A Wavering Red Coat

part 3

By: Kristen Kolb

This world is to much me,

Maybe someday I'll come back for you...

Vash heard a loud noise and woke with an early start. In sheer panic he got up, quickly got dressed and ran out of the door. His eyes held terror as he ran through the hall. Vash tore down the hall only one thing on his mind, 'What's going on?' He nearly knocked down the two swinging doors as he busted to the bright outside light.

He shielded his green eyes from the yellow sun. The streets were amazingly clear. But he distinctly remembered the gun shot. His panic-stricken look surprised most of the old people. He felt her fading slowly, his heart pounded more as he heard yet another gun shot. Vash rushed out into the street, nearly running smack into a cart driven by some stranger. There were curse words to be heard, but Vash ignored them as he made a sharp left.

~It's harder than I thought it'd be,

So I'll spread my wings and fly away~

He swore he felt his heart skip a beat as he reached another long and curving road. The minutes seemed to pass like hours as he ran as fast as he could. His face was saturated in sweat, yet he didn't care, there was only one thing on his mind.

He reached the end of the road, but there was nothing but a large concrete wall. Quickly he cleared it and in a gasping moment found himself face-to-face with ten armed gun men. "I'm sorry, but I'm in a bit of a rush!" The words only angered them, gun shots rang out and the ten men fell to the ground. "I told you I was in a rush!" He again began running toward some large looking house.

~I'm sorry I have to leave like this,

But I can't live on this way~

Busting through the doors, he could barely see. The light was dim, but there seemed to be some fairly surprised men in the room. There were murmurs then gun shots, then what sounded like feet running through the halls. Finally he opened the last pair of doors and saw her standing there, someone on the ground behind her.

The woman looked at Vash, her face guarded but he knew exactly who she was. The silver hair climbed down her back and the golden eyes glared at him. Vash growled and looked at the limp body laying on the ground.

"It's no use, she's almost dead, why don't you just give up?" She asked Vash. He again glared at her.

"I won't give in to your dirty tricks . . . Auron . . . " his eyes glinted dangerously to her. He gritted his teeth and wanted to kill her even more than he did before. "To stoop so low . . . to kill someone so innocent . . . " he felt a tear slip down the side of his cheek and a lump appear in his throat.

"But my dear . . . Vash . . . she was never innocent. She played with you like a toy and then came home to me . . . " Auron gave a cynical and evil smile that sent some shivers running through his body.

"That's not true! It can't be! I'll kill you Auron! This is unforgivable!" Vash yelled at the silver haired woman as he drew his gun. She drew her bow and arrow and shot him in the shoulder.

"Just think of it this way. You can die together!" She snarled at him as she sent another arrow soaring at him. He just barely dodged the sharpened rock. Finally getting the chance, he attempted the shoot the woman with three shots. She dodged the shots and sent another arrow into his right leg. "You're going down with her." She laughed.

"You forget . . . I'm right-handed!" He sent one more shot and it went right through her chest. It ripped through the flesh and out the back of her body. She gasped for breath but felt she slipping into state of horror, her eyes rolled back and her body became as limp as the woman whom she'd been torturing body was. A pool of blood surrounded her and her once silver hair became stained with the red liquid.

~I loved you dear and I gave you my all,

Now let go so I may fall~

Vash rushed over to the side of the woman that lay on the ground drenched in blood. Slowly Vash removed the doll-like body from the ground. Her arms and head moved with his every movement, they were so limp it scared him. He kissed her lips as tears fell from his eyes. His throat becoming all the more soar than before. Her eyes slowly opened to meet his green eyes. The grey orbs attempted to smile up at him.

"I kept our promise.." she coughed and felt herself buck up from the horrifying shock waves of pain that ran through her.

"Don't say it like that.." Vash's tears slipped and mixed with her blood.

~Please let go of me...

Keep savored memories of what love I gave to you...~

"Maybe...Rem will be waiting for me, you think?" Rhym felt the tears fall onto her bloodied, battered, and bruised face.

"Yeah...I'm sure she's up there with a big chocolate cheese cake and maybe even....a Virgin Strawberry Daiquiri." He reached down and kissed her again. This time feeling Rhym kiss back.

Finally after the minutes had passed that felt like hours again. She put her hand to his face and traced her bloodied fingers along his boney face. Her eyes watered, finally her eyes closed and her hand fell to the ground.

~Sayonara...my love~

Vash felt himself slip and fall on top of her, then he heard foot steps and yells of some familiar voices.

~I'll meet you again someday..

Someway...~

He woke again with a start in his bed from a cold sweat. This time Merrill staring at him. There was a confused look on her face when he woke.

"Well, ohijo, sleepy head!" She smiled and handed him some soup. "You've been asleep for three days straight!" She gave another cheery look and watched him take the soup.

"Wha–?" He took the soup and slurped it up faster than he should have. Soon he suffered from a burnt tongue.

"Do you...remember anything....from the house?" Merrill finally asked.

The memories fell into his mind all to quick. "Yes...but...she's..." he felt tears slip out of his eyes. "She's...gone..." he gulped down and finally screamed out loud. "SHE'S DEAD!" Merrill looked down and felt his pain of loss.

"I'm sorry...I wish I could comfort you in some way..but I can't." She finally gave in and put her arms around him. "I'm here for you though...and so is Milly..so..I want you to know you're not alone." Her face cried into his back as Vash sobbed. He put his hand on her arm and smiled though the streams kept coming. Merrill wanted to stay in this moment, as sad and as lonely as it felt, she couldn't help it. It was the first time she'd allowed herself this close to him...

~Au-revoir, I love you my dear~

*End of a Wavering Red Coat...*