved into excruciating pain. Suddenly, he heard someone walking across the floor toward him and saw Chopper jumping onto his bed.

"Luffy, you're awake."

Luffy smiled.

"How long have I been out this time?"

"Two days."

Luffy bolted upright, ignoring the pain in his shoulder.

"Holy smokes, that's ten meals I have missed."

He hopped out of bed and stumbled but made his way to the door. Suddenly, he felt a large hand on his back, steadying him. He smiled up at human Chopper and proceeded down the hallway, yelling.

"Sanji! Food!"

He heard a curse.

"Damnit, there goes the peace and quiet."

"And the food."

"Don't worry Nami-swan, I won't let him have all of it."

"Meat!"

Luffy yelled again and stormed into the kitchen. The entire crew was there, enjoying a nice lunch. Luffy immediately stretched his good arm out to grab some meat off of Ussop's plate. He munched on it happily, looking at his crew.

They all were smiling fondly, happy that their captain was back to normal. Then he saw their faces fall at his injuries. Luffy swallowed some meat and looked around innocently.

"What's wrong? Oi, why are you looking at me like that?"

The straw-hat crew stared at their plates. Nami was the one who spoke up first.

"Sorry Luffy."

Luffy narrowed his eyes. What had happened while he was asleep?

"What, did something happen? Did you lose my hat?"

Nami shook her head. Ussop sighed sadly.

"We couldn't protect you."

Luffy crossed his legs, munching on his meat to give him time to think. Zoro looked at his captain.

"We were supposed to defeat Akainu and failed."

Robin blinked.

"Then you got hurt again, captain-san."

Franky nodded.

"We were supposed to protect you bro."

Luffy looked at all of them. No, this wouldn't do at all. He had failed them as a captain, not the other way around.

"But that isn't your job."

The whole crew's head snapped up to look at him. Luffy had his serious face on for once, and when Luffy had his serious face on you just had to listen to him.

"My job is protecting you. You all did amazing against Akainu. I just wish you all didn't get hurt. So it was me who failed you."

Luffy held up his hands to stop the protests.

"But, that is in the past. We won, we escaped, and…"

He trailed off before finished softly.

"And no one died."

The crew still didn't look convinced. Luffy sighed to himself. He needed them to be distracted from their misconceptions. He smiled to himself as he snuck his hand across the table and grabbed Nami's meat.

It was like a bomb went off.

Nami smacked his hand and immediately started yelling at him.

"You idiot don't steal my food."

Sanji immediately jumped to Nami's defense.

"How dare you touch Nami-swan's food, you bastard?"

Luffy tried again and this time managed to get half of it.

"I am hungry."

"Damn it Luffy stop it."

Luffy laughed to himself at Sanji's fake anger.

"Shut up, Ero cook. I am trying to sleep."

"What was that Shitty Marimo?"

The two immediately glared at each other. Robin opened a book and Brook started humming melodies under his breath. The serious air immediately dissolved into the normal dinnertime routine. Luffy smiled to himself as their guilt was forgotten. Crisis averted.

Zoro took a sip of sake and smiled to himself as he saw right through Luffy's plan. Luffy knew that attacking Nami's food would cause the biggest reaction from Nami and Sanji, thus effectively casuing the biggest distraction to make them forget. Despite his usual stupidity, Luffy did have some bright ideas.

Zoro examined his sword thoughtfully. Luffy wanted them to forget, but he knew he couldn't. He wouldn't let his captain shoulder all of the blame, shoulder all of the guilt onto his own shoulders because Zoro knew that it was partly their fault, no matter what Luffy said. Knowing that, Zoro vowed to himself that he would never let what happened happen again.

As they ate with their usual rambunctiousness, Luffy began to think about his nakama. How much they meant to him.

He looked at Zoro, sipping sake in the corner. Luffy had helped him out when he saved him from that marine base. Since then, the ex-pirate hunter became his first mate and was his best friend. He was always someone to rely on. Now Luffy had a swordsman and a first mate.

Then there was Nami. He had beat up that fishman Arlong bastard for her. He deserved it, making he cry like that. Taking away her future and destroying her past like that; He was proud of that victory. He had gained a navigator that would lead him everywhere.

Ussop. He had fought that one cat guy, with the claws. The one who had hurt his own nakama to beat Luffy. He despised people like that. He had won that fight and gained a nakama and a ship. Now he had a fishing buddy, a sniper, and a true friend.

Chopper had been interesting considering when Luffy met him he tried to eat him. But Luffy quickly made friends with the friendless reindeer. Luffy smiled. Right, he had fought the guy that ate a bunch of stuff. But then he insulted Chopper's pirate flag and Luffy beat him up. Now he was bandaged after every fight with care from the Doctor's healing hands.

Luffy had been immediately drawn to Sanji, being that he was a cook and all. He loved how Sanji gave food to his enemies if they were hungry. He had fought the guy with the exploding spear, and the spiky cape. Luffy winced at the memory, but remembered. He had won that fight too and gained a cook who would cook delicious meat for him.

He had to fight to keep Robin as his nakama. He followed her through tsunamis, invaded Enies Lobby, and fought the leopard guy. He was hard to beat, but it had helped him develop second and third gear. He had won that fight. Now Robin could read to him and be the smart one of the crew.

He didn't have to fight anyone for Franky, except perhaps the shipwright himself. But he had joined the crew nevertheless, bringing with him the cool weapons and Sunny.

Brook. He had fought Moria for his shadow, and for theirs, on Thriller Bark. That was interesting; he had met zombies. Now Brook played music all the time for Luffy's enjoyment.

Each of the crew had their own gifts, their own strong points that Luffy truly loved about them. They were diverse, and even better they were true friends.

Luffy sometimes wondered what would happen further into the New World but there was one thing that he knew would never happen, and that was that the bonds between his crew would never break. They were stronger because of their friendship.

He suddenly felt something smack against his hand and he looked to see his trademark straw-hat there. He looked up to see Nami smiling at him. She had noticed his thoughtful expression.

"Something wrong Luffy?"

Luffy picked up his hat and placed it on his head, happy to feel the familiar straw against his black hair. He smiled and looked at all of his crew looking at him.

"Thank you."

Nami looked confused.

"For what?"

Luffy bowed his head, nodding politely to them all.

"For everything."

He felt his hat between his hands and smiled at the memory of Ace in Alabasta. Thank you for taking care of my bungling brother. He smiled at his now confused crew.

"Thank you for taking care of me."

The End