Kira all but jumped off the bus when it pulled up to its destination. Octovern! They'd finally made it, and not a moment too soon. The meandering trip from Berien had taken nearly two weeks. She was so tired of sitting she almost wished they'd walked the whole way. At least they'd been able to entertain each other to some extent. They'd shared more pleasant memories back and forth, and, after nearly a week of her complaints, Knives had finally relented and taught her how to create a telepathic barrier. She spent the rest of the trip improving her control over it, with his assistance.

The only problem was that she had to focus on it continually or Knives would have access again. Since she generally wasn't concentrating on keeping her mind shielded outside of their practice sessions, he pretty much had free rein to look in whenever he felt like it. On the bright side, she was getting much better at 'feeling' him and she could push him back out if she wanted. Oddly enough, his presence didn't bother her as much as it had at first. It was more of an annoyance than anything.

Knives had initially been surprised at her success with the techniques he taught her. He'd even gone so far as to compliment her when she was able to put up a weak barrier on the first day. But his support had wavered when she first pushed him back out of her head. After that, he'd let her know, very clearly, that he could force himself in if he really wanted to and had given her a few obnoxious demonstrations just so she 'understood the difference in ability between them.' But so far, if she pushed him away he would give her privacy. For a while at least…

They grabbed their bags and headed into the city. The number of people milling through the street was overwhelming, but also kind of exciting. Kira couldn't help but grin at the vibrant energy surrounding them. "So? What now?" she asked Knives cheerfully.

He seemed to enjoy the crowd a lot less than she did. His face was fixed in a disgusted glower. "We need that woman's address," he answered bluntly.

She snorted. "And did you have a plan on how to acquire it?"

He began tapping his fingers on his leg, in mild agitation. "Stryfe is a reporter, right? We could start at the station… what was it?"

"NLBC. Right. Hm… We could probably ask around for their address. Maybe one of these shops has a phonebook… It's a good place to start anyway."

x.x.x.x.x

It didn't take long for someone to point them in the right direction. They made their way through the streets and soon found the impressively large NLBC building, situated on the edge of the central market—an open square decorated with several raised gardens and filled with a clustered mixture of merchants and peddlers, travelers, beggars, street performers, and the average citizenry. The pair decided it would be safest for Kira to enter alone as Knives might be recognized, so he waited patiently outside with their packs.

The lobby of the building was bright and welcoming. A cheery-looking receptionist greeted Kira with a smile. "Welcome to No Man's Land Broadcasting, how may I assist you?" he said warmly. She was glad she was clean and actually looked halfway decent. She doubted he'd be so friendly if she was covered in the sweat and grit she'd grown accustomed to over the past year.

She put on what she hoped was a disarming smile. "Hello, I'm here to speak with Ms. Stryfe. My name is Kira Derinau." Maybe if she was bold he'd let her through.

"And is she expecting you?"

Maybe not. "No, but I have a very important matter to discuss with her. Is she in?"

The man's smile faded slightly. "I see. I believe she's in, but she's very busy. If you'd like to leave a message with me, I'll see that she gets it," he offered.

A message… 'Hi. Remember Millions Knives? Well, he's in town and we'd like to speak to you about Vash the Stampede.' Right. Not to mention the woman would have no way to reach out to her since they hadn't even rented a room yet. "Is there any chance I can speak to her now—it will only take a moment."

He shook his head. "I'm sorry miss. You could try waiting, but I'm not sure how late she'll be working."

Kira tipped her head in acceptance. "Well, thanks for your help," she said before retreating out the door.

x.x.x.x.x

Knives hadn't moved from the spot where she'd left him. He raised his eyebrows in question as she approached but she shook her head. "She's there, but they wouldn't let me see her. We could get a room and try again tomorrow?"

"Maybe we could catch her if we waited…"

"Impatient?" she teased.

He frowned. "If she's there, this might be our best opportunity. I don't want to run the risk of her leaving town before we're able to speak."

