Red Beard Alive?

It felt good to have Chealse on board the Going Merry. I knew that growing up, she didn't approve of Zoro, but she knew that as long as he made me happy, that's all she cared about. Chealse, unlike Dave, never said out loud how she truly felt about Zoro. She never thought it was appropriate to involve herself in a relationship that didn't concern her. She joined Nami on the main deck. "You know, Nami, in all the time I've known Kat, I haven't seen her this happy."

Nami looked at her. "What do you mean? I thought you weren't keen on Zoro?"

Chealse shook her head. "It doesn't matter how I feel about Zoro. He makes her happy, and that's all that matters. When we were forced the join the Order, he was all that Kat could think about. It broke my heart knowing that she couldn't be with him. Our training was difficult, and doctors weren't allowed in. Neither were anyone we cared about."

Nami nodded. "That's what Kat said when I first met her."

Chealse nodded. "There would be days I would poke my head out the window of the room we searched to notice Zoro standing outside the building. I knew that there was nothing that either I or he could do." She sighed. "The day they were reunited was the happiest I saw them."

Nami smiled. "You two are that close, huh?"

Chlease also smiled. "Yeah. We're more than best friends. She's more like my sister." She looked at Nami. "Sounds like you two are getting close." She looked at Zoro and me through the window into the mess hall. "They do make a good couple."

Nami followed Chlease's gaze. "They sure do."

In the mess hall, I had my head on Zoro's shoulder, laughing with him, Luffy, Sanji, Chopper, and Usopp. I noticed Chlease looking through the window. I smiled and motioned for her to join us. 

Chelase smiled and shook her head. She looked up and noticed that both Elizabeth and William were circling the mast of the ship. It wasn't a normal situation either. Something was very wrong. She ran into the mess hall, sensing what both hawks were sensing. "Kat, we have a problem."

I lifted my head off Zoro's shoulder. "What sort of problem?"

"I don't know, but both hawks are circling the ship. Something isn't right."

I looked at the guys with a worried look before getting up from the table with Zoro's help. "Well, I guess I should see what's gotten the hawks so spooked." I followed Chealse out onto the main deck and glanced up to see both hawks dive bombing before William calmed down and perched on my shoulder. 

Nami spotted what had scared the hawks. "Hey, guys, what's that?"

Chealse and I looked at each other and froze.

Zoro came over to me and glanced up, shielding his face from the sun. "What's going on? I can't see anything."

Chealse looked at him. "Red Beard lives."

Luffy looked at her. "That's not possible. Zoro and I defeated back when we met Ussop."

"Red Beard won't go down that easily. He has a personal vendetta against Zoro."

Zoro looked at her and smirked. "Well, I am the most wanted man, excluding Luffy. Not to mention the most good-looking."

Chealse rolled her eyes. "Now isn't the time to stroke your ego, Zoro."

I giggled. "Well, he's not wrong, Cheals."

She laughed. "Of course, you would say that. He's your horndog."

There was a stone-cold silence before it was broken by Luffy, whose all-smiles on his face vanished. "Kat, Chealse, if your Order's leader survived his first fight with Zoro and me this time will go down for the final time. I can promise you both that."

I looked at him. "Luf, that's not possible. It's not you he's after."

"That doesn't matter, Kat. You should know that at this point, we're family. We fight together."

I smiled. "I know Luffy. I just know that if he is truly alive, I won't be much help."

Zoro placed a hand on my stomach. "You carry my son, Pretty Kitty. I would kill Red Beard all over again to protect you and Henry." He kissed me. "I'll stay with you."

I giggled and leaned my head against his chest. "I know."