Author's Note: Thanks to ChunckyMonkey421 (x3), Ametenshi (x2), Leigh, SailorPenguinz, and Blood-Lotus Demonwalker. I have 11 (minus the one where I give an addy) reviews! ::jumps around:: I feel so special! And give poor Wolfwood a break. Hehe, I'll get to where he's been, and why he's back. You just have to be patient. That's all. -_^

P.S. Milly's dream is, say, the morning of or the day before. You'll get it when you read it. Next chapter may take a while to post. Sorry in advanced!

The Weeds were still looking around the general store when I saw Andrew come up. He had those sunglasses on again. When he was younger a man, named "Nick" gave them to him. Milly, Meryl and I weren't sure if it was really Wolfwood, or just someone who happened to match his description. It made us wonder who this imposter was for a while.

Then I noticed that he was carrying something on his back. Something I'd know anywhere. I felt the color drain from my face.

"Dad," Demi said, tapping my shoulder. "We've decided."

I turned around. My daughter gave me a look. I'm sure I had a strange look on my face. I reached into my pocket and gave her some money. As soon as she left I turned back around. He looked almost exactly like Nicholas coming towards me. I felt a chill go down my spine.

Andrew saw me and waved. I couldn't believe he held that thing with one arm. "Hey Vash. Looking for some donuts?" I shook my head. He must have noticed the look on my face. "Are you ok? You look like you've seen a ghost." It was a joke, but I felt that I was seeing his father right before me.

I recovered as best as I could and smiled at him. "I'm fine," I said with a smile. I looked at the cross he held on his back. "Where'd you get that?"

He lifted his sunglasses and looked at the cross on his back. "Oh. Yeah. Long story. You'll never believe who I met again." He shook his head and walked into the bakery. "I'm back Mr. Cranny," Andrew shouted. An answer came from the back. He went behind the counter and put the cross against the wall then put on an apron.

"Did you see that, uh, Nick guy again?" I asked. 'Please tell me no,' I begged him silently.

"Bingo," he answered. "He hasn't changed much. Told me to tell all of you hi again." Andrew leaned on the counter. I just stood there, looking shocked or stupid I'm sure. "I don't see why he just doesn't talk to you guys. When I ask him all he says is that it'll freak you out. I don't see how an old friend would freak you out." He mumbled something then went to help a customer that just came in.

Why Wolfwood had only contacted Andrew, and not the rest of us I was trying to figure out myself. 'Where have you been?' I asked the priest silently. 'We thought you died. Why won't you talk to us?'

Andrew came back over to me when he was done with the customer. "So to say the least, Nick came back, gave me something else. I'm just not sure what I'm going to do with this stupid thing." He kicked it with the back of his heel.

"Don't show it to your mom and don't tell her that Nick came by again," I said.

The sixteen-year-old gave me a look. "Why? Its not that bad is it?"

"No. It's not that. It's just . . . It's hard to explain. I think it'd be best if you also didn't tell her that he came by again."

"What the heck am I going to do with this thing then?" He said, pointing to the wrapped cross.

"Put it in the shed out back for now. We can decide later what to do with it.

"Whatever," he said, fingering one of the leather straps. "I don't see why he wanted to give me this. I'm not a priest. And I don't see why I should hide it from my mom."

I sighed. "Just trust me, Andrew. I don't like hiding anyone. Its just that until we can figure out who this 'Nick' guy is, I don't want to tell her."

Andrew nodded his head. "Sure. But I will tell her. I don't want to hurt her."

"I understand."

*~*~*~*

I dreamt of Nicholas again. I haven't dreamt of him a while. I take that back. I had gone without dreaming about him for a while. Years actually. Then a couple of months ago they started again. At first I was just dreaming old memories. Then gradually they began to change. The most recent was the best, but disturbing in a way.

We were in a garden. I call it that because I've only seen pictures of them really. Except for that one time where Meryl and I helped out an older couple.

It was a beautiful. I had no idea that I could imagine such a place. Everything was green. All different shades of greens too. There were other colors as well. Reds, blues, yellows, purples. Plants I had only seen in books, and even then that wasn't half of the ones I could identify. There was even a pond. I went over to look at it. Small fish were in. Swimming happily around. I saw my reflection in it. I was how I looked back then, when Meryl and I would chase around Vash.

Then I heard laughter in the distance and I followed it. Meryl, in her old outfit of white and her cape, was sitting with Vash (who hasn't changed ever), and Nicholas.

