Vitality (One Piece x Zoro x Oc)

Chapter 3 The Unsettling

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With a light gasp and startle, I jolted from my sleep and grasped my throat leaning forward, resting on my knees. A cough escaped my lips, and tears now pricked at my eyes. My hands and body trembled as i
I tried to grab my bearings.

"The fuck was that," I whispered, rapidly blinking my eyes as I looked around the room. I found myself covered in blankets and placed on the couch, with new bandages.

I felt a twinge of pain in my side as I brought myself up with a shaky breath. It was dark in the room, meaning it must be late. And some time must've gone by since I blacked out, while Luffy and the boys were giving me a tour.

I closed my eyes and finally rested back against the couch's armrest, thinking over what had happened.

Was it even real? Or was it just some nightmare? But it all just felt to real to be not, it couldn't be fake. It just couldn't. I felt it, I felt that fear, that pain, that foggy feeling. My breath grew a heavy as the thoughts overwhelmed me and I brought a shaky hand to cover my mouth and to hold my breath, attempting to calm myself.

I was on a ship, a pirate ship. And, then that man. Who the hell was he? And what was that black stuff surrounding him as he grabbed me? Wait that other woman threw me into the ship too, she said I  'knew better,' but what the fuck did that mean?

A million more questions filled my mind until I remembered something, something crucial.

Marines. And an admiral.

A dammed admiral and marines were chasing us for some reason, meaning that's probably how I got stranded out in the ocean. Because a full on battle with an admiral blew out. No wonder shit went so wrong.

I then looked down at my clothes and lifted my shirt over my head and was faced with the same bandaged chest, torso, arms, everything. I looked like a fucking mummy. The bandage stopped at my upper chest thank god, but bruises and scars peeked out from the opening- already giving me an idea what laid beneath.

A frustrated sigh escaped my lips, and I painfully slipped the shirt back on.

I wasn't sure what to do now. I didn't want to go back to bed. And I didn't want to get up, I was still to tired. But, maybe I'd remember something else?

With a grumble I laid back down and stared up at the ceiling despite my inner protests.

I had to sleep, I have to rest in order to get better and remember. But, do I? Do I really want to remember that? Do I really want to remember why I'm so afraid of that man? What I was doing on that ship in the first place? Why a fucking admiral was after us?!

My thoughts started spiraling, and I couldn't breathe again.

"Stop, stop, dammit." muttered out, My trembling hand tightened around my mouth as I tried to stop myself from hyperventilating. I closed my eyes and brought my knees to my chest leaning back.

Breathe.

Breathe. Please.

I'm safe. I'm not there, I'm here.

Not that ship. Not that man, not there.

Here.

At the calming thoughts my hand eventually withered back down to my side, and my legs laid back out. I let out a shaky breath and opened my eyes to see the dark room.

Here.

With the Straw Hats. The people who saved me, and offered help. The people who lent me their hope, and assurance. I'm here. Here.