"Finally, i made it" Nicole sighed looking at the small bar on top of the hill, the sign on top of the door read Shakky's Rip-Off Bar.

"Well then, i might as well pop in to say hello" she smiled to herself and made the treck uphill, the saloon style doors of the bar swung open as she stepped in.

"Welcome, you're the second one" Shakky said taking a puff of smoke greeting her with a smile.

"I kinda expected that, who was the first?" Nicole asked striding up to the counter and taking a seat for the time being.

"You'll never believe it" Shakky paused to exhale smoke "It was Roronoa" she said.

"NO WAY!" Nicole gasped, Shakky nodded with a small hum and a smile.

Nicole smiled a bit too "That's good, someone must have lead him here or he may have been lost forever" she chuckled a bit, then the bar doors swung open again as Rayleigh stepped in.

"Ah, Nicole you're looking like quite the refined lady" he said taking a seat at the bar.

Nicole giggled a bit "Why thank you, but now that you're here i can say i've dropped in to say hello, i'd like to go find my boyfriend now, we have a lot to catch up on" she said giving the old man a pat on the shoulder as she got off the chair.

"Well good luck finding him, god knows where he's gotten himself lost this time" Rayleigh said chuckling lightly.

Nicole smirked turning at the doors "I don't need luck, i have my nose" she tapped her nose before leaving the two to ponder what she meant.

~

Zoro had been bar hopping in town looking to pick his favorite to frequent for the meanwhile as he waited for everyone else to arrive.

Currently he was in one bar closer to the edge of the main city drinking at the counter, the drinks were good, the bar was quiet and the bartender didn't ask him pointless questions.

He smiled a bit before pounding back another beer, he just might start coming here regularly, then suddenly a woman draped herself over him, he stiffened up, he hadn't even sensed her.

"I still blame you" the woman said, Zoro turned to yell at the woman what the hell she meant when he froze in shock.

"Nicole?" he asked, his voice nearly a whisper.

Nicole smiled at him "I was just kidding you know" she said.

"Nicole" Zoro repeated more firmly, then grinned before pulling her into his lap and planting a big wet and hungry kiss on her lips.

Nicole was startled a bit at first but then just chuckled a bit and returned the kiss her hands going into his hair as his wrapped around her waist.

Zoro pulled back and laid his head on her chest as Nicole gave the bartended a sheepish smile.

"I missed you so fucking much" he said planting tender kisses against her bare flesh that made her spine tingle.

"I missed you too" Nicole smiled stroking his hair, then suddenly Zoro stood up and held her in bridal style, he slammed some money on the counter and asked the barkeep.

"Where's the nearest place you can rent a room in?" Nicole flushed in surprise "Someone's eager" she commented.

"It's been two years, don't tell me you aren't?" Zoro asked turning to look down at her in his arms.

Nicole smiled and kissed his jawline "I am" she simply replied.

The barkeep smirked a bit and gave directions to the nearest hotel, Zoro thanked the barkeep before leaving with Nicole making sure he followed the directions.

~(i'll add a lemon later ;) )(lemon now added :) )

Nicole panted as she laid on the bed, collapsed onto a heap of exhausted limbs with Zoro laying next to her just as exhausted.

She caught her breath first and cuddled into him as he also caught his breath and pulled the blanket over them to cover them.

Nicole lifted her hand to lean on her elbow as she really looked at Zoro and traced the new scar over his eyes "That's new, how'd that happen?" she asked.

"Training" he simply replied.

Nicole hummed a bit "If you say so" she said shrugging it off moving her finger to trace his jawline "You've somehow become more handsome too" she said.

Zoro smirked a bit looking at her "You're more beautiful too" he said.

"Aww" Nicole awwed with a smile and pecked him "Thank you" she said and he nodded in reply.

Nicole smiled happily laying her head on his chest "So, where did you end up?" she asked and Zoro told her what happened in those two years they were separated and she told him the same in return.

~ Nine days later~

"Seems the archipelago is at a buzz today" Nicole commented to the barkeep a glass of wine held delicately in her fingers.

"Yeah, didn't you know? The super popular Soul King is throwing a concert, not only that but they say the strawhats are back and recruiting new member" the barkeep said showing her both fliers.

"Oh?" Nicole said looking at both fliers, tossing away the strawhat one and smiled to herself looking at Brook's skeletal face.

"Nicole?" she looked over hearing her name be called and smiled widely "I thought it was you!" the young woman with ginger hair grinned and both ladies laughed as they hugged.

"Nami! When did you get here?" Nicole asked smiling as they broke the hug.

"Just couple days ago" Nami said setting down her shopping bags and taking a seat at the counter next to Nicole.

"I got here second, can you believe Zoro was the first?" Nicole asked.

"No way!" Nami gasped.

"Yes way" Nicole said.

"The only way that's possible if someone guided him" Nami said.

"That's exactly what i told the old man" Nicole grinned and the two women laughed a bit.

"So what brings you to this bar? I thought you'd be glued to Zoro" Nami said.

Nicole chuckled a bit "I was at the start but the old man told us to keep a low profile if we could help it and two people as sexy as us would attract attention, also the drinks here a really good" she said taking a sip of wine.