Kira nodded. "Alright. We wait."

x.x.x.x.x

They sat together on an empty bench beside one of the decorative gardens in the square. Kira's eyes drifted over the colorful array of blooming cacti and succulents that seemed to be battling for space in the large concrete basin holding them. She heard an aggravated sigh and turned to find the ever-dissatisfied Knives glaring irritably at an oblivious woman who had unintentionally encroached on his space.

Kira couldn't help but grin in amusement despite the mild sympathy she felt for him. She had learned that, even with his overconfident bravado, he was surprisingly susceptible to anxiety. "This place really bothers you, doesn't it," she said gently.

He glanced over at her for a moment before crossing his arms and staring down at his knees. She wasn't sure if he'd reply, but after a moment he began speaking quietly. "There are too many of them. I can't help but feel like they'll suddenly realize who I am decide to attack."

Kira quirked a brow. "You do know that you're by far the most dangerous person here, right?"

She saw the corner of his mouth twitch. "Yes, but even I can't overcome a mob. Not anymore, at least."

"Well, you're lucky I'm here to protect you until we reach your brother."

He let out a short laugh. "Oh yes. I'd forgotten about that. How foolish of me to be concerned," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

She smirked. "Damn right."

"And you think I'm arrogant…"

x.x.x.x.x

They spent the rest of the afternoon covertly monitoring the door to the studio from their vantage point. The light was growing dimmer and Kira wondered how late Knives intended to keep watch when he tugged on her arm, drawing her attention back to their objective. There she was—the petite raven-haired woman—walking briskly into the street. She paused for a moment to adjust her purse and then continued down the block.

They immediately began their pursuit, following as discretely as possible. After a few blocks the woman turned a corner down a much quieter street. Kira smiled—quieter was better if they wanted to try to speak to her. Still… they'd need to be cautious on their approach. They didn't want to scare her. They began walking a little more quickly to close the distance, but half a block later she turned again. When they reached the spot where she'd disappeared, they discovered an empty alley.

"What the fuck?" Kira muttered as they went down it. "She must live in around here…"

"No, she doesn't." A harsh female voice cut through the air and their quarry stepped out from behind one of the buildings. She was staring daggers at them. "Who are you and why are you following me? Are you fans or something?"

"No—nothing like that…" As Kira spoke, Knives pulled off his glasses, approaching the woman slowly.

"V-Vash?" She took a small step forward, then realization dawned on her face and she reached into her purse pulling out a pair of derringers with blinding speed. "You—"

But it was too late. Knives had already taken control. Even her mouth was frozen. It had all happened in an instant. The terror in the woman's eyes sent shivers down Kira's spine. She remembered that feeling of abject helplessness, although it seemed like an age had passed since that day.

"Listen to me," Knives said in a commanding voice as he took the guns from her hands, uncocking them, "I'm not here to hurt you. I only wish to speak with you." He handed the guns to Kira. "I will release you in a moment, but you must promise that you won't scream. If you agree to my terms, blink twice."

The woman blinked, as asked, and then fell to the ground when Knives let her go.

"Sorry," Kira said sympathetically. "I promise, he really isn't here to hurt you or anyone else."

"Knives," the woman stated coldly. She was visibly trembling as she slowly got to her feet.

"Yes," he responded.

"But… you're dead. Vash told me so."

"He was wrong."

"What do you want?" She asked, her voice impressively even.

"I need to find him."

"Why?"

"It's no concern of yours," he said dispassionately.

"Oh yes it is! He's my friend. Why should I let you get anywhere near him?" she retorted in a surprising flare of anger.

"Because he is my brother."

"So what? How can you even call yourself his brother after what you put him through?"

"Watch your mouth!" He grabbed a fistful of her jacket and shoved her backward into the wall, holding her firmly in place as she struggled to free herself, her eyes wide with panic.

"Knives!" Kira shouted, fumbling the guns into one hand before running over and slapping his face, hard. "Let her go. Now!"

He narrowed his eyes at Kira but released his grip and took a step back.

"I'm so sorry! Are you okay?" Kira asked worriedly. The woman nodded, catching her breath. Kira turned back to the stoic plant. "You fucking idiot! What the hell was that? We want her help, remember?"

