Twister Sister

"Talking"

'thoughts'

"singing or recordings"

(Telepathy)

Disclaimer: this fic starts out as an alternate ending to episode "Paradise" in the Trigun anime and more or less follows the main plotline after that with a various changes. I own nothing but my OC's, if you recognize it from somewhere else it isn't mine.

Vash sat on the side of the car, lost in thought with eyes to the ground and his hand clamped over his mouth.

He couldn't stop reliving previous events over and over in his head, trying to figure out how it could have gone better, what he could have done to save everyone.

Despite popular belief, Vash had been keeping track of the body count that was piling up because of him; he could remember every name, every face, every voice of all of the people that were killed by him or got caught in the crossfire.

More than once in his brooding, he saw Rem, smiling and understanding just as she always had. 'I'm sorry Rem, I failed again,'

The gunman almost didn't notice Wolfwood come up to him until the priest spoke.

"What's wrong?"

Vash hesitated before answering in the soft voice of a man that has endured long term suffering. "I-I failed… I failed to save someone again,"

Wolfwood let out a soft laugh. "Oh well, we all make mistakes. Just be more careful next time,"

Vash's grip on his face tightened "I don't see how you can take this sort of thing so easily,"

Wolfwood smiled "Like I said we all make mistakes that we have to live with. We are human after all,"

Human? That word struck more chords in Vash than he cared to admit even to himself. "Uh, yeah, human…"

The preacher's smile disappeared and was replaced with seriousness. "By the way, Knives is waiting for you in Demitrihi,"

Vash stiffened when he realized what Wolfwood just said. "Wolfwood… how did you know about…"

He looked up to see Wolfwood walking away and jumped off of the car to run after him, roughly grabbing him by the front of his shirt when he caught him. "Hey, I asked you a question,"

Wolfwood winced when he was jostled and Vash looked down to see the man's shirt was soaked with blood, mostly where a bullet hole went into his side.

Vash looked down in horror, his face frozen in that horror stricken expression as he looked up at Wolfwood who shrugged nonchalantly.

Vash snapped out of it and pulled the wounded priest's arm over his shoulders to support him. "Come on, we need to get you some help,"

He started to pull him along but stopped when Wolfwood grunted in pain and shook his head. "No, there's… something I need to do first…"

After hesitating, Vash let Wolfwood choose their course, supporting him as he limped along with the Punisher, his cross shaped gun, on his other side until he came to a church.

Wolfwood refused to let go of the Punisher so Vash opened the big wooden door so the priest could use him and the heavy metal symbol of his occupation for support.

Once inside, Wolfwood looked up at the cross mounted on the wall above the pulpit. "I hope you don't mind us barging in like this,"

At first Vash didn't know who the man was talking to then he realized he was talking to Him. He helped the preacher hobble up to the front of the church and helped him kneel in front of the altar.

Wolfwood laughed dryly to himself "You know, despite my profession, I've never actually made a confession. Probably a good time to do that," he looked at Vash "Do you mind?"

Vash realized he was asking for some privacy "Oh, okay," After making sure he wouldn't fall with just the cross-shaped gun rack to support him, he went to sit in one of the pews closer to the back of the church. "If you need me I'll be right over here,"

Wolfwood watched him pull out the kneeler in the pew for him to kneel on and fold his hands like he was going to pray but stopped to wave at him when he realized he was being watched.

Wolfwood rolled his eyes before looking up at the cross hung above him and started to confess his every sin, worry and desire.

"Like I said, I've never made a confession… I've always blamed my actions on the times we live in… saying that I did it to protect the children…" he wheezed as blood loss and the wound he was losing blood from reminded him it was still there.

"…I took many lives, thinking there was no other way," he laughed dryly to himself, wincing as the action sent pain through his side. "My sins are too heavy… too heavy to ever atone,"

He started to lean to the side but gripped the Punisher harder to keep from falling. "Still… I feel very happy and at peace with myself today…"

He was panting from lack of breath now as he continued. "It really can be done, once you stop to think about it there are plenty of ways to save everyone…"

He rolled his eyes 'Great, I'm starting to sound like needle-noggin,' then he realized that's where he had gone wrong before. "Why didn't I listen to him? Why didn't I see that before it was too late?"

Despite pretending otherwise, Vash heard every word and smiled to himself before deciding to stop pretending to pray and actually say a prayer himself. While Wolfwood poured out his every burden and grievance out, Vash bowed his head and said a silent prayer himself.

