DISCLAIMER: I do not own Trigun, Nightow does.
Meryl got up out of the bed. She looked over at a sleeping Millie and smiled. It was Saturday and both of them had the day off. It's going to e a good day. The bar is closed tomorrow so I get to stay home tomorrow as well. Meryl was so excited that she decided to let Millie sleep in. They could catch up on their reports to Bernardelli this weekend. Meryl looked down at herself and realized that she had fallen asleep with some of her work attire still on. She threw on a pair of lounge pants and a t-shirt. After she got out of the bathroom, Meryl went straight to the kitchen area and put on a pot of coffee before she walked out the door to buy Vash some doughnuts. On her way to the pastry shop, Meryl noticed that a new bus had come into town. Some shady characters, in her opinion, were getting off of the bus. They'll probably be at the bar on Monday and they will probably be lecherous as well. Meryl harrumphed and walked on. She bought 60 worth of doughnuts. Meryl wanted some this morning as well. She walked back to the house. As Meryl walked through the door, Vash came running up to her in nothing but a towel. "Doughnuts, doughnuts, doughnuts, doughnuts!" Vash slid to a stop in front of Meryl forgetting that she could see his scars momentarily. "Vash, cover up, you broom head!" Meryl blushed three shades of pink as Vash made a silly embarrassed face. He ran back to the bathroom and put his jogging pants and t-shirt on. When he got back to the kitchen, Meryl was sitting on a stool at the bar and drinking her coffee. In front of her was a saucer containing two doughnuts. In front of the stool beside her, there was a plate with at least ten doughnuts on it. Vash looked at Meryl as she sipped her coffee and smiled.
Halfway through his plate of doughnuts, Vash stopped eating. He didn't know what was wrong, but he knew things were just not right. Meryl was engrossed in her cup for the moment, so Vash took that time to look up at the doorway of the hallway. Lingering in the shadows of the doorway, away from where he could be seen by human eyes, stood a very naked Knives. His eyes were open and he was awake. Vash scanned him mentally. It took him by surprise that the wall was gone, but the screaming was still there. The look in Knives' eyes was one of utter emptiness. Vash choked the bite of doughnut down that he had in his mouth. Meryl looked at him over her reading glasses as she sipped her coffee again. "What's wrong with you, Vash? Did you get a jelly filling that you didn't like?" Vash grinned goofily and ran his hand through his hair. He automatically stood up and started doing the pee-pee dance. "I have to go to the bathroom" Vash darted to the entrance to the hallway and started gently pushing Knives backwards toward the bathroom. Knives didn't resist. Vash looked his brother over when he got him into the bathroom and threw a robe over him. Knives was still giving his blank stare and looking straight ahead when Vash sat him down on the toilet. What's wrong with you brother? Why are you all of a sudden awake? Why was there a wall? Do you need medical attention? Knives broke his blank stare long enough to look up at Vash. He tried to verbally speak to Vash, but only drooled on himself. I don't know Vash; I can't get the screaming to stop. I heard you before when I was in the darkness, but I couldn't see you. The screaming won't stop, but with you by me, it is quieter. Please don't leave me brother. Help me make them stop. Vash had a look of shock on his face. Knives slipped back into his blank stare. "Well, I'll take care of you brother. Why are you naked?"
A scream ripped through the house. Vash left a still very loopy Knives sitting on the toilet as he bolted out of the room. Meryl met him in the hallway and they both heard the scream again.
Sorry it took so long, guys. I had a family emergency. Don't forget to review and tell me what you think. To my readers, I appreciate all of you and thank each one of you for giving me the desire I have for writing.