After a moment of internal deliberation he let out a frustrated sigh. "I'm sorry," he ground out, directing his apology to the stunned woman. "I can assure you, I don't want to hurt him—quite the opposite, actually. I need to speak to him." His expression softened. "Please. Do you know where he is?"

The woman eyed Knives in cautious contemplation before exhaling sharply. "Come with me. We can talk somewhere a little more private." She began walking quickly with Kira and Knives trailing just behind her.

"Thank you so much, Ms. Stryfe."

The woman gave Kira a distrustful glance. "Don't thank me yet. I only want to hear more about you. And you may call me Meryl."

x.x.x.x.x

"Juice, water… beer?" Meryl turned from the open fridge to her unexpected guests who were sitting at a small table in the composite kitchen and dining room of her apartment.

"Uh… water is fine, thanks." Kira replied.

"Water," Knives stated coolly.

"Here you go." Meryl set a glass in front of each of them. "So," she said, clearly addressing Kira, "who are you and how did you get wrapped up in all of this?"

"I found him in Delnashville. He was on the verge of death so I brought him back to the waypoint with me. I didn't recognize him and we began travelling together." She shrugged evasively. The woman didn't need to know all of the details… "When I found out who he was it was a shock." A bitter laugh slipped past her lips. "More than a shock. But, I decided to give him a chance. He told me everything, so here I am. Helping, I guess."

"Helping?" Meryl said, dumbfounded.

"Yes." Kira sat up straighter. "I believe what he's told me. I think he has good intentions and deserves to speak to Vash."

"And how can you be sure he isn't here to complete his campaign against us?" she asked slowly, her eyes fixed on the blue-eyed plant who was feigning indifference to the entire conversation.

"I worried about that as well," Kira answered honestly. "All I can say is that I've heard him speak about what happened and I believe he regrets it."

"I'm sure he does," Meryl muttered dryly, drawing a glare from Knives.

"He wants to make amends with his brother, and he's agreed to let Vash decide his fate after that. I think he deserves a chance."

Meryl pursed her lips, a small wrinkle forming between her brows. "Well… I'm sure Vash would say the same thing. He's a great believer in second chances." She took a sip of water and stared absently at the table for a moment before setting her cup down firmly. "Alright. I'll help you. I'm not sure exactly where he is, but I have an idea. And, since I just finished my last assignment, I'm sure I can convince the station manager to let me 'check in' with him. They always love that stuff."

"No!" Knives slammed his fist down. "You are not coming with us." Kira was half-tempted to slap him again. For someone as intelligent as he claimed to be, his social ineptitude was as remarkable as it was exhausting.

Thankfully, Meryl seemed to have overcome her fear of him. She looked away dismissively. "Yes, I believe the more accurate statement is that you are coming with me, since I know the location and you don't."

Knives went silent and Kira glanced uneasily between him and the tiny woman as a thick air of tension filled the room. Suddenly, seemingly unprovoked, Meryl began laughing.

"That won't work on me, Knives. After the war your brother trained a few of us how to keep our thoughts protected from the other independents, in case the Federation tried to use us to find him. I've had a lot of practice."

"I could force your mind open, you know," he growled dangerously.

"And risk damaging me? I'm sure Vash would love that…"

"Just tell us where he is and we'll go on our own," he said, his eyes glinting.

"Not a chance! First, I don't trust you. And second, I want to see Vash too."

"You insolent—"

"Thank you Meryl," Kira interjected, cutting off the invective before it could begin. "We appreciate your help," she said with a pointed look at Knives.

"You are most welcome," she said with a smug grin. "Where are you two staying?"

"Oh… we just got in today. We haven't had a chance to rent a room yet, but we'll probably try to find an inn nearby."

"In that case, you're welcome to stay here. I'd actually feel better knowing where he is."

Knives gave Kira a petulant look but she ignored him. "That would be amazing!"

Meryl smiled complacently. "I only have one spare room. I'm using it as an office but there's a futon in there you can sleep on."

"Uh… just one futon?"

"Yeah, sorry."

Kira stared at Knives perplexedly and he rolled his eyes at her unspoken concern. "It's fine. I'll sleep on the floor," he muttered grudgingly. "It can't be worse than sleeping on the sand with that useless blanket."

