Beyond Reasoning
Chapter 14
Wolfwood Returns

I felt him
Wolfwood outside the house. It was a sudden feeling. I don't know how to explain it. But when Milly came back in dragging the priest in her arms, crying histaricly I didn't know what to think. Wolfwood had died. So how in the world could he be here now?! Looking at Meryl who shrugged her shoulders she looked back at Milly. Wolfwood stood there, disheveled and blinking like he didn't know what was going on.
"Wolfwood..?" I finally asked not sure about the feeling.
"In the flesh I guess," He said chuckling.
"But your dead!" I exclaimed.
"Well..." Wolfwood started. "It was the strangest thing really. As I laid there dieing in the church, I heard a voice. A voice calling me. I couldn't resist the blasted thing, believe me I tried. I didn't know what it was but as I laid there the voice seemed to grow calmer and beconing me. When I opened my eyes I was outside here." Wolfwood said. I sat there staring at him. What kind of voice and who in the hell could do something like that?! Turning my head I saw Candy looking at Wolfwood in complete and utter shock.
"Who's the skirt?" Wolfwood said pointing to her beside me. "The last thing I remember you didn't have such company with you."
"That's Vash's friend, her name is Candy. She's been traveling with him for the past few weeks." Milly said happily holding his hand happily. Wolfwood gave an eye at me saying.
'She looks young.' I chuckled lightly rubbing the back of my head.
"Yeah bumped into her one day and we've been traveling together ever sense."
"Because he caused me to have stitches on my back," Candy said beside me dryly. I looked down at her seeing her take a bit out of her oat meal. "He feels sorry for me, thats the reason."
"HEY!" I said turning to her. "That is NOT true. We already discussed this!" That's when a giggle came from her as I blinked what the heck had happened.
"Anyway ignore those two," Meryl said. "They always seem to be that way. We have a wedding in a few days Wolfwood. Since your a priest, would you mind marrying Matt and I?"
"Matt? Who's this matt?" Wolfwood said. "I thought you liked broom head here."
"Noooo," Meryl chucked. "I'm Marring Matt Mathews. He's a really sweet guy and all. Do you mind marring us?"
"Unless..." Milly said then giggling uncontrolably. "Wolfwood has his own wedding to attend..."
"What?" Wolfwood said looking at Milly.
"You said you wanted too," Milly said then her eyes got big as she was about to cry. "Why can't we have a double wedding.."
I couldn't help it. I was grinning from ear to ear. This was so funny I fell over laughing having everyones eyes fall upon me.
"Well I guess we could have a double wedding," Meryl said obviously ignorning me. "That means your brides maid dress is obsolete and neither of us will have a maid of honor unless you can get one of your sisters down here in time."
"I don't think I can do that," Milly said. "If one of my sisters comes everyone will have to come and then the list of people you have would double and the guest list and that church you've wanted to get married in wouldn't fit everybody sempi so how about Candy?"
"Me?" Candy said beside me.
"Yeah," Milly said. "I mean it makes sense with Vash as Matts best man and all."
"That took a week to convince him that," Meryl grumbled. "But yeah, unless Candy objects to the idea and all."
"No..no I don't object," Candy said waving her hands about. "I'm just shocked. I mean you guys don't really know me and all and your asking me to be such an important person in your guys' weddings."
"Matt doesn't know Vash," Meryl added pointing at me. "And Vash is going to be his best man."
"And mine I guess," Wolfwood said with a smile. "Well then I need to get a tux and I guess Milly here will need a wedding dress."
"I'm so excited!" Milly said clapping. "And so happy." That's when she seemed to break into tears. "It's a Mirical that your back Wolfwood." Turning she began to cry on his shoulder. Meryl smiled gently at her partner nodded and stood up.
"Vash, Candy it looks like it will be just us three going to meet Matt today," I nodded standing up.
"I've still got to take a shower." I said. "I'll be down and ready once I'm done." Turning I headed back up the steps to get my bag and grab some clothes. Entering my room I stopped looking ahead and thinking. Wolfwood just appearing seemed really suspicous but then again Candy just appearing on Gunsmoke from Earth with full knowage of everything also was a little odd but Candy was anything but odd.
Ever since I realized my feelings yesterday I couldn't get enough of being with her. But it broke my heart a little while ago to see her crying so much. I knew that she wasn't just crying for one thing. I had had many times where I had cried the same way. The more I hung around with the girl the more I realized that even though she smiled there was something deeper inside her like me that she hid. This morning was the first time she had shown me that. So I did the one thing I thought of when she cried. I held her. With her in my arms I felt like nothing could hurt me anymore. That the world finally seemed right and all the hope I had for humanity had come true.
