Disclaimer: Standard not owning Trigun. Also, I do not own "Here's to the Night," which is owned by the guys in Eve6, a mixed blessing because I like it but I can't help but cry when I hear it. Anyways, the usual spoiler, but that's not to the VERY VERY end, and I felt compelled to change it because I like how I have it. This is the prequel to "The Girl in the Mirror" ::kuroneko waves a paw:: Kuroneko was a bad kitty, adding my picture of the good priest to her litter box. But, we all know that cat's got it in for Wolfie. Oh yeah, you know what the * means. And hmm....let's make this Wolfie's POV. You know, this is my smuttiest fic yet, and I don't even go into details...I'm not a lemon-writing type girl (which drives my sister/editor nuts). Gomen nasai (I'm sorry...or does that mean something else? It's 10 PM and I can hardly think in English, much less Japanese). I'm also sorry that this is a short fic.

Here's to the Night

"Nicholas?" Milly stands at my door. I smile. I knew she'd be here. "Meryl's sound asleep, so she won't know I left."

"I never knew you cared if she knew."

"Well, she's kind of in the dark about us, thinking I just have a crush on you or something."

"Sounds like Meryl, not seeing what's right in front of her." I start to unbutton my shirt, my jacket already on the floor. Milly loosens her tie and unbuttons her own shirt. Even though we've done this a few times, we're not quite at the point where we take each other's clothes off, especially not Milly. She's extremely shy.

*So denied, so I lied

Are you the now or never kind

In a day, and a day love

I'm going to be gone for good again*

I slide under the blanket as Milly unhooks her bra and follows suit. (A/N: suit, birthday suit? Just another horrible pun from yours truly) I envelope her in my arms and kiss her gently.

*Are you willing to be had

Are you cool with just a night

Here's a toast

To all those

Who hear me all to well

Here's to the nights we felt alive

Here's to the tears you knew you'd cry

Here's to goodbyes

Tomorrow's gonna come too soon*

Afterwards, we start to redress ourselves. We both know that if Meryl wakes up and finds Milly missing she'll have conniptions.

"Milly, wait," I whisper. The taller of the two insurance girls stops and turns around. I stand up. It has taken me forever to muster up the courage for this.

*Put your name on the line

Along with place and time*

"Milly, I know I'm a priest, but I wanted to ask you this. Will you marry me?" I ask her, sounding much more confident than I feel.

She runs back to me and hugs me. "Is that a yes?" I ask her feebly.

"Of course it's a yes, Nicholas," she whispers as she kissed me on the cheek.

*Wanna stay, not to go

I want to ditch the logical*

"But," she begins, "I thought priests weren't allowed to get married?"

"Well, the church around here isn't too strict, so I don't think that will be a problem." I assure her, and I know it is so. Milly kisses me softly on the lips once more before she leaves.

*Here's a toast to all those

Who hear me all to well

Here's to the nights we felt alive

Here's to the tears you knew you'd cry

Here's to goodbyes

Tomorrow's gonna come too soon*

"Morning, Milly," I say as I walk out to the kitchen. Meryl and Vash look up. They have never heard me call Milly something other than "Big Girl," and knew nothing about us, per se.

"Nickie," she whispers to me, "should we?"

"No, we'll tell them tonight, OK?" I whisper back. "What are you staring at? Haven't you ever seen me talk to the big girl before?" I snap at Meryl and Vash, whose eyes are transfixed upon us.

Suddenly, gunshots ring out. Automatically, I run for the Cross Punisher, and Vash draws his gun. Vash, who is already out the door doesn't even look back. "Stay inside and wait until I come back, you hear me?" I yell as I run out the door.

*All my time is frozen motion

Can't I stay an hour or two or more

Don't let me let you go

Don't let me let you go*

A shot to the chest. I can feel myself dying. Vash is nowhere to be found. Images flash before me, halting at last night, when I asked Milly to marry me.

*Here's to the nights we felt alive

Here's to the tears you knew you'd cry

Here's to goodbyes

Tomorrow's gonna come too soon, too soon*

My soul has been detatched from my body, I'm just a spirit now. The Almighty has given me one last night among my friends and my beloved Milly.

Vash and Milly are sitting on the bed that just the night before was the one Milly and I slept in. Meryl is wedged between them, wiping tears off their faces in turn. The handkerchief is soaked and needs a good wringing.

"Senpai, why did it have to be Mr. Wolfwood who died?" I heard Milly ask.

"I don't know. That's how life is," was the weak response from Meryl. I watched Milly get up and walk into the adjacent bathroom. My spirit followed her in.

She kneeled down so that her arms cradled her head and she stared into the mirror. For a second, her eyes widened, as though she was seeing something I couldn't. I had a feeling she remembered last night, as I had in my final moments.

*Here's to the nights we felt alive

Here's to the tears you knew you'd cry

Here's to goodbyes

Tomorrow's gonna come too soon*