So, Vash is a daddy! How will he react to the bombshell he just received? You'll just have to find out in this chapter. Thanks for the reviews! ^_^

All Characters and Original Story were created and is owned by Yasuhiro Nightow-sama. Arigatou!

Language note = "Tongari" loosely translated means "Noodle Noggin'" as Wolfwood once called Vash.

When It's Over

Chapter 2: Reality

"This is my daughter Ai…OUR daughter," Meryl said softly.

She looked at Vash warily, wondering how he would react to the news.

"Da…da…daughter?" Vash sputtered in disbelief and then proceeded to faint to the floor.

When he finally regained consciousness, he found himself lying on a bed with a damp cloth across his forehead.

"You're finally awake," Milly greeted him from his bedside.

"What happened?"

"Senpai said you fainted and hit your head on the floor. You've been unconscious for a few hours."

No wonder he had a throbbing headache.

"Do you feel up to having some dinner?" she asked, offering him a tray of food, which he wolfed down in about 2 seconds flat. The bump on his head had no affect on his appetite, whatsoever.

He got up and went over to the window, back to his serious mode. He stared blankly at the black sky where the fifth moon reflected the hole he had put there, constantly reminding him of how much destruction he had caused.

"Is it true Milly?"

"Is what true?"

"The child…Meryl's daughter. Is she…is she really mine?" he asked hesitantly.

"What are talking about Vash-san? Of course she is."

"How could this happen?" he murmured in disbelief.

"Well when a man and woman love each other, they…"

"That's NOT what I meant," Vash replied quickly, turning bright red. "Where is Meryl?"

"Putting the kids to bed. I'm going to finish up the dishes. Are you going to be okay?"

Okay? He didn't know if he would ever be okay again.

"Yes," he answered woodenly, but smiled for her benefit, so that she wouldn't worry.

When he was alone again, he looked down at his scarred hands. His brows were furrowed deep in thought. It wasn't fair that so many peopled suffered and died because of him. And now he had a child of his own. He knew that he didn't deserve to be happy, but somewhere deep inside, he hoped that he could at least live in peace. What tore at his heartstrings the most, was that his daughter, his own flesh and blood, grew up without him there to laugh with her, to play with her, to teach her…and most all, to love her. Dear God, in heaven, he was a father! Things would never be the same again. He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't notice when Meryl came into the room.

She leaned her back against the door as she watched him in silence, unable to read his thoughts. She had gone over this scene over and over in her mind over the years, but nothing could have prepared her for the real thing.

"If I'd have known you were going to faint, I would have waited until you were sitting down," she finally said.

Vash gazed at her accusingly, "Why didn't you tell me?"

She walked over to him slowly. "You left before I found out that I was pregnant. And besides, I didn't know if you were ever coming back."

"How convenient for you," he replied sarcastically.

Meryl crossed her arms over each other defensively. "Would you have stayed if you had known?" she challenged.

"That's not fair. I had no other choice."

"Don't you dare lecture me about being fair, Vash," she replied angrily. "You're not the one who had to raise a child alone."

"You decided that on your own, didn't you?"

Meryl crossed the gap between them, wasting no time, and slapped him as hard as she could.

A part of her lashed out at him because of the mental and physical stress she had gone through, and the other part of her wanted to punish him for re-opening old wounds. Vash knew he had gone too far.

He slowly raised his head back to face her and brought his arms around her small frame, pulling her against his chest. She tried to pull away, and pounded her fists against his chest in vain, not wanting his sympathy. She wanted more than what he was willing to give her. He just stood there and waited until she finally stopped fighting him.

Meryl closed her eyes and buried her face against his broad chest. Despite her demeanor, even she had her limits. She didn't know how long she stayed in his embrace, but she never wanted him to let go.

"I'm sorry, Meryl," he said quietly. "How did this happen?"

She pulled away reluctantly, but kept her distance.

"You were recovering in LR after your last encounter with Legato."

Vash's eyes reflected pain as she reminded him of the darkest moment of his life.

"You were pretty messed up at the time. I was afraid the townspeople would come after you again, even though we managed to keep them from killing you. One thing led to another and it just…happened," Meryl finished uncomfortably.

"I thought I was dreaming."

"So did I," Meryl thought to herself. Before she had been shocked back to reality.

"The fact of the matter is that we have a daughter now."

"Did you tell her about me?"

"She has a name, you know."

"You'll have to forgive me. I've only been a father for a few hours."

"Ai doesn't know yet. I didn't want to get her hopes up waiting for you to come back. What are you going to do, Vash?" she asked uncertainly.

