Author's Note: I present to you, the precursor to story rewrites. I just thought there wasn't enough depth so yeah…I added LOTSA stuff. Deal with it. XP I personally think this is better since it gives more into the story and, yeah…of course, I altered some things and you should expect that in these upcoming rewrites. HOWEVER, I will be keeping the same ideas and concepts from the originally posted chapters…I am reading them and keeping certain parts. So please…enjoy.

Disclaimer: Ah yes…I don't own Trigun. It's a masterpiece. Not my masterpiece. It's just my inspiration for things to come… Don't sue me. Don't screw me. Just love me. Praise me… And read my damn story. X3

Chapter One: Return of the Stampede

Version 2.0

It was an average day. It was an average, boring day for Meryl Stryfe of the Bernardelli Insurance Agency. Well, Meryl Stryfe formerly of the Bernardelli Insurance Agency. It had been a good seven months since the end of the chaos created by Millions Knives, Legato Bluesummers, and the Gung-Ho Guns. Who was to thank? The former sixty million double-dollar bounty Vash the Stampede, who defeated his twin brother and protected the human race from utmost destruction. Meryl remembered like it was yesterday when Vash returned to the city with his unconscious brother. The two talked for a bit and eventually, Meryl, Millie, and Vash headed for dinner to celebrate with the rest of the town. Vash's friends and former enemies also joined in on the fun and they partied for days, the plant angel becoming too drunk for his own good, as well as getting sick off of the constant devouring of doughnuts. The partied lasted for a week: all the people of Planet Gunsmoke had come together, surprisingly, and were celebrating with the person who that all wrongly accused and hated not too long ago. The people knew peace.

The Insurance Girls knew peace until Vash broke the news down to them. Though Knives was recovering at a quick rate, the wounds that he had inflicted upon him were critical and needed to be taken care of. Vash discovered that the wounds were not healing correctly and he had cracked a few bones and destroyed some vital arteries and veins. He would have to take his brother to his old friend, a doctor, who would see to it that Knives had the right treatment. Despite Meryl's constant protests, Vash's mutual love for his twin brother and his loving nature caused him to leave the girls anyway. He left. He glanced back at them once before climbing onto the bus with Knives over his shoulder. The plant angel was gone.

Meryl sighed at the memory and shook her head as she continued washing the dishes from that morning's breakfast. The Insurance Agency, having now lost track of Vash the Stampede and now Millions Knives, had Meryl and Millie back at the base doing office work. That's when the unbelievable happened: Millie was pregnant. With this new news, word got around the office and rumors began to start about the tall brunette as to who the father might be. With her heart still belonging to the lost Nicholas D. Wolfwood, Millie decided to resign from the agency to prevent further anguish and moved to a Tomas Ranch her family owed. As her best friend, Meryl also resigned and accompanied Millie to the ranch so that she would not be alone. The two moved there four months ago.

The thought of the rumors caused Meryl to scrub the plate in her hand harder as she gritted her teeth. She just wanted to take out her derringers and shoot every single person in that office for thinking such horrible things of Millie. Wolfwood, though not the best man, would have made a great husband and father. The dark-haired woman closed her eyes and exhaled softly before resuming the dishwashing as Millie entered the kitchen. Meryl looked over her shoulder at the brunette before smiling at her, receiving a smile in return.

"So, how's the mother?" the dark-haired woman asked, this causing Millie's smile to broaden.

"She's doing great! The baby Tomas came out just fine! He's good and healthy and—" Millie was cut off when something caught her eye as she suddenly looked out the window. Meryl blinked, and then furrowed her eyebrows. "What is it, Millie?" The pregnant brunette made her way towards the window before pointing in the distance at a gleaming light.

"What is that, Meryl?" The dark-haired woman frowned as she rinsed off her hands before drying them off with a dishtowel. She then grabbed Millie's stun gun, which was lying against the wall nearby.

"I don't know but I'm gonna find out—you stay here." As she headed for the door, the taller woman grabbed her shoulder and frowned. Meryl sighed before smiling. "Millie, I don't want anything to happen to you or the baby." A smile made its way onto the brunette's face.

"Don't worry, Meryl! I'll be fine!" The shorter woman sighed and only nodded. "If you say so. Well then, let's go." With that, the two headed out the back door and towards the shining light at the top of the sandy hill in the distance.

Once they had reached the bottom of the hill, Meryl gestured for Millie to stand behind her while she cocked the stun gun. The short woman narrowed her eyes and readied her finger on the trigger. "Hey! Who the hell are you?" Apparently, the light was coming from a man who was carrying another being on his shoulder. His hair was long, reaching his shoulders, and it was a gold shade of blonde. Over his eyes, he was wearing a pair of round Lennon glasses with yellow lenses while a light beard was visible as it stretched along his chin from ear to ear. He was wearing a white shirt that was unbuttoned at the top. The shirt was tucked into his brown slacks, which were held up by suspenders. He wore matching leather boots that extended up to his knees. The person on his shoulder was wearing the same clothing except his shirt was a deep shade of maroon. His hair was more of a platinum blonde and it fell over his face as his head hung low.

Meryl was getting irritated with the man as he continued to slowly approach her and Millie. She aimed the barrel of the stun gun at his head. "I asked you a question, damn it! Answer me!" Millie squeezed Meryl's shoulders as she watched the man reached for the holster on his hip before grabbing the handle of his gun. Both women became greatly nervous as he slowly lifted the gun from its holster. That is, until Millie identified the gun: "That's a .45 Long Colt!" Meryl frowned at Millie and prepared to rebuttal until she examined the gun herself.

"It…it is! It's Vash's gun!" she exclaimed, this causing the blonde stranger to holster the weapon as a grin slowly snaked across his face. He tilted his head up so that one could see through his lenses and see his eyes as he held up his hand and straightened his fingers. The grin became goofy as his light green eyes became soft before he spoke in an odd voice: "Hello?"

Millie released Meryl's shoulders and did the same thing with her hand before giggling as she replied. "Hello!" The short woman smiled as she felt the tears jerking within her as she slowly approached the man before wrapping her arms around him and hugging him.

"Vash…you're back," she whispered. Vash smiled and hugged her with one arm as he nodded. "Yep…I sure am. And I'm guaranteed to stay." He rubbed Meryl's head, then looked up at Millie as his goofiness returned.

"It took me a long time finding out where you two were! Ya might if I crash here for a while?" he asked. Millie smiled and shook her head. "Of course I don't mind, Mr. Vash! It's good to have you back!" Vash nodded with a smile, then headed towards the house with the women. That's when he halted in his steps, causing Meryl and Millie to look at him.

"What is it, Vash?" the dark-haired woman asked. The blonde's eyes were widened and his mouth hung open. He then pointed at Millie. "She's PREGNANT?" Millie giggled sheepishly and lowered her head as her cheeks turned a moderate shade of pink. Indeed, the friends had much catching up to do.