Author's Note: Hi, Stranger… It's been a while… I missed you… It's okay. You can look at my butt… Haha, I'm joking! XD Please tell me someone has seen that awesome video! Love it so much! Look it up! It's called, Hi Stranger! XD Anyway, for real though, I'm sorry it's been a while. I know, I say that every time. I hope one day I can overcome my anxiety and chronic depression. Anywho, I was also kind of stuck, because I kept feeling as if the fic just didn't go where I originally wanted, and so much outside interference (stuff I was watching at the time) kind of shaped it in a way I wasn't expecting. I had it in my head yesterday that I was going to completely start over with a different fic title, even added an Author's Note that no one probably even had a chance to read before I removed it. After reading the last two chapters, I realized… it went the way it went, and there's nothing I can do about it. Sometimes, you just don't take into consideration the way the characters are when you plan, and the characters do as they please. So, I'm back to this one, and I plan to finish it! So, hurrah! Here's the next chapter! Hope you guys enjoy it! :D

Possession

Chapter 36

Late into the night, the moon was up high, shining down bright at even just a half crescent with the stars shining just as bright right along with it, and being so near a creek, frogs and toads sang their chorus as did the crickets all around. It was a peaceful night as they all slept, and the coals still snapped and crackled, despite the fire having died down. It was a chilly night, and they all huddled beneath their blankets as they slept within their own tents.

"No… No… No! No! No! Don't touch me! Get away from me! Let me go! Let go of me! No!"

"Nami! Nami, stop! It's alright! Nami! Look at me!"

Zoro sucked in his breath to the sudden screaming and bolted up from his bedroll. He shoved aside his tent flap, and saw as Sanji and Usopp both sprang out of their tents as well. He stepped out of his, listening to Nami's terrified screams and Luffy's voice trying to get through to her. After a while, she broke down into sobs, and Luffy's voice calmed as he spoke to her, telling her everything was okay. Zoro calmed down and grunted as he pressed a hand to his face to swipe down it, feeling groggy, but wide awake now as the adrenaline pumped into him. So, she had a nightmare then. He was not surprised. He had dreamt about it too, just before being woken up. At least, he had dreamt about witches burning, and then he shuddered. How many witches and warlocks had he caught and watched as villagers burned them? Last night, watching that child being burned was a huge eye opener. Never had he seen a child being burned at the stake.

Shifting his visible eye over to movement, he dropped his hand, watching as Hancock gazed back at Luffy and Nami's tent, looking no better. Had she been having bad dreams as well? With a huffing sigh, he moved over towards her and asked, "Are you alright?"

Looking up at him, she muttered, "I'm fine." She then disappeared back into her tent.

Grunting, Zoro just shook his head and headed over towards the other two, where Sanji was stocking the fire to bring it back to life. "And now I'm wide awake," Zoro muttered as he sat with them.

"Same, I was going to make some tea. Would either of you like some?" Sanji asked, already prepping it with the water they had gathered in a bucket the night before.

"I'd rather have a dark ale," Zoro muttered, reaching his hands out to the relit fire to warm them.

"Suit yourself. Usopp?" Sanji asked, looking over towards the long-nosed man.

"Yes, please. Thanks, Sanji," Usopp said with a smile as he pulled his blanket more over him. "Is she going to be okay?" he asked, glancing over towards the now silent tent.

"Who knows?" Zoro muttered, thinking he should grab his own blanket to wrap himself up into. Maybe some tea would warm him up, and so he grunted and said, "On second thought, I'll take some tea…"

"I'm sure Luffy will look after her," Sanji muttered as he glanced up at Zoro with a raised brow, but he added more water for the moss haired man. He then relaxed back, just watching the fire and the water, waiting for it to start boiling.

"You think Chopper was able to save that girl?" Usopp asked, just overall seeming concerned and anxious.

"I'm sure he did," Sanji replied, lifting his eyes to look up at him, but pursed his lips to Zoro's grunt.

"I hope so. What happened was awful. I never even… considering what witches went through. I was blinded by my own fear. Luffy called me a coward once… Maybe I am," Usopp muttered, burying part of his face within his raised knees and blanket.

"I don't think you're a coward, because if you were, you wouldn't be here," Sanji said, placing herbs within the three cups to get ready for the water.