Vash clenched his fists tightly to his sides, as every muscle tensed in his body. It wasn't that he didn't want to be a part of his daughter's life. There was nothing more in the world that he wanted to do. But he was still a wanted man with a $$60 billion bounty on his head, and was being constantly chased from one town to another. With his reputation, even knowing Vash the Stampede could mean trouble. He was used to being an outcast, but he couldn't allow that to happen to Ai. She didn't need to be saddled with the burden of having him as a father.

"I'll leave right away," he answered solemnly. "She won't ever have to know who I am."

The veins in her forehead pulsed angrily, as Meryl stared at him in shock and disbelief.

"Have you even listened to a word I said?" she demanded.

"Ai is better off without me."

"And what about me?!" Meryl wanted to scream out loud.

"This isn't easy for me."

"Then why are you doing this?"

"Because…everyone who gets close to me always ends up getting hurt. I don't want that to happen ever again. Especially not to the people I care about."

"So that's it. You're just going to leave without even talking to Ai. Damn it, you're her father!"

"She won't miss what she never had," he finished, with difficulty.

"You would deny her the right to decide for herself whether or not she wanted you to be a part of her life?" Meryl demanded in low voice. "I thought I knew you, Vash. I thought you finally allowed some one to care about you enough to let them be a part of your life. I guess I was wrong…again," Meryl replied bitterly, and left the room before she lost it completely.

Vash sank to his knees as tears trickled down his cheeks onto the wooden floor.

"Forgive me, Meryl," he said sadly into the empty room.

Vash stared at the sleeping child, who held a raggedy stuffed rabbit in her arms and bent down to get a closer look at his daughter. Even in the darkness, he could see the features of her face defined clearly against the moonlight. A lump formed at the back of his throat as he tried to keep back the emotions that were coursing through his veins, threatening to overwhelm him.

"Ai-chan, I hope one day, you will find it in your heart to forgive me," he whispered softly.

With trembling fingers, he brushed back her hair from her forehead before getting up to leave, but not before the little girl woke up and saw him leaving the room. With child-like curiosity, she got up out of bed and followed him outside the house. Mama said that he was an old friend, but she wanted to find out for herself. Besides, she had a strange feeling inside that she knew him.

Vash slung his duffle bag over his shoulder as he turned to take one last look at the church.

"It's for their own good," he kept telling himself. "Take care of her for me, Meryl."

"What'cha doing?" a little girl's voice asked him suddenly, from behind, causing Vash to freak out. He held a hand to his pounding heart as he stared at Ai.

"You should be in bed."

"I'm not sleepy. Where ya going?"

"Away," he answered tersely, hoping to dissuade her from inquiring any further.

"Why?"

"I have to."

"Whyyy?" she asked again.

"Everyone will be safer if I leave."

"Whyyyyy?"

By now, Vash was quickly losing patience and said the only excuse he could think of at that moment. (Which we all use from time to time ^_^)

"Because…because I say so, that's why!"

The little girl giggled as the veins on his forehead almost popped out of his face. "You're funny," Ai responded, deciding that she liked him. "My name is Ai. What's yours?"

"Vash."

"Can I call you Tongari-san?"

Vash immediately face faulted. "TONGARI-SAN?!" he shrieked in immediate displeasure. "Where did you hear that?" he demanded.

"That's what Mama calls you."

He considered her thoughtfully for a moment. He would have to use child psychology to get out of this one.

"Tell you what, if you go back to bed, you can call me Tongari-san."

"I want some water, Tongari-san," she said smiling sweetly and held out her hand towards him.

Vash stared at her small hand before slowly taking it into his. He would put her back to bed and then leave, before she found out the truth about his identity. The longer he stayed, the harder it would be to leave.

"Okay, now it's time for bed," Vash said when Ai finished her glass of water.

"Tell me a story," she demanded.

"I don't know any stories."

"Mama always tells stories," the little girl said reasonably.

"Then ask Mama to tell you."

"I want YOU to tell me."

Vash groaned inwardly. "How did I get into this mess?" he thought to himself. He couldn't believe he was losing to a little girl, who didn't even have to try.

"Okay, okay. ONE story and then bed, understand?"

Ai nodded her head in agreement and then proceeded to climb onto his lap and snuggled up against him, as she settled down. It didn't take long before she drifted off to sleep even before he had a chance to begin. Vash was completely lost for words. She had accepted him so completely and without reservation. Maybe it was true about the old adage that children really do see through people.

Without even realizing it, his arms wrapped around his daughter and hugged her closely against him, as he finally acknowledged her.

"My little girl…" he murmured softly.

End of Chapter 2

To be continued…

Written by:

Babboo 3/18/03