'I know most people in my position would ask for forgiveness or protection or something like that but… I don't think I deserve it. All I ask is that You protect the innocent when I cannot and if You could watch over those that have been lost so far… that would be great too.

Thank you, Amen'

After he finished, he peeked over his knuckles at Wolfwood to see how he was doing and saw the man had lit a cigarette and was smoking it.

He took a long drought of it and let off a puff of smoke and whispered "Ah, that tastes good,"

But then he got this far away look about him like he was remembering something from a long time ago and let it fall to the ground whispering. "I'm sorry, honey…"

Vash heard this too and raised an eyebrow at him. 'Honey? Who is "honey"?'

Wolfwood looked back up at the cross on the wall again, the faraway look still on his face. "If I am reincarnated... I'd like to live somewhere where life is easier… somewhere with nothing but peaceful days… somewhere with no stealing… no killing… Eden." a smile came to Wolfwood's face as he pictured this ideal world that he wished existed.

"In Eden… I could live happily with him and the girls…"

He groaned from the pain of his wounds as he nearly pitched forward, clutching the base of the Punisher like a lifeline.

Vash started to get up to go help him but Wolfwood pulled himself back up into a kneeling position so he stayed put to let him finish. 'Did he really just say he would enjoy living with us if we lived in a world where there's no fighting?...'

Wolfwood looked up at the cross as though challenging it, pleading with it. "I'm not ready yet… There's still so much left to be done, I WANT TO STAY! With them! I don't want to die…"

He started coughing as his hands shook but he tightened his grip on the Punisher as looked up and thought about everything he would be leaving behind if he did die there.

'Vash… Meryl… Millie… I don't want to leave them, especially not… her…'

He shook his head as tears started brimming in his eyes "Was I… Was I wrong? Has everything I've ever done been a mistake? … Would I be wrong now to ask for your forgiveness?..."

He looked up at the stained glass window as sunlight shone through it and shouted "I DID NOT WANT TO DIE THIS WAY!"

And with that his arm went limp and he collapsed against his giant metal cross.

"Wolfwood!" Vash rushed to the preacher's side and checked to see if he was alright.

Luckily, the man was alive but out cold from shock and blood loss.

Vash set the cross down on the floor and, after making a mental note to come back for it later, picked up Wolfwood in his arms and carried him out of the church. "Hang on, Wolfwood, you're not going to die yet,"

Vash ran as fast as he could while carrying Wolfwood without jostling him to where they left the car and carefully put him in the passenger seat before starting the car.

The vehicle shuddered and rumbled in protest for being started after the punishment it took from Caine the Longshot, but when the engine finally roared to life Vash threw his fist in the air triumphantly.

"Ah yeah, baby!" then he looked around and realized he left the Punisher behind and jumped back out of the car to go get it. "Dammit, be right back,"

He ran inside, grabbed the giant heavy metal cross and dragged it outside to throw it in the backseat before driving back to the house where Meryl and Millie were waiting for them.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Meanwhile, back at the house

Meryl sat on the bed next to Millie, who still refused to move, as she looked out the window. "The gunshots stopped, I think it might be over for now,"

Millie uncovered her ears with a smile. "That's good, do you think the boys will be back soon?"

Meryl hesitated, she didn't know the answer herself but the hopeful look Millie gave her… she forced a smile and nodded "I certainly hope so, Millie,"

After a while they heard a car outside and Meryl looked out the window to see a familiar tall blond figure in a red coat get out.

She smiled and climbed off the bed and went to the front to find out what happened from the guys. "Hey, they're back,"

Millie clapped her hands and jumped up herself. "See, Meryl? I told you they'd be fine,"

Just as she said that however, Vash kicked the front door open and ran in with Wolfwood in his arms. "Meryl! Millie!"

"In here Vash," Meryl opened the door to see Vash standing there with Wolfwood, the priest was unconscious with blood on his clothes.

Millie came out behind Meryl, eager to see if the boys were alright but screamed when she saw Wolfwood.

Meryl covered her ears at the noise before shouting "Would you both calm down!" Millie stopped screaming as though someone had flipped a switch and Meryl immediately took charge of the situation. "Vash, put Wolfwood on the bed so we can see to his injuries. Millie, get the First aid kit, it's in my bag,"

Millie nodded and ran to get Meryl's pink suitcase while Vash went into the room the girls were just in and carefully set Wolfwood on the bed.

Meryl grabbed some scissors from the kitchen and started removing Wolfwood's shirt, undoing the buttons and cutting away a few areas to make it easier to pull back the fabric, to gain access to his injuries.

