Chapter 1-"I'll come back to you."
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"The biggest coward of a man is to awaken the love of a woman without the intention of loving her." ~Bob Marley
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The evening was calm, and warm. A cool breeze penetrated and dissipated the heat of the day. It kicked up clouds of dust and sand in its wake.
A young black haired woman stood at her front door, she gazed up at the sunset. It revealed to her beautiful hues of red, orange and pink. The more she watched, the more it was overcome by the darkness. Purple, blue and black. She could see stars begin to come out and sparkle across the sky.
Another day gone. Still no return. No letters. No nothing.
She sighed heavily to herself and broke her gaze from the sky. She looked down at her feet, and struggled not to cry out in frustration. Her stomach sank, and her heart grew heavy. She gritted her teeth, and clenched her fists. Her eyes stung with tears that threatened to flow. She turned around sharply on the balls of her feet and went back inside the house. She slammed the door angrily, wiping the corners of her eyes.
"It's not good for your health to worry so much."
A voice interrupted and silenced the hundreds of thoughts and worries plaguing her mind.
She turned to her friend, Millie, and her expression softened. Millie's eyes lit up and she simply smiled at her friend in hopes of lightening her mood.
"I know Millie." Meryl responded. "I just can't help myself. I worry about that idiot too much."
Meryl paused and realized she had no room to feel so hopeless. Millie was after all, in good spirits despite the fact that Wolfwood had passed so unexpectedly. Millie and he were really starting to hit it off. They made a really cute couple.
Meryl lay down on the living room couch and closed her eyes. She began rubbing her temples with the tips of her fingers.
"He doesn't mean to worry you, I'm sure." Millie added. "He doesn't want you too. He knows what he is capable of."
Meryl sighed heavily and looked at Millie.
"Millie?"
"Yes Meryl?"
"You're such a good friend. I feel like I don't deserve you."
Millie smiled again and helped her friend to her feet.
"Don't be silly Meryl. Everyone deserves a friend! Isn't what hard to come by nowadays? Another human being you can trust? Now let's get you to your bed. You look like you're worrying yourself sick!"
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Meryl found herself in a dark place, like a dark room that had infinite walls and floors and ceilings, she looked around to find she was all alone. She called out for someone…anyone. But her voice seemed to have no volume. It disappeared into the darkness. She began to feel frantic and desperate to know just where the hell she was. Suddenly, shots rang out, piercing the silence. Meryl felt sudden intense pain in her chest and head. She looked down and gazed in horror at her chest, blood gushes profusely from 3 bullet wounds. She feels herself falling. Perhaps dying. Her vision becomes red from her head wounds. She sees her killer before her. The last face she sees is the Humanoid Typhoon holding his smoking gun. His face was expressionless and cold...
And before Meryl even hits the ground...
Meryl shot out of bed, gasping for air. Her sheets soaked in sweat. She grasped at her chest, and frantically ran her hands through her wet hair, feeling frantically for bullet holes and blood.
"It was just a dream..." She mumbled to herself in a shaken voice. She plopped back down in bed on her back, still gasping for breath. "Just a dream."
Meryl pulled her covers back over herself. She realized it was early morning. The sun had not yet risen, but the sky had turned a shade of light blue. Not sure what compelled her, Meryl decided that she wanted to watch the sunrise as well. She threw off her covers and slid on her shoes. Not bothering to put on her day clothes yet, she quietly tip-toed to the front door in her pajamas. She gasped in surprise at what she found when she opened the door.
"Vash?!"
There he laid face down in front of the door, as if he fell just short of opening the door before collapsing from exhaustion. It would have been almost comical, if she had not been weeks since she had seen him.
Meryl dropped to his side, and turned him over on his back. He let out a quiet sigh, but never opened his eyes. She looked him over for obvious injuries; bullet holes and the like. She saw no blood.
"Millie!" She cried.
Almost immediately, Millie appeared at the open door. She looked down at the blonde man and gasped.
"Oh dear." She said lifting a hand to her mouth.
"Help me get him inside." Meryl instructed.
Meryl grabbed him by the legs, while Millie had his arms. They carefully carried him inside and laid him on the couch in the living room. Meryl looked him over once more, and noticed the absence of his signature red coat. His gun appeared to be missing as well.
All that remained was his black attire he wore underneath. Meryl wondered how he could stand so many layers in such dry heat.
"He doesn't look hurt." Meryl said. "Just really dirty."
"He probably just needs some food and water." Millie suggested.