"Oh? Then i might order something too, i'm waiting for Usopp" Nami said and ordered a drink.

"Usopp huh? Guess i'll wait too, Zoro can handle himself for a bit longer, i hope" Nicole said, the two women laughed at that and continued catching up.

~

Just as some men were talking about the Straw Hat Pirates a part of the crew walked in, it was clearly obvious to the two actual strawhats in the bar that the group was fake.

Among the fake group what was clearly a man in drag trying to pass off as Nicole, whatever floats their boat the actual Nicole supposed,  but she wished it would at least have been a better disguise.

"Oh? and you two  ladies who've been there for quite a while" the leader of the fake group called but both ladies ignored him.

Nicole even snickered a bit at a funny thought she had, Nami gave her friend a look but she waved it off in a i'll explain later manner.

"Two pretty young ladies like you shouldn't drink alone, come join us" the leader called but again both ladies ignored him.

"Hey girls, can't you hear me?!" the leader asked.

"Hey, he's talking to you" the barkeep said.

Nami sighed "That's okay, i'm waiting for someone" she said.

"No thanks" Nicole said finishing her glass of wine.

The bar lit into a buzz with the other patrons whispering about the two ladies rejection.

"Hey, her, you better say yes! He's Straw Hat Luffy, remember? He's the crazy pirate who burst into the War of the Best two year ago, you know him right?" the barkeeper asked them in a whisper.

Nicole scoffed and rolled her eyes, she didn't see what that had to do with anything with their autonomy, she and Nami weren't entitled to this bastard just cause he was stealing someone else's glory, she kept this to herself though.

Then the mask wearing chubby, who was supposed to be Sogeking laughed "Waiting for someone? He must be a wimp who'll apologize in tears once he hears captain Luffy's name anyway! So come here now!" he called.

Nicole was tempted to reach for her blades, these guys were pissing her off but they weren't really doing anything bad per say, just playing pretend really, their attitude still pissed her off.

"I'll only say it once! You're no match for me so i'm not gonna drink with you" Nami told them bluntly.

Nicole smirked slightly "I hate having to repeat myself but since it hadn't sunk in the first time, no thanks" she said.

The bar was stunned to silence by the bold rejection.

"Do you understand, Straw Hat  who?" Nami asked, Nicole snickered a bit.

"Did you say "who"?" The leader asked looking angry but neither woman was phased.

"I'm Straw Hat Luffy!" the leader declared.

"Hey, you better apologize! You're in danger!" The barkeeper told them but Nicole just gave him a sly smirk as Nami turned back to the barkeep.

The leader pulled a gun on the two ladies just as the person Nami had been waiting for walked in.

"You've got some nerve!" the leader said and pulled the trigger but before the bullet had even left the chamber, Nicole had tossed a butter knife that split the exiting bullet perfectly in two and the gun before coming to a stop on the wall inches from fake Luffy's head.

All the fakes and patrons turned to Nicole in fear, her yellow eyes seemed to be glowing as she stared down at the fakes "You disgust me" she spat with a sneer.

The fake Luffy only grew angrier at this reaching for another gun when suddenly a strange plant appeared as if from nowhere tangling the fake strawhat group in vines.

"What is that plant?" Nami asked Nicole.

"Like i'd have a clue" Nicole shrugged.

"So young ladies, do you wanna drink with me?" a voice asked and the two turned to the long nosed man sitting next to them, he lifted his hat revealing a familiar face.

Nami gasped joyfully grabbing Usopp in a hug, inadvertently shoving him into her cleavage.

"Usopp! Long time no see! I can't believe it! You became stronger!" she exclaimed while jumping up and down.

"No kidding, look at those muscles!" Nicole commented grinning watching from the side.

"You have blossomed yourself!" Usopp said though it was muffled in Nami's cleavage, then once he pulled back he noticed Nicole and grinned "Nicole!" he greeted.

"Usopp!" Nicole greeted back with a grin and the two briefly hugged.

"Did you do that?" Nami asked pointing to the plant.

"Yes i did! That's my new weapon - Pop Green, It's not like i was watching the sea and doing nothing for two years, i'm sorry but i no longer belong to the weak trio with you and Chopper, i became a warrior who isn't phased by anything!" Usopp bragged.

Nicole and Nami shared a look and laughed a bit "Yeah right, i bet you haven't changed a bit" Nicole said.

"I have! You'll see!" Usopp said whining a bit, just a little bit though.

"Hey dude! Is this what you've done?" the fake Sogeking asked.

"What?! Sogeking?! Why?!" Usopp yelled in shock.

"Usopp forget about them, let's go somewhere else i need to ask a favor of you" Nami said grabbing Usopp by the wrist as they left.

"Yeah, these guys soured my drinks anyway" Nicole said following along.

"Wait you guys!" the fake Luffy called.

"Eh? Luffy?!" Usopp asked shocked once more.

"Let's go!" Nami said.

"Wait ma'am, you haven't paid yet!" the barkeep called and Usopp tossed him some money telling him to keep the change.

Lightning lit up the bar as the trio were leaving it.

"So i studied about the new technology" Nami was telling them about the two years she spent on a sky island studying weather.

"Really? You were in the sky?" Usopp asked.

"That's nothing, wait until you hear about where i've been" Nicole smirked.