I'm busy, so it's a chaplet. And late. Again, I blame Ms. Sango. *grins*

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Meryl turned off the engine, the soft ticking sounds of cooling an odd counterpoint to the silence. The buildings shadowed the square, more buildings than she had expected. The place looked more prosperous than she remembered, but four years was a long period of time. She just hoped that things were the same, that people were as she remembered them. She could feel the eyes upon her, upon the car, and rested her head on the steering wheel a moment, just to breathe. Then she sat up, shook herself, and opened the door. She stretched again as she stood, her spine bending and bones creaking as she basked in the warmth of the suns, then was attacked by an over-exuberant friend.

"Meryl!" squealed Millie as she grabbed the smaller woman and lifted her from the ground. Meryl pounded on her back, trying to get a grip before she slid out of the taller woman's arms.

"Hello to you, too, Millie," said Meryl tightly as she tried to breathe, finally managing to throw her arms around her friend's neck.

"Oh my, it's been so long and how have you been and where is the baby did he come with you, oh, hi Mr. Vash, and the time between your letters was so long and it was so hard to wait and I was tempted to go and visit you guys at the ship but I never had the time and here you are and Ace grew up, hello Alex!" Millie dropped Meryl and reached out for Alex. Both women paused to breathe, but Millie recovered first.

"Hello, ma'am," said Alex politely before he was grabbed and hugged tightly. "Oh, my, you look just like Mr. Vash but you have your mother's eyes." Ace sniggered from behind Millie's back at the slightly trapped expression on Alex's face. Millie let go and looked him over critically. "Go stand by your father," she demanded, pushing him slightly.

Bemused, Vash went to stand by his son, and Millie nodded sagely. "You're taller," she said to Alex.

"By a little," he said solemnly.

"I didn't know that men came taller than Mr. Vash. Well, men who aren't scary and deformed and evil and such."

"I'm trying to not be evil, but it's incredibly difficult. There are too many puppies to steal, maidens to ravage, and planets to take over. The temptation is nearly overwhelming," he replied, deadpan. Millie looked at him cautiously, then laughed. He winked at her, and she gave him another hug.

"I like you," she declared.

"Hey, where's my hug?" asked Vash, hurt dripping from his eyes, arms outstretched. Millie flew into them, and Vash's face purpled.

She pulled back, grinned at Vash, then walked over to Ace. "You are a very pretty lady," she said solemnly, arms outstretched. Ace looked at her, looked at her arms, and cautiously stepped forward. Millie gave her a gentle hug and a sweet smile, then stepped back and looked at the group.

"Anne is in trouble, isn't she? Let's go in and have some tea, and you can tell me all about it." Alex and Ace shared a startled look, and Vash and Meryl a knowing smile, but they all followed after as Millie led the way to her house.

Millie went into the kitchen after admonishing everyone to make themselves comfortable. Meryl followed her, and the others gingerly arranged themselves on the living room furniture. Vash had fallen back into a pensive mood, Ace was wondering what exactly she was doing there, and Alex was enjoying looking about the room.

Mille turned to her friend. "Meryl, I said to make yourself comfortable. That does not include helping me make the tea," she admonished.

"I am making myself comfortable," she protested. "I feel like helping."

"Ok, ma'am. Then you put the water on, and I'll see what snacks I can rustle up."

Meryl found the kettle and was filling it with water when Millie opened the window and hollered out, "We need pudding!"

A faint "Yes, ma'am" was heard. Millie pulled her head back in the kitchen and grinned at Meryl, who was looking at her oddly. "Did you think I was going to try to cook?"

"No, that was always my job. I just like how dignified you have gotten in your old age," she said with a grin.

"Well, I am living with my little big brother and his wife. They do keep trying to make a lady out of me. Something about me being a role model to the kids." She waved a hand about lazily in illustration.

The kettle began to whistle. Millie grabbed the handle with a towel and took it out to the living room. Meryl followed with a few mugs and cups. She almost dropped them all when Millie came back to get the tea, but managed to fumble them into everyone's hands without breaking any.

Millie came back with tea, milk, sugar, and instant coffee, which Meryl gladly grabbed and the others passed by. The room was silent as everyone busied themselves with preparing their drinks, but it was only a minute before Millie crossed her legs and said, "So what trouble is Anne in now?"

Ace scowled into her cup, but everyone else looked at Millie. "Why do you think she's in trouble?" asked Vash.

"Because I normally hear from her on Fridays, and I didn't yesterday, and now here all of you are."

"She's kept in contact with you?"

Millie nodded and took a sip of her tea. "Of course she has. And she's been sending me pudding, and money to the orphanage when she can. She's a sweet girl."

A knock at the door interrupted them. Millie rose to get it, and grabbed a large platter of sweets from someone at the door.

"Here we go," she said as she set the plate down on the table. She grabbed a dish of pudding and sat back down. "Dig in, everyone."