Zoro scoffed as well and said, "He called me a coward once too… and those servants back in your hometown, Usopp…"

Sanji frowned as he glanced between them. He had not been there, and so was just unsure, especially to the pained look on Usopp's face. "Why would he do that?" Sanji asked out of curiosity.

"Because we were willing to kill the witch without knowing anything about her or giving her a second chance. He makes it sound so easy. How are we supposed to do that, when most witches are ready to kill us before we can give them a second chance?" Zoro muttered in irritation as he shuddered and moved closer to the fire.

Sanji bobbed his head in a slow nod and said, "It's not black or white… There's so much more to it. We're all driven by our fear and need to survive. It makes us do horrible things."

Zoro grunted again, bringing up a hand to cover over his face, and then he muttered, "Humans are no better than the witches and the warlocks…"

"You're wrong… We're all just human… Some of us are just stronger than others. We all shun difference, because we don't understand it – because we fear it. It all just comes down to fear," Sanji said, removing the kettle from the fire and pouring it into the cups. He mixed them a bit, but then lifted one up and handed it to Usopp.

"Thanks, Sanji," Usopp muttered as he accepted the cup, letting it warm his hands before becoming too hot. He then blew into it before taking a sip.

"Then maybe he was right – Thanks," Zoro muttered as he accepted the cup Sanji handed to him, also letting it warm his hands and sipping it while still hot. "Maybe we are cowards, but survival is important. We act to protect ourselves. If there is a danger, we act to get rid of it."

"And sometimes we act rashly. Sometimes there is no danger, but our minds create the danger," Sanji muttered, making both just look at him.

"Yeah, I guess," Zoro said after a few moments of silence. "Like with the girl yesterday."

"Yes, like that," Sanji agreed with a nod as he sipped his own tea.

Zoro stared at the blonde man, wondering just what his story was. He had never actually told them anything about himself, though no one had really asked. Now, he was curious, but even so, he did not ask. Instead, he brought his cup back up to sip the delicious and hot tea.

Within their tent, Luffy kept his hold on Nami as he stroked along her back after she finally began to relax, just listening to the quiet voices of Zoro, Sanji and Usopp outside as they chatted, even if he could not hear what was being said. After a while, he whispered, "Are you okay?"

"No… not really," Nami whispered, keeping her face hidden within him. "I can't stop seeing her burning…"

Luffy was silent for some time, but then he whispered, "Neither can I…"

"Then why? Why do you try so hard for them? For those people – No, those monsters!" Nami whispered with deep emotion as she pulled back to look up at him.

"Because they're scared… just like you…" Luffy whispered as he gazed down into her eyes.

Nami gazed back up at him, but then she sighed, returning her head to rest against him. She felt her eyes welling with tears again, but she refused to shed them. She had cried enough already. "We're not monsters," she whispered after a while of silence.

"That's right… and neither are they," Luffy whispered in return. "Somehow, we have to make them see."

"How? That just seems impossible, Luffy, even more so for you," she whispered, giving him a squeeze.

"I don't know. Just somehow. I hope Mocha is okay, but I know Chopper and Robin will look after them, and the boy will look after Mocha," Luffy said as he stared up at the tent canvas above.

"That boy accepted her," Nami whispered, nuzzling into Luffy.

"That boy was like me," he said, and she lifted her head to gape at him.

"What? You mean… he was a Grimlock?" she asked, her eyes huge.

Luffy nodded his head, but then he said, "I don't think he knew it, but at the same time, I think he understood he was different. I think they'll protect each other."

"Good, I hope so, and…" she paused for a moment, and then she whispered, "I hope they can keep each other pure."

"I think they can," Luffy said, smiling down at her.

Looking up at his smile, her eyes softened, and then she whispered, "I hope she can keep him pure…" She then reached up to cup his cheek and whispered, "I'm sorry… I lost control."

"You were angry… So was I…" he whispered, losing his smile and then he sighed. "We have to be careful…"

"I know… I'll try harder. They could have been saved without me hurting anyone. I'll do better," she whispered, resting her head over his chest.

Luffy was silent for a while, thinking about her words, and then he nodded. "I'll do better too…"

To Be Continued…

Author's Note: D'aww, the fluffy fluff~! Now I'm curious about Sanji! No really, I am… because I have no idea what kind of story to give him yet, lol! I'll have to think about it… OTL Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Until next time! :D