She smirked at the memory. It had been a satisfying retribution. "You better not complain about it tomorrow."

"I'll complain if I so choose. You're the one who wants stay here…"

"Oh, I'm sorry. Were you planning on paying for the room this time? If so, I'd be happy to accompany you to the inn of your choice."

He responded with a sulking frown. Meryl raised an eyebrow, looking from one to the other curiously, but said nothing.

x.x.x.x.x

Being the generous host that she was, Meryl offered to make them dinner as well. Kira tried to refuse since they'd already imposed so much, but the determined woman insisted. "I need to empty out my fridge anyway since we'll be leaving in another day or so. And please feel free to help yourself to anything while you're here. Honestly, you'll be doing me a favor." She began expertly chopping ingredients, filling pans and stirring things together.

Knives watched her with a countenance of complaint. "We can't leave tomorrow?"

"No," Meryl answered, her voice was laden with false sweetness, "Some of us have normal lives and have to tell people when they're going out of town. Also, we'll have to let my 'camerawoman' know. She's going to come with us."

"No. She isn't," he countered.

"Yes. She is. She's a friend of Vash's too."

"Will she be okay with Knives?" Kira asked. She wasn't eager to involve more people than necessary. "She won't panic and turn him in or something?"

Meryl gave her an encouraging smile. "You can trust her."

x.x.x.x.x

After dinner, Meryl showed them to the guest room, made up the futon and handed them each a pillow and blanket before excusing herself, explaining that she had some work to finish up. Kira gazed at the room. It was fastidiously tidy but still cozy. After several rounds of cards, she climbed under the covers while Knives unfurled his bedroll on the wood floor, capping it with the pillow. He flopped backwards onto it and covered himself with the blanket.

"I don't like this," he said tersely. "I don't trust that woman."

"Yes, you've made that abundantly clear."

"As has she," he shot back.

"She has every right to be wary."

"And I don't?"

"… Knives, you came here because you thought she could help. If you keep antagonizing her you're going to sabotage your own plan. Just… try to be nice… for once."

He frowned and turned to his side with a grunt.

"You comfortable?" she teased.

"Not really."

After a moment of reflection she gestured him over timidly. "Come on. You can sleep up here tonight."

He looked at her apprehensively. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah. It's fine. I can't let you sleep on the floor while I have a bed."

She scooted over, making room, and he laid his pillow down and stretched out beside her, draping the blanket over himself again. Kira shut her eyes and tried to distract herself. It had been a while since they'd slept this close, not counting their little charade on the bus when she'd briefly dozed off on his shoulder. Having him so near was simultaneously awkward and comforting—a confusing contradiction that she really didn't want to think about. At least there was more room than in the bedroll, and he had enough sense to keep what distance he could. She sighed and turned away, gradually falling into a deep slumber.

x.x.x.x.x

Kira woke to the smell of coffee the following morning. Knives was still sleeping and she tried not to wake him rising out of bed. She crept down the hallway and into the kitchen to find Meryl sitting at the table reading a newspaper, a steaming mug beside her.

"Oh! You're up early," she said, looking up from her paper in surprise. "Mugs are in the cupboard on the end if you want some coffee."

"That sounds amazing."

"Do you need milk or sugar?"

"Uh, milk would be great."

"It's in the fridge. And again, feel free to help yourself to anything while you're here."

"Thanks." Kira poured a cup and sat down beside the petite woman, sipping the hot beverage carefully. "Um… I just wanted to thank you… for helping Knives."

"I'm not," she said curtly. "I'm helping Vash."

"Well, either way, thanks."

Meryl gave her an inquisitive look. "I still don't get your part in this. You found a stranger and you saved him—which I can understand—but once you learned who he was, why didn't you turn him in?"

"I thought about it, but I was worried about what he'd do if I tried. I decided it would be safer if I dealt with him myself. To be honest, I tried to kill him at first… Well, I pulled a gun on him, but he wouldn't let me fire it."

Meryl grimaced at the memory of being unable to control her own body.