Once she did she found he had been shot in the side, much like Vash had been when the Bad Lads gang hijacked the sand steamer when they rode on it, only the priest had three holes in him instead of one.

"Jesus, what happened to him?"

Vash frowned "Two more Gung-Ho guns showed up, I took care of the one that was sniping from the outskirts of town while Wolfwood went after the other one. We would have been back sooner but he wanted to stop at a church we passed on the way here,"

Meryl rolled her eyes. "Okay normally I'd understand that but with him being injured this badly that was very stupid of both of you to not come back right away,"

Millie came back with the first aid kit in her hands and a smile on her face. "Here it is,"

Millie froze when she saw the extent of Wolfwood's injuries and instinctively rushed forward to start tending to the wounds herself. As she worked she said "We need to get him to a doctor,"

Meryl sighed "Millie, there's no one else in town. Everyone either left in the attack or…" she looked at Vash, not wanting to say how many people died because she knew he had problems with it.

Vash's face was like a statue, not portraying any emotion, as he pulled his sunglasses back on and went back outside without another word.

Meryl watched him go for a moment before looking at Millie "Hey Millie, Vash and I are going to look around and see if we can find more supplies. Think you'll be okay here while we're out?"

Millie smiled at her and nodded "Don't worry, Meryl, I'll be ok," she looked through the first aid kit to see what all was in there. "Although we might need more bandages for Mr. Wolfwood after a while,"

Meryl nodded "Ok, I'll see what we can find," she ran outside and saw Vash walking away, "Hey, where do you think you're going?"

Vash stopped walking "I'm going to see if there's anything left that we can use,"

Meryl froze and sweat-dropped; that was exactly what she was going to ask him to do if she found him moping over what just happened. She recovered from her shock and put her hands on her hips "Well, alright then, let's go,"

Vash looked at her with the same look he gave her when she tried to follow him after he fought Monev the Gale. "Meryl, maybe you should stay here,"

The woman just raised her head defiantly with a smug smile on her face. "Not a chance, someone's got to keep you out of trouble, Vash the Stampede,"

Vash said nothing but nodded and walked away with the insurance girl following him as they searched all of the surrounding buildings for any supplies that were left behind in the chaos.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After about half an hour of searching the rubble Vash started to feel woozy and leaned against the side of a building.

Meryl saw this and grew concerned. "Hey, are you ok?"

Vash shook his head to clear it and gave her the same smile he always does, his "empty smile" as Wolfwood calls it. "Yeah, I'm fine. Hey, how about we check the outskirts of town, maybe we can find something that wasn't damaged by all the fighting,"

Meryl hesitated before nodding and followed him. Little did she know Vash wasn't just going in that direction on a whim, he could sense something nearby and wanted to find out what it was.

After several minutes of walking they found themselves within sight of the city's power plant.

Meryl looked up at it and crossed her arms. "Wow, after all that and that place is still standing,"

Just as she said that, however, Vash fell to his knees, clutching his head and shaking uncontrollably.

Meryl knelt next to him "Hey, Are you sure you're ok?"

Vash didn't answer her; he was too distracted by the pounding in his head and the strange feeling running through him. The sensation seemed to be trying to pull him somewhere so he mentally followed it to the other end of the link.

Once there he sensed pain, fear, and sadness that wasn't his own along with the feeling something or someone was calling him. He tried to focus and figure out what was going on but as the throbbing in his ears died away the wordless voice faded away to be replaced by Meryl shouting at him.

"Vash… Vash… wake up, please…"

He pushed himself up to a seated position, holding his head with one hand. "Ugh… what…"

Meryl sighed "Thank goodness, are you okay? You just collapsed all of the sudden,"

Vash looked up at her "Meryl… didn't you hear that?"

Meryl looked at him with confusion. "Hear what?"

"That voice, I didn't hear what it was saying but…"

Meryl shook her head. "I think you've been out in the sun too long," she knelt down to try to help him up. "Come on, Broom head, let's go,"

Vash wasn't really paying attention now, he was focused on what had just transpired; it was similar to the feeling he got when Knives was trying to contact him through the link they had with each other but at the same time it was like the feeling he got when he helped fix a Plant that was damaged or reaching critical.

Then it hit him. 'The Plant…'

He jumped up and sprinted towards the city's power plant. Meryl almost lost her balance by the sudden movement and shook her fist as she shouted at him "Hey, where are you going?"

Vash shouted back "Can't talk, it's an emergency! Feet don't fail me now!" he picked up speed and sprinted towards the plant.

Meryl huffed and ran after him. "Honestly, what is up with that idiot?"

