The moon had set in within the sky that was as black as the feathers that coated a raven. The great Surgeon of Death was just barely hanging onto consciousness with eyelids that were heavy as if anvils were hanging from them. Oh how he had so much to do today and the bed was calling his name. Law stopped in his tracks for he found Sanji's presence outside of Law's examination room to be out of the ordinary. "Still here?" Law questioned as he stood before Sanji.

The blonde looked up from what he had assumed was a sound sleep. "Well... Yeah," Sanji replied with a yawn as he stood up from sitting against the door. "I wanted to be there for (Y/n) for when she first wakes up," Law didn't expect that response out of Sanji.

"You do realize she won't wake up for at least 12 more hours," Law felt the need to point out since this was the worse time to have company.

"I am aware of that," Sanji admits with yet another breathy yawn.

"Y'know... I've talked with Mugiwara-ya," Law begins. "Heard you're close to her."

"I'd hate to assume, but I think I'm the closest to her," Sanji was just barely awake, but he wasn't wrong to assume such a thing. Besides Law, Sanji has noticed that you haven't been so nice to anyone compared to himself.

"I don't doubt it," Law lets out a long breath, unlocking the door to his personal room that doubled as his examination room for his patients. "Either come in or leave," Law barked out an order at Sanji as he held the door open for the blonde. Sanji took the offer and stepped within the room and sat down before the table of which you slept. There was a white blanket pulled over your body, an IV in your arm that replenished the blood you lost during the surgery.

"Torao... How many times have you performed (Y/n)'s surgery?" Sanji questioned knowing Law knew the heart transplant surgery inside and out.

"Never bothered to count... Traumatizing for her any way you look at it."

"That's insane," Sanji comments, lying his yellow rose upon the table of which you slept upon. Sanji couldn't help but assume you had lost it when you were abducted by Smoker within the woods earlier today. Now the rose was in the hands of its rightful owner of which deserved an object so beautiful more than anything else the world could offer.

"Well I have been performing her surgeries for the last... Two years. Every two months it's the same process. She's about to die, I perform her surgery, and then we're both out for the next twenty four hours," Sanji had a feeling your surgeries were not only hard on you but the doctor as well. The black rings around Law's eyes were darker than the usual in which next to anybody would point out first above everything else Law's character had to offer.

"Then wouldn't it have made more sense for (Y/n) to join your crew instead of Kid's for that brief period of time?" Sanji spoke his mind out loud.

"(Y/n) wasn't even with him for all that long," Law gave Sanji wild looks for he figured out the origins of such question. "She traveled with him early on yes, only about a month. She left Eustass for the purpose of her surgeries and-no surprise-Eustass didn't understand it was life or death so he turned to bribes and threats to persuade her stay. (Y/n) would've remained a Kid Pirate if he were more... Reasonable," Reason wasn't in Kid's vocabulary, that's a fact. Sanji knew that despite the fact he's never directly met him. "Anyways... It's a good thing she left him, her mental state was all over the place at the time and his way of dealing with things would only reward her behavior, so if you ask me, she's better off on your crew than my own... I haven't seen (Y/n) so sane... Not in a long time."

"I hate to agree," Sanji snickered remembering back to the day he first met you. You had just slain a total of thirty men single handedly with one red eye that had a thirst for blood. All you did was wave your sword and everyone was down for the count decorating the scene in crimson. "(Y/n) was an animal when we first picked her up."

"She's been like that since her experiments began," Law sighed. "I've been there since the beginning of her capture... (Y/n) slowly went insane... Despite all of the sights my eyes have lied upon, it's by far one of the most painful and gut wrenching processes to watch."

"You care about (Y/n) a lot... Don't you?" Sanji had caught Law's attention once again. Law thought for a second knowing his reply by heart.

"I do," Law admits all so casually. "But not the way you think I do."

"I just was curious," Sanji reassured but Law saw right through him.

"Now isn't the time to be jealous," Law grumbled. "I'm just here to help (Y/n)... I want her to become the woman she was before she was crafted into a weapon... And you're just the person who makes her sane again."

"Really?" Sanji found that hard to believe.

