Zoro examined his blood-spattered hand carefully, scowling deeply. Dark red drops covered it almost completely; it was the worst thing to happen now.

Only a couple of days ago it seemed like Sanji had been on the mend, but now he was coughing up his blood twice as severely. The swordsman lowered his face into both his palms; his fingers leaving scarlet trails on his cheekbones.

"You… You shouldn't…" Harsh coughs broke the phrase the cook was trying to force out. His ailing body was trembling mercilessly. He tried to cover his mouth with his hand, but blood drops continued to seep between his fingers and fall onto his pale skinny chest and a white blanket.

"Don't speak." Zoro whispered, his voice barely audible. His lips were shaking intermittently, head went dizzy. It's bad. It's very bad.

"I want to smoke." The blonde's paroxysm stopped, though Zoro knew it was just a matter of time before he'd be attacked by it again.

"You can't smoke, idiot." Treacherous lump in the swordsman's throat made his voice sound hoarse, as if it didn't belong to him at all.

Sanji closed his eyes, breathing heavily. Sick hissing was escaping his mouth. Zoro took his scrawny hand and stroked it gently. His fingers were ice-cold. Who would guess that this man had been running around the deck with his hands full of trays just a couple of weeks ago? Zoro refused to believe Chopper, who'd told him he wasn't able to heal Sanji's indefinable disease.

"Don't lie to me!" The green haired man shouted at the little reindeer. "You are the best doctor on the Grand Line, damn it! There is nothing impossible for you to cure!"

Chopper was shaking in fear, his teary eyes wide.

"I am not the best… This time I can do nothing!"

The Strawhats were sitting in the galley almost in complete silence, which was only interrupted by Nami's quiet sobs. Luffy sat with his hat covering his face, and for a moment the rest of the crew thought they noticed a tear sliding down his cheek.

Robin did some research and found out there was an island right on their way, which was famous with its all-healing sand.

"They say this sand is magical." She explained to the group. It was noticeable that the book she was holding in her hands was shaking a bit. "It can cure almost every illness known."

Usopp, Franky and Brook sighed with relief.

"That means Sanji will recover if we sail to that island?" Luffy's face shined with a smile for the first time since the cook had fallen ill.

The raven haired woman sighed nervously, hiding her eyes under her thin long fingers.

"Yes. But…" She pressed the fingers to her temples, lowering her head. "It is mentioned here that if the disease is not life-threatening, it is enough for a person to lie inside the sand for a couple of days."

Everybody froze, knowing exactly what she was going to say next.

"But if the disease is dangerous for life… it could take much more time to cure it."

"How much time?" Zoro asked with his eyes closed.

The archeologist hesitated for a long moment that felt like eternity.

"Nobody knows." She finally uttered her cruel verdict. "It may take a couple of years, or rather, a dozen of years, though the term can't be confirmed."

They all sat dead silent, but their heartbeats were almost thundering. Then an abrupt sound of a fist slamming down on the wooden table broke the air.

"You're lying!" Zoro shouted desperately, jumping up from his seat and heading bluntly to the woman's side. Chopper and Franky managed to clutch him in a tight grip.

"I'm not. And I'm frustrated with this information as well." Robin whispered, looking right into the swordsman's wide eyes.

No one told Sanji about their fateful decision. They only told him that he would come to his senses as soon as they'd arrive to the next island.

Only a day remained until they would reach the island, and Zoro was sitting in the sick bay in front of the blonde's bed. The acrid smell of medicine and blood never left the swordsman's nose. He raised his eyes to look at the cook's pale face.

"Zoro," Instead of wearing his usual cheerful grin, Sanji smiled weakly. "I will die, right?"

"Of course you won't!" The swordsman tried to smile back at him, but the bitterness inside his throat only made his face writhed.

The cook closed his eyes wistfully, faintly squeezing Zoro's palm.

"I'm so happy you're here with me." A slight, almost dying shade of sincere happiness sounded in his voice.

The island wasn't densely populated, however the citizens greeted the Strawhats as soon as they docked. And they already were aware of what could lead them here.

"His condition is really poor." The doctor stated after examining the senseless cook. "He might have died if you loitered just one more day."

Zoro swallowed nervously, yet the lump inside his throat never left.

"When will he be cured?" The captain asked, his tone straight and emotionless.

"I can't say for sure." The woman sighed. "You will have to leave him here until he recovers."

By the next morning it was decided to place Sanji into the sand. Zoro couldn't close his eyes all night. He made efforts to train, but clearly it was pointless. He refused to believe this. It couldn't be true. It just wasn't right!

He shouted like grim death into the apathetic, dark sky until he lost his voice.

Blood red rays of the sun obscured the silent crew on the shore. The pit for Sanji's sepulture was ready. They stood in front of him, trying to keep collected.

"So… I figured everything out." Sanji looked at them with his fading eyes, which used to be so bright before. "I know it's hard for you, but don't worry about me." He tried to stay calm, but his voice was betraying him ruthlessly. "Find a new cook. I'm sure, Captain, you will become-"

"That's enough." Luffy cut him off firmly. And he was right: if Sanji would say just one more word, everybody would burst into tears. Sanji understood and nodded slightly, wearing a quiet smile.

"Farewell."

They watched as Sanji lied at the bottom of the pit. They watched his body disappearing slowly under the layers of the golden dust, and a smile never escaped his beautiful face.

Then Sanji was buried under the sand.

The Strawhats turned away to leave. Everyone was broken, making torturous efforts not to burst out crying. Zoro sat down near the golden grave, pressing his palm to the soft ground. A thin trail of tears soaked the sand.

"I will find that ocean for you."