The Reason
Millie waved to Meryl, the two parting ways at the stairs. She turned the knob to the small bedroom she called her own and stumbled in. "I'm pooped!" She exclaimed with a yawn before plopping on the bed to better remove her boots. Dirt and mud fell to the floor as she shook the rubber from her leg. Changing into her nightgown, she smiled at her worn reflection in the mirror. Examining her middle, her smile widened. "It wont be long, dear," she whispered to the empty shadows, "before you and I will be together again..." Pulling her nightie over her under garments, she sat in front of the time stained mirror to comb her hair. The brown locks weaved under the brush, obeying her strokes. Grabbing up the hair-tie on the dresser, she fastened the stands into a loose ponytail. Yawning again, the tall insurance girl trotted over to the door and opened it to the dusty hallway. Millie sobered into the bathroom, after passing her partner's room, and sleepily brushed her teeth. Before returning to her own room, she first stopped in front of Meryl's. The clicks and clacks of a working typewriter drifted under the door and into the taller woman's ears. Smiling again, now a nice clean one, Millie returned to her own room and closed the door behind her.
"It's been a long day," she said to the bed before her. "We finally made a dent in that stubborn ground under the well. I think we might find the water lines soon." Lifting the covers to slip into bed, Millie took one more look around the room before jumping onto the mattress. She pulled the blankets to her chin and spoke to the darkness again. "Good night, Mr. Priest," she muttered, stifling another yawn. Sleep took her willingly and soon a sweet dream of dancing pudding eased her face into a beautiful smile. The man standing over her grinned crookedly and bent down to kiss her on the forehead.
Standing up straight again, the shadow wiped a loose brown hair back into place. Making sure not to wake her, the dark figure opened the bedroom door and slipped into the hallway.
Footsteps echoed through the almost empty house. Meryl slipped into the bathroom, feeling she needed some alone time from the infernal machine in her bedroom. The clicking might as well drive her insane, she thought bitterly. There was no point doing any of that damned paperwork whilst Vash was gone. Muttering to herself, she sat up to re-adjust her raven panty hose and pull down her ivory skirt. Moving her way to the sink to wash her hands, the short insurance girl caught something in the corner of her eye. Blinking, Meryl turned around sharply, wishing to see exactly what flashed in her vision. Convinced she was just seeing spots from looking at white parchment for so long, Meryl flipped on the facet and proceeded to scrub her palms. After awhile the gush of water slowed to a small trickle. Meryl turned the cheep metal knob up and stopped the flow completely.
Returning to her darkening room, she shivered in the slight wind. "Why is it so cold in here?" she asked herself. Scanning the room, she found the drapes flapping open in the night gales. Remember exactly why she had pulled the window open in the first place, Meryl tugged it back down, relieved slightly when it slammed back onto its fellow wood. Also slipping into bed, the raven-haired girl turned over, hiding her head into the pillow. Her shoulders, the only thing visible beneath the auburn sheets, hunched over and started quivering. Tears stained the white fabric under her as she wept to herself. The figure at the doorway slipped into the shadows and appeared again at her side. He placed a scarred hand around her side and held her, although she could not feel a thing.
Holding her to him, the shadow slowing eased the pain holding the girl inside. Sleep took its toll and she soon relaxed in his arms. A smile, though unable to be seen, graced his lips as he stood up and left via the open door.
The two shadows drifted down the stares, side by side, and into the living room of the small cottage. Moonlight hit the pair, but still no color could be separated from the other. With no form nor meaning, the two slid under the front door and into the desert.
Morning dawned in Millie's room, slipping golden fingertips over her eyelids. She blinked, raising her arm so not to be blinded. Being the morning person she is, she sat up and made her way to the kitchen quietly so not to wake her late-night friend. She was very surprised to find her partner already up and making pancakes. Meryl greeted her tall companion with a quick raise of the hand, seeing as she was watching the batter like a hawk. Millie smiled, happy her friend was in a good mood. "Did you sleep well, Millie?" the shorter of the two asked.
Millie nodded, pouring juice for the both of them. "I had a wonderful dream," she said smiling. "Nicholas and Mr. Vash and you and I were all in this eco plant and having a picnic. Then Mr. Vash and you took off for a walk and Nicholas and I talked for what seemed like hours." Meryl nodded, flipping a pancake as she did. She didn't mention to Millie she had had the same dream. Soon the stacks were done and the two dug in, forgetting about the night before.
Hours later, Meryl stumbled out of the two-bit saloon she had been working in to see water shooting out of the well. Millie rushed into her friend's arms, screaming in joy at the gushing liquid. Looking over the enthusiastic partner's shoulder, Meryl caught a glimpse of what she missed last night:
Vash, walking their way.
Meryl muttered to Millie about her discovery just as the blonde gunman reached the city limits. He stopped, meeting Meryl's eyes and smiled. The short insurance girl ripped from Millie's grasp and nearly tackled the legendary outlaw.
He held her with his free hand and kissed the top of her head. "I love you, Meryl Stryfe," he whispered to her.
Owari