"Welcome to my paradise," Nicholas greeted me. "Come, join us." He patted the ground next to him. I sat next to him. "I never did tell you what my paradise would be."

I shook my head. "No, you never did."

He threw open his arms. "This is it, Milly. My paradise would have you, Vash, Meryl, and our son."

"This is great," Meryl said, leaning on Vash, who was blushing slightly.

"I like it," Vash agreed. He stuffed a donut into his mouth from a box that was besides him. "It has donuts, that's all I care about," He said through his food. Meryl elbowed him. "Oh, and Meryl. Meryl here is a good thing." We laughed.

"Mama!" came a little boy's voice. I turned to see Andrew coming towards us. He looked around five. "Daddy!" he called to Nicholas. I felt my heart skip a beat. It was new to hear Andrew call him that.

"Hey buddy," Nicholas greeted him with a ruffling of the hair. "See its paradise," he told me. It amazed me how much Andrew looked like his father. There were subtle differences, but one could tell where he received his looks.

"We're going to head off and explore," Vash said standing up. He then helped Meryl up.

"Can I come?" Andrew asked, looking very excited. He has always idolized Vash. And Vash has been somewhat of a good influence on my son.

"Sure, kid. C'mon." Hand in hand with Meryl they went off.

"I have something to tell you Milly," Wolfwood said when they were gone.

I turned at looked at him. Mr. Priest. I smiled. Things had changed since he had died. But in this dream, the way he looked at me, it almost felt real. Like this was really him.

"Milly, I wish I could have been there for you, all these years," he began. "I did talk to our boy once. You've done a great job. I promise I see you soon." I only smiled. I suppose I wanted him to say those things to me. As if he were alive. He leaned over and kissed me. He pulled away and I was lost in his eyes. I saw his lips moving. I didn't hear what he was saying. I just couldn't look away from his eyes.

"Remember that, ok?" I finally heard him say.

"Ok," I said. I had no idea what I was supposed to remember.

He gave a small nod. "Good." He stood and helped me up. "Now, let me show you around my paradise. I hope you like it." Shortly after that I woke up.

"You ok?" Meryl asked. "You've been staring out the window for sometime now.

I smiled at her. "Oh, I was just thinking about a dream I had recently."

Meryl gave me a look. "Ok then." She went back to the report she was writing.

Meryl was at the desk, typing away. It was my day off. I was sitting on the couch with a book in my lap. I continued to look out the window.

I tried to imagine what it would be like with Wolfwood here. I suppose the house would be too small for two families. Who knows, we might not even be living here. I could see us traveling still. Andrew would have probably have learned his gun skills from Vash and Nicholas. Meryl would be trying to make sure that her kids didn't get into trouble like their father. Me. I would enjoy it. The company of my friends and loved ones is all I need.

Or maybe we'd be kind of as we are now. We couldn't share this house. It's small to begin with. Seven would be pushing it. Then Meryl and Vash I could see as neighbors.

Its nice to think of the "what if" when the "what is", is hard to deal with.

I look at Meryl. I haven't even told her yet. Actually, I haven't told anyone. About the same time I had started to dream of Wolfwood again, I had gone to the doctor. Andrew and Meryl had forced me. He took some test and came back with some results that were great, but they weren't horrible either. There's this lump on the side of my throat. Its gone down since then, but I can tell its there. It could be cancerous, or just my…whichamacallit has gotten too big. The doctor said he wanted to do some test. Problem is that it cost money.

That's the reason why I've been working long hours. I'm trying to get that money quickly. I hate doing it, but the money Andrew gives me to help out on things, I've been secretly stowing some away.

I shake my head. I'm supposed to be the cheerful one, not the dark brooding one. At least the others still think I am. Standing up I put the book on the couch. "I'm going to go for a walk," I tell Meryl.

"Uh-huh," is the only thing she says.

Outside its warm. Well, it's always warm on Gunsmoke. Its just not "heat's going to kill you". Our house is in a good location. It's on the more suburban side of down, but not to far from the businesses.

I walk casually down the street. I wasn't really paying attention to anything. Just enjoying the sun and air and a rumbling noise. Rumbling noise? I looked around. Heading towards me was a person cloaked in black on motorcycle. I didn't see to many of those. Reminded me of the time Andrew came home and said a man named Nick gave him sunglasses. I had looked out the kitchen window to see Wolfwood riding by.

The person on the bike stopped when he came near me. I waved at him. I wasn't close enough to see his face, but knew it was a man. He fishtailed it down the next street.

"Odd fellow," I said, shrugged my shoulders, and continued my walk.