God is this what if feels like to be in love? I quietly walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower. Why had she succeeded where others hadn't in my heart? I just didn't understand the feeling but when I stood beside her, or herd her laugh I couldn't help but smile and feel my heart lighten more. Stepping in the shower I quickly washed myself looking at the scars all over my body. Frowning I sighed hanging my head. Why couldn't I have less of these scars?
Finishing up I stepped out and quickly changed. I couldn't think of her now. Today I had to see who this Matt really was and if Meryl had made the right disision. Besides with Knives after me I couldn't do anything about my feelings for her in fear of my brother. But then again he knew of my feelings for her even before me. Why couldn't I have seen that before he pointed it out with a gun? Buttoning up the last button on my shirt I walked out of the bathroom heading to find a brush to brush my hair up like its normal state. Stepping out of the bathroom I felt something weird at the bottom of my bear foot. Picking it up to brush what ever it was off I noticed a white thing. Bending down I pulled the thing on the bottom of my foot off and found a feather. Like before in Candy's bandages.
"What the.." I muttered turning to see Candy's room's door. I still hadn't figured out where these feathers where coming from. Walking toward her room I noticed a few more on the floor. "..Candy?" I walked in the door to the room glancing around seeing her back in a corner. She turned toward me and it was obvious she was trying to tie something.
"Yeah?" She asked looking up setting what ever it was on the bed. "Sorry, just trying to tie that thing. The loop they gave me for the thing is so small. I guess I can go without the sash for the dress I was going to wear. I figured we'd be going somewhere semi fancy to meet Matt."
"O," I said looking at her standing there. On her feet where a pair of white dress shoes that I hadn't seen her wear before and a type of sun dress on her with red flowers printed on it.
Geranimums.
"Broom head," Wolfwoods voice called from downstairs. "Short girl said to hurry up."
"Ok." I responded turning away from her. Walking over I picked up the sash and saw the weird lop thing upon the one end. "Here, we got to get going so I'll help." Candy nodded turning around as I put the sash around her waist and pulled it back, placing the one end in the loop and pulling on it. Turning around she nodded.
"We should get going," She said heading toward the door. Nodding I followed her down the steps seeing Wolfwood and Milly standing there.
"My my my," Wolfwood began looking up at us. "If I wern't just engadged and in love I'd be whistling right now." Milly just giggled at his side as I looked at him in confusion. "Vash really does know how to pick them, doesn't he dear?"
"Yep," Milly said as they waved. Glaring at him I was about to shout something when Meryl came in with her jacket already on. Milly must have told him when I was upstairs about what she knew even before I did. O their going to pay for this I thought. Maybe a pie thrown at Wolfwoods face at the end of the wedding would help settle the score. The girls couldn't keep anything quiet, could they? Frowning I walked up ahead Candy and opened the door looking out and making sure my brother wasn't standing there for some sorta attack. I figured he wouldn't be but you can never be to careful.
"Um..Vash?" Candy's voice said behind me. Turning I saw her stand there.
"Yeah?" I asked.
"What did Wolfwood mean by that last comment exactly?" She asked which made me fall and a laugh come from Meryl. At times that girl could be as airheaded as Milly. Couldn't she tell that I liked her? The stare down this morning not clue enough to my true feelings? Would I have to paint a giant billboard proclaiming my love for the girl till she gets the point? But then again if I did that she'd probaby ask why I used red instead of pink and how I lettered it. Though I loved her she sure was pointless at times. Meryl walked passed stopping.
"Because all the woman Vash has traveled with have had their own personalitlies really." Letting go the breath I didn't realize I was holding I followed the two woman out the door. That's when I noticed a car across the street and a guy waiting for what looked to be Meryl as she ran ahead placing a kiss upon him. The man stood a foot taller then short girl and had light brown shaggy hair. The way he held himself he seemed friendly enough. I wasn't getting any weird vib from him.
"Matt this is Vash and Candy, you two this is Matt." Matt smiled at us and put a hand out. I reached out and shook it looking at the man trying to read if anything was wrong with him for some reason. Again nothing seemed to jump out as suspisious.
"So this is the man you came back talking about," Matt said letting go of my hand. "I should have been more worried about him stealing you away from me."
"Come on Matt, we wern't even dating.." Meryl smirked. "Besides he's got Candy now to travel with." My eyes trailed down to the brunet beside me. Matt's eyes where upon her as well.
"Yeah we've been traveling together for a few weeks." Candy said smiling, "It always hasn't been the greatest of experences but I knew what I was getting into when I took up his offer for being my body guard."
"You took up that offer?!" Meryl said eyeing her. I couldn't help but laugh nervously at the comment.
"Well yeah." She said. Both looked at her like she was insaine which was my thought on the matter till I knew why she had said yes to it. "That's why I'm here now silly." Looking back at Matt I eyed the weird expression he held looking at Candy.
"Um..staring problem?" I muttered.