"After that, he told me about his past… explained, sort of… and, as much as he's hurt us, humans have hurt him too. I don't know. I feel like, if I had killed him—if I'd retaliated like that—I wouldn't have been any more justified than he was. I realized that it's surprisingly easy to do the wrong thing for the right reasons. Regardless, I don't want to foster that hatred anymore. I don't think the people I lost would want me to either… If I thought he was going to attack anyone, I'd do whatever was necessary to stop him, but… I guess I trust him—at least enough to help him get to Vash."

"I hope you're right."

The sound of a door opening caught their attention and a sleepy-looking Knives walked into the dining area. Meryl went back to her paper without a word. He sat across from her and yawned.

"Coffee?" Kira asked.

"Yes, thanks." He rested his chin on his palm.

"Milk? Sugar?"

"Black is fine."

She set it in front of him and sat in one of the empty chairs, turning back to Meryl. "How will we be travelling to get to Vash?"

"We can take my car. I need to make some calls and see if he's where I think, but if he is, it'll take us a day to reach him."

"If you give me a list of anything you might need, I can go out and pick it up for you this afternoon."

Meryl looked a little surprised but pleased. "That would be great."

"Will we leave tomorrow?"

"Hopefully. I'm pretty sure I can wrap everything up today. I'll just have to make sure Millie will be ready that soon."

"Is she your camerawoman?"

Meryl smiled. "Yes… And my closest friend."

Knives gave a derisive snort.

"And who's your closest friend?" Meryl asked caustically.

He glanced at Kira and then stared into his coffee, his face flushed.

Kira's gray eyes crinkled at the sight—embarrassment certainly complemented him—but she was rather surprised by the tender affection she now felt stirring in her chest… "Well, I'm excited to meet her," she said, turning back to Meryl, a soft grin dancing over her lips.

x.x.x.x.x

Kira insisted that Knives stay in while she grabbed the items on Meryl's list. "There's too much of a chance someone will recognize you. Just lay low."

So he had. The entire day. He was so antsy it was starting to drive him mad. He'd looked over the shelves in Meryl's office but the few books she owned were not of his taste. He finally settled for listening to music on the radio and playing solitaire. He reached a point in the game where there were no more possible moves and, in a fit of anger, he scattered the cards across the floor.

Damn. Kira would be furious if he lost one.

He meticulously picked them back up and counted them, making sure there were still fifty-two, and then sprawled out on the futon with a defeated groan. He turned to his side and pressed his hand against Kira's pillow. He'd wanted so badly to brush his fingers against her cheek when she lay next to him last night… Fuck. He clenched his hand into a fist and sat up.

He heard the front door open and a voice called out. "Knives?"

She was back.

"… Knives? You still here?"

He found her in the kitchen setting a couple of bags on the table before opening the fridge and peering inside. She closed it and turned, jumping with a small yelp when she saw him. "Fuck! I thought you were gone. Why didn't you answer me?"

"Where would I go?" he asked, raising a brow, his eyes twinkling in amusement.

"I don't know. A walk? You startled me, asshole," she groused, despite the small curve on the edge of her lips. "Anyway," she said, looking away sheepishly, her cheeks a charming shade of pink, "can you cook?"

"I've been alive for over a century and a half. Yes, I can cook."

"Perfect. I want you to help me make dinner for Meryl tonight."

He gave her a protesting look.

"Come on! My cooking is terrible. I want to pay her back for that meal yesterday. You can't tell me it didn't taste good."

"It was acceptable."

She stared at him blankly. "Will you help, or not?"

"… Very well." Knives opened the fridge, scouring the available ingredients. "But I will choose the meal."

x.x.x.x.x

The smell of food filled the air when Meryl returned that evening. "What the hell…?"

Knives smirked as her voice echoed into the kitchen.

"Mm, yummy. That smells amazing!"

His smile dropped. The other one was here too? He braced himself for the irritation that was sure to follow as the two women rounded the corner to the kitchen and dining area.

Kira was carrying dishes to the table. "Hey Meryl—welcome home," she greeted brightly, setting the plates down.

The raven-haired woman smiled awkwardly. "Uh… thanks? Um… This is Millie. Millie, this is Kira and… Knives."

