Ace coughed and flopped back onto the bed. "Who cares what she is? She left; she isn't coming back. Good riddance."

Knives stood up. "Barrier down?"

Vash nodded.

"Fine. We leave in the morning."

"Ok."

"Wait!" Ace sat back up. "You're just going? Like that?"

"We would rescue you."

"So? I'm special. She's just… she's… Why rescue her?" Ace scowled at Knives.

"I want answers." He walked over to his dresser and opened the top drawer, took out his gun and placed it on the table next to him.

"Why? Who cares why she left? It was her stupid decision. I mean, I understand trying to find her to take down that barrier thing, but even then she didn't want to come back. It was her decision to stay behind; let her stay."

Vash left the doorframe and entered the room. "Ace, grow up. It might have been her decision to stay behind, but it's our decision to go rescue her or not."

"Not," she muttered.

"Well, that's your decision. Have fun in the ship by yourself."

"What? Meryl and Alex are going?"

"If we're going to December, Meryl, Alex, and I are going to go visit Millie. She hasn't seen him, and I'm sure she'd like to. Plus, she's our friend, and it's good to visit with friends."

"I guess." She sighed and flopped back on the bed again. "I guess I'll go, too. But don't expect me to help you rescue that woman."

"That's your decision."

"Absolutely." She kicked off her shoes and curled up in a ball on Knives' bed.

Meryl entered and sat beside her, one hand brushing through the short blonde hair. "It'll be okay, kitten. No one is going to get hurt." She shot a pointed look at her husband.

"I think Knives and I will be able to handle anything they throw at us."

"You don't have to come along, Vash," said Knives, grabbing a bag out of the bottom drawer of his dresser and shoving clothes in. "Just go visit Millie."

"I'm not letting you go into a situation like that on your own."

"Afraid I'll start killing the humans?"

"No. I'm just going along to guard your back. It only takes one shot and you're worthless."

Knives glared at him. "Fine. But," he directed at Meryl, "if he gets hurt it is not my fault."

"Fair enough. He's had more practice at the rescue business than you, anyway. You might want him along to learn a few pointers. You are, however, not allowed to take Alex."

"Wouldn't dream of it." A pause. "You are the one who has to tell him he can't come with us."

"That's part of my role as a mother. She who decrees where one cannot go.":

Knives rummaged in the top drawer for more ammo. "Since I'm planning on leaving rather early, you two might want to go pack and get some rest."

Meryl stood up, grabbed her husbands hand, and took him from the room. He waved goodbye as he left, but was too lost in thought to say anything.

Knives continued to pack, and Ace continued to pretend to be asleep. He opened another drawer and fingered the blue silk shirt found inside. Then he closed the drawer, leaving it behind.

The now-full bag was tossed on a chair, and he sat by Ace, taking the position Meryl had vacated, stroking her hair. She leaned into the motion, opening her eyes to stare at him, her half-lidded gaze unreadable.

"You would leave her there."

"She left us here. Let her rot."

"I had hoped… that seeing her might lessen this anger you carry."

"I hate her. I hate that she had you first. I hate that she left. I hate that she felt she could do whatever she wanted, to lock us all up in here. Like we would have followed her, like we wanted her around or something."

"At the time, we did."

"I still hate her."

He fell silent for a couple minutes. "You didn't say that she was a plant."

"So? What difference does it make?"

"I protect my own."

"She doesn't want your protection. She doesn't want anything to do with any of us. I don't know why you guys keep trying to act like she's this great person. She locked you here and left, too much of a coward to even give a proper goodbye." She turned over, putting her back to Knives. "Just a stupid letter."

"She did do that, and I agree that it was not the best of ways to depart. But that's no reasons to leave her in the hands of our enemies."

"She works with them," she growled, turning over and glaring at him. "They know her. It's not likely they're going to kill her. She's a person to them. I was just a… a… thing."

"Are you willing to risk her life on that assessment?"

"Yes. Who cares if she lives, anyway? Bitch."

"I care. I told you, I want answers from her."

"Fine." She got off the bed and picked up her shoes. "I'm going to go pack."

"Get some sleep," he advised. "I want to leave by seven."

"Seven? I've been driving all night!"

"And it will take all day to get back. You can sleep in the car."

"Fine. Everything revolves around that woman. Fat woman," she muttered as she left his room.

Knives shook his head, then turned off the light on his desk. He picked up the book he had been reading and slipped it on the shelf, then ran his fingers over the spines of his collection. He wondered when he would see them again, wondered what awaited them in December. Why had Kiley not come back? Why had she stayed behind? Why hadn't she told him she was a plant? Had she lied about the whole Genalt thing? Was she working for the people who had held Ace the entire time, or was she a player for yet another team?

Had she missed him as much as he had missed her?