"...No..." Matt said shaking his head. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you why I was staring..Can I ask how old you are miss?"
"20," Candy said. "Why?"
"Well its just that...this will sound crazy but about 10 years ago, I was saved by something..that held your face." Matt said.
"Something?" I eyed him again.
"Well...it held wings. I called her my guardian angel." Matt said pulling a pocket watch out of his pocket and flipping it showing a watch with a picture of a strange white glowing ora behind it in an odd shape, with brown pearcing eyes. "I painted this trying to remember her."
"Matt are you...sure about this?" Meryl said sounding a little werry of what he was saying. "I've known you since we where both little kids and you NEVER mentioned something like that."
"My parents told me not to speak of it to anyone. They saw it as well...That's how I got the stitches on my forhead. Though the train missed me a rock was thrown from the bottom and hit me after I was drug away." Matt said. "I've just...just never seen someone who held such an appearence to the angel."
"...ok.." Candy muttered looking nervous. "I've never been compared to one of Gods guardians before...well not like this anyway.."
An angel eh? I thought about it. Sure I thought she was heavenly and all but I never thought of her as an angel mainly because she was human and all even if she was from Earth. From what she has told me, she was before they created plants, when Earth was still clean and warm.
"Sorry to put you on the spot," Matt said chuckling.
"Its ok," Candy said. "Anyway I'm hungry and I bet you guys are too so maybe we should get a bite to eat like we where planning on." They nodded as he moved his hand out and we all got in the car to motion to enter it. I sat in the back behind the driver. Matt seemed to have a lot of money. This car was one of the nicest things I've seen around Gunsmoke. Looking in the drivers passanger side I saw Meryl sitting there all smiles about everything. She really did love him, didn't she? Then my head turned to Candy who was sitting beside me near the door watching as we drove by everything. She seemed to be zoned out. Frowning I found myself reaching over and moving the stray hairs from my view of her face only to have her look over at me. Her brown eyes gazed upon mine as she held a questioning look upon her face. I felt my face began to turn red as I quickly turned away. I had to stop doing that if I wanted to keep my feelings for her a secret from her. Rubbing my forehead I sighed. It was getting harder to do that, wasn't it? My heart lept to my throat whenever the girl looked at me now. That's when I herd a giggle and I looked up to see Meryl looking at us in the rear view mirror laughing at me. Frowning I stuck my tongue out at her and looked away. I hadn't blushed nearly quit as often as I did before I realized the truth behind my feelings.
"So..." Matts voice said. "You two seem pretty close and all." Gah could my day get any worse.
"Yeah I guess so," Candy said beside me. I turned my head to glance at her as she spoke with matt. "He's a really nice guy so its easy to get close to him."
"Well your weird," I muttered turning my head to make her lash out. I loved pushing her buttons.
"Well your obnotos and a big donut eater," Candy said sticking her tongue out at me which I stuck back at her.
"So..." I said. "At least I don't need a body guard."
"YOU my friend need an army to protect you," Candy added. "Chaos follows you everywhere and anybody that may follow you gets sucked in." Lightly chuckling I couldn't disagree with that. Bad luck always seemed to follow me. Sighing I just chuckled letting the argument die there. Turning my head for the rest of the time I watched the town go by as we road in the car.
Soon we where parked out in front of a restrant. Stepping out I looked up to see a fancy restrant that I've seen before. Looking over I saw Candy eyeing it as well.
"Well then lets go," Meryl said turning around to face me. Nodding I walked in with them. We where greeted by a host who brought us to some seats that Matt had reserved for us. Walking back we where brought into a private room with a table full of food set off to the side.
"Wow..." I muttered looking around feeling all of a suddenly not dressed up enough. A giggle came from Meryl who sat down in the seat that Matt had pulled out for her. "This place is really nice. I've really never went to a place like this."
"I have, once," Candy said beside me. "It was a dinner theater."
"Sounds lovely," Matt said as I realized that Candy was standing there waiting for me. Quickly I rushed over pulling the chair out as she giggled and sat down.
"Took you long enough."
"I don't do this sorta thing every day," I said trying to defend myself. It didn't help that I had turned redder then the apples laid out at the table to my left.
"So? You've lived long enough where you should have picked it up," She responded taking the tea that was set in front of us and brought it to her mouth taking a sip of it and then setting it back down.
"Come on, where here to enjoy ourselves," Meryl responded breaking through the fight Candy and I had started again. "You can flirt later."
"I'm not flirting!" I responded only to get a chuckle out of the couple.
"Maybe we should make it a triple wedding," Matt said which made me flush more almost falling over.
"..No...I've already got a headache changing the things to make it a double wedding for Milly and Wolfwood," Meryl said. "If Vash is intent on marring the woman, he can do it on his own time."