"I've heard from your crew that, no surprise, you have a thing for her," Sanji took offense to such comment then again he's quite honored too. "Based on how they talked, (Y/n) feels the same way... I don't think you understand just how important you are to (Y/n) if she's been keeping me around strictly for benefit, jumping around to different crews, and taking the lives of nearly everyone she meets-"

"I-I understand," Sanji spoke up. "I never realized just how savage (Y/n) was before she met us... That's all."

"Now you understand," Law yawned. "Understand that I'll kill you if you hurt (Y/n) any worse than she's already suffering."

"Understood," Sanji gulped down the lump within his throat, lying a hand upon the door. Law was that overprotective father you never had. "I'm going to head on over to my ship...It's really late, you need sleep, and as do I. Thank you for this talk Torao," Law closed his eyes and nodded his head once. "Before I leave though... What do you think (Y/n) will decide to do with herself?" That was another question Law knew by heart.

"If I'm being honest," Law sighed. "She'll choose my crew."

"What's your reasons?"

"She doesn't want to die, but she doesn't want to be powerless before the enemy either."

"I see..." Sanji glanced over to your sleeping form, a tear built up within the corners of his eyes. "I hope you stay with us (Y/n)," Sanji took his leave with regret getting the better of him.

The next morning, everyone gathered up within the kitchen for breakfast. The usual as always. However, the one thing that was unusual about this morning was Luffy. He looked like depression was getting the better of him. Sanji assumed he must've been so hungry that he felt sick, Sanji too was feeling sick. He had the entire night to think over every possibility that could unfold later today. Will you stay, will you leave? And those questions were exactly why Sanji needed a coping mechanism until that time arrives. And so the blonde placed a plate of pancakes upon the table before his captain, Luffy didn't take interest in the thought of food.

"What's wrong Luffy?" Nami rubbed Luffy's back comfortingly like a mother to her child.

"I don't want (Y/n) to leave..." Luffy grumbled. The comment had just changed the mood all at an instance. Sanji didn't want a reminder.

"Luffy," Zoro looked up from the table. "Nobody does."

"It just sucks that we really have no say in (Y/n)'s future..." Luffy sighed long and hard. It was one of those problems that Luffy couldn't beat any sense into or scare away with force alone. Leaving the Captain to be useless.

"What's wrong?" Franky questioned. "I heard that there was a run in with the Government but that's about it."

"(Y/n) might not even come back here," Sanji sighed, resting up against the counter, taking a deep inhale upon one of his cigarettes then held the butt between his fingers away from his mouth. "To put it simply, (Y/n)'s heart was really weak and Law had to quickly perform a heart transplant surgery. Turns out," Sanji raised his voice suddenly, his features hardened. "Every two months (Y/n) has to receive a new heart unless she wants to die. Law basically told us that she joins his crew or she remains here and dies!" Sanji stormed out of the kitchen to simmer down, earning everyone's attention, creating much concern for the cook. He's getting himself overworked up.

"I love how he's ruling out the possibility of (Y/n) staying here," Robin spoke sarcastically all the while crossing her arms.

"Leave him alone," Zoro crossed his arms as well. "Dartboard knows her better than us... He just doesn't want to see her go."

Meanwhile Sanji did eventually pull himself back together, It took all morning but at least he felt refreshed to say the least. However it bothered him that the entire day passed and you haven't showed your face once since receiving the new heart of which took an entire 24 hours recovery. Law claimed you'd be back up and on your feet by noon the next day and it was already sunset. Easily eight hours after the said time. Maybe your mind was set, Sanji couldn't help but to think. (Y/n) might already be calling herself a Heart Pirate.

"Sanji!" Luffy ran around the ship frantically. Sanji heard the call and came out from the boys dorm, the one place his idiotic captain hadn't checked. Luffy skidded to a halt and faced Sanji head on with sweat rolling down his forehead. "Sanji! (Y/n) ran away!" Luffy barked out at the blonde.

"What do you mean she ran away?" Sanji tilted his head to one side and lit himself a cigarette. "This island is bound by water, so unless she hijacked a ship, (Y/n) hasn't ran."

"Tra-Guy said that as soon as he talked to her this morning, she ran," Luffy explained extremely briefly but it was more than good enough for Sanji.

"Does he know which direction she ran at the very least?"

"Into town..." Luffy punched himself in the head as if remembering something he had once forgotten. "He's been looking for her all day."

