Chapter Eleven
Vash sighed as he over looked the small town below. Had it really been three years since he had last been here?
"I wonder what's changed."
Beside him Knives snorted and crossed his arms. "Well you aren't going to find out by just standing here."
Vash sent his brother a sideways glare before he took a deep breath and squared his shoulders.
"Well…here I go…"
The town was basically as he remembered if only a little larger. It seems that the population had expanded a bit since he had left.
"I'll bet the insurance girls have a lot of business now." He said with a small smile. "I wonder where they are…"
The most logical place for him to start would be at their house which he quickly ruled out when he saw it darkened with the windows and door boarded up. Apprehension made his stomach flip in a way that made him feel queasy but he laughed it off.
"Well it has been a long time. They probably just moved to a new place that's all." Vash nodded firmly to himself while Knives watched from a few yarz back. "I'll just ask around. Someone will know where they are."
It took him several unsuccessful attempts and unfamiliar faces before he finally found someone he recognized, feeling certain that he would be able to enlighten him in his search.
"Hey Kyle! Long time no see!"
Kyle spun around quickly at the familiar voice and Vash felt his heart skip a beat as he watched the color drop rapidly from the other man's face.
"Vash the Stampede…It's…been a while…"
"Yeah, it has," Vash said, more reserved then before. "I had some pretty important things that I needed to sort out before I came back."
"I-I see…"
"Look, I'm sure you know why I stopped you." Vash said with a smile. "So if you could just tell me where they are I'll let you get back to your afternoon."
Kyle didn't meet Vash's eye as he awkwardly shuffled his feet. "I-I'm not sure I know what you're talking about. Who are you looking for?"
Vash's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "The insurance girls of course."
"Who?"
Irritation began to show on his face as Vash lifted his arm, palm down, to the middle of his chest.
"Short one with dark hair." He raised his arm to his shoulder. "And a taller one with light brown hair."
"S-sorry Vash," Kyle said, still not looking up. "I-I'm still not sure who you mean."
"Millie and Meryl!" He said as he grasped the man's collar. "Where are they Kyle? I know that you know!"
Kyle flinched before he let out a small sigh. "Well…I do…and I don't…"
The blood in Vash's veins ran cold as his fingers tightened. "What are you talking about?"
"…It weren't long after you left. Maybe a month or two…" Kyle looked up with pleading eyes. "You gotta believe me Vash. I didn't mean for it to happen, I swear. It was an accident."
"What happened Kyle?" Vash asked, his voice wavering. "Where are they?"
"No one's really sure. Like I was saying, a few months after you left there was a fight in the streets and…they got hurt. Real bad from what I could tell. This lady came and took'em saying she was a nurse. No one ever saw'em again. Everyone figures that they…well…"
Fifty emotions seemed to bombard him at once as Vash's grip on Kyle's collar grew slack allowing the shorter man to slip free. Kyle watched on in apprehension as he watched the expression in Vash's eyes change rapidly from shock to denial to pain and to anguish before it they finally settled on freezing over with rage.
"Who did it?" Vash asked, his voice frigid. "Who was responsible Kyle?"
Kyle trembled from head to foot as he spoke up again. "It was an accident Vash. I-I…The gun went off…I-I didn't think that the guy would actually try to shoot me. And none of us expected the girls to somehow end up in the way…"
By now Vash was trembling as well, but he was trembling from rage. For the first time in his life, he actually felt the need to seek revenge…
"What makes it worse was the kids," Kyle said with a sigh. "Miss Millie was so excited as she told me that she and Miss Meryl were both expecting. That came as a real surprise to us all…"
Vash froze.
"What did you say?"
Kyle looked up. "I-I said that Miss Millie surprised me when she said that Miss Meryl was expecting…"
"Expecting…" Vash said. "Expecting…a baby?"
Kyle nodded. "Didn't you know Vash? Millie said the baby was yours."
"Mine…" Vash said slowly. "Mine….Meryl was…and it was…"
His eyes widened as he remembered that time so long ago when he felt a surge of unfamiliar pain.
The baby. It was the baby's pain…His child had been in pain….
His child…Meryl…they were dead.
Unable to hold it in any longer Vash collapsed to his knees and screamed; his palms guarding his face as he wept.
End Chapter Eleven
Kaliea: Sorry for the late update. So what did you guys think? I'm pretty evil to poor Vash huh? Don't forget to review!
Review Answers:
Elllie: Not quite yet. There are still a few more chapters to go.
Jaythorne: I'm glad that you're enjoying my story so much! In fact, I think that you must be my most loyal reviewer! Thanks a bunch!
spookypooo: Thank you. I think so as well. Actually it's funny, this was supposed to be a one shot but it just kept going and going and going that I decided to break up all of the scene changes into chapters. That's the real reason why they're so short ;)
toya1255: I'm sure that while this story answered some of your questions it also gave you plenty more to think about ;) Don't worry, I'll do my best to clear up all of the confusion by the final chapter. Although I can't promise anything up until it says 'The End'. Thanks for the review!
Kitana18: Thanks. I really do appreciate that.
Kaliea: Thanks for the reviews guys! You're all completely awesome! Till next time, ja ne!
