You often had moments where you regretted your decision to leave your home island for the New World. The first and most prominent trial you faced was getting separated from your small crew after passing through the grand line.

It was probably just a childish dream dubbing yourself captain. You weren't prepared or strong enough to fight the group of bounty hunters that had ascended your small vessel. All six members had a reasonable bounty and yours was the highest.

You and your first mate stood back to back on the deck surrounded, her cutlasses drawn and your pistols almost empty.

"Captain," The strawberry blond murmured catching her breath, "It's not looking great."

"We are outnumbered," You huffed.

"When they charge, you shoot and find a way out of here. I'll take out as many as I can."

"N."

"F/N -" she interrupted calmly, "I owe you this much for saving me from that miserable place. Just this once do as I ask."

"Hn." You swallowed passed the lump in your throat as all hell broke loose.

The last thing you saw was N's olive trench fluttering as she spun, twin blades glinting, cutting through your attackers. Water filled your lungs and stung the bullet wounds that riddled your torso.

That regret landed you here, days later, wounded. Two male crew members fumbling over each other to take care of you and prove to their captain that you wouldn't be a nuisance.

He was certainly unpleasant upon first meeting. He wanted nothing more than to drop you off since Shachi and Penguin made such an enormous fuss about you involuntarily donating your body to his devious curiosity for the inner workings of a human. However, your knowledge of first aid and basic ability to field dress a wound with limited material won him over. At least you could be trained to be helpful and weren't as easily distracted as the men on the crew.

Three years had passed, and you found your place among the Heart Pirates. The last few months you had been separated from your moody captain.

Left to fend for yourselves while your captain formed an alliance with the infamous and reckless Straw Hat crew. He had faith in all of you to keep things going while he took care of things he needed to get done.

Surprisingly, you found that you missed him almost desperately. Maybe the fanboy like mentality your crewmates held for your captain had finally settled in. You missed how calm things where when he was there, and how he broke up Shachi and Penguin's bickering. You even missed his angry outbursts. The only person who probably missed captain more was Bepo.

The relief that settled over you when you finally laid eyes on him again was cut short when you saw how many bandages were wrapped around his arm and torso. Conflicted and for some reason nervous, you hid sheepishly behind Bepo as the crew advanced on him. He greeted the crews boisterous crooning with a calm but annoyed glare.

Soon the Heart Pirates and most of the Straw Hat's were mingling in a small but very loud banquet. Quietly you scanned the crowds,stopping when you caught sight of his white spotted cap. He was sitting with the Straw Hat's first mate.

Law's slate eyes rose from his tankard, his bored expression lifting slightly when he met your gaze.
The dark patches under his eyes drew more attention to their stormy hue. You could tell that he hadn't slept much, which was normal, but he had some rather serious injuries that only rest would assist in healing.

Law noted your unusual serious expression and withdrawn persona; Which wasn't normal. Typically, you never had a problem partying with a group of strangers and even on some nights, he had to drag you back from pubs and izakaya's himself. But that wasn't the case tonight. And then it dawned on him; you were upset, maybe even angry.

Before he knew it, he'd made his way to his feet, still watching you from across the campfire.

With a fake smile, you turned to Chopper as the little doctor prattled on.

Taking a step forward, Law snorted when Luffy intercepted him. He'd spent enough time with the energetic raven and alcohol wasn't soothing his irritation.

"Not now Mugiwara-ya," He grunted, trying to steer around the smaller captain.

Eyes searching passed the fire, he found that you'd disappeared. It was as if he'd imagined you there. Chopper remained happily conversing with the minks surrounding him. Where the hell could you have gone?

"Captain?" Bepo's concerned tone pulled Law back, "There's a fire."

Confused, he blinked not realizing how close he'd walked to the flames of the bonfire.

"Where's F/N-ya?" He asked stepping back.

"She was headed for the dock," Shachi called from a different direction.

Swiftly Law turned toward the harbor.

You felt lucky to make it to the Polar Tang unnoticed. Shutting yourself up in the medical bay, you pulled some forms and started an inventory. Perhaps you could get some supplies from the minks before disembarking. You huffed at yourself. What was wrong with you? Knowing the crew would be whole again was exciting earlier in the day. Why did you feel so... so...

"F/N-ya." All movement stopped at the sound of your captain's voice.

You always felt a little flustered when he called your name. This time you had to hold your breath to keep your heart from fluttering to death.

"Do I need to take the door off its hinges?" His annoyed tone rang off every wall.

With an arm cradling a bin of prepared ointments, you slowly opened the door to his tired, but piercing gaze.

"What are you doing?"

"Inventory," You grumbled, going back to your unassigned task.

"In the middle of a party," He commented,crossing his arms over his chest.

You nodded.

"Mind telling me what this is?" He stepped further into the room watching you place the bin back in the cupboard.

"Inventory?" You repeated.

His tattooed hand came down with some force in the center of the clipboard you'd been scribbling on.

He bent over you, his goatee grazing your ear as he spoke in a dangerously calm tone, "F/N, Mugiwara-ya has stretched my patience beyond what I thought capable and you are bringing it to a snapping point." His right hand came up to tip your chin back, "Why are you upset?"

"What does it matter to you?" You snapped, shaking yourself free of his grasp, "My being upset with anything never bothered you before."

He straightened himself out, running a palm over his face. How was he supposed to answer that?

"I'd like to remind you that I'm your captain." He cringed inwardly at his own words.

"A captain who leaves his crew to fend for themselves to chase some vendetta only to accept help from a crew you don't even like." You couldn't stop the words from tumbling out of your mouth, "Look at you. You're an injured mess. And I'm - we're supposed to just be ok with that?"

His brows knit, admittedly taken aback by your outburst. Harsh words never fazed him. He was used to it, welcomed it even. He wasn't a warm person and there were reasons for that. So, why did your words hit harder than anyone else's?

"I - I'm sorry cap-" Warm chapped lips cut your apology short.

Your shocked brain took a few seconds to assimilate and catch up to his almost urgent pace.

In his opinion, you had nothing to apologize for. He left you for his own admittedly selfish reasons, but apologies weren't his style. The words nearly strangled him. All he could do was act. Out of everyone on the crew, he found his mind mostly drifted to you on sleepless nights. You soothed him without ever really trying - or knowing for that matter.

His body moved without any more thought. He just needed to have you close. Now bent over your smaller form, he uncomfortably tried to convey his regret and gratitude physically.

Backing you into the desk that hugged the back wall, his hands moved up your sides, lifting you to perch on the edge.

He closed in the space, having better access to you while you were finally able to wind your arms around his neck. After the urgency peaked, his pace slowed, and he began to pull away, realizing that you both needed to breathe.

You met his concerned stare as his right hand rested against your cheek, the pad of his thumb rubbing small soothing circles into your temple.

"I'm here."

A/N : This is a contest entry for NdragonEyes
Word count 1449.