"It's a long shot... But I may know where she went," Sanji exclaimed with shock and ran off into the island, leaving his crew to eat the dust. Sanji never looked back, the thought that you were really gone had drove him into overdrive. He darted through the marketplace, made a sharp turn onto a dirt road that faded to green as he ran through the woods that were dark against the setting sun. He kept running and running and running even past the river, but skidded to a halt kicking the earth up with him. He stepped backwards for a doubletake, a woman sat on the ground before the river with her head rested upon her knees and a rose of yellow and crimson loosely held within her hands.

"(Y/n)?" Sanji called out, but she didn't budge. "(Y/n)" Sanji called again, taking a knee beside the girl and most definitely recognized her features as yours. The woman he'd dream about each and every night. "Everyone even Law is worried sick... Why'd you run?" Sanji sat down beside you, resting a hand upon your knee.

"I..." You nodded your head in a few different directions. "I guess I just needed some time alone..."

"Even back on the ship you were always with someone," Sanji grinned softly. "Tell me."

"I wanted to come to a decision on my own thank you very much," you grumbled. "Law wouldn't shut up about what he thought I should do and so I came here..." You scooted yourself away from Sanji. "Clearly coming here had gotten me nowhere seeing how you're here."

"Sorry," Sanji apologized. "Is it wrong that I was worried about you?"

"No," you huffed in irritation but felt touched anyways. "Doesn't mean you had to go search for me when I planned to come back on my own."

"Sorry," Sanji raised his hands up in surrender. "If you're that mad I can always leave," Sanji proceeded to get up but you caught him by the wrist.

"Stay," you demanded. "You're already here... Why leave?" Sanji mentally snickered seeing as to how his previous plan to stay had worked. So Sanji sat back down, you never released his wrist. "To put it simply... I can't come to a conclusion but I ruled out one option."

"And that is," Sanji hummed.

"To get the permanent surgery," Sanji's heart sank at your words, it was the last thing he wanted to hear.

"Why not?" Sanji's voice was hoarse as he held back a sob. "Do you not realize that if Law were to die tomorrow, he won't be able to perform your surgeries and you'll die too."

"So be it," You glared at Sanji. "The entire world is out to get me. If I revert back to the way I was two years ago, I cannot defend my only home," you paused to choke back a cry. "I was weak... So weak I was forced into Marine training unless I didn't want my dream job as a field agent. After that," you were now breathing fast with anger. "I was tortured for simply talking with Luffy's father after he had saved me when my ship went down in flames. The Revolutionary Army didn't lay a hand on me, it was the World Government who fuckin' crippled me! I was so weak after my torture that I had to undergo surgeries to give me artificial bones and muscles and all this other crap just to stand!" You shook with anger, holding a hand to your mouth and manually tried to calm yourself. "If I were to take the surgery Sanji... If they attack again, and we loss, they'll put me through those experiments again in order to make me psycho again and I don't want to undergo it again or have you or Luffy or anyone else on the crew die because I couldn't protect you all..." Sanji felt horrible as he had forced these feelings onto you. You were angry, you were depressed, you were being attacked by a cyclone of feelings that just swept in and completely flooded your world. Sanji shouldn't have pushed the subject, Law had already warned him the day before that you'd never agree to the surgery and that was just proven exactly as foretold.

"I'm sorry..." Sanji held back his tears by wiping them into his sleeve. "I didn't have a clue that was how you felt and I should've respected your first answer... You should also respect my suggestion. I think the permanent surgery is the best option because I love you (Y/n)... Even though we haven't known each other for all that long... I can't have you hurting yourself for my sake."

Smack!

Your hand stung and Sanji faced the opposite direction because he couldn't move. That slap wasn't expected in the slightest. "Why should I!?" You growled with heavy breaths.

"Cause you have an entire crew who loves you like family..." Sanji couldn't bring himself to look at you.

"Yeah," you clenched the rose within your hands. "More of a reason to leave Sanji... I love you all too much... Please take your rose," Sanji whipped his head around. "I can't accept your love if I can't even be around to return it," Sanji's chest hurt, and so he clutched onto it through his suit. "Sanji please..." You began to tear up as Sanji still hasn't took the rose. "Please..." You pleaded one last time before forcing the rose into his hands and ran off.