The tallest woman Knives had ever seen gave him a wary smile and waved like a child before turning to Kira. "It's a pleasure to meet you both. I'm so excited that you came to town. We've both been missing Vash terribly and now we have a reason to go see him!"

Kira reached out and shook the woman's hand. "Nice to meet you Millie. We're both very grateful for your help finding him."

"It's no trouble. We've had to track him down dozens of times, right Meryl?"

"It certainly feels that way," said the short woman dryly.

Kira laughed. "Well, we'll follow your lead. Here—sit down. Food's almost ready!"

She set the rest of the dishes out and a brought a bowl of salad and plate of sliced bread to the table. Knives walked over carrying bowls of stew and placed them in front of the two women without a word. He grabbed another couple bowls for himself and Kira, sitting down beside her, and began loading his plate.

"You made this?" Meryl asked Kira after swallowing a bite of stew.

"Not really. I cut up a few things, but Knives did most of the work."

He gave the small woman a disdainful look. "You didn't have enough ingredients to make a proper dish, so the only thing I could put together was a stew."

"It's… good," she admitted ruefully.

"It's delicious! Thank you, Knives," said Millie exuberantly.

He didn't respond but he was unable to contain the barest hint of a smile.

x.x.x.x.x

There were no leftovers at the end of the meal. Kira grinned nervously at the woman whose food they'd appropriated, hoping they hadn't overstepped. "You did say you wanted to empty the fridge…"

Meryl nodded. "And I meant it. That was a great meal to go out on." She and Millie hopped up and did the dishes before Kira and Knives had a chance and afterward all four sat at the table.

"So, what's the plan for tomorrow," Kira asked curiously.

"We're ready to go," Meryl answered in her typical brusque manner. "Millie and I will pack tonight and tomorrow morning we'll pick her up and be on our way."

"Speaking of which, I should go home and do that. I know how early you like to start the day," Millie said with a playful poke. After a quick round of goodbyes the giant woman let herself out.

"I should get to it as well," Meryl said with a beleaguered sigh. "You two are on your own. I'd like to be out of here before six so don't stay up too late." She marched down the hallway and Kira could hear the sound of drawers being opened and closed.

x.x.x.x.x

She and Knives returned to the bedroom and played a few rounds of cards before settling in on their respective sides of the futon. The house was quiet as they lay beside each other in the darkness. Meryl must have retired as well. Kira smiled at the thought of the upcoming trip. She was getting really excited to meet Vash. Knives had told her so much about him—he sounded like an amazing person. Plus, he was such a legend—humanity's hero!

She heard a soft exhalation. "Knives?"

He didn't answer.

"Are you awake?"

Silence. She focused her attention inward and, as she had suspected, felt the familiar prickle of his presence, although it was very faint. He was trying to be stealthy.

"You were listening," she exclaimed in exasperation, pushing him out of her mind.

"What does it matter?"

"Dammit, Knives! You can't keep doing that without asking!"

"Of course. I'm sure you'd prefer to think about my brother without an audience."

"I'd prefer to think all of my thoughts without an audience. What if I looked into your mind without your consent? How do you think it would feel?"

He scoffed. "You can't."

"You know what I'm saying. Please. I'm asking you, as a friend, to respect my privacy."

"As a friend…"

"Yes."

"… Fine. I won't read your thoughts without your consent."

"Thank you," she said, annoyed at the relief her small victory brought. Being spied on while thinking shouldn't be a concern in the first place! Fucking telepathy. She wondered if the other plants were rude like that…

"… He's a fool, you know." A low voice disrupted her stream of consciousness.

"Huh?"

"Vash. He's a complete fool."

She grinned. "Are you jealous?"

"Of course not! You were just building him up so greatly in your head—I don't want you to be disappointed."

She had to stifle a laugh. "Thank you, for managing my expectations. Now I'll have a much more realistic image of him in my mind as I drift off to sleep."

He sighed.

"… You do know that I'm teasing, right?"

"Yes… I do. It's just… Never mind. It's nothing."

"You can talk to me, if you want," she said softly.

"… I know," he said, his voice unusually gentle. "It's really nothing."

"Okay. Goodnight."

"… Goodnight."