Meryl remembered the box of donuts she had bought just the day before. She had been buying donuts just for him since he left. Just in case he came back...
She made sure Vash was comfortable on the couch before she dashed to the kitchen for the box of donuts and a bottle of water from the pantry.
Millie looked down at the sleeping Vash and sighed. But then, she smiled to herself, and felt relieved for Meryl; at least she wouldn't have to worry anymore.
Millie suddenly remembered how she and Wolfwood used to joke about the two of them. Wolfwood commented on how they already fought like a married couple.
"They need to just get into bed and get it over with already." he would say under his breath.
Millie would just giggle in response.
Millie snapped herself out of her thoughts and went to her room to get dressed. She had to be at work soon.
Meryl had pulled up a chair and sat beside Vash at the couch.
"Goodbye ." She said on her way out. "Have fun you two!"
"Have a good day at work Millie!" Meryl called to her.
Suddenly, Meryl found herself alone with Vash. She became nervous at the thought of him waking up suddenly. She was no good with him alone. She always found herself stammering, and grasping for the right words. He made her so nervous when she was the center of his attention for any amount of time. Why was it so easy when there was company? Like Millie and Wolfwood? Was she that desperate to cover her feelings?
She felt silly after all. She was totally smitten for him. She adored his eyes. And that stupid grin of his. It made her face feel hot and flushed just thinking about it. He was undeniably handsome, but Meryl dared deny it. And in front of everyone nonetheless.
She contemplated talking to him; playing out scenarios in her head. It gave her butterflies in her stomach to even think of telling him how she felt. She could almost hear him mocking her.
No, Vash couldn't be so mean spirited. Meryl caught herself smiling. She looked down at Vash, who was still sleeping soundly. His breathing was deep and rhythmic.
She studied his face a bit, and noticed it was covered in dirt and sand. Most likely from when he fell down face first at the door step. She went to retrieve a clean, dry washcloth, and some warm water.
She made sure the water was not too hot before gently wiping away the debris. Slowly but surely, his perfect light skin began to come out of hiding. His blonde spikes were coming undone and getting in his face as she cleaned. She ran her fingers up through his hair to move them, but they kept falling back down in his face. She caught herself stroking his hair, and stopped herself before he could wake up and question her. She liked the way his hair felt between her fingers. It was soft.
It was odd to Meryl at how the scent of gun powder became a comforting one. It was something she noticed whenever she was particularly close to Vash. She liked it in a weird way. He wasn't a regular guy who might smell of cologne, cigarettes or alcohol. Vash had a signature scent of gunpowder, sweat and dirt.
When Meryl finished, she set the washcloth down and frowned. She looked down at her feet then once back at Vash before getting up to wring out the now brown washcloth in the kitchen.
As Meryl turned to walk away, she felt the warm touch of another hand on hers. The sudden sensation startled her. She turned and met eyes with Vash. Her heart jumped.
"Oh, good! You're awake!"
Vash sat up on the couch and put his feet to the floor, withdrawing his hand from Meryl's. She turned back to him, but a long silenced stretched between them.
"Why did you look at me like that?" Vash finally asked.
Meryl felt a hot blush rise to her cheeks.
"Oh-uh, how do you mean?"
"You didn't think I'd come back did you?"
Meryl's stomach fluttered with butterflies again. She pulled up the chair again and sat beside him.
"Actually…no. I didn't."
Vash frowned and opened his mouth to say something. But his expression changed from calm to panic in a flash.
"Oh no!" He cried as he flew over the couch and fled to the front door. Meryl flinched but then quickly followed him. He led her to the side of the house that was secluded and unseen from passerby's. There, she saw a man. He appeared to be unconscious as his body leaned awkwardly against the wall of the house. His body was covered in bandages. His hands and feet were bound.
"Vash?" Meryl asked uneasily. She stared, baffled and confused at the man. He had short, light-blonde hair. He looked awfully familiar for some reason to Meryl.
Vash frantically checked the man over before hoisting him over his shoulder. He didn't say a word as he passed Meryl. He swiftly disappeared inside again. Something caught Meryl's eye. She noticed that Wolfwood's Punisher was also leaned up against the house.
As heavy as it was, Meryl lifted the monster of a weapon with ease.
"It's a wonder that man carried this thing with him everywhere he went!"
Meryl exclaimed, shoving the weapon in a far off corner of the house. She panted, giving her lower back a rub with her palms.
Meryl found Vash in the extra bedroom. He laid the man down and covered him with a flimsy sheet.
"Meryl, this is my brother, Knives."