"I don't want to marry her." I fermly stated trying to move the subject on. "Why is it you keep thinking these things."
"Because their true," Meryl said taking a sip of her tea and setting it back down.
"No their not." I said. "You and Milly both have been doing this since I came back with her to your wedding. This isn't like you Meryl." That's when Meryl's smiling face turned into the serious one that the short woman always had.
"O really? Not once have I seen you try and do something perverted to the girl unlike all the other woman I've seen and met up with around you. The only two exeptions to the rule where Milly and I for good reason and even at our last meeting before you went to your brother you broke that even."
"...It was just a kiss.." I muttered.
"..Yeah I know, anyway I'm happy to see you've found someone who can handle you. Its not a normal person indeed who would follow an outlaw like you volentarly without hoping for the reward in the end."
"I have plenty of friends who don't care about that." I said.
"But none of them follow you and would risk their life being with you."
"Because I won't let them." I said back.
"And why do you let her? Of all the people you know on Gunsmoke, why her?"
",,Enough.." Candy muttered beside me. Turning my head I saw a very serious face upon her normaly gentle features. "I know what your trying to get at Meryl but its not going to work. We both see eachother as friends and nothing more. The reason he has allowed me to be with him for so long is because if I wasn't with him Knives would be after me and I would be dead, that is the only reason so please lets not talk about this anymore. You have a wedding to discuss anyway..." Was it just me...
Or did she look like she was about to cry when she said that. What the heck was going on exactly? This woman confused me more and more.
"Well ok then," Meryl said which made me fall down. How could she, whom was so into the conversation a few seconds ago, just change her mood and switch topics. "You guys will be coming down the isle together at the wedding in three days. We're going to hold the practice tomorrow after Millys dress is ready. There shouldn't be much change in the format either. Milly will walk down beside me as we meed up with our respective husbands to be. Candy will be off to our side and Vash will be off to Wolfwood and Matts side. There will be a reception and dancing. It will be a fun time and you Vash won't ruin it."
"Hey!" I winned. "Lets not assume anything." Meryl just sat there smiling and giggling at me. I just hung my head low and hoped for the first time nothing would go wrong when I was there. Meryl was taking a big risk having me in her wedding and I didn't want to ruin it.
"I'm sure it will go well." Candy commented.
The rest of the night was pretty stress free. I talked a lot to Matt and Meryl and got to know the guy that she was marring. I did have my doubts about him at first but after talking with him for those hours I understood why Meryl chose to marry him and why he would be a good husband. She did love him and she returned the feelings plus Matt was going to make sure nothing happened to the short girl which I was glad to hear. Meryl didn't need to be following me for the rest of her life. But on that same note I wondered when Candy would be heading back. She told me that she didn't understand why she was there and if she was even going back. My heart ached thinking about a day without her smiling face wouldn't be in front of me, not greeting the morning with me. I knew that she wouldn't be traveling with me for all her life, that was understandable. She seemed like the type of woman who wanted to raise a family with a man she loved and settle down. I could never settle down, not in that aspect. My fate is to wander gun smoke protecting its people, not to live in a house with the woman I love and the children we shared together. If I ever find a woman who would follow me, and travel with me, then my life would be complete. Part of me already saw Candy as her. She knew who I was to begin with and followed me even knowing the dangers of my brother. I also protected her from an unknown world, helping her survive and find some sorta place in the swirling desert sands. But then again I could see her married to some man, who was always tripping over himself to please and love her for all she's worth. A man who was entirely devoted to the woman, who would do anything she wished and could understand anything she didn't speak of. That would surprise her with things she never spoke of but truely wanted. I could never be that man. Besides I could never treat her like she should be treated and that is why I decided not to tell her. She didn't need me to worry about when she finally found love if she was stuck here for the rest of her life. But then again tomorrow she could be swept away back to Earth, far away from me. I sat in my room at Meryls thinking all of this. Candy not but two doors away. I could hear the faint sound of humming coming from behind her door. In three days three out of the four people who grew the closest to me would be getting married. Somehow this marrage was different from all the marrages I had seen before. For I knew that somehow I brought them all together in the end. And this would be no different from the others.
I was ageless.
I would see them grow old and die with the love in their eyes for one another.
A love I had never seen shown for me in all my years.
A love I realized after realizing my feelings for Candy I have been yearning for. I don't understand it anymore. I used to be ok with the idea of being alone till someone kills me, but now..now the site of her every morning greeting me with her warm smile and light laugh makes me realize more and more that I can't be alone anymore. Though I'm not in one sense I'm also entirely alone in another. I am the only one keeping the one man who is like me from destroying the people I vowed to protect.
The only one. Though Candy may be out of reach for me, I decided to find someone finally. The someone who'll look past my scars and see me and love me, travel with me, till her dieing day. I'll find her on this planet, and I'll love her like I love Candy now.