Self-affliction Fades

Epilogue: Crossing Paths

By ani

Author's Note: the usual… don't own Trigun, just Genesis and anything else I added.

READ ME FIRST!!

Okay, I know it's probably not correct, but I was working the ages off a 9 month pregnancy and the math I did to figure out the brothers aging that first year. Sure, some would say this is a stretch… but I just can't see the whole Vash/Meryl thing as mutual. I'm sorry but I think half the reason he won't get close is the simple fact he's watched so may age and die around him that he couldn't bring himself to get even closer knowing they'll die and he won't change. Just think about it, if watching those that he knows die effects him that badly, just imagine how much harder it would hit him if he'd gotten that close, that intimate with anyone of them.

They'd just gotten into Yakima at dusk. Vash had hoped to lose the Insurance Girls by getting on the bus, but at the last second they climbed on announcing to everyone who he was. "I hate it when they do that," he mumbled to himself as he slipped out of the hotel, in another attempt to shake them. "It's been almost a year, I wonder…"

"Come on, hurry up! They're leaving soon!"

"They wouldn't go without saying good-bye," Vash overhead two boys as he got onto the main street.

A whole crowd of children and some adults were outside the general store waving, yelling byes, and begging them to stay longer. The adults were pulling children down off something… a giant metal shell. "No. It couldn't be…"

He started approaching, not even realizing what he was doing until, "Evan, come on!"

He stopped. Evan…

"Wait for me Rem!"

Vash fell to his knees almost a block away from the crowd, just then a little girl, no older than five, broke through a group of adults about ten feet from him. Before he could get a good look, a little boy, probably the same age came barging out, knocking them both to the ground. He couldn't help but smile as they got up, glaring at each other. "Evan, it's not nice to run into people," the girl said, brushing silver-white hair out of her face, revealing bluish green eyes.

The boy put his fist to his hips, glaring at her with deep purple eyes, "It's not my fault, Rem. You should have told me you stopped," he said, running his little hands through his dirty blonde hair until it all stood straight up. They both stopped as they saw him, all three staring in shock.

"How many times do I have to tell you two to stop running off when it's time to go?" a very familiar voice said as the adults left. Genesis stood there, silver hair in a frazzled plait down her back, approaching the kids with a look of disgust. "Look, today took longer than I thought, I was hoping-"

"But Mom!" they chorused out together, suddenly tugging at each arm.

"No 'But Mom's', I mean it, let's go," she added. But neither would budge, swinging their free hands at him. Genesis absently looked that way, "Oh, hi Vash! Long time, no see." She tried to turn back to them, "I mean it, one more and… Vash."

"Mister Vash, what are you doing in the middle of the street?" Millie suddenly called out from a side street, about to approach him when Meryl stopped her.

Genesis could only smile at them all. "Oh come on Vash, I already told you once," she said.

"I hope they have your eyes," he repeated what she'd written.

With that, they both turned to the kids, "I hope you don't mind about their names, but it was all I could think of."

He shook his head, "No, no, it's perfect."

Genesis turned back to her children, "Well… he's finally here and you won't even say hi." They suddenly turned to each other, then Vash who smiled openly, then Genesis who nodded. He was instantly knocked to the ground, the both of them posing a million questions a minute. He heard her melodious laughter somewhere outside the pile and pulled one, Evan, off of his head, holding him to his chest as he got an arm around Rem, holding her at his waist. Vash suddenly stood, surprising Genesis with a quick yet meaningful kiss.

"So it's time to head home, huh?" he asked, carrying them back to her hoverbike. He was mildly surprised there were two drones waiting for them; one heavily loaded with supplies, the other had two bench-like hatches out of each side. He put each one in their seat as Genesis got on her bike, listening to the kids beg and plead.

"It's all up to him. Care to come stay with us for a while Vash?" Genesis turned to him, smiling like she was inviting him to something more.

They all laughed openly as he instantly got on behind her. "I thought you'd never ask."

"Oh no you don't!" Meryl finally spoke up, stomping up to them, "Do you have any idea who he is? He's-"

Genesis cut in, "I know exactly who he is. He's my dearest and truest friend and their father. As you just saw, they never even met before. Don't they deserve time together?" she smiled over her shoulder at him, "You're welcome to come too, if you want to. There's no room for you to come with us though, but it's a two day trip for you straight southwest." Genesis turned the ignition, the drones heading down the street, "If you'll excuse me, I've got to get those two fed and bathed by nine and if I don't go now, they'll stay up all night. Good-bye."

As they shot down the street, Vash called out, "See you later Insurance Girls."

AN: I might do something between Genesis and Knives since the manga ended differently. i'd started one as a sequel to this but lately i've been thinking of almost a rewrite, only it's meeting Knives post-manga. in a weird way i could almost see the three of them together too...