Steel Heart

Ch 79 - Preservation

Sanji could barely breathe or even blink, out of fear that any sudden movement would cause him to lose her for good. Despite Chopper's protest, Sanji kept one arm under her neck while the other had a tight grip on her hand. Her helmet and goggles were stuffed in the back of his pocket, while her gloves, hammer, and backpack were set aside. Without all her gear, she looked so vulnerable to Sanji. Usually, he loved that open and honest look on her but right now, he hated it so much.

Chopper barked orders at the medical team around them. They started to stick needles in her arms, while someone put an oxygen mask over her face. They hooked her up to a heart monitor and a whole mess of medical devices. After a while, her body stopped shaking and even her eye movements stopped. Throughout the process, Sanji did not move an inch from her. Chopper and the medical team became just a blur to Sanji.

He couldn't even find the words to speak to her. He didn't even know if she could hear him. All he could do was rest his head next to hers and lace their fingers together. He squeezed his eyes tightly as he struggled to find something, anything to say to her, to bring her back to him, but all he could manage to whisper was a simple word.

"Stay."

He felt a hand on his shoulder and he looked over to Chopper. "Sanji, we need to move to R-66," the reindeer said, "She's stable enough for now and once we get her back on the Sunny, I can finish treating her."

"Is she going to live?" Sanji asked.

Chopper nodded. "I promise, Sanji."

Sanji let out a long exhale and suddenly felt the need to smoke but he suppressed the urge. The last thing Nana needed was to inhale more fumes. He scooped her up in his arms, while Chopper held onto the back of his head with one hoof holding up the IV bags that were still connected to her with the other. He had the medical team hold onto Nana's stuff.

"Oy, I don't want a single scratch on any of it," Sanji warned to the marines, "Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Big Bro!" the medical team answered.

"And don't even think about...pressing any of the buttons," Nana murmured and her eyes opened up just a tiny bit.

"Nana!" Sanji and Chopper exclaimed with relief. Sanji hugged her tighter to him and buried his face in her hair.

"Careful! Sanji!" Chopper warned.

"You idiot," Sanji growled as he rained soft kisses down her forehead, her nose, and her lips, "Are those brats worth you going this far?"

"It's an adult's responsibility..." Nana breathed with her head slightly lulling back, "To keep a child innocent...for as long...as possible...At least...that's what someone once told me..."

"Who?" Sanji whispered.

"I don't know," Nana said drowsily as her head rolled into the crook of his arm.

"We need to go!" the marines pressed but Sanji kept his focus on her. To him, the rest of the world still has not come back quite yet.

Nana let out a faint smile, making her lips brush across his inner elbow. "Come on, Prince Charming. Now's your chance to rescue me. You better fucking milk it for all its worth."

Her humor and her nickname for him was all he needed to know she was going to be fine. Sanji cried tears of joy and relief. He nodded back at her with a lot of loving words stuck in his throat. He turned to the door and began to run. He had a general idea of where they were. Luckily, Chopper had a better one.

"If we keep going straight, there should be a set of stairs that leads us back down to the first level and then Building R will be around there," Chopper said, "Nana! Stay awake, okay? Hang in there."