Vash didn't even slow down until he came to the door to the plant and tried to open it on the run, only to run into it when it wouldn't open. "What the…"

He tried the door again "What? It's locked?!"

With a growl of frustration he took a few steps back and took out the small machine gun that was hidden in his prosthetic arm and shot at the lock until he had cut a small hole around it and he could force the door open by ramming into it with his shoulder.

Once he was inside he started to run but stopped to rub his shoulder. "Ouch, that actually hurt,"

Vash's whimpering was interrupted when he felt the calling feeling again, stronger this time, and kept running.

Vash didn't stop until he made it to the power core chamber and stopped to catch his breath as he looked up at the giant glass bulb that housed the power core.

Being a Plant himself he could sense the Plant inside, calling for help. Carefully, he went up to it and gently placed his hands on the glass.

"Easy, it's alright. Everything's going to be ok,"

The other Plant sent him its feelings of pain, fear and pleas for help; it knew that it wouldn't be alright and it was asking him for help.

Closing his eyes Vash continued to speak softly to the Plant as he pressed his forehead to the glass. "Shh, it's alright, I'll help you,"

He focused as his hands and the bulb started to glow slightly brighter and gradually continued to brighten.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Meanwhile, Meryl was hot on Vash's trail when she heard a strange humming sound as the instruments and controls started to light up then grow dark. 'What's going on?' she saw a light at the end of the tunnel and ran to investigate.

What she found was Vash in the power core room with his hands on the core and… he seemed to be… talking to it.

"It's alright, you're going to be fine…"

Then he heard, no he felt, the scream coming from the Plant inside the power core. Something was wrong. Out of desperation, he sent a mental message through the link that all of their kind seemed to have with each other as he opened the bulb housing the Plant's power core.

(No, no, no! Please, hold on…)

The glass orb cracked open along an invisible seam and slid open to reveal its contents to Vash. What he saw made his eyes widen in horror.

Meryl quietly came up behind Vash to see what he was looking at and clasped her hands over her mouth to keep from screaming; inside the power core was a little girl with blonde hair that looked about four years old wrapped up in wires and tubing that seemed to be hooked up to her and the power core.

Immediately, Vash started disconnecting the lines as the girl flinched and cried and she shook uncontrollably.

Meryl was confused by this, not only was she still wondering how the girl got in there in the first place but if Vash started pulling wires while the equipment was still running he could hurt himself or the girl.

Fortunately, he worked fast and carefully lifted the girl out of the power core and, seeing she was naked, took off his coat and covered her with it as everything in the plant started to shut down now that its power supply had been removed.

Meryl looked around as all the lights shut off and then at Vash. "Vash, what is going on?"

Vash looked up at Meryl then back down at the girl "I'll explain later," he finished draping his coat over the girl and reached into the sleeves to pull her arms through.

Meryl frowned "Seriously, Vash, she's practically swimming in that thing,"

Vash didn't look at her as he tried to button the coat around the girl without turning her over and exposing her. "Um, I don't know about you but I really don't want to bring her back to town without any clothes on,"

Meryl looked at him, dumbfounded "You're bringing her back with us?" she shook her head and got serious. "Who is she?"

Vash stopped what he was doing and sighed, trying to figure out how best to explain this but then he realized something; this little girl was like him and Knives, which would make her… "She's… she's my sister,"

Meryl's face fell as she looked at them both with confusion and pity. "Your sister?"

Vash nodded, fumbling for the buttons of his coat blindly until Meryl knelt down next to him and lifted the girl so she was leaning against Vash while she finished buttoning the coat to cover the girl in all the important places.

Neither of them said a word until Meryl finished and asked "What's her name?"

Vash used the psychic connection he had with the girl, which was no different than the one he had with Knives and any others of their kind, to find out the answer himself only to find she didn't have a name.

(Well, little sister, I guess I'll have to give you a name…) he thought hard for a moment before he found one that fit. 'I know, I'll name her after Rem, in memory of her. Rem… memory…'

Vash smiled "Remory".

Meryl looked at the girl as she curled up against Vash in her sleep. "Remory… that's a nice name,"

The girl, now called Remory, started coughing uncontrollably into Vash's side and he shifted his grip on her as he stood up so he could carry her. "Come on, let's get back to Wolfwood and Millie,"

Meryl nodded and followed Vash out the way they had come. "Okay, but you have some serious explaining to do, mister,"

A.N.: Well, this is my first Trigun fanfiction that's been sitting on my computer for a while . What do you all think?

Comments, suggestions and predictions welcome. Any